HERALD OF THE GOSPEL "In those days John the Immerser arose, and he would call out in the wilderness of Yehudah, saying, Repent, for the King of Heaven is on the brink of arrival!'' ~ Matthew 3:1-2 The Isaiah 40 passage goes on to instruct John (or Elijah), 'Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, Here is your God! (Isaiah 40:9). This passage is the source of the concept of the gospel. Jewish tradition considers Elijah to be the herald spoken of in Isaiah 40. He comes proclaiming the good news of Messiah's arrival and heralds it to Zion. From the apostolic perspective, John the Immerser (the Elijah who was to come) is the one who comes proclaiming the good news of Messiah's arrival.

"God will cover you with His pinions" depicts God's protection. Like a mother bird shielding her young, God provides warmth, comfort, and a covering for those who seek refuge in Him.

✝️BAPTISM IN THE NAME OF✝️ For years, I sat in pews hearing the words 'in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit' and assumed it was a formula, a required set of names to unlock salvation. But what if those words aren't a ritualistic magic spell, but a legal declaration? In the world of the 1st-Century disciples, immersion wasn't just a religious ceremony; it was a formal transaction of authority. In this post, we are going to look at the Hebrew idiom behind baptism and why 'in the name of' actually means 'under the authority of.' To understand the instructions Yeshua gave in Mark 16:16 and Matthew 28:19, we have to look through the lens of a 1st-century mikvah [ritual immersion pool]. In its original Jewish context, immersion was a legal procedure used to establish a change in status, from impure to pure, or from a Gentile to a member of the commonwealth of Israel. When we are immersed in the name of' the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we aren't just reciting titles; we are entering into a covenantal contract under the highest authority in the universe. The Hebrew phrase ''in the name of'' in the Bible and Talmud is about agency. When a king's messenger arrived at a city gate, he spoke ''in the name of the king.'' He didn't have to say the king's personal name; he just had to prove he carried the king's seal. In modern legal terms, acting ''In the name of'' someone is like having power of attorney. You are authorized to sign documents and make decisions that are legally binding because you represent the principal's authority. The New Testament carries this Hebrew legal thought. The phrase ''baptizing them into the name'' was a common accounting term in the 1st Century. To be immersed in the name of Yeshua is to be legally transferred into His ownership. If a police officer says 'stop in the name of the Law,' the authority is validated whether he says 'the law,' 'the State,' or 'the Government.' The authority resides in the office. Jewish immersion rituals have more in common with a legal procedure than a sacrament. Immersion affects a change in legal status from one state to another. This explains why we immerse people ''In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'' To do something ''in the name of'' someone else is a Hebrew idiom for legal authority. The immersion is conducted under the authority of God, under the authority of His Spirit, and under the authority of His Son. What is Yeshua saying in Matthew 28:19? "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the authority of God, under the authority of His Son, and under the authority of His Spirit." #baptism

⚜️EVERLASTING LIFE⚜️ I was listening to this preacher quoting John 3:16 and saying that this everlasting life is not talking about something that is off in the future, but everlasting life is a present-tense reality. Here is the deal: it is not a present-tense reality, but it is a future tense. First, we are still currently subject to death and perishing. We don't have that gift of everlasting life at the moment. That is obvious. We are still mortal, we are not like Christ at this present-tense. In the future, when the Messiah returns and establishes the Messianic Kingdom on earth for a thousand years, then we will be given the gift of everlasting life at the resurrection. It is during this time that we will receive our immortal bodies (immortality). John 3:16 is telling the believer that he or she has the promise of that everlasting life now, but the actual experience is reserved for the Messianic Age.

I was scrolling through TikTok and watching some Christian content, and I was horrified by what I heard being taught. It was just as bad as the false doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved. Certain so-called believers are teaching that Christians cannot sin. In Romans chapter 7, Paul teaches about the two inclinations, a concept found in Judaism. You have the Yetzer HaRa [the evil inclination] and the Yetzer HaTov [the good inclination]. Rabbi Paul describes the conflict between the will to align with God and the power of sin operating in the flesh. The believer has the ability to sin, or he has the free will to put to death his Yetzer HaRa, that is, his evil inclination or sinful passions. In 1 Corinthians 9:27, Paul disciplines himself "lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.' In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul warns believers that those who practice the works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God [Messianic Age]. Paul was writing to baptized, Spirit-receiving believers. The apostle John says that if anyone sins, we have an advocate. He also says, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves (1 John 1:8, 1 John 2:1). The author of Hebrews says that any believer who deliberately sins after receiving knowledge of the truth has no more sacrifices (Hebrews 10:26-29). In other words, Christians can sin. 2 Peter 2:20-22 says that escaping the defilements of the world, then entangled again in them. That is going back into sin.

In Romans 7, Rabbi Paul describes the 'inner man' who delights in God's law versus the Yetzer HaRa [evil inclination] that serves our sinful passions. This is a Jewish teaching of the two inclinations constantly battling for control over the person. Paul looks toward a deliverer, Jesus Christ, to rescue him from the 'body of death.' The Holy Spirit dwelling within empowers us to overcome the Yetzer HaRa (evil inclination/sinful nature).

To be in union with Jesus means to be spiritually joined to Him in a covenant relationship, not merely agreeing with His teachings, but participating in His life. You are bound to Him in faithful allegiance, as a branch is joined to the vine. His Spirit works within you, reshaping your character into the image of God. In union with Jesus, condemnation loses its authority because you are no longer standing alone before God; you stand within the faithfulness, obedience, and righteousness of the Messiah.

MESSIAH AND THE SACRIFICES Is the Temple system fulfilled by the death of the Messiah? The book of Leviticus begins with several chapters describing the sacrificial services. God called to Moses from within the Tent of Meeting and delivered to him the laws of the sacrificial system. In today's world, when there is no Temple, the laws of the sacrifices seem obsolete and irrelevant. Nevertheless, devout Jews continue to diligently study the laws of the sacrifices. New Testament readers understand that there are no sacrifices today and that the Messiah's suffering provided the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Believers often erroneously assume a direct cause-and-effect relationship. We commonly hear that the sacrifices are no longer brought because the death of Jesus fulfilled the sacrifices and made them obsolete. In reality, the cessation of sacrifices and the atoning sacrifice of Messiah are unrelated. The Jewish people (including the apostles) continued to offer sacrifices in the Temple for forty years after the death and resurrection of the Messiah. Yeshua's sacrifice transcends the earthly sacrifices spoken of in Leviticus. In a sense, one might say that His death fulfilled the prophetic foreshadowing of the sacrificial services, but that does not explain the cessation of the sacrificial services. The Jewish people ceased offering sacrifices only because of the destruction of the Temple. Even when the Temple still stood, it provided only a shadow of the heavenly reality of the Temple above. Therefore, the sacrifices on earth were shadows of a greater, higher, and holier spiritual worship in the heavenly Sanctuary. In what respect does the Messiah fulfill the sacrifices? We understand fairly well that His death functioned as a sacrifice for sin, but only one or two of the five types of sacrifices listed in Leviticus pertain to sin. Consider the burnt offering, the bread offering, and the peace offering, these sacrifices were not brought for sin. In what sense does Messiah fulfill them? The Messiah's sacrifice cannot make the Levitical sacrifices obsolete because the Messiah's sacrifice was already at work before the LORD introduced the Levitical sacrifices. Long before the days of the Tabernacle, long before God called to Moses form within the Tent of Meeting, even before Adam's first sin, the Messiah was ''The Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world'' (Revelation 13:8)

LEAST IN THE KINGDOM So long as we observe the important rules in the Bible, like the Ten Commandments, why should we worry about all the little stuff? The Master told His disciples to be careful to keep both the small commandments and the big ones. All God's commandments are important, and even the light commandments should not be ignored. We don't want to neglect any commandment of the Torah that applies to us today. The Talmud compares one of the greatest commandments, 'Honor your father and mother' (Exodus 20:12), with one of the least of the commandments, 'You shall not take the mother with the young' (Deuteronomy 22:6). The reward for both commandments is the same: 'That it may be will with you and that you may prolong your days.' This is why rabbis say, 'Be as careful observing a small commandment as a great one, for you do not know what the reward of each is!' The reward for observing God's commandments will be revealed in the Messianic Age (Kingdom of God on earth). Those who have kept both the small ones and the great ones will be called great in the Kingdom. Matthew 5:19: "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.''

Legalism is not a biblical word or a biblical concept. You won't find any Bible verses warning you about legalism.

Did you know that Paul quotes Jewish traditions, not scripture, in 1 Corinthians 10:4? ⚜️ "and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.''⚜️ Paul's description of a 'rock that followed Israel' is not found in the literal text of the Old Testament, but it was a very common tradition in the Jewish Midrash and Targums of Paul's time. In the Biblical account, water is provided from a rock at the beginning of Exodus 17 and again near the end of Numbers 20. Jewish tradition sought to harmonize these events, leading to the belief that it wasn't two different rocks, but one traveling rock that accompanied the Israelites for 40 years. In Rabbinical literature, the rock is known as 'Miriam's rock.' This rock was often associated with Miriam (Moses's sister). It was believed that because of her merit, a miraculous ''well'' followed the camp. Paul, a rabbi trained as a Pharisee under Gamaliel, would have been familiar with these oral traditions. Paul claims that the true source of sustenance wasn't a physical stone or Miriam's merit, but it was Christ. By calling it a 'spiritual rock,' Paul argues that the same Jesus who provides grace to the Corinthian church was the one secretly sustaining Israel in the wilderness.

THE GOD-FEARERS ✝️ A THREE-FOLD COMMUNITY The Psalms frequently distinguish three distinct groups that comprise the assembly of worshippers. This reveals that 'God's people' was never intended to be a monolithic group, but rather a community with diverse roles: 1. House of Israel: The ethnic descendants of Jacob. 2. House of Aaron: The priestly lineage responsible for the Temple service. 3. Those who fear the LORD: This category, found in Psalm 115:9-11, Psalm 118:2-4, and Psalm 135:19-20, refers to Gentiles who joined themselves to the Jewish people to worship the one true God while remaining Gentiles. The Midrashic Perspective: FOUR TYPES OF PIOUS ONES The midrash in Numbers Rabbah 8:2 expands this further, identifying four specific groups that stand before God, based on Isaiah 44:5: 1. I am the LORD's: Those completely devoted and untainted by sin. 2. Calling on the name of Jacob: This refers to the righteous proselyte, a Gentile who has undergone a full ritual conversion to Judaism. 3. Writing on his hand, Belonging to the LORD: This refers to penitents, those returning to God after straying. 4. Naming Israel's name with honor: This refers specifically to the God-fearers. They do not take the name of 'Israel' for themselves but honor it, maintaining a distinct yet connected identity. PAUL AND THE CALLING OF THE GENTILE The status of God-fearer was the primary category for the first Gentile disciples of Jesus. Paul's radical message was that these Gentiles did not need to become righteous proselytes (undergo ritual conversion/circumcision) to be full members of the community of faith. 1. Remain in your calling: Paul argued that being circumcised (Jewish) or uncircumcised (Gentile) did not matter for salvation; what counted was keeping God's commandments (1 Corinthians 7:18-19) 2. The Jerusalem Council: This early Church gathering confirmed that Gentile converts were not required to follow the full Mosaic Law for salvation, but rather to abstain from practices associated with idolatry (Acts 15:19-20). #GodFearers #Gentiles #Israel

THE ROOT AND THE BRANCH: WHY THE CHURCH DID NOT REPLACE ISRAEL For centuries, a theological concept known as Supersessionism, more commonly called Replacement theology, has permeated much of Christian thought. This is the idea that because some of the Jewish people rejected Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, God's promises to Israel were revoked and transferred exclusively to the Church. However, a closer look at Scripture reveals a different story. The Church was never intended to be a replacement, but rather a continuation and an extension of God's redemptive plan. THE DANGER OF REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY When we claim the Church has replaced Israel, we inadvertently create several theological and moral hazards: 1. Character of God: If God can break His eternal covenants with Israel, what's to stop Him from breaking His promises to the Church? It paints God as fickle rather than faithful. 2. Historical Antisemitism: Replacement theology has historically been used to justify the marginalization and persecution of Jewish people, suggesting they have been cast away by God. 3. Scriptural Blindness: It forces us to spiritualize specific physical promises made to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, often ignoring the literal context of the Prophets. THE OLIVE TREE: A LESSON IN HUMILITY In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul addresses this exact tension. He uses the metaphor of an olive tree to explain the relationship between Jewish believers, the Jewish people, and the Gentile world. "If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap form teh olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches.'' (Romans 11:17-18) The root is the patriarchs and the covenants. It is Jewish. The root supports the Church; the Church does not support the root. God-fearing Gentiles are ''wild olive shoots,'' we are guests brought into a pre-existing story by the grace of God. Paul explicitly warns Gentiles not to become arrogant. We are there by faith, and God's heart remains tethered to the natural branches. ONE NEW MAN, NOT A NEW RELIGION The beauty of the Gospel is not that God started a new thing from scratch, but that He opened the door for the nations to join what He had already begun with Israel. We see this in Ephesians 2, where Paul speaks of the ''One new man.'' The Church is not the replacement for Israel; it is the expansion of the family of God to include every tribe, tongue, and nation, all standing on the foundation of the promises made to Israel. CONCLUSION: HONORING THE ROOT As followers of Jesus, we must recognize that our ''spiritual DNA'' is inextricably linked to the Jewish people. When we understand that we are grafted in, our hearts move from a place of replacement to a place of gratitude. We don't stand in Israel's place; we stand alongside them, invited into the same covenantal hope through the Messiah. #replacementtheology #Israel #theJewishpeople #Romans11 #theOlivetree

Facts about the Mercy Seat [Ark of the Covenant]. It was made from Acacia wood, which was extremely hard and resistant to decay, insects, and rot. This made it perfect for something meant to last generations. It was strong enough to hold heavy gold overlays and resist warping over time. There were Acacia wood poles overlaid with gold, inserted through gold rings on the sides, used to carry the Ark. It was 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. Made of pure gold with two cherubim at the ends, wings outstretched and facing each other. Inside the Ark were the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod that budded (Numbers 17:10), and the manna from heaven. Also, the Ark represented the Throne of God on earth. The Mercy Seat was where God met and spoke to Moses. Touching the Ark could bring death. It was carried ahead of Israel in battles symbolizing God's presence and power. The Mercy seat on top of the Ark was the place where God's presence dwelt and where atonement for Israel's sins was made once a year by the high priest on Yom Kippur. Jesus' sacrifice opens the way for all believers to approach the Mercy Seat directly, not through the blood of animals, but through His own blood. Amen.

Rabbinic interpretations from the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel read from Isaiah 53: "Behold My servant the Messiah shall prosper.'' This Targum clearly frames the suffering servant as the Messiah and not Israel. The Babylonian Talmud identifies the Messiah as the suffering Servant: "The Rabbis say: The leper of the house of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is his name, as it is stated: Indeed our illnesses he did bear and our pains he endured: yet we did esteem him injured, stricken by God, and afflicted.'' Even the Zohar portrays the Messiah bearing sickness and pain on behalf of Israel. Through His physical suffering, Jesus bore the consequences of human sin. He took on the punishment that humanity deserved, becoming the substitute. He was pierced for our transgressions. He became the atoning sacrifice, satisfying Torah principles of substitutionary blood sacrifice of Leviticus. By His wounds we are healed. His suffering and death provide spiritual and physical healing. His sacrifice brings reconciliation between God and humanity.

In the image, you can see that Jesus is wearing Tzitzit [religious fringes with the blue thread]. In God's law, Numbers 15:37-41, the Israelites are commanded to make tassels on the corners of their garments and to put a blue cord on each corner. And when they look at it, they will remember to obey all the commandments of God, and not follow after their own heart and eyes, which would lead them astray. Jesus, our Lord, who was a Jewish rabbi living under the Torah, wore garments in accordance with Jewish custom, which included tzitzit. This shows His obedience to God's commandments. By wearing the Tzitzit [religious tassels], Jesus visibly aligned Himself with God's people and their covenantal calling, showing that the Messiah is fully Torah-observant and deeply connected to God's instructions. Jesus wearing of Tzitzit isn't just a historical fact, it's a teaching symbol. Just as the fringes remind the wearer to obey God, Jesus Himself is the living embodiment of obedience to God. In Him, the law is fulfilled [not done away with]. Reminding us that obedience to God brings blessings and divine connection.

The Trinity concept actually started almost three hundred years after Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and went through development for almost another hundred years before it was made a decree that must be obeyed by all in 381 A.D., with the threat of heresy hanging over anyone who opposes it. At that time, heresy was another word for death. Many do not know that hundreds of thousands of Christians were brutally killed for resisting the false doctrine of the Trinity.

✝️ THE GRACE OF THE MESSIAH ✝️ This blog is called 'The Grace of the Messiah.' And to help everyone better understand the Grace of Jesus, I want to write about Moses' merit with God. In Exodus 33:12-13, Moses is talking to God about the sin Israel committed in Exodus 32, the previous chapter. Ever since the sin of the golden calf, God had not referred to Israel as His people. Rather, they were Moses' people: "Your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt'' (Exodus 32:7).⚜️ Moses, on the other hand, remained in God's grace. As he negotiated for forgiveness and atonement. Moses complained that, although he remained in God's grace, he felt disfavored because he was told to lead the children of Israel without God's presence. God tells Moses, 'My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest' (Exodus 33:14). God promised to go only with Moses and give Moses rest. He did not say so regarding Israel, nor did He acknowledge them as His people. Moses rejected the offer. Moese told God, 'If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.' Moses wanted God to accompany the whole people. Now, here is the important part. Moses deliberately identified himself with the children of Israel. Moses said, If you want to show me grace and go with me, you need to show us all grace and go with all of us, because I am with the people. Moses would accept nothing less than grace for the whole nation. He knew that he enjoyed the grace of God; he sought to include the nation of Israel in the merit of God's grace for him: ✝️For how then can it be known that I have found grace in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth? (Exodus 33:16)✝️ Moses deliberately identified himself with the people, saying, ''us,'' ''we,'' and ''I and Your people.'' On his own merit in God's eyes, Moses hoped to atone for the entire nation. It was the only thing he had left with which to negotiate. God responded, I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight and I have known you by name. God agreed to forgive the nation of Israel, go with them, and acknowledge them as His people based on His grace for Moses. ⚜️The story illustrates the Jewish concept where the merit and grace of a single righteous person can be extended to others. Based on God's gracious favor for one man, the entire nation of Israel received the forgiveness of sin and a restoration of a relationship with God. On the merit of one righteous man's standing with God, all Israel is granted standing with God. These are the mechanics of the Gospel. The ultimate redeemer is like the first redeemer, making atonement for the entire nation based on His merit alone. ⚜️ Our righteous Messiah Jesus merited God's grace, and He identified Himself with us so that we might share in that grace.

INTRODUCTION ✝️ Hello everyone, my name is Lukeous. I'm grateful to be here and to connect with others. I am a teacher of God's Word. My spiritual journey has led me into a deep study of Scripture, the Jewish roots of the faith, and the teachings of Yeshua (Jesus) as the Jewish Messiah. I'm especially interested in how faith is meant to transform our character, to reflect the image of God. I value the writings of the apostles and early faith communities, including texts like the Didache, Enoch, Jubilees, etc. I enjoy thoughtful discussion about theology, history, and spiritual life. I believe faith should be lived, embodied, and demonstrated through how we love God and treat others. I also have many testimonies about the acts of the Holy Spirit (supernatural of God). I have seen the gifts of the Holy Spirit operating among the body of Messiah. I believe in the Father, who is unbegotten. The source of all life. In Him we have our existence. I believe the Father is ONE: "Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is One.'' ~ Deuteronomy 6:4 I believe in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus is the Logos revealed in the flesh. Jesus is God's self-expression. The same divine Word that created the world, spoke through the prophets, and guided Israel has now taken on a human form. He is God's own wisdom, authority, and purpose embodied, and calling humanity back into the image of God (B'Tzelem Elohiym). I believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus made atonement for our sins. Because of Christ, we can now boldly approach the throne of God. I believe in the merits of Christ. I believe in his perfect covenant faithfulness. I believe in His righteous obedience. I believe in His blameless life as the righteous servant. The merits of Christ are the foundation by which humanity is restored, healed, and empowered by the Spirit to walk righteously. What the merits of Jesus are not: 1. Not a license to sin. 2. Not a cloak for lawlessness. 3. Not his obedience instead of ours. 4. Not imputed righteousness without transformation of the Spirit. 5. Not eternal security divorced from faithfulness and obedience. I believe that His obedient death deals with sin justly, without God compromising righteousness. I believe in the Holy Spirit, which is God's active, life-giving power. It is God's operative presence. I believe that the Holy Spirit is the power given by God through the Messiah (John 20:22; Acts 2). The Holy Spirit is never independent of God's will or the Messiah's authority. The true baptism of the Holy Spirit will produce obedience, holiness, enforce discipline, convict of sin and injustice. I believe that the Holy Spirit withdraws from the rebellious and cannot remain in those who persist in injustice, pride, or sexual immorality. The Wisdom of Solomon 1:5 reads: "The Holy Spirit dwells in the righteous, but flees from deceit.'' I believe that the Holy Spirit is retained only through righteous living. Sin can grieve the Spirit and drive the Spirit away.