Shalom Family and Friends!
We are in the month of December, the season of holiday celebrations all over the world.
Jewish people everywhere are celebrating Chanukah, the Festival of Lights or Feast of Dedication. Chanukah celebrates the victory God gave to Israel through a small remnant of faithful Jews called the Maccabees. They took back the Temple from the Seleucid Greeks who tried to destroy the Jewish people and their faith in the God of Israel. In the rubble, one jar of holy oil was found to burn in the Menorah which naturally should have only lasted for one day. God supernaturally caused the oil to last for eight days, a wonderful miracle that is also a message to God’s people; the number eight symbolizes new life and new beginnings. The Temple was being resurrected as was the Jewish nation – God saved Israel from total annihilation once again. He is a Mighty Savior!
For Christians, Christmas is an international holiday that honors and celebrates the Birth of Yeshua-Jesus, the Messiah and Savior of the world. Much of the celebration is hallmarked by the jovial character Santa Claus along with cozy scenes of winter wonderland and the North Pole. Every year the holiday brings families together from all over the world and inspires people to give more in every way.
What do the two holidays have in common? More than you think!
Both celebrations give glory and honor to YHVH, the God of Israel.
YHVH is El Shaddai, Adonai Elohim, the Most High God who created the heavens and the earth and made mankind in His image. In the book of Genesis we learn a great deal about the lineage of man and the nations of the world being established. After thousands of years of the earth being populated, The LORD chooses Abraham to reveal Himself as Almighty God and appoints him as the Father of many nations through which the whole world will be blessed. In one deliberate encounter, God establishes a covenant with Abraham with a sacrifice, thus securing His promise to give Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan for their inheritance.
“When the sun was about to set and a deep sleep fell on Abram, behold, terror of great darkness was falling upon him! Then He said to Abram, “Know for certain that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years. But I am going to judge the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will go out with many possessions. But you, you will come to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age. Then in the fourth generation they will return here—for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” Genesis 15:12-16
Three generations pass between Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ending with Joseph, Jacob’s 11th son, miraculously becoming second in command over Egypt in just one day after many years of enslavement and imprisonment. Through his relationship with The LORD and God’s strategy to put Joseph in the right place at the right time, Israel is saved from famine and given the beautiful land of Goshen to occupy. Upon Joseph’s death, a new Pharaoh arises and as the prophecy decrees, enslaves the Hebrew people. We see God’s goodness throughout this time as He increases the people in number and strength and preserves us throughout the 400 years of harsh labor. Moses was born, a son given to Israel yet raised up in the house of Pharaoh to be prepared for his destiny as a deliverer for the Jewish people. Providence!
Whenever I read through Exodus and our time in Egypt, I imagine how my ancestors must have retold the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to their children in every generation, keeping hope alive while we awaited the day of our salvation from Pharoah in Egypt. A young Jewish woman with her oil lamp lit in the window, waiting for the savior of Israel to come. She recounts the words spoken by God to Abraham of his seed. “I will make a great nation out of you..“
Exactly 430 years after the first day of enslavement, the day came that God saved Israel with extraordinary miracles resulting in the entire Egyptian army being drowned in the sea while Israel walked through on dry land. Israel was led through the wilderness back to Canaan by Moses and encompassed about by the Ruach HaKodesh; the Holy Spirit! During this time, God gave us His Torah, teaching us how to live peaceably with each other, how to treat strangers and how to establish government. Moses also spoke many prophecies regarding Israel’s destiny, promising us that there would be a Prophet greater than him that God would raise up from among our brothers. We were told that whomever did not listen to him would be called to account by God.
This is a Messianic prophecy; who could ever be greater than Moses for the Jewish people?
After 40 years of trials we entered the promised land and so began the story of Israel and our battle to stay true to the God of Israel ever since. Though we continually strayed and disobeyed, God has given the tiny nation of Israel victory over our enemies on every side; no matter how large their armies or intimidating the foe, Gods hand is upon the Jewish people preserving us, sovereignly working. He is a Mighty Savior!
Throughout Israel’s history, there are many prophecies about the Messiah who would come from the line of King David and gather Israel together again from the nations. He would rule with an iron rod and beyond ruling Israel, he would rule the nations and bring peace to the entire world. How awesome….
Who could fulfill such a marvelous task?
Just like the prophecy of our time in Egypt was fulfilled, so too has the prophecy of Messiah come to pass. Like Moses, God sent Yeshua to us as a Son. The greater miracle is that this child was conceived not of natural descent but by the Ruach HaKodesh; the same Spirit of God that hovered over the waters the first day of creation. The same Spirit that hemmed in the children of Israel in front and behind while we traversed through the desert. Just as scripture continually asks…..”Is there anything too hard for The LORD?”
The birth of Yeshua fulfills another Messianic prophecy given to us by the Prophet Isaiah, who served Israel through four Kings:
“For to us a child is born,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be upon His shoulder.
His Name will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God
My Father of Eternity,
Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government
and shalom there will be no end
On the throne of David and over His kingdom—
to establish it and uphold it
through justice and righteousness
from now until forevermore.
The zeal of Adonai-Tzva’ot
will accomplish this” – Isa 9:5-7 TLV
Yeshua was born to Jewish parents Yoseph and Miriam, proven descendants of King David. Just as God breathed the breath of life into Adam’s nostrils on the 6th day of creation, He also breathed the breath of life into Miriam’s womb, thus fulfilling another Messianic prophecy of Isaiah:
“Therefore Adonai Himself will give you a sign:
Behold, the virgin will conceive.
When she is giving birth to a son,
she will call his name Immanuel (God With Us).” Isaiah 7:14-15
The greatest miracle has been given to us, Yeshua the greater Prophet, fully man and fully God, has come to dwell among us and live in the hearts of whomever will believe in Him. He is Immanuel, God with us!
Many Jewish people have objected to this simply because we are not familiar with the prophecies. We are still waiting for another Jewish Messiah, a man who will rule over Israel as King, bring peace and resurrect the dead to eternal salvation in the kingdom of God.
What kind of man could do that?
Only Immanuel, God with us. Fully man and fully God;
“Yeshua!”
Just like the Ruach followed the children of Israel in the wilderness, those who believe in Yeshua receive the same Spirit of God in their hearts. God walks with us, He talks to us, He leads us and guides us in our daily lives to our destinies by the power of His Spirit in us, thus fulfilling a promise made to Israel made long ago:
“And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel 36:27
We have God our Father (YHVH), God the Son (Yeshua) and God the Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). Three in One, Shema Israel! Just as He can be in Heaven and send His Spirit to guide us through the desert in Israel, so can He send His Spirit to live in us.
Immanuel, God with us. Let every tribe and tongue come worship Him, let all the people learn His ways! Let us celebrate the birth of the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world, ask Him into your heart today and all of Heaven will rejoice as you enter the Kingdom of God. He is our Mighty Savior! Yeshua! Immanuel!
SHEMA ISRAEL 