A0310_Yom Yerushalyim
Date: 16th May 2007 (Wednesday PM) Ref: A0310
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: Yom Yerushalyim
Text: & Ezekiel 36:22-24
Illust: On May 14, 1948, on the day in which the British Mandate over a Palestine expired, the Jewish People's Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum, and approved the proclamation, declaring the establishment of the State of Israel. The new state was recognised that night by the United States and three days later by the USSR. Extract: “ACCORDINGLY WE, MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S COUNCIL, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF ERETZ-ISRAEL AND OF THE ZIONIST MOVEMENT, ARE HERE ASSEMBLED ON THE DAY OF THE TERMINATION OF THE BRITISH MANDATE OVER ERETZ-ISRAEL AND, BY VIRTUE OF OUR NATURAL AND HISTORIC RIGHT AND ON THE STRENGTH OF THE RESOLUTION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, HEREBY DECLARE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JEWISH STATE IN ERETZ-ISRAEL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE STATE OF ISRAEL. – The prophetic hour glass was turned over
I. The Descendants of Jacob
A. God’s Chosen
i. The plan & purpose of God has always been very specific, detailed and under total control. The establishment of a blessed people that would occupy the area of the Middle East known as Israel. ~ From the promise first made to Abram
Genesis 12:1-2 1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. (NKJV)
The promise of a nation, a people confirmed on a number of occasions:
Genesis 15:5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” (NKJV)
Genesis 22:17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. (NKJV)
Confirmed to Jacob Abraham’s grandson, whose name was changed to Israel
Genesis 28:13-14 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south;.... (NKJV)
Genesis 32:26-28 26And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” 27So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” 28And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (NKJV)
ii. A nation selected for a purpose.
Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (NKJV)
Genesis 22:18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (NKJV)
Genesis 28:14b ... and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (NKJV)
iii. To be a blessing for all the nations & people of the earth. Through this people the promised Messiah, deliverer; would come who would save the world from Sin. – Jesus.
B. The Devil’s Hatred
i. As God has loved Israel His chosen the devil has hated Israel. From the very first He has attempted to thwart the plan & purpose of God. Sarah’s faith failure in giving Hagar to Abraham. The hatred of Esau for his brother Jacob. The bondage in Egypt and the cruel genocidal oppression of Pharaoh. The Golden Calf in the Wilderness. Foreign invaders, internal treachery & rebellion against God. Allways trying to destroy the people or get God to cast them off.
ii. Through to more recent history with the Russian Pogroms of the late 19th & early 20th century, the Holocaust during the Nazi reign through to today where globally instances of Anti Semitism are increasing at an alarming rate. – Also there is the continuing threat from Iran. Where Ahmadinejad has on a number of occasions promised to wipe Israel off the map.
iii. Israel the nation, despite being the only democracy in the Middle East and a prosperous, advanced society is hated by nations across the globe. When it tries to defend itself it is invariably painted as the aggressor. An awesome picture presented in the book of revelation. & Rev 12:1-6 - The dragon hates Israel.
II. He Who Watches
A. Never Slumbers
i. Fact is that This is God’s idea, these are His people & you mess with this at your own peril as many nations & leaders have found down through the ages. – God is not asleep, He is in complete control of all that happens & this is also true of His watching over His chosen people.
Psalm 121:4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. (NKJV)
ii. We as Christians as the Church have been grafted into being people of God. We are the beneficiaries of the promise that through a descendant of Abraham, we will be blessed. God’s promises are irrevocable. God has sworn to give the land to Abraham & more specifically Jacob (Israel)
B. Down Through History
i. This watching over Israel, over the Jewish people by God has been seen over & over again. Despite wicked, ongoing, ruthless persecution there has continued a remnant a distinct group of people who by ancestry, heritage and culture can claim to be Jewish, the descendants of Israel.
ii. On the very day of the declaration of Independence, that night the armies of 5 Arab states with more than 30,000 professional troops crossed the borders and began the invasion of Palestine against a hastily arranged and ill equipped citizen army of approximately 15,000. – Despite overwhelming odds the Jewish state prevailed & was established – Miraculous.
In 1967 Israel was ringed by an Arab force of some 250,000 troops, over 2,000 tanks and some 700 frontline fighter & bomber aircraft.- The world looked on expecting the impending destruction of the state of Israel. – Didn’t happen that way – in 6 days not only had the state been saved it had also been enlarged & East Jerusalem including what is known as the Old City was under Israeli control. – A Miracle
Then we have 1973 the surprise Yom Kippur attack by Egypt, Jordan & Syria. Again while the world expected the destruction of Israel – somehow she not only survived but handed a significant defeat to her enemies. – Another Miracle
iii. Today we have the Intifada with Homicide bombers & constant daily rocket attacks – Yet
Psalm 121:4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. (NKJV)
III. Prophetic Klaxon
A. Judgement is Certain
i. Why this message tonight, well on our calendar the state of Israel was established 59 years ago. Today also marks Yom Yerushalyim – Jerusalem day to remember the re-unification of Jerusalem after the Six Day War. – In a submarine, the Klaxon is the horn that sounds the warning to inform every one that the status of the submarine is changing it is going under the waves.
ii. Israel, what has happened and what is happening is a prophetic Klaxon that serves to warn all that see & hear that God is real and He has a plan for this world. He sent a saviour & He is going to bring judgement
iii. Today is a reminder that our text in Ezekiel was fulfilled to the letter and that God keeps His promises.
B. Judgement is Imminent
i. The testimony of the Word of God is that we will continue to see Israel at the centre of World Affairs coming under increasing hatred & pressure. That it will cause turmoil for all of the nations of the world.
Zechariah 12:2-3 2 “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. 3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. (NKJV)
ii. Jesus made it clear that His return would be preceded by signs. & Matt 24:32-35 ~ Jesus Christ is coming back. We need to be ready, we need to be living with the imminence of His return our constant reminder. – Israel is our Klaxon, it can’t be ignored, it is a jarring loud clear sign to all.