By Michail and Melanie Bantseev – BYNA Elders –
by Michail and Melanie Bantseev – BYNA Elders –
Just under 2 years ago my wife and I became affiliated with the B’ney Yosef North America family and began to serve as Canadian representatives on the amazing team of elders. How our Father in heaven orchestrated that was quite special and we want to share some of that journey with you.
I am a Russian-born Jew who grew up in a born again, Spirit-filled Pentecostal family as the 8th of nine children. Our family immigrated to Canada in 1989 to get away from persecution of believers in the former Soviet Union. Like many of you in the Ephraimite side of the family, it was the work of the Spirit in my heart that guided me back to my Torah roots in my young adult years as a follower of Yeshua the Messiah.
My wife Melanie is not Jewish, she was born in St. Louis and grew up in Milwaukee, also in a Pentecostal family. She is the second oldest of 10 children in her family. When we got married 14 years ago, we had a Messianic Jewish chuppah ceremony and purposed to build our family on the foundation of the Torah.
While my wife and I were serving in a Messianic congregation in Ottawa, we became acquainted with Georgina Saunders, and she became our connection to BYNA. She has been part of the BYNA family from the very beginning. Many of you know her well. She is 99 years old and she will celebrate her 2nd jubilee in the spring of 2026! Georgina introduced us to Ephraim and Rimona Frank in 2019 and we quickly formed a loving bond of friendship.
Two years ago, while visiting Georgina, she spoke with us about her heartfelt burden and passionate vision for the restoration of Judah and Ephraim. She herself walked the same path of transformation from being an Israel-loving Christian to identifying as an Israelite. Most of you reading this newsletter have walked the same journey. After that pivotal conversation in July of 2023, it became crystal clear to Melanie and I that we want to become part of the BYNA family and dedicate our lives towards the restoration of the whole house of Jacob. Together with each one of you, we are fulfilling prophecy!
We want to encourage you to keep building the BYNA family with us. Keep inviting believers who are hungry and seeking to embrace their identity in the house of Jacob (Luke 1:30-33).
In these tumultuous days, we are seeing so many believers whose hearts are searching for their Hebraic roots. Abba Father is restoring us, binding up our wounds, and bringing us into our identity and prophetic destiny!
Sharpening Our Sons
We have had the privilege of teaching BYNA beginner level Hebrew classes in the past year. In one of our lessons while we were studying the Shema, I gave a homework assignment to do a word study on one of the Hebrew words in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. One of the phrases is to “diligently teach them to your sons” (verse 7).
While exploring the Hebrew, I discovered that the word “teach” is absent, and instead, the word “sharpen” is used. The Hebrew root word is Strong’s H8150 “shanan” (Shin-Nun-Nun) meaning to sharpen, to whet (archaic English for sharpening the blade of a tool or a sword) and by implication to teach incisively. The word incisively is connected to making an incision, meaning that you cut into something. The letters themselves speak of cutting, because the letter Shin is the sharp two front teeth that bite into, press, eat and consume. The double Nun speaks to the importance of the seed, perpetuity, heir, son and fruitfulness. It is the son that carries on the righteous seed in the family.
The instruction is given to fathers. It is my desire as a father to sharpen my sons to walk in the footsteps of Yeshua the Messiah, the Living Torah. It is my purpose to be used by YHVH to make them fit for use in the Kingdom of Heaven. May this be true for us in BYNA as we raise up spiritual sons who are sharp, because we ourselves as fathers are sharp (1 Cor 4:15). May our sons surpass us and go further than we as fathers have ever gone, because we have sharpened them and equipped them.
Hanukkah is just over a month away. As we approach this wonderful time of dedication, let us be committed to being sharp, and sharpening our sons, so that we may bear much fruit in the BYNA family.
In Yeshua the Messiah and for His kingdom,
Michail and Melanie Bantseev
