This week the nation of Israel celebrated their nation's 75th birthday!
of the Israeli flag to celebrate the nation's Independence Day
Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day celebration began at sunset on Tuesday.
Despite the political unrest and protests in the streets which have bedeviled
the nation for weeks on end, along with the constant threats of terrorism
from surrounding enemies, many Israelis welcomed this important day in
a festive party mood, celebrating much like Americans do on the 4th of July,
with family gatherings and fireworks, and trips to the beach, or as
we South Jerseyans like to say, "Goin' down the shore."
A divinely appointed land...reborn
The Lord God speaking through His prophet, Ezekiel, whose name means,
"God is strong" and who was called to the prophetic ministry in 593 B.C.,
proclaimed a message of hope and restoration to His people after the news
reached Babylon that the city of Jerusalem had been destroyed in 586 BC.
God as the great Shepherd will regather the Israelites from the ends
of the earth and reestablish them in their own land. The nations
who challenge Israel's return will be defeated and judged.
"For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I Myself, will search for
My sheep and will seek them out.
As a shepherd seeks out his sheep in the day that he is among
his flock that are scattered, so will I seek out My sheep;
and I will rescue them out of all places where they have been
scattered in the day of clouds and thick darkness.
And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from
the countries and will bring them to their own land; and I will
feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the water-courses,
and in all the inhabited places of the country."
(Ezekiel 34:11-13)
The "day of clouds and thick darkness" which the prophet spoke
of thousands of years ago sounds like the times we are living in today.
In addition to the social unrest in the nation, the satanic specter
of Anti-Semitism has once again reared its ugly head with
renewed ferocity in many parts of the world today.
And yet, despite the trials and tribulations Israel has endured in
the past 75 years, God has brought them back to their land as
He promised through the prophet Ezekiel and other
prophets within the Holy Bible.
In just the last few years alone, many scattered remnants of
Jews have returned to inherit the land which God has divinely
bequeathed to them. They are being gathered from the four
corners of the earth, traveling from such diverse places as
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Ethiopia, India,
the Ukraine and the United States of America.
God promised through His prophet: "I will seek that which
was lost and bring back that which has strayed, and I will bandage
the hurt and the crippled and will strengthen the weak and the sick,
but, I will destroy the fat and the strong, those who have become
hard-hearted and perverse; I will feed them
with judgment and punishment."
(Ezekiel 34:16)
Jesus spoke of the future restoration of Israel and His future kingdom
which would be established there in the appointed time through the
parable of the nobleman who went into a distant country
to obtain for himself a kingdom and then return.
The certain nobleman is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself .
He was soon to be rejected by His own people, the Jews.
He was crucified on a Roman cross.
The nobleman then went into a far country.
After His resurrection, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father.
"The nobleman would now take possession of His kingdom, the right to
which as Messiah, He had acquired through His sufferings on the cross."
-Adam Clarke's Commentary
"And after He appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself
still further and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the
death of the cross! Therefore, because He stooped so low, God has
highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him
the name that is above every name."
(Philippians 2:8-9)
"He is the sole expression of the glory of God, the Light-being, the
out-raying or radiance of the divine, and He is the perfect imprint,
and very image of God's nature, upholding and maintaining and
guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power.
When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing
of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand
of the divine Majesty on high."
(Hebrews 1:3)
"But as to the Son, He says to Him, Your throne, O God, is
forever and ever, to the ages of the ages, and the scepter of
Your kingdom is a scepter of absolute righteousness,
of justice and straightforwardness."
(Hebrews 1:8)
The Ruler of His forthcoming kingdom on earth,
Jesus will return, descending on the Mount of Olives,
and will destroy Israel's enemies, who are the
enemies of God, with the brightness of His coming.
"And you shall come up against My people Israel
like a cloud to cover the land. In the latter days, I will bring
you against My land, that the nations may know, understand,
and realize Me when My holiness shall be vindicated through
you, vindicated and honored in your overwhelming
destruction, O Gog, before their eyes."
(Ezekiel 38:16)
This passage has always made me tremble inside when I
think of the soon approach of the day when God will destroy
His enemies, who to this day continue to stand defiant in His eyes,
through their unbelief and rebellion against Him.
At the time of the return of Christ to earth, which is the Second Coming,
there will be a remnant of believing Jews who will be spared from
the Lord's impending judgment and punishment on the unbelieving
and wicked of this world. The Bible also declares that at this time
the individual nations of the world which have stood against Israel
will be judged and punished for their actions.
As the prophet Joel wrote, " I will gather all nations and will
bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and there I
will deal with and execute judgment upon them for their
treatment of My people and My heritage, Israel, whom
they have scattered among the nations and because
they have divided my land."
(Joel 3:2)
In the interests of brokering a "peace deal" between
Israel and their sworn enemy, the Palestinian Authority,
how many times have past U.S. Administrations bullied
the former into giving up more of their land to the
latter without demanding that the PA reciprocate
by rescinding their long standing charter which
is committed to the destruction of Israel?
Within the current administration in Washington DC
as well as in Congress, there are those individuals who
are openly and unapologetically hostile towards the
continuing existence of the nation of Israel.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump, whether you love and admire the man,
or count yourself as a member of the cross-section of the American
people who harbor a profound hatred and resentment towards him,
has to his credit, become the first U.S. leader, at least in my lifetime,
to seek out a genuine friendship and alliance with the nation
and people of Israel. He furthermore openly declared that
the city of Jerusalem be recognized as their official capitol.
Mr. Trump backed up his words by moving the U.S. Embassy
to Jerusalem in 2017. Since that time, some of the other nations
of the world have decided to follow Mr. Trump's lead and
have moved their embassies to Jerusalem too.
Although some people, including many of my fellow Christians
will not agree with me, I believe in my heart that God will one day
honor Mr. Trump for his actions regarding the nation of Israel.
I believe it was God Himself who placed the desire in our
former president's heart to honor His people and nation.
The Lord indeed works in mysterious ways. And although
He is a respecter of no person, the Lord often chooses
to work out His plans through people whom the self-
righteous hypocrites of this world often deem as unworthy.
God has also given everyone the gift of a free will.
Mr. Trump's decision to follow after the Lord's heart
might perhaps influence and change the hearts of many
people in America and spare them from the wrath
of God's forthcoming judgment.
As God spoke to Abraham, "I will bless, do good for, benefit, those
who bless you. And I will curse, that is, subject to My wrath and judgment
the one who curses, despises, dishonors, has contempt for you.
In you, all the families and nations of the earth shall be blessed,
and by you will bless themselves."
(Genesis 12:3)
May God continue to bless and protect Donald Trump and his family.
Shabbat Shalom, Eretz Israel!
Sabbath Blessings and Peace to all.
Sha'alu Shalom Yershalayim
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem"
(Psalm 122:6)
Maranatha!
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