Messianic communities a save haven?

Are the Messianic communities a save haven for people who run out their Christian Church?

I often saw many frustration by people who feel themselves decived by their church on facebook profiles and personal websites etc. Most of their arrows are directed at feasts with pagan roots as Christmas and anti-Israel/Judaism doctrines as replacement theology. FFOZ understands this problem and Boaz Michael wrote a good article about Pagan Roots of Christianity.

The many gentiles who came to be “Messianics” caused serious problems of a community which was born out of Messianic or Jesus-believing Jews. Those Jews were drawing more and more to Judaism since I guess it started in the 19th century. At that time they were converted to the church, but now they are an own community and especially in Israel they didn’t want to go to a church related community, but rather would keep Judaism as their own religion. But a denial of Jesus in the synagogue caused a new religion: Messianic Judaism. Originally it’s from etnic Jews.

Gentiles caused difficulties in it and a shift is going on. I wouldn’t say it’s wrong, but it is difficult. Some very good articles are spent on this topic by Derek Leman.

What is more important I think is that the Messianic movement addressed the church to rethink about many of their doctrines and customs whether they can sustain since there is a state of Israel and a visible hand of God drawing the etnic Jewish people to a certain destiny. More specific: the church has to learn from the Jews.

About the Messianic Movement

I am finishing a brief history of the Messianic movement. It was very interesting to do.

There was one thing I recognized more and more. The 20^th century is one of the greatest events in history. Obviously G-d is enrolling his master plan, his master purpose: redemption and eternal righteousness in the world with restored mankind. This is what the prophets spoke about: the restoration of Israel and the Gentiles.

From the ashes of the world, through such a terrible times never was before, through the loss of millions of the chosen people, through two world wars following the advances of the Western Roman/Christian world, through a deceiving of the good, a State of Israel raised up with a Control of  Yerushalayim by the remnants of the chosen ones.

Right through this century believing Jews in Yeshua took more and more distance not only from the synagogue but also from the church. Along with the establishment of the State of Israel a more independent movement was born, the Messianics. Nowadays they hang over to the synagogue. A lot of problems arise like who is a Jew, how far would we embrace Judaism etc.

But the 20^th century shows that it is not about Christianity and not about Judaism. Even not about Messianic achievements.  Its all about Israel and the Gentiles. That’s what we are facing. The great restoration has yet begun and now, what would it bring us? Now when we hear His voice… (He.3:7, Ps.95:7-8)

I would put this little study, a “messianic voice”, to my local church this Friday. I wonder how they will receive it. I’m sorry, its written in Dutch.

Nothing to do with Judaism?

Past weekend I read an interview with our Dutch chief rabbi Benyamin Jacobs. (www.terdege.nl 18feb2009,pag17 in Dutch) It was interesting to read that there’s an increasing group of Christians who connect their traditions to Jewish customs. However, Jacobs said: “This has nothing to do with Judaism.” Quickly he gave his expectations and diminished it with saying: “Often, after a while it will cease.” That’s what you see, he said, when you study Judaism you see that at a certain time a division appears, it ceased after a while. Only traditional Judaism based on Torah and Talmud will remain, he said. What he didn’t remember was his ancestor, the great rabban Gamliël I (died about 80CE) had said exactly the same about such groups. (Acts5:38-39) And what he said about the group of Yeshua, the Way, certainly didn’t disappear but was becoming the greatest religion of the world, the Christians.

Now I’ll leave the name of rabbi Jacobs because I don’t know him to speak about him, and I will turn to the Jews in general. Especially Jews who observe the Torah in classical/rabbinical Judaism. When I consider this people there comes a question to me: Are they scared about this group of believers who are connecting to Judaism? Why are they saying those group of Christians who call themselves Messianics, has nothing to do with Judaism? Many Jews can have many opinions however they all are called Jews, including converts gone trough the ritual process. But why not this group? This group faces a perfect fit, much better then the reformed Jews. The only thing is they believe Yeshua is the Messiah. So what? Jews have also believed or expected different Messiahs. What in fact then is the main problem of Yeshua? And why doesn’t that fit in Judaism? Why can they say anything but Yeshua?

Isaac Da Costa

I’m often wondering about Dr. Isaac Da Costa. (1798-1860) The warmth of his writing, the honest, the knowledge, for me he is certainly the greatest Jewish Messianic we have had in the Netherlands. He is a spiritual son of the impressive Willem Bilderdijk, a great Dutch poet.

We have many beautiful books from man like these. But even as the Messiah is rejected and  hidden by the world, also the most beautiful literature is thrown away because they didn’t see the beauty, here in the Netherlands, and outside they can’t even read it. E.g. many of you know the painter Rembrandt because it’s not written in language, but we have much greater art. We have scholarly writers and poets who were guided by the Ruach haKodesh. And now I’ve found a book on Google Books of Isaac Da Costa, also a poet, and I’ll share this with you. Please read the last a few pages from 623 to the end. And you’ll feel the warmth and faith of one who was speaking at a time when the land of Israel was a dessert. And he was still not alone with his expectations.

Isaac Da Costa was a great poet. Dutch people are very blessed, but most of them didn’t understand. Certainly they are rather rejecting it then have interest. We saw it: Bilderdijk and Da Costa where against the Enlightenment which clearly appears as apostasy from G’d and religion. And they where persecuted and rejected like the prophets of Israel and their great rabbi Yeshua himself. It’s not to much to say that the liberals wants them to put to dead. That’s not new for fellowers of Messiah! My dear (Jewish) brothers! I’m sharing in your misery now (as a gentile), but I’ll also share in the kingdom when the Messiah shall build up the house of Jacob and reign with his people! Then we’ll understand.
 
Here’s the link:
http://books.google.nl/books?id=1EMLAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover
Israel and the Gentiles, contributions to the history of the Jews, Isaac Da Costa, 1850.

Quote about Christian and Jewish religion:

I have discovered more and more its perfect harmony with the dispensations of God, and the declarations of His Word; and the Jewish nation has been brought to my view more strikingly as an abiding testimony to the truth of the Christian religion, a living commentary upon the Scriptures, a certain pledge of the entire fulfilment of prophecy.

from: Israel and the gentiles, preface page ix.