By Dr. Elder Cumming.*
* At the
-------
Romans 9: 2-5.
I have great
heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart (for I myself
used to wish to be a curse [cut off] from Christ) for my brethren,
my kinsmen according to the
flesh.
[We have given this passage in our own
translation; and omitted the speakers remarks on it as it stands in the A.V. -
EDITOR.]*
[* That is, the EDITOR
of what is shown here - NOT
the Editor of the selected writings on the website at www.themillennialkingdom.org.uk.]
THERE are three words
used for Gods ancient people in the Old Testament and the New. I find that
All these words are embraced, more or
less, by our subject to-day. May I say a
word about the Past, the Present, and the Future of Israel?
THE PAST
By the past I mean the Biblical past. We draw our line at the destruction of
The people of
Where God begins in love He goes on in
love. I have loved you before the
foundation of the world, He says, and He loves unto the end. This is the whole secret of
Who can tell what the Bible is? We dont half understand it, and never shall until we get to glory, and then the Bible will be ours
still. But have you ever realised the
connection of the Jew with this book?
Every writer of Scripture, without exception, was a Jew. Every book of Scripture, sixty-six in number,
is written by a Jew. Is not that a
wonderful thing? Every book of Scripture
speaks about the Jews - generally speaks to them as well. The Jews are referred to in every book of the Bible. There is a marvellous connection between the
Jews and this book.
Then think of the history of
Would that were all their story. But we must look at the other side of the
picture. What a wayward people they were from the first. Even the patriarchs - I was going to say with
the exception of Isaac, but not even with the exception of Isaac, although he
was the sweetest, the gentlest, the most self-forgetting of them all. From the time of the patriarchs downward you
cannot find one that did not sometimes forget and depart and almost rebel
against God. What a lesson this is to
those who speak of the perfectibility or sinlessness of human nature here! O all these men from Abraham down there is
not one in whom you cannot trace a fallen heart, and the effects of that fallen
heart in their forgetfulness of God.
Look at their history as individuals, or as a nation. See how they turned away from God. See how, generation after generation, they
forgot the Holy One of Israel. See how
they tempted Him, how they grieved Him in the desert, when God, almost as a
visible God, walked before them in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of
fire by night. In the Shechinah within
His tabernacle God almost appeared to them visibly. And also in the gift of the
manna and the quails. How they
forgot Him, and tempted the Holy One of Israel, and grieved the Holy Spirit of
God. We cannot say too much as to the
faith and holiness of many individual Jews.
The 11th of Hebrews is true to the letter, but there is
the other side. Alas! alas!
for the sins of
When God sent His Son, they said, Lo, this is the heir, come,
let us kill Him, and the
inheritance shall be ours. That people, Gods
people, Israel, my Israel, my chosen people, children of Abraham, children of
Israel, children of the covenant and the promises, yes, it was they that
crucified their Lord and ours. His blood be upon us and on our children was their cry, and a time, of
darkness fell almost at once. That is
the Biblical past.
THE PRESENT
Forty years after the Lord was slain, forty years after the
cross, there came the destruction of
What has happened since the destruction of
Not hatred against the Jew, not
attempts to crush the Jew, but affection towards the Jew, is the duty of the
Church. If you want to reach a Jews
heart you must do it by affection, and I have reason to think that their hearts
are easily touched by affection. I remember
being in a small company of Jews some time ago.
They were being driven out from their homes, and were emigrating
to the
Remember that man has never been able to crush them. The hatred and cruelty of every nation with
which they have been brought into contact have been in vain, because there is a
shield around them. God put it there,
and man cannot remove it. At the present time*
we know they are more numerous than they were in Bible-history time. They are supposed to represent twelve
millions, and they never came to anything like that number in the olden time of
Bible story. In the face of all the
persecution they have multiplied. Hosea
told us what they were to be - for many days without a king, without a
sacrifice, without a priest, without a land - and there they are still. It has
proved [today by two world wars, and in the future Great Tribulation, that it is] impossible for the nations of the
earth to destroy them. They hold to their own still; they
hold to their own nationality; and they hold - though I wish they would hold it
more faithfully - to the written Word of the living God.
[* See PART TWO.]
THE FUTURE
They are obviously preserved
for some marvellous destiny in the future.
Even worldly men are compelled to confess this. At the
present time the Jews are one of the greatest powers in the world, and they are only needing
something to call them out so as to combine that great financial power and
wisdom that belong to them. It is
obvious, even to men of the world, that there must be a future in store for
Now in Jeremiah 31: 37 you find a very similar statement: Thus saith
the LORD;
If heaven above can be measured, and
the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the
seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.
Then again in verses 35 and 36, Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a
light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and
of the stars for a light by night, which
divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The
LORD of hosts is His name: if those ordinances depart from before Me, saith the Lord, the seed of Israel also shall cease from being
a nation before Me for ever.
I say solemnly, we have two alternatives. Either
God has promised that
His ancient people are to return to their own land.
Have you ever made a study of the closing words of the different books
of the Bible? If you have not, I would
recommend that to you as a very useful study indeed. In the meantime look at the closing words of
the beautiful prophecy of Amos - 9: 14, 15: And I will bring again the captivity of my
people of
Therefore, if God in His most solemn word and promise is to be
believed,
Then
turn to Zech.
12: 10: And I will pour upon the house of
David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look
upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in
bitterness for Him. Just note how in Rev. 1: 7 this verse is quoted, They shall
look upon Him whom they have pierced, and all
the tribes of the earth shall wail because of Him.
That is the story of the Gentiles who have refused Christ. The people of
There is a promise given to
One last word.
When the Jews are thus brought to God they have a great work to do, they
have got to be the means of converting the whole world. Isaiah 66: 19 is one of the texts that tell us
this. I will set a sign among them, and I will send those
that escape of them unto the nations, to
Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal
and Javan, and to the
isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My
glory; and they shall declare My glory among
the Gentiles. Now we are sending missionaries to the Jews, but the days are coming when they
shall send missionaries to the Gentiles, and with far more effect than our
missionaries to the Jews have [ever
been]. In Romans 11: 15: For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
What shall the receiving of the Jews be?
What shall the gathering in of
* *
*
PART TWO*
[*The following are published in: Prayer For Israel, (WINTER MAGAZINE 2015-2016.)]
1
EDITORIAL
By Derek Rous
In the international arena, the shooting down of the Russian
bomber over the Turkey/Syria border on the 24th November marked a
new point in the descent of the Syrian crisis into chaos. The world stands and wonders what could
happen next and wrings its hands over the potential for escalation. Where will this end? What is the solution? Who is at fault? How can we get back to normality?
Presidents Erdogan and Putin each blame the other and seek to save face but the
skies over the north of
It was only the previous week when the attacks in
The president of
The organized attacks in
All these attacks, wherever they occur, put the spotlight on the
His deduction of course is rooted in the evil and malicious
belief that
The SAS have the motto, Who dares Wins.
The motto of true Christians ought to be like
those on
HOPE IN THE CHAOS
Aviet Girsh from
Thousands of displaced people have entered
PFI knows of several groups of Jewish and Arab believers who
are working together to bring relief and the Word of God to neighbouring
countries. Aviel
shared the huge new demand for Bibles to be sent from
Psalm 50: 2 says Out of
What we are witnessing today is unprecedented trouble. But with the trouble comes great opportunity for
the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, and the Saviour of
the world. And as Jesus said, when this
takes place, then the end will come. When
will He come? The prophet Habbakuk cried to the Lord How long 0 lord How long? The Lords answer to him was to be patient. In this we need to take a lesson.
A MATTER OF CONCERN
I believe we need to take much greater care in what we say
about the timing of the lords return. Extreme
dogmatism is making enemies of friends. It is a great sadness when divisions amongst
the Lords people open up over this matter. The words of the Lord Jesus are, Matthew 24: 32.
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. The prophet Amos warned - Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! For what good is the day of the Lord to you? it will be a day of darkness and
not light... Amos 5: 18. We might well have a sense of
anticipation and expectation of the coming Kingdom but until He comes we need
to keep our focus and be about His business of bringing light and life - for
when He comes, it will be for judgment.
May the Lord help us as we Watch and Pray for the Salvation of
Israel. We may not be able to do much,
if anything, to change the situation in the world. But we can make a difference to those around
us as we recognise the spiritual battle of our times and encourage each other
to pray in accordance with the Lords revealed will. It is good and right to be supportive of, and
focused upon,
Friends, we are in a
battle. In battle, some people get hurt
and killed but that should not make us give up. Instead, carry on with His strength and
resolve to finish the task.
* *
*
2
WHAT IS THE ROOT OF VIOLENCE
AGAINST JEWS IN
By Eddie Santoro
31st October, 2015
Several weeks ago
I wrote an update, A Day of Violence in
Unfortunately
there has been no reduction in Palestinian knifings of Israelis, motor vehicle
attacks, rock throwing and rioting has been continuing. Jerusalems streets are filled with soldiers,
many civilians have been called up to active military service to help with
Israels ongoing defence and new restrictions have been imposed in the West
Bank and throughout East Jerusalem in an effort to further reduce the ongoing
attacks.
The root of the
violence against Jews in
We who live here
and know our God are certain that His promises will be
fulfilled.
Please pray for
wisdom for our government, army and security forces as they endeavour to take
control and end this current terrorist uprising. Pray that Israelis would not be overwhelmed
by a spirit of fear and intimidation.
Pray against the spirit of anti-Semitism that is so prevalent in todays
world.
* * *
3
THE HEART OF THE LAND
By Andrew Lessey, (Bashan Carmel Ministries.)
Jeremiah 16 verse 14 and 15:
However, the days
are coming, declares the Lord,
when men will no longer say, As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt, 15 but they will say, As surely
as the Lord lives, who brought the
Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where
be had banished them. For I will restore them to the land I gave their
forefathers.
We can all remember the early 90s when these verses were on
the lips of many owing to the vast Russian
Aliyah (return of Jewish people to the Land). However, it is worth noting that these verses
not only refer to the Jewish return from the north but also to their return from all the countries where God had
banished them. That this return is
ongoing is clearly another example of the Lords faithfulness in fulfilling His
word. The conclusion of verse 15 reminds us of the destination of
their return, it is of course to the
Land He gave to their forefathers, the
Much is written in His word about THIS LAND and for many years now the worlds media has also
referred to it (usually on a daily basis) in some context or other. But what does the Bible actually say on this
subject and in particular what are the promises related to the land?
Let us turn to Genesis 12 verses 6 and 7: Abram
travelled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the
Canaanites were in the land.
The Lord appeared to Abram, and said, To your
offspring I will give this land. So he
built an altar there to the Lord, who had
appeared to him.
Here we can see the promise to give the Land to Abrams
offspring. But where was he when
God made the promise? According to verse 6
he was at Shechem (site of modern day
Now let us read Genesis 13 to
15: The Lord said to Abram after
Let us read Genesis 13 verse 3:
From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to
Let us continue on to Genesis 28
verses 12 and 13: He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on
the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
There above it stood
the Lord, and he
said: I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and
your descendants the land on which you are lying. Here we read of Gods promise to give the land to Jacob and his offspring.
But at that moment in time where was Jacob?
Genesis 28
verses 18 and 19: Early the next morning Jacob
took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and
poured oil on top of it. He
called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz. So according to verses 18 and 19 he was at
At this point it is worth noting the location of the three
places mentioned. As we can see on the adjoining
map they all lie within the confines of Judea and
While the locations at which these promises were made are not
always mentioned, it is reasonable to assume through the context that the
majority of them were also made within this territory. Conversely, it is interesting to note that at
no point does the book of Genesis suggest or even hint at the possibility that such promises were made while
the Patriarchs were strolling along the beach at
In view of this it seems logical to conclude that Judea and
Read now Psalm 105 verses 8 to 11:
He remembers His covenant forever, the word He commanded, for a
thousand generations, the covenant He made
with Abraham, the oath He swore
to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to
[* When will
they - (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and
Clearly these verses serve to confirm the promises made in
relation to the Land. Note that in verse 8 the word forever is used and the word everlasting appears in verse 10. It is apparent therefore that these promises
are not temporary in nature. In fact,
they are in effect for at least as long as planet earth
continues to exist.
Ezekiel 36 contains further revelation regarding the Lords plans
for the Land. In verse 1 the prophet is commanded to speak to the mountains of
As we delve deeper
into the chapter we begin to see His purposes for those mountains. Verses 8 to 12 for example make clear that the Lord intends that multitudes of His people live on those mountains. But you,
O mountains of
But where are the mountains of
Is the Lord referring to
In fact, any of us with even a minor
interest in current affairs knows that for many years now the world has sought to insert a Palestinian state into this territory. Obviously the
scriptures we have just read indicate that not only is this not Gods will, but
it is actually the complete opposite of it. That
Sadly the nations are so deceived on this matter that whenever
plans are announced to build homes for Jewish people in this territory, the
government of
Often world leaders proclaim that such
moves violate international law. Obviously that depends on how international
law is interpreted. It certainly seems
that these pronouncements are made without due consideration of certain
relevant legal factors. Nevertheless, as
believers in Yeshua (Jesus) we know that Gods
promises far outweigh any man-made laws. Therefore the ongoing actions and attitudes of
the nations actually put them in great danger. Indeed, it is not an exaggeration to say that they are in fact on a collision course with
God.
As we dig further
into Ezekiel 36 it is important to take note of the
consequences of this Jewish return to the Land and in particular to the
Mountains of Israel. Read verses 24 to 28: For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from the countries and bring you back into
your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will
cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new
heart and put a new spirit in you; I will
remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My
Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be
careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your
forefathers; you will be My people, and I
will be your God.
Clearly the results are of great significance. In summation they are a restoration of the
relationship between the people of
Hopefully for those who pray for the Land and People of
Israel, this study will bring encouragement and perhaps additional revelation. Obviously its important to pray for the
ongoing return of the Jewish people to the Land. However, in light of Gods word it would be
especially fitting to pray that increasing numbers of them along with native
born Israelis would take up residence in Judea and
Clearly we can expect to see the lord rectify this situation. Quite possibly He will use Aliyah
along with future events and their consequences to facilitate this. Let us be faithful and participate
with Him in prayer on this matter.
-------
FOOTNOTE
The
question as to when Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Israel will INHERIT
the LAND
which God promised to give them, is virtually impossible to answer correctly,
by those who mistakenly believe the RESURRECTION is PAST already!! (2 Tim. 2: 18, R.V.).
In
the book of Acts, Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit (6: 5, R.V.),
makes a statement relative to this future and earthly inheritance which God promised to gave to His friend Abraham. Let is look at it.
When
addressing the elders, scribes and the High Priest (6: 12; 7: 1), Stephen
said: -
The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before
he dwelt in
Again,
this same truth, relative to this future inheritance,
is stated in Hebrews 11: 8, 13, R.V.: -
By faith Abraham, when he was
called, obeyed to go out into a place [i.e., the
Land of Promise] which
he was to receive for an INHERITANCE;
and he went out, not
knowing whither he went.
These all DIED in faith NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE [the Divine] PROMISES,
but having seen them and greeted them from afar,
and having confessed that they were strangers and
pilgrims in the earth.
Here
is Scriptural proof of an
This
place
is called by our Lord, - Abrahams Bosom,
Hades and
The
following is a small part of a tract by Robert Govett entitled: The Promises To Abraham Never Yet Fulfilled:-
But
it may be said - Did not Abraham receive the
fulfilment, if not in his own person, yet in his seed as represented by
And
we answer - No, in mo wise!
1.
2.
Never in
their palmiest days, did they possess the land in its extent as given by the
covenant, - from Nile to
3.
But the chief
reply is That it is not said, that Abraham should inherit the land in
his seed; but that he AND his seed
should possess it. All the land which thou seest, to THEE will I give it, and to thy seed for
ever: Gen. 13:
15.
Besides, if so, the Scriptures could not assert, that Abraham had never
received the land. On that supposition,
he has
received it in the persons of his representatives; which was all that
was promised.
The
covenant of Gen. 15,
moreover, confirms the land to Christ as Abrahams individual Heir;
and no subsequent engagement of God can make it void: Gal.
3: 17. But Christ has never possessed the land [as His inheritance].*
[*See Psa. 2: 8]
The
promises of the
While
Abraham sleeps in death [i.e., waits
and rests in Hades] the promises are unfulfilled. But as truly as Christ - the Singular Seed of
Abraham - has been raised [out]* from
among the dead, so shall Abraham himself
be.
[* The preposition out
or out of is in the Greek text, and indicates
a select
resurrection of reward. See Luke 20: 35; Phil. 3: 11, etc.]
Then shall Israel, the plural seed of Abrahams flesh enjoy the land of
promise; and it shall stretch from Nile to Euphrates, embracing even the desert
in which they wandered - then a desert no longer, but watered, verdant, and
hababited: Isa. 35. Then shall
the heavenly seed of Abraham, children of his faith, raised [out] from the
dead, shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their
Father. Then shall Abraham enjoy, not the earthly heritage alone, but shall
receive also the better country, the heavenly; and his poor tent shall be exchanged
for the city of the twelve foundations whose builder
and maker is God.
From
this of course it follows, that Jesus is not coming to burn up the earth as
soon as He descends from heaven.
And
till He rises up, [from His position in
heaven at His Fathers right hand] the resurrection of the righteous tarries.
As
yet it is His people suffering at the hands of the wicked. As Christ is seated at the right hand of God,
waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. He is already in heaven, crowned - because of
His suffering of death - with glory and honour.
But we see not yet the promise fulfilled, that all things shall be set
under His feet. That is nigh at
hand. And to us it is set forth as our
hope that we may enter into that joy of our Lord. The Father and the Son have been working
hitherto, since the Fall introduced trouble into Gods creation-rest. But all is moving on to the rest of God in
His better sabbath of redemption. Into
this sabbath-rest of the seventh thousand year - shall enter those who have
worked with God and His Christ, and suffered for them. Let us seek this rest! Let us labour to enter it! Let is desire and strive for the prize, which
the Righteous Judge shall give in that day!
Let us keep from unrighteousness!
Into the resurrection of the righteous, and the [millennial] kingdom of
saints, the unrighteous shall not enter: 1 Cor.
6: 9-11. We are
sons of God by grace, let us seek to do the works of the Father! Let us labour today in His vineyard! He is not the God of grace alone; He becomes
also the Rewarded of those who diligently seek him: Heb.
11: 6.
Nor
let any discourage you by saying that To seek
reward is to make ourselves mercenary in spirit! For this reward is to be given by the
Heavenly Father to His obedient
children: Matt. 6:
1-18. And Jesus sought this: Heb. 12: 2.