The Role of the Messianic Remnant in Apostolic Ministry

The Messianic Jewish remnant in Israel today is a partial restoration of the first-century community of disciples, including the emergence of apostolic-prophetic ministry teams within that remnant. Although it is still in its “baby” stages, we believe that the Messianic remnant in Israel will have a certain role to play in the fulfillment of end times’ prophecy.

In Acts 1, the disciples received the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2 on Pentecost (Shavuot) morning, they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Between the promise and the outpouring, the disciples gave themselves to fervent, united prayer, which led to revival. Yet there was another element between the prayer and the outpouring: the appointment of the 12th apostle.

At first glance, that appointment doesn’t seem significant. However, the restoration of the 12th apostle was important in order to preserve the covenant pattern of the 12 tribes of Israel. It had symbolic significance like the 12 stones of Elijah’s altar (1 Kings 18:31) and the 12 stones of Joshua’s memorial (Josh. 4:2-3). In God’s plan, the “new” is always faithful to the “old”—to the prophecies and patterns established under previous covenants.

The re-appointment of the 12th apostle can be seen as symbolic of the restoration of the apostolic-prophetic Messianic remnant in Israel today. At the same time, through the house of prayer movement, God is raising up a worldwide network of united prayer. The parallel emergence of a united international prayer network and a Messianic remnant in Israel are like end times’ puzzle pieces coming into place, and a sign that we are moving toward a historic end-times revival.

The promise of world revival in Acts 2:17 is a quote from the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-3:1). This text seems to be a prophetic hint that in the generation of those who survived the Holocaust, God would restore the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. Then God would call unto salvation a remnant of faith among the Jews in Israel. When this remnant is in place, the conditions will be set for the end-times prophecies to come to pass. These include both the negative prophecies of world disasters and the positive prophecies of world revival.

In Acts 15, the historic apostolic council took place in Jerusalem to discuss the development of the Gentile churches. They made a gracious, strategic decision to encourage the international churches to grow without having to keep certain Torah commandments which were so important to Jewish identity (circumcision, foods, feasts and so on). These instructions were sent around the world, and the result was that the churches began to grow and multiply (Acts 16:4-5).

Gentile churches do not need to submit in the same way to Messianic leaders from Israel today. However, as we move more into the end times, there will be vital, strategic impartation for the international church coming out of the body in Israel. I believe that the alignment of love and humility between the international church and the Messianic remnant in Israel will re-establish a covenant pattern of kingdom authority that will prepare both Israel and the church for the Second Coming of Yeshua and the establishment of His kingdom on Earth.

Unfortunately, many of us in the Messianic movement have spread teachings that were unbalanced and unedifying. We ask forgiveness for our errors and trust God to heal and bring the blessing He promised. One blessing that should come out of the relationship between the Messianic remnant and the international Church is unity. As there is unity in the Spirit through prayer as described in John 17, so is there unity through being grafted into the same historic root as described in Romans 11. This unity is also described as “one new man” in Ephesians 2-3. {eoa}

Note: The preceding is an excerpt from Asher Intrater’s book, All Authority. To order the book, click here.

Asher Intrater is the founder and apostolic leader of Revive Israel Ministries and oversees Ahavat Yeshua Congregation in Jerusalem and Tiferet Yeshua Congregation in Tel Aviv. Asher was one of the founders of Tikkun International with Dan Juster and Eitan Shishkoff and serves on the board of the Messianic Alliance of Israel and Aglow International. He and his wife and full-time partner in ministry, Betty, have a passion for personal prayer and devotion, local evangelism and discipleship in Hebrew and unity of the body of believers worldwide.

For the original article, visit reviveisrael.org.