tisha b’av 2011

This evening begins a Jewish remembrance called the Fast of Tisha B’Av. The Fast of the Ninth of Av, is a day of mourning to commemorate the many tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, many of which coincidentally have occurred on the ninth of Av. Tisha B’Av means “the ninth (day) of Av.” It usually occurs during August. Tisha B’Av primarily commemorates the destruction of the first and secondTemples, both of which were destroyed on the ninth of Av (the first by the Babylonians in 586 B.C; the second by the Romans in 70 A.D).

If you do not understand the judgments of God that have befallen Yisrael and Yudah, you do not and cannot understand the Old Testament and in your pursuit of understanding the New Testament (the writing of the apostolos) you will have no understanding and error will abound.

The subject of God’s judgment on Yisrael and Yudah is wide and deep and I would be writing here for many days to cover the scope. But time does not permit me. It will be up to the reader to see if what I write is true. Let us start with the first judgment of Yerushalem in 586 BC by the Babylonians. If you do not understand this or know about this you are at least ignorant of the following books (at least part) of the Old Testament: 2 Kings, II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, portions of Psalms, the second half of Isaiah (chapters 40-66), Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel,  Joel, Habakkuk, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. In the New Testament you are ignorant in particular of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Act of the Apostle, Romans, I Thes, II Thes, I Tim, II Tim, Hebrews, James, I Peter, II Peter, I John, Jude and Revelation. You are ignorant of the entire New Testament. For there would be far too much ignorance to know anything. You are ignorant of the Old Testament and the New Testament, you are ignorant of all.

On ”tisha b”av”, 586 BC, Yerushalem was judged by the Babylonians and destroyed. All were taken captive but the poorest of the poor and the prophet, Yeremiah. Among the captives was Daniel who abode in Babylon all the days of captivity, about 70 years, less the judgment that came upon Babylon at the end of the 70 years. For Cyrus gave the decree and that which had not been seen, was seen, and the nation was brought back to the land by a Gentile king, one from another land, an intercessor when they had none. And when Daniel was in the 3rd year of Cyrus he saw a great vision, another judgment of the Yerushalem, but before the judgment, Mashiach would come and be judged in their stead. For all who abided in the words of Yeshua, in the “not one stone of this temple would be left standing” judgment, would be saved from the judgment that fell upon the land on “tisha b”av”, 70 AD. For He was crucified in their stead. Yeshua ha Mashiach died for all men, especially Yisrael, especially those who believed. And so in 70 AD judgment fell upon the land, and Yerushalem was destroyed, not one stone of the temple was left standing. For the weeping wall is no wall at all, but the foundation.

And so we do not weep on this day of tisha b’av, but we rejoice that God has not forgotten His people, Yisrael, for he has not forgotten His people of all nations. ”In Thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” … “And so it shall be that all Yisrael shall be saved.” For they await not another judgment but the mercy of our great God and king, Yeshua ha Mashiach, the Son of God. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua ha Mashiach. For God is one. The Father and the Son are one! The Father and the Spirit are one! And we are with our God who has chosen us from all nations to be the praise of His glory forever and ever. “Blessed be the God of Yisrael!”

The Last Ghetto: Rome

The term “ghetto” originated from the name of the Jewish quarter in Venice, established in 1516, in which the Venetian authorities compelled the city’s Jews to live within its boundaries. Various authorities, ranging from local municipal authorities to the Austrian Emperor Charles V, ordered the creation of other ghettos for Jews in Frankfurt, Rome, Prague, and other cities in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Jewish Ghetto of Rome was located in the rione (district) of Sant’Angelo. The rione’s terrain is low and flat and, until recent times, particularly susceptible to flooding from the river. It is in the area surrounded by today’s Via del Portico d’Ottavia, Lungotevere dei Cenci, Via del Progresso and Via di Santa Maria del Pianto close to the Tiber and the Theater of Marcellus, in Rome, Italy. 

The Papal Bull (bull is from the Latin word, bulla, or seal, thus an official sealed Papal document), “Cum nimis absurdum” was decreed by Pope Paul IV in 1555. The title of this official document is taken from its first words: “Since it is absurd and utterly inconvenient that the Jews, who through their own fault were condemned by God to eternal slavery…” Read the Bull, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cum_nimis_absurdum. The bull placed religious and economic restrictions on Jews in the Papal States (the portion of Italy directly under papal rule). The bull renewed anti-Jewish legislation and subjected Jews to various degradations and restrictions on their personal freedom. Under the bull, Jewish males were forced to wear a yellow hat, and Jewish females “some other evident sign, yellow in color”. Jews were also forbidden to own real estate or practice medicine among Christians. The bull also created the Roman Ghetto, where the Jews of Rome, who had lived freely since antiquity, were segregated in a walled quarter with three gates that were locked at night. Jews were also restricted to one synagogue per city. Paul IV’s successor, Pope Pius IV, enforced the creation of other ghettos in most Italian towns, and his successor, Pope Pius V, recommended them (ghettos) to other bordering states 

İn 1798, during the Roman Republic, the Ghetto was legally abolished, and the tree of Freedom was planted in Piazza delle Scole, but it was reinstated as soon as the Papacy regained control. In 1848, during the brief revolution, the Ghetto was abolished once more, again temporarily. The Jews had to petition annually for permission to live there, and were disabled from owning any property even in the Ghetto. They paid a yearly tax for the privilege; formality and tax survived until 1850. The requirement that Jews live within the Ghetto was abolished when the last remnant of the Papal States was overthrown on September 20, 1870. The city of Rome was able to tear down the Ghetto’s walls in 1888 and demolish it almost completely, before the area was reconstructed around the new Synagogue. The ghetto of Rome was the last remaining ghetto in Western Europe until its later reintroduction by Nazi Germany. 

How can you say you love God whom you do not see, oh person that calls yourself a Christian, and hate your fellow person whom you do see. People make up all nations and they are male and female, adults and children, free and slave, Jews (of Yudah) and Yisrael and all nations, and black, white and people of all color, and if there be anything else that would make one people distinct from another. All people, through the Mashiach’s death for all people’s sins, His burial and His resurrection the third day as all the Tanach foretells, are valued as the life of God equally, without partiality from the moment of conception, even more so as He has purpose all from before the foundations of the earth in the Mashiach. This is true in the grace of God. To unbelievers I have no words. God judges the unbeliever. “And if any person hear my words and believes not, I judge him not. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.” (John 12) And Paul writes, “I wrote unto you in a letter not to company with fornicators, yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the coveteous, or extortioners, or with idolaters, for then must you needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any person that is called a brother or a sister be a fornicator, or coveteous, or idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not you judge them within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” (1 Cor 5) To those who call themselves Christians, beware! You, O Christian person, quit having abortions! Quit committing homosexual acts! Quit being coveteous for other people’s goods! Quit doing the very thing you condemn the unbeliever. You should not be judging them. Quit hating people for the color of his skin! Quit hating your people, again, oh person, who calls yourself a Christian. Do you not know that all people are equal in the eyes of God, and He loves all people without partiality; for God is love? I do not think you know this, if you do not love men whom you see, and say you love God. Do you not know that God has not rejected Yisrael? But you hate and despise. Do you not know that God is the God of Yisrael and the God of all nations as it is written, “In thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” equally without partiality. The Seed is one and the Seed is the Mashiach who is Yeshua of “Nazareth”. This interpretation is sure and true!

Why was Yeshua Crucified?

All understanding comes from the writings of the prophets (Old Testament or Tanach: they are one and the same) in light of the Mashiach’s death for our sin, His burial and His resurrection the third day. The Law and the Prophets prophesy or foretell the Christ’s death for our sins, His burial and His resurrection the third day. Yeshua of Nazareth is the Mashiach.

Yeshua was crucified to fulfill the great purpose of God. As it is prophesied in Genesis, the father, Avraham, offered his son according to the flesh. The time of the sacrifice was not the first day, or the second day, but the third day. (Gen 22:4) “Sacrifice and burnt offering I have not desired but a broken and contrite heart” , it is written, concerning the Son of God, Yeshua. For the offering was made according to the eternal Spirit. For it is written, “Then on the third day, Avraham (translated “the father of many) lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Avraham said unto the young men, Abide you here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Avraham took the wood of the burnt offering (this, a sacrifice before and outside of the Law), and laid it upon Isaac his son. And he took fire in his hand, and a knife, and they both went together. And Isaac (“Titskhaq” translated “laughter”) spake unto Avraham his father and said, “My father”, and he said, “Here I am, my son”. And he said, “Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering”. And Avraham said, “My son, Elohiym will provide a burnt offering.” So they went both of them together.  And they came to place which Elohiym had told him of. And Avraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him upon the altar of the wood. And Avraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son (his only son), and the messenger of God called unto him out of heaven, and said, Avraham, Avraham”, and he said “Here I am.” And he said, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him. For now I know that thou fearest Elohiym, seeing thou hast not witheld thy son, thine only son from me.” And Avraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in the thickets by the horns. And Avraham offered it up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. (Gen 22) Beloved, the scriptures (Tanach or Old Testament) are not about Avraham, and Isaac, but they are concerning the Mashiach, the Son of God, Yeshua. How the Father loves the Son, for He has been obedient to Him. Oh, the love of the Father and the Son toward all people in the Mashiach’s death for our sins, His burial and His resurrection the third day. God Himself has provided the sacrifice, not a fleshly offering of a burnt offering but a sacrifice offered by the eternal Spirit of God. For the alabaster box is broken. We worship not the alabaster box, but recognize the great purpose of God in condemning the Mashiach in the flesh. He was justified in Spirit, raised from the dead, and now is glorified at the right hand of the Father. Why was Yeshua crucified? To fulfill God’s eternal purpose in the Mashiach. There can be no doubt in the grace of God that He loves all people without partiality in word and in deed. “In Adam all died, in the Mashiach all are made alive, each person in God’s own order.”

And why was salvation of and for the Jews (those of Yudah)? For the judgment of Yudah came after His resurrection and He left us with words that must be fulfilled: “not one stone of this temple will be left standing”. He was crucified so they would not have to be crucified. He was condemned that they be not condemned. He was judged that they not endure the judgment of God.

Beloved, let me speak of crucifixion. It was death reserved for criminals of the low standing. A Roman citizen could not be crucified or for that matter scourged. It was death by bleeding to death, and scourging decreased the time. By the appointed time men were experts in crucifixion. Men as they grew more skilled at crucifixion out of this skill came mass crucifixion. In 326 BC Alexander the Great crucified 2000 at Tyre. In the first century BC to discourage slave revolts the Romans crucified 6000 of the uprisers along 200 km of the Appian Way to Rome itself (read about Spartacus). The Jewish King Alexander Janneus crucified 800 Pharisees in 87 BC. One, Yeshua of Nazareth was crucified in 31 AD. He was raised from the dead by the eternal purpose of God. He said if you abide in my word you shall have life that does not cease. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. All who abided in His word were spared the judgment that befell Yerushalem in 70 AD. While we do not know the exact count of crucifixion in this great judgement, Josephus records 500 souls were crucified each day until, “Space was wanting for crosses, and crosses were wanting for bodies.” For ten miles in all direction around Yerushalem there was not a tree found. In this judgment was the greatest mass crucifixion of all times. And Yeshua was crucified for all men, but especially the Jews. Not out of partiality but because of the imminent judgment of God. This is why Paul writes in Roman 1, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Mashiach: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes, to the Jew (of Yudah) first, and then to the Greek (Gentiles).” To the Jew first because to them judgment came in 70 AD and fulfilled the words of Yeshua. 

And so Yisrael does not again wait for her judgment another time. For in Yudah judgment was already accomplished. But the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled. The Gentiles await their judgment. The day of the Mashiach is at hand. Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all Yisrael shall be saved.” All of Yisrael that God has purposed to be saved will be saved. Maranatha!

Who is “Judah” and the “Jew”?

All understanding comes from the writings of the prophets (Old Testament or Tanach: they are one and the same) in light of the Mashiach’s death for our sin, His burial and His resurrection the third day. The Law and the Prophets prophesy or foretell the Christ’s death for our sins, His burial and His resurrection the third day. Yeshua of Nazareth is the Mashiach.

The descendents of Avraham, Isaac and Yacob and the twelve tribes were called Yisrael after the name God gave to Yacob, Yisrael. Now David was a king of Israel, and his son, Solomon, would be the lineage of the Seed of promise. “But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites, of the nations of which the Lord said unto the children of Yisrael, You shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you, for surely they will turn your heart after their gods. Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.” And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord and went after many idols, gods that were no gods. (1 King 11) “Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, “Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake, but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom, but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Yerushalem’s sake which I have chosen.”  (1 King 12) “So Yisrael rebelled against the house of David unto this day. And it came to pass, when all Yisrael heard that Jeroboam (Solomon’s servant) was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over Yisrael. There was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Yudah only.” Then Yisrael was divided into the kingdom of Yisrael (11 tribes) and the kingdom of Yudah. The kingdom of Yisrael was conquered, scattered and taken into captivity in 722 BC by the Assyrians. There was no decree by the Assyrians for them to return to the land. The kingdom of Yudah was conquered and taken into captivity in 586 BC by the Babylonians. To fulfill prophecy, Cyrus issued the decree 70 years later for those of captivity to return to the land. It was these of the kingdom and tribe of Yudah who returned to the land. It is those of Yudah who were called “Jews”.

Today, the word “Jew” is a misnomer. Jew is an anglicized/greekcized word for the Hebrew word, Yudah, the tribe of Yudah.  But presentlyit is applied to all the descendants of the twelve tribes of Yisrael. It also has reference to the practice of religion that remains. For after those of Yudah returned to the land from Babylon, two temples were built up. The last, the Temple of Herod,  was standing at the time of Yeshua the Mashiach. This temple was what Yeshua had in mind when He said “not one stone of this temple would be left standing”.  So Yudah had the temples and the priest and the service. And the kingdom of Yisrael had not the temples. The religion has come to be known as the religion of the Jews, or the Jewish religion.

It would be most accurate to call the inhabitants of Israel who are the descendants of Avraham, Isaac, Yacob and the twelve tribes, Hebrews. “For all Yisrael shall be saved”. Hebrews who speak the language of Hebrew in their land. And if we speak of the religion they practice, it could be called the religion of the Hebrews.

What is a Hebrew and a Israelite?

All understanding comes from the writings of the prophets (Old Testament or Tanach: they are one and the same) in light of the Mashiach’s death for our sin, His burial and His resurrection the third day. The Law and the Prophets prophesy or foretell the Christ’s death for our sins, His burial and His resurrection the third day. Yeshua of Nazareth is the Mashiach.

Abram, before his name was changed to Abraham, is the first to be called a “Hebrew”. (Gen 14:13) Yeshua Himself is not called a Hebrew in the writings of the apostolos. The Hebrew word in Gen 14:13, ”Abriy” (pronounced “ae-bre”) literally means “of Aber” . Abriy or “Hebrew” is a descendant of Aber. It is through Aber the promise of the seed would come. Aber is a descendant of Noah through Shem. And Noah is a descendent of Adam through Seth. Avraham is a descendant of Aber though his son, Peleg.  Abram called a Hebrew is pointing out his descendancy to the promise. Aber means “cross over”, for the earth was divided in the days of Peleg, and despite the division, the promise of the Seed would continue through Aber and his son, Peleg. The promise continued to Avraham, and then Isaac and then Yacob.  Yoseph, son of Yacob, was called a Hebrew. Moshah in the writing of the Torah identified fellow descendants of Yacob as Hebrews. Yonah the prophet was a Hebrew. Paul writes that he was of the tribe of Benyamiyn, but more so, a Hebrew. A Hebrew is of the nation of Yisrael, through the descendancy of Avraham, Isaac, Yacob and the twelve tribes or families. Hebrews or those of Israel are heirs to the promise of the land, which is the promise to the nation, called by God’s name. There must be a nation called Yisrael of the descendents of Avraham, Isaac, Yacob and the twelve tribes, for God to save out of them, the children of promise, equally and without partiality as all nations. They are a nation that the Seed must bless (the Seed is the Mashiach) equally and without partiality, as the other nations of the Gentiles. “In thy Seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” The Seed is one, and the Seed is the Mashiach, and the interpretation sure and true.

In the New Testament (the writings of the apostolos) “Hebrew” is often used of the spoken language of the Israel. It is also used to identify the descendants of the twelve tribes of Yisrael, as the letter to the Hebrews shows.

But not all the twelve tribes of Israel, are of Yisrael (Yacob), for Yowceph (Joseph) has a double portion. Yowceph had two sons Ephraim and Manassah, and they were each given a portion of the land. This is so there would be understanding that “not all of Yisrael, were of Yisrael.” Yudah was whom the promised Seed would come. The tribe of Dan is of the promise of the land.  But this Dan is identified with Yavan (Greece) in Ezekiel, “Dan also and Yavan going to and fro, occupied in thy fairs (the fairs of Tyre): bright iron, cassia, and calamus were in thy market.”  In Revelation chapter 7 “the tribe of Dan” is omitted as is Ephraim. Yowceph is added as well as Manassah: Ephraim is included with Yowceph, though not a distinct tribe. Also notice Levi is included (the priesthood had no inheritance in the land). This is because the Levitical priesthood has been fulfilled in the Mashiach and Levi is given a equal lot of the land. There are the saved, and of the nations of the saved. There are the saved of Yisrael, and the saved of the twelve tribes equally without partiality. There are  the saved of Yisrael, and the nation of the saved of Yisrael. This is the same for all nations. Dan forsook his birthright (according to the purpose of God. He was chosen to be this vessel before he had done any evil or good.) and was a betrayer through its idols, but is not excluded from the mercy of God (none are excluded from the mercy of God, although many are called, few are chosen for grace), for it is identified with Yavan (Greece) in Ezekiel. A nation might cease to exist, but this does not mean God forsakes the inhabitants. For they will be found in other nations, just not the one that does not exist, and there will be the nations of the saved of all the nations determined by God. A nation identified as Hebrew is to bring to light the descendancy of Abraham from Aber through Isaac and Yacob and the twleve tribes. But Dan was a descendant of Yacob, but not ultimately not of Yisrael, but of Yavan. Hebrew is the descendancy of the nation called by the name Yisrael who God brought out of Mitsrayim (Egypt) with a strong arm. It is also the descendants of those whom God will save to fulfill the promise (the gospel preached to Avraham), “in thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed”, and “all Yisrael shall be saved”. God will save those He has determined without partiality of the nation of Yisrael and the twelve tribes, as He will save those whom He has determined from all nations equally without partiality. The nations of the Gentiles have not tribes. And then Yisrael will be the saved, and then there will be the saved, made up of Yisrael and the nations (Gentiles), and the nations of the saved without partiality when the time comes as it is written, “death has no sting”.  And as Elohiym, “God of all gods”, saves Yisrael without partiality, so to, will He save chosen ones from each of the twelve tribes of Yisrael equally without partiality.

Reguarding Yisrael, God changed Yacob’s name to Yisrael as it is written, “And God said unto him, Thy name is Yacob. Thy name shall not be called any more Yacob, but Yisrael shall be called thy name. And He called his name Yisrael.” (Gen 35) The nation called Yisrael speaks of those who are the descendants of Yacob whom God has chosen. It speaks of twelves tribes, but not all of Yisrael (Yacob), are of Yisrael.  To be a Hebrew includes Avraham, the lineage of Abar of the promise. This is all of Yisrael whom God will save without partiality. This speaks of the saved of Yisrael and the nation of the saved. Yisrael today speaks of the nation with the twelve tribes which God will save as it is written, “All Yisrael shall be saved”. They shall be saved without partiality in the Mashiach, the nation, Yisrael, and the twelve tribes. For now the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled. There has been a partial hardening of Yisrael up to now. This partial hardening or unbelief has had a great purpose: to bring faith to the nations: to include the nations as God sees fit without partiality in the Mashiach. The number of Gentiles to be saved has been complete, and now we await for completion of the salvation of our God: to fill up the number of Yisrael who are to be saved: to fill up the Mashiach, Yeshua, the Son of God. Those in the Mashiach, of Yisrael and the Gentiles (nations or “gowy” in the Hebrew) whom God has chosen according to His will and grace to be saved: saved from sin, from death, and judgment. This is done equally without partiality by the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua ha Mashiach.

Passion Plays

What do “passion plays” have to do with a follower of Christ in our day and hour? The “Passion of Christ” movie is a “passion play”. Men highly acclaim this as an artistic masterpiece and God says it is an abomination. I add the following link that the history of “passion plays” can be examined.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/februaryweb-only/2-16-51.0.html

God’s purpose in Christ is “He came to His own and His own received Him not.” “Had they known the Lord of glory they would not have crucified Him.” And how did they not know the Lord of glory, except it be God who blinded their eyes. And He blinded their eyes that His ultimate purpose of God’s love would be accomplished, that the Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried and He rose again the third day according to the scriptures-Yeshua of Nazareth is the Son of God, the fulfillment of all the scriptures of the prophets.Who will blame the Jews or the Gentiles for God’s purpose? It is God’s who purposes. And all things fulfill the purpose of God in Christ.

When did error creep into the church concerning the Jews?

Constantine was the Roman Emperor from 306-337 AD. The thoughts concerning the Jews that Constantine held did not appear overnight.  We can say with absolute certainty that the understanding of the gospel concerning Israel which Paul had written extensively in Romans was corrupted before 300AD. It was! It must be clearly understood in the grace of God that Constantine and his edicts are the purpose of God, not of the justification of the spirit, but of the condemnation of the letter. But the works of men according to the flesh do not hinder the purpose of God. No, it shall never be! For “all Israel shall be saved.”

The Gentiles who wrongly condemned the Jews for the crucifixion of the Christ, not understanding that it was God who purposed these things, have found the ministry of condemnation passed on to them. For both Jew and Gentile are partakers-the ministry of the letter of the Law. Both Jew and Gentiles have been entrusted with the oracles of God and the end shall be the same for both-the judgment of God! The Gentiles with the greater light of the gospel did not and do not understand to this day, that first and foremost, that Yeshua’s death for our sins, His burial and His resurrection the third day was ACCORDING TO ALL THE SCRIPTURES, PURPOSED BY GOD. This is the one true gospel. (Luke 24, 1Cor 15:1-6) They do not understand that Rome was God’s instrument of judgment upon His Son and upon Yerusalem in 70AD. But God has had a people in all generations chosen by Him who partake of the ministry of justification and love in Christ Yeshua, a remnant of grace. The gates of sheol has not and will not prevail against the assembly of the living God. Death and condemnation will not prevail against the saints of the most High God.

The following exert is taken from Wikepedia, the subject being Constantine. There is much witness to the words written, if there be any who would argue with this history. He fulfilled the purpose of God but not justification.

“Constantine instituted several legislative measures regarding the Jews: they were forbidden to own Christian slaves or to circumcise their slaves. Conversion of Christians to Judaism was outlawed. Congregations for religious services were restricted, but Jews were allowed to enter Jerusalem on Tisha B’Av, the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple. Constantine also supported the separation of the date of Easter from the Jewish Passover (see also Quartodecimanism), stating in his letter after the First Council of Nicaea: “… it appeared an unworthy thing that in the celebration of this most holy feast we should follow the practice of the Jews, who have impiously defiled their hands with enormous sin, and are, therefore, deservedly afflicted with blindness of soul. … Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Saviour a different way.” [6]. Theodoret‘s Ecclesiastical History 1.9 records the Epistle of the Emperor Constantine addressed to those Bishops who were not present at the Council: “It was, in the first place, declared improper to follow the custom of the Jews in the celebration of this holy festival, because, their hands having been stained with crime, the minds of these wretched men are necessarily blinded. … Let us, then, have nothing in common with the Jews, who are our adversaries. … avoiding all contact with that evil way. … who, after having compassed the death of the Lord, being out of their minds, are guided not by sound reason, but by an unrestrained passion, wherever their innate madness carries them. … a people so utterly depraved. … Therefore, this irregularity must be corrected, in order that we may no more have any thing in common with those parricides and the murderers of our Lord. … no single point in common with the perjury of the Jews.” [7]“

Beloved, children of grace, God loves all people of all nations without partiality, Of Yisrael and the nations (the Gentiles). This is the love of God in the Mashiach who died for all people, who tasted death for all people. This is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Constantine at the very best was a false prophet and all who follow after him and all he followed after concerning Yisrael, walk in great error.

Customs and the Law

When God chooses a Jew and gives him grace to accept the gospel message does he cease to become of Jew and from that point on must he be a Gentile? God forbid! The gospel preached to Abraham was: “in Thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” As the word of God is fulfilled in our generation as it is in every generation believers should hear about the conversion of people from every nation. One would say, “I am one of Italy who God granted grace”. Another would say, “I am one of China and God granted grace”. And one of Israel will say, “I am of Israel and God granted grace”. I myself not knowing my full geneology can say for certain, “I am one from Germany and God granted grace”. To those who have been in Christ Yeshua and one is brought by God to the assembly and says “I am of Israel” we should rejoice and have wisdom. His customs will have differences just as a man from any other nation. Just as it would be with any country, all the chosen of God out of the country will come with the customs and traditions of the country, whether they be dietary, or holidays, or dress, or greeting. What makes Israel unique is many of its customs come from the scriptures. And it is this that must be addressed so Jew and Gentile will understand what they know, know what they do not know, and have God as their teacher.

As an example a Jew might very well celebrate Yom Kippur or the sabbath differently than the nations (the Gentiles). We who are strong in the Lord and value not one day above another know that we can assemble any day, and as often as we desire, not according to Law, just not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Believers of a different nation would not expect to tell a believer of another nation that the practice of their dietary laws is wrong. Germans, don’t eat saurkraut! It is the same with those of the nation of Israel. Gentile believers should rejoice in the salvation of the one chosen from Israel as well as any other country. Let us have the same thoughts towards the chosen of God from every nations. For God is not partial toward any. Let us be of the same spirit.

I for one when I was physically in Israel was invited to a Shabbath dinner, and I was very honored to be apart of their tradition. I did as they did. And if a believer from Israel comes to my home perhaps he would be of the same spirit and do as I do. Or perhaps his understanding is not the same, and I by the grace of God would make an exception or go out of my way to satisfy his tradition. If it became a religious act contradicting the gospel, then I would decline. Of course he would have to profess to be a follower of Christ, not an unbeliever.

After grace comes to one of Israel, God will teach them concerning the Law as the one true gospel is preached. He will teach them if a Law could have been given to produce righteousness one would have surely been given and Christ Yeshua would not have died. God will teach the one of Israel this lesson as well as the Gentiles chosen of God. Are the Gentiles somehow exempt from the error of following after law to produce a righteousness of their own? No, under the greater light of the gospel their history is filled with abuses. There is much, a chosen one of Israel can be taught of God, just as there is much a chosen one of the Gentiles can be taught. The first generation church influenced by those who wrongfully handled the Law, had a problem of Gentiles being forced to be circumcised to follow on in Yeshua. This not only could not be done, it must be opposed strongly.The Gentiles also have almost from the beginning made a Law out of baptism having no understanding and setting up it as requirement for the faith of Yeshua. Is not it clearly seen by grace in Acts that the Spirit was given before water baptism. How can one say you must be water baptized to be saved. Do you not know that the Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance? And if we have at that time of grace, the down payment of our inheritance we are no longer bastard sons. Gentiles do not boast, as well as those of Israel do not boast. Let all boast in Christ Yeshua.

I can write many more things on this subject, but time does not permit. Paul followed custom to not be offensive to his kinsman in the flesh, even to the point of having a Gentile believer circumcised. (Acts) But he did this to win men to Christ, and not for any other reason. Paul knew the custom of the Jews, and an uncircumcised Gentile would be an offense among them who understood not (the unbeliever). Paul and his companions ceremonial washed before entering the temple and the reason was the same, to satisfy custom, and not offend men unnecessarily (the unbeliever concerning Christ). Paul made no law to carry on his actions. There is enough offense in the preaching of the cross without adding more than is necessary. Though Paul had a Gentile believer, Timothy, circumcised, he adamantly rejected those who added this legal requirement of circumcision to the the faith of Christ. It is Yeshua plus nothing. There is no work that can be done to obtain Christ: salvation is the complete and independant work of God!

In Acts 15 James mentions that “ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication.” Meat offered to idols could certainly be offensive to Jewish believers and unbelievers, and perhaps even some Gentile believers. Blood and things strangled were primarily out of the customs of the Jews. And fornication is added for whether Jew or Gentile to abstain; for this sin cannot be committed alone and it is a good thing for all to abstain. This is the sin where there is always the testimony of two. Abstain from evil and its appearance. Fornication is contrary to Christ and the faithfulness of God toward men in Christ Yeshua. May the love of Christ Yeshua restrain us, and may the gospel be preached, the power of God, to continually magnify His love in our heart, and restrain us, men of like passion, and the more, to fulfill the righteousness of God in Him: for we are chosen in Him.

One other point, if you have not any particular custom, realize if you make one there could be a pitfall. If you were unaware of the customs of a Jew being a Jew and you bring back these customs, rightly understand these customs and know why you are doing this. Perhaps it would be to win some to Christ Yeshua.

And lastly, beloved one chosen from Israel, do not think that God needs you to convey and teach Gentiles rightly concerning Israel. I myself had no knowledge of being a Jew, no custom or tradition to follow as an example,  and yet He has wonderfully taught me of things by His grace. God is a wise master teacher in Christ.

Did the Jews crucify the Christ, Yeshua?

Here is an explanation of the crucifixion of Yeshua taken from a website I have forgotten:

“The Jews so missed the Living Word, because of holding so rigidly to the dead letter of the word, that they crucified Him!”

I disagree in spirit to the words. They could not believe. Why? Because God had purposed their unbelief. God purposes unbelief to accomplish His purpose in Christ Yeshua. You do not have to disagree with me. Take up your argument up with the writings of the prophets, the word of God, and John the apostolos.

“But though He (Yeshua) had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him: that the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed are report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again, He (Elohiym) hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eys, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things spake Isaiah when he saw His (Yeshua) glory, and spake of Him (Yeshua). (John 12:37ff with quotations from Is 53:1 & Is 6:9-10)

THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE. This is the very purpose of God in Christ Yeshua. And so when we judge and condemn the nation of Israel for unbelief we are judging and condemning God; for it was His purpose.

“Him (Yeshua) being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” (Acts 2:23)

It is said to Israel that they took and by wicked hands slain the Christ, but do not forget God purposed it. If they knew Yeshua was God in the flesh, they would not have crucified Him, and Jew or Gentile would have no sacrifice for sins.

God to accomplish His purpose in the Christ, Yeshua, purposed the unbelief of Israel. For if they believed in the Messhiach, judgment would not come. It is the same in this the generation of judgment: the time of the Gentiles fulfilled. God is purposing unbelief as He did in the first generation of the assembly of God, as Paul spoke of in 2 Thes 2: the falling away. Again God has purposed unbelief in our day and hour: they cannot believe. For God Himself is the source of the faith of Yeshua through grace. And so through the unbelief of the Gentiles, faith will come to Israel in our day and hour.

In the grace of God only, this is clearly seen in 1 Cor 2:7ff:

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a hidden mystery, that God ordained before the world unto our glory (the children of grace): which none of the rulers of this world knew: for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”

And Yeshua in the days of His flesh did not see the end of these matters, but in Spirit He did by the writings of the prophets in light of the Christ’s death for our sins, His burial and His resurrection the third day. In the resurrection He saw the fruit of the work of God, not in the days of His flesh. Yeshua received understanding by the word preached by the gospel brought forth by the Spirit of the Father who zealously testified of the Christ (and who continues to this day and forever). And the end of these matters and all things are:

“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave (sheol, hades, hell, one and the same), where is thy vistory…But thanks be to God, who giveth us the vistory through our Lord Yeshua the Christ.” (1 Cor 15)

“In Adam all died, in the Christ, Yeshua all are made alive, each man in his own order.”(1 cor 15)
“That at the name of Yeshua, every knee SHALL bow in heaven, in earth and under the earth, and every tongue SHALL confess that Yeshua the Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2 from Is 2:11, Is 45:23, Psalms 22:29)

When the word of the Lord is completed there will be no death for all eternity. There is a conclusion of the the purpose of God in Christ Yeshua that will usher in eternal righteousness and life.

God has not rejected Israel

The false doctrine of God’s total rejection of Israel and the bringing forth of spiritual Israel made of Jews and Gentiles has been around since Paul wrote Romans. This is a great error. The church or the assembly of the living God, and not Israel, is made of Jews and Gentiles. The assembly of the living God will be kings and priest for ever in the New Jerusalem living and abiding in the presence of God forever. Their inheritance is not Israel, but the very presence of God, partakers of the divine nature, living and reigning with Christ over all nations forever. And the nations of the saved (all nations, for the saved are taken out of all nations, Israel and all other nations) will bring their glory to the New Jerusalem. Those who espouse this false doctrine of Spiritual Israel are saying they are not saved and they do not know it. Some of the fruits of those who have followed this doctrine are as follows:
1) Constantine making Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire and his legal restrictions towards the Jews.
2) The entire concept of the Jewish ghettos was established by Roman Catholicism with this thinking of the church replacing Israel.
3) 1492-the expulsion of Jews from Spain.
4) The merging of goverment and church in the doctrines of Martin Luther and his obvious hatred for the Jews (read his writings) had there ultimate fruit in Nazi Germany. The whole concept of the Third Reich was based on the second Reich or kingdom (as the word is translated), the Holy Roman Empire, the title of which resided on Germany until the early 1800′s. Again, making the church spiritual Israel brought forth this fruit. God makes no mistakes. This is the very purpose of God.

I could give you a multitude of other examples of the fruit of the spiritual Israel doctrine. And if you want to see a most perfect example of the false doctrine of God’s total rejection of Israel as a nation, look at the thoughts of Islam. The very necessity of the Koran as a replacement for the scriptures is derived from this thought, and all the subsequent corruptions the Koran bring to bear on the scriptures. Just one example but I could give many, the Koran says Abraham did not offer Isaac on the altar, but Ishmael. The story of Moses is corrupted and even the meaning of his name. The untrustworthy people of God corrupted the scriptures, Islam says, and the Koran was needed to correct the error.

For all who reject Israel, they reject their own salvation. I say this by the word of the Lord.