The Nation of Israel

Date: Saturday, August 23, 2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 46-47
Message Title: The Nation of Israel

Hello My Friend,
The catastrophic events that take place in the world are often followed by several others soon after the first one begins. Now, perhaps the world sees these as something contributing to things like global warming, no gun control, or even overpopulation. To the born again Christian, events like these are judgments from God upon any nation that goes against Israel. Do not be offended, Israel is not in the clear either, it too will be judged. This is not something we are just learning, this has been known since the day the Israelites stepped foot onto the promised land, which is Israel, and it continues today. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” - 1 Peter 4:17.

Any nation that goes up against Israel will face judgment sooner or later. Why? It's God's nation. God chose the nation of Israel to be His, to show the rest of the world that He exists, and blesses all who come to Him, whether or not they are a Jew. All it took was one event, the revolt of the remnant of Jews fleeing to Egypt, to cause God's judgments upon all nations that were against them to begin also. God tells Jeremiah of His judgment upon all the Gentile nations, starting with Egypt. “Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah. Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle. Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines. Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the LORD.” - Jeremiah 46:2-5.
While God is a forgiving God, He is also a just God, which means that we will face the consequences for our sins, if we continue to live in sin. There is no hiding or escaping God's judgment, He knows where we are at all times, but He is willing to forgive and even repent of the judgment He places upon them if the admit their sins and turn to Him. Yes, you can change God's mind when you honestly and wholeheartedly seek repentance for sins. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9.
God is angry, and He is letting Jews and Gentiles know about it, and while He will not repent of His judgment, He will make sure that His people know that He will not be angry forever. Through Jeremiah, He tells Israel that while they will not remain unpunished, He will not destroy them as a nation.
“The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him: And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: and afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the LORD. But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.” - Jeremiah 46:25-28.
The name Israel means, the prince that prevails with God, contrary to the assumption that Israel is referring to a specific race of people, namely the Jews, it actually refers to a nation of people. A nation is a body of people living in the same country. Those who are saved, born again Christians are a body of people of Christ and our nation is the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately, while we are in the flesh we cannot live in His Kingdom therefore, we are scattered all over the world. Eventually, God will bring all His people back together again, but until then, we must do what we can to stay close to Jesus until He comes for us. “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” - 1 Peter 4:14-16.
Today's Prayer: God, As we learn to live by faith and not by sight, we see much of what the world does not see because we see it through Your eyes. By faith we see a risen Savior who died for us, and who is now interceding on our behalf. By faith we believe that life’s trials will be worth it all when we join Him at the pearly gates and gather with saints of all the ages to praise our glorious Savior. It is by faith that we come to Jesus, and it is by faith that we will stay the course. For it is not the one who runs the swiftest nor the one who runs for a day, but the one who endures to the end that will be saved. The struggles of this life diminish when we walk by faith and not by sight. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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