¡Hasta Luego!

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you (2 Corinthians 13:11). I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee (3 John 1:13).

Hasta luego isn’t “goodbye;” it means “until later” or “until next time.” I have decided to throttle back on my writing efforts in order to concentrate on other activities that I reserved for my retirement: reading the many books in my library, relearning my guitar and piano, and being more dedicated to physical exercise. I plan to continue writing, but not regularly. Instead of posting weekly, I will be more sporadic with my posts reserving my writing for special bouts of inspiration.

I first posted on this site on June 4, 2012. Since then, I have posted at least one article per week for a total of approximately 624 articles. On paper, my articles average three pages of single-spaced text and more than 1200 words. By this time, I could have written at least one good-sized book.

I have written on many topics which the reader can find under my list of “Categories.” Most of the articles fall into more than one category which allows the reader to study a specific category from different perspectives.

I also have two in-depth studies for the serious student of the Bible in the tabs at the top of this page. “Jesus’ 7’s” is a collection of articles on the Gospel of John focusing on the seven “I AM” statements of Jesus, the seven signs, and the seven discourses recorded in the Gospel of John. “Revelation” is a collection of articles on end-times prophecy based mostly on the Book of Revelation.

For the reader who wants to know how to obtain eternal life with God in heaven, I have written what I hope is a clear explanation of the Gospel message in the tab entitled “Securing Eternal Life.” And for anyone who would like to know what heaven might be like, there is the tab entitled “Heaven.”

My prayer is that God will continue to use the work I have produced, and that it will be a blessing to the reader. As I said, I am not stopping altogether, but I will be writing much less as God leads. So, ¡Hasta luego!

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America Is in Trouble

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. (Zechariah 2:8)

For anyone paying even the least amount of attention to current events, it should be obvious that our country, the United States of America, is in serious trouble. Our wide-open borders allow thousands of illegal, undocumented, foreign invaders to enter our country every day. We err in thinking that these border crossers come only from Mexico. Indeed, they come from countries around the globe: China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, several South American countries, and many other places. Many of these countries hate America. Of greater concern, a large majority of these invaders are young, single, military-age men – men who have no allegiance or affinity toward American values or loyalty to our Constitution. These same invaders break our laws, murder, rape, and demand sustenance from our government. They do not come to contribute, but to take all they can get.

Due to their “woke” policies, our military cannot meet its recruitment goals, so to fill the gap, they offer instant citizenship to these invaders.[1] Think of how these recruits would respond if the military turned against American citizens.

The illegal immigrant problem further contributes to the economic decline of our nation. However, that is not the only thing eating away at our economy. Our leaders have virtually stopped the production of fossil fuels in lieu of “green energy” – solar and wind power generation whose efficiency is questionable. Solar power takes up acres of land better suited to raising crops to feed a hungry world. Wind turbines are designed to last about 20 years, however, “The average age of wind turbines in the United States in 2020 is 7 years with an estimated 11 years by 2025.”[2] Wind turbines cause unintentional environmental damage by killing birds that attempt to fly through the spinning blades. A conclusion of three studies estimates that wind turbines kill approximately 366,000 birds every year. So much for environmental concerns. Other factors play into the declining economy much of which is self-induced, but for the sake of brevity, I will stop here.

America’s trouble also manifests in its moral decline. An excellent example of this came last week, on Easter Sunday when President Joe Biden declared the day as “Transgender Day of Visibility” – this from a supposedly good Catholic President.[3] The “in-your-face” gender confusion agenda seems to dominate every area of our society. Violence has increased exponentially in just the last few years since the COVID-19 pandemic. None of this should come as a surprise to anyone who takes the Bible seriously. Paul warned that these days would come.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

The passage above clearly describes the state of this country. America is in trouble. However, that is not the worst of it. Our current administration has placed our nation directly in the crosshairs of God’s wrath with its shameful treatment of Israel. On October 7, 2023, the “Palestinian” terrorist organization Hamas executed an unprovoked attack on Israel. From Gaza, they invaded the kibbutzim along the southern border of Israel. They brutally murdered innocent civilians, raped women, and baked babies alive in ovens. Over 1200 Israelis and foreigners were murdered and over 240 hostages were carried off into Gaza. Israel was completely caught off-guard due to a standing “cease fire” even though Hamas continued sporadic rock attacks from Gaza. Since that day, Israel rightly determined to enter Gaza with the goal of completely destroying Hamas. To date, Israel goes to great lengths to ensure that “Palestinian” civilians are kept out of the line of fire. (In any war, there will be collateral damage and innocents may be hurt, but Israel is careful to minimize harm to civilians).

At first, the U.S. completely backed Israel. However, within a couple of weeks, America started pressuring Israel to give in to Hamas’ demands to cease fire and return hundreds of captured Hamas terrorists in return for a handful of Israeli hostages. Israel tried this for a few days, but Hamas continued to fire rockets into Israel. They lie. They cannot be trusted. So, Israel has forsaken any attempt to make peace with Hamas. It cannot be done. Now the U.S. has increased pressure on Israel to end the war – without achieving their stated goal to destroy Hamas completely. The demand includes the threat of withholding the much-needed weaponry that Israel needs to successfully prosecute the war. Recently on March 25, 2024, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding that Israel end its war against Hamas.[4] The U.S. has veto power in the council, but rather than veto the resolution, our UN ambassador abstained signaling that, while the U.S. was not in favor, neither would it stand against the resolution. Some friend of Israel!

Not only is Israel fighting a war in the south with Hamas, but it battles Hezbollah on its northern border. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are proxies of Iran that has as its goal to eliminate Israel from existence. Just a few days ago, Israel launched an aerial strike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus killing several high-ranking Iranian military officers. For that act, Iran threatened to retaliate directly, not through proxies, on Israel. To that, Joe Biden, gave the green light to Iran stating that the United States would not intervene. It is interesting that shortly after that declaration, New Jersey experienced a rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake that was felt as far away as Philadelphia. Could that have been a warning from God?

America is in trouble. In His Word, God repeatedly and unequivocally states that He will bless those who bless Israel and curse whoever curses Israel. By turning her back on Israel, America is cursing Israel and is poking the “apple of God’s eye.” “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you [Israel]: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8).

Notes:


[1]  https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/military/immigrants-military-recruitment-shortfall-army-air-force/

[2]  https://energyfollower.com/how-long-do-wind-turbines-last/

[3]  https://www.christianpost.com/news/4-reactions-to-bidens-easter-trans-day-proclamation.html

[4]  https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147931#:~:text=UN%20Security%20Council%20votes%20on,The%20resolution%20therefore%20has%20passed.

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The Resurrection Matters

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, (Luke 24:6)

Christmas and Easter (I prefer “Resurrection Day”) are the two most important days on the Christian calendar with Resurrection Day being, arguably, the most important of the two. One might argue that we could not have the Resurrection without the Birth, but the Birth without the Resurrection would render both insignificant.

Jesus’ birth came like the birth of any other baby. The Gospel writer Luke records the event taking place in a humble animal shelter visited only by lowly shepherds. However, Luke points out an important fact that is summarily overlooked by most readers. Luke says that, “while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered” (Luke 2:6, emphasis mine). So, apparently, Joseph and Mary had been in Bethlehem a few days before the time of her delivery. Luke does not say, but it seems reasonable that in Bethlehem there were ladies who, seeing a young woman ready to give birth, would have offered their services as midwives. That is the way they did it in those days. Regardless, the birth was no different than any other. The conception nine months prior was the “miracle.” At that time, God planted His seed in Mary’s womb without human aid.

So Jesus came into the world and “dwelt among us”[1] and “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). He grew up like any other Jewish boy and probably learned carpentry from His earthly father, Joseph. At the age of 30,[2] the age at which priests enter service,[3] Jesus started His three-year earthly ministry. We know from the four Gospel accounts that His ministry ended with His death on the cross. He was buried in a borrowed tomb and rose on the third day.

But what if the resurrection never happened? Paul put it quite succinctly when he said, “if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). If Jesus did not rise from the grave, His death for our sins is of no avail. We have no hope of eternal life, and, worse, our destiny is in hell. That explains why unbelievers live for this life alone because, for them, this life is all there is. They reject the concept of hell and prefer the idea that death ends it all, or that it begins a new cycle through reincarnation.

Many arguments against the resurrection of Jesus exist that have a long history from the very beginning. Some say that Jesus did not die on the cross but only “swooned” and revived in the cool dampness of the tomb, rolled the two-ton stone away, and walked out. That is a silly theory when one considers the beating, torture, and flogging Jesus received before being nailed to the cross. Also, the Roman soldiers who crucified Him were expert executioners and were familiar with death. Had they suspected that He “swooned,” they would have broken His legs like they did with the other two victims.[4] These were professionals; they knew death. Then, to ensure His death, one of the soldiers ran his spear into his side and punctured the pericardium.[5] 

Let us say, for argument’s sake, that this one they failed to recognize and Jesus did indeed pass out. Even if He did revive in the cool tomb, the loss of blood from the beatings and flogging, not to mention the puncturing of his heart sac, would have left Him too weak to roll away the heavy stone – one that took several men to move – by Himself.

Another argument suggests that Jesus’ disciples overpowered the Roman guard posted at the tomb.[6] This too is a silly argument. All four Gospels record how the disciples went into hiding at Jesus’ arrest. They feared for their lives. It seems unlikely that these frightened men, most of them fishermen, and at least one un-calloused tax collector, would dare to take on battle-hardened professional Roman soldiers. However, this fabrication spread from the very beginning. Matthew records that an angel came to roll back the stone and the soldiers on watch were scared stiff.[7] The soldiers, knowing the consequence (death) for failing in their responsibility to keep the tomb secure, went to the chief priests, rather than their leaders, hoping to get a sympathetic hearing about the empty tomb. They made a good choice as the Jewish religious leaders paid them off and covered for them as long as they would spread the lie that the disciples had stolen the body.[8]

Still another argument insists that the women who went to the tomb on Sunday morning were so grief-stricken that they failed to recognize Jesus’ tomb and went to the wrong sepulcher which was empty. This argument simply rejects what Scripture clearly reports. Three of the four Gospels record that the women witnessed the tomb where Jesus was laid.[9] John, who was present at the crucifixion along with Jesus’ mother and the other women, does not say, but it stands to reason that he would have accompanied them to the tomb.

Jesus rose from the dead. If that were not true, the Jews, because of their hatred for Him, only needed to exhume the body and present it to the world, but they had no body. Men have tried and failed to show Jesus’ remains, but they cannot.

Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered death, and because He conquered death, we have the assurance that our sins are covered and we have eternal life with him. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept [died]. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:19-22, emphasis mine). “For if by one man’s [Adam] offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Jesus] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s [Adam] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Jesus] shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:17-19, emphasis mine).

Because Jesus conquered death, we can have the assurance of eternal life with Him. That is why the resurrection matters. If you are not sure where you stand before Jesus, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:


[1]  John 1:14

[2]  Luke 3:23

[3]  Numbers 4:3

[4]  John 19:32-33

[5]  John 19:34

[6]  Matthew 27:65-66

[7]  Matthew 28:2-4

[8]  Matthew 28:11-15

[9]  Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55

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Dan’s Sin

Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations … The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, … and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven. And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law: (Deuteronomy 29:18-21)

Dan was Jacob’s first son born to him by Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid.[1] His name means “judge.” He was the fifth of Jacob’s sons. Before Jacob died, he blessed his sons. Of Dan, Israel said. “Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward” (Genesis 49:16-17). Long after Dan had died and his “tribe” came out of Egypt, Moses declared of the tribe, “And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion’s whelp: he shall leap from Bashan” (Deuteronomy 33:22). “By this probably Moses intended to point out the strength and prowess of this tribe, that it should extend its territories, and live a sort of predatory life.”[2]

Among the tribes of Israel, Dan remains rather unremarkable. When one looks at a map displaying the original land allotments to the various tribes, Dan’s portion was rather small. It was only slightly larger than that allotted to Benjamin which bordered Dan on the east. Its eastern border extended from Kiriath-jearim on the south up to Beth-horon in Ephraim. From there it descended southeast to Gezer (Ephraim) and beyond. Then it turned north to Gath-rimmon to the Me Jarkin River, its northern boundary, and west to the Mediterranean Sea. Turning south along the coast for about 12 miles and then east and south again past Ekron and Timnah back to Kiriath-jearim. From its eastern border to the sea was about 25 miles, and its U-shaped width was about 12-13 miles wide at any point. The tribe of Dan did not have much land, and they were not satisfied with their little portion.

The Book of Joshua records the allocation of land once the land was conquered. “And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families … And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father” (Joshua 19:40, 47, emphasis mine). It seems that this detail was included after the fact (or it was prophetic). The Book of Judges details Dan’s conquest of land beyond their allotted borders.

The account unfolds beginning in Judges 17 after the death of Samson, when a man by the name of Micah, an Ephraimite, makes some idols of silver stolen from his mother. Not long after, he hired a wayward Levite to be his personal priest. “And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest” (Judges 17:12-13). He was wrong about that, of course. It was at this time that the Danites[3] sought more land besides that which was allotted to them. They sent spies north to assess unconquered land to the north. Their route north took them through the land of Ephraim, and they came to Micah’s house which was on their way. There they saw Micah’s idols and his “priest.”[4]

The Danite spies accomplished their mission and brought back a positive report. “And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye? And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land” (Judges 18:8-9). So the Danites mustered up a large army and headed north. Along the way, they stopped off at Micah’s house and took his idols and his priest. They convinced the Levite to go with them and be their priest – a job promotion. “And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel? And the priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod,[5] and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people” (Judges 18:19-20).

So, the Danites took the idols and the “priest,” and after they conquered the land, they set up their own religion. They built a new city in the conquered land and named it after their patriarch, Dan. “And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.[6] And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh” (Judges 18:30-31, emphasis mine).

The story does not end there. At the end of the book (i.e., the Bible), the list of the tribes of Israel excludes Dan and Ephraim.[7] Granted, Israel, especially the northern kingdom, continually had problems with idolatry. However, there was always a faithful remnant. Not so with Ephraim and Dan. These two tribes were the first to wholeheartedly embrace it. Later, in the reign of Rehoboam, the northern ten tribes of Israel split off and formed their own kingdom under the reign of Jeroboam.[8] In order to prevent his subjects from going to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple, Jeroboam had two golden calves made and placed one in Bethel (in Ephraim) and the other in Dan,[9] and they were only too happy to take them. I cannot say with complete certainty, but their absence in the Revelation list seems to result from the warning God gave in our beginning passage above (Deuteronomy 29:18-21).

Neither Dan nor Ephraim are included in the list of the 144,000 witnesses, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.[10] This, of course, takes place during the seven-year Tribulation. However, it appears that they are restored during the Millennial Reign of Christ after the Tribulation. The Prophet Ezekiel describes the Temple that will exist during the Millennium.[11] Following that, he describes the division of the land of Israel at that time.[12] Remarkably, the first tribe listed is Dan. “Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan” (Ezekiel 48:1, emphasis mine).

Does this mean there is a contradiction in the Bible? Certainly not! God, speaking through the Prophet Ezekiel said, “For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant” (Ezekiel 16:59-60, emphasis mine). God later responds to a rhetorical question. “Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezekiel 18:19-20, emphasis mine). God made an unconditional promise to Abraham,[13] and He will keep it. Although Dan and Ephraim sinned and lost the privilege of being represented among the 144,000 witnesses in Revelation, God remains faithful to His promise and Abraham’s descendants will inherit all of the land that He promised to Abraham.

Some may question the veracity of that statement. After all, the Jews, for the most part, have rejected Jesus as their Messiah. It is only through faith in Him that one can inherit eternal life (John 14:6). However, there are many Jews currently coming to Christ now, and when He returns, the Bible says that many Jews at that time will be saved in the same way. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10, emphasis mine). Notice that the same grace we receive when we place our trust in Christ will also be given to them at that time. As Christ returns in the clouds, they will recognize “Me” (God is speaking) and they will mourn for “Him” (speaking of Christ). They will recognize Him for Who He is and be saved.

The Prophet Amos uttered another prophecy regarding the restoration of the land to Israel. God says, “And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God” (Amos 9:14-15, emphasis mine). Of course, there are many other places where God reaffirms this promise, and we have witnessed in our present day the partial fulfillment of this promise. The Jews are back in their land, and God promises that they will never be removed again. Now, they do not yet possess all of the land God promised to Israel, but they will in the Millennium, and that includes Dan and Ephraim.

We can learn from this that God will keep all of His promises to us no matter how undeserving we may be. Israel has never been deserving. Dan and Ephraim were undeserving. Yet God remains faithful even when we are unfaithful. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God … For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Neither we nor Israel deserve God’s grace. Aren’t we grateful that He is faithful even when we are unfaithful!

If you have not experienced God’s grace and His faithfulness, take time to read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:


[1]  Genesis 30:6

[2]  Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832), Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, (Published in 1810-1826; public domain).

[3]  Samson was a Danite Judges 13:2

[4]  Judges 18:2-6

[5]  An “ephod” can be either a tunic worn by the high priest or it can be an idol. In this case, the word refers to an idol.

[6] The “captivity of the land” came when the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom in 722 BC.

[7]  Revelation 7:4-8

[8]  1 Kings 12

[9]  1 Kings 12:27-30

[10]  See my article “The 144K

[11]  Ezekiel 40-47

[12]  Ezekiel 48:1-7

[13]  Genesis 15:18

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The Land Belongs to Israel

Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. (Joshua 1:2)

Reading through the Pentateuch, one soon finds God’s unconditional promise to the patriarch Abraham giving him and his descendants the land of Canaan. When God cut the deal with Abraham, He took all of the responsibility for its fulfillment on Himself. “In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18). Before sealing the deal, God told Abraham what would become of his descendants. “And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years” (Genesis 15:13, emphasis mine).

After 400 years of captivity, they came out of Egypt and entered the Promised Land. God instructed the children of Israel to wipe out all of the people living in the land. This God-sanctioned genocide was not without purpose. God also told Abraham the purpose of their 400-year captivity. “But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Genesis 15:16, emphasis mine). It seems that God was giving the inhabitants of Canaan enough time to repent of their wickedness, but that never happened. As we learn later, God’s genocidal instructions came with the warning that if the Israelites failed to complete the destruction, the inhabitants of the land would lead them into idolatry – which they did eventually.

 Interestingly, Israel never possessed all the land promised to Abraham, not even during the reign of King Solomon. The “conquest” of the land recorded by Joshua, details their failures. “As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day” (Joshua 15:63, emphasis mine). “And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute” (Joshua 16:10, emphasis mine). “Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land” (Joshua 17:12, emphasis mine).

While they did not complete the land’s conquest, they remained faithful to God for a while. “And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel. (Joshua 24:31, emphasis mine). The second chapter of the Book of Judges echoes the same message. “And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel” (Judges 2:7, emphasis mine). But then, “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10, emphasis mine). That did not take long! Only one generation and Israel never fully recovered.

Although Israel constantly fell into idolatry, God always remained faithful to His side of the deal with Abraham. God’s assessment of Abraham’s descendants came not long after they left Egypt. “And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people” (Exodus 32:9). “Stiff-necked” basically means “inflexible, stubborn, and obstinate.” It conjures up the image of a driven animal – ox or mule – that refuses to turn when its master tugs to the left or to the right, but continues down its own chosen way. That is Israel – a stiff-necked people. No matter how many times God applied corrective measures, they persisted in their idolatrous ways. Yet, God remains faithful.

Today, the majority of Israel remains secular. Many claim atheism and others practice Judaism out of tradition only – like Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof). While a growing population of Christian Jews exists, still the majority of Jews in Israel are lost. That, however, does not negate God’s promise to Abraham. The land to which they have returned, as prophesied, belongs to them. The so-called Palestinians, who have no “history” except for that which was initiated long after Israel became a nation in 1948, and who are ethnically Arabs, have no legitimate claim to the land. The land belongs to Israel. The turmoil taking place there now will not be resolved until the world recognizes that fact. However, Scripture tells us that will not happen until Christ returns and settles the question permanently. That event draws nearer daily. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

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