Yeshuatami News Blog

All Things Israel

Bottom-3 stories

The Lost Sheep of the House of Israel The Role of the Jews – Why the Jew first?

By Leave a Comment

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Messiah, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Gentile).”

The Gospel, the Good News of Salvation, Yeshua’s death for the sins of the world, His resurrection from the dead, and ascension to the right hand of Father God are for everyone who would believe in Him and His work.

However, there is a priority for Jews. They are God’s Chosen people. (Deuteronomy 14:2)

“The Lord has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”

Amos 3:2

“You (O children of Israel), only have I chosen among all the families of the earth.”

Paul says,

“From the standpoint of God’s choice, they (the Jews) are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

Israel, (the Jewish people) is the root, the pillar of God’s choice for salvation established through God’s covenant with the fathers of the faith, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel. This covenant is eternal and unchangeable. The Jews are the true vine; the Gentiles are grafted in to make a new kind of tree.

The Jews are first by virtue of God’s special plan of salvation for the whole world.

“For He so loved the world (human beings), therefore, He gave His only begotten Son, the Jewish Messiah Yeshua, that whosoever (Jew and Gentile) believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

The Gospel is to everyone who believes. However, the Jews have first priority and then the Gentiles. Why? Because God the Father, who in many scriptures calls Himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel, is faithful to His covenant and promises. He not only chose Israel out of all the nations of the world but also actually created them to be His people. Isaiah 43:1,

“…thus says the Lord, Who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel…I have called you by your name, you are Mine…”

God said to Israel in Jeremiah 31:1,2:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love”…

Through the Jewish people, the One true God revealed Himself to the entire world. He gave His Word to the children of Israel through Moses and the Prophets (the Tanach, aka the Old Testament) written originally in Hebrew, which is now translated into most languages. The New Testament writings, though originally in Greek, were mostly written by Jewish believers with many references to the Old Testament scriptures. Even though Israel as a nation rejected their own Messiah, God has not rejected His own beloved Israel. As the Apostle Paul said,

“Has God cast away His people? Certainly not! … God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.” (Romans 11:1,2)

The Jewish people are still in God’s plan. They are first because of their special role as His elect people. They are still the apple of His eye, not because they are special in and within themselves, but because God has set them apart from the other peoples for His purposes, as He said through the prophet Isaiah, (Isa. 31:3, 4, 7, 10, 12).

“I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, And I have loved you…whom I have created for MY GLORY…And My servant whom I have chosen…Therefore you are MY WITNESSES,” says the Lord, “that I AM GOD.”

Moses said to the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 7:7-8:

“The Lord did not set his love on you nor choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers.”

And they are first also because He gave them, through Moses and the prophets, His special revelation, prophecies, and promises as Paul says in Romans 9:4:

“[The] Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers…”

And most importantly:

“from whom, according to the flesh, Messiah came, Who is over all, the eternally blessed God.”

Even though Paul’s mission was to the Gentiles, he acted according to the same priority. Whenever he came to a new city in his evangelistic journeys, he always went first to the local synagogue to preach to his Jewish brothers and sisters, as recorded in Acts 13:14; 14:1; 17:1-2; 17:10 and 16-17; 18:4,19; 19:8; 28:17. God told him specifically when He called him “a chosen instrument,” to take His message to the Gentiles and to kings, AS WELL AS TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL (Acts 9:15). He knew it was God’s priority.

It is no coincidence that Messiah Yeshua came from the Jewish lineage, being the Son of David, the Root of Jesse which is all part of God’s plan and purposes for His people, Israel. He, the Messiah was “born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law” (Galatians 4:4-5). Even His name, Yeshua (Salvation) has meaning only in Hebrew.

Yeshua practiced what He preached, that the Father’s priority for the Gospel was to the Jew first when He sent out His disciples to spread the gospel, in Matthew 10:5-6:

“Do not go by way of the Gentiles…but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

In Jeremiah 50:6, God calls Israel “His people” and “lost sheep.” The Messiah, spoken of throughout the Old Testament, was seen as the One who would gather these “lost sheep.” Ezekiel 34:23-24, God says:

“I will establish one shepherd over them (Israel) …My Servant David. He shall feed them and be their Shepherd.”

As fulfillment of this Messianic prophecy, Yeshua claimed that He was the Good Shepherd to Israel. (Mark 6:34; 14:27; John 10:11-16; see also Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4; and Revelation 7:17).

When a Canaanite woman asked Him to heal her demon-possessed daughter, He ignored her (Matthew 15:22). But she pursued Him and continued to beg Him to heal her afflicted daughter. Thinking that she was disturbing their Master, the disciples asked Yeshua to send her away. Yeshua said,

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)

Even though the woman acknowledged He was the merciful “Lord” the “Son of David,” Yeshua was testing the woman to see if she would accept God’s priority by comparing the Gentiles to dogs and the Jews to the master’s children.

The Canaanite woman was not offended and said that even dogs deserve to eat the crumbs that fall under the master’s table. When Yeshua saw her faith in God’s ways and priorities, He granted her request, and her daughter was healed at that very moment. (See Matthew 15:28)

In John 4:22, Messiah Yeshua identified Himself with the Jews when He said to the Samaritan woman at the well,

“You (the Samaritans) worship what you do not know; we (Jews) know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.”

However, while salvation is of the Jews, it is also for the Gentiles. Yeshua made this quite clear to the Samaritan woman when He added:

“…the time is coming, and now is here, that true worshipers, the kind the Spiritual Father God seeks, both Jews and Gentiles, will worship Him in the Spirit and in truth.” (Verse 23)

When the Samaritan woman first went to fetch water from the well, she never thought that she would meet a Jewish Man, let alone that He would initiate a conversation with her as Jews didn’t associate with Samaritans.

When the conversation ended, she understood that He was not an ordinary Jew but the long-awaited Messiah Who revealed to her that salvation was of the Jews but also for the Gentiles. She went right away to her people:

“Come, see a Man Who told me everything I ever did. (She first thought He was a prophet of God.) Could this be the Messiah?” (John 4:23-24, 29)

Afterward, the Samaritans reported:

“This One is indeed the Savior of the world” (John 4:42)

Through the years, the gospel has gone “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). God promised Abraham:

“All nations on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3)

Through Yeshua, the Savior of Jews and Gentiles, we see this promise fulfilled today. Yeshua’s act of compassion and healing of the Gentile Canaanite woman’s daughter and other Gentiles who expressed faith in Him shows that even though Messiah’s ministry is to the Jew first, it is also to the Gentile world.

The King of the Jews, Messiah Yeshua is also the Savior of all who believe (Matthew 28:19; John 10:16; Acts 10:34-36; Revelation 5:9). To the Jew, it is the privilege of being first to receive salvation. The word “first” in the original Greek is the word “proton”. In the book of Romans, it is in the sense of being especially or particularly first while the Gentiles follow. The same word, “proton” is also used in Romans 2:9-10 that tribulation and distress will come for every human being who does evil, “to the Jew first and also the Gentile.”

The Gentiles are included and grafted in to be equal to the Jews. Both are equally saved the same way, by the grace of God through faith in Yeshua the Messiah. The Gentiles are welcome to share in the commonwealth of Israel. They are invited into the House of God as His adopted children. The Jews are welcome to share the common gospel of faith without having to give up their identity as the Children of Israel. They are invited to come back home, to the House of the God of their forefathers.

Jews are not better than Gentiles. All equally need the Savior, and according to Colossians 3:10–11 we all need to:

“… put on the new self, which is being renewed in the knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”

All Jews and Gentiles are saved the same way: through Yeshua the Messiah.

Image from Unsplash, Andrea Lightfoot

The Plan to Annihilate the Jews

By Leave a Comment

Did Iran’s Plan Backfire?

‘Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. What the enemy has purposed for destruction, God will turn around for good.’ Proverbs 19:21 NIV

As we wrote in previous newsletters, the plans and purposes of the enemies of Israel and the Jews – Hamas and other terrorist organizations – are to destroy and annihilate the Jews and steal the Land of Israel they call Palestine. These goals are stated very clearly in Hamas’ creed. They are also the plans of Iran’s Ayatollah’s regime, as they’ve declared many times. For this purpose, Iran has masterminded a diabolical plan with its proxies;

to the north of Israel

Lebanon: Hezbollah and Hamas terrorists with many thousands of missiles, some of them precision-guided, and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles.)

Syria: Seventeen armed militias of various terrorist groups ready to use a very large number of missiles and UAVs Iran has transferred to Syria:

to the east of Israel

Iraq: Dozens of militias, ready to use missiles and UAVs.

to the far south of Israel

Yemen: The Houthis, equipped with Iranian long-range missiles and UAVs capable of reaching Israel.

Gaza: Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, with missiles aimed to destroy the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli Air Force bases. (Hamas has also devotees in the Judea and Samaria territory and among the Israeli Arabs who would join the fighting.)

Iran is counting on the success of its above-mentioned proxies to do its bidding so it will not have to be directly involved militarily in the combined attack. However, the Ayatollahs are the leaders, proclaiming that, “It is the duty of the Muslim world to save the Al-Aqsa mosque from the Israeli/Zionist occupation and oppression, and to kill the invading Jews as instructed in the holy Koran.”

Iran planned to first launch a surprise simultaneous massive missile attack from all sides upon Israeli military bases and civilian facilities, along with cyber-attacks on infrastructure systems. Their tactic was to overwhelm Israel’s Iron Dome and other aerial defense systems with a barrage of missiles and UAVs. This aerial and cyber-attack would destroy Israel’s ability to defend itself, clearing the way for the next phase: a ground attack.

As the aerial attack would be in progress, hundreds of thousands of terrorists would then simultaneously storm into Israel from all sides; from Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza on foot, on dirt bikes, ATVs (anti-tank vehicles), and with other vehicles equipped with anti-tank weapons, machine guns and other arms while shooting, murdering and abducting the mostly unarmed Jewish population. All means are legitimate: rape, cutting throats, burning people alive, murdering and decapitating men, women, children and babies.

Their simultaneous massive surprise attack would catch the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) and intelligence off-guard. Israel would need several days to mobilize and equip the reserves. Reinforcements on various fronts would take time thereby allowing the terrorists to destroy the regular forces. This coordinated massive attack would give them final victory over the Zionist enemy, free the occupied land and El-Aqsa’ and give Palestine back to the Palestinians.

Hamas was training its people for this attack for months and there were warnings from different sources in Israel that Iran planned to use Hamas and Hezbollah for a combined attack against Israel. Unfortunately, Israel was unaware of the timing and Israeli intelligence reassured the government that Hamas was deterred and would not attack in the near future.

What Actually Happened?

While, Gaza, Lebanon and the other players were waiting for Iran’s go-ahead for the perfect time for this surprise attack on Israel, Hamas couldn’t wait and miss the opportunity to carry out this surprise attack on their own and spill Jewish blood.

This brings us to October 7th, 2023, the last day of the celebration of Sukkot in Israel. Hamas knew of the festival that took place every two years on this date near their border with Israel. The week-long Supernova music festival was entitled ‘A Journey of Unity and Love.’ Thousands of peace-loving, young Israelis gathered on Friday evening, October 6th, on the grounds of Kibbutz Re’im, 3 miles from the Gazan border.

They spent the night listening to ear-deafening music blasting from loudspeakers, dancing, and drinking. Early the next morning, the music was still blaring and the youngsters were still dancing as they hardly noticed the boom of rockets from Gaza.

One of the survivors said the following:

“It happened in an instant. The terrorists… got out of a large white vehicle, a type of van. They shot from close range, it was terrible.”

Another survivor hid under a fruit tree; “I played dead for three hours…I saw people dying all around…”

Many young Israelis were killed and many were kidnapped and taken into Gaza, some in vans and some on motorcycles. Others were ordered to march on foot at gunpoint.

Hamas just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to rampage through Israel under the umbrella of thousands of missiles they were shooting at Israel. They couldn’t wait to murder and decapitate Jewish civilians men, women, children, and babies, rape women and burn them, and throw hand grenades into homes, murdering the occupants. That same day, blood-thirsty Hamas terrorists posted grisly scenes from the attacks while Gazan men, women, and children celebrated the massacre handing out candies and other goodies. More than 1,400 Israelis died and more than 200 were taken captive.

Shockingly, there is now a ‘Holocaust denial-like phenomenon’ circulating around the world about the truth of the atrocities.
 

Will Iran continue its plan now that it has lost its element of surprise?

Iran boasts that it has equipped the Houthis in Yemen with missiles with a range of some 2,000 kilometers (nearly 1,250 miles) and Hezbollah with advanced rockets able to target Israeli naval vessels and Tel Aviv. Also, pro-Iran Iraqi militias are entrenched in the Syrian part of the Golan Heights.

An Israeli official has said, “Such an attack could begin within days if Iran’s Supreme Leader’s demands to stop Israeli strikes on Gaza are ignored.”

However, Iran has lost the element of surprise. As of now, Hezbollah has been carrying out frequent attacks with rockets, mortars, and guided missiles on Israeli targets in the north. Thankfully, Israeli drones have been able to identify Hezbollah fighters approaching the Israeli border, kill terrorists, and bomb Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, a ballistic missile launched by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, aimed for Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat, was intercepted by the newly-developed Israeli “Chetz” (Arrow) air defense system. Citizens of Eilat reported hearing the loud sound of the blast.

As reprisal for Israeli’s downing their ‘Aerial target,’ Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi leader bragged of a ‘large number’ of drones and ballistic missiles that would hit Israel on Tuesday, and that there would be more, until ‘Israeli aggression’ stopped.

Israel announced that two ‘Hostile targets’ believed to be drones were flying in the Red Sea area Tuesday morning and were intercepted outside of Israeli territory.

In a video showing missiles from Houthis in Yemen toward Israel’s southern city of Eilat, one of the operatives can be heard proclaiming, “Death to America, death to Israel, victory for Islam.”

Let God arise, and His enemies be scattered, let those also who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, So drive them away. As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God. Psalm 68:1-2

It is evident that Israel is surrounded by relentless enemies whose goal is to annihilate her. As believers, we know that behind the physical enemies is the spiritual enemy of the Most High God – satan. Satan’s plan was and is to destroy the Jewish people and Israel, thereby preventing Yeshua’s return to Jerusalem, Israel’s capital.

Yet, the Lord’s plans and purposes prevail and His Word never fails.

Then ‘all of Israel shall be saved…their acceptance be life from the dead.” It will be life from the dead for the world. Romans 11:26,13

“… My people Israel…I will plant them in their land. And no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them.” Amos 9:14-15

Amen and Amen

Please pray with us for God’s plans to prevail.

  • Stand against the “Powers of Darkness” behind The Islamic enemies around Israel and against their plans.
  • Pray for Israel’s Leadership, government, and army, to be ready and to be led by God’s wisdom.
  • Lift up in prayer the many who are mourning the death of beloved family members.
  • Pray for the many wounded.
  • Pray for intelligence, wisdom, and the ability to free those taken captive by Hamas.
  • Pray for comfort and protection for all who are suffering.

Yeshua’s Words and Their Influence

By Leave a Comment

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation”
(Mark 16:15)

Hebrew, the Language of God’s Word

Yeshua spoke in His mother tongue: Hebrew. The original Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and Yeshua often quoted scriptures in Hebrew. He spoke to His Jewish disciples in Hebrew. He also spoke Aramaic and Greek or Latin when necessary. The writing on the cross, “King of the Jews”, was first in Hebrew – the main language in use in Israel at the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and then also in Latin and Greek [John 19:19-20.]

The angel Gabriel spoke Hebrew to Miriam when he came to announce to her that she would have a Son by the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit.) The angel said to her, “Mary, do not be afraid. You have found favor with God. See! You are to become a mother and have a Son. You are to give Him the name Jesus”.

However, the above scripture is the English translation of Hebrew. The angel’s name is Gavriel, which means in Hebrew “God is my strength”. Mary’s original name is a Hebrew name – Miriam, and Joseph is the Hebrew name Yoseph. The angel told Miriam in Hebrew that the name of the baby would be Yeshua. The English letters of Jesus come from the Hebrew letters of Yeshua, His original Hebrew name. The word Jesus, which is the wonderful English Name of our Savior, has no meaning in the English language, but in Hebrew Yeshua means Salvation.

When Miriam asked Gabriel, how that could be, the angel quoted the scripture in Hebrew from Gen. 15:28: “ki lo yipale’ me’Elohim kol davar”, translated, “for nothing is impossible for God”.

The angel Gavriel (Gabriel) appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” He then said…After her baby is born, name him Jesus, “because he will save his people from their sins.”

He actually spoke in Hebrew because he said: name him Yeshua (Salvation) because he will Yoshia (save) his people (Israel) from their sins. Only in Hebrew does His name have meaning – salvation, and the verb Yoshia (save) is a derivative of the noun Yeshua, salvation.

Yeshua’s Words and Their Influence Today in Israel

God’s Word is alive, powerful (Heb. 4:12) and influences every area of life. Yeshua lived here in the land of Israel and His supreme teachings touched all peoples and cultures. In Israel, modern Hebrew, which is based mainly on the ancient biblical language, is the most popular language and has also incorporated many words and sayings from other sources and cultures.

Some of Yeshua’s sayings are used today in Israel and other places, and people don’t realize that He is the source. For example, Israelis often say of a person who is down-to-earth and has roots in the Israeli culture that “He is the salt-of-the-earth”, today. (In Matt. 5:13 Yeshua said to His followers that they were the salt of the earth.)

Another saying is, “…. no prophet is accepted in his hometown” (Luke 4:24) There is no other mention of that saying by anyone else before Yeshua. Yet it is a saying often used by Israelis, and most of them do not know that Yeshua was the One who said it first.

Another saying that Yeshua used, is found in Matthew 7:3, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?” This saying has become part of the writings of the Rabbis in the oral law that many Israelis use, not knowing that it was Yeshua who originated this saying.

At the end of John’s wonderful gospel, John 20:30-31, and 21:25, He said that there were also many other things that Yeshua did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

Glory – Kavod

The word glory has many interpretations. The manifest presence of God is a level of glory. It is the Hebrew word, Kavod, which comes from the word Koved, meaning weight, heavy. There are two types of weight.

  1. There is the physically heavy weight. This word in Hebrew is Mishkal. Weight in the physical realm.
  2. Then there is the weight that carries with it authority, like the word of an important person. The words of an important person carry great weight; when he speaks, they cause people to submit to what he says.

When Yeshua walked in the earth, He showed the manifest Presence of God, the miraculous works of God, the attributes of God, the nature of God; all of this is glory. People marveled at how He spoke with such authority, teaching unlike any of the teachers of that day. His words carried weight – Kavod.

There is another term in Hebrew Israelis use often to tell someone who has done something great, or succeeded in something: “Kol Ha Kavod,” which literally means, all the Kavod – power and honor. As believers, we say that only Yeshua deserves to receive ALL the Kavod – the glory and the honor.

Please Pray: As our hearts yearn and we pray for our people, ask that God will touch them with a terrific hunger and thirst for His Word, and that His awesome love will melt away the many prejudices against Yeshua, enabling them to look upon Him and consider His wonderful life-giving teachings.

We love and appreciate you very much. Thank you for your faithfulness in standing with us for the salvation of Israel, in prayer and financial support. We pray for you too from Zion, for God to supply all your needs and bless you greatly.

We would love to hear from you – any comments, questions, and/or prayer requests.

Missionary Law in Israel

By Leave a Comment

Israel is a Jewish and Democratic state, and as such its laws reflect both the Jewish Rabbinic traditions, as well as the obligation to international norms regarding human rights and freedoms. The courts and law enforcement authorities uphold the right of freedom of expression and freedom of religion for minority groups in Israel. A precedent was established when judges ruled that: “The spread of opinions by way of distribution of flyers to passersby in public places deserves special recognition and protection of the court…”

Questions regarding missionary activity in Israel usually concern Christian organizations, or Messianic Jewish groups, such as Jews for Jesus. The reason is that these believers often see evangelizing Israel as a fundamental expression of their faith.

In Israel, it is legal to express one’s worldview, including religious beliefs, even if they are not accepted by the majority of the public. The exception to this rule is what is known in Israel as the “Missionary Law.” The “law” is actually composed of two separate sections of the Israeli criminal code:

  1. Section 174 of the Penal Code – 1977 forbids a person to entice another to change his or her religion in exchange for material benefits (such as financial support and/or donations, helping feed and clothe the poor, or in any way give charity while evangelizing.)
  2. Section 368 of the Penal Code forbids persuading or encouraging a minor (under the age of 18) to change his or her religion. This law prohibits conducting any ceremony for a minor to change religion without the consent of both parents.

The Israeli Declaration of Independence, signed by David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister and the nation’s founding fathers, states the following:

“Israel will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”

In 1992, the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) passed the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty, which declares Israel as a “Jewish and Democratic” State. The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that basic human rights–such as the right of freedom of religion and conscience, as well as freedom of speech and expression–are protected in Israel since they are an inherent part of a person’s dignity as a human being.

Demographic statistics of the population in Israel

Israel’s population is estimated at 9,300,000 residents. Out of these, close to 7,000,000 (about 74% of the total population) are confirmed Jews. 1,966,000 (about 21.1%) are Arabs and 467,000 (5.0%) are considered Others.

Those identified as “Others” include; non-Arab Christians, Seventh-Day Adventists Bahai’s, Samaritans. Other “Others” are Karaite Jews, Messianic Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and immigrants from the former Soviet Union. They identify themselves as Jews but do not satisfy the Orthodox Rabbinical Authorities’ definition of “Jewish” which the Israeli government uses for civil procedures.

The Jewish (recognized as such by the government) population of Israel can be divided into three groups: Orthodox, Traditional, and Secular. Secular Jews make up 41.4% of the Jewish population, Traditional Jews 38.5% of the population, 20% are Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox. In Israel, the Reform and Conservative movements are estimated to make up 7.6% of the Jewish population, a significantly lower number compared to the Jewish diaspora.

Secular Jews

Secular Jews make up a little over 40% of the Jewish population. They identify themselves as Jewish, but not in a religious way and many don’t even believe in God. Many secular Jews practice certain aspects of the religion, such as celebrating the traditional Passover evening meal with family and friends, and/or observing the day of Yom Kippur by fasting and even attending synagogue services. They may even have Friday evening/ Saturday meals with the lighting of candles and blessing the wine and bread, but would drive afterward and light a cigarette. Secular Jews are largely supporters of the Israeli Labor Party and a Secular Zionist state.

Traditional Jews make up about 30% of the Jewish population in Israel.Many of these “traditional Jews” differ from the Orthodox only by less severe observance of the Rabbinic laws. As far as political involvement, many traditional Jews join the Likud political party (the largest party headed by PM Benyamin Netanyahu) or the Sephardic (Jews from Middle East countries) religious party, Shas. they are often seen wearing knitted Kippahs (a small brimless cap.)

30% of the Jewish population identifies as Orthodox (“dati”) or “ultra-Orthodox” (“Haredi”).Politically, they join one of the major religious parties, such as Torah Judaism (Yahadut HaTorah, mainly Ashkenazi, Jews from eastern and western Europe.) Orthodox Jews also wear Kippas, not necessarily knitted.

The ultra-Orthodox (Charedi) is the smallest part of the population, representing only 12% of Jews living in Israel. The Charedim tend to live in their own communities, observing stricter Jewish law by following moral and dress codes passed down from many generations. This part of the population is seen wearing black hats and black Kippahs, and include some Hasidic (sect of ultra-orthodox Jews).

The Arab Population in Israel

Among the 17% of the Arab population in Israel (citizens,) 83% are Muslims, 9% are Arab Christians (mostly Nominal) 8% are Druze. About 10% of the ones who consider themselves Muslims are secular, about 30% are traditional – not so religious. About 50% are religious and 9% are very religious.

Enforcing the Messianic Law

There have been cases where the police detained people accused of illegal missionary activity in Israel, but no one has been charged or sentenced according to these laws. Thus, the authorities’ anti-missionary activity is largely in the form of border controls by the immigration authorities and through the Ministry of Interior’s limitations on aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel) for missionary activists or those suspected of being involved in missionary activity in Israel.

The Israeli border control immigration officers are authorized to approve or refuse entry to Israel for foreign visitors who wish to enter the country as tourists. The border control officials have a wide range of discretion when making the crucial decision to deny entry to a potential visitor. In July 2017, the Ministry of Interior published an updated list of reasons that may cause denial of entry to Israel. Suspicion of missionary activity was also placed on this list for the first time in 2017.

It has happened that tourists have been expelled due to allegations of missionary activity. These cases usually involve participation in a public missionary campaign with a high-profile organization. This activity may attract resistance from the local public and complaints to the police. Although the allegations may be false, it is extremely difficult to stop the expulsion process once it starts.

The Ministry of Interior is particularly suspicious of Christians and Messianic Jews in relation to aliyah to Israel. It is therefore recommended to receive legal counsel prior to starting such a process. Regardless of the legally grey zone surrounding these issues, a person actively engaging in missionary activity in Israel will almost certainly be denied the right to immigrate. This is because Christian proselytizing is considered contrary to the purpose of the Law of Return.

In accordance with the Law of Return, any Jewish person (or descendant of a Jewish person up until the third generation) is entitled to obtain citizenship as a new Oleh (new immigrant) of Israel, so long as they did not convert to another religion. In general, the State of Israel considers Messianic Jews to be Christians, and so, any Jew in the Messianic stream of Judaism is deemed a convert to Christianity. Thus, aliyah becomes very difficult for a Jew who embraces faith in Yeshua (Jesus). That said, there is no legal prohibition against someone who is not Jewish according to Jewish Rabbinic Law (does not have a Jewish mother) making Aliyah if the father has a Jewish mother. This applies even if they are part of another religion, as long as they did not convert. This applies also to Messianic Jews whose mother converted to Christianity before they were born.

Coronavirus, Prophecy, and Israel

By Leave a Comment

The Coronavirus (COVID -19), which first appeared in China’s Hubei Province, is now rapidly spreading around the world at alarming rates, and with it, stock markets are plummeting. Thursday stocks hit their worst losses since the crash of 1987. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 10% for its worst day since a nearly 23% drop on Oct. 19, 1987.

Coronavirus, Prophesy and Israel
Covid 19

It seems that the world is in the grip of this virus in what is becoming a global pandemic. People are rushing to stock their homes with emergency supplies, there is a real danger that it will affect supply and demand proportions very quickly. The virus knows no boundaries, nor does it distinguish between races. It attacks Chinese, Italians, Swiss, Americans, Israelis, Palestinians, Iranians and others around the globe. Millions are in a panic, which is as dangerous as the disease itself. The reality is that people’s livelihoods and health are being threatened at the same time.

Large outbreaks of the virus globally prompted many to link the epidemic to the biblical prophecies of the end times. Christian ‘End Time experts’ have linked the Coronavirus to the events of the Apocalypse.

The Apocalypse

Many Christians believe that the Book of Revelation prophesizes about cataclysmic events that will unfold before the Second Coming of Christ. Some believe that the world has already experienced the three Horsemen of the Apocalypse with religious deception, wars, and famine. Now with the spread of the Coronavirus, they believe the pestilence of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse has started.

Evangelists Gerald Flurry and Wayne Turgeon of The Trumpet said: “It is imperative that each of us takes heed while there is still time.” Charity Mukuba announced: “The rider of this pale horse has been released on earth today. We can already see the plagues of locusts and pestilences like CORONAVIRUS that have brought famine and death.”

John the Apostle wrote in Revelation 6:

“And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

There is however no evidence to suggest that the Coronavirus is the pestilence described in the bible. COVID-19 belongs to a family of viruses that attacked parts of the world in the past. For instance, SARS emerged in 2002 in the Guangdong province of China, and globally spread infecting 8,096 people and causing 774 deaths.

Drastic Measures

Drastic measures are being taken to avoid the spread of the virus and prevent death, as well as avoid the spreading of panic and talk of conspiracy theories. Most of the dead so far are the elderly with previous health problems.

Israel’s rapid implementation of tough quarantine measures was expanded just before the country started celebrating Purim. Anyone entering the country from anywhere in the world must self-quarantine for 14 days, including Israeli citizens. Tourists and non-citizens also have to enter 14 days of self-quarantine after reporting the address where they will be staying. Israel has not closed Ben-Gurion International Airport but most flights to and from Israel have been canceled due to various travel restrictions worldwide and poor ticket sales.

Programs involving international travel, such as the annual March of the Living program, which takes students to Poland to see the death camps of the Holocaust and then moves on to Israel, are postponed.

As the toll of Coronavirus grows, it is crucial not to downplay or exaggerate the threat. Even in a free society, citizens must be willing to sacrifice some of their freedoms and personal comfort for the sake of public health.

Purim 2020

The Jewish month of Adar is a time to rejoice, even more so with the festival of Purim. But this Purim was different as the joy was tainted by this terrible virus. There is some good news from China, where it all started:
There appears to be a slowdown in the outbreak of the virus. With God’s help, a cure or vaccine will be developed in the near future.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a series of government and health ministry decisions urging Israelis to follow stricter hygiene routines, limit public gatherings to 100 people and stay home in self-quarantine if experiencing suspected symptoms.

Netanyahu also asked people not to hold conferences and events if they don’t have to. Schools are closed and higher education facilities will teach remotely. Health Ministry’s Director General called on employers to let more and more employees work from home.

As of today, there are 16 additional confirmed cases of Coronavirus, bringing the national patient count to 126. It was also reported that there are 2,479 health workers in quarantine – among them 949 doctors and 635 nurses. Of those diagnosed with the virus, 91 are in hospitals, one more is being admitted and five are being treated at home, the ministry said. Two Coronavirus patients are in serious condition, and three Israelis have recovered from the disease. As a general rule, people should maintain a reasonable distance from each other.

Pray

As believers, it is important to look to our God and Savior Who is Sovereign over all His creation. It is widely believed that the Coronavirus outbreak will get significantly worse before it stabilizes and gets better. With taking the necessary precautions and abiding by local laws and regulations, we must keep on believing that our God is in control and that He is our protector (Ps. 91). In God’s economy there is no stock market crash. He will supply all of our needs according to HIS riches in glory. We need to pray and rely now on God’s Word and His promises. Do not fear, and do not worry. 

If you are in Israel: hotline (*5400) is open to receive general information and assistance, or the Magen David Adom emergency services (101) in case of flu-like symptoms, including fever, coughing, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing (call before going to the hospital.)