Anti-Semitism
Once again a very sad tragedy has occurred in Pittsburgh concerning a reprehensible act of anti-Semitic violence as 11 innocent Jewish people were viciously slaughtered by an anti-Semite with hate in his heart for the Jewish people. This act of violence and aggression against the Jewish community is an alarming trend that is once again sweeping through America, Europe, and Great Britain and of course throughput the Muslim world. Jewish Cemeteries are desecrated, synagogues defaced with Nazi insignias and militant white supremacists marching through the streets of American cities chanting ant-Jewish hate filled rhetoric and distain for Israel. In Germany anti-Semitism is arising as it did in the early 1930’s as Neo-Nazis’ parade through the streets in Germany chanting death and destruction to the Jews. There is no doubt anti-Semitism is escalating at an alarming rate in the world. In many churches nowdays replacement theology and kingdom dominion theology militates against God’s end-time Biblical prophetic plans for Israel.
Blessings for obedience
Since 1948 many Jews have migrated back to Israel from almost every nation yet there is still more to come. This latest act of violence against the Jewish community in Pittsburgh is another indication that Jews are not welcome in many places in our world today. There is no doubt that the Jewish people have suffered more than any other nation has suffered in history. When you read about Israel in the Bible you can clearly see that when they walked by faith with God and sought to obey His laws and commandments that He blessed them and took care of them and defeated their enemies before them as He marched out with the armies of Israel against those enemies.
Curses for disobedience
However, when they turned away from Him to idols and embraced with vigour and with passion the pagan practices of the surrounding nations and sought security in man the LORD brought their enemies against them and they were defeated at every turn. God did not go out with the armies of Israel at those times. In the Torah in Deuteronomy Chapter 28 there were blessings and curses attached to the law of God, blessings for obedience but curses for disobedience, the curses outweighing the blessings, because sin and rebellion is a very serious matter with God and as far as He is concerned; “rebellion is as the sin as witchcraft!” (1 Samuel 15:23)
‘Egypt’ cannot help
Once again we see the nation of Israel and its leaders looking to the Egypt of this world for their security and not to the God of their forefathers of faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In the Bible God Himself says; “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.” (Isaiah 31:1) No one doubts that President Trump and his administration support the state of Israel and Israel needs all the support it can get right now, however, God is all the support Israel needs. The LORD has graciously given them President Trump to stand with Israel especially in recognizing and openly declaring Jerusalem to be Israel’s capital, and by standing behind that statement through relocating the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Having said this Israel today is still relying upon the ‘chariots and the horses of the Egypt of this world’ and not on the God of Israel. By enlarge they are still going down to Egypt for help. To go “down” is to go away from trusting in the LORD. God’s people either go up to Jerusalem and to Mt Zion or they go down to the Egypt of this world.
The Time of the Great Trouble
Israel, as a nation will, for the last time, face a terrifying crisis like nothing else they have ever faced as a nation in their long and troubled history. The situation will be so horrific that even the strongest men in Israel will grip their stomachs in fear as a woman does when strong labour pains suddenly hit her. Every face in Israel will turn deathly pale and it will be a Time of Great Trouble for Jacob, a time unequalled in history and never to be equalled again, not only for Israel but for all of the nations of the world, but Israel will be saved out of it, but not from it. (Matthew 24:21-22) (Jeremiah 30:1-10) This is why we see Anti-Semitism on the rise because through this applied pressure God is bringing His people back to Israel, not for a holiday, but for the Great Tribulation lasting three and a half years. (Daniel 12:7b) But has God abandoned His people? Will He reject them forever? No and He never will! He remembers his covenants and where Israel is concerned “the Gifts and Calling of God are irrevocable!” (Romans 11:29) They are still “the apple of his eye” and inheritors of the whole land of Israel from the River Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt and the Land of Israel has been given to them as “an everlasting possession.“ (Genesis 15:17-21; 17:7-8)
The bad news and the good news
The bad news is that they are still labouring under the curse of the law. However, the good news is that at the cross the Messiah our Lord Jesus became a curse for us all and for all of our sin and rebellion and bore that curse of sin and death upon His own shoulders in Israel’s place as well as ours. (Galatians 3:13) Even though at the trial of the Lord Jesus the people of Israel called down a curse upon themselves and their children when denying Him as their Messiah, when He was dying on the cross He prayed for them and did not curse them. At the cross the curse of the law was broken. The greatest news for any Israeli is that when they repent of their sin and and acknowledge this before God and believe on the Lord Jesus the Messiah and in His atoning blood to save them and to cleanse them from it, that curse of the law over their life is broken.
Life from the dead!
Yes there is a terrible time of great trouble ahead for israel and through this affliction God will bring a remnant to the foot of that old rugged cross where the Lord Jesus the Messiah, will sprinkle them with His atoning blood, that blood which is already on the mercy seat before God in heaven. In that day the fountain for uncleanliness and for sin will be opened in Jerusalem. They will see Him and weeping for Him whom they have pierced with their sins and iniquities. Like Joseph did with his wayward brothers, the Lord Jesus will be moved to tears as they lay prostrate before Him. For Israel their recociliation with their Messiah will be for them; “Life from the dead!” There by faith in Him at the foot of His cross they will be washing His feet with their tears of repentance, sorrow and joy. (Zechariah 12:10-14)
He will shield Jerusalem
Then, what will the Lord Jesus do? Isiah the prophet tells us what He will do for Israel and to all who are arrayed against Him and Israel; “As a lion growls, a great lion over its prey-and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against him, he is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamour-so the LORD Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights. Like birds hovering overhead, the LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem; He will shield it and deliver it, He will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it.” (Isaiah 31:4-5) The Lion of the tribe of Judah will roar and the nations gathered against Jerusalem will tremble. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah will not be frightened by their shouts or turn aside from His set Biblical prophetic purpose for Israel. At His roar the armies of the nations will collapse, kings, princes and men of every walk of life will run and hide in caves and call upon the mountains to fall upon them and to hide them from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the day of their wrath has come. (Revelation 6:15-17)
He never slumbers or sleeps
He who watches over Israel nether slumbers or sleeps but will arise with a brilliance, brighter than the sun, over His people with healing in his wings and the flames of vengeance streaming from His hands as lightning bolts against Israel’s enemies. As Habakkuk the prophet writes; “His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.” (Habakkuk 3:4) He will pass over Jerusalem because of the sprinkled blood on the altar of the cross and on the mercy seat before the throne of God. He will say to Israel once again; “When I see the blood I will pass over you!” In that day “All Israel will be saved” and their captivity to the world, the flesh and the devil broken forever, and their reliance upon Egypt shattered! They will no longer be leaning on “Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that pierces a man’s hand when he leans on it.”
His Roar from Zion
When the Messiah comes back comanding the armies of heaven we are told that Judah will also fight at Jerusalem alongside their Messiah. (Zechariah 14:14) As the prophet Joel declares; “The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.” (Joel 3:15-16)
Which side are you on?
Those who stand against Israel in these last days stand against the God of Israel and against His end-time prophetic plans for Israel, in fact they will also stand against the Messiah of Israel our Lord Jesus. They will find themselves barracking for the wrong side and on the wrong team! You cannot truly love the Lord Jesus while rejecting His brethren. The separation between the sheep and the goat nations is coming. Which side will you be on? Will you be numbered with the sheep or with the goats? The choice you make now will determine your eternal destiny. (Matthew 25:31-46)
