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What exactly is "A Jew"?
That is a very difficult question to answer. Technically, a Jew is someone who accepts the faith of Judaism, this is the religious definition).
While most Jews are born a Jew, it is possible to convert to Judaism, thus becoming a Jew, religiously speaking.
However, there is an ethnic definition also. Therefor, a Jew can be someone who by birth or conversion, chooses to share a common cultural heritage and religion.
Some disagree that the Jews are a "race", while others claim a "racial" heritage, because God "created" the Jewish nation/race in Genesis, with the birth of Jacob, whose name was changed to "Israel", and it was through his seed that the Jewish nation came into existence.
It is possible, of course, for a black man to become a "Jew" (I.E., Sammy Davis Jr.) , as can an Oriental, American Indian, etc.
However, to be welcomed into the Jewish "community" in Israel, you must prove you are at least 1/4 Jewish by lineage. This then, will be the definition we will use for this article.
Over the centuries, the Jews have been blamed for everything from freaks of nature to the "Black Plague", to countless other catastrophes.
They have been hounded, persecuted, killed, and dispersed over the world with no home to call their own....until May 14, 1948, when "Eretz Yisrael" was formed....the Nation of Israel was born....again!
When over 6 million Jews were destroyed under Hitler's "Final Solution", (with backing from the Papacy), it became obvious to Christians....true Christians....that a demonic, Satanic force was indeed at work. Satan's prime objective was, and is, to destroy the Jewish Nation.
Before the first coming of Messiah, Satan's attempt to destroy the "Line of David", thereby preventing the arrival of Christ, was undertaken in many different forms.
The first attempt was the lie told to Eve in the Garden of Eden, where upon God cursed the "serpent" and claimed an enmity between the "woman's seed", and Satan.
From that point on, countless attempts have been made to keep Messiah from appearing.
The "Fallen Angels" (sons of God) in Genesis 6 who inter-married with the human "daughters of man", attempted to create a "hi-bred" race to contaminate the blood-line. This is the reason for the great flood. Man wasn't just sinning, man had become "satanic" in a way that we can never understand.
Only 8 people were found to be free of this contamination....Noah, his wife, and sons and their wives.
Over the centuries, Satan has made many attempts at doing away with the line to prevent Messiah from coming...and coming "again".
One of the most vicious attempts were by so-called "Christians" who attempted to wipe out the Jews in "God's Name" with the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Holocaust, (Hitler and most of his cronies were Catholics),
and other persecutions. And...it is still going on today. (For more on the persecution of the Jews, read "A Cup of Trembling" by Dave Hunt; an excellent study of the Jews and their persecutions).
Most true Christians, those "born-again' believers that want to follow God's will, after doing some home work, will come to the realization that the Jews are to be prayed for; Israel and Jerusalem is to be prayed for, and blessed, because we owe them so much.
The unfortunate belief, even today, that the Jew has been "forgotten" by God, due to their not accepting Messiah, if false. It is true that the Church has temporarily become the "voice" of God to the world, the Jew most definitely has NOT been forgotten, or laid aside. God has a plan and purpose for the Jew, and Israel, and all Christians should be made aware of this fact.
That is the main reason for this Website, to call attention for the need for prayer, understanding, and love for the Jew and his nation.
There are basically three "types" or "kinds" of Judaism:
Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform.
Orthodox: The Orthodox Jew is the most "religious" of the three. They believe, for the most part, the entire Old Testament, (The "Tanakh"). They away the "first" coming of Messiah. Their believes are very strong, almost fanatical in some sects, but much of their beliefs are interwoven with "traditions", based upon teachings of ancient rabbis (teacher).
The Jews, in reality, have two "Bibles", the Tanakh, and the "Talmud", which is a collection of Jewish teachings regarding ceremonial laws, etc, written from about the third century through the seventh century. To some, the Talmud is more important than the Tanakh. (The word "Tanakh" is an acronym, taken from the three "sections" of the Old Testament, the "Torah" or first five books of Moses; the "Nevi'im", or "prophets", and the "Ketuvim" or "writings", IE, Psalms, Proverbs, etc).
There are also "Ultra-Orthodox" Jews, or "fundamentalist" Jews, some of which do not even recognize the State of Israel. They do not want the temple to be built because they believe that only Messiah can build the temple. Ironically, the Orthodox are the easiest to witness to and to win over for the Lord, because they DO believe the most part, the Old Testament. Yet, the Jews as a whole, are very difficult to win over. They're belief that Christians worship "3" Gods, (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit); Their problem with the Virgin Birth; and they're misunderstanding of Bible Prophecy regarding Messiah tends to keep the Jew from listening "with an open heart, and mind".
They also have a problem with the idea that "God can become man, and die".
Conservative: This branch of Judaism believe in and practice the traditional rituals of Judaism, they observe the holy days, but not as strictly as the Orthodox. Most believe in the Old Testament, and also look for the "first" coming of Messiah.
Conservative Judaism is a compromise between Orthodoxy and Reform, which are very liberal in their thinking and beliefs. (See below).
Reform: This is more or less a "social" type of religion. They do not look for salvation, thus they have no hope beyond the grave. Most Reform rabbis teach that the Old Testament is simply a "great piece of literature", and as such, has no real meaning regarding their beliefs.
They believe that when one dies, that's it. Just like a dog or any animal, there is no "after-life". They have cast off all faith that the Bible (Tanakh) is the Word of God.
There are many off-shoots of the various sects of Judaism. I highly recommend contacting an organization that has been very successful in winning the Jew over to the Lord.
Based in San Antonio, The "Christian Jew Foundation" has been on radio for many years.
It's founder and director, Dr. Charles Halff, is a born-again Jew, having been saved in 1943 at the age of 17.
The president of CJF is Gary Hedrick. Both men have devoted their lives to the witnessing and preaching to and for Israel, and the Jew.
Their radio show, "Messianic Perspectives" is heard around the world, and is responsible for thousands, if not millions of Jews coming to know Messiah.
They can be contacted at PO Box 345, San Antonio Texas, 78292.
They are on-line at www.cjf.org. I can speak from experience, this is a fantastic organization which I support both in pray and financially.
I quote from Dr. Halff's book, "What It Costs A Jew To Become A Christian":
"Present-day Judaism is nothing more than a dead, formal religion, with a form of godliness but without the power of God. The rabbis and the traditions are utterly incapable of satisfying the Jewish conscience, or of giving peace and joy to the Jewish heart. Only Christ, the Messiah of Israel, can meet the needs of our Jewish people......"
Their selection of tapes and books, which are very reasonably priced, are excellent for understanding Judaism, and for reaching out to the Jew.
Quoting once more from Dr. Halff's book:
"The Jews are burdened by about 613 laws which have been manufactured by the rabbis down through the centuries. Our people know that they can only live up to a small portion of these laws, so the rabbis tell them to live up to as many as they can and that the Lord will be satisfied.
"One of the reasons why the Jewish nation rejected Christ at His first coming was that he preached against many of their unscriptural religious practices and told them to have a change of heart, (Matt. 4:17)......"
With so many laws and rituals, it is no wonder the Jew is very difficult to win over to Messiah. This can only be done with a great deal of prayer, and an understanding as to how the Hebrew mind works.
I urge each and every person who reads this article, to prayerfully consider getting involved in praying for "the peace" of Jerusalem; Israel, and the Jew.
In other articles on this website, you will find information that will aid in this endeavor. My prayer is that in some small way, we at Maranatha Ministries can help.
There is much work to be done, and, we believe, very little time in which to do it.
Shalom!
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