What happens when a nation lifts the Jerusalem stone

Over 2,400 years ago the Spirit of prophecy fell on Zechariah as he declared “the burden of the word of YHVH concerning Israel – It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem an overly hard-to-lift stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will be severely injured” (Zechariah 12:3). 

Since that day many nations have tried to grab ahold of Jerusalem’s rock. Some conquered it in the name of their gods or their imperial hubris (think Persia, Greece, Rome, Jihad). Other powers schemed to set Jerusalem as a prize jewel in their religio-political crown (think internationalized city or corpus separatum). Still others see Jerusalem as the key to an ultimate deal which will usher in Mid-East peace.

But Jerusalem’s stony mass remains the same, and the spiritual peril involved in lifting it is crushingly real. Zechariah foretells that any nation which weakens or divides Jerusalem will experience the equivalent of a hernia – it will bulge and then explode with painful consequences.

Don’t mess with My bride!

As Abraham wandered in the Negev, the King of Gerar seized Sarah (whom he thought was Abraham’s sister) and brought her into his harem. “But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, ‘Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married’” (Genesis 20:3). To abscond with a married woman, someone else’s wife, is a basic breach of Middle Eastern hospitality. Abimelech was in big trouble.

In a similar way, the God of Jacob sees the Land of Israel as the bride of the Jewish nation. It belongs to no other people. YHVH even gives a prophetic name to the Promised Land – ‘Be’ulah’ (married) – because the Land of Israel is like a virgin bride promised only to Jacob’s seed.

Yesterday’s Abimelech – today’s Hamas

The Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated jihadi terror group Hamas believes that the Land of Israel is exclusively Islamic land, since it was conquered by the jihadi warriors of Mohammed in 637 AD. Hamas is not interested in dividing the land – a two-state solution. Its terror tactics aim to achieve a one-state solution – an Islamic shari’a state. Murder or exile would be the fate of Jewish Israelis. Hamas leader Khaled Mashal recently said:

According to Isaiah’s words and YHVH’s perspective, Hamas’s goal is to capture the bride and to murder the rightful husband.

How about I’ll take half of the bride?

In May 2018 the United States moved its embassy to Jerusalem. It was soon joined by Guatemala’s embassy.

On Saturday December 15, 2018 Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison gave his first major foreign policy speech at the Sydney Institute (www.dailybulletin.com.au/news/42652-scott-morrison-speech-at-the-sydney-institute). The most noteworthy statement in that speech concerns Jerusalem: “The Government has resolved that Australia’s position is now as follows: Australia now recognizes West Jerusalem, being the seat of the Knesset and many of the institutions of government, is the capital of Israel…Furthermore, recognizing our commitment to a two state solution, the Australian Government has also resolved to acknowledge the aspirations of the Palestinian people for a future state with its capital in East Jerusalem.” Morrison admitted that his declaration “may cause controversy.”

The PM of OZ threw an interesting curve ball into the debate. What if a nation recognizes West Jerusalem as the Jewish capital, but East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital? Best of both worlds? A safe hedging of bets?

Three immediate problems

The nations of the world are on record

There is no country in the world which cleaves to what God advocates in the Scriptures regarding the final status of the Land of Israel.

Most countries are on record supporting a two-state solution – one Jewish and one Arab. The Arab state would not have any Jews, but the Jewish state would be at least 25% Arab (that is the case in Israel today). www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/73/22

Hamas, Islamic Jihad, al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades – all are on record committed to the eradication of the Jewish state. If a less radical Palestinian state would be created, these groups would wrest control from it, as Hamas did in Gaza 2005 from the PLO.

Essentially, a two-state solution and a one-jihadi state solution are not good for Israel’s long-term health and survival. 

YHVH is on record

God’s perspective on dividing up the Land of Israel into two states is encapsulated in Joel's prophetic declaration:

According to this prophecy, Messiah Yeshua’s judgment of the nations at the Second Coming focuses on each nation’s stance and activities regarding the survival, safety and borders of the Jewish state.

Be careful what you ask for

The Prime Minister of Australia is a strong believer in Yeshua. He needs our prayers as he stands before God, his country and the leaders of the world on this and many other pressing issues (www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-pentecostal-prime-minister-inside-scott-morrison-s-religion-20180825-p4zzos.html; https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/cwn/2018/august/meet-the-new-prime-minister-of-australia-scott-morrison-is-an-evangelical-christian).

God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), even important persons. When a country’s leader moves to divide the Land of Israel – even if he is a believer and means well, even if his country is a major world player – that leader is attempting to lift an immovable stone that he was never meant to budge.

How should we then pray?

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

In Messiah Yeshua,

Avner Boskey

Donations can be sent to:

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES

BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN 37212-1971 USA

Donations can also be made on-line (by PayPal or credit card) through: www.davidstent.org

We wish you a Jewish Christmas!

Yuletide is upon us. Dark evergreen trees are bejeweled with winking lights. Manger scenes and crèches (where still legal) remind us of Jesus, Joseph and Mary – as well as of the pot of overflowing presents at the end of the Christmas rainbow.

As we deck the halls with boughs of holly and peppermint sticks, let’s take a brief moment to remember the missing link at Noël – the Jewishness of the Baby, the Jewishness of the Christmas message, and the Hebrew prophets’ vision. The Babe of Bethlehem is getting ready to return, this time as the roaring Lion of Judah, bringing in His Jewish kingdom to a peace-starved world.

A Jewish theater, a Jewish play, a Jewish set

As the Christmas story opens, the Messiah is about to be born. The actors are ready and the stage is set. And all the extras, all the main actors and all the stagehands (with the exception of Herod and the three magi) are Jews.

This ‘movie’ is being filmed, is taking place, in Israel. The opening scene is on the Temple Mount, where  Z’charya (Zechariah in English) is “chosen by lot to enter the Temple of YHVH and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering” (Luke 1:9-11).

Approximately one year later, Shim’on (Simeon in English) “came in the Spirit into the Temple” (Luke 2:27), where he pronounced a beracha (a blessing) over the Baby Yeshua, saying, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples – a light of revelation to the nations, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

This Shim’on then spoke a prophetic word over Miriam (Mary in English), “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed – and a sword will pierce even your own soul – to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35).

Chana (Anna in English – the Jewish prophetess from the tribe of Asher; Luke 2:36) was a familiar sight on the Temple Mount in those days. She “never left the Temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:37-38).

So far this story feels pretty Jewish.

Angels we have heard on high

No Jewish Christmas story is complete without angels – lots of angels! And in the Nativity narrative, angels play an essential role in heralding the Good News (gōdspel in Anglo-Saxon Old English, the ancient root of the modern word ‘gospel’).

The angel Gavriel (Gabriel in English, meaning ‘God is my mighty hero’) beams down to Zechariah inside the Holy Temple, the Bet Hamikdash, and informs him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news” (Luke 1:19).  His was a message which went straight to the heart of the Jewish people and fleshed out a prophetic word about Yohanan Hamatbil (John the Baptist in English) – based on the Hebrew prophecy of Malachi (Malachi 3:1-2; 4:5-6). “And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to YHVH their God. It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children” (Luke 1:16-17).

A short time later the angel Gavriel appeared to Miriam with a bold prophetic declaration about how her supernatural Baby would fulfill centuries-old Jewish promises. “ Now in the sixth month the angel Gavriel was sent from God to a village in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Yoseph, of the dynasty of David. And the virgin’s name was Miriam. And coming in, he said to her, ‘Greetings, favored one! YHVH is with you.’ But she was very perplexed at the statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Miriam; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Yeshua. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and YHVH God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end’” (Luke 1:26-33).

Rescuing Jews from their enemies

Messiah Yeshua’s coming has some very Jewish goals in mind which are often ignored when the Christmas story is recounted with a Gentile accent.

Miriam’s prophetic song to Elizabeth spotlights Yeshua as the One who gives help to His Jewish people:  “He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His covenant faithfulness, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever” (Luke 1: 54-55).

Zechariah prophesies under the powerful unction of the Ruach Hakodesh (the Holy Spirit) that Messiah will break the power of the enemies of Israel: “Blessed be YHVH the God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant – as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old – salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy toward our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our father; to grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days” (Luke 1:68-75).

The King of the Jews is coming to reign over the Jewish people

Whereas the theme of ‘peace on earth, good will toward men’ is usually a popular Christmas message, Herod the Edomite king saw things quite differently – he saw Yeshua’s birth as a direct and personal threat. In his mind the unshakeable link between the King of the Jews and the kingdom of the Jewish people was a dangerous menace to be prevented at all costs.

“Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: “And you, Beit Lechem in the Land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel” (Matthew 2:2-6).

How should we then pray?

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

In Messiah Yeshua,

Avner Boskey

Donations can be sent to:

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES

BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN 37212-1971 USA

Donations can also be made on-line (by PayPal or credit card) through: www.davidstent.org

Maccabees, wanna-be’s and fake news – the real story of Hanukkah

The Jewish Feast of Lights arrives this year on the eve of December 2 (according to the Gregorian calendar). The Hebrew name for Hanukkah (‘Dedication’) refers to the cleansing and re-dedication of the Second Temple by Jewish special forces on the 25th of Kislev 165 BC.

In the Western world Hanukkah is often overshadowed and influenced by traditional Christmas celebrations. Both holidays are fêted as festivals of lights. Both occur near the Winter solstice. Both involve the giving of gifts. Both have traditional tasty foods. Adam Sandler even contrasting these two holidays in a humorous song a while back (www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2018/11/29/adam-sandler-chanukah-lyrics/2133567002/).

If you are interested in a more in-depth study of the biblical and historical roots and evolution of Hanukkah, here are two helpful articles:

“We need a miracle. It’s very important!”

The original Feast of Hanukah had nothing to do with a menorah miracle, where supposedly one day’s ration of oil burned for eight days (see above links). According to the historical record written less than 100 years after the first Hanukkah in 2 Maccabees, “on the very same date on which the Temple was profaned by foreigners, there occurred the purification of the Temple – on the 25th day of the ninth month (that is, Kislev). Joyfully they held an eight-day celebration after the pattern of Tabernacles … remembering how a short time before, they spent the Festival of Tabernacles like beasts… Therefore, holding wreathed wands and branches bearing ripe fruit, and palm fronds, they offered songs of praise to Him Who had victoriously brought about the purification of His Place. By vote of the commonwealth they decreed a rule for the entire nation of the Jews to observe these days annually” (2 Maccabees 10:5-8).

Hanukkah began as a late celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). The Jewish people had been unable to celebrate Sukkot due to the recent Greek-Syrian occupation of the Temple Mount. When the Greeks were finally thrown out, the polluted Temple precincts were purified, and a decision was taken by Jewish authorities to celebrate a second Feast of Tabernacles. But this second feast would be two months and ten days later than biblically prescribed. This new commemorative victory festival would be held on the 25th of Kislev (the ninth month) whereas the Mosaic Tabernacles would still be held on the 15th day of Eitanim/Tishrei (Leviticus 23:34-41, the seventh month).

We have seen the enemy, and he is us

The Maccabees were bold and prophetic revolutionaries. But seeds of destruction were buried within the foundation stones of their empire.

They rose up initially as a prophesied Levitical and Aaronic revivalist movement, calling Israel back to obedience to God’s words. “The people who know their God will firmly resist him. Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or be captured or plundered. When they fall, they will receive a little help” (Daniel 11:32-35).

The Maccabee Hasmoneans (a family from the tribe of Levi) had a divine calling to be priests (Exodus 29:44): “I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to Me.” But the kingship and the royal line were reserved only for King David and his dynasty (from the tribe of Judah; 2 Samuel 7:8-17).

The Maccabees had originally started out fighting against pagan Hellenism and the religious syncretism of the Greeks. At that beginning stage they had YHVH’s blessing and empowerment. But after their amazing victory, they began to drift away from spiritual and practical obedience to the Torah. They declared themselves a royal dynasty and gradually gave full-hearted embrace to Hellenism. Though their revival movement had started out safeguarding the calling and gifts of the Jewish people (see Romans 11:28-29; 3:1-2; Numbers 23:7-9), within thirty years it had morphed into a movement advocating Hellenistic assimilation and accommodation with paganism.

From defenders of the faith to Hellenistic wanna-be’s

The Maccabean King Alexander Jannaeus (Yannai in Hebrew) faced strong opposition during his reign from the Bible believers of that time, the Pharisees. At that time the Pharisees had risen up as a revival movement, calling the people of Israel back to the Bible and back to the God of their fathers. They could not tolerate Aaron’s descendants usurping the kingship and spreading Greek influence among Jacob’s children. On one occasion Jannaeus had 6,000 of his Pharisee opponents murdered. At another time he had 800 Pharisees crucified (but only after their wives and children were massacred before their eyes; see Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 13:14:2, https://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/ant-13.html):

When the Pharisees took over the reins of Judaism from the Sadducees (the High Priestly family known as Bnei Tzadok or the Tzedukim) 150 years later, this burgeoning rabbinic movement had little desire to speak kindly of Maccabean faded glory. By 135 AD, the Pharisees had created a ‘fake news’ reason for Hanukkah in their ‘Scroll Concerning Fasting’ (Megilat Ta’anit folio 9). This pseudo-history now shifted attention away from the Maccabees, placing it on a heretofore unknown miracle.

These are the origins of what is presently celebrated as the Hanukkah miracle. Modern  Jewish attention on this holiday focuses on lighting the traditional hanukkiyah (Hanukkah menorah). Of course, Christians have their own traditions which are only faintly connected to the birth of Yeshua. Today the Christmas tree is Christmas’ main cultural symbol. In the words of Tevye the milkman from Fiddler on the Roof, “Tradition!” Let it be noted that the traditional eight branches of the hanukkiyah reflect the historical reality of the eight day biblical celebration of Tabernacles. 

Hanukkah nuggets

Here are some thoughts to chew on as we enter into the Feast of Lights:

  1. The Greek evil King Antiochus managed to divide the Jewish people against themselves as he whittled away their spiritual and physical inheritance. The pull on the Jewish people to exchange our gifts and calling for international flattery and favor is as much a pitfall today as it was 2,000 years ago.
  2. “Give me liberty or give me death” was not only a byword of the American Revolution. It was the ‘Semper Fi’ of the Maccabees as well.
  3. Hanukkah teaches us that military operations (carried out at the right time and led by the right men and women) can turn into God-blessed exploits of amazing bravery. This applies in a special way to when Israel’s believing remnant defends the land and people of Israel from our mortal enemies.
  4. It strengthens us to remember that the God of Israel prophesied both about these conflicts as well as about a remnant standing faithfulness in trying times. YHVH knows the challenges that we face, and He will be with us in the same way as He stood by the Maccabees.
  5. War and persecution are running mates with revival.
  6. The Maccabees spearheaded a revival in Israel which ultimately safeguarded the light entrusted by God to the Jewish people (Romans 3:1-2). The birth of Yeshua in Bethlehem of Judah would not have happened if Antiochus’ strategies had become reality for the Jewish people.
  7. Today, faithfulness to the message of Hanukkah means being faithful to Yeshua, David’s Greater Son and Israel’s Messiah – the Light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of His people Israel (Luke 2:26-34). 

 How should we then pray?

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

In Messiah Yeshua,

Avner Boskey

Donations can be sent to:

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES

BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN 37212-1971 USA

Donations can also be made on-line (by PayPal or credit card) through: www.davidstent.org

“No weapon that is formed against you will prosper” (Isaiah 54:17)

The Sabbath murder of eleven Jewish men and women in Pittsburgh caught many by surprise. Robert Bowers, a 46 year old neo-Nazi racist who posted anti-Jewish and anti-Trump conspiracy theories on the web, walked in to the Tree of Life-Or L’simcha synagogue in the Squirrel Hill district and unloaded clips from a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun at Jewish worshipers, while yelling out “All Jews must die!” and other anti-Jewish curses. He murdered 4 people in the main sanctuary and then moved up toward the Rabbi’s study on the next floor, where he shot 4 others.

Three different Jewish congregations were each conducting their own services in the facility at the time, with nearly 100 gathered in the building. A family was having a bris (circumcision ceremony), bringing their eight-day old baby boy into the Covenant of Abraham according to Genesis 21:3-5 and publicly announcing his name for the first time.

Police and SWAT teams attempted to rescue the congregants. Four policemen were injured by Bowers’ gunfire, one critically. The gunman was moderately injured by return fire and eventually was apprehended by law enforcement units.

How can we make any sense out of the travesty of these eleven murders?

Main Street USA

Squirrel Hill is a quiet largely Jewish community in Pittsburgh. Its graceful trees and brick homes give way to small storefronts, including Judaica bookstores, synagogues and temples. My wife and I were married many years ago only a few blocks away from where these murders took place. The host of children’s television program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Fred Rogers lived in Squirrel Hill, three blocks away from Tree of Life. He would attend Sixth Presbyterian Church, a ten-minute walk from there.

This attack is the largest mass casualty event involving Jewish people in the U.S. (https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/27/us/jewish-hate-crimes-fbi/index.html) apart from 9/11, although many Jews were murdered in Manhattan that day. The Twin Towers terror attack was jihad-motivated violence directed against Americans as a whole.

Half of all USA hate crimes target Jewish people.

Anti-Jewish hate crimes increased by 60% in 2017. There were 1,986 anti-Semitic incidents reported across the United States in 2017, a 57% increase over 2016’s 1,267 incidents. Incidents were reported in all 50 states for the first time in at least a decade (www.adl.org/news/press-releases/anti-semitic-incidents-surged-nearly-60-in-2017-according-to-new-adl-report).

Going back one year to 2016, religious bias hate crimes were directed with priority against Jews [54.2%] and only then Muslims [24.8%] (https://ucr.fbi.gov/hate-crime/2016/topic-pages/incidentsandoffenses).

Anti-Semitism is not theologically neutral

Zechariah the prophet reveals an astounding spiritual experience that he had on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. “He showed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the Angel of YHVH, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. YHVH said to Satan, ‘YHVH rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, YHVH who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?’” (Zechariah 3:1-2).

On the most solemn day of the Jewish calendar, Satan appears before the God of Israel, accusing Joshua the Kohen Gadol as he pleads with YHVH for Israel’s forgiveness and atonement. The God of Jacob describes Himself here as ‘YHVH who has chosen Jerusalem.’ The satanic accusations and physical attacks against the Jewish people (whom God has chosen irrevocably – see Romans 11:28-29) actually underscore the validity of Israel’s divine chosen status.

Shooting into the eye of God

From the Biblical perspective, the most important issue about someone who attacks the Jewish people is not necessarily his or her religious or political beliefs. Zechariah directly quotes the God of Israel on this matter: “For thus says YHVH or armies, ‘After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye’” (Zechariah 3:1-2).

This is the common spiritual thread between:

Spiritual warfare is being waged by Satan (Hebrew for ‘the accuser’) against the people whom God has chosen to declare His praises (Isaiah 43:21).  These attacks show that this anti-Jewish warfare is increasing, and even Main Street USA is not exempt from this monster.

The spiritual and moral foundations of America have been slowly eaten away over the decades by a departure from godly behavior and a descent into corrupt ethics. The original hope that God would shed His grace on America has been overshadowed by a materialistic and narcissistic culture which has relegated the God of Jacob to the back seat of the car. This out of control vehicle is careening around dangerous corners. The people of the God of Jacob are feeling the encroaching threat.

The theology of contempt leads to the practice of murder

The Squirrel Hill murderer filled his web postings with vicious screed against Jews, Trump and many other targets. He even quoted from the Gospel of John (8:44), “You are of your father the devil,” blusteringly concealing his deadly racism behind the twisting of Scripture. In that passage Yeshua speaks warmly of the Jewish people who followed Him and believed in Him (verses 30-31), and of the many Jewish people who eagerly heard and accepted His teachings (8:2).

But Robert Bowers had evidently picked up anti-Jewish perspectives which float around some Christian circles, whether it was Replacement Theology or the medieval ‘deicide charge’ – what Dr. Jules Isaac has called ‘The Teaching of contempt: the Christian roots of anti-Semitism” (www.amazon.com/teaching-contempt-Christian-roots-anti-Semitism/dp/B0007DNNKO). See also Father Edward Flannery’s “The Anguish of the Jews” (www.amazon.com/Anguish-Jews-Twenty-Three-Centuries-Antisemitism/dp/0809143240).

In his own day Hitler referenced Martin Luther in justifying the Nazi genocidal campaign against the Jews:

In a similar way, Bowers probably made place in his heart and mind for satanic lies which came embedded in whatever Christian teaching he had been exposed to, whether in a church setting or in neo-Nazi meetings.

The birthpangs of the Messiah

Some rabbis describe a future time before the coming of Messiah as ‘the birth pangs of Messiah’ (hevlei Mashiach; see TB Sanhedrin 98b, TB Shabbat 118a). They are probably reflecting what Messiah Yeshua had spoken of centuries earlier in Matthew 24 (see verses 3-14):

“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold… But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs” (Matthew 24:12, 8)

The increase of lawlessness combined with the growing coldness of men’s and women’s hearts indicate that these prophesied days are coming upon us. The spread of anti-Jewish hatred and hatred of the Jewish state are two solid benchmark indicators of these times.

Sifted but not consumed

Moses and Amos spoke prophetically about Jewish history, declaring that Jacob’s children would go into Exile and undergo harsh judgment among the nations (see Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Amos 9:8-10). Yet even after these terrible events, YHVH would regather His people and return them to their Promised Land (Amos 9:14-15). The Jewish people have been scattered across the face of the globe (James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1), from the Amazon to America, and from Canada to China. This is not just a Diaspora, a Dispersion; it is truly an Exile (Deuteronomy 30:1-6). Even the wonders and comforts of America are coming to an end. It is time for Jacob’s children to start lifting their eyes to Zion.

A weaponized promise

“YHVH is a man of war; YHVH is His name” (Exodus 15:3). The God of Jacob is a defender of His people (see Isaiah 59:15-20). His warlike return to Jerusalem is described with strong prose in Zechariah 14:3-9. The Day of the Lord will be a day that causes the enemies of Israel to tremble, and there won’t be anywhere to hide.

In that day, the promise God gave to the Jewish people will be fully realized: “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper, and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of YHVH, and their vindication is from Me, declares YHVH” (Isaiah 54:17).

How should we then pray?

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

In Messiah Yeshua,

Avner Boskey

Donations can be sent to:

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES

BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN 37212-1971 USA

Donations can also be made on-line (by PayPal or credit card) through: www.davidstent.org

Healing the wounds – Messianic Judaism’s intercessory challenge

Without question, the predominantly Gentile body of Messiah has much to learn from the Messianic Jewish movement. It is said that “a text without a context is a pretext.” The Jewish foundations of the Messianic faith are the fundamental floor on which the Christian world stands. To sidestep the existence of this floor leads to instability, unrootedness, sapping of strength and of spiritual integrity. The ‘as-we-speak’ restoration of the remnant of Israel to the Messiah of Israel is not only a prophetic sign; it is an absolutely essential step toward ‘life from the dead’ for both the body of Messiah and for the whole world (see Romans 11:15).

But at the same time, not all is well in some eddies of the Messianic Jewish movement. Wounds of rejection have chiseled and sculpted aspects of our developing theology and practice. A few of these wounds have become infected, and the resulting bitter fruit has helped to skew some emphases in this promising and prophetic movement.

A deeper understanding of these dynamics can help intercessors as they labor in prayer and travail for Messianic Jewish healing and restoration. Let’s look at a few of these issues together.

“Even paranoid people can have real enemies”

Golda Meir was said to have directed this snappy response to US Secretary of State Kissinger’s snipe during the 1973 post-Yom Kippur War negotiations. Truth is, many Jewish people have a long historical memory, and history has deposited at our doorstep a long list of persecutors and genocidal tyrants. The terrible words of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 have echoed time and again throughout Jewish history.

One of the great scholars of Jewish History, Professor Salo W. Baron (Nathan L. Miller Professor of Jewish History, Literature and Institutions at Columbia University) asked students to be careful not to view Jewish history as consisting only of persecution and tears (the “lachrymose conception” of Jewish history; https://jewsandjudaism.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/baronghettoandemancipation.pdf).

Baron stated in the early 1940’s (when Hitler’s killing machines were operating at full throttle) that anti-Semitism was on the decline and that mass destruction of the Jewish people was an impossibility – on the grounds that technology favored migratory movements. Robert Liberles (David Berg and Family Chair in European History at Ben Gurion University, Beersheva) suggests that Baron’s view of history might have blurred his ability to accurately perceive Holocaust events (“A Conversation about Salo Baron between Robert Liberles and Steven J. Zipperstein,” Jewish Social Studies 1, no. 3 (1995): pp. 66–82).

It is important for us all to be realists about Jewish history. Though we have prospered in the lands of our Exile, most of these sojourns ended in persecutions, torture, murder and banishment. These cold truths can easily cast a paranoid shadow over even the stoutest of souls. But the words of the Psalmist bring courage to trembling hearts:

“When father and mother reject me…”

The Jewish people have experienced rejection from the nations throughout our long history, from Pharaoh’s Nile to the Nazi killing fields.

Rejection of the Jewish people’s irrevocable gifts and calling

This came at the hands of Christianity (Replacement Theology) and later at the hands of Islamic theology (which could accurately be described as ‘Double Replacement Theology’ – a rejection of Israel’s national calling and divine gift of the Promised Land ).

Rejecting the Jewish people’s physical presence

Even the champion of Western secularism – the French Revolution – advocated rejecting the Jewish people’s physical presence in France, unless Israel cut off all links to her own Hebrew nation. The Comte de Clermont–Tonnerre gave his famous “Speech on Religious Minorities and Questionable Professions” on December 23, 1789, stating, “We must refuse everything to the Jews as a nation and accord everything to Jews as individuals...It is repugnant to have in the state...a nation within the nation” (The French Revolution and Human Rights: A Brief Documentary History, Lynn Hunt [Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1996], pp. 86–88; https://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/284/).

Rejection through pogrom, forced immigration and assimilation

In 1894 Russian Tsar Alexander III's Minister Pobedonostsev stated the aim of the government with regard to the Jews was that “one third will perish, one third will emigrate, and one third will be completely assimilated into the surrounding population” (Russian: “Одна треть вымрет, одна выселится, одна треть бесследно растворится в окружающем населении”; https://eleven.co.il/jews-of-russia/government-society-jews/13248/).

Rejection through pogrom, forced immigration and assimilation was the Tsarist strategy (Simon Dubnow, History of the Jews in Russia and Poland, JPS, Philadelphia, Vol 3, p. 10).

A world history of rejecting the Jewish people

One Jewish historian of the Holocaust put it this way: “Christianity had said in effect: You have no right to live among us as Jews. The secular rulers who followed had proclaimed: You have no right to live among us. The German Nazis at last decreed: You have no right to live . . . The German Nazis, then, did not discard the past; they built upon it. They did not begin a development; they completed it” (Raul Hilberg, The Destruction of the European Jews; [New York: Holmes & Meier], p. 9).

God will reverse the rejection

The God of Jacob promises a total revolution in history regarding the rejection of the Jewish people:

The rejection dynamic between Jacob and the God of Israel

God’s heart for Israel is stronger than any failure or disobedience on the Jewish people’s part:

Yet at the same time the Hebrew Scriptures tell us that throughout history a majority of Israel (including leaders, priests and commoners) have often rejected the oversight and authority of the God of Jacob, even rejecting the words of the prophets and of the Messiah Himself:

Even a people dealing with rejection can still reject their own

The majority of my Jewish people have unfortunately followed the guidelines set by Pharisaic leaders nearly 2,000 years ago regarding Messiah Yeshua. As a result Jews who today follow Messiah Yeshua are sometimes shunned or rejected by the broader Jewish community, though this dynamic is slowly changing in our day.

When Messianic Jews find themselves rejected and marginalized by the Orthodox Jewish community, or even by secular Jewish streams, it is often triply painful for us. Rejection by the nations, rejection by major religions, and now rejection by our own people.

In search of the lost Jew

A strong prophetic instinct exists among Messianic Jews to identify with and cleave to our Jewish people (see Isaiah 65:8). We are often standing alone in a no man’s land, a spiritual DMZ, between the Jewish people and Gentile Christian followers of Jesus. We are the lightning rod, and we feel the sizzling surge of current flowing through us. Isaiah spoke of a slightly different situation (dealing with Gentiles who want to stick like glue to His Jewish people), but the sentiment remains the same for many Messianic Jews: “Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to YHVH say, ‘YHVH will surely separate me from His people.’ Nor let the eunuch say, ‘Behold, I am a dry tree”’ (Isaiah 56:3).

When we feel rejection from the larger Jewish community, some of us are at a loss what to do. How can we re-integrate? How can we live as Jews among Jews? What changes do we need to make in order to be really accepted by the broader Jewish community? What have we done wrong? How are we at fault?

Some of us look back to the vanished world of the shtetl and the ghetto. We remember ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and yearn for simpler and better days. Never mind that our parents and grandparents were thankful to leave their own tightly controlled rabbinically led communities for the greater freedom and opportunities presented in the Western world. Some in the Messianic community have taken to dressing how our great-grandparents and grandparents used to dress, praying the liturgy of the Synagogue siddur (prayer book), and defining themselves as the real remnant in Israel (as opposed to other Messianic Jews) because (they say) that they are the faithful ones who keep the Mosaic covenant and rabbinic traditions.

These perspectives have blossomed in various areas of both the Messianic and the Hebrew Roots movement. It is the rare individual who has not bumped into individuals or leaders who hold these beliefs.

Two kinds of Jews – or is it three?

The situation of Jews in Israel is somewhat different from Jews in the Exile/Diaspora. In America, for example, unless one lives in a nearly totally Jewish area like Boro Park or Skokie, one will rub shoulders with many non-Jews, and one’s Jewish identity and continuity cannot be something taken for granted. In Israel the tension of trying to hold onto and prove one’s Jewish identity is not an issue. In most cities and towns, everyone from the mailman to the milkman is Jewish. Secular Jewish identity is assumed, and 80% or more of Israeli Jews do not gravitate to an Orthodox lifestyle.

In the Diaspora, there are various choice available in the smorgasbord of Judaisms – Orthodox, Hasidic, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, Humanist, Zionist in various stripes and colors, etc. So which one of these expressions is “the approved one”? Which philosophical expression of Judaism is the one that Messianic Jews “need to follow”?

Glue for the Jew

Messianic Jews who care about their people’s continuity, and who burn for the Messianic remnant to be solidly rooted within the Jewish community, do not want to ‘crossover’ and become Gentile in lifestyle. We don’t want to move spiritually to the ‘other side of the tracks.’ What will bind us to our people as a recognizably Jewish remnant among the sons and daughters of Jacob? What will be the glue that will cause us to inseparably adhere to our own people?

Will a selective adherence to Rabbinic Judaism on our part bind us to the 80% of the Jewish people (both in Israel and in the Diaspora) – the same ones who give Orthodox Judaism a wide birth? Will the pronunciation of prayers in broken Hebrew or the repetition of medieval liturgy without sufficient understanding be the key that unlocks the hearts of the (mostly secular) Jewish people? Will we persuade Orthodox Jews in this way that we are ‘the real thing’ and ‘the true remnant’? Will our belief in Yeshua as Messiah and Immanuel (‘God with us’) now be accepted by the Jewish community because we externally look like Orthodox Jews?

Don’t ignore the obvious, child

Being able to freely choose the expression of one’s Jewish identity is a rather new phenomenon. Only with the advent of the Greek-speaking Hellenistic world (in Maccabean days circa 150 BC) did any such options appear for the Jewish people. Indeed, that very question and the religious blowback resulting was one of the main struggles in the Hanukkah revolt.

Messianic Jews will continue to hammer out their own culture and religious expressions on the anvil of Jewish life, in both Israel and the Diaspora. One of the most basic questions that we need to ask ourselves is, what is our Jewishness based on and on what authority can we fashion our national identity? Are we to turn back to the Mosaic covenant and traditional lifestyle expressions as the basis of our Jewish identity? Do the Scriptures have any guidelines for us here?

Four quick bullet-points:

In the original Messianic communities of the Book of Acts, all Jews and all Messianic Jews followed the Mosaic covenant.

Peter and Paul understood that keeping of the Torah (Mosaic covenant) was not enough to be justified or saved before God:

Paul taught that Jewish believers are no longer under the tutelage of the Mosaic Torah:

The New Covenant is described as a distinctly new covenant (and not a renewed Mosaic covenant)

How should we then pray?

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

In Messiah Yeshua,

Avner Boskey

Donations can be sent to:

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES

BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN 37212-1971 USA

Donations can also be made on-line (by PayPal or credit card) through: www.davidstent.org

Egypt and the Feast of Tabernacles – bumps in the prophetic road

The end of Sukkot (the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles) is upon us. In a few hours Israeli families will be taking down their family sukkah (or makeshift booth), pitching out the palm branches and storing away the linens for another year. Many thousands of Christian pilgrims who flew to Jerusalem from all the nations of the planet and attended colorful conferences will be boarding their jet planes and heading home.

One of the much-loved passages which motivates many of these pilgrims is Zechariah 14:16-19. Verse 16 is the prime focus here: “Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, YHVH of armies, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.” There are some interesting nuggets in these four verses which may be surprising to some of us. Let’s unpack them now.

Future friends are present enemies

The prophetic context for these wonderful international pilgrimages is actually grim. “For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered…” (Zechariah 14:2).

Enemies are crushingly defeated

Zechariah’s prophesy foresees a day when the combined armies of the Arab world will be overwhelmingly defeated. As well, all the armies of the nations will meet the same fate. Those who are not entirely destroyed will submit to Messiah’s Yeshua’s rule, as both Isaiah and Paul prophesy:

When Messiah Yeshua sits on David’s throne (see 2 Samuel 3:10; 1 Kings 9:5; Psalm 122:5; Isaiah 9:7; Jeremiah 3:17; 33:17-21; Luke 1:32; Matthew 19:28; Revelation 22:16), the nations will come up to Jerusalem once a year to celebrate the third pilgrim feast (see Exodus 23:17; Ezekiel 44:24; 46:9).

How do you solve a problem like ‘Mizraim’?

The Hebrew word for Egypt in the Bible is Mizraim (pronounced Mitz-rah-yim). Egypt was the country chosen by God within which Israel would take shelter in Joseph’s day. It was there in the Land of Ham (see Psalm 105:23, 27) that the Jewish people increased from 70 (Genesis 46:27; Deuteronomy 10:22) to over three million (based on Numbers 2:32-33).

Egypt was the first nation which tried to commit genocide against the Jewish people (Exodus 1:22). It is described in the Bible as “the House of slavery” (Exodus 13:3) and was known for harsh and abusive treatment of Israel (Deuteronomy 26:6). It would be the country to which Israel would again be exiled in slavery (Deuteronomy 28:68), and event amazingly fulfilled in 70 A.D. It was a country steeped in idolatry, and the Ten Plagues were targeted by YHVH as a divine take-down of different Egyptian demonic powers (Exodus 12:12).  It was known as a land of “harmful diseases” (Deuteronomy 7:15; 28:27). It was listed as a country of abominations along with the ten other nations of Genesis 15:19-21 (Ezra 9:1).

Egypt was also known as a country with a high state of wisdom and scientific achievement (1 Kings 4:30).

Nowhere in the Bible does the God of Israel classify Egypt as a Semitic country or as an Abrahamic country. Instead, it is a country which considered the Jewish people as aliens (Deuteronomy 23:7). Egypt’s forefather was not Shem but Ham (Genesis 10:6). The context for the “Isaiah 19 Highway” is not three Abrahamic nations or three Semitic nations. The only Abrahamic nation in Isaiah 19:24-25 is Israel.

Future Middle Eastern war

Isaiah prophesies of future battles between Egypt and the Jewish state. “The land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt. Everyone to whom it is mentioned will be in dread of it, because of the purpose of YHVH or armies which He is purposing against them” (Isaiah 19:17). Egypt will commemorate their own defeat and will even have five cities where Hebrew will be spoken. One of these cities will commemorate these destructive battles. “In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will be speaking the language of Canaan and swearing allegiance to YHVH of armies.” One will be called ‘the City of Destruction’” (Isaiah 19:18).

In light of this continuing enmity in many Egyptian hearts toward the Jewish people, Zechariah points out how this will play itself out even in the Days of Messiah.

From this passage it is instructive that Egypt is used as an example of a recalcitrant nation, one who has not exactly repented of its anti-Jewish heart. “This will be the punishment of Egypt” is the prophetic declaration, and it leaves room for other specific but unnamed nations in that future roster.

Balancing our Tabernacles vision

As all followers of Messiah Yeshua rejoice in the coming fulfilment of prophecy – especially as it applies to Sukkot/Tabernacles – we also accept the sobering context and process which will lead to that fulfilment. Not a Middle-East peace process, but a Middle-East war process. Not a ‘World Union’ or ‘United International States.’ Not a ‘Two State solution’ or ‘Oslo solution’ or ‘UN solution.’ Not a jihadi solution or a Shi’ite Crescent solution. Only through the decisive and divine defeat of Israel’s enemies, and the destruction of every weapon raised up against us will there be peace. It is within this prophetic context that the mighty Ezekiel 37 army (Ezekiel 37:9-11) will fulfil its long awaited calling.

The spiritual zenith of this glorious process will be when Israel opens her arms to Messiah Yeshua our Deliverer, Rescuer and Atonement.

How should we then pray?

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

In Messiah Yeshua,

Avner Boskey

Donations can be sent to:

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES

BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN 37212-1971 USA

Donations can also be made on-line (by PayPal or credit card) through: www.davidstent.org

Israel’s restoration triggers international worship

The Hebrew prophets speak much of an eschatological connection between two events – Israel’s restoration/revival (on the one hand) and a huge manifestation of praise and worship by all the nations (on the other). Let’s unpack this vision.

Psalm 117:1-2 and God’s heart

A thousand years before Yeshua was born, an anonymous hand penned a Hebrew psalm. Its message was directed to the nations. Yet this psalm sat untranslated, silent, on the shelf for a good thousand years before any non-Jew was able to decipher its message. Though this was a command to the nations, it was hidden in the scrolls of the Hebrew Bible for at least a millennium before its prophetic message became available.

The psalm’s call to the nations is still revolutionary in nature. It goes largely unheeded by the predominantly Gentile Body of Messiah! The nations are called on to worship and praise YHVH for a specific reason – because He keeps His covenant with the Jewish nation, and because His hesed (His faithfulness to the covenant promises He made to Israel) is great and irrevocable (Psalm 117:2).

God calls on the nations to rejoice and worship Him. Why? Because of His irrevocable gifts and calling to Israel. Here we have hit the motherlode of this amazing vision:

Prophetic declarations in Isaiah

The Hebrew Scriptures repeat this above message frequently. This short newsletter will consider just the Book of Isaiah, and how this truth is trumpeted time and again therein.

In at least eighteen chapters Isaiah repeats the same theme:

This message runs through Isaiah (and the rest of the Hebrew prophets) like a scarlet thread. It has unfortunately been obscured by the malevolent influence of Replacement Theology, which has chosen not to believe or teach the clear biblical promises, but instead has perversely attempted to parry the prophetic declarations of the Holy Spirit.

Here is a brief list with sixteen of Isaiah’s links between Jewish restoration and Gentile worship:

Isaiah 2:1-4 – The restoration of the Jewish people and their capital city Jerusalem will result in the largest international worship movement – all the nations flowing upward to worship YHVH on the Temple Mount and to learn from Him.

Isaiah 12:1-6 – Israel is commanded to call the nations together for worship (v. 4). Why? Because God will save and deliver the Jewish people (v. 2) and actually dwell in Israel’s midst (v. 6). 

Isaiah 19:16-25 – The two largest Middle-Eastern superpowers Egypt and Assyria (today’s northern Iraq) will worship YHVH (v. 23) due to their recognition of YHVH as Israel’s God, their acceptance of Israel’s calling (v. 16-18), and the Jewish nation’s physical presence between Egypt and Assyria resulting in great blessing to these two superpowers (v. 23).

Isaiah 25:6-11 – The Messianic Banquet to which all nations will be invited will be held in Jerusalem on the Mountain of YHVH. The feast will celebrate how God has trampled down the enemies of the Jewish people and has wiped away their tears and shame.

Isaiah 30:18-33 – One of the classic worship passages in the Hebrew Scriptures connects music and warfare (v. 29-33). Exultant worship in this chapter defeats the enemies of the Jewish people and heals the bruises and wounds of the Jewish nation who are centered in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 34-35 –  When the day of YHVH’s vengeance on Israel’s enemies comes and the year of recompense for the cause of Zion arrives (34), the result will be physical blossoming of the Negev and Aravah deserts, as well as the reborn nation of Israel ascending to Zion singing worship songs (35).

Isaiah 42:6-25 – The nations are commanded by YHVH to sing and offer praise (v. 10-12) because the God of Jacob will triumphantly prevail against His enemies as a man of war (v. 13).

Isaiah 43:21 – YHVH declares that He has created the Jewish people in order to broadcast His praise across the globe.

Isaiah 44:23; 49:13 – The heavens, the earth, the forests and the mountains are commanded to sing and shout praises to YHVH “because He has redeemed Jacob and glorified Himself in Israel”.

Isaiah 49:5-7 – The kings and princes of the world are commanded to worship YHVH because He is faithful to His covenant promises and has chosen Messiah the Son of David to bring restoration to Israel and to be a light to all the nations.

Isaiah 56:1-8 – God’s receiving of worshipers from the nations to His House of Prayer in Jerusalem will be connected to their heart for the Jewish people (v. 3) and their getting in sync with God’s ways and calendar (v. 4-6).

Isaiah 59:15a – 21 – God’s judgment on the enemies of Israel (v. 17-18) results in the nations fearing the name of YHVH and His glory from one end of the earth to the other (v. 19).

Isaiah 60:1-18 – When YHVH’s revival glory rests up the Jewish people (v. 1-2), all the nations will be physically and spiritually drawn to Israel (v. 3). They will brings their wealth and their offerings (v. 5-9), and will be involved in the physical rebuilding and strengthening of the Jewish land (v. 10-13).  The hatred by former enemies against Israel will be astoundingly transformed into love (v. 14-15), and their pilgrimage will be to Jewish Jerusalem - the City whose walls will be called ‘Salvation’ and whose gates will be called ‘Praise’ (v. 18).

Isaiah 61:11 – YHVH’s restoration of the Jewish people will spring forth in the Land of Israel, and as a result righteousness and praise will spring forth before all the nations.

Isaiah 62:6-7 – The spiritual watchmen of the earth are called upon to intercede with the God of Jacob until Jerusalem becomes a praise in the earth.

Isaiah 66:18-24 – The nations who believe God and who love the people He loves, will help to physically carry the Jewish people back to their land. Some of them will even be incorporated into Jerusalem’s worship communities.

These few scripture passages (out of the many hundreds in the Bible) boldly underscore that the nations of the world who deeply love the Lord of Armies and who worship at the footstool of the Messiah Son of David, have a unique calling. They are called to prepare the contingencies for an encounter between Israel and her Divine Lover –

All who love Yeshua the Messiah are called to be worshippers (John 4:24).  Those from among the nations who love the Jewish people whom He loves (Deuteronomy 7:8; Luke 7:5), are also called:

How should we then pray?

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

In Messiah Yeshua,

Avner Boskey

Donations can be sent to:

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES

BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN 37212-1971 USA

Donations can also be made on-line (by PayPal or credit card) through: www.davidstent.org

Raiders of the Lost Jewish New Year

The traditional Jewish New Year is upon us. It’s called Rosh Hashanah in Hebrew and Rosh Hashoneh in Yiddish. The sons and daughters of Jacob nibble apples and honey as they hope for a sweet year. Synagogues register their highest attendance as the High Holy Days or ‘Days of Awe’ approach. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur or Yom Hikippurim) draws close and with it a heightened awareness of sin in the Jewish community.

Rosh Hashanah’s deeply moving traditions, liturgy and celebrations are a rich part of many Jewish people’s lives. Even some Gentile believers in Yeshua love the seasonal celebrations. But, like many pious celebrations in other religions, the Bible often plays second fiddle to men’s traditions.

The Hebrew Bible tells us that the Jewish New Year is not in Tishrei (which it calls the seventh month) but 14 days before Passover, in the first month of Spring (which is called Aviv in the Bible (Exodus 12:1-3; 13:4).

What is today called Rosh Hashanah is actually what the Bible calls ‘the Feast of Trumpets’ (or the ‘Feast of Blowing’ of trumpets). It is the fifth Feast in the biblical calendar (Leviticus23:23-25). It occurs in the biblical month called Eitanim (which means ‘the strong ones’ in Hebrew – see 1 Kings 8:1-2).

“By the rivers of Babylon”

The twelve Jewish tribes went into Exile between 722 B.C. (Assyria) and 587/6 B.C. (Babylon). They took the 12 original names of the Hebrew months with them. These included:

When Israel returned from Babylonian Exile, according to Rabbi Hanina bar Hama (d. 250 A.D.) “the month names came up with them [with the exiles] from Babylon” (Jerusalem Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 1:2, 56d). Babylonian names were gradually switched for the original Hebrew names after the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. Today eight of the twelve original Hebrew names of the months have disappeared.

The Babylonian month names are for the most part names of Babylonian demons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonian_calendar), even as most modern Western months are based on Roman gods (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_calendar), while European days of the week are taken from Norse and Germanic gods (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_days_of_the_week).

The Babylonian royal calendar began its year in Tishrei (biblical Eitanim) and so the Jewish people gradually fitted in to this accepted international calendar.

Making room for an elephant

A famous Persian proverb says, “If you invite and elephant-trainer into your living room, make sure that you have room for an elephant!” The primacy given to Babylonian cultural influences gradually led to a weakening among the Jewish people in terms of staying faithful to biblical patterns and expressions. By 200 A.D. the biblical focus on the Feast of Trumpets had given way to a renamed and refashioned holiday now called ‘the New Year.’

The influence of the Exile and our sojourn in Babylon ended up shaping medieval and modern Jewish history. But when YHVH brings full restoration to His Jewish people, He will make some changes in our calendars and in our feast days, as Zechariah prophesied in Zechariah 7:1-6; 8:18-19.

Part of that restoration will involve a return to YHVH’s original calendar in Leviticus 23:2: “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘YHVH’s appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations – My appointed times are these…”  As Paul says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29).

“I love New Year in the Springtime…”

The Hebrew calendar actually makes a connection between Passover preparations and the celebration of the New Year:

God joins two powerful works of salvation and rescue within the first month of the Hebrew calendar – the rescue of the Jewish people from slavery to Pharaoh and the rescue of the Jewish people from slavery to sin by Messiah Yeshua (“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Yeshua, for He will save [in Hebrew, yoshiya”] His people from their sins”; Matthew 1:21). What a festival to sing YHVH’s Redemption Song!

Biblical bedrock

Two passages help us to understand the biblical focus of the Feast of Trumpets – Leviticus 23:23-25 and Nehemiah 8:8-12.

Leviticus 23 speaks of a wonderful Sabbath rest, a shabbaton, where no professional work is done. The day is a holy convocation (miqra qodesh) – in modern English a specially called for meeting with a holy and set apart purpose. The ceremonial activity connected to blowing of trumpets or shofars here is zikaron teru’ah, a memorializing through a noise called teru’ah.  Teru’ah can refer to a shofar blast (Leviticus 25:9; Hosea 5:8; Psalm 81:3/4), a great shout of joyous praise (2 Samuel 6:15; Ezra 3:11; Job 8:21; Psalm 27:6), or a resounding cymbal clash (Psalm 150:5).

The word speaks of explosive and joyous power, and usually refers to an extremely positive sonic event.

Nehemiah grants us deeper insight into God’s intentions – how to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets.

The God of Jacob lays it all out for us here. This is not a day for tears or fears. It is not a day to be afraid, to grieve or to mourn. It is a day to eat rich food, to drink sweet-tasting beverages, and to have a huge and joyous celebration. In short, YHVH is calling on His people to have a holy party!

In Nehemiah this party follows immediately on the heels of a national revival. The people had just heard the words of Deuteronomy 27-28. They understood that there was a good reason for the punishment of Exile, and they immediately repented of their national rejection of His prophets.

Today that same national call stands before our Jewish people – to realize that our Exile to America, England, Argentina, Russia, South Africa etc. – is due to our leaders’ rejection of the message of the Prophets and of Messiah Yeshua (Matthew 23:34-39; Mark 12:1-12). We as a nation have followed our leaders in their bad decision.

The need of the hour for us is national repentance. The need of the hour is to wake up and realize that our existence in the Exile is like that of a bird in a gilded cage. The God of our Fathers is calling us home – home to Him and home to our homeland!

Driving backwards on Yom Kippur

When Israel’s spiritual leaders rejected Yeshua Son of David as Messiah, He nevertheless offered Himself up for His people as our atonement. But the majority of the Pharisees could not see this or accept His gift. In the words of the Prophet, they created for themselves an alternate Judaism, one which astoundingly forsook the Redeemer of Israel: “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13).

Whereas Yeshua came to offer atonement to His people, only a minority (albeit a significant and apostolic minority) – the Messianic Jews – accepted Him. The religious powers-that-were reformed Judaism, offering non-kosher non-biblical forms of atonement that simply won’t do the trick. As Bob Dylan says in “When You Gonna Wake Up?” – “You got unrighteous doctors dealing drugs that’ll never cure your ills.”

Yom Kippur was gradually transformed into a fast day where people try to earn their own atonement. Rosh Hashanah became a day of pre-atoning preparation for the Great Fast.

God’s joyous invitation is still extended to Israel to celebrate with a thankful heart. But His offer has for the most part fallen by the wayside. Even today, many Messianic Jews are influenced more by rabbinic thought and tradition than by God’s gracious bidding to throw a holy party of thanksgiving.

The choice is ours.

How should we then pray?

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

In Messiah Yeshua,

Avner Boskey

Donations can be sent to:

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES

BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN 37212-1971 USA

Donations can also be made on-line (by PayPal or credit card) through: www.davidstent.org

Bringing it all back home

On March 22, 1965 Columbia Records released Bob Dylan’s Bringing it all back home, his first folk-rock synthesis to hit the market. Classics included “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” “Maggie’s Farm,” Mister Tambourine Man” and “It’s all over now Baby Blue.” Described as “the most influential album of its era,” it was ranked #31 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

The album title speaks of coming back to one’s roots or foundations. The Beatles encouraged their listeners to do something similar in their 1969 Rooftop Concert (www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6gKe9Fr2ok) – to “get back to where you once belonged.”

This newsletter is a call for the Body of Messiah to get back to its roots. It is time for believers in Yeshua to bring it all back home – to get back to the apostolic and biblical foundations of our Messianic faith.

Just to make it clear – we’re not talking about wearing head coverings or fringes, doing Davidic dance or eating chopped liver. No emphasis here on esoteric Hebrew word studies, mysteries of the Hebrew calendar or trying to find one’s own potential Jewish DNA.

We are talking about something even more revolutionary - getting back to the Bible and reading it honestly and fairly.

The Bible – a Jewish book

This central point is so obvious that it shouldn’t need to be stressed. But a fast glance around the room known as the Body of Christ reveals that this point is as hidden as an elephant cowering under a throw-rug.

The entire Bible (excluding most probably Job, Luke and Acts) was written and passed on by Jews. As Paul says, “What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God” (Romans 3:1-2). Note that the Apostle is saying that there is a present value and advantage in the national and spiritual calling on the sons of Jacob.

Yeshua Himself emphasizes that the Bible and its message of salvation is part of an ongoing Jewish spiritual inheritance: “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).

Paul agrees here, stating that all Gentile believers in Yeshua “have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings” and as a result “they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings” (Romans 15:25-27).

The Hebrew Scriptures and the Gospels – overwhelmingly focused on the Jewish people

There is a hymn “Free from the law - oh happy condition” (www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/1001, author Philip Paul Bliss). This hymn was a popular one in the predominantly Gentile Protestant wing of the Body of Messiah. Yet how can it be said that the Gentiles are now free from the Law of Moses, since they were never under the Law of Moses to begin with? “He has revealed His word to Jacob, His laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise YHVH!” (Psalm 147:19-20).

Paul’s perspective on this is exactly the same: “Remember that at that time you were separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God (‘atheists’ in Greek) in the world. But now in Messiah Yeshua you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Messiah” (Ephesians 2:12-13).

A quick survey of the entire Hebrew Scriptures and the four Gospels shows that over 92% of those scriptures focus exclusively on the Jewish people. The history recorded there is Jewish history, and is taught as such in Israeli schools. The commandments are given by Jewish prophets to the Jewish people for application in the Promised Land. The enduring dynasty of Judah’s kings and queens is all Jewish. The prophecies in what is called the Old Testament focus over 92% on the future of the Jewish people (both the difficult and the glorious parts), as well as on God’s contemporary take on Jewish obedience and disobedience.

For some of us this is revelatory and amazing. And for most followers of Yeshua these facts are revolutionary in nature.

 “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable/without repentance” (Romans 11:29).

“I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today”

In the old TV cartoon ‘Popeye,’ a character name Wimpy would often declare, “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today!” All kids knew that Wimpy was only postponing the inevitable, and that he probably never would pay back what he owed.

In the same way, many Christian preachers borrow the Scriptures, ignoring their Jewish focus, and never really intending to ‘repay the loan’ to the Jewish people. They never make room in their plans to one day teach about a future (or even a present) for the sons and daughters of Jacob.

Part of the reason that many preachers shy away from teaching what the Bible clearly teaches is simply ‘Tradition’ – the stranglehold of anti-Semitic Replacement Theology on the Body of Christ.

There is also a fear that if they teach the Bible accurately to their people – that so many of the passages actually refer to the Jewish people – then their people will turn a cold shoulder to the Word of God.

Pastors who want to minister to the needs of their people tend to see the Jewish focus of the Scriptures as a stumbling block that needs to be gingerly side-stepped. To put it plainly, they feel that if they teach God’s heart for Israel, His ways and strategies with the Jewish people, His covenant faithfulness to the Jewish people – their own people would get turned off, and they would be out of a job,

So a decision has been made in the pulpits of most Christian churches: the Bible will be taught, but not as a Jewish book. It will not be taught as referring to the Jewish people’s priority in the biblical drama of history. The Jewish people’s exile will be stressed, but not their restoration. The eternal order where Gentiles move and have their being will be stressed, but not the Jewish nature of Messiah’s kingdom and its Israel-based geographical priority.

Instead, the Scriptures will be taught as ‘principles’ and ‘lessons’ for individual Gentile Christians. The focus will be on Christians and their destiny, but no stress will be given to helping Christians to understand Jews and their destiny. The priority has shifted away from Romans 1:16 and 2:5-11 (which teach an apostolic Jewish priority) to a rather different priority for the Gentiles – “You will say, ‘Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in’” (Romans 11:19).

Today the majority of Christian teaching has incarnated what Paul warned against in Romans 11:18 – Gentiles boasting against the natural Jewish branches, arrogant toward the calling of the Jews, and considering themselves as superior to the Jewish people. Paul’s warning has morphed into Christian reality.

Weakening the body by not discerning the body

Paul speaks to believers in Corinth and sadly notes that when the body is not properly discerned, sickness (both physical and spiritual) results, and God’s judgment is at the door (1 Corinthians 11:29-31).

Paul explains in another places that the Body of Messiah is a Jewish building with a Jewish prophetic foundation (“the commonwealth of Israel” built on the foundations of the Jewish apostles and prophets – Ephesians 2:12, 20).

When the preaching and teaching of the Body of Christ (in all of its many and diverse streams) is based on identity theft – ignoring or belittling the gifts and calling of YHVH on the Jewish people – it is not a stretch to comprehend that the spiritual warnings in Genesis 12:3 (“He who belittles you, scorns you or holds you in contempt” – meqalelecha in Hebrew) have telling relevance to the spiritual health of the Christian church.

What can be done?

If you are a teacher of the Word or a pastor of people, a conference speaker, a leader of a movement or a small group leader – whatever your calling and station, please seriously consider this short word of exhortation.

Step One:

Teach the Word as it is written. If it speaks about Israel, go with the flow. If it speaks spiritual lessons to Israel, teach it as it is written. If it calls the Gentiles to rejoice over YHVH’s covenant faithfulness to Israel (Psalm 117), then teach it as it says it and let the chips fly.

Step Two:

Let your people know that the same God who rules the waves and silences the superpowers is the same God who is guiding Israel back to her homeland, even in unbelief (Ezekiel 37:8-13), in order to fill her with His Holy Spirit and transform her into the most astounding army the world has ever seen.

Step Three:

Let your people know that this same YHVH who split the Red Sea and sent the Ten Plagues, who brought the Jewish people back from Babylon and is bringing the children of Isaac back from Exile a second time in our day (Isaiah 11:11), is just as mighty when it comes to your own people’s needs and petitions. He has proven Himself faithful to His covenant with Israel, even when Israel has failed. So He will prove Himself faithful to each and every believer who calls on Him, even when that believer trembles in his/her faith or resolve.

This is the proper way to use the Scriptures (see 2 Timothy 2:15 and 3:14-17). This is the plan that YHVH Himself created, and the way He wants Jews and Gentiles to relate to each other. The One New Man teaching of Ephesians 2:15 can only stand without tottering, when it stands on these understandings.

“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).

How should we then pray?

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

In Messiah Yeshua,

Avner Boskey

Donations can be sent to:

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES

BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN 37212-1971 USA

Donations can also be made on-line (by PayPal or credit card) through: www.davidstent.org

Shoot-out at the Samson Corral

Recent events in Gaza have focused the world media’s attention on skirmishes between Islamist Hamas-led rioters and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Sound bites and eye candy (short segments of doctored video) have been crafted by jihadi propagandists and then swallowed hook, line and sinker by international news agencies. According to this fake news, Gaza’s ‘peaceful civilians’ are ‘being massacred’ by ‘bloodthirsty IDF troops.’

The 40,000 Gazans who were egged on to attack stationary IDF positions were guided by terror cadres of Hamas commandos. In the aftermath of that first day of riots (when 60-plus rioters were killed by IDF snipers), Hamas proudly announced that it had identified over 50 of these casualties as undercover Hamas fighters. Most of the others shot were claimed by the Islamic Jihad organization as their own.

The source of this present violence is gratingly simple – it is Hamas’ violent attempts to break into sovereign Israeli territory and then to kidnap or massacre civilians. And Hamas is unashamed of its genocidal goals. Its Covenant (backed up by foundational Islamist scriptures) prophesies destruction of the Jewish state and declares an out-and-out jihadi war of annihilation against the Jewish people (https://davidstent.org/the-passover-plot-arsonists-and-firefighters-in-gaza/; https://davidstent.org/morphing-the-face-of-jihad/).

The present Palestinian attacks against Israel’s security fence and IDF troops are simply one more clash in an epic war which has gone on for more than 3,000 years. The Bible describes it as a battle between the forces of Edom/Esau and the armies of Jacob/Israel:

Geography and jihad

God once spoke to Abraham, promising the entire Land of Canaan to the Jewish people (Genesis 15:18-21) as an irrevocable gift (Romans 11:28-29). In Patriarchal times Greek invaders from the Aegean islands established trading colonies and settlements in the Gaza region, pushing out previous Egyptian frontier posts (see Deuteronomy 2:23; Amos 9:7; Joshua 13:3; Exodus 13:17; Numbers 33:55). That area of the Promised Land became known temporarily as ‘the Land of the Philistines’ (Genesis 21:32;  Exodus 23:31). YHVH however called it “the land that remains” to be conquered by Israel (Joshua 13:2).

During the period of the Judges the Gaza area became a Philistine staging ground for murderous military attacks on the tribes of Israel (Judges 10:6-11). YHVH explains in Scripture that Israel’s enemies followed false gods, and that these counterfeit deities were also enemies of the God of Jacob. In time He would take vengeance upon both the Philistines and their false gods, using Israel’s prophets and judges as His crafted weapons (Judges 10:6; 14:4).  The Bible tells us that all enemy invasions of the Promised Land – whether by Philistines in ancient days or more recently by Islamist jihadi forces – these will eventually be reversed, and their false claims to Jacob’s soil will be resoundingly overturned.

Blazing foxes

After Joshua passed off the scene and as Israel suffered enemy occupation, God remembered His covenant with the seed of Isaac. And He responded to the desperate intercessory cries of His beleaguered Jewish people. He began “to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5; 1 Samuel 9:16) through Samson the Judge, a chosen arrow for a chosen purpose. But even Samson’s “father and mother did not know that it was of YHVH, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines” (Judges 14:4).

Samson was a one-man army – a prophetic precursor of the entire Jewish nation who (as prophesied) will become God’s amazing Last Days army (Ezekiel 37:10). YHVH raised Samson up to execute vengeance on the enemies of Israel (see Psalm 149:5-9) – those who claimed portions of the Promised Land as their own (see Psalm 83:12; Ezekiel 35:10-13; 36:1-6).

The fox is depicted in the Bible as a prowling thief who skulks around, seeing what he can rob or carry off as prey (see Song of Solomon 2:15; Psalm 63:10; Luke 13:32). So it is fitting that foxes had a special role to play in Samson’s divine vengeance on the Philistines invaders. When the Spirit of YHVH first fell on that mighty warrior (Judges 14:19), Samson took down thirty armed Philistines in hand-to-hand combat.

A little later Samson took 300 foxes, tied them tail-to-tail into 150 pairs, fastened 150 torches onto their tails and set them loose during the Philistine wheat harvest (Judges 15:1-5). The fires caused severe agricultural damage which included vineyards and olive groves (Judges 15:5). When the Philistines responded by burning Samson’s wife and family to death, Samson retaliated against them “ruthlessly and with a great slaughter” (Judges 15:6-8).

Turning Japanese ploughshares into swords

Hamas has found itself checkmated time and again as it has tried to murder Israelis and possess their Promised Land. Gaza’s Qassam rockets and mortars have been blocked by Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile systems. Islamist terror tunnels have been uncovered and collapsed by IDF technological advancements. Hamas has turned to whipping up civilian Gazan attacks on Israeli troops in order to garner front page headlines and bamboozle world sympathy.

Israel’s measured blockage of these attacks has forced Hamas to search out new ways to harm Israel. Their most recent solution has been to use plastic children’s kites (donated by Japanese humanitarian groups), turning children’s toys into airborne bombs. These Japanese kites have burning chemicals or even explosive devices attached to them. The kites are directed from Gaza and sent to crash into kibbutz and moshav fields, where they set fire to wheat fields, fruit orchards and food crops. A few have landed in civilian areas and towns. 

The fields and gullies which once saw Philistines and Samson using fire against each other – these same areas are now witnessing Palestinian attempts to destroy Jewish farms and foodstuffs using weapons of fire. 

The Hundred Year war ends when God raises up His Ezekiel 37 army

Moshe Ya’alon has been Israeli Minister of Defense, Chief of General Staff, Head of AMAN (Israeli Military Intelligence) and Commander of Sayeret Matkal (Israel’s Delta Force). He is one of Israel’s most seasoned and thoughtful warriors, respected for his straight talking ways. He has spoken on numerous occasions about the ongoing nature of the Jewish State’s war with Arab and Islamic forces, and how this is not a war which will be ended in the near future. He has described this conflict as having been on a high flame for the past one hundred years, and also as having the potential to stretch on for at least another fifty years.

Ya’alon said that his advice for the Israeli people is to “be patient ... Our test is not one of immediate results. In these types of conflicts, there is a need for endurance and determination, as well as creativity, and we are doing this ... This won’t end immediately, and all of the various ideas or natural expectations for some sort of military maneuvers that will deal with the situation and finish it [ed. instantly, are wrong]. We have been in conflict for 120 years already, and throughout 67 years of independence ... We will have to continue to struggle. We have had much more difficult challenges in the past, and we will know how to beat this too” (www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Yaalon-Israel-still-fighting-War-of-Independence-435698).

King David’s spiritual paradigm regarding physical warfare

“Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of YHVH of armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day YHVH will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel’” (1 Samuel 17:45-46).

How should we then pray?

Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.

In Messiah Yeshua,

Avner Boskey

Donations can be sent to:

FINAL FRONTIER MINISTRIES

BOX 121971 NASHVILLE TN 37212-1971 USA

Donations can also be made on-line (by PayPal or credit card) through: www.davidstent.org

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