The Historical Divide Between Judaism and Christianity
For millions of people, there is a presumed divide between Judaism and Christianity. Sure, they are both monotheistic and trace their origins back to Abraham, but many assume these groups have little else in common. There has also been a significant amount of hostility between the adherents of these two religions, from the ugly history of “Christian” antisemitism to the relatively minor angst many Jews express in the face of Christian evangelism (aka “proselytizing”). These realities spark a provocative question:
Are Christians worshiping the “Messiah” promised to the Jewish people?
Amidst the narratives of history and the papyrus of prophecy, a singular thread weaves through the tapestry of biblical literature: the concept of a Messiah. This notion, richly veiled in expectation and divine mystery, has captivated the hearts of the faithful and stirred the minds of scholars. The title “Messiah,” derived from the Hebrew word “mashiach,” meaning “anointed,” was an honor bestowed upon kings and priests—a symbol of one chosen by God to lead with divine authority.
By observing Rosh Chodesh, we “invite” God into the entire month and make Him Lord over all “our” time. The observance of Rosh Chodesh starts with, “This month will mark the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you” (Exodus 12:2). In response to this text, the Midrash notes, “‘For You’, God said to Israel, ‘Until now, the sanctification of months was in My hands, from now on it is given to you.’” The first and critical part of Rosh Chodesh observance is the sanctification of the month. As a general principle, sanctification or holiness means “set apart,” and in biblical thought, set apart to God.
Regarding the Shofar: a tool of great potential power. Used with discernment and discretion, it can be a potent spiritual tool. The horn, by itself, obviously is just a horn. Owning one or a thousand of these ancient horns will do nothing for you. The same is true of simply blowing the shofar. In the natural, the shofar will do little more than make noise. However, there is a rich tapestry of meaning in the Scripture relevant to this ancient instrument. As we appropriate these insights by faith, we can imbue the shofar and its sound with spiritual potency. In this context, the shofar can, in some real sense, become like other spiritual tools or “weapons” at our disposal (such as prayer, Scripture, praise, etc.). The shofar blast is only ever as effective as the spiritual sincerity and integrity of the one using it.
Jesus in the Passover: The Apostles recognized that the Messiah was so intimately connected to Passover that they even referred to Him as “our Passover Lamb” (1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:19), but this raises many questions. Why are the Messiah and Passover so interconnected? What does it mean for Yeshua Jesus to be our Passover Lamb? Join me and let’s journey deeper to explore the answers.
It’s almost certainly no exaggeration to suggest that the most infamous number in all scripture is “666” (see Rev 13:18). Two foundational points need to be established to reach a deeper understanding of this biblical number. The FIRST issue is the symbolism or meaning of the number six. In Hebraic thought, six is the number of man (Adam was created on the sixth day) specifically, and the number of the whole of the physical realm generally.
Why was Jesus' first miracle water into wine? Cana of Galilee Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now [...]
Why Don’t Easter and Passover Always Fall on the Same Dates? During recent teachings on Yeshua’s Ascension and Shavuot, some folks noticed that Christian churches didn’t celebrate these significant events until a week later. Of course, both events connect to Passover (40 and 50 days removed, respectively). The simple fact is, that Christians celebrate the [...]
HOW TO READ THE TORAH Did you know Yeshua’s first act of public ministry included a Torah reading? As described in Luke 4:14-21, Messiah’s ministry kicked off with giving a public reading of the Jewish scriptures! If the Torah reading was central to the worship of Yeshua and His first-century followers, should it not be [...]