.jpg){kind=small}
Introduction.
This story began with the Holy Lord of Israel. The Lord here is The One Messiah. I first visited Israel on March 2, 2018, for a week-long mission trip to the Holy Land. Since then, I have been traveling back and forth between Japan and Israel for about two years and have lived in the Holy Land for one year. Incidentally, I started writing this in early March 2020, having just returned from the Holy Land a short time earlier. Israel must be a distant country, far, far away for most Japanese. Even those who like to travel around the world may visit this distant country only at the very end of their trip. I had never imagined visiting this Holy Land until a few years ago. The answer to why I chose this distant country and lived there for about a year is the guidance of the Holy Lord. I hope that this article will make you interested in the Holy Land and that you will visit there in the future.
Holy thing with a 2~3 billion Dollar Man
This is a practical story about Lay Up Treasures in Heaven from Matthew 6:19-24
Among the many people I met during my holy activities in Israel, there were two who left a particularly strong impression on me. One is Ibrahim, a stateless Palestinian man who had sushi with former Prime Minister Abe and a phone conversation with former President Trump. I have written about this in more detail in "Walking with the Lord in preparation," so I hope you will refer to that later. The other is a Jewish American from Texas, a man commonly known as Mike. He has developed various businesses as a top executive in the U.S. and has amassed a huge fortune. The total amount of his fortune was about 300 billion Japanese yen (as of 11/11 2023). Can you believe it? At first, I could not believe my ears. I don't meet people who have earned the equivalent of 300 billion yen that often. In fact, for most people, it is a story that they will never have anything to do with in their lifetime. What is even more amazing is that he gave up all his vast wealth before coming to Israel and came to Jerusalem penniless. The story is so far-fetched that it must have been an act that ordinary people would never have understood. The answer to the question of how he came to this seemingly insane act is the Lord Jesus✞Christ. In other words, Jesus✞Christ spoke to him to do so. And he faithfully obeyed. This is the Lord's holy work. I lived in the same house with him for a while and accomplished various holy things. At times we talked in the same room until late at night, and at other times we had fights. In the end, we could not come to an agreement, and I had to leave the house myself, but now I keenly feel that this was also the Lord's plan. Sometimes, Jesus✞Christ performs holy deeds that would be hard to believe under normal circumstances in this world. This is to testify of Himself to the world, and the author, Taishiro Sonae is one of these witnesses.
J✞C said, "Do not store up treasures on earth for yourselves, for there they will be damaged by worms and rust. There they will be damaged by worms and rust, and thieves will cut holes in the walls to steal them. Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. There you will not be marred by worms or rust, nor will thieves cut holes in your walls to steal from you. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 ✞
Holy things with Jewish women
This is about two Jewish women with whom I've done some holy things
I mentioned two men above, but here I will mention two women. Both are Jewish. The first is a woman called Tziona/Tzionne. She originally had the name Juliana in the U.S. and has used two Jewish names since coming to Israel. I first met her through Ibrahim, whom I mentioned earlier. Then we decided to drive to the Dead Sea one day with our mutual friend Tom and her daughter Rachel. After that, we met many times and eventually ended up spending some time with her daughter at her house. She is a single mother, by the way, and has had abortions and divorced two different men in the past. Although we had been informed of these circumstances beforehand, when we moved in together, it led to several sacred matters. First, not long after moving into the house, an incident occurred. Rachel lost her expensive iPhone, which she had bought for her daughter. When she found out, she got furious and tried to go looking for it. But suddenly heavy rain and a storm hit the house, making it impossible for her to go out. This unexpected situation sent her and her daughter into a panic, and tears of anger and sadness covered the entire house. The situation also troubled Sonae. I wondered what to do about this sudden holy matter. With the appeasement of the Holy Lord, the situation was somehow brought under control, but this was only a foretaste of the holy things to come. The Lord sometimes shows people unexpected paths. And for the time being, we were to perform various sacraments at home while she was working outside the home. My?daughter went to school from morning to evening on weekdays, and I often babysat her when she came home. She was about the age of an elementary school student in Japan, but she got into all sorts of trouble. I am sure this is not true for all Jews, but in general, I felt that the relationship between mother and daughter was much closer than that between Japanese mothers and their children. Well, maybe she is simply an eccentric, but she was making love to her daughter many times in front of me as if with a man. Just to add, so that there is no misunderstanding, she has been diagnosed by the doctor as having no problem. Then, on another occasion, there was an incident. This was due to my own negligence in quite a few respects, but I broke the washing machine I was using at home. To be more precise, the door to take out the laundry stopped closing. The fact that I initially did not inform her of the situation, thinking I could handle it on my own, made matters worse, and she became quite angry again when she found out about it. I was still able to understand her until she charged me for the repairs, but she went even further and said she was going to call the police. Fortunately, we didn't end up there, but this incident caused a big gap in our relationship. And here we are. As readers may have guessed to some extent, she had certain expectations of me. And, of course, I could have met those expectations. But I did not. Why? One reason is the words of Luke 16:18. According to this verse, if I had done a certain thing with her, I would have committed the sin of adultery, which is an act of betrayal. I thought in this way and did not cross the line. This, too, is the guidance of the Holy Lord. The fact of the matter is that, both accidentally and intentionally, I ended up seeing certain parts of her holy body at home several times, and temptations arose. Still, it was the Lord's plan that I did not fall into it. Readers, if you are going to be involved with a Jewish woman in the future, here is a reminder.
Matthew 19:6, "Therefore what God has joined together, let not man put asunder."
The second is a woman named Annabel. She is also from the U.S. We first met at a training session at a community of Christians and Jews in the Galilee region of Israel. She is a devoted Jewish Christian (often referred to as a "Messianic Jew" in the Jewish community), and she was often active in speaking up at training sessions and other gatherings and sharing her testimony of faith in the synagogue. Because She was close in age to me, we became fast friends. At one point, we prayed for each other to get married. This was the first time I had ever prayed like this. After a while, the Lord led us to a private room where we had a discussion. At the time, her return to the U.S. was just around the corner, and there was something she wanted to tell me before that. At the beginning of the conversation, we introduced ourselves to each other again, as a kind of confirmation. Then she began to tell me her personal story. The first part of the story was somewhat hard to believe, but to some extent I was able to listen to it with ease. This was because she had spoken openly when giving the testimonies that had been hosted before. For example, her father (in her early 30s) is now in his 80s, and she has been taking care of him for many years; her family was taken to heaven after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York; her parents divorced once but remarried under the Lord's guidance.... But then she added something I had not imagined at all. (This is a very sacred story, so please inquire to the Lord on your own.) After hearing this holy talk, I was so shocked that I could only laugh at myself. I am not sure how long we talked together, but I am sure that we had a very intense time. We talked about so many things that we lost track of time. At one point, we progressed to talking about the Word that the Lord had given us. As we talked further, we came to understand that both of us had heard the same Word from the Lord separately. It was about the child they would have in a near future. I was given the number "12" and she was given the number "6". At this stage, only the Lord God knows exactly what this means. Unfortunately, we had to part ways dramatically due to a problem of interpretation, but anyway, communion with her was an experience of holy activity in Israel that will probably remain in my heart forever.
One note on women's relationships, there is a strict law in Israel regarding women's premarital acts. This is also a communion that is subject to sacramental interpretation, but for more details, please refer to Deuteronomy 22:13-21.
One last word: Though you do not know it, there is a Jewish woman in the shadow of history.
Israel is... Israel is...
Since the beginning of this article, I have often used the word "Israel", but many readers may not know what it means, so here is a brief explanation of the origin of the nation of Israel. According to the Bible, the name "Israel" was originally coined to commemorate the victory of a man named Jacob over a certain man of God in a past wrestling contest (Genesis 32:24-28). Jacob begat 12 sons, and their descendants ruled Israel from generation to generation. The Hebrew word for Israel means "God fights" or "fights with God". In other words, Israel is a nation that has been given the holy calling to fight against God since ancient times. This may be hard to believe from the Japanese view of God's holiness, but this is Israel. Israel also means "Christian". In other words, Israel is Christian✞
Q&A: Questions and comments
Q. What was discovered in Israel and how has it impacted your life?
A. I discovered the very Holy presence of Messiah. I went around Israel and visited most major places such as Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Nazareth. This has got me closer to Him in a way He'd be pleased to see.
What about daily life and religion in Israel?
Contrary to most people's imagination, daily life is quite peaceful. Sometimes unbelievable events occur, but they are few and far between throughout the year. Religion is mainly Judaism. However, there are many people who are not religious these days, and they often continue to hold religious services only as a formality.
What are the cultural differences and similarities between Israel and Japan?
I think the biggest difference is the intimacy of human relationships. In Japan, it generally takes a considerable amount of time to get to know people reasonably well, but in Israel, people become friends immediately with those they meet, and often the relationship develops into a family-like one. Although there are individual differences, it is common for people of all generations to share meals and even stay overnight in each other's homes if they get along well. The most common thing is that they often pay attention to others around them. Perhaps the main reason for this is that, as in Japan, the area in which you can live is small, and the situation in the neighborhood is directly related to your own life. I would say that once you enter Israel, you feel as if you are joining one big family!
What is the process to Israel?
There are several ways to get to Israel from Japan, but I have basically used Aeroflot, which leaves from Narita Airport. The Aeroflot flight from Narita Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, via Moscow, Russia, takes about 16 hours.
How to make friends with the locals?
As a first step, it is recommended that you learn a few simple Hebrew words before your trip. Basically, Israelis can speak English, but it is better if you can also speak greetings and introduce yourself in Hebrew. The next step is to learn to speak some English about Japan. In Israel, there are many opportunities to mention each other's country of origin in conversation, so if this reader is Japanese, he or she should try to explain things as if he or she were representing Japan. Finally, if possible, I would like you to hold on to one thing you believe in while you are in Japan. This means an absolute truth that will never waver, no matter how much things may change. For example, the Lord Jesus✞Christ.
He is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6
How did you come into Israel?
Quite simply, the Lord God led us. To elaborate a bit more, around May 2017, shortly after I was baptized, I received a revelation that I was to go to Israel first.
What did you do with the money?
Basically, I lived on what I had saved in Japan. From time to time, I received sacramental offerings in Japan and Israel. Sometimes I also did some kind of holy work in the area and was rewarded for it.
Where did you live?
Through friends and acquaintances, we lived in houses in different areas. In some cases, we paid for our own accommodations, rent, etc., and in other cases, we stayed for free in exchange for doing some work in their homes, workplaces, etc.
What were you doing in Israel?
Quite simply, I was doing holy things. An example: Aliyah Return Center - Helping Jewish Immigrants in Israel
What about food in Israel?
Israel has people from all over the world, so it is diverse, but typical examples are Hummus, Falafel, Pita bread, etc. The food is basically healthy, which is also the reason why there are so many beautiful women in Israel.
What is the cost of living in Israel?
It depends on the location, but it is about the same or slightly higher than in Japan. For more details, please search on the Internet by yourself later.
For Christians, Israel is a country of longing and special feelings. But there are still most Jews who stubbornly do not accept Jesus, right?
To complicate things a bit, first, in Israel, Jews who basically believe in Jesus✞Christ as the Messiah are not called Christians (although, technically, that is not quite true...). Instead, the parties often call themselves Messianic. And these people are still quite small in Israel (less than 1% of the total Israeli population). However, in recent years, the number seems to be on a steady increase, and many of the synagogues I have personally visited were filled with a lively atmosphere. In addition, they live as Jews, although they believe in Jesus✞Christ. Messianic are Jewish and believe in Jesus✞Christ, but often, but not always, observe the various laws of the Old Testament (especially the Pentateuch of Moses, תורה Torah).
Are they still being persecuted for not being accepted in their family?
Although they have become much more tolerant in recent years, persecution still seems to occur from time to time. Pressure from Orthodox Jews remains strong, and I have heard on several occasions of incidents where the synagogue has been attacked.
How did you feel about the problems with the Palestinians?
My feelings about the problems with the Palestinians are almost split in two. On the one hand, they are basically characterized as pure and kind, but on the other hand, I was often confronted with ignorant words and actions that come from a lack of education. In some places, English is often not even understood, so I personally think it would be wise for those who come to Israel for the first time to avoid them a little at first. As for the rest, I hope the Lord God will guide you.
What kind of songs do Christian churches in Israel sing and what kind of prayers do they offer?
As for singing and praying, it varies from church to church. Although they are addressed to the same Lord God, they have different worship formats, languages, etc. It is difficult to explain in writing, so I would like to invite you to join us.
How do Israeli Christians view these end times?
I have not met all the Christians living in Israel, so it is difficult to make a general statement, but my impression is that many of them believe that the end times are near. Some of them even spoke of specific end times based on the Bible. But only the Lord knows the truth.
Extra: Mysterious prophet emerged!
Whether you believe it or not, I would like to write a little about the people I met in Israel who claimed to be prophets. This may sound like a fishy story, but in fact, we need to be very careful about this kind of issue. To be sure, a prophet is a person who speaks words from God, guided by the Holy Spirit. In other words, they never speak according to the will of man. In other words, if those who claim to be prophets are false prophets, they interpret the biblical Word in their own way and speak of the world so that people will listen. (See 2 Peter 1:19-2:3, 1 John 4:1-6, etc. to discern if they are genuine or not.
The first is a man named Daniel David Paradiise. He is from New York and served in the U.S. Navy for a long time. He has also worked as a builder, chef, DJ, and many other jobs. He has also had many sexual orgies with women (hundreds of them!) before coming to a firm faith in the Lord God. He divorced one woman and died after marrying two others. He has had seven near-death experiences. He has posted many articles on YouTube and Facebook, so if you are interested, please check them out later.
The second is a man named Joshua Cohen. He is an Israeli of the tribe of Levi, a priest, who has spent thousands of hours in sacred research. He is quite knowledgeable not only about Israel, but also about Japanese deities. Although he is only in his 30s, his knowledge is considerable. He has lived in Japan for several years as an English teacher and often travels back and forth between Japan and Israel. He is also an American and studied radiation in college. He had calculated the year of Christ's return based on the Bible. For more information, please contact him directly.
Conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed what I have written about Israel. There are many more things I would like to write about, but the Lord has led me to a good conclusion to some extent, so I will close here. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me anytime.
May the One take you to the Holy Land! שלום בישוע
Comments