The main thing that struck me, the day my husband and I decided to visit a Messianic Jewish Synagogue (alternately called church as well), was the joy with which the congregation observed the Sabbath.
Yes, it was Sabbath, beginning with the Friday evening service from 7:30 until 10:00, and concluding with a very lengthy Saturday service that ran from 10:30 until 1:00, which I hear on occasion is followed by a Saturday evening service in which they equally joyfully usher out the Sabbath Day with what is known as a Havdalah service.
As we entered the sanctuary, we were told that men were to cover their heads with the kippah or yarmulke, and that women should also, but neither was obligatory. It was our choice based on our convictions. Both my husband and I, not wanting to offend any, chose head coverings; mine was a small doily that sat on top of my head, but I noticed other women had full head scarves or shawls that were worn the entire time they were in the sanctuary and then removed after they left that particular room. Messianic Jews do not believe that the men have to wear kippahs outside in public, that it is a sign of reverence before the Lord to do so in services only.
Then began much singing and much dancing (sometimes by women alone, including small children; and sometimes by the entire congregation, whoever is able amongst them, including the men and including the Rabbi). The dancing was either done in a large circle, or as a long chain weaving in and out and up and down the aisles, all over the church. It was marvelous to see how a dance can be such a worshipful thing.
And the singing was just as involved! My church back home does four or five songs each Sunday, but we did much more than that here. Several people lifted their hands, much clapping went on. And all is done with such joy! In fact, there was quite a sense of humor, kind humor, being bantered back and forth between the rabbi and the congregation, similar to that which happens in my church up north....which will always be my church by the way, even if this one here in the south, also becomes my church. (And I think it might!)
And there is a lot of prayer. There is a half hour of prayer that is held in a separate room before the service (which I did not take part in as I was unware it was happening on this first visit) and there are the traditional Jewish prayers spoken over various parts of a traditional Sabbath service. The Rabbi also asked us all to join hands and pray for Israel who was (and still is) under attack by rockets from Gaza. Before prayer began, he instructed all that we do not pray lengthy prayers to be heard or seen, we do not pray many prayers for the same reason; but that there were to be four or five upon whom the Lord laid a prayer to be spoken directly and to the point and ended. That is exactly how it happened. As people were moved, and I was one of them, brief and to the point prayers were offered up for Israel, for the soldiers, for the innocents on both sides of the battle, for the parents of the soldiers, some of whom might have their only child in harm's way, and for salvation for all who do not know Yeshua. [I have a young friend, in fact, who is his parents' only child, he is about 21 now, and is an Israeli soldier at this time fighting near Gaza. It is a frightening time for him. I have a link to his latest blog to the right of this posting called: "A Young Israeli Soldier and Friend." Click on the link if you have time, to understand what these young soldiers are experiencing. How much do their parents also suffer who can only remain helpless at home; helpless except for crying out to the Lord, that is!]
After about two hours of songs, dancing, and prayer, the Torah (the first five books of the Bible written in Hebrew upon a huge scroll that must weigh 50 pounds easily, maybe more, covered in a velvet cloth) was walked around the room in a sort of procession. Every member of the congregation reached out and touched the covering and put their fingers to their lips in a kiss. I asked a woman nearby to explain to me what was happening, and she said, it is the very Word of God, and we kiss it because it is precious to us. Some folks touched their Bibles to the cloth of the Torah covering and then lifted their Bibles to their lips in a kiss; some of the women touched it with a corner of their scarf or shawl and brought that up to their lips.
The procession ended up at the front of the church at the podium where it was carefully laid on a table (with the help of a couple of other men besides the one who carried it) and then it was unrolled to a certain section. Two men and two women from the congregation began to read in both Hebrew and then in English the sections of scripture that were chosen for that day. Then the scroll was rolled up again, covered in its cloth, and put back into its closet at the front of the church. This happens only once a month at the time of the new moon, if I understood correctly.
Then the Rabbi began his sermon, which lasted only about twenty minutes and for which he referred to several different bibles laid out on the table before him as he spoke. This particular service he spoke from the Beatitudes in Matthew.
And even though the entire sermon was about Jesus, somewhere in the midst of that sermon he reminded everyone that there is only one way to the Father, and that is through Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ (yes, he spoke both the Hebrew and the Greek names of Jesus...after all his congregation is made up of Jewish believers and Gentile believers, the Gentile believers better known as Christians...and to be honest, I could not tell either by looks, or dress, or behavior, or attitude which ones are Jewish and which are Gentile. They all happily engaged in Sabbath worship, and I found that it didn't matter to me which they were, which probably meant it didn't matter to them which one I was either! Everyone who was there just belonged there, by the Lord's design, and that's really all there was to it!)
And then the Rabbi reminded everyone that while this church observes Torah, including observing the Sabbath and all the Feast Days, that there was no salvation to be gained by observing Torah, that salvation was only that which was paid for by Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ, for our sakes, by His death on the cross; that it was by faith, not works, that we receive that salvation. But that they observe the whole Word of God in its entirety, Old Testament and New Testament, as they believe we are all instructed to do with the "instructions" God has given us through His Word.
After the service ended, everyone retired their head coverings, and walked out of the sanctuary into the hallway where there were bagels and cream cheese and fruit and coffee available. There is an offering box at the back of the sanctuary where tithes and offerings can be put either as you come in or as you leave the room, but no offering was taken up during the service.
After about a half hour of food and socializing, folks began to break up into groups for various scheduled meetings. One such group of folks, comprised of both young and old, were being taught Hebrew in one room, but there were other groups forming as well for whatever purposes they had, perhaps it was the women dancers who do specific types of dance, perhaps it was administrative meetings. I know only the Hebrew class for sure, as my husband and I decided to enter into that one and check it out. Boy, were we lost! But we have decided to persevere and go again. I have long had a desire to know biblical Hebrew to help in my study of the Bible, and Greek as well. No better time than now to begin, I figured!The man who teaches the Hebrew class is named Elisha (pronounced a-lish-a), and actually lived for a time in Israel; for quite some time I think, judging by his strong accent. He speaks several other languages as well.
We finally left for home about 3:00 p.m. And we left with as much joy as we had observed in all those who gathered together with us on that Sabbath Day. It hadn't seemed like a long day at all...it was so filled with the glory of worshipping the LORD in every way possible.
It was an amazing experience, and one we both cannot wait to take part in again!
Yes, it was Sabbath, beginning with the Friday evening service from 7:30 until 10:00, and concluding with a very lengthy Saturday service that ran from 10:30 until 1:00, which I hear on occasion is followed by a Saturday evening service in which they equally joyfully usher out the Sabbath Day with what is known as a Havdalah service.
As we entered the sanctuary, we were told that men were to cover their heads with the kippah or yarmulke, and that women should also, but neither was obligatory. It was our choice based on our convictions. Both my husband and I, not wanting to offend any, chose head coverings; mine was a small doily that sat on top of my head, but I noticed other women had full head scarves or shawls that were worn the entire time they were in the sanctuary and then removed after they left that particular room. Messianic Jews do not believe that the men have to wear kippahs outside in public, that it is a sign of reverence before the Lord to do so in services only.
Then began much singing and much dancing (sometimes by women alone, including small children; and sometimes by the entire congregation, whoever is able amongst them, including the men and including the Rabbi). The dancing was either done in a large circle, or as a long chain weaving in and out and up and down the aisles, all over the church. It was marvelous to see how a dance can be such a worshipful thing.
And the singing was just as involved! My church back home does four or five songs each Sunday, but we did much more than that here. Several people lifted their hands, much clapping went on. And all is done with such joy! In fact, there was quite a sense of humor, kind humor, being bantered back and forth between the rabbi and the congregation, similar to that which happens in my church up north....which will always be my church by the way, even if this one here in the south, also becomes my church. (And I think it might!)
And there is a lot of prayer. There is a half hour of prayer that is held in a separate room before the service (which I did not take part in as I was unware it was happening on this first visit) and there are the traditional Jewish prayers spoken over various parts of a traditional Sabbath service. The Rabbi also asked us all to join hands and pray for Israel who was (and still is) under attack by rockets from Gaza. Before prayer began, he instructed all that we do not pray lengthy prayers to be heard or seen, we do not pray many prayers for the same reason; but that there were to be four or five upon whom the Lord laid a prayer to be spoken directly and to the point and ended. That is exactly how it happened. As people were moved, and I was one of them, brief and to the point prayers were offered up for Israel, for the soldiers, for the innocents on both sides of the battle, for the parents of the soldiers, some of whom might have their only child in harm's way, and for salvation for all who do not know Yeshua. [I have a young friend, in fact, who is his parents' only child, he is about 21 now, and is an Israeli soldier at this time fighting near Gaza. It is a frightening time for him. I have a link to his latest blog to the right of this posting called: "A Young Israeli Soldier and Friend." Click on the link if you have time, to understand what these young soldiers are experiencing. How much do their parents also suffer who can only remain helpless at home; helpless except for crying out to the Lord, that is!]
After about two hours of songs, dancing, and prayer, the Torah (the first five books of the Bible written in Hebrew upon a huge scroll that must weigh 50 pounds easily, maybe more, covered in a velvet cloth) was walked around the room in a sort of procession. Every member of the congregation reached out and touched the covering and put their fingers to their lips in a kiss. I asked a woman nearby to explain to me what was happening, and she said, it is the very Word of God, and we kiss it because it is precious to us. Some folks touched their Bibles to the cloth of the Torah covering and then lifted their Bibles to their lips in a kiss; some of the women touched it with a corner of their scarf or shawl and brought that up to their lips.
The procession ended up at the front of the church at the podium where it was carefully laid on a table (with the help of a couple of other men besides the one who carried it) and then it was unrolled to a certain section. Two men and two women from the congregation began to read in both Hebrew and then in English the sections of scripture that were chosen for that day. Then the scroll was rolled up again, covered in its cloth, and put back into its closet at the front of the church. This happens only once a month at the time of the new moon, if I understood correctly.
Then the Rabbi began his sermon, which lasted only about twenty minutes and for which he referred to several different bibles laid out on the table before him as he spoke. This particular service he spoke from the Beatitudes in Matthew.
And even though the entire sermon was about Jesus, somewhere in the midst of that sermon he reminded everyone that there is only one way to the Father, and that is through Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ (yes, he spoke both the Hebrew and the Greek names of Jesus...after all his congregation is made up of Jewish believers and Gentile believers, the Gentile believers better known as Christians...and to be honest, I could not tell either by looks, or dress, or behavior, or attitude which ones are Jewish and which are Gentile. They all happily engaged in Sabbath worship, and I found that it didn't matter to me which they were, which probably meant it didn't matter to them which one I was either! Everyone who was there just belonged there, by the Lord's design, and that's really all there was to it!)
And then the Rabbi reminded everyone that while this church observes Torah, including observing the Sabbath and all the Feast Days, that there was no salvation to be gained by observing Torah, that salvation was only that which was paid for by Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ, for our sakes, by His death on the cross; that it was by faith, not works, that we receive that salvation. But that they observe the whole Word of God in its entirety, Old Testament and New Testament, as they believe we are all instructed to do with the "instructions" God has given us through His Word.
After the service ended, everyone retired their head coverings, and walked out of the sanctuary into the hallway where there were bagels and cream cheese and fruit and coffee available. There is an offering box at the back of the sanctuary where tithes and offerings can be put either as you come in or as you leave the room, but no offering was taken up during the service.
After about a half hour of food and socializing, folks began to break up into groups for various scheduled meetings. One such group of folks, comprised of both young and old, were being taught Hebrew in one room, but there were other groups forming as well for whatever purposes they had, perhaps it was the women dancers who do specific types of dance, perhaps it was administrative meetings. I know only the Hebrew class for sure, as my husband and I decided to enter into that one and check it out. Boy, were we lost! But we have decided to persevere and go again. I have long had a desire to know biblical Hebrew to help in my study of the Bible, and Greek as well. No better time than now to begin, I figured!The man who teaches the Hebrew class is named Elisha (pronounced a-lish-a), and actually lived for a time in Israel; for quite some time I think, judging by his strong accent. He speaks several other languages as well.
We finally left for home about 3:00 p.m. And we left with as much joy as we had observed in all those who gathered together with us on that Sabbath Day. It hadn't seemed like a long day at all...it was so filled with the glory of worshipping the LORD in every way possible.
It was an amazing experience, and one we both cannot wait to take part in again!
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