Looking Forward

In the Israel Truth Movement, many people talk about “the good old days”. Some people remember the 30s or 40s or 50s when there was great enthusiasm for the revelation of who the descendants of Jacob are. My grandfather found acceptance in a British Israel group of men that he did not find in the local church. Certainly, the Holy Spirit was with those Bible study groups that were all over the English-speaking world. Today people could care less about the Israel message and see no value in it. Many Christians see it as a movement of the past that has no relevance today. One Christian I talked to predicted the death of it when the “old people” die off.

I believe the answer to our dwindling numbers is to look forward. Things may have been wonderful in those years gone by, but they are gone and will not return. It is alright to share fond memories of “the good old days” but many people cannot relate to such memories. Recently I watched a video on You-Tube on the internet called “Sheep Among Wolves – volume 2” which is about the fastest growing underground church in the world (according to the video), in Iran. In the video there are interviews with church members. Their faces are blanked out and their voices are disguised. One of them compared the underground Iranian church with the churches in the modern western world. This person said their fast-growing church looks forward to the coming return of Christ, whereas the churches in the modern western world concentrate on modern living and how to live in the modern age.

Are Christians in the western world even interested in the return of Christ? I frequently hear Christians say, “He may be here tomorrow, or he may not come for another hundred years.” Last week I heard a Christian say he may not be here for another 2000 years! Most Christians are just concerned with having a comfortable life and do not give much thought to the millennial reign of Christ. Jesus said, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:32-34. Our treasure should to be in heaven. God and the city of God are in heaven. “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Galatians 4:26. We now have the Holy Spirit who is God within us. Let us be thankful for that, but in the future, we shall have God living with us as a human being in the person of Jesus Christ.

“Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.” Isaiah 33:20-22. We Christian Israelites are to look forward to our future in the city of God. We are to teach and preach about the kingdom of God. That is a part of the Bible that the churches do not teach and preach because it is all about Israel and they cannot connect with the idea of a kingdom of Israel. They think a kingdom of Israel would be a kingdom of the Jews, but the Jews do not worship the king. If any preachers try to promote a kingdom of the Jews, their preaching will be a failure because it is not inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. We teach the truth about the kingdom of God and about Israel. Without that truth much of the Bible remains a closed book.

“Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” Jeremiah 31:10-13. That glorious day is to come after Jacob’s time of trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). We are in that time of trouble. It is going to get worse and worse until we finally call on God for help. He (Jesus) will then come and save us after we cast away our foolish pride and yield to him. Our people shall then “come and sing in the height of Zion”. Let us follow the example of Abraham and turn our vision toward the glorious city of God, the city of peace, the New Jerusalem. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Hebrews 11:8-10.

I believe these scriptures hold the key to our success in the Israel Truth movement. If we can concentrate on teaching people what the kingdom of God is really about, I believe God will bless our ministry. Our vision is glorious. “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, of the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22-24.