15. God Is For Israel

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Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church

Adult Sunday School

20 May 2018

GOD IS FOR ISRAEL

Zechariah 10:1-12 (KJV)

1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; sothe LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. 2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there wasno shepherd. 3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. 4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together. 5 And they shall be as mighty men, which tread downtheir enemiesin the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD iswith them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded. 6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I amthe LORD their God, and will hear them. 7 And they ofEphraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. 8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. 9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. 10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and placeshall not be found for them. 11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. 12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD. 

  • DUTY AND BREAD 

1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; sothe LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. 2  For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there wasno shepherd. 3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.

Matthew 6:11, 33 (KJV) 11 Give us this day our daily bread… 33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The promise of provision comes to Israel who walks in humble dependence upon God by doing His will. To farmers, rain is life and abundance since vegetation and crops depend upon it. Prosperity is measured by God giving rain on the earth and waters on the field at the right time. Therefore, rain is God’s act of provision. Israel is to seek God’s favour by asking of the Lord, an imperatival entreaty that all Israel must seek. Do we often forget the Giver in time of abundant provision? This is a solemn reminder. The king of idols (teraphims) speaks trouble, sorrow and wickedness and the diviners speak deceit. I remember in childhood going with my mother to visit the medium in a temple. We were lost in idolatry and thought that those dumb idols were the givers of life. What a sad state in retrospect of those wasted years. We did not know the way of truth through Jesus Christ. I remember my mother testifying after her conversion that she never had peace during the thirty years when she was an idol- worshipper. She was so happy to be rid of idolatry after Jesus Christ was presented to her. Without Christ, we were like sheep without a shepherd, lost by the deception that plagued this fallen world. Israel was lost in captivity in Babylon, a flock without a shepherd. 

Who are those who have the gospel and are not telling it to others? Who are those who have experienced God’s goodness and not testify of the living and true God? Who are those who are ungodly pastors of God’s flock who have led their flock to ruin? God’s anger is kindled against these! Israel is not lost because the Lord of hosts has visited them through His prophet Zechariah. Israel had thus been nourished by the Lord’s good hand. Israel’s idolatrous past had been forgiven and God had given her a new lease of life back in the Promised Land. They were being nourished by the Lord so that they can be His witness. 

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” (Matt 6:33) Lord, may I always look to You and do Your bidding. 

  • NOT WHAT I CAN DO FOR GOD 

4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.

1 Peter 2:4-8 (KJV) 4 To whom coming, as untoa living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, andprecious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7Unto you therefore which believe he isprecious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to themwhich stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 

DL Moody said of himself, “Ask not what you can do for the Lord but what the Lord can do for you.” He thought that in giving himself wholly to God for His service, he was doing God a service. In fact as he found out, it was God working to develop a more sanctified DL Moody. 

It is the Lord who takes care of the needs of His flock by His visitation (v 3). As a result of God’s care, Israel was nourished to be useful for His service. It is a step by step equipping for service as described in verse 4. The phrase “out of” Him, or literally translated “from Him,” repeated four times to emphasize the sequential blessings originating from God the Father upon Judah in equipping her for usefulness as His witness. 

Out of Him will bring forth to Judah a chief Ruler, the Messiah described as the corner or corner-stone (Isa 28:16, Matt 21:42, Acts 4:11, 1 Pet 2:4-8). The nail is a tent-pin driven into the ground to fasten the tent. It secures the tent. The Ruler is described as the mainstay or support to bear the burdens of the state. The battle bow is necessary to overcome enemies. Finally, the “oppressor” or exactor, one who has power over bordering nations, and demands tribute or tax from them, as conquerors are wont to do from their subjects (Calvin). 

Judah is described as “mighty men” equipped for battle and able to defeat her enemies. The reason for their victory was because God was with them and did fight for them. What a great privilege it is to behold the glory of God as we allow Him to help us succeed in doing His will. When we recognize our Messiah Jesus Christ and align our lives by receiving Him, it is beholding the glory of God fulfilled in our lives daily. 

I have received much from God. Teach me, O Lord, to realize my utter helplessness to help You! 

  • THE DEEDS OF GOD FOR ISRAEL 

5 And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemiesin the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD iswith them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded. 6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I amthe LORD their God, and will hear them. 7 And they ofEphraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD. 8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. 9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.

Romans 11:13-24 (KJV) 13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which aremy flesh, and might save some of them. 15 For if the casting away of them bethe reconciling of the world, what shallthe receiving of them be, but life from the dead? 16 For if the firstfruit beholy, the lump isalso holy: and if the root beholy, so arethe branches. 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heedlest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in hisgoodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

The Lord spoke in the first person seven times in verse 6 as to what He would do for His people. (1) He would strengthen the house of Judah. (2) He would save the house of Joseph. (3) He would bring them back to their position in the Promised Land. (4) He would have mercy on them. (5) He would restore them to their original state of blessedness as a united nation. (6) He would not cast them off. (7) He would hear their prayers. This is such an encouragement to every backslidden Christian. There is a way back with God. Israel is the example (v 6). 

The grace of God strengthens and gladdens the heart. One who walks closely with God is happy. His joy cannot be hidden. He sets an example for his children to see and they too shall rejoice in the goodness of the Lord upon the head of the family (v 7). 

To hiss is to whistle as a signal. God spoke again in the first person through His prophet Zechariah that God would be gathering all whom He would scatter in A.D. 70. He caused them to be prosperous (v 8). Israel scattered in far countries would be cared for by God and He would cause them to remember Him. In their exile they shall return again to Him (v 9). Jews from all over the world seemed to have that determined signal to return to Palestine after the Nazi holocaust that murdered 5.8 million of them from 1938 to1945. The state of Israel was formed on 14th May 1948. The 16th century Reformers could not fathom the promises of God being fulfilled in a literal Israel because Israel was not in existence then. We look from hind sight to behold the literal promises of God for His chosen people. And we, the Gentile Church are glad and rejoice to be the sons of Israel grafted on to partake of God’s blessings through Christ. Have you been drifting from Him these past months or years? Come back to Him! 

When prodigals return, great things are done. Help me, Lord, to alter my way and take Your way! 

  • GOD IS FOR ISRAEL 

10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and placeshall not be found for them. 11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. 12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD. 

Deuteronomy 20:1-4 (KJV) 1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, anda people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God iswith thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, 3And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 4 For the LORD your God ishe that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. 

On 31st May 1967 Egypt moved 100,000 troops, 1000 tanks and 500 heavy guns into the Sinai ‘buffer zone.’ President Aref of Iraq (ancient Assyria) said that day, “The existence of Israel is an error which must be rectified. This is our opportunity to wipe the ignominy which has been with us since 1948. Our goal is clear – to wipe Israel off the map.” By 4th June, Israel was outnumbered three-to-one by the Arab forces on its borders. This was the statement made by Ahmed Shukairy, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organsation on 1st June, “This is a fight for the homeland – it is either us or the Israelites. There is no middle road. The Jews of Palestine will have to leave. We will facilitate their departure to their former homes. Any of the old Palestine Jewish population who survive may stay, but it is my impression that none of them will survive.” 

Israel was attacked from all fronts by the Arab nations. It was the worst threat to her survival since independence in 1948. 766 Israeli soldiers were killed during the “Six- Day War.” The number of Arab dead was never announced. It was a miracle. Israel could not have survived the odds. Israel not only survived but extended her occupied land on three fronts, up north to include the Golan Heights into Lebanon, down south the entire Sinai enclosed by Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba – “the scepter of Egypt shall depart away” and the stretch on the west of Jordan river from Jenin to Hebron. Zechariah 10:10-12 was fulfilled literally. Assyria deported the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim whereas Egypt was the land of Israel’s bondage in slavery. Assyria represents the confederate aggressors from the north and east – Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia. The south was Egypt who took the lead to encourage the governments of Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to move their troops to Israel’s border. Total Arab strength was 547,000 troops, 2,504 tanks and 957 combat aircraft while Israel had 264,000 troops, 800 tanks and 300 combat aircraft. Israel was outnumbered yet triumphant! 

One with Jesus is the majority! Thank You, Lord, for not giving up on blind Israel nor on us.