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Cleansing God's People
'Prophecy Watch' by David C. GrabbeGod's desire to bless His covenant people shines forth, even when they do not merit such grace. Despite the uncleanness of the nation, as seen in their wayward hearts and defiled works, God declares a blessing upon them. He does not offer this blessing as a reward for their condition but as a means to lift them from their spiritual impurity. Though the people returned from captivity, rebuilt the Temple, and restored proper worship, their sins remained, for under the Old Covenant, true cleansing was unattainable. Yet, God promises to bless them from this day forward, providing a solution to their unfaithfulness. In the second prophecy, God specifies a clear blessing: righteous leadership. He assures His people of a future where He will grant them a new heart, faithful to Him, and His Spirit to guide them in His ways. He will establish an everlasting covenant of peace with them. Though they face trials due to their uncleanness, God's intervention through His blessings prepares a bright future for the descendants of Jacob, reflecting His enduring commitment to His covenant people.
Blessings We Could Have Had
Sermon by Kim MyersGod has blessed the Israelitish people with far more than any other nation on earth. Despite Israel's moral failings, spiritual unfaithfulness, and stubborn sinful ways, God has poured out abundant blessings upon them. He continues to bless nations like England, Ireland, France, America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, even in their spiritual bankruptcy, because God keeps His promises. He does not lie and always fulfills His Word. In ancient times, God promised Abraham that He would make many nations and kings from his descendants, Isaac and Ishmael. He declared to Abraham that He would make of him a great nation, a promise that came to fruition under kings David and Solomon, when Israel became a mighty empire controlling vast lands from the Nile River to the Euphrates. King David commanded an army of 1.5 million men, and many nations paid tribute to both David and Solomon. Solomon's navy, allied with Phoenician and Egyptian forces, sailed worldwide, bringing back gold, silver, ivory, and other treasures, showcasing the immense physical and material blessings God bestowed upon Israel. Even after Solomon's death, when Israel split into two nations and fell into sin and idolatry, leading to captivity, God did not abandon His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He continued to uphold His covenant despite their failures. Modern Israel, encompassing nations like America, Canada, Great Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and parts of Western Europe and Scandinavia, has been blessed with unparalleled wealth and innovation. These nations dominate in producing automobiles, commercial airliners, and industrial goods, with countries like Canada excelling in wheat and mineral wealth, New Zealand in sheep and minerals, and South Africa in diamonds. America and Britain, at their peak, produced vast amounts of oil, coal, steel, and other resources, controlling significant portions of global wealth and infrastructure. God reiterated His promises to Jacob, renaming him Israel, and assured that his seed would form a company of nations and a great nation, fulfilled in the British Commonwealth and the United States. These blessings include military might and strategic control, with Britain and America historically dominating key global waterways and maintaining powerful navies. Even in times of war, the Israelitish nations suffered fewer combat losses compared to others, a testament to God's protective hand. God's promises to Israel also encompass agricultural abundance, with nations like the United States, Canada, and Australia producing vast quantities of grain, sustaining much of the world. Additionally, God blessed Israel with safety, security, and global influence, both physically through military and economic power, and spiritually through the lineage of Jacob, from which Christ, the Savior of all mankind, would come. Despite Israel's failure to keep their covenant, God remains faithful, blessing them not for their deeds but because they are the seed of Abraham, and He honors His Word.
One Nation Under God (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Martin G. CollinsThe remnant of Israelites emerging from the Great Tribulation into the Millennium must reach a point of readiness to submit to God the Father as their God and Jesus Christ as their King to receive the abundant blessings promised during the thousand-year reign of Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. Throughout Israel's history, hardship came from disobedience, but a change for the better was sought as seen in the time of Nehemiah, where the people made a binding covenant with God. They put their agreement in writing, fixed their seals to it, and bound themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the law of God given through Moses. They promised to obey all commands, regulations, and decrees of the Lord their God. Their commitments included not intermarrying with neighboring peoples, observing the Sabbath by refraining from trade, allowing land rest every seventh year, canceling debts, and contributing a third of a shekel annually for the service of the house of God. They also pledged to bring firstfruits of crops and trees, the firstborn of their sons and livestock, and tithes to the Levites, ensuring they would not neglect the house of God. Motivated by God's Spirit, the people desperately desired this change, showing a whole-hearted commitment to spiritual renewal. This pattern of renewal, involving submission, prayer, and a desire for a relationship with their Creator, mirrors what the descendants of Israel will undertake as they enter the Millennium, seeking the good after experiencing the bad, and recommitting to God's law for His promised blessings.
Numbers (Part One): Journey in the Desert
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGod never says the Christian life would be easy or that life would always be fair. Difficulties and tests are given to test our hearts and promote humility.