Wednesday Service | WHAT’S TO COME | Part 1: Israel

Zechariah 12:2-3 New International Reader’s Version

² “Jerusalem will be like a cup in my hand. It will make all the surrounding nations drunk from the wine of my anger. Judah will be attacked by its enemies. So will Jerusalem. ³ At that time all the nations on earth will gather together against Jerusalem. Then it will become like a rock that can’t be moved. All the nations that try to move it will only hurt themselves. 

[1] God has a for Israel and for us

Romans 11:11, 16-24 New International Reader’s Version

¹¹ Again, here is what I ask. The Israelites didn’t trip and fall once and for all time, did they? Not at all! Because Israel sinned, the Gentiles can be saved. That will make Israel jealous of them…

If the root is holy, so are the branches.

¹⁷ Some of the natural branches have been broken off. You are a wild olive branch. But you have been joined to the tree with the other branches. Now you enjoy the life-giving sap of the olive tree root. ¹⁸ So don’t think you are better than the other branches. Remember, you don’t give life to the root. The root gives life to you. ¹⁹ You will say, “Some branches were broken off so that I could be joined to the tree.” ²⁰ That’s true. But they were broken off because they didn’t believe. You stand only because you do believe. So don’t be proud, but tremble. ²¹ God didn’t spare the natural branches. He won’t spare you either…

²³ If the people of Israel do not continue in their unbelief, they will again be joined to the tree. God is able to join them to the tree again. ²⁴ After all, weren’t you cut from a wild olive tree? Weren’t you joined to an olive tree that was taken care of? And wasn’t that the opposite of how things should be done? How much more easily will the natural branches be joined to their own olive tree!

[2] God said he would Israel and he has

Ezekiel 37:1-5, 21-22 New International Reader’s Version

The power of the Lord came on me. His Spirit brought me away from my home. He put me down in the middle of a valley. It was full of bones. ² He led me back and forth among them. I saw a huge number of bones in the valley. The bones were very dry. ³ The Lord asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Lord and King, you are the only one who knows.”

⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones. Tell them, ‘Dry bones, listen to the Lord’s message. ⁵ The Lord and King speaks to you. He says, “I will put breath in you. Then you will come to life again. ²¹ “Then tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they’ve gone. I will gather them from everywhere and bring them to their own land. ²² There I will make them one nation. They will live on the mountains of Israel. All of them will have one king. They will never be two nations again…

Mark Twain [1869 – The Innocents Abroad]

“Of all the lands there are for dismal scenery, I think Palestine must be the prince. The hills are barren, they are dull of color, they are unpicturesque in shape… it is a hopeless, dreary, and heart broken land… the city of Jaffa lies buried; we passed through the walls, and down narrow streets and among swarms of animated rags…. Jericho the accursed, lies a moldering ruin, today… renowned Jerusalem itself, the stateliest name in History, has lost all its anciet grandeur, and is become a pauper village; the riches of Solomon are no longer there to compel the admiration of visiting oriental queens… Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes…”

[3] Specific will gather to come Israel

Ezekiel 38:1-6, 9-10 14-15, 19, 22-23 New American Standard Bible

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ² “Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,³ and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. ⁴ So I will turn you around and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them magnificently dressed, a great contingent with shield and buckler, all of them wielding swords; ⁵ Persia, Cush, and Put with them, all of them with buckler and helmet;

6 Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops—many peoples with you…

⁹ And you will go up, you will come like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you.”

¹⁰ ‘This is what the Lord God says: “It will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan…

¹⁴ “Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “On that day when My people Israel are living securely, will you not know it? ¹⁵ You will come from your place out of the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you… so that the nations may know Me when I show Myself holy through you before their eyes, Gog.”

¹⁹ In My zeal and in My blazing wrath I declare that on that day there will certainly be a great earthquake in the land of Israel… ²² With plague and with blood I will enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone. ²³ So I will prove Myself great, show Myself holy, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the Lord.”’

Ezekiel 39:1-2 New American Standard Bible

“And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; 2 and I will turn you around, lead you on a rope, take you up from the remotest parts of the north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel. ³ Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows fall from your right hand. ⁴ You will fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops, and the peoples who are with you; I will give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and animal of the field. ⁵ You will fall on the ^[c]open field; for it is I who have spoken,” declares the Lord God. ⁶ “And I will send fire upon Magog and those who inhabit the coastlands in safety; and they will know that I am the Lord.

Joel Rosenberg… writes in his book EPICENTER

“Not all prophecy scholars agree, but a number of prominent ones believe that not only is “Magog” Russia but “Meshech” refers to Moscow, and that “Tubal” refers to the Russian city of Tobolsk, located on the Tubal River, in Siberia.”

Four things that must happen before the war of Gog and Magog come to pass

[a] God promises that He will resurrect the nation state of Israel [out of dry bones and make it a unified nation state under one leader]

[b] God promises to bring the Jewish people back to the Holy Land after centuries of being exiled and scattered across the globe.

[c] God promises to make the deserts bloom

[d] God promises to rebuild the ancient ruins

[4] Pray for the of Jerusalem

Psalm 122:6-9 New International Reader’s Version

⁶ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Say, “May those who love you be secure.
⁷ May there be peace inside your walls. May your people be kept safe.”
⁸ I’m concerned for my family and friends. So I say to Jerusalem, “May you enjoy peace.”
⁹ I’m concerned about the house of the Lord our God. So I pray that things will go well with Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 39:28-29 New American Standard Bible

²⁸ Then they will know that I am the Lord their God because I made them go into exile among the nations, and then I gathered them again to their own land; and I will leave none of them there any longer. ²⁹ I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I will have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,” declares the Lord God.