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Category Archives: Messiah

The anointed one whom Jews are expecting

A post-Resurrection miracle as a ‘mystery’ now revealed – part 1

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[First published 2018]

Not long after Father God brought Jesus the Messiah back from the dead by His Spirit, the One who’s the radiance of His glory went once again in search of His ex-fisherman friends. Of the two sets of brothers who’d been partners in the fishing trade on the Sea of Galilee before deserting their nets to follow a peripatetic teacher, their boss had an exceptionally severe crisis of self-confidence.

GONE FISHING!

So this ‘son of Jonah’, named Simon, decided to return to the simple life of sitting in a boat with buddies and dragging a net in the hope of getting a catch – but it proved to be an exercise in futility!

A few years earlier on that inland sea, the four fishing partners encountered and had been ‘called’ by The One to follow Him. Jesus amazed the crowds there with His teaching and had asked Simon if He could address them from his moored boat. Jesus knew the men had worked hard all night without having caught anything because, when He’d finished speaking, He told Simon to sail into deep water and lower his nets despite the fruitless night – Simon was overwhelmed by the result!  They’d got such a large number of fish that another boat was called for – then both began to sink with their massive weight!!

So Simon changed his tune. Upon hearing Jesus’ instruction he’d objected because of the poor night, yet respectfully referred to Him as “Master” – but in amazement at the fresh catch breaking nets and sinking boats, Simon addressed Him with the superior term of “Lord”; thus suggesting he was beginning to understand the status of this astonishing teacher. In the account by one of those partners, John, they’d previously met Jesus immediately after His baptism in the river Jordan and Andrew had brought his brother Simon to see Jesus, who then spoke of his identity and implicit destiny, “You are Simon son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas,” (which is translated ‘A Stone’, Petros/Peter: John 1:42).

DSCF3120

After that huge catch of unspecified quantity, Jesus called Simon into his destiny: “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men!”  That is, a fisher of men. When they’d landed their boats the four forsook all and followed Him (Luke 5:10-11).

This event would be replayed later but at a higher level when, once again, Simon will be caught by surprise! But before that, the four fishermen disciples were to become part of the twelve chosen as ‘Apostles’, who were given power and authority (Matt 10:2). And Simon was to have a personal revelation of Jesus’ real identity. He blurted out “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” to which Jesus responded, “Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Also, he was further blessed to see Jesus’ transfiguration and hear Father speak about His beloved Son and instruct Peter, James and John to heed Him (Matt 16 and Matt 17).

Yet this same Peter later earned a severe rebuke from Jesus because, in his devotion, he was shocked upon hearing Jesus speak of His destined execution and in dismay he spoke against God’s plans!  AND then, when that dreadful event transpired, poor Peter was distraught during Jesus’ trial to hear himself thrice deny his association with Him! Even so, he was again blessed when Jesus visited, instructed and commissioned the Twelve (minus Judas the betrayer) after His miraculous resurrection from the dead.

However, Peter must have considered his thrice-denial would cost him dearly in losing his standing with his Lord. Hence, a critical crisis of self-confidence for Peter.

So, why not go back to fishing – and far away from Jerusalem?  His ex-fisherman friend John records Simon Peter as having told him and five others – seven in total – he was going fishing – and they replied, “We’re going with you!” (John 21:2-3).  In fact, Peter was heading into his own resurrection: that of his own self-worth, identity and calling!

ACTION REPLAY

John continues: ‘They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children have you any food?” They answer Him, “No” and He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they cast, and were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish…

DSCF3144

‘Then as soon as they came to land they saw a fire of coals there and fish laid on it, and bread (Note:) Jesus said to them “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three, and although there were so many, the net was not broken.’

Believing readers will be very familiar with the wonderful reinstatement of Peter.  When John recognised who the man on the beach was he told Peter and, being determined to be back with Him, Peter donned his outer garment and dived fully clothed into the water and swam about 100 meters to shore.

This dear man, so like all of us as imperfect disciples, is asked thrice if he loves the Lord much more than his fellow disciples – that is, with ‘agape’ love: the unconditional, unconquerable, benevolent goodwill, as given by the Father and Jesus. Peter, rescinds and over-rights his previous thrice-denial to profess a less emphatic love (‘phileo’) that he knows he can give. In repeating His question at that lower level Jesus accepts but tests his profession further, thus giving him a threefold commission to be His under-shepherd.

[Note: ‘agape’, a word to which Christianity gave a new meaning, for outside the NT it rarely occurs in existing Greek manuscripts of the period. It means a love by choice and refers to will, rather than ‘phileo’, a brotherly love by chance and emotion – New Spirit-Filled Study Bible.]

DSCF3150

Read more deeply, if you’ve not already done so, about the significance of the specific size of this ‘resurrection’ catch in Joanne Rolston’s 153, Signs and Symbols. In part 2 we will go deeper into them as we look into the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven…

[Photos: ‘The Life of Christ’, Wintershall Players, copyright Richard J Barker]

Contemporary Jewish records of Jesus

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Here’s the second of Tim Shey’s comments upon What Does Jesus Look Like? – and note our chat on the previous post:

Richard: This is a really beautiful and uplifting story about a small child seeing Jesus. Colton seeing Jesus reminds me of:

  • Psalm 8:2: “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.”
  • Matthew 11:25: At that time Jesus answered and said,  “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
  • I Corinthians 1:27: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”

[I respond re. Colton “Yes Tim, and it wasn’t Colton alone but also the child-prodigy Akian who painted Jesus’ portrait.”  – What is also interesting is that Kenneth Hagin describes Jesus EXACTLY as Akiane Kramarik paints him. I read a few books by Kenneth Hagin years ago. Hagin was sitting on this bed reading the Bible when Jesus walked into the room. Hagin describes Jesus as around 5’11” or 6′, very muscular, dark hair and olive skin color.]

_____

THE ARCHKO VOLUME – Historical Evidence for Jesus Christ

The full title: THE ARCHKO VOLUME OR, THE ARCHEOLOGICAL WRITINGS OF THE SANHEDREN AND TALMUDS OF THE JEWS [These are the official documents made in these courts in the days of Jesus Christ]. Translated by Drs. McIntosh and Twyman. [Previous post Pilate’s Report refers]

Here are some chapter headings: Continue reading →

A post-Resurrection miracle as a ‘mystery’ now revealed – part 1

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[First published 2018]

Not long after Father God brought Jesus the Messiah back from the dead by His Spirit, the One who’s the radiance of His glory went once again in search of His ex-fisherman friends. Of the two sets of brothers who’d been partners in the fishing trade on the Sea of Galilee before deserting their nets to follow a peripatetic teacher, their boss had an exceptionally severe crisis of self-confidence.

GONE FISHING!

So this ‘son of Jonah’, named Simon, decided to return to the simple life of sitting in a boat with buddies and dragging a net in the hope of getting a catch – but it proved to be an exercise in futility!

A few years earlier on that inland sea, the four fishing partners encountered and had been ‘called’ by The One to follow Him. Jesus amazed the crowds there with His teaching and had asked Simon if He could address them from his moored boat. Jesus knew the men had worked hard all night without having caught anything because, when He’d finished speaking, He told Simon to sail into deep water and lower his nets despite the fruitless night – Simon was overwhelmed by the result!  They’d got such a large number of fish that another boat was called for – then both began to sink with their massive weight!!

So Simon changed his tune. Upon hearing Jesus’ instruction he’d objected because of the poor night, yet respectfully referred to Him as “Master” – but in amazement at the fresh catch breaking nets and sinking boats, Simon addressed Him with the superior term of “Lord”; thus suggesting he was beginning to understand the status of this astonishing teacher. In the account by one of those partners, John, they’d previously met Jesus immediately after His baptism in the river Jordan and Andrew had brought his brother Simon to see Jesus, who then spoke of his identity and implicit destiny, “You are Simon son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas,” (which is translated ‘A Stone’, Petros/Peter: John 1:42).

DSCF3120

After that huge catch of unspecified quantity, Jesus called Simon into his destiny: “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men!”  That is, a fisher of men. When they’d landed their boats the four foresook all and followed Him (Luke 5:10-11). Continue reading →

A post-Resurrection miracle as a ‘mystery’ now revealed – part 1

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[First published 2018]

Not long after Father God brought Jesus the Messiah back from the dead by His Spirit, the One who’s the radiance of His glory went once again in search of His ex-fisherman friends. Of the two sets of brothers who’d been partners in the fishing trade on the Sea of Galilee before deserting their nets to follow a peripatetic teacher, their boss had an exceptionally severe crisis of self-confidence.

GONE FISHING!

So this ‘son of Jonah’, named Simon, decided to return to the simple life of sitting in a boat with buddies and dragging a net in the hope of getting a catch – but it proved to be an exercise in futility!

A few years earlier on that inland sea, the four fishing partners encountered and had been ‘called’ by The One to follow Him. Jesus amazed the crowds there with His teaching and had asked Simon if He could address them from his moored boat. Jesus knew the men had worked hard all night without having caught anything because, when He’d finished speaking, He told Simon to sail into deep water and lower his nets despite the fruitless night – Simon was overwhelmed by the result!  They’d got such a large number of fish that another boat was called for – then both began to sink with their massive weight!!

So Simon changed his tune. Upon hearing Jesus’ instruction he’d objected because of the poor night, yet respectfully referred to Him as “Master” – but in amazement at the fresh catch breaking nets and sinking boats, Simon addressed Him with the superior term of “Lord”; thus suggesting he was beginning to understand the status of this astonishing teacher. In the account by one of those partners, John, they’d previously met Jesus immediately after His baptism in the river Jordan and Andrew had brought his brother Simon to see Jesus, who then spoke of his identity and implicit destiny, “You are Simon son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas,” (which is translated ‘A Stone’, Petros/Peter: John 1:42).

DSCF3120

After that huge catch of unspecified quantity, Jesus called Simon into his destiny: “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men!”  That is, a fisher of men. When they’d landed their boats the four foresook all and followed Him (Luke 5:10-11). Continue reading →

A post-Resurrection miracle as a ‘mystery’ now revealed – part 1

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[First published 2018]

Not long after Father God brought Jesus the Messiah back from the dead by His Spirit, the One who’s the radiance of His glory went once again in search of His ex-fisherman friends. Of the two sets of brothers who’d been partners in the fishing trade on the Sea of Galilee before deserting their nets to follow a peripatetic teacher, their boss had an exceptionally severe crisis of self-confidence.

GONE FISHING!

So this ‘son of Jonah’, named Simon, decided to return to the simple life of sitting in a boat with buddies and dragging a net in the hope of getting a catch – but it proved to be an exercise in futility!

A few years earlier on that inland sea, the four fishing partners encountered and had been ‘called’ by The One to follow Him. Jesus amazed the crowds there with His teaching and had asked Simon if He could address them from his moored boat. Jesus knew the men had worked hard all night without having caught anything because, when He’d finished speaking, He told Simon to sail into deep water and lower his nets despite the fruitless night – Simon was overwhelmed by the result!  They’d got such a large number of fish that another boat was called for – then both began to sink with their massive weight!!

So Simon changed his tune. Upon hearing Jesus’ instruction he’d objected because of the poor night, yet respectfully referred to Him as “Master” – but in amazement at the fresh catch breaking nets and sinking boats, Simon addressed Him with the superior term of “Lord”; thus suggesting he was beginning to understand the status of this astonishing teacher. In the account by one of those partners, John, they’d previously met Jesus immediately after His baptism in the river Jordan and Andrew had brought his brother Simon to see Jesus, who then spoke of his identity and implicit destiny, “You are Simon son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas,” (which is translated ‘A Stone’, Petros/Peter: John 1:42).

DSCF3120

After that huge catch of unspecified quantity, Jesus called Simon into his destiny: “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men!”  That is, a fisher of men. When they’d landed their boats the four foresook all and followed Him (Luke 5:10-11). Continue reading →

A post-Resurrection miracle as a ‘mystery’ now revealed – part 1

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[First published 2018]

Not long after Father God brought Jesus the Messiah back from the dead by His Spirit, the One who’s the radiance of His glory went once again in search of His ex-fisherman friends. Of the two sets of brothers who’d been partners in the fishing trade on the Sea of Galilee before deserting their nets to follow a peripatetic teacher, their boss had an exceptionally severe crisis of self-confidence.

GONE FISHING!

So this ‘son of Jonah’, named Simon, decided to return to the simple life of sitting in a boat with buddies and dragging a net in the hope of getting a catch – but it proved to be an exercise in futility!

A few years earlier on that inland sea, the four fishing partners encountered and had been ‘called’ by The One to follow Him. Jesus amazed the crowds there with His teaching and had asked Simon if He could address them from his moored boat. Jesus knew the men had worked hard all night without having caught anything because, when He’d finished speaking, He told Simon to sail into deep water and lower his nets despite the fruitless night – Simon was overwhelmed by the result!  They’d got such a large number of fish that another boat was called for – then both began to sink with their massive weight!!

So Simon changed his tune. Upon hearing Jesus’ instruction he’d objected because of the poor night, yet respectfully referred to Him as “Master” – but in amazement at the fresh catch breaking nets and sinking boats, Simon addressed Him with the superior term of “Lord”; thus suggesting he was beginning to understand the status of this astonishing teacher. In the account by one of those partners, John, they’d previously met Jesus immediately after His baptism in the river Jordan and Andrew had brought his brother Simon to see Jesus, who then spoke of his identity and implicit destiny, “You are Simon son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas,” (which is translated ‘A Stone’, Petros/Peter: John 1:42).

DSCF3120

After that huge catch of unspecified quantity, Jesus called Simon into his destiny: “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men!”  That is, a fisher of men. When they’d landed their boats the four foresook all and followed Him (Luke 5:10-11). Continue reading →

The Coming Davidic Messiah

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This summation of the who, what and why of the up-coming Millennium is a valuable reminder of our goal as active Christians. Also, knowledge of the Kingdom as our inheritance is fundamental because our spiritual opponents claim ignorance of that fact dis-empowers believers (see Christian Inheritance & End-times Church for source.)

All Along the Watchtower

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

-Revelation 3:21

The Kingdom is woven into all the teachings of Christ. He taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come”. He taught that our good deeds on earth are seen by our Father in Heaven, and that He will reward us in the resurrection. He taught that His Kingdom is not of this world, and that this world is in darkness. Christ’s moral teaching is so sublime as to be unattainable by the flesh: it is the power of the Spirit, who is given to us as an earnest of the Kingdom, that makes us able to live as Christ did.

In our suffering, the resurrection is our comfort. The Kingdom is what we are striving for: even as we wait…

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A post-Resurrection miracle as a ‘mystery’ now revealed – part 1

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Not long after Father God brought Jesus the Messiah back from the dead by His Spirit, the One who’s the radiance of His glory went once again in search of His ex-fisherman friends. Of the two sets of brothers who’d been partners in the fishing trade on the Sea of Galilee before deserting their nets to follow a peripatetic teacher, their boss had an exceptionally severe crisis of self-confidence.

GONE FISHING!

So this ‘son of Jonah’, named Simon, decided to return to the simple life of sitting in a boat with buddies and dragging a net in the hope of getting a catch – but it proved to be an exercise in futility!

A few years earlier on that inland sea, the four fishing partners encountered and had been ‘called’ by The One to follow Him. Jesus amazed the crowds there with His teaching and had asked Simon if He could address them from his moored boat. Jesus knew the men had worked hard all night without having caught anything because, when He’d finished speaking, He told Simon to sail into deep water and lower his nets despite the fruitless night – Simon was overwhelmed by the result!  They’d got such a large number of fish that another boat was called for – then both began to sink with their massive weight!!

So Simon changed his tune. Upon hearing Jesus’ instruction he’d objected because of the poor night, yet respectfully referred to Him as “Master” – but in amazement at the fresh catch breaking nets and sinking boats, Simon addressed Him with the superior term of “Lord”; thus suggesting he was beginning to understand the status of this astonishing teacher. In the account by one of those partners, John, they’d previously met Jesus immediately after His baptism in the river Jordan and Andrew had brought his brother Simon to see Jesus, who then spoke of his identity and implicit destiny, “You are Simon son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas,” (which is translated ‘A Stone’, Petros/Peter: John 1:42).

DSCF3120

After that huge catch of unspecified quantity, Jesus called Simon into his destiny: “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men!”  That is, a fisher of men. When they’d landed their boats the four foresook all and followed Him (Luke 5:10-11).

This event would be replayed later but at a higher level when, once again, Simon will be caught by surprise! But before that, the four fishermen disciples were to become part of the twelve chosen as ‘Apostles’, who were given power and authority (Matt 10:2). And Simon was to have a personal revelation of Jesus’ real identity. He blurted out “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” to which Jesus responded, “Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Also, he was further blessed to see Jesus’ transfiguration and hear Father speak about His beloved Son and instruct Peter, James and John to heed Him (Matt 16 and Matt 17).

Yet this same Peter later earned a severe rebuke from Jesus because, in his devotion, he was shocked upon hearing Jesus speak of His destined execution and in dismay he spoke against God’s plans!  AND then, when that dreadful event transpired, poor Peter was distraught during Jesus’ trial to hear himself thrice deny his association with Him! Even so, he was again blessed when Jesus visited, instructed and commissioned the Twelve (minus Judas the betrayer) after His miraculous resurrection from the dead.

However, Peter must have considered his thrice-denial would cost him dearly in losing his standing with his Lord. Hence, a critical crisis of self-confidence for Peter.

So, why not go back to fishing – and far away from Jerusalem?  His ex-fisherman friend John records Simon Peter as having told him and five others – seven in total – he was going fishing – and they replied, “We’re going with you!” (John 21:2-3).  In fact, Peter was heading into his own resurrection: that of his own self-worth, identity and calling!

ACTION REPLAY

John continues: ‘They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children have you any food?” They answer Him, “No” and He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they cast, and were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish…

DSCF3144

‘Then as soon as they came to land they saw a fire of coals there and fish laid on it, and bread (Note:) Jesus said to them “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three, and although there were so many, the net was not broken.’

Believing readers will be very familiar with the wonderful reinstatement of Peter.  When John recognised who the man on the beach was he told Peter and, being determined to be back with Him, Peter donned his outer garment and dived fully clothed into the water and swam about 100 meters to shore.

This dear man, so like all of us as imperfect disciples, is asked thrice if he loves the Lord much more than his fellow disciples – that is, with ‘agape’ love: the unconditional, unconquerable, benevolent goodwill, as given by the Father and Jesus. Peter, rescinds and over-rights his previous thrice-denial to profess a less emphatic love (‘phileo’) that he knows he can give. In repeating His question at that lower level Jesus accepts but tests his profession further, thus giving him a threefold commission to be His under-shepherd.

[Note: ‘agape’, a word to which Christianity gave a new meaning, for outside the NT it rarely occurs in existing Greek manuscripts of the period. It means a love by choice and refers to will, rather than ‘phileo’, a brotherly love by chance and emotion – New Spirit-Filled Study Bible.]

DSCF3150

Read more deeply, if you’ve not already done so, about the significance of the specific size of this ‘resurrection’ catch in Joanne Rolston’s 153, Signs and Symbols.  In part 2 we will go deeper into them as we look into the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven… continue reading.

[Photos: ‘The Life of Christ’, Wintershall Players, copyright R Barker]

A big, untold story: online videos of Jews explaining why they believe Jesus is the Messiah viewed over 23 million times. Here’s the latest.

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Especially interesting developments in view of the Romans 11 aspect of Prime Minster Netanyahu’s foresight expressed in his Christmas message from the Christian Embassy, Jerusalem (click to read).

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

yeshua-videos“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” — the Apostle Paul (Romans 1:16)

With so much bad news in the U.S., Israel, Russia and around the world these days, I thought it might be good to kick off 2017 with some very good news.

Here, then, is an update to a column I published on September 22, 2015 about “a big, untold story” that “the media isn’t reporting” but is very much “worth examining.”

“Millions of Jews have begun a quest to find the Messiah,” I wrote at the time, based on conversations with key Messianic Jewish ministry leaders in the U.S. and Israel. “For reasons I cannot fully explain, Jews are suddenly searching for answers to the deepest and most important questions concerning life and death and God and atonement and eternity, in…

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Five big things to celebrate on Israel’s 68th modern birthday.

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News of welcome growth for the ancient tree we’re grafted into…

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

israelUPDATED: As the modern State of Israel turns 68 years old, the citizens and residents of this tiny country find themselves facing serious threats. But amidst all the sobering headlines, there is much good news, too.

Here are five big things I’m celebrating — I hope you will, too.

First, the very fact that the State of Israel exists today, and is celebrating her 68th modern birthday, is evidence of the dramatic fulfillment of ancient Biblical prophecies, and a powerful testimony that the Bible is the very Word of God. 

  • Many ancient Biblical prophecies — notably Ezekiel 36, 37, 38 & 39 — indicated that Israel would be reborn as a geopolitical nation state in the “last days” of history, that Jews would return en masse to the holy land, and that the Jewish people, with God’s help, would rebuild the “ancient ruins.”
  • For much of the past 1,900, many people around the world — including, unfortunately, many…

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The most momentous world-changing events in 2,000 years? (#2)

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After a short but relevant digression let’s continue my report on Clifford Hill’s editorial on the reconciliation between Orthodox Judaism and Catholicism by looking at the other possible world-changing event I alluded to when summing up Five Spiritual Trends. This one came to my attention on New Year’s Eve thanks to Anne Kelly, but matters delayed my coverage until Dr Hill’s item:

Arieol Cohen Alloro with Canon Andrew White, courtesy Facing Each Other http://www.facingeachother.com/

Ariel Cohen Alloro with Canon Andrew White, courtesy Facing Each Other (Facebook)

‘Vicar of Baghdad’ Canon Andrew White reports on 29th Dec on Facebook that,

‘Orthodox Rabbi Cohen believes Jesus is coming soon, he keeps stressing he is in no way a messianic Jew. He is very Kabbalistic though. All he presents is very complex. With my Jewish understanding hat on I can’t accept this but without my kippa on …………..’

They met on 14th December in King David Hotel, Jerusalem, and recorded a 7 minutes video (rabbi’s voice is very soft and we notice a slight effect of MS in the canon’s louder tone). YouTube notes: ‘Ariel Cohen Alloro is introducing Canon Andrew White to his Jewish Orthodox historical challenge to legally return Yeshua to Israel, back to the Jewish establishment and to reach authentic ideological reconciliation between Judaism and Christianity’.

PEACEAccording his website Facing Each Other, “Ariel is not an official Rabbi, but a dilligent student of one of the greatest Rabbis today, who mastered the discipline of his Teacher and brings us now his innovative work, an essential contribution for the redemption of Israel and the whole world.  This is an original initiative by Ariel Cohen Alloro who is an Orthodox Jewish Priest (Cohen) and it comes out of his personal discovery in the Torah and Chassidic Judaism.”

Furthermore it claims, “The Message of Ariel Cohen Alloro is perfectly balanced between Judaism and Christianity and is using the proper tools to create unity among all believers in a Messianic redemption of the world.

“When you listen to Ariel, please bear in mind that every statement he makes is in perfect harmony with traditional Judaism and yet it fits the concepts of traditional Christianity too in an unusual way, a way that Jewish mind can absorb and Christian mind can fathom. It is a phenomena how Tree of Joseph (Christianity) and Tree of Judah perfectly unite and become one Tree….”

A brief video of their later meeting provides a useful summation for Andrew stresses in introducing his friend that,

“What rabbi Cohen is insistent upon is that Jesus has a role in returning to the real Israel – NOT some theoretical Israel in the sky! – but Israel here and now.”

Be discerningly blessed as you listen and investigate. In part 3 we will briefly recap upon developments as well as consider a Messianic standpoint.

Brief ‘Bio’:

Mentioned occasionally on this blog, this will introduce overseas and newer readers to Canon Andrew White, Vicar of St. George’s Church in Baghdad and president of The Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East. Andrew works to provide spiritual home, medical care and humanitarian relief to the region while promoting reconciliation among Christians, Jews and Muslims in the most dangerous areas of the world.

VoB frontBefore his 15 years in Baghdad, he served as a mediator between Israel and Palestinians and rose to prominence in the Siege of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem. Personal contacts with Yasser Arafat and Israeli PM Ariel Sharon resulted in their joint approval to a draft declaration against violence in the name of religion. This was put to religious leaders of all three Holy Land faiths. Through exhausting discussions agreement was reached but the only difficulties came from Christians(!!), who “often feel they have to be even more Palestinian than the Muslims, to show how committed they are to the cause”, on top of “rivalries and tensions between different denominations”!!

The outcome in January 2002 was ‘The Alexandria Declaration’, from which many other initiatives have arisen despite continual violence. Andrew writes, “The sticking points were not theological but political”. (See Encouraging news from Iraq.)

Read also Cranmer’s Canon White deserves a Knighthood, which concludes by saying he deserves a gallantry medal.

The most momentous world-changing events in 2,000 years? (#1)

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In his ProphecyTodayUK editorial ‘Turning The World Upside-Down’ Clifford Hill writes,

“We live in momentous times! Everything is  being shaken …everything is changing at an ever-increasing speed! …Every day something new happens that causes us to change our thinking and re-assess what we had considered immutable, unchangeable, everlasting.”

The reverend doctor has in mind one of the events I alluded to as the 6th world-changing spiritual trend of 2016, additional to those Rick Joyner noticed (here). Both events indicate a significant trend of great Biblical and prophetical importance. One was drawn to  my attention over the recent New Year, but let’s consider Clifford Hill’s editorial first.

He refers to a statement made a couple of months ago by “a group of 25 Orthodox rabbis that attracted very little attention in the media but which may prove to be an event that changes the course of world history“ (emphasis added).

CJCUCInstrumental in this event is the Centre for Jewish-Christian Understanding & Cooperation. The CJCUC demonstrated its deep committment to dialogue and theological exchange since 2008 when it invited Christians to come and study the Hebrew Bible. In Who We Are reference is made to Christendom’s ungodly antagonism (which arose out of Jewish authorities’ persecution of early believers):

‘For the nearly 2,000 years of Jewish exile prior to the establishment of the Jewish State, persecution, pogrom and even bloodshed muted any possibility of dialogue, turning us into sworn enemies instead of national partners.

‘But a sea change has occurred during these last several decades. Christians are sincerely trumpeting the call that G-d remains faithful to His initial covenant with Israel, and that the Biblical prophecy is continually being fulfilled through the people of Israel living in its covenanted land. Even the most desperate of times, during this last period, when Israel was forsaken by many of the Diaspora Jews, Christians continued to visit the Holy Land and comfort Zion and her people with prayer, offerings and sincere fellowship. This new reality is one of the great miracles of our times and calls for our faiths to foster friendship and mutual support.’ (Emphases RB)

Published on 3 December 2015 the Orthodox Rabbinic Statement on Christianity is entitled, ‘To Do the Will of Our Father in Heaven:  Toward a Partnership between Jews and Christians’, which opens as follows:

‘After nearly two millennia of mutual hostility and alienation, we Orthodox Rabbis who lead communities, institutions and seminaries in Israel, the United States and Europe recognize the historic opportunity now before us. We seek to do the will of our Father in Heaven by accepting the hand offered to us by our Christian brothers and sisters…’

It makes for highly informative reading and should be read by all Christians. In recognising that the Church of Rome’s ‘official teachings on Judaism have changed fundamentally and irrevocably’, the Statement declares:

‘Now that the Catholic Church has acknowledged the eternal Covenant between G-d and Israel, we Jews can acknowledge the ongoing constructive validity of Christianity as our partner in world redemption, without any fear that this will be exploited for missionary purposes. As stated by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s Bilateral Commission with the Holy See under the leadership of Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen, “We are no longer enemies, but unequivocal partners in articulating the essential moral values for the survival and welfare of humanity”. Neither of us can achieve G-d’s mission in this world alone.’

[I flag the lack of relevance such a ‘dual covenant’ has for the Messianic movement.]

NEW ATTITUDE TO JESUS

C Hill 163835Clifford Hill notes one of the Statement’s key points is in the Orthodox acknowledgement that Jesus upheld the centrality of the Torah, which was the original bone of contention brought against the Apostles by false witnesses (Acts 6:13-14). Clifford writes,

“In the Gospels there are many occasions when Jesus disputed with the Pharisees concerning their interpretation and practice of the Torah, but he always upheld the Torah as the unchangeable word of God. In the Statement from the Orthodox rabbis this is acknowledged in a momentous passage that unties 2,000 years of misunderstanding between Jews and Christians. The Statement affirms a declaration by 18th Century German rabbi Jacob Emden:

‘Jesus brought a double goodness to the world. On the one hand he strengthened the Torah of Moses majestically, and not one of our sages spoke out more emphatically concerning the immutability of the Torah. On the other hand he removed idols from the nations’.“

HISTORIC TURNING POINT

The Statement now bears over 60 rabbi’s signatures and Clifford points out (emphases added),

“This is surely a notable miracle and could signal a turning point in the history of Jewish-Christian relations, as prophesied by the Apostle Paul in a letter to Christians in Ephesus. He said that the purpose of Jesus was to destroy the barrier between Jews and Gentiles. “His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace” (Eph 2.15).

CJCUC’s Academic Director endorses Dr Hill’s opinion by saying,

“This proclamation’s breakthrough is that influential Orthodox Rabbis across all centers of Jewish life have finally acknowledged that…Christianity and Judaism have much in common spiritually and practically. Given our toxic history, this is unprecedented in Orthodoxy.”

Another significant passage is on Jew’s and Christian’s ‘common covenantal mission to perfect the world under the sovereignty of the Almighty’. In the summary of Christian doctrine delivered in his letter to the church in Rome, St Paul saw a future when barriers between Gentiles and Jews would be broken and they’d powerfully be used by God in a spiritual unity of ‘One New Man’. This wouldn’t happen ‘until the full number of the Gentiles has come in’ (Rom 11:25), which Jesus prophesied will be when Jerusalem ceased being trampled upon by Gentiles (Luke 21:24).

REJECTION OF REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY

Clifford makes no bones about the falsity and damage done by this accursed theology in providing grounds for the Holocaust. And so this Statement from Orthodox rabbis brings a great opportunity for the Church:

“This is an historic time for Christians throughout the world to call upon church leaders to respond to this statement from Orthodox rabbis by humbly apologising for the false theology we have propagated for centuries. We should also be humbly confessing before God that we have dared to teach that he is not a covenant-keeping God who would never ever break his promises.”  (Emphasis added)

He concludes by pointing out to Protestants that,

“Now is the time, while God is shaking the whole world, for Christians to recognise our responsibility for so many of the tragedies of history and to reach out in love and humility to our Jewish brothers and sisters. The Catholic Church has done this: surely Protestant Church leaders should do the same – reaching out in the name of Jesus the Jewish Messiah.”

Read Clifford’s full editorial > Turning the World Upside-Down.

The Statement has not been without reaction within Judaism and which has been given a most informative answer – read about the controversy here and  CJCUC’s perspective here.

AN ‘ISRAEL REFORMATION’

Clifford’s call reiterates that of Dr Jurgen Buhler, Executive Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, in his excellent exposition published in March 2015.

Jurgen writes in The Coming ‘Israel Reformation’ in The Church on ‘a major paradigm shift’ concerning Israel is taking place for Israel, and for the Church. He uses scripture to outline how the Church should relate to the Jewish people and the state of Israel, as under these topics:

  • remember your pagan past
  • acknowledge the Hebrew roots of your faith
  • appreciate the irrevocable calling over Israel
  • recognise your spiritual debt to Israel
  • expect the restoration of Israel.

Jurgen concludes,

‘In the New Testament, the Apostles affirm the enduring calling over Israel and strongly establish the hope of Israel’s restoration. This is demonstrated in the last question they posed to Jesus before his ascension: “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6) Paul also conveys this hope to the church in Rome: “For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Romans 11:15) In other words, he maintains that the greatest calling and blessings still lays ahead for Israel. This means every church should embrace a theology of hope regarding Israel and support her full restoration.’

Next, we’ll look at the New Year’s news I received about an Orthodox priest speaking up for Jesus!…continue reading here.

[#1,000 – as here]

Messages from one who stands in The Almighty’s Presence

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(Originally published on this blog on 23rd January 2014 and now re-published in view of the increasing expectation lately among Jews of the appearance of their Messiah.)

Angel Gabriel’s introduction of himself is familiar from Christmas scriptures. Yet I propose to connect his messages with the concept of prophesying into Time, especially about the Holy Spirit – and with an intriguing prophecy for Jewish people today.

Angelic Announcements

This post’s title is from Gabriel’s response to an elderly Jewish priest’s disbelief, to which I refer below. Several months later Gabriel was sent to a betrothed teenager, as depicted in 1898 by Henry Ossawa Tanner in Annunciation (click image for gallery).

The maiden’s visitor greeted her,

“Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

It wasn’t so much the surprise of an invisible spirit becoming visible that troubled her, as what he’d said and how it was said. But this messenger then reassured her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Although not disbelieving what he’d said, the young lady posed a logical question because she was a virgin, “How can this be since I know not any man?” So Gabriel explained,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”

At this Mary responded laudably, “Behold the maid-servant of the Lord. Let it be according to your word”.

How different was the young maid’s acceptance of this decree about her own future to that of the very much older priest Zacharias when Gabriel had visited him a few months earlier. Apparently, Mary hadn’t heard about what had happened. Otherwise, there would have been no need for Gabriel to have confided the news of that first miraculous conception.

So what went wrong for her cousin’s husband?

Zacharias had the once-in-a-lifetime privilege of burning incense in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. In view of its performance being in the Holiest of Holies, this duty was done by drawing lots rather than by a rota from many teams of priests.

Whilst Zacharias was officiating, an invisible, supra-natural spirit subtly scintillated at the side of the altar. It proved to be a holy messenger – an archangel, so some believe. He brought news of the future mission of a mightily powerful man of God – the priest’s own son!  But Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were childless for she was well past child-bearing age!

However, their prayers for a baby were to be answered and the angel prophesied this special one would be filled with God’s Holy Spirit from before his birth!  It isn’t any wonder the priest was in disbelief! When he asked, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years” , the angel’s response was most emphatic,

“I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” (emphasis added) 

If you’re unfamiliar with physician Luke’s investigation into those encounters with Gabriel and what happened when the two cousins met, and to Zacharias too, I’d recommend reading his full account here, by courtesy of BibleGateway.com.

Points to Ponder

Those accounts are particularly interesting in connection with speaking into the future, as summarised in Prophesy TO 2014 and Talking to Time seems to work!

Prophesying is speaking forth the mind and counsel of the Lord God, as communicated to an individual. Therefore, it’s a declaration that cannot be known by natural means – a direct revelation from God. [For more see An Introduction to Prophecy.]

Now let’s check Gabriel’s announcements in the light of John Kilpatrick’s message of the first Sunday in 2104, as outlined in my recent posts (ie January 2014):

1.  In that last quotation, Gabriel issued a decree that happened immediately but which had a limited duration. That is, he spoke into Time by prophesying, did he not? Right away the priest became dumb until he was released from the decree’s power when the baby came to be named months later.

My underscoring of “my words…will be fulfilled in their own time” indicates New Testament support for ‘talking into Time’. Gabriel’s words brought from God were not only welcome news but also, and far more importantly, announcements on earth of declarations that had been issued in heaven. They’re excellent examples of oral statements of God’s will and are thus prophetic and creative, in we can understand from the Word of the Lord given to prophet Isaiah (Isa 55:11 – emphasis mine):

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Thus, what God speaks not only through His holy prophets but also through His angelic spirits who minister to His people, as well as through His Son, is sure to happen sooner or later.

2. From the principles of Genesis 1 the power of divine and human speech is creative, . The presence of Holy Spirit is necessary to bring about a divinely created manifestation. A Hebrew understanding of ‘over’, or ‘hovering’, in Genesis 1:2 is that Holy Spirit was next to or immediately adjoining what was about to be acted upon – all that was required to start the process was a spoken word.

Therefore, when Gabriel spoke to Zacharias the combined action of his words and the Holy Spirit fully rejuvenated his wife’s body. She was no longer barren but could carry and bring a child to birth normally. And even in her womb Holy Spirit was present to make baby John respond to the sound of Jesus’ mother’s voice!! (Luke 1:39-41)

The same happened when Gabriel spoke to Mary. The ‘overshadowing’ power of the Most High that he referred to carries the same meaning as that of ‘hovering’ in Genesis. Being of the Holy Spirit, the same creative power that was ‘In the Beginning’ brought about an ‘immaculate’ conception after the angel’s prophetic announcement. That is, it would not happen until a decree, a spoken announcement, had been delivered and received. Once again Gabriel had spoken into Time – into the next nine months!

3. The creative application of Gabriel’s prophetic description of Jesus’ kingship and its relevance to a possible prophecy given to the late rabbi Kaduri warrants consideration in another post. Read about him meanwhile in Who are the Jewish people expecting?

Continued in > The rabbi’s note, the PM’s death and the angel’s word – Part 1 

See also, Why this September (2015) is Special: Update 1 – Judaism

Further Reading:

  1. Prophesy TO 2014
  2. Talking to Time seems to work
  3. Is the ‘Hand of God’ a Sign for these times?
  4. I am Gabriel, who stands in the Presence of God (this post)
  5. Thoughts on ‘Rethinking Genesis’ (with discussion).
  6. Surprise! New things! The invisible world is the pattern for the visible

Let’s continue boasting about who Jesus is…

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566xNxfiery-furnace_jpg_pagespeed_ic_aXtdrK6kJ2Continuing the previous post, we exalt with Pat Schatzline the identity of the fourth man in the fiery furnace, whom Nebchadnezzar described as a ‘Son of God’ and officially declared and affixed his royal seal thereto that,

“…No other god can save in this way!”

Excitedly, Pat continues recounting His identities in the New Covenant as follows:

“Hallowed be Thy Name”:

  • in Matthew, He is The Messiah.
  • in Mark, He is the Wonder-worker.
  • in Luke, He is the Son of Man.
  • in John, He is the Son of God.
  • in Acts, He is the Holy Spirit and Fire.
  • in Romans, He is our Justifier.
  • in Corinthians, He is the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
  • in Galatians, He is the Redeemer from the curse of the law.
  • in Philippians, He is the God Who Supplies All Our Needs.
  • in Ephesians, He is the Christ of Unsearchable Riches.
  • in Colossians, He is the Godhead Bodily.
  • in 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, He is the Soon-Coming King.
  • in Timothy I and II, He is our Mediator between God and Man.
  • in Titus, He is our Faithful Pastor.
  • In Philemon, He is the Friend that Sticks Closer than a Brother.
  • in Hebrews, He is the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant.
  • in James, He is the Great Physician.
  • in I and II Peter, He is the Chief Shepherd who shall soon appear with a crown of unfading glory.
  • in I, II and  III John, He is the Everlasting Love.
  • in Jude, He is the Lord Coming with Ten Thousands of His Saints.
  • in Revelation, He is the Alpha and Omega, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

“Do you know my King? Do you know the fourth Man? Lift your hands and praise…praise Him!”

Reading from the overhead screen Pat had to interrupt these exciting declarations after saying “Soon and Coming King”. Rapidly speaking under the anointing he declared,

“He just told me to remind this house who He is. There is nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, not a thing! You can’t write it down because, He said to Moses “Tell them I AM sends you, Elohim, the I AM, sends you: LORD, Sovereign LORD. Tell them that’s who sends you”.

“It means I AM everything that you could ever imagine will supply My people’s needs!”

The last description applies to His Name as El Shaddai, which reminds me of how Paul Keith Davis tells of a Jewish listener saying that, “El Shaddai is the God of utter ruin and destruction, who’s able to supply all that man cannot”.

Watch this thrilling message on Church of His Presence video (start 1:39:10). Pat’s opening prophecy may be read on this blog at Revival in the USA – a prophetical perspective from ‘over The Pond’.

With grateful acknowledgement to Pat Schatzline and to CHP for the great blessing of all this information. Pat’s website is located at Remnant Ministries International.

Dr Maurice Sklar: Blood moon prophetic word re. Israel

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The concert violinist and Messianic Jew, Dr Maurice Sklar, was the recipient of a couple of revelatory events during The Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. The first appears below as published on Facebook (click title for original and commenting thereto). As with all prophetic words and visions both are to be weighed against scripture and with the Lord. (The second follows tomorrow – now published):

A PROPHETIC WORD:

The LORD says, “War is coming against Israel! Just as I have clearly spoken in My Word, and just as I have confirmed through my holy servants the true Prophets, I will hold it back no longer. You say to Me, “What do all of these signs converging together this month mean?” Many of My church are in fear, thinking only of doomsday and despair. Some leaders are trying to tell fortunes and predict days and times, thinking that I must do what they say when they predict it. Some are making millions of dollars by merchandising and sensationalizing these events to the point it is idolatry and distraction instead of sound prophetic ministry. I (the LORD) am far greater than your false prognosticators and charlatans. Do not follow after those deceivers – you must judge them and their ministries by their fruits and take everything you hear and judge it according to My Word.

To My beloved Bride: Look and see the signs in the heavens and upon the earth. Notice them, but don’t focus on them! Keep your eyes on Me! I am the LORD, not the sun, moon, or stars. I am greater than any event that has or will come to shake the heavens and the earth. Many of My people are crying out to Me in prayer for clarity and guidance right now. So, I will answer you… I will explain to you a little bit of what is shortly to come to pass….So your heart will not be troubled…

I am announcing to the world through these four red moons these things: Continue reading →

Why this September is special: Update 1- Judaism

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THIS POST MUST BE IMPORTANT in view of today’s extremely ‘buggy’, tediously slow connections with WordPress blogging platform and my PC’s Internet Explorer and its own internal processes!  (Chrome couldn’t connect at all.) I haven’t had such difficult a day blogging in years!  I was going to have begun this morning after quickly adding a couple of paragraphs to the last post as it was already in draft.

In this tight time slotted in my birthday and our anniversary week this post, therefore, must needs be a potted summary of events. Now, I’m stopped from opening posts in other tabs as there’s no WP security certificate from Microsoft! Crazy! Something like this happened a couple of years ago in trying to blog about Iran. Then, my ISP got security conscious over content of some WP blogs. Maybe a new patch is the culprit? Seems to be working at last…And I don’t think it was simply to turn me outdoors into the welcome warmth and sunshine…

The first in this series of posts focusing upon this month has a schedule of events of which one reports: AND NOW IT HANGS!!!  Although that post is open in a tab for me to read and select text, I go to it and find screen is blank. (I can usually work across many open tabs) Grabbing laptop to work on and praying the Blood I see 3 tabs open but critical one has gone!  Try again…save…re-open tab…refusal…hang…  All I see is new blank tab at the top which later read ‘Certificate error’ – then a couple more of them appear! I just do not have time for this so let’s try laptop (it too didn’t work on default Chrome browser this morning). Even restarting PC results in failure to connect to WP and ‘IE stopped working’, so over to Chrome on laptop – kindly bear with me:

Sat 12th Sept – Recently, a  leading authority in mainstream ultra-orthodox Judaism, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, has been giving clear, unequivocal messages the coming of the Messiah is imminent. He is urging Jews to make aliyah as soon as possible (which refers to immigrating to Israel), which is seen as higher spiritual action that can help usher in the coming of the Messiah. When asked about the timing of the Messiah’s arrival, Rabbi Kanievsky answered, “At the end of the Sabbatical year”. Several people have asked the rabbi to verify this, and he has given the same answer each time. This year is the Sabbatical year and it will end on the 29th day of Elul—which in the Gregorian calendar falls on Saturday Sept 12 (sic), 2015.

To appreciate this week’s news, in the new Hebraic Year 5776, please be sure to read that linked article in Breaking Israel News. Also, recall Zecharaia 12:10

10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. (NIV, courtesy Bible Gateway.com)

Monday 21st – William Koenig’s World Watch Daily reports and links into an opinion piece in Jerusalem Post (which my security software now reports as being suspicious! It has not done that all week!). Chief Rabbis Besmirch Christian Embassy is an apologia about an establishment familiar to us: the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem and opens as follows:

‘It is regrettable that on Yom Kippur eve, our chief rabbis have again uttered offensive remarks, this time besmirching one of Israel’s most dedicated allies and ardent supporters.

‘Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau and his Sephardi counterpart, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, have issued an extraordinary condemnation against the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem (ICEJ), accusing it of missionary activities and calling on Jews to boycott its 36th annual global Succot gathering in Jerusalem. The pro-Israel ICEJ was established in 1980 and is an extension of the Evangelical branch of Christianity.

‘Over the past half century, we have witnessed an exponential intensification in the Evangelical movement’s attachment to the Jewish people and Israel. This has coincided with the dramatic erosion of support for Israel from the Left and liberal sources…’

Apparently those leaders of Jewry have been beguiled and misled, like the chief priest of Jesus’ day was shoe-horned by fanatical Pharisees and Suducees – and it’s said ‘Ha Mashiach’ is coming! Isi Leibler provides a concise, instructive account of the working relationship of ICEJ with the Jewish people in Israel along with detail of last year’s Feast of Tabernacles, which was addressed by no less than Israel’s President as well as its Prime Minister! Isi fittingly concludes,

‘It is disgraceful that the Chief Rabbinate failed to verify the false allegations made against the Christian Embassy and slandered those who represent Israel’s greatest friends in the world. The chief rabbis’ churlish action shames the Jewish people, and they should apologize and withdraw their scurrilous accusations.

‘In the meantime, I have every confidence that Israelis will continue to welcome our Christian friends and express appreciation for their support. Succot is traditionally recognized as the festival on which gentiles are invited to Jerusalem, and we should be gratified that during these difficult times, Christians from all over the world will gather here to express their solidarity.

‘Indeed, we should echo the sentiments expressed by then-chief rabbi Shlomo Goren who, in 1981, blessed the Christian Embassy Succot gathering with “Bruchim habaim b’shem Adonai” – “may all of you who have come here be blessed in the name of God”.’

Tuesday 22nd – Joel Rosenberg reveals the major story untold by mainstream media: Since last Yom Kippur, millions of Jews have begun searching for the Messiah, and for atonement of their sins!! His detailed post covers not only this news but also the meaning of Yom Kippur, as well as his personal testimony of discovering the true Messiah’s identity.

To give us a handle to grasp the enormity of this ‘sea-change’ Joel outlines some more personal history:

‘When my father, who was raised an Orthodox Jew in Brooklyn, discovered in 1973 — after a careful study of the Gospel According to Luke — that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, and received the Messiah by faith, my father thought he was one of the first Jews in history who believed this. He had never met a Jewish believer in Jesus. He had never heard of such a person. And in 1973, there were fewer than 2,000 Jewish people on the planet who were followers of Jesus.

‘But today, some 300,000 Jews around the world are followers of Jesus. And millions of Jews are searching for the Messiah and thus reading the Hebrew prophecies, and comparing them with the writings of the New Testament, and trying to decide whether Jesus really is the Messiah we have desperately longed for over so many centuries.

‘Today, on Yom Kippur, you can watch short videos of Jewish people explaining how they met the Messiah.’

Therefore, I trust my readers will dig into these stories to read the full facts. Also, let’s remind ourselves that perhaps the most revered rabbi of modern times, Yitzak Kaduri, is said to have met and provided the identity of the Messiah to his followers – see Who are the Jewish people expecting?

This has been the most extremely bedevilled post I’ve blogged and needed on-going prayer. So I trust and pray you will be able to receive, read and be blessed.

PS. I was able to complete this in IE11, saving with long delays. In trying to use Chrome the connection refuses to let me log in saying the completed ‘Field is empty’  CRAZY!!! But then, what am I blogging about but the sacred purpose of our heavenly Father: the recognition of His Son by His Jewish people.  Amen – let it be so Lord.

NOW (Thursday) that it’s actually published I’ve been able to check and amend typos with normal ease and speed!!  Is that not evidence of the existence of the evil ‘prince of the air’ and its stooges?  (Friday: just a spot-check whilst out & about and everything’s running as normal – so why was everything playing up y’day just coincidental? What do you think?)

Related Reading: (Part 2 of 3) Devilish plot to pre-empt the Bible’s ‘end-game’ – also covers similar weird blockages and ‘coincidences’ when trying to blog about Iran.

Why this September is special – 2: Pope, POTUS & Messiah

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Part 1 covered the first of at least three reasons why this month is highly significant:

  1. international events of eschatological relevance. (Brief intro here about this.)
  2. the current Shemitah Year 5775 closes on Elul 29, Sunday 13th September.
  3. last of the current Blood Moon Tetrad occurs on Monday 28th September or Tishri 15, first day of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles.

Please note I’m not a ‘doom and gloom’ merchant and not being alarmist in presenting  the first item’s ‘September Schedule’.  A couple of those events need a closer look to enable us to better understand what’s going on.

Neville_Johnson-311x350We’re living in exceptionally exciting times as Biblical prophecies move towards fulfilment. In August, Neville Johnson followed-up last year’s ‘Urgent words about a ‘cut-off time’ in God’s timeline’, . In his later session he taught in-depth upon the necessity of our being heavenly minded. Thus, we’d see ‘The BIGGER Picture’ God has for His children and for the new earth, now and in the near future – the Age to Come!

POPE and P.O.T.U.S.

In Part 1, the 23rd Sept entry quoted John Kilpatrick’s observation on Pope Francis’ official meeting with President Of The United States, Barack Obama: “He’s the 226th Pope visiting the president on the 226th day of the Gregorian calendar. Many wonder if something’s being birthed because that’s the gestation period of the human – it’s 226 days!”

In this connection, at the recent Lancaster Prophetic Conference’s first session, Neville taught about the false prophet and the false church (Revelation 13). He spoke about a very powerful encounter he had with the Lord a year ago:

“He said to me, “I want you to watch for something”. He said, “When the present pope will address the United Nations and Congress it will be the beginning of the rise of the false church”…(Neville then quoted Rev 13:11-14)

“This year, during the last phase of the Blood Moon, the pope, this present pope, will be addressing the United Nations  (the day after) he will be addressing your Congress…that’s right after Yom Kippur – and just before Tabernacles.

“That speech will mark the first time ever a Roman Catholic pope has addressed Congress.

“This is a historic visit in a historic year when the United Nations marks its 70th anniversary.” (From 1:48:35 mark)

Neville went on to refer to many leaders thinking that unifying religions is the answer for bringing the nations peace, but

“The world church will include all of the world’s religions, except Judaism – and Christianity…This meeting will be the catalyst of that beginning.

“Our greatest problem isn’t going to be the Antichrist but the false church because legislation will be introduced that will forbid activities except for those who are of the false church…plus higher taxes to wipe out churches…

“The false church will have great political power and clout. It will strongly advocate the mark of the beast – that’s what scripture says!…

“This won’t affect the true church because it will arise in greater power, greater glory and strength to the dismay of the false church as millions of people come into the kingdom of God!”

Note: 1) 20th-26 Sept – the World Council of Churches is sponsoring the World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel: 2) 21st Sept – UN’s annual International Day of Peace: Bill Koenig asks, could this be the day the UN Security Council resolution establishing a Palestinian state is actually adopted?

JEWS LOOKING FOR MESSIAH

Kaduri readingTo my mind the most remarkable promise of this month is that Jewish rabbis are expecting Messiah. Those who took the link to an earlier post will have read the secret Rabbu Yitzak Kaduri kept about having met Yeshua and that the timing of PM Ariel Sharon’s death (11 January 2014) meant it would not be long before Ha’ Mashiach would come to Israel.

Thus, in seeing beyond Breaking Israel News’ report we could  reasonably expect thousands more orthodox Jews will to be given dreams and visions of the Messiah and to learn his true identity. Is this not prophesied in Zecharia 12 and that it will happen when the status of Jerusalem is constantly under international threat?

 10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn…

For example, in July David Hathaway reported in Jesus Is Coming! (emphases mine):

“Jesus will come when the Jews call upon His Name! In June 2013 what the taxi driver said on the way back to the airport was an amazing revelation. He knew who we were, and was a religious Jew wearing a kippah, yet from the moment we got in the car he began the conversation so animatedly that he kept taking the wrong road! He kept saying, ‘Why did we kill Yeshua? He was a good man, He did nothing wrong, He killed no one but healed all who came. Was He Messiah, if so why did we not recognise Him, were we blind? We thought many people in our history were Messiah, but they are not alive today. I search the Scriptures for Him; can you show me where to find Him? All our nation is looking for Messiah at this moment, no one else can save us, can you show me the way?’

“This is why it is so important that we preach the Gospel – suddenly Israel is opening. God, through the Holy Spirit, is opening their hearts and minds to search for Him. The Bible is so clear, Jesus said, ‘If you seek Me you will find Me’.”

In the next part we further consider the Shemitah Year and how the Blood Moon Tetrad may connect with Prophetic Prayer Points for 2015-2020 brought by Charles Shamp.

UPDATES: for more on this topic read Update 1 – Judaism and Update 2 – Islam

Why this September is special – 1: weather & schedule

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Readers having a birthday this month already know it’s special 🙂  A couple of weeks ago after reading Economic crises as Shemitah year draws to a close, Tony remarked, “September seems to be a month that things will be happening”.

So I quipped, “That’s why it’s my birthday month Tony! Although not into astrology I used to joke I get the better deal with a birthday on the cusp of two constellations – even better in 2017”.

Joking apart, this particular September is highly significant for at least three reasons.

  1. international events of eschatological relevance. (If new to this topic see brief follow-up post upon launching this blog – Not many people know this…)
  2. the current Shemitah Year 5775 closes on Elul 29, Sunday 13th September.
  3. the last of the current Blood Moon Tetrad occurs as a ‘super-moon’ on Monday 28th September or Tishri 15, first day of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles.
UNPRECEDENTED WEATHER

In keeping with the Orthodox Church, Pope Francis declared yesterday as ‘World day of Prayer’ for the environment “offering our contribution towards overcoming the ecological crisis which humanity is living through…”  The pope said September 1st would give people “a precious opportunity to renew our personal participation in this vocation as custodians of creation”.

As John Kilpatrick remarked on that news in Could this be a September to remember?,  “Wow, we really need that…What about the Creator?”

Stewardship is one thing but it would it have been better praying for global repentance from our increasing inclination towards evil.  Why not emulate Anne Graham-Lotz’s Sept 1st call for Daniel 9 repentance and prayer for peace of Jerusalem and Middle East?

September started with an unprecedented occurrence of three Category 4 hurricanes in the Pacific ocean – a sign of things to come rather than ecologically caused? (Climate-warming science remains discredited.) US Weather Channel reports the hurricanes represent something of a leap: three concurrent Category 3 hurricanes have not yet been recorded. (Category 5 is highest.)

3hurricanes (NASA))

The Atlantic too has an unprecedented hurricane over the west African archipelago of Cape Verde. Monday’s Category 1 hurricane Fred was the first to hit Cape Verde since 1892 and the easternmost hurricane ever to have formed in the tropical Atlantic!

As for our Bank Holiday Monday washout, it’s nothing unusual but we don’t normally get persistent northerly winds. A fortnight’s rain fell that day and sunny Bournemouth on the south coast has had its wettest August on record. But three weeks earlier a forecaster – not Met Office – expected us to “bake in hottest August in years” – abysmally wrong!

[UPDATE 3rd Sept: UK Weather: ‘Polar plume’ = icy conditions this weekend –  figures for August show Wales & SW England at 70% above average rainfall, SE and central S (here) almost double, with Sussex its wettest August since 1946. The UK had wettest summer ever despite predictions for a dry, hot season!! Met Office chief scientist Prof Dame Julia Slingo said, “Seasonal forecasts for this summer suggested temperatures and rainfall would be near normal. However, as the season progressed all the leading models around the world failed to capture the signal for unsettled weather over the UK. We all know that forecasting months and seasons ahead is still in its infancy and much more research needs to be done!” See Soggy Summer was impossible to predict, says Met Office.]

So who’s in control? Definitely not mankind – but ungodly folk think we’re to blame. In a way they’re right but not for the popular, mythical ‘climate change’ reasons.

A SEPTEMBER SCHEDULE

For information, here are some forthcoming public events that may be of eschatological relevance. (Thank you to William Koenig [WK] accredited Christian journalist at the White House and editor of World Watch Daily and to Revd John Kilpatrick [JK] senior pastor of Church of His Presence.)

First, however, a doomsday prediction needs to be corrected:

Comet strike? – NASA says nothing will be remotely near earth. [The Guardian]

Wed 9th Sept – A re-established and self-declared Israeli Sanhedrin is calling U.S. President Barack Obama to trial for what it says are “criminal offenses” against the Jewish people following the passage of the Iran nuclear deal. [Breaking Israel News exclusive – The modern-day Jewish high court, made up of 71 Judaic scholars and rabbis, plans to bring the American president to trial on Mount Zion on Sept. 9, 2015, four days before Rosh Hashana, the beginning of heavenly judgment days for the Jewish nation – WK]

Wed/Thu 9/10th Sept – US Congress expected to vote on Obama’s Iran deal. A final vote could take place on Friday 11th Sept before the Rosh Hashanah holiday. [WK]

Fri 11th Sept – 14th anniversary of the World Trade Centre and Pentagon terror attacks and last day of trading on New York Stock Exchange before end of the Shemittah. In Could this be a September to remember? John Kilpatrick points out:

“The twin towers concept was proposed in the Shemitah of 1945, it was begun in the Shemitah of 1966, it took 7 years to build it, dedicated in the Shemitah of 1973 and destroyed in the Shemitah of 2001!

“What’s going to be called The Freedom Tower, now  known as ‘One World Trade Centre’, is the new building there and on September 13th there’s going to be a partial solar eclipse.” [from 3:08:50 mark]

Sat 12th Sept – Recently, a  leading authority in mainstream ultra-orthodox Judaism, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, has been giving clear, unequivocal messages the coming of the Messiah is imminent. He is urging Jews to make aliyah as soon as possible (which refers to immigrating to Israel), which is seen as higher spiritual action that can help usher in the coming of the Messiah. When asked about the timing of the Messiah’s arrival, Rabbi Kanievsky answered, “At the end of the Sabbatical year”. Several people have asked the rabbi to verify this, and he has given the same answer each time. This year is the Sabbatical year and it will end on the 29th day of Elul—which in the Gregorian calendar falls on Saturday Sept 12 (sic), 2015. [Breaking Israel News – WK]

NB: See my blog on Rabbi Kaduri’s secret, Who are the Jewish people expecting…?

Sun-Tue 13-15th Sept – Rosh Hashanah, Jewish civil new year begins at sundown 13th September. Partial solar eclipse.

Sun 13th Sept or Elul 29 – The last two Elul 29s at the end of Shemittah years produced two of the largest Dow Jones sell-offs in history. 2001: $1 trillion— est $1.4 trillion was wiped out in five days of trading. 2008: $1.2 trillion was wiped out. [WK]

Mon 14th Sept – First stock market trading day after end of Shemittah.

Tue 15th Sept – UN General Assembly convenes for 70th General Assembly. [WK, JK – who comments as follows:]

“It’s reported there may be a plan to introduce a resolution that will give formal UN approval, and formal UN Security (Council) recognition for a Palestinian state – recognising Palestine without Israel negotiating a Palestinian state at all – it will be done in spite of them (and to spite Israel RB). Will US veto this? My guess it’s doubtful.” [at 3:10:20 mark – emphasis added]

Wed 16th Sept – Congressional deadline to approve the Iran nuclear deal.[WK]

Sun 20th Sept – Sanhedrin to put Pope Francis on trial…he will be judged in absentia. In February 2013 the Vatican officially recognized the “State of Palestine” but, more significantly, the Vatican signed a treaty in June with “Palestine” in which the Holy See switched its diplomatic relations from the PLO to the “State of Palestine.” This treaty is the first legal document negotiated between the Holy See and the Palestinian state and, as such, constitutes an official recognition. [Breaking Israel News – WK]

Mon 21st Sept – Hajj to Mecca begins and UN International Day of Peace [JK]

Tue 22nd sundown to sundown Wed 23rd Sept – Yom Kippur and the beginning of the final year of the Jubilee. [WK, JK: this Jubilee year’s calculation isn’t definitive.]

Tue 22nd Sept – Pope Frances arrives in Andrews Air Force base for ‘2015 Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to the United States of America’. [Schedule – WK]

Wed 23rd Sept- Autumn/Fall equinox.

Wed 23rd – Pope Francis to visit the White House on Yom Kippur. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest says the Pope and President Obama will discuss a broad range of issues including poverty, the environment, religious freedom and immigration. [WK, JK offers a fascinating observation based upon the scriptural notation of 360 days in a prophetic year:]

“360 days times 49 years is one Jubilee period = 17,640 days. From the date Israel got Jerusalem back on June 7 1967 to September 23, Day of Atonement, is exactly 17,640 days.

“That’s the day Pope Francis visits the White House. He’s the 226th Pope visiting the president on the 226th day of the Gregorian calendar.

“Many wonder if something’s being birthed because that’s the gestation period of the human – it’s 226 days.” [3:13:10]

Thu 24th Sept – Pope Francis will address a joint session of Congress—the first time the head of the Roman Catholic Church will have done so. [WK]

Fri 25th Sept – Pope Francis is to speak to UN General Assembly and expected to discuss climate change encyclical, and speak on the Vatican’s support of a Palestinian state, the plight of the those in poverty, inequality, and more. [WK]

“Interesting to note that on May 14th 2014 French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius claimed, “We are, all of you know it,  on the edge of climatic abyss. In fact, we have 500 days to avoid climate chaos”. It’s interesting that time frame of 500 days is up on September 25th, the very day the pope is to address the UN on climate change.” [JK 3:17:20 – emphasis added]

Fri-Sun 25/27th Sept – UN Summit for adoption of the post-2015 development agenda will be held in New York and convened as a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly. [WK]

Mon 28th Sept – UN General Assembly begins its annual debate until 3rd October. One of the main subjects usually is the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Arab countries use this as a time to bash Israel publicly. It is also a time where the leaders of Israel have recently pointed out dangers posed by Iran. [WK]

Mon 28th Sept –  first day of Sukkoth (Feast of Tabernacles) and super blood-red moon over Jerusalem and the Middle East. This will be the fourth one in the past two years. The first was on the first day of Passover 2014, the second on the first day of Sukkoth in 2014, the third on the first day of Passover 2015 and this will be the final one in the tetrad. [WK]  (Note: Previous three were not fully visible in Israel.)

Steering clear of conspiracy theories John had already mentioned the idolatrous display upon the Empire State Building of the Hindu goddess Kali (black one, force of time and change and destruction). He went on to refer to the Large Hadron Collider at C.E.R.N. in Europe, the logo of which is made up of three sixes – 666. Its HQ’s exterior displays an image of the Hindu deity Shiva, or destroyer, and experiments searching for a ‘God particle’ are expected to start this month. It is posited by scientists that its operation could open up a gateway into another dimension and John refers to the Tower of Babel, which is reputedly supposed to have had such a portal.

John says that idol’s identity is the same as ‘Abaddon’ (Hebrew), or ‘Apollyon’ (Greek), in Revelation 9:11 and the ‘Son of Perdition’ (Grk ) in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. He doesn’t, however, refer to what I’d read in SIGNS by Neil Mackereth (as here) about the Tower of Babel being the inspiration behind the design of the European Parliament (click this image for full details):

eu-babel-tower

Watch Could this be a September to remember? from 3:08:00 mark for fuller details of some of the above items. Better still, listen to the whole teaching which, at 2hours 10 minutes length, is quite thorough in briefly covering the Lord’s own feasts, evidence of past Shemittah and Jubilee years and the four deeply defiling, abominable national sins which the Lord has dramatically judged in the past, and thus is soon expected.

In part 2 we consider a couple of the above events from a prophetical perspective and a couple of updates cover Judaism and Islam.

Israeli scholar says 1st century Jews awaited Messiah who would die & rise again. Argues “third day resurrection” an idea that pre-dates Jesus.

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Fascinating, especially when we consider prominent rabbi Yitzak Kaduri’s reputed meeting with Yeshua before his passing in 2006 (this post refers).

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

“The Messiah Before Jesus: The Suffering Servant of the Dead Sea Scrolls,” a fascinating book by Dr. Israel Knohl of Hebrew University. “The Messiah Before Jesus: The Suffering Servant of the Dead Sea Scrolls,” a fascinating book by Dr. Israel Knohl of Hebrew University.

This is the week of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of First Fruits. Millions of Jews in Israel and around the world are celebrating the story of how the Jewish people were saved from the “angel of death” in ancient times if they put the blood of a perfect slain lamb on the doorposts of their homes in Egypt.

This is also the week of Good Friday and Easter. Billions of Christians around the world are celebrating the death of Jesus of Nazareth, and His resurrection from the tomb three days later, and the belief that all mankind can be saved from the “angel of death” in our times if we, too, trust in the blood of a perfect slain Passover Lamb.

But did the Jews of the first century really believe the Messiah would one day come…

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Arabs and Jews unite to agree only solution to conflict is Jesus Christ

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Thank you to Discerning the Times for bringing the following news to my attention. It’s really not the ‘Surprise’ they bill it as!

It is significant news in view of rabbi Kaduri’s prophecy of Messiah being revealed to Israel after Ariel Sharon’s death. (After a massive stroke in January 2006 he was left in a comatose state until passing away last January.) This prominent rabbi is reputed to have met the Messiah and hidden a note of his identity, as reported on this blog in Who are the Jewish people expecting…?

This piece therefore acts as a suitable follow-up to The rabbi’s note, the PM’s death and the angel’s word – Part 1, the second part of which I was unable to complete in view of higher priority material. Its opening section was headed ‘A Matter of Time’, and so perhaps that blog’s Part 2 was awaiting this news?

Put the breakdown of Israel’s ruling coalition into perspective. Forget their flap over proposals to define Israel officially as a ‘Jewish state’ – here’s the only solution for cessation of the current conflict…

David Lazarus’ article published 26 November in ‘Israel Today’ reads as follows:

Arabs and Jews Unite to Proclaim Messiah’s Return

141126_believersA new generation of Arab and Jewish followers of Jesus met together last week to strategize on how to “turn Israel upside down.”

Two hundred and sixty Messianic Jewish and Arab pastors, youth leaders, evangelists, Bible-school teachers and ministry leaders gathered for a three-day council to discuss, study, pray and work together to effectively bring the word of God in power to Arabs and Jews throughout the whole Land of Israel.

These seasoned men and women of faith embody decades of labor proclaiming the Gospel to local Arabs and Jews. Most have given up everything to preach Messiah to their unbelieving Muslim and Jewish families and friends. Despised because of their faith, they have lost jobs, suffered rejection and endured multiple other hardships, yet their passion to bring the Good News to their people remains unquenched.

“We will keep preaching and teaching the Word of God until it changes the people of Israel,” declared one leading pastor. “We must be willing to suffer for the sake of the gospel and keep going no matter what happens. God will accomplish His will through the power of His word.”

With tensions now raging in Jerusalem and across Israel, it was astonishing to witness firsthand the deep friendships between these Arabs and Jews. Even the cold-blooded murders in a Jerusalem synagogue that took place on the final day of the gathering could not separate these godly men and women from their warm fellowship in Messiah.

In fact, the cowardly acts of terror and violence still raging in Jerusalem only served to move them to stand even stronger together and compelled them to more boldly declare the life-giving Word of God to both Muslim and Jew.

A regular theme throughout the gathering was the need to understand God’s prophetic word concerning the Last Days. (Emphasis added RB)

Scriptures related to the Second Coming of Messiah were studied. There are many signs that we are living in the latter days, particularly the return of the Jewish people to their biblical land, and the leadership of the local congregations in Israel discussed the need to prepare God’s people for the Messiah’s soon return.

All agreed that time is short, and the peoples of this land, both Arab and Jew, must hear the Word of God now.

It was mentioned that some local leaders are not teaching or preaching about the Second Coming. They do not want to stir up controversy or division over what can be a difficult subject.

While there remains much debate in Christianity and among Messianic Jews as to what exactly will happen around the Second Coming of the Lord, all were in agreement that He is coming, and that the Gospel much be preached in boldness, especially in Israel, before it is too late, for He comes this time in glory and in judgment.

According to many New Testament scriptures, the return of Messiah should unify believers, inspiring them to ready themselves in purity and holiness. It is seen as a cunning ploy of the enemy to cause so much confusion and division concerning the Last Days and Messiah’s return.

The leadership of the local Arab and Jewish congregations in Israel prayed for unity of faith in the Messiah’s return and boldness to tell others of His coming Messianic kingdom, the only real solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and the peace of Jerusalem.

Amen and amen to all those prayers!

[Photo courtesy Israel Today; click photo for link to original and readers’ extensive comments.]

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