The Significance of Passover for Christians

Why should believers in and followers of Yeshua observe the ancient Jewish feast called Pesach or Passover? Is there any scriptural appeal to believers that we perform the Seder of Pesach? The answer to this question can be established with the following three words from Scripture: Doing; Remembering; and Anticipating.

Yeshua asked that we DO the Passover

And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it, and gave it to them, saying, this is My body which is given for you; do this… Luke 22:19

The Bible is a passion play laden with drama. The prophets of Israel used drama. In Kings a prophet insisted that a man strike him to wound him so that he might in using drama expose the heart of Ahab (1 Kings 20:35-43). The prophet Isaiah was instructed to walk naked in bare feet for three years to dramatize Judah’s misplaced trust in Egypt and Cush (Isaiah 20). The prophet Jeremiah used drama and bore bonds and a yoke on his neck to signal Israel’s coming judgment (Jeremiah 27,28). The prophet Ezekiel built replicas of cities, divided hairs from his beard and head, and slept on his left side for 390 days and on his right side for 40 days, so as to teach lessons from God to Israel (Ezekiel 4,5). The prophet Ahijah tore his clothes into twelve pieces (1 Kings 11:30), the prophet Zedekiah made a set of horns, symbolizing the defeat of the Arameans (1 Kings 22:11), and the prophet Agabus portrayed the capture of the Apostle Paul by binding his own hands and feet (Acts 21:10). Paul was warned by drama not to go to Jerusalem.The worship of Israel was full of drama. The slaughter of many oxen and lambs, the priestly robe and vestments and his work within the Holy Place, the veil within the Temple, the Cherubim with their wings spread over the mercy seat, the Tabernacle being carried with Israel on their journey, and the serpent on the pole were all drama to teach divine revelation. The God of Israel performed drama. He appeared in the form of fire to Abraham, wrestled with Jacob, rained down manna from heaven, gave water from the rock, made the bitter water sweet, and His glory filled the Temple. The nation of Israel was to keep dramas: the Sabbath was kept weekly; the new moons kept monthly; the seven feasts kept annually; the Jubilee kept every fifty years.

The messiah of Israel taught lessons of great depth using drama. Y’shua turned the water into wine. Y’shua took the lad’s fishes and bread, multiplied them and fed thousands. Y’shua cursed a fig tree for not bearing fruit. Y’shua spit in dirt to make mud for the blind man’s eyes. Y’shua had a fish swallow a coin, swim to the right spot and at the right time to be caught in a net in order to pay taxes. Y’shua’s ascension was even dramatic. He could have simply disappeared into heaven as Enoch who “was not,” but chose to ascend to His father while they beheld the cloud receive Him out of their sight.

Drama comes from the Greek word, dromenon meaning “to do.” Drama is a message clothed with doing. When Y’shua said, this do in remembrance of Me , He was asking us to DO the Passover, to unfold and perform the event. Words in time lose their meaning. The Passover is a drama so that theology may be retained. Passover is theology taught, heard, seen, and eaten. We should DO the Passover!

Yeshua asked that we REMEMBER Him in the Passover (Luke 22:19)

And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it, and gave it to them, saying, This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.

The Passover is about Y’shua. The Pesach candle commemorates His humanity given Him of Mary. The Scriptures required Messiah to be man in order to (1) fulfill the Davidic Covenant (Luke 1:31-33), (2) destroy the works of Satan (1 John 3:8), (3) be a sympathizing High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16), and (4) be a substitutionary sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:1-10).

The Pesach Matza commemorates His sinless life. Y’shua was unleavened, pure, and disconnected from Adam. The Pesach lamb commemorates His sacrificial death. The Messiah was to be the divinely instituted provision whereby sin might be covered by the shedding of blood. Messiah Y’shua satisfied the wrath of God.

The Pesach wine commemorates Y’shua’s blood and atonement for sin. Y’shua’s own life was the payment of the price demanded by a Holy God, and His blood was for our redemption. The place for Pesach commemorates His covering of us as our Messiah shelters us in God’s grace, covering us from God’s wrath.

The Pesach afikomen commemorates Y’shua’s resurrection. Y’shua our Messiah is the way, the truth, and the life, and He is life’s desert.

Finally, the Pesach Seder or supper commemorates Y’shua’s promise to return for us. This leads us to the next reason that we are to observe Passover.

Yeshua preserved the Passover that we ANTICIPATE Him (Matthew 26:29; Luke 12:35 ,37; 22:15 ,16)

Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight… Blessed are those slaves whom the master shall find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.

But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.

And He said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God .

The institution of Passover did not die with Israel in the Old Testament. Y’shua observed the Passover continually, even until His last meal. The institution of the Passover did not expire with Y’shua’s death. The disciples kept it, the first Church kept it, Christendom has kept it, and Y’shua has declared that we will have the Passover with Him in the kingdom.

Why should we observe the Passover? The Passover celebrates (1) who Y’shua is, (2) what Y’shua has done, and (3) where Y’shua has gone and what He is preparing for us, (4) causing us to long for His coming (Luke 22:19). The Passover is a dress rehearsal for the Kingdom, where Y’shua will arise, gird Himself, and wait upon us.

There are other incentives for performing the Passover. The dramatization of Passover is an excellent tool for witnessing, while also causing believers in Y’shua to be enlightened to biblical truths, enriched in their under-standing of scripture, and greatly blessed as they embrace their Jewish roots and heritage.

How YESHUA became JESUS

Before the birth of Yeshua (His Hebraic name) and following His incarnation, Greek was the lingua franca of the known world by way of Alexander the Great and his promotion of Hellenism.  In the Hellenistic world seventy Jewish scholars came together in Alexander Egypt to translate the Hebrew Scriptures (the Torah, Nivim, and Ketuvim or TaNaK what we call the Old Testament) into the vernacular Greek tongue of the day. This was called the Septuagint or “translation of the seventy,” also known as the LXX.

In the Septuagint the Hebrew word mashiach or "messiah" was translated in Greek as christos (see Lev.4:5; 6:15; 21:12; 1 Sam. 24:7, 11; 26:9; 2 Sam. 1:14; 2:5; 23:1; Lam. 4:20; Amos 4:13; Psalm 19:7; 20:6; 88:39; 2 Chron.22:7). Mashiach in Hebrew means  “anointed one;” so does the Greek Christos. Eventually with the evolution of the English language, the Hebrew mashiach became "Messiah" and the Greek Christos became "Christ."

The Hebrew name Yeshua appears myriad times in the Greek LXX in the shortened form of Yehoshua or Joshua (see Neh.8:17). When Miriam (Mary) birthed her child, she and Yoseph the surrogate father named Him as commanded by the angel Gabriel (Mat. 1:21). As a Hebrew the parents and family spoke of and to Him as Yeshua; this was His name. Living in a Greek world He was also for certain -many times- introduced as Iesous (YAY-soos).

In due time the entire world would come under the empire of the British and the English tongue. The English language for reasons of linguistics would render the “Y” sound of Yerushalayim, Yericho, Yacov, Yoseph, Yudah, and Yeshua and many other Hebrew words beginning with "Y" with the English “J.” Thus, the Hebrew Y’hudi became Ioudaios  in the Greek and eventually to the English Judean or Jew.

Does it matter? We must not become Gnostics says John Parsons, author of "Hebrew for Christians." I agree, and let me assert that Yeshua came as YAHshua, that is, in His Father’s name as He Himself said, and to save sinners. Yeshua was YHWHshua, He was  YHWH or Jehovah of the OT as His name declares. Yet, may I contend that it does not matter to our Lord whether we call Him Yeshua (Hebrew), Iesous (Greek), Jesus (English), J’sue (Cajun French), Esous (Swahili), Jesus pronounced Haysus (Spanish), or any other translation or transliterated stem from Y'shua. In fact, should someone be so unforturnate to be mute and unable to speak, it makes not an iota of difference to our Lord, because it is from the heart one acknowledges His Lord and savior as the God of Holy Writ Who came to live for us, die for us, resurrect for us, ascend for us, and does now save us if we cry to Him from our hearts.

Did our lips say Jesus in English or Yeshua in Hebrew the night we heard the Gospel and cried out to Him for salvation? Perhaps, neither, we wept for knowledge of Him and what He had done for us. Let us not get into fruitless debate over any pronunciation of His name, but rather that we know Him -what His name means, that is, "savior." If we must do apologetics let us defend His person and deity; YHWHshua/Jesus has come in flesh and has taken our sins and nailed them to His own body.

BAR/BAT MITZVAH (Son/Daughter of the Commandments)

Origin

The celebration and confirmation of Bar Mitzvah boys), and Bat Mitzvah (girls) came about with the liberal Conservative and Reform movements within Judaism, and is not Biblical or Talmudic in origin. The Bar Mitzvah dates back to the 14th century, while the Bat Mitzvah was introduced by the Reconstructionist movement (Society for Advancement of Judaism) in 1922. The first woman to celebrate a Bat Mitzvah was Judith Kaplan, daughter of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, the founder of the Reconstructionist Movement. The Bat Mitzvah is celebrated at age 12 for girls (who mature quicker), while the Bar Mitzvah, for boys, is celebrated at the age of 13.

Perhaps, at least the roots for the modern practice of the Bar Mitzvah is Biblical. We observe Yeshua going up to, and entering the Synagogue.

Celebration

It is customary to mark this turning point by inviting the young man/woman to fulfill publicly some commandment, usually making aliya i.e. coming forward to a raised platform and reading from the Torah. This is occasioned usually on Shabbat (Sunday). Different communities have different customs as to what the young man is called upon to do. There may be a cantata or drama, special music, speeches, a floral offering, and a blessing by the rabbi. An extreme example of celebrating the Bar Mitzva, happened in Miami. The parents rented the Orange Bowl, provided media, cheerleaders, and lots of food and drink (More “bar” than mitzvah).

The Bar/Bat Mitzvah is not a mystical confirmation which somehow confers “Jewishness” upon the child. It is a religious-legal term which implies a coming of age.The status is attained automatically, however, the ceremony marks the attainment. Usually, the boy or girl has by this point, prepared himself/herself in Hebrew study and Judaic studies. He/she will read or chant some portion of the Torah, a haftorah, and the blessings before and after. In many communities, this is the first time he will wear a talit. The rabbi will speak to him about the significance and will bless him/her.

Confirmation usually takes place on Shavuot (Feast of Harvest/Pentecost) in Reform, many Conservative, and some modern Orthodox synagogues.

Position

In a Jewish synagogue the young man may now be counted in the minyan or prayer quorum of ten. (COPIED)

BLESSING YOUR CHILDREN

God Blessed Man

In the day God created man He imparted His blessing to them (Gen.1:27,28; 5:2); God imparted His blessing to Noah and children (Gen.9:1); God blessed Abram, in every way (Gen.12:1-3; 22:17; 24:1); God blessed Isaac (Gen.25:11; 26:1-3, 12, 24); and God blessed Jacob/Israel (Gen.32:29; 35:9)

Man Blessed Man on Behalf of God

In Genesis 14:19 Melchizedek blessed Abraham; Aaron and his sons blessed Israel (Num.6:23); Balaam blessed Israel (Num.24:1); Jacob blessed Pharaoh’s house (Gen.47:10).

Man Blessed His Descendants

Abraham blessed Jacob (Gen.27:27); The parents of Rebekah blessed her and sent her away (Gen.24:60); Isaac blessed Jacob (Gen.27:23); Laban kissed and blessed his grandchildren, Jacob’s sons and daughters (Gen.31:55); Israel/Jacob blessed Joseph (Gen.48:15, 20) and Joseph’s sons; (Gen.48:9)

Jesus Blessed the Children

Mark (10:16) records Jesus taking the children in His arms and blessing them. Luke records Yeshua blessing the people as He ascended into heaven (24:50). The Apostle Paul encouraged the persecuted to bless those who attempted to hurt them (Romans 12:14). How do we ‘bless’ others? As the Cohen Gadol or High Priest were to invoke or ‘put into action’ the blessing that flows from God upon Israel (Num.6:22-27), the experience of being born again, of receiving life that comes from the God is invoked upon us by the [blessing] of the spoken word (Romans 10:8-10). In fact, every blessing man receives from God he receives by the spoken word of God. THE SPOKEN WORD IS LIVING! Imparting a blessing by speaking the living word of God to your children and/or one another is certainly not a guarantee of a positive response unto salvation or obedience, but initial faith and maturing faith continues to come by hearing the Word of God. We can and do speak life or death to one another. Life or death is in the tongue. Many children are hurt and some destroyed by what sociologist term, verbal abuse which in biblical reality, is simply imparting a curse by what one says. The opposite is also true. A parent can revolutionize a child’s self worth by praise. Let me illustrate. Just recently I took my son, Jacob to a Lookout’s baseball game (the Lookouts are a farm team for the Cincinnati Reds). Sitting behind the Lookouts dugout Jacob caught a ball. When he caught his second, rather than keeping it for himself, he gave it to a little five or six year old boy who also had wanted to catch a ball, but was to small. I was so proud of Jacob, and for the rest of the game I praised him. I gave him the old idiom, “that’s my boy!” He was so excited that he had done what perhaps ‘Yeshua would have done,’ and when we arrived home, he told his mother the story and how dad was so proud of him, that I had said, “that’s my boy!”. For the rest of the evening, Jacob walked in my steps, putting his arm around me, and asking when we could go again. A Jewish custom is for the fathers to speak the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh over their sons, May the Lord make you like Ephraim and Manasseh, and speaking the blessing of Rachel and Leah over their daughters: May the Lord make you like Rachel and Leah of whom built the house of Israel (Ruth 4:11,12). Children who are in trouble may often be released by the impartation of biblical blessing (speaking the Word). Eleazar ben Judah, a Jewish sage once said that all blessings should begin, “blessed be thou!” as though the person were speaking to a dear friend! Think of the potency of the Word of God, and the possibilities of blessing it imparts. Abram heard the Word of God, believed, and he was reckoned as righteous. Israel became despondent and faithless due to the word of the spies of Canaan, and failed in faith to enter in. The Rock yielded water for Moses and Israel according to the word spoken to it by Moses. Man was told by God that he cannot violate his word given to another, his word was his oath, and the man who spoke presumptuously in the Lord’s name was to die! Think of Jephthah who, when after he gave his word to the Lord, he did not take it back, even when the subject of sacrifice was his own daughter. The Levites were chosen because they did not listen to the negative word of their parent, not to their siblings, not to their sons, but to the Word of God. In the NT even un-kosher, unclean food became kosher and clean after being sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. Let me encourage you to bless God, to bless your spouse, to bless your children and grandchildren, and to bless one another by speaking a befitting Word of God to them. It is amazing how potent the Living Word is, and the blessing it carries to another.

CANDLES: The Jewish Tradition of Lighting Candles

The Jewish tradition of lighting candles on Shabbat is not of biblical origin, but a rabbinic tradition, mentioned in the Talmud and Mishnah many times. A believer in Yeshua is “dead to the law by the body of Christ” (Rom.7:4), and is not obligated to keep the Mosaic code which is now obsolete (Heb.8:13). However, many messianic believers choose, in their freedom, to participate in the Judaic culture, which does keep the sabbath. One cannot live in Israel without keeping the sabbath to some extent. Special commandments or mitzvot are performed, the family observes rituals of purity, and the clan with guests enjoy the challa bread and lighting two candles. The two candles represent the remembrance (zachor) of the sabbath and the guarding (shamor) of the sabbath. The twin candles are lit (1) to honor the sabbath, (2) for the pleasure of the day that is likened to ‘Torah,’ and (3) because it signifies peace and contentment in the home. The sabbath, Friday evening to Saturday evening, is a day of rest according to scripture, and was never a day of public worship. Believers must not be yoked / shackled with the legalities of the sabbath. Yet, I suggest that we find a time after the work week and before the day of worship, Sunday, to rest? We need it!

CHANNUKAH

IN THE SCRIPTURES Yisra’el observed many festivals: the weekly feast of Shabbat; the monthly feast of the New Moon (blowing of the Shofar); the annual major festivals of Pesach (Passover), Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavout (Pentecost), Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Tabernacles (Sukkot); and the Postexilic feasts of Purim and Chanukah or Feast of Dedication. Yisra’el today observes the festivals of Yom Hashoah, the Holocaust Memorial Day, and Yom Ha’atsmaut, Yisra’el Independence Day.

THE FEAST OF DEDICATION has Prophetic, Historical, Messianic, and Eschatological significance. Dani’el was given the prophetic vision (8:1-27) of what was to be. A ram with two horns, the Medo-Persia Kingdom, is struck by the shaggy goat with a large horn, Alexander the Great and Greece. The large horn is broken, four grow in its place, and a small horn, AntiochusIV, grows out of one. The prophecy concerns an insolent, wicked, King with great power and skilled in speech: Antiochus Epiphanes, and also another. The prophetic significance is that Daniel prophesied this four hundred years before Antiochus IV.

THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE is how the 6,000 Jews of the Hasmonean clan led by Judah Maccabee drove out the 47,000 Syrians. The Holy Temple was reclaimed, and Nes Gadol Hayah Shem,“ a great miracle happened there,” on the 25th of Kislev (Nov-Dec). A cruse of oil enough for one day’s burning miraculously burned for eight days. Chanukah, the Feast of Dedication (and lights) came to be celebrated. Yochanan records that Yeshua, a good Jew, celebrated this Jewish festival (John 10:22).

THE MESSIANIC SIGNIFICANCE is that Yeshua, the center, the locus, the hallmark of scripture and all Feasts, is the light that coming into the world “lightens every man” (John 1:9); “His life is the light of men” (John 1:4,5). The “seed of woman,” from the tribe of Judah had been in jeopardy since Genesis 3:15, and according to Revelation 12:4 Yeshua was in jeopardy at birth. Yeshua, the light of the world, full of the oil of the Holy Spirit, from the tribe of Judah, the “Holy Temple of God” tabernacling among man survived his birth, survived the eight days wait for circumcision, survived the temptations of the wicked god of this world, and survived death. Nes Gadol Hayeh Shem! “A great miracle happened there!”

THE ESCHATOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE is that Dani’el 8 has a double fulfillment, one near and one far. As Antiochus, the anti-Christ will be insolent, skilled, deceitful, prideful, opposing Yisra’el, strong with supernatural power, and yet will be defeated by one from Judah. “A great miracle happened there,” and there again will happen once more. Happy Holidays!

CHRISTMAS AND CHANNUKAH

In the Scriptures Yisra’el observed many festivals: the weekly feast of Shabbat; the monthly feast of the New Moon (blowing of the Shofar); the annual major festivals of Pesach (Passover), Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Shavout (Pentecost), Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Tabernacles (Sukkot); and the Postexilic feasts of Purim and Chanukah or Feast of Dedication. Yisra’el today observes the festivals of Yom Hashoah, the Holocaust Memorial Day, and Yom Ha’atsmaut, Yisra’el Independence Day. THE FEAST OF DEDICATION has Prophetic, Historical, Messianic, and Eschatological significance. Dani’el was given the prophetic vision (8:1-27) of what was to be. A ram with two horns, the Medo-Persia Kingdom, is struck by the Shaggy goat with a large horn, Alexander the Great and Greece. The large horn is broken, four grow in its place, and a small horn, AntiochusIV, grows out of one. The prophecy concerns an insolent, wicked, King with great power and skilled in speech: Antiochus Epiphanes, and also another. The prophetic significance is that Daniel prophesied this four hundred years before Antiochus IV. THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE is how the 6,000 Jews of the Hasmonean clan led by Judah Maccabee drove out the 47,000 Syrians. The Holy Temple was reclaimed, and Nes Gadol Hayah Shem,“ a great miracle happened there,” on the 25th of Kislev (Nov-Dec). A cruse of oil enough for one day’s burning miraculously burned for eight days. Chanukah, the Feast of dedication (and lights) came to be celebrated. Yochanan records that Yeshua, a good Jew, celebrated this Jewish festival (John 10:22). THE MESSIANIC SIGNIFICANCE is that Yeshua, the center, the locus, the hallmark of scripture and all Feasts, is the light that coming into the world “lightens every man” (John 1:9); “His life is the light of men” (John 1:4,5). The “seed of woman,” from the tribe of Judah had been in jeopardy since Genesis 3:15, and according to Revelation 12:4 Yeshua was in jeopardy at birth. Yeshua, the light of the world, full of the oil of the Holy Spirit, from the tribe of Judah, the “Holy Temple of God” tabernacling among man survived his birth, survived the eight days wait for circumcision, survived the temptations of the wicked god of this world, and survived death. Nes Gadol Hayah Shem! A great miracle happened there! THE ESCHATOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE is that Dani’el 8 has a double fulfillment, one near and one far. As Antiochus, the anti-Christ will be insolent, skilled, deceitful, prideful, opposing Yisra’el, strong with supernatural power, and yet will be defeated by one from Judah. “A great miracle happened there,” and there again, and will happen once more! Happy Holiday!

IS CHRISTMAS FOR JEWS?

The Torah that foretold His coming is Jewish; the Prophets who foretold His birth were Jewish; the Writings that foretold, typed, and foreshadowed His Coming (Psalms, etc.) are Jewish; the Jewish Scrolls called the Old Testament or TeNaKh that contain the hundreds of Messianic Prophecies are Jewish; the Jewish Scrolls called the New Testament or the Brit Chadesha that record His birth are Jewish; the Shepherds who were given the angelic salutation at Bethlehem were Jewish; the Father of the Child was Jewish; the Mother of the Child was Jewish; the Child was Jewish and the Jewish Messiah; the town, Beth l’chem Ephrathah was Jewish; the Star that appeared the night of the birth was the Jewish / Hebrew ensign to mark His birth; the Three Wisemen who came later after His birth were possibly Jewish; the Three Gifts given Him were for the Jewish Priest (frankincense), Prophet (myrrh), and King (gold); the Name given Him, Yeshua, was Jewish; those awaiting the consolation of Israel (Simeon, Anna, etc.) were Jewish; the Feast of Dedication/Channukah that parallels the season of His birth is Jewish and celebrated parallel to His birth (Kislev 25 and December 25); the Congregation that embraced His birth, His life, His death, and His resurrection was completely Jewish; the Christians who first celebrated the birth of our Lord were Jewish (Early Hebrew Christians observed the 25th of December as far back as 98 AD)

THE CHURCH IS NOT A "NEW ISRAEL"

Third in a series on Bible Prophecy By Dr. Kenneth G. Hanna (Professor at Dallas Seminary and MMI Board of Directors)

Some Christians refer to the church as “the New Israel.” They argue that when the leaders of Israel rejected Jesus as their Messiah, God in turn rejected the nation of Israel and replaced it with the church. Thus, they say, the promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament are now being fulfilled in a spiritual sense in the church. A careful study of the New Testament reveals otherwise. The Bible makes it clear that,

1. God has not “cast away” the nation of Israel: "I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew." Romans 11:1,2

2. After Jesus’ resurrection, the Apostles believed Israel had a national future. "Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6

3. Jesus said Israel’s kingdom would come in the Father’s own time. "And He said unto them, 'It is not for you to know times and seasons which the Father has put under His own authority.'" Acts 1:7

4. God made many promises to Israel that have not yet been fulfilled. “Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. They shall be My people, and I will be their God; I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good, but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me." Jeremiah 32:37-40

5. The church is never called Israel in the New Testament. A concordance study reveals that Israel is mentioned 66 times and in every instance it refers to the Jewish nation. In fact, the church and Israel are kept distinct from each other. “Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:32

6. The Church is a new and unique work of God, not a New Israel. “to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. Eph.3:9-11

7. Israel will one day embrace her Messiah and find salvation as a nation. "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. Zechariah 12:10; 13:1

8. Paul said that Israel’s national salvation was certain, but still future: "And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’" Romans 11:26,27

We conclude that the church is not a “New Israel.” God has not abandoned or rejected His ancient people, Israel. He will complete the re-gathering and restoration of Israel. He will one day bring their spiritual rebirth as He promised in both the Old and New Testaments. Until then, He has called the church to proclaim the good news that the Messiah, Jesus, has come. That is good news for all nations, but for the Jew first!

JEWISH COWBOYS

Did you know that Wyatt Earp (1848-1929) was buried in a Jewish Cemetery in Colma, California? -that his wife, Josephine was Jewish, and that a large segment of Boot Hill, the famous cowboy Cemetery in Tombstone, Arizona, is Jewish?

IS GOD FOR ISRAEL?

Joshua (chapter 5), the new helmsman for the nation of Israel is about to lead the second generation into the promised land promised the posterity of Abraham, and from which God Himself would rule the entire earth. Upon confrontation with the ‘man’ holding a sword in His hand, Joshua asks the question, “Are you for us [Israel] or our adversaries?” The interpretation is given in the context: the ‘man’ was the “Captain of the Lord’s Host;” Joshua was commissioned as the new ‘Moses,’ his experience a parallel to the burning bush; and the answer to Joshua’s question is, “No!” No, I am not for Israel? Or No, I am not for your adversaries? Or, No, I am neither for Israel or your adversaries, but rather for the Lord’s army! God as the ‘Divine Warrior’ is one of many motifs in scripture. God is Abraham’s shield (Genesis 15:1); a warrior (Exo.15:3) who will fight for Israel who is to be silent (14:14). A ’Book of the Wars of the Lord’ is mentioned in Numbers 21:14, and David later prayed, “the Lord has smitten my enemies upon the cheek” (Psalm 3:7). The Lord was, is, and will be a warrior who will return one day as Jude prophecies to do battle. As a warrior, the Lord also warned Israel that He would fight against them if they rebelled and disobeyed Him in the land. He would wipe Israel off the face of the earth (Deut.6:15); smite Israel with consumption, fever, inflammation, boils, madness, blindness, confusion, plagues, and chronic sickness (Deut.28:15-68). The Lord did just that; He whistled for the fly [Assyria] (Isa.7:17,18); He mustered the Arab armies from Iraq [Babylon]; raised up that fierce and impetuous people, the Chaldeans (Hab.1:1-12); allowed the Romans to harshly dictate and butcher Israel, and, of course, was not blind or ignorant of the myriads of pogroms, inquisitions, or Holocausts on this earth. What of Israel today? Is God for Israel and against the Palestinians? Is God for the Moslem Arabs and against the Jews? Is God for both? -neither? Might we find the answer in that given Joshua millennia ago? I, personally, think so! God has never chosen man’s side, but will fight for, protect, be a shield, and give victory to those who obey Him in the land. Modern Israel, unlike Joshua who bowed his face before God, is an unbelieving secular nation, only a very small percentage even religious. As God said that He would do in the "acharit hayamim" or “last days,” He has brought Israel to the land to enter into Judgment with them. In fact, worse than Hitler’s Holocaust will be “Jacob’s Trouble,” also called the Great Tribulation yet to come upon the contemporary nation. (Request, MMI’s daily email,“Jacob’s Troubles”)

IS GOD FOR THE USA?

Though America has experienced a great and sinister evil, the USA is showing a great spirit of patriotism, nationalism, with flags flying everywhere. On church billboards and highway markers on interstates are the words, “God Bless America.” Moslems, Hindus, Buddhist, and Catholic Priests united in New York’s Shea Stadium and with unity declared “God Bless the USA!” Is God for the US? To answer that question, I ponder another, “What if the USA ruled the world:” Abortion would be legalized; prayer taken out of public schools; the traditional family replaced with homosexual sitters; homosexuality accepted as a norm and sitcoms promoting ‘alternative life-style;’ airwaves filled with violence, nudity, sex, ‘free-speech;’ Christians thought of as a cult; leaders would have adulterous affairs, lie, steal, cheat, get caught and yet dismissed because of power and a growing economy; the secular media the medium and interpreters of thought, ideology, and belief; the heroes of youth would be those displayed in underwear on the big screen, rebellious, proud, mystical and promiscuous; condoms provided at public schools; colleges like three prominent ones in the US could offer courses in Pornography; and humanism would reign as the religion. To resolve the question, I go to the Bible, ponder God’s people in the past, and I ask, Was God for Israel? This was the exact question that General Joshua ask the Captain of the Lord’s Host (Joshua 5:13,14). “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” Whether Israeli or American we might reply, “ohh yes!” The answer from Yeshua (a theophany or ‘God appearance,’ or one of the archangels: Gabriel, Michael, Raphel or Uriel) was “NO!” This is the answer! God is not on our side! The question to contemplate is, “is America, is Israel on God’s side?” God is going to resurrect the land of Israel, to regather the bones from the graves, and to regenerate the nation of Israel, but to do so myriads of Jews will enter ‘Jacob’s Trouble’ where two-thirds will die, the nation fleeing from the hands of the Antichrist. It is when they cry out, Baruch haba, baShem Adonai, “blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” and join God that they are saved (our ministry is about saving as many Jews as we can before the great tribulation). The hope of any man, woman, family, and/or nation is to do as Joshua, to come to the conclusion and say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord God” (we choose to be on His side!)

ISRAEL’S PRIME MINISTERS

David Ben Gurion (1948-1954); Moshe Sharett (1954-1955); David Ben Gurion (1955-1963); Levi Eshkol (1963-1969); Golda Meir (1969-1974); Yitzhak Rabin (1974-1977); Menachim Begin (1977-1983); Yitzhak Shamir (1983-1984); Shimon Peres (1984-1986); Yitzhak Shamir (1986-1992); Yitzhak Rabin (1992-1995); Shimon Peres (1995-1996); Benjamin Netanyahu (1996-1999); Ehud Barak (1999-2001); Ariel Sharon (2001-2006); Ehud Olmert (2006-2009); Benjamin Netanyahu (2009-)

ISRAEL AND PALESTINE

Canaan is the first name the Bible calls the land promised to Abraham and his posterity. Canaan was the cursed son of Ham who came to dwell in the land. Descendants of Jacob or Israel, the Israelites, conquered the land but absorbed the ‘ites’ into the nation instead of exiling them (the sin of the tribes in Judges). Later the Philistines or “sea peoples” came to settle along side Israel creating city-states and came to be adversaries to the young Israelite nation. About 1200 BC ‘Israel’ replaced the term Canaan which disappeared from written sources. By 850 BC the only political units in the country were Israel, Judah, and the Philistine city-states. Assyria took Israel captive (722 BC), Babylon took Judah captive (586 BC), both returned near 516 BC and the name of the entire land came to be called Judea. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, sayng…(Matthew 2:1). In 70 AD, as Jesus had predicted, Judea was taken. 1,100,000 Jews were butchered, Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Temple was leveled However, there was Jewish resistance and in 135 AD another Roman appeared plowing up Zion. 980 Jewish towns were destroyed and 580,000 Jews slain. Hadrian decreed that no Jew could come within miles of Jerusalem. To further spite the Jews he chose to remove all Jewish identity to the land. Hadrian drudged up the name Palestine from history, a non- Jewish term and derivative from Philistine. The name stuck! Constantine’s Christian Byzantine Empire controlled the land in the 4th century and the land was called, Palestine. When the Moslem Arabs conquered the land in 640 AD from the Byzantines they called the land, Falastin (Arabic has no “p” sound). The Crusades swept the east taking control of the land that continued to be called Palestine. The Ottoman Turks took the land and called the land, Palestine as did the publishers of the original King James Bible, published in 1611, calling the land not Philistia, but Palestine. During the time of the British Mandate (1918-1948) it was Palestine! The Balfour Declaration, 1917 gave Jews the Right of Return. They returned to a land under productive, under populated, and economically hollow. The Jewish people returning to the land ‘redeemed’ the land by calling it the biblical name, YISRAEL!

JUDAIZERS

Yeshua and His disciples approvingly participated in the traditions, the reading of the Haftorah, the structured liturgy, the prayers and blessings from the Siddur. Therefore, Mattityahu’s (Matthew’s) account (5:17-19) in Greek, pleroo, meaning, “to make complete, to fill out, to bring to full expression, to fulfill” was only a translation of what Yeshua really said in Hebrew, kiyyem, “to uphold,” or Aramaic, la’asuphe, “to add.” Yeshua meant to strengthen, to “fill to the brim” the law...Yeshua did not set aside the law nor shabbat and did not abolish Kashrut. “The Significance of the Oral Torah and Possibility of its Use.” CLARIFICATION: Yeshua was a good Jew and never opposed Mosaic Law, how could He, the Law was God’s perfect standard. However, Yeshua made clear that all law was fulfilled in Himself and the binding obligations no longer applicable. One is free to keep the law but is not bound to keep the law. The Greek word pleroo “to finish” is correct, and it is imperative that one finds the meaning of scripture IN THE TEXT, and not in what Yeshua might have said in Hebrew! Yeshua “flamed the fire” of the law that the law might drive a man to his knees and tutor him to the Savior. Paul clearly communicates in Romans (7:4) that the Jewish believer though once married to the law is now dead to the law, and is now married “to another,” to Him who is raised from the dead. The message of Hebrews/Messianic Jews is that the Mosaic law is obsolete and has disappeared (Heb.8) because Yeshua is better!

THE LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL: LOST, LOST AND FOUND, OR NEVER MISSING

Were the ten tribes of Israel lost? If so, when were they lost and to whom? If lost, will they ever be found? -by whom? Or, were they never missing? There are a myriad of groups who claim to be the lost tribes of Israel: the native American Indians; American Gypsies; Orientals, black races; even some American people claim to be the lost tribes of Israel. There is also the claim of British Israelism who attempt to link British royalty to King David. It argues that the word British comes from two Hebrew words, tyrb b’rit meaning “covenant” and wyx ish meaning “man.” Thus, the Brit is the covenant man. Actually, the languages of Hebrew and English are linguistically unrelated. British Israelism declares the English are the descendants from the north kingdom of Israel. Oliver Cromwell was even persuaded to allow Jews to return to England due to kinship with them. The Church of England especially supported this persuasion. In the 20th century Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God embraced the claim that Great Britain was the tribe Ephraim, America was the tribe Manasseh, and the other European nations and Judah were the Jews. British Israelism claim the true Israel are the white Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, and kindred peoples. All non-white peoples are excluded from the redemptive work of Christ. Jews are a “race of vipers” “Satan’s seed” and “Christ killers.” These ideas have been embraced by such groups as the Christian Identity Movement, Klu Klux Klan, Revival Centre International, Aryan Nation, the American Nazi Party, and the National Association for Advancement of White People. Opposite the above fanatical persuasion is another, the scholastic denial of the Ten Lost Tribes, that the Israelites in Assyrian captivity (722 BC) intermarried with pagans, assimilated and subsequently disappeared. A second theory is that Jews from the northern tribes returned to Israel with the forty-two thousand exiles of Judah and Benjamin under Cyrus’ decree in 536 BC, and together with Judah and Benjamin became the “one stick” without any distinct entityThe view of apocalyptic writings in intertestamental Judaism was that the ten tribes would return to the land in the acharit hayamim or “last days.” The Talmud (Jerusalem Sanhedrin, 10) states: one-part of Israel [the northern ten tribes] was exiled beyond the river Sambation, one part to Daphne near Antiochia, and the third part was covered by a cloud {lost]. When the time of redemption will come, all the exiles from the three diasporas will return. Rabbinic Judaism beginning in 90 AD concurred. Today, the Ethiopian or Falasha Jews claim their ‘secret’ Judaic faith originated 3000 years ago after the Queen of Sheba returned from seeing Solomon’s ancient wonder of the world. Rabbis in Israel claim these Ethiopian Jews are the descendants of the tribe of Dan, or of the mysterious lost tribes of Israel. The Islamic Pashtu of Afghanistan, though surrounded by Asiatic peoples, differ from their Turkish, Mongolian, Persian, and Indo-Iranian neighbors. These 13 million Pathan tribesmen circumcise their sons on the 8th day, wear four-cornered garments, perform levirate marriages, don traditional side locks and beards, and practice Jewish traditions both oral and biblical. The B’nail Israel or “House of Israel,” are black Jews living near Bombay, India who trace their heritage back to the first century. There are Arabian Jews living like Bedouins in Yemen at the southern end of Saudi Arabia, and the lemba who live in South Africa, descendants of the Yemite Jews. Other Arabian Jews claim descent of the Rechabites, those who refused to drink in Scripture (Jer 35:11). Manasseh ben Israel wrote of Chinese Jews who were part of the ten lost tribes who had fled to China from Afghanistan to escape waves of Tartar invaders. The prophet, Isaiah wrote of Jews returning from Sinim (China), and scholars suspect that Isaiah was aware of Chinese Jews in his day, 8th century BC. Ancient prophecies predict the return of the “two sticks” to one stick (Ezekiel 37:19-22), that the 12 tribes were to inherit the land after the Messiah appears (Ezekiel 47:13; 48:1-27); that the two nations return as one (Jeremiah 3:17,18); the 12 tribes to return (Isaiah 27:12,13; 11:12; 63:16-19); the tribes in Assyria to return (Zechariah 10:6,9, 10); and the tribes of Israel and Judah to dwell together after returning (Jeremiah 23:5-8; Hosea 1:11) Actually, the 12 tribes have never been lost. The tribes existed during the days of Sha’ul/Paul (Acts 26:6, 7); the days of Yacov/James (James 1:1); the days of Yochanon/John and his Revelation (Rev 7:4-8); the days of Josephus (37-100 AD) who described the ten tribes as still existing (Wars of the Jews 2.16.4.388); and in the days of Jerome, the respected Christian writer who translated the Bible into Latin in the 15th century. He wrote, “Unto this day the ten tribes are subject to the kings of Persians, nor has their captivity ever been loosed” (Notes on Hosea 6.7). On page 80 he wrote, “The ten tribes inhabit at this day the cities and mountains of the Medes.” (The article may be ordered in its entirety from MMI)

THE MAGEN DAVID

The Star of David (English) or Magen David (Hebrew), known as the “Shield of David” is a hexa-angular star recognized around the world as the symbol of Jewry, and the icon of many Jewish ministries like Messianic Ministry to Israel. What is the history of the symbol? Theodore Herzel, the father of modern Zionism chose the Star of David as the symbol of zionism, adopted in 1897. Before him, Christian X, King of Denmark (1912-1947) and Iceland (1918-1944), son and successor of Frederick VIII, wore the Star to express solidarity with his Jewish subjects. In the 1300’s Emperor Charles IV of Czechoslovakia permitted the Jewish community to create and fly their own flag of red and gold, two six-pointed stars, to welcome their king to the city of Prague. In the 9th century, Jews and Christians wore distinctive marks to preserve religion and ethnicity distinguishing themselves from the peoples of Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and other under the rule of Islamic Khalif, Al Mutawakkil. Many scholars have attempted to trace the Star of David to the 1st Century rebellion of Rabbi Akiva and Bar Kochba against Rome. Others suggest the Star of David evolved from kabbalah and Jewish mystics. The earliest known Jewish use of the hexagram was as a seal in ancient Israel. In fact the stone can be viewed by pilgrims who travel to and view the ‘holy’ sight of Capernaum (“I have seen the stone myself!” says Lisemby). Many connect the symbol with the “Seal of Solomon” the signet ring used by Solomon memorializing his father, David. There are many theories to the origin of the Magen David. In the ancient alphabet of the Hebrews/Phoenicians David’s name began and ended with a dalet or “D” which looked like a triangle in form. The Star of David consisted of two triangular dalets and since David was a man of war the fearsome pendant was cast: the ‘shield of David’ at war and peace. The Star of David icon was not used religiously until centuries later. (You may order the complete article from MMI)

THE NEW YEAR

Are we there yet, the beginning of the year? The earliest mention of any chronological keeping of months and years is Exodus 12:2 (Numbers 28:16), where the Passover month, Nissan / Aviv was to be the official start of the year. The basis for the Jewish year are the lunar cycles of twelve lunar months that keep up with the seasons controlled by the sun. The ‘beginnings’ in the Mishnah are listed as four “new years” much as modern Americans observe the beginning of numerous “new years:” the calendar year; the fiscal year; the school year, etc. The Names of Months are not Hebrew but are Babylonian and Canaanite names: The Names of Months (are not Hebrew but are Babylonian and Canaanite names): Nisan (Aviv) – March-April; Iy yar (Ziv) – April-May; Sivan – May-June; Tammuz – June-July; Av – July-August; Elul – August-September; Tishri (Ethanim) – September-October; Marcheshvan (Bul) – October-November; Chislev – November-December; Tebeth – December-January; Shebat – January-February; Adar – February-March

Since a tot I have gone home to Arkansas for Christmas, Dad and Mom waking us four boys, Ricky, Reginald, Joel, and Darren when we reached the ‘rock road’ a few short country miles from our grandparents. Now, I chauffeur my children home to Pa Jim and Mama Sue’s log cabin/castle in south central Arkansas, and then on south to Crystal’s remaining family in the state of Louisiana. This Christmas and New Years holiday we spent a restful and exciting vacation with family and friends, and I was invited on several occasions to share the ministry of MMI. The Calvary Baptist Church in Vidalia, Louisiana offered us an invitation to share MMI’s vision, and afterwards invited us to return in the Spring to perform a Passover Seder. Did you know that the Passover/Pesach season is the real and biblical New Year? In Deuteronomy 11:12 Moses speaks of the Lord’s adoration for the land of Israel, “a land for which the Lord our God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year. “ When is the biblical “beginning” of the year? The names of our modern days (Sun-day, Moon-day, etc) and months (Janu-ary, Mars-ch, etc.) of the year are pagan named. The biblical first month of the year is given in Exodus 12:2 and 13:4, the month of Pesach/Passover (April). In European history the Jews who refused to transition and embrace the pagan named month of a new year, but rather continued to deem the Passover month as the beginning of the year, came to be called, “April fools.” Europe’s calendar was secular and paganized, while the orthodox Jew was more accurate, at least in observance of days. In modern history and the present day the Jewish community has adopted rabbinic interpretations and tradition as truth, as did their progenitors in Yeshua’s day, and Rosh HaShanah is promoted as a beginning of months, a Jewish new year. Believers (Jewish and Gentile) who are sentimental of Jewish interpretations highly rabbinic and scarcely biblical embrace the teachings that detours from truth, and yet promote these errors as biblical Judaism. January 1 is not the New Year, nor is September’s Rosh HaShanah. As Moses stated in Deuteronomy, the Lord cares for the land of Israel always, His eyes are always upon the land of Israel, from the beginning of the year, Passover’s Nisan/Aviv, to the end.

PALESTINE OR ISRAEL

Canaan is the first name the Bible calls the land promised to Abraham and his posterity. Canaan was the cursed son of Ham who came to dwell in the land. Descendants of Jacob or Israel, the Israelites, conquered the land but absorbed the ‘ites’ into the nation instead of exiling them (the sin of the tribes in Judges). Later the Philistines or “sea peoples” came to settle along side Israel creating city-states and came to be adversaries to the young Israelite nation. About 1200 BC ‘Israel’ replaced the term Canaan which disappeared from written sources. By 850 BC the only political units in the country were Israel, Judah, and the Philistine city-states. Assyria took Israel captive (722 BC), Babylon took Judah captive (586 BC), both returned near 516 BC and the name of the entire land came to be called Judea. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, sayng…(Matthew 2:1). In 70 AD, as Jesus had predicted, Judea was taken. 1,100,000 Jews were butchered, Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Temple was leveled However, there was Jewish resistance and in 135 AD another Roman appeared plowing up Zion. 980 Jewish towns were destroyed and 580,000 Jews slain. Hadrian decreed that no Jew could come within miles of Jerusalem. To further spite the Jews he chose to remove all Jewish identity to the land. Hadrian drudged up the name Palestine from history, a non- Jewish term and derivative from Philistine. The name stuck! Constantine’s Christian Byzantine Empire controlled the land in the 4th century and the land was called, Palestine. When the Moslem Arabs conquered the land in 640 AD from the Byzantines they called the land, Falastin (Arabic has no “p” sound). The Crusades swept the east taking control of the land that continued to be called Palestine. The Ottoman Turks took the land and called the land, Palestine as did the publishers of the original King James Bible, published in 1611, calling the land not Philistia, but Palestine. During the time of the British Mandate (1918-1948) it was Palestine! The Balfour Declaration, 1917 gave Jews the Right of Return. They returned to a land under productive, under populated, and economically hollow. The Jewish people returning to the land ‘redeemed’ the land by calling it the biblical name, YISRAEL!

WHO ARE THE PALESTINIANS?

One city block from our office, across from the UTC campus, is a small deli that serves delicious sub sandwiches. It is owned and operated by two Palestinian’ brothers who do not speak Palestinian, there is no such language, they speak Arabic. The newspapers they receive from home and their return correspondence to family is not in Palestinian script, there is no such thing, but with Arabic letters and numbers. The religion they embrace is Islam, not Palestinian (95% of Palestinians are Muslim). A commonality I have with these brothers is an affection for a land I call Israel, but a state they call Palestine. What and where is Palestine? The name ‘Palestine’ is somewhat bogus, for the ‘Palestinians’ have never had a Palestinian state nor capital, not even when the Arabic people squatted in the territory of the pre-1948 British mandate. There is nothing historically in the land of Israel that is Palestinian. There is no Palestinian culture, no Palestinian heritage, not even the Koran (the holy book of Islam) mentions Jerusalem as one of its holy sites, and would you believe it, there is no “p” sound in Arabic. These are Arabs, Jordanian, Syrian, Egyptian, Lebanese Arabs who read, write, add, subtract, speak, think, worship, and live Arabic. The name ‘Palestine’ was drudged up from history by Hadrian, the Roman Emperor, 135 AD, to remove completely all Jewish identity from the Jewish land he had conquered. His spite was due to the rebellions the Jews had inflicted upon the Roman legions. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were slaughtered, others taken captive, and still others escaping in exile. With the Jews removed from the land he attached the non-Jewish term, Palestine, a derivative from Philistine, those “sea peoples” who lived on the coast of Israel as antagonist. The name stuck! When Islam conquered the Middle East (7th century), and took the land from the Christian Byzantine Empire (640AD) they called the land, Falastin. The Ottoman Turks conquered the land then later the British with the name remaining intact. Eventually and prophetically, the Jews returned to the biblical land, and the survivors of the Holocaust and other Zionist ‘redeemed’ (“to buy back”) the name. The land came to be called biblical ‘Israel,’ in Yiddish and Hebrew, Eretz Yisrael. Today’s Arabs are not the posterity of the Plest or ancient ‘sea peoples’ any more than today’s Chattanoogans are all descendants of the Cherokee (Chattanooga is a Cherokee word). Today’s Arabs are the posterity of Mizrahim, Ishmael, Esau, Nahor, and the six sons of Keturah, and for the most part eternal antagonist of the Jewish people.

PALESTINIAN ISLAM: A CULT OF DEATH

Examples: 12 year-old boy, “my goal is not to be injured, but something higher—martyrdom! 13 year-old boy, “when I become a martyr give out Kannafa [sweet cake]”; 16 year old suicide of Ayat Akhras; Teen agers, Anwar Hamduna, Yusef Zakut, and Abu Nada; 16 year old boy suicide; 15 year old girl suicide; 15 year old girl suicide; 22 year old girl suicide;19 year old teens suicide Reason #1, Religious: “I am happy that he [her 13 year old son] has been martyred; I will sacrifice all my sons for Al-Aksa (Mosque) and Jerusalem.” A father stated, “I pray that God will choose him to be a martyr.” Reason #2, Financial: The Palestinian Authority furnishes $2000 per child killed, $300 per child wounded; Saudi Arabia has pledged $250 million of a billion-dollar fund for families of martyred Palestinians; the Arab Liberation Front (loyal to Saddam Hussein) pays $500 for a wound, $1,000 for disability, $10,000 to a family of martyr and $25,000 to family of martyr suicide bomber A Cult of Death: One favorite wall slogan reads, :Beware of death by natural causes. Children trade martyr cards instead of Pokeman or baseball cards. Necklaces with pictures of martyrs are popular

THE TEMPLES OF HOLY SCRIPTURE

The Heavenly Temple (Isaiah 6); The Mosaic Temple (Exodus 25:1-40); The Solomonic Temple (1 Chronicles 6:10); The Ezekiel Temple (Ezekiel 40:1-48; 35); The Zerubabel (or Herod’s) Temple (Ezra 3:8-13); The Christ (Gospels); The Saints (1 Corinthians); The Antichrist or Tribulation Temple (Matthew 24:15; 2 Thess.2:4); The Millennial Temple (same as Ezekiel’s Temple); The Holy City

THE REINSTITUED THIRD TEMPLE

The Progression of the Temples

There are some eight Temples mentioned in the Bible: the Heavenly Temple mentioned by Isaiah (chap 6) which is eternal; the Mosaic Temple or Tabernacle given to Moses (Exodus 25:1-40;38), from 1445-960 BC; the Temple of Solomon conceived and designed by David, but built by his son (1 Chronicles 6:10), 960-586 BC; the Temple of Zerubabel later called Herod’s Temple (Ezra 3:8-13), 515 BC-70 AD; the Temple Yeshua, his physical body (Jesus stated, “tear down this Temple and I will raise it in three days),” 4BC-33AD; the Church (1 Corinthians 3:9, 16-17), 33 AD–Rapture; the Great Tribulation (Anti-Christ) Temple which will not be accepted by God due to its operation under the Mosaic code negating the sacrifice of Yeshua; and finally, the Temple of the Millennium / Ezekiel’s Temple (Ezekiel 40:1-48; 35; Revelation 22) which follows the 2nd Coming and will last for 1,000 years.

The Purpose of the Temples

There is an intentional mystery in scripture concerning the Temple; the NT writers explain it as a shadow. The two purposes of the Temple were (1) that God might dwell together with man (but, wasn’t God already dwelling with man, everywhere in His Omni-Presence, the fire by night and cloud by day, spoon feeding them manna from heaven, fighting their wars?) and (2) that God might “meet” with man. God wished to demonstrate the exact requirements for a union with man. The Temple modeled sin, salvation, approach to God, congregational living, the Messiah, and even ‘last day’ events.

The Place of the Temple

Mount Moriah (which means “to see God”) on Zion was the place where Abraham brought Isaac, his son. Zion was the place where each Temple sat, even the range where Christ was cursed upon the tree. Mount Zion will be the future resting place for the millennial Temple. It is suggested that the Temple of Jacob’s Trouble, the AntiChrist Temple must rest at the same place, though scripture gives no certain fact other than the existence of a Temple during this time (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thes.2:3,4; Revelation 11:1,2)

The Person of the Temple

If one studies Christology, Typology, and the certain motifs that begin as seeds planted in Genesis, it is impossible for one to miss the hermeneutic or interpretation that Jesus had of scripture (Luke 24:27,44). The Temple with its structure, three compartments, the light, bread, and incense, the water, priestly purity, and worship, the sacrifice, veil, Ark of the Covenant, and especially the blood necessary for approach all speak of Yeshua.

The Present Possibilities

What is the scenario for the next Temple in Jerusalem? (1) The Temple will be built on the Temple Mount in the very place of the Mosque of Omar, the Golden Dome Mosque, or (2) the Temple will be realized by the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant, which when moved into the Great Jerusalem Synagogue or other, will declare itself a Temple (a Temple necessitates the Ark foremost), or (3) some option that modern rabbinical Judaism may consider due to its anti-Yeshua, anti-Bible, and anti-Christian bias, an option that evangelical Christianity has not considered due to our hyper biblical bias. The next Temple built in Jerusalem, in Israel, will be destroyed along with two-thirds of those Jews living in the land (Zechariah 13). The intertestamental, Antiochus Ephiphanes (“God manifest”) or Epimanes (“mad man”) as the Jews called him, is a good specimen for typifying the Anti-Messiah who is to come. As he did to the Temple, the Anti-Christ will do to the Tribulational Temple. The differences is (1) the coming anti-messiah will be welcomed in his own name by the Jews living in Israel, and (2) the Temple will not be YHWHistic for the object of faith is no longer Temple sacrifices, but the final sacrifice of Yeshua, Himself. Thus, the coming Temple will not be the Lord’s!

THE STAR OF JACOB (Numbers 23, 24)

Baalim was a good, Gentile Prophet who knew God, who was used by God, but who went bad! Coerced by Balak, King of Moav, to pronounce a curse on Israel, three times in trying God turned his curse into blessing. Then, God employed Baalim to portray the prophetic future of Israel. Baalim pronounced 4 prophecies.

Oracle #1 (Numbers 23:6-12) at Bamoth-Baal, concerns Israel: Israel cannot be cursed by man (6-8); Israel is distinct (9); Israel will be innumerable (10); and Israel cannot be cursed by man (11,12).

Oracle #2 (Numbers 23:17-24) at Pisgah concerns the source of Israel’s blessing: God’s Covenant is everlasting (18-20); God is with Israel like a bull that gores, like a lion (21-24); God will not let Israel be cursed (23); God will give Israel victory (24).

Oracle #3 (Numbers 24:1-14) at Peor concerns the Messiah from Israel: Jacob is fruitful (24:5,6); Jacob has a future king protected by God like a bull goring, like a lion (7-9); and Jacob’s king is paralleled with Israel (24:7,9, cf. Genesis 3:15; 22:18; 49:9).

Oracle #4 (Numbers 24:15-24) at Peor also concerns the Messiah from Israel: the King will come in the distant future (17); the King will arise from Israel (17); the King will crush Israel’s enemies (17,18); the King will have dominion over Amalek, the Kenites, Kittim (the Romans, Daniel 11:30), Asshur, and Eber (18,19); the King is paralleled with Israel (17 cf.Genesis 15:5; 22:17; 26:4; Exodus 32:13, “as the stars”; 49:10). (NOTES FROM JEWISH STUDIES CLASS, PROF. DR. MICHAEL RYDELNIK)

HA SHOFAR / QEREN YOBEL / RAM'S HORN / THE TRUMPET

“Cry loudly, do not hold back; Raise your voice like a trumpet, and declare to My people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins”Isaish 58:1. The shofar is a ram’s horn, the trumpet of God, the signaling device of the Lord’s people. This trumpet of the Lord had a twofold design: 1) to summons God’s people and inspire them, and 2) to strike fear in the hearts of the enemies of God. The historical shofar, the trumpet of the Lord is first spoken of in Genesis 22:13, the ram caught in the thicket by his horns (the first picture we have of the Lamb of God wearing a crown of thorns). The Ram’s horn became the signaling instrument of Israel. It summoned Israel to Sinai to receive the Law (Exodus 19), it signaled the Jubilee (Leviticus 25:9), was sounded by Saul to proclaim the victory of Jonathan for Israel (1Samuel 13:3), and sounded when the Ark of the Covenant was brought by David into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:15; 1 Chronicles 15:28). The shofar signaled the new moon, full moons, and feasts (Psalm 81:3), it’s sound was to be a joyful voice of praise (Psalm 98:6; 150:3), and it was blown to announce the anointing of King Solomon (1 Kings 1:34). It signaled King Asa’s repentance and renewal of the covenant (2 Chronicles 15:14), and its sound rallied the builders against the enemy to build the wall (Nehemiah 4:18-20). The awesome sound struck fear into the hearts of the enemies of God at Jericho (Joshua 6:6-20), and was sounded to alarm the enemy as ideon and 300 men defeated the thousands (Judges 7:8, 16-22). The ram’s horn is also significant prophetically. It Speaks to Israel Prophetically. The shofar will announce the ultimate return to Zion (Isaiah 18:3; 27:13). The Holy One, blessed be He, will sound the Ram’s horn at the time of the ingathering of the exiles of Israel to their land (Isaiah 27:13). The shofar horn will herald the prophetic destruction on the Day of Judgment (Zephaniah 1:16); and inaugurate and alarm Israel of the terrible Day of the Lord (Joel 2:1). It will herald the second advent of Yeshua, God Himself blowing (Zechariah 9:14). The ram’s horn will gather the elect from the four winds with its blast (Matthew 24:31) and will announce the descent of the Lord into the atmosphere(1Thessalonians 4:16). The shofar will rapture the saints unto the bridegroom (1 Corinthians 15:52), and the trumpet of God will inaugurate the three woes (Rev.8:13). It Speaks of Believers typologically. The horn cut from the ram is of the basest matter, crude, plain, simple, and rough, some even suggest it is ugly. However, it was used by God to be His mouth piece, His voice to the people. Man is such an instrument. Man is of the dust, crude, plain simple, rough, with very carnal ways. Yet, God has chosen to cut us from the world, to make us separate, to cut our edges, to shine us, and to make us His mouth piece (Isaiah 8:1). The patriarchs were the mouth piece of God as was Israel to the nations. The prophets were God’s trumpets, the watch men, calling, announcing, alerting, and warning Israel. The disciples, impetuous Peter, James and John, the sons of thunder, and even doubting Thomas were God’s trumpets. The Apostle Paul was God’s mouthpiece and so are YOU! In all that you do, in all that you say, to everyone that you meet, you are God’s Shofar. CONCLUSION. The shofar cannot blow of its own! The breath must flow through the horn to be God’s instrument. YOU ARE THE SHOFAR OF GOD. By ourselves we are nothing, but allowing the breath, the ruach of God to blow through us, we can reach the world, we can warn them, we can gather them to join us and hear God. MAZEL TOV! CONGRATULATIONS TO Irene Knight and Betty Wallace. The Shofar was the most popular name submitted for our monthly newsletter, first submitted to MMI by Irene Knight and Betty Wallace. Both received genuine Shofars from Jerusalem! THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE? Scripture states that the Jewish nation, while making sacrifices in the Temple (rejecting the sacrifice of the final Lamb) will welcome an agreement and partner with the AntiChrist (Daniel 9:27) whom Paul declares to be ‘satan energized’ (2Thes.2:9). Israel will be deceived by the antichrist, and during the Great Tribulation one-third destroyed. Let the lovers of Israel pray for Jerusalem, take the Gospel to the Jew, but be careful not to support what will be their demise.The soon-to-be-built Temple in Jerusalem will not be the Millennial Temple of Ezekiel 40-43. BAR/BAT MITZVA(Son/Daughter of the Commandments) ORIGIN: The celebration and confirmation of Bar Mitzva (boys) and Bat Mitzva (girls) came about with the liberal Conservative and Reform movements within Judaism and is Talmudic in origin. The Bar Mitzva dates back to the 14th century while the Bat Mitzva was introduced by the Reconstructionist movement (Society for Advancement of Judaism) in 1922. The first woman to celebrate a Bat Mitzva was Judith Kaplan daughter of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, the founder of the Reconstructionsist Movement. The Bat Mitzva is celebrated at age 12 for girls (who mature quicker), while the Bar Mitzva, for boys, is celebrated at the age of 13. Though the Bar Mitzva is not a biblical command nor observance, perhaps its roots lie within Biblical Judaism. Yeshua as a young boy, for example, goes up to Jerusalem and enters the Synagogue. CELEBRATION: It is customary to mark this turning point by inviting the young man or woman to fulfill publicly some commandment, usually making aliya, that is, coming forward to a raised platform and reading from the Torah. This is occasioned usually on Shabbat (Sunday). Different communities have different customs as to what the young man is called upon to do. There may be a cantata or drama, a floral offering, special music, speeches, and a blessing by the rabbi. An extreme example of celebrating the Bar Mitzva happened in Miami. The parents rented the Orange Bowl, provided media, cheerleaders, and lots of food and drink (more “bar” than mitzvah).The Bar/Bat Mitzvah is not a mystical confirmation which somehow confers “Jewishness” upon the child. It is a religious-legal term which implies a coming of age. Though the status is attained automatically, the ceremony marks the attainment. Usually, the boy or girl has by this point, prepared himself/herself in Hebrew study and Judaic studies. He/she will read or chant some portion of the Torah, a haftorah, and the blessings before and after. In many communities, this is the first time he will wear a talit. The rabbi will speak to him about the significance and will bless him/her. Confirmation usually takes place on Shavuot (Feast of Harvest/Pentecost) in Reform, many Conservative, and some modern Orthodox synagogues. POSITION: In a Jewish synagogue the young man may now be counted in the minyan or prayer quorum of ten. Copied