Honoring The Patriarchs

Israel stands today as a testimony to the existence of Yahweh, the Living God of all Creation. Israel was brought forth as God’s prophet nation that spoke the Word of God through their prophets and their history to the nation and the nations of the world. By their very existence, Israel continues as a testimony to God’s faithfulness, demonstrating His will, purposes, and unfolding end-time plan to the world. The Lord’s name is embedded in Israel and His sound is magnified out of Israel.

The promises and covenants of God were given to the Patriarchs, whom God holds very dear to His heart. The fulfillment of these promises made to Israel was made manifest in Christ! Scripture shows God’s faithfulness to the Patriarchs of Israel many of whom He called His friends. The angel Gabriel prophecied to Mary of the Son she would give birth to in Luke 1: 32-33:

“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom, there will be no end.”

After becoming pregnant, Mary then prophesied of God’s faithfulness to Israel and the fathers of Israel: “He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to His seed forever.” Luke 1:54-55:

Zechariah, John’s father also prophesies that God would save Israel from their enemies on account of His promises to the Fathers: “…to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham…” Luke 1:72-73

Peter confirms these truths regarding Israel in Acts 3:25-26: “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’ to you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

Blessings come to God’s Gentile family through humility and the acknowledgment of God’s provision made for us, found in the blessings of the Patriarchs of Israel made attainable to us in Christ.

“For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “THEREFORE I WILL PRAISE YOU AMONG THE GENTILES; I WILL SING HYMNS TO YOUR NAME.” Again, it says, “REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE.” Romans 15:8-10

I believe that God highly honors the Patriarchs and His Jewish family His heart is for us to do so also. Over the past decade, there has been much revelation and teaching within the Gentile Church concerning the Godly virtue of Honor. This movement, initiated by the Holy Spirit, I believe was intended to shepherd all who belong to God, toward a holy union within the Body of Christ—one that is authentic.

The principle of honoring the Fathers is ultimately purposed to find its completion in the restoration of Israel— the fathers of Jeshua—the fathers of the body of Jeshua.

“Who are the Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh Christ came, who is over all, the eternal blessed God.” Romans 9:4-5

All divisions in the Body of Christ that have taken place through the centuries, beginning with the very first separation away from Israel, are being given the opportunity for healing and reconciliation. I believe that the momentum gained through the Movement of Honor is moving many factions within the Body progressively toward reconciliation with Israel as it was at the beginning before the division between Jew and Gentile entered. Through such a union, established in honor and born of love, the world will then know that the Father sent His Son Jesus into the world for the salvation of mankind as Jesus said in John 17:20-21:.

“I do not pray for these alone (Israel), but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that they all may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent Me.”

The union of Israel and the Gentile Church will be the final breach to be closed for the union of the Body of Jeshua to be complete. God’s end-time plan is toward the closure of this breach. The result of this closure will be His Commanded blessing will fall on the Body and a heavy outpouring of the Holy Spirit will be released gathering all into one (Ps. 133).

To close this breach, we must first look at the root of the breach—where did the breach first occur, and why. The first division in the of Christ took place when the Roman church took the opportunity to split away from Israel and the fathers of the Church, in a dispute over the date of the Passover Feast. This decision was made at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325:

It was declared to be particularly unworthy for this, the holiest of festivals, to follow the customs of the Jews, who had soiled their hands with the most fearful of crimes, and whose minds were blinded. In rejecting their customs, we may transmit to our descendants the legitimate mode of celebrating Easter; which we have observed from the time of the Savior’s passion (according to the day of the week). We ought not therefore to have anything in common with the Jew, for the Savior has shown us another way; our worship following a more legitimate and more convenient course (the order of the days of the week): And consequently, in unanimously adopting this mode, we desire, brethren, to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the Jew.

The Roman Church made peace with Israel through the Vatican II conclave concerning replacement theology—the belief that the Church has replaced Israel. Pope John Paul II visited Israel in March 2000, where he apologized to Israel and prayed at the Wailing Wall, which brought a measure of healing. However, as this document became the initiation of the first division within the Body of Christ— it is important to examine what took place so that through prayer, forgiveness, and intercession, true healing can come and the damage that was done can be undone, and the breach closed. God is sending His servants fashioned in the spirit of Elijah for this precious and holy work.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5-6