The Torah tells us to rise up before the grey-headed and honor the aged (Leviticus 19:32). Honoring the aged is at the heart of Paul’s exhortation on how to relate to our elders:
Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2 NASB)
Honoring our elders is something we often overlook, particularly as they near the end of this life. That is why ministries such as the Ebenezer Home in Haifa, Israel, are so important. As Israel’s only residence for elderly disciples of Yeshua, the Ebenezer Home serves a very special purpose, ministering not only to the elderly saints who live there, but to their families, and to the surrounding community. We will learn much about that purpose over the next two shows as we hear from Johnny Khoury and David Phillips, two of the Ebenezer Home’s Israeli administrators, and from Samantha Lagoy, a resident volunteer.
Our own Elders David Jones and Barry Philips have some important insights to share this week as they discuss the purpose of memorials. Are memorials simply there for us to remember, or are they persistent reminders to take action on the things of importance to our God? This midrash, along with the music of Will Spires and Jimmie Black, connects powerfully with the testimonies shared by our fellow laborers at the Ebenezer Home.
To learn more about the Ebenezer Home, including how you can help in such important work as the Nursing Ward project, visit their website at https://www.ebenezer.co.il/.
