Excerpt from Beth Immanuel Messianic Synagogue

What is a Messianic Jew?

By Aaron Eby

The difference between Jewish Christianity and Messianic Judaism is simple: Jewish Christianity is Christianity that is Jewish. Messianic Judaism is Judaism that is Messianic.

To arrive at Jewish Christianity, you start with Christianity and add Jewish people and Jewish things. You add Jewish customs. You add Jewish songs. You add Jewish clothing and food.

To arrive at Messianic Judaism, you start with Judaism, and add Messianic things. You add the Messiah. You add the Messiah’s teaching. You add aspects of the future Messianic Kingdom, when Jesus will rule the earth. In the end, Messianic Judaism has some vaguely similar appearances to Jewish Christianity, but a radically different way of thinking.

Excerpt from Perry Stone Ministries

When Walls Fall

By Jason T. Armstrong

One of the enemy’s greatest attacks is to rebuild the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile that was broken down by our messiah Yeshua. Why is the adversary so zealous to maintain this division? It’s because defeat came to the enemy and the believer received fullness of inheritance when Jew and Gentile came together as one in the Messiah.

Excerpt from Beth Yachad

Purim – The Feast of Lots

The story of Purim (Hebrew for Lots) comes from the Book of Esther and is really the story of good versus evil. It is the only Biblical holiday that is not identified with a Hebrew word. The word Pur is a Persian word.

Purim commemorates the deliverance of God’s people at the hands of Esther and Mordecai from the wicked Haman. He cast Pur (lots) to determine the month and day on which the Jewish people would be killed throughout the Persian Empire. It is celebrated on the 14th and 15th day of the Hebrew month Adar/Nisan (February or March).

Esther (Hadassah in Hebrew) was the cousin of Saul (Sh’aul), the first king of Israel (Esth. 2:5). Haman was a descendant of Amalek through King Agag (Esth. 3:1). Because King Saul did not destroy Agag as God had ordered him to do (I Sam 15:2-3), we have the battle that started in Exodus 17:16 continuing through another generation. Amalek represents anti-Semitism and the hatred of Satan against God’s Chosen People which still continues to this day and will not be wiped away until the fulfillment of the Book of Revelation. God has told us through His Word to destroy ALL of the sin in our lives. Have we done this?

Esther was prepared for twelve months to be a bride before she was ready to be presented to the King (Esth. 2:12), but it would take another three years before she would be granted an audience before him (Esth. 1:3 & 2:16). How long do we prepare before we go before our king, Jesus (Yeshua)?

Mordecai (Esther’s uncle) prepared her for the role of bringing salvation to the Jewish people of the day. He raised her and brought the information of Haman’s plot to her. As with many of us, she did not want do anything with the information at first. But Mordecai responded with a now famous verse of scripture from Esther 4:13-14:
Then Mordecai told {them} to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?"

Esther (who was a type and shadow of Jesus) fasted and prayed for three days before she ROSE to seek an audience with the King. She asked the King three times to speak with him BEFORE she made her request (Esth. 5: 1-4, 6-8, 7:2-4). How much time do we spend before we ask our King for something?

Haman decided to sign the decree for the annihilation of the Jews on the same day that Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) would later have His Passover Seder (The Last Supper) (Jn 13:1, Esth. 3:12, Ex 3:12, 12:6).

The Jews were saved physically in Esther, but all of God’s children would be saved eternally by the atoning Blood of the Lamb through Messiah Yeshua. Purim today is a time for feasting and celebration and to remember that God has and always will triumph over evil.


- by Rabbi Harlon Picker

Excerpt from Emmanuel Messianic Jewish Congregation

Yom Kippur - A Practical Guide for Believers in Messiah

Some believers question whether to fast since they are already forgiven in Messiah. True, believers do not fast to obtain forgiveness, yet there are some benefits for fasting, nonetheless.

Yeshua spoke of the blessings of a fast. Although the question of salvation is already settled by faith in Yeshua, believers are still in constant need of returning to a pure walk with the father. We have sins to confess and repent of (I John 1:7-9). Fasting can sensitize our spirits to the heart of God.

Many Messianic Jews and Gentiles fast on Yom Kippur for another reason also. As it is the one day of the religious year on which Jews around the world are packed into synagogues and praying, many believers have found it to be a special day to pray for the salvation of Israel (Romans 10:1).

The evening of Yom Kippur is a wonderful time for a messianic worship service. For those who live near a messianic Jewish congregation, attending a formal Yom Kippur service can be a spiritual highlight. The music, liturgy and message all celebrate the true meaning of the day: atonement in Yeshua the Messiah!

Emmanuel Messianic Jewish Congregation
The Gathering Place
6120 Day Long Lane
Clarksville, MD 21029

Phone: 410-531-2093
Email: emjc@godwithus.org

Excerpt from House of Covenant

We believe that Jewish people (physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, whether through the mother's or the father's bloodline) who place their faith in Israel's Messiah, Yeshua, continue to be Jewish according to the Scriptures. We believe that Gentiles who place their faith in Yeshua are "grafted in” to the Jewish olive tree of faith, becoming spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham.

We believe in observing and celebrating the Jewish Holy Days given by God to Israel, with their fulfillment in and through the Messiah Yeshua. We believe that true "Biblical Judaism," the faith of first century believers, which we seek to practice, acknowledges the continuity of faith in the one true God, revealed throughout the Scriptures and ultimately manifested in God's Son, Yeshua the Messiah. We believe that salvation has always been "by faith," and that works of law, or righteous acts, have never saved anyone.

We believe that the Renewed Covenant body of believers is composed of both Jews and Gentiles who have received Yeshua the Messiah as the Promised Redeemer. We believe that the "middle wall of partition" has been broken down, and now we worship the God of Israel together.

House of Covenant
Messianic Hebrew Congregation
61690 Pettigrew Rd.
Bend, OR 97702

Phone: (541) 385-5439
Email: adam@houseofcovenant.org

Excerpt from Jews and Joes

The Hebrew Scriptures, a Trustworthy Instrument of History

"A substantial proof for the accuracy of the Old Testament text has come from archeology. Numerous discoveries have confirmed the historical accuracy of the biblical documents, even down to the obsolete names of foreign kings... Rather than a manifestation of complete ignorance of the facts of its day, the biblical record thus reflects a great knowledge by the writer of his day, as well as precision in textual transmission." -Norman L. Geisler, William Nix "A General Introduction to the Bible" 5th Edition (Chicago: Moody Press 1983) p. 253

"Little by little, one city after another, one civilization after another, one culture after another, whose memories were enshrined only in the Bible, were restored to their proper places in ancient history by the studies of archaeologists... Contemporary records of biblical events emphasized by contrast and comparison... Nowhere has archaeological discovery refuted the Bible as history." -John Elder "Prophets, idols and Diggers" (New York: Bobbs Merrill, 1960) p. 16

Email: hanok@jewsandjoes.com

Excerpt from Adat Yeshua Synagogue

Messiah

"A Messiah, who encourages the Jewish people to not practice Judaism, can NOT be the Jewish Messiah. For nearly 2000 years, Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah, were taught to abandon Jewish observance. People have diminished the Torah and Israel's sacred calling in conjunction with Jesus. ... Although much of the world is not yet transformed by Messiah, the lives of those who embrace Him are transformed in profound ways. To them life has expanded purpose and destiny. Jewish men, women and children, who accept Yeshua as the Messiah, within a Messianic Jewish context, experience new meaning and depth of their Jewish heritage. Yeshua set an example of living a Jewish life with humility before God, which touches and moves people today. Messianic Judaism offers something new and something old. For those who have dropped out and found God distant, we engender personableness and sharing in lifes journey. For those who accepted Yeshua, but not in conjuction with Jewish practice, Messianic Judaism is the resusitator of their identity and lives as Jews. For those who come from a life of Jewish observance, Messianic Judaism brings the life expansion that only Messiah can offer."

Adat Yeshua Synagogue, P. O. Box 231117, New Orleans, La. 70183-1117 Phone: 504-701-4848