Preparing.org - Outcasts of Israel: The Reformers of YAH

As followers of YAH, we've all come to cherish the scriptural accounts of the remarkable lives, circumstances, and events of the ancient Hebrew Israelites. Throughout the generations, divine lessons in living have been learned through every story, every sojourn, every struggle, every heartbreak, every victory, every defeat, every deliverance. Beyond the laws and doctrines of the 'Tanakh', these examples shine as guiding lights, and serve as irreplaceable sources of inspiration for us all...

In my judgment, of the many lessons to be drawn from these accounts, by far the most overlooked and misunderstood of all are YAH's methods of deliverance and reform. That is to say, the divine strategies and techniques used to bring freedom and progressive change to the Commonwealth.

Brethren, to say our collective lack of knowledge in this area is critical would be a vast understatement. The truth is, most of us know who to fight, and what to fight with, but not HOW to successfully marshal the armies of Israel to victory.

When all is said and done, we as the faithful remnant of Israel must finally master not only the spiritual weapons of YAH, but the strategies, tactics, and logistics of spiritual warfare, under the principles of Kingdom governance. For as long as we continue to fight the good fight apart from YAH's divine strategies, our zeal, our weaponry, and our armor will simply be in vain.

Hear O Yisrael, - the hour has come for the introduction of our marching orders from the High Command. And the overall strategy of YAH for spiritual reform is based upon what we refer to as the principle of the outcast.

This basic truth is present and in full effect with every season of deliverance and reform in the sojourning of the children of Israel - from the call of Abrám, to Yosef (Joseph), to the Exodus from Egypt, to the Kingship of Davíd, to the return under Zerubbabel, to the advent of Y'shua the Messiah - and even unto this final hour...

From generation to generation, the reformers of YAH who emerge at the hour of distress to deliver His people from sin and oppression are without exception, taken from among the outcasts of Israel. Simply put, how else can a man deliver a people from bondage unless he himself is free? Or how can a man serve as a true reformer while he himself has been shaped by the very system in need of reform?

The reformers of YAH are of necessity, ALWAYS those men trained and taught by Elohim in the wilderness; or as it were, away from the camp of the Israelites. Sélah.

ABRAHAM

In the book of Genesis, it is written that the sojourning of our fathers began with Abrám of Ur. YAH called Him out from his country and kindred to embark upon a great journey - one that would eventually culminate with the deliverance of Israelites in Christ to permanently possess the promised land.

At the time of Abram's sojourn, Egypt was far and away the most advanced civilization in the world. And despite periodic descents into heresy, Egypt was from her very beginning a YAH-seeking monotheistic people [See Acts 7:22]. And unlike her contemporary, Babylon, she is destined for a role of glory and honor in the everlasting Kingdom. [See YeshaYahu (Isaiah) 19:19-25].

This can be further demonstrated in many, many ways. For example, the nation of Egypt had no part in the prophet Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream...

The image the Babylonian king saw was interpreted by Daniel as representing ALL the empires which, like King Sha'ul (Saul), would heed the spirit of Izebel (Jezebel) - until the everlasting Kingdom is established. According to Daniel's interpretation, history shows that the image represented Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. Again, notice that Egypt is not included.

As a matter of truth, apart from the sons of Shem, the two major warring religious ideologies of the time were the Babylonian doctrine of the Cushites, the hometown idolatry YHWH separated Abram from; and the monotheistic doctrine of the Mizraimites (Egyptians). It was the monotheistic Egyptians who rejected Abrám on a pseudo-moral basis concerning his half-sister and wife Sarai.

So we see that at the very outset in the sojourning of our fathers, Abram himself was an outcast - rejected by the pre-eminent religious order of his day. Of course, he eventually became AbraHAHM; the father not only of many nations (the Commonwealth of Israel in Christ), but especially of the coming outcasts of Israel.

YOSEF

The next major milestone in the sojourning of Israel was the seventy descendants of Abraham who entered Egypt, and the emergence of Yosef (Joseph), the son of the birthright.

As we all know, Yosef's authority in Egypt became second only to that of Pharaoh himself. And yet we see in this YAH-inspired reformer's life the same pattern of rejection and isolation from his brethren witnessed in the life of Abraham. And in suffering rejection by his older brothers, Yosef closely typifies the ultimate outcast of Israel - Mashiach Himself.

Like Y'shua, Yosef was despised and rejected for being his father's favorite son. And as an outcast living apart from his brethren and among the Egyptians, he actually became unrecognizable to the very men whose lives he would eventually save and transform. Sélah.

Again, it's an outcast of Israel whom YHWH ordains to deliver and reform.

[It's also needful to point out that Yosef delivering his brethren from starvation would not have been possible without his connection to an "insider"; his younger brother Benyamín (Benjamin), to whom he gave a "double" portion...]

MOSHE

It's no coincidence that the next major reformer of YAH, the great lawgiver Moshe (Moses), was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter and raised in Pharaoh's Palace.

Moshe was of necessity, shaped in a different environment than his enslaved kinsmen. He was raised without the stunted, dependent slave mentality of his countrymen. He was also instructed in "all the wisdom of Egypt", much of which was clearly the gift of YAH. [See 1 Melachim (Kings) 4:30; Acts 7:22]. Like the great prophets that went before, he too, was rejected by his brothers [for murdering an Egyptian taskmaster in an impulsive attempt to fulfill his destiny].

He was then prepared in the wilderness, away from the congregation of Israel, for forty years; being schooled at first by Yithro (Jethro), a priest from another branch of the family of Abraham. Of course, he was later instructed directly by "I AM THAT I AM" through the angel of YAH.

YHWH's deliverance and reform through Moshe was accomplished with the indispensable help of Moshe's elder brother Aharone (Aaron). Again, with the help of an insider. Aharone being raised among the enslaved Israelites meant that he personally shared their experiences and perspectives. He therefore had a certain rapport and influence among the slaves who, left to their own devices, would understandably look upon Moshe with envy and suspicion.

Furthermore, Aharone was known to be from the favored tribe of Levi, and no doubt had a reputation as an excellent speaker. To be sure, Aharone's role was absolutely critical. This is born out by the fact that he and his sons became the fathers of the Levitical order of the Priesthood.

Nevertheless, deliverance and reform of the children of Israel was led by Moshe - a classic outcast of Israel. True to form, YAH's liberation of the enslaved Hebrew Israelite nation was guided by the principle of the outcast.

DAVID

The fact that King David was a man who endured the outright rejection and wrath of his brothers and his government before ascending to the throne of Israel is common knowledge. What's not so common is a full understanding of why...

To begin with, David was despised by his brothers because they were passed over in the search by nabi Sh'muel (the prophet Samuel) for YAH's chosen King. Of course, they also hated him for having the courage and faith as their youngest brother to challenge the universally feared Philistine giant, Goliath.

As we all know, David's later persecution was led by King Sha'ul (Saul), who harbored a demonically inspired envy and hatred for YAH's chosen king. David was hailed by the daughters of Israel more so than he; and was YAH's choice rather than merely the people's choice. Sha'ul's relentless persecution, including his thwarted attempts at murder, literally drove David into the wilderness - away from his oppressed countrymen. And with good reason...

David was Sha'ul's son-in-law, and thus an administrator of sorts in the King's court. But the arrogant and vain Sha'ul was so corrupt and his rule so oppressive that its continuing influence would have crippled David's ability to bring deliverance and reform. And sure enough, he found comfort, strength, and direction during the wilderness period of his life, which ultimately saw him through to total victory; not only over Sha'ul's wrath, but over all the foreign enemies of Israel!

Again, the principle of the outcast is seen in full effect, as even the royal house, along with the holy nation itself, was established through an outcast of Israel - the great King David.

Y'SHUA

We who are true disciples of Christ know full well and deeply cherish the 'high-water mark' of YAH's deliverance and reform in every aspect. Without question, it is the life and ministry of Y'shua Ha Mashiach; the Undisputed Champion of the Ages... The ultimate deliverer and reformer. And the ultimate outcast of Yisrael.

From conception to crucifixion, the life of the Messiah was ordered according to the principle of the outcast...

To begin with, He was born of a virgin. This means He lived His whole life under the burden of being perceived as a 'bastard' by much of His countrymen. And of course, the Torah places a stigma upon bastards, relegating them to outcast status among the Israelites [See Deut. 23:2].

He was born in the land of Yehudah (Judea), and yet was only there for a very brief season. He was raised not among the 'Jews', but in Samaria - outside the congregation; among the religiously despised and rejected. Surely Y'shua bore the outward indicators of being raised in 'Galilee', which being translated, means "heathen circle." Sélah.

It was said of Him, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" And again, "You are a Samaritan, and have a devil." The truth is, He was despised and rejected for not hailing from the land of Yehudah, and was thus widely perceived as unfamiliar, unfit, and unqualified to be King.

Our Savior, Y'shua Ha Mashiach, is the ultimate outcast of Israel!

Like Abraham, He left the house of His Father, sojourned in Egypt and 'Canaan', and was rejected on pseudo-moral grounds.
Like Yosef, He was despised and rejected, and eventually, He was unrecognizable by His brethren - His abundant gifts from His Father showing forth that He was the favored Son.
Like Moshe, He was adopted, raised, and prepared for the ministry of deliverance and reform apart from His brethren.
Like David, He was set to be executed by the people's choice for King ("We have no king but Caesar"), and was rejected by His brothers for His courage and faith.

It is written, "He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him smitten, stricken by YAH, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and YAH has laid upon Him the iniquity if us all."

Blessed be the greatest outcast of Israel of them all... Even so, Ahmein.

YA'AQOB

In the first century, the church of Y'shua - like her head - was birthed and ordered according the principle of the outcast; with Y'shua's brother Ya'aqob (James) appointed as her leader.

Ya'aqob didn't believe in Y'shua during His pre-Resurrection ministry [See Yehochanan (John) 7:1-5], and was obviously outside His inner circle of disciples. And yet he was chosen by Y'shua during His forty day post-Resurrection ministry [see Acts 1:1-3] to preside over the mother Church at Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) rather than believing Kefa, Ya'aqob, and Yochanan (Peter, James and John) [See Acts 15:1-32]. Why?

Beyond the fact that he was next in the line of succession to the throne of David, he was untainted by the fleshly controversies that caused Y'shua's disciples to forsake Him in His hour of testing. Once again, YAH chooses a man apart from the congregation, according to the principle of the outcast...

THE CHURCH

Finally my brethren, THE miraculous sign that astounded both 'Jew' and 'Greek', and gave the early church the traction to roll through the most horrendous period of persecution she would ever face was simply this: many of the chief priests, who were the preeminent religious order of the day - highly educated and politically powerful - came under the spiritual authority of common and "unlearned" men!

Fisherman over Pharisees... Ahmein & Amen!

True to the ancient landmark set by our fathers, the ultimate season of deliverance and reform thus far was put forth and established by the very outcasts of Yisrael!

Hear O beloved nation; and hearken, you ends of the earth - YAH will yet choose an outcast of Israel! A despised and rejected man whom Israelites as a whole will not easily recognize. A man very different in both speech and doctrine...

A man drawn out and shaped apart from the congregation, and thereby free of the gross error and excess all generations, even of the faithful remnant, acquire over time...

...an outcast of Yisrael to miraculously deliver the holy nation from all her spiritual enemies round about; that she may be fully prepared for the Coming of the Mighty One - the ultimate outcast of Yisrael; our Blessed Savior and Redeemer, Y'shua The Messiah!

Ahmein & Amen.

Shalom Aleichem!