“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?
This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise."
Isaiah 43:19a, 21
At the end of April, during the week of Israel Independence Day, we were invited by an Orthodox Jewish friend to attend the "launching" of a new initiative promoting Jewish / Christian relations he is pioneering with American Christian, Bob O'Dell. "Root Source" is designed to have: "knowledgeable Israeli Jews teaching Christians around the world online about Jewish concepts, ideas and thought, to more deeply understand the roots of their faith, in an informal and loving manner."
In the past couple of years there has been an exciting new understanding for Jews and Christians alike. The Jewish people in Israel are finally coming to the understanding that they don't need to be afraid of Christians, that we can have open and honest dialogue together. Christians are being awakened to the understanding that there is more to our faith than what we've been walking in - a history that goes back even further than Jesus, all the way to the Garden of Eden. The Jewish people have such a deep and rich understanding of the Old Testament that most Christians have never truly understood through the eyes in which it was written and lived - Jewish eyes. Our Savior chose to come to earth as a Jewish man and most Christians don't have a full understanding of the "source of our roots" with the Jewish people and the Old Testament.
Many of the books (letters) in the New Testament, including Romans, were written by Paul. While many believe him to be a Jew whom God changed his name when he converted to Christianity on Damascus Road, he was really a Jewish man who met the Messiah he had been waiting for his whole life. He chose to accept and believe in Yeshua's (Jesus) plan of redemption for mankind. Shaul (Saul) was given the task of taking this plan of redemption to the Gentile world who had no hope (Ephesians 2:12) - making him the first, primary emissary of Jewish / Gentile relations! It wasn't even mentioned until Acts 13:9 that the name Paul was even used to identify him, long after he and Barnabas had been sharing the Good News in area countries. Given that Shaul was his Hebrew name, the name Paul began being used as he travelled in a Greco-Roman region.
"Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him." Acts 13:9
Romans 11:16-24 (CJB)
"Now if the hallah offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole loaf. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you — a wild olive — were grafted in among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, 18 then don’t boast as if you were better than the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root, the root is supporting you. 19 So you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 True, but so what? They were broken off because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your place only because of your trust. So don’t be arrogant; on the contrary, be terrified! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he certainly won’t spare you! 22 So take a good look at God’s kindness and his severity: on the one hand, severity toward those who fell off; but, on the other hand, God’s kindness toward you — provided you maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut off! 23 Moreover, the others, if they do not persist in their lack of trust, will be grafted in; because God is able to graft them back in. 24 For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree!"
There is a lot that Jews and Christians can can agree on and discuss, as we share the same root. And as we begin to see the turning of the tide, and the wall of separation coming down, we are literally hearing Orthodox Jews saying, "The Christians want to learn from us? Messiah must be coming soon!" And at the same time, we as Christians are saying, "The Jews are willing to talk with us and teach us from the Bible? Messiah must be coming soon!"
Zechariah 8:1-8, 23
"Again the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal;
With great fervor I am zealous for her.’
With great fervor I am zealous for her.’
3 “Thus says the Lord:
‘I will return to Zion,
And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth,
The Mountain of the Lord of hosts,
The Holy Mountain.’
And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth,
The Mountain of the Lord of hosts,
The Holy Mountain.’
4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Old men and old women shall again sit
In the streets of Jerusalem,
Each one with his staff in his hand
Because of great age.
5 The streets of the city
Shall be full of boys and girls
Playing in its streets.’
In the streets of Jerusalem,
Each one with his staff in his hand
Because of great age.
5 The streets of the city
Shall be full of boys and girls
Playing in its streets.’
6 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days,
Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’
Says the Lord of hosts.
Will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’
Says the Lord of hosts.
7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east
And from the land of the west;
8 I will bring them back,
And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
They shall be My people
And I will be their God,
In truth and righteousness.’
And from the land of the west;
8 I will bring them back,
And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.
They shall be My people
And I will be their God,
In truth and righteousness.’
23 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
Ephesians 2:11-22 (CJB)
"Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth — called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised — 12 at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra’el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise. You were in this world without hope and without God.
13 But now, you who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of the Messiah’s blood. 14 For he himself is our shalom — he has made us both one and has broken down the m’chitzah (wall) which divided us 15 by destroying in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups a single new humanity and thus make shalom, 16 and in order to reconcile to God both in a single body by being executed on a stake as a criminal and thus in himself killing that enmity.
17 Also, when he came, he announced as Good News shalom to you far off and shalom to those nearby, 18 news that through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow-citizens with God’s people and members of God’s family. 20 You have been built on the foundation of the emissaries and the prophets, with the cornerstone being Yeshua the Messiah himself. 21 In union with him the whole building is held together, and it is growing into a holy temple in union with the Lord. 22 Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God!"
At the launching event, after refreshments, we were blessed to hear several Jewish and Christian leaders give their insight and thoughts about this new endeavor. We also each received a book of Psalms that was in both Hebrew and English.
Many Jewish leaders gave their blessing for the launching.
As did many Christian leaders in Jerusalem,
including our co-founder of Christian Friends of Israel, Sharon Sanders.
including our co-founder of Christian Friends of Israel, Sharon Sanders.
Below is our friend and co-founder of Root Source, Gidon Ariel.
And Christian co-founder, Bob O'Dell.
Below is Yehuda Glick, a member of the Temple Mount Faithful (an group of activists promoting Jews being allowed to pray on the Temple Mount). There was an attempt to assassinate him outside this very building the launch was held - the Begin Center - just 6 months before. This event we attended was his first time back to the Begin Center since the shooting. Wow. His first time back, and it was a Jewish / Christian relations event that was important enough to him to brave the past to return to this place. Wow. This emphasizes the COURAGE of both Jews and Christians to "do a new thing...."
Yehuda Glick also attended the Day to Praise later that week, promoting Jewish / Christian relations in worshipping the one true God together.
The next event that week that we were invited to was a "Day to Praise" event similar to the one we attended last fall in Ephrat, near Bethlehem. This event, however, was advertised by social media all over the world - encouraging Jews and Christians to come together on Israel Independence Day to celebrate and praise the God of Israel for all He has done. Not only that - but it was held in Jerusalem, at a synagogue.
Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?? Jews inviting Christians into a synagogue in Jerusalem to worship and read Scripture together?? I dare say this has not happened since the early Jews and Believers in the first century....."Behold, I will do a new thing...."
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| הלל - Hallel - Hebrew for Praise |
Our friend, David Nekrutman, Executive Director of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation in Ephrat organized the event; with the blessing of the key-note speaker, and his rabbi, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin - Chief Rabbi of Ephrat. Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, awarded the honor of Ambassador for Jewish-Christian Relations upon Rabbi Riskin, in recognition of his pioneering efforts in reconciliation between Jews and Christians.
The day before the event, we heard from David that some rabbis were saying they were going to protest the event if they didn't cancel. While this was a surprise, the event was not cancelled, and we all decided to have COURAGE. Courage knowing there would be Jews who don't like or agree with dialoging and worshipping with Christians - especially in a synagogue. Courage knowing there will be Christians who don't like or agree with the idea of dialoging and worshiping with Jews - "they had their chance" and "there's nothing we can learn from them if they aren't believers in Jesus."
While this may not seem like a radical course to some, for many it's unheard of. And now that the Pope has come out and labelled Palestinian Authority President Abbas an "angel of peace"???? Our job as Christians in Israel just got even harder.
But those of us who label ourselves in Israel as "Christian Zionists", the Jewish people are learning to trust. And together, we will have courage to move forward in building a "dwelling place for God."
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| David Nekrutman |
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| Rabbi Shlomo Riskin |
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Time of worship (video).
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| Showing respect and honor while in the synagogue, the women and men sat on separate sides of the room. Both men and women covered their heads. |
More worship.
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| Sharon Sanders - co/founder of Christian Friends of Israel. |
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| Several Jewish and Christian leaders read from the Psalms. |
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| CFI interviewing David after the event. |
The entire Day to Praise event is available to watch on YouTube in four parts.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYkitapedz1V48fHJLYHLujHIUb8fMwn
Earlier this month, both Yehuda Glick and David Nekrutman spoke at our Christian Friends of Israel 30th Anniversary conference.
As we each feel the turmoil in the world beginning to really "hit home" and effect each of our lives personally, we pray that we can each - as individuals - have the courage to stand up for what we believe in, no matter who disagrees and no matter the cost. As the darkness becomes darker, may the light in us become brighter! In a commander's office last year with a few other soldiers, we talked about Jews and Christians being that light, and the effect we can have together. May our light shine brighter and brighter together.
We cannot tell you the honor we feel being a part of these Biblical prophesies coming to pass in Israel - from Isaiah, Zechariah, Ephesians and many others. There is no way to express what it is like when you are literally walking out scripture, and are a part of it.
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?
This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise."
Isaiah 43:19a, 21
Truly, Messiah must be coming soon!!
Bo, Yeshua, Bo!
(Come, Jesus, Come!)
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