Walking the Land - 10 Days 9 Nights in Israel

I remember standing in the Judean desert one hot afternoon, the kind of heat that presses down on you until your breath itself feels heavy. i remember one August in the mid of summer it reached 125 F. was very Hot and Dry with no wind. The desert has a way of stripping away illusions. In the West, you often imagine spirituality as something decorative, beautiful church buildings, air-condition, some churches i visited so freezing cold inside the church, full of inspiring worship music, or even neatly organized devotional books. But in the Middle East, faith was born in the desert. The wilderness was not decoration; it was the proving ground of trust. The barren landscape taught the early followers of God that survival itself depended on Him. The Aramaic word for today is ܢܣܝܘܢܐ (nesyona), meaning “test, trial, or proving,” from the Semitic root (ܢܣܝ) NSY, which carries the sense of being lifted up and examined to reveal what lies beneath. This word does not mean temptation in the sense of being seduced to sin, as many Western readers imagine, even the translation in the Lords prayer do not put us in temptations is a wrong english translation, the Aramaic word (nesyono) meaning "test, trial or proving" and not exactly temptation, but rather a test of character an opportunity for faith to be proven genuine. In early Syriac Christian writings, nesyona was the word used for the challenges that believers endured, not as punishment but as refinement, like gold tested in fire. Like Abraham in Genesis 22 wanted to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah the Old testement word is (nesyono), i made a compete lecture about it in Twins Biblical Academy. Scripture itself illuminates this beautifully. In Matthew 4:1, we read: “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted [tested] by the devil.” In Aramaic, this would have been nesyona a testing that revealed the strength of His obedience to the Father. Likewise, in James 1:2–3, we are told: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials [peirasmois in Greek, nesyone in Aramaic] of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” To an Eastern mind, trials were not interruptions of life but the very soil in which faith was meant to take root and grow. For your life today, the wisdom of nesyona speaks a liberating truth: your trials are not random punishments, nor are they meaningless disruptions. They are moments when your trust in God is being drawn out, revealed, and strengthened. Every trial that comes and every hardship will direct you to walk back into your path, like the paths of righteousness in the desert. Just as the desert pressed Israel to depend on manna and water from the Rock, your struggles press you to lean not on your own resources but on the living God. Instead of asking, “Why me?” the better question is, “What is God revealing in me through this nesyona?” The wilderness, though harsh, is where faith matures into steadfastness of trusting your creator. So when you face trials whether they are disappointments, hardships, or seasons of uncertainty remember that God is not absent. He is present in the testing, refining your heart, shaping your character, directing your path and preparing you for fruitfulness that could never grow in comfort alone. For more treasures of Aramaic words, biblical culture, and discipleship insights, visit www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com

I remember standing on the edge of the Judean wilderness, where the rocky cliffs fall sharply into dry wadis, and the silence feels heavier than words. As a tour guide, I often see visitors surprised by the vast emptiness of this land—no shade, no streams, only desert winds and the relentless sun. In the Western imagination, a desert is often a place of desolation and abandonment. But in the Semitic mind, the desert was not a place to fear—it was a place of encounter. In the Western world, silence is often seen as the absence of sound, a void to be filled with activity, music, or words. But in the Semitic world, silence carries weight and depth—it is not emptiness but presence. For our ancestors in faith, silence was not simply the lack of noise but the fertile ground where God’s word could take root and bear fruits. Today’s Aramaic word is ܫܬܝܩܘܬܐ (Shtiqotho), meaning “silence” or “stillness.” It comes from the root sh-t-q, which implies both quietness and attentive waiting. In Hebrew, its cognate shetīqāh carries the same idea. But in Aramaic, silence was not passive—it was active listening, a disposition of the heart that makes space for divine encounter. This is why early Syriac monks described their discipline of silence not as withdrawal but as “guarding the tongue so the heart can speak.” To practice Shtiqotho was to allow the soul to lean into God’s whisper. Consider Habakkuk 2:20: “But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence (הַס) before Him.” In Aramaic thought, this was not a command to stifle yourself but an invitation to reverence. When Yeshua stood before Pilate, accused and mocked, His silence was not weakness but profound testimony. His Shtiqotho revealed His authority and trust in the Father’s plan. Likewise, in 1 Kings 19, Elijah did not find God in the earthquake or fire but in the qol demamah daqqah—the “still small voice,” which an Aramaic hearer would understand as the voice that is only discerned in silence. Now consider your own life. In Western culture, we often equate faith with constant speech—more prayers, more songs, more activity. But perhaps God is calling you into Shtiqotho , to rest from endless striving and rediscover that He is God in the stillness. When you embrace holy silence, you are not withdrawing from God but drawing nearer to Him. In silence, anxieties settle, distractions fade, and your spirit begins to hear the gentle leading of the Shepherd. Silence does not diminish faith—it sharpens it. So today, allow yourself a few moments of Shtiqotho. Step away from noise, resist the urge to fill every gap, and let God’s voice speak into your stillness. It is in the quiet spaces that transformation often begins. And if you would like to continue exploring how Aramaic words unlock the richness of Scripture and reshape discipleship. www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com

The Wilderness: Midbaro (Dbar) I remember sitting in the desert near Jericho, watching the sun set over the Jordan Valley. The land seemed endless, dry, and silent, and I thought of the generations who wandered here prophets, exiles, and pilgrims who learned that life in the wilderness was not wasted time but the very place where God reshaped His people. To the Western mindset, a desert is a barren land to be avoided, a symbol of emptiness and lack. But in the Middle Eastern imagination, the desert is the classroom of God, a place of encounter, purification, and transformation. The wilderness strips away distractions until you hear only the voice that matters. Today’s Aramaic word is midbaro (Dbar), meaning “wilderness” or “desert.” Its root d-b-r carries multiple shades of meaning, including “to lead” and even “to speak.” This linguistic overlap is not accidental: in the Semitic world, the desert is where God leads (dbar) and where God speaks (dabar in Hebrew). The wilderness is not silence but the very theater of divine revelation. For those shaped by Greek or Western thought, revelation is often tied to temples, libraries, or polished sermons. But for the prophets of Israel and the early followers of Yeshua, revelation often came in the lonely windswept valleys of the desert, where the only sound was the whisper of God. Consider Deuteronomy 8:2, where Moses reminds Israel: “Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness (בַּמִּדְבָּר / bammidbar) these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character.” In Aramaic, the word dbar would have resonated deeply—it was not just the place of testing but also the place of voice, the arena where Israel learned dependence and covenant faithfulness. Yeshua Himself chose the dbar—forty days in the Judean wilderness—to confront the Adversary and to affirm His identity as the beloved Son. For Him, the wilderness was not an accident but a preparation. Judean Wilderness near Jericho Now think of your own journey. You may see seasons of dryness, silence, or waiting as wasted time. Western culture tells you that productivity and success are the only measures of meaning. But in God’s eyes, your dbar seasons are sacred. These are the places where distractions are peeled away, where old idols are burned off, and where your ears learn to recognize the Shepherd’s voice. If you are walking through a wilderness right now, do not despise it. The dbar is where God both leads and speaks, where He forms your character so that you can carry His presence with strength into the promised land of your calling. So today, embrace your wilderness moments as holy ground. Do not rush past them or curse their silence. Instead, listen—because the desert is not empty, it is filled with the voice of God. He is leading you in your dbar, and He will speak to you there. If you want to continue exploring how Aramaic words open Scripture with new light and meaning, I invite you to journey deeper at www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com #AramaicWisdom #BiblicalHebrew #MiddleEasternChristianity #TwinsBiblicalAcademy #JesusThroughMiddleEasternEyes #SemiticRoots #DailyDevotional #DesertFaith #JudeanWilderness

God tests Abraham, commanding him to take his son Isaac, whom he loves, to the land of Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering on a mountain. Abraham obeys without hesitation. At the critical moment, as Abraham raises the knife, an angel of YHWH intervenes, stopping him. A ram caught in a thicket is provided as a substitute sacrifice. The episode ends with divine reaffirmation of the covenant: Abraham's faithfulness will result in blessing and countless descendants.   For more in depth videos check our online Academy www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com

In the West, birthdays are often a personal spotlight candles, gifts, and applause for one more lap around the sun. But here, in the land where the Scriptures were breathed, time feels different. In the Aramaic and Hebraic world, the day you were born is not just a date to repeat every year. it’s the moment God appointed you to step into His unfolding story.       I have spent much of my life leading others through the Holy Land land showing pilgrims the stones, the olive trees, the paths of Yeshua. But now, the Spirit is guiding me through the inner terrain of my own soul. There are fields inside me that need to rest, Old vineyards needing song again. I hear the shofar not with my ears, but in my chest. A blast of mercy. A call to begin again. For more video teachings check our Academy www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com

Linguistic Threads Across Sacred Scrolls When we speak of the Hebrew Bible, many assume it was written exclusively in Hebrew. But the truth is far more textured—woven with threads of Aramaic that reflect not only linguistic evolution, but also the historical upheaval and cultural interaction that shaped the Jewish people. Aramaic was not merely a language of exile; it became a vessel through which Scripture was preserved, interpreted, and proclaimed. 📜 1. Scriptural Passages in Aramaic Though the majority of the Tanakh is in Hebrew, significant portions are written in Imperial Aramaic (אֲרָמִית). These include:

• Ezra 4:8–6:18 and 7:12–26 – Persian imperial correspondence, preserved in the administrative Aramaic of the empire. These passages offer us a rare glimpse into diplomatic exchanges and temple restoration edicts, revealing how Scripture also served as historical documentation.
• Daniel 2:4b–7:28 – The narrative shifts into Aramaic as Daniel begins interpreting dreams for Babylonian and Persian kings. This section contains prophetic visions relevant to Gentile empires, hinting that Aramaic was chosen to address a broader imperial audience.
• Jeremiah 10:11 – A lone verse in Aramaic: “The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish.” This serves as a bold anti-idolatry proclamation, likely preserved in the lingua franca for clarity to foreign peoples.

For more in depth teachings check our online academy www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com

Discover the mystery of Pesher—the ancient interpretive key used by the Qumran community behind the Dead Sea Scrolls! In our upcoming webinar, we’ll explore how these early Jewish sectarians unlocked hidden meanings in biblical prophecy, believing they were living in the end times. Through Pesher, scriptures became divine messages decoded for their generation where figures like the “Wicked Priest” and “Teacher of Righteousness” emerged from the sacred texts themselves.   For more in depth teachings check our Academy www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com/academy

How You Can Walk With Me 🔹 PRAY – Cover this journey in prayer. That I may hear clearly and write faithfully. 🔹 CONNECT – Introduce me to a church, pastor, or believer in Vancouver (Aug 2–3) or Toronto (Aug 9–10). 🔹 ENCOURAGE – Send a note. A scripture. A blessing. I will carry it with me. 🔹 BLESS – If you’d like to sow into this sacred retreat, you can give through the ministry at Twins Biblical Academy.  For Donations to my Second Volume Book  www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com/give  Even a cup of coffee’s worth helps me steward this calling. I’ll be sharing glimpses from the train window… and from the pages of the journey. Thank you for walking with me—not just in geography, but in spirit.

Welcome back to season eleven with Aramaic Word of the day: "Laahana" which means My Vacation or my Rest i pray you are enjoying these short in depth aramaic words that shaped first century mindset of the early followers of Yeshua and deepen our understanding for Today by learning the aramaic language  The Western word “vacation” comes from Latin vacare “to be empty, free.” In the Western world, vacation often means:"Stopping work so I can rest, escape, or entertain myself." In Aramaic, we don’t say “vacation.” That’s a modern word, born from the idea of escaping work, escaping responsibility, escaping noise. But in our tongue, the word is (Laahna). It means rest, yes but not the way the West imagines it. Laahna is soul-rest. It’s not absence of work. It’s the presence of stillness. Not a schedule-free week, but a heart returned to rhythm. You see, Westerners plan their “vacations” like military operations: flights, hotels, bucket lists. They miss what our ancestors knew: real rest begins inside. Laahna is what Yeshua did on the seventh day not because He was tired, but because He was satisfied. But in the Eastern (Semitic) mindset, the concept of “vacation” is not absence of duty, but presence of restoration, purpose, and inner stillness. As a guide from the Judean hills and the alleyways of Jerusalem, I’ve walked with many pilgrims well, they call themselves “tourists.” They come with cameras and checklists, ready to “see the Holy Land,” but often miss something far holier: rest. I’ve watched travelers rush through the Garden of Gethsemane, take a photo, and say, “Done!” But did they ever sit under the olive trees and breathe? Did they let the silence speak? That silence is Lahna. It’s what Elijah found on Mount Horeb not in the wind or the earthquake, but in the still, small voice. Laahna is restoration, not recreation. It’s when your insides are aligned again. That’s why Yeshua said, “Come to me, all who are weary and I will give you rest. Not a sabbatical from your job. A homecoming to your purpose. This is not simply about physical exhaustion it’s about being weary in your being, tired from the weight of life, expectations, and performance. Yeshua wasn’t offering a Mediterranean cruise. Yeshua was offering Laahna a rest that reorders the soul and returns you to the rhythm of Eden. I live in Texas now, in a small space with no office but back home in Jerusalem, even our stones breathe history. Even our desert has rhythm. I take the train sometimes just to write, to slow my soul down, to remember that Laahna is not about location. It’s about intention. So next time you think of coming to Israel not for a vacation, but for something deeper remember Laahna. Come not just to see the land, but to let the land see you. Come not just to hear the stories, but to let your story be rewritten by sacred stillness. Because the Holy Land doesn’t just want your footsteps. It wants your quiet. It wants your confession. It wants your transformation. Think of it as a Laahna moment. A pause not of emptiness, but of presence  where the land  doesn’t just receive you, but recognizes you. You don’t come here merely to see ruins or landscapes. You come to be seen by olive trees that have outlived empires, by waters that have heard the whispers of prophets, by hills that still hold the echo of Yeshua’s footsteps. In the West, we “go on vacation” to escape. But in the East, we withdraw to return. To withdraw, like Elijah to the cave. Like Yeshua to the wilderness. Like monks to the Judean cliffs where the silence isn’t empty, it’s full of God. So come not to walk where Jesus walked but to walk with Him again, in your own inner desert. Let the stories of Scripture stop being museum pieces and start becoming mirrors  where your soul sees what it forgot. Finally my prayers to you let Laahna not vacation be your guide. Not rest from work, but return and rest Laahna to what you were made. The Land is waiting for you in 2026, and i pray i will be your guide. you can check my Signature tour by going to my website twinsbiblicalacademy.com see you soon!

In the Middle Eastern mindset, to follow a master is to imitate his very essence. But in the Western world, you often separate knowledge from life. A teacher gives you information. A student takes notes. But in the world of Jesus, a Rabboni gives you himself. That’s why Mary didn’t cry out “Rabbi!” or “Jesus!”She said: With the tears of recognition. With the intimacy of a disciple who had once been lost—and now was found in His voice. This one word captures a universe of longing, grief, hope, and reunion. When was the last time you didn’t just study Jesus, but called out to Him as your Rabboni? When was the last time you let His presence find you, like He found Mary by the empty tomb? Let today be that day. Call Him Rabboni not with your head, but with your heart. Mary’s cry in the garden still echoes today. She didn’t just see Him. She knew Him. Learn more at 👉 www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com#AramaicWisdom #Rabboni #MiddleEasternFaith #JesusThroughMiddleEasternEyes #BiblicalAramaic #TwinsBiblicalAcademy