For seven years there have been anti-messianic demonstrations in front of the home of Polly Sigulim. Once again, when probing deeper into the life of this widow of 3 sons all who are IDF soldiers we have to ask what has she done to deserve this hostile treatment. According to the Gur Hasidim she is involved in missionary activity for foster parenting several children whose Messianic parents have passed away.
This is ostensibly because she fostered some children from another Messianic Jewish family when their parents passed away. The Gur hold this up as some kind of proof of missionary kidnapping of children. This was a legal fostering according to Israeli law and in full accord with the wishes of the family. However be that as it may, Israeli law is not always as important to the Gur and other Haredi groups who often hold Israeli civil law as inferior to the law of their rabbinical courts. These rabbinical courts may very well serve their own communities adequately, but their rulings are not legally holding for other Israeli citizens who are from other communities, such as the Israeli Messianic Jewish community.
There were about 100 Arad residents on the side of Polly countering the protesters. This news clip shows how the protest went.
It was great to see Polly’s neighbors who know her best stand in her support. But there are ways we can help also even if we do not live in Israel. It is time for the Body of Messiah, especially in America, to shift their funds from certain aid groups to directly nurture the growth of our Israeli brethren. Subsequent to 1967, the resurgence of believing Jews in the land has lead to many organizations that not only further the gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus, but also provide humanitarian aid, even to Palestinians. Would it not be best for the generosity of Christians to be expressed through the ones who can give a voice of eternal hope to the recipient?
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews does not function as a Messianic Jewish group. The founder is a traditional Rabbi and does not have gospel purposes in mind. While preparing for this post, I listened to a recent podcast of ‘The Line of Fire’ with Dr. Michael Brown and quest Ron Cantor. They graciously gave attention to this issue and is recommended for the reader. (The discussion starts at about 1 hour and 19 minutes in the podcast).
So what are the alternatives for Evangelical supporters of Israel? I’m glad you asked, and we have some suggestions for you. Make it a matter between you and the Lord and follow His leading.
By channeling our giving to Israel in this manner our hearts and our treasure will be in line with the Father’s will of salvation by his Son Jesus. The conflicts that may arise by these funds going to the enemies of the gospel will be mitigated.
The import of this is even beyond the physical and natural needs that will be ameliorated. It is one aspect that leads to the salvation of Israel. The seminal influence in Israel for this is the Messianic community of believers. Let us do all we can with our funding of the gospel to ensure this promise even to generations to come.
John Paul is is an Associate Editor for Voice of Revolution, overseeing Jewish Issues.
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Are there even one Messianic Synagogue in Israel that keep the Torah like Orthodox Jews do? I would give my money to them if I knew they existed.
David,
Is it your belief that Messianic Jews are required to keep all the Torah laws?
— Marcus
Keep the Torah commandments for salvation? No, but here are some reasons why it’s not a good idea for Jewish Believers not to keep the Torah miṣwoth.
Not keeping Torah makes Orthodox Jews less likely to hear the gospel message.
(If a Jew reaches out to another Jew, and he finds out that you don’t keep Torah, the whole conversation will centre around why you don’t keep the miṣwoth, while if you did, you can focus on Yeshua, which is what the conversation should be centred on!)
Not keeping Torah desecrates Yeshua’s name amongst the Torah keeping Jews, since you claim to be representing Yeshua. What does it say about the master, when all his followers are Law breakers?
Not keeping Torah means you’re under the law of sin. (For sin (breaking Torah) shall only have dominion over you if you are under the law of sin.)
Reasons for keeping Torah:
To fulfil all righteousness and be blameless.
Yeshua didn’t have to pay the temple tax or get baptised, yet he did it anyway. And he is our example as it says, “whoever claims to live in him must walk as Yeshua did.” (1 John 2:6) and “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:15) and “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:21)
All the original authentic Believers under the guidance of the twelve apostles in Jerusalem were zealous for the Torah. (Acts 21:20) In fact the Jerusalem assembly understood that all Jewish believers should “walk according to the customs” (v21) and “walk orderly and keeping the law.” (v24) Is our faith to be so different to theirs?
The Apostle Paul said, ”Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody” and “We are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men” (Romans 12:17 & 2 Corinthians 8:21). He also said, “I have committed no offence either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar (the government)” and “I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers” (Acts 25:8 & Acts 28:17)
So even hypothetically if the Torah was done away with, we should do it anyway to take pains to do what is right in the eyes of men.
And lastly, and this is my number one reason. The son of man, the king of kings, the lord of lords, Yeshua himself said,
“Till heaven and earth pass away, not one yodh, not one tag shall pass from the law”
That happens at the end of the millenium, when there’s a new heaven and a new earth.
“Till everything is completed”
That happens when “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:24-28)
When that happens, then the Torah will change. That hasn’t happened yet.
In the mean time, whoever teaches and does the commandments of the Torah and the prophets will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
People are going to be shocked when they realise what they’ve missed out on. But those who go about Yeshua’s business – teaching and doing the commandments, will be highly exalted in Yeshua’s kingdom.
David,
Though I understand your arguments for observation, such seem to totally ignore other relgious experience outside of Jerusalem, also granting affirmation of the Word of Jesus sown in the Nations in the record of Acts. Also, in your citation of Acts 21, mentioning the zealousy for the law, fails to offer other contexts also so mentioned in Acts, in Galations, and in James and the letter to the Hebrews. It places a very narrow interpretation of who is commanded to keep Torah, and how the removal of the Temple system (as Jesus predicted) and the qualifications Jesus gave as to which laws to keep were achieved. It is an age old debate between Judaizers, as Paul called them, and when in Rome to do what the Romans do for the sake of connection and witness. Paul did not simply take a vow to observe the law, but to attempt to reach his generation of scribes and Pharisees–which he and Peter essentially failed to do en mass. Peter was one minute keeping the dietary laws, and the next not, off and on to please men, as such (read Galations). Paul was shaving his head in sincere witness, then appealing to Ceasar to both survive and carry Jesus Message to another culture altogether. He was faithful in first approaching the synagogue in the various places he went to, then in setting up other gatherings and house meetings when in most cases rejected by the synagogue. There is not a simple one set application of practicing the law in all instances of his own witness and application.
And your quotation of Acts 21 leaves out its reflection in other verses of the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15, and what it instructed the believers of the Nations to obey as to conformity to the requirements of the Law of Moses. And, once the Temple system was destroyed, and its adherents later scattered throughout the Nations, what were Messianic believers to observe, for, much of the law depends upon the cultic system of the Tabernacle, or Temple; it seems in recent projection that some kind of National Religious Heritage center will be constructed in Jerusalem, yet what will the call of believers in Yeshua be in the face of the chosen Nation reconstructing an attempt at Temple observance–especially in the case of a nonconsecrated center including an altar set side by side Islamic shrines, if and where so? The Temple Institute, which has constructed most implements, except the ARK (believing that that will appear from the past, as required) has stated that the Mosque of Aksa can remain on the Mount when a Temple is reconstructed. What will be the challenge of Messianic witness in relationship to Revl. 11 in that scenario? If true atonement is called for, and the Bible and the Law say it is, is it what the Orthodox aligning with a third Temple hold to which shall be of Messianic believers first consideration of a Witness of Yeshua, or something else altogether, where the writer of the Hebrew letter states many things about the Lord, the Messiah, the model of Jesus, and the New and Living Way.
You seem to be insistent of a witness which likely will become untenable in time, as the challenges to believers in the chosen Nation become greater than they are in the present National religious circumstance, as such. It is not a conformity to the law of Moses which the present orthodox uphold, but a conformity to this Talmud, or that one, to this Yeshiva, or that One, and to this intention to reassert control of the Heritage of the Land of the Book of the People.
I must disagree with both your analysis of what is required as to the law, and what is required as to the Message of Yeshua as the atoning Messiah, and the person to whom the Ecclesias of the chosen Land gather. The gathering is not to the scrolls, to the city of the Great King, or to the Temple or its implements, it is to the chosen One sent to the Nation who will return, as is promised. Think it through, rethink your assumptions and their premise, for what is advocated by your opinion to date is flawed as to maintaining a witness of the love of God shed abroad by the life, death and resurrection of Yeshua Ha Meshiach. Read up on what is happening in the Land both as to a Jewish Religious Heritage construct intetnion, and the oral traditions so advocated, as to the few Jews of a heart toward God and a Temple who do not yet know Jesus, and those already confessing and gathering in His Name. Is there not a tension in the mix which adherence to the ritual law, or the traditions will not grant true righteousness. You have defined righteousness in terms of the law, Jesus defined it in terms of believing on the One who was sent, He Himself. By grace we are saved, through faith in Him, lest any man boast.
And, what Paul called “MY GOSPEL” is simple enough, as resting in the sufficiency of the Cross of the crucified past come Messiah. When He returns, as will conditions soon set the circumstances to so indicate (per Acts 3:21 and Matthew 24, and Luke 21’s requirements), He will not judge men as to the law, but as to “obeying the Gospel”. This is in a real sense a greater righteous standard that the law can permit. Only the heart of the chosen One permits this righteousness, it being not a righteousness one can achieve apart from His atonement, adoption, and service, as such.