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 again came up to the stage for a period of prophetic proclamation, repentance and reconciliation. During that time, the Messianic leadership team sought to honor the Arab leaders.
We realized that this was more than just honoring one another as fellow believers. There is a deep connection between Arabs and Jews, going all the way back to the time of Abraham, our mutual father. We pointed out that Ishmael was circumcised (Genesis 17) before Isaac was even born (Genesis 21). We are bound together by a covenant of almost 4,000 years. Because of this covenant, we have a joint destiny!
Covenantal Order
There was a profound heart reaction among the Arab brothers and sisters when the Messianics were willing not only to repent and bless them and honor them, but also to express our joint destiny and partnership. We also recognized that there is a covenant order: the children of Ishmael come to their spiritual destiny BEFORE the children of Isaac.
As Messianic Jews we are very aware of our calling and destiny according to Scriptures. The gospel is “to the Jew first” (Romans 1:16); there will be a great revival in the end times so that “All Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26); and we are to lead the world in inviting Yeshua to return with cries of “Blessed is He who comes” (Matthew 23:39). Our destiny is SO important to us that it is difficult for us to perceive that because of the Abrahamic covenant our destiny is LINKED to our Arab Christian brothers and sisters. If our destiny is linked to them, then it is necessarily DEPENDENT on them as well.
Humility & Honor Required!
For us as Messianic Jews and Arab Christians to recognize that we have a joint, interdependent destiny, demands a tremendous amount of soul searching, as well as searching the Scriptures. It reminds us of the turmoil of soul that Jacob went through when he wrestled with the Angel of YHVH all night (Genesis 32) before meeting with his brother Esau (Genesis 33). This issue is so deep in the history of the people of God, that its coming into right order has a potential to release healing, reconciliation, alignment, unity and revival throughout the body of Christ and ultimately to Israel as well.
Not only is our joint, interdependent covenant connection difficult for us as Messianic Jews to accept; how much more so is the order that the Arab destiny must come first! The primary spread of the Gospel in the first century went north from Israel into Turkey, then westward into Greece, then Italy (Acts 16:10; 23:11). In this generation, the Gospel has come around the world into East Asia, then to the non-Arabic Muslim world, then to the Arab world, and then finally to Israel. The nations of the world must come to their fullness before revival comes to Israel (Isaiah 19, Romans 11).
With the great turmoil in the Muslim world today, it would seem apparent that this is the time and season (Acts 1:7) for an historic sweep of evangelism to Muslims. They are already fleeing their homes by the millions. For us as Israeli Messianic Jews, who pray every day for the national revival of our people, it is a great revelation to perceive that the revival will come through the Arab peoples on its path to us.
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.