"Now Hezekiah went to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Menashe, that they should come to the house of YHVH at Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover to Adoni Elohey Israel. So they established a decree to circulate a proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to celebrate the Passover to Adoni Elohey Israel at Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as it was prescribed. And the couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king saying, 'o sons of Israel, return to Adoni Elohey Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from the hand of the kings of Assyria, and do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the Elohim of their fathers, so that He made them a horror, as you see. Now do not stiffen your neck like your fathers, but yield toYHVH and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve Adoni your Elohim, that His burning anger may turn away from you. For if you return to YHVH, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive, and will return to this land. For Adoni your Elohim is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him'. So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Menashe, and as far as Zebulun…" (2 Chron. 30:1,5-10a).
The call to join Judah (a remnant thereof) in its process of consecration before entering the sanctuary and in its preparation to celebrate the Feast (Passover - the feast of "salvation") is being issued forth… "But they [those hearing the call] laughed at them [at the couriers] to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless some men of Asher, Menashe, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord" (Chro. 30:10b-12).
"The hand of the Lord was also on Judah to give them one heart to do … the word of the Lord". In our day and age something similar is happening among a remnant of Judah here in the land. Some of this remnant are expecting and anticipating to be joined by their long-lost Ephraimite brothers. They are looking for evidence that Yosef's shoulder ("shechem") is being joined to theirs, in these perilous but potentially glorious times.
This is not the first time such an appeal is going out. Will there be those who will "humbled themselves and go to Jerusalem?" It is not enough to merely recite, "next year in Jerusalem" at the end of each Passover meal. Lip service is cheap and easily paid without any real cost, effort or sacrifice. True giving of one's substance, time and energy, while displaying evidence that the gentile garments are being shed off, are all harder to come by, and rare. Who wants to stay in the camp of those who laughed and mocked? Having mocked and scorned did not suddenly render them non-Israelites; neither will paying lip service and remaining passive. However, such approaches will move one to the camp here described, where "mocker" is replaced by another adjective: "hypocrite".
Judah is waiting, and moreover Judah's God is waiting, nay, beckoning you. Will you respond? Or should Judah wait for you until after the "holidays", until the millenium celebrations die down, or until you've finished trading in your Christmas gifts at the department stores' January sales? Will you be the proverbial "Sunday Ephraimite"? (Actually, Saturday is better, this way the most is made of both worlds.)
Another interesting point, worthy of notice is the charge that was presented before the remnant of the two houses remaining in the land. "For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive, and will return [emphasis ours] to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him'." In other words, the remnant was to be their brothers' keeper. However, the deported tribes did not return to the land, as the remnant, which stayed in the land, did not return to the Lord! Hezekiah's attempt to gather all Israel and to unite the two sticks, by calling them to Jerusalem and to the feast of Passover, sadly failed because a remnant did not respond to the word of the Lord and His grace in that given opportunity in Israel's history. Nevertheless, ultimately God's plan will not falter.
His program is not dependent on any one of us. However, where will we be while it is being unfolded, is the question. Will we be found among those who are returning to the Lord (and to the land), and are thus also being used as "instruments of return" for the rest of the brethren? Or will we be numbered among the mockers-cum-hypocrites, who are not only responsible for their own demise, but are possibly putting a stumbling block in front of others, whose eyes have not yet been opened? Will we be counted with Judah, as we stand together, while prophecy is being fulfilled, consecrating ourselves before Him, provoking one another to jealousy in the course of preparation for the celebration of the great Passover? Choose ye this day…
We have looked at a historical episode, paralleling it to the present, focusing on the spiritual implications. Thus, in a very important way, "as it was then, so it is now", even though perhaps still in an incipient state, yet enough to warrant our attention.
In times past there were others who also made this statement: "as it was then, so it is now," meaning, "all continues just as it was…" This they said regarding the "promise of His coming." In 2Peter 3:3 they are referred to as "mockers"; affiliated, if you will, with the party of the scoffers mentioned above. Yes, as things were then, so they are now, in order to teach, edify, warn and prepare us for that which is soon to come.
Look-up for your redemption draws near.
Ephraim
The call to join Judah (a remnant thereof) in its process of consecration before entering the sanctuary and in its preparation to celebrate the Feast (Passover - the feast of "salvation") is being issued forth… "But they [those hearing the call] laughed at them [at the couriers] to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless some men of Asher, Menashe, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord" (Chro. 30:10b-12).
"The hand of the Lord was also on Judah to give them one heart to do … the word of the Lord". In our day and age something similar is happening among a remnant of Judah here in the land. Some of this remnant are expecting and anticipating to be joined by their long-lost Ephraimite brothers. They are looking for evidence that Yosef's shoulder ("shechem") is being joined to theirs, in these perilous but potentially glorious times.
This is not the first time such an appeal is going out. Will there be those who will "humbled themselves and go to Jerusalem?" It is not enough to merely recite, "next year in Jerusalem" at the end of each Passover meal. Lip service is cheap and easily paid without any real cost, effort or sacrifice. True giving of one's substance, time and energy, while displaying evidence that the gentile garments are being shed off, are all harder to come by, and rare. Who wants to stay in the camp of those who laughed and mocked? Having mocked and scorned did not suddenly render them non-Israelites; neither will paying lip service and remaining passive. However, such approaches will move one to the camp here described, where "mocker" is replaced by another adjective: "hypocrite".
Judah is waiting, and moreover Judah's God is waiting, nay, beckoning you. Will you respond? Or should Judah wait for you until after the "holidays", until the millenium celebrations die down, or until you've finished trading in your Christmas gifts at the department stores' January sales? Will you be the proverbial "Sunday Ephraimite"? (Actually, Saturday is better, this way the most is made of both worlds.)
Another interesting point, worthy of notice is the charge that was presented before the remnant of the two houses remaining in the land. "For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive, and will return [emphasis ours] to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him'." In other words, the remnant was to be their brothers' keeper. However, the deported tribes did not return to the land, as the remnant, which stayed in the land, did not return to the Lord! Hezekiah's attempt to gather all Israel and to unite the two sticks, by calling them to Jerusalem and to the feast of Passover, sadly failed because a remnant did not respond to the word of the Lord and His grace in that given opportunity in Israel's history. Nevertheless, ultimately God's plan will not falter.
His program is not dependent on any one of us. However, where will we be while it is being unfolded, is the question. Will we be found among those who are returning to the Lord (and to the land), and are thus also being used as "instruments of return" for the rest of the brethren? Or will we be numbered among the mockers-cum-hypocrites, who are not only responsible for their own demise, but are possibly putting a stumbling block in front of others, whose eyes have not yet been opened? Will we be counted with Judah, as we stand together, while prophecy is being fulfilled, consecrating ourselves before Him, provoking one another to jealousy in the course of preparation for the celebration of the great Passover? Choose ye this day…
We have looked at a historical episode, paralleling it to the present, focusing on the spiritual implications. Thus, in a very important way, "as it was then, so it is now", even though perhaps still in an incipient state, yet enough to warrant our attention.
In times past there were others who also made this statement: "as it was then, so it is now," meaning, "all continues just as it was…" This they said regarding the "promise of His coming." In 2Peter 3:3 they are referred to as "mockers"; affiliated, if you will, with the party of the scoffers mentioned above. Yes, as things were then, so they are now, in order to teach, edify, warn and prepare us for that which is soon to come.
Look-up for your redemption draws near.
Ephraim
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