Psalm 16:1-2
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Isaiah 62. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind in the passage defined as 62:1-5; verse 4 especially:
Isaiah 62:4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
The passage begins: “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth” (62:1). God promised that the light would shine unto the Gentiles, who would see the righteousness of Zion, and all kings would bear witness to the glory of God in Israel (62:2).
God’s part of the promise was fulfilled in the first coming of Christ: the brightness of God’s righteousness rose over Zion at the appearing of Christ, and His light shined into the darkness of the Gentile world (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 60:3; see Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47; 26:23). Messiah appeared and offered to restore the kingdom and the glory to Israel (See Zechariah 9:9, John 12:15, and Matthew 21:5).
Along the still waters, I reflected on the sad truth that Zion turned away from this light, and Jerusalem rejected it (See Isaiah 40:9; Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34; see Acts 1:6). Jesus prophesied that therefore the kingdom would be withdrawn from Israel (Matthew 21:33-44), and the “light of the glorious gospel” (2 Corinthians 4:4), and the “salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth” (Isaiah 62:1d) would be given to the Gentiles (Acts 28:28).
Paul spoke to this in Romans 11; Israel’s rejection of their Messiah would be turned to a blessing to the Gentiles (Romans 11:9-17), this setting aside of Israel would continue “Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, and the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land (Isaiah 6:9-12; see Luke 21:6-7, 20-24). She who was called “Israel, my glory” (Isaiah 46:13), would be called “Forsaken,” and her land “Desolate” (Isaiah 62:4).
Many Christians, who saw the light sent into the world through Israel, and who were not a people, were made “the people of God” (1 Peter 2:10; see Deuteronomy 32:21), who received the glory God manifested into this world through Israel, today arrogantly despise Israel, and call her “Forsaken,” and “Desolate.”
Take heed: we are warned by the Spirit through Isaiah and Paul, “Boast not against the branches” that were cut off (Romans 11:18-21), lest we who are grafted in through unbelief be likewise cut off, for believing Israel will be grafted in again into her tree with a preference (Romans 11:23-24).
When will this happen? Isaiah tells us: “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest” till Israel is again the “crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God” (Isaiah 62:3). Then she will no longer be called by these arrogant presumptuous Gentiles “Forsaken,” and “Desolate,” but by her new name, “Hephzi-bah” and her land “Beulah”* (Isaiah 62:4).
This is not talking about the salvation of our souls secured through the atoning blood of the Lamb of God sent into the world through Israel for all the world (John 1:29; 3:16; Revelation 13:8). All men will know that “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22; see Romans 1:16). Israel is cast off now, but only in order that she might be reconciled to Him again (Romans 11:25-27, 30-32), and this reconciliation of Israel will be “life from the dead” (Romans 11:15).
Don’t boast, Gentile believer; humble yourself to the truth that we who are grafted in “bear not the root, but the root thee” (Romans 11:18).
Let the arrogant Gentiles stop their boasting against Israel, for God will not hold His peace, and will not rest, until she is reconciled again to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For she will be married again to her land, and God will rejoice again over Israel (Isaiah 62:5), and again call her, “Israel, my glory”!
In the valley, I knelt in the shadow of His Cross, and interceded for the “other sheep” purchased by the Lamb’s blood, that we would be humbled to God’s love for us, and remember God’s love for Israel. His promise is without repentance—He will reconcile Israel. Weeping, broken, humbled, I prayed for the reproof of God’s Spirit to minister repentance toward God upon the Jew first, and also the Gentiles.
He spoke to me: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
At the table, I hesitated to approach till I checked all my pride. I pondered the Gentile woman whose faith so deeply impressed my Saviour when she acknowledged the blessings that fell from the children’s table for the dogs to find a place in the “House.” He said, “O [man], great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt” (Matthew 15:28). I heard in my own voice the bleating of His “other sheep,” and was invited to sit with Him at the table. He anointed my head with His oil, and filled my cup, intermingled with His grace. Goodness and mercy attended, and followed me as I followed Him into His harvest.
God’s blessing came to us through Israel’s fall, and yet greater blessings will be ours through her reconciliation. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! It is God’s gift to Israel; and remember, our God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the progenitors of the Jews; and He is also the God and Father of our (imagine, our) Lord Jesus Christ.
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap:
[*The word Beulah is from the Hebrew word meaning head, and it is used for husband, and by the Gentiles for Baal. It includes the idea of having dominion. It means the dominion (Genesis 1:26-27) will be restored to Israel.]
0 Comments