Is Israel the Apple of God's Eye?

 

Friday, September 4, 2015    (Kermit’s Birthday)

"In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me, And He has also made Me a select arrow.     He has hidden Me in His quiver.  He said to Me, "You are My Servant Israel, In Whom I will show My glory."  (Isaiah 49:2b- 3b).

Hey Gang:  The writer of Hebrews tells us that in the latter days we are going to experience a shaking like we have never experienced before, all in preparation of the coming Day of the Lord.   I am eighty two years old today and can attest to the truth of that statement.  As a child I do not recall Jerusalem being a focal point of the world.  As a matter of fact I do not recall any specific event that centered on Israel until 1948 when Israel became a nation once again.

From that day on Jerusalem and Israel have been the focal point of the world press and world governments.  I list them in that order for I learned, while volunteering in Israel on eleven separate occasions, that where the press was, there was conflict.  I also learned, being there and seeing what was happening firsthand, I most often came away with the felling that the press was not seeing the same picture I was seeing. 

In a recent round table discussion involving a number of prophetic gurus, one elderly gentlemen was asked, can you sum up what is happening in the prophetic world in one phrase? He responded yes, I can do it in one word, "Israel."   He then went on to put meat on his statement: "Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around, and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah.  It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured.  And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against."  (Zechariah 12:2-3). 

When people ask where is the United Sates in prophecy, my question to them is,  “Are you a literalist in interpretation or do you try and make Scriptures fit where you are at spiritually?”   If you are a literalist, then I can answer your question; reread Zechariah 12:2-3 and pay special attention to the "all's". If you are a non-literalist, you may have the same problem President Clinton had with the definition of the word "is".

One of my very favorite verses in the Bible is found in Zachariah 12:8 "In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them."  

 There was an old country preacher who was asked if he would rather die and be taken up to the Lord or to be raptured and.    He said, “Ya know, I have studied that question for many years knowing we are nearing that time when Yeshua is going to come again soon, and I really have mixed emotions. Today, I think I would like to be in the grave and come blasting out of the coffin to be with the Lord, but tomorrow I may choose - some will be taken and some left' route.  But this I know, the bottom line is I just want to be with Him!

 I believe we can all agree that Jerusalem is a cup that causes reeling to the peoples of the world and a very heavy stone around the necks of the peoples of the world.  Keep in mind, dear friends, that Israel is less in size than New Jersey but requires more than seventy five percent of all the time of the UN. 

Now, I want to make a point here, the more you open your mind and heart to the study of prophecy,  the greater the peace in your heart.  If I could have one wish given to me I would choose to stand on the Mount of Olives, where my Lord ascended into the heavenlies and where He will soon return again.  He will shout to the people of Israel: "So I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the House of Judah, Do not fear"   (Zechariah 9:15).

 Well ,my friends, let me warn you, when I put the prophetic word beside the news of what is happening in our world, I get very excited and also very wordy.  So please feel free to tune in or tune out when you find the load is getting to heavy to bare,  but keep focused on the Lord of Glory. Be advised, He will come as a thief in the night – to those who are not expecting Him; BUT, to those who alert and watching and their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, ’He will take them to the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.  Hey gang, you do not want to miss that! 

Blessings,

Gramps