Last Days

This is a follow up on last week’s letter of the Two Houses in the Last Days. The prophets of old mark these days with wars and great turmoil. Likewise Yeshua’s words about these days, also reiterate the same thoughts: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, `I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many, and you will hear of wars and rumors of wars” (Matt. 24:4-6). Most us don’t have any problem relating today’s world situations to what Yeshua or the prophets said on the topic. YHVH has given us the scriptures and this wonderful world of communication as a tool to reveal to us the truths of His Word.

So why are the kingdoms of this world being shaken? Is it because YHVH so hates the world that He is bent on destroying it? I do not believe that that is His motivation. YHVH’s true motive is always based on His nature, which is of course unconditional love. Why then all these ‘heavy-duty’ judgments? Could He be acting now in the same manner that He did in the days that His people, our forefathers, were in Egypt? But at that time too, YHVH wasn’t just being vindictive when He hardened Pharaoh’s heart, looking for a pretext for doing all that damage to the land and people of Egypt. He wasn’t trying to convince them that they were to repent from their ways and turn to Him (at least not directly). He was motivated by faithfulness to His word, and compassion towards His people. He wanted to establish them and His kingdom according to His pre-ordained plan, so that Egypt and the rest of the nations would know that He is the Elohim of His people Israel. He never once called Himself the God of Egypt, or the God of Amalek, but He did say repeatedly that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

YHVH says about Himself that He changes not. He is the God of Israel (both houses) and we still belong to Him, just as did our forefathers. We, who have come into the revelation understanding of our true identity, must face up to our history as His covenant people and to our relationship with Him, especially now that He has raised us from the dead spiritually, and restored our lost national identity (natural) through the new covenant. One scripture that we have quoted over the years, along with other Two House teachers, is Acts 3:19-21:

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Yeshua the Messiah, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which Elohim has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”

Our writing has been mainly focused on the restoration of our natural identity, as well as on what it means to be an Israelite and a firstborn in humanity. We have also touched upon the restoration of His kingdom to Israel. However, there is another ‘ingredient’ that we really haven’t discussed much, although it is very important to the redeemed Israelites. This ingredient is perhaps the major theme of the writings of the New Covenant books. It may be defined as, ‘who we are as the first fruit of a new creation order’. James wrote: “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures (James 1:18). Paul also says that “if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (Col. 5:17). Presumably, if that is the case, who needs the ‘old’ and natural Israelite, since now we are all new Israelites? Well, let’s not jump too quickly to conclusions. The Greek mindset would definitely analyze it from that perspective. However, the Hebraic point of view is able to integrate these concepts (otherwise there would be no male or female either, and things could become quite embarrassing in certain public conveniences).

The Hebrew word for firstborn, in Exodus 13:12, is “peh’ter”, meaning to separate, or first to open. Breaking forth and opening up the way was the responsibility and calling of a firstborn. Thus Yeshua was the first, of the first fruit nation Israel (in the ‘natural’), to break forth into the new creation life and existence (spiritually speaking). His birthing into this new life was a surety that the rest of His brethren would soon follow until “all of Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26). And thus, once the Father brings forth His first fruit company of the ‘Adamic’ family, the rest of their brethren in the family of man will follow.

However, the question remains: having our restored identity now, what kind of people aught we to be in these days?
To be continued…
Ephraim 24/01/03