Modern Israel by Jon W. Quinn (http://home.flash.net/~wberkley/)
Ancient Israel was defeated by her enemies and taken into captivity
in foreign lands, first to Assyria and then to Babylon. This would
never had happened had the people not forsaken their God and His
law. When they did, He withdrew His blessings and protection,
just as centuries before He had warned He would.
But the prophets He sent to urge the people to repent also said
that a remnant of the nation would return and reestablish the
nation of Israel. Many think that in the latter 1940's, this was
fulfilled by the establishment of the modern state of Israel.
But the Bible clearly teaches that such is not the case at all.
The prophecies were fulfilled many centuries ago when under Ezra
and Nehemiah and others some of Israel were permitted to return
and rebuild their towns, capital and temple.
As we witness the horrible shed of blood in Israel and Palestine
today, we are saddened by the loss of life, by the immense human
suffering and loss of every kind and by the obvious hatreds and
bitterness. And unfortunately, while some of the leaders and most
of the people on both sides say they want peace, there seems to
be too many on each side that only want it at the expense of the
total destruction of the other side.
Some believe that the modern state of Israel is somehow deeply
involved in the "end time prophecies". It is not so.
The modern state of Israel is not the subject of the prophecies.
It was old Israel that was. The modern state is not the extension
of the ancient state. It is not the ancient state reborn. It is
a completely new state founded by men. I personally believe it
has every right to exist, as does a Palestinian state. But these
are political beliefs, not Biblical ones.
Note some differences between the modern state of Israel and ancient
Israel:
1. Ancient Israel was established and given the Law of Moses.
But the Law of Moses is no longer in force today (Gal. 3:19-29;
4:21-31; Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:14-15; Rom. 7:4). However, when
the remnant of Israel returned from captivity about 5 centuries
before Christ, the Law of Moses was still in force (Ezra 7:10),
and that was their law. It is that reestablishment of Israel that
fulfilled the prophecies, not the modern state.
2. Ancient Israel had a central place of worship. First, it was
the tabernacle, and then the temple built in Jerusalem. (1 Kings
8:1-10). That temple was destroyed in the captivity, but then
rebuilt in the return of the remnant about five centuries before
Christ and worship was restored. Modern Israel has no such temple,
and therefore cannot be the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies
of restoration.
3. Ancient Israel had a priesthood taken out of the descendants
of Levi. When the remnant returned from captivity about five centuries
before Christ, the priesthood was restored, thus fulfilling the
prophecies. Modern Israel fulfills no such prophecies.
4. When ancient Israel worshipped, they offered animal sacrifices.
When the remnant returned from captivity, this practice was restored,
thus fulfilling the prophecies about five centuries before Christ.
No such sacrifices are being offered today; therefore the modern
state of Israel is not the fulfillment of these prophecies.
5. In ancient Israel, there was tribal identity. It continued
after the return of the remnant about five centuries before Christ.
But there is no tribal identity today with the modern state of
Israel. It is not the fulfillment of these prophecies.
So, again, the modern state of Israel is not the extension of
the ancient state. It is not the ancient state reborn. It is a
completely new state founded by men. There are certainly things
for us to be concerned about with regard to the troubles in that
part of the world. But it is not productive to speculate about
how the modern state of Israel and its troubles fit into the scope
of the Bible message. It does not, at least any more so than any
other state of men lost in sin and in need of a Redeemer.
Loving The Difficult by Dan Petty (http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6303/)
"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence,
in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence,
knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control,
perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your
godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness,
love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).
One of the greatest heresies of all is the notion that life is
supposed to be easy. Our society has made us believe the path
of least resistance is best. We think the most important pursuit
in life is the pursuit of happiness. We ought to have learned
by now that the only way to get happiness is to forget it, and
that the unhappiest people in the world are the people who are
trying the hardest to be happy.
We do ourselves and our young people a disservice by failing to
tell them that life is difficult. Young people will choose a curriculum
in school primarily because it is easy, but will repeatedly avoid
the difficult. Many of us choose our careers for the same reason.
Such an approach is softening to society and weakening to one's
character.
Spiritual growth, more than any other pursuit, is hindered by
the notion that it comes easily. The apostle Peter's text uses
two words that tell us that real growth requires great effort.
The first is "diligence," from spoudé, which
denotes earnestness, zeal, or sometimes haste. The second is the
verb "supply," from epichoregéo, to supply fully
or equip. The latter term was derived from the idea of a chorus
leader in ancient Greece, who also took on the responsibility
of collecting, maintaining, training, and equipping such choruses.
Peter uses these two terms to say we must bend all our energies
to equip ourselves with great qualities. We must not be content
with anything less than the highest virtues we can add to our
characters.
D. Elton Trueblood once illustrated the worthlessness of the undisciplined
life. "A human life that goes in the path of least resistance
will give no more usable power than will the stream that flows
all over the bottom land. The only way to make a stream produce
power is to put it between sharp high banks, run it through a
man-made gorge where it is controlled, and, because it is controlled,
the implicit power is available." Peter teaches further along
in his text that our lives can be fruitful and productive when
discipline is applied (v. 8). The course of ease and lack of effort
will not only result in a lack of any real growth, but leads to
blindness and short-sightedness (v. 9). Those with a real vision
in life are those who know the value of discipline and hard work.
How do we learn such discipline? Perhaps the greatest motivation
comes from observing it in someone else. A good teacher is one
who instills discipline in his students through a demonstration
of it in his own life. And in the pursuit of godliness and virtue,
Christians can look to the perfect demonstration and example in
the life of Christ. In Peter's text, the challenge to add the
virtues is given in the context of "the true knowledge of
Jesus Christ" and His magnificent promises (vs. 3-4).
Years ago it was considered an impossibility for human being to
run a mile in less than four minutes. People were told it would
never be done. Then it was done. And in the next few years after
that, many people began to do it. Why the sudden change? The only
way to account for it is expectancy. The rest of the world came
to realize that it could be done. Jesus is not only our example;
He has shown us what we can be.
What a tragedy for a person to be less than he might be! What
a shame it is for us to waste our opportunities to become what
God wants in us. We were made in His image. Peter says we have
the potential to become "partakers of the divine nature"
(v. 4). But the road to greatness is long and difficult.
A poet once said, "The one thing that I most want to say
to the young is, 'Learn to love the difficult.'" Life will
not necessarily be easy. Being a Christian will not be without
its difficulties. But then nothing of importance is easy.
Short Exhort - Written and/or Compiled by David J. Riggs
(http://www.public.usit.net/driggs/)
"I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments." (Psalm 119:60)
Early one morning fire broke out in a house on a narrow street. A policeman on duty sounded the alarm. Before the fire engines could get to the scene, however, flames were leaping high into the air. Suddenly, a young man appeared at an upper window in his pajamas. Firemen quickly placed a ladder against the burning building. But, to the dismay of all, he refused to come down, shouting back that he had to get dressed first. The firemen pleaded, "Come as you are! Come as you are!" but to no avail. Abruptly, the stairs gave way and the roof fell in. The man had waited too long and was buried beneath the ruins.
How much greater tragedy awaits all who refuse to "flee from the wrath to come." Let us not delay, but make haste to keep the commandments of God.
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34748.
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MONTHLY BIBLE READING: Genesis 37-50
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BIBLE INSIGHT is published for the members of, and
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Carey Dillinger is the editor. He can be reached at the church
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