The message on "Why should Christians support Israel?" is something that has been brewing within me for the longest time. Because, unfortunately, I see either Christians that are completely ignorant of what the Bible says regarding Israel. Or they are so much on steroids with "love for Israel" that they actually love and support Israel in the wrong way. I thought it would be good if I addressed that issue. For most Christians need to know why they should support Israel. They need to know how, also, they should be supporting Israel. And not just because the Bible tells me so. And then going ahead and doing it in the wrong way. We are going to start with the understanding. First of all that the Word of God is clearly indicating that Israel is definitely a nation that the Lord has chosen. For a reason and also, by the way, for a season. But the fact of the matter is the deception regarding Israel is all across the church, in America, and all over the world. It is a deception that can easily be traced back to Genesis chapter 3 and on. What causes... there's... I mean... I was asking myself so many questions. Do you know how many text messages and emails I get with the "F" word? Every morning I get those kind of "good morning" messages. One of them... a couple weeks ago... went beyond that. It was from, supposedly, a Christian guy who believed that... Why don't we just "nuke" Israel and most of the problems of the world will be solved. I thought, instead of answering him in the same way. I should just teach on "Why should Christians support Israel?" But really, what is the thing that causes so many, so called "Christ followers" [What is a Christian but a Christ follower.] to stand against Israel today? It's very interesting. They stand against Israel today. They think that Israel, today, is something you can stand against, fight, boycott, and trash. That is completely different than the Israel of the Bible. They think that there's a big difference between the two. It's interesting, because... How come Israel of the Bible was accepted, yet the modern day Israel isn't? It's very interesting that they completely miss out that which God has done with Israel, even in the last 70 years. They think that modern day Israel is actually something different. It's interesting because there is a prominent Bible teacher, from the United States. He actually wrote in an article. That "The promises made to Abraham, including the promise of the land. And that it will be inherited as an everlasting gift only by true, spiritual Israel, not disobedient or unbelieving Israel." Then he continued saying, "By faith in Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah. Gentiles become heirs of the promise of Abraham, including the promise of the land." And he continued, "Therefore, the secular state of Israel today may not claim a present divine right to the land. But they and we should seek a peaceful settlement not based on present divine rights. But on international principles of justice, mercy, and practical feasibility." It's baloney with mayo, and it's kosher baloney. Let me tell you. This is exactly the root of the problem. When you take away divine rights, and divine calling, and godly destination. And you insert and inject into the language today: "the international principle of justice, mercy, and practical feasibility". We know where the world is. We know what turn... what the world turns into. We know exactly what is "justice" to the world. It's for babies not to be born. "Justice" to the world is for... Using democracy to destroy democracy. Justice... You see, the justice that we have in the world today. It's every day becoming more and more completely opposite to the Word of God. What is the spiritual? Because there is a spiritual root to this hatred. You have to go back to the deception in Genesis 3. You have to understand almost everything we go through, today. Has to do with these verses that you are about to read from Genesis 3:1-6. "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?' And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden.'" She corrected him. She said, Hey, no, no, no, that's not what he said. "He said, 'We may eat the fruit of the garden. But of the fruit of the tree which is in midst of the garden. God has said you shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it lest you die.' He just warned us. "And the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die for God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened. And you will be like God knowing good and evil.' So, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food. And that it was pleasant to the eyes. And a tree desirable to make one wise. She took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her and he ate.'" You see that from the moment free will was granted to humanity. Deception was taking advantage of it. Deception will not tell you exactly what God said. As we could see... We just read what that pastor says about Israel. Deception will suggest something "almost" similar. But not exactly. And then he inserted the most important thing. "You need to know that God doesn't want you to eat from it. Because he's afraid that you will be like God. So, I'm here to tell you, 'Go ahead, you will not die." In other words, you will be like God. When we decide to take the role of God, and take from him the promises, take from him the ordinances that he promised, and all of those things. That's when we make our own things. That's when we become... Even Christian leaders that start teaching things that have absolutely no basis in the scriptures. The truth is... Genesis 12, "Now the Lord had said to Abraham: 'Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. And you shall be a blessing. 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." Now, that's the truth. This is the Word of God. Spoken by the Lord, through Abraham, when he started all things new after the flood and after the Tower of Babel. That's now the way God is approaching mankind. Through one man and a promise that through a seed from a specific line, a lineage. He is going to create a nation, not nations. Abraham was known as the "Father of all nations". But one nation will be the one through which God will bless the rest of them. You all know that when the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, they were a non-believing nation. Let's face it. At no point were they all greatly appreciating everything God had done for them. But did that change God's mind on what he was about to do with them? Absolutely not. In fact, all of their enemies couldn't understand: How come they are so outnumbered? They don't have a clue how to fight. These were ex-slaves in Egypt. They don't have the right weapons. They don't have anything. Yet! Every battle, they win. So, one of them, the King of Moab, Balak, reckoned it must be a spiritual thing. Probably, I cannot fight them in the natural. I should understand that it's the spiritual. He was smart enough to identify the spiritual battle. But yet he was foolish enough to stand against the God of Israel. He hired someone to curse Israel. Because in the spiritual realm that was the only way he could fight them and go to battle with them. So, whom did he hire? Balaam. Exactly. Now, we know that in Numbers 23:7-12, Balaam is standing on the mountain. "And he took up his oracle and he said, 'Balak, the King of Moab has brought me from Aram, from the mountains of the east. Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!' But then he said, 'But how shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce when the Lord has not denounced? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. There! A people dwelling alone, not reckoning itself among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die... the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!' Then Balak said to Balaam, 'What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies. Look, you have blessed them bountifully!' So he answered and said, 'Must I not take heed to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?'" The battle was there from day one: to curse them, to destroy them, to eradicate them. God had one thing in mind but the people had another thing. The battle to destroy Israel had nothing to do with Israel. It had to do with God. It's coming against the God of Israel. Just like in the Garden of Eden, in Chapter 3 of Genesis. Israel did not exist as a nation. It's the God of Israel. It's the creator of heavens and earth that was the problem of Satan. How do you get him? By destroying that which is his. There is no place in the Bible where it says, the "God of the United States." My name is the "God of America". Now, he is the God of all the world. But the only nation he used as a way to describe himself is Israel. So, what do we do in order to fight him? We go after them. It's very, very easy. How can anyone curse that which God blessed? You have to understand that the name of God is on the line here. In 1 King chapter 8, when Solomon dedicated the newly built temple. "Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel. And he spread out his hands towards heaven. And he said, 'Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above, or on earth below like you. You keep your covenant and mercy with your servants who walk before you with all their hearts. You have kept what you promised your servant, David, my father. You have both spoken with your mouth and fulfilled with your hand as it is this day. Therefore, Lord God of Israel, [That's his name.] Now keep what you promised your servant David, my father, saying, 'You shall not fail to have a man sit before me on the throne of Israel. Only if your sons take heed of their way. That they walk before me, as you have walked before me.' And now I pray, O God of Israel, let your word come true, which you have spoken to your servant, David, my father.'" In chapter 18, "Then Elijah [on Mount Carmel] said to the people, 'Come near to me.' So all the people came near to him. And he prepared the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took 12 stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob. To whom the... Word of the Lord had come saying, 'Israel shall be your name.' And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. That Elijah, the prophet, came near and said." Look how Elijah in the sight of the prophets of Asherah, and the prophets of Baal, and a terrible King of Israel, called Ahab, and his wife, Jezebel. He says, "Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. [He said,] "Let it be known this day that you are God in Israel and I'm your servant. And that I have done all these things at your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that you are the Lord God. And that you have turned their hearts back to you again." Malachi chapter 3:6 says, "For I am the Lord, I do not change." God is saying to the people of Israel, "Look, that's my name. I'm your God. I don't change. I never change my name." And that is why Israel will be saved. That is why they will never be completely destroyed. I am telling now to the mullah's in Iran, to the congresswoman from Somalia, and from the palace. I'm telling all of them right now, "Israel will never, ever, be consumed or destroyed." Not because we are good. And not because we are perfect. It is because of the Lord God of Israel. That is his name. And he never changes. "Therefore, the sons of Jacob, you are not consumed." It's a... Look, if you have a problem with that, talk to him. In Matthew 15... People come and say, "Oh, well, but you're in the Old Testament. You only quote the Old Testament. The New Testament... The New Testament is different." Well, Matthew 15 says, "Jesus departed from there and skirted the Sea of Galilee. And He went up on the mountain and sat down there. Then great multitudes came to him having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others. And then they laid them down at Jesus' feet and he healed them. So, the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing." And they what? Glorified the God that is "no longer" the God of Israel. Absolutely not. It's the "old" and it's in the "new", and it's the same God. He cannot and he will not change. He is the God of Israel. Acts 13, when Paul and Timothy... "When they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia. And then they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and they sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets. The rulers of the synagogue sent to them saying, 'Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.' Then Paul, stood up, and motioning with his hand, he said, 'Men of Israel, and you who fear God.'" Here he is in a synagogue. He knows these people might throw him out of the synagogue in just a few minutes. But he says this, "Men of Israel, and those who fear God. The God of this people, Israel, chose our fathers. And exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt. And with an uplifted arm, he brought them out of it. Now, for a time of about 40 years, he put up with their ways in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan. He distributed their land to them by allotment.'" Paul says, Look, whether you want it or not, it's the same God. The same God of these people, Israel. He is the one who chose the fathers. He is the one who led them out of Egypt, and he's the one... And even though he put up with their ways in the wilderness. Even though they were not that great. Look, that pastor that said what he said. He looks at things in the perspective of "the people of Israel today are not that godly." Well, were they godly in the desert? You have to understand, it's not only the name of God on the line here. It's the identity of the Messiah around him. John chapter 4, "Jesus said to her, 'Woman believe in me.'" He's talking to the Samaritan woman. "Believe in me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father." Now, look what Jesus says to the Samaritan woman. ....... He tells the Samaritans, "You worship what you do not know." And look what he says then. "We", can you say that? "We know what we worship." Namely, he is actually, what? Talking as a? As a Jew. As "Son of Israel". "We know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews." But then, of course, he comes and gives her the good news of the New Testament. The good news of the great message. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. For the Father is seeking such to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth. The woman said to him, 'I know that Messiah is coming,' who is called Christ. ["Anointed One", "Christos"]. When He comes, He will tell us all things.' Jesus said to her, 'I who speak to you am He." First he introduced himself as a Jew. "We know what we worship." And then he said, "Well, now, since we are now celebrating the solution for sin. The Holy Spirit is now going to come into every believer, whether Gentile or Jew. I am telling you, I am the Messiah. And I am telling you, if you worship God in Spirit and in truth. Regardless where you think the temple could have or should have been. That is what God wants." Jesus came to the world as a Jew. I don't know if you know that. But Reverend Jeremiah Wright said that Jesus is the first Palestinian. I don't know which Bible he reads from. But Luke, chapter 2:21 says, "And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus. [in the Hebrew, Yeshua, which means salvation.] The name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." Jesus came from the tribe of Judah. Genesis 49, regarding Jacob, the promise of Jacob. "The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet. Until Shiloh [it's the name of... the Messiah, Shiloh] comes and to him shall be obedience of the people." In Luke 2:4, "Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth. Into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. Because he was of the house and lineage of David." Jesus is the Branch from the stem of Jesse. Isaiah 11, Jesus quoted that in Nazareth, in that synagogue. He read the... Now, he read Isaiah 61 which is in the first person. But in the third person, Isaiah 11 says, "There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him." This... okay. Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of counsel, the Spirit of knowledge." And then, excuse me. Okay... "The Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding and counsel, and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." The seven Spirits of God. You can see that. And then, of course, "His delight is in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by the sight of his eyes." This is, of course, about Messiah. Because he said that when he read it in Isaiah 61. That "Today this scripture is fulfilled before your very hearing and eyes." Jesus was also dedicated in the temple. Not in a mosque, not in a Catholic Church, and not in a Hindu temple. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, not the city of Yasser Arafat. Jesus was dedicated in the temple, not in the Al Aqsa Mosque. Then, of course, "When the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed. They brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. As it is written in the law of the Lord. 'Every male who opens the womb, shall be called holy to the Lord. And to offer a sacrifice according to what it says in the law of the Lord. A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.'" Jesus preached in synagogues on the Sabbath. Not in mosques on Friday, or churches on Sunday. There were no churches in those days. There were no mosques in those days. And he could have easily... If you want to compare it to other foreign religions or foreign whatever. I mean, there were Greek temples and there were Roman temples. Yet he preached, where? In synagogues. He preached on the Sabbath day. Luke 4:14-16, "Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee. News of him went through all the surrounding region. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And so... He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read." As his custom was, not the first time. Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Revelation 5:5, "But one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep'." When John was in heaven, when John was brought up to heaven. John, in chapter 4:1, "He was taken up to heaven." By the way, that's where we believe the rapture takes place in the book of Revelation. "And he wept." By the way, that's why I believe that none of the seals are open yet. If we believe that chapter 4:1 speaks of the rapture and chapter 5 that the seals have not been opened yet. Then, of course, we are not yet living in the days of the seals opened. But nobody could understand "who can open the seals?" "But one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep. Behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David. The stem of Jesse [we've just read] has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.'" It's not Mecca, or Medina, or New York City, or Salt Lake City that Jesus is going to return to. Jesus will return to Jerusalem. And Jesus will return. As the Bible says in Zachariah 14. "The Lord will go forth and fight against those nations. [That come against Israel, that come against Jerusalem.] "As he fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east." Jesus will return only, say "only". Only when his people are ready. Because a lot of people, including that pastor. "Oh, Israel is adulterous. Israel is ungodly." No, he will come back. And he will save them. When they are ready. Because Jesus said to Jerusalem, "You will not see me again until you say, 'Baruch haba B'shem Adonai.'" Until you say, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord", you will not see me. And at the end of the tribulation... 7 years! The first 3 1/2 years, Israel will be completely deceived: To think that this is the Messiah; To think that this is a true temple; To think this is a true service of God. And then at the halftime: When he shows his true face; When he walks into the temple; And demands to be worshipped as if he is God. They understand the big mistake. And they do... They say, "I am sorry, but we do not worship you." Then he will run after them, and he will chase after them. They will go, and run, and flee into the desert, as Revelation 12 says. The Bible says that the Lord will take care of them. He will place them in a place where he will sustain them. Prepared for them for 1,260 days, the last 3 and 1/2 years. Israel will be sheltered. And when Jesus comes... They will, of course, wait for him to come back. When they are ready. I always say, "Look, the tribulation is for Israel's salvation." We are out of here. Israel is still here, as a nation. They are going to lose Jerusalem. The Bible says that Jesus comes back. Because Jerusalem was divided, and conquered, and trampled over by all those other people. They are going to lose sovereignty. Because the Antichrist is going to reign from Jerusalem. They are going to lose democracy. Because they are no longer in the country. Their army will be no good, anymore. I mean... Everything they have right now, will be lost. They will be in the desert, KEPT! For 3 and 1/2 years. And they are ready. Of course, those who will receive the mark of the beast. Those who will be part of the Antichrist will perish. This is why the Bible says in Zachariah 13, "Two thirds of Israel will perish. Only the last third he will bring through the fire." Matthew 23, "0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem. The one who kills the prophets and stones those who were sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate. For I say to you, you shall see me no more until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'" Even on the cross, when it was the easiest thing to do. To curse them, he never cursed them. Interesting. 2 Chronicles 6:25, "Then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people, Israel. Then bring them back to the land which you gave to them and their fathers." Luke 23:34, then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. And they divided then his garments and cast lots." Jesus is not an imam or some sort of a priest. The Bible said, "Jesus is a king and a high priest." These offices are embedded in the Old Testament. The only king that ever held the 2 offices together, who was a type of the Messiah, was Melchizedek, if you remember. In Hebrews 7:1-3, "For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most High God. Who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all. First being translated 'king of righteousness'. Then also king of Shalem, Salem, meaning the 'king of peace'. Without a father, without a mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life. But made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually." Jesus is a high priest and a king at the same time. He is not necessarily of the root of Aaron. Of the lineage of the Kohanim, of the Levites, no. He is from the tribe of Judah. And his kingdom and his priesthood is of a different order. In the order of Melchizedek. Is there any distinction between a Jew and a Gentile "in Christ"? Is there any difference between me and you, right now? The answer is no. Romans 10:11-13, "For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon him. For 'whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'" Amen? You see, the problem is people try to tell you. That there is a difference between a Jew and a Gentile in Christ. No. You better not wish that I will stay throughout the tribulation. Because I'm not planning on it. Galatians 3:26-29, "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is neither male or female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. [In Christ Jesus we are all one.] And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed. And heirs according to the promise." You see, before God, in Christ, we are the same. But don't mix "the apart" from Christ. Colossians 3 continues. Saying, "Do not lie to one another. Since you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man. Who is now renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free. But Christ is all and in all." So, in Christ Jesus, before the Lord. When we accept Christ, as Jews or Gentiles, we are the same. I agree. However, is there any distinction between a Jew and a Gentile "apart from Christ"? Do you understand that "in Christ" we have no difference. When a Jew becomes a believer "in Jesus", him and you, are the same. You are not less and he is not more. But when we look at the rest of the world. And what God is doing with Israel, "apart from Christ". Is there any distinction? Absolutely, there is. And that's where that pastor is wrong. The Bible says in Exodus 33:15-16, "Then he said to him, 'If your presence does not go with us...'" This is when Moses was so disappointed. That God says, Look, you can continue from here. I will send my... I will send my presence.' Then he says, 'If your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? [and look what he says then] So we shall be separate. Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.'" You created us to be different. You... You made us to stand out. Through us people should see that there is God. Through us people should receive the Word of God. Through us people should receive the Son of God. How can you expect us to be different, if you are not with us? If you are not planning on being with us, we are not moving. Italian Strike. Romans chapter 3:1-4. Again, if you think that there is no distinction, there is. "What advantage then has the Jew? Or what is the profit of circumcision? [Look what he says,] Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Does the unfaithfulness of the Jewish people today, make the faithfulness of God to bring them back to their land, without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true. But every man a liar. As it is written: 'That you may be justified in your words. And may overcome when you are judged.'" In Romans 9:1-5, "I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying." This is the first and the only time that I know of that Paul was using such a strong language. To convince the people that what he's about to say is not his idea. It's not his thing. It's absolutely the heart of God, the Word of God, the Spirit of God, the will of God. He says, "I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying. My conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit. That I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ. For my brethren, my countrymen, according to the flesh, who are Israelites. To whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenant, the giving of the law, the service of God. And the promises of whom are their fathers. And from according to the flesh, Christ came. Who is over all the eternally blessed God. Amen." So there is a great advantage. But they are blind. And I wish if I could be accursed just so they will see. I wish that could happen. But none of you can replace someone else. Jeremiah 31. This is what I need to tell the mullahs in Iran. I am telling the mullahs, and not the Iranians. Because most of the Iranians don't even agree with them. "I say, 'Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day. The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night. Who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar. The Lord of hosts is his name. If those ordinances depart from before Me,' says the Lord. 'Then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.'" In other words, as long as the stars are there. The moon is there, and the sun is there. Israel is a nation before God. It cannot be changed. It will not change. The only time it will change is... By the way, the answer is here. When there will no longer be any need for, what? The moon, the stars and the sun. When he will make all things new: new heavens, new earth, new Jerusalem. The Bible says the new Jerusalem needs no sun. Who is illuminating the new Jerusalem? Christ, He is the menorah. Then and only then, Israel will no longer stand before God. Because there is no need to. Ladies and gentlemen, if the mullahs want to destroy Israel. They should take their rockets and aim them towards the moon, the stars and the sun. Because only when they will be gone, Israel will no longer be there. You have to understand. Through Israel... certain things the Lord did. Through Israel God is testing the nations. Before I started teaching around the world, God clearly showed me, that everywhere you go, the way they teach on Israel, will explain how they teach on the rest of the Word of God. If they ignore Israel, if they deny Israel. They will ignore and deny many other parts of the scriptures. Through Israel God tests the nations. In Isaiah 43, "Fear not, for I am with you. I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not keep 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 have created for my glory. I have formed him. Yes, I have made him. Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears. I have formed him. Yes, I have made him. Bring out all of them and then... Let all the nations be gathered together. Let all the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses... that they may be justified. Or let them hear and say, 'It is truth.' 'You are my witnesses,' says the Lord. 'And My servant whom I have chosen. That you may know and believe Me. And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed. Nor shall there be after Me.'" Israel is the way God communicates to the rest of the world. That he is God. Through Israel God blessed the nations. Isaiah 49:5-6, "And now the Lord says, "Who formed me..." And we already heard that. He promised that to Abraham. "Through you all the nations of the world will be blessed." "Who formed me from the womb of his servant. To bring Jacob back to him so that Israel is gathered to him. For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord. And my God shall be My strength. Indeed, he says, 'It is too small a thing that you should be My servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob. And to restore the preserved ones of Israel. I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles. And that You should be My salvation to the end of the earth.'" I want to tell you something. Israel... Look what the next slide is. It's very fine print. I don't even expect you to be able to read all of this. But after... "In 1958, after visiting poverty stricken nations in Africa, Prime Minister Golda Meir committed Israel to helping alleviate hunger, disease and poverty in developing countries. In 1995, a special humanitarian emergency aid unit was developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Israel's Defense Forces for that purpose. The unit has carried out operations in Kenya, Albania, Mexico, Congo, Haiti, Japan and Nepal, to name only a few. In addition to often being first on the scene of a disaster, this unit provides emergency medical care with state-of-the-art equipment and highly trained medical specialists under the most extreme conditions. Often, when the mission is complete and the Israelis head for home, the equipment is left behind for use by local medical personnel." But that's not all. "After the recent medical mission to Nepal, the "Roof for All" program was established to provide rudimentary housing for the thousands of displaced families who had lost everything in 2 devastating earthquakes. The unit also holds eye camps in several nations where Israeli ophthalmologists treat hundreds of patients annually for preventable blindness and ocular disease. Special operations are sometimes undertaken when Israel becomes aware of a critical need. In June 2015, 500 people were severely burned when an explosion ripped through a water park in Taipei, in Taiwan. Weeks later, 400 of them were still hospitalized, 200 of them in serious condition, requiring skin graft. Israel organized the donation of 2 state-of-the-art machines used for making and meshing skin for grafting onto patient's injuries, as well as training Taiwanese doctors in their use. In other areas of medicine, Israel is the world leader. From the "pill cam", a tiny camera in pill form that takes scans of the entire digestive system, to incredibly hopeful developments in cancer treatment, antibiotics, to innovation in the treatment of MS and diabetes. Israel is blessing the nations with better health and longer life. Few realize that in December 2014 Israel took the international lead in the fight against Ebola, providing several fully equipped medical clinics in disease stricken African countries, as well as deploying infectious disease experts to train local professors." I could go on and on. You see, what's going on. And through Israel, God demonstrates his jealousy when he's forsaken. Let's not hide that truth. In Deuteronomy 4:26-31, "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today. That you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess. You will not prolong your days in it. But will be utterly destroyed." You see, God says, "Look, I want everyone to know. That if you walk in my ways, you will be dwelling in the land of promise. But if you're not, you bring upon yourself destruction and judgement. Through Israel, God demonstrates his forgiveness. The Jews rejected Christ. Yet he asked God to forgive them. "Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him. 'I've heard your prayer, and I've chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. And when I shut up heaven and there is no rain. Or command the locusts to devour the land. Or send pestilence among My people. If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face. And return from their wicked ways. Then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin. And I will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.'" Israel demonstrated to the world, God's forgiving nature. Not only that. Has God changed his mind about Israel? After all the promises he gave them that he's gonna bring them back to the land? Is the New Testament offering a new God? Romans 11 says, "I say then, has God cast away his people? [And the answer is] Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away his people, whom he foreknew." Psalm 94:14, "For the Lord will not cast off his people. Nor will he forsake his inheritance." 1 Samuel 12:22, "For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name sake. Because it has pleased the Lord to make you his people." Now, can one love and support Israel, yet still be wrong? Absolutely. And I want you Gentiles... How many of you here are Gentiles, by the way? All right. How many of you are Jews? One, all right, good. Can one love and support Israel, yet still be wrong? Absolutely. If you suggest, what we call "Dual-Covenant,"... Do you know what the Dual-Covenant is? It means you suggest that there are 2 different covenants. Therefore, for the Gentiles it's through Jesus and to Israel, there is something else. I want to tell you, folks. It is to the Jewish people that Jesus himself, Yeshua, the Messiah said. "Unless one is born [what?] again, [John 3:3] He cannot enter the kingdom of God." It is in the Prophet Isaiah, not in the New Testament. That God says that through him, the sins... 'through his death, only, the sins of the world can be dealt with." There's another problem. Hebrew Roots and going back to the law. So many Gentiles, for some reason, want to become Jews. Then they criticize me for having a certain "thing" for breakfast. Listen, the Bible does not show us even a single case. Neither in the "old" nor in the "new", of someone who was ever saved by keeping the law. In fact, the Bible tells us, "No one can keep the law. The law is holy." And if you break one, it's as if you broke all. The only one that fulfilled the law is "Jesus". Because he had no sin. No one who is a sinner, and everyone are born a sinner, is even able... God did not give us the law so we can complete the law and we can... The law was, what? It was a mirror for you to understand that you need a savior. That you cannot do it by yourself. So what is it that some people do? They suggest that the Gentiles should start keeping the law. They tell them who you need to be. Then you need to do that, and then you... It's "Jesus + movement". Should believe in him plus: do this, do this, do this, and this. It's interesting because the Bible says in Romans 11, "Through their fall, in order to provoke them to jealousy, salvation was given to the Gentiles." So many Christians are being provoked to jealousy. Rather than to provoke Israel to jealousy. Of course, the number one sign of a cult is denying the deity of Christ. Jewish people rejected Jesus not as Messiah. By the way, they had no problem... never, ever, when Jesus said, "I am the Messiah, was he stoned for that. What was the problem they had with him? Equating himself to God. That was the blasphemy. They couldn't live with that one. Because they didn't understand the concept that God... Although it's in the Old Testament. The Book of Mishlei, the book of Proverbs says. "Who has ascended to heaven and who has descended, who has gathered waters in his cloak? What's his name and what his son's name, you shall know." The Bible said that. The Bible talks about in the book of Isaiah the prophet. "Yisrael", he says, "Unto us a son is given." He speaks of the names of God: Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father. And then, what? In order to be liked by the establishment, they deny the deity of Christ. The most important thing is being denied. Now, are the Gentiles indebted to Israel? Now all of you are sitting like that. "Uh, I never heard of that." Well, open your Bible to Romans 15:25-27. Paul is telling the people that he's "going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors", he says. Why? "For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, [of the Jewish spirituals things. What now?] their duty is also to minister to them now in material things." "Well, I never heard of that." Well, it's in the Bible. Now, if I was a manipulator, I would have quoted this verse before the offering. I mean, that's... A lot of them do that. No, that should be said towards the end. Because that's the truth and you cannot run away from it. "I don't like that verse." Well, you have a problem with the Word of God then. Your stance on Israel matters. Being pro-Israel will cost you. Being pro-Israel will reward you eternally. It may not be on this earth but it will reward you. And the reason is: it's in the Old and it's in the New Testament. When the Bible says, "God will judge all the nations. He will bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat." Joel chapter 3, the prophet Joel. In the English it is chapter 3. In the Hebrew it is the end of Chapter 2. I don't know why you guys changed it, but never mind. Then he says, "I'm going to bring all the nations to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. [Jehoshaphat, the Valley of Kidron in Jerusalem] And I will judge them according to how they treated my people, and the land." He says, "And I will enter into judgment with them. There on account of my people, my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations. They have also divided up my land. They have cast lots for my people. Have given a boy as payment for harlot and sold a girl for wine. ... That they may drink." Matthew 25 is the equivalent of Joel in the New Testament. When Jesus says, in Chapter 25, in that portion. How the King will come and he will divide the sheep from the goats. According to what they did to the least of his brethren. You cannot hate that which God loves. Or else you will end up loving that which God hates. Isaiah 49, "But Zion says, 'The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me. Can a woman forget her nursing child and not have compassion on her son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are continually before me. Your sons shall make haste. Your destroyers and those who laid you waste shall go away from you." Zachariah 2:8-9, "For thus, says the Lord of Hosts. 'He sent me after the glory, to the nations which plunder you. For he who touches you touches the apple of his eye. For surely I will shake my hand against them. And they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me." Psalm 17, "I have called upon you. For you will hear me, O God. Incline your ear to me, and hear my speech. Show your marvelous lovingkindness by your right hand. O you who save those who trust in you from those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who oppress me, and from my deadly enemies who surround me." The church and Israel have a shared future. Israel will be saved at the very end. And because Israel has to be saved. And because Jesus will not come back until they will call upon his name. And say, Baruch haba B'shem Adonai, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Because of that the Antichrist wants to destroy them. To prevent the second coming. The Antichrist is only after the saints and Israel. Shared destiny even throughout the tribulation. The saints of the tribulation, of course. And I will tell you this. One thing that bothers me a lot is that many Gentiles try to love Israel in very awkward way. They use Israel to promote themselves. They use Israel to collect funds. They use Israel to make their name... greater. Look, I'm going to tell you this. When you call to the children of God, to the people of God, to support Israel. It has nothing to do with you and with your motives. It has all to do with the commandment of God. That's it. You cannot use Israel to start promoting other things. Do you know how many people I know that started nonprofits, supposedly, to bless Israel? They ended up blessing their bank account. I don't envy them. At the end of the tribulation, all Israel will be saved. Therefore, we remember that they are going to be together with the church, reigning for 1,000 years, in the Millennial Kingdom. You better get along with them. I want you all to know: That the way you treat Israel is a way for God to see how you treat every other aspect of his Word. If you start saying this is not for me. Yes, this is for me. This is not for me. This is for me. If you do that with Israel, you will do that with every other part of the Bible. Israel has been, is and will be, a nation before God. That he will never leave, nor forsake. Until the end, when he will make all things new. You have to understand. I never, ever said a single time in my entire life. That Israel will be saved without having to acknowledge the Messiah. In fact, when all Israel will be saved, it's because "they looked at me whom they pierced". In Zachariah chapter 12, "wehibbitu elay et aser daqaru". "They looked at me whom they had pierced and they will lament and cry, repent." And then they will be saved. So when Paul said, "All Israel will be saved." It's because of their trust in the Messiah. When they recognize him whom they pierced. Father, we thank you so much this morning. For your Word. Your Word is truth. We only want to be sanctified by your truth. We thank you for the nation of Israel. We thank you that you have called all believers on planet earth to stand for Israel. Fight for their right over their land, not because they are so righteous and not because they are so godly. But because you have a plan for them. You will deal with them. And you are the one who brought them back to their land. Yes, there are divine rights prescribed by you. Because, apart from Christ, there still is a great difference. Father, we thank you that in Christ: There is no Jew nor Gentile, nor Greek, nor slave nor free man, nor master. In Christ we are all one. But the enemy is trying to confuse, deceive, and, of course, stop your plan from being executed. And the best way has been in the past, is in the present. And maybe even in the future, to eliminate Israel. Because Israel are your witnesses. And unless they accept you and call upon your name, you will not come back. We thank you, Father, for your promises that are all "Yes and Amen". We thank you that all the plans of the enemies will never, ever succeed. We thank you that they maybe can cause some embarrassment for a very short time. But in the long run, we know that our God reigns. He is on the throne and he is the one that cannot change. Therefore, the seed of Jacob is not consumed. We bless your name this morning. We thank you. We pray all of this in the matchless and the beautiful name of the Holy One of Israel. The promised Messiah through Zachariah, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Hosea, and so many others. In the name of Yeshua, our Salvation, I pray. And all of God's people say, "Amen".
