It is unmistakably clear, that the revealing of Yeshua (Jesus) to the Apostle and servant, Yochanan, (John) in the book of Revelation, records some of the Lord’s last utterances to us who have come to believe in Him. He actually left a reminder to us to never forget that He is a Jewish Lord, Rabbi and Messiah. It’s interesting that He felt that a necessity. Could it be because He foresaw the ways which His Followers, now called the Church, would fail to recall and subsequently disregard His Jewishness to the point of depicting Him visually to generations by portraying Him as a blond-haired, blue-eyed gentile god and savior? In a review of the New Testament no other man or woman in the Bible has been given such space to make certain that the entire family background was given to identify them with their human lineage. I find it amazing that His genealogical descent appears at the start of the New Testament, penned by Matthew, and ends with John recording the words of Yeshua concerning His bloodline (in the flesh) as they trace His humanity from the root and offspring of King David. It appears that neither Matthew nor Yeshua wanted anyone to disconnect Him from His ethnicity, culture, or tradition from the family and nation of Israel.
I’ve noticed, recently, in Israel and other countries, Jewish people are authoring books claiming Jesus as a fellow Jew, reading His words as Jews and identifying with Him in more ways than one – much more than in the past. While I disagree with much of what Howard Jacobson, a Jewish man, who presented “Jesus the Jew” says on the History Channel, I agree with this statement: “It’s time Christians faced up to the fact that Jesus was Jewish to the core.”
I ask myself “is the Church ready to digest this revelation as a worldwide Body?” I think they do and do not want to know. Jacobson says, “It is certainly not the view of most Christians…or even Jews, that Jesus was to the brim a Jew…a Jew by faith, by temperament…from nativity narratives, hymns, carols, or art that has filled the churches of Christendom (for centuries)…many medieval and Renaissance Christian artists believed he looked as they imagined. Jesus’ Jewishness is essential to Christianity…whose coming had been foretold in Jewish Scripture. It is Jewish history that Jesus fulfills…it is later, with His deification, that the Jewish blood has to be squeezed out of him again. But it would go a long way to restoring harmony, if Christianity were to acknowledge responsibility for the anti-Jewish crimes committed in His name.” To this I say Amen.
Christian Friends of Israel has been laboring for years to undo damage done in the Name of Jesus the Messiah and it is our prayer that one day, worldwide, the “Church” will also acknowledge the sins of the forefathers against the Jewish people. How else can our bridal garments be without spot?
Anticipating His Coming!
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also…I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you…Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you…” (John 14:3, 18, 28). I’ve been stirred recently about how we, as Christians, often cling too much to the things of this earth; how so much of our lives are built around our possessions and our own domains. I am concerned about all the “things” we think we “must have” which sometimes hold us down to this earth more than what we want to admit. Honestly, the older I get, the more I long for and anticipate the return of Jesus! In my youth, the world seemed so big to me; so much to explore and learn. The earth has not shrunk that much; it still has a lot of discovery to it. However, change has come and I believe it came within me. There is nothing on earth that I long for or desire to do other than the perfect Will of God. The things of this world have lost their luster.
When Yeshua came into my life and changed my heart, I truly began to realize what it meant to be a pilgrim journeying to our homeland. I long progressively, and to a greater extent today, to experience Heaven; to be with Him and encounter His continual presence. However, I really do need to anticipate about His Coming Back to this earth, as it will happen and is closer than ever with the restoration of the Jewish people to their homeland! My heart is to be readied at all times to deal with my shortcomings. I believe that those who will enjoy His Company the most, will be those who work getting their homes in order and are watching for His Return as a result of recognizing the signs of the times.
Anticipation: Am I longing for Him? Do I beckon Him, “Bo Yeshua Bo, Come Jesus Come”…I want you to come? He departed with the promise that He would not return until His Jewish People wanted Him. I know many religious Jewish people who pray daily at the Western Wall for Messiah to come and somehow I believe they will welcome Him with “Baruch Ha Ba B’Shem Adonai” (Matthew 23:39). This “welcome in the name of the Lord” is a warm reception in the Hebrew language. Truly, His Return will be an event like no other, a salute—a hailing of their King. He will feel “at home” again as Joseph did when He finally revealed himself to his brethren.
If we are anticipating His event, we must prepare ourselves, and not entertain doubts. We must yearn for His appearing. To yearn is leh-heesh-toh-kek. It comes from the same root as the word for passion…teh-shoo-KAH. There will be a deep feeling of longing…He may be ever so close, “at the door,” but we pray for Him to step over the threshold. I believe He desires to know He is wanted; that we long more for Him than anything in this world, living as if His Return was soon. Someone once said, “There are two great magnitudes in life that we should all live in full awareness of: the littleness of time and the greatness of eternity.” The time to do God’s work; to sow into Kingdom work and push God’s kingdom forward is now.
Church leaders fail when they do not prepare their people by educating them of the Jewishness of Jesus and reforming wrong theologies causing deep chasms between Israel and the Church for centuries. We have come into the Commonwealth (the Kingdom) of Israel (Ephesians 2:12-14; 19). To “come into” means we have acquired entrance into a Kingdom that we could not purchase or attain. Jesus did it for us. An Orthodox friend stated recently: “Somehow you fit in…” (to Israel). They cannot figure it out; we could not either if it were not for trusting the Lord Yeshua, the root and the offspring of David as our Messiah and Saviour.
Understanding of the Times
Obviously, we need to prepare ourselves for a very Jewish event. The Almighty which we worship is the “God of their forefathers.” Christianity became Jewish through Jesus.We are among the great congregation of “others” that are allowed into the Jewish fold of the Lord’s redeemed. When the Church caused the “parting of the ways” (AD 70-135) it put up a huge wall between Jew and Christian again—the wall that Jesus tore down (Ephesians 2:14).
There are keys the Church could be using to open doors of blessing for the sheep in the fold: blessing the Jewish people, sharing the good news, practicing and promoting righteousness and praying for Jerusalem. A recent conference in America hosted by Jan Markell (“Understanding the Times” Conference) brought inspiration to many people. One speaker said“These are not normal times…we’ve crossed the tipping point. All major areas of prophecy are in play…There are similarities between Nazi Germany and America today and…when God is separated from government, judgment follows…We cannot minimize Jesus, while elevating other gods to worship” (Lutzer).
A current bestselling book in America, The Harbinger (the Isaiah 9:10 judgment) was brought before the crowd and Jonathan Cahn, author of the book said, “America needs to repent, or face God’s judgment. The answer for America (or any other nation) does not lie in an election…the answer for America is God. The speaker reminded believers that the world would not be “as dark if we shined a little brighter” and that if believers truly lived like “salt” the world would not be as decayed as it is.” He also urged everyone to find strength; fear nothing. A meeting like this encourages those who are anticipating and looking forward to His Coming and not holding onto the world…those who know where their roots come from–the Messiah they worship is Jewish; therefore, a love for Israel is in order.
Signs to Look For
How can we truly know we are in the time of His Coming? First, the nation of Israel is back in her Land. Yeshua cannot return before the Jewish people return and become a nation again in their own Land. According to Jewish sages, the 9th century work of Rabbi Eliezer foretold that “just before the coming of the Messiah, ‘Ishmael’ will rise in power to terrorize the world. Secondly, he said, “the King of Persia (Iran) is going to have a weapon that is going to terrorize the world. A coming ‘messiah of evil’ will appear on the world stage to offer a peace treaty to Israel and the Middle East.” When they say “peace and safety” confirming a covenant, sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman (the time of Jacob’s trouble) and they will not escape (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
Some Jewish people see the Great Tribulation as a redemptive and healing time called “yissurei ahavah” the “troubles of love.” The Jewish prophets wrote that Zion will go through labor giving birth to children (Isaiah 66:8). The sages note that childbirth is a time of radical transition and struggle for the baby, from the time of relatively peaceful existence within the womb into the harsh light of day…and therefore a similar transition between this world and the messianic world to come is about to take place. For years Rabbis here have been saying, “We hear the footsteps of the Messiah.”
According to Jewish sources, no one knows the time when He will come, though there are hints. God created the world in six days, each representing a thousand years. The seventh day is the start of the great messianic Sabbath Rest and therefore this age cannot last beyond 6,000 years. According to the Jewish calendar we are living near the close of the sixth millennium, the “Erev Shabbat” of the world. We are drawing close. We should be watching for this “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). Hope in Hebrew is “Tiqvah” coming from the verb “Qavah” meaning “to wait for” or “to look hopefully” in a particular direction. Hope is the confident expectation based on solid certainty. Scriptural hope consequently rests on God’s promise and what He has said in His Word. A root–this rising star of David–is beginning to thrill our hearts as we await His Return, not based upon emotionalism, but a true faith in our hearts that God will perform His entire Word regarding the end times to shine brighter and brighter.
A World to Come
“Now is the perfect time to call for repentance and the alignment of the whole Church; a basic heart alignment with God’s purposes for Israel and the nations” (Dan Juster). In the “Olam HaBa” (the world to come) we will all serve and worship the Jewish Lord in a New Jerusalem, after the earthly Kingdom fades away. We will be allowed to enter only through the established gates with the twelve tribes of Israel inscribed on them (Revelation 21:12).
We will enjoy communion with our loved ones who died in the Lord, and the Jewish patriarchs and heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11). Recent travels have provided a bird’s eye view of the Church. One of the saddest things we see in the Church today is a lack of “anticipation for the Coming of the Lord.” So many live such fast paced lives, wrapped up with the things of the earth they cannot find peace in their lives. I am reminded of the Hebrew greeting “Shalom Aleichem” and in Arabic, “Salaam Aleikum.” Jesus used this greeting often when with His Disciples. We hear it in John 20:26. (His followers were in hiding after his death. They were afraid of the Romans and of religious Jews.) Jesus used it again in John 20:10…the doors were shut as He appeared to them. He came unexpectedly to let them know He was alive and this was His Greeting: “Peace be with you” (Shalom Aleichem). In the Middle East when someone says this to you, you return the greeting with Aleichem Shalom which means “peace be to you also.”Let us all be at peace with God and with man so that we can open or close with this gracious greeting at any time.
Preparing for an Earthly Throne
Two times in the Lord’s Prayer (a Jewish prayer)—Jesus taught us to pray that the Father’s Kingdom will come to earth and be established by His Will. We know that the power and glory will be the Father’s. It is this Kingdom on earth that the forces of evil covet. It was the “throne of Heaven” which Lucifer challenged. It was because he actually dared to contest the Father’s authority in total rebellion, desiring to usurp the Father’s Glory and Throne, that he was thrown out of Heaven.
Now his whole focus is the “earthly throne” which will be established in Jerusalem. Our shining hour can be now…to play a major role…through supplying and empowering God’s Kingdom works. One day the Lord may ask us, “What did you do with your talents, abilities and resources I gave you when you were on the earth?” We hope that ministries like CFI will be able to continue to play a part in “preparing the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3)…to bless and be blessed in the Coming Kingdom. The restoration of the Jewish people is definitely a key to the return to power of the Root of David.
As Israel holds a central place in God’s plan for the return of the King, they are satan’s specific target (Howard Morgan). Yes, the “root and the offspring of David” whose additional name is “the Lion of the Tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5) will revisit His People and He will come for all who are watching, waiting and anticipating His Homecoming. Will you join me in enthusiastic hope and love in His Appearing? Whether we are in Wales, the Congo, Iceland, France or anywhere else on the earth, may the attitude of our hearts always be “Welcome in the Name of the Lord!”
His Rising Star is growing brighter and brighter with each new day and surely, when He comes, it will be as the speed of lightning. There will be no more time to prepare or anticipate this Holy One who has deep roots in His Hebraic origins on this earth, and desires that all who follow Him remember Him as the root and the offspring of David and the bright and morning star (Revelation 22:16).
-Sharon Sanders-