Tag: #Synagogue

UK: minister calls for BDS ban as Western hypocrisy over Israel gets worse

UK’s Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Michael Gove in London, UK on November 10, 2020 [Leon Neal/Getty Images]

With Britain joining other Western states in imposing sanctions on Russia, a senior Conservative Party minister has denounced the Palestinian-led campaign to impose sanctions on Israel for its human rights abuses and violations of international law, including apartheid. Michael Gove has urged MPs to proscribe the peaceful Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement in Britain.

Gove describes himself as a “proud Zionist”. Last month he was described as “Islamophobic” over his role in the so-called “Trojan horse affair” in schools in the city of Birmingham eight years ago. He launched an attack against BDS during yesterday’s parliamentary debate on social inequality. Former Conservative MP Christian Wakeford, who defected to Labour recently, asked a question about the rise in anti-Semitism and if the government will continue to pay for security at Jewish schools and synagogues.

“The government has funded the security at Jewish locations, including synagogues and schools, and this, unfortunately, is vital to ensuring the safety of the Jewish community,” said Wakeford, also a vocal opponent of BDS. “Will the Secretary of State commit to the continuation of this funding next year, as well as ensuring that it is adjusted for the increased cost associated with inflation?”

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Bible Tools: Matthew 24:29: Immediately after the tribulation of those days.

That is, immediately after the distress the Jews would be in through the siege of Jerusalem, and the calamities attending it; just upon the destruction of that city, and the temple in it, with the whole nation of the Jews, shall the following things come to pass; and therefore cannot be referred to the last judgment, or what should befall the church, or world, a little before that time, or should be accomplished in the whole intermediate time, between the destruction of Jerusalem, and the last judgment: for all that is said to account for such a sense, as that it was usual with the prophets to speak of judgments afar off as near; and that the apostles often speak of the coming of Christ, the last judgment, and the end of the world, as just at hand; and that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, will not answer to the word “immediately”, or show that that should be understood of two thousand years after: besides, all the following things were to be fulfilled before that present generation, in which Christ lived, passed away, ( Matthew 24:34 ) and therefore must be understood of things that should directly, and immediately take place upon, or at the destruction of the city and temple.

Shall the sun be darkened:
not in a literal but in a figurative sense; and is to be understood not of the religion of the Jewish church; nor of the knowledge of the law among them, and the decrease of it; nor of the Gospel being obscured by heretics and false teachers; nor of the temple of Jerusalem, senses which are given into by one or another; but of the Shekinah, or the divine presence in the temple. The glory of God, who is a sun and a shield, filled the tabernacle, when it was reared up; and so it did the temple, when it was built and dedicated; in the most holy place, Jehovah took up his residence; here was the symbol of his presence, the mercy seat, and the two cherubim over it: and though God had for some time departed from this people, and a voice was heard in the temple before its destruction, saying, “let us go hence”; yet the token of the divine presence remained till the utter destruction of it; and then this sun was wholly darkened, and there was not so much as the outward symbol of it: and the moon shall not give her light;

which also is to be explained in a figurative and metaphorical sense; and refers not to the Roman empire, which quickly began to diminish; nor to the city of Jerusalem; nor to the civil polity of the nation; but to the ceremonial law, the moon, the church is said to have under her feet, ( Revelation 12:1 ) so called because the observance of new moons was one part of it, and the Jewish festivals were regulated by the moon; and especially, because like the moon, it was variable and changeable. Now, though this, in right, was abolished at the death of Christ, and ceased to give any true light, when he, the substance, was come; yet was kept up by the Jews, as long as their temple was standing; but when that was destroyed, the daily sacrifice, in fact, ceased, and so it has ever since; the Jews esteeming it unlawful to offer sacrifice in a strange land, or upon any other altar than that of Jerusalem; and are to this day without a sacrifice, and without an ephod: and the stars shall fall from heaven;

which phrase, as it elsewhere intends the doctors of the church, and preachers falling off from purity of doctrine and conversation; so here it designs the Jewish Rabbins and doctors, who departed from the word of God, and set up their traditions above it, fell into vain and senseless interpretations of it, and into debates about things contained in their Talmud; the foundation of which began to be laid immediately upon their dispersion into other countries: and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken;

meaning all the ordinances of the legal dispensation; which shaking, and even removing of them, were foretold by ( Haggai 2:6 ) and explained by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, ( Hebrews 12:26 Hebrews 12:27 ) whereby room and way were made for Gospel ordinances to take place, and be established; which shall not be shaken, so as to be removed, but remain till the second coming of Christ. The Jews themselves are sensible, and make heavy complaints of the great declensions and alterations among them, since the destruction of the temple; for after having taken notice of the death of several of their doctors, who died a little before, or after that; and that upon their death ceased the honour of the law, the splendour of wisdom, and the glory of the priesthood, they add F7;

“from the time that the temple was destroyed, the wise men, and sons of nobles, were put to shame, and they covered their heads; liberal men were reduced to poverty; and men of violence and calumny prevailed; and there were none that expounded, or inquired, or asked. R. Elezer the great, said, from the time the sanctuary were destroyed, the wise men began to be like Scribes, and the Scribes like to the Chazans, (or sextons that looked after the synagogues,) and the Chazans like to the common people, and the common people grew worse and worse, and there were none that inquired and asked;”

that is, of the wise men there were no scholars, or very few that studied in the law.
–

Letter to the church in Philadelphia

Revelation 3:7-13 records Christ’s message to the sixth of the seven churches addressed in Revelation 2–3. The Philadelphian church is the recipient of this letter. Philadelphia was a city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) on the Imperial Post Road, an important trade route.

The message is from the Lord Jesus Christ through an angel or “messenger” (likely a reference to the pastor): “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write . . .” (Revelation 3:7). This was not John’s personal message to these believers; it was a message from the Lord, who identifies Himself as “him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” This description of Jesus emphasizes His holiness, His sovereignty, and His authority. The reference to the key of David is an allusion to the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 22:22. Jesus is the one who opens and shuts, and no one can say Him nay.

Jesus affirms the church’s positive actions: “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8). The church of Philadelphia was weak in some respects, yet they had remained faithful in the face of trial. Because of this, the Lord promises them an “open door” of blessing.

Jesus’ letter then condemns the enemies of the Philadelphian believers: “I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you” (Revelation 3:9). Those who persecuted the believers (the persecutors were religious hypocrites in this case) would one day realize Christ loves His children. The church of Philadelphia would be victorious over its enemies.

Jesus encourages the Philadelphian believers regarding His future coming: “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Revelation 3:10-11). The church’s faithful endurance would serve as a blessing. Jesus would take them to be with Him before the coming tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). He also exhorts them to remain faithful, because this would lead to rewards in the afterlife. Based on this and other passages, many Bible interpreters conclude that the rapture is an event distinct from the second coming of Christ. The fact that the Philadelphians are promised to be preserved from the time of the tribulation corresponds with the pretribulational view of the rapture.

Jesus provides a final promise to the believers in Philadelphia and to all believers: “Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down from out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name” (Revelation 3:12). Professor Thomas Constable notes, “God promised that He will not just honor overcomers by erecting a pillar in their name in heaven, as was the custom in Philadelphia. He will make them pillars in the spiritual temple of God, the New Jerusalem (21:22; cf. Gal. 2:9; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Pet. 2:4-10).” (Source: Thomas Constable, Notes on Revelation at https://soniclight.com/tcon/notes/pdf/revelation.pdf.)

So, those who struggled with weakness Jesus makes everlasting pillars in the house of God. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). Jesus’ words of comfort certainly would have been a blessing to the Philadelphians who had faithfully stood for Christ in their pagan culture. His words continue to serve as an encouragement to faithful believers today.

Letter to the church in Smyrna

Smyrna was a large, important city on the western coast of Asia Minor, famed for its schools of medicine and science. The words of Jesus to the church in Smyrna in Revelation 2:8-11 offer insight into the life of a first-century congregation, and there are many applications for today’s believers.

The message was from the Lord Jesus Christ: “These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again” (Revelation 2:8). The identity of the first and the last and the resurrected one could only be Jesus Christ (see Revelation 22:13).

Jesus starts by acknowledging their trials: “I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9). In their physical poverty, however, the church of Smyrna was “rich”; that is, they had spiritual wealth that no one could take away (Matthew 6:20).

As for the identity of the “synagogue of Satan,” there are a couple of views. One is that this was a group of Gentiles who called themselves “Jews” (i.e., the chosen people of God). Instead of following Judaism, however, these self-proclaimed “people of God” worshiped the Roman emperor and spoke out against the Christians in Smyrna.

Another view is that the “synagogue of Satan” was a group of physical Jews who followed tradition and the Mosaic Law yet in reality did not know God. They were “not” Jews in the sense that they did not have the faith of their father Abraham (Luke 3:8; John 8:40), and they were “of Satan” in that they had rejected Jesus Christ (John 8:44). Jesus dealt with many such religious leaders, as did the apostle Paul (Matthew 23; Acts 18:6). In fact, Paul differentiates “true” (spiritual) Jews from those who can only claim a physical connection to Abraham: “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code” (Romans 2:28-29).

Adding weight to the latter view is the fact that Polycarp was martyred in Smyrna around A.D. 155. At Polycarp’s trial, the unbelieving Jews of Smyrna joined with the pagans in condemning him to death. Eusebius writes that “the Jews, being especially zealous . . . ran to procure fuel” for the burning (The Ecclesiastical History 4:15).

After commending the church in Smyrna for their spiritual victories, Jesus warned of coming persecution: “You are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days” (Revelation 2:10). Some of the church members would be imprisoned, and this wave of persecution would last for ten days. However, Jesus gives hope to His church: “Do not be afraid,” He says. The Smyrnan believers would have the courage to face the trial (Matthew 5:11-12).

Jesus calls them to remain faithful in their suffering: “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Here, a specific crown is mentioned for those who die as a result of suffering for Christ. This same “martyr’s crown” is also mentioned in James 1:12: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

Jesus makes a final promise to the believers in Smyrna: “He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death” (Revelation 2:11). The overcomers, or “conquerors,” refer to all believers (1 John 5:4-5). The second death is a reference to the final judgment of the wicked (Revelation 20:6, 14; 21:8). Believers will not be hurt “at all” by that judgment; their sin was judged at the cross, and, in Christ, there is no more condemnation (Romans 8:1).

Letter to the church in Ephesus,

Ephesus, located in modern-day Turkey, was an important city in the ancient world. The New Testament features the church at Ephesus in three places. These include Paul’s missionary work in the city (Acts 19:1–20:38), the Letter to the Ephesians—which he wrote about five to ten years after leaving the city—and Jesus’ message to the church recorded by John in the book of Revelation (Revelation 2:1–7).

The first reference to Christian ministry in Ephesus was when Paul left the husband-and-wife team, Priscilla and Aquila, to serve in the city. This occurred at the end of his second missionary journey. Luke writes, “They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews” (Acts 18:19). Priscilla and Aquila had a great understanding of Scripture and showed a desire to disciple others (Acts 18:26).

Paul returned to Ephesus on his third missionary journey (Acts 18:21; 19:1–41). Once there, he began teaching about baptism in Jesus’ name (Acts 19:1–7). His pastor’s heart and his focus on Jesus characterized his ministry in the city. By doing so, Paul built on the work of Priscilla and Aquila and helped lay a foundation for a church in the city.

Shortly after his arrival in Ephesus, “Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8). After receiving opposition inside the synagogue, he started to talk to people outside it (Acts 19:9). Paul did this “for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:10).

In addition to facing persecution from Jewish leaders, Gentiles opposed him, too. Paul’s preaching was so fruitful that it disrupted the financial stability of Ephesus. Making and selling idols was important to the city’s economy. Upset at their loss of income, a group of Ephesians caused “a great disturbance” and rioted (Acts 19:23). After many hours, the unrest calmed down when a city official declared that Paul hadn’t broken any laws (Acts 19:35–41).

When Paul finally left Ephesus for Macedonia (Acts 20:1), he had served in the city for three years. Priscilla and Aquila, Apollos, and Paul had laid a strong foundation for the church in the city.

Yet Paul did not leave the church at Ephesus without a leader. He charged Timothy to serve there. He specifically told him to oppose false teaching: “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer” (1 Timothy 1:3). This reveals that the church, though having a firm foundation, was a work in progress as it corrected unbiblical teaching (1 Timothy 1:4) and confronted unbiblical leaders (1 Timothy 1:20).

Around 60 to 62 AD, Paul wrote a letter to the church at Ephesus while in prison in Rome (Ephesians 1:1, 3:1). The six-chapter letter has two sections: Chapters 1-3 focus on Christian theology, while chapters 4-6 focus on Christian living. Two primary themes in Ephesians are the unity that Jews and Gentiles have through Jesus (Ephesians 3:6) and the spiritual warfare Christians experience with Satan and demons (Ephesians 6:10–17).

About 30 years after Paul wrote Ephesians, John wrote Revelation. In chapters two and three of the book, John addresses seven different churches, including the church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1–7). In the passage, John praises the church’s hard work, perseverance, and intolerance of false teachers (Revelation 2:2–3). He also criticizes them: “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:4–5). Jesus’ words show that the church had grown since Paul’s time, but that it still had work to do.

Ephesus was politically, religiously, and economically influential in the Roman Empire. Because of this, the presence of a church in the city was spiritually and culturally significant.

Healing All Who Are Oppressed

Derek Prince taught on this topic of Jesus, the Anointed One — who removes and breaks the yokes that burden people. He made it clear, however, that this is just one of many aspects of the ministry of our Lord and Savior. It’s good to remember that the Lord reveals Himself to us in many ways, meeting a variety of needs in our lives at different times. For right now, let’s focus on Derek’s teaching on Jesus, the Messiah.

So, He [Jesus] was filled with the Spirit, led by the Spirit, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. He was truly the Mashiach, the Messiah, the Christos, the Anointed. In Luke, chapter 4, verses 17 and 18, we read how He Himself declared that He was the fulfillment of God’s promise and He Himself entered into the synagogue in Nazareth and took the Scripture which we’ve already read in Isaiah 61:1 and applied it to Himself….

Then He closed the book, and in words of tremendous historical significance He said to them, “Today this prophecy is fulfilled in your ears.” He said, “I am the one; I am the Anointed; The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” And He went forth from that moment as the Deliverer bringing release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, setting free those who were downtrodden, bringing the Gospel to the poor.

This marvelous ministry of Jesus, the Anointed, the Christ, the Messiah, is summed up by Peter in one verse. As he was speaking to the house of Cornelius, he described to them what he had witnessed in the ministry of Jesus. Acts 10:38: “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him” (NASB).

That’s the summation of the ministry of Jesus as the Messiah, the Anointed, the Christ. God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. God was with Him. In the power of that anointing, He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil.