Spiritual Israel

 

A wonderful phenomenon has been taking place over the last 50 years. The Spirit of Elohim has been filling the faith people in the Christian world, and also turning some to the Torah of Moses and the prophets.  These people have been called to be a spiritual witness, a testimony, of the righteousness of Elohim.  Yet, while many of them would claim the title of “Spiritual Israel” at the same time, in a subtle way, they end up in replacement theology. 

In Jeremiah 31 YHVH added a “new” or “renewed” covenant promised to the seed of the forefathers of Israel and Judah:  “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel/Joseph and the house of Judah” (verse 31). The content of this pledge included writing the Torah on their hearts, which means that they would be empowered by YHVH’s Spirit to be able to keep the righteousness of Torah, as they had already proven incapable of doing so on their own, or, conversely, have chosen to completely ignore it. In Ezekiel 36 additional information about this covenant of forgiveness and removal of sin is added: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Many who have experienced this transition through the new covenant claim the title of “Spiritual Israel”.  At the same time, they confess that they do not “feel” that they are of the natural seed of the forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel.  Not seeing the relationship between the seed and what comes forth from that seed, sets the stage for replacing it with another seed.

 Paul addresses this identity issue:  “Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain -- perhaps wheat or some other grain.  But Elohim gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body” (1^st Corinthians 15:36-38).  

In order to understand this dichotomy between “natural” Israel and “spiritual” Israel, we need to examine some very important principles from scriptures that cannot be ignored. First let us look at the “wheat/tares” parable of Yeshua, while keeping in mind the above (1^st Corinthians) scripture. 

In Matthew 13:24 Yeshua shares a mystery about the “kingdom of Elohim”, He tells of a farmer who sows a good seed in his field, and then an enemy comes and sows another seed.  This farmer was actually following a Torah injunction to only sow one kind of seed in a field.  “You shall not sow your field with mixed seed” (Leviticus 19:19).  As we know, YHVH is just and righteous in all His ways and would not violate His own Torah laws. Thus He chose to sow the seed of Abraham and Israel into the field of this earth until it reaches a certain fullness.  But unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, the real life of that seed remains hidden.  Scriptures tell us that flesh and blood, meaning the natural part of the seed, cannot inherit the kingdom of Elohim (1^st Corinthians 15:50).  But if that natural seed is planted it will sprout up a vibrant spiritual entity, which can then inherit or receive the kingdom.

Paul continues in 1^st Corinthians 15 to explain this process:  “It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body… However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual” (1^st Corinthians 15:44, 46). Yes, the spirit life is hidden in the seed, but when it sprouts (into newness of life) its original identity does not change. A wheat seed is still a wheat with a spiritual germ. When buried and watered the germ that is in the seed will spring forth and become a wheat plant, and later will bear its fruit after its kind.  So how can the seed of natural Israel become anything other than “spiritual Israel”?   Yeshua points out in the parable of the wheat and the tares, that:  "The field is the world, the good seed are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one” (Matthew 13:38). 

To harvest the tares along with the wheat obviously one would have a problem the following year. The farmer would be sowing two seeds in the same field in violation of the Torah injunction, and worse, the enemy would not have to come in and sow tares as the farmer would have done it himself. 

Messiah's End-Time Anointing

 

Johnathan Cahn has just released another message on YouTube, “The Reign of Baal”, in which he summarizes some of what he has written and spoken in previous videos and books. Added to that was an exhortation to believers to basically take up the prophetic mantle of Elijah the prophet.  What does it mean to be an expression of this end time prophet? What was his main message to the people Israel?  As we know, Elijah was specifically a prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. 

Johnathan Cahn uses the kings of the House of Joseph/Ephraim as templates to describe some of the recent leaders of the United States.  Back in the late nineties a song was released which became very popular (and no doubt most of you will recognize), called “These are the days of Elijah”. What do the scriptures say about this prophet of old and his relationship to the House of Israel today?  Malachi ends his book by saying that Elijah will come “before the great and terrible day of YHVH” and “will turn the hearts of the children to the fathers” and vice versa, with the exhortation which precedes these words being, to “remember the Torah of Moses… and the statutes and ordinances for all Israel” (see Malachi 4:4-6). Of course one would have to know that they are Israel - YHVH’s covenanted people - in order to heed the message and its warning. 

If this message is ignored, the Father promises, “to strike the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:6). This is no joke!  We are already experiencing several curses in the world and many more will come, as there is very little response to a message that has gone out to the believers in the New Covenant.  The apostles stated very clearly that the faith people are the children of the aforementioned forefathers (e.g. Romans 4:16). 

There is a powerful spiritual resistance from the religious establishments to the ‘disclosure of the identity’. They wish to keep this identity hidden. But Messiah’s ‘Elijah anointing’ is for the restoration of Israel’s identity in the latter days. Here are two end time prophecies from Jeremiah   “The anger of YHVH will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; In the last days you will clearly understand it” (Jeremiah 23:20 emphasis added); “The fierce anger of YHVH will not turn back until He has performed and until He has accomplished the intent of His heart; In the latter days you will understand this” (Jeremiah 30:24 emphasis added).

These two chapters (Jeremiah 23 and 30) are very clear about something that YHVH will do in the latter days, with anger and wrath poured out.  In chapter 23, He is acting as the Shephard of Israel and is taking back His sheep from all the places where they have been scattered. This is also confirmed in Ezekiel 34.  In chapter 30 (of Jeremiah), He is about to restore both houses and bring them back to their land. This is also confirmed in Ezekiel 36 and 37.  Thus the days of Elijah have to do with a very specific task, and we need to be, like never before, about our Father’s business. If we are in the last days, restoring the sons of the faith to the fathers of the faith would be the task of Messiah.  " And now YHVH says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him ( For I shall be glorious in the eyes of YHVH, And My Elohim shall be My strength),  Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth' "  (Isaiah 49:5-6).

Eyes of Understanding

 

Psalm 119 is the longest prayer in Scripture.  One which every believer should pray through, at least once a week.  Indeed, this psalm is highlighted by many ministries at this time and should be taken to heart.  In the context of this psalm David is asking YHVH to show him His statutes, ordinances, precepts, commandments and testimonies, in order to receive and have “understanding”.   Why is it so crucial to have understanding of these particular aspects of YHVH’s Word? Let’s look first at the definition of “understanding”: 

 Understanding is a psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to think about it and use concepts to deal adequately with that object. ... Thus, understanding is correlated with the ability to make inferences, draw conclusions, and have discernment. This becomes very important when it comes to “TRUTH”. 

When the scriptures refer to YHVH’s statutes, testimonies etc. they are pointing to what we call the “Law” or “Torah”.  Thus, without the “Torah” we have no understanding and our ability to correctly divide the Word of Truth is seriously impaired. Yeshua pointed this out to His disciples through parables, which they (the disciples) always fell short of understanding.   When Peter, for example, asked Yeshua to explain what seemed to be a very simple parable, Yeshua said, “Are you still lacking in understanding also?” (Matthew 15:13).  This appeared to be the case with many of Yeshua’s teachings and allegories.  But while His followers were bewildered, the religious were offended and became angry.  Today we still see the same reactions to present-truth, many times even in a display of ignorance, meanwhile the Spirit continues to fulfill His covenants and promises to our forefathers.

In the parable of a farmer who sowed a seed (of wheat) in a field, while an enemy stealthily sowed another, beside the obvious interpretation, Yeshua also demonstrated the prohibition of “not [to] sow your field with two kinds of seed” (ref. Leviticus 19:19). He went on to explain that the field is the world. (Matthew 13:24).

Sometime later, Yeshua declared that, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted” (Matthew 15:13), or in the case of the tares, they will be cut off by YHVH’s messengers and burned (ref. Matthew 13:40). After that the wheat will be harvested and taken to the barn.  But if the tares/darnel are included in the harvest of the wheat, the former will defile the field and foul the bread that will be made from the two seeds.  If the mixed seed will be sown on the following year, it will be a violation of YHVH’s word and the field will be defiled. (Darnel when eaten causes one to get dizzy, off-balance and nauseous.)  Likewise, in the case of a vineyard. “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seeds, or all the produce of the seed which you have sown and the increase of the vineyard will become defiled” (Deuteronomy 22:9).

Lack of understanding along with the doctrines of men and demons, have resulted in mission a very basic fact, that YHVH sowed one seed in the world of humanity, and that seed He called and chose some 4,000 years ago.  He anointed (‘christed’) that seed by His Word in covenants and promises, so as to produce a yield of righteousness through faith.  But the germ of this faith that was in the seed of father Abraham remained hidden until YHVH sent His seed to the family of Jacob/Israel - a Redeemer who bought the entire field and is harvesting the seed that His Father had sown.  Stated differently, the Redeemer was willing to give up everything in order to purchase the pearl of great price (ref. Matthew 13:46), or purchase the field for the sake of the treasure that was buried there (ref. Matthew 13:44).

“Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth” (Proverbs 17:24).

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your Torah” (Psalm 119:18).

Restoration According to Cyber

 

The other day I referred to Google for a biblical definition of “restoration”. Although no actual Biblical examples were cited, I was surprised by some of the ones used, which seemed to highlight principles that are indeed found in the Word. So, here is, according to Google’s ‘theological expertise’, the definition of the term "restoration": To receive back more than has been lost to the point where the final state is greater than the original condition. The main point is that someone or something is improved beyond measure. More on restoration according to the search engine: Restoration is the act of repairing or renewing something. An example of restoration is fixing an old house to its original state. An example of restoration is giving someone their job back. An example of a restoration is rebuilding a set of bones to represent a dinosaur.

Normally when one restores something it is never brought back to a better condition than its original state.  However, in biblical understanding, when YHVH restores or renews, the result is far superior to the original.  Many examples may be cited of this principle, as they appear throughout the scriptures.  But what I thought fascinating was the non-biblical examples mentioned above.  

“Fixing an old house”:  What comes to mind from a biblical point of view?  Is it the house of Jacob, house of Israel, house of David, house of Judah as examples?  But beyond merely reconstituting them, is the fact that YHVH’s restoration of these ‘houses’ is to be to an even a greater state than they were at first.  

What about “giving someone their job back”?  Here again we see that the calling that was given to our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Israel was to be servants of the Most High, servants of righteousness.  Instead, their descendants became sons of disobedience and served “sin”. However, our heavenly Father sent Yeshua to redeem and restore our mandate to serve Him. Some of you may remember the song “From a Jack to a King”…  Jack (Jacob’s nickname) was called to be a servant priest, but now YHVH is raising him up to royal priesthood.   

The third example mentioned was, “rebuilding a set of bones”. I am sure that this brings to mind the valley of dry bones of Ezekiel 37.  In this description the bones (we) are not only a random, disorganized, discarded, disassembled and dysfunctional bunch of individuals, but after the restoration they become a mighty army, trained in righteousness and walking in unity - a oneness the likes of which has never been seen on earth.  As one continues in Ezekiel 37, there is a one and holy nation seen in YHVH’s hand. We could also add to that the restoration of the promised land spoken of in Ezekiel 36.  All in all, this future restoration, in the light of YHVH’s promises and covenants is what Yeshua actually came to do and to accomplish, before He returns to sit on the throne of His Father David over the fully restored, royal priesthood and holy Israelite nation.    

Take, Eat

 

For those of you who have been following the Parashot (parashas) each week, recently, in Parashat Shmini (shortly after the death of Nadav and Avihu, Aaron’s oldest two), an interesting episode concerning Aaron’s two other sons is being described. It is this incident that prompted one of those “Oh wow, I’ve not seen this previously!”  But before we go there, I want to interject that lately my mind has been focused on Yeshua’s last Pesach meal with His disciples. In John 18:1 it says: “When Yeshua had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered.”  What were the words that Yeshua had just spoken? What did He say to His disciples before they entered the garden?  Actually, in order to find out what Yeshua shared with them at that time we need to go all the way back to John 13:31, to the moment after He sent Judas Iscariot out on a mission, which the others thought was to buy food for the next night’s Seder.  So with the “last supper” in mind, we go back now to Moses, who was scolding Aaron because Itamar and Elazar, who when sacrificing the sin offering (korban chatat) were supposed to eat it, so that the congregation of Israel could be forgiven, did not do so.   Instead, they let it burn up completely, which means that its purpose was lost while what they did could be classified as profaning the holy which may have even cost them their lives.  This was the reason Moses was so angry at Aaron.  (See Leviticus 10:12-20, especially vs. 16-18.)

It seems strange that this mistake by the two boys (which brought about an insight) somehow eluded me, when just a couple of Parashot ago we were taught about korban chatat that was to be eaten by the officiating priests (Lev. 6:25-26).   But what now caught my inner eye was twofold.  At that last meal Yeshua focused on the “sin offering” that He was to become for humanity (see John 1:29; Rom. 8:3b; 2^nd Cor. 5:21). Therefore, when He said to His disciples “take eat, this is my body,” He was referring to that specific offering.  What’s more, because only the priests were to partake of this offering, it brought me back to YHVH’s declared intent for Israel to become His priestly nation (see Exodus 19:6). 

Is this another birthmark of our identity as Israel, and why we can no longer be identified with any other nation?  Formerly, you from the lost sheep of the House of Israel, were totally identified to the nation of your residence, but now you belong to the commonwealth of Israel, and all that pertains to it.   

Omer of the New Creation

 

This past week most of the Christian world celebrated the resurrection of Yeshua on the first day after the weekly Shabbat.  Some understand that Yeshua died in the middle of week, lay in the grave three full days (including the nights) and was raised after the completion of those three days, just as He prophesied.  Yet, there is one more episode of great significance that took place on that first day, the 18^th of Nisan. When the risen Messiah told Miriam of Migdal, who came looking for his body in the tomb: “Do not touch me for I have not ascended to my Father…” (John 20:17), He was about to be lifted up as the waved sheaf of the Omer, at the same time that this very observance was going to be performed in the Temple. 

This ceremony was in accordance with Leviticus 23:10, where it says: “… When you come into the land which I am giving to you, and have reaped its harvest, and have brought in the sheaf, the beginning [resheet] of your harvest to the priest then he shall wave the sheaf before YHVH for your acceptance; on the day after the Shabbat the priest shall wave it” (emphases added, YLT translation).  Again, the “first” (resheet) of the Omer refers to the first ripe barley sheaves that were to be waved before YHVH for our acceptance, on the day after the weekly Shabbat.

In that year this tremendous event took place on the 18th of Nisan (or Aviv), In Hebrew the figure 18 (as used in date counting) is made up of the letters Yod and Chet, which form the word for “chai” - “living” or “alive.”

Quite often in non-Hebrew speaking circles the first day of the Omer is called “firstfruits”. This is at least so in English and possibly stems from a mistranslation of the following: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Messiah all shall be made alive.  But each one in his own order: Messiah the firstfruits, afterward those who are Messiah's at His coming” (1 Corinthians 15:22-23, see also v. 20). However, in the Aramaic version (the Peshitta Aramaic Text) it is “resheeta”, and in the Hebrew translation of the Greek it is also resheet – that is, “beginning” (the root being ‘rosh’ – head).  This word is identical to the one employed in Leviticus 23:10, quoted above. In other words, Yeshua is the “cause’ or ‘beginning” (the Head) that brings about the firstfruits, which are the “bikkurim”.

What is He the head or the “beginning” of? If we look carefully at the Hebrew word resheet we find it in the very first verse of Scripture (and in Hebrew the very first word), “In the beginning” (B’resheet) reveals that Yeshua the Word was and is the beginning of the present or old Creation.  But after He presented Himself in His resurrected body before the Father, as the beginning Omer, He inaugurated the New Creation and hence we who have now been raised with Him through faith become the “firstfruits” (bikkurim) of the same. “Therefore, if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2^nd Corinthians 5:17). “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:18).

Again, after Messiah, the Omer wave offering - the “beginning”, are “those who are Messiah's at His coming”, that is the firstfruits (ref. 1^st Corinthians 15:23). “Coming” is parousia in Greek and means “hidden presence”.  Thus, when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit at Shavuot (Pentecost), on the 50th day of the counting of seven shabbats, Yeshua’s presence came into them (‘hid’ in them), making them the firstfruits or bikkurim of Shavuot (symbolized by two loaves which were baked with leaven).  Bikkurim is the Hebrew word used in Leviticus 23:17 for the firstfruits of the wheat at Shavuot (as well as in Numbers 29:26).'

Yeshua, being the head and the beginning, could not bring in the firstfruits before He Himself ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Only then could the Father send the Spirit of His Son, as it says in John 7:39  “… for the Spirit of Holiness was not yet given, because Yeshua  was not yet glorified”. Thus, He obviously had to be glorified in order to make true His promise of the Spirit “And because you are sons, Elohim has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father!’" (Galatians 4:6), just as Yeshua prayed at the end of the Passover meal “that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:26 emphasis added). Could the Spirit be the leaven in the two loaves  that were waved at Shavuot/Bikkurim?

It should also be mentioned that the specific measurement of Omer is cited several times in the Torah, and because Yeshua has become the proverbial Omer, the latter (or the equivalent which is a tenth of an ephah) draws our attention to Him. Thus, the manna, mentioned in Exodus 16:13-16 was for that amount, “one omer for each person” (v. 16). In John 6:32-35 Yeshua declares that He was the “true bread from heaven”, thus, again, relating Himself that the ‘portion of food’ which Elohim provides for His people. What’s more, in Matthew 6:11, in teaching His disciples how to pray, with the statement of “our daily bread”, He was actually quoting Proverbs 30:8, where the “daily bread” is the “          allotted portion” comparable to the “mana”. Another outstanding example is found in the laws pertaining to the adulterous woman and her jealous husband, where each component of the instructions depicts Yeshua, including the required offering of the woman, which is one tenth of an ephah of barley meal (Numbers 5:15).

Yeshua’s multi-facetted role never ceases to amaze us, in that He was and is, what Hebrews 1:2-3 declares: “… His [Elohim’s] Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…”

Yeshua, of course, spent the first 40 days of the Counting of the Weeks teaching His disciples about the Kingdom of Elohim, after which He ascended, but not before telling those disciples to tarry in Jerusalem “until you receive power from on high” (Acts 1:8). Yeshua’s departure date would have occurred on the 28th of Iyyar, in Hebrew Kaf, Chet, spelling “ko’ach” – power or strength. That date also happens to be the day in which Jerusalem (that is the Old City) was liberated in the Six Day War in 1967.  Since 1968, the 28th of Iyyar has been declared the official Jerusalem Day.

Coming Out

 

The other night in our discussion of the Exodus story, the thought came about the difference between fleeing from the Egyptian slavery and what we face today, that is, fleeing “the daughter of Babylon” which is this present world system.  “Go forth from Babylon!  Flee from the Chaldeans!  With a voice of singing, declare, proclaim this, utter it to the end of the earth; say, ‘YHVH has redeemed His servant Jacob!’” (Isa 48:20).  The Hebrew for “go forth” is a command to “get out” or “leave” (the harlot system). This is echoed in Revelation 18:4: “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues’”. 

Leaving Egypt or Babylon, in order for YHVH’s servant Jacob to be free from the bondage of a nation or system that is keeping him from Elohim’s ultimate purposes, necessitates His sovereign act or intervention.  In both cases the blood of a lamb is required before the Almighty can move to extricate His people from servitude to another kingdom.  Yet there is also a significant difference.  In the case of Egypt, the entire nation left together at a very specific time, and what’s more, according to the will of YHVH, it had to be by the explicit permission of the sovereign of that nation. In the case of (latter-day) Babylon, coming out is in response to the command to “leave” or “come out”, to and by, each individual who has acknowledged the redeeming blood of Messiah Yeshua (notwithstanding, the eventual, physical and national exodus).  In 2^nd Peter we are reminded that, “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (emphasis added 1:3-4).  Isaiah prophesied that, “It shall come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and such as have escaped of the house of Jacob, will never again depend on him who defeated them, but will depend on YHVH, the Holy One of Israel, in truth” (Isa 10:20 emphasis added).

However, Peter also warns us: “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning” (2 Peter 2:20 emphasis added).

A warning issued by the writer to the Hebrews, based on the first Exodus, still stands:  “While it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’ For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?  And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?  So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief… Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it” (Hebrews 3:15 – 4:1).

What could be worse than, after having been delivered by the blood of the lamb, to die in the wilderness journey and never reach our final destination? Ezekiel’s prophecy in chapter 20 of his book sheds light on the possibilities that loom before us regarding the two paths ahead of us, the cooperate as well as the individual departure:  “As I live,’ says Adonai YHVH, ‘surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you.  I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.  And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face.  Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,’ says Adonai YHVH.  ^‘I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am YHVH’” (20:33-38). Are these rebels the same as those that don’t enter His rest?

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).