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Whose Holy Land? The Chosen People People Volume XIX, Issue 6 July 2013 WHOSE HOLY LAND? INSIDE To Whom Does the Land of Israel Belong? • The Future and THIS ISSUE: Mystery of Israel According to Moses • The Book of Immanuel TO WHOM DOES THE LAND OF ISRAEL BELONG? Dear friend, Shalom! I am writing as I prepare to return to the U.S. after spending two weeks in Israel. The work in the Holy Land is going well—including evangelism, discipleship, congregational planting, feeding the poor and elderly, and children’s work. I also spent quite a bit of time working on preparations for the Isaiah 53 Campaign in Israel, and I will tell you more about these plans in the near future! The opportunities to reach Jewish people for the Messiah Jesus in Israel are astounding. There is no question in my mind that the Land of Israel should and must be a focus of our work in the days ahead. There are now more than six million Jewish people living in the Holy Land. Unfortunately, not everyone is as excited about the Land of Israel as I am! In fact, the questions, “Who has the right to the Land of Israel?” and, “To whom does the Land of Israel really belong?” are becoming an increasingly widespread focus of attention. Is it the Jewish people? The Palestinians? Maybe the Land belongs to the Bedouin tribes that have lived there for many centuries? The answer to this burning question is not found in U.N. Resolution 181,1 in which the United Nations recommended the establishment of Jewish and Arab states, paving the way for the modern state of Israel. Neither is it found in the declaration of Israeli independence made on May 14, 1948. The answer is simple in my mind. The Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel—the Jewish people. Let me give you a few reasons why I believe this with all my heart. King David sang, “…the earth is the Lord’s…” (Psalm 24:1) and it is He who determines the boundaries of nations (Acts 17:26, Psalm 74:17, Deut. 32:8). Therefore, the Land of Israel, like every other nation, belongs to the God of Israel and whomever He decides should be His stewards! The Lord told Abram that both he and his descendants would be given the Land (Gen. 12:1-3). This promise was also given to the sons of Abraham, 2 The Chosen People Isaac, Jacob and to their descendants country in the world would be forced God. This right is not based upon (Gen. 17:19-21, 26:1-5, 35:9-15). to forfeit the right to possess its land. national righteousness. The complete We cannot ignore the present There is a deeper question that fulfillment of this promise will only political realities and complexities of must be asked. come about at the second coming of the crisis, yet we should base our Jesus (Rom. 11:12, 15, 25-29). Until then, I believe the Jewish people have a personal understanding of the issues Do the Jewish People upon the Bible. I believe the Land of right to the Land of Israel, even if they Israel belongs to the people of Israel, whom Have a Divine Right to will never deserve it based on their God created from the loins of Abraham, Possess the Land of own merit. Possession of the Land, as Isaac and Jacob. Of course, this does not Israel? with all the promises of God, is based upon His generous and benevolent mean that others who are not Jewish To this question, I would answer character and we will always be cannot live in and enjoy the Land and yes. The Jewish people do in fact have undeserving of His goodness and nation of Israel! a divine right to the Land of Israel—at thankful for His grace. It does mean that Israel today any moment in history since the day of needs our prayers, understanding and Abram—based upon God’s covenant. Nonetheless, I believe that the creation involvement in encouraging the This is the only deed of ownership that of the modern state of Israel is a sure sign nation and the inhabitants of the Holy really matters. By a confluence of events of God’s faithfulness and power. We have Land to seek the Holy One of Israel. that reflects the hand of God, the Jewish no doubt that one day the Lord will people once again became the complete what He started and the possessors of the Land of Israel in 1948. nation of Israel will become a Holy Do the Jewish People Land when the remnant of Israel turns Have a Moral Right to As the Word of God declares—and to Yeshua the Messiah. As Paul the Land of Israel? as history has shown—the Lord is able promised, to cast the Jewish people out of the Concerning the gospel they Many Christians are asking Land if it is His will (Deut. 28, Lev. 26, are enemies for your sake, but whether the Jewish people of today etc.). Yet He is the same God who is concerning the election they are have a moral right to possess the Land able to bring the Jewish people back to beloved for the sake of the of Israel. This may shock you, but I the Land as He chooses. And regardless fathers. For the gifts and the calling would answer—no. Jewish people of world politics, the peace and security today have not earned the moral right of God are irrevocable. that God promised to the Jewish people to possess the Land of Israel. Why (Rom. 11:28-29) in the Land will take place during the would I make this bold assertion? Messianic Kingdom, when all who Let’s be frank: most Israelis are dwell there will acknowledge the Evangelism and quite secular. Their values are not Lordship of Jesus the Messiah. the Promise grounded in the Hebrew Bible, much less in the New Testament. Today’s This is why Your Mission to the Messianic movement in Israel makes A Bright Future for the Jewish People continues to proclaim up less than 0.02% of the population. Land of Israel the Good News of Jesus, both outside and inside Israel. Our ministry staff In other words, fewer than 10,000 of I believe the Bible teaches that the the current Jewish population of more serves among Jewish people in nations Jewish people cannot fully enjoy the representing 96% of the world’s Jewish than six million Jewish people in Land of Israel until they turn to the Israel follow Jesus as their Messiah. population. We believe that there is no Messiah Jesus, and until Jesus returns as hope of personal salvation outside of It is also true that Israel is similar to King to rule on His rightful throne in Jesus for either Jew or Gentile. many secular countries. I am sad to say Jerusalem! At that time, the promises of Proclaiming this life-giving message to that Israeli society is plagued by an God will be gloriously fulfilled when Jewish people is why Chosen People increasingly high number of abortions, the wolf lies down with the lamb, our Ministries exists! an increasing advocacy for gay weapons of war are transformed into marriage, and a growing problem with tools for farming, and the curse that Yours for the prostitution. In other words, modern fell upon the world through sin will be salvation of Israel, Israel—like any other nation, including lifted. Yet the Abrahamic deed assures the our own—is anything but holy! Jewish people of the right to live in the However, I think this is the wrong Land whenever they are able. Mitch question. If nations were measured on Therefore, the Jewish people have a 1 http://www.knesset.gov.il/ Dr. Mitch Glaser the basis of morality, then every right to the Land based on the promise of process/docs/un181_eng.htm President July 2013 3 The Future of Israel According to Moses The fourth chapter of Deuteronomy, when viewed in light of the travails of the Jewish people throughout much of their history, is one of the most sobering passages of the Hebrew Scripture. Set at the moment when the children of Israel are poised to enter and occupy the Promised Land, these verses are part of the account of Moses’ exhortations and warnings to them at this momentous turning point. Here we find Moses reminding the children of Israel that Is Israel the although God’s promises are bestowed by grace, their benefits Promised Land? are maintained by faithful obedience—and may be forfeited, at least temporarily. First and foremost among Moses’ concerns is In Genesis 12:1, God tells a childless that Israel remain true to the God of their redemption, and seventy-five-year-old man and his sixty-five- that they resist the temptation to fall into the sin of idolatry. If year-old wife, “Get out of your country, from your family and they fail in this respect, “The Lord will scatter you among the from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” The peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations land of Ur was a thriving metropolis at the time when where the Lord will drive you.” (Deut. 4:27) Abraham was told to leave it—and the land of Canaan, Jewish history has been, in large measure, a record of where God was sending Abraham, was a virtual wasteland in this prophetic word; suffering in exile has been Israel’s comparison.
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