THE THIRD ELECTION

THE THIRD ELECTION

This Monday, March 2st, we will go to the polls to vote for the Parliament (the Knesset) for the third time. Twice we had inconclusive elections, and no coalition could be formed.

Amazingly, after all this, and with his trial set to begin for bribery, it appears that Benjamin Netanyahu is gaining on Benny Gantz and the Blue and White party. It is still my contention that the best government for Israel would be a coalition with Likud and Blue and White. That seems more remote but not impossible. Recent events have been disappointing to me.

First, the leader of the Arab Joint List has made statements that are so extreme that it now may preclude even their support to form a Blue and White government in a parliamentary vote even though they would not be in the government. He has made conditions that require Blue and White to abandon the Gaza defense operations and West Bank anti-terrorist operations. His demands for money for the Arab sector are beyond what Israel can accept (though they deserve much more funding). He has actually empowered Netanyahu.

Another thing that is disappointing is that Benny Gantz has said that he supports the Trump Peace plan but will only move forward on it with international support. If he means more than the U. S., Britain, Brazil, and a few others, then he won’t implement the plan. Bibi is already moving in accord with the United States to apply sovereignty to the areas outlined as being part of Israel in the Trump plan. I think this has lost votes for Gantz and am surprised that the strong conservative, Moshe Yaalon, Bibi’s former defense secretary, did not coach on a better position.

I still believe that we need to have a government where the ultra-Orthodox are less powerful. They are an existential threat to Israel since their population growth in is great, and most of the men do not work and have to be supported by the State. The Ultra-Orthodox Shas Party controls citizenship and precludes important ways forward for some 400,000 Russian Jews and Messianic Jews. The Ultra-Orthodox want to study hair-splitting Talmudic arguments all day and are not productive. This cannot go on, but Bibi’s right-wing government will give them what they want.

We need a lot of prayer. I would like to see a Likud government with Blue and White, may be led by another Likud leader like Gideon Saar. Despite Bibi’s reputation as Mr. Security, I think others in Likud are stronger. In this week’s weekend Jerusalem Post a recent head of the National Security Council in Israel, Uzi Arad, noted as I have said in the past, that Bibi talks strong but acts weak, allowing Hezbollah in Lebanon to re-arm with powerful missiles. He as well not acted strongly enough to deter Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza. I do have a sense that God is involved and his providence will eventually work this out.

Israel’s Orthodox Jewish Crisis

When I first came into Jewish ministry (June 1972), I had very little knowledge of Judaism. I had the best of Evangelical Christian education and also studied at a liberal Christian Seminary. My professors taught about Jewish backgrounds for understanding the New Testament, but not about post-New Testament Judaism. I thought I should study Judaism; how else could I be in Jewish ministry. I read books on Judaism. Then someone gave me an old copy of the Talmud in English translation by Rodkinson. The Talmud is the primary foundation of Judaism; volumes that define the requirements of Judaism based on the debates in the early Jewish schools, Yeshivot. It claims to preserve the Oral Law given to Moses. This very inadequate abbreviation of the Talmud in 10 volumes did not have the classical pagination so I could not look up references. Therefore, I took a copy of the Soncino Talmud in English and went through the Talmud page by page in both editions and added the page numbers to Rodkinson. As part of this, I browsed through the Talmud and more carefully read some parts. I was amazed! I concluded at that time that the Talmud could be divided into four evaluation aspects. First was the most incredible level of legalistic extension and minutia in legal requirements that the world had ever seen. This was the dominant bulk of the Talmud. Secondly, was good wisdom in some applications of the Law. Then there were stories that did sometimes bring out good moral inspiration, and finally some amazing superstitions. I also studied the worship texts of the Jewish people, attended a Jewish college and took a full course on this. This part of Jewish tradition was an accurate reflection about God, his mercy, grace, and redemption based in the Hebrew Bible. It points to Yeshua. God had not left himself without a witness among our people even after our leaders led us astray in the rejection of Yeshua.

Recently I decided to again read through the first part of the Talmud, the Mishnah, which was written down about 200 C. E. I was even more amazed by the arguments and the detailed conclusions by which life is to be regulated in classical Judaism. There were some who were able to relate well to the larger world despite the restrictions Judaism required (Maimonides as a case in point) but the preoccupation with things that are really irrelevant is again amazing. Some will take issue with me and defend this first aspect of the Talmud. My conclusion is that this aspect of Judaism is the result of our leaders in the first century rejecting Yeshua. In a sense, it is a punishment that locks our people into this very restrictive structure. As Yeshua said, the Pharisees already were teaching as precepts the traditions of men. (Matthew 15:9). The punishment was God giving our people up to their choice whereby the precepts of men became multiplied into volumes of unbelievably detailed irrelevant material. One cannot read through the Mishnah with a biblically formed mind and heart and think it shows God’s ideal for His people. It is a great departure from the biblical path.

Orthodox Judaism, the Judaism that seeks to be true to classic Judaism is now established in Israel. Both Sephardic (Eastern and North African) and Ashkenazic Judaism from Eastern Europe maintained the standards of rigid legalism. When the Zionist movement began, Jewish religious leaders rejected it. The Orthodox rejected it due to the teaching that we were not to have a state until the Messiah came and led us back to the Land. Reform Judaism was seeking to break from the Orthodox legal restrictions and be a universal religion. The Zionist nationalism did not fit their desire for Judaism to morph into a universal religion. Only as Zionism succeeded did Orthodox thinkers arise who saw in the re-establishing of Israel a prophetic fulfillment and a foreshadowing of redemption. Rabbi Abraham Kook led in the establishment, in the 1930s, the formation of a nationalistic modern Orthodoxy that would fully support Zionism and the idea of a state. Modern Nationalist Orthodox today fight in the army, seek to be in the professions and to be interacting with the larger society. Modern Orthodoxy in America, as in Yeshiva University in New York, has the same orientation. These folks seek to follow Jewish strictures, but in a way that allows for cultural relevance. What is the problem? The problem is that in Israel they are more and more of a minority. Recent statistics indicate that they are not growing. Young people exposed to the larger world can be convinced to leave the world of Orthodoxy. What is growing greatly is the Ultra-Orthodox. The Ultra-Orthodox have displaced the Modern Orthodox in political power in Israel, though most are not Zionist. The National Orthodox are shrinking in power in comparison. The Ultra-Orthodox lose very few of their children and have large families. Here are some important points.

The Ultra-Orthodox, for the most part, refuse Army service. They claim to be studying Torah and should be exempt. They mean studying Talmud and Jewish debates on the application of Jewish law (Halakah).
They reject courses in their schools that could prepare them for the workforce. Yet the state must pay for these schools.
The men in large numbers do not enter the workforce. Therefore these large Jewish families require enormous expenditures of welfare. The women work to support the family but at low wages.
A very large number of the Ultra-Orthodox are poor.

Article after article in the Jewish press, Hebrew and English, claims that the Ultra-Orthodox are an existential threat to Israel. Why? Because Israel cannot forever support this growing segment of the population that is projected in future decades to be 30% of the Jewish population. The present government (Netanyahu) does not respond to this threat, but gives in to them, to stay in power. This is very shortsighted. The Ultra-Orthodox passed the 1 million mark in 2018. Unless they are economically productive, they will destroy the economy. There is nothing in Jewish Law historically that requires a Jewish observance contrary to personal economic responsibility and productivity. When this battle is finally engaged, it could lead to devastating conflict in Israel.

The thought comes to me. Isn’t it amazing that Judaism, as it developed and now is rooted in Israel, is one of the greatest threats to the State of Israel? And isn’t it amazing that this Judaism grew from out of that ancient Jewish tradition in Talmud that results from the rejection of Yeshua? It is also amazing that the only answer to the paradoxes of the state of Israel and the secular/Orthodox divide is to look back to where this wrong trajectory was set, back to the first century and to embrace Yeshua. The continuing rejection of Yeshua has many causes. Anti-Semitism is one. However, before Anti-Semitism from Christians, there was the Jewish rejection of Yeshua. Other Judaism that is not Orthodox and the secular reject Him in part due to their roots in the formation of classical Judaism between 70 and 600 C. E.

Down the Memory Hole

One of the big differences between the Jewish majority in the United States and the Jewish majority in Israel is how they perceive the Palestinian Arabs. In the United States the majority Jewish leadership, Reform, Conservative and secular are all for a two-state solution. Somehow, they think Israel and the settlements are the problem. The majority of the Israelis believe that the Palestinians have been profoundly dishonest and never had any intention of making real peace with a realistic solution. When they rejected the Clinton-Barak plan and then the Olmert-Bush plan, Israelis drew the conclusion of their insincerity. The last proposal was probably way too generous and gave away too much. Since that time, Israel has turned to right-wing governments and the left has lost almost all its power in Israel. Blue and White is a centrist party with many conservatives.

About 10 days ago, the Palestinian Authority, the supposed moderates passed a resolution declaring that the Jewish people never were even in the Land of Israel. They have no roots here. It has always been Palestinian. This is even beyond the claim that the Temple Mount is not the Temple Mount. So where was the Jewish War with Rome fought? In Spain? What happens to Josephus the historian and Roman historians or other records. History to the P. A. means nothing. Can we in any way believe that if the P. A. will put out such position papers that they have any real intention of a real and lasting peace with the Jewish state? Then they name their squares and streets after terrorists and pay terrorist families high incomes. Israelis mostly believe that a Palestinian state will be a terrorist state as a base to attack Israel. When one lives in Israel, one has access to so much more information on the situation. It is quite clear to me that the Israeli position is the right one!! George Orwell wrote about the Communists simply making up history and putting real historical records down a hole to be destroyed since it was not germane to their communist goals. The Palestinians have a huge memory hole!

The Prime Minister Indicted, What Now?

This is an update on the very painful situation in Israel. After two elections due to the rigid stand of Prime Minister Netanyahu who wants to keep the ultra-Orthodox in his corner, there is no government. Now there are 21 days for any Knesset (Parliament) Member to gain 61 votes to form a government. But on top of all this, Prime Minister Netanyahu, the longest-serving Prime Minister ever, is under indictment for fraud and bribery. It is not worthwhile for me to recount the case. Readers can easily use their search engine to find out. It does seem credible to me though he is innocent until proven guilty. But the general consensus is that though not legally required a Prime Minister should step down, concentrate on his defense and not weigh down the state. Instead, the Prime Minister doubles down, accuses the police of being corrupt in their pursuit of the evidence, the lead prosecutor as a leftist, and the conservative Orthodox Jewish Attorney General as being weak and pressured. He was appointed by Benjamin Netanyahu.

I do believe that another Likud leader (Netanyahu’s conservative party) could pick another good leader to form a government with Blue and White. But only one prominent member has called for new Likud Party primaries to pick someone, Gideon Saar, who by all accounts would be a capable leader. I think that the longer it goes on the weaker Israel becomes. He could step down and gain a commitment from Likud to run again if cleared. This is a nightmare. I have already noted that the ultra-Orthodox bring tyranny to the government and oppress Messianic Jews and Russian Jews who cannot prove their Jewishness by ultra-Orthodox standards. It really is time for a change and for a government without the Ultra-Orthodox.

Israeli Elections

The Israel election looks like a stalemate but it really is not. I will make a prediction. First, as I noted in an earlier post, the basic issue was that the ultra-Orthodox pushed so hard to expand their power and control in society and no work and service to the country, that Lieberman campaigned against them being in the government. Had they not been too demanding, Bibi would have been home free.

The ultra-orthodox say that they will not be in a government with Yair Lapid. Lieberman says he will not be in a government with the Ultra-Orthodox. So this makes it impossible for Netanyahu to form a government of the right. He only has 56 votes and needs 61 in the Knesset. So he needs to form a government with the centrist Blue and White. But they refuse to join with Likud if it is led by the likely to be indicted Netanyahu.

Confused yet? Netanyahu rails against the idea of a government that depends on the Arab party, the Joint List, for sufficient votes to gain over 61.

Yes, if Gantz and Lapid have the votes of Lieberman and the left parties plus the Arab party, they will have 64 votes. That is enough though the Arabs won’t sit in his cabinet. So Netanyahu tries to scare people that depending on Arab votes is a disaster and a deep danger. Again, he demeans the Arab Israelis. He is wrong.

Are you confused yet? I hope you can follow this.

Here is a way forward. Gantz and Lapid say they want a government with Likud and without Netanyahu. But if Likud does not replace him, then they will have to depend on the left and the Arabs. It will be Netanyahu’s Likud’s fault. Netanyahu is wrong and this is not so dangerous because the Arabs will not be in the cabinet. Secondly, the Knesset has to pass legislation and the centrist Blue and White and right parties will have the votes to keep things on the right in policy. Once Netanyahu is replaced, Likud can be invited to join the government later.

So here is my prediction. If Gantz and Lapid do not change their stand toward Netanyahu, they will form a government through the votes of the Left Zionist parties and the Arabs. Even Netanyahu reached out to the left to join him but they refused so that is not so unusual. My prediction is that the Netanyahu era is over. But this can change. Blue and White with Likud could be a good government; address housing, costs of living, security, and greater liberty for Russian Jews, their marriages, and better for Messianic Jews without the Ultra-Orthodox.

Demonizing those who Disagree

I mentioned in my most recent post that General James Mattis wrote an article on the dangers of tribalism and a type of tribal warfare in America. Then more recently Carol Roth, a centrist and independent politically, wrote a very strong article expanding on the same theme. It is not that we disagree but that the other side is the enemy and evil. It is not just the loss of real tolerance and respectful speech. Politics is now elevated to religious fervor since for many this is the central meaning to life.

The primary reason I see for this is the breakdown of the moral consensus of society that was based on the Judeo-Christian Biblical ethic and the importance of biblical faith in some way as a foundation to the society. Even civil religion had its benefits as part of this consensus, though of course, people were not saved by it! Mattis and Roth missed a central issue. When one half of the population believes that killing children in the womb is murder and the other half believes it is a right without which women are not respected, we have such a real division that it is challenging to not demonize the other and both sides do. The pro-choice position is heinous to me, but I still must speak to such people with love and not hate. The loss of faith among many of the pro-choice people does not provide an ethical foundation to treat pro-life people other than as an enemy seeking to destroy women’s rights and freedom. The lawyer for the attacker against Judge Kavanaugh attacked him and others who are more pro-life as misogynists, though the Pro-life movement was mostly women! You can see the polarizing narrative creation.

We see this with issue after issue. On one side are the radical Green deal people who say the world will end soon unless we do radical things that will bring millions into poverty. The other side has doubts and quotes reputable scientists who are in the minority who point to other than human causes for warming and that the danger is exaggerated. Some believe if the human cause is important a more gradual approach is warranted that really does not destroy the lives of people. For those on the Green new deal side, the others are the enemy, hated and vilified.

Also on the immigration sides, those who want controlled borders are called racists though they profess to believe in inviting all races but legally. The level of vilification is terrible, and our Presidents rhetoric does not help. On the other hand, some want blacklists of donors and to “out” Trump supporters for shunning and protest. The people are not engaging in reasoned debate but on the campus and in many locales, the response is bullying, shaming, and rage. I do think that the left is mostly to blame but there is plenty on the right as well.

Think about the LGBT movement. They do not want to just have civil rights but to destroy all that does not support their immoral position. This includes Christian Athletes in Action, to the Salvation Army! So they try to shut down the leading Chicken franchise and ban it from airports and universities.

Bill O’Reilly gives an example of a professor who wrote a book on racists. Every white person who believes he is not a racist proves he is a racist by denying it. And if one admits it, then one is a racist too, of course. Therefore, it is a sin that can never be overcome. It is a total trap and a logical error. This kind of rhetoric can lead to race wars. Yet the left does not speak of the murder rate of black on black and care about a solution for the horror. It is the fostering of hatred for whites and many whites on the left go along with it.

The break down in Israel is similar. Our Prime Minister calls his major opponents in the Blue and White party leftists. But they believe in strong defense, security and are pro free enterprise. In most countries, they would be moderate conservatives. They just do not want to be in a government with the Prime Minister who may soon be indicted or yield to the power of the Ultra-Orthodox. The charges are so extreme. The Ultra-Orthodox make statements vilifying the secular as evil and seeks a controlling interest in the next government. The secular vilifies them back. I have longed for a societal consensus in Israel based on belief in God, belief in traditional morality and a more flexible but positive approach to tradition than the rigidity of the Orthodox. Not much chance of that with Israel’s own LGBT radicals and very liberal abortion policies!

So western societies are breaking down into a kind of tribal warfare.

Again there are two reasons; first loss of the fear of God and a consensus on ethics and morals based on that. With that breakdown, a loss on both sides of a commitment to treat one another with respect. I could at least hope that those who profess to follow Yeshua would lead the way in respectful loving speech when they address their concerns.

Speak Loudly, but Carry a Little Stick

We are soon entering into elections in Israel in just over two weeks.

The right of center party of Benjamin Netanyahu is facing off against Blue and White, the centrist party of General Benny Gantz and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid.

One of the interesting aspects of the campaign is that Blue and White presents itself as committed to a much stronger party against Israel’s terror supporting enemies than Prime Minister Netanyahu who has a reputation for being a hardliner and Mr. Security for Israel. What are the facts about this debate? I want to look at three primary battle fronts and ask some hard questions. How has Israel dealt with Lebanon since the last war with Hezbollah? Secondly, how is Israel handling Hamas, and finally, how has Israel handled the terrorism from the West Bank (Judea and Samaria)? President Teddy Roosevelt famously said, “Speak softly but carry a big stick.” In other words, use real and serious power. Then your words do not have to be loud. The accusation against Benjamin Netanyahu is that he projects great strength, but really is speaking loudly and carrying a small stick. I summarize here the arguments.

First in regard to Lebanon. After the Israel-Lebanon War in 2006, a U. N resolution was passed that led to an Israel withdrawal. The war lasted 34 days. I was visiting my brother in an assisted living facility in Valdosta, George. Richard was a Major in the Airforce and had a good grasp of military strategy. We were quite amazed that Israel tried to win this war by air power and only late in the war brought in ground troops. Also, Israel bombed the infrastructure of the nation of Lebanon and did not merely concentrate on Hezbollah which could have freed Lebanon from the tyranny of this group. He thus turned Lebanon more deeply into an enemy and really empowered Hezbollah. My brother and I were amazed at the feckless way the war was fought under Prime Minister Olmert. The U. N. promised a peace keeping force on the Lebanon border that would prevent Hezbollah from rearming. When Secretary of State Condolezza Rice declared that this would be a robust U. N. force, I knew beyond a doubt that the U. N. would do no such thing but that Hezbollah would be rearmed. Today, this has indeed happened. Hezbollah now threatens with hundreds of thousands of missiles and some may be precision ones, even threatening Tel Aviv. Israel policy under Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to prevent transports from Iran, but really has never the less allowed the rearming. His response could have been, “They are rearming, and if you, the U. N. do not prevent this re-arming, we will go back and disarm them. And we will continue to do so again and again until the U. N. resolution preventing re-arming is enforced.” But short term relative peace in the North and the prevention of the loss of Israeli soldiers, has been attained with terrible danger to the half of Israel.

Secondly, we look at the situation in the West Bank. For years Israel has allowed the Palestinian Authority to pay terrorists attackers and their families. If they die as martyrs, the payments to the families are high. The worse the terrorist, the better the payments. Those in jail in Israel find their families are paid handsomely. We would not object if the payments were at the normal welfare level. This incentivizes terrorism. For years Israel protested, but only recently cut off tax payments in the amount of these payments to the P. A. But this took years. Then Israel allows squares and streets in the West Bank to be named after terrorists, even the worst ones. And Israel allows textbooks to teach anti-Semitism and fosters hate for the Jewish people and Israel. As an occupying military Israel could enforce standards so that this would not be done. Could you imagine the parallel in Germany or Japan after World War II? They had to submit in ways that teaching Nazi ideology or Japanese superiority would not be tolerated. How can there be a peace agreement when the whole culture celebrates terrorism and fosters hatred?

Third, Israel under Benjamin Netanyahu, since the last Gaza War, fears the international community and its unfair response were they to fight a war. A war is more difficult since using civilian human shields is a military strategy for Hamas. So Hamas and Islamic Jihad send rockets to terrorize the towns near the border. They protest the blockade but if they gave up violent attacks and arms for the sake of attacking Israel, the blockade would end. We have explained that the policy of the government in Israel is to keep Hamas in power so the Palestinians have divided government (West Bank under P. A. and Gaza under Hamas) and the two-state solution becomes impossible. But it has been pointed out that if Israel would simply take out more of the Hamas leaders, those surviving would be more likely to cooperate and end the rocket attacks and the violent border protests. Perhaps the Prime Minister believes that such a policy could lead to the collapse of Hamas, but others in Blue and White argue against this. The Prime Minister is building a border barrier against Hamas, and bombs military targets while preventing the loss of life. He speaks loudly. Does he also carry a small stick? Gaza simply needs to give up its military arms that are only needed to attack Israel and the blockade is over.

The next election in two weeks cannot be said to be a contest against a hawkish Benjamin Netanyahu and a dovish left-wing. This is simply not true. The Prime Minister has done many things right, but this election is a very difficult one, not only on domestic policy and the power of the Ultra-Orthodox in Israel, but also on Security policy.

The Quest for Jewish Authenticity

The two most noteworthy developments in the Kingdom of God over the last 50 years are evangelistic progress in the Southern Hemisphere and the emergence of the Messianic Jewish Congregational Movement. By comparison with the growth of Christianity, the Messianic Movement is relatively small. Yet, Jews turning to the Messiah in the context of Jewish oriented New Covenant Congregations is no less significant. These two developments are certainly intertwined and are signs of the
Last Days.

Three Important Conclusions

Over 45 years ago, when the Messianic movement was very small (only three congregations in North America), I wrestled with the issue of Jewish identity and faith in Yeshua. I came to a number of conclusions. The first two are:

Jews who believe in Yeshua were called to maintain a Jewish lifestyle and identity
The irrevocable gifts and call of God to Israel includes Messianic Jews (Romans 11:29)

Many Jews would come to Yeshua; however they would not do so in a context that was foreign to them. A Jewish context to see Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah was needed.

Indeed these two conclusions implied and brought me to the third conclusion:

The most effective means of living out the convictions of conclusions one and two was through culturally Jewish congregations.

As they say, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” As we embarked upon this path in the early 70s, we saw fulfillment well beyond our expectations. The 80s was a special period of growth in America. In the 90s there was great growth in Russia and Ukraine. Today we see significant growth in Israel.

The Call for Jewish Authenticity

Recently, coalitions within the Messianic movement in Israel and America have called for greater Jewish authenticity. These voices are dissatisfied with what they perceive as a mere superficial gloss of Jewishness that is superimposed on a basically Evangelical sub-culture. To that end they are speaking out, writing articles and organizing convocations; all with a view towards establishing greater authenticity within the Messianic community. Authenticity implies a depth in conveying reality; in this case the reality of that which is good in Judaism. There are benefits and dangers in this call. The issues are not new; some forget how much we wrestled with these questions forty years ago.

Our theology has to be determined by interpreting the Bible in its original context. If many of our conclusions place us in accord with Evangelical Christianity or other types of Christianity, so be it. If a true interpretation of the Bible requires us to be distinct from Evangelical Christianity or other types of Christianity, so be it. The quest for Jewish authenticity must not produce an orientation that rejects something that is biblical simply because it is not presently embraced by the Jewish community! This is the greatest danger. Community is a powerful force for conformity. Integration into the Jewish community can produce such a desire to conform that it risks down-playing biblical truth.

A Biblical Approach to Jewish Authenticity

For over forty years I have argued that Jewish believers should be authentically Jewish. As I have studied the issues, my perspectives have changed concerning what constitutes authenticity. However, the more I study, the more I perceive the extent of mixture in what we know of as Judaism and Jewish culture. Sometimes, Judaism reflects biblical truths and values. Jewish traditions of interpretation and Jewish practices can be natural extensions of biblical truth. Creative development that reflects God’s truth, beauty and goodness is important for Jews to note, appreciate, and appropriate. Scripture admonishes us to give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7). The biblical command to honor our parents has been interpreted to imply grandparents and ancestors by most Jewish and Christian interpreters. That is, those who gave such good to us and our families are to be honored.

However there is also much that is not in accord with the spirit of the Bible. In the quest for authenticity, we must first have a biblically renewed mind, centered on Yeshua. Only from this mind can we discern that which is good, beautiful and true (Philippians4:8, Romans 12:2). Only from this mind can we discern that which is not good, and forgive our ancestors for this. We are to abandon that which is not good. This also honors our Jewish heritage.

Judaism has its legalistic minutiae that are not in accord with Yeshua. Some circles of Judaism accept kabalistic magic. There are interpretations and practices that are not in accord with the New Covenant. We must avoid a Jewish pride and idolatry of Judaism and Jewish ancestral teachers. This would lead to honoring everything Jewish as if it were all good and wonderful. In addition, for Jews today, we must emphasize that the way to salvation is only through Yeshua! I should note that living in Israel, speaking the language, and living in this Israeli culture is a step of authenticity (not fully adequate, but a big step). I also note that the principles we put forth here apply to the Christian heritage and to all cultures.

The Imagined Jewish Visitor

Sometimes, the quest for authenticity focuses on the imagined Jewish visitor. What will the average Jew or especially the religious Jew think if they come to our services? How will they respond to the evangelical projections of our speech? How will they respond to our lack of depth in the knowledge of Judaism? How will they respond to the poor reading of Hebrew in some congregations? Certainly, we can improve in all these areas. However, we can also place too much emphasis on these concerns. What is our motivation? Are we seeking to honor Yeshua or gain acceptance within the Jewish community?

The Leveling Power of the Holy Spirit

One of the clear conclusions I have embraced is that the Holy Spirit is the great leveler in human effectiveness. The simplest person operating in the power of the Spirit is easily a match for even the most authentically educated and sophisticated Jew.

Some thirty odd years ago, I visited an unusual Messianic Congregation. The culture and faith expression of the congregation was notably Pentecostal. I am not just referring to theology. Their whole cultural projection was a mixture of Jewish elements and this particular Christian subculture. The Hebrew was poorly pronounced. Pentecostal hymns were sung along side the new Messianic movement’s music. I have to admit I was embarrassed and perhaps even a little indignant at what I perceived as an incongruous cultural mix (This is not to say I do not appreciate Pentecostal culture – I certainly do).

Yet, there were more Jews in this congregation than most Messianic congregations at that time. Why? The Spirit was moving in power. Jews were being healed of diseases. Miracles and answered prayer were commonplace within this ministry. Word got around. What a lesson! This did not make me want to return to Washington and adopt a more Pentecostal culture. Yet, I was chastened. Yes, only the real power of God in Yeshua centered preaching, worship and personal witness will bring our people to the knowledge of the truth.

In our quest for authenticity, we must never forget this. The Holy Spirit gives his power to simple, ordinary people who have faith and love. Through Him they can do mighty deeds with an anointing that draws people to Yeshua. May the Messianic movement fully embrace this truth and never depart from it. Such is our goal in Tikkun within and outside of Israel.

Zionism And Justice

Ten or so years ago I walked into an airport bookstore and saw Jimmy Carter’s (then) new book on Israel and the Palestinians. At the time, there was been quite a commotion over this book. Carter used the word ‘apartheid’ to describe the potential of Israeli policies – I feared the worst. What I found was a rehashing of the same ideas as the “peace now” groups in Israel: Israel should pull back from the “West Bank” and return to the 1967 U.N. accepted borders. Minor adjustments could be made for security, including keeping some settlements. This would entail trading some land on the Israel side of the old border (the green line). Really, this was not much different than the Barak negotiated plan offered to Arafat in 2000. Carter’s book sadly had a tone of blaming Israel for the present stalemate. I found it to be over the top. Many factual errors were documented by reviewers such as Harvard University’s Alan Dershowitz.

For the sake of our readers then and now, I think it is important to have a short and solid statement of response. Messianic Jews are Biblical Zionists. Zionism is the view that it is important for Jews to return to the Land of Israel and that this is a just and right cause. Biblical Zionists add that this land has been given to the Jewish people as their homeland, which is a Scriptural teaching. There is a clear promise of a returning to the Land repeated again and again throughout scriptures. The question remains, where should followers of Yeshua stand, both Jew and Gentile?

Does God Have a Say?

Most justice commentators and policy makers today ignore the most important point: God is the owner of the whole earth, He has the right to allocate land as He sees fit. Eventually all land will be allocated by God, but as a precursor to this just allocation, God challenges the world to accept His allocation of one very small piece of property, a property the size of New Jersey. Although former President Carter means well, and does claim to be representing Christian values, his unwillingness to embrace God’s Word on this matter places him strictly within the camp of secular humanism.

The most important thing for us as committed disciples of Yeshua is God’s will. This is always the first justice issue. Looking back on the 19^th century, England was influenced by the Bible and had embraced as their national destiny the role of restoring Israel as a nation. God was allowed to speak. What a difference a century makes!

But what about Palestinian rights?

Some say that the Palestinians have been displaced from land they had occupied for hundreds of years and this is unjust. It is crucially important to break the deception of this argument. First, we must ask at what point a people cease to have claim to their land? Let us say that one nation displaces another and then occupies that land for ten years. Can the former people who were displaced come back and justly retake their land? Most would say yes. What about in fifty years? What about in five hundred years? An absolute right is not given to keep possession of a land that was obtained by expelling the original occupants, even many years after the fact. Native Americans lost most of their land but now seek compensation after hundreds of years. We think that such arguments are credible; otherwise we would say that the occupation of the land by Europeans for hundreds of years nullifies any claim. Justice issues cannot be solved by this argument, especially since God has spoken on this issue.

In addition, most of Israeli land was not gained by pushing Palestinians off their land. From the 1880s to 1948, the Jews returned to a desolate land that was sparsely populated and purchased the land for their settlements. State owned land passed from the Turkish Empire to Britain and then to Israel. In the 1948 and 1967 wars, Israel did displace some Palestinian occupants, but many of these were for security reasons.

On the basis of the justice issues, the U.N. voted to form the state of Israel in 1948. For a brief period, the world entertained the just cause of the Jewish people. The countries of the world had proven that they could not be trusted with the protection of their Jewish minority. Therefore the U.N. voted to give the Jews their own state on land they reclaimed from desolation as well as land purchased from Arab owners who gladly sold the land in exchange for the funds they received.

Two of the wars fought after this decision led to border changes, these were in 1948 and 1967. Throughout history justice was played out this way: the aggressor rightly loses land and is penalized if defeated in war. This principle of historic justice is ignored by U.N. resolutions. Aside from reference to God’s promise, Israel has a justice issue to have their own country in their own land. This is the most outstanding claim of justice in history. This is a claim that should be recognized by the whole world in the light of Jewish historical suffering.

In her classic study “From Time Immemorial,” Joan Peters debunks the idea that most Palestinians are from long term landed descendants. She uses census figures from the Turkish Empire to show that the majority of the Palestinians are recent 20^th century immigrants to the land.

The Palestinians do have one justice claim. It is the claim of the stranger in the midst of Israel. They are to be treated generously and with justice. However, this refers to a category of people who are willing to live in a land they accept as having been given to the Jews by God. This is not referring to a people that seek to destroy the Jewish State! The big justice issues are all on the side of Israel (we could refer to them as macro-justice issues). The Palestinians do have some micro-justice
issues as “strangers in the midst”. The Arabs have property in the Middle East that is so extensive that the justice issue is made even clearer.

The Bible indicates that there will be a great return to the land of Israel before Israel comes to faith in Yeshua. We see this in Ezekiel 36 and 37 as well as Matthew 23:37-39. Only after this return will Israel be filled with the Spirit. Until then, there will be ups and downs.

All the nations seek a world order that excludes the God of the Bible, who is the God of Israel. But God will not allow this. Israel, even in her unbelief challenges this view, but will fulfill that role completely when she comes into her fullness of faith through Yeshua Hamashiach.

Elections Again

We are now living in an amazing and unprecedented situation in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not able to form a collation and the sticking point is the conflict between former Defense Minister, Avigdor Liberman and the Ultra Orthodox parties that Netanyahu also wants in his government. Liberman is on the side of the secular on several issues. One is an easier conversion process for Russian Jews who are not accepted as sufficiently Jewish by the Orthodox establishment. Another is allowing necessary transportation work on Shabbat or allow stores to open on the Sabbath. Thirdly is the egalitarian prayer area at the Western Wall for Reform and Conservative Jews. Fourthly is the level of welfare support for ultra-Orthodox Jews who do not want to work but study the Talmud and Jewish texts all day. Work requirements are crucial. However, the one issue that he went to the mat on is the conscription of the Ultra-Orthodox in the Army. The bill that was accepted for the first reading (three votes are necessary for a bill) was a very moderate increase in service for the Ultra-Orthodox. It really is not adequate but is a step. The Supreme court has ruled that the Ultra-Orthodox cannot be exempted in so many instances. The Netanyahu coalition has legislation ready to over rule the Supreme Court by a majority vote in the Knesset. In addition, they have legislation ready that precludes all parliament members from being indicted. This is a push back against the looming indictment of the Prime Minister for financial crimes in contracting. Yet Bibi got elected with the population knowing all this. Many Messianic Jews are troubled by all of this. They are the brunt of Orthodox control of citizenship issues.

We are often told that the Israeli public is very angry about the control of the Ultra-Orthodox. If Bibi is again victorious he will again try to have a government with the Ultra-Orthodox and they will have tremendous control over Israel society. Many have pointed out that the Ultra-Orthodox will have a higher and higher percent of the population and if they do not work or serve in the Army, the future is a disaster. If the last election proves anything and if the results are repeated again it really proves that the Israeli secular public is not nearly so worried about the Ultra- Orthodox. However, my great question is about Benjamin Netanyahu. Does he care about the issue of the Ultra-Orthodox? Does he not see the danger? Blue and White, the opposition party is really not leftist. I think it is a center party, maybe even right of center. There could be a strong coalition with Likud, Bibi’s party, and Blue and White under Gantz. This would then lead to a stable government without the control of the Ultra-Orthodox. However, Blue and White will not enter a government with a Bibi near to be indicted. They could enter and prevent a bill to provide Bibi with immunity. We need to pray, pray and pray some more.