Thursday, September 15, 2016

The Holy Land

I have had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Holy Land. In my visits I have gone through three different stages as to how I look at Israel. I imagine most who visit Israel do so as well.
The first is the deer in the headlights. When I was first in Israel, I felt like I was in a spiritual Disneyland. Here were the actual places so many Bible events took place. This was the Holy Land! This is where Jesus walked! God's people and God's capital city were here! I know I looked like a deer in the headlights.

The second reaction is getting to know modern day Israel. Unfortunately Israel today is as worldly and ungodly as my own country, the US. As a nation they still do not see, they still do not hear. Israel has a terrible drug problem. Tel Aviv is called the pink city of the middle east. It is the pornography, homosexual capital of the middle east. Even though through Yad Vashem Israel promotes the theme to never forget, never again. Israel has forgotten. It is happening again. Israel is doing it to themselves. Israel has one of the highest abortion rates in the world. Abortion has killed more innocent Jewish babies and children than the holocaust. I no longer look at Israel as a deer in the headlights.

The third reaction is to see how God is on the move. God is on the move in Israel. God has not forgotten His people Israel even though most of them have forgotten Him. Israel is one of the, if not the only nation on earth that has a growing, thriving, Christian population. Although still small (15,000 or more) it is a significant remnant and is increasing every day. Which follows Bible prophecy. When I realized all this I still was stumped. How could God bless or work with or reenter into a covenant relationship with Israel like the Bible teaches with Israel being so godless?
Then My pastor preached on Ezekiel 36.
God is going to step in to bless Israel and reenter into a covenant with Israel not because of their righteousness but because of His Name's sake.
Therefore, say to the house of  Israel, "Thus says the Lord God, It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. And I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord," declares the Lord God, "when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight." (verses 22, 23)

God is going to bless Israel and bring forth this final seven year period ushering in the Kingdom of His great Son Jesus Christ in spite of Israel's faithlessness. God will not be denied.

Israel is the Holy Land.

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