Rabbi’s Reflections – Friday, November 26, 2021
(Early) Shabbat Shalom,
Shalom again. On Thursdays I write for Friday, which means I’m writing this on Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving is the gateway to the presence of God. Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise! Praise Him, bless His Name. I came across this RR from 4 years ago and thought I would “punch it up” and republish it today. It’s my way of taking the day off. I pray you were able to enjoy a day of rest as well.
Adapted from Sunday, November 25, 2018
How is it that “Zionism” has become such an evil word to the “Woke” mindset? The biggest lie that could ever be told is that “Zionism = Nazism.” Zionism is the idea that Jews should be self-governing in their own land. Nazism contains within it the idea that Jews shouldn’t even be on the earth. The original “two state solution” was Jordan and Israel, but that was never enough for the Jordanians nor the rest of the Arab world, so they went to war against Israel, repeatedly.
Now the cry is to “return to the pre-1967 borders.” Except the the pre-1967 borders were never borders, they were armistice lines when the fighting stopped at the end of the 1948 War of Independence. For 19 years those armistice lines were not recognized as borders by any Arab nation. History teaches us that “appeasement” is never a good diplomatic strategy.
Today, anti-Semitism is spreading like wildfire worldwide. Israel was founded because Jews need protection. Without a Jewish state, who will defend the civil rights of Jews? Let me tell you how this happened 125 years ago.
In 1894 Theodore Herzl observed the handling of the Dreyfus Affair (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreyfus_affair) by politicians, the courts and in the press. He became convinced that if one Jew could be so robbed of justice (about 12 years later Dreyfus was exonerated of all charges), then no Jew was safe anywhere. The Holocaust proved he was right.
It was Theodore Herzl, himself, who first said in German, “Wenn Ihr wollt, ist es kein Märchen….” In Hebrew it begins “Im Tirtzu” (if you will). “If you will it, it is no dream.” Herzl meant it as a double entendre meaning both “if you will allow me…” and “if your desire is strong enough.”
Theodore Herzl is called in Hebrew “Chozay HaMedinah” (visionary of the state). He organized the first Zionist Congress in 1897 in Basel, Switzerland. He planned it first for Munich but the opposition to it there was too great, so he moved it to Switzerland.
He wrote in his diary a few days later, “Today we just founded the Jewish State.” He went on to say in his diary, “If I said that out loud today, people would laugh, but 50 years from now they will know it is the truth.” No doubt, Herzl was more prophetic than he realized. He is mentioned by name in the Israeli Declaration of Independence that was read by Ben Gurion in May of 1948. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZDSBF5xtoo End RT.
When Herzl began promoting Zionism, the majority of Jews were against it. Both the orthodox and reform movements were against it. They viewed the idea as man’s attempt to interfere with God’s sovereignty. They believed God had promised to return His people to the Land, so how dare we humans step in and do something about it.
Today the Jewish opponents to Zionism, the idea that Jews should live in the promised land and govern themselves, is but a small minority. Most of us see the modern State of Israel as the fulfillment of God’s promised destiny for Jewish people.
But for us Messianics, the promise of God to restore the nation (both the northern and the southern kingdoms) is not yet fully realized. Let’s recall Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones (chapter 37). The last part of verse 6 is not yet complete. “Then I will put breath in you. You will live. You will know that I am Adonai.” “Breath” in Hebrew is “Ruach,” or “Spirit.” Sadly, today, most Israelis are not filled with the Spirit of God.
Yet this promise is as old as the Exodus from Egypt. Exodus 6:7 I will take you to Myself as a people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am Adonai your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
This verse promises that the Jewish people will be the people “of God.” It is in the Haggadah (Passover Seder prayerbook) as the promise of the 4th (and final) cup of the Seder. I’m using 5 descriptions for this last cup. It is the cup of promise, the cup of destiny, the cup of victory, the cup of celebration, and the cup of the second coming.
Jeremiah (7:23) saw this coming; a time when the people of God will fully walk according to His commandments. So did Paul (Romans 8:4). And so do we, by faith, agree with the promises made by God to bring His people into right relationship with Himself. Pray with me, as we agree with God’s promises for the salvation of K’lal Yisrael (the whole community of Israel). The state of Israel is part of it (back in the land), but not all of it, a part of the promise remains, “I will put My Spirit within you.” Bo Yeshua bo, come Yeshua come.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Fri 26-Nov-2021 22nd of Kislev, 5782
Ge 39:7-23 1 Sa 12 Ps 52 Mk 9:1-29 (1 Co 11)
Week 48
Memory Verse: Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great Kohen Gadol who has passed through the heavens, Yeshua Ben-Elohim, let us hold firmly to our confessed allegiance. 15 For we do not have a kohen gadol who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all the same ways—yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near to the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help in time of need.
236 11/25 Monday: Philippians 1-2
237 11/26 Tuesday: Philippians 3-4
238 11/27 Wednesday: Hebrews 1-2
239 11/28 Thursday: Hebrews 3-4
240 11/29 Friday: Hebrews 5-6