Hidden in Plain Sight!

The Torah portion for this week is Genesis 44:18 - 47:27.

It would be hard to find in the Bible a more perfect type of Messiah than Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob. The similarities are amazing! One of these similarities is the 30 pieces of silver which paid for both men's betrayal by their "brothers." Another is that both men were hidden in plain sight. Let me explain.

Paul teaches us in Romans that the Jewish people are currently experiencing a blindness or sleep in regards to recognizing their Messiah.

Romans 11:8 (KJV)
⁸ (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. (from Deuteronomy 29:4)

Romans 11:25 (KJV)
²⁵ For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Now the tendency for Gentile Christians is to say that the Jewish people are foolish not to recognize Jesus as their Messiah. However, we see from Romans that our attitude towards the Jews should not be one of superiority. Rather we should understand that God has allowed this to occur in order for Gentiles to enter into Messiah's Kingdom.

Also, if believers would seriously look at the Old Testament and examine Joseph as a type of Messiah, they would see that Joseph was not recognized by his brothers either. When Jacob's other sons came into Egypt they met the nation's second top man. He had an Egyptian name, He spoke in the Egyptian language. He was dressed as an Egyptian. He was revered by the Egyptians. He did not resemble their brother Joseph at all. It wasn't until after Judah offered to be held as a bondsman in place of Benjamin that Joseph revealed himself.

Genesis 45:4 (KJV)
⁴ And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

In a way, Joseph was hidden in plain sight!

Now let's look at Yeshua. He has a Greek name (Jesus from Iesous). His Hebrew/Aramaic language comes down to us through not only the Greek language, but from a Greek understanding of Scripture. Often artwork portrays Him in Medieval European dress and very European features. Gentiles worship Him while ignoring the Torah and creating a new religion. Is is surprising that most Jewish people can't recognize their own Messiah? Yeshua also seems to be hidden in plain sight!

One day, though, as we  learn from the Old Testament, as well as Paul, that Messiah will reveal Himself to His brothers.

Romans 11:26-27 (KJV)
²⁶ And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
²⁷ For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (from Isaiah 59:20-21)

"Vayigashu......ani Yeshua akhikhem....."   "Please come near to me.....I am Yeshua your brother....."

Perhaps as Gentile and Jewish believers we need to help our brothers of all stripes learn to recognize our very Jewish Messiah by peeling back the Greek and Gentile traditions that have hidden our Messiah so well.

The Difference Between the Old and New Covenants

I don't believe that I would get any arguments from other believers if I said that Christians today are a part of the New Covenant. However, there are many misunderstandings about this covenant that have caused many wrong assumptions and wrong theologies. Let's look into this issue a little more closely.

Where in the Bible do we learn about the New Covenant? We can read the entire New Testament and not find the details of this New Covenant. In order to "find" it, we must look back to the Old Testament. We can find it in the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NIV)
³¹ "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
³² It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.
³³ "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
³⁴ No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

With whom does God make this Covenant? Verse 31 tells us that the New Covenant is made between God and the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Clearly, the New Covenant is not made between God and any entity we would recognize today as the Church. Isn't this surprising, considering what we've been taught? Our theology has been wrong. If we are not a part of Israel there is no covenant.

Verse 32 tells us that the New Covenant will not be like the Old Covenant. No surprises there!

What is different about the New Covenant compared to the Old? Verse 33 explains that in the New Covenant, God's Law will be put in believers' minds and will be written on their hearts. This also is not surprising. However, what Law are we talking about? Since Jeremiah is a part of the Old Testament there can only be one conclusion. There was only one Law of God in existence. It is called the Torah. The Torah of God will be in believers' minds and hearts. Our theology has been wrong.

When does the New Covenant begin? Traditional Christianity says that the New Covenant began when the Holy Spirit descended on the believers at Pentecost. Although it is true that from that time on believers were indwelt by the Holy Spirit and they are able to refrain from sin, verse 34 doesn't sound like anything we are experiencing today. "All will know Yehovah!" Also, in verse 31, both houses of Israel are mentioned, but in verse 33 they are mentioned together as the house of Israel. The New Covenant will not be fully evident until a time future when Israel's two houses are again one, and all Israel will know God!

Traditional Christianity has a long history of distancing itself from Jewishness. Yet, the plain reading of the Bible indicates that God's people are called Israel and it is with her that the New Covenant is made. If you are a believer who has been born again and has the Spirit of God living within, you are a part of Israel. You are a part of the New Covenant. However, if the only difference between the Old and the New Covenant is the location of God's Torah, we believers in Yeshua must embrace that Torah and not make excuses as to why we don't have to obey it. Jeremiah's description makes no mention of a change in the requirements of following the Torah, so let's just do it!

God Isn't Done With Israel!

There is a large part of the church that believes that God is finished with Israel. After all, the Jews failed to uphold the covenant, right? They practiced idolatry and God punished them by exile. When Yeshua came, they failed to recognize Him as Messiah. Now the blessings that were reserved for Israel passed on to the church, right?

WRONG!

In our haftarah portion for this week (Isaiah 40:1-26), God said:

Isaiah 40:1-2 (KJV)
¹ Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
² Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

Although Israel had received double for all her sins, she was to be comforted, her warfare would be ended, and her iniquity would be pardoned.

Isaiah 40:9-11 (KJV)
⁹ O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
¹⁰ Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
¹¹ He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

This promise given to Israel speaks about God's return and His Kingdom. She (Israel) was not to be afraid, for He would come with a strong hand and His arm would rule. He would feed His flock like a shepherd, He would gather the lambs and carry them, and He would gently lead those with young.

This passage is very reminiscent of John 10:14 where Yeshua claims that He is the good shepherd.

John 10:14-16 (KJV)
¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
¹⁵ As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
¹⁶ And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Believers have correctly claimed Yeshua as their shepherd, but Isaiah clearly shows this promise was for Zion. How can both be true? Verse 16 indicates that the original fold must be Israel, but there is another fold that would also be brought in. This second fold is made up of Gentile believers. Yeshua said that the two folds would become one and that He was the one shepherd.

If most of the church believes that Israel has no further place in God's promises, what hope does the church have? Not only has Israel been guilty of idolatry, but the church has as well. If God can remove Israel from His promises, He can also remove the church!

The idea that God is finished with Israel is not Biblical, nor is the idea that God's promises to Israel now belong to the church. Praise God, we Gentiles can be gathered into the sheepfold of Israel and all those who believe in Messiah Yeshua can stand on God's promises! They will not fail!

Romans 15:13-21 - Paul's Testimony

Romans 15:13 (KJV)
¹³ Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

As Paul came to the end of his letter to the Romans he gave his readers a blessing, that God would fill them with all joy and peace, so that by faith they would abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit (verse 13).

Romans 15:14-21 (KJV)
¹⁴ And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
¹⁵ Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,
¹⁶ That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
¹⁷ I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.
¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
¹⁹ Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
²⁰ Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
²¹ But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

He then stated that he was persuaded that the Roman believers were full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and were able to admonish one another (verse 14). Nevertheless, he had written to them boldly, as a reminder, because of his calling from God (grace) that he should be the minister of Yeshua the Messiah to the Gentiles (verses 15 & 16). He ministered the Gospel of God so that the Gentiles might be acceptable to God, having been sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

He therefore gloried through Messiah Yeshua in those things which God had accomplished (verse 17). However, he didn't dare to speak of any of the things which Messiah had not wrought by him, through word or deed, to make the Gentiles obedient. In other words he would confine his speech to only the things that he had been concerned in, and not to others' ministries (verse 18). Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit, he had fully preached the Gospel of Messiah from Jerusalem into Illyricum (verse 19). So, Paul preached the Gospel, not where others had preached so that he wouldn't build upon another man's foundation (verse 20). But as it is written in Isaiah:

Isaiah 52:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Paul brought the Gospel message to those who had not heard before (verse 21). Then they would see and understand.

Next, Paul would continue with his testimony.

Romans 15:8-12 - Yeshua's Ministry to the Jews

At this point Paul began to discuss the two reasons why Yeshua came as a minister to the Jews.

Romans 15:8-12 (KJV)
⁸ Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
⁹ And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
¹⁰ And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
¹¹ And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
¹² And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Messiah Yeshua ministered to the Jews (the circumcision) on behalf of the truth of God, to confirm the promises that had been made to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (verse 8).

Genesis 12:1-2 (KJV)
¹ Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
² And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

Yeshua, Himself, spoke plainly that He had come to minister to the Jews.

Matthew 15:24 (KJV)
²⁴ But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

However, Yeshua had not come only for the confirmation to the Jews that God would fulfill His promises, but He also came so that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy (verses 9-11). Paul then quoted from the Old Testament.

2 Samuel 22:50 (KJV)
⁵⁰ Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.

Deuteronomy 32:43 (KJV)
⁴³ Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

Psalm 117:1 (KJV)
¹ O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

Then Paul quoted from Isaiah regarding the inclusion of Gentiles into the Kingdom of God (verse 12).

Isaiah 11:10 (KJV)
¹⁰ And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

The root of Jesse is Messiah Yeshua, who descended from David, the son of Jesse. The Gentiles would also be under the kingship of Messiah and they would trust in Him.

God's people are collectively called Israel, but throughout history, those who believed in Messiah, whether Jew or Gentile, were allowed entrance into that body. Although both Jews and Gentiles can belong, there is only one body, one Messiah, and one Law (instruction) for all.

Did Paul Teach Against Torah?

Christianity has traditionally taught that Yeshua has fulfilled the Torah in the sense that believers no longer have to observe and keep Torah. Part of this understanding comes from Paul's supposed teachings that seem to agree that believers are no longer under any obligation to the Torah. But is this accurate? Let's examine this a little further.

Acts 21:17-26 (KJV)
¹⁷ And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
¹⁸ And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
¹⁹ And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
²⁰ And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
²¹ And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
²² What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
²³ Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
²⁴ Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
²⁵ As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
²⁶ Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

Paul had come into Jerusalem in order to complete the Nazarite vow that he had taken. When he had arrived, the brethren received him gladly (verse 17). The next day, Paul visited James, the leader of the Jerusalem assembly and half brother to Yeshua. The elders of the assembly were also there (verse 18). Paul then gave them many details regarding his ministry to the Gentiles (verse 19). Notice that Paul gave all the credit to God. When the elders heard Paul's report, they glorified the Lord (verse 20). They then related to Paul about the thousands of Jews which had come to faith and were zealous of the Torah. However, these Jews had heard about Paul and how he was teaching the Jews to forsake Moses, saying that they should not circumcise their children nor walk in their Jewish customs (verse 21). James wondered what they should do, because the multitude would certainly learn that Paul had come (verse 22).

Apparently, the Jerusalem believers found Paul's teachings to be scandalous. Yet, James and the elders received Paul wholeheartedly and didn't believe that Paul was teaching against Torah.

James and the elders had a suggestion for Paul. There were four other men in their assembly who had also taken a vow (verse 23). Paul was encouraged to go with the four, purify themselves, pay all their expenses, and have their heads shaved (verse 24). In this way, the multitude of believers would see that the rumors surrounding Paul were nothing and that Paul himself kept Torah (like observing a Nazarite vow).

If Christianity persists in saying that either Paul didn't keep Torah or that he taught against Torah, it is accusing Paul of the very same things that the Jewish believers accused him of. Also, James and the elders thought that Paul did indeed keep Torah and did not teach against it.

In verse 25 James continued speaking. He did point out that the Gentiles had not been obligated to do anything more than keeping away from things offered to idols, blood, strangled animals, and fornication. This is in keeping with the Jerusalem council's decision in Acts 15. However, from that passage Gentiles were expected to learn more about Torah as they participated in the synagogues every week on the Saturday Sabbath. The Acts 15 obligations reflect a starting point.

Acts 15:20-21 (KJV)
²⁰ But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
²¹ For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Then in verse 26 Paul agreed with James' suggestion to carry out the completion of the vow.

In this passage of Acts Paul was observing a Torah prescribed vow and he agreed to complete the vow with four others and pay for their expenses to show that he was strictly continuing to follow Torah. He did not want the Jerusalem believers to think that he was teaching against Torah or telling the Jewish believers to stop observing Torah. But Christianity has believed in the rumors and has taught a Torahless faith that Paul so desperately wanted to dispel. This anti-Torah teaching is just as scandalous today as it was in Paul's day!

Romans 11:33-36 - God's Wisdom and Knowledge

Paul had last summed up his discussion on the salvation of the Jews by saying that the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. God was not done with the Jewish people!

Romans 11:33-36 (KJV)
³³ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
³⁴ For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
³⁵ Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
³⁶ For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Paul then nearly burst into a song of praise! He ended his thought about the Jewish people by praising God. In verse 33 he declared that the wisdom, knowledge, judgments, and ways of God are richly deep and are far beyond the understanding of man. For what human can know the mind of God, or be His counsellor (verse 34)?

Isaiah 40:13 (KJV)
¹³ Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

What human could have first given anything to God and then expect anything back in the way of a debt (verse 35)?

Job 41:11 (KJV)
¹¹ Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.

For all things that man has received has come from God, or through God, and all belong to Him (verse 36). May God be glorified forever! Amen!

God's plan of salvation came from His ultimate wisdom. Gentile believers lovingly are grafted into His family, while His chosen people, Israel, have not been forgotten. They will be grafted back in! Hallelu-yah!

Romans 11:27-32 - Irrevocable!

Paul had finally come to the climax of his discussion regarding the Jews in chapters 9-11. "All Israel will be saved."

Romans 11:27-32 (KJV)
²⁷ For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
²⁸ As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
²⁹ For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
³⁰ For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
³¹ Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
³² For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Verse 27 continues the thought of verse 26. God, from the beginning, has been a covenant maker. His covenant people, Israel, shall again one day, as a nation, turn to Messiah Yeshua, when God will then take away their sins.
Yet, at the time of Paul's writing and on into today, the Jews (most of them) are enemies concerning the Gospel (verse 28). This situation was for the Gentile believers' sakes. However, the Jews are still God's beloved chosen people. They are beloved because of the patriarch's sakes. God had made promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and God would keep His word and fulfill those promises. They had been promised a land and a nation. According to verse 29 the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. In other words, His gifts and calling are irrevocable! God's honor is at stake. He cannot change what He promised. These gifts and calling for Israel cannot be changed, or God would not be trustworthy. He will do what He says.

Paul then related again historically, how the Gentiles had not believed in God (verse 30), but by the unbelief of the Jews, Gentiles have obtained mercy from God and have been saved. In the same way, by grace through faith, the Jews will once again obtain mercy and be saved (verse 31).

For both the Jews and the Gentiles have been in rebellion toward God (verse 32). By God's amazing grace He will show mercy on both groups!

Romans 11:16-18 - Natural and Wild Branches

Previous:

Paul continued his discussion of the salvation of the Jews.

Romans 11:16-21 (KJV)
¹⁶ For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
¹⁷ And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
¹⁸ Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
¹⁹ Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
²⁰ Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
²¹ For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

Paul began this section of Romans by alluding to Numbers (verse 16).

Numbers 15:20-21 (KJV)
²⁰ Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it.
²¹ Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations.

If the first fruit of the dough, the cake, is holy then the entire lump of dough is holy. In the same way, if the root is holy, then so are the branches. What was Paul specifically referring to? Who or what is the root? Who or what are the branches? Let's deal with the second question first.

Paul informed us that some of the branches had been broken off and some wild olive branches had been grafted in (verse 17). These grafted in branches took hold and received nourishment from the root of the olive tree. Paul clearly indicated that the wild olive branches that were grafted in were Gentile believers. Unbelieving Jews must be the natural branches that were broken off.

In verse 18 Paul warned the Gentile believers not to boast against the branches (the Jews). The Gentile believers did not support the root, but the root supported the Gentile believers.

In verse 19 Paul imagined what a Gentile believer might boast about. "The branches were broken off, so that I might be grafted in!" Paul then explained that the branches were indeed broken off because of unbelief, while the Gentile believer is grafted in because of faith (verse 20). However, the Gentile believer should not be full of pride, but should fear, because if God didn't spare the natural branches (the Jews), He might not spare the Gentiles either, if they are found in unbelief (verse 21).

So, the natural branches are the Jews, the natural branches that are broken off are the unbelieving Jews, and the wild olive branches are the believing Gentiles. Who or what is the root? The root is holy according to verse 16. It provides nourishment for the branches (verse 17). Beyond this Romans doesn't necessarily define the root. However, traditionally, the olive tree itself has been viewed as a symbol of Israel. Paul's use of the branches as Jews was consistent with this well-known symbol. The root therefore could refer to the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), Israel, or Yeshua, as many have postulated. In any case, Paul depicted the root as being a Jewish entity. Believing Gentiles are grafted into Israel, the olive tree.

Lastly, let's consider Paul's warning about not boasting against the Jews. Not only historically do we find that the church has treated the Jews horribly, but attitudes today throughout Christianity towards the Jews are less than stellar. Even in situations where Jews aren't ill treated, Christians act like Jews need to be grafted into the church, rather than the other way around. Christians snub their noses at all things Jewish and ignore Torah. But if the Jews were cut off because they strayed from God in unbelief as demonstrated by disobedience, we Gentiles cannot afford to boast against the Jews, or our pride will show that we have strayed into unbelief through disobedience, and will be cut off, as well. This definitely was Paul's wake up call!

Next:

The Nations vs. Israel

During our Women's Bible, while we were discussing Isaiah 18 and 19, we discussed the judgment of the nations of Ethiopia and Egypt. Clearly, through these chapters we find that God judges Israel's enemies. In fact, this principle can be found throughout the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments. One such example is found in Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:31-34 (KJV)
³¹ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
³² And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
³³ And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
³⁴ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

When Yeshua returns to earth He will bring all the holy angels with Him, and He will sit on His throne in Jerusalem (verse 31). At that time all the nations will be gathered to Him and He will separate them into two groups, the sheep and the goats (verse 32). The sheep will be on His right and the goats will be on His left (verse 33). The sheep will be called, "blessed of My Father," and they will enter into the Millennial Kingdom (verse 34).

Matthew 25:40-41 (KJV)
⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
⁴¹ Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

In verse 40 King Yeshua explains that the sheep will be admitted into the kingdom because of the good treatment that they gave to His brethren. Their doing good to others was as if they had done the same to Yeshua, Himself. The goats, on the other hand, had neglected and treated poorly Yeshua's brethren (verses 42-45). The end result is that they are told that they are cursed and they are to depart from Yeshua into everlasting fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels (verse 41).

There are two important elements found in this passage and I'm not talking about the sheep and the goats. Who are being judged? The nations are the ones being judged. What is the criterion for judgment? The criterion is how Yeshua's brethren are treated.

What did Matthew mean by "the nations?" Who are Yeshua's brethren? Thankfully, the book of Joel contains a companion passage that can help us answer these questions.

Joel 3:2,12 (KJV)
² I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
¹² Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.

According to verse 2 the nations will be brought down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat for judgment. However, in verse 12 it is the heathen that will be judged. The Hebrew word used in both of these places is the word for Gentile. According to Joel, the Gentiles are judged. Verse 2 also specifies who are Yeshua's brethren. They are called Israel.

Together these two passages show that it is the Gentiles who will be judged based on how they treat Israel!

Although these passages seem clear, they raise some further questions. There appears to be only two groups of people, the Gentiles and Israel. What about the church, the true Christian believers, that are for the most part Gentiles? Where do they fit? And what about Jewish unbelievers? Since this is the time of Yeshua's return after the Tribulation, this is the time in which Paul indicated that all Israel would be saved (Romans 11:26). The unbelieving Jews would see Yeshua and recognize Him as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10). As far as the church is concerned, as soon as a Gentile becomes a believer and is born again, he or she is no longer a Gentile (spiritually), but becomes a part of Israel through being grafted in (Romans 11:17).

Christianity seems to seek a severe differentiation between the church and Israel, but this is contradictory to what we see in Scripture. If we want to reap the benefits of Israel, we need, not only to stand with the nation of Israel, but we must begin to see ourselves as a part of Israel. Her history, benefits, and responsibilities (including Torah observance) are ours. After all, when it comes to the judgment of the sheep and the goats, do we really want to be on the side of the Gentiles or do we want to be a part of Yeshua's brethren, Israel?