Friday, February 29, 2008

TRUE ZIONISM

June 11, 1999

Modern day Zionism came into being during the nineteenth century, inspired, at least in part, by contemporary nationalistic movements, which were prevalent in Europe of that day. But perhaps still greater was the contribution made by a few Spirit-filled Christian (Gentile) visionaries, who began to realize the importance of the Torah, the prophets, and the Jewish people's return to the ancient land of their ancestors. Relationships between these Gentile Christians (Zionists) and the Jewish community in Europe started developing already in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries (ref. The Vision Was There by Franz Kobler, 1956). The Zionist movement, however, was not really acknowledged by nineteenth century historians as a viable, or a definable phenomenon. Jewish identity was still very much attached to religion, which preserved the uniqueness of the Jews as a people while in the "Galut" (diaspora, or exile). But the religious traditions left them with only a very slight hope of realizing any national aspirations. Saying "next year in Jerusalem," every Passover was not enough to extricate them from their host countries. Their identity was defined more by default than by anything positive. It wasn't until the time of Rabbi Alkalai and Kalishcher (two Jewish "prophets" of the 1800's) that seeds of national identity began to be sown. They were followed by Moses Hess, Ben-Yehudah, Pinsker, Herzl, Nordau, Ahad-Ha-am, Bialik and others, whose names and writings have lost their prophetic significance today, and have become (in the eyes of most Israelis) mere signs posted on street corners in the cities of Israel.

The transformation, from religion to nationalism, began to grow in the hearts and minds of a remnant, ultimately resulting in the birth of the State of Israel, albeit not without tribulation (pogroms, persecutions and the Holocaust). The return of Judah (the Jews), as a nation, to the Land of Promise is a direct fulfillment of the End Time prophetic scriptures. It testifies to the fact that the God of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps (Ps. 121:4), but "watches over His word to perform it" (Jer.1:12).

However, this is only half of the story. Zionism, as a national movement was not only evident amongst a remnant of Judah, but also began to surface in Ephraim, who is the other "witness" of the God of Israel's unending mercies and covenant keeping faithfulness. It was at about this time (i.e. the nineteenth century), that a few born-again, spirit-filled believers in Europe, especially in the UK, received prophetic insight into the history of the Two Houses, the two witnesses, the two olive branches, the two sticks, the two families, the two kingdoms and the two nations, spoken of in the Bible. Many believed that the nations that made up Europe were primarily of the lost tribes of Israel. Intense studies of languages, culture, religion etc. began to emerge. In 1887, a work by M.M. Eshelman, called The Two Sticks, was published. Later, another, by J.H. Allen called Judah's Scepter and Joseph's Birthright, 1917. These works were evidence that the Spirit of the Lord was (and still is) working to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers, and to restore the national identity of both houses of Israel (Ephraim and Judah).

In the covenant that God made with Abraham, He promised him a land and a nation (Goy) which was to come out of his own loins, (Gen 12:1-3). God would never forget the covenant, although He would scatter this nation into all the nations, and thus it is written that Ephraim is "well mixed into all nations" (Hos. 7:8), and that he would become their "fullness" (Gen 48:19). Yet, in Ezekiel 37:22 we read: "I will make them one nation in the land," (as well as in Jer 3:18). God's redemptive plan for this earth was, and still is, a united, redeemed, single nation of "Israel", living in the land that God promised to the patriarchs.

Religious identity has kept the Two Houses divided. However, with the restoration of our national identity we can begin to tear down the age-old divisions of enmity and jealousy and build, under the guiding hand of the Messiah, the commonwealth that will be a light to the rest of the nations, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Both houses need to return to Zionism, to the Zionism of the Torah. This Zionism is a very simple concept; it involves a land, a nation ("goy"), and a kingdom government.

It all started with the covenant that God made with Abraham, and it will end with the prophesied redeemed remnant (progeny of Abraham) returning to live in the Land of Promise. United Israel, under the lordship of the Messiah who is King of the kings, and High Priest of the priesthood, will yet become a reality. This is the reason for the strong exhortation to "remember the Torah and My servant Moses, and the statutes and ordinances…for all Israel" (Mal. 4:4), at the end of the age.

In Judah, Zionism was dealt a deathblow in 1978, with the first Camp David accords. Staggering and reeling from this first hit, it took another stab in the back at Madrid, and the final shot was fired in Oslo. Many of us who have been living in the Land over this period of time, watched and felt this crushing process destroy the Zionistic ideal, turning it into a word devoid of meaning on the lips of a dying nation. Now it only remains for the United Nations to vote in a Palestinian State, whose territory is the heartland of Israel, Judea and Samaria. Israel was birthed by a UN vote, will the Palestinian national aspirations not be fulfilled in like manner? Mind you, I'm not against a state for the Palestinians, but couldn't something be found for them within the four million square miles of Arab lands?

The present situation in Judea is highly reminiscent of the days of Nehemiah, when Judah was heard saying: "The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubble, that we are not able to build the wall." To that her adversaries responded: "They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease" (Neh. 4:10). This very reality is upon us today.

Does our destiny as a nation lie in the democratic process, in the form of a vote cast in the United Nations, where the majority rules and is backed up by the combined military forces of the Security Council? "Who can make war with the beast?" (Rev. 13:4). What is our answer to this present situation? THE WORD OF GOD, and our ability to believe and trust in the Rock of our salvation, as we, the two olive branches of Zechariah 4:3, 11-14 and Romans 11:24 experience the "grace" (Zech 4:7) that comes not by might, nor by power but by God's Spirit (Zech. 4:6). Ephraim must repent and return to Zion; Judah must repent and come to know the King and Messiah of Zion. Together we must consecrate ourselves as a nation before the Holy one of Israel, and worship Him in spirit and in truth. Let us sing the song of Zion; the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested" (Rev.15:3-4).

Ephraim

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell (shevet achim) together in unity…for in this God commands the blessing "life eternal" (Ps. 133).

Friday, February 8, 2008

FOLLOW-UP TO DAY OF ANGER

June 4, 1999

Thank you for manning the spiritual ramparts. There were several incidents, which marked the "day of Anger." Some stone throwing took place, one Palestinian was killed, as he tried to run over a soldier at a checkpoint, and some shots were fired into a car with a mother and baby (just prior to that day), but praise God that no one was injured. These latter two incidents, by the way, were disassociated from the purposes for that day. But don't be fooled by yesterday's relatively peaceful demonstrations, they were highly organized by the political heads of the Palestinian Authority.

These PA's "heads" wanted to demonstrate their complete control over the masses before the television cameras of the world. However, very few actually took part in the demonstrations. Let us now switch our attention from the head to the heart. What is the "heart-beat" of the issues in this End Time scenario? Remember the Hamas, mentioned in the previous letter? They are the ones who have spearheaded the uprising and are responsible for the suicide bombings. Just before the called-for "day of wrath," the Hamas leadership has been reported, in a Jerusalem Post headline, as QUESTIONING PA PLANS FOR "DAY OF ANGER," and were quoted as saying: "the demonstrations are unlikely to have much practical impact…To be serious about this, we need a detailed plan with serious steps, not a demonstration. It is not enough." They then called for the Palestinian factions to work out such a plan.

In another article, on the same page, the headline read: "HAMAS, HIZBULLAH LEADERS MEET IN BEIRUT. Hizbullah is the leading guerilla militia in the successful campaigns of the Lebanese/Syrian war against Israel and the Southern Lebanese Army. In recent days they had a tremendous success, as the SLA and Israel retreated from one of the most strategic towns in South Lebanon. The Hezbollah's relentless attacks have worn down the South Lebanese-cum-Israeli Army. The tactics of terrorism have, in fact, influenced the shift in the political balance in Israel.

The new leader-elect, has openly said that Israel will withdraw from Southern Lebanon within a year. The Hizbullah and Hamas, along with the entire Arab world, view this not as a withdrawal but a retreat. The next stage will be the Golan Heights, which Israel will hand over to Syria, like the Sinai to Egypt, with guarantees of a demilitarized zone, manned by the UN Peace Keeping forces. With all this out of the way, the only obstacles to peace will remain Judea and Samaria, and Jerusalem, of course. The sweet scent of victory is in the air. Thus, we know what Hamas has "up its sleeve," as it is counseled by Hezbollah/Syria/Iran, and is being trained in their tactics. The report said that the two organizations discussed "mutual interests and goals." Hamas is at the heart of the Palestinian cause, while the PA is only the masked-face on the head, which says, on one side of its mouth, "peace, peace," but during the 7 years of the peace process has muttered, with the other side, "piece by piece." During all of that time it (the PA) has not given one thing, except a guarantee to control its terrorists. But wow to us if we don't continue along the path of an eventual Palestinian State, with Jerusalem as its capital! Any deviation from this prescribed direction will spell a "face off" at the "O.K. coral."

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made My land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland," (Eze.36:5). "I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted My people and made threats against their land. Therefore, as surely as I live, Moab will become like Sodom, the Ammonites like Gomorrah a place of weeds and salt pits, a wasteland forever. The remnant of My people will plunder them the survivors of my nation will inherit their land,"(Zeph.2:8-9). "My hand will rest on Mount Zion, but Moab will be trampled under as straw is trampled down in the manure. They will spread out their hands in it, as a swimmer spreads out his hand to swim. I will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of their hands," (Isa.25:10-11). "Edom will become an object of horror; all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds," (.Jer.49:17). "This is what they will get in return for their pride. For insulting and mocking My people. I will show Myself awesome when I destroy all the gods of the land. The nations on every shore will worship Me, every one in their own land," (Zeph 2:10-11). "But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the House of Jacob will possess its inheritance," (Obad. 17). "I will save Zion and I will build the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it. The seed of My servants will inherit it, and those who love My name will dwell in it". (Ps. 69:35-36). Amen!

Ephraim