Torah & The Land, pt.3a
Torah-Land Dynamics
from Nehemiah to Yeshua
Adult Shabbat Class Fall 2010
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the
Sovereign L-RD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. Isaiah 61:11
Shepherd My flock!
Last Warning before Time of Gentiles
 Shepherds who feed themselves
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- Ezek 34:1-6
Who are the 3 shepherds
removed? Why? Micah 3:11
Fat & Lean sheep Ezek 34:17-24
Nehemiah & Usury Neh 5:3-12
The Chief Shepherd is upset
because the flock is oppressed
“Flock marked for slaughter”
- Zech 11:4-13
Favor covenant with all nations
How broken? Zec11: 9-11; Is 61:1-2
Union between Judah & Israel
broken? How is union broken
between Judah & Israel?
- Zec 11:13-15; Jer 33:23-26
Take equipment of a foolish
shepherd… Woe to ‘worthless
shepherd’ Who are these two
shepherds?
3.1
The Covenant
with all Nations
Nations as G-D’s Covenant Partners
1. Oldest covenant of favor to family of nations: G-D gave the nations their inheritance
- Deut 32:6-8; Gen 10-11; Is 24:5; 25:6-7; Acts 17:26-27
2. Nations as future recipients of blessing through Abraham, Isaac & Jacob’s seed - Gen 12:3
3. “Coastlands wait for Me”, “in His law they put their hope” - Is 51:5; 42:4
4. Shepherd of all nations betrayed, sold, rejected first by Caiaphas/Herod/Pilate coalition;
Israel’s favor removed as first nation to be judged – Is 1:7-8; Zec 11:4-13; Rom 2:9-11
5. Satan’s power claim as prince of the world over all kingdoms nullified Jn 12:31;14:30; 16:11
6. Chief Shepherd rises from the dead with all authority & great spiritual battle begins with
command to disciple the nations - Ps 2; Matt 28:18-19; Acts 4:25-27
7. Time of Gentiles, war against gods of the nations (140x in Bible): Nations rise against nation
Hos 3:4-5; Mic 5:2-4; Zech 11:9; Zeph 2:11; Is 2:17-18; Jer 10:11; Matt 24:7; 2 Thess 2:9-11
8. False shepherd rises out of the sea of nations & false bride Babylon leads all kings of
nations to commit idolatry with her - Rev 13:1-2; Rev 17:15; Rev 18:3;7,23-24
9. Time of Gentiles fulfilled; Covenant of favor with all nations broken again; cup of wrath now
given to Israel’s tormentors - Zec 11:9-10; Is 40:1-2; Is: 51:17-24
10. Day of the L-RD & Victory of Lamb over the Beast’s coalition of nations & miraculous
deliverance of Israel - Zec 12:6-9; Is 62:4-5; Is 66:15-17; Ezek 32:16-30
11. G-D separates sheep nations from goat nations (people within them as well) – Matt 25:31-46
12. G-D prepares a banquet for all remnant nations and they bring their splendor into the Holy
City, the New Jerusalem, the bride - Is 2:2-4; 25:6-7; Jer 3:16-17; Rev 21:24-26
3.2
Jerusalem (Zion), The City of G-D
Where His Name Rests
(Jerusalem Mentioned 792x in Bible; Zion 150x)
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Melchizedek, King of Salem
Offense: David enters by Jebusite
water-shaft, makes it Israel’s capital
- 2 Sam 5:6-8; 1 Chr 11:6-9
Defense: Hezekiah builds tunnel to pool
of Shiloach 2 Chr 32:2-4,30
But the Israel vineyard is spoiled
- Ps 80:8-19; Is 5:1-6; Jer 12:10-11
Ezekiel’s vision
- Ezek 43:7-11; 44:23; 45:7-8
Destroyed in 576 BC & 70 C.E. to be
disciplined & cleansed
Day of visitation - Luke 19:42-45
Parable of the vineyard tenants
- Matt 21:33-40
Time of Gentiles - Luke 21:23-24
Capital of Israel & Ground Zero
- Zec 2:4-12; Zec 12:1-9
Why 1947 U.N.’s Resolution 181?
Jerusalem separate Covenant
Vinedresser’s lament Isa 63:3-4
King reigns in Zion - Ps 2; Rev 21-22:5
3.3
The King is in the Field
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According to Jewish tradition the King would leave His palace in the month of Elul
and would pitch his tent in the field. Some say that this tradition began with
King Solomon Ben-David. The common person could draw near to the king
while in the field.
The King is G-D. The Palace is heaven, the Holy Place
The Field is the earth, the common, the mundane…the “daily bread”
The King Leaves His Palace – Php 2:5-11
YK invites us to come to the King as we are and lay our burdens down
Matthew 11:28-30
3.4
Have Conscience Will Travel
A man is a slave to whatever has mastered him - 2 Pet 2:19
 Q. Why must I be accountable
for my ancestors’ sin? (Adam
& Eve)
 A. Consider slavery. When
persons by their own debt or sin sell
themselves into slavery, there are
only two options for the children:
1. Either they are set free by the
slaveholder
2. Or they are redeemed by
someone else who is willing to
pay the price
Adam & Eve sold themselves
into slavery to sin: Satan, the
slaveholder, a hard taskmaster,
is not willing to let them go.
But G-D
sent His own Son
to pay the price & redeem
His own creation
!!!
3.5
The Proto-Gospel of the Seed of Woman
“A wheat kernel, if it dies, produces many seeds”
 Woman’s seed Gen 3:15
 Gospel in the stars (signs), from
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Virgo to Leo Gen 1:14; Ps 147:4
The Star of Bethlehem !!!
Yeshua John 12:23-24; Rev 12:1-8
He who loves his life will lose it
John 12:25-26; Php 2:5-8
Prince of this world will be driven out
John 12:31-33
From incorruptible Seed to Vine:
Many sons Gal 4:4-5; John15:1-10
Open & hidden believers
John 12:42-43
Cowardice, a sin?
Prov 24:11-12; Rev 21:8; 1 Th 5:14
Dragon cast unto earth persecutes
woman with child for a time and
times, and half a time (tribulation) Rev. 12:13-17
3.6
Yeshua, Chief Shepherd Appears
Social Entrepreneur for a Spirit-Brokered Kingdom
 Patronage system: ancient reciprocity system
that provides resources (beneficia, facultas) &
favors, like legal, economic, religious, political,
influence (gratia) in exchange for honor, loyalty,
and support
 Polis: Benefactor and Client, Minority Retainer
as Broker (curry patron favor to client) stored
credit in eyes of people
 Problem of limited goods & chronic
indebtedness: 95% of the 1st century pop.
depended on 5% of the elite absentee
landowners for survival; Broker helped facilitate
transition from subsistence to market economy
 Cheap labor: Poor hired themselves out daily
- Matt 20:3
 Yeshua as broker of G-D’s riches provides
divine benefits for the lost sheep of Israel & also
gentiles (healings, exorcisms, teachings, promised
reversals of their condition)
 Exposes the religious elite who lose credit
as brokers for those seeking favor with G-D.
 Love of money (not money) = root of all evil
 Parable of the Talents – Matt 25:14-30
3.7
Scraps From
The King’s Table
 “Cyrus, my servant”
“King earns people’s goodwill as master tames dog by
sharing gifts from his own table”
 Cyrus’ lavish giving ensured people’s loyalty to worthy
servants & discouraged nepotism – Prov 14:28,35
David & Mephibosheth – 2 Sam 9:7; 16:1-4; 19:24-30
 Showed mercy to enemies to gain their friendship
 Mephibosheth’s loyalty proved when he gives all his land
to his wicked servant
Currying favor from the Rich & Powerful – Luke 16:21
 Roman “benefaction” system curried favor from above
Jesus & the Faith of the Gentiles
 Syro-Phoenician woman: “Dog metaphor”– Mark 7:25-31
 Centurion: “a man under authority” - Matt 8:5-12; Lk 7:2-9
Judgment begins at the House of God (Time of Gentiles)
 Kingdom now? First share gospel to the world – Acts 1:7-8
 Order of judgment: “first Jew, then Gentile” – Rom 2:6-11
Heads & Tails
 Israel held accountable as to how they treat nations
 So nations accountable as to how they treat Israel
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3.8
Gentile Journey Away From Torah
Antinomian Church History
 5 EVENTS gave gentiles incentives to distance
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themselves from Jewish believers:
Vespasian’s Jewish War & the Fiscus
Judaicus
Outcasts: Curse against minim Jn 16:2
Domitian persecutions & John’s exile.
Gentiles resent guilt by association with
Judaism, a religion that doesn’t want them
Rise of anti-Jewish sentiment with 2nd
Jewish war messianic fiasco, genocide, exile
Judaism’s loss of religio licita privilege:
Hadrian makes sabbath-keeping, ordaining of
rabbis & Judaism illegal. Monotheism no longer
a privilege or excuse.
Church father Ignatius forbids Shabbat; Epistle
of Barnabas (forgery) describes Jews as
deluded and abandoned by G-D; Torah is
allegorized & Judaism condemned
Heretic Marcion’s Jesus of NT unseated the
evil G-D of the Jews (OT)
Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho, (153):
Torah as gift to Jews due to G-D’s special
hatred for them & their wickedness
Council of Nicea (325), Antioch (341)
condemn Judaism
 Chyrsostom’s sermons against Judaizing
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disease affecting the 4th century church
4th century Antioch: Cult of martyrs’ relics
meant to upstage recourse to Jewish wonderworkers in matters of healing & medicine, etc.
(Maccabean martyrs cult first…)
Justinian Novella 146: stress on LXX, Greek
liturgy in synagogues meant to uprooting use
of Hebrew, with allegorical interpretation
superseding literal (too Jewish)
Patristic rhetoric vilifies synagogue for
killing Son of G-D: place for heretics, also
allegory for people of Israel, synonym for
“Jews” distinct from & superseded by ecclesia
(church) – Doctrine of contempt official
Council of Toledo (589) forbade
intermarriage, & forced conversions
Violence against Jews as scapegoat for all
evils of Middle Ages
Reformation brings hope with Moravian Torah
Hebraist movement, but Luther writes Against
the Sabbath Keepers to stop it
 Savage wolves & false shepherds will
increase torahlessness
Matt 24:10-12; Acts
20:19-30; 2 Thess 2:3,7; Jn 16:2
3.9
Crusaders, The Land and the Galut
 “Seek the welfare of the city where I have
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sent you into exile…” Jer 29:7
“dina d’makulta dina”: the law of the land is
the law
Nations who will say, ‘we have not
offended because they sinned’ will incur
judgment Jer 50:4-7
Pope Urban’s speech (1095) on why the
Holy Land must be cleansed & in possession
of Christians to fulfill End of the World
prophecy
Council exclusion, crusades, Inquisition,
pogroms: Theology of contempt & antisemitic massacres lead to error of
Replacement Theology
Whose Capitalism? Anti-Semitic pseudosociology of the Jews' participation in
capitalism
Enlightenment & modernity only increase
the level of inhumanity of nations even
among themselves
3.10
The Two Goats of Yom Kippur
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Yom Kippur: Day of National judgment
The 1st goat atones for the sins of Israel
before the mercy seat (only priests see) =
Yeshua
Azazel, the 2nd is the visible proof before
the people that their sins have been
removed far from them
G-D is faithful in blessing and cursing
Blinded unbelieving Israel becomes Azazel:
she must wander into the wilderness of the
nations as the scapegoat until He regathers
her to Himself
Israel wandering in exile becomes a sign
- Lev 16:22; Jer 31:34
The Sign of Israel is for the Gentiles: a
warning to the nations as to the fate of
those who reject His son, Yeshua
The restoration of Israel is a sign of the
end: It does not depend on Israel’s
faithfulness but G-D’s & His promises to
bring her to repentance in the final days
The Sign of Israel
The firstborn nation has become the least among nations!
3.11
Judgment for Israel as Warning &
Prelude to Judgment on Nations
 Moses prophecy - Deut 4:25-29
 Israel scattered as scapegoat among
nations - Ezekiel 5:5-9; 20:34-35
 Plea to nations - Dt: 32:43;Is 45:19-22
 The nation that will not acknowledge
the place of Israel will perish
- Gen 17:7-8; Is 60:10-12
 Those nations used by God to judge
Israel are severely judged if wicked &
inhumane
- Is 10:12-13; Is 47:6-9; Ez 36:1-15
 All nations seeking to divide the land
will incur judgment - Joel 3:2; Zeph 2:810; Zec 1:13-17; Jer 12:14-19
 Judgment of Nations
- Jer 25:15-33; Zec 12:9
 Valley of Jehoshaphat
- Ezek 38:7-23; Joel 3:2
 Israel Remnant to be Refined
- Zec 13:7-9; Ps 66:10
3.12
Torah Forgotten?
Ecc 1:11
Ps 33:8-12
The L-RD foils the plans of the nations …Blessed is the nation whose G-d is the L-RD,
the people He chose for his inheritance
I will give her … the valley of Achor [trouble] as a door of hope - Hosea 2:15
3.13
Israel’s Report Card Among the Nations
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Yeshua
Bible
Missions
Apologetics
Ethics (Human Rights & Duties)
Law & Justice
Science & Medicine
Economics
Wisdom v. Philosophy
Politics
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A for Yeshua
F without Yeshua
G-D’s Torah never returns void
Fruit despite Israel’s flaws
Disproportionate influence is from G-D
Largely beneficial, yet mixed
So we may not boast but give G-D glory
Why Satan’s Anti-Judaism?
Is it deserved? Why or Why not?
Is Job’s pain a type of Israel’s travail?
Israel in the World: Changing Lives Through Innovation
3.14
Bible’s Rich men: Does Job fear G-D for nothing?
3. Job’s Roller-Coaster Ride
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From riches to rags to riches again
Innocence tested
Self-examination: Curses himself if guilty of:
Lie, deceit? Job 31:5-8
Adultery? Job 31:9-11
Injustice? Job 31:12-22
Greed, revenge, hiding sin, inhospitality,
crime? Job 31:24-40
“Shall we accept good from God, and not
trouble?"
Yes, the righteous may also get what they
do not deserve whether by testing or by
judgment Ezek 14:12-21
Model of endurance Yak 5:11
Counsel to friends: Don’t judge the afflicted!
Comfort, Comfort,
My People!
Is 40:1-2
3.15
Bibliography
Israel Among the Nations
 BLUM, Julia. If You Be the Son of God, Come Down From the Cross. New
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Wine Press, 2006.
BULLINGER, E.W. The Witness of the Stars. Kregel Classics, 2003.
INTRATER, Asher. What Does the Bible Really Say About the Land? Maoz
Israel Publishing, 2006.
GOLDBERG. Louis. Fire on the Mountain: Past Renewals, Present Revivals
and the Coming Return of Israel. Messianic Jewish Resources International.
2000.
DAVIES, William D. The Gospel and the Land: Early Christianity and Jewish
Territorial Doctrine. University of California Press, Berkeley, 1974.
GROSS, Thomas P. with Daniel & Ann GRAY. God Births God in Israel: And
After 2000 Years We Still Can't Figure Out Why He Likes Her? Kindle, 2009.
KENNEDY, D. James. The Real Meaning of the Zodiac. TCRM Pub., 1997.
LARSON, Frederick A., Presenter. The Star of Bethlehem (DVD). Stephen
Vidano Films, Mpower Pictures, 2009.
MARCHADOUR, Alain & David & NEUHAUS. The Land, the Bible, and
History: Toward the Land That I Will Show You. Fordham University Press,
2007.
MARTIN, Ernest L. The Star of Bethlehem: The Star That Astonished the
World. The Associates for Scriptural Knowledge, 2nd ed. 2003.
Bibliography
Israel Among the Nations
 MULLER, Jerry Z. Capitalism and the Jews. Princeton University Press, 2010.
 SHECHTER, Jack. The Land of Israel: Its Theological Dimensions: A Study of
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Promise and of a Land's "Holiness" University Press of America, 2010.
TEPLINSKY, Sandra. Israel's Anointing: Your Inheritance and End Time
Destiny through Israel. Chosen Books, 2005.
SANDGREN, Leo Duprée. Jews and Christians from the Babylonian Exile to
the Advent of Islam. Hendrickson Publishers, 2010.
SEISS, Joseph Augustus. The Gospel in the Stars. General Books, 2009.
STARK, Rodney. God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades. HarperOne,
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WILKEN, Robet Louis. The Land Called Holy: Palestine in Christian History
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