''He (Yeshua) will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and YHVH Elohim will give Him the throne of His father David.

And He will reign over the house of Ya'acov forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end'' (Luke 1:32-33). Yeshua has gone out to the nations looking for the lost sheep of the House of Israel, those who are called for His namesake and are destined to be a part of the fallen Succah of David. (ref. Acts 15:14-16). We, being that remnant, must pay close attention to the word of YHVH through His holy prophets from of old, as it is written that ''the heavens must retain Him (the Messiah) until the restoration of all things spoken through the mouth of [these] holy prophets '' (Acts 3:21).

This last quote from the book of Acts was made very real to us, as we traveled several times in the past weeks into the heartland, to the Mounts of Blessing and Curse and to Elon Moreh. The hills of Samaria are covered by thousands of olive trees, among which is found the sporadic almond tree. The white and pink blossoms of the slender almond trees, juxtaposed with the somber silvery green of the olive trees and their gnarled trunks, form a delightful sight at this time of year. The delicate and graceful ''shkey'diya'' standing among the olive trees is much like a young bride surrounded by a crowd of stately sages. The word for almond in Hebrew is ''sha'ked'', the root verb of which is ''to diligently watch''. This is well illustrated in Jer. 1:11-12 which reads:
''Moreover the word of YHVH came to me, saying,
'Yirmiyahu [Jeremiah], what do you see?' And I said, 'I see a branch of an almond tree'. Then YHVH said to me, 'you have seen well, for I am watching [persistently and with diligence] over My word to perform it'''. The olive tree, on the other hand, is the known symbol of the House of Ya'acov
(ref. Jer.11:16).

This relationship of olive and almond can also be seen in the Menorah, as the cups that hold the olive oil are shaped in the form of the flower of the almond tree. Thus, when lit, the pressed oil in the basin of the ''flower'' lights up the Holy Place. The olive oil for the Menorah came from the first fruit of the tree, and some say that only the first drop of oil from each of those olives could be used for that lamp. The almond tree is the first to demonstrate the budding of life at the end of winter, even before springtime. At the same time, its blossoms are the sign for the husbandman to prune the olive trees, and at that time of year the branches are seen lying on the ground around the olive tree, ready to be gathered and burned. It is worth noting that the branches that get pruned are the ones in the interior of the tree, those hidden from sunlight; those that are sapping the tree of its life-giving energy; and while producing little fruit they also prevent the tree from breathing. The branches that are left will then bear larger and juicier olives. Added to the beautiful sight of the olive trees and the flowering almond trees are the carpets of violet and yellow flowers, interspersed with the red (poppy-like) anemones. Yesterday, as we were driving along the upper ridge of Mount Eval (Mount of Curse), we looked across to the upper slopes of the Mount of Blessing and saw what looked like a huge building under construction in the shape of a domed Mosque.

Upon inquiring about it, we found out that the Palestinians are building another casino. Although it is forbidden for Moslems to gamble, the one in Jericho is bringing in much revenue from the crowds of Israelis, who are supplied with free limousine transportation taking them to the cisterns (that hold no water) that they are seeking for. We have heard that many have lost all their possessions, including their marriages, to this place. Could this be another terrorist ploy to destroy from inside His returning remnant? Our heart is grieved over the many things that are taking place in the land of our inheritance, but yet YHVH will remain faithful to watch (almond = sha'ked - to be diligent) over His word and promises to Israel, the olive tree. We find that our hearts are experiencing the same sort of feelings that Yeshua had, as He wept over Jerusalem, or like those of Rav Shaul recorded in Rom. 9:2-4: ''I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Messiah for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh. who are Israelites''. We also grieve over how little interest the House of Joseph/Ephraim is demonstrating for the land and for our Jewish brothers who are holding down, with their lives, what little real estate is left.
King David erected a tent, as a temporary covering until the construction of the Temple, and brought into it the Ark of the Covenant.

On that day he composed a prayer, excerpts of which I would like to quote, with the remnant of the seed of Israel in mind: ''Oh, give thanks to YHVH, Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! O seed of Israel His servant, you children of Ya'acov, His chosen ones! He is YHVH our Elohim; His judgments are in all the earth. Remember His covenant forever, the word that He commanded, for a thousand generations; The covenant which He made with Avraham, and His oath to Yitzhak, and confirmed it to Ya'acov for a statute, to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, 'To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance,'''
(1 Chr. 16:8-9; 13-1).

We, in this generation, are still far from the thousandth generation of our forefathers' seed. Can we, therefore, not pay heed to David's word, exhorting us to remember the land? The greater son of David (Yeshua) is not interested in uniting Church and Synagogue; this is not what He is diligent in performing.

Ezekiel tells us that He is interested in uniting two trees, two houses, two kingdoms, two nations and a people, with their land (Ez. 37). The Messiah came to restore the government of His Father to Israel, His firstborn nation. He will perform it and bring it to pass, but He will also prune the olive tree of Israel. ''You will say then, 'branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. Well said, because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear, for if YHVH did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of YHVH'' (Rom.11:19-22).

Please pray and ask what you might do to help in restoring the relationship between the two houses, you can be like those almond trees amongst the olive trees on the hills of Samaria, or even a hidden Queen Esther, the relative of Mortecai the Jew, ''for such a time as this'' and for your inheritance's sake! Shabbat Shalom and a Purim Sa'me'ach (Joyful Feast of Purim). Shevet Achim Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together inunity. (Psa. 133)

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