Messianic Kingdom

The Book of Romans is considered to be one of Sha’ul’s greatest letters (and his longest epistle-letter)! In Romans Sha’ul outlines a profound, prophetic Messianic Kingdom for the entire body of Messiah as well as responding to practical matters of the day-to-day routines of the growing Messianic Community in Rome. The book of Romans is considered Sha’ul’s Magnum Opus, His greatest work! Romans can be dated with confidence to the winter of 56-57 C.E. at the end of Sha’ul’s third journey, possibly from Corinth as he was on his way to deliver funds collected from the congregations in Asia minor to the Jewish believers in Jerusalem (Romans Chapter 15):
 
Unlike the other Messianic Congregations Sha’ul planted in the provinces, the Roman congregations seem to have begun independently from the emissaries (including Sha’ul). These congregations were most likely started by Jewish believers in Rome who came to know Yeshua during the Acts 2, Shavuot outpouring back in Jerusalem.  The Roman historian Suetonius and Acts 18:1-2 both reveal that there were disturbances, conflicts, issues between Jews and Gentiles in Rome over the proclamation of Yeshua as the Messiah:
 
Acts 18:1-2. After this, Sha'ul left Athens and went to Corinth, 2 where he met a Jewish man named Aquila, originally from Pontus but having recently come with his wife Priscilla from Italy, because Claudius had issued a decree expelling all the Jews from Rome. Sha'ul went to see them;
 
In 49 C.E. the Emperor Claudius expelled all the Jewish leaders, making no distinction between those who were messianic and those who were not thus Pricilla and Aquilla, Messianic Jews came from Rome to Corinth where they were greeted by Sha’ul. By the time these Jewish leaders returned to Rome from expulsion some 10 years later the Gentile, non-biblical component of these Messianic Congregations had grown substantially. Sha’ul’s letter “Romans” was written to divest those Congregations from the Roman cultural influences, rituals, and Greco/Roman practices they had been infected with and bring them back to its first Century Messianic, biblical based foundation.
 
Sha’ul wrote his letter to the “Romans” 300 years before the New Testament is codified! There is no church or Christian community when Sha’ul writes this letter! In fact, the first gospel, Mark was written in 64 A.D., Five years after Sha’ul wrote Romans! The book of Romans gives us profound insight into the early Messianic Community and how they dealt with the same growing tensions we deal with today between Jewish and Gentile believers, between the growing Messianic Community and the larger, non-believing Jewish Community, and between believers and the general American secular society.

Unlike his contemporary Emissaries, Sha’ul was an egalitarian, believing in the principle that all people are created equal, deserve equal rights with equal opportunities. In the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew was critical of King Herod for marrying his brother’s wife. Who put Herod on the throne? Rome appointed Herod to the throne! Sha’ul isn’t so hostile towards Rome, in fact he is government friendly! He states in:
 
Romans 13:1. Everyone is to obey the governing authorities. For there is no authority that is not from God, and the existing authorities have been placed where they are by God.

Sha’ul was born in Tarsus in the Roman Empire (Modern Day South Central Turkey). He was born a Jew and a Roman citizen! He understood the class system of both his worlds! Roman society was broken down into four basic classes. Patricians were the elite minority, at top of the pyramid! They were wealthy landowners! They were the leading, governing class made up of Consels (Lawyers), Senators, and Praetors (Judges). They were the descendants of the “founding Fathers” They could veto laws! Below them were the Plebeians who were a lower class, ordinary citizens! They paid taxes and were commonly merchants or shop owners! Plebians could not lead in Government. Below them were “Freedman”. They were former slaves who bought their freedom. They could have jobs, tradesman, craftsman, shop owners[EC1] , and traders. They had little rights but could own small shops and farms. Women for the most part had zero rights in all the above. Below all the classes and the largest group were slaves who had no rights and were the laborers for everything; servants, farming, mining, construction, prostitutes, public projects such as roads and the Colosseum were built by slaves. It would take decades, but they could possibly buy their freedom! This is the culture Sha’ul was raised in!
 
This same culture was also in Jerusalem, in Judea as King Herod was Rome’s appointee. He was sympathetic to the culture, living like a Roman! The Romans kept themselves separated from the Jews who were considered inferior. The Judeans themselves believed the Gentiles were inferior to them while the Priests and ruling sects (Pharisees and Sadducees) believe themselves to be superior to the ordinary Judean. Even America has a class system, the Elite ruling class (those who get invited to and meet in the secretive meetings attempting to reset the world and govern a one new world order in Davos, Switzerland, the Bohemian Club in Bohemian Grove, California, and the Aspen “ESG” (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Summit) in Aspen Colorado! Then we have the upper middle class, the middle class, the working class, the working poor, then the poverty level, held captive by government public housing and welfare! As King Solomon stated there is nothing new under the sun! Sha’ul spoke to these factions and divisions in:
 
Galatians 2:11-13. Furthermore, when Kefa came to Antioch, I opposed him publicly, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 For prior to the arrival of certain people from [the community headed by] Ya'akov, he had been eating with the Gentile believers; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of the faction who favored circumcising Gentile believers. 13 And the other Jewish believers became hypocrites along with him, so that even Bar-Nabba was led astray by their hypocrisy.
 
Sha’ul was directly confronting Kefa, Peter for his Hypocrisy and actions regarding the Gentiles! Kefa is the one whom Adonai spoke to in Acts 10-11 through an open vision, to stop treating Gentiles as Treif (Yiddish for not kosher). Adonai’s visions of the sheet and unclean animals to Kefa was not a heavenly directive to eat unkosher animals. Kefa understood what was being prophetically communicated to him in this vision in:
 
Acts 10:34-35. “Then Kefa addressed them: I now understand that God does not play favorites, 35 but that whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him, no matter what people he belongs to.
 
Kefa, who was given this divine revelation, who made this very profound statement is now separating himself from the Gentiles in Antioch over peer pressure even though the Lord specifically gave him a vision to NOT DO THIS! We don’t often think about or talk about the issues and errors that happened 2,000 years ago! We tend to put the Talmidim upon pedestals which we shouldn’t! The early Talmidim, Disciples were human flesh, imperfect, and made mistakes and errors just like we do! There is only one perfect one and His name is Yeshua Who brought us a New Covenant. A Messianic Kingdom paid for with His blood as defined in:
 
Jeremiah 31:30-34. "Here, the days are coming," says ADONAI, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Isra'el and with the house of Y'hudah. 31 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by their hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt; because they, for their part, violated my covenant, even though I, for my part, was a husband to them," says ADONAI. 32 "For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Isra'el after those days," says ADONAI: "I will put my Torah within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will any of them teach his fellow community member or his brother, 'Know ADONAI'; for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more."
 
Here is a very profound, critical revelation! The covenant of Adonai DID NOT CHANGE! How it is implemented changed! New in Hebrew is Hadas; Something renewed, made fresh, something not seen or done before. Through the blood of Yeshua, Adonai’s Torah would now be written on our hearts! We no longer need repetitive animal sacrifices. Yeshua’s bloody sacrifice was a once and for all, the ultimate sacrifice! The covenant didn’t change, anyone seeking to be reconciled to Adonai requires a blood sacrifice-Yeshua! Through Him we won’t be taught to know Adonai, all will know Him through intimate relationship!! This was Job’s revelation after Adonai spoke to him at the end of his affliction, Job said: “I had heard about you with my ears, but now my eye sees you.” Sha’ul knew this very well, the covenant has not changed, did not change, and is still valid for us today! Listen to how Sha’ul the egalitarian unpacks this understanding:
 
Romans 2:13-15. (TLV) For it is not the hearers of Torah who are righteous before God; rather, it is the doers of Torah who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the Torah, do by nature the things of the Torah, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the Torah. 15 They show that the work of the Torah is written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts switching between accusing or defending them.
 
It’s the doers of what Torah says who will are made righteous in Gods sight, not just those who hear it! What, then, is the goal of Torah? Torah is God’s roadmap of His covenant with us revealing how one is reconciled unto to Him, how one is sanctified, how to approach Him, how to have an intimate relationship with Him. Torah’s aim is for every individual to be reconciled unto Adonai.  The error in both Christendom and Judaism is the false belief that reconciliation to God can be obtained through legalism, rituals, hyper grace, hyper love, or religion. There must be blood for sin atonement, the author of Hebrews stated:
 
Hebrews 9:22. In fact, according to the Torah, almost everything is purified with blood; indeed, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
 
Your life, your character, your conduct, your behavior, your actions, your deeds, your works should reveal that Torah is written on your heart! Not just the hearers of Torah but the doers of Torah! The author of this new covenant is the living Torah, Yeshua Ben Elohim, fully divine and yet also Human who brought life and power to the word of God! The word is no longer just spoken, it’s alive through Yeshua who is in you, therefore the word is written upon your heart! When Yeshua is in you, there is a radical transformation, within you, upon your heart is written the word of Adonai! Your heart is circumcised, “mul” in Hebrew, to cut off, your old, hardened heart is cut, circumcised, which is a sign of the covenant!! Here is the key, it’s the same for both Jew and Gentile!
 
This is what Paul was writing about, he’s addressing the division, the separation, between the Jews and Gentiles and non-kingdom like attributes in these Roman Congregations. Hard to grasp this was 2,000 years ago yet we deal with the exact same struggles today. We are told in:
 
Numbers 15:15-16. For this community there will be the same law for you as for the foreigner living with you; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations; the foreigner is to be treated the same way before ADONAI as yourselves. 16 The same Torah and standard of judgment will apply to both you and the foreigner living with you.'"
 
This always stirs up a lot of controversy, both in Christendom and in the Messianic movement. So many Jews and Gentiles say the tenants of Torah are only for the Jewish people, yet the words of Adonai stand in truth before us. We are all born with free will, it’s a choice! One doesn’t have to do anything! Here at Congregation Zion’s Sake we do not distinguish between Jew or Gentile, Man or Woman, race or culture. We are a community who rallies around the whole word of God, one word, one Messiah, one Holy Spirit! They apply to all, equally! Adonai gave this revelation, this prophetic understanding of one law for all as it was a mixed crowd who had departed from Slavery in Egypt, a mixed crowd like the congregations in Rome, a mixed crowd like we have here! The One New Humanity of Ephesians 2! It was a mixed crowd that was present at the base of Mt. Sinai receiving these very words!
 
Exodus 12:38. A mixed crowd (Vegam-erev: mixture, mixed people, mixed company, interwoven as something knitted together) also went up with them, as well as livestock in large numbers, both flocks and herds.

This does not describe a diverse group of individuals standing in line at DMV, or Wal Mart, or at a Sporting event. Exodus 12:38 describes a mixed group of people who are woven together, intertwined, knitted together as one, Jew and Gentile in unity. People in relationship with each other! But it didn’t stay this way! Man’s corrupted flesh got involved and bit by bit separation, division, and classes were established! By the second Temple period we see a plethora of various divisions, The Courtyard of men, The Priests Courtyard, The Courtyard of the Gentiles, the Courtyard of the Women, all divided by walls of separation, none of which is ordained by God! Adonai did not give any instruction to build walls of separation. Man had constructed a class system in Gods house that He did not command. He sent His own Son Yeshua to tear down the Mechitzah, the walls of separation restoring truth, equality, and unity as a Messianic Kingdom! Sha’ul understood the profound Gift Yeshua died for and applied it to the Roman class system:
 
Galatians 3:27-28. because as many of you as were immersed into the Messiah have clothed yourselves with the Messiah, in whom 28 there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with the Messiah Yeshua, you are all one.
 
There is no pyramid class system in the Kingdom of God! Everyone has an equal seat at the communion table in the Messianic Kingdom! There is no racism, bigotry, class, or cultural identity- all are one “as many of you as were immersed into the Messiah have clothed yourselves with the Messiah”.  In union with Yeshua, WE ARE ALL ONE! Sha’ul also applied this to both the Roman and Judean class system:  
 
Colossians 3:10-11. and have put on the new self, which is continually being renewed in fuller and fuller knowledge, closer and closer to the image of its Creator. 11 The new self allows no room for discriminating between Gentile and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, foreigner, savage, slave, free man; on the contrary, in all, the Messiah is everything.

The New Self allows no room for discrimination between Jew or Gentile. It’s not that Jews and Gentiles don’t exist, it’s that such distinctions must not become a ground for discrimination or a spirit of division within the greater body of Messiah. There is no class system, no separation, no distinctions, between all believers! We obtain this by putting on the New Self, the One New Humanity. It is Yeshua who bought equality which is the basis of unity among the “mixed crowd” of believers. Putting on the New Self requires change and transformation which is the result of being “immersed into the Messiah”. This New Self is continually being renewed. “Anakaino “in the Greek: to make new, to be renewed completely by Adonai as He stated in Jeremiah 31, renewal of the inward person, into the true knowledge of our creator, Adonai, and Yeshua! To be transformed from the former corrupt state into a new life-born again!! From this comes true brotherly love!
 
What this is really talking about is Messianic Kingdom Character! What are the attributes of Kingdom Character? Self-control, love, truth, transparency, honesty, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, perseverance, charity, grace, godliness, and brotherly affection! It’s only though these Kingdom Character traits that we may be equal and unified! To do so requires us to destroy the old self, the old nature, the fleshly, worldly desires.
 
Colossians 3:5-9. Therefore, put to death the earthly parts of your nature - sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed (which is a form of idolatry); 6 for it is because of these things that God's anger is coming on those who disobey him. 7 True enough, you used to practice these things in the life you once lived; 8 but now, put them all away - anger, exasperation, meanness, slander and obscene talk. 9 Never lie to one another; because you have stripped away the old self, with its ways,

This requires being led by the Ruach HaKodesh because the old nature wants what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is contrary to the old nature. They oppose each other! The original DNA of Adam was corrupted by Adam’s sin, His disobedience of God’s known will (which is His whole, complete word)-we are all infected with this corruption. Remember, the covenant hasn’t changed! I can’t tell you how many BELIEVERS miss this truth.  Rather than acknowledge their sin, confess it and repent, they will either leave a congregation, spend the rest of their life hurting, angry, and bitter or it dissolves into “They Got This!” mentality. They try to "handle it themselves," they’ll give more, pray more, or busy themselves in activity in the false hope that God will finally "get over" their issues, character flaws, or even forget it. Adonai wants none of that. External religious activity cannot replace internal, heartfelt confession and repentance. This is what will give us a broken and contrite heart which produces Kingdom Character! HaSatan didn’t tempt Adam and Eve to murder, steal, lie, or commit idolatry! He tempted them to question the word of God, which he continues to do to this very day! By denying, disobeying, and ignoring the covenant, God’s word we don’t have a unified body who loves each other as their self! We don’t have to wait for Yeshua’s return!  We can start building the Messianic Kingdom now in preparation for His return!!
 
Blessings,
 
Rabbi Eric Carlson