Out of Zion with Susan Michael

Jethro provides a beautiful example of gentile support for the people of Israel. He was not Israelite nor Hebrew, yet he rejoiced in the miracle of the deliverance of the children of Israel. He then gave Moses wise advice on how to lead the people better. This story is followed by God’s revelation on Sinai of the high calling given to the Jewish people. Once we understand that calling, we should a...

We have all encountered problems that looked to be insurmountable. We may have felt boxed in and that there was no way out. But that is exactly when God can perform a miracle. If the situation is not impossible, it does not require a miracle. This week we read about the miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from Pharoah and the crossing of the Red Sea—and how God set the whole thing up! He also...

This week we read about the tenth and final plague in Egypt: death of the firstborn, a plague that seems horribly cruel. Many skeptics have used this story to disavow the Bible—and the God of the Bible. But we find the mercy of God (and his judgment) at work in the plagues. He wanted the people of Egypt to know He was the true God and mightier than all their false gods. He also was faithful to His...

The story of the Exodus is preceded by ten plagues that just about destroy the country of Egypt. At first glance the plagues seem to be too harsh and vindictive. But there is much more to this story! The God of Israel was exposing the impotency not only of Pharoah but of the gods he supposedly represented and that the people thought were ruling Egypt bringing them protection and prosperity. He was...

When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush it was to begin answering a question that Moses obviously had burning in his heart. Moses had an identity crisis. Once he understood who he was he understood what he was to do. If you struggle with various pieces of your life and wonder how it all fits together – just ask God to show you. God wants to use your unique background and call you to do somet...

We all have plenty of opportunities to be jealous of others—even in church life or ministry. True peace is when we are content with God’s will for our life or ministry and do not strive to be someone else. Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, and Joseph and his brothers all struggled with jealousy and rivalry. But both Jacob and Joseph bring it to an end by learning an important principle. We all ne...

As we assess our lives and make new year’s resolutions, let’s learn an important lesson found in this week’s Torah reading. God used Joseph to save his family from famine, but it meant moving them to Egypt. Joseph knew the dangers of the paganism of Egypt, so he ensured Pharoah would look down upon his family and thereby be separated from Egyptian society. This wise move guaranteed the survival of...

Have you ever gone through a time when you wondered where is God? I can assure you that if you have invited Him into your life, He is busy at work in the details, but we often don’t recognize His handiwork until later. The Christmas story is a perfect example of God at work in the details! It is a story that began long before Christmas but prepared the way for it. The Almighty God who orchestrated...

Many Christians are not familiar with the significance of the Hannukah story because the story is not told in the Bible. It occurred inbetween the Old and New Testaments. But the Maccabean defeat of the Seluecid forces allowed them to take back the temple and rededicate it to the God of Israel. This helped to set the stage for the beginning of the New Testament story of Jesus which begins in that...

Jacob is now returning from Padam Aram and needs to reconcile with Esau. As he travels south along the eastern side of the Jordan River he sends for Esau who lives in Edom. Once he makes peace with Esau Jacob then crosses the Jordan and enters the Land God had promised to Abraham. God appears to him and changes his name from Jacob to Israel. He then tells Jacob that the land God had given to Abrah...

The biblical accounts of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob come alive when we study them in Israel – the very land in which they occurred. When viewing a 4,000-year-old mud brick gate to a city Abraham was said to have visited, we understand how accurate these stories are. Another indication of the trustworthiness of the biblical accounts is found in their raw honesty. The stories of the patriarchs have n...

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all encountered famine in the Promised Land. It was a difficult land that required faith to enter and faith to remain. It was also a land set aside for a specific people and only when they took possession of it would it flourish. The good news is the Jewish people are back in their land and the desert is blooming, the vineyards are becoming world renown, and an abundance o...

We need to learn how to do things God’s way. Even when trying to discern His will we need to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in how to pray and what to look for. We also need to accept when God may say “no” or we think we have been wronged. Walking in victimhood and unforgiveness will destroy us. It is far better to trust God and accept His plan for our life with gratitude. 🔔 Subsc...

The one thing Abraham and Sarah had to do to see God’s promise become reality was to have a baby—something the laws of nature said they could not do. But God is not bound by the laws of the very universe he created, and He can do anything He wants. His choice of Abraham to father a nation required a miracle and that is exactly how God liked it! He created the very lineage that would become His “ch...

When God told Abraham to leave his family and homeland to follow Him, the patriarch packed up and left. Obviously, Abraham believed that God was who He said He was and He was able to do what He promised. As a consequence of this great faith, Abraham received the promises—a land, a nation of descendants, and a mission to bless the world. You and I are called to walk in the same faith of Abraham. It...

Do you love God and serve Him with your whole heart? Noah did and God used Him in an amazing way. If you want God to use you then walk with God whole-heartedly like Noah. Once He knows you will get the job done—the job is yours! God wants to use you in our days as He did Noah in his. 🔔 Subscribe to receive a Shabbat Shalom blessing each week! https://www.youtube.com/c/OutofZion/?sub_confirmation=...

Do you or someone you know express doubts about the Bible being true? You might have heard someone ask “you really think it is God’s Word?” or “You really think God said that?” Sometimes a person expressing these doubt thinks they are much more intelligent and wiser than all those previous generations who believed the Bible. When in reality, they are the ones expressing archaic and outdated ideas...

The biblical day Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day Assembly) brought the Feast of Tabernacles to a close with a day of Sabbath rest and prayer. Over time this day became known as Simchat Torah (Rejoicing of the Torah) because it was the day of the year when the annual reading through the Torah was completed and then began again with Genesis 1. On this day, when the Torah scrolls are taken out for readin...

After a period of repentance and the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles begins. God commanded the children of Israel to rejoice for the full seven days and celebrate His provision for the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings and of rain for an abundant harvest. During the water libation ceremony the people prayed for rain for the coming year’s harvest—and the outpouring of the Hol...

The biblical Day of Atonement is when the High Priest entered the very presence of God in the Holy of Holies and made atonement for the sins of the people of Israel. This solemn day of prayer and fasting is Judaism’s most holy day of the year. This day has tremendous meaning for Christians and helps us understand all that Jesus did for us on the day of His ultimate sacrifice for our sins and how H...

The first of the fall feasts in the Bible begin with Yom Teruah – the day of shouting or loud noise on which trumpets were blown. This Feast of Trumpets was used to call the people to attention and begin a 10 day period of introspection and repentance in preparation for the great Day of Atonement. While we should live our lives in a state of introspection and be quick to ask forgiveness for our mi...

Jesus enjoyed a special relationship with God the Father, even addressing Him with the loving term of endearment, Abba . The children of Israel always understood God was their father, and He called them His children—even His firstborn. But through Jesus the veil of our sin is removed, and we are invited to enter into a level of relationship where we, too, cry out “Abba, Father!” 🔔 Subscribe to re...

One of the more curious names of God in the Bible is “The Lord My Banner.” A banner was a sign of victory, and as such, it was a rallying point for Israel’s troops to celebrate the greatness of their God. Isaiah prophesied that one day a descendant of David would come and be a banner not just to the people of Israel but to the gentiles who would seek him. What a perfect description of Jesus, who w...

The Hebrew prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah encouraged their people with the message that one day a descendant of King David would come to reign as King and execute judgment and righteousness. Jeremiah said this King would be called the “Lord our Righteousness.” Jesus was born into the lineage of David and came to execute righteousness—but when He returns, it will be to execute judgment and establish...

Many crazy things are said about Evangelicals demonstrating general confusion over the term and the people it describes. Most Evangelical Christians don’t know what one is much less our Jewish friends attempting to relate to us. In this final episode on Jews and Christians Learning to Relate we define the term Evangelical, clarify how many there are, and discuss what unites and divides us. We also...