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The Legacy Standard Bible
Beginning on Sunday, December 8, 2024, our Pastor began using the LSB version of the Bible in all of his teaching and preaching. This is the newly updated version of the NASB, which he has been using for a number of years. Here is some information on the LSB for those who would like to learn more. It also explains why Pastor Alan is now using this version of the English Bible.
The Legacy Standard Bible has been produced with the conviction that the words of Scripture as originally penned in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek are the eternal Word of God. The Holy Scriptures speak with authority to each generation, giving wisdom that leads to salvation, that people may serve Christ to the glory of God. Because it is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16), every word of it is inspired, every word is true, and every word must be conveyed to every nation, tribe, people, and tongue (Rev. 7:9), so that every word can be taught and obeyed (Josh. 23:14; Mt. 28:20; Jn. 17:17).
THE FOURFOLD AIM OF THE LOCKMAN FOUNDATION
1. These publications shall be true to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
2. They shall be grammatically correct.
3. They shall be understandable.
4. They shall give the Lord Jesus Christ His proper place, the place which the Word gives Him; therefore, no work will ever be personalized.
PREFACE TO THE LEGACY STANDARD BIBLE
In the history of the English Bible translations, the King James Version is the most well-known. This time-honored version of 1611, itself a revision of the Bishops’ Bible of 1568, became the basis for the English Revised Version, which appeared in 1881 (New Testament) and 1885 (Old Testament). Its American counterpart, a product of both British and American scholarship, was published in 1901. Recognizing the values of the American Standard Version, The Lockman Foundation felt an urgency to preserve the ASV while incorporating recent discoveries of Hebrew and Greek textual sources and rendering it into more current English. This resulted in the New American Standard Bible, a translation based upon the time-honored principles of translation of the ASV and KJV, along with other linguistic tools and biblical scholarship.
The Legacy Standard Bible reflects another iteration of such preservation and refinement. Worked on by a core translation team in conjunction with pastors and educators from different countries, it is designed to honor, maintain, and advance the tradition represented by the NASB.
PRINCIPLES OF TRANSLATION
Key Principles: The Legacy Standard Bible has worked to uphold the style and translational choices of the NASB as much as possible. Even more, it has endeavored to follow through on the NASB’s stated intent to be true to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. While the interpreter, teacher, and pastor have the goal of understanding what the text means, the translator is to provide them with what the text says. Consistently, the goal of this translation is to be a window into the original text. Within that goal, this revision has focused upon accuracy and consistency. It has checked that words and grammar have been carried over properly. It also established rules for the consistent translation of terms within their various nuances. This allows the reader to more easily reconstruct what the original texts said. It also helps the reader more easily trace the flow of argument within a text, identify when the same word is used in another passage, and make connections between texts.
There are limits to the application of this philosophy. In this edition, a word might not be translated consistently in order to maintain a highly familiar rendering of a text or to preserve a wordplay in the text that advances the inspired author’s message. Moreover, because Scripture is a literary masterpiece, some linguistic features could not be transferred to this translation, not even by a note. Nevertheless, ensuring that the original languages are precisely rendered paves the way for careful readers to discover these insights for themselves.
In this way, the LSB upholds the philosophy that a translation does not replace pastors or teachers but rather depends upon faithful believers and the church to study and live out what has been written (Acts 8:30-31). Translation is a tool for the church and must be done in that context so that each word of Scripture may be taught and lived.
Modern English Usage: The attempt has been made to render the grammar and terminology in contemporary English. When word-for-word literalness was determined unacceptable to the modern reader; a change was made in the direction of a more current English idiom. In the instances where this has been done, the more literal rendering has been indicated in the notes. There are a few exceptions to this procedure. Of note, while an effort has been made to incorporate conjunctions as much as possible, the conjunction “and” is occasionally not translated at the beginning of sentences because of differences in style between ancient and modern writing. Punctuation is a relatively modern invention, and ancient writers often linked most of their sentences with “and” or other connectives.
Alternate Readings: In addition to the more literal renderings, notations have been made to include readings of variant manuscripts, explanatory equivalents of the text, and alternate translations that may bring out a play on words difficult to maintain in the text. These notations have been used specifically to assist the reader in comprehending the terms used by the original author.
THE COMMITMENTS OF THE LEGACY STANDARD BIBLE
The Legacy Standard Bible aspires to be a legacy preserved – to uphold the work and tradition that is found in translations from the KJV, ASV, to NASB.
The Legacy Standard Bible aspires to be a legacy performed – to advance the commitments of past translations by bringing forth features of the original text relative to accuracy and consistency.
The Legacy Standard Bible aspires to be a legacy passed on – to equip generations to study Scripture and continue the philosophy of being a window.
~ The Lockman Foundation
For additional information we recommend you contact The Lockman Foundation -- https://www.lockman.org/legacy-standard-bible-lsb/
The Nations - Europe
Selected Scriptures from the LSB
EUROPE
Text: Selected Scriptures from the LSB
Prayer: Heavenly Father, in the midst of the chaos and uncertainty in our world, we seek Your peace that surpasses all understanding.
Illumine our hearts with hope, reminding us that You are the anchor of our souls. Enable us to trust in Your divine plan, even when the world feels overwhelming. May the presence of the Holy Spirit bring comfort and strength, as He guides us through every trial revealing the path You have laid out before us. Lord, may we clearly discern Your will above the noise of the world, and grant us wisdom and understanding as our eyes are opened to the truth of Your Word. Keep our steps steady as we follow Your light. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Introduction: When he was a teenager, Albert Einstein had a dream that likely changed the course of scientific history.
In the dream, Einstein was walking through a field when he noticed a group of cows far away in the distance, all leaning against an electric fence. The cows were enjoying the grass that had previously been out of their reach because of the fence. Beyond the cows, Einstein saw a farmer working near the opposite end of the fence – presumably fixing whatever had caused the loss of electricity.
All of a sudden, Einstein saw the entire group of cows jump back from the fence at the same time. Rightly assuming that the fence had been repaired, Einstein walked on. When he reached the farmer, Einstein commented how humorous it had been to see all the cows jump back at the same time. But the farmer was confused. He told Einstein that’s not what happened at all. From his perspective, the cows had jumped back one at a time, starting with the cow closest to him.
Upon waking up, the dream stayed in Einstein’s mind. In fact, he continued to ruminate about the dream for decades. Eventually, his continued meditations on this subject became one of the factors that contributed to his Theory of General Relativity.
Can you imagine anyone having a more significant dream than that? Actually, you should.
More than 3,000 years ago, God gave Daniel a vision that we recognize as the most comprehensive prophetic insight ever received. God also sent a similar dream to the most powerful man in the world at that time. Looking back, we can see the effects of those dreams rippling throughout history – and even into the future.
Specifically, Daniel’s vision operates as a sign of what we can expect to happen in Europe before and during the end times.
While it was not uncommon for God to communicate to His people through dreams and visions, it is astounding that He gave the greatest vision of all time not only to Daniel but also to one of history’s most wicked Gentile rulers: King Nebuchadnezzar.
It was the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule over Babylon. Although all the king’s enemies were subdued or in captivity, he nevertheless was anxious about the future. His anxiety stemmed from a dream sent to him by God – a nightmare he could not understand, though he sensed its ominous implications. So, the king called in his counselors. Since he had forgotten important details about the dream, he demanded that his counselors not only interpret the nightmare but also give him a vivid description of it.
The king’s demand was unprecedented, and his counselors thought it unfair. When they could not meet his demand, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon
[READ Dan. 2:12-13]
12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
When the Jewish captive Daniel heard of the king’s edict, he and his friends asked God for a vision of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its interpretation. Then Daniel went to the executioner …
[READ Dan. 2:24] And said,
24 “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.”
Daniel was soon standing before Nebuchadnezzar, who asked him if he could reveal the meaning of his dream. Daniel explained that he could not, but he had connections with Someone who could.
[READ Dan. 2:27-28]
27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king is asking, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians, nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the last days. This was your dream and the visions of your head while on your bed.
Daniel explained, that just as God had sent the dream to Nebuchadnezzar, He had also revealed the dream and its interpretation to Daniel (v. 19). Then the Jewish prophet stood before the king and unfolded the future of his nation.
[READ Dan. 2:31-33]
31 “You, O king, were looking, and behold, there was a single great image; that image, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was rising up in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. 32 The head of that image was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
This vision gives us the history of human civilization, written by God Himself.
Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that his dream was about the kingdoms of this world. He explained that the metallic image represented four successive Gentile world powers that would rule over Israel in the days ahead.
- DANIEL’S INSIGHT INTO THE FUTURE (Dan. 2:28, 32, 37-40, 42-44; 5:28; 8:20-21)
Through Daniel, God gave Nebuchadnezzar a history of the remaining days of the world. We know this because he spoke specifically of “the last days” or “days to come” (v. 28). He revealed the meaning of the statue in five sections: the head of gold, the chest and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of copper and brass, the legs of iron, and the feet of part iron and part clay.
The first world empire, represented by the statue’s head of gold, was Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom of Babylon. Daniel’s words to the king are clear:
[READ Dan. 2:37-38]
37 You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory; 38 and wherever the sons of men inhabit, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has made you rule with power over them all. You are the head of gold.
Nebuchadnezzar would have understood that the head of gold referred to his kingdom, since the chief deity of Babylon was Marduk, known as “the god of gold.” The historian Herodotus described the image of Marduk as a dazzling sight – a golden statue seated on a golden throne before a golden table and a golden altar. Pliny tells us that the robes of Marduk’s priests were interlaced with gold.
The second world empire revealed in the king’s dream was represented by the image’s chest of silver, from which two silver arms emerged (v. 32). This was the Medo-Persian Empire, which conquered Babylon in 539 BC and remained in power for approximately 200 years.
[READ Dan. 5:28] Daniel stated clearly that …
28 … Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
The two nations are again confirmed as Babylon’s successor in Daniel 8:20.
The third world empire was represented by the image’s belly and thighs of bronze. Daniel told the king it would be a “kingdom of bronze, which will rule with power over all the earth” (2:39). This is the Greek Empire, the kingdom of Philip of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great. Not only does history confirm Greece as the empire that succeeded the Medo-Persians, but Daniel named Greece specifically in 8:21. Under Alexander, the Greek Empire encompassed more territory than either of the previous empires. It is appropriate that this third kingdom was characterized by the image’s bronze midsection. Alexander’s soldiers armored themselves in bronze helmets and breastplates, and they carried bronze shields and swords.
Daniel describes the fourth empire in the image (symbolized by its legs of iron) in this way …
[READ Dan. 2:40]
40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these.
Historians tell us that Rome was not only the successor to the Greek Empire, but they often use iron to describe the strength of the Roman Empire: Rome’s iron rule. Rome’s iron fist. Rome’s iron legions.
History confirms Daniel’s explanation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The Babylonians were overthrown by the Medo-Persians, the Medo-Persians were conquered by the Greeks, and then the previous kingdoms were assimilated into one kingdom known as the Roman Empire. This empire came into existence about 50 years before Jesus was born, and it continued in power throughout His earthly ministry. It was Roman rule that put Jesus on the cross. It was the Romans who ruled ruthlessly during the early days of the church.
The fact that Rome is represented in the statue by its two iron legs is also significant: by AD 395 the Roman Empire had split into two political areas of rule: the [Latin-speaking] West with its capital in Rome, and the [Greek-speaking] East with its capital in Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey), which included the land of Israel. This division of the empire is depicted in the statue’s two legs. This splitting of the mighty Roman Empire into two political units was not the last division that kingdom would suffer.
Daniel noted that in the king’s dream, the feet and toes were composed of a mixture of iron and clay. Though positioned at the bottom of the image, these extremities were apparently important, for Daniel said as much about the feet and toes as he said about all the other parts of the image combined.
Daniel explained the meaning of the material composing the image’s feet to Nebuchadnezzar.
[READ Dan. 2:42-43]
42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43 And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay; they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not cling to one another, even as iron does not combine with clay.
According to Daniel, there is to be yet another division in the Roman Empire, symbolized by its ten toes. Daniel foretells a time when the Roman Empire will consist of ten kingdoms or leaders. Since the downward movement from one section of the statue to the next represents the passage of time, the “feet and toes” stage must follow the “legs” stage. But we find nothing in history that corresponds to a ten-fold Roman coalition. That shows us that this fifth and final feet-and-toes-stage kingdom is yet to perform its prescribed role in human history.
Daniel gives us another piece of information that enables us to understand the timing of the events in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. He tells us that this final form of the Roman Empire will exist when God sets up His earthly kingdom.
[READ Dan. 2:44]
44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will cause a kingdom to rise up which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself stand forever.
- DANIEL’S INTENSE DREAM (Dan. 7:2-3, 7, 24)
Years after Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the image, Daniel had a vision of his own that enlarges our understanding of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
[READ Dan. 7:2-3] Daniel explains …
2 “I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another.
These beasts represented the same Gentile kingdoms as those depicted in the king’s dream, but this time the character of those kingdoms was revealed. The first vision (Dan. 2) portrayed the kingdoms of the world as man assessed them – majestic, massive, and impressive in their accomplishments. In the second vision (Dan. 7), the kingdoms were shown as savage beasts, attacking one another and fighting to the death. This second vision gives us God’s appraisal of these kingdoms – destructive, divisive, and cruel. While the two visions were different in their presentation, both were given for the same purpose: to show Daniel and his people what was going on in the world.
Why did God choose this particular time to reveal such a great prophecy? His people were in a desperate moment of their history. Assyria had taken the Northern Kingdom of Israel captive in 722 BC, and two hundred years later, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was in captivity in Babylon. If you had been a Jew during this time, you might have wondered, Is God finished with us? Through these two visions, God assured His people, This isn’t the end. There will be a time when I will once again be involved with you as a nation. But I want you to know what will happen between now and then.
Much of what was revealed to Daniel in these dreams has already happened. But not all of it. Three of the prophesied kingdoms have come and gone, and the fourth kingdom has also made its appearance in history. But Daniel’s later vision included some additional information about events that are yet in the future. Let’s look at how Daniel described it.
[READ Dan. 7:7]
7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, fearsome and terrifying and extraordinarily strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
Then Daniel explained about the ten horns.
[READ Dan. 7:24]
24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise;
We know this ten-kingdom prophecy of Daniel’s remains in the future because not only has the ten-leader form of the Roman Empire not existed, but such a kingdom has not been suddenly crushed as Daniel 2 indicates it will be. The Roman Empire of Jesus’ day did not end suddenly. It gradually declined over many centuries until the western part, the Western Roman Empire, fell in AD 476, and the eastern part, the Byzantine Empire, fell in AD 1453. Therefore, we must conclude that some other form of the Roman Empire must emerge in the end times, for, according to Daniel, it will be in place prior to the coming of Christ to reign over the earth.
- REBIRTH OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
The future manifestation of the Roman Empire that Daniel prophesied will be a confederation of ten world leaders and will encompass the same territory as the historic Roman Empire. Today, we see that coalition taking shape before our eyes. It began as early as 1930, when French statesman Aristide Briand attempted to enlist 26 nations in what he first called “the United States of Europe” and modified to “the European Union.” In his proposal, he said, “The nations of Europe today must unite in order to live and prosper.” The European press gave Briand’s idea little attention, and nothing came of it.
But Briand’s call for European unity was merely one world war ahead of its time. Fewer than twenty years later, one of the world’s most respected leaders issued the same call.
In 1946, following the devastation of Europe during the Second World War, Winston Churchill forcefully asserted that “the tragedy of Europe” could only be solved if the issues of ancient nationalism and sovereignty could give way to a sense of European “national grouping.” He said that the path to European peace and prosperity on the world stage was clear: “We must build a United States of Europe.”
Churchill’s call initiated a series of steps toward unification. The Benelux Conference of 1948, held in Brussels, Belgium, laid the foundation for a new organization “to unite European countries economically and politically in order to secure a lasting peace.” Only three nations attended the meeting – the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium. These nations saw unity as their only hope of survival in the postwar world.
Another step was taken in April 1951, when these three nations signed the Treaty of Paris with three additional nations, West Germany, France, and Italy, forming a common market for coal and steel in an environment of peace.
March 25, 1957, saw a major step toward European unification when the Treaty of Rome was signed on Capitoline Hill, one of the famous seven hills of Rome. On this occasion, Italy, France, and West Germany joined the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium, creating the European Economic Community, or the Common Market.
In 1973, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark joined the EEC, and Greece was added in 1981, making it a ten-nation confederation. On January 1, 1986, Spain and Portugal came into the union, and the EEC officially adopted the goal of a politically unified Europe. In 1987, the Single European Act was implemented. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Germany was reunified, and East Germany was integrated into the membership. In 1993, the economic borders between the nations of the European community were removed. Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the union in 1995. In 2002, 80-billion coins were produced for use in the nations of the eurozone, thus introducing a new monetary unit, the euro.
The march toward European unification continued on May 1, 2004, when Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia were added, bringing the total to 25 nations and expanding the EU’s population to surpass North America as the world’s biggest economic zone. Romania and Bulgaria were admitted to the EU in 2007, and Croatia joined in 2013, while the United Kingdom left the EU in January 2020.
Gradually, yet steadily, the nations of Europe have come together, creating a modern replica of the Roman Empire. Europe is more integrated today than at any time since the days of ancient Rome. The European Union is considered by many to the second most powerful political force in our world.
- REINFORCEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN GOVERNMENT
Currently the EU government is organized into three bodies: the European Parliament, the Council of European Union, and the European Commission. The Parliament consists of 751 elected members who pass laws in conjunction with the Council. Its president is elected to serve a 2½ term.
The Council consists of the heads of government of each of the member states. This body participates with the Parliament in passing laws and establishes common foreign and security policies.
The third body of the EU government, the European Commission, consists of one commissioner from each EU country, who draft new laws and implement policies and funding. Other EU governmental entities include the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors, the European Central Bank, and the European Investment Bank.
As we track these developments toward more centralized power among European nations, we can see a new empire in the making – an empire that occupies the same territory as the ancient Roman Empire. Turning back to Daniel for insight in this rising coalition, we are intrigued by his description of it as a mixture of two incohesive materials. We know that iron represented the strength of the old Roman Empire. In the newly constituted empire, however, the prophecy tells us that iron will be mixed with clay. Clay speaks of weakness and instability.
The best interpretation of this unstable mix is that it represents the diverse racial, religious, and political elements that will make up this final form of the Roman Empire. That is, in fact, what we see today in the European coalition. While the EU has great economic and political clout, the cultures and languages of its various countries are so diverse that it cannot hold together any better than iron and clay unless unity is imposed and enforced by an extremely powerful leader.
- RENEWED VIGILANCE
From this brief study of modern Europe and ancient Rome, we can begin to understand how Europe represents a key sign of the end times. Three things in particular emerge from today’s study that should increase our vigilance.
- The Consolidation of World Power (Dan. 7:23-24)
Since the time of the Roman Empire, there has been no nation or empire with the power to govern the known world. But it is coming. In the future, the world will be unified under one dominant leader.
In Daniel’s second vision, the fourth beast had ten horns growing from its head.
[READ Dan. 7:23-24]
23 “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them ….
The fourth beast represents the fourth successive kingdom after Babylon, which history identifies as the Roman Empire. But since Rome was never ruled simultaneously by ten kings, we know that those kings are yet to arrive on the stage of world history to rule a newly formed empire that overlays the territory of the ancient Roman Empire.
Today, the concentration of power in the European Union signals the beginning of this new world order.
- The Coming of a One World Leader (Dan. 7:24-25)
According to Daniel’s prophecy, a supreme leader will arise from among the ten-leader confederacy of Europe.
[READ Dan. 7:24-25]
24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will make low three kings. 25 He will speak words against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make changes in seasons and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
This leader will emerge from the group of ten to take control of the European coalition and become the final world dictator. We know him as the Antichrist. We must not miss this point: the European Union is a prelude to the coming of the Antichrist.
Paul-Henri Spaak, the first president of the European Parliament, is credited with making this stunning statement: “We do not need another committee. We have too many already. What we want is a man of sufficient stature to fold the allegiance of all people, and to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such a man and be he god or devil, we will receive him.”
Statements like this should chill us to the bone. It shows that the world will actually embrace the power that will seek to enslave it. The European Union is the kindling awaiting the spark of the Antichrist to inflame the world with unprecedented evil. It is certainly a time to be vigilant.
Daniel’s prophecy tells us of a treaty that will be signed between the Jewish people and the leader of the realigned Roman Empire.
[READ Dan. 9:27]
27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will make sacrifice and grain offering cease ….
Israel will sign a treaty with the Antichrist, and this treaty will be forged to last for a “week” – in prophetic language, a “week of years,” or seven years. This treaty will be an attempt to settle the Arab-Israeli controversy. After 3½ years, this treaty will be broken, and the countdown to Armageddon will begin.
The stage is now set in Europe for these events to occur. Israel is back in her land, and the nations of the ancient Roman Empire are reunifying. Daniel’s prophecies show us that the hands on the prophetic clock are ticking toward midnight. The warning has been sounded, and we will do well to listen to it.
As the prophetic clock moves toward its final stroke, we must not wait until it’s too late to move out of harm’s way. The admonition of Paul should spur us to action:
[READ Rom. 13:11]
11 And do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed.
Today’s headlines show the wisdom of Paul’s warning – it is time for us to awake and realize that things will not go on indefinitely as they are now. As the signs from Daniel’s prophecies show us, things are coming to a head. Events are moving us toward the moment when warnings will be too late, and we will be caught in the firestorm of a great evil that will trouble the world before Christ finally returns to set things right.
Are you paying attention to the warnings? Are you prepared to stand before God? Have you accepted His offer of salvation? He is telling us by the events that surround us that the window of opportunity will soon be closed. Please do not wait until it is too late!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that You will help each of us to be motivated by the sure knowledge that Jesus will return again. Cause us to live pure lives, holy lives, with a sure anticipation of Your coming. I pray that we will live this week as if we know for sure that Jesus will return by next Sunday. May we be witnesses to Your saving grace in the lives of those who are not ready for Your return. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Invitation # 328: “Have You Any Room for Jesus?” (4 vs.)
Benediction: Beloved, stay on guard. The vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end — it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay – for in such an hour as you think it could not happen, our Lord will come. Amen. (Hab. 2:3; Mt. 24:44)
The Nations - ISRAEL
The Nations - ISRAEL
ISRAEL
Text: Selected Scriptures from the LSB
Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we consider the importance of Your chosen nation Israel in today’s study, may we clearly see that its history is woven within and without with Your holy and unconditional promises. May we be reminded of the sacred bond that exists between You and the Jewish people, and of how Your promise to Abraham assures us that when we honor Israel, we align ourselves with Your blessings. It is a profound truth that teaches us to nurture a relationship not just with God but also with His people. As we reflect on this promise, may we be encouraged to support and bless Israel in our prayers and actions, knowing that You bless those who bless Your chosen nation. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Prologue to the Series: The 31 undeniable prophecies of the Apocalypse is a story that can be told in five acts. In the first act, five nations emerge – Israel, Europe, Russia, Babylon, and America.
According to the Bible, the regathering of the Jewish people back to their homeland is predicted time and again as a precursor to the end times. We are also told that the consolidation of world power under a supreme leader in Europe is one of the essential preludes to the coming of the Antichrist. The prophet Ezekiel speaks of a day when Russia will lead an alliance of nations that will attack Israel, igniting a pivotal world war like none ever seen or imagined. During the Tribulation period we can expect the final financial capital of the world to be located in a city called Babylon, which will rise to power again as the rebuilt commercial capital of the world. And while America is not clearly mentioned in Bible prophecy, it will play a role in several ways – key alliances with other countries, a force behind world missions, and a friend to the Jewish people. This morning, we will begin our series “SIGNS” by looking at these five key nations found in Biblical prophecy.
Introduction: May 14, 1948, was a pivotal day in human history. On that afternoon, a car carrying Jewish leader David Ben-Gurion rushed down Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv and stopped at Tel Aviv’s Independence Hall. Four o’clock was only minutes away, and inside, Jewish leaders and press representatives from all over the world were assembled in an auditorium awaiting his arrival. Ben-Gurion bounded up the steps. Precisely at four o’clock, local time, he stepped to the podium, called the meeting to order, and read these historic words:
This right is the natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State. Accordingly, we … are here assembled … and, by virtue of our natural and historic right and on the strength of the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish State in Eretz-Israel, to be known as the State of Israel.
Six thousand miles away, President Harry Truman sat in the Oval Office reading a statement. He signed his approval and noted the time: 6:10 p.m. One minute later, the White House press secretary read the release to the world. The United States had officially recognized the birth of the modern nation of Israel.
Isaiah’s prophecy, written 740 years before the birth of Christ, declared …
[READ Isa. 66:8]
8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?
Can a land be brought forth through labor pains in one day?
Can a nation be born all at once?
Secular Israel was born that day.
Over the past seven decades, this tiny nation with a population of 9.5 million has become the geopolitical center of the entire world. Why? Why is a fledgling country with a total land area smaller than New Jersey mentioned in the daily news more than any other nations except the United States?
To answer these questions, we must understand what happened on that day in 1948, what is happening in Israel today, and how these events affect the entire world. For the answers to these questions, we are not going to turn to television news channels, the internet, or even the newspaper, but to the Bible.
I. THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT (Gen. 12:1-3)
The story of Israel begins in the book of Genesis. Almighty God of heaven and earth made a binding covenant with Abraham, who was to be the father of the Jewish nation. The provisions of that covenant are recorded in Genesis 12.
[READ Gen. 12:1-3] God said,
1 And Yahweh said to Abram,
“Go forth from your land,
And from your kin
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
2 And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
3 And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
God’s covenant with Abraham consists of four unconditional promises. First, God promised to bless Abraham. The promise has been lavishly kept; Abraham has been blessed in many ways. For thousands of years, Abraham has been revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.
Second, God promised to bring out of Abraham a great nation. Currently, more than 7.7 million Jews live in Israel alone. Another 6.3 million live in the United States, and a significant Jewish population remains scattered throughout the world.
Third, God promised to make Abraham a blessing to many. Just think what the world would be missing had it not been for the Jews. Without the Jews, we would have no Bible. Without the Jews, there would be no Ten Commandments, which are the basis of jurisprudence among most of the civilized nations of the world. Without the Jews, there would have been no Jesus. Without the Jewish Jesus, there would be no Christianity.
Fourth, God promised to bless those who blessed Israel and curse those who cursed her. He has kept that promise faithfully. I believe one of the reasons America has been blessed as a nation is that she has become a homeland for the Jewish people. Here Jews can retain their religion. Here they have economic, social, and educational opportunities. Today, the Christian church in America stands firmly between the Jewish people and the threat of any further anti-Semitism, although this is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.
God’s covenant with Abraham reveals both the mission and future of God’s chosen nation. Studying these promises will give us great help in understanding the present unrest in the Middle East, the future of the Israeli nation, and how the destiny of today’s nations will be affected by their stance toward God’s chosen people.
The Abrahamic Covenant includes seven important features. This historic document is …
• An Unconditional Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:4-21)
Seven times in Genesis 12:1-3, God declared in emphatic terms what He would do for Abraham. His covenant with Abraham was unconditional, and He ratified it in a ceremony described in Genesis 15. In his study Bible, Dr. David Jeremiah explains the meaning of this ceremony:
To establish and confirm a covenant in Abram’s day, usually the two parties would walk between the pieces of the sacrificial animals, saying, in effect, “May what has happened to these creatures happen to me if I break this covenant.”
Because this was Yahweh’s sovereign covenant with Abram, not an agreement between equals, symbols of God (a smoking oven and a burning torch) passed between the pieces; Abraham did not. The Lord made the covenant with no conditions (or independent of Abram) and He would fulfill it in His time.
No provision was made for this covenant to be revoked, and it was not subject to amendment or annulment.
• A Personal Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3; 25:7-8; Ex. 3:8, 17; 13:5; 33:3)
In His covenant with Abraham, God promised extravagant blessings not only to Abraham’s descendants but also to Abraham himself.
[READ Gen. 12:2]
2 And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
In Genesis 12:1-3, God addressed Abraham using the personal pronouns you and your eleven times. The promises are ultimately far-reaching and eternal, but they were made first of all to Abraham personally and each has been fulfilled.
God directed Abraham to travel to the land He promised to his descendants, and Abraham found it to be, as Moses later described through the book of Exodus, a rich land “flowing with milk and honey.” His flocks and herds increased exponentially, and he became an extremely wealthy man (Gen. 13:2). Yes, this land would be the eternal possession of his descendants, but it was also Abraham’s personal home throughout his life (Gen. 25:7-8).
God’s promise to make Abraham’s name great has also been lavishly fulfilled. Even in his own time, Abraham was known throughout the land as a rich and powerful leader who was highly respected and feared.
• A National Covenant (Gen. 12:2)
In the second verse of God’s covenant with Abraham, He said, “I will make you a great nation.” The ultimate greatness of the nation of Israel awaits the Millennium, but by all the common standards of evaluation, Israel is a great nation today. Professor Amnon Rubinstein gives us an impressive summary of Israel’s national achievements.
Minute in size, not much bigger than a sliver of Mediterranean coastline, it has withstood continuing Arab onslaughts, wars, boycotts, and terrorism; it has turned itself from a poor, rural country to an industrial and post-industrial powerhouse …. It has reduced social, educational and health gaps … between Arabs and Jews. Some of its achievements are unprecedented.
• A Territorial Covenant (Gen. 12:1; Ezek. 48:1, 28; Deut. 11:12)
Of all God’s covenant promises to Abraham, I believe the most amazing is His promise concerning the land. God told Abraham to leave his country, his family, and his father’s house and go “to a land that I will show you” (Gen. 12:1). God then led Abraham to the land that would belong to his descendants forever.
The land promised to Abraham and his descendants was described with clear geographical boundaries. It takes in all the land from the Mediterranean Sea as the western boundary to the Euphrates River as the eastern boundary. The prophet Ezekiel fixed the northern boundary at Hamath, 100 miles north of Damascus (Ezek. 48:1), and the southern boundary at Kadesh, about 100 miles south of Jerusalem (v. 28). If Israelis were currently occupying all the land that God gave to them, they would control all the holdings of present-day Israel, Lebanon, and the West Bank of Jordan, plus substantial portions of Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.
The strange thing is, Israel has never, in its long history, occupied anywhere near this much land – not even at the height of its glory days under David and Solomon. This fact has caused many Bible scholars to spiritualize the meaning of the term “land” and equate it with heaven. Others claim these promises were conditional and were forfeited by Israel’s disobedience. To refute these erroneous interpretations, Dr. John Walvoord wrote:
The term land … used in the Bible, means exactly what it says. It is not talking about heaven. It is talking about a piece of real estate in the Middle East. After all, if all God was promising Abraham was heaven, he could have stayed in Ur of the Chaldees. Why go on the long journey? Why be a pilgrim and a wanderer? No, God meant land.
Any normal reading of Scripture recognizes Canaan as an actual place, a piece of real estate, an expanse of soil that belongs to Abraham’s descendants forever.
The fact that Israel has been driven out of the land in three periods of its history is not an argument against its ultimate possession. Occupation is not the same as ownership. After each removal, God brought Israel back to its originally promised land. God has consistently kept His promise to Abraham, and that gives us absolute assurance that He will keep it in the future.
The turmoil over Israel’s right to its land will not cease till the end, for the land provision of the Abrahamic covenant is at the core of the hatred of Middle Eastern nations for Israel today.
However, ignoring God’s care and protection of Israel is extremely dangerous. The land of Israel is so important to God that, according to Deuteronomy 11 …
[READ Deut. 11:12] It is
12 … A land for which Yahweh your God cares; the eyes of Yahweh your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year.
• A Reciprocal Covenant (Gen. 12:3; Zech. 2:8; Ex. 7-12; Num. 21:21-30; 31:3; Rev. 2:14)
God also promised protection to the nation that would descend from Abraham:
[READ Gen. 12:3]
3 And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
Leaders and nations that ally with Israel to preserve, protect, and defend it will likewise be preserved, protected, and defended. On the other hand, those who stand in the way of Israel’s well-being will find themselves standing against God – which means they will not stand for long.
[READ Zech. 2:8] The prophet declared …
8 For thus says Yahweh of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against the nations which have taken you as spoil, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.
History tells the tragic story of what has happened to nations and leaders who dared to oppress Israel. Egypt, the first nation to enslave Israel, was brought to its knees by ten devastating plagues (Ex. 7-12). The Amorites, who resisted Israel’s march toward their promised land, were soundly defeated (Num. 21:21-30).
One of the most notable examples of God’s vengeance against an enemy of Israel was the annihilation of the Midianites who joined with Moab in trying to stop Israel. After their failure to bribe the prophet Balaam into pronouncing a curse on Israel, they used Midianite women to seduce Israel’s men into immorality and idolatry. Moses prepared Israel for war “to take vengeance for the LORD on Midian” (Num. 31:3). The battle was quick and decisive. All the Midianite cities were burned to the ground, and the Israelites took as plunder massive amounts of gold, silver, bronze, tin, lead, and wood, along with cattle, sheep, and donkeys (Num. 31; Rev. 2:14).
Babylon, the empire that destroyed Jerusalem and deported the Jews from their homeland, was soundly defeated 70 years later by the Persians. And one of history’s worst persecutors of the Jews, the Greek-Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV, died a horrible death shortly after hearing that his army had been defeated in the Jewish Maccabean rebellion.
In modern times, Russia confined the Jews to ghettos and harassed them with pogroms under the czars, who were overthrown in the communist rebellion of 1917. Under communism, the Jews were forbidden to practice their religious rites, and many were arrested, deported, or executed. Hitler’s Germany, which destroyed some 6 million Jews, was crushed in World War II.
Israel’s Six-Day War of 1967 stands today as the most spectacular modern example of God’s punishment on those who curse Israel. Although Israel became an independent nation in 1948, the Palestinians and Islamic states surrounding it didn’t recognize its statehood and vowed its extermination. In 1967, the United Arab Republic allied with Jordan, Syria, and Palestinian guerrillas to attack Israel from the north, south, and east. Israel was hopelessly outmanned. The Arab armies numbered more than 500,000 men; Israel had only 75,000 The Arabs fielded 5,000 tanks and 900 combat aircraft, whereas the Israeli total was only 1,000 tanks and 175 planes. Yet when the smoke cleared six days later, the UAR had lost almost its entire air force (about 20,000 lives), and Israel had taken over significant Arab-controlled territory, including the Sinai Peninsula, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, and West Bank.
In a powerful speech to the United Nations General Assembly on October 1, 2015, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu summarized the miraculous preservation of the Jewish people.
In every generation, there were those who rose up to destroy our people. In antiquity, we faced destruction from the ancient empires of Babylon and Rome. In the Middle Ages, we faced inquisition and expulsion. And in modern times, we faced pogroms and the Holocaust. Yet the Jewish people persevered.
And now another regime has arisen, swearing to destroy Israel. That regime would be wise to consider this: I stand here today representing Israel, a country 67 years young, but the nation-state of a people nearly 4,000-years-old. Yet the empires of Babylon and Rome are not represented in this hall of nations. Neither is the Thousand Year Reich. Those seemingly invincible empires are long gone. But Israel lives. The people of Israel live.
May I add, history records that Israel stands at the graves of all its enemies.
• A Universal Covenant (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:14)
Here we reach the overarching reason for all the promises we have studied in God’s covenant with Abraham this morning: “And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen. 12:3).
The root of God’s promise to Abraham and His purpose in creating a new people for Himself was because Abraham’s descendants were to become the repository of God’s glory, wisdom, love, and redemptive grace. This saving grace was to overflow from the Jews to the rest of the world.
Through Abraham, God gave His written Word to the world. With the exceptions of Luke and Acts, every book of the Bible was authored by a Jewish writer. And through Abraham, God gave His Son to the world, blessing all humanity with the means of escaping the grip of sin and death.
[READ Gal. 3:14] Paul gives the reason,
14 In order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
All the other promises in God’s covenant with Abraham are supporting evidence of this one universal promise that affects every person who has ever lived.
• An Eternal Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:1-21; 17:1 – 18:21)
God’s promise to Abraham came in three stages. It was initiated in Genesis 12:1-3, formalized in Genesis 15:1-21, and then amplified in Genesis 17:1 – 18:21. In Genesis 17, Abraham was approaching his 100th birthday, and his faith was frail – it had been nearly 25 years since his first encounter with the Lord. Then God appeared, reminding Abraham that His promise was a forever promise, an eternal promise.
[READ Gen. 17:7-8]
7 “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your seed after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your seed after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
The promise to Abraham is an everlasting promise because it is an unconditional covenant based on the grace and sovereignty of almighty God. There may be delays, postponements, and chastisements, but an eternal covenant cannot be nullified by the God who cannot deny Himself.
II. WHY DID GOD CHOOSE ISRAEL? (Deut. 7:7; 9:6-7; Isa. 45:4)
British journalist William Norman Ewer is credited with penning this little offbeat rhyme about Israel, “How odd of God to choose the Jews.” But when you think about it, this quip expresses a valid observation. Doesn’t it seem a little odd that of all the people on earth, God selected these particular people to be His chosen nation? Why would God choose the Jews?
The Bible tells us that His choice of Israel had nothing to do with merit. It was not because Israel was more numerous than other people in the world; it was the least according to Deuteronomy 7:7. It was not because Israel was more sensitive to God than other nations; Isaiah tells us that Israel didn’t know God (45:4). And it wasn’t because Israel was more righteous than other nations; in fact, God called them a rebellious, stiff-necked people (Deut. 9:6-7).
So, why did God choose the Jews? The answer is: because it was His sovereign purpose to choose them.
III. THE RETURN TO THE GOD OF ISRAEL (Ezek. 36:24, 26-28; 39:28; Zech. 12:10; Rom. 11:26-27; Jer. 32:37-38)
Basically, since Israel became a nation in her own land again in 1948, people have been asking, “Now that Israel is restored to its land, is this the end?” Many assume it is, but I’m afraid the answer is “No.” What is happening in Israel today is primarily the result of a secular Zionist movement, but the prophet Ezekiel wrote about a spiritual return of God’s people to Him:
[READ Ezek. 36:24, 26-28]
24 And I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land … 26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to do My judgments. 28 And you will inhabit the land that I gave to your fathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God.
The return of the Jews to the re-founded nation of Israel is the first stage of that regathering, but it certainly does not fulfill the requirements of a spiritual return to the Lord. Yet, we can be assured that it will happen, just as God promised.
[READ Zech. 12:10] God declared through the prophet,
10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.
[READ Rom. 11:26-27] Paul verifies this truth from Scripture (Isa. 59:20-21 & 27:9)
26 … And so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
27 “And this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”
There are still two pivotal prophecies concerning Israel that have not yet been fulfilled: (1) Israel does not yet occupy all the land originally promised to it, and (2) Its people have not yet turned to Christ. The numerous prophecies of Israel’s return to its homeland were explicitly fulfilled in 1948 when Israel began to be restored to its land. This gives us assurance that full restoration is on the horizon and the prophecies concerning Israel’s return to God will also be fulfilled.
As we wait for the fulfillment of these prophecies, Israel continues to grow as a nation. Against all odds, the people of Israel lead the Middle East in productivity, wealth, order, freedom, and military power. Yet as these assets increase, the nation becomes more and more isolated, continually terrorized by the murderous hostility of its surrounding neighbors.
The most dramatic events lie ahead of us. Israel today is an island of less than ten million immigrants surrounded by a sea of over 300 million enemies, many of them eager to wipe the tiny nation off the map. From a purely human point of view, it would seem inevitable that, sooner or later, Israel will be destroyed. Indeed, Israel has been attacked over and over since its founding, sometimes in all-out wars, and incessantly by terrorists. The Jewish people have survived by remaining vigilant, but they long for peace. According to the Bible, a future leader will fulfill this longing by brokering a peace deal with Israel’s enemies. But Scripture also tells us that this peace plan will be broken, and Israel will be attacked once again, this time as never before. Countless armies will amass against the boxed-in nation, leaving it with no human hope of victory. Only Christ’s return, His judgment, and His reign will finally bring true peace to Israel.
It is then that God’s covenant with Abraham will reach its ultimate fulfillment. The Jews will return to the Lord, and they will be His people, and He will be their God. The borders of the land will expand to the dimensions described in Genesis 15 and Ezekiel 48. Christ’s return will also fulfill the prophecy that God will gather the Jews.
[READ Jer. 32:37-38]
37 Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have banished them in My anger, in My wrath, and in great indignation; and I will cause them to return to this place and make them inhabit it in safety. 38 And they shall be My people, and I will be their God ….
Ezekiel makes it clear that this gathering means God will return every single living Jew back to the land.
[READ Ezek. 39:28] He writes,
28 Then they will know that I am Yahweh their God because I made them go into exile among the nations, and then collected them again to their own land; and I will leave none of them there any longer.
Today we see this prophecy being fulfilled right before our eyes. As far back as 2006, Israel became home to the largest Jewish community in the world. Based on this growth rate, from the 650 thousand who returned when the Jewish state was founded in 1948, the population of Israel is expected to exceed 20 million by 2065.
Israel’s reemergence in her ancient homeland sets the stage for the final fulfillment of Biblical prophecies. The return of the Jews to their homeland is also significant in another way: it pinpoints where we are on history’s timeline. As Milton B. Lindberg pointed out, “Without the existence of the nation of Israel, we would not be able to say with certainty that we are in the last days. That single event, more than any other, is the most prominent sign that we are living in the final moments before the coming of Jesus!”
IV. IN CONCLUSION:
The fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham greatly affects every one of us. I’ve tried to show you this morning why it’s important for our nation to continue to support and protect Israel. Nations that befriend Israel will be blessed; those that do not will be cursed.
The placement of the prophetic puzzle pieces concerning Israel reveals that we are in the last days of history’s timeline. The miraculous survival of God’s covenant people, the Jews, demonstrates God’s ability to accomplish His purpose in the face of what seem to be impossible odds. The existence of Israel today is Exhibit A, demonstrating that the Bible’s prophecies concerning the future will be fulfilled. This not only means the future of Israel but also of our world and our own nation, as well as your future and mine as individuals. The astounding history of the Jews reveals the reality of God – His overwhelming power, the authenticity of His promises, the certainty of His existence, the urgency of His call to us, and His claim on our very being.
That historic day in 1948, when Israel was re-established as a nation, has been described as “the most spectacular event in nearly two millennia of Jewish history” (The Jews in America: A History, p. 230). When President Truman read the statement and the United States officially became the first nation to recognize the birth of the modern state of Israel, the 2,500-year-old prophecy of the Bible was at last fulfilled.
As Paul Harvey always ended his broadcasts, let me give you the rest of the story. Later, when the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Isaac Halevi Herzog called the White House, he told President Truman, “God put you in your mother’s womb so that you would be the instrument to bring about the rebirth of Israel after 2,000 years.” One of Truman’s aides reported that when he looked at the President after the rabbi’s statement, tears were running down his cheeks.
Let me ask for a show of hands; How many of you were living at the time when the nation of Israel was established in 1948? Although you may not have realized it at the time, you witnessed the most important prophetic sign to occur in your lifetime – at least so far!
More than any other sign we will explore in this series of messages, the prophetic future of the nation of Israel answers the question, “Is this the end?” But an even greater prophetic fulfillment awaits an unknown future day: the return of the Jewish Messiah to the Jewish people.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I come to You pleading for a revival of faith in Israel. May its people’s spirits be renewed, creating within them a deep longing for You. Let Your presence be felt throughout the land. O God, ignite a passionate desire for You among its people. Let Your truth and love permeate the hearts and homes of every Jewish person, leading them to recognize the One whom they pierced as their Messiah, the Hope of Israel. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Invitation # 123: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (vs. 1, 3, 4)
Benediction: Beloved, for Zion’s sake do not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake do not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, so that you may also be secure. Pray for the spiritual salvation of Israel, because it is written: The Deliverer will come from Zion; and He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. Amen. (Isa. 62:1; Ps. 122:6; Rom. 11:26)
the Nations - ISRAEL - Study Guide
ISRAEL
SIGNS: The Nations (Pt. 1, Lesson 1) - Jan. 4, 2026 - Rev. Alan Cousins
TEXT: Selected Scriptures from the LSB
PROLOGUE: The 31 undeniable prophecies of the Apocalypse is a story that can be told in five acts. In the first act, five nations emerge – Israel, Europe, Russia, Babylon, and America. This morning, we will begin our series “SIGNS” by looking at these five key nations found in Biblical prophecy.
INTRODUCTION: Isaiah 66:8
Secular Israel was born on May 14, 1948. Over the past seven decades, this tiny nation with a population of 9.5 million has become the geopolitical center of the entire world. Why? To answer these questions, we must understand what happened on that day in 1948, what is happening in Israel today, and how these events affect the entire world.
I. THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT (Gen. 12:1-3)
The story of Israel begins in the book of Genesis. Almighty God of heaven and earth made a binding covenant with Abraham, who was to be the father of the Jewish nation. The provisions of that covenant are recorded in Genesis 12.
God’s covenant with Abraham consists of four unconditional promises:
1) God promised to bless Abraham. The promise has been lavishly kept; Abraham has been blessed in many ways. For thousands of years, Abraham has been revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.
2) God promised to bring out of Abraham a great nation. Currently, more than 7.7 million Jews live in Israel alone. Another 6.3 million live in the United States, and a significant Jewish population remains scattered throughout the world.
3) God promised to make Abraham a blessing to many. Just think what the world would be missing had it not been for the Jews.
4) God promised to bless those who blessed Israel and curse those who cursed her. He has kept that promise faithfully.
The Abrahamic Covenant includes seven important features. This historic document is …
* An UNCONDITIONAL Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:4-21)
* A PERSONAL Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3; 25:7-8; Ex. 3:8, 17; 13:5; 33:3)
* A NATIONAL Covenant (Gen. 12:2)
* A TERRITORIAL Covenant (Gen. 12:1; Ezek. 48:1, 28; Deut. 11:12)
* A RECIPROCAL Covenant (Gen. 12:3; Zech. 2:8; Ex. 7-12; Num. 21:21-30; 31:3; Rev. 2:14)
* A UNIVERSAL Covenant (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:14)
* An ETERNAL Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:1-21; 17:1 – 18:21)
II. WHY DID GOD CHOOSE ISRAEL? (Deut. 7:7; 9:6-7; Isa. 45:4)
God choose the Jews because it was His sovereign purpose to choose them.
III. THE RETURN TO THE GOD OF ISRAEL (Ezek. 36:24, 26-28; 39:28; Zech. 12:10; Rom. 11:26-27; Jer. 32:37-38)
The return of the Jews to the re-founded nation of Israel is the first stage of that regathering, but it certainly does not fulfill the requirements of a spiritual return to the Lord. Yet, we can be assured that it will happen, just as God promised.
There are still two pivotal prophecies concerning Israel that have not yet been fulfilled: (1) Israel does not yet occupy all the land originally promised to it, and (2) Its people have not yet turned to Christ.
Only Christ’s return, His judgment, and His reign will finally bring true peace to Israel. It is then that God’s covenant with Abraham will reach its ultimate fulfillment. The Jews will return to the Lord, and they will be His people, and He will be their God. The borders of the land will expand to the dimensions described in Genesis 15 and Ezekiel 48. Christ’s return will also fulfill the prophecy that God will gather the Jews.
Israel’s reemergence in her ancient homeland sets the stage for the final fulfillment of Biblical prophecies. The return of the Jews to their homeland is also significant in another way: it pinpoints where we are on history’s timeline.
IV. IN CONCLUSION:
The placement of the prophetic puzzle pieces concerning Israel reveals that we are in the last days of history’s timeline. The miraculous survival of God’s covenant people, the Jews, demonstrates God’s ability to accomplish His purpose in the face of what seem to be impossible odds.
The astounding history of the Jews reveals the reality of God – His overwhelming power, the authenticity of His promises, the certainty of His existence, the urgency of His call to us, and His claim on our very being.
More than any other sign we will explore in this series of messages, the prophetic future of the nation of Israel answers the question, “Is this the end?” But an even greater prophetic fulfillment awaits an unknown future day: the return of the Jewish Messiah to the Jewish people.