(Presented at conference in Altheim, Germany, November 1-4, 2009)
–Israel is the first-born (Ex 4:22; Jer 31:9 [8 Heb]) of the nations to God, even though there were other nations before her/him. God has declared Israel/Ephraim to be His first-born, and with justification.
–The very fact of the Most High God, YHVH, has chosen Israel has brought in conflict – over the people and the Land. This conflict comes first from Satan; then from others who feel rejected or ignored; and from within by those who lack both faith and the fear of the Lord.
–Various responses have been given as to how to make peace in Israel and the Middle East:
–extreme Jewish and Arab views, sometimes even amongst believers, to rid the country of the other
–compromise over covenantal promises and conditions
–the gospel and expansion of influence by believers in the societies
–the revelation of Jesus Christ
–Either the flesh and natural mind will insist on its own significance, or else the Holy Spirit will rule and we die to ourselves, pick up our crosses daily, and follow the Lamb wherever He leads us.
— Ezek 38; Ps 83 in the latter years (i.e., in our own days now!), YHVH Himself will allow an invasion by mostly Islamic nations against Israel, which He Himself will defeat: that all will KNOW that YHVH is the one true GOD, the GOD OF ISRAEL!
—Is 14:24-27; Ezek 39:1-8; Dan 11:21; 2Thes 2:8 both Gog and the Assyrian are those of whom YHVH has spoken, and He will bring them against His land in order to glorify His name and to bring Israel to repentance
—Rev 15:1-4 God’s righteous judgments will cause all to fear and to worship Him, and to know that Jesus Christ is LORD (YHVH)!
—Is 19:23-25 God’s peace in Israel and the Middle East, and the rest of the world
—Zech 14:16-19 all the remaining nations of those which came against Jerusalem will be required to come up to Jerusalem to worship YHVH of Hosts – Yeshua! – during the Millennial Kingdom of GOD’s righteous and peaceful and joyful Kingdom – restored to Israel and to the world which He created and made!
—Gen 12:1-3; Mt 25:31-46 nations which either blessed Abraham’s seed: the sheep nations; and the nations which cursed/lightly esteemed/disrespected the seed of Abraham: the goat nations
The same prophets of YHVH who spoke to Israel also spoke to the nations in the Near (Middle) East:
–Isaiah to/against Babylon, Philistia, Moab, Damascus (Syria), Egypt, Tyre and Sidon (Lebanon)
–Jeremiah to Egypt, to the Philistines, to Moab, to Ammon, to Edom, to Babylon
–Ezekiel to Babyon, Ammon, Moab, Edom, Tyre, Egypt, Magog
–Obadiah to Edom
–Jonah to Nineveh (Assyria)
–Nahum to Nineveh
YHVH God, Creator of the Heavens and the Earth is the one who sets boundaries and times: Acts 17:26-27
—Jer 9:23-26; 12:14-17 both to pluck out, and to restore to the lands and heritage which are theirs from the God of Israel, when they have learned to teach His people to learn His ways
—Ezek 47:21-23 for the Israeli and the stranger in the promised Land of Israel
—Jer 48:47; 49:6,11 Moab, Ammon, Edom
—Zech 9:6-7 Philistines (Gaza)
