Hello Simantov

What follows is the true story of how a French Catholic nun, a German Protestant, a former Orthodox now Messianic Jewish believer and an Arab Christian came to meet in Jerusalem. It would be fair to say it's a bizarre story and one that is still in the process of being lived out. They believe their destiny is linked to the future return of Jesus and the preparation of the church to be ready, like a bride, for the bridegroom's arrival…..

Recently we have been thinking about the story of Joseph and Benjamin, his younger brother. Joseph had only one brother who shared the same mother and father as himself – that was Benjamin. And the Jewish people relate to Jesus as a person like Joseph, someone they have sold to the Egyptians, the Gentiles. And even though Jesus recognizes his brothers, as Joseph recognized his brothers, the Jewish people do not recognize him. Joseph loved his brothers but he said to them "You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you" (Genesis 43:3).

"For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." Matthew 23:39 Yeshua spoke these words to Jerusalem (Israel). Is it possible Yeshua was asking the body of Messiah (amongst the gentiles) to bring His brother (Israel)?

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And I believe this is what the church has done; seeking the face of God without Benjamin, who represents the Messianic Jews who believe in Jesus (also look at ONE NEW MAN IN YESHUA article it is a similar picture). And God says "No longer! Now you have to come together before Joseph – before Jesus." And then he checks the brothers out and he gives them a reason to be jealous of Benjamin. He gives Benjamin more food and the best place at the table. If there had been no change in their hearts and they had allowed Benjamin to go to prison after he'd been caught with Joseph's silver cup, they could have shrugged their shoulders and returned to their father and made up some story that a bear had eaten him. But they didn't. This time, Judah came to Joseph and said "Benjamin is the brother our father loves the most. We cannot go back without Benjamin; it would kill our father, so take me instead of Benjamin and let him go." And in that moment, Joseph sent all the Egyptians out of the room and revealed himself to all the brothers including Benjamin.

I think there's a deep mystery hidden in this story, that if we stand with Israel and with the Messianic believers at this time, it will cause Jesus to be revealed to the church and to the Jewish people. There is something hidden even from the church about Jesus and the Father. After the disappearance of Joseph, their father Jacob never trusted his ten sons again; he did not receive their comfort because he knew, deep down, that something was wrong (Genesis 37:35). It was only as he heard the whole story of what had happened to Joseph, of how they had sold him and how God had made him a ruler in Egypt, that reconciliation and peace came into the relationship with the father. They had all those years of bad conscience because they knew they had lied. As this reconciliation will take place between the church and Israel, a deep unity between Jew and Gentile will take place and Jesus will reveal himself and we will really know who Jesus is. This will be the fulfillment of the Kingdom, when the church will be the Bride of Jesus – because Jesus has only one bride, not one Jewish bride and one from the nations. He will gather us as one and together we will become the Bride of Jesus.

We have a calling to understand our Jewish Roots, and to pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, for they shall PROSPER who love Israel and the Jews. Have they returned to their land which God has given them in faith? No – for God says in His Word they will return in unbelief. But now many Jews in Israel are believers, that the Jesus their leaders rejected 2000 years ago, is the Messiah they have been looking for since that time. Actually, there are Jews all over the world coming to faith in Christ! The church has not replaced Israel, nor has Islam. The purposes of God through Abraham have not faltered through these 4000 years. God loves Ishmael through whom the Arabs have come, but His purpose for Isaac from Abraham has not been rescinded.

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Now – may the church arise, and like Joseph's 10 half brothers, take their Benjamin (Messianic Jews) by the hand and together come to Jesus. Read again the words of Christa Behr above, the German Lutheran teacher God brought to Jerusalem to pray with the Catholic nun, the Messianic Jew and the Arab believer. Better yet, order "Israel : the Mystery of Peace" – 5 True Stories Demonstrating God's Road Map of Peace in Israel Today – by Julia Fisher. It is NOT the Road Map of the United Nations, United Europe, Russia or the United States.