A new year has started, according to the Gregorian way of reckoning, and this is usually the time for many people to review and evaluate the past year and formulate a few new year’s resolutions in view of the year to come. Knowing that the beginning of January is not really the beginning of the year according to the Scriptural reckoning, I personally do not take the practice of new year’s resolutions too seriously. However, it is impossible to ignore the fact that the world around us is functioning in a way that honours December as the end and January as the beginning of the year. Many businesses are closed during December and are opened again in January. This is the time of year that the vast majority of people take a breather and go away (or stay at home) for a time of rest. It is also the conclusion and the beginning for all academic institutions – schools, collages and universities – at least as far as South Africa is concerned. Whether we like it or not, we all need to make some kind of a fresh start during this time of the year.

Perhaps it is not a bad idea to use this time of the year to take a fresh look at the challenges we are facing within the context of the Messianic belief and the world wide awakening to some of the forgotten and neglected truths of Yahweh’s Word. As a point of departure, I looked at a video clip on the internet about the recapturing of Jerusalem during the 6 Day War in 1967. Many people may not realise this but 1967 was the first year in approximately 2000 years that the Jews had control over the entire Jerusalem. The Jews never had absolute control of any part of Israel since the 2^nd century B.M. and were treated as strangers in their own homeland all those years between then and the 20^th century. Even in 1948, when the state of Israel was established, Jerusalem was divided in two and the Jews only had control over West Jerusalem. This situation continued until the year 1967. What is most interesting is that the same year when Israel gained control over the entire Jerusalem (1967) is also regarded as the year that marks the beginning of the so-called Messianic movement. Against this background, last year (2007) was the 40^th anniversary of the Messianic movement – not officially, but at least broadly speaking and to some degree.

The video clip that I mentioned features an interview with two veterans of the Six-Day War (one Palestinian and one Israeli) in which they talk about the lessons that they have learned during and after the war of 1967. I thought that some of these lessons are also applicable to what has happened within the so-called Messianic movement over the past 40 years. Let us look at a few of these and try to establish what are the challenges that lies ahead of us in the year of 2008.

The name of the Israeli soldier is Mosheh. He says that he was a young paratrooper during the Six-Day War and that he fought alongside others and then he adds: "My story actually begins before 1967." This is one of the challenges that we should also bear in mind. Our story began before we came into contact with the Messianic belief. We did not burst onto the Messianic scene coming from nowhere – having no past and no former experience at all. Yahweh had dealt with us before we came to the knowledge of his Name and before we came to a new appreciation of his words and commandments. He prepared us for this, even though we may not have been aware of such a process. The challenge before us is never to forget that and never to through that away – even though the Spirit of Yahweh may have convicted us to change our thinking and our beliefs in many areas. Yahweh chose us to be in Him before the foundation of the world and He ordained us long ago to adoption as sons and daughters (Eph 1:4-5). Let us not underestimate the value of the things we experienced and the lessons we learned before we actually came into this belief.

The name of the Palestinian soldier in the video clip is Ali. He tells how sad he was when the Israeli’s took over Jerusalem and that he subsequently joined the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine as a means to become involved in the struggle. One evening he went with a group of comrades and planted several bombs in the new city. One of the bombs that he had planted injured 9 civilians and he was sent to jail for 17 years. He adds that he later realised that there were better ways to accomplish his goals and started to work as a tour guide to Palestinians who came to visit Israel. Sometimes we also join the Popular Front for the Liberation of the Truth, in an effort to wipe away the wrongs and the deceptions around us. We tend to think that just joining the popular movement will do the trick. There are many ways and customs that have become "popular" over the years within the Messianic movement. Things like using Hebrew words, copying the ideas of popular teachers of the Torah, following the Jewish plan of Torah readings, and so forth. But the challenge before us is to forget about what is popular and spectacular and to start focusing on that which is truly Scriptural. For this we need the inner guidance of the Spirit of Yahweh and the boldness to speak out the truth of Yahweh’s Word, even though it may not fit in with the popular ideas among Messianic believers.

Back to the Israeli soldier, Mosheh. In the interview he says the following: "Now, 40 years later, when I look at the city, the city is open now, but in a way it is also divided. It is much more divided than it was before." Isn’t this one of the main challenges that we have to face as modern day Messianic believers – that the group that we now belong to is just as much, and even more divided than the group that we belonged to before? Was it not our Master’s prayer that his true followers would become one, even as He and his Father are one? What has become of our essential unity in Messiah? Why is there still so much strife, disagreement and even hatred among the followers of the Messiah? It is true, we live in a world that is far from perfect and we ourselves are men and women who all stumble in many matters (Ya’aqov / James 3:2). But perhaps we should once again ask ourselves the question: Have we rid ourselves completely from the falsehood and the futility that we have inherited from our predecessors (YermeYahu / Jeremiah 16:19)? It is just not possible to experience unity in an environment where lies and falsehood still prevail – even in the slightest degree.

Towards the end of the interview the Palestinian soldier, Ali, makes the following significant remark: "I found out that the new way of this fight is more effective than placing bombs." Here we have the biggest challenge of them all – especially with the year 2008 lying ahead of us. The challenge not to abandon the fight when some of our earlier strategies have proved to be ineffective or insufficient, but to find a new and effective way of fighting. Fighting both the enemy and the battle to restore the truth of Yahweh’s Word. Fighting and being wise at the same time. Fighting with our mind’s eye on the job that needs to be done, not some people with whom we may have our differences. Fighting in the spirit of the words of our Master: "Love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those insulting you and persecuting you, so that you become sons of your Father in the heavens" (Matt 5:44-45).

Let us accept the challenge of going into this year, fully aware of the loopholes as well as the opportunities, giving our very best in the service of our Master and striving to be wise and effective instruments in our Father’s hands.