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We Believe.... ...the Bible
describes God’s plan for this world and gives signs
of the soon return of Jesus Christ. Many people are surprised to learn that God has a plan not just for them as individuals; but for this world as a whole. The Old Testament nation of Israel figures prominently in the Bible. God made many promises to the patriarchs of this nation - promises that must be fulfilled, if God keeps His promises. Paul the Apostle, speaking of the nation of Israel, asked this question: "Hath God cast away his people?..." (Romans 11:1). What is the answer? Read on to uncover a fascinating and little-told story of God's faithfulness, and of His unfolding plan for this world.
Before We Start For the first few years of the Christian Church, church leaders and members believed that the message of Jesus dying for them, and the promise of receiving the Holy Spirit was for people who were of the nation of Israel only. God did not condemn them for their lack of complete knowledge. Rather, He arranged for one of the early church leaders, Peter the Apostle, to understand more fully God's intentions, and then for him to pass these on to the rest of the church. We read about these happenings in Acts 10 and 11, when Peter is invited to the house of Cornelius, a gentile. Peter expounded the gospel to these (non-Israel) people. When we get to Acts 10:44 we read: ""While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" They were astonished because they did not realise that God's salvation plan was open to all. They were convinced because they heard them speak with tongues. The summation of this matter occurs in Acts 11, where Peter recounts the events to the church leaders in Jerusalem. We pick up the story in verse 14, where Peter recalls the words that the angel spoke unto Cornelius: ... Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house
shall be saved. And as I began to speak [Peter said], the
Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered
I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized
with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch
then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed
on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified
God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance
unto life. As Peter said in his opening words to Cornelius "...
Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But
in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness,
is accepted with him." Having established clearly from the Bible that the Gospel and salvation are available to all, regardless of nationality or race, we can turn our attention to other promises made in the Bible: unconditional promises made to a man called Abraham, promises to Isaac and Jacob, promises to his sons Judah and Joseph, promises of a continuing throne made to King David, promises made to Solomon and others. Has God kept His Word to these people of old...
An Unfolding Story God's dealings with the nation He raised up, Israel, form a large chunk of the Bible. God created a nation from one man, Abraham, (and Sarah, his wife) and made promises to him and his offspring that are still in process today. In His earthly ministry, Jesus made the interesting statement that He was not sent but unto "the lost sheep of the House of Israel" (Matthew 15:24), confirming the importance of Israel in God's plan. Utlimately, His own people rejected Jesus, and salvation became
available to all: It is clear from other scriptures that this opening of salvation to all people was part of God's intention from the beginning. So the question needs to be asked, has God now finished with Israel as a nation, and are all the promises of God to Israel now to be understood "spiritually" (ie perhaps fulfilled in the church and no longer applying to a nation any longer). Paul the apostle asks this very question about the nation of Israel in Romans 11: "I say then, Hath God cast away his people?" He then goes on to answer his own question emphatically: God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed
of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
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God's Plan for the Nations It also comes as a surprise to some that God is interested in nations. We tend to dwell a lot on God's promises to us as individuals, and rightly so. Nevertheless, God has always dealt with nations. In Old Testament times He dealt with Egypt, and He dealt with numerous other tribes and peoples that came into contact with Israel. He also dealt in detail with Israel itself, His "peculiar [special] treasure", and made promises to that nation, some of which are still to be fulfilled. Who is Israel? There are a large number of promises made in the Bible concerning the future of the nation Israel. Many of these promises cannot be applied to the modern nation called Israel today. Instead, we will identify the Israel of the Bible as a large fraternity of nations and peoples in the world today; a "company of nations" and a "great" nation (Genesis 35:11, Genesis 48:19). That is, Great Britain and the British Commonwealth, and the United States of America. Some consider this to be a bold (or perhaps foolish) claim. Follow the "Related Links" at the end of the last column to see detail on why we make this claim and see it as the only possible fulfilment of the multitudinous national promises made to Israel in the Bible. The principal of the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth, eventually with the Lord Jesus Christ as king, is the plan which we will describe. His kingship (whether we accept it or reject it) was highlighted by the angel that appeared to His mother, Mary, announcing His first advent: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth
a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
From Where did Israel Come? At some stage after creation, Eden was established by God; Scripture identifies a family tree and the great romance of Bible prophecy begins. Adam, Noah, the calling of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (whose name was changed by God to "Israel") are recorded. At this time God made promises to these people - some conditional that would be fulfilled if God's laws were obeyed, and others entirely unconditional. The descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel) eventually found themselves in slavery in Egypt for several hundred years, until God commissioned Moses to lead the Israelites to freedom. The Lord made no secret of the fact that Israel was his chosen nation and the basis of His plan. It was during the Exodus and subsequent migration across the Sinai desert that God revealed Himself to His people. They were instructed about God's laws, statutes, and judgements (including the ten commandments) and how to govern themselves in the manner which He required as the pattern and example for the world.
The Throne Of David The story of God's calling of David, his anointing as king of Israel, and the unconditional promises relating to the eternal dynasty are recorded in scripture (2 Samuel 7). No matter which king defaulted - and most did - God's promises held good, being unconditional. In the time of Jeroboam and Rehoboam (David's grandson) the Israel nation broke into two main sections, the northern section of ten tribes known as the House of Israel (under Jeraboam) and the southern section of two tribes called the House of Judah (under Rehoboam). Both ran into trouble because of disobedience to God's laws and were overrun by their enemies. During four Assyrian invasions under the command of Tiglath-pileser, Shalmaneser, and Sennacherib, the ten tribed northern section along with many Judahites from the southern section (2 Kings 18:13) were taken captive and deported. Israel's prophesied migration to the new land God had prepared for them was in operation. The residue of the Judah section was captured by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, about one hundred years later. The two sections of Israel were thus taken captive as prophesied and removed from Palestine. The last king of Judah, Zedekiah, his sons and the nobles from his court were killed by Nebuchadnezzar, and the Davidic dynasty apparently disappeared from history. However, God had promised that this royal line would continue forever. The Bible records that Zedekiah's daughters escaped with Jeremiah the prophet into Egypt (Jeremiah 43:5-7). The reappearance of this royal line in Ireland and the marriage of one of the daughters of Zedekiah to Eochaidh the Heremon, himself a descendant of Judah is recorded in Irish history. The Davidic dynasty continued in Ireland for about a thousand years, transferred to Scotland, with Feargus Mhore, continued unbroken through the Scottish kings to Mary Queen of Scots, and her son James VI, who became James I of England in AD 1603. The Scots noted a link with Israel of old in the 'Arbroath Declaration' of 1320 which bears the seals of the Scottish barons assembled in Parliament under Robert Bruce. This document, sometimes referred to colloquially as the "Scottish Declaration of Independence" notes that they have travelled as a people from Scythia and through the Mediterranean Sea "and coming thence one thousand, two hundred years after the outgoing of the people of Israel...". This document, described by Register House officials as "probably our most precious possession", also notes their kingly claim: "In their kingdom one hundred and thirteen kings of their own royal stock, no stranger intervening, have reigned...". Our intention is not to favour some line of royalty but to recognise and respect the many promises God made relative to this theme.
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The Movements Of Israel After seventy years of captivity in Babylon some 49,000 of the descendants of those taken by Nebuchadnezzar were permitted to return to Jerusalem. They rebuilt the city walls and the temple and formed the society that was necessary in Palestine to fulfil the prophecies relative to the birth of Jesus Christ. The eventual sacking of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70 and the dispersion of the Jews is history. Seven hundred years earlier the ten tribed House of Israel and many from Judah had been dispersed by Assyria. These people became the Picts, Celts, Anglo-Saxons, Danes, Jutes, Scots and Normans who migrated slowly across Europe and (one way or another) entered into their new home, mainly in Britain. There were further migrations into America, and gradually elsewhere as the British Commonwealth was established. Most of the nations that relocated continue to carry the Biblical emblems that God gave Israel in the Old Testament. The lion and unicorn rate special mention. The migrating Israelites left Biblical emblems in many countries.
The Promised Land We do have a promised land, which is at present outside Palestine, because Israel was banished to "a place of their own" when already in Palestine (2 Samuel 7:10). Palestine has now become a haven for Jewish people, and no people is more deserving of the right to some respite from their troubles. But the story of Bible prophecy, whence we find the 'promised land' is not measuring up to expectations. The desert is not blooming as a rose; the land is not over-flowing with milk and honey. In suggesting that the modern state of Israel is not that seeking identity today in Palestine is not to belittle or denigrate the Jewish people nor any other. We are entitled to ask, though: 'where is the throne, and where is the kingdom'? If it is not where we have suggested - then where? A greater Israel is yet to be revealed. It will be a nation that evidences the hundreds of Bible prophecies of prosperity and well-being, a nation with the nominated emblems and which will have the promised royal continuity. Israel will eventually be a model to lead the world into God's future.
Related Links
Voice of Revival Articles
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