Bible Prophecy Begins and Ends With Israel

Harbingers Daily ^ | 12/27/23 | Dr. Robert Jeffress

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Imagine you open to the middle of John Grisham’s latest best-seller. Immediately you face unfamiliar names and locations. To make sense of the story you flip to the end. But the ending seems more confusing than the middle. You slam the book shut in disgust. Grisham has really lost his touch, you conclude.

This analogy is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. But it illustrates why so many people have trouble with Bible prophecy. To understand prophecy, we should not start in the middle of the Book—with Ezekiel and Daniel—or at the end with Revelation. No, we should begin at the beginning—with Genesis.

It’s there, in Genesis 12:1-3, that God makes a startling promise to a man named Abraham. All prophecy hangs on this promise, or “covenant.” To better understand this covenant, and how it relates to prophecy, let’s look at the contents of the covenant, the character of the covenant, and the consequences of the covenant.

Content of the Covenant

The first thing God promised Abraham was Land. Abraham was born in the idolatrous city of Ur, around 2166 BC. In His sovereign grace, God called Abraham out of this lifestyle.

In Genesis 12:1 God says, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you.” At the age of 75, Abraham uprooted his family and possessions and moved to a distant country he had never seen. It was only later, after Abraham had acted, that God provided the details of that land in Genesis 15:18-21.

God also promised Abraham a lineage to fill the land. Genesis 12:2 states, “And I will make you a great nation.” Genesis 22:17 adds, “I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore.” Remember, God made this promise to Abraham when he was 75 years old. Not only this, but his wife, Sarah, was barren. Yet God fulfilled this promise, giving them physical and spiritual descendants beyond number.

In addition to a land and a seed, God also promised to make Abraham a lasting blessing. Genesis 12:3 states, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” In this climax of the covenant, God was saying, “Through you Abraham, I will bring a Savior who will redeem the world.” How do we get a Savior from Genesis 12:3? From the New Testament.

Galatians 3:8 states, “The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham saying, ‘All the nations will be blessed in you.’” God preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Abraham. And Abraham was saved by it.

Galatians 3:6 tells us, “Even so, Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” People in the Old Testament were saved the same way we are: by God’s grace through faith. Abraham looked forward to Christ for salvation, and we look back to Him.

Character of the Covenant

We have seen that God promised Abraham a land, a lineage, and a lasting blessing. But were these promises symbolic? Were they temporary? Could they be lost? How we answer these questions determines how we view Bible prophecy. Thankfully, God’s Word gives us some answers.

First, God’s covenant with Abraham was literal. We see this from Abraham’s response. In Genesis 12:4-5 we read, “[Abraham] went forth as the Lord had spoken to him… and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan.” If Abraham thought Canaan was only symbolic of Heaven, why did he go through all the trouble of moving to Canaan? Certainly, he was looking for Heaven as well, as Hebrews 11:10 states. But he was also looking for an earthly home. In addition to being literal, the covenant was eternal. Genesis 13:15 states, “All the land which you see, I will give it to you and your descendants forever.” God placed no expiration date on the promise.

Finally, God’s covenant was unconditional. In Abraham’s day, kings would establish contracts by taking animals, splitting them in two, and placing the halves in two lines. The parties would then walk side-by-side through the animal pieces, holding a torch. This signified that the covenant was dependent upon each party keeping his end of the bargain. But when God ratified the agreement with Abraham in Genesis 15:9-21, only God passed between the pieces. This signified that the promise had nothing to do with Abraham’s obedience. It had everything to do with God’s faithfulness.

Genesis 13:15 states, “All the land which you see, I will give it to you and your descendants forever.” God placed no expiration date on the promise.

Consequences of the Covenant

So what does this have to do with prophecy? Since 1948, Israel has possessed the Promised Land—but not all of it. True, God sent a blessing to all the world through Jesus Christ. He rules right now in the hearts of believers. But he’s not yet sitting on the throne of David in Jerusalem. That prophecy will still be literally fulfilled.

You may say, “I’m not Jewish. Why should I care?” Just as God made unconditional promises to believing Jews, He has made promises to you and me.

In John 10:28 Jesus said, “I give eternal life to them and no man shall snatch them out of my hands.” The God who can be trusted to keep His promises to Israel, is the same God we can depend on to keep His promises to us. We’ve seen that God’s promise to Abraham includes land, a lineage, and a lasting blessing. We’ve noted that the covenant was literal, eternal, and unconditional.

We know that part of it has not yet been fulfilled. And we know that God’s faithfulness to complete it demonstrates how faithful He will be to us.

We now know how the story begins. We are ready to dive into the middle and the end. And because of God’s faithfulness, we know it will have a perfect ending.

[Seven_0]

Some Jews will come to Christ but the whole nation including the 144,000 will be left behind when Christ takes the Church.
I believe that the “times of the gentiles” ends at the rapture. Then Christ will take away their blindness and all Israel will be saved. Jacob (the natural man) will be healed.(Roman 11:26) Something like when Joseph sent out all the gentiles and revealed himself to his brothers.

[Red Badger]

Just where is the ‘Throne of David’ right now, and who is on it?....................

[cowboyusa]

That is true. The Covenant with Israel remains forever, though.

[Ezekiel]

Just where is the ‘Throne of David’ right now, and who is on it?....................

A big surprise, it looks like.

Exciting stuff.

There's a lot of key information here, at the gates of Rome, and also that David *was* the Law, as “the final verdict.”

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus (/ˈdʒeɪnəs/ JAY-nəs; Latin: Ianvs [ˈi̯aːnʊs]) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways,[2] passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janus (Ianuarius).[3] According to ancient Roman farmers' almanacs, Juno was mistaken as the tutelary deity of the month of January,[4] but Juno is the tutelary deity of the month of June.

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Etymology

The name of the god Iānus, meaning in Latin 'arched passage, doorway', stems from Proto-Italic *iānu ('door'), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ieh₂nu ('passage'). It is cognate with Sanskrit yāti ('to go, travel'), Lithuanian jóti ('to go, ride'), Irish áth ('ford') or Serbo-Croatian jàhati ('to ride').[5][6]

Iānus would then be an action name expressing the idea of going, passing, formed on the root *yā- < *y-eð2- theme II of the root *ey- go from which eō, ειμι.[7] Other modern scholars object to an Indo-European etymology either from Dianus or from root *yā-.[8]

From Ianus derived ianua ("door"),[9] and hence the English word "janitor" (Latin, ianitor).

Janus

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A contronym, also known as a 'Janus word,' is a word that is its own opposite—like 'fast', which can describe both quick movement, and lack of movement.

Frequently described as "words that are their own opposites," contronyms (contranym is a variant spelling) are also known as Janus words, antagonyms, and autoantonyms.

These are words that have developed contradictory meanings. Cleave is often cited as the go-to contronym: it can refer to splitting something apart and to uniting two things. Those disgruntled at the phenomenon may be glad to know that the class of words is rather small, and also that there is usually some sort of logic at work.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/words-own-opposites

670. A NEW TORAH

God is destined to give a new Torah to Israel at the hands of the Messiah, as it is said, "A new Torah shall come forth from Me" (Isa. 51:4). That new Torah will be written with 23 letters in the alphabet. That extra letter had accompanied the other 22 from the first, but it had been invisible. With the addition of that letter, the letters of the Torah will combine in a different way, and new meanings will emerge...

***

This links in to the Jewish concept of דבר והיפוכו -- a thing and its opposite. The phrase also translates as "oxymoron".

Keep on the Sunnyside ~

I've often linked Johnny Cash's classic, but I just found this from Dwight. Johnny is a zombie by comparison:

Dwight Yoakam (LIVE HD) : Keep on the sunny side / Pacific Amp. : Costa Mesa, CA / 7/20/23

Outstanding and really fun, even though the lyrics are muddled in the live event.

Just where is the ‘Throne of David’ right now, and who is on it?....................

"Can’t beat a good honky tonk show on a Friday night."

[Philsworld]

If any of you had proof, you would post it. So lame.

[cowboyusa]

First of all, you are apalk8ngly arrogant. Second go read Roman’s 9 to 11.

[Philsworld]

I’ve read through it many times. If you have proof, post it.

[reviled downesdad]

Ezekiel 38. Not yet..

Who is the Gog, the leader of the Magog?

[Philsworld]

——>You can throw out the Books of Isaiah, Zechariah, Ezekiel, and Daniel based on your post.

So, you’re saying there are NON-CONDITIONAL covenant promises in those books relating to LITERAL/CORPORATE Israel? Nope.

[cowboyusa]

GOD DID NOT REJECT HIS PEOPLE. You are a wild branch who has been grafted into the Olive Tree, Paul SPISFICLY Tells you to not boast off of the natural branches that have been cut off. GOD is now regrafting the natural branches in, PTL!

[Philsworld]

——>GOD DID NOT REJECT HIS PEOPLE.

I never said He did. They have as much chance at salvation as everyone else, INDIVIDUALLY. God removed the privilege that the Jewish Nation/literal corporate Israel had of being God’s chosen people, chosen to spread the plan of salvation.
That privilege now belongs to the “Church”.

[cowboyusa]

No, GOD did NOT remove his Covenant with Israel. GOD THE FATHER did not divorce her, put he put her aside for 2,000 years, now he is restoring her to himself. Yes, you are correct, that the Bride of YESHUA, now spreads the message of salvation.

[Philsworld]

——>No, GOD did NOT remove his Covenant with Israel.

With the LITERAL Nation of Israel, He certainly did, permanently (not individual Jews that accept Christ).

Matthew 21:43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

[realcleanguy]

Russia

[Philsworld]

Sorry, but you have no understanding of Daniel’s 70 week prophecy, or prophecy in general, for that matter. Daniel’s 70 weeks came and went, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. That first 490 years (70 weeks), was actually the first part of the longer 2300 day/year period. God did not chop off the last week and magically transport it 2000+ years into the future. You believe He did because of what those Futurist Jesuit priests, by way of John Darby, told you. You believe in FUTURISM.

[cowboyusa]

Romans 9 to 11 shows that he did not. Israel came under the cursing, and was forced to wander because of unbelief. We are now in the time of the Fullfilment of Ezikiel 37 and Jerimiha 31. The Resotoration of Isreal. The land being restored is the natural part. The Spiritual restoration is even more important. Israel as a nation still has to go through a time of greater trouble though.

[Philsworld]

——>Romans 9 to 11 shows that he did not.

Then show it.

[cowboyusa]

And you remain arrogant.If GOD rejects an Eternal Covenant that he made, then he would be a liar.He did not. Paul says it. He still loves and cares for Israel. YESHUA will FULLY restore Israel to himself when he returns. Then ALL Israel will cry to him.

[Philsworld]

——>Paul says it.

WHERE does Paul say it? Show me.

[cowboyusa]

Ok, I will try ONE time.Paul says that the natural Jewish b4anches were cast off, so that the wild Gentile Branches could come in. Wild Vranches that are grafted in are told not to boast over the Natural Branches that have been cut off. GOD is gathering the natural Branches. In addition, the root of the Church is Jewish. Christianity is a Jewish faith. The orginal dispute was wether Gentiles could become Christians at all without becoming Jews. The Church became separated from the root. NOW, is the time of GOD restoring all things.