The Gospel Through Jewish Eyes - Afflicted or Faithful Remnant?

Yeshua said, “If you are My disciples you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”  But what if some of what we know isn’t really the truth? What if some things have been mistranslated or misunderstood?  Seeing through Jewish eyes corrects a number of translation errors which have led to some doctrinal misperceptions. There are truths that have been misunderstood or are just missing over the generations because of mistranslations and because of a lack of knowledge of Jewish ways, such as cultural norms. Idioms would fall into that category. 

Today we talk of being close to the end times. Yeshua spoke of end times as being of grave difficulties (See Matthew 24, for instance.)  But there is always a remnant of faithful believers. Let’s talk about those faithful believers. Matthew 5 talks about the “blessed.” The word has a meaning of being worthy of being highly regarded, to be envied. That sounds haughty, doesn’t it?  Not in a culture that values  integrity, generosity, humility and faithfulness to God and His word as their highest virtues. These would be people who live their lives to reflect godliness and purity. To receive a blessing is to bow your knee before the one blessing you. To receive God’s blessings is to be humble before Him, and to be awed by Him and committed to faithful obedience.  
 

Matthew  5:5 is translated as "Blessed are the humble" or "Blessed are the meek."  First of all, these ‘blesseds’ are said to refer collectively - to a group. What group? To the faithful, more specifically the faithful remnant.  There are about two dozen verses hidden in the English translations that use  another word for the Hebrew word ANAV which actually means faithful.  English translations use: poor, meek, lowly or humble.   How does ANAV change our understanding of the meaning of these verses? The Hebrew Scriptures, as opposed to our English translations, frequently use the word ANAV to refer to the faithful remnant which is always a minority, meaning those who remain godly through trials. Such as the 7,000 Israelis who did not bow their knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). Bowing is a form of worship.  Mordechai refused to bow to Haman. Daniel and his buddies would not bow to the king, regardless of the consequences. Keep this in mind in case, God forbid, you are ever required to bow in worship before anyone but God Himself.  You just never know. 

Being among the faithful can also mean not giving into the temptations of the world. And to a nation whose all sufficiency is their God, self sufficiency could be regarded as one of the temptations.   Where did Yeshua’s “sufficiency” come from? His dependency was entirely on the Holy Spirit and His Father.  So, a question arises: Where does  our “sufficiency” come from?  How should we each be living?  Self sufficiently, or in dependence upon our God?   Might this question bring any change(s) to your life in the Lord?  Ponder worthy thoughts!  

Following are a few verses to reveal how these verses were meant to be read. See what you think about how they present a whole different picture when God is addressing the faithful remnant rather than the down trodden, the poor, the blind, etc. It is not those aspects of life that brings the blessings and safety of God, but that we are counted among those who remain faithful to Him. Doesn't that make more sense? Doesn't it also tell us more about God and His special relationship with those who are committed to Him, no matter what?! The correct use of ANAV as the faithful means that we who are committed to being faithful to the Lord today and all the tomorrows, in the small and the big things that life brings us, can count on God to be there for us. As we are faithful to Him, He is faithful to us.  Yes, He heals those in need of healing even when they do not yet know Him. No one knew who Yeshua was when He walked the earth.  Healing is a wonderful evangelistic tool. But there is more to be seen in ANAV.

Consider not only the situations and who is really involved, but what they say about God Himself.  If you give some real thought to these verses, they might help you to see yourself as committed to being a part of the faithful remnant.  Some of these that we've read for years take on a new challenge when read correctly.  Even where I’ve only used faithful, a remnant is implied for the obvious reason that not all who say they are believers are in fact among the faithful remnant. Keep in mind that when being a part of the remnant, not everyone is going to agree with you, or accept you. It may be costly to remain one of the faithful remnant. But we already know that Yeshua told us that. He's worth remaining faithful to Him, Amen?  Please give these verses some pondering and see what the Holy Spirit might show you. Here are some of the verses:

“On that day the deaf will hear words of a book, And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.  The afflicted [Anav, faithful remnant] also will increase their gladness in the Lord,
And the needy [faithful] of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” Is. 29: 17-19 

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted [Anav, Faithful]”  Is. 61:1.   It is only really good news to those who receive it, to those who are of the faithful remnant, not to those who are simply afflicted. 

“Seek the Lord, All you humble [Anav, faithful] of the earth who have carried out His ordinances”
 Zeph 2:3.

“He leads the humble [Anav, faithful] in justice, and He teaches the humble [Anav, faithful] His way.” Ps 25:9.   

Matt 5:5 was originally said in Hebrew, though later written in Greek. It has been proven that Matthew was in fact first written in Hebrew. So we can apply this to who will inherit the earth: “But the humble [anav, faithful remnant ] will inherit the earth and will delight themselves in the abundance of Shalom.“ Shalom means complete well being and peace; it comes from being faithful, not necessarily from being humble.  Yeshua was quoting Ps. 37:11 which says the same thing.   

Prov. 3:34 says, “Though He scoffs at the scoffers, yet He gives grace to the afflicted  [anav, Faithful]. Some English translations say, “…grace to the humble.”   In the past humble and meek may have been synonyms but if we say “He gives grace to the humble” in modern English, to us humble means lacking in pride but not a lack of (self) confidence, while meek means low self esteem and lacking confidence. Neither have anything to do with being faithful in hard times. 

There’s a difference between being loyal through hard times and just believing.  James 2:19 says “You believe that God is one (echad), you do well. The demons also believe and shudder.”  The demons know God and His power but they are certainly not obedient or faithful to Him.  What of those people who have no or little fear (awe) of God, nor are they obedient or faithful to His word, and yet  say, “I’m saved”?  Or about whom we may say, “Well, he’s saved because he ‘accepted the Lord’ but he’s just not walking with Him.”  I carry a burden for those who think lightly of what they believe it means to be saved, but are in fact, not. (Selah!) 

Recognizing that these verses above and others refer to a “faithful remnant” may very well give us cause to rethink what it means to be “saved.”   Praying a prayer once but not living a life of faithfulness to God reveals a tragic lack of understanding of the holiness of God and what it truly means to be His. It renders that prayer of supposed salvation of no real value if it is not followed by a changed life lived unto God.  Perhaps we need to preach a true Gospel to some who call themselves, or whom we may call, believers but whose lives do not reflect faithfulness to Him or His word. It may be that we have preached a different gospel than that of the first century remnant of faithful Jewish believers who changed the world.  But, it may also now be that today we are heading into an awareness that it is the faithful remnant that can once again change the world of which we are a part. We will take more about this in future writings.  

   

Is 28:16 says, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed.  He who believes (in it) will not be disturbed.”  The issue here is the faithful remnant – a matter of remaining loyal and faithful. It is they who will remain unperturbed when others are. We must determine in our minds and hearts, before the Lord, to be faithful to Him and to His word – to commit to Yeshua Himself in dependence upon Him who will always give grace to the anav, the faithful. 

 Is. 28:16 is quoted in Romans 9:33; 10:11; and 1 Peter 2:6. Translated as ‘the one who believes has no shame.  “ NIV says, “One who trusts will never be dismayed. “  The Hebrew is stronger than that: “The one who believes or “one who trusts” is Ma’amim which has a root meaning of speaking of both training (real and effective discipleship) and loyalty or faithfulness.”  The way religious Jews wait for the Messiah is birthed out of their teachings of loyalty to God and His word, and results in a faithfulness that has remained through centuries, and even despite much suffering, yet they remain faithful (anav).

The Hebrew word Ma’Amim  represents a prayer and a song which religious Jews who are waiting for Messiah pray and sing.  This is a prayer prayed daily by religious Jews.  It is instilled within them to remain faithful to Messiah, though He may tarry. Their faith is strong though they don’t know Yeshua (Yet. Pray that they will!). Has it been the grace of God that has kept this faith so alive within them?  I suggest you google Ma’Amim and be blessed by the numerous Youtubes that will allow you to listen to beautiful and often heart-touching renderings of this prayer/song. Here are the words. We would do well to believe along with them. 

 

"I believe with complete faith
In the coming of the Messiah, I believe

Believe in the coming of the Messiah
In the coming of the Messiah, I believe
Believe in the coming of the Messiah
And even though he may tarry
Nonetheless I will wait for him
And even though he may tarry
Nonetheless I will wait for him

Nonetheless, I will wait for him
I will wait every day for him to come
Nonetheless, I will wait for him
I will wait every day for him to come."

To which we can say, Amen. 

When It Looks Like Satan's In Control.

A River of Baptism

History, as we know, often repeats itself. To not know history, is to be vulnerable to making the same mistakes. According to a note in my NASB Chronological Bible, during the inter-testimental period, much of Israel came to belief that satan had managed to take control of the earth away from God. Today there might be some who would wonder if that's not true in certain places in the earth.  Either way, we can see how being blind to God’s goodness, presence and sovereignty  can become through sin and unbelief. 

Despite the well intentioned actions of a priest known as Judah Macabbee and his five sons to free Israel from Titus and his desecration of the temple and imposition of paganism in the Hanukkah story,  that same family only two generations later became as apostate as Israel had ever known before. They   perpetuated much of the same things Judah and his sons had fought again. 

Israel was divided between those who aligned with ungodliness and those who held to various forms of traditional Hebrew religion. Inner conflicts in the land were so bad that the leaders invited the Roman’s in to arbitrate. They came and never left, having taken over as rulers of the land.  Any Israeli leadership from then on operated under the auspices and permission of Rome.  That Israel would turn to pagan powers rather than to God to solve their problems gives indication of how far they were from Him. 

The lesson to be learned here is that for Israel to look elsewhere other than to their God 

to resolve any crises is to put themselves under subjection to those to whom they look or defer.  

Case in point:  America has played a significant part in what was originally and ironically called “Peace Accords” to try and resolve the crises between Israel and her unfriendly neighbors. In doing so Israel was put under great pressure by America and other nations who are in alignment with America to refrain from defending themselves, only resulting in making matters worse. Would America refrain from retaliating if our cities were being bombed daily? But there is another point I'm trying to make here. 

With such sin in their hearts and such disregard for God’s word, it is easy to see how a prevailing thought would have emerged that God was no longer sovereign in the world but that satan had won over Him and now had charge of the earth and the affairs of men. Perhaps people think even today that God has been found to be ineffective and weak and of no real influence for good among men. If that is the case in people's minds, then there is nothing to keep them from acting like the devil, even if they don't believe in the devil. Where there is no fear of God in this life or the afterlife to maintain godly order there will be no motivation for righteousness among men.

  

How we see God will influence how we live our lives!  

But there is always a voice of reason, of hope, of truth., There is always the Voice of God for those who will listen and hear.  It is into this that Yohanan ha-mahtbeel, John the immerser (Baptist), arrives, preaching a baptism of repentance for sins. Finally, there was a way back to God!  It is no wonder that so many came out to this strange man with the message of salvation and a word that God was still there for them. Let's face it, everyone knows they sin. Even if they don't believe in God, they know they've lied, lusted, hated, stolen....  They may not label it sin, but we all know we're not without violation somewhere.

God always has a remnant that remains faithful to Him - or at least wants to but isn't aware that it's God they want.  I became an athiest at the age of eleven, yet within me I had a deep quest to know truth. I just hoped I'd recognize it if I ever found it.  To me, beyond all else Yeshua is, He is truth!  It may have been a truth-seeking remnant that came out to Yohanan at the Jordan River.  Mikveh required living water, that is to say moving water for immersion in order to be made clean for God.  The Jordan would have provided that moving water and the people apparently welcomed the chance to find God again, to repent of their sins and to re-align themselves with Him. 

When Yeshua (Jesus) came to Yohanan at the waters of mikveh (baptism) His first recorded words are, “We must fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). What a statement! What man had ever fulfilled all righteousness? Not even David. Not even Samuel whose sons did not follow God as he did. And surely not Shlomo (Solomon).  Yeshua fully intended that He would fulfill all righteousness, not one jot or yod of the word of God left out.  He uses the pronoun “we” in speaking to Yohanan, but that “we” can be extended to all who would follow Him.  To those people who would hear those words of His, what He was saying was that righteousness can still be fulfilled. All is not lost. Satan has not won and righteousness not only can still be attained, here was a Man who would prove to embody all righteousness.  

When voices speak to the contrary, and when circumstances appear as if God has lost control of the world, even your own world, Yeshua was, is and always will be the Voice of God, the Savior of not just the world but every situation we find ourselves in. He will never, no never forsake anyone who looks to Him, who trust Him and who desires to fulfill all righteouness - that is to say, be in right standing with God. He still is the only one to whom we can look for all hope and goodness. 

Once we have been baptized as a new believer to profess your faith in Yeshua, we need not enter the waters of mikveh again to be made clean before God (though if someone feels to do so, say in starting anew with God after a difficult time or time of uncleanness, go right ahead. I've done it.)  Repentance, and turning away from whatever unrighteousness has troubled you, is available just by going to Yeshua and confessing your sin and receiving the forgiveness He offers to us all.  It is that easy. He already did the hard part.You may not need this message today, but I pray God tucks it somewhere in your spirit to bring it back to mind should you ever need to be reminded that He is still the One to fulfill all righteousness on our behalf.