Thanksgiving and Sukkot – The Harvest Celebration

Thanksgiving and Sukkot – The Harvest Celebration

by | Nov 27, 2014 | Uncategorized

photo (5)

By Jane Diffenderfer

The Pilgrims who came to America for religious freedom identified themselves with ancient Israel. They felt they had left the bondage of Egypt, escaped across the Sea, and found refuge in the Promised Land of Liberty. They were a people very focused on the Hebrew Scriptures and the fulfillment of the blessings of being obedient by being in covenant with God. In many ways the first Pilgrims were more Hebraic in their worship than most history books record. An interesting conclusion can be drawn, based on the timing of the first Thanksgiving. According to the Plimoth Plantation website, the Pilgrim’s first Thanksgiving was held in “Late September/early October 1621″ (http://www.plimoth.org/media/pdf/historical_timeline.pdf). Calculating the dates for Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles) from Rosettacalendar.com, one can determine that the beginning of Sukkot that year was September 30th. Therefore, the Pilgrim’s first Thanksgiving in America was a three day harvest celebration, during the eight day Biblical celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles!

Another example of the Hebraic understanding being applied in the lives of the Pilgrims can be witnessed in the food that was eaten during their first Thanksgiving celebration. According to William Bradford, “They began now to gather in the small harvest they had… For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad, others were exercised in fishing, about cod and bass and other fish, of which they took good store…and now began to come in store of fowl…besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides, they had about a peck of meal…Indian corn to that proportion.” Notice that all the foods the Pilgrims ate were clean foods, according to the dietary laws laid out in the Hebrew Scriptures. Today, most people from New England eat lobster and clams. There is no mention of these on the menu of the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving feast.

One more amazing Hebraic thread, in the Thanksgiving theme, is the turkey as the official food of the feast. It stands out as so predominant that we call the holiday “Turkey Day”. Considering all the other meats mentioned in the original Thanksgiving: cod, bass, fowl, waterfowl, and venison, only turkey is the standout in today’s celebration.

The Hebrew word for turkey is hodu. An interesting connection, in Hebrew the word hodu is also the imperative form of  the verb “yadah”, which means to give thanks. It is the word used in Psalms 118:1, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: because His mercy endures forever.”

Therefore, every fall we remember the faith of the Pilgrims who came to seek religious liberty in America, and we give thanks – hodu to Adonai and enjoy eating a turkey – hodu, as a memorial to a past event of God’s providence for our country.

There is a strong Jewish/Hebraic connection to the giving of thanks to God for His goodness ‘and the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving. We can honor the day by remembering that His mercy endures forever. Hodu La’Adonai Ki Tov!

Happy Hodu Day!

The Sabbath – A Day of Delight

The Sabbath – A Day of Delight

by | Nov 22, 2014 | Sabbath, Uncategorized

Foreigners Shabbat

by Jane Diffenderfer

(This article was originally published in the Jan./Feb. 1996 edition of First Fruit of Zion magazine. Edits have been made for this 2014 update.)

Our Father created the Sabbath for man to be a day of delight. It is a special time, set apart at the end of each week, to enjoy fellowship with Him. On Sabbath, we are free from our work routine to slow down and rest. This time allows us to concentrate on our family, to pray, worship, and play together. It is the one day of the week when we finally get the chance to dig deep into His Word, and receive new insight, knowledge, and understanding. Our Father has taught us so much about His ways as we have learned to keep the Sabbath, and we have been so very blessed. We do not keep it legalistically, as though we have to.  Instead, we keep Sabbath we get to, because we want to.

Our motivation is the love we have for our gracious and loving Father in heaven. He offers a promise to those who observe the Sabbath, recorded in Isaiah 58: “If you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable, then you will find your joy in the LORD.”  We encourage everyone, Jew and non-Jew, to consider the Sabbath, and to find this joy that only the LORD [Yahweh] can provide. The blessings and refreshment you will receive will amaze you.

The Sabbath Existed Before the Giving of Law [Torah]

The Sabbath is introduced in Genesis where it states that in six days God created the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested. The definition of the Sabbath, according to Strong’s Concordance (#7676), is “intermission, repose, cease, celebrate, rest”. According to Scripture, God blessed the seventh day and made it holy (Genesis 2:2-3). What God has called holy, cannot be altered by the traditions of man. The entire creation revolves around the established order of the Creator’s Sabbath day. The earth’s twenty-four hour rotation determines the day and night. The cycles of the moon determine the month. The earth’s revolution around the sun, determines the length of the year.  Only the seven day week has no sign in the heavens that determine its length of time. It is defined by the Word of God, at the creation of the world, and all the world acknowledges the seven day cycle.

The Sabbath is revealed again in Exodus 16:4-30, when the Hebrews traveled from the Red Sea to Mount Sinai. The LORD caused manna to rain down from heaven each morning, to provide the daily bread for the wandering Israelites. On the sixth day, the LORD told them to gather twice as much because the next day was the Sabbath, and He would not send any manna from heaven that day. This occurrence happened throughout the wilderness experience. This was before the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. It is clear, therefore, that the Sabbath was instituted before the giving of the Torah, the Law of Moses.

Exodus 20:8-11 states, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shall you labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the stranger that is within your gates; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day, Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” The work week of six days, with a seventh day rest, is a weekly reminder that the LORD is the Creator of all life. We remember the Sabbath to keep our focus on who we belong to, for it is He who made us and not we, ourselves.

The Sign of the Covenant Between Yahweh and His People

The passage in Exodus 31:12-17 instructs, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Yahweh who makes you holy…” This sign is to be kept throughout all our generations. His Spirit calls us to be a holy, separated people that we may distinguish between that which pleases our Father, and that which does not. “…Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.  It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.”

Forever means just that, forever. The Sabbath is a perpetual covenant reminder of the relationship God has with His children. He chose to rest, and gave us the opportunity to join Him in that rest.

In Leviticus 23, Yahweh told Moses that His holy feasts are His appointments with His people. The Sabbath is the first feast listed. It is a day of sacred assembly. The Hebrew word for this assembly is mikrah, which means “rehearsal”. The feasts of the LORD are rehearsals of things to come. We celebrate Sabbath in anticipation of our coming King, who is the Lord of the Sabbath. We earnestly desire His rule on the earth, so we set apart the day to honor Yeshua as Lord.

The Sabbath Belongs to Yahweh, It is His Day

In Nehemiah 9:1-15 the Jews separated themselves for a time of fasting and prayer, to confess their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. They praised God for His glorious name, and for creating the heavens and the earth. They remembered His faithfulness to Abraham and their forefathers. They praised God for the giving of the Torah. They were grateful for His laws that are just and right, and His commands that are good. They praised Him for making known to them His holy Sabbath saying, “You came down also upon Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statues and commandments, and made known to them Your holy Sabbath…” We, as Believers in Messiah Yeshua, are also delighted that He made His holy Sabbath day known to us.

In Isaiah 56:1-7, we see that Sabbath is not only for the Jewish people, but for the nations. “This is what the LORD says: Maintain justice and do what is right, for My salvation [Yeshua] is close at hand and My righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil…Let no foreigner who has bound himself to Yahweh say, ‘The LORD will surely exclude me from His people.’ For this is what the Lord says: Foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve Him, to love the name of Yahweh and to worship Him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to My covenant, these I will bring to My holy mountain and give them joy in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples [nations].” We keep the Sabbath, as a sign that we are, in covenant with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In Messiah, are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:29).

A Day of Delight

In Isaiah 58:13-14, there is another promise regarding the Sabbath. “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath, and from doing as you please on My holy day. If you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way, and not doing as you please, or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land, and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” We love this promise; and desire both for our children and grandchildren to receive its blessing. Therefore, we are learning to delight in the Sabbath.

What Do the Ten Commandments Say?

We recognize the texts above are from what is called the “Old Testament”, and some suggest the Laws of Moses have been done away with for Believers in Messiah. We disagree with this notion. We believe ALL Scripture is given for instruction in righteousness, Torah included (2 Tim. 3:16). We believe all the Ten Commandments apply today to all Believers in Messiah Yeshua. No one who trusts Yeshua as Savior would suggest we are free from laws like, “You shall not murder”, “You shall not commit adultery”, or “You shall not steal”. So why does the modern church to say we are free from the fourth commandment, to “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy? If the six, seventh, and eight commandments are still valid, is not the fourth one also?

He is the Same Yestereday, Today, and Forever

Many church leaders teach we are not under the laws of the Old Covenant; we are now under grace. The theory is that under the Old Covenant, God dealt harshly with His people. Many churches teach we are now in the “dispensation of grace”, under the New Covenant, and the LORD is now merciful to His people. This theory is contrary to Scripture. “I am the LORD, I change not,” (Malachi 3:6). God has always been merciful to His children. He has always been willing to forgive the repentant. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:18). Psalm 119 says grace and the law are not opposing concepts, but two compatible expressions of faith.  One does not exist without the other. “Keep me from deceitful ways: be gracious to me through your law [Torah]…I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free” (verses 29-32).

Too many churches teach, “We are under grace”, as an excuse to be disobedient.  Should we, as Believers in Messiah, continue to sin, now that our hearts have been set free? God forbid. “Now you have been set free from sin, and have become slaves to God. The benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life” (Romans 6:22). In the past we were in bondage to sin. Through His grace we have been set free to be slaves to righteousness. Through repentance, we now have a new master. “You are slaves to the one you obey…Thanks be to our God that, though you used to be slaves to sin…You have been set free from sin, and have become slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:15-18).

Remember the Torah of My Servant Moses

We believe there is a stirring of the Holy Spirit among His people to prepare the Way of the LORD. Just as in the time of Yeshua’s first coming, when John the Baptist came to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, the Spirit of Elijah is at work today, to prepare for Messiah’s return. Malachi 4 tells of the Day of the LORD that is coming. Destruction awaits the evil doer, but a promise awaits those who are found in Messiah. “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings…” This passage continues with a reminder to, “Remember the Torah of my servant Moses, the laws I gave him at Horeb [Mount Sinai] for all Israel” (Malachi 4:4). We believe Abba wants us to remember His Torah in the last days. Perhaps He chose the word “remember”, because He could look into the future, and see how His children would forget His Sabbath, and need to remember it again.

Believers in Messiah Are Free to Keep the Sabbath

It was Yeshua’s custom to be in the synagogue on the Sabbath, to hear the Torah and the Prophets (Luke 4:16). Let us follow His example and walk as He did. There is no sin in keeping the Sabbath. Yeshua objected to some rabbinical interpretations on the observance of the Sabbath day, but not to the commands of Torah. Paul also kept the Sabbath, as well as the other Biblical feasts of the LORD. There are several references to him being in the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Acts 13 tells of Paul being in the synagogue speaking to the “men of Israel” and to the “gentiles who worship God.” The people, Jew and non-Jew, were blessed by the preaching, and were encouraged by Paul to continue in the grace of God (Acts 13:43). Keeping the Torah is not opposed to grace. Yeshua was full of wisdom and grace and kept His Father’s commandments, and lived in His love. Paul followed the example of his Master, so should we.

“I Tell You the Truth”

Our Messiah established the permanence of the Torah when He said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 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 Torah until everything is accomplished,” (Matthew 5:17-18). We must heed our Master’s words, and should interpret the writings of Paul in light of Messiah. Paul and Messiah agree, the Torah is not done away with. Therefore, there still remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God (Hebrews 4;9).

 “I Delight in Your Commands”

The charge may now arise that we are being “legalistic”. If you ask if we love the Torah, our answer is, “yes”. The psalmist wrote, “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts…for I delight in your commands because I love them” (Psalm 19:44-48).

Do we believe observance of Torah is necessary for salvation? The answer is no, most definitely “no”. “For it is by grace you have been saved and not by works” (Ephesians 2:8). Our salvation depends on the grace given to us, through faith in Messiah Yeshua. We can never earn righteousness through doing the right things. It is the LORD alone who is righteous and He imparts that righteousness to us through faith in Messiah Yeshua. Once we have entered the New Covenant, the Torah is written on our hearts and minds. It is not done away with, but is inside of us. It is who we are, and how we live, as followers of Messiah.

As we grow in our knowledge of Him, we become conformed to the image of Him. We become more like Yeshua, as the Holy Spirit moves us to follow His commands. Torah observance has nothing to do with salvation, but everything to do with sanctification. Sin is violation of God’s Torah (1 John 3:4). Once we are redeemed, we should make every effort to resist sin, and not grieve the Holy Spirit.

The Scriptures are given for correction, instruction, and training in righteousness. We must give our ears to the full counsel of His Word, contained from Genesis to Revelation. We need to give our hearts to understanding, to seek out His ways that are higher than our own. We should boldly walk along the road less traveled, to find the narrow way that leads to Him. Our testimony should be that of our Messiah, “The prince of this world has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me” (John 14:30-31).

#Sabbath #DayofDelight #FourthCommandment #KeepItHoly #ShabbatShalom

The LORD of Hosts, Adonai Tzva’ot, Will Deliver Israel Again

The LORD of Hosts, Adonai Tzva’ot, Will Deliver Israel Again

by | Jul 16, 2014 | Uncategorized

This morning, I awoke with Scriptures flooding my mind.  As the battle rages in Israel, this came as a message of hope for those gathered in the Promised Land.

“Thus says the LORD, which gives the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divides the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:  If those ordinances depart from before me, says the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever.” (Jeremiah 31:35-36)

Hamas followers believe they can destroy Israel. They are deceived. Those who do not love the truth, are sent strong delusion, that they will believe a lie (2 Thes. 2:11). The unattainable goal, of attempting to destroy the Judah in the Land, will be as effective as shooting missiles at the sun, moon, and stars. Aiming implements of war, at the Jewish people in the Land of Israel, will be detrimental to the Palestinian Arabs.

The God of Israel is Yahweh, the LORD of Hosts. He will have His dominion over the affairs of man. The Name, YHVH Tsva’ot, implies that the God who created the sun, moon, and stars, has the power over the armies of the earth. The hosts of heaven are created to rule and have dominion. The patriarch Joseph’s prophetic dream included the sun, moon, and stars. These three celestial terms occur, in the same order, twelve times in Scripture.

For the battle today in Zion, it is good to draw encouragement from the battle plans of previous generations. We can read in 2 Chronicles 20:2-15 of the story of the victory of the army of King Jehoshaphat. May his strategy prove true in our day as well!

“…some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against thee… And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.  And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.  And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, and said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?  Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gave it to the seed of Abraham thy friend forever?  And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help…O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.  And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah… came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus says the LORD unto you,

Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude;

for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

The Battle is Mine

 “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6) 

One Torah, Two Approaches to God?

One Torah, Two Approaches to God?

by | Jul 14, 2014 | Uncategorized

Root of our Faith

A Critical Look at the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations

and Synagogues (IAMCS) Steering Committee Report

of False Accusations Against the Hebrew Roots Movement

 We, as Messianic leaders and teachers, have become increasingly concerned that there are a small number of individuals and groups today promoting the idea that the Torah is not valid in the lives of Believers in Messiah Yeshua [Jesus Christ]. These people, headed by the Steering Committee of the IAMCS, state that all Believers – Jewish and Gentile alike – ought not to walk as Messiah, by honoring the Torah, particularly the Shabbat, the Feasts of the LORD, and eating a Biblically kosher diet. This erroneous understanding of Scripture, which has been around since the fourth century, and the days of the Roman Emperor Constantine, is the subject of this paper. This doctrine promoted by the IAMCS leaders causes them to conclude that the Torah is only for the Jews and that Gentile obedience to the Torah is limited to the four commandments in Acts 15. This misunderstanding of the intent of the New Covenant, divides the body of Messiah into two factions, one obedient (to varying degrees) to the culture of the Torah, and one that is submitted to the Gentile world and its culture. Brothers of the IAMCS, this ought not to be!

The IAMCS leaders’ conclusion about their distinction between Messianic Jews and what is required of “Gentiles”, is reached by only reading the initial sentence of the Acts 15 council’s decision, and not the concluding statement. The Apostle James stated:

“Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. For Moses [Torah] from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath“ (Acts 15:19-21 NAS).

At the giving of this decree in Jerusalem, the Apostles never envisioned that the Gentiles would create a separate system of religion, known as the “Church”, which would nullify the commands of Torah, by declaring them “done away with in Christ”. James and the Elders believed that those who were coming to God, out of the nations, would attend the synagogues each week and to learn more about the Covenant God has with Israel. To attend the weekly Sabbath gatherings, with the disciples of Yeshua, would cause the non-Jew to join in the same worship services along with the Believing Jews. The two would become one in Messiah, not two separate and distinct people groups, but one body, with one expression of faith. There should only be one purpose, to preach the Gospel, and make disciples, to the Jew first and then to the Nations/Gentiles (Rom. 1:16).

If only the four above initial commandments apply to the Gentiles, does that mean the Gentiles are free from the rest of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shall not steal”, Thou shall not covet,” and Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”? That would be ludicrous!  Who determines which of the Ten Commandments are universal for the fellowship of Believers? Is it man [the IAMCS] or God?

 It was never the intention of the Acts 15 council to create two approaches to the worship of the God of Israel, one for Jews and one for the Gentiles. They understood that “God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:8-9).

What defines a heart cleansed by faith? It would be the sign of the New Covenant spoken of by the prophet Jeremiah and confirmed in Hebrews 8:8.

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law [Torah] within them, and on their heart I will write it, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Jeremiah 31:31-33).

 The New Covenant is not entered into by a legalistic observance of Torah. No one has ever been saved by obedience to Torah. Our faith in the Messianic movement is grounded in the words of Messiah, the mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 12:24):

“And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying,“This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20).

The brothers of the IAMCS, should not bear false witness against the brothers and sisters in the One Law, Hebraic Roots movement, by declaring they “advocate legalism” instead of salvation by faith. Such a statement is to accuse others of denying the blood of Messiah by which the New Covenant was sealed. This is a FALSE accusation. There is no law, or Torah observance by which man can be saved. It is only by the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, that anyone, Jew or non-Jew, is reconciled to the Holy One of Israel.

Other SLANDEROUS and FALSE ACCUSATIONS asserted in the paper, “One Law, Two Sticks: A Critical Look at the Hebrew Roots Movement”, include erroneous assumptions that the One Law, Hebraic Roots movement believes the following:

  • That “…the law wasn’t intended just for Israel, but for everyone.”
  • That “…neither the coming of Messiah…changes anything…as the universal human need to relate to God through the laws of Moses.”
  • “… that the true ‘Hebrew roots’…are found in the keeping of the laws of Moses…”
  • Our “…mission…is to promote observance of the law as a means of restoring…”
  • That “Followers of ‘One Law One People’ insist that everybody ought to be keeping the Torah.”
  • “The question of Israel identity…is intimately intertwined with replacement theology.”
  • In being an “advocate of legalism”
  • That “…he who keeps the law given to Israel, therefore IS Israel.”
  • That “One Law theology is…replacement theology.”
  • That the origins of our faith are in “The Millerites”, “Adventists and Sabbatarianism”, Seventh Day Adventist Church”, “Sacred Namers”, “Herbert W. Armstrong”, “British/Anglo-Israelism”, “ Worldwide Church of God”, or “Two-House Movement”
  • That “the modern miracle of the Jewish State is not something to be celebrated.”
  • That Hebrew Roots people are “anti-Semitic”
  • Our “ultimate goal…is replacing the Jewish people…”
  • We are “a Gentile group which claims it has some kind of biblical right…to possess the ancient Jewish homeland…”
  • “…that the only hope for the Gentile believers is to get out of the church…”
  • “…that the Jews are either not descendants of Israel at all, or that Jews are a people who constitute just one tribe among Israel.”
  • We are “opposed to the gospel of scripture…of forgiveness of sin, the Hebrew Roots message is a gospel of law; to wit, that man is to be reconciled unto God not by faith in God, but by keeping the Torah.”
  • That “In Hebrew Roots, the message is that God is supposedly angry at the Gentile church…”
  • That “God is… not as a loving and forgiving God, who gave His only Son to die for the sins of all people. But rather, an intolerant God, who rejects all Gentile cultures…a Gentile must become culturally Jewish in order to come into the fullness of a healthy relationship with God.”
  • That our message is “…that the reason Messiah dies on the tree was not to deliver the Gentile from sin, but to deliver the Gentile from being a Gentile…”
  • That “if one keeps Torah, then this verifies a person’s ‘chosen-ness’ and means, he or she is an Israelite. In this manner, the Jews are not Israel…”
  • That “Hebrew Roots groups…have little to no interest in the Jewish people.”
  • Our “…’vision’ is not for Jewish people to come to Messiah, but rather, to push Torah on Gentiles.”

The labels of “anti-Semitic”, “replacement theology”, and “legalism” should not be placed upon those who value the One Law/Hebrew Roots teachings. It would take the majority of Scripture to prove all the above false accusations of the Messianic Jewish IAMCS leadership against the One Law/One People, Hebraic Roots movement. Perhaps if they just took the opportunity to talk, face to face, with someone, they think they oppose, they would find that their case against them is based on false information.

One thing we can agree with, in the IAMCS paper, is that the LORD, Yahweh, is not interested in the Gospel being cloaked in a Gentile culture. The Gentile world view does not come from the Biblical root. The church did take a very wrong turn, in the fourth century and it is our desire to return to a Torah-based faith in Messiah, one that is rooted and grounded in Him and His teachings. We do not agree with Constantine and his creed. We will NEVER again, “…renounce all customs…unleavened breads and sacrifices of lambs of the Hebrews, and all the other feasts of the Hebrews, sacrifices, prayers, aspirations, purifications, sanctifications, and propitiations, and fasts and new moons, and Sabbaths… [Constantine’s Creed]. Never again!

Contrary to the views of the IAMCS, it is not obvious to all that the “roots of the biblical faith are Jewish”. Many non-Jewish Christians have accepted the 1700 year anti-Semitic deception of the Enemy, and they need to be taught the root of our faith. The Prophet Isaiah describes the Biblical Root, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:1-2).

It is especially important to teach that Messiah Yeshua is the Biblical root of the Messianic faith. It is most disturbing that some have fallen into the error of thinking that traditional Judaism is the Jewish root, and therefore have fallen away from faith in Messiah Yeshua. Stating that there is a “Jewish root”, without defining that root as Yeshua, causes confusion for those who are new to the Hebraic Roots/Messianic faith. Messiah Yeshua, as the Root of our faith, reaches farther back into history, before our father Abraham, and therefore, before there was the distinction of what is Jewish.“Jesus [Yeshua] said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). It is vital that the Body of Messiah know her Jewish Bridegroom as the Lion of Judah, and to know that He has existed as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, as the Root of the Messianic faith (Rev. 5:6, 12, and Rev. 13:8).

What value is the Law [Torah] for all Believers in Messiah? Torah is the loving instructions of the Holy One of Israel to the redeemed body of Believers. Torah was not given for salvation, but for the redeemed community of faith. Torah is for sanctification, not salvation. To misinterpret the Torah is to take away from the jots and tittles of Scripture. “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law [Torah] of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Ps. 1:1-3).

The Gospel is to reach the Jew first. Over the last 1700 years, the “Church” has ineffectively delivered the Gospel message in a way that a Jew could receive it. It is time for the Body of Messiah to wake up to the Covenant faithfulness of the God of Israel. If we continue in the error of the Constantine based Christianity, we will continue to nullify the effect of the New Covenant. Messiah Yeshua’s prayer was that we would be one:

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me,  and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:21-23).

The purpose of the Gospel of Messiah, among many things, is to save the lost, restore the broken, redeem the captive, and to make the two one, be they Jew or non-Jew, slave or master, male or female. We are to be One in Him, not two different groups of people, Jews and Gentiles, with two different approaches to worship. One people, with one manner, is the instruction of Torah. “One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourns among you” because God has “made no distinction” between the Jew and the non-Jew (Exodus 12:49 & Acts 15:9).

The purpose of this paper is to address the Steering Committee of the IAMCS and tell them they have not done due process, according to Matthew 18. These men have co-written a paper, without speaking to their brothers or sisters about their offenses. Those addressed in the “One Law, Two Sticks” paper, were not even given the notice that they were being attacked before the paper was published all over the internet. This approach does nothing to solve the breach, but to perpetuate it. Scripture states we are to go our brother, privately, first. If doesn’t produce peace, then we are to take a second or third witness. Only as a last result, if the appeal and second appeal is not heard, should it be broadcast to the entire Body of Messiah. Unfortunately, the IAMCS leaders have not followed the simple instructions of our Master and Savior, Yeshua, and are therefore guilty of bearing false witness against their One Law/ Hebrew Roots brothers and sisters in Messiah. The intent of this paper is to reveal to them the error of their ways, and hopefully see them do the works of repentance, and cease publishing of their slanderous paper over the internet and in their congregations.

Anna, the Prophetess from Asher, and the Restoration of All Things

Anna, the Prophetess from Asher, and the Restoration of All Things

by | May 24, 2014 | Uncategorized

 

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In recent years the Messianic movement has taken root, and many former Gentiles are finding their place in the Kingdom of Israel. They are no longer aliens or strangers to the covenants and promises of God but have been brought into the commonwealth of Israel by the redemption of Messiah Yeshua.  As these former Gentiles, because of their love for Messiah, embrace Torah, the feasts of Israel, and Shabbat, they are continually hindered by false accusations from religious groups and organizations.  It is expected from those of the “church”, who still continue in Romanism by keeping the holidays of Christmas, Easter, and Sunday Sabbath, but it is especially painful to be persecuted by others who honor the Sabbath and keep the Biblical holidays.

It is the desire of the non-Jews, who are discovering the goodness of Torah, to find unity with their brothers and sisters in the Messianic Jewish movement, to be ONE people. Unhappily, the Messianic Jewish movement, in large part, does not understand the phenomenal impact these former Gentiles are making today. Lives are being radically transformed as Believers in Messiah Yeshua are honoring the Torah. Marriages and families are being restored by reconnecting with the loving Instruction of God. The Word is written on their hearts, and they desire to live lives pleasing to the Holy One of Israel. This is an unprecedented movement. To repeat, this is an UNPRECEDENTED movement! Never before have “Gentiles” desired to keep Torah alongside their Jewish brethren. This is not the same as what happened in the 4th century. In the past “Gentiles” came in and turned the “church” away from the Torah. Never before have “Gentiles” desired to live as Israel and keep the commandments of God. It is a move of the Holy Spirit and will continue as part of the restoration of all things spoken by the prophets.  This restoration has to be fulfilled before Messiah Yeshua returns to rule and reign on the earth.

 Most of these former Gentiles Believers, who have now embraced Torah as their lifestyle, are finding opposition from the very ones they desire acceptance from. The Messianic Jewish congregations and organizations still hold them at arm’s length. While Messianic non-Jews give up Sunday Sabbath, Christmas, and Easter to keep the Feasts of the LORD, they experience rejection by friends and family that do not understand the conviction in their hearts. To add insult to injury, the Messianic Jewish community has told them that must keep traditions that are separate and apart from the Jews.  They are told that Sabbath is only for the Jews. They are excluded, or at least made to feel inferior, in Messianic Jewish congregations. Is this pleasing to Messiah?  Did He not purchase the non-Jew by the same blood that purchased the Jew with?  Were not both the Jew and the non-Jew broken off for unbelief?  Are we not both grafted in to the same olive tree through faith in Messiah Yeshua? Did He not pray for His people to be ONE?

 A big reason for those in Messianic Judaism not understanding of the restoration of all Israel to the Covenants of Promise, Torah and Yeshua, is that they believe the reunion of the whole House of Israel already occurred. For them, it is a historic occurrence, not a prophetic one. The key to clearing up this misunderstanding is with Anna the Prophetess. The New Testament states that Anna, who lived at the time of Yeshua, was from Asher. Since Asher was one of the ten northern tribes of the Kingdom of Israel, they claim this proves the reunion of the two houses of Judah and Israel has already occurred, and therefore, anyone who disagrees with this “fact” is considered a “heretic” by those of the Messianic Jewish movement.

 Interestingly, Orthodox Judaism does not reject the idea of a return of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Since the prophetic book of Ezekiel, chapter 45, contains an account of land allocation to all twelve tribes, and there are only twelve gates for the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:12) there must be something lacking our understanding of history and the prophetic future to come.

 Let us take a Biblical and historical look how Anna could be from Asher, and what impact does this knowledge have on the restoration of the Two Houses of Israel understanding?  The goal of restoration is always to make the two into ONE. The prayer of Messiah Yeshua on the eve of His suffering was, “Father, keep them in Thy name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as We are.”  John 17:11

 First, we will look at the remnant of the northern Kingdom of Israel that escaped Assyrian captivity and their relationship with the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  In the beginning of his reign, Judah’s King Hezekiah cleansed the Kingdom of Judah of idolatry and restored the worship of Yahweh. Hezekiah was king during the Assyrian invasion of the northern Kingdom of Israel.  He offered this rescue and escape to the northern Tribes, to return to the Torah of the LORD, by coming to Jerusalem to keep the feast of Passover in the second month. Please note, this is not the “accurate” season of the celebration of Passover in the month of Aviv, but the second opportunity to get it right in the month of Iyar. God gives these northern Kingdom rebels a second chance, an opportunity to return and reverence His set apart time, and His set apart place. The king of the Jews (Hezekiah) opens up the door for restoration for those who have been scattered from the Covenant.

 In 2 Chronicles 30:1-6 we read:  “And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover unto the LORD  God of Israel…So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written. So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, “Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.”

 For those of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, who were willing to return to the worship of Yahweh for the feast of Passover, there was a promise – the LORD would return to them. Not only His presence but the presence of their children, who had been carried away captive. To this remnant of the Northern Kingdom that had escaped the Assyrians, they were encouraged by righteous King Hezekiah to return to the LORD and to celebrate together the feast with Judah. His invitation included a message of hope to these tribes, that in a future day, the Holy One would have compassion on their dispersed brethren and would return them to the Land of Israel.

 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see. Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into His sanctuary, which Hehath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you. For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion [Hebrew – racham] before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless, divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem (2 Chron. 30: 7-11).

 Despite the mocking and scorning by their fellow Israelites, some people chose to accept Hezekiah’s invitation. They came even though they were not sanctified for the Passover, but Yahweh was merciful to them and accepted them. “For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the Passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one that prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD. And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers. And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness” (2 Chron. 30:18-23).

 These returning remnant people of the northern Kingdom of Israel had such a good time celebrating Passover in Jerusalem along with the southern Kingdom of Judah, that they celebrated an additional seven days. “So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 30:26).  This is the first time that a portion of the House of Israel kept the Passover with the House of Judah since the days of Solomon. No wonder they were full of joy!  This spiritual revival swept the land of Judah and Israel so much that they all went out and broke down the heathen places of worship within the Land. “Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities” (2 Chron. 31:1). The unified time of worship for both houses of Israel was invigorating and they were on fire with zeal for the LORD. They were in ONE accord, in ONE place. This is the restoration of all things.

 Of the remnant of the tribes who escaped from Assyria and returned for Hezekiah’s Passover only five tribes returned. They represented Asher, Zebulun, Issachar, Manasseh, & Ephraim. These five tribes do not constitute a re-gathering of the Ten Lost Tribes use only five tribes returned. There is no mention of a return to the Land, or the worship of Yahweh, from those of the tribes of Gad, Reuben, Simeon, Naphtali, or Dan. This is the prophetic day we still long for, when the whole House of Israel will be gathered together, dwelling in the Land, by Messiah Yeshua to celebrate the feasts of the LORD in Jerusalem. May it be so in our day.

 The Prophetess Anna still speaks to all, who will have ears to hear, of the redemption soon coming to all of Israel. May we hear the voice of Ruhamah, the voice calling us to repent, return, and restore the Kingdom to Israel.  Only in Messiah Yeshua, when the two are made ONE will this be accomplished.

Counting the Omer, Two Views, One Season

Counting the Omer, Two Views, One Season

by | Apr 22, 2014 | Uncategorized

 

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There are fifty days of counting from Firstfruits [HaBikiurrim] of the Barley to Pentecost [Shavuot]. It was during these days, in 30 A.D., that all of the post resurrection appearances of Messiah were witnessed.  “Until the day in which He was taken up, after that He through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen:  To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me” (Acts 1:2-4).

What an awesome time they had as they spent the first forty days counting the omer with Messiah Yeshua! It was only a ten day wait until the harvest festival of Shavuot, and they all waited together with great anticipation for the fulfillment of Yeshua’s final instructions as He ascended.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;  Which also said, Ye men [people] of Galilee, [this group includes the women who followed Him from Galilee] why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.  Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day’s journey.  And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room…These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” (Acts 1:8-14)

The count for these  fifty days of the omer begins either on the first day after the annual Sabbath of Unleavened Bread, Aviv 16, according to the tradition of the Pharisees. Or it can begin on the day after the weekly Sabbath during the Week of Unleavened Bread, according to the  tradition of the ancient Sadducees. Either way the count is the same, but the days set apart for the celebrations, and therefore the Sabbath of Shauvot will be different.

According to Judaism 101 (at the site: jewfaq.org): “There was, at one time, a dispute as to when the counting should begin. The Pharisees believed that G-d gave Moses an oral Torah along with the written Torah, and according to that oral Torah the word “Shabbat” in Lev. 23:15 referred to the first day of Passover [Sabbath of Unleavened Bread], which is a “Shabbat” in the sense that no work is permitted on the day… In this view, held by most Jews today, the counting begins on the second night of Passover, that is, the day after the non-working day of Passover [first annual Sabbath of Unleavened Bread]. The Tzedukim (Sadducees) rejected the idea of an oral Torah and believed that the word “Shabbat” in Lev. 23:15 referred to the Shabbat of the week when Pesach began, so counting would always begin on a Saturday night during Passover. The Sadducees no longer exist; today, only a small sect call the Karites follow this view.” (The information in brackets was added for clarification.)

In the time of Messiah’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension, the Sadducees controlled the Temple services, so their application is the one that fits the Passion week of Yeshua, as discussed in the previous blog post titled, “Firstfruits and the Resurrection of Messiah Yeshua”.

After the previous blog post, a man challenged my conclusions.  His claim was that the giving of the Torah on Sinai was “exactly” 50 days after Firstfruits. While I greatly value the giving of Torah at Sinai, Jewish teachings do not confirm this as fact. Shavuot is the season for the Revelation of Torah, not the exact date.

According to The Jewish Book of Why, the Sivan 6th date for Shavuot was determined not from the Bible, but from the Talmud. The connection to the Revelation of Torah at Sinai was not incorporated into Judaism until the 3rd century, after the destruction of the Temple. Yes, the giving of Torah occurred in the third month, according to Ex. 19, but the exact date was not designated in the Bible. Shavuot is the season of the Revelation of Sinai, it is not the day of the event.

The Torah tells us that the Sabbaths are connected to the observance of Shavuot. Leviticus 23:15, “And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete”. Shavuot is not indicated in Scripture as occurring “exactly 50 days later” than the Exodus from Egypt.

Once again, referring to The Jewish Book of Why, “The Bible in no way associates the holiday of Shavuot with God’s Revelation on Mount Sinai. The Talmud, however, does make an association between the two. Apparently, the connection was established when scholars, following the biblical account, calculated that the dates of the agricultural festival of Shavuot and the events at Mt. Sinai coincided…The Bible does not connect Shavuot with the giving of the Tora on Mount Sinai…The earliest reference to Shavuot as ‘the time of the giving of the Tora [Zeman Mattan Toratenu]‘ is in the Talmud. The third-century C.E. scholar Rabbi Eleazar said that all authorities agree on the necessity of rejoicing with good food an wine on Atzeret (the talmudic name for Shavuot) because on that day the Tora was given to Israel (Pesachaim 68b). Shavuot became increasingly associated with the Revelation at Mount Sinai because, as a purely agricultural holiday, it had lost its significance. The Jews of Palestine had become an urban people, and to keep the holiday alive it became necessary to associate the Shavuot holiday with an historical event. The event chosen was the Revelation because it occurred about the same time of the year that the agricultural festival of Shavuot was celebrated.” [The Jewish Book of Why pages 211-214, 1981 edition].

Perhaps the season of Shauvot is the reason to celebrate and we should not get caught up with being “accurate”. The date is deliberately vague in the Scriptures, and perhaps that is good with our God. The rabbis determined that the dates of the Biblical holidays may not be observed on time in the diaspora, and recommended that those outside of Israel celebrate for more than one day.  Perhaps we, in the dispersion, could consider both Jewish views for the observance of Shavuot.  One would align us with the Pharisees determination, upheld by the rabbis of the nation of Israel, for the Sabbath of Shavuot. The other count, beginning on the first day of the week, would keep us in line with the Sadducees decision of the first century, which was the timing of events that took place at the resurrection  and ascension of Messiah. Maybe it is not an either/or choice. Maybe both choices are worthy of keeping for their own unique reasons.

Scripture tells us, to keep the annual Sabbaths during their times and seasons. If your local congregation has proclaimed a day set aside for rejoicing and gathering together, it would be good to join with them, whatever day they have determined is best. Being in one accord with the local body takes precedence over being “correct”. It is never “right” to avoid assembling  with the local fellowship, we are in community with. Especially, it is not “correct” to elevate ourselves over the rest of the congregation, because we prefer our private interpretation of Scripture over that of the  shepherds who have gathered the flock.

Torah tells us, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.  Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.  These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons” (Lev. 23:2-4). Each local assembly should proclaim they days they are setting aside to celebrate the feast of the LORD, so that everyone can gather in one accord.

It is good to join in unity with our local congregations.  Being in one accord is the reason for the Shavuot season. Joining together for feasting, study, prayer, and worship is what the first century Believers did, and God blessed them with the outpouring of the Ruach/Holy Spirit. Bickering over who is more accurate, or what calender to follow , is not what Firstfruits is about. It is not the Feast of Bickering , but  the Feast of HaBikkurim, a holiday of gathering the sheaves, not scattering them.  Abba wants His children to come together with  an attitude of Hine MaTov. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!   It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard…for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. (Ps. 133:1-3).

If we want the oil of the Ruach to flow, we need to come together in one place. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.   And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting”(Acts 2:1-2).

May this Shavuot season fill you with the power of the Ruach as you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior. May His mercy surround you during the counting of the omer as we anticipate the days ahead.