in the first year of his (Darius son of Xerxes) reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. (Dan 9:2-3)
The ninth chapter of the book of Daniel answers some profound questions that men have pondered.
1) What do prophets read? Prophets of course, “I Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet”.
2) How quickly is a prayer answered? “As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given” (Dan 9:23).
3) How quickly can an angel fly from the throne of God to man? Approximately three minutes depending on the speed of the reader. Since angels are not "omnipresent" they must fly from one place to the next. Gabriel came “in swift flight” (Dan 9:21) to tell Daniel the answer to his prayer as soon as Daniel began to pray (Dan 9:23). Since Gabriel “stand(s) in the presence of God” (Luke 1:19) and ended up at Daniel in the time it took to speak the prayer contained in verses 4-19 of chapter nine, the estimated flight time is approximately three minutes depending on the warp speed of the angel.
I need maximum power Scotty.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Preparing to Sow to a Jew Part 4 of 4
(2) Reflect a Proper Reverence and Awe for God: Jewish people have a reverence for the name and word of God that is unfamiliar to the Gentile believer. Jewish people rarely, if ever, speak the name of God. To treat the name of God in a common manner is to profane the name of the LORD. Often, substitutes to reference the name such as “HaShem” (His name) or El Shaddai (LORD Almighty) are used. When God’s name or a variation is spoken, the name is often followed by the phrase, “blessed be His Name”. We see a unique reverence to God’s name in the Gospel of Matthew, written to the audience of the Jewish nation, that refers to the “Kingdom of Heaven” to avoid using the name “Kingdom of God”, which occurs in other gospel accounts with the same meaning. When the name “God” appears in Jewish writing, it is typically hyphenated “G-d” so it can be erased without erasing the name of God. Almost never is the most holy name of God spoken, “Yahweh”, which is translated with all capitals in the Bible as “LORD”.
The written word is still contained on scrolls, like in the days of Jesus, and is housed in “the Ark” at the front of the synagogue. All the people stand, dance, praise God, and even cry when the scrolls are brought out to be read and remain standing until the completion of the reading (Luke 4:20). The Ark is at the front of the synagogue because no person should ever turn their back on the word of God. Even at home, no book is allowed to be placed on top of the Bible because no word should be above the word of God. When the useful life of a scroll is reached, the scroll is buried, like a body, in a “Genizah” following a specific set of worship and regulations that honors the body of God’s word. Some believe that the Dead Sea scrolls where originally documents retired from use and placed in the community Genizah adjacent to Qumran.
In the days of Jesus, every Jew began to memorize the word of God at the age of five. A boy learned the first five books written by Moses while a girl studied Psalms and Proverbs. The praise spoken by Mary (Luke 1:46-55) reflected her knowledge of the Psalms, while Jesus largely quoted the Psalms when talking to women. Memorization was both a commandment, “I have hidden your word on my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psa 119:11) and a practical necessity since the written word could not be easily duplicated. Since scriptures were not numbered, Jesus often used a technique called “allusion”, which spoke a partial passage from the text, but the implication was either the sentence before or after. It was the first century way of saying “John 3:16” without quoting the passage. That tradition of scripture memorization continues into the present, with the average Jew able to quote considerable scripture, while the Gentile believer relies on Bible software.
Such reverence for God’s name and written word are foreign to the Christian, who more often relates to God in a cavalier manner and comes dangerously close to treating “as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him” (Heb 10:29). Our actions and attitudes set a stumbling block before the Jew. For a Jew cannot easily accept the word of God from a person that does not hold the proper awe and reverence for the word, but instead treats that which is holy as if it were common.
No amount of words spoken will be sufficient to overcome a lifestyle that is inconsistent with the words of Jesus. Remember, "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master” (Matt 10:24-25). We must live the Message.
(1) Pray: “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing” (1 Tim 2:8). Without question, we greatly underestimate the power we have in prayer. I know we underestimate the power because we do not pray as we should, “continually” (1 Thes 5:17), the standard in scripture. Prayer should be the first and continuing action toward any individual or group who we hope to impact.
We are often not motivated to pray because we can not see the direct effect our prayers have in the physical realms. Consider this story. Shortly after the Exodus from Egypt, the Amalekites attacked the nation of Israel.
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands , the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up — one on one side, one on the other — so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. (Ex 17:10-13)
The scripture tells us that as long as Moses was holding up his hands, Israel was prevailing, but when Moses lowered his hands, “the Amalekites were winning”. How does the simple placement of Moses’ hands affect the outcome of the battle? Was Moses somehow signaling to Joshua how to conduct the battle? Indeed, Moses was signaling to Joshua and to us how to conduct the battle.
The lifting of his hands signified that Moses was either praying (Ex 9:33) or blessing (Lev 9:22)(Luke 24:50). When Moses prayed or blessed, Israel prevailed, but when Moses’ hands became heavy and he could not pray, the enemy prevailed. By example, an outreach to any individual or group, must be preceded by frequent and fervent prayer to achieve any measure of success.
Prayer must be made for the opportunity to witness (Col 4:3-4), for the words to be spoken (Eph 6:19-20), for the message to enlighten the heart and give hope to those who hear (Eph 1:18-19), and for the word of the LORD to spread rapidly and be honored (2 Thes 3:1).
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (Col 4:3-4)
The written word is still contained on scrolls, like in the days of Jesus, and is housed in “the Ark” at the front of the synagogue. All the people stand, dance, praise God, and even cry when the scrolls are brought out to be read and remain standing until the completion of the reading (Luke 4:20). The Ark is at the front of the synagogue because no person should ever turn their back on the word of God. Even at home, no book is allowed to be placed on top of the Bible because no word should be above the word of God. When the useful life of a scroll is reached, the scroll is buried, like a body, in a “Genizah” following a specific set of worship and regulations that honors the body of God’s word. Some believe that the Dead Sea scrolls where originally documents retired from use and placed in the community Genizah adjacent to Qumran.
In the days of Jesus, every Jew began to memorize the word of God at the age of five. A boy learned the first five books written by Moses while a girl studied Psalms and Proverbs. The praise spoken by Mary (Luke 1:46-55) reflected her knowledge of the Psalms, while Jesus largely quoted the Psalms when talking to women. Memorization was both a commandment, “I have hidden your word on my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psa 119:11) and a practical necessity since the written word could not be easily duplicated. Since scriptures were not numbered, Jesus often used a technique called “allusion”, which spoke a partial passage from the text, but the implication was either the sentence before or after. It was the first century way of saying “John 3:16” without quoting the passage. That tradition of scripture memorization continues into the present, with the average Jew able to quote considerable scripture, while the Gentile believer relies on Bible software.
Such reverence for God’s name and written word are foreign to the Christian, who more often relates to God in a cavalier manner and comes dangerously close to treating “as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him” (Heb 10:29). Our actions and attitudes set a stumbling block before the Jew. For a Jew cannot easily accept the word of God from a person that does not hold the proper awe and reverence for the word, but instead treats that which is holy as if it were common.
No amount of words spoken will be sufficient to overcome a lifestyle that is inconsistent with the words of Jesus. Remember, "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master” (Matt 10:24-25). We must live the Message.
(1) Pray: “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing” (1 Tim 2:8). Without question, we greatly underestimate the power we have in prayer. I know we underestimate the power because we do not pray as we should, “continually” (1 Thes 5:17), the standard in scripture. Prayer should be the first and continuing action toward any individual or group who we hope to impact.
We are often not motivated to pray because we can not see the direct effect our prayers have in the physical realms. Consider this story. Shortly after the Exodus from Egypt, the Amalekites attacked the nation of Israel.
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands , the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up — one on one side, one on the other — so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. (Ex 17:10-13)
The scripture tells us that as long as Moses was holding up his hands, Israel was prevailing, but when Moses lowered his hands, “the Amalekites were winning”. How does the simple placement of Moses’ hands affect the outcome of the battle? Was Moses somehow signaling to Joshua how to conduct the battle? Indeed, Moses was signaling to Joshua and to us how to conduct the battle.
The lifting of his hands signified that Moses was either praying (Ex 9:33) or blessing (Lev 9:22)(Luke 24:50). When Moses prayed or blessed, Israel prevailed, but when Moses’ hands became heavy and he could not pray, the enemy prevailed. By example, an outreach to any individual or group, must be preceded by frequent and fervent prayer to achieve any measure of success.
Prayer must be made for the opportunity to witness (Col 4:3-4), for the words to be spoken (Eph 6:19-20), for the message to enlighten the heart and give hope to those who hear (Eph 1:18-19), and for the word of the LORD to spread rapidly and be honored (2 Thes 3:1).
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (Col 4:3-4)
Scott
Preparing to Witness to a Jew Part 3 of 4
Sometime ago I posted the first two parts of a document written to help a friend witness to a Jewish associate listing ten considerations when talking to a Jewish person. Much of what you read will already be familar to you, but I wanted to post the balance of that document in two parts to complete the process. I included a table, but much is lost in the pasting process.
(5) Understand the Importance of the Jewish Feasts: Central to the Jewish worship of the LORD are the “appointed feasts of the LORD” given to Moses in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus while Israel was in the wilderness. The first feast mentioned and the most frequent of all feasts is the weekly Sabbath day. A nineteenth century Jewish writer said it best, “It was not that the Jews kept the Sabbath, but that the Sabbath kept the Jews”. In other words, the Jews never forgot who they are and the unique relationship they have before God because they kept the Sabbath. When Moses came down off Mount Sinai the second time, he brought with him the instructions on how to construct the tabernacle, the house of God. In case people thought that such an important project would necessitate working on the Sabbath, the LORD reminded Moses just before he descended, “The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant” (Ex 31:16).
The eve of the Sabbath is a time of intense preparation before the Sabbath day rest. As such both the Sabbath eve and day become a picture of this life and the afterlife. Therefore, “make every effort to enter that rest” (Heb 4:11) because, “Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4). Further, many Jews believe that the week is ultimately a pattern for the history of the world, with the Sabbath as the “thousand year kingdom”. Yes, many Jews believe in a Millennial Kingdom and were looking for that event to begin when Jesus came to the earth. It appears the Hebrew writer was referring to this future time when he wrote, “There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God” (Heb 4:4-11). The Gentile believer must respect this day and not seek to engage a Jew in any activity on this day.
In addition to the Sabbath, the LORD established seven annual feasts to mark significant events that occurred in the history of Israel. The LORD placed such priority on the feasts that He instructed Moses to change the Jewish calendar making the Passover month of Nisan the first month, after it had originally been the seventh month. The LORD instructed Israel to annually proclaim the feasts at the “appointed times” (Lev 23:4-5). Said another way, the LORD established “appointment times” to come down and meet with His people. These feasts became very important to the Jewish people because no person desired to miss their appointment with the LORD.
We understand from the Greek text that the annual feasts are both a “shadow of the things that were to come” (Col 2:17, NIV) and a “shadow of what is to come” (Col 2:17, NASU). Because “the reality…is found in Christ” (Col 2:17), it is beneficial for the Christian to understand the significance of these feasts since such action will honor the Jew, while giving the believer insight into the ultimate fulfillment of Jesus’ past and future actions on the earth.
The feasts are subdivided into four spring feasts (March-April) and three fall feasts (September-October). The subdivision aligns with the two annual harvests that occur in Israel and are a picture of the two comings of Jesus. The prophet Hosea said of the LORD’S appearing, “As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth" (Hos 6:3). We see from this passage that the LORD’S appearing is “like the winter rains” and “the spring rains.” These rains produce two separate growing seasons that result in two separate harvests. The first harvest began on firstfruits when Jesus was resurrected and the second harvest will occur at the end of the age when Jesus returns.
The seven feasts commanded by God to be celebrated include…
FEAST DATE FIRST/SECOND FULFILLMENT
Passover (Peach) Nisan 14 (March-April) Death passed over blood of the lamb
(Jesus died as our Passover Lamb)
Unleaven Bread (Hag HaMatzah) Nisan 15-21
(March-April) Rapid departure of Israel from Egypt
(Jesus died as a sinless sacrifice)
Firstfruits (Yom HaBikkurim)
On 1st day of wk after Passover The beginning of the spring harvest
(March-April) (Jesus rose from the grave on this day)
Pentecost (Shavuot) 50 day counting
Sabbath after Passover (May-June) Moses came down off Mount Sinai with
the ten commandments (The Holy Spirit
was given to believers as a guarantee of our
salvation)
Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah) Tishrei 1
(Sept – Oct) Marks the day the heavens created
(The day of Jesus expected return)
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) Tishrei 10
(Sept – Oct) Holiest day of the Jewish year
(The day Jesus will judge the world)
Tabernacles (Sukkot) Tishrei 15-22
(Sept – Oct) Remembers the time Israel lived in tents in
the wilderness for forty years (Looks forward
to the time when the LORD will again dwell on
the earth)
The forty days leading up to and including the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is a time for Jewish national repentance with the last ten days referred to as the “Days of Awe”, a time of Jewish national repentance before the LORD finalizes His judgment on the Yom Kippur. These forty days are traditionally associated with the forty days of fasting when Jesus was in the wilderness. The day Satan choose to tempt Jesus was Yom Kippur, the most holy day in the Jewish year, when no work is permitted and everyone is commanded to fast. The temptation was more than a prideful diversion, it was an effort by Satan to cause Jesus to break the fasting commandment of God.
Finally, in addition to the commanded feasts, the Jews introduced Purim (March – April) to celebrate the salvation of the Jews in the days of Ester and Hanukah (December) to celebrate the miracle of the oil in the days of the Maccabees, a feast recognized by Jesus (John 10:22).
(4) Avoid the Things That Are Offensive: Some of the words and the actions of people are offensive to me. As a result, I discount any message they may have to speak to me. The Christian message is often discounted before we ever open our mouth because we have set stumbling blocks in front of Jewish people. Often, we are unaware that we have introduced obstacles that compromise the message. Most people will not tell you directly of the offense, they will just use the offense as a reason to ignore the message. Remember the words of Paul…
Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. (1 Cor 10:32-33)
Hear me out. Many Christian like to display their belief by wearing symbols that include a cross. I have a cross hanging on the wall in my home. No matter what the meaning may be to you, the wearing of a cross or the depiction of a cross on your clothes or Bible is extremely offensive to the reverent Jew. A history of persecution and death is associated with the cross beginning in the days of Caesar when the Roman empire would literally line the streets with thousands of Jews crucified for rebellion or crimes against the empire. The cross was a common symbol of the crusaders who killed thousands of Jews who refused to “convert” often executing them in front of a cross. Under the banner of the cross, Jews were driven from their homes in the Spanish Inquisition in the timeframe when Columbus sailed to the New World. From the standpoint of scripture, there is no precedent to wear a cross as a symbol. Through the eyes of a Jew, wearing the cross might be the modern equivalent of wearing a miniature gas chamber complete with a smokestack if Jesus had died for the sins of the world at Auschwitz. No matter what it means to us, six million Jews were killed in this manner and one would ever find peace and comfort by such a reminder.
Be careful about all symbols you wear or display. An orthodox Jew is careful to follow the commandment…
Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars — all the heavenly array — do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. (Deut 4:15-20)
In addition to symbols, avoid words that, in the Jewish mind, derive from a history of offense and injustice such as “crusade and conversion”. The Jewish Bible should be referred to as the “Tanak”, not the “Old Testament”, “those Jewish writings”, or “your Bible”, which immediately establishes a separation between us and any Jewish person. Jewish terms should be used when possible such as “Messiah”, instead of the Greek “Christ”. Festivals should be called by their Jewish names and Jesus should be called Yeshua. Such steps are not only more scriptural, but reflect the proper sensitivity toward the Jew.
Always remember that the plan of God from the beginning has been “to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” How can that be accomplished? “He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.” (Eph 2:15-17). All expression and communication with a Jewish person must, at its very foundation, reflect an attitude that seeks to make peace between the Jew and the Greek.
(3) Do Not Convert a Jew, But Welcome a Jew as a Brother: For over 1800 years, many Christians have held to a belief that a Jew must leave behind the lifestyle patterned after the commandments contained in the text and conform to the lifestyle of a typical Gentile. This process has been referred to as “conversion” and thought necessary because, “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile…” (Rom 10:12). Standing alone this statement would seem to support the proposition that Gentiles and Jews in Christ should possess uniformity in beliefs and actions. However, this verse is proceeded by one that qualifies how Jew believer and Gentile believer are equal; each comes to a righteousness from God, “through faith in Jesus Christ” (Rom 10:11).
In a like manner, Paul told the Galatians, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28). Does this statement of Paul mandate equality of belief and action among Jew and Gentile who believe in the same Messiah? Certainly, not! For the statement itself contains examples that we know in the physical realm are not equal. Slave is not the equal of free and man is not the same as woman. For equality does not mean uniformity. For example, God is a unity, yet there are three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit, distinct in position and function. The Jew and Greek, slave and free, and man and woman are equal only in the aspects of “faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26).
Therefore, is a Jewish believer required to act as a Gentile believer or a Gentile as a Jew? Only if a slave can act as one who is free and a man can become a woman (Gal 3:26) should a Jew be obligated to act as a Gentile. For “each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called?” (1 Cor 7:20-24). And why remain as called, because “the body is not made up of one part, but of many…(whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free)” (1 Cor 12:13-14). God needs witnesses for Christ everywhere in the world among Jews, Greeks, slaves, free, men, and women.
Contrary to popular belief, Paul remained a Jew in word and deed. He prayed at the Temple (Acts 22:17), participated in Jewish ritual purification (Acts 21:24), and sought to celebrate the annual feasts when the opportunity permitted (Acts 20:16). When Paul was accused of telling “telling Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses…not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs” (Acts 21:21), the elders in Jerusalem told him to take four men and “join in their purification rites…Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.” (Acts 21:24). Unless the elders were deliberately creating a deception, do not be ridiculous, the actions of Paul demonstrated that he continued to live in accordance with Jewish customs. Upon his arrival in Rome before the Jewish leaders, Paul testified, “I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors” (Acts 28:17). The word “customs” even goes so far as to imply that Paul followed aspects of the Oral Law, in addition to the written law.
We remember that Gentile believers became known as “Christians” at Antioch (Acts 11:26), but what escapes our notice is that Hebrew Christians were separately called “Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5) because they maintained the traditions of the patriarchs. Therefore, the same freedom which allows the Gentile to participate or not, in the things which are considered “Jewish” cannot prohibit the Jewish person from participating in that which uniquely identifies the Jew with covenant promises given to the Jewish people by God. How did Gentiles ever conceive that a Jew, who accepted Jesus as Messiah, was mandated to give up the unique nature in which God created him? Or as one in my church has said, “Spanish believers, celebrate Cinco de Mayo and other Mexican festivals, and eat cultural foods without getting grief from anyone. Jewish believers, however, are expected to give up all of their festivals, kosher foods, wine, and the Sabbath if they want to be ‘one of us’. My brothers, this should not be.”
(5) Understand the Importance of the Jewish Feasts: Central to the Jewish worship of the LORD are the “appointed feasts of the LORD” given to Moses in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus while Israel was in the wilderness. The first feast mentioned and the most frequent of all feasts is the weekly Sabbath day. A nineteenth century Jewish writer said it best, “It was not that the Jews kept the Sabbath, but that the Sabbath kept the Jews”. In other words, the Jews never forgot who they are and the unique relationship they have before God because they kept the Sabbath. When Moses came down off Mount Sinai the second time, he brought with him the instructions on how to construct the tabernacle, the house of God. In case people thought that such an important project would necessitate working on the Sabbath, the LORD reminded Moses just before he descended, “The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant” (Ex 31:16).
The eve of the Sabbath is a time of intense preparation before the Sabbath day rest. As such both the Sabbath eve and day become a picture of this life and the afterlife. Therefore, “make every effort to enter that rest” (Heb 4:11) because, “Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4). Further, many Jews believe that the week is ultimately a pattern for the history of the world, with the Sabbath as the “thousand year kingdom”. Yes, many Jews believe in a Millennial Kingdom and were looking for that event to begin when Jesus came to the earth. It appears the Hebrew writer was referring to this future time when he wrote, “There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God” (Heb 4:4-11). The Gentile believer must respect this day and not seek to engage a Jew in any activity on this day.
In addition to the Sabbath, the LORD established seven annual feasts to mark significant events that occurred in the history of Israel. The LORD placed such priority on the feasts that He instructed Moses to change the Jewish calendar making the Passover month of Nisan the first month, after it had originally been the seventh month. The LORD instructed Israel to annually proclaim the feasts at the “appointed times” (Lev 23:4-5). Said another way, the LORD established “appointment times” to come down and meet with His people. These feasts became very important to the Jewish people because no person desired to miss their appointment with the LORD.
We understand from the Greek text that the annual feasts are both a “shadow of the things that were to come” (Col 2:17, NIV) and a “shadow of what is to come” (Col 2:17, NASU). Because “the reality…is found in Christ” (Col 2:17), it is beneficial for the Christian to understand the significance of these feasts since such action will honor the Jew, while giving the believer insight into the ultimate fulfillment of Jesus’ past and future actions on the earth.
The feasts are subdivided into four spring feasts (March-April) and three fall feasts (September-October). The subdivision aligns with the two annual harvests that occur in Israel and are a picture of the two comings of Jesus. The prophet Hosea said of the LORD’S appearing, “As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth" (Hos 6:3). We see from this passage that the LORD’S appearing is “like the winter rains” and “the spring rains.” These rains produce two separate growing seasons that result in two separate harvests. The first harvest began on firstfruits when Jesus was resurrected and the second harvest will occur at the end of the age when Jesus returns.
The seven feasts commanded by God to be celebrated include…
FEAST DATE FIRST/SECOND FULFILLMENT
Passover (Peach) Nisan 14 (March-April) Death passed over blood of the lamb
(Jesus died as our Passover Lamb)
Unleaven Bread (Hag HaMatzah) Nisan 15-21
(March-April) Rapid departure of Israel from Egypt
(Jesus died as a sinless sacrifice)
Firstfruits (Yom HaBikkurim)
On 1st day of wk after Passover The beginning of the spring harvest
(March-April) (Jesus rose from the grave on this day)
Pentecost (Shavuot) 50 day counting
Sabbath after Passover (May-June) Moses came down off Mount Sinai with
the ten commandments (The Holy Spirit
was given to believers as a guarantee of our
salvation)
Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah) Tishrei 1
(Sept – Oct) Marks the day the heavens created
(The day of Jesus expected return)
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) Tishrei 10
(Sept – Oct) Holiest day of the Jewish year
(The day Jesus will judge the world)
Tabernacles (Sukkot) Tishrei 15-22
(Sept – Oct) Remembers the time Israel lived in tents in
the wilderness for forty years (Looks forward
to the time when the LORD will again dwell on
the earth)
The forty days leading up to and including the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is a time for Jewish national repentance with the last ten days referred to as the “Days of Awe”, a time of Jewish national repentance before the LORD finalizes His judgment on the Yom Kippur. These forty days are traditionally associated with the forty days of fasting when Jesus was in the wilderness. The day Satan choose to tempt Jesus was Yom Kippur, the most holy day in the Jewish year, when no work is permitted and everyone is commanded to fast. The temptation was more than a prideful diversion, it was an effort by Satan to cause Jesus to break the fasting commandment of God.
Finally, in addition to the commanded feasts, the Jews introduced Purim (March – April) to celebrate the salvation of the Jews in the days of Ester and Hanukah (December) to celebrate the miracle of the oil in the days of the Maccabees, a feast recognized by Jesus (John 10:22).
(4) Avoid the Things That Are Offensive: Some of the words and the actions of people are offensive to me. As a result, I discount any message they may have to speak to me. The Christian message is often discounted before we ever open our mouth because we have set stumbling blocks in front of Jewish people. Often, we are unaware that we have introduced obstacles that compromise the message. Most people will not tell you directly of the offense, they will just use the offense as a reason to ignore the message. Remember the words of Paul…
Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. (1 Cor 10:32-33)
Hear me out. Many Christian like to display their belief by wearing symbols that include a cross. I have a cross hanging on the wall in my home. No matter what the meaning may be to you, the wearing of a cross or the depiction of a cross on your clothes or Bible is extremely offensive to the reverent Jew. A history of persecution and death is associated with the cross beginning in the days of Caesar when the Roman empire would literally line the streets with thousands of Jews crucified for rebellion or crimes against the empire. The cross was a common symbol of the crusaders who killed thousands of Jews who refused to “convert” often executing them in front of a cross. Under the banner of the cross, Jews were driven from their homes in the Spanish Inquisition in the timeframe when Columbus sailed to the New World. From the standpoint of scripture, there is no precedent to wear a cross as a symbol. Through the eyes of a Jew, wearing the cross might be the modern equivalent of wearing a miniature gas chamber complete with a smokestack if Jesus had died for the sins of the world at Auschwitz. No matter what it means to us, six million Jews were killed in this manner and one would ever find peace and comfort by such a reminder.
Be careful about all symbols you wear or display. An orthodox Jew is careful to follow the commandment…
Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars — all the heavenly array — do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. (Deut 4:15-20)
In addition to symbols, avoid words that, in the Jewish mind, derive from a history of offense and injustice such as “crusade and conversion”. The Jewish Bible should be referred to as the “Tanak”, not the “Old Testament”, “those Jewish writings”, or “your Bible”, which immediately establishes a separation between us and any Jewish person. Jewish terms should be used when possible such as “Messiah”, instead of the Greek “Christ”. Festivals should be called by their Jewish names and Jesus should be called Yeshua. Such steps are not only more scriptural, but reflect the proper sensitivity toward the Jew.
Always remember that the plan of God from the beginning has been “to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” How can that be accomplished? “He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.” (Eph 2:15-17). All expression and communication with a Jewish person must, at its very foundation, reflect an attitude that seeks to make peace between the Jew and the Greek.
(3) Do Not Convert a Jew, But Welcome a Jew as a Brother: For over 1800 years, many Christians have held to a belief that a Jew must leave behind the lifestyle patterned after the commandments contained in the text and conform to the lifestyle of a typical Gentile. This process has been referred to as “conversion” and thought necessary because, “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile…” (Rom 10:12). Standing alone this statement would seem to support the proposition that Gentiles and Jews in Christ should possess uniformity in beliefs and actions. However, this verse is proceeded by one that qualifies how Jew believer and Gentile believer are equal; each comes to a righteousness from God, “through faith in Jesus Christ” (Rom 10:11).
In a like manner, Paul told the Galatians, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28). Does this statement of Paul mandate equality of belief and action among Jew and Gentile who believe in the same Messiah? Certainly, not! For the statement itself contains examples that we know in the physical realm are not equal. Slave is not the equal of free and man is not the same as woman. For equality does not mean uniformity. For example, God is a unity, yet there are three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit, distinct in position and function. The Jew and Greek, slave and free, and man and woman are equal only in the aspects of “faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26).
Therefore, is a Jewish believer required to act as a Gentile believer or a Gentile as a Jew? Only if a slave can act as one who is free and a man can become a woman (Gal 3:26) should a Jew be obligated to act as a Gentile. For “each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called?” (1 Cor 7:20-24). And why remain as called, because “the body is not made up of one part, but of many…(whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free)” (1 Cor 12:13-14). God needs witnesses for Christ everywhere in the world among Jews, Greeks, slaves, free, men, and women.
Contrary to popular belief, Paul remained a Jew in word and deed. He prayed at the Temple (Acts 22:17), participated in Jewish ritual purification (Acts 21:24), and sought to celebrate the annual feasts when the opportunity permitted (Acts 20:16). When Paul was accused of telling “telling Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses…not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs” (Acts 21:21), the elders in Jerusalem told him to take four men and “join in their purification rites…Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.” (Acts 21:24). Unless the elders were deliberately creating a deception, do not be ridiculous, the actions of Paul demonstrated that he continued to live in accordance with Jewish customs. Upon his arrival in Rome before the Jewish leaders, Paul testified, “I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors” (Acts 28:17). The word “customs” even goes so far as to imply that Paul followed aspects of the Oral Law, in addition to the written law.
We remember that Gentile believers became known as “Christians” at Antioch (Acts 11:26), but what escapes our notice is that Hebrew Christians were separately called “Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5) because they maintained the traditions of the patriarchs. Therefore, the same freedom which allows the Gentile to participate or not, in the things which are considered “Jewish” cannot prohibit the Jewish person from participating in that which uniquely identifies the Jew with covenant promises given to the Jewish people by God. How did Gentiles ever conceive that a Jew, who accepted Jesus as Messiah, was mandated to give up the unique nature in which God created him? Or as one in my church has said, “Spanish believers, celebrate Cinco de Mayo and other Mexican festivals, and eat cultural foods without getting grief from anyone. Jewish believers, however, are expected to give up all of their festivals, kosher foods, wine, and the Sabbath if they want to be ‘one of us’. My brothers, this should not be.”
Monday, May 4, 2009
Ha'adon
At Torah club Friday night, we discussed the use the LORD and the Lord. The LORD is used in the Hebrew text and is the name of God, YHVH, but translated Adonai. Lord in the NT also is translated Adonai.
Let's consider Malachi 3:1 "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. The suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.
Of course, this is a messianic prophesy that when the way is prepared, the Lord will come. The Lord used here is ha'adon. DP says ha'adon is the source of the word "Lord" the disciples chose to use to refer to Yeshua using Malachi 3:1 as their basis. When Yeshua was called Lord it had allusions that he was the incarnation of YHVH.
Let's consider Malachi 3:1 "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. The suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.
Of course, this is a messianic prophesy that when the way is prepared, the Lord will come. The Lord used here is ha'adon. DP says ha'adon is the source of the word "Lord" the disciples chose to use to refer to Yeshua using Malachi 3:1 as their basis. When Yeshua was called Lord it had allusions that he was the incarnation of YHVH.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Seeing the Law Under a Microscope
Studying from the Jewish Roots perspective has been equated to viewing the Bible with a different set of glasses. I am now beginning to think that a microscope might be the better analogy. A microscope is sometimes needed to see the subtle differences in scripture that are important to the Jewish reader and should be important to us. The need for a microscope also explains that the view to the conventional Christian on some subjects is not just out of focus, but almost invisible.
"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." (Mal 4:5-6)
The coming of Elijah before the "dreadful day of the LORD comes" is foretold by the prophet Malachi. This prophecy had a partial fulfillment through John the Baptist (Matt 11:14), but another "Elijah is coming and will restore all things" (Matt 17:11). The prophecy of Elijah in Malachi contained a two-part promise. He will turn…
(1) the hearts of the fathers to their children, and
(2) the hearts of the children to their fathers.
When the promise of John was given, the angel Gabriel said to Zechariah…
"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, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:17)
If you closely examine the words of Gabriel, you will see that it includes only the first part of the Malachi promise, "to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children". Jewish thought holds every word in the text as inspired, each letter of every word as inspired, the order of words as inspired, and even the absence of words as inspired. The word of GOD is perfect. That is why, "I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished" (Matt 5:18). So what is significant about the absence of the second promise in the words of Gabriel?
It is significance, we say, that when Yeshua reads the prophecy of Isaiah in His hometown synagogue only the first part of the prophecy is read "He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19). What immediately follows in the original prophecy is not read by Yeshua, "and the day of vengeance of our God" (Isa 61:2). Only the first portion of the prophecy is read because Yeshua only fulfilled that portion during His first appearing (Luke 4:21). The balance awaits the second appearing of Yeshua. In a similar manner, it appears significant that Gabriel speaks only the first part of the prophecy in reference to John.
This leaves the second part of the original Malachi prophecy "the hearts of the children to their fathers" to be fulfilled by a future Elijah, but to what does this prophecy refer? In Jewish thought the phrase, "the hearts of the children to their fathers", is viewed in a broader context than simply each child turning to his paternal father. The phrase is seen as referring to the nation of Israel when, at a future time, each person will return to the love and teaching of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses. With Moses will come the law to fulfill the prophecy spoken by Isaiah and Micah, "The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem" (Isa 2:3). This is all part of the broader promise given to the entire world…
In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." (Mic 4:1-2)(Isa 2:3-4)
There are many questions to ask, but a number of reasons to believe that the law will be restored. Yeshua prophesized that this future Elijah, "will restore all things" (Matt 17:11). This restoration is essential because it prepares the way for the return of Yeshua, whom "heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time" (Acts 3:21). Although the "restoration of all things" is a broad term subject to debate, at the very least, it appears to include a return to the law. Although trusting solely in the law for salvation brought a curse (Gal 3:10), the law itself "is holy, righteous and good" (Rom 7:12).
Moses is seen as a type of Yeshua in scripture. Teresa has pointed out to me that the two descendings of Moses off Mount Sinai are a picture of the two appearings of Yeshua. The first time Moses came down off Mount Sinai he brought the law, but smashed the tablets because of the people’s rebellion. The second time Moses came down, he re-instituted the Sabbath, restored the law and began construction of the temple. This becomes the pattern for Yeshua who will also build a temple as foretold by the prophets (Zech 6:12-13), restore the temple services (Zech 14:16), re-institute the Sabbath (Heb 4:9), and "rule them (the nations) with an iron scepter" (Rev 19:15)(Psa 2:9). The basis for that rule resides in the law.
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. (Gen 49:10)
"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse." (Mal 4:5-6)
The coming of Elijah before the "dreadful day of the LORD comes" is foretold by the prophet Malachi. This prophecy had a partial fulfillment through John the Baptist (Matt 11:14), but another "Elijah is coming and will restore all things" (Matt 17:11). The prophecy of Elijah in Malachi contained a two-part promise. He will turn…
(1) the hearts of the fathers to their children, and
(2) the hearts of the children to their fathers.
When the promise of John was given, the angel Gabriel said to Zechariah…
"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, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:17)
If you closely examine the words of Gabriel, you will see that it includes only the first part of the Malachi promise, "to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children". Jewish thought holds every word in the text as inspired, each letter of every word as inspired, the order of words as inspired, and even the absence of words as inspired. The word of GOD is perfect. That is why, "I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished" (Matt 5:18). So what is significant about the absence of the second promise in the words of Gabriel?
It is significance, we say, that when Yeshua reads the prophecy of Isaiah in His hometown synagogue only the first part of the prophecy is read "He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19). What immediately follows in the original prophecy is not read by Yeshua, "and the day of vengeance of our God" (Isa 61:2). Only the first portion of the prophecy is read because Yeshua only fulfilled that portion during His first appearing (Luke 4:21). The balance awaits the second appearing of Yeshua. In a similar manner, it appears significant that Gabriel speaks only the first part of the prophecy in reference to John.
This leaves the second part of the original Malachi prophecy "the hearts of the children to their fathers" to be fulfilled by a future Elijah, but to what does this prophecy refer? In Jewish thought the phrase, "the hearts of the children to their fathers", is viewed in a broader context than simply each child turning to his paternal father. The phrase is seen as referring to the nation of Israel when, at a future time, each person will return to the love and teaching of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses. With Moses will come the law to fulfill the prophecy spoken by Isaiah and Micah, "The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem" (Isa 2:3). This is all part of the broader promise given to the entire world…
In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." (Mic 4:1-2)(Isa 2:3-4)
There are many questions to ask, but a number of reasons to believe that the law will be restored. Yeshua prophesized that this future Elijah, "will restore all things" (Matt 17:11). This restoration is essential because it prepares the way for the return of Yeshua, whom "heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time" (Acts 3:21). Although the "restoration of all things" is a broad term subject to debate, at the very least, it appears to include a return to the law. Although trusting solely in the law for salvation brought a curse (Gal 3:10), the law itself "is holy, righteous and good" (Rom 7:12).
Moses is seen as a type of Yeshua in scripture. Teresa has pointed out to me that the two descendings of Moses off Mount Sinai are a picture of the two appearings of Yeshua. The first time Moses came down off Mount Sinai he brought the law, but smashed the tablets because of the people’s rebellion. The second time Moses came down, he re-instituted the Sabbath, restored the law and began construction of the temple. This becomes the pattern for Yeshua who will also build a temple as foretold by the prophets (Zech 6:12-13), restore the temple services (Zech 14:16), re-institute the Sabbath (Heb 4:9), and "rule them (the nations) with an iron scepter" (Rev 19:15)(Psa 2:9). The basis for that rule resides in the law.
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. (Gen 49:10)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)