Israel

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="129a11c3.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to the Heart4God Website!"><U><B><IMG SRC="4b55a500.png" border=0 width="90" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin"><U><B>Writings by Date</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id212.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin Organized "><U><B>Writings by Topic</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm"><U><B>Audio Files</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id690.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Videos"><U><B>Videos</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id323.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Writings of Others"><U><B>Other Authors</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id324.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Questions and Answers"><U><B>Q&A</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id328.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Heart4God Email List"><U><B>Heart4God E-mail List</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com"><U><B>Parables Blog</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id306.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="File Downloads"><U><B><IMG SRC="2b264140.png" border=0 width="100" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <B>Israel</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="c2827160.png" border=0 width="807" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Joseph Herrin (2-5-03)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> There are many things being taught today concerning the nation of Israel and her relationship to what is called ‘spiritual Israel’. A lot of what is taught contains error, and there is much confusion regarding this matter. I have received a number of correspondences from saints who were asking sincere questions about who Israel is today, and I have also had some objections from those who hold different views from what I have expressed in some writings, and I believe these objections are equally sincere.</div> <bR> <div> I don’t have all the answers to matters concerning Israel, but I feel confident of some things that I think will prove helpful to others. There are many who are proclaiming in this hour that the citizens of Israel today are not true Jews, that Israel and Judah were dispersed among the nations, their seed becoming mixed, and there are no true Jews today. Some of these contend that the Jews in Israel today have no continued place in prophecy and that there are no more Scriptures or promises that apply to them. Some go so far as to treat the citizens of natural Israel today as impostors and usurpers who are trying to deceive the world concerning their claim to being Israelites.</div> <bR> <div> One of the precepts that this thinking derives from is that a person must have a pure and unblemished ancestry that can be traced back to Abraham, and that if there is any mixing of the blood of another people, race, or nation that the pure line is broken and one cannot claim to be a natural descendant of Abraham. For example, when Israel was carried into captivity to Assyria and dispersed throughout this empire, some would contend that if they were to intermarry with a foreigner then their offspring would not be qualified to be counted among the tribes of Israel. It can be demonstrated from Scripture that this precept is ill conceived, however. </div> <bR> <div> As we look at the lineage of Abraham and his descendants, we see that Abraham sent his servant back to his family to acquire a bride for his son Isaac. Isaac and Rebecca had two sons, Jacob and Esau and Esau took wives from among the land of Canaan, and his wives were displeasing to his parents. Yet the birthright does not flow through Esau’s line, even though he was the eldest. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob, and Jacob also returned to his parents relatives to acquire wives from among his own kin. Thus Jacob married Leah and then Rachel.</div> <bR> <div> Many years later Jacob later returned to the land of Canaan that Yahweh had promised to Abraham and his descendants, and his name was changed to Israel. Israel (Jacob) had twelve sons by his two wives and their concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah. We are not told whether the concubines were also from among his kin, so this would seem to cloud the certainty of a pure line at this point. But let’s proceed further.</div> <bR> <div> Israel’s twelve sons all took wives for themselves, and we are not told that they went back to their kinfolk to acquire their wives. In fact, we are specifically told that a number of these wives were taken from the people’s and nations among which they were living. Of Judah we are told this:</div> <bR> <div> Genesis 38:2-5</div> <div> Judah saw there <I><B>a daughter of a certain Canaanite </B></I>whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her. So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er. Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan. She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him.</div> <bR> <div> Judah also had offspring from Tamar, though we are not told Tamar’s ancestry. Regarding Simeon, another of Israel’s sons, we are told the following:</div> <bR> <div> Genesis 46:10</div> <div> The sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul <I><B>the son of a Canaanite woman. </B></I></div> <bR> <div> We are also told that Israel’s favorite son Joseph married an Egyptian, and his sons Ephraim and Manasseh were from this union.</div> <bR> <div> Genesis 46:20</div> <div> Now to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, <I><B>whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. </B></I></div> <bR> <div> Now, if marrying a foreigner disqualifies one from being considered a descendant of Abraham, then we should expect that none of these children of mixed marriages would be included in the genealogy of Abraham. Yet they are included, and Ephraim became so prosperous that the northern kingdom composed of ten of the tribes of Israel is often referred to as Ephraim.</div> <bR> <div> There is even more compelling evidence that destroys this notion of a pure lineage being required to be a true Israelite or Jew. Who today would deny that Yahshua was born of Jewish kin and that He is descended from the tribe of Judah? His ancestry is given, and we are told that “He came to his own people, but they received Him not.” Who were His own people? He tells us:</div> <bR> <div> Matthew 15:24</div> <div> But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."  </div> <bR> <div> Furthermore, David was promised that One would arise from his lineage who would sit on his throne and that this descendant’s kingdom would know no end. Looking at the genealogy of Yahshua given in the first chapter of Matthew, we see that David is listed among his ancestors. This genealogy begins with these words:</div> <bR> <div> Matthew 1:1</div> <div> The record of the genealogy of Yahshua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.</div> <bR> <div> Yahshua was considered a natural descendant of both David and Abraham. His claim to being a natural Jew was well established. Yet among His ancestors we find some who were most definitely not Jewish by birth. They were not natural descendants of Abraham. As one reads the geneaolgy of Yahshua we find that Rahab the harlot, a citizen of Jericho, and one who was not a Hebrew by birth, is in His ancestral lineage. We also see that Ruth, who was a Moabitess, and also not a Hebrew, was in the lineage of Christ, as well as being the grandmother of King David. </div> <bR> <div> Those who conclude that modern day citizens of Israel are not true Jews or Israelites due to the mixing of their bloodlines, would also have to conclude that David was not a true Jew, for his grandmother Ruth was a Moabitess. I know of no one who disputes that David is Jewish, and no one who disputes that Yahshua was Jewish, even though both have numerous non-Jewish members in their lineage. So I think the argument also does not stand that the only true Jews today are those who can prove that all of their ancestors were Hebrew and that there was no intermarrying with other nations. To consistently apply such a precept we would have to disqualify all of Joseph’s, Judah’s, and Simeon’s offspring. We would have to disqualify David, and we would even have to disqualify Yahshua as being Jewish and a natural descendant of Abraham.</div> <bR> <div> There is another argument against the inhabitants of the nation of Israel today being true Jews or Israelites. This argument says that only those who are born again of the seed of Yahshua, only those who have faith in Christ, are true Jews. There are certain Scriptures that would seem to support such a view. When the Jewish leaders contended with John the baptist, he replied:</div> <bR> <div> Matthew 3:9</div> <div> And do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, “We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.”</div> <bR> <div> Also, we have Yahshua’s words:</div> <bR> <div> John 8:39-44</div> <div> They answered and said to Him, "<I><B>Abraham is our father</B></I>." Yahshua said to them, "<I><B>If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham</B></I>. But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. <I><B>You are doing the deeds of your father</B></I>." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God." Yahshua said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. <I><B>You are of your father the devil</B></I>, and you want to do the desires of your father.”</div> <bR> <div> We must note that Yahshua was not denying that these men were natural descendants of Abraham. He was saying that they did not share the same spirit as Abraham, for Abraham was not a murderer. Yahshua merely says, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham.” In this passage and others, we begin to see that there is a distinction being made between two different groups that trace their lineage back to Abraham. One is a natural lineage that traces back through the flesh. The other is a spiritual lineage, and it is comprised of those who are of the household of faith, Abraham being called ‘the father of faith’.</div> <bR> <div> It is possible for these two lines to overlap. One can be a natural descendant of Abraham, an also be a spiritual descendant. The twelve disciples of Christ, excluding Judas, are examples of such descendants, as is Paul and multitudes of Jews that believed in Christ after Pentecost. Yet one can be a natural descendant and not be counted as a spiritual descendant of Abraham. One can trace their physical lineage back to one of the tribes of Israel and yet deny that Yahshua is the Messiah and the Son of God. There are multitudes of such Jews, and for the past 2,000 years the majority of Jews have been of this type.</div> <bR> <div> What should the Christian’s response be to such natural descendants who deny the lordship of Yahshua the Messiah? Should these ones be scorned? Should we say that they have no claim as descendants of Abraham? Should we say that Yahweh is through with them and they have no future in His kingdom? Paul gives us a very plain answer, and I would encourage you to read the following passage carefully, even though it is somewhat lengthy. Much understanding can come from it.</div> <bR> <div> Romans 11:1-32</div> <div> <I><B>I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.</B></I> Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? "Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE." But what is the divine response to him? "I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL." In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; just as it is written, "GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY." And David says, "LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM. LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER." </div> <bR> <div> I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. <I><B>For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead... </B></I>Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. </div> <bR> <div> And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery -- so that you will not be wise in your own estimation -- <I><B>that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, </B></I>"THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." </div> <bR> <div> From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from <I><B>the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. </B></I>For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. <I><B>For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. </B></I></div> <bR> <div> It is abundantly evident from Paul's words that he is talking about natural Israel, those who are descendants of Abraham by natural birth. Some try to spiritualize this passage, but it is impossible to do so. The Israel that has experienced a partial hardening is natural Israel, though a remnant has always been reserved unto God. At some near time God will remove the scales from the eyes of the Jewish people and they will all be saved. Paul says that "their acceptance will be life from the dead." Israel is largely spiritually dead today. In days past they have rejected the Messiah, and by and large they still reject Him who is Life and Truth. By rejecting the source of all Life, they have chosen death instead. Yet the day will come when Yahweh will show great mercy to this chosen people and they will one and all return to the Lord and confess Yahshua as their Messiah.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> In God's great mercy, He has chosen to graft the Gentiles into the olive tree that the Gentiles might be partakers of the life of Christ. When natural Israel is grafted back in, this will not be a negative thing for the Gentile believers, but a very glorious thing. Life will not be withdrawn from the Gentiles, but the Gentiles will remain a portion of a new, revived, and healthy olive tree that has been showered with the mercy and grace of Yahweh. Natural Israel yet has a great role to play. She may yet receive more stripes before she repents and returns to Yahshua, yet we are promised that she will do so. </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" >Note this one phrase of Paul's, </FONT><I><B>"From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but</B></I> <I><B>from</B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT><I><B>the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." </B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" >Even today, from the standpoint of the gospel of Christ, the Jews are largely the enemies of the saints for they oppose the truth of the gospel and they deny the divinity of Yahshua the Messiah. Even in this, however, they are still beloved "for the sake of the fathers, for the gifts and the callings of God are irrevocable." Paul is merely saying something that is repeated all throughout Scripture. Even when Israel strayed into gross sin and idolatry and Yahweh had to judge them severely, He always preserved a remnant and never totally cast them away or cut them off. Because of the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and others, Yahweh yet shows mercy and love toward a stubborn and rebellious people. When the people's lives do not warrant any type of mercy and love, Yahweh shows mercy and love "for the sake of the fathers", and the promises made to them. As Paul says in another place:</FONT></div> <bR> <div> II Timothy 2:13</div> <div> If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. </div> <bR> <div> The Scripture from Romans 11 is plain. Though a partial hardening has come to the natural descendants of Abraham, Yahweh has not rejected His people. A day will come when all Israel will be saved. Those who deny that God still has a plan and a purpose for the natural descendants of Israel have wrongly divided the word of God. Those who say that God is done with the natural Israel and He only is interested in spiritual Israel today are also wrong. Paul is being very emphatic and very plain about the matter when he states:</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.</B></I> </div> <bR> <div> Today, there exists both a natural and a spiritual Israel. Some who are of spiritual Israel have become haughty and conceited toward the natural Israel who has rejected Yahshua as Savior and Lord. Yet Paul says that such an attitude is improper, and he gives a stern rebuke to those who speak in such a way as to annul and minimize the role of the natural descendants of Israel.</div> <bR> <div> For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the <I><B>natural branches </B></I>be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery -- <I><B>so that you will not be wise in your own estimation...</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Is not Paul being very plain here when he speaks of natural branches? Can the saints read this passage and say that God is no longer interested in natural Israel? Some are proclaiming this today, but they are not prudent to do so. Paul says the natural branches will be grafted back in, and he warns the Gentile believers who have become spiritual children of Abraham to not be wise in their own estimation. One translation puts it this way:</div> <bR> <div> Romans 11:17-18</div> <div> But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, <I><B>do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.</B></I></div> <div> NASU</div> <bR> <div> If a saint fails to discern the role that natural Israel will yet play in the purposes of God then they will also fail to see what a great transgression it is for the nations of this earth to mistreat Israel and to try to force her to give up the land that Yahweh gave to Abraham and his descendants. I recently wrote an article titled “The Disintegration of Columbia” and one must acknowledge that Yahweh IS concerned with natural Israel to understand His reaction to the nations that have stood against her. </div> <bR> <div> Let not those who have been grafted into the olive tree be arrogant toward the branches that have been broken off. It is sad that this Scripture has to be spoken, and this warning given, but there is a surfeit of false teaching regarding Israel today. Yahweh has not forsaken His people. They have not been replaced by another. Their redemption will be life from the dead. The calling and destiny of the natural branches is irrevocable. Let us not try to spiritualize all the Scriptures regarding Israel. There is yet a physical nation of the descendants of Abraham that remains the apple of God’s eye.</div> <bR> <div> May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.</div> <bR> <div> ----------------------------------------------------</div> <bR> <div> After sending out the above writing, I received a correspondence from a brother who asked some very good questions. His questions and my response are included below as I thought they would be helpful to others who might be dealing with the same issues.</div> <bR> <div> Dear brother Joseph</div> <bR> <div> Thanks for your short article concerning "Israel". I mostly agree with you, yet we do have some basic disagreements. My mother tongue isn´t English. Because of that it´s too difficult to express my view concerning "Israel" in depth. Let me ask you some questions:</div> <bR> <div> What was and what is Zionism historically? How and why did it come, what’s its goal and where will it go? </div> <bR> <div> Is Zionism really from God (as most Christian’s believe "Gods blessing for the Jewish people and all mankind") or is it against Him (Gods test / a deceiving spirit / Gods proofing fire for all mankind / a "sign" of God)?</div> <bR> <div> Where are the Zionist leaders searching for holiness (obedience)? What’s behind their religious masquerade? What are (or what were) they: Confessing God fearers or God haters? </div> <bR> <div> <U>What is this "new state of Israel" in the "old" orthodox view? What is (or was) the common view of orthodox Rabbis concerning HaMasiach and the coming back from Exile to the promised land? What is Gods timetable? </U></div> <bR> <div> Are most evangelical-orthodox Christians as much under a delusion as most Jewish people? If so, how could this happen?</div> <bR> <div> I think you will agree this are important question. Would you like to know more? If so, please take time to visit the following JEWISH link(s) and read some of their articles. </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.jewsnotzionists.org/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.jewsnotzionists.org/"><U><U>http://www.jewsnotzionists.org/</U></U></A></div> <bR> <div> May the Lord guide and bless you. In His unconditional love for mankind - including all the Jewish people....</div> <div> Your brother</div> <bR> <div> ------------------------------------------------------</div> <bR> <div> Dear [Brother], </div> <div> You have raised some very good questions, and I will answer them according to the insight that I have been given. Most of your questions seem to revolve around the character and motives of those who have been involved as leaders of the Zionist movement to establish a Jewish state. I would agree with you and others that the leaders of the Zionist movement are not all examples of men and women who are pleasing to Yahweh. I have not studied the Zionist movement in depth, but it is my understanding from what I have read that most of those who served as leaders were NOT followers of Yahshua, nor did they confess Him as their Messiah. This would place them in the category of those whom Paul described with these words, "From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake" (Romans 11:28). </div> <bR> <div> These words of Paul are true, and this seems to bring us to a great paradox. How can the blessing of Yahweh be upon a people who are enemies of the gospel? How can a bunch of people who deny the deity of Yahshua have any claim to being used of Yahweh in establishing a Zionist homeland? How can God's blessing be upon those who spurn the sacrifice of His Son? </div> <bR> <div> I think it is thoughts like these that have troubled you, and those who participate in the site <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Georgia" ><A HREF="http://www.jewsnotzionists.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.jewsnotzionists.org"><U><U>www.jewsnotzionists.org</U></U></A></FONT> . </div> <bR> <div> I believe the answer to these questions begins to be apparent as we look at the Scripture I quoted above in its context. The Scripture in its entirety says this: </div> <bR> <div> Romans 11:28-29<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <div> 28 From the point of view of the Gospel (good news), they [the Jews, at present] are enemies [of God], which is for your advantage and benefit. But from the point of view of God's choice (of election, of divine selection), they are still the beloved (dear to Him) for the sake of their forefathers.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> 29 For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.]</div> <div> Amplified Bible<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> It is quite possible that the Zionist leaders are enemies of the gospel of Yahshua, yet at the same time they are still considered beloved (dear to Him) for the sake of their forefathers. Yahweh made promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David that He said He would never repent of. We find one such promise in the following passage: </div> <bR> <div> II Samuel 7:8-14<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <div> "Now therefore, <I><B>thus you shall say to My servant David</B></I>, "Thus says Yahweh of hosts, "I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth. <I><B>I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them</B></I>, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly, even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Yahweh also declares to you that Yahweh will make a house for you. When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, <I><B>I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever</B></I>. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; <I><B>when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men..."</B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> David had reason to be concerned about his descendants and the continuance of his kingdom. David had witnessed King Saul's transgression and he had seen Yahweh take the kingdom from Saul and his descendants and give it to another. David had reason to be concerned that his own transgression, or the transgression of his descendants, should cause the kingdom to be taken away and the promises given to be annulled. Yet Yahweh assured David that He would not remove His blessings from David's lineage. He made this promise because of His love for David, not because of His love for any of His descendants. Even if David's descendants should forsake God, Yahweh would yet show favor and love to them because of His great love for His faithful servant David. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob also had similar promises given to them. </div> <bR> <div> Now let us look at an example of how this was demonstrated in a very literal sense. </div> <bR> <div> I Kings 11:9-13<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <div> Now Yahweh was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what Yahweh had commanded. So Yahweh said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. <I><B>Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David</B></I>, but I will tear it out of the hand of your Son.<I><B> However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen."</B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> What is witnessed here is something that has been witnessed for thousands of years. Though all of Israel should turn from God, yet God will not completely turn from them because of His promises to their forefathers who were faithful and who walked with God. This is true down to this present day. Natural Israel, though they should one and all deny the deity of Yahshua, will not be forsaken due to God's promises to their forefathers. This is again what Paul was saying: </div> <bR> <div> Romans 11:28-29<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <div> From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice <I><B>they are beloved for the sake of the fathers</B></I>; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. </div> <bR> <div> The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable. Natural Israel is still beloved to God for the sake of the forefathers. Yet Paul goes on even more in this passage to say that among those who are natural Israelites, tracing their lineage back to the twelve tribes, God has always preserved a remnant who have been faithful to Himself. This is true to this day. There are numerous Messianic Jews who profess Yahshua as Savior and Lord and who follow Him as His disciples. One day Paul tells us that "all Israel will be saved", but for now we see only a remnant. </div> <bR> <div> In understanding these things we can now discern that it is quite possible for Yahweh to perform a work through those who are disobedient that is a fulfillment of promises made to their forefathers. The Zionist leaders can one and all deny Yahshua, they can all be enemies of the gospel, they can be wicked men led of selfish motives, and they can still be instruments of God in fulfilling His promises to their forefathers. I believe this is largely the case today. </div> <bR> <div> Israel is blessed, not because of the character and motives of her Zionist founders and leaders. She is blessed because of Yahweh's promises to the forefathers. We can scrutinize and examine the present leaders and population of Israel and find that the vast majority are enemies of the gospel, either being Orthodox Jews who deny Yahshua's divinity, or being secular Jews who have no strong religious convictions, but this does not disqualify them from God's love, <I><B>for they are beloved for the sake of the forefathers.</B></I> </div> <bR> <div> As a Christian, this concept of being blessed because of God's love for another should not be foreign to us. We are beloved for the sake of Christ! We are acceptable to Yahweh through His Son Yahshua. It is not because of what we have done that our sins are forgiven. It is because of what Yahshua has done. He chose us while we were yet enemies, and He showed His great love for us when we were also enemies of the gospel. What then if He should choose to show the same love, mercy and grace to a rebellious Israel BEFORE she manifest the fruit of repentance? This is God's way. It is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance. </div> <bR> <div> Romans 2:4<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <div> Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? </div> <bR> <div> God is showing His kindness to Israel, and it will lead to her repentance. Though she may yet have to endure more stripes as well, she will finally realize how merciful and patient Yahweh has been with her. </div> <bR> <div> As we look for Israel's salvation, we must be mindful that though she is still rebellious, Yahweh is still jealous of her for the sake of the forefathers and His great promises He has made. Yahweh will not consider any guiltless who treat her with contempt and arrogance, or who touch her in an evil way. Yahweh will view this no differently than if they had committed evil against Abraham, Isaac, Jacob or David. He is jealous over Israel for the sake of the forefathers. </div> <bR> <div> I hope you find these words helpful. I think the saint is really getting off on the wrong track by focusing on the character and motives and stated aims of those who are Zionists. The issue of God's heart toward Israel has more to do with His promises to the forefathers than it does with them. Such things can serve to merely be a distraction. The correct view is not a Zionist view, or an Orthodox view, it is Yahweh's view and it can be summed up in these words: </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>They are beloved for the sake of the fathers...</B></I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Georgia" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days, </div> <bR> <div> Joseph</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>