Hashem

Like most secularized Jewish teenagers, I only went to synagogue on the High Holidays and for my Bar Mitzvah. Then, at the age of nineteen, inspired by my new faith in Yeshua, I joined my father and participated in Shabbat services.

To my surprise, I found that the words of the Jewish prayer book expressed what I wanted to say better than any extemporaneous prayers I had been able to formulate. When I had lacked faith, the service had been for me an empty shell. Entering in with faith, the same liturgy seemed like a palace for a glorious king.

At the same time, something about the service disturbed me. I heard in the words spoken by the rabbi much about the people of Israel, but little about the God of Israel. I began to feel as though the emphasis given to the people of God dishonored the God of the people.

I still think that the name of God is found too infrequently on the lips of Jewish spiritual leaders. If Messianic Jews stand for anything, it should be for a renewed sense among Jews of the reality and power of God.

Nevertheless, while I still think that the God of Israel should be honored more, I no longer believe that the Israel of God should be honored less.

Why have I changed my mind?

I have come to see that the people of Israel are part of God’s story in a different way than the Church. In the Besorot (Gospels)— the foundational books of the Apostolic Writings—the character who occupies center stage is Yeshua, not his disciples. The story teaches us to acknowledge God as the One who raised Yeshua from the dead. In the Torah (Pentateuch)—the foundational books of traditional Jewish Scripture—the character who occupies center stage is the people of Israel as a whole. The story teaches us to acknowledge God as the One who brought Israel out of Egypt.

Just as the identity of God in the Apostolic Writings is specified in relation to God’s work on behalf of Yeshua, so God’s identity in the Torah is specified in relation to God’s work on behalf of Israel. Just as honor given to Yeshua does not detract from honor given to his Eternal Father, so focus on the people of Israel is not at the expense of the One who established Israel as an everlasting witness to God in the world.

Of course, Israel is not Yeshua. Israel is not the untarnished image of God. Israel is not Yeshua, but Yeshua is Israel. He takes his place as Israel’s king, obeys the commandments of Israel’s Torah, and offers an atoning sacrifice as Israel’s priest. Just as the identity of God is specified in relation to Israel, so the identity of Yeshua is specified in relation to Israel.

The God and Father of Yeshua is also the God of Israel. May the name of Yeshua be honored in the synagogue; may the name of Israel be honored in the Church; and may both be honored in all the world, to the glory of God the Father.

Published in Issue Two / Volume One / July 2009
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Mark Kinzer

Mark Kinzer

Mark Kinzer, Ph.D. is the President of Messianic Jewish Theological Institute, Chairman of the Board of Hashivenu, and the Rabbi of Congregation Zera Avraham in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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