When I was in high school, I played with the church high school hand bell choir. One day our director, Dr. Jim Whitmire, told us we had been invited to play at a local synagogue. I was surprised, to say the least, but Jim said that if we blessed the Jews, God would bless us–it’s a scriptural promise.
So we went and played, and God planted something in my heart that later blossomed into a real, true love for the Jewish people. In that high school choir we also sang some songs by the Liberated Wailing Wall, a group of Messianic Jewish singers. (Here’s a link to one of my favorite songs by that group.)
Over the years, God placed many Christians with a sincere love for Israel in my life. I learned from all of them–Jim Whitmire, Jerry Falwell, John Hagee, Moshe Rosen, just to name a few.
One year I was teaching at a writer’s conference in Philly. I went into a room for the faculty dinner and sat at a table of strangers. One woman began talking about how her pastor believed that the church had replaced Israel in the covenants, and I nearly came out of my chair. (Well, not really.) But I was quick to say that no, God NEVER breaks his covenants, and His covenant with Israel was still in place. He was simply waiting for the “fullness of the Gentiles to come in.” The girl sitting at the end of the table, looked at me, her eyes alight, and agreed with me, and I knew I’d found a kindred spirit. Terri Gillespie has been a fast friend over the years (she’s a writer, too!), and once invited me to attend her messanic synagogue service. I went and loved it! The music! The dancing! The experience felt like a preview of heaven, when we will all gather and worship the Lord together.
This love for Israel has permeated my life and heart through working on my books, and every time I sit down to write one set in the first century or involving the Jews, the Spirit opens my eyes to new truths.
For weeks I have been worshipping online with a local messaniac synagogue, and last week I gathered up the courage to go to the service in person. I was warmly greeted, and though I stumbled over a lot of the Hebrew, I recognized most of the psalms from my online experiences.
Here’s a gem I picked up: During that service, the rabbi mentioned Mark 1:10, where the Bible says that the “heavens ripped open” right after John baptized Yeshus (Jesus) at the beginning of His ministry. Then he mentioned that Josephus tells us the veil around the Holy of Holies in the Temple was decorated with a panorama of the heavens. Now . . . get it? That heaven was ripped open when Jesus died on the cross at the end of His ministry.
I’m not urging you to join a messaniac synagogue unless God calls you to do so, but I would urge you to always remember that Jesus was Jewish–He followed the Torah and the Law, and He loved His Jewish brothers and sisters. We were grafted onto the Jews‘ tree, and they have not and never will be forsaken by God. They have been wounded for our sakes (grafting wounds a tree, does it not?) and we should bless them at every opportunity.
And that’s what’s on my heart and mind today. I’ve just finished revising STAR OF WONDER: AN ILLUMINATING LOOK AT THE PEOPLE, PLACES, AND PURPOSE OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS, and in it I explored several Jewish concepts that should give us much to think about at Christmas. I loved working on that book, and hope you’ll enjoy it when it comes out next fall. Shalom!
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Love your post, Angie! And I share your love for Jewish people and their ancestry and origin—and the unbreakable bond God has with them.
Regarding the curtain being torn in front of the Holy of Holies… Many scholars also reference that it’s tradition for a Jewish father to tear or rend his robe when a child dies—and that God, whose presence dwelled in the Holy of Holies above the Mercy Seat, ripped his “garment,” the curtain, at the moment Jesus died. Our Heavenly Father rending his garment over his Son.
I love that analogy, Tammy! There are so many meanings to Scriptures–it’s rich with meaning and purpose, because God loves metaphors. 🙂 Thanks for sharing that!
Thank you, Angie. I feel the same.
Love it, Lenora!
Angie, I have (or used to have) several albums of The Liberated Wailing Wall. In vinyl, to tell you how long ago that was. Their worship always lifted my spirit. Last year, I bought The Complete Jewish Study Bible. I have loved reading it. Not always easy, and I’m sure I mispronounce many words in my head.
I always have to ask my messaniac friends when I want to pronounce something. Sometimes, though, I can find a word pronounced on youTube. Amazing what you can find there!
I always enjoy the insights you share into scripture, Angela! Thank you. 🙂
Thank YOU!
What a lovely reminder, Angie. And I love the imagery of the tearing of the heavens at the start and the end of Jesus’s ministry. Things like that give me goosebumps.
Me, too! 🙂
I habe Messianic friends and am constantly amazed by the way they can open certain Scriptures to me. I too love The Liberated Sailing Wall.
Bless you for Shari g.
Thank you for your testimony! I wish the Liberated Wailing Wall had more albums available . . . love their music.
I love that you had the courage to speak up about the truth!
“But I was quick to say that no, God NEVER breaks his covenants, and His covenant with Israel was still in place.”
Yesterday in the church service I attended the Pastor was saying this same thing. I’m always amazed when this happens that I hear the same truth from multiple sources around the same time, it’s very affirming. 🙂
I’ve had that happen, too. I’ll have a topic on my mind, and suddenly, I hear associated topics everywhere, sometimes where I least expect to hear them. That’s when I know God is telling me something. 🙂
Wonderful post, Angie—thank you for sharing. I taught my children early on that Jews are God’s chosen people, and we should always support Israel. I’m thankful that my son has a best friend who is Jewish, and we’ve become good friends with the family. Thank you again for sharing this today. Your posts are always so enlightening! 🙂
Thank you, Patti Jo! God bless your family!
Excellent post, Angie – thank you for sharing 🥰