From the time of Israel's formation as a Nation, at the instigation of The Almighty
GOD, almost 4,000 years ago, many Nations have come against her, to denude, destroy,
and deface its land and people. But GOD, has intervened time and time again, so that
the scheme and plans of each Nation, has been thwarted and even brought to naught.
All Praise is due to His Holy Name ! ! !
Even in our days, since the formation of modern day Israel, on May the 14th, 1948,
country after country has attempted once again to drive them into the sea of forgetfulness.
Since The Prophets, The Apostles, The Holy Bible, yes, and even our MESSIAH Jesus,
'ALL'
came through and from Israel, it is no wonder that the Nations have a deadly hatred
of her. Even, The Father of lies, Satan, we are told, stands tooth and nail against
GOD's chosen, special and holy people. The first time 'SATAN' is mentioned by name
in The WORD OF GOD, we find him standing against the people of Israel (see: I Chronicles
21:1). We know that since GOD chose Israel as His special possession, Satan has tried
to destroy them. But GOD, has promised the survival of Israel, even though at times,
it seems as if the persecutors of the Jewish people, have the upper hand, but nevertheless,
we know from history, as well as the facts before us today, that, The Almighty is
watching very closely the events that surround the World, and The Land of Israel.
There have been approximately, eight major
attempts on the life and survival of the Jewish people:
(1) ESAU
desiring to kill Jacob, who is the Father of the Jewish People.
(2) PHARAOH
decreed the death of all male children.
(3) HAMAN'S
death-wish upon Queen Esther's People.
(4) ANTIOCHUS
desecrating the Temple in Jerusalem, thusly attacking the very heart of religious
life.
(5) HEROD
demands the death of all Jewish baby boys of two years old and under in the days
of Jesus our Lord.
(6) QUEEN ISABELLA
directing the death of Jews in Spain, the center of all Jewish People during the
15th century.
(7) THE CZARS OF RUSSIA
implemented at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century,
THE POGROMS causing the death of thousands upon thousands of Jewish people.
(8) HITLER
DESTROYING OVER 6,000,000 Jewish lives during the 1940's, known as the Holocaust.
And, of course, since 1948, there have been attempts to annihilate the tiny Nation
from off the face of the earth, four different times. Yet, each time The Almighty
has stepped in and allowed ISRAEL the victory.
HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF PAST TRIALS AND VICTORIES:
During the days of JACOB
, GOD blessed him, and loved him.
During the days of the PHARAOH
, GOD bestowed upon ISRAEL, The Passover.
During the days of HAMAN
, GOD RESTORED the Jewish people, and gave them The Feast of Purim.
During the days of ANTIOCHUS
, GOD allowed the Jewish people to re-dedicate the Temple, and The Feast of Chanukkah
was born.
During the days of HEROD
, Jesus our LORD was protected from the on-slaught of death, and today we celebrate
His birth, life, burial, and resurrection as a result!
During the days of QUEEN ISABELLA
, the Jewish people were once again dispersed to the four corners of the earth, and
thusly their knowledge and skills have been blessing to the world.
During the days of THE CZARS
, literally thousands of families migrated from Russia and found a haven in the United
States of America, the 'home of the free'.
During the days of HITLER
, many Gentiles demonstrated their love towards the Jewish people by hiding them
from their would-be assassins. Also, from this 'HOLOCAUST' came forth the formation
of modern day Israel!
After 50 years of existence in a very hostile atmosphere, the tiny Nation of Israel
is doing well, and is thriving marvelously!
My wife and I were living in Jerusalem, Israel at the time of its 35th Anniversary
, and may I say, that the enthusiasm, patriotism, and excitement that permeated the
air, was most invigorating; especially, when one considers and understands the tremendous
pressure brought to bear upon each Israeli, that is, emotionally, financially, and even Spiritually.
What is it that truly keeps the Jewish people going, year after year? Israel as a
people have seen the greatest and mightiest of Nations rise and fall, one after another;
and yet, Israel still stands tall! What is her secret? In Malachi 3:6, we read, "...For I AM THE LORD
I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob (Israel) are not consumed." There is your
answer, plain and simple. It is The LORD that has, is and will sustain the children
of Jacob (Israel), through all adversity and heartaches! Approximately 1,400 years
after the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; The Prophet Jeremiah was told by The LORD,
"...Thus saith The LORD: if ye can break my covenant of the day
, and my covenant of the night
, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then
, may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a
son to reign upon his throne; And
with the Levites the Priests, my ministers. As the host of heaven
cannot be numbered, neither
the sand of the sea measured: So will I multiply the seed
of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto Me ...Thus saith The LORD:
If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances
of heaven and earth; Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob (ISRAEL), and David
my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham
, Isaac
, and Jacob
: For I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them." (Jeremiah 33:21-26).
The Almighty GOD's SELECTION
of the people of Israel and their PRESERVATION
, is due to HIS LOVE
and HIS FAITHFULNESS
!!!
We read in Deuteronomy 7:6-9, "...For thou (Israel) art a Holy people unto The LORD
thy GOD: The LORD thy GOD HATH CHOSEN
thee to be a SPECIAL
people unto HIMSELF, above ALL people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD
did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than
any people, for ye were the FEWEST
of all people: But because THE LORD LOVED YOU
, and because He would keep the OATH
which He had sworn unto your fathers, hath The LORD brought you out with a MIGHTY HAND
, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh of Egypt.
KNOW
therefore that The LORD thy GOD, HE IS GOD, THE FAITHFUL GOD,
which keepeth covenant and mercy with them (ISRAEL
) that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations
. . ."
The Almighty GOD has committed HIMSELF - to 'A THOUSAND GENERATIONS'
, and by the smallest number that a generation can be accounted for, that is, 20 years;
when multiplying 1,000 times 20, you arrive at 20,000 years: ISRAEL as a People today
, are NOT
more than 4,000 years of age; therefore, according to my calculations, our LORD is
bound by His FAITHFUL WORD for at least 16,000 more years! By the way, a generation
in THE WORD OF GOD can be: 20 years; 35 years; 40 years; and even 100 years! Possibly
now, you are beginning to better understand, WHO it is, that is behind and in front
of ISRAEL, the people
and the land
!
The LORD refers to HIMSELF, as ISRAEL'S - REWARD
and RE-REWARD, that is, He WHO goes before
and behind
; very much as He did in the days of MOSES, when The Almighty led ISRAEL through the
wilderness journey, while at the same time, he protected her ! ! !
In spite of all the glorious history that Israel has catalogued, that is, her protection
and provision given her by THE ALMIGHTY GOD: nevertheless, Nations and individuals
seem to disregard history, and most especially THE WORD OF GOD
.
Every individual; and every Nation, that has maliciously confronted ISRAEL, has had
to pay the price set forth in THE WORD OF GOD.
"...I (GOD-HIMSELF) WILL curse him that curseth thee (ISRAEL)."
Here are a few
of these NATIONS:
(1) EGYPT
(2) CANAAN
(3) ASSYRIA
(4) BABYLON
(5) GREECE
(6) ROME
(7) SEVERAL COUNTRIES IN EUROPE
(8) ENGLAND
(9) AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES!
However, there is in these last days, a major power that will indeed try desperately
to destroy the land and the people of Israel.
In Ezekiel 38:14-23, we read, "...Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto GOG
, Thus saith The LORD GOD: In that day
when my people of Israel dwelleth SAFELY
, Shalt thou not know it? And thou shalt come from thy place out of the NORTH PARTS, THOU,
and MANY
people with thee, ALL of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a MIGHTY ARMY
: And thou shalt come up against MY PEOPLE ISRAEL
, as a cloud to cover The Land; it shall be in the latter days
, and I will bring thee against MY LAND
, that the heathen (Gentiles) may know me, when I shall be sanctified in THEE, O GOG
, before their eyes. Thus saith The LORD GOD: Art thou he of whom I have spoken in
old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many
years that I would bring thee against them? And it shall come to pass at the same
time when, GOG SHALL COME AGAINST THE LAND OF ISRAEL
saith The LORD GOD, that My fury shall come up in My face. For in MY JEALOUSY and
in the fire of my WRATH have I spoken, surely in that day there shall be a great
shaking in The Land of Israel; So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the
heavens, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and
all the men that are upon the face of the earth, SHALL SHAKE AT MY PRESENCE
, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every
wall shall fall to the ground. And I will
call for a sword against him throughout all My Mountains
, saith The LORD GOD: EVERY MAN'S SWORD SHALL BE AGAINST HIS BROTHER
. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon
him
, and upon his bands
, and upon the MANY PEOPLE
that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
Thus will I magnify MYSELF, AND SANCTIFY MYSELF: and I will be known in the eyes
of many Nations (Gentiles), and they shall know that I AM THE LORD
."
The primary Nation and people mentioned in this passage of Scripture is GOG
, or today's RUSSIA
! It will be RUSSIA and its SOVIET bloc that, The LORD says in verse 16, "...I will bring thee against my land
." Notice if you will, that it is The LORD, HIMSELF, WHO WILL bring RUSSIA
(Gog) against His Land, and against His People! What is the purpose of all this?
Namely to judge the Gentiles, and to vindicate His HOLY NAME
.
In verse 23, we read that The LORD will MAGNIFY
and SANCTIFY HIMSELF
, that is, He will JUDGE
and VINDICATE
HIS HOLY NAME !!! As with all aggressors of Israel, and blasphemers of GOD: the Russians
(Gog), and her 'many people'
will deceive themselves to think that the tiny NATION OF ISRAEL, and her GOD, will
be an easy pushover
. Russia will not want to accept the historical evidence of what happens to those
who curse ISRAEL: Therefore, she and her many people will attempt to finally destroy
Israel. Nevertheless, what will thwart every attempt at annihilating ISRAEL, will
be THE PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY
(see: verse 20). AT HIS PRESENCE: the fish
and the fowls
, the beasts
, the creeping things
, and ALL MEN ... SHALL SHAKE
!!!
This SHAKING
, or TREMBLING
, by ALL
of creation on the face of the earth, is in direct relationship to the very 'APPEARANCE'
of GOD the Son, MESSIAH and KING OF ISRAEL. We read in Zechariah 14:1-4, "...BEHOLD,
the day of The LORD
cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I WILL
gather ALL
Nations (Gentiles
) against JERUSALEM TO BATTLE: and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled,
and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the
residue of the people shall NOT be cut off from the city. Then
shall The LORD go forth, and fight against those Nations as when He fought in the
day of battle. And HIS FEET
shall stand in that day upon the MOUNT OF OLIVES, which is before JERUSALEM." Let
me give you a brief sketch of the events that are to transpire in relationship to
our subject:
(1) The gathering of believers
, Jewish and Gentile unto our MESSIAH Jesus, in the clouds.
(2) A period of seven (7) years
will follow the harvest of saints; the first 3 1/2 years will be a time of SAFETY,
thereafter followed by a time of devastation and destruction. This period of 3 1/2
years will be headed by GOG, the ARCH ENEMY OF MESSIAH JESUS.
(3) The last portion
of this great tribulation period, ALSO
known as, the time of Jacob's trouble will culminate in Jacob's (ISRAEL'S) TRIUMPH
.
(4) The Appearance of our LORD Jesus Christ
WITH the believers, that seven (7) years previous to this event He had taken to be
with HIM!
(5) The Judgement and Vindication
of His Holy Name is brought to pass, as He, defeats the hoards of the great army,
that have come against ISRAEL!
(6) After the total defeat
and annihilation of the enemies of GOD, and the enemies of His people ISRAEL: THE
ALMIGHTY establishes HIS KINGDOM, in THE PERSON OF MESSIAH JESUS.
(7) After a 1,000 year reign by our LORD:
Satan tries once again to prove himself against The Almighty, but he and his cohorts
are defeated and sent to the LAKE OF FIRE.
Finally
, Eternity is ushered in for all believers in The GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
through The Grace and Mercy of our BELOVED MESSIAH JESUS OF NAZARETH.
In Zechariah 14:9, we read, "...AND THE LORD
shall be KING OVER ALL THE EARTH: in THAT DAY
shall there be ONE LORD
and HIS NAME ONE
!
To HIM be all glory and honour, from this time even for evermore, Amen and Amen!!!
