Watchman of Zion

You may view the 5 minute update this week via audio:

1) Listen to the audio

In this week’s 5 minute update, we focused on:

1) The B’ney Yosef North American National Congress Articles of Declaration

 

 

Articles of Declaration

 

Thus declares the Lord God: “Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them together, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.” (Ezekiel 37:19)

The Holy Scriptures declare that God made a covenant with Abraham, and within that covenant was a promise. Abraham would become the father of many nations, with descendants so numerous that no man could count them.[1] Scripture is not silent on how God’s promise would manifest; however, a great deal of time would pass before the fullness of His promise was realized. That journey began when the promise given to Abraham was passed on to his son Isaac as an oath, and then from Isaac to his son Jacob as a statute. It would continue into subsequent generations in the form of an everlasting covenant to a set-apart nation called Israel—the descendants of Jacob.[2]

Israel, like all nations before and after, would have times of peace and prosperity as well as times of war and disorder. It was during the reigns of King David and King Solomon that Israel enjoyed its greatest period of national blessing. But immediately after Solomon’s reign, conditions changed dramatically. The nation of Israel split into two separate kingdoms: Judah to the south and Israel to the north.[3] Judah predominantly continued to walk in God’s statutes and commandments, while the Northern Kingdom of Israel, prophetically known as Ephraim or Joseph, fell into a downward spiral of idolatry. God repeatedly warned the Northern Kingdom that continued disobedience would bring expulsion from the Land, but those warnings went unheeded as Israel refused to repent.[4]

Ultimately Assyria conquered Israel and took its inhabitants into exile, where they assimilated into Assyrian culture and accepted their many gods.[5] And so the God of Israel fulfilled His ominous promise, found first in Deuteronomy 28–30[6] and declared again many times in the Prophets.[7] God drove Israel even farther into the nations,[8] giving them up to their idols while simultaneously declaring them to be “not My people.” [9] They became known as the “lost sheep of the House of Israel” and were scattered as a mixed multitude to the four corners of the earth.[10]

Yet the grace of God knows no bounds, and despite His anger with the Northern Kingdom, His ominous promise also contained a pathway to restoration. When as individuals and as a nation Israel would repent and turn their hearts back toward Him, hearing and obeying His voice, He promised to gather them back from the nations into which they were scattered. Then He would circumcise their hearts and the hearts of their descendants so they might live again as a people committed to God.[11] Those who were called “not My people” would one day again hear the words, “You are sons of the Living God.”[12]

This call to repentance, which went out into all the nations, came from His anointed servant. Through Him, the rebuilding of the House of Israel began. Two thousand years ago, Yeshua of Nazareth came, in His own words, to call “the lost sheep of the House of Israel.”[13] Though He lived among and addressed the descendants of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, the weight of His mission was clearly aimed at turning the hearts of Ephraim, the Northern Kingdom, back to the God of Israel. He trained twelve students to continue His work after He was gone and told them to “go to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.”[14] Since that time, by the Holy Spirit, many millions around the world have turned to the God of Israel and have been marked as His sheep. These “prodigal sons” [15] were given enough understanding to remain separate from the world, but not enough to regain full understanding of their identity. One day, however, that started to change as the great awakening promised by God began to dawn.[16]

We believe this promised awakening began over the last few decades and that we are not only witnesses to this awakening but participants as well.[17] Being drawn to the Torah, to the Land, and to the people of the Land while retaining the testimony of Yeshua, we  believe ourselves to be the “B’ney Yosef”—the “Children of Joseph”—prophetically called “Ephraim,”[18] a people who are being called out of the nations,[19] now and once again part of the Commonwealth of Israel.[20] And as part of this “called-out assembly,” we stand on the promise that God will one day join us to the House of Judah (the Jewish People) to become one united Israel, never again to be divided.[21]

B’ney Yosef North America is a network of North Americans who have heard the call to join together for the common purpose of the restoration and reconstitution of the people of northern Israel—the House of Yosef/Ephraim. We are in awe of the quick work our Lord has done; yet we proceed in tentative optimism because of the divisive nature of our people. Knowing that reconciliation with Judah will not become reality until we stand together as one, we are humbled by the great task ahead of making the necessary personal sacrifices to unify our house. To exist as the nation God intends, and knowing we have a part to play before God completes His work, we pledge this day to promote unity, peace, and harmony among those who belong—and who will belong—to our House and to the House of Judah. In addition to understanding the need for personal sacrifice for the good of the body at large, we accept the following principles in order to establish ourselves as a unified people:

• We will submit to the will of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and also to those whom God has raised to positions of trust and authority in our local assemblies and within the body of B’ney Yosef North America. We will also commit to lifting these servants up continually in prayer, knowing they face a difficult task.[22]
• We will remain teachable, humble, accountable, and open to correction while seeking to renew ourselves daily through prayer and commitment to God, His Messiah, His Torah, and one another.[23]
• We will live in a manner that stands opposed to those things that cause division and strife within the body, being mindful that our walk should always reflect the character attributes of the God we serve.[24]
• We will promote peace, harmony, love, and stability within and between our families, our local assemblies, the communities in which we live, and all of God’s Israel.[25]
• We will remain aware that knowledge and understanding are gifts from God and that the misuse of these gifts profanes both the gift and the Gift Giver. Therefore, we will refrain from using our knowledge and understanding as a litmus test to determine who does and does not belong to God.[26]
• We will acknowledge that currently most Ephraimites are not yet aware of their identity and that until Messiah comes, it is not realistic to expect we will stand in agreement regarding all facets of understanding and practice. We will also acknowledge that the work God is doing is happening over a progression of time. Therefore, we will commit ourselves to showing mutual respect and understanding, being quick to extend grace and slow to criticize, knowing this “last days” call will reach into all nations, cultures, peoples, and tongues in God’s timing and not our own.[27]
• We will consent to the need to walk before our brother Judah in a manner that builds trust, opens doors of communication, and displays godly character. We will further acknowledge the need to repent for centuries of hostility, unfair treatment, and religious overzealousness directed at Judah in the name of Christianity and the need to seek forgiveness from Judah and our heavenly Father.[28]
• We will stand ready to give an answer for the hope of our calling, willing to share what we believe with anyone who desires to hear; this is our responsibility. Yet we acknowledge there is a difference between giving answers to questions asked and trying to convert another to our way of understanding and practice. Therefore, B’ney Yosef North America cannot and will not support or defend any attempts to evangelize the Jewish people.[29]
• We will not force Judah or anyone else to accept that we are who we believe ourselves to be. Instead, we will wait patiently on God to do His work. In the interim, we will actively assume the roles of bridge builders, peacemakers, and repairers of the breach; a people who understand why the community at large—the nation to which we belong—is greater than self.

As a people who currently remain scattered among the nations, it is imperative that we unite through these declared principles and our deference to God-ordained leadership in order to ensure the tranquility of the House to which we belong. The forming of a civil body of governance will allow us to establish and administer our national affairs and settle disputes that cannot be dealt with on a local level. This will stave off those things that would otherwise create additional division and strife within our House.

Beyond whatever small part we each play in this process, we rest knowing that God will do all He has promised through His everlasting covenant made with Israel. Ultimately God is the one Who will make Judah and Ephraim one stick in His hand; we cannot do His work for Him. Before that time, however, we are to treat the two sticks as though they are already one. Today we unite as one nation, willing servants who seek only to glorify the God of Israel and His Messiah through every word we speak and deed we perform. May His mighty and set-apart name be blessed over all the earth. Amen.

BYNA – Articles of Declaration

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[1] Gen. 13:6, 15:5, 17:3-8

[2] Ps. 105:8-10. See also Gen. 17:1-9, 26:1-5, 35:9-12.

[3] 1 Kings 12; 2 Chron. 10

[4] 1 Kings 11:29-35; 2 Kings 17:6-22; Hos. 11:5

[5] 2 Kings 15:29, 18:9-12

[6] Though these three chapters reveal the full picture, God’s intent is summed up well in Deut. 30:1-6.

[7] Lev. 26:33; Deut. 4:23-27; Hos. 1. See also Deut. 28:25, 37, 64 and Jer. 50:17.

[8] Isa. 11:12; Ezek. 28:25-26, 34:13

[9] Hos. 1:9

[10] 1 Kings 22:17; Jer. 50:6

[11] Deut. 30:1-6

[12] Hos. 1:10, 2:23

[13] Matt. 15:24

[14] Matt. 10:5-6

[15] Luke 15:11-32. Many believe this parable is speaking of Judah (the older brother) and Ephraim (the younger brother).

[16] Ezek. 37:4-11; Matt. 24:32-34

[17] It was not until the mid-1990s that assumed “Gentiles” began to be drawn to the Torah, the Land, and the people of the Land.

[18] Gen. 48:19; Isa. 11:13; Ezek. 37:19

[19] The Greek word translated as “church” is ekklesia. It simply means “to be called out.”

[20] Eph. 2:12-19 (Key verses are 12 and 19.)

[21] Jer. 31:31-34/Heb. 8:8-11; Ezek. 37:15-19

[22] 2 Thes. 1:11; James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:5

[23] Ps. 51:10; Matt. 18:4; Heb. 3:13

[24] Prov. 6:16-19; Gal. 5:22-23

[25] Ps. 133:1; Matt. 22:37-40; 2 Cor. 13:11

[26] Ps. 143:10; Matt. 23:23; John 14:26

[27] James 1:1, 19. See also Jer. 31:34 and 1 Cor. 12:28 (having a need for teachers reveals that we cannot expect everyone to have the same understanding at this time) and Matt. 24:32-34 (progression of time).

[28] Jer. 31:31-34/Heb. 8:8-11. The covenant is made with Israel and Judah—God is including the Jewish people; our current theology doesn’t harmonize with this truth. Also notice that in Ezek. 37:15-20 Ezekiel holds both sticks (Israel and Judah).

[29] 1 Pet. 3:15. Visit www.united2restore.com/2016/02/24/evangelizing-judah/ for additional information.

An agreement to divide Jerusalem and establish a PLO state is a tribulation event.

The link to these articles are as follows:

1) Bney Yosef National Congress of North America: Articles of Declaration

From a Biblical prophetic perspective, the reason why the God of Israel would allow these events to happen is because it will result in the end of the exile of the house of Jacob and the reunification of the 12 tribes of Israel (Ephraim and Judah).

We will to be “watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem” and we will not rest until the God of Israel makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62).

Shalom in Yeshua the Messiah,

Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int’l

You may view the 5 minute update this week via audio:

1) Listen to the audio

In this week’s 5 minute update, we focused on:

1) Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 2016 AIPAC Speech

This week’s report is Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 2016 AIPAC Speech

An agreement to divide Jerusalem and establish a PLO state is a tribulation event.

The link to these articles are as follows:

1) Benjamin Netanyahu 2016 AIPAC Speech

From a Biblical prophetic perspective, the reason why the God of Israel would allow these events to happen is because it will result in the end of the exile of the house of Jacob and the reunification of the 12 tribes of Israel (Ephraim and Judah).

We will to be “watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem” and we will not rest until the God of Israel makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62).

Shalom in Yeshua the Messiah,

Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int’l

You may view the 5 minute update this week via audio:

1) Listen to the audio

In this week’s 5 minute update, we focused on:

1) The current efforts by the US and the international community to support efforts to keep alive a two-state solution as part of the Israel / Palestinian peace process

US President Barack Obama, resigned to his failure to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians during the last 7 years of his presidency, is considering a plan that would preserve at least the principle of a two-state solution for an eventual permanent Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement by a future US administration.

The Obama administration is debating whether Obama should define the outlines for an eventual agreement from a presidential speech or perhaps through a United Nations Security Council agreement. A UN Security Council Resolution would be brought to a vote before the end of U.S. President Barack Obama’s term in office in January, 2017. The objective of such a strategy would not be to revive direct peace negotiations between the two sides — which almost nobody believes is likely now — but to enshrine the proposals made by US Secretary of State John Kerry for an eventual peace agreement during his last failed effort at peacemaking in 2014.

In 2014, when U.S.-led negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians broke down, the US State Department drafted a speech for Kerry to deliver that would have laid out the parameters that the two sides needed to agree upon: border issues, security, the status of Jerusalem, treatment of Palestinian refugees and the mutual recognition of two states for two peoples — meaning recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and not simply recognition of its right to exist. However, US President Barack Obama rejected the idea and the speech was never delivered according to people familiar with the debate at that time.

A UN Security Council resolution, US officials said, would give enduring legitimacy to the compromises that Mr. Kerry hammered out in private between the two sides, and build broad international support for a series of proposed solutions that could provide the framework for a future Israeli-Palestinian agreement.

A senior U.S. administration official said that a final decision on the matter hasn’t yet been reached and that Obama is examining a number of different options. He said that the timing for a move has not yet been determined either adding that Obama wants to put the Israeli-Palestinian issue on a more promising track before his successor takes office in January.

“Obama and Kerry are looking at the very real likelihood that the two-state solution could die on their watch,” said Martin S. Indyk, who served as the special envoy for Israel-Palestinian peace negotiations under Mr. Kerry in 2013 and 2014. “Having tried everything else, I think they feel a responsibility, above all to Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state, to preserve the principles of a two-state solution.”

“There will be a great temptation to do something in the final year,” said Aaron David Miller, a vice president at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Miller wrote an article for Foreign Policy magazine called “The Last Temptation of Barack Obama and John Kerry” predicted that “despite all sense and reason, the president and his secretary of State will have one more go at Middle East peace.” Miller added: “For a president who came out faster and more aggressively on the Middle East than any of his predecessors, there is a growing sense of incompleteness and perhaps even failure” in the efforts that Obama has made over the years to bring about peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Among the questions the Obama administration is considering is how long to wait to make their move. Deferring action until after the November election would ease the political pressure on the eventual Democratic nominee. But it would shorten the time to build international support for a UN Security Council Resolution before Obama leaves office in January.

Making such a move, especially to reset the terms of U.N. Resolution 242 passed after the Six-Day War in 1967, would become a political hot potato for Democrats in a US election year and few observers expect the administration to do anything before the US elections in November. To take an initiative sooner “puts you on a collision course with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu in your final year of office and would cause difficulties for the eventual Democratic nominee,” Miller said. “It will feed the Republican grist mills and every attack ad will say, ‘See what they’ve done? First Iran and now they abandon Israel.’”

However, adding to the urgency of the debate, officials said, is a mounting American concern that a continued expansion of Jewish settlements in the area of the West Bank known as Area C which is currently under Israeli control will soon make a geographically and politically viable Palestinian state impossible.

A report in The Wall Street Journal suggested that US President Barack Obama is reconsidering a plan first presented several years ago by US Secretary of State Kerry that Israel withdraw to the pre-1967 borders with agreed land swaps in order to establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. If the Palestinians are agreeable, the plan says that a deal could be worked out for land swaps that would leave the large Jewish settlement blocs in Israeli hands in exchange for Arab population centers within Israel proper. The fate of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem and the Western Wall would be subject to negotiations.

According to the plan, Israel would stop building Jewish homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In exchange, the Palestinians would recognize Israel’s right to exist – something that has not yet taken place – and rescind all claims to land within Israel proper. The report says that Obama is likely to back up his peace proposal with a communications campaign to justify that this is the right thing to do. The Wall Street Journal also said: “The strongest thing on the list of options under consideration would be for U.S. support of a UN Security Council Resolution calling on both sides to compromise on key issues in the conflict where in the past both sides have disagreed.

Commentators on Israel Army Radio interpreted the The Wall Street Journal report as meaning that the U.S. would fail to veto resolutions in the UN Security Council against Israel which the administration has done until now. “Now that Obama is leaving office he doesn’t have to curry favor with Jewish voters since he really isn’t such an enthusiastic supporter of Senator Hilliary Clinton,” who would likely bear the brunt of anger among Jewish voters if the U.S. lets the Security Council condemn Israel, said one analyst. “This is his chance to do what he has always wanted to do – some would say to solidify his legacy, while others would say to get back at Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu for him being uncooperative with Obama over the years.”

A NY Times Editorial said: “There are several options [to the current stalemate between Israel and the Palestinians regarding a two-state solution to the conflict] but the best may be a resolution that puts the United Nations Security Council on record supporting the basic principles of a peace deal covering borders, the future of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, security, and land swaps but not imposing anything on the two parties.”

The editorial condemned what it claimed were Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lackluster efforts in the peace process, saying that the Israeli prime minister has “never shown a serious willingness” to progress toward a peace deal, “as is made clear by his expansion of Israeli settlements which reduces the land available for a Palestinian state.” The article also criticized Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas for being “a weak and aging leader who has given up on peace.”

However, US Vice President, Joe Biden, recently made a proposal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of an Israeli settlement freeze and US recognition of East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state in exchange for Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and the Palestinians giving up their right of return to live in Israel. However, Abbas rejected the US proposal.

In response, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Foreign Ministry outlined a few scenarios regarding possible moves that Obama may take during his last year in office on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. In the first scenario, Obama would do nothing on the issue before the end of his term, except for steps to prevent any deterioration in ties between the conflicting sides. The assessment was that the likelihood of this scenario happening is not high.

The second possibility is that Obama will give a speech in which he presents the U.S. vision for a solution to the core issues of the conflict: borders, security, the return of refugees and the division of Jerusalem. Obama’s speech would be based on the draft framework agreement that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry almost succeeded in formulating during peace negotiations in early 2014. Israel believes that there is a higher probability of this scenario happening.

A third possibility, which was described as being a certain possibility also is American support for a UN Security Council resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Some of Obama’s advisers, as well as senior officials at the US State Department believe that the American president’s legacy on the Israeli-Palestinian issue should be a UN Security Council resolution that would outline the principles for the end of the conflict.

Such a resolution would replace the Security Council’s Resolution 242 from 1967 and Resolution 338 from 1973. It would serve as a new source of authority for the peace process, secure and preserve the two-state solution, and make it clear to the Israelis and Palestinians what concessions they would have to make if they one day decide to renew the peace process.

Meanwhile, Army Radio reported that Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is worried that the Obama administration will use its final weeks in office to back UN Security Council decisions and other measures detrimental to Israel. As a result, Netanyahu has been trying to persuade his ministerial colleagues to approve a series of measures to boost the West Bank economy and show Israel’s commitment to improving Palestinians’ lives in the West Bank.

Netanyahu’s primary concern about Obama supporting a UN Security Council Resolution regarding the Israel / Palestinian conflict is focused on the period between November 2016, when a new US president is elected and January 2017 when that new president takes office. Given the history of difficult relations between the two countries’ leaderships, this period would constitute a brief window when the Obama administration could advance its agenda without domestic repercussions, the report said.

Meanwhile, France said that it will recognize a Palestinian state if its imminent efforts to end the deadlock in peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians end without success. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said: “France will engage in the coming weeks in the preparation of an international conference bringing together the parties and their main partners, American, European, Arab, notably to preserve and make happen the solution of two states.” France, Fabius said, has a responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to sustain efforts to reach a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

If the French effort to organize an international conference to resolve the Israel / Palestinian conflict fails, Fabius said that France would move to unilaterally recognize Palestine as a state. Fabius said “And what will happen if this last-ditch attempt at reaching a negotiated solution hits a stumbling block? In that case, we will have to live up to our responsibilities and recognize a Palestinian state.”

In response, a senior Israeli official said that French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius’ threat to recognize a Palestinian state should an international peace conference fail to resolve the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians regarding the peace process gives the Palestinians incentive to not negotiate with Israel and want to see the talks end in a deadlock saying, “Negotiations cannot be held nor peace be achieved in this manner.”

Israeli Foreign Ministry Director General Dore Gold had talked with the France government about the issue and expressed skepticism about the French initiative. Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said, “The Israeli side emphasized the importance of direct, bilateral negotiations with no prior conditions between the parties” in the only way to bring about a negotiated peace between the parties.

Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog stated that he had talks with US Secretary of State, John Kerry, about the French idea of an international peace conference. As a result of these talks with Kerry, Herzog said that if Netanyahu does not respond positively to the idea that “Israel have a solution to the conflict imposed upon us by the international community.”

France presented Israel with a plan for an international peace summit to be held in Paris this summer in order to restart negotiations with the Palestinians. The international conference is tentatively scheduled to take place in June or July despite Israeli reservations about it. The French proposal is composed of three stages. First, consultations with Israel, the Palestinians and international partners on the notion of a summit in February or March. Second, a meeting in Paris of the international support group for the negotiations in March or April, without the Israelis or Palestinians present. Lastly, the convening of an international peace summit in Paris in June or July when negotiations will restart. France has tasked diplomat Pierre Vimont as the special envoy for the peace proposal.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, called a French proposal to hold an international peace conference “timely” and “realistic.” He said that the Palestinians welcome the French call “for serious international involvement towards ending the Israeli occupation that began in 1967.” Erekat added: “The French ideas are timely, the French ideas are realistic and the French ideas are the only thing in town, and those who care about peace between Palestinians and Israelis must fully support the French ideas. We will be maintaining our contact with France, as well as other international partners, to advance in that direction (of an international conference). We have been calling upon the international community to have an international conference for Palestine based on international law and UN resolutions.”

On the other hand, Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, said that the Palestinians are waging a new campaign at the United Nations to revive the two-state solution with the possible starting point being a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements. He said: “We will not accept that the year 2016 is a year when we cannot do anything. We have to open some doors to keep the hope alive and keep the two-state solution alive.”

The Palestinian ambassador recently met with the envoys from the permanent Security Council members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — to discuss the way forward. The Palestinian envoy suggested that a resolution condemning Israel’s expansion of Israeli settlements could be a first step but he stressed that there should be a broader plan. This could include the creation of an international support group, the deployment of observers to trouble spots or the convening of an international peace conference. “The signal has to come from the Security Council,” he said.

These current efforts by France is a continuation of their efforts in the past. In December 2014, France tried to push for a UN Security Council resolution to lay down a framework for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, these efforts failed due to opposition from Israel and the U.S. on one hand, and an unwillingness of the Palestinians on the other to compromise on the exact wording of the decision in order to win final approval from the Obama administration.

In the summer of 2015, France raised the possibility of creating an international support group for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. This group met on the sidelines of the UN last September. The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of Quartet-member nations (U.S., Russia, the EU and the UN) together with another 30 Western and Arab countries – but without Israel or the Palestinians

Since that meeting, Fabius tried to push for a Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements, but this effort also failed to gain traction. In the last few weeks, Fabius and other French officials held talks with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and other PA officials. The Palestinians expressed support for the creation of an international peace committee to be based on the 2002 Arab peace initiative. The current idea is for France to host an international peace conference this summer in either June or July.

If these efforts fail, the United States seems willing to consider a UN Security Council Resolution to outline the parameters of an eventual peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians which recognizes a Palestinian state based upon 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. The US would most likely be willing to consider such a UN Security Council Resolution this fall and no later than January, 2017.

An agreement to divide Jerusalem and establish a PLO state is a tribulation event.

The link to these articles are as follows:

1) White House Working on Renewed Mideast Peace Push
2) Report: Obama Ready to Use Security Council Veto to Promote New Peace Plan
3) NY Times: UN Security Council Resolution Is The Best Way To Resolve Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
4) Report: Netanyahu Fears ‘Lame Duck’ Obama May Try to Impose Two-State Solution
5) Netanyahu said worried Obama may go against Israel as term expires
6) France: We will recognize Palestinian state if talks deadlock persists
7) Palestinians mull new bid for UN resolution on settlements
8) Abbas reportedly turns down visiting Biden’s peace plan
9) Israel Rejects French Peace Bid Saying Threat of Recognition Incentivizes Palestinians Not to Negotiate
10) Obama May Back UN Resolution on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
11) Obama Seeks to Pave Way to Mideast Deal After He Leaves Office
12) Some observers predict Obama will make an 11th-hour push for Mideast peace
13) The Last Temptation of Barack Obama and John Kerry
14) PA’s chief negotiator upbeat on French proposal for peace confab
15) France Presents Israel With Plan To Host International Peace Summit With Palestinians

From a Biblical prophetic perspective, the reason why the God of Israel would allow these events to happen is because it will result in the end of the exile of the house of Jacob and the reunification of the 12 tribes of Israel (Ephraim and Judah).

We will to be “watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem” and we will not rest until the God of Israel makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62).

Shalom in Yeshua the Messiah,

Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int’l

You may view the 5 minute update this week via audio:

1) Listen to the audio

In this week’s 5 minute update, we focused on:

1) A report of the birthing of the B’ney Yosef North American National Congress from a summit held in the Tampa – St. Petersburg, FL area from March 4 – 6, 2016

Can These Dry Bones Live? A Report from the Bney Yosef Congress of North America

by Laura Densmore, Hebrew Nation News editor

The Bney Yosef North America Summit took place on March 4-6, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. What is this assembly of people? It is a network of North Americans who have heard the call to join together for the common purpose of the restoration and reconstitution of the people of Northern Israel, also known as the House of Yosef/Ephraim.

The purpose of this Summit was twofold:

*to discuss and affirm a statement of identity and purpose AND
* to get a biblical leadership structure in place, consisting of a Council of Elders to guide and lead BYNA and an Executive Council, to be the administrative arm.

Why this Summit now? There is an ever increasing awakening of Ephraimites in North America who are looking for their long-expected reunion with Judah.

Who is Ephraim? Let me quote from the vision statement, the Articles of Declaration:

The nation of Israel split into two separate kingdoms: Judah to the south and Israel to the north. Judah predominantly continued to walk in God’s statutes and commandments while the Northern Kingdom of Israel, prophetically known as Ephraim or Joseph, fell into a downward spiral of idolatry. God repeatedly warned the Northern Kingdom that continued disobedience would bring expulsion from the land but those warnings went unheeded as Israel refused to repent.

Ultimately Assyria conquered Israel and took its inhabitants into exile where they assimilated into Assyrian culture and accepted their many gods. And so the God of Israel fulfilled His ominous promise found first in Deuteronomy 28-30 and declared again many times in the Prophets. God drove Israel even farther into the nations, giving them up to their idols while simultaneously declaring them to be “not My people”. They became known as the lost sheep of the House of Israel” and were scattered as a mixed multitude to the four corners of the earth.

What is this long expected reunion with Judah?

The reunion of the two kingdoms, the Northern kingdom (known as house of Israel or Ephraim) and the Southern kingdom, (known as Judah) is prophesied in Ezekiel 37, where it is written that the stick of Judah and the stick of Ephraim would become ONE in the hand of the Lord:

Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’ Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become ONE in your hand. And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not show us what you mean by these?’ Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be ONE in My hand. Ezekiel 37: 15-19

One of the speakers talked about the concept of the two sticks becoming one. What does that really mean? Ezekiel 37:17 states:

Then join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.

The speaker shared about how the word “join” in Hebrew is qarab and it means: to come near, to approach, to enter into, to draw near.  

So, the two sticks, Judah and Ephraim, when they JOIN, it means they draw close, they draw near to each other. It does not mean that Judah becomes Ephraim or that Ephraim becomes Judah. They are to “draw near” to each other. It is up to the Father to make them into one nation, in His way and in His time.

Why is this meeting of this Summit significant prophetically?

This gathering of the “children of Joseph”, or the “Ephraimites” is truly about the unfolding and fulfillment of Ezekiel 37, the gathering of the scattered dry bones. The children of Joseph were scattered to all the nations….

….but they LIVE today. Now these “children of Joseph” are coming together, they are gathering, leaders are being raised up by the hand of God and being affirmed by those who are coming under this biblical structure. This is biblical governance arising. This is the skeletal frame of the living army being constructed and built.

The theme of dry bones came up many times throughout the Summit. Daniel Holdings, one of the Masters of Ceremony, repeatedly asked the question of the attendees, “Can these dry bones live?”

Albert McCarn, the Executive Director, opened up the Congress with a keynote speech. In his opening statement, he said: “You are here to witness the birth of a nation. We assemble here today as Abraham’s seed. The dry bones are coming alive again today. We are the returning lost tribes of Israel. We must join with Judah. We are the non-Jewish part of Israel. Israel is incomplete until we are rejoined.

Below is a short video clip of that speech:

Albert McCarn keynote speech

Click here to view entire speech

The Dry bones and the skeletal frame of biblical governance

David Altman, Deputy Executive Director, gave a message on “Building Bney Yosef on God’s Model”. He shared some key scriptures to lay a foundation for what biblical governance looks like. He referred to Exodus 18: 21-22:

Seek out from all the people able men, who fear Elohim, men of truth, hating unfair gain. And place these over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they shall rightly rule the people at all times.

He spoke about how these appointed leaders would have relational connection with those they serve and that these relationships are the connective tissue that binds them together.

He also said, “If a keystone of a bridge is strong, then it can hold any weight possible, so all the other stones can fit together. If the Lord is that keystone, then Ephraim can work on building the bridge on their side, and Judah can work on building the bridge on their side, and the God of Israel is the keystone where we will meet in the middle.”

He spoke about the nature and character of the leaders; that they are bondservants.
“A servant heart serves the least, serves the person who can do nothing for you, and is one who lifts up others.”

His closing statement summed it up beautifully:
“May those who look at this organization see the face of God.”

Concerning the biblical governing structure that is being raised up, Elder Barry Phillips had this to say:

“We are an organism, not an organization. It is living, with cellular structure.”

Below is a list of the nominees for leadership; They were unanimously affirmed by all 200 attendees on March 5, the second day of the Summit.

Council of Elders and Executive Council

Why now?

What does it mean that the children of Joseph have begun a journey of biblical governance? Could this be a sign that Mashiach will be coming soon? It is written in Ezekiel 39 that this regathering will happen in the end of days:

Therefore thus said the Master Yahweh, “Now I am going to bring back the captives of Jacob. And I shall have compassion on all the house of Israel, and shall be jealous for my set apart name. And they shall have borne their shame, and all their trespass they committed against Me, when they dwell safely in their own land, with none to make them afraid, when I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of the lands of their enemies. And I shall be set apart in them before the eyes of many nations. And they shall know that I am Yahweh their Elohim who sent them into exile among the nations, and then gathered them back to their own land, and left none of them behind. Ezekiel 39: 25-28

This is prophesy being fulfilled. The scattered dry bones are the whole house of Israel and includes the non-Jewish part of the nation of Israel. The people are being connected and a skeletal frame of biblical governance has emerged.

The rebirth of a nation

Cindy Wyant, one of the Masters of Ceremony, commented: “This baby is full term. We are birthing a nation. There have been 40 weeks since the first Bney Yosef Congress met in May 2015, in Ariel, Israel. Forty weeks is the gestation period of a baby.”

The voice of our older brother, Judah, was also represented at this Congress. We heard from Hanoch Young, of United2Restore.com who had wise insights to share:

“What I am all about is this: mutual respect for the restoration and reconciliation of the whole house of Israel.”

He also shared this: “For a bridge to be successful, it must be able to be walked on in BOTH directions at ALL times.”

The Articles of Declaration states this:

“We will not force Judah or anyone else to accept that we are who we believe ourselves to be. Instead, we will wait patiently on God to do His work. In the interim, we will actively assume the roles of bridge builders, peacemakers, and repairers of the breach; a people who understand why the community at large– the nation to which we belong–is greater than self.”

If the goal is to reunite the house of Joseph with the house of Judah, what about proselytizing?

This is what the Articles of Declaration say concerning proselytizing:

We will stand ready to give an answer for the hope of our calling, willing to share what we believe with anyone who desires to hear; this is our responsibility. Yet we acknowledge there is a difference between giving answers to questions asked and trying to convert another to our way of understanding and practice. Therefore, B’ney Yosef North America cannot and will not support or defend any attempts to evangelize the Jewish people.

Barry Phillips, one of the newly affirmed BYNA elders spoke on “Spiritual Boundaries”.
He had this to say on the topic:

We are not to seek to change Judah. That is not our calling or our purpose. Who we CAN change is ourselves. We are family. We are brothers. Neither side needs to convert to the other in order to cooperate and collaborate with the other.”

The Articles of Declaration is a living document that will be tweaked and edited and may change with time. They were affirmed and ratified unanimously by all 200 attendees at the close of the weekend.

Ken Rank, a key leader with United2Restore had this to say about the Articles just before reading them to the assembly:

“This is an opportunity to think nationally, to think as a nation, and to finally leave “self” at the door.”

He went on to say, “This is a living document. As Ephraimites, we all need to stand up, put our toes on the start line and when God says “go”, we start walking together on this journey.”

On the last day of the Summit, the Articles of Declaration were signed by the Council of Elders and the Executive Council. The signing was done during a quiet and worshipful atmosphere. Tears and quiet weeping could heard throughout the house as the signing of the Articles proceeded. It was a holy moment.

After the signing, Hanoch Young came forward and led us Ephraimites in singing Hatikva, Israel’s National anthem, and there was not a dry eye in the house.

Pictured above: The Council of Elders and Executive Council hold up the signed copies of the Articles of Declaration

 

Pictured above: Two of the Elders signing the Articles of Declaration

Where will this go next? The desire is to see the Father’s plans become a present day reality in other nations, continents, and regions as He raises them up by His spirit. The vision, hope and prayer is that the children of Joseph may arise wherever they may be found to form governing structures of their own, perhaps resulting in a Bney Yosef Africa, Bney Yosef South Africa, Bney Yosef Asia, etc.

May the children of Joseph who have been scattered to all the nations of the earth arise, begin to assemble and gather, and form a Bney Yosef organization to represent their continent, nation and region.

Conclusion:

Batya Wooten, one of the pioneers of the Hebrew roots movement, had this to say as the weekend closed:

“This is a high and a holy moment. Remember this is the Father’s heartbeat. It is the Father’s heartbeat to reunite his people. Be humble. Don’t try to own it. Just sit on things. Sometimes you may have to sit on things and wait while they are being worked out.

Let the Father move. The Father will have His way. He WILL unite His house.

May the shaking and the rattling of the bones be heard around the globe. May these dry bones continue to gather and assemble to make a great and mighty living army!

An agreement to divide Jerusalem and establish a PLO state is a tribulation event.

The link to these articles are as follows:

1) Can These Dry Bones Live? A Report from the Bney Yosef Congress of North America

From a Biblical prophetic perspective, the reason why the God of Israel would allow these events to happen is because it will result in the end of the exile of the house of Jacob and the reunification of the 12 tribes of Israel (Ephraim and Judah).

We will to be “watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem” and we will not rest until the God of Israel makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isaiah 62).

Shalom in Yeshua the Messiah,

Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int’l