שלום חברים
Shalom Dear Friends,
My current class is entitled “The First Regathering: Modern Israel.” I have begun the class by covering important biblical material that is essential to understand if the student is going to make sense out of all that is going on in the Middle East today. One of the principles that is crucial to comprehend is God’s love for Israel. The Scriptures clearly state that even in disobedience, God loves His People. He is a covenant keeper and will never break His promises to us. As a result of the class, I thought I would like to share with all of you the marvelous, matchless love of God. A love that never fails, even when we do. However, lest it be mistaken, remember God’s admonition in Romans 6:1-2: Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! God’s unfailing love must never be used as an excuse to sin. Israel, as well as you and me, will be disciplined by our loving Heavenly Father for deliberate sinning (see Psalm 89:32-33 and Amos 3:2 below).
- Deuteronomy 7:6–8
- For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
- Deuteronomy 14:2
- For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.
- 2 Samuel 7:23–24
- And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, O LORD, have become their God.
- Psalm 89:32–33
- I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging; but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
- Isaiah 41:8–14
- But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you, declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 43:1–7
- But now, this is what the LORD says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, Give them up! and to the south, Do not hold them back. Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.
- Isaiah 49:14–16
- But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me. Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
- Isaiah 54:10
- Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
- Jeremiah 12:7
- I will forsake my house, abandon my inheritance; I will give the one I love into the hands of her enemies.
- Jeremiah 31:3
- The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
- Zechariah 2:8
- For this is what the LORD Almighty says: After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye…
- Romans 11:28–29
- As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
- 1 Kings 10:9
- Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness.
- Hosea 14:4
- I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from them.
- Amos 3:2
- You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
Thank you for being part of our ministry team, reaching the “Lost Sheep of the House of Israel!”