The Church of the Firstborn…

firstbornFirst born sons belong to God in a special way. In Numbers 3, we read how Hebrew parents had to pay redemption money to the priest of the temple to ‘redeem’ their son to be their own son.

Consider what this meant for the people of Egypt when the judgment of God fell on Pharoah (Exodus 10:1 – 13:6). By way of contrast, consider what it will mean for the church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12:23) when His judgment falls on Pharoah’s counterpart in the days that lie ahead.

Wouldn’t you rather be judged / disciplined / redeemed by God than condemned along with the world? Selah!

FROM PENTECOST TO TABERNACLES IN JERUSALEM

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Have the Times of the Gentiles been fulfilled? When the Church was born – at Pentecost – it was commissioned to be the witnesses of the Jewish Messiah in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria to the ends of the earth ie Australia and New Zealand. Now that the Jewish people are back in the Land of Israel, the way is open for a remnant of them to be gathered together with a remnant of Gentile people under the sovereignty of God. Could it be that this “root of Jesse” is a banner for the peoples of the world today; proclaiming God’s faithfulness to His promise that, when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25).

On the other hand, the Temple Mount is still being trampled on by other people groups. The holiest site for Judaism is still dominated by the third holiest site of Islam!

Given the above – whilst we cannot say for certain that this condition of the Lord’s second coming has been met – the hope of God’s people that “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25) is sure and certain. At the end of the day, the natural branches will be grafted into their own olive tree – in fulfillment of Tabernacles. The Jewish people who look to the Torah for their salvation will realise that Yeshua is the living Torah. If the Lord could not be trusted to deliver on this promise, how could He be trusted for those of us who were grafted into the true tree? See <www.cmj.org.au> to find out how you can be with Jesus at Sukkot next year…

Ten Days of Testing ahead

The entire month of Elul is a time set aside each year to prepare for the Yamin Nora'im (Days of Awe). During this time, we make an additional effort to repent. The Lord's forgiveness of the sin of the Golden Calf is commemorated during these 40 days.

Don’t be deceived by the sweetness of Rosh Hashanah; it ushers in 10 days of spiritual testing. The blast of shofar associated with this appointed time calls us to a period of self-examination known as the Days of Awe n preparation for the holiest day of the Hebrew year – Yom Kippur. “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”(Heb.12:11) This is how it is with the high & holy days of the Lord. We look beyond the 30 days +10 to the joy of Sukkot – especially Simchat Torah!

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