Romans 11:11

"Again I ask, Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious."

A New Thing on The Earth

In many evangelical circles, there is discussion of a fairly recent, but rapidly growing phenomenon: Messianic Judaism. There are very popular national television shows about it. Students at Christian colleges and universities are asking about it. And churches are divided, "taking turns supporting and condemning" this new happening.

What Is It?

What is Messianic Judaism? That's a pretty easy question to answer, in general. Messianic Jews are those Jews who believe that the Messiah promised in the Bible has already come (they are waiting for him to come again), and that He is the one who Christians call Jesus. They maintain their Jewish lifestyle and identity, but believe they are redeemed through God's grace, by faith in the Messiah, Jesus (who they know as Yeshua, his Hebrew name). There are hundreds of Messianic Jewish congregations, with a growing representation on virtually every continent.

A Significant Move of God

Messianic Judaism is important for more than one reason. First, since the days of the Messiah, there have always been "Messianic Jews". In the first century, they numbered hundreds of thousands, perhaps as many as a million, at the end of the century. The early church was full of them. Then things changed, and it soon became impossible for a believing Jew to keep his Jewish identity. He was cast out of the synagogue into a "no-man's land." He was accepted into the church only if he "ceased being a Jew," including even changing his name to a "Christian" one. This condition lasted some 1800 years or so, ending only very recently. Though there were Messianic Jews in the 1800s, there were no messianic congregations, per se. The situation changed dramatically at about the same time that Jerusalem once again came under Jewish control: 1967.

A Big Little War

In June, 1967, there was a short, violent war between Israel and the Arab nations, called the Six-Day War. Israel prevailed, and captured the old city of Jerusalem, along with other territory.

This is significant especially because the Israeli recapture of Jerusalem ended the "times of the Gentiles" spoken of by the Prophets. Jerusalem had been under Gentile domination for more than 2,000 years. Then it became, once again, a Jewish city, and events prophesied in conjunction with that began to occur.

At about the same time another event took place, which is only now being noticed by most of the world, but which is also an important event: The modern Messianic Jewish movement became a reality about the time of the Six-Day War.

For the first time in over 1,500 years, Jews generally were free to come to faith in Yeshua as their Messiah, and remain Jews. For the first time, there are Jewish congregations who believe in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. And, amazingly, non-Jews have joined these believing Jews in worshiping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in a Jewish manner: there are as many "Messianic believers" (non-Jewish believers who adopt a Jewish lifestyle) as there are Messianic Jews.

A Difficult History

For over 1,500 years, most of the abundant persecution of Jews has come from the Church, those professing the name of God. The cross, a sign of redemption to Christians, is a sign of persecution and horror to Jews. Clearly, something is wrong. It is impossible to read Romans (Ch. 9-11) and conclude that God intended this.

There are many factors in this animosity between Jews and Christians, and neither side is without fault. A major change occurred in the fourth century when the Roman Emperor Constantine effectively made Rome a "Christian" state, which brought a huge influx of pagans into the Church. They had not, for the most part, experienced a true conversion, but were now "Christians" because it was expedient. To accommodate this new population, many pagan customs - i.e., Christmas and Easter - were incorporated into the life of the church and "baptized" to make them acceptable.

As the numbers grew, the Jewish character of the Church diminished, and the leadership rapidly became Gentile. Soon there was little left of the original Christianity, which had been simply a fulfilled, completed Judaism.

With a shrinking segment of the Church comprised of Jews, attitudes changed, and Jews were soon seen, not as the people God had chosen to bring redemption to the world, but as "Christ Killers." The Church began to demand that any Jew who came to trust Yeshua - Jesus - as his Messiah renounce his "pagan" Jewishness, change his name, and become a "Christian." On the other side, the Synagogue had neither room nor tolerance for Jews who became believers, and they were promptly expelled.

Believing Jews faced the difficult choice of hiding their faith and remaining in the Jewish world, or announcing their faith and losing their families, their heritage, their very identity. Still, many thousands came to faith in the Messiah. So many, in fact, that in the Middle Ages many of the ancient Jewish teaching and doctrinal documents were revised, with a strong bias against any possibility that Yeshua - Jesus - could be the Messiah. Judaism was recast in the Middle Ages, and modern Judaism differs in many important respects from ancient - biblical - Judaism. Much of modern Judaism is not Judaism, in the sense of the ancient, biblically based faith, but is a reaction to Christianity. Many Jews reject Yeshua as the Messiah, not because he does not fit the prophecies - he certainly does - but because Jesus is the "Christian god," and of course, must be rejected by Jews. They have never considered the prophecies.

The animosity between the Church and the Synagogue has continued through the centuries. Christians have persecuted Jews, and Jews have correspondingly had an aversion - too mild a term - to Christianity, and an outright hatred for Jewish believers.

A Crucial Event

Then, in 1967, came the birth of the modern Messianic Jewish movement. For the first time in many centuries, Jews who believed in Yeshua as their Messiah could remain Jews, and could retain the rich culture, the heritage, and the scriptural base that was theirs as Jews.

So, What's The Point?

What does all this have to do with Romans 11:11? The messianic movement is a key to understanding this verse. In the messianic movement, we see Jewish and non-Jewish believers together for the first tiime in centuries, all believers in the same Messiah, all serving the same God, all worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

These verses have been overlooked by much of the Church, disregarded for the teaching that Israel is no longer significant in God's plan. After all, the reasoning went, there was no Israel (before 1948), so references to Israel must refer to the Church. This teaching is a serious mistake, an attempt to rationalize what could not be understood, which is still widely accepted.

However, the passage raises an important question: What does Paul mean when he says "salvation has come to the Gentiles to make the Jews envious"? The list of envious Jews seems very short indeed.

The answer is in the steadily growing Messianic movement, and is found especially in the many non-Jewish believers who have discovered the beauty of the Torah, and of a biblically observant lifestyle. In many cases they have become "more Jewish than Jews," as an expression of their love for the God of the Jews and the Bible of the Jews. And increasingly, Jews are taking note, and becoming envious: What are these "goyim" (Gentiles) seeing that Jews are not? There is a powerful witness in maintaining a Torah-observant lifestyle.

Back Into "Works"?

But wait a minute! Isn't "keeping the Law" a form of works? Isn't that going back into the bondage from which Yeshua set us free? That's a good question. But if we understand the role of the Torah and God's purpose in giving it, we will see that we are not talking about working for salvation, or anything like it. We are not talking about salvation at all, but about living a righteous, holy, set-apart life, is a testimony to the righteousness and holiness of the God we serve.

In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul tells of the lessons we can learn from the experiences of Israel. He speaks of their redemption, of their having been brought out of Egypt - the world - and having been "baptized into Moses" in the sea and the cloud. The children of Israel were redeemed from bondage in Egypt , and their redemption, says Paul, is a type or illustration of our own redemption from another kind of bondage in the world. And, importantly, the giving of the Torah happened after they were out of Egypt. It happened after their redemption from bondage. Torah was given, according to Paul's illustration, to a redeemed people. It was not for salvation, but for righteous living after redemption.

A Handbook to Righteousness

As we understand this important point, we see that Torah is not a means to gain God's approval, but a guide to enhance both our relationship with Him and our testimony before the world. Both the Church and Israel are intended to be a set-apart, visibly different people, a nation of priests (1 Peter 2:9; Exodus 19:6). Torah is the handbook for a righteous life as a chosen, set-apart, visibly different people.

Recent years have seen a great interest among evangelical Christians in their "Jewish roots," and many are beginning to keep the biblical feasts, and to maintain a "Torah-observant" lifestyle. They are joining Messianic congregations, worshiping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in a manner that any Jew could appreciate and enjoy. As a result, increasing numbers of Jews are coming to faith in their Messiah. Hallelujah!

What is happening today is perhaps the greatest move of God among the Jews since the first century: They are coming to faith in their Messiah, and remaining Jews.

The word "Shabbat" is the Hebrew word for Sabbath and means "to rest", which tells us a large part of the purpose of this important observance is restoration. God told the children of Israel to recharge themselves physically, emotionally and spiritually. God demonstrated this principle when he created the universe. For six days he formed the world and everything in it; but, on the seventh day he rested. Consequently, the seventh day, Shabbat, is to be a perpetual reminder of God the creator and our need to find rest in him. (Exodus 31:16-17)

Based on the creation account of Genesis, Shabbat lasts from sundown Friday evening to sundown Saturday. God defines a day in the following order: "there was evening, and there was morning." Hence, the Hebrew calendar traditionally starts a day at sunset of the previous evening.

Some Christians might call Sunday the "Christian Sabbath"; however, this is technically incorrect. Sunday is never called the Sabbath in the Bible. In fact, the word "Sunday" never appears in the original text of the Scriptures. It is called "the first day of the week" (see Matthew 28:1 and 1 Corinthians 16:2). This is the biblical way of reckoning days of the week. All days are counted in relationship to Shabbat (first day, second day, etc.), giving further evidence of the centrality of this day to Jewish people.

Traditionally, two candlesticks are set on the table, or in another prominent place. They symbolize the two-fold commandment to remember and sanctify. These candles are lit by the woman of the home because it was through a woman that Yeshua (Jesus' Hebrew name) was brought into this world. With a scarf covering her head, the woman lights the candles and says the Hebrew blessing to "usher in" Shabbat.

With the candles lit, the family now says the blessing over the wine, which is in a special kiddush cup, a cup of sanctification. The fruit of the vine has always symbolized the joy of God's provisions in our everyday lives (Psalm 104:15).

Next comes the blessing over the challah, the twisted or braided egg-bread which is traditional for the occasion. Normally there are two loaves. They represent the double portion of manna provided before every Sabbath to the Israelites in the wilderness. These are placed on a decorative "challah plate" and covered by a special cloth, which represents the dew that fell with the manna. The leader at the table now removes the challah cover, holds the plate for all to see and says the Hebrew blessing over the bread. The bread is usually broken by hand, not sliced with a knife. The idea is to symbolize the day when all weapons of war will be done away with at the coming of Messiah (Isaiah 2:4). A portion of bread is shared with each member at the table. As the bread is shared by all, greetings of "Shabbat Shalom" (peaceful sabbath) are given to one another, often with a kiss or hug.

A final blessing is given before the actual meal - the prayer over the children. The father places his hand on the head of his children and prays a blessing over them. The wife is also blessed, by reading the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31:10-31.

Shabbat is meant to be a wonderful time of worship to the Lord God and a time of family sharing.

Kasdan, Barney. God's Appointed Times. Baltimore: Lederer Messianic Publications, 1993

Last updated on June 17, 2008