“Now change your mind and attitude to God and turn to Him so He can cleanse away your sins and send you wonderful times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord and send Jesus your Messiah back to you again. For He must remain in Heaven until the final recovery of all things from sin, as prophesied from ancient times” (Acts 3:19-21).
As the Spirit of God came and exited the Temple from the east, it is recorded in Scripture that His Radiance and Shekinah Glory will likewise return to Jerusalem. As the Son of God departed from Jerusalem, and went to the Father, He will also return, to set up His Father’s Kingdom on earth for a thousand-year reign in Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 43:1-5; Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:9-12; Matthew 24:27; Revelation 20:6).
East is significant as recorded in Jewish writings as this gate was known as “the gate of righteousness,” the “gate of the Lord” and also the “Sun Gate” as the sun would shine through it in the morning hours. Yeshua, the King of Kings will also shine in His Full Glory when He returns to rule. It will be a wonderful time for all—truly learning from the Master while travelling on His Holy Highway.
According to Peter, Yeshua has to remain in Heaven until the final restoring and taking back of all things from sin—a roadmap marked with repentance will help the church find its way home. Commentator Matthew Henry wrote “the absolute necessity of repentance is to be solemnly charged upon the consciences of all who desire that their sins may be blotted out…when sinners are convinced of their sins, they will cry to the Lord for pardon; and to the penitent, converted and believing, times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord…” (Matthew Henry Commentary).
A great friend of CFI, blessed be his memory, Yaakov Youlus, rabbi and teacher, used to say: “Words are nothing unless you know the meaning behind the words.” Yeshua said the same thing to His Disciples: “If you had known what this means…” (Matthew 12:7) “But go and learn what it means” (Matthew 9:13). Christians need to know the primary sense of each Biblical text.
As we glance behind the curtain of understanding of the Acts passage, we see Yeshua will reside where God and the angels dwell, until restoration comes to pass. Since the renaissance of the nation of Israel in May 1948, agricultural, reforestation, language revival and the homecoming of new immigrants are among many elements already being restored by the Hand of God. Both Orthodox and Messianic Jews await the outpouring of the Holy Spirit spoken about in Zechariah 12:10—a future restoration of spiritual things. The “called-out ones” (non-Jews) are part of the Great Assembly of Heaven and the Commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12). As Christians we have this present opportunity to become a prophetic fulfillment of God’s Word spoken above which will involve the salvation of the world.
In the story of the Prodigal Son, (Luke 15:11-32) the youngest son asked of his father that which was against Jewish law. He requested his inheritance before his father’s death. He then travelled away from his father’s house and protection literally throwing what his father gave him “to the wind” in a life-style that “abandoned” his father’s ways. In a similar way, the Christian Church began to boastfully misuse its spiritual Hebraic inheritance given by God. It placed a higher value on what the Father had to give, than on a close relationship with Him. It veered on its own journey away from home. As it left its Jewish heritage it began to identify with paganism from the nations. Many true believers are beginning to come back home purely out of spiritual hunger.
As the true Body returns in humility and accepts servanthood in exchange for the Father’s goodness and mercy, she also will find acceptance and restoration. It may well be at this point that the elder brother may become envious of the church’s undeserved forgiveness as was the case with the Father who bestowed grace upon his youngest son.
Israel: Our Tap-Root
Let us consider Christianity’s spiritual root system which is deeply attached to a tap-root (Israel). “A tap-root…forms a center from which other roots sprout…there is one main root (the primary root) that is larger than the lateral roots…tap-roots grow deep…once the tap-root is firmly established, the branches start sprouting and fruit will appear.”(Marita Brokenshaw). Christianity sprouted and branches developed from the soil of Israel where the mother root system is located.
Early Christianity bore much fruit because of being attached to the main tap-root; however, as the gospel spread, it grew away from the tap-root and Christendom began to drop its own roots. Just as our childhood origin is attached to only one mother and home, so are our spiritual roots attached to one mother root and a place of origin. Yes, for many, faith is bringing them back to a pursuit of their Hebraic awareness moving true believers in the right direction.
On the path home; however, lies century old obstacles to our destiny, such as Replacement Theology and allegorization application (the spiritualizing of words of blessing meant for Israel is applied to the Church). We must all work to remove these giant stumbling blocks. The words of the Apostle Paul, “Boast not against the branches…be not high-minded, but fear…He also might not spare thee…continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off” (Romans 11:18, 20-22) come to mind when I recall the horrible injustices done to the Jewish people in the name of Christianity. To be “cut off” in ancient Israel meant you were removed from the House of Israel–a very serious issue. Christian brutalities of the past and present-day Christian anti-Semitism should be a concern for everyone who calls themselves Christians.Those who despise Israel would not survive in God’s Coming Kingdom. True believers must cut all ties with such branches of Christendom.
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” – Elie Wiesel, writer and Holocaust survivor.
One such protester who carried out those words was J. C. Ryle, a fearless man of God. In an address to fellow Churchmen of his day, Ryle said, “I believe it is high time for the Church of Christ to awaken out of its sleep…I think we have made great mistakes, and…we should confess it…unless you interpret the prophetical portion of the Old Testament in the simple, literal meaning of its words…will you dare to tell a Jew that Zion, Jerusalem, Jacob, Judah, Ephraim, and Israel do not mean what they seem to mean, but means the Church of Christ? I think we should remember that we must reject…traditions which are not according to the Bible…from the time of the old Fathers Jerome and Origen down to the present day, men have gone on in a pernicious habit of spiritualizing the words of the prophets until their true meaning has been well nigh buried…the curses on the Jews were brought to pass literally; so also will be the blessings. The scattering was literal; so also will be the gathering. The pulling down of Zion was literal; so also will be the building up. The rejection of Israel was literal; so will be the restoration.”
The Reading of God’s Word
Ryle goes on to say “The word ‘Israel’ has been interpreted in many passages of the Psalms and Prophets as if it meant nothing more than Christian believers…have not glorious things been described as laid up in store for Israel? …against the system I have long protested, and I hope I shall always protest as long as I live…where in the whole New Testament shall we find any plain authority for applying the word Israel to anyone but the nation of Israel? I can find none…beware of the system of allegorizing and spiritualizing…which the School of Origen first brought in and found such an unfortunate degree of favor in the Church…Never lose sight of the primary sense of the text…” (J. C. Ryle, the first Anglican Bishop of Liverpool).
However, much of today’s modern Church has taken a wrong turn into unfamiliar neighborhoods as did historical Christendom’s religious system. The “GPS” of the present day Church is programmed for a crash if it continues to divert from its ancient paths of truth (Jeremiah 18:15). The history of Christianity’s pogroms (1181-1917) [generally accepted dates], crusades (1095-1258), inquisitions (1480-1530), and collaboration with the Nazis (1933-1945) shows us how much it veered off course. We must begin our return by acknowledging Israel’s restoration as being from God. The restoration of Israel took place as God had left the stump of the tree in the ground to one day resprout. It is quite disturbing to see actually how much of Christendom mapped its own course and wandered through the spiritual fog that rolled by. Jerusalem meant very little until the last half of the last century. The age-old fear of the Torah (Old Testament Scriptures) has now begun to disappear and an awakening toward Israel and the Jewish people is clearing the fog. The rebellion against God and His Word in regard to Israel brought on religious prejudices and injustices. Self-righteousness and judging the Jewish people left it with a Hall of Shame lined with “poisoned ivy” from Church theology which ended up violating Scriptural principles of brotherhood between our two communities of faith.
It is also alarming that large parts of today’s Church is pulling further away from Israel. How will anti-Semitic members be summoned for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb when in the banquet hall and at the head table will be ancient Jewish prophets, Psalmists, and New Testament Jewish apostles as well as many others who followed Yeshua? What about the great “life from the dead” event to come for Israel? Does the anti-Semitic portion of the Church believe in the role of the 144,000 Jewish men in the Book of Revelation? As much of the Church rolls along merrily what is taking place in the Spirit among true believers? They are finding their way home.
Choices will be made that will control destinies. Unlike the proverbial canary in a coal mine which could not control its destiny, as the bird went along cheerfully until poison got to him and that was the end. Christians have the ability to resist the poison of deception Yes, much of the Church lost its way and today, instead of the poor wandering Jew, we see lukewarm Christians wandering from pew to pew. Because of understanding very little Hebrew (the original language of the Bible), much of the Church sat in the dark for ages, unable to understand Hebraic idioms and parables in their proper context and setting. It was easy for allegorization of Scripture to enter. We need your help to continue to clear away the boulders which were placed in front of the Jewish path, through spiritual pride and allegorization (Isaiah 57:14, 62:10).
At a recent Protestant conference…one speaker called the God of the Christian Zionists, “the great ethnic cleanser,” and another described the Biblical Joshua as the “patron saint of ethnic cleansing.” It was reported that during this conference “not one Protestant clergyman protested.” It is like “throwing stones” instead of paving the road. Deeply ingrained anti-Semitic notions still block the path.
A Ray of Light
In November 5-8, 2012, a Protestant Consultation on Israel and the Middle East (PCIME) was held in Jerusalem with church members from Europe, N. America and Africa, all sharing their concerns about the relationship between the churches and Israel. They came to affirm their love for Israel. They believe that God remains in covenant with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They repudiated Replacement Theology which claims Israel has no further place in God’s plans. It certainly was a breakthrough in removing some of the road blockers of progress along the Christian path home.
The spiritual challenge ahead is to expand our knowledge of Israelology (the study of the Church and Israel). CFI representatives around the world are leading many to know why we must pray for Israel, and teaching about God’s commands to bless drawing from our spiritual tap-root. Theway forward is early learning environments, support of Hebrew study, and to assume alignment with Inclusion and not Replacement Theology. We must lead the way. Dr. Michael Brown states about much of today’s Church, “My suspicion is that the next great awakening will also be quite a rude awakening.” Could it be that part of the rude awakening will be for the part of the Church which refuses to recognize Israel?
Moving Closer to Home
“Neither let the alien, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying: ‘The LORD will surely separate me from His people…” (Isaiah 56:3).
Isaiah 56:3-5 states that non-Jews should join, (“lavah” in Hebrew) or twine themselves together like strands twisted together–to Israel. They were not to say that they were separate (“badal”) from His People. Early believers held fast to Israel and God’s covenant(s). Keil and Delitzsch’s Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament states that non-Jews professed faith in Israel’s God, and attached themselves to the Jewish people. Gentiles had been aliens (not citizens), strangers from the covenants of promise and had no right to enter the Hebrew congregation of the Lord. Yeshua (Jesus) tore down the wall between us. It is such a terrible tragedy that the wall was not only erected again (by religious Christendom) but the barbed wire of false theology regarding Israel’s future restoration secured the barrier for centuries thus resulting in the Church and Israel’s problems we see today.
Would it not be really wonderful to receive a handshake of warm welcome from the King of Kings as we enter into Israel’s redeemed Commonwealth? It would be so comforting to hear the words: “Welcome My Friends into the congregation of the Lord. You have been a friend of My People.” Our Declaration of Faith should include the same message Ruth pronounced: “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee…thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God…the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me” (Ruth 1:16-17, KJV).
May the Holy Spirit enlighten us on our return journey. I remember so clearly the night I received an unusual touch of the Holy Spirit in the 1970’s. My whole being was submerged in a rush of a million tiny electric pulses of energy, as if I had been plugged into a source of Godly power in an unforgettable moment of my life. From that never-to-be forgotten contact with God’s majestic power, I have been able to serve Him with an abounding energy. Yes, the struggling Church needs that same power of the Holy Spirit to awaken us as the Spirit returns full circle from where it began – back to Jerusalem.
One day, the Lord’s House in Jerusalem will be open for everyone keeping God’s Covenants. It will serve as a House of Prayer, thanksgiving and praise for all nations. Christians must offer our lives as living witnesses to the Jew through service – and giving all we have – for the cause of the Lord’s Name which we carry! We must pray for the candles of reform to be lit and that voices such as Matthew Henry, Wesley, Tozer and others who saw the coming restoration of Israel will be heard again from Church pulpits. For the Jewish people to understand our faith in Yeshua, the Christian “in-your-face” attitude is a spiritual force to be reckoned with.
A “Church” that is struggling to keep the doors open, with watered down messages, cannot experience true revival. A spiritual paradigm has been lost and needs to be found again so that we can “make it right” with our Jewish brethren. Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Chief Rabbi of Efrat, said recently, “We have to have a united voice that talks about a God of love; then perhaps, with Jews and Christians united in this mission, we can teach it to the world…”
And so, it appears that the final curtain call heralding His Coming will occur at the time the one new man of the two is truly formed: two spiritual witnesses – Jews and Christians. If one is made from two…then it seems to describe a marriage made in Heaven – an idea only God could create. He wants Jews and Christians to have unity through diversity, with both of our eyes of understanding opened. What makes the true Church different than the apostate? Fruit (Matthew 7:17; 12:33). The true Bride needs to continue moving closer to our earthly and heavenly home – Jerusalem – walking in the life-transforming truth Jesus taught and make certain we have plenty of blessings to carry with us on our return trip home.
-Sharon Sanders-