I am what most would call a Messianic Jew. I am a disciple of the Messiah, a student of Torah, and fervent about doing things the "right way".
So, here comes the "but".
My friend and I are up in the land of Israel right now to celebrate the late festivals: Yom Teruakh, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Unlike many tours which seem to focus mainly on holy tourism, I am also introducing my friend to the realities of Modern day Israel.
Sure, most of us have probably seen pictures of the Tel Aviv gay pride parades in the news, felt a rise of righteous I donation, and then clicked on to the next little bit of "clickbait" on the news site, but how many of us have considered what it really must be like on the ground as we debate about Sacred Name, Flat Earth, Fema Camps, and all the rest?
The Bible tells us that the Torah shall go forth from Tsion, and the Word of the Almighty from Jerusalem (paraphrase). When I go to Jerusalem I see many religious leaders who face the Western Wall, yes, but seem to more than just literally have turned their backs on the people outside of Jerusalem.
I see in Israel a great moral abyss. The youth, I am told, are disenchanted by the religious who offer them no real Spirituality for which they hunger, and disenchanted by what seems to be perpetual conflict in which they are called upon to die for a land that they are not really religiously connected to.
The Christianity largely represented in the land consist of largely territorial-squabbling Orthodox Churches at the Church of the "Holy Sepulchre": a place stuffed full of and surrounded by idolatrous iconography and Christian Tourists who want to be baptized in the Jordan, take a picture with an OFF Soldier, and get the "Jerusalem Experience".
Are the Messianic much better? In my experience, no. I've carted people about with harps and silver trumpets, shofars and Tekhelet. It can be like a Holy theme park rollercoaster.
To be clear, I have nothing against being zealous for the things of God. We should delight to honor Him. By the same token, however, if you were to see even the animal of an enemy going astray, should you not lead it back to its master? How much more so should we be invested in helping people than animals come back to their living Bridegroom? He is no enemy of mine, even.
If you go to Jerusalem, go to be equipped to take the light back to the world around you. You may then find that endless internet conspiracies are less important than a guy sleeping on the side of the street. You may find that Yeshua' s words about what we do for the least of His brethren, we are actually doing for Him becomes a better service than sitting on a mountain somewhere blowing on a Ram's horn.
Perhaps, considering the principle above, He will return His presence to Jerusalem when we invite those brethren back home. Or do we leave Mashiach homeless? How then can we leave His brethren thus?
Remember that pure and undefined religion isn't written to us as merely being a more precise moon sighting than your brother down the street that is doing the best he knows how to do, same as you.
It is to visit the widows and orphans in their need. If you saw the Bride of Messiah lost and broken on the side of the road, how would the King take it if you couldn't be even as righteous as the good Samaritan, but acted rather like the Priest and the Levite on their way up to Jerusalem?
How would He feel about you lending her a hand, lifting her up, helping her to clean off the dust of the road, and leading her back to His house?
These are my personal meditations and a challenge to you and me from my road up to Jerusalem. So, Chag Sameach from Israel, Yom Teruakh Sameach, and may the Father bless you and keep you during these times.
Only, please remember, that you don't forget the poor. For we are all poor but for Him.
By the way, this isn't just about Jerusalem and Israel, but also your place of worship and your home town, too. Be a student of the Word, a Disciple of the Messiah. Love the Almighty with all your heart, soul, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself.
So, here comes the "but".
My friend and I are up in the land of Israel right now to celebrate the late festivals: Yom Teruakh, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Unlike many tours which seem to focus mainly on holy tourism, I am also introducing my friend to the realities of Modern day Israel.
Sure, most of us have probably seen pictures of the Tel Aviv gay pride parades in the news, felt a rise of righteous I donation, and then clicked on to the next little bit of "clickbait" on the news site, but how many of us have considered what it really must be like on the ground as we debate about Sacred Name, Flat Earth, Fema Camps, and all the rest?
The Bible tells us that the Torah shall go forth from Tsion, and the Word of the Almighty from Jerusalem (paraphrase). When I go to Jerusalem I see many religious leaders who face the Western Wall, yes, but seem to more than just literally have turned their backs on the people outside of Jerusalem.
I see in Israel a great moral abyss. The youth, I am told, are disenchanted by the religious who offer them no real Spirituality for which they hunger, and disenchanted by what seems to be perpetual conflict in which they are called upon to die for a land that they are not really religiously connected to.
The Christianity largely represented in the land consist of largely territorial-squabbling Orthodox Churches at the Church of the "Holy Sepulchre": a place stuffed full of and surrounded by idolatrous iconography and Christian Tourists who want to be baptized in the Jordan, take a picture with an OFF Soldier, and get the "Jerusalem Experience".
Are the Messianic much better? In my experience, no. I've carted people about with harps and silver trumpets, shofars and Tekhelet. It can be like a Holy theme park rollercoaster.
To be clear, I have nothing against being zealous for the things of God. We should delight to honor Him. By the same token, however, if you were to see even the animal of an enemy going astray, should you not lead it back to its master? How much more so should we be invested in helping people than animals come back to their living Bridegroom? He is no enemy of mine, even.
If you go to Jerusalem, go to be equipped to take the light back to the world around you. You may then find that endless internet conspiracies are less important than a guy sleeping on the side of the street. You may find that Yeshua' s words about what we do for the least of His brethren, we are actually doing for Him becomes a better service than sitting on a mountain somewhere blowing on a Ram's horn.
Perhaps, considering the principle above, He will return His presence to Jerusalem when we invite those brethren back home. Or do we leave Mashiach homeless? How then can we leave His brethren thus?
Remember that pure and undefined religion isn't written to us as merely being a more precise moon sighting than your brother down the street that is doing the best he knows how to do, same as you.
It is to visit the widows and orphans in their need. If you saw the Bride of Messiah lost and broken on the side of the road, how would the King take it if you couldn't be even as righteous as the good Samaritan, but acted rather like the Priest and the Levite on their way up to Jerusalem?
How would He feel about you lending her a hand, lifting her up, helping her to clean off the dust of the road, and leading her back to His house?
These are my personal meditations and a challenge to you and me from my road up to Jerusalem. So, Chag Sameach from Israel, Yom Teruakh Sameach, and may the Father bless you and keep you during these times.
Only, please remember, that you don't forget the poor. For we are all poor but for Him.
By the way, this isn't just about Jerusalem and Israel, but also your place of worship and your home town, too. Be a student of the Word, a Disciple of the Messiah. Love the Almighty with all your heart, soul, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself.
