9.24.26 – A Beautiful Dwelling Place

I have been meditating on one passage in Leviticus chapter 26 for nearly six months. With the fall season two-thirds of the way done, the reality of these thoughts is more relevant than ever before. It is the promise in Leviticus 26 where Moses instructs obedient Israelites who gather in unity around Yahweh's Sabbaths (Lev. 26:2) that they will be able to, with only five individuals, chase away a hundred of their enemies, and a hundred will send ten thousand to flight (Lev. 26:7–8). They also know the odds can be even greater: one faithful individual can cause a thousand to flee (Josh. 23:10). For those who choose disobedience, the opposite will happen. They will flee when no one pursues (Lev. 26:37), and when one of the enemies does pursue, they will put ten thousand to flight (Deut. 32:30). Hmmm… I wonder which side of the fleeing I would rather be on?

This is the power of unity! This is the power of a common vision. We see it in the world everywhere. When large businesses merge, they become monopolies. When movements join one another, they gain incredible strength. When functional purpose reigns over individual preference, "mountains are moved!"

As in many places around the world, Yahweh is moving with great power. During these days of teshuvah, we have been empowered to destroy—shuv—our "rebellious, evil houses." Yahweh is uniting, empowering, and giving vision to live victorious, overcoming lives in Messiah, granting us access to His Tree of Life for the healing of the nations!

While we live in this world, the reality of Yahweh as our refuge, our dwelling, our habitation, has moved from a cognitive process to an active lifestyle. Psalm 90:1 testifies to this truth, and this thread is woven throughout all of Scripture.

"A Psalm of Moses: Yahweh, you have been our dwelling place (Ma'own) in all generations." (Ps. 90:1)

"If any man be in Messiah, He is a new creation…" (2 Cor. 5:17)

Do you see the connection? Yahweh is our dwelling place. Not just in theory, but in reality! He is our refuge. He is our rock. He is our hiding place. He is our strong tower. He is our ma'own. He is our habitation, our environment. He is the home that we live in!

Yeshua reminds us of this reality in His prayer for us in John 17. He prays that we would all be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them, as You have loved Me." (John 17:21–23)

At the end of Psalm 90, we find a mirror image of the word ma'own in the word for beauty, no'am. "And let the no'am of Yahweh our Elohim be upon us and establish the work of our hands upon us. Yes, establish the work of our hands."

The rabbis say that this word for "beauty" is a synonym for the Shechinah glory that showed up when Israel finished building the Tabernacle, and I believe they are correct (Ex. 40:33–34).

What does this mean for us?

At 9:00 AM Eastern Standard Time, I get the privilege of spending time on WhatsApp with individuals who hunger for this beautiful dwelling place in Messiah. They hunger for Yahweh to establish the work of their hands and allow the beauty, no'am, of His presence to shine through it (cp. Matt. 5:16).

We are a few days past Yom HaKippurim, the Day of Coverings. The day when the books are closed. The day when those who have prepared for the wedding of the Lamb will be given their coverings (Rev. 9:7–8) to enter into the Wedding Feast (Matt. 22). Five days later, we enter into the Feast where we will tabernacle together as One; us in Him and He in us!

If you are anything like me, these past forty-five days have given the Holy Spirit a chance to search deep. Consequently, most, if not all of us, have been turning from our disobedient past to turn to His ways, where the work of our hands manifests the beauty of His presence!

Thank you, Yeshua, for being our habitation and manifesting Your beauty in the Yah-honoring work of our hands!

May Sukkot 2026 manifest this reality more!

Chag Sameach,
Alan

lightintorah.org

Our daily WhatsApp call at 9:00 AM Eastern Standard Time continues with "Defining the Feast of Tabernacles, Part 3."

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