VOL. 37            NEWSLETTER           JUL./AUG. 1999

Dear OR TZION family,

“Shalom shalom” from Israel in the precious Name of our Lord and Savior, Yeshua HaMashiach. This letter follows the March/April volume #36. Throughout May and June I was visiting with family in Germany and Texas, and serving the Lord in various towns of the United States. During the month of July the two older of our four grandchildren were visiting with us in Israel. Hence from May through July I had no opportunity to write a newsletter. This volume is the first one since my return to Israel.

Regardless of what station or language, the world news are so hopeless it is deeply depressing. We must continually remind ourselves that we are not citizens of this world, that we merely live in it while not being partakers of its downward spiral. We must keep our eyes and our hearts fixed on Kingdom News, because it is, indeed, good News. I am referring to what our Heavenly Father has purposed to do before the great and terrible Day of the L-RD comes. He has prepared works so great for those who are willing and ready to obey His voice it defies imagination. The works He has prepared from the foundation of the world are indeed marvelous and exceedingly great!!!¹

Let me share with you what I have heard and seen while ministering in the United States.

Twenty years ago the Lord spoke to me about His minstrels who shall herald ahead His Return, just as the musicians preceded the Ark of the Covenant when David brought it  into Jerusalem with the help of the Levitical priests’ ministry². The Lord was teaching me on the order of things in the Body of Messiah preceding His Return.

What, and who, exactly, are minstrels? They are: 1) highly skilled and gifted singers and musicians on various instruments; 2) members of God’s holy, and most holy priesthood; 3) who sing and play with great anointing. Just as the Levites, who carried and ministered before the Ark had to first sanctify themselves³, so also shall these ministers of G-d “sanctify” themselves in Messiah for their service. 

Minstrels prophesy in song and on their instruments⁴, as Psalmists. For example, when the prophet Elisha’s spirit was troubled because of his anger against Jehoram, the wicked king of Israel, he called for a minstrel to play before him. The anointed music quieted Elisha’s spirit and enabled him to hear G-d’s voice and prophesy⁵. 

Another better known instance of the power and effect of the minstrel’s playing and the psalmist’s singing is David’s ministering to King Saul whenever Saul was tormented by an evil spirit: David played on the lyre, and the evil spirit would depart from Saul⁶.

Isaiah, son of Amoz, was a prophet who saw the Word of G-d (see Is 2:1), while there are others who only hear G-d’s messages. My prophetic ministry also flows mainly through the eye-gate – like Isaiah’s - rather than through the ear-gate. 

Nevertheless I did not fully understand the minstrels’ prophesying --- until I got to see what one of them was prophesying on her instrument!