Morning Dew

 

Key Passage: Psalm 33: 6-22

 

Key Text: Psalm 33:12 – “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”

 

To understand anything, one must first understand that one does not understand. This calls for humility and submission. The word ‘understand’ if flipped over means stand under. So to understand something, you must recognise it is on a higher plane and only then can one be granted access to apprehend that knowledge. Growing up I had challenges with Mathematics. I just could not wrap my mind around it. It befuddled me and I thought I would never understand maths. But when I was faced with imminent failure in my O’Levels examinations, I began to desperately search for help. There was a young man from the eastern part of our nation, though from a very humble family comparatively, yet God really blessed him with his knowledge of maths. Though we were not supposed to mingle with ‘them’ as it were, I decided one day to approach him and ask for his help. I humbled myself and spoke to him. I said I knew he was very good at maths and I really need help. He looked at me and asked me for something in return. I gave in and then he began to teach me. It was as though someone opened up my mind. I started understanding and I can say without a doubt, this man helped me to understand maths.

Many Christians are confused over the nation of Israel. They listen to what the secular media has to say about Israel and believe that, over what God’s word says about them. There are those, actually quite a high proportion of believers, who believe that the Church has taken the place of Israel and God has rejected Israel. They go on to say that all the promises in the bible for Israel are now for the church. This is a great error and is what is popularly called “replacement theology”. If God will break His covenant with Israel, then we Christians have nothing to stand upon. But I will explain this further later.

For many years I was in replacement theology. I claimed the promises of Israel and truly believed that God had no more use or plans for Israel. That we the body of Christ or as it were new testament believers, are now the focus of God’s attention and Israel’s time has passed. But as I prayed and got closer to the Lord, I began to sense that God had a plan for Israel and that Israel is still very much on God’s heart and agenda. I had no real knowledge to back up what I sensed, but I became curious enough to start asking questions and pray even harder for God to open my eyes. This was the genesis of my relationship with Israel. It a long story and I will reserve that for another day.

Allow me to take you on a journey with the word of God, so by His grace God may chose to open your understanding.

Exodus 4:22 says “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,”. Israel is God’s first born son or first born nation. All other nations are younger sons of God. What does this mean? Israel owns the first right of inheritance when it comes to God’s things. So in Romans 9:4-5 we read that “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.” So everything that God brought into this earth to bless humanity spiritually came through Israel.

Secondly, Deuteronomy 32:8-9 tells us “When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 9 For the Lord ‘s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.”

Whatever blessings are on any nation, God gave them according to the tribes of Israel. God’s dealings with nations is directly connected with His plans and purposes for Israel.

Today’s passage tells us “The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” God’s plan for Israel is an eternal plan. Just look at the book of Revelations and you will see the twelve tribes restored in full there. Israel is God’s inheritance. He chose these people and this land as His own. He chose Jerusalem as His city and there is nothing or no one that can tell Him He can’t have Jerusalem and Israel. Isaiah 19:25, God affirms once again that Israel is His Inheritance.

If God will break His covenant with Israel, then where is our eternal security? Let me give you one more scripture to seal this today;

Jeremiah 31:35-37 – Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name: 36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. 37 Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.

For thousands of years, Israel disappeared from the face of the earth and seemed to be a lost nation, but by a miracle Israel was reborn and today is a thriving nation. Many nations have tried to obliterate Israel, only to discover it a too heavy a stone to be lifted. God fights for Israel and deals with its enemies severely. God has not abandoned Israel. He will never abandon Israel. And Jerusalem will be the chief city in the earth, not Rome, not Mecca, Not Beijing, Not New York and not Lagos. Jerusalem. The city of the great King.

I leave you today with the words of Psalm 2

Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
² The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
³ “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

⁴ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
⁵ Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
⁶ “Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”

 

Let’s pray: Father God, please open my eyes to see and understand your plans and purposes for Israel and the Jews and let me know what my part I in this great purpose. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.