Tsiyon Answer - My I know many people wonder about these questions. I'm happy to share my personal conclusions with you regarding this subject. I say personal view, because I recognize that there is latitude here for varying personal decisions.

In the USA, the country where I live, every citizen is said to be guaranteed the right to "keep and bear arms" according to the Constitution. There are multiple reasons why people may want to have weapons, including as collector items, recreational use, hunting, self-defense etc. Further, the Scriptures do not prohibit keeping and bearing arms. That makes the keeping and bearing of arms a personal decision. Some people "don't like guns," which is fine, they aren't required to own them. However, they have no right to impose restrictions against gun ownership upon responsible gun owners. I say all of this to say this: I recognize the right of other people to responsibly own and use weapons and nothing I say here should be construed to interfere with the rights of all such people to make their own decisions about keeping and bearing arms.

Having said all of that I say this about myself. So far as Messiah is concerned I feel that I do not have any rights. Now, the Scriptures do support individual rights in regard to one another, but that's not what I'm talking about here. What I'm saying is this: as a bondslave of Messiah I have willingly religuished all personal rights, indeed all I am and possess, over to Him. My great concern in all my conduct is to obey Him, to please Him, to promote His Kingdom and to do the Father's Personal will in my life. I NEVER say to Him - "I have a RIGHT to do this or that." That simply is not in keeping with the role of a bondslave, in my view.

Messiah allowed weapons to His disciples. The context indicates this was with reasonable self-defense against outlaws and wild beasts in mind. This indicates to me that Messiah recognized the need of a man to defend himself and his family against ordinary attack, in the event that such should occur. Luke 22:36-38

That statement is very different than supporting the taking up of arms to overthrow or support the government - or even to defend the Kingdom. On that score I look to these words of Y'shua; "My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Judeans. But now my Kingdom is not from here." John 18:36

The new Torah Year is now upon us, marking the start of a new 7-year cycle of years, called a "shebuah" in Hebrew. This can refer to any cycle characterized by 7, whether refering to days, years, decades - whatever. The start of a shebuah is the time to lay a right foundation for the rest of the shebuah period.

I say all of that to say this: This new Torah Year is a time to consider the foundations in our lives. Take stock of what is solid and buildable in your life, you don't need to worry about that. You are successfully building on those areas already. Are there areas where the old foundation needs to be repaired - or even torn out and re-built? This year is the best time for that. New challenges will be coming down the road as we progress in this new shabuah, and you will want a solid foundation in your life from which to respond to those challenges!

At Tsiyon we are thinking and praying about the foundations of the Spiritual Temple. We believe this new year will be a preparatory year, making way for growth of the Spiritual Temple in the years ahead. Many times building work begins by demolition and clean-up on the building site. There will likely be a lot of that this year in the lives of believers and non-believers. Such times of upheaval and clearing out of the debris can be a bit daunting. It is a time to be in prayer, and in step with the will of the Father, and busy about His business.

Be aware, a fire is coming that will test how each man has built:

"But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble; each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is." 1 Co 3:12-15

May your life and mine be built up with the spiritual treasures equivalent to "gold, silver" and "costly stones" that your building may glorify God - even through the fire!