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April 2023, Israel.
Since the 1970s, Messianic Jewish believers of Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) began to steadily increase in the land of Israel. The number of Messianic Jews living in Israel today is estimated to be upwards of 50,000.[i] That number is projected to increase to 144,000 by 2037.
The increasing population of Israeli Messianic Jews is a threat to the ruling religious class of ultra-Orthodox Pharisaic Talmudic Jews in Israel, in the same manner that the Hebrew Roots movement is a threat to traditional mainstream Christianity elsewhere. Truth is a threat to falsehoods, just as light is a threat to darkness.
Israel is a nation that currently upholds “freedom of religion” laws. However, that has not stopped powerful ultra-Orthodox communities from attempting to silence Messianic Jews’ freedom to express their faith publicly. Pharisaic Talmudic Messiah-denying Jews have burned down properties, threatened and committed violence, fought with litigation to exile Messianic Jewish believers, and have shut down Messianic Jewish congregations around the country.
In January, Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, ultra-orthodox Jewish members of the United Torah Judaism Party, introduced a bill that would make it illegal for anyone to spread the gospel or attempt to convert anyone to the Messianic/Christian faith in Israel. The proposed legislation would ban “all efforts by persons of one faith who wish in any way to discuss or attempt to persuade adherents of other faiths to consider changing their current religious beliefs.” This coalition of Pharisaic Talmudic Jews wants to take away the freedom of religion Messianic Jews living in Israel currently enjoy and they want to make it a crime for Messianic Jews or anyone to proselytize faith in Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) in the nation of Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he would prevent the passage of the proposed bill by a powerful ally in his governing coalition that would punish Messianic and Christian believers for proselytizing with jail time.
While the bill may not pass this time, Scripture history is soon prophesied to repeat itself in these end-times. The ultra-Orthodox Haredim Jews, those who are represented by the United Torah Judaism Party, are the fastest-growing population of Israeli Jews. Currently representing 13% of the Israeli population, the Haredim Jews are projected to constitute 16% of Israel’s population by 2030.[ii] With an increased population comes an increase in cultural and political influence. Greater persecutions are coming to Messianic and Christian believers living in Israel.
Yeshua (Jesus) said, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” – John 15:20
ACTS 5:28-32 (NKJV):
And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Yeshua (Jesus) whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Yeshua (Jesus) warned and prophesied that in the end times, persecution would come to those who believe in Him and are living in Israel…
MATTHEW 10:17 (NKJV):
“But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.”
MATTHEW 23:34 (NKJV):
“Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city…”
MARK 13:9 (NKJV):
“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.”
LUKE 12:11 (NKJV):
“And when they bring you to the synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how you should defend yourself or what you should say,…”
LUKE 21:12 (TLV):
“But before all these things, they will grab you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons, and leading you away to kings and governors on account of My name.”
JOHN 16:2 (NKJV):
“They will throw you out of the synagogues. Yes, an hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.”
It has been foretold by Yeshua (Jesus) that in the end times, Pharisaic Talmudic Jews will prevail in criminalizing and persecuting Messianic and Christian believers in Israel. Yet, in the midst of this persecution, God will deliver His people, 144,000 Messianic Jews of Israel, in the Israeli rapture, the first of three major end-times raptures, as He has delivered His people before…
ACTS 5:17-20 (NKJV):
Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
THE ISRAELI RAPTURE OF 144,000 MESSIANIC JEWS
REVELATION 14:1,4 (NKJV) [WITH INTERPRETATION]:
Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb [YESHUA (JESUS)] standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand [MESSIANIC JEWS OF ISRAEL], …
These [144,000] were redeemed [RAPTURED] from among men, being first fruits to God [THE FATHER] and to the Lamb [YESHUA (JESUS)].
After the 144,000 Messianic Jews of Israel are raptured (estimated year 2037 – a generational 70 years after the Israeli victory in the Six-Day War of 1967), the left behind Jews of Israel (population approximately 10 million), will hear from Almighty God. God will send His two witnesses and they will testify to the Messiah-denying Jews of Israel and the rest of the world that Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) is the Jews’ and the world’s one and only Messiah and only hope for redemption.
MATTHEW 23:12; LUKE 18:14 (NKJV):
“And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
REVELATION 2:9, 3:9 (NKJV):
“I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” … “Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.”
The ultra-Orthodox Talmudic Jews of Israel, those who exalt themselves and persecute Messianic and Christian believers, will be humbled.
[i] Caspari Center, “How Many Messianic Jews in Israel?,” October 7, 2019, https://www.caspari.com/2019/10/07/how-many-messianic-jews-in-israel/
[ii] THE TIMES OF ISRAEL, “Haredim are fastest-growing population, will be 16% of Israelis by decade’s end,”
2 January 2023, https://www.timesofisrael.com/haredim-are-fastest-growing-population-will-be-16-of-israelis-by-decades-end/
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