When I was saved, my “crisis” was seeing what I thought at the time to be the best country in the world — the United States of America — going downhill rapidly, and nothing better coming up. That was in 1981. I lost all hope in “man” for the world and life to ever get really better. Praise God, He was there at that time through a man named Dwight, whom He used to tell me the good news of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God, and that God had a plan to make the world right: Jesus was coming again!
That hope has never wavered, only intensified, over the 40+ years since. For those of you especially in the US, could you ever have imagined to see where things have gotten to?! ALL of the foundations are being broken up. Anything that the devil has so far gotten lost people in the dark — and who hate the light — to believe is of the God of the Jews and of Christians — the GOD of the Bible, the Creator and the Redeemer of all mankind — they are resisting and overthrowing.
This is the continuing outbreak of the full spiritual reality of the intifada of Palestinian fame to overthrow the yoke of the sovereign Most High God from off their necks, and to destroy everything and everyone if need be. (Mt 24:15-25; Gen 27:37-41) YHVH has chosen Jacob and his descendants as heirs to possess the Land of Canaan, and has given the name Israel to those descendants who overcome the battle with God and with man; and He has given the name of Israel to the land of promise which the full remnant of the chosen seed will inherit as an everlasting possession. When you hear and see all of the wild protests and depraved behavior against what is good and for what is evil, listen to how quickly and loudly they include the call for the Palestinian cause to rid itself of the visible representation in the world of the one true living God. It is frightening, and except for Jesus’ return there is no hope that this world which He created and made will ever be what the Father intends: full of the knowledge of the glory of YHVH as the waters cover the sea. (Num 14:20-23; Hab 2:14; Is 11:6-9; Mt 6:9-10)
Moving along towards the end of the age, my friend in Kiev, despite all the carnage all around him, knows that God has a higher purpose through this war of Russia in Ukraine, whatever Putin or the other world leaders may be considering: to bring more Jewish people back to the land of covenant promise. Even in the matter of immigration of Jews from all of the lands where the Lord has scattered us, God is going to have to make a way. (Ezek 36:16-28; Jer 23:1-8; Ezek 37)
The Israeli Ministry of Interior is making the process of aliyah very difficult and frustrating for many Jews who do want to come, and who have a legitimate right to immigrate — especially according to the original Law of Return. Even for those who are not believers in Jesus/Yeshua, the MoI is making the process long and painful for many, as if they only want a certain sort of Jew to live here. And for those Jews who are believers, even though the Law of Return has been amended in order to filter them out, nonetheless God would want as many whose hearts are set on “going home” (on Earth, anyway) to come. “How shall we sing the song of the LORD/YHVH in a foreign land”, the home-sick psalmist heart-achingly cries?
It has been about a month since the Passover and the First Fruits remembrance and celebrations, so Shavuot/Pentecost is coming soon: 50 days from the resurrection (counting that day), and seven weeks from that day. (Lev 23:9-17) That day of the Lord’s resurrection — first fruits of those who have died — is the day that YHVH has made; we shall rejoice and be glad in it! And it is the day that Yeshua the Messiah/Jesus Christ, the Son of God was declared with power to be the Son of God: He already was as one of the triune Godhead, but His resurrection proved it; and He appeared to His disciples and over 500 others to show Himself unmistakenly alive during the days following, up to the 40th day of the count-down, when He ascended back to Heaven in the sight of His apostles, the gates of Heaven lifting up to receive the King of Glory! The Lord now sits on the Throne of His Father, interceding for us. (Rev 3:21; Rom 8:33-34) This same Yeshua/Jesus will return in like manner, and will sit and reign on the Throne of His father David in Jerusalem! (Lk 1:30-33; Is 9:6-7; 11 – 12; Zech 14:16-21) Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Lk 24:46-53; Acts 1:1-11)
