Victory

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

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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

 

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