Daily MannaWeekly ParashahDonationsTrinity DoctrineAudio

Daily manna from the Torah by Dr Ketriel Blad

Ki Tavoh 50-1

When you come

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 

Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression.

Deut. 26:7 NIV

Why do we have to cry out to the Eternal?

The Eternal listens to the prayers of those who seek Him sincerely. However, there are situations men may go through which require more than one prayer and a special out-of-the-ordinary prayer. There are moments in which men need to cry out to heaven to get an answer to his prayer, and especially if he is under oppression caused by spiritual powers in the air, or even inside him.

The sons and daughters of Israel were oppressed, not only by political, but also by spiritual powers, for four hundred years. Deliverance from that oppression was not an easy thing. Large spiritual battles were required to bring redemption into that humanly impossible situation.

It's possible that the chosen people's prayers for deliverance weren't that intense at the beginning, because the situation they were in wasn't totally bad and they could stand it; however, as the enslaving pressure built up, also the tone of the people's prayers changed in intensity and depth. Their cry to heaven was stronger, and there was a moment in which the clamour was heard in heaven in a decisive way. There is a moment when man's cry breaks through certain limits and breaks spiritual barriers, and in those moments his prayer has a much more powerful effect in the air.

The Scriptures teach us that a clamour is necessary to obtain answers to certain prayers. The Hebrew word used in this text for "cry out" is – tzaak, צעק – and it has to do with a loud and strong cry, many times a result of a deep anguish, the kind one feels when facing a threatening, great danger. In a situation of danger of death, one screams loudly and strongly. That's the kind of shout referred to here, and when that cry is accompanied by faith, it is heard in heavens.

“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.” (Ps. 107:6 NIV)

“Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:5-10 NIV)

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'" And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:1-8 ESV)

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” (Yaakov 5:16b-18 KJV)

If you find yourself in a critical situation, don't be shy but cry out to heaven. Go out to the fields, or the woods, or hide your face in a pillow, or lock in your room and cry out with all your voice's strength. Shout out with faith and hope that the One who listened to the sons and daughters of Israel in Egypt will also listen to you. The One who delivered them from opression when they cried out will also deliver you when you cry out.

Cry out to Heaven and you will be heard.

Shavua tov,

Ketriel

Flash Player Needed

Download