Hebrew Voices #45 – Heavenly Father’s Day (Rebroadcast)
In this episode of Hebrew Voices, Heavenly Father’s Day, Nehemia Gordon shares how he found himself at the top of a Colorado mountain, proclaiming a controversial Jewish prayer in memory of his father. You are invited to watch the video (with … Continue reading →
In this episode of Hebrew Voices, Heavenly Father’s Day, Nehemia Gordon shares how he found himself at the top of a Colorado mountain, proclaiming a controversial Jewish prayer in memory of his father. You are invited to watch the video (with closed captions) or listen to the podcast. This episode is dedicated to earthly fathers everywhere, and our Heavenly Father above.
When I was eight days old, at the ceremony of my entering into the covenant of Abraham, my father named me “Nehemia Sholom.” Although my father is now gone, I am planning on celebrating this Father’s Day by honoring my heavenly Father Yehovah, who also called me by name. The prophet Isaiah promises us:
“And now, thus says Yehovah, your Creator, Jacob, your Maker, Oh Israel, 'Do not be afraid for I have redeemed you; I called you by name. You are mine.'” Isaiah 43:1
I believe anyone who enters into covenant with Yehovah is called by name. Please join me this Father’s Day in honoring our heavenly Father. I know Father’s Day isn’t a “real” holiday. It’s not commanded in the Bible. But most of the world, set this day aside to honor their earthly fathers who named them. I think it would be great if we could also remember to focus on our heavenly Father who called us by name into His holy covenant.
I look forward to reading your comments!
Podcast Version:
Transcript
Hebrew Voices #45 - Heavenly Father's Day
You are listening to Hebrew Voices with Nehemia Gordon. Thank you for supporting Nehemia Gordon's Makor Hebrew Foundation. Learn more at NehemiasWall.com.
Nehemia: The last time I was up on this stage at one of Michael’s events, was a very difficult time in my life. I had just spent several days in Chicago where my father lived his entire life, and my father was dying.
His final wish, as he was dying, was to spend his last days and weeks in Israel, surrounded by his family. And I had to make a decision; would I continue to go on a speaking tour along with Keith, which included a Michael event? Or would I go and be with my father in Jerusalem? And my father had my four sisters and my mother, but I thought, “Maybe I should do that.” In fact, Michael called me up and said, “Look Nehemia, if you wanna cancel, no problem. You have my full support. Go ahead, you don’t have to come to this event. I won’t hold it against you. In fact, I’m encouraging you to do that.”
And one night, Keith and I did an event in Pennsylvania, and I’ll never forget this. He walks into my room, kind of saunters into my room, the way he does. And he says, “Nehemia, it’s come to Jesus time.” And I said, “Excuse me? Did I hear you right? What? We had this agreement, I don’t try to convert you, and you don’t try to convert me. It’s come to Jesus time after 10 years? What? Are you serious?”
And he said, “No, no, no. This is a figure of speech. This is an expression that means it’s time for a serious discussion.” “Okay, you had me worried there.” And what’s the serious discussion? He says to me, “Nehemia, you need to cancel the tour to go back to Jerusalem. I will fly with you to Jerusalem, to be with your father, so that you are with him in the last weeks.”
And we were actually traveling around, doing a tour, speaking about the name of the Father of Creation. And what really set this whole thing in motion was the research we did together on what your people call “The Lord’s Prayer,” on the prayer, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come.” In the second phrase of that prayer, Jesus, or as He was known 2,000 years ago, Yeshua, taught the Jewish multitudes to pray the words, literally in Hebrew, “May Your name be sanctified.” He was teaching people to sanctify the Name. And as I was researching this originally with Keith, we realized, this is an important message in the Hebrew Bible. This is common ground for Jew and Christian. It’s a central theme of your Bible, and my Bible, both where they overlap, and where they don’t. And I decided, “I needed to go on the road with him, to speak about this important message.”
And the “come to Jesus time” discussion was, “Nehemia, you’ve got to put that aside. Don’t do this. I’ll go back with you to be with your father.” And I looked him in the eyes and I said, “Keith, this is not a game. For me, this isn’t about selling books, and it’s not a game. This is serious stuff.” For me, this was serious. And I opened up this verse in the Book of Nehemiah, and it talks about how the Jews came back from Babylon after 70 years of exile. And Ezra came, and he read for them the Torah for the first time. They had never heard these words of the Torah. They knew there was such a thing, but they didn’t know what the contents were. They’d never read the Torah.
And when they heard the Torah read to them, they were upset. They were sad. They were mourning. And why were they so upset? Because they realized, “We haven’t been keeping this. We haven’t been living by this.” And there are curses in this book, if we don’t live by this, that will be upon us. And we have this covenant with our Creator, with our Heavenly Father. We need to be doing these things, these things that He taught us.
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Comments
Shalom, Just wanted to thank you Nehemiah for teaching the truth with proof! For walking in yahs path and teaching us so much in the Torah thank you !
Blessings Nehemia!
Been listening to your teaching for years love your passionate yet gentle perspective.
THIS episode was so special. My in laws both passed just b4 2020 and Heaven is nearer than b4. Thank you for both sharing your heart and wisdom. Especially expanding our understanding of unity between Jew and gentile.
I’m so glad those people went to hear you recite the Kadish for your father on Pikes Peak – it shows the best side of humanity, how we should always support each other, it was very touching to watch.
The whole thing just brought tears to my eyes. Blessings forever always.
I misspelled Kadish, sorry
Shalom, I listened to Nehemia’s kadesh for his father and the meaning of this prayer and was so touched and renewed my spirit. Love to all and may the Father give you His Shalom.
Nehemia! You’re a blessed man! Shalom Aleichem!
Amen and amen.
Nehemiah your father taught you a very important lesson and I Loved the way you honored both your earthy father and your heavenly FATHER. Hope to meet you in Israel…..
Oh nehemiah, this is so Beautiful and so very touching. I’m grateful to have heard this Kadish prayer and your lovely explanation. Truly enjoy and appreciate the discussions which you, Keith and Jonah share. Abba bless you All, abundantly.
Thanks for explaining kadish. I too thought it was some form of superstition with no place in a believers prayer life. But it glorifies GOD our creator and we need more prayers like it.
Beautiful Nehemia – Amen!
What a dreadfully hard time to go through… I lost my grandmother last year and it was a dreadful time for my family. I can’t imagine the stress and grief associated with experiencing this combination of circumstances. May Yehovah strengthen you according to his word and comfort you with his unfailing love in this time and hereafter
Thank you and bless you. Never stop. The nations need you! Vihi Shem YeHoVaH mivorach!!
My dad is 84 and has developed dementia. I can not be near him because it makes him emotionally unstable. My grandmother is 92 and getting ready to pass. She rsised 7 kids and helped raise 7 grandchildren and several great grandchildren. Thank you for sharing this. No matter how strong our faith, it is painful when our loved ones depart from us physically. Your bravery gives me courage to endure this time. Thank you.
I think this is perhaps the most Heart felt presentation I’ve ever heard from you.
May YHVH bless you & yours.
In our own efforts to better our parents, many times we get rid of so many things we did not understood, and later we has to turn and pick them back, with much pain. Shalom, Nehemiah. For many of us such is the road to searching for and knowing Yah.
I was in the audience in Colorado Springs the day your father died Nehemiah… This is the first time I’ve watched this video, but not the last. I’ve learned a great lesson, and I owe both you and Keith an apology for what I and my husband were thinking that day.
We had traveled over 100 miles to listen to you again (the first time in Albuquerque NM). Now I know why you seemed distant and not really into the day. I also have a greater understanding of the deep bond between you and Keith. You are brothers, doing the work you were born to do.
Now I know that I need to go in prayer to ask forgiveness for feeling slighted the day your dad died. I wish I could speak with you both…. for so many reasons.
For now I pray for blessings for you both and the work you do. I ask Our Father to forgive my thinking. I judged you both, and that is my sin.
Baruch Dayan Hasmet…. He has given me great understanding.
This is not the first time I have watched this…. I saw the video when Micheal Rood originally posted it but it makes it no less powerful seeing it again. I took a moment alone in my living room to glorify Our Fathers Name. Thank you for sharing the words of the prayer so I could meditate on the words (since I don’t know Hebrew) I was so blessed by it. May Yehovah bless you Nehemiah and continue to use you in powerful ways.
I agree with your article and it should be done in honoring YeHOVAH
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