The Revival of Israel, Life from the dead!

Devarim {31:16} HaShem said to Moshe, Behold, you shall sleep with your avot (fathers); and this people will rise up, and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land, where they go to be among them, and will forsake Me, and break My brit (covenant) which I have made with them. {31:17} Then My anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall come on them; so that they will say in that day, Haven't these evils come on us because our G-D is not among us?

It saddens me to think how blind our people are. Can they not read, do they not understand, have they become so hardhearted that they have lost their consciences?

I'm blessed when I see the Chabad and other ultra-Orthodox Jewish people. They have such a zeal for G-d, such a love for His word, a true passion for G-d and it shows in their prayers, their writings, their manner of worship, there anticipation of the Mashiach (Messiah); yes and even in their hatred for us, which of course is unwarranted. Granted, they do not see the Mashiach as being Yeshua HaNatzerati but I truly believe that will come. You cannot have a heart for G-d, as they do, and be kept in the dark for ever. Truly HaShem will open their eyes, perhaps even before the general Jewish population, and when He does:

Romim (Romans) {11:15} For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

The problem is that ultra-Orthodox Judaism is less then five percent of the total Jewish population. The majority of Jews are cultural, ethnic or social Jews. Judaism is a religious practice for the majority of Jewish people, not a passion for G-d. The average Jewish person does not talk about G-d in their everyday conversation, they do not consider G-d in their plans or think about whether G-d approves of what they are doing or saying. In fact, many Chinese (non- kosher) restaurants would go out of business were it not for the Jews.

Truly when Moshe penned these words of Parashat Vayelech, HaShem was showing him the fate of the Jewish people; the times of the judges, the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles and the Roman occupation. But how about our time, our day, today! Do you think HaShem did not reveal these days to Moshe? I believe that when Moshe saw the apostasy of bnei Yisrael he saw it for all ages.

Our people are still forsaking their G-d, they are still breaking the brit He made with them, and His anger is still kindled against them. Despite the fact that we have Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel) the Jewish people are still hated throughout the world, we are still being persecuted, tormented, murdered, just because we are Jews, and we are even being terrorized in our own land. Why is this? If the anti-missionaries' claims are valid, that the Messianic Jews are wrong and traditional Judaism, as it is today, is the right, why are our lives as Jews so precarious?

I once asked this question of a wealthy secular acquaintance and his response was "How can I make these claims, Jews are wealthier and more influential in the world today, we have a better standard of living, and more influence then ever before, not to mention our own homeland." I guess he also forgot about the millions of Jews still living in oppression, fear and poverty in Russia and the former Soviet Republic states. I also guess he forgot about post war Germany when Jewish people were also prospering financially and politically. It was obvious to me that this man's wealth had become his god and that serving the G-d of Yisrael, the One true G-d was not his priority.

To all my anti-missionary friends out there, I say; "If traditional Judaism is doing everything so right, why is everything so wrong? Why, when HaShem made this promise, which we recite every Thursday morning at Shacharit (morning service), is it not coming to pass?

Tehillim (Psalms) {81:8} Listen, My nation, and I will attest to you: O Israel, if you would but listen to Me; {81:9} There shall be no strange god within you; nor shall you bow before an alien god. {81:10} I am HaShem your G-d, who elevated you from the land of Egypt: open your mouth wide and I will fill it. {81:11} But My people did not heed My voice; and Israel did not desire Me. {81:12} So I let them follow their heart's fantasies, they follow their own counsels. {81:13} If only My people would heed Me, if Israel would walk in My ways! {81:14} In an instant I would subdue their foes, and against their tormentors turn My hand. {81:15} Those who hate HaShem lie to Him - so their destiny is eternal. {81:16} But He would feed them with the cream of the wheat, and with honey from a rock sate you.

Rabbi Jack "Yaacov" Farber is the spiritual leader of Congregation Melech Yisrael in Toronto, Canada.

Copyright 2005