Do we want Mashiach now? by Messianic Jewish Rabbi Jack (Yaacob) Farber

Do we want Mashiach now? by Messianic Jewish Rabbi Jack (Yaacob) Farber
http://www.cmy.on.ca/newletters/dec2002.htm CMY NEWSLETTER
Congregation Melech Yisrael, Toronto, Canada
Vol. 8 No. 4 December 2002 - Kislev - Tevet 5763
By Rabbi Jack (Yaacob) Farber
A Message From The Rabbi

This morning as I was participating in Shacharit (the weekly Morning Prayer), from the traditional Jewish Art Scroll Siddur (prayer book), a certain passage jumped out at me. I have read this passage perhaps hundreds of times before, but it never impacted me like it did today. Maybe it is because there was another suicide bombing in Israel this morning, which killed and maimed innocent children. Or maybe it is because Israel is once again in the midst of yet another election. In either case I was taken by these verses.

The passage I am referring to is read every Thursday morning as part of the regular Morning Prayer service; it is Tehillim (Psalms) 81. I am going to quote it directly from the Siddur:

Tehillim 81.1 "For the conductor, upon the gittit, by Assaf. Sing joyously to the G-d of our might, call out to the G-d of Jacob. Raise a song and sound the drum, the sweet harp with the lyre. Blow the shofar at the moon's renewal, at the time appointed for the festive day. Because it is a decree for Israel, a judgement day for the G-d of Jacob. He imposed it as a testimony for Joseph when he went forth over the land of Egypt - 'I understood a language I never knew!' I removed his hand from the burden, his hands let go of the kettle. In distress you called out, and I released you, I answered you with thunder when you hid, I tested you with the Waters of Strife, Selah. Listen my nation and I will attest to you; O Israel if you would but listen to me. There shall be no strange god within you, nor shall you bow down before any alien god. I am HaShem, your G-d, who elevated you from the land of Egypt, open wide your mouth and I will fill it. But my people did not heed my voice and Israel did not desire me. So I let them follow their heart's fantasies, they follow their own counsels. If only my people would heed Me, if Israel would walk in My ways. In an instant I would subdue their foes, and against their enemies I would turn My hand. Those who hate HaShem lie to Him - so their destiny is eternal. But He would feed him with the cream of the wheat, and with honey from a rock to sate you."

Israel is perhaps one of the most secular countries on earth today. When speaking about their defence, they praise their armed forces and the ability they have to defend themselves. They tout their superior weaponry and flaunt the fact that they have the ability to annihilate any neighbouring country that may attack them.

Seldom however do you hear anything about G-d or His promises to them. To the average Israeli G-d is not part of the equation, that is why they are so influenced by public opinion and the United States government.

In the past 13 years Israel has had five prime ministers, yet each new leader has not really brought any substantial change. Arab terror is alive and well despite who was or is in power. The basic policy of restraint practised by each successive leader is not a product of their government but the result of pressure from the world, particularly from the United States. So what difference does it makes who is prime minister?

Orthodox Jews are religious zealots for the land, but they are but a fraction of the population. G-d however is not interested in religion; "works without faith is dead." So on a whole, these people can basically be classified as modern day Pharisees. Pharisaic Judaism was the Judaism of the first century. It did not keep Israel from going into exile then and it will not work now either.

Conservative Jews are the largest sect of Judaism. They read the portion of Scripture above in their Thursday morning Schacharit service as well. You would think it would strike their hearts as it did mine, but it has not. They are still extremely liberal and compared to what G-d expects from us very secular.

What I think it all boils down to, viewing the above Scriptures in light of current events; is that G-d is still in the in process of chastening Israel. Although they have returned to the land they have not yet returned to their first love. They are still worshipping idols, all be it idols of self, secularism, public opinion and America. G-d has obviously brought them to brink of exasperation, but they are not yet over the edge. They are still hoping that a new and perhaps more dynamic prime minister will be able to negotiate them out of the quagmire they are in. Sophisticated weapons are ineffective against Homicide bombers and all the police in the world can not stop terrorism.

Israel is heading for a war and I believe it will be the mother of all wars; the one spoken of by Ezekiel in chapter 39. It saddens me that it is going to take this and more, before Israel finally recognizes where they went wrong, but ultimately they will.

Zechariyah 12.10 "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto Me because they have thrust him through; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born."

Yeshua will reveal Himself to Israel as the one they rejected, as the one they pierced and then they will be saved. If only they did not have to go through all this in order to realize the truth.

Tehillim 81... If only my people would heed Me, if Israel would walk in My ways. In an instant I would subdue their foes, and against their enemies I would turn My hand.

Come quickly Messiah Yeshua and redeem Israel from all her troubles..

*****************************
Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Jack (Yaacov) Farber


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