Edut

EDUT O R D I N A RY P E O P L E E X T R AO R D I N A RY S T O R I E S

ISSUE ONE

Out of the

FIRE

Flames

A familiar story told as you have never heard it.

into the

A radical change in the life of a young Tel Avivian photographer.

An artist’s encounter with a mysterious light

EDITOR’S NOTE A great story is being played out today in our world, right here in the land of the Bible, and it is not the kings or the mighty that are centre stage, but rather ordinary people who all have one thing in common they have had a life-changing encounter with the extraordinary. Even Moses worked as an ordinary shepherd in obscurity for 40 years when suddenly a strange phenomenon grabbed his attention and made him turn aside from the daily grind. There at the burning bush, he had a supernatural encounter with the Divine that would change his life and future forever and ultimately bring birth to a nation.

And so this magazine is not a new story but rather a continuation of the unfolding story of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and what He is doing in and through the lives of ordinary people here in the land.

Edut simply means testimony. Each issue is a collection of stories, articles, photography and art that bear testimony to the fact that there is a God of Israel! And so the author of the wonderful and inspiring stories of the Bible, continues to move and act in mysterious ways in our midst in our own generation for His great purpose.

This is His-story!

I am delighted to put this magazine into your hands and I hope you will be inspired by the first issue of Edut.

Producer and Publisher: Jacob Damkani Editor and Founder: Liz Moffitt Assistant editor: Christine Hackett Photographer & Cover photo: Yaron Elkayam Art Director: Shirley Znaty Photo Retouching: Liu Leung issue 1

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from

Darkness to

Light Baruch Maayan, a talented Jewish artist, shares his miraculous journey as a drug-addicted hippie who found a treasure so precious that it transformed his life completely.

Born in South Africa, the second of a family of four, I was raised in the suburbs of Johannesburg, in a safe, mixed neighborhood, but with many other Jewish families. Along with other kids, we played games such as Robin Hood and Huckleberry Finn. On many occasions we joined our Jewish relatives to celebrate the Jewish feasts. From my earliest childhood, even though my parents were secular Jews who were free thinkers, deep inside I always believed there was a God, although He was distant and uninvolved.

As someone who was artistic, I got involved with the whole hippie, drug scene of the 60’s. I was an intense seeker of truth. I thought about philosophy and spirituality, and read extensively books by thinkers. At the age of 14 I ruined my school career because of my drug habit. I quickly spiraled into LSD, uppers and downers and cocaine, but my drugs of choice were marijuana and acid, which became a part of my life for many years along with music and art. I enrolled in art school but by the second year I had been expelled four times. My father talked the school into letting me back in again and again but by the fifth time I had used up all of my chances. Eventually I joined the South African army, and my drug habit continued. I enjoyed life, albeit I was

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confused and messed up, however I tried to keep a positive attitude. Eventually I was sent to the detention barracks (army prison). Before I was put into solitary confinement, I was given a Bible, a pen, a mattress, overalls and a potty.​​

While in solitary confinement I read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. And in the blank pages of the Bible I illustrated stories from the life of Jesus. I fell in love with Jesus as a person and as a Jew, and wondered why the Jewish people hated him so much. He was frowned upon in my community and extended family. But now I saw that the whole hippie revolution was only a poor attempt to get free from the corruption in society and was a counterfeit of the real thing. And here was a man who was the “ideal hippie” but without any of the addiction to substances or any need for them. When I handed in the Bible, along with the potty and overalls, the officer in the storeroom was concerned about the sketches I had drawn and called for the major. As the major viewed the pictures, tears appeared in his eyes and he asked: “Can I keep this?” and I was released and let through.

“David’s annointing” by Baruch Maayan

After coming out of the army I went to a new age farm that was run by a very charismatic couple. The woman received “psychic messages” that she passed onto us. This community was set amongst stunning scenery, mountains and valleys with amazing animals like leopards and baboons. They helped us to get off drugs, through practicing yoga, new age philosophy, Rudolph Steiner, pranayarna; and on a practical level planting gardens and building stone cottages. I would stare at the morning star, keeping its image in my mind through the day, tuning into some cosmic vibration, believing I was becoming one with the universe. One day my friend and I got permission to go to “the real world” to make money and to bring that money back to our “cult leaders”. But after we made money I got some “brown micro dot”, very potent LSD. In my deceived mind I had come up with a plan to go into the mountain and on the way back to the cult take this drug, which would enable us to see objectively what we are used to being subjected to. As we walked into the mountains we “dropped it” and the cows eyes suddenly became big and beautiful and the rocks became like stunning Inca images.

But then everything turned sinister. My friend’s face became masks of grotesque ugliness. I tried desperately

to get into a yogic meditation state and think of love, but all I could hear was, Hate! Hate! Hate! The clouds became an orgy of the most perverse sexual images whirling and twirling around me. This inescapable horror lasted for

14 hrs, and no yoga state or breathing technique could get me out of this hell hole. When it was over I came to the realization that the new age mantras, and yoga practices were all useless to free me from the things that were inside myself. For these drugs had opened up a place inside that had been carefully covered. So I returned to the farm and said “goodbye”, took the last of my things and walked away into an existential future where I didn’t hold firmly to any belief. My philosophy from then on I described as the “anything box”. This box had no top, bottom or sides, beginning or end. All myth, culture, religion and philosophy etc. came from the anything box. You could make anything out of the nothing, and call it something. The authors I now liked were the likes of Hermen Hess, Nietzche, Sartre, and Kamu and other existential authors. At that time I held to no solid doctrine. Yet deep inside I still believed there was a God but He was simply just not there. I said to myself, “The truth is what it is and what it is, is not beautiful, it’s the way we are.” I went through a period where I would

write down whatever evil was deep inside myself, trying to honestly face the hidden things in my heart that I would not like included in my autobiography. And I would do this practice with others including my girlfriend.

It somehow justified me in my mind, that others struggled with the same things. I saw two possible gateways that I could go through: 1) the gateway to the Kingdom of God issue 1

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casting it aside and crushing it, if I saw something else of interest. I knew I couldn’t do that to her.

On an annual basis I travelled to a beautiful spot on the coast of South Africa to draw and paint portraits. There I met a Gentile who had come to know the Lord as a young boy, but sadly he was now smoking dope and had spent time in a jail in Rhodesia.

He provoked me to jealousy because I saw that he found answers in the Bible, although the Bible belonged to the Jews!

So I started reading the

Bible to compete with this Gentile who had a real relationship with “my book”. When I owed him a

which was open but I could not go through because the evil in me would make me a hypocrite and 2) I could simply do whatever I felt like doing, but I was too terrified to enter into that gate because I knew that those appetites were like a monster that would consume me, so I tried to do my best to stay at 000 (triple zero) through keeping an honest diary of my days, thoughts and actions.

At that time I met a girl who was a Christian, and although I was sexually active in a very loose kind of way, with this girl I only ever held her hand.

I had entered into a pure relationship. She was

so lovely and she talked often about Yeshua, while I spoke only about me. I eventually broke up with her as I couldn’t

bear the thought of corrupting something so beautiful. It would be like trying to carry a butterfly across a field and

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favor he would give me books from the Bible to read aloud like Hebrews and Romans, and verses from the Tanakh including Isaiah 9, Zechariah 12:10 and Isaiah 53. These obviously spoke of Yeshua even to my Jewish mind. When I read the Bible it was tedious but when he read it to me it made sense and this made me mad. One night I found a Bible that had been given to my brother at primary school and I read through Revelation from beginning to end. A few weeks later, I wrote in my Triple Zero diary, “from Genesis to Revelation is the history of all things and of mankind and there is no escaping this history and Jesus Christ is the thread that runs throughout it.” Four days later I wrote in that same book, “There is only one salvation for man and that is Jesus Christ who died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead,” and then I said to myself, “Gosh, I’m a believer”. The anything box was cast aside and now I believed the Bible as the only Word of truth out of all writings. It became an anchor for my mind. Yet I couldn’t make myself go through any archway or doorway of a church building, I said to myself… “I can’t, I can’t!”

I told my Gentile friend about my new belief. He was renting out rooms in his house to weirdos, satanists, schizophrenics and all kinds of people. I told him: “It’s true, it’s true, from Genesis to Revelation is the truth and Jesus is the Messiah.” Not believing me, he responded, “You are so low, you’ll do anything to get a room.” I got a room but it took a week before he was convinced that I had truly come to believe that Yeshua was the Messiah. People

in the house were coming to faith, I was so outspoken about what I believed, yet I was not even born again. I tried to live right, to love everybody, to help old ladies to cross the road, to stop smoking, keep my eyes off girls but I tried in my own strength. Then one day at a party I got involved with a German girl, and so my testimony to the people in the house and to myself was ruined. I carried on life as usual, only I believed.

It was time to move on again, so I sold enough art to put myself through art college which made my parents very happy. I was majoring in sculpture and in the last semester of the second year I became very frustrated with modern art. I was one of the only two students in the college that believed in God. It was expected for artists to be atheistic, nihilistic, agnostic, hedonistic monsters involved in new age and modern philosophy. I became very frustrated.

I came up with an idea to blindfold myself for 7 days. I explained to the Dean that I

had been indoctrinated to see in certain ways and I had lost the integrity that I had as a child. Blindfolding myself would develop my tactile abilities by eliminating visual conditioning. Through my conditioning I could do the classical twist like Michelangelo, naturalism like Rodin and minimalism like Bramcussi, but where was I? The idea was accepted and a clay studio was prepared in the basement of the fine arts faculty. On the Monday morning I was given a key, a mattress and sleeping bag and in there was a pit of clay, a few tables and a tape recorder to use as a diary. Someone would come in and bring me food. A model would also come in from time to time. I used my hands to feel the form and transferred what I felt into the clay. It was an amazing experiment and I did a lot of work, all in all 11 pieces of sculpture were created. I kept a very honest account on the tape recorder.

An obvious result of shutting down one of the senses is that the other senses compensate and are enhanced. In my yoga days I would sit in the lotus position and concentrate on all of the senses at the same time without thinking of anything, it was an awareness exercise, to kind of just be. On the third day of being blindfolded, I asked myself what would happen if I were to block out my hearing as well as my sight?

And then what would happen if I got rid of all my senses?

Would I still exist? I felt a very clear yes! You are not the sum total of your senses. On the fourth night I recorded on the tape recorder, “I liken myself to you

who are in the darkness as I am in the darkness, but I would that you would liken yourself to me because I know that I am going to come into the light.” A nd then I felt I must clarify this: “To live your life without God is to live in the dark, but the light is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Light.”

Immediately when I had said this the HOLY, HOLY, HOLY presence of God was in the room! His Holiness, His awesome glory, His Love and I was ruined! My wasted life was unmasked in the light of His glory and I wanted to die, I wanted to become dust. Yet I knew I was dead and I couldn’t be more dead, and I knew I was dust and I couldn’t become any smaller or any more insignificant. And yet I couldn’t escape the awesome presence of His Holiness, I was completely exposed and undone. I needed mercy. It was then that what I had believed for a year became my only way of escape. I poured out my life onto Jesus Christ, believing that He died for me on the cross and He took my sin as it is written in Isaiah 53:5:

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

The next day I experienced abiding peace, whereas in the past I had only tasted it in the wind for a moment, now it remained within me. Still blindfolded, I went for a drive with the model. I was enveloped in a cocoon of God’s love. That night I arrived at the studio late, had a shower and prepared to go to sleep. I thought the lights were on so I switched them off. There was a light shining which was brighter than the sun yet not hurting my eyes. I went and switched off the mains to all the power in the art faculty. It made no difference at all!

I rolled myself up in the bottom of my sleeping bag to try issue 1

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to make sure that I was in darkness but the light was all over me, it was in me and through me and all around me.

That night I had visions and dreams of reconciliation, forgiveness and things that were still to come. In the morning I thought, “Everybody has to know!” I also recorded two complete, beautiful praise songs about His glorious salvation. Everyone that came into that room, heard the great news of Yeshua. I went to church that Sunday night still blindfolded with two Moshe Dayan patches over my eyes with cotton wool behind, blue overalls, barefooted and clay in my beard. After the message, I went to the front of the Church and told the preacher that I needed to be baptized and he confirmed from the Bible that this was the right step to take. After, when I was leaving, the preacher said to me “Brother, by the way, can we pray for your eyes?” I said “No, they are going to be alright tomorrow.” “Halleluyah! Praise the Lord!” they exclaimed!

Late Sunday I took off my blindfolds, at first it was like seeing a black and white TV screen, flat and graphic. Then depth and color started to come into place. I felt as if a thick torrent of liquid fell on my head and went through my whole body, filling me with peace and God’s loving assurance. I had passed out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light, from lost to found, from blind to seeing and I looked at everything as though with new eyes.

Since this time, I have been through much, but two things remain steadfast, firstly, I could never deny Christ under any circumstances nor the truth of His word. Never! The second thing is this, He remains faithful, He’s never left me, even at the times when I have been faithless, He has remained faithful, He cannot deny Himself.

Baruch and his wife, Karen, and their five beautiful children made alyia to Israel and now live in Tel Aviv. Baruch pastors the local congregation that meets Friday nights at 7pm in Hotel Gilgal on Nes Ziona Street 7. Some of Baruch’s messianic art pieces are on display at the hotel. Come and visit him sometime, enjoy the fellowship of the believers and check out his paintings, mosaic and sculptures! maayanbmidbar@gmail.com

“Jacob’s dream” by Baruch Maayan

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Elizabeth Moffitt

Long ago, there existed a world covered by majestic mountains, rambling rivers, crystal lakes and fields of bright colorful flowers of every description; a world brimming with life, where all creatures, great and small happily shared their habitation. Here the wolf and lamb would play together while the hungry lion would satisfy his vast appetite from the grass of the field and the fruit of the trees; a world where no danger lurked - or so it seemed!

As the little songbirds sang in unison, a young couple danced happily together in the shade of a sprawling tree.

Laughing at the playful antics of Adam, Eve flopped to the ground giggling. Rolling onto her back to catch her breath her eye caught the translucent appearance of a piece of fruit dangling invitingly from the tree above her. She instantly recognized the fruit she had named ‘Nono’, no touch, no eat! It was forbidden by Abba! What secrets did it hold? Why had Abba forbidden them to eat the fruit? She had asked Him once and He had simply reminded her of the dire consequences of disobedience and His stern voice had sent a shudder through her.

Suddenly aware of some rustling in the branches above her, she sat bolt upright and gazed up as the ugly, contorted face of a slimy creature popped out from between the leaves.

As if he had been listening to her inner musings he asked, “Has God said you can’t eat from any of the trees?”

Immediately her thoughts became confused. Is that what Abba had said? She remembered back to the cool spring evening when she and Adam had walked with Abba in their gorgeous paradise, Eden. He lovingly showed them

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the garden He Himself had planted for them, filled with exquisite delights, fruit and plants of every kind. Her thoughts became clear again as she remembered what He actually did say that day, a frown clouding His glorious face as they had stood on this very same spot!

“No! You’re wrong!” Eve retorted, “He said we can eat from any tree, just not from this one!” The snake momentarily disappeared then reappeared right next to the piece of fruit, hanging directly above her. “There’s a reason He told you that, for He knows this fruit has magical powers!

If you eat it you will surely be like Him. You will have the hidden knowledge!”

“Hadn’t He made us in his likeness already?” she thought, “Hadn’t He given us the necessary authority and wisdom to rule the earth?” She glanced up again at the serpent and gazed deeply into his eyes and again her thoughts became muddled. Was there something Abba was keeping from them? As she stared at the pleasing fruit and smelled its sweet fragrance, that single piece of fruit seemed to come to life; beckoning her; calling her to partake in its wisdom and pleasures. It only took a moment of weakness; it became too much for her to resist; she snatched it from its branch and took a big bite, sinking her teeth in. The texture was like velvet, melting in her mouth, the taste almost heavenly. But alas, at the same moment her heart flooded with things she had never felt before: guilt, shame and fear. She turned to Adam who had silently observed the whole scenario. As she moved toward him, he stepped backwards. She acutely felt his disapproval; she saw it in his eyes! She gently moved again toward him, seductively taking his hand and softly kissing it. “It’s ok Adam,” her

voice now silky, velvety like the fruit, alluring him in to her web of deceit and disobedience. He was torn now between his beautiful wife and his loving Father. With one hand she stroked his body, while with the other she held the fragrant fruit to his mouth. “This is our answer, Adam; we can be like God. He wants to keep us subdued, under His thumb - this fruit is our way to autonomy, to true freedom. This is our world, Adam, and this is our opportunity to take control of it. No one here should have the right to tell us what we can and cannot do! It’s our world, Adam!”

Close up, this fruit looked even more attractive, but it was its hidden powers that tempted him the most. So in that tragic moment in history, Adam our forefather, opened his mouth and took a bite. Almost immediately the unhappy couple heard footsteps, and instinctively they dived for cover, aware for the very first time of their nakedness. Guilt, shame, anger, resentment, all filled their hearts and minds: emotions they had never felt before tumbling over one another.

“Adam, where are you?” This was no playful game of hide and seek. “I was naked so I hid,” called Adam from behind a bush.

“Naked! Who told you, you were naked? Adam, did you eat the fruit I told you not to eat?”

Eve cowered behind Adam, clutching to her trembling body the fig leaves she had hastily plucked. But that day she would find no comfort, protection or safety from behind her husband. Adam retorted, “This woman...”

Adam had always addressed her as “My Beloved!” She was his queen, his best friend, his lover and partner in life! Abba had explained to her that He had formed her lovingly from Adam’s rib, closest to his heart. So she was actually part of him, no wonder their bond was so strong, they were as one! Adam’s shaky voice interrupted her thoughts, “This woman that you gave me, SHE is the one who gave me the fruit!” Had he forgotten the bond they shared? His betrayal was now complete. Hot tears formed in the corners of her big green eyes and rolled down her soft, beautiful face which was now distorted with anger and grief. She felt deeply the gap of hostility and betrayal that formed between them.

In their fallen state they could no longer live forever, and so they were expelled from their beautiful garden home and barred from the tree of life that stood in the middle of the garden!

“But how can I kill you, O Adam, O Eve...?”

Aroused by compassion for His fallen children the Lord God did two remarkable things that same day!

He spoke the first Messianic promise - that one day from the seed of Eve would arise one who would crush the head of the serpent, thereby reversing the full consequences of the fall.

And secondly, instead of Abba’s knife falling that day on Adam and Eve, so that on that very day they would die, it fell on two animals. And from the animal skins, with His own hands, the Lord God sewed garments for His naked children.

That night, for the first time ever, Eve huddled alone, pulled her knees up to her chin, and wept bitterly as Adam sat silently and helplessly looking on. “What have I done?” he chided himself! Only time would reveal the full magnitude of that foolish moment of weakness! But time had something else to reveal also. A seed had been planted that would be carried through the generations, and one day be germinated by God Himself and flourish.

A king would be born and a glorious and eternal kingdom would be established.

And so the story of our redemption begins!

It was a dark day in history as God meted out His punishment to His disobedient children and cursed the very ground that sustained them. issue 1

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FIRE

out of the into the

Returning home hungry after a busy afternoon at our makeshift cafe on the streets of Tel Aviv, we watched as Yaron hastily prepared and threw a few vegetables and herbs into a pan. How did the soup come out tasting so good?! As we sat around the table enjoying the delicious food, I was curious to know the story behind this fiery, young, multi-talented, Israeli born Jew. As a businessman, up and coming fashion photographer, and a talented chef at his own pub, Yaron was living the life. Then one day he had a strange encounter that would change his life forever...

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Looking back at your childhood, what was it like for you growing up in Israel? I grew up in the heart of Tel Aviv. My childhood was great. I lived my life as a regular Israeli boy. I did my 12 years of study and went out to conquer the world not realizing then that the world had a different plan for me.

As I became older, I began to feel like a little ant in a great machine where everyone has his own agenda and no one cares for my voice. What could I do?... I decided to join the race.

What was life like for you during your 3 years of service in the IDF?

to being dependent on a salary again. I transformed the restaurant to a pub. What a great move!

I didn’t want to go! I felt like running away from all that I knew! I needed to leave my comfort zone and it was very hard for me. But eventually I realized it was necessary and it turned out to be good for me. I came to understand that I needed to do my part to protect my country and people. We all have to do our part. It taught me a lot about discipline and respect for others. But once my time ended I left immediately… with no intention of returning.

Suddenly I had time to myself, more money started to flow in, the future looked like a pink martini although… the martini was dry. With more time to myself I found a new hobby that soon became my greatest passion. I picked up a camera and it was love at first sight! My niche of interest was fashion photography. I thought to myself, “I have found my calling in life and how great it is!” But guess what? I was climbing the ladder again but this time it was full of people, people who stepped on one another in order to climb up. So many people, such a small ladder! But it didn’t bother me, I did what I had to do. I climbed with force, lying here, smiling there and saying whatever people wanted to hear. Again life looked great. Suddenly I was a part of this great machine. “I am recognized, I am important… But to whom?” It was then that I started to realize it was all just an illusion.

But what could I do? So I continued in my ways and waited for the next opportunity to come.

What were your plans and ambitions for your life after the army?

After leaving the army my parents gave me a free pass to do whatever I wanted, with no pressure from them. I felt like a bird let out of the cage. I started to do whatever was on my mind at this stage of my life and it’s not hard to guess what that was.

I began to make electronic music as a job and to perform as a DJ. This allowed me to travel all around the world. I was ambitious and saw myself climbing up the ladder of success. At that time of my life I felt good. Life had left me smiling. There were lots of parties, lots of fun, DJing on mountains in Japan, beaches in Brazil, festivals in Europe…

My perspective began to shift. I stopped drinking because I felt like I didn’t need it anymore. I became a vegetarian.

I wanted a healthier lifestyle. Although I still owned the bar, I wanted to take a different path, the opposite of the loose bar lifestyle I had been in. In that period of time

It could only be described as the ‘good life’! I had no need to see

into the future because the present wa s so intoxicating. But as we all know after a good party there comes the hangover.

And I soon realized that on this ladder there were no more steps for me…

I had reached the top so I finally decided to stop, settle down a little and find a lifestyle that was less noisy.

At that point in my life I started to work in the food industry and soon realized that my new ambition was to become a restaurant owner, so up this new ladder I climbed.

I saved hard and after only three years that dream came true. I opened a small restaurant. I was happy. No more bosses!

It was now all about my decisions. Again I felt free. But little did I know, a change was just around the corner. After one year in the restaurant I came to realize there was no profit and so I needed to be more creative because I didn’t want to go back issue 1

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I met Amy, a beautiful Jewish woman from Minnesota who walked into my bar and captured my attention. Our relationship progressed quickly; we became very close and so decided to move in together. I felt from the beginning that Amy was different. She was glowing most of the time, loving everyone and smiling a lot. When she walked into the room you could feel her presence. I loved it. I loved her.

Bar owner, fashion photographer, a beautiful woman, what else could I possibly need? Everything seemed perfect but without even So let’s see what we have so far

noticing, I was drowning in my world of problems. Debts piling up, stress and struggles of the day. I was moody and didn’t know what mood I would wake up in. I needed help but my pride wouldn’t allow me to admit it. I had my smoking habit that made me feel calm and relaxed.

It was my way of running away from everything. When I arrived home from work, I would go straight to the television, sit in front of it, light up and smoke something potent so as to forget the pressures of the day. I didn’t even notice that there was another person in the house who needed my attention. My attitude was, “Who cares, first I need to care for myself.” Through the years I became very self-centred. I thought the way to love yourself was to put yourself in the first place. I wanted to maintain control over my life because I thought, “Who knows me better than me?”

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The time came when Amy needed to return to Minnesota to finish her studies. We knew that we had to cross a big bridge if we were to stay together, and to be honest, I didn’t know what to expect. As the date of her departure approached, suddenly I noticed that Amy was starting to pray a lot. God was drawing her to Himself. She began to discuss the subject of faith a lot and let me tell you straight up - I didn’t care about it at all! I had no idea who God was nor did I care to know. I just knew I didn’t want anything to shake my world. From my point of view I was doing okay. My philosophy was simple, If I am doing good, I will receive good and if I am doing bad I will receive bad. So let’s try and be the best we can – according to my standards that is.

After a few conversations I realised that we didn’t have the same opinion. To make matters worse, she told me she believed that if I wanted to have a relationship with God, I needed to know His Son …

Yeshua!!?? She explained that someone

needed to pay the price for my wrong doing, and rather than it being me, this Yeshua paid for my sin. He died in my place and after three days, she claimed, He rose from the dead! Now that just sounded really weird to me! Nevertheless we continued the discussion and it became a little less weird. Soon Amy started going to a congregation in Tel Aviv. I didn’t know

what this place was all about. I was a busy guy so I had no time to think about it. A few days before Amy was to leave she arrived home glowing as always. She had a book in her hand and told me that she had prayed for me with someone from that congregation and that he had given her the book to give to me. I looked at it, “Why Me?” at first sight I thought to myself, “What will I do with this book? I can’t even remember a time when I read a book!

Who has time for this?” My mind was so preoccupied with other things nevertheless I decided to honor her so I said, “Thank you.” But I just threw it on the couch with no intention of reading it. I let out a sigh of relief for I thought I had escaped the bullet. Time flew by and her departure date arrived. My feelings were mixed and I didn’t know what to think. I tried to convince myself that everything would be ok. She is there and I am here and life continues. As my mum says, “If it’s written then it’s yours and you have nothing to worry about.”

“Can you do me a big favour?” she asked out of the blue.

“Can you come with me to my congregation before we head to the airport?” “Of course, sweetie, I will do it.”

(After all what could possibly go wrong?) So with all the bags packed, we stopped at this congregation on our way to the airport. As we entered the place, I saw a bunch of people singing with their hands in the air. Everyone was different from each other. Immediately I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach after eating a big meal.

I thought to myself: “This is not the place for me!” I felt like such an outsider and this feeling was getting stronger.

When I looked into Amy’s eyes I saw the softness that I knew so well. “It’s ok” she reassured me, ”Let’s go inside.”

Everything in me was shouting, No! Get out of here!

This is not for you! But because I intended to keep my promise to Amy and be with her before she left, I stayed.

As soon as I walked in, I noticed something really weird and I shared it with her. There was a guy in that strange group who had sat next to me at the dentist just the day before, while I was waiting for my treatment. Amy was stunned and immediately turned to me and said, “Well Yaron! This is the guy that prayed for you and gave you that book!” Instantly I felt like I had been slapped in the face. Something stirred me to the very core of my being and told me…

Wake up Yaron, open your eyes! Do you think this is just a coincidence?…

No! …Yes! …No! …I don’t know! I was certainly confused. But one thing was certain, I needed to see what this book, “Why Me?”, was all about.

After I said farewell to Amy I arrived home and there was the book waiting on the couch in the exact spot I had left it. I opened it and started to read. Again this feeling of nausea came over me and I couldn’t issue 1

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read it. But something told me, “Give it a chance.”

So I continued bitterly, however with little success.

The next day at work my mind was on that book. I wanted to come home and try again. As I arrived home, something unusual happened. I opened the book like I had done the day before, but this time the reading began to f low. Instead of watching TV or doing my regular stuff, my mind was only

on that book. It hooked me and I couldn’t put it down. The very next day after work I rushed home to finish it. But as I started to read it something strange happened…

I felt a very strong presence of some kind in the house and I became afraid! I didn’t know what to do. Anxiety took a hold of me and panic arrived to join the party.

I called Amy. She could hear the fear in my voice and immediately knew something was wrong. I tried to explain what was happening. She became calm as she started to understand what was actually going on. “Tell Him to come into your life, Yaron! He will take the bad feeling away…”

Without knowing how I got there, I found myself on my knees telling God to: “Please! Please! Please! Help me!” I told him that I believed His son, Yeshua, paid the ultimate price for my sin. Just five minutes later I felt ok, so I relaxed and went to sleep. A surprise was waiting for me in the morning when I woke up. I felt completely different. Not like anything I had ever felt before. I was calm and peace flooded my heart. I went outside and

breathed the fresh morning air. Now I understood that my life was no longer the same. I realised that God Himself had taken His place in my heart and I would never be the same. What a huge change! I felt so happy!

God had washed me so clean!

So Yaron, what are your plans for the future?

I have come to understand what life is truly all about.

Yeshua Himself is the ladder, the only ladder that leads to the top, the only ladder that has room for every single person! I have found my ultimate destiny and my reason for being, in Him. Life is no longer pointless and purposeless.

I am finally out of that ant race…

The old fire of selfishness and sin has been extinguished. I have experienced the brand new flame of His love and it has consumed my life completely. I am not the same person.

I want to tell the world about my Saviour, this King, this precious and powerful Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the Messiah of Israel.

Today I am waiting to hear what He is calling me to do. what have you learned from your experience that you would like to share?

I learned that by giving up everything you will get it all!

And I know His promise to each and every one of us is simple: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 29:13, 14a)

“The winds are your messengers; flames of fire are your servants”.

Psalm 104:4

If you are interested in a copy of Jacob Damkani’s book: “Why Me?”, please email your name and address to jdamkani@netvision.net.il “Why Me” is available in 17 languages Get your free book in Hebrew English and other languages: $15

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Yaron Elkayam A talented fashion photographer and bar owner from Tel Aviv whose life has been radically changed by the transforming power of God.

Baruch Maayan An acomplished Jewish artist from South Africa whose faith journey led him to live in Tel Aviv where he leads a local Messianic congregation.

YOU Your Story

EDUT is all about ordinary people’s extraordinary tales!

Do you believe that the God of the Bible is still active in our world today?

Have you experienced His touch in your life?

We would love to hear from you, how your life has been impacted by a supernatural encounter of a God kind!

Please send us your story. In every issue we will be publishing one or two of our favourite picks.

Send your story of up to 1,000 words to: Edut.editor@gmail.com Be sure to include your name and contact details.

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ABRAHAM’S Sacrifice for abraham so loved...

Shirley Znaty

Abraham’s name appears in the Bible 235 times (in addition to 57 times as Abram). There is no doubt that he was an important key figure. God, the creator of heaven and earth and all its hosts, chooses over and over again throughout the Bible to identify Himself as the God of Abraham. Abraham is described as a man of faith who walked in obedience to God. But he is especially remembered for the story of Isaac’s binding in which he demonstrates by his actions the great faith he had in God. God appeared to Abraham three times, spoke to him seven times, and gave him the promise of a seed seven times.

After the fourth time it is written: “Then he believed in God; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

God builds Abraham’s faith as He repeats the promise over and over again: “And I will make you a great nation” (Genesis 12:2), “I will make your descendants

as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered.” (Genesis 13:16). Despite

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all the promises the years go by, Abraham is ageing but has no children. In another conversation with God Abraham says: “ Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” (Genesis 15:3). God repeats the promise in the famous scene: “And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” (Genesis 15:5). Abraham’s response is: “Then he believed in God” and God’s response is: “and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6) Therefore God considered Abraham justified because he believed in His Word.

Nevertheless, in the next chapter Abraham’s faith did not stand the test. Years have passed since that encounter with God and still Abram and Sarai had no children. Sarai, therefore, suggested to Abram to sleep with her servant Hagar so that she might give birth to a child for her since she said: “Now behold, God has prevented me from bearing children” (Genesis 16:2). Sarai is actually trying to work things out for God... Abraham, whom God appeared to and spoke to personally promising him a child, thinks for a moment

that maybe this is how the promise will come true.

Instead of trusting in God’s power to give him the promised child, he chooses at that moment to trust in his own power to fulfill God’s promise. It was a moment of weakness and even though it led to the birth of a long-awaited offspring, Ishmael, because it was self-fulfilled and not God-fulfilled, it also led to great suffering for all the people involved (Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael).

Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born. From the name he gives his son we can understand what was going on in his heart. He was a happy father who finally received a son, an answer to many prayers, no doubt, and so he called him Ishma-El which means God has heard. This will be Abraham’s only son, his beloved son, for the next 14 years of his life. When Abraham was 99 years old, 13 years after the birth of Ishmael, God appeared to him again saying: “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1). God asks Abraham for blameless faith that does not look to the circumstances but to God, since He is God Almighty after all, and He is able to keep His promises. He desires a faith that does not attempt to work His things out.

He repeats the promise of offspring, but this time He makes it clear that this son will come from Sarah and through this son He will establish His covenant with Abraham. The simple faith Abraham is requested to have, is demonstrated immediately through Abraham’s response to God’s odd request to circumcise every male: “Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all the servants who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s household, and circumcise the flesh of their foreskin in the very same day, as God had said to him.” (Genesis 17:23) The words “very same day” indicates an immediate response without hesitation.

Both Abraham and Sarah laughed at the promise of a son who would be born to them in their old age, since it was inconceivable based on reality... and so they named the newborn son Isaac which means laughter.

“Is anything too difficult for God?” (Genesis 18:14).

God fulfilled His promise to Abraham miraculously.

Abraham, who believed in God from the very beginning, is now learning that this God can also accomplish that which He promises! Abraham’s faith, which was based on the Word of God only, is now also based on God’s actions and faithfulness. This faith will withstand the next test!

Abraham demonstrated the ultimate sacrifice when he was willing to sacrifice not one, but both his sons. He sacrificed Ishmael against his own will when Sarah demanded: “Therefore she said to Abraham, ‘Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.’ The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son” (Genesis 21:10-11). Abraham does not comply at the request of Sarah but at the instruction of God: “But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendant shall be named. And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant.” (Genesis 21:12-13)

God actually brings Abraham to a place of utter dependence on Him. The promised son would be a complete miracle; there is no rational basis for his birth other than full belief in the power of the God who promised this son.

Not only would this son be born of a barren woman but of a very old barren woman since Sarah was 90 when she conceived. In addition, Abraham, who was 100 years old was now asked to cut a piece of his male part.

Think about it, today the practice is well known among the Jews of course, but at that time it was strange and unprecedented, yet Abraham responded quickly and without hesitation. Abraham was not leaning on his own understanding, who knows, maybe he even thought that this might be another obstacle to Sarah’s conception... but this did not prevent him from doing God’s will. issue 1

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We shouldn’t undermine the gravity of the sacrifice that was required of Abraham. He is asked to let go of his son, to allow his son to be rejected by his own family, his beloved son whom he raised as an only child for 14 years, even if he was born of a slave. No doubt it was a very difficult thing for him but he didn’t hesitate: “So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away” (Genesis 21:14). This time Abraham is not trying to work things out for God, he fully trusts God to work out His promise for Ishmael’s life! He therefore sends his son with only light provision and trusts God to provide for and protect him on the road. So Abraham sacrificed his first born, Ishmael, in that he sent him against his wish out of the camp, he followed God’s

instruction without questioning and no doubt with a great deal of pain! See, he had to trust God to keep His promise to bless Ishmael even though in reality it looked like he was sending him off to the desert to die.

If any one of us is tempted to think it might have been easy for Abraham to give up Ishmael for God simply because he was the son of a slave, then the rest of the story puts all doubt of Abraham’s great love for God aside. God tests Abraham and asks him for another sacrifice: “Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” (Genesis 22:1-3) Again we see Abraham’s complete obedience. This time also he does not tarry but wakes up early in the morning and sets off to Mount Moriah. Abraham already knows that God is worthy of trust and speaks truth and keeps His promise: “ for through Isaac your descendants shall be named” (Genesis 21:12), and therefore he said with confidence to his young men: “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” (Genesis 22:5) Abraham believed that if God asked him to sacrifice his son He would also resurrect him from the dead and so he said: “we will worship and return to you.” Abraham then prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac, his first born from Sarah, on the altar, again he followed God’s

instruction without questioning and no doubt with a great deal of pain! See, he had to trust

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God to keep His promise and to multiply his seed through Isaac even though in reality it looked like he was laying him on the altar to die. In his heart he was willing to do it; he laid him on the altar.

God stopped him at the last minute by saying: “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” (Genesis 22:12). Sacrifice

means giving up something we love for something we love even more. Abraham was willing to give up his beloved sons for God, whom he loved even more.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, when he sent him to the desert, and he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac to God on the altar. It reminds me of the sacrifice that the High Priest was instructed to perform on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement): “He shall take the two goats and present them before God at the doorway of the tent of meeting. Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for God and the other lot for the scapegoat. Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for God fell, and make it a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before God, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.”

(Leviticus 16:7-10) The scapegoat was sent to die after the high priest symbolically laid the sins of the people on its head. It is from this custom that we get the term scapegoating, the singling out of a child, employee or member of a group of peers for unmerited negative treatment or blame. A person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place. Ishmael was the scapegoat in Abraham’s story; he indeed bore the blame for his parents’ actions, Abraham, Sarah and Hagar. But Abraham’s heart’s desire all along was: “Oh that Ishmael might live before you.” (Genesis 17:18) Abraham’s sacrifice is reflected in the sacrifice of the two goats that were sacrificed every year for the sins of Israel, but more significant than this is Abraham’s prophecy regarding the Lamb: Abraham told Isaac: “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8) God provided a ram that day in place of Isaac, but the lamb Abraham was pointing to is the Messiah, who is to bear the blame for others and suffer in their place. God provided for us the ultimate sacrifice in Yeshua the Messiah. Of him John the Baptist said: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29)

“The Lamb” by Shirley znaty

God tested Abraham’s faith, but the actual sacrifice would be His. God is the one who loves us so much that He did not withhold His son, His only son whom He loved. God was the one who sent His son out as a scapegoat, rejected

by His own, for His own knew Him not. He was the one who gave His son up to die as a guilt offering for us all!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) This is how Abraham our father was justified... “Abram believed God, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”

(Genesis 15:6) “Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Yeshua our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.” (Romans 15:6)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal .

only

life

Shirley Znaty is an Israeli Messianic believer and artist. She finds inspiration for her paintings in the pages of the Hebrew scriptures. shirleyznaty@aol.com

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e of urgency. His usually Abba shook me awake early this morning with a sens soul, as he whispered calm voice trem bled, betrayin g the heaviness of his to serve Adonai!” I had in my ear, “We must hurry, my son, to Mou nt Moriah ers of faith. He trusted learned not to question Abba when it came to matt d he had never given me Adonai impli citly, and I trusted him! Since my childhoo him. I knew he would die a reason not to. I always felt so very protected by er’s deepest affe ction. to save me if necessary. I am the obje ct of my fath of the mira culous I grew up from my mother's breast, fed on the stories unable to conceive and circu mstances of my concepti on and birth . My parents, promised a child by Adonai my mother long past the age of child bearing, were d new nati on would be Himself. I am that child . They were told that a bran ing from heaven itself birthed through my seed, and from that nati on, a bless that would reach all other nati ons. ying some food and Abba led us on our way. Shad owed by his servants carr ard Moriah. As the sun water, a sharpened axe and a rope, we set out tow een the folds of Abba’s rose higher in the sky, somethin g glinted from betw his face was set like flint garment. It was his hunting knife! As we carried on, clou ded his usually serene toward Salem. Abba looked older today; a sadness ard, as we walked ever face; his head hung and his shoulders stooped forw even for a moment. closer toward that mou ntai n. He did not slow his pace and Abba took the axe Somewhere alon g the way we came to a small tree all his might. Even in from his servant, aimed it at the root and swu ng with immediately fell to the his old age he was still a powerful man and the tree d together. As we sat grou nd. After cutting it into pieces he tied the woo head to his chest and beneath a tree to rest a while, he lovin gly pulled my so many other times I coul d hear the steady thump of his heart. Then like to my childless and before, he recounted the story of the promise of God er Sarah would have agei ng parents: that my father Abraham and my moth er of many nati ons a son and through that son he would beco me the fath heaven and the sand of and his descendants would outnumber the stars of and with a voice filled the seashore. He gently turned my face toward his With that he rose to with resolute faith he said, “I believe God, my son.” never done before. his feet, dismissed his servants and did somethin g he’d my back . We began He asked me to stoop over and he tied the woo d onto woo d and its sharp our trek up the mou ntai nside. With the weight of the the heavy load, but I edges diggi ng painfully into my back , I stru ggled with

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pain, I would carry the was determined not to let Abba down. Despite the one lit a candle in woo d until the end of the journey. Suddenly as if some ks, “Abb a! Here is the a dark tent, it dawned on me and I stopped in my trac continue as he replied woo d but where is the sacrifice?” He nudged me to , my son! ” We came matter-of-fa ctly, “God will provide his own sacrifice back . He pointed to to the summit and Abba removed the woo d from my watched him build an a shady tree and said, “Rest here, my son.” I sat and e for an animal, altar. As he arranged the woo d, I scan ned the landscap back at Abba I coul d any animal that coul d be used for a sacrifice. Looking enward, his arms see he was now deep in prayer, his head tilted heav silently movi ng. stretched out as if in total surrender and his mouth his face, sadness had As he turned towards me, the color had drai ned from s of sweat formed been repla ced with a deep sorrow and bloo d-like bead and beck oned me on his furrowed brow! He stooped to pick up the rope before but now my to the altar. I had never questioned his judgement No way would I let him thou ghts beca me confused . Was he out of his mind? , Isaa c, the name of bind me. I recoiled agai nst his touch. He spoke my name faith. I would trust in the child of promise, and it somehow awakened my and gently helped me the God of my father Abraham . He silently boun d me lf, my heart began stretch out on the altar. But still I coul dn’t help myse knife from its holster. to poun d heavily within my chest as he removed his had raised the knife He placed his trem bling hand over my eyes, I knew he airwaves filled with above my chest. I braced myself! Then suddenly the hand on the youn g a thun deri ng voice, "Abraham, Abraham, do not lay a not withheld your man, now I know that you fear God because you have . Tears ran down son, your only son from me!" Abba broke down and cried Abba removed the my face as my heart filled with the joy of Adonai. ling in the bush behi nd ropes from me, and we turned to see what the rust thicket. God had us was . Sure enou gh there was a ram caught in the provided his own sacrifice after all.

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My beautiful Israel

Jerusalem The city of the great

Our feet are standing

m king

in your gates, Jerusalem.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure.

May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.

For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, Peace be within you.

(Excerpts from Psalm 122)

Life Without

Hate

Elizabeth Moffitt

We sit at a corner café on Jaffa Street near the Old City watching the bright, colorful, vibrant life of the most unique city in the world; Jews and Arabs, both religious and secular, mingle together with visitors from the nations - it could only be Jerusalem! Devora’s heart and passion for her beloved people shines from her beautiful face. I wonder what lies beneath the noise and bustle of this most contested piece of land, as an expression of concern clouds the sweetness of her countenance and she interrupts my thoughts:

“People are getting killed here every day,” she says, “There is so much hate, but most of it - you will never hear about.”

She turns her focus quickly back to what she pours out her life for – the special calling that God has given her, to live among the Orthodox Jews and reach out to them.

She is able to express the love of God and the truth about the Messiah with her Orthodox friends.

them it speaks volumes! I speak a word of encouragement or a scripture verse to them, as the Spirit leads me. One Rabbi I had been encouraging came up to me recently and told me that the verses I shared him gave him hope at times when he wanted to give up. As we lay our lives down for others, not in a religious way but in a compassionate way, out of love, we bear fruit for God’s Kingdom.”

She continues talking and I become captivated by her story.

Her simple, yet unwavering faith in the God of Israel and her passion for the salvation of her people is contagious, and I wonder how she herself came to faith in Yeshua haMashiach. As we finish our food and set aside our plates, I ask her to elaborate.

“I grew up in a house of a Holocaust survivor. My mother had many bad experiences at the cruel hands of the Nazis!

She had been beaten and abused. She had lost several friends as well as family members. This turned her cold against God. I heard her speak against Him many times. But even as a young person, I did not share her feelings. I would talk to Him and pray. I would always encourage my mother to forgive the Nazis. Even from an early

“It is a special season when God is drawing His people back to Himself,” Devora explains.

age I understood God’s will for us to forgive others, and I knew that forgiveness was the key for healing in our lives.

“Years ago Jacob Damkani helped me to understand that many good hearted Christians come to Israel and want to tell Israelis straight away that Jesus loves them, but this actually puts them off. A lot of Israelis already know all about the Bible, they even know what Christians believe and it doesn’t move them. But when they see their lives, their joy, the presence of God, and their genuine love for

After finishing my army service I was drawn to Jerusalem.

So I left my parents’ home in Haifa and travelled to the Old City for the very first time in my life and something stirred inside of me. The day I arrived was the same day that the first intifada began. That day I went into a shop and the shopkeeper said to me, “Go away, we don’t know you!” I was always asking God, “Why is there so much

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hatred?” I went back to my parents’ home, but I couldn’t forget the city that had touched my soul. So with only 20 shekels and a bag of clothes, I set off again to Jerusalem, where I soon found a job at a hostel, fetching people from the bus station.

During this time, I was very much into drugs and alcohol and was a heavy smoker, but my conversations with God continued. I was still searching. Some of the people I picked up, perhaps Catholics, mentioned Yeshua and this was the very first time in my life I had ever heard about Him! God was preparing my heart.

at the bus station and they always allowed me to leave my bag in their room. On one occasion (during the intifada) there were new officers there who didn’t know me, and when they found my bag,

they were suspicious and so they blew it up. The only thing that had been destroyed in the bag was my passport, and the bullet had gone straight through the picture of my face. Now I was not able to go to Greece as I had planned.

There were always several other drivers for other hostels, but I was the most popular. People were drawn to me. I believe this was God’s favor. He was preparing me to be a fisher of men. I noticed another driver watching me one day, as people headed straight for my vehicle. He came over and offered me a room and a job at his yard, where he had an outdoor hostel in a beautiful setting under a jasmine tree, near the shuk (market). I would have my own room and be able to make money by selling breakfast and other food. So, without hesitation I took the job.

In this environment, I continued to smoke, drink and take marijuana, yet at the same time I would always strike up conversations about God and the meaning of life. Even though I was the manager, I would still find opportunities to pick people up from the bus station. One day a girl approached me and said “My name is Sarah.” She talked with me about the Messiah Yeshua and handed me a book called “Betrayed”. I didn’t read the book, but I couldn’t tear it up either because it had been given to me with such love, so I simply put it aside at my place. This girl now had my name and she went to a place in Eilat called ‘The Shelter’.

There she asked people to pray for me. They also began to send me gospel books and tried to persuade me to go to Eilat, but I wasn’t interested.

As winter approached, again they invited me, but I had saved to go to Greece and I was very excited about it. I even had my passport.

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I met another girl called Miriam who came to stay at the hostel where I was working. Over the next two days she explained God’s plan for our salvation through His Messiah Yeshua. Before leaving she also invited me to go to Eilat, and it was then that I knew I had to go! As I went

to bed that night, I turned off the lights; I closed my eyes, but the lights were still somehow on.

“Maybe I’m dreaming,” I thought as I knew I

had definitely turned them off. Yet this penetrating light was shining brightly in my room! Even when I closed my eyes the light was still there. I believed this was confirmation that Miriam had told me the truth! Yet still I was not sure if Yeshua was the Messiah.

A group of us set off for Eilat, but rather than go to The Shelter we decided to go to Jordan beach where everyone just slept on the beach around camp fires, smoking and drinking and playing guitars. I was now torn between two worlds as I wanted to go to ‘The Shelter’, but I also wanted to stay with my friends and have fun. That night something started to stir inside of me. “What am I doing?” I got up and started to walk around, listening to the laughter, and then I heard a voice say, “It’s fake, it’s not real, it’s dependent on drugs and alcohol, but there is a joy from above and I want to give you this joy.” I said, “God, I don’t know if Yeshua is the Messiah, but if He is then I will go all the way with You,” and I fell to the ground as the Holy Spirit came on me. It was New Year’s Eve, and as I hit the ground it struck midnight and the fireworks started to go off.

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I still did not know the Messiah, but I knew that I had met with God, I didn’t want this old life anymore, and I knew for sure now that I had to go to ‘The Shelter’. I knew God would show me what to do from there.

Arriving at ‘The Shelter’, I was so welcomed by the people there. Someone gave me the New Testament and later in my room as I prayed and opened it and the Holy Spirit unfolded it to me, I read these words

from Galatias, “In Messiah there is neither Jew nor Gentile….”.

Yes! Yes! Yes! This was my answer, a way of life without hate! I came to understand that Yeshua is the Way, the Truth and the Life. By His grace, I left my old ways behind me and I have never turned back. I was discipled by the leaders at ‘The Shelter’ and learned to become accountable to others.

When temptation came I would talk it through with them.

I was so wonderfully alive in my relationship with the God of Israel and I loved to share the ‘Good News’ about the Messiah with people. Eventually I travelled to Tel Aviv to become a volunteer at Emmanuel House. I began to attend a Bible study group with Jacob Damkani, and there I came face to face with Sarah, the very same Sarah who had shared the ‘Good News’ with me and had given me the book, “Betrayed,” right at the very beginning of my journey of faith. This volunteer had been an instrumental link in the chain that brought me to living faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Bethlehem ziv gutmacher

Long ago, so the story goes, a mysterious bright light in the evening sky captured the attention of wise men from a distant eastern country, and led them on a long arduous journey, to a little town near Jerusalem, to the home of a humble carpenter and his wife. What was so significant about this star, that it compelled such important and influential men to make this treacherous and long journey? What was so special about this family that they should receive these guests from afar into their home? Even today this Judean town is still named Bethlehem, it is the important historical township, where our beloved King David was born.

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go forth for me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” Therefore He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel. And He will arise and shepherd His flock. In the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.”

Micah 5:2-4 In these verses, the prophet Micah proclaims the significance of Bethlehem to all religions and faiths.

This little town Beth-Lehem, meaning “house of bread” is mentioned in the Bible in different passages of Scripture, each giving us another piece of the puzzle

that is Bethlehem. These stories bring out a couple of very meaningful truths.

Jacob our patriarch, during the journey back to his father’s house, buries his wife Rachel at Ephrathah, which is the town of Bethlehem. Traveling to Bethlehem today, you can still visit this very special site in the faith of the Jewish people, that is considered to be Rachel’s burial place.

Later, after the Israelites had entered the Promised Land, in the time of the Judges, Bethlehem is again featured and is the setting of many of the events in the book of Ruth.

“Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.”

Ruth 1:1 But alas, tragedy struck the family while they were seeking refuge in the land of Moab. Both of Naomi’s sons and her husband died.

“So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.”

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The two widows, Naomi and Ruth, returned to Bethlehem following the death of their husbands. These women arrived back in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. A lot of bread was made there at that time of year, which is likely the reason for the name of the town. Like many other Hebrew names, the meaning has significance, as we shall see. After they returned, in order to survive, the younger widow, Ruth, began to glean in the field of a man named Boaz. This gentile woman from the land of Israel’s enemy gained favor with Boaz and he became her kinsman redeemer and married her. This sequence of events led to Ruth being grafted into Israel. Through her marriage to Boaz, Ruth also brought her Israelite mother-in-law, Naomi, back to her joyous faith.

“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Matthew 2:18 The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem according to the prophet Micah. The events of the birth of Yeshua were orchestrated by God in such a way that his heavily pregnant mother, Mary, and Joseph her husband, were forced to go to Bethlehem under the order of Caesar Augustus to fulfill a census, as recorded in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2:1-7. And so Jeremiah 31:15 became one of the many Messianic prophecies fulfilled through the life of Yeshua.

“Then Naomi took the child and laid him in h e r l a p, a n d be c a m e his nurse. The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, ‘A son has been born to Naomi!’ So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”

Ruth 4:16-17 The descendant of the union of Ruth and Boaz is none other than our beloved King David. Bethlehem is his hometown, where he grew up and became a shepherd on the rolling hills of Bethlehem. Later he travelled from this place to the valley of Elah where he would fight and defeat the giant Goliath. This is the very same David about whom God said, “I have found a man after my own heart,” and the one to whom God promised that the Messiah would come through his family line. As we consider all these Scriptures, we see an unfolding story that is drawing us toward the events that took place at the time of the arrival of the Son of David, Messiah the annointed King.

In Jeremiah 31:15, just before the promise of the New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, we read a verse about Rachel crying and refusing to be comforted. This prophecy is fulfilled at the time of the birth of Yeshua, the son of David, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2.

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A f ter Herod t he Great hea rd of t he bir t h of t he k ing Messia h, a nd found out from t he biblic a l schola rs, t hat Bet h lehem wa s indeed t he tow n f rom wh ich t he Me ssia h wou ld c ome, he sent out his soldiers to k ill a ll t he innocent babies in Bethlehem, right up to t wo yea rs of age, f u lf illing t his tra gic prophec y. Ca n you ima gine t he horror for t hese mot hers? No wonder t hey ref used to be comfor ted!

“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”

John 6:35

In the light of all this it is easy to understand the significance of Bethlehem to all monotheistic religions, especially to Christianity. One of the most visited places in Bethlehem is the Church of the Nativity, where traditionally, it is believed that Yeshua was born. This was one of the first four churches built in the Holy Land. Queen Helena, the mother of Constantine had it built in the year 327 AD. In that very building we can still see the original, beautiful mosaic floors. For this reason alone it is worth a visit. Most of the building that is visible today is from the Byzantine era 5-6 century AD, mainly from the time of Emperor Justinian, and from the Crusader period. The place is divided between a Catholic compound and an Greek Orthodox compound, housing the cave that many

God has shown us, through this prophecy in Ezekiel, that His intention has always been to dwell in the sanctuary of people’s hearts through His Spirit. Interestingly enough, this is something that the Church, like the Jewish people of old, has also stumbled over and misunderstood. For it is not at all about a temple made out of stone, silver and gold anymore, but it is about a building made of living stones; living for God and still being built for His glory.

Could it be that Yeshua is indeed the promised Messiah, the precious cornerstone t hat God la id in Zion, in this little township of Bethlehem, some 2,000 years ago? Is He indeed “the stone that the builders rejected, that has become the very cornerstone” of the true and living temple that God is building on earth?

After all it is God Himself who declared: “Behold I lay in Zion a choice st one, a precious corner st one, an d he who believes in Him will never be disappointed.”

Isaiah 28:16

Left: Boaz and Ruth oil on canvas set

by Baruch Maayan

archaeologists still believe today, is the actual birth place of Yeshua the Messiah. It is open daily to the public free of charge.

When we arrived in Bethlehem with our photographer we found that this church was undergoing renovations. Rather than feeling disappointed, we realized that it was symbolic to us that it is not all about the building, no matter how beautiful or interesting, but rather about the amazing story that unfolded in this very place a little over 2,000 years ago.

Ziv Gutmacher is an Israeli Messianic believer and Bible teacher who is in training to be a registered tour guide in Israel.

“And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to follow My laws.”

Ezekiel 36:27 issue 1

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