Eagle vs. Donkey: How Will the Messiah Arrive?

(Photo: Breaking Israel News)

Eagle vs. Donkey: How Will the Messiah Arrive?

By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz  September 6, 2015   BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Through the ages, a subject of much discussion and controversy has been over the two traditions of Jewish thought describing the style in which the Messiah will arrive.

The first concept appears in Zechariah 9:9, which describes the appearance of the Messiah on a donkey: “Your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

The second concept, taken from Exodus 19:4, understands the miraculous arrival of the Messiah on “eagle’s wings.” In addition, the concept of Messiah as “a son of man came with the clouds of heaven…” (Daniel 7:13) is ephemeral and transcendent.

These two concepts seem to be at odds. However, Torah sages say that both are possible.

The central rabbinical text known as the Talmud teaches that the manner in which the Messiah will appear is dependent on our actions (Sanhedrin 98:A). If we are deserving, if our actions are deemed meritorious by God, the messiah will come dressed in splendor and glory. If our actions are less worthy, he will arrive accompanied by the smell of sweat and labor.

The Hebrew word for donkey, chamor (חמור), is also the term for material, chomer (חומר). The concept of the messiah riding a chamor is understood as a process oriented, material version of the messiah, more in line with what Jewish tradition refers to as Moshiach ben Yosef, the Messiah from the House of Joseph.

This involves physically restoring the land, rebuilding the Third Temple and restoring the rule of God and the Bible. The process of a final redemption brought about in this matter implies hard work and pushing forward slowly until we arrive to a new messianic reality with very few surprises.

The arrival of the messiah on the wings of eagles represents a process initiated from above, a divinely inspired and almost instantaneous transformation of existence as we suddenly descend into the new messianic reality.

The Exodus from Egypt was a case of redemption on the wings of eagles. It was a non-stop display of God’s will, where even the sea was not allowed to remain unchanged by the process and had to bend itself to God’s will. It was an unnatural, supernatural process. The Exodus illustrates in so many ways that redemption can preclude nature. Even sustenance was provided from above. In  a strange twist, coming into the Promised Land was a return to natural processes, a lower level of spirituality, that involved wars being fought, as opposed to relying on miraculous victories brought about by God. The land was farmed and the Temple was built, one stone at a time.

A discussion in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 98a) discusses the verse in Zechariah 9:9. “The Persian King Shevor, asked Shmuel, ‘Why doesn’t your Messiah come riding on a horse? If he lacks one, I’ll be glad to provide him with one of my fast horses!’ In response to the ridicule of the king, Shmuel answers: ‘Do you have a horse that has a hundred shades of color’?” This could be hinting that the mundane process leading up to Messiah could be just as wonderful and awe-inspiring as an instantly delivered, divine process, depending on how you look at it.

Yeminite Jews en route to Israel from Yemen in Operation Wings of Eagles, also known as Operation Magic Carpet. (Photo: Wiki Commons)

The messianic concept of arriving on eagle’s wings has also served as inspiration to modern day Israel. In June 1949, the newly established country launched an operation to bring Yemen’s threatened community of Jews to Israel. British and American transport planes made over 380 flights from Aden in a secret operation that saved 49,000 Jews.

At first, there was some concern that the Yemenites, coming from an undeveloped country, would be reluctant to board the airplanes. To the pilots’ chagrin, they enthusiastically boarded the airplanes and sat calmly during the flight after their rabbis explained that the airplanes were like eagles.

The planes had come to fulfill the prophecy of taking them to the Promised Land on the “Wings of Eagles”, which was the official name of the operation.

Today, we are living in a time where Jews are returning to Israel in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. The ingathering of the exiles from the four corners of the earth are one step in the larger Messianic process.

Read more at http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/48361/what-can-eagle-donkey-teach-about-process-redemption-jewish-world/#5DZdQFLIMxCceLiy.99

The American Eagle - 2015 in Sitka, Alaska

(American eagle - photo by Steve Martin)

Back home after our Alaskan trip. A lot more photos and videos to come.
Steve Martin

This day...serve the Lord.

Remembering...lives given for freedom to live.

We remember.

We are thankful 

for lives given 

for freedom.

Steve Martin
Love For His People

Don't Grow Weary In Doing Good - Now Think On This (Steve Martin)

Don’t Grow Weary In Doing Good

"So let us not grow weary of doing what is good; for if we don’t give up, we will in due time reap the harvest.” (Gal. 6:9 Complete Jewish Bible)

“So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.” (Gal. 6:9-10 The Message)

  

Everyone gets tired. We get weary of doing good things. Often then we end up just complaining about our situations.

I was doing that on the way home from work. The day had been a bit draining, preparing the usual accounting reports month after month. My heart just wasn’t in it. I had been expecting to be at another position in my life, rather than to be doing what I had done 30 years ago. I know the Lord has His plan and purpose for me being there, in the marketplace setting, but sometimes I just don’t get the reasoning behind it. From my perspective, I could be more effective for His kingdom doing other things, in another place. That which I really had hoped to be doing by now. I have to remind myself that He is wise, and know what He is doing. I must rest in that.

But while driving the usual 45 minute commute home from the uptown office, in the normal heavy traffic, I started complaining in my head of the good deeds I had done, involving several people, and yet hadn’t seen much harvest from those seeds sown. Having had some farming life experience while growing up in Minnesota and Iowa, I understood the comparison in the natural - of preparing the ground, sowing the seed, and waiting months before the harvest is ready. I get that. But I was just getting a bit tired in waiting for my harvest to come, in the spiritual, after years of sowing and not seeing the expected abundance of fruit.

After sending off another complaint heavenward, the Lord responded back to me, “Look what I did for you.” I knew exactly what He meant. His life laid down, His death on the cross, and the example He had set for me to follow. I stopped my complaining immediately.

We all get worn out at times. It is the time when we are most vulnerable to the lies of the enemy; our own flesh kicking up, or allowing the stress of the day weigh our souls down, in our mind, will and emotions. One reason why the Lord established a weekly day of rest and giving to us in our sleep, as the Word says.

To battle back the weariness, so we can maintain our giving, we need to allow the Lord to give us rest. In America, there is no longer a set day when there is no shopping or work. We can see the results in sickness and stress. This has not been the expected decrease in either, due to our new time management. And as we have gone against the wisdom of the Lord, we have reaped the long term results.

Many times the distractions that deter us will rob us of the more important tasks we are called to do. Constantly saying yes to everything that comes our way begins to take its toll, leaving us with little or nothing to give for the more important relationships and events in our lives.

In our desire to bless, we must also keep in mind that proper care of our spirit, soul and body will then permit us to do more. The complaining doesn’t work. The Lord actually turns His ear away from us. Remember Moses and the Hebrews in the wilderness?

Being in His presence in prayer and reading of His Word on a regular basis will energize our spirit. We need to keep ready in all seasons and not grow weary. We have a lot of life to give, as His Holy Spirit works through us.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Love For His People

Founder

The Lion Roars Prophetic Newsletter - "The Great Eagle Shall Rise Again - Part III" - Karla Shrake (Mantles of Glory Ministries)

A Prophetic Newsletter www.MantlesOfGlory.org

By Karla Shrake

July, 2013 - Vol. 21

And the Lord Roars from Zion...And utters  His voice from Jerusalem." Joel 3:16

"The Lord utters His Voice before His Army; Surely His camp is Very Great,For Strong is he who Carries out His Word." Joel 2:11



The Great Eagle Shall Rise Again - Part III

(*Note from author Karla Shrake: Below are excerpts taken from the last section of my book "Mantles of Glory." This section received and penned in 1999, published 2001.) 

 
The wise and loving Father of all is preparing His beloved children for the greatest challenges and the greatest battle of all time. Does not an earthly father instruct, train and even admonish his children in order to equip them for the challenges of life? In anticipation of a great war is it not the wise and caring general who presses his troops to the maximum, training them for the rigors of the battlefield ahead and preparing them not just for survival, but for victory?

Mothers and Fathers Speak Truth

The Father-General is now raising up mothers and fathers who will speak His truth for the purpose of maturing and preparing the Body for the great battle ahead. We must put aside milk and diapers "and grow up into Him who is the head." This battlefield is only for those who are spiritually strong and developed. It is time to go into the gyms of daily life to exercise God's truths and to develop strength and stamina. 

We cannot wait until the heat of the great battle to begin exercising and learning the weapons of our warfare for it will be too late and we will be overcome. His voice to the Body in this hour is the voice of preparation, instruction and exhortation and of loving admonishment. "The time is short," warns the Father-General, "and there is much to learn and overcome in order to be ready for what lies ahead."

It is imperative that you follow the Lamb-Lion wherever He goes in this critical hour, obeying Him as your Commanding General not only when you understand but even when you do not. You must follow Him not only when you feel good and rested but also when you are battle-worn and weary for the time of preparation is shorter than you realize. 

Remember you will be able to stand in this rigorous and challenging latter day only in the Lord's strength that has been deposited within you from the beginning.



"He (Eleazar) arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder." II Sam. 23:10

The Warrior-Eagle Makes Resolution

America you must resolve to seek your Father as never before. You must resolve to grasp Him even as the warrior-Eleazar of David's three mighty men. This mighty warrior stood alone defying the entire Philistine army that had gathered for battle while the men of Israel retreated. Alone and in his weariness he continued to stand against all odds. He grasped his sword until his hand 'stuck' to it. 

 It is imperative that you grasp Him Warrior-Eagle as Eleazar grasped his sword. You must grasp His Word, His anointing, and even His very own heart in this late hour until you are 'stuck' to them, becoming one with them.

"Even as I used Eleazar to stand against many bringing about a great victory for Israel," says the Lord, "so will I use you in this late day My courageous Warrior-Eagle. You will indeed stand against the very hordes of hell itself to bring about great last-day victory as I manifest the triumph of Calvary through you."

New Winds are Blowing

"Even as I blew into Adam's nostrils the breath of life in the beginning so am I now as the Father of all again blowing My eternal life-breath deeply into the hearts of men in this late hour. As I commanded My servant Ezekiel to prophesy to the dead bones in the midst of the valley so am I now commanding life into the dead bones of the valleys of America in this urgent hour:

" 'Oh dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. Come from the four winds, Oh breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.' " Ezekiel 37:4-5, 9

The Spirit of Elijah Will Resurrect the Eagle

Beloved Eagle-America allow the Lord of Glory once again to be intimate with you to overshadow you and to blow His eternal life-breath deeply into you. He will resurrect you even as He resurrected the son of the widow of Zarepheth and the son of the Shunamite woman. Even as He sent his prophets to them so is He now sending His spirit of Elijah/Elisha, His prophetic spirit of restoration, to resurrect that which has died within you.

Both these prophets stretched themselves out laying their own bodies upon the bodies of the dead sons as they prayed. Even so the Lord is now stretching Himself out upon that which is dead within you Eagle-America, laying His Spirit of resurrection upon you, breathing His very own life-breath into you once again until you are warmed and restored. 

Yes He did lay His presence upon you in the beginning when He conceived and formed you but know that He is now coming to you a second time.



"I hear the cries of My faithful children across this land welcoming Me in this day," says your Father, "even as the widow and the Shunamite who welcomed Me into their homes long ago. This is truly your appointed day to rise again My beloved Eagle-America," commands your Father.

You will Live Again Eagle-America!

"Your heart will beat again with the fervor and the passion of your first love toward Me. You will rise up stretching and exercising your great wings, again catching the winds of My Spirit and purpose, becoming airborne. As you fellowship with Me in the heights of My Spirit your eyes will again become clear as you 'come to yourself' remembering who you are and for what great purpose you were conceived."

"You will be strengthened," promises your faithful Father. "You will endure and overcome, accomplishing all that I have ordained for you from the beginning. Long ago My last day servant Joel prophesied last-day restoration:

"Then I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the creeping locust, the stripping locust, and the gnawing locust...." Joel 2:25

"Receive My resurrection life-breath even now My beloved Eagle for your latter days will be much more glorious than your former. It is time now to hoist up your welcome banners toward Heaven beseeching My precious Holy Spirit to invade your deepest hearts, lives and families. Welcome My eternal life-breath into all that has been dead to Me and you will receive My resurrection power. Rejoice for your hour of deliverance, vindication and commissioning has come...your restoration is truly at hand!"