If your life is not in jeopardy
for what you believe, you’re probably on the wrong side!
If you don’t believe Genesis 1-11,
how can you possibly believe John 3:16?
“Indeed, all who want to live a godly
life united with the Messiah Yeshua will be persecuted.” (2Tim 3:12)
It is what you actually believe that determines how you walk out your faith,
“but avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, quarrels and fights
about the Torah; because they are worthless and futile.” (Titus 3:9)
Please Note: Absolutely nothing on this website should be taken as anti-Church or anti-Rabbinic. I am not anti-anything or anti-anyone. I am only pro-Torah and pro-Truth (see “Philosophy”), but sometimes the Truth upsets our long-held beliefs. I know it certainly upset mine! For example, see “Why Isn’t My Theology Consistent Throughout the Website?”
Developing a
Systematic Messianic Theology
“The purpose of careful theological formulations is not to put barriers in the way of people who are seeking salvation, but to define clearly the truths upon which genuine [Biblical] faith rests, so that people will not be misled by false doctrines.” [Bowman]
“It must be clearly and unequivocally stated that theology cannot save you. Only faith in Messiah Yeshua can save you. Theology can only give you sound doctrine.” [RLS]
Unless otherwise specified, throughout the Theology section of my website I use the term “Torah” in the wider sense of including the entire body of inspired Scripture: both the Tanakh and the Apostolic Writings. I personally do not consder any other so-called “sacred writings” either inspired by God or authoritative for the Believer’s walk of faith. Thus, I do not consider the Mishnah (the “Oral Torah”) as part of Torah. You should make up your own mind.
[Explanations of rabbinic citations are HERE]
What the Torah Says About
Messianic Goyim
(Believing Gentiles, or non-Jews)
Messianic Gentles (Goyim), non-Jewish people who are disciples of Messiah Yeshua, are biblically and prophetically part of Israel. The term “Gentile(s)” is used here not in any derogatory sense at all, but only to refer to those who are not of Jewish ancestry on either the mother’s or the father’s side, and because that is what non-Jewish people are called in popular speech.
Technically, Messianic Believers who are not Jewish, but who are part of Israel by faith, cannot be “Gentiles,” for one cannot historically be “Gentile” and a part of Israel at the same time. In Scripture, the Goyim (Gentiles) were pagans or heathens. Non-Jewish Messianic Believers should therefore no longer think of themselves as Gentiles, but as Israelites-- full citizens of the Commonwealth of Israel.
We completely and absolutely reject the idea of “British Israelism” and the resulting Ephraimite (“two-house” or “two stick”) heresy.
Conversion to Messianic Judaism
For our position on Messianic Conversion, click here.
Gathering of the Gentiles to Israel
“Neither let the son of the foreigner, that has joined himself to ADONAI, speak, saying, ADONAI has utterly separated me from His people...” (Isa 56:3)
“Also the sons of the foreigner, that join themselves to ADONAI, to serve him, and to love the name of ADONAI, to be his servants, every one who keeps the shabbat from polluting it, and takes hold of My covenant, even those I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon My altar, for My house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. Adonai ELOHIM who gathers the outcasts of Israel says, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered to him.” (Isa 56:6-8)
The term nekar (נֵכָ֔ר, foreigner) is used of the Gentiles throughout Scriptures. The Gentile who has joined himself to ADONAI is not to even say that he is separated from His people Israel. Notice that these foreigners are gathered to Israel, and they are Sabbath-keepers. Yeshua quotes the latter part of this Scripture in His cleansing of the Temple. In context, this shows that the “house of prayer for all people” is for those who are gathered to Israel only.
Attachment of Righteous Gentiles to Righteous Jews
“Yes, many people and strong nations shall come to seek ADONAI of Hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before ADONAI. Thus declares ADONAI of Hosts, In those days ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, they even shall take hold of the garment [tallit, prayer shawl] of the one who is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that Elohim is with you.” (Zech 8:22,23)
The Scriptures leave is no doubt that righteous Jews are to lead righteous Gentiles by example into the proper expression of worship toward ADONAI, “for salvation is of the Jews.” This is the opposite of the backwards way it has been attempted for the past 17 centuries or so. If righteous Jews and righteous Gentiles may pray together before ADONAI, then they are in possession of the same covenant.
Prophecy to Israel Fulfilled by Messianic Gentiles
“Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people, there it shall be said to them, You are the sons of the living Elohim. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.” (Hosea 1:10-11)
“Even us, whom He [ADONAI] has called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As He says also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living Elohim.” (Rom 9:24-26)
Messianic Gentiles are Part of the “Holy Nation”
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a people for His possession, that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, who in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” (1Pet 2:9-10)
Here Kefa (Peter) uses the same prophecy of Hosea to show that Messianic Believers, whether Jews or non-Jews, are Israel, even giving all Believers the private and exclusive label only Israel was given by HaShem as a “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation.”
Messianic Gentiles Brought into the Commonwealth of Israel
“That at that time you were without the Messiah, being foreigners from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Elohim in the world. But now, by Yeshua the Messiah, you who were at one time far away have been brought back [to Israel] through the [sprinkled] blood of the Messiah. For He is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” (Eph 2:12-14)
As Moshe (Moses) confirmed Israel into the covenant by the sprinkling of blood, so all who are accepted by the sprinkled blood of Messiah are also confirmed into Israel. For which is greater confirmation, the blood of bulls and goats, or the blood of Messiah? Does sacrifice even have any meaning unless one is Israel? Any nation who sacrifices besides Israel is pagan and Godless in their sacrifice. For a sacrifice to be legitimate, it requires the receiver to be in covenant with HaShem through the promises that were made to Israel only.
Messianic Gentiles are Warned to Stay within Israel
“For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them you partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree. Boast not against the branches. But if you boast, [remember] you do not bear the root, but the root bears you.” (Rom 11:16-18)
“For if HaShem spared not the natural branches, be careful, in case He also does not spare you. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of HaShem, on those who fell, severity, but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness, otherwise you also will be cut off. And they [natural branches] also, if they do not stay in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for HaShem is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, in case you should become wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away unrighteousness from Ya'akov. For this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Rom 11:16-18
The Olive Tree is Israel. The root is Mashiach. The grafted-in wild olive branches are Messianic Gentiles. As long as they remain in Israel, without being arrogant of their position, they are safe and receive nourishment from the root. It is very important for Messianic Gentiles to see themselves, humbly and thankfully, as a part of Israel. Of the natural branches, the Jewish people, some, but not all, have been broken off from the nourishment of the root, and HaShem will gladly graft back again the ones broken off.
Those who say they believe in Israel’s Messiah, yet do not want to be a part of Israel and continue in His goodness, are in danger of being cast off. For this reason we are seeing the return of the Jewish people to their own Olive Tree of Israel.
To be broken off requires the rational act of unbelief. The natural branches who have not known or heard of the true Messiah of Israel are not broken off. Most Jewish people today have not yet heard about their Jewish Messiah Yeshua in truth.
Rejection of a “Gentile Christian Jesus” who came to destroy HaShem’s Torah and who rejects his own Jewishness, who is at best only a crude and extremely inaccurate caricature of the historical Yeshua HaMashiach, is NOT a rejection of the true Messiah of Israel.
Therefore, many Jewish people who “call on the name of ADONAI” (Joel 2:32; Rom 10:13) remain in the covenant promises, even though they may be partially blinded to the truth of Messiah. Gentile Believers who do not realize this fact are themselves are partially blinded. Once the fullness of the Gentiles has come into Israel the blindness on all parts will be lifted, then all of Israel, Jews and non-Jews, will be saved together by the Deliverer, Yeshua HaMashiach. It is He Who has turned away unrighteousness from Israel. The truly righteous ones must accept their covenant place in Israel, given through Yeshua HaMashiach.
If ADONAI is echad (one), (Deut 6:4), and if Yeshua and Abba are echad (John 10:30), and if “every tongue will confess that Yeshua HaMashiach is ADONAI, to the glory of HaSham the Father” (Phil 2:11), then it follows that Yeshua HaMashiach is ADONAI. If Yeshua is ADONAI , then Yeshua appeared to Avraham at Mamre (Gen 18); Yeshua made the covenant with Avraham (Gen 15:17); Yeshua spoke to Moshe from the burning bush (Exod 3:2); Yeshua wrote the Torah in stone with His finger (Exod 24:12; 31:18).
And it is Yeshua HaMashiach Who today stands behind the Western Wall in Jerusalem and hears the prayers and receives the worship of His people Israel, who cannot see Him in the grossly distorted “Jesus” created by the Gentile “church.”[1]
For thus is is written:
• “Whoever calls on the name of ADONAI will be saved” (Joel 2:32; Rom 10:13)
• “Whoever believes in Him [Adonai ELOHIM] will not be disappointed” (Rom 10:11; Isa 28:16)
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1. The “Jesus” of “the Church” is a “different Yeshua” and the “Gospel” of “the Church” is a “different Gospel” the than the Yeshua HaMashiach and the Gospel that are presented in the Bible.
“For if someone comes and tells you about some other Yeshua than the one we told you about, or if you receive a spirit different from the one you received or accept some so-called ‘good news’ different from the Good News you already accepted, you bear with him well enough!” (2Cor 11:4)
“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Messiah, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Messiah. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” (Gal 1:6-9) [BACK]
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