The
Mystery Of Israel
Part one
The central focus and key of all end-time Bible prophecy is ISRAEL. Sounds simple don’t it? It should be but for sadly the theology of so many in these last days has taken Israel out of the equation for God’s appointment and calendar for Planet Earth, including the church. If one has a wrong outlook on Israel and her destiny with God, then understanding end time events becomes at the very least frustrating; at the worst many get into error and come up with a myriad of doctrines which are not scriptural. The task of the watchman was to remind God through intercession of His calendar that have not been fully met and fulfilled. It’s not that God has a memory problem but He enjoys hearing His people agree with His own principles and up purposes through the words of their mouths and the cries of their heart. It’s really the summation of the end-time scenario. All the judgments listed in Revelation are released as the result of intercession – either by saints, angels or Christ Himself.
By Chris McDonald
TEXT: Isaiah 62:6-7
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their
peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, [7] And
give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the
earth.
Ps 148:14
14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even
of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.
We’ll deal with that aspect of Bible
prophecy more in detail later. This message today is about the apple of God’s
eye and the CENTER piece of ALL Bible prophecy – Israel! God has a plan for
Planet Earth. The playing board of this monumental chess game has been set, the
pieces have been chosen. The call for watchmen upon the walls of Jerusalem is a
strategic positioning of His intercessory purposes being brought together in
these days we live in unlike anything in our past. THIS generation has such a
destiny on it that words beggar description. Not because we are “special,” in
ourselves, but because of the time the Lord has chosen to place us in – the
generation that may very well see His return to Earth!
No eye will miss the mysterious and
fascinating time we live in if the seeker has a heart after God. We must always
pray for our eyes to be opened with HIS spiritual understanding, not ours!
The Mystery Of Israel
The scriptures speak of several
“mysteries” that reveal the hidden, eternal plan of God to God's people in
accordance with His will and purposes. In the Old Testament, mystery occurs only
in the Aramaic sections of Daniel <Dan. 2:18, 27-30, 47; 4:9>. Some of God's
mysteries were revealed to Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 2:18
That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that
Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of
Babylon.
Daniel 2:27-30
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king
hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the
soothsayers, shew unto the king; [28] But there is a God in heaven that
revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in
the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
[29] As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what
should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to
thee what shall come to pass. [30] But as for me, this secret is not revealed to
me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that
shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the
thoughts of thy heart.
Daniel 2:47
The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a
God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldst
reveal this secret.
Daniel 4:9
O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the
holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my
dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
In the New Testament, mystery refers
to a secret that is revealed by God to His servants through His Spirit. As such,
it is an "open secret." Mystery occurs three times in the Gospels. Jesus
told His disciples, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom
of God" <Matt. 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10>. Jesus explained the mystery of
God's kingdom to His disciples. But to others He declared, "All things come in
parables" <Mark 4:11>.
Matthew 13:11
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mark 4:11
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom
of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Luke 8:10
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God:
but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they
might not understand.
Most of the occurrences of the word
mystery are in the Pauline Epistles. Mystery refers to the revelation of God's
plan of salvation as that plan focuses in Christ. The gospel itself is a
"mystery which was kept secret since the world began" <Rom. 16:25>. This mystery
was revealed by God through the prophetic Scriptures to Paul and the church <1
Cor. 2:7; Eph. 6:19; Col. 4:3>.
Romans 16:25
Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was
kept secret since the world began,
1 Cor. 2:7
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God
ordained before the world unto our glory:
Ephes. 6:19
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth
boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Col. 4:3
Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to
speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
Mystery also refers to the future
resurrection of Christians <1 Cor. 15:51>, the summing up of all things in
Christ <Eph. 1:9>, the inclusion of Gentiles in the church <Eph. 3:3-9>, the
future salvation of Israel <Rom. 11:25>, the phenomenon of lawlessness <2 Thes.
2:7; and the godliness of Christ> <1 Tim. 3:16>.
1 Cor. 15:51
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed,
Ephes. 1:9
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good
pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Romans 11:25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye
should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to
Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
2 Thes. 2:7
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let,
until he be taken out of the way.
1 Tim. 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in
the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world, received up into glory.
This journal is about one of those
mysteries- ISRAEL. This will be part of a continuing series of messages on
Israel and her end-time destiny. Israel is the apple, or “pupil,” of God’s eye.
Zech. 2:8
For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the
nations which spoiled you: for he that touches you touches the apple of his eye.
The apple of God’s eye is the pupil
and the pupil of the eye is the instrument through which one sees. He who
touches Israel touches the center of God’s eye – the center of God’s sights. If
we want to have an accurate prophetic perception of the times we’re in,
Scripture and God’s purposes in the Earth – especially in these days right prior
to Christ’s return – we must have God’s vision!
We must see through God’s eyes and then hold dear to our hearts the same things
that are dear to God’s heart! Since ISRAEL is the center of God’s vision, we
need to see through the lens of Israel’s destiny if we are to se correctly and
clearly. This is neither an ethnic issue nor a political pep rally for the
nation as we know it today. This is a GOD issue. The primary issue is not about
a race of people; it’s about a promise-keeping God who is faithful to fulfill
His plan for a people, a city and a nation through which He has promised to
display His splendor.
This is about God’s faithful
character being in lavish display for all to observe and know! Israel never
leaves the Lord’s gaze or His attention!
It is time for the unveiling of this
mystery of Israel as the apple of God’s eye, the centerpiece of God’s attention
and the focal point of ALL Bible prophecy!
Psalm 102:13-14
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the
set time, is come. [14] For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour
the dust thereof.
Seven Reasons…..
There are seven main keys to
understanding the mystery of Israel. These are not the only keys because of so
many other smaller issues that surround the nation’s end and her ultimate
salvation. ALL ISRAEL shall be SAVED! Let’s look at these keys.
1. Israel is STILL the Apple of God’s Eye And His Inheritance
Deut. 32:9-11
For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. [10]
He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him
about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. [11] As an eagle
stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings,
takes them, beareth them on her wings:
Israel is still very close to God’s
heart. Centuries before Zechariah’s prophecy concerning her being the apple of
God’s eye, Moses wrote a song concerning a very similar picture! Psalms 148:14
also declares that Israel as a nation is a “people near to Him.” The HIM there
is none other but Jehovah God who neither slumbers nor sleeps when it comes to
Israel’s protection and perseverance. Yes, she is away from Him still but the
time is rapidly approaching when she will be brought back as a nation as Messiah
reveals Himself to her once again at His Second Coming!
Psalm 148:14
He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of
the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord.
When we pray for Israel and support
her we are praying for a people who are near to the heart of God. We never want
to be opposed to anything or any group of people who are aligned with God’s
sight! If God says that Israel is the center of His sight, then I want to pray
with insight – with HIS SIGHT and HIS heart!
Do you want to be close to the heart
of God? Then be close to the things, people and purposes that are close to His
heart! Take a stand and become a watchman on the wall for Israel!
2. It is Time To Have Compassion
Psalm 102:13-14
Thou shall arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the
set time, is come. [14] For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor
the dust thereof.
The time has come! Our hearts need to
burn for Israel, not with a self-righteous anger, but with a compassionate
heart. I have shared in other messages how our family came to understand this in
a supernatural way in 1999 so I won’t go into deep detail here. But I can tell
you this does not necessarily come automatically to the hearts of Christian
believers. The enemy fights hard to keep the Christian world in direct
opposition to the Jewish people.
I remember that summer when my
prayers became nothing more but tears. I would just see this impression of the
nation, lost without God, lost without their Messiah, like sheep without a
shepherd and burst into a torrent of tears that would gush down my face. I could
not utter words but just lay on my face and weep deeply. THAT'S the type of
compassion the Holy Spirit must birth in us all.
This compassion goes WAY beyond
“going to Israel” and taking a church groups there. I know quite a few people
who brag they’ve been to Israel but have no compassion for the nation’s soul and
destiny. Others, like ourselves, have never stepped foot on Israeli soil yet the
Holy Spirit has transformed us and done such a work that words cannot describe
the compassion in our souls for this people close to God’s heart.
God puts in us a contrite heart and
with that we feel what He feels for a situation. Sometimes that can be very
scary and will cause us to weep. God wants to give His heart to us so that we
can pray over Israel with compassion. The time has come for us to receive His
heart so that our prayers will go far beyond merely saying correct words and on
into the prayer of the heart – even to the prayer of tears. It is time to have
compassion on Zion. It’s not an earthly compassion. It’s something only heaven
can birth and something hell fights with everything in it. Satan knows that when
the Christian community comes into one accord and weeps for the salvation of
Israel as a nation – His time is REALLY getting short!
That’s why replacement theology has
taken hold in so many areas of the Body. It’s a lie from hell. Israel has not
been replaced by the church. She will one day once again be head of the nations
with our Savior, Messiah Jesus Christ ruling over her and the world from
Jerusalem – the city of the Great King! It’s TIME to have compassion! It’s TIME
to favor ZION!
3. God Commands Us To Give Him and Ourselves No Rest!
Isaiah 62:6-7
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their
peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, [7] And
give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the
earth.
Give him no rest until WHAT is
established? Jerusalem! He did not say Washington DC, Paris, London or Cairo. He
did not say Moscow, Athens, Damascus or Constantinople. He said until JERUSALEM
is made a praise!
The news about Jerusalem seems to
indicate Jerusalem is far from being a praise in the Earth. Many people,
especially Muslims, curse Jerusalem and call the Jewish people names no one dare
repeat. Sadly, many Christians who have no understanding also call Jewish people
the same names. We must life our voices in prayer until Jerusalem becomes a
PRAISE! Not only a Praise, but a GLORIOUS PRAISE in ALL the earth!
This is NOT for our sake! It is for
Zion’s SAKE! It is not about what is convenient, it is a priority! The church
must put its hand at the plow of intercession and take up this cal. Our heart
must be resolute.
4. God Desires To Work Through Us For Israel’s Salvation
Pray for Israel so that Israel will
be saved. God wants to give us His heart of compassion – His tears – for Israel.
But tears and compassion are not God’s end objective! God wants us to receive
His heart so we can pray with accuracy and discernment for the salvation of
Israel. The apostle Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:
Romans 9:2
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
Romans 10:1
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be
saved.
Romans 9:3-4
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my
kinsmen according to the flesh: [4] Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the
adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the
service of God, and the promises;
Paul was willing to be separated from
Christ so that his brethren might know their Messiah. That’s compassion! What a
sacrifice Paul was willing to make for the sake of Israel! Are we willing to do
the same today?
This prayer for Israel’s salvation
must be a torch in our heart, not just a side issue on our schedules. Israel’s
salvation in fullness will not take place till the end of the Tribulation, yet
our intercession NOW shows we are in tune with God’s purposes for these last
days. The reconciling process of Israel back to God means revival for the
Gentile church! How all that will take place is not clear at the moment but
friend one thing is certain! Israel’s salvation is God’s ultimate goal in ALL
this prophetic drama ahead for Planet Earth and the church. It should be ours
too!
5. God Commands Us To Pray for The Peace of Jerusalem
Psalm 10:17-18
Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart,
thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: [18] To judge the fatherless and the
oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.
Psalm 41:1 - To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of
trouble.
Psalm 140:12
I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of
the poor.
Psalm 122:1-3
A Song of degrees of David.
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. [2] Our
feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. [3] Jerusalem is builded as a
city that is compact together:
Psalm 122:6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
Part of understanding Israel’s
importance in these last days is tied into the fact that God wants to bless
Jerusalem and her inhabitants with His peace and goodness. David, the warrior
psalmist, loved Jerusalem and fought many battles for her. Wars and heated
conflicts will rage today over this piece of land in the Middle East.
David’s exhortation in Psalms 122 must still be the prayer of our hearts today.
We need to allow the Holy Spirit to birth God’s deep desire to bless Israel DEEP
inside our spirits!
Paul also loved Jerusalem and was
concerned for the city and for the welfare of her inhabitants. In Romans 15 he
wrote this:
Romans 15:25-27
But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. [26] For it hath
pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor
saints which are at Jerusalem. [27] It hath pleased them verily; and their
debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their
spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
Israel today is suffering
economically. With wars and rumors of war, tension and pressures, terrorism and
other international issues surrounding her many live in abject poverty in the
place known as the city of God. We must pray for the PEACE of God for the city
of peace. But we must do MORE.
“You can do more than pray after
you’ve prayed. But you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” Those
are the words of S.D. Gordon, a powerful intercessor who has a heart for Israel.
It is time for our works to match our faith. We must do all we can – whether
small or great – to bless the “least of these My brethren,” – Jesus brothers
after the flesh – with a “cup of cold water,” by feeding the hungry and clothing
the poor. There is a vast missions field there and NO AMOUNT OF LOVE WE SHOW
DURING THIS TIME IN HISTORY WILL BE TOO MUCH! Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
6. Israel’s Acceptance of Jesus Will Bring Life
Pray and act for Israel because the
Jewish people’s acceptance of the Messiah Jesus will lead to worldwide harvest
and revival of an unprecedented magnitude.
Romans 11:15
For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the
receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
Life from the DEAD; wow, what a
thought! Isaiah prophesied that praying for Israel is one of the major keys to
world revival.
Isaiah 27:6
He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and
bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.
This is more than just physical
fruit! Praying for Israel is one of the major keys to world revival. As the
Jewish people are awakened out of their sleep and behold their Messiah, this
will create a divine acceleration into a time when hundreds of thousands, if not
literally millions, turn to Jesus as their Messiah. There is nothing more potent
tan a Jewish believe telling others about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Israel’s acceptance of the glorious
Messiah – now before He returns through the born-again experience – AND their
national acceptance of Him at His return – will be used to catalyze the greatest
spiritual awakening that this planet has ever seen.
7. Jesus Linked His Second Coming With Israel’s Turning To Him
Jesus prophesied before His death and
said He would return when Israel cries for His return!
Matthew 23:39
For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed
is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Johannes Facius, who has helped
launch prayer initatives in 45 nations says this:
“Now get the picture here! The Lord is not saying to the Jewish inhabitants
of the city of Jerusalem that they shall never see Him again. He is saying that
they shall not see Him until they are ready to welcome Him. When he came the
first time He was not welcomed. The Messiah has no intention of repeating the
situation. Jesus is saying that His Second Coming will not take place until
there is a Jewish population in Jerusalem who will welcome Him with all of their
hearts. Before that can happen, the descendants of the Jews who were exiled
nearly 2,000 years ago will have to return to Jerusalem.”
We must pray that Israel will welcome
their Messiah with open hearts. Peter states that we “hasten” the coming of the
Lord through our intercession. It doesn’t mean man is dictating to the Lord when
He should come, it’s that we are showing Him we are anxious and wanting Him to
come “quickly.” It is the prayer of the Holy Spirit AND the Bride:
2 Peter 3:12
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens
being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Rev. 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And
let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life
freely.
Anna and Simeon spent their time in
the Temple preparing the way for the first coming of our glorious Savior and
Lord Jesus.
Luke 2:25-38
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same
man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy
Ghost was upon him. [26] And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he
should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. [27] And he came by
the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to
do for him after the custom of the law, [28] Then took he him up in his arms,
and blessed God, and said, [29] Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in
peace, according to thy word: [30] For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, [31]
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; [32] A light to lighten
the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. [33] And Joseph and his mother
marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. [34] And Simeon blessed
them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and
rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
[35] (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of
many hearts may be revealed. [36] And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the
daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived
with an husband seven years from her virginity; [37] And she was a widow of
about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served
God with fastings and prayers night and day. [38] And she coming in that instant
gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for
redemption in Jerusalem.
So will it be before the Second
Coming of our glorious Messiah. Many are watching, fasting, praying and yearning
for His Return!
Why do we pray for Israel? Because
Jesus said to; because Isaiah said to; because David the psalmist said to and
because today, the HOLY SPIRIT is saying to. He is saying “COME,” to the Lord
Jesus, the Jewish Messiah to whom Israel seeks after today without knowing He is
the One they crucified 2,000 years ago.
God wants us to know His heart for
Israel and to be filled with compassion for Israel’s condition – both nationally
and for individual Jewish people. God desires that this compassion provoke us to
cry out to Him about what is on His heart. The Church is in this pivotal hour
recovering the lost art of intercession, fasting and prayer. Spiritual crisis
intervention is launched from the biblical foundations of prayer and fasting.
The Call Of Esther Is Our Call Today
The Holy Spirit is calling us today
to be modern-day Esthers and Mordecais on behalf of God’s ancient covenant
people. Therefore, with faith and humility and a sense of destiny and urgency,
this message is calling for God’s people to take a stand for God’s chosen
people.
We just celebrated the Feast of Purim
back in March, which is the Jewish month of Adar. Moses was born in Adar. It is
also the month when the Jewish leader Maccabees defeated the Syrian and the
month when the orders were given to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem preceding the
reconstruction of the Temple and the first return of the Jewish people to
Israel.
This message is a prophetic
invitation to you to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the mystery of Israel!
Once He does, believe me friend, history making intercession will be birthed in
your heart. When we earnestly seek the heart of God concerning the Jewish people
and their destiny, the Holy Spirit unlocks historic action – not because of us –
but because we are coming into agreement with God’s plans for the APPLE OF HIS
EYE – HIS SIGHT!
Psalm 102:1-2
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint
before the Lord. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. [2] Hide
not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me:
in the day when I call answer me speedily.
Psalm 102:13-14
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favor her, yea, the
set time, is come. [14] For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour
the dust thereof.
Psalm 22:4-5
Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. [5] They
cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not
confounded.
Isaiah 27:6
He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and
bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.
Lord God, we ask that a loud cry would rise within us, that we would call out
to YOU in a time of distress with confidence knowing that YOU hear us and answer
us quickly. Hear our prayer, O Lord! Thank you for listening to our cries for
help. Listen to the cries of Your people, Israel, and give us YOUR HEART of
compassion for them. Arise and have compassion on Your people. Be gracious to
Israel! The time has come Lord to ARISE and favor Zion. We ask you humbly today
to hear the cries of our spirit Lord. Cause your servants would take great
pleasure in Israel and have YOUR heart of compassion for HER condition! Give us
YOUR heart, Lord, and let the apple of YOUR eye and as a result become the
CENTER of our vision! Amen
This journal is continued in The Mystery Of Israel Part Two
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! - Psalms 122:6