Shabbat - December 25 2004

Shabbat - December 25, 2004

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LIGHT WARS

At this time every year, much of the world embarks on a roller coaster of holiday joy. Or confusion? especially in America “the reason for the season” is all but plain. Today we live in culture of instant satisfaction, where joy and blessing is measured by the ticket price of a “gift” or the sheer quantity of “stuff” that we can fit under a tree or a menorah.

We live in a “Judeo-Christian” culture that in many ways has lost the ability to “express exactly what we are trying to express”. Does that make any sense? Oh what has been lost from generations taking ha-Shem out of the “reason for the season”. Jews and Gentiles in and out of the body have strayed from God's word, creating an atmosphere of wall building, distrust and intolerance on where they stand on Chanukah and Christmas. Many Jews and Gentiles in their hearts have drawn a line of rejection or acceptance on how these holidays should be accepted and embraced, OR NOT. We will not have the definitive word on this till Messiah returns!

What I want to share today is the connection the Lord has shared with me regarding what I call the season of light . I think we all would agree that the theme of this season whether we embrace Chanukah or Christmas or maybe both, that the real story is the light of God. So we face not only Good Vs Evil, but Good Vs Good. In a galaxy very close and near (ours), in a time not so far away (5,765 years ago) . Ha-Shem created our favorite hero story, LIGHT WARS the trilogy of truth (imagine the opening music from star wars to set the tone).

The trilogy format ( Hey, it worked for Spielberg!) , used by Star Wars, is a guide to frame “LIGHT WARS” , a glimpse of the world's struggles, the heavenlies and powers and principalities battle over God himself, Messiah and the Light of God (the Spirit of God), which shines through in us and in the events of this world Amen? Just as events in the Star War's trilogy represented events bigger than the characters or places, so this world seen through the word, deed and manifestation of God is bigger than people or places past, present or future, for the events of this world are all shaped by God, an intimate player in our world from the beginning and to its fulfillment. And the ultimate purpose of all these events? That Gods Glory is revealed, and that the Light of God is released into the world!

Let's begin by reviewing some of the early Episodes:

Part one Episode I: In the beginning: We have Good

The Spirit of God hovers over the earth
The word of God is spoken into existence
Genesis 1:3 We have light and the light was good” a distinction between light and darkness
The creation of the order of the world, God spoke into existence
Adam, Eve, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And Joseph

And we have Evil

Satan
The Fall
Cain

Part one Episode 2: Moses Strikes Back

The emergence of God's covenant people, through the Exodus
Exodus (Sh'mot) 3:2 “The Angel of Adonai appeared to Him in the fire blazing from the middle of the bush,” God reveals himself to Moses
Ha-Shem reveals his name; “ I am ”, Exodus 3:14 , Yud Heh, Vav, Heh
Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light;
And the Lord shared His spirit, His light with the 70 elders, and they prophesied in the camp Numbers 11:25
Numbers 27:11 And Moses laid his hands of Joshua in whom Gods light and spirit dwelled
More miracles than we can count
Joshua and Caleb, the land of Canaan
Torah is given

And we have

Pharaoh and Egypt , and their false gods
The People of God rebel in the Dessert, the Golden Calf
40 years of wandering
Pagan nations in Canaan
Balaam

Part one Episode 3: Early Warning Babylon I

Words of wisdom, and words of warning
Great, judges, prophets and kings, and not so great
We find judgment and mercies for Israel
We see those committed to God and we see those that spurn God
We have Saul, and Jonathan and David, we have King Shlomo, and Goliath
There are many events where the Ruach, the spirit touches or comes upon those that God chooses to serve him

The Lord has encouraged me through prayer and study to focus on Part 2 episodes IV and V of the trilogy. We are looking at events leading up to this season we struggle with, the Holiday season, Christmas and Chanukah, a season of light, a season of struggle, a season of freedom, ( a season of God?)

Neither Xmas (the birth of Messiah) nor Chanukah is mentioned in scripture. But there are prophetic words for both found in the Bible. A promise of a Messiah in Genesis, the seed of women Genesis ( 3:15 ) will crush the head of the serpent, and in Isaiah of a virgin birth. Daniel (chapter 8 and 11) are chock full of prophecy pointing directly to the events of Chanukah.

The angel Gabriel appears to Daniel in 8:13-14 “Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking
“How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?” And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”
Daniel 8:16 After 2300 evenings and mornings then the sanctuary will be properly restored. After the sacrifices are taken away they were restored.
Daniel 8:12-14 Has its partial fulfillment in the time of the Maccabees.
Daniel's prophecy is a picture of what will also happen in the last days. Revelation 13:15 with the image of the beast being worshipped and Matthew 24:15 : “Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place.”
This prediction is totally fulfilled in the end times but was partially fulfilled in the time of the Maccabees as prophecy sometimes has repetitive patterns.

And what does the Hebrew Testament predict for Messiah?

Numbers 24:17 : “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel .”
The word would be made flesh: Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.
Isaiah 60:1-3 : “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
Isaiah 7:14 : “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name, Emanuel, God with us. Even the rabbis who translated the Septuagint (Greek trans) taught this was to be a sign to the nation Israel . The miracle was not the birth but the conception .
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Psalm 132:11 The LORD swore an oath to David, "One of your own descendants I will place on your throne
The prophet Micah wrote that He was destined to be born in Beth-Lechem ( Bethlehem ) — the House of Bread (Micah 5:2).

And how does Messiah come into this world?

Having no human Father the Messiah was to be the high priest and our mediator; He had to be taken from among the human race.
If he was born of both a human Father and mother there could be no authentic claim to be deity.
On the other hand if he had come with no relation to human parentage then he could not claim to be an authentic human
The Holy Spirit protected His sinlessness as God the Son entered the womb of Mary. Taking upon Himself a human nature in addition to his divine nature he already had. Yeshua was the real son of Mary, being the son of man and he is the real son of the Father, the son of God from eternity. The mystery is eternity becoming subject to time, deity united with humanity a supernatural union.”

Philippians 2:5ff explains the mystery of the incarnation

“Who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant , and was made in the likeness of men.
Yeshua did not exchange his deity for humanity but he took on an additional form of nature, one of humanity. So it wasn't subtraction but an addition.
He came as a servant submitting himself to the Fathers will which he fulfilled perfectly. Not acting independently with the use of his supreme power, but relinquished his control, taking on a subservient role as both a man and God.
He became human to save sinful humanity. We are purchased by one that is sinless, this is reason for the virgin birth, that God would bypass the normal means to create a man without the nature of sin.

Now to the heart of what I believe the Lord desired I share today.

Part 2 Episode IV and V The Dedication, Return of the Light

For approximately 200 years, Israel had not heard from God. Many failed leaders and broken promises by the chosen people, what could have been, what should have been. Israel had come out of bondage, 70 years in exile. In the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, the Temple was rebuilt; it took over 100 years of toil and trouble. It didn't take long for it to fall on hard times again.

Around 200 BCE Jews lived as an autonomous people in Israel controlled by the Seleucid King of Syria . The Jews paid taxes to Syria and accepted its legal authority, and by and large were free to follow their own faith
198 BCE : Armies of the King Antiochus III (Antiochus the Great) oust Ptolemy V (Egyptian) from Judea and Samaria.
By 180 BCE Antiochus IV Epiphanes ascended the throne. Under his reign Jews were forced to violate their faith; forced to give up the Sabbath, circumcision, studying Torah and forced to eat un Kosher foods, specifically eating pigs!
The Temple looted, Jews were massacred, and Judaism was effectively outlawed.
In 167 BCE Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple.
After ransacking the temple Antiochus took a pig and sacrificed it on the altar in defiance of the Hebrew's God
Jews were forced to worhip Greek gods
Mattathias, a Jewish priest , and his five sons John, Simon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah (the Maccabee) led a rebellion against Antiochus.
166 BCE Mattathias had died, and Judah took his place as leader.
The Maccabees led a few thousand Jews to fight in the hills and defeat 40,000 Syrians
By 165 BCE the Jewish revolt was successful. The Temple was liberated and rededicated
The stones of the altar were sanctified, so they could not be used for the altar again and they couldn't be thrown away. So according to history they stacked them in the corner of Solomon's' temple and build a new altar. The Rabbis said when the Messiah comes he will tell us what to do with these stones of the altar.
It is quite possible, that without the actions of the Maccabee's, Judaism would have been assimilated into Greek culture completely and Messiah would not have been born, just think of the ramifications for the world.

But when and by whom was Chanukah Established?

The first Chanukah was celebrated a year after the victory. Judah Maccabee and the Sanhedrin established Chanukah. The Sanhedrin is the highest Jewish court, its judges were the most respected and most observant Rabbis of the time. They proclaimed it be celebrated every year. ( 1 Macc. iv. 59 )

The Sages of the Sanhedrin instituted that on Chanukah we thank G-d with praises, joy, and Torah study, and that we light the Menorah each night . T he Menorah gives light, and light is a euphemism for the Ruach, and the Menorah represents God.

None of the historical books written in the inter-testamental period mention the miracle of lights for 8 days. The historical books that speak of the Maccabean revolt such as I and 2 Maccabees - make no mention of any such miracle. The story of the miracles Originates with the Talmud. Is it is merely tradition? Or is it fact that is recorded in rabbinic writings.

And what of Yeshua and Hanukah? Yeshua observes the feast, showing that it is legitimate (John 10:22 ), and that is good enough for me! But now we must ask the question, why 8 days? is it the oil, or is there more? This episode is “Dedication, Return of the Light”, could there be more to the light than just 8 lights a burnin?

Many historians and biblical scholars believe that the reason for the eight day celebration was that the first Chanukah was in effect a belated celebration of the festival of Sukkot , the Feast of Tabernacles ( Macc. x. 6 ). During the war Jews were not able to celebrate Sukkot properly. Sukkot lasts eight days, and was a holiday in which the lighting of lamps played a prominent part during the Second Temple period (Suk.v. 2-4). Lights were also kindled in the household, and the popular name of the festival was, according to Josephus ( Jewish Antiquities xii ) is "Festival of Lights" In Hebrew it is known as Hag Haorim.

The Temple was rededicated after the Macabees victory. Three months later than the date commanded by God, Sukkot was celebrated, for it took 3 months to rebuild the Alter that had been desecrated by the Assyrians. But what about the 9 branched Menorah? Known as a Hanukiah, this menorah was to commemorate the miracle that occurred. The rabbi's decided to make this holiday more special so they designed a special menorah in which eight candles plus the 9 th the Shamash candle were represented instead of the usual 7 branch Menorah in the temple. From that came the concept of the eight days of Chanukah , which actuality is shadowing Sukkot. This is why the technical name is not the “Feast of Lights” but, rather, “ the Feast of Dedication”, to mark the rededication of the Jewish Temple Which starts on the 25 th Kislev.

On the first day of Sukkot during temple times, three 75 feet high Menorahs were erected in the Court of the Women. The Court of the Women gave access to all who desired to enter and experience the joy of Sukkot. In fact, it is noted in the Talmud (Sukkot 51a-b), “that one has never experienced joy unless they were at this ceremony.”

The light from these Menorahs “lit all the courtyards of Jerusalem !” The wicks were made from the priests' old garments. At the base of the candles, “Men of piety and good deeds would dance before them with lighted torches in their hands, singing songs and praises. Levites without number with harps, lyres, cymbals trumpets and other musical instruments were there upon the fifteen steps leading down from the Court of the Gentiles to the Court of the Women.”

The prophet Zechariah forever identified this feast with the kingdom reign of the Lord. Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem (at Armageddon) will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths (Zech. 14:16)
The Temple Cohanim believed the Menorahs symbolized the kingdom light that Isaiah and Zechariah predicted, "No longer will you have the sun for light by day, Nor for brightness will the moon give you light; But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And your God for your glory.” Your sun will no longer set, Nor will your moon wane; For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And the days of your mourning will be over (Isaiah. 60:19-20).
In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light (Zechariah. 14:6-7).

The end if this Episode had great promise but ended with great disappointment for Israel, setting the stage for Episode V

142 BCE : Establishment of the Second Jewish Commonwealth. The Seleucids recognize Jewish autonomy, the Hasmoneans (House of Macabees) acknowledged . A period of great geographical expansion, population growth, and religious, cultural and social development blossomed.
139 BCE : The Roman Senate recognizes Jewish autonomy.
131 BCE : Antiochus VII dies. Israel throws off Syrian rule completely
96 BCE : An eight year civil war begins.
. 63 BCE : The Jewish Hasmonean Dynasty comes to an end due to rivalry between the brothers Aristobulus II and Hyrcanus II, both of whom appeal to Rome to intervene and settle the power struggle. Rome takes control of the whole nation. Twelve thousand Jews are massacred as Romans enter Jerusalem. The Priests of the Temple are struck down at the Altar. Rome annexes Judea.

Part 2 Episode V Brit Milah-The Birth of the King

So now we come to arguably the most important event in human history. Almost everyone in this world who has come or gone in the past 2000 years has been on either one side or another. Yeshua is Messiah, born fully man and God, or it is a great big lie.

Ha-Satan has worked overtime on this one; it is the classic battle of Good and Evil. The enemy has been working overtime since the fall to keep Messiah, the Savior of the world from succeeding, Satan failed to stop the conception or the birth, and he has been kicking himself ever since!

The enemy has been successful dividing people, not only by those that embrace Messiah Yeshua, but those that have been blinded to the truth of the birth of God's only son. The focus of Episode V is on some of the things that have left many in the body of believers divided by a wall within the Body of Messiah (Jew and Gentile). One of the areas that have been used is the Birth of Messiah.

SO WHEN WAS YESHUA BORN?

The Bible does not reveal the day, month or year of Yeshua's birth. It has become tradition through the Christian Body that Messiah's birth was on December 25 th (based on the Roman Calendar the Roman Emperor Constantine embraced), but that is problematic.

The Jewish Calendar is not fixed like the Julian Calendar that we get December 25 th from. All Jewish festivals and appointed times are based on a Lunar cycle.

Historians today agree that, when Dionysius Exiguus, in the sixth century calculated the year of Messiah's birth, he miscounted 4 to 6 years later than the actual date. Since it can be proven that Herod died in the year 4 B.C. of our present calendar, and since Yeshua was born before Herod died, Yeshua must have been born between 6 - 4 B.C.E.

This is not only based on historical records, but based on Daniel's prophecies concerning the Messiah. But since the Holy Spirit did not reveal the day, month or year of Yeshua's birth, then the actual or traditional date should not be a wall builder to fellowship or celebration in varying traditions. Let ALL celebrate as called by God in context of their individual or corporate callings. The great significance (and unifier), should be Yeshua the Machiach was born. In Luke 2:11-14 The angel said, ". . . This very day in the town of David , there was born for you a Deliverer who is the Messiah, the Lord. Here is how you will know: you will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a feeding trough. Suddenly, along with the angel was a vast army from heaven praising God: “In the highest heaven, glory to God! And on earth, peace among people of Good will!”

THE CASE FOR MESSIAH BEING BORN ON SUKKOT

Historical records and the prophesies of Daniel and others make a very strong case for Yeshua being born during the Festival of Sukkot. In the cycle of feasts we, as many Messianic Believers believe that Yeshua will return on Yom Teruah, judge on Yom Kippur and gather His people and the nations on Sukkot. Isn't it just like Abba Father to set Sukkot as the time Yeshua will come, the Season of our Joy, and ingather the faithful.

In Luke 1:9-10, we see that Zacharias the priest is burning incense. This is done in the room of the temple known as the Holy Place . Incense represents the prayers of God's people {Psalm 41:2; Revelation 8:3-4) In Luke 1:11 -13, the angel appeared on the right side of the altar and told Zacharias that his prayer was heard (praying for a child). The person who was to be born in the answered prayers was John ( Yochanan ) the Immerser (Baptist).

Allowing two weeks for the laws of separation that G-d commanded in Leviticus

(12:5; 15:19 , 24-25) and then going forward nine months puts the birth of John ( Yochanan ) during the festival of Passover ( Pesach ).

During the sixth month of Elisabeth's ( Elisheva ) pregnancy, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary ( Miryam ) (Luke 1:26 )
This would have been around the twenty-fifth of Kislev, Chanukah .
During the time of the 1st century, Chanukah was known as the 2nd Sukkot .
18 special prayers are prayed. These 18 special prayers would be prayed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. (Amidah)
During the time of Chanukah , all of the Sukkot prayers are prayed once again.
Mary's dialogue with the angel Gabriel is found in the Sukkot liturgy today.
Due to weather, it's likely that the shepherds would not be in the fields in December at night, watching their flocks (to cold for lambs) (Luke 2: 1-8).
If you calculate from the twenty-fifth of Kislev. and add eight days for the festival of Chanukah plus nine months for Mary's pregnancy…
This would be around the time of the festival of Sukkot , or the 15 th Tishrei
If this is true, on Tishrei 22, known as Shemini Atzeret or the eighth day, Yeshua was circumcised (Luke 2:22 -23)!

Other Evidences of Yeshua's Birth During Sukkot

Sukkot is called " the season of our joy " and " the feast of the nations ."
With this in mind, in Luke 2:10 it is written, "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings
(Basar in Hebrew); otherwise known as the gospel of great joy
The terminology the angel used to announce the birth of Yeshua were themes and messages associated with the Feast of Sukkot
In Luke 2:12, the babe ( Yeshua ) was wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger (feeding trough CJB)
The swaddling cloths were also used as wicks to light the 16 vats of oil within the court of the women during the festival of Sukkot . So, swaddling cloths are associated with the festival of Sukkot .
During the Feast of Sukkot G-d required that all male Jews come to Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16 ). For this reason, the city would be overcrowded and would explain why Miryam and Yosef could not find lodging in Jerusalem
With no rooms available anywhere close to Jerusalem , Bethlehem is only about four miles from Jerusalem , during Sukkot there would be S ukkahs everywhere. Jews journeyed from all over the world to celebrate the feast in Jerusalem . If you happened to have come from that region, it was also a convenient time to register for the tax census (Luke 2:1-6).
In Matthew 2:1. The wise men come from the East to visit Yeshua . the East is Babylon , where the largest Jewish population was at the birth of Yeshua .
Babylon is referred to as the land of the East in Genesis 29:1 and Judges 6:3
The wise men in Matthew 2:1 were rabbis, also called sages , are known in Hebrew as chakamim , which means wise men.
In Matthew 2:1 The Greek is magos , which is translated into English as "Magi."
Magos in Greek, is the Hebrew word ravmag . Ravmag comes from the Hebrew word rav , which means "rabbi
The S ukkah, built with an opening in the roof, aided people in seeing the stars in heaven. This is another reason for why the rabbis would be looking for, and thus seeing, the star in the sky when it appeared. this insinuates they were in anticipation of a sign and miracle in the heavens.
There is a prophecy in Numbers 24:17, "... a star shall come forth from Jacob ..."

Yeshua himself framed His ministry and Who he is in the context of Sukkot.

In John 8:12 : While in the temple ( Beit HaMikdash ), In the brilliance of the gloriously lit temple, Yeshua cried “He was the light of the world .", this was done in the temple during the festival of Sukkot.

Yeshua knew his life, death and resurrection would kick start God's final Glorification. Because the King of Jerusalem, the Prince of Peace, will reign in Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-4; 52:9-10; 62:7-8, Micah 4:1-3; Psalm 02:18-21; 125:1-2; 137:5-6). The day is coming when a restored and renewed Israel will once again be a light to the nations, for the destiny of Israel is linked to the destiny of the world!

And Yeshua saw himself in Chanukah

Chanukah falls in the winter month of December. Yeshua went to the temple in Jerusalem , and here Yeshua participates in a feast that is not in scripture. On this occasion, the people remembered some statements that He had made three months earlier (John 8.12, 9.5). It is her that He claimed to be the light of the world. The passage in John 10:22-39) where Chanukah occurs records much greater miracles:

It is here that Yeshua made three spectacular declarations.
First, He asserts His oneness with the Father
Second, He declares His Son ship with the Father .
And, third, He affirms His deity
In verse 22, the feast of the dedication is the Feast of Chanukah. This verse is preceded by a passage (John 7:1-10) that deals with events in the life of Yeshua during, the Feast of Tabernacles, a real run of Sukkot and Chanukah
The events of Chanukah in Messiah's time also originated from the Feast of Tabernacles.

Yeshua claims “who” he is, but really it is the feast of miracle's which is its real emphasis of John.10:22-24. Yeshua again was challenged to who He said he was. In John 10:25 Yeshua answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.” He attributes all the miracles to himself. This is to have the people to come to Him and not follow his miracles, the miracles authenticated his person. But the people wanted the show, not the person nor his message. Their reaction to Yeshua saying “I and my Father are one”(verses 31-33) … The Jews took up stones to stone Him. Yeshua answered “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” The Jews finally found a use for the stones of the temple that were desecrated by Antiochus, and put aside when the Messiah would come. They decided to throw them at Messiah, for telling them the truth he was God. The stones torn down because of the temple desecration by an abomination , were then used against the Messiah who was the temple made without hands.

Yeshua is the Personal Light of God , for He said, “I am” Messiah is the light of God's glory revealed! He is and no one else!
Yeshua is the Perpetual Light of God , for He said, “I am” Yeshua is the only inexhaustible source of spiritual nourishment.
Yeshua is the Pure Light of God , He is the genuine light by which truth and falsehood can be distinguished.
Yeshua is the Powerful Light of God , He is able to make the difference in every man. Regardless of culture and race, all people need light. He is the light for all people.

John 1:4-11 says : “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came to be a witness, to bear witness of the light, which all through him might believe.) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”

And what do the Rabbi's have to say about Messiah, in the context of Light?

In Talmud (Berachoth 29a) : “let the righteous rejoice in the building of Thy city and the establishment of the temple and in the exalting of the horn of David Thy servant and the preparation of a light for the son of Jesse Thy Messiah.”
“In thy light we see light” What is this light which the congregation of Israel looks for? That is the light of Messiah, as it is said, 'God saw the light and it was good.' –(Peskita Rabbati, 161a- 161b, 162a-162b)

The importance of these Light Wars is the arrival of the Light of God, in Yeshua. The king is in place and the world waits. This is where we leave the story today……. But it is not the end and as with all good sequels, here is a peak at the coming attractions.

Part 2 Episode VI-Shulchan Aruch-the table is set: Yeshua's life

Tevilah (immersion)
Great teachings
Exciting adventures through the Land of Israel
Miracles, including healings and people raised from the dead!
Suspense
Betrayal

PART 3

Episode VII: Olam ha ba-the kingdom comes: Yeshua's Death and Resurrection

False accusations, a rigged trial
Sorrow, despair and denial
A long walk with a heavy cross
Heaven and earth move
The Garden Tomb
Hell and Back

Episode VIII: Satan Strikes Back-it's a mad, mad world: The world yesterday, today and tomorrow

Romans set up pagan images on the temple mount Zeus , and Jupiter
The Crusades
The Muslims dome of the Rock a quote of the Koran says “God has no Son.
The Inquisition
Hitler and the Nazi Final Solution
The 1948 war of Independence , 1967, 1973, the Intifada
Abominations and desolations
II John 1:7 says: he who denies the Father and the son is anti Messiah.
This is what will be done in the by the Anti-Christ as he speaks against God.
Will the same hardness of heart snare future generations?

Episode IX: Revelation-The return of the King: The end game

Signs and wonders
7 seals, 7 Shofars and 7 bowls
4 horseman of the apocalypse
Dragons and Serpents (Devil and Satan)
The whore of Babylon
The Mark of the Beast 666
Terror beyond belief
Armageddon
Judgment
Lake of fire
The King of Kings
The Millennial Reign

Revelation 21:23 and 22:5 speak of the prophecy of Isaiah looking to the eternal period when the Lord is our everlasting light. In Judaism the future is referred to as “the world to come” and “the days of Messiah”. The Temple Menorah represents Messiah will be the Eternal Light (Ner Talmid) for Israel and the world.

2,000 years have passed since God has unwrapped his gift to us. It is about the Love of God, and it is the love that God has for us that is the motivation behind God sending his son, Yeshua. And it is also about truth, the truth that Yeshua is God incarnate. He's given Messiah free but men and women need to open the package. Humanity must open it's heart to ask for the forgiveness freely given, whether it be on Sukkot, Chanukah, Christmas or all three, it is not about giving gifts of this world, they are about God's gift, His Son, no matter what day or year. Light Wars is a real battle , a battle of powers and principalities, bringing confusion and mistrust and hatred to the world and to the body of Messiah. The Enemy wants to divide us, to kill us, but we can find unity in Messiah Yeshua who is the Light of God and is the Light in “Light Wars”.

AMEN

(Imagine the victory music from Star Wars, Hallelujah!)

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