ST. PAUL SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP

"Be ye followers of me as I also am of Christ." (I Corinthians 11:1)

(With Frank Eiklor and Walter Contreras)

ISRAEL: GOD'S PROPHETIC TIME CLOCK-PART 4

(Sincere Questions-Scriptural Answers)

LESSON 62 Part 4

INTRODUCTION

Hitler's coming to power was to signal the beginning of a one thousand year Third Reich-and the end of the Jews. But Corrie ten Boom's father had spoken prophetically when the Nazis began the round-up of Jews in Holland. He insisted Hitler's time was limited, because he had dared to touch "the apple of his (God's) eye (Zechariah 2:8).

Mr. ten Boom was correct. The "Thousand Year Reich" became a twelve year wreck in 1945. The Nazi messiah himself lay dead in a Berlin bunker with a bullet in his depraved brain. And the Jews? In spite of fully one-third of the world's Jews having perished in the flames of hate at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Treblinka, and other killing centers, those were Jewish hands raising the blue and white flag of a re-born Israel only three years later on May 14, 1948. Am Yisrael Chai! The people of Israel lived-again.

God returning the Jews to their ancient land in fulfillment of prophecy. No wonder callers of evil wish to destroy the tiny Jewish nation. Christians are asking questions as to God's mind and plan toward Jews and Israel. We have answered twelve questions in the previous lesson. Here are four more questions and answers on this important subject.

13.  IS THERE A TERRIBLE BOOMERANG OF JUDGMENT THAT FALLS ON

       THOSE WHO HATE THE JEWS?

The brief book of Obadiah answers that question. God lets Edom's hatred for Israel boomerang on his own head. The scriptures serve a terrible warning to all who follow: "For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever. In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his (Israel's) forces, and foreigners entered into his gates (the Jews), and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them" (co-conspirators in persecuting Jews).

"But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity; nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress. For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head" (Obadiah 10:15). (Parentheses are the author's.)

The same context then forecasts Israel's final destiny: "But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions" (Obadiah 17). Israel's enemies would be wiped out. Israel would be preserved. This is a lesson of history that continues to the present day.

14.   WHAT WILL BE THE END-TIME JUDGEMENT ON ANTISEMITIC NATIONS?

The book of Zechariah covers that subject emphatically. "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it" (Zechariah 12:2, 3). Then follows this terrible prediction: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem" (Zechariah 12:9). These scriptures do more than hint at a world-wide assault against the people of Israel where God cuts down the nations while preserving His ancient people.

15.   WHAT ABOUT THE PARADOX OF GOD USING NATIONS TO PUNISH ISRAEL

        AND THEN DESTROYING THOSE NATIONS?

A paradox it is, but that's exactly what has happened in history (Edom, Assyria, Babylon, etc.) Jeremiah speaks of an intense hatred in people who have used any pretext for hurting the people of Israel, "All that found them have devour them: and their adversaries said, "We offend not, because they the Jews have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of justice, even the Lord, the hope of their fathers" (Jeremiah 50:7). Here we see nations using Israel's disobedience against God as a pretext for destroying the Jews. But while God did use those nations to bring judgment upon his people, He then turned and destroyed the nations while delivering the Jews.

For example, in Jeremiah God guaranteed that Babylon would be destroyed and the reason given was because they had enjoyed destroying the Jewish nation (Jeremiah 50:9-11).

God also declared that after He used the Assyrian to punish His people, He would then destroy  Assyria (Isaiah 10:12). What is this strange enigma? It shows God's amazing wisdom to bring correction to his people through other people while observing how these nations do not wish to merely cooperate with Him in helping Israel repent of her sins but desire to annihilate the Jews or subjugate them through tyranny.

Thus, nations used to help correct Israel by causing the Jews sufficient pain to repent, are then judged by that same God who promised a curse on those who would curse His people. This bears out God's statement to use Pharaoh for His purposes before destroying this proud ruler: "And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth" (Exodus 9:16).

16.   WHAT IS GOD'S MESSAGE TO GENTILES CONCERNING THE JEWS AND

         ISRAEL?

First, we are told to pray, and we are given a promise for doing so: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee" (Psalm 122:6).

Second, we are to comfort the Jewish people and the nation of Israel in their fight for survival: "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem…" (Isaiah 40:1, 2).

Third, we are to show mercy to the people whom God used to extend His mercy to us through the Hebrew Scriptures and through Jesus: "Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy" (Romans 11:31). Just as God's mercy flowed to Gentiles, so it should be released through the Church to the Jews.

Fourth, Isaiah speaks of the intensity which both Jew and Gentile should exhibit toward God's declared purpose to establish His kingdom: "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth" (Isaiah 62:6, 7).

(TO BE CONTINUED)