Aloha, brothers and sisters in Yeshua (Jesus)!
Ignoring the Way
Did you ever consider what one has to do in order to die and go to hell? Today I realized that a person does not need to do anything but live a “natural” life in order to go to hell. Without intervention, a person is under the judgment of God, already (e.g., John 3:18-21):
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him,” John 3:17, ESV.
God did not need to send His Son to condemn the people of the world, since in our natural, ungodly state, we are already under the condemnation of God. So, while it is natural for one to go to hell, God went through a lot of effort to see to it that we each have a Way to avoid our natural fate.
Are You Working Against God?
Have you been fighting against God by the way that you have been living your life?
In one of his teachings, Pastor Miles McPherson illustrated the fact that if you have spoken or acted against the Body of Christ, you have acted against God, Himself. (Of course, if you attack someone’s body, you are attacking the person who resides in the body.)
Yeshua, The Word of God
In a teaching that I saw a week or so ago, an interesting observation was made: In Matthew 2:14-15, the prophecy written in Hosea 11:1 is stated to be fulfilled through Yeshua, but that prophecy referred to Israel. Did the writer of Matthew misunderstand? Well, in Exodus 4:22, God referred to Israel as His firstborn son.
Thus, Israel and Yeshua would seem to have some things in common. Indeed, in Exodus 4:23, God instructed Pharaoh to let His son (Israel) go so that His son might serve Him, and in Isaiah 43:21, God said that He formed Israel for Himself that they shall declare His praise. In addition, in Genesis 28:14, God said that in Israel and his seed all of the families of the earth would be blessed. (A similar promise was given to his grandfather, Abraham, in Genesis 3:12.)
Furthermore, in Matthew 5:17, NKJV, Yeshua said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Also, Luke 24:25-27, NKJV, says in part, “…, ‘…believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (In Luke 24:44-49, Yeshua makes a similar proclamation to more of His disciples.)
Therefore, Yeshua fulfilled Israel’s purpose and God’s Word in His coming. He was an Israelite, a perfect Israelite — God’s Son. What God had intended for Israel to do, Yeshua did. This is really quite profound, if you think about it, and this realization truly brings enhanced meaning and much greater depth to God’s Word.
For example, if one considers the life of Yosef (Genesis 30-50), he might notice many parallels to that of the life of Yeshua. For example, like Yeshua, Yosef (Joseph in English) was sent by his father to his brothers, but his brothers rejected and hated him (Genesis 37:13-36). Also, like Yeshua, Yosef was given a position of authority that was second only to the highest authority in the land (Genesis 41:39-44). Like Yeshua, Yosef’s brothers did not recognize him, initially, when he ruled over the gentiles (Genesis 42:6-7). Like Yeshua’s brothers, Joseph’s brothers bowed to him (Genesis 42:6). (This is not a new understanding, just new to me, BTW; for example: Foreshadowing Messiah ben Yosef.)
Now, fast forward a bit, and consider the fact that believers in Yeshua on earth are called His body (e.g., Ephesians 1:22-23, Romans 12:4-5, and 1 Corinthians 12:12-27). His body was rejected and killed by worldly men, but a few days later, He rose again (e.g., Matthew 28:1-6 and Mark 16:9). Also, like Yeshua, Israel has been and continues to be persecuted by worldly people who do not respect them or their Father.
Also, consider the fact that Revelation 6 and 7 seem (at least to me) to indicate that just after Yeshua returns to gather His elect (probably after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in — Romans 11:25) that 144,000 pure Israelis are sealed by God to serve Him (apparently during that dark time on earth that God’s Word calls the day of Yehovah). Then consider the fact that, ultimately, Israel is going to stop looking toward the future for their Mashiach and realize that He (Yeshua) has already come. Through their grief and repentance and reception of Him, Yeshua, their brother will return to them and rule the earth (e.g., Zechariah 12:10-14 and Matthew 23:38-39).
BTW, consider the fact that Joseph gave Benjamin (his brother from the same mother and father) five times as much as he gave his other brothers (Genesis 43:34). Perhaps Benjamin, in that instance, represents Israeli believers in Yeshua and the other brothers represent non-Israelite believers in Yeshua?
Something else to consider would be the two loaves of Shavuot (Pentecost). They are both regular loaves (Leviticus 23:15-21), with leaven (which is often used to represent sin in God’s Word). Perhaps one loaf represents Israeli and the other Gentile believers in Yeshua?
When one looks a little deeper into God’s Word, he or she might see that it is all about Yeshua, just like He said (John 5:39).
Have a great week.
God bless, and Shabbat shalom,
Darwin and Ani Airloa