In the footsteps of Messiah

Depending upon the “Messiah” one chooses to follow – be it religious, political, military, collective, ideological, philosophical – “that”, “he”, “they”, “it” is our role model that gives us our world-view. Judaism has had, till this very day, several famous “messiahs”, and their adherents and devotees seek to walk in their footsteps, despite the fact that their “messiahs” failed in the very thing that they had given hope for, which is the “Jewish reason” for rejecting Jesus/Yeshua, since in their mind He did not fulfill their expectations. Usually, peace is the hope, especially for “me” and for “us”. The God of all creation is usually put aside, and certainly the Redeemer and Savior – the Son of God – is unknown and discounted. (Prov 30:4) In the Christianized West, the love and pursuit of money, happiness, health, praise from men, fame has practically become the idols of our pursuit determining our footsteps, often “in Jesus’ name”. (1Jn 2:15-21) Jesus/Yeshua, and the apostle John have told us that many false prophets and Christs/Messiahs will come, some in His name. (Mt 24:3-14; 1Jn 4:1-6) 

Only Yeshua/Jesus has the “credentials” of being the true Anointed One of YHVH God, the Creator and the Savior of all mankind – both Jewish and non-Jewish and a mixture of the two. The testimony of Yeshua is the spirit of prophecy. Yeshua is not the “Jewish Messiah”; He is YHVH’s Anointed One – the Prophet, High Priest, and King. (Ps 2:1-3) He entered the world as a Jew, to be the kinsman redeemer of the Jewish Israeli people. But He also entered the world as the Son of Man, qualified to be the Redeemer and Savior of all and anyone who believes, and to be the Judge of believers and unbelievers. (Is 33:22; Acts 10:42-43; 17:30-31) The Jewish people did not select Him; neither did any other people or person appoint or anoint Him.  Other religions and faiths have their own “messiahs”, but God the Father has declared of Yeshua/Jesus of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem of Judah in Israel: “This is My Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!” “He is My King who will sit on David’s throne in Zion.” “All Israel, and the Gentile nations, are His inheritance!” (Mt 17:1-8; Dt 32:7-9; Ps 2:7-12; Is 19:23-25) 

For us who know and believe that Jesus/Yeshua is the true Messiah and Son of God, we willingly, by the grace of God in the power of the Holy Spirit and love, want to follow Him wherever He leads us, and to walk as He walked in the world. (Mt 16:21-27; Rev 14:1-5; 1Jn 2:3-6; 1Cor 11:1; Rom 8:35-39) His Kingdom is not of this world; if it were, He would have us fight for it and take it by force; but His Kingdom is not of this world, usurped by Satan to terrorize and control it, and to blaspheme the good and holy Name of his Creator and Lord in the process. (Gen 3:1-5, 14-15; Jn 18:33-37; 2Cor 4:1-6; 1Jn 5:18-21) Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and if we suffer for Jesus’/Yeshua’s sake, we have far more to look forward to than whatever this world and the devil tempt us with or terrorize us to accept.  Will Yeshua/Jesus find the faith when He returns – not just “faith” in whatever, but the faith once and for all delivered to the saints? (Jude 1:3-4)

Israel as a nation, and Jewish people everywhere – as YHVH’s chosen people and nation and land (all of which together are representative of all humans and the whole Earth) – are being willfully railroaded but unwillingly led, even as they till now unwanted sovereign King to the point of death, like Isaac. Yeshua was led, and willfully and willingly followed all the way to death, and death on the cross. As the Shepherd of Israel, Yeshua/Jesus is leading His sheep in the way of the cross so that they may forever die to themselves and live unto YHVH their God as His holy people and nation. We who consider ourselves as belonging to and following Jesus/Yeshua, are supposed to willingly and willfully follow our Good Shepherd. The Jewish people and Israel do not understand why they are being so persecuted and hated and mistreated; but we are supposed to know why not only they, but also why we who are disciples of Jesus are also hated by those of the world. 

When we listen to those who support Israel, and when we listen to the others who support Palestine, without any knowledge one could find some plausibility on each side of the dispute. Each has its own “righteousness” to make them feel justified in their position, and to think that others will accept their narrative and reasons. But what does the Word of the LORD say: “We are all like an unclean thing, and all of our righteousnesses are like filthy rags…” “There is none righteous, no not one.” (Is 64:4-7; Ps 14; Rom 3:9-19) We often hear Christians accuse Israel of being an apartheid nation, which is simply not true, discrimination and all. 

We also hear Christians, often generated by Arab Christians, who want other Christians in the West, and countries and companies to stop supporting and doing business with Israel, to stop using their “tax-payers’ money” to support a repressive regime like Israel and supporting her in its : genocide” against the Palestinian people. This is siding with the evil-doers, and is pure hypocrisy on the part of these Christians, and often claiming it is what Jesus would do. How many billions of dollars and Euros have gone to the Palestinian Authority; and how many billions of dollars and Euros have gone to Hamas, supposedly to enable them to build up the life and people under their governance and control?! Yet, it is documented in plain view that all that money was not used for the intended purpose over many years, but rather to build a terror-based network of slavery and death, enriching those who hold the purse strings, all for the intent of destroying the Israeli Jewish nation. Where is the outcry and uproar by those who condemn Israel?! “Rachel is weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more” is very real here in Israel, heightened by the ruthless murders of the six hostages recently in a Gazan tunnel. This is also to walk in the footsteps of the Messiah.

The devil is the accuser of the brethren.  It is very easy to accuse Jews:  the whole of the Bible is an open book of our sins, and of God’s displeasure with that. Yet, He sent Yeshua/Jesus into the world to save sinners, of which we are chief, since we received the Torah and are therefore more accountable as a nation. It is easy to accuse Christians of breaking the commandments of Jesus, and we are told to examine and judge ourselves so that we do not have to be judged with the world. We are told to get the plank out of our own eye so that maybe we can help another get the speck out of theirs. It is the New Covenant shed blood of the Messiah on the cross that covers us and provides forgiveness, but unless we have repented and believed that good news, then that same shed blood condemns us.

The spiritual warfare that we are in is the fleshed-out war between the devil and Yeshua, the beloved Son of God. Satan’s general hatred of YHVH is directed at humanity in general; his particular hatred and venom are directed to the Jews and to disciples of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah/Jesus Christ, because we are the covenanted people of the God of covenants. (Rev 12:13-17)  Israel and the Jewish people are being hounded towards a “final solution”, just as Yeshua was, hoping to destroy us and Him. By all natural appearances, it seemed as if the enemy – both spiritual and natural – did succeed, and will succeed: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?!”; “He trusted in God, let God save him.” “These are the chosen people, let them trust in Him, and let their God save them.” 

Yeshua asked those religious leaders who opposed Him and who were stirring up the multitude to oppose Him: “The baptism of John…was it from Heaven, or of man?” That is really a question that demands an answer from everyone today regarding the reestablishment of the nation-state of the Jewish people, Israel, and especially if we are unbelieving Jews, or if we are Gentile or Jewish believers in Jesus. Is it part of the fulfillment of every jot and tittle of Moses and the Prophets; or is it not?  And it seems, as with Jesus Himself for both Jews and Gentiles, it is a sign being spoken against, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. The people of Israel cannot be separated from their representative King, who will battle for them “in that day”. O, that many today would repent and believe the gospel “today”, rather than hope that God might have mercy on them then!

The not-so-far-off time for the daily sacrifices to resume after such a long time will be the Jewish people’s way of trying to “appease an angry God”, and of hoping for His protection. Yet these sacrifices cannot achieve that; even so, there will be those whose hearts the God of Heaven will see that they are genuine, and He will in His goodness and mercy reveal the truth of Yeshua/Jesus to them, as He did with Saul/Paul. No believer in Jesus and His once-for-all sacrifice for our sins should in any way offer any sacrifice of any kind when these “dailies” begin (nor donate towards it beforehand)! Do not let any man or spirit deceive you about that!  Evangelize, but do not participate in or encourage the sacrifices, even though it is prophesied that “they must be, for it is written.” It is also written that many people will wind up in Hell, but we do not have to help them go there! 

In the footsteps of Messiah, just as it seemed to all natural reasoning that God had indeed forsaken His Son on the cross, so will it seem that the antichrist succeeds towards finishing off and ridding the world of the Jewish people (and Christians) by the end of Jacob’s Trouble/Great Tribulation. (Mt 24:21-22) Yet, just as faith knows that the Father did forsake His beloved Son on the cross to a cruel death and to taste death – separation from the Father — for everyone, so that God does not need to forsake any person who believes in Him, faith also knows that He will not utterly forsake His beloved Jewish people whom He chose for His glory to be a holy people and nation, and He will be their God. (Jer 30:4-11)  

The blessed hope of the 12 tribes of Israel, and of the believers in Jesus/Yeshua is the resurrection of the righteous dead on the last day. (Jn 11:23-27; Dan 12:1-4; Acts 26:4-8) Death cannot destroy either Israel or the Church!  Praise the Lord, who is victorious over death, and all His great and precious promises will be fulfilled!  “In Isaac your seed shall be called”, YHVH spoke to Abraham. The delusion that God put on people is to believe that He “is not here”, and will not and cannot, therefore, powerfully intervene to vindicate His great and holy Name. The resurrection of the Messiah proved His “credentials”; the salvation of the full remnant from all the tribes that will be “all Israel” will vindicate YHVH’s holy Name, and that there is NONE LIKE HIM! He will be their God, and they will be His people. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!