Only One Nation, 2

~ On This 66th Anniversary of the Modern State of Israel ~

This post is about a few major events regarding the survival of the tiny nation of Israel.  It is sequenced in reverse chronological order.

Today’s Troubled Middle East  ~  Almost everyone alive today is well aware of the seemingly perilous position the tiny nation of Israel finds itself.  It is surrounded by much larger and seemingly more powerful nations such as Iraq, which is developing nuclear weapons at an alarming pace and has an avowed objective of wiping Israel off the map.  Meanwhile Israel’s historically most powerful ally—the United States—has been reducing its military capability and sending multiple signals that its historically strong support for Israel could by lessening. 

The Six-Day War  ~  During June 5-10, 1967, the Six-Day War occurred between tiny Israel and surrounding larger Arab nations (Egypt—then UAR, Jordan, and Syria).  Wikipedia summarizes it this way, “Within six days, Israel had won a decisive land war. Israeli forces had taken control of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria.”

The Re-establishment of Israel  ~  The nation of Israel was officially re-established in their homeland—fulfilling Biblical prophecy—on May 14, 1948.  As a result, the Arab-Israeli War erupted and the tiny nation of Israel defeated a military coalition of surrounding Arab nations. 

The Historical Record  ~  “In all history, going back to the time when God created man upon the earth, search from one end of the heavens to the other to see if you can find anything like this: an entire nation heard the voice of God speaking to it from fire, as you did, and lived!  Where else will you ever find another example of God’s removing a nation from its slavery by sending terrible plagues, mighty miracles, war, and terror?  Yet that is what the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, right before your very eyes.  He did these things so you would realize that Jehovah is God, and that there is no one else like him.  He let you hear His voice instructing you from heaven, and He let you see His great pillar of fire upon the earth; you even heard His words from the center of the fire.  It was because He loved your ancestors and chose to bless their descendants that He personally brought you out from Egypt with a great display of power.  He drove away other nations greater by far than you and gave you their land as an inheritance, as it is today.  This is your wonderful thought for the day: Jehovah is God both in heaven and down here upon the earth; and there is no God other than Him!  You must obey these laws that I will tell you today, so that all will be well with you and your children, and so that you will live forever in the land the Lord your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 4:32-40, TLB).

“For you are a holy people, dedicated to the Lord your God.  He has chosen you from all the people on the face of the whole earth to be His own chosen ones.  He didn’t choose you and pour out His love upon you because you were a larger nation than any other, for you were the smallest of all!  It was just because He loves you, and because He kept His promise to your ancestors.  That is why He brought you out of slavery in Egypt with such amazing power and mighty miracles” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8, TLB).

Important Note  ~  The fact that God has a chosen nation does not give them an advantage regarding salvation.  Israelites are individually responsible for coming to God by faith in the shed blood of The Messiah just as Gentiles are (i.e., Hebrews 11).

A related Abundant Life Post, “Only One Nation,” was posted on April 11, 2013. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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Only One Nation

~ Israel is the Only Resurrected Ancient Nation ~   

Biblical prophecy is fascinating!

We are living in exciting times!

We are living in a time which throughout history devout scholars of the Scripture would wish to live. 

Of all the nations which have come and gone, Israel is unique in that it has been resurrected—and its recreation occurred during the life of many who are alive today. On May 14, 1948, the United Nations approved the recreation of the Jewish State. As individuals need to be “born again” so the nation of Israel was in 1948 “born again.”  

This historical event was a fulfillment of prophecy in the Holy Scriptures made approximately 2500 years earlier. Listen to Scripture:

(1)  “‘Therefore behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that it shall no more be said, “The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,” but, “The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.” For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers’” (Jeremiah 16:14-15 NKJV).

(2)  “Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect My holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations. I will show how holy My great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations.  And when I reveal My holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord. For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.  Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.  I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey My regulations. And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God” (Ezekiel 36:22-28, NLT).

 (3)  “Also on that day, the Master for the second time will reach out to bring back what's left of His scattered people. He'll bring them back from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Ethiopia, Elam, Sinar, Hamath, and the ocean islands. And He'll raise that rallying banner high, visible to all nations, gather in all the scattered exiles of Israel, pull in all the dispersed refugees of Judah from the four winds and the seven seas” (Isaiah 11:11-12, The Message).

Note the phrase “visible to all nations.” What other small nation is so incredibly prominent in world affairs? None! 

This prophecy and fulfillment is incredible in another way. What other nation has been hated and persecuted to the degree that the Jewish people have been?  None! 

The most prominent example is during the Holocaust when Hitler’s armies murdered six million Jews. There have been many other attempts throughout history to eradicate the Jewish people. Yet the small nation of Israel is the only ancient nation to re-emerge.

World leaders today continue to search for an acceptable way to divide Israel into a “Two State Solution” which typically includes dividing or separating Jerusalem from Israel. Scholars of Scripture, however, are well aware of another prophesy in Scripture. God has made it clear that His temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem. 

One example of current exciting events is in regard to the temple. Plans, resources, and organizing efforts are underway for the rebuilding of His temple.

the key question:  Are you ready for Jesus Christ’s sure return when He will take His people home to be with Him forever? 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Messiah, 46

~ Messiah Would Rule All of Creation ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“You made Him ruler over the works of Your hands; You put everything under His feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:6-9).

The Messiah  

“For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:27-28). 

“‘You have put all things in subjection under His feet.’ For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him” (Hebrews 2:8a).

“And He put all things under His feet” (Ephesians 1:22a).

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Messiah, 43

~ Messiah Would Rule The Nations ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“‘I have installed My King on Zion, My holy hill.’ I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; You will dash them to pieces like pottery’” (Psalm 2:6-9).

The Messiah  

“Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations — ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels’ — as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 2:24-29).

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW