TO THE JEW FIRST

THE TEST OF YOUR WITNESS IS SEEN WHEN YOU SHARE "THE HOPE THAT LIES WITHIN" TO A JEW.

The reality is that most believers only share their faith the first few months after conversion.  The more they move away from their "first love" the more their witness cools.  After they have shared with their families and friends their witness wanes. Most gentile believers have never shared their faith with a secular Jewish person, let alone an orthodox Jew.  Of course we know that the only thing Satan hates more than a believer is a Jew and Israel.  But for those few believers who have ventured into modern Jewry to share their faith they have usually recognized the difficulty; especially the more religious the Jew is. 

I was in the Lausanne Council on Jewish Evangelism a number of years ago with Art Katz.  Art was one of the speakers and he addressed them on what he called "apocalyptic evangelism".  It was based on the Holocaust and the prophetic time of "Jacob's Trouble" that is to arise one final time for Jewish people and Israel.  His point was simply (if that could be ever said about Art) "The prophetic apocalyptic Scriptures are the apostolic basis of witness to the Jews."  The first session definitely got everyone's attention and created controversy.  Moesha Rosen responded with, "Well Art has given us another word that none of us really know what to do with, but we will hear from him again."   Round 1 was rather politely dismissed but Art came back in Round 2 and really stirred them up.  It forever changed my life.  Art's word was that the basis of Jewish evangelism in the New Testament time period was the prophetic Scriptures.  Specifically the apocalyptic Scriptures of the coming of the Lord.   I had a revelation in those days that not only wrecked me but confirmed my own conversion to the Lord as it was intrinsically tied into my own warped, un-regenerated eschatological thoughts and philosophy.

Shortly after these meetings (back in the 90s) Janet and I were with dear pastor friends of ours sailing in the British Virgin Islands.  We were at a bar-a kind of pirate bar and restaurant-that was on an old ship floating out in a bay on a remote island.  It was filled with a cross spectrum of the sailing community from around the world.  I ended up in a conversation with a Jewish man who was the head of the philosophy department of New York City College.  He is a brilliant man who had debated Moeshe Rosen (recently deceased former head of Jews for Jesus) and others believers who challenged his faith and philosophy of life.  In his opinion he said to me, "I beat the Christian faith into the ground, even Moeshe was no match for me."  I was thinking, "I am just a dumb, gentile farmer from Illinois what can I ever share with this man who is a philosophical genius?  He needs to talk to Frances Schaffer or Art Katz, yet it is I who am sitting next to him in a bar, on pirate ship in the Caribbean."  I remembered talking with Art about apocalyptic evangelism or prophetic evangelism-evangelism with the unfulfilled prophetic Scriptures-and how they would be like "time bombs" that would go off in the minds of Jews when end time events were unfolding.  As another brother said in an email that I received recently-"It is a form of pre-evangelism that is a time bomb in their minds".

I said to this Jewish philosopher; "Have you ever thought that there might be another holocaust coming to modern Jewry?"  He freaked out!  He grabbed my arm and said, "Why did you say that to me?"  I said, "I believe we are going to see anti-Semitism increase on a global scale that will make Nazi Germany look like a kindergarten class."  He replied, "I have had night mares many nights about that.  Why do you think I own a sailboat?"  I had his attention now.  I shared a little on "Jacob's Trouble" and then asked what his philosophy of life was.  He laid it out.  It was brilliant and almost believable.  I had no idea how to respond to this man at this point and looked to the Spirit for another word of wisdom and knowledge.  I heard myself respond to him;  "I can go along with your philosophy if you can answer one question."   "What is that?" he quipped, thinking he had the answer worked out.  "How do you atone for sin?"  He freaked again!  Grabbed my arm and said, "I can't believe you asked me that question it is the only thing I have yet to work out!"  Of course it opened the door for me to share the good news of how the Messiah came and worked out on a cross. 

Over the next 5 years or so, Janet and I ran into this man on 2 or 3 more occasions in the British Virgin Islands.  He was still the department head of New York City College Philosophy department and was getting closer to retirement.  The first time we saw him he started yelling at me from across the room and said to me.  "Oh no!  It is you! The one that told me that Jacob's Trouble is coming!  I have never been able to shake that conversation we had a few years ago.  I have thought about it every night since then!"    

My point-Jewish evangelism-apocolyptic evangelism-time bombs of prophecy that are coming to past.  On every recurring, chance (God ordained) meetings with this man he said the same thing.  Please pray for him and his wife-Jack and Toby G.  He is retired now and probably living on his boat in the Carribean some place pondering the prophetic Scriptures and an end time holocaust-Jacob's Trouble or he may have been converted!

A close examination of the New Testament will prove, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the early church always used the prophetic Scriptures of Israel, the Kingdom and Messiah as the bedrock of evangelism.  It started with Zacharias, Elizabeth and John the Baptist. 

Luke 1:17  He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,'

The last word of the Lord through Malachi before almost 400 years of silence is the first utterances of the angel Gabriel to Zacharias.  The prophetic witness. We see this continuing on with Mary and the angel and between Mary and Elizabeth, Anna, Simeon, Jesus himself, Peter in Acts 2, Stephen, Paul, on and on through the New Testament.  There is a continuous and constant use of the Old Testament prophetic, apocalyptic Scriptures as the basis of evangelism.  Over 100 times the writers of the New Testament make reference to the Scriptures or the prophets as they quote Old Testament prophecies that were being fulfilled in His first coming. 

Many theologians sight more than 330 prophecies fulfilled in the first coming of the Lord.  There are over 2,500 prophecies regarding His second coming.   That is roughly eight times as many!  Let alone the prophecies concerning Israel and 150 chapters of Scripture speaking on the Day of the Lord.   If the New Testament pattern is preaching the gospel based on the apocalyptic prophecies-and  they had around 330 of them and we have over 2,500 specific prophecies and over 150 chapters-Brethren-what are we doing? 

I would submit to you that the time has come to restore the New Testament Pattern!  You might say, "We don't need the Old Testament because we have the New Testament."  I would say, "We need to use both!" 

Consider Paul and Peter-

Ro 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith - 27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. NKJV

2Pe 1:19-21 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.  NKJV

Prophetic, apocalyptic Scriptures are for all nations not just the Jews and they are a light that shines into a dark place until the morning star rises in the hearts of men.   End time prophecy is not enough to bring salvation but it points to Yeshua. 

Another absolutely critical point is that Jesus is uniquely linked to Jerusalem.  End time prophecy deals with Jerusalem and the coming King who is Messiah.  Jesus himself links himself to Jerusalem in Matt 23 and 24.  He gives Jerusalem as THE key sign to watch for. 

Mt 23:37-39 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord !'" NKJV

Mt 24:15-16  "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 "then let those who are in Judea (Jerusalem) flee to the mountains. NKJV

Da 9:2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord  through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. NKJV   

(Notice that Daniel figured out timing through the (future at that time) prophecies of Jeremiah.)

Da 9:24-27

"Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins,

To make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. 25 "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. 26 "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, 27 and till the end of the war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate."  NKJV

(There are multiple and partial fulfillments of these verses in 3 time periods:  1. When Daniel originally wrote it regarding Ezra, Neahmiah, Haggai and Zecheriah.  2. When Jesus Himself came during the first advent and 3. in His second and final coming to Jerusalem.)

There are over 900 verses that specifically mention Jerusalem.  There is no way you can separate the coming of the Lord and Jerusalem.  They are fundamentally connected. 

With the entire focus of the world being on Jerusalem it behooves us to know these prophetic Scriptures and use them as entrance points of global evangelism to the Jew first and then the gentile.

TO THE JEW FIRST...

There is a principle used by the Apostle Paul (and ignored today) in the book of Romans which is found three times:   "...to the Jew first and also to the Greek." 

Ro 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." NKJV

Ro 2:5-10 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds": 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness - indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;

Rom. 2:10-11 But glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. NKJ

The same verses from the Complete Jewish Bible

Rom 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the Good News, since it is God's powerful means of bringing salvation to everyone who keeps on trusting, to the Jew especially, but equally to the Gentile. 17 For in it is revealed how God makes people righteous in his sight; and from beginning to end it is through trust - as the Tanakh puts it, "But the person who is righteous will live his life by trust.

Rom 2:5-9 But by your stubbornness, by your unrepentant heart, you are storing up anger for yourself on the Day of Anger, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed; 6 for he will pay back each one according to his deeds. 7 To those who seek glory, honor and immortality by perseverance in doing good, he will pay back eternal life. 8 But to those who are self-seeking, who disobey the truth and obey evil, he will pay back wrath and anger. 9 Yes, he will pay back misery and anguish to every human being who does evil, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile. CJB

Rom 2:10  but glory and honor and shalom to everyone who keeps doing what is good, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile.  CJB

I.                   A BIBLICAL PATTERN

A.               To the Jew first and then to the Gentile in 3 areas

B.               In the preaching of the Gospel  Rom. 1:16-17

C.               In judgment  Rom 2:5-9

D.               In glory  Rom 2:10

E.               Because of a lack of understanding the apocolyptic and prophetic Scriptures and replacement theology (for the lack of a better term) this principle has been abandon by most of the church since around 300 C.E.

F.                Today it is vary rarely considered for evangelism

G.              It is never considered for judgment

H.               It is never considered for glory   

II.                GOD IS RESTORING ALL THINGS

Ac 3:19-26 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The Lord  your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.' 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities." NKJV

Ac 3:19-26  "Therefore, repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be erased; 20 so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord's presence; and he may send the Messiah appointed in advance for you, that is, Yeshua. 21 He has to remain in heaven until the time comes for restoring everything, as God said long ago, when he spoke through the holy prophets. 22 For Moshe himself said, 'Adonai will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You are to listen to everything he tells you. 23 Everyone who fails to listen to that prophet will be removed from the people and destroyed. 24 Indeed, all the prophets announced these days, starting with Sh'mu'el and continuing through all who followed. 25 "You are the sons of the prophets; and you are included in the covenant which God made with our fathers when he said to Avraham, 'By your seed will all the families of the earth be blessed.' 26 So it is to you first that God has sent his servant whom he has raised up, so that he might bless you by turning each one of you from your evil ways." CJB

A.               He has to remain in heaven until the time...

B.               There is no "immanent return". There is an appointed time. (chronos Greek)

C.               "The Time" is coming to an end very soon!

D.               "The Time" is determined by the restoration of ALL things

E.               "The Time" is determined by the prophets and prophecies of the Old Testament. 

F.                Clint's translation.  Jesus must stay in heaven until an appointed time that all things are restored that has been spoken by the prophets of old.  In other words we can determine by the Old and New Testament prophecies what has or has not yet been restored and/or fulfilled.

G.              This is the New Testament frame work of sharing the good news or evangelism to the Jew First and then to the Gentile.

There is much to share and discuss on these matters.  I want to exhort you to study the prophetic, end time Scriptures.  Look at the connection of Jesus and Jerusalem.  Look at what is in the news every day.  Use end time events to pre-evangelize. Consider reaching out to Jews and see how well you know the Old Testament Scriptures.  Go to local Synogogues and talk to the Rabbis.  Get reconnected to our root system of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David etc. 

We had a meeting in Taiwan at a secular music venue where we did gospel music and I shared  for 30 minutes on the movie 2012 and the end times based on Scripture.  I gave a response at the end and almost every person raised their hands!