Posted on 04/07/2003 8:17:34 PM PDT by ComtedeMaistre
Rabbi warns: Some Christians are attempting to convert Jews
Speaker says congregations should watch out for Southern Baptists, Assemblies of God
April 1, 2003
By SARAH OKESON of the Journal Star
PEORIA - Jews believing in Jesus as savior, says Rabbi Michael Cook, makes about as much sense as an International Society of Vegetarians for Meat.
"How can you eat meat and still be a vegetarian?" Cook asked.
Cook, perhaps the only rabbi in the United States with a Ph.D. in the New Testament, talked to about 60 people Monday at the synagogue shared by the two Jewish congregations in Peoria.
Cook, a professor at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, said some Christian denominations have stepped up their efforts to convert Jews in the belief it will help bring about the second coming of Christ.
"They believe the only way that glorious end of the world can happen is if enough Jews move to Israel first or accept Jesus," Cook said.
He predicted Jews have about three more decades of strenuous conversion efforts to suffer through because the last time this happened - after the first millennium - efforts to convert Jews didn’t die out until 1035.
"We have 32 years of missionary fervor to get through," Cook said.
In the meantime, Cook ran through a list of believers to watch out for including Southern Baptists, Assemblies of God, Jews for Jesus and Messianic Jews.
He said Southern Baptist and Assemblies of God are sometimes misleading in their efforts to convert Jews and that Jews for Jesus was founded by a Baptist minister.
"Their big desire is to convert Jews without Jews knowing they are leaving the Jewish fold," Cook said of Jews for Jesus.
The rabbi said Catholics and liberal Protestants stopped trying to convert Jews after the Holocaust and said Jews had a convenant with God and didn’t need to worry about being saved.
Only 3 of those tribes named eventually were called Jews. The others were never called Jews but received the same promises.
If one studies Torah...really studies...learns the true Hebrew root meaning to the word conveyance alligned to Shabbat[Sabbath]...the relationship and promisary fullfillment on the Creators part with those who understand...partake and glory in it.
Those who understand Sabbath...understand that it is not just one day a week...but everyday.
Its the delight of drawing near with expectation....with expectation of meeting Him who lives forever...who has breathed the "Ruach Ha Kodesh"....the Holy Spirit ....His devine presence into us that partake of Shabbat.
For the Hebrew servant who rises each day.....the prayer goes forth in the Kaddish Shalem....for the sanctification of the day.
Which is an appeal and a confirmatory declaration..that between the morning ..the night..and the next days sun is all life..which is a gift to man..whose origin is not of this world.
Concerning Shabbat and all who enter in.....the Lord reply's to the one standing before him,
"Ki bayom haze y'chaper aleichem"......
"For on that day....you shall be forgiven of all your sins"
Those who wish to tell Jews about sin and salvation should know that those who follow Torah clearly understand Salvation...the gift of the Holy Spirit...and a very sure sense that they are personaly loved by the Lord.
EiN SoF.....Light without end
Yes, there are those vile idiots that insist that Catholics are not Christians.
Now, if any Jews even consider converting to Islam, then I recommend institutionalizing the nutballs. ;-)
See, that's what my "emotional", "sectarian" viewpoint was, too.
Heck, I think I even remember that Satan was cast out for...well, wanting to be God. I can't think of any religion that says we'll all become gods...
Oh, wait. I guess I do know of one.
12 is a perfect number; 12 times 12 is perfection by perfection; 1000 is analogous with eternity. So 12 times 12 times 1000 is perfection through all time.
John was seeing that a perfect number of people of the first covenant would be saved and set apart for all time. As John was a Jew, as were all but one writer of the New Testament, he was happy to see that his own people would be included in the plan of salvation; that Jews would come to know their Messiah and not reject him as they had the prophets.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wern't most of the apostles Benjamites? I think only Judas was from the tribe of Judah.
While Benjamites joined with Levites to create the Southern Kingdom eventually named Judea, and after that place received the nickname "Jew", the Benjamites were never really friendly with the Judahites. (Neither were the other 10 tribes). After Jesus death I think the Benjamites pretty much went their own way.
And I'm a saguaro cactus.
Please explain.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.