The vineyard december 2013 by Moshe Habaita

Isaiah 5:7 “for the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel”.

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Glimpses of Israel

Jerusalem Archaeological Park Jerusalem Archaeological Park dig site 2 Fourth Dimensional Diet s 5 The Marriage of the Attributes s 10 Ancient Golden Treasure Found at Foot of Temple Mount s 12 Evan Thomas – A Personal Story Published by David House Fellowship Inc.

The Vineyard December 2013

!!!!!"#$%&'!! ()*+,-)#,./! ()+& Today, I speak of diet! Now you know why I am confident of your rapt attention. After all reduced to the irreducible minimum, there are only three themes capable of commanding current concentration — atoms, parking, and calories.

I need no assurance, therefore that you are already in breathless anticipation. However, since the diet to which I am about to introduce to you is of a most unusual character and possesses some really revolutionary properties, you just must permit me a moment to usher it in. Let me illustrate. Until the year 1887 the cosmic dietary formularies of the great Isaac Newton remained unchallenged and unquestioned where space and time were concerned. “Absolute space, in its own nature, without relation to anything external, remains always similar and immovable.” “Absolute, true, and mathematical time, of itself, and from its own nature, flows equally without relation to anything external.”

MY DEAR FRIENDS, I approach today’s subject with zest and gusto, for it is a theme vibrant with animation and will therefore ride, like a symmetrical surfboard, on a wave of popular interest.

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This, my friends, was the Newtonian foundation as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar. However, that’s just how solid it really was, if you know what I mean, atomically speaking; for, in 1887 Professor A.A. Michelson, an American physicist, conducted a simple experiment in order to compare light velocities in directions perpendicular to each other. The outcome of that experiment was as contrary to all expectations as would be the situation if the taxation authorities suddenly announced the abolition of all taxes and, instead, every citizen would be paid taxes by the government! That would be viewing the situation inside-out, wouldn’t it?

Anyway, that illustrates the situation to which Michelson’s experiment ultimately led: an inside-out view of the universe, the Einstein theory of relativity, and the conception of time as a fourth dimension. Admittedly, the subject is exceedingly interesting, but it is only my illustration to lead you into my present theme of a fourthdimension diet! Ah! That’s modern enough for you, isn’t it? A fourth-dimension diet! By a happy coincidence, it is just after Passover and my diet has been unleavened bread. This feature harmoniously invites attention to our dietary subject in the three dimensions to which we are normally accustomed to view it: namely, space, matter, and time. The locality in space is just over the River Jordan in the Promised Land of Israel; the matter is described accurately in the words of our Holy Scriptures which I quote from the fifth chapter of Joshua: “And they did eat of the produce of the land on the morrow after the Passover, matzoth (unleavened bread) and qalui (parched corn), in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow, after they had eaten of the produce of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.” (Joshua 5:11, 12) So much for the factors of space and matter. The time, my friends, was the occasion of the entrance into Canaan of the children of Israel under General Yeshua somewhere in the middle of the fifteenth century before the Common Era. Whilst we are still in the area of three dimensions, it is well to notice that the Scripture gives us

a view of Israel in three perspectives — in Egypt, in the Wilderness, and in Canaan. Now, we have Scriptural authority for asserting that Israel’s literal history had a typical significance. Egypt speaks of fear; the Wilderness of futility; Canaan of fruitfulness. There, already, you see, you are getting a peep into a fourth dimension! Before we enter into this new and wonderful realm, however, let me utter a word of caution; a fourth dimension doesn’t vitiate the validity of the other three. The bondage in Egypt was painfully real; the wilderness wandering was tragically historical; the conquest of Canaan convincingly factual. But just as Einstein rendered relative Newton’s absolute and introduced a new perspective valid and demonstrable, so, too, there is another perspective in which these historical events can be viewed and I suggest the new perspective is equally valid and demonstrable. That other perspective, new — unfortunately — to so many, is the Divine or spiritual perspective. Humanly, Egypt speaks of the rigours of bondage under despotic power; in the spiritual perspective, however, Egypt speaks of the redemption by blood under Divine power. Do you see the added viewpoint? Be assured both are valid. What of the Wilderness? Humanly, the Wilderness reveals mankind’s presumption and provocation; viewed “inside-out” it reveals God’s patience and perseverance. What is the spiritual fourth dimension of Canaan? Well, humanly, it shows us a people, already redeemed and brought

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into indissoluble covenant relationship with God, having been granted a foot-hold on the inheritance they already owned and now being invited to possess and enjoy it. To disclose adequately the arresting wonders of the spiritual perspective, I regret I must turn aside very briefly to explode some erroneous human concepts. To cross the waters of Jordan into Canaan, they say, is to pass safely through physical death and enter into heaven! That sounds all right, provided we do not think about it too much! Personally, I do not expect to enter heaven with drawn sword and there to fight against God’s enemies! Now, can we proceed with a more valid spiritual perspective of Canaan? Assuredly, Canaan speaks of possessing our possessions. The spiritual inheritance already belongs not only to all Jewish people, but also to every Gentile who cares to cross over with Israel, for included in the laws Divinely bestowed upon Israel is full provision for the non-Israelite. Yes, the inheritance is God’s gift; it is ours already. But the possession and enjoyment of that gift is relative to the extent of it, we make our own. There’s your spiritual Law of Relativity! And the fourth-dimensional diet? Why, the old corn of the land, of course. Stronger food than the manna. As entrance is made into the Promised Land of Faith and Belief in God’s redemption through the Blood of the Lamb-Messiah of Israel, so, too, the Land has entered into us who believe and its fruits are sweet to the taste. Notice the dietary contrast and progress The manna came down; the corn came up. A striking fourth-dimensional perspective is here for those with a taste for spiritual food. The manna was bread which descended from heaven in a wilderness; the corn was food that came up from the earth in the land of promise. My friends, the Messiah-Redeemer employs both manna and corn to illustrate Israel’s

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inheritance in Himself and the great atonement He made. He declared: “I tell you for a positive fact, whosoever believes in Me will have Eternal Life. … Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and died. The bread that comes down from heaven is otherwise, that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that has come down from heaven ...” (Yochanan — John 6:47-51) In this way did the Messiah speak of His Incarnation. But He also referred to Himself as the corn. Here is His affirmation: “I tell you for a positive fact, unless the corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies it will remain solitary; but if it dies it will yield much fruit.” (Yochanan — John 12:24) In this way did Messiah speak of His death and resurrection. The Messiah Yeshua is God’s Supreme Gift to Israel. May we Jewish people speedily possess our possessions! This may be a strong diet for many, but it is healthful and life-giving fare. Dr Lawrence Duff-Forbes (1900–1964) Founding Director of David House Fellowship Inc. This article is an extract from the very popular radio series, “Treasures From Tenach”, which are also transcribed. Both audio (click MP3 tab, then “161FourthDimensionalDiet.mp3”, and transcriptions are available for free download at www.thevineyard.org.au .

!"#$%&''(&)# of the attributes

MY FRIENDS, surely Samuel Johnson 1709–1784, (English author) recognized the heavenly origin of true friendship when he wrote of it in these far-horizoned words: Friendship, peculiar boon of heaven, The noble mind’s delight and pride, To men and angels only given, To all the lower world denied. Friendship is the boon of heaven because it is the bairn of heaven; it romps free and joyous in the fenceless fields of trust; its food is truth, and the very air it breathes is peace. Serenity is its garment, and the ɷɥɤɶ ɺɡ ³ the daughter of a laugh ³ is dancing in its eyes. But if friendship on the human plane requires the warm and eager adjective to describe its peculiar preciousness, in what terms are we to describe human friendship with God? Deep and deathless, there is only one word big enough to hold its bounties, a word which, like the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, may have no outward form of beauty to commend it until – again like the Tabernacle in the Wilderness – we pass within its portals and explore the wealth and wonder of its interior. The word I choose thus to describe is the English word “perfect.” To express this all-enfolding concept in the Hebrew tongue I should have to use the Hebrew root ɮɬɹ. Does that sound familiar

to your ears? Do you not say ³ “Why, that’s the Hebrew word for ‘peace’ “? Yes, ɭɥɬɹ is the Hebrew word for peace, but it is also employed to denote friendship, for the expression ɩɮɥɬɧ ɹɩɠ means “my friend.” Didn’t I say that peace is the very air that friendship breathes? But the basic idea of the word is “perfection.” How beautifully Isaiah has described this blessed condition: :ɧɥɨɡ ɪɡ ɩɫ ɭɥɬɹ ɭɥɬɹ ɸɶɺ ɪɥɮɱ ɸɶɩ “The mind stayed on You, You keep in perfect peace; because it trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3) Notice the repetition of the same word in the Hebrew ³ ɭɥɬɹ ɭɥɬɹ ³ translated into English by the two words “perfect peace.” Surely these two are one; there is no real perfection without peace and no real peace without perfection. When I was in the Far East many years ago, I enjoyed the acquisition of a somewhat unusual novelty. It consisted of a small pellet of compressed paper which, when dropped into a bowl of water, gently opened out into the form of a gaily-coloured flower, beautiful to behold. I think of this now, for I have before me a pellet of paper on which these Hebrew words are written:

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!"#$%&''(&)# of the attributes :ɥɷɹɰ ɭɥɬɹɥ ɷɣɶ ɥɹɴɰ ɺɮɠɥɚɣɱɧ “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” (Psalm 85:11; English tr. 85:10) Will you watch, for a moment, as I drop this precious pellet of revelation from Psalm 85 into the welcoming waters of our cordial understanding? I assure it will unfold before our delighted eyes into a heaven-tinted flower of spiritual charm and fragrance. I call it the “Marriage of the Attributes.” Whilst we now pour personality into the noble moulds of these sweet virtues that we may behold their marriage, may I guide the English-speaking mind into possession of a delightful phenomenon of Hebrew poetry known as “parallelism”? To those unacquainted with this feature it might be thought that Mercy, Truth, Righteousness, and Peace were four attributes claiming personification. Yet, no! Hebrew “parallelism” reveals but two, and endows them with a duel appellation; for the other name of Mercy is Righteousness and the poetic synonym of Truth is Peace. Not a duel wedding, but a duel nomenclature.

and such can never kiss in constancy. How well this spiritual verity is disclosed in the Divinely-inspired regulations for the ɭɩɮɬɹɤ ɧɡɦ, or Peace-Offering, recorded in chapter 3 and chapter 7 of Vayikra, better known in English as Leviticus. The ɭɩɮɬɹɤ ɧɡɦ, Peace-Offering, was numbered among the VOLUNTARY sacrifices. After all, there can be no compulsion in friendship and perfect peace can only be enjoyed in perfect freedom. Peace-Offerings were both public and private; the two lambs offered each year at ɺɥɲɥɡɹ (Pentecost) is an example of the public ɭɩɮɬɹɤ ɧɡɦ (Leviticus 23:19). Private peaceofferings were of a three-fold nature. Firstly, ɥɩɮɬɹ ɺɣɥɺ ɧɡɦ, sacrifices of thanksgiving (Leviticus 7:12), Secondly, ɸɣɰ, votive, in respect of a vow (Leviticus 7:16), Thirdly, ɤɡɣɰ, having the nature of a willing donation (Leviticus 7:16).

Behold their marriage! They meet; they kiss; they are united. The ɤɬɫ is peace: gentle, feminine bride, who now rests her tranquil and contented head upon the strong and manly breast of her ɯɺɧ (Bridegroom) and the ɤɰɥɺɧ (Marriage) is perfect.

It is such a mistake to connect the idea of sacrifice with that of a priest. The ɧɡɦ in Scripture is not the exclusive prerogative of a priest as such; there are at least thirty-seven passages of Scripture where this verb is used and which reveal that the offeror himself, priest or non-priest, could exercise the privilege of sacrifice. Usually it was the head of the family who both slew and presented the animal before the Sanctuary of the Eternal.

But grasp the fact that this sweet kiss of union can only be if mercy flows through Righteousness and Peace is pervaded by Truth. Unrighteous mercy is a false peace

Let me expose to you the bliss-bathed symbolism in this ancient Israelitish ceremony. The verb ɧɡɦ basically means “ to slaughter” and again basically, to slaughter

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for food. The fat was burned upon the altar, the breast was waved before the Eternal as being His portion in the feast, yet it was returned, as from the Lord, to His priests to be eaten by them.

Offering, Himself the Guest of His people at this sacrificial feast.

The right shoulder (or, perhaps more correctly, the right leg) regarded as a heave-offering (ɤɮɩɸɺ) in Rabbinical understanding was a gift from Israel to the priests. Thus the priests, in the capacity of mediators, had a portion from the Eternal and a portion from the people. Then the rest of the flesh was eaten before the Eternal by those bringing the offering.

One closing thought of exquisite tenderness. The sacrifices normally demanded perfect animals. But here, in the Peace-Offering, where God is our Guest, not our Host, He grants a sweet exception. In the case of a ɤɡɣɰ, a voluntary Peace-Offering, a bullock or a lamb being ɲɥɸɹ or ɭɥɬɷ and thus defective would, nevertheless, be acceptable to the Eternal.

It is now obvious that the whole ritual is alight and alive with its basic spiritual character. It is a feast! It is a feast of friendship; a feast of perfect peace between God and man. But, my friends, let us be careful to note that it is the right kind of peace, a peace flowing through God’s revealed truth and displaying His mercy through righteousness. We see this in the following symbolism. First, it was a sacrifice, needing the imposition of hands, the confession of sin, and the sprinkling of sacrificial blood. The offeror pressed his hands upon the head of the offering and then slew it. Here is the ancient Hebrew dual doctrine of the offeror’s identification with the sacrifice, and the substitution of the sacrifice for the offeror. The sin question having been settled between God and man by the blood of vicarious atonement we now behold a scene of unsurpassable satisfaction. The gracious God of Israel, Himself the Eternal Host of all mankind, displays His love and friendship by becoming, in the Peace-

Observe, too, how the feast is shared by God, Man, and Mediator. Peace! Redemption’s priceless purchase!

It is in ways as beautiful as this that our Divinely-inspired Jewish Scriptures reveal the glorious character of God, the quality of His love to us, and the manner of His spiritual redemption of us. The Divine love recognizes our human frailty and imperfection and the Divine mercy, flowing in righteousness through the Divine Messiah’s redemption, makes the kiss of righteousness and peace between the Holy God and sinful man gloriously possible. Dr Lawrence Duff-Forbes (1900–1964) Founding Director of David House Fellowship Inc. This article is an extract from the very popular radio series, “Treasures From Tenach”, which are also transcribed. Both audio (click MP3 tab, then “089MarriageOfAttributes.mp3”, and transcriptions are available for free download at www.thevineyard.org.au .

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glimpses of ISRAEL glimpses of ISRAEL glimpses of ISRAEL glimpses of ISRAEL

JERUSALEM

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK

Photos:

Jerusalem Archaeological Park dig site and unearthed ruins.

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December 2013

Ancient Golden Treasure Found

at Foot of Temple Mount “A breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime discovery” – At the foot of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Hebrew University archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar discovered 36 gold coins, gold and silver jewelry, and a gold medallion etched with a menorah. A third-generation archaeologist working at the Hebrew University’s Institute of Archaeology, Dr. Mazar directs excavations on the City of David’s summit and at the Temple Mount’s southern wall. Calling the find “a breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime discovery,” Dr. Mazar said: “We have been making significant finds from the First Temple Period in this area, a much earlier time in Jerusalem’s history, so discovering a golden seven-branched Menorah from the seventh century CE at the foot of the Temple Mount was a complete surprise.” The discovery was unearthed just five days into Mazar’s latest phase of the Ophel excavations, and can be dated to the late Byzantine period (early seventh century CE). The gold treasure was discovered in a ruined

Byzantine public structure a mere 50 meters from the Temple Mount’s southern wall. The menorah, a candelabrum with seven branches that was used in the Temple, is the national symbol of the state of Israel and reflects the historical presence of Jews in the area. The position of the items as they were discovered indicates that one bundle was carefully hidden underground while the second bundle was apparently abandoned in haste and scattered across the floor. Given the date of the items and the manner in which they were found, Mazar estimates they were abandoned in the context of the Persian conquest of Jerusalem in 614 CE. After the Persians conquered Jerusalem, many Jews returned to the city and formed the majority of its population, hoping for political and religious freedom. But as Persian power waned, instead of forming an alliance with the Jews, the Persians sought the support of Christians and ultimately allowed them to expel the Jews from Jerusalem.

Hanging from a gold chain, the menorah medallion is most likely an ornament for a Torah scroll. In that case it is the earliest Torah scroll ornament found in archaeological excavations to date. It was buried in a small depression in the floor, along with a smaller gold medallion, two pendants, a gold coil and a silver clasp, all of which are believed to be Torah scroll ornamentations. “It would appear that the most likely explanation is that the Ophel cache was earmarked as a contribution toward the building of a new synagogue, at a location that is near the Temple Mount,” said Dr. Mazar. “What is certain is that their mission, whatever it was, was unsuccessful. The treasure was abandoned, and its owners could never return to collect it.” The Ophel cache is only the third collection of gold coins to be found in archaeological excavations in Jerusalem, said Lior Sandberg, numismatics specialist at the Institute of Archaeology. “The thirty-six gold coins can be dated to the reigns of different Byzantine emperors, ranging from the middle of the fourth century CE to the early seventh century CE,” said Sandberg. Found with the coins were a pair of large gold earrings, a gold-plated silver hexagonal prism and a silver ingot. Remnants of fabric indicated that these items were once packaged in a cloth purse similar to the bundle that contained the menorah medallion. Mazar’s Ophel excavation made headlines earlier this year when she announced the

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2012 discovery of an ancient Canaanite inscription (recently identified as Hebrew), the earliest alphabetical written text ever uncovered in Jerusalem. The 2013 excavation season at the Ophel ran from the middle of April to the end of July, on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University. The Israel Antiquities Authority is carrying out the preservation works, and is preparing the site for the public. The excavation site is situated within the Jerusalem National Park around the walls of Jerusalem of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, and is administered by the East Jerusalem Development Company. The Ophel project has been generously underwritten, since 2009, by Daniel Mintz and Meredith Berkman from New York. The entire project includes the archaeological excavations, the processing of the finds towards publication, as well as the preservation and the preparations of the site for its opening to the public. Herbert W. Armstrong College in Edmond, Oklahoma supports Mazar’s project by sending students to participate in the excavations. Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs 9 September 2013 www.mfa.gov.il Far left: Dr. Eilat Mazar displays a 10cm gold medallion etched with menorah, shofar and Torah scroll. © Dr. Eilat Mazar, photo by Ouria Tadmor. Left: Excavation site at foot of Temple Mount. Above: Close-up detail of the medallion and the thirty-six gold coins found at the Ophel excavations in Jerusalem. © Dr. Eilat Mazar, photo by Ouria Tadmor. All photos courtesty of www.mfa.gov.il

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EVAN THOMAS – A Personal Story “I will give you a new heart ... And you will live in the land” I am a Jew, born in New Zealand to a Jewish mother. In July 1978 while still residing in New Zealand, I accepted that Y’shua (Jesus) was the Messiah, the promised one of God. (Isaiah 52; 53; Jeremiah 33) Today, my wife Maala, my daughter Sara and I live as citizens in Israel. Maala and I have faithfully served the Lord for the past thirty years in leadership of a local messianic congregation, Beit Asaf in the coastal city of Netanya. They say, “Find a Jew, and you will find a story,” this is mine... My grandparents, Herschel and Ester left Palestine in the early 1900s to settle and begin a new life in the far north of New Zealand. There my mother Clare was born into a family, which would eventually consist of eight children, and due to the variety of my Grandfather’s endeavours, most of the upbringing was left to Nanna Reefman. She was the only grandparent I ever knew and although she has been gone now more than fifty years, I still remember her stories of “the Land,” the thick accent and her sharp blue eyes. As children we loved her very much and so enjoyed her annual holiday with us.

Evan Thomas

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I was born in the beautiful coastal town of Whakatane, N.Z. where I grew and had very much a love of the sea and the outdoors as part of my education. Unlike my grandparents who had a strong adherence to the traditions of our

“Fathers”, my parents chose a totally secular path, leaving decisions of a more spiritual nature to us children to make as we matured. To date two of us, of the three siblings, have accepted Y’shua as our Messiah and are committed to working in His service, in Israel amongst our people. My father made a commitment of faith during our immersion service and my mother finally called out to Y’shua, accepting Him the day before she passed away in August 1991. We are grateful to Him that my mother had two opportunities to visit with us in Israel and experience the life of the Jewish Believers here; many of whom joined with us in mourning her passing. I remember clearly my own step of faith and the event leading up to it. Maala had given her heart to Y’shua in 1977, primarily as a result of the interaction with a dear friend who was shining for the Messiah. Suddenly I had an angel for a wife, the change in her was so vital, and almost all conflict disappeared from our home. The first two years of our marriage, although good, had some tense moments. As a result, rather than object to her faith I proceeded to encourage her, inviting a local Christian Pastor to teach a weekly Bible study in our home (which I didn’t attend), insisting she regularly attend services, to which I would often take her and ‘drop her off’. To this day I am ashamed for being motivated by self-interest. It was nearly twelve months later while on an intensive study program at Massey University, New Zealand, that God was to, “renew my heart and put a new spirit within me.” (Ezekiel 36:26). Maala’s witness had been a quiet one, of love and encouragement and prayer. She was familiar with my “stiff neck” and trusted God sufficiently to do a sovereign work in my life.

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EVAN THOMAS – A Personal Story I had been studying hard and in seeking a little diversion one evening, stepped into a movie theatre without even knowing the film I was about to see. God chose, “The Hiding Place” and the powerful testimony of the Ten Boom family to stir my heart and emotions as they sacrificially gave even of their lives to save a few of the Jews of Holland. My own studies of Tenach (the Old Testament Scriptures) and New Covenant no longer remained academic as I quietly gave my life to Y’shua and knew His forgiveness. In rising the first morning, the awareness of what had occurred was profound and immediate and during the day I was to be found in the local Bible bookshop choosing literature and a new found taste in music Messianic Jewish! Until that point I didn’t even know that other Jewish Believers existed. The next few months for Maala and I were quite dramatic as we grew with enthusiasm much to the disquiet of our families and not a few of our friends. The cost to these relationships also grew as we grew in faith, for the awareness of my Jewishness also returned and my grandmother’s stories of “the Land” re-entered my thoughts. One morning long before dawn I awoke with a distinct sense that God was trying to tell me something, and so much so I woke Maala and had her record the message of my thoughts. In short the message was thus, “Prepare, for I will take you to the Land and there I will

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teach you much.” Subsequently our decision to travel was almost immediate and in July 1979 Maala and I set off, finally arriving on a kibbutz in the Sharon valley of Israel in September. The fourteen months we were to spend there were idyllic, providing us with wonderful memories. This period was to be the “honeymoon” of our walk with the Lord and the forming of our relationship with Israel. Through contacts in New Zealand, we met and began to regularly fellowship with a group of Believers in the nearby city of Netanya. In addition, other young Believers from surrounding kibbutzim would gather with us regularly for study and prayer. In late spring of 1980 another milestone occurred. While in fellowship in Netanya one evening I was constrained to stand and impulsively state, “the Lord wants this to be our home!” You could have heard a pin drop and poor Maala was mortified. Now it was my turn to be quiet and let God do His patient work. The Sharon valley is a significant citrus producing region of Israel and while out one evening walking, Maala suddenly became aware of the intense fragrance of the orange blossom all around us. In this way God gave her that necessary sense of belonging and the basis of being, “of one heart and one mind” was established between us. By December that year we were back in N.Z. trying to

explain to our families and friends our plans for returning to Israel permanently (Aliya). For the next two years we were to go through what we would later call our “Peniel experience” the time we struggled against the Lord. During this time also we were to lay down good Biblical foundations including that pertaining to the ingathering of the Jewish people. This subsequently reinforced what God had sovereignly spoken to us personally, enabling us to come to terms with the calling on our lives. In the latter part of 1982 we surrendered to the Lord’s will and with it came the peace and the anticipation as our preparations developed. Our families and Kiwi friends gathered around us in support and in May 1983 sent us off to Israel with their blessings. The first six months were spent in an absorption centre, just south of Netanya, where in our tiny self-contained apartment we devoted ourselves to Hebrew study and the demands of adjustment to a new culture and lifestyle. We renewed fellowship with the Netanya congregation and towards the end of that first six months I was called into ministry as an “elder” of the assembly. At approximately the same time both Maala and I received employment. Maala has continued in her profession in education and is widely respected for her work. I continued in my secular work as I learned the disciplines of ministry until June

1987 when we made the decision that I would devote myself to full time service. By this time I had also completed my four months of training with the Israeli army and could look forward to another fifteen years of reserve duty. At the time of my training I took it for granted as part of my commitment to the “Land”. Now after several years of ministry I see how unique this situation is. My story began long before I was born, and as for every Jew, cannot be separated from God’s Word. My calling to faith in the Jewish Messiah and Redeemer of all men is no longer unique as a steady stream of our people responded to his call to discipleship. Y’shua is the heart of my identity as a son of Israel, yet cannot be separated from the ingathering of Israel. (Jeremiah 31) an ingathering to the Land that is an integral part of God’s covenant with His people (Genesis 15 and Psalm 105). To serve our Lord in Israel is a privilege of grace for which we are so grateful.

Evan Thomas Evan Thomas was born in 1954 in New Zealand and immigrated to Israel in 1983 where he began to serve the local Messianic congregation of Netanya. Evan continues to serve as Pastoral Elder of Beit Asaph Messianic congregation in Netanya, Israel.

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The Vineyard Vol 55, No 11 December 2013

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