When was the last time you stepped outside your dwelling for the specific purpose to praise and pray to YAHUAH? I have to say that prior to Feast of Trumpets 2021, I cannot remember such a time that I recently did this.
In this writing, I relay my experience with outside praise which I have begun to regularly do since beginning on Trumpets. I wrote the bulk of this writing on that day and later added more details such as the Scripture references. I share this in hopes that you are blessed with this revelation which has also blessed me.
Owl Troll in the Neighborhood
Praise YAH! Today is the Day of Trumpets! When I woke up early this morning, that noisy owl was outside just a hooting! It hadn’t been around all summer, and it just so happened to be out there making its noise on this day, the Day of Trumpets.
So, in response, I did something that I had not planned to do. I quickly got dressed and went outside in the boqer (dawn, still kind of dark outside) and sang praises and thanksgiving to the Father. I didn’t hear the owl while doing so. I haven’t heard it since.
Continued Praise
While praising YAH, I had the thought to go outside in the boqer to praise Him on the days leading up to the 10th day of the 7th month. I cannot recall many times, if any, that I went outside in the open air in the space outside my door to specifically praise YAH!
This is one of the negative outcomes of city dwelling. We’ve been conditioned to praise the Almighty within certain parameters because of proximity to other city dwellers. We seem to be most comfortable praising Him inside church buildings or inside other types of assembly structures.
We easily and frequently praise Him inside our personal dwellings. Some of us even regularly praise YAHUAH inside our cars. But rarely do we praise and hear others praising YAH outside in the open air under the canopy of His creation.
A Breath of Fresh Praise
I can only describe this morning’s experience as exhilarating and refreshing. The temperature was cool with low humidity which added
to the richness of the experience.
Now there may be exceptions of people who regularly go outside their dwellings to Praise YAH in the open air. Also, I do realize that my experience is anecdotal, that of only one person. Yet, I don’t ever hear anyone in my neighborhood praising YAH or even God outside, even though many of them attend churches.
Spiritual Songs
Do you in your neighborhood? I don’t mean playing Christian or Set-Apart music outside to sing along. I am writing about physically praising and praying to YAH unaided by corporation-controlled recorded religious music. Paul describes such praise:
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to YAHUAH; Giving thanks always for all things unto Elohim and the Father in the name of our Master YAHUSHA Messiah;
Ephesians 5:19-20
I would venture to say that most reading this would say, “No.” That you do not hear outside praise happening in your neighborhood either.
Power in Praise
As we know, words are powerful. The power of life and death are in the tongue. Words sung and spoken to our Creator, YAHUAH are even more powerful.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 18:21
I know that there is no distance in prayer and even praise. Yet it is pleasant to think that when we praise and pray to YAH outside the walls of manmade structures, that our words reverberate unobstructed throughout creation.
Desire for Outside Praise
When I set out to write these few words about my experience on the first day of Trumpets 2021, I initially did not see this as a word for others. As I write this, though, I am thinking that praising Him in the open air is indeed a desire of our Father that is underutilized. Notice that I did not say “Thus says YAHUAH.” These are just my thoughts of a possible course of action going forward beyond Yom Teruah, the Day of Trumpets.
In the days ahead including during the appointed times of our Creator, how powerful would it be if individuals (such as myself) and family units went outside their dwelling places with the specific intent to praise YAH in the open air in the early, early morning hours (boqer), in the evening (ereb) or whatever time YAH leads you to do so.
Open Air Praise
I can’t prove this scientifically, but in my opinion, there is something even more powerful about open air praise and prayer. It is evident that the wicked one knows the power of releasing sound outside over the airwaves. Wicked and wickenized (made up, but descriptive word) broadcasts go forth 24/7 throughout the earth through the medium of monopolized media.
We can take our praise, prayer and thanksgiving outside and broadcast the greatness of our Elohim. He is the One who invented all technology as He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. He and He alone is the Creator of all things.
Praising Outside the Walls
There are quite a few churches around where I live. Earlier in the event of 2019-2020 when they were barred from congregating inside because of distance ordinances, two of them had services outside. Later when restrictions eased up, one had an outside event that was an outreach to the neighborhood.
Although I no longer espouse many of the church’s beliefs, I was so, so, so happy to see and/or hear them taking their praise and preaching outside their church building. Unfortunately, the goal was to get back inside the four walls of their sanctuaries. So, the outside church services have stopped. Summer is hot here, though. Maybe this fall in cooler weather, they will have services outside again. Who knows?
What Does the Bible Say?
Now you may say, Vivian, that’s nice that you shared your anecdotal, subjective experience, but unless the Bible endorses this, I’m not for going to bed earlier so that I can get up earlier to go outside to praise YAH.
I’m not for turning off the One-Eyed Monster in the evening so that my family and I can go outside and praise and pray to the One who we need more than ever at this time?
One-Eyed Monster
Did you know that “One-Eyed Monster” is what insightful, Bible-believing, “woke” so-called holy-roller people called the TV back in the day? Seems that they were prophetic in their description seeing that for example “Smart” TVs in our day have been discovered to turn themselves on and spy and eavesdrop on people in their homes. I digress.
Apart from seeing for myself in Scripture, I’m not one to be convinced otherwise on any spiritual practice either. We want the Truth and nothing but the Truth. And we know that YAH’s Word is Truth.
Two Questions
So, the questions are these as we examine Scripture:
1. Where in Scripture is there precedence for praise, prayer, encountering the Most High outside in the open air?”
2. Is YAHUAH pleased with such a practice?
There are many Biblical examples of praise and prayer outside. Or even just having encounters with YAH or with His messengers. Here are a few.
Abraham
Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of YAHUAH.
Genesis 13:4
Abraham encountered YAHUAH in the open air in Genesis 13. Here is one verse of quite a few from chapter 13 that shows that Abraham was outside in the presence of the Most High.
Abraham was also sitting in the door of his tent when he spotted the messengers on their way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
And YAHUAH appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Genesis 18:1
His intercession for Lot and any other possible righteous people in Sodom took place outside as the messengers walked toward Sodom.
And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before YAHUAH. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Genesis 18:22-23
Isaac
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.
Genesis 24:63
The Bible does not specifically say that Isaac praised and prayed to YAH. I would venture to say, though, that YAH was not far from his thoughts that evening. Rebecca, his future wife came while he was meditating in the open air in the field.
Jacob
So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there Elohim appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother… And Elohim appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.
Genesis 35:6-7, 9
Jacob built an outside altar to worship the Almighty. He encountered YAH in the open air, not in his tent.
Moses
Moses’ first encounter with the Almighty Elohim in the burning bush was outside on a mountain. That was the first of many outside interactions with YAHUAH Elohim.
And the angel of YAHUAH appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when YAHUAH saw that he turned aside to see, Elohim called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
Exodus 3:2-4
Moses was on the mountain in the open air as he made intercession on behalf of people after the golden calf covenant breech.
And Moses said unto YAHUAH, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. And YAHUAH said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of YAHUAH before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And YAHUAH said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
Exodus 33:12-23
There were no manmade structures between the voice of Moses and the voice of YAH.
Joshua
Joshua encountered the Captain of the Host of YAHUAH (a theophany of YAHUSHA) outside in the evening.
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of YAHUAH am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of YAHUAH’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
Joshua 5:13-15
David
David—shepherd, musician, and future king—spent many mornings (boqer), days (yom), evenings (ereb) and nights (layil) outside praising and praying to the only true and living Elohim, YAHUAH. His faith in YAH no doubt increased as he praised and prayed to YAHUAH outside under the stars and the bright blue sky.
Psalm 19 is an example of the wonder at YAH’s greatness, power and majesty that so affected David that he had to record it.
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
Psalms 19:1-6
If YAH could create the heavenly expanse at the Word of His power (Ps. 148:5). Surely, He could easily help him take down a giant.
Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of YAHUAH of hosts, the Elohim of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will YAHUAH deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is an Elohim in Israel.
1 Samuel 17:45-46
Daniel
While fasting and praying outside by the river Hiddekel, Daniel received revelation about end-time events.
And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
Daniel 10:4-7
YAHUSHA the Messiah
YAHUSHA prayed outside in the early morning hours.
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Mark 1:35
The people encountered YAHUSHA outside in the open air as he taught them from his position on a mountain. What are known as the Beatitudes were taught from a mountain.
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
Matthew 5:1-2
YAHUSHA often prayed outside at the mount of olives.
And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.
Luke 21:37
Before his betrayal, YAHUSHA prayed outside at the Mount of Olives and received strength for what lay ahead of him.
And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
Luke 22:39-46
Peter
Peter prayed in the open air on a rooftop in Acts 10. His encounter completely changed the course of his ministry.
And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
Acts 10:8-9
Lydia
The Apostle Paul met Lydia and other ladies who prayed by a river on the Sabbath day.
And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
Acts 16:13-15
Encountering YAH
These are a few of many examples found in Scripture of deliberately going outside for prayer and praise to the Most High. The Bible reveals blessed encounters with the Father and/or His messengers. Faith was built up, revelation received, wisdom, understanding and knowledge from and of YAH gained. We see that Father is pleased when we praise and pray in this way.
What do we, you, me, have to lose with changing locations for some of our times of praising and praying to YAH? Won’t you join me on the journey of outside praise and prayer? Of if you are already regularly doing this, I am now joining you. I am very pleased to do so.
