To hear the nations around the world condemning Israel on so many fronts, the hypocrisy is unimaginable. When you have the leader of Iran being the chair for the UN nuclear disarmament conference, you have GOT to know something is wrong.
http://www.jpost.com/Iranian-Threat/News/Iran-to-chair-UN-sponsored-nuclear-disarmament-conference-313098
But also, nations and people love to look at the imperfections of Israel, and demonize her actions. Even many Christian denominations have severed themselves from Israel. So we want to take the opportunity of this blog post to take a look at what God has to say about HIS plans for Israel - NOW, and in the future. We realize this is not our normal blog style, but we ask that you please continue to read, and be open to what God may show you. And if you already know all this and agree, AMEN!
First, we look at what God says about the "mountains of Israel". Do you know where the mountains of Israel are? Here is a picture of a model we took recently. If you're not familiar with Israel, this picture was taken sideways. The blue on the bottom right is the Mediterranean Sea, the blue on the top middle is the Dead Sea. The mountains in between are "the mountains of Israel", with Jerusalem about in the center of the picture.
As you read what God has to say about the mountains of Israel, consider the fact that this is the region that Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority (and much of the world, including the United States government) wants to give to the Palestinians as their own new state, defined by "pre 1967 borders". This also the region (known in the Bible as Judea & Samaria and known to the world as the "West Bank") where the world says Israel has "illegal" settlements. There was just an article a few days ago showing that in 2008, the then Prime Minister Olmert was going to give this land to the PA for a state - including the Old City and dividing Jerusalem, but Abbas didn't receive it. Praise God.
So what does the Bible have to say?
Ezekiel 36-37:14
New King James Version (NKJV)
Blessing on Israel
36 “And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord! 2 Thus says the Lord God: “Because the enemy has said of you, ‘Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession,’”’ 3 therefore prophesy, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because they made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you are taken up by the lips of talkers and slandered by the people”— 4 therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God! Thus says the Lord God to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, the valleys, the desolate wastes, and the cities that have been forsaken, which became plunder and mockery to the rest of the nations all around— 5 therefore thus says the Lord God: “Surely I have spoken in My burning jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with wholehearted joy and spiteful minds, in order to plunder its open country.”’
6 “Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains, the hills, the rivers, and the valleys, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and My fury, because you have borne the shame of the nations.” 7 Therefore thus says the LordGod: “I have raised My hand in an oath that surely the nations that are around you shall bear their own shame. 8 But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come. 9 For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. 10 I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. 11 I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. 12 Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, My people Israel; they shall take possession of you, and you shall be their inheritance; no more shall you bereave them of children.”
13 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because they say to you, ‘You devour men and bereave your nation of children,’ 14 therefore you shall devour men no more, nor bereave your nation anymore,” says the Lord God. 15 “Nor will I let you hear the taunts of the nations anymore, nor bear the reproach of the peoples anymore, nor shall you cause your nation to stumble anymore,” says the Lord God.’”
And now lets read what His plans are for the people of Israel. And as you read, consider God's grace to each of us. He cleanses us and forgives us. Does this mean we are now perfect with no errors? We're a work in progress.
The Renewal of Israel
16 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds; to Me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity. 18 Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed on the land, and for their idols with which they had defiled it. 19 So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. 20 When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they have gone out of His land.’ 21 But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went.
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. 23 And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord,” says the Lord God, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. 24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. 29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. 30 And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 Not for your sake do I do this,” says the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!”
33 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. 35 So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, theLord, have spoken it, and I will do it.”
37 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock. 38 Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”’”
The Dry Bones Live
37 The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am theLord.”’”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.13 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’”
Many people read the scriptures above about the dry bones coming back to life and interpret this passage many ways. Yes, it can be used to describe our personal salvation with the Lord. But lets look at these verses as it pertains to the ones He is specifically speaking of - Israel.
The Jewish people, even Prime Minister Netanyahu, looks at these verses and sees the Holocaust and then the quick birth of the State of Israel in 1948, and we agree.
Isaiah 66:8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children.
Many look at Israel's imperfections, and there are many (we choose not to focus on those, there are many peoples and nations doing that). This modern State of Israel is only 65 years old - BUT, She is trying to hold onto Her history in the Promised Land. Israel's national anthem portrays the heart of the people. Video:
When reading the verses above about the dry bones, what we see is that the bones didn't go from dead to living with breath all in one step. (Unlike creation in Genesis 2:7 "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.") But instead: "there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them." It is a process.
Even after the body had come together in full form, there was no breath in them. While there are many Jewish people who love and serve God, many Jews in Israel are secular. There will come a time, however, that the very breath of God will breathe into this people, and they shall live - and stand on their feet - an exceedingly great army - and they will love and serve the God of Israel.
Romans 11:25-27 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that 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.”
While we serve the God of Israel by serving His people on a daily basis at CFI, we are continually seeing prophesies fulfilled. Each embrace, each smile, and every tear shed in compassion reveals that He is turning "hearts of stone to hearts of flesh".
Defending the Land....
It is discouraging as America is trying to desensitize their people to believe that you must have a "separation of Church (Bible) and State". This is really not possible - and should not be. As in the case of King David - he was both a warrior King and had the heart of a worshiper. Not only did he conquer the Land God had given to the Jewish people, he also wrote most of the Psalms and was known as "a man after God's own heart". We can see all through the books of 1 and 2 Kings, that when the ruler obeyed God, the nation prospered; and when the ruler was evil, the nation was defeated.
For some people, what we are sharing sounds political. What we are really experiencing is a Biblical and Spiritual conflict that is playing out in the political realm. In Israel, they understand this concept. Here is a picture of new soldiers being inducted into the Israel Defense Force. They are receiving both their guns and their Bibles at this ceremony.
Jim was blessed last week to facilitate an IDF unit receiving military-regulated knee pads provided by CFI. We at CFI believe that today's Israel Defense Force is an extension of King David's army. Therefore, this project is called "David's Shield". We are most grateful for the soldiers who defend this Land and people (including us!). We want to show our love and support as Christians who love Israel and agree with Her Biblical right to this Land.
Please pray as John Kerry from the United States and others try to form a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza is included in the deal as part of the PA).
And as we watch and see what is happening in this region, we choose to stand with Israel, as She grows to full form, having the fullness of life breathed into Her. And....
WE CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT GOD'S WORD
IS TRUE AND RELEVANT FOR TODAY!
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