神期望以色列人能看見並經歷一個國家層面上的外邦人和猶太彌賽亞信徒之間超自然的合一。5779年是這樣的時刻了。以斯帖們，你們會幫助鋪平道路嗎？

神在5779 (2018-19)年新年對以色列發出以斯帖的呼召
來源：錫安之光 2018年9月17日
SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 CHINESE

你是否已經被神揀選像以斯帖一樣為猶太人民站在破口上？如果你是被揀選的，那麼神已經賜給你極高的恩寵和尊榮。神想要你住在他的同在中。他呼喚你享受一個獨一無二的與他的心的親密。因著這個親密，你背後的代禱能夠潛移默化地改變歷史。你可能會與這位王面對面，這是別人不能共用的。

現在，禱告使”以斯帖”的能力在你裡面發動，也因此你可能會受到更多的反對和攻擊。這是因為以色列的救恩預示著這個掌管幽暗世界的權勢被擊敗（馬太福音23章39節，啟示錄20章1-3節）。因此，滿有功效的以斯帖般的為以色列的救恩的代禱有時會是一個艱難和孤獨的工作。疲於做對的事情的試探會很大。因著沮喪，你可能想要退出和放棄。另一個更隱秘的試探是對呼召的妥協（這是不斷常在的試探）。

神要賜給以斯帖們的提升

我們在5779年新年之際強烈地鼓勵屬神的以斯帖們存喜樂的心持守呼召，期待從他們的王而來的得勝和旨意。一些先知預言性的基督徒領袖曾說他們看到5779年是許多信徒從去年所播種的獲得加速收割的一年。他們期待在所服事地方有極大的轉變或是提升。如果他們的預言成就，許多這個時代的以斯帖們會在服事神的新的領域中被祝福。但是，即使這些預計沒有成就，聖經已經闡明了一個普遍的原則：我們種的是什麼，收穫的也是什麼。（加拉太書6章7節）上帝提升那些恆心持久服事他的人。（馬太福音25章21節）因此，那些忠心良善的僕人們能夠期望神因信任加增他們負責任和行使權柄的範圍。

正因為如此，我們看到很多世界各國中忠心地為以色列站在破口上的基督徒們最近被釋放進入擴展他們影響力的新的事工。一些神的以斯帖們甚至被提升進入像末底改一般的角色。（是末底改預備和扶持年輕的以斯帖進入她的呼召。最終他被提升到了一個更高的政權位置。）我們為著這些提升歡喜！同時，包括我們在內的許多以色列的信徒看到隨著這些提升而來的是對最初以斯帖的膏抹和呼召妥協的試探。令人難過的是，這樣的妥協不必要地和無意地使傳福音給猶太人遭到了嚴重地挫折，也傷害到了以色列的彌賽亞肢體。原因如下：

如果來自國外的基督徒領袖或是事工可以在以色列境內以積極可見的姿態出現的話，他們必須向以色列政府呈現他們沒有也不會宣導福音或是在耶穌裡的信仰。為了滿足這些要求，許多基督徒領袖最近發了令人不安的聲明。就單單在去年，一些人毫不掩飾地宣佈他們不會與猶太人分享救恩的出路並不相信猶太人需要從他們的罪裡得拯救。為了支撐他們的聲明，這些國外的基督徒們必須公開地作為一個政策來遵守而疏遠以色列的彌賽亞信徒的弟兄姐妹們。以色列的媒體迅速地抓住這個機會報導這樣的新聞。

這些聲明以及隨之而來對彌賽亞猶太人的公開疏遠所帶來的後果是越來越多的以色列人開始把這些所謂的”福音派”當做好朋友，因為這些人與他們有同樣的傳承，並”尊重”他們決口不提耶穌，還在以色列大把大把花錢。他們知曉一些基督徒像一些猶太人一樣有單純的愛心和公義的良善。因為福音沒有被有效地透過話語或行為分享給他們，他們因此沒有被福音威脅到或是吸引住。結果就是，猶太人沒有被救恩激動。然而聖經說：”救恩臨到外邦人，要激動他們發奮。”（羅馬書11章11節）

更令人不安的可能是這樣的情況，當外邦的基督徒領袖公然地與跟隨耶穌的猶太人劃清界限，他們無意中加強了以色列對彌賽亞信仰的敵對。這些領袖沒有意識到他們與彌賽亞猶太信徒劃清界限時也就與新約的使徒們和耶穌自己劃清了界限。當這個情況發生時，以色列敵基督的堅固營壘毫無疑問的被加強了。對以色列彌賽亞信徒的逼迫通常也會更加重。

新的一年，新的方式

不過，猶太人和基督教的關係有其獨特的敏感性。教會長久以來宣導的反猶太主義玷污了猶太人對基督教的看法。在這種背景下，當現代的福音派信徒嘗試向猶太人表達無條件的愛和祝福的時候，反而遭遇到懷疑和不信任。以色列人認為這些福音派信徒最終的目的是讓他們改信基督教，或者只是為了讓聖經預言加速實現，或兩者兼而有之。因此，基督徒要通過真正的友誼來建立信任，這是必須的第一步。

基督徒和猶太人之間真正的友誼肯定是非常美好的，也很重要。不幸的是，”真正的”友誼很快就意味著不要分享福音，而恰恰就是在福音中，有這樣的一個人將他毫無參雜的個人的盼望與新的朋友們放在一起。

不過很多年過去，今天是新的一天，更是新的一年。在5779年的起頭，我們覺得是該再前進一步的時候了。

在以色列國成立70年後的5779年，猶太民族和各國的教會都更加成熟。越來越多的猶太人明白，即使他們拒絕相信耶穌，真正的基督徒也會愛他們。所以，接下來，真正熱愛猶太人的福音派信徒是否應該停止故意地不向猶太人傳福音呢？主告訴我們要讓列國做主的門徒，不要把以色列排除在外，而是帶著愛、勇氣、禱告和敏銳的心去傳。

神的以斯帖們，在5779年，可能會有新的機會呈現給你們。主讓你們的生命成熟、預備你們就是為著現今的日子。當他提升你們到一個更大的責任和機會的位置上時，你們會如何回應？你們會選擇生命之道嗎？還是像我們今年夏天照顧的兩位以斯帖一樣，離開恩膏而生病或死亡？”你莫想在王宮裡強過一切猶大人，得免這禍。此時你若閉口不言，猶大人必從別處得解脫，蒙拯救；你和你父家必致滅亡。”（以斯帖記4:14）

在5779年及未來，你該如何帶著以斯帖或末底改的靈祝福猶太人呢？如何既要傳純正的福音給他們，但同時又注意反猶主義帶下的傷害呢？以斯帖記的最後一句經文可以給我們一些指引。這節經文說末底改”為本族的人求好處，向他們說和平的話。”（以斯帖記10章3節）”本族的人”的希伯來字面意思是”他所有的後裔”。因此，一些聖經翻譯成”所有猶太人”。這裡的關鍵是末底改為他所有的猶太兄弟姐妹求好處。

正確地祝福以色列並保守以斯帖或末底改恩膏的一個關鍵準則是要為全體的猶太人求益處，這就包括你在主內的猶太弟兄姐妹們。如果你故意在所言所行上針對或傷害到彌賽亞猶太人信徒，哪怕只是間接地，你事實上是在堅固在這地上敵基督的營壘。你的言行真的會損傷到基督自己嗎？想想馬太福音25章40節：”這些事你們既做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上，就是做在我身上了。”

根據加拉太書6章10節，”有了機會就當向眾人行善，向信徒一家的人更當這樣。”實際上，能讓所有猶太人受益的事工都需要一定程度地和以色列彌賽亞猶太人同工才能達到最好的果效。我們鼓勵絕大多數的神的以斯帖們都這樣做。

與此同時，我們要讚賞並全心全意地感謝一些神的以斯帖們，他們在以色列、美國和其他受到傳統宗教或屬世的猶太人抵擋的地方公開地和猶太的耶穌門徒連接，其中有些人付出了高昂的代價。你們可能犧牲了名望，事工的異象，財務等等。但你們並沒有屈服於”對猶太人的懼怕”。（約翰福音7:13）你們的名在天上會被尊榮。

讓我們記住，耶穌曾經禱告，讓他的門徒”完完全全的合而為一，叫世人知道你差了我來。”這裡很清楚的對列國包括以色列傳福音的一個策略就是猶太和外邦信徒之間的公開的相愛合一。

而這將是”外邦人豐滿”的預示標誌（有時誤譯為”外邦人的數目滿足”）。羅馬書11章25節說”以色列人有幾分是硬心的，等到外邦人豐滿了，於是以色列全家都要得救。……”外邦人的豐滿並不是指數量上的滿足，而是指外邦人被聖靈大大充滿，激動了猶太人對他們的神的嫉妒的愛。（羅馬書11章11節）這個豐滿能讓弟兄合一，而合一又會吸引以色列和列國歸向彌賽亞。

神期望以色列人能看見並經歷一個國家層面上的外邦人和猶太彌賽亞信徒之間超自然的合一。5779年是這樣的時刻了。以斯帖們，你們會幫助鋪平道路嗎？


God’s Esther Call to Israel in 5779 (2018-19)
SEPTEMBER 5, 2018



Have you been chosen by our King to stand in the gap for His Jewish people in an Esther-like capacity? In ancient times, God placed a young woman named Esther in a position of royal authority so she could intercede for the salvation of the Jews. (Esther 4:12-16) In the past 25 years of ministry, we have watched Him raise up Esther-like companies of intercessors and advocates for Israel around the world. If you are one of them, you are favored and honored! The King wants you in His royal dwelling, easily summoned in to His personal presence. He calls you to enjoy a unique intimacy with His heart. Because of that intimacy, your behind-the-scenes ministry of intercession can potentially shape history. You may have an audience with the King which others will not share.

Now, due to the power you as an “Esther” can wield in prayer, you may also be subject to extreme opposition and attack. This is because Israel’s salvation spells defeat for powers and principalities of this world like no other force on earth. (Matthew 23:39, Revelation 20:1-3) Effective, Esther-like intercession for the salvation of Israel, therefore, can sometimes be hard and lonely work. The temptation to grow weary in well doing can be strong. Discouraged, you might want to quit and give up. A more subtle temptation is to compromise the calling. (More on this momentarily.)

Promotion in 5779 for God’s Esthers

This 5779, we strongly encourage God’s Esthers to joyfully stay the course, expecting both victory and vindication by their King. Some prophetic Christian leaders have said they foresee 5779 as a year of escalated fruitfulness or reaping for many believers, related to prior years of sowing and cultivating. They expect major changes, or promotions, in ministry assignments to occur. If their predictions come to pass, many of today’s Esthers may be blessed with new realms of service to the King. But even if the predictions do not prove true, the Bible states as a general principle that we reap what we sow. (Galatians 6:7) God promotes those who steadfastly serve Him. (Matthew 25:21) Therefore, good and faithful servants can generally expect Him to increase the scope of responsibility and authority entrusted to them.

Accordingly, we have seen many Christians from the nations who’ve faithfully stood in the gap for Israel recently released into new ministries of expanded impact. Some of God’s Esthers are even being promoted to Mordecai-like roles. (Recall that Mordecai prepared and counseled young Esther in her calling. Eventually he was promoted to a high position of government authority.) We rejoice over these good promotions! At the same time, many Israeli believers—including us—have seen that with some promotions, there comes a temptation to compromise the original Esther anointing and call. Sadly, needless and unintended but serious setback to Jewish evangelism and harm to the Messianic Israeli Body is resulting. Here’s why:

If a Christian leader or ministry from abroad acquires a visibly active presence inside Israel, it must demonstrate to the Israeli government that it does not and will not seek to advance the Gospel or faith in Yeshua.To meet these requirements, several Christian leaders have recently made troubling statements. In the past year alone, some have unabashedly announced they will not share the way of salvation with the Jews and/or do not believe Jews need to be saved from their sins. Others have overtly apologized for having said in the past that Jewish people need salvation. To back up these statements, Christians from abroad must publicly and as a matter of policy, distance themselves from Messianic Jewish brothers and sisters. The Israeli media is quick to pick up and report on news of this nature.

As a result of such declarations, combined with public distancing from Messianic Jews, more and more Israelis are coming to think of “evangelicals” as good friends who share a common heritage, who “respect” them enough not to talk about Jesus, and who happily spend lots of money in the Land. They’ve learned that some Christians are genuinely loving and righteously kind, just like some Jews. The Gospel does not threaten—or attract—them because it is not being effectively communicated in word or deed. Consequently, the Jews are not being made jealous for salvation. Yet the Scripture says, “Salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.” (Romans 11:11)

Perhaps more troubling is that, when Gentile Christian leaders overtly disassociate from Jews who follow Jesus, they unintentionally solidify Israel’s stance against Messianic faith. These leaders do not realize their disassociation from Messianic Jews would presumably include all the New Covenant apostles and Yeshua Himself. Not surprisingly, when this happens the anti-Messiah stronghold over Israel is unintentionally empowered. Persecution against Israeli believers usually worsens.

A New Way in a New Year/New Season


To be fair, unique sensitivities are involved in Jewish-Christian relations. A long history of Church sponsored anti-Semitism has tainted the Jewish perception of Christianity. Against this background, when modern evangelicals tried to demonstrate unconditional love and bless the Jewish people, they encountered skepticism and distrust. Israelis felt the evangelicals were ultimately only interested in converting them to Christianity, or hastening the fulfillment of prophecy, or both. It therefore became necessary, as a first step, to establish trust through genuine friendship.

To be sure, genuine friendship between Christians and Jews is very good and important. Unfortunately, “genuine” friendship soon came to mean not sharing the Gospel in which one placed one’s genuine, personal hope, with one’s new friends.

Meanwhile, years have passed. Today is a new day, even a new year. At the start of 5779, we think it’s time for the next step.

In 5779, 70 years after the establishment of the State of Israel, the Jewish nation and international Church have reached new levels of maturity. Increasingly, Jews understand that true Christians will love them even if they never confess faith in Yeshua. And so, as a next step, could it be time for evangelicals who genuinely love the Jewish people to stop intentionally withholding the Gospel from them? The Master tells us to make disciples of all nations, not excluding Israel—lovingly, courageously, prayerfully and of course, sensitively.

New opportunities may be presented to you, God’s Esthers, in 5779. He has matured and prepared you for such a time as this. How will you respond when He promotes you to a post of greater responsibility and opportunity? Will you choose the way of life? Or will you sicken and perhaps die to the anointing? “Do not imagine that because you are in the King’s palace you will escape the enemy’s traps. If you do not speak rightly, deliverance and salvation for Israel will arise from another source. But you and your father’s house will perish.” (Esther 4:14) (Please understand that we are not suggesting the Esthers for whom we cared went through what they did on account of any personal sin or wrongdoing on their part.)

In 5779 and beyond, how can you bless Israel in the spirit of Esther or Mordecai with integrity to the Gospel, as well as sensitivity to the wounds of anti-Semitism? One guideline can be found in the last sentence of the book of Esther itself. Speaking of Mordecai, the Scripture describes him as one who “worked for the good of his people and spoke for the welfare and peace of his whole nation.” (Esther 10:3, AMP) The Hebrew for “his whole nation” literally means “all his seed.” For that reason some Bible translations read, “all the Jews.” The point is Mordecai did good for all of his Jewish brothers and sisters.

One key guideline to rightly blessing Israel and retaining the Esther or Mordecai anointing, is to seek good for all the Jews, including your Jewish brothers and sisters in Messiah. If you knowingly say or do things which target the Jewish Body of Messiah for harm, even indirectly, you empower the anti-Messiah stronghold over the Land. Could your words or deeds actually result in a harming of Messiah Himself? Consider Matthew 25:45: “Whatever you did to the least of these brothers of mine, you did to Me.”

According to Galatians 6:10, “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (NET) On a practical level, ministry for the good of all Israel is usually best achieved by co-laboring, at least to an extent, with Israeli Messianic Jews in the family of faith. This we would encourage nearly all of God’s Esthers to do.

At the same time, we wholeheartedly thank God’s Esthers who already openly align with Jewish followers of Jesus in Israel, the US and other communities where they’ve met with resistance from traditional religious or secular Jews. Some of you have paid a high price. You have sacrificed prestige, ministry vision, finances and more. You have not succumbed to  “fear of the Jews.” (John 7:13) Your names are honored in heaven.



Let us keep in mind that Yeshua prayed that His followers be “brought to complete unity. Then the world will know You sent Me.” A clear evangelism strategy for all nations, including Israel, is the open display of loving unity among believers, Jewish and Gentile.

This display will be a prophetic sign of the “fullness of the Gentiles” (sometimes mistranslated, “full number of the Gentiles”). Romans 11:25 states, “A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and in this way all Israel will be saved …” The fullness of the Gentiles does not refer to a quantitative full number, but a qualitative fullness of the Spirit that provokes Jews to jealousy for their God. (Romans 11:11) It gives rise to unity with the brethren, which in turn draws Israel and the nations to Messiah.

God wants Israelis to see and experience this supernatural unity on a national scale between Gentile and Jewish followers of Yeshua. In 5779, we believe it is time. Esthers, will you help pave the way?