The bible is written in parables, meant for those with understanding to understand. If it was written in a lawyerly fashion, then this age would not have been a good test to see who would stand with Him. Anyone who wants to be an atheist can easily be an atheist, claiming this, that, or the other is wrong. Those who want to stand with him will do so, meanwhile teaching himself to rightly divide and interpret parables thereby gaining wisdom. It's written in a genius manner. The Word itself separates those who study to show themselves approved, and those who only want to criticize or not believe.
Exodus 20:8-11, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Very specifically, God links the literal work week followed by the literal sabbath day with the days of creation and rest. Why would He do that if the truth were so far removed from a literal reading?
I don't see it as far-removed. Remember a day with God is as a thousand years (meaning a very long time) to man. God created the earth in 6 of His days and rested. We worked six of ours and rested (before the crucifixion).
Second comment - here's a quote from your post - Read Jacob's prophesy. Ephraim (a company of nations - the U.K.) and Manasseh (a great nation - America) inherited Jacob/Israel's name. America and the U.K. are the Israel mentioned in all the end-time prophesies. Why wouldn't America be in the prophesies, America is the most Christian nation on earth. It would be illogical for it not to be mentioned. Whoa, do I hear replacement theology?
What is replacement theology? Regardless of whatever organization you're trying to pin on me what I say is true. The United States, Britain, Israel, English Canada, Australia, and pockets in Northwestern Europe are prophetic Israel.
You referenced Romans 1 in your post. Ever read chapter 11? Why would Paul be warning the Christians Romans against being boastful about other Christians? Why would he be cautioning them that God was not done with Christians?
There are certain nations where Christians have congregated more than others. That is prophetic Israel. All who believe are of the seed of Abraham and God loves Christians in Russia and China as much as he loves Christians in America. When I say "prophetic Israel", I'm speaking of Israel in the time before the second advent, where the battle of Hamongog takes place.
Besides that, the biblical text as a whole flies in the face of your interpretation. In Jeremiah, God tells Israel that the sun won't rise and the moon won't shine if He forgets His promises to Israel - quite an amazing promise. Are you saying that He was reassuring modern America/UK through the ACTUAL nation of Israel?
We are the descendants of the people of Israel. Judah was only 1 tribe, the rest went north and west after the Assyrian captivity.
He didn't really mean it for those to whom Jeremiah was preaching but rather for a future, distant nation that didn't yet exist?
We are the same people. We are descended from Isaac and Abraham. Judah is our brother but he is only 1 tribe out of 12.
Sounds a bit dishonest and cruel to me. Historical Israel certainly thought those promises were meant for her.
They are. They are meant for us too. We are Judah's brother.
They comforted Israel in times of captivity and throughout the diaspora - "next year in Jerusalem" became the common greeting because they knew that someday, they WOULD be in Jerusalem, because God promised it in scripture.
Yes, the sticks will reunite someday. We are the other end of the stick.
And what about the regathering prophecies? Are you suggesting that Israel as it exists today is not at all a fulfillment of those prophecies?
Not at all. Judah is 1 of twelve tribes and they are receiving God's promises just as we are.
Should we at some point expect the US/UK nations to be scattered throughout the world with the expectation of some future regathering?
We are scattered throughout the world. The only thing left is the regathering.
I'm sure I could give you any number of additional examples. But first, I would love for you to reference a bit more on this rather than just Jacob's prophecy. Please provide more substance, because your claim is a very serious one that impacts the interpretation of a great deal of biblical text, considering that fully 2/3 of the book is prophetic.
James, for instance taught to the tribes "scattered abroad". That means that they had made it to whever he was teaching by that time. They were on their way west for sure. They came all the way to NW Europe, the UK, and of course America.
One more quick comment on what I excerpted - why wouldn't America be mentioned? Well, first of all, maybe at the time of fulfillment - ie during the end times - the demise of America has already taken place so that we are much less of a world focus.
The bible speaks of Jacob's trouble, but I don't think there means the America is destroyed before the end.
Besides, think of America on the grand scale - we have only been on the scene for a few SECONDS comparatively, and the UK for a few minutes longer. With that perspective, can we be we that arrogant to believe we must matter more than anyone/anything/anywhere else?
We matter more if we love God more. And the most people that love YHVH are in America.
Second of all, speaking of logic - I would imagine that you would agree that it is completely illogical that Israel gets the astounding amount of worldwide attention that she does. Someone sneezes in Israel and it makes the AP. The UN has based a large majority of their resolutions upon condemning Israel. The Muslim world is absolutely obsessed with that tiny scrap of land.
I didn't say that Judah isn't part of prophetic Israel, did I? I just said that America and the UK are Manasseh and Ephraim respectively and therefore got the name of Israel, with Ephraim having the birthright. The country Israel (should be called Judah) is part of prophetic Israel, but they never had the birthright. They have always had the sceptor though. The "British" kingline is actually a Judean kingline since God promised David there would always be one of his seed on his throne. That is the sceptor.
Going back even further than that - the Jews have always, VERY illogically, been the focus of blind hatred, persecution, destruction, ethnic cleansing, and obliteration, more than any other genetic line or religious group of people in the history of the world.
Because they are the focus of Satan and his seed. Satan knew that Messiah would be of the seed of Judah and David. All the hate you see directed toward the tribe of Judah is directed that way because of the attacks from Satan and his seed.
Relentlessly they have been targeted, and still are. If America is the real intent behind biblical prophecy, why do you think Satan has tried so hard to destroy the Jews?
Because Jesus was of the tribe of Judah. Ephraim (Britain) has the birthright, but Judah has the sceptor. It's that sceptor that Satan wants.