The God who recorded the beginning, which no one but Him witnessed in Genesis, is also the God who gives us the ending, which no one but Him could have ever written in Revelation.
Isn’t it amazing that God devotes 1/4th or 25% of the Bible to the inseparable union of the world’s destiny with God’s Chosen People of Promise, Israel, Jerusalem, and the Jews? Never forget:
The Centrality of Israel
In the Bible
Israel is the third-largest topic in the Bible, right? God/Lord Himself is mentioned 12,000 times (God 4094x/Lord 6781x/plus Jesus, Christ, Spirit, etc.), and salvation (man 3323x/sin 1016x/Jesus 942x); Israel is mentioned over 2900x and Jerusalem 767x. The church 111x, prayer 128x, and the cross 29x are much less mentioned.
Over 200 times, God introduces Himself as the Great I am, the God of Israel (plus 17x the God of Abraham, and 25x the God of Jacob). He is not the “I was”, He is the “I AM”; and He is, He was, and has promised in the future that He will be the God of Israel.
Using just a normal Bible with no study notes (my Bible is 1100 pages long) you find that:
• 600 pages (Genesis to Song of Solomon) are Israel’s origin, history, wanderings away from God, and worship (that is 600/1100 pages or) 54%; and
• 250 pages are devoted to the prophets (Isaiah to Malachi) that speak of the doom coming first to Israel then and the world in the future (that is 250/1100 pages or) 23%; and then we get
• 110 pages devoted to the Life of Christ (Matthew to John) that lasts for (110/1100 pages or) 10% of the Bible; and then
• 120 pages devoted to the record of Acts to Jude that explains Christ’s Church’s birth and mission for 120/1100 pages or 11%; and then the
• 20 pages of Revelation describing the centrality of Israel and Jerusalem at the end of the world take up almost (20/1100 pages or) 2% of the Bible.
So just a simple glance at the Table of Contents of God’s Word would make a reader conclude that Israel, Jerusalem, and the Jews are very important to God. He has chosen to devote fully (4/5ths or) 79% of the Bible to Israel’s origin, calling, chastisement, return, and future troubles that engulf the whole world.
Also, just the layout of the Bible that opens and closes with Israel, Jerusalem, and the Jews with the Church’s 21 % of the Word sandwiched importantly, but intentionally between the opening and closing.
When the Old Testament prophets explained the future, they universally began with Israel, and all details revolved around Jerusalem and the Land. Each time Jesus explained how the world would end, He started with Israel, Jerusalem, and the Jewish people (Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21). Paul does the same in Romans 9-11, First and Second Thessalonians (II Th. 2:4), and John in Revelation 11, 13, 16, and 19.
God Keeps His Promises
To Israel Literally
Tonight, we are on the 10th of 12 promises God made to Israel. When God makes a promise, He keeps it. We cling to Him keeping His Word, like “I will never leave you nor forsake you”, and I will come again for you”. As we open to Ezekiel 36 always remember the purpose of prophecy is for God to authenticate His identity. Prophecy is the proof that God is God alone!
WNS-63 – God’s Chosen People – Jerusalem, Armageddon, and World War III (091025PM)
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