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Inspiring articles and informative material covering Messianic Judaism, Israel, lifestyle, theology, resource reviews, and much more…

Boaz Michael

Boaz Michael is the Founder and Director of First Fruits of Zion. He resides in Jerusalem, Israel. From there he directs First Fruits of Zion's international efforts and is active in the Messianic Jewish learning center in Jerusalem.

Israel History Apr 26, 2023

The Miraculous Birth of the State of Israel

Seventy-five years ago a great miracle took place. After enduring thousands of years of foreign domination and exile that culminated in the evil genocide of the Holocaust, God’s chosen people witnessed the sudden and miraculous fulfillment of ancient prophecies, hopes, and prayers: the rebirth of a sovereign Jewish state in the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

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Messiah Magazine Apr 3, 2023

Season of Redemption

As a body of believers, we look forward to that day when Yeshua returns and summons us to recline at his table again. The Passover meal is not only a remembrance of things past; it’s also a foretaste of the coming kingdom, when the mighty and outstretched arm of the LORD will redeem the entire world.

8-min

Holocaust Jan 26, 2023

Remembrance and Repentance

It has been said that the wise man is he who knows his limitations. The way of Christianity for the past two thousand years has seemed right to Christians, but not to those who look at it as hypocritical in its failure to act out its fundamental teachings while such an enormous catastrophe occurred in its midst.

4-min

Messiah Magazine Oct 28, 2022

A Podcast Where Jesus Is Jewish

For the learner who wants to make judicious use of his or her commute or who needs some inspiration on the go, First Fruits of Zion launched Messiah Podcast, “Where Jesus is Jewish, and that changes everything.” Accessible yet provocative, each episode is raising difficult questions and offering challenging answers.

5-min

Messiah Magazine Jun 6, 2022

The Tongues of Fire Return

When the same specific miraculous phenomenon occurs for only the second time in history on the same holy day, it’s time to sit up and pay attention. In fact, Acts 2:41 records that thousands of devout Jews did exactly that.

8-min

Passover Apr 14, 2022

A Taste of Freedom

For most of us, participation in a Passover Seder begins with readying our homes and congregational buildings, preparation for what we’ll be wearing and/or whether or not we’ve purchased our dinner tickets prior to the event, then ends with the seder. What more is there that requires devotional preparation?

9-min

Messiah Magazine Apr 8, 2022

Christian Seder Haters

The main accusation leveled against Carly when she celebrated Passover was that she was guilty of “cultural appropriation.” The millions of Christians who try to “live out” Master Yeshua’s teachings about remembering him through Passover have no intention of denigrating Jews or Judaism. They’re not appropriating Jewish culture; they’re rediscovering their own.

4-min

Messiah Magazine Dec 7, 2021

Waiting for the Return of the King

The deepest desire of a disciple of Yeshua is to see Yeshua’s kingdom come. This desire transcends contemporary politics. We are not called to be Democrats or Republicans or socialists or communists; part of our identity as followers of Yeshua is that we are theistic monarchists. Our allegiance is to King Yeshua.

7-min

Hanukkah Nov 16, 2021

Five Reasons To Celebrate Hanukkah

Given that Hanukkah is a historically Jewish festival and that its celebration is not a mitzvah (commandment) of the Torah, why would Gentile believers in Yeshua celebrate it? Obviously Jewish believers have a cultural affinity for the festival, but is there any real biblical significance to it? Is there any reason Christians might want to incorporate the celebration of Hanukkah into their homes?

4-min

Go and Preach the Gospel

I have traveled all over the U.S. and throughout the world visiting Messianic congregations. I am sad to say that it is rare to find one that is actively seeking to reach lost people—those who have no connection with Yeshua—and to bring them to a place of faith, a place of connection with God through the Messiah.

4-min

Messiah Magazine Jan 18, 2021

The Most Tragic Mistake

An understanding of Jesus’ Jewishness and the Jewish context in which he lived has the potential to help resolve that conflict and illuminate the Gospels and Epistles so that their meaning can finally be understood.

8-min

"Pagan" Customs and Holidays

While it is important to remain holy and refrain from desecrating God’s name by imitating the worship of false gods, it is also important to maintain a healthy and positive relationship with one’s family. Certainly it is disheartening to one’s parents when one abstains from important family gatherings.

4-min

Remembering Pauline Rose, Lady of Mount Zion

Pauline Rose (1898-1973) was called the “Lady of Mount Zion.” She could also be considered the first lady of twentieth-century Messianic Judaism. She was a pioneer of the Messianic Jewish movement in Israel and abroad, starting the first Messianic Jewish congregation in Jerusalem in the modern era.

2-min

Shavuot May 15, 2020

Let’s Get Pentecostal!

The apostles saw the Holy Spirit as a measure of prophetic fulfillment and correlated it to the work of Yeshua. Believers have a unique calling to merge these two events and live dedicated lives of Spirit and Torah.

4-min

Publications Apr 20, 2020

Outside the Circle

Every year in Israel ceremonies are held throughout the country to commence Yom HaShoah, a day of remembrance for those who perished in the Holocaust. This year, due to Covid-19 restrictions, Israel will be conducting ceremonies online instead of in large gatherings.

6-min

Hanukkah Dec 16, 2019

Eight Days of Enlightenment

To make the celebration of Hanukkah special, in our experience, it is essential to separate these nights from our normal routines. With this in mind, we have structured a guide to provide solid discussions of a spiritual nature that you can share around the family hanukkiah.

4-min

Theology May 27, 2019

Building a Better Airplane

Much as the engineers at Boeing labored to perfect the manufacture of the 747 to work flawlessly, so too, theology. The 747s have become outdated, inefficient to fly, and no longer cost-effective. Likewise, a big piece of church theology called supersessionism has served its time.

10-min

Yahrzeit Feb 6, 2019

The Memory of the Righteous

Dwight Pryor was a truly humble, gracious, and righteous soul—a man of integrity, wisdom, and the spirit of Messiah—without pretense and without braggadocio. He spoke into the lives of thousands, turning their eyes to Messiah, opening minds to the Jewishness of Jesus.

5-min

Torah Club Feb 4, 2019

Building a Culture

We come together as brothers and sisters to create and maintain a culture of godliness. Without the regular reinforcement of that godly culture, we quickly assimilate into the broader world culture, despite our personal convictions and values. The new Torah Club is bringing godly people together.

7-min

Become a Giant-Slayer

You will be shocked as you watch our 45-minute review of Andy Stanley’s new book, Irresistible. Stanley is one of the most influential Christian leaders in our day. If you wish to stand against supersessionism and replacement theology, it is important that you are aware of the contents of this book and its implications.

3-min

A Treasure without Price

I thought that perhaps they had just gotten off their flight from Germany, but when they opened up the suitcases in front of me, they pulled out four large photo albums, a few books, and some loose-leaf papers. When they opened the albums, I was pleasantly shocked.

4-min

Torah Club Dec 29, 2017

A Place for Peculiar People

Starting in the fall of 2018, First Fruits of Zion will be changing things up. We are going to relaunch our popular Torah Club program as a weekly para-church (or para-synagogue) Bible study small group where disciples gather to learn and get their spiritual batteries recharged.

4-min

Torah Club Dec 24, 2017

The Next Leader of FFOZ

For the last twenty-five years, it has been my vision and my goal, a heavy burden on my heart, to see this mantle passed on to you. I want you to be the next leader of First Fruits of Zion.

9-min

In the News Dec 7, 2017

Jerusalem — The Morning After Trump

Personally, I have mixed feelings about the decision. On the one hand, this is something that should have happened a long time ago. It should have happened in 1967. On the other hand, I am concerned over the practical ramifications on our soldiers, citizens, and the Palestinian people.

7-min

Publications Nov 14, 2017

The Book We Nearly Didn’t Publish

First Fruits of Zion never seems to choose the easy road. Our perspectives seem to be ever controversial, and all the more so as the broader culture slips further and further away from a biblical worldview. We stand in an uncomfortable place, but frankly, I would not be comfortable if we were teaching comfortable things.

5-min

Cheshbon Nefesh Sep 27, 2017

Krazy Glue Your Marriage

The Bible says it’s a man’s job to cleave to his wife, not her job to cling to him. The Hebrew word for “hold fast” is davak. It’s difficult to translate into English: “cleave to,” “cling to,” “stick to,” “hold fast to,” etc. In Modern Hebrew, the word means “glue.”

6-min

Cheshbon Nefesh Sep 15, 2017

Better to Live in the Garage!

The Bible says, “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife” (Proverbs 25:24), a saying that is the ancient equivalent of, “Better to live in the garage than under the same roof with that woman.”

4-min

The Bram Center Aug 3, 2017

The Redemption Nears

We mourned, but our mourning was not as intense as it could have been. Redemption is distant, but it is drawing near. As Jews, we can walk into our ancient city; we can go near to our ancient wall, we can see the Temple Mount, even if we can not easily access it. We can see that the situation has changed since Jeremiah’s day.

4-min

Passover Mar 20, 2017

Why the New Haggadah Is Only $2 Each*

A Passover Seder is a uniquely eye-opening event. We developed The Master’s Table: A Passover Encounter for Christians to reach out to as many people as possible with the beauty and truth of God’s appointed times, his commitment to Israel, and the true Jewish identity of Yeshua the Messiah. Now we need your help.

4-min

The Bram Center Jan 24, 2017

Learning Is Worship

We can, through learning, directly express our admiration for God; we can, through learning, directly receive revelation. Whether it is undertaken individually or corporately, learning itself is a spiritual act, an act of worship. True spiritual learning is an incredibly meaningful experience. It draws one close to God in openness and praise.

4-min

Healing the Rift

Living in Jerusalem as a disciple of Yeshua and a practicing Jew, I constantly feel the tension between the Messianic and Orthodox Jewish worlds. Yet that tension was exceptionally sharp as I had to defend my Jewish practice to a fellow believer in Yeshua.

3-min

Are We Who He Says We Are?

This is true in a psychological sense and even truer in a spiritual sense. As believers, we often suffer from false identities. The reality God has created in us is different from our perception of it. We have new identities in the Messiah, but we often fail to see ourselves rightly.

9-min

Teaching Events May 6, 2016

Date Night Surprise

Our culture has created a world without absolutes or definitions. Thus, if we want to raise children with a sense of absolutes and definitions, we will meet resistance from the majority of culture that we are part of. It is going to be increasingly difficult.

4-min

In the News Mar 1, 2016

The Downfall of America?

Yesterday, I heard a short comment from Dennis Prager, a prominent US talk show host. He speaks on topics that range from ethics, politics, marriage, and everything in between. He was expressing his concerns about several of the current GOP presidential candidates, about the baseless hatred that is now taking place in the political arena.

4-min

Life in Israel Jan 2, 2016

There Are "No Words"

A gift lovingly given, a young man on a tour of Israel, and a terrorist attack all converged together to blend tragedy with hope and provision. This is the story of how God in his infinite wisdom can use seemingly random people across the globe to intersect into one moment in time.

5-min

The Bram Center Dec 30, 2015

A Place in the World

A place to rediscover Yeshua, to find resources and assistance, to provide a theological and communal backbone for Messianic Judaism in Israel: this is the vision of the Bram Center that, with God’s help, my friends and family and I are building here.

4-min

The Bram Center Dec 21, 2015

Sparks of Torah—The Light from Zion

Messianic Jews in the land of Israel should be exemplary advocates for Torah. Yet to date, due to a multitude of social, religious, and cultural pressures, Israeli disciples of Yeshua have drawn back from exploring the beauty of the Torah and the life it describes.

5-min

In the News Dec 17, 2015

Testimonies of Jewish Believers on Walla!

When the Israeli web portal Walla! recently featured testimonies of Jewish Yeshua-followers produced by Eitan Bar and Israel College of the Bible, it was hailed as a win for Jewish evangelism. It would be even better if a few of the testimonies pointed Jewish believers to Torah.

4-min

Another Lesson From David H. Stern

David provided a spark that lit a still-growing fire in today’s Christian and Messianic Jewish world. However, he has taught us all perhaps a more important lesson through the example of his steadfastness and consistency, through showing us what it looks like to have a dream and to work toward it.

5-min

Teaching Events Nov 21, 2015

The Cross Necklace

Christians in China count the cost of discipleship before making a decision to follow Yeshua because the cost is so much higher than it is in the west. First Fruits of Zion teachers Boaz Michael and Daniel Lancaster bring the message of the Jewish gospel to young Chinese believers and plant the seeds of the gospel message of the kingdom into good soil.

5-min

Teaching Events Nov 16, 2015

Praying for Paris, in Hong Kong

In the latest update from First Fruits of Zion’s outreach in China, Boaz Michael teaches against replacement theology in a Hong Kong area church while addressing the Paris attacks and the kingdom of heaven’s vision of peace.

6-min

Teaching Events Nov 11, 2015

Starbucks Christmas in China

When American Starbucks Coffee shops began to remove Christmas branding from their products, they incited an online outcry from conservative Christians, but Starbucks in Hong Kong still has the Christmas spirit: commercialism unhampered by political correctness.

3-min

Messianic Judaism Oct 14, 2015

Community or Congregation?

Here in Israel, we have some confusion between congregation and community because we use the same Hebrew word (kehila) for both. The word kehila is also used to describe the "body", the general Messianic community throughout Israel. This seems to imply that congregations are the community and the community is the congregation.

4-min

Life in Israel Oct 13, 2015

God, Where Are You?

To cope with the recent attacks Israelis are taking self-defense classes and buying personal weapons such as pepper spray. Most of us have had to change something about our daily routines. I’ve had to change my running route to run at a later hour when I’m not so vulnerable by being alone.

5-min

Life in Israel Oct 11, 2015

Ministry versus Marketplace

The Messianic community in Israel has a disproportionate amount of ministry personnel over the marketplace, which creates tension over wages, workload, and religious leadership. Israel is a hotspot for international ministries and the locals find it hard to refuse employment opportunities. Ministry should not be taken lightly, it is not an opportunity for easy work.

4-min

Passing the Torch

Messianic communities in Israel preach about the next generation and talk about younger leadership. However, leadership is not always delegated in actuality. The Master showed us how to train disciples and step back. This is the biblical model for leadership and ministry. Leadership is a serious discipline that requires professional training.

3-min

Finding Our Place in the Puzzle

Messianic Jews in Israel are too few to create their own subculture in society. As such, they will necessarily study and work with others, adopting a large degree of existing identity markers. Unfortunately, secular society tends to be the only option. Where do we fit into the big scheme of it all?

4-min

Pew Sitters

Today my pastor asked the congregation, “Can you just sit in the pew and be a disciple?” He is in the middle of a series on discipleship and the true call and meaning of the Gospel. He is challenging our church body with their understanding and expectations of the Gospel.

5-min

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