You Shall Be A Blessing

Jehovah God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3 saying, "I will make you a great nation and I will bless you . . . and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." God was, through Abraham, initiating the Abrahamic Covenant that predicted the future establishment of the Jewish People and the land of Israel. It also predicted God's Chosen People and Israel will be "A Blessing To The World."

How has Israel responded to this prophetic admonition from Jehovah God? They have responded beyond expectations! History shows that shortly after a disaster happens anywhere in the world, Israel seems to be the first people on the ground to help and provide Humanitarian Aid. 

Is Israel involved in helping the people of Ukraine? They have launched the largest rescue effort in their history to bring Ukrainian Jews and others to Israel. Israeli buses go into Ukraine to pick people up taking them to the border where Israeli officials arrange for their trip to Israel. One Ukrainian Official said, "Only Israel arranges buses for free, it is a testament to the values of Israel."

During World War II six million Jews lost their lives because they had no place to flee. As a result, Israel is determined to not let a similar scenario happen again. Under Israel's Right Of Return Policy, any person with at least one Jewish grandparent can apply for Israeli Citizenship. This now applies to 200,000 Ukrainian Jews. To date, 10,000 Ukrainian Jews have arrived in Israel.

However, Israel is not just rescuing Jews. They also have rescued hundreds of Arabs and even some from countries technically at war with Israel. There are Lebanese, Syrian and Egyptian citizens on the Israel rescue buses. The goal for Israel is to rescue people, all people!

Once people arrive in Israel from Ukraine they are greeted by Israeli officials and turned over to a ministry called Bridges For Peace. This ministry's main function is to help immigrants who arrive in Israel with only the clothes they are wearing and a small suitcase. Bridges For Peace assists them in finding housing, food, clothes and also assists them in finding jobs.

Yes, Israel Is Indeed A Blessing To The World!

Next week we will look at Israel being a blessing to the world in many other avenues and functions. Stay Tuned.

Blessings,

Frank      

Current Day Israel - Part Eight

We are concluding our lengthy but important series of messages about Current Day Israel. Romans 9-11 was our references and we found them challenging to understand at times. The following is a summary of all that we have learned:

Paul Was Sorrowful As His People Did Not Know Jesus, Romans 9:2

Israel Seeks Righteousness By Works Not Faith, Romans 9:32

Salvation Is By Believing And Confessing Jesus As Lord, Romans 10:9

Israel Has Heard That Jesus Is Their Messiah, Romans 10:18

Gentile Salvation Provokes Israel To Jealousy, Romans 10:19

God Reaches Out To A Disobedient People, Romans 10:21

God Has Not Abandoned His People, Romans 11:1

Israel Is In A Stupor So They Cannot See Jesus, Romans 11:8

Most Important - ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED, Romans 11:26

As we are concluding this series, we believe one verse of Scripture is the most important to remember "ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED" as mentioned in Romans 11:26. Why must this happen? Genesis 12:3 says that Abraham and His Descendants - The Jewish People - will be a blessing to all the families of the earth.

God's Chosen People have continually been a blessing to the world. Currently, they are providing Humanitarian Aid In Ukraine and have also set up a Field Hospital. Even more important, Revelation 7 describes 144,000 Jewish men who have been previously saved, will witness around the world that Jesus Christ is Savior and Messiah! What A Mighty God We Serve! Hallelujah!

Next week we will begin a new series showing how Israel is a blessing around the world. Following that series we will spend many weeks looking at how God keeps all His promises especially for Israel.

Blessings,

Frank

  

        

Current Day Israel - Part Seven

The last six weeks we have been learning about Current Day Israel as illustrated in Romans 9-11. We have learned that the majority of the Jewish People have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Messiah. We have also mentioned most importantly that Jehovah God has planned a glorious ending to this story.

What is this glorious ending for His Chosen People and when will it happen? The glorious ending is "All Israel Will Be Saved" as illustrated in Romans 11:26. Yes, All Will Be Saved! This raises an intriguing and very important question. Does "All Being Saved" mean 100% of the Jewish People will be saved?

There are two approaches to take in trying to answer this question. First, the word "all" in the Hebrew language does not mean 100% but means a very high percentage. Second, Ezekiel 39:28 indicates that Jehovah God will bring back all of His Chosen People to Israel who were scattered around the world for their disobedience. Does Romans 11:26 mean that all of these Jewish People who have returned to Israel will be saved? It appears we cannot answer this question but this we know, a very large percentage of the Jewish People "Will Be Saved." Hallelujah!

When will this happen? Again, this is an important and challenging question. Romans 11:25 says, "For I do not desire, Brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that hardening in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." Many Bible Scholars believe the "Fullness Of The Gentiles" is when God has determined that all the Gentiles who will be saved have come into His Kingdom. Only Jehovah God knows when this will happen.

We will close this message about the Jewish People being saved with Romans 11:26 saying, "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My Covenant with them, when I take away their sins." The closing verses of Romans 11 are important and challenging to understand. But this we know . . .

 "All Israel Will Be Saved."

Blessings,

Frank

Current Day Israel - Part Six

In our study of Current Day Israel, we have primarily learned that the majority of the Jewish People have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Messiah. We even learned in last week's message that Jehovah God opened Salvation to the Gentiles to provoke His Chosen People to jealously. As a result, one might wonder if the Jewish People will ever see and accept Jesus as their Messiah and Savior?

Romans 11:1-2 boldly answers this question with Paul saying, "I say then, has God cast away His People? Certainly not . . . God has not cast away His People whom He foreknew." An Old Testament verse verifies that God has not forsaken His Chosen People but that He is in the process of correcting them. Jeremiah 46:28 says, "Do not fear, O Jacob My servant" says The Lord, "for I am with you; for I will make a complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but I will not make a complete end of you, I will rightly correct you."

Additionally, Romans 11:8 illustrates one of the primary reasons why the Jewish People have difficulty accepting Jesus as their Messiah saying, "God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear to this very day." In effect, Jehovah God has placed His Covenant People in a physical state in which it is very difficult for them to see or hear about Jesus as their Messiah.

Why would God make it extremely difficult for the Jewish People to see who is their Messiah? This is a good and challenging question. After all, God desires for all people, Jew and Gentile, to be saved! We believe Isaiah 29:13 will help us to understand this important question saying, "Therefore The Lord said; 'Inasmuch as these people draw near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me.'"

Jehovah God is saying in Isaiah 29:13 that His Chosen People are saying words that honor Him but He knows that what is in their hearts does not honor Him! This was an important lesson from God during the time of the Book of Romans but is also an important lesson for us today.

Please notice Isaiah 29:14 says, "Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people, a marvelous work and a wonder." Jehovah God is not finished with His Chosen People! Stay Tuned!

Blessings,

Frank       

Current Day Israel - Part Five

As we continue our series about Current Day Israel using Romans 9 to 11 as our references, we previously learned:

Paul had grief and sorrow for his brethren who did not know Jesus as their Messiah . . .

The majority of Jewish people are seeking righteousness through works and not faith . . .

Salvation is obtained by believing and confessing Jesus as Lord and that God raised Him from the dead.

Romans 10:16-21 is entitled "Israel Rejects The Profits." Also the question "Have they not heard" is raised. Is the main reason Jews are not saved is because they have not heard about Jesus  as their Messiah? Verse 18 clearly answers this question by saying, "Their sound has gone out too all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." The Gospel message has gone forth throughout the world.

How did Jehovah God respond to the rejection of Jesus as Messiah by His Chosen People? He opened salvation to the Gentiles! Romans 10:19-20 says, "I will provoke you to jealously by those who are not a nation, I will anger you by a foolish nation . . . I was found by those who did not seek me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for me." Notice verse 19 says Jehovah God opened salvation to the Gentiles to provoke His Chosen People to jealously. Our God works in mysterious ways! 

Romans 10 ends with a direct statement by God about His Chosen People, "All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and contrary people." Our Lord God has been reaching out to bring the Jewish People into His Kingdom for a very long time. He even sent His Son Jesus to earth to open up a path to Salvation for all peoples but his gift must be accepted and received. We serve a loving and caring God!

In closing, next week we will start studying Romans 11 continuing the discussion as to why the Jewish People have difficultly recognizing Jesus as their Messiah. Most important, at the end of Romans 11 Jehovah God includes His solution to this problem for His Chosen People. Stay tuned.

Blessings,

Frank    

 

Current Day Israel - Part Four

After sharing a special Holy Week Message, we now continue our series about Current Day Israel using Romans 9-11 as our reference. Romans 10 is entitled "Israel Rejects Christ." This is the current day scenario in Israel including many of the Jewish People worldwide.

We learned in our last message that many Jewish People are seeking righteousness by attempting to keep the Law. No one is able to obey all of The Law. Paul in Romans 10:9-12 presents, in detail, how both Jew and Gentile can attain righteousness and be saved, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. For the Scripture says, 'whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek."

The path to Salvation is all about believing and then confessing this belief. What exactly does Jehovah God desire for us to believe? He desires for us to believe without question that Jesus is Lord and the True Son Of God! God also desires for us to believe that He sent Jesus to earth to die on a cross forgiving all our sins. Romans 10:9 also says we should believe "God Raised Jesus From The Dead."

Now, once we believe, then Jehovah God desires for us to share this belief with other people. Believe And Confess . . . This Is God's Path To Salvation! Romans 10:13 also brings forth a very important message. Jehovah God desires for all people to be saved - Jews and Gentiles, "For whoever calls upon The Name of The Lord shall be saved." Hallelujah!

We trust this message has clearly illustrated "The Path To Salvation." Romans 10:9-13 has been called "The Roman Road To Salvation." Why then are such a small percentage of God's Chosen People saved? Stay Tuned!

Blessings!

Frank      

   

Our Passover Lamb

Thursday of Holy Week is the day when Christians remember Jesus eating the Passover Meal with His Disciples just prior to His arrest by the Roman soldiers. He actually said to His Disciples in Matthew 26:18 "My time is near." Why did this Passover Meal take place at such a critical time? After Jehovah God led the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage, Moses told them "To keep the ordinance of Passover every year," as a remembrance that the shed blood of a spotless lamb delivered them.

As Jesus ate the Passover Meal with His Disciples, He was actually looking forward to a greater deliverance which God would bring about. John1:29 says Jesus came to earth as "The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." 1Corinthians 11:23-25 describes this Passover Meal, "For I received from The Lord that which I also delivered to you; that The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the New Covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'"

The Word of God does not describe any response from the Disciples after the meal. Probably they were confused not fully understanding this prophetic message from Jesus. Throughout the Passover Meal Jesus was illustrating a way we can remember the most important sacrificial act in all of history - His Death And Resurrection! By receiving a small wafer or piece of bread representing the Broken Body of Jesus and a sip of juice representing His Shed Blood, we celebrate the Eucharist or Holy Communion. Bless His Holy Name!

During this Holy Week of 2022, we at For Zion's Sake Ministry desire to encourage you in this important act of partaking in Holy Communion.  Please notice Jesus said in 1Corinthians 11:26, "This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." Jesus says receive the cup "Often." As a result, we celebrate Holy Communion each morning as we begin the day.

Have A Most Blessed Holy Week And Easter Celebration,

Frank