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This year, the first night of Passover and Good Friday fell on the same day, April 19th. Good Friday, commemorates the crucifixion and death of our Lord. Passover commemorates God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt by sparing the Israelites from the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn. In Exodus 12:1-7 God directs Israel to offer the paschal lambs. They applied the blood of lamb to the doorframes of the homes. When God saw the blood, he protected those homes and death passed over the firstborn. The loss of the firstborn in Egypt of both mankind and beasts was horrendous. Finally, Pharaoh relented and they set us free.

Blood played a critical role in the life of Israel. The Lord was specific about its use. We are absolutely prohibited from eating blood. Why? For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atone-ment by the life. Leviticus 17:11

When we gather in our congregations for worship, we do so in very anti-septic con-ditions. There are no bulls, no goats, no priests offering sacrifices and no blood of animals sprinkled or poured out on the al-tar. It is abhorrent to think of animals and blood as part of our worship rituals today. Before Jesus’ incarnation, God had a spe-cific lessons to impart: sin is costly and

the destination for eternal life itself is at stake. Throughout the scriptures, God repeatedly warns against eating blood. Blood is considered the life of an an-imal. Take away its blood and death comes quickly.

God calls us to account for our sin. Death entered God’s perfect creation because of sin. Yet we are the benefi-ciaries of God’s amazing grace! He pro-vided temporary restoration in Biblical times. God provided a substitute – a bull, a goat, a ram, or even a dove. The sacrifices were costly. We presented the animals to the priests who offered the animal’s blood as a substitute for our own blood to make atonement. Atone-ment means “to cover over”. We used the blood of the animals to cover over our sin. Yet our sin was not removed, just covered. The blood of atonement could overcome our separation from God because of sin. It restored us to fellowship with God awaiting final pay-ment in full through the blood of our Messiah.

When Jesus began His earthly minis-try, John the Baptist heralded him with these words: The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

As the old hymn by Robert Lowry in 1876 says: What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. O precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know;

nothing but the blood of Jesus.

…He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Hebrews 9:12-14

And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” Mark 14:24. As we journey forward in faith, let us remember that though God’s grace is free, it was very costly. The shed blood of Jesus, and His blood alone made payment in full for the sin of the entire world. We therefore have GREAT NEWS to tell the world – see John 3:16 once again! He IS risen. He IS risen indeed! By Steve Cohen

A Messianic Overview of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus the Messiah from the

Perspective of Gentiles!

By Bob RoegnerThroughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the promise of a Messiah is clearly given. These messianic prophecies were made hundreds, sometimes even thousands of years before Jesus Christ was born. Historically, Jesus Christ is the only person who has ever walked this earth to ful-fill them. In fact, from Genesis to Malachi, there are over 300 spe-cific prophecies detailing the coming of this Y’shua Hamashiach (Je-sus the Messiah). In addition to prophecies detailing His virgin birth, His birth in Bethlehem, His birth from the tribe of Judah, His lineage from King David, His sinless life, and His atoning work for the sins of His people, the death and resurrection of the Jewish Messiah was, likewise, well documented in the Hebrew prophetic Scriptures long before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ occurred in history. Of the best-known prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures concerning the death of the Messiah, Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 certainly stand out.

Look first at Psalm 22:16-18: Dogs have surrounded me. A mob has encircled me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. People stare. They gloat over me. They divide my clothes among themselves. They throw dice for my clothing (GWN). This is es-pecially amazing since it predicted numerous separate elements about Jesus’ crucifixion a thousand years before Jesus was crucified. Hands and feet pierced (John 20:20), no broken bones (John 19:33, a person’s legs were usually broken after being crucified to speed up their death), and the gambling by the Roman soldiers for the Messiah’s clothing (Matthew 27:35).

In Isaiah 53, we find the classic messianic prophecy known as the “Suffering Servant.” It details the death of the Messiah for the sins of His people. More than 700 years before Jesus was even born, Isaiah provides details of His life and death. The Messiah will be rejected: He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem (Isaiah 53:3 and see also, Luke 13:34). The Messiah will be silent in front of His accusers: He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was

led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth (Isaiah 53:7 and see also, 1 Peter 2:23). The Messiah will be killed as a vicarious sacrifice for the sins of His people: but he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our in-iquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has Laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment, he was taken away. Yet who of his generation pro-tested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. (Isaiah 53:5-8 and see also 2 Corinthians 5:21). The Messiah will be buried with the rich: He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth (Isaiah 53:9 and see also Matthew 27:57-60). The Messiah will be with criminals in

His death: therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the trans-gressors (Isaiah 53:12 and see also Mark 15:27).

In addition to the death of the Jewish Messiah, His resurrection from the dead is also foretold. The clearest and best known of the resurrection proph-ecies is the one penned by Israel’s King David in Psalm 16:10, written a 1000 years before the birth of Jesus: because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay..

On the Jewish feast day of Shavuot (Weeks or Pentecost), when Peter preached the first gospel sermon, he boldly asserted that God had raised Jesus the Jewish Messiah from the dead: but God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the

agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him (Acts 2:24). Peter continued by explaining that God had performed this miraculous deed in fulfillment of David’s prophecy even quoting the words of David in detail as contained in Psalm 16:8-11. Some years later, Paul did the same thing when he spoke to the Jewish community in Antioch. Like Peter, Paul in Acts 13:33-35, declared that God had raised the Messiah Jesus from the dead in fulfillment of Psalm 16:10: he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is writ-ten in the second Psalm: “You are my son; today I have become your father.” God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said, “I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.” So it is also stated elsewhere: “You will not let your holy one see decay” (NIV).

Now back again to Isaiah 53. After prophesying that the Suffering Servant of God would suffer for the sins of His people, the prophet says He would then be “cut off out of the land of the living.” But Isaiah then states that He (Messiah) “will see His offspring” and that God the Father will “prolong His days” (Isaiah 53:5, 8, 10). Isaiah proceeds to reaffirm the promise of the resurrection in different words: “As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see light and be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11). Every aspect of the death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah had been prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures long before the events ever unfolded in the timeline of human history. No wonder that Jesus the Messiah would say to the Jewish religious leaders of His day: you study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, (John 5:39). (All Scripture from NIV except where noted).

The Garden Tomb – Jerusalem

In His Service - Bob Roegner

Please help us reach our target of three years of pledged and donated support for our first three-year term in Israel.

We are 62% of the way there and if you have the ability to send us a check for the balance we can be on our way... that is just $216,000.

Whatever you might be able to give, pleae only do so over and above your regular church giving and mission support.

May God bless you richly as you have us!

Yours in His service,

Bob & Kristi RoegnerRomans 10:1

Nancy Cohen

NanC’s Corner A Q u e s t i o n

“Yeshua said to her, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life! Whoever puts his trust in me will live, even if he dies;” John 11:25

What are you doing with the resurrection? Easter has been celebrated. It will be another full year before we remember and celebrate again. What are we doing with the 364 days until then?

“So they left the tomb quickly, frightened yet filled with joy; and they ran to give the news to his talmidim (disciples).” Matthew 28:8

When Mary, from Magdala, saw that the tomb was empty – she RAN to tell others. We need to be running to tell others the Good News! Our sins are forgiven, and our hope is secured! There will be no more death, no more past! Eternal life with the One who created and loved us – Glory!!

“You are to be holy because I am holy.” I Peter 1:16

What does the resurrection mean? After our salvation, we are to be HOLY. Holy! Because HE is Holy. Today in our world – we are hard pressed to even see holiness in the church. Adul-tery, gossip, drunkenness, discontent, envy, the list can go on and on. Why point at the church? “For the time has come for the judgment to begin. It begins with the household of God; and if it starts with us, what will the outcome be for those who are disobeying God’s Good News?” I Peter 4:17 God’s Word tells us that judgement begins at the house of God. I have seen gos-sip, slander and backbiting destroy families and churches. How can we win the world when we can’t even rule our own minds and bodies? It’s no wonder the younger generations are leaving the church – there is less drama in their work places. I use to tell my children when they would argue or disobey “Pretend that you are a Christian!” They would answer “Mom! I am a Christian!” Then I would tell to behave as such. Of course, I am not saying for them to pretend Christianity – it was a wakeup call. We need to WAKEUP and be Holy as God is Holy – He commands it.

If you are reading this and don’t know that you are going to heaven, then being Holy isn’t an issue. Hell is the issue. Please, friend, ask Y’shua to forgive your sins and come into your heart and life. He loves you! He wants you to have life and have life abundantly. There is no greater joy than a relationship with the Savior. The One who died and bled to cover your sins , so that you can live eternally. Don’t let another day go by without Him…not even a minute.

Blessings and love, from my heart, nanC *Scripture used is from the Complete Jewish Bible

For Your Prayers Please:

1. For Bob & Kristi Roegner as they continue their deputa-tion work leading to service on the mission field again. He is over 60% of the way towards his goal of $450,000 for the first three year term.

2. For Barbara Cairns, who has served us so very well the last few years from our administrative center in Bentwood, TN as she bravely battles a difficult illness.

3. For Steve & Nancy Cohen as they continue to give leader-ship in missions in the 23rd year since the founding of The Apple of His Eye.

4. In thanksgiving to the churches who have had us in to speak and those preparing to receive us. We especially give thanks to Rev. Tim Klinkenberg for our Passover Seder at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Orange, California on Maun-dy Thursday, We were blessed by Joan W. and Tim V. who made it all possible!.

5. Pray for our upcoming trip to Israel in May as we meet with our partners to further our plans for service in Tel Aviv.

6. Pray for wisdom from the Lord as our board takes on it’s new responsibilities and challenges in extending our mission work.

7. Pray for Izabela Cormier as she works on our speaking calendar over the next 18 months that the Lord would open those doors for us to serve.

8. Pray for three new Jewish contacts we have had in the last few weeks who are open to the Gospel and reading Matthew to consider the claims of Christ.

9. Pray that my mother, Barbara Cohen, might hear the Gospel and respond in faith soon. Our days are num-bered.

$ 3 5 0 , 0 0 0

We are able to continue our mis-sion work because God’s people care and bless us through their over-and-above gifts of mission support.

Your help NOW will move us forward.

Thank you!

In Y’shua - Steve Cohen,

Founder

Romans 10:1

The political question of whose Land it is has been challenged and argued ever since the State of Israel was re-declared in 1948. And if that were all that was to it, then certainly there could be various sides considered. But one side has been missing in this discussion, the non-political reality, is that it is God’s land who gave it to His first chosen people: Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. (emphasis mine) 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Please read Numbers 34:1-14 where the Lord details the scope of the land associated with the promise He gave to Abraham establishing the Jewish people. This is a map which approximates these borders in Numbers >>>Israel currently occupies but a fraction of the promised land, and even today as I write this there are hostilities to challenge those borders in the form of rocket attacks by Hamas on civilians in Israel.

From The Mail Bag...

Dear Apple of His Eye:How do I respond to people who believe Jesus will return to Pales-

tine because Israel stole their land; therefore Jews are not to be trusted

nor held in much esteem?

(name withheld by request)

Fire and smoke below above buildings in Gaza City during reported Israeli strikes on March 25, 2019 Credit:AFP

House struck by Gaza rocket in Mishmeret on March 25, 2019. Credit: Meged Gozani

Propagandists have instilled into the minds of many who do not regard the Bible as God’s word that some-how Israel has stolen land. But if we view matters from the side of God’s revealed true word, then we see God’s plan unfolding towards the consummation of all His promises until the end of the age.

Anti-Semitism is nothing new, and uninformed statements of prejudice against the Jewish people have been spewed forth all the way back to the days of Moses and Haman not to mention modern rhetorition-ers who seek to foment hatred through their prejudice. How can we fulfill God’s command to reach all with the Gospel (Romans 1:16) if there is fear mongering in the place of Love? For God so loved the world (Jews and Gentiles) that He gave His only begotten Son - John 3:16. --- sc

ENCORE PAGE IN CASE YOU MISSED THIS LAST MONTH

COMING SOON!

Travel with Us Next Yearto the Holy Land!

October 13-24, 2020

in cooperation with

T he A pple of H is E ye

M ission S ociety

and

Rev. Dr. Bob & Kristi Roegner will be co-hosts and leaders (along with Rev. Al Schade, an AOHE Board Member and his wife Diane) for this journey through the historical sites of the Holy Land in Israel. With over 38 years of experience in missions, the Roegners have traveled extensively around the world. Their mission involvement has helped them develop a great appreciation of other cultures and peoples. Their insight and knowl-edge of the Holy Land, as The Apple of His Eye’s first workers in Israel as Bible Teachers, will help make your trip more enjoyable and a great learning experience.

You can request a copy of the trip brochure and registration form after May 1, 2019. Please feel free to send an email to robert.roegner@appleofhiseye.org or call Dr. Roegner at 314.640.9558.

This is the photo of the year for me...

I asked these four young girls to come up and help with the Passover Plate demonstration by showing and eating the parsley, Charoseth and Maror (horseradish).

Aubrey, Aubrey, Lilly and Olivia had no idea what was coming. When I shared the horseradish with Aubrey by first offering to smell it, her reaction was priceless. So I asked if she would prefer someone else to take it instead. All four of them voted for their teacher, Ben Balsman.

He came up, fearlessly had at the horseradish and this was their reac-tion! This was at St. John’s Lutheran Church in West Allis, Wisconsin.

Thank you Pastor Bender for the gracious welcome given to my return visit to your congregation!!! In Y’shua - Steve Cohen