The Hunters

Once again this week those whom the world calls terrorists have been at it again.  Last year they only left over 300,000 people dead and far more maimed.  Why?

We all believe that YHVH is sovereign over all the affairs of man, so what is the Almighty saying at this season of the fulfillment of His prophetic timetable?  

We, along with others, have been warning for years that YHVH is raising up the hunters (Jeremiah 16:16).  We have to keep blowing that shofar of warning to His faith people (Israel) as well as those who are “of the Law” (Judah) (see Romans 4:16).  The Words that stand out in the “blowing” are the following:  "Remember the Torah of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.  Behold, I will send you (all Israel) Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of YHVH.  And he will turn the hearts of the fathers/forefathers to the children, and the hearts of the children [of Israel] to their fathers/forefathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:4-6).   As I have pointed out in previous letters the word used here for “curse” is also used in Habakkuk where it is translated as “a hunter’s net”.   Please note the red above: the 3 verses form one unit; the all Israel is connected to the “children” and to the “forefathers” of Israel.  

The re-identification and reconstitution of the whole house of Israel back to becoming a nation again ranks high in the priority list of the Almighty One of Israel.  We know from previous restorations that the enemies (both natural and spiritual) will do everything to oppose this prophetic fact.  Religious spirits of Babylon will be at the forefront along with the Prince of Greece, just as they did in the days of Daniel.  Some have observed that the enemy will be using our past to keep us from moving forward. For this reason and other ones our backs must be protected. The following is a dream that was sent to us by Constance Fischer pertaining to the protection of the rear, but as she states “it is also multi-faceted”.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ephraim

Constance Fischer’s prophetic dream – again, multi-faceted. 

 ‘REAR GUARD’

 He had me in this dream – actively part of the dream. This took place in the desert of the Middle East.  Looked like possibly American and/or Israeli military forces, but definitely also represented His own.  

The look was of American, GI Joe forces with that same camo paint on the humvees, or military vehicles we were in.  There was a small convoy of these vehicles in the desert and they had come to a stop.

 I was in a leadership position but not in front, but adjacent to the small convoy.  It was clearly a picture of ‘coming beside’.

 I was standing outside of my vehicle as it seemed we had stopped for some purpose, not revealed to me in the dream – could have been to get our bearings.

 He had me looking back behind us...  it did not appear like that was something I had particular wisdom to do, but He had drawn me to simply look at the rear.  But He also gave me ‘eyes to see’. Right then He showed me something that caused a literal shudder to run over me when the dream ended...

Suddenly He showed me invisible entities – their big boot prints were the only things making any visible manifestation as they pounded unheard onto the desert floor kicking up dust... There were a number running up behind us – very swiftly with deadly, targeted intent – again, kicking up dust as their boots pounded the ground of the desert as He allowed me to clearly see the imprints and depression of their feet/boots... They were moving very FAST and were quickly and precisely descending upon their prey from the ‘rear’. They were invisible, unseen with the natural eye, with the exception of theirdeep boot prints and the dust they were kicking up.  They were large...

Let me interject here that one facet of this is to not let our past stop our move forward... by the invisible entities of the enemy coming to stop His own.  The enemy wants to ‘kick up the dust’ of the part of us that is but dust.  The hour is late. Selah 

Hos 2:14  “Therefore, see, I am alluring her, and shall lead her into the wilderness, and shall speak to her heart,

Hos 2:15  and give to her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Akor(‘disaster’) as a door of expectation...” 

This points to the sin of Akan (‘trouble’ – how He has spoken to us so often now “Let not your heart be troubled”)... the trouble that comes from trying to hold onto the ‘covering/garment’ of ‘Babylon’... ‘how long will you hop between two opinions?’... He knows... time to ‘come out of her My people’... time to go forward.  

Then before us will be the open door of HATIKVAH... ‘attached to Him in expectation, hope’ of all the good He will do.

Back to the prophetic dream.  Know this is also a clear warning about praying for those in military positions in the Middle East.  We are aware that the enemy is surrounding the position where US Military are currently stationed to train Iraqi troops. The entities attacking were invisible by the natural eye but by His Spirit He showed that they were darkly clad (I think we know what this represents regarding the evil one and those who are killing wantonly in the desert... that blood is crying out to Him) and they were carrying dark weapons – automatic, deadly guns.  (We also know that US military arms and munitions ‘left behind’ have now been confiscated and are being used by these darkly clad ones). They were well trained and again, running swiftly, descending on their prey... targeted and precise.

If not for Him causing me to look back at the rear they would have arrived at their goal unseen and unperceived unless He had given sight.  He must be our REAR GUARD, but that also means praying and allowing Him to show what is coming. Because He had me looking back, behind to the rear, I saw them and then I yelled with a loud voice and in His authority:

‘GET IN THE CAR!’  And I did, with the intent to get out of there!  To keep going!  Most were in the vehicles but the one who He had sent to come beside and was out of the vehicle as ‘watchman’ also needed to move now.  Selah

End of dream – and then full awakening and that shudder and I knew that this was very real

Congress Alert V - Town Hall Meeting Report

A few weeks ago a suggestion was put forth for what is termed “Town Hall Meetings” to take place in the Israelite/Ephraimite communities around the world.  The idea was to begin to discuss some of the proposals that were laid out for the Etz Bney Yosef National Congress.  We are very happy to inform you that some have taken this step and had their first meetings.  One such Israelite community in the host nation of the USA sent the following report: 

“Sunday evening we held the first Town Hall in our area. We had in attendance 9 adults. We spent approximately 90 min talking about the process of forming a Nation and the outline you provided.

 First, the item with the greatest consensus was the need for a “NAME” to call ourselves and to rally around. Most felt because the Jews have laid a foundation of Zionism from the early 1900’s, that we should build upon that. The Zionist’s Congresses that were held in Europe helped to establish an international political movement and national identity for the Jews along with a cry for a Jewish state. The historical evidences of a people group that were taken out of the land and dispersed into Assyria and beyond are identified in archeological and historical accounts as being called Israel, or the House of Israel. We are lacking historical weight behind the names, Ephraim, B’ney Yosef and others that are used in many of the Fellowships around the world. We are Israelites, plain and simple. History talks of us as Israel, the Bible talks of us as Israel and the House of Israel. We believe the Nations will receive us easier as the House of Israel and us as a people known as Israelites. With this identity the call can then go forth for those that want to stand with the House of Israel, as Israel, and build a National vision. Once this is decided and established, national cohesion will follow and the global network will grow out from the central hub in Israel. There was strong input on this at our meeting. 

 Secondly, we talked about a Charter for soon-to-be established chapters around the world where the scattered can connect without being proselytized into fellowships, i.e.  Chapters with a focus on Zionism, and what all that entails. This would help support these local groups that have a heart and a focus on moving toward the future Nation. Additionally, work groups could form within these local chapters for “exploring topics and assembling pertinent data and contacts."

 Thirdly, we the scattered would like to have a resource that lists those in the Land that are working toward the establishment of this our Nation…

Shalom,

Ron Runyon

goodears@jps.net

This report, resulting from a move away from Hebraic roots ‘denominationalism’ and into true Zionism, was very encouraging.  There are two roads that Zionism can take, the one that is in our hearts and the other that is in this world and in the flesh.   If our hearts are not right before our Heavenly Father, pride and self-righteousness will take over and we all know the potential outcome of that.  But if we are truly on the paths of Zion that are in our hearts, we can set our sails into the prevailing breeze of the Spirit and ride over the waves of these ‘lower waters’ to YHVH’s ultimate destiny.  We are His ship, His people, His called out ones from those who were once called “not my people” and who are now called “sons of the living Elohim” (See Hosea 1:10-11; Romans 9: 27-28; 1 Peter 2:10).  Yes, there will be babes and children coming along with the “sons” (see 1 John chapter 2), as well as the “lame and the blind” (see Jeremiah 31:8),   but as long as Yeshua is the captain of the ship we will arrive to the (greater) land promised to our forefathers, our inheritance.  

Remember the Divine mandate of Deuteronomy 30.  It is worth reading once a day from now until Pesach.  

Ephraim

A Time to Gather and Build

Some of the most familiar scripture verses, an adage if you will, even in circles where the bible isn’t a bestseller, are extracted from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…   A time to break down, and a time to build up… A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones…   A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away;  a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;  a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace” (3:1-8).

In one of Yeshua’s addresses to the religious leaders of His day, He chided them for not being able to discern the signs of the times: “Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, ‘When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times’” (Matthew 16:1-3).

If you are like me, before you go to bed at night you may take a look at some media channel to find out what the weather will be like in the following day, or in the days ahead. When the morrow comes, you may talk about the weather at least once or twice, or compare the forecast with the actual conditions.  But laying aside meteorological predictions, are we paying attention and observing the signs of the times? 

Without going into the fine details, we really have only two choices: Are we in a ‘good’ time, a time to be born, to sew; to harvest what is planted; to heal; to build up; to laugh; to dance; to gather stones; to embrace, to gain, to keep, to speak; to love, in short are we in a time of peace? Or are we in the ‘bad times’?

“Have a good day” is the most common and frequently used greeting. But what if that particular day just happens to not be a good one?  So you mutter back, “Yeah thanks a lot!”

The prophet Jeremiah was told by the Almighty One of Israel: “See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant" (Jeremiah 1:10).   The book of Jeremiah (as well as all the prophets) is Elohim’s word to the nations and kingdoms, especially of Judah and Israel/Ephraim.  It speaks of how YHVH was going to judge His people, tear down and scatter or sow them, but also of how He would again gather, build them up and bring in the harvest.   When we look back at Israel’s history we see that there were seasons of ‘good’ and of ‘bad’ times. But what about our day?  Where are we at in this generation of Elohim’s chosen?  Is it a time that YHVH is building, or is it a time that He is tearing down and destroying?   We might look around and say: “both”.

 

As the conditions in this world are spiraling down to destruction, we have to ask ourselves: “Is there a future and a hope?”  YHVH has a resounding “YES” for those who have ears to hear, and can discern the signs of the times.  In many of the Psalms, King David states very plainly what will be the lot of the wicked, the unrighteous, and the evil.  But at the same time he also proclaims the destiny and reward of the good, loving, and righteous; for instance:  “For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on YHVH, they shall inherit the earth.  For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more.   But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Psalm 37:9-11).  (The entire Psalm is very encouraging).

Almost all the prophets told of the days of YHVH’s righteous judgments that would culminate in the building and restoration of both Judah and Israel, and their re-gathering into one nation that would be a light to the nations.  We believe we are in that season of YHVH’s mercies, during which time He is restoring the nation of Israel/Ephraim just as he did Judah;  bringing them together not unified in a religious system, but as one people, one kingdom, one nation.  

Thus the Bney Yoseph National Congress is aiming at the gathering, building, restoring processes, and inspiring faith and hope in our future.  Yet we must be aware of our enemies.  Just as in the days of Nehemiah, we too will have to work with the sword in one hand and the work tool (be it a computer or something else) in the other.  In spite of those who would try to discourage us, it is YHVH’s time to restore us so that we might live before Him as His redeemed in the greater land, north of Judah’s, which was promised to our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. YHVH said of Ephraim:  "I will sow them among the peoples, and they shall remember Me in far countries; They shall live, together with their children, and they shall return…  I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon, until no more room is found for them” (Zechariah 10:9-10).  “Shepherd Your people with Your staff, the flock of Your heritage, who dwell solitarily in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel; Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in days of old” (Micah 7:14).

Purim is a good time to reflect on YHVH’s protective hand over our Jewish brothers and how even though Elohim is not mentioned in the story, His sovereignty is obvious in the many instances that seemed to ‘just so happen…’  Situations can change in a moment of time from ‘bad’ to ‘good’: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…”

A belated Purim Same’ach and Shabbat Shalom,

Ephraim