In the article “Navi Like Moshe”, we took a glimpse into the purpose of a prophet, and examined the prophet who would be like Moshe. There have been many prophets and prophetesses of G-d. We can look in the Scriptures, and here are just some of them. Avraham (Bereshit 20:7), Miriam (Shemot 15:20), Moshe (Devarim34:10), Devorah (Judges 4:4), Shmuel (1 Sh’muel 3:20), Yohanan HaMatbil/Baptist (Devarim 18:15-18; Mattityahu 15:37; Yochanan 6:14).
There were others, such as David, Nathan, Ahijah, Yehu, Eliyahu, and Elisha. We have the books of the Prophets: Ishayahu, Yermiahu, Yehezkel, …Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. And we have the Great Prophet, Mashiach Yeshua (Mattityahu 11:9; Lukas 1:76)
What is one of the primary responsibilities of G-d’s prophets? Their job is to reveal our irresponsible and sinful ways and call us to repentance. It is through calling us to humbly own up to our rebellion, cease from sinning and return to our Creator, all verified by His Word. As it is written the following passage…
Yeremiahu 35:15 “Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers…
Scripture warns about false prophets. However, we can identify them by applying the message of a true prophet to any proclaiming to be a prophet. Here is a clue in identifying false prophets, Eicha/Lamentations 2:14
Your prophets have seen for you False and foolish visions; And they have not exposed your iniquity So as to restore you from captivity, But they have seen for you false and misleading oracles.
The false prophet (hardly if ever) proclaims repentance, or for those who have sinned to regret the evil they have done and change. The false prophet would be more inclined to condone the sin and make those who have sinned feel comfortable. What made the true Neviim/Prophets in the Tanakh so great wasn’t for their eloquent words, but they would receive the commandment from the Lord by His Ruach, and would faithfully commanded individuals – (and even peoples)- saying “Shuv!”
Teshuvah (repentence), comes from the word Shuv/שוב, which means to turn, or return. It is a fundamental change of mind and heart toward any action that we commit that is sinful to the Lord. It is a state where we have disdain for the things that we once loved to do (submitting to the evil inclination, the acts of which God abhors), and out of love for God we seek to do what pleases Him; to do whats right in His sight. It is this message that Adonai declared through the prophets.
In the article “Navi like Moshe, we examined in a number of ways, and sources in scripture, that Yeshua HaMashiach was the Navi/Prophet like Moshe. Unlike in some circles where Yeshua is viewed or taught as not proclaiming repentance (“all love and no correction”), the scriptures present a very different picture. If Yeshua was the Great Prophet, then His message would be similar if not greater than the prophets.
Mattityahu 4:17
From that time on Yeshua began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Notice that when Messiah Yeshua began to preach, his first command was for all to repent. Why is this important? Well, first, as we have addressed the ministry of the prophets, this Great prophet declares the same for His hearers. He says Shuvu/Repent; turn back to God. In context, this was after Yochanan haMatbil had been taken into custody. We see that in Matt 3:2, Yochanan was proclaiming for all to repent. But as Yochanan said,
“he must increase, but I must decrease” (Yn 3:30).
His mission was to herald the Mashiach. The words calling for repentence was absolutely necessary for the revelation of the Messiah and his kingdom, and redemption by him;
“For this (Yochanan) is the one spoken of through Yeshayahu the Navi, saying,A voice of one shouting in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight!”(Isa 40:3) – Mattityahu 3:3
This was the understanding during the first century. And this is what is meant with regard to the Malchut Hashamayim/Kingdom of Heaven. This expression is meant as the establishment of Divine Theocratic rule. The name is descriptive of the kingdom of the Messiah, and has its origin in the vision of Daniel 7:13-14
“I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.”
This was the Kingdom of Heaven that many were and are waiting for. Therefore, this messianic cry went out from Yochanan, saying Shuvu/Repent its Near, and Messiah also declaring the same.
But what is found in Mark is more staggering.
Mark 1:14,15
“Now after Yochanan had been taken into custody, Yeshua came into Galil, preaching the besora of G-d, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of G-d is at hand; repent and believe in the besora.”
Here we see Mashiach declaring that “the time is fulfilled”, which is, the time for the appearance of the Messiah. This comes from the time frame given to Daniel by Malach/Angel Gavriel (Daniel 9:25). In other words “Its Time. The Messianic era is about to begin.” Mashiach has come, and the Messianic Era has begun.
Mashiach Yeshua follows that up with “Repent/Make teshuvah”. But here we read the words “believe in the good news or Gospel/Besorah HaGeulah (Good News of Redemption!).
Teshuvah/Repentance is a key component to redemption.
The Talmud Bavli (Sanhedrin 97b) it states:
“if Israel do not repent, they will never be redeemed; but as soon as they repent, they will be redeemed; yea, if they repent but one day, immediately the son of David will come.”
When we repent, our hope and focus is redirected to the Good News of Redemption. This is one of the main focuses of Yeshayahu 53. This is a large part of the good news of that redemption.
Psalm 51:12-13
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.
-Teshuvah and restoration
In Lukas 15, Mashiach Yeshua touches on what the effect of a repentant sinner is.
Lukas 15:7
So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Moreover, Mashiach elaborates…
Lukas 15:10
“In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Can you see that? Wow, that’s incredible that even the Angels of God would rejoice.
The idea reminds me of a time when my wife and I went with family over to a Miami Heat game where Chabad was commemorating one of the nights of Chanukkah.
While we were there, during halftime, games started for some of the children on the court. I can recall one game where they took a young boy, and he was to take the ball and put it in the basket from one end of the court to the other while blindfolded. He did have the help of the mascot and the voices of the crowd. If the crowd cheered, he was on the right track, if the crowed booed or groaned, then it was a sign that he needed to turn the right direction. After the crowd had hollered both bad and good, the boy finally made the score…and the crowd went wild! They cheered greatly because he had made the goal. At that point, I was taken back by the picture. The Ruach haKodesh had revealed to me at the time of such an image relating to Luke 15:10. The more we repent of the things that displease Adonai, the more we will be blessed and the Malachim/Angels rejoice.
We want revival; we want restoration; we want Mashiach Yeshua. We should understand that G-d has the times appointed in His hand and great wonders set forth by Him, but He calls to us to Return to Him and His ways.
Lukas 5:27-32
“Later Yeshua went out and saw a tax-collector named Levi sitting in his tax-collection booth; and he said to him, “Follow me!” He got up, left everything and followed him.
Levi gave a banquet at his house in Yeshua’s honor, and there was a large group of tax-collectors and others at the table with them. The P’rushim and their Torah-teachers protested indignantly against his talmidim, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax-collectors and sinners?” It was Yeshua who answered them: “The ones who need a doctor aren’t the healthy but the sick. I have not come to call the ‘righteous,’ but rather to call sinners to turn to God from their sins.”’
And this is the theme everyday, but specifically for this season. Traditionally, Teshuvah is the theme of the High Holidays. Prophetically, the Moedim in the fall foreshadow Mashiach’s return, and the judgement of the world before G-d. Beginning with the month of Elul, it is a time of introspection, and leads into Tishrei (season of our repentance) before Yom Kippur.
-At this time, it’s important to reassess where we are with G-d, but it is also important to reassess where we are in our relationships toward one another.
In Ivrim 11-12, the writer speaks about the hall of faith, the great trust that people of G-d had in Our Creator.
Ivrim 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Yeshua, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
If there is something hindering your walk with Adonai, like lying, gossip, pride, anger, bitterness, doubt, or any other hindrance, now is the time to cast it off.
Let us also remember during this time of preparation, not to forget each other. Mashiach Yeshua said, “first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.“
If you have anything against one another, if possible, confess your sins one to another, and pray one for another. It is important to proclaim the Good news/Besora to yourselves, to others, and to remember that we were forgiven for the wrong things we have done.
1Yn 4:20
If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
The heart of Elohim is to See His people united in peace, righteousness, and love. As it says in Tehillim/Psalms “How good it is for brethren to dwell together in unity”.
If Hashem is SOOO merciful to forgive us of the most heinous crimes against Him (in transgressing His commands), shouldn’t we turn ourselves from the errors and even the evil that we do to one another?
Take this opportunity to make amends with others that you know, whatever the current situation is, and in whatever way that is acceptable before G-d. For we have been ransomed from lives of sin and darkness, and are given an opportunity to join in with King Mashiach in reparing the world. First we must return. It is not something that we can accomplish on our own merit, but with G-d’s help, He can give each and every one of us the opportunity to do so and the spirit of repentance to accomplish it. It is not a repenting of that one sin and then a continually coming back to break covenant again, but it’s being disgusted with the sin, confessing it to Hashem, abandoning that sin, and letting His Perfect Work work in you so that you can overcome that sin (in the merit of Yeshua). It is a lifetime of continually turning ourselves from each evil way and conforming to His likeness; conforming to the Ways of Mashiach, in whom G-d delights in and is well pleased. In that way, we will see the true fruit of Tikkun Olam
May Adonai give each and every one of you a Ruach of Teshuvah, revelation of what to repent of, and the ability to overcome; B’shem Yeshua