Articles

Judge Rules Paschal Sacrifice Practice "Proper," Appeal Filed

reprinted from Arutz 7
1 Nissan 5768, 06 April 08 12:14
by Ezra HaLevi

(IsraelNN.com) The Jerusalem Magistrate's court ruled Friday that the
Jewish Temple movement may, under state law, slaughter a sheep on
Sunday as a "general rehearsal" for the renewal of the Pesach
(Passover) sacrifice. The judge even called the effort "proper," but
organizers have been summoned to appear at 1 PM in the District Court
after an animal rights groups filed another last-minute suit.

The slaughter is planned as part of a conference dedicated to studying
and restoring the Jewish observance of the Korban Pesach, as it was
called since it was first observed in Egypt. At the time of the
Exodus, Jews slaughtered a sheep per family group, despite its status
as a deity to the Egyptian oppressors. The blood was then applied to
the doorposts of the Jewish homes.
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Our Exodus

We are on a journey similar to that of the Israelites after the Exodus from Egypt, but we have not yet reached the Promised Land. It took them three days to leave Egypt, but it took 40 years for them to be free from the Egyptian mindset.

Except for Joshua, Caleb and Eleazar, son of Aaron, those who departed from Egypt did not enter the Promised Land. They died during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and a new generation, which did not know Egypt, entered the Promised Land.

The trip from Goshen in Egypt to the banks of the Jordan River near Jericho is approximately 870 miles (1,450 km.) and should have taken 70 days, covering an average of 12 to 13 miles a day. Nevertheless, God was not concerned with bringing the Israelites into the Promised Land as quickly as possible, but rather transforming them into a people set apart for Him: "If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples ... and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:5-6).

Obedience and keeping God's commandments was not a natural process for the Israelites. It was something they had to learn through experience. Through the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, the Lord guided their way. When the cloud lifted, they knew it was time to move on, and when it stopped over the tabernacle, the people knew to set up camp. When they would move again depended on God. Sometimes their stay was short and sometimes it was long (Numbers 9:15-23).

With this unpredictable lifestyle, the people learned to trust and obey God. Those who submitted to His will abandoned their own route to the Promised Land and sought the Lord for His direction, timing and tempo.

This is the opposite of what is happening in many churches today. Pastors and elders speak about "the direction of the Holy Spirit;' but often they grip the reins and try to control the service. In traditional churches, they fall back on ceremony and liturgy. And "charismatic" churches are not much different. The praise and worship portion runs just as long as the sermon, often too long, and unexpected changes are not welcome. In effect, they create a "spirit-filled" service in their own strength.

This is not how we reach our destination. God demands absolute obedience from us, including those things which do not fit in with our plans. Those unwilling to surrender will fall by the wayside, be overtaken and left behind because they wanted to control everything rather than allowing God to direct their path.

Yeshua (Jesus) said, "My sheep hear My voice ... and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them" (John 10:27,28). Only the man who really follows Yeshua will attain eternal life. It is not enough to simply hear His voice; we must also obey it. Obedience means giving up our own interests however "spiritual" they maybe.

The New Testament Exodus into eternal life is not a virtual journey which can be comfortably completed at home or by attending church. It is a permanent surrender of our own selfish attitudes which enables the Holy Spirit to take full control of our lives and that of the congregation. This leads us through the wilderness and into the Promised Land.

By Ludwig Schneider

Article courtesy of Israel Today magazine, www.israeltoday.co.il

Rabbi Reveals Name of the Messiah
A few months before he died, one of the nation’s most prominent rabbis, Yitzhak Kaduri, supposedly wrote the name of the Messiah on a small note which he requested would remain sealed until now. When the note was unsealed, it revealed what many have known for centuries: Yehoshua, or Yeshua (Jesus), is the Messiah.

With the biblical name of Jesus, the Rabbi and kabbalist described the Messiah using six words and hinting that the initial letters form the name of the Messiah. The secret note said:

Concerning the letter abbreviation of the Messiah’s name, He will lift the people and prove that his word and law are valid.

This I have signed in the month of mercy,
Yitzhak Kaduri

The Hebrew sentence (translated above in bold) with the hidden name of the Messiah reads: Yarim Ha’Am Veyokhiakh Shedvaro Vetorato Omdim

The initials spell the Hebrew name of Jesus, Yehoshua. Yehoshua and Yeshua are effectively the same name, derived from the same Hebrew root of the word “salvation” as documented in Zechariah 6:11 and Ezra 3:2. The same priest writes in Ezra, “Yeshua son of Yozadak” while writing in Zechariah “Yehoshua son of Yohozadak.” The priest adds the holy abbreviation of God’s name, ho, in the father’s name Yozadak and in the name Yeshua.

For full article, click here.

Article courtesy of Israel Today magazine, www.israeltoday.co.il