Passover Chol HaMoad: Tale of Two Resurrections
Transcript(from the video captions)
Well, Shabbat shalom everybody. And Hag sameach and so good to see all your faces. I wasn't quite sure of the turnout today because we had the Seder on Thursday and now we have all all of you here and I'm so excited. It's so great. And I hope all your home Seders went well also. For those of you that couldn't make it on Thursday, I hope that you're you're able to have a home Seder as well and it was blessed. So, it's good to have you back with us and and see you here today. Let's pray. Avinu shebashamayim, we bless and sanctify you. We thank you so much for this special Shabbat and for Hag sameach for this Pesach week. We pray that we would know you intimately. We thank you for your Holy Spirit in Yeshua's name.
So, this weekend there are two worlds telling a story. In the Christian world, we have Easter. Resurrection Sunday, the claim that Hashem raised Yeshua from the dead. Not not symbolically and not only spiritually, but bodily. Historically. As the turning point of history. That death itself was overturned. And that we are living in that reality. And if that's true, then nothing remains the same. Meanwhile, in the Jewish world we have another testimony coming. In these very same days of Hol Ha Moed. Special holiday. We open up to the prophets to Yechezkel. The prophet Ezekiel chapter 37 and there we encounter this claim. Not about one man, but about a whole nation. That God raised this nation from the dead. And this nation is Israel. Not only restoring Israel from exile, but to resurrect them. Not symbolically. Not only spiritually, but bodily. A prophecy. And that claim is not just about Kol Yisrael, all of Israel. It is about you and me. It is about us in this prophecy. Because God is writing a story in history. A story that involves you and us to stand. To take our place. In the Exodus, we saw that Hashem has
the power to change the laws of nature. But today we are confronted with something even deeper. Does Hashem have the power to restore our very nature without overriding us? That is the question. And we go now to Ezekiel in Bavel, in Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel arises. Jerusalem is now destroyed. Hope is gone. The temple is gone. Everything that defined life with God in the shadow of the temple is erased. It's gone. And the people cry out, "Our bones are dried up. Our hope is gone. We are cut off." they say. This is a cry. A cry of despair. But when that cry of despair becomes a conclusion, when we say nothing will change, well, that becomes a potential self-fulfilling prophecy. The future can totally close in and there in lies the danger of our heart and our reflection. Not that we just feel it, but that we begin to agree with this whole nothing will change philosophy. If we repeat it, then we begin to believe it. And if we believe it, then we settle into it until we begin to live as though it is permanent. And sometimes it is not because we were never brought out. Because, oh, God brought us out. He
brought us out. And because we were brought out, now we have to settle. Not in Egypt. Not in a valley. No. Not in chains. Not in dryness. Because coming out is not the same as coming alive. There's another step we take when God brings us out of our personal Egypt. And that's where we stand today. We stand at that place. And then there's another moment in history that happens later. In Jerusalem. Not a temple destroyed, but a living temple. Yeshua. The one who said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it up in 3 days." is now dead. Is now buried. His talmidim, his disciples, they scatter. Strike the shepherd and the sheep well, they scatter. And afterward, they're not waiting in faith, rather they are hiding together with the doors locked in fear. That's John 20:19. Hope is collapsing around them and the same cry arises up to heaven once again. Our hope is gone. In their action, we see that hope is gone for a moment. Bavel, Babylon, Golgotha. Same. Different story. Defining moments. Same condition. No hope. No breath for a moment. And then the question presses in. The same question.
Can these bones live? Does God have the power to restore our very nature without overriding us? Is the question for us. And the disciples despair? Or can these bones live? Yad Hashem, the hand of God carries the prophet out into the valley of what appears to be the shadow of death. In the Ruach. What happens when the Ruach hovers over what is seemingly dead? What is seemingly dry? What is seemingly parched? Something is happening. The Ruach is hovering. Not near it, but observing it over the valley. In it as Ezekiel walks into it. He's surrounded by death everywhere. Not a declaration, not an explanation, but then God does something very Jewish. He asks a question. And he asks Yechezkel, "Can these dry bones live?" And Ezekiel says, "Oh Hashem, you know." Very similar to Mosha. Mosha said, "I want to know you. Show me your glory." Yechezkel is taking a different angle. "You know. Show me. Show me. I want to know. Show me. You know. Can these dry bones live?" Not individually, collectively. "Can this people, this army live again? And Yehezqel answers correctly. You know. And then God commands it.
Hinave Adonai. Prophesy over these hotzamot, these dry bones. Prophesy to them. Speak to them, Ezekiel. As my word went forth, it spoke. Now hear my word and speak over it. Say to them, Shimu devar Adonai. Hear the word of Hashem. This is key. Life begins with hearing the word.
And it is by hearing that we begin. The word is spoken and something happens. A sound. A rattling. A shifting. Bone on bone. Structure begins to return. Tendons, >> [snorts] >> flesh, skin. From a distance, it all looks alive. Well, it looks alive, but the text pauses. It's not alive yet. Why? Because there's no breath of God in them yet. The Ruach Adonai has not poured out. Has not breathed on them. Everything is in place. The word is spoken. The word is heard. But yet they had form, but could not bring themselves to life. The word brings the formation. But they had not brought themselves up yet. And then Hashem says again, Hinave el haruach. Prophesy to the Ruach now. Not the breath of first creation, but the Ruach of restoration. There's a difference of the breath that came into Adam, made him, made us a living being, but then there is the a Ruach who is coming from the four winds, the whole world, the four corners, and that's where life comes. And when the Ruach enters, they live. We live. They stand. A vast army approaches, and then God names them. We have naming. God is naming them. These bones
are the whole house of Israel. Don't miss that. These bones are the whole house of Israel. Not to be reduced. This is Israel. And here's the promise, fourfold, unmistakable. God says, "I will open up your graves." In 37:12. That gives us the opportunity for eternal life, for a life. I will raise you up from your graves. It's not enough to open, but to raise you up. Now we have resurrection. I will bring you in to the land of Israel. This is national restoration. I will put my Ruach in you, and you will live. And then, and only then, veyadatem ki Adonai ani Adonai. And you will know that I am Hashem. This is beyond Genesis. Bereishit, Genesis gives us the form, but this brings us into fulfillment language. This is resurrection power, national, spiritual, physical, and it happens in stages. First, gathering, 1948, and it even started before that. Hashem begins to gather us up. But then life life will emerge. First we see the motion. Israel's gathered, and the second is still unfolding today. And that is the story that you and I stand in today. The unfolding reality of God's resurrection
and the return of Israel to Zion. Physical restoration, spiritual regeneration in the Ruach. That's the inheritance we have, you and I as we stand together today. Don't mistake that. Live in that. Step into that. Embrace that. Because that is a treasure beyond treasure. And the second is again still unfolding. That is the regathering of our parts, our people, our souls into the land. God has spoken. God has begun. But now we shift. We return back to the grave again. Not a vision, but a moment in history. Jerusalem. The stone is sealed. Hope is gone. And then God acts. Hashem moves. Yeshua is raised. Not apart from Israel's story, but right within it. It's very beginning of its emergence. Not instead of Israel, but as Israel's representative. The one who goes before us. The one who God brings out in front to show us the way. The son of David, the king of Israel, the one who carries the destiny of his people in himself is raised. And the scripture gives us the perfect language today. Rav Shaul, the Apostle Paul, Messiah has been raised, the first fruit. And as he says, "The first fruit of
those who have fallen asleep." Not the harvest that is yet to come, but rather a new beginning, the guarantee, the pledge. What God has done in him, God will do for his people. God will do for you. He will do for me. He has overcome. But remember, this is not a separate, disjointed story. That was the valley. But Yeshua brings us beyond the valley of the shadow of death and brings us together in the Ruach, the Holy Spirit, that is in us and with us and among us today as God's glory arises in Israel, right here in our community, right here, right now, available to us all. Let's not take that lightly. The story of Ezekiel, it's unfolding right here, right now, but in Jerusalem at this time when God raised Yeshua from the dead, the same word, the same Ruach that the prophet saw. God had begun in him. And now we understand the resurrection of Yeshua is not only about one man, but about the king who represents his people. The one man Israel, the one man representative of the whole nation that is going to be revived. And this is the pledge that God will restore Israel. This is our hope. From no hope to hope, he will bring
life. He has brought life where there was none. And this is the exact way that your revival takes place. In that place, the revival will come and has already come. Because he has kept his covenant. And he will keep his covenant. And yet we live in this tension. We live in the tension of what's happening here. The tension is that Israel gathered, yet not fully awakened. We have a Jewish state. We have gathering going on, but not fully awakened in the Ruach. That's our place. That is our station, where we reside, right here. That's where we settle in that place. But in that place, God will say, "Move. Breathe. Move freely in the liberation of the Ruach, the freedom of the spirit." The bones, they come together, but the breath not yet fully come with our people Israel yet. And here's where the nations come in. The nations who have been there during this time. The nations see Yeshua, but can remain disconnected from Israel, from that story. Two halves of one story. You are a repairer of the breach, right in there. Not an easy place to stand, but that is our place. It is a blessed place. The Torah of freedom is in that place.
And the scripture holds it all together. Yeshua restores Israel. V'yadu ha ki anai. Ki ani Adonai. And the nations will know that I am Hashem. That's Ezekiel 37:28, same passage further down. The nations will know that I am Hashem when I restore my people Israel. Well, you know that Hashem is God because he has restored Yeshua and raised him from the grave. The representative, the king who resides over us. One story, one people under one Messianic king. And you, and I repeat, you are standing in that blessed place. That's the place. But if that is true, and let the Ruach testify to you now about it. Then it's not just something to understand, but something to step into and reside in and live and grow and flourish and prosper in that place. And let your faith arise in that place of settling in the spirit. The word is heard and spoken. The bones come together, but life comes with the Ruach and from the Ruach. And God does not force it. He speaks. He calls. He invites. He extends. And what was dead is made alive by the Ruach. He restores us as he has restored you and is in the process of bringing regeneration to us.
It's ongoing. So we live so we can stand and so we can know him intimately. God allows that. He wants that. He desires that. It was the question that Mosha asked. It was the question or the answer that Yehezqel, Ezekiel, gave to God. So, I ask you today, and I search my own heart and ask, where are the places where your hope is gone? Where your hope is faltering right now. And let the Ruach search you in those places. Where are those places that the valley has become a conclusion? That was our story once for a little while until God raised up Ezekiel to give us hope. Until God raised up Yeshua to give us ultimate final redemption. Already here, not yet. And where have you potentially settled into dryness? We all experience it. But where are you feeling parched even after being brought out? Because it's not enough to just be brought out, but we must hear the word of Hashem. Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of Mashiach because he breathes the Holy Spirit onto us. So hear the word, not once, but again and again and again, and continue to hear it and turn towards the son of
David, who is Yeshua. Turn towards him. Not as an idea, "Well, that sounds kind of nice." No, we don't want to be like the distant son. And if we are, we need to be rebuked and come back. Because he's your king. He's your representative. He's the first fruit. He's the one who goes before us. Because the one that God has raised is the same one who restores our souls. And now we know how because it all starts in Beresheet and it moves through the scriptures into the prophets and the prophets take us deeper into it and then bring us out and then show us Yeshua, who brings it all to eternal life. That's where we are. Not just then, once upon a time, but now. Right now, God is doing it today. Right now in me and in you. You are a living testimony. So I encourage you to walk in that testimony in your story. This is not just for Israel. It's for all who will take their place in it. And when the Ruach moves, and when the breath comes, do not resist it. Do not shrink back. Do not move in fear. Do not worry. Rather, receive. Stand. Walk. >> [snorts] >> And know that he is Hashem. L'chaim. Let's pray.
>> [gasps] >> Avinu she bashamayim, we bless your name. Oh Father, you said it so much today. We thank you so much for your word and to hear your word. And this this regeneration takes place now as we resettle, firmly established with clarity in you, in Yeshua's name. Breathe on us now. Receive the Ruach Hakodesh now. In Yeshua's name. Amen.