(20) ISRAEL, GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE

Tevya, in the movie 'Fiddler On The Roof' asked God, "Couldn't you choose someone else sometime". God has punished His Chosen people many times in many harsh ways through history. What Tevya said is understandable, but God Chastises those whom He loves -(Heb.12:7-8) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not. But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then you are bastards, and not sons./ The Arabs are descendents of Abraham, by the Egytian handmaid of Sara. Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sara. (Gen.21:12b)- God said to Abraham, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called".(Gal.3:16)- Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ./ Islam teaches tht the Jews changed the Bible to read Isaac, and it was supposed to read Ishmael. This, of course is not true. The Bible traces the descendents of Isaac all the way to Jesus. The Covenant of Circumcision God made with Abraham -(Gen.17:8-14)(See Blog #18). Isaac was the child promised and the Covenant to receive the Promised Land would be to his descendents. To this day the Covenant holds true, although interrupted until the church age is over. Moses led them to the Promised Land, but Joshua led them into it. There was a 40 year delay as they wandered in the wilderness because they didn't trust God to help them take it from the ungodly inhabitants. As they later took the Promised land, God assigned an area for each Tribe. Only the tribe of Dan was not taken, because of their idolatry. God wouldn't help them defeat the Philistines. The tribe of Dan migrated to northern Israel where they entered the small town of Laish and slaughtered all 600 inhabitants, took the town and renamed it Dan. The 144,000 sealed witnesses (Rev. 7) did not include 12,000 from the tribe of Dan.(See Post #17, TWO WITNESSES) Instead, to make up the 12 tribes, both of the 1/2 tribes of Joseph were counted. Soloman was the 3rd King of Israel. God gave him wisdom, but he became very unwise to have 700 wives & 300 concubines (mistresses). They came bringing their idols with them. God divided the kingdom because of this, but waited until Solomon was dead for his father David's sake. There were many of God's prophets warning Israel of punishment unless they repented, but instead they followed False prophets. (False prophets attract the biggest following today also, as they lead people astray.) God finally punished the northern tribes (Israel) by bringing in Assyria to defeat them (721 BC). Many were dispersed while foriegners were brought in. They became 1/2 breeds (Samaritans) and were despised by the southern kingdom, Judah. Prophets continued to warn Judah, but God finally used Babylon to punish them and carry captives to Babylon. The southern tribes (Judah, Simeon and a small portion of Benjamin) were now called Jews. This didn't apply to the dispersed northern tribes. For 490 years the Israelites didn't let the land rest every 7th year as God commanded, so they were in captivity for 70 years to allow the land to get the rest that had been denied. The Jews rebuilt the Temple and Jerusalem. The Temple and Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman General Titus in 70 AD. According to Daniel's '70 weeks of yrs' prophecy -(Dan.9:20-27), it would be 483 yrs from the end of the Babylonian captivity until the Messiah (Jesus) would die on the cross. This brought in the Church age and put the last 7 years of Daniel's prophecy on hold until the church is raptured out. The Tribulation period is during this last 7 years. Then, the focus will be back on the Jews and the Holy City (Jerusalem). There will be Jews and Gentiles saved under the preaching of the 144,000 witnesses and then raptured at the end of this period. The first 3 1/2 years will be a time of peace as the Antichrist reigns. (1 Thess.5:3)- Peace and safety, then sudden destruction./ Destruction begins with the Antichrist demanding to be worshipped as God and ends with the 'Battle Of Armageddon'. During WW 2, there 18 million Jews and 1/3 were killed in the Holocaust (6 million). During armageddon there will be about 12 million Jews (today's population) and 2/3 of them will be killed (8 million). Theses Jews didn't become christians, but they also didn't accept the 'Mark of the Beast' (666). 4 million Jews, in their fleshly body will survive Armageddon and live on into Jesus millenial reign on earth. We, in our eternal bodies will help Jesus reign over the earth as it is being repopulated. These Jews and their descendents will obey Jesus or be punished. The saved and the lost will be separated when Satan is turned loose for a short time at the end of Jesus 1,000 yr reign. After the White Throne judgement, we will go back to heaven leaving the lost to have their bodies consumed in the lake of fire on earth, as Jesus remodels the earth. The spirits of the lost go back into the fire in the earth and Jesus remodels the earth into a garden of Eden for us when we come back down to earth in the 'New Jerusalem'. The meek shall inherit the earth. -(Matt.5:5) Con