Sunday, May 13, 2012

Ephraim & Rimona Frank: Letter 525 (lifting up)

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Ephraim & Rimona Frank?

So that through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

Shalom Fellow Israelite,

Though the materials contained in this letter are familiar, the thrust of it is to be found in the details.

Chapter four of the Gospel of John presents an episode that commences with Yeshua leaving Judea and traveling north through Samaria.

When arriving near the city of Shechem, in close proximity to a plot of land that Jacob had bought for his son Joseph (see v. 5), he stopped to rest at a side of a well, while his disciples were in the city purchasing supplies. Within a short time he noticed a local (Samaritan) woman coming to draw water. Who was this woman and what did she represent? In her discourse with Yeshua she mentioned Jacob as her forefather, from whom her people had inherited the well (see v. 12). This statement reveals that she was an Israelite, possibly from the tribe of Ephraim.

When Yeshua asked her for a drink she was somewhat startled that a Jew would stoop to talk to a Samaritan woman, and make his need known to her. She therefore reminded him that Jews did not have any dealings with her people, who were considered a mongrel race and hence inferior. Aside from its immediate implications, her statement had an even deeper meaning, being rooted in history and revealing a much older conflict, one that had prevailed between the two “nations of Israel” - Ephraim and Judah (see Isaiah 8:14). According to prophecy, however, the time would come when this state of affairs would cease. The reconciliation will begin when the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner to the nations (see Isaiah 11:10), as then Elohim “will lift up an ensign for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners/wings of the earth. Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not harass Ephraim” (Isaiah 11:12-13). But before this prophecy can even start to be fulfilled, the Root of Jesse must be “lifted up,” just as Yeshua said: "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (John 12:32).

Identifying what the ensign is, and what its ‘lifting up’ means is very crucial. A graphic picture of this proverbial “standard” (of Isaiah 11:12) is portrayed in Ezekiel 37, when YHVH first tells the prophet to “take a stick for yourself and write on it: 'For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions. Then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions. Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand” (Ezekiel 37:16-17 emphases added). Here YHVH is bestowing upon the prophet the ‘anointing’ to take first one stick/tree and to write on it. Apparently He wanted the prophet to identify each stick, or nation, by inscribing a title on each of them. Then YHVH adds: “for yourself.” Note that He does not order the prophet to do this for Him, nor for anyone else. This is solely in the grasp of the prophet - the “son of man.” As we know, “surely YHVH Elohim does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

It is no wonder, therefore, that in our generation YHVH has been raising prophets who understand, see, and proclaim the gathering, identifying, and unifying of the two nations of Judah and Joseph/Ephraim. In this way these prophets are joining/putting together, for themselves, the two and making them one, lifting these sticks/trees as one, even though in reality they are still two separate entities. This is the process by which YHVH’s word from the prophets of old is coming alive regarding this end-time gathering, as the present day prophets are lifting up their voices proclaiming what they ‘have in their hand.’ This is and will continue to cause the people to ask: “Will you not show us what you mean by these?” (Ezekiel 37: 18b). At this point the prophet/s may find himself/themselves in trouble (or being misunderstood) because what they are seeing and proclaiming is a reality that is yet in the future, while the people want to see down-to-earth present evidence. As it was in the past, the prophets get themselves stoned, or some, in order to save their lives and/or reputation, would have to modify YHVH’s word and turn into false prophets speaking what the people want to hear.

Continuing the scene described in Ezekiel 37 (v. 15ff)… YHVH, obviously being in charge of the situation, now tells the prophet to declare that His mighty right hand will hold up the two sticks and make them one: “Thus says YHVH Elohim: ‘Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.’" (Ezekiel 37:19 emphases added).

But even though the sticks/trees are now in YHVH’s hand, the question is still, are they one yet? Has the heart attitude toward one another changed? Are they living in the land as one nation, on the mountains of Samaria? (see Ezekiel 37:12; 21-22; 25). Before we make a claim as to whether we are one house or two houses, we need a reality check. From the prophetic point of view we are “one house,” as well as through the redemptive work of the Messiah. However, from the practical side of the watchmen, we are still seeing Jews from the first stick being gathered to the land. But what about the other stick/tree? Its components are still being identified, saved and sanctified by their kinsman Redeemer, Yeshua the Messiah. Without the New Covenant circumcision of the heart, and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, neither brother will stop envying or harassing the other.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ephraim