Israel Today and Their Messiah

This transcript was generated automatically. Its accuracy may vary

Short Summary
The discourse explores the prophetic role of Israel’s modern history, emphasizing God’s ongoing work through both secular and faithful Jews in the restoration and defense of the nation. It highlights the distinction between secular Zionists who have facilitated Israel’s reestablishment and the faithful “holy remnant” who will ultimately recognize Jesus as the Messiah following a period of great conflict and divine intervention. The message underscores that the present state of Israel is a preparatory phase leading to a future new covenant and eternal life, where true faith and repentance will prevail.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Discourse on Zechariah 12 and Related Prophecies Concerning Israel

Context and Focus:
– The discourse centers on Zechariah chapter 12, with references to other prophetic Scriptures, to understand Israel’s present and future in God’s plan.
– It mentions the ongoing conflict starting October 7, 2023, linked to Psalm 83 prophecy but focuses on Zechariah 12 for detailed study.
– Emphasizes the complexity (“fuzzy reality”) of current political and military events involving Israel, including recent announcements by President Trump regarding Gaza.

God’s Work with Israel:
– Since 1878, God has been re-establishing Israel, His covenanted people, in the Promised Land given to Abraham.
– Satan has tried to destroy or displace them, but God’s primary goal is developing Jews with sincere faith in Him.
– Despite many Jews being secular or confused by rabbinical teachings, there remains a faithful remnant.
– Quote from Brother Russell (3rd volume, p.250): “The Jews recognized by God are children of Abraham and those who hold to the faith of Abraham and trust in the divine promises.”

Current State of Jewish Faith (2023 Data):
– Approx. 44% secular Jews, 33% traditional, 11.5% religious, 11% ultra-Orthodox.
– Majority have not entered the Christian covenant (faith in Jesus); thus, they are presently under the Mosaic law covenant and land responsibilities.
– The new law covenant will come during the mediatorial kingdom phase when Christ reigns and peace is established (Satan bound, old heavens/earth passed away).

Role of Warriors and Leaders:
– Historical precedent of God-directed warriors: Abraham, Moses, David, Samson.
– The faithful Jews today may be modern soldiers defending the land.
– Leadership (government and military) holds responsibility; corruption and greed exist but God still works through Israel.
– Israel’s blessings and military strength are temporary and preparatory for the promised future kingdom.

Use of Secular and Faithful Jews:
– God uses both secular Zionists (leaders/governors of Judah) and Jews of sincere faith (house of David and inhabitants of Jerusalem) in His plan.
– The secular Zionists helped reestablish Israel physically and politically starting 1878 and especially after 1914 (end of Gentile times).
– The faithful remnant will receive the spirit of grace and supplication (Zechariah 12:10) and be the nucleus of the new kingdom.
– Secular Jews have an important but temporary role; eventually, faithful Jews will be the true blesser nation.

Reading and Explanation of Zechariah 12:3-10 (RSV):
– Verse 3: Jerusalem becomes a “burdensome stone” for all peoples; enemies who burden themselves with it will be cut down.
– Verses 4-5: God will smite horses and riders with blindness and madness; governors of Judah (secular leaders) will affirm the inhabitants of Jerusalem (faithful Jews) and their God as their strength.
– Verses 6-8: Governors of Judah likened to fire devouring enemies; Jerusalem inhabited again; God puts a shield around Jerusalem’s inhabitants; even the weakest (“feeble”) will be like David, and the house of David like God with the angel of the Lord before them.
– Verse 9: God will seek to destroy all nations attacking Jerusalem.
– Verse 10: Spirit of grace and supplication poured out upon the house of David and inhabitants of Jerusalem who will “look upon him whom they have pierced” and mourn deeply.

Interpretation and Timeline:
– The prophecy is progressive from 1878 onward, culminating in the 1967 recapture of Old Jerusalem by Israel.
– The secular Zionists’ sacrifice and leadership are acknowledged but distinguished from the faithful remnant.
– The final invasion referenced is likely the Gog and Magog invasion (Ezekiel 38), part of “Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7).
– During this final conflict, Jerusalem will be captured (Zechariah 14:1-3); half the city taken captive (likely secular Jews), while the holy remnant remains.
– God will miraculously fight for Jerusalem and defeat its enemies, reminiscent of past divine interventions (e.g., Assyrian defeat, Red Sea crossing).

The Holy Remnant’s Experience:
– The holy remnant will be in deep distress but turn to God in prayer, likely on the Temple Mount.
– They will witness supernatural deliverance, akin to historical miracles.
– This will cause their faith to be confirmed, leading to national repentance.
– They will recognize Jesus, the Messiah they previously pierced, for the first time on a national scale (Zechariah 12:10).
– This will be a moment of intense mourning and repentance for crucifying their Messiah, expressed as deeply personal and collective sorrow (Zechariah 12:11-14).

Further Prophetic Connections:
– Zechariah 13:1 speaks of a fountain opened to cleanse from sin—symbolizing forgiveness and new covenant blessings.
– Isaiah 4:3 and Joel 2:32 affirm that those left in Zion and Jerusalem will be called holy and delivered.
– Paul’s teaching in Romans 11:25-27 is linked: Israel’s blindness is partial until the full number of Gentiles is saved, then “all Israel will be saved.”
– The ancient worthies (resurrected righteous) will appear to help explain and lead during this time of repentance.

God’s Use of Imperfect People Historically:
– Analogous to the wilderness generation in Numbers 13-14 and Joshua 5: God used a partially faithful generation to care for the next generation who entered the Promised Land.
– Today, secular or nominal Jews serve as caregivers or protectors of the faithful remnant.

Future Events and God’s Kingdom:
– After final chastisement (Ezekiel 38, Zechariah 12, 14), rebels will be separated and barred from entering the new covenant land (Ezekiel 20:33-44).
– The current nation of Israel is in a wilderness condition spiritually despite physical possession of the land.
– New covenant and kingdom blessings will come when hearts are circumcised, and God’s laws written within.
– The ultimate goal is eternal life and perfection, beyond just land possession or covenant membership.

Speculation on Miraculous End to Global Violence:
– The speaker muses that at the time of Israel’s deliverance, God may miraculously halt all global warfare, possibly by disabling weapons.
– This would demonstrate divine power and usher in true peace consistent with Isaiah 11:9: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain.”

Closing with Romans 11:30-36:
– God’s mercy extends to both Jews and Gentiles.
– All humanity is under disbelief until God’s mercy is revealed.
– The passage emphasizes God’s wisdom, knowledge, and sovereignty (“For from him and through him and to him are all things”).
– Ends with praise to God’s eternal glory.

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Key Bible Verses Mentioned or Quoted:

Zechariah 12:3-10 (RSV):
> “And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples… I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication; and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son…” (12:3, 9-10)

Zechariah 14:1-3:
> “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee… For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle… Then shall the Lord Jehovah go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought in the day of battle.”

Joel 2:17-18, 32:
> “Let the priests… weep between the porch and the altar… And the Lord answered and said to his people… And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered…”

Isaiah 4:3:
> “And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy…”

Ezekiel 20:34-38, 40:
> “I will bring you into the wilderness… I will purge out from among you the rebels… they shall not enter into the land of Israel… For in mine holy mountain… there shall all the house of Israel serve me…”

Romans 11:25-27, 30-36:
> “Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in; and so all Israel shall be saved… For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all…”

Isaiah 11:9:
> “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.”

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Summary Conclusion:

– The discourse presents a prophetic overview demonstrating how God is progressively working with both secular and faithful Jews in Israel’s restoration and protection.
– The secular Zionists have played a key role but will eventually be surpassed by a holy remnant of Jews with sincere faith.
– The final conflict (“Jacob’s trouble,” Gog and Magog invasion) will see Jerusalem temporarily captured but ultimately miraculously delivered by God.
– This leads to national repentance and recognition of Jesus as Messiah by the Jewish people for the first time.
– The new covenant kingdom will then be established, fulfilling God’s promises and culminating in eternal life for the faithful.
– The speaker reflects on the hope for a miraculous worldwide end to war, heralding the peaceful reign of God’s kingdom.

Transcript

If you have a Bible available, we’re going to spend most of the time in Zechariah, the 12th chapter. It’ll be easier to follow if you’re reading along when we get to that point. By the Lord’s grace, we have addressed an overview of Israel future events and the prophetic prophecies in the recent past. However, we will be more focused on just a few sets of Scriptures today. In passing, we will comment that the current war started on October 7th in 2023 involves a most striking prophecy, that of Psalm 83, which seems to be in the process of being fulfilled.

And I want to emphasize the process. But undoubtedly Israel is certainly making unprecedented progress, progress in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, the West bank and Yemen, along with maintaining relative peaceable relations with Egypt, Jordan and the UAE and a few other Arab states, all while being condemned by the United Nations. So today’s study is not Psalm 83, but I know you’re familiar with does seem like this process is in the works. But now we also have to say that there’s a new fuzzy reality. Fuzzy reality by the recent recent announcements by President Trump regarding Gaza.

So how all that is going to work out, we’ll wait and see. But certainly these are activities that we have not seen in that area in recent times.

One aspect of today’s study is to try to assist any who may be having difficulty understanding how God can be working with the recent past and present God government in Israel. Let me restate that without looking at my notes. In the last couple years, with the Hamas war and a terrible price being paid because of Hamas intransigence, the human toll there, we’ve talked with brethren who are struggling with how we should view the Israeli government today and some of the corruption, some of the problems there, and tie that in with how God can work with that, and what does that mean for the future? That’s really one of the goals of today, this study.

But let’s pick up. Since 1878, the Lord has been reestablishing his covenanted people Israel in His land, the land promised Abraham. Satan has vigorously tried to destroy them and push them out of the land. Through all of this, God has been developing, first and foremost Jews who have faith in him and his promises. Repeating God has been working with establishing Jews in sincere faith first, foremost.

That’s his goal. He is pleading with them in the wilderness. Even though Jews of faith are perplexed or blinded to a large extent by the confused teachings of the rabbis and their Jewish leaders, still there are those to this day that have a living faith in their God, their patriarchs, and as Brother Russell put it from the third volume, page 250, quote, the Jews recognized by God are children of Abraham and those who hold to the faith of Abraham and trust in the divine promises. End of quote.

So let me stop for a second for a technical point. How am I sounding to you? This is coming across okay. All right, thank you. So we ask, what’s the current condition of Jewish faith among those living in Israel?

Well, in 2023, approximately 44% of Israeli Jews self identified as secular, while 33% identified as traditional, 11.5% as religious and 11% as ultra Orthodox. Now a few more generalized observations relating to the Israel situation. Since 1878 AD, they’re still bound by their original covenant given through Moses. Brother Russell thought that they were still in that covenant relationship with the Lord until such time as they either accepted Jesus personally and consecrated, entering into the narrow way and the Gospel age covenant of grace and sacrifice. However, since the vast majority of the Jews today have not entered the Christian covenant, they are only or just responsible for the law covenant along with the promised land responsibilities.

Not until the new law covenant goes into effect during the mediatorial phase of the kingdom will they be expected to act differently. However, at that time, with the Christ in control and ruling with an iron rod along with the ancient worthies, all fears, wars, conflicts, etc. Will be stopped. For Satan will be fully bound and the old heavens and the old earth will have passed away. We recognize that were a number of ancient worthies that were in fact warriors, including Abraham, David and Moses, let alone a Samson.

And these all had God’s blessing and in some instances he had directed them to fight and kill. We fully expect that today some if not most of the Jews of faith, true faith or the holy remnant who have submissive faith in God and look for their Messiah will most likely be modern day warriors, that is Soldiers having fought to maintain their hold on the land of promise that God hath given their father Abraham and expects them now to hold on to, and as in any military organization, these officers of higher command are the real decision makers and have the greater responsibility for either good or bad orders, and we know that in fact political figures also play important roles in in the greater decision making responsibilities. Like the rest of the nations during the period of this permission of evil, Israel is also conflicted with how best to live up to its ideals.

It will actually be the promised blesser nation after the new covenant is established. It will be the holy remnant and their rehabilitated Jewish brothers that after having accepted Jesus as Messiah and accepted the terms of the new Covenant, they will then best understand how to be a blesser nation. It is true and it is good when they try now and are able to some extent be a blessing through their technology and humanitarian efforts, much to be applauded for. However, they also have to develop and sell military hardware and equipment.

Unfortunately due to sin in all money, greed and corruption still taint their outward government and economic policies to a large degree. It is the spirit of the world working in all fallen humans. It has been well put that if the Muslims would put down their weapons, there would be peace in the Middle east. But if Israel put down their weapons, there’d be no Israel.

All the good that Israel might do now will not last, although that does not mean they should not try as long as they can hold on to God’s promised Land. To them it seems an inescapable suspicion that corruption among some of the highest levels of government and military leadership have inadvertently contributed to the current morass. It is with this background that we hope to demonstrate from Scripture prophecy that God does indeed use both Jews of faith and Jews without sincere faith, even those who are secular, that is without any religious convictions in this re establishment of the nation of Israel. So I’m going to read through Zechariah 12:3 through most of 10. I’m going to read it through and then we’ll go back over it, but we want to see this overview and in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

In that day, saith the lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness and I will open my eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness, and the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD their the Lord of hosts, their God. In that day will I make the governors of Judah like a hearth of fire amongst the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf and they shall devour all the people round about on the right hand and on the left and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem, and the Lord shall give victory to the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David, and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not magnify themselves against Judah. In that day shall The Lord put a shield around the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he that is feeble among them shall in that day shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God, and the angel of the Lord before them.

And it shall come to pass in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem, and I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication.

So, brethren, we believe this is a progressive picture from 1878 onward. It demonstrates that Israel would have Jerusalem, including the old City in 1967, restored before the final invasion and their final deliverance. Verses three and four, and in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people. All that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth shall be gathered against it.

In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment and his rider with madness, and will open my eyes upon the house of Judah and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. We believe this began in 1878 and has been in progress and even more so since 1914. With the ending of the Gentile times and the ending of the Gentile powers treading Jerusalem underfoot. The Lord with present truth has been striking down false doctrines. These horses and their promoters, their riders, to such an extent that Israel has been reborn, defying so many lies and distortions about them.

We remember the satanic doctrines of the Nazis, the fascists, the Stalinists, the Islamists, the Ku Klux Klan and the John Birch Society and many more. All tried to stop the Jews from having a homeland. But God prevailed over them. God has opened his eyes upon the House of Judah, demonstrating that it is their time for his favor to them to return, for their double of disfavor had ended in 1878. This phrase, House of Judah, a house represents descendants.

This refers to all Jews, secular and those of faith. House of Judah in verse five, let’s reread that, and the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength and the Lord of hosts, their God. The governors of Judah are representing leaders. These are the secular Zionists who first led the way back to Palestine.

Religious Zionism was actually a later development. It’s very pronounced that the governors of Judah say in their hearts inwardly, that they think that another group, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that it’s their God that will be their strength in the end. They’re not saying my God, they’re not saying our God. They’re gone. So there’s a distinction in these groups.

The governors of Judah are the secular Zionists who’ve been so active and sacrificing in reestablishing the land of Israel. Now I need to make a comment here. Look down at that. Verse 10, verse 10 and and I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication. The governors of Judah aren’t mentioned.

The house of Judah isn’t mentioned. The house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem are the ones who are the holy remnant, the Jews who have a sincere faith, the faith of Father Abraham. They’re the ones that the Lord is looking to develop. He’s using the secular Jews to get there, but his end game is to develop that holy remnant that he will use as a nucleus of the new heavens and the new earth with the ancient worthies in Jerusalem, while the secular Jews will eventually, hopefully be rehabilitated and have their place in the kingdom. But even as Brother Russell said, they’ll have no the secular Jews will have no better place standing than the Gentiles.

So these are the Jews of faith. But in this context, it shows us the Lord is willing to use and bless the secular Zionist efforts in reestablishing Israel. Brethren, this is very helpful for us to see how God is working so that we don’t have to assent to corruption in the Israeli government today. We, we just have to assent that the Lord is working with Israel today to get the group he’s most interested in, the Jews who have sincere faith, like Father Abraham. Okay, let’s continue on.

But that’s what we’re trying to hopefully demonstrate.

The governors of Judah in verse five and six are the leaders. These are the secular Zionists. They’ve led the way back in Palestine. Religious Zionists a later development. But we go on to say that we notice that the inhabitants of Jerusalem, verse 5, 7, 8 and 10, that the thought of inhabitants mean those who have invested themselves in a permanent dwelling arrangement.

These are the committed Jews who have faith in God. Like we saw in verse five, they have their God. These receive that spirit of grace and supplication from the Lord in due time in verse six, which we’ll read in that day will I make the governors of Jerusalem like a hearth of fire among the wood, like a torch of fire in a sheaf, and they shall devour all the people round about on the right hand and on the left, and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in its own place. Even in Jerusalem.

The secular Zionists whom the Lord blessed to achieve such wonderful accomplishments in both restoring the land and defending it. In 1967, the Israeli Armed forces regained old Jerusalem. Now here’s the point. They had the Temple Mount. The Israeli paratroopers gained the Temple Mount.

They didn’t have to be down wailing at the wall. But what did they do? The leadership came down and said, take that Israeli flag of Star of David down from that Temple Mount. My guess is it was through Western powers pressure. The United States was being pressured by Russia because the Israelis were making such advances with the United States military equipment that the Russians who had been supplying the Arab armies were looking humiliated.

So I believe that the Israeli leadership backed down under pressure from the West. So they turned the Temple Mount back over to the Jordanian authority, and the Israelis are down at the Western Wall and they’re wailing today. They weren’t supposed to give it back, nor were they later supposed to give back Sinai.

Even though the Lord used the secular Zionists to be a blessing and the Jews of faith. But they were the minority nonetheless. We do appreciate their sacrifices and so does the Lord. We’re going to pick that up in verse seven, and the Lord shall give victory to the tents of Judah.

First that the house of David, the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem did not magnify themselves against Judah. You see, the Lord is teaching the Jews of faith they need to be humble and appreciate what their brothers did for them. Even though they lacked a sincere faith, they sacrificed for the land that they unitedly want to hold on to. So the Lord gives victory to the tents of Judah. But what does a tent mean?

A tent is a temporary arrangement so that the secular Jews were used temporarily in the reestablishment and maintaining Israel. But in the end it was to help preserve the Jews of faith who would receive the blessing from the Lord and move into the next development of the new kingdom. Arrangement Tents of Judah in verses 8 and 9 reading from the Revised Standard Version on that day the Lord will put a shield about the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the feeblest amongst them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, the angel of the Lord. At their head. On that day I seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

We suggest that these verses are the start of the invasion of Gog from the land of Magog outlined in Ezekiel 38. We believe this is the same time period.

This is the final conflict of Jacob’s trouble. We read that God Almighty will have a special protection around the Jews of sincere faith and humility. For they, these Jews of faith, realize that there is no human power that can save them. These are the holy remnant depicted by the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of David. These are those who will be praying that they might be saved so that God would not be discredited in the eyes of their enemies.

It is probable that they will be praying on the Temple Mount, even though the entire city will have been captured at that time, and we’ll just give a suggestion about praying on the Temple mount. Joel, the second chapter, verses 17 and 18. Joel 2:17 and 18.

The feeble among the holy remnant will be like David, like the angel of the Lord. Mighty ones. This suggests that there will be those who first or prominently recognize their weakness and hopeless inability to save themselves. So they demonstrate their leadership, like David of old, who by faith and prayer relied solely upon the Lord for deliverance. We suggest that this is in context, the final blow during Jacob’s trouble.

The same event as the invasion of Gog Magog. I’m repeating that, but it’s also the same time as Zechariah 14:1 3. We’d like to read that. Zechariah 14:1 three. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of Thee.

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken, and the houses shall be rifled, the women ravished, half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord Jehovah go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought in the day of battle.

We read that Jerusalem is captured. This must mean that the Israeli defense forces have been overwhelmed. The expression half the city does not mean just a numerical number, but rather represents there will be two portions or two groups of Jews in the city at that time. We suggest that the half taken are the secular Jews, those of little faith. They’re a much larger proportion.

But the residue that is not cut off from the city is the holy remnant, the same as those that God had put a shield around in Zechariah 12, 8.

It is then that the Lord will fight for Jerusalem, for His people, as he once done in times long before, when it was obvious and beyond any doubt that it was indeed the Lord God Almighty that overcame seemingly insurmountable forces. It will be to his eternal glory. It will be such a complete victory that it will be reminiscent of how God caused Israel’s enemies to destroy themselves in fits of anarchy. Such a destruction that the holy remnant will be watching it before their very eyes. The holy remnant will be watching this destruction before their very eyes.

There will be no doubt as to the supernatural intervention. Now, we want to take a moment for you and I to use our sanctified imaginations. I can’t give you words that would do it justice, but in your mind, what do you and I think it will be like for that holy remnant? Jerusalem’s captured. The enemy’s in their city.

They seen their military forces overwhelmed. They turn to the Lord in prayer. Where would you go? You go up to the Temple Mount.

Brother Russell suggests the ancient worthies would come on the scene about that time. You know, when the ancient worthies come on the scene, not only does it demonstrate that all the spirit begotten have been done with, but it means that Jesus has paid out the price for Father Adam and all his descendants. Because now the ancient worthies come on the scene, resurrected as perfect humans. They’re miraculously brought up to speed by God and they’re understanding what’s going on. So it’s an age of miracles.

It’s the age of miracles when the dead start living again. Truly, it’s the age of miracles. So the Lord in miraculously defeating these enemies of Israel, and they see it before them. What would that be like? Well, the horror of battle, the noise, the sights and sounds of chaos and destruction all around them.

And they’re not sure it’s not going to consume them. Then suddenly, all is still.

All is still, all is quiet. The enemy’s defeated. In a moment, perhaps it’ll be similar to the quiet of the Israelites when they looked from their walls of Jerusalem upon the wall. 185, 185,000 corpses of the Assyrians slain that night by the angel of the Lord. But it may be like the silence and stillness when the Israelites experienced on the shores of the Red Sea after they crossed safely over and the thunderous chariots of Pharaoh was streaming across hot on their heels.

And the walls of water came crashing down, destroyed Pharaoh’s hosts. But then it’s all quiet. The sea is calm, no enemy, Israel safe, and they’re looking out almost in disbelief. But they do believe they saw it with their own eyes.

This holy remnant will have this type of an experience. Arians, do you think they’ll believe? Oh, they’ll believe. Their faith will be confirmed, and I couldn’t help but think of Masada.

But the reverse. Instead of the Romans winning and finding quiet at the top of Masada. Israel wins because of the Lord God Almighty.

However it may transpire, the Lord will have created the psychological moment for those Jews of faith to receive the most startling news ever.

That God used their Messiah to save them just now from their enemies. But that that very Messiah their forefathers had crucified hung upon a tree, and he was hung upon their tree to save them out of death personally for their eternal salvation. This Messiah in glory was probably used of the Lord God Almighty to slay their enemies. But then they’ll find out that Messiah was Jesus of Nazareth who died for their sins to deliver them from Adamic condemnation.

Now I would like to read this. Zechariah 12, 9, 10. Zechariah 12, nine, ten, and it shall come in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem, and I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication.

And they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Well, this is one of those moments. Their terror surrounded by their enemies, suddenly replaced with relief. When their enemy is destroyed, then their relief will be followed by shock and then the deepest remorse and repentance that can be imagined. But they will believe. They’ll believe in God and in their Messiah, his only begotten Son, and that he is Jesus the Nazarene.

This moment in time will be the first national Jewish acknowledgment and remembrance of him.

You and I at this memorial were remembering him.

This will be the first national Jewish remembering that Jesus indeed was their Messiah. Their personal revelation that all the paschal lambs they had slain for millennia were all meant to bring them to accept the antitypical Lamb of God. They will start to realize the true significance that their father Abraham and offering up his his most treasured son Isaac was to represent God, offering them Jesus. So many things of their history and present conditions will finally come in to have the intended effect. That is true repentance of heart and gratitude for what God and Jesus have done, coupled with complete submission everything necessary to enter into the new covenant relationship.

When we read that in that day shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the morning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, and the land shall mourn every family apart, the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart. Family of the house of Nathan apart and his wives apart. The family of the house of Levi apart and their wives apart. The family has Shimei apart and their wives apart.

All the families that remain, every family apart and all their wives apart. It may be best to take these verses at face value. The national repentance for the death of Jesus, the long proclaimed curse by their forefathers, Let his blood be upon us and upon our children. Is now fully owned and fully repented of. Although it will be a national mourning in repentance, the repeated phrase they and their wives apart signifies that it will be an individual determination and it will be a deeply personal revelation.

The mourning of Jerusalem is likened to that of when good King Josiah had been slain. The four houses stated David, Nathan, Levi. Shimei demonstrates a complete national mourning, even as the number four is used in scriptures and nature to represent completeness. For example, God’s four character attributes, the four cardinal points, the four seasons, the four corners of the earth, the four gospels, the four stages of human life, birth, youth, adulthood and death. Regardless, they all mourn.

Kings, prophets, priests and Levites. These will set the example for others to follow.

Now we’d like to read Zechariah 13 and verse 1:13 1. It flows in the context I’ll read from the Revised Standard Version. On that day there shall be a fountain open for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. Brethren, how beautiful. The holy remnant will have the first opportunity to recognize and receive the water of life giving truth, even as in the Revelation.

Come and take the water of life freely. Don’t you and I remember the first time we really in our hearts recognize that Jesus died for me. Remember how Paul says that in Galatians Jesus died for me. It was Paul who told us he died a ransom for all anti lutron. Yes, but we never want to forget.

He died for each one of us, and each one of us have a joy in receiving that the water of life freely. This will be not unlike the day of Pentecost. Really. Miracles, trouble, large conversion of Jews.

Undoubtedly this is a great personal morning. But instead of the apostles, the ancient worthies will explain the matters the Spirit of God poured out. But it’s not spirit. Begetto. Now a few scriptures on the holy remnant.

In Isaiah 4, 3 I’ll read it to you. Isaiah 40:3 and it shall come to pass that he that that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy. Everyone that is written among the living in Jerusalem and Joel 2, verse 32, Joel 2 32, and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord had said to the remnant whom the Lord has called.

Brother Russell, commenting on this from the question book, page 379. 379. The Ancient Worthies will appear amongst the Jews, not the infidel Jews, for there are some real earnest Jews. They are longing and waiting for the Messiah, and I presume it will be that that kind to whom he will reveal himself, and as he makes himself known to them, they will believe it’s reasonable for us to think that these verses in Zechariah 12 help us to identify the very moment that Paul writes about in Romans 11, verses 25 through 27. For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should become conceited.

That blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles become in and then, and then all Israel, all Israel will be saved. As it is written, there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob, for this is my covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins, and yes brethren, we learned that the Christ head and body members will all need to be complete and glorified before the ancient worthies might be resurrected and before there can come this national repentance and forgiveness of their sins. So brethren, if we are ever asked, when will the Jews recognize Jesus? Romans 11, Zechariah 12 and that’s when they will nationally recognize Jesus.

Now returning to the subject of the secular Zionists being used in the beginning, but the Zionists of faith being blessed later, the Lord is pleased to bless and use the secular or relatively nominally religious Jews from the time of their regathering to the land in 1878 until this day, to maintain the land and protect the holy remnant, those Jews who do have sincere faith, those that have a circumcised heart, until in the future, after the people of Israel have had their final chastisement from the Lord shown in Ezekiel 38, Zechariah 12 and Zechariah 14, then will all the rebels have been separated out. They will not be allowed to enter into the new Promised land, Eretz Israel, I.e. enter into the new covenant arrangement outlined in Ezekiel 20:33-44. In fact, the Lord considers the Israelis now, even though they are literally in the land of Israel as a nation. He considers that they’re in a wilderness condition.

They’re still in a wilderness condition. So I’m going to read from Ezekiel 20, verses 34 to 38, Ezekiel 20, 34, 38, and I will bring you out of the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein you are scattered with a stretched out arm and with fury poured out, that’ll be the hunters and fishers that have been doing this, and I will bring you into the wilderness. I’m going to bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face, like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt.

So will I plead with you, says the Lord God, and I will cause you to pass under the scepter, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant, and I will purge out from among you the rebels and them that transgress against me, and I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel, and you shall know that I am the Lord. Now I’m going to Skip to verse 40. For in mine holy mountain, the mountain of the height of Israel, says the Lord, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land serve me. All of them in the land serve me. There will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings and the chief of your tributes with all your holy things.

Yes, they are currently in the literal land of Israel, but this is only a stepping stone to the next event, that is being in an acceptable heart condition, a circumcised heart, so that they can enter into the new covenant arrangement, and even then that is still another stepping stone as they fight the good fight of overcoming the enemies of the land, which represent the effects of Adamic sin, so that they will be able to persevere through the little season trials and final testing after the thousand years are ended, so that they can gain life eternal. That is Jehovah’s endgame. That’s the end game. Not getting them back to the land.

This isn’t the end game. Not even getting them into the new covenant. That’s not the end game, that part of it, but so that each one can be developed in fighting their own weaknesses to be able to stand perfect in the eyes of the Lord when the mediator steps aside. If they’re faithful, then they live into the kingdom under the new covenant arrangement, where life everlasting, that’s God’s end. Game.

All the rest are stepping stones. It helps to keep that in mind when we recognize if something doesn’t seem right to put it where is it in God’s plan? Is it here? Is it there? Is it yet to happen?

And if we keep that in mind, then it helps us understand how the Lord is working. Now. There’s a similar lesson about the same matter of God blessing the secular or faithless Jews in order to work with the Jews of faith that are in their midst. This is from Numbers, we’re not going to read there. This is from numbers, the 13th and 14th chapters, along with Joshua, the fifth chapter.

Now, we are going to talk about that in depth tomorrow. But we wanted to bring out this connecting link. We learn from this that God was willing to use the partially rejected Israelites, those that lacked faith in the 12 Spies report, who were condemned to die in the wilderness and not to be allowed to enter into the Promised Land. They were in effect, caregivers to their children, the next generation. It was the next generation who did follow Joshua into the Promised Land.

They crossed the River Jordan, and what happened? First, circumcised, because they hadn’t been circumcised in the wilderness. Oh, their parents had been. They were circumcised in Egypt before they came out.

But because of their unfaithfulness, that generation, the parents weren’t allowed to enter the Promised Land. But they had to act as caregivers for the next generation because God didn’t want the seed of Abraham to be wiped out. But he wants to see to Abraham, to have the faith of Abraham, and that’s represented by not only a circumcised flesh, but a circumcised heart, and then what did they do?

They crossed the River Jordan under Joshua. They’re in the Promised Land. They’re circumcised in mass, all those, the males, and then they partook of the Passover. They hadn’t partaken of the Passover since the second time, the first time in Egypt.

They were delivered the next year at Mount Sinai, and they hadn’t observed the Passover because they weren’t in a circumcised heart condition until they entered the Promised Land.

Now I have a simple musing. I’m returning back more to this experience of today that we’ve been considering today. It just may be that when God miraculously defeats the enemy of Jerusalem and Israel, the final conflict, maybe God will choose at that time to miraculous, miraculously stop all violence around the whole world, all the conflicts around the world would suddenly grind to a halt. Perhaps the Lord God will use his spiritual police force of the Christ, the great company and the holy angels to suddenly make all the weapons in the world malfunction. It’s got to start somewhere.

And it’s the age of miracles. You’re resurrecting the ancient worthies. You’re miraculously defeating the enemies that had come into Jerusalem. Why not just take that moment and say, let’s just end all the wars. Eventually the people will indeed beat their spears, swords into pruning hooks, plows.

That’s true. They’ll learn that, that’s the point. But somewhere you have to stop the violence. You can’t just stop it in Israel and then hope people will be able to travel out from Israel to give the testimony. They will do that, but they can’t go home to absolute chaos.

But how do you get the people’s attention who are at war? Their guns don’t work, their bombs don’t fire, the jets don’t fly, they don’t get their attention, and then they’re going to really wonder what’s going on. But brethren, if it’s not that way, as we all say, it’ll be better. But I like thinking about it somewhere.

It’s got to stop, and he has an iron rod rule, and if you got a thought on it, I would love to hear it because I like thinking about that time, I really do. The great military complexes will cease to be needed or exist. We Read in Isaiah 11, 9 In part, no one will hurt nor destroy in his holy mountain.

In closing, brethren, we return to Romans the 11th chapter. I’m going to read verses 30 through 36, Romans 11:30, 36. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God, have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. This next verse, I love this. When I witness to somebody, for God hath concluded all in disbelief that he might have mercy upon all.

Who can tell that? Like the Bible students who can explain it? Don’t you have to believe to get mercy? You get the mercy of the benefit of the ransom price, whether you believe or not. It’s after you’ve received the benefit of the ransom price, after you’ve been saved, that then you come to the knowledge of the Lord.

Yeah. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways? Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him?

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forevermore. Amen.

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