|
How does the nation of Israel fit into Bible prophecy
and how does it affect Christians today?
(From a letter Rabbi Ed sent
to answer a question:
(slightly edited for clarity)
Psalm 102:13-18 instructs us that G-d
has an appointed time to have compassion on Zion, and be gracious
to her. The signs that this set time has come are as follows:
1. G-d's servants will find pleasure in her stones and feel pity
for her dust.
2. When the L-RD builds up Zion (in the last 55 years he has, big
time), He shall appear in His glory.
3. This shall be written for the generation to come (or an alternate
translation from the Hebrew), This shall be written for the last
generation.
Matthew 24:32-35 instructs us concerning
the fig tree (which happens to be the symbol on the national seal
of Israel, Mark 11:12-14 reveals Y'shua
[Jesus] cursing a fig tree before He cleanses the temple, and Jeremiah
24 compares Israel to good and bad figs). We see that the generation
witnesses the blossming of Israel will also see the second coming
of HaMashiach (the Messiah)!
Luke 21:24 gives us further insight
as Y'shua prophecies the dispersion of the Jewish people (they are
to be led away captive into all nations) and the regathering of
the Jewish people accompanied by the restoration of Jerusalem as
their capital at the time of the fulness of the Gentiles. Romans
11:25 echoes this very sentiment reminding us that the Church has
been ignorant of this mystery, that blindness in part has happened
to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Earlier in the same chapter, Romans 11:11-15
the apostle teaches us that one of the primary purposes of salvation
coming to the Gentiles is to provoke Israel to jealousy which results
in how much more greater blessing for
the Church, even life from the dead!
If only Christians understood that by blessing, praying for, reaching
out and loving the Jewish people they would be seeing a greater
outpouting of G-d's power and favor.
Ezekiel 36:24-28 reveals how G-d will
bring the Jews back to Israel from all the countries where He has
scattered them and when He does He will give them a new heart and
a new spirit, give them back their land and they will be His people
and He will be their G-d.
Joel 2:18-27 the prophet describes how
G-d is going to restore the land and His people to it and then in
vs. 28-32 he describes how after that G-d will pour out His Spirit
upon His people, young and old, male and female, with signs and
wonders and revival in Mount Zion and Jerusalem, all before the
great and terrible day of the L-RD.
In Genesis 12:3 G-d covenanted to bless
all who bless Abram and his descendants and to curse all those who
curse them. In Gensis 15 G-d alone cut a soveriegn unconditional
covenant of grace with Abram, then in chapter 17 made an everlasting
covenant with Abraham concerning the land of Israel. G-d is a covenant
keeping G-d, not a covenant breaking G-d.
Just after revealing the New Covenant
in Jeremiah 31:31-33, in Jeremiah 31:35-37
declares to us that G-d will not break covenant with Israel as long
as the sun, moon, and stars are running their G-d appointed circuits.
G-d is tipping His hand for us in that if He will not break His
covenant with Israel, after all her wrongdoing, we can be sure that
He will keep His covenant with us through the blood of Y'shua!
If G-d could break His covenant with Israel and the Jews, than
He could break His covenant with anyone and would cease to be G-d.
Then guess who would be able to waltz right in and take over like
he's be conniving to for around 6 thousand + years?
One of hasatan's greatest and most effective weapons against G-d
and His people was to get the 2 covenant peoples of G-d fighting
with, hating, fearing and misunderstanding each other. What a mess
we make of things, and yet G-d is able to work all things according
to the counsel of His own will and ultimately for our good!
Remember Romans 1:16 and 2:9-11 which
teach us G-d's divine order of ministry and evangelism, To the Jew
first and also to the Nations. G-d loves all people alike, but He
honors the order of His covenants with His people. Psalm
122:6 encourages us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they
shall prosper that love her. Study the history of those nations
that have blessed Israel and those that have cursed her and you
will have learned a valuable lesson from history. |
