Post by newsong on May 19, 2006 11:06:29 GMT -5
When I first became a Christian it was from being a JW and seeing that although they say they are Gods chosen people (Spiritual Jews) They are not! The Jewish nation (if only a remant of; will be saved in end times) After the Gentiles times are ended he will turn his attention once again to the Jews. Most churches I attended didnt even make mention of these things. God has been calling me back to those things that concern End Times the Church and the Jews. I was advised to read this book. Here is part of it:-
The Time Of Jacobs Trouble
I have the unwelcome task of giving an overview of what the Scriptures call, "The time of Jacob¡¦s Trouble." It is a painful survey of the devastation and suffering, yet future, for Israel and the Jewish people, but I think that the Church needs to have this view brought into its understanding, lest it finds itself offended at the lengths to which God will go in dealing with this Jacob nation„oin order that they might finally become the true Israel of God. It is not only the Jacob in Israel who will be the victim of such devastation, but Jacob wherever he is to be found in the earth. It is not the time of political Israel¡¦s trouble, but the time of Jacob¡¦s trouble. Present political Israel is Jacob, but it does not by that exhaust the Jacob that is in the world. We need this brought home to us as the Church, because the Jacob people that are in our cities and nations will not be exempt from the sifting and refining fire of God.
God¡¦s motive toward Israel is not because of Israel¡¦s virtue. If Israel had virtue, they would not be suffering the calamities that have come. He chose them for no other reason than that He loves them. It is not because of Israel¡¦s lovableness, but because of who and what God is. The final revelation of God in His severe dealings and mercy upon this nation is of Himself. "I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy," not because it is deserved, but because "I AM WHO I AM," and "I will be who I will be." Until that is established, God is not yet God. As long as we think there is any condition or qualification, either in Israel or the Church, that compels Him to be merciful, we still do not understand as we ought.
There is still something in us of a human self-righteousness that wants to be acknowledged for itself, and that has not come to the ground of poverty that alone inherits the blessings of God. It is only the poor in spirit who recognize that they have no distinction or qualification. God has got to go to the greatest lengths to establish that point. We have not correctly understood how deep-seated human intransigence and sin are. Israel is God¡¦s textbook, but primarily His dealing with them is the revelation of Himself. It has been a painful lesson for Israel, but it is a lesson that is going to last for all eternity. Israel, even in her unbelief and apostasy, is the nation chosen to reveal God, all the more because she is presently unbelieving and apostate. In other words, Israel is doing more to reveal God in her apostasy than ever she could have succeeded in her faithfulness.
God¡¦s free sovereign grace has chosen Jerusalem, the city where He was crucified and where the prophets were stoned and slain„oand yet it is still His choice. What would you say of a God like that? We would have long ago rejected and discarded any people who had so shamefully abused their privilege as Israel has. God¡¦s promises, nevertheless, remain irrevocable, even independent and contrary to the people themselves, who give absolutely no thought to fulfilling their destiny, and who do not even want to be chosen. If we are having difficulty with these statements, the issue is not intellectual; it is because there is somewhere in us a residue of self-righteousness and confidence in ourselves as man, which we project onto a view of Israel. We want them to succeed because we want to succeed on the basis of our own virtue and ability, rather than on the basis of His. He will not allow the partial participation of man on the basis of what is in men, for He knows what is in man.
For the whole book visit :-http://www.benisrael.org/OnlineBooks/jacobs_trouble.htm
The Time Of Jacobs Trouble
I have the unwelcome task of giving an overview of what the Scriptures call, "The time of Jacob¡¦s Trouble." It is a painful survey of the devastation and suffering, yet future, for Israel and the Jewish people, but I think that the Church needs to have this view brought into its understanding, lest it finds itself offended at the lengths to which God will go in dealing with this Jacob nation„oin order that they might finally become the true Israel of God. It is not only the Jacob in Israel who will be the victim of such devastation, but Jacob wherever he is to be found in the earth. It is not the time of political Israel¡¦s trouble, but the time of Jacob¡¦s trouble. Present political Israel is Jacob, but it does not by that exhaust the Jacob that is in the world. We need this brought home to us as the Church, because the Jacob people that are in our cities and nations will not be exempt from the sifting and refining fire of God.
God¡¦s motive toward Israel is not because of Israel¡¦s virtue. If Israel had virtue, they would not be suffering the calamities that have come. He chose them for no other reason than that He loves them. It is not because of Israel¡¦s lovableness, but because of who and what God is. The final revelation of God in His severe dealings and mercy upon this nation is of Himself. "I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy," not because it is deserved, but because "I AM WHO I AM," and "I will be who I will be." Until that is established, God is not yet God. As long as we think there is any condition or qualification, either in Israel or the Church, that compels Him to be merciful, we still do not understand as we ought.
There is still something in us of a human self-righteousness that wants to be acknowledged for itself, and that has not come to the ground of poverty that alone inherits the blessings of God. It is only the poor in spirit who recognize that they have no distinction or qualification. God has got to go to the greatest lengths to establish that point. We have not correctly understood how deep-seated human intransigence and sin are. Israel is God¡¦s textbook, but primarily His dealing with them is the revelation of Himself. It has been a painful lesson for Israel, but it is a lesson that is going to last for all eternity. Israel, even in her unbelief and apostasy, is the nation chosen to reveal God, all the more because she is presently unbelieving and apostate. In other words, Israel is doing more to reveal God in her apostasy than ever she could have succeeded in her faithfulness.
God¡¦s free sovereign grace has chosen Jerusalem, the city where He was crucified and where the prophets were stoned and slain„oand yet it is still His choice. What would you say of a God like that? We would have long ago rejected and discarded any people who had so shamefully abused their privilege as Israel has. God¡¦s promises, nevertheless, remain irrevocable, even independent and contrary to the people themselves, who give absolutely no thought to fulfilling their destiny, and who do not even want to be chosen. If we are having difficulty with these statements, the issue is not intellectual; it is because there is somewhere in us a residue of self-righteousness and confidence in ourselves as man, which we project onto a view of Israel. We want them to succeed because we want to succeed on the basis of our own virtue and ability, rather than on the basis of His. He will not allow the partial participation of man on the basis of what is in men, for He knows what is in man.
For the whole book visit :-http://www.benisrael.org/OnlineBooks/jacobs_trouble.htm