Vol. H-0004 March 1999No.H-0003

THOU SHALT NOT STEAL

​"Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, "Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace." So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.'" (Num 6:22-27)

Those of us who believe in God, and His Son Jesus as Messiah, read Scriptures, such as the one quoted above, and use them as guidelines for our lives. There are many promises, prophecies, blessings and more from God contained therein. However, who were these promises, prophecies, blessings, etc., originally given to?

God came to Abraham first; to bless all nations through him. The adoption as sons came "to the Jew first"; they were not chosen because they were special, they were special because they were chosen. The Shekinah glory came "to the Jew first"; they were the only nation to have God’s visible guiding presence.

The covenants came "to the Jew first"; to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David, as eternal, unconditional, unilateral agreements based solely on God's Sovereignty. The law came "to the Jew first"; that they might know God's ways. The service of God came "to the Jew first"; God gave the pattern for worship, and tabernacling with Him to the children of Israel first. The promises and prophecies came "to the Jew first"; the natural seed of Abraham suffered for their belief in the promises and in the process birthed for us the Holy Scriptures. Finally, according to the flesh Christ came. Who did he come to first? "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," Jesus said in Matthew 15:24. (1)

It is quite plain that the promises, prophecies, blessings and everything else given by God are meant for God's people, Israel. They are also for those who believe in God, the Creator of the Universe, and His Son Jesus the Messiah, through the redeeming work of Jesus. The word "also" is the important word in this discussion. We must understand that God has not nullified His choice of the Jews as His chosen people by allowing others to share in His Biblical gifts. They are His forever. "He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commands for a thousand generations" (Psalms 105:7, 8). We must be careful, then, about the way we "claim" God's promises for our lives and be sure that we do not exclude those to whom they were originally given. To do so would be to steal from the Jews what God has given them.

Two Scriptures stand out in my mind as ones that sometimes get applied to Christians, to the exclusion of the Jews. The first is Psalm 22:3. It is usually paraphrased "The Lord inhabits the praises of His people." But if you look at the actual verse you will see that it reads "Yet Thou art holy, O Thou who art enthroned upon (dost inhabit) the praises of Israel." Yes, we do sense the presence of the Lord when we worship and praise Him in Spirit and Truth. However, to take this blessing unto ourselves, without recognizing in it the Father's heart for His people Israel is to steal what is rightfully theirs. Another favorite verse is II Chronicles 7:14 - "If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." American Christians like to claim this one for the USA. However, if you back up to verse 12, you will see that it reads, "Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, ..."

This promise was given to Israel and it is still for them. Yes, we can pray for this promise to be fulfilled for our country. But we cannot say that it is no longer for the Jews. To do so would be to steal from Israel that which God gave to them for all time.

CHOICE

In 1985 the Father made a deposit in my spirit by vividly recalling to my mind Matt. 23:37, 38. "O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ..... How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling." At the time I didn't realize that what He was placing within me was His love for His people Israel. Many years later, after His watering, fertilizing and nurturing what He had planted, I became aware of the Father's Heart for Israel that he had placed within my heart. Once I realized that God desired me to love His people as He loves them I had to make a choice. If I was to love Israel, then I had to get to know them the way their (and my) Father knows them. I found this love in the Scriptures as I read them with a new understanding of God's heart for His Chosen People. Once I found this love I couldn't keep it for myself. His desire is for all to love Israel as He loves them. Therefore, I present this to you as an opportunity for you to study the Scriptures, searching for God's Heart for Israel as revealed in them. The choice is yours. If you will you seek the Father's heart concerning Israel as you read the Scriptures, you will find all the blessings, prophecies, promises, and more that He has given to His people. He will give you His heart for Israel so that you will understand that all that He has given is still for Israel.

BOTTOM LINE

Are you stealing from Israel what God gave to them first? If you do not understand and believe that the people Israel are still God's Chosen People, and you take unto yourself all that God has given them, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, without recognizing all of it still belongs to them as well, then you are stealing Israel's blessings, prophecies, covenants, and promises.

CURRENT EVENTS

Included in all that God has given to His People Israel is the land of Israel. And just like everything else that has been discussed above, this land is still theirs. For nearly 2000 years they were displaced throughout the world, until, by the Sovereign Hand of God, Israel once again became a nation in 1948. However, the world has not and will not accept the Biblical Truth that this land belongs to God's People Israel. Every day we hear about the Middle East Peace Talks, the Oslo, Hebron and Wye Agreements, wherein we find that Israel is being asked, and required, to give up its land in order to achieve the world's idea of peace. "....for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye." (Zech 2:8) Such is the heart of God concerning His People and His Land. God's Land is for God's People. Anything less is to steal from God!

FROM THE BRIDEGROOM

"Draw closer to Me, My children. Allow Me to place My Love for My Chosen People within you. Allow Me to be Who I AM! The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." October 28, 1998

"You know My great Love for My People Israel. Continue to weep, continue to pray, to hold them close to you, for it is My great desire that you do so." January 26, 1998

"ARISE in your intercession for My people--My chosen are now the thrust of My Spirit." March 7, 1996

GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE

"There is a saying in the Talmud: If a jug falls upon a stone, woe to the jug. And if a stone falls upon a jug, woe to the jug also..... It has been this way for the People of the Book for two thousand years. We have fallen on the stones. The stones of every nation and people have fallen on us. And yet, here is a miracle far greater than any I can think of ... we still remain. And still we are here. As the prophets have foretold, we return now to Zion from the four corners of the world....It is a miracle, you see, that even one of us has survived to come home. It is proof that God exists and that He does not lie! He has not forgotten His Covenant with Israel. Though men may forget, God has not forgotten us." (2)

The Lord says to Israel, "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; Your walls are continually before Me." (Isaiah 49:15, 16 )

There is One of God's Chosen People that is Most Special - JESUS. Yes, Jesus is a Jew, of the House of David, of the tribe of Judah (Matt. 1). If you say that you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and don't know Him also as the Jewish Messiah, then ask Him to reveal this part of Himself to you. If you don't know Him at all, ask Him to come into your heart so that He might reveal Himself to you - all of Himself, including His "Jewishness".

Baruch Haba B'Shem Adonai!

Blessed is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord!

In Jesus' Name, Be Blessed!