2013 June/July – The Tribe of Manasseh is Coming Home to Israel

The God of Jacob

By Micah Winefeld

Through His own sovereign will, the God of the Bible has attached Himself to the Jewish people – the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As part of His eternal design, He has chosen to reveal Himself to the world through the Jewish people, in general, and the nation of Israel, in particular.

Israel, and its place in history, provide living testament to the reality and power of the God of the Bible. Like the wind, God is invisible to the human eye, but we can see and experience His power. I base these statements on the irrevocable covenant the Lord made with His chosen people, Israel. (Romans 11:29) You are in a minority if you truly believe that God has not finished working through His chosen people. Most pastors in the American church are systematically teaching their people what is known as replacement theology. This false doctrine simple states that the Lord has divorced the Jewish people from His covenant and replaced them with the church. As they teach this, pastors twist direct statements of Scripture to fit their false doctrine. Many of them interpret the Bible literally as they look at some doctrines – but when it comes to eschatology – the doctrine of last things, they reject any role assigned to Israel. They simply believe that God has divorced Himself from the Jewish people because they have rejected the gospel and refuse to believe that Jesus is their Messiah and Savior.

This false doctrine is both tragic and very misleading. My research has led me to conclude that the early church fathers, such as Augustine, who arrived at this conclusion, were motivated by anti-Semitism. They hated the Jewish people. In some cases, they called for the death of the Jewish people and the destruction of their homes. How can this be? How could they hate the people that Jesus calls “my brethren”? (Matthew 25:40)

Recently, I had a dear brother approach me after one of my speaking engagements. He asked me to help him give answers to a friend who believes that Jesus is not Jewish. I gave him several Scriptures to prove Jesus was and is Jewish (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38; Revelation 5:5). As I drove home that night, I reflected upon the real issue in this man’s heart and why he refuses to believe that Jesus is Jewish. In my opinion, this man has probably been taught replacement theology. For him, his Jesus cannot be Jewish because he hates the Jewish people.

I have given much thought and research to disprove the false doctrine of replacement theology. However, the most tragic observation about those who cling to this false teaching is their wrong view of God. They really do not understand the nature of God. In essence, they have concluded that God cannot forgive the Jewish people because of their historical rejection of Jesus. They have concluded that God cannot be patient to wait for His divine promises with Israel to be fulfilled. Therefore, their view of end-time events is twisted and distorted. They cannot fathom how Scripture plainly teaches that Israel has a prominent role in God’s plan to bring this world to its climax.

In this newsletter, I would like to focus upon one of the most powerful considerations that prove God’s unfailing love to His chosen people – Israel. In the Bible, names are very important. Names reflect the character of the person or something significant about their life or divine calling. For example, God named the first man “Adam,” which in Hebrew means “man.” This name comes from another Hebrew word that means “land” or “ground.” This was a very fitting name for the first human being because the Bible states: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) When an angel informed Joseph and Mary about the birth of the Messiah they were told that He must be called “Jesus.” The angel said to Joseph: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) The name “Jesus” is the same as the Old Testament name “Joshua.” The name “Jesus” or “Joshua” comes from a Hebrew noun which means, “the Lord saves.” Therefore, the names of Adam and Jesus, as well as others in the Bible, have a direct link to their nature or divine calling.

In light of this, it is very revealing to examine the self-appointed names of God in the Bible. Obviously, the Lord has intended for these titles or names to reflect His divine character and eternal plans. In the Bible, the Lord repeatedly calls Himself “the God of Israel,” “the Holy One of Israel,” “the God of Abraham,” “the God of Isaac,” and “the God of Jacob.”

“The God of Jacob” is one of the most revealing names that God assigns to Himself. By doing so, He clearly illustrates His choice and His eternally binding covenant with Israel and the Jewish people. Jacob is the father of the Jewish people. The Bible repeatedly refers to the children of Israel (Jacob) or the 12 tribes of Israel (Jacob). The life of Jacob mirrors the lives of the Jewish people in their many generations. Their lives are uniquely intertwined. To understand Jacob is to understand the Jewish people and the reasons why God chose them from the nations of the world.

I have concluded that when God calls Himself “the God of Jacob” there are at least five things He wants us to know about His divine nature and eternal plans. Let us explore these powerful insights into the very nature of our God.

1. The God of Jacob is a God of sovereign grace.

It is very important that we understand that the Lord did not choose Jacob or the entire Jewish race because He saw something good, noble, or great in them. In Deuteronomy 7:6-8, Moses reminded his people why the Lord chose them: “For thou art an 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 you were more in number that 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…” With these words Moses reminded his people that they were divinely chosen as an act of God’s sovereign grace. They were not worthy of God’s choice. Throughout their generations, God reminded many of the godly Jewish leaders of this powerful reality. For example, the prophet Isaiah communicated to his people during a time of great spiritual apostasy that they were the chosen people of God. (Isaiah 41:8-20) However, he warned them that they were nothing more than a “worm” in the sight of God. (Isaiah 41:14) In essence, the Lord reminded Israel that they were totally helpless and vulnerable, like a worm, without Him!

Before Jacob was born, the Scriptures make it clear that God had a divine plan and calling for him. Read Genesis 25:19-28. The Lord has determined that His purposes would be clear to us about Jacob and the entire generations of the Jewish people who would follow him. In Romans 9:6-13, the Apostle Paul plainly declares that before the birth of Jacob or Esau, He chose Jacob “that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.” (Romans 9:11)

God’s selection of Jacob was an act of total sovereign grace. Jacob was a liar, cheater, and manipulator. He was selfish, scheming, and deceitful. In many ways, he was a control freak! While commenting about the name “the God of Jacob,” John Phillips, writes: “The God of Jacob is a God of compassion and care. There was nothing deserving about Jacob. He was a scheming, crooked arm-twister, crafty cattleman not a bit above lying and cheating if it served its turn. Yet God met Jacob, mastered Jacob, molded Jacob, magnified Jacob, and multiplied Jacob. The God of Jacob is the God who loves us in spite of our faults and failing.” (John Phillips, Exploring the Psalms, Vol. 1, p. 155)

God’s choice of Jacob and the Jewish people is an act of divine sovereignty. God, in eternity past, has made eternal choices. All of prophecy demonstrates this! God is in complete control and is moving all of human history to an end for His glory. “The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.” (Isaiah 14:24)

We must not forget that our personal salvation is also a work of the amazing grace of our God for His glory! We are saved, kept, and blessed because of His grace and for His glory! Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.

2. The God of Jacob is a God of incredible patience.

For most of his life, Jacob, spiritually, and one time physically, wrestled with God. He must have known he was the chosen one over Esau, yet he was not willing to wait on God’s perfect timing. In this struggle, his life was filled with trouble.

He and his brother were opposites and sibling rivalry was sharp between them. Eventually, he was manipulated by his mother to deceive his father to steal his brother’s birthright. As a result, his brother, Esau, planned to murder him. Consequently, his father sent him away to his father-in-law’s house to find a wife among the daughters of Rebekah’s brother, Laban.

Jacob spent 20 long years working for his uncle Laban, who was equal to him in deception as a swindler and cheater. While there, he married his two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Rachel, being his favorite and original choice, was withheld from Jacob, forcing him to work a total of 14 years for both sisters. Following that 14 years Jacob worked for Laban an additional six years. During this 20-year period Jacob experienced numerous problems. His two wives were jealous of each other, and in their competition to provide sons for Jacob, they convinced him to have children by their handmaids. In all, Jacob fathered 11 sons and probably many daughters (remember the girls were usually not mentioned in the Biblical genealogical records) by these four women during this difficult time in his life. One cannot begin to imagine the heartache that must have existed in this fractured home! Furthermore, Laban attempted to cheat Jacob in his business relationship as Jacob was in charge of their shared flocks. In spite of Laban’s ways, God blessed Jacob.

Following this, Jacob, his family and all his flocks fled from Laban. Unknown to Jacob, his favorite wife, Rachel, stole her father’s idols, putting them all in danger of Lagan’s vengeance. However, once again the Lord protected Jacob and his family. After this Jacob physically wrestled with God and as a result, probably walked with a limp the rest of his life. It was at this time that the Lord changed his name to Israel. Next, came a very critical reunion and potential confrontation with Esau, who Jacob was sure was still nursing a 20-year grudge. Jacob feared that Esau would kill him and all of his family. However, God once again delivered him and gave him grace in the eyes of his brother Esau.

Eventually, Jacob suffered a great tragedy when Rachel, died while giving birth to Benjamin. After several years, the animosity and hostility between Jacob’s favorite son, Joseph, and his brothers escalated, causing them to hate Joseph. They nursed their hatred and jealousy and were ready to kill him. Finally, they sold him into slavery. They lied to their father, telling him Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Jacob lived for 22 years thinking that Joseph was dead.

Finally, Jacob was stunned to discover that Joseph was alive in Egypt. He was 130 and Joseph was 39 when he made his way with his family to join Joseph in Egypt. It is my opinion that this was the spiritual turning point in the life of Jacob. He saw Joseph and heard the testimony of God’s gracious work through all of Joseph’s trials and troubles. He saw the spiritual difference in himself and his son. He had wrestled with God in all of his troubles instead of trusting the Lord. Joseph had not done that. He had walked with God during the times of his trouble. And, to Jacob’s surprise, Joseph also walked with a limp. It was at that point that Jacob surrendered to God and became the man that the Lord wanted him to be. The testimony of Psalm 105:17-23 seems to support this conclusion: “He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: … Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.”

God waited for 130 years to bring Jacob to a place of total surrender. Consequently, the Lord wants to be known as the God of Jacob because He is still waiting for the entire nation of Israel to come to salvation. The God of Jacob has displayed incredible patience with the Jewish people for over 4,000 years, and He is not done with them yet! Those who believe that God has divorced the Jewish people from His future plans need to be reminded that the God of Jacob is a God of incredible patience.

3. The God of Jacob is a God of transforming power.

Jacob’s life was one of heartache, fear, disappointment, tragedy, and rejection. Much of what happened to him was the result of his own sin and the sins of his family. Jacob happened to be at the center of the whirlwind of all of these problems. Yet, in the midst of all of this, God, in His grace, met with him and spoke to him on seven different occasions.

As mentioned before, we can safely assume that his mother, Rebekah, must have told him that the Lord informed her before he and his brother were born that he would be the son of promise. He was to be the physical heir of most of his father’s wealth. But most importantly, he was destined to be the spiritual head of his family and the chief person in whom God would bless and work to create the nation of Israel. However, Jacob was continually frustrated and impatient, and did not wait on God to do it God’s way and in God’s time. Instead, he attempted to manipulate things to make it happen in his own time.

As previously mentioned, God transformed Jacob into the godly man he wanted him to be when he came to Egypt and heard the testimony of his son Joseph. Joseph told him of the 22 years of trouble in his life and how he accepted these trials and matured as a godly man. As a result, God put Joseph in a place of blessing and power, just as he had revealed to him in his dreams 22 years earlier. (Genesis 37:5-11) I am convinced that Jacob saw that Joseph had come to the place of blessing and surrender to the Lord in spite of his troubles because he was trusting in the Lord. He must have realized that he had failed to do this. So, Jacob turned all of his troubles over to the Lord and stopped wrestling with God.

All of this seems to be evident when you read about the words and actions of Jacob after his arrival in Egypt and the testimony of his life for his last 17 years in Egypt. Notice that when Joseph escorted Jacob into the presence of Pharaoh in Genesis 47:7-10, that he spoke of life from a heavenly perspective. He viewed life as a spiritual journey, being a pilgrim on earth. (See Hebrews 11:8-16.)

Years later, when Jacob was blessing the sons of Joseph, he spoke of God as the One who “fed me all my life long unto this day. … which redeemed me from all evil …” (Genesis 48:15, 16) Now, Jacob looked back over his life and rejoiced in his trials, rather than being overcome with fear or worry concerning the same trials.

In the final days of his life he gathered his sons around him for his final blessing. This blessing is recorded in Genesis 49 and is an incredible prophetic revelation concerning the tribes of Israel. This proves that Jacob was not looking at the moment, but as the Spirit of God directed, he was looking at the lives of his sons from God’s perspective, rather than his own. He was resting in God’s will rather than wrestling with God’s will. In Genesis 49:18, he expressed the passion of his heart when he said: “I have waited for thy salvation.” Finally, Jacob had arrived. He was waiting on God, instead of running ahead of Him to make things happen.

After many long years, God finally transformed the life of Jacob. This is one of the reasons why God wants us to call Him “the God of Jacob.” This name should remind us that the Lord has promised the nation of Israel that a most incredible transformation is coming in the future for the entire nation of Israel. “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” (Romans 11:26)

This simply means that every living Jew at the end of the Tribulation Period will place their personal trust in Jesus the Messiah for their salvation. The prophet Zechariah wrote about this amazing time when the entire nation of Israel will be saved. Read Zechariah 12-13. The Lord has promised: “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10) According to Zechariah, one-third of the Jewish nation will physically survive the horrors of the Tribulation Period and be saved. He wrote: “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” (Zechariah 13:9)

The God of Jacob has waited for a very long time for His ultimate purposes for Israel to come to pass. He waited on Jacob, and now He is still waiting on the entire nation. It will come to pass!

4. The God of Jacob is a God of mighty deliverance.

A study of the passages that refer to God as the God of Jacob are filled with references to the mighty deliverance of God in the life of Jacob and ultimately, the entire nation of Israel. In Psalm 132:2, 5 He is called, “the mighty God of Jacob.” Psalm 46:7, 11 declares that in the midst of life-threatening conditions, “the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

It is important to notice that God continually delivered Jacob during his life even though he was not where he spiritually needed to be. In the times of his lack of trust, the God of Jacob still delivered him from those who wished to harm him.

The same must be said today for the God of Jacob and His mighty deliverance of the Jewish people living in the land of Israel. There are a multitude of divine promises given to the re-gathered nation of Israel concerning their divine protection. (Psalm 121:1-8; Isaiah 41:8-16; 54:17; Jeremiah 30:10-24) A consideration of the last 65 years for the modern nation of Israel gives strong testimony to their mighty deliverance by the God of Jacob.

The God of Jacob will defend His chosen people who have gathered back in the Promised Land, not because they deserve it, but for His honor and His eternal purposes revealed to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Bible has declared that the Tribulation Period, especially the last half, will be the most horrific period of time any nation has ever faced in all of human history. (Daniel 12:1) Jeremiah 30:7, referring to the latter half of the Tribulation declares: “Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Notice that this horrific time for the nation of Israel is called “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” Also, note that God has promised: “…but he shall be saved out of it.” (Jeremiah 30:7)

5. The God of Jacob is a God worthy of all praise.

The Jewish people were uniquely created to bring praise and glory to the God of Jacob. (Ezekiel 36:16-24) In Isaiah 46:9-13, the Lord reminded Israel that their past and future are in the hands of the One Who declares: “…the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. … and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.”

It is very precious to read the last thing recorded in the Bible about Jacob: “By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph: and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.” (Hebrews 11:21) Jacob died while he was worshiping the Lord! What a way to enter into the presence of the Lord!

In spite of some of his character flaws, God in His grace met with Jacob and at times Jacob responded with heart­felt worship. Perhaps one of the most moving experiences of His life was his encounter with God in Genesis 28:10­-19. While he was fleeing from the wrath of his brother, Jacob was all alone. God gave him a heavenly vision of the angels of God ascending and descending on a ladder set upon the earth. The Lord stood at the top of this ladder and said to Jacob: “I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” (Genesis 28:13-15) When Jacob awoke from that dream the next morning, he declared: “Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.” (Genesis 28:16) Jacob was moved to worship the Lord. He renamed the place “Bethel,” which in Hebrew means “the house of God.” (Genesis 28:19)

The Holy Spirit has connected this name of God, “the God of Jacob,” with worship. Psalm 81:1 declares: “Sing aloud unto the God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.”

In light of this, it is a blessing to note that direct worship of the King at His holy temple on the holy mountain in the holy city of Jerusalem will be connected to “the God of Jacob.” Long ago Isaiah wrote: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above all the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:2-3)

Furthermore, in the heavenly and eternal New Jerusalem, the names of the 12 tribes of Israel (Jacob) will be written upon the 12 gates that provide entrance into the presence of the Lord. (Revelation 21:12-13) The God of Jacob is worthy of our eternal praise.

Jacob was a rascal. He certainly had his share of problems. Yet, God met Jacob while he had nothing and deserved nothing, but gave to him everything! That is real amazing grace!!

The next time you meet a person that hates Jews, or refuses to believe that Jesus is a Jew, or dares to think that God has divorced the Jewish people from His future plans – tell them about the God of Jacob. As the God of Jacob, He has chosen their end and is patiently waiting to transform them with His mighty power by His amazing grace. That will never change because He never changes. He has said: “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6)

The Lord does not save people from their sins because they deserve to be redeemed and blessed by Him. We are all like Jacob. We are all spiritual rascals! “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) When we get to our heavenly home, the New Jerusalem, every time we go out one of those gates and we see one of the names of the sons of Jacob, we will remember these five things about the God of Jacob: He is a God of sovereign grace. He is a God of incredible patience. He is a God of transforming power. He is a God of mighty deliverance. And, He is a God of all praise. Let us all praise the God of Jacob.

Major Confrontation in the Middle East Brewing

As we go to press with this newsletter, tensions in the Middle East over the developments in Syria are rapidly escalating. The conflict between the radical Islamic rebels and the Assad regime is reaching a very critical point. The rebels have gained control of the area of Syria that borders Israel, causing grave concern in Israel that the 46 years of relative peace on their northern border, the Golan Heights, may be coming to an end. Israel is rapidly building a security fence along this northern border, like the one on the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the Sinai border with Egypt. Israeli forces have been placed on alert and the government has ordered gas masks for all of its citizens.

To make things even more complicated, the European Union and the United States are openly supporting the rebels in their effort to overthrow the current Syrian government. This is of great concern to many because the rebels are radical Muslims made up of elements from Al-Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood (the same group that now controls Egypt). In firm opposition to this effort, Russia and Iran are firmly supporting the Assad regime, with direct ties to supporting Hezbollah in Lebanon. Furthermore, Russia has committed to providing Assad with the latest long-range surface to air missiles. Israel has warned Russia that if these weapons are delivered to Syria, Israel will destroy them.

Israel’s minister of defense, Moshe Yaalon, recently stated “that Israel would not tolerate the transfer of advanced weapons from the Syrian government to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia; a loss of Syrian government control over chemical weapons; or a heating up of the Golan frontier and a spillover of the fire into Israeli-held territory.” (Joel C. Rosenberg’s Blog, June 5, 2013)

We live at a very significant time. Developments in the Middle East and around the world signal that the Lord is coming for His church. Are you ready? God’s salvation is available to all who are willing to repent of their sins and surrender their life to Him. Read Romans 6:23 and 10:9-13.

Get ready for the shout that will take us out!

2013 May – The Wealth of the World’s Final Superpower Nation – Israel

The Wealth of the World’s Final Superpower Nation – Israel

By Micah Winefeld

Although the world does not realize it, the tiny nation of Israel will be the last global superpower. According to the Scriptures, at the end of the most deadly and destructive time in human history – the Tribulation Period – the Lord Jesus will supernaturally return to earth from heaven and destroy the global political systems at Armageddon. (Daniel 2:42-45; Joel 3:1-17; Zechariah 14:1-15; Revela­tion 19:11-20:6) After this occurs, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will reign over all the earth for 1,000 years from Jerusalem, Israel. “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” (Zechariah 14:9)

One of the aspects of this millennial kingdom that is usually overlooked is the wealth that will come to the tiny nation of Israel, the only Jewish nation in all of human history. One of the defining elements of a superpower nation is wealth that gives it ability to flex economic superiority over the rest of the world. In a very limited sense, this will be true of the nation of Israel. Ultimately, Israel’s superiority during the millennial kingdom will be vested in her sovereign King – the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this brief article, I would like to explore the Scriptures to examine the economic climate that has surrounded the nation of Israel. Before proceeding, I must stress that Israel’s enemies fear her and the Jew­ish people. As a result, Israel’s enemies have twisted the truth and propagated lies about her. In the course of world history, Israel and the Jewish people have been the target of vicious rumors. These allegations have centered on a supposed desire by the Jewish people to conquer the world and establish a global empire. All of this has been a part of a devious plot by Satan to twist the Word of God and use it against the Lord and His people. Lies and deception have been part of Satan’s pattern throughout human histo­ry. (Matthew 4:1-11) The sheer fact that the final world empire will be Jewish will not come to fruition as a result of the work and will of the Jewish people. This empire will be a divine miracle, ushered in by the return of their Messiah and Savior – the Lord Je­sus Christ.

About 4,000 years ago, the Lord told the first Jew, Abraham, that it was His divine plan to bless the na­tions of the world through the Jewish people. He said to Abraham: “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great’ and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen­esis 12:2-3) Notice that the Lord has promised His chosen people, Israel, that they will be His arm of blessing to the nations. God wants to bless the na­tions and He has chosen to do that through the Jewish people. This blessing has both spiritual and physical implications.

Obviously, as Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4, “salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22) The Bible is a divine revelation that came to us through Jewish prophets and apostles. The Bible is distinctly Jewish – reflecting the Jewish language, history, cus­toms, geography, and culture. The Messiah and only Savior of the world, the God-man – Jesus Christ – was, and forever will be, Jewish. (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38; Revelation 5:5)

History also demonstrates that the Jewish people have also been a physical blessing to the nations of the world. Many inventions, discoveries, and ac­complishments that have benefited mankind came through the Jewish people. God has kept His Word. The Jewish people will forever be a blessing to the world. Clearly, any attempt to eradicate the Jewish people is a strike against God’s arm of blessing to the nations. Perhaps you have heard the expression: “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” This is exactly what Satan is doing when he promotes anti-Semitism. Satan is the thief that Jesus described as the one who has come “to seal, and to kill, and to destroy.” (John 10:10) Satan is the one who “weakens the nations” (Isaiah 14:12) to promote his own hellish agenda. He does not care about mankind. He is God’s adversary and will use anyone and anything in his war against God. He is the destroyer. (Revelation 9:11) As “a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44), Satan has pro­moted many lies about the Jewish people and the na­tion of Israel. He is the mastermind behind all hatred currently aimed at the Jewish people in general, and specifically against the nation of Israel.

Please take time to read Psalm 83:1-8. In this text, the Bible makes it emphatically clear that the ene­mies of God “hate” Him. (verse 2) Their hatred of God is manifested in their hatred of Jews, and their desire to join together to annihilate the nation of Isra­el. (verses 3-5) The writer of this Psalm names the neighboring nations of Israel as those that have con­federated against God with the attempt to destroy the Jewish nation. (verses 6-8) Today, these nations are part of an Islamic coalition in the Middle East that teems with a seething hatred of Israel. These nations are feverishly working to strategize plans to remove the Jews from the Middle Eastern landscape.

Satan has used the nations of the world as a part of his fiendish efforts to thwart God’s eternal plan, which is to bless all people through Israel. However, the Lord will always bless the nation of Israel. These divine blessings can be measured through economic wealth and prosperity. It is important to remember that all wealth is controlled by God! (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19) Moses warned the Jewish people that they need to remember wealth comes from God and is a part of His promise in the covenant He made with them. In Deuteronomy 8:17-18 he said: “And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt re­member the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”

Before his death, God directed Moses to warn Isra­el that as long as a godly remnant within the nation was obedient to Him, He would set them “on high above all nations of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 28:1) In this covenant, the Lord promised He would bless their work and make them rich so they would become a lending nation rather than a borrowing nation. (Deuteronomy 28:11-12) However, if the nation as a whole became wicked and disobedient, He would curse them and make them poor, so that they would cease to be a lending nation. (Deuteronomy 28:43­44)

In Israel’s past, God’s blessings of wealth and power came to its zenith during the reign of King Solomon. A casual reading of 2 Chronicles 1-9 gives us a stunning picture of the immense wealth that the Lord brought to Jerusalem during the days of Solo­mon. 2 Chronicles 1:15 declares that King Solomon “made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones.” 2 Chronicles 9:13 indicates that in one year, 25 tons (50,000 pounds) of gold came into the treasury of King Solomon in Jerusalem. With the price of gold today, that would be valued at 1.3 bil­lion dollars! 1 Kings 10:23 notes that “king Solo­mon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.” After the days of King Solomon, the people rebelled against God. As a consequence, the kingdom was divided, and the immense wealth began to diminish, just as Moses had warned.

However, the wealth of the nation of Israel in the days of King Solomon will be nothing compared to the treasures that will come into the kingdom of our Lord when He reigns in Jerusalem for 1,000 years. For a comprehensive overview of the material abun­dance that will flow from the Gentile nations into treasury of the King in Israel during His millennial kingdom, read Isaiah 60:6-17. Verse 9 declares: “Surely the isles shall wait for me. And the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.” The wealth in Israel will be­come so immense that the Lord has promised: “For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring sil­ver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron …”

(Isaiah 60:17)

The wealth within Israel and the Gentile nations will increase because of the increased productivity of their work. (Deuteronomy 30:9) The government of the King will promote and implement a perfect moral standard. (Isaiah 40:4) This will all be based upon the Word of God. “…for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:3) The consciences of the people will be strengthened because “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9) The judicial system will be based upon the truth of God. (Isaiah 42:3b) Agricultural efforts will be greatly increased because of perfect climate conditions (Isaiah 30:23), and increased fer­tility of all the land of the earth. (Isaiah 35:1-2, 6-7; Amos 9:13)

During the kingdom, people will also experience perfect health. There will be no physical diseases or deformities. (Isaiah 33:24; 35:5-6) Lifespans, with few exceptions, will extend throughout the entire 1,000 years. (Isaiah 65:20) Therefore, there will be no life or health insurance premiums to rob wealth from the people.

This kingdom will be a time of global peace. Vio­lence and war will cease. (Isaiah 60:18) “…and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4) Think of the incredible re­sources that have been wasted in war efforts in the history of man. During the kingdom, all of this will be channeled into efforts to feed the world’s popula­tion.

The kingdom of our Lord will be a time of health, peace, and prosperity like the world has never experi­enced before. Much of this wealth will voluntarily make its way to the treasury of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Jerusalem. They will send their wealth to the King to “show forth the praises of the LORD.” (Isaiah 60:6) The Gentiles will also send their wealth to Israel because they will finally realize the role that the Jewish people have had in their sal­vation. They will also come to grips with the bless­ings of God that have flowed through the chosen people to the Gentile nations. Concerning this, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “The sons also of them that af­flicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou has been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eter­nal excellency, joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 60:14-16)

In light of Israel’s past and future, it is most inter­esting to observe what is taking place in the modern nation of Israel since its beginning on May 14, 1948. It has been amazing to observe the material blessing that the Lord has given to this tiny little nation (the size of the state of New Jersey) in the last 65 years. In spite of Israel’s extraordinary defense budget, the nation has been able to maintain a vibrant economy. In these 65 years, Israel has become a world leader in agriculture, science, computer technology, military innovations, medical discoveries, and educational advancements. In addition to all of this, Israel and Jordan share the wealth in the Dead Sea. Israel has developed a very lucrative business of extracting the minerals from the Dead Sea. Some have estimated that the value of the minerals in the Dead Sea is greater than the combined wealth of all of Europe! Israel has flourished and become one of the world’s leading economic engines. Its currency, the shekel, is one of the strongest in the world.

However, in light of all of this, the leadership in Israel believes the nation is about to embark on an even more prosperous time. Natural gas and oil have been discovered in the Mediterranean off the Israeli coast. It is estimated that natural gas reserves hold “some 122 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas.” (www.timesofisrael.com, March 30, 2013) On Saturday, March 30, natural gas from the pumping station in the Mediterranean began to flow through the pipelines on the ocean floor to a processing plant in Ashdod. It is now flowing into the Israeli market. The Israeli Prime Minister has hailed this as an “im­portant day for the Israeli economy.” (www.timesofisrael.com, March 30, 2013) Israel has now become an energy independent nation. The economic ramifi­cations of this are staggering. In a few short years, Israel will begin to export natural gas, vastly increas­ing its wealth. One of the CEOs of the companies that helped Israel to explore, drill, and develop these gas reserves recently commented: “This is a new era and is full of opportunities for the Israeli economy, in which one can take advantage of the natural gas on the environmental, geopolitical, social and economic level – and transform Israel into an important interna­tional player.” (The Jerusalem Post Christian Edi­tion, May 2013, p. 8)

It is my opinion that this is a prelude to the unimag­inable wealth that will exist in Israel during the king­dom. It also helps students of Bible prophecy under­stand the conditions that will lead to the Gog and Magog invasion of Israel in the last days. My friends, the conditions for this great invasion are rap­idly falling into place. Ezekiel 38-39 speaks of a fu­ture military invasion of Israel in the last days by Russia, Iran, Ethiopia/Sudan, Libya and Turkey. These nations will attack Israel to plunder it of its economic wealth. In Ezekiel 38:12-13, the prophet wrote that these Islamic nations will attack Israel to “take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. … to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil.”

Notice that these nations consider the abundance of food in Israel as a very valuable part of their wealth. It is amazing to note that Israel is self-sufficient agri­culturally. This is not true for the 22 Arab-Islamic nations that surround Israel. These nations have 640 times more land than Israel. Unlike Israel, none of these nations have the soil or climate to produce an abundance of food. The land of Israel still flows with milk and honey. (Leviticus 20:24) As never before, the stage is now set for this great militaristic inva­sion.

For a number of years now, I have been telling people in my prophetic conferences: “If little Japan could become an economic giant among the nations, without God, we cannot begin to imagine how wealthy Israel will become with God’s aid.” I per­sonally believe that we are about to witness the ful­fillment of all of this. This perspective is even great­er when one considers that most of the Western na­tions are deeply mired in debt and on the verge of economic collapse. When this does happen, it will mean that the U.S. and others will not have the mili­tary capability to help defend Israel. And, the wealth in Israel will look even more attractive to her Islamic enemies. Thus, it does appear that the time for the Gog and Magog invasion and the divine intervention of the God of Israel to destroy these invading forces are just around the corner.

Get ready to fly! Be ready for the shout that will take us out!

Israel’s Growing Security Concerns

Israel has many security concerns that demand her immediate attention. With the new and more radical Islamic leadership in Egypt, Israel is concerned about the gradual collapse of its cold peace with Egypt. Furthermore, in recent months, the Sinai, controlled by Egypt, has become a magnet for Islamic radicals who have carried out several attacks against Israelis living near the Sinai border.

Israel must also monitor the very serious threat of Iran in its quest to develop a nuclear bomb, while the Iranian leadership continues to call for the complete annihilation of Israel. The current shift in the inter­national community to deal with the North Korean threat has forced the United States to move some of its aircraft carriers that were stationed in the Persian Gulf to the Pacific theater. This has caused an even greater concern for Israel. It now appears that the international community is so focused upon the North Korean threat that Iran is off the radar. Israel fears this has increased the probability that they will have to deal with the Iranians without the aid or support of the international community.

Perhaps a ray of hope was delivered when the U.S. Senate recently passed resolution 65. “The U.S. Sen­ate on Tuesday, April 16, overwhelmingly voted in favor of adopting a resolution stating that America will support Israel should the latter decide it is neces­sary to attack Iran’s nuclear program. Senate Resolu­tion 65 reaffirms America’s unwavering support for Israel’s security and continued existence, and calls upon the White House to provide military, diplomatic and economic backing should Israel feel compelled to strike Iran as an act of preemptive self-defense. Sev­enty out of 100 senators voted in favor of the mo­tion.” (www.israeltoday.co.il, April 17, 2013) We must pray and hope that the Obama administration will accept and support this resolution.

Another situation of great concern for Israel is the growing security nightmare on its northern border on the Golan with Syria. It is only a matter of time be­fore the Assad regime in Syria will collapse. For several decades, the Golan border with Syria has been relatively quiet. Assad and his father before him had chosen to attack Israel by supporting the Is­lamic terrorist group called Hezbollah, firmly en­trenched in southern Lebanon only a few miles from the Israeli border. However, it appears that all of this about to change.

In recent weeks, the fighting between Islamic radi­cals, including Al-Qaeda rebels, and the forces that are defending Assad, have been exchanging fire near the Golan border with Israel. Some of the rebels re­cently captured 21 U.N. peacekeepers on the Syrian side on the border and held them for several days be­fore they were released.

Israel is greatly concerned that when the Assad re­gime collapses that radical Islamic elements that take over Syria will attempt to use Israel’s northern border for a military base, like Hamas in Gaza, to attack them. As a result, “Israel is currently building a forti­fied security fence on the Golan border.” (Aviel Schneider, “Trouble on the Golan Border with Syr­ia,” Israel Today, April 2013, p. 7)

All of these very serious security concerns for Israel certainly illustrate what Jesus told His Jewish disci­ples in Matthew 24. They asked Him, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3) Part of His reply was: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. … and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” (Mat­thew 24:6, 9) Without question, we are watching these signs of the coming of our Lord at this very hour!

Islam’s Attack against Christians and Jews

Whether you study history or Bible prophecy, it is clear that Muslims have been taught to hate, insult and even kill Christians and Jews. This practice is traced back to the teaching and lifestyle of their founding prophet, Muhammad. As we watch Islam grow around the world, it is also clear, for those who are willing to do the research and face the facts, that many Islamic leaders are still promoting hatred and war against Jews and Christians. The following quotes from articles in a recent issue of Israel Today illustrate this: “A sermon aired on Egypt’s Al Omma TV demonstrated the growing hostility toward Chris­tians in that nation following the election of an Islam­ist government led by the radical Muslim Brother­hood. Egyptian cleric Ahmed Mohammed Abdallah, better known as Abu Islam, declared that the basis of the Christian faith is the worship of male genitalia, and that Christian women will practice bestiality ra­ther than go without a husband. … In a separate epi­sode of his popular show, Abu Islam said it was per­missible for Muslim men to rape Muslim women tak­ing part in protests against Egypt’s new Islamist re­gime because those women had in effect lowered themselves to the level of Christians.” (Ryan Jones, “Christians Are Idol Worshippers and Beasts,” Israel Today, April, 2013, p. 9)

In another article entitled “Slaughter the Jews,” Is­rael Today reports the following: “Doh-based Echo Media Qatar has begun a work on a multi-million dollar movie commemorating the 7th century exter­mination of an entire Jewish community in Arabia by the Prophet Mohammed and his early Muslim fol­lowers. Titled Khaiber after the name of the Jewish town that was wiped out, the movie was written by a prominent Egyptian screenwriter and will feature a number of famous Arab actors from across the re­gion. …

“Indeed, chants of ‘Remember Khaiber!” and [slaughter the Jews] remain regular features of Arab demonstrations across the Middle East, which is one reason why many Israelis remain skeptical about ‘peace.’ They simply do not believe that the Muslim masses have moved past their desire to either elimi­nate or subjugate the Jews.” (Ryan Jones, “Slaughter the Jews!” Israel Today, April 2013, p. 9)

According to the final book of the Bible, the king­dom of the Antichrist, and the religion that He pro­motes, will kill Jews and believers in Christ and rape their women. (Zechariah 14:2; Revelation 12:13-17; 17:6; 18:24; 20:4) These practices of Islam against Jews and Christians have been promoted for 1,400 years and will continue until the end of this age. The stage is set for the final showdown between the God of Israel and the god of Ishmael – Islam.

Get ready for the shout that will take us out!

2013 April – The Tribe of Manasseh is Coming Home to Israel

The Tribe of Manasseh is Coming Home to Israel

Speaking to Israel, the Lord has promised: “I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.”-Isaiah 43:5-6
By Micah Winefeld
While world leaders are focused on wrestling parts of the Holy Land away from Israel, a divine miracle is occurring right under their noses. God is leading His chosen people, the Jews, back to their homeland just as He promised in the Bible. For it was God’s hand that scattered the Jews among the nations almost 2,000 years ago and now He is orchestrating their return to Israel, just as He said He would. (Read Deuteronomy 28:63-67; 30:1-5) This is exciting for those of us who are students of Bible prophecy, because these events give credence to the fact that we are indeed living in the last days.
To illustrate that we are living witnesses to a unique and supernatural fulfillment of Bible prophecy, we can turn to the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, where the Lord declared: “For I will take you from among the heathen , and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.” (Ezekiel 36:24) This verse and many others, indicate that the process of the return of the Jewish people to their homeland will be a supernatural development. Notice the language in Ezekiel 36:24. God said, “I will take you … and will bring you into your own land.” What we are witnessing at this hour has never happened before. A people group is returning to their ancient homeland and rebuilding their nation.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were only a few thousands of Jews living in what was called Palestine. Due to the pogroms against Jews in Russia, and the holocaust efforts of the Nazis during World War II, there were about 650,000 Jewish people living in the state of Israel when it became a nation on May 14, 1948. Today, 65 years later, a little over 6 million Jews have returned home to Israel (about 40 percent of the world’s Jewish population). The Bible requires that only a remnant of the global Jewish population be in Israel at the beginning of the Tribulation Period. According to Revelation 7, a remnant of each of the 12 tribes of Israel will be back in the land. After the Rapture, the Lord God will uniquely select and prepare 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes for a very special ministry of global evangelism during the Tribulation. (Revelation 7:1-17; 14:1-5) In light of this, it is interesting to note that Israel is currently in the process of welcoming home the tribe of Manasseh. (Revelation 7:6)
Manasseh was the first-born son of the Jewish patriarch Joseph in Egypt. Joseph’s wife, Asenath, was an Egyptian and gave birth to Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. (Genesis 41:50-52) Both Manasseh and Ephraim were blessed by Jacob (Genesis 48:8-20) and are numbered among the 12 tribes of Israel. (Numbers 1, 7, 13, 26; Ezekiel 48; Revelation 7) After the death of King Solomon, the 12 tribes divided into two nations. The tribe of Manasseh became a part of the 10 tribes in the north, called Israel. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin, along with a remnant of godly people from the other 10 tribes, lived in the south, called Judah. During the invasion and defeat of Israel by the Assyrians in 722 B.C., Manasseh and the other nine tribes were carried off into captivity and scattered among the nations of the ancient world. For years, these Jewish people were called “the lost tribes of Israel.” However, remember that these 10 tribes were also represented by a godly remnant in Judah, which was eventually carried off to Babylon in three deportations – the last being in 586 B.C. After the Babylonian captivity, a remnant of all 12 tribes returned to the Holy Land. Notice that Anna, a prophetess who was serving in the Temple at the time of Jesus’ birth, was from the tribe of Asher. (Luke 2:36) Later, Jesus sent out His disciples “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 10:6)
For more than 2,500 years, most of the Jewish people have been scattered among the Gentile nations of the world. Most Jewish people do not know their tribal identity, since the official records of the tribes were destroyed with the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. However, the sons of Manasseh (Hebrew: Bnei Menashe) are returning to Israel and telling the story of their 2,700 years of exile and wandering. The returning sons of Manasseh say “their ancestors were exiled by the Assyrians into the region of today’s Iran. From there, they journeyed eastward along the Silk Road to China, where for centuries they formed part of the community known as Kaifeng Jews. They later wandered southward and eventually settled in the states of Mizoram and Manipur, located in an isolated enclave of India nestled between Myanmar and Bangladesh.
“From there the Bnei Menashe continued to cling to their biblical traditions and identity. They kept the Sabbath and observed kosher laws, celebrated the Jewish festivals and practiced sacrificial rites.
“Rediscovered in modern times, their Israelite ancestry was officially recognized by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate in 2005. Following that ruling 1,700 Bnei Menashe made their way to Israel.
“Michael Freund, head of the organization Shavei Israel, has been working tirelessly ever since to reopen the way for them to reconnect with Israel and the Jewish mainstream. At his urging, the Israeli government recently approved a process which will enable the remaining 7,200 Bnei Menashe to relocate to Israel in groups of around 250 at a time. …
“‘This is one of the moments where you really feel the hand of God at work in history,’ noted Freund. ‘Despite the long exile and wanderings of the Bnei Menashe, they never lost sight of who they are or where they came from, or where they one day dreamt of returning.’” (David Parsons, “An end to exile,” The Jerusalem Post Christian Edition, February 2013, p. 17)
Photo copied from www.timesofisrael.com

As this unique development continues to unfold, Christians are playing a very special role. Various Christian groups are funding and supporting the current immigration of the sons of Manasseh to their home. The blessing and aid of Gentiles in helping the Jews return home is a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. When the Tribulation Period is over, the Gentiles will do the work of God by helping every living Jew return home to the land of Israel. Concerning this future time, Isaiah 14:1-2 states: “… and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place…” A similar prophecy is found in Isaiah 49:22: “Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.” Therefore, the return of the tribe of Manasseh and the involvement of the Gentiles in this work is setting the stage for a future prophecy when the Lord will seal 144,000 young Jewish men and send them out from Jerusalem to be evangelists among the Gentile nations. (Revelation 7:1-17; 14:1-5) We can only imagine that some of these 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh are among those returning to Israel at this hour, or perhaps they are about to be born in the land of Israel.
While commenting about the return of his tribe to Israel, one of the recent immigrants of the tribe of Manasseh said: “This is about returning to our land, our people and our Torah. … It also means we are moving that much closer to the redemption of Israel.” (David Parsons, “An end to exile,” The Jerusalem Post Christian Edition, February 2013, p. 19)
David Parsons, an editor for the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem (ICEJ), writes: “Israel today is indeed a remarkable nation of Jews gathered from over 100 countries around the globe, who have come back as distinct tribes with their own languages, cultures, and customs, but God has been slowly forging them back together into one nation. They have a glorious future ahead of them, far more glorious that they even realize.” (David Parsons, “A Nation of Many Tribes,” ICEJ Newsletter, April 2013, p. 3)

My friend, this story, and so many other developments taking place in our world today, are telling us that the coming of our blessed Lord for His church is drawing very near. Are you ready? If you have not yet repented of your sins and received God’s eternal Son as the payment for your sin, then you need to consider that today. Faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His bodily resurrection from the grave three days later is the only way to heaven. Jesus said: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” (John 10:9) He clearly declared: “…Ye believe in God, believe also in me. … I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:1, 6) In order to be saved, you must confess with your mouth that He is the resurrected, eternal Son of God and seriously surrender your life to Him, making Him the Lord of your life. Salvation is not some thoughtless or mystical expression or action. It must be the result of the conviction of your sin and the recognition of your current eternal damnation without Christ. You must call out to Him in prayer, agreeing that He is the Son of God. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
Salvation is God’s gift; He wants to give it to you. You do not deserve it and cannot earn it. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Jesus paid for your sin and purchased your salvation when He became “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:28)
My friend, the message of the Bible is clear. “Salvation is of the LORD.” (Jonah 2:9) “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

 

A new poll suggests that about 64 per cent of Americans support Israel. – Photo by Israel Today

 

Other Significant Developments

  • According to several sources, Anti-Semitism is exploding on America’s college campuses. Jewish students are being intimidated and lies are being spread about Israel and the Jewish people. In contrast, radical Islamic groups that openly call for the destruction of Israel are being glorified. Sadly, the administrations and faculties of these university and college campuses are doing nothing to stop this. Christians need to realize that they are next. History demonstrates that these kinds of actions are a prelude to the persecution and the ultimate martyrdom of Jews and Christians. Isn’t it odd that the Obama administration in Washington is working toward the passing of international laws that protect Muslims and their religious convictions, while at the same time totally ignoring the threat against Jews and Christians? All of this is setting the stage for the events described in the Bible at the end of this age.
  • In the last newsletter, I reported on the increase in major earthquake and volcanic activity and their relationship to future prophecies. In recent weeks, I have learned that 29 out of 119 active volcanoes are erupting at this time. That is highly significant. It is my opinion, based upon scientific research, that the eruptions of volcanoes are the main contributor to “the greenhouse effect” that is creating global warming. Scientists have noted the gases that are emitted during volcanic eruptions contribute toward the thinning of the earth’s ozone layer. In light of this, the Bible predicts that volcanic eruptions will escalate during the Tribulation, creating dangerous heat levels. Malachi 4:1 states: “For, behold the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Near the end of the Tribulation, the Lord will send His angel with a judgment of great heat “and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.” (Revelation 16:8-9)
  • Contrary to my opinion, which is based upon Biblical and scientific research, politicians around the world are claiming that man-made emissions are the major factor in global warming. Furthermore, they are using their clamoring as a vehicle for taking control of the world. Currently, a United Nations’ document entitled “Agenda 21” is being implemented to destroy the economy of the world and force the free nations into a New World Order. Dick Morris, a former political advisor to President Bill Clinton, writes: “Agenda 21 is a UN document, written in 1992 at the Rio Conference that spells out how the elites who run the UN want us all to live. High density is in. Mass transit is the future. Bike lanes are how we will get to work. Suburbs, rural areas, grass, open spaces, forests, elbow room are things of the past. Cars and trucks are out. Bikes and trains are in. But the worst part of Agenda 21 is that President Obama has bought into it and is promoting it throughout the United States. … The elite globalists who run the United Nations are using the Agenda 21 model to restructure our lives and live them according to their – and not our – wishes.” (Dick Morris, Dickmorris.com, October 9, 2012)
  • One of the trends that Jesus mentioned as a sign of the end of this age is an increase in diseases. (Matthew 24:7) Many medical professionals are warning us that the overuse of antibiotics has created a unique situation. We are beginning to face bacterial diseases that are resistant to antibiotics. Dame Sally Davies, England’s chief medical officer, warns: “Antimicrobial resistance poses a catastrophic threat. If we don’t act now, any one of us could go into a hospital in 20 years for minor surgery and die because of an ordinary infection that can’t be treated by antibiotics. And routine operations like hip replacements or organ transplants could be deadly because of the risk of infection.” She further explains, “Antibiotics fail because bacteria develop resistance to the drugs over time. In the decades after the invention of penicillin it did not seem to be a problem because drug companies developed new versions. But no new classes of drugs have been discovered since 1987 and the pipeline has now dried up.” (Sarah Boseley, “New wave of superbugs poses dire threat, says chief medical officer,” www.guardian.co.uk, March 11, 2013)
  • Ten years ago, Iraq had 300 churches and 1.4 million Christians. However, now that number has dwindled to only 57 churches with about 500,000 Christians remaining. Many have been killed,while most have immigrated to other countries. They are fleeing from the oppression and persecution of radical Muslim elements in Iraq. Similar developments are taking place in Egypt and Syria. All of this is a precursor to attacks against Christians that will be very prevalent during the Tribulation Period. (Revelation 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 13:710) The butchery of believers during the Tribulation Period will be directed by the Islamic Antichrist, whose headquarters will in in Babylon, Iraq. (Isaiah 14:4)

The Obama Visit to Israel

 

Before the Obama visit, the Palestinian government removed a marker in Bethlehem that displayed a map of the future Palestinian State. This marker clearly shows the entire land of Israel being replaced by a Palestinian State. This demonstrates that the goal of the Palestinians is not just the “West Bank,” but the entire land of Israel. Photo by Israel Today
During his recent visit to Israel, President Obama portrayed himself as being chummy with the Israeli leaders. He also spoke in such a way as to woo the Israeli public into believing that he admires Israel and is a firm supporter of the Jewish nation. However, polls conducted after his visit indicates that Israelis were not persuaded by his rhetoric and political posturing. Many in Israel believe that Obama’s mission was to win over the Israeli public. Obama wants Israelis to capitulate to him when he delivers an ultimatum that calls for them to hand over East Jerusalem and the West Bank to the Palestinians. Prior to Obama’s arrival in Israel word leaked that the White House had released a video showing a map of the Middle East. This map showed “the Golan Heights, Jerusalem, northern Israel, and areas surrounding what is currently the West Bank as non-Israeli territory. The Golan Heights is shown as part of Syria; Jerusalem is shown as part of the Palestinian Authority; and northern Israel is shown as part of Lebanon.
“Even more telling, the president’s itinerary on the White House website also implies that Jerusalem is neither Israel’s capital nor even part of Israel. …
“By sending such messages to Israel, the Obama administration is also sending messages to the Islamic world and to the forces inside it that are obsessively focused on the destruction of the Jewish state. And that message is unmistakable: Israel is the interloper, a Western colonial outpost, an occupier that has stolen Palestinian land. Therefore, Jerusalem, is not only not Israel’s capital, it belongs to the Arabs. When Obama said he wants to go back to her pre-1967 borders, he meant it.” (Letter from David Horowitz, March 20, 2013)

Has Obama Promised the Palestinians He will Divide Jerusalem?

According to a World Net Daily (WND) report by Aaron Klein, a senior WND staff reporter and Jerusalem bureau chief, “President Barack Obama has already secretly pledged to the Palestinians he will press Israel into a new round of so-called land-for-peace negotiations, a top Palestinian Authority negotiator told WND. The negotiator said a top member of the Obama administration told the Palestinians the U.S. president will renew talks aimed at creating a Palestinian state in the so-called 1967 borders – meaning the West Bank, Gaza Strip and notably, eastern Jerusalem. … The negotiator further claimed that Obama quietly pledged to the Palestinians a campaign at the United Nations to renew U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which calls for a Palestinian state in the ‘1967 borders.’ [He also] said that Obama had promised the PA [Palestinian Authority] that the establishment of a Palestinian state will be one of the main priorities for a second term.” (Aaron Klein, “Obama Secretly Pledges to Divide Jerusalem,” www.wnd.com, February 1, 2013)

If this report is accurate, and President Obama carries through with his promises to the Palestinians, he will bring himself and the entire United States into the crosshairs of the divine judgment of God Almighty. The Lord has promised that all who attempt to divide His land and wrestle Jerusalem away from His chosen people will be crushed. In Zechariah 12:3, He warned: “And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”

My friends, if the president of the United States attempts to divide the Holy City of Jerusalem, he will bring himself and the entire U.S. nation under the divine curse of Genesis 12:3 -“… I will … curse him that curseth thee.” Prepare yourself. The Almighty will keep His promise. At His time, and in His way, He will keep this promise. It will only be a matter of time!
Newly-Elected Israeli Government Calls for More Bible Study
In an amazing new twist of political events in Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to invite into his new governmental coalition two of the newly formed parties that received many votes during the recent election. Israel Today reports that both of these parties have recently stated that they are in favor of all citizens being involved in Bible study. The new coalition released the following statement: “The State of Israel recognized the importance and centrality of Torah (Bible) study as a central value of the Jewish people and the state of Israel.” (www.israeltoday.co.il, March 14, 2013)
Israel Today further commented: “Both parties also want more comprehensive Bible study in Israeli schools, and with Yesh Atid [one of the newly elected political leaders] taking the Ministry of Education, they will be able to achieve that. What other nation today has as a central pillar of its ruling government the importance of studying the Bible?” (www.israeltoday.co.il, March 14, 2013)
All of this is an exciting indication that there is a gradual turning of Jewish hearts to the Word of God, just like the Bible predicted would happen in the last of the last days. After the Rapture, this will be aided by the two Jewish witnesses (Revelation 11:3-6) and the 144,000 sealed Jewish evangelists. (Revelation 7) However, all of this will be dwarfed by the education of the Messiah during the Kingdom when the Word of the Lord will go forth from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3) As a result, “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9)
This is one reason why we should pray: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) Come King Jesus. We long for your righteous kingdom to teach the children of this earth about who You are!
Israel is for Peace
The world continues to blame Israel for the lack of peace in the Middle East. However, the real facts point to Israel’s Islamic neighbors who are the true cause for hatred, violence, and war in the Middle East.
Israel recently demonstrated her desire to live in peace with her Arab neighbors. Usually, as is the custom, immediately before Passover the Jewish mother removes all bread from the house, and it is burned. However, this Passover, several Jewish families in the disputed territories on the West Bank decided to give this bread to the Palestinians, with the following note attached: “In the name of God the most merciful, we wish for neighborly relations. Our hands are extended in peace, peace from the heart. Peace in the grace of God and the name of God. From your Jewish neighbors, members of Eretz Shalom.” (Reported by Israel Today)