Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Jewish Evangelism - Making Jews Jealous (part 6)

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I woke up this morning with this verse on my mind ... Luke 21:28b stand straight and lift up your heads, because your salvation is near! Yeshua spoke these words to Jewish people. They apply to the rest of us because we are grafted in. But that's only part of one verse. The context is important.

Yeshua begins by prophesying a time of trouble. Luke 21:24b Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. And it was just like that for almost 2,000 years. Thus, Isaiah was proven correct in his prophesy. Isaiah 6:11 Then I said, "Adonai, how long?" He answered, "Until cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, houses are without people, and the land is utterly desolate.

Paul, also agreed with this, just before his "all Israel shall be saved" prophesy. Romans 11:25-26a For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant of this mystery - lest you be wise in your own eyes - that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and in this way all Israel will be saved.

Yes, the objective of all this pain, suffering and desolation is the salvation of all Israel. The prophesy is of a "partial hardening"... until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Don Finto once wondered out loud, if "the fullness" (which is a strange use of words) might not be a fullness of understanding, appreciation and just plan awareness by Gentiles of God's intended purposes for His people Israel.

How will the body of Messiah provoke Jewish people to the jealousy promised by God? Deuteronomy 32:21b So I will make them jealous with a non-people. The body of believers is the perfect "non-people." When the life testimony of those "non-people" Yeshua followers offer a witness of the continual presence of God, that will make Israel jealous. How does this look? When the body of believers shows its love for Israel and the full body of Messiah is walking in blessing by celebrating the feasts, sabbaths, and the whole calendar originally given to Jewish people as appointed times, that will make Israel jealous too.

The Scripture says, "to the Jew first," but not to the "Jew only." There are 10,000 registered ministries in the 9 county area, Knox County itself, plus the surrounding 8 counties. Yet most people in this "buckle of the Bible Belt" are not connected to a faith community. They are lost. So we see the harvest is still plentiful. Many will be saved, some of them will be Jewish. All are dearly loved by God.

Do you remember I write these posts for me? I just publish them so you can see what I've written to myself, and maybe be blessed as you read them. I'm calling for a change of heart here. Not for you, but for me. Jewish evangelism is really just a "heart thang." Please join me in praying. I'm asking God to open the door. Use me in evangelism in general and Jewish evangelism in particular. Okay, let's pray for you as well.