This week in my class, “The Jewish Background of the New Testament”, we studied the writing of Josephus Flavio’s, all three; but I want to talk about something he said in his first book, “Jewish Wars”.
He was writing about the war of 70AD with the Romans. He stated, “The Jews are a strong, courageous people, worthy opponents of the Romans, deserving of great respect. However, their internal conflicts kept the Jews from winning the war.”
This statement hit me like a ton of bricks, because I see the same thing happening in the church today, and all along church history! In todays churches we have many problems, and we have universal problems common to all. Let’s just take abortions as an example. According to the laws of God, abortion is a sin. Children are given as a gift. God knew them before the creation of time, from the beginning to the end. God has a plan for each life and He knows that plan. We are not to play God and take that life for granted or for our convenience. Abortion is murder of the innocent and defenseless. Most churches believe this, however there is so much internal fighting that we can’t get together on the big items and have laws created to overcome this sin. We are to busy condemning the next one for drinking wine and serving wafers, because we only drink juice and serve crackers. It is no different than 70 AD when the Jews lost Jerusalem to Rome.
This being the week of Chanukah remind me of a victorious Jewish war. During the time of the Maccabees, a small band of men knew what had to be done. They were determined to take the Greeks out of commission and take their Holy Temple back. And they did it! How? With unity, all being of the same mind set. By praying and believing God would give them victory. They went to war and ran the Greeks out! They took back their defiled Temple, where pigs had been offered on the Holy Alter and cleansed it by tearing down and removing all that was defiled. They replaced the defiled with sanctified and holy items to start all over new. They were determined to fight for, take back, and restore what was Holy according to Gods Word, and they did it.
The church of today can not fight a holy war. To many people who claim to be a part of the church have defiled themselves with pagan traditions. Either by personal choice, or through ignorance. The church itself will have to clean itself up first one by one. Each one must remove the pagan items from their own lives, first cleaning the Holy Temple within themselves! Then they will need to find like minded people who have also cleansed their Holy Temples. Than you can begin to strategize and move towards victory with a pure heart and divine intersession. And gain the victory of bringing a pure white bride before the King of the Universe. He will receive nothing less.
What will your Temple look like in 2019. Will it still be full of pagan traditions, false idols, and unholy sacrifices? Are you ready to begin cleaning that Temple? Are you ready to find a small fighting band to join and begin to fight the impossible wars? Are you ready to give it all up and follow the King of the Universe to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, and become that pure spotless bride. Going to a church, infighting with other churches and people will not cut it. You have and will continue to loose the big battles and never be victorious. It starts in Your Temple, and once it is cleansed from sin, only than can you become the shining light you was called to be.
It’s time to put away all your childish traditions, and get serious about Gods Word. The game is over! It’s time to grow up and accept truly what Yeshua said and walk the same path. We have lost the war if we do not grow up, repent, ask for His mercy and walk all the way in His truth.
May the Father of the Universe hear your cry’s as you ask Him to set you free from your unknown sins. May He show you the truth in His word so you can cleanse the Holy Temple within your body, and become a part of the Bride. May He bless you with wisdom and knowledge during this transformation, so you may be a brilliant light to show others the proper Temple cleansing way. May His grace and mercy be more to you than just words in a song, may they be the life blood of your walk! May you be so filled with the Holy Spirit that He fills your heart with love, and your mouth with truth.
Shalom my beloved who desire to change in 2019,
and Blessing sent for Chanukah 2018, and a life changing 2019!
Pastor CyRilla Schultz
CyRillas Biblical Travels 