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 the name to achieve a spiritual destiny. Those who became the priestly tribe, took the name Levy as one who “clings to,” “joins to,” “closely adheres to,” or “accompanies” the Lord.
Our friends at the International House of Prayer (Kansas City) took their name from Isaiah 56:7 – “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” And, in this chapter, who are the people who make up those praying in the house of prayer for all nations?
Isaiah 56:3&6 – “the son of the foreigner who has become joined to the Lord”
The root word for “joined” in Isaiah 56 is the same as the name Levy in Genesis 29. The sons of the Gentile nations who are joined to the Lord become a spiritual priesthood, according to the “order” of Levy.
The last chapter of Isaiah describes a special fulfillment of this Gentile, Levitical priesthood in the end times:
Isaiah 66:21 – “And also from them I will take to be priests and Levites”
These are Gentiles not only fulfilling the spiritual aspects of prayer and priestly service, but also supporting the regathering of the Jewish people and the re-establishment of the State of Israel (Isaiah 66:10-20). Joining in the fulfilling of the end times’ prophecies about Zion is as much an integral part of their Levitical calling as their other priestly aspects of prayer and service.
In the New Covenant we see the fulfillment of the Priesthood: first in Yeshua, whose High Priesthood is of an order which precedes (and exceeds) that of Levy—the order of Melchizedek (Heb 7); but also in the priesthood of every believer, as we are called a “Kingdom of Priests” and a “Royal Priesthood.” (1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6) The entire Body of Messiah, Jew & Gentile together, have joined themselves to the Lord in order to mediate God’s will between heaven and earth; and we can thus see how the prophetic Scriptures, the international prayer movement, and the restoration of Israel are essentially linked together in the end times.
Asher serves as president of Tikkun Global family of ministries and congregations, dedicated to the dual restoration of Israel and the Church. He is founder of the Revive Israel five-fold ministry team, and oversees both Ahavat Yeshua and Tiferet Yeshua congregations in Israel.
He and his wife Betty share a passion for personal prayer and devotion, local evangelism and discipleship in Hebrew, and unity of the Body of believers worldwide.
Asher was raised in a conservative Jewish home and holds degrees from Harvard University, Baltimore Hebrew College and Messiah Biblical Institute. He has authored numerous books, tracts and articles.