This morning, I participated in a Zoom call with Ron Joelson, the Chief Financial Officer (retired) of Northwestern Mutual.
Ron is a friend and a brilliant man. He managed billions of dollars in Northwestern Mutual's investment portfolio for decades until he retired last year.
Ron reminded me that today is Tisha B’Av in Israel.
Tisha B’Av
Tish B’Av is Hebrew for “The ninth day of the month of Av.”
Jews measure time using a lunar calendar. The “ninth day of Av” is the ninth day of the lunar month corresponding to August in the Western solar calendar.
The ninth day of Av in Israel is a day of solemn mourning in Israel. The nation of Israel has experienced awful pain as a nation on this day.
On Tish B’Av:
On this holy day of Tisha B’Av, Jewish women do not wear makeup, all sports games in Israel are canceled, and Jews do not eat sweets.
The Jewish people mourn.
Tom Cruise and His Great Fall in Paris
The world went nuts when Tom Cruise jumped from the Paris stadium at the 2024 Olympic Closing Ceremonies.
The biggest Hollywood movie star’s fall from the Olympic stadium to the stage to hand off the Olympic flag to the mayor of Los Angeles captured worldwide attention.
Tom Cruise’s fall from heights compares nothing to the historic falls of the nation of Israel.
One example of Israel’s great fall comes from King Jehoiachin.
You’ve never heard of Jehoiachin, right?
He served as King of Judah for 100 days (see II Kings 24:8-17) —100 days of hell.
The Scripture uses three different names for King Jehoiachin:
Jehoiachin: “Yahweh will uphold” – 2 Kings 24:8.
Jeconiah: “Yahweh will be steadfast” – 1 Chronicles 3:16.
Coniah: “Yahweh has upheld him” – Jeremiah 37:1.
Jehoiachin’s story is drop-dead fantastic.
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