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:

http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/11/part-3-of-16-rightly-dividing-word-of.html)

(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

Ephraim And The House of Judah: Part 5 of 9.

Part 5:  Ancient Hatred.

Ezekiel 35 

"1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ² “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seír and prophesy against it, ³ and say to it, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

“Behold, O Mount Seir, I am against you;
I will stretch out My hand against you,
And make you most desolate;
⁴ I shall lay your cities waste,
And you shall be desolate.
Then you shall know that I am the Lord."

5" Because you have had an ANCIENT HATRED and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end,"
 

(Map showing Mt. Seir, East of Ezion Geber in the land of Edom.)

 God is speaking here to the enemies of Israel.  He prophesied that when He brought the Jewish people back to their land there would be “ancient hatred” coming against them to shed their blood.  That’s what we have been seeing exploding all over the Middle East in the news, especially of late.  We are seeing “ancient hatred” exploding.  

What is Mt. Seir?  It is where Esau went to live, located in what is now modern day Jordan, a haven for terrorists in the Middle East.  God has set His face against them.  This region fits perfectly to the area where Islam was birthed:  Medina, Saudi Arabia, near the Eastern border of Jordan, the land of Moab.

(Mark Twain visited Israel in 1867)

Isn’t it curious that 100 years ago, nobody wanted Israel.  Mark Twain visited there in 1867 and found it to be a malaria-infested, deserted wasteland.  He said it was”“….. A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds… a silent mournful expanse…. a desolation…. we never saw a human being on the whole route…. hardly a tree or shrub anywhere.  Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country.”

Before the Jewish people came back to Israel in 1948 it truly was a God-forsaken land and remained so until her rightful owners returned.  Then, the mountains literally “shot forth their branches” for them!  Israel today has become not only very fruitful but THE MOST hotly-disputed, greatly-desired land on earth, particularly the area of the Temple Mount.  Now, because God’s people have reclaimed their land, even the desert is blooming like the rose!  Today, EVERYBODY wants Israel!

Just as God prophesied, when His people returned to their land, there have indeed been many enemies who have shed their blood.  But God’s hand has been against them.  He has laid their cities waste.  Every nation that has come against the Jews or tried to annihilate them has been destroyed or paid very dearly for their evil.

( Israel in the center surrounded by her enemies.)

Read the rest of Ezekiel 35 to see the judgments that are being meted out to her enemies.  In verse 14 we read,  “‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “The whole earth will rejoice when I make you desolate.”  Ezekiel 35:14

Oh, yes we will!

God speaks to the land.
Then in Ezekiel 36, God does a very strange thing.  He turns and speaks to the land itself, in particular, the mountains of Israel.
“And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because the enemy has said of you, ‘Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession,’ ” ’”

Ezekiel 36:1-2

What have we been seeing in the news for the last several years?  The enemies of Israel laying claim to land that God gave to Israel.  He is NOT pleased.  He goes on in verse 8 to say:

“8 But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come. 9 For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. 10 I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. 11 I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. 12 Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, My people Israel;”  Ezekiel 36:8-12.       

(The West Bank.)

Whenever you read about “the mountains of Israel,” in the Bible, God is talking about the West Bank.  It has become hot property as well and much in the news.  You see, the devil knows that his time is short.  He knows that Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, will return to rule the world. He’s not coming back to Paris or London or Rome.  He’s coming back to Jerusalem.  When He does, He will destroy our ancient enemy, satan, once and for all.  He is trying to prevent that by keeping Jerusalem in the hands of his people.

When the Jewish people came back to their land, though it was indeed desolate, it quite literally blossomed under their care!  It has become so fruitful that Israel today is the #1 fruit and flowers exporter to all of Europe, even in winter.  Amazing!  Go to the valley of Jezreel and you’ll see fruitfulness everywhere as well as in the wilderness of Arabah.  It is blossoming like the rose!

(Palm trees in Judean desert, photo courtesy of Will Metcalf.)

Why did God single out the Jewish people?  Are they better than other races?  No.  They are not blessed and singled out because of who they are but who God is.

““Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.”  Ezekiel 36:22-23

This next and greatest event of all in regards to our Jewish brethren is coming soon  We are waiting for this to happen!  Please continue to part 6 where we’ll talk about this topic:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2016/04/ephraim-and-house-of-judah-part-6-of-9.html

 

Ephraim And The House of Judah: Part 4 of 9.

Part 4:  Prophetic of the 21st Century.

What becomes of Ephraim and Manasseh in the end times?  Let’s turn to the book of Ezekiel and look at chapters 34-38 and find out.

What you are seeing in these chapters are prophecies that are more than 2,500 years old, written long before Jesus walked this earth yet, incredibly, they speak of the 21st century.     

(The Jewish people return to the newly formed state of Israel.)

In parts 1-3 we talked about Joseph, his two sons, their significance to the Chuch, and the blessing of Abraham.  In part 4, we’ll see how this portion of scripture is prophetic of our day and age; of things that have already happened and things yet to come. 

 Ezekiel 34:11-15

11 “For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. 13 And **I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God. 16 “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.”  

**This prophecy was fulfilled in 1948!  No way this passage could be referring to the Babylonian captivity because they came back after 70 years from one location only:  Babylon.  It could not have been referring to the Assyrian captivity either because afterward they came back only from Assyria.  Even when Jesus walked on earth, they were still not all  back in their land.  They never came back…until today.  Only since 1948 that they have returned from EVERY NATION on earth where they were scattered.

Don’t get me wrong.  That doesn’t mean that every single Jewish person on the planet has returned to Israel.  There are still Jews in every nation today, but isn’t it cool that God did exactly as He said He would and gathered them from all the nations where He had scattered them?  They continue to return, and we are the generation that saw it begin to happen.

God also said He that would “destroy the fat and the strong,”  in Ezekiel 34.  He is referring here to evil leaders.  This has certainly proved to be true.  Every nation that has ever tried to come against God’s people, shed their blood and attempted to destroy them have themselves been destroyed.  They are not around anymore; but Israel is!  After 2,000 years and all they have gone through, they remain a people under God speaking the very same language they did in the Old Testament.  Ezekiel could literally walk into any restaurant in Israel today and read the menu.  He might not know what a Reuben sandwich is but he could read it nevertheless.God further says that He will “seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick.”  Who is this flock?

30 Thus they shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and they,the house of Israel, are My people,” says the Lord God.’

It’s clear that The Holy Spirit is not referring to the Church here but to Natural Israel.  God prophesied that Israel would ultimately come back into their own land.  

As I said, when Jesus walked on earth, the Israelites were not all back in their land.  They had, in fact, been scattered for generations.  At the time of His birth, they were still out there.  During His sojourn here it was predominantly the tribe of Judah living in the land.  Most natural Israel had settled among the peoples of the lands where they were taken during one of their many captivities.  The tribe of Judah, in a sense, is more guilty of the rejection of Jesus than the rest of natural Israel.  

(For more on that topic, follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/06/it-doesn-add-up.html)

(Treasure hidden in a field.)

 Do you remember the parables of Matthew 13?  Jesus talked about the “treasure hidden in a field.”  If you read carefully, you’ll notice that it was hidden twice.  That’s how God protected His people.  He hid them among the nations long before Jesus walked on earth; and after He ascended back to heaven, in 70 A.D., when He allowed the Romans to destroy their temple, He hid them again, scattering them among the nations so that, in these last days, He could bring them back into their own land to be a nation once again.

(For more on that topic, follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/11/part-5-of-16-rightly-dividing-word-of.html)

Even though all of them are still not back in their own land, the twelve tribes are not lost.  They’re all out there somewhere in the world.   God said, however, that when they came back that there would be enemies who would shed their blood.

Please continue to part 5 where we’ll be discussing that topic:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2016/04/ephraim-and-house-of-judah-part-5-of-9.html

Ephraim And The House of Judah: Part 2 of 9

Part 2:  Ephraim And Manasseh.

Genesis 48:8-16

Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?” And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place. ” And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”
Now the eyes of Israel (notice the name change) were dim with age, so  that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!” 
 

(Jacob meets his grandsons.)

In part 1, we talked about the story of Joseph and what his life story shows us about Jesus.  In Part 2, we’ll meet his two sons who reveal some amazing things about us:  The Church!

Jacob Meets His Grandsons.

Jacob was getting old.  Word reached Joseph that his father’s health was failing, so he went to see him and brought along his two young sons:  Manasseh and Ephraim.

These two boys were born to hm during his time of Joseph’s rejection in Egypt.  They have something to tell us about the Church as well as the 21st century.

Manasseh was the older son; Ephraim the younger.  Their Dad had brought them before their grandfather, Jacob, clinging to his knees, one on each side; you know, like shy little toddlers do?  The kind of sight that tugs at your heart strings.  Very cute.

No doubt they weren’t too sure about this old man.  You know how kids are when they meet strangers for the first time.  But their shyness was soon dispelled.  They came near to their grandfather and he pronounced his blessings over them.  Bear in mind, now, that these two boys are half-breed kids because their mother wasn’t Jewish.  This will figure in later as our story unfolds.   

 

(Jacob wrestles with the Angel of the Lord.)

 

If you read Part 1, you’ll notice in the opening scripture how the Holy Spirit, mid-sentence, switched from calling him “Jacob” to using his glorified name, “Israel.”  Remember, that was the name given to him when he wrestled with the Angel. Why?  We’re going to find out!

The First-Born Blessing.

Genesis 48:12-16  “So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him.

“Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands KNOWINGLY,  for Manasseh was the firstborn.

And he blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name {Israel} be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 

(Jacob crosses his arms; Joseph tries to redirect his father.)

 

Joseph had brought his sons to his father so he could bless them before he died.  Manasseh, being the older boy, he had placed on his father’s right hand.  Being the elder, he figured his father would bestow the first-born blessing on him and a lesser blessing on the younger.

Ephraim was situated on Jacob’s left hand.  But Jacob, lead by the Holy Spirit, crossed his hands, placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head, his left hand on Manasseh’s head.
Anyone familiar with Jewish culture would immediately understand that Jacob was giving the first-born blessing to the younger son.  You see, in their culture, they use their right hand to bestow the first-born blessing which indicates power, position and prosperity.

Joseph was very displeased with his father and tried to redirect his hands; but Jacob refused.  The Bible says that he had crossed his hands “knowingly.”  He understood very well that he was giving the first-born blessing to the younger boy.The details concerning the first-born blessing are found here, in Deuteronomy 21:15-17.
15 “If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and they have borne him children, both the loved and the unloved, and if the firstborn son is of her who is unloved,16 then it shall be, on the day he bequeaths his possessions to his sons, that he must not bestow firstborn status on the son of the loved wife in preference to the son of the unloved, the true firstborn. 17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.”

Though recorded long after Jacob lived, he would have been familiar with this custom.

Adopted As Sons.
Then Jacob says something very strange:  

“And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; AS REUBEN AND SIMEON, they shall be mine.”

 

What?!  HE’S REPLACING REUBEN, his own first-born, with EPHRAIM and replacing his second born, SIMEON, with Joseph’s oldest son, MANASSEH, treating his grandsons as sons!  Why?  Because Reuben and Simeon lost their positions as first and second born which we’re not going to go into here.  It’s a long story.  You can read all about their indiscretions in Genesis 34 & 35.

Jacob did this knowingly and said to Joseph, “I know, my son, I know. He (Manasseh) also shall become a people, (leAm) and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations (haGoyim).”  So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!’ ” And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.””

Genesis 48:19-22

As a result of what Jacob did, Joseph became two tribes.  He blessed these two boys and adopted them as his own sons.  In the process, Joseph was elevated to patriarch status.  That’s why you don’t hear the tribe of Joseph talked about very much but, instead, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.  He was given a DOUBLE PORTION of his father’s blessing above his brothers!
What becomes of the tribe of Joseph?  We’ll discuss that in part 8.

A Multitude of Nations.
Jacob told Joseph that Manasseh would become “a people,” but Ephraim would become “a multitude of nations.”  The word in Hebrew he used for “A people” was” leAm.”  The word he used for MULTITUDE OF NATIONS was “haGoyim.”  Goyim is Hebrew for “Gentiles.”  Ephraim’s descendants would become much larger than Israel.

Who are these two boys?Hmmm…..Let’s see:  They receive everything through THE CROSS (Jacob “crossed” his hands) and Ephraim would become a “multitude of (Gentle) nations.”  Hmmm…..Do you know who is typified here?  IT’S THE CHURCH:  You and I!   That’s why the Holy Spirit had Jacob “CROSS” his hands.

Where is the Church today?  ALL OVER THE WORLD; people from every tribe, every nation and every tongue on earth!  Ephraim has truly become a MULTITUDE OF NATIONS!  

This should put to rest the myth about British Israelism, a cult that arose near the end of the 19th century.  It’s clear that “Ephraim” refers to the Church in all nations, not just Great Britain.

(The Church around the world.)

Why the Name Change From Jacob To Israel?

Remember when reading the first few verses of Genesis 48 where, mid-stream, the Holy Spirit suddenly calls Jacob by his glorified name, “Israel?”  Why? Are we, the Church, also referred to as “spiritual Israel?”  YES!  He was showing us that the Church is adopted as sons and incorporated as part of his family, just as if we were born into it!

 

Look what it says in Romans 2:28-29.  “For he is not a Jew who is  one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but HE IS A JEW WHO IS ONE INWARDLY; and circumcision is  that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.“

And in Galatians 6:15-16 we read, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. AND AS MANY AS WALK ACCORDING TO THIS RULE, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the ISRAEL OF GOD.”

We walk according to this rule because we are a “NEW CREATION” in Christ!

Who or what is the Israel of God?  “It is made up ofsaved Jewish people and saved Gentiles.  In fact, WE are called “the Church of the first-born.”  Like Ephraim and Joseph, we also have the blessing of the first-born, even though we are the younger brother, our elder brother being the Jewish people since they been around a lot longer.  WE ARE DOUBLY BLESSED!!! 

Do you realize that’s what Elisha was asking of Elijah?  He wanted a DOUBLE PORTION of his spirit. He was asking for the first-born blessing.  It was very important in those days. Remember when Esau sold his birth right to Jacob and later on they fought over it?  Obviously it had tremendous value and they understood it in those days.  

(Elisha receives a double portion of Elijah's spirit.)

Just as Jacob adopted his grandsons as his own sons, you and I, Church, have been adopted into the family of God.  Understand, however, we have not replaced Israel.  They are still precious to God and remain in covenant with Him, though the unsaved Jews do not enjoy the full blessing.  If that were true, they would be born again.  New birth is, by far, the greater portion of the blessing of the first born, which we have!

Please proceed to Part 3 where we’ll talk more about the Blessing of Abraham:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2016/04/ephraim-and-house-of-judah-part-3-of-9.html