I was born in Israel into a secular Jewish family with roots in the Land stretching back generations. My great grandfather was a pioneer farmer in the Galilee. My father was a commander in the Palmach naval fighting units, starting before the Israeli War of...
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word. But Martha was encumbered (orig: dragged...
"Therefore, do not worry, saying 'what shall we eat?' or 'what shall we drink?' or 'what shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His...
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. (1 Corinthians 13:11) A small child is the centre of their own world, without perspective on how small they actually...
Jesus (Yeshua) is a different kind of king leading a different kind of kingdom. As part of his kingdom, we’re called to be a different kind of citizen. In Matthew 21, we find that Jesus simultaneously displayed both humility and authority. He told his disciples to go...
The book of Acts chronicles the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). What started in one geographic area, in thirty years expanded through Asia Minor, into major European cities, becoming tens of thousands...
Sometimes we become so familiar with our surroundings that we barely notice them. We become over-familiar with the beauty and also the ugly things. In the West, generations have been born, lived and died influenced by a world-view with its origins in the enlightenment...
The Marriage of Love and Holiness "According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." Ephesians 1:4 Holiness is not true holiness unless it’s rooted and grounded in love. Otherwise it...
Yeshua is the King of the Jews, and the King of Kings. He is the son of David and the son of God. He is the King of Israel and the Head of the Church. Therefore, the final triumphal entry must have both an international dimension and an Israelite dimension. In the...
One of the most significant prayers for the coming of Messiah is: ברוך הבא בשם ה' , Baruch Haba b'shem Adonai Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. It is found TWICE in the gospel of Matthew. The first is the cheering welcome of the crowds at the time of...
In this part 2, let's look at how Jerusalem and the future are connected to Yeshua's identity as Lamb and Lion. If you missed part 1, click HERE! The Messiah had to come and suffer as an innocent sacrifice in order to provide forgiveness and atonement for our...
There are two images of the Messiah throughout the Law and the Prophets. One is a suffering servant; the other is conquering king. The Rabbis called these two figures messiah son of Joseph and messiah son of David. The idea was that Joseph suffered at the hands of his...
Is there undeniable scientific evidence today that global ice fields are melting, ocean levels are rising and air pollution is getting worse at an unprecedented rate? Are water shortages, drought and crop failures on the rise globally due to current weather patterns?...
After reading, "My Life" – the Autobiography of Golda Meir, I have grown in appreciation for the founding fathers and mothers of the modern state of Israel. They faced incredible challenges and yet helped “birth a nation in a day.” (Isaiah 66:8) I believe Golda’s...
Many years ago, when I looked at the promises in the Bible concerning Israel, the Church, the Messianic Remnant and the End Times, I came to the conclusion that no one is strong, wise or righteous enough to fulfill them. If God was calling us to be involved, we had to...
Here's how I would summarize the plan of God in one sentence: God created and destined the world to be perfect in His sight, so that everything would reflect His goodness and bring Him glory. When God thought of you, He saw you in your fullness. He saw you in your...
There are three major events in the end times soon approaching. They may be summarized: Tribulation Second Coming Millennium The tribulation is a series of worldwide difficulties which culminate in an international attack on Israel (Matt. 24). The Second Coming occurs...
Everyone is affected somewhere by pornography, abortion, sexual harassment, homo-les-bi-trans, divorce, adultery, pedophilia, carnal entertainment, seductive advertising, and so on. Sometimes I also feel "abused" by this whole metro-sexual mess ("Me Too"). Pictures I...
Last year facing the UN, President Trump spoke of nationalism over globalism; this year he spoke of patriotism over globalism--essentially the same concept. Are we for globalization? We certainly believe in an age of world peace as described in Isaiah 2 and Micah...
A New Confederation Plan? Israeli Press is reporting on a new attempt of a solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians--a “confederation plan” for the Palestinian areas of Judea and Samaria (West Bank). The original plan for confederation came from...
The Fullness is Yet to Come In reading through the Torah, we cannot help but notice that there are several social institutions described that never seem to achieve their fullness in Israel’s history. For example: Judicial system Agricultural system Feasts and Calendar...
Read part 1 HERE. 5. In Rev. 14 we read what many scholars historically have said is the rapture and the resurrection of the saints. There are two angels, one harvests the earth in what seems like a harvest of the righteous (14:16). Then another angel gathers the...
Those who believe that the rapture of the saints and the resurrection of the righteous in Yeshua comes at the end of the tribulation (Post Tribulation), present two views of where to place the rapture. One view, which I think is the more dominant, is that it comes at...
Do you feel caught between two forces – on the one hand a love for the things of this world, and on the other apathy from all that is going on? I personally can relate! 1 John 2:15 tells us that the ‘love of the world’ is sin and it cuts us off from the Father’s love:...
Revival leads to restoration. This principle of the kingdom of God holds true for an individual or for a whole nation. For an individual, revival would mean being born again in one's heart and then receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, John 3:3). After someone...
One line always gets me in God’s conversation with Moses: "So, I have come down.” Here’s Moses, freaking out at a bush that won’t stop burning. Why shouldn’t he be? He’s hearing the voice of God Almighty, for goodness' sake! The Hebrews are locked in slavery. Moses...
The situation in the Middle East is so complex that often one is not sure just exactly what to pray for. Many well-meaning believers get so caught up in one aspect of the conflict or another that they miss the overall picture. Sometimes, with misdirected zeal, we can...
What is the place of Messianic Jews in Israeli society? When a Jewish believer in Yeshua applies to become an Israel citizen under the “Law of Return,” is he or she received as any other Jewish person returning to our biblical homeland? When seeking to buy or rent...
When we read the stories of the patriarchs, we have to ask what the purpose of God was behind all the events, even those that may seem strange. My understanding is that God sent Abraham back to the land of Canaan to "restart" the original plan from the garden of Eden....
We have been asked by pastors how to deal with polygamy during a revival (particularly in pagan, African and Islamic areas). What is the solution for people from a polygamous background that come to faith in Yeshua, according to Judeo-Christian values? Here are some...
Recently I dialogued with a famous New Testament Theologian from England. Our discussion centered on Israel and the Church. He was “replacement theology” oriented (the Church is now the ongoing meaning of Israel, the true Israel of God, and that ethnic Israel no...
The first principle of spiritual warfare is humility. Whenever we notice we are in a situation of spiritual warfare, the first thing we need to do is to humble ourselves. Most people associate spiritual warfare with aggressive prayer and shouting at the devil. That...
In every leadership team there is always a level of tension. We all have different gifts, passions and ways we think things should be done. Yet God designed it this way so that we would grow in love and humility (Eph 4:2). Of course, this is true for a 5-fold ministry...
One of the clearest pictures in the Bible of the second coming of Yeshua (Jesus) is found in Zechariah 14:2-3: "I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem, the city shall be taken...then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations as He...
We are engaged in "spiritual warfare," fighting against forces of evil, from the "world, the flesh and the devil." The battlefield of that warfare is often in our own mind and feelings. II Corinthians 10:4-5The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world....
5) Supernatural Protection and Provision We see the Jewish people's Exodus out of Egypt as a prophetic pattern for the end times (Micah 7:15). While the Egyptians were being struck with flies, boils, darkness… the Jewish people were set apart and protected in Goshen...
Do the words: anti-Christ, mark of the beast, bowls of wrath, wars, famines... stir up fearful emotions in you? If so, you are not alone. Wrong beliefs and illiteracy on these subjects can produce anxiety and confusion about the future. When this happens, our tendency...
This week a number of events concerning the city of Jerusalem are converging together in an uncanny way. 33 AD – Yeshua ascended into heavenly Jerusalem: Every year at this time, 40 days after the Resurrection, we celebrate His ascension to sit at the right hand of...
One of the amazing graces we receive from God through Yeshua, along with forgiveness of sins, eternal life and the Shekinah presence of the Holy Spirit, is the power and authority to heal the sick and cast out demons. Although casting out demons is portrayed in the...
The regathering of the Jewish people is an event that was prophesied many times in Scriptures. It is hard to fathom that what we are seeing now was actually written about thousands of years before it happened. The days are coming says YHVH that they will no more say,...
Imagine my shock on the elliptical machine, sweat running down my checks, meditating on 1 Corinthians 3, when it hit me! Paul is not talking about exercise! In the passage, the apostle speaks of rewards in heaven, and then suddenly he starts talking about our bodies...
One of the most important passages on holiness is the revelation Isaiah had of the glorified Messiah. Isaiah 6:1-5.I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the Temple. Above it stood seraphim... And one cried to another...
The concept of prophecy developed in stages throughout the Scriptures. The early patriarchs had many, direct prophetic encounters with God. Then Moses brought the prophetic experience to a higher level and became the "father" of the prophets. Moses prayed for all the...
The most important saying of the rabbis concerning Passover is that “in every generation, each person must see himself as if he came out of Egypt.” This is parallel to the New Covenant concept that each person must see himself as if he participated in the death and...
Three times in the book of Revelation it is stated that heavenly Jerusalem descends from heaven. To the faithful at the church in Philadelphia, identified as a great example of a church, God promised: Revelation 3:12"I will write on him the name of My God and the name...
As followers of Yeshua all of us go through seasons of increased spiritual attack, which can unsettle us if we don't know how to respond. Because Satan hates God, he also hates you and me. His hatred manifests through temptations, lies, fear, sickness, division and...
The Lord told Joshua that He would be with him the same way He was with Moses (Joshua 1:5). In a similar way, Yeshua told all of us that He would be with us at all times without ceasing from now until the end (Matthew 28:20). To some degree, through the Holy Spirit,...
In the stories of the birth of Yochanan (John the Baptist) and Yeshua (Jesus), two people receive a supernatural visitation by the archangel Gabriel. One is Miriam (Mary), the mother of Yeshua; the other is Zechariah (Zacharias), the father of John. Both are told of...
Israel is in many ways a parable for the world-wide Church: on the one hand manifestly incomplete and deficient, yet on the other beneficiary of the divine promise of ‘completion’, ‘perfection’ and ultimately ‘peace’ – all of which stem from the same Hebrew root " שלם...
Here are three significant prophecies of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the end times. Two have to do with revival, one with judgment. Zechariah 12:10 I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication and...
#1 Not Under compulsion, but voluntarily according to the will of God… (1 Peter 5:2a) In John 21:15-17, the resurrected Yeshua commands Peter 3 times: “Tend my lambs… shepherd my sheep…. tend my sheep.” Peter was a bold, strong man destined to be a great leader of...
One of the most precious promises in the Bible is Acts 2:17, that "In the Last Days, says the Lord, I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh." We understand this to be a promise of a world-wide revival in the end times. (Yeshua also said that the "harvest is the end of...
What a change we see in Abraham from Chapter 12 of Genesis to Chapter 13. In Chapter 12, Abraham (well, Abram) goes down to Egypt because of a famine. There, he becomes concerned that his life is in danger. His wife, Sarai, is attractive and he thinks if Pharaoh knows...
We seek to have a biblical balance on the issues concerning apostolic and prophetic gifts today. One of the keys to find such a balance is the phrase, "we prophesy in part." I Corinthians 13:9 - We know in part and we prophesy in part. Love is the greatest...
When we speak about "tribulation," many think immediately about end times' scenarios. However, we also need to look at our general attitude toward adversity. How is the normal believer to react to times of trouble? The New Covenant Greek word thlipsis is translated as...
We often experience resistance and spiritual opposition as we seek to serve the Lord. This week as we were praying together on an international zoom call with our friends from the Global Gathering with David Demian, I had this discernment about Spiritual Law: A major...
Prayer changes things. It can even "move mountains" (Mark 11:23-24). Prayer is so important that Yeshua had a regular discipline of praying early in the morning before the sun came up (Mark 1:35). His primary "job" now is interceding for us in heaven (Romans 8:34)....
Paul concludes his teaching of the One New Man in the first 6 verses of Ephesians chapter 3. He calls it a “mystery,” and then “the mystery of Christ,” which was uniquely committed to him by God’s grace. He even declares that this mystery is something that was not...
The Ten Commandments mention parental relationships two times; once positive and once negative. No parents were perfectly good or perfectly bad. Whether the influence was 99% in one direction or 1% in the other, in every generational relationship, there are good...
Yeshua taught that there would be many earthquakes in different places around the world in the end times (Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8, Luke 21:11). Earthquakes can sometimes be the result of a clash of spiritual forces behind the scenes. There was an earthquake when God...
[Excerpt from “Alignment” Chapter 10: Time and Geography] "The time is coming when not on this mountain and not in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know; for salvation is from the Jews. The time is coming...
We see today the rather absurd phenomenon of people claiming to have spiritual authority and anointing, primarily by giving themselves titles and publishing advertisements about themselves in social media. The Hebrew concept in the Law, Prophets, and New Covenant is...
There are two words in Hebrew used for "fear": Pakhad – פחד – is fear in general. Yir'ah – יראה – is more a reverential fear associated with authority, power, and holiness. In Greek there is primarily one word, – Phobeo, from which are derived words having to do with...
Paul concludes his teaching of the One New Man in the first 6 verses of Ephesians chapter 3. He calls it a “mystery,” and then “the mystery of Christ,” which was uniquely committed to him by God’s grace. He even declares that this mystery is something that was not...
How we love the fruit of the spirit! – love and joy and all that good stuff. It is the very personality of God within us. There's one fruit of the spirit at the end that seems to be less talked about: self-control. We could call it the Final Fruit. Galatians 5:22 –...
In our generation we are witnessing the restoration of apostolic and prophetic ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13) in the body of Messiah worldwide. Little by little, apostolic and prophetic ministry is also being restored within the local remnant in Israel. Much of what is...
Over the last 50 years, there has been an acceleration in the restoring of apostolic and prophetic leadership to the body of Messiah around the world. There are many spiritual principles we can glean from the original meaning of "apostle" which will clarify the role...
Have you ever wondered what the word "apostle" meant to those living in the time the New Covenant was written? I believe that understanding the original meaning and use of the word "apostle" will help bring clarity to the role of apostles today. Here are some things I...
One of the amazing graces we receive from God through Yeshua, along with forgiveness of sins, eternal life and the Shekhina presence of the Holy Spirit, is the power and authority to heal the sick and cast out demons. Although casting out demons is portrayed in the...
Philippians is one of the prison epistles of Paul and as a prisoner, he did not know whether he would live or die. At such a time, a person would write what is of upper most importance to a congregation that he planted at great cost. In the first chapter Paul is at...
Many people in the world are aggressive; aggressive for power, glory, wealth… in short selfishness. Yet the teaching of Yeshua seems to point to an opposite character. In His first recorded message, the Sermon on the Mount, Yeshua said, "The meek will inherit the...
All the prophets describe a time of trouble in the end times. This is called "the time of Jacob's trouble" in Jeremiah 30:7, and the "tribulation" in the gospels (Matthew 24; Mark 13). The second half of the book of Daniel contains a series of prophecies concerning...
Sometimes we are asked by fellow Israelis, "If Yeshua is the Messiah, why is there no prophecy of that being his name in the Tanakh?" That's a good question. On the one hand, if there was a straightforward direct prophecy saying "The Messiah's name is Yeshua," then...
I had a dream recently in which I was going through a series of spiritual tests over and over again. I was totally dismayed and tired of having to go through so many tests. I knew the goal was to get to total and perfect obedience, but… In the dream there was an angel...
Since John was the last writer of Scriptures, his writings contain a unique view of the whole spectrum of Scriptures from beginning to end. John often spoke in terms of "beginning to end" (John 1:1; I John 1:1; Revelation 1:8, 17). This "beginning to end" perspective...
In Parts I & II we defined this root that Paul is discussing in Romans 11. You probably noticed that this definition is a combination of 3 of the 4 traditional definitions given in church history (see the end of part 1). But why is not Jesus Himself the root? Of...
And if the part of the dough offered as firstfruits be holy, then the whole batch is holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. – Romans 11:16 There are two parallel, or complementary, metaphors here—one about bread, and the other about roots/trees. On the...
Sometimes we are asked if we consider Christians to be "priests." Three types of priesthoods are mentioned in the Scriptures: – 2 on earth and 1 in heaven: the Jewish Levitical, the Christian International, and the Heavenly Spiritual. The truest priesthood is the...
“Jewish Roots” or “Hebrew Roots” is a very popular subject today in the Body of Christ, with many books, teaching ministries, homepages, etc., on the subject. After centuries of “Replacement Theology,” and anti-Semitism from the historic church, we are witnessing a...
There are several passages in the prophets that speak of a day in which the "wealth of the nations (or Gentiles) will come" - (Isaiah 60:5; 60:9; 60:11; 60:16; Zech. 14:14; Rev. 21:6.) Is there to be a fulfillment or even partial fulfillment for these verses in our...
Reconciliation has two directions: one toward God and one toward people. Reconciliation toward God is the Gospel. Yeshua died on the cross to demonstrate sacrificial love and to pay the price for our forgiveness. Thus we are reconciled to God (II Corinthians 5). There...
Some have said that opposition to radical Islamic terror is akin to racism. That is not logical. Consider: Islam is a religion, not confined to one ethnic group (Most Muslims are not Arab, many Arabs are not Muslims, some Arabs are Christians…) Whether Islam is a...
In the first century, the ministry of Yeshua and His disciples were very much connected to time and geography. But as the Gospel went out to the nations, over the past 1900 years, there has been little emphasis among Christians on time and geography. The Gospel can be...
If you missed last week’s introductory article to this subject, be sure to catch up on what you missed! When a person is told that the reason he or she is not healed is always his or her fault, and this also includes tragic accidents and death, we believe this is...
In the 1980s, Asher and I studied the subject of healing with great intensity. We studied the most prominent teachers on what the Bible teaches about healing. We ourselves saw some really amazing, outstanding healings, but also some very disappointing sicknesses that...
At the turn of the year 2017, during our conference in Brazil, as we were praying, I sensed the Spirit of the Lord saying in my heart, to "return to a new age of the acts of the apostles." Now we have for decades looked to the book "Acts of the Apostles" as the...
This statement is a representation of not only many young people today, but of even some older people who are in their senior years of disillusionment with congregational life as they experienced it. Yet, it is so very different than what would have been stated...
There are many accounts of sexual sin in the Bible and we can learn much from both the stories of success and those of failure. In my eyes, Joseph has one of the most inspiring victories over sexual temptation. By the time the seventeen year old Joseph was sold to...
In light of the recent UN resolution against Israel, it is often repeated that the primary problem preventing peace in the Middle East is the "occupation" by Israel and "settlements" on Palestinian land. The reasoning goes that if we could only get rid of Israeli...
There is a message that serves as a common foundation for almost all the other messages in Scriptures: "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." This may be seen as a summary of all the Israelite prophets (Jeremiah 25:5). It preceded the coming of Yeshua (Matthew...
Jonah delivered two major prophecies. The first is recorded in II Kings 14:25 - to enlarge the borders of Israel. It was a message of victory and power. He seemed to be very motivated to this kind of prophecy. The second was recorded in the Book of Jonah to bring...
There are so many texts that assert a glorious place for Israel in the Age to come. Space only allows us to quote a few. Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. (Joel 3:20) I will bring back the captivity of my people Israel; they will...
The issue of apostolic and prophetic ministry today raises much controversy, particularly when connected to the Messianic remnant in Jerusalem. Why is this so important? Three times the letter to the Ephesians makes reference to the work of "apostles and prophets."...
Each time we meet with Arab Christian leaders, whether locally here in Israel, or in the context of Global Gathering, there are new levels of revelation about God's destiny for Arabs and Jews. At the recent Gathering in Jerusalem, one of the Arab pastors pointed out...
Eschatology is teaching on the Last Days and the Age to Come. A consensus has developed in the doctrine of eschatology in the Christian world. We could almost call these points truisms today, though not all are aware of them. Here is the general consensus: The Last...
Yeshua's foundational teaching on the end times is found in all three synoptic gospels (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21). He summarizes and interprets the teachings of all the Israelite Prophets. The Apostles based their writings on the subject from what Yeshua taught. ...
Much of the spiritual action in the Bible comes from the work of apostolic-prophetic teams. I have found seven types of apostolic teams which may serve as models for us today. Band of Evangelists – Yeshua's original group of twelve did not so much prophesy or start...
Recently while praying over a situation affecting many of our friends both in Israel and internationally, I saw a picture in my heart of a massive stone wall, indicating the difficulty of the problem. The wall was too big to destroy or to climb over. The bottom of...
The 40 days from the beginning of the month of Elul through Yom Kippur on the 10th day of Tishrei are known in Jewish tradition as a time for repentance and forgiveness. There are special prayers during this time called סליחות "selichot" meaning forgiveness. One...
Asher Intrater shares the final four of ten prophecies that relate to modern Israel, the church, the end times and the millennial kingdom. Confrontation of the Nations Binyamin Netanyahu, our Prime Minister, goes to the United Nations and confronts them, unlike any...
Last week I began sharing 10 prophetic keys that I have learned from studying Jewish history, Rabbinic thought, and current events here in Israel. Here are the rest Reading the Prophets David Ben-Gurion, visionary and leader of Modern Zionism, read the Bible,...
Over the last hundred years, the church has taught a lot about the prophetic, and we believe in all of its forms. There are no restrictions to how God can speak to us. The Bible says in Revelation 19:10 that the Gospel itself is prophecy. It’s one of two “eyes” of...
The concept of prophecy developed in stages throughout the Scriptures. The early patriarchs had many, direct prophetic encounters with God. Then Moses brought the prophetic experience to a higher level and became the "father" of the prophets. Moses prayed for all the...
The Bible has a lot to say about the Resurrection from the dead—both Yeshua’s and ours at the end of the age. To bring the dead to life in full glory is something the whole creation is yearning for (Rom 8:18-23). We will be raised in a resurrection body that is as...
A Personal Perspective In 2015, the Global Gathering took place in Munich, at the very stadium where Israeli athletes where murdered in the 1972 Olympics. After several days of worship, intercession, prayer and fellowship, the Arab and Jewish brothers and sisters...
A Personal Perspective In the 1980's there were a series of meetings between Arab Christians and Messianic Jews to express our unity as believers in Yeshua. In the 1990's, after the First Intifada and Gulf War (1991), Arab Christians and Messianic Jews in Israel began...
Excerpt from Chapter 22 of "All Authority" The Messianic Jewish remnant in Israel today is a partial restoration of the first-century community of disciples, including the emergence of apostolic-prophetic ministry teams within that remnant. Although it is still in its...
Among those who believe in the Bible as our absolute standard, the issue of divorce and remarriage remains a particularly vexing problem. Different interpretations on how to understand the Bible’s teaching has produced very difficult divisions in the Body of the...
The idea of the restoration of apostolic ministry teams around the world raises a certain degree of controversy; and even more so Messianic apostolic ministry here in Israel. Consider a few thoughts in approaching the topic: NT Churches – 100% of the churches...
In 1 Samuel 13:19-22 we see the people of Israel in a dangerous predicament, with no ability to defend themselves against their enemies: Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrew's make swords...
Sometimes I am asked about the correct pronunciation of YHVH יהוה , the name of God in the Hebrew Scriptures since the time of Moses. But first a “disclaimer”-- it is not worth arguing about, because: No one really knows for sure how it was pronounced. There is no...
In Parts I & II we looked at the Biblical definition of Israel (People, Nation, Remnant) and a few ways in which Christians have been connecting with Israel in our generation. We discovered that according to Romans 11 and Ephesians 2 & 3, this relationship...
The message of Yeshua not only changes us personally, it also changes the whole world. The message of personal change may be called, "the gospel of salvation;" the message to change the world may be called, "the gospel of the kingdom." The Word of God is a little seed...
In Part I, we learned that according to the Bible, “Israel” can mean: a) the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--the Jewish people b) the Jewish nation in its Land, and c) the Remnant of believers in Yeshua—Jew & Gentile together. The Olive Tree...
As Christians, how are we to relate to Israel? How to connect with her? In Romans 11:17-24, Paul likens this vital, organic connection to being grafted into the Olive Tree of God’s covenant family. For a complete understanding of this teaching, we have to first...
Noah's Ark, the Anointing Oil, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Second Coming, and the reconciliation of Israel and the Church…. what do all of these have in common? They are all represented by an OLIVE TREE. After the Flood, Noah sent forth a dove to search for a place...
One day we will all have to give an account before God for what we have done in this life, whether good or bad (Matthew 25:31; Romans 2:5; II Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:12). Human beings have free will and a moral conscience. Free will means we have...
When we ask the question; "what is our role as believers within the society around us," two extremes arise: One is of just sharing the gospel and praying but having no real practical influence on the society at large. The other extreme says that we are to take...
We as the group of people on earth who believe in Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world, are referred to as His bride. The Hebrew word here is Kalah - כלה . Kalah particularly refers to a bride betrothed before the wedding. In this way we are betrothed...
The gospel message is about the grace and love of God through Yeshua the Messiah. At the same time there should also be a fiery and prophetic moral confrontation of sin. That confrontation is first and foremost to ourselves. If we, as the community of faith, will...
There are three dimensions of meaning to the Passover (Pesach) story: Exodus from Egypt Gospel of Yeshua End Times Paradigm Exodus The story of the Passover and Exodus from Egypt plays a dominant role in the Law and Prophets. The God of creation intervenes in human...
In 1989 I received a vision of an oasis in the desert. I heard the words “tents of mercy.” Only years later, as a new immigrant, seeking God for the meaning of those words, did I receive Jeremiah 30:18: “…I will restore the tents of Jacob and have mercy on his...
Recently I felt a dramatic decrease in my hearing. I went to an ear specialist. The woman doctor was about my age and had a rather serious demeanor. She looked in my ear. Then she pulled out a primitive instrument, something like a letter opener, and said, "This might...
The books of Ruth and Esther describe real historic events, but may also be seen as parables with prophetic meaning. Ruth contains a message about the relationship between Israel and the Church. This is what we call "Ruth Ecclesiology." In a similar fashion, the book...
When we truly understand both the greatness of our spiritual identity and calling, and at the same time our own weakness and failings, it can make us feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. The Apostle Paul (Saul) felt the same way; he referred to himself on four different...
The book of Acts and particularly Acts 15 is a key passage for our understanding of the position and identity of the Gentiles who responded to the message of the Gospel and came into the kingdom. At first glance the response of the leader of the Jerusalem...
The whole Bible contains historical facts and events; yet at the same time it is divine Word that provides a pattern for how we are to live in our own time. The Bible was written in the past, but contains pre-destined secrets from God that are only being revealed...
The emergence of the underground church of China over the last 30 or so years has dramatically changed the composition and make-up of the international ecclesia: their large numbers, experience with persecution, faith in supernatural intervention, oriental history,...
The expression "maranatha" (I Corinthians 16:22, Revelation 22:20) is a cry of faith and prayer for the coming of the Lord, and is usually translated as "Come, Lord!" This is connected to the prayers "May Your kingdom come" (Matthew 6:11) and "Blessed is He who comes"...
Next month (March 23-24) is the celebration of Purim. Most people do not notice that the book of Esther takes place at the same time as the prophetic books of Zechariah and Haggai. What is the significance of this timing? In the books of Zechariah and Haggai, we find...
Some people ask: "If I read the Bible and pray, why do I have to join a local church?" Well, to receive forgiveness of sins (salvation), one does not have to join a congregation. However, there are many reasons why one should. Here are a few: Yeshua's Intention –...
Yeshua (Jesus) is described as the lion of the tribe of Judah. The image of the lion is one of strength and victory. It is the image of Messiah as a conquering king. Revelation 5:5 - Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome to open the...
I believe that the Book of Revelation provides a picture of judgments in the last days just before the return of Yeshua. Yes, the book gives aid and comfort to believers who are under persecution and assures them of God’s righteous judgments—in every age; also the...
There will be many signs that we are in the very last days just before Yeshua returns, but the Lord also gave two primary conditions that must be met before He can return. One, a significant, believing remnant among the Jewish people in the city of Jerusalem must put...
The Scriptures show that we are all to be submitted to authority. We submit to authority, and we are given authority (Luke 7:8). This submission starts on the most personal and immediate level to Yeshua (Jesus) as Lord, and continues on to a global or worldwide...
Kalah Since the creation of the world God's greatest desire was to dwell with mankind, but after the fall everything changed. Once separated from Him, God knew that there was nothing we could do to restore that connection with Him or even to relate to Him in the way...
The birth of the Messiah should be the greatest Holy Day in Jewish history. The prophet Isaiah told us that the people of Israel would see a great light. Isaiah 9:1The people who walked in darkness saw a great light and those who dwell in the land of the death-shadow,...
With faith and prayer all things are possible. One of the most inspiring verses about the power of faith and prayer is Mark 11:23-24: Whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and cast into the sea" and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will...
The epistle to the Ephesians was written and sent as a circulating letter throughout the Asian congregations Paul planted, of which Ephesus was one. In the other epistles written by Paul, we see a pattern of him extending personal greetings to people he...
Every Spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus, is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist. (1 John 4:2-3) During the first century , movements grew up that denied the...
For 35 years our ministries have taught the Gospel of the Kingdom in a way that connects us to the newer “Seven Mountain/Pillar Teaching”. This teaching has become increasingly popular in both charismatic and evangelical streams. We have taught generally that Yeshua’s...
While the term “rabbi” is commonly used in Messianic congregations in the Diaspora, it is almost unheard of in Israel. Here are some thoughts: There is a difference in culture between the diaspora and Israel. In the diaspora, there is a greater plurality of...
Moving the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem (II Samuel 6) had great spiritual significance. It was accompanied by two unusual events with two severe punishments. When the Ark was being brought in, the oxen stumbled, and the cart was shaken. Uzzah stretched out his...
The promise of the Holy Spirit being poured out on all flesh before Yeshua's return should bring us much hope as we see darkness increasing in the earth. Will the Spirit be poured out suddenly like in Acts 2, but this time all over the earth? Or will it be gradually...
The word faith has many dimensions in its biblical context. To summarize and simplify, we could group them into three general categories: Victory, Integrity and Serenity. Victory: this first type exercises the power of the Holy Spirit in the authority of the name of...
When Jacob married Leah, his third son was Levy. His name came from Leah's saying that her husband would "closely accompany" her – Genesis 29:34. This is the root of Levy לוי . Leah meant this in a soulish way, but God—in His sovereign election of this family--used...
Here are some aspects of what I consider a right theology that must prevail in the Messianic Jewish movement. End Times - We are to be aligned with the last days' church, which will lead to Israel being saved, the return of the Messiah Yeshua, and the Millennial...
After many years of serving the Lord, I have developed such a level of maturity, wisdom and discernment that I understand what is wrong with everyone else: members of our congregations, ministry partner's and spiritual leaders. I have collected and categorized all...
For many years I have taught that the New Covenant is really a Jewish book. Except for this verse perhaps: Philippians 2:14 – Do everything without complaining and without any arguing. Can Rabbi Saul of Tarsus really mean this? J Arguing is practically our national...
I believe we are living in a time where the Holy Spirit is highlighting the word Ekklesia (Greek for Church, Kehila in Hebrew) in order to help us rediscover and walk in its original meaning. Throughout Scriptures we see the secular language of the day being used to...
We have a passion for the kingdom of God. We pray for His kingdom to come. We desire for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven—to see heaven come and change our world. (Matthew 6:10) God has a plan for a perfect world with perfect people—the Kingdom of...
The Greek economic crisis could cause a chain effect on the entire European banking system. The current Greek default is 1.6 billion Euros. By comparison, the US overall debt is 18 trillion (!) dollars. Over the last 3 weeks, Chinese stocks have lost more than one...
There are many examples of Yeshua praying throughout the gospels, including his rising early in the morning (Mark 1:35), praying all night (Luke 6:12) and fasting 40 days (Matthew 4:2). His disciples saw how important prayer was to Yeshua and asked Him to teach them...
In Mathew 6, Yeshua gave three parables focused on living in secret. He is teaching us to pray, fast, and give in secret. In all three, the same words appear - who sees in secret. This is a powerful principle. The main lesson to be learned here is not that doing these...
The most famous phrase of the most famous prayer in history is simply: "Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" – Matthew 6:10. This is also our highest priority and the most basic definition of the kingdom of God. Do we really mean what we...
Unity is always a priority for the kingdom of God (Zechariah 14:9). Working for unity is never easy. It involves overcoming opposition, going against the stream, bridging differences between people, fighting against the devil (Luke 11:16-17). It is painful, because it...
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Yeshua teaches about the Ten Commandments, explaining the true heart motivation that should be the foundation of our understanding and obedience to “Torah.” The Mount of Beatitudes interprets Mount Sinai. When dealing with...
We believe that God will restore all truth and right practice that has been lost to the Body of Believers. Various ages of the Church have seen advances and declines. Some truths have been emphasized in one period, lost in the next, and then picked up again in later...
The book of Daniel can be divided into two main sections. Chapters 1 through 6 contain stories of the experiences of Daniel and his friends while serving in the governments of Babylon and Persia. Chapters 7 through 12 contain a series of visions about the kingdom of...
Part of the logic of God is that He will bless us when we pray for others to be blessed. Job endured great suffering. Part of that suffering was that his "friends" accused him of doing wrong. Their accusation seemed very righteous but was in fact just hypocrisy. God...
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,...
As far as the gospel is concerned; they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable - Rom 11:28-29. The Jewish people, the nation of Israel, has an...
We often pray for unity. To arrive at perfect unity, we must get to the root of division. Here is a fascinating question: what was the first division or split in the community of faith? Some say it was between Jew and Gentile. To be more exact, the first division was...
Unity is the end product of love. If I love you and you love me, and we all love one another - then the totality of our love makes us united. Being "One" is a divinely-inspired, spiritual union (Ephesians 5:31-32); becoming united is the human process or outworking of...
There are many beautiful and penetrating things written about the fear of God in the Bible. We fear God because He punishes evil, even eternally (Luke 12:5). The fear of God is pure and lasts forever (Psalm 19:9). The fear of God leads to miracles and healings (Acts...
In our congregations, where we believe in the active gifts of the Holy Spirit, we often hear people say with great enthusiasm, "God told me…!" What do we mean by such a statement? Can it be true? It is possible through faith in Yeshua to receive the Holy Spirit living...
Through His death and resurrection 2,000 years ago, Yeshua provided physical healing and emotional healing, spiritual salvation and financial provision, for all human beings who will believe in Him. All these blessings are included in the atonement. Yet, we don’t...
Job is perhaps the oldest book in the Bible. The Hebrew language of the text is quite difficult. The events seem to have taken place parallel to the time of the Patriarchs, but not connected to them, as there is no mention of Abraham, Isaac or Jacob. Thus the book...
The Ten Plagues, Islam and the Judgment of God The Ten Plagues is one of the most epic and detailed stories in Scriptures. It provides a foundation for our understanding of God's judgment. Before Moses returned to Egypt, God told him that He would "harden Pharaoh's...
This year 2014-2015 represents a significant turning point, and as noted by many a "Shemita" year in the Jewish calendar. This week marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp in southwest Poland, near Krakow. An estimated 1.1 million Jews...
Apostolic order has two meanings; first we seek to order congregational life according to the teaching of the original Apostles in the first century as can be reasonably applied in our current day. Second we order our congregations under apostolic leaders who are...
Romans 11 and Ephesians 3 are parallel but opposite passages. They solve the mystery of the relationship between Jew and Gentile, Israel and the Nations; a mystery which goes all the way back to the two covenants between Noah and Abraham. Noah's came first and had to...
Understanding the Gospel of the Kingdom leads to the way of life we call Kingdom life. The Gospel of Matthew is very helpful because it connects the Kingdom of God to the commandments of Yeshua. In Matthew 28:19-20 we read, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the...
Did you ever notice the word "garden" in John 18:1? – "After He finished saying these words, Yeshua went out with His disciples across the Kidron stream and entered… into a garden." Which garden was this? – The Garden of Gethsemane. What "words" had Yeshua just...
In order to build a biblical framework for interpreting current events in the Middle East, it would be correct to examine the perspectives of the ancient prophets of Israel. Those prophets often spoke of God's will concerning "political" events in the Middle East. ...
The Good News answered the great Jewish question of the day, where is the Kingdom of God promised by the prophets? The hope of the prophets was that Israel and the nations would be one under the rule of the Messiah, the Son of David. As we read in Isaiah 2, the word...
Faithfulness is an important character trait. God described Moses as "faithful in all My house" (Exodus 12:7). Abraham was faithful past the age of 100 when his body was weak and frail. Joseph was faithful despite the lies against him; Daniel and his friends even in...
In Matthew 28:18-20 we read: Then Yeshua came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you... From the time of...
In the Book of Revelation we find an unusual and rather astonishing group of people, known as the “24 elders." They seem to be an elite group of leaders who are assembled right in the throne area of God Himself, along with Yeshua and the “Four Living Creatures." Their...
Many years ago, when I looked at the promises in the Bible concerning Israel, the Church, the Messianic Remnant and the End Times, I came to the conclusion that no one is strong, wise or righteous enough to fulfill them. If God was calling us to be involved, we had to...
Giving honor to other people is a special principle of godly living. One of the Ten Commandments is to honor one's parents (Ex. 20; Deut. 5). Giving honor is not only for parents but for all those "to whom honor is due" (Rom. 13:7). As we pass honor upwards, God...
For all who eat and drink without discerning the body of the Lord, eat and drink judgment against themselves. For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. (1 Cor 11:29-30) What’s wrong in Corinth? What sin caused the sharing of the Lord’s Supper,...
There are three major events in the end times soon approaching. They may be summarized: Tribulation Second Coming Millennium The tribulation is a series of worldwide difficulties which culminate in an international attack on Israel (Matt. 24). The Second Coming occurs...
A profound statement of Scripture is found in the prophecy of Messiah as suffering servant: Isaiah 53:10 "And it pleased YHVH to crush him" The root word here for "crush" is דכא and is the same as "bruise" in: Isaiah 53:5"And he was pierced for our transgressions and...
At the beginning of the Bible, right after the sin of Adam and Eve, we see God coming to earth to search for His wayward creatures. Genesis 3:9 – And God called to the man, and said, "Where are you?" When Adam and Eve sinned, they turned their back on God; they...
There is a clash of so-called "truth" in the world today. When Yeshua stood before Pilate, He told Pilate that He was the truth and was born to bear witness of the truth. Pilate's last words to Yeshua are a significant question: John 18:38What is truth? Yeshua seemed...
The unifying of true believers in Yeshua around the world leads to a revelation of the kingdom of God. This may be likened to the pieces of a jig-saw puzzle. As the pieces are separate, it is impossible to understand the picture. As the pieces are joined, the meaning...
Matthew 6:33 commands, “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness.” The first step in seeking His Kingdom is to seek a relationship with the King through worship. Kingdom advance flows out from, and is empowered by, worship. In John 4, Yeshua says to the Samaritan...
Wisdom is the ability to know what is the right thing to do. Before we can do the right thing, we have to know what it is. If God sees that someone really wants to do the right thing, He will let that person understand (John 7:17). If someone wants to know just for...
A verse that has repeatedly come up in prayer, worship and teaching in a number of congregations in Israel during the war has been: Psalm 46:2 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in troubles. God is present everywhere at all times; yet there are...
After the fall of Adam and Eve, God promised that a "seed" of the woman would be born to "crush the head of the serpent" (Gen. 3:15). That started a war between God and Satan. The seed was to be born through the Jewish people. Therefore demonic forces have always...
There is a short phrase in Psalm 118:26 that has taken on major significance both in the Jewish and Christian world. In Hebrew the phrase is - ברוך הבא , baruch haba, "Blessed is he who comes…" Yeshua and his disciples refer to "Baruch haba" twice: once at His...
The book of Acts chronicles the expansion of the gospel from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). What had started in one geographic area had in thirty years expanded through Asia Minor, into major European cities and was tens of...
There is a popular false teaching that the gifts of the Spirit were only for the transitional age of Apostolic leadership 2000 years ago. Yet, the contemporary occurrence of miraculous signs and wonders, particularly in revivals in East Asia, India, Africa and South...
In the book of Romans we find the phrase "to the Jew first" three times: one for the gospel (1:16), one for wrath (2:9) and one for glory (2:10). I believe that this phrase is a continuation from the book of Genesis, in which the tribe of Judah was to "go first." ...
Whenever we discuss moral or spiritual values, we must be careful not to despise the person who disagrees with us. We should hate all evil activity (Proverbs 8:13), yet love the people involved (John 3:16). No one rebuked sin more than Yeshua; yet no one befriended...
On October 15, 1967, I arrived in Israel for a two-week visit with my parents. In 1967 I decided to produce a 30 minute documentary on the establishment of the new state of Israel and the recent return of Jerusalem to the Jewish people. I spent almost three years...
In this modern age of alienation and social “drifting,” we are proclaiming: obedience to Yeshua requires the building of discipling communities under the oversight of a qualified eldership. In Matthew 16 we read the account of Peter's confession of Yeshua. He says,...
Unity, Leadership and Anointing There is a special connection between unity among leadership and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I am involved in several leadership groups, such as our Revive Israel team, Ahavat Yeshua congregation in Jerusalem, Tiferet Yeshua...
When we think of the gospel, the evangelion, we normally think of personal salvation. This is the entry point of the kingdom of God for all human beings. Yet, the gospel is also referred to as the "gospel of the kingdom." Matthew 9:35 – "preaching the gospel of the...
There is great controversy in the Body of Messiah worldwide concerning the place of the Jewish people and the land of Israel. However, the issue is not inherently about politics or racial identity but about the very nature of the kingdom of God. Redemption of Planet...
Yeshua often referred to Himself as the "Son of Man," particularly in the gospel of Luke. The word in Hebrew for man is adam--as in the first Adam; and in Aramaic is enash-- as in the first Enosh (Gen 4:26). Here are five spiritual implications to the name "Son of...
Exile and Redemption There is a profound mystery throughout the Scriptures about the relationship between Israel and the Nations. The covenant of God started with Noah for all the nations, and then was transferred to Israel through Shem and Abraham. Abraham himself...
The central event of the end times is the Second Coming of Yeshua. He will descend from heaven leading angelic armies and release the fire of God to destroy the wicked. The souls of those who are part of the first resurrection will come with Him and receive their new...
In Isaiah 53, there are 3 references to the "soul" of the Suffering Servant. (The poetry of this chapter is as beautiful as its message is profound): Verse 10 – "If He will make his soul a guilt offering" Yeshua made His soul a guilt offering. We are guilty before...
God doesn’t just forgive, but His promise of complete atonement includes this amazing fact: in Yeshua, in the New Covenant, God totally FORGETS our sins! “…for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jer 31:34) This is how the Apostle...
Yeshua's prayer for the unity of the ecclesia (international church) is a profound revelation of God's plan for us. John 17:21-23May they all be one, as you father are in me and I in you, may they also be in us. I have given them the glory which you have given me that...
When Yeshua described the identity and calling of John the Baptist, He gave us an important key to understanding biblical prophecy. Matthew 11:14 – "… he is Elijah who is to come." Yeshua was referring to the prophecy at the end of Malachi which states that Elijah...
There was a significant change in the apostles' understanding of the kingdom of God between Acts chapter one and chapter three - before and after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:6 – "Will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" Yeshua taught His...
I wonder if it was emotionally difficult for the Roman soldiers 2,000 years ago to crucify someone. Perhaps some of the soldiers were totally sadistic and enjoyed their work. Perhaps some of them were neutral and just "doing their jobs." Perhaps others were actually...
The verb in Hebrew "nisa" – נישא – means "lifted up." There is a beautiful string of verses in Isaiah with this word. In Isaiah 3:11-17, everything that is lifted up which does not glorify the Lord will be brought low. In Isaiah 6:1-3, there is a glorified King lifted...
In reading through the Torah, we cannot help but notice that there are several social institutions described that never seem to achieve their fullness in Israel’s history. For example: Judicial system Agricultural system Feasts and Calendar Priesthood Settlement of...
Yeshua told a parable about the fig tree, which we understand to represent the nation of Israel. Matthew 24:32 – "Learn this parable from the fig tree; when you see its branches growing soft and its leaves budding, know that the summer is near." The softening of the...
Today in Israel, as it was in the time of Yeshua, there is still an expectation that the Messiah will come to rule as king and bring world peace. The concept that the Messiah must come first to die (and only later rule) is very difficult for our people to grasp....
Antichrist - Part One (Asher Intrater) There is a biblical figure referred to as the Antichrist who is described as the “man of sin”-- the fullness of evil in human flesh (II Thessalonians 2:3). There is just one person who will fulfill these prophecies in the...
The greatest commandment of scriptures is to love. If God commands us to love, it must be something that we have the ability to do, or not to do. It must be connected with our will. On the simplest level it could be called "good will" toward someone. Luke 2:14 – "Good...
In Romans chapters 1-8 Paul deals with the plan of salvation for individuals. In chapters 9-11 he writes of God's sovereign plan for Israel and the nations. He saw that, according to the prophecies, Jerusalem would soon be destroyed and Israel sent into an extended...
The apostle Paul referred to Jewish believers in Yeshua as the "remnant of Israel" (Romans 11:5). He compared them to the 7,000 people in the time of Elijah, who "did not bend their knee to Baal" (verse 4). Since I am a Messianic Jew and do not participate in...
The Bible speaks of the Menorah, or Lampstand, on three levels: one in the Torah, one in the Prophets, and one in the New Covenant. Moses was commanded to build a 7–branched, golden lampstand and place it in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:31-40). The...
Life can be likened to a long journey or race. At the finish line you only want to hear one thing, and nothing else matters: Matthew 25:21 – Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful in little; I will appoint you over much. Come into the joy of your...
Prophecies about the Second Coming of Messiah state that the inhabitants of Jerusalem will "look upon Me whom they have pierced" – Zechariah 12:10. The prophecy goes on to say that the people will mourn Him as "one mourns for his firstborn son." Who are these people...
During a solar eclipse, it seems to the human eye that the moon hides the full size of the sun –even though the moon is many times smaller than the sun. If one holds a half shekel coin at arm's length, it can also seem to be the same size as the sun or the moon, even...
The first community of faith in Yeshua (Jesus) started on the day of Shavuot (Pentecost). There was an original core of 120 Jewish believers (Acts 1:14), made up primarily of native-born "Israelis" from the Galilee (Acts 1:11; 2:7). A careful reading of the Gospels...
In Genesis chapters 12 to 22, the phrase "Lech Lecha" is found twice, once at the beginning and once at the end. "Lech Lecha" is a play on words that can mean either "go you" or "go, go." It is used to emphasize the personal sacrifice of going somewhere to obey God....
The central part of traditional Jewish prayer is the "Amidah," also called "The Eighteen Blessings." These prayers reflect the rabbinic world view since Yeshua's time, primarily based on Scripture. Actually there are not 18 but 19. Why? - Because one was added later....
In Zechariah 12, verse 8, the Angel of YHVH is listed as parallel or equivalent to God (Elohim) – "like God, like the Angel of YHVH." In the prophecy that follows, the Divine Figure speaks of Himself three times in the first person, as "I" or "Me." The first time He...
When Solomon became king in Jerusalem, he sat on the throne of his father David. I Kings 2:12 – Solomon sat on the throne of David his father. This same event is described later in the book of Chronicles, but with a change in one word. I Chronicles 29:23 – Solomon...
The fullness of God is found in Yeshua (John 1:16, Colossians 2:9); and passed on to mankind through Yeshua until we become the fullness as well (Ephesians 3:19, 4:13). The word for "fullness" in these passages in Greek is "Pleiroma." Yeshua taught a parable that the...
This week a member of our Jerusalem congregation celebrated the circumcision of his first born son. Many of his large, extended, Sephardic Israeli family were present. The event itself was a significant witness that our faith in Yeshua is a continuation of the...
The message of the prophets of Israel could be summarized in one word, "Repent" (Isaiah 55:7, Jeremiah 25:5, Ezekiel 18:21, Hosea 14:2, Joel 2:13). Real repentance produces real results; those results are called "fruits." Matthew 3:8, Luke 3:8Bear fruits worthy of...
To help other people, we must believe in them. People will rise to the level of faith you have for them. This is a secret of supernatural friendship and\or leadership. You see a person with all of their failures, faults, and frustrating qualities -- but can you also...
The Biblical Holy Days are appointed times that have symbolic and prophetic meaning. They are a type of parable that can be understood on several levels. In addition to the agricultural and historical meanings in the Torah, there are also New Covenant fulfillments of...
The expression "feet of Yeshua" has a five-fold meaning in Scriptures: parts of it present, past and future. Devotional Intimacy Perhaps the most well-known meaning today comes from the special, intimate, devotional expression we find in Miriam (Mary), one of Yeshua's...
This week we celebrated the Feast of Trumpets, which occurs on the 1st day of the 7th month of the biblical calendar (Leviticus 23). The number "7" and the blowing of trumpets are connected. There were 7 days in circling the walls of Jericho, and 7 angelic trumpets in...
This August marks the 6th month of the Jewish calendar, Elul. The month is seen as a preparation for the holy days (Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles) in the 7th month, Tishrei. During Elul, Orthodox Jews rise while it is still dark to chant a series of prayers...
In Matthew 16, Peter (Shimon Kefa) received a significant revelation of Yeshua. There were 4 parts to this historic breakthrough: Messiahship of Yeshua New Covenant Community of Faith Delegated Spiritual Authority Protection against Satanic Forces Matthew...
The Bible warns us not to let our hearts be hardened. Hebrews 3:7-8 (Psalm 95:7-8)As the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." Physically, if even a small piece of a person's heart becomes hard, he is in mortal...
If all people were already perfect, there would be no suffering. That is God's ultimate goal (Revelation 21:4). In the meantime, there is much evil in the world. The more one endeavors to be righteous, the more that evil will react against him; and the more he will...
In a previous article (Weeping over Jerusalem – July 19, 2013), we discussed how Yeshua repeatedly prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem. He explained to the people of Jerusalem: "You did not know the time of your visitation" – Luke 19:44. This concept of...
There is a perfect balance in the teaching of Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation. The Word of God is a "two-edged sword" – Hebrews 4:12. It cuts in two directions. If we teach on the love and mercy of God, we should also teach on the fear of God and holiness. If...
I write this article on the 9th of Av, the day of mourning the destruction of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 39:2 – In the 9th day of the 4th month, the city was broken into.) Two people are recorded in the Bible as weeping over Jerusalem: Jeremiah in Lamentations 2:11, 18;...
Sometimes we are asked if there is a prophecy in the Torah that the name of the Messiah is Yeshua. There are dozens of references to the name as the word for salvation, Yeshuah. For example: Exodus 15:1-2YHVH… has become for me Yeshuah (salvation). The orthodox Jewish...
The New Covenant scriptures open with Yeshua's genealogy from Abraham and David (Matthew 1:1-17). The emphasis is that Joseph, Yeshua's “adoptive” father, was of the line of David; and therefore, legally Yeshua was born with rights to David's throne. In Acts 15, we...
Twice the book of Revelation speaks of powerful forces "rising out of the East" – the first at the 6th seal, the second at the 6th bowl. Revelation 7:2I saw another angel arise from the east, the rising of the sun, and in his authority was the seal of the living God....
So much evil in the world is because people believe in lies. Yeshua calls Satan, our archenemy, “the father of lies.” (Jn 8:44) if the truth is by nature more logical, healthy, and moral, why do people believe in lies? Simply put, they must be convinced and persuaded...
God not only loves us, He likes us. Understanding that He likes us, that we find favor in His eyes, and that He enjoys being with us can demand more faith than believing that He loves us. We think, "God is love, so He must love me. But that doesn't mean that He is...
End Times prophecies are connected to Israel, because Yeshua will return there. For the past 2,000 years, the nation of Israel has been destroyed and the people dispersed. Therefore, it seemed difficult to understand these prophecies literally. Many “heavenly”...
Was Yeshua a Zionist? No, He was not a Zionist; He was more than a Zionist. Here are three dimensions of being "more" than Zionist: Kingdom or State When Yeshua was raised from the dead, He taught for 40 days on the coming of the "kingdom of God" – Acts 1:3. His...
As we enter more into the End Times and closer to the second coming of Yeshua, there are several major trends which are moving toward their fulfillment. Of course we in Israel are looking toward the great promised revival of our people. Romans 11:26And so ALL Israel...
Peter was a man who received great revelation from God. His first revelation was that he himself was a sinner (Luke 5:8). Then he had the history-making revelation that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of God (Matthew 16:16-18). On Pentecost morning, he had the...
One of the secrets to our daily walk of faith is simply to do the will of God. No excuses. "Just Do It!" This is the opposite from the common attitude of "If it feels good, do it." Doing what is right usually doesn't feel good at all. Often sinning and being selfish...
There are amazing parallels between gospel events and Jewish history. Yeshua was crucified on Passover, and raised on the same morning that the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea (John 20:1; Exodus 14:27). The Holy Spirit was poured out on the feast of Shavuot....
When Yeshua taught about His Second Coming, He compared it to the flood of Noah and the destruction of Sodom. Those were real historical events, yet they also serve as patterns for what will come upon the earth in the end times. Luke 17:26, 28As it was in the days of...
Passover is time for us to remember the blood of the Lamb. The Torah is filled with pictures of blood. From the first animal killed for Adam and Eve's cloak, righteous Abel, Abraham's circumcision, Joseph's coat, Sinai covenant, Temple sacrifices, Day of Atonement,...
My favorite prayer in the Bible is John 17. There is a flow of logic and priorities in this prayer: Oneness - intimacy with God Holiness – separation from the world Glory – manifest power of God in the saints Unity – fullness of the Church (Ecclesia) Witness - world...
The message of the gospel contains power. If salvation was only legal permission to go to heaven instead of hell, then no essential power would be needed. The power is to change us – to change us from within, to change our character. Romans 1:16 – The gospel… is the...
We are heading into a special period of growth and multiplication. In Israel the rains have been abundant (Hosea 6:3); the almond flowers have blossomed (Jeremiah 1:11); this is an "acceptable year of favor" (Isaiah 61:2). The book of Acts documents the growth in...
A similar expression is found in both chapter 2 and 3 of Daniel: tselem di dahab, meaning, "image of gold." The word for "image" here is the same as found in Genesis 1:26 that we are made in God's "image." In chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar receives an amazing dream, which...
God chose David to be king over Israel and set him on a throne with authority to rule the government from Jerusalem. David's throne later passed on to his son Solomon (Shlomo). I Kings 2:12 – Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was greatly...
Some of the greatest men of faith and power in the gospels were not men at all, but women – often women in desperate situations. There is the Canaanite woman whose persevering faith received deliverance for her daughter (Matthew 15:27) even though she had to humble...
Twice we find the disciples falling asleep at a critical moment of prayer. The first time was on the Mount of Transfiguration. Yeshua took His three leading apostles up on the mountain to show them His glory and give them a glimpse of the coming kingdom of God. As He...
The most precious thing in life is intimacy. Intimacy is first and foremost with God, and secondly with humans. It is the pearl of great price that we should sell all to obtain. Intimacy comes from a personal relationship with God through faith in Yeshua (Jesus) the...
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...
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...
In Ezekiel 37:15-23 the prophet is instructed to take two sticks and write on one: "For Judah and the sons of Israel, his companions" and on the other, "For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and the whole house of Israel." Then he is to join the two sticks in his hand,...
Being a believer in Yeshua (Jesus) includes taking part in a grand vision and challenge to change the world. This "great commission" was given to the original Apostles and disciples right before Yeshua ascended into heaven. That commission includes making disciples...
The Second Coming of Yeshua is mentioned twice in II Thessalonians 2 (verses 1 and 8). The "day" of the 2nd Coming is referred to as "the day of the Lord" (verse 2) or "that Day" (verse 3). This expression "day of the Lord" is equivalent to the "day of YHVH" which...
Our faith in God is more than a philosophy; it is a way of life. Our biblical world-view gives us a confident and optimistic attitude despite ever-worsening conditions around us. Romans 8:28All things work together for good to those who love God. One of the daughters...
One of the most prominent names and descriptions of God is יהוה צבאות – "YHVH of armies" – Isaiah 6:3. It is difficult in this modern world to understand God in some kind of military role. Here are some biblical perspectives: God is sovereign over the armies of heaven...
In our generation we are witnessing the restoration of apostolic and prophetic ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13) in the body of Messiah worldwide. Little by little, apostolic and prophetic ministry is also being restored within the local remnant in Israel. Much of what is...
God has sovereign power and authority to place whomever He wants as the head of any government (Daniel 4:17). However, He often respects the free will of the people, even if their choice for government leader is wrong, and even if they are rejecting God's will (I...
Holiness is the pure and perfect character of God. He is so holy, that He is actually "Holy, Holy, Holy (Isaiah 6:2)." Isaiah saw Him in that holiness. "My eyes have seen the King (Isaiah 6:5)." While we cannot attain that level of holiness, He does demand us to...
The rainbow, dove, and olive branch have become universal symbols of love, peace, harmony, tolerance, and spirituality. Their origin however is in the Bible as part of God's covenant with Noah. Genesis 8:11 – The dove came to him … an olive leaf in her mouth.Genesis...
There is much evil in the world today, as there has always been (I John 5:19). A person who is sensitive and caring will end up being hurt. Out of that sensitivity and "broken-heartedness," we have the opportunity to seek God in purity and humility. That purity and...
A friend used to buy old jalopies and fix them up. He would essentially rebuild them from the inside out. Then he would resell them for a profit as restored, antique cars. Once, an old car was brought in and I asked him how much it was worth. He replied, "You don't...
It is astonishing that the all-knowing, all-powerful, eternal creator would be willing to humble Himself on our behalf. Why? – Because He loves us. The fact that someone so great would be willing to make Himself so small on our behalf makes His greatness even greater....
When Yeshua died on the cross, His side was pierced and blood came out (John 19:34). His blood is the fulfillment of all the blood sacrifices of ancient Israel, including the Day of Atonement. The Bible does not emphasize the physical aspects of this blood, but rather...
On the way to the cross, Yeshua was slapped on the face twice: Once by the servants of the High Priest and once by the soldiers of Pilate. John 18:22 – One of the servants standing there struck Yeshua with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do you answer the high priest...
Twice in John 17 we find the expression, "before the foundation of the world." The first speaks of Yeshua and the Father together in glory. John 17:5 – "… the glory I had with You before the world was." The second speaks of Yeshua and the Father together in love. John...
The Messianic body in Israel believes with a united heart that "all Israel will be saved" – Romans 11:26. The idea that one nation, Israel, is promised a predestined, national revival is a radical concept. It is too radical to be based on one verse, even coming from...
As God made us in His image, we have thoughts as He has thoughts. His thoughts are like ours, but His are much higher. Isaiah 55:9 – As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. The quality of...
Yeshua (Jesus) is the central figure in the plan of God and in the whole of Scriptures. He is the first and the last (Revelation 1:8, 17); the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He fulfills many roles. As the Christ-Messiah, He is both Head of the...
There will be increasing tribulation in the end times. It is not that God desires difficulties for us; however, there are reasons that these spiritual battles “must” take place. Revelation 1:1 – things which must take place swiftlyRevelation 4:1 – things which must...
In the New Covenant, particularly in the writings of Luke, we repeatedly find the double expression "spirit and power." John the Baptist was to come in the "spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17) Miriam (Mary), the mother of Yeshua, was to conceive because "the Holy...
with SI The historical events of the Tanakh (Old Testament) end with the book of Nehemiah around 440 BC. The last book of the Tanakh to be written and edited was Chronicles. In I Chronicles 3 there is a genealogical list that continues some 10 generations after...
Moral Behavior is an essential part of the gospel message. We are to repent of evil deeds. We are to believe in Yeshua. He grants us forgiveness of sins but also demands of us obedience. We are to receive the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all righteousness (Acts...
Faith in God involves every area of life. One of the first items of faith is belief in divine creation (Genesis 1:1, Hebrews 11:3). Modern science gives evidence for the biblical claims of creation. Microbiology – Atheistic evolution demands a chance development over...
The first century followers of Yeshua (Jesus) did not have copies of the New Covenant Scriptures because they were in the process of writing them. The Bible they had was the Tanakh – the Hebrew Old Testament. Therefore, the teachings of Yeshua and His disciples as...
Does anyone want to have friends and be a friend? Does anyone want to be a friend to Yeshua? Is being a friend important? Yeshua said that the end purpose of discipleship is to be His friends. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his...
Almost 2,000 years ago, there was an apostolic congregation/church/community in Jerusalem. This was the first congregation ever. All other churches or congregations ultimately came from this first one. It is described in the book of Acts, particularly chapter 2. This...
The Second Coming of Yeshua is a central event of New Covenant prophecy. It is also central to the Hebrew prophets of the Old Covenant, but is often overlooked because it is called by a different name: "The great and terrible day of YHVH." By re-establishing the...
Recently our team went through an extended workshop on communication skills, by working together with a Christian professional horse trainer and coach. The treatment with the horses brought us to deeper understanding of ourselves and our interactions with one another....
The holiday of Shavuot commemorates the beginning of the harvest season, the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost morning. The overlap of these three themes on the same day is a marvelous bit of biblical symbolism and...
After the Mount of Transfiguration experience, Yeshua's disciples asked Him about Elijah the prophet. Yeshua's answer presented three different ways of looking at the biblical prophecies concerning Elijah, and thus gave us a pattern for a "three-fold" interpretation...
Peter had three kinds of revelation as recorded in the New Covenant. When he saw the supernatural catch of fish, the very goodness of the Lord caused him to realize that he was a sinful man. The first revelation was that he needed to repent. “When Simon Peter saw it,...
The Israeli branch of "Jews for Jesus" is running a campaign of newspaper ads this month with a slogan in Hebrew: "Yeshu = Yeshua = Y'shuah." The name "Yeshu" is the most common name in Hebrew for Jesus, yet it is a terribly derogatory term, meaning "his name be...
Our approach to life and ministry is based on covenantal relationships. God is a God of love. Therefore relationships are of highest priority. Covenant is the framework to build relationships of trust. In fact the Bible itself is a covenant document. Since we have a...
John the apostle had a profound revelation of the love of God, and is referred to as "John the Beloved." In fact, that nickname came from his own writings. His identity was so changed by the love of God that he had the audacity to refer to himself five times as the...
In the end times, there will be great outpourings of the Holy Spirit. We could classify these outpourings in three simple categories. Revival in the Church The example of what happened on Pentecost morning will be repeated, but on an international scale.Acts 2:17...
God Is Love The Bible tells us that “God is love” (I John 4:16). It is the deepest part of his character. Yet it also tells us that God is a judge to be feared. In Exodus we read the definition of God’s character that in the Jewish tradition is called the Thirteen...
Covenant can be defined as an agreement between God and man that cannot be broken. Covenant is the framework for all the events in the Bible. The covenants of the Bible come in a consecutive series that logically build upon one another. Adam and Eve – God transfers...
The central event of the end times is the 2nd Coming of Yeshua (Jesus). That event is real and literal. The clearest two passages in the Scriptures describing the 2nd Coming are Revelation 19 and Zechariah 14. Revelation 19 gives the heavenly perspective; Zechariah 14...
If one buttons up a shirt and starts with the correct button, then all the others will end up in the right place. If one starts with the incorrect button, in the end, all the buttons will be in the wrong place. So what is the "first button" of the Bible? The whole...
The prophet Daniel engaged in spiritual warfare that changed the course of history. After praying and fasting for 21 days the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: Daniel 10:12-13 - “From the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble...
There is a progression of the idea of the international church from the beginning of the New Testament to the end, from Matthew to Revelation. Likewise there is a development of the church from the first century until today. Yeshua started the church in Matthew 16:18...
What do we do with the last 12 chapters of the book of Ezekiel? They could be summarized this way: Chapter 37 – "Dry Bones" - Resurrection and regathering to IsraelChapters 38-39 - "Magog" - International end times' war against IsraelChapters 40-46 - "Temple" -...
Throughout the Scriptures the people of God are referred to as His bride. This metaphor starts in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2), through all the queens of Israel (especially Esther), the Song of Solomon, the wedding parables of the Gospel, Paul's epistles, the...
Logical philosophy is based upon "If-Then" propositions. Natural science is based on "Cause and Effect" experiments. Spiritual principles work on a similar pattern. If our faith is concentrated on the person of Yeshua, then certain effects will take place. If we look...
Yeshua is so wonderful and His message so pure, I have often wondered why some people do not receive the gospel. In reverse, how can God judge someone simply because he didn't believe a message? That seems unjust. Here is Yeshua's answer: John 3:19 – The light has...
The righteous, prophetic remnant is called to stand in the breach and build up protection for all of Israel. They are called to prepare the people for the future, for difficulty, for judgment and for war; to make up for weaknesses in the defense of the people against...
I. Twisted Words Satan is a word-twister. When he first approached Eve, he asked "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree in the garden?'" – Genesis 3:1. He was twisting God's words, using innuendos to cast doubt about God's character and intentions....
All of us will have to stand before God one day to give account for what we have done in this lifetime (Matthew 16:27, II Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:12-13). Yet God not only judges our deeds, He also knows our thoughts. Three times Luke mentions that Yeshua knew...
This is the week between Hanukah and Christmas. We Messianic Jews are somewhat "caught" spiritually and culturally between the two. At our congregation in Jerusalem, Ahavat Yeshua, I taught on Yeshua as the light of the world and the connection with the lampstand of...
Twice in the book of Romans Paul (Saul) uses the term "foreknew." Both times it refers to the destiny that God has-- first for an individual, and second for a nation. Romans 8:29Whom He foreknew, He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. God has a...
The name Gethsemane in Hebrew is "Gat Shmanim," meaning "Oil Press." It is the place where olives are brought and crushed; the skin and pit are strained and separated. The result is pure olive oil. Oil is a consistent biblical symbol for the anointing of the Holy...
When Yeshua was born, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem to seek Him. Perhaps they had received prophecies passed down from Daniel and Ezekiel about the coming of a savior from the time of the Babylonian and Persian exile. Matthew 2:2 – We have seen His star in...
The word for "eternity" in Hebrew is "Netsach". The word for "victory" is "Netsachon" - which could be literally translated as "a little part of eternity." Our spiritual victory in this life is that we already have eternal life granted to us. Therefore no matter what...
In our Jerusalem congregation (Ahavat Yeshua) this week, the message started with a simple "Bible quiz." What is the common element in the following verses from John? John 13:34 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that...
Nine of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 5), are based on the word, "No." no other gods no idols no use of God's name in vain no work on seventh day no murder no adultery no stealing no lying no coveting The only one based on a positive commandment is to...
My experience is as the third born child in our family. I will never be first born. The first-born bears weight and responsibility that the rest of the children will never have to bear. If the parents go away, he is the one put in charge. When he is learning...
Recently in prayer, I sensed the following insight. I present it for your discernment: The time has come for the Messianic remnant of Israel to take a place of leadership in the greater Body of Messiah worldwide. In previous "waves" of the Holy Spirit, different local...
Love is the highest value of the kingdom (I Corinthians 13:13). It is the central motivation of all the commandments (Mark 12:30-31). It is the character of God Himself (I John 4:8). It is the motivation behind the life mission of Yeshua (John 3:16). And it involves...
There are many kinds of shofars, or trumpets, in the Bible: Mount Sinai, Jericho, the Silver Trumpets, Gideon's army, the Seven Trumpets of Revelation, the feast of Trumpets, and so on. However, none of these are the one and only "last great trumpet." This last great...
Daniel's prophecies of the "kingdom" lay a foundation for the teachings of Yeshua and the Apostles in the New Covenant. We can summarize Daniel's teachings in three general points: God's Sovereignty over the Nations Transfer of Authority to Messiah Transfer of...
The first sin started in the beginning with a lie and a deception (Genesis 3:4, 13). The first liar was Satan, and all further lies proceeded from him (John 8:44). As we grow near the end times, those lies and deceptions will reach their fullness. In Yeshua's teaching...
One of the most important prayers of Yeshua is for us to be one (John 17:21-23). This "oneness" involves first our spiritual union with God, and then our unity with one another. The divine union precedes the human unity. If I am spiritually one with God through...
The Bible was written by different men in different generations. However, they were all led and inspired by the same Holy Spirit. Therefore each part of the Bible has a different style according to the human writer, and a different historical emphasis according to the...
One of the most important characteristics of a godly person is to be faithful. That means to be faithful to your friends, a faithful friend. The edition of our book "Covenant Relationships" in Hebrew is called, "Faithful Friend." Yeshua said that the ultimate goal of...
The Lord is a man of war, YHVH is His name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea…You have overthrown those who rose against You: The enemy said: I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil…I will draw my sword, My hand shall destroy...
(with Asher Intrater) Jewish Philosophy deals much with the concepts "Universality" and "Particularity." Universal principles deal with people from all nations. The creation story, for instance, is universal. Moral principles, such as not to murder or steal, are also...
God has thoughts that are above and beyond the thoughts that we have in our limited minds (Isaiah 55:8). The thoughts that God has that we do not yet know are called a mystery. Nothing is a secret or mystery to God; He already knows everything. When one of God's...
I usually do not teach on biblical numerics, because I prefer to emphasize the person of Yeshua (Jesus) and principles of faith, integrity, and relationships. This week's Torah portion speaks of both counting the Omer and the Jubilee year. It is difficult to avoid the...
Yair Zakovits, head of the Bible department at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, has recently published a book in Hebrew called, "Yeshua Reads the Gospels" (Am Oved Publishers, Tel Aviv). The book contains 71 poems, written as Yeshua Himself speaking in the first...
Last week ads were placed in the two largest selling newspapers in Israel (Maariv and Yedioth) by Meir Barnes , from the "meshichist" sect within Chabad-Lubavitch movement of Brooklyn, New York. Their chief rabbi, Menachem Schneerson, died in 1994. After his death,...
After the Fast of Esther, we had a wonderful celebration of the Feast of Esther - with singing, dancing, "haman-cookies" and a play for the children. Our son Ami, who is enlisting this week in the Israeli army, gave the message. There were several not-yet-saved...
Two supernatural events that are due to take place in the end times are the "Rapture" and the "Resurrection." There are differences of opinion as to when the "Rapture" occurs; however, everyone agrees that it happens immediately after the "Resurrection." This is true...
In Matthew 23:37-39, Yeshua stated that Jerusalem would be destroyed because of the sin of our people. However, He went on to say that He would not return unless the Jews in Jerusalem received Him in faith and invited Him back as King Messiah with shouts of "Blessed...
When asked how I feel about the Palestinian conflict, I have often found it helpful to distinguish between several terms. Here are a few brief definitions: Palestinians – The Palestinians, or Arabs in general, are an ethnic group like any other. They have good points...
There is a tendency for human beings to think they are right even when they are wrong. Wise King Solomon wrote: Proverbs 16:2– All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart. Proverbs 16:25 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but...
Obedience is not a dirty word. We are saved by faith, and true faith brings us into obedience. Romans 1:5 – for obedience to the faith among all nations Romans 6:17 – obeyed from the heart the form of teaching Romans 16:26 – for obedience to the faith If faith is not...
(Part One) One of the first commandments God gave to Abraham was to be a blessing to all the nations of the world. Genesis 12:3 – In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. This was fulfilled in the gospel of salvation going forth to all the nations in the...
with S.I. The context of faith and love in the Bible is covenant. Covenant is the basis for love and faith that is real and measurable. Faith without covenant is an empty belief that has no structure to define what faith believes to be true. Love without covenant is...
In this week's Torah portion read in synagogues around the world "Shemot" (Exodus 1-5), the birth of Moses is described. There are several interesting parallels between the birth of Moses and Yeshua. "Maiden" Miriam– The prophecy of a "virgin" giving birth to Immanuel...
There are several theories as to the date of Yeshua's birth, but there is no solid proof for any of them. In addition, there are many cultural aspects of the celebration of Christmas which are ungodly. Despite those problematic issues, the birth of Messiah into this...
Yeshua gave us the example of being a servant when He washed His disciples' feet. This was not a religious ritual, but an example of serving someone else; serving in practical details, in something dirty, devoid of honor. John 13:14-15 – If I, your lord and teacher,...
These past few weeks we have reported on several urgent situations. The forest fire in Carmel continues at this moment and is reaching to 50,000 dunams. The danger of nuclear weapons in the hands of irrational regimes, such as North Korea and Iran, continues. This...
There has been a continuing controversy among the Messianic pastors in Israel concerning our attitude toward religious Judaism and the Law of Moses. There is a small percentage (perhaps about 10%), who believe we should accept everything of Rabbinic Judaism; and...
[Asher taught at the National Men's Conference in Gandia, Spain this weekend. Topics included "Fire of the Holy Spirit," "Destiny for the Church in Spain," "Covenant from Generation to Generation," and "Victory in the End Times."] Three historic events took place in...
Abraham and Sarah were by no means perfect people. There were even aspects of their marriage that could be called quite dysfunctional. (He gave her to other men, and she gave to him another woman.) However they were people who also gave themselves to walk with the...
Yeshua (Jesus) often taught about prayer. More than that, He prayed. To my count the gospels record 15 instances of Yeshua praying. They are best recorded in the book of Luke. The 15 instances could be divided into three groups: 1) personal preparation, 2)...
The relationship between money and ministry is very sensitive. Let's look at a few issues: Lordship We never do anything in the ministry for the sake of getting money. Yeshua said, "You can not serve God and Mammon" – Matthew 6:24. Of course we need money for the work...
On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the High Priest brought the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies. This day reminds us of the importance of the blood of Messiah who was offered as a sacrifice for us (Hebrews 7-10). The blood of Yeshua (Jesus) has...
There is a popular teaching in the Muslim world today that Muhammed is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). Mohammed's appearance in the Tanakh would give authority in their view that he is the final and greatest prophet, superseding Judaism and Christianity. I was...
"Yeshua Superstar" was the headline of a major article in the magazine section that greeted hundreds of thousands of Israelis when they sat down to read their morning newspaper on Monday, August 16. The article was part of a series on different streams of Judaism here...
We believe in the biblical principle of restoration. God made everything in the world "very good" (Genesis 1:31). Yet, Adam's sin and Satan's rebellion caused much destruction. God's plan of redemption not only saves us from damnation, it also restores the damage that...
Names in the Bible have great importance. Our savior was given the name "Yeshua" for TWO reasons. Yeshua in Hebrew is a shortened form of the name Yehoshua, which is the original name of Joshua, the hero of faith who led the conquest of Canaan. "Jesus" and "Joshua"...
There is a difference between discernment and disqualification. The Bible calls us to discern all things; to know what is right and wrong; to chose what is right and reject the wrong. I Thessalonians 5:21-22 – "Test all things. Hold on to what is good. Separate...
with Sahar S. and Asher Intrater Two Comings of Messiah from Zechariah and Daniel One of the most common and reasonable questions that Jewish people have concerning the gospel is: If Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah, where is the kingdom of peace and prosperity that was...
We Messianics have given thousands of teachings on Jewish roots, particularly from Romans 11. In that chapter Saul (Paul) is addressing a group of Italian Christians about the importance of their covenantal and spiritual connection with the Jewish people. Amen....
We believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is both man and God. Once I was meditating on Romans 1 where Yeshua is described as Seed of David (verse 3) and Son of God (verse 4). I sensed the Holy Spirit ask me which was more important. I answered: "Being the Son of God." The Holy...
We just finished a conference for Ahavat Yeshua, our congregation in Jerusalem. We spent the weekend at kibbutz Nachsholim to strengthen our relationships and reaffirm our vision for an Acts Two community. Let’s look at some aspects of that first congregation....
When sharing the gospel in Israel, we have to deal with the question of whether we “keep the commandments.” When religious Jews say, “commandments,” they mix together the biblical commandments and the added rabbinic commandments. If we say “No,” we have lost the...
Over 3,000 years ago God first created a people for Himself at the exodus from Egypt. The number of people who crossed the Red Sea was over 3 million, and included Jews and Egyptians, believers and unbelievers. Until that time, God had a family and a group of tribes,...
Yeshua compared Himself to two figures in the Tenach (Hebrew Scriptures): Jonah and Solomon. He said He was like Jonah, but more. He was like Solomon, but more. Matthew 12:40-42 As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son...
or "How Ministry Can Get in the Way of Love" In Luke chapter ten, Yeshua gives a little trilogy on love. From verse 25 to 28, He explains to a rabbi that the central principle of the Law of Moses is not religious ritual but love. First to love God and secondly to love...
This week "Haaretz" (Israel's third largest Hebrew newspaper) featured an interview with Mas'ab Yousef, the son of Sheikh Hasan Yousef (one of the founders and primary leaders of Hamas). In 1996, as an 18 year old, Mas'ab was arrested for carrying illegal weapons. He...
The kingdom of God starts as a seed in our hearts and eventually grows into an international commonwealth of peace and harmony (Matthew 13, Isaiah 2). In the meantime, no religious denomination should have authority over a government. In Muslim nations, the Roman...
I first started teaching on Romans 11 in 1978 as a new Jewish believer in Yeshua (Jesus). This passage of scripture describes the New Covenant view of the destiny of Israel. I was impressed then, and continue to be ever more so today, by the depth of this revelation....
One of the most important proclamations of the New Covenant is "Yeshua is Lord." To say that Yeshua is Lord is to recognize His authority. That simply means that you intend to do whatever He tells you. We can learn the correct response from this example of the...
This week in Israel a strange cult was revealed, led by a man named Goel Ratson, who controlled almost 20 women as wives or concubines. They and their children lived in a form of psychological slavery. There are many cults in the world today, and it would be wise for...
Yeshua (Jesus) spoke of three different Elijahs. Matthew 17:11, 13 – Elijah will truly come and restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him… His disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptizer. The...
Almost 30 years ago, I visited the Western Wall at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. I was praying with traditional Jewish garb of Kipah (Head Covering), Tallit (Prayer Shawl) and Tefillin (leather phylacteries). I felt the urge to intercede earnestly in the Spirit –...
Mary's real name was Miriam. Technically, when Miriam gave birth to Yeshua (Jesus), she was not a virgin, but a virgin-betrothed. In biblical law, there is a big difference. Miriam was legally married to Yoseph (Joseph), but they had not yet come together physically....
When Adam and Eve sinned and fell under the dominion of Satan, God promised to redeem the earth through one He called "the seed of the woman" (Genesis 3:15). Eve had two sons. Satan obviously thought that the promised seed was Abel. Thus he influenced Cain to kill him...
I am struck by the amount of sexual "dysfunction" in our forefathers as described in the Bible. Abraham and Isaac both gave their wives to Philistine men, describing them as their sisters. Sarah, Rachel and Leah all gave their handmaidens to their husbands to sleep...
Gaza and Gilad There were rumors this week on the streets of Gaza that the release of Gilad Shalit is close at hand. Maybe. Maybe not. In the disengagement during the summer of 2005, Israel pulled all of its residents (9,000) and all of its soldiers totally out of...
Over the past couple of years the Holy Spirit has been impressing on my heart this mandate: "Prepare the Church for the Second Coming of Yeshua (Jesus)." This impression has come particularly in the context of using international media to teach on the issues of...
Ten years ago in Russia, Luda and her son Arthur, were on a 3-day train ride from Siberia to Irkutch. During this trip, Arthur became very ill with a high fever and he was on the brink of death. Luda was not a believer in Yeshua (Jesus); however, in spite of this, she...
In recent years, as the Body of believers in Yeshua (Jesus) is growing in Israel, and more and more congregations are being established, the unjust and even illegal persecution against the believers here is beginning to be reported by Israel's media. A major newspaper...
Some have referred to the "Jewish Trinity" as: the people of Israel, the Torah of Israel, and the Land of Israel. It is unfortunate to call it by that name, since it stands in opposition to the authority of Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah; it misses the work of the Holy...
Francop Five hundred tons (!) of weapons and ammunition, including 3,000 rockets and bombs, were apprehended by the elite Israeli navy commando unit 13 on the freight ship "Francop," sailing from Egypt toward Syria to be delivered to Hizballah. The weapons originated...
Many things are happening in the world today that are cause for concern. Yet there is also great hope for victory. In general bad things will get worse, and good things will get better (Isaiah 60:2). Let's look at seven Bible verses with the word "all" or "every" to...
There are three biblical feasts in the spring, and three in the fall. The major events of the first coming of Yeshua (Jesus) occurred on the very dates of the spring holy days: Pesach (Passover) - Crucifixion Omer (Firstfruits) - Resurrection Shavuot (Weeks) - Holy...
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave an historic speech before the United Nations this week. Netanyahu started out by refuting Holocaust denial attempts. He gave several obvious and simple proofs. But his point was deeper. Do we believe historical truth?...
Something good is happening in the body of Messiah here in Israel; something healthy. Today on the Feast of Trumpets, leaders and members of more than 20 congregations met together to celebrate the feast outdoors at Kibbutz Yad Hashmona. (Special thanks to our brother...
Messianic congregations in Israel will be meeting together this week to celebrate the feast of Trumpets under the Lordship of Yeshua. The law of Moses commands us to celebrate this feast, but does not give the full meaning of the trumpet (shofar) blowing. Leviticus...
Our congregational service this week did not start out in glory. The parking area had been blocked off. The sound system didn't work until the last minute. We had just switched secretaries, and our pastor Eddie was out of town. The worship time started with a sweet...
One of the main themes of the Bible is righteousness. One dimension of righteousness is that we repent of our sins and do what is right. A parallel dimension of righteousness is that we are cleansed of guilt by the atoning blood of Yeshua (Jesus). These two “halves”...
There is a progressive revelation of Yeshua throughout the New Covenant. In the gospels we find Him growing up in the Galilee, teaching and working miracles. The disciples grow in their understanding of His crucifixion and His divinity. Finally in the book of...
In the darkest periods of so-called "Christian" anti-Semitism in the Middle Ages, a weird and vicious lie concerning the Jewish people was made popular: that Jews would kill Christian children to use their blood to make Matsah (unleavened bread) for Passover. This was...
The central event of the end times in the 2nd Coming of Yeshua (Jesus). There are wars and tribulations leading up to that event. At the 2nd Coming, there is a great supernatural event called the rapture, in which the saints are transformed and caught up in the air....
A simple vision in my heart is three golden goblets, each filled with fine wine, with Hebraic writing engraved on the side. The three goblets represent the three sections of Acts chapter two. Acts 2 serves as the template, model, and pattern for building our...
In a previous article (Yahweh or Yehovah), I described the root meaning of the name Yehovah, how it is to be pronounced and what revelation goes with it. Here are a few points as to the connection between the name Yehovah and Yeshua (Jesus). Power – There was great...
The death and resurrection of Yeshua is parallel to the destruction and restoration of Jerusalem - And vice versa. The book of Lamentations is read by religious Jews on the 9th of Av. In it Jeremiah weeps over the destruction of Jerusalem much in the way Yeshua did...
The yearly traditional fast of Tisha B’av, the 9th day of the 4th month (Jeremiah 52:6), remembers several disastrous events in Jewish history, including the destruction of the First and Second Temples, and the expulsion from Spain in 1492. The meaning of the exile...
A true believer in Yeshua (Jesus) has access to spiritual power from God which is holy and pure. This power comes from five different sources or avenues. 1. Cross The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is...
Most of my life in ministry, I have served as the "number two" man: as Dan Juster's assistant for 5 years at Beth Messiah congregation, at a Christian high school for 4 years under Thurlow Switzer, as Joe Shulam's assistant for 4 years at Netivyah, under Ilan Zaimir...
Real War at the Second Coming In Revelation 19, we see Yeshua returning as the Commander in Chief, followed by the angelic armies. Revelation 19:11, 14 – "I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. He who sat on him… judges and makes war. The armies of heaven…...
Here are three simple principles for understanding the Scriptures, the "Word of God". It is consistent from beginning to end - from Genesis to Revelation. The central figure of all the Scriptures is Yeshua - the Son of God and the Son of David. The Bible really means...
There are many long and somewhat difficult to read chapters throughout the Hebrew prophets that describe God's judgment on the nations in the end times. These need to be synchronized with God's promises of salvation in the New Covenant. As we compare the sweep of all...
Our vision at Revive Israel (as our name implies) is to foster revival in the land of Israel, and from there to the rest of the world. In order to do so, we are formed as an apostolic team, based on the model of Yeshua's twelve disciples and of Paul's ministry team....
Recently I had a disturbing dream. There was a large building like a church or a conference center. Most of the people there were believers (Christians or Messianic Jews). People were there from all levels: from the Pope to people on our staff. At some point someone...
Here are 5 biblical promises that one day all the earth will be filled with the glory of God: Numbers 14:21 – All the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LordIsaiah 6:3 – The whole earth is full of His glory Isaiah 11:9 – The earth will be full of the...
There is much talk of correct "alignment" in the Body of Messiah around the world today. I agree. We need to be aligned spirit, soul and body. We need to be aligned with God's will. We also need to be aligned with the Second Coming of Yeshua (Jesus). To be aligned is...
Stephen is one of my heroes. The traditional site of his burial is Bet Jamal, 35 kilometers outside of Jerusalem. For 3 years our family lived adjacent to that property. Stephen attained a remarkable degree of Christ-likeness. His short life is a worthy model for us...
Yesterday in Israel we celebrated Memorial Day for those who lost their lives in terrorist attacks or in fighting for the defense of the nation. Today we celebrated Independence Day. These two holidays which occur one after the other are a symbol of both the suffering...
There is a direct relationship between the restoration of Israel and the 2nd Coming of Yeshua (Jesus). The connection between Israel and the End Times can be summarized in this three part saying: 2nd Coming, 2nd Pentecost, 2nd Holocaust. 2nd Coming The Second Coming...
World evangelism leads up to the 2nd Coming of Yeshua (Jesus). One of the purposes of evangelism is to prepare the world for Yeshua's kingdom. He will not come back until the message of that kingdom is shared with all the nations of the earth. Matthew 24:14This gospel...
Passover and Baptism The most important saying of the rabbis concerning Passover is that "in every generation, each person must see himself as if he came out of Egypt." This is parallel to the New Covenant concept that each person must see himself as if he...
There is a direct relationship between the restoration of Israel and the 2nd Coming of Yeshua. What is known as the "Israel mandate" is essentially connected to the End Times' message. When the modern Messianic movement started in the 1970's, the primary reason was...
One of the greatest moments in biblical history was the early period of Solomon's temple in all of its splendor. There were 4 key leaders at the time: head of the government high priest worship leader head of the finances The head of the government was King Solomon,...
Our vision (and hopefully yours) is to fulfill the great commission given by Yeshua (Jesus). "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses of Me in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" - Acts 1:8....
I. Historic Truth The book of Esther can be read on three levels. The first is historic truth. The events were real; they took place approximately 500 years before the time of Yeshua (Jesus). Esther is the only book in the Bible that the name of God is not mentioned...
There are two places in the New Covenant that describe Yeshua's (Jesus') face shining like the sun. The first is on the Mount of Transfiguration: Matthew 17:2 – His face shone like the sun. Yeshua is giving His disciples a taste of what the kingdom of God will be...
There are three biblical passages that describe a man with a measuring rod, one in Ezekiel and two in Revelation. Ezekiel 40:2-7 - a glorified man, measuring a city and a temple. Revelation 11:1-2 - a man (John) measuring a temple. Revelation 21:15-18 - an angel...
We call the Jewish people "B'nei Brith," or "Children of Covenant," because of God's covenant with Abraham. However, all people on the face of the earth are descendants of Noah, and he also had a covenant with God. Therefore all people of all races are also "Children...
The relationship between the Gospel message and Jewish tradition can be described in a simple way by imagining a ladder of four rungs or priorities: salvation by grace moral law ritual law religious tradition Salvation by Grace Yeshua (Jesus) took our punishment on...
In the gospels, Yeshua (Jesus) spoke often of His second coming. Sometimes He spoke in parable form (wheat and tares, fish in the dragnet, wise and foolish virgins, wedding banquet, 10 talents, renting the vineyard, goats and sheep, etc.). In three occasions, He...
With each passing day, we distance ourselves from the first coming of Yeshua (Jesus) and come closer to His second coming. With this transition, we should be receiving more revelation about the end times, and more revelation about who Yeshua is, not only as described...
The book of Revelation describes spiritual warfare in the end times. That warfare is between angels loyal to God and angels that fight against God (demons). Revelation 12:7 – "There was war in the heavenlies. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon. And...
Yeshua (Jesus) prayed two things in John 17:21 and 23:"That they may be one…", and"That the world may know…" We join Him in these two prayers. What is it about our becoming one that causes the world to know? It is not simply that they are impressed by our unity. Our...
Yeshua's High Priestly prayer in John 17 can be divided into three parts. First He prays for Himself to be glorified with the glory that He had with the Father before the world was created (verses 1-5). Then He prays for His disciples (verse 6-19). Then He prays for...
This High Priestly prayer of Yeshua (Jesus) is a high water mark for intercessory prayer, a gold mine of revelation. Many people refer to John 17 as Yeshua's prayer for the unity of the Church. Certainly that is part of the prayer. However the prayer as a whole is...
Warfare has again fallen upon our nation. After over two hundred rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel over the past two weeks and over two thousand over the past three years, Israel has finally invoked its right to protect its citizens. A Backdrop...
Here is a survey of reports from Israeli Hebrew press and International media about the tragedy in Mumbai this week: September 24 - American CIA chief in Delhi met with Indian security leaders and reported that Pakistani terrorists were training at a base with...
This week after an agonizing two year trial, a 12 member federal jury in Dallas Texas convicted the HLF and five of its key leaders to 102 counts of criminal activities. The National Review described the verdicts as "a testament to the Justice Department's...
I often pray for people to bear fruit for God's kingdom, in fact MUCH fruit. (We don't pray to bear fruit for our own glory but so that our Father in heaven would be glorified.) John 15:8 - "In this is Your Father glorified: that you bear much fruit." You can be...
New Mayor for Jerusalem We are rejoicing with the election of Nir Barkat as the mayor of Jerusalem, and believe this to be an important spiritual victory. Barkat has been a successful businessman, an Israeli army Major, and the leader of a movement for renewing the...
One of the first verses to remember in the 21st century is Proverbs 21:1: "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes." Let us remember that the prayer of faith offered to the Lord has power to direct the...
This week we opened our new ministry facilities at Yad Hashmona Messianic kibbutz outside of Jerusalem. It includes offices, training center and prayer room. Our first event is an all night prayer meeting today, matching the hours of "The Call California," led by our...
The Holy Days of the Torah (Law of Moses) are referred to by two names in Hebrew: Chag – meaning feast, from the root word to gather or dance in a circle, andMo'ed – meaning "appointed time," from the root word for destiny or goal. Chag emphasizes the celebration...
Wall Street, Ground Zero, and the United Nations headquarters are all located near one another in downtown New York. The American economy is linked through the stock markets to all the nations of the world, and therefore the current crisis in America is actually a...
One of the most important themes of the Bible is justice. Justice simply means: 1) punishing the wicked, 2) rewarding the righteous, and 3) acquitting the innocent. The person ultimately responsible for justice is God himself. Yet He has arranged a system of justice...
If a man of God is to fulfill his destiny, if he is to bear fruit for Yeshua's (Jesus) Kingdom, if he is to walk in intimacy with God and integrity before men, he must watch out for three spiritual dangers that face every man. These three dangers may be seen as the...
This week marks the 7th anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks. The time has come for Bin Laden and Al Zawihiri to be captured or killed. I believe there has been a demonic spiritual covering that has allowed them to stay hidden. Isaiah 25:7 – And He will...
Child Murders Over the last week, Israeli news has been dominated by the horrible stories of two cases of child murder. In one case, Roni Ron was having an affair with his daughter in law, and murdered her daughter (his own granddaughter), 4 year old Rose; allegedly...
The book of Revelation contains three references to Yeshua (Jesus) having "fire in His eyes." This power, the "pyros" of God, is the same spiritual fire that appeared at the burning bush to Moses (Exodus 3), in the pillar at the Red Sea (Exodus 14), on Mount Sinai...
Tomorrow (Saturday the 16th of August) several of our Revive Israel Team members are participating in an historic prayer and fasting assembly – The Call - at the Washington DC Mall. We believe this to be a turning point for America: either for good or for bad. We urge...
The book of Ephesians speaks of three profound spiritual mysteries. All three are based on the symbolism of the marriage between Adam and Eve, where the two become one. The three mysteries are found in chapters 1, 3, and 5. (We will cover them here in reverse order.)...
Samir Kuntar and four other convicted terrorists were returned to Lebanon in exchange for the dead bodies of two Israeli soldiers kidnapped at the beginning of the 2nd Lebanese War, Eldad Regev and Udi Goldvasser. Kuntar was received in Lebanon as a hero, welcomed by...
The Bible speaks of two Jerusalems; one earthly and one heavenly. The vast majority of scriptures speak of the earthly Jerusalem, yet there are references to heavenly Jerusalem in the New Covenant. Galatians 4:26 – "the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of...
Our youngest son Amiel was present at the terrorist attack yesterday (Wednesday, July 2) in Jerusalem. Here is his eye witness account: I was walking towards the city center from the central bus station, waiting on the corner of Malchei Israel and Jaffa streets. Out...
There is an ongoing debate among congregational leaders in Israel about the role of Jewish tradition and the teaching of the rabbis in the life of Messianic Jews. My position is that we need to be 1.) strong on the work of the Holy Spirit, 2.) bold in our presentation...
We believe there will be a great revival in the end times leading up to the second coming of Yeshua (Jesus). "It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh…" – Acts 2:17 (Joel 2:28). We also believe that God is...
This week has seen an unprecedented number of public exposures of the good news of our Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) in Israel. Dan Sered of the Israeli Jews for Jesus was interviewed on the popular Channel 2 "Good Morning Israel" television show. The Ortiz family, whose son...
This week is packed with events that could have significance world wide. We have a sense of the plan of God's kingdom for many ages converging upon us. His time, His place, and His purpose are coming together. We are entering into events that were predestined by God...
..The book of Jeremiah is filled with prophecies of the destruction of Jerusalem and after that God's judgment on all the nations of the world. In the middle of those prophecies of judgment is a beautiful section of hope concerning the restoration of the nation of...
I just got off the phone with David Ortiz. Amiel had 6 pieces of metal removed from his eyes but is now seeing 20/20. All of the doctors are saying that his rapid healing is a "miracle." Please continue your prayers. Amiel is still in much pain physically and...
It is God's will to fill the earth with His own presence and glory. "All the earth shall be filled with the glory of YHVH (Numbers 14:21)." This prophecy is so important that it is repeated in Psalm 72:19, Isaiah 6:3, Isaiah 11:9, and Habakkuk 2:14. Filling all things...
Yeshua (Jesus) is both head of the international Church and king of the nation of Israel. He is not schizophrenic. These two roles will eventually merge into one. It is difficult to grasp Yeshua as both. (- about as hard as trying to imagine Ehud Olmert as Pope, or...
This week Israel celebrated Purim, commemorating the events of the Book of Esther. The Scroll of Esther is read, children (and adults) dress up in costumes, and gifts are given by families one to another. The atmosphere is festive, somewhere between an Easter party...
Israeli press briefly covered the story of Barak Obama's pastor, Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ, preaching a sermon in which he repeatedly shouted, "God d**n America, God d**n America!" (There is no word in Hebrew for "damn" and the statement had...
"Merkaz Harav" (The Rabbi's Center) is a famous Jewish religious college near the entrance of Jerusalem. The college is named after its founder, Rabbi Avraham Kook, the first chief rabbi of Israel, and the founder of the concept of religious nationalism. Merkaz Harav...
Almost three years ago, Israel pulled out all of its citizens (9,000) who were living in homes in settlements in Gaza, as well as all of its military units. Shortly after that the Hamas movement took over the government of Gaza. Since that time, to the disappointment...
Earthquake Reaches Temple Mount Last Friday, February 15, a 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Middle East with its epicenter 20 kilometers east of Tyre, Lebanon, near the Israeli northern border. The jolt was felt all the way to Jerusalem, where it shook open a hole...
The most wanted terrorist leader in the world (with the possible exception of Osama Bin Laden) was killed this week in Damascus. Imad Mureniyah served as the planner and commander of the terrorist activities of Hizballah in Lebanon, and coordinated their activities...
Our biblical priorities for the end times may be summarized in these three words: Revival, Remnant and Return. By "Revival" we mean a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit around the whole world: Acts 2:17 (Joel 2:28) – And it shall come to pass in the last days that I...
A Model for Decision Making in Ministry Leadership Teams The early community of disciples of Yeshua (Jesus) came to a crisis concerning the standing of Jews and Gentiles in the Body of Messiah. The resolution of the conflict released a great advance for the kingdom of...
Three Elements in the Book of Esther When I look at the Book of Esther, I think of it primarily on three levels: First of all, it was a historical event. It happened around 500 years before the time of Yeshua. Even just as a historical event, it is mind blowing....
The early disciples and apostles of Yeshua (Jesus) related to the Holy Spirit in a very personal and direct manner. The Holy Spirit was involved in all their activities and decisions. They saw the Holy Spirit as a partner in their ministry, cooperating with them in a...
An appeal to pray for the Messianic soldiers in the Israeli army. The Israeli army has a significant role to play in biblical history, and also in future end times prophecies. Today there are a couple of hundred Messianic Jewish believers in the Israeli army. They are...
Later this month Arab and Israeli leaders are scheduled to meet for another round of "peace talks". The peace process has been characterized by many disappointments and a few victories. The very subject raises fierce reactions on both sides of the issue, within the...
When Yeshua (Jesus) was crucified, Pilate placed a sign above His head, which carried the inscription, "King of the Jews" (John 19:19; Matthew 27:37). This sign was written in three languages (Hebrew, Latin, and Greek) so that all of the world could know. I believe...
Many years ago I wrote an article called, “Second Pentecost.” I had been meditating on the revival recorded in Acts 2, and noticed how Shimon (Peter) described it as a fulfillment of the prophecy in Joel. Acts 2:16-21This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “And...
Recently I taught at the Christian Embassy Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. There was some controversy around a Messianic Jewish leader teaching there. The theme of my message was the strategic alliance between evangelical Christians worldwide and the modern State...
These last two nights the people of Israel have sat in their sukkahs (booths), on their balconies or in their gardens to share a dinner meal for the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles. As the sun set in the west, a beautiful full moon rose from the east, lighting...
I. All AuthorityYeshua (Jesus) made an amazing statement concerning authority: Matthew 28:18All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. This statement is similar to Shaul's (Paul) in Romans 13:1 and Shimon's (Peter) in I Peter 2:13 that all authority...
This week's Torah portion "Shofetim" calls for the establishment of righteous government in Israel, and particularly a court system for social justice. Deuteronomy 16:18, 20You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, and they shall judge the people with...
One of the most powerful miracles in the Bible occurred when God stopped the sun at the prayer of Joshua (Joshua 10:13). One of the most righteous men in the Bible was Moses, who reached the highest level of personal holiness (Deuteronomy 34:10; Hebrews 3:5). ...
Yeshua (Jesus) prayed all night in order to choose the right disciples (Luke 6:12). What qualities was He looking for? We can learn the answer from the following three examples: Mark 1 – Yeshua asks the Zebedee brothers to become His disciples, and they agree.Mark 5 –...
Wanting the Power of God for the Wrong Reasons In the revival at Samaria, we learn of two mistakes: one more relevant to evangelicals, and one to charismatics. After the gospel had been preached there, apostles from Jerusalem went down to pray for them to receive the...
Sometimes I am asked if I believe in the "Prosperity" gospel. What I believe in is the "Generosity" gospel. There is a divine revelation of God's desire to bless His people in every way, including financially. The issue of blessing can be seen at the first covenant of...
1. Gaza - This week Hamas completed its military take over of Gaza, driving out the last forces of the PLO (Fatah) and the Palestinian Authority. The PLO is now strengthening its hold on the West Bank. The situation has created virtually two sub states: Hamas-stan in...
When Yeshua (Jesus) taught on the end times, He did so on the Mount of Olives. This teaching is sometimes called the "Olivet Discourse". I believe He chose this location on purpose. Matthew 24:3As He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately,...
There is a great need for the body of Messiah to understand the relationship between the governments of this world and the kingdom of God. Governments are in transition and will ultimately be "taken over" by Yeshua's kingdom. This is the message of the seventh...
Last week we reported on the murder on Wednesday, April 18 of three Christian evangelists in the east Turkey city of Malatya (46 year old German missionary and father of three, Tilman Geske; 35 year old ex-Muslim, pastor of the local church, and father of two Necati...
Yesterday (Wednesday, April 18) at 1:30 PM, three Christian workers had their throats slit by radical Muslims in the east Turkish city of Malatya. I just got off the phone with our friend and coworker MN, who gives these insights and details: The three men worked for...
Today in Israel, Monday April 16, marks Holocaust Day, or as it is also known, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Some thoughts: Denial – Emotionally many of us would rather just forget about the Holocaust. This year it has taken on new importance in the light of the...
What's in a name? Words have great spiritual importance. God created the world with words, and rules over the world with words. The power of words is in their meaning, not so much in their pronunciation. I am often asked how the name of YHVH is pronounced (Yahweh or...
The kingdom of God has aspects that are heavenly and aspects that are earthly. To understand the kingdom, we have to understand God's purpose for both heaven and earth. Let's review here a series of seven verses that contain the words "heaven and earth." (Please note...
When driving along a road in the country, one may come up to a bridge which has a sign in front of it with a picture of a truck – the sign indicating how many "tons" of vehicle and cargo the bridge is strong enough to hold. One must also look across to the other side...
Scriptures record three times that Yeshua (Jesus) wept. From these passages we can learn something of His heart and something for our own spiritual life. Victory over DeathThe first instance is when Yeshua arrives at the tomb of Lazarus. He felt the sadness of death...
I have just returned from a teaching tour in South Korea. On this trip there was also a group of 12 pastors from Israeli Messianic congregations. The churches of South Korea are among the most, if not the most, zealous, prayerful, and organized in the world. The...
We are to pray for the nations according to the plans and purposes of God. To do so, we need a revelatory understanding of the times in which we live. Derek Prince used to call this "Shaping History through Prayer and Fasting." We have an excellent example of this in...
(Or, "A new look at Romans 11 and the Destiny of Israel") Part One: Foreknowledge and Predestination In the book of Romans, we find the surprising phrase in two places, "whom He foreknew." The first time (Romans 8) refers to an individual – any individual who chooses...
(A Jewish Perspective on the Dual Nature of the Messiah) The faith of ancient Israel started with one man – Abraham – and his family. That family then grew to a tribe, and ultimately to a people (at the time of Moses.) As that people found a homeland in Canaan, they...
(A Call for Authenticity) We are called to be rooted and grounded in our faith through a strong personal relationship with God through Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. Ephesians 3:17That Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in...
Should we rejoice over the execution of Saddam Hussein? The answer is: No, Yes, Yes. Let's look at a few brief issues. No - we do not rejoice over the fall of any man, nor his punishment. God loves every human being and desires for all to repent, and come to the...
In the book of Revelation, there are four occasions in which the heavens are opened above us, and in each occasion, there is a spiritual breakthrough for the Kingdom of God. Revelation 4:1After these things I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven. And the...
Yesterday, November 21, 2006; 3:30 in the afternoon, Beirut: Pierre Jumayel is traveling home from church after a condolence visit. A jeep land rover pulls up along side his car. Three assassins with rifles equipped with silencers open fire. Twenty-six (26) bullets...
In the episode of the tower of Babel, the people rebel against God, and He punishes them by dividing their language, which causes division between them, and the work is stopped. Scriptures then comment that if all the people have one language and are unified, nothing...
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There are lots of reasons to hate George W. Bush. Muslim extremists hate him because of his leading the war on terrorism and knocking down the terrorist supporting regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. Homosexuals, pornographers, and pro-abortionists hate him for standing...
The biblical holy days take place into two main groups: the first group is in the spring; the second in the autumn. The spring group has three holy days: Pesach (Passover) Omer (First Sheaf) Shavuot (Weeks). The autumn group also has three holy days: Teru'ah...
Here is a dream I had on October 11, 2006, 2:00 AM, which was the night before teaching at the Sukkot (Tabernacles) conference in Jerusalem with Barry Segal and Frances Frangipane: We were at a large family conference at a retreat center, country style, which reminded...
The Jewish holiday that is coming up has two names. The biblical name is Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) and the traditional Jewish name is Rosh Hashanah, which means New Year. According to the Bible, there are not many commandments required on the Feast of Trumpets,...
Five years after the 9-11 Twin Towers bombing and six years after the Terrorist War (Intifada) outbreak against Israel, we still see a tremendous onslaught of propaganda from Islamic extremism on the one hand, and liberal humanism on the other. Unfortunately many...
We continue to see a bizarre theater of the absurd on the world stage. Iranian demagogue Ahmadenajad was given a forum to speak at the United Nations building in New York. Venezuelan leftist President Chavez crossed himself on the same forum, voiced support for...
Two spirits that I don't like are 1) rebellion and 2) religious pride and jealousy. When the two come together, there is a particularly dangerous combination. The human race has been in rebellion against God throughout our history (Psalm 2). Rebellion is glorified in...
Over 3,000 missiles have been shot by Hizballah into Israel this month – all of them with the express purpose of hitting population centers. (This is the exact opposite of Israeli policy, whose express purpose is to avoid civilian sites as much as possible.) On the...
One of the great spiritual battles of our generation is against Islamic terrorism and Jihad. This battle has both spiritual and natural aspects to it. It is connected to what is called "the Beast" in Revelation 13:1-2. Since the Beast will be destroyed finally at the...
Inside reports from the Israeli cabinet tell of particularly tense meetings this week. The cabinet has twice postponed its decision to enlarge ground attacks to get control over southern Lebanon up to the Litani River. The reason for the postponement is to see if a...
We believe in the strategic revelation for the end times, called by some "Road to Jerusalem" and others "Back to Jerusalem." This has particular significance for our brothers and sisters in the Far East and Asia, but is a matter of prayer for all of us. God wants the...
The ninth day (tisha) of the month of Av is a traditional Jewish day of fasting, in remembrance of a series of disasters in Jewish history, particularly the destruction of both the first and second Temples (586 BC, 70 AD) in Jerusalem, and the exile from Spain (1492...
Today finishes 20 days of the war in Lebanon. Israel has agreed to suspend air attacks for 48 hours and to allow safe passage in and out of southern Lebanon for humanitarian purposes. All the Hizballah air strikes also stopped immediately. By the time you get this...
Monika Lerer, 40, immigrated to Israel from Argentina four years ago. Today (Thursday, July 13 , 9:00 am Israel time), she was sitting on the balcony of her fifth floor apartment in the northern coastal town of Nahariya, sipping her morning coffee, when she was killed...
As I write, Israel has finished its second full day (Friday July 7) of military action in northern Gaza. On this day, 12 Kasam rockets were fired into Israel – a reduced number, but still representing active Hamas or Jihad resistance. No Israelis have been killed by...
Israel has finished 17 days of war against Hizballah; an average of 100 katyusha rockets have been fired into northern Israel every day. Israel has called up 3 divisions of reservists. Syria has put its army on high alert. At the moment of writing this, Israeli Army...
As I write, 10 days of warfare have passed between Israel and Hizballah in Lebanon. Here are some pointers for prayer: Disproportionate – Israel has been accused by some of using disproportionate force. Disproportionate to what? Hizballah has declared its intention of...
When Yeshua was born into this world as savior, He was God's only begotten son (John 3:16). However when He was raised from the dead, He was the first born son (Revelation 1:5) of all those others who will be raised from the dead with Him. Colossians 1:18He is…the...
As I write this, 63 hours have passed since the "military" wing of Hamas succeeded in kidnapping Israeli corporal Gilad Shalit. Here are some of the factors: 1. Israeli Prime Minister Olmert has declared a total closure on all of Gaza; no one going in, no one going...
On Friday afternoon, June 9, the Raaliah family of Gaza went to spend time on the beach. Sometime between 4:57 and 5:10 pm a bomb exploded. All of the family was killed (7) except for Hoda, their beautiful pre-teen daughter. An Arab reporter was in the area and ran...
Opposite the window of my office in the hills of Judea, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, I see a group of tractors and backhoes, working on a new stretch of the security fence. Behind that fence are several Muslim Arab villages, some relatively cooperative, some quite...
Understanding the cultural context of the GospelThe kingdom of God comes to every people group and is expressed within their own culture (Acts 10-11). The Apostles decided (Acts 15) to allow freedom for every people group to express their faith in their own way. In...
Of all the ways God would have chosen to describe Himself He picked "Father." The heart of a loving father is the closest thing to the true nature of God. Yeshua spoke to God in prayer with intimacy and trust, as a son would speak to his dad: Matthew 6:9 - "Our...
One of the most difficult problems we face as believers, and particularly those in ministry and leadership, is HONOR. Many aspects of faith and spiritual life are negated when the honor of man comes into the picture. John 5:44How can you have faith when you receive...
PART ONE: COVENANT and CONQUEST Many conflicts in the world today are connected to the question of ownership and occupation of the Land of Israel. Here is an effort to give a balanced summary of the basic Biblical issues on the subject from a Messianic Jewish...
I. Needle in a Hay StackThe last month warnings about planned terrorist attacks have gone up 50% according to Israeli security forces. There are currently seventy (70!) warnings out, thirteen of them described as "hot" or "pointed." With the Israeli elections just a...
PART THREE: BIBLICAL BASIS of ZIONISM Some would ask why I am a Zionist? By Zionism I refer to the return of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel since 1881 and the reestablishment of the State of Israel in 1948. I am surprised that some sincere Christians do not...
PART TWO: EXILE and REDEMPTIONWe, the Jewish people, have never dealt fully with the reasons for our 2000 year exile. Often we attribute it all to anti-Semitism. Well, that is partly true; and God will punish the Gentile nations for their anti-Semitism and persecution...
(Previously published as "Ownership and Occupation." This article has been published as an expanded, updated booklet) PART ONE: COVENANT and CONQUEST Many conflicts in the world today are connected to the question of ownership and occupation of the Land of Israel....
The Bible makes a distinction between "taking up arms" and "bearing arms." Understanding this difference has wide implications on the political situation in the Middle East. Yeshua (Jesus) warned His disciples, "All who take up the sword will die by the sword" -...
Recently we have been shocked by Iran's president Ahmadenajab's remarks that the Holocaust did not really happen. (Not to mention that this tragedy is one of the most thoroughly documented events in history). We are struck by a glaring disregard for the biblical value...
This past Wednesday, January 25, 2006, the radical Islamic party, Hamas, won a landslide election for the seats in the Palestinian parliament, capturing 80 out of the 132 seats. This election has had complex reasons, and will have complex results. Here are some...
We believe that a national revival is on its way in Israel - "All Israel shall be saved" - Romans 11:28, and that this revival will be connected to a world-wide spiritual awakening leading up to the Second Coming of Yeshua (Jesus) - "And what will their restoration be...
Consider Samuel's anointing of David as king. He poured a flask of oil on him, and at the same time the Holy Spirit came upon him. This anointing of the Holy Spirit both appointed him into the position as leader of the government, and also anointed him with power to...
The name "Christian" is used only 3 times in the New Testament in referring to believers in Jesus (Yeshua), and all three were in connection with Gentiles. We refer to ourselves as Messianics instead of Christians. However, the root of the word Christian is the same...
(This article is an excerpt from a teaching at the recent Aglow convention in Nashville, that we have had numerous requests for.) Every nation has two groups of people in it: the general population, which is seen by God as being in rebellion to His authority (Psalm...
On this eve of the traditional Jewish New Year, there is a ray of hope among Israelis. It has been a year of massive spiritual conflict, but the progress of the kingdom of God has been much greater. It has taught us a lesson, that when times are difficult, we need to...
In Israel, as in other places, there are extremely strong pressures from the world around us. There are spiritual influences that manifest themselves in political, social and religious issues. As believers in Yeshua (Jesus), we must be careful not to be thrown off...
1. Islam's Three Targets - We could do well to learn from the three key targets of militant Islam: the first is Israel, the second is America, and the third is the evangelists sharing the gospel in Asia. Along with America, we need to understand that Islam wants the...
What Christians refer to as "The Great Commission" was actually an answer of Yeshua (Jesus) to a question from His disciples. Acts 1:6Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? When they said, "restore", they meant to bring back something that already...
Today some of my dearest friends think that the disengagement from Gaza is a betrayal of God's mandate for the Jewish people to repossess the land of Israel. It is always painful and difficult when brothers in the Lord do not see eye to eye on a given subject. All one...
The involvement of true believers in business and government has an important connection with the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. The kingdom of God is the government of God. Yeshua (Jesus) is the head of that government. Yeshua is the ultimate authority...
Although the Father is greater than Yeshua (Jesus), the active part of the plan of redemption centers around the Son. Since it was mankind that sinned, it is by a man that they must be saved... 1 Corinthians 15:21-22For since by man came death, by man also came the...
100 days. For the first time since the turn of the Millennium 2000, we have seen even a few months of relative quiet, even a ray of hope, in the Middle East. That quiet ended last night at 11:20 pm at the "Stage" disco on Jonah the Prophet Street. Two suicide...
Worship is the right relationship between a creator and His created being. It is the right attitude from us as created beings toward God our creator. Ecclesiastes 12:1"Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth." When we worship, we 1) take our position as...
The greatest commandment of all time starts with the word "Hear"- in Hebrew, "Shema". Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul and all your might - Deuteronomy 6:4-5. This verse has been the rallying...
We are all shocked at the reports of the quake and tidal wave in Southeast Asia that is turning out to be one of the greatest natural disasters in history. Our hearts go out to those who are suffering and to those who have lost loved ones. At times like these we also...
There are many prayers in the Bible, designated for different situations for individuals. However, I have identified five prayers that represent God's will as we intercede from a position as spiritual priests on behalf of the world around us. Our ministry team prays...
I write this hurriedly on the plane returning from Korea after 2 weeks of blessed and intensive ministry and preaching. A glance at the paper showed that Yassar Arafat is dying, on the very eve of the presidential elections in the U. S. The world is on the verge of...
One of the purposes of an apostolic team ministry is to help the evangelists receive equal support along with pastors and prophets. Not every believer is called to the "office" of evangelist, but every believer is called to be a witness, and to share the gospel...
It is possible to divide the general message of the Bible into three basic categories. The first level is kind of a condensed version of all the messages of the prophets of the Hebrew Bible (tenach), summarized in the word, "repent." This was the message of Yochanan...
Part One: Introduction to Government AuthorityOn this eve of Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets), 2004, I am stirred for the need to continue praying for those in government authority: in every nation of the world, and particularly for the President of the United...
4:30 AM at the Erez crossing between Gaza and Israel. Palestinian workers are lining up to come through into Israel to find jobs. Michal Eliyahu, a 20 year old Israeli girl, happens to be on guard duty this morning. She looks at one of the men coming through, and...
Revival in Israel is on the way. We can be sure of that because the Bible promises that, "All Israel will be saved" - Romans 11:26. That is the banner cry of our ministry. Yet before all Israel will be saved, there will be 144,000 Israelis who will be...
A prodigal is a loved one who has known the Lord and yet has turned away toward the temptations of the world. There is a limitation to what you can pray, because the person's free will is running against God. While God does not force anyone to believe, we can marshall...
At the center of any Spirit-led ministry is prayer and praise. We build an "altar" where we pour out our hearts in love to God, intercede for the lost and receive anointing from the Lord. As we transition back toward Jerusalem this year, the first stage of the...
On the first weekend of June, Valerie, Youval and I ministered at the Messianic congregation in Paris on Saturday and Christian Life Center on Sunday, which turned out to be the same time that international leaders, including George Bush, were also in Paris for the...
The influence of the kingdom of God on society and economy is to become greater and greater as we approach the Second Coming. Note: That there will also be greater manifestations of evil and tribulation does not negate the fact that the influence of righteous people...
Part One:Israel is bordered on the west by the Mediterranean Sea, on the south by Egypt (the Sinai), on the east by Jordan and on the north by Syria (and Syria dominated Lebanon). In both 1967 and 1973, there were full-scale wars between Israel and those three major...
This week Sharon's disengagement plan was voted down within the Likud party registered members. To my view, great damage was done to the kingdom of God. Here are a few figures: There are over 5,000,000 citizens in Israel. There are 193,000 registered members of the...
I. Gibson, Yes; Vaanunu, NoThe front page of Yediot Aharonot (largest Israeli Hebrew newspaper) had a giant headline today, "Vaanunu the Christian." Unfortunately, this is exactly the opposite kind of testimony we Messianic Jews in Israel are hoping for. Mordecai...
Sunday, February 01, 2004 is the greatest feast on the calendar. On this day, 200 million Americans worship the "gods of the coliseum" - Superbowl! But to much of the rest of the world, to 500 million Muslims, that same day marks "Chag Hakorban", the Great Feast of...
Probably the most impactful event in Israeli society over the past decade was the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin; in the Christian church it may very well be the release of "The Passion" by Mel Gibson; and in world politics it would certainly be the Twin Towers...
According to Deuteronomy 6, one of our top priorities in faith is to train our children. Here are excerpts from a letter that Asher shared with congregational leaders in Israel recently concerning the need for a Messianic Jewish day school alternative. 1. A twelve...
The Erez Junction is a crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel where several thousand Palestinians pass through on their way to employment every morning in Israel. Of course they have to pass a security check on the way. On Wednesday this week (January 14) the...
One of our top priorities in life is to worship God. God made us to worship Him. Worship is a lifestyle of heart devotion to God. On LoveThere is a connection between worship and love. Deuteronomy 6:10-11"Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God; the Lord is one. And you...
I suppose most of the world's coverage of this event was fairly uniform, but here are a few things that stood out to my notice from the Israeli press. 1. Prime Minister Sharon read a short statement of congratulations and support to the US. Like President Bush, he...
A shudder went through the soul of Israel last night. It should have caused a shudder to everyone in the world. Perhaps this story will give you a sense of why we ask you to pray for Israel, and for its security against terror attacks. "Ort Alon" is a public high...
We sometimes refer to the "Joseph Vision" or the " Joseph Ministry." I thought it would be good to define some of the principles behind this concept. (Special thanks to Michael Enos for his insight on this revelation.) 1. Lay MinistryIn scriptures serving the Lord is...
On Shabbat morning September 6, 1986, five Palestinian gunmen, disguised as Israelis, entered the Neve Shalom synagogue in Istanbul. In the middle of the service, they pulled out guns and began shooting; they threw grenades into the crowd. In that attack 22 Jews were...
Over the years I have been a voice within Messianic Jewish circles to challenge the excesses in our movement. We have often made our culture more important than the gospel itself. Some of us are trying to be "more Jewish than Jesus was." Our ethnic identity has become...
Those of us who serve in leadership positions as pastors and apostles, by the very nature of the ministry, are prone to three characteristic mistakes. More than evangelists, prophets, and teachers, those in the ministry of apostle and pastor have responsibility to...
Several of the Messianic leaders in Israel asked me about whether Jewish tradition allows for blowing the Shofar on Shabbat, since Rosh Hashana happens to fall on Shabbat this year. Although this is a technical issue of culture and tradition, some of you may have had...
Personally, I'm not in favor of "expelling" Arafat from Israel. Strategically I think it would just make him an international ambassador of terror. However the recent vote (September 19, 2003) in the UN was for just the opposite reasons: to demonstrate support for...
How are things here in Israel? Well, the economy continues to sink after three years of Intifada - no tourists, no investors, tax debt, unemployment, business foreclosures, etc. Morally, the country is collapsing both in terms of family values - with every form of...
In recent years many teachings on biblical success were presented in such a carnal way, that they became theological cover-ups for greed and lust. You could almost feel the anger of Yeshua (Jesus) against such teachings, as in His overturning of the tables of the...
The two terrorist bombings yesterday, in Baghdad and in Jerusalem, were almost simultaneous. Not only were they simultaneous, but they were also similar in proportion. Each reported about 20 killed and over one hundred wounded. The attack in Baghdad was against...
Israel and the Palestinians continue on a certain tightrope walk. One month of the three month "cease fire" (hudna) has come to an end. How can it be evaluated so far? The Palestinians are complaining that the Israelis have not made any real concessions, and the...
Israeli papers were filled this week with the stories of Viki Kanfi, a single mother who walked 200 kilometers to lead a protest against Bibi Netanyahu and the government cutbacks in welfare (of the Bibi versus Viki story, I hope to write more on next week), and of...
The political situation in Israel remains in a precarious balance at this moment and is in need of much prayer. Here are some factors for you to weigh: There is a three-way struggle for power within the Palestinian community. The first group, by far the more righteous...
The spiritual warfare concerning the impending war in Iraq is quickly transitioning into a new stage. Up until now, while there were still some possibilities as to whether the war would take place or not, our role was to pray for wisdom and righteousness for those in...
I was struck recently by this prophecy from Joel 2:1 -"Blow a trumpet (shofar) in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain!Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble;For the day for the Lord is coming, for it is at hand." I realized that this was not speaking of...
It has been a bloody week here in Israel, a dizzying week, a nauseating week, if you will. Two days after the Aqaba Summit, Hamas executed a terrorist attack at the Erez Junction at the northern border of the Gaza strip. Israel had decided as a gesture of good will...
A few hours ago, President George W. Bush landed at Sharm E Shekh. The next few days will include some talks that could determine the outcome of life in the Middle East for the next decade. Certainly we need to pray. The mood of the large majority of the Israeli...
Giving is a powerful, supernatural, and extremely effective form of ministry. There are four funds currently operating in Israel that we have had a part in founding, managing or serving on the board of directors. These funds give both to the needy and to those who are...
Today (May 1, 2003) in Israel marked the yearly Holocaust Remembrance Day. Here are some notes on this day's activities, which give a certain "snapshot" of the strange life here in the "holy land": I. Survivors Rescued by Christian FamiliesOn television, there was a...
It is Passover season in Israel, and the war in Iraq is basically over. There is a cautious but clear sense of hope that there is a new opportunity for improvement in the conflict with the Palestinians. Here are some factors influencing the situation. 1. Abu Mazen has...
Most of us as born-again believers in Jesus (Yeshua) do not have a problem with racism. That is a gross sin that we left behind along with lying and stealing. However there are subtler dimensions of racial prejudice and ethnic pride that have more of a negative...
Well, after a typically tormented time of trying to tie together a coalition, Sharon has established a new government. Here are some of the ups and downs of it: The new Shinui party has 5 major cabinet portfolios, including the interior ministry and the justice...
There were many times that Yeshua raised His voice - when rebuking religious hypocrisy, demons and sickness. However there are two instances in which He gives a full "shout" - one has happened already; one is yet to come. Matthew 27:50"Yeshua cried out with a loud...
Sometimes we charismatics can get a little "spooky" by looking at every event as a sign from heaven. It borders on being superstitious. On the other hand, it's difficult not to see the biblical symbolism in the events connected with the Columbia space shuttle...
Three times in the book of Revelation it is stated that heavenly Jerusalem descends from heaven. To the faithful at the church at Philadelphia, considered to be the best of all the churches, is promised: Revelation 3:12"I will write on him the name of My God and the...
Dan Juster recently taught at our Bible school course on Mark 1:15 "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." As I was translating him from English to Hebrew and I came to the words that the kingdom is "at hand," I...
One of the forms of mysticism in traditional Judaism is gematria. In Hebrew each letter has a number. Aleph is one; bet is two, and so on. Gematria is a number game playing with the letters of the words in the Bible. Generally speaking, I do not believe in gematria,...
Jewish believers in Jesus (Yeshua) often struggle with a theological question that other Christians may not find difficult. It has to do with whether it is proper to say, "Yeshua is God," without any qualifying remarks. We are not speaking here of His divinity....
Er... I mean Yeshua, the Birth of the Messiah and the Magen David. What do they have in common? The Star of David has become the mostly widely recognized symbol of the Jewish people - even though there is no real background for it anywhere in rabbinic writings. This...
Yeshua (Jesus) gave us a simple yet profound rule as to how to order the priorities in our life. Our first priority has to do with our relationship with God and His purposes; the second with acting in integrity; and the third is all the other material blessings that...
The ultimate destiny of every man is either eternal bliss in paradise or eternal torment in the lake of fire. There is no middle ground. Revelation 20:15"Anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." The difference between these two...
Revelation 11 speaks of two great end-times prophets, called "The Two Witnesses." An image of these two is seen in the two olive branches that give anointing oil to the lampstand in Zechariah 4. A further image is found in the two pillars that stand by the opening of...
Pure motives are important in the kingdom of God. God wants people in the world to come whose hearts are right. That's why He is called Bochen Levavot, "tester of the hearts." I Chronicles 28:9The Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the...
So claims Hebrew and Arabic scholar, Dr. Nisim Dana, as quoted in a recent article by Ariela Ringal-Hoffman in Yediot Achronot (largest selling Hebrew newspaper in Israel). This is an astounding observation and has a deep impact on the conflict in the Middle East,...
They refer to themselves as "the group," the five of them. There's Yehuda Zarka, a retired policeman; Shaul Solomon (50), an engineer; Raphael Ben Zeev (48), a farmer. And then there's Nurit Aveshar (33), an Israeli woman with long, curly, brown hair, tour guide by...
A beautiful revelation of the New Covenant is that we find our identity and our self worth IN Yeshua (Jesus). We also find our freedom of conscience in Him. When we try to establish our own rightness, we find ourselves in the wrong. Philippians 3:9"And be found in...
Last summer many of the Israeli Messianic youth were taking part in a musical outreach directed by Souled Out Ministries from Chicago. One evening in the city square of Netanya, Eitan Shishkoff and I sat watching over the youth; we were serving as parents/pastoral...
True repentance is a rare commodity. People do all kinds of religious and psychological exercises to avoid repenting. Jesus (Yeshua) once said to a group of religious people, "The tax collectors and the harlots will enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came...
Eli Federman is the manager of a Thai Boxing club in Modiin. In an effort to pay his monthly bills, he works a couple of nights on the weekend as a security guard at the "Studio 49" disco in Tel Aviv. He works for minimum wage, as do thousands of others here in Israel...
One of the clearest pictures in the Bible of the second coming of Yeshua (Jesus) is found in Zechariah 14:2-3: "I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem, the sea shall be taken...then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations as He fights...
The UN is planning to send a committee to investigate Israeli actions in Jenin this month. Saudi Arabia has proposed a plan where Israel would concede all disputed territory in exchange for a promise from the Arab league of peaceful relations. Well, why not? - For...
How could it have been that Arafat turned down Barak's peace offer two years ago, in which the Palestinians would have received all of the territories and east Jerusalem? Why did he declare instead an intifada war against Israel, which would undoubtedly wreak huge...
Will there ever be peace in the Middle East? Actually, yes. Peace in the Middle East, extending all over the world, is a central aspect of the kingdom of God. It was and is the dream of all the Hebrew prophets. Isaiah 2:2-4Now it shall come to pass in the latter days...
All four gospels contain a description of Yeshua (Jesus) entering Jerusalem with crowds of people cheering Him on. This important passage is often called the Triumphal Entry and gives us a prophetic preview of how Yeshua will one day enter Jerusalem again in an even...
Since the creation of the state of Israel, the political power and social influence of the ultra-orthodox has grown steadily. There are many striking similarities between the ultra-orthodox of today and the group known as the "Pharisees" in the first century. It is...
Being Prime Minister of Israel has to be one of the most difficult jobs in the world. Since he is the head of the government of Israel, the position has a certain symbolic parallel to the spiritual role of Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah and King of the Jews. "The...
We have a street evangelism team, which goes out once a week. Although many people join in with us there is a core of five men and two women: Simcha, myself, Herzl, Yoel, Serge, Tsippi, and Zina. The tools I use the most are my own three tracts in Hebrew, Sid Roth's...
One of the most important passages on holiness is the revelation Isaiah had of the glorified Messiah. Isaiah 6:1-5.I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the Temple. Above it stood seraphim... And one cried to another...
I. Meditation on the CrossYeshua not only died on the cross, He also suffered during the time leading up to the cross. He was rejected and ridiculed (by those He loved). He was stripped and spit upon (like having been abused). He was beaten and cut (until He bled). By...
I must confess that I have a great love for the Body of Messiah in Israel, which I see as the spiritual remnant of the nation of Israel. The very existence of this remnant has great prophetic significance. The general Body of Christ in Israel has three parts. The...
The central message of the Law and the Prophets is to repent. The New Covenant brings us into the next stage, which is forgiveness. Therefore forgiveness and repentance are foundations of the gospel message that we preach. Luke 24:47 - Repentance and forgiveness of...
Senior leaders in the Palestinian Armed Forces meet with Yassar Arafat to propose a bold plan for acquiring weapons from Iran for a major attack on Israel. Arafat gives approval. The plan is set in motion. December 2000Israeli secret intelligence becomes suspicious as...
In light of recent claims that Israeli settlements on the West Bank are acts of terrorism, or that Ariel Sharon is a terrorist, it would be good for us to try to arrive at a simple definition of just what terrorism is. Terrorism: acts of violence purposely targeted at...
I am surprised to think that Yeshua was not immersed in water and anointed for ministry until the age of thirty. Even for the most perfect person whoever lived, who had ideal parents, a process was needed for thirty years of psychological growth and development before...
or Believing for Supernatural Protection During End Time Tribulations Saturday night. The Sabbath has just ended. It is one of the few times when secular and religious Jews come together. It's a Jerusalem thing. The coffee shops are open. The Ben Yehuda triangle - a...
This week Israel was shocked to see a television satire played across the Arab world, describing Ariel Sharon as storing bottles like wine, filled with the blood of Arab children. Sharon was depicted as one who drank the blood like cola, and then offering a bottle to...
Today we heard of the release of the Christian workers who were captured in Afghanistan and of the liberation of the city of Kabul. Of course it is oversimplified to see the American coalition as the "good guys" and the Taliban as the "bad guys". Much of what has...
The terrorist attacks of fundamentalist Islam are aimed at the United States, Israel, and Christian missionaries. The U.S. is considered the most Christian nation on earth. Israel is the homeland of the Jews. Missionaries help spread the gospel in non-Christian areas....
In Israel, the first reaction to the attack on the World Trade Center was, Why? Why didn't America listen to us all these years when we tried to warn them about the dangers of terrorism?The same spirit of terrorism, which attacks Israel, is also against America, and...
There are deep revelations in the book of Job concerning spiritual warfare, the mystery of the Church (Ekklesia), the suffering of Jesus (Yeshua), etc. Its most basic message, however, has to do with what happens when the righteous suffer. Here are a few lessons for...
This summer in a conversation with Anne Carroll and Renee Branson in Houston, a question arose as to whether there is a difference between sharing the gospel in Israel and sharing it in any other country in the world. Certainly there is no difference in the principles...
In recent years there has been much interest in the "red heifer." The matter of the red heifer is taken from Numbers 19 and has to do with the preparation of a purifying water to enable those who have become ritually unclean to enter the Temple. In a typical Mosaic...
An important character quality we find in our father Abraham was his ability to yield his rights in order to prevent fighting. We see this quality of yielding in his interaction with Lot in Genesis 13. His yielding made him a great leader and a man of covenant...
Our relationship with God had been marred. Yeshua came on behalf of God to repair and restore that relationship. He took the initiative to redeem us and salvage something good out of our lives. Luke 19:10: "The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was...
Over the years we have seen many situations where we "Messianics" or "Charismatics" have caused damage or division to the body of Messiah by inflating personal problems to prophetic dimensions. In the Gospel of Luke we find a situation where Yeshua was traveling to...
Every now and then, in sharing with Jewish friends here in Israel about Yeshua (Jesus), I am asked why there is not a prophecy in the Tenach (Hebrew Scriptures) stating that the name of the Messiah would be Yeshua. In part, that is an irrelevant question, because if...
God designed man to live with him in a relationship that is both holy and loving (Ephesians 1:4). We started in that direction in the Garden of Eden. However, the sin of Adam and Eve ruined that. The sin itself was an act of disobedience. They broke the one law that...
Here is sort of a spiritual "state of the union" analysis as we start this new period in Israel. May it help you in some insights to be able to pray for Israel and the Middle East in the year 2001. I write this article on the morning after the Israeli elections. I...
The kingdom of Israel reached its height at the time of David and Solomon, approximately 1,000 years before the time of Yeshua. During the reign of Solomon's son, Rehoboam, the northern ten tribes of Israel split away from Judah and Benjamin. Thus the kingdom was...
Often in life many things seem to go wrong. Things seem to happen by accident. In fact, it seems that the circumstances of our life are out of control. Because of this many people think that there is no plan or purpose to life. They think that everything happens by a...
Often when I use the word "theology" I use it in a derogatory sense, meaning irrelevant, religious and philosophical mental exercises that do not have bearing on the life and faith of a believer. In this case I mean it in its most positive sense: clear teaching based...
That place. It's only a few hundred square meters. That place. It's the place where God told Abraham (Gen. 22) to take his son there and offer him as a sacrifice. It's that place that David then chose to be his site for building the Temple. It's also of course the...
In some ways there is already a revival going on in Israel. It is not a revival toward faith in Yeshua (Jesus), but rather a turning of thousands of secular Jews in Israel toward ultra-orthodox Judaism. In August 2000 an ultra-orthodox "evangelistic" rally was held in...
Stephen was a true hero of the faith, and of course, the first man recorded to have given his life physically for the gospel. His life can be seen as a living sacrifice, culminating in a total sacrifice, to the Lord. There were several stages to this living...
The New Covenant claims that when Yeshua returns there will be a giant fire that will flood the earth. This is taught in many places, for example, Luke 17 and II Peter 3. However, when we have been sharing with our Israeli friends and relatives, the idea can sound...
The effort at the peace talks have come to an end, with no solution. President Clinton and Prime Minister Barak are deeply disappointed. Its possible at this time that there is simply no political solution. The Bible says that Jerusalem will be a stumbling block to...
I have been asked to continue writing on "apostolic" strategy. To me, this means simply looking with an analytical eye at the events in the book of Acts and seeing what practical spiritual lessons we can learn for how we go about serving in the kingdom of God. I was...
The name Asher in Hebrew means "blessed." Through Yeshua we receive the blessings of all the forefathers. Here is the particular blessing given to the tribe of Asher by Moses: Deut. 33:24-25 Blessed is Asher with children. May he be pleasing to his brothers and dip...
It seems that the more leadership authority one has, the more complaints he receives. Over the years, as I have watched the Israeli prime ministers (Rabin, Peres, Netanyahu and Barak), I have been amazed at the quantity of complaints that are directed at them. Large...
Across the span of the week-long Feast of Tabernacles, it was the practice of the ancient Israelites to sacrifice seventy bulls (Numbers 29). These seventy bulls are representative of the seventy national ethnic groups and races among the Gentiles. The sacrifice of...
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