Our Jewish Heritage

This is my script for "Our Jewish Heritage".

Recently my grandson came to visit me. I was really taken back when he made a negative statement about the Jewish people. Where did he learn that I asked myself?? That is something that is taught and there is a mindset that still permeates our society that Christianity is a religion unto itself rather than a fulfillment of our Jewish roots. My grandson was really shocked when I told him that Jesus was Jewish. He attends a great church, one of the fastest growing churches in America, attends Sunday school, he goes to vacation Bible school at both his church and his other grandmother's church, and even goes to a neighbor's church for VBS. Yet, he had never been taught that Jesus was Jewish and the fulfillment of the Old Testament, the old covenant given by God. It made me wonder how many listeners today have not been taught about our Jewish heritage. In order to understand the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament you must first understand the foundation taught in the old covenant. Since Jesus was teaching a group of Hebrews, or “Jews” as we call them, he did not lay again the foundaton that had been studied and taught for thousands of years. Therefore, we must go back to the old covenant, the old testament, to study and know the foundation upon which Jesus was teaching. The slang term “Jew” is a shortened form of Ju-dah, a tribe of Israel, but only one of the 12 tribes of Israel. We have westernized the scriptures and do not study the word of God for what it is, our covenant agreement with the God of this universe. The foundation of this covenant is given in the old testament and fulfilled in Jesus, a Hebrew from the tribe of Judah. He was a “Jew”. The plan of salvation was first given to the nation of Israel, the Jews, and then when they rejected Jesus we, the Gentiles, were engrafted into the vine. John 4:4-26 tells of the encounter of Jesus and the woman at the well. At verse 22 Jesus clearly states that salvation is by the Jewish people and they were the ones that were to share the plan of salvation. During the tribulation they will once again share God's salvation and evangelize the world.

Throughout the old testament or old covenant, God uses symbolism to reveal Himself to us and to point to Jesus. Jesus taught on this earth as a teacher of the old covenant. He was called, “Rabbi”. There are several different groups or types of people in the scriptures who refer to Jesus as “Rabbi” or “Teacher”.

His disciples referred to him as Rabbi for at Mark 9:5 Peter says, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here, so we could make three booths. He is also called Rabbi when Peter says in Mark 11:21, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You had cursed has become withered”.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, calls Him Rabbi in John 3:1-2 when he says, “Rabbi, we know that You, a teacher, have come from God”.

John the Baptist's disciples call him Rabbi at John 1:35-38:

“Rabbi, which being interpreted says “Teacher”, “where are You staying?”.

The blind man calls Him Rabbi at Mark 10:51: when he answers Jesus and says to Him, “My Rabbi, that I would regain my sight”, and at John 6:24-25 when the common people said after finding Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”.

A scribe calls Him Teacher, which is Rabbi, at Matthew 8:19 when he says to Him, “Teacher, I shall follow You wherever You would go.”

Jesus also refers to Himself as Rabbi at John 13:12-14 when He says, “You call Me, “The Teacher” and “the Lord” and you say rightly, for I am. Even Jesus' technique of answering a question with a question was a rabbinic technique used for teaching.

Many things that Jesus did and said were from the old covenant. A prime example of how we do not fully understand the scriptures without understanding the old covenant is found in the story of the woman with the issue of blood. Jesus as a Jewish male wore the traditional tallit under his garment. We see this in several scriptures and we will look at them in just a moment. First let me tell you about the tallit or prayer shawl. We find God's instructions about the prayer shawl in Numbers 15:37-41.

The tallit, its Hebrew name, or prayer shawl the English translation, was a reminder of God's commandments and it also reminds us of the promises of God. The original prayer shaw was more like a poncho. It was a large, square sheet with a hole in the middle for the head. The front piece was tied behind the back, then the back was lapped over and tied in the front. The fringes on the tallit are called tsitsit in Hebrew and were placed on the corners of the outer garment and represented 613 commandements and promises of God. When the prayer shawl was worn by an anointed man of God the fringes represented the power of God. This explains why the woman with the issue of blood reached for the fringe of his garment in Matt. 9:20 and Luke 8:44: Matt 9:20 says, “And behold a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment”. The amplified Bible and many other translations cross reference this to Numbers 15:38 where God instructs the Israelites on the making of the Tallit. Luke 8:44 says, “ Came up behind Him and touched the tassel of His garment and immediately her flow of blood ceased”. This also explains why so many sought to touch the tsitsit of His tallit in Matt. 14:36 and Mark 6:56. Matt 14:36 says, “And begged Him to let them merely touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were perfectly restored”. Again this is cross referenced to Numbers 15:38 where God instructs the Israelites on the Tallit. Mark 6:56 states, “ that they might touch even the fringe of His outer garment; and as many as touched Him were restored to health”. If you don't know about the tallit you read about this fringe and won't understand what it is referring to. They were reaching out to take hold of the promises of God which included the promise of health and wholeness from Jehovah Rapha, The Lord our Healer, represented by the fringe and tassels on the tallit or prayer shaw, worn as an outer garment.

Another instance where we read but do not understand what the scripture is referring to as it comes from a Hebrew understanding is regarding Paul and his tent making. We are told in Acts 18:2, 3 that Paul, Priscilla, and Aquilla were tent makers. To be under the prayer shawl was referred to by men as “tenting” with God or what we would call a prayer closet because it was placed over the head to shield the eyes while praying. Making of a prayer shawl required Rabbinic training which Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila had. Many scholars believe they were making prayer shawls to have income.

Another place that is of prime importance to understand is our communion service. Did you know that even our communion service comes out of the old covenant and is a remembrance of the covenant we have with God first through Abraham-the old covenant, and then ratified through the blood of Jesus for the New Covenant. The Communion service is part of the Feast of Passover. God instituted the Passover with the children of Israel before they left Egypt to protect them from the death angel. It is to be celebrated throughout all generations. Through the blood of Jesus we too are protected from the death angel and given eternal, everlasting, life. In the book of Hebrews Jesus is called our Passover Lamb, the final sacrifice. To fully understand Paul's discourse on Jesus being the final Passover lamb you need to understand the foundation given in the old Testament about the Passover. I recently heard Perry Stone who studies continually with Rabbis in Israel state that Rabbinical tradition teaches that when the High Priest would offer up the very last Passover Lamb he would say, “It is finished”. What did Jesus say upon offering Himself as the final Passover Lamb? He said, “ it is finished!”.

Another interesting note taught by the archeological school in Jerusalem is that the tunic that the soldiers gambled for in John 19:23, the seamless garment, was the inner garment worn by the Levitical priesthood. It was one piece woven together without seams for the arms and body and therefore they could not divide it. This same type of inner garment was made by Hannah for Samuel to serve with Eli. Jesus Himself offered up His life as the High Priest offering up the final sacrifice and after so doing states, “It is Finished”. Imagine the surprise of the Jewish Hierarchy when they found and saw Jesus wearing the inner garment of the High Priest under his outer garments when He was striped of His clothing. Every Jewish male wore a Tallit, but only the Priesthood wore this inner seamless garment.

We are told in Galatians that we are redeemed from the curse pronounced by not adhereing and following the law given in Deuteronomy and it is through the blood of Jesus that we are redeemed. Galations 3:13 states, “ for it is written Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree to the end that through receiving Christ Jesus, the blessing promised to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit”. What was the blessing promised to Abraham? You can not understand what this is saying if you don't understand the cutting of covenants and being a seed of Abraham, an engrafted “Jew” through adoption. The blood covenant is the foundation for our redemption. If you did not hear my teaching on the blood covenant you can read it on my blogspot which is announced at the end of this program.

There are countless teachings in the New Testament that are first given in the Old Testament. Do you see how we must understand our Jewish roots and the old Testament Covenant in order to understand what was said and taught in the New Testament?

Be sure to not just read the scriptures but begin to be an investigative reporter who constantly searches for the hidden truths and meanings revealed in the Word of God.

The Blood Covenant

These are my notes that I used to record the radio program, "The Blood Covenant". When I enlarged the print the spacing was changed, but you can still understand the message.

Through the blood of Jesus we are now children of God and children of the faith.We are covenant people for Godmade covenants with His people and the Word of God isdivided into two major covenants. It would be more 
accurate to say the Old Covenant and the New Covenant 
rather than the Old Testament and the New Testament.  
Testament is an old English term which originated 
during the Middle Ages.
In Exodus 24:7 the law is called the book of the covenant “Then he took the book of the covenant and read in the hearing of the people”. 
In the Old Testament, the English phrase “make a covenant” is most often a translation of the Hebrew kārat berît, which literally means “cut a covenant.  A covenant was made by an act of 
cutting.  It is an agreement between two contracting parties 
and was originally sealed with blood.  Some semblance of a 
covenant rite has been found in all ancient writings and 
throughout all nations.  Do you remember the blood brother covenant the Indians would cut in the old Westerns? The 
problem is that our western culture really does not 
understand what this cutting of a covenant means. 
Therefore, we do not understand what Jesus did for us.
In Genesis 15 God cuts a covenant with Abraham.  Read the details of this blood covenant.  He has Abraham kill a heifer, a she-goat,  a ram, a turtle dove, and pigeon.  A blood 
covenant was always done over a dead victim for it was an
agreement stating loyalty to each other and the dead 
animals symbolize that the covenant-if broken-would be 
punishable by death. The dead animals also represent a
death to independent living and a coming alive to a new 
relationship. Abraham cuts these animals down the middle
into halves, except the birds,  and places each half opposite of the other.This represents the two parties and what will 
happen if they don't keep the covenant and the fate of the 
one who violates his obligation. After the animals are cut 
Abraham must protect the pieces cut for the covenant from 
the birds of prey even as the participants must forever guardthe covenant that they make with each other. After protecting the covenant animals God makes a deep sleep come upon Abraham and God alone walks the covenant as there is no 
way Abraham could keep forever the covenant and not 
keeping the covenant brings death. Only God Himself could perform without faltering the covenant He is about to make 
with Abraham.   It also shows that we have no part in 
performing this covenant.   As God walks the covenant there
is a blood trail from the two halves symbolizing being sealed with the blood and this blood brings new life.   God speaks His vow to Abraham and then tells  Abraham his part of 
keeping the covenant.  God more of the covenant to 
Abraham in Genesis 17.  God reveals more of Himself to 
Abraham's seed throughout the Old Testament  reminding 
them of the covenant he has made and what will happen if 
they don't keep their part of the  covenant and the blessings that will come upon them if they do keep the covenant. This blood covenant points to the covenant God makes with us 
through Jesus. This blood covenant was a foreshadowing of the covenant cut with the blood of Jesus and it is entirely by 
grace. We have nothing to do with fulfilling it.  
When a blood covenant was cut  both parties were saying 
everything I have is yours and everything you have is mine.
There was a mutual holding of goods, person, and strengths as well as weakness and debts.  Some have called this the great exchange.  
The covenant pledge was not just for the two parties but 
also for their unborn children.. their seed that was in them.  An example of this is found in the story of David and 
Jonathan and the covenant they cut.  They cut a blood
covenant and make vows and exchange goods. In a blood 
brother covenant a razor sharp knife was taken and an 
incision made at the base of the right hand.  The hands  
were then raised toward the sky and the blood trickled down. They would then say their vows, clasp hands, and their 
blood mingled as the two who once lived independent of
each other now died to their independence and became one. The scar would be carried with pride by both of them and as a reminder of the covenant they had made with each other 
of their unity and responsibility. After the covenant was 
concluded they would sit down for a simple meal  of bread 
and wine, and this was called the memorial meal, a 
memorial to the covenant.    Jonathan was a king's son and he gives David his robe, his armor, his sword, bow, and even his girdle. He is giving David all of his resources and all that he has. David makes a total commitment to Jonathan and 
he shows  this by calling Jonathan “his friend”.  This is a 
special title given to a Berith partner, a covenant partner.
Even though Jonathan had no children at this time, the 
covenant is forever and is also made with the children that
are “in” them and represented “by” them when they cut 
covenant.  You can study this in 1 Samuel 18. Years after 
this covenant is cut, Jonathan has a son name 
Mephibosheth.  Jonathan dies and Mephibosheth hides from David out of fear for his life as he is sure David will slay him.  Instead, because of the covenant David has cut with 
Mephibosheth's father, Jonathan,  David searches for 
Jonathan's son so he can give him what is rightfully his
based on the covenant and vows he has made with 
Jonathan.  It passes down to Jonathan's seed.  We were “in” Christ at the crucifixion as His “seed” and the covenant God made with us through the blood of Jesus is ours today just 
as the covenant made with Jonathan was still valid for his 
son, Mephibosheth, because he was in Jonathan at the time 
the covenant was cut. We are heirs to the greatest covenant agreement ever cut on this earth. We are given all the 
blessings and all the strength and character of God and 
God takes all our sin and our weakness upon Himself “in” 
Jesus.The sacrifices of Leviticus and the covenants of the old testament point to and find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the final sacrifice.  Jesus said in Luke 22:20,  this cup is the new testament or covenant ratified in My blood, which is 
shed for you.  Jesus was quoting Jeremiah 31:31:  Behold 
the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of 
Judah.  This is a new covenant because He had cut a formercovenant with Abraham.  Jesus was saying to us that he wassealing the new covenant by His blood when He took the 
bread and the wine, the memorial meal of a covenant, in the Upper Room.  In this case, Jesus made the vows and sealed the blood covenant with the memorial meal before the 
covenant of His blood was actually shed.   All other 
covenants were sealed by the meal after the blood was shed. In doing this Jesus is tying the two covenants together and showing that He is the fulfillment of the first covenant God 
cut with Abraham using the blood of animals and now this 
new covenant would be sealed and ratified in His blood 
making the need for animal sacrifices no longer necessary.  Jesus enacted an even better covenant sealed by His Blood and He carries the scars of this covenant on His body.  
When we celebrate communion, we are partaking of the 
memorial meal and celebrating our covenant cut and ratified by the blood of Jesus and His death on the cross.  
Throughout the new testament, or new covenant, you will 
find “in Christ”.  This is due to the covenant relationship.     We are now the seed of Abraham as Christ was THE seed of Abraham because we are “In” Christ.  In the amplified 
version Galatians 3:13-16 tells us: “Christ purchased our 
freedom, redeeming us from the curse of the Law by Himselfbecoming a curse for us, for it is written Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree to the end that through receiving ChristJesus, the blessing promised to Abraham might come upon 
the Gentiles, so that we through faith might receive the 
promise of the Holy Spirit.  To speak in terms of human 
relations, brethren, even a man makes a last will and 
testament, a merely human covenant, no one sets it aside ormakes it void or adds to it, when once it has been drawn up, signed, ratified, and confirmed.  Now the promises, 
covenants, agreements, were decreed and made to 
Abraham and his Seed, which are his offspring, his heir.  He, God, does not say, And to seeds as if referring to many 
persons, but, and to your SEED, your descendant, your Heir, obviously referring to one individual, Who is none other 
than Christ, the Messiah”.  Galatians 3:26 states: For “in” 
Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through Faith.   Verse 
29 states, And if you belong to Christ, are “IN HIM”, Who is
Abraham's Seed, then you are Abraham's offspring and 
heirs according to promise.  What does this mean?  In the 
cutting of the covenant God makes everything He is and has available to Abraham and His Seed.
When He cut the covenant with Abraham He made all of His resources and character available to Abraham and His Seed. We are His Seed by being “in” Christ Jesus.
To understand all this encompasses we have to understand Who God is and His attributes.  Throughout the Old 
Testament God reveals Who He is through His Names so we can look at His names and begin to understand His 
character and His attributes.   I researched the names of 
God and here are just a few:

El Shaddai= El is translated as "God" and is the most 
powerful name of God.  When used in conjunction with other words to designate various aspects of God's character it 
doubles the power.  Here it is put with Shaddai. Many 
believe Shaddai    is derived from shad meaning "breast" in Hebrew.  Some other scholars believe that the name is 
derived from an Akkadian word Šadu, meaning "mountain," 
suggesting strength and power. This refers to God 
completely nourishing, satisfying, and supplying His people with all their needs as a mother would her child. Connected with the word for God, El, this denotes a God who freely 
gives nourishment and blessing, He is our sustainer. Do we see this given with the new covenant also?  Yes we do.
Philippians 4:19= My God shall supply all your need 
according to His riches in Glory “IN” Christ Jesus.
Jehovah Rapha. Jehovah is translated as "The Existing One" or "Lord." The chief meaning of Jehovah is derived from the Hebrew word Havah meaning "to be" or "to exist." It also
suggests "to become" or specifically "to become known" - 
this denotes a God who reveals Himself unceasingly. 
Rapha(râpâ') means "to restore", "to heal" or "to make healthful" in Hebrew. When the two words are combined -Jehovah Rapha- it can be translated as "Jehovah Who Heals." 
We see this used at Exodus 15 where Gods says “I am the 
Lord Who heals you”.  We also see God revealed as our 
healer in Jer. 30:17 where He says He will restore health and heal our wounds, also in Jer. 3:22, Isa. 30:26, Isa. 53:4 &5 
and also Isaiah 61:1, and Psalm 103:3-Who heals all your 
disease   Jehovah Rapha is the Great Physician who heals 
the physical and emotional needs of His people.  
We find this in the New Covenant at Matt. 8: 17, “He Himself took our weaknesses and infirmities and bore away our 
diseases” and 1 Peter 2:24 , “He personally bore our sins in His own body to the tree as to an altar and offered Himself 
on it, that we might die, cease to exist to sin, and live to righteousness.  By His wounds you have been healed. “  Jesus 
took upon Himself all our sickness and gave to us all He is.  The Great Exchange.

Jehovah Jireh = Jehovah-Jireh is a symbolic name given to Mount Moriah by Abraham to memorialize the intercession of God in the sacrifice of Isaac by providing a substitute for the imminent sacrifice of his son. It literally means My God who sees and provides. He not only provides but He sees and 
knows our needs in order to provide what is needed. In the 
New Covenant look again at Philippians 4:19= “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory in 
Christ Jesus”.

Jehovah Nissi =. Nes(nês), from which Nissi derived, means "banner" in Hebrew. In Exd 17:15, Moses, recognizing that 
the Lord was Israel's banner under which they defeated the Amalekites, builds an altar named Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord 
our Banner. Nes is sometimes translated as a pole with an 
insignia attached. In battle opposing nations would fly their 
own flag on a pole at each of their respective front lines. This was to give their soldiers a feeling of hope and a focal point. This is what God is to us: a banner of encouragement to 
give us hope and a focal point. He is our victory. 
In the New Covenant=
Matthew 28:18-19= All authority, all power of rule, in heaven and on earth has been given to Me, Go then.. We see a 
transferrence of that Power and authority
2 Corinthians 10:4=For the weapons of our warfare are not 
physical weapons of flesh and blood, but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds.

There are many more names of God that reveal His 
character and attributes.   Jehovah Rohi, Jehovah Shalom, 
Jehovah Mekoddishekem, Jehovah Sabbaoth, to name a few 


We are the people of the covenant.  He has made all things 
that pertain to life and godliness ours.  He has redeemed us through the blood of Jesus and made us righteous to walk in peace and in health with Him.  
2 Peter 1:3-4 amplified=For His divine power has bestowed 
upon us all things that are requisite and suited to life and 
godliness, through the full, personal knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence- virtue.  By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and 
exceedingly great promises so that through them you may 
escape by flight from the moral decay, rottenness and 
corruption, that is in the world because of covetousness -lust and greed, and become sharers, partakers, of the divine 
nature.

If I were to tell you that someone left you a huge estate 
and you needed to come to an attorney's office to read 
the last will and testament to find out what someone left you, would you? We have been given the last will and 
testament, a covenant cut directly by God almighty 
through the blood of Jesus.  Study the Word of God to 
find out what our father God has given to us through 
this covenant ratified by the Blood of Jesus and search 
the scriptures that tell you what is yours by being “in” 
Christ Jesus and being His seed.