By Maria Merola אריאל
© Copyright Double Portion Inheritance, May 2013
http://www.DoublePortionInheritance.com
The fig tree has been used as a metaphor to symbolize those who are true Yisraelites in the eyes of the Heavenly Father. The first mention of the fig tree as a prophetic illustration of the nation of Yisra’el, is seen in Shophtiym (Judges) 9:9-11. In Hosea 9:10 we read “I saw your fathers as the first-fruits on the fig tree in its first season.” In Jeremiah 24:5, the fig tree is used again as a symbol for the nation of Judah:
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He said “Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Yahuwdah (Judah), whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans.“
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This symbolized the spiritual barrenness of Yisra’el (Isaiah 54:1). As the covenant people of YaHuWaH, Yisra’el was in their land for a long time but still yielding no spiritual fruit. Yahuwshuwa cursed the tree by saying, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again“ (Matthew 21:19). Immediately the tree withered away.
As an indication that he intended to restore the nation in the future, our Messiah, Yahuwshuwa saw one man in particular named Nathanael sitting under a fig tree, and he said of him “Behold, an Yisraelite indeed in whom is no guile!“ Nathanael sitting under the fig tree meant that he was under the authority of YaHuWaH and his commandments (John 1:47-49). The Hebrew meaning of his name is Strong’s #H5417 - Nĕthane’l which means “given of Elohiym”or “given of El.”
In Matthew 21:19-21, he cursed the fig tree to signify that the nation of Yisra’el and the kingdom of Yahuwdah (Judah) would be destroyed because they refused to repent and accept the blood atonement offered to them for their sins. But he promised to restore and redeem the nation of Yisra’el by gathering them out of the nations and bringing them back into covenant with himself. Here, Yahuwshuwa used the fig tree and the grape vine as a metaphor of good fruit and thistles and thorns as a metaphor for bad fruit:
Mattityahuw (Matthew) 7:
16You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.
18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
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Many have sought to understand what it means to belong to the nation of Yisra’el. Some people think it merely means that you are a citizen geographically to the Modern State of Yisra’el. Some people think it means that you are born into a family who practices Judaism. Many people confuse the term “Yisraelite“ with the term “Jew“ and they suppose that these terms are to be used interchangeably.
The confusion comes from the fact that at one time, all twelve tribes were united under King Dawiyd (David) who was the King of Yahuwdah (Judah) and Yisra’el. Because Jerusalem is the holy city built by David who is from the Tribe of Judah, this means that all twelve tribes would have been considered “Yahuwdiy“ or “Jews“ when they were under the “scepter“ or the authority of the Kingdom of Judah. But after David’s son Solomon died, the two kingdoms split in 1st Kings 12, and then they became two separate nations: Judah & Yisra’el (Ephrayim).
At his second coming, our Messiah will once again gather all twelve tribes under his “scepter“ and authority, and that is when they will once again be considered “Yahuwdiy“ or “Jews.“ For they will be ruling and reigning with him as part of his royal priesthood of Melchizedek.
Is it based on physical DNA or is it based on faith? Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with people discovering that their DNA is of Yisraelite heritage or that their genealogy can be traced back to one of the tribes of Yisra’el. However, all of this wrangling about who is a true Yahuwdiy (Jew) based on skin color, race or DNA is not of the Father, YaHuWaH!
© Copyright Double Portion Inheritance, May 2013
http://www.DoublePortionInheritance.com
The fig tree has been used as a metaphor to symbolize those who are true Yisraelites in the eyes of the Heavenly Father. The first mention of the fig tree as a prophetic illustration of the nation of Yisra’el, is seen in Shophtiym (Judges) 9:9-11. In Hosea 9:10 we read “I saw your fathers as the first-fruits on the fig tree in its first season.” In Jeremiah 24:5, the fig tree is used again as a symbol for the nation of Judah:
He said “Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Yahuwdah (Judah), whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans.“
In Matthew 21:18-19, Yahuwshuwa, was on His way to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), and he cursed a fig tree for not bearing any fruit. On a fig tree, the blossoms of the fruit appear before the leaves. This is why Yahuwshuwa cursed the fig tree that only had leaves on it and no fruit.
The word used here for “ever” is “aeon” which simply meansa long period such as an “age.” In Matthew 24:3, the disciples asked Yahuwshuwa: “What will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age (aeon)?” This means that the fig tree would not remain withered and barren forever, but only until the end of this present age between his first and second coming.
In Matthew 21:19-21, he cursed the fig tree to signify that the nation of Yisra’el and the kingdom of Yahuwdah (Judah) would be destroyed because they refused to repent and accept the blood atonement offered to them for their sins. But he promised to restore and redeem the nation of Yisra’el by gathering them out of the nations and bringing them back into covenant with himself. Here, Yahuwshuwa used the fig tree and the grape vine as a metaphor of good fruit and thistles and thorns as a metaphor for bad fruit:
Mattityahuw (Matthew) 7:
16You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.
18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
In the parable of the barren fig tree there is yet another lesson to be learned:
Luqas (Luke) 13:6-9 “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down: why does it use up the ground? But he answered and said to him, Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.”
This tree was planted in Yah’s vineyard (the land of Yisra’el) but it did not bear any fruit. The three barren seasons refer to the three years during which Yahuwshuwa ministered to the nation before his death on the tree. After that, the nation was given more time to repent through the ministry of the Ruwach ha’Qodesh (Holy Spirit) given to the apostles and the followers of Messiah.
Yahuwshuwa gave his generation a probationary period of forty years from the time that he was crucified for them in 30 A.D. right up until the Romans came in 70 A.D. and thus atthe end of that generation, the fig tree (Yisra’el) was cut down by the Roman Empire and its branches were spread all over the world. But the root of the tree remained in the ground and has again started budding during Yisra’el’s national restoration in 1948 (Isaiah 66:8).
The confusion comes from the fact that at one time, all twelve tribes were united under King Dawiyd (David) who was the King of Yahuwdah (Judah) and Yisra’el. Because Jerusalem is the holy city built by David who is from the Tribe of Judah, this means that all twelve tribes would have been considered “Yahuwdiy“ or “Jews“ when they were under the “scepter“ or the authority of the Kingdom of Judah. But after David’s son Solomon died, the two kingdoms split in 1st Kings 12, and then they became two separate nations: Judah & Yisra’el (Ephrayim).
At his second coming, our Messiah will once again gather all twelve tribes under his “scepter“ and authority, and that is when they will once again be considered “Yahuwdiy“ or “Jews.“ For they will be ruling and reigning with him as part of his royal priesthood of Melchizedek.
But until Messiah returns to unify these tribes, there is still a separation between The House of Yisra’el (Ephrayim) & the House of Yahuwdah (Judah). Christianity at large is still like Ephrayim who is “joined to his idols“ (Hosea 4:17). And Judaism does not recognize Christianity as being part of the covenant, because they do not recognize Yahuwshuwa as their Messiah. So both houses continue to be at odds with one another. There is now a false movement by the Vatican and Judaism to join forces under the “Noahide Laws“ to form a counterfeit restoration of TheHouse of Ephrayim & Judah. This false movement is called “Dual Covenant Theology,“ whereby the Vatican has announced that “Jews do not need Jesus to be saved, and Christians do not need to obey the Towrah to be saved.“
This completely goes against the scriptures as we are told that both the home-born Yisraelite and the stranger who sojourns with them must keep the only “One Towrah“ (Exodus 12:49; Leviticus 24:22; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:11-17).
Those who confuse the terms “Yisraelite & Jew“ fail to understand that there are twelve tribes of Yisra’el and only one of those tribes is named Yahuwdah (Judah) from where we derive the term “Jew.“ Hence, all Yahuwdiy (Jews) are indeed considered Yisraelites by terminology, but not all Yisraelites belong to the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah), and so not all Yisraelites are Jews.
This completely goes against the scriptures as we are told that both the home-born Yisraelite and the stranger who sojourns with them must keep the only “One Towrah“ (Exodus 12:49; Leviticus 24:22; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:11-17).
Those who confuse the terms “Yisraelite & Jew“ fail to understand that there are twelve tribes of Yisra’el and only one of those tribes is named Yahuwdah (Judah) from where we derive the term “Jew.“ Hence, all Yahuwdiy (Jews) are indeed considered Yisraelites by terminology, but not all Yisraelites belong to the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah), and so not all Yisraelites are Jews.
Some people think that you have to have a DNA test done to see if you carry certain genetic markers, and that is what determines if you are an Yisraelite or a Jew. Now, I do not doubt that these genetic markers exist. However, you can have these genetic markers, but if you have not repented of your sins, and you do not obey Towrah, your genetic markers alone cannot save you! So what qualifies someone as a
Is it based on physical DNA or is it based on faith? Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with people discovering that their DNA is of Yisraelite heritage or that their genealogy can be traced back to one of the tribes of Yisra’el. However, all of this wrangling about who is a true Yahuwdiy (Jew) based on skin color, race or DNA is not of the Father, YaHuWaH!
Our Messiah qualified Nathanael as a “true Yisraelite” because he saw that in his heart there was no guile or deceit.
Yahuwchanon (John) 1:
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47 Yahuwshuwa saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, Behold an Yisraelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
47 Yahuwshuwa saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, Behold an Yisraelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael said unto him, How do you know me? Yahuwshuwa answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.
49 Nathanael answered and said unto him, Rabbi, you are the Son of Elohiym; you are the King of Yisra’el.
Yahuwshuwa identified for us what a
Yahuwshuwa identified for us what a
What does it mean to be “beguiled?”
2nd Qorintiym (Corinthians) 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Mashiyach.
This word “beguile” literally means “to deceive!”
Sha’uwl (Paul) wrote that Chawah (Eve) had been “beguiled” and this was being equated not to a physical seduction, but rather to having one’s mind corrupted. A true Yisraelite has no deception in him and because he believes the word of YaHuWaH, and he obeys the truth that he hears. In other words, he puts actions to his faith.
Scripture makes it abundantly clear, that we are “Yahuwdiy” (Jews) through faith in Messiah, Yahuwshuwa. If he is our High Priest after the order of Malkiy Tzadiq “Melchizedek,” and Melchizedek is from the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah) according to Hebrews 7:14, then we have to conclude, that all those who are “born-again of incorruptible seed” (1st Peter 1:23) are “born from above” not from the earth!
20 But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Yitzchaq (Isaac) his son upon the altar?
22 Do you see how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed Elohiym, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness:and he was called the Friend of Elohiym.
24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Abraham “sojourned”with Melchizedek, King of Salem (JeruSalem) and he entered into covenant him:
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Yitzchaq (Isaac) and Ya’aqob (Jacob), the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is Elohiym.
Ruth also was a Moabite (from the worst of all pagan nations). Yet, she became a “Yahuwdiy” (Jew) when she sojourned back to Bethlehem-Judah with her mother-in-law Naomi. She was “grafted into the tribe” of Yahuwdah (Judah) by faith! It had nothing to do with her DNA or joining a man-made religion or going through some religious ritual:
Ruwth (Ruth) 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you: for wherever you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge: your people shall be my people, and your Elohiym my Elohiym.
In Yechezqel (Ezekiel) 47:22 it tells us that any “stranger” may join the tribe of his choosing, simply by “sojourning” with a member of any of the 12 Tribes of Yisra’el. Once we begin to sojourn with any of the 12 Tribes of Yisra’el, we are able to “inherit” land with that tribe and as an inheritance!
If we are “sojourning” with (walking with) the Messiah, Yahuwshuwa, do we not belong to his tribe?
1st Keefa (Peter) 2:21 For even hereunto were you called: because Mashiyach also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps.
If we are “following” in his steps (in other words, sojourning with) the “Lion of the Tribe of Yahuwdah,” who is also Melchizedek (from the Tribe of Judah), then what does that make us?
Anyone who “sojourns” with someone from the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah) belongs to that tribe! It does not matter about your DNA!
And incidentally, I truly believe that when we are “born-again of incorruptible seed,” (1st Peter 1:23) through the blood covenant of Yahuwshuwa, that our DNA does indeed change and we become physical descendants of Abraham. But how can we be sure of this?
And incidentally, I truly believe that when we are “born-again of incorruptible seed,” (1st Peter 1:23) through the blood covenant of Yahuwshuwa, that our DNA does indeed change and we become physical descendants of Abraham. But how can we be sure of this?
Galatiym (Galatians) 3:29 And if you be Mashiyach’s (Messiah’s), then are you Abraham’s seed [sperma], and heirs according to the promise.
Did you get that? To belong to Messiah makes you Abraham’s literal and physical “seed”which is the Greek word “sperma!”
The Apostle Sha’uwl explained that those who have their hearts circumcised and who obey Towrah, are Yahuwdiy (Jews). It has nothing to do with skin color or belonging to a certain lineage or genealogy. Let’s see what he wrote
The Apostle Sha’uwl explained that those who have their hearts circumcised and who obey Towrah, are Yahuwdiy (Jews). It has nothing to do with skin color or belonging to a certain lineage or genealogy. Let’s see what he wrote
Romiym (Romans) 2:
25 For circumcision verily profits, if you keep the Towrah (law): but if you be a breaker of the Towrah (law), your circumcision is made uncircumcision.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Towrah (law), shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the Towrah (law), judge you, who by the letter and circumcision does transgress the Towrah (law)?
28 For he is not a Yahuwdiy (Jew), which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Yahuwdiy(Jew), which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of Elohiym.
This is why the Apostle Sha’uwl wrote that we should not quarrel about “endless genealogies” (1st Timothy 1:4; Titus 3:9). What did he mean? Well, you see, the only genealogy that matters now is Messiah’s, because it qualified him as the genuine Messiah of prophecy.
But now that we are “in Messiah” we are grafted into his family by faith, and so our earthly genealogy does not matter at this point.
All the patriarchs had their genealogies listed, because we needed to be able to trace our Messiah back to Adam!
But now that we have the perfect “blood sacrifice” we are part of Messiah’s “blood-line” by faith!
This is why Yahuwchanon (John) said the following to the religious leaders who came to be immersed by him:
Luqas (Luke) 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That Elohiym is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
So you see, Yahuwchanon (John) did not say to them “you don’t have the right genealogy, so I cannot immerse you.” No! He told them to repent and that would qualify them to become “sons of Abraham!”
Now with all of that said, I want to warn all of you out there that these doctrines which make people place their trust in their DNA or question who is a genuine Yahuwdiy (Jew) is of the devil!
Who are you to decide if the people living in the Modern State of Yisra’el are genuine Yahuwdiy (Jews) or not? Will not YaHuWaH accept anyone who comes to him by faith, regardless of their DNA?
Until Messiah lands his feet on the Mount of Olives, it is not for anyone to decide who is a true Yahuwdiy (Jew) or an Yisraelite!
I don’t want to hear any more of these arguments about the “fake Jews” or the “Black Jews” or the “White Jews” or the “Kazars” or the “Zionists” as if DNA has anything to do with it!
And I don’t care about the Illuminati-controlled government in the Modern State of Yisra’el. They do not determine who is a real Yisraelite or a real Yahuwdiy!
Zecharyahuw (Zechariah) 14:
1 Behold, the day of YHWH comes, and your spoil shall be divided in the midst of you.
2 For I will gather all nations against Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then shall YHWH go forth, and FIGHT AGAINST THOSE NATIONS, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Did you see this? Those who “fight” against Yerushalayim by calling them “fake Jews” (when it is not up to you to determine this), are going to be smitten by YaHuWaH!
Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) is the city where YaHuWaH has chosen to place his name!
In the final analysis, we can safely say that those whose hearts are circumcised and who obey Towrah are true Yahuwdiy (Jews).
And who are the Elect?
1st Keefa (Peter) 1:
1 Keefa (Peter), an apostle of Yahuwshuwa Mashiyach, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of Elohiym the Father, through sanctification of the Ruwach (Spirit), unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Yahuwshuwa Mashiyach: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Keefa (Peter) wrote these letters to “strangers” who were not originally part of Yisra’el,
yet he tells them that they are the “ELECT” after the FOREKNOWLEGE OF THE FATHER!
yet he tells them that they are the “ELECT” after the FOREKNOWLEGE OF THE FATHER!
And they have two things that qualify them to be part of the “election.”What are they?
1.) They are “sanctified” (set-apart) from the pollution of the world and paganism by the Ruwach ha’Qodesh (Holy Spirit) who called them out!
2.) They are “sprinkled” with the blood of Messiah, Yahuwshuwa!
Ephsiym (Ephesians) 2:
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Mashiyach Yahuwshuwa unto good works, which Elohiym has before ordained that we should walk in them.
11 Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time you were without Mashiyach, being aliens from the commonwealth of Yisra’el, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Elohiym in the world:
13 But now in Mashiyach Yahuwshuwa you who sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Mashiyach.
And so if you are “set-apart” and have repented of all paganism and worldliness, and you are washed in the blood of the lamb, you can say that you are an Yisraelite!
And more specifically, you can say that you have joined the tribe of your future bridegroom, which is the tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah)!
There are three different terms that are confusing to most people. These terms are: Hebrew, Yisraelite & Jew.
Where do these terms come from? Well it all began in Genesis 32:24-25 with Ya’aqob (Jacob), the younger son of Yitzchaq (Isaac) and Rebekah. Jacob’s name later became Yisra’el when he wrestled all night long with YaHuWaH, and he was changed into another man. In other words, he was born-again, converted.
Jacob had twelve sons and his fourth son born to him by Leah was named Yahuwdah (Judah). Judah is the tribe where the High Priest named Melchizedek comes from (Hebrews 7:14). Melchizedek is “without father, without mother, having neither beginning of days nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of Elohiym; abides a priest continually.”
What this means is that the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah) is an eternal tribe. You see, this is the only tribe that has the name of our Heavenly Father, YaHuWaH with the added letter “dalet” in it to form the name as YaHuWDaH! The fourth letter in the Hebrew Alphabet is called the “dalet,” and it means “the door.” Our Messiah is “the door” to the Father (John 10:7-9). Hence, the name Yahuwdah is the name of the Father with the door in it!
Many people think that the term “Yahuwdiy” (Jew) means that you belong to a religion called Judaism. Or they think it means to belong to an ethnic group of people. But in the eyes of our Heavenly Father, to belong to the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah) means that you have had your heart circumcised and that you obey his commandments as the Apostle Sha’uwl (Paul) illustrated in Romans 2:26-29.
There are three different terms that are confusing to most people. These terms are: Hebrew, Yisraelite & Jew.
Where do these terms come from? Well it all began in Genesis 32:24-25 with Ya’aqob (Jacob), the younger son of Yitzchaq (Isaac) and Rebekah. Jacob’s name later became Yisra’el when he wrestled all night long with YaHuWaH, and he was changed into another man. In other words, he was born-again, converted.
Jacob had twelve sons and his fourth son born to him by Leah was named Yahuwdah (Judah). Judah is the tribe where the High Priest named Melchizedek comes from (Hebrews 7:14). Melchizedek is “without father, without mother, having neither beginning of days nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of Elohiym; abides a priest continually.”
What this means is that the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah) is an eternal tribe. You see, this is the only tribe that has the name of our Heavenly Father, YaHuWaH with the added letter “dalet” in it to form the name as YaHuWDaH! The fourth letter in the Hebrew Alphabet is called the “dalet,” and it means “the door.” Our Messiah is “the door” to the Father (John 10:7-9). Hence, the name Yahuwdah is the name of the Father with the door in it!
Many people think that the term “Yahuwdiy” (Jew) means that you belong to a religion called Judaism. Or they think it means to belong to an ethnic group of people. But in the eyes of our Heavenly Father, to belong to the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah) means that you have had your heart circumcised and that you obey his commandments as the Apostle Sha’uwl (Paul) illustrated in Romans 2:26-29.
So let me define these three terms for you:
The term “Hebrew” means “from beyond” and it comes from another root word “eber” which means “to cross over the Jordan River.” In other words, the word “Hebrew” means to make a transition from being a Babylonian (just like Abraham) to being “set-apart” from the world and all forms of paganism.
Then the first Yisraelite was Jacob, for he was the first one to be given this name. The word “Yisra’el” literally means “Elohiym prevails.” Yisrael-Jacob gave birth to twelve sons and his fourth son to Leah was named Yahuwdah (Judah). So the first “Yahuwdiy” (Jew) was Judah. But in eternity, the Tribe of Yahuwdah (Judah) is the Tribe of our Heavenly Father and the Messiah who are both Melchizedek!
So you become a Hebrew when you come out of Babylonian styles of worship like Abraham. Then you become an Yisraelite when you learn to prevail over the enemy by conquering the sinful nature, just like Ya’aqob (Jacob). And then you become a Yahuwdiy (Jew) when you sojourn with the Messiah whose tribe is Yahuwdah (Judah)!