©January 4, 2013 Revive Israel Ministries

Two Notes

By Asher Intrater

Rabbi Menahem Mendel Morgenstern of Kutsk (1787 - 1859) is known to have said, "Every man should have a note in one pocket saying, 'The whole world was created for me,' and a note in the other pocket saying, 'I'm nothing but dirt and ashes.'" Let's compare verses from Genesis 1, 2 and 3.

Genesis 1:26 – And God said, "Let us make man in our image, as our likeness, he will rule over the fish of the sea… and all the earth."

In a certain way, we are "like" God. He created the earth for us and commanded us to take dominion over it. All the world was indeed created for us. On the other hand we are simply created beings. He created us out of the dirt.  Mankind dies and goes back to being simply dirt.

Genesis 3:19 - … until you return to the earth for from it you were taken, for you are dust and to the dust you will return.

This is a paradox, a double truth that seems contradictory.  It takes great faith to see ourselves "like God" and sharing in His divine nature (II Peter 1:4). It takes great humility to see ourselves as mere dirt. We are a combination of the creator and the created. We are "half-God" and "half-mud."

Genesis 2:7 – YHVH God formed man, dust from the earth, and blew into his nostrils the breath of life.

God blew into us of His own spirit to give us life. (Yeshua blows into us the Holy Spirit again to give us eternal life – John 20:22.) By revelation, we need to be aware of our lowliness and our highness. In years of walking with the Lord, we understand more and more how lowly we are without Him, and how high He wants to bring us.

II Corinthians 4:7 – This treasure is given to us in vessels of clay in order that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

Discipleship is a process of being both humbled down low and lifted up high.

With Ariel Blumenthal

In Acts 15, the prophecy of the tabernacle of David from Amos 9 became a pivotal passage for understanding how and why God was bringing the Gentiles into the faith.  In our day, the “restoration of the tabernacle of David" has become a popular term, referring to the restoration of spirit-filled praise, prayer and prophecy.  Since King David himself was a man of praise, prayer and prophecy (establishing 24 hour worship in Jerusalem - 1 Chronicles 24) this revelatory interpretation of the text is quite valid. Yet this aspect is only one third of the scriptural prophecy.

Amos 9:11-12, 14-15
In that day I will raise up the falling tabernacle of David and I will fence its breaches and… I will build it as in the everlasting days; that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the Gentiles who are called by my name…
And I will restore the captivity of My people Israel and they will build the deserted cities and will dwell in them… and I will plant them on their land and they will not again be pulled up...

David was not only a worshiper; he was a king, the king of Israel. Therefore the prophecy speaks not only of spirituality but of government authority. The "restoration of the tabernacle of David" is similar to the apostles' request for the "restoration of the kingdom to Israel" (Acts 1:6).

Restoring the "captivity of Israel" refers to the restoration of the people, land and state of Israel. The Gentiles who are "called by My name" refers to the international Church (ecclesia). Therefore the prophecy has three dimensions: the Church, the nation of Israel, and the Messianic remnant.

This three-fold restoration is intertwined, interwoven and interdependent. God restores prayer, praise and prophecy in the Church; righteous national government in Israel; and an apostolic Messianic movement within Israel.

Pray for God's will in Israeli elections, to be held in less than 3 weeks. Current polls show:

36 – Netanyahu-Liberman party, moderate right wing
18 – Shelly Yachimovitch, labor party, moderate left wing
13 – Bennet – surprise growth of religious right nationalist (settlers) party
11 – Shas – Sefardic ultra-religious party, including return of Aryeh Deri
11 – Arab parties; 10 percent of Israeli Knesset is Arabic (!)
9 – Tsipi Livni, moderate left wing
9 – Yair Lapid, moderate left wing
5 – Yahadut HaTorah, Ashkenazi ultra-religious party
4 – Merets – ultra left wing

Forming a coalition will be complex as always. There is a need on the one hand to strengthen the leader of the government, probably Netanyahu. Yet there is also a need for a moderate element to balance the religious groups, perhaps Lapid. 

By Eddie Santoro

Our congregation in Jerusalem is growing and new people are visiting each week. There is an increased anointing of the Holy Spirit in our gatherings and an increased sense of community that we feel.

Pray for Evan, who has recently been given the leadership of the worship department. He is doing a masterful job as he works to develop the different worship teams.

The Children’s department is expanding as we endeavor to provide a program that will encourage and nurture all the children. Pray for Vered as she heads up a team of volunteers who are investing their lives in this program.

Pray for Sarah, Yoel, and Or who are working with the youth, to strengthen them as they walk through their teenage years. Join us in believing to raise up a generation of young Israelis who will bring the gospel to this nation and the world.

This is just the beginning of what God wants to do. Pray for Asher and me, along with our leadership team as we seek God's mighty destiny for Ahavat Yeshua.