Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Christianity: Not A Religion Or A "Faith Tradition:" Passover Series Part 1 of 4

Exodus 12:21-24 NKJV
"21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. 
22 And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.  24 And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever."

There are so many different religions in the world.  People are desperately searching for God in all the wrong places.  I'm sure if one could name them all, it would be a very long list.  Many people believe that all religions are equally good and can lead you to God and, ultimately (hopefully?) to heaven if you follow certain rules and disciplines.  Sadly, everything is based on own your self-effort which means you stand to lose it all if you don't measure up.

The one CRITICAL assurance that none of these can give, however, is this:  AN IRON-CLAD GUARANTEE OF SAFE PASSAGE OUT OF THIS WORLD.  Only Jesus can offer that.

What do I mean by "safe passage?"  Perfect assurance that you're going to heaven and not hell.  Don't like to talk about hell?  Neither do I.   But believe me, it's an all-too-real place.  I wouldn't wish that my worst enemy end up there.  
How do we know it exists?  Because Jesus, Who loves us so much, talked a lot about it.  He did so because doesn't want us to go there, either.  It was never designed for man.  Only Lucifer and his band of fallen angels were meant to be sentenced there.


Can you really know for sure that you'll go to heaven when you die?  YES!  You'll find blessed assurance here in this story about the Children of Israel and the first Passover.

The Israelites were instructed to put the blood of a lamb on the doorposts and the lintel of their homes.  When the Angel of Death passed through Egypt on that first, fateful Passover night, He saw the blood on their doorposts and "passed over" that household, sparing everyone who was behind the door.


None of the Egyptian households had blood on their doorposts and, as promised, EVERY first born of both human and animals died.

What I find fascinating is that the Children of Israel weren't the only ones who escaped death.  You see, by the time this, the 10th, hit, many Egyptians had wised up.  The scripture below bears this out:
"A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock. (Exodus 12:38 NKJV)
The word for "mixed" in Hebrew is the word, "ereb," which means "Arabia."  Yep!  There were many Gentiles were saved and traveled with the Israelites when they left Egypt!

You see, they realized that this God was the real deal, One not to be trifled with.  So, wisely, they sought refuge with their Jewish neighbors.  Just like the Jews, they were spared the fate of their countrymen.  That tells you that the Israelites didn't escape death simply because they were Jewish; they escaped death because they were covered by the blood of the Lamb:  JESUS!


Egypt is a typology of the world. The blood on the doorposts is a picture of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross.  No one....NO ONE.....is getting out of "Egypt" alive without the blood on the doorpost of their heart; and once it is applied, it can NEVER be removed.  IT'S AN IRON-CLAD GUARANTEE.

Why do we need a perfect sacrifice to offer God?  Because there is a sin-debt that all of us owe to God as a result of Adam's sin; a debt we cannot pay.  So Jesus paid it for us!  It's a debt He didn't owe. Actually, He OVERpaid it and gives it to is as a free gift.  
The issue is, without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins.  Because all humans are tainted with sin, we can neither offer ourselves as our own sacrifice nor do enough good works as if we were off-setting some kind of heavenly scale in our favor.  Since we are blemished, imperfect, no matter how hard we try, we can never measure up.  The Bible says "our RIGHTEOUSNESS is as filthy rags."  God has to reject our offering because there can be no spot or wrinkle...and off to hell you go.

Just like any gift, you are free to either accept or reject it.  Salvation is not automatic. 
If you reject the free gift He is offering, God is an awesome respecter of your free choice.  He will never force salvation on you.  Just understand that there are consequences that accompany your choice.  If you accept it, you can NEVER die.  Eternal life in heaven is assured.  But if you refuse it, you are already dead and will suffer the eternal consequences. 

Do any of the other founders of these various "religious traditions" claim to have created the heavens and the earth?  NO.  Looks like He's the real ALMIGHTY ONE!
Has any other founder of any other "religious tradition" died and rose again.?
No. They're ALL STILL DEAD.
Can any other founder of any other "religious tradition" can provide an offering acceptable to the God of the Universe--The One Who makes the rules--which can give you SAFE PASSAGE OUT OF THIS WORLD?  NO, NO, NO!

THEREFORE:
No other "religious tradition" in the world can offer the ASSURANCE of heaven.  


If you die, i.e. leave Egypt, without blood on the doorposts of your heart, you WILL be turned away at the gates to spend eternity in hell, from which there is NO REPRIEVE.
But fear not; Jesus' priceless gift is offered freely to ALL without reservation.  Accepting His gift is so simple.  Just "metanóia: change your mind" about whatever it is you thought God required of you.

Going to heaven was never about doing enough good to outweigh the bad so you can somehow end up with the scale tipped in your favor or about attaining some higher state of consciousness.  IT HAS ALWAYS AND ONLY BEEN ABOUT PRESENTING THE RIGHT SACRIFICE.  Jesus is THE ONLY sacrifice that is acceptable to God.

Please:  Accept His free gift before the door is closed.  Just say "Thank you," and your eternity is forever secure.  The blood of The Perfect Sacrifice is now on your doorposts and can NEVER be removed.

THAT, Church,  is why Christianity is not just a religion or a "Faith Tradition."



Your Lamb Shall Be Without Blemish: Passover Series Part 2 of 4

Exodus 12:5-8 5 "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall KILL IT AT TWILIGHT. 7 And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. 8 Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; ROASTED IN FIRE......."


Little lambs are so cute aren't they? You can't be around one for very long without falling in love with it.  Can you imagine taking a sweet innocent little lamb into your family, getting attached to it then having to slaughter it, or watch as it is killed, a few days later? That is exactly what happened in every Jewish household every Passover since that first night when they left Egypt. 

God's instructions to them were very explicit. It had to be a young male in it's first year of life. They were to take it into their home on the tenth day of the first month of their religious calendar, Nissan, and keep it until the fourteenth day. That's five days, the number of grace.  During that time they were to examine it thoroughly to be sure it had no blemishes or defects. Then it says that the whole congregation must kill it at twilight. Twilight, Hebrew time, means 3pm


Here's the scenario carried out in the tabernacle until Jesus came: 
The lamb was tied to a wooden stake at the bottom of the ramp of the bronze altar at 9am, the time of the morning sacrifice.  A Ram's horn was sounded at that time. Then the high priest walked up the ramp of the bronze altar (bronze means "judgment" in the Bible), he slit the throat of the lamb at exactly 3pm, turned around, spread his arms out like one hanging on a cross and cried out with a loud voice to all the congregation, "It is finished."  The ram's horn was once again sounded at this exact time.  
Those who were to eat the lamb must only eat it after it had been "roasted in fire." 

Doesn't this sound oddly familiar?  It should. It's kinda like a re-enactment only it can't be a "re-enactment" because the event in question won't happen for some 1500 years. We'd have to call it a "pre-enactment."

(Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey.)

Let's fast forward now to the day Jesus entered Jerusalem.  It was the 10th day of Nissan, the first month of the Jewish religious calendar.  The five days prior to His death on the 14th, where was the Lamb of God? In the house: His Father's House that is, meaning the temple.  What He was doing there? BEING THOROUGHLY EXAMINED by the Pharisees. Why? Because at the end of that week He would become the real Passover Lamb, the Perfect, ONCE-FOR-ALLsacrifice that would not just cover our sins for one year but CLEANSE THEM ALL FOR ALL TIME WITH ONE APPLICATION OF THE BLOOD on the doorposts of people's hearts.

(Jesus answering the Pharisees who could find no fault in Him.)

The Pharisees of course, had NO IDEA of course that they were fulfilling Bible prophecy by their questioning, i.e. EXAMINING OF THE LAMB, prior to His SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS. Just like the cute, little innocent lamb, He was examined in the house for five days, THEY FOUND NO FAULT IN HIM.
That year, unlike any other, as the tying the lamb to the bottom of the altar was enacted at the temple, the Perfect Lamb of God, Jesus, was living it out in real life outside the city walls.  


As the high priest ascended the bronze ramp of judgment which, by the way, is in the shape of a cross, Jesus, our Great High Priest, was ascending the final hill (ramp) of judgment to the final altar atop Mt. Calvary.   At precisely 9am, the first nail was driven into His hand as He was nailed to that wooden cross just as at precisely 9am, the shadow sacrifice of the lamb at the temple was tied to a wooden stake at the bottom of the bronze ramp.  A ram's horn was sounded as was customary.  No doubt it could be heard as far as that hill outside the city where the Perfect Lamb was about to give His life to die for the sins not only of His natural family, Israel, but for the sins of the whole world.  He fulfilled both the morning and evening sacrifices on that day.

Why did they use a ram's horn used?  Because you can only get one by the death of a male lamb. 


There are two times when it was lawful to consume the Passover meal:  The evening before or in the evening on the actual day. Jesus ate the Passover on the earlier night so that He could be the REAL PASSOVER LAMB the next day.  


But something very different would happen on Passover this year.  At noon, day became darker than the darkest night over all the earth as it's Creator hung suffering, suspended between heaven and earth on a cross.  
This is no myth or made up story, Church.  That darkness was actually recorded by Chinese historians.  More than any other people, the Chinese are scrupulously accurate in their documenting of celestial and historical events. They didn't know or understand what caused it to be as dark as midnight in the day time, but they certainly recorded it.

It was during those three hours of darkness that all the fiery wrath and judgment of a thrice Holy God rained down upon His Son until IT WAS COMPLETELY SPENT. Our Lamb was literally "roasted" in those fires of judgment that day. That's why the shadow lamb had to be ROASTED IN FIRE. It was a picture of what would happen to our precious Jesus in our stead 2,000 years ago.  Jesus cried out, I thirst," because of that "fire."  He was parched.

At precisely 3pm, as the high priest killed the lamb at the top of the ramp and cried "it is finished," on that hill outside the city, not too far away, Jesus, the True Lamb, THE FINAL SACRIFICE, cried out with a loud voice from the cross those very same words:  "It is FINISHED!


Unlike the sacrifices of old, however, that were completely burnt up by the fire, our Lamb lived through it to cry "IT IS FINISHED!" Then He dismissed His spirit, bowed His head and died.  He was not slain or murdered by either Jews or the Gentiles.  Our sins put Him there but He willingly LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US.  No one took it from Him. 

Then, the final, triumphant blast of the shofar, ram's horn, was sounded again.  It is said that demons tremble at it's sound because it signifies the death of THE male ram:  IT SIGNIFIES JESUS, THE ONE WHO SAVED HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS AND CRUSHED THE SERPENTS HEAD!


HALLELUIA!!!  Jesus' work of redemption is COMPLETE!   In heaven today, you and I FOREVER have a Lamb without blemish! 



Friday, April 22, 2016

Ephraim And The House of Judah: Part 9 of 9

Part 9:  Ephraim, Manasseh, the Church and the 21st Century.

Luke 15:11-16
“.....A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.


(The return of the Prodigal Son.)

Here, in this story of the Prodigal Son and his older brother, we find the final piece of the puzzle.  What do these two boys tell us about the Church today?

The younger son wanted to claim his inheritance early, i.e. before the death of his father.  Then he ran off to a foreign land where he squandered it all.  He was living pretty high on the hog for a while, forgetting all about his father’s house; that is…..until his money ran out and his so-called “friends” along with it.
He took the lowest, most disgusting job a Jewish boy could take:  Feeding pigs.  He became so hungry that even the pig’s food started to look good to him.  It was at this point of desperation that he remembered his father’s house and how everyone there, even the lowliest servant, had plenty to eat.  So he concocted a story to tell his father.
His older brother, on the other hand, had remained at home.  Nothing at all is mentioned about him until the Prodigal returned home.  Let’s follow the story…

(Even the pig's food began to look good.)

““But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’”
Luke 15:17-19
He fully intended to beg his father to take him back and allow him to EARN HIS KEEP  Hired servants, of course, work for their food.  Notice he didn’t come back home because he was sorry or even the least bit remorseful for squandering his entire inheritance.  He came home because his stomach was growling!

But look what happened when he got in range of home:
““And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son…..’…..and He never said the last part of his rehearsed speech which was:  “Make me one of your hired servants.   How could he in light of such a superabounding grace?  The father lavished on him every blessing just for being his son.  WOW!!!

“…..But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”
Luke 15:20-24


(The Prodigal Son's older brother was angry and jealous.)

The older brother had been out working in the fields.  When he heard all the commotion and that his brother had returned home, not only was he not happy that he was safe at home again, he was angry and jealous.  He didn’t even refer to him as his brother.  He also some choice words for his father.  Those words make it clear that, though he was faithfully working away for his father in his fields, there is no love or warmth in his relationship with his Dad.
The father, however, was not angry nor did he rebuke the elder son.  He simply said, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ””
Luke 15:31-32


The older son represents Israel, our elder brother since they have been around a lot longer than us, Church. The Prodigal, however, who wasted his inheritance, represents much of the Church in this way:
Down through history, many churches have squandered their precious inheritance of healing, wholeness and provision by rejecting clear, Biblical teachings that Jesus heals us physically.  They’ve discounted tongues, in particular, and other gifts of the Spirit as for the Church today, to bless and benefit us.  There are many who don’t believe there’ll be a rapture.  Some hold the belief that all prophecy was fulfilled in 70A.D.  Many Churches have reduced all of God’s blessings to only “spiritual,” (as opposed to physical) blessings when in fact they are both.  Then there’s the faux “doctrine” of “replacement theology.”  Many teach that God has rejected Israel and that the Church has replaced her.
These are godly, well-meaning Christians, mind you, who have forgotten that it was through the Jewish people that The One was born Who saved us all; that it is a Jewish tree into which we have been grafted.
Remember, as non-Jewish Christians, we are “adopted” sons of God.  (Please refer to this link on Rightly Dividing the Word of God, part 13 for more on this topic:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/11/part-13-of-16rightly-dividing-word-of.html)
The Church is both Ephraim and Manasseh.  
Ephraim, as you know, means “double fruitfulness.”  (See part one of this series.) The Church has been fruitful for God for the last 2,000 years. But Manasseh, which means “forgetfulness,” represents that part of the Church that has forgotten Israel.




But thanks be to God more and more are realizing the truth about Israel.  God, since 1948, has turned back to His ancient people and made them a nation once again.  He is drawing them to Himself and will ultimately restore to them the visible kingdom.  To understand the difference between the kingdom visible and the kingdom invisible, please follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/11/part-8-of-16-rightly-dividing-word-of.html.

Ephraim is joined to the House of Judah.
God makes the following amazing statement about these two peoples:
“Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “As for you, son of man, take a stick for yourself and write on it: ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions.’ 
Then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’ 


(God's two covenant peoples on earth.) 


In part 8 we talked about the family stick. How does it figure into our story?
We talked about how  God has two Covenant families in the earth:  Israel and the Church.  We also discussed that, in ancient times, the head of the family carried a stick on which was written all the names of the patriarchs and notable members of their families.
God, referring to this custom, told Ezekiel to take two sticks, one for Judah and one, the stick of Ephraim, for Joseph, each inscribed accordingly.  Joseph is a type of our Heavenly Joseph, Jesus!
Then He told Ezekiel to join them one to another for yourself into one stick, and they will become one in your hand.”  And when the children of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not show us what you mean by these?’— say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions; and I will join them with it, with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they will be one in My hand.” 
And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes. “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.”
Ezekiel 37:15-22

(Jesus returns to earth to rescue Israel with the Church in tow.)


When Jesus returns to earth in His Second coming with the Church in tow, having been raptured before the tribulation, we will be right by His side. He will rescue Israel from all her enemies and they will all be saved in that one, great day, delivered from all their troubles.

We will be joined together with our brethren into one Covenant people, the Church and the newly-saved nation of Israel, never to be divided again!

Jesus will at long last sit on the throne of His father, David, and rule the whole world from Jerusalem in righteousness and peace.  His millennial rule will bring peace, prosperity, justice and righteousness to all peoples.  No more death, no more sickness, no more tears!
Hallelujah, what a day it will be.

Thank you, Daddy, for Your plan to save the whole world!  Thank you, Daddy, for restoring Israel and saving many of our older brothers!  Thank you for bringing Israel to the Church’s remembrance.
And most of all, thank you for that day soon to come where You will fully unite us with our elder brother:  Ephraim with the House of Judah!

If you missed any part of this series, follow this link to part one:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2016/04/ephraim-and-house-of-judah-part-1-of-9.html


Ephraim And The House Of Judah: Part 7 of 9

Part 7:  Ephraim and Judah in the 21st century. 

Ezekiel 37:1-3  Valley of dry bones.
“The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” 


(Valley of dry bones.)

In the first 6 parts, we’ve seen the prophetic nature of the book of Genesis both of Jesus and of of the last days.  We’ve also discussed how the story of Joseph and his two sons speak of the Church.  We’ve learned about some exiting things that are happening in Natural Israel as the coming of our Lord Jesus draws nearer.  Now let’s turn our sights on God’ prophetic time clock; the tiniest nation of all:  Israel.

The opening verses are some of the most perplexing in all of scripture, aren’t they?  But just stop and think for a minute:  When you read about this “valley of dry bones,” what picture comes to your mind?  Think recent history, now……..A whole bunch of skeletons……one thrown on top of another…….in large pits or mass graves……..That’s right!  The Holocaust.  It conjures up pictures of the mass graves of Nazi Germany where 6 million Jews were murdered.  Clearly, this passage is not talking about the Church in the last days but about what would happen to natural Israel at the hands of Hitler.

God prophesied the holocaust would happen.  It wasn’t His will, you understand.  He didn’t do it.  You see, though the Jewish people have the blessing of Abraham, they don’t have the whole thing.  They don’t have the all-important protection over them Who’s Name is “Jesus.”
You and I have His protection, Church.  We won’t be going through any holocaust.  He went through it for us.  It's not because we are better than they are. Not a chance. It’s simply because of Jesus!


(Jesus wept over Jerusalem.) 

Now do you understand why He wept so miserably over Jerusalem?  His heart was literally breaking for them.  He saw what was going to happen to them in the future.  He saw their temple being destroyed in 70 A.D.  He saw His people being destroyed in the holocaust.  He wanted so much to protect them.  But they rejected His covering over them and, in so doing, were defenseless.  That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Your house is left to you desolate.”   
But He also prophesied they would come back to their land around the same time as the holocaust. It was that event which would precipitate their return.

Ezekiel 37:4-10
Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ ”
“So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.”

"Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’ ” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.”

  

As though from dry bones with no life in them to a great army of living, breathing people, God literally resurrected their nation from the ashes of the holocaust and brought them back to their own land to be a people once again.  In an unprecedented decision by the the United Nations, the Jews were given a place to call, “Home,” and on May 15th,1948, they began coming back to Israel!!  It sent shock waves throughout the whole world!
(For more on this topic, follow the link below about the 19th Book:  Psalms:

After the horrors of the Second World War, the Jewish people had nearly lost all hope.  But God had not forgotten them!
Ezekiel 37: 10-14
“They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it, ” says the LORD.’ ””


Please proceed to part 8 where we’ll talk about God’s two groups of covenant people I the world, the family stick and begin to wrap this subject up:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2016/04/ephraim-and-house-of-judah-part-8-of-9.html


Thursday, April 21, 2016

Ephraim And The House of Judah: Part 6 of 9.

Part 6:  The Next Great Event.

"For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and YOU SHALL BE CLEAN; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;
I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses."  Ezekiel 36:24-28



In parts 1-6 we’ve discussed the story of Joseph, his two sons, what they tell us about the Church, the blessing of Abraham and the most amazing event in history to date:  The Jewish people back in their land after 2000 years!  It has not been without incident, however.  In fact, there has been nothing but opposition.  But God has given them great and miraculous victories over their enemies!

(For more on this topic, follow this link about the prophets aspect of the book of Psalms:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-19th-book.html)

In the opening scripture, there is an event of EPIC proportions that has yet to take place.  We are excitedly waiting for this to happen.  Soon, very soon, a great many of them are going to come to faith in Christ.  They’re going to get saved, HALLELUJAH!  You see, they need Jesus just as much as you and I.
Jewish people who come to know their Messiah don’t like to refer to themselves as “Christians,” but instead “Messianic Jews.”

God goes on to say:
“I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. Not for your sake do I do this, ” says the Lord GOD, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!””
Ezekiel 36:29-32

 

He will bless them SO MUCH that they will be ashamed of their rejection of Jesus and turn to Him.  They will accept Jesus as their Messiah at last!  It will be God’s goodness that leads them to repent!  In Israel today, more and more are coming to realize that indeed Jesus was the One, the promised Messiah.

The nation as a whole does not yet realize this yet and, by the time the rapture hits, about half the nation of Israel will be ready to go up with the rest of the Church.  That’s the meaning of the parable of the five virgins, recorded in Matthew’s gospel.


(Parable of the five virgins.)

This gospel, in particular, was specifically written TO the Jewish people. Jesus was talking to them about what would happen on earth just prior to His return.  I realize many Christians believe that, because it talks about “virgins,” it is about the Church.  That’s why you hear all that talk about being “rapture ready.”  Some believe that if you’re not “watching, praying and being a good Christian,” you’ll be “left behind in the rapture.  Unfortunately, they have not correctly divided the covenants and are misapplying this scripture to the Church.
(For more on the topic of the five virgins, follow this link:
(For more on the subject of the rapture, follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-third-day.html)
In case you were unaware, Israel, like you and I Church, is also called a “virgin daughter.”  “5,” in other words, “half” of natural Israel, will be ready to go at the time of the rapture; the other half will not.  The “5” that are left here on earth during the tribulation, will be rescued by Jesus at His second coming when He splits the clouds for them.  They will be surrounded by their enemies, hopelessly outnumbered by a world intent on their total annihilation.  Jesus will save entire nation and they will all become believers on that one day!


Please continue on to part 7.  We’ll be discussing the Valley of dry bones plus Ephraim and Judah in the 21st century:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2016/04/ephraim-and-house-of-judah-part-7-of-9.html