Dear Friends,
Shalom Haverim, v’ Mishpochah! Greetings friends and family! Thank you for being awake.
My brief experience with the Zola Levitt Ministries community convinces me that you (we) are a growing organic movement that God is using to ignite the Church and the world to what truly matters to Him. This is a privilege and a responsibility. The message isn’t about Zola, Jeff, or the Weisses. It is about reading the signs of the times (1 Chr. 12:32) and doing everything we can to be “watchmen on the walls” (Isa. 62:6)—especially the walls of Jerusalem—“as we see the day approach” (Heb. 10:25).
Commemorating the 10th-year observation of the heinous 9/11 attacks, I was struck by the continued naiveté and obtuse conclusions of so many in the West. The press seems intent on continuing to be an editorial fifth column for a certain worldview. The anti-Israel, anti-American, and (failed) European model is on our shores and in the minds of our young people.
WE MUST SOUND THE SHOFAR OF TRUTH IN THIS HOUR!
In order to do that well, we need to pay attention to God’s order. The Jewish people and the restored nation of Israel play a significant role in the present and future. You can safely expect Israel to further dominate the news as we get closer to the coming of a Jewish King (Luke 2:4–5) to a Jewish state (Amos 9:15) to reign from a Jewish Jerusalem (mentioned 767 times in the KJV, not once in the Koran).
One of my signature messages, An Epic Love Story, initiates gentile Believers into the Romans 9–11 message of the olive tree. The Apostle Paul used the olive tree to symbolize the “measure of faith” in Israel’s God-centered life (Romans 11:17). By picturing non-Jewish Believers as branches grafted into the root system of the Jewish tree, he conveyed to his Roman contemporaries and to all of us throughout the Church Age his strong admonition to humbly accept what some recognize as the protocols of God.
Think of it this way: it is clear from the Bible that we Believers have what some
theologians call “ontological unity;” in other words, we are “one in Christ” (Romans
12:5). However, these same venerable expositors also invoke “economic subordination,”
meaning that God is a God of order and He always intended the
Gospel to go “to the Jew first” (Romans 1:16). Trust me, this is an
awkward position for Jews who accept Jesus as Lord and whose
family’s “dirty laundry” has been documented in the greatestselling
book in history.
We have no romanticized view of our ethnicity. It has been costly and tragic, although peppered with brilliant breakthroughs in science, medicine, and the arts. Reflecting on centuries of anti-Semitism, many of us have periodically looked to the sky and asked with Tevye the milkman from Fiddler on the Roof, “God, I know we are the chosen people, but every once in a while, can’t you choose someone else?!”
Certainly you “called out ones”—followers of the Rabbi from Bethlehem—understand our conundrum, don’t you? Some, like the ZLM community, “get it.” And yet others…
Almost every contemporary Jewish disciple has experienced the strange phenomenon of sitting in a worship service and hearing the evangelistic call from the pulpit,
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the
POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION, for all who believe…” (Romans 1:16)
HALLELUJAH! (my excited agreement added)
Note the absent ending of Romans 1:16. The idea of economic subordination is missing. Seventeen hundred years of anti-Semitic Church life has demoted the primacy of the Jews to a non-issue. By contrast, God assures us that “His Word is settled forever in Heaven” (Psalm 119:89), and so there is undoubtedly something in His heart about the chosen national seed of Abraham, even in our generally unredeemed and often gnarly condition (Ezekiel 36:25). God is VERY clear with the Roman Believers (and us modern readers of Paul’s missive to the Romans).
Paul tells the Church that we should not boast about our acceptance by God, but have a reverential healthy fear of the Lord vis-à-vis the Jewish people (Romans 11:17–22). It can be quite a revelation—and actually revolutionary—for Believers to consider that they are “grafted in” to the believing remnant of Israel. After centuries of Replacement Theology and anti-Semitic attitudes, the Church is finally recovering from these vestiges of the Dark Ages. Many local congregations are experiencing restoration to the degree that they accept these formerly “hidden” truths:
God chose Israel — Romans 9:3–5. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh who are Israelites; to whom pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
Ouch! He is the King, and we are the subjects. God chose David, and Saul wasn’t happy about it. He chose Gideon in spite of Gideon’s weak résumé. The Messiah chose fishermen and tax collectors (Mark 2:14) rather than the learned rabbis in Israel. Rahab the harlot ( Joshua 2:1). Ruth the Moabitess (Book of Ruth). The list goes on. The King reigns and chooses whosoever He will (Rom. 9:15).
God decides how we come to Him — Romans 9:10–13. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
This is an important but often misunderstood
verse. I agree with the way some earlier writers speak of
this “love” and “hate.” It is not superiority of the Jews over
the Arabs (or other ethnic groups). These verses are better
understood as, “Jacob I have separated for this specific
purpose, Esau I have not chosen for this specific purpose.”
What is that purpose? To walk in Torah observance and then, through the Torah, recognize our dire need to receive our Messiah Yeshua. God certainly blessed the sons of Esau as well, with untold acreage, oil wealth, and multitudes of children. Zola noted—and no doubt received flak for his cogent observation—that with Arab money and Jewish brains, the Middle East could be a paradise! Still, we all must come to Him His way: through the Jewish Messiah.
It is incredibly sad that our Arab cousins would allow Satan to corrupt their minds with hatred of such depth. They are willing to sacrifice their own children, using the wealth of their oil supplies, to kill the Jewish people in the service of a demonic ideology. Allegedly, this is to gain control of a tiny piece of real estate, when they are sitting on millions of square miles of land.
So, the “elder (Esau) must serve the younger (Jacob)” (Genesis 25:23) by coming into loving fellowship with his descendants through the shed blood of Messiah, and enjoying the potential peace and mutual success in that troubled neighborhood. What would that service entail? At the very least, laying down their arms, teaching their children to love, and accepting God’s promise to Israel regarding the Land ( Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 36:3, Amos 9:15, Genesis 12:1–3).
The Jewish people need the Gospel — This is a contentious but true declaration. I am grateful for the “both/and” approach of ministries like ZLM. We have practiced it for years in our local Beth Shalom (House of Peace) congregation. We Believers need to support national Israel (leaders and citizens), the pre-Messianics (those who have yet to accept the Messiah) among our Jewish people, as well as the Body of faith (Believers) in the Land (Israel).
What a double blessing as God awakens His followers to stand alongside the Jewish people and instructs them to pray for Yeshua to come to His natural brothers and sisters. The love for God becomes action through humanitarian ministries. It opens Jewish people’s hearts to the chesed (loving-kindness) of God. Ministries are finally understanding that becoming a follower of Yeshua does not change a Jew into a gentile (non-Jew). That is one of the greatest stumbling blocks in the walk of faith: many Jews believe that Jesus comes with rosary beads, white bread, and mayonnaise.
In reality, we can retain as much (or little) of our Jewish culture, heritage, religious observance, and kosher style as we want. As Rav Shaul (Apostle Paul) records for us in Romans 10: But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Note that the phrase “no distinction between Jew and Greek” is speaking in terms of how salvation touches an eternal soul after its owner accepts the sacrifice of His shed blood (see “ontological unity” above).
It is NOT addressing the style of culture/worship/family life/calendar that may be very different between Jew and gentile, these can be very distinctive.
Isn’t that typical of our Creator? His limitless ability to bring millions of species into existence, planets and stars without number that differ from one another, and, with a cosmic brush, paint breathtaking variety into every aspect of His universe—He is able to birth a bride for His Son (only!) who worships in Jewish and gentile styles, while remaining in unity regarding the essentials of the faith (James 4:11).
The Church has not replaced Israel — Quite the contrary. According to Jeremiah 31, Ephesians 2, and Romans 11, God is keeping covenants with Israel and expanding them to make room for the gentiles! As a member of the ZLM community, you are already “converted.” I use this term with tongue in cheek to remember a hero of the faith, Troy Hinkle. When he was hosting some significant California rabbis to hear a key message from a repentant Islamic terrorist, Pastor Troy looked at the front row of Orthodox rabbis and assured them that he was not there to convert them to “Christianity.” He said, with his tongue in cheek, “I’m still trying to convert the Church!” He was working on awakening the Church from the slumber and danger of Replacement Theology.
We convert from sin, not from being Jewish. It is not a sin to be Jewish! Zola laid a strong foundation for ZLM, which Katharine and I continue to herald. We will “shout from the housetops” (Matt. 10:27) that it is very Jewish to call on the Name above all names.
Israel’s temporary blindness has been a blessing to the world — While there have been Jewish Believers in every generation, there is no doubt that national Israel basically rejects Jesus. “The times they are a changin’” though, and many believe that there are more Jews accepting Yeshua now than in any era since the Book of Acts was recorded. As this unfolds, the entire world has been given access to the God of Abraham, as Paul tells us in Romans 11:15—For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
We see the majestic math and iconoclastic inventiveness of
the Creator. He uses all things together, even getting the
Jews and gentiles to work together to expand His Kingdom.
Only He can do this!
Katharine and I just completed the television series, Ruth: Your People Shall Be My People. What a joy to work with the amazing crew of Zola Levitt Ministries and Ken Berg Productions! I want to tell you that after nearly thirty years of ministry, the ZLM team is one of the finest examples of Christian integrity and spiritual standards I have seen.
Katharine and I have served in Africa, Russia, India, Argentina, and the States. We have done the simplest, lowliest forms of ministry (the unseen roles that God delights in), as well as sometimes being in the spotlight. I am convinced that God is blessed when we each do our part. King David’s army shared in the spoils whether they fought or served behind the lines (1 Samuel 30:24). To grow the Body of Christ, “every joint supplies” (Ephesians 4:16). We feel genuinely blessed to share the burden of getting God’s Message out to the world with these dedicated and valiant warriors.
Please pray for us (and for our college-age sons, Jonathan and Stephen) as they return to school and we head to Greece and Israel to film our next TV series, Acts—Then and Now… the Story Continues. Until we see you on the air, don’t miss the superb episodes below on Zola Levitt Presents in October featuring solid teaching, wonderful music, and ZLM’s unique take on God’s worldview.
PSALM 134—from our series entitled Psalms of Ascent. Sandra and Jeff conclude this series where we have seen many coming up to Jerusalem seeking and praising God.
On the Mount of Olives, Jeff invites all Believers to journey together to our ultimate destination. Marty Goetz (r) sings a wonderful rendition of “Benediction.”
Next we will broadcast the eight-program Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace). We explore what it means to walk in the footsteps of Israel’s Messiah. Jeff Seif’s passage-by-passage exposition of Jesus’ principal teachings comes to life through on-location production with real-world re-enactments, all performed by Israelis.
We think of our tours to Israel in terms of “ancient rocks and living stones.” Our
pilgrims experience the massive history and see Scripture revealed at the biblical sites; and
they also meet the present–day Body of Messiah in the Land. Our spring study tour of Israel
travels from March 11 through the 21st (or the 25th if you choose the Petra extension).
Summer’s Discovery Tour (June 3–13) is always popular because it is less expensive and
includes optional participation in an archaeological dig. We can promise that your pilgrimage
to Israel will provide you with lifelong memories and a closer walk with your Lord.
Until next time, I won’t say goodbye, but as we say in Hebrew, “L’hitraot—I’ll see you again.” And Sha’alu shalom Yerushalayim—Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Your messenger,
P.S. As you have read, this ministry has just finished producing the TV series Ruth: Your People Shall Be My People. Now, hardly catching our breath, we’re jumping into another series of incredible value, Acts—Then and Now… the Story Continues. Thank you for staying with us prayerfully and financially as we face five-figure production invoices and six-figure ones for airtime. Thanks.
Dear Myles,
“Ontological unity” (“one in Christ”) does not conflict with the “economic subordination” of God intending the Gospel to go “to the Jew first.”
“Here is my contribution for October. Please continue to uphold Israel and lead the Jewish people to call on their Lord, per Romans 10:13.”
Passage-by-passage exposition of Jesus’ principal teachings is brought to life through on-location production with real-world re-enactments, all performed on location by Israelis.
The God of love is a matchmaker who desires a Bride for His Son, the Bridegroom of Heaven. This Bride, the Church, will consist of both Jews and gentiles. Yeshua’s sacrifice enables gentiles to be grafted into the life of Israel and share in the promises of God. Understanding the role of Israel, God’s timepiece, is crucial to preparing for the Lord’s return.
The Lord appeared to the Apostle John on the island of Patmos and dictated the dramatic Revelation of Jesus Christ. His commentary on seven churches of the time has remained an object lesson for all generations — the Seven Churches of Asia as seen by the Head of the Church.
