|
The encouragement is given in the Psalm for the believers to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem: They shall prosper that love thee” (Psa. 122:6). When we consider the current situation over the last few weeks, there is great turmoil and distress in the IsraelHamas conflict. But the Scriptures show that there is worse to come for Israel. Consider the following prophecies: “Alas for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it” (Jer. 30:70). “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith Yahweh, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part throughthe fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried; They shall call on my name and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say Yahweh is my God” (Zech. 13:9). “I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished, and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall Yahweh go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle” (Zech. 14:2-3). |
“Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion …” (Mic. 4:11).
“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scatttered among the nations, and parted my land …” (Joel 3:1-2).
It is clear from these testimonies that true peace will not come to Israel, until the final warfare involving a Divine deliverance from their enemies. Regarding the current conflict, it is being said by some that we should pray for peace to Israel, and for their adversaries to be defeated, and our opening verse is used to support this position. However, there is no point in praying for something that is not going to happen – the time is not yet for Jerusalem to become a city of peace, and for the Israelitish nation to be victorious over their enemies. There will be a semblence of peace as Gog shall say:
“I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates” (Ezek. 38:11).
And again, Israel is spoken of thus:
“… it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them” (Eze. 38:8).
But that peace will be short lived, for the subsequent events of Ezekiel 38 will be fulfilled, and the prophecies cited above will take place.
FUTURE PEACE
It is clear then, that whilst we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem (cp. Isa. 62:6), that peace is not a cessation of the current spate of violence – as terrible though it may be. Rather, is is the future peace, when Messiah shall come to turn away ungodliness out of Jacob (Rom. 11:26), and the nations shall be judged with ominipotent power. In that day shall it be said:
“ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of Yahweh your God, that hath dealt wonderously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Yahweh your God, and none else; and my people shall never be ashamed” (Joel 2:26-27).
Whilst some commenators are questioning whether or not Israel can survive the current onslaught, the Scriptures teach that they certainly will. We have such prophecies as those cited above, and also:
“Israel shall be saved in Yahweh with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be counfounded world without end” (Isa. 45:18).
“For I am with thee, saith Yahweh, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations wither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee …” (Jer. 30:11).
These passages prove beyond doubt that Israel will survive, and not only so, but prosper in a state of blessedness:
“Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King” (Psa. 48:2)
And again, concerning Jerusalem:
“it shall be unto me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them …” (Jer. 33:9).
This restoration of the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6), is actually a vital part of the Gospel message. Hence it is written:
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings (ie. the Gospel/Good News), of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth” (Isa. 52:7).
Part of the good tidings of the Age to come then, is that Zion’s God will reign. And this, we know, will be through the personage of the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom it was promised:
“he shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Hightest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Lu. 1:32-33).
ISRAEL – THE COMING KINGDOM
There does seem to be some confusion regarding the coming kingdom. It is sometimes thought that the kingdom will be worldwide, a global kingdom, wth Israel being “allowed” to exist in their land, and the king of the world reigning from Jerusalem. And there is some truth in this – but there is also a lack of clarity and wooly thinking. The Christadelphian Statement of Faith reads thus:
XXI. – That the kingdom which he will establish will be the kingdom of Israel restored, in the territory it formerly occupied, viz., the land bequeathed for an everlasting possession to Abraham and his seed (the Christ) by covenant” (BASF)
According to the BASF then, the kingdom proper will not be worldwide, but will constitute Israel restored to “the territory it formerly occupied.” Brother John Thomas expounded the subject by referring to a kingdom and and empire – the kingdom is Israel, but the empire is global:
“A kingdom is the dominion of a king. An empire is also the dominion of a king, but with this difference: the kingdom proper, or “the first dominion”, is restricted to a regally constituted territory; while the empire, or secondary dominion, though belonging to the same king, extends over other peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues, than those of the royal domain. This is illustrated in the case of the British kingdoms and empire. The kingdoms are restricted to England and Scotland, which are by constitution regal territories; but the empire is a secondary dominion of the same united crowns, extending over Canada, Hindostan, and other parts of the globe, with all the nations, languages, and people, they contain.
There are various elements necessary to the constitution of a well-organized kingdom. In the first place, a kingdom must have a territory. This is only saying, in other terms, that something must be somewhere. To maintain the opposite would be to contend that something is nowhere. A kingdom is not located in feeling, or in heart; though a belief of its future existence, a comprehension of its nature, or an attachment to it, may exist there. It must have a place, a locality, as well as a name.”
(John Thomas Elpis Israel. p. 221)
The important point here, is that whilst the kingdom will be within the confines of the promised land of Israel, the empire of Messiah shall extend globally. There will be other nations and kingdoms in the earth as well as Israel, but they, being part of Christ’s empire, shall be subject to him. These are referrred to in a number of places:
“… as concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time” (Dan. 7:12).
“The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and the kings to the brightness of thy rising” (Isa. 60:3)
“the kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him” (Psa. 72:10-11).
“the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations sahll be utterly wasted” (Isa. 60:12).
“O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon the earth” (Psa. 67:4)
These references describe that within the empire of Christ, there will be “nations”, “kingdoms” and “kings” co-existent with Israel. Israel will not be the only nation or kingdom in existence during the thousand year reign, but the existing nations and kingdoms – with their kings – will be subject to the Lord’s Anointed.
These principles can be seen by considering the promised restoration of the Edenic Paradise. Isaiah spoke of the days to come:
“For Yahweh shall comfort Zion: He will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Yahweh; Joy and gladness shall be found therein, Thanksgiving, and the voice of melody” (Isa. 51:3).
From the creation of the earth, there was a garden planted by Yahweh in Eden. Eden was the territory, of which the garden was only a part. Even so, in the age to come, Israel shall become like the garden of Yahweh, with the nations like the land around that garden. In his book Elpis Israel, Brother John Thomas writes thus:
“When the marriage, or union takes place between the sons of Zion, and their king, with the Land of Promise in Eden, it will again become the garden of the Lord, or Paradise, which His own right hand hath planted. For “the Lord shall comfort Zion: He will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody” (Isa. 51:3). Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off” (Isa. 55:13). At that time, “I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle tree, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box together: that they (Israel) may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it” (Isa. 41:18-20).
These testimonies reveal a future state in regard to Eden, of which it’s primitive garden is a beautiful and appropriate representation. Once the seat of a paradise on a small scale, it is destined to be transformed from its present desolation into “The paradise of God”. The country of the four rivers, even to the west from sea to sea is predetermined to shine forth as “the glory of all lands”. Paradise hath no other locality.
(John Thomas, Elpis Israel)
BLESSINGS OF THE KINGDOM
The benefits of walking according to the commands of Christ will be readily manifest. Having being instructed His way, and the natural rebelliousness of man being under firm suppression, there will be no scope for man to lift him self up in conflict with another. So Isaiah prophesied that as a consequence of the subjection of nations under the Great King, by his rebuke and instruction:
“they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Is 2:4).
This is the ultimate United Nations – all peoples being united in their worship of Israel’s
God, being instructed out of His Law, and taking up the more peaceful occupation of constructing agricultural implements out of the remains of war machinery. Rather than Jerusalem being a constant stumbling block, and arena of world conflict, it shall be come the centre of blessing, and longevity of life:
“Thus saith Yahweh of Hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof” (Zech 8:5 cp. Is 65:20).
What a glorious picture of tranquillity this is – a picture which so many long for, where children can safely play in the streets, without fear of abduction or abuse. Where the elderly can live without fear of assault, or ridicule for their infirmities. This is the vision many people desire in these days of degeneracy, violence and wickedness – yet it is a picture which can only become reality when all peoples are subject to the Laws of God, and walk in His Ways of Righteousness. This is the age that we yearn for, and earnestly seek “first”, above all other things (Mat 6:33).
Righteousness and harmony having been established among men, the conflicts amongst even creation itself shall cease.
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea” (Isa 11:6-9).
Notice this point – all the glorious blessings promised are things to come as a consequence of righteousness being established in the earth. Firstly, “the knowledge of Yahweh” fills the earth, through judgements and teaching, secondly the blessings are given. This is the pattern taught by the Lord – righteousness first, then blessing: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mat 6:33). In that day to come, “the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever” (Isa. 32:17). This is the peace of Jerusalem which Messiah’s brethren should pray for: when the kingdom is restored to Israel under the Great King, and the nations shall be at rest, ceasing from violence, and learning God’s laws. May that day come soon!
Christopher Maddocks
