“Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the side of the north, the City of the great King.” Psalm 48:2
When people return to their home country or city after a long absence, they are often asked “Where are you from?” Jesus also asked that question at a time when many were trying to get in Heaven’s door. “…Lord, open for us, but He will answer to say to you, ‘I do not know you, or where you are from”. (Luke 13:25) Many may well be shocked.
Sometimes I wonder (since the Lord knows all things) if it might have something to do with Jesus being aware that they followed a different (or some other) form of person than who He really is. I speak about His manhood. Rather than accepting Him as the Jewish Messiah (remember it was Dr. Dwight Pryor who said “there is no Christian Messiah, He is either Jewish or He is not the Messiah) it could be that people who could not enter tolerated and accepted another Jesus and did not disapprove of changing His appearance by their teachers. We must remember that some in the church have said “My Jesus a Jew? Never.” “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached…you may well put up with it!” (2 Corinthians 11:4). To “put up with it” means just that – someone was preaching and contradicting the truth and as alluded to above the listeners did not deny nor refute that they were being taught a wrong concept of Jesus—one that was different than the person recorded in their writings.
A place of rest will be found in Jerusalem—a dwelling place for those who know that “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). According to the Complete Jewish Study Bible (Luke 13:25) we read people will come from everywhere in the nations waiting for a seat at the table in the Coming Kingdom; however, take note there were many who thought they were important because they had been with Him—but He tells them they are “workers of iniquity.” That is pretty straight forward as I would assume it is people who desired to be in Heaven. It could well be that because Replacement Theology is a false teaching–they did not rebut this lie. “But outside are dogs and… whoever loves and practices a lie” (Revelation 22:15). Immediately following Jesus informs them there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” when they would see who? The Jews “…when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the (Jewish) prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.” Could it be He saw antisemitism in their hearts, or they took Israel lightly not thinking Israel was important to God? I wonder if there is a connection here. It is ONLY Jesus (Yeshua) who can save us. Therefore, why would we not want to know all about Him. Why, since He is our Bridegroom would not we want to get to know His Family? He cherished and embraced his Jewishness deeply–He spoke of Himself as “we Jews” (John 4:22). I truly believe it would be expected of followers of the Messiah to “come home” in the spirit of truth and re-read their Bibles to resolve the issue in their own hearts (if there is one) and to conclude that Israel is critical to their faith.
After the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D., two sects of Judaism survived: Orthodox Judaism and those who followed the Jewish Jesus—developing into what is today called Christianity. It is a miracle that it survived because it moved away from its roots—turned in a completely different direction and slid off of its foundation. The Jewish people gave us all that we possess, and Christianity today is hanging in abeyance with nothing to back it up if it does not claim the Jewish scriptures. The Jews say “Ana Naf’shi K’ta’vit y’havit.” It literally means that the Torah (called “Old” Testament by Christians) literally means that God has said “I wrote down my very soul and gave it to you.” The Torah is God’s soul expressed to us—and it became flesh –Jewish flesh. When a Christian says “throw the Old Testament into the dustbin” they are removing the legitimacy of the New Testament. It would become baseless in content and unfounded in its claims if it did not have the Jewish scriptures to support and validate it.
Follow a Jewish Jesus
A Jew changed my heart. I am not ashamed of that. One day He will rule the world, and the Almighty will be “all in all”. (1 Corinthians 15:28) It is simple. Follow the Jewish Jesus and you will learn why He taught what He did. Christianity disguised Him as a gentile. They ripped His Jewishness right away from Him and said, “God is finished with the Jews.” The church became the “New Israel” and the doctrine of Replacement Theology was bought into for centuries. Only until the last part of the last century have many returned to the roots of the faith and our love for the Jewish people brought us back home in the spirit.
The great Jewish Rabbi Gamaliel cautioned the Sanhedrin about being hostile to the new Jewish movement that followed Yeshua (Jesus). He urged caution when dealing with His followers who believed He was the Jewish Messiah. Gamaliel, a doctor of the Law, had a great reputation among all the people who came to the Temple to worship, and he requested the Jewish apostles leave the room for a few moments. They did. Then he said to Israel “…Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves…as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nothing.” Then he said “After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing and drew away many people after him: he also perished”…but then came the clincher! He proceeded to say, “And now I say unto you, refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this work be of men, it will come to nothing: but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it; lest ye be found even to fight against God” (Acts 5:34-39). What wisdom He showed. The movement which stopped being Jewish in presentation did not die because it is true that Jesus died for our sins…but the once Jewish movement first went to Greece and became a philosophy, then to Rome to become an institution, on to Europe to become a culture and finally to America where it emerged into an enterprise—it had become the “church” –not a Jewish faith movement. Why? Because it lost its integrity. It disconnected from His nation. The truth has never changed as Christianity is Jewish to the core. What do you do with that?
At this time Israel is fighting a war against evil. The church must fight against deception. Anyone who believes you can take away the foundation of a movement and it survive deceives themselves. The Messiah Jesus proclaimed unashamedly “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). He repeatedly said, “I am of the seed of David….” (2 Timothy 2: 8-13). Have you ever felt like you were a gentile with a Jewish heart? Did you ever visit Israel and feel like you had “come home?” If you are hoping like so many of us for Jesus to return, it cannot happen without the faith being restored to its original character. God is now restoring Israel in many ways since the beginning of the war, and He wants to restore the church.
“Look and see, for everyone is coming home! Your sons are coming from distant lands, your little daughters will be carried home” (Isaiah 60:4, ASV). “For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning…ye shall be saved…”. (Isaiah 30:15) How can a house divided stand? It is documented that there are 45,000 Christian denominations in the world split because of petty doctrines. God is One. The coming Kingdom of God to earth will be One Body, One Faith, One baptism. Israel should join us together not divide us. Do not blindly follow celebrity preachers and platform names without searching the scriptures to see what the Bible teaches about a matter.
By allowing the injection of a false doctrine like Replacement Theology into the veins of the faith many were given a shot of antisemitism along with the poison in the injection. God had to speak to Balaam’s heart. In the end, he said “How am I to curse those whom God has not cursed?” (Numbers 23:8). The blessing on Israel can never be reversed. Ruth wisely joined that which God made the “apple of His Eye” (Zechariah 2:8). (The phrase “apple of His Eye” translates from the Hebrew as “the little man of His eye”). It has been said that if we look deeply into someone’s eyes, we see a tiny reflection of ourselves in their pupils. (Matthew 11:15; Ephesians 2:12) reveals to us that when the Kingdom of God comes to earth, that we will be grafted in (we will join or attach ourselves) to the Commonwealth (Kingdom) of Israel which becomes redeemed when Messiah returns. Balak finally realized that no matter how much money or abundance of possessions we are given one cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord—and that Word is to “bless” the Jewish people. Someone once said it is the fear of blessing them that Lucifer hates. (Numbers 23:25)
The serpent misled many believers with a doctrine of demons and the Body of Christ is just beginning to awaken to truth. We must now disconnect from that which separates us from the Jewish people. Rabbi Pessach Wolicki said in an article “I find it interesting that God foretold the historical church would accept an erroneous doctrine called Replacement Theology. Moses foretold a time when the nations would look at the exile of the Jews and the desolation of the Land of Israel and conclude that the covenant between Israel and God has ended…why would there be nations who profess belief in the Bible but believe that God has broken His Covenant with the Jewish people? Ironically, by espousing their erroneous doctrine theologians (in the church) were fulfilling this prophecy without even realizing it. So why did they make this mistake? “the secret things belong to the Lord” …but the Covenant is forever” (Rabbi Pessach Wolicki).
Accusations against the Jewish people flew like flies during the Holocaust. They castigated, branded, rebuked, scolded, black listed and dressed down Jewish people often bringing harsh punishments implicating collusion of “Christian” communities. Can you imagine many who sat in church pews and attended church services during the Holocaust going to their graves with antisemitic hearts? “Listen to me, you who pursues righteousness and who seek the LORD; Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn…” (Isaiah 51:1-5).
Countless Christian pilgrims visit Israel—many feeling they have “come home” but much of the apostate church still teach Replacement Theology. God beckons all “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse…” (Genesis 12:3). As much of the world is following a dark angel, Lucifer (the deceitful serpent), he is attempting to reset the world–his way. This will advance everyone rapidly to the time of the Antichrist and the future One-World government. All of us must be “weaned from the world…and anything that comes before God!” (Jonathan Cahn) It is a process for each of us as we continue to live “in” the world but not be “of” it.
We are born to be shields in the spirit for Israel. We must wrap our love unconditionally around her and cushion her from harmful enemies. Spiritual leaders must face the issue of Israel and how much she means to God. Let’s close the exit doors and not let anyone leave without learning the truth about this chosen nation. Israel has returned back on the world stage. She is here to stay no matter who tries to eliminate her. She will rise to become a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 42:6). We must come full circle—back to the Genesis of our faith.
It is common to find articles on church decline on the internet. One such instance is related to the severing of Jewish roots. “…the Scottish Society is regressing back to a pre-Christian Greco/Roman paganism…there is a departure from her Biblical foundations and evangelical weakness is from severing from her Hebraic roots…this is a serious heresy for which many of us…our relationship with Israel is a matter of life or death…or we cut ourselves off…” (Charles Gardener, Israel Today).
Let’s look at some of the people who are returning in various ways here in the Land. A spiritual consciousness, a return to discernment of Israel’s enemies, a return to knowing why the young lions of Judah should fight for the nations, a return to seeking God, a return of miracles. Even those who qualify to be Kohanim are travelling to IDF bases to pray for the soldiers before they enter into battle. There is a return to wanting to fight for the nation, a return of brothers shoulder -to-shoulder in relationship and a return to unity as a family. Likewise, the church must return to standing with Israel and be repairers of the breach (Isaiah 58:12). We are here to help Israel rebuild and bring healing to the Jewish heart.
It’s been said “Have you ever felt Jerusalem? …every time, I also feel like it’s the first time…seeing Jerusalem bathed in the sun’s golden hue at sunset or at sunrise feels supernatural… it’s like the Holy City jumps off of earth into one’s heart. When it does, it demands something from you…the truth is that even I’d forgotten how mysteriously powerful it is…I didn’t realize how much I had missed just being here…the land of the patriarchs and prophets has a magnetism to it…I missed stepping on soil trod by Jesus and his apostles…I’ve already fallen in love with it — again…it’s the same place yet it feels totally new…Israel has always been a “second home” for Christians like me…our second home –it really feels that way…call your pastor and pull together your church. It’s time to feel the Bible.”
We thank God for all those who see God’s plan for Israel and accept the responsibility the church has to God’s chosen nation. Let us remember the words with which we began. Everything comes full circle, no matter where you travel (even from beginnings), you will always end up where you started HOME!
Watching for His Return,
Sharon Sanders