situation came when the nation -utterly rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah. He who had provided for Israel’s preservation and trained her for so long to receive Him did not recognize the King of glory when He came. Rather than a welcome for Him, the nation shouted out “ crucify Him, crucify Him!” What the people de manded, the Romans performed. When the Lord Jesus breathed out His last words— “ It is finished!”—that cry rang out the death knell for Judaism as a system and administration from God. With her religion on a national level gone, the nation had only the remnant with which God could in righteousness work. It Was a dark day, but the light was not extinguished — thanks to our God. Personal and individual intervention. No passage in the entire Word summarizes this truth as does Acts 3:19-21. God has declared that things will remain at the status quo UNTIL heaven opens again and sends forth the Lord Jesus. Multiplied passages from the Book give clear evidence that heaven will open again, but there shall rise no king, no prophet, no light in the Temple and no sacrifice UNTIL the Servant of Jehovah, even our Lord Jesus Christ, comes again. Everything hinges on Him. Dear friend, do not look to the Near East, but look UP. Do not look to the Russian bear, but look UP. Do not look to the missiles of the West, but look UP. Do not look to the nations of the rising sun, but look UP. God’s time clock moves in heaven, not on earth. When our lovely and sovereign Lord comes, things will happen for Israel. He is God’s final chosen Man to intervene for Israel. National and total restoration. Here the nation in the truest sense of the word, w ill' do business with God. There has been restoration before, but never a national and total restoration. God has worked with a remnant, now He will work with the entire nation. Glory to God! The nation will never again decline to rise again. It will rise to the heights with the Messiah. Peter speaks of this in a blessed portion (Acts 3:19, 20). This restoration will include: a. Times of refreshing. The word for times here con notes a limited portion of time. The word refreshing is not found elsewhere in the New Testament. The mean ing is refreshing in the sense of reviving and likely is a reference to the millennial reign of Christ. b. Times of restitution. The term for time here is that of time in duration. Whereas the word in the pre vious phrase has the idea of changeableness, this one does not. It is used of time generally. Hence, the thought seems to be of eternity. This is a true restoration for it concerns all things. This is probably a reference to the time of which Paul speaks in I Cor. 15:25. It includes the millennium, but stretches itself out into eternity to come. c. Time of regeneration. For Israel, there will come a time when she will be a holy nation, a royal priest hood, and a peculiar people in the truest sense of the word (Ex. 19:5, 6; I Peter 2:9). Through Israel, the message of salvation will go forth as it was intended to go forth throughout the ages past (Isaiah 66:19-24). CONCLUSION No, beloved friend, God has not finished with Israel. The next revival in the nation will not be followed by a decline nor an apostasy. Instead it will bring about world wide blessing. Israel was destined from the beginning to be the vehicle of God of objective revelation and the Lord has never surrendered that goal. Since the interest of heaven is in Israel, the people of God everywhere should have an interest in them also. Prophecy surrounds the nation and the nation surrounds prophecy. Let us watch, wait, and work for His glory!
Revival in the History of Israel (eont.) the son of Jozadak through the blessed ministries of Haggai and Zechariah. Under Zerubbabel, the work of rebuilding the temple of the Lord was once again under taken and completed. The purpose of God for His people could not long remain idle; hence, He intervened. National restoration. So precious was the experience under these leaders sent by the Lord that the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and other aspects of genuine worship before the Lord were reinstituted amongst the people. It was a glorious d a y .in Israel. The boundless joy experienced is outlined for us in this glowing account, “ And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths, for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness” (Neh. 8:17). From the bondage Spiritual and moral declension. For 400 years the God of heaven was silent. No new revelation was pre sented. The people of God were in almost utter spiritual declension. There was no king, no priest, and no prophet in the vital sense of the word. While the scribes were active, they were engaged in dealing with rabbinical teachings and the errors which they promulgated were little comfort for a people who needed a message from God. The thundering voice of the prophet speaking in behalf of God was silent. No one raised a voice loud enough to be heard as a mouthpiece for God. Personal and individual intervention. Out of the dark ness and dread silence, God broke forth with a mighty clap of thunder through His servant John the Baptist. No one can read John 1:5 without deep emotion. God had found a man through whom He could speak in accord ance with His divine timetable. The man whom He sent opened his mouth and spoke and the people were startled and awakened. There was a stir throughout the land. The mighty God would not be forever silent. The Biblical account of this man is most moving. One cannot but feel that his very appearance was a testimony from God that the people needed the garments of righteousness and the manna which came down from heaven. National restoration. Multitudes responded to the message of John. They came from all over the country to hear him and it was evident that there was a movement from heaven in the dormant soul of the nation (Matt. 3:5). Here was light in the darkness through a man sent by God. His testimony was .sure that God had not for saken His people, albeit the problem which they posed with God had rested for 400 years. Once again a remnant amongst the people responded and a new day dawned for the nation. Reader, take note of this fact: six revivals had been sent into the life of the nation. The first brought Israel out as a nation, the second raised up a stone of help. The third awakened the people from an awful night. The fourth helped to uncover the Word for help in the time of captivity. The fifth prepared the way, through the rebuilt temple for Him who was to come. The sixth afforded an opportunity for the Messiah to manifest Himself to the nation and world. AIL of these instances show the indisputable compassion of the Lord. One more revival is recorded in the Bible, standing as a sure testimony to the fact that God has not left Israel em balmed as a mummy. God, the Sovereign of the Universe, will yet revive the bones of the nation! "VII. The Revival under the Messiah Spiritual and moral declension. The core of this of Babylon, they had now been delivered. VI. The Revival under John the Baptist.
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THE KINO'S BUSINESS
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