Restoration

Continuing the thought process of the last blog (be sure to read that one first), it is interesting, perhaps important, to examine the history of the Jews and how God dealt with them and the promises He made to them. The prevalent thinking of today's Christendom is to believe that Jesus is coming back to earth again to reign for 1000 years, setting up a powerful, conquering Kingdom headquartered in Jerusalem. This is beautifully summarized in a speech by Pat Robertson, "Why Evangelical Christians support Israel;" you can Google that and read the whole speech. This is well spoken, but appears to be totally wrong; you can judge:

"Think of it, according to Disraeli, the primary evidence that God exists is the existence of the Jewish people… A people who in 586 BC were deported to Babylon, yet returned after 70 years to rebuild a nation. Who were again brutally massacred and dispersed by the Romans in 70 AD, yet after countless centuries of Diaspora, expulsions, pogroms, ghettos, and attempts at genocidal extermination, have clung to their faith, their customs -- and now after some 2500 years of wandering have returned to the land promised by God to their ancestors. A new nation began in that land in 1948 named after their ancestor Jacob, whose divinely appointed name Israel means "Prince with God." And to fulfill another ancient prophecy, God moved on the heart of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, whose son Ehud told me that, while his father was living in Eastern Europe, he heard a voice and saw a light directing him to bring forth for the Jewish people a pure language-Hebrew-the language of the Torah and of the ancient prophets.Yes, the survival of the Jewish people is a miracle of God. The return of the Jewish people to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is a miracle of God. The remarkable victories of Jewish armies against overwhelming odds in successive battles in 1948, and 1967, and 1973 are clearly miracles of God. The technological marvels of Israeli industry, the military prowess, the bounty of Israeli agriculture, the fruits and flowers and abundance of the land are a testimony to God's watchful care over this new nation and the genius of this people.Yet what has happened was clearly foretold by the ancient prophet Ezekiel, who, writing at the time of the Babylonian captivity, declared this message for the Jewish people concerning latter days."For I will take you out of the nation; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back to your own land… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you… to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness."I will call for the grain and make it plentiful… I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine…"This is what the Sovereign Jehovah says, 'On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.'"Then the nations around you that remain will know that I, Jehovah, have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I, Jehovah, have spoken, and I will do it." (Ezekiel 36:24 ff).
Ladies and Gentleman, evangelical Christians support Israel because we believe that the words of Moses and the ancient prophets of Israel were inspired by God. We believe that the emergence of a Jewish state in the land promised by God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was ordained by God.We believe that God has a plan for this nation which He intends to be a blessing to all the nations of the earth."

Robertson is quoting from Ezekiel 36 where God was promising His people, Jews, that there would be a restoration; that they would return to rebuild, with His help, the Temple, the city of Jerusalem, the kingdom. They are in captivity to Babylon, but God is giving them encouragement and hope; there will be a restoration, salvation from the present distress. And we know from history that God led them with prophets to do that.....only to have them fail again because of falling away from God. And Jerusalem was completely destroyed in AD 70.

But it isn't a stretch to see that God wasn't just promising a restoration to their homeland, but was also looking forward to a time when Jesus would come, would set up an everlasting kingdom to include all men, not just the Jews. But remember that Jesus said in John 18:36, right before He left the earth: "My kingdom is not of this world..." It is a heavenly kingdom, a spiritual kingdom; and it would never again be a kingdom on this earth. So most people today, most preachers, most churches, are wrong to believe that Jesus is coming back to the earth. He is coming back in the clouds to reclaim His own (Acts 1:11, 1Thes. 4:15-17), but isn't promised to return to earth.

It doesn't really change our salvation, our relationship with God perhaps, but it makes sense to understand what the Bible is teaching about the return of Jesus, about the kingdom of Jesus and what is coming. Much of the error on this subject comes from a misunderstanding of what is said in Revelation 20 about a 1000 year reign. Perhaps we will talk more on that next week.

Have a great week! God bless you.