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Hebrews 11:14
For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. The second of November marks the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration when in 1917 British Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, influenced the Jewish communities of the world to believe that Great Britain would support the creation of a Jewish state in the Middle East. Though achieved within all legalities, Israel’s return from exile has not been an easy one. It is still in question today. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and later the whole nation of Israel coming from Egypt, none of them got a free pass into the Promised Land. All had to push and fight for their God-given inheritance. Genetics teach us that children possess within themselves the potential of their parents, so we can be assured that when ‘push’ comeS to ‘shove’, our people will again show enough stubbornness to claim what is ours. Alongside the modern-day Zionist movement we also have a new generation of messianic teenagers with a mission to reach out to their peers. They could also inherit being the messianic leaders of the World to Come, of the Kingdom of Messiah on earth. But as it was with our fathers it will not be an easy task. The promises are given to us for free, but LIKE Abraham, Rebecca, and Jacob, we have to show our will and worthiness to receive them by going to an all-out spiritual war for them. Again, genetics come to the rescue. Under the blessing of Abraham (Genesis 28:14), biological descendant of the patriarch as well as all who take refuge in his seed Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, can find the strength, will, stamina, courage, if not plain sheer stubbornness (and by Hashem’s own definition we are a stubborn stiff-necked people) to accomplish the mission of the Master, Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is immersed will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover (Mark 16:15). Just like our youth seems to be engrossed in today’s distractions, the Zionist movement in Israel seems to be a passing fad. Can we blame them? Aren’t many of us adults so engrossed in our own lives, even in congregational activities and divisions that we have very little time left for our godly mission to reach out to our peers? We as adults need to show our teenagers the way to a godly life. It is our responsibility to blaze the trail for them by doing like Abraham, letting go of the baggage of the past in order to engage in the mission Messiah called us to (Genesis 12:1). Like Abraham, Moses and all our fathers, our eyes and hearts need to be so focused on our bright future that the present world and its concerns seem to us but husks. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city (Hebrews 11:15-16).
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Romans 11:25-26
Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: The Book of Genesis tells us the story of Isaac, a father blinded to his son’s wickedness. Maybe Isaac was just fooled by Jacob’s ruse, stratagem that doesn't sit well with many readers, We need to remember though that only Rebecca, Isaac's wife had been given the prophecy about the future of her two children. Isaac knew nothing of it. It is as though Hashem purposely 'blinded' Isaac to the knowledge of the truth. It seems that Isaac was out of the loop in many ways. How could he be oblivious to Esau’s marriages with several Canaanite women? It seems also that Isaac was unaware of the birthright-for-‘red-stuff’ (that it how the dish was called in the Hebrew text) deal between Esau and Jacob. Many Talmudic commentators attribute Isaac’s blindness to an act of God’s mercy to spare him the distress of seeing his son Esau’s wicked behavior. Some also suggest that it was due to Esau’s smoke-screen of hypocrisy, pretending to be so righteous in front of his father. It could also simply be that he was old and had cataracts. Interesting elements are unveiled when we look at this story as the prophetic foreshadow of a future situation, as the microcosm of a larger concept. Not only was Isaac blinded to Esau’s wickedness, but so was he to Jacob’s righteousness. Here we have Isaac, the promised seed of Abraham, blinded to the righteousness of he who in essence would carry the seed of Messiah in him, which caused him to leave his mother’s tent for exile. We must remember also that Rebecca lived in Sarah’s tent which was in the eyes of the sages compared to Jerusalem. Jacob therefore is exiled from ‘Jerusalem’, and we never hear of Rebecca again. Jacob later returns to the Land with an angelic escort (Genesis 34). In the same manner, two thousand years ago, Hashem ‘blinded’ the eyes of Israel to the early messianic movement (Romans 11:7, 25). Even the apostle Paul started out blinded to the fulfillment of the promises made to the fathers. Like in the case of Jacob, this blindness of Israel forced the Messianic believers of Israel, which were mostly a Temple sect of Jerusalem found gathering by Solomon’s Portico, to leave the Land and go into exile. Today, as Jacob escorted by angels (Genesis 32:1), that very seed returns to the Promised Land, this time as a thriving and growing Messianic movement. Though they face many ‘Esau’s', like in the case of Jacob, angels escort them and will see them to destination, conquering the whole Land until, as in the story of old, The Messiah who is also called David (Hoseah 3:5) arrives and establishes his Kingdom in Jerusalem from where the whole world will learn to live by the Torah of God. May it be soon Abba, even in our days! Luke 3:4
'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ This challenge from John the Immerser echoes the prophetic words of Isaiah, Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway; clear it of stones; lift up a signal over the peoples (Isaiah 62:10). In the same manner John did, Isaiah was preparing the people of Jerusalem for the arrival of the promised Messianic King. This verse is actually written in the language of landscaping for road improvement and reparation projects in view of the arrival of a great dignitary; projects that had to be started before the onset of the event. Isaiah’s message continues with these words, "Behold, your salvation comes; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him." And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Adonai; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken (Isaiah 62:11-12). In the ancient world a young maiden chosen to marry a king would ready herself for sometimes up to a year (Esther 2:12); she would go through body ‘improvements and reparations’ so to speak. She would regularly immerse herself in baths filled with aromatic herbs and plants with skin cleansing properties. She was also given food from the king’s table until the appointed time when she would finally marry the king.. As Rebecca left her past behind to marry he who is a shadow of Messiah, as she became a new creature, as she left her kinfolks behind in Babylon to be part of a new family, as she entered the tent of her mother-in law Sarah to continue in the matriarchs venue: we are this bride and we ought to behave as such. We are to make ourselves ready and immerse ourselves in the baths of repentance to present ourselves to Him in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that we might be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27); betrothed to one husband, as a pure virgin (2 Corinthians 11:2). Immersion in waters filled with His cleansing Words (John 15:3) is our preparation before we come to Him at the end of the age. May we let it clean us each day from the Canaanite culture that surrounds and snares us. As we do, may we sincerely and honestly pray in the same manner as King David, the great Messianic foreshadow did, Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you (Psalms 51: 1-2; 7; 10; 13). Hebrews 11:19
He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. When Abraham and Isaac neared Mount Moriah, the patriarch told the young men with him, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you (Genesis 22:5)." The Hebrew is a little more specific, it says, “we will go, and we will return”. Knowing that he was going to offer Isaac on the Mount, why did Abraham say “we will return”? The other question to ask is, ‘why did he even go’? When I teach this story I always ask my students, ‘If today God came to you and said, “Son, I want to teach a lesson to the universe and I want you to help me. All you need to do is take your son or your little brother or sister and sacrifice them”. Would you go? Would you even hear that type of language? Abraham had always been a willing instrument in God’s hands so it is fair to assume the he was in all good conscience going to literally sacrifice Isaac on the altar that day; but he did say to the young men, “we will return.” We get a little clue from the writer of the Book of Hebrews. Chapter eleven says, By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, … He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back (Hebrews 11:17-19). Because of Abraham’s willing intentions, the text tells us that Abraham ‘offered’ Isaac. The text also reveals that Abraham believed in resurrection, and that was the faith which made him obey God. This faith in resurrection was the seal of Abraham’s faith in God and wherein he and us become potential heirs to all the promised in the Book. But now, let’s return to our former scenario. What if today God came to you and said, “Son, I want to teach a lesson to the universe and I want you to help me. All you need to do is take your son or your little brother or sister and sacrifice them, but don’t worry, I will resurrect them right away”. Would you do it? Would you have that much desire to accomplish God’s purpose, so much love as to kill what is dearest to you, even if He had told you that He would give it back? Our messianic faith does lie in that one idea that Hashem allowed Yeshua to die on the cross, and that He resurrected Him. A problem also is that when Hashem allows us to be tested with the prospect of losing something dear, we usually rationalize the idea. We try to find a ‘comfortable’ compromise so we don’t really have to give ‘it’ up. Abraham probably had his trial, but he didn’t do rationalized the issue. Some people like to think that Abraham did it so we don’t have to, but this is not my experience. I for one believe that faith in God though Yeshua is sealed in our conscience through many trials and tests; you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood (Hebrews 12:4). Is yours? Matthew 1:20
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. When instructing Moses about the future Mediator that will stand between Him and Israel, Hashem spoke of a prophet 'like' Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-18). Looking therefore at the life and ministry of Moses, we should be able to define our mysterious prophesied Mediator. Let us look at Moses’ conception. Feeling threatened by the proliferation of the Hebrews in his country, Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites to his building ambitions. One of Pharaoh’s wise men came to him one day with a star-omen that a boy is to be born to the Israelites that would deliver them from his hand. Our angry Pharaoh then decided to kill all male new-born throwing them into the Nile River. At that time, Amram who already had a son, Aaron and a daughter, Miriam, divorced his wife because he didn’t want to be faced with the possible tragedy ordered by Pharaoh. Because of his clout as a Levite, many of Israel followed Amram’s sample which caused Miriam, a child, to be an angelic voice of rebuke chastising him with the following words: "What you have done is worse that Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s decree was only against males, yours is against males and females alike. His decree may not come to pass, but yours certainly will!" Upon these words, Amram returned to his wife only to find that she was three months pregnant. The Talmud alludes to a miraculous conception. I cannot ascertain that this Talmudic story is the report of true events, but it certainly offers a very uncanny parallel with the Master’s conception. Actually, Jewish sages refer to Moses as the first redeemer, and Messiah as the second. In the conception accounts of the Master we also have wise men, Chaldean astronomers, who come to Herod, a Pharaoh-like king, with an indication from the stars that the Savior of Israel is born in Bethlehem, Judea. This in turn provokes Herod to want to kill all two years and under babies in that city. A little while before, Joseph, thinking that Miriam his fiancé committed adultery found himself with no other option but to divorce her, but like Amram did, he returns to her after the intervention of an angelic messenger. Isaac, with his birth prophecied through the stars and his untimely death prevented by an angelic intervention truly is our foreshadow. PRAISE “O, for the wonders of the Torah! Why do so many seek wisdom and wonder north and south, east and west, high and low? All the secrets of heaven and earth, as well as past present and future are imbedded right there in the Words of theTorah." Romans 11:12, 18
Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!? Do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. “You find that as long as Sarah lived, a cloud hung over her tent … her doors were wide open … there was a blessing on her dough, and the lamp used to burn from the evening of the Sabbath until the evening of the following Sabbath …" In this scrap of tradition, Sarah’s tent is homiletically compared to Jerusalem typified by the Temple. The cloud is symbolic of the Shekinah of God’s presence, the doors of the temple being wide opened is an invitation to the world to the house of prayer (as Yeshua called it); the blessed dough is the showbread which miraculously never spoiled, and the lamp is the seven-branches candelabrum which burned continuously in the Holy Place. In the Book of Galatians Paul builds on this illustration. Using the concept that Judaism views Sarah as the great matriarch he says, But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. Then, using Isaiah’s allegory and adding the fact that that Sarah was barren (not Hagar) He quotes, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! Though Paul doesn’t quote it, the rest of the oracle says, Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes (Isaiah 54:1-2; Galatians 4:26).This is an illustration that Jerusalem, (the center of Jewish religion) is one day to open its doors to all nations. The next chapter of Isaiah goes on to call all nations to drink and be fed from the fountain of Jerusalem (Isaiah 55; Zechariah 14:16). Referring to modern history, I now will build on this concept. In their impatience while waiting on God to fulfill the messianic promise of the birth of Isaac, Abraham and Sarah brought Hagar into the picture. As Hagar bore fruit she despised and boasted against Sarah who was still barren and dry. In His own time, Hashem miraculously caused Sarah to bear the fruit of the messianic promise. In the end, though blessed by God because of beloved Abraham, Hagar paid for her attitude having to leave Sarah’s presence. For 2,000 years while waiting for the 19th century when Jerusalem would miraculously birth the present-day world-wide Messianic movement, the nations of the world, who did bear fruit unto Yeshua have done so while ‘boasting’ against the ‘natural branches’ in a doctrine called ‘Replacement Theology’, and even subjecting these ‘natural branches’ to horrible persecutions (or were silent in the face of it). Will the nations suffer the same fate as Hagar? The Text tells us that not, but that in the end Jerusalem will return to its rightful original owners, and that the nations will come and serve and worship God in Jerusalem, bringing in their glory (Isaiah 66; Haggai 2:7). For what it’s worth, there is an ancient Jewish teaching which suggests that Keturah, Abraham’s second wife after Sarah died, is actually Hagar returned (Genesis 25:1-6). Hebrews 11:19
He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. When Abraham and Isaac neared Mount Moriah, the patriarch told the young men with him, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you (Genesis 22:5)." The Hebrew is a little more specific, it says, “we will go, and we will return”. Knowing that he was going to sacrifice Isaac on the Mount, why did Abraham say “we will return”? The other question to ask is, ‘why did he go’? When I teach this story I always ask my students, ‘If today God came to you and said, “Son, I want to teach a lesson to the universe and I want you to help me. All you need to do is take your son or your little brother or sister and sacrifice them”. Would you go? Would you even hear that type of language? Abraham had always been a willing instrument in God’s hands so it is fair to assume the he was in all good conscience going to literally sacrifice Isaac on the altar that day; but he did say to the young men, “We will return”. We get a little clue from the writer of the Book of Hebrews. Chapter eleven says, By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, … He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back (Hebrews 11:17-19). Because of Abraham’s willing intentions, the text tells us that Abraham ‘offered’ Isaac. The text also reveals that Abraham believed in resurrection, and that was the faith which made him obey God. This faith in resurrection was the seal of Abraham’s faith in God and wherein he and us become potential heirs to all the promised in the Book. But now, let’s return to our former scenario. What if today God came to you and said, “Son, I want to teach a lesson to the universe and I want you to help me. All you need to do is take your son or your little brother or sister and sacrifice them, but don’t worry, I will resurrect them right away”. Would you do it? Would you have that much desire to accomplish God’s purpose, so much love as to kill what is dearest to you, even if He had told you that He would give it back? Our messianic faith does lie in that one idea that Hashem allowed Yeshua to die on the cross, and that He resurrected Him. A problem also is that when Hashem allows us to be tested with the prospect of losing something dear, we usually rationalize the idea. We try to find a ‘comfortable’ compromise so we don’t really have to give ‘it’ up. Abraham probably had his trial, but he didn’t do that. Some people like to think that Abraham did it so we don’t have to, but this is not my experience. I for one believe that faith in God though Yeshua is sealed in our conscience through many trials and tests; you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood (Hebrews 12:4). Is yours? John 14:9
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” The dear sages who compared Jerusalem to matriarch Sarah could not have foreseen the extent of their analogy; so many have written about this. In the midrash of the barren woman, Hashem inspires the prophet Isaiah with the messianic future of his dear city. So many have looked at Jerusalem just as Isaiah saw her! They saw a barren woman sitting on a heap of ashes, ostracized and rejected by her husband because of her many infidelities (Isaiah 54; Jeremiah 26:6). One of the legends I like the most is the one of the weaning of Isaac. When it was time for Isaac to be weaned Abraham called in a great feast (Genesis 21:8). Rumors circulated about this old man who just sired a child. People even suspected that it was actually Abimelek’s child, the Pharaoh who had kept Sarah captive (Genesis 20:2). People also could not believe that Sarah, at her age, had ever lactated. So the point of the feast was to vindicate the miracle God had performed. Great Sheiks came from all around in great caravans and pomp to attend Abraham’s feast. To prove herself, Sarah nursed her son, and then offered to nurse every baby in the camp. She did, and the story goes on to say that every child Sarah nursed eventually became a ruler, and a person of great integrity. Also, in order to erase any doubt that the child was truly Abraham’s, God had made the face of Isaac similar to that of his father, so that he who saw the son saw the father. Sounds familiar doesn’t it (John 14:9)? Look now at our mother Sarah. Just as Sarah was, twice Jerusalem was conquered and taken captive by foreigners, first by the Babylonians, and the second by the Romans, captivity which recently came to its end with the re-establishment of the State of Israel. Looking into Sarah’s life, let us see now the future of Jerusalem. After the return from her second captivity, Isaac, the fore-shadow of Messiah was born. Sarah, who barren till past the age, finally bore fruit. In the same manner, we can see Jerusalem, one of the oldest city in the world, a city that has been used, abused, rejected, redeemed, to be rejected again and re-redeemed, pride itself of a new vibrant Messianic community rising all over in Israel: the ‘remnant of the seed of the woman’ (Revelation 12:17) preparing the way for the soon return of the King. The same miracle that rejuvenated Sarah to conceive Isaac and lactate happened again in our days. A whole country was re-born in a day with a new generation of messianic believers preparing the way for the soon-coming of the King who will rule the earth in the justice and righteousness of the Father. Will they become the kings of integrity ‘nursed’ to rule in the Jerusalem of the World to Come? May it be soon Abba, even in our days! Those who would try to interfere with the miraculous plan of God are playing with the unstoppable spiritual and natural forces that created the heavens and the earth. May they beware! |
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