Eitz Chaim Congregation Sarasota
Messiah ben Yosef
Our chaverim (friends) over at Jews for Judaism wrote the following informative article:
Jews for Judaism | Who is the Moshiach ben Yosef?
While we applaud their efforts to protect Jewish people from predatory “missionary” activity, we believe their conclusions are incorrect and even misguided. First off, while we can’t speak for other groups, the Messianic Jewish Movement (comprised of Jewish people and people from among the nations who follow Messiah Yeshua and practice Messianic Judaism) holds as one of our key tenets that Jewish people who follow Yeshua have a covenantal responsibility to remain Jewish. The last thing the Messiah of Israel would ever do is disconnect his followers from the eternal covenant HASHEM made with Israel, including the (Jewish) People, the Land, and the Torah of Israel.
Did you miss last week's teaching on the Mo'edim (Appointed Times)?
Listen here:
Then there’s the question of Messiah ben Yosef. We see an unmistakable foreshadowing of the life of Messiah Yeshua in the life of Yosef in Genesis chapters 37-50. Yeshua, like Yosef, was beloved of the Father (e.g. Genesis 37:3); rejected by his brothers (Genesis 37:18-28); thrown into a pit, yet soon thereafter raised up from the pit (Genesis 37:24, 28); received by the nations, yet used to serve their political/economic ends (Genesis 37:36, 39:1-18); became a savior to the nations (Genesis 41:38-49); yet remained unrecognizable to his brothers due to being presented as a ruler and savior from another culture, language, and people (Genesis 42:8). Ultimately, Yosef revealed himself to his achim (brothers), saying, “ani Yosef achichem” – “I am Yosef your brother.” (Genesis 45:4).
This revelation is already occurring, as is witnessed by thousands of Messianic Jewish followers of Yeshua today. We believe that one day, kol Yisrael (all Israel) will see Messiah Yeshua and recognize him as the King of kings who will reign from Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), as it is written, “To him was given rulership, glory, and a kingdom, so that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His rulership is an eternal rulership that will not pass away; and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:14).
Imagine the shock that Yosef’s brothers felt when they realized the brother they had rejected became the highest ruler and the savior of the world? How much more when Yeshua returns to deliver Yerushalayim from the attacking nations. In the words of the prophet Z’kharyah, “When that day comes, I [Adonai] will seek to destroy all nations attacking Yerushalayim; and I will pour out on the house of David and on those living in Yerushalayim a spirit of grace and prayer; and they will look to me, whom they pierced.” They will mourn fom him as one mourns for an only son; they will be in bitterness on his behalf like the bitterness of a firstborn son. (Zechariah 12:9-10).
May we not be ashamed at Messiah’s coming; may we see Messiah for who he is and put our trust in him even now so we might rejoice at his return to Yerushalayim.
Come and join us this Shabbat here in Sarasota.
MEETING TIMES
Saturday Service: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Snack Fellowship: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
