Episode Description

Welcome to this week's broadcast of For Zion’s Sake with your hosts, Shelley and June. Looking at a world facing one crisis after another, it becomes clearer every day that our true strength doesn't come from our own human abilities. Instead, it comes when we align ourselves intimately with the Holy One of Israel.

In this episode, Shelley and June—both Jewish believers—explore a powerful theme throughout Scripture: the shift from being at a distance from God to being truly in Him. In the Old Covenant, most people stood trembling at a distance while only chosen prophets and leaders approached the heavy cloud of His presence. But everything changed with the resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus). Discover how the ultimate promise of Immanuel—God with us—is an invitation into deep, unshakeable intimacy that transforms our daily lives, shifts our countenances, and replaces fear with His perfect shalom.

Scripture Referenced in This Episode

• The People Stand at a Distance: Exodus 20:18–21 – Seeing how the nation of Israel trembled at the thunder, lightning, and trumpet sound on Mount Sinai, choosing to stay far back while Moses approached the thick cloud.

• A Promise of Presence: Exodus 3:12 – God reassures Moses during his calling with the ultimate foundational promise: "Certainly I will be with you."

• Be Strong and Courageous: Joshua 1:9 – The charge to Joshua reminding him not to be afraid or dismayed, because the Lord is with him wherever he goes.

• The Prophecy of Immanuel: Isaiah 7:14 – The vital Messianic sign declaring that a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, calling His name Immanuel, which translates to "God with us."

• The Word Made Flesh: John 1:1 – Confirming the divine reality that in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

• Appointed to Be With Him: Mark 3:14 – Looking at how Jesus specifically established the twelve disciples for one primary baseline purpose: simply to be with Him.

• Evident Habits of Grace: Acts 4:13 – How the Jewish rulers and scribes marveled at the boldness of Peter and John, recognizing that even though they were uneducated, ordinary men, they had clearly "been with Jesus."

• The Great Invitation: James 4:8 – Standing on the New Covenant guarantee that if we draw near to God, He will dynamically draw near to us.

A Prayer from the Broadcast:

Father, we pray for those who feel at a distance from You today. Draw them near. Let your presence be so real in the lives of believers that it reflects clearly in their very countenance. And for those who don't know You yet, reveal Yeshua as the Messiah, fill their souls with Your shalom, and answer their cry. In Jesus' holy name, Amen.