Shalom my friends and Happy New Year! So I recently saw a post with an article attached that read, “Rabbis bring Jesus home for Christmas.” Of course, it piqued my curiosity so I opened the article and by the time I finished reading it, I couldn’t help but praise the Lord. Orthodox Rabbis in Israel are opening their hearts to Jesus, little by little. The years of animosity towards the name of Jesus and the barrier that divided Jews from Christians are falling down. There are also many Jews that are being grafted back into their own root, who according to the Bible are the remnant according to the election of grace (Romans 11:5). All of this is a deep work by the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit), and it is marvelous in our eyes!

With that said, there is another deep work that the Spirit is doing; healing from the “parting of the ways.” There was a gradual decline between two groups within the Body of Christ, the Jews and Gentiles that happened after the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D that resulted in the “parting of the ways.” Along with this was the diminishing of the Jewish roots within the church. This was due to the growth of Gentile leadership that dominated the church. At the same time, the Jewish believers suffered a great deal of persecution at the hands of Gentile leadership for being part of national Israel. They were also given an ultimatum that if they wanted to continue to be a part of the church, they had to forfeit their Jewish heritage. While this tragedy continued for centuries, God had a few strategies of His own in restoring the Jewish identity within the church so that His last-day plan for Israel and the rest of the nations would be fulfilled.

Part of that strategy includes the Gentile believers within the church and their reconnection to the Jewish roots of their faith. As this happens, a restoration of love ushers in for Israel the people and the result is they walk in their calling of provoking the Jews to jealousy. (Romans 11:11) In addition, they also encourage Jewish believers within the Body of Yeshua in keeping their Jewish identity. When this happens, the convergence and unity between Jewish and Gentile believers form what Paul coined, the One New Man, His church (Ephesians 2:15).

Without getting into detail now but at a later time, we will touch on both identities that make up the One New Man. This subject I believe is a priority with God because without the working and calling of both identities, there is no One New Man.

The One New Man’s call is vital in these last days as it has everything to do with Israel awakening to their Messiah and into the fullness of their priesthood that God ordained them to walk in from the beginning. See, the gifts and callings of God are without repentance and if we can receive this verse of scripture in its original context, this passage that many of us have quoted, Paul was actually referring to Israel (Romans 11:29). They were and are still called to the priesthood whether they realize it or not. And now the Gentiles who have been grafted in, are also partakers of that calling! Hallelujah!

Glory to God we are seeing more and more Jewish people awakening to their Messiah which is prophetic, no short of miraculous, and again, as the One New Man we get to be a part of it! And that is, cooperating with God by co-laboring in prayer for Israel’s salvation and boldly in love, bringing the gospel of their Messiah to them.

In the past few years, I have taught a message called “Why to the Jew First.” I felt a few years ago to also share it here on the blog. I think this would be an appropriate time to share some of the content from that post as well as add some new thoughts. My hope is as you read, you will receive a greater understanding of Romans 1:16 and how we, as the One New Man must arise with this understanding and move forward to fulfill the plan of God in these last days. So, Why to the Jew First? I have an answer for you, but first, let me begin with the following:

From the beginning of time, everything that God gave to man to establish His purpose here on earth, came with a pattern or a blueprint from Heaven. He gave specifics of these blueprints for a higher purpose; redemption. For example, Noah was given a blueprint on how to build the ark. Moses was given a blueprint of the tabernacle and its furnishings that were patterned after the heavenly things (Hebrews 8:4-5) David was given the blueprint for the Temple built by his son Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:11-21). Jesus Himself came as the High Priest of the good things to come with the greater and a more perfect tabernacle not made with hands… (Hebrews 9;11). He also gave us a pattern for prayer…”Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” (Matthew 6:10). So each and every blueprint/pattern included a plan of redemption. 

Many of us don’t realize this, but God laid out a pattern for the church to follow concerning salvation. This pattern is within the following passage of scripture that many of us in the church are familiar with and we quote it, yet unfortunately, the second half is usually omitted. Let’s read:

Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, To THE JEW FIRST AND ALSO TO THE GREEK.” 

Let’s dive into the Bible and see this pattern that Jesus Himself followed. It all began after His immersion and temptation (Matt 3&4). The first place He went to was Capernaum which was in the Jewish tribal regions of Zebulun and Naphtali. Isaiah prophesied this in 9:1-2 and was quoted by Matthew:

Matthew 4:15-16, ““The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:1-2) 

Jesus knew His assignment was to go first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He also commissioned His disciples to do the same:

Matthew 15:24 – “But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 

Matthew 10:5-6, “These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 

The above scriptures contain within them this pattern of redemption/salvation, to the Jew first, which was foundational then as it is for us now.

You may be thinking that it doesn’t seem fair that Jesus who died for all the world, went to the Jew first. Why did He go to the Jew first, and what about the Gentiles? Let’s look again into the Bible.

Before Jesus commissioned his disciples to not go in the way of the Gentiles, but to go to the lost sheep of Israel, we find in chapter 8 that He healed the centurion’s servant because of his faith. In chapter 15 after Jesus told the Canaanite woman that He was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, He healed her daughter because of her faith.

Paul said to the Jew first AND…the Greeks/Gentiles. Nowhere does it say to the Jew only, but to the Jew first. He practiced this pattern even though he was the apostle to the Gentiles. He practiced bringing the good news to his Jewish brothers first as he entered their synagogues before going anywhere else (see Acts 14:1;17:2; 18:4). His heart was to see his Jewish brethren saved (Romans 10:1).

So, why to the Jew first? I still have an answer for you but we are going to need to pick this back up next week so we can look further into the scriptures to examine this pattern and God’s ultimate plan for these last days which originated with a promise to a man named Abraham and from that, to the Jew first. And by the way, I pasted the link to the article about the Orthodox Rabbis that brought Jesus home for Christmas below if you would like to read it at your convenience. Please feel free to reach out and comment here on the blog.

Until then, may the Lord bless and keep you and may His face shine upon you through the light and glory of His Son Yeshua, Jesus our Messiah!

Shalom!

Ellen, Brucha

Rabbis Bring Jesus Home for Christmas