COMMUNISM (cont.) gives us a thrilling picture of the past, present, and future history of the Na tion Israel. In chapter 36 we read of the desolation of the Land of Pales tine, also we learn of His coming which is promised. Chapter 38, enlarges upon the same picture and tells the means by which Israel will be restored. In chapters 40-48, we have a marvelous description of what it will be like when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to estab lish His Millennial reign or kingdom upon this earth. First of all, looking at Israel’s past, the desolation of the Land of Palestine was a result of the national sins of God’s chosen people, but always true to His promise, there is national de liverance from the affliction of nations. In Ezekiel 36:19 we read, “And I scattered them among the heathen (the word heathen is, of course Gentiles), and ' they were dispersed through the countries . . .” For 20 centuries the Jews have been people of wandering feet, hated, persecuted, killd. Ezekiel 36:17 suggsts reason: “When the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own doings.” Such a pronouncement would have been dif ficult to understand but for God’s prom ise of deliverance. See Ezekiel 36:21-23. This above prophecy will be fulfilled when the Lord JeSus Christ places His feet upon the Mount of Olives. Espe cially read verse 35 of that chapter. May we pause here to call atten tion to the fact that even at this pres ent time the Jewish people, in return ing to the land of Palestine have scien tifically and agriculturally performed the impossible. Through dams and canals they have brought the deserts to look like a Garden of Eden. This particular prophecy will be fulfilled to a greater extent upon the return of the Lord, but these are the first visible signs. THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES as seen in Ezekiel 37 is an interesting illus tration of the Nation Israel. In verses
1-10 we are told the bones are dry. Then we see the sinews and flesh come upon them—but mark you, there is no breath in them. Later it says the breath came into them and they stood upon their feet; an exceeding great army. Verses 11-14 are God’s explana tion of this illustration. Read this pas sage carefully as we need to see it "Alone With Thee" Back in 1948, a young woman was just getting out of college and look ing forward to missionary service in a needy part of the world. She pen ned words that she, perhaps, did not fully understand at the time of their writing, a verse entitled "Alone With Thee." The authoress, a young lady by the name of Elizabeth Howard, better known today by her married name, Betty Elliott— widow of one of the martyred men in Ecuador. Perhaps some future day. Lord, Thy strong hand Will lead me to the place where I must stand Utterly alone. Alone, O gracious Lover but for Thee, I shall be satisfied if I can see Jesus only. I do not know Thy plan for years to come, M y spirit finds in Thee its perfect home, Sufficiency. Lord, all my desire is before Thee now; Lead on— no matter where, no matter how, I trust in Thee. — Betty Elliott While we see that they are scattered among the nations, we also see God’s promise that they would be brought again to their own land. For centuries the Gentile countries have been the national cemeteries of the Jews. We dread to look back at the ghettos and 4 clearly before going into the study of chapters 38 and 39.
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