Despised yet Chosen
"After the flood the human race was split up into
nations, and God called off one stream of the human
race in Abraham, and created a nation out of that
one man. The Old Testament is not a history
of the nations of the world, but the history of
that one nation.
"In secular history Israel is disregarded as being
merely a miserable horde of slaves, and justly so
from the standpoint of the historian. The nations to
which the Bible pays little attention are much finer
to read about, but they have no importance in the
redemptive purpose of God. His purpose was the
creation of a nation to be His bondsiave, that
through that nation all the other nations should
come to know Him.
"The idea that Israel was a magnificently developed
type of nation is a mistaken one. Israel was a
despised, and a despisable nation, continually
turning away from God into idolatry but nothing ever
altered the purpose of God for the nation.
"The despised element is always a noticeable element
in the purpose of God. When the Savior of the world
came, He came of that despised nation; He Himself
was “despised and rejected by men,” and in all
Christian enterprise there is this same despised
element, “things which are despised God has chosen.”
The Oswald Chambers Daily Devotional Bible, p. 675
Whenever ancient Israel rejected God's Word and
turned to idols, God withdrew His hand of protection
over His land. Again and again, they were ravaged and
oppressed by surrounding nations. And when they repented
and turned back "with all their heart", God forgave and
restored. Finally, after pagan idols desecrated His holy
temple, He allowed Babylon to conquer their land,
destroy Jerusalem and exile most of their people. See
Chart: Old Testament Cycle
"My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would
have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn
heart, to walk in their own counsels. Oh, that My people
would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would
soon subdue their enemies...." Psalm 81:11-14
When Jesus, their
promised Messiah, was born in their midst, few noticed.
Since His miracles called attention to His world-shaking
mission, the self-centered rulers killed Him and
persecuted His followers. In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed
Israel's last temple and ended the sacrifices made
obsolete through the cross. Thousands of Christians and
Jews were again exiled from their beloved land.
Grieving for his precious
fellow Jews, the apostle Paul wrote,
"...my heart’s desire and
prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for
God, but not according to knowledge. For they being
ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to
establish their own righteousness, have not
submitted to the righteousness of God." Romans
10:1-3 "...blindness in part has happened to Israel
until the
fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all
Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The
Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn
away ungodliness from Jacob; for 'this is My
covenant with them, when I take away their sins.'” "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge
of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His
ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has
become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him
and it shall be repaid to him? For of Him and
through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be
glory forever." Romans 11:25-27, 33-35
That dispersion of Jews
throughout the middle east provided a fertile ground for
Christian evangelism. It also led to various distortions
of God's laws among scholarly Jews. Their mystical
Kabbalah would eventually spread through secret
societies throughout Europe.
"After the flood the human race was split up into
nations, and God called off one stream of the human
race in Abraham, and created a nation out of that
one man. The Old Testament is not a history
of the nations of the world, but the history of
that one nation.
"In secular history Israel is disregarded as being
merely a miserable horde of slaves, and justly so
from the standpoint of the historian. The nations to
which the Bible pays little attention are much finer
to read about, but they have no importance in the
redemptive purpose of God. His purpose was the
creation of a nation to be His bondsiave, that
through that nation all the other nations should
come to know Him.
"The idea that Israel was a magnificently developed
type of nation is a mistaken one. Israel was a
despised, and a despisable nation, continually
turning away from God into idolatry but nothing ever
altered the purpose of God for the nation.
"The despised element is always a noticeable element
in the purpose of God. When the Savior of the world
came, He came of that despised nation; He Himself
was “despised and rejected by men,” and in all
Christian enterprise there is this same despised
element, “things which are despised God has chosen.”
The Oswald Chambers Daily Devotional Bible, p. 675
Not like our churches today. We look for
See 1 Cor. 1: and 1:1-7? foolish,
weak and small , to demonstrate His wisdom, strength,
and might.
Israel:
what is a good church and what ist not . Not a mater of old ways or new
methods. Wht makes the difference is the holy Spirit.
put lives on the line... to rebuild temple... dont believe tnneed for temple
again for
----------------------------
-------------------------------
Compare the vast extent of the
Islamic land mass (this map shows only a portion of the whole) to the small
red area that indicates Israel with the Palestinian territories. The small
unlabeled country on its northern border is Lebanon, which also embraces
Islam.
“O Lord, according to
all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be
turned away from Your city Jerusalem. ... O my God, incline Your ear and
hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is
called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications
before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great
mercies.
“O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not
delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are
called by Your name.” Daniel
9:16-19
"...Then
I will give them a heart to know Me,
that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and
I will be their God, for they shall return to Me
with their whole heart." Jeremiah 24:6-7
“O Lord, according to
all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be
turned away from Your city Jerusalem. ... O my God, incline Your ear and
hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is
called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications
before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great
mercies.
“O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not
delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are
called by Your name.” Daniel
9:16-19
"...Then
I will give them a heart to know Me,
that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and
I will be their God, for they shall return to Me
with their whole heart." Jeremiah 24:6-7
Andy and I
have visited Jerusalem twice. Since we joined a tour
each time, I wished I could have walked along the
now very narrow Jordan alone and just talked with my
Lord. I love that land where He walked and prayed
and healed and died! Its people live in rebellion
against Him, but I love it!
Jesus was Abraham’s promised “seed” – the prophesied
Savior, whom the Jews rejected. We were grafted into
that “tree” and indeed we share now share in the
glorious Kingdom that they lost. We indeed are the
fulfillment of Abrahamic promises.
I also know that the consequences of the kinds of
Kabbalistic/occult mysticism (especially prevalent
within a large branch of Jewish leadership during
the last several centuries) and secularism that has
characterized much of recent Jewish history deserves
God’s judgment. Of course, so does America and the
rest of the world that is increasingly shutting our
God out of their lives and minds. And that judgment
will surely come. Perhaps, one day soon, things will
get so bad that the Jews in Israel will turn to
Jesus Christ and trust in His salvation. That is
their only hope – as it is ours. Maybe they will be
exiled once again from their land – as they were
when God used Nebuchadnezzar to discipline them. And
interesting enough, the last chapters in Jeremiah
show how God, in turn, judged and punished the very
nations He had used to judge Israel.
Chapters 9-11 of Romans give us some clues – and
present some puzzles. Yes, we were grafted in, but
Paul maintains a hope that one day (still ahead) a
remnant will be restored – and brought into His
fold. I don’t understand it and I question a lot of
speculative prophesies. (You probably saw our “end
time” chart, so you know that we don’t quite fit
into the dispensational format.)
Right now, the world seems to be a bit like a
smoking volcano. There is much happening, and much
of it is likely to be very evil and unpleasant. Tiny
Israel is caught in the middle of much of it. I just
pray that hearts will turn to Him. And in the midst
of all the hatred it faces right now, I do favor it
over all its foes. But God will work out His
victorious plan in His perfect ways – even if Israel
is trampled once again.
When God's
people rejected God's Word and relied on idols and or their
own strength, God withdrew His blessings and allowed enemy
forces to conquer their holy city. But -- through the
generations -- whenever they turned back to Him with "all their
heart," He restored them and led them in His victory.
See
Chart: Old Testament Cycle
"After the flood the human race was split up into
nations, and God called off one stream of the human
race in Abraham, and created a nation out of that
one man. The Old Testament is not a history
of the nations of the world, but the history of
that one nation.
"In secular history Israel is disregarded as being
merely a miserable horde of slaves, and justly so
from the standpoint of the historian. The nations to
which the Bible pays little attention are much finer
to read about, but they have no importance in the
redemptive purpose of God. His purpose was the
creation of a nation to be His bondsiave, that
through that nation all the other nations should
come to know Him.
"The idea that Israel was a magnificently developed
type of nation is a mistaken one. Israel was a
despised, and a despisable nation, continually
turning away from God into idolatry but nothing ever
altered the purpose of God for the nation.
"The despised element is always a noticeable element
in the purpose of God. When the Savior of the world
came, He came of that despised nation; He Himself
was “despised and rejected by men,” and in all
Christian enterprise there is this same despised
element, “things which are despised God has chosen.”
The Oswald Chambers Daily Devotional Bible, p. 675
Not like our churches today. We look for
See 1 Cor. 1: and 1:1-7? foolish,
weak and small , to demonstrate His wisdom, strength,
and might.
Israel:
what is a good church and what ist not . Not a mater of old ways or new
methods. Wht makes the difference is the holy Spirit.
put lives on the line... to rebuild temple... dont believe tnneed for temple
again for
God's love
and longing for His precious people is obvious in these
two Scriptures. But they were blind and couldn't see --
deaf and unable to hear His loving call. Only a remnant
heard and followed.
"My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would
have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn
heart, to walk in their own counsels. Oh, that My people
would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would
soon subdue their enemies...." Psalm 81:11-14
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often
I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under
her wings, but you were not willing!" Luke 13:34
"Everyone deals falsely.
They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace,
peace!’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had
committed abomination? No! They were not at all
ashamed; nor did they know how to blush."
Jeremiah
6:13-15
"My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would
have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn
heart, to walk in their own counsels. Oh, that My people
would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would
soon subdue their enemies...." Psalm 81:11-14
"Hear this now, O foolish
people, without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not:
Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence...?
... But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed. They do not say in their heart, 'let us now
fear the Lord our God,
Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season... our iniquities have turned these things away,
And your sins have withheld good from you."
Jeremiah
5:18-25
"...behold,
I begin to
bring calamity on the city which is called by My name
[Jerusalem], and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be
unpunished...."
Jeremiah 25:1-29The heavenly
Jerusalem
“He who overcomes,
I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more.
And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God,
the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God." Revelation 3:12
“...they will fall by the
edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem
will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."
Luke 21:24
“At that time
Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the
nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to
Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil
hearts."
Jeremiah 3:17
"For I will set My eyes
on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I
will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and
not pluck them up. Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that
I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their
God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart."
Jeremiah 24:6-7
"I am the Lord,
and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make
peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things." Isaiah
45:6-7
"You
are my God. My times are in Your hand."
Psalm 31:14
From
Grace Gems |