©3 April 2015 Revive Israel Ministries

Double Meaning of Salvation

By Asher Intrater

The name of Yeshua – Jesus ישוע – bears the meaning of the word Y'shuah – salvation ישועה .

The concept of salvation in Scriptures has a two-fold meaning: one military, the other spiritual. Both are true.  The Hebrew prophets tended to emphasize the military, national, intervention of God to save the nation from destruction.  The early Messianic apostles of Yeshua tended to emphasize the eternal, spiritual, forgiveness of God to save us from sin and death.

This dichotomy can cause confusion when trying to dialogue about salvation.  The question "Are you saved?" has virtually no meaning in modern Hebrew.

When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, God performed a miraculous military salvation for them by destroying their enemies at the Red Sea.  But then they immediately started to sin again, and had to wander in the wilderness for forty years until the entire generation died (I Corinthians 10:1-13).

The national military aspects of salvation have become more relevant in recent generations as Israel finds itself back in the Land and threatened with destruction by Jihadist groups on all sides.

Passover and Salvation

In addition, there has been a gradual change in the understanding of Pesach-Passover since Israel has become a nation.  During the many years of exile, it was primarily a religious ceremony, with symbolic remembrance of the past. Now Passover is a national holiday, celebrated by religious and non-religious at the same time.  Some see the holiday as national, some as religious and some as both. 

Israeli society is in transition.  Young Israelis are willing to ask rather radical questions as to the meaning of Jewish symbols. There have been many upheavals in the political reality, both on the left and on the right.  The religious community in Israel has seen several historic developments, including religious nationalism, the Shas revolution, the Chabad messianism, and a new modern pluralism.

Although still minute in size, there is little by little more interest in trying to understand Messianic Jews by Israeli society as a whole.  

God established the holiday of Passover as an "appointed time."  It is to remember the deliverance from Egypt, and to remember the death and resurrection of Yeshua that also occurred during Passover.  As the years go on, people will ask more and more questions about the symbolism, nationalism and messianism connected with the Passover.  The historic viewpoint of Yeshua's disciples is likely to become part of that discussion.

As worldwide Islamic Jihad and anti-Israel sentiments grow, the meaning of the Passover as God's military intervention to save the people of Israel will also take on greater significance.

Salvation - the Two Sided Coin

The two different aspects of "salvation" may very well come together in the last months before the coming of Yeshua.  The knowledge of Yeshua will grow, and the urgency of a divine military intervention for Israel will grow.  All of the prophecies concerning the second coming of Yeshua point to both a spiritual revival and a military intervention.  "All Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26) in both meanings of the word.

A spiritual revival in the Land will go hand in hand with crying out to the Lord for deliverance from military destruction.  Yeshua and the angels in heaven will descend to save Israel from military attack at the same time that He will bring eternal spiritual salvation.  The attack of the nations, the revival in Israel and the divine "military" intervention will all come to a climax at the same time.

There were two summits concerning the Middle East this past weekend.  The contrast between the two highlights some of the bizarre complexities of the conflicts in the region.  The first was held in Lausanne, Switzerland in which an international coalition, led by the United States, seems close to an agreement with Iran over their nuclear building plans.

The second was held in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Sinai in which the Arab league, led by the Egyptians and the Saudis met to form a coalition against the aggression of Iranian forces throughout the Middle East, particularly in Yemen.  Ironically, the majority of the Arab league is basically in agreement with the Israeli position concerning Iran. 

Egyptian President Al Sisi referred to Iran as "foreign extremists trying to intervene in our region."  Egypt and Saudi Arabia proposed establishing a pan-Arabic military force to oppose the Iranian backed Hoth's, who are taking over Yemen and moving toward the strategic Bab-Al-Mandab straits of the Red Sea, which controls all of the sea trade to and from Asia. 

Who's standing with Iran?

Among the Palestinians, the PLO sided with Egypt-Saudi coalition; while Hamas sided with Iran.  Among the Lebanese, the Lebanese government sided with the coalition, while Hezbollah sided with Iran. Among the Yemenites, the government sided with the coalition, while the Hoth's sided with Iran. Syria, which is supported by Iran, also supports Iran in the current conflict. 

Iranians are not Arabs, but Persians; the Ayatollah regime in Iran is radical Shiite and leads Shiite radicals around the world. Egypt and Saudi are Arabs, and Sunni, and relatively moderate.  Al Qaeda and ISIS are Sunni but Jihadist extremists.  They would favor the Jihad agenda of the Iranians, but battle against them in trying to control Syria.

In this message, Asher shows that just like a man and woman were created for each other, so are Israel and the nations. Both are called to be in relationship, mutually serve and bless each other.  To watch in English, click HERE!