 As the Founder and President of the MIA, with a smile on my face, I want to heartily affirm the "Announcement" that is herewith being made by my wife, Batya.
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Messiah Yeshua said, "What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops" (Matthew 10:27).
With this verse in mind, please pardon me while I climb up on my rooftop and kevetch and complain a little bit.
With all of my heart, I believe that the Holy One of Israel, through Scripture, "whispered" the truth about "both the houses of Israel" and their full restoration in my ear (Isaiah 8:14; Ezekiel 37:15-28). To me, the truth about Israel's redemption is a high and holy truth that should be treated with utmost respect. Therefore, I have something that I would like to shout and maybe even scream about. It is something that bugs me, because it is such a terrible misnomer.
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so I tried to depict our "announcement/complaint" in the attached graphic, which Angus and I dubbed, "Two House - One House Theologies."
If you like it, we wish you would forward it and this article to every friend you have. Please, please, send it around the world!
I ask this because I never liked being called "Two House." I dislike the title because it was made popular by someone who copied our teachings and then added some terrible errors. I would love to be able to escape that negative association. Beyond that, I see an absolute irony in the way the title was picked up and is now often used by people who reject the truth about the restoration of Ephraim and Judah. Every time I hear us being labeled as "Two House," I feel like it is an incorrect, unsuitable name, one that does not describe us - or our ultimate goal - but it instead well describes those who oppose the truth of Scripture that we teach!
An irony is said to be an expression in which the intended meaning of the words is the opposite of their usual sense; an event or result that is the opposite of what is expected. To me, the "Two House" title is incredibly ironic because those who are against what they call the "Two House" teaching, are themselves "Two House" teachers! They are the ones who do not embrace the idea of the "One House" theology that we teach! They instead want to continue with a middle wall of partition that Messiah Yeshua tore down long ago. They do not accept the fact that, in Messiah, "former" non-Jewish Believers are "brought nigh" to His commonwealth of Israel, and "now share citizenship with the saints" (Ephesians 2:11-22). They do not embrace the truth that the Messiah of Israel said, "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd" (John 10:16). These "two house teachers" reject the fact that the God of Israel has sworn that He will make the two sticks of Ephraim and Judah - and their companions - one stick in His hand (Ezekiel 37:19).
In the Garden of Gethsemane our Messiah prayed that we might be "one," even as He and the Father are one. He prayed for His Disciples, and for those who would believe in Him through their Word (meaning, the New Covenant). He said, "I do not ask on behalf of these [Disciples] alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me" (John 17:11, 20-21).
Messiah's last wish was that we might be one! He even declared that this is the very testimony that will convince the world that the Father has sent Him!
Friends, we need to stop opposing, stop focusing on, and stop even thinking of ourselves as being "Two House." We need to instead become "One House."
Yes, it is absolutely true that there were two houses, and to the extent that they have not entered into the New Covenant, those two houses continue to exist - even in our day. For this reason, our critique of the "Two House" title is done "tongue in cheek." We know there are two houses of Israel that have not yet been fully reunited, but "Two House" does not at all represent the stated goal of the New Covenant.
We see that goal when we read of the Father's New Covenant promise, which was given to both Ephraim/Israel and Judah - however - the New Covenant was made with an entrance caveat, a conditional clause, if you will.
In Jeremiah 33:14-15 we read, "'Behold, days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth." The Righteous Branch of David is Messiah Yeshua. He said of Himself, "I am the root and the offspring/branch of David" (Revelation 22:16). He came, lived, and died for us, that He might pay the price for our sins, and thus offer us, a "new and better covenant" (Hebrews 7:19; 9:10; 12:24).
Jeremiah foretold this coming New Covenant: "'Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers...which they broke, although I was a husband to them,' declares the LORD. 'But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,' declares the LORD, 'I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people" (Jeremiah 31:31-33).
Notice that, while the New Covenant promise was given to both Judah and Israel, the Covenant was only made with the "house of Israel" (also see 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 8:8-13; 9:15; 12:24). The message we need to glean from this is that, while the promise was given to two divided houses, the conditional clause is, when we enter into the New Covenant, we are thereafter only to be known as the one, redeemed, reunited and restored, "House of Israel" (Ephesians 2:11-22).
When we founded the "Messianic Israel Alliance," we knew this to be the case. When the twelve tribes come together in Messiah, they do so under the all-encompassing title of "Israel." For, it is written that, Jacob had twelve sons, whom YHVH "named Israel" (2 Kings 17:34). For this reason, we chose our title. And today, we still prefer to be called "Messianic Israel," or "Redeemed Israel." To be called "Two House" goes against the goal of the New Covenant.
Friends, we believe that we need to have a paradigm shift. We desperately need to change our focus at this time. We need to concentrate on our Father's desire, which is to make us "One House," to make us one, united, New Covenant people. We need to realize that, those who fight the truth of the One House of Israel, are in essence fighting the declared New Covenant intent of the Almighty Himself.
Long live the "One House!"
I'll get off my rooftop now.
Batya (and Angus)
batya@batya.org
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