Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. God’s gifts and calling are incapable of being changed, not to be taken back. God is not fickle-minded. He carries through the people whom He chooses to their ultimate blessing. …
There is a general rejection of the gospel by the Jewish people. Like the Apostle Paul before his conversion, the Jews are enemies of the gospel. It is sad to see this. Because the Jews rejected the gospel, God opened the way for the gospel to be given to the Gentiles.
God’s promise to Israel is that He shall through the Messiah will bring salvation in their latter days. Jesus Christ, will return to save Israel and establish His rule from Jerusalem. He shall purge all iniquity from Israel.
When Jesus Christ returns, He shall defeat the Antichrist at the Battle of Armageddon to save Israel from total annihilation. At that time, the whole nation will receive Jesus Christ as their long-awaited Messiah. This will be at the end of the 7 Year Tribulation commonly called the Great Tribulation.
1 Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. 2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.
Perhaps God is showing mankind the impossibility of prosperous self-government without God. Man’s existence has been plagued with violence, destruction and war till now with no solution of true peace in sight. The nations of the world will appreciate the time better when God will bound Satan and God in Christ will physically rule the earth during the millennium. This will be the true golden age for Israel as true representatives of God. The time when Israel will fulfil their God-given role. This role of pointing the nations of the world to worship the living and true God, Creator of heaven and earth. While God is allowing time for Gentile conversion, may we be up and about the gospel work. Amen.
The period of Israel’s blindness is the window that God allows for the evangelization of the nations of the world. This window for Gentile or world mission is highlighted in the Book of Acts with the conversion of the Roman centurion called Cornelius. This inauguration of world mission is recorded herein in Acts 10:
Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Israel is privileged by her national spiritual heritage. Before Israel returned to the land on 14 May 1948, the Hebrew Scriptures were sought to revive the use of the Hebrew language. In it is hidden the treasure of Israel’s spiritual heritage. Until today, the Hebrew Scriptures remain in the hands of God’s people in Israel. If they would come to the Scriptures, they would find the Christ of the Scriptures. Salvation is not far for God’s chosen people.
Acts 1:12-15
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.
13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both — Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about a hundred and twenty,)
The Fruit of the Spirit is Gentleness
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Do you often second-guess others’ intentions in a negative way? Do you count the wrongs others have done to you? Are you willing to forgive and make peace? To be forgiving and forbearing is a fruit of the spirit called ‘gentleness.’ Where there is no forgiveness, each one is irreconcilably offended.