A Balancing Act

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John McKee delivers the June 2024 Outreach Israel News update.

In the mid-2020s, when surveying the broad world of religion, the Judeo-Protestant tradition, far too many people you encounter are likely to be imbalanced and unstable, than balanced and stable. When many Believers from conservative backgrounds look at the condition of much of Christianity, to be sure, they see a train which is running hopelessly off track. A great deal of non-Orthodox Judaism, likewise, seems far more interested in aligning itself with the world. The negative forces of progressivism, Wokeism, and affirming, have wreaked unspeakable damage to those looking to the God of the Bible, over the past several years. When many sincere Believers have witnessed a great deal of this havoc, they have understandably wanted to make sure that they have turned to a strong, ethical and moral foundation, in the Tanach Scriptures or Old Testament. Indeed, it can be logically observed: Would we even be having some of the debates present about abortion or homosexuality, if we had a better appreciation for the Law of Moses? Probably not.

In 2003 when Torah In the Balance, Volume I was released, I closed this installment with a chapter entitled, “Toward TorahPolis.” The point I was trying to stress was based in Ephesians 2:11-13 and Believers in Israel’s Messiah all being a part of the politeia or Commonwealth of Israel. A polis or city in the classical sense also indicated a way of life in a society, and so Jewish and non-Jewish Believers in Yeshua should see themselves as part of a society which looks to God’s Torah as its constitution. To be sure, though, the instruction of Moses’ Teaching contains far more than just commandments and directions; it also includes foundational accounts of the Creation, Fall, Flood, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Exodus, wilderness sojourn of Israel, and their arrival at the Promised Land. In the Jewish tradition, the Torah is an annual document to be considered every year. In much of today’s Messianic movement, we read through the Torah portions, not just for what they communicate regarding Ancient Israel, but also for their significance regarding the ministry and work of Yeshua of Nazareth. And as obvious as it may be, it is fair to say that today in 2023-2024, many of us are going to start reading the Torah, Tanach (OT), and indeed all of Holy Scripture, much more from the perspective of it containing warnings of mistakes not to be repeated (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:11, RSV).[1]

I think many people, across the Messianic community today, have a broad appreciation for the role that the Torah is to play, as a foundation for their theology and understanding of God’s Word. This hardly means that there are not continuing challenges. After two decades since Torah In the Balance, Volume I was originally released, how much closer are we to the arrival of TorahPolis? Do the men and women, Jewish and non-Jewish, of today’s Messianic movement, compose a body politic of those who appreciate Moses’ Teaching, and embody its principles of love, justice, and holiness, so as to make a concentrated difference in the world? Or, has some mention or usage of “Torah,” more likely become a means to divide from one’s evangelical Protestant brothers and sisters—and also others internally within the Messianic sphere of influence, creating sub-movements, factions, and cliques?

A balanced walk of faith, with the principles of God’s Torah supernaturally implanted onto a new heart and mind via the power of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Hebrews 8:8-12), is hardly something impossible. Deuteronomy 30:11 does direct, after all, “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach” (NASU). Being a mature Believer, able to balance a proper inward morality with various outward observances, is something I have been able to witness many Messianic people do properly. They want to please the Lord in their external actions—including major Torah observances like remembering the seventh-day Sabbath/Shabbat, the appointed times or moedim, and eating a kosher-style of diet—but also recognize the paramount importance of love for God and neighbor as the foremost of all commandments.[2] Still, because of the limitations of much of our human condition, and mortal agendas and opportunism being what they are, maintaining a balanced walk of faith tempered by the principles of God’s Torah, can be difficult.

Did Matters of Torah Really Take Off?

In the very early days of Outreach Israel Ministries, I remember how my stepfather Mark Huey, in reviewing the unique circumstances of our family being called into the Messianic movement—held to the strong belief that “everyone would want to do this.” In his estimation, when looking at the Biblical and historical evidence that the first followers of Israel’s Messiah were Torah observant Jewish Believers, and non-Jewish Believers within the sphere of influence of the Jewish community—why would anyone not want to live a Torah obedient life like the Messiah? In his view, would this not maximize the blessings one would experience as a Believer today? Would not any mature Believer in the Messiah of Israel want to live the most like Him?

The fact of the matter is that throughout the 2000s-2010s, there was indeed an inevitable explosion of non-Jewish people, similar to our own family, which found themselves considering things of Torah. Via a variety of circumstances, ranging from being exposed to concepts like “Jesus in the feasts,” reading Matthew 5:17-19, or even wanting a better handle on Israel in prophecy—many non-Jewish people found themselves entering into Messianic Jewish congregations, as we originally had in 1995. A wide number of these people are still a part of the Messianic movement today. Some, for any number of reasons, only lasted in the Messianic movement for a few years, and returned to their previous Church settings. Perhaps many more non-Jewish people, when entering into the Messianic movement, found themselves offended for any number of ways and/or were influenced by various spin-off sub-movements (most notably Two-House[3] and One Torah/One Law[4]), and then eventually left. Unfortunately, a number of these non-Jewish people may have found themselves not treated as the equals of Jewish Believers in Messianic congregations and synagogues, accelerating their departure (although each situation is obviously different).

The 2000s-2010s witnessed the emergence of what is today widely known as the Hebrew Roots movement, various pro-Torah associations of non-Jewish people—although it is theologically witnessed that its beliefs and emphases are all over the board. Unlike the Messianic Jewish movement—which despite some of its own challenges, still largely focuses on the mission of Jewish outreach, evangelism, and Israel solidarity—there really is no set mission of the Hebrew Roots movement. For sure, there are many sincere non-Jewish Believers involved in the Hebrew Roots movement, who have embraced their faith heritage in the Scriptures of Israel. Yet, a great deal of the Hebrew Roots movement has stigmatized itself by being overly-negative and condemning to the positive contributions of evangelical Protestantism, and even the Jewish Synagogue. In the mid-to-late 2010s, huge sectors of those identifying as “Hebrew Roots” were found to severely question if not deny the Divinity of Yeshua,[5] the status of the inspiration of the Apostolic Writings or New Testament (especially the Pauline Epistles) is always under question,[6] and many Hebrew Roots advocates do support a Flat Earth[7]—among other problematic issues. Many are anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist.

Today in 2024, the majority of the people you will see being involved with matters of Torah, and who are non-Jewish, are likely to be involved in some sector of the Hebrew Roots movement. While prophetically it is true that the nations are going to stream to Zion in the Last Days, and be instructed from Moses’ Teaching (Micah 4:1-3; Isaiah 2:2-4)—how many of the non-Jewish people involved in Hebrew Roots, were sincerely convicted by the Holy Spirit, as a matter of their progression in the New Covenant, that various outward matters of God’s Torah were important for them to consider? How many of them were tempered by a great love and burden for the salvation of the Jewish people, and being co-laborers with Jewish Believers in the redemption of Israel (cf. Romans 15:27)? How many more of them fell prey to sensational “Christianity is pagan” rhetoric, and to sub-standard and harmful teachings not designed to truly edify Believers in God’s grace and mercy?

Factional Clashes

A great deal of the theological and apologetics challenges of the 2000s-2010s, came from the massive influx of non-Jewish people into the orbit of things Messianic. For sure, many non-Jewish Believers were being legitimately called into the Messianic movement, little different than how the Moabitess Ruth declared, “Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried” (Ruth 1:16b-17a, TLV). These non-Jewish Believers, while perhaps first entering into the Messianic movement via wanting to connect to worthwhile practices such as remembering Shabbat, Yeshua in the feasts, or study the weekly Torah portions—would also be seen to serve alongside of Jewish Believers as co-laborers in Jewish evangelism and the salvation of Israel.[8] Many others, however, would be seen to get involved in Messianic things for other reasons, some more sensational than not, and contributed to the rise of spin off movements such as Two-House and One Law/One Torah.

Not enough non-Jewish Believers exposed to the Messianic Jewish movement realize this, but the Messianic movement was not originally set up as a “Torah movement.” The Messianic movement was originally set up as a community where Messianic Jewish Believers could express their faith in Yeshua, without having to give up on their Jewish heritage or traditions—as has been expected of them during the many centuries of Christianity. Yet the first Believers in Yeshua as Messiah were all Jews! The nexus of salvation history on this planet is Israel! Messianic Jewish congregations were to facilitate the mission of Jewish outreach, evangelism, Israel solidarity, and be places where Jewish Believers could raise their families in an environment styled after the Synagogue.[9] As obvious as it might be, this would prevent assimilation, and keep Messianic Jewish progeny Jewish. For sure, various non-Jewish Believers would be expected to attend and be part of Messianic congregations. Many Jewish Believers in Yeshua, after all, have non-Jewish spouses. Friends and allies of Israel have always had a place in the Messianic Jewish movement.

Many non-Jewish Believers have understood the original Messianic Jewish vision, but others have not. As an emerging spiritual movement, Messianic Judaism is hardly perfect, and it has gone through seasons of difficult growing pains. Not all Messianic Jewish congregations and fellowships are welcoming of non-Jewish Believers, and a number of Messianic Jewish venues may be seen to treat non-Jews as second class. Issues of equality between Jewish and non-Jewish Believers are likely to be present until the Messiah returns (cf. Galatians 3:28).[10] Various spin off sub-movements were seen to arise, initially intending to be places where equality between Jewish and non-Jewish Believers could be better manifested.

The Two-House sub-movement arose, largely in response to the emphasis on physical Jewish identity, positing that the reason so many non-Jewish people had been drawn into the Messianic movement, was because they were actually members of the Lost Tribes of the exiled Northern Kingdom of Israel/Ephraim.[11] Supporters of Two-House wanted a physical connection to Israel too, but Two-House quickly got mired in Lost Tribes speculation, tall tales, and British-Israelism (as well as one major proponent supporting polygamy).[12]

Also answering the question, of why many non-Jewish people have been drawn to things of Torah, has been the One Law/One Torah sub-movement. It posited that non-Jewish Believers should be approached as though they were gerim or sojourners, outsiders who entered into the community of Israel, and who were bidden some level of Torah observance (cf. Deuteronomy 31:12). This was far less provocative than the claims of Two-House, but the One Law/One Torah sub-movement has been stigmatized by a great deal of inflexibility, legalism, and in failing to recognize that native and sojourner in Ancient Israel—while having more in common than not—were not one-hundred percent identical.

To be sure, many leaders in the Messianic Jewish movement have issued disapproving statements and papers to these sub-movements.[13] These white papers have raised many legitimate, negative points. But on the whole, they have also made resolving some of the questions raised by Two-House and One Law/One Torah much more difficult for those engaged in apologetics. And, much of what was seen as Two-House and One Law/One Torah in the 2000s, in the 2010s got widely amalgamated together as the more generic, Hebrew Roots.

The most significant focus, of the modern Messianic Jewish movement, is that it is a faith community which has decisively placed itself on the salvation-historical trajectory of Romans chs. 9-11. As Romans 11:25-27 so astutely summarizes,

“For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the nations has come in; and in this way all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins’ Isa 59:20-21, LXX; Isa 27:9, LXX; Jer 31:33-34; Psa 14:7” (Romans 11:25-27, author’s rendering).

While the Messianic movement has placed itself onto a Romans chs. 9-11 salvation-historical trajectory, it will also have to doubtlessly reckon with other prophecies. Some of the most obvious of these are Micah 4:1-3 and Isaiah 2:2-4, which are traditionally recalled during the morning Shabbat service, as the Torah is brought forth from the ark. It would be difficult to deny, in the mid-2020s, that the prophecies of non-Jewish people from the nations, being taught from the truths of God’s Torah, are not taking place throughout the broad Messianic community. When actually fulfilled, these prophecies indicate how there is to be worldwide peace and absence of war.[14] Unfortunately, the issue of non-Jewish Believers and matters of God’s Torah, has tended to bring anything but shalom—and has more often instead fueled divisions, factions, mistrust, bitterness, and instability.

People, from all of the varied sub-movements mentioned, are likely to be found attending Messianic Jewish congregations and conference level events, certainly across North America. How we actually return to a better path, where the original Messianic Jewish mission is being accomplished and where non-Jewish Believers can be properly equipped as co-laborers alongside their fellow Jewish Believers, is not going to be easy. Yet, it is what I know many of us all recognize is required, in order for us to move forward into the purposes the Lord has for us.

What Have We Each Given Up?

Recognizing the significant mandate today’s Messianic movement has been entrusted with by the Lord, it should not at all be surprising to witness how navigating around human limitations unnecessarily occupies a great deal of a Messianic person’s time and energy. When we look back at what has taken place since the late 1960s to the present, we have indeed witnessed not only a generation of Jewish people come to faith in Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel—but they have been responsible for seeing Messianic congregations and synagogues planted across the world, as places where Jewish Believers can believe in Yeshua and maintain their Jewish heritage. The Messianic Jewish pioneers have rightly seen fit to solicit evangelical Christian support of the Messianic mission of Jewish outreach, evangelism, and Israel solidarity. And, perhaps as an unforseen consequence, many non-Jewish Believers in Israel’s Messiah have embraced their faith heritage in the Scriptures of Israel, in very tangible ways. Even with some of the tensions caused by the independent Hebrew/Hebraic Roots movement, there are many thousands of non-Jewish Believers who have been genuinely called and assigned by the Lord, to serve alongside their fellow Jewish Believers, in the salvation of Israel, in Messianic congregations.

To be sure, it has to be recognized that in making a profession of faith in Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel, many Jewish Believers have endured incredible persecution and ostracism. Many Jewish Believers need a Messianic congregation or synagogue, to be a place of refuge and solace, where they can be among their fellow Jewish Believers, who have experienced some of the same hardships as they. Many Jewish Believers’ extended Jewish families certainly consider them to be crazy for accepting Yeshua, or may no longer consider them Jewish. Historically, Jewish people, who have recognized Yeshua as Messiah, are no longer considered to be Jews by much of the Synagogue establishment. A great deal of evangelical Protestantism today—while often permitting scores of various ethnic denominations and churches—actually does not want to see Jewish Believers in Yeshua have their own congregations which observe Shabbat, Biblical and Jewish festivals, and perform life cycle traditions such as bar/bat mitzvah or b’rit milah (circumcision). Many Christians want Jewish Believers to become part of the greater church community and assimilate, effectively disappearing from the scene. Messianic Judaism has been entirely right to establish its own communities, for Jewish Believers.

There are many evangelical, non-Jewish Believers, who see the importance of Messianic Jewish congregations. While one might think that Messianic Jewish congregations and synagogues are to be places for Jewish people only, the fact of the matter is that a large minority of marriages taking place in Conservative and Reform Jewish settings, are inter-marriages, and non-Jewish people do frequent Conservative and Reform temples. Non-Jewish Believers being involved in Messianic Jewish congregations, in many ways parallels that of what is taking place in much of Conservative and Reform Jewish settings. With only a handful of exceptions I am aware of, on the whole, North American Messianic Judaism wants to simply stress whether or not a non-Jewish Believer, drawn into a Messianic congregation, is truly called by the Lord to be there. The main purpose of the Messianic congregation or synagogue is Jewish ministry. Can a non-Jewish Believer, while being enriched by his or her faith heritage in the Scriptures of Israel, also be committed as a co-laborer in the Messianic mission?

One of the things which I remember our family experienced back in the late 1990s was a seeming lack of reciprocation, as our family was fully committing itself to the Messianic movement and a Torah observant lifestyle. We were properly asked as non-Jewish Believers, by various Messianic Jewish leaders, to be sensitive to the needs, difficulties, and hardships faced by Messianic Jews. Rejection from the Jewish community. Dismissal from one’s family. Being regarded as no longer Jewish, and now Gentile, because of belief in Jesus. We were taught to be very careful with some of the English terms we might use from customary Christian jargon, such as “cross” or “baptize,” and instead employ alternatives like “execution-stake” or “immerse,” because they might offend Jewish people. We were asked to be very conscientious of Christian anti-Semitism, and be committed to a further education in matters of Judaism, Jewish tradition, and Jewish culture. And indeed, these were all completely understandable and justifiable. As non-Jewish Believers, we were simply asked to put ourselves into the place of Messianic Jewish Believers, be aware of the difficulties they faced in coming to Yeshua faith, and note the challenges which Jewish non-Believers will have when they come into a Messianic congregation.

The great difficulty we frequently experienced, in our early Messianic days of 1995-1996, is that while non-Jewish Believers in Messianic congregations were asked to recognize what Jewish Believers have often given up, in coming to faith in Yeshua—was that there was often little to no reciprocation with what non-Jewish Believers have given up, in becoming Messianic. When a non-Jewish Believer enters into the Messianic movement, he or she will be seen to adapt a new lifestyle involving Shabbat, the appointed times, a kosher-style of diet, and will be anchored to matters of Israel and the Jewish people. Many will leave established Protestant denominations, for a still-developing and still-maturing Messianic movement (which can be too fundamentalist at times). Many will give up sacred family memories, by concluding that traditional holidays such as Christmas and Easter were inauthentic to the first Believers in the Messiah. Many will give up treasured family recipes, because they contain pork or shellfish. Many single non-Jewish Believers, who enter into the Messianic movement, or grew up Messianic because their parents brought them into it at a young age, have great difficulty—because of the small size of this faith community—finding a compatible husband or wife. Being cut off from a great deal of the evangelical community, and finding oneself in the Messianic community, has a wide degree of tensions for non-Jewish Believers (and that is why one has to often be uniquely called).

While I know of many Messianic Jewish Believers who recognize the difficulties non-Jews can have entering into the Messianic movement—and will offer a degree of reciprocation for what families like mine have given up—this is not as frequent as it should be. Indeed, my family has chosen to stay Messianic, when we have seen other non-Jewish Believers not even last three years. Others, while seeing the value in being connected to and enriched by the Messianic movement, choose to do a kind of Messianic-lite: staying an evangelical Protestant who regularly attends church, but who may seasonally attend a Messianic congregation, at seasons such as Passover or the Fall High Holidays, or who may remember Chanukah while still being firmly involved in Christmas. To be certain, each individual and family is different, but the difficulties non-Jewish Believers face, in being fully committed to a Messianic lifestyle, need to be better recognized and appreciated by many more Messianic Jewish Believers moving forward.[15]

What Division Are We Witnessing Now?

It is unfortunate to say this, but many throughout the Messianic sphere of influence, have indeed forgotten what the original call and purpose of the Messianic movement actually was. How many today, within the orbit of things Messianic, even bother to really mention the original mandate of Jewish outreach, evangelism, and Israel solidarity? Probably not enough. This is a missional vocation deeply rooted within the themes of Romans chs. 9-11, intending to answer the Apostles’ question, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” (Acts 1:6, TLV). The fact that more is taking place than just the salvation of the Jewish people proper—with non-Jewish Believers embracing their faith heritage in the Scriptures of Israel, now the majority of persons within the Messianic movement—have complicated things, but not unnecessarily so. Many of these people have been genuinely called by the Lord into the Messianic movement, to serve as co-laborers beside Jewish Believers, in the salvation of Israel. But being the majority, non-Jewish issues and challenges involving matters of Torah, have too often eclipsed legitimate Jewish issues needing to be addressed. Some course corrections are going to have to be made in the not-too-distant future.

Division, factions, rivalry, and mistrust are all unfortunate predicaments, perhaps worst epitomized by the situation Paul had to regulate in Corinth (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:12-13). Having one faction, group, or sub-movement break off, are matters which have been witnessed throughout a great deal of religious history. Some division over major matters of theology can be necessary (i.e., dividing over a Calvinist or Arminian soteriology), but many divisions do not take place over theology, but over differences of personality. Because of its numbers, theological and spiritual divisions which exist in a great deal of evangelical Protestantism can be much more easily managed; there are a few evangelical denominations whose official numbers actually exceed the total number of Jewish people on Planet Earth today (around 17-18 million). Today’s Messianic Jewish movement, because of its minute size in comparison, cannot easily handle divisions and factionalism—because people will often quickly find out about new splits, and groups forming. And the Messianic movement loves to “talk”! While not impossible, those serving in the field of apologetics have to carefully and diplomatically, often learn to navigate and maneuver around some of the short sightedness of the religious politics and spiritual culture, too many have been harmed by.

And what do religious politics and machinations actually do? They cause us to waste energy, resources, they weaken us, and they keep us away from the real work we should be performing for the Kingdom of God. When you cannot fairly resolve a theological or spiritual matter within a faith community, and a faction or schism erupts, those who are harmed are less likely to stand by you when a major, substantive attack hits.

Today as we enter into the mid-2020s (writing 27 November, 2023), there are two old issues, seen since the early 2000s, which continue to divide and split far too many Messianic people:

Has non-Jewish Torah observance really provoked Jewish people to jealousy (cf. Romans 10:11) for Messiah faith? Not to the extent many think it has.[16] This has often been because a majority of non-Jewish Hebrew Rooters are more concerned only about outward matters of Torah minutiae, and not that concerned about being sensitive to legitimate Jewish struggles. How many Hebrew Roots ministries and groups are actually seen to stand against anti-Semitism, and support both Zionism and the State of Israel? Doing things of Torah, but not caring too much about what the Jewish community cares about, says a great deal (cf. Romans 11:18-22). How many Hebrew Roots groups have actually stayed silent in the face of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, when many evangelical Protestants have not?
Is the identity of a Messianic Jew to be principally found in his or her Jewish ethnicity and heritage, or in who the Messiah of Israel is (cf. Philippians 3:3-11)? While the preservation and continuity of Jewish identity is doubtlessly important,[17] the Messianic community has to be able to service a salvation-historical mission of heralding the return of Yeshua the Messiah and Second Coming. Those who would want to see the Messianic movement become another formal branch of Judaism, have completely missed the major vocation this faith community should all be about accomplishing.[18]

New issues and divisions are also starting to flare up, which have at the center of controversy, the issue of non-Jewish Believers and outward matters of Torah.

2020-2021 witnessed the rise of a new sub-movement, Pronomian Christianity. The term pronomian simply means pro-Law, and so technically anyone who has a favorable view of the Torah or Law of Moses is a lowercase “p” pronomian. But those who have specifically labeled themselves as capital “P” Pronomian, are often a collection of former Hebrew Rooters, who recognize that the Hebrew Roots movement has gone too far in much of its anti-Christian rhetoric, and that Protestantism has more of a positive legacy for Torah-positive people to benefit from than previously acknowledged—in particular theological traditions which have looked to the Torah for moral and ethical guidance. Another group, also composing Pronomianism, are those who have identified as One Law/One Torah, but have now chosen to have very little to do with Judaism or mainstream Jewish traditions. While it is appreciable that Pronomianism wants to eschew the anti-Christian culture of much of Hebrew Roots, how favorable Pronomianism is going to be to Judaism and matters of modern Israel, is likely going to be a huge question. If formal Pronomianism does not take firm stances against anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, and demonstrate some degree of posivity to the Messianic Jewish movement, then it is likely to have various claims of supersessionism or replacement theology logdged against it. Speaking entirely for myself, I think that the emergence of Pronomian Christianity has made things more complicated than not, with a new sub-movement coming onto the scene.[19]

At least a few sectors, of the Messianic Jewish community, are beginning to positively sort through that huge numbers of non-Jewish Believers, compose formal Messianic Judaism—often making up the majority of persons in Messianic Jewish congregations and synagogues, and also being included in local leadership. While many, I believe, recognize non-Jewish Believers as their equals in Messiah and spiritual allies—and are mainly concerned about whether such persons are genuinely called by the Lord into the Messianic movement—others are going to be seen to manifest various insecurities, and believe that their uniqueness as Jewish people is being infringed upon.

In 2021, it was claimed, by some others in the Messianic Jewish movement, that by non-Jewish Believers doing outward things of Torah like Shabbat or the Feast of Tabernacles, in anticipation of the future (Isaiah 66:23; Zechariah 14:16-17), that they were holding to an “overly-realized eschatology” and doing things to be only reserved for the future, subsequent to the Second Coming of Messiah. While issues of whether a non-Jewish person is genuinely called by God into the Messianic experience are legitimate, the claim that Millennial Kingdom prophecies should stay entirely constrained to the Millennium, has a major problem to it. Various prophecies of the future Kingdom also detail the riches of the nations streaming to Zion, partially because of restitution for wrongs and atrocities committed against Israel (Isaiah 45:14; 60:5-17; 61:6; Micah 4:13; cf. Tobit 13:11; 1QM 12.13-15). Theologians have often recognized these expectations as forming the basis of Paul’s collection offering mission (Romans 15:25-26; 2 Corinthians 8:13-14). And, many of today’s large Messianic Jewish ministries, definitely use Tanach (OT) prophecies of the wealth of the nations streaming to Zion, to promote their own fundraising endeavors. Does this need to stop until the Millennial Kingdom as well? Of course not. The claim of “overly-realized eschatology,” may indeed be seen to be based in some Messianic Jews’ insecurity,[20] and an unwillingness for many to step up and be part of a truly “end-time move of God,”[21] turning away allies of Israel when they do not have to.

As obvious as it may be, the old issues and the new factions, do very little to facilitate stability, trust, and mutual respect (cf. Romans 12:10) in the Body of Messiah. Instead, they are seen to induce tensions, and cause theological brush fires in constant need of being extinguished. They take one’s time away from being able to focus on major, controversial matters, for which the Messianic community is poorly prepared. Among other things, 2020-2023 has seen the emergence of Wokeism,[22] across both Judaism and Christianity, and with it Millennials and Generation-Z being largely influenced by a hyper-progressive and liberal ideology. Young people are going through a process of what has been labeled as “deconstruction,” which while on paper is to involve the inclusion of new and marginalized persons and perspectives, in practice largely involves radically purging a conservative theological and spiritual framework. If today’s Messianic movement purports to have a Torah foundation for its theology, focused around its fulfillment in Messiah (Matthew 5:17-19), then we should seemingly be more than ready to implement its principles of holiness and righteousness—having the answers to the legitimate questions posed by Wokeism. Unfortunately, we have been spending too much of our time being sidetracked and distracted, by those with particular agendas and insecurities. We largely do not have the big picture view of what the God of Israel is doing, as we think we do.[23]

The very purpose I released a Torah In the Balance, Volume II was to address the importance of various outward practices of God’s Torah. The Lord desires that His people be whole, first in terms of their inward heart morality (Matthew 5:8), and secondly in terms of the whole human being (1 Thessalonians 5:23). There are many mature men and women in today’s Messianic movement, Jewish and non-Jewish, who are able to balance a stellar inward morality, with appropriate outward actions. They recognize the centrality of the work of Yeshua the Messiah to their personal identity, and can properly fellowship as one in Him, in mixed Diaspora Messianic congregations, representative of the one new man/humanity (cf. Ephesians 2:15). They are committed, as brothers and sisters in Yeshua, to the salvation-historical trajectory of Romans chs. 9-11, being active in matters of Jewish outreach and evangelism, and in seeing non-Jewish Believers partake of their faith heritage in Israel’s Scriptures, as a matter of their further growth in sanctification.

In the year 2024, there are many true Messianic Believers who are able to have a balanced, Torah observant walk of faith. Their obedience to God’s Torah is resultant of the work of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27) in their lives. Yet some of this has not come without some growing pains, or even seasons of (severe) spiritual correction from our Heavenly Father. None of us are immune to having gone through periods where we have had to admit to various mistakes, make corrections, and testify to how the Lord used various difficulties to improve our effectiveness in His service.

We possibly find ourselves, in what may be a very disconcerting time for the broad Messianic movement. Many of the challenges of the past, continue to plague us. The Baby Boomers and those of Generation-X, while helping to build the Messianic movement, have not been too willing to recognize and properly address the challenges faced by Millennials, Generation-Z, and now Generation Alpha. In the future, more of the controversies, involving the Torah, will concern significant ethical and moral issues debated by institutional Judaism and Christianity, and less of the identity matters the Messianic Jewish pioneers had to sort through. I do believe, that with God’s help, today’s Messianic people will be able to perform the work, and Divine assignments which He has for us![24]

NOTES

[1] Consult the November 2023 edition of Outreach Israel News, “Approaching Scripture as a Warning.”

[2] Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18; cf. Matthew 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8.

[3] This issue is thoroughly addressed in the author’s book Israel in Future Prophecy: Is There a Larger Restoration of the Kingdom to Israel?

[4] Consult the author’s article “Approaching One Law Controversies: Sorting Through the Legalism” (appearing in the Messianic Torah Helper), and the Messianic Apologetics FAQ, “One Law/One Torah, Status of Movement” (2023).

[5] Consult the author’s books Salvation on the Line, Volumes I & II, which voraciously defend the Divinity of Yeshua.

[6] Consult the author’s article “The Hebrew New Testament Misunderstanding” (appearing in Confronting Critical Issues), for a worthwhile review.

[7] Consult the author’s YouTube video from 13 May 2019, “Addressing Flat Earth – Blogcast,” accessible via <youtube.com/MessianicApologetics>.

[8] Consult the author’s article “The Calling of Ruth and Non-Jewish Believers in Today’s Messianic Movement” (appearing in The Messianic Walk).

[9] If necessary, consult some of the early Messianic Jewish materials, such as Yohanna Chernoff, with Jimi Miller, Born a Jew, Die a Jew: The Story of Martin Chernoff A Pioneer in Messianic Judaism (Hagerstown, MD: EBED Publications, 1996); Paul Liberman, The Fig Tree Blossoms: The Emerging of Messianic Judaism (Kudu Publishing, 2012).

[10] If necessary, consult the author’s exegesis paper on Galatians 3:28, “Biblical Equality and Today’s Messianic Movement” (appearing in Confronting Critical Issues).

[11] Kay Silberling. (1999). The Ephraimite Error: A Position Paper Submitted to the International Messianic Jewish Alliance. Retrieved 14 April, 2011, from <http://umjc.org> rightly addressed some of the initial problems caused by the Two-House teaching, although did not adequately provide an alternative to the issues raised by passages such as Isaiah 11:12-16; Jeremiah 31:6-10; Ezekiel 37:15-28; Zechariah 10:6-10.

A much better approach is witnessed in “The ‘Lost Tribes of Israel,’” in Kent Dobson, with Jonathan Bernis, Jewish Voice International Ministries NIV First Century Study Bible, 2011 NIV (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2022), pp 1855-1857.

[12] Consult the author’s article “Is Polygamy for Today? The Case Against Polygamy” (appearing in Men and Women in the Body of Messiah: Answering Crucial Questions).

[13] Some of the more recent analyses include IAMCS Steering Committee. (2014). One Law, Two Sticks: A Critical Look at the Hebrew Roots Movement, A position paper of the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues (IAMCS). Available online via <http://iamcs.org>; David Rudolph. (2021). One New Man, Hebrew Roots, Replacement Theology. Available online via <http://tku.edu>.

[14] Consult the author’s exegesis paper on Micah 4:1-3; Isaiah 2:2-4, “The Torah Will Go Forth From Zion” (appearing in the Messianic Torah Helper).

[15] If necessary, do consult “My Family’s Messianic Experience: 1995-2022” (appearing in Introduction to Things Messianic), covering a wide selection of our encounters and interactions.

[16] Consult the author’s YouTube video from 11 February 2022, “Is Non-Jewish Torah Observance Really Provoking Jews to Jealousy?,” accessible via <youtube.com/MessianicApologetics>.

[17] While a difficult topic for many to consider, Messianic Jewish identity and continuity are seldom infringed upon by non-Jewish Believers participating in things like Shabbat or a kosher-style of diet. Messianic Jewish identity and continuity are far more endangered by intermarriage, and the offspring of an intermarried couple deciding to assimilate and give up on their Jewish heritage.

[18] For a further discussion and observations, consult the October 2023 issue of Outreach Israel News, “The Test of Your Calling.”

[19] I will likely have to address Pronomian Christianity in a more formal capacity at a later point in time, but only after it develops further and sorts through some of its major issues of mission and purpose.

For some preliminary discussions, consult the author’s YouTube videos from 15 December 2021, “What is Pronomianism Going to Be? Will it be Messianic?”, and 05 November 2022 “Pronomian: A Short Observation – Today’s McKee Moment,” both accessible via <youtube.com/MessianicApologetics>.

[20] For a further review, consult the Messianic Apologetics FAQ, “Overly-Realized Eschatology.”

[21] A further issue has come forth in 2023, from one of the major Messianic Jewish organizations, which widely claims that non-Jewish Believers may be educated in matters of God’s Torah—but that it is not God’s ideal for all of His people to be doing outward matters of Torah, and especially various “sign commandments.” Issues of whether a non-Jewish Believer is called into the Messianic movement, at its present stage of development, aside, this will probably cause yet even more schisms, divisions, mistrust, and disrespect.

Consult David Rudolph, Russell Resnik, and Daniel C. Juster. (2023). Gentile Believers and the Torah: Proposed UMJC Executive Committee Guidance Paper. Retrieved 24 November, 2023, from <http://messianicstudies.com>.

[22] Consult the August 2022 issue of Outreach Israel News, “Wokeness Has Exposed Our Weaknesses,” and July 2023, “The Real World: Why Does the Messianic Movement Not Engage?”

[23] Consult the March 2022 issue of Outreach Israel News, “Thinking Big Picture: Does Today’s Messianic Movement Truly Think Salvation Historically?”

[24] Consult the January 2022 issue of Outreach Israel News, “Our Messianic Future: Something Similar, Something Different.”