POSTED 06 AUGUST, 2009

Keeping Promises

by Mark Huey
mark@outreachisrael.net

reproduced from the McHuey Blog

August 1st was Shabbat Nachamu, or the first Sabbath of a series known in Jewish tradition as the “seven of consolation,” beginning with a Haftarah passage from Isaiah 40:1, “Comfort, O comfort My people…” This past weekend, at the conclusion of the spiritually penetrating worship service and after some announcements, the young children and youth of the congregation offered a dance of praise that they had learned the preceding week at Camp Shalom. I think that, providentially, they chose a song entitled, “The Road to Jerusalem,” for their dance. As I stood there waiting to bring forth the Torah teaching and message, I realized that this song was actually a theme song for an event taking place at that very time in Boulder, Colorado. The coincidence was too overwhelming to ignore, so when I approached the lectern, I shared a brief testimonial about what I believe is simply a glimpse of what the Father is doing in the restoration process of His people.

First, I stated that the Road to Jerusalem (TRTJ) was actually the name of a second ministry formed several years ago by Coach Bill McCartney, the founder of the Promise Keepers (PK). After years of encouraging men to be husbands and fathers of honor and integrity, following the seven promises they articulated, Bill was actually moved in another direction, by an oversight of neglecting Jewish Believers at an event that highlighted the needs of other minority groups. Apparently, the Lord used that technical faux pas, to conceive the Road the Jerusalem ministry, which focuses on reconciling the differences between Jew and Gentile Believers.

While I had attended gatherings of the Promise Keepers in 1992 and 1993 in Boulder, and in 1994 in Dallas, the Lord’s spiritual direction for our family changed by 1995 as we began attending a Messianic Jewish Congregation. Consequently, my interest in Promise Keepers waned as I simply kept up on their activities from a remote distance. However, I was moved when their 1997 Stand in the Gap gathering in Washington, D.C. took place, because our former congregational leader from Dallas was actually asked to pray the Aaronic Benediction (Numbers 6:24-26) over the estimated one million participants in attendance.

I read recently that Bill McCartney was asked to take back the leadership reins of Promise Keepers, and in essence, merge in the Road to Jerusalem ministry. My spiritual antennae made note of the changes. I was not expecting miracles, because I can remember contacting the Road to Jerusalem ministry offices, and talking to his son Mark and others like Joel Chernoff when a seminar they produced in Orlando in 2005 just happened to coincide with our remembrance of Shavuot. Since their function was going to end on Saturday, I invited all of them to come to our event so that they could witness how Messianic Believers, both Jewish and non-Jewish, can celebrate the Feast of Weeks without a wall of partition that has kept these distinctive parties separated for years.

After all, according to the Apostle Paul, faith in the Messiah Yeshua grafts non-Jewish Believers into the olive tree of Israel (Romans 11), making them equal citizens of the Commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:11-13) or the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). Is it not wonderful that the prophecies about the restoration of the Tabernacle of David (Amos 9:11, Acts 15:16-21), are indeed beginning to be fulfilled at this point in time?

At the time of my invitation to TRTJ leadership, the chances of McCartney and his group coming to our celebration were very remote, partially because of the negative influence of some Messianic Jewish leaders who still want to maintain a unique superior status to non-Jewish Believers. Since Shavuot 2005 was going to have a large number of non-Jewish Messianics, it was improbable that these Messianic Jewish leaders, having an influence over McCartney, would recommend that he and his ministry partners go to an outside event. It is simply my prayer that given time, a true reconciliation will take place where we do not have this kind of politicking.

Relating elements of this to the congregation on Saturday, I wanted to encourage everyone in attendance, to not worry about the various issues present today with some of Messianic Judaism’s leaders. The Holy Scriptures declare “There is to be one law and one ordinance for you and for the alien who sojourns with you” (Numbers 15:16), and it is simply unarguable that Israel was to remain as a special nation chosen by God off to itself. On the contrary, it is the assertion of the Tanakh that Israel’s distinctive role is to be a light unto the nations (Isaiah 49:6). This finds its ultimate culmination in the responsibility to bring the truth of the Messiah to a world that needs reconciliation with God.

Simply because Israel had a God-given mandate to be a light to the world at large, by no means is an indication that Jewish Believers are devalued in His estimation. On the contrary, non-Jewish Believers in today’s Messianic movement have a very significant responsibility to honor the spiritual heritage of Judaism (Romans 3:1-13; 11:29). In my message, I later quoted from Deuteronomy 4:5-9, and gave an historical exhortation about how the patterns of studying the Torah every Shabbat, and the inclusion of seasonal remembrances for feasts and fasts, have been critical for not only maintaining the identity of the Jewish people, but have been critical for passing it down generation to generation.

After noting the confluence of events on the previous Shabbat, designed to comfort God’s people after the fast of the Ninth of Av, I was personally comforted by recognizing that the Lord is still accomplishing all that He intends to achieve in restoring Israel (Acts 3:19-21). After all, He is the Great and Mighty Promise Keeper! I am also very thankful that He has orchestrated events in the life of Bill McCartney and the Messianic Jewish leaders that he has befriended. They were able to pull together and accomplish something this past weekend, which hopefully will be one more step in bringing forth a reconciliation between Jewish and non-Jewish Believers who both trust in the Messiah of Israel.

Only the Lord knows how many hearts were touched by the things saw and heard in Boulder over the last few days. The event was actually simulcast over the Internet, so there is no telling how many hearts were moved all over the globe. I was unable to watch the broadcast, and so was unable to know the exact tenor of what was communicated. I was able to find this quote on the Promise Keepers website, which appears to articulate at least one of the culminating themes for the weekend:

Promise Keepers, in its 20th year of ministry, made a dramatic statement of solidarity with the Jewish people at large, and the many Messianic Jews in attendance at “A Time to Honor.”

After an afternoon of experiencing Jewish music and dance, and hearing about ancient and recent Messianic Jewish history, co-author of Two Minute Warning Rabbi Aaron Fruh (Knollwood Church, Mobile, Ala.) told the story of Jewish persecution in Nazi Europe. Dramatically, Fruh asked Promise Keepers founder and chairman Coach Bill McCartney if he would “wear the yellow star” as a statement of solidarity with Jews.

With voice cracking under the emotion, Coach McCartney replied: “I say to Rabbi Aaron Fruh and to every Jew, I will wear the yellow star. I will wear it with great humility, and with great resolve. I’ll wear it like a warrior. I understand the times, I know what to do about it, and it’s in my heart to stand with God’s chosen people.”

Thousands followed McCartney, and voluntarily received yellow stars of Jewish solidarity on the floor of Folsom Stadium in Boulder, Colo.

This approach by a Messianic Jewish rabbi to plead with the non-Jews in attendance for solidarity and support of the Jewish people really tugs at the heart of many people. Yet, it is interesting if you look at Coach McCartney’s response. Surely it is right for him to stand up and wear a yellow Star of David to stand like a warrior with the Jewish people. But can you pick up the distinction that he has made, in by calling the Jews “God’s chosen people”?

None of us who compose today’s Messianic movement would question the Biblical reality that the Jewish people are special. Yet, do we not understand that non-Jewish Believers, via their faith in Israel’s Messiah, are instructed in the New Testament that they too are “chosen of God, holy and beloved” (Colossians 2:12)? This is appropriated directly from Torah passages that describe the original calling of Israel (i.e., Deuteronomy 7:6-8; see especially 1 Peter 2:9-10; cf. Deuteronomy 7:6; 10:15; Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 61:6; 43:21; Deuteronomy 4:20; 14:2; Hosea 2:23). I seriously doubt that the Messianic Jewish leaders involved with Promise Keepers want people like Coach McCartney to realize this Biblical reality. What this does, ultimately, is that it creates a rather incomplete reconciliation, preventing the kind of grand unity that God desires among all His people.

I noticed that in a PK promotional video for the event, there is pointed reference to a passage from John 17. This text is interpreted as speaking of “these” meaning Messianic Jews, and “those” meaning Gentile Christians. I think that this is a manipulation of what the Lord says, to keep modern-day Messianic Jews, and Christian people like McCartney and many of those in attendance at the gathering, in two separate, but “somewhat equal” camps as they say. But what does Yeshua say in context?

“I do not ask on behalf of these 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. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me” (John 17:20-23).

Yeshua’s words to His Disciples are very profound. In this passage, what He actually does is that he speaks about “these,” meaning His Twelve Disciples, and “those” speaking of the ones who would hear the gospel as a result of the Disciples’ ministry work. The actual distinction between “these” and “those” is only a difference of the time when the original Disciples of Yeshua believed, and the people who would come later believed. There is no intended ethnic distinction between Jews and non-Jews in Yeshua’s John 17 prayer.

In order to actually be perfected in unity, all people, who place their trust in Yeshua, must recognize the common denominator of human sin:

“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God’” (Romans 3:9-11; cf. Psalm 14:1-3; 53:1-3).

The trajectory of the Holy Scriptures is that all who come to saving faith in the Messiah of Israel—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and even males and females—stand equal before Him (Galatians 3:28). But how much are the implications of this really understood in today’s Messianic movement? How much do we ever hear teachings on Romans chs. 1-3, where all people are accountable before God because of sin?

Our family has benefited immensely by becoming Messianic, and in embracing our Hebraic and Jewish spiritual heritage. We have certainly taken flak for this, not only from Christian family and friends, but also from various Messianic Jews we have interacted with. Yet as a ministry that seeks to reach, teach, encourage, and disciple all who compose the Israel of God—we know the great capacity that the Messianic movement has, as could be as a force of righteousness. Unfortunately, with the separation that many of today’s Messianic Jewish leaders endorse, and Christian leaders that seem to accept it, becoming that force will obviously not happen tomorrow.

But on the other hand, we can rejoice in the fact that the Holy One is moving His restoration process along, at just the right speed for Him to accomplish all that He has purposed to do. Over the past fifteen years, we have learned to be patient. I believe He has used and will use events like what transpired in Boulder this past weekend, to touch hearts of those seeking Him. By no means is what took place something negative!

Right now, all that can be accomplished might simply be people pledging to wear a Star of David and standing with the Jewish people. But what will happen next? Might it be seeking out the Hebraic and Jewish Roots of the faith? Will we see the Spirit of God convicting today’s Messianic Jewish leaders that we are all equal in the eyes of the Creator, and that the Messianic movement has much more ahead of it than it has ever dreamed?

These are indeed extraordinary times, and we all need to be mindful of what is going on spiritually among groups like Promised Keepers, and also in the Land of Israel and among the Jewish people of the world. We need to pray for wisdom and discernment, to know the role that each of us might play in what is to come in the future. People that make up today’s current, first generation Messianic movement, undoubtedly have a unique role to play for the future, as more and more Jewish people will be coming to faith in Messiah Yeshua, and more evangelical Christians will be investigating their Hebraic Roots. We have the responsibility to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead, because regardless of what agendas people may have, the agenda of our God and King cannot be stopped!

So when we take note of God’s hand upon a group like Promise Keepers in Boulder, we can be comforted that He is in absolute control of all things. He is in the process of planting seeds in the hearts of faithful people all over the world who are truly seeking more of Him. Will it not be great to watch those seeds germinate and blossom in the months and years to come? Remember Bill McCartney and the Promise Keepers-Road to Jerusalem in your prayers. Seriously consider how you may be called upon to water some of those very seeds with your testimony—and make sure it is a positive one in how you have become more like Yeshua as a part of the Messianic movement. But also remember, it is always the Lord who causes the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6), to whom belongs all the glory.

I pray that the Lord would give us all the faith and patience that we would need, to see His plan come to fulfillment. For He is the only One who definitely keeps His promises!

Until the restoration of all things…

Mark Huey (B.A., Vanderbilt University in History and Graduate Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) is the Director of Outreach Israel Ministries (www.outreachisrael.net). He is the author of several books, including: TorahScope, Volumes I & II, and Counting the Omer: A Daily Devotional Toward Shavuot. He is also co-author of Hebraic Roots: An Introductory Study.