Hi Jordang,
The chosen people are those that have the Holy Spirit indwelling, not those living on a strip of land in the Middle East.
Here is a section from the article 'When The Towers Fall.'
http://bible-truths.com/towers.htm -------------
WHEN GENTILES ARE JEWS AND JEWS ARE NOT JEWS
[Is American Part of Prophecy?]
Now for one of the most profound scriptural truths you will ever learn; nowhere taught or believed in Christendom.
According to virtually all Christian teachers and scholars, when prophecy mentions Jerusalem, Judah, or Israel, it is speaking of literal Jerusalem, Judah, or Israel. For them, if "context, context, context" is the god of theological interpretation, then "literal, literal, literal," has got to be their vice-god. If this is true, then when it speaks of "Abraham’s seed," it must mean "literal" bloodline descendants of Abraham, correct? No, NOT correct!
What was the most holy, righteous, sure sign that one was a descendant of Abraham and obedient to the One True God? Answer: Being circumcised the 8th day.
"This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you; Every man child among you shall be CIRCUMCISED" (Gen. 17:10).
Now then, who are the "circumcised Jews" of end time prophecy? Are they the literal, physical, circumcised Jews who are the literal, physical Jews of the literal, physical racial line of Abraham? NO:
"For he is NOT a Jew, which is one outwardly [physically circumcised and of the physical line of Abraham] neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: But he IS a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and NOT of the letter [context, context, context: literal, literal, literal]; whose praise is not of men, but of God" (Rom. 2:28-29).
Notice that this Scripture is found in "Romans." Rome is a Gentile nation, not a nation of Israel. Paul is telling Gentile Romans that THEY can be the TRUE JEW INWARDLY OF THE HEART AND SPRIT. Wow! Romans can be "JEWS?" Who would have ever thought? Maybe that was just a slip of Paul’s tongue. Surely he isn’t telling us that under the New Covenant GENTILES ARE JEWS is he? Here’s a second witness:
"Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision [mutilation—those Jews who wanted to cut off the flesh of grown men among the Gentiles]. FOR WE [former pagan, present GENTILE Philippians of Philippi—North Central Greece] ARE THE CIRCUMCISION which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, an have NO confidence in the flesh" (Phil. 3:2-3).
According to God, are those literal, physical Jews of the racial line of Abraham who are circumcised in the flesh, "Jews." NO, former pagan Gentiles are the TRUE JEWS according to Scripture.
But weren’t all the "promises" to Abraham for "HIS SEED? Yes, of course, but the question now is, "Who IS Abraham’s seed?"
"Not as though the word of God has taken none effect [God is not contradicting here]. For they are NOT all Israel, which are Israel. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children, but, In Isaac shall your seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the FLESH, these are NOT THE CHILDREN OF GOD: but the children of the PROMISE ARE counted for the seed" (Rom. 9:6-8).
Yes, God intended from the beginning that the TRUE JEW, the SPIRITUAL JEW, the TRUE SEED of Abraham, the TRUE HEIR to the promises was to be the GENTILES!
"And if you [Paul is writing to GENTILE Galatians] be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s SEED, and HEIRS according to the PROMISE" (Gal. 3:29).
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature [or creation]. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the ISRAEL OF GOD" (Gal. 6:15-16).
Yes, it is the "new creature in Christ Jesus" which is now "the ISRAEL OF GOD," not the Christ forsaking Jews of modern day Palestine.
"…they who ARE the Israel of God" (The Twentieth Century N. T.).
"…on the TRUE Israel of God" (Williams Translation).
"…to the TRUE Israel of God" (Phillips Translation).
Can Christ’s Church also be a "nation?" It can and it is:
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy NATION, a peculiar people: that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were NOT A PEOPLE [they were pagan and they were GENTILE. See Rom. 10:20], but are NOW the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy" (I Pet. 2:9-10).
The Church of Christ has grown into a "Great House," with many children. Paul explains:
"But in A GREAT HOUSE there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth and some to honor, and some to dishonor" (II Tim. 2:20).
Just what is this "great house" of which Paul speaks? Let Paul answer:
"But if I tarry long, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the House of God which is The Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (I Tim. 3:15).
The Apostle Peter tells us that this House of God definitely needs judging:
"For the time is come that JUDGMENT must begin at The House of God…" (I Pet. 4:17).
If the "House of God" needed judgment in the days of the Apostles, how much more judgment does it need today? And what did Paul prophesy would happen in this "GREAT House" in our day, "in the LATTER TIMES?" Let’s read it from the source:
"Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the LATTER TIMES some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking LIES IN HYPOCRISY; having their conscience seared with a hot iron" (I Tim. 4:1-2).
And this:
"This, know also, that IN THE LAST DAYS, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent [without self-control], fierce [brutal], despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady [reckless], high-minded [haughty], lovers of pleasures more than [rather than] lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away… EVER learning, and NEVER able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (II Tim. 3:1-7).
Some Christians naively believe Paul and all these prophecies are speaking of the whole world of mankind in general. Oh no He isn't:
It is not the atheistic heathen world which has "departed from the faith," who "blaspheme God," who have a "form of godliness," or who have "turned away from such."
Oh no. It is the HOUSE OF GOD which has done these things and continues to do them. It is the "CHURCH of the Living God." It is: "THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" who commits spiritual fornication by going to the "Egypts" of this world and making alliances with the nations rather than trusting in God.
And lest we get puffed up in the realization that the Christian democracies of America and Europe are indeed the "ISRAEL OF GOD" in prophecy, let us not forget that God’s Church is made up of the "MANY called, but FEW chosen" (Matt. 22:14 & Matt. 7:21-23).
And so, although Isaiah 30 speaks of physical, literal Egypt and Judah, and both these nations fulfilled the prophecy of Isa. 30:10-7, this is not, however, the main fulfillment of Isaiah 30 at all. And how can I say that? Because Isaiah 30:8 dates this prophecy to a far distant future fulfillment. Therefore all these symbols were for a future yet unfulfilled event.
We know that Judah went down bearing gifts to Egypt for her to be an ally and protect her against the northern kingdoms, but the real fulfillment is for a larger symbolic Judah and Egypt.
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Mark 13:7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.
v. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
There have been wars down through the history of mankind and they will continue until Christ returns and rules.
Isa 2:4 He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
Author
Topic: Gaza (Read 4362 times)