Ezekiel 38 and the coming battle for Israel‏‎

“Surely the Sovereign Yehovah does nothing without

revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.”

(Amos 3:7)

End-time experts are talking a lot about the Gog-

Magog war of Ezekiel 38–39, a prophecy that predicts

a powerful confederacy, apparently led by Russia,
that is destined to someday invade Israel.  Some
think that its fulfillment is even knocking at our door.

But a lesser known prophecy is gaining momentum
and importance for our day: Psalm 83, in which a
different confederacy attempts to wipe out Israel.

This psalm seems to be addressing current issues
in the Middle East—nations conspiring to destroy
Israel.

Asaph’s Vision of a Future War

“O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear,
Do not stand aloof, O God.  See how your enemies
growl, how your foes rear their heads.” (Ps:83:1–2)

Psalm 83 is more than a prayer or a plea to God for
vengeance on Israel’s enemies; it reveals that a 10
member confederacy wants to destroy the Chosen
People and possess the Promised Land.

This psalm, however, was not written during a time
of war. It was written some 3,000 years ago by King
David’s worship leader, Asaph, during a time of great
prosperity, liberty, and peace.

King David had decisively triumphed over Israel’s
enemies, and Israel could expand freely since the
superpowers of Egypt and Assyria were both
declining. (Aish)

David’s kingdom, therefore, extended from the Red
Sea to the Euphrates.

But Asaph was not just a worshiper; according to
2 Chronicles 29:30, he was also a chozeh (seer or
prophet).

As a prophet, Asaph saw beyond this period of
peace, to a time when this confederacy would
seek the utter destruction of Israel. That time
now seems to be nearing.

“Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation,
so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”
(Psalm 83:4)

Even though Asaph’s vision was received in a time
of peace, it must have been cause for some concern
since many named in the confederacy had previously
demonstrated their hatred.

Of course, even today, conspiring against the Jewish
People is considered nothing new. From the Philistines
to the Nazis, the Jewish People have been plotted against.

“See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their
heads. With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.”  (Psalm 83:2–3)

The Coalition’s Motive: Break the Abrahamic Covenant

“With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance

against you.”  (Psalm 83:5)

The ten-member coalition of Psalm 83 forms a covenant

with each other against not only the nation of Israel, but

the God of Israel.

The coalition is not satisfied to only destroy Israel
as a nation; they want to wipe out the memory of
the name of Israel; in effect, breaking the Abrahamic
Covenant.

In the Abrahamic covenant, God pledges that a Chosen
People will come through Abraham (Genesis 22:17–18),

through Isaac (Genesis 26:2–4), and through Jacob

(Genesis 28:14) and that God would give them the

Promised Land (Genesis 15:18; Joshua 1:4).

“The Lord appeared to Isaac and said,...  ‘For to you

and your descendants I will give all these lands and
will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.
I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars
in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through
your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.’”
(Genesis 26:2–4)

Of course, if through a human coalition the adversary
could wipe out the name of Israel, that would effectively
make the God of Israel look powerless and a liar in the
face of the entire world.

It would also nullify other promises, including the following:

Davidic Covenant / Eternal Throne (2 Samuel 7:12–13;
Isaiah 9:6–7; Luke 1:31–33)

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name
will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal
Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase
of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and
over His kingdom.”  (Isaiah 9:6–7)

New Covenant / Eternal Relationship (Jeremiah 31:33;
John 14:16–17)

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of
Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put
my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will
be their God, and they will be my people.”(Jeremiah 31:33)

The Word of God, however, is accurate and reliable
and no adversary can thwart God's plans.

His covenant with Abraham is unconditional and everlasting.
Even after Israel’s disobedience, which He foresaw, He
would bring His people home to their own land after a
period of exile.

“It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going
to do these things, but for the sake of My holy name, which
you have profaned among the nations where you have
gone.... For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather
you from all the countries and bring you back into your
own land.”(Ezekiel 36:22, 24)

And God has been fulfilling this prophecy and others like
it, much to the dismay of those seeking to wipe out the
very memory of Israel.

The Ten-Member Coalition

While Israel’s many enemies have wanted to destroy the
nation of Israel and the Jewish People, Asaph specifically
identifies ten nations / groups that unite to form a coalition
for this very purpose:

“With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance

against you; the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of
Moab and the Hagrites, Byblos [Gebal], Ammon and
Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. Even Assyria
has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants.”
(Psalm 83:5–8)

While these groups are no longer identifiable by their

ancient names, Bill Salus, author of Israelist and
Psalm 83: The Missing Prophecy Revealed ascertains
the modern-day equivalents / descendants of these
coalition members as the following:

Tents of Edom:  Palestinians and Southern Jordanians
Ishmaelites:  Saudis (Ishmael is the father of the Arabs)
Moab:  Palestinians and Central Jordanians
Hagrites:  Egyptians (Hagar is an Egyptian matriarch)
Gebal (Byblos):  Hezbollah and Northern Lebanese
Ammon:  Palestinians and Northern Jordanians
Amalek:  Arabs of the Sinai area
Philistia:  Hamas of the Gaza Strip
Tyre:  Hezbollah and Southern Lebanese
Assyria:  Syrians and Northern Iraqi’s

Salus has worked to identify some of these ancient groups

based upon their ancient locations and others by where

they migrated.

Author Joel Richardson has also identified each member

group, as well, basing his conclusions only on their

ancient location in 10th century BC; therefore, his locations

and conclusions differ slightly from those of Salus.

The Coalition's Goal:  Destroy Israel

While this 10-member coalition might not yet be overtly

united in an action against Israel, these nations do exists

today and are already united under the values of Islam.

Moreover, Islam is influenced by a sibling rivalry that

dates back to Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob.

This ancient resentment against the son of promise is perhaps

fueling attacks and conspiracies against the existence of a

Jewish homeland.

Of course, these Psalm 83 countries are actively conspiring

today to either take over the land of Israel and make it their

own or to prevent Israel from being a Jewish state.  In other

words, they want to make Israel a country that cannot

protect and shelter the Jewish People from those who

hate them.

Palestinians—Tents of Edom (Esau); Moab and Ammon

(sons of Lot)

Although Israel is currently in peace negotiations with

the Palestinian Authority (PA) for a two-state solution,

on January 11, 2014, the PA president, Mahmoud Abbas,

made his intentions about Israel’s existence clear:

“We won’t recognize and accept the Jewishness of Israel.

We have many excuses and reasons that prevent us from

doing so,” Abbas said.

“We will march to Jerusalem in the millions, as free people

and heroes,” he asserted.  (JPost)

Jordanians—Tents of Edom; Moab and Ammon

Although Jordan and Israel have enjoyed a peace treaty

since 1994, on February 2, 2014, Jordan’s Foreign Minister

Nasser Judeh told his parliament that Israel should not be

recognized as a Jewish State nor should Jordan take in the

Palestinian refugees (Tents of Edom).  (ArutzSheva)

In response, on February 8, 2014, Jordan’s parliament voted

to not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.  (i24news)

Hezbollah and Lebanon—Gebal (Byblos) and Tyre

While Hezbollah, the terrorist group based in Lebanon,

has been helping Syrian President Assad wage war against

the rebels, on August 2, 2013, Hezbollah leader, Hassan

Nasrallah, came out of hiding to remind the people of

Lebanon that “Israel poses a danger on all people of this

region ... including Lebanon, and removing it is a

Lebanese national interest."  (JPost)

In February 2014, Nasrallah reinforced this idea,

deceptively telling the Lebanese people that “Israel

is still an enemy and a threat to Lebanon's people,

water, oil, security, and sovereignty.”

Hamas—Philistines

Although Gaza is officially a part of the Palestinian

Authority ruled by President Abbas, the terrorist group

Hamas (meaning “violence” in Hebrew) rules Gaza and

is ready to form a coalition with any Muslim group

willing to resist Israel.

Its charter states: “[Hamas] will only be of help to all

associations and organizations which act against the

Zionist enemy and those who revolve in its orbit.”

In January 2014, Hamas Interior Minister Fathi Hamad

said that the goal of Hamas is total destruction of Israel.

“We are coming after the Zionists with all our leaders and

soldiers,” Hamad said.  “You have only eight years on the

land of Palestine before your demise.”  (JPost)

Egyptians (or possibly Northern Jordanians)—Hagrites

or Hagarenes

A year after the Muslim Brotherhood leadership in Egypt

was overthrown in a coup, this country has been working

to undermine the power of Gaza’s Hamas. 

“We cannot get liberated from the terrorism of the

Brotherhood in Egypt without ending it in Gaza, which lies

on our borders,” an unnamed Egyptian senior security

official said.  (Reuters)

To accomplish this, Egypt has stationed thousands of

troops and equipment in the northern Sinai, well beyond

the number allowed in the 1979 peace treaty between

Egypt and Israel.  With another coup or change of heart,

Egypt is now well-positioned for a southern attack on Israel.

But at least one commentator believes that Egyptians are

not the Hagarenes.  Based on 1 Chronicles 5:10, which

Specifies a region east of Gilead, Joel Richardson believes

the Hagarenes are northern Jordanians.

If he is correct, then the peace and cooperation that Israel

is currently enjoying with Egypt might continue through

the coming war.  (wnd)

Gilead was a mountainous region east of the

Jordan River divided among the tribes of Gad

and Manasseh.  It is situated in what is today

called Jordan.

Saudis (or all Arabs)—Ishmaelites

Salus believes Saudi Arabia represents the Ishmaelite people

in Psalm 83.  Like most Arabs throughout the Middle East

and Africa, the Saudis claim to be the true chosen people

(as descendants of Ishmael).

Considering that Saudi Arabia is an ally of the US and a foe

of Iran, it may seem that it is not involved in a coalition

against Israel.

Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia voted “no” to the 1947 UN

resolution to create a Jewish state and supported the Arab

invasions of 1948, 1967 and 1973 with troops, as well as

with finances.  They do not have diplomatic relations with

Israel.

Arabs of the Sinai (or of the Negev area)—Amalek (grandson

of Esau)

Bill Salus places the Amalekites in Sinai.  He believes they

were a part of Esau’s family (the Edomites) who migrated

into the Sinai area, which is part of Egypt.

Others, however, think that the Amalekites originated near

Mecca and by the 10th century BC, migrated to the Negev

area of modern Israel (wnd).  It is possible, therefore, that

some Arab-Israelis currently enjoying citizenship within

Israel are of this group.

Indeed, some Arabs inside of Israel look for its destructionas

a Jewish state, and even have Arab representation in

the Knesset (parliament):

"Israel should be defined as a state of its own nationalities.

There are two nationalities in Israel.  One is [the] Jewish

majority, one is [the] Arab-Palestinian minority,” said the

deputy speaker of the Knesset Ahmad Tibi in January 2014.

 “Saying that Israel is the Jewish state is neglecting our

existence, our very existence and our narrative, and I will

not accept that," he added.  (CBC)

Syrians and Northern Iraqis (and possibly Turkey)—Assyria

Since the creation of both Israel and Syria in the mid-20th

century, diplomatic ties have never been established

between these two countries, which share a border.

Syria has attacked Israel in three major wars in 1948,

1967, and 1973.

The situation in Syria is incredibly volatile.  While Syria’s

President Bashar Assad shares the common hatred for

Israel with his neighbors, the U.S. is worried that if he

is defeated in his civil war, the many thousands of jihadist

rebels, including Hezbollah, will take control and eagerly

rally support for a war against Israel. (fox news)

Although the U.S. supports Israel’s defense against these

national threats, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has

unwittingly supported the ambitions of the coalition when

he said on March 13 that Israel should not require the

PA to recognize Israel as a Jewish State.

The Prophet Appeals for Victory

In Psalm 83, the prophet Asaph appeals to God, asking

Him to make the coalition members perish in disgrace

(Psalm 83:9–18).

In fact, Obadiah, Ezekiel 25–27, 37:10, and Jeremiah

49:1–6 prophesy that these coalition members will

indeed perish and be cursed as Genesis 12:3 predicts:

“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses

you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed

through you.”

These connecting prophetic verses seem to refer to

Israel’s victory in Psalm 83.

A resulting sense of regional security may make Israel ripe

for the battle of Ezekiel 38—the invasion of a nine-member

coalition whose leaders say,

“I will go up against the land of unwalled villages.  I will fall

upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them

dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates, to

seize spoil and carry off plunder...”  (Ezekiel 38:11–12)

While Israel today is indeed prospering and is a safe

country to visit, she will have incredible riches and live

in unparalleled safety after the victory of Psalm 83 is

complete.

Psalm 83: A Pending Prophecy

Some theologians have argued that the battle highlighted

in Psalm 83:5–8 was fulfilled in Israel’s 1948 War for

Independence; however, the tents (refugees or military

encampments) of Edom (Southern Jordan) only came

into existence in 1949, after the war ended.

And since Psalm 83 lists them first, Salus believes the tents

of Edom will play a key role in this coming war.

Other theologians have made the argument that the 1967

Six-Day War fulfilled this prophecy; still, only a portion

of the ten members listed were involved in that war, so

the Six Day War does not seem to be the fulfillment

of this end-time prophecy.

Since neither of these wars precisely fulfill the prophecy,

we can understand that some future war involving a

10-member coalition will fulfill it.

Today that coalition, which is united under the common

values and motives of Islam, fits the prophecy’s

requirements like no other time in history.

Therefore, many believe the war in Psalm 83 will

happen soon, before the invasion of Ezekiel 38.

In fact, none of the ten coalition members of Psalm 83

are mentioned in Ezekiel 38, though the book of Ezekiel

mentions them elsewhere.

Pitfalls in Interpreting Prophecy

"I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they

will never be silent day or night.  You who call on Yehovah,

give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He

establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the

earth."  (Isaiah 62:6–7)

There is a saying that hindsight is 20/20.  Likewise, Bible

prophecy is more easily understood in hindsight, after its

fulfillment.

Psalm 83 reminds us that we must keep a watchful

eye on the Middle East and pray for the peace of Jerusalem,

as well as diligently study God’s Word.

As we watch, pray and study, God will give us wisdom

as events unfold and the pieces of the prophetic puzzle

come into place.

And when they do, that picture will be illuminated on the

same wall where God has displayed His plan for Israel

And mankind and where the Messianic prophecies are

permanently hung.

“Israel will be saved by Yehovah with an everlasting

salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced,

to ages everlasting.”  (Isaiah 45:17)

"For I am ready to set things right, not in the distant

future,but right now!  I am ready to save Jerusalem

and show My glory to Israel."  (Isaiah 46:13)

Keep Easter, Why?

Exactly how did Easter, a holiday not found in the Bible, and never celebrated in the early Church, come to replace the 1st day of the week [Sunday] that followed the Jewish Passover, come to be observed as the day of Jesus' resurrection after 325 A.D.?

How did Easter become the popular holiday it is today? Have you ever looked into it?

Isn't it important to know the truth of the matter? Jesus, the anointed one himself, said that the truth would make us free (John 8:32). He was speaking of being free of wrong ideas that mislead, entrap, and enslave us.

If we look back in history, one key date regarding Easter is the year A.D. 325. At that time, the Roman emperor Constantine held an assembly with some 250 bishops at Nicaea, a town in what is now north-western Turkey, close to present-day Istanbul. This meeting is known in history as the Council of Nicaea.

What does this Council have to do with Easter? It actually set the stage for the removal of the 1st day of the week [Sunday] following the Jewish Passover as the day to celebrate Jesus' resurrection, and replaced it with a day not at all connected with the Jewish Passover.

Constantine and the Nicene Council rejected the 1st day of the week [Sunday] following the Jewish Passover as the day to celebrate Jesus' resurrection. 

At the Council of Nicaea, under the dominating eye of Constantine, the majority of the bishops backed replacing the Christian observance of the 1st day of the week [Sunday] following the Jewish Passover as the day to celebrate Jesus' resurrection with the day the Roman Catholic Church decided, the day they observe today called Easter.

Actually, it should be understood that while they called the new celebration of Jesus' resurrection Pascha or Passover, it was certainly not the 1st day of the week [Sunday] following the Jewish Passover, but a religious celebration derived from pagan origins. Later, it would become known as "Easter," the Germanic name for this festival and what it is commonly called today. (Other languages still call it the Passover of the Resurrection, which can cause some confusion. Some English sources refer to the true Christian Passover, a memorial of Christ's death, as Easter, but this is clearly a misnomer, as we'll see.

The dispute over this matter in the early Christian centuries is known in history as the Paschal Controversy. Regrettably, we virtually have only one side of the story. James Carroll, writing about the Nicene Council in his book Constantine's Sword, explains the Roman emperor's motives: "Immediately upon coming to power as the sole ruler of the empire [A.D. 324], but only then, Constantine asserted the right to exercise absolute authority over the entire Church. He did this even though he was not baptized, and, as was not unusual, would not be until shortly before he died" (2001, p. 188, emphasis added throughout).

After this Council, Constantine wrote a blatantly anti-Semitic letter to the churches in the Roman Empire, letting them know his thoughts about the Easter-Passover controversy.

Here is part of what he wrote as to the rationale for Christians to abandon the biblical feast of Passover, which the Jewish people had long observed in fulfillment of God's commands:

"And truly, in the first place, it seemed to everyone a most unworthy thing that we should follow the custom of the Jews in the celebration of this most holy solemnity, who, polluted wretches!, having stained their hands with a nefarious crime, are justly blinded in their minds.”

"It is fit, therefore, that, rejecting the practice of this people, we should perpetuate to all future ages the celebration of this rite in a more legitimate order ... Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.”

"We have received another method from the Saviour [???] A more lawful and proper course is open to our most holy religion ... Let us withdraw ourselves, my much honored brethren, from that most odious fellowship" (quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History, "Council of Nice," 1974, p. 52).

At first glance, it appears Constantine was attacking only Jews of the Jewish faith, but notice what Mal and Donna Broadhurst insightfully point out: "The fact that Christianity never had religious fellowship with non-Christian Jews means the Jews referred to were the Christian Jews. The reference to Jews instructing Christians how to observe the Christian Passover feast could only apply to Christian Jews, as non-Christian Jews did not tell Christians how to observe the Passover. The fellowship from which Constantine wanted the Church to withdraw was fellowship with Christian Jews" ( Passover Before Messiah and After,1987, p. 147).

In fact, the leaders of Jewish Christianity, the successors of the group that had held the prevailing beliefs for the first century after the Church was founded, were either not invited to this Council or knew better and did not appear.

As the Broadhursts point out, "Constantine apparently began his plan to unify the church by simply not inviting any Jewish Christian representatives to the Council. (It is possible that Jewish church leaders were invited and refused to come, but other facts about the Council lead to the former conclusion.) The lists of those present at the Council show them all to have had Greek names. None of those present had characteristic Jewish names. The Palestinian delegates were from the coastal cities where mainly Gentiles lived. It is known that there were Jewish bishops in Palestine at the time" (p. 146).

The sword drawn against "Fourteeners"

As emperor, Constantine tolerated no dissent. So he soon drew his sword against those not following his wishes in not conforming to the teachings of the Catholic, or universal, church. The historian Robin Lane Fox notes: "At Nicaea, the Emperor himself imposed criminal sentences of exile on the bishops who refused to sign . He also investigated other reports of heresy" ( Pagans and Christians, 1986, p. 656).

Eventually, those bishops who did not agree with the decisions made in Nicaea were exiled and their works banned. A vicious persecution against Christian Jews and others branded as heretics began. So the Catholic Church, which previously had been persecuted, became the chief persecutor of those who chose to remain true to what had been practiced by the early church, rather than follow the dictates of a deeply compromised church.

"The Paschal Controversy was 'settled' at the Council of Nicaea; not theologically, but politically," the Broadhursts further explain. "It was settled by eliminating one of the viewpoints. Church law had been laid down. No longer could any Christians celebrate [the] Christian Passover the way [the apostle] John, Philip and other [Christian] Jews had celebrated it. All were required to celebrate on the Sunday following the 14th [of the Hebrew first month of Nisan]. As a result once respected 'Quartodecimans' ["Fourteeners"] who persisted in the belief handed down to them from the Apostles, would henceforth be called heretics" (p. 148).

What was the result of this Council? Historian Jesse Hurlbut candidly describes the consequences: "But while the triumph of Christianity resulted in much that was good, inevitably the alliance of the church and state also brought in its train many evils. The ceasing of persecution was a blessing, but the establishment of Christianity as the state religion became a curse.

"Everyone sought membership in the church, and nearly everybody was accepted ... The forms and ceremonies of paganism gradually crept into the worship. Some of the old heathen feasts became church festivals with a change of name and of worship ... As a result of the church sitting in power, we do not see Christianity transforming the world to its ideal, but the world dominating the church" ( A History of the Christian Church, 1918, pp. 78-79).

A.D. 325 was the beginning of the Dark Ages

So the year 325 is crucial in the outcome of what traditional Christianity has become. "As far as [the] Christian Passover is concerned, "the Broadhursts conclude, "the beginning of the Dark Ages can be set at 325 A.D. with the Council of Nicaea. Along with turning their backs on Jewish Christians, the Gentiles turned their backs on the Jewish Scriptures [the Old Testament].

"They disallowed Jewish input to their faith, lifestyle, and worship ... It took a major reformation centuries later [in the 1500s] to begin to undo the horror and destruction the church brought on the world when the Gentiles at Nicaea formally adopted the policy of 'having nothing in common with the Jews'" (p. 149).

A few years later, in 332, Constantine again sternly rebuked those who opposed Catholic teachings with this warning and threat: "Forasmuch, then, as it is no longer possible to bear with your pernicious errors, we give warning by this present statute that none of you henceforth presume to assemble yourselves together.

"We have directed, accordingly, that you be deprived of all the houses in which you are accustomed to hold your assemblies: and [ we ] forbid the holding of your superstitious and senseless meetings, not in public merely, but in any private house or place whatsoever.

"Let those of you, therefore, who are desirous of embracing the true and pure religion, take the far better course of entering the catholic Church, and uniting with it in holy fellowship, whereby you will be enabled to arrive at the knowledge of the truth" (quoted by Eusebius, Life of Constantine, sect. 3, chap. 65).

A bloodbath eventually occurred. Those who did not conform to the Church of Rome, now united with the powerful Roman Empire, suffered implacable persecution.

Regarding the aftermath of the Council of Nicaea, famed historian Will Durant stated, "Probably more Christians were slaughtered by Christians in these two years (342-3) than by all the persecutions of Christians by pagans in the history of Rome" ( The Story of Civilization, Vol. 4: The Age of Faith, 1950, p. 8).

The Roman calendar adopted by the Roman Church

Due to the decisions of the Nicene Council, the pagan Roman calendar was adopted instead of the Jewish calendar to determine the dates of what were now deemed to be Christian festivals. Those who continued keeping the true “Christian Passover” as handed down from the apostles had to go into hiding, for they were targeted along with other "heretics" by the church under Constantine and his successors.

Church historian Henry Chadwick points out the Easter controversy: "Victor of Rome's intervention [referring to the earlier Roman bishop Victor's ruling to observe Easter instead of the Christian Passover or be excommunicated] turned out to be successful in the sense that his view was eventually to prevail. But it was a long time before those who kept Easter [i.e., the true Passover, it being misnamed here] on the fourteenth day (nicknamed Quartodecimans) died out.

"The group still existed in the ninth century despite the vigour with which church councils deplored them. It was impossible in so weighty a practical question for diversity to be allowed, but there can be little doubt that the Quartodecimans were right in thinking that they had preserved the most ancient and apostolic custom. They had become heretics simply by being behind the times" ( The Early Church, 1967, p. 85).

So from approximately 325 to 1585, a period of 1,260 years, Christians who continued to follow the Bible's instruction about Passover had to flee and hide from the vicious church and state persecutions during those ensuing centuries.

The curtain finally rises on the period of religious persecution

It was only during the time of Elizabethan England that a measure of religious tolerance was granted, and the inheritors of the legacy of those early Jewish and gentile Christians, who followed the original practices of Jesus and the apostles, could finally emerge.

In 1585, England and Spain went to war, mainly over the attempt of Spain to impose the Catholic faith on England militarily. Spain lost the war and also its famed Spanish Armada, so England was free to continue its religious tolerance, which eventually spread to its colonies abroad, including what became the United States and Canada. In large part, thanks to what happened then, we enjoy those same freedoms of worship in many nations of the world today.

The returning the lord Messiah Jesus will lead the world to keep God's festivals

Let's move forward to the 21st century. From what we have read, dare we ask if there is something better and more biblical to observe than Easter?

To answer this, just imagine in your mind the following scene: Jesus the Messiah has finally returned to rule on the earth, just as He had promised (Matthew 24:30).

And note what will happen, as foretold in Zechariah 14:3-19: "Then Yehovah will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east ... And the Lord shall be King over all the earth...

"And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles [one of God's annual festivals, listed in Leviticus 23]. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain.

"If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles."

What Easter replaced: the Christian Passover, the 1st day of the week according to the Jewish Calendar that followed Passover [Sunday]

Shortly before His death, Jesus prophesied to his disciples what feast he would keep when he returned. Again, it was not the man-made counterfeit Easter. Rather, He said, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (Luke 22:15-16). Clearly, one of the festivals the lord Messiah Jesus will again celebrate when He establishes His Kingdom is the Christian Passover!

Paul reminded Church members in Corinth: "Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed the anointed One, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Corinthians:5:7-8).

We can look forward to the day when Jesus Christ returns and restores all the genuine Christian feasts that were changed by deceived and deluded men in the distant past.

The good news is that we can now celebrate the resurrection of the lord Jesus on the 1st day of the week that follows the Jewish Passover and rejoice at that time [the time when under the old covenant the wave sheaf offering was presented before Yahovah, as a type of Jesus, the first-fruit of all who will be resurrected at his return ].  So on the 1st day of the week, all those in the lord Jesus can come together in wonderful fellowship and, as Jesus foretold in John 4:23-24, worship God in spirit and truth.

I think that what would be a great idea would be for the called-out Assembly of God to keep the lord’s supper at the same time that the Jews celebrate Passover and then celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on the 1st day of the week, according to the Jewish calendar that follows the Jewish Passover, which would be what we call Sunday.

Of course, we can keep the lord’s Supper at any time during the year, but to keep it on the same evening as the Jews eat their Passover meal would be a good thing to do.

Pondering the Royal Law

The superiority that has no superior; the redeemer and
instructor of souls, as it is their primal essence, is love.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) **************************
Pondering the Royal Law
A Reflective Study of James 2:8

The great English poet William Blake (1757-1827) once stated that love is "lawless, wing'd, and unconfin'd, and breaks all chains from every mind." In other words, love is liberating. Love, by its very nature, refuses to be shackled; it must be free to soar within and even beyond the hearts of those who have embraced it. To limit love by law would be criminal. Thus, it is not surprising that, after Paul informs us that the fruit of the Spirit is primarily love (and 8 other qualities inherent to the nature of love and its practical manifestation), he immediately states, "against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:23). To regulate love is to restrain love; to legislate it is to limit it. Love, in the words of Blake, must be "lawless" if it is to be genuine; it must be unconfined and given wings

. 

Therefore, it is not inaccurate, and it is certainly quite appropriate, to characterize love as a "royal" law, or a "kingly" law, or even a "sovereign" law, for it truly reigns supreme over all else, and is subservient to no other precept or principle. Paul even went so far as to declare that no matter how good we become in our daily lives, if we do not have love, all our good deeds profit us nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3). It is not the acts we perform that ultimately concern our Lord, it is whether or not we posses the proper motivation in our hearts for engaging in those acts. Jesus informed the church in Ephesus that He was aware of their many good deeds, and toil, and perseverance, but in spite of these He warned them that they were in danger of having their lampstand removed, for they had abandoned the love they had at first (Rev. 2:2-4). God is love (1 John 4:8, 16), and we are called to look like Him; we are children of the King, and we are to be kingly in our nature. Thus, we love just as He loved us and channeled that love through His Son, who, in His incarnation, became the visible reflection of that divine love. So, is it any wonder that the divine quality of LOVE should be characterized by our Lord's own brother, James, as a "royal law" (James 2:8)? He wrote, "If you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well."

The vast majority of our English versions render the Greek phrase used by James as "royal law," although a few have opted for a somewhat different reading: "royal rule" (The Message), "law of the kingdom" (New American Bible, St. Joseph Edition), "sovereign law" (New English Bible), "supreme law" (New Jerusalem Bible), "kingly law" (New World Translation), "the most important law" (Contemporary English Version). These all suggest that our Lord's command to love one another is a true reflection of our King, as well as a fitting guiding principle for His subjects within His kingdom. Indeed, as some versions suggest, it is the king of all laws; the supreme command, subservient to no other edict. The apostle Paul declared, "The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not covet,' and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Rom. 13:9). Yes, it is the king of all law, the kingly law, the law of the King, the law of the kingdom! In this command to love one another (as well as the other part of it: to love our God) lies the fulfillment of all other laws, as well as the teachings of the prophets and the inspired writings and directives under both covenants. For those seeking "the list" of what our God expects of His creation, here it is: Love Him and love each other. List complete!!

As James clearly states in James 2:8, if one is truly following this "royal law," then one is "doing well" (i.e., one stands approved in the sight of the Lord God). Too often the people of God want to vastly increase the particulars of God's "list" to include personal and party preferences, perceptions and practices, with fellowship and even salvation either extended or withheld based on how well one follows our list. Divine approval, however, is never tied to such a humanly deduced list. Rather, it is tied solely and simply to the "royal law" -- do this and you "do well" ... do this and ALL law (whatever it may be) is fulfilled. A reader of these Reflections wrote me the other day, saying, "Al, I appreciate your energy to challenge the patternist mentality. I have read your articles all the way through, and I think you may have left yourself open for similar criticism." His point was: I have been asking the legalistic patternists for their "list of particulars" for almost 40 years, and they refuse to provide it. This reader wrote, "Get ready for those guys to ask you." Unlike the legalists, however, I am fully ready and prepared to "provide the list." It is short and to the point: Love God and love one another. There it is! When Jesus was asked for a list, this is the one He gave. It sums up the Law and the Prophets. Paul declares all other law subservient to it, and James characterizes it "royal law" (the law of the King, kingly law, the king of all law, sovereign law, kingdom law). Brethren, here's your "list" -- if you do this, you do well (so says James, the brother of our Lord).

"God's law is the law of love; and love is kingly. The divine nature itself is the foundation of virtue; and 'God is love.' Hence the divine law is the eternal rule and final standard of rectitude. It possesses supreme excellence and supreme authority. Every other system of legislation, and all other rules of duty, ought to be subordinate to 'the royal law.' This law, we know, cannot be unjust; for it is a transcript of the moral perfection of the divine nature, and is therefore the Alpha and Omega of all law" [The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 21: James, p. 35]. What does obedience to this "royal law" look like in action? In human form? It looks just like JESUS. Thus, HE is our Pattern! He is our great example of how to evidence this "royal law" in our daily lives and in response to the daily challenges of life. To help us in that transformation into His image, God has given us His Spirit, who indwells and empowers us. As we bear the fruit of that Spirit in our lives, we show forth the evidence of this divine love to those about us, and in so doing we keep the "royal law," and we stand approved by our Father. It is truly that simple. Dr. Charles Ellicott writes, "The sovereign law of love, thus expressed by James, is one so plain that the simplest mind may be made its interpreter, and the violation of it is at once clear to the offender" [Ellicott's Commentary on the Whole Bible, vol. 8, p. 364].

"What James is implying is that obedience to the 'love commandment' fulfills the 'royal law,' which refers to the entire will of God, especially as revealed in the teaching of Jesus" [Dr. Ralph Martin, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 48: James, p. 67]. "Jesus taught that love is at the base of every duty, whether to God or man" [Guy N. Woods, A Commentary on the Epistle of James, p. 119]. Too often we seek to make the specifics of our "duty" to God and others the particulars of some "law list." In so doing, we completely miss the point of our Lord's teaching. Particulars of compliance to the "royal law" may vary from place to place, culture to culture, or over the course of time. The "royal law," however, is eternal. To elevate the former to the level of the latter is a fatal error, and one that has led to the factional feuding we find in the church today. God's "law" is very simple; all the rest is peripheral. Notice the following story told by Guy N. Woods: "A Gentile, desiring to make fun of the tremendous mass of material assembled by the Jews in their traditions, once said to a rabbi, 'Rabbi, teach me the law, provided you can do so while standing on one foot!' The Gentile, of course, felt that the eminent scholar could not long speak in this position. The rabbi wisely answered, 'Love God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul; and your neighbor as yourself:That is all the law; the rest is mere commentary!'" [ibid, p. 120]. Similarly, Rabbi Hillel (c. 110 B.C.-10 A.D.), one of the most important religious leaders among the Jews (and who is said to have lived 120 years, just like Moses), is reported to have stated that the commands to love God and love others are "the essence of Torah; the remainder is commentary" [Dr. Ralph Martin,Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 48: James, p. 68]. Little wonder, then, that the apostle Paul should write to the Galatian brethren, "The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Gal. 5:14). It is the king of law; the sovereign law; the law of the kingdom; the "royal law."

"Being the most excellent of all laws, we may call it the sovereign principle of our conduct" [The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 21: James, p. 29]. "It is 'royal law' because it is sovereign over all other laws, and is a law of such quality that on it hang all the Law (the Torah) and the Prophets (the whole Old Testament)" [Dr. R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of the Epistle of James, p. 570]. "It is called 'royal' because it is the supreme law to which all other laws governing human relationships are subordinate" [The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 12, p. 179]. "The great King, God, is love; His law is the royal law of love, and that law, like Himself, reigns supreme" [Drs. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Practical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, p. 1452]. Thus, those who "practice lawlessness," and who thereby will stand condemned at the final judgment, are those who refuse to "practice love." It is this (rather than non-compliance with a long list of legalistic, patternistic, party particulars) that constitutes "lawlessness" (contrary to what the legalists might tell you as they seek to tie "lawlessness" to such things as using multiple cups in the Lord's Supper, singing with an instrument, eating in a church building, having a Sunday School, etc.). To be lawless in the estimation of our Lord is simply to be loveless in our interactions with others! When we stand in judgment before our Father, it is how we treated others that will come up, not religious rules and regulations! This will come as a huge surprise to "the rigid religionists and legalistic patternists" at the great separation of sheep from goats! While they were busy performing their meritorious works of law, they failed to keep the "royal law." To these "lawless" ones, Jesus will say, "Depart from Me ... for I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me" (Matt. 25:41-43). All their religious exactness will profit them nothing, for they followed precisely the petty party patterns of mere men, rather than following the Pattern of the Person of Jesus Christ, the personification of the Royal Law -- LOVE. If we desire to "do well," in the words of James, we will followthis law.

Such a course through life is truly liberating. We are liberated from following the countless religious rules and regulations deduced, assumed and inferred by men, and are bound only to the "royal law" of love. "His royal law is at once a law of love and of liberty" [Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, p. 1452]. James refers to this as "the perfect law that gives freedom" (James 1:25). Therefore, we should all "speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom" (James 2:12). It is the divine standard of LOVE by which all will be measured in judgment. Those who look like Him will be approved; those who look like the world will perish along with it. Yes, when we submit to the rule of love (the royal law), we are thereby freed from bondage to all other law. As Paul told the Romans, "you are not under law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14). In this dispensation of grace we are liberated from law and are now free to simply LOVE our God and one another as fully and freely as we desire, to His glory and their edification and our enrichment. Brethren, while I will continue to plague the patternists for their legal list of particulars, and while they will continue to refuse to provide it, let me invite you who are weary of their ways to come and embrace the "royal law" of our Lord. Together, let us simply learn to LOVE. It will be a liberating experience!!

God's Mercy Extends Beyond Our Shortcomings

by Rudy Rangel

Source: Photos.com

Jesus’ life and death left a perfect example for us to follow. As Christians we tend to beat ourselves up when we fall short. Every day we fall short. Be comforted that God’s mercy extends beyond our shortcomings.

Here’s a biblical illustration: In 2 Chronicles, King Hezekiah reinstated Passover observance and true worship after the kingdom of Judah had been led into idol worship by many evil kings. King Hezekiah sent invitations to those who were left from the nation of Israel after captivity in Assyria. It says, “There was great joy in the city, for Jerusalem had not seen a celebration like this one since the days of Solomon, King David’s son” (2 Chronicles 30:26, New Living Translation).

What a joyous occasion! Judah and a few of the remnant of Israel would celebrate the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread. The commanded Feasts of the Lord would again be observed in Jerusalem. Yet we see in verse 18 that some of those who traveled down from Israel had not properly cleansed themselves. They were not fit to eat the Passover. The law was clear as to what needed to be done, and they had not fulfilled it.

Hezekiah prayed to our merciful Father and asked that God would atone for the people who had not properly purified themselves. But he didn’t just ask for blanket mercy for the people. Hezekiah prayed for the people on a condition: “May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God , the Lord God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary” (emphasis added).

God listened to Hezekiah and atoned for the people (vs. 20). And God did it for them because they had prepared their hearts to seek Him. Many view God in the Old Testament as harsh and swift to punish. But here we see God’s abundant mercy. The people, according to the law, should not have eaten the Passover. But God’s grace and love for us allowed them to eat the Passover.

The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:27-28; that we should examine ourselves before we partake of the Lord's Supper. God, from the beginning, has always looked at the heart of a person. The mercy that God showed to the people of Israel is completely consistent with what he expects of us today as Christians. God considered their hearts.

We serve a loving God that wants us to be in soon coming Kingdom, as co-rulers and co-inheritors with the lord Messiah Jesus. When our hearts are in the right place and we submit ourselves in obedience, God’s mercy will always extend beyond our shortcomings.

The Jews in Prophecy

The panorama of prophecy that relates to the Jews is breathtaking. It applies to the past, the present, and the future. It demonstrates God's love and grace as nothing else does except the Cross itself.

Paul was so overwhelmed by God's patient determination to bring a remnant of the Jews to salvation that he cried out in ecstasy: "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!" (Romans 11:33).

Let's take a look at the incredible prophecies that pertain to the Jewish people, and let's begin with the prophecies that have already been fulfilled.

Fulfilled Prophecies

1) Dispersion — The Jews were warned repeatedly that they would be dispersed worldwide if they were not faithful to their covenant with God. Consider the words of Moses: "The Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other..." (Deuteronomy 28:64; see also Leviticus 26:33).

2) Persecution — The Lord also warned the Jews that they would be persecuted wherever they went. Again, the words of Moses are graphic in this regard: "And among those nations you shall find no rest, and there shall be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul" (Deuteronomy 28:65).

3) Desolation — God promised that after their dispersion, their land would become "desolate" and their cities would become "waste" (Leviticus 26:33). Moses put it more graphically when he said, "the foreigner who comes from a distant land...will say, 'All its land is brimstone and salt, a burning waste, unsown and unproductive, and no grass grows in it'" (Deuteronomy 29:22-23).

4) Preservation — But God in His marvelous grace promised He would preserve the Jews as a separate people during their worldwide wanderings. (See Isaiah 66:22; Jeremiah 30:11; 31:35-37.) Isaiah puts it in a colorful way. He says the Lord could no more forget Israel than a mother could forget her nursing child (Isaiah 49:15). He then adds that God cannot forget Israel because He has them tattooed on the palms of His hands! (Isaiah 49:16).

God has fulfilled all four of these prophecies during the past 2,000 years. In 70 A.D. the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem and took the Jewish nation into captivity, desolating the land and scattering the Jewish people across the face of the earth. As prophesied, everywhere they went they were persecuted, with their persecution culminating in the Nazi Holocaust of World War II.

But God also preserved the Jews, and the fulfillment of this prophecy has been one of the most remarkable miracles of history. No other people have ever been so dispersed and yet been able to retain their identity as a nation.

Current Prophecies

We are privileged to live in an age when God is fulfilling many promises to the Jews. What a testimony this is to the fact that God is alive and well, that God is on His throne and in control, and that God is faithful to His promises.

1) Regathering — The Old Testament prophets promise repeatedly that the day will come when God will regather the Jews to Palestine (see Isaiah 11:10-12 and Ezekiel 36:22-28). This remarkable regathering of the Jews from the four corners of the earth has occurred in our life time. World War I prepared the land for the people as the control of Palestine was transferred from a nation that hated the Jews (the Turks) to a nation that was sympathetic to their return (Britain). The Holocaust of World War II prepared the people for the land by motivating them to return.

2) Nationhood — The prophets stated that when the people were regathered, the nation of Israel would be re-established. This occurred on May 14, 1948 (see Isaiah 66:7-8; Zechariah 12:3-6). This is the cornerstone prophetic event of our age. It is an event that prophetic scholars have pointed to for 400 years amid much scoffing and ridicule by those who did not believe that Israel would ever exist again as a nation.

3) Reclamation — God promised that with the re-establishment of the nation, the land would bloom again (Isaiah 35:1-7; Joel 2:21-26). As Ezekiel put it, people would one day exclaim: "This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden!" (Ezekiel 36:35). And that is exactly what people exclaim today when they visit Israel, for it is once again a land of milk and honey. Over 300 million trees have been planted in this century. Rainfall has increased 450 percent. The former malaria infested swamps have been converted into cultivated land. Water from the Sea of Galilee has been channeled to the deserts, causing them to bloom.

4) Language — When the Jews were scattered worldwide in the first century, they ceased speaking the Hebrew language. The Jews who settled in Europe developed a language called Yiddish (a combination of Hebrew and German). The Jews in the Mediterranean basin mixed Hebrew with Spanish to produce a language called Ladino. The prophet Zephaniah implied a time would come when the Hebrew language would be revived (Zephaniah 3:9). It has been. Today the Israelis speak Biblical Hebrew. It is the only example in history of the resurrection of a dead language. The man God used to revive the language was Eliezer Ben Yehuda (1858-1922).

5) Jerusalem — Jesus said that one of the surest signs of His imminent return would be the re-occupation of Jerusalem by the Jews (Luke 21:24). This occurred during the Six Day War in June 1967.

6) Military Strength — Zechariah prophesied that when the Jews were re-established in the land, their military strength would be overwhelming — like "a flaming torch among sheaves" — and that they would "consume" all the peoples around them (Zechariah 12:6). Need anything be said about the fulfillment if this prophecy?

7) Focal Point — Israel is always pictured as the focal point of world politics in the end times (Zechariah 12:3; 14:1-9). This has been true since the Arab oil boycott in 1973. The West suddenly realized its dependence on Arab oil and began to line up behind the Arab obsession to annihilate Israel.

Future Prophecies

1) Tribulation — God will put the Jewish people through an unparalleled period of tribulation (Deuteronomy 4:30), during which two-thirds of the Jews will perish (Zechariah 13:8-9). The purpose will be to soften the hearts of a remnant so that they will accept Jesus as their Messiah.

2) Salvation — A remnant of the Jews will "look upon Him whom they have pierced" and will accept Him as Lord and Savior (Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:1-6,25-29).

3) Primacy — God will then regather all the believing Jews to Israel where they will be established as the prime nation in the world during the millennial reign of Jesus. (See Deuteronomy 28:1,13; 2 Samuel 7:9; Isaiah 60-62; Micah 4:1-7.)

God's Infinite Love

God set the Jews aside and put them under discipline because of their disobedience, but He did not cut them off from His grace.

He intends to bring His wayward wife home: "For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince... Afterward, the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God... and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days." (Hosea 3:4-5)

The loving kindness and faithfulness of God in keeping His promises to the Jewish people should be a source of encouragement to all Christians. As we watch God fulfill promises which He made to the Jewish people thousands of years ago, we can be absolutely certain that He will be faithful to fulfill all the promises He has made to the Congregation of God - the Israel of God.