Category: Torah Portions

Pekudei/Accountings

Exodus 38:21-40:38

IKings 7:51-8:21

I’m reminded of a scripture that says something about “not growing wearing in doing well” …don’t give up; but don’t just do things out of sheer duty and miss out on the “why” for doing them. As we are reading about the construction of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and Solomon’s temple, we can’t avoid noting every detail.  It’s tempting to “grow weary” in following every requirement and description…it’s so easy to want to take a ‘short cut’ and not get bogged down with things that seem legalistic and burdensome. Though it is true that we can be encumbered by what we see as God’s immovable demands, but that can only happen when we look ‘past’ the heart of the One Who is instructing us. Our reading takes us to the ‘end’ of all the things that were painstakingly made by these talented and anointed craftsmen; we finally see the tabernacle taking shape.  Let us not just ‘park’ there and take it in as a ‘finished project’.  Let your heart take in this glorious ‘picture’ as you read of the Lord God Almighty sharing His presence upon the earth; expressed in every detail and movement of the priests within its guidelines: the beauty of holiness!  Take some time to ‘drink’ it in; let your heart feel it…but know that this is only the beginning of what our Heavenly Father has in store for us!  His ultimate plan is to “dwell with us” (and in us)!  Though He can’t be contained in a normal dwelling; if we ‘build’ according to His pattern, He will come!  That my dear friend is His ultimate aim, actually: to come and be with us; to come for His beautiful bride (Jew and Gentile)!  He gave us a glimpse in the wilderness and again with Solomon, but He wants us to see a ‘greater house’ than theirs for His presence: it’s us!  Through the magnificent work of the Lord Jesus and the glorious interaction of Holy Spirit in our lives, He is building His house as a dwelling place upon the earth.  So today as you ponder the elements of this “house of lively stones’ that we are, don’t grow weary.  Keep building according to His loving pattern: He is the architect, and Holy Spirit is like Bezalel, who was able to take the spoils (us) of Egypt (the world), and sanctify them into a place for God’s presence. Holy Spirit is doing that with our lives and the “spoils of Egypt” found in our lives…you are to be His dwelling place, and He wants to visit us even today, so we can grow accustomed to His ways and His heart. Don’t give up; don’t give in; don’t lose sight of the ‘house’ that you are part of; we are truly lively stones being built together into a habitation for the True and Living God! by john e

Vayakhel/And He assembled

Exodus 35:1-38:20

IKings 7:13-8:21

This week’s readings are filled with much work; in IKings if you consider the magnitude of the project that Huram had before himself, it feels overwhelming. Even if you throw in “being filled with understanding and wisdom and skill”; man, you still have to do the work! Maybe of course he had some assistants, but it was still quite an undertaking.  The ‘mirror’ of activity is also seen in Exodus as they prepared for the tabernacle. Again, an amazing undertaking for both the tabernacle and the temple of Solomon, but as usual there is something more to see.

It seems like the Lord isn’t just impressed with process or credentials. All through the reading this week in Exodus we see: “Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding; hearts stirred; put in his heart; willing heart” and other variations of the same. Wow!  Not just duty or talent; not just guilt and abundance; not just a few, but many; not just men, but men and women; and the result? First, I noticed that since they gave willingly from a right heart; more than enough was given; they had to shut down the giving line… If we jump over to the haftorah in IKings we get to see the result: not just a magnificent tent or structure, which I’m sure it was; but let’s see what it says:

IKings 8:10-13 10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 12 Then Solomon spoke: “The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud. 13 I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever.” Not a bad day’s work! 

“Father we need your help today; we want to be faithful to the ‘work’ that is before us, so send Holy Spirit to give us that help and we offer up our hearts; we want hearts like those that we have read about in Your glorious word; and most of all, we want the things (lives) we are giving our time and energy to, to be a ‘place’ that You would feel comfortable coming to, and dwelling with us…”   by john eisner

Bonus thought: as I ‘visit’ all this building and giving I can’t get passed IPeter 2:4-5

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

As our Heavenly Father delivers us from western, institutional thinking about who we are in Christ…let us be renewed in our minds and lives of the living reality that we are actually a part of: living stones being built together…so get up out of those pews and rejoice: He is building you into a “spiritual house” for His presence!  You aren’t some pathetic ‘schmo’ that has just been snatched out of the fire; but you are part of a holy nation; a royal priesthood…made for His glory, for all to see and for Him to visit! We are not just ‘hanging on”, trying to avoid hell while heaven terries…..You are part of a living reality; bought by His blood and part of a glorious household: Jew and Gentile!

If you are a Gentile in need of a ‘spark’ to get a new sense of what you have been saved into, may I humbly recommend that you read my book: Ephesians, a love story to the Gentiles. Found on Amazon.

Yitro/Jethro

Exodus 18:1-20:26

Isaiah 6:1-7:6; 9:5-6

As I read today’s portions, I couldn’t help but notice that they contain some classic verses that are oft quoted.  They represented very significant thoughts and truths that we carry as the people of the Living God. I can memorize them; quote them; sing them, ‘theologize’ them, and be moved by them; but do I let them change me? In chapter 6 of Isaiah beginning in verse 9, after Isaiah is taken up and experiences one of the ultimate moments flesh and blood can enter into, he is given these words to deliver to the children of Israel:

“He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Not what I had hoped for; I was expecting an ‘invitation’ to this same experience! Like God saying through Isaiah: “Go tell my people, to come up and be with Me and see what you have just seen!” It’s kind of the ‘mirror’ of what happened when Moses was standing on the glorious sea of glass (the same place John was taken on Patmos) …and yet down below, the people were worshiping a golden calf. Maybe it’s not enough for our leaders or faith history to have great experiences that we can quote or discuss…but let’s get past any personal condemnation here and realize God’s heart; this is what He wants for each of us; not a select few. In Exodus 19 He says: “…you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people…and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”. Notice He doesn’t just say you will have priests; not just a priestly class; a nation of priests!

Lord, through Holy Spirit help us read of the men and women of God that have entered into those living encounters with You and begin to see the open doors available to us; as You beckon us to come and be with you; to sup with you, even as Moses did. May you have the kingdom of priests; a holy nation, that you have always yearned for… by john e

You shall be holy; because I am holy…(this is a promise more than a commandment)

Mishpatim/Laws

Exodus 21:1-24:18

Jeremiah 33:25-26,34:8-22

What can I say that could possibly do justice to the way I feel after reading the torah and haftorah portions this week…between my heart being so full of potential things I could communicate, and just a general fear of the Lord. I am so thankful for both! I will not even attempt to do justice to the riches for our hearts that reside here but hopefully create either hunger or even curiosity to ‘enter in’ to this week’s readings.

On the surface we have a bunch or ‘rules’ and regulations for responding to the things in the people’s daily lives called ordinances…but there is this incredible encounter with Moses and some of his leaders and the Lord of Glory on the sea of glass (ps: it’s not only in the New Testament). Wow! Spend some time there and let your heart ponder what that must have been like! Wow! Dear holy brethren (male and female), through the blood of Jesus, this is part of your inheritance as the household of God (Ephesians 2:13)! Let your mind be blown, to know what His precious blood has accomplished for you, beyond just being rescued from hell! You have been “brought near” to the Living God; Jew and Gentile, a mystery that He wants to make known….and yet as we read in Jeremiah this week; there are responsibilities and consequences to being “a holy nation; a royal priesthood; a people set apart for Him”. Seems like an easy thing to renege on; when the children of Israel treated slaves in a demeaning way; treating them as not being as important to the God of Israel as His first born…sorry not so fast! By finding it ‘inconvenient’ to value people the way God does; by finding it ‘inconvenient’ to value God’s word and intentions, Israel was led into captivity!  Isn’t it interesting that He cares about liberty and freedom!

So today, without resorting to condemnation as something to hide behind and become passive…let us beware that we may not be allowing for liberty of those in our lives; or maybe even ourselves.  He is the God of freedom, but not lawlessness.  I think the bible says something like: “where the Spirit of God is, there is freedom (liberty)” and I don’t think He means just jumping around to a lively song…Go forth in the liberty of the Lord and His word today! by john e

Terumah/Donation

Exodus 25:1-27:19

IKings 5:12-6:13

The readings this week are like ‘fishing in a stocked pond’; there are so many easy things to draw my attention to or learn from. One of the most difficult things in devotionally approaching scripture is not to just repeat the messages you have heard over the years that ‘echo’ in your head as you read. It’s especially difficult when you feel dull, and the word seems flat. Isn’t it funny how easy it is to feel a false sense of God’s judgment, when we aren’t getting anything out of our reading? Sometimes I live like there is some kind of quiz at the end of my life, to be found righteous…instead of it being the blood of Jesus all along. Anyway, back to the reading for this week. In Exodus there is the building of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, with the promise of God dwelling in their midst (some interpretations of the Hebrew text say “living ‘in’ them”) and all the personal implications of that for them and us alike. Let’s also keep a ‘heavenly’ perspective on the ‘giving’ and construction of this project: “..Willingly from his heart…”; and “I will meet with you…:”; and the reminder to build “according to the pattern…” Oh how the preachers and teachers in the pulpit or in our heads could go on for hours with instruction and exhortation from these verses! “But wait, there is more!” (as the infomercials on tv say); the haftorah IKings 5:12-6:13, is the ‘two for the price of one’ to receive even more teaching and exhortation.

We have Hiram (a Gentile) and his rich resources of materials and people to help build this glorious structure for the presence of God. Jew and Gentile (one new man); world evangelism from the “light to the nations” (God’s first born: Israel); everything prepared at the quarry so“…no iron tool was heard in the temple…” (maybe the private ‘quarry’ where God privately works on the our hearts; not the show for all to see)  and the spiritual implications of that; yes there is so much more to ‘mine’ for our hearts and minds here…until I got to the last 3 verses (11-13). “The word of the Lord…Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk…”.  “But Father, can’t you see what a good job I’m doing?  I have reached out to my neighbors and told them the ‘good news’ of Jesus!  I have more than tithed!  I have prayed for Israel!  I have; I have…!” But the Lord would say: “Have you walked…so that I may dwell among (in) you?”  Have we been too busy or too ‘right’ to care about our own hearts and His? Or our character and ways of doing life? I know I have!  “Lord, thank you for the occasional ‘sting’ of Your Word, that rescues me from myself.” By  john eisner 

Tetzaveh/You Shall Command

Exodus 27:20-30:10

Ezekiel 43:10-27

In today’s torah/haftorah I felt the message may be a bit abstract, but I hope in some small measure, I can help it be more understandable or practical. Documents that are written (by God or man) that are meant to be foundational for a people, cause, or whatever…can have a ‘ditch on both sides of their road’; legalism on one side and personal or shall we say, situational interpretation on the other. It’s so prevalent with the way we many times handle the word of God. Whole movements or denominations have the potential of grinding our hearts to dust with their positions of being the ‘sole arbiter of truth and understanding’ or maybe the only ‘true’ way of baptism (with the right words) or the only way to know you are genuinely ‘saved’.  Then to the ‘rescue’ come the well-meaning ‘dowsing’ water on truth to protect us from those ‘meanies’ that aim harm to our gentle and fragile little spirits; “everything you do is okay; God understands, His words have been altered by men over the years; so don’t take them too seriously…” 

In the reading this week, we are presented with many details and requirements for the priest and the people, which could be used to run into one of the ‘ditches’ up ahead. What must we do, to be able to be in the word and have hearts that continue to love God in truth and stay out of the ditch? One of the principles that ‘guides’ me when I read the word is to consider what I see happening to Moses when he comes down from the experience he had on the Sea of Glass with the Lord God Almighty. After having seen the tabernacle ‘made without hands’, he is told to build “according to the pattern” that he saw in the heavenly realm. I can almost hear Moses saying to the Lord, “But wait, that’s impossible, everything here is fallen and not holy; it can’t be done; everything on the mountain was holy!” God’s word seems to indicate that if Moses builds according to the plan, He is about to show him, that it will be ‘counted as holy as if it was in that ‘heavenly realm’. Think of the implications of that promise! The presence of God and authority that would be contained in that ‘obedience’, would be beyond what the normal person could even fathom…but isn’t that in reality what we have been called to as believers in Jesus Christ our Lord?  Have we spent so much time in the ‘ditch’ (religion and fleshly living) that we have forgotten about the ‘wonder’ of who we really have become through Jesus?

There is a short note that I wrote to myself years ago, in Jeremiah 43: “the design is holy, because it reflects the One Who made it ‘without hands’”.  Maybe if we could put a thought before us like that, to keep our hearts on the road, instead of in the ‘ditches’.  Don’t just become an ‘expert’ on the details without becoming a lover and in relationship with the One who created all the details. He has called us to be a part of something that is not of this world, while all along we are still a part of this world…The Jews have a term for this tension or conundrum: Tikun Olam; redeeming the world, being co-redeemers with the Lord. Making the world a better place; not out of duty or pride, but a reflection of the heart of the Creator of all things, who most of time is invisible in His attributes; but can be seen through His people (“a light to the nations”). Some of this is addressed in the Beatitudes; “don’t put a lamp under a basket” etc. May your hearts flourish in this week’s ‘details’. by john eisner

Bonus thought: One example of this ‘tension’ between the heavenly and the earthly can be seen in how different believers approach communion: one ‘extreme’ may be that it’s literally the Body and the Blood of Jesus, and even one crumb falling to the ground is unthinkable…as opposed to the other ‘extreme’ of “it’s just juice and crackers, who cares!”. Instead of taking sides or getting into lengthy religious debates, can we choose to live in the “mystery” of the One True and Living God, interacting with mere flesh and blood? “Build according to the pattern I showed you on the mountain”…next time you take communion, go ahead and ‘build’ a place for Him to be with you. je

Ki Tisa/When you count

Exodus 30:11-34:35

IKings 18:1-39

I could say this every week: “I am not a teacher or preacher; nor for that matter, a ‘student of the word’…just a regular schmo”. I do these posts for each week’s torah portion, because I have a little ‘secret’ that helps motivate me to come back each week for ‘more’. The ‘secret’ for me is that “what if?” What if in reading along and not trying to be profound or whatever, I might find myself in Holy Spirit ‘territory’…touching a bit of God’s heart in His word; first for me, and then for you, as you sometimes show up here to ‘read over my shoulder’. Welcome!

This week it’s a classic; we have heard the teaching I’m sure before: it’s Elijah confronting the prophets of baal, the false god of Israel…400 of them; a bunch of wood; some meat, and for Elijah some water, and…voila! Fire from heaven, dead prophets, and humiliation for the forces of darkness! Kill a few prophets; celebrate getting ‘right’ with the God of heaven; eat some burnt meat and go home…of course until you let the false gods in again and have to do it all over again! I think I saw a ‘little something’ to pass on, however.

Let me go back over to the Torah side of the isle, Exodus 30: talks about anointing oil, the oil He prescribes for Aaron and his sons and the elements of the tabernacle (things considered holy). Now get this; “…this shall not be poured on man’s flesh…or are you to make anything like it”; this all seems a bit stiff and proprietary. However, it’s so awesome to think that there is meant to be a ‘holy fragrance’ that when we smell it; we are reminded of the Lord Himself. He doesn’t just want to touch our intellect or rule us with fear; He wants to woo our hearts and senses! I could go on, but this isn’t meant to be a long teaching, sorry.

Then in IKings I believe I caught a ‘glimpse’ of something kind of similar, in terms of keeping things ‘holy’. Can you imagine the scene, 400 prophets (keep in mind, these were people, groomed to worship demons and demonstrate publicly the aspects of their gods). Imagine their attire (or lack of it as they ripped their clothes off as part of their worship), imagine sounds and smells and noises of every evil kind; wild emotions and unbridled debauchery; which are all forms of worship in the world of evil. They are carrying on and cutting themselves and doing things we can’t even imagine, and yet their god is silent! And no fire! Maybe their god is just asleep after a hard day of treachery. The unholy priests usually set the rules, but Elijah beats them to it; his God answers with fire and he doesn’t need to distract everyone with the ‘demon show’. He sets it all up; gets the bull; 12 stones for the 12 tribes (he rebuilds the altar that was broken down; maybe that’s the first step for all of us), and wood for the coming fire. Elijah then pours water on the wood; is he arrogant or does he just like a good show, or an excuse in case the fire doesn’t come…?

Here is my little personal take on all of this; it’s actually humility and the fear of the Lord. It’s “not putting any of the holy anointing oil on a man’s flesh”.  If he just built the altar and put the beef on it and piled up the wood; his ministry would have looked pretty good; as long as he built it by God’s rules. I believe that by pouring the water on it all he was making a separation from his ego and ministry and putting himself totally at God’s mercy, thus focusing everyone on Who the Lord God Almighty of Israel really is. He wasn’t anointing any flesh, but actually washing himself clean, so the only ‘fragrance’ that day was the Lord God Himself, so the people could return to the Holy One of Israel and not just follow a man! So today, let’s make sure that people don’t confuse the fragrance of our good works with that of the One Who saved us, loves us and does mighty works to be glorified upon the whole earth! by john eisner

Beshalach/When He sent out

Exodus 13:17-17:16

Judges 4:4-5:31

Sometimes when I read a section of scripture I feel like I’m such a ‘peewee’ and don’t know much or see much. In some ways it actually helps me to be open to Holy Spirit showing me something that may not be so obvious; involving His heart instead of just my head.

I’m sure if one were to spend an extended time in these verses in Judges, it would be a ‘gold mine’ of heart revelation. It’s kind of cool that both Exodus and Judges have songs that give more of a ‘heavenly’, rather than just a merely historical perspective to the events that the Children of Israel had just gone through. (we might even make note of that, and maybe look back on some of our experiences and turn them into song…) Anyway, the ‘singing recounting’ of the events seems to ‘weave’ heaven and earth together, giving a fuller perspective and insight.

Take some time with both ‘songs’ (Exodus 15:1-21 and Judges 5:1-31) and let the words ‘wash’ over you without trying to figure them out; feel the feeling; let them move you. What is the Lord trying to awaken in your spirit?  Let’s experiment with not becoming an expert, but a lover! The Lord God; the Holy One of Israel, put these songs in for a reason…let’s take some time to ‘drink it in’…kind of a heavenly interlude. Let’s slow down and not be in a hurry and spend some time here.  The atmosphere around us may change, even if we don’t come to any great understanding of the verses.  Wouldn’t it be amazing if God cared about that, as much as extracting theology from these events and songs?…enjoy!  by john e

Ps. May we be delivered from Greek thinking that treats the word intellectually and thus theologically, rather than God literally seen and encountered in His Living Word…

Bo/come!

Exodus 10:1-13:16

Jeremiah 46:13-28

Sometimes when I read the torah portion and the haftorah, I struggle to see the ‘connection’ between the two. I realize these were done through the human ‘agency’ and not officially ordained of God, but He must have inspired them to be able to make these connections. I have to ‘put down’ my Greek thinking at times to see how they fit together; sometimes it’s obvious, but also mostly subtle with a ‘heart’ connection or underlying spirit of what is going on in the torah portion.

Today we find ourselves in a time years after leaving Egypt and yet, here is Egypt in the lives and thoughts of the Children of Israel…you would think that when the Lord God Almighty judged the gods of Egypt in Exodus, the people would have taken the ‘opportunity’ to turn to the real God; the One that is the Father of the Children of Israel. (A good lesson here is that when the Lord delivers us personally from any of the false gods or destructive issues in our lives; that we turn fully to Him, and not return to that behavior or ‘influence’)

Jeremiah is having a ‘conversation’ about judgement upon Egypt and a warning to Israel, not to be caught up with what is coming, as he again judges the gods of Egypt. It’s interesting how He uses other ungodly nations to judge ungodly nations…He is so efficient! So, though Israel deserves at least some of the ‘overflow’ of this judgement upon the gods of Egypt; He provides a way out with a promise of the future.

Today if we find ourselves, where we maybe shouldn’t be, or the recipient of circumstances connected to some bad choices (remember, Lot “pitched his tent toward Sodom; he didn’t move directly there; some of our ‘fall’ happens gradually); let’s turn to this loving God we serve and expect; not just what we think we may ‘deserve’, but let’s look to His promises upon our lives and what He has saved us for. It’s for the “joy that was set before Him”…there is a coming wedding with the Jewish Man Messiah Jesus and His beautiful bride (Jew and Gentile), made beautiful by the shed blood of our Bridegroom God. Be blessed today and spend some time rejoicing in your salvation! by john eisner

Ps. I had a ‘picture’ in my mind the other day, of creation standing before the Holy One of Israel (Blessed be His Name for evermore)…you could sense that uneasy feely among most…”do I measure up?”; “Was my confession of the Lord Jesus, enough; was it real?”; “Was I just luke warm?”; “Is the blood really enough?”; “Was that last sin enough to disqualify me?”…you know the drill! Fill in your own blanks. We were standing there side by side; all of creation, as He walked about handing out salvation…! Now I don’t mean to drift into false grace and all that; but let us plan to stand before the Lord of Glory with confidence in Him and His love for His creation; knowing judgement involves His salvation also…je

Va’eira/and I appeared

Exodus 6:2-9:34

Ezekiel 28:25-29:21

This may not be too ‘touchy feely’; but if you spend some time with the implications of this, it could change the way or your motivation for praying for Israel and the Jewish people. It may also change the way you view history and the news. The ‘underlying’ scripture I want to use is:

Exodus 6 2 And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty,… 4 I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. 6 Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord;…7 I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God…

So, to begin with I did a little strategic editing to make emphasis easier to see. Even in dealing with Egypt; the word of the Lord shows the foundation of His actions is based in covenant with His people, Israel. This is more than theology or truth; this is the impetus for the Lord of All Glory interacting with heaven and earth! If you can ‘get this’; it can give you peace and confidence about your future and God’s faithfulness in all things. If He is faithful to His covenant to the Jewish people, by extension through Jesus; He is faithful to His beautiful bride (Jew and Gentile), the Body of Christ! Besides this affecting us personally; it affects all of creation, past, present and future. (I want to include a ‘free, bonus thought’ here: He wants to bring “shalom” to us and His creation. I want to add the “pictogram” for this word instead of the normal definition: “destroy the authority attached to chaos”. Spend some time with that and it should give you revelation of God’s version of peace.)

Now let’s jump ahead to part of the haftorah in Ezekiel:

29:9 And the land of Egypt shall become desolate and waste; then they will know that I am the Lord, because he said, ‘The River is mine, and I have made it.’ 10 I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, 11 Neither foot of man shall pass through it nor foot of beast pass through it, and it shall be uninhabited forty years. 13 ‘Yet, thus says the Lord God: “At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians…

So here is the Mighty One of Israel ‘messing’ with Egypt’s ‘history’ because of their dealings with His firstborn; Israel! Now let’s peek at another nation, Babylon:

29:17 And it came to pass in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon… 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he shall take away her wealth, carry off her spoil, and remove her pillage; and that will be the wages for his army. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor, because they worked for Me,’ says the Lord God.

So, in dealing with Egypt, He rewards the nation He uses to ‘punish’ them, even though they aren’t a ‘Godly’ nation; but He does it in the name of His covenant with the Jewish people…! My dear fellow believer, do you think God’s ways have changed? Look around you and consider that the rise and fall of nations may be in a context that the news isn’t reporting… What if the Lord God Almighty has plans for all the nations based on a ‘mysterious’, holy combination of how they respond to Israel, and how the Jewish people walk before Him? I know this should take books to explore, but for now let’s just ask the Lord to begin to give us insight and understanding, as we ‘stand’ before Him and cry out for His chosen people. (Forgive me for not even beginning to do justice to the implications for us of all this) Remember, Israel was meant to be a “light to the nations (Gentiles)”; so that should also motivate us to pray for her, when we consider the chaos that is all around us!

by john e

If you’re looking for a great resource to help you fellowship with Jesus in the context of His relationship in the context of Jew and Gentile…I would invite you to consider reading my book found on Amazon: the Book of Ephesians…a love story to the Gentiles by john eisner