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"MoRIEL"<br />
GOD IS MY TEACHER<br />
April/June 20 0 Iyar/Sivan/Tamuz 5770<br />
No. 42<br />
T Y P O L O G Y <strong>of</strong> T H E<br />
<strong>IN</strong> <strong>THIS</strong> <strong>ISSUE</strong>: “ <strong>The</strong> Value <strong>of</strong> Signs & Wonders”<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly
Thank You from the Administrator<br />
Dear Friends <strong>of</strong> <strong>Moriel</strong>:<br />
S<br />
2 <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
Jacob and David to visit the Far East<br />
"MoRIEL"<br />
GOD IS MY TEACHER<br />
Starting on June 14 th Jacob and I will make a big circle around the Far East, starting<br />
in Japan, moving onto Singapore, then to Australia and ending in Tasmania and<br />
New Zealand. We would both ask for your prayers for traveling mercies and that we<br />
will complete everything we need to do while there. Also, prayers for our hosts and<br />
God’s blessings on them.<br />
Jacob to Land in America Summer / Fall Tour<br />
You will find Jacob’s current schedule on page 13 <strong>of</strong> this Quarterly. But, we are still<br />
working on some dates, so check the website for the latest information<br />
Prayer Needs<br />
Jacob’s health . . . While he has his heart issues under control, he is still battling<br />
to find the right balance <strong>of</strong> medications for his neck. His current meds are causing<br />
stomach complications and irritations <strong>of</strong> the stomach lining. Please pray the doctors<br />
will find the right balance.<br />
Please pray for Dave and Lyn Royle and their health issues.<br />
We are still in need <strong>of</strong> a teacher to come and assist Dave and Lyn in the work in<br />
South Africa.<br />
Also, for our work in the Philippines and future expansion <strong>of</strong> the work in Vietnam.<br />
Ruth Nessim who recently had a heart attack and is recovering and the work there<br />
that was stated by her and her husband. Pray for the Gould family as they have come<br />
along side Ruth to help her with the burden.<br />
Pray for my good friends Alec and Anne as they have their first child and God will<br />
be with them.<br />
Pastor Najeeb and family, and his work in Israel among the Arabs. Also, that God<br />
would provide a vehicle for him as his work takes him into the “West Bank” as he <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
has to work around this issue by relying on others when they have the time to help.<br />
I would request further prayer for me as I transition our <strong>of</strong> secular work into full<br />
time ministry work. I hope I can do this in the next year or two. As with many the issue<br />
<strong>of</strong> health care and financial concerns looms large for me, but I know God is able,<br />
so please pray God will increase my faith (Luke 17:5, And the apostles said unto the<br />
Lord, Increase our faith.) and keep me following Him. Also, my health issues.<br />
Prayer is always <strong>Moriel</strong>’s biggest need and we ask for it all the time. So, we thank<br />
you in advance for your prayers on our behalf, we also thank you for your finical<br />
help. May the Lord bless you all for your continue help in this ministry.<br />
In Peace,<br />
David Lister<br />
<strong>Moriel</strong> <strong>Ministries</strong> United States<br />
MORIEL M<strong>IN</strong>ISTRIES <strong>IN</strong>TERNATIONAL<br />
David Royle<br />
Phone: 412 321 6154<br />
JAPAN<br />
Ge<strong>of</strong>f Toole<br />
morieljapan@yahoo.co.jp<br />
Phone: +81 795063508<br />
TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />
TYPOLOGY OF THE FIRSTBORN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3<br />
THE VALUE OF SIGNS & WONDERS . . . . . . . . . . . . 8<br />
BEzALEEL NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10<br />
IMMANUEL NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11<br />
YOUR LETTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13<br />
MORIEL SOUTH AFRICA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14<br />
MORIEL JAPAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16<br />
FYI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18<br />
ISRAEL REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19<br />
<strong>IN</strong> MEMORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20<br />
144,000 TEACH<strong>IN</strong>G OF THE JEHOVAH’S<br />
WHITNESSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22<br />
JUDAIC STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24<br />
THE BACK PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
IntroductIon<br />
In 1 Corinthians there are only two men:<br />
Adam and Jesus. We are either in the character<br />
<strong>of</strong> the first Adam or the second. When we look<br />
at Esau we have to understand his relationship<br />
to this other Adam.<br />
<strong>The</strong> American Indians, anthropologists tell<br />
us, have a tradition that the first man was a red<br />
man, a man with a red complexion. <strong>The</strong> Hebrew<br />
word for a human being or a man is “ben adam”<br />
– literally “a son <strong>of</strong> Adam”. Adam’s name<br />
comes from the Hebrew word for “earth” – “adamah”.<br />
<strong>The</strong> earth is “adamah”, “Adam” is derived<br />
from “adamah”, and a human being is “a<br />
son <strong>of</strong> Adam” who is made from the earth. But<br />
the word for “earth” – “adamah”, comes from<br />
the Hebrew word “adom”, meaning “red”. In<br />
Israel the soil basically has a reddish clay in it.<br />
Whatever in the Middle East is not sand is reddish<br />
because <strong>of</strong> the clay so to them that is what<br />
earth is. So there is red clay soil (“adom”) that is<br />
the “adamah”, and from that comes Adam and<br />
from that comes the human race. <strong>The</strong>re is an<br />
area <strong>of</strong> southern Jordan called “Edom” meaning<br />
the same thing as “red” and named after Esau.<br />
the FIrstborn and the<br />
secondborn<br />
In the book <strong>of</strong> Genesis there is this repeated<br />
contrast <strong>of</strong> the firstborn and the second and the<br />
firstborn hating and persecuting the secondborn<br />
continually. It begins with Cain and Abel, then<br />
we see the same thing with Ishmael and Isaac,<br />
then we see it again with Jacob and Esau, and<br />
again with Joseph and his older brothers: the<br />
older persecuting the younger but God coming<br />
to favor the youngest. <strong>The</strong> reason this is seen in<br />
the book <strong>of</strong> Genesis is because it is a picture <strong>of</strong><br />
the two natures. <strong>The</strong>re is a Cain and an Abel in<br />
you, there is a Jacob and an Esau in me. It is not<br />
the one who is born who gets the birthright and<br />
the blessing, it is the second-born. Jesus said,<br />
“You must be born again”. (Jn. 3:3) In order<br />
to have the birthright and the blessing, the first<br />
birth is never good enough; it is the second birth<br />
that is necessary.<br />
If someone has only been born from their<br />
mother they are born <strong>of</strong> water, they are not born<br />
Jacob Prasch<br />
T Y P O L O G Y <strong>of</strong> T H E<br />
<strong>of</strong> Spirit. <strong>The</strong>y have no blessing and no birthright<br />
from God. <strong>The</strong>ir future is the grave and<br />
judgment. <strong>The</strong> only thing they have to look forward<br />
to, the only future they can be sure <strong>of</strong> is a<br />
crematorium, and that is only the beginning <strong>of</strong><br />
the fire. On the other hand, those who are born<br />
the second time have a different future – they<br />
have a birthright; they have a blessing.<br />
When someone is born <strong>of</strong> the first Adam<br />
they are born with Adam’s fallen nature. By nature<br />
we reject God’s love, by nature we rebel<br />
against His authority, by nature we cannot be<br />
what we know we should be. He made us in His<br />
image and likeness, (Gen. 1:26) but we cannot<br />
be even what we know we should be and the<br />
reason that we know it is because we are made<br />
in His likeness.<br />
I recall that before I was a Christian what<br />
I wanted to do, among other things, was sleep<br />
with as many girls as possible. When I was a<br />
teenager, when I was at University, it was one<br />
<strong>of</strong> my top priorities. However, if somebody was<br />
sleeping with my sister I would want to break<br />
his head. If somebody was doing to my sister<br />
what I was doing to somebody else’s sister, or<br />
God forbid what somebody was trying to do to<br />
my daughter – things I did to somebody’s else’s<br />
daughter I would want to shoot them. I was a<br />
hypocrite. I could not live up to my own standard.<br />
I would not want somebody defiling my<br />
own daughter or my sister. Unless they loved<br />
her and married her in the way <strong>of</strong> God, I would<br />
not want anyone touching my sister or my<br />
daughter, but did it stop me from going out and<br />
doing what I knew was wrong? I would not want<br />
my little brother to go out and take the drugs I<br />
was taking. I was just a hypocrite. I could not<br />
live up to my own standard. Neither can you.<br />
<strong>The</strong> reason you cannot live up to your own<br />
standard is because it is not your standard, it<br />
is God’s. If God says, “Be holy as I am holy”,<br />
(Lev. 19:2) how can we meet His standard? We<br />
cannot because <strong>of</strong> the way we are born. We can<br />
never meet His standard. That is why there must<br />
be a second birth.<br />
second bIrth<br />
In a nutshell before we look at this story,<br />
second birth is simple. When someone is born <strong>of</strong><br />
FEATurE ArTicLE<br />
the first Adam they are in rebellion against God.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y confirm his seed. In other words, if God<br />
created “Jacob and Pavia” or “Ethel and Peter”<br />
instead <strong>of</strong> Adam and Eve, we would have done<br />
the same thing they did. It is easy to pin it on<br />
them, but we would have done the same thing.<br />
So God Himself comes in the person <strong>of</strong> man in<br />
the form <strong>of</strong> Jesus and pays the price for our sins<br />
– the wrong things we did, He pays the price for<br />
with His own life. And if He raised Him from<br />
the dead to eternal life, He will raise us up. That<br />
is the second birth. We accept Jesus, turn from<br />
our sins, put our faith in Him, and accept what<br />
He did for us on the cross.<br />
Christians use the cliché “personal Savior”<br />
without thinking what it means very <strong>of</strong>ten.<br />
What “personal Savior” really means is<br />
not only do we have to accept Him personally,<br />
but it means if I were the only person who ever<br />
sinned He would have had to come down and<br />
go to the cross just for me or just for you. We<br />
must accept Him personally because when He<br />
went to that cross He went to that cross for us as<br />
if we were the only person who ever sinned for<br />
all the wrong things they have done – and there<br />
is no one who has not done wrong things. That<br />
is the second birth. We ask God to forgive our<br />
sins and put our faith in Jesus. We ask Him for<br />
the power to turn from sin, die with Christ, and<br />
become a new creation.<br />
This is why I do not sleep with anyone’s<br />
daughter or anyone’s sister anymore, that is why<br />
I no longer put cocaine up my nose anymore, because<br />
<strong>of</strong> the second birth. When I was born the<br />
first time, that was my life; my life was my death.<br />
As with Cain and Abel, the firstborn always<br />
teaches about the old nature in Genesis.<br />
Remember what God told Cain when he was<br />
banished? “Its desire is for you, but you must<br />
master it”. (Gen. 4:7) Sin’s desire if for us. What<br />
is sin’s desire? To put us in hell. Sin’s desire is<br />
to put us in hell forever. Jesus said directly that<br />
this was the god <strong>of</strong> this world. It desires to put<br />
us in hell forever. “But you must master it”?<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is no way we can master it until we have<br />
had the second birth.<br />
But the firstborn will always hate the secondborn.<br />
Our old nature will always hate the<br />
new one. Ishmael will always hate Isaac and<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly
FEATurE ArTicLE – continued<br />
ultimately Esau will always hate Jacob.<br />
the root oF bItterness<br />
See to it that no one comes short <strong>of</strong> the<br />
grace <strong>of</strong> God; that no root <strong>of</strong> bitterness<br />
springing up causes trouble, and by<br />
it many be defiled; that there be no immoral<br />
or godless person like Esau, who<br />
sold his own birthright for a single meal.<br />
For you know that even afterwards, when<br />
he desired to inherit the blessing, he was<br />
rejected, for he found no place for repentance,<br />
though he sought for it with tears.<br />
(Hebrews 12:15-17)<br />
This is a warning to Christians. It is not<br />
simply warning unsaved people, it is warning<br />
Christians – carnal Christians. <strong>The</strong> question<br />
is whether we are a carnal Christian. A carnal<br />
Christian is somebody who has been saved but<br />
lives their life in the character <strong>of</strong> the old creation.<br />
As it says in Proverbs, “<strong>The</strong> backslider in heart<br />
will have his fill <strong>of</strong> his own ways”. (Prov. 14:14)<br />
A carnal Christian is someone who despised<br />
their birthright, who forsakes the blessing. It is<br />
sort <strong>of</strong> like someone who swims from Liverpool<br />
to Dublin and they begin to drown, and half-way<br />
across God in His mercy drops them a life jacket<br />
allowing them to float and swim on to Dublin,<br />
but they take it <strong>of</strong>f. That is a carnal Christian.<br />
“See to it that none <strong>of</strong> you comes short <strong>of</strong><br />
it” we are told in Hebrews. (Heb. 12:15) Do not<br />
be immoral. And it particularly warns <strong>of</strong> a “root<br />
<strong>of</strong> bitterness”. Why? Because Esau had a root <strong>of</strong><br />
bitterness toward Jacob for something that was<br />
largely his fault. A “root <strong>of</strong> bitterness” – a resentment<br />
toward somebody will devour us more<br />
than it devours them. Vengeance is the Lord’s.<br />
(Dt. 32:35) <strong>The</strong>re is nothing we are going to do<br />
to anybody that is going to compare to what is<br />
going to happen when they appear before the<br />
judgment seat <strong>of</strong> Christ. Jacob was there and<br />
Esau had a root <strong>of</strong> bitterness against him. One<br />
<strong>of</strong> the things that causes us to fall short is a root<br />
<strong>of</strong> bitterness. No matter what we have against<br />
somebody else, God has a lot more to hold<br />
against us. But then it goes on to say he was<br />
immoral, selling his birthright for a single meal.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are people – even ministers – who<br />
have a wife who loves them, they have children,<br />
they have a ministry, and they go out and commit<br />
fornication one time or adultery one time and it<br />
destroys everything. <strong>The</strong>y lose their family, they<br />
lose their marriage, they lose their name, they<br />
lose their ministry, they lose it all in just one<br />
shot. It is an example <strong>of</strong> the fleeting pleasures<br />
<strong>of</strong> sin. A carnal Christian will lose the blessing<br />
over one shot, one fling. Afterwards he (Esau)<br />
desired to inherit the blessing but was rejected.<br />
Unrepentant backsliders and unsaved people<br />
– those in the character <strong>of</strong> the first birth and <strong>of</strong><br />
the firstborn Esau – a time will come when they<br />
will desperately want a relationship with Jesus.<br />
A time will come when they will desperately<br />
want it; they will seek for it but it will be too late.<br />
For someone who has had this second birth<br />
but are still <strong>of</strong> the firstborn, the Bible tells us,<br />
“Now is the appointed time; today is the day <strong>of</strong><br />
salvation”. (2 Cor. 6:2) If one should die tonight<br />
they have lost it forever and forever is a long<br />
time. Just imagine a hellish eternity that after<br />
a hundred billion years you will not have even<br />
begun to serve your sentence. <strong>The</strong>re is no end<br />
4 <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
to it. A time will come when people will desire<br />
it, they will crave it, they will do anything to get<br />
it, but they will not get it. In fact the Hebrew<br />
prophet Jeremiah said they will earnestly seek<br />
the Lord but will not find Him in the Last Days.<br />
<strong>The</strong> same as the Jews in the Captivity in Babylon<br />
began to realize that Jeremiah was right and<br />
Ezekiel was right then some <strong>of</strong> the survivors<br />
began to earnestly seek God but they found out<br />
it was too late. <strong>The</strong> Last Days will be like that.<br />
People can reject the Gospel <strong>of</strong> Jesus, they can<br />
reject God’s forgiveness now, or even as believers<br />
they can despise their birthright and live<br />
carnally. A time will come when they will do<br />
anything to get what they can have right now<br />
but they will not get it.<br />
If that is the way someone is living, if they<br />
are living in the old creation, either because they<br />
are a carnal Christian, a backslider who comes<br />
to church, or because they were never saved to<br />
begin with (they were never born again), a time<br />
will come when they will want it. A time will<br />
come when they want what these other people<br />
have, a time when a wife wants what their husband<br />
has, when a child wants what their parents<br />
have, when a husband wants what a wife has.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y will want it but they will not get it. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
can get it now. <strong>The</strong> firstborn will always despise<br />
the second.<br />
Those who are <strong>of</strong> the first creation do not<br />
like Christians. As a matter <strong>of</strong> fact, the old creation<br />
in me does not like the new one. <strong>The</strong> old<br />
man in me does not like the new man. <strong>The</strong> Ishmael<br />
in me does not like the Isaac. <strong>The</strong> Esau<br />
in me does not like the Jacob. <strong>The</strong> Yehuda in<br />
me does not like the Joseph. That is one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
reasons the Bible says we will get a new name.<br />
(Rev. 2:17) When we are born we are given a<br />
name; when we are born again we get another<br />
name. This happened to Jacob – his name was<br />
changed to “Israel” after he met the Lord. In<br />
the book <strong>of</strong> Genesis when he behaved like a<br />
new creation the text calls him “Israel”; when<br />
he behaves like the old creation it goes back to<br />
calling him “Jacob”. So too I have a new name.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is the one my parents gave me – “James”<br />
which comes from my father’s grandfather, but<br />
then there’s my name in the Book <strong>of</strong> Life. When<br />
we are born we get a name, when we are born<br />
again we get another name.<br />
the bIrthrIght<br />
<strong>The</strong> old creation is Esau and Esau always<br />
hates the new creation. He has a different point<br />
<strong>of</strong> view. Only the new creation – only the one<br />
who is the secondborn can inherit the birthright.<br />
Only the one who is secondborn can inherit the<br />
blessing.<br />
“But he shall acknowledge the firstborn,<br />
the son <strong>of</strong> the unloved, by giving him a double<br />
portion <strong>of</strong> all that he has, for he is the<br />
beginning <strong>of</strong> his strength; to him belongs<br />
the right <strong>of</strong> the firstborn. If any man has a<br />
stubborn and rebellious son who will not<br />
obey his father or his mother, and when<br />
they chastise him, he will not even listen<br />
to them, then his father and mother shall<br />
seize him, and bring him out to the elders<br />
<strong>of</strong> his city at the gateway <strong>of</strong> his hometown.<br />
(Deuteronomy 21:17-19)<br />
He loses the birthright. <strong>The</strong> birthright in-<br />
cluded a double portion, a double blessing and<br />
the headship <strong>of</strong> the clan. That was something<br />
in Esau’s case which was despised. <strong>The</strong>re is a<br />
double blessing but the firstborn will not get<br />
it. Because all <strong>of</strong> us have despised our Father<br />
and all <strong>of</strong> us have gone astray from Him, the<br />
blessing comes to the secondborn. <strong>The</strong> natural<br />
man cannot get the blessing; the natural man or<br />
woman cannot inherit the birthright.<br />
the battle oF the brothers<br />
I again point out there are definite, prophetic<br />
signs happening today in the Middle East<br />
that the following passage speaks <strong>of</strong> for which<br />
we have the teaching, “Jewish-Arab Reconciliation”.<br />
<strong>The</strong> very things we see happening in the<br />
Middle East in the news are things the Bible predict<br />
will happen. And the struggle between these<br />
two brothers is being fulfilled in history today.<br />
<strong>The</strong> LORD said to her, “Two nations are<br />
in your womb; And two peoples will be<br />
separated from your body…<br />
… Jew and Arab. <strong>The</strong> battle in the Middle East<br />
today is between two brothers.<br />
And one people shall be stronger than<br />
the other; And the older shall serve the<br />
younger.”<br />
When her days to be delivered were fulfilled,<br />
behold, there were twins in her<br />
womb. Now the first came forth red, all<br />
over like a hairy garment; and they named<br />
him Esau.<br />
Notice “red”. Remember the relation to “Adam”<br />
– “adamah” and “adom”. It is the natural man,<br />
the sons <strong>of</strong> Adam.<br />
Afterward his brother came forth with his<br />
hand holding on to Esau’s heel…<br />
<strong>The</strong> Hebrew word for “heel” is “aqeb” from<br />
which we get the name “Ya’aqob” – “Jacob”. It is<br />
really not “supplanter”, that is the way they translate<br />
it. It comes from “heel”. He grabbed his heel.<br />
…so his name was called Jacob; and<br />
Isaac was sixty years old when she gave<br />
birth to them. When the boys grew up,<br />
Esau became a skillful hunter, a man <strong>of</strong><br />
the field…<br />
…he used to bring his father venison…<br />
…but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in<br />
tents. Now Isaac loved Esau, because he<br />
had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved<br />
Jacob.<br />
This is always a big mistake. We should<br />
love our children co-equally the way God does.<br />
But the other thing is that children inherit their<br />
fallen nature by birth, but that is reinforced by<br />
environment. When Jacob began to supplant his<br />
brother his mother put him up to it. She was a<br />
cunning, scheming, conniving woman and she<br />
put that into her kid.<br />
So <strong>of</strong>ten I see things in my own children,<br />
particularly my son when he does something<br />
obviously wrong, and I know where he got it. It<br />
goes from generation to generation. We are born<br />
that way and that is why we must be born again. It<br />
is amazing. For people who abuse their children<br />
99% <strong>of</strong> them were abused children themselves.<br />
Most alcoholics were children <strong>of</strong> alcoholics.<br />
Most compulsive gamblers where children <strong>of</strong>
compulsive gamblers. <strong>The</strong>y are born that way<br />
in the character <strong>of</strong> the firstborn, the natural man.<br />
When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came<br />
in from the field and he was famished…<br />
(A better translation would be “weary”.)<br />
…and Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me<br />
have a swallow <strong>of</strong> that red stuff there, for<br />
I am famished.” <strong>The</strong>refore his name was<br />
called Edom. (Genesis 25:23-30)<br />
First Esau comes and says, “I am famished;<br />
I am weary. Let me have some <strong>of</strong> that red stuff”.<br />
<strong>The</strong>refore his name was called “Edom” – “red”.<br />
However, he was red when he came out <strong>of</strong> his<br />
mother’s womb. “Red” from “adom” – “Adam”<br />
the natural man. <strong>The</strong> old creation, the old nature,<br />
will always look for the things <strong>of</strong> the world. <strong>The</strong><br />
natural man will always gravitate to what is<br />
natural to him. “Red” seeks “red”. He was born<br />
red, the earth is red, “Give me some red stew”.<br />
This presence <strong>of</strong> “adom” in the Hebrew text in<br />
the way it used is showing he is just going after<br />
his old and own nature. We each have a natural<br />
nature. <strong>The</strong> firstborn will always be inclined to<br />
what it knows. It knows unrighteous anger, it<br />
knows bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness,<br />
lust, and pride.<br />
But Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.”<br />
He does not con him out <strong>of</strong> his birthright; he<br />
says, “Sell it to me”.<br />
Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die; so<br />
<strong>of</strong> what use then is the birthright to me?”<br />
He despises his birthright because he is driven<br />
to the red. <strong>The</strong> red man goes after the red stew<br />
because that is all he knows.<br />
And Jacob said, “First swear to me”; so<br />
he swore to him, and sold his birthright to<br />
Jacob. <strong>The</strong>n Jacob gave Esau bread and<br />
lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose<br />
and went on his way. Thus Esau despised<br />
his birthright. (Genesis 25:23-34)<br />
And <strong>of</strong> course after that he did a lot <strong>of</strong> other<br />
things he should not have done. <strong>The</strong> minute we<br />
despise our birthright we break our parents’ heart.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the things I get the most mail about<br />
is Christian parents with unsaved or backslidden<br />
children. <strong>The</strong>y try to bequeath their birthright<br />
to their kids but they fall away from Jesus.<br />
What a grief. Usually they come back. <strong>The</strong><br />
Bible says, “Raise a child in the way he should<br />
go and when he is old he will not depart from<br />
it”. (Prov. 22:6) Usually they come back. <strong>The</strong><br />
question is how much <strong>of</strong> an unnecessary mess<br />
<strong>of</strong> their lives did they make and how much unnecessary<br />
grief did they cause their parents and<br />
themselves before they do come back. This hits<br />
home with me because I have a sister who married<br />
an unsaved guy. It bothers me every day.<br />
God forbid my children should fall away. We<br />
can read what happens to Esau.<br />
the FIrstborn In us<br />
<strong>The</strong> literal Hebrew text is more like, “Let<br />
me gulp that stuff down”. <strong>The</strong> natural man will<br />
want to gulp down the things he is naturally inclined<br />
to. Let us look at Esau the firstborn – the<br />
unsaved, the old creation in us. (Biblical psychology<br />
is not secular.) <strong>The</strong> first thing we see<br />
about him is that he is someone who insists on<br />
instant gratification. <strong>The</strong> firstborn – the old creation,<br />
the natural man – insists on instant gratification.<br />
He wants it and he wants it yesterday.<br />
She wants it and she wants it now. It is like a<br />
kid in a theme park; they do not know what they<br />
want first, they just want it now. <strong>The</strong> old nature<br />
– the natural man’s/the natural woman’s instinct<br />
is for instant gratification.<br />
When we find a carnal Christian, one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
first characteristics is one who looks for instant<br />
gratification. “We want a big church and we want<br />
it now”. So they think by getting some gimmick<br />
or some fad or whatever program is popular at<br />
the time they are going to get a big church.<br />
Maybe they will until the fad is over and then<br />
they have no church. <strong>The</strong> little church which begins<br />
to build slowly on something solid may not<br />
have gotten quite as far, but what it has it has.<br />
When we see Christians chasing fads and<br />
going along with any gimmick, that is the mark<br />
<strong>of</strong> a carnal Christian, someone living in the old<br />
creation. When we see a leader following every<br />
fad, every trend, that is the firstborn not the<br />
second. Show me a move <strong>of</strong> God that was sporadic.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y might have had a “take <strong>of</strong>f” point,<br />
but there was quite a foundation. <strong>The</strong> disciples<br />
<strong>of</strong> Jesus had been the disciples <strong>of</strong> John the Baptist<br />
for some years before Jesus came. God was<br />
laying a foundation. It took a long time. King<br />
David spent many years in the wilderness before<br />
his empire expanded. But the old creation<br />
wants instant gratification.<br />
And so they behave carnally. “Let me gulp<br />
it down”. “It looks good; we will have it”. Maybe<br />
it is not so good. But when we see people like<br />
this who are a carnal Christian. Unsaved people<br />
cannot help it. For people who are not born again,<br />
“red” seeks “red”. That is what they are by nature.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y do not know any better, they have no<br />
reference point except to live as the firstborn.<br />
But believers should not live as the firstborn,<br />
they should live as the second. When we begin<br />
demanding instant gratification we begin to<br />
despise our birthright and forsake the blessing.<br />
I cannot help but notice that the most successful<br />
churches I see – the Calvary Chapel<br />
movement in America, David Wilkerson’s<br />
church in New York, the Assemblies <strong>of</strong> God in<br />
Italy – anything unbiblical they banish. <strong>The</strong>y ban<br />
Benny Hinn, they ban Morris Cerullo, they ban<br />
Toronto – they do not have this garbage. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
are not looking for instant gratification, they<br />
look for basic things: evangelism, discipleship,<br />
prayer. <strong>The</strong>n their churches get big but they stay<br />
big. It is not like when the fad is over and the people<br />
go somewhere else to have their ears tickled.<br />
By faith Moses, when he had grown up,<br />
refused to be called the son <strong>of</strong> Pharaoh’s<br />
daughter, choosing rather to endure illtreatment<br />
with the people <strong>of</strong> God than to<br />
enjoy the passing pleasures <strong>of</strong> sin, considering<br />
the reproach <strong>of</strong> Christ greater<br />
riches than the treasures <strong>of</strong> Egypt; for<br />
he was looking to the reward. (Hebrews<br />
11:24-26)<br />
the deFerred blessIng<br />
<strong>The</strong> new creation will always look to the<br />
future blessing. Moses did not look for gratification<br />
in this life. It says he looked forward to<br />
the Messiah; he looked to Jesus.<br />
FEATurE ArTicLE – continued<br />
By faith Abraham, when he was called,<br />
obeyed by going out to a place which he<br />
was to receive for an inheritance; and he<br />
went out, not knowing where he was going.<br />
By faith he lived as an alien in the<br />
land <strong>of</strong> promise, as in a foreign land,<br />
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob,<br />
fellow heirs <strong>of</strong> the same promise; for he<br />
was looking for the city which has foundations,<br />
whose architect and builder is God.<br />
(Hebrews 11:8-10)<br />
Abraham was promised the land but he did<br />
not try to claim it in his lifetime. <strong>The</strong> firstborn,<br />
the old creation, looks for instant gratification.<br />
What is Kingdom Now <strong>The</strong>ology? Carnal<br />
Christianity. <strong>The</strong> Restoration Movement, Triumphalism,<br />
Dominionism – they are all carnal<br />
Christianity. “<strong>The</strong> meek shall inherit the earth”<br />
(Mt. 5:3) when Jesus comes back. No doubt it<br />
will be inherited…when He comes back. We see<br />
people wanting to possess it now in the full sense.<br />
Forget about it! It is under God’s judgment. But<br />
the carnal Christian wants to be gratified now.<br />
<strong>The</strong> example <strong>of</strong> real faith in Hebrews 11<br />
were men who looked to a deferred blessing.<br />
Abraham was promised it but he looked to a deferred<br />
blessing. Moses was promised! He could<br />
have had it then on a silver platter through Pharaoh’s<br />
daughter as a son <strong>of</strong> Pharaoh. He could<br />
have had it. It is amazing in Antiquities by Josephus,<br />
in the secular history <strong>of</strong> Moses, his position<br />
in Egypt was similar to Joseph; he was a<br />
big wheel. He could have had it. It is the carnal<br />
Christian who looks to have it now.<br />
A lot <strong>of</strong> bad things come out <strong>of</strong> America<br />
including who I would not even call “bad” but<br />
false Christians. Too bad they do not talk more<br />
about the true Christians who came from the<br />
States. One was a missionary to South America<br />
called brother Jim Elliot. He and five others were<br />
martyred by the Indians. His wife Elizabeth<br />
remained a missionary to the same tribe who<br />
killed her husband. Jim Elliot said, “No man is<br />
a fool to give up what he cannot possibly keep<br />
in order to gain what he cannot possibly lose”.<br />
“You Christians – you do not go out to get<br />
drunk, you do not gamble, you do not have any<br />
fun!” We have plenty <strong>of</strong> fun. But if that is what<br />
your hope is in, you cannot take that with you.<br />
When you are dead your are dead, Jack. <strong>The</strong><br />
point is that for man to die is after judgment.<br />
Nobody is a fool to give up what he cannot keep<br />
in order to gain what he cannot lose. It is the<br />
people who are not Christians who are foolish,<br />
and the time will come when they will know it,<br />
but it will be too late. <strong>The</strong> firstborn seeks instant<br />
gratification. Human nature, human psychology,<br />
that is the old man in you/the old woman in<br />
you and me. We have two names.<br />
susceptIbIlIty<br />
<strong>The</strong> second characteristic provided in Genesis<br />
25 is he was automatically susceptible to<br />
being conned. When people despise their birthright,<br />
when they live as the firstborn instead <strong>of</strong><br />
the second, when they are given to carnality<br />
they are automatically prone to being conned.<br />
When I talk to the Gypsy pastors they tell<br />
me what the Gypsy culture was like before they<br />
were saved, and they made their money as swindlers.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y report from the time they were little<br />
kids how they knew how to swindle. To see<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly 5
FEATurE ArTicLE – continued<br />
God’s Spirit moving among these Gypsies and<br />
to see their lives transformed is amazing. And<br />
they always tell you the easiest to con is a greedy<br />
man. <strong>The</strong>y look for the greedy because they are<br />
the ones that can be taken for the most. When<br />
we live in the old creation, when we live the life<br />
<strong>of</strong> the firstborn instead <strong>of</strong> the second, we automatically<br />
predispose ourselves to being conned.<br />
Have you been to Toronto? You have been<br />
conned. You made a contribution to Morris Cerullo?<br />
You have been conned. You paid a tithe to<br />
one <strong>of</strong> these lunatic fringe Assemblies <strong>of</strong> God or<br />
Elim churches promoting this heresy? You have<br />
been conned. We have all been conned by the<br />
devil who tries to make us trust in this world –<br />
that is a big enough con. But when the new birth<br />
happens we should not be conned anymore. <strong>The</strong><br />
firstborn will always set himself up to be conned.<br />
But then they get conned financially. One<br />
money appeal after another, one letter looking<br />
for money after another – they are not looking<br />
for anything honest. <strong>The</strong>y are not looking to<br />
help poor people in the Third World or Eastern<br />
Europe or for legitimate missions or evangelism.<br />
It is heresy, hype, con-artistry.<br />
Esau’s name was changed to Edom – “red”,<br />
“<strong>of</strong> the earth”, “natural”. And the natural man is<br />
looking for the natural things.<br />
conFusIng “needs”<br />
wIth “wants”<br />
<strong>The</strong> third thing we see is this: “I am about<br />
to die! I’m gonna die! Gimme some stew!” He<br />
was weary and he was hungry, but he was not<br />
going to die <strong>of</strong> exhaustion; he was not going to<br />
starve or become anorexic. <strong>The</strong> Esau within the<br />
firstborn, the natural man <strong>of</strong> Adam, will always<br />
exaggerate his essential needs. Such confuse<br />
“needs” with “wants”.<br />
Sometimes the only thing we really need is<br />
the grace <strong>of</strong> God. “My grace is sufficient”; (2<br />
Cor. 12:9) “I will never give you more than you<br />
can handle”. (1 Cor. 10:13) It says in Timothy<br />
if God gives us food and clothes we should be<br />
content. (1 Ti. 6:8) By virtue <strong>of</strong> being a Working<br />
Class person living on a Council Estate, living<br />
<strong>of</strong>f the dole, such should realize they are better<br />
<strong>of</strong>f than two out <strong>of</strong> three people in the world. A<br />
Middle Class person is better <strong>of</strong>f economically<br />
than three out <strong>of</strong> four people in the world.<br />
I have been down there several times and I<br />
do not know why they call it “<strong>The</strong> Third World”;<br />
it is “<strong>The</strong> Two-Thirds World”. I can provide examples<br />
<strong>of</strong> people in Africa and Asia who would<br />
love to come live in a Council Estate in England.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y do not care about the graffiti and the<br />
crime because it is a lot better than what they<br />
are putting up with. Most would not believe the<br />
stuff encountered there. Not that I am diminishing<br />
the prospects <strong>of</strong> the urban unemployed in<br />
our own country, but there is just no comparison.<br />
You cannot even compare it.<br />
<strong>The</strong> firstborn will always exaggerate their<br />
essential needs. “I need this!” “I need the latest<br />
gimmick, the latest thing for my computer!”<br />
I am not saying there are not legitimate needs<br />
and I am not saying that wants are necessarily<br />
wrong, but covetousness? Covetousness is a<br />
sin. And when people begin to covet, sin leads<br />
to sin; one sin leads to another. When someone<br />
begins to covet someone else’s wife, the next<br />
thing you know they are not happy with their<br />
<strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
own. <strong>The</strong> next thing you know they are into<br />
adultery or fornication or something like this.<br />
Covetousness leads to other sin. People begin<br />
coveting riches. <strong>The</strong> Bible does not say money<br />
is the root <strong>of</strong> all evil, it says “a love <strong>of</strong> money” is<br />
the root <strong>of</strong> all evil; by longing for it many have<br />
wandered away from the faith. (1 Ti. 6:10)<br />
What can be more perverted than when the<br />
church <strong>of</strong> Jesus Christ in a materialistic age, in<br />
a materialistic society where we should be saying,<br />
“Materialistic things are not the solution”<br />
and giving a positive witness to everybody else<br />
instead does the contrary? We have one liar on<br />
TV after another telling us to “name-it-andclaim-it”,<br />
destroying our very testimony to a<br />
materialistic age and making us look the same<br />
as they are. In fact, as Christians, they look<br />
even worse except that they are not real Christians;<br />
they are carnal Christians. <strong>The</strong>y are the<br />
firstborn, they are Esau. <strong>The</strong>y are not the sons<br />
<strong>of</strong> Jacob, they are not the sons <strong>of</strong> Isaac, they<br />
are the sons <strong>of</strong> Esau. <strong>The</strong>y despise their birthright,<br />
they want it now, they do not want their<br />
deferred blessing, they do not want “the meek<br />
shall inherit the earth” (Mt. 5:5), they want<br />
Kingdom Now, they want prosperity now, they<br />
want it now. <strong>The</strong> firstborn always exaggerates<br />
his essential needs. “I am about to die!”<br />
It may seem crazy but when I went to Bible<br />
college I would say 50% <strong>of</strong> the female students<br />
admitted their primary reason for going to Bible<br />
college was to find a Christian husband. “If you<br />
can’t find one here, where can you find one?”<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is only one man who is going to meet their<br />
needs and it is not their husband. One’s husband<br />
will only meet their needs to the extent that he<br />
is God’s vehicle in their life. <strong>The</strong> wife will only<br />
meet the husband’s needs only to the extent that<br />
she is God’s vehicle. But if someone’s husband<br />
is an “Esau” instead <strong>of</strong> a “Jacob”, they are not<br />
going to meet the needs because he is a carnal<br />
Christian. Oh, I grant that they need a man, the<br />
question is which man? <strong>The</strong> natural desire to<br />
get married? I can understand it. <strong>The</strong> biological<br />
clock is a reality. Pick up a copy <strong>of</strong> Brother Andrew’s<br />
newsletter. Read about Christians in prison<br />
camps. <strong>The</strong>y have an essential need maybe.<br />
“I am driven by lust!” “I used to do this<br />
and do that before I was a Christian and I want<br />
to get a wife!” “<strong>The</strong> Bible says it is better to<br />
marry than to burn with passion!” That is true<br />
and the Bible does say it. But the idea that<br />
somebody’s lust problem is going to disappear<br />
if they get married? That is not reality. First deal<br />
with your lust problem, then get married. I do<br />
not care how good-looking someone’s wife or<br />
their boyfriend is, their problem is not simply<br />
the biological drive, their problem is sin. It does<br />
not work that way. Such people will not be content<br />
with any wife or any husband whose sin is<br />
unaddressed – that is the essential need. But the<br />
“red” goes to “red”. “Just give me!”<br />
dIstorted Values<br />
<strong>The</strong> fourth thing we see is he had distorted<br />
values. <strong>The</strong> secondborn will always value what<br />
God values. <strong>The</strong> secondborn will always cherish<br />
the things that are most important as God sets<br />
them. But not the firstborn. Esau will always<br />
have distorted values. “What good is a birthright<br />
to me?” “What good is this new birth?”<br />
“What good is this ‘second birth’?” “I wanna<br />
have some fun!” “I wanna have some sex!” “I<br />
wanna have a good time!” “What good is that<br />
stuff to me?” “I want to get somewhere in this<br />
life!” It says in Ecclesiastes even if someone<br />
does they are going to wind up just as dead as<br />
someone who did not. (Ecc. 3:19-20; 9:2) “<strong>The</strong><br />
end <strong>of</strong> the matter is to love God and keep His<br />
commandments”. (Ecc. 12:13)<br />
“All this stuff <strong>of</strong> heaven and Jesus – what<br />
good is it to me now?” “Day to day, week to<br />
week, I am just trying to go out and make a<br />
living, trying to get some enjoyment out <strong>of</strong> a<br />
difficult life!” If you think your life is difficult,<br />
come with me to Nigeria; I will show you a difficult<br />
life. I will show you a mother who cannot<br />
feed her baby, I will show you Christians<br />
being persecuted by Muslims, I will show you<br />
a difficult life. I complain about my neck hurting<br />
when Christians in Saudi Arabia have their<br />
heads chopped <strong>of</strong>f at the neck.<br />
Esau always distorts his values. Carnal<br />
Christians always have distorted values – they<br />
never value most what God does and God values<br />
the things that will matter most a million<br />
years from now.<br />
<strong>The</strong> first question should be, “Will this<br />
matter a million years from now?” Unless the<br />
Lord comes first, the reality <strong>of</strong> death is going<br />
to separate us from the ones we love the most.<br />
Husband, wife, parents, children – unless Jesus<br />
comes back first, which He may do, death<br />
is going to separate us. Of course, if you are<br />
a Christian, you do not have to be away from<br />
your family forever. You do not have to be away<br />
from your husband or wife or children. If they<br />
are Christians and you are a Christian we can<br />
see each other again. That is true, but that is the<br />
birthright. Whoever begins hoping in this world<br />
begins to despise that birthright.<br />
Marriage is for here. <strong>The</strong> relationship will<br />
continue in heaven but it will not be a marriage,<br />
we will be one in Christ. And if someone is not<br />
married, is that going to matter a million years<br />
from now? Being married is not the ultimate<br />
treasure. <strong>The</strong> firstborn values things that are <strong>of</strong><br />
temporary value, the secondborn values things<br />
<strong>of</strong> eternal value. <strong>The</strong> old creation values things<br />
that will perish, the new creation values things<br />
that will endure forever. Does someone desire<br />
a relationship? <strong>The</strong> only relationship worth<br />
anything is one that is going to endure forever.<br />
I thank God I will be with my wife and children<br />
a million and a billion years from now not<br />
because <strong>of</strong> the first creation but the second one.<br />
That is my birthright, the birthright bequeathed<br />
to me when Jesus gave His life for my sin on the<br />
cross and rose from the dead to give me eternal<br />
life. That is my birthright. I do not want to despise<br />
my birthright.<br />
blamIng someone else<br />
<strong>The</strong>n he said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob,<br />
for he has supplanted me these two<br />
times? He took away my birthright, and<br />
behold, now he has taken away my blessing.”<br />
And he said, “Have you not reserved<br />
a blessing for me?” (Genesis 27:36)<br />
“He swindled me twice!” No, the second<br />
time derives from Esau despising his birthright,<br />
not that Jacob was right in what he did, or at<br />
least not in the way he did it. He did not swindle<br />
him, Esau despised it; he sold it. <strong>The</strong>n it says he
sought for it earnestly but could not find it. <strong>The</strong><br />
Esau that is in the firstborn, the natural man/the<br />
natural woman, will always blame other people<br />
for the mess they make <strong>of</strong> their own lives.<br />
“Oh, my mother was an alcoholic and our<br />
father left us!” That may be, but that is the firstborn.<br />
What about the secondborn? We have a<br />
new Father when we are born again. <strong>The</strong> firstborn<br />
– the old creation, will always blame others<br />
for the results <strong>of</strong> their own sin.<br />
Esau never admits his own culpability. It<br />
is always a refusal to take responsibility for the<br />
results <strong>of</strong> his own decisions. Unsaved people<br />
are like that, they cannot help it; that is their<br />
nature. “Red” goes to “red”. Christians should<br />
know better, but a carnal Christian does not.<br />
Oh, he may know better, but he does not live<br />
better. Are you living as the firstborn or are you<br />
living as the secondborn?<br />
the Father stIll wants<br />
them back<br />
And He said, “A man had two sons. “<strong>The</strong><br />
younger <strong>of</strong> them said to his father, ‘Father,<br />
give me the share <strong>of</strong> the estate that<br />
falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between<br />
them. And not many days later, the<br />
younger son gathered everything together<br />
and went on a journey into a distant country,<br />
and there he squandered his estate<br />
with loose living. Now when he had spent<br />
everything, a severe famine occurred in<br />
that country, and he began to be impoverished.<br />
So he went and hired himself out to<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the citizens <strong>of</strong> that country, and he<br />
sent him into his fields to feed swine.<br />
Now in the Jewish context this would have<br />
been quite foul. A pig is a non-Kosher animal.<br />
“And he would have gladly filled his stomach<br />
with the pods that the swine were eating,<br />
and no one was giving anything to<br />
him. But when he came to his senses, he<br />
said, ‘How many <strong>of</strong> my father’s hired men<br />
have more than enough bread, but I am<br />
dying here with hunger! I will get up and<br />
go to my father, and will say to him, “Father,<br />
I have sinned against heaven, and in<br />
your sight; I am no longer worthy to be<br />
called your son; make me as one <strong>of</strong> your<br />
hired men.” ’ So he got up and came to his<br />
father. But while he was still a long way<br />
<strong>of</strong>f, his father saw him and felt compassion<br />
for him, and ran and embraced him<br />
and kissed him. And the son said to him,<br />
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and<br />
in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be<br />
called your son.’ But the father said to his<br />
slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe<br />
and put it on him, and put a ring on his<br />
hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the<br />
fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;<br />
for this son <strong>of</strong> mine was dead and<br />
has come to life again… (Luke 15:11-24)<br />
As it says in Jude’s epistle, backsliders in<br />
the church are twice dead. <strong>The</strong>y went from spiritual<br />
death to life and then they are dead again.<br />
(Jude 10-11)<br />
If someone is like that, if they want the inheritance<br />
now, if they are not willing to wait for<br />
the deferred blessings, if they are not willing to<br />
wait for when it will not perish and where they<br />
keep it forever, they are going to wind up eating<br />
with pigs. But the Father still loves them and<br />
wants them back now.<br />
conclusIon<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are many aspects to this parable, one<br />
is the Jewish people having gone away from God<br />
and will come back again. Another is the fallen<br />
nature <strong>of</strong> man generally. Adam wanted it there<br />
and then. He did not want to eat <strong>of</strong> the Tree <strong>of</strong><br />
Life, he wanted it his way; he ate <strong>of</strong> the Tree <strong>of</strong><br />
Knowledge <strong>of</strong> Good and Evil. But it also teaches<br />
about backsliders. <strong>The</strong> old creation wants it<br />
now. What good is it if you cannot keep it? It is<br />
only good if you can keep it. That is the birthright.<br />
Carnal Christians despise their birthright.<br />
<strong>The</strong> backslider <strong>of</strong> heart will be filled with his<br />
own ways. (Pr. 14:14) What are his own ways?<br />
What is a carnal Christian’s way? What is a carnal<br />
church’s way? <strong>The</strong>y want it now. <strong>The</strong>y insist<br />
on instant gratification. “Red” seeks “red”.<br />
Second, they are susceptible to being<br />
conned. That is why they go to Toronto, that is<br />
why they are taken in by all this stuff.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y exaggerate their essential needs.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are not content – they covet. <strong>The</strong>y distort<br />
their values, wanting things that will not last.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y despise the birthright that gives them the<br />
inheritance to the things that will.<br />
And then on top <strong>of</strong> all that they do not take<br />
responsibility for their own decisions.<br />
<strong>The</strong> firstborn hates the second. Esau hates<br />
Jacob. <strong>The</strong> old creation in me hates the new creation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> old creation in you hates the new one.<br />
Our unsaved family does not like us. “Esau” –<br />
“adom” – “from Adam”: a natural man. That is<br />
all he is, that is all he can be, he can do no other.<br />
He cannot have the blessing. Esau cannot have<br />
the blessing. Esau cannot have the birthright because<br />
he forfeited it because <strong>of</strong> his sin.<br />
If you have not been born again, if you have<br />
not repented <strong>of</strong> your sin and trusted Jesus for<br />
your salvation, God has that birthright for you.<br />
He has that blessing for you! He wants to take an<br />
“Esau” and turn him into a “Jacob”. He wants to<br />
take a firstborn and make him a secondborn. You<br />
can do that right now by accepting Jesus as your<br />
Savior and following Him as the Bible teaches.<br />
But what <strong>of</strong> the one who made that decision<br />
but they still continue to live as an “adom”?<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are still filled with their own ways. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
are not committed to any church, they will go<br />
out the door and live like a worldly, unsaved<br />
person with distorted values, distorted priorities,<br />
wanting instant gratification. All they are<br />
doing is despising their birthright. A time will<br />
come when they will seek it and seek it desperately<br />
but they will not find it.<br />
You may think what I am saying is crazy.<br />
You may have not become a new creation. You<br />
may be a son <strong>of</strong> Adam. You may not have been<br />
born again. A time will come when you will desperately,<br />
desperately want the birthright I have<br />
in Jesus Christ, but you will not find it. Now is<br />
the appointed time. Today is the day <strong>of</strong> salvation.<br />
God bless. †††<br />
FEATurE ArTicLE – continued<br />
About the cover<br />
<strong>The</strong> red canyon is carved in beautiful red<br />
sandstone. One <strong>of</strong> the unique features <strong>of</strong><br />
Eilat Mountains (israel) is the richness <strong>of</strong><br />
rocks made <strong>of</strong> granite, limestone and sandstone.<br />
This creates beautiful formations in a<br />
relatively small area, giving it its rich colors,<br />
high peaks, steep slopes and ravines.<br />
Although the amount <strong>of</strong> precipitation in this<br />
area is very low (about 15 millimeters per<br />
year), and floods are rare, water throughout<br />
the years managed to carve the canyon through<br />
the s<strong>of</strong>t sandstone. <strong>The</strong> photo illustrates<br />
the rare but powerful effect <strong>of</strong> the water.<br />
Guy Shachar, is not only a photographer but<br />
has a Masters degree as a Geographer. His<br />
photography serves as a goodmeans for him<br />
to show and explain the world to people. To<br />
see more <strong>of</strong> his beautiful photography check<br />
out his website below.<br />
‘<strong>The</strong> Redcanyon’, by Guy Shachar, www.guyshachar.<br />
com, by permission for one time use.<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly 7
Guest Author<br />
S i g n S & W o n d e r S<br />
T h e V a l u e o f<br />
<strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
Danny isom<br />
. . . . . . . .<br />
SignS & WonderS<br />
“But all these things are merely the beginning <strong>of</strong> birth pangs” (Matthew 24:8)<br />
T h e V a l u e <strong>of</strong><br />
SignS & WonderS<br />
S i g n S & W o n d e r S<br />
T h e V a l u e o f<br />
Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the<br />
peoples, nations, and men <strong>of</strong> every<br />
language that live in all the earth:<br />
“May your peace abound! It has<br />
seemed good to me to declare the<br />
signs and wonders which the Most<br />
High God has done for me.<br />
“How great are His signs And how<br />
mighty are His wonders! His kingdom<br />
is an everlasting kingdom And His<br />
dominion is from generation to generation.<br />
(Daniel 4:1-3)<br />
To have a Gentile write in Scripture<br />
about his coming to faith in the One True<br />
God is an attention grabber in and <strong>of</strong> itself,<br />
but whereas so many people throughout<br />
Scripture are documented as remaining unchanged<br />
spiritually after witnessing a sign<br />
or wonder, here we have someone who actually<br />
testifies to being changed by them.<br />
But if you just flopped open your Bible and<br />
began reading Daniel 4 you would probably<br />
think Nebuchadnezzar is referring to<br />
the signs and wonders connected to the<br />
events in this chapter and miss the fact<br />
that these are actually the culmination <strong>of</strong><br />
a series <strong>of</strong> signs and wonders. Yes, Nebuchadnezzar<br />
witnessed some very amazing<br />
signs and wonders recorded previously in<br />
Daniel 2 and 3 but the fact is that he did not<br />
allow them to change his heart. No, having<br />
missed the greater application <strong>of</strong> what God<br />
was teaching through those other signs and<br />
wonders, Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony<br />
here is that after one final round <strong>of</strong> signs<br />
and wonders he finally “gets it”.<br />
In Daniel 2 we are provided with the<br />
account <strong>of</strong> how God provided an amazing<br />
dream to Nebuchadnezzar but no one<br />
could explain its meaning to the king except<br />
through Daniel. What was the king’s<br />
public confession after witnessing these<br />
signs and wonders?<br />
<strong>The</strong> king answered Daniel and said,<br />
“Surely your God is a God <strong>of</strong> gods<br />
and a Lord <strong>of</strong> kings and a revealer <strong>of</strong><br />
mysteries, since you have been able to<br />
reveal this mystery.” (Daniel 2:47)<br />
It is an acknowledgment <strong>of</strong> sorts but far<br />
from a ringing endorsement <strong>of</strong> recognizing<br />
how much the king <strong>of</strong> the earth needed the<br />
King <strong>of</strong> Heaven.<br />
And what was Nebuchadnezzar’s<br />
public confession after all the brouhaha<br />
in Daniel 3 after witnessing the signs and<br />
wonders associated with the persecution<br />
<strong>of</strong> Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego for<br />
their faith in the One True God?<br />
Nebuchadnezzar responded and said,<br />
“Blessed be the God <strong>of</strong> Shadrach, Meshach<br />
and Abed-nego, who has sent<br />
His angel and delivered His servants<br />
who put their trust in Him, violating
the king’s command, and yielded up<br />
their bodies so as not to serve or worship<br />
any god except their own God.<br />
<strong>The</strong>refore I make a decree that any<br />
people, nation or tongue that speaks<br />
anything <strong>of</strong>fensive against the God <strong>of</strong><br />
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego<br />
shall be torn limb from limb and their<br />
houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch<br />
as there is no other god who<br />
is able to deliver in this way.” (Daniel<br />
3:28-29)<br />
He appears to be drawing a little<br />
closer, but this is still far from a personal<br />
confession <strong>of</strong> a changed heart. In effect<br />
Nebuchadnezzar has personally witnessed<br />
signs and wonders which he himself acknowledges<br />
could come from no one but<br />
the God <strong>of</strong> Israel, but spiritually he continues<br />
life unchanged. So now God is going<br />
to provide signs and wonders yet again for<br />
a third time, but these are going to belong<br />
to a very different category than those previously<br />
experienced.<br />
Having repeatedly failed to learn the<br />
right spiritual lesson so as to be changed<br />
from the heart by signs and wonders which<br />
demonstrated God’s sovereignty and character<br />
benignly, now the king <strong>of</strong> the earth is<br />
going to experience signs and wonders that<br />
express the King <strong>of</strong> Heaven’s judgment. He<br />
could have learned from signs and wonders<br />
that witnessed to the truth, now instead<br />
he will learn from signs and wonders<br />
rendering judgment for rejecting that truth.<br />
Yes, Nebuchadnezzar’s remarkable<br />
testimony provided to us in Daniel 4 is<br />
actually a lesson in how God uses signs<br />
and wonders in general and how they work<br />
on the heart specifically. God repeatedly<br />
reached out with a “carrot”, so to speak,<br />
but repeated rejection <strong>of</strong> His peaceful<br />
gestures ultimately warranted an extreme<br />
“big stick” in an attempt to save even the<br />
most stubborn heart. God’s first choice was<br />
not to put Nebuchadnezzar through seven<br />
years <strong>of</strong> punishment, it was the only option<br />
left because <strong>of</strong> the repeated choices Nebuchadnezzar<br />
made to reject every previous<br />
approach <strong>of</strong> the One True God. Nebuchadnezzar<br />
did not really believe the signs and<br />
wonders provided as an outreach, but he<br />
certainly believed after the signs and wonders<br />
<strong>of</strong> judgment.<br />
To my mind this is the overall principle<br />
behind Jesus’ own teaching that when<br />
it comes to the End Times, signs and wonders<br />
will increase with frequency and intensity<br />
analogous to increasing birth pangs<br />
leading to a birth.<br />
“But all these things are merely the beginning<br />
<strong>of</strong> birth pangs” (Matthew 24:8)<br />
<strong>The</strong> “silence” or gap between each<br />
wave is meant to provide the time to learn<br />
Danny isom<br />
and properly apply the greater spiritual<br />
lesson from the last round <strong>of</strong> events. But<br />
if we study all the signs and wonders predicted<br />
to come it becomes clear that they<br />
begin to transition from things that testify<br />
to our need for a personal relationship with<br />
Christ, to judgment for consistently refusing<br />
to heed those calls, to ultimately culminating<br />
in the expression <strong>of</strong> God’s wrath<br />
– destruction for steadfastly refusing to<br />
submit. <strong>The</strong> purpose <strong>of</strong> signs and wonders<br />
is not to provide God with the opportunity<br />
to show <strong>of</strong>f His power, but to make an ever<br />
greater appeal to change from the heart.<br />
When I was a teenager our local pastor<br />
became terminally ill and yet he was<br />
miraculously cured, a medically verifiable<br />
fact by his doctors and the local hospital.<br />
Did we start having healing crusades? Did<br />
we start laying hands on everyone who was<br />
sick? Did he become the object <strong>of</strong> veneration<br />
for having experienced a miracle? No,<br />
he came back empowered with the Word<br />
<strong>of</strong> God like never before in his life and initiated<br />
revival preaching repentance and a<br />
return to God’s Word and ways with unbelievable<br />
results. To my knowledge no one<br />
else in the course <strong>of</strong> his ministry was ever<br />
healed <strong>of</strong> anything or experienced anything<br />
I would call “supernatural”. <strong>The</strong>re was a<br />
greater message attached to the sign that<br />
turned out to be far more important than<br />
the sign itself.<br />
It would be easy at this point to launch<br />
into a tirade against the many individuals,<br />
groups, and even movements who place an<br />
undue priority on seeking signs and wonders.<br />
But equally amiss, in my opinion, are<br />
those <strong>of</strong> us placing an undue emphasis on<br />
the signs and wonders <strong>of</strong> these Last Days.<br />
Over the past 62 years we have received<br />
enough fulfillments <strong>of</strong> specific prophecies<br />
in God’s Word to shake us permanently<br />
out <strong>of</strong> ever living comfortable in this old<br />
world. We have already witnessed enough<br />
to irrevocably change us from the heart<br />
and to induce us to heed the greater lesson<br />
<strong>of</strong> these things which calls us into an ever<br />
greater personal relationship with Christ.<br />
We should actually be more motivated in<br />
sharing the Gospel and working while it is<br />
still day than ever before. But what do you<br />
suppose is going to happen to those who,<br />
like Nebuchadnezzar, acknowledge God<br />
is working but go on living unchanged?<br />
Sooner or later it will escalate to judgment,<br />
and eventually to the very wrath <strong>of</strong> God.<br />
I would submit that this is already the<br />
case. I believe what we are experiencing<br />
in the Western world is not simply evil<br />
running amok or strictly the eternal battle<br />
between Satan and the Church, but much<br />
is judgment from God for a Church that<br />
has willfully chosen to no longer be salt<br />
and light to the world. To be sure the End<br />
Times will play out exactly according to<br />
God’s will, but I am not convinced every<br />
single thing we have been witnessing in<br />
recent years is specifically an End Times<br />
event predicted in the Bible. <strong>The</strong>re is also<br />
the reasonable possibility that in addition<br />
to those things there is an increase in frequency<br />
and intensity because, like Nebuchadnezzar,<br />
so many are simply not paying<br />
attention, not learning the right lesson, not<br />
repenting and returning in earnest. I have<br />
no doubt that many <strong>of</strong> the things we are<br />
witnessing testify <strong>of</strong> His imminent return;<br />
I equally believe many <strong>of</strong> the things we are<br />
witnessing are the result <strong>of</strong> hardened, unrepentant<br />
hearts who are risking having to<br />
learn things the hard way.<br />
I am not praying that I will see any new<br />
signs and wonders. I am praying I will see<br />
more hearts yield to the greater message<br />
behind the signs and wonders we have already<br />
seen.<br />
In His Love,<br />
Danny Isom<br />
Servant@WalkWith<strong>The</strong>Word.org<br />
Guest Author<br />
<strong>THIS</strong> MUST BE How REAL<br />
“CHRISTIANS”<br />
PRAy THESE DAyS<br />
This entry posted by MORIEL <strong>Ministries</strong><br />
I THoUgHT<br />
HE SAID DUR<strong>IN</strong>g HIS CAMPAIgN<br />
THAT HE wAS A<br />
CHRISTIAN?<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly
South Africa News Allen & Sue<br />
In this newsletter we would like to ask<br />
for prayer to insure the continued care<br />
<strong>of</strong> our children in our home without<br />
the fear <strong>of</strong> them being placed elsewhere. We<br />
have just received news from our social worker<br />
that calls for changes in direction for Bezaleel.<br />
Before I begin I’d like to share regarding<br />
God’s goodness to us in terms <strong>of</strong> His prompting<br />
and provision. At the beginning <strong>of</strong> the<br />
year the Lord prompted me to bring our home<br />
into order during the coming year in a practical<br />
sense. I.e. sorting through things, keeping<br />
what we need, giving away what we don’t need<br />
and so on. I was sure it had something to do<br />
with the house. As you know, we were looking<br />
to the Lord for the house we’re living in as<br />
the owners are selling and the ability to purchase<br />
it is beyond our reach. Friends <strong>of</strong> ours,<br />
knowing our plight visited us and said they<br />
have a house that would become available in<br />
about a years time that will meet the needs <strong>of</strong><br />
a large family such as ours. It is still in Springs<br />
which facilitates the continuation <strong>of</strong> visits<br />
for some <strong>of</strong> the children from their dads. We<br />
are very grateful for their faithfulness to the<br />
Lord and we pray His blessing on their lives.<br />
I am humbled by the love <strong>of</strong> our heavenly<br />
Father in a world reeling from one crisis to another,<br />
creating fear and uncertainty around the<br />
world and seeking to encroach on our lives.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Lord in His unfailing character shows<br />
Himself as faithful, true and unchanging. We<br />
serve a God who is the same yesterday, today<br />
and tomorrow, the Alpha and Omega <strong>of</strong><br />
our lives and His world. When change comes<br />
upon us that is beyond our control, we know<br />
we can run to Him who tells us that He has<br />
not given us a spirit <strong>of</strong> slavery leading to fear<br />
again, but a spirit <strong>of</strong> adoption as sons and<br />
we can safely hide under the shadow <strong>of</strong> His<br />
wing. Romans 8:14-25 and Revelation 1:8.<br />
We were informed today that another provision<br />
for childcare, namely Foster Cluster<br />
Care (something we investigated a number <strong>of</strong><br />
years ago when it was still at discussion stages)<br />
has been gazetted and passed into South<br />
African law. It falls somewhere between foster<br />
care and residential care (i.e. children’s<br />
homes or villages). Also leans more to the side<br />
<strong>of</strong> residential care in terms <strong>of</strong> requirements for<br />
registration and services rendered by the department,<br />
or NGO one is working with. Unregistering<br />
<strong>of</strong> such a home also carries with it<br />
a lot <strong>of</strong> red tape. According to South African<br />
law, one can only foster up to six children.<br />
But, because <strong>of</strong> the crisis South Africa faces<br />
with regards to HIV/AIDS, this appeared to<br />
open a window where allowances were made<br />
for some people to foster more than six children.<br />
Besides our three adult children, we<br />
0 <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
have one adopted child, eight legal foster children,<br />
two children living with us by private arrangements<br />
(with their respective fathers) and<br />
one child who stays with us on weekdays for<br />
the purposes <strong>of</strong> homeschooling and who goes<br />
home on weekends and school holidays. Now,<br />
because <strong>of</strong> the new law it puts our arrangement<br />
in jeopardy because it places us beyond<br />
the perimeters <strong>of</strong> the new law. We have two<br />
viable choices so as not to lose any <strong>of</strong> the children.<br />
Firstly, to register as a foster cluster care<br />
home or secondly, to adopt some <strong>of</strong> the children<br />
to bring us back under the perimeters <strong>of</strong><br />
the new law. Allen and I believe by the direction<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Lord and among other reasons our<br />
age (getting older has a wonderful way <strong>of</strong> reminding<br />
us how finite we are) have agreed not<br />
to take any more children into care and that<br />
decision has not been an easy one on our part.<br />
<strong>The</strong> children we now have require a tremendous<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> care simply by their number,<br />
homeschooling, their medical conditions and<br />
the very real reality <strong>of</strong> what the future holds<br />
in terms <strong>of</strong> the life expectancy <strong>of</strong> our HIV<br />
positive children. Also the strain from the care<br />
they will need and the heartache if their ARV<br />
treatment fails as well as our commitment to<br />
prepare the children for adult life in a world<br />
where finding ones feet is not always easy. In<br />
discussion with our social worker we believe<br />
it best to adopt the three younger children. We<br />
are not allowed to adopt any <strong>of</strong> our children<br />
who have known living parents, which four<br />
<strong>of</strong> our children do. She has urged us to begin<br />
proceedings as soon as possible and we will<br />
go to children’s court next week to make the<br />
application for adoption. We will cease to receive<br />
the grants for the children but the Lord<br />
has shown His faithfulness to us in the past<br />
and our hope is in Him. We will look to the<br />
Lord in terms <strong>of</strong> adoption <strong>of</strong> the other children<br />
at a later stage.<br />
Thank you for taking the time to read this<br />
and allowing us to share our burden with you.<br />
We cherish your prayers and we know that<br />
within all the changes taking place He is our<br />
Peace and we pray that all things be done for the<br />
children’s sake and to the glory <strong>of</strong> His Name.<br />
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to<br />
you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let<br />
not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.<br />
Yours in Jesus,<br />
Allen and Sue<br />
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to<br />
you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do<br />
not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.<br />
–John 14:27<br />
NASB<br />
Allen and Sue’s granddaughter<br />
giving Ruth a kiss . . . . . !<br />
Your righteousness is like the mountains<br />
<strong>of</strong> God; Your judgments are like a great<br />
deep O Lord, You preserve man and<br />
beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness,<br />
O God! And the children <strong>of</strong> men take<br />
refuge in the shadow <strong>of</strong> Your wings. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
(F)drink their fill <strong>of</strong> the abundance <strong>of</strong><br />
Your house; And You give them to drink<br />
<strong>of</strong> theriver <strong>of</strong> Your delights.<br />
–Psalm 36:7<br />
Rosie and Ruth . . . .<br />
Bezaleel Introduction: Bezaleel is a<br />
family home in the Springs Community<br />
providing permanent care for children<br />
affected and infected with HIV/AIDS<br />
within the context <strong>of</strong> a family. Aims:<br />
(1) To provide a loving environment,<br />
medical care, anti-retroviral treatment<br />
required and an education within the<br />
structure <strong>of</strong> foster parenting; and (2) to<br />
be available for education concerning<br />
HIV/AIDS and provide support to those<br />
interested in fostering children living<br />
with AIDS.
Ha i f a<br />
Dear Friends,<br />
Greetings in the Name <strong>of</strong> Jesus. Much has<br />
happened in March and April we would like<br />
to share with you. <strong>The</strong>se include the, Feast <strong>of</strong><br />
Purim and the Feast <strong>of</strong> the Passover. For both<br />
events we were able to celebrate with Jewish<br />
congregations. At the first congregation, Najeeb<br />
spoke about the Book <strong>of</strong> Esther, it really was a<br />
great joy and blessing.<br />
On the March 21 st , we celebrated Mother’s<br />
day in our congregation. We invited our beloved<br />
sister, Ruth Nessim, and gave her a plaque to<br />
honor her for all her love, care and support as a<br />
mother to the members <strong>of</strong> the Immanuel Congregation.<br />
We also invited a number <strong>of</strong> other<br />
women whom very little interest is shown.<br />
Some people even tried to prevent them from<br />
coming on this occasion. Thank God they came,<br />
they were blessed and encouraged by the message<br />
and the humble gift that they received on<br />
this special day.<br />
Passover found us again at the Nahariya<br />
Congregation with Sister Ruth and the members<br />
<strong>of</strong> the congregation. She reports that we<br />
reverend Najeeb Atteih<br />
immanuel News<br />
mmanuel hurch<br />
B o o k s h o p H a i f a , i s r e a l<br />
livened up the proceedings, and they are always<br />
very joyful when we come. We took some<br />
German guests with us, who also enjoyed the<br />
occasion, seeing Jews, Arabs and strangers together<br />
remembering the Exodus from Egypt,<br />
and more importantly, Messiah’s sacrifice for<br />
us in taking away our sins, and breaking down<br />
the middle wall <strong>of</strong> partition between us, making<br />
one new man!<br />
This month was filled with visitors from<br />
abroad, including students from the States, two<br />
German families, another three students, and<br />
two more men from Germany. We hosted some<br />
<strong>of</strong> them in our small apartment, and it was really<br />
a time <strong>of</strong> blessing. We had a wonderful time<br />
together, full <strong>of</strong> love, harmony and encouragement<br />
to focus on the Lord and serve Him. <strong>The</strong><br />
young people needed lot <strong>of</strong> help and direction<br />
on how to lead their lives, and thank God we<br />
were able to help them in this too.<br />
Two families came to visit us in the Bookshop,<br />
bringing greetings to us from another<br />
German family. <strong>The</strong>y were accompanied by<br />
their daughter, a medical student who was doing<br />
one month’s intensive course at the Rambam<br />
Hospital, the largest hospital in Haifa.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y loved the bookshop, and were blessed<br />
by our sharing. <strong>The</strong>y accepted our invitation to<br />
visit our home for cup <strong>of</strong> c<strong>of</strong>fee, and it was very<br />
good time, especially for the other couple who<br />
were in need <strong>of</strong> lot <strong>of</strong> encouragement, particularly<br />
the wife, who needed to stand strong in the<br />
Lord. <strong>The</strong>y were both members <strong>of</strong> the Lutheran<br />
Church for many years, but after their son came<br />
to know the Lord, they began to attend Baptist<br />
Church, where their son is youth Pastor. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
attended there for about 10 years, but she had<br />
not been baptized. Now they were wanting to<br />
visit the Sea <strong>of</strong> Galilee, We encouraged them<br />
to do so, gave them directions, prayed with<br />
them and they went <strong>of</strong>f happily. <strong>The</strong>y called us<br />
at night, asking if they could visit us straight<br />
away. As they entered and began to share with<br />
us, we saw that the woman was very tearful as<br />
she related her experiences on the Sea <strong>of</strong> Galilee<br />
tour, and that she had remembered at this<br />
time, what we had told her about God’s love,<br />
and how she should stand strong in the Lord,<br />
and that each <strong>of</strong> us was called to serve the Lord<br />
also. This had reached deep into her heart, and<br />
she asked if she could get baptized and if Pastor<br />
Najeeb would do this for her. After questioning<br />
her about salvation and her understanding<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Gospel, all <strong>of</strong> which she answered from<br />
her heart, we agreed to baptize her and began<br />
to prepare for the trip the next day, which happened<br />
to be Sunday. We called some members<br />
<strong>of</strong> our congregation to join us, it was a great<br />
day <strong>of</strong> joy to baptize this woman in the Sea <strong>of</strong><br />
Galilee, as she so much wanted to be baptized<br />
in Israel, and she was blessed by the Arabic<br />
prayers and worship. She could not thank us<br />
enough for this wonderful baptism. As Najeeb<br />
and the lady emerged from the water, an Indian<br />
man was standing there, and immediately asked<br />
Pastor Najeeb to baptize him too.<br />
Najeeb asked him:<br />
1. “Do you believe that you are sinner and in<br />
need <strong>of</strong> salvation?<br />
2. “Do you believe that Jesus Christ died and<br />
rose to give you salvation?<br />
3. “Do you believe that he is Lord and that he is<br />
the Son <strong>of</strong> God?”<br />
To all these questions he answered “Yes”,<br />
and then when asked why he wanted to be baptized,<br />
he replied, “He is my Saviour and I want<br />
to follow Him!”<br />
After this they went down into the water,<br />
with songs and worship. Heaven was full <strong>of</strong> joy<br />
that day as two had accepted the Lord and followed<br />
Him in Baptism, taking a gift instead <strong>of</strong><br />
buying one!<br />
L. is Russian woman, who came into the<br />
bookshop to buy gift to send to relative in Russia.<br />
As we served her, we looked for way to<br />
bring her the Gospel, and asked if she were <strong>of</strong><br />
Christian or Jewish background. She answered<br />
that she was Christian, but she didn’t believe in<br />
anything! Najeeb then told her that he could see<br />
that she was carrying heavy burden on her back,<br />
and had no hope <strong>of</strong> better life.<br />
“What good life”, she rejoined, “<strong>The</strong>re is<br />
nothing good on this earth”<br />
“You are absolutely wrong”, Najeeb replied,<br />
“God is good, and He gave us salvation<br />
that we might have a better life”.<br />
“OK If God is good, then why does He let<br />
people suffer?”<br />
“God does not make people suffer. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
is verse in the Bible that says, “What so ever a<br />
man sows, that shall he also reap”. Many times<br />
we blame God for our situation and think that<br />
He is the cause <strong>of</strong> everything, forgetting that we<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten bring ourselves into this situation. If you<br />
allow me to, I can pray for you.” She agreed<br />
and Najeeb prayed aloud for her. Suddenly she<br />
began to cry. <strong>The</strong>n we knew that something<br />
had happened and God had touched her heart.<br />
When Pastor Najeeb finished praying for her,<br />
she began to tell us about her life, and shared<br />
that she is not married and lives with her daughter,<br />
and has no help in supporting her and has to<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly
<strong>Moriel</strong> Alert !<br />
do everything alone, and finds it every difficult<br />
to manage.<br />
We encouraged her to accept the Lord, for<br />
He is our real Abba and the only one that she<br />
can trust. We also encouraged her to attend a<br />
Russian speaking church, and <strong>of</strong>fered to find her<br />
the right one. Of course, we did not let her leave<br />
without the Word <strong>of</strong> God, and gave her Russian<br />
Hebrew Bible, explaining that even if she did<br />
not understand everything, she should begin in<br />
John’s Gospel and read one chapter every day.<br />
She was so happy, that when she left, she forgot<br />
to buy the gift she came in for.<br />
Every other Friday, we have Bible Discipleship,<br />
each time meeting in the home <strong>of</strong> different<br />
one <strong>of</strong> our members. <strong>The</strong> couple in whose home<br />
we met last Friday invited two couples from<br />
their neighborhood. <strong>The</strong> older couple had lost<br />
their son, who had worked at factory as security<br />
guard, and they don’t know whether he committed<br />
suicide or killed himself accidentally.<br />
<strong>The</strong> mother explained that he was in his room<br />
cleaning his gun. She heard shot, and when she<br />
went to his room, she found him dead. <strong>The</strong>y are<br />
very miserable and brokenhearted, and in poor<br />
psychological condition. <strong>The</strong> mother cried during<br />
the whole service. <strong>The</strong> other couple was<br />
their eldest son and his wife, who although married<br />
live their own lives apart from one another<br />
and do what they want! <strong>The</strong>y have two small<br />
children aged four years and one year, and work<br />
very hard and long hours to satisfy their lusts.<br />
It is like a Sodom and Gomorrah situation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> children receive little attention from their<br />
parents, and look to their grandparents for affection<br />
and help. <strong>The</strong> woman is very beautiful,<br />
and thinks that with her beauty she can achieve<br />
many goals. She has obviously never read Proverbs<br />
31:30, “Favor is deceitful, and beauty is<br />
vain; but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall<br />
be praised”.<br />
At the end <strong>of</strong> the meeting, they were<br />
amazed by what they had heard, and started<br />
to repent and ask forgiveness <strong>of</strong> the Lord. We<br />
are following up this family, as we cannot yet<br />
say that they have committed their lives to the<br />
Lord, but they are ready to come and hear God’s<br />
Word. Pray for the Salvation <strong>of</strong> this family and<br />
that they will have peace in their lives.<br />
With our warm greetings to you in Jesus,<br />
Rev Najeeb and Elizabeth Atteih<br />
P.S. We are still praying to God and trusting<br />
for the provision <strong>of</strong> a car. We travel a lot to<br />
all parts <strong>of</strong> Israel, and even into the Palestinian<br />
territories where we also have an outreach to<br />
needy families, Moslems and Christians alike.<br />
We are also involved in reconciliation between<br />
Israelis and Palestinians, and when possible<br />
take Jewish friends with us. This has a big impact<br />
on the lives <strong>of</strong> Palestinians when they see<br />
Arabs and Jews working together and loving<br />
one another. Please thank all our friends who<br />
have contributed so far.<br />
Quotes <strong>of</strong> the QUARTER !<br />
George Whitefield , said:<br />
“Press forward. Do not stop, do not linger<br />
in your journey, but strive for the mark set<br />
before you. ”<br />
2 <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
Dear Brethren in Jesus,<br />
We lost another one <strong>of</strong> our children in Africa. It was Mouse (Moses). It is always very<br />
difficult spiritually and emotionally for all <strong>of</strong> us when this happens. But it inevitably too<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten does. It is especially heart breaking for the <strong>Moriel</strong> missionaries who take care <strong>of</strong> these<br />
children and above all for Dave & Lyn in particular. It is the kind <strong>of</strong> thing you mentally expect<br />
but can never get use to. It is our first loss since little ngel went to be with Jesus. <strong>Moriel</strong><br />
Ebyown is the only family these mostly HIV babies and small children, some <strong>of</strong> which are<br />
orphaned, have ever known or had. Little Mouse never even had much <strong>of</strong> a chance.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are few things more painful than burying a child. Please keep Dave & Lyn and our<br />
missionaries and the children they care for in prayer.<br />
Below is Dave Royle’s brief letter. <strong>The</strong>re is nothing more to say. Whenever this happens<br />
there never really is except: “ Come Quickly Lord Jesus”.<br />
In Christ,<br />
Jacob Prasch (<strong>Moriel</strong>)<br />
• Dear Friends,<br />
We have some sad news. As you know we had to take Mouse to hospital with serious<br />
health issues. Today we found out he went to be with the Lord. He was only 6.<br />
We rest assured that the merciful God we serve will gather these young ones in His<br />
arms and that all hid disabilities and pain have been taken away in the twinkling <strong>of</strong> an eye.<br />
In Jesus<br />
Dave and Lyn<br />
wITH gREAT SADNESS . . . . . .<br />
Psalm 68:5-6<br />
5. A father <strong>of</strong> the fatherless<br />
and a judge for the<br />
widows,<br />
Is God in His holy habitation.<br />
6. God makes a home for<br />
the lonely; He leads out<br />
the<br />
prisoners into prosperity,<br />
only the rebellious<br />
dwell<br />
in a parched land.<br />
Mouse<br />
Psalm 68:5-6<br />
5. A father <strong>of</strong> the fatherless and a judge for the widows,<br />
Is God in His holy habitation.<br />
6. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the<br />
prisoners into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell<br />
in a parched land.<br />
• Dear Friends,<br />
We are praying my brother. Times like these show us the reliability <strong>of</strong> God as the Father<br />
<strong>of</strong> mercies and God <strong>of</strong> all comfort. His grace is sufficient and so much needed. We weep with<br />
you as you weep. God bless with you all.<br />
In Christ,<br />
Claude<br />
• Brethren:<br />
“We ourselves, who have the firstfruits <strong>of</strong> the Spirit, groan inwardly...” Romans 8:23.<br />
“I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” 2 Samuel 12:23<br />
Tony
Your Letters and<br />
Comments<br />
amerIcan letters march 2010<br />
<strong>The</strong> purpose <strong>of</strong> this message is to sincerely<br />
thank you all at <strong>Moriel</strong> <strong>Ministries</strong> and<br />
in particular Jacob Prasch for all the awesome<br />
teaching we have been so blessed to watch and<br />
listen to on-line.<br />
You may not be aware but there are still<br />
parts <strong>of</strong> this country that are in the dark when<br />
it comes to a lot <strong>of</strong> what your ministry is warning<br />
about concerning false teachings and false<br />
teachers in these last days.<br />
People here do NOT know about Rick Warren<br />
and what he is trying to do. Mention the<br />
emergent church and people here look at you<br />
like “ who are they and what is that?” It may be<br />
hard for you to believe - doing what you do -<br />
that there is actually still an ignorance out here<br />
about such things - but - I assure you that there is.<br />
People here are very open to visits by representatives<br />
<strong>of</strong> IHOP and Fresh Fire <strong>Ministries</strong><br />
and churches here support such conferences, I<br />
believe partly out <strong>of</strong> ignorance. Folks here do<br />
Bible studies (without the Bible) and use other<br />
materials that teach Kingdom Now <strong>The</strong>ology,<br />
but when you try and explain it to them, they<br />
really can not see error in any <strong>of</strong> it at all.<br />
I could go on but that is the REALITY <strong>of</strong><br />
how poor the teaching has been here concerning<br />
these matters.<br />
It was only by the grace <strong>of</strong> God and<br />
through many prayers for the gift <strong>of</strong> “Discernment”<br />
that we were lead to your ministry. <strong>The</strong><br />
teachings have been clearly Holy Spirit guided<br />
and have made a huge difference in our lives<br />
and have begun to provide us with information<br />
to share with others concerning so many<br />
things unfortunately including the need to divorce<br />
themselves from a church that is clearly<br />
in doctrinal error and perhaps even suffering<br />
from the judgement <strong>of</strong> God concerning being<br />
“blinded’ because <strong>of</strong> their choosing to remain<br />
in error.<br />
We are in the M<strong>IN</strong>ORITY here, hugely<br />
in the minority, and it is very difficult to find<br />
others to fellowship with, but we are praying<br />
GOD will lead others <strong>of</strong> like mind/spirit to us<br />
so we can worship in our home together.<br />
THANK YOU for your work, thank you<br />
for taking the time to respond to my emails<br />
when I have had questions and please let Jacob<br />
know WE PRAY FOR HIM. His teachings<br />
have enlightened us on so many areas and<br />
we consider ourselves to be blessed to have<br />
discovered your website.<br />
God RICHLY bless you<br />
P & G<br />
If there is any chance to get a sermon posted<br />
by Jacob concerning the Holy Spirit, we<br />
would deeply appreciate it. We have heard<br />
him speak briefly on it in other messages,<br />
but perhaps there is a message somewhere<br />
explaining more from the book <strong>of</strong> Acts on<br />
the work <strong>of</strong> the Holy Spirit. Baptism in the<br />
Holy Spirit, gifts indwelling etc, much confusion<br />
it seems.<br />
Again THANKS<br />
Question:<br />
Shalom my brother,<br />
I am A from Singapore. Happy Pesach<br />
and the Lord bless you abundantly.<br />
Lately I have been chewing on the question<br />
<strong>of</strong> Judas Iscariot’s tribe. Many a time<br />
when I look at the name Judas, the tribe <strong>of</strong><br />
Judah came into mind. However, I noticed<br />
the name Iscariot/Simon and looked into<br />
the Bible Dictionary and came up with the<br />
place where Iscariot lived....the man from<br />
Kerioth.......associated with the zealots. That<br />
does not tell me the tribe.......could it be the<br />
tribe <strong>of</strong> Dan by any chance? Why I think<br />
so? Genesis 49:17 shows me the character<br />
and Revelation 7 shows me Dan is missing!!<br />
Would appreciate your insight from the<br />
Hebriac perspective. Toda raba.<br />
In Christ Alone,<br />
A<br />
Answer:<br />
Dear A:<br />
Others have speculated this about the<br />
tribe <strong>of</strong> Dan based in part on the absence <strong>of</strong><br />
that tribe from Revelation 7.<br />
A medieval tradition called ‘Lacunae’<br />
later said Judas (without any biblical support)<br />
was from the tribe <strong>of</strong> Ruben. Some<br />
traditions, also devoid <strong>of</strong> solid scriptural<br />
support, assert he was from the Tribe <strong>of</strong><br />
Benjamin.<br />
Although inconclusive, most <strong>of</strong> the internal<br />
scriptural evidence (how be it tenuous)<br />
suggests that Judas was from the Tribe<br />
<strong>of</strong> Judah for three reasons.<br />
a) Two <strong>of</strong> the Three villages called ‘Kryot’<br />
as mentioned in Joshua were in the tribal<br />
region <strong>of</strong> Judah (the third was across the<br />
Dead sea).<br />
b) Judah is a tribal name more commonly<br />
used within that tribe.<br />
c) Judas (Yehuda in Hebrew) is typified by<br />
Judah (Yehuda) who betrayed Joseph for<br />
Silver.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is not much more that can be<br />
stated with certainty.<br />
In Christ,<br />
JJP/ <strong>Moriel</strong><br />
Letters & comments<br />
Jacob’s usa tour<br />
Chino Hills, CA<br />
Hope for Today Israel and Bible<br />
Prophecy Conference<br />
August 6-7, 2010<br />
Calvary Chapel <strong>of</strong> Chino Hills<br />
4201 Eucalyptus Ave.<br />
Chino Hills, CA 91710<br />
(909) 393-7100<br />
Abundant Life Church<br />
(Assembly <strong>of</strong> god)<br />
August 8, 2010, 9 AM and 11:00 AM<br />
82665 Miles Ave.<br />
Indio, Ca, 92201<br />
(760) 610-4566<br />
Munford, TN<br />
Munford First Baptist Church<br />
Sunday, August 15, 2010<br />
10:15 AM and 6:00 PM<br />
1253 Munford Ave., Munford, TN<br />
38058<br />
(901) 837-6325<br />
Laredo, TX<br />
2nd Annual Laredo Bible Conference<br />
Friday thru Sunday, August 20-22, 2010<br />
Embassy Suite Hotel<br />
110 Calle Del Norte, Laredo, TX 78041<br />
(956) 723-9100<br />
Pittsburgh, PA<br />
Beth Hebron<br />
Friday thru Sunday, Sept. 3-5, 2010<br />
60 Belvidere Street, Crafton, PA 15205<br />
Phone; (412) 321-6154<br />
Email: morieldavid@yahoo.com<br />
Appleton, wI<br />
Calvary Chapel <strong>of</strong> Appleton<br />
Friday through Sunday,<br />
Sept. 10-12,2010<br />
2136 E. Newberry St.,<br />
Appleton, WI 54915<br />
Phone: (920)735-1242,<br />
Fax: (920) 735-9265<br />
Email: cchapel@ccappleton.org<br />
winnipeg, Manitoba<br />
20th Winnipeg Prophecy Conference<br />
Friday thru Sunday, Sept. 17-19, 2010<br />
Victoria Inn<br />
1808 Wellington Avenue<br />
Winnipeg, Manitoba<br />
Canada<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly
<strong>Moriel</strong> South Africa<br />
When Jerusalem fell to the<br />
Greco Syrian tyrant Antiochus<br />
Epiphanies it fell<br />
twice. <strong>The</strong> first time was<br />
gradual assimilation to<br />
the Greek culture that was first introduced<br />
by Alexandra the great and whose precepts<br />
were inherited by his military successors<br />
throughout the remnant <strong>of</strong> that once great<br />
yet brief empire. <strong>The</strong> Vision that Alexander<br />
had was to see the whole world transformed<br />
by a single language and culture; this in turn<br />
was the thrust <strong>of</strong> this madman come megalomaniac<br />
whose political and military pressure<br />
turned the rulers <strong>of</strong> Jerusalem’s religious<br />
class upon themselves. <strong>The</strong> New Greek<br />
thought in the form <strong>of</strong> Hellenism was pitted<br />
against the traditions <strong>of</strong> Rabbinic Judaism<br />
and the new usurped the old with the result<br />
being the political and cultural domination<br />
<strong>of</strong> Greco-Syria.<br />
<strong>The</strong> second time Jerusalem fell, it fell<br />
thoroughly militarily. While away on military<br />
campaign in Egypt, it was reported that<br />
Antiochus had fallen in battle and so the<br />
ruling Hellenist party pronounced themselves<br />
rulers. Hearing this news the returning<br />
despot hit the Jewish people hard. Many<br />
thousands were murdered; Judaism was outlawed,<br />
punishable by death. <strong>The</strong> Temple and<br />
the Holy <strong>of</strong> Holies were desecrated and the<br />
abomination <strong>of</strong> desolation was erected in the<br />
form <strong>of</strong> a statue to Zeus baring the face <strong>of</strong><br />
Antiochus himself. Thus the persecution <strong>of</strong><br />
the Jews and the annihilation <strong>of</strong> Judaism by<br />
the sword had begun.<br />
Well what does this have to do with the<br />
Ebyown community living on the outskirts<br />
<strong>of</strong> the city <strong>of</strong> Springs? Plenty I think because<br />
the pattern that devastated a city so long ago<br />
is evident here in South Africa and maybe<br />
even in your city you can recognise a commonality<br />
between our situation and the situation<br />
Jerusalem found itself in two centuries<br />
before <strong>The</strong> Messiah came. Let me explain.<br />
In 1991 when I first visited South Africa,<br />
the nation was at a crossroads. HIV/<br />
AIDS was just coming into its own. HIV<br />
was a challenge to the church that to this<br />
day, it has never accepted fully apart from a<br />
few exceptions. While the only real answer<br />
to HIV is a change <strong>of</strong> heart through the gospel<br />
<strong>of</strong> Jesus Christ; a challenge that should<br />
have been met with true biblical evangelism;<br />
what is it we observed? Traditional churches<br />
expounding a social gospel which sends HIV<br />
infected Zionists unconverted to Hell (that<br />
is the ZCC Zionist Christian Church that is<br />
neither Christian or Zionist) or the new hyper<br />
charismania gospel which is no gospel<br />
4 <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
David royle<br />
<strong>Moriel</strong> Missions<br />
at all but in fact a ‘DR Feel Good Cult’ that<br />
panders to the West’s anonymous so called<br />
brethren, whose destination is no more and no<br />
less than the HIV infected Zionist.<br />
Through its lack <strong>of</strong> unbiblical leadership<br />
South Africa and Springs itself, has pandered<br />
after every wind <strong>of</strong> doctrine its hireling leaders<br />
have allowed into their sheep pens. Rhema<br />
was the first big player. Ray McCauley a charismatic<br />
leader; at the beginning did some notable<br />
things such as the integration <strong>of</strong> Black and<br />
White believers during an apartheid regime.<br />
This though went hand in hand with teachings<br />
borrowed by Kenneth Hagin and more recently<br />
Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar and Benny<br />
Hinn which ensured that the Black brethren<br />
who were set free from the Black N’songomas<br />
(Witch Doctors) were now bound and shackled<br />
by the mainly White N’songomas teachings<br />
<strong>of</strong> “God wants you rich”. While some<br />
black brethren walk 20 kms to Rhema placing<br />
all they have in the <strong>of</strong>fering Buckets so<br />
God will bless them, the White N’songomas<br />
fly around in private jets, drive Mercs and live<br />
in palaces. As with the Black N’songomas,<br />
the only ones getting rich are those proliferating<br />
this unbiblical occultist trash.<br />
Although I cannot be too accurate chronologically,<br />
the second thing I observed was<br />
Alpha. Alpha for kids, Alpha in prisons and<br />
again the merry go round <strong>of</strong> un-regenerated<br />
so called brethren hit the Nation and the Cities<br />
churches as congregation’s swapped membership<br />
lists to experience the latest fad.<br />
Third was the Spiritual Warfare movement<br />
(you may notice that all these fads are still<br />
around and have amalgamated into a pseudo<br />
Christian cult) To my shame this is something<br />
I promoted myself till I woke up and smelt the<br />
c<strong>of</strong>fee so to speak. Things that don’t work and<br />
are unbiblical outside the realms <strong>of</strong> eisagesis<br />
are promoted as true and factual when in reality<br />
they are delusional lies.<br />
Transformations was round four <strong>of</strong> our<br />
church merry go round. Even though blown<br />
out <strong>of</strong> the water by factual objective journalism<br />
and the exposure <strong>of</strong> its proponent as a<br />
Universalist, the masses decided to believe the<br />
lie. What Paul said in 2<strong>The</strong>ssalonians 2:10-12<br />
is presently being fulfilled, “And with all deceivableness<br />
<strong>of</strong> unrighteousness in them that<br />
perish; because they received not the love <strong>of</strong><br />
the truth, that they might be saved. 2:11 And<br />
for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,<br />
that they should believe a lie: 2:12 That<br />
they all might be damned who believed not the<br />
truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”<br />
Round five was a mixture <strong>of</strong> different personalities<br />
ranging from the oneness teacher<br />
Tommy Tenney whose derogatory remarks<br />
concerning scripture paved the way for TD<br />
Jakes and others. To Bruce Wilkerson who<br />
at best was a mixture <strong>of</strong> pop psychology and<br />
American smaltz.<br />
Next was what I believe to be the most<br />
dangerous manifestation to hit South Africa<br />
and perhaps Christendom as a whole, is Rick<br />
Warren’s Purpose Driven Church, Life and<br />
now Purpose driven community. Purpose<br />
Driven is the latest in a long list <strong>of</strong> man made<br />
philosophies, which akin to the Hellenism <strong>of</strong><br />
the second Temple period has hit the body <strong>of</strong><br />
Christ hard. Bit by bit, biblical literacy has<br />
been undermined, little by little; one step at<br />
a time Christian integrity has been shattered.<br />
Gradually and irreversibly discernment has<br />
been eroded, preparing us for oneness teachings<br />
and now the nice respectable face <strong>of</strong> Rick<br />
Warren who unashamedly declares his desire<br />
for one world church and one billion foot soldiers<br />
which can only be achieved through unity<br />
with Rome, certain cults and other faiths.<br />
Finally and more recently we have been<br />
exposed to what is known as the emergent<br />
church. <strong>The</strong> emergent church did not appear<br />
overnight but has primarily been an evolution<br />
<strong>of</strong> the ecumenicism we have been observing<br />
and warning about for years. But now it<br />
has been manifest with such insidious teachings<br />
that denigrate the Cross, substitutionary<br />
atonement and comes with the introduction <strong>of</strong><br />
mystical Roman Catholic teachings and New<br />
age meditation techniques that are thoroughly<br />
alien to Biblical Christianity<br />
<strong>The</strong> result on a city beleaguered by every<br />
wind <strong>of</strong> doctrine and led by spineless shepherds<br />
is an amalgamation <strong>of</strong> every man made<br />
philosophy that has gone before and who dare<br />
speak against it? Jeremiah was right 5:30-31<br />
says “A wonderful and horrible thing is committed<br />
in the land; 5:31 <strong>The</strong> prophets prophesy<br />
falsely, and the priests bear rule by their<br />
means; and my people love to have it so: and<br />
what will ye do in the end there<strong>of</strong> ?”<br />
<strong>The</strong>y prophecy falsely! <strong>The</strong> bemused<br />
twittering that entail’s prophecy nowadays, is<br />
evident in almost every church. With no discernment<br />
through the word how can a believer<br />
understand the implications <strong>of</strong> speaking for<br />
the Lord things that don’t come true?<br />
<strong>The</strong> priests bear rule! Anyone who apposes<br />
is marginalized and treated as a pariah.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Purpose Driven Philosophy has been<br />
steam rolled upon congregations by sacerdotal<br />
leaders. Those who question are treated as<br />
trouble makers.<br />
<strong>The</strong> people Love its so! O yes to feel<br />
the spirit give you your goose bump fix for<br />
another week while in between there is adultery,<br />
theft and murder. Where is sanctification,
where is integrity? Where is Truth? Gone with<br />
the discernment that has been sucked out <strong>of</strong><br />
the mind and heart <strong>of</strong> every true believer.<br />
But what will you do in the end? Well,<br />
the city <strong>of</strong> Springs has fallen. Like Jerusalem<br />
it has first <strong>of</strong> all been conquered by<br />
philosophy and culture. Every church and<br />
Sunday school is either Purpose Driven, Willow<br />
Creek, Alpha and all is underpinned by<br />
TBN. <strong>The</strong> saddest fact is that like Jerusalem<br />
the people <strong>of</strong> God have been divided, brother<br />
against brother, sister against sister, parents<br />
against children. Sadly even discernment<br />
ministry against discernment ministry as one<br />
by one we fall to fleshly compromise. <strong>The</strong><br />
new ways against the old ways, the remnant<br />
that once represented everything that is orthodox,<br />
now marginalized as a fringe group.<br />
I am not a prophet, nor would want to<br />
be, but common sense and observing the way<br />
God has dealt with His people; must teach us<br />
that after conquering through philosophy and<br />
assimilation into a culture, there must come<br />
oppression through one form <strong>of</strong> violence or<br />
another. But as Jeremiah says, “what will you<br />
do at the end <strong>of</strong> it?”<br />
Israel at its most desperate always had<br />
a remnant. During this abominable time Israel<br />
had a few who revolted and stood their<br />
ground against the overbearing forces that<br />
persecuted them. In a small village some kilometres<br />
from Jerusalem, people stood their<br />
ground and heralded a rallying cry that saw Israel<br />
for a few years gain independence again.<br />
As a worshipping community, now marginalized<br />
through modern pop culture and<br />
grievous heresy. As a worshipping community<br />
that has seen violence with the destruction <strong>of</strong><br />
property in Bloemfontein and the slanderous<br />
insults <strong>of</strong> sacerdotal despots here in Springs,<br />
we too must head the call to stand firm for<br />
the faith once and for all handed down to the<br />
saints and appose the faith propagated by the<br />
Bill Hybels and Rick Warrens <strong>of</strong> this world<br />
and handed down to an apostate church until<br />
He comes again.<br />
A father <strong>of</strong> the fatherless and a judge<br />
for the widows, is God in His holy<br />
habitation. God makes a home for<br />
the lonely; He leads out the prisoners<br />
into prosperity, Only the rebel-<br />
–Psalm 68: 5-6<br />
lious dwell in a parched land.<br />
woolly Jumpers From<br />
ozz & beyond<br />
<strong>The</strong> last few months has seen us have a<br />
brilliant time distributing knitted clothing to<br />
children as far apart as Tanzania, Kwazenzele<br />
South Africa and through Aletheia<br />
Community church Endicott. Supporters<br />
in Australia, Tasmania and the back and beyond<br />
have rallied to the idea <strong>of</strong> making wool<br />
hats, coats, gloves shoes and even dolls for<br />
children in poor areas.<br />
We have had contributions sent to Marg at<br />
<strong>Moriel</strong>’s Australia <strong>of</strong>fice where they were sent<br />
over to South Africa much to the shock <strong>of</strong> the<br />
David royle<br />
local Post Office who received 14 cases plus<br />
for us to pick up.<br />
<strong>The</strong> African winter is coming soon,<br />
here in the Highvelt in the rural areas it can<br />
get down to freezing at night time and some<br />
mums struggle to keep their youngsters warm,<br />
however with your help this will make things<br />
a lot easier.<br />
We would like to thank everyone for their<br />
magnificent help, may God Bless you.<br />
new house FellowshIp<br />
In benonI<br />
I had to come 6000 miles to meet Dave<br />
Newman a man from my old town <strong>of</strong> Eccles.<br />
Its funny that God would bring people who<br />
lived 2 streets away to meet in South Africa.<br />
Dave has been attending Aletheia for<br />
awhile and felt burdened by the Lord to plant<br />
a fellowship in his locality. We were really<br />
pleased to see him do this and now we have a<br />
place for people to go in that vicinity. Please<br />
pray that this fellowship would be a great success.<br />
And honor the Lord. If you would like<br />
to attend give Dave Newman a call for directions.<br />
0824514784<br />
ebyown<br />
It was with great sadness that we said<br />
goodbye to Lina and Marijke in late February.<br />
To date we have not been able to replace<br />
them which unfortunately means that as a registered<br />
children’s home we have not been able<br />
to comply with government rules. This along<br />
with other problems has unfortunately meant<br />
that we have had to deregister and become a<br />
regular foster home.<br />
This will effect the way that we run in<br />
the future because as a home the government<br />
have placed upon us so many restrictions. For<br />
example to remain registered we have been<br />
told that Lyn and I must leave the property<br />
and live <strong>of</strong>f site. As this is against the principles<br />
we set out from the beginning <strong>of</strong> being<br />
a place where children are situated in a family<br />
we cannot comply with this.<br />
This also means that some <strong>of</strong> the children<br />
who are registered to the home as an<br />
entity have to be found new placed. As you<br />
can imagine we are heart broke that these kids<br />
who were rescued from terrible circumstances<br />
must now be placed in government care.<br />
However the good news is that we continue<br />
the work God has given us and provide<br />
a loving family home for 10 –14 children, we<br />
will just have to do it a little differently.<br />
Government has made our position difficult,<br />
they have provided us with no funds, limitations<br />
in the work we do and have asked that<br />
we employ pr<strong>of</strong>essional staff with no salary<br />
support and now they want us to leave the site.<br />
We value your prayers on what will be<br />
a difficult few months ahead. Thank you for<br />
your love, prayers and ongoing support.<br />
In Jesus—Dave<br />
“rightousness exhalts a nation but<br />
sin is<br />
–Proverbs<br />
a disgrace to any people”<br />
14:34<br />
<strong>Moriel</strong> South Africa<br />
enter the gInger nInJa<br />
This month we have had the pleasure <strong>of</strong><br />
James Lee our nephew visit for a month at<br />
Ebyown. He actually should have gone home<br />
on the 17th April but with the Volcano eruption<br />
in Iceland and the disruption to the airways<br />
he has had to stay till the 2nd <strong>of</strong> May.<br />
James has made himself useful around the<br />
place spending time with the children and helping<br />
Dave and Chris mow the grass. <strong>The</strong> kids<br />
have really loved having him around as James<br />
is currently studying to be a football couch<br />
with a placement with Bolton Wanderers FC.<br />
It has been fun watching him get used to<br />
the African life, especially his reaction to our<br />
Flora and Fauna, Spiders and Rats. He will be<br />
taking home many memories <strong>of</strong> his Rat hunting<br />
sessions, South African Beef (Best in the<br />
world) and his trip to Suikerbosrand.<br />
We hope to have him again next year and<br />
hopefully his sister will also be joining us for<br />
a spell. So here’s wishing James the “Ginger<br />
Ninja” a good flight home and all the best with<br />
his studies.<br />
*TEACHER REQUIRED<br />
Ebyown needs a teacher to help Lyn with<br />
the education <strong>of</strong> the children. To remain a<br />
home school and assist in the adoption process<br />
<strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> the children we need to establish<br />
that we can provide a solid educational<br />
environment to the South African High Court.<br />
<strong>The</strong>refore if you can come and spend a year<br />
as Lina did last year you would be most welcome.<br />
• Period <strong>of</strong> work one year<br />
• Food and housing given<br />
• Working with children with many challenges<br />
• Must have an education qualification<br />
If this is something you would like to do and<br />
want more information then please contact us at,<br />
<strong>Moriel</strong>.david@gmail.com<br />
prayer & practIcal help<br />
Dave would love to come to your church<br />
and share about missions and also teach. If you<br />
would like him to come then please contact us.<br />
• Please pray for the children and their health<br />
problems.<br />
• Please pray for Dave and Lyn and their<br />
health issues.<br />
• Please continue to pray for Salvi and Dianne<br />
as they pioneer in Kwazulu.<br />
• Please pray for Ebyown as it goes through<br />
the process <strong>of</strong> deregistration.<br />
• Please pray for Dave’s Aussie and New Zealand<br />
tour May 12th to June 2nd.<br />
• We are still in need <strong>of</strong> a teacher to come and<br />
assist us in the work. If you have a burden to<br />
come over then please contact us.<br />
• We are also praying that the Lord will provide<br />
a husband and wife to pastor Aletheia in<br />
the near future.<br />
• We praise God for His provision<br />
• We praise God for His Grace<br />
• We praise God that He took Mouse to be with<br />
Him. If you would like to contribute to the<br />
ministry or be involved then please contact us.<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly 5
<strong>Moriel</strong> Japan 2010<br />
<strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
Ge<strong>of</strong>f Toole<br />
moriel japan<br />
news from the far east<br />
Since our last report we have had an<br />
eventful time here in Japan. Slowly but<br />
surely <strong>Moriel</strong> teaching is gaining attention<br />
and people are beginning to ask the right<br />
questions.<br />
osaka semInar<br />
<strong>The</strong> first <strong>Moriel</strong> Japan seminar was held<br />
in Osaka in February. Ge<strong>of</strong>f and Daisuke<br />
presented the Seven Feasts teaching to an<br />
interested group <strong>of</strong> people including pastors<br />
and teachers from various Christian<br />
backgrounds. People are excited about midrash<br />
and the new insight it brings. Most<br />
<strong>of</strong> those who attended are supporters <strong>of</strong><br />
Israel and aware that Israel is important<br />
but the typology and midrash are new to<br />
many. Lots <strong>of</strong> people took home translated<br />
articles and we have had some requests<br />
for more material over the Internet. It is<br />
a small beginning but we are excited that<br />
things are underway.<br />
Jacob and daVId to ‘raI-nIchI’<br />
This June, Jacob and David Lister will<br />
Rai-Nichi -come to Japan. <strong>The</strong>y will come<br />
to Kobe for two days <strong>of</strong> teaching and then<br />
we are planning a day in Tokyo. Over the<br />
three days we hope to make some good<br />
audios and videos. Japanese are busy<br />
workers and travel is expensive here,<br />
so the CD’s and DVD’s will be <strong>of</strong><br />
great value. Also, surprisingly, many<br />
Japanese still have little access to the<br />
Internet or do not like reading online.<br />
It will be a great blessing to meet<br />
Jacob and David again as well as to<br />
introduce them to the Christians in<br />
Kansai.<br />
dIscernment<br />
We have found a few interesting<br />
things lately. Firstly, the idea <strong>of</strong> exposing<br />
error is quite unknown here. Some readers<br />
demand to know if we take responsibility<br />
for naming false teachers. One writer<br />
came to the conclusion that either Jacob is<br />
a false teacher or her whole denomination<br />
is deceived. With a gently written response<br />
I explained the issues with ‘Cho Yonngi’<br />
and his fourth dimension ideas, and a week<br />
or so later she wrote again explaining that<br />
with shock she had realized the error and<br />
hoped that her church would leave its<br />
group. Perhaps that will not happen, but<br />
praise God for opening her eyes.<br />
FIrst thIngs FIrst<br />
After a few such letters we felt the<br />
need to start at the beginning. Before we<br />
deal with other issues, Roman Catholicism<br />
and its false gospel need to be exposed<br />
here, because the average sincere Japanese<br />
Christian has no idea what Roman<br />
Catholicism teaches. Many evangelicals<br />
are openly ecumenical or <strong>of</strong>fended when<br />
Catholicism’s teachings are criticized. Our<br />
first discernment article relates to the doctrine<br />
<strong>of</strong> salvation comparing the bible and<br />
Catholicism. This being done, we will have<br />
a basis for dealing with Purpose Driven<br />
which is so popular in Asia. Next stop will<br />
be Cho Yonngi and the Word Faith movement.<br />
Pray for us as we write these articles.<br />
For most it will be the first time they have<br />
ever heard anyone analyze their favorite<br />
teachings according to the Word <strong>of</strong> God.<br />
By the way, regarding Reiki, the New Age<br />
phenomenon gaining popularity throughout<br />
the western world, it apparently began<br />
in Japan, but 90 percent <strong>of</strong> its teachings and<br />
practices were developed in the West. Actually,<br />
most Japanese have never heard <strong>of</strong> it.<br />
phIlIppInes mInIstry<br />
We returned from our teaching trip to the<br />
Philippines yesterday. Our planned seminar<br />
was canceled at the last minute by one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
‘birds nesting in the branches,’ but praise<br />
God an alternative seminar was organized<br />
within a few days. A friendly local Pres
FYi<br />
Countries eligible to sit on the<br />
United Nations Security Council:<br />
Afghanistan<br />
Albania<br />
Algeria<br />
Andorra<br />
Angola<br />
Antigua and Barbuda<br />
Argentina<br />
Armenia<br />
Australia<br />
Austria<br />
Azerbaijan<br />
Bahamas<br />
Bahrain<br />
Bangladesh<br />
Barbados<br />
Belarus<br />
Belgium<br />
Belize<br />
Benin<br />
Bhutan<br />
Bolivia<br />
Bosnia and<br />
Herzegovina<br />
Botswana<br />
Brazil<br />
Brunei Darussalam<br />
Bulgaria<br />
Burkina Faso<br />
Burundi<br />
cambodia<br />
cameroon<br />
canada<br />
cape Verde<br />
central African republic<br />
chad<br />
chile<br />
china<br />
colombia<br />
comoro islands<br />
congo<br />
costa rica<br />
cote d’lvoire<br />
croatia<br />
cuba<br />
cyprus<br />
czech republic<br />
Democratic People’s<br />
republic <strong>of</strong> Korea<br />
Democratic republic<br />
<strong>of</strong> the congo<br />
Denmark<br />
Djibouti<br />
Dominica<br />
Dominican republic<br />
Ecuador<br />
Egypt<br />
El Salvador<br />
Equatorial Guinea<br />
Eritrea<br />
Estonia<br />
Ethiopia<br />
Fiji<br />
Finland<br />
France<br />
Gabon<br />
Gambia<br />
Georgia<br />
Germany<br />
Ghana<br />
Greece<br />
Grenada<br />
Guatemala<br />
Guinea<br />
Guinea-Bissau<br />
Guyana<br />
Haiti<br />
Honduras<br />
Hungary<br />
iceland<br />
india<br />
indonesia<br />
iran<br />
iraq<br />
ireland<br />
italy<br />
Jamaica<br />
Japan<br />
Jordan<br />
Kazakhstan<br />
Kenya<br />
Kuwait<br />
Kyrgyzstan<br />
Laos<br />
Latvia<br />
Lebanon<br />
Lesotho<br />
Liberia<br />
Libya<br />
Liechtenstein<br />
Lithuania<br />
Luxembourg<br />
Madagascar<br />
Malawi<br />
Malaysia<br />
Maldives<br />
Mali<br />
Malta<br />
Marshall islands<br />
Mauritania<br />
Mauritius<br />
Mexico<br />
Micronesia<br />
Moldova<br />
Monaco<br />
Mongolia<br />
Morocco<br />
Mozambique<br />
Myanmar<br />
Namibia<br />
Nepal<br />
Netherlands<br />
New Zealand<br />
Nicaragua<br />
Niger<br />
Nigeria<br />
Norway<br />
Believe it or not, israel is the only one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the 185 member countries ineligible to<br />
serve on the united Nations Security council,<br />
the key deliberative group <strong>of</strong> the world<br />
body. Even iraq is eligible. So is iran. And<br />
so, too, are cuba, Libya, North Korea, Sudan<br />
and Syria. Why is it that these seven<br />
nations, all cited by the u.S. State Department<br />
as sponsors <strong>of</strong> terrorism, are eligible<br />
to serve rotating terms on the Security<br />
council, yet israel, a democratic nation and<br />
member <strong>of</strong> the uN since 1950, is not?<br />
To be eligible for election, a country<br />
must belong to a regional group. Every uN<br />
member state—from the smallest to the<br />
largest—is included in one <strong>of</strong> the five re-<br />
<strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
PERT<strong>IN</strong>ENT “ ”<br />
Oman<br />
Pakistan<br />
Palau<br />
Panama<br />
Papua New Guinea<br />
Paraguay<br />
Peru<br />
Philippines<br />
Poland<br />
Portugal<br />
Qatar<br />
republic <strong>of</strong> Korea<br />
romania<br />
russian Federation<br />
rwanda<br />
St. Kitts and Nevis<br />
St. Lucia<br />
St. Vincent and the<br />
Grenadines<br />
Samoa<br />
San Marino<br />
SSo Tome’and Pripcipe<br />
Saudi Arabia<br />
Senegal<br />
Seychelles<br />
Sierra Leone<br />
Singapore<br />
Slovakia<br />
Slovenia<br />
Solomon islands<br />
Somalia<br />
South Africa<br />
Spain<br />
Sri Lanka<br />
Sudan<br />
Suriname<br />
Swaziland<br />
• Sweden<br />
Syria<br />
Tajikistan<br />
Tanzania<br />
Thailand<br />
<strong>The</strong> Former Yugoslav<br />
republic <strong>of</strong> Macedonia<br />
Togo<br />
Trinidad and Tobago<br />
Tunisia<br />
Turkey<br />
Turkmenistan<br />
uganda<br />
ukraine<br />
united Arab Emirates<br />
united Kingdom<br />
united States<br />
uruguay<br />
uzbekistan<br />
Vanuatu<br />
Venezuela<br />
Viet Nam<br />
Yemen<br />
Yugoslavia<br />
Zambia<br />
Zimbabwe<br />
gional groups. By geography, israel should<br />
be part <strong>of</strong> the Asian bloc but such countries<br />
as iraq and Saudi Arabia have prevented its<br />
entry for decades. But only israel among all<br />
uN members is denied the right to belong<br />
to any regional group. As a temporary measure,<br />
israel has sought acceptance in the<br />
West European and Others Group (WEOG),<br />
which includes not only the democracies <strong>of</strong><br />
Western Europe but also the united States<br />
and other Western countries.<br />
<strong>The</strong> uN Secretary General, K<strong>of</strong>i Annan,<br />
on March 25, 1998, called for an end to this<br />
injustice to israel and “the normalization <strong>of</strong><br />
israel’s status within the united Nations...”<br />
Moreover, several countries, including the<br />
Countries not eligible to sit on the<br />
United Nations Security Council:<br />
Israel<br />
u.S., Australia, canada and Norway, have<br />
expressed support for israel’s admission<br />
to WEOG, but the 15-member European<br />
union refuses to act.<br />
Thus, without membership in a regional<br />
group, israel can never be elected to<br />
serve a term on the Security council or, for<br />
that matter, to the other most important<br />
bodies <strong>of</strong> the uN system, such as the Economic<br />
and Social council, the World court,<br />
and the commission on Human rights.<br />
From the Atlas Shrugs website – Permission<br />
given by Atlas Shrugs (Pamelar Geller), http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com
uth Nessim israel report<br />
CJFM Report June 20 0 Tel: + 72 4 2 2 • Cell: + 72 544 4 0 7 from Israel 0544 4 0 7 • P.o.Box 2 , 22 02 Nahariya, Israel<br />
“Give thanks to the Lord for<br />
He is good. For his mercy<br />
endures forever.”<br />
This was in any case going to be<br />
a packed newsletter, and I had<br />
hoped to entitle it, <strong>The</strong> month<br />
that was. I never suspected<br />
in my wildest dreams that it would almost<br />
end as it did, and we are all thankful for the<br />
Lord’s mercies to us, so I will start at the end<br />
<strong>of</strong> the month and work backwards!<br />
On the 28 th <strong>of</strong> May, I set out via the last<br />
train for Haifa, to do a small translation job<br />
for Pastor Najeeb and Elisabeth Atteih, and<br />
arriving at the appointed Haifa Station, found<br />
great difficulty walking up the stairs. A few<br />
deft questions from Pastor Najeeb, and I was<br />
on my way to an emergency clinic, from where<br />
the doctor on duty instructed me to go straight<br />
to the Hospital. While sitting in Najeeb’s car,<br />
I had a massive heart attack and was rushed to<br />
the Rambam Hospital where they did an angiogram,<br />
and discovered that one artery was<br />
100% blocked, one 90%, and two were 50<br />
% blocked. On the table, one vessel ruptured<br />
and had to be fixed, and my heart stopped,<br />
but they managed to introduced three stints,<br />
I was released home for further treatment<br />
six days later, and I am praising God to be<br />
alive, although I must obviously take things<br />
a lot easier for quite a while to come! I had<br />
so many visitors, that one nurse asked what<br />
I did to get so many people to visit. So I explained<br />
that I belonged to the Messianic Jewish<br />
Community, at which she said, “I know<br />
them, I live next door to the Congregation<br />
in Kiryat Haim. <strong>The</strong>y are very nice people”<br />
As I was released on a Thursday, I was<br />
able to go to the Shabbat meeting where I<br />
was given a rumbustious welcome! I could<br />
not help remembering Albert, and how that<br />
after his death, I was left to keep the meetings<br />
together until our preacher was well<br />
enough to come again. I had felt so alone<br />
and as if everything was on my shoulders.<br />
Three and a half years later, I came home, the<br />
new young South American musicians were<br />
seated in front with our pr<strong>of</strong>essor from the<br />
States, and another young man was translating.<br />
Everything was ordered and prepared,<br />
from<br />
including the food, and I could just sat back<br />
and enjoyed the fellowship knowing that in<br />
the meantime God has raised up new leaders,<br />
additional musicians, other translators, and<br />
more young people, as well as others who<br />
come. So we do give thanks for the changes<br />
that have taken place in Nahariya.<br />
<strong>The</strong> month began <strong>of</strong>f with the return <strong>of</strong><br />
a real old-sinner, who on his own admission,<br />
has caused many problems by his life<br />
style, but now announced his intention to<br />
follow the Lord, and trust him. He still has<br />
along way to go, but we thank God for everyone<br />
who comes to repentance. He needs<br />
our prayers to overcome his many problems,<br />
but no one is beyond the grace <strong>of</strong> God. At<br />
the same time, we had the visit <strong>of</strong> an elderly<br />
Jewish retired doctor and his charming wife.<br />
<strong>The</strong>ir son is a backslider, but they still love us<br />
and always invite us to join them for meals.<br />
As we sat in one very classy restaurant as<br />
their guests, there was much opportunity to<br />
share the Gospel, and what God has done and<br />
is doing in our lives and they always listen<br />
with attention. <strong>The</strong>ir son recently had a very<br />
nasty vision set-back, and is suddenly unable<br />
to see to drive. We pray that his may really<br />
bring him back to the Lord. Frederika celebrates<br />
her 96 th birthday on the 13 th , please<br />
continue to pray for her salvation. She finds<br />
it difficult to believe that Jesus is really the<br />
Messiah, and needs a revelation <strong>of</strong> who He<br />
is! Two Sinhales Bibles and a Sinhalese New<br />
Testament arrived, which we hope to hand<br />
over soon. A big thanks to all who wrote and<br />
prayed.<br />
bethlehem<br />
On Tuesday 25 th , I was finally able to visit<br />
Bethlehem again and see ABDM’s Mongoloid<br />
child. He made the long journey with his<br />
wife and three <strong>of</strong> his four children. Again, he<br />
was robbed <strong>of</strong> all the Olive Oil he was bringing<br />
for us, but fortunately they could not take<br />
what we were bringing him, this injustice<br />
grieves us. <strong>The</strong> little boy is obviously very<br />
weak, and has two holes in his heart, but he<br />
is hoping to bring him to an Israeli hospital<br />
for treatment, hopefully Rambam, so he can<br />
visit us. When Najeeb informed him that I<br />
had had a heart attack, he cried! I cried when<br />
I heard that his baby had Down’s Syndrome.<br />
I wish to God we could always share each<br />
other’s sorrows instead <strong>of</strong> hating each other.<br />
What a miracle <strong>of</strong> the grace <strong>of</strong> God. We also<br />
saw Sammy, he helps so many people who<br />
have no money to buy food, and thank God<br />
we are also able to help there. This was only<br />
a day trip, there were others who phoned and<br />
wanted to see us, but this must be left for another<br />
time.<br />
For those <strong>of</strong> you who prayed about the<br />
young couple who were trying to get married,<br />
one <strong>of</strong>ficially a Palestinian Moslem<br />
Background believer, and the other an Arab<br />
Christian, we have good news in that they<br />
were finally were able to get all their paperwork<br />
straight. We hope to have a blessing in<br />
Bethlehem, and a legal wedding in Cyprus<br />
early next month! <strong>The</strong>y are a lovely young<br />
couple, and I was overjoyed to hear the news,<br />
and I might recover in time to make the celebration<br />
In Bethlehem.<br />
Pastor Najeeb, Elisabeth and daughter<br />
Kareen are in <strong>The</strong> USA until the end <strong>of</strong> the<br />
month, and are greatly missed.<br />
Perhaps the news <strong>of</strong> the month is that<br />
to our surprise, son Michael and Annie and<br />
their two children are selling their lovely<br />
apartment in Haifa to move to Nahariya, to<br />
help with the work here. Michael has some<br />
leadership experience, as well as being a musician,<br />
and translator. After an initial period,<br />
it is expected that he will be able to take on<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the responsibilities <strong>of</strong> a growing<br />
congregation. This turn <strong>of</strong> events was quite a<br />
surprise for us, and we take it as one <strong>of</strong> God’s<br />
blessings that he is showering upon us.<br />
We also ask prayer for Rania, the mother<br />
with her little five month old baby who is<br />
staying with us. Though also Moslem background,<br />
she too has mad a pr<strong>of</strong>ession <strong>of</strong> faith<br />
this past month. Pray also for her safety, and that<br />
<strong>of</strong> the baby from the vengeful hand <strong>of</strong> Islam.<br />
With our warm greetings in the Lord,<br />
Ruth Nessim, Avi, Esther, and the leadership<br />
and ministry team!<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly
in Memory<br />
Passing <strong>of</strong> Jews for Jesus Founder<br />
From David Brickner, Executive Director<br />
<strong>of</strong> Jews for Jesus<br />
Moishe went to be with his Messiah and<br />
Lord on Ma y 19th. We are rejoicing for him<br />
but appreciate your prayers for the Rosen<br />
family and for our whole ministry as we<br />
mourn our loss. In lieu <strong>of</strong> flowers, the family<br />
wishes that gifts be made in his honor<br />
to Jews for Jesus [1], 60 Haight Street, San<br />
Francisco, CA 94102 for the Moishe Rosen<br />
Center in Israel. You can do this online at:<br />
jewsforjesus.org/moishetribute [2]<br />
Jacob’s Thoughts<br />
I (Jacob Prasch) writing from Holland<br />
mourn the passing <strong>of</strong> my friend and our<br />
brother Moishe Rosen, founder <strong>of</strong> Jews for<br />
Jesus. Few have had the impact on my own<br />
life and ministry as Moishe Rosen and I am<br />
hardly alone in saying this.<br />
I was saved through a twisted cult called<br />
Children <strong>of</strong> God and subsequently in another<br />
called Forever Family (later named Church<br />
<strong>of</strong> Bible Understanding). <strong>The</strong>se cults damaged<br />
others and me both spiritually and psychologically,<br />
yet God had a purpose for me<br />
being in both for a season. <strong>The</strong>y had a radical<br />
zeal in the age <strong>of</strong> a lukewarm church that was<br />
tragically misplaced and misdirected where<br />
backslidden leaders misled and abused members<br />
<strong>of</strong> these terrible groups. But the zeal<br />
itself was real. I spent the first years <strong>of</strong> my<br />
20 <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
M o i s h e r o s e n<br />
Notes: photgraph <strong>of</strong> Moishe Rosen taken from http://www.jewsforjesus.org<br />
new life in Jesus being confused in these crazy<br />
groups or simply backslidden (the groups<br />
themselves were backslidden like their leaders<br />
Mo Berg and Stuart Traille), men who began<br />
right but ended badly — very badly.<br />
Enter Moishe Rosen, Jews For Jesus had<br />
the same zeal and radical approach to evangelism<br />
even in the face <strong>of</strong> opposition and as<br />
close to persecution as believers could get in<br />
the USA. Having attended the Jewish Community<br />
Center in my youth there was a cultural<br />
element that appealed to me. <strong>The</strong> emphasis<br />
on Old Testament Messianic typology<br />
and the Messianic theology I learned from<br />
Jews For Jesus, academics like Rachmiel<br />
Fryland (who was on the verge <strong>of</strong> becoming<br />
a rabbi when the holocaust interrupted his<br />
plans before he was saved) and my father in<br />
the Lord Dr. Louis Goldberg <strong>of</strong> the Jews For<br />
Jesus board who performed the nuptials for<br />
my Israeli wife Pavia and myself.<br />
Jews for Jesus was a very different organization<br />
in those early days, a tribe <strong>of</strong> Jewish<br />
hippies. Indeed, Moishe got in trouble<br />
with established Jewish missions societies<br />
for reaching out to the hippies not dissimilar<br />
from the ordeal faced by Chuck Smith<br />
in the early days <strong>of</strong> Calvary Chapel. It was<br />
quite a time indeed. Jews For Jesus had the<br />
radicalism <strong>of</strong> the other “Jesus Freaks” (as we<br />
were then known), but due to Moishe Rosen<br />
instilled the stability the other groups lacked<br />
due to the kind <strong>of</strong> people he involved in Jews<br />
For Jesus along with some tremendous Bible<br />
teaching.<br />
As with any dynamic leader, Christian<br />
or secular, and as he knew himself, Moishe<br />
had both his strengths and weaknesses. He<br />
made wise decisions and as he refers to in his<br />
departing letter, some he wished he had not<br />
made. But he never regretted having accepted<br />
His Messiah Yeshua and bringing the Good<br />
News <strong>of</strong> the true Messiah back home again to<br />
Israel and putting the Jews on the map once<br />
again. Although I knew Moishe was like myself<br />
— Pre-Millennial in his doctrine — I<br />
regret now that I never asked Moishe if he<br />
personally had the sense that what he was at<br />
the forefront <strong>of</strong> doing was <strong>of</strong> prophetic eschatological<br />
significance vis a vis the predictions<br />
<strong>of</strong> Romans 11 for the Natural Branches<br />
to be grafted back in again.<br />
One thing I know for sure is that I would<br />
not be in the ministry today if it were not for<br />
the way that God used Moishe Rosen and<br />
Jews For Jesus in my earlier years as a believer.<br />
In fact I may not have been walking<br />
with Yeshua at all. It was through Jews For<br />
Jesus that I began to stabilize and grow in<br />
my faith in the aftermath <strong>of</strong> my experience<br />
in cults and being saved out <strong>of</strong> the erratic<br />
drug culture <strong>of</strong> the 1960’s early 70’s in a very<br />
turbulent era sociologically, politically, and<br />
spiritually complicated by my later cocaine<br />
addiction and strong involvement in the occult<br />
and in the Marxism I came to adhere to<br />
as a science student.<br />
Due to the influence <strong>of</strong> Moishe, Jews For
Jesus also provided financial assistance to me<br />
on two occasions to help get through seminary.<br />
It was also one <strong>of</strong> Moishe’s proteges,<br />
Sam Nadler — at that time Jews For Jesus<br />
leader in New York, who encouraged me to<br />
immigrate to Israel. Without Jews For Jesus<br />
I would have never met my wife and led her<br />
to her Messiah.<br />
Not only would I not be in ministry without<br />
the way that God used Moishe Rosen,<br />
but <strong>Moriel</strong> <strong>Ministries</strong> would not exist either.<br />
Moishe said I had an analytical mind<br />
and a very good memory and encouraged<br />
me at a missions conference when I first began<br />
in ministry. I could never have believed<br />
that <strong>Moriel</strong> would be a global ministry with<br />
branches in Africa, Asia, America, Britain,<br />
Australia, New Zealand, etc.<br />
It is to me a confirmation and a lasting<br />
encouragement that in his final words he<br />
echoed two <strong>of</strong> my own very key concerns.<br />
Many people know I have been at odds<br />
with those who attempt to bless Israel and<br />
the Jews at the expense <strong>of</strong> withholding the<br />
Gospel. My struggles with <strong>The</strong> International<br />
Christian Embassy, figures like John Hagee,<br />
Jan Luck<strong>of</strong>f, Jan Willem Van der Hoven, and<br />
Malcom Hedding among others and with<br />
organizations such as Exobus, Bridges For<br />
Peace, and Ebenezer Fund were never directed<br />
against people caught up in scripturally<br />
unbalanced organizations. On the contrary, in<br />
an age <strong>of</strong> growing anti-Semitism and anti-Zionist<br />
bias I appreciate their positive support<br />
and Philo-Semitism — howbeit a misguided<br />
Philo-Semitism. I have rather been motivated<br />
by a God-given desire to see Jews and<br />
non-Jews saved and the command <strong>of</strong> Jesus<br />
to proclaim the Gospel to Israel carried out.<br />
Moishe highlights these same concerns in his<br />
farewell tome.<br />
Secondly, his final comments underscore<br />
our own convictions at <strong>Moriel</strong> at the extreme<br />
axis <strong>of</strong> the Messianic Movement which lifts<br />
up “Jewishness” (or a version <strong>of</strong> it) more<br />
than it does Yeshua-ness. Even in his departing<br />
I have a theological and ideological ally<br />
in my old friend Moishe. I did not always<br />
agree with him (although I usually did), but<br />
I certainly agreed with him on the issues that<br />
counted most.<br />
What can I say? Or what can anyone say<br />
who knew Moishe? Praise God he is now<br />
with Yeshua. As Moishe said in his leaving<br />
letter : “I’ll see you in the air”. Indeed I will.<br />
J. Jacob Prasch<br />
Moishe Rosen’s Final Letter<br />
Dear friends,<br />
If you are reading this, it means that I<br />
have gone on to my reward. As I write this, I<br />
can only think <strong>of</strong> what the Scriptures say and<br />
that is, “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard,<br />
neither have they entered into the heart <strong>of</strong> man<br />
the things that God has prepared for those<br />
who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) Well,<br />
I have a big curiosity and by now, I know.<br />
I don’t suppose that I will be writing you<br />
any new material, but there are a few articles<br />
in the works that might still come through.<br />
As I go, I feel that I have left a number<br />
<strong>of</strong> things undone. I think everyone must feel<br />
that way. <strong>The</strong>re were words <strong>of</strong> appreciation<br />
that I looked for an occasion to express, but<br />
they didn’t come. <strong>The</strong>re were words <strong>of</strong> regret<br />
that I would have expressed to others. And<br />
there were words <strong>of</strong> encouragement that I<br />
had for all who were believers.<br />
I’d like to encourage you to stay with<br />
Jews for Jesus. I was the Executive Director<br />
until 1996. Many things have changed. Some<br />
<strong>of</strong> them definitely for the better and others<br />
that I can’t say were for the worst, but things<br />
that I would not have thought to do. Nevertheless<br />
the core <strong>of</strong> what Jews for Jesus stands<br />
for is still central.<br />
As I go, one <strong>of</strong> the things that concerns<br />
me deeply is how much misunderstanding<br />
there is among believers. I never thought I<br />
would live to see the day when those who<br />
know the Lord and are born again were supporting<br />
the efforts <strong>of</strong> rabbis who, frankly, not<br />
only didn’t know Christ, but didn’t want to<br />
know Him.<br />
To be an honest ministry, it can only<br />
come from the Holy Spirit; and the Holy<br />
Spirit can only indwell those who have the<br />
new birth and are born again. <strong>The</strong>refore, I<br />
would urge you to think very seriously before<br />
you support any “ministry” that involves<br />
Jewish people and doesn’t actually bring the<br />
gospel to the Jews.<br />
Likewise, I am concerned over something<br />
else that I never thought that I would<br />
see or hear and that is, Jews who have become<br />
believers in Jesus and have important<br />
positions in ministry yet feel that their primary<br />
purpose is to promote Jewishness and<br />
Judaism to the Jews.<br />
I hope I can count on you to show love<br />
and respect for the Jewish people, but Jewishness<br />
never saved anybody. Judaism never<br />
saved anybody no matter how sincere. Romans<br />
10:9 & 10 make it clear that we must<br />
believe in our hearts and confess with our<br />
mouths the Lord Jesus in order to be saved.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are no shortcuts. <strong>The</strong>re is no easy way.<br />
Within Judaism today, there is no salvation<br />
because Christ has no place within Judaism.<br />
Aside from these concerns, I want to<br />
say that I feel as I have always felt that we<br />
stand on the edge <strong>of</strong> a breakthrough in Jewish<br />
evangelism. Just a little more. Just another<br />
push. Just another soul – and we will have<br />
reached critical mass where we begin generating<br />
that energy that the whole world might<br />
know the Lord.<br />
I would also encourage you to be faithful<br />
to those Bible-teaching, Bible-preaching<br />
churches that give spiritual food. More than<br />
ever, the church needs faithful members who<br />
can be an example to the young people coming<br />
in. Maybe there are some features about<br />
your church that keep you from being enthusiastic<br />
– look around and see if there might<br />
in Memory<br />
be a better church for you. If there is, join<br />
it and enjoy it. If your church is doing a lot<br />
right, then stay where you’re planted.<br />
I don’t expect that Jews for Jesus will be<br />
undergoing any turmoil because <strong>of</strong> my demise.<br />
For many years, the leadership has been<br />
in competent hands, but this is a time when<br />
there needs to be some encouragement. <strong>The</strong><br />
executive director and the staff need to hear<br />
that you intend to continue standing with us.<br />
Anything done for Christ will last. Anything<br />
you do to help and encourage Jews for<br />
Jesus at this time will have lasting effects on<br />
all <strong>of</strong> us. So instead <strong>of</strong> saying “good bye,” I’ll<br />
just say, “until then – I’ll see you in the sky.”<br />
Moishe<br />
That if you confess with your<br />
mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe<br />
–Romans<br />
in your heart that God<br />
10:9–<br />
raised him<br />
from the dead, you will be saved.<br />
(NiV)<br />
~ With Great Sorrow ~<br />
“<strong>The</strong> Lord<br />
is near to<br />
those who<br />
mourn”<br />
Stewart Dool Now with Jesus<br />
It is with great regret that we announce the<br />
loss <strong>of</strong> our friend and brother Stewart Dool,<br />
director <strong>of</strong> Intercessors For Britain (IFB).<br />
Stewart has gone home with Jesus to his<br />
reward after having been a solid voice for<br />
truth and righteousness in an age <strong>of</strong> decline<br />
both in contemporary society and the church.<br />
His battle with motor neuron disease has been<br />
cruel and while we rejoice his suffering temporal<br />
is ended and his blessings eternal have<br />
commenced, we express our deepest condolences<br />
in Jesus to his beloved wife Jenny and<br />
their children for whom we request prayer.<br />
We also request prayer for the future <strong>of</strong> the<br />
much needed ministry <strong>of</strong> IFB.<br />
Until we are rejoined with him we shall<br />
always remember Stewart as a staunch friend<br />
<strong>of</strong> Israel and the Jews with a desire to sees<br />
Jewish souls reconciled to their Messiah.<br />
Stewart’s gain is indeed our loss.<br />
In Jesus,<br />
Jacob Prasch & <strong>Moriel</strong><br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly 2
Guest Author Mike Oppenheimer<br />
<strong>The</strong> number 144,000 is used in only one<br />
book <strong>of</strong> the Bible, the book <strong>of</strong> Revelation. It appears<br />
only three times, two <strong>of</strong> them for man and<br />
one for the measurement <strong>of</strong> the New Jerusalem<br />
that is going to come from heaven. Learning<br />
from the Bible about this selected group that<br />
is to preach the gospel through the tribulation<br />
period does not bring you to the same conclusion<br />
that is taught by the Watchtower to all<br />
Jehovah’s Witnesses.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 144,000 is the most crucial teaching<br />
to the Witnesses. <strong>The</strong> whole organization is<br />
built upon it. It divides their members into two<br />
classes, the heavenly and earthly class. This is<br />
the Watchtowers big lie that keeps them in error<br />
and in bondage to their organization. “Does the<br />
Bible show that some people will go to heaven?<br />
Yes, the Bible does teach that a limited number<br />
go to heaven for a special reason” (Watchtower<br />
2/15/1984 p. 4). <strong>The</strong> odds are that the visitor at<br />
your door with the Watchtower or Awake magazine<br />
isn’t one <strong>of</strong> them. I haven’t met one yet in<br />
over 20 years.<br />
Paul states in Galatians 1:6-9 that anyone,<br />
even an angel, that preaches anything other<br />
than that which he preached, is anathema, or<br />
accursed? Paul scolds the Jews who opposed<br />
them, “Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles<br />
that they might be saved” (1 <strong>The</strong>ss. 2:16). Hmm,<br />
seems the Watchtower has repeated this same<br />
injustice to their own members. <strong>The</strong> 144,000<br />
is viewed as a literal number, representing a<br />
limited group within their organization who are<br />
to become spirit sons <strong>of</strong> Jehovah. Being “born<br />
again” is exclusive for the 144,000 who alone<br />
have Christ as their mediator and are in the new<br />
covenant. “Who and how many are able to enter<br />
it. <strong>The</strong> Revelation limits to 144,000 the number<br />
that become a part <strong>of</strong> the Kingdom and stand<br />
on heavenly Mount Zion” (Let God Be True,<br />
p. 136). Called “the little flock” taken from<br />
Christ’s statement, “Fear not, little flock...” <strong>The</strong><br />
other Jehovah Witnesses are known as “other<br />
sheep” I have which are not <strong>of</strong> this fold...”<br />
(John 10:16). <strong>The</strong> “little flock” are to be spirit<br />
sons that will be in heaven ruling with Christ,<br />
the “other sheep” (the majority <strong>of</strong> Jehovah’s<br />
Witnesses) are to be physical inhabitants <strong>of</strong> the<br />
restored earth. <strong>The</strong> fact is; no Jehovah’s Witness<br />
will go to heaven, not even the 144,000 because<br />
they do not have Jesus as their mediator in the<br />
accurate Biblical sense. Putting this aside, we<br />
need to examine their view and use it to exit<br />
their members out into a real relationship with<br />
God with Jesus Christ in its center. This teaching<br />
<strong>of</strong> a limited number going to heaven did not<br />
come from their founder Charles Taze Russell.<br />
Russell originally taught that all the members<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Watchtower were “anointed,’ they, as the<br />
144,000 were Spiritual Israel and have the heavenly<br />
hope. <strong>The</strong> early Watchtower teaching was<br />
that all Jehovah’s Witnesses go to heaven. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
22 <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
<strong>The</strong> 144,000 teaching <strong>of</strong> the Jehovah’s Witnesses - <strong>The</strong>ir Big Lie<br />
was no paradise earth teaching for a separate<br />
group, no two destinations for their members.<br />
Russell died in 1916 and Judge Joseph<br />
Rutherford became the new president. It was<br />
under his leadership that many things began to<br />
change, especially the teaching on the 144,000.<br />
Rutherford (1869-1942) following the pattern<br />
<strong>of</strong> their founder by proclaiming the end, predicted<br />
that in 1918 God would destroy churches<br />
and millions <strong>of</strong> their members. Rutherford<br />
started prophesying that Armageddon was right<br />
around the corner. Using the fast approaching<br />
Armageddon the Jehovah’s Witnesses worked<br />
harder than ever under Rutherford’s leadership.<br />
He taught that the only way to escape the impending<br />
judgment and destruction was to join<br />
the Watchtower organization. This program<br />
continued for years. This became the impetus<br />
to grow the organization even in modern times;<br />
making it a matter <strong>of</strong> survival by being one <strong>of</strong><br />
the faithful Jehovah’s Witnesses when Armageddon<br />
does occur.<br />
Under Russell’s leadership the membership<br />
was way under 100,000 so they were safe. <strong>The</strong>ir<br />
membership rose to 4,000 in 1919 and was continuing<br />
to increase under Rutherford, “In 1931<br />
there were 50,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses” (in 50<br />
lands) (Mankind’s Search for God p. 359 1990).<br />
By 1930’s they ran into a new problem, they<br />
were approaching the 144,000 number. <strong>The</strong><br />
next several years they doubled, “In 1943 there<br />
were only 126,329 Witnesses in 54 countries”<br />
(Ibid. p. 360). <strong>The</strong> Watchtower had to deal with<br />
all these extra people. Because they had been<br />
previously taught there was only one calling, all<br />
were going to heaven. Rutherford had new light<br />
from God. In other words, speaking ex - cathedra<br />
like the Pope he changed their whole system.<br />
This would be the most significant change in<br />
the organizations doctrine that continues today.<br />
<strong>The</strong> doctrine introduced by Rutherford,<br />
second President <strong>of</strong> the Watchtower said from<br />
1935 onward, “At the end <strong>of</strong> May <strong>of</strong> that year<br />
a five-day convention <strong>of</strong> Jehovah’s Christian<br />
Witnesses was in session... the president <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society discussed<br />
the subject <strong>of</strong> ‘the great multitude, ‘spoken <strong>of</strong><br />
in Revelation 7.9-17, Authorized Version. He<br />
made it clear that the ‘multitude’ was no spiritual<br />
or spirit begotten class, would not attain<br />
the angelic nature in heaven so as to assist the<br />
144,000 joint heirs with Christ. It was a distinctly<br />
an earthly class with hope <strong>of</strong> endless<br />
perfect human life in the earthly paradise under<br />
Christ’s kingdom” (Holy Spirit, 1976, p. 156)<br />
So he invented two classes, a heavenly class<br />
and earthly class. An earthly “Great Crowd”<br />
was created, by Judge Rutherford out <strong>of</strong> necessity.<br />
A second- class <strong>of</strong> people that were subject<br />
to and dependent upon the heavenly class who<br />
alone would be part <strong>of</strong> the new covenant and<br />
have Christ as their mediator.<br />
<strong>The</strong> one calling; that all Jehovah Witnesses<br />
were going to heaven was held UNTIL 1934<br />
-5, when Rutherford changed this. “For some<br />
19 centuries after this there was only one calling,<br />
the heavenly one” (United in Worship <strong>of</strong><br />
the only True God p. 111). <strong>The</strong> 144,000, called<br />
the heavenly class would go to be with Jesus<br />
in heaven, the other group, known as the other<br />
sheep, the “great crowd,” have a great privilege,<br />
to live on earth in the Millennium in perfect<br />
conditions. This is why no Jehovah’s Witnesses<br />
wants to go to heaven today. To them it is better<br />
to be on paradise earth with their family having<br />
perfect harmony with the nature (this what their<br />
drawings depict), than to be with the Lord Jesus<br />
in heaven. Not to be able to live on the future<br />
restored paradise on earth is repulsive to the average<br />
witness, and they do not understand why<br />
anyone would want to be separate from friends<br />
and family and be banished to heaven.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y had also taught those <strong>of</strong> the 144,000<br />
that have died had been raised in 1918 to life in<br />
heaven with Christ Jesus when Jesus, according<br />
to Watchtower theology, moved into Jehovah’s<br />
temple. “Has this spiritual resurrection taken<br />
place? Yes, back in chapter 26 we learned that<br />
it took place when Christ came to Jehovah’s<br />
temple in 1918” (Paradise Lost to Paradise<br />
Regained p. 231). “It was God’s will for the<br />
awakening <strong>of</strong> the remnant on earth to follow<br />
the 1918 heavenly resurrection <strong>of</strong> anointed<br />
ones who died prior to that time” (Watchtower<br />
7/15/60 p. 440). “In the capacity <strong>of</strong> priests and<br />
kings <strong>of</strong> God they reign a thousand years with<br />
Christ Jesus” (Let God Be True, p. 137). “It<br />
was an invisible resurrection” (From Paradise<br />
lost to Paradise Regained p. 192 1958)<br />
So how many were resurrected? How<br />
would anyone know if it was an invisible resurrection?<br />
Imagine being a lawyer to prove<br />
one’s innocence and you tell the judge here is<br />
the evidence but you can’t see it. That’s what<br />
they want their people to believe, and they are<br />
so trusting that they accept it.<br />
But this presents another problem, the Bible.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Watchtower takes the position that Paul<br />
called pr<strong>of</strong>ane and Idle babblings. In 2 Tim.<br />
2:17-18 Paul names Hymenaeus and Philetus<br />
who have strayed concerning the truth, saying<br />
that the resurrection is already past; and they<br />
overthrow the faith <strong>of</strong> some.” <strong>The</strong> Bible teaches<br />
the Dead are raised and the living transformed<br />
at the same time, not years apart (1 <strong>The</strong>ss. 4:16-<br />
17). <strong>The</strong> resurrection is not to just certain few<br />
that no one will see as is an invisible spirit resurrection<br />
(which is not possible, all were physical).<br />
“Who are those 144,000? …they are faithful<br />
followers <strong>of</strong> Jesus Christ specially chosen<br />
to rule in heaven with him. …Since the days<br />
<strong>of</strong> the apostles, God has been selecting faithful<br />
Christians in order to complete the number<br />
144,000” (What Does the Bible Really Teach?
p. 78-79) <strong>The</strong> Watchtower taught that the “little<br />
flock,” began with the apostles, was nearly<br />
filled by the year 1935. “With the reestablishment<br />
<strong>of</strong> true Christianity near the end <strong>of</strong> the<br />
last century, more were called and chosen. But<br />
it seems that in the mid-1930’s, the full number<br />
<strong>of</strong> the 144,000 was basically completed.”<br />
(Watchtower Aug. 15, 1996 p. 31) So the church<br />
apostatized and restored by Russell, really?<br />
<strong>The</strong> Watchtower in its first report <strong>of</strong> partakers<br />
<strong>of</strong> the meal were 36,372 (Bulletin, March<br />
Extra, 1935, p. 2 )Lets’ say for the sake <strong>of</strong> math<br />
that the 144,000 were being chosen since the beginning<br />
<strong>of</strong> the church using the number 36,372.<br />
This leaves 107,628 (source: Outnumbered -<br />
exploding the myth <strong>of</strong> the 144,000 by Russell<br />
Warren) <strong>The</strong> Bible states in Acts 2:41 and Acts<br />
4:4, there were 8,000 believers in Jesus in the<br />
first few weeks <strong>of</strong> the church. When we subtract<br />
from the number <strong>of</strong>: we have only 99,628.<br />
After we crunch the numbers we see how few<br />
were chosen to go to heaven throughout history<br />
according to their doctrine. This leaves approximately<br />
50 chosen anointed ones each year.<br />
That’s a single person from one third <strong>of</strong> the nations<br />
throughout 1,900 years <strong>of</strong> the church up<br />
until this year. Hardly believable, even by their<br />
own doctrine and numbers.<br />
Of the 144,000 that are allowed to take<br />
the once a year memorial meal (communion)<br />
0, 7 partook <strong>of</strong> it in the 1976 celebration <strong>of</strong><br />
the Memorial <strong>of</strong> Jesus’ death. <strong>The</strong> Memorial<br />
meal in 1984, they had ,0 ; at the 1987 “Memorial”<br />
8,808; in 1991 , 50; in 2,000 , ;<br />
in 2005 ,524; for approximately 20 years the<br />
number stayed within the same range. the numbers<br />
began to steadily increase since 2005. In<br />
2008 there was almost a 10% increase in the<br />
number <strong>of</strong> partakers over 2007! 2009 there<br />
were 0, 57. <strong>The</strong> numbers have been going up.<br />
Seems that a number <strong>of</strong> Jehovah’s Witnesses<br />
have changed their mind and WANT TO GO<br />
TO heaven, they want Jesus to be their mediator.<br />
But they are being lied to, they can’t, because<br />
their doctrine on this; its not biblical, it is<br />
elitist and a travesty to those who desire eternal<br />
life. <strong>The</strong>y keep them from having Jesus be their<br />
mediator by denying who Jesus is and what His<br />
crucifixion actually means. Yet they continue to<br />
say “over the years the number <strong>of</strong> those who<br />
are truly anointed has been getting smaller”<br />
(Watchtower Jan. 15, 2000 p. 13) <strong>The</strong>y ignore<br />
their own numbers “ … the number <strong>of</strong> anointed<br />
ones on the earth has decreased over the<br />
decades…” (Watchtower Feb. 15, 2009 pp. 27-<br />
28). Really? How does this work out with “…it<br />
seems that in the mid-1930’s, the full number <strong>of</strong><br />
the 144,000 was basically completed” (Watchtower<br />
Aug. 15, 1996 p. 31).<br />
“As time has gone by, some Christians<br />
baptized after 1935 have had witness born to<br />
them that they have the heavenly hope. Thus …<br />
we cannot set a specific date for when the heavenly<br />
hope ends” (Watchtower May 1, 2007 p.<br />
31). Of course they can’t, especially when the<br />
numbers are increasing instead <strong>of</strong> decreasing.<br />
But 85 years ago they did.<br />
the bIg lIe<br />
“Consequently, those <strong>of</strong> the “great crowd”<br />
expect to remain on earth forever and to share<br />
in bringing it to a Paradise state” (Watchtower<br />
Mike Oppenheimer<br />
Aug. 15, 1980 p. 17). So what are they doing<br />
in heaven? Rev. 19:1 - “After these things I<br />
heard what was as a loud voice <strong>of</strong> a great crowd<br />
in heaven” Rev. 7:9 - “look! a great crowd ...<br />
standing before the throne” <strong>The</strong> Bibles qualifications<br />
for being part <strong>of</strong> the 144,000 (Revelation<br />
Chapter 7:3-8) <strong>The</strong>y are all chaste men who are<br />
saved on earth, none <strong>of</strong> them are married, they<br />
cannot be women Rev. 14:4. Rev. 14:5: “And<br />
in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are<br />
without fault before the throne <strong>of</strong> God.” No deceit<br />
meaning no lies, not falsehoods and without<br />
fault means they are blameless. This alone<br />
excludes them from this Organization.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are all Jews by birthright, they do<br />
not become “spiritual Israel.” Rev. 7:4: “And<br />
I heard the number <strong>of</strong> those who were sealed.<br />
One hundred and forty-four thousand <strong>of</strong> all the<br />
tribes <strong>of</strong> the children <strong>of</strong> Israel were sealed.” <strong>The</strong><br />
term children <strong>of</strong> Israel is consistently used <strong>of</strong> the<br />
people <strong>of</strong> Israel distinguished from Gentiles, so<br />
the 144,000 cannot be Gentiles, not one <strong>of</strong> them.<br />
Gen. 32 onward this term is consistently used<br />
<strong>of</strong> those with Jewish descent, Exodus 1:1-5.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 144,000 are all identified by tribe, divided<br />
by the exact number <strong>of</strong> 12,000 from each-<br />
Rev. 7:5-8 v. 5 “<strong>of</strong> the tribe <strong>of</strong> Judah twelve thousand<br />
were sealed; <strong>of</strong> the tribe <strong>of</strong> Reuben twelve<br />
thousand were sealed; James 1:1 uses this same<br />
application to Israel (12 tribes: Rev. 21:10-12).<br />
No one on earth today that meets these<br />
qualifications for the 144,000 found in Revelation<br />
7 and 14, for the simple reason God has not<br />
begun to seal them. <strong>The</strong> Bible teaches they are<br />
“sealed” on earth during the “great tribulation,”<br />
at the 7th seal when God’s wrath is to come.<br />
Have the 6 seals have already been opened?<br />
Can a Jehovah’s Witness prove the seals were<br />
opened for almost 2,000 years; that we have<br />
been and are now in the tribulation?<br />
the doctrIne oF sealIng<br />
144,000 sInce the begInnIng oF<br />
the church Is pure Fantasy.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is also another blatant error by the<br />
Watchtowers interpretation, Rev. 7:7-9: “after<br />
these things” are those who come out <strong>of</strong> the<br />
tribulation from the result <strong>of</strong> their evangelizing.<br />
<strong>The</strong> great multitude are mostly gentiles from all<br />
the nations, while the 144,000 are strictly Jews.<br />
<strong>The</strong> great crowd comes OUT <strong>of</strong> the great tribulation<br />
because <strong>of</strong> their preaching. How is any <strong>of</strong><br />
this possible then or today if the Bible says they<br />
are all sealed in the tribulation (Rev. 7)?<br />
Where’s the great multitude being SAVED<br />
by the anointed Jehovah’s Witnesses TODAY.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bible says it is a number one no one could<br />
number (there are less than 7 million JW’s). In<br />
Greek the highest number was 10,000 (myriads)<br />
times 10,000 is used by Jude. This great crowd<br />
is only seen after the 144,000 are sealed, which<br />
is still in the future! This great crowd comes out<br />
<strong>of</strong> the tribulation from the 144,000 and others<br />
preaching the gospel, in other words they are<br />
dead and are now in heaven around the throne,<br />
they were killed by the campaign <strong>of</strong> the False<br />
Messiah (Rev. 13:7; Rev 12:11; Rev. 17:6).<br />
<strong>The</strong> location <strong>of</strong> the great crowd - “before the<br />
throne,” “BEFORE THE LAMB” (Rev. 7:11),<br />
and We know the Lamb is in heaven Not on earth<br />
(his throne is in heaven Rev. 1:4;4:5,6). But here<br />
is the kicker, the switcheroo that the Watchtow-<br />
Guest Author<br />
er has pulled on their own hard working members.<br />
Rev. 7:14-15 the great crowd -”<strong>The</strong>se are<br />
the ones who come out <strong>of</strong> the great tribulation,<br />
and washed their robes and made them white<br />
in the blood <strong>of</strong> the Lamb” (even the NWT has<br />
this). <strong>The</strong>y “made them white in the blood <strong>of</strong><br />
the Lamb,” which makes them partakers <strong>of</strong> the<br />
New Covenant. <strong>The</strong>y are the ones that serve in<br />
heaven; it is the great crowd, NOT the 144,000.<br />
Another point that should not be overlooked,<br />
the great crowd are waving palm<br />
branches which has to do with salvation. It is at<br />
the Feast <strong>of</strong> Tabernacles that this is done (Neh.<br />
8:15). It was done when Jesus rode into Jerusalem<br />
on donkey (Zech. 9:9) when they thought<br />
He was to be with them to set up the kingdom.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Watchtower teaches, “the 144,000<br />
members <strong>of</strong> the Israel <strong>of</strong> God have properly<br />
partaken <strong>of</strong> the emblems during the Memorial<br />
<strong>of</strong> Jesus’ death, and only with them did Jesus<br />
make his covenant for a Kingdom” (<strong>The</strong> Watchtower<br />
p. 31, Feb. 1, 1998). Numerous statements<br />
like this are consistently taught through<br />
their magazines. “This great crowd” <strong>of</strong> “other<br />
sheep” that is forming today is not in the new<br />
covenant” (Watchtower, 4/1/79, p. 31)<br />
Who is mediator for the millions <strong>of</strong> Jehovah’s<br />
Witnesses that are not part <strong>of</strong> the 144,000?<br />
NO ONE, they have none. <strong>The</strong> Scripture teaches<br />
that sin is paid by Jesus’ death. Heb. 9:15:<br />
“Jesus is the mediator <strong>of</strong> the new covenant by<br />
means <strong>of</strong> death.” Without him being your direct<br />
mediator your sins cannot be forgiven, you, removal<br />
<strong>of</strong> guilt and a restored relationship to God.<br />
I Tim. 2:5 says there is only one mediator,<br />
all believers have Jesus as their mediator. <strong>The</strong><br />
way is through Jesus Christ crucified. Without<br />
Jesus being your mediator you are not in covenant<br />
with God (Heb. 9:14). Rev. 13 tells us if<br />
you are not found in the lambs book you have<br />
no eternal life, not in heaven nor on earth. <strong>The</strong><br />
Watchtower teaches Jesus died, went out <strong>of</strong> existence<br />
and was raised a spirit creature. I Tim.<br />
2:5 Jesus is a man, a human, not a spirit creature<br />
(he is still God in the flesh). <strong>The</strong> Bible teaches<br />
all priests were taken from men. <strong>The</strong>re is only<br />
one eternal high priest.<br />
<strong>The</strong>ir 144,000 teaching has more holes than<br />
Swiss cheese, it is probably the most insidious<br />
doctrine found in any <strong>of</strong> the cults. It is keeping<br />
people from a relationship with God. <strong>The</strong><br />
Watchtower fulfills exactly what Jesus scolded<br />
the Pharisees on in Matthew 23:13: “Woe to<br />
you, teachers <strong>of</strong> the law and Pharisees, you<br />
hypocrites! You shut the kingdom <strong>of</strong> heaven in<br />
men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor<br />
will you let those enter who are trying to.”<br />
Lets do all we can to get them the message<br />
<strong>of</strong> salvation in Jesus Christ.<br />
Mike is the director <strong>of</strong> Let us Reason ministries,<br />
www.letusreason.org. <strong>The</strong>y are an apologetic<br />
and evangelistic ministry to the cults and<br />
religions in the melting pot <strong>of</strong> Hawaii. Witnessing<br />
to the Jehovah’s witnesses I find this to be<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the most engaging and effective topics<br />
we can discuss with them. This is a condensed<br />
version, the complete article is in 5 parts and is<br />
filled with quotes posted in the Jehovah’s Witness<br />
section.<br />
In Christ’s service,<br />
Mike O<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly 2
Judaic Study Jacob Prasch<br />
What Mdoes Ithe Word D<strong>of</strong> God RActually ASay About S Midrash? H<br />
SORT<strong>IN</strong>G FACT FROM FICTION<br />
What does the Word <strong>of</strong> God Actually Say<br />
About Midrash?<br />
“Now the remainder <strong>of</strong> the deeds <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> Abijah,<br />
and his ways and words are written in the<br />
‘MIDRASH’ <strong>of</strong> the Prophet Iddo”. (2 Chronicles<br />
13:22)<br />
(Directly from the God-given text <strong>of</strong> original,<br />
divinely inspired Hebrew canon.)<br />
“As to his sons and many oracles [burdens]<br />
against him, and the reconstruction <strong>of</strong> the<br />
House <strong>of</strong> God, behold these are written in the<br />
‘MIDRASH’ <strong>of</strong> the Book <strong>of</strong> kings. <strong>The</strong>n Amaziah<br />
his son became King in his place”.<br />
(2 Chronicles 24:27)<br />
(Directly from the God-given text <strong>of</strong> original,<br />
divinely inspired Hebrew canon.)<br />
Yes friends, it is a fact; it is there in Scripture.<br />
“MIDRASH” is plainly taught in the Word<br />
<strong>of</strong> God. It is cited as a valid historical source<br />
and as a theological source <strong>of</strong> a prophetic interpretation<br />
<strong>of</strong> scriptural events and biblical history.<br />
goD PUT IT <strong>IN</strong> HIS woRD – NoT<br />
JACoB PRASCH oR ANy MAN.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are examples <strong>of</strong> pseudo-Scripture<br />
such as the Gnostic Gospels <strong>of</strong> Thomas, etc.<br />
and non-Apostolic pseudigraphical Epistles.<br />
We are even told in Scripture that there were<br />
forged and counterfeit Epistles circulated in the<br />
1st Century by heretical deceivers in the early<br />
church who tried to deceive believers into believing<br />
they were authored by the actual Apostles<br />
(e.g. 2 <strong>The</strong>ssalonians 2:2). So too there are<br />
later post-apostolic rabbinic mishrashim (midrashic<br />
writings <strong>of</strong> later rabbis) having no more<br />
to do with scriptural references to Midrash than<br />
the later Gnostic forgeries <strong>of</strong> the Gospel have to<br />
do with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.<br />
Those today who reject Midrash out <strong>of</strong><br />
hand normally do not even know what it is.<br />
Those rejecting Midrash and those citing its inclusion<br />
in God’s Word because <strong>of</strong> later rabbinic<br />
distortions <strong>of</strong> Midrash are no different than the<br />
later Marcionite heretics who wanted to throw<br />
out Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as corruptions<br />
in a time when Gnostic literature was becoming<br />
rife in the early church; they do and say<br />
the same precise things today. Such so-called<br />
“scholars” and “experts” are dangerous because<br />
they do not know Greek and Hebrew but rather<br />
pretend to have expertise where they have none.<br />
(Much like the Jehovah’s Witness cult founders<br />
Charles Tase Russell and Judge Rutherford<br />
and home economics teacher Gail Riplinger <strong>of</strong><br />
the King James Version-Only Movement who<br />
also cannot read biblical languages. She is also<br />
a categorical fraud misrepresenting herself as<br />
knowing things she has been publicly proven<br />
not to know).<br />
Such dishonesty, pseudo-academic pretense,<br />
and phony scholarship is particularly true<br />
<strong>of</strong> ultra-Calvinist Peter Glover and Richard Eng-<br />
24 <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
strom, Barbara Aho, Wendy Howard, Wendy<br />
Buester, Tom Lamb, and Victoria Dillen <strong>of</strong> the<br />
cultic Ruckmanite extreme axis <strong>of</strong> the KJV-Only<br />
lunatics who lift up a 17th Century translation <strong>of</strong><br />
a translation above the original Hebrew, Greek,<br />
and Aramaic autographs which God inspired.<br />
God’s Word itself however, teaches plainly<br />
that the authority and priority is on the original<br />
languages <strong>of</strong> the original divinely inspired<br />
manuscripts (Nehemiah 8:8) and not on a translation<br />
<strong>of</strong> a translation produced between 17 and<br />
23 centuries later after initially God breathed<br />
His Word and inspired its authorship.<br />
It is not that we have a problem with the<br />
KJV itself or with the legacy <strong>of</strong> godly men like<br />
Tyndale and Coverdale. As we have written<br />
multiple times, the KJV is a valid translation that<br />
God has used and is superior to most modern<br />
translations in its accuracy. We say this despite<br />
the fact that King James himself was an Anglo-<br />
Catholic homosexual son <strong>of</strong> the Roman Catholic<br />
Mary Queen <strong>of</strong> Scots who, like his mother,<br />
murdered born again Christians and drove the<br />
Puritan Pilgrims out <strong>of</strong> Britain and into Holland<br />
or across the Atlantic on the Mayflower. <strong>The</strong>se<br />
persecuted Christians, <strong>of</strong> course, rejected what<br />
they saw as a Roman Catholic 1611 KJV that<br />
included the Apocrypha as Canon and listed<br />
Roman Catholic feasts <strong>of</strong> Mary as holy days<br />
and so forth. <strong>The</strong>y preferred the Geneva Bible<br />
to the KJV for bringing the Gospel to America.<br />
Yet we still respect the KJV, but have no respect<br />
for KJV Only-ism or the proven charlatans who<br />
propagate it such as Gail Riplinger.<br />
It is little wonder that most <strong>of</strong> the disinformation<br />
about Jacob Prasch regarding what<br />
God’s Word says about Midrash are from this<br />
Ruckmanite camp. <strong>The</strong>y must hold up their<br />
17th Century translation <strong>of</strong> a translation above<br />
what God breathed for the same reason that<br />
Rick Warren’s followers use Eugene Peterson’s<br />
<strong>The</strong> Message or some other twisted paraphrase.<br />
If they dislike or disagree with something that<br />
God placed in His Word they simply mis-translate<br />
it out <strong>of</strong> His Word and remove it.<br />
Unfortunately the KJV, otherwise a very<br />
good translation overall, in this particular case<br />
mistranslates what God inspired as “Midrash”<br />
into “stories”. (Other versions use “treatise”).<br />
We take issue with how the Hebrew has been<br />
translated for this particular word, not with the<br />
quality <strong>of</strong> the KJV overall.<br />
God warns us <strong>of</strong> those who subtract from<br />
His Word. <strong>The</strong> translators <strong>of</strong> the KJV themselves<br />
certainly did not have this aim; most<br />
were heroically martyred for the name <strong>of</strong> Jesus<br />
and were faithful to the best manuscript record<br />
available to them at a time <strong>of</strong> upheaval and persecution.<br />
Those with their anti-Semitic Jew-hating<br />
agenda who simultaneously and hypocritically<br />
claim to worship the God <strong>of</strong> the Jews and<br />
believe in the Jewish Messiah reject what God<br />
originally breathed by rejecting Midrash. Hence,<br />
they need a translation that does not accurately<br />
translate or footnote the places the term occurs.<br />
Jesus (Yeshua) is still rejected by most<br />
<strong>of</strong> His own people due to the lie <strong>of</strong> Talmudic<br />
Judaism invented by rabbis, but God has not<br />
rejected them (Romans 11:1), will graft them<br />
in again (Romans 11: 25), still loves them as<br />
a nation and a people for the sake <strong>of</strong> the Patriarchs<br />
(Romans 28:29) even in their lost state <strong>of</strong><br />
unbelief, and has never withdrawn His elective<br />
or prophetic calling <strong>of</strong> them (Romans 11:29).<br />
To them moreover still belong “the oracles <strong>of</strong><br />
God” (Romans 3:2) and the New Covenant<br />
was made with them (Jeremiah 31:31, Romans<br />
9:4). <strong>The</strong> tense <strong>of</strong> the Greek word “belongs” is<br />
present continuous active – the covenants and<br />
Scriptures still belong to Israel; non-Jews are<br />
merely grafted in and unbelieving Jews are cut<br />
<strong>of</strong>f until and unless they accept Christ.<br />
Those rejecting that Midrash is found in the<br />
Scriptures boast against the natural branches –<br />
which Christians are commanded not to do (Romans<br />
11: 18), for the covenants with Israel and<br />
patriarchal promises are the ‘”reza” or “root” <strong>of</strong><br />
the church. <strong>The</strong>y seek to turn what was given as<br />
a Jewish book into a non-Jewish one; they Hellenize<br />
a Hebraic faith and are as wrong on one<br />
extreme as Judaizers seeking to place believers<br />
into bondage to Mosaic Law and compulsory<br />
Torah observance are on the other.<br />
Secondly, because “Midrash” is in there,<br />
they remove content from the Word <strong>of</strong> God.<br />
(Deuteronomy 4: 2, Revelation 22: 19) God<br />
warns that such people doing this will be proved<br />
to be liars (Proverbs 30: 6). That is exactly what<br />
God calls such people: “liars”. But what does<br />
the New Testament teach us about Midrash?<br />
What are the differences between scriptural and<br />
rabbinic Midrash? What does Jacob Prasch and<br />
<strong>Moriel</strong> think <strong>of</strong> Talmudic Judaism?<br />
1. Talmudic Judaism is not the Judaism <strong>of</strong><br />
Moses and the Prophets; it is a false religion<br />
mixing truth and error, camouflaging both error<br />
with truth and elements <strong>of</strong> truth with error. It is<br />
a fabrication <strong>of</strong> the rabbis predicted in Jeremiah<br />
2 that rejects its own Messiah Jesus (Yeshua)<br />
who is the promised “fountain <strong>of</strong> living waters”<br />
(Jeremiah 2:13, John 7). It replaces what God<br />
gave Moses with a distortion largely invented<br />
by Yochannon Ben Zakai, Rabbi Akiva, the<br />
Gaonim, Rashi, Rambam, Railbag, Isaac Luria,<br />
and later chassidic mystics like Baal Shem Tov.<br />
Caballah and its arch work Zohar is occult in<br />
origin and nature and is a pseudo-Judaization <strong>of</strong><br />
Babylonian Gnosticism. Much as Liberal Protestantism,<br />
Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism,<br />
and cults such as Mormonism distort and<br />
re-write Christianity into a system that is unbiblical,<br />
the rabbis did the same with Talmudic
Judaism. Jacob Prasch and <strong>Moriel</strong> have never<br />
once taught or believed anything else although<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the aforementioned KJV-Only personalities<br />
falsely claim we have.<br />
2. Concerning Midrash itself we simply<br />
recognize what is found in Scripture regarding<br />
it as we do with any other scriptural truth<br />
that God placed in His Word. As with typology,<br />
Midrash is a truth and an exegetical reality that<br />
God uses to illuminate and illustrate, but we<br />
never base doctrine on it.<br />
3. At least since the era <strong>of</strong> Puritan Scholar<br />
John Lightfoot to the 19th Century German<br />
scholars Bilderbeck and Strauss, various<br />
conservative Evangelical scholars have <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
maintained that the Apostles used Midrash in<br />
authoring the New Testament and in their hermeneutical<br />
interpretations <strong>of</strong> Old Testament formula<br />
citations. Since the discovery <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> Dead<br />
Sea Scrolls it has been shown that the New Testament<br />
exegetes the Old Testament along the<br />
same lines as the Qumran literature. This has<br />
produced an avalanche <strong>of</strong> interest by mainly<br />
conservative scholars from the Evangelical axis<br />
who have taken up this investigation agreeing<br />
(with such as the renowned Evangelical scholar<br />
Dr. T. S. Doherty who puts it) that the New<br />
Testament is not mainly “Midrash” but “midrashic”.<br />
From Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Daryl Boch’s recognition<br />
(originally pioneered by Jacob Prasch in a<br />
non-academic format) that prophecy is pattern,<br />
to Dr. R. N. Longenecker to Moises Silva to Dr.<br />
E. E. Ellis, the ranks <strong>of</strong> Evangelical theologians<br />
accepting the Midrash proposition have swelled<br />
hugely – mainly precipitated by the Qumran<br />
Scrolls, especially Q 10. <strong>The</strong>re has also been<br />
a recognition <strong>of</strong> New Testament uses <strong>of</strong> Midrash<br />
by Jewish scholars academically sympathetic<br />
to Evangelicals led by Dr. David Daube.<br />
Unfortunately there have been those who<br />
do not appear to grasp even the fundamentals<br />
<strong>of</strong> Midrash such as liberal John Shelby Sponge<br />
(who did not accept the <strong>of</strong>fer by Jacob Prasch<br />
to public debate in Adelaide, Australia). Sponge<br />
attempts to argue that Midrash negates literal<br />
meaning which reveals a convoluted understanding<br />
that midrashic peshet interpretations<br />
<strong>of</strong> Scripture depends upon the literal meaning<br />
and historicity <strong>of</strong> the peshet. Sponge would<br />
likely be laughed out <strong>of</strong> any serious academic<br />
symposium or forum examining New Testament<br />
uses <strong>of</strong> Midrash.<br />
Another such personality is self-pr<strong>of</strong>essed<br />
midrashic Bible teacher John Young from Manchester,<br />
England. Mr. Young is not fluent in<br />
Hebrew. To claim to teach Scripture midrashically<br />
without a high level <strong>of</strong> competence in<br />
Hebrew is akin to misrepresenting oneself as<br />
a physician who is not expert in anatomy or<br />
an architect who is not expert in blueprints. It<br />
amounts to nothing short <strong>of</strong> pure theological<br />
quackery. <strong>The</strong> John Sponges and John Youngs<br />
are sad exceptions. <strong>The</strong> scholarly tradition <strong>of</strong><br />
academic inquiry into conservative Evangelical<br />
midrashic hermeneutics dates back to the 17th<br />
Century to the era <strong>of</strong> John Lightfoot. Yet unfortunately<br />
in an age <strong>of</strong> non-accredited online<br />
degrees and phony credentials, we can probably<br />
expect more <strong>of</strong> the same instead <strong>of</strong> less.<br />
4. Formula citations (such as the way Matthew<br />
2:15 handles Hosea 11:1) have allowed<br />
anti-conservative Evangelical liberal scholars<br />
Jacob Prasch<br />
such as Oxford Pr<strong>of</strong>essor James Barr to enjoy a<br />
field day in undermining doctrinal orthodoxy as<br />
evangelically interpreted and defined. <strong>The</strong> effective<br />
response to Barr and his ilk is the apologetic<br />
use <strong>of</strong> Midrash, demonstrating that with the use<br />
<strong>of</strong> midrashic exegesis <strong>of</strong> such interpretations as<br />
found in the Gospel narratives or in Galatians<br />
4, Jude’s Epistle, etc. are logically coherent<br />
and in exegetical context once Sitz im Leben is<br />
not separated from the hermeneutic. <strong>The</strong> New<br />
Testament authors were 1st Century Jews using<br />
the hermeneutics <strong>of</strong> that time and culture and,<br />
with this in view, the New Testament handling<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Old Testament makes total sense without<br />
resorting to the extrapolated argumentation attempted<br />
by Dr. Walter Kaiser (an otherwise apt<br />
and worthwhile scholar in our opinion). If we<br />
ignore what Scripture reveals with reference to<br />
Midrash and what Midrash reveals from Scripture,<br />
we throw away a powerful, logical, and<br />
scriptural weapon in the defense <strong>of</strong> doctrinal<br />
orthodoxy and divine inspiration.<br />
5. <strong>The</strong> Apostle Paul cum Rabbi Shaul <strong>of</strong><br />
Tarsus makes it clear he was from the Pharisaical<br />
School <strong>of</strong> Hillel, a disciple <strong>of</strong> Gamaliel (the<br />
grandson <strong>of</strong> Hillel per Acts 22:3, Acts 5:34).<br />
While Paul counted efforts to be justified by the<br />
Law as “dung,” we see repeatedly the use <strong>of</strong> his<br />
education that would have been largely predicated<br />
on the Seven Midoth <strong>of</strong> Rabbi Hillel. Paul’s<br />
ability as a rabbi who had been saved precisely<br />
fulfills the teaching <strong>of</strong> Jesus as to what happens<br />
when a “scribe who has become a disciple <strong>of</strong><br />
the kingdom <strong>of</strong> heaven…brings out <strong>of</strong> his treasure<br />
things new and old”. (Matthew 13:52)<br />
This was recognized by Peter who understood<br />
Paul was better geared than he to explain more<br />
complex doctrinal issues (2 Peter 3:15-16).<br />
A classical portrayal <strong>of</strong> St. Paul writing<br />
midrashically is Galatians 4:21-31. As with the<br />
Matthean formula citations in the Nativity Narrative,<br />
there is no other way to make scriptural<br />
or logical sense <strong>of</strong> why he interprets Scripture<br />
as he does. It is pure Midrash.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se are the scriptural facts. As hermeneutic,<br />
as literary genre, and as prophetic interpretation<br />
<strong>of</strong> history, Midrash is found in and taught in<br />
God’s Word. If rabbis distorted it, tell me what<br />
does false religion — be it Christian, Jewish or<br />
otherwise — not distort? It is not reasonable to<br />
reject the validity <strong>of</strong> something that is true just<br />
because it is counterfeited. It is a poor scholar<br />
or teacher who would tell us to do so. Anyone<br />
who has ever suggested that I have even once<br />
ever maintained we must look to extra-scriptural<br />
rabbinic sources to interpret God’s Word<br />
is lying or never actually read my teachings on<br />
using Midrash. Likewise, anyone who suggests<br />
that Midrash is not found in God’s Words is also<br />
a liar or uneducated. God’s Word is true and if<br />
it says “Midrash” I believe and accept it. To reject<br />
one bit <strong>of</strong> God’s Word is to reject all <strong>of</strong> it.<br />
In Jesus,<br />
Jacob Prasch<br />
For I am confident <strong>of</strong> this very thing, that He<br />
who began a good work in you will perfect it<br />
until the day <strong>of</strong> Christ Jesus.<br />
(Philippians 1:6)<br />
Judaic Study<br />
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June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly 25
American News<br />
Is god through wIth Israel?<br />
5 wItnesses who say no!<br />
Today with the rise <strong>of</strong> Replacement<br />
theology, the question should be asked, “Is<br />
god though with Israel?” In the Book <strong>of</strong><br />
Romans Paul answers the question very<br />
succinctly, “Has God cast away His people?<br />
God forbid! For I also am an Israelite!”<br />
And from there Paul continues his<br />
epistle, which is set in a courtroom, following<br />
the traditional courtroom procedures<br />
used in the Roman Empire. <strong>The</strong>re will be<br />
a charge; there will be some indictments;<br />
the counts that tell you your charge is correct.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n there will be an opportunity for<br />
defense. Finally, there will be a verdict.<br />
And since we’re all in the courtroom lets<br />
look at some <strong>of</strong> the witnesses Paul calls to<br />
the stand to answer the question, “Is God<br />
through with Israel and is there a future in<br />
God’s plan for the Jews?<br />
First to the stand is Paul himself (Rom.<br />
11:1). After asking “Has God cast away<br />
His people” Paul replies, “God forbid!”<br />
So, the question is asked and answered.<br />
But if God is through or has He cast away<br />
His people Israel, then how do we explain<br />
Paul’s conversion, after all he is an Israel-<br />
2 <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
David Lister<br />
ite (Acts 9, 22, 26)? We could easily see<br />
that his conversion is an illustration <strong>of</strong> the<br />
future conversion <strong>of</strong> the nation <strong>of</strong> Israel.<br />
As Paul stated he was “one untimely born”<br />
(1Cor. 15:8) and further points out in 1<br />
Timothy 1:16 that God saved him,<br />
“Yet for this reason i found mercy,<br />
so that in me as the foremost, Jesus<br />
christ might demonstrate His<br />
perfect patience as an example (or<br />
pattern KJV) for those who would<br />
believe in Him for eternal life.”<br />
Paul’s conversion accounts in Acts<br />
show us very little about our own salvation<br />
experience as none <strong>of</strong> us seen Christ<br />
in glory or actually heard Him speak from<br />
heaven. We have not been blinded by the<br />
heavenly light, nor thrown to the ground.<br />
So, in what way, then, is Paul’s conversion<br />
“a pattern or example”? It is an illustration<br />
<strong>of</strong> how the nation <strong>of</strong> Israel will be saved<br />
when Jesus Christ returns to establish His<br />
kingdom on earth. You find details <strong>of</strong> Israel’s<br />
future restoration and salvation written<br />
in Zechariah 12:10-13:1. <strong>The</strong> nation shall<br />
see Him as He returns (Zech. 14:4; Acts<br />
1:11; Rev. 1:7), then recognize Him as their<br />
http://dryicons.com<br />
Messiah, repent, and receive Him. This is<br />
similar experience to that <strong>of</strong> Saul <strong>of</strong> Tarsus<br />
on the Damascus Road in Acts 9. Now this<br />
is why Paul used himself as the first witness.<br />
<strong>The</strong> fact that he was saved does not<br />
prove that there is a future for Israel. Rather,<br />
what is important is the way he was saved.<br />
Next Paul calls Elijah to the stand to<br />
testify in verses 2 through 10 <strong>of</strong> Romans<br />
11. <strong>The</strong> fact that most <strong>of</strong> the nation has<br />
rejected Christ is no pro<strong>of</strong> that God has<br />
finished with His people. In 1 Kings 19,<br />
Elijah thought that the nation had totally<br />
departed from God, but he discovered that<br />
there was remnant <strong>of</strong> 7,000 true believers.<br />
Remember there never was a time<br />
when the entire nation <strong>of</strong> Israel had been<br />
true to the Lord. Paul pointed this out by<br />
drawing a distinction between Abraham’s<br />
natural children and his spiritual children<br />
(Romans 2:25-29). He talked about<br />
a remnant in Romans 9:27 quoting Isaiah<br />
10:22-23. All true believers come to faith<br />
the same way as Abraham, they have to<br />
believe in God in order to receive His righteousness<br />
(Rom. 4:1-5; Gen. 15:6). Sharing<br />
in the covenant by being circumcised<br />
did not guarantee their salvation, no more<br />
than being sprinkled with water, or taking
communion does. salvation is always by<br />
grace and not works (Rom. 11:5-6). Grace<br />
and works cancel each other out. Paul had<br />
shown that Israel tried to please God by<br />
works (Rom. 9:30-10:4) and thus they reject<br />
and refuse to submit to His righteousness<br />
as most “religious” people today. <strong>The</strong><br />
saved remnant <strong>of</strong> Elijah’s day as well as<br />
the saved remnant <strong>of</strong> believing Jews <strong>of</strong><br />
Paul’s day and those today prove that God<br />
was not through with His people. But the<br />
question on the juror mind might well<br />
be, “What had happened to the rest <strong>of</strong> the<br />
nation?” <strong>The</strong>y had been hardened (a better<br />
translation than “blinded” in the KJV<br />
(Rom. 11:7). When people resist the Truth,<br />
like Pharaoh did, their hearts harden. Quoting<br />
Isaiah 29:10 to support his evidence<br />
referring to Deuteronomy 20:4 statement,<br />
and also referred to Deuteronomy 29:4.<br />
As the evidence piles up Paul uses one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the most important <strong>of</strong> the messianic<br />
psalms, Psalms 69:22-23 to show that Israel’s<br />
privileges and blessings turn into burdens<br />
and judgments. <strong>The</strong>se religious practices<br />
(sacrifices, festivals, etc) should have<br />
shown and pointed them to Christ, instead<br />
they became a snare that kept them from<br />
Christ. <strong>The</strong> same thing happens today, God<br />
has set before us a banquet table, and instead<br />
most people turn it into a snare. People<br />
depend on, or trust in traditions, baptisms,<br />
communions, going to church instead <strong>of</strong><br />
trusting in the One who can save them.<br />
Paul closes Elijah’s testimony be stating<br />
that “Hardness in part is happened to<br />
Israel, until the fullness <strong>of</strong> the Gentiles has<br />
come in” (Rom. 11:25) <strong>The</strong>re is believing<br />
Jewish remnant today, just as there was in<br />
Elijah’s day, this is evidence that God still<br />
has a plan for His people.<br />
Now Paul brings <strong>The</strong> Gentiles to the<br />
stand (earlier Paul had used the Gentiles to<br />
prove the Jews were guilty <strong>of</strong> sin (Rom.<br />
2:1-3). so on redirect he now uses the same<br />
witness to assure Israel <strong>of</strong> a future restoration.<br />
Follow the legal deduction here, first<br />
the Jews reject the Gospel, so He sends it to<br />
the Gentiles, they believe it and are saved.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n three things happen to Israel, they<br />
fall, are diminished and cast away (consecutively<br />
in Romans 11:11,12, 15). Yet, none<br />
<strong>of</strong> these suggest a final judgment for Israel.<br />
Since God had promised the Gentiles<br />
would be saved, we see that because <strong>of</strong> Israel’s<br />
fall this becomes true. It is important<br />
to understand that the Old Testament promises<br />
to the Gentiles were linked to Israel’s<br />
“rise”—her entering into her kingdom<br />
together (See Isaiah 11 and 60). So, how<br />
shall they “rise” Paul explains this “mystery.”<br />
In Ephesians 3, this scared secret, not<br />
revealed in the Old Testament, is that God<br />
introduces <strong>The</strong> Church were both Jew and<br />
Gentile can be one in Christ (Eph. 2:11-<br />
David Lister<br />
22). so, is the Kingdom program for Israel<br />
out? No. It is merely set aside for a time.<br />
Paul shows that the Gentiles have a vital<br />
ministry to Israel, to help her rise again,<br />
for we are to provoke Israel “to jealousy”<br />
because <strong>of</strong> our spiritual riches we have in<br />
Christ. As Christians we have “all spiritual<br />
blessings” in Christ (Eph. 1:3) and we use<br />
these blessings, to again, provoke Israel. As<br />
we provoke them to jealousy, we will see<br />
“their fullness or fulfillment” (Rom. 11:12)<br />
and their “receiving or acceptance” (v.15).<br />
Today, Israel is fallen spiritually, but when<br />
Christ returns, the nation will rise again.<br />
God links His promises to Israel to the sun,<br />
moon and stars, as His promises never to<br />
fail, (Jer. 31:35-37). Israel while cast away<br />
today, one day will be received again!<br />
Now Paul brings the Patriarchs to the<br />
stand, using imagery from the sacrifices to<br />
help us to understand Israel’s future. Paul<br />
helps us to see Israel’s future by drawing<br />
on her past.<br />
In Numbers 15:17-21 the first part <strong>of</strong><br />
the dough was to be <strong>of</strong>fered up to God as<br />
a symbol that the entire lump belonged to<br />
Him. We see this same idea in the Feast <strong>of</strong><br />
First Fruits, with the sheaf <strong>of</strong>fering symbolized<br />
the whole harvest (Lev. 23:9-14).<br />
<strong>The</strong> idea is simple, when God accepts the<br />
part, He sanctifies the whole.<br />
We understand Paul’s argument like<br />
this: Since God accepted the founder <strong>of</strong> the<br />
nation, Abraham, He set apart his descendants<br />
as well. God also accepted the other<br />
patriarchs, Isaac and Jacob, in spite <strong>of</strong> their<br />
sins or failings. This means that God must<br />
accept the “rest <strong>of</strong> the lump”—the nation<br />
<strong>of</strong> Israel. Please keep in mind that Paul was<br />
not discussing the relationship <strong>of</strong> individual<br />
believers to God, but the place <strong>of</strong> Israel<br />
in the plan <strong>of</strong> God.<br />
Paul next uses the imagery <strong>of</strong> the Olive<br />
tree, a symbol <strong>of</strong> the nation <strong>of</strong> Israel (Jer.<br />
11:16-17) to understand the future <strong>of</strong> Israel.<br />
We all know a tree is supported by its root<br />
system. Paul uses the patriarchs who founded<br />
the nation <strong>of</strong> Israel as the root. Since<br />
God made His covenants with Abraham,<br />
Isaac, and Jacob, and He cannot deny them<br />
or change them. Thus, it is God’s promise<br />
to Abraham that sustains Israel even today.<br />
Paul pictured non-believing Jews as<br />
branches broken <strong>of</strong>f the tree. <strong>The</strong>n he explains<br />
that other branches (Gentiles) were<br />
grafted into the tree to share in the life <strong>of</strong><br />
the tree. This “grafting in” was “contrary<br />
to nature as usually a cultivated branch is<br />
grafted into a wild tree and shares its life<br />
without producing its poor fruit. But in this<br />
case, it was the “wild branch” (the Gentiles)<br />
that was grafted into the good tree!<br />
We cannot say that the olive tree, with<br />
its natural and grafted branches, is a picture<br />
<strong>of</strong> the church In the church, “there is<br />
American News<br />
no difference”; believers are “all one in<br />
Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). Today we are<br />
not seen by God as Jews or Gentiles. <strong>The</strong><br />
olive tree illustrates the relationship between<br />
Jew and Gentile in the program <strong>of</strong><br />
God. <strong>The</strong> “breaking <strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> the branches”<br />
is the equivalent <strong>of</strong> “the fall or stumble”<br />
(Rom. 11:11), “the diminishing or failure”<br />
(Rom. 11:12), and “the casting away or<br />
rejection” (Rom. 11:15).. To read into this<br />
illustration the matter <strong>of</strong> the eternal destiny<br />
<strong>of</strong> the individual believer is to abuse the<br />
truth Paul was seeking to communicate.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Gentiles entered into God’s plan<br />
because <strong>of</strong> faith, and not because <strong>of</strong> anything<br />
good they had done. Paul was discussing<br />
the Gentiles collectively, and not<br />
the individual experience <strong>of</strong> one believer<br />
or another.<br />
Paul warned the Gentiles that they<br />
were obligated to Israel, and therefore<br />
they dared not boast <strong>of</strong> their new spiritual<br />
position (Rom. 11:18-21). It is worth noting<br />
that, according to Bible prophecy, the<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essing Gentile church will be “cut <strong>of</strong>f”<br />
because <strong>of</strong> apostasy (See 1 Tim. 4; 2 Tim.<br />
3 and 2 <strong>The</strong>s. 2). While there is no hope<br />
for the apostate church, there is hope for<br />
apostate Israel! Why? Because <strong>of</strong> the root<br />
<strong>of</strong> the olive tree. God will keep His promises<br />
to the patriarchs, but God will break<br />
<strong>of</strong>f the Gentiles because <strong>of</strong> their unbelief.<br />
<strong>The</strong> root is still good. God is still the “God<br />
<strong>of</strong> Abraham, and the God <strong>of</strong> Isaac, and the<br />
God <strong>of</strong> Jacob”. His promises never fail.<br />
<strong>The</strong> last witness is God Himself. In<br />
verse 25 we see God’s timing. <strong>The</strong> blinding<br />
(or hardening) (Rom. 11:7) <strong>of</strong> Israel<br />
as a nation is neither total nor final: it is<br />
partial and temporary! So, how long will it<br />
last? “Until the fullness <strong>of</strong> the Gentiles be<br />
come in” (Rom. 11:12). While God is taking<br />
out a people for His name, individual<br />
Jews are being saved. But when the time <strong>of</strong><br />
the Gentiles is up, God will once more deal<br />
with the nation <strong>of</strong> Israel. It is important to<br />
note the little word “until”, as it assures us<br />
God knows what time it is!<br />
In Isaiah 59 and 60 God has promised<br />
to save His people. <strong>The</strong> statement that,<br />
“All Israel shall be saved” does not mean<br />
that every Jew who has ever lived will be<br />
converted, but that the Jews living when<br />
the Redeemer returns will see Him, receive<br />
Him, and be saved (Zech 12-13). We cannot<br />
spiritualize these prophecies <strong>of</strong> national<br />
restoration for Israel and apply them to<br />
the church today.<br />
Paul next reminds us <strong>of</strong> God’s covenant.<br />
We know Israel was chosen by His<br />
grace. God chose Israel in His grace and not<br />
because <strong>of</strong> any merit in her (Deut. 7:6-11;<br />
9:1-6). If Israel wasn’t chosen because <strong>of</strong> it<br />
merit, then how can it be rejected because<br />
<strong>of</strong> its sin “Election” means grace, not merit.<br />
June 2010 • <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly 27
American News – continued<br />
Today non-believing Jews are “enemies”<br />
<strong>of</strong> the gospel, yet they are “beloved for<br />
the fathers’ sakes.” God will not break His<br />
covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!<br />
Paul knows as we do that “God is not a<br />
man that He should lie; neither the son <strong>of</strong><br />
man, that He should repent” (Num. 23:19)<br />
and since he is “the Lord”, and He does not<br />
change (Mal. 3:6). By His very nature He<br />
does not change or repent. God’s gifts to<br />
Israel, and God’s calling <strong>of</strong> Israel, cannot<br />
be taken back or changed, or God would<br />
cease to be true to His own perfect nature.<br />
<strong>The</strong> fact that Israel may not enjoy her gifts,<br />
or live up to her privileges as an elect nation,<br />
does not affect this fact one bit. God<br />
will be consistent with Himself and true to<br />
His Word (See Rom. 3:3).<br />
Now, God’s grace is invoked brought<br />
to the stand. Because <strong>of</strong> the unbelief <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Jews, we Gentiles are saved. Paul repeatedly<br />
reminded the saved Gentiles that they had<br />
a spiritual obligation to Israel to “provoke<br />
them to jealousy” and Israel’s hardness is<br />
only “in part” which means that individual<br />
Jews can be saved. If God can save Jews by<br />
His grace and mercy today, why can’t He<br />
save them in the future? God has included<br />
all “in unbelief” both Jews and Gentiles so<br />
that all might have the opportunity to be<br />
saved by grace. “<strong>The</strong>re is no difference.”<br />
God chose the Jews so that the Gentiles<br />
might be saved. Israel became exclusive<br />
and failed to share the truth with the<br />
Gentiles. <strong>The</strong>y thought that the Gentiles<br />
had to become Jews in order to be saved.<br />
But God declared both Jews and Gentiles<br />
to be lost and condemned. This meant that<br />
He could have mercy on all because <strong>of</strong> the<br />
sacrifice <strong>of</strong> Christ on the cross.<br />
Finally, God’s wisdom is shown. Only<br />
a God as wise as our God could take the<br />
fall <strong>of</strong> Israel and turn it into salvation for<br />
the world! If one thinks that God does not<br />
know what He is doing, then they don’t<br />
know Him. God is too wise to make plans<br />
that will not be fulfilled. Israel did not allow<br />
Him to rule, so He overruled!<br />
Paul’s five witnesses, all agree, there<br />
is a future for Israel. She will recover from<br />
her fall and enter into her fullness when Jesus<br />
Christ returns and sit on David’s throne<br />
and Israel will “reconciled” and “received,”<br />
and it will be like a resurrection!<br />
In Peace,<br />
David<br />
“God is not a man that He<br />
should lie; neither the son<br />
<strong>of</strong> man, that He should<br />
repent”<br />
–Numbers 23:19–<br />
2 <strong>Moriel</strong> Quarterly • June 2010<br />
why did the United States immediately recognize the State <strong>of</strong> Israel?<br />
Margaret Truman said it was the most difficult decision Harry Truman ever faced as president.<br />
Should he support the creation <strong>of</strong> a Jewish homeland in Palestine, or shouldn’t he?<br />
Presidential advisers and the government were split. Clark Clifford, Truman’s legal counsel,<br />
strongly favored recognition. <strong>The</strong> Jews deserved a sanctuary after the horror <strong>of</strong> the Holocaust, Clifford<br />
argued. Besides, the new state would likely come to pass whether Truman urged it or not.<br />
But the Department <strong>of</strong> State, including the highly respected Secretary <strong>of</strong> State, George Marshall,<br />
advised against it, as did much <strong>of</strong> his cabinet. Truman greatly admired Marshall and had said,<br />
“there wasn’t a decoration big enough” to honor Marshall’s leadership during World War II. At a<br />
White House meeting on May 12, 1948, Marshall objected to quick US recognition <strong>of</strong> a Jewish<br />
homeland. It would look as if Truman was angling for Jewish votes, he said, and might endanger<br />
access to Arab oil. He went so far as to say that if Truman went ahead and recognized the new state,<br />
then Marshall would vote against him in the coming election.<br />
Truman made his own decision. Two days later, May 14, 1948 Israel was born at the stroke<br />
<strong>of</strong> midnight, Jerusalem time. <strong>The</strong> United States announced its recognition <strong>of</strong> the new nation only<br />
11 minutes later.<br />
Danial Pipes, in reviewing Michael T. Benson’s book Harry S. Truman and the Founding <strong>of</strong><br />
Israel makes these observations about Truman’s decision:<br />
Everyone knows that Harry Truman provided help to the Zionists because he could count votes,<br />
and there were few Arab votes in 1948. That, anyway, is the thesis developed by John Snetsinger<br />
in 1974 and since repeated ad nauseum. Well, it turns out not to be true. In a masterful and exciting<br />
presentation, Benson proves that Truman’s policies resulted not from nose-counting but from<br />
deeply-held beliefs. His pro-Israel outlook “was based primarily on humanitarian, moral, and sentimental<br />
grounds, many <strong>of</strong> which were an outgrowth <strong>of</strong> the president’s religious upbringing and his<br />
familiarity with the Bible.” Extensive research into Truman’s biography and earlier career shows<br />
his impressive consistency. Benson, <strong>of</strong> the University <strong>of</strong> Utah, establishes Truman as a studious child<br />
and deeply religious young man who, when he unexpectedly found himself in the Oval Office, lived<br />
faithfully by his precepts. In the case at hand, he expressed sympathy for Zionism as early as 1939<br />
and reiterated his views many times subsequently.<br />
Truman’s determination had great importance; <strong>of</strong> the many momentous issues in his presidency,<br />
he personally involved himself most directly with what he called the “puzzle <strong>of</strong> Palestine.”<br />
In Benson’s words, these personal interventions against the entirety <strong>of</strong> the American foreign policy<br />
establishment “constantly rescued” the Jews from defeat. <strong>The</strong> author concludes that the standard<br />
account <strong>of</strong> Truman risking U.S. security interests for cheap political advantage is deeply unfair to<br />
this most moral and honorable <strong>of</strong> American presidents.<br />
US State Department<br />
Telegram, May 14, 1948<br />
Palestine Facts website<br />
(http://palestinefacts.org),<br />
Retrieved June 7, 2010.<br />
Today, in 1948, Israel is declared an independent state. It is immediately<br />
attacked by all <strong>of</strong> its Arab neighbors. <strong>The</strong>re were no settlements<br />
at the time. Also, no occupation <strong>of</strong> the West Bank, Gaza Strip or Golan<br />
Heights. Israel was attacked simply because it existed. It continues today.