Annexation ?

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu mentioned recently that he appeared to be open to annexation of the West Bank in the aftermath of the failure of the peace process. He went on to say that the idea of annexation is gaining ground with leaders of Israel. Netanyahu also confirmed his opposition to Left-wing ideas of territorial withdrawal from portions of the West Bank.

"The 2005 disengagement from Gaza strengthened the terror group Hamas resulting in thousands of rockets being fired at residents of cities in Southern Israel" said Netanyahu. He went on to explain that the only way a Palestinian State can be possible, it must function as a demilitarized zone which recognizes the Nation - State of Israel. He went on to question "How do you reach this type of solution if you cannot get it through negotiations which officially ended on April 29th." Complicating the situation further, Fatah has anounced it is working currently to unite with Hamas and Israel has continually stated it will not negotiate with a terror organization.

All of this type of talk between Israeli and Palestinian leaders revolve around the age old question - Whose Land Is It? The answer to this question is addressed by our Lord God in His word in the book of Genesis twenty two times. The Lord addresses it first as part of the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 15:18 when He says to Abraham "To your descendants I have given this land, from the River of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates." Our Lord God gave almost the whole Middle East to His covenant people through the linnage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. However, this land has been divided up many times. Currently, the enemies of Israel and the world media want to divide up again.

Should Netanyahu even consider the concept of annexation? I prefer to leave the answer of this question to The Lord as we bathe it in fervent prayer. "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority," 1Timothy 2:1-2. Will you join me in praying on a regular basis for all those in authority but especially for the leaders of Israel?

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day And Each Day,

Frank  

Israel Today

Our messages the last six weeks centered on the future of the land of Israel and the Jewish people. Well, what is happening today? On a regular basis, the residents of Israel are threatened by terror attacks from Hezbollah on its Northern border, from Fatah internally, from Hamas out of Gaza and Anti-Semitism is on the rise globally.

A global poll was recently taken in which 53,000 people in 100 countries were interviewed revealing that one-third of them believe the Holocaust was greatly exaggerated or a myth and one-fourth held Anti-Semitic views. Additionally, the Palestinian Authority says it wants peace in English but when speaking to its own people in Arabic preaches war and hatred. Recently, on the anniversary of Israel's creation, the official PA controlled newspaper wrote "The Zionist gangs invaded the land of Palestine and expelled its residents." This is a total fabrication! The truth is that just before the start of the 1948 war, 160,000 Arabs became Israeli citizens and 750,00 fled to escape the fighting when Arab leaders encouraged them to leave.

How does God's covenant people react to all this continual persecution? On May 14th a coal mine exploded in Turkey killing more than 200 with hundreds more trapped. Israel's National Emergency team extended a helping hand offering aid in rescuing and treating those pulled from the mine. Additionally, an Israeli team of security officials is in Nigeria to aid that country's security forces in their fight against the Islamic terrorist organization Boka Haram who kidnapped more than 300 hundred school girls in April. 

Why do they react in such a manner? I sense they believe God's Word litterally and attempt each day to function accordingly. Genesis 12:3 says "In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" and Psalm 1:1,2,4 say "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law He meditates day and night. For The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish." Can we do the same by blessing them and praying for them daily?

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day And Each Day,

Frank    

The Future Of Israel - Series Conclusion

For the last five weeks our messages have focused on the Future of Israel with the book of Ezekiel as our primary source. We will conclude this series of messages concentrating on Jeremiah 31 where our Lord God states "He will make a new covenant with the House of Israel."

Jeremiah 31:31-34. . ."Behold, the days are coming, says The Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah - not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says The Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says The Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know The Lord,' for they all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says The Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." This message is repeated in Hebrews 8:8-12, but our Lord adds in verse 13 "A new covenant has made the first obsolete."

There are four provisions in the new covenant - God's righteous law becomes an internal guide; He will be their God and they shall be His people; the Holy Spirit will be the special agent of God's blessings for His people; there will be complete cleansing of their sins. The new covenant is only made sure by the blood that Jesus shed on Calvery's Cross. Hallelujah!

Yes, the future is supernaturally glorious for all who become part of the new covenant by receiving Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Well, when and how will this happen for God's old covenant people? Some have already come into the new covenant. Zechariah 13:9-10 says "In that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. . .then they will look on Me (their Messiah) whom they have pierced; they will mourn for Him as one mourns for His only Son." They will recognize Jesus as their Messiah and come into the new covenant. Praise The Lord! How many? Romans 11:26 says "All Israel will be saved."

Let us be those who continually boldly pray on a regular basis for more and more of God's old covenant people to come into the new covenant until their Messiah returns to earth.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day And Each Day,

Frank

  

 

The Future Of Israel - Part Five

Continuing our series of messages on the future of Israel, this week we will learn of the vision given by our God to Ezekiel of the "Dry Bones" in Ezekiel 37. The Lord shows Ezekiel a valley of dry or dead bones symbolizing the House of Israel as "spiritually dead." Certainly there have been times in the history of Israel when this vision was true.

However, The Lord also shows these bones coming alive illustrating a "spiritual awakening" which will happen in Israel in the future and is happening to a degree currently. The second half of Chapter 37 shows this very encouraging prophetic message for the House of Israel.

Ezekiel 37:12 says "Thus says The Lord God; 'Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.'" First, our Lord God says He will bring them back to Israel. This message is mentioned over 700 times in the Word of God and is already happening and will continue until our Lord God comes back to earth. Praise The Lord!

Second, as part of this spiritual awakening for the House of Israel, The Lord says in verses 14 and 23 "I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. . .I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them." Our Lord will reveal Himself as their Messiah by putting His Spirit within them and cleansing them of their sins. Hallelujah!

Lastly, verse 26 says "Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them." The Lord will, upon His return to earth, establish true peace as part of His everlasting covenant with the Whole House of Israel. Isaiah 11:6-8 say "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den."

Let us pray for these days of spiritual awakening and true peace to come to the Whole House of Israel soon!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day And Each Day,

Frank

The Future of Israel - Part Four

Last week we took a break in our study of Israel's future and learned of an urgent need for prayer regarding disturbing news of the treatment of Jewish people living in the Ukraine. I trust you have been praying daily and ask that you continue since this urgent need for prayer has not ended. News reports this week reveal a Jewish mayor of an Ukrainian city has been shot and is fighting for his life. Keep praying!

Back to our study of Israel's future. "Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it. . .therefore I poured out My fury on them. . .so I scattered them among the nations. . .when they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name." Ezekiel 36:17-20. As I read these four verses, I either get confused or angry or both. Our Lord God miraculously brought His covenant people out of Egypt; parted the Red Sea to rescue them; provided for all their needs as they wandered in the wilderness and brought them into the Promised Land. How did they respond?

They defiled the land of Israel and The Lord poured His fury on them and scattered them among the nations. Then they profaned His holy name in the nations in which they lived. Today, all of us can learn much from this brief history lesson and always have a repentive heart and a thankful heart towards our Lord God.

Additionally, in Ezekiel 36:22-26 our Lord God says "I do not do this for your sake, O House of Israel, but for My holy name's sake. . .And I will sanctify My great name. . .for I will take you from among the nations. . .then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean. . .I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you." Our Lord God will never allow His name to be profaned indefinately. Verse 23 says "He will sanctify His great name." How? His word says He will forgive His covenant people their sins while giving them a new heart and a new spirit! Then they will become His people and He will be their God!! Hallelujah.

We serve a loving, forgiving and providing God who wants only the best for all of us including His original covenant people. As a result, it is important and ordained for us to pray the Word of God into reality for them especially in these prophetic days in which we live.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You In His Care This Day And Each Day,

Frank