Global Family Vision
- Asher Intrater
- Jul 1
- 6 min read
Tikkun Global
Jerusalem, Israel
There is a profound vision contained in the prayer of Yeshua in John 17:21-23 for oneness with God and unity with one another:
May they all be one, as you Father are in me and I in you. May they also be one in us, that the world may believe that you have sent me. And the glory which you gave me before the foundation of the world, I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one. I in them and You in me that they be made perfect in one, and that the world will know that you sent me and loved them as you love me.
In verse 21, the emphasis is more on oneness with God than unity with one another. Our unity is a natural outcome of oneness with God. But oneness with God comes first. The 1st element to compose this picture puzzle is simply: faith in Yeshua.
In verse 22, there is the additional dimension which comes from a joint experience of the glory of the Holy Spirit. The 2nd element of this oneness is receiving the fire, dunamis and charisma of the Holy Spirit.
In verse 23, we are to know and experience the love of God as our father. This 3rd element is the Father's love.
Beautiful People in a Beautiful World
As this oneness and unity develops, there will be people all over the world who are spiritually one. This is the emerging global ekklesia: people from every ethnic group becoming a special "chosen" people, a royal priesthood (Exodus 19:5-6, I Peter 2:9).
This ekklesia has been growing since the beginning of time. In our generation, it is coming to a greater fullness than ever before. We desire to see this divine picture puzzle of the global ekklesia fitted together.
What is the relational structure for this group of people? It is too large to be "owned" by any single person or individual ministry. It is too diverse for any council or synod. Not even for cardinals. Not even for apostles.
The structure must be more relational than organizational. To put our emphasis on relationships, we must relinquish all pride, position, and promotion. Those ego "bags" should be left at the door before we come together.
What is the relational construct that can unite us? If it is to include everyone, we must go back to the beginning to grasp the concept. God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1). God told Abraham to be a father of many nations (Genesis 17). God is the Father from whom we all have identity (Ephesians 3:14-15).
What is the original relational framework for all human beings? – A family. A family of all nations. God is our Father. Yeshua is the Son. The ekklesia is a development of the original family. We are all brothers and sisters. Every person is equal in love and respect. This plan for a global family in a global garden has never changed.
Note: When we speak of a global family of faith, it is important to remember that the community of faith is first expressed in local congregations in every city and town, with real relationships of shared life, mutual accountability, breaking bread, discipleship, and pastoral eldership. As the human body is made up of individual cells and organs, so is the global body of Messiah made up of local communities of faith.
The Abrahamic Family of Faith
In some ways the beginning of family of faith was Abraham. Unfortunately, there was a painful split in that first family. There have been many divisions since then. But the root of all divisions in the family of faith is the split between Hagar and Sarah.
From that split come the difficulties in the Middle East today, as well as the conflicts between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. From Ishmael and Isaac come the Arab and Jewish people. If the wound between them can be healed, then all the rest of the ethnic, national, religious splits can be healed.
Arab – Jewish reconciliation is the 4th element of our picture puzzle. This can only happen through the love of Yeshua. He bore our sins on the tree (Isaiah 53) and teaches us how to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). This is deeper than reconciliation: it is family, covenant, and oneness.
This covenantal breakthrough will bring a blessing to the whole earth, as recorded in Isaiah 19:20-25. In this prophecy a highway is built between Egypt, Assyria, and Israel. A blessing is released throughout the earth. This vision has been called the Isaiah 19 highway or Isaiah 19 blessing.
We Messianic Jews desire to prefer our Arab brothers and sisters. In Genesis 17:18, Abraham prays, May Ishmael live before you. This prayer happened right before Isaac was born. God reminds Abraham that the Messianic covenant will go through Isaac, not Ishmael. Yet, Abraham's heart was filled with love for both Ishmael and Isaac.
As we Messianic Jews prefer our Arab brothers, God's blessing is released to us. The same is true for them. The same is true for every person or ethnic group. Mutual submission brings mutual blessings. The 5th key to the global family is preferring one another in honor (Philippians 2:3, Ephesians 5:21).
David Demian (of Watchmen for the Nations) and I have a beautiful partnership in this global family vision. We defer to one another. Our friendship is an expression of the heart of Abraham for both Ishmael and Isaac. This kind of mutual deference is found in other fellowships and conferences here in Israel as well.
We Messianic Jews seek to prefer our Arab Christian brothers in love. Deferring to Arabs is not denying our calling as Jews. It is confirming it. Out of that relationship, the will of God is manifested. It was God's sovereign will for Ishmael to be born first. It was also God's sovereign will for Isaac to be the inheritor of the Messianic covenant.
Dual Restoration of Israel and the Church
Spiritual blessings are always reciprocal. Believers in Yeshua from every ethnic background are connected to the Olive Tree of faith. When Israel comes into her calling, the nations can be grafted in together with her (Romans 11:17-21). This tree grows out of the historic Jewish roots of the faith. The history of Israel is the common history of all believers. The nations of the global ekklesia are aligned to their common history. The 6th element of global family unity is the Jewish Roots of the faith.
Ezekiel 37 describes an amazing vision of the resurrection of the dead. Dry bones are brought together. The Spirit of God gives them life. They rise as a mighty army. This resurrection vision is also happening in our hearts today. God is joining us together, bone to bone, ligament to ligament. His Spirit is bringing revival. We are to prophesy to the Spirit, saying Come and blow (Ezekiel 37:9).
Is Ezekiel's vision referring to the people of Israel? or to the international Ekklesia? or to the physical resurrection from the dead? Well, yes, all three. The nation of Israel, the international Church, and the physical resurrection of the dead are connected.
After the bones come to life, Ezekiel has another vision in which he joins two sticks together in his hands (Ezekiel 37:16-23). This vision also has more than one level of meaning.
The first is the unifying of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah that were divided after the reign of Solomon. Yet, this is also a picture of the international Ekklesia being joined together to the nation of Israel. The passage refers to the nation, "the children of Israel" and to the international Ekklesia, "all the house of Israel and his companions" (Ezekiel 37:16).
The 7th element for the global family is the unity of Israel and the Church. Let's summarize:
Faith in Yeshua – John 17:21
Power of Holy Spirit – John 17:22
The Father's Love – John 17:23
Arab-Jewish reconciliation – Isaiah 19:20-25, Genesis 17:18
Preferring One Another – Philippians 2:3, Ephesians 5:21
Jewish Roots – Romans 11:17-21
Unity of Israel and Church – Ezekiel 37
All things in heaven and earth are united under the headship of Yeshua (Ephesians 1:10). The global family is coming together (Ephesians 3:15). What a joy to be part of this divine experiment!
