Israel is Distinct from the Church

Israel in the Scriptures ( brief outline)

Due to some technical difficulties the theme ‘Whose Land’ will be delayed for a few weeks. I've also had problems trying to download pictures. Sorry about that.
However I’ve put together the following outline hopefully showing the distinction between the Nation of Israel and The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Below in outline are some reasons why I’m convinced about God’s purposes for Israel.

When God makes a promise He keeps it – regardless. Romans 11:25-36.
(Especially v. 29)

Israel and the Church are two distinct identities with two separate missions. The Church was unknown in the Old Testament. Notice Ephesians 3:1-13. (Esp. v.5, 10) Rom. 16:25 – 26.

Israel is national and linked to the land.
The Church is International, It’s the body of Christ and is linked to Heaven.
When Israel’s leaders rejected Christ Jesus as their crucified, risen Saviour/King they were destined to judgement and dispersion. (Remember Deuteronomy 28-30). The Kingdom of God seemed doomed. Why? It requires a nation, a land and a capital. Satan seemed to have won. The Lord however called the Gentiles to be the bearers of the Gospel not to set up the Kingdom but to reveal the wonder of wonders, Christ is the Head of the Body of believers called the Church.

If God gave up Israel because of the Nation’s failure, there isn’t any reason why He will not forsake the Church because the Church (I’d rather say Christendom) is far worse because it has a greater revelation. That’s why Romans 11:29 is so important. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

If God cannot fulfil His recorded promises to and through Israel, regardless of their wilfulness, then He has failed and His word is unreliable. This is untenable and preposterous! Read passages such as Isaiah 60-66. Ezekiel 34-39. Zephaniah 3:14-20. Zechariah 14. for insights into the future fulfilment.

The question arises when will the Church give way and Israel come back on line? I believe the Lord snatches His Body, the Church, away before the time and evil domination of the world by the anti-Christ.
Why would the Lord God Do this? 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. The church appears before the judgement seat of Christ. Rom. 14:10. It is accounting time. There 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 takes place.

Israel endures the great Tribulation. Matthew 24:15-31. and Rev. 6-19. The nation has been warned and warned and warned abut this. Unbelief has blinded their eyes. The anti‒ Semitic world seizes the chance to destroy Israel and make God’s word a lie. Jesus says it will actually cause the nation to cry out to Him to rescue them.

During that time the Jewish people who believe Jesus is the Messiah promised set out to tell the world this truth. (That’s the 144,000. Notice they are from the 12 tribes. This cannot be explained away. It must be taken as plain speaking) Their efforts bring many Gentiles and Israelites to faith and martyrdom. It also paves the way for a national awakening to recognizing Jesus as He is. Matthew 23:37-39.

Revelation 20 2, 4-6 speaks about the fulfilment of the opening verses of the Lord’s prayer. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Also highlighted are the promises given by God to Israel through the prophets. C/- Isaiah 11:1-9. 9:6-7. Ezekiel 39:21-29. It will be in this time such little but important words pertaining to Israel and God will be true.
Check our ‘Never again’ ‘until then’ and similar words linked to Israel by the prophets on this matter.
It hasn’t happened – yet. It will!

I will endeavour to get back to my theme on ‘Whose Land’ as soon as possible. Until then I will share some outlines from Revelation. Please accept my apologies for this confusion.
Ray.

Ray.

The Darkside of God #4

WHEN GOD GETS ANGRY

Various words are used to describe the anger of God. Each one builds on the other to present a rather frightening revelation. It is described as ‘heat, fury, fierceness, and wrath’.  Once again we are confronted by the Lord God who is Love, Goodness, Patient and Merciful having a ‘dark side’.

Why would the Lord ‘lose His cool’? What would make the Creator Redeemer God cross the line from tolerance to wrath? The Judeo–Christian Bible holds the key to understanding this problem. The reason the Lord gets angry is to call Him a liar. 1 John 5:10; ‘Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life

The Lord God of glory spent a lot of time and effort in preparing the World for the coming of the Promised One of Genesis 3:15. Throughout the Judeo–Christian Bible is woven this promise. Hints to His birth (Isaiah 7:14) His character (Isaiah 9:6-7) His mission (Isaiah 53) His birthplace (Micah 5:2) and many, many others references also. Through faithful unknown men and women the scriptures were preserved. When Jesus came into our World He pointed to the Scriptures to verify His credentials. (John 5:39). After the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension the disciples of Christ summed up their message and authority in the words ‘It is written!’ (Read the sermons in Acts 2 onwards).

Therefore when a person deliberately disparages, distorts or denies these testimonies of the Bible they call the God of holiness and truth a liar. They fail to realise that in essence they are saying God has taken on the character of the Devil.  (John 8:44) God is patient. He does give time for a person to apologise and ask for forgiveness. If this isn’t done then the righteous fury of the Lord overflows.

 

Across the globe today a religious/political system is promoting their view that God has no Son. It also states that Jesus didn’t die on the cross but someone else. It means there is no resurrection or second coming. Other issues of the Bible are also denied or tampered with thereby saying God’s word and therefore God is a liar. The sad thing is that so many weak kneed church goers in pulpit or pew appease such a system. That is apostasy, written about in 2 Thessalonians 2.

How does it describe the ultimate liar? ‘Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? (That is the promised One) This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also.’ (1 John 2:22-23)

The Bible says God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19. Titus 1:2).

Ray (who believes the testimony of God about Jesus, the Son of God) Hawkins

God's messages in Stone #3.

The Destroying Stone.

Dreams play a prominent part in the Bible’s history. One of the most famous is found in Daniel 2. King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he couldn’t recall. A young Jewish captive had been enrolled in the King’s Magi school. He undertook the life threatening task of revealing both the dream and its meaning. Daniel gave the honour and glory for this to God.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was of a huge idol It had head of fine gold, chest and arms of silver, the middle and thighs of bronze, the legs of iron and feet a mixture of iron and clay. Then a Stone comes hurtling out of the heavens and strikes the idol around the base and feet. It is shattered to smithereens.  Part of God’s message through Daniel and hence to us was ‘God…reveals…what will happen at the end of days.’

The Lord God of Glory has not left us in ignorance of future events. He has spelt out coming events to warn us to make Him our personal place of safety. We do this by calling out to Him to save, to forgive, to keep us in His care.

As you read Daniel’s account you notice the four kingdoms degenerate and the fourth become much more oppressive, especially of God’s people. The fourth one is featured in the New Testament book of Revelation.

Who is the Stone? Again Daniel supplies the clue in chapter 7:9-14. It is The Son of Man. He who was the Rejected Stone; He who was charged with blasphemy because He claimed to be the Conquering and Ruling Stone mentioned in Daniel 7:13-14; He who was crucified, buried and rose again. The Rejected Stone has become the Destroying Stone. We know Him as Jesus Christ.

Why is He coming to overthrow?

Because the leaders of the world powers set themselves up as gods. This culminates in one single person rising to power. He opposes the Person of Jesus Christ, the reality of the Triune God, the morality God requires and the truth of the Bible. This evil king also seeks to destroy the nation of Israel and all who are followers of Christ Jesus. He is termed ‘The Anti-Christ.’

The Bible doesn’t spell out the time frame for the beginning of this event. It does however guarantee it will take place. Jesus as the Stone will come to vindicate His name, save His people and also establish the fifth Kingdom. This coming kingdom has eternity written all over it. The Bible says in effect ‘don’t mess with the Stone of Heaven but make Him your life’s foundation Stone.’

When that happens the rejected stone becomes the destroying stone will become the eternal ruling stone.

Ray (safe from the Destroying Stone) Hawkins.

Next week.  The Foundation Stone.