Episode 155 - Are the Jewish People of Today the Jewish People of the Bible? (featuring Mottel Baleston)

Hanukkah
Written By Matt Davis
 

Helping Christians make sense of their roots. Helping the Jewish community make sense of Jesus. Together, we are restoring the Jewishness of the gospel.

There’s a rising chorus of voices - some hostile, others simply misinformed - claiming that modern Jews aren’t the same people God called His own in Scripture. 

In this episode, we sit down with Messianic teacher Mottel Baleston to dismantle the Khazar conspiracy and explore the deeper theological question behind it: Are the Jewish people of today truly the covenant people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Baleston traces the Jewish story through Scripture, history, and even modern genetics to show that God’s promises have never been revoked. 

The Jewish people remain central to His plan of redemption, not as spiritual relics, but as living proof that God keeps His word. 

This isn’t just about disproving bad history - it’s about recovering biblical clarity for the Church and real love for Israel.

Key Takeaways

  • The Khazar theory is a debunked 20th-century myth rooted in antisemitism, not scholarship.

  • Scripture defines Jewish identity through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - not conspiracy or culture.

  • There have always been Jews in the Land of Israel - always.

  • Modern DNA studies (Stanford & Wayne State) confirm genetic continuity with ancient Israel.

  • The myth that “the Church replaced Israel” contradicts Romans 11, where Paul warns Gentile believers not to boast.

  • Being “chosen” is not about superiority - it’s about responsibility to reveal God’s glory to the nations.

  • Every believer has a calling: to reject antisemitism and stand with God’s eternal covenant people.

Chapter Markers

  • 00:00 – Welcome & intro to Mottel Baleston

  • 03:20 – The real question: Are modern Jews biblical Israel?

  • 08:15 – Who is a Jew? Scripture’s definition

  • 10:30 – The three Jewish diasporas: Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi

  • 18:40 – The rise of the Khazar myth

  • 26:00 – DNA, history, and debunking conspiracy

  • 36:00 – The spiritual roots of antisemitism

  • 45:00 – God’s covenant faithfulness in Romans 11

  • 48:30 – Where to learn more from Mottel Baleston

Explore more resources and join the journey atthejewishroad.com.
Dive deeper into Mottel Baleston’s teaching at messiahnj.org or on YouTube by searching “Mottel Baleston”- and discover how God’s promises to Israel still shape our faith today.

MessiahNJ.org
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Matt Davis

Because great stories, and service, change everything. Delivering the StoryBrand and Unreasonable Hospitality frameworks to businesses and nonprofits so they can take on the world.

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Episode 154 - Why Is Israel Back in the Land if They Don’t Believe? (featuring Stephen Briggs)