Posted in Israel

Israel

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The children of Abraham and Jacob, he who was renamed Israel by God and which name is also applied to their descendants, are mentioned thousands of times in Scripture, not always in a complimentary way. As a group or nation, they have turned in some of the best and worst behavior in all of mankind. At various times they were disciplined for turning their backs to Him who rescued them from Egypt, even to the point of removal from the Promised Land and divorce.

However, consistent with His promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:3), God has also designated them as His “am segullah” or treasured people (Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 7:6 (and others), Psalm 83:3) and made many promises to protect and ultimately save the nation (Isaiah 43:1 and others). Israel is God’s “line in the sand” for the Deceiver and anybody else who defies God’s plans for His kingdom. They represent man in general and showcase God’s love and compassion, especially when they don’t follow Him like they should. When they cling to God in the best way, they give all people hope for their own salvation.

Deuteronomy 9:5 ESV. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Israel is not under God’s protection and love because of anything they do or did, but because of God’s promises, character and care for all people. God’s promises will not fail, as we see in the modern example of Israel regaining the Land. No other nation or tribe or tongue in history or on earth has seen the same type of chastisement and been “born again” as has Israel. God is always there for Israel as He is for any other person or group that loves Him with all their heart, soul and strength.

Romans 5:6–11 ESV. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Believers have the same track record as Israel, but God still sent His only begotten Son to shed His blood for us who were lost. It spite of all our failings God loves us and is waiting for us to love Him back. If people condemn Israel, they condemn themselves.

God says Israel (or Jerusalem) will be a “cup of staggering,” a “blazing pot” and a “flaming torch” for all the surrounding peoples, and they shall devour them to the right and to the left (Zechariah 12). We are seeing the beginning of this in our time. Jerusalem is vexing the entire world and causing most of countries to stagger with alarm and hate at the “Jewish problem.” As all the nations led by Gog gather to crush Israel in the latter days, God’s wrath will be kindled and the armies will be wiped out.

Ezekiel is told (Ezekiel 37) that the two parts of Israel that separated themselves long ago will be joined together into one again. This also we have begun to see in modern times because most Israelis cannot tell which tribe they are in. They all are considered, and consider themselves, one people. However, in Ezekiel’s vision of the millennial temple (Ezekiel 48) the twelve tribes are listed again for the purpose of dividing their inheritance in the land, and in Revelation chapter 7 12,000 from each of the tribes (Dan isn’t listed and Levi is included which is unusual) are sealed. So God still knows who is in which tribe even though they have been united into one nation.

Believers don’t support Israel because of anything wonderful they’ve done. We don’t stop supporting because of dumb mistakes and a tendency to ignore God. We support Israel because God asks us to support them. He asks this because we should recognize the God is working through them as a sign of His love, care and concern for all of His people. We pray for their help and protection because it is our help and protection.

Psalm 122:6–9 ESV. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

Israel has done many stupid things, such as disarming their citizens, making the October 7th 2023 terrorist massacre much worse than in could have been, or signing so-called peace agreements with their avowed enemies. We pray that God will not hold their stupidity against them, in the same way that we pray He doesn’t hold our own stupidity against us.

Ezekiel 37:28 ESV. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”

Most Israelis think that they have reconstituted modern Israel by their own hand, and do not give God the honor and worship He deserves. So we can pray for their peace, bless them as we are able and willing, but recognize that they are still stubborn, stiff necked people who are due for a wakeup call from the Lord of Hosts. However, nations that are against Israel are against God, and God will require it from them.

Shalom

Posted in Islam

Muslims Attack Israel Again

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Today, early in the morning, October 7, 2023, the last day of Tabernacles, is another day that will live in infamy. Most of the media are saying that Hamas attacked Israel, but that is an obfuscation. Hamas is just another Islamic terror organization just like Syria or Jordan or Saudi Arabia. They’ve been doing the dirty work for much of the Arab world since they started, and everyone knows it. The attempts to characterize this as just another terror attack are more lies in defense of Islamic nations that have the destruction of Israel as their number one priority. Just because they sign peace agreements doesn’t mean a thing. Their Koran encourages lying in the service of destroying Israel and any non-Muslim nation or people.

Of course, Israel asks for attacks too, because in general they are mostly secular and ignore God. They are also stupid enough to believe that Islam will ever make peace with them or anyone else. If the United States was smart, and our leaders mostly are not, they would turn many of those hostile nations into parking lots.

The illegitimate Biden regime has encouraged the Ishmaelites by knocking down our energy production, which had raised the U.S. to energy independence under the Trump administration, to the point where we are sending dollars to the terrorists to buy oil. Recently Bribery Biden had even sent large amounts of cash to the residents of Lebanon (self-styled Palestinians). What else did he think (assuming he thinks) was going to happen?

Israel needs to get its act together, repent and turn to God wholesale. They think they have reached this point by their own efforts, but no. The only way they could resurrect and survive is if God is with them. Now they need to realize it and get with God.

Shalom, Bruce

Posted in Bible Verse • Church • Humility • Idolatry • Law • Repentance

Daniel’s Prayer

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I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. To us, O LORD, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the LORD our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore the LORD has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly. “O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.” (Daniel 9:4–19, ESV)