As we enter into 2019, we have to ask ourselves: Has our world ever been in as much turmoil or division as it is today?

It probably was during the two world wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. Perhaps it is because humanity does not seem to have learnt from its own history that the darkness around the world looks even more threatening and disturbing now.

The popular comedy ‘Miss Congeniality' (Warner Brothers, 2000) starring Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine and William Shatner, which is a spoof portrayal of a beauty pageant in the US, has various contestants simplistically and amusingly declaring their desire for 'world peace.'

This desire for ‘world peace’ is often expressed with no thought as to how it might actually be achieved. It is far from the reality on the ground, and it is also far from Yeshua’s prophetic words that the last days will be filled with ‘wars and rumours of wars’ (Matthew 24:6).

Our congregation on Mount Carmel began some 27 years ago, and one of its foundational scriptures was Ephesians 2.

When David and Karen Davis arrived in Israel from New York just before the First Gulf War, they were told by the few Jewish and Arab believers living in Israel at the time that ‘you can work with Jews, or you can work with Arabs, but you cannot do both.’

But Ephesians 2 reveals God’s heart and purpose ‘to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace’ (Ephesian 2:15), and Kehilat HaCarmel was birthed upon this biblical truth. This verse still undergirds who we are and what we live and breathe today.

Here is the radical call to unity set out in God’s Word, which is just as relevant to us today as it was to the believers in Ephesus, Turkey 2000 years ago. I have added my own comments in brackets.

Ephesians 2:11-16: ‘Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision (non-Jewish people) by what is called the Circumcision (Jewish people) made in the flesh by hands— that at that time you (Gentiles) were without Christ (Messiah), being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (coming from a pagan / non-Jewish background). 

But now in Christ Jesus (Messiah Yeshua) you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Messiah).

For He (Yeshua) Himself is our peace, who has made both (Jews and non-Jews) one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His (Yeshua’s) flesh the enmity (hatred / division between Jews and non-Jews), that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself (Yeshua) ONE NEW MAN from the two (Jews and Gentiles), thus making peace, and that He (Yeshua) might reconcile them both to God in one body (a body containing both Jewish and non-Jewish believers in Yeshua) through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity (hatred / separation of Jews from Gentiles).’

It is clear from God’s Word that the divine intention was to create through Yeshua’s suffering and death on the Cross and His resurrection, a body of believers who would be from both the Jewish people and the Gentile / non-Jewish peoples.

Let’s be honest and admit that bringing Jews and non-Jews together in the believing body could not be humanly engineered. It could be nothing less than Yeshua’s sacrificial death on the cross, and His glorious resurrection that could bring about such a miraculous unity of Jews and non-Jews, made One New Man in Messiah.

The Word of God reveals that He always intended to create a One New Man body of believers.

The biblical evidence for this dynamic unity is overwhelming. It also carries with it an implicit call to put an end to religious legalism, and live a faith founded on the scriptures and anointed by the Holy Spirit.

Here are just a few examples of the One New Man evidence in the scriptures.

Exodus 23:9: ‘Also you shall not oppress a stranger (Gentile / non-Jew), for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.’

God’s compassion for the strangers in Israel was no less than for the people of Israel. It is a matter of the heart.

Ruth 1:16: ‘But Ruth said “Entreat me not to leave you or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God my God”

Ruth, a woman of Moab (modern day Jordan) aligns herself inextricably with Naomi and the God of Israel.

Esther 4:16: 'Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids (non-Jewish Persian appointed maids) and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

Esther’s commitment to pray and fast for the deliverance of the entire Jewish people is amazingly joined by her court appointed maids, none of whom were Jewish. It was a three day fast with a One New Man identity.

Matthew 1:5: ‘Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab (a Gentile from Jericho), Boaz begot Obed by Ruth (a Gentile from Moab) Obed begot Jesse.’

Here in the genealogy of our Lord and Messiah are two amazing women of God who were clearly not from the people of Israel.

This is just a sample of verses revealing God's unchanging purpose to bring about a One New Man body.

If we can receive God’s heart for a One New Man Kingdom of both Jews and non-Jews, then I believe our understanding and teaching will reflect God’s heart and we will emphasize the indelible truth that ‘the letter kills but the Spirit gives life’ (2 Corinthians 3:6).

One practical example of this here in Israel is our deep commitment to maintaining unity with our Christian Arab brothers and sisters. Many of these wonderful believers express their faith differently from us. They worship in churches on a Sunday and celebrate traditional Christian holidays rather than the biblical feasts outlined in the Torah. Although we worship on a Shabbat and see great value in celebrating the feasts, in no way do we allow these non-salvation matters to stand in the way of our One New Man unity.

It always disturbs us when we see believers outside Israel condemning other sincere followers of the Lord for Sunday worship or failing to celebrate the feasts. We see much heart-ache and division because of this very issue, and believe it is an example of the letter killing where the Spirit brings life.

On Mount Carmel, we gathered as a One New Man congregation to see out 2018 and worship and pray together.

We declared our desire as Jews, Arabs and others from the nations, to live out our One New Man calling. To deeply pray for one another. To stand in unity together. To really love one another. Prayers were proclaimed in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and English.

To shine out from Mount Carmel the message of One New Man in Messiah across Israel, the Middle East and the world.

Psalm 133: ‘Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity……… for there the Lord commanded the blessing – Life forevermore.’

L’Chaim haverim.

We may not experience world peace, but the Sar Shalom, Yeshua, our Prince of Peace, can be revealed through our One New Man identity in Messiah.