Why Israel?

editor Wednesday 1 September 2010

By A. vd Laan-Leito.. Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
Yeshua Messiah said these words to the crowds while standing on a hill in Galilee. 
One may ask. Will the meek inherit the whole earth or just the land of Israel, Jerusalem? What is the point of this inheritance if we can all go to heaven? Or, heaven can wait!? And what is the inheritance of those who aren’t so meek?

The meek and their inheritance 
Psalm 37 (New King James Version), tells us six times about those who will inherit the land, the earth. Verse 11 tells us specifically about the meek:
 But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Isaiah 29:19 tells us:
The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD,
And the poor among men shall rejoice
In the Holy One of Israel.
The above tells us that who ever the meek, humble are, they rejoice in Yeshua Messiah and with him they will inherit the land and the earth. I believe that inheritance of the land of Israel leads to the inheritance of the earth. And that all this will serve the purpose of the restoration of God Almighty’s creation.
Restoration of God’s creation
God Almighty started his restoration process immediately after Adam sinned. The Almighty Father gave Yeshua Messiah the central role, in many ways, in the restoration of his creation. I won’t elaborate about this. And he gave Israel a special role. The book of Daniel chapter 2 tells us that God Almighty will establish his Kingdom on earth. Daniel 2 verse 44 and
Daniel 7 verse 14 tells us that this Kingdom and the Kingship will be eternal. For more about this reed: The Kingdom of God: on earth?
Here I want to restrict myself by mentioning only the stages of this restoration process in accordance to biblical scripture, after God’s Kingdom is established on earth. Stages:
1. Clean sweep in heaven
Revelation 12: 7-10, verse 12: Satan and his crew of fallen angels thrown (cast down) out of heaven by Michel and his team of angels.
2. Armageddon / Gog Magog War
Revelation 16:16, 17:12-14, 19:11-21, Ezekiel 39: Armageddon.
Revelation 16:17 -21: the worst world wide earthquake ever, with devastating results reaching further than the world wide earthquake described in Revelation 6 verse 12 to17.
3. Just before 1000 years of Gods eternal Kingdom on earth
Revelation 20:1-6 and Daniel 7:10: first resurrection (people who remained faithful to Yeshua out of the first death.
Revelation 20:6 and Daniel 7:13, 14: Yeshua Messiah receives Kingship.
4. First 1000 years of Gods eternal Kingdom on Earth
Ezekiel 47:1-12: restoration of Jerusalem, Israel, from the Temple.
Zecharia14:16-21: start restoration Earth from Israel: the people from all over the Earth will come to Jerusalem and to the Temple.
Notice that the 1000 years only marks the captivity of Satan (Rev. 20:1-3,7) and the period people will reign with Yeshua (Revelation. 20:4c, 6). Not the duration of the Kingdom of God, for that is as mentioned earlier eternal.
4. At the end of the 1000 years: clean sweep earth
Revelation 20:7-10: Satan out of captivity, him and his army on earth (verse 8: again the whole Earth that is Gog Magog) destroyed by fire from heaven. This time there is no fighting of the war.
Revelation 20:11-15 and 21:8, Daniel 12:1-3: the last, final judgement.
5. New heaven and new earth
Revelation 21:1-7, Isaiah 66: 22-24: new heaven and new earth. Notice Revelation 21:2 says their will be no sea. So 2/3 of the planet (was sea) will be added as land to the living space for people.
Revelation 21:9-27 and 22:1-5, Isaiah 66:23: New Jerusalem, without the Temple (notice verses 22 to 24 of Revelation 21) and the whole world will come to Jerusalem.
But what is the point of restoring the earth while we can all go to heaven, the Kingdom of Heaven?
Heaven can wait!?
Through the bible we do reed about Gods Kingdom. And from the book of Matthew on the bible also speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven. Does God Almighty have more kingdoms? One in heaven, one on earth and others wherever else?
Metaphorically we can compare the Kingdom of God with a kingdom, country on earth.
A country has landmass, water for example: sea, and air. Whether you are within the borders of the country (the land), on / in the country’s territorial waters or in its airspace, you are in that country, kingdom. You don’t talk about three kingdoms, but one kingdom. In the kingdom each space (land, water and air) has its own beings living in them and interacting whit each other. And a kingdom has different regions.
God Almighty is one (Deut 6:4-5, Mark 12:29-30), he has one creation and one Kingdom.
Genesis 1 verse 1 states that in the beginning God created heaven and earth.
And our mighty Father created different beings to be part of and to share his creation. He gave them all a space to live in and to interact with each other. God also gave them responsibilities regarding each other. We experience influences from both the spiritual (not visible) space as from the visible space that God created.
But who belongs where? Who lives in heaven, who lives on earth and when? I will restrict myself to angels and man, human beings (more about God later). The following is a thought about these beings:
Angels: are heavenly beings, with their residence in heaven but they can manifest themselves, interact and be in the visible space (earth). They are spirit, with a spiritual body and soul. So angels are heavenly bound.
Human beings: are earthly beings, with their residence in the visible space (earth) but they can manifest themselves, interact and be in heaven. They are human, with a human body, spirit and soul. So people are earthly bound.
Examples in biblical scripture about angels (not about the fallen ones, nor their plans; maybe another time) interacting in the visible world, but always going back because they are heavenly bound:
Daniel 3:19-26: the friends of Daniel in the burning oven with an angel present.
Daniel 10:4-8: the angel Gabriel having a conversation with Daniel.
2 Kings 6:15-17: Elisha with an army of angels.
1 Kings 19:1-8, Matthew 4:11: angels came to serve Elijah and Yeshua in the desert.
Acts 12:6-11: Peter gets help of an angel to get out of jail.
Examples in biblical scripture that shows that human beings are bound to earth, but they can also interact, manifest themselves and be in heaven, even when they are death:
Genesis 2:5-10, Genesis 3:9: man created by God out of dirt, they will return to that (notice that the later is mentioned after man’s act of disobedience). Notice that man was created on earth, and then placed in the garden Eden. Genesis verse 9 speaks of the tree that gives life in the middle of the garden. Revelation 22 verse 2 mentions trees that give life, on the side of the river of life flowing from God’s throne, in Jerusalem.
Genesis 5:18-24, 2 Kings 2:11-12: Enoch (Hebrews 11:5) and Elijah both did not die, they were taken away by God. By the way I don’t believe in the rapture theory (occult in its nature) and I don’t see what happened to these men as an example of it (maybe more about this some other time).
Luke 24:50-52: Yeshua Messiah taken up into heaven after spending 40 days with his followers after his resurrection.
Daniel 12:1-3, Ezekiel 32:19-2: people who died back to dirt, to rest, and those in the valley of death.
Revelation 6:9-11: people who already died, but can manifest themselves in heaven. Notice that they are under Gods throne, they receive a white robe and they are told to rest a little while longer.
Revelation 20:4: people resurrected from the death and they will live on earth.
It may seem a contradiction when scripture speaks of the death people resting, while it also speaks of the death interacting with each other and manifesting them selves in heaven.
I believe they are part of different groups of people in different spaces. The following is meant to make this clear. Yeahua Messiah tells us about Lazarus, Lucas 16:19-26. Notice verse 24 mentions water that Lazarus can reach. Now, where did that water come from? The first book of Enoch chapter 22 verses 8 to14 speaks of 4 separate spaces that God created where those who died, 1 Enoch 22: 1-4, will go. One of these has a pool of water. And
1 Enoch 22: 4b-7 speaks of Abel, whose voice reaches up to heaven. [For those, especially Christians, who have difficulties with the book 1 Enoch: the first book of Enoch is considered by some to be a pseudo epigraph. But it is part of the Ethiopian bible, so it’s canonized. Yeshua Messiah (as seen above) and his disciples, Jude, Peter and John (Revelation), do mention passages of it (directly or indirectly) in their teachings.]
BUT, did not Yeshua Messiah say, as mentioned in John 8 verse 51:
Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
We do die, but I believe he is referring to what will happen next. Either Yeshua means that they will be resting when they die and be part of the first resurrection so they will not see the second death, Revelation 20:6, 15. Or he means that this group of people will be in heaven where he is. Remember human beings can be in heaven, where they will be l i k e the angels. As Yeshua puts it in Mathew 22 verse 30; no marriage in Heaven. [So Revelation 19:5-10 doesn’t refer to a marriage in heaven (by the way it’s not a vision of a marriage, but an announcement of the wedding feast (Jewish wedding traditions)).] Maybe he means both, but again different groups of people in different periods of time.
To make it a bit more complicated for us to understand, Matthew 27:52, 53 tells us of those Yeshua took with him when he resurrected.
All of the above was not meant to classify people into certain groups based on their denomination when it comes to people’s faith. God Almighty is the one who knows everyone as we can reed in Jeremiah 17:9-10. He also knows everything that is hidden into darkness, according to Daniel 2:22. And Jeremiah 11:20, also Psalm 7 verse 11a tells us that God is a just judge who knows what is in people.
Those who are not so meek
Revelation 20:11-15 and Daniel 12:1-3 amongst many other passages in biblical scripture tells us what will happen to those who were not so meek. At the last judgement people will be judged by their deeds. Books (Daniel 7:10, Isaiah 65:6) will be opened. And those whose name is written in the book of the living (Enoch 47:3) will not be thrown in the sea of fire.
Those who are not in the book of the living will be throne in the sea of fire, Revelation 21:8. Revelation14:9-11, tells us that those in the sea of fire will have no peace, they will not rest etc. One could say that that is their inheritance. These are people who either preferred darkness, as mentioned in John 3:19, or knew Yeshua Messiah but let go of him, as mentioned in 2 Peter 2:17-20 and Hebrews 10:26-28. Because of this I believe it is very important that the followers of Yeshua Messiah assert their choice for him again and again. As we can reed in 2 Corinthians 13:5, Hebrews 10:38, 39 and 2 Peter 1:10. And Yeshua himself warns his followers, as we can read in Matthew 7:22-23 and Matthew 25:41-46. He does tell his followers not to seek him for food, bread that goes bad, but for food that lasts (John 6:26, 27). And he did ask whether he would find faith when he returns, Luke 18:8.
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What about God Almighty’s and Yeshua Messiah’s being and residence?
What does biblical scripture tells us about God Almighty’s being? En short: God Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth, the Father, the God of Israel is spirit (the Holy Spirit), as Yeshua tells us in John 4:14 (compare: 1 Corinthians 2:11). He is no man, as we can reed in
1 Samuel 15:29 and Hosea 11:9. Job 33 verse 12 tells us that God is greater than any human being. And he is one, as Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Mark 12:29-30 and Galatians 3:20 tells us.
The bible tells us that God Almighty’s residence is in heaven (Revelation 11:19: heavenly Temple) and will also be on earth in Jerusalem, is Salem. Psalm 76:2 tells us:
In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion.
Melchizedek was king of Salem (means peace) and priest of the Most High God who made heaven and earth (Genesis14:18, 19, Hebrews 7:1-3 (Melchizedek and Yeshua Messiah, reed Hebrews chapter 7 and 8)). He was centuries before God gave the Law to Moses and before the Temple in Jerusalem. By the way Abel and Cain had the awareness to bring offerings to God. But they were not priests. Revelation 21 verse 22-24 tells us about God’s residence on earth. Revelation 21 verses 1 to 5, also tells us about this:
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
Biblical scripture tells us that Yeshua Messiah is a human being borne of a woman, Mary. He always speaks about his Father and tells us that his Father is greater than him (John 14:28). He calls himself the son of man (Luke 22:69) and the son of God (John 10:36). Matthew 3:17 and 17:5, 6 tells us God Almighty calls Yeshua his son. The angel Gabriel said Yeshua would be called the son of the Most High, Luke 1:32, 33. His disciples call him the son of God, Matthew 16:16- 17 and Matthew 14:33. Even evil spirits acknowledge who he is, Matthew 8:29, Luke 4:41 and Acts 19:15. Other people called him God and they have been doing this to this day.
But what can be said about how Mary got pregnant?
Luke 1: 34, 35: notice verse 35 tells us:
And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Genesis 1:1-3 tells us:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
When comparing these two passages one can draw the following conclusion:
God Almighty is spirit, he is THE CREATOR and he is unique and incomparable with any other being (certainly not with the fallen angels, want to be gods with their mythologies etc.). There for God speaks and c r e a t e s what ever that is needed to serve his purposes.
But God did not speak himself, he spoke through Gabriel. He did speak; Genesis 3 verse 15 tells us, that God said: And I will put enmity between you and the w o m a n, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.
Her seed refers to Yeshua Messiah but I believe also, if you look at human being’s biology, the actual seed of the woman (both men and women have seeds, only named differently). From the moment God spoke these words; his word went out to accomplish what he sent it out for. As is written in Isaiah 55 verse 11: So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Yeshua Messiah is God Almighty’s only borne son (John 3:16). After Yeshua’s resurrection he is in heaven, seated at God’s right hand (Luke 22:69, 1 Peter 3:22) until he returns to rule the earth (Psalm 110). Yeshua’s residence on earth will be the city of the King, Jerusalem (Matthew 5:34-35).
To summarise the purpose of the meek inheriting the earth and the restoration of it,
Revelation 22 verse 3 tells us about Jerusalem:
And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
Daniel 7 verse 27 tells us about God’s Kingdom:
Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.

God bless you,
Mrs. A. vd Laan-Leito
www.thegreenolivetree.nl

Note: thank you for your response. And I agree with Mr. Michael Roman’s comments. But I do believe the mixing up started even earlier. I recently did see the movie 1984. Maybe I should also reed the book (more depth than a movie).

Tags: Galilee, prophecies