Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Americans Would Support Israel...Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee in support of Israel
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Ahava Love Letter - "Don't Stop"
“Don’t Stop”
“…yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest
by her continual coming she weary me.'" (Luke 18:5 NKJV)
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Dear family of friends,
Day in and day out. Same old same old. Been there, done that. Cliches’ we have heard, or said, often. They can become tiring sayings, and yet may represent our present situation in life.
Our daily prayers may end up being the same ones we have petitioned for the last several months, or longer. We can grow weary of coming to the Lord and repeating what we presented yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. Do our prayers we give by rote have little effect? Is it time being wasted, to share our heart each day with the One Who said we would have the abundant life? Read on.
“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'
And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"
Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:1-8 NKJV)
And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"
Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:1-8 NKJV)
The ungodly judge said he was getting weary of the widow continually coming to him, and so just to stop it, he avenged her (definition: to exact satisfaction for (a wrong) by punishing the wrongdoer.) In the above parable, Jesus goes on to say, in comparison, that God hears His own elect, who pray to Him day and night, and tells us to keep in faith, for He will speedily respond. That encourages me.
Though we often grow weary from pressing on, as we seek Him for His chosen path and planned purposes, He Himself encourages us to keep going. It doesn’t seem like He gets tired of hearing from us. Rather, the Word says that He Himself is bearing long with us, and promises that He will answer quickly. (Even if His “quickly” seems like eternity to us!) By pressing on, we are expressing faith in Him as we await His answer. He expects nothing short of us – to maintain ongoing faith in Him.
Don’t stop going forward. Your faith will be rewarded. That we can be sure of.
Ahava to my family of friends,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc. truly appreciates your generous support. Please consider sending a monthly charitable gift of $5-$25 each month to help us bless Messianic Jews in Israel. You can send checks to the address below. Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)
©2012 Steve Martin Love For His People, Inc. P.O.Box 414 Pineville, NC 28134
Facebook pages: Steve Martin and Love For His People
Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter
Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858. Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.
Ahava Love Letter #42 Date: Feb. 24 in the year of our Lord 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
The 2 Spies: Come be Part of the Miracle
Full Blog: The 2 Spies: Come be Part of the Miracle: The main purpose of our blog is to encourage Aliyah. The miracle of the Jewish people being returned to our ancient homeland, the resurrecti...
Friday, February 17, 2012
Hold Fast Your Confession - Robbie Phillips
Present Word Ministries
‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches’
1101 Garden Dale Drive, Columbia, SC 29210-4910
(803) 791-7538 robbiewphillips@gmail.com
February 17 & 18, 2012
“Hold fast your Confession!”
– Hebrews 4:14
Perhaps it’s just me. That must be it. Nobody else feels like I do. Then again, maybe not. For it seems to me that we live in a particularly discouraging time, at least here in America. The economic climate is darker than at any time I can remember during my lifetime and getting steadily worse, for the uncurbed out-of-control deficit spending by the current administration and congress is simply staggering. In the political arena, the unrelenting frontal assault on our Constitution and therefore on our ‘inalienable rights’ grows bolder so that ‘political correctness’ seems to be the order of the day. On the religion side of things, Christianity and our godly heritage are on the retreat in the public arena on every hand. The ‘enemy has come in like a flood’ – and I’m starting to wonder when (and if) ‘the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him’, Isaiah 59:19.
Let’s not underestimate the power of the forces working against us. When things are ‘going south’ around us in society, or more personally when things in our immediate world seem to be spiraling downward, the overall inner negative affect on us can be considerable. Just recently a man of God commented to me: “Everything seems to be working against me.” When we’re in that “everything’s against me” mindset (and who hasn’t been at some time or other?), then the ‘blues’ sneak up on you. You find yourself down, depressed, perplexed, wondering “what’s going on?”, “why was I born”, “isn’t there something more to life than this?”, “where did I miss it?”, “what have I done to deserve this?”, “where’s God?” Sound familiar?
In reply the Holy Spirit says regarding both our larger and smaller life circumstances: “Hold fast your Confession!” Get alone. Declare – speak out loud – and say it loudly – declare your faith in Jesus Christ! Declare His glory, power, invincible rule. Declare His majesty. Confess what you believe and the One you believe in. Declare aloud that you absolutely refuse to succumb to the negative. Declare aloud that you reject the low, blah feelings, the sense of worthlessness and impotence. Stand up, as it were, and having done all, stand! Refuse to budge, to yield, to bow. Submit to God; resist the devil. Declare your faith boldly, confidently. Remind yourself of your God and of His great faithfulness. Rise up in the strength and power of your bold confession and defy the enemy to his face.
David, not much more than a mere wisp of a boy, when confronting Goliath, ran to engage him in hand-to-hand combat. Let’s be like David – let’s rush at our ‘Goliath’ – let’s rout the enemy as David did and do it with bold declaration of our faith!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
America Israel Racing team
Race Team Seeks to Showcase America’s Support for Israel on the Track
America Israel Racing
CHARLOTTE, NC (January 12, 2012) – Inspired by recent political sentiment towards the nation of Israel, two North Carolina-based entrepreneurs are hoping to raise awareness of the importance of America supporting its Middle Eastern ally on auto racing’s grandest stage.
America Israel Racing (AIR) hopes to place a car in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup field, starting at the “Great American Race”, the Daytona 500, on February 26 at Daytona International Speedway in Florida. With extensive knowledge in NASCAR, AIR feels there is no better place to share the message that America should support Israel than in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and with 2012 being a Presidential election year, the AIR team feel this is the perfect year to do so.
“This is a critical time in our nation’s history as it pertains to our relationship with Israel,” said a member of the AIR team. “As the only true democracy in the Middle East, we feel it is critical that the United States reaffirms its commitment to stand beside Israel. By fielding a car in the most-watched race of the year, we hope to show Israel just how many Americans feel the same way.”
The AIR team recently established a sponsorship program and is currently seeking corporate sponsors as well as accepting donations on its website, AmericaIsraelRacing.com. America Israel Racing hopes all like-minded individuals and groups will help them place a car in the Sprint Cup Series for the 2012 season to spread the message that America stands with Israel.
“If enough people make a stand, the world will take notice,” said a member of the AIR team.
About America Israel Racing
America Israel Racing was formed to raise awareness of the importance of America supporting Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East, as it stands against its enemies. The North Carolina-based race team, founded in 2011, is in the process of fundraising to field a car in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starting with the Daytona 500. Through strategic partnerships and joint ventures with other organizations, America Israel Racing hopes to spread the message throughout the world that the United States supports Israel.
Source: America Israel Racing, Press Release
http://www.catchfence.com/2012/sprintcup/01/12/race-team-seeks-to-showcase-americas-support-for-israel-on-the-track/
When You Believe Lyrics - Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey -
When You Believe Lyrics
Many nights we prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hope for a song
We barely understood
Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains
Long before we knew we could, whoa, yes
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe somehow you will
You will when you believe
[Mmmmmmmmmyeah]
Mmmyeah
In this time of fear
When prayer so often proves in vain
Hope seems like the summer bird
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I'm standing here
My hearts so full, I can't explain
Seeking faith and speakin words
I never thought I'd say
There can be miracles
When you believe (When you believe)
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill (Mmm)
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve (You can achieve)
When you believe somehow you will
You will when you believe
[Hey]
[Ooh]
They don't always happen when you ask
And it's easy to give in to your fears
But when you're blinded by your pain
Can't see the way, get through the rain
A small but still, resilient voice
Says love is very near, oh [Oh]
There can be miracles (Miracles)
When you believe (Boy, when you believe, yeah) [Though hope is frail]
Though hope is frail [Its hard]
It's hard to kill (Hard to kill, oh, yeah)
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve (You can achieve, oh)
When you believe somehow you will (Somehow, somehow, somehow)
Somehow you will (I know, I know, know)
You will when you believe [When you]
(Ohoh)
[You will when you]
(You will when you believe)
[Oohoohooh]
[Oh... oh]
[When you believe]
[When you believe]
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hope for a song
We barely understood
Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains
Long before we knew we could, whoa, yes
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe somehow you will
You will when you believe
[Mmmmmmmmmyeah]
Mmmyeah
In this time of fear
When prayer so often proves in vain
Hope seems like the summer bird
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I'm standing here
My hearts so full, I can't explain
Seeking faith and speakin words
I never thought I'd say
There can be miracles
When you believe (When you believe)
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill (Mmm)
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve (You can achieve)
When you believe somehow you will
You will when you believe
[Hey]
[Ooh]
They don't always happen when you ask
And it's easy to give in to your fears
But when you're blinded by your pain
Can't see the way, get through the rain
A small but still, resilient voice
Says love is very near, oh [Oh]
There can be miracles (Miracles)
When you believe (Boy, when you believe, yeah) [Though hope is frail]
Though hope is frail [Its hard]
It's hard to kill (Hard to kill, oh, yeah)
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve (You can achieve, oh)
When you believe somehow you will (Somehow, somehow, somehow)
Somehow you will (I know, I know, know)
You will when you believe [When you]
(Ohoh)
[You will when you]
(You will when you believe)
[Oohoohooh]
[Oh... oh]
[When you believe]
[When you believe]
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Ahava Love Letter - "Valve Replacement"
Ahava Love Letter
“Valve Replacement”
“…I will make springs of water flow through the valleys.
I will change the desert into a lake filled with water.” (Is. 41:18)
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Dear family of friends,
When our home water pressure fell to a low point, with no shower possible, I knew there must be a spiritual lesson in this. And when the utility service man said it had to be the “water pressure reducer valve”, that confirmed my hunch. Old and worn out must be replaced with new.
Over the past 20 years, with fresh water streaming through the house pipes, we took it for granted that when we turned the faucet on, the water would freely flow. Not so this time. It was not even strong enough to properly get the shampoo out of the hair. So it was time for a change. One plumbing repair guy suggested that we could just “clean out the valve”, but I immediately said no, we would get a new one. I didn’t want to mess with something that was 20 years old, for in time it would need to be changed anyway. Let’s do it now and get it done with.
As I drove to the plumbing store to get the replacement part, I asked the Lord to give me a spiritual application to this, for my life, and others. The sense I got in reply was that every now and then it is time to get a “valve replacement” in our spiritual man. Get rid of that which may be clogging our direct contact with the Holy Spirit, and begin to experience anew. Clear out the old ways of thinking that have gotten us thus far, and let the Lord bring fresh revelation, unhindered by years of accumulation. Who knows what all we have picked up along the way, that has now restricted the flow of life into us.
The actual repair cost was minimal, along with the time to do the replacement. And that too is worth noting. Sometimes we put off a “valve change” for too long, thinking it will cause harm, delay, set us back further, or the new results will fall short of our expectations. It is like hanging onto the full, small cup of drink when the Lord wants to take us to the next level, and give us a bigger cup, if only half full to start. He will then fill it up to the brim.
I welcome change, both in the natural and spiritual. The same old same old gets old. So from time to time we need a valve job, heart transplant, or a cleaning out of the spiritual pipes. All for the purpose of being able to better hear, see and follow after the Lord and His call on our lives.
We welcome your goodness, Lord. Bring on your change.
Ahava to my family of friends,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc. truly appreciates your generous support. Please consider sending a monthly charitable gift of $5-$25 each month to help us bless Messianic Jews in Israel. You can send checks to the address below. Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)
©2012 Steve Martin Love For His People, Inc. 12120 Woodside Falls Rd. Pineville, NC 28134
E-mail: ahavaloveletters@gmail.com
Facebook pages: Steve Martin and Love For His People
Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter
Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858. Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.
Ahava Love Letter #41 Date: Feb. 14 in the year of our Lord 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Ahava Love Letter - "Labyrinth"
Ahava Love Letter
“Labryinth” “In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade.” (2 Cor. 2:14, from THE MESSAGE) |
Dear family of friends,
Lately I’ve been pondering on a prophetic word I received on Nov. 14, 1998. It was given to me through a man during a conference, with two other prophetic gifted people sharing also. Here is the word he spoke to me, in part.
“Steve, have you ever seen that little game when you were a kid, called Labyrinth? It’s a board game that has about 50 holes in it, and you try and maneuver a marble through. You can tilt the board four ways as you try to maneuver this marble without going into the holes. I feel like that’s a picture of your life. It’s like the Lord has said, “How many are there who will pursue all the way through to the end?
I feel like He’s found that in you. He’s found somebody that will pursue to the end. I feel like you’re obsessed with the Kingdom of God, and some people are going to come against you in that, not meaning to be critical, but they have come against that – almost that obsession that you have. But in your heart you’ve said, “Yeah, I am obsessed with the Kingdom, because everybody is obsessed with something.”
After hearing that “labyrinth” word, I honestly had no idea what he was talking about. But time would tell.
In looking back over these past 14 years, I feel like I have been that marble rolling around, searching for the exact hole to fall into. Let’s see…six churches, employments with three ministry organizations, several worship teams. Some would look at me and say I am just a wanderer. (But I have been married 34 years, lived in the same house the past 17 years now, and have kept on a steady Christian course.) I think I am realizing what that prophetic word meant, to be a picture of that labyrinth game, in my walk with the Lord. And though at times I must admit that I thought I was just going from “hole to hole”, I now more clearly see the Lord’s hand in it. Can you relate too?
Some of us won’t settle for the mundane, the normal routine, the everyday life that others would and may already have accepted. We are ones who are continually looking for His purpose and fulfillment in our life, and are willing to keep looking, to keep searching, to keep “rolling on” until we find it, and above all, pursue Him.
I expect there will be a few more places that I will be led to. That is exciting, and yet challenging at the same time. But I am committed to stay in the labyrinth maneuvering, all the way through to the end. Hope you are too.
Ahava to my family of friends,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc. truly appreciates your generous support. Please consider sending a monthly charitable gift of $5-$25 each month to help us bless Messianic Jews in Israel. You can send checks to the address below. Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)
©2012 Steve Martin Love For His People, Inc. 12120 Woodside Falls Rd. Pineville, NC 28134
E-mail: ahavaloveletters@gmail.com
Facebook pages: Steve Martin and Love For His People
Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter
Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858. Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.
Ahava Love Letter #40 Date: Feb. 1, in the year of our Lord 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Highway To Zion Assemblies in March
Cathy Hargett - Founderf/President - Highway To Zion
Shalom, Shalom, Friends!
Just wanted to give you a heads-up about two exciting and timely Highway to Zion Assemblies coming up in March! We don't normally have two Assemblies in the same month, but you will see when you read below why these two Assemblies are strategic and ordered by the Lord.
For those of us who have embraced the "restoration of Israel/Messianic faith movement", we are realizing that this is "real life" and authentic life in the Ruach when we take our stand and obey and listen intently to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - it's no longer "business as usual" - we are living in "that day"!
The Lord has so blessed us with the opportunity to have these two Assemblies with speakers from Jerusalem! As our HTZ Board has been praying and planning, we were asking the Lord for speakers from Israel for 2012 and these two opportunities came to us by the Ruach - we praise Him for this and for the blessing of being able to invite you to join us.
These two speakers are not from the same ministry, but it "just happened" that both were scheduled to be in the Charlotte area in the same month, and we at HTZ were blessed to be included in their plans!
I really believe it is God's plan and blessing for those of us in the Charlotte and surrounding area to have the opportunity to link arms with Israel through these two brothers and their ministries.
Not only will we hear the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem, but we will experience two very different Assemblies.
If we set our hearts to hear from the Lord, we will hear and witness to our own strategic spiritual calling and destiny as we see the Lord unfolding His plans at this hour through Chuck and David's unique perspectives - Chuck's ministry is focused on intercession for Israel and David's calling, as a journalist and writer, is to report the prophetic as we see it happening right now, today.
Save the dates for these upcoming Assemblies - Friday, 3/16th and Friday, 3/30th!
(We will be sending details as we get closer to the dates - but as of now, both Assemblies will be held at Raintree Country Club in Charlotte/Matthews, NC from 7-9:30 p.m.!)
3/16/11 - Chuck Cohen, from Jerusalem, a Director of Intercessors for Israel.
http://www.ifi.org.il/
3/30/11 - David Dolan, from Jerusalem, journalist and author.
http://www.ddolan.com/
Don't miss these Assemblies!
We are so looking forward to seeing you at these Assemblies, and to worshipping, praying and hearing from the Lord together!
Love and blessings in Yeshua ha Mashiach!
Cathy
Cathy Hargett
Highway to Zion Ministries, Inc.
704 365 2728
http://highwaytozion.org/welcome
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Rick Santorum & Prayer Requests
Rick Santorum supports the people of Israel.
(Video by Steve Martin Jan. 12, 2012)
Monday, January 16, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The Harbinger - Jonathan Cahn on CBN
CBN story: Jonathan Cahn: The Harbinger
The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn
Is it possible… That there exists an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America’s future? That this mystery lies behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy? That ancient harbingers of judgment are now manifesting in America? That God is sending America a prophetic message of what is yet to come?
Before its destruction as a nation, ancient Israel received nine harbingers, prophetic omens of warning. The same nine harbingers are now manifesting in America—with immediate ramifications for end-time prophecy.
Hidden in an ancient biblical prophecy from Isaiah, the mysteries revealed in The Harbinger are so precise that they foretold recent American events down to the exact days. The revelations are so specific that even the most hardened skeptics will find it hard to dismiss or put down. It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood thriller – with one exception… IT’S REAL.
The prophetic mysteries are revealed through an intriguing and engaging narrative the reader will find hard to put down. The Harbinger opens with the appearance of a man burdened with a message he has received from a mysterious figure called The Prophet. The Prophet has given him nine seals, each containing a message about America’s future. As he tells of his encounters with The Prophet, from a skyscraper in New York City, to a rural mountaintop, to Capitol Hill, to Ground Zero, the mystery behind each seal is revealed. As the story unfolds, each revelation becomes a piece in a greater puzzle – the ramifications of which will even alter the course of world history.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Archaeologists Find Rare 'Pure to God' Temple Seal - CBN
Sunday, January 01, 2012
by Julie Stahl
CBN News is a national/international, nonprofit news organization that provides programming by cable, satellite, and the Internet, 24-hours a day.JERUSALEM, Israel -- Archaeologists digging near the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City unearthed a rare find used in the daily work of the ancient Jewish Temple.
The small clay seal is inscribed with two words in Aramaic meaning "pure to God." "This is the first time we got [found] something that belongs to God, belongs to something that came from the temple," Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist Eli Shukron said.
Archaeologists say the seal is the first archaeological evidence of the administrative workings of the Second Temple. That temple was built around 500 BC after Solomon's Temple had been destroyed. Experts believe temple officials used the seal as a stamp to indicate that an object, such as oil or an animal for sacrifice, was approved for ritual use in the temple.
Archaeologists found this latest treasure, dated between the first century BC and 70 AD when the Romans destroyed the Second Temple, while excavating near the foundations of the Western Wall. "It's very, very exciting to find something that priests use in the temple before 2,000 years -- something that belong[ed] to the temple, and this is the first time we found a thing like that -- ever," Shukron said.
Layers of soil covered the giant foundation stones of the outer wall of the Temple Mount. During the time of the Second Temple, the main street of Jerusalem would have been above it…including the years when Jesus walked the city.
Shukron said all the dirt and debris from the area is meticulously sifted for artifacts.
"And the dirt that covered this stone from here we took it to the sifting and then we sifted and found the seal from this area, from this area that we stand," he explained.
Archaeologists are not allowed to excavate on the Temple Mount itself because of political and religious sensitivities. It currently houses the Muslim mosques and shrines. Not long ago, archaeologists found coins in a ritual bath under the nearby Western Wall, which indicated that King Herod the Great, builder of Jerusalem, didn't finish the Western Wall himself before he died. --Published Dec. 29, 2011.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Who Was the Fourth Man? - Dr. Bill Duerfeldt
Who was the Fourth Man?
In our daily devotions recently my wife and I were reading Judges, chapter thirteen -- the story of Samson’s conception. Samson’s parents were confronted by the Angel of the LORD who told them that Samson would be a special child – a Nazarite in English or Naziyr in Hebrew – ie, a consecrated person.
What particularly struck me about this part of the story were verses 17 and 18 -- Samson’s father asks the Angel “What is your name?” The Angel’s reply was enigmatic, to say the least. In most English translations the Angel answers, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?”
I went back to the original Hebrew to see if I could make any more sense out of that answer, and discovered something rather amazing. In Hebrew, the word “wonderful” is pil’iy. It means “beyond understanding” or “incomprehensible”. It is the same word used in Isaiah 9:6 describing the Messiah. “For unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Is it possible that this Angel of the LORD was actually a theophany – a visual manifestation of Yeshua before the Incarnation?
I think we will all agree that Yeshua has always been alive and co-existent with the Father. Numerous scriptures in the Tanak and the B’rit Chadeshah clearly make that point. These include Micah 5:2; Hebrews 1:1-2; John 10:30; John 1:1-4; John 8:58; and Luke 10:17 to name a few. Since He has always been in existence, are there times when He manifested Himself as a man in the Tanak? I believe there is compelling evidence that He may have done so on at least three other occasions. Let’s look at them.
Melchizedek. “And Melchizedek, King of Salem, brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God most high. And he [Melchizedek] blessed him [Abram] and said, ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of Heaven and Earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand’. And he [Abram] gave him [Melchizedek] a tenth of all he had.” (Genesis 14:18-20)
I want to point out three things about this story. First – the name Melchizedek comes from two root Hebrew words – Melek (King) and Tzedek (Righteousness). Melchizedek literally means “King of Righteousness”. He is also called “King of Salem” – Hebrew: Melek Shalam – which means King of Peace; a title highly reminiscent of the Messiah -- Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace).
Secondly, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews suggests very strongly that this person named Melchizedek has been present before the beginning of Creation. “…without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually (Hebrews 7:3). Moreover, Hebrews also ties this interesting point into the Messianic prophecy of Psalm 110:4, where it says of the Messiah “Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Thirdly, we are told that Abram gave Melchizedek a tithe, and in return received his blessing. (Genesis 14:19-20) To Whom to we give the tithe? To God, of course! From Whom do we receive a blessing? Again, only from God! Is it possible that this Melchizedek – King of Righteousness and King of Peace – was actually a theophany of Yeshua?
Commander of the LORD’s Host. “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as Commander of the host of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?" Then the Commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, "Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy." And Joshua did so.” (Joshua 5:13-15) There are several points in this narrative that are worthy of notice.
First, the “man” calls Himself the Commander (some translations say “Captain”) of the Host of the LORD. In Hebrew the words are “Sar Tzevah Yahweh” – literally “the Prince of the Army of Yahweh”. The title “Prince” (or Sar in Hebrew) is the same title which Isaiah used for the Messiah in Isaiah 9:6 as we saw above.
Secondly, we are told that Joshua fell on his face and worshiped Him. Whoever this person was, He could not have been an angel, because angels do not allow humans to worship them. You will recall that in the Apocalypse the Apostle John at one point fell on his face to worship an angel. The angel immediately forbade him from doing so saying, “Don’t do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers the prophets. Worship God alone.” (Rev. 22:8-9)
Thirdly, the “man” not only allowed Joshua’s worship, but added that Joshua was in the Divine Presence. He said to Joshua, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.” These are essentially the same words God Himself spoke to Moses from the burning bush. Is it possible that the “man” standing before Joshua was none other than Yeshua, the fullness of the Godhead in visible form, the Sar Shalom, the Prince of the Army of the LORD?
The Fourth Man. Most of us are familiar with the story in Daniel of three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who, because they refused to bow to the golden idol, were cast into a flaming furnace by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. The key passage of the story is found in Daniel 3:24-25 -- Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." (KJV)
First, let me make this point. Several English translations render the last three words of this passage as “son of the gods”; for example, the NIV, ESV, NASB, RSV, and others. Whatever one may think of the old KJV, in this instance the translators got it right. Let me explain. This story in Daniel is written in Aramaic – an ancient Semitic language and a predecessor of Arabic and Hebrew.
In Aramaic the last phrase is: בַר־אֱלָהִֽין (bar-elehon).
“Bar”, of course, means “son” – such as in the familiar term “bar mitzvah” (son of the covenant). “Elehon” is a form of the word “elah” which means “God”. It is a singular noun, not a plural one. (The plural form of God is “elohiym” such as is found in Genesis 1:1). Technically, therefore, the correct translation would be “son of God” or “son of the god”. The Aramaic words “elah” or “elehon” appear 95 times in Scripture, and in 79 of those instances, the word clearly refers to the God of Israel. In fact, in Daniel 3:28 when Nebuchadnezzar is extolling the God of Israel, it is the word “elehon” that he uses.
One final comment – In Daniel 3:28 Nebuchadnezzar, referring to the ordeal in the fiery furnace, says that “God…sent His angel and delivered His servants…”. The Aramaic word used here for “angel” is “mal’ak” – and means “one sent”, “a messenger”, or “an ambassador”. Moreover, I find it extremely interesting that the Aramaic word “mal’ak” corresponds with Strong’s Hebrew word H4397 “mal’ach”, because one of the meanings of “mal’ach” is “a theophanic messenger ” – ie, a theophany!!
Who was the Fourth Man in the fiery furnace? Was He the same Man who appeared to Abraham as Melchizedek? Was He the same Man who told Joshua that He was the Captain of the Hosts of the LORD? And finally, could He have been the same Man who appeared to the parents of Sampson and told them that His Name was “Wonderful”?
I report. You decide. J
Dr. Bill Duerfeldt
Asheville, North Carolina
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Ahava Love Letter - "The Initiator"
“The Initiator” “…which way He did initiate for us — new and living…” (Heb. 10:20 Young’s Literal Translation) |
Dear family of friends,
When I consider the ways and means of the Lord, one aspect I have come to appreciate is to know Him as The Initiator – the One who sets things in progress. Or better yet, the One who sets us in progress.
Have you ever felt, like I do at times, that things in your spiritual life have come to a standstill, or you have come to a crossroads? Usually when I come to this point, my natural instinct is to try and make something happen. And then out of frustration I try to keep “driving down the road”, for after all, you “can’t steer a parked car.”
When I get fearful of things not seemingly moving, or I am not “working for the Lord” as I should be, or things are a bit too quiet for me, I tend to get anxious, and wonder if the Lord still knows I am here. I start feeling guilty of “just sitting still while nothing is progressing.” When the time has come where one season, or even era has ended, and the current transition is a slow train coming, it is at this point where I must still try to not make things happen, in my own flesh, but must continue to wait on the Lord. He is The Initiator. He is the One whom I need to let open the next door, and direct me to the next place or location I am to inhabit.
When Abraham got anxious for the promised son, and proceeded to help the Lord out, Ishmael resulted. When Moses used his own physical strength to “save” the Hebrews, he ended up in the desert for 40 years. When Saul got anxious for Samuel to arrive and perform the sacrifice, he didn’t wait, and ended up losing his kingship (1 Samuel 15). Others in Scripture took it upon themselves to try and make things happen, and they missed the Lord. Not fun.
Those who chose to wait upon the Lord, and let Him lead, experienced different results. David held his hand when he could have killed Saul in the cave, and the Lord’s plan to raise him up as king came to fruitation. When Joseph was held in Pharoah’s prison, and served even in that almost forgotten place, the time finally did come for the Lord’s timing and release. Joseph became second in command over all the country. Even Paul had three years in Arabia and Damascus (Gal. 1:17,18) before he went to consult with the apostles in Jerusalem. Soon thereafter his own apostolic mission went forth.
As for me, I have initiated too many projects, even those which seemed good at the time, and yet later found myself wondering where I missed it. At this critical point in my life, I am waiting for Him to initiate the next move. Once I hear, and then obey, it will be good.
May this year be the same for you.
Ahava to my family of friends,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc. truly appreciates your generous support. Please consider sending a tax-deductible monthly charitable gift of $5-$25 each month to help us bless Messianic Jews in Israel. You can send checks to the address below. Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)
Steve Martin Love For His People, Inc. 12120 Woodside Falls Rd. Pineville, NC 28134
Ahava Love Letter #39 Date: Jan. 1, in the year of our Lord 2012
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