The Story of Samuel

We do believe that something was brought to birth in the Spirit though the great level of prayer that ascended. What were we praying for? We believe that this was accomplished, or at least conceived, to bring forth the Samuels of the last days who would be mighty in prophecy and evangelism and who would restore the prophetic word to Israel. I also believe that we made great progress toward the restoration of the Jewish people to faith in Yeshua the Messiah. Indeed, we were very conscious of the dual meaning of Ezekiel 37, the dry bones being brought together, the muscles and sinew and the flesh being placed upon the bones. The meaning of the four winds was very clear, even the Holy Spirit blowing upon Israel and bringing life from the dead. Many people understood that we were praying for Samuel as a point of contact for unifying prayer for Israel.

We also knew that we were praying for the restoration of the Body to unity and to Jewish rooting, indeed for the right relationship of the Christian community to Israel and to the Messianic Jewish movement. This is for each city, each nation, and also for world revival. We saw an amazing coming together of the Body in our area. We believe we made progress toward the great goal of John 17:21, where the Body would be one just as Jesus and the Father are one. We are assured that this will lead to world redemption, even as Jesus said “that the world may believe that you sent Me.”

Some important Biblical perspectives are relevant here. This week of prayer was proof of God’s love for Israel and the Messianic Jewish community. The restoration of Israel to faith in Yeshua is dear to God, especially within a context where Jewish people continue to live a Scripturally New Covenant Jewish life. Israel is to be raised from the dead spiritually. Only God’s heart for these matters explains how quickly and widely prayer was garnered for one Messianic Jewish child. As Bishop Perrin stated in a sermon to Mt. Jezreel Baptist Church following the services, “It had to be a Jew to be calling for a service like this.” The nature of the Christian community gathering around and supporting its Messianic Jewish contingent is a key image of the unity and right order of the Body in the last days. It is not a matter of us personally, though certainly much love from personal relationship was expressed. It is a matter of right relationship to Israel and the Messianic Jewish movement. Getting this right is something God will require of the Body in the last days. Replacement theology is not an option – whereby the Christian community replaces ethnic Israel and is called the new or true Israel, while ethnic Israel is said to be no longer chosen or important in God’s plan. Many saw our prayer meeting as a great gain against this false theology. Romans 11 is so very clear on the issues involved that it is amazing that there was ever controversy concerning its interpretation. Romans 11 states that Israel has not been rejected and that their full acceptance will be “life from the dead.” We read in Romans 11:28-29, “Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” This irrevocable call is not a general principle for individual, personal callings. It is in reference to God’s covenant with Abraham’s physical-ethnic seed. This irrevocable call obviously includes the Jewish follower of Jesus. Paul says that he is an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1). The Jewish people who believe are the saved remnant of Israel (Romans 11:5). This call includes the Sabbath, feasts, connection to the land, and the Hebrew language. The Jewish believer is part of Israel and the Christian community. He connects the two parallel and intersecting purposes that God is working out through Israel and the Christian community: a purpose through a nation, and a purpose through a people from every nation. That purpose is the full establishment of His Kingdom. God will have a Body committed to world missions and to the establishment of the Messianic Jewish people, the saved remnant of Israel.