|
Dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus, part of the growing repentance remnant, cleansing as His Bride, getting ready for His soon return as our Bridegroom-----
Kathleen Mitchell give us a remarkable insight on this Holy season and the Messiah. Through Him we can join to become breakers of the current darkness:
THE ONE WORD ORDER
In The Cleft of the Rock Ministries, International
PO Box 498548
Cincinnati, OH 45249-9998 USA
Kathleen D. Mitchell
December 13, 2025
CHANUKAH MESSAGE … Kathleen D. Mitchell
Tomorrow, this Sunday evening, we will begin the observance of Chanukah. How wonderful it is to light the Chanukkiah each night and say the blessings. How delicious it is to eat the latkes, bimilas, and sufganiot! But, more than ever this year, I believe that we need to put our focus on what the Maccabees accomplished, as well as why/how they did it, during that first Chanukah. We know that this band of Jewish priests, arising from one family, took on the entire Greek army in the Holy Land. We know that after their victory, they cleaned and restored the temple … rededicating it, so that Yeshua the Messiah, could walk into that Temple many years later, fulfilling prophetic scriptures. But there are elements of this uprising of Jews that we need to apprehend in our present time, right now.
Israel is again fighting the Greeks … the global Luciferian humanist cabal, as well as Islam, which is in alliance with that wicked force (the Red-Green Alliance). Israel is facing impossible odds, just as it was back then in history. What was it that turned the tide for the Jews at the original Chanukah, and what is needed right now to assure victory against this massive force set against Israel in present day? I believe what the Maccabees had was a vision and a grasp of the centrality of the God of Israel … of YHVH … as the Deed Holder, the Sustainer, the Victory, and the Redeemer of Israel. Does Israel have, and operate on that awareness of YHVH now? Some, but not all, do. It was only a remnant back in history, but it was enough. Do we have that remnant in operation now? Surely, we must pray for that focused remnant to manifest, and to increase.
THE WAR CRY … the rallying cry of the PRIESTS of War, CALLED THE MACCABEES, AT THE FIRST CHANUKAH WAS THIS: “WHO IS FOR THE GOD OF ISRAEL? COME TO ME!” All who feared and loved YHVH were called forward to fight. It was a battle between the sons of Zion against the sons of Greece. A stand had to be taken by the Jews if they were ever to defeat the mighty power of Greece. The Maccabees knew that if they stood up for YHVH, for His sovereign reality, and for His honor, that He would stand with them against this great enemy army. That level of enemy is what Israel is facing right now. In the lives of the Righteous Remnant of believers in Yeshua, we are also facing a great satanic force of usurpers that seeks to destroy us and our testimony. Only the Lord can deliver Israel right now. Only He can deliver us and our nations.
Take NOTE of the Hebrew words for Zion and for Greece.
ZION: צִיּוֹן
GREECE: יָוָן YAVAN
The Hebrew letter Tsadi is the first letter in the word Zion. It is the eighteenth letter of the alphabet and symbolizes righteousness. We see it in connection with the Hebrew word "tzaddik," meaning "righteous person" … one, who is in deep connection with the God of Israel. The tsadi is often linked to humility and the idea of a servant, reflecting biblical, spiritual, values in Jewish life as outlined in the Jewish scriptures. If you remove the tsadi in the Hebrew word Zion, you end up with the word Greece. Therefore, the God of Israel must be put back into this reality of battle (and back into the foundation for Zion’s survival/destiny/calling) between Israel against the world. Even if it is only a remnant that would have this revelation and act upon it, it MUST occur. I believe that this revelation is growing in Israel right now … especially among the youth and among the IDF soldiers. The miracles they’ve seen in battle, and the presence of the Holy Spirit felt in their midst is making it happen. The realization that there must be no more compromise, nor quarter given to evil forces is giving that understanding a firm footing.
But now, I would like to make a shift. I would like to look at section of our Torah portion for this week. This portion presents clues regarding the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises, as they appear in unusual ways. What I want us to explore is not just a victory for Israel, but one for all of humanity. I am referring to the texts in Genesis 38 regarding Tamar and her twin sons. Just as the Lord used an unlikely band of priests to stand against the powerful and intimidating Greeks, who were attempting to rob Israel of her calling and destiny, the Lord shows in this portion how everything is in order (b’seder) as YHVH brings forth His plan for Israel, and for the redemption of the world.
Look at Genesis 38:6-11 (NASB)
6 Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother. 10 But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also. 11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he thought, “I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
Reading on in that chapter we know that Judah refused to give Shelah to her for husband, so Tamar disguised herself as a harlot and met Judah on the road as he was going to shear sheep. He had intercourse with her and promised to give her a young goat as payment for her service. Tamar asked to keep his seal (signet ring), cord, and staff as a guarantee of payment, which she would give back to him when the goat was delivered. Judah’s friend, who was to deliver the goat and to regain the items of authority for Judah, never found Tamar. Three months later Tamar was obviously pregnant and was accused of being sexually immoral and as a result was subject to a death penalty. It was then that she presented Judah with his ring, cord, and staff; saying that these items belong to the father of her child. It was then that Judah realized his sin. He repented, declaring that she was more righteous than him, and married her.
Six months later, Tamar gave birth to twin boys after a very difficult labor. And here is where, I believe, a huge prophetic sign occurred.
While Tamar was in transitional labor, the first of her two sons extended his hand outside of the womb, as if to emerge at that moment. The midwife tied a scarlet string around his wrist to identify him as the firstborn. However, in a great biological unlikelihood, the child suddenly, surprisingly, retracted his hand and withdrew back down the birth canal. Because of that retreat, Tamar gave birth to his brother before him. She named that child, Perez (Peretz, פֶּרֶץ), which means “breach,” saying, “What a breach you have made for yourself” (Genesis 38:29).
What was that all about … why did Zerah push ahead, get the red thread, and then retreat? Clearly, this maneuver was part of the Divine plan of YHVH. Zerah had wanted to emerge first, but YHVH was making a statement that the Messiah was destined to descend from the Perez line.
Some rabbis have closely identified Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar, with King David. It is seen in scripture that Perez heads the genealogy of David (in Ruth 4:18).
18 Now these are the generations of Perez: to Perez was born Hezron, 19 and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, 20 and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, 21 and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, 22 and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.
Then there is the blessing given to Ruth found in Ruth 4:12 in her marriage to Boaz toward birth of Obed.
12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”
It was the Lord’s intention that Peretz be in the line of the Messiah, not Zerah.
Matthew 1:3,17
3. and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,
17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
INTERESTING TO NOTE:
The Jewish sages frequently referred to the Messiah by the name Son of Perez. We, who believe in Yeshua as the Messiah, may see the twins in Tamar’s womb as prophesying the two appearances of the Messiah: Messiah son of Joseph (first coming) and Messiah son of David (second coming). That is to say, the birth of Perez and Zerah could easily signify the first and second coming of Yeshua. As the rabbis delineate … Mashiach ben Joseph, and Mashiach ben David.
Perez, whose name also means “breaker,” represents Messiah in His first coming. He broke open the way for humanity to come into the kingdom of heaven. Tamar named him Perez to indicate that the Messiah, “the Breaker,” would one day come forth from his family line.
Tamar indicated that, “This one is greater than all those who make breaches, for from you will arise the Messiah [of whom it is written in Micah 2:13], ‘The breach-maker goes up before them; they break out, pass through the gate and go out by it. So their king goes on before them, and the LORD at their head.’” (Genesis Rabbah85:14)
The son who wore the red thread, Zerah (Zerach, זֶרַח), whose name means “dawning,” represents Messiah son of David, i.e. Yeshua in His second coming … the global ruler in His appearing and rule. The prophet Isaiah spoke of the great redemption of the Messianic Era as the great dawning upon humanity:
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen (zarach) upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising (zarach). (Isaiah 60:1-3)
Just as Tamar and her midwife expected Zerah to be born first, the nation of Israel anticipated the final redemption to occur with the first (and in their view, the ONLY) coming of Messiah. For a brief moment, the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Like a thread of scarlet attached to Zerah, we did receive a sign of the coming full redemption of Creation. However, before that final redemption of all Creation could dawn, the Messiah needed to accomplish His purposes on the cross and in the grave, to redeem humanity. He had to come to the earth as a perfect man to redeem all humanity from Satan’s legal claims, so that at His return the ultimate redemption of all creation would take place, and all evil would be destroyed. Yeshua is the LIGHT that will never be overcome by Darkness. He is the Chanukah light … the shmash (servant candle) from which all other candles are lit. It is indicated in scripture that Yeshua was born on Sukkot. Therefore, it is likely that He was conceived on Chanukah … on the feast of Dedication … His conception being the moment when the Light came into the world that would destroy all darkness ultimately. When He returns, all the darkness will flee. When the final battle is over, darkness and evil will be no more and the King of Kings will be known and ruled by ALL.
When Perez upended Tamar’s and the midwife’s expectations by bursting forth ahead of Zerah, Tamar exclaimed, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” (Genesis 38:29). Similarly, Yeshua’s first coming defied the popular expectations of the Jewish people and their sages. The Jews were waiting for a military champion type of Messiah … one, who would triumph over Rome to deliver them. Rather than filling the triumphant role of Messiah son of David, Yeshua came first as the Messiah son of Joseph; enduring the role of the suffering Messiah necessary for a perfect human to accomplish salvation as the son of Joseph. Yeshua unexpectedly burst forth from the tomb and broke into the strongholds of hell to set humanity free through redemption. PERETZ! We, and all the Jewish people, might exclaim, “Yeshua … What a breach you have made for yourself … and for us!!”
So now we pray, watch and wait for the appearing of our Champion Messiah, Messiah son of David, THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS to rule over all the earth. The eyes of Israel are gradually opening to the truth of Yeshua as the Redeemer, (son of Joseph) while many are still eagerly waiting for a Champion (Messiah son of David) to remove all of Israel’s enemies far from her. Will this be the year that their eyes will be free of the veils/scales that the Lord imposed upon them until the Gentiles come into their full number? Will this be the year for the most major conflicts of war in the Middle East will come forth … the battles that will destroy Israel’s enemies … revealing that Israel already has a champion, who they will come to know and to embrace, first as the Son of Joseph? Soon we will know.
Perhaps, as we wait for His appearing, we need to become the BREAKERS that challenge the darkness during this Chanukah and in all the days ahead. He has opened the way for us to declare victories, as well as to declare Yeshua as THE VICTOR. There is so much darkness to be taken down. There is so much injustice to be challenged and corrected. There is so much truth that needs to acquire a voice and some teeth. Let’s make this Chanukah our PERETZ year … where we defeat the darkness by bringing His light wherever we are. Let’s pray for the revelation to spread … and let’s speak forth the revelation of the Messiah of Peretz (Mashiach ben Joseph), and the Messiah of Zerah (Mashiach be David), to be made know to the Jewish people and to all of Israel … and then to the whole world.
May this be a BREAKTHROUGH season for Israel and for all of us. Have a blessed Chanukah!
| 
