בס”ד

Parashat Beshalach (When he sent) Exodus 13:17-17:16

Haftarah: Judges 4:4-5:31

Judaism teaches that only a minority of the Hebrews actually kept Passover and departed from Egypt with a mixed multitude of Gentiles. This new assembly was called the Children of Israel. What one learns from this is that throughout Israel’s history it has always been a remnant that has received HaShem’s provision and not all of the descendants of Jacob. This will also prove to be the case in the last days. Isaiah writes,

“And it shall be on that day that no longer will the remnant of Israel and the survivor of the House of Jacob continue to rely upon the one who hits him, rather upon HaShem, the Holy One of Israel he will rely in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty G-d.” Isaiah 10:20-21

Likewise, after the 70 years of exile in Babylon, a remnant returned to the Promised Land. Both Jewish and Christian scholars see this return as not only a fulfillment of prophecy, but a necessity for the Messiah to be born in Bethlehem. Hence, if Christianity as a whole saw it prophetically necessary for Messiah’s First Coming that the Children of Jacob return to the Land, why is it becoming increasingly rare within Christianity today to see the modern State of Israel as fulfillment of prophecy and connected to Messiah’s Second Coming?

I realize that most of you who will read this brief article worship in congregations that understand Israel’s prophetic role in the end times. Consider yourselves very blessed to sit under leadership that uses all the Scriptures to establish theological positions. What you may not know is how rare such an understanding concerning Israel is among the breadth of Christianity throughout the world.

In this week’s Torah portion, Pharaoh, having agreed to send Israel forth from bondage into the wilderness to worship HaShem, changed his mind and pursued the Children of Israel to the sea. Israel was boxed in between the wilderness, the mountains and the sea. Their position seemed hopeless against the powerful army of Pharaoh. Yet the miraculous victory only serves to foreshadow Israel’s victory over all the nations of the world that will attempt to destroy the Jewish people in the last days who are living in the Promised Land. Is it not surprising that the very pastors who deny a divine right for the Jewish people to return to the Land of Israel and prefer to call it by the name “Palestine”, fail also to teach about the last days from the Prophets.

It is my opinion that in the same way Judaism has for centuries ignored the testimony of the Prophets, and in doing so missed out on identifying the Messiah as Yeshua, so too will those Christians who ignore Prophecy be unprepared for Messiah’s return and will actually be espousing positions that favor the perspective of the Enemy.

Shabbat Shalom