Yeshua - A Light to the Gentiles and Glory to Israel

There is no better time of year than this time to reflect on our Messianic faith - our belief in Messiah Yeshua, the King of Israel, the King of the Jews, the Savior of the World!

Every year those of us in the Messianic community re-visit the whole idea of the cultural holiday of Christmas and ask ourselves "why are we celebrating this man-made holiday?" Hebrew roots "purists" can become quite adamant about not celebrating Christmas - and they are correct that it is not a Feast day that God appointed - but neither is the celebration of Hanukkah - although Yeshua definitely acknowledged it as the Feast of Dedication. In fact, no one who reads the Scripture would deny that we definitely see Yeshua in the "Christmas story" in Luke 2 (plus other places in Scripture), and we also see Him in the "Hanukkah story" in John 10. He understood the difference between God's Feast days and cultural holidays.

But I can answer that "why are we celebrating this man-made holiday" question! We celebrate the birth of Yeshua, along with many Messianics who have gone before us, and we will never stop celebrating the story about the truth of the first coming of Messiah as we search the skies for His second coming! Have we ever completely finished with our understanding of the Scripture? No, absolutely not! And especially this one...the words of Shimon (Simeon) -

"For my eyes have seen your salvation (salvation is the Hebrew word, Yeshua), which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a Light for the revelation to the Gentiles and for Glory to your people Israel." Lk. 2:30-31

Oh, believing Messianic Jew and Gentile, we must celebrate - He is our Light and our Glory!! He is the Hope and the Consolation of Israel! Oh, Yeshua, my heart cries out with passionate worship and longing for You and my heart all but stops at the stunning revelation that you, in fact, have already been here on earth in the flesh! Oh, wonder of wonders - my spirit longs for your return to set up your throne once and for all on this earth! Kingdom without end - government that will forever and ever increase, throughout the endless ages!! (Isa. 9:7) Oh, Abba, Yeshua is the Glory of Elohim and of Israel!

"Then the end will come, when He hands over the Kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power...." I Cor. 15:24-28

"...He will appear in Zion." Ps. 102:16

"and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him." Heb. 9:28

This glorious King - who has already been to earth in the flesh one time - promises to come again and every eye will see Him! The final and ultimate sign for the Jews, who require a sign! This coming of the Prince of Peace out of heaven. Oh, glory to Elohim!! What a sign! The Root and Offspring of David, riding a white horse with fire in His eyes. What a wonder - oy vey! - this is Yeshua, the son of Mary and the son of David and the son of Abraham - and the Son of God!!

I will admit the celebration of Christmas will never be the same for me since receiving the "Messianic faith" revelation. It is no longer the cultural tradition that it once was to me. It is no longer a carved out secular event where we all try so hard to create a spiritual atmosphere in the midst of secular chaos...in fact, I have learned to totally separate the secular and even the cultural spiritual traditions from the "Messianic revelation" ....no longer does the man-made "contrived coziness" of the Christmas season distract me from the prophetic truth that God came to earth and that He is coming again. There is nothing more powerful than to see this truth - this absolute guarantee - that Yeshua will return just as He said.....He's done it before and He promises to do it again!! And it will be final - the final restoration - the restoration of all things.

Yeshua, you are our Light and our Salvation, the Glory of Zion and your people, Israel.

Worship the King of Israel!

Blessings, love and joy in our Messiah Yeshua,

Cathy