With the pending promise of prophetic doom, there always followed
the pending promise of prophetic restoration
In the last
article I addressed the Prophetic Judgment of Israel and when I left off the
punishment of Israel for the breaking of the covenant was a done deal. God was going to use Nebuchadnezzar the King
of Babylon as the instrument of discipline for Judah. He confirmed this when King Zedekiah sent
Melchiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest to inquire of the
prophet Jeremiah about Nebuchadnezzar’s bellicose plans toward Jerusalem.
Jeremiah’s reply on behalf of God was “Thus says the Lord God of Israel:
“Behold I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which
you fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside
the walls and I will assemble them in
the midst of this city. I myself will
fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in
anger and fury and great wrath. I will strike the inhabitants of this city,
both man and beast; they shall die of great pestilence. (Jeremiah 21: 2-6).
The Lord goes on to assure that those
people left from the famine, pestilence and sword in the city of Jerusalem
would be handed over to Nebuchadnezzar and their enemies. He then states,
“Behold I set before you the way of life and the way of death. He who remains
in this city shall die by the sword, and by pestilence, but he who goes out and
defects to the Chaldeans shall live and his life shall be as a prize to him.”
(vs.8,9). Thus the fate of Judah was
sealed and there was no relenting on God’s part, but the good news was that it
was not a forever exile. The Lord
determined that for 70 years Judah and surrounding nations would serve the king
of Babylon, but at the expiration of those years he would also punish the king
of Babylon and the nation of Chaldean for their iniquity. (Jeremiah 25: 11-12). He
also pronounced a judgment on other nations in Israel’s neighborhood beginning
with Egypt and ending with the kings of the north and all the kingdoms of the
world. (vs. 15-26).
Although God in his justice
chastises Israel, he never completely forsakes them. With the pending promise of prophetic doom, there
always followed the pending promise of prophetic restoration. Jeremiah captures this when he is commanded
to write of the Lord, “For behold, the days are coming says the Lord, that I
will bring back from captivity my people Israel and Judah and I will cause them
to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.”
(Jeremiah 30: 1-3). In verse 11 it
states, “For I am with you, says the Lord to save you: Though I make a full end of all nations where
I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you, but I will
correct you in justice, and will not let you go altogether unpunished. There is much that can be discussed in
chapter 30 of Jeremiah, but one thing that must be apprehended is that the judgment and
restoration of Israel was not a onetime occurrence. It indicates a yet future judgment and
restoration beyond the 70 years of Judah in exile. It is a theme that appears again with Jesus
when he is talking to his disciples while they are in Jerusalem.
In Luke 21 the disciples remark about how the
temple was beautifully adorned with stones and donations. Jesus responded, “As for these things which
you see, the days will come in which not one stone shall left upon another that
shall not be thrown down.” (vs. 6). The
disciples with shock asked, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what
sign will there be when these things are about to take place.” (vs.7). Jesus
goes on to give them a list of signs indicating what is referred to as the
end-times or end of the age, but what I want to emphasize is where he says, “But
when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is
near…..For these are the days of vengeance that all things which are written
may be fulfilled.” (vs. 20, 22). “But
woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those
days, for there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.
And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all
nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled
by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (vs. 23,24).
In the Principle of the Second (The
Age To Come), I proposed that in a set of two that which is first represents
the flesh or natural and that which is second represents the spirit. I
described this age as a natural or fleshly age and it coincides with the times
of the Gentiles and the second age as spiritual age which is led by restored
spiritual Israel with Jesus as the king over Israel and ruling the nations.
What became evident to me after having this verse brought to my attention and
some contemplation was that just as in Jeremiah, Judah and Israel is still
absent from the land because we are still in the times of the Gentiles. Although we have a people known as the Jews
in Israel, it is apparent that their presence did not end the time of the
Gentiles and for all practical purposes Jerusalem is still being trampled by Gentiles.
Also, the Jews that rule present day Israel have never been known to have been
led away captive into all the nations.
So now the question becomes where are the people who experienced the
desolation of Jerusalem when the city was razed by the Romans in 70 ad and who
eventually of those who were left would be led captive into all nations? This
is the question that will be dealt with in future articles because the
identification of the people is not just about solving a great mystery, but is
germane to the fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles and the conclusion of this age.
In response to your question: "Where are the people who experienced the desolation of Jerusalem when the city was razed by the Romans in 70 ad and who eventually of those who were left would be led captive into all nations?" may I add my thoughts?
ReplyDeleteAs a result of over 5 years of research after being exposed to this question on a trip to Ghana West Africa, I now know that the people in question are scattered to the four corners of the earth. However, Deuteronomy 28:15-68 is so very specific that the prophecy can only be applied to the Hebrews brought to America. The graphic description of a specific form of slavery fits exactly the history of the enslaved peoples brought from the West Coast of Africa. For this reason I now know that the "remnant" or "elect" or "chosen ones" are in America today. These are the ones that are foretold to survive the "great tribulation" of Matthew 24:22 and Romans 9:27-29.
Today, we are witnessing the awakening of many of our people as they gain a knowledge and understanding that they are the "lost children of the House of Israel", but many are failing to recognize that the vast majority of those on the planet will die during that "great tribulation". Yet, somehow, this "remnant" will survive in the midst of violent chaos. (Ps. 91)
What is the difference between those who recognize that they are Israel and those that also recognize that they are of the "remnant"? Predestination. The Most High foretold the emergence of these people, but the question becomes: "Among all of us, who are the remnant?" What is our commission during the "time of the end"? More later on this subject.