Monthly Archives: April 2012

 Netanyahu’s father, Benzion, dies at age 102

By JPOST.COM STAFF

04/30/2012 08:47

 Benzion Netanyahu, father of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, died early Monday morning at the age of 102.

The senior Netanyahu was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1910, and was a historian and a professor emeritus of Judaic Studies at Cornell University from 1971 to 1975. He married Tzila Segal in 1944, and remained married until her death in 2000.

Benzion was father to three sons with Segal: Yonatan Netanyahu, a Sayeret Matkal commander who was the sole Israeli casualty during the successful operation to free hundreds of hostages in Entebbe, Uganda who were taken aboard a hijacked airplane, Iddo Netanyahu, a radiologist and writer, and Binyamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel.

“Professor Netanyahu was an important scholar, both profound and original,” Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar said of the late Netanyahu. “His wide research on the [Spanish] Marranos and the Inquisition period was revolutionary, and has important historical value.”

Labor Party leader Shelly Yacimovich sent her condolences to the prime minister, writing that “we all have only one father. And in your case, we are talking about a unique man, distinguished historian, an ideologue and an intellectual who left a deep imprint on Israeli society.

Benzion served as the executive director of the New Zionist Organization of America during the 40s, making him a prominent Revisionist Zionist activist in the United States.

He became the chief editor of the Encyclopedia Hebraica during his stay in Israel.

He was also editor of the group’s biweekly US publication, Zionnews, where he authored editorials that typically dealt with the latest Palestine-related political developments and controversies.

In one editorial that Benzion wrote, on the occasion of the springtime Passover holiday, Benzion contemplated how the suffering of the Jews could never separate them from their faith or extinguish their hopes: “Through oceans of blood, our blood, through oceans of tears, our tears, hated, persecuted, beaten, wandering and homeless, we assemble at the Pessah Seder to thank God for our liberation from Egypt, and to express once again the hope of the Haggada: ‘This year we are still slaves – next year we shall be free men.’”

In 1952, the Netanyahu family moved to its home at 4 Haportzim Street in Jerusalem, where he passed away early Monday morning.

Thanks to the Jerusalem Post US, Reuters and Lahav Harkov for this report.

This past week we received a phone call from a friend that, during a conversation,  was confronted with a seeming ‘contradiction’ in the Word. We talked about it for awhile, but afterwards, it made me think. It seems sometimes that the ‘naysayers’ are ‘better armed’ with all sorts of ‘bible facts’  that ‘prove’ contradiction within the Bible. And although we do not believe that any contradiction exists in the Scriptures, we are caught unaware by these passages, and automatically feel a need to ‘defend the Word ‘, without any idea how we’re gonna do it . . . 🙂 Ever been there ? We have . . . But we have come to the point that we work from this basic premise – there is NO contradiction in the Word . . . so when ‘contradiction’ rears it’s ugly head, we must remember there is always that ‘other piece’ that puts the whole puzzle together .

Case in point . . .Genesis 5:24  says   ” . . .And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him . . .”   Also, 2 Kings 2:11  tells us that  ” Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.  But John 3:13 says that “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.  So, what’s up with that ?

Well, first of all, there is NO contradiction in the Word. So, with that in mind, let’s see what we can uncover. We have found that with a little study and some context the confusion just seems to go away. We know from Scripture that others have ascended into ‘the heavens’. We also know that there is not contradiction. So let’s take a closer look at the text to see if anything is ‘gettin’ lost in the translation’  ?  And by the way, you do not have to be a language scholar to take a look at the translations. Something as simple as some online free bible study software can be a big help.

Here are the words or phrases in the Greek text of John 3:13:  and, no one, go up, into, the heaven, if only, not, lest, the, out from, the, heaven, to go down, the, son, the , of , man . . .

So, knowing what we know of and about Scripture, what can we do with these words / phrases that fits with the rest of the Word ? Well, we know that the Lamb of God was slain before the foundation of world was laid . . . (Rev 13:8 )   We know that Yeshua was ‘before Abraham” . . .( John 8:58 )  And Yeshua is the Word that was in the beginning . . .( John 1:1-14)  So, if we know that others have ascended, and we know that Yeshua ascended and descended more than just in the Gospel accounts, then perhaps we can put the words / phrases together in this manner without doing any harm to the text or to the truth and fiber of the Word . . . ‘and no one goes up into the heaven, not except or lest out of the heaven one come down, the son of man . . .’  hmmm . . . that seems to line up with the Word, the words, The Living Word and the truth of the Word . . . If it had not be designed from before the beginning for HIM to ‘come down’, then there would NOT be the opportunity for anyone to ‘go up’ . . . Jesus said “No one comes to the Father except through Me ( John 4:16)  He is the Door so that you may come in . . . ( John 10:1-10 ) . . . just a thought to ponder . . . if you’re into ‘pondering’ . . . 🙂 Blessings –  J & R

April 20, 2012- As I was waking up this morning I heard the Lord say…….”The scroll is unrolling”. As of right now I am not sure of the full meaning but suspect that it has to do in part with what He has given me to write down and get out to the people as well as those things that are getting ready to come upon us….. Blessings and the Shalom of Messiah to all, Rhonda

I just finished scanning a lengthy article about the ‘proper use and pronunciation of the proper name of GOD’, which also describes all the improper names and usages as well. . . and this was not from a messianic / hebrew roots /  restoration perspective but rather from a published teacher in mainline denominational circles . . . seems that this discussion is going on everywhere. 

Well, here’s our ‘two-cents’ worth . . . if you want change back, let me know. 🙂

Allow me to start out by telling you a story. Almost 40 years ago my Dad was killed in an accident. I was 19 and the oldest of three. The funeral was held at our little country baptist church. The building was packed. There were even folks standing outside. There were family and friends, co-workers, neighbors, over 300 people at this little church building . . . and everyone there knew my Dad’s name.

Some called him ‘Cecil’, some Mr. Tomlinson, and others ‘Cecil T.’.  Some called him brother, some called him uncle or cousin . . . and one called him ‘husband’.  . . but they all knew his name. But out of all the people that were there, there were only three people in the whole crowd that had the right, the privilege and the honor to call him ‘DAD’ . . .  my sister, my brother and me . . .Everyone there knew his name. Some had known him longer than I and still others actually knew more about him . . . but they couldn’t call him DAD . . .

Now think about this for a moment –  the demons and devils in hell know the exact name of our Heavenly Father. They know it, how to spell it, and how to pronounce it.  They actually, in some ways, know our Father better than we do. They were with HIM in the beginning and have seen HIM on a ‘bad day’ if you get my drift. But it does them no good. They cannot call Him ABBA . . .

At one time, oh say a couple thousand years ago, there were those that knew exactly how to pronounce the ‘memorial Name of GOD’. They are no longer with us. There are those today that have background in and training in the language, history and culture of Israel. The ones that are completely candid about the ‘Name’ will tell you that there are many possibilites and no ‘absolutes’ in relation to the pronunciation. So what are we to do ?  Well, going to the WORD is always a good option.  So what does the WORD tell us concerning this matter ?

Exodus 3:15 and Psalm 135:13 tells us that ‘YHVH’ is HIS memorial Name ( pray, and pick a pronunciation . . . ) . What else can we find in the WORD that might give direction in this matter ?  1 Peter 2:21 speaks of Yeshua being an example for us . . . and this implication is all through Scripture.  So, if Yeshua ( Jesus ) is our example, then how did HE pronounce ‘The Name’ ? He didn’t, as far as we know. What He DID articulate was the following : Father, our Father, thy Father, My Father , your Father, the Father, Father . . . are ya’ kinda beginning to see a pattern here ?

The devils in hell know His Name . . . but only those that are connected to HIM by Blood can call HIM Father. I can call HIM ‘ABBA’  because we are ‘blood-kin’, for I am related to the Father through the Blood of the Son . 

And remember the ‘NAME of the Father’ is more than just we we call him. But that too, is another story.

Shalom U’Vrachot – Peace & Blessings –

Ever since I was a kid I’ve wondered about Jesus – Yeshua – coming into town on two donkeys . . .that’s right – two donkeys. Matthew 21:2-7 speaks of two animals involved in Yeshua’s arrival into Jerusalem. This is a direct reference to the passage in Zechariah 9:9 which also has language that depicts two animals.  As a child I had images of Him trying to ‘straddle’ two aminals. Well, that’s not the picture that we should take from this passage. But what is the imagery that we should find in this Scriptural account ?

The prophets Jeremiah and Hosea both speak of the people of God as ‘donkeys’ . . . and it’s not a compliment. Exodus, seemingly out of context, speaks of ‘redeeming donkeys’ in the same passage with ‘redeeming the first born of all your sons . . .’   So what’s up with that ?  The story of the ‘prodigal son’ and the ‘older brother’ should be a hint to where this story is headed. Judah is the ‘older brother’ and Ephraim ( the house of Joseph ) is the younger. One of the aspects of the first coming of Messiah was to move forward the work of the restoral of the whole house of Israel. ( another lesson  🙂 . . . )

On the day that we have come to know as ‘palm sunday’, Yeshua comes riding into town with two donkeys – an older male and a younger male . . . I picture Him riding the older and leading the younger.  That would be logical since Scripture says ‘Judah always goes first and leads . . .’ ( Num. 2:9, Judges 20:18 ). Ezekiel 37 speaks in the last days of the coming back together of two ‘sticks’ – Judah and Ephraim, the northern and southern kingdoms.

So what do we have in this entrance into Jerusalem, understanding that Yeshua does nothing without meaning ? What we have is a picture of the  beginning of the fulfillment of the House of Israel with Yeshua – the Passover lamb, the Shelem, the peace offering making reconciliation – leading the way and bringing His people back home.

But I’m a ‘christian’, I’m not Jewish, I’m not Israeli . . . what does this have to do with me . . .?  God made a promise and He keeps His word. A fresh understanding of the answer to this question will be posted soon. Abba through His Spirit has shown Rhonda an aspect of this truth that we had not seen before, so pray as she works to prepare this presentation . . .your gonna like this . . . a story many of us have heard all our lives, without fully understanding the depth of the meaning.  But we are in those days when things are going to be revealed.

Blessings to you and yours in Messiah Yeshua – J & R

This week we start a new endeavor – The Prodigal Ministries Blog Site.  As we look for ways to stay in touch and share with one another during the week and across distances, this will be one more opportunity and tool to accomplish that task – contending hard for the faith once for all delivered to the holy people of GOD.  Jude

May Abba bless you and yours today and in the days to come.  J & R