(Jewish history israel.blogspot.com)
Why does Israel matter?
Did you know that the time clock of the return of Jesus Christ
isn’t based on America’s timeline? It’s based on what is happening in Israel.
Did you know Jesus wasn’t a “Christian” ? He was a Jew. He celebrated and kept the Jewish holy days and customs, as well as the feasts of the LORD. He didn’t come to eradicate the Torah and writing of the Prophets / Old Testament. He came to fulfill
the prophecies that were written in them.
When Jesus returns, He isn’t returning to the United States.
The Bible says He is going to plant His foot down on the Mount of Olives and go through the Eastern Gate, which is currently sealed off with 16 feet of concrete. A cemetery was also placed in front of that gate because touching the dead makes a Jew considered unclean and unable to enter the Temple, which is considered Holy. The Word of GOD
says He will return there and from there He will rule and reign for 1,000 years.
The final battle isn’t going to be on U.S. soil. It’s going to be in the Valley of Megiddo,
in Israel. The Bible says as the nation’s wage war against Israel Jesus will come and destroy His enemies with the breath of His mouth. 2 Thess 2:8 – Search (bing.com)
GOD did not replace the Jews with Christians as some believe.
We are actually grafted in with them as you would graft a wild branch into an existing tree.
The Word of GOD says, “When you touch Israel, you touch the Apple of GOD’s eye.” Zechariah 2:8
“He that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The LORD is thy keeper.” Psalm 121:4
“I will bless those that bless you and I will curse those that curse you.” Genesis 12:3
We are also commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem in Psalm 122.
ISRAEL matters.
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch. Isaiah 62:1
PRAY FOR ISRAEL.
Copied from a friend WE HAVE TO PRAY FOR JERUSALEM
Bible Question: Is the United States called the Great Babylon in Revelation?
I have been hearing that the United States is called the Great Babylon in Revelation.
Is this true?
Bible Answer:
There is no verse in the Bible that says the United States
is Babylon the Great nor is there any hint that this is true.
Religious System
God calls Babylon the Great the mother of harlots.
. . . and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly. (NASB) Rev. 17:5-6
The word “harlot” has mainly two meanings in the Bible. The first meaning is a sexual prostitute. The other meaning is the one that is used here – a spiritual prostitute.
A spiritual prostitute is any person who worships something other than the true God.
In the Old Testament, this term was even used of cities and nations.
How the faithful city has become a harlot, She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers. (NASB) Isa. 1:21
Here in Revelation the phrase “mother of harlots” refers to the fact that Babylon is the origin or the mother of all false religions and cults. This is the tower of Babel and where the rise of the mystery religions began. This means that “Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots,” will be a false religious system that dominates the world.
And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts
of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.” (NASB) Rev. 18:2-3 Is New York City Babylon – Search (bing.com)
The Antichrist
This world religion is supported by the final world empire – the revived Roman Empire.
And the angel said to me, “Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. (NASB) Rev. 17:7
This revived Roman empire is empowered by Satan and led by the antichrist,
who is the eighth horn or king in the next passage.
The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven,
and he goes to destruction. The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.
(NASB) Rev. 17:11-12
Is it possible that the United States is Babylon the Great?
The answer is no, but it is possible that the United States could be part of the Revived Roman Empire. It is possible” since so many of the citizens of the United States are descendants from the old Roman Empire. The revived Roman Empire will be the resurrection of the former Empire during the final seven years of the world.
The book of Daniel paints a picture of world history that tells us that the old Roman Empire returns to power in the end times. The people living in the United States primarily came from Europe. The Roman Empire eventually occupied all of Europe before it decayed from within. Later Europeans migrated from Europe to the Americas and established the United States. Since so many of the people in the United States come from the old Roman Empire, it is possible that God could consider the United States to be a part of the old Roman Empire.
Conclusion: Israel Palestine Rick Steves – Search (bing.com)
The next major event in prophecy is peace in Israel.
These are wonderful times as we watch the signs of His coming.
It is a joy to anticipate His coming.
. . . so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear
a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
(NASB) Heb. 9:28
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (NASB) 2 Peter 3:9
Map of Holy Land including Syria and Egypt – Search (bing.com)
The question of who the man Jesus Christ was is one that has dominated discussions for two-thousand years. Many have tried to describe him, and many artists tried to capture His likeness. These depictions seem to make the topic more confusing, as historians like Josephus did not find much to comment on Jesus’ looks, and artistic renderings are inconsistent, including the way his racial identity is portrayed.
European art makes Jesus look European; African art going back centuries makes
Him look African; Asian art makes Him look Asian. Despite these contradictory images,
the Bible is clear about His genealogy and religious identity – He was Jewish.
There is Biblical and cultural evidence to support the stance that He was an ethnic and religious Hebrew, who reached across these barriers to bring all people to the Father.
Was Jesus a Jew?
The Bible provides two genealogies for Jesus in the Bible, tracing His earthly heritage
back in time, one of them all the way to Adam. Coupled with the genealogical records in the Old Testament, it is easy to trace Jesus’ heritage back through the history of the Hebrew people who became the Jewish nation. The two genealogies traced in the Gospels are generally accepted to trace Jesus’ heritage through both his earthly parents and are targeted at two different audiences.
Matthew, the apostle, was Jewish, and the primary audience of his letter was targeted at a Jewish audience. He begins his record with Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation, and ends with Joseph, the man who raised Jesus and acted as his earthly father. The line-up of men in the genealogy run from the father of the nation, to David, to Joseph, which would have been culturally important for establishing Jesus’ Jewish heritage to that audience.
The emphasis on Abraham would have set up Jesus’ credentials as the Messiah, and showing the connection to David through his son Solomon would have shown how He fulfilled some of the prophecies about the Messiah. It also makes sure to hit all the important moments in Israel’s history. “So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations” (Matthew 1:17).
Matthew’s records hold cultural and historical information supporting Jesus’ heritage.
Luke’s gospel follows the genealogy of Mary. She is not mentioned by name, but that would have been common during the first century. The connection to David is reinforced, this time through his son Nathan. It is important to trace Jesus’ lineage through Mary because beginning at least around the first century, Jewish heritage was passed matrilineally, through the mother. While certain aspects of the Jewish culture and religion are passed through the father, such as priesthood, the birthright to be considered Jewish comes from the mother because of a general consensus of interpretations of the Torah and the Talmud – Jewish religious texts which include the Bible.
This genealogy is the biological connection to David.
Unlike Matthew, Luke was a gentile, writing to another gentile – a friend of his named Theophilus. Luke traces Jesus’ heritage all the way back to Adam. The reason that was important for Luke, and for the gentile audience, is because it is a good reminder that Jesus was not just the Messiah for the Hebrew people, but for all people.
Jesus was also a Jew in the religious sense, though He had a perfect understanding of a right relationship with the Father, where mankind had misunderstood it. He was called Rabbi, or Teacher, and preached in temples throughout Israel during His three-year ministry. He followed the Holy Days of the Jewish calendar, and had an observable relationship with God. Though the religious practices of the day do not align exactly with contemporary Judaism, at that time, He would have been considered a religious Jew by the Roman authorities. Other Jewish leaders, including the Pharisees would have considered some of His teachings heretical.
To be religiously Jewish at that time did not require Hebrew ethnicity.
In the Old Testament there are several examples of individuals who were not from the twelve tribes of Israel who worshipped the one God, and would be considered Jewish religiously, though that term would not have existed for them. These individuals included Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, Rahab from Jericho, and Ruth the Moabitess who married Boaz and became a part of the line that led to Jesus. Today, if someone converts to Judaism, that person can be considered Jewish.
What Do Jews Believe?
In contemporary Judaism, the faithful still wait for their Messiah to come. They believe the prophecies about Him have yet to be fulfilled, where Christians believe they were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. One of the great Jewish thinkers after Jesus’ ascension was Maimonides, who lived from 1138-1204. He put forth an image of the Messiah who would come and usher in the Messianic age, governing the world with wisdom, perfect justice, and perfect righteousness. It will be an age of global peace and prosperity. While there are many variations on this idea, there is a general agreement of a time when the world will live in accordance with God’s law. Jesus is ruled out entirely as the Christ – another word for Messiah – from this perspective.
In Jesus’ time, there was a strong desire for the Messiah to come because of the oppression of Rome. The Messiah was perceived in a similar way as He is today, but many also believed He would overthrow Rome, leading to an independent Israel.
Like today, devout practitioners of the religion now called Judaism would have observed high Holy Days, many of which involved a trip to Jerusalem if possible. They followed Levitical law, giving tithes and sacrifices as required. Historians categorize this period as the Second Temple period. Solomon’s temple was gone, and Herod constructed a second. The influence of the Pharisees and Sadducees increased, and they added to the rules and regulations of the laws and Hebrew traditions.
Jesus commented on this issue, “But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, ‘Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban’ (that is, given to God) — then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do’”
(Mark 7:11-13). Even though there was religious corruption, there were many honorable and sincere Jewish believers waiting for the Messiah.
Did Jesus Teach His Disciples Judaism? Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Motortion
When evaluating Jesus’ religious statements, Jesus spoke Aramaic because it was the common language of the region where he lived123. The towns of Nazareth and Capernaum where Jesus lived were Aramaic-speaking communities2. Aramaic was also the diplomatic language of the Persian Empire1. Most religious scholars and historians agree that the historical Jesus principally spoke a Galilean dialect of Aramaic3. Jesus was also knowledgeable enough in Hebrew to discuss the Hebrew Bible, and most likely knew Greek through commerce as a carpenter in nearby Sepphoris2.
Why did jesus speak aramaic and not hebrew – Bing video
it must be viewed from His statement, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the
Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).
Jesus’ teachings were the ultimate of the law, rather than new and contradictory.
He took the rules and prophecies from the Old Testament and explained them in full, rather than from the limited and flawed view of man. He highlighted the limitations of
the law to redeem a soul, and that following the rules does not fix the inner man’s sins, something only God can do.
He laid this premise out clearly in the Sermon on the Mount:
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment” (Matthew 5:21-22a).
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).
These are two of several examples of Jesus highlighting that the point of Jewish law
was not only to prevent wicked actions, but to also turn a mirror inward, and require the individual to repent of their inner sins, which prevent someone from being truly righteous before God. Because no man can live in perfect righteousness on his own, Jesus paid the price for the sins of the world in order that His righteousness can be attributed to the sinner, saving that person from judgment.
While there is overlap between modern Judaism, Jewish religious practices during the first century, and Jesus’ teachings, they are not the same. For example, during Jesus’ lifetime, there were mandatory journeys to the Temple, as seen in the Book of Acts when thousands of Jews from all over the world went to Jerusalem for Holy Days, a practice not done today. Animal sacrifice is also generally frowned upon in today’s culture.
Contemporary Judaism has found other ways to fulfill the law without a Temple or a sacrificial system. Many modern Jews would separate what they believe from Jesus’ teachings. Some believe He was a good person, but incorrect in His understanding of Scripture. Some argue He was a radical figure that some clung to and deified. Just like Christians have different takes on different Biblical concepts like the millennial reign, ideas about Jesus and the Messiah vary among Jewish scholars.
What Did Jesus Teach about Jews and Gentiles?
The primary focus of Jesus’ ministry were His people, the Israelites, but He still reached out to the Gentiles. He shared the Gospel with the Samaritan woman. When the Centurion in Capernaum reached out to Him to heal a gravely ill servant, He said that if Jesus commanded it, the servant would be well, even if Jesus did not take the physical journey to the home. In response, Jesus declared, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 8:10b-11).
Here, Jesus declares the future salvation of the Gentiles.
The Messiah came to save both the Hebrew people and the whole of the world.
He reached out to both people groups. He discipled twelve Jewish apostles, who became the formidable force behind the beginnings of the church, bringing the Gentiles into the family of God. Through His death, Jesus saved the Gentiles and, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob … and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins” (Romans 11:26b-27). Though Jesus was Hebrew,
His salvation was for everyone.
Is It Important That Jesus Was Jewish?
When considering the importance of Jesus’ ethnic and religious identity,
it is important to put it in the context of God’s promises and fulfillment of prophecy.
God chose the descendants of Abraham to be the people through which He would bring about salvation for all mankind. To Abraham, God promised, “and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).
To David, God promised a descendant who would reign forever. “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-13).
Both of these promises were Messianic made to Hebrews, and in order for God to keep His promise, it was important the Savior come from that line, and that people group.
Further prophecies about the one who would redeem mankind from their sins and reconcile the human race back to God made it clear the birthplace, the lineage, and even specific details about the life of this promise of hope. One example of these prophecies is in the Book of Micah which prophesied the Savior would be born in Bethlehem in Israel; “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2). By being born in Israel to a Hebrew mother, and cared for by a Hebrew step-father, Jesus’ heritage fulfilled the prophecy.
In this sense, it is important that Jesus was Jewish.
However, His ethnicity is not important where salvation is concerned. No one is barred from going to Him to repent of sin and ask for forgiveness just because of their ethnicity, or His. The Messiah did not just come for Israel, but for the whole world.
God chose the Jews because they would protect God’s message at all costs.
Through them would come all the prophecy, all of the foreshadowing.
That could only have been done here on earth through a single group and could not have been left to the broader Gentile population. His message would not have been protected and maintained as it was by the Jews.
Dan Sered puts it this way: “A big part of our history is rooted in God using the Jewish people to be a light to the nations. For the most part, Israel fails in their job/call, but God in His infinite wisdom continues to love and spare them.”
The Promise
In both the Old and the New Testaments, God is referred to as “the God of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob.” In them, through them, God’s relationship of promise and purpose
was fixed for all those who descended from them.
The message of that promise was delivered first to Abram when God changed his name from Abram to Abraham — the “ha” being Hebrew for “the father of multitudes:”
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3).
From Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob, then through Moses, and on to King David. Through the exile and then through their land being conquered by other empires — the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans — the Jews carried God’s Word and God’s promise.
Thus, there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah (Matthew 1:17).
The Old Testament made promises of a Messiah who would save Israel — save the Jews and save the rest of the world.
That Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament was a Jewish savior, chosen by God for a special purpose from a special people. The Messiah was to serve God’s purpose by fulfilling all Jewish prophecy and reconciling the world to himself:
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God (Revelation 21:3).
Was Jesus a Jew?
The Bible offers two separate genealogies for Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Two gospels, two distinct audiences. One written for and addressed to “Theophilus” —
to whom Luke also addresses the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.
Since Theophilus is a male name of Greek origin, it would be clear that Luke’s audience was Gentile in nature. Matthew’s gospel, on the other hand, is clearly written for a Jewish Christian audience.
Matthew begins his record with Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation, and ends with Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, and includes David, king of Israel — all critically important to establish Jesus’ Jewish heritage. The connection between Abraham and David was critical to establish Jesus’ credentials as Messiah.
Luke, on the other hand, follows the genealogy of Mary — to David through his son Nathan. Jewish heritage during this era was passed on through the mother.
Even though some aspects of the Jewish culture and religion were passed on through the father, such as priesthood, the birthright to be considered Jewish came through the mother.
So, Jesus was born in Bethlehem to a Jewish mother, raised in a Jewish home,
and raised by parents who followed Jewish law and respected Jewish festivals.
Jesus also honored his Jewish heritage in every religious sense. He was called Rabbi, or Teacher, and preached in temples throughout Israel.
Jesus identified Himself as a Jew.
Speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus said,
“You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know,
for salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22).
In being the Son of God, however,
Jesus had a perfect understanding of the right relationship with the Father.
Jesus saved his most harsh criticism for the religious practices of the Pharisees — clearly rejecting the hypocrisy among the practices of the religious leaders. He often challenged them in public — resulting in many calling him heretical and blasphemous.
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him (John 1:11).
Moreover, in Jesus’ time, there was a very strong expectation of a “conquering Messiah” who would save the Jews from the oppression of Rome. Instead, Jesus fulfilled the image of the suffering Messiah described in chapter 53 of the Book of Isaiah.
Children of the Promise
Yes, in the Old and New Testaments, God is called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — because with them, God’s promises were prepared for all those who descended from them. Yet, according to Paul, through Christ, we have become descendants of Abraham:
In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring (Romans 9:8).
If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).
Clearly, although he was a Jew on earth, Jesus now transcends all cultures.
In fact, he transcends every human boundary, whether nationality, ethnicity,
culture, race, or background. Artists throughout history, in every nation and every culture,
have reimagined Jesus from their own perspective, depicting him in every artistic style.
In fact, no other person in history has inspired the arts as Jesus has. But let’s make no mistake — Jesus was born Jewish. In that he still lives, he is Jewish. His return will be to Israel.
Jesus is indeed the Jewish Messiah, the Son of David — and sent through and to the Jews.
But then…in His death and ultimate resurrection, Jesus guaranteed salvation for all who would trust and believe in Him (Ephesians 2:11–22).
Jesus, the Jewish Messiah — the Savior for all people.
For further reading: What Is Biblical Prophecy about Israel?
When Was Judaism Founded?
What Is Messianic Judaism?
Greg Grandchamp is the author of “In Pursuit of Truth, A Journey Begins” — an easy-to-read search that answers the most common questions about Jesus Christ. Was he real? Who did he claim to be? What did he teach? Greg is an everyday guy on the same journey as everyone else — in pursuit of truth.
You can reach Greg by email greg.grandchamp@gmail.com and on Facebook.
Sources: Why Is it Important to Remember That Jesus Was Jewish? (christianity.com)
Cohen-Sherbok, Dan. Judaism History, Belief, and Practice. New York: Routledge, 2003.
Copan, Paul & Craig Evans. Who was Jesus? A Jewish-Christian Dialogue. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.
Lucass, Shirley. The Concept of the Messiah in the Scriptures of Judaism and Christianity. New York: T & T Clark International, 2011.
Wilmington, H.L. Willmington’s Guide to the Bible.
Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers Inc., 1981.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Ryan Rad
Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer who uses her passion for God, reading,
and writing to glorify God. She and her husband have lived all over the country serving their Lord and Savior in ministry. She has a blog on graceandgrowing.com.
Power Trip: The Story of Energy (Full Series Trailer) – YouTube
Power Trip: The Story of Energy | Author: Michael E. Webber
For centuries, human activity has been dominated by the need to fuel human civilization. Energy is unique: no other physical resource in society has had such a wide-ranging impact on our ecosystems, economy, public health, and personal liberties.
And as the era of fossil fuels stumbles to a close in the West, much of the rest of the world is still just waking up to coal. We have found ourselves on the cusp of a transition in how we get energy that is both obvious and profoundly uncertain.
Story of Energy by Michael Webber – Bing video
We must decide our next steps quickly.
Globalization: POWER TRIP: THE STORY OF ENERGY
Learn how energy enabled rapid globalization, both as both a widely traded product and
as a facilitator for moving goods globally. In the ancient world, globalization was always a goal, but modern forms of energy provided the missing link.
Power Trip: The Story of Energy | Globalization | Season 2 | PBS
Aired: 10/06/2023 | 56m 19s | Expires: 11/03/23 Rating: TV-PG
Alice Merton – No Roots (LIVE) – YouTube
Her voice is real. Very rare these days. No editing nothing, very impressive.
September 11 3BC Date of Jesus Birth (Exact TIME and PLACE) – YouTube
Tower of the Flock – Bing video
Bing Videos