Editorial Letter from the Editor Letter from the Editor Welcome to our 24th issue of MORNING STAR! Praise the Lord for two successful years of publication. As mentioned in last month's edition, beginning with volume 3.1 (next month!) MORNING STAR will be available in a professional hard copy. Anyone wishing to receive this new edition should send their name and address to our publishing group, DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN INC., PO Box 5093, Beaumont, TX, 77726. Those online can send the information via Internet E-mail to: "davidsmm@aol.com". The subscription is free, but if you can afford a donation, they are welcome and needed. Our cost for 12 issues is $18.00. For $36.00, you will not only cover the cost of your subscription but also sponsor a subscription for a prison chaplain to share with Christian prison inmates. We are coordinating this project with Prison Fellowship of Washington, D.C. Remember, these inmates have little good Christian material to read. Our Lord told us to remember those in prison in Matthew chapter 25. This is a good way to do that. With this issue, we close our second year of publication with a very special theme. We have assembled a great collection of articles concerning God's promises to Israel, its place in the world today and Christian's relationship and responsibility to Israel and the Jewish people. All believers should be knowledgeable of what the word of God says about these things, as well as aware of what is in fact going on in the world and in the Church. There's a lot of material for our readers in this issue. Besides our Feature Area, you will find related material in the Commentary, Messianic Studies, CFI Reports and Mission Field columns. Please make good use of these articles. Share them with friends, family and church members, pastors and ministers. Keep in mind we depend on our readers to supply us with material. We can publish articles/stories on any topic in our Columns area. There are also specific needs in upcoming Feature-Theme areas: Volume 3.3 - Christians Using "High-Tech" to do the Lord's work. Volume 3.4 - Testimonies and articles on "Victimization." Volume 3.5 - "Messianic Studies" issue. Volume 3.6 - "Prison Ministries" issue. We can use original material or reprint published articles with permission. In service to our Lord, Toby Trudel Commentary Commentary Many believers are unaware of important events taking place in Middle-East as they aren't often mentioned on the nightly news. The following guest commentary is both informative and timely. - Editor T.T. CHRIST IN A KAFFIYAH? Reprinted with permission from ISRAEL MY GLORY magazine Turning fiction into fact has become a favored pastime of writers and film producers in the Western world. Their books and docu-dramas using names of actual people and historical events as a backdrop for writing fiction or reshaping history consistently exceed the limits of propriety and good taste. The impact would be minimal if the general population possessed a basic understanding of historical truth. This is not the case, however, and for a generation virtually illiterate about the central facts of history, these fictional sorties are accepted as fact. Thus, history is rewritten and revisionists' purposes are served. This flagrant trodding down of truth and accuracy is, of course, nothing new. It reflects time-honored patterns from other regions of the world where manipulating minds has been honed to an art form. No better illustration of the phenomenon can be set forth than the current attempt by Palestinians to de-Judaize Jesus and turn members of the early Church into Arabs rather than Jews. PLO leader Yassir Arafat and Hanan Ashwari make the absurd claim that they can trace their Arab ancestry to the first Christians- a strange statement indeed, considering the fact that there were no Arabs in the area until the Muslim conquest of the seventh century. Ashwari, spokeswoman for the Palestinian delegation to the Middle East Peace Conference, declared last October, "I am a Palestinian Christian. I am a descendent of the first Christians in the world, and Jesus Christ was born in my country, in my land." Arafat, a Muslim, joins her by saying that the Apostle Peter was "a Palestinian who defied Rome." Such claims reflect the new crusade to Palestinize Jesus and, as was stated in a Jordanian TV production, blame the Jews for murdering Jesus, "the Palestinian prophet." Sad to say, there are those who are joining the campaign to place Kaffiyahs on the heads of Jesus and His first-century followers. Their stated aim is to forge a Muslim-Christian alliance against Israel and the Jewish people. The Anglican Church in Jerusalem, for example, has joined with a world Islamic body to call for an international conference on the situation for Christians in the Holy Land. Canon Naim Ateek of St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem goes so far as to refuse to acknowledge the Jewishness of the New Testament. "Jesus was born in Bethlehem," he writes, "grew up in Nazareth, was baptized in the Jordan River . . . Therefore, the first witnesses to the resurrection were Palestinians; the Church was born in Palestine as the early followers of Jesus were Palestinians. The Palestinian Christians of today are the descendants of those early Christians." Unbelievable? To say the very least! One does not need to be an accomplished theologian to discover that the followers of Jesus and the writers of the New Testament were Jewish. Just read the Book. Palestine did not exist as such in Jesus' day, nor in the infancy of the Christian Church. There were no Palestinians at that time. The Samaria, Judea, and Galilee familiar to New Testament readers comprised the provinces of the area. Arabs had nothing to do with creating Palestine. Credit the Romans and their Emperor Hadrian for coining that word. And why did he do it? For precisely the same reasons the Arabs and their Christian consorts are sanctifying the word today. The motivation was and is to rewrite history and de-Judaize the region and its people. For, you see, Hadrian, after defeating the Jews in the Jewish revolt of 132-135 A.D., aspired to wipe Jewish identity off the face of the landscape. To do so, he resurrected the name of Israel's notorious enemies, the Philistines, and renamed the area Palestine. So much for those troublesome Jews, he thought. Does history repeat itself? Of course it does. And we are witnessing the beginning of an upward curve in a perversion of history that may well dwarf the ill-fated attempt of the Roman despot who inspired like-minded Jew haters of this century. Consequently, we can expect an onslaught of misinformation about how much Christianity has in common with Islam and how Muslims and Christians can live in peace and harmony as pluralistically minded bedfellows in North America. After all, their common roots run back to Arab Palestine and a Kaffiyahed Christ. Before you believe it, you'd better do a body count on the Christians, Arabs, and others being martyred at this moment in the "holy" name of Islam. * The Kaffiyah is the black and white head covering worn by many Palestinian men today. Staff List Staff List MORNING STAR A Multimedia Christian Publication P.O. 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BOAST NOT AGAINST THE BRANCHES by Derek White Christian Friends of Israel New Malden, Surrey, United Kingdom The Church today is in danger - not only from materialism, unbelief and the challenge of Islam - but from God's displeasure at arrogance against Israel. There is a widespread teaching that the Church has replaced Israel, and that God has therefore finished with the Jewish people as the focus of His redemptive plan. Known as replacement theology, this states that all the promises made to the Jews as a nation, including the promise of the land, have now been transferred to the Church in a spiritual sense. In this view, the Church is a completely new body having no continuity with the Jewish people and God's covenant with them, and the New Covenant (celebrated in the Lord's supper) was made with the Church, completely replacing (God's covenant with Israel. In this scheme "the land" no longer belongs to Israel: instead she is seen as an alien invader on lands which rightfully belong to the Arab people. Indeed, the "land of Israel" no longer refers to a literal land, but to "Christ", "the kingdom of God" or the Church's "spiritual inheritance'". Thus, when the Old Testament speaks of the Jews returning to Jerusalem, the New Testament, according to replacement theologians, now reinterprets this as Christians coming to the New (heavenly) Jerusalem. Similarly, building up the ruined cities means that the kingdom of God is being built up; and the desert blossoming refers to the heavenly kingdom etc. In particular, the covenant people of God are now no longer a physical people, but exclusively a spiritual entity, the Church. A particularly dangerous style of replacement theology is that being proclaimed by the Kingdom Now or Dominion or Reconstructionist teachers, which is affecting the charismatic/pentecostal branch of the evangelical Christian community in the U.S.A. Some of this teaching contains dangerous elements of anti-semitism. "Modern apostate Jews have absolutely no theological, and therefore no historical right to the land of Palestine." "Israel is now a sacrificial corpse. (Matthew 24:28; Rev.19:17-18)." "God's people must not seek to reform Israel, with its new religion of Judaism, but abandon her to her fate." ("Days of Vengeance" by David Chilton). As the conflict in the Middle East increases, with Israel seemingly obstinate, unbending and aggressive, this theology seems easier to accept. Perhaps Israel should not be in the Middle East, perhaps peace might come to the Middle East if Christians withdrew their support from Israel and backed the Palestinian cause? As the conflict in and around Israel continues and even worsens, there is the danger that an increasing number of Christians will turn against the clear simple meaning of the Scripture concerning the return of the Jews to their land, and accept replacement theology. Not only will this cause the Church to abandon the Jews as a nation (Israel), but will, according to the plain teaching of the New Testament, expose her to the displeasure and judgement of God, resulting in unspeakable loss. "I am speaking to you who are Gentiles . . . do not be arrogant toward the branches, but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, 'Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.' Quite right they were broken off for their unbelief but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches neither will He spare you. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you God's kindness; if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off." (Romans 1l:13,18-22). * If God has transferred Israel's promises exclusively to the Christian Church, this can only mean that He has once and for all rejected Israel as a nation. But if God intended to take away Israel's inheritance, why did Jesus say: "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished." (Matthew 5:17-18) * If God has turned away from Israel and exchanged her for a new nation, why did Paul say: "God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be!", and then quote the Old Testament scripture to prove it? (Romans 11:1,26-27) * If God has forever taken away the land of Israel from the Jewish people, why then did He say: "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My Holy Name, which you profaned among the nations where you went. And I will vindicate the holiness of My great Name . . . For I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land." (Ezekiel 36:22-24) Moreover replacement theology makes nonsense of Biblical exegesis in that sometimes verses must be split in two halves, applying one half to the Jewish people and the other half to the Church. "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is perished. We are completely cutoff.' (Obviously the Jews). Therefore prophesy, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God, 'Behold, I will open your graves . . . My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.'" (Presumably the Church). (Ezekiel 37:11-12) A similar examination of passages such as Ezekiel 39:23,27; Jeremiah 32:37,42-44 will emphasize this point. Although it is sometimes claimed that these passages refer to the first return from Babylon in the third century B.C., it is clear from a number of scriptures that a second and final restoration out of all the lands is promised by God (Isaiah 11:l1; Jeremiah 16:14-15; Ezekiel 39:28; Amos 9:14-15). The grave mistake of replacement theologians is that they break the fundamental law of the harmony of the Old and New Testament. The New Testament does not repeat all the promises of the Old Testament because its writers and central characters presupposed the authenticity and accuracy of Moses and the Prophets. Thus, in particular, the reason Jesus did not spend time teaching that physical Israel would be living in the physical promised land in the last days was that He presupposed that all the Old Testament prophetic scriptures were valid and literally true. Unlike Jesus, replacement theologians cannot accept the literal truth of the Old Testament. Replacement theologians also misunderstand the way the New Testament refers to the Old Testament. The New Testament makes a wider application of the same principles enunciated in the Old Testament, but never at the expense of the original meaning. The "spiritual" meaning is dependent on the "natural" because it flows from it. The New Testament speaks in terms of "even as, so also" rather than "instead of, now this". Thus with regard to Israel and the Church, the New Testament teaches "even as" Israel, "so also" the Church; not instead of Israel, now the Church". For example, even as" God promised to deal with Israel in blessing and discipline, "so also" will He bless and discipline the Church. Spiritual fulfillment does not replace the natural, but hangs upon it, flows from it, and completes it. This is the meaning of the term "fulfill" when used by the New Testament in relation to the Old Testament. An example of this principle is seen in 1 Peter 2:9 where Paul is not saying that the Church has replaced Israel as the chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, but that "even as" Israel in the Old Testament was (and still is) chosen and called as God's special people to declare His glory (Exodus 19:5-6 etc.), "so also" does the body of believers, the Church have a similar calling. (Although this passage is used by replacement theologians to support their view, it should be noted anyway that Peter is addressing his letter to Jewish believers in the Diaspora, and contrasts them with the Gentiles.) The view that God has rejected Israel also raises serious difficulties as regards the character of God. To picture God as having rejected the people of Israel because of their sin seems inconsistent with the meaning of passages such as Jeremiah 31:35-37. We need to remember that grace, and not human merit, is the ground of all salvation be it personal or national, and despite Israel's recognized failings today as a nation, she will be delivered and re- stored on the ground of God's grace and faithfulness, never her merit. We read concerning the individual that none of those given by the Father to the Son can ever be taken out of His hand - nothing can obstruct His eternal plans for them (John 10:28; Romans 8:28-29). There is however no such explicit statement concerning the Church. God's faithfulness to the Church is inferred from and follows His promises of faithfulness to Israel. Thus if God can be thought of terminating His covenant with Israel and replacing her with another body ( the Church ) because of unfaithfulness or any other reason, then He can equally and for similar reasons forsake the Church as a whole. In view of the Church's sad history over the past 190 years, including today, failings which are at least as great as those of ancient Israel, this is dangerous ground to tread. It is hardly likely that anyone would wish to claim that the Church has proven herself more worthy of God's goodness than Israel, especially in view of the greater spiritual light the Church claims to enjoy in the New Covenant. We must say categorically that if, after all the clear, unequivocal promises of God to Israel, God has rejected the Jews, and replaced her with another body, Gentile Christians have no guarantee whatsoever that God will not change His plans for the Church, take away the everlasting covenant, and replace the Church with some other people and with some other plan. God requires the Church, which is predominantly Gentile, to show mercy to the Jewish people in recognition of the mercy she has received from Him, in that although once -strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world, Gentiles have been brought into the good of the New Covenant initially made with the house of Israel and which has not been rescinded (Ephesians 2: 11-13; Jeremiah 31:31-34). Over the past nineteen centuries the Church has signally failed to do this, but has rather rejected the Jewish people, persecuted them, and claimed all the promises made to them exclusively for herself. In these last days God is giving the Church what may be the last chance to show mercy, compassion and support for Israel, before the final day of judgement on both Church and nations. Yet in this present day of world antagonism to and misunderstanding of Israel, many in the Church are joining the chorus of condemnation - and are thus exposing her to the danger of God's judgement. Replacement theology in all its forms, be it for the glory of the Church, under a cloak of concern for Israel's morality, or with aggressive anti-semitism, is a grievous error to be exposed. "Be not arrogant towards the branches, but if you are arrogant, remember it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you . . . Do not be conceited but fear for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you . . . Behold then the kindness and severity of God . . . to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off." (Romans 11:13-22) As God pushes Israel towards her final destiny, world hostility, ignorance and self-righteous hypocrisy will grow ever more strongly even in the Church. It is not going to be easy to stand by the Word of God - but in the end it will be the only place worth standing. Israel's Right to the Land [Part 1] Israel's Right to the Land [Part 1] ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO THE LAND By Dr. David L. Hocking Senior Pastor, Calvary Church of Santa Ana, California Introduction by Zola Levitt The brief biblical study that comprises this small book is one of the most compelling, relevant and important commentaries on current events I have ever read. Although it was written years in advance of the present uprising on the West Bank and Gaza in Israel, it very much speaks to that situation. It seems that - if the Bible is to be believed - this uprising, the Intifada, is misguided and doomed. It runs completely counter to Scripture and to the announced plan of God for Israel in the end times. For Christian people anywhere to be carried along with the idea that pagan sojourners in the Promised Land have any claim to that land whatever, shows a lack of biblical grasp. One of the central pillars of Old and New Testament revelation is the presence of the chosen people in the land God gave them. The ultimate destiny of the land of Israel in Scripture is that it will host the Millennium, the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church and the King of the Jews. For any other people to control this particular land after Jewish restoration is biblically impossible (Amos 9:14-15). This booklet is one of the very few products by an outsider writer that this ministry handles. Dr. Hocking's study is so accurate, so fair and so scripturally authoritative that it simply must be passed on. I would not try to write it in some other style or to hype it in any way. It says what it says in the simplest and most straightforward way. Our ministry, dedicated as it is to providing the truth about Israel in a time when so much propaganda is issued about this vital nation, could not resist distributing this study. We hope you will read this booklet in the spirit in which it was written - the honest seeking of biblical truth. It is not intended as "counter-propaganda" to neutralize some political message. Certainly its purpose and scope lay far above that. Those unfamiliar with scriptural revelation may think that some points taken in this writing are partisan or debatable. But the author gives biblical citations of the utmost clarity and force to back up his thesis. By the time you finish this short study, you will have no scriptural doubt whatever concerning "Israel's Right to the Land." WHAT RIGHTS DOES ISRAEL HAVE TO ITS LAND? The great crisis in the world today that underlies most of its international problems is the issue of authority. This current generation speaks continually about "rights." We discuss the "rights" of individual human beings on this planet, the "rights" of nations, the "rights" of various minority groups within those nations, and the "rights" of various political religious views as it relates to life, liberty, wealth, human dignity, and of course, property. But a basic question still remains: "Who has a "right" to say what our "rights" should be or not be?" Does that "right" or "authority" belong to the one with the most money, the most people, the greatest need, or the most powerful military machine? Are questions of authority based on who is the strongest? Closely related to the problem of authority is the problem of morality. Can we have morality without authority? What makes anything right or wrong? Who has the authority to determine that? When we ask the question, "What is the right thing to do?" - who can give the answer? Secular humanism and its relative standards of morality have not given us any help. Man left to himself provides no solutions but rather places us in a moral vacuum with little or no authority or leadership. When we come to the issue of Israel and its land, people ask the question, "What rights does Israel have to its land?" Arguments are continually brought forth concerning the rights of the Palestinians and the rights of the Israelis that seem logical to the people who present them and to the people who want to listen. But a basic question still remains in my mind as I listen to the many conflicting viewpoints concerning Israel's right to its land: "Who has the ultimate authority to determine what rights Israel has to its land?" The Christian answer to that question is that God alone determines the "rights" that any of us have. Something is right or wrong because of Divine decree, not human feeling or reason. The existence of God previous to the creation of the universe and mankind gives Him the right to determine our "rights. Morality exists because God exists. Authority exists because God exists. The Apostle Paul wrote in the New Testament book of Romans, chapter 13, verse 1: "Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God." The Bible does not try to prove the existence of God. It rather assumes it. The thesis of the Bible is that "God has spoken." The Old Testament rings with authority as the prophets of old proclaimed over 5000 times, "Thus saith the Lord." The writers of Scripture claimed divine revelation. Often they said, "And the word of the Lord came unto me." Israel's history was bathed in Divine authority and direction. There were no great debates over the existence of God. On the contrary, the Psalmist David said, "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God,'" In describing the response of pagans to the knowledge of God that is found in the universe, Paul wrote in Romans 1:25, "For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever. Amen." Almighty God has already determined the rights of Israel to its land. Lest you think God is a passive observer to all that takes place in the land of Israel, listen to the words of Deuteronomy 11:12, "a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year." Before we examine what God says about the land of Israel, let's define what we mean by the word "land." What "land" are we talking about? In Genesis 15:18, it gives us some dimensions: "The Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates." On many occasions, God refers to this land by calling it "the land of Canaan." When the Lord spoke to Moses about this land in Numbers 34:1-15, He gave some additional insight as to its dimensions. He specifically laid out the southern, western, northern, and eastern borders of the land. There are many interesting details in that Scripture affecting several disputed territories in Israel's present situation. In order to answer the question, "What rights does Israel have to its land?" I would like you to consider the following Biblical facts: Fact Number One: This Land belongs to God! Leviticus 25:23 states: "The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me." Fact Number Two: The Land was given by God to the Descendants of Abraham! In Genesis 12:7, we read: "The Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'To your descendants I will give this land.'" In Genesis 13:15, He repeated His promise when He said, "for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever." He said the same thing in Genesis 15:18, "To your descendants I have given this land." Fact Number Three: The Gift of this Land to Abraham and his Descendants was based on an Unconditional Covenant from God Himself! Genesis 17:7-8 states: "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." The sign of that covenant for Abraham and his descendants was circumcision. Twice in this passage God mentioned the everlasting nature of this covenant. There are some today who say that this covenant was conditional, that it was based on Israel's faithfulness to God. The Bible teaches otherwise. In Psalm 89:30-37 we read: "If his sons forsake My law, and do not walk in My judgments, if they violate My statutes, and do not keep My commandments, then I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. But I will not break off My loving kindness from him, nor deal falsely in My faithfulness. My covenant I will not violate, nor will I after the utterance of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, and the witness in the sky is faithful." We agree that God promised to judge His people if they disobeyed Him. We do not agree that Israel's disobedience would forfeit their right to that land. The promise of the land was not based upon Israel's performance but upon God's oath and character - He will not lie! Deuteronomy 7:7-9 reminds us: "The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefather, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments." Fact Number Four: This Land was not given to the Descendants of Ishmael, but rather to the Descendants of Isaac! I have no bitterness toward the descendants of Ishmael, nor do I wish to be unkind to our Arab friends. However, I must be faithful to what I know the Bible teaches. Abraham himself considered Ishmael as a possible descendant to whom God would give this land. In Genesis 17:18 Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee!" But God's answer was and is very clear. In verse 19 of that 17th chapter, God said: "No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him." God promised to bless Ishmael and to make him a great nation, but His covenant to Abraham and his descendants was to be accomplished through his son Isaac, not Ishmael. The New Testament agrees with this in Hebrews 11:18 when it says, "In Isaac your descendants shall be called." Fact Number Five: This Land was not given to the other sons of Abraham, but only to Isaac! Abraham had another wife besides Sarah and the Egyptian concubine, Hagar. Her name was Keturah, and she bore him six sons, ancestors of many Arab peoples today. Genesis 25:5-6 tells us this fact: "Now Abraham gave all he had to Isaac; but to the sons of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts while he was still living, and sent them away from his son Isaac eastward, to the land of the east." The Bible is quite clear about the giving of this land to Isaac, the unique son of Abraham. In Genesis 26:3, God said: "Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham." Fact Number Six: This Land was not given to the Descendants of Esau, but only to Jacob! When Isaac and Rebecca finally had children, the first twin to come out of her womb was Esau, rather than Jacob. According to the Bible, Esau sold his birthright as the firstborn son to Jacob. Later on, the blessing of Isaac, which should have gone to the firstborn son: Esau, was placed upon Jacob. Esau lost the birthright and the blessing. Some people have tried to say that the birthright and blessing still belong to the descendants of Esau, rather than Jacob, because of the unusual circumstances involved, and because Esau was the firstborn son. But as you know, it is not always the firstborn son that is chosen by God. In the New Testament book of Romans, chapter 9, verses 10-13, we read these words: "And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, 'The older will serve the younger.' Just as it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'" Make no mistake about this - God did not choose Jacob because he had done many things to deserve it! He did not choose him because he was better than Esau! He did not even evaluate the deeds of his life - He made the decision before he was born! Who has the right to say whose land this is? God Almighty! In Genesis 28:4, Isaac said to Jacob: "May He (God) also give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you; that you may possess the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham." But it wasn't simply the words of his father Isaac that guided the future of Jacob. It was a direct revelation from God Himself that convinced Jacob of his destiny. In Genesis 28, verses 10-17, Jacob had a dream one night of a ladder reaching up to heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon it. The Lord God revealed to Jacob His message about this land. In verses 13-15, we read: "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants shall also be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with you, and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." In Genesis 35:9-15, God again appeared to Jacob, changed his name to Israel, the name of this land, and made this promise to him (verses 11-12): "I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings come forth from you. And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you." According to Genesis 36:6-9, Esau took his descendants and all his possessions and went to another land away from his brother Jacob. Esau lived in the hill country of Seir. The Bible tells us that Esau is Edom. It specifically tells us that the descendants of Esau are the Edomites, and that this land was not their land. In Genesis 46:4, when Jacob was considering the move to Egypt during the days of famine, God once again appeared in a vision, and said these comforting words: "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again." That this truth was clearly in the heart of Jacob is evident even when he was old and near death. In Genesis 48:3-4, Jacob said to Joseph, his son: "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, and He said to me, 'Behold I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.'" The word "everlasting" is obviously a long time! The fact that this land belongs to the children of Jacob was clearly pointed out by Joseph himself, who died in Egypt, but wanted his bones to be taken to this land. He said to his brothers in Genesis 50:24: "I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you, and bring you up from this land (Egypt) to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob." God's oath is behind God's promise! [continued] Israel's Right to the Land [Part 2] Israel's Right to the Land [Part 2] Fact Number Seven: God continued to remind the children of Israel of this Covenant during their bondage in Egypt and wilderness wanderings! In the midst of their intense affliction in Egypt, Exodus 2:24 says: "So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." The purpose of the exodus from Egypt was to take them to their promised land. Exodus 3:8 says this clearly when God speaks to Moses: "So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite." The Lord repeated these words to Moses in Exodus 3:15-17. In Exodus 6:1-8, God again spoke to Moses and reminded him of His covenant. In verse 4, He said, "And I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned." In verse 8, God said, "And I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to you for a possession; I am the Lord." In giving instructions concerning the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, God said in Exodus 13:5, "And it shall be when the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall observe this rite in this month." In verse 11, He said, "Now it shall come about when the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you . . ." In the Song of Moses in Exodus 15:17, Moses said, "Thou wilt bring them and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance, The Place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thy dwelling, The sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established." Moses had his theology right! It was God's land and His place of dwelling! Moses repeated God's promise back to God in Exodus 32:13. While on the mountain receiving God's laws and commandments, the children of Israel were worshipping the golden calf. Moses pleaded with God to spare their lives, and said this: -Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants to whom Thou didst swear by Thyself, and didst say to them, "I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever." In Leviticus 20:24, God said, "You are to possess their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey." In Leviticus 25:38 we read, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God." Constantly throughout the wilderness wanderings, God was reminding them of His covenant - His promise to give them their land. Fact Number Eight: God told Israel to conquer the Land which He had given to them! In Deuteronomy 1:8 we read: "See, I have placed the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them." God told Moses that Joshua would be in charge of this project. In Deuteronomy 3:27-28, it says: "Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes to the west and north and south and east, and see it with your eyes, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he shall give them as an inheritance the land which you will see." It was not because Israel was righteous that God had them drive out the nations living in the land. It was because of the wickedness of those nations and the oath that God had made to give that land to Israel. Deuteronomy 9:3-5 says: "now therefore today that it is the Lord your God who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and He will subdue them before you, so that you may drive them out and destroy them quickly, just as the Lord has spoken to you. Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, 'Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess the land,' but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." God said to Joshua, "Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun, will be your territory." God promised to be with Him in this effort, and promised him success. Fact Number Nine: Israel's sin and captivity did not change their divine right to this Land! Many people have said that God's promise to give Israel this land was based upon Israel's faithfulness to God's laws, and that when they were disobedient and sent into captivity, this nullified God's promise. The Bible teaches otherwise. In Leviticus 26:40-45 we read that God would punish Israel for its disobedience and send them into captivity. But, according to 44-45, God will bring them back! "Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am the Lord their God. But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the Lord." In Deuteronomy 30:1-5, God promises: "Then the Lord your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. And the Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers." Jeremiah 16:15 gives this promise from the Lord, "For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers." Jeremiah 31:10 says, "He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock." Isaiah 43:5-7 tells us that God will bring Israel's -offspring from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth." Amos 9:14-15 thunders forth these remarkable words: "Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, and they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them, They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, and make gardens and eat their fruit. I will also plant them on their land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them, says the Lord your God." Fact Number Ten: God's Promise to Israel is as certain as the existence and order of the universe! Jeremiah 31:35-37 leaves no doubt in our minds on this fact. "Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name: If this fixed order departs from before Me, declares the Lord, then the offspring of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me forever. Thus says the Lord, If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out below, then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord." What a wonderful and faithful God we have! Praise the Lord! Fact Number Eleven: The Name of this Land is not Palestine, but Israel! 2500 years ago the prophet Ezekiel spoke of the restoration of Israel to its land in the last days. Ezekiel spoke of dry bones coming to life. Never before in history has a nation been destroyed and scattered all over the world, and then brought back to life. It is a miracle, and a fulfillment of Bible prophecy! We read in Ezekiel 37:11-12: "Then He said to me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God, 'Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of ISRAEL.'" Notice that the name of that land is ISRAEL! The land that so often is called the "land of Canaan" in the Bible. God says that in the last days it will be called "ISRAEL" - praise the Lord! Fact Number Twelve: The full restoration of Israel to its Land with complete peace and security will require the coming of Messiah! Many people want to know why Bible-believing Christians all over the world have such a heart for Israel and its land. What brings the Jews and Christians together? How can their hearts beat as one? Have they not disagreed sharply over the Person of Jesus of Nazareth? Have not the Jews suffered terribly at the hands of so-called Christians throughout the history of the Christian Church? What draws the Bible-believing Christian to the support of the people of Israel during this difficult hour in the history of the world? What makes these Christians stand by the nation of Israel when most of the nations of the world refuse to stand by her? There is only one answer! It is because of the Bible itself. If you believe the Bible, then you know, whether you are a Jew or a Christian, that it is through the promise given long ago to Abraham that even the Gentiles of the world will be blessed. Gentile Christians believe that they are spiritual sons of Abraham. They have come to believe that the only hope of the world is the coming of the Jewish Messiah promised by the writers of Scripture. Zechariah tells us that the Lord will come and place His feet on the Mount of Olives. He will fight for His people Israel against all the nations of the world. All the land of Israel will dwell in safety and peace when the Messiah comes. He will rule and reign from Jerusalem, the Son of David, sitting on His throne. Regardless of Israel's sins of the past, the Lord will forgive, cleanse, and restore. Jeremiah 31:31 -34 says: "Behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, declares the Lord. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord, I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, declares the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more." Zechariah 13:1 says, "In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity." The prophet Isaiah said in chapter 59, verses 20-21: "And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob, declares the Lord. And as for Me, this is My covenant with them, says the Lord: My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring, says the Lord, from now and forever." Ezekiel 39:25-29 speaks of this great day of restoration: "Therefore thus says the Lord God, 'Now I shall restore the fortunes of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I shall be jealous for My holy name. And they shall forget their disgrace and all their treachery which they perpetrated against Me, when they live securely on their own land with no one to make them afraid. When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, then I shall be sanctified through them in the sight of the many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God because I made them go into exile among the nations, and then gathered them again to their own land; and I will leave none of them there any longer. And I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' declares the Lord God." Yes, the day of Israel's full restoration is near! Messiah will make it possible and we shall all live in peace. Until He comes, we, who believe the Bible is God's Word, and that every promise of God will come to pass, we must stand and support Israel's right to its land. It is a Divine right! We are patient with those who do not believe the Bible, nor accept Israel's right to the land, but with love for all, we must strongly support Israel's right. We cannot do otherwise and have clear consciences. We cannot say on the one hand that we believe there is a God Who has revealed His perfect will in His Holy Scriptures, and on the other hand, deny Israel its rights to the land God promised to her! Our commitment to Israel is that which the Psalmist penned so long ago in Psalm 122:6-9: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, 'May peace be within you.' For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good." What Advantage Has the Jew ? What Advantage Has the Jew ? WHAT ADVANTAGE HAS THE JEW? God's PRESENT Covenantal Relationship with Israel By Thomas S. McCall, Th.D. From THE LEVITT LETTER Those of you who take this newsletter realize that we have been debating with Dallas Theological Seminary about their views on Israel. Since one of their professors expounded anti-Israel views on a Dallas talk show, their position has been unclear to this ministry. But recently we acquired a book edited by two of the professors and quoting other faculty which reveals their true position. Our ministry theologian, Dr. Thomas McCall, presents their ideas and his refutation in the article below. After proving in the first two chapters of Romans that both Jews and Gentiles are lost as sinners and desperately in need of salvation, the Apostle Paul asks a natural question, "Then what advantage has the Jew?" (Rom. 3: ABV). If Jews are just as lost in sin as Gentiles, it would appear that whatever advantages Jews may have enjoyed before, now that Christ has come and the Church has been created, one would think that unsaved Jews and Gentiles are on a completely level playing field, and that one group has no advantage over the other from God's point of view. We thus might mistakenly be led to answer Paul's question in the negative, and say "None, the unsaved Jews has no advantage over the unsaved Gentile." We would be wrong. To our surprise, Paul answers his question, "Much every way, chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God." Astonishingly, the apostle asserts that unsaved Jews have numerous advantages over unsaved Gentiles, and the primary advantage is that God has committed to the Jews His Word, both in writing and in preservation. Conceding unsaved Gentiles, however, Paul states the following: "Wherefore, remember that ye, being in time past Gentiles . . . that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without Cod in the world" (Ephesians 2:11-12). The Apostle Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. taught that there was a distinct, covenantal difference between unsaved Jews and unsaved Gentiles. It is only in Christ that there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles. Once we receive Christ and are placed into the Church, the middle wall of partition is removed, but outside of Christ there remains a great covenantal difference between unsaved Jews and unsaved Gentiles. Thus, he described humanity in three parts, "the Jews, the Gentiles and the Church of God" (1 Corinthians 10:32). By and large, Christianity reaffirmed this distinction between Jews and Gentiles outside of Christ during the early centuries of the Church Age. However, with leading writers like Eusebius and Augustine, there was a decided shift in thinking. These church leaders began to teach that the distinct covenantal relationship between God and Israel has been terminated. This led them to assert that the future promises to Israel, including the future Millennium, were now null and void, or have been somehow transferred to the Church . This has been the predominant (and practically the only) view of scholarly Christianity through the Dark Age, the Reformation, and up until this present century. Around the turn of the century, some Christian leaders began to rediscover the uniqueness of Israel in the plan and purpose of God. It is notable that the rise of interest in Israel in the Church was very much parallel in time with the rise in Zionism among the Jews. Did one give birth to the other, or were they totally separate phenomena? At any rate various teachers of the Word taught that there was a Biblical distinction between the Jews, the Gentiles and the Church, and that there was yet a national future for Israel, known as the Millennium, during which Christ will reign on earth along with the resurrected Church and with the regathered and saved Israel. Such a minority view within the church took on the names "premillennial," because of the belief that Christ would return before the millennium, and "dispensational," because of the view that God's dealings with humanity through the ages have progressed through well-defined periods called dispensations, such as Law and Grace. Critics have accused them of stating that these dispensations were different ways of salvation, but they consistently taught that the only way of salvation in all of the dispensations has been by grace through faith. Names associated with this movement are Darby, Scofield, Moody, Chafer, Walvoord, Feinberg, Pentecost, Talbot, Unger, Ryrie, Lindsey, Campbell and numerous others during the past century or so. Dr. Ryrie, in Dispensationalism Today explained that the most essential element in dispensationalism was the recognition of the distinction between the Church and Israel. Any confusion on this distinction would ultimately lead back to a denial of the Millennium and a return to the traditional amillennial Church doctrine. One of the leading institutions defending dispensationalism and premillennialism for most of the twentieth century has been Dallas Theological Seminary. Out of its halls has come a great body of literature proclaiming the great truths of the Word of God, and numerous graduates have gone forth preaching Christ to the ends of the earth. Time Magazine once described Dallas Seminary as the "fortress of fundamentalism." I personally have always been greatly honored to embrace Dallas Seminary as one of my alma maters, where I was privileged to earn the doctorate in Old Testament Studies under Dr. Unger and Dr. Ryrie. Now, however, there appears to be a new breed of scholars at this renowned seminary, who are openly repudiating the views of their institutional and spiritual forbearers. Zondervan has recently published a book entitled Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church. It is a compilation of chapters by various scholars from around the country, brought together and edited by Blaising and Bock. Dr. Craig A. Blaising is Professor of Systematic Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary, and Dr. Darrell L. Bock is Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. After extensively explaining that the essential element of dispensationalism (as defined by Dr. Ryrie) is a recognition of the distinction between Israel and the Church, Dr. Blaising proceeded to state that this entire approach was inadequate and too narrow. He thus disassociates himself from the earlier dispensationalism taught by Ryrie, Scofield and many others. Rather, he maintains, what is called for is a "progressive dispensationalism," which minimizes the distinctions between Israel and the Church. Dr. Blaising further describes "the present dispensation, in which divine blessings of the Spirit are going to Jews and Gentiles equally while national blessings are in abeyance." The implication is that, outside of Christ during the Church Dispensation, Jews and Gentiles have equal standing before God, and that any national blessings regarding Israel have been suspended . Is this view scriptural? As we saw in the opening of our article, there is a great distinction to this day between the status of the unsaved Jews and the unsaved Gentiles of the world. The Jewish people are seen to have a considerable advantage over the Gentiles in their exposure to the Old Testament Word of God. (Of course, Jews and Gentiles who have been exposed to the Gospel through Christian parents or friends would have a yet greater advantage than Jews or Gentiles who have not had that exposure.) Therefore, it cannot be maintained that divine blessings are going to Jews and Gentiles equally in this age. It is only within the body of Christ that true equality exists between Jews and Gentiles, and we are made one in Him. Furthermore, the national blessings for Israel are not in "abeyance." True, the Millennium has been postponed until after the Church Dispensation, but that is not the only blessing God has promised to Israel. There are many other covenantal blessings that are being provided for Israel now, in this present dispensation, which are not promised to any Gentile nation. Some of these blessings are enumerated as follows: 1. Preservation. God has promised to preserve Israel nationally to the end of time. There are many Gentile nations that have risen and fallen around Israel, but the Jews continue to survive as a distinct people. Some of the most strenuous efforts to destroy Israel have occurred during the Church Age, some, regrettably, at the hand of professing Christians, but Israel persists miraculously. This is a blessing which continues for Israel. but God has never made such a promise to any other nation. 2. Believing Remnant During Church Age. Another blessing God has promised to Israel is that there would always be a believing remnant in every age (Romans 11:5). Just as in Elijah's time, so in the Church Age, there is a perennial remnant of believing Jews according to the election of grace. God made no such promise to any of the Gentile nations. We are grateful that people of many nations are coming to Christ, but God is under no obligation to save individuals of any particular Gentile nation. We can be assured, though, that there will never come a time when no Jews are saved. 3. Oracles of God. As indicated above, the chief advantage the Jews have is that God has committed to them His Word (Romans 3:1.2). When God desired to bring His revelation to the world, He chose Israel to convey it. Jews are the writers of both the Old and New Testaments. Also, they are the continuing proclaimers of at least part of the Word of God. The first Church conference was concerned about the sensibilities of Jews around the world, since Moses was "read in the synagogues every sabbath day" (Acts 15:21). 4. Of Whom, As Concerning the Flesh, Christ Came. The crowning glory of Israel is, that when God became a man, He became a Jew. The world, and even some Christians, may wish to forget this, but Satan never has. In the vision of Revelation 12, the dragon (Satan) ruthlessly attacks the woman (Israel) who gave birth to the Christ. Only Israel, among the nations, has the honor and blessing from God to claim that they are the progenitors of the Holy One of God, according to the flesh (Romans 9:5). Satan hates Israel for this, and we who believe in Christ must not join Satan in such hatred. 5. The Reciprocal Blessing. When God called Abraham, He told him, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee" (Genesis 12:3). This national blessing has never been revoked and continues in effect to this day. Those who bless Israel find themselves blessed by God, while those who curse the Jews sooner or later earn the curse of the Almighty. 6. Promise of Restoration to the Land. One of the great national promises to Israel is that the Jewish people would be returned to their original land. This promise is repeated over and over again throughout the Scriptures (Amos 9:15), and to what else could Paul be referring when he reminds us Gentile Christians that to Israel pertains "the promises" (Romans 9:4)? For nineteen centuries this national blessing certainly did seem to be "in abeyance," as the Jewish people found themselves in the often devastating dispersion among the Gentile nations. But in our generation, one of the most remarkable ethnic miracles of all time is occurring before our very eyes. Over four million Jews have returned to the Land, more than at any time in their history. If we who claim to believe the Word of God turn our backs on this astonishing development and say it means nothing, we would seem to have less spiritual discernment than those who ignored the first coming of the Messiah! 7. Under the Law. Paul said that to those who are under the law, he became as one under the law, that he might gain those who are under the law (1 Corinthians 9:20). He considered that the Jewish people are still under the law, even in the current Church Age. We who are under grace and not under the law might wonder how much of a blessing this is, but compared to the Gentile nations, who have nothing, to be under the law is a great national blessing. The Law, the Torah, has been the guiding light for the people of Israel for all these centuries. How many Jews have been martyred, holding the scroll of the law to their breasts, crying aloud the immortal Shema, "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one"? The Law is a schoolmaster to Christ, and many Jews through the centuries have come to know Christ through the Law. To have the Law is an important national blessing for Israel, which has continued throughout this dispensation without abatement. The Jewish Law is the only effective international law in operation today. 8. Discipline from God. The writer of Hebrews states that one way we can know that we are true sons of God is that we are chastened, or disciplined by Him. This is true of the Church, and it is also true of Israel. In His covenantal relationship with Israel, God has continually manifested discipline in the following ways: a. Dispersed from the Land (Luke 21:24) b. Without the Temple, sacrifice or priesthood (Hosea 3:4) c. Preserved through the persecutions of the Dispersion (Amos 9:15) d. Restored to the Land, initially in unbelief in Christ as "dry bones" (Ezekiel 37:12) e. Prepared to receive Jesus as their Messiah through "the Time of Jacob's Trouble," the Tribulation, and through the witness of 144,000 Israeli believers in Christ (Revelation 7) f. National salvation of Israel at the Second Coming of Christ (Romans 11:26) 9. Exhortation to Church. There are several exhortations that the Apostle Paul gave to the Church about Israel. These exhortations show that the Church must consider Israel to be distinct in God's dealings from the vast Gentile world. a. Gentile believers in Christ are not to boast against the Jews, just because they have replaced unbelieving Jews in God's redemptive favor (Romans 11:18). b. Gentile believers are urged to provoke the Jews to jealousy for their own Messiah (Romans 11:11). c. The Church is urged to follow Paul's example of considering the Jews as primary candidates for the Gospel (Romans 1:16). d. The churches among the Gentiles are urged to support financially the "mother church" in the land of Israel, from which they have received so much spiritual benefit (Romans 15:26-27). e. The Church was to recognize that the current blindness of Israel is partial and temporary, and that all Israel (the Jewish people who survive the Tribulation) will be saved when Christ returns (Romans 11:25-26). f. The Church is to understand that even though unbelieving Jews are now enemies of the gospel, the nation Israel is still loved by God for the sake of His covenant with the fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Rom. 1 1:28). With all of this evidence, how can we say that the national blessings to Israel are in abeyance in the Church Age? On the contrary, God's covenantal relationship with Israel is just as strong and in effect now as it ever has been. We urge the evangelical Church, and especially all who consider themselves to be dispensationalists, to reject this effort of "progressive dispensationalism" to deny the important distinctions between Israel and the Church. We must return to the sound biblical roots of our spiritual forefathers of recent times and of the Apostolic era, and reject any attempt to accommodate with the false notions and unbiblical views of non-dispensationalists and amillennialists. We must always love the brethren in Christ, but we cannot compromise the faith once and for all delivered to the saints for the sake of apparent unity. Combating Anti-Semitism in the Church Combating Anti-Semitism in the Church COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE CHURCH by Fred Hartman from ISRAEL MY GLORY magazine There is nothing new in the current outburst of global anti-Semitism. It has been around for many centuries. In fact, it had its beginnings with Satan after God called the Jews to be a people unto Himself. Nation after nation has come against Israel over the ages as part of this satanic thrust, along with multitudes of attacks against Jewish groups and individuals. God, who is in absolute control of all things, has allowed some of these attacks to judge His people at times when they turned away from trusting Him. Serious satanic attacks against the Jewish people, which began when Israel was in bondage in Egypt, multiplied until, just after the birth of Christ, all the male children under two years of age in the area of Bethlehem were slaughtered. These attacks endured through the centuries, reaching a fever pitch during the Holocaust of Hitler's Nazi Germany (1933-1945). And they will continue unabated until they reach their zenith in the future Tribulation period, when the pent-up wrath of Satan will be profusely vented on the Jews (Rev. 12:1-17). But, as in previous times, God will once again deliver His people, this time through the literal, physical return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. At that time, Satan, the originator of anti-Semitism, will be bound. Through the ages, the tentacles of this devilish movement have crept around the world, gradually reaching into almost every nook and cranny of civilization, including, unfortunately, the church. The purpose of this article is to outline the causes of anti-Semitism in the church and show some possible solutions for this age-old but rapidly growing problem. ANTI-SEMITISM in the CHURCH Of course, anti-Semitism should not be present in the church of the 20th century, nor should it have been present during any other period of history. This is a very idealistic statement, however, for anti-Semitism does exist and is on the rise behind the doors of some churches in America and around the world. Today we are seeing the Scriptures being fulfilled before our very eyes. God said through the Prophet Ezekiel, "I will take you [the Jews] from among the nations, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you" (Ezek. 36:24-25). The Lord promised to bring world Jewry back home-still in unbelief but prepared for the great end-time events when their hearts will be changed. The same theme is portrayed in Ezekiel chapter 37, where Ezekiel was taken in a vision to a valley that was full of dry bones strewn across a large area. After prophesying, the bones came together to form bodies, and later breath or life came into them. The Bible declares, "these bones are the whole house of Israel" (Ezek. 37:11). Now we are seeing the Jewish people come together in their own land-still in unbelief but back home. The fact that the omnipotent hand of God has moved upon a great segment of world Jewry to return to Israel in our lifetime is significant. During the last two years alone, more than 480,000 Russian Jews have made Aliyah or returned to Israel, making it their homeland; and more than 10,000 Ethiopian Jews were flown to Israel in just a little over 24 hours. Christians should be aware of these events and rejoice in what the Lord is doing. Such obvious fulfillment of Scripture should wipe away any tendencies toward anti-Semitism in the church. To have an anti-Semitic perspective in light of the events in Israel from 1948 to the present is to fail to understand or accept the miracle that God is accomplishing before our very eyes. Theological Anti-Semitism The predisposition toward or away from theological anti-Semitism depends on the system of hermeneutics or manner of interpretation used to explain the Scriptures. There are two basic systems of hermeneutics used by Christians. One system interprets the Scriptures allegorically or nonliterally, and the other system accepts the Scriptures literally. Often, the allegorical position leads to some of the following conclusions. First, the promises given to Israel in the Old Testament are not literal. Second, those promises are not for Israel but for the church. Such thinking usually leads to an amillennial theology, which holds that the thousand year reign of Christ is not literal, and there is, therefore, no future for Israel. This concept leads, in turn, to the position that Israel will never be the head of the nations, and all of the prophetic promises of God regarding Israel relate to the church. Because the position outlined above foresees no future for Israel in its theological base, it can lead to anti-Semitism. Its adherents may develop an attitude that precludes love for Israel as a nation or even for individual Jews. Because they believe that there is no future for Israel and that all the promises of God are for the church, they may even develop a feeling of disdain for the Jewish people. Liberalism Often Leads to Anti-Semitism Churches holding a position that can lead to anti-Semitism are often liberal in doctrine and perspective. Having incorporated the higher criticism of Europe from the last century, these churches include those who do not hold to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith, such as the inerrancy of the Scriptures; the virgin birth of Christ; blood atonement; Christ's physical, bodily resurrection; and His Second Coming. Such theological positions may lead to a very strong anti-Semitic attitude. A good example of theological anti-Semitism is a statement made by the Very Reverend Francis B. Sayre, Jr., Dean of the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, and a bona fide liberal. On Palm Sunday, 1972, in his address to the gathered worshipers, Sayre took the liberty of linking Israel's policies in East Jerusalem with the "fatal flaw" of mankind that resulted in the crucifixion of Jesus. (l) As has occurred for centuries, blame was once again placed on the Jewish people for crucifying Jesus, and that blame was tied to the policies of modern-day Israel in East Jerusalem. In more recent days, the liberal church community has been among the strongest proponents of antagonism against the State of Israel for almost any action it takes on behalf of its own citizens. When rockets were fired into Israeli classrooms, killing innocent school children, very little-if anything- was said by the world community. However, when the Prime Minister of Israel retaliated against the PLO and Shiite Muslims for the attack, there was a great outcry of condemnation against Israel for her action. Much of that outcry came from those of a liberal theological persuasion. Liberal clergy and media were the first to raise their voices against the nation of Israel. Radicalism Often Leads to Anti-Semitism One would think that if the religious leaders of the left were sometimes anti-Semitic or unsympathetic to the Jews, those on the right would have a real love for Israel and the Jewish people. However, religious conservatives can also be tainted by negative views of Jewry. Radical right-wing groups who profess to be Bible believing Christians sometimes have a spiritual blind spot regarding anti-Semitism. A major thrust of some of the more radical elements on the right, often as a direct consequence of broader anti-Semitic attitudes, is seen in increasing attacks on the policies (and even the very existence) of the State of Israel, U.S. sympathy for Israel, and particularly the support of American Jews for Israel. Although some on America's political right have been moderate and friendly toward Israel on Middle East issues, other rightists have almost carbon copied the Communists and other revolutionary leftists-allegedly their enemies-in denouncing Israel (while blinking at Arab terrorism) and blaming Zionists for the world's troubles. For example, it has been alleged that a "Zionist controlled news media or a Zionist-fearing U.S. Congress is anxious for American soldiers to 'die for Israel' in order to further the objectives of an imagined conspiracy." (2) Prejudicial Anti-Semitism Recently the pastor of a church came into our office to discuss the ministry of Jewish evangelism. The Lord has used him to bring a number of Jewish people to Christ and then into the local church he pastors. They have grown in the Lord and have become members of that fellowship of believers. But a few weeks ago, one of the leaders of the church came to the pastor and said, in essence, "No more Jews, no more messages about reaching Jewish people for Christ, and no more messages from the Old Testament!" This pastor had hit, as it were, a stone wall in his ministry, and it was purely because of prejudicial anti-Semitism. An entire congregation will suffer because of the position of a few of its members. Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence in churches where the whole counsel of God is faithfully taught. It is indicative, however, of how a few people can be influenced by elements in the secular culture that inflict satanic bias against Jews. Like others in our chaotic society, Jewish people are searching for answers leading to spiritual peace. They can find it in churches honoring Jewry's place in the heart of God. Latent Anti-Semitism This description covers an area that many would never consider to be anti-Semitism. Some simply label it "Jewish sensitivities." You be the judge. The word cross is offensive to numbers of Jewish people because they have been accused for centuries by some of nailing Jesus to the cross. Because it has been used as an instrument of oppression by religious zealots operating under the guise of Christianity, it may be difficult for Jewish people to attend a church when they feel that the worship will center on a cross. But the cross and the crucifixion of Christ are the very core of the Christian faith. Without His death for us on Calvary, we would have no remission of sins. Being aware of the perceptions of Jewish guests can help pastor and people interpret tactfully the true message and meaning of the cross. Displaying pictures of Christ can be offensive to Jewish people, who learned during their Babylonian captivity that they were not to worship images. And, while we in no way worship a depiction of Christ drawn from an artist's imagination, perhaps a Scripture verse would be just as meaningful to Christian worshipers, while not offending our Jewish friends. God's people do not usually have a sufficient background in Jewish culture to recognize how offensive some Christian symbols of worship are to Jewish people. The key to relating to Jewish friends, as to any other group, is sensitivity. Removing stumbling blocks is an attribute every caring Christian should manifest. Humorous Anti-Semitism America is a society of fun-loving people. Even Christians love their jokes. However, secular humanism has led to a self-oriented society, and, as a result, our humor is sometimes directed against others. Ethnic remarks are directed at people of various nationalities, and one group that always seems to receive more than its fair share of these disparaging remarks is the Jewish people. Without being aware of it, some churches have allowed such humor to creep in, and it can be most offensive to a Jewish person who is truly seeking spiritual help. The Biblical Solution to ANTI-SEMITISM in the CHURCH The Apostle Paul handled this problem very clearly and eloquently. In a portion of Scripture dealing with irregularities at the Lord's table and eating meat sacrificed to idols, he gave some marvelous principles regarding anti-Semitism: "Whether, therefore, ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Greeks, nor to the church of God; Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved" (1 Cor. 10:31-33). Let's quickly note a few things from this passage. First, Paul, speaking to believers in the church at Corinth, told them that whatever they did was to be done "to the glory of God." Second, they were not to be an offense to the Jews, the Greeks (Gentiles), or the church of God. We should heed Paul's admonition in this dynamic passage of Scripture today. We often offend other believers by our words and actions. Many Christians no longer fellowship with God's people because they are wounded spirits, as it were, having been offended by other Christians. Further, many non-Christian Gentiles (referred to as "Greeks" in this passage) want nothing to do with Christ because of the words or actions of believers. And finally, Paul taught that we are not to offend the Jews. Rather, we should love them. Jewish people the world over are looking for genuine love. Let's follow Paul's advice and show Jewish people the kind of love Christ had for them and for all mankind. ENDNOTES (1) Forster and Epstein, -The New Anti-Semitism+ (McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1974), pp. 80-91. (2) Op. cit., p. 290. Peace Through the Prince of Peace Peace Through the Prince of Peace PEACE THROUGH THE PRINCE OF PEACE by Sam Nadler President, Chosen People Ministries The Arabs are not Israel's biggest problem; they are not even Israel's chief enemy. Influenced by worldly perspectives, it would be easy to misconstrue that those who are for Jewish missions are anti-Arab. Nothing could be further from the truth. For whether it is the Arabs today, or the Germans in the 30's, or the French in the late 1800's, the true enemies of Israel were never the nations of the world, but rather the spiritual powers that motivate such nations. For in truth, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood," but our battle is against the evil one, Satan. He always has been the chief adversary of God, and he always has tried to destroy the testimony of God by eradicating the Jewish people. God would no more allow the Jewish people to be disposed of than He would the laws of nature or the order of the universe (Jer. 31:35-37). And though it may seem to us that the Arab nations are the enemy of Israel, we must recognize that all of those who are in unbelief are the enemies of God (Rom. 5:10). We love the Arab people. We want to see them saved and delivered from the foolishness of unbelief which is manifested in their anti-Jewish policy. It is with great delight that we look forward to the future. In Isaiah Chapter 19, we are told by God that one day not only will there be a highway from Assyria for the remnant of His people (Isa. 11:16), but also Egypt will be brought to faith (Isa. 19:19-22). The Assyrians (modern day Iran and Iraq) with the Egyptians will one day worship the one true God (Isa. 19:23). Praise the Lord! There will be fellowship among Israel, Egypt and Assyria (Isa. 19:24). All together, they will be blessed in the blessings of the Lord (Isa. 19:25). God has purposed to secure these Middle Eastern nations with a love that they do not possess within themselves, to bring a peace that they cannot produce themselves, but only through a grace that is found in our Lord Jesus the Messiah of Israel, the Savior of Egypt, Iran and Iraq. The Jewish people are back in their land, which God had prophesied to be theirs. It wasn't that long ago, that people doubted the Jews would ever return to the land of Israel. Likewise, peace between Israel and the Arabs seems just as impossible, but it is certain to come because God said it would. So let us aspire to show love for the Arab people, just as we aspire to bring the Gospel to all people. Yes, one day there will be a peace conference, and it will be chaired by the Lord Jesus Himself. The "peace treaty" will be the New Covenant in which, by faith, the nations - including Israel - will participate. Then there will be true peace through the Prince of Peace. Hebrew - A Language Reborn Hebrew - A Language Reborn HEBREW - A LANGUAGE REBORN From the TIKVAT T'ZION NEWSLETTER Tikvat T'Zion Messianic Jewish Congregation New Castle, Pennsylvania "For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord." (Zephaniah 3:9) Hebrew is the original language of the Old Testament Scriptures with the exception of a few chapters written in Aramaic. It is called Hebrew nowhere in Scripture, but this is not surprising when we realize how rarely that name was used to designate the Israelites. It is called "the language of Canaan" (Isaiah 19:18), and the "Jewish language" (II Kings 18:26, 28). Hebrew belongs to the Semitic group of languages. The word Semitic is formed from the name of Shem, Noah's oldest son. Like all Semitic languages, it reads from right to left. It consists of 22 consonants, their names being found in the 22 divisions of Psalm 119. As conquests and exiles scattered the Jews among other lands, they began speaking other languages. Sometimes they blended Hebrew and other languages to create an entirely new one - like Yiddish. Every Jew was familiar with Hebrew as used in the Synagogue. In every generation there were those historians, scholars and poets who wrote in Hebrew. Jewish travelers in a strange country always headed for a synagogue where they could make friends and feel at home because of the common language. Since Jews did not use it regularly for everyday life, Hebrew lacked a great many ordinary words. It was a "holy" tongue. Then a change came. As Zionism began to take hold of the scattered Jews and bring them back to Israel around the end of the nineteenth century, a need was seen also to bring back the ancient Hebrew tongue and use it in everyday life. The new settlers needed a language of their own, not only for religious purposes but for all daily activities. There was much resistance at first. To many pious Jews, Hebrew was the holy language of the Bible, to be used only in prayer. To speak Hebrew in daily life, in commerce, in the streets, was to profane the language. At this time, a young scholar named Eliezer Perelman arrived from Europe. He declared that if the nation was to be revived, it must have one language - Hebrew. He changed his name to ben Yehudah, setting the fashion for the adoption of Hebrew names that was to become common in the land. To his wife, he stated that their infant should hear no word of any other language. He earned a meager living as the editor of a religious Hebrew weekly and as a teacher. He began campaigning to have Hebrew used as the language of instruction in schools. He began work on a multivolume lexicon that was to standardize modern Hebrew usage. Eliezer ben Yehudah dedicated his entire life to this crusade. He once received a money order for $100 from relatives in Europe. It was made out to his original name, Perelman, and he had to sign the post office receipt that way. Ben Yehudah, according to his principles, refused to sign anything but his Hebrew name and did not claim the money. Poor as he was, Hebrew was much more important to him! Today he is known as the "Father of Modern Hebrew." Teachers in the Jewish schools helped greatly to turn the tide. In 1893, they voted unanimously to refuse to teach in any language but Hebrew. They had to write their own textbooks and invent new Hebrew words for subjects such as algebra, chemistry and physics. Their students made up Hebrew slang and common everyday expressions. In 1925 the Hebrew University opened. Now there was a complete educational system, from kindergarten through college, all in Hebrew. In 1948, with the new Jewish state, Hebrew came into its own at last. After nearly 2000 years, Hebrew was again the official language of an independent Jewish country. The Bible uses only about 7,700 different Hebrew words. A modern unabridged Israeli dictionary has over 30,000 words, almost one-third of them invented in the last 70 years. In finding new words for technical terms, scholars often go back to the Bible for root words. An example of this occurred in 1961 when Israel launched her first space rocket. Look up I Samuel 18:11 to find out what word they chose for "missile" from the well-known story of Saul and David! Hebrew has proven to be a strong link in joining the Jewish past with the present. But was this because of the zeal of the Zionists for their own language? Or the dedication of Eliezer ben Yehudah? We can go back much further to the prophet Zephaniah. In three chapters, the prophet speaks of the great day of the Lord. He calls God's people to repentance and tells them of God's judgment on the nations. Then he prophesies Israel's regathering to the land and: "For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord" (Zephaniah 3:9). Once again we realize what exciting times these are. With all the instability in the mideast today, we can know for sure that the Lord's prophesies are still being fulfilled (right on schedule!) and that His will shall prevail. "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4). Studies New Testament Studies New Testament Studies This issue features the tenth in a series on the Epistle of 1 John. On some occasions this column with be called Old Testament Study. In either case, studies will include Psalms and books from both the Old and New Testaments. RESTORING THE FALLEN 1 John 5:13-21 By Pastor Geoff Kragen Christendom is frequently where the "PC" (Politically Correct) quotient is the basis for deciding what is right or wrong. Recently, the Church of England came to the conclusion that it was acceptable to ordain female priests, allowing them to fulfill all the roles related to that office. Peter teaches all believers of the church age are priests, therefore, in that sense, both men and women fulfill that role. However, there is no place in the church for a priestly system, such as found in the orthodox churches. The basis for women in a clergy priesthood is not related to Scriptural teaching. It is a product of the desire to conform to social consciousness. It was allowed to occur because the decision was politically correct, even if it was Biblically incorrect. This isn't to say that the church hasn't been in great error by limiting women's involvement in ministry. But clearly, the Bible teaches that women are not to be Elders, or to exercise the pulpit authority over the Church. (See 1 Timothy 3 & Titus 1.) Many such decisions have been made within Christendom. Positions of doctrine are not based on the teaching of Scripture, whether discussing the role of women, or homosexuality and adultery as sin. To these people the Bible is irrelevant when speaking of the fundamentals of Orthodox Christianity such as the virgin birth and the physical resurrection of Christ. Instead, positions are based on what is politically, socially, or personally expedient. John comes from a different perspective. He calls believers to hold to the teachings of sound doctrine. He requires an acknowledgement of sin and demands that it be dealt with. That which is contrary to God, is of the Devil, even if it appears to be godly. We are to reject that which is false and to help those of the body who have been led astray. What is our responsibility to restore one another? Does loving each other and showing unconditional acceptance of people mean we are also to excuse sin? In this closing section of the first epistle of John, the author moves from his focus on standing firm against non biblical doctrines. Instead, he identifies the benefits we have as believers and expresses concern over the problem of sin within the Church. He provides some direction for dealing with this sin. John has already shown that believers are no longer bound to sin. "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin" (1 John 2:1a). He also makes it clear that when we do sin we have an advocate with the Father. "But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense -- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1b). He goes on in this section to show that we have a responsibility to one another. We are to help deal with sin in each other's lives . . . vs. 13: John again reminds us of all we have. Our greatest blessing, which comes with being a child of God, is eternal life. The outward manifestations of that eternal life include: faith in God, love for Him and other Christians, and obedience to His commands. We receive eternal life at the time we accept God's gift of salvation. "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life" (John 3:14-15). John is vitally concerned with the importance of love within the Church. At times, love is used as an excuse not to take a stand on any issue. "If we love we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. It wouldn't be loving to tell John Doe that he shouldn't be involved with a woman outside his marriage." But clearly, John is not just saying believers are to love. They are also to hold fast to truth in the context of love. He confirms this by presenting tests which we are to be used to identify truth versus false doctrine. One of the tests of faith is the requirement of a clear view of who Christ is. Without this understanding, it is impossible to have a relationship with Him. Only in such a relationship do we find eternal life. John isn't mincing words when he states that without a relationship with Christ there is no eternal life. Rejection of Christ means eternal death. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him" (John 3:36). God may be a God of love, but, He is also a God of righteousness and justice. The price for sin will be paid for each person. The only question is: Who will pay it, Christ or the individual? vs. 14-15: First John shows that one benefit of salvation is eternal life. The next benefit is the opportunity to have direct access to God through prayer. This is a great blessing. It is a resource that we have available to us at any time. How have you experienced the reality that God listens to you? John says we can have confidence in approaching Him in prayer. What is the basis of this confidence? Whatever we ask is heard by God. He always hears our prayers. There is never a time when God doesn't hear the prayer of a believer. It appears that God will give us anything we ask for because He hears us. God is concerned with the needs of His children. He hears our requests, and He answers them. How do we reconcile this with the fact that He sometimes answers our prayers "No!"? Clearly, John isn't teaching positive confession. He says God will give us what we ask, if we ask according to His will. As we abide in Him, we will be more accurately in touch with His will. As we keep His commands, loving Him and loving others, we will ask in line with that love and therefore be consistent with His will. "Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him" (1 John 3:21-22). We will ask in a way that will please the Lord. Accordingly, the promise of answered prayer is conditional upon the motive of our prayers. Trust in the Lord is implicit. Sometimes we pray for relief in a situation that appears to be in line with God's intent. Still the answer is "wait." So, our assumption should be that God knows best. This is the manifestation of real faith, that we can wait on the Lord. We wait even though the reason for waiting isn't obvious to us. Our confidence, then, is grounded not in our prayers, or the wisdom behind them, but in who God is. As we come to understand this, then we can find peace even in the most difficult of situations. If I understand this, I can accept that changes may not proceed in my circumstances as rapidly as I might like. Instead, I will be able to say, ". . . not my will, but thy will be done." vs. 16-17: What is our responsibility to one another? With salvation comes the blessings of eternal life and access to the throne of God. Caring for one each other within the local church is another responsibility. This is what it means to love, Biblically. We are to pray for the member of the body who is in sin. Intercessory prayer is one of the responsibilities of a priest, a role that we are all called to. And, the prayer of intercession for a brother or sister is always consistent with the will of God. After all, He died for the sins of all mankind. It is unclear why John is calling for one member of the body to pray for the sin of another. Any analysis would be speculative. Baker expresses his understanding this way. "The brother may need to be forgiven through intercessory prayer as an expression of the community's forgiveness, the need to confess the sin to another and to have received assurance of forgiveness may have had special significance. Also, there might be an allusion here to Jesus' words in the Gospel of John: "If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven" (John 20:23). (1) The second half of the verse is even more difficult to follow. John makes an exception to this call to pray. We do not need to pray for the one who has committed the "sin unto death." What is the "sin unto death"? The readers of John's letter understood what he was referring to. This is obvious, since he doesn't clarify his meaning. Just as clearly, his intent has been lost. Any attempt to identify what he refers to will lead to nonproductive conclusions. The identification of a specific sin that deserves death can be very destructive, resulting in a judgmental spirit. Since we do not know what this sin might be, clearly we should pray for the sinning brother. We can't even be completely clear on what John means when he speaks of death. Baker believes it is eternal death. But John is speaking of a brother, and believers can't lose their salvation. Therefore, I think John speaks here of physical death. The point John makes is that, there was a sin that led to death and other sins didn't. Maybe someday we'll get a chance to ask him what he meant. vs. 18: Regardless of what the sin unto death is, obviously the life of the believer is no longer typified by sin as it is for the unbeliever. We are no longer under sin's control. Next, because we are Christians, we are kept safe from the Evil One (which is the best reading of this verse). The confidence that comes from this truth should extend to our ability to live in a fallen world. As we are protected from Satan, so too, we are protected from his world. Since we aren't protected from circumstances, we must conclude that we are protected from the spiritual destruction that exists in the world around us. vs. 19: The world lies comfortably in the power of the Evil One. Christians don't. Those who live in the physical world are either the children God, or children of Satan. There is no middle ground. People are either Jew or Gentile. Likewise one is either a child of God or a child of the Devil. vs. 20: Finally, John reemphasizes there is only one way to be a child of God. To be in relationship with God means to be in relationship with Christ Jesus. Those who are His know Him because they understand Who He is. This understanding comes from the Holy Spirit's work in their lives. There is no other way to know God, except as He makes himself known. And, so there is no misunderstanding, John again reminds his readers that God is Christ Jesus incarnate. Only through accepting this fact can a person really know Christ and be saved. vs. 21: And, to follow any other christs, as the false prophets do, is to follow an idol. People don't really understand the implications of false doctrine. It typifies the practice of idolatry, just like worshiping a pagan image. It turns people from the truth. It turns one from God. And, in the final analysis, it leads away from eternal life. The closing message of John is: Each believer is responsible to discern false doctrine and turn from it to the truth. Application: In the first epistle of John, we are given the responsibility for maintaining the soundness of our faith. In a day when so many who call themselves Christians are confused by false doctrine, John provides a message of clarity. His message can be used as a basis to stand firm for truth. Just like John, Paul is also concerned that believers are grounded in God's truth. "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming" (Ephesians 4:14). The Church is to be the environment in which this commitment to truth is always present. In love, we are to stand firm against the false doctrines perpetrated by those who represent themselves as Christians. We are to teach truth, expose lies, and test all that is written, said, and shown pertaining to the message of Scripture. All this is to be carried out in God's love. We are to care for one another. We are to pray for a fallen brother or sister. We are to encourage one another. Love and truth going hand-in-hand are the basis for a healthy church and healthy believers. And, as long as we allow God to be God, not allowing a false christ to become an idol, we will fulfill the intent of John's letter. May we, in the spirit of John, always remember that to love God is to keep His commands: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:37-40). As we love God, and love our neighbor, we are reflections of God to a fallen world. "A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35). 1. Baker, Glenn W., "The Expositior's Bible Commentary," "1, 2, 3 John," Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids MI, 1981, p. 355. Special Studies Special Studies GOD IS REVEALED IN HIS WRITINGS AND TEACHINGS by Dr. Charles Wootten Whole Counsel Ministries Matoaca, Virginia In this article we continue with the revelation of God. God is reveled in the second person of the Godhead, Christ Jesus, the writings of the Gospels, the Epistles and the book of Revelation. The Gospel of Matthew shows the Anointed King who fulfilled the Law and the Prophets. Mark reveals Him as the Son of God, the Son of Man who as Lord became the Suffering Servant. Luke reveals the Son of Man who, as Anointed Preacher, is the Savior. John revealed the Way, the Truth, and the Life as the Word, who is the great "I Am." Acts reveals Jesus as the Head of the Church, who Baptizes in the Holy Spirit. Romans reveals His salvation and Righteousness as the Propitiation for sins. 1st Corinthians is the revelation of Him as the Resurrection and the Life through the Power and Wisdom of God. 2nd Corinthians reveals the Glory of the New Covenant. Galatians further reveals Jesus as the New Covenant Mediator by His Faith and Righteousness. Ephesians shows God's fullness as the Giver of Ministries through the Head of the Church, the Bridegroom. In Philippians, He is our Joy, Life, Mind, Goal and Strength. Through Colossians the Fullness of the Godhead Bodily is not only the Creator, but the Ruler and Redeemer also. In 1 Thessalonians, our Sanctification is seen in our coming Lord. Further, 2 Thessalonians shows our Coming Lord as the Avenger. In 1 Timothy, Jesus is the Elder, the Deacon, the Teacher who Fulfills His Charge. In 2 Timothy the Righteous Judge is the Lord of the Heavenly Kingdom. Titus reveals the Grace of God through the Savior and Redeemer. In Philemon, He is our Intercessor and Advocate. In Hebrews, He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith in all categories as Prophet, High Priest, Minister, and Sacrifice. In James the Lord of Glory and Hosts is also the Husbandman. In 1 Peter Jesus is revealed not only as the Stone of Stumbling and the Rock of Offense but also the Chief Cornerstone. In 2 Peter, He is the Daystar and Coming Lord. In 1 John the Word is Love, Light and Life. In 2 John, Christ, the Son of God, is the Truth. 3 John reveals Him as Truth. Jude reveals Jesus as the Only Wise God who is also our Savior. In the Revelation, Jesus truly is revealed as the Head of the Church, the Word, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Within these writings are found the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught in a highly profitable way, engaging the thoughts of those He spoke to and is speaking to today. In this mode of teaching, knowledge comes through understanding what He says. Jesus sought the Word of God. He understood it thoroughly, and then began to teach. He not only taught through His speech, but also through His example. His words were heard with wonder and amazement. Sometimes the multitude on a beach or lakeside so pressed upon Him to hear that He had to enter a ship just to have room. Even His enemies bore witness that "never a man spake like this man" and meager as are the remains of His teaching that we now have, these are very much sufficient for our understanding of the Kingdom of God. God does not sow confusion. Consequently, the Holy Spirit presents His Word in a clear and concise manner. His truths are presented both thoroughly and simply. In fact, it is the very simplicity of Scripture that often prevents its acceptance. God has chosen to give all the truth we need for salvation and life in the Bible. It is this brevity that allows us to learn, apply and memorize His words. God spoke through Jesus by using facets of His creation. He used His observations of nature around him: colors of the flowers, the ways of the birds, the growth of the trees and the differences of the seasons. He also spoke of the ways of men in all areas of life: religion, the home and in business. God is revealed as concerned with the affairs of men in every little detail. Jesus' teaching was alive with such references: full of color, movement and changing forms. There were not abstract statements because God is not the author of confusion, but of those things that are solid and real. In Christ's teaching all aspects of life were dealt with by Him: the lilies in the fields; the sheep following their shepherd; the narrow and broad city gates; the virgins with their lamps waiting in the darkness for the bridegroom; the self-righteous Pharisee at prayer in contrast with the publican's bent head and humble attitude; the contrast and comparison of the rich man and the beggar. Many other similitudes were used to reveal the God who cares and loves His people. Because of Jesus' authority, He could expound on the Scriptures and the truth of God rather than on ceremonial trappings of religion. He dwelt on the great themes of justice and mercy, love and God, life and death. He spoke with the authority of One who had seen the Eternal World. He knew He didn't send Himself, but was rather sent from God and spoke accordingly. He spoke quite plainly of the coming judgment of those who willingly turn their backs on God. He warned them that their future happiness or anguish depended on their acceptance or rejection of the Kingdom message. Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. Everything He spoke affected someone: none were aloof or immune to His word. He had the infilling of the Holy Spirit not only in such degree as to fill Himself, but so as to be able to impart Him to others. The Spirit overflowed with His words and seized the souls of His hearers, filling them with enthusiasm the mind and the heart. Christ did not speak with the posture of condemnation. In spite of His tone of authority and His fearless and scathing attacks on the evils of the world, there was diffused over all He said a glow of grace and love. It did not matter to Him under what humble dress of social deformity the heart searching for God was hidden. He spoke to everyone with the same love and respect and grace that revealed the Divine Love of God. He spoke and still speaks to people, as individuals, not as those lost somewhere in a large homogeneous mass. May the ears of the heart of the lost be open today as they were when the Lord walked this earth. Messianic Studies Messianic Studies The Messianic Studies column explores the world of the Messianic Believer. Like the church at large, Messianic Judaism contains much diversity. It is made up of numerous views as to what it means to be a Jewish follower of Jesus the Messiah, who were, what we call ourselves and what we believe. This column will be used to explore this variety, giving the reader a broader perspective of this arm of Christianity than found elsewhere. It will also expose those of us who are Completed Jews to the wide spectrum of practice found within the movement. Hopefully we will succeed in helping our Jewish brothers and sisters understand why we follow Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. We also hope that what is provided here will give our gentile readers both a better understanding of their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as the Jewish roots of their own faith. We are expanding this column to also include articles that deal with issues related to Israel and the church. We want to expose teachings that are the basis of anti-Semitism, rejecting the need to witness to Jews, and false teachings related to subjects of interest to Messianic believers. This reflects and expansion of the scope of the column. We hope that this will be of interest to the readers. If you have questions or would like to suggest topics for the column contact us here at Morning Star. A LOOK AT THE BOOK By Steve Ger From THE LEVITT LETTER Zola Levitt and I were recent participants on a local "talk radio" call-in program, he as scheduled guest and I as impromptu caller. The topic was not politics or taxes, as is generally the case on such shows. The subject was much more consequential - Jews believing in Jesus. What made this program particularly riveting was that long after Zola's scheduled interview was completed, the host continued to receive calls on the topic for the remaining hour of the show. I was the last caller to make it through and was placed on "hold" for almost 40 minutes. As I waited my turn, I was amazed at the interest this issue raised within the Dallas community. Most callers were Jewish (not believers) and were in no way shy about expressing their opinions as to whether or not a Jew who believed in Jesus was still Jewish. At least one truth emerged that afternoon: Where there are four Jews, there are five opinions! No two callers could agree as to what constitutes a Jew. I derive my position from Scripture which states that a Jew is a physical descendant of the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Gen 12:1-3; Deut. 29:9-13). The Bible is the story of Abraham's extended family, the Jewish people. This issue looms at the forefront today for believing and nonbelieving Jews with the recent Israeli court decision to deport from Israel three Jewish families who believe in Jesus. The recent ruling stated that since these families believed in Jesus, they adhered to a different religion and therefore no longer possessed a Jewish identity (although they were born Jewish) which would entitle them to automatic citizenship. I do not wish to explore here the hypocrisy of the court's decision. Neither Christians nor Jews have missed the irony of this miscarriage of justice. In a land where a Jew can be an atheist, agnostic, Buddhist or New Age fanatic and still be considered a good Jew, one who believes in Jesus is literally an outcast. The religious options for the contemporary Jew are legion. There are more accepted legitimate lifestyle choices for the Jew today than at any other time in history. He may worship God traditionally within orthodoxy, express his Judaism zealously within Hasidism, delve into his faith cautiously within conservatism, keep a foot in the door within the reformed movement, be a radical reconstructionist, jettison belief in God for belief in social causes and embrace the crystalline beliefs of the New Age. The Jew may choose any and more of these options and still be recognized by the Jewish community at large as Jewish. However, the one option closed to the Jew is a belief in Jesus as the Jewish Messiah - a Jewish carpenter from a Jewish family who lived in a Jewish village in Israel, who spoke the Jewish language, taught Jewish Scripture and revered the God of Israel. How can it be that a Jew today can believe anything he wants about God and still be considered Jewish, but a Jewish believer in Jesus is a pariah? The answer lies in the fact that because of the church's history of rampant antiSemitism and forced Jewish conversions, the very idea of Jewish Christianity is viewed as a direct threat to the prime motivating force of contemporary Judaism - Jewish survival. We believers are perceived as a direct threat to Jewish preservation. The Jewish community at large fears the Church - with good reason, considering its history - and Jewish Christians are painfully resented. From a contemporary Jewish perspective, there are only two choices - Jew or Christian. One cannot be both - Jewish Christianity is theologically impossible, indeed incomprehensible, in their eyes. An example of this thinking can be found in a book by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, "What Christians Should Know About Jews and Judaism": "Jews see it as their fundamental privilege to decide what constitutes Judaism. They have collectively determined that a Jew who believes in Jesus Christ spurns his faith, abandons his community, and forfeits his right to claim that he is acting Jewishly . . . A Jew who accepts Jesus as lord or messiah effectively ceases to be a Jew. He is viewed almost treasonously as having abandoned his faith, given up his Jewish heritage, and severed all links with the Jewish peoplehood. He is like a defector who walked out on his God and family." Such vitriolic accusations were not always the case. Even a cursory reading of the New Testament reveals that the early church saw no contradiction between their Jewishness and their belief in Jesus. Neither did their contemporary fellow citizens of Judea. The Jewishness of Jesus, the apostles or the early church was at no time in question. In those ancient times it was quite clear that those who were born as Jews would die as Jews; the mark of circumcision was a permanent one. One cannot exchange one's family of origin, no matter what one believes. Even the Jewish Oral Law teaches this truth. According to the Talmud, a Jew is a Jew forever, even if he sins grievously, and even if he adopts another religion. Third Century Israeli Rabbi Abba ben Zavda taught that even when Jews sin, they continue to be identified as Jews. He illustrates that a myrtle, though it stands among weeds, is still called a myrtle (Sanhedrin 44a). According to the Talmud, Jews never lose their Jewish identity, even if they adhere to another religion. As a sinner he may lose some privileges, but he does not lose his basic rights or status as a Jew. Contrary to the thoughts of Rabbi Eckstein or the Israeli Interior Ministry, an errant Jew can never be thought of as lost to Judaism; there is always hope that he will repent of his error and return to the religion of Judaism (Kolatch, The Second Jewish Book of Why, 35-36). Basic Jewish rights are for all Jews, even ones considered to be apostate. According to both Torah and Talmud, it is beyond the power of a Jew to forsake his Jewishness- this is his legacy forever. The WORD for Today The WORD for Today In Hebrews 10:25 we read, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching." The responsibility of all Christians is to encourage one another. This series is intended to help provide some guidelines in the process of encouragement. The book, "Encouragement, the key to caring," by Lawrence J. Crabb, Jr., and Dan B. Allender, is recommended reading with the series. Each message can be read in conjunction with the related chapter in the book. The series can be used as the basis of a group study in your church. Please let us know if you find the material helpful, or if you have any questions or suggestions. The article presented here is the ninth of fourteen messages given by Pastor Geoff Kragen. They were presented at Foothill Bible Church in Lincoln, California. HIDING IN THE CHURCH "Encouragement is the kind of expression that helps someone want to be a better Christian, even when life is rough." (1) I grew up in one of the mainline protestant churches. This church is known for the somberness of its members. In fact, I have often noted that many people looked as if they had been sucking on lemons. Joy and openness were not encouraged in such an environment. And when I went into a church that was more openly loving and demonstrative, I sometimes felt like crawling under the nearest pew in embarrassment. Frequently, churches function as if members were actors in Greek theater. Each participant comes in wearing a mask. And heaven forbid if it slips! While it can be a mask of comedy or of tragedy, it hides the essential person. Why do we wear masks? Because we are encouraged to do so. Don't you feel that you have to come to church not only in your best clothes, but also with your best face forward? "Christians are supposed to be happy. If we trust God, we can handle anything! Why am I so miserable then? Well, I can't let anyone know, so I'll "put on a happy face."" I am sure we have all felt this way at one time or another. (This may be one of the reasons we hear the charge that Christians are hypocrites. We have the same trials, tribulations and failures as everyone else, but we aren't willing to admit them.) Wearing a mask creates significant problems. We cannot be honest when we buy into the compulsion to appear as if everything is fine. So, what needs to happen within the local body to create and environment of encouragement? In the last article, we noted how important it is not to hide as individuals. We have seen how frequently we choose to hide as a way of avoiding pain. However, encouragement can happen where people can be transparent. If we are to encourage then we must be willing to risk being hurt as we reach out to others. The church needs to be a safe place to quit hiding. For encouragement to occur, there must be a context for change. If we are to encourage transparency, we must create an environment within our local church that allows for and encourages healthy openness. We must depend on the Lord to develop a local community that discourages hiding. It also must engender the recognition that we are all in need of encouragement. And it is within the local church that the context for change must exist. There are two elements that make up this context. These must be present in the local body to engender and encouraging environment. These elements are TRUTH and RELATIONSHIP. It isn't enough to have one or the other. Both must be present. I come from a church background that is highly committed to the accurate handling of Scripture. The call to truth is paramount to the ministry of the body. I frequently found that the focus on accuracy alone created the sense of an institution of higher learning. Instead, it should have been where the sick (sinful) could come for healing. Truth is vital for any congregation that claims the name of Christ. BUT, truth alone, truth without relationship, can be cold, demanding and sometimes even destructive. Remember Christ called us to love one another. "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:37-40). In fact this very love is to be our testimony to a fallen world. "A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35). God never intended Truth to become some abstract concept outside the context of relationship. On the other hand, a church that focuses on relationship without commitment to the truth is headed for a different type of destruction. One of the major problems of this culture is an overwhelming concern with feelings outside the context of any absolute truth. This may be a product of the philosophy, "if it feels good, do it!" Whatever the source, it has led to compromise with the world, downplaying sin, and outright heresy within much of Christendom. If we are to encourage people, we must do so in the context of relationship, grounded in the absolute truths of God's word. Anything else is less that God expects. Larry Crabb puts it this way. "The most effective strategy for promoting substantial movement toward true godliness is to present truth in the context of relationship. Relationship cuts holes through defensive layers by reducing the core of fear, thereby opening people up to truth. Biblical concepts and principles can then reach into the nerve center of the personality, displacing fear and stimulating conviction, repentance and faith in a loving, holy God. (2) Truth outside of relationship becomes dry and unchanging. Frequently, you will hear complaints about the relevancy of the teaching within the local body. "We need to make church more applicable. Let's spend less time teaching verse by verse through the Bible. Instead let's start giving messages that people can use." The problem here is: it is God's word that changes people. A systematic teaching of His word, used by the Holy Spirit touches and changes lives. "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). The reason that the word is perceived as non-relevant is because it is given in a vacuum. There is no touching between the teacher and the listener. There is no recognition of the needs and pain of the individual in the pew. People hear sound teaching. But it is only within the relationship of the body of Christ that God's word can touch hearts, and bring change. We are to encourage one another. To do so, we must be in relationship. Truth in a vacuum either creates the sense that, "We have our act together," or it brings fear. In either case there is no real spiritual growth. And, if growth does occur, it is through the working of the Holy Spirit, in spite of the church, not because of it. Where truth is used in the context of relationship, growth and healing occurs. Christ taught God's truth. He taught it from the hillsides. He taught it from the decks of boats. His highest commitment to teaching, however, was within the context of his day-to-day relationship with the disciples. His truth was lived out before them in every circumstance. And the result was a group of men who turned the world upside down. As we care for one another in relationship, the truth proceeds out of love. We are to discipline our children out of love, as God disciplines us. "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." (Proverbs 3:11-12). I remember when I was a pastor of Christian Education. I overheard a child responding to the question: "How do you know your daddy loves you?," "Because he spanks me." The child understood discipline in the context of love. If we develop relationship with one another, we build credibility. First we show our love and concern for other believers. Then when we have to present the hard truths, it is recognized that the truth comes out of love. When this happens, and there is a desire to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit, change is much more likely to occur. Of course there is a danger when the truth is applied in the context of relationship. We can see people rebel against that truth and against God. We may lose people who do not want to be held accountable for their sins, no matter how caring the call to accountability. That is between them and God. Our responsibility is to care for one another, helping each of us grow closer and more obedient to our loving Father. And it is this responsibility that we will focus on next time as we examine God's call to care. "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25). 1. Crabb, Jr., Lawrence, J. and Allender, Dan B., "Encouragement-The Key to Caring," Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1984, p. 10. 2. Ibid., p. 84. Columns Anee M'Amin Anee M'Amin THE WOOING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT By Susan Miller From THE JEWS FOR JESUS NEWSLETTER Why was I there? It was 1965. As I sat in my Reform Jewish Temple for a Friday night service, I asked myself that question. Was I there because of family obligations or social demands, or my emotional need of wanting to fit in and find my place? The services were always the same. I had made a career of counting the ceiling lights and the organ pipes and checking out everyone who attended. I always felt bored and unmoved. But that night there was something different - the prayer, the music. Suddenly a mysterious warmth coursed through me, and I cried. 'Yes, God!" Then just as quickly those thoughts and feelings that had awakened in me left. Three Years Later, 1968 Why was I there? It was a dark, dreary college party at a