Continuing the theme of the restoration of the apostolic foundation that we began last week, the scriptural truth regarding the nation of Israel needs to be established in the Church, the Ekklesia, the called-out assembly of God's people. While land was promised by God to all of Abraham's seed, a specific portion of it was promised to Isaac and Jacob, and was shown and specifically described to Moses on the mountain of Nebo before his death (Deut. 34:1-4).
It has been an incorrect teaching in the Church that Israel, as a nation, does not have to exist anymore, and/or that the Church has replaced the nation of Israel as a type of "spiritual' Israel. Not only have these false teachings existed in the Church through history, but are still present today. The following are examples.
Some of the popular translations and versions of the Bibles that we read today, incorporate information from the study dictionaries and commentaries of Gerhard Kittel, theologian. He had been a respected scholar of Jewish roots in the New Testament. Unfortunately, in 1933, Kittel aligned himself with the Nazi party in Germany, and eventually headed official committees that twisted God's Word with doctrines reflecting Nazi political dogma regarding the Jews. Kittel's subsequent ten-volume study dictionary, published at that time, became a source used in many seminaries, and as a source used for some versions of the Bible. His dictionary/commentary is still available for purchase today.
In another example, in 2010, the closing statement of the Catholic Synod was delivered by Cyril Salim Bustros. Included in his closing statement was the conclusion that promises made by God to the children of Israel "were nullified by Christ... There is no longer a chosen people." He went on to say, "For Christians, one can no longer talk of the land promised to the Jewish people."
In another example, in 2010, the closing statement of the Catholic Synod was delivered by Cyril Salim Bustros. Included in his closing statement was the conclusion that promises made by God to the children of Israel "were nullified by Christ... There is no longer a chosen people." He went on to say, "For Christians, one can no longer talk of the land promised to the Jewish people."
The above are just two examples of a non-scriptural doctrine that needs to be corrected by restoring the apostolic foundations of the Church. Let us examine the scriptures regarding Israel: the Jewish people, and the nation.
God uses the nation of Israel to judge the other nations of the earth, raising and lowering kings and kingdoms as a result, and changing the course of history according to His will and Word. The nation of Israel also plays a vital role in the timetable of End Time events. The Prophet Ezekiel brought the Word of the LORD in this regard. In Chapter 37, Ezekiel is commanded to speak resurrection life to dried, disjointed bones. The bones are rejoined together, and live again to become a great army (v.10). In addition, five times the LORD prophesies that He will bring them into their own land, the land of Israel (v. 12, 14, 21, 22, 25), that they may know that He is the LORD, and He has spoken and done it.
"And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob, My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children, for ever: and My servant, David (Messiah), shall be their prince for ever." Ez. 37:25
The LORD goes on to describe this promise to them as an everlasting covenant. He says these promises are for evermore (vs. 26, 28). The same Hebrew word is used to express "for ever", "everlasting", and "evermore". It is the word olam, meaning "perpetual, always, continuous existence, unending future". The root word, alam, interestingly means "secret thing, hidden, concealed". We will see more of this meaning in a later verse.
The LORD also will use this miraculous fulfillment of His promise regarding the nation of Israel, in order to teach the heathen that He sanctifies Israel for ever, because His presence will be in their midst for ever (v. 28).
In this same chapter of Ezekiel, the LORD speaks of a unification between Judah, and the children of Israel with Judah, and Ephraim, the son of Joseph, and the children of Israel with him. He tells the prophet to take two separate sticks labeled with the two separate names. In the prophet's hand, the two sticks become united, with God saying, "and make them one stick, and they shall be one in Mine hand." (v. 19). It is interesting that Ephraim was born to Joseph by a Gentile mother. So, not only will two previously divided kingdoms of Israel become one, but divided Jews and Gentiles will become one people.
Like the two sticks, Paul also speaks of this unification between Jew and Gentile into one new man through Christ (Eph. 2:15). The Gentiles then become fellow citizens with the saints (v.19). Like Ezekiel's dry bones, we were dead in our sins, but made alive again, and joined together (Eph. 2:1, 5). However, nowhere in this spiritual reconciliation to God, and unification between Jew and Gentile achieved in Christ, does Paul teach that Israel, as a nation, should cease to exist, or that the Ekklesia, the Church, replaces the nation of Israel in any manner.
Psalm 83, v. 1-5, also makes the point very clearly, that the nation, the land, of Israel is God's Word, His will, and His heart:
"Keep not Thou silence, O God: hold not Thy peace,, and be not still, O God.
For lo, Thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate Thee have lift up the head.
They have taken crafty counsel against Thy people, and consulted against Thy hidden ones (see above Hebrew, alam, used as a root for the word meaning "for ever", and "everlasting", and "evermore").
They have said, Come, let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against Thee."
The goal of these enemies in Psalm 83, is to end Israel as a nation. These enemies are described as enemies of God, who join themselves together against God, Himself. They do not want even the name "Israel" to be remembered in the earth. Why is the very name "Israel" so offensive to these enemies of God? It is probably for the same reason that God is determined to see that the name "Israel", very much continues for ever in the earth. The first time "Israel" is seen in scripture is in Gen. 32:28:
"...Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power (set in order, leader, prince, commander, noble) with God and with men, and hast prevailed (overcome, endure, accomplish, be victor, be able to reach)."
The word, Israel, itself means: God prevails, he will rule as God, soldier of God. No wonder God's enemies want the name "Israel" to be wiped from the earth. To rid the earth of "Israel", would be an attempt to spiritually rid the earth of the overcoming, victorious in warfare rule of God, Himself.
The Church, the Ekklesia, should not stand with these enemies of God. Let the true apostolic foundation be restored regarding the land, the nation of Israel. Let us be warned in the teaching of Proverbs 24:12, that if we say "we knew it not", God is aware of exactly what our hearts really know, and what our works really reveal.
Who is man that he should declare "passed away", what God has declared "evermore"?
To Contact/Give:
PO Box 155
Christmas, FL 32709
http://everlastingcovenant.wixsite.com/theshroud
Twitter/Periscope: https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
Facebook: Kenneth E. Stevenson
PayPal available
God uses the nation of Israel to judge the other nations of the earth, raising and lowering kings and kingdoms as a result, and changing the course of history according to His will and Word. The nation of Israel also plays a vital role in the timetable of End Time events. The Prophet Ezekiel brought the Word of the LORD in this regard. In Chapter 37, Ezekiel is commanded to speak resurrection life to dried, disjointed bones. The bones are rejoined together, and live again to become a great army (v.10). In addition, five times the LORD prophesies that He will bring them into their own land, the land of Israel (v. 12, 14, 21, 22, 25), that they may know that He is the LORD, and He has spoken and done it.
"And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob, My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children, for ever: and My servant, David (Messiah), shall be their prince for ever." Ez. 37:25
The LORD goes on to describe this promise to them as an everlasting covenant. He says these promises are for evermore (vs. 26, 28). The same Hebrew word is used to express "for ever", "everlasting", and "evermore". It is the word olam, meaning "perpetual, always, continuous existence, unending future". The root word, alam, interestingly means "secret thing, hidden, concealed". We will see more of this meaning in a later verse.
The LORD also will use this miraculous fulfillment of His promise regarding the nation of Israel, in order to teach the heathen that He sanctifies Israel for ever, because His presence will be in their midst for ever (v. 28).
In this same chapter of Ezekiel, the LORD speaks of a unification between Judah, and the children of Israel with Judah, and Ephraim, the son of Joseph, and the children of Israel with him. He tells the prophet to take two separate sticks labeled with the two separate names. In the prophet's hand, the two sticks become united, with God saying, "and make them one stick, and they shall be one in Mine hand." (v. 19). It is interesting that Ephraim was born to Joseph by a Gentile mother. So, not only will two previously divided kingdoms of Israel become one, but divided Jews and Gentiles will become one people.
Like the two sticks, Paul also speaks of this unification between Jew and Gentile into one new man through Christ (Eph. 2:15). The Gentiles then become fellow citizens with the saints (v.19). Like Ezekiel's dry bones, we were dead in our sins, but made alive again, and joined together (Eph. 2:1, 5). However, nowhere in this spiritual reconciliation to God, and unification between Jew and Gentile achieved in Christ, does Paul teach that Israel, as a nation, should cease to exist, or that the Ekklesia, the Church, replaces the nation of Israel in any manner.
Psalm 83, v. 1-5, also makes the point very clearly, that the nation, the land, of Israel is God's Word, His will, and His heart:
"Keep not Thou silence, O God: hold not Thy peace,, and be not still, O God.
For lo, Thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate Thee have lift up the head.
They have taken crafty counsel against Thy people, and consulted against Thy hidden ones (see above Hebrew, alam, used as a root for the word meaning "for ever", and "everlasting", and "evermore").
They have said, Come, let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against Thee."
The goal of these enemies in Psalm 83, is to end Israel as a nation. These enemies are described as enemies of God, who join themselves together against God, Himself. They do not want even the name "Israel" to be remembered in the earth. Why is the very name "Israel" so offensive to these enemies of God? It is probably for the same reason that God is determined to see that the name "Israel", very much continues for ever in the earth. The first time "Israel" is seen in scripture is in Gen. 32:28:
"...Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power (set in order, leader, prince, commander, noble) with God and with men, and hast prevailed (overcome, endure, accomplish, be victor, be able to reach)."
The word, Israel, itself means: God prevails, he will rule as God, soldier of God. No wonder God's enemies want the name "Israel" to be wiped from the earth. To rid the earth of "Israel", would be an attempt to spiritually rid the earth of the overcoming, victorious in warfare rule of God, Himself.
The Church, the Ekklesia, should not stand with these enemies of God. Let the true apostolic foundation be restored regarding the land, the nation of Israel. Let us be warned in the teaching of Proverbs 24:12, that if we say "we knew it not", God is aware of exactly what our hearts really know, and what our works really reveal.
Who is man that he should declare "passed away", what God has declared "evermore"?
To Contact/Give:
PO Box 155
Christmas, FL 32709
http://everlastingcovenant.wixsite.com/theshroud
Twitter/Periscope: https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
Facebook: Kenneth E. Stevenson
PayPal available
No comments:
Post a Comment