Page 101 - Signs of the End

THE SIGNS OF THE END 65

Jewish believers in Israel, but there is one today. It may be rela­
tively small; it may be relatively quiet; but it is there. What differ­
ence does this make to the universal church of the Lord Jesus
Christ? Apparently not much, but I believe it should.

When the Apostle to the Gentiles, Brother Paul, was establish­
ing churches throughout the Roman Empire, he repeatedly empha­
sized the importance of the churches among the Gentiles main­
taining a supportive relationship with the "saints in Jerusalem." In
fact, the Apostle Paul's primary fundraising project was for the
benefit of the believers in Israel who were facing opposition, rejec­
tion and persecution in the homeland of the Gospel. Now, for the
first time in untold centuries, churches throughout the world can
reconnect with a viable Jewish church in Israel.

"PREPARE TO MEET THE MESSIAH!"

As mentioned before, the Messianic movement among Israeli
believers in Jesus is growing, but so are various Messianic move­
ments among the Orthodox Jewish groups. Some Orthodox Jews
believe that Rabbi Menachem Shneerson of New York was the
Messiah. There was considerable concern when the venerable
Rabbi died, but many of his adherents believe that he might rise
from the dead. They have signs in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem
portraying Shneerson's picture with the caption in Hebrew, "King
Messiah."

The same group has a bright yellow sign with a depiction of
the rising sun facing the Western Wall across the broad plaza. On
the sign in Hebrew letters is the exhortation, "Prepare for the
Coming of the Messiah." They are earnestly looking for the com­
ing of the Messiah, and believe that Rabbi Schneerson met the
qualifications of the Messiah by keeping the law of Moses, and
maintaining the purity of the Kosher and Sabbath precepts.

The Biblical qualifications of the Messiah—such as being bom
in Bethlehem and ministering in Galilee, and being of the lineage
of King David—are simply omitted by this and other groups. This
inattention to Biblical Messianic requirements leaves Israel open to
receiving false Messiahs, and even a Gentile, like the Antichrist,