One last point. We are told by dispensationalists that if we as a nation bless Israel (foreign aid) then we ourselves will be blessed. Since we've started being Israel's greatest benefactor in the world, who could actually argue the US has the blessing of God upon it. It's been nothing but decline since I've been alive and the decline is…
One last point. We are told by dispensationalists that if we as a nation bless Israel (foreign aid) then we ourselves will be blessed. Since we've started being Israel's greatest benefactor in the world, who could actually argue the US has the blessing of God upon it. It's been nothing but decline since I've been alive and the decline is accelerating. So there doesn't appear to be any blessing with giving $ to Israel, in fact quite the opposite.
But if by us supporting and giving $ Israel God is blessing us as a nation then we shouldn't have done such things. I'm just saying, I don't see any blessing or benefit to 'blessing' or showering Israel with $. Also, if the modern state of Israel is the still 'the apple of God's eye" (I used to hear Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel say that) then He's got their back. They don't need $ from any nation. When Israel prospered in ancient times, they didn't need aid from foreign countries (yes some countries paid tribute or gave gifts but this was not needed for them to be strong and stable) and God didn't require other countries to provide such aid (exempting the once instance where Babylon provided means to rebuild the Temple post exile).
Here's reality: They should be relying on God for their protection, but the people of Israel, for the most part, don't believe in God and almost all absolutely reject Jesus Christ. Israel is a secular state if there ever was one.
You may not know as much about Israel (that’s the truth) as you think you do.
The nation Israel is deep in sin as regards abortion and every other form of unrighteousness. So is the United States of America and almost every other nation on the face of the earth.
God is moving. Judgement is coming. And out of it, a new world is coming, with a special place for the nation of Israel.
There's a "special place" for every human being, but I don't think God deals with a country as a unit. Remember, the modern Israel did not exist at any time when the Bible was written. The modern Israel is filled with people of every religion, including Buddhists.
As is our government. Ours is actually filled with practicing Luciferians. We claimed the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when we were established as a nation. We too have asked Him to leave our nation and since He will not stay where He is not wanted, He has withdrawn Himself. Their government is in as much of a mess as ours. The only way that they will see Him is when He reveals Himself to them as individuals. And He is doing so. He is also revealing Himself to Muslims, Buddhists…..even Luciferians.
The Israel of old was likewise filled with people who worshipped a variety of false gods.
They failed over and over again in attempting to keep the covenants made with God. They sacrificed their children to Molech and practiced ritual sexual perversion.
Outside a faithful remnant, they were not pure by any means and were continuously warned by the many prophets sent to them. They were removed from the land because of their apostasy. The first removal was relatively short before Cyrus freed them to return and rebuild as is told in Ezra and Nehemiah.
Jesus is a Jew. He came to this imperfect, messed up nation. Besides a faithful remnant, he was rejected. And afterwards the Jews were removed again. This last removal has lasted for 2,000 years of suffering that came to a head with Hitler and the Holocaust. Ironically, without the Holocaust, there would be no modern nation Israel. Hitler was made to serve the purposes of God.
According to Peter, a thousand years is like a day to God, so that we should not wonder about the passing of so much time. God exists outside of time.
Israel is beloved by God. And in the end God will be beloved by Israel.
How are they relying on God, when there's only one way to God, through Jesus Christ, whom they reject? Some are relying on a religion, and that's not going to cut it.
The scriptures say the day is coming when the nation Israel will accept the one they had rejected. The story foretold by the Old Testament prophets and explained by the Apostle Paul in Romans is not over.
up your mind and made your own gospel according to
you.
If God tells me He will bless those who bless Israel and curse those
who curse her, I believe it, regardless of what is going on on the
surface. Yea,
they should rely
on him but we, in some
cases, are his hands and feet.
Have you ever heard the joke abt the flood waters rising and the Christian prays for rescue. A fire truck comes along to get him and he won’t get in bc “God has got this. He’s going to rescue me”. The waters get higher so a boat comes along and he won’t get in. Then he’s on his roof and a helicopter comes along. He won’t go. He starts to swim and he’s angry at God for not rescuing him. God looks down and says he tried, via a truck, a boat and a helicopter! He uses US to bless THEM. I for one am continuing to be one that helps, even though I know God doesn’t necessarily need little
old
me. After all, same could be said for multiplying Trump it any of the people we multiply.
I've made up my own gospel by believing what all Christians believed until like 15 minutes ago.
Show me in the NT where it says that those who bless the state of Israel will be blessed and those who curse her will be cursed. I'm excited to this passage.
Do not let these misinterpretations of Scripture mislead you, friend. Cognitive Dissonance will not allow many to discern and understand. These folks refuse to accept that the Old Covenant was fulfilled and only the New Covenant through Jesus the Christ is relevant now. They just cannot let it go, likely because it takes all power away from them. Psalm 118:8
Also remember that there are loads more prophetic verses in the OT than in the new. The scriptures that have been fulfilled, have been fulfilled, like the birth and death of Jesus, etc. But the ones yet to be fulfilled or the ones that always stand, stand.
I have no dog in this fight (not that it’s a fight) and seek no power whatsoever.
Teach a man to fish, he’s never hungry:
Search your fave bible version and key words. Ex: KJV (my fave) and “loves Israel” or “hates Israel” and many verses pop up. I usually check KKV bible
You seriously need to read the entire Bible. The Word says that He knew the end from the beginning. You cannot understand Revelation if you do not understand the beginning. And when you do away with the Covenant, you do away with the need for Yeshua (Jesus).
Gen. 12:3 And I will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you.
Isaiah 60:12 And those who will not serve you will be utterly destroyed,
perish.
Isaiah 41:11-12 Behold all those who strive with you shall perish. They shall be utterly destroyed. **It goes on quite a bit after this, describing calamities to come to them who hurt Israel.
Matthew 25:34-ff: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Who are these brethren? I'm guessing they are Jews...
Understanding who 'Israel' is has been missed by many supposed Christians. Israel is the Church, the Bride of Christ. Only heretical dispensationalists and zionists think that the nation-state called Israel that was established in the 20th Century is the same as the Israel from God's Holy Word.
Any 'Christian' who places Israel above Jesus is blasphemous and an enemy to God. I do not apologize for writing truth, and I welcome debate.
Yes. That's 100 percent it. Don't look at Israel (post WW2 state) as God's people when in fact it is the body of believers who are God's people, call it "spiritual Israel" or just "the church." The new covenant, not the old one, is in effect now. Jesus fulfilled the old one. Christians should rescue, not wait to be rescued.
When Zedekiah was slaughtered in battle with all his sons, his daughters went on and settled Scotland, Ireland and G Britain. When the jews were soundly defeated by the assyrian, they scattered over the Caucasus Mtns. (hence the name Caucasian) and the European countries. Israel is everywhere Israelites are everywhere, but Israel is Israel, too.
I don’t anyone who places Israel before God or Jesus. That’s never even crossed my mind.
I don’t think Israel in the Bible is the bride of Christ. I think Israel is Israel, Jerusalem is Jerusalem, a shining city on a hill, the Jordan River is the Jordan river and all the other places are pretty much who they are except of course, the renamed places like Persia is Iran, I think, and so on. I DO think the USA is sort of “Israel, Jr.”.
Respectfully, I strongly suggest that you try to read Scripture through the lens of the people that wrote it, instead of imposing modern literalism on it. Otherwise, you miss so much of what it is saying. Many times, especially in prophecy, things like "Persia" and "Zion" are not strictly literal - eg, "Babylon" in Revelation should be an obvious example. Taking the figurative as literal is to misunderstand God's revelation.
It's as if someone told you they had "ants in their pants", and you asked what species of ant.
That’s pretty insulting, all the way around, even with your “respectfully…”beginning. But that’s ok.
I lean toward most scriptures being both literal and figurative. I can think of no other author, no other storyteller and no other being better able to weave a story/stories that transcend(s) time even as it speaks to the present.
It's certainly true that scripture has both literal and figurative, and that it weaves a coherent story from start to end. I'm just suggesting that some things in there are NOT literal, but entirely figurative, metaphorical, or hyperbolic. (For instance, calling the mustard tree the "largest of plants".)
Also, my apologies if there was any unnecessary insult, though I'm not sure it's possible to say "you're wrong" without at least some degree of offense.
I do believe that Israel is Israel. To us, seems as though God might’ve done a different thing/ gone abt making his beloved country in a different way, but then again, isn’t that just like Him —to do things entirely the opposite of how we’d expect? He ushered in the savior, the eventual King of the Jews by way of a donkey. He offered us eternal
life by sacrificing His only begotten son. He goes about doing things far differently than we.
Precisely. Avi Abelow, who makes the short informational videos for pulseofisrael.com, expresses the frustration of patriotic Israelis at the control the U.S. exerts upon them. They would love total independence.
‘W’ Bush and company did not fight that war for Israel. It was all for their own financial gain.
As for God’s blessing on any nation today, with the exception of some African countries that seem to be practicing Godliness, I don’t know any deserving. I think there’s more of a setting up the scenario for the final drama and God is moving to cause this and that to take place.
I, myself, feel personally very blessed for my lifelong stand for Israel. My 4 children and 13 grandchildren serve the Lord. The youngest was just baptized a few weeks ago.
"Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, played a crucial role in the recognition of Israel as a legitimate Jewish state. On May 14, 1948, just 11 minutes after Israel’s declaration of independence, Truman became the first world leader to officially recognize Israel."
And another way:
"Richard Nixon played a crucial role in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a pivotal moment in the history of Israel. During the war, Israel was caught off guard by a surprise attack from Egypt and Syria, and was facing a dire situation. Nixon, who was the President of the United States at the time, quickly responded to the crisis by ordering a massive airlift of military equipment and supplies to Israel."
Thus says the Lord GOD: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD. Ezekiel 37:12-14
Of what other nation has the Lord said, ‘O my people!’
The United States became a major power when it supported the fledgling nation, Israel.
When Great Britain supported the Jewish people with a movement that resulted in the new creation of Israel, they were a world empire. When they betrayed Israel almost immediately after its statehood began, that great empire began to crumble.
The United States has been a false friend to Israel for many decades now, and many in power seek her destruction. There are secret alliances with her enemies and even open gifting of vast sums to Iran, who is the root and support of the terrorist groups that are completely open about their goal to exterminate all Jews.
God is not mocked. He knows what to bless and what to curse.
Read the heartbreak in Jesus words about His longing to shelter Israel.
He indeed fulfilled God’s covenant purposes. He created a new covenant and in the end there will be great rejoicing when Israel repents and mourns the one they have pierced.
We have destroyed our blessings with child/adult porn, abortion, corrupt political leaders, turning away from God, taking Him out of our daily lives. We have turned our back on God. You are taking a snip out of the Bible.
You make a great point, Aloha50. Israel is the Church (Bride of Christ), not the nation-state established after God destroyed Jerusalem. Do not be deceived by dispensationalist heresy. God used Rome to destroy Jerusalem in 70AD as punishment for rejecting Jesus as the Messiah. The establishment of the nation-state of Israel is an affront to God and does not bear His blessing. I welcome debate on this issue...
I think he meant the "Church Invisible" (or whatever terminology one prefers)... it is indeed obvious to anyone who looks that "most churches" are merely social clubs paying lip service to Christ, rather than parts of the real Church. It's one of the perils of living in a society where "Christian" is (or used to be) considered socially positive.
I disagree that the modern state of Israel is an insult to God -- I would merely say that it is a secular nation no different from any other, and not especially blessed by God other than what he does with any other nation based on their actions. However, those who misinterpret secular Israel as ancient Covenant Israel are misreading the scripture and may well be an affront to God if they do so stubbornly rather than in ignorance.
That said, I also think that it's probably a good thing for Jewish people to have a secular state specifically for them to live in, given the continued existence of radical segments of Islam that do quite literally want to genocide all Jews. Part of the rationale for the British creating Israel was to prevent the possibility of Holocaust 2.0.
But the Balfour Declaration (1917) was long before the supposed holocaust, although the number of six million has been used since at least the beginning of the 20th Century. Have you ever seen the newspaper headline from the 1930’s with the headline, “Judea Declares War on Germany”?
Things are not what they seem and yes, history has purposefully been obscured by confusing accounts from multiple sources.
Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 mention the synagogue of satan…those who say they are Jews but are not really Jews.
Understanding this issue begins with discerning the truth about who and what the ‘players’ are.
Pastor Chuck Baldwin is an excellent source for interpreting scriptural prophecy and his website has his sermons available for streaming at
This is a spiritual war and humans are mainly unaware of the manipulation we constantly endure from the spiritual realm. I don’t hate Jews or any other humans, as we are all equal in God’s eyes. Not one people elevated above another, or placed below. We all have Jesus available, because the New Covenant is through His sacrifice and not anything we do or who we are as a culture.
If you read Galatians 3, as you probably have, the church is now Israel and heirs of God's promises to Abraham. It isn't a piece of real estate or an ethnic group that has intermarried itself out of existence.
Ah…..replacement theology. That’s a dangerous, unscriptural teaching.
The ‘church’ was established by Edomites. (Esau and Ishmael’s progeny)
Those who became believers have been grafted into the Olive Tree, but we have been warned against boasting and ridiculing the olive branches that were cut off. Did you know that an olive branch that has become unfruitful can be cut off and lay beside the olive tree for years and STILL be grafted BACK into the tree and produce fruit?
Did you know that’s why His side was pierced?
The olive tree has to be pierced for a WILD olive branch to be grafted in. The implant is placed into the pierced side, of the TREE, then wrapped in linen .
How long before the graft takes hold?
Three days!!! (Resurrection!)
But He said if you boast against the original branch, you are in danger of being cut off yourself.
May that never be!!. Because HE will restore the original branch and it WILL produce fruit.
The Edomites church has taught this lie of replacement theology and it is a Lie, just as Esau and Ishmael told lies is Isaac and then Jacob throughout the Bible, their children and their children’s children are teaching those same lies today.
Well, I don't know any Edomites and they haven't taught me any lies. You can wait for God to give Israel more real estate if you like, but don't miss out on the Kingdom of God.
One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?”
Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you."
I always return to Mark 12:30-31, New International Version
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.”
Sometimes it is pretty easy to see who loves their neighbor or not.
I think maybe she thinks we’re not loving each other because we are debating. Jesus was the most controversial person, who ever walked the earth, but some Christians think we should always be ‘nice’ and never speak our minds.
As for myself, I think the highest form of love of neighbor is to speak the Truth.
Agreed, though to adapt a separate piece of scripture, "do it with gentleness and respect". Or otherwise, don't despise your brother, even when you think he is badly wrong. (I'm apply this to all of us, in reply to you since you brought it up.)
As long as we are criticizing doctrines and facts, and not individuals and motives (unless obviously revealed), it is a good thing to "sharpen" one another.
One last point. We are told by dispensationalists that if we as a nation bless Israel (foreign aid) then we ourselves will be blessed. Since we've started being Israel's greatest benefactor in the world, who could actually argue the US has the blessing of God upon it. It's been nothing but decline since I've been alive and the decline is accelerating. So there doesn't appear to be any blessing with giving $ to Israel, in fact quite the opposite.
We were greatly blessed, as was Israel. But then we started offering babies to Moloch, which Israel also did.
Remember? 60’s. And the decline became an avalanche.
But if by us supporting and giving $ Israel God is blessing us as a nation then we shouldn't have done such things. I'm just saying, I don't see any blessing or benefit to 'blessing' or showering Israel with $. Also, if the modern state of Israel is the still 'the apple of God's eye" (I used to hear Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel say that) then He's got their back. They don't need $ from any nation. When Israel prospered in ancient times, they didn't need aid from foreign countries (yes some countries paid tribute or gave gifts but this was not needed for them to be strong and stable) and God didn't require other countries to provide such aid (exempting the once instance where Babylon provided means to rebuild the Temple post exile).
Here's reality: They should be relying on God for their protection, but the people of Israel, for the most part, don't believe in God and almost all absolutely reject Jesus Christ. Israel is a secular state if there ever was one.
Look into the Messianic Judaism movement. You can’t paint all the people of Israel with one broad stroke.
Check out pulse of Israel online. Read Caroline Glick.
They are all about relying on God for their protection. And I agree wholeheartedly with that.
But when there is talk about all the aid the U.S.gives Israel, I have to wonder about how fair it is to portray them like welfare recipients.
These are damned smart people, brainiest in the world. Are we to believe they have contributed nothing of value in their alliance with the U.S.?
I am not about ‘showering’ Israel with money. (Though there seems to be a disproportionate concern about that in comparison to other nations).
I am about the land is theirs and standing with them in their fight against their annihilation.
You may not know as much about Israel (that’s the truth) as you think you do.
The nation Israel is deep in sin as regards abortion and every other form of unrighteousness. So is the United States of America and almost every other nation on the face of the earth.
God is moving. Judgement is coming. And out of it, a new world is coming, with a special place for the nation of Israel.
There's a "special place" for every human being, but I don't think God deals with a country as a unit. Remember, the modern Israel did not exist at any time when the Bible was written. The modern Israel is filled with people of every religion, including Buddhists.
As is our government. Ours is actually filled with practicing Luciferians. We claimed the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when we were established as a nation. We too have asked Him to leave our nation and since He will not stay where He is not wanted, He has withdrawn Himself. Their government is in as much of a mess as ours. The only way that they will see Him is when He reveals Himself to them as individuals. And He is doing so. He is also revealing Himself to Muslims, Buddhists…..even Luciferians.
My beliefs are a little different from yours. I believe God is omnipresent. Jesus promised to never leave us. Matthew 28:20
The Israel of old was likewise filled with people who worshipped a variety of false gods.
They failed over and over again in attempting to keep the covenants made with God. They sacrificed their children to Molech and practiced ritual sexual perversion.
Outside a faithful remnant, they were not pure by any means and were continuously warned by the many prophets sent to them. They were removed from the land because of their apostasy. The first removal was relatively short before Cyrus freed them to return and rebuild as is told in Ezra and Nehemiah.
Jesus is a Jew. He came to this imperfect, messed up nation. Besides a faithful remnant, he was rejected. And afterwards the Jews were removed again. This last removal has lasted for 2,000 years of suffering that came to a head with Hitler and the Holocaust. Ironically, without the Holocaust, there would be no modern nation Israel. Hitler was made to serve the purposes of God.
According to Peter, a thousand years is like a day to God, so that we should not wonder about the passing of so much time. God exists outside of time.
Israel is beloved by God. And in the end God will be beloved by Israel.
How are they relying on God, when there's only one way to God, through Jesus Christ, whom they reject? Some are relying on a religion, and that's not going to cut it.
The scriptures say the day is coming when the nation Israel will accept the one they had rejected. The story foretold by the Old Testament prophets and explained by the Apostle Paul in Romans is not over.
It sounds as though you’ve made
up your mind and made your own gospel according to
you.
If God tells me He will bless those who bless Israel and curse those
who curse her, I believe it, regardless of what is going on on the
surface. Yea,
they should rely
on him but we, in some
cases, are his hands and feet.
Have you ever heard the joke abt the flood waters rising and the Christian prays for rescue. A fire truck comes along to get him and he won’t get in bc “God has got this. He’s going to rescue me”. The waters get higher so a boat comes along and he won’t get in. Then he’s on his roof and a helicopter comes along. He won’t go. He starts to swim and he’s angry at God for not rescuing him. God looks down and says he tried, via a truck, a boat and a helicopter! He uses US to bless THEM. I for one am continuing to be one that helps, even though I know God doesn’t necessarily need little
old
me. After all, same could be said for multiplying Trump it any of the people we multiply.
I've made up my own gospel by believing what all Christians believed until like 15 minutes ago.
Show me in the NT where it says that those who bless the state of Israel will be blessed and those who curse her will be cursed. I'm excited to this passage.
Do not let these misinterpretations of Scripture mislead you, friend. Cognitive Dissonance will not allow many to discern and understand. These folks refuse to accept that the Old Covenant was fulfilled and only the New Covenant through Jesus the Christ is relevant now. They just cannot let it go, likely because it takes all power away from them. Psalm 118:8
Amen and thank you. God bless
Also remember that there are loads more prophetic verses in the OT than in the new. The scriptures that have been fulfilled, have been fulfilled, like the birth and death of Jesus, etc. But the ones yet to be fulfilled or the ones that always stand, stand.
I have no dog in this fight (not that it’s a fight) and seek no power whatsoever.
Teach a man to fish, he’s never hungry:
Search your fave bible version and key words. Ex: KJV (my fave) and “loves Israel” or “hates Israel” and many verses pop up. I usually check KKV bible
online when presented woth several options
You seriously need to read the entire Bible. The Word says that He knew the end from the beginning. You cannot understand Revelation if you do not understand the beginning. And when you do away with the Covenant, you do away with the need for Yeshua (Jesus).
There are several.
Gen. 12:3 And I will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you.
Isaiah 60:12 And those who will not serve you will be utterly destroyed,
perish.
Isaiah 41:11-12 Behold all those who strive with you shall perish. They shall be utterly destroyed. **It goes on quite a bit after this, describing calamities to come to them who hurt Israel.
Matthew 25:34-ff: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Who are these brethren? I'm guessing they are Jews...
The Jews are 'the least' in this world?
Maybe some of them are.
Understanding who 'Israel' is has been missed by many supposed Christians. Israel is the Church, the Bride of Christ. Only heretical dispensationalists and zionists think that the nation-state called Israel that was established in the 20th Century is the same as the Israel from God's Holy Word.
Any 'Christian' who places Israel above Jesus is blasphemous and an enemy to God. I do not apologize for writing truth, and I welcome debate.
Yes. That's 100 percent it. Don't look at Israel (post WW2 state) as God's people when in fact it is the body of believers who are God's people, call it "spiritual Israel" or just "the church." The new covenant, not the old one, is in effect now. Jesus fulfilled the old one. Christians should rescue, not wait to be rescued.
Very well stated!
When Zedekiah was slaughtered in battle with all his sons, his daughters went on and settled Scotland, Ireland and G Britain. When the jews were soundly defeated by the assyrian, they scattered over the Caucasus Mtns. (hence the name Caucasian) and the European countries. Israel is everywhere Israelites are everywhere, but Israel is Israel, too.
@Special Ted - I didn't read far enough before commenting! 👍
I don’t anyone who places Israel before God or Jesus. That’s never even crossed my mind.
I don’t think Israel in the Bible is the bride of Christ. I think Israel is Israel, Jerusalem is Jerusalem, a shining city on a hill, the Jordan River is the Jordan river and all the other places are pretty much who they are except of course, the renamed places like Persia is Iran, I think, and so on. I DO think the USA is sort of “Israel, Jr.”.
Respectfully, I strongly suggest that you try to read Scripture through the lens of the people that wrote it, instead of imposing modern literalism on it. Otherwise, you miss so much of what it is saying. Many times, especially in prophecy, things like "Persia" and "Zion" are not strictly literal - eg, "Babylon" in Revelation should be an obvious example. Taking the figurative as literal is to misunderstand God's revelation.
It's as if someone told you they had "ants in their pants", and you asked what species of ant.
That’s pretty insulting, all the way around, even with your “respectfully…”beginning. But that’s ok.
I lean toward most scriptures being both literal and figurative. I can think of no other author, no other storyteller and no other being better able to weave a story/stories that transcend(s) time even as it speaks to the present.
It's certainly true that scripture has both literal and figurative, and that it weaves a coherent story from start to end. I'm just suggesting that some things in there are NOT literal, but entirely figurative, metaphorical, or hyperbolic. (For instance, calling the mustard tree the "largest of plants".)
Also, my apologies if there was any unnecessary insult, though I'm not sure it's possible to say "you're wrong" without at least some degree of offense.
But just who is the real "Israel" of the Bible? Rothchild's gift of land through the Balfour Declaration?
I do believe that Israel is Israel. To us, seems as though God might’ve done a different thing/ gone abt making his beloved country in a different way, but then again, isn’t that just like Him —to do things entirely the opposite of how we’d expect? He ushered in the savior, the eventual King of the Jews by way of a donkey. He offered us eternal
life by sacrificing His only begotten son. He goes about doing things far differently than we.
Yes.
If financial aid is your only measure of what it means to bless, you might be mistaken in your analysis.
What else is there? Fighting wars for them (attacking Iraq) could still be construed as foreign aid it just includes American blood as well.
If our financial aid is tied by the State Department to the implementation of immoral agendas, I would hardly call that a blessing.
Precisely. Avi Abelow, who makes the short informational videos for pulseofisrael.com, expresses the frustration of patriotic Israelis at the control the U.S. exerts upon them. They would love total independence.
‘W’ Bush and company did not fight that war for Israel. It was all for their own financial gain.
As for God’s blessing on any nation today, with the exception of some African countries that seem to be practicing Godliness, I don’t know any deserving. I think there’s more of a setting up the scenario for the final drama and God is moving to cause this and that to take place.
I, myself, feel personally very blessed for my lifelong stand for Israel. My 4 children and 13 grandchildren serve the Lord. The youngest was just baptized a few weeks ago.
And a miracle 14th is due next month!
And we all enjoy exceptional health and we’re all good looking to boot!
Here's one way:
"Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, played a crucial role in the recognition of Israel as a legitimate Jewish state. On May 14, 1948, just 11 minutes after Israel’s declaration of independence, Truman became the first world leader to officially recognize Israel."
And another way:
"Richard Nixon played a crucial role in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a pivotal moment in the history of Israel. During the war, Israel was caught off guard by a surprise attack from Egypt and Syria, and was facing a dire situation. Nixon, who was the President of the United States at the time, quickly responded to the crisis by ordering a massive airlift of military equipment and supplies to Israel."
Source: Brave search engine
Thus says the Lord GOD: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD. Ezekiel 37:12-14
Of what other nation has the Lord said, ‘O my people!’
The United States became a major power when it supported the fledgling nation, Israel.
When Great Britain supported the Jewish people with a movement that resulted in the new creation of Israel, they were a world empire. When they betrayed Israel almost immediately after its statehood began, that great empire began to crumble.
The United States has been a false friend to Israel for many decades now, and many in power seek her destruction. There are secret alliances with her enemies and even open gifting of vast sums to Iran, who is the root and support of the terrorist groups that are completely open about their goal to exterminate all Jews.
God is not mocked. He knows what to bless and what to curse.
Read the heartbreak in Jesus words about His longing to shelter Israel.
He indeed fulfilled God’s covenant purposes. He created a new covenant and in the end there will be great rejoicing when Israel repents and mourns the one they have pierced.
We have destroyed our blessings with child/adult porn, abortion, corrupt political leaders, turning away from God, taking Him out of our daily lives. We have turned our back on God. You are taking a snip out of the Bible.
So perhaps doling foreign aid out would be included in that list of evils...
perhaps, but the only country I would give foreign aid to Israel. Super simple. :-)
You make a great point, Aloha50. Israel is the Church (Bride of Christ), not the nation-state established after God destroyed Jerusalem. Do not be deceived by dispensationalist heresy. God used Rome to destroy Jerusalem in 70AD as punishment for rejecting Jesus as the Messiah. The establishment of the nation-state of Israel is an affront to God and does not bear His blessing. I welcome debate on this issue...
I think you mean ‘His people’, because the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob hasn’t been in most ‘churches’ in a very long time.
I think he meant the "Church Invisible" (or whatever terminology one prefers)... it is indeed obvious to anyone who looks that "most churches" are merely social clubs paying lip service to Christ, rather than parts of the real Church. It's one of the perils of living in a society where "Christian" is (or used to be) considered socially positive.
I’m not smart enough to find my comment that you are correcting, but I agree with your assessment of the modern church.
I disagree that the modern state of Israel is an insult to God -- I would merely say that it is a secular nation no different from any other, and not especially blessed by God other than what he does with any other nation based on their actions. However, those who misinterpret secular Israel as ancient Covenant Israel are misreading the scripture and may well be an affront to God if they do so stubbornly rather than in ignorance.
That said, I also think that it's probably a good thing for Jewish people to have a secular state specifically for them to live in, given the continued existence of radical segments of Islam that do quite literally want to genocide all Jews. Part of the rationale for the British creating Israel was to prevent the possibility of Holocaust 2.0.
But the Balfour Declaration (1917) was long before the supposed holocaust, although the number of six million has been used since at least the beginning of the 20th Century. Have you ever seen the newspaper headline from the 1930’s with the headline, “Judea Declares War on Germany”?
Things are not what they seem and yes, history has purposefully been obscured by confusing accounts from multiple sources.
Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 mention the synagogue of satan…those who say they are Jews but are not really Jews.
Understanding this issue begins with discerning the truth about who and what the ‘players’ are.
Pastor Chuck Baldwin is an excellent source for interpreting scriptural prophecy and his website has his sermons available for streaming at
chuckbaldwinlive.com
This is a spiritual war and humans are mainly unaware of the manipulation we constantly endure from the spiritual realm. I don’t hate Jews or any other humans, as we are all equal in God’s eyes. Not one people elevated above another, or placed below. We all have Jesus available, because the New Covenant is through His sacrifice and not anything we do or who we are as a culture.
If you read Galatians 3, as you probably have, the church is now Israel and heirs of God's promises to Abraham. It isn't a piece of real estate or an ethnic group that has intermarried itself out of existence.
Ah…..replacement theology. That’s a dangerous, unscriptural teaching.
The ‘church’ was established by Edomites. (Esau and Ishmael’s progeny)
Those who became believers have been grafted into the Olive Tree, but we have been warned against boasting and ridiculing the olive branches that were cut off. Did you know that an olive branch that has become unfruitful can be cut off and lay beside the olive tree for years and STILL be grafted BACK into the tree and produce fruit?
Did you know that’s why His side was pierced?
The olive tree has to be pierced for a WILD olive branch to be grafted in. The implant is placed into the pierced side, of the TREE, then wrapped in linen .
How long before the graft takes hold?
Three days!!! (Resurrection!)
But He said if you boast against the original branch, you are in danger of being cut off yourself.
May that never be!!. Because HE will restore the original branch and it WILL produce fruit.
The Edomites church has taught this lie of replacement theology and it is a Lie, just as Esau and Ishmael told lies is Isaac and then Jacob throughout the Bible, their children and their children’s children are teaching those same lies today.
Well, I don't know any Edomites and they haven't taught me any lies. You can wait for God to give Israel more real estate if you like, but don't miss out on the Kingdom of God.
One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?”
Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you."
Matt. 17:20-21
Things are all going to
go wayyyy downhill before things get tidied up. Because your house is needing some TLC, doesn’t mean it’s falling down.
I always return to Mark 12:30-31, New International Version
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] There is no commandment greater than these.”
Sometimes it is pretty easy to see who loves their neighbor or not.
Not sure the point you're making, please clarify.
I think maybe she thinks we’re not loving each other because we are debating. Jesus was the most controversial person, who ever walked the earth, but some Christians think we should always be ‘nice’ and never speak our minds.
As for myself, I think the highest form of love of neighbor is to speak the Truth.
Agreed, though to adapt a separate piece of scripture, "do it with gentleness and respect". Or otherwise, don't despise your brother, even when you think he is badly wrong. (I'm apply this to all of us, in reply to you since you brought it up.)
As long as we are criticizing doctrines and facts, and not individuals and motives (unless obviously revealed), it is a good thing to "sharpen" one another.
Jesus was no pushover! He hated hypocrisy. The Lamb & the Lion.