September 1, 2017 · 12:00 PM

Young Men and Women are Answering the Call to Jewish Missions

Reflections on Dr. Feinberg

May I share some of my reflections on Dr. Feinberg, who was one of my heroes in the faith? This is one of the reasons I chose to attend Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California after graduating from Northeastern Bible College in 1974. There was only one person in the entire world with whom I wanted to study further—and that was Dr. Charles Lee Feinberg.

Dr. Feinberg was something of a legend among the young Jewish believers who came to faith during the turbulent days of the “Jesus Movement” in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Most of those believers were hippies… and I was one of them!

My parents brought me up in a traditional Jewish home in New York City, and I came to faith in Jesus when I was 19 years old while traveling around Northern California. It was not only me, but many of my Jewish friends became believers too! Most of us were the only believers in our families, and we thought that we were completely alone. We did not know of any rabbis at the time who were believers in Jesus, and we were hungry for leaders and role models with a more traditional Jewish experience who had come to faith. We were regularly accused of becoming believers in Jesus only because we did not know enough about Judaism, and we needed someone to help us speak to our parents and community leaders!

Dr. Charles Feinberg became the role model and spokesman we were seeking.

Dr. Feinberg was trained as a rabbi and eventually earned a Ph.D. in Archaeology at Johns Hopkins University. He was in one of the first graduating classes of Dallas Theological Seminary, then stayed on to teach Hebrew and English Bible at that institution for a number of years before he moved west for an exciting new role as Dean at the new and growing Biola University (formerly known as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles).

As I mentioned before, the Jewish community at the time constantly questioned the validity of our testimonies. Oftentimes, we were accused of actually rejecting Judaism, and abandoning our people and our Jewish heritage by believing in Jesus. But we knew that we had not rejected Judaism—we had simply accepted Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah.

We discovered that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was real and that the Bible was true. This meant that being Jewish was ordained by God, who had created the Jewish people for His own purposes. We were Jews because God made us Jews, and we knew that we needed to better understand our own identity and the Lord’s plan for our people and for us!

Dr. Feinberg loved the Lord and loved his students. I remember going into his office to talk many times during my first couple of years at the seminary. Usually, I had some problem with the way he had graded one of my papers, but most often he was not all that interested in talking about academics. Dr. Feinberg would first ask about my family and about my ministry. Then, like a Jewish grandfather, he would take my hand, hold it warmly, and begin praying for me, for my family, and even for my ability to accept the grade that he would not change!

Dr. Feinberg came to faith through Chosen People Ministries, which was known at the time as the American Board of Missions to the Jews, and he became an instrumental presence in the growth of the Mission. Some of his books, including his superb commentary The Minor Prophets, began as a monthly Bible study in The Chosen People magazine, to which he contributed regularly. He wrote many Gospel tracts, sharing both his testimony and arguments from Scripture for Jesus being the Jewish Messiah.

He wrote these tracts in English, Hebrew, and even in Yiddish. His classic work, Premillennialism or Amillennialism, which was his thesis at Dallas Theological Seminary, is still one of the finest, most coherent, and well-argued polemical works ever written about the future role of Israel in the plan of God.

Dr. Charles L. Feinberg demonstrated in both his life and his ministry that one could be Jewish and believe in Jesus. He loved the Lord, he loved his Jewish people, and he loved our Mission—Chosen People Ministries. And it was in his honor that we dedicated both the seminary training program and the Feinberg Messianic Center in the heart of Orthodox Jewish Brooklyn.

The Seminary Program

This unique program prepares individuals from every walk of life who sense God’s call to enter into full-time Jewish ministry. The curriculum includes the study of Hebrew, Greek, rabbinic literature and theology, biblical studies, theology, church history, and areas of practical theology.

The Charles L. Feinberg Messianic Jewish Center in Brooklyn, NY

The Charles L. Feinberg Messianic Jewish Center resides in a 14,000-square-foot facility that includes seminary classrooms, dormitories, a 10,000-volume library, and is home to two Messianic Jewish congregations—one English-speaking and one Russian. Located in Midwood, Brooklyn, the Feinberg Center is a hub for evangelistic outreach and discipleship among the neighborhood’s dense Orthodox and Russian Jewish populace. The Center is also an ideal place for Feinberg students to study, worship, and gain valuable experience reaching Jewish people with the Gospel of Jesus.

Studying Jewish theology was always something I wanted to pursue, but did not think it was possible to do it from a Messianic perspective. My education from the Charles Feinberg Program is preparing me for the ministry I’m called to—in the most hands-on way.
– Jessica, Jamestown, NY

Students are immersed in the Jewish community where they live, as they study and serve in ministry among the Jewish people in New York City. Another student, who graduated from Moody Bible Institute, writes,

My name is Joel, I’m 30 years old and from Long Island, NY. Living and studying at the Feinberg Center has greatly improved my ability to build relationships with Jewish people that eventually leads to a comfortable atmosphere for witnessing to them as a trusted friend. I find that my Jewish neighbors are genuinely interested in what I believe and why, and this opens a big window for Jewish ministry.
– Joel, Long Island, NY

Charlotte, a recent graduate who came to us from Vero Beach, Florida, comments,

The Feinberg program has stretched me in so many ways, strengthening my walk with the Lord and giving me an in-depth training for Jewish ministry. The Jewish people are distinct from every people group in the world and have very specific theological, cultural, and historical objections to Jesus. It is imperative to be able to address these objections, and the Feinberg program does just that. Students learn biblical and modern Hebrew, Rabbinic Literature and Theology, and Jewish History in addition to the standard seminary curriculum. I am currently on an outreach to Israeli backpackers in India and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the Feinberg program’s superb training. I am also blessed to graduate debt-free thanks to the generous subsidies provided by Chosen People Ministries, through supporters like you! I can’t thank you enough! My time here has been a blessing!
– Charlotte, Vero Beach, FL

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August 17, 2017 · 5:00 PM

More and more Jewish people will turn to Jesus as we draw closer to His return!

Dear friend,

Jewish people around the globe are open to Jesus, and you and I have the unique opportunity today to be a part of the future God is preparing for our world…by reaching out to the Jewish people with the message of the Gospel!

The Apostle Paul, put it this way,

I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! (Romans 11:11-12)

God is not and will not be finished with His chosen people! Israel was chosen to fulfill a holy destiny which was promised to the patriarchs and prophets. One day, Jesus the Messiah, the greater son of Abraham, will rule and reign on His rightful throne, in accordance with Isaiah 11:9, “for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord.”

God called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees and promised to create a nation that would bring truth, blessings, and light to a dark and sinful world.

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

God chose the Jewish people to be His bridge of redemption to a broken and sinful world!

I also believe, unfortunately, this great calling upon the Jewish people is the cause of antisemitism—past, present and future! When God chose the Jewish people to bless the world, the devil made the Jewish people his enemy. History records the devil’s plots and schemes to destroy the Jewish people and prevent these promised blessings to the nations from taking place!

The Egyptians, Babylonians, Medes, and Persians, along with the Romans and Greeks, all tried to destroy the Jewish people and prevent the coming of the Savior of the world!

Satan was behind Herod’s plot to murder the Jewish children and murder the Messiah before He had a chance to fulfill His ministry! We also see the devil’s hand behind the persecution of the Jewish people throughout time, including the Russian pogroms and the Holocaust.

Nonetheless, God has preserved His chosen people throughout the centuries, enabling the Jewish people to withstand Satan’s fury!

The devil’s nefarious efforts have come to naught because of God’s faithfulness and power. The Jewish people cannot be destroyed because God’s plan must go forward! This includes the first coming of Jesus, and His awaited second coming when He will reign as King over a redeemed Israel and the nations of the world.

And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one. (Zechariah 14:9)

We see sparkling signposts of promise reminding us of the bright future He has planned for all who believe!

May I quickly share a few of these signposts to encourage your hearts and motivate you to pray for the Jewish people and the peace of Jerusalem?

End-Times Stirrings in Israel Today

In Romans chapter 11, the Apostle Paul explains the Jewish rejection of Jesus by taking his readers back to the terrible days of apostasy during the time of Elijah. Paul acknowledges the fact that many Jewish people turned their backs on the Lord, but he argues that the Lord has also preserved a remnant who is faithful to His Word.

In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. (Romans 11:5)

I would extend this principle to our day as well.

I recently returned from Israel where the modern Messianic movement is growing in remarkable ways! There are literally thousands of Messianic Jews in Israel today! Many of these men and women were born in Israel to believing parents.

These godly, dedicated, Hebrew-speaking young Israeli believers are fluent in Hebrew, have served in the Israeli army, and were raised in first generation congregations in Israel by parents who became believers in the 1960s and 1970s—many of whom paid a dear price for standing for Jesus in Israel.

What a bright star of hope it is to see these young people dedicated to the Lord and willing to stand for Jesus amongst their fellow Israelis!

Your Mission to the Jewish People has 25 staff members in Israel and we have planted a half dozen congregations in the Holy Land. We are also mentoring and training many of these young people, helping them grow in faith and service for the Lord. These are exciting times for God’s work in the Holy Land!

We are working with dozens of young people in Israel, holding international conferences for Jewish and Gentile young adults who are concerned for Jewish evangelism, hosting global conferences of Russian-speaking Jewish leaders, and training a new generation of young leaders through mission trips to reach Israelis in New Zealand, India, South America, and, of course, Israel.

We are also training young people at our Charles Feinberg Seminary program in the heart of Orthodox Jewish Brooklyn!

The Future of Jewish Evangelism

Would you join us in investing in the future of Jewish evangelism?

Paul tells us that there will be a massive turning of Jewish people to the Lord prior to the second coming of Messiah. In fact, Paul predicts that the entirety of the Jewish people who are alive at this incredible time will come to faith in Jesus.

For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written…. (Romans 11:25-26)

Some interpret this turning of the Jewish people to be a cataclysmic event that takes place in a moment, and perhaps this is true of the final moments of this movement, but I see this movement of Jewish people in the last days to be progressive.

More and more Jewish people will turn to Jesus as we draw closer to His return.

I believe this is one of the great signs of the soon return of the Lord and we are beginning to see this movement of Jewish people coming to Jesus in Israel, the United States, and in many countries around the globe. How exciting and encouraging to see God at work in drawing a remnant to Himself today.

I believe this growing remnant is a sign of the good things to come!

Next Steps and a Prayer Request

Please pray for the salvation of Jewish people—especially as we see the day of His return coming closer!

We have also just completed an amazing two weeks of evangelism in Brooklyn, and our staff is busy following up on the dozens of Jewish people we met on the streets who are seeking the Lord. Please pray for the follow-up of Shalom Brooklyn.

Thank you so much for your love and sacrifice!

Your brother in Jesus,

Mitch

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August 2, 2017 · 4:00 PM

Help Israeli children learn about Yeshua

Dear friend,

Shalom in His grace. I am writing to you from Israel where I am visiting our dedicated staff who are serving the Lord in the Holy Land. We currently have 24 missionaries and administrators working in Israel-—most of whom are Israelis, and we are so thankful for the growth of our ministries in Israel!

As you may know, our Israeli staff host a number of children’s camps each year. Just a few weeks ago, I was told of a tremendous opportunity we have to reach Jewish children in the Holy Land.

Our Camp Director, Maxim Katz, and our Israel Director, Michael Zinn, asked me to provide sponsorships for the growing number of children who want to attend our Messianic camps but cannot afford the costs since they come from poor immigrant families. Many of these kids are from unbelieving homes. Even so, their parents have given us written permission to teach them about Jesus through our camping programs. This just amazes me!

I asked Maxim to tell me in his own words what his team of youth workers has planned:

Our children’s ministry is growing. Each year we have children’s camps; two of them take place in Israel on Passover and the other on the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) in the fall. In each camp we have around 130 people including the leadership team and children from different congregations throughout Israel.

All our camps are in Hebrew with translation into Russian for those who need it. The camps also give an opportunity to continue to work with the youth who are going to join the army, who are currently serving or have just finished their service. They help to prepare the program. We meet during the year to pray, have fellowship, and create the program together. We cooperate with nine congregations in Israel who bring their children and leaders to the camp. 

During the summer time we take 40-50 Israeli children to Poland where Polish Christians are eager to help us by providing the location and the staff for the camp, which incredibly reduces our costs! This brings together children from Russian Jewish families from Israel, and children from Germany and the former Soviet Union. The program is a joint Chosen People Ministries venture and volunteers come to help us from all around the world. 

We are happy to say that recently 30% of the children come to us from non-believing homes.

The demand to attend the camps is great, and we are planning one additional camp in Israel this fall for 85 kids and 35 leaders.

What an amazing opportunity we have to bless these Israeli children! We hope and pray that their young hearts will be open to receiving the Gospel, if not now, then when they grow up. We are currently raising funds to provide these children with sponsorships to attend our Messianic camps. August is a difficult financial month for most ministries and local churches, but I believe God will supply all of our needs according to His riches in Messiah. (Philippians 4:19)

In the name of our Messiah,

Mitch

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July 19, 2017 · 4:00 PM

The Gospel is Moving with Power in Israel

Dear friend,

Shalom in His grace! I recently returned from Israel where I spent three weeks encouraging the Chosen People Ministries staff and had the joy of working on some exciting new strategies for reaching and discipling Israelis!

As you probably have gleaned from the past few newsletters—I have Israel on my heart! We are excited about what God is doing everywhere – from New York City to Los Angeles, Chicago to Toronto, and across the globe; we regularly see Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus!

But, the Gospel seems to be moving in power within Israel as more and more Israelis are showing an interest in Jesus!

This reminds me of a passage of Scripture in the Book of Romans, where the Apostle Paul identifies himself as a Jewish believer in Jesus to the believers in Rome. He describes himself as part of the remnant “according to God’s gracious choice” (Romans 11:5)!

The eleventh chapter of Romans is filled with prophecy and looks forward to the second coming of Christ. Paul very clearly lets the Romans know that though the remnant of Israel seem few, the day is coming when the Jewish people will all believe in Jesus…at least, I believe, all the Jewish people who are alive at that incredible moment in human history.

We also understand that the reason the Jewish people will come to faith in Jesus is because God promised He would be faithful to the Jewish nation. He still loves His chosen people and has not forgotten His plan revealed thousands of years ago to the fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! As he writes to the Romans,

From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:28-29)

Will we be alive to see this great turning of the Jewish people to Jesus the Messiah? MAYBE.

I believe that every follower of Jesus should be future oriented, looking towards the great day when God will consummate His promises and we will all be changed, our sinful and broken world will be restored and the knowledge of the glory of God will fill the earth as the waters fill the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)

There is so much we will never know about the future until it comes! But, there is quite a bit we can know about what God has promised in His word, especially as it relates to Israel and her neighbors in the Middle East.

Chosen People Ministries would like to help you learn more about what is to come. We have prepared an incredible conference focusing on the current Middle East conflict to help us better understand what is happening today and what will take place tomorrow from a biblical perspective.

Please consider coming to the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex for what might very well be a once-in-a-lifetime conference on the Gospel and the Middle East featuring Joel Rosenberg and great Bible scholars from both Dallas Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

The dates are October 13-14, 2017 and there will be testimonies from Messianic Jews and former Muslim believers in Jesus. You will enjoy the soulful and beautiful music of Marty Goetz and the dynamic Israeli contemporary music of Miqedem, coming to us from Israel. Click here to learn more and to register!

 

Blessings in our Messiah,

Mitch

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July 5, 2017 · 6:00 PM

Update from Jerusalem

Dear friend,

Shalom from Jerusalem! I am visiting our staff in Israel for a few weeks and it is exciting to see what God is doing in the Holy Land!

As you might know, we have a beautiful center in Jerusalem as well as a new facility we are renting in the greater Tel Aviv area. Our Israel team has grown to over 20 staff members and they are serving the Lord in many different ways: ministering to the poor and elderly Holocaust survivors, leading congregations, reaching out to families and young adults, conducting children’s camps, and a whole lot more.

We are also continuing our Isaiah 53 Hebrew campaign and expanding it to Russian Jews living in Israel. We now have our Isaiah 53 Explained evangelistic book available in Russian, as well as a Russian version of our Isaiah53.com website. Over the last year we have received book requests from more than 1,000 Hebrew-speaking Israelis who want to know more about the Lord, and we have been doing our best to follow up with them.

I expect that once the Russian campaign gets going in Israel, we will have many more Jewish people from the former Soviet Union show an interest in the Gospel. The Russian Jews have been very open to Jesus ever since the fall of the Soviet Union and we have found this to be true in the United States, Germany, and Israel where we have already planted a number of Russian-language Messianic congregations. Continue reading →

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June 16, 2017 · 9:00 AM

Luther and the Jewish People

Dear friend,

The festivities in Germany and around the globe celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation have begun! These great festivities will culminate on October 31, 2017 as this was the exact date when Martin Luther hammered the 95 Theses to the door at the Wittenberg Chapel (arguments against the system of indulgences practiced by the medieval Catholic church). Of course, there is some discussion about the historical accuracy of this event as he may have simply sent the 95 Theses to the Archbishop of Mainze (in today’s Germany).

This event caused a spiritual revolution that transformed what followers of Jesus believed and the ways in which we practice our faith. There will be a lot to read and view about these events in the months ahead and it would be enriching for believers to better understand the role of Martin Luther and the impact of the Reformation.

Continue reading →

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June 5, 2017 · 9:00 AM

What is the role of the Jewish people today?

Shalom dear friend in the Messiah,

We are at war! Personally, I would rather not acknowledge this, because like you, I much prefer seasons of peace and prosperity. I would rather not focus on passages like Ephesians 6:12, where the Apostle Paul describes our warfare,

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We understand that whereas the real war we are fighting is against Satan and his soldiers, these heavenly battles are constantly spilling over to planet earth. The devil is attacking every front, hoping to find us asleep, at ease or deluded into thinking that everything is okay.

Continue reading →

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May 30, 2017 · 6:12 PM

What holiday do Jews and Christians have in common?

Introduction

The Festivals of Israel

Commonly known to Christians as Pentecost, Shavuot is one of four spring festivals and one of three “Aliyah” festivals found in the Hebrew Scriptures, when Jewish men were commanded to go up to Jerusalem and worship at the Temple. The festivals of Israel were designed by God to focus the hearts and minds of the Jewish people on the redemptive message of God’s person and plan.

The seven great festivals outlined in Leviticus chapter 23 all point to the coming of the Messiah. Jesus had the Festivals, along with other passages of Scripture, in mind when he told the two disciples on the road to Emmaus,

And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. (Luke 24:25-27)

The four Spring Festivals – Passover, the Festival of Unleavened Bread, First Fruits and Shavuot – were fulfilled in the first coming of Jesus, and the three Fall Festivals, Yom Kippur, Rosh HaShanah and Sukkot will be fulfilled in His second coming.

The First Three Spring Festivals

Passover is a prophetic portrait of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The celebration of unleavened bread reminds us of the sinless nature of the Savior. First Fruits, which took place on the Sunday after the Sabbath of Passover speaks of the Messiah who would rise as the first fruit from among the dead.

The Fourth Spring Festival

The Biblical Names

Shavuot – “Weeks” – 7 weeks after Passover

The fourth and final spring festival is called Shavuot, which means “weeks” in Hebrew. Beginning with Passover, Israel is commanded to count seven whole weeks until the 50th day at which point Shavuot is observed.

You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord. You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an [c]ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the Lord. Along with the bread you shall present seven one year old male lambs without defect, and a bull of the herd and two rams; they are to be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.  You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before the Lord; they are to be holy to the Lord for the priest. On this same day you shall make a proclamation as well; you are to have a holy convocation. You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a perpetual statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations. (Leviticus 23:15-21) 

Pentecost – “Fifty” – 50th day after Passover

In Christian tradition the festival is called Pentecost – the Greek term which means “50”, as this fourth spring festival is observed on the 50th day after Passover.

The Traditional Jewish Names

Chag HaKatzir, which means “The Harvest Holiday.”

Chag HaBikurim, meaning “The Holiday of First Fruits.” This name comes from the practice of bringing fruits to the Temple on Shavuot.

Chag ha Azereth  – Jewish tradition designates it as “Chag ha Azereth” or simply “Azereth” (the “feast of the conclusion” or simply “conclusion”).

The Biblical Commands

  1. Count 50 days. Shavuot always falls 50 days after the second night of Passover. The 49 days in between are known as the Counting of the Omer. The counting for the 50 days was to begin on that “day after the Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:15), the day when the First Fruit/sheaf was waved.
  1. Offer two leavened loaves of bread concluding the grain harvest (Leviticus 23:17), which was the Tithe (Leviticus 27:30).
  2. The two loaves were the symbolic results of the one sheaf waved before the Lord on the Day of First Fruits mentioned in Leviticus 23:11.
  3. There were other offerings to be offered that day.
  4. Shavuot is also one of the three pilgrimage feasts which required all Jewish men to appear before the Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem.

Jewish Traditions

There are many Jewish traditions associated with Shavuot, such as reading the Book of Ruth, spending the entire night studying Torah until dawn, chanting the Ten Commandments, decorating synagogues and homes with aromatic spices, and partaking of a dairy meal and dessert.

The Book of Ruth is traditionally read during Shavuot because the biblical account takes place during the summer harvest. The book of Ruth celebrates God restoring honor and dignity to Naomi and her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth. Ruth is a gentile who identifies with the Jewish people by committing herself to Naomi and Naomi’s people, the Jewish people. King David, Ruth’s great-grandson, was born and died on this festival.

Many religious Jews commemorate Shavuot by spending the entire night studying Torah at their synagogue or home. They also study other biblical books and portions of the Talmud. This all-night gathering is known as Tikun Leyl Shavuot and at dawn participants stop studying and recite Shacharit, the customary morning prayer.

The Foods of Shavuot

What Jewish holiday would be complete without a signature cuisine? Shavuot is no different! According to long-standing tradition with a blurry origin, dairy foods such as cheese, cheesecake and milk products are eaten on Shavuot. A popular Shavuot delicacy is cheese blintzes. Some believe the tradition is related to The Song of Songs and based upon the passage that references milk and honey in chapter 4, verse 11.

Your lips, my bride, drip honey; Honey and milk are under your tongue, and the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

Many believe that this line is comparing the Bible to the sweetness of milk and honey. In some European cities children are introduced to Bible study on Shavuot and are given honey cakes with passages from the Bible, primarily passages from the first five books of Moses (the Torah), written on them.

Zman Matan Torah –– One of the Hebrew titles for the holiday in Jewish tradition is Zman Matan Torah, “the season of the giving of the Law,” as the rabbis believed that the Law – the Torah, was given on Shavuot.  A special holiday bread with a ladder design embedded into the loaf is eaten – a reminder of the Jewish tradition that Moses climbed a ladder to heaven to receive the Law.

The Messianic Fulfillment of the Festival

Now, if Passover is fulfilled in the death of the Lamb of God, Unleavened Bread in His sinless character, and First Fruits in His resurrection, then we must ask ourselves – how is Shavuot (Pentecost) fulfilled by the first coming of Jesus?

It is no coincidence that God selected this Jewish festival as the day when He would send His Holy Spirit.

The Promise of the Spirit

The 120 Disciples (Acts 1:15) were in one place, in one mind, praying and focusing on God’s work. They were waiting in obedience to the command of Jesus (Acts 1:4-5) and also in obedience to the Laws of Shavuot regarding “no work” (Leviticus 23:21).  Many were pilgrims who had left their homes in other places to be part of this festival. God would bless their obedience now in a powerful way.

Jesus opened the eyes of the two disciples traveling on the road to Emmaus and explained to them what was in the Old Testament scriptures about Himself and then pointed them towards the coming of the Holy Spirit, which He described as the “promise of the Father.”  This implies that the coming of the Holy Spirit was the subject of Old Testament prophecy. This is detailed further when the Holy Spirit falls and Peter explains the event in light of Joel chapter 2:28-32.

Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”  (Luke 24:45-49)

And further, before His ascension to the right hand of the Father He says to His disciples,

Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized [f]with the Holy Spirit [g]not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5)

Signs and Wonders

After some days of patient waiting, the presence and power of the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples on the 50th day after Passover.  It was a new revelation given on a new Shavuot/Pentecost!  The initial giving of the Torah by Moses at Mount Sinai had come with signs and wonders in the heavens as seen in Exodus 19.

So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. (Exodus 19:16-19)

There were signs and wonders in the Upper Room marking this new Pentecost as well.  It was the birthday of a new revelation and the fulfillment of God’s promises to pour out His Spirit in the last days!

The Tradition of All Israel Being Present at Sinai

According to Jewish tradition, our Sages taught that every Jew who would ever live was at Mount Sinai, pledging their obedience to the Law. The rabbis believed in the pre-existence of the soul and that every Jew who would ever live was there at Mount Sinai, with or without a body! The rationale for this is that every Jewish person at that moment agreed to keep the Torah.  The verse used to teach this is in Exodus 24:7.

Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”

The Jewish tradition that every Jew present at Mount Sinai that day actually heard the giving of the Law in their own native tongue makes sense, as in order to obey the Jewish people needed to understand what they heard.  Now, this is just a tradition and we do not believe this actually took place. But, the Jewish tradition is ancient and could very well have been known by Jesus and His disciples.

This new Pentecost took place 50 days after Jesus, the Lamb of God, died for our sins. There were signs and wonders, just like at Mount Sinai and those who heard the disciples preaching understood this new revelation in their own native tongue. The new had come in a similar manner as the old, and therefore had greater authority for the disciples if indeed they knew the tradition.

How gracious of God to use our culture and human understanding to communicate His truth to us! He communicates with us in ways we can understand:  God could make His point otherwise, but He proves Himself in ways that humans can comprehend since our ability to fully grasp spiritual truth is so limited.

Perhaps the best example of this is the Son of God Himself, who took on flesh in order to communicate with you and me…to show us His love and to help us better understand the Father through His role model and example.

We too need to internalize and embody the Good News in ways our families, friends, and neighbors can understand – that is through love, helping in practical ways, and doing whatever it takes to help those we pray for understand that God is not far away, He is close and He loves them.

Lessons from the Feast of Shavuot

Jews and Gentiles Together:  Live in Unity

There were Jewish people from almost every region in the Diaspora who were now part of this first harvest on the Day of Pentecost. They seemed to decide as a group that they did not want to return home immediately after the festival, but rather to spend time with one another. Note Luke’s description in Acts chapter 2,

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47)

This first band of Messianic brothers were all Jews as there were no known Gentile believers at this point. In fact, the Lord would teach these early Jewish believers what it meant to live in unity and work through their differences so that they were prepared for the harvest of non-Jews that would come a short time later, beginning with Cornelius in Acts chapter 10.

The Holy Spirit draws our attention and focus to Jesus and it is when we focus on the Messiah and Lord that we find unity.  The Spirit of God seals us, baptizes us and connects us to Jesus and one another in a way that is supernatural and miraculous and without parallel in this world of divisions and conflict.  We are not perfect and sometimes we do not work at unity, but it is clear from the text that the impact of the First Day of Shavuot in the New Covenant calendar was a season of amazing unity.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Paul described our unity in greater depth in writing to the believers in Ephesus,

But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.  (Ephesians 2:13-16)

The Lord wants us to become His by the power of the Holy Spirit and to work together in unity as so much more can be done together than apart as we proclaim the Good News of Jesus to a broken and needy world.

Preach with Power

We believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit and that He existed in perfect fellowship with the Son and the Father in the Old Covenant and for all eternity. However, the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Covenant is quite different than in the Old Covenant.  The Holy Spirit did not change, but His role certainly did.  His role in the world today is well described by Jesus in the Gospel of John, where we read,

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;  concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. (John 16:7-11)

The term translated Helper, “parakletos” literally means “one who is called alongside”…to help, strengthen and to partner with each child of God in their life and ministry. The work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives is all-important, as first He regenerates us – we become born again…born from above – then He indwells us, fills us, and empowers us to preach.

We see the power of the Holy Spirit unleashed in the early sermons of the Book of Acts, especially through Peter’s preaching,

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  (Acts 2:37-42)

But, there is more!

The Holy Spirit not only empowers the preacher, but also convicts the hearer. 

The Holy Spirit convicts those who hear the preaching to repent of their sin and be saved.  Convincing others that Jesus is the Messiah and by believing in Him we receive the gift of everlasting life is God’s job – through His Holy Spirit. He will convict and draw seekers to Himself as this work is His work and not ours.

The Global Harvest

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

The festival of Shevuot/Pentecost reminds us of God’s plan to bring the Good News of salvation through the Messiah to the world.  This was His plan all along!  When God told Abram that He would bless the world through His descendants, it was clear that God’s choosing of the Jewish people was not for the sake of the Jewish people alone but for the entire world.  He said to Abram,

“And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)

The blessing He promised through the Jewish people is the Gospel – the Good News about the Messiah Jesus who died and rose for our sins.  Perhaps this is why the Day of Pentecost may be viewed as the birth of the church – the mysterious New Covenant community made up of Jews and Gentiles. As Paul writes,

To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (Ephesians 3:6)

This mystery Paul is describing is the joining together of Jews and Gentiles in God’s family – set apart through the sacrifice of the Messiah Jesus and united together by His Holy Spirit.

The two loaves, made with leaven, remind us that Jews and Gentiles, sinners redeemed by God’s grace in Jesus may be made acceptable to God.  As the two loaves, we are also representative of the “rest of the harvest.” And it is now our joy to work in the harvest fields of the Lord until He returns!

Jews and Gentiles have been brought together through the miracle of Pentecost and share a common Lord, common life, and common calling to reach the world for Jesus in the power of His Spirit.

And together, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we have a common mission – to bring the Good News of Jesus the Messiah to the Jew first, and also to the Gentiles! (Romans 1:16).

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May 19, 2017 · 9:00 AM

God Keeps His Promises

The modern state of Israel is simply the resurrection of the nation God created through Abraham.

 

Shalom in the Messiah,

I wish I had been alive on May 14, 1948!

I cannot imagine what it was like for Bible-believing Christians to see the Jewish people reestablished as a nation in the land of Israel. I would imagine that believers who heard the announcement on the radio or read about it in the newspapers probably thought about some very specific passages in the Old Testament, which promised that the Land of Israel would be the possession of the Jewish people. For example,

The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” (Genesis 13:14-17)

On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates….” (Genesis 15:18)

“I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:8)

Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name: “If this fixed order departs from before Me,” declares the Lord, “Then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever.” (Jeremiah 31:35-36)

“I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it,” declares the Lord. (Ezekiel 37:14) Continue reading →

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May 5, 2017 · 9:00 AM

The revival of the Gospel in Israel

Dear friend in the Messiah,

Shalom! I never thought I would have the joy of writing to you about the incredible discipleship and training opportunities we have today among Israeli young adults! I remember my first trip to Israel in 1976, while still in seminary, and there were only a few hundred Jewish believers in Israel. Well, times have changed and the Lord has worked in great power to touch the lives of thousands of Israelis. In fact, we are now seeing what I call a “second generation” movement of Israeli young people coming to the Lord and dedicating their lives to serving the Lord!

This is why your Mission to the Jewish People has initiated a special training and mentoring program among this new wave of young Israelis, which we call Living Waters.

Let me tell you about our Living Waters mentoring program in Israel!

Continue reading →

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