Why Messianic?
A Study, by Yac'ob
With so many religions and beliefs in the world, why should I choose the Messianic, and why in particular, one that teaches a two house concept?
Before the questions can be answered, it is imperative to understand what a Messianic believer is. This alone could be answered in many ways by different people, but the bottom line is this: A Messianic believer is one who recognizes the importance of Yahshua's Judaic background. That Yahshua taught a Jewish nation using traditional Jewish accepted forms of teaching. Likewise, we are a messianic nation using traditional Jewish accepted forms of teaching. A Messianic is one who understands that to fully understand the teachings of Master Yahshua, one must move beyond the limited teaching and understanding of traditional Greco-Roman theology, and grasp the teachings through Hebraic understanding; recognizing that a deeper and more meaningful understanding comes from recognizing and incorporating the Hebraic culture and it's use of language, symbolism, and idioms.
In most cases, a Messianic believer is someone who has a background in a Christian church. But this person recognizes that traditional Christianity fails to understand or even acknowledge that Yahshua was a Jew, who taught as a Jew. Almost all Messianic's recognize that Yahshua taught people to keep The Commandments, and that the churches twist the teachings of Paul to teach commandment breaking. Because a Messianic recognizes The Torah, The Law; and sees that the Orthodox conservative Jews are the only ones keeping Torah, we recognize that there is a middle ground, a hybrid, if you will. A Messianic recognizes that the Jews were YHWH's chosen people for keeping and preserving the Torah and it's teachings. At the same time recognizing that because most Jews reject the Messiah's first coming as a mortal man, they have missed a very important event in the lives of men.
Therefore, a Messianic is a believer in the Messiah, Yahshua; who recognizes that YHWH is calling us to remember the covenant He made with Israel, the Hebrew people. This brings us to the portion of Messianics that believe in the 2 house teachings and scriptures.
In Ezekiel 37:16-22 we find the 2 'stick' prophecy.
Each stick represents one of the 2 'houses' or divisions of Israel. To understand one of the 2 'houses' or divisions of Israel. To understand this division we need to read 1 Kings 11:5-13, 43 and 1 Kings 12:1-33 .
In these passages we see the once mighty Israel of David and Solomon, now divided into 2 nations, or houses. The Southern house of Judah; with a portion of Benjamin, and a portion of Levi, who were the priests.
The Northern kingdom which came to be called by several names, including the house of Ephraim, the house of Jacob, the house of Israel (which was another name for Jacob). Throughout scriptures and especially the prophecies we see reference made to these 'houses.'
In Genesis 32:6-8 we see that there is a time when Judah and Israel will be united in the land YHWH gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The promised land.
Genesis 32:6-8
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;
8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
When the kingdom was divided and the Northern kingdom (Israel) started serving idols, they were warned that they would be taken into captivity. This happened when Assyria invaded and captured them. Instead of killing them all, Assyria took them and moved them into the far reaches of the Assyrian Empire. Although over the years there may have been small family groups which returned to the land of Israel, most of them became assimilated into the cultures in which they were moved.
Israel never returned to the Promised Land. On the other hand, after the division, when Judah started serving idols, they were taken into captivity in Babylon. But that captivity lasted only 70 years. Then they returned to the Promised Land. This had to be, for the Messiah was prophesied to be born in the Promised Land, in Bethlehem. Approximately 70 years after Messiah's death and resurrection Judah was again destroyed and the Jews dispersed. (Those that lived.)
Now we have a period of time when neither nation lived in the promised land. This prophetically was called the time of the gentiles: YHWH's chosen people had been dispersed. The house of Judah basically retained their identity through the Torah.
The House of Israel, although they had lost their person identity, had been given the testimony of Yahshua. Read Matthew 10:6 and Matthew 15:24.
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Yahshua, as Elohim, knew who the house of Israel was, therefore He sent His disciples to them to teach them about the Messiah, so that, when all was fulfilled and Messiah was put to death and later resurrected, the lost house of Israel would be able to receive these things. And the Holy Spirit would show them why these things came to be. Israel would then have the testimony. Which the churches have basically kept, although in an adulterated form.
Which leads us back again to why we leave the worldly, gentile churches, for the Messianic beliefs. Because we recognize that the churches' testimony is no longer pure. That it has become tainted with paganism, the set-apart Spirit has showed us the true testimony of the scriptures. And in our desire for truth, we must turn away from that which is not true.
To conclude: As we come into this Messianic understanding, we realize that just as here was a division in the original Kingdom of Israel. The House of Jacob and the House of Judah. We also realize that there is a division in their commission. The House of Judah was given the Oracles, the Torah. The House of Jacob (or Israel) was given the testimony.
Prophecies tell us that in the end times, Yahshua will restore -- re-unite the two under a New Covenant. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8-12. In that day of re-uniting, there two 'houses' will be returned to the Promised Land Jeremiah 30:3.
Jeremiah 31:31-34
31 Behold, the days come, saith YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith YHWH:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith YHWH, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know YHWH: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith YHWH: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Hebrews 8:8-12
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a Elohim, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Jeremiah 30:3
3 For, lo, the days come, saith YHWH, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith YHWH: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.
In Revelations 12:17 we see that those Satan wants to destroy has both the Commandments of Elohim, and the testimony of Yahshua. Revelations 14:12 also mentions this 2 part message.
Revelations 12:17
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of Elohim, and have the testimony of Yahushua Messiah.
Revelations 14:12
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Elohim, and the faith of Yahushua.
There is only 1 group of people today have both the Torah and Testimony, and who recognize that the prophesies of the end times are directed to 2 groups or houses of people. That is the 2 house, Messianic believers. We have been truly blessed by YHWH to have received this calling and truth. But now we must follow the admonitions in the book of James 1:22, 26 to become doers of the Word, we must be discerning students of the Word!
James 1:22, 26
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.