Millions around the world, of different colors, languages, and cultures, have received the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. This Gospel is not merely good news, but the best news, for when you accept the Gospel, you will have accepted the gift of a lifetime, as only through Christ will you be blessed with eternal life and fellowship with our Creator, as the Bible says, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13, WEB)
But how would we be able to call on him in whom we have not heard? How would we hear without a preacher? And "how will they preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:15)
Therefore, we owe thanks to those whom God has sent to spread this Gospel. Yes, our Creator, Yahweh God Almighty, is the One who planned out the salvation, and it's His Son, Jesus, who perfected it with his own sacrifice. But God often uses people as His agents through whom He bestows His blessings; so, too, the spread of the Gospel has been done through agents. Who are God's agents in the spread of this most wonderful news?
The spread of the Gospel began in the land of Mesopotamia over 4,000 years ago. From among the sea of humanity, Yahweh called one man and divided him away from his family. To Abraham, God said, "Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you." (Genesis 12:1-3)
Thus, by faith, the 75-year-old Abraham, "obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went." (Hebrews 11:8)
Once settled in the land of Canaan as a foreigner, Yahweh told Abraham, "Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land which you see, I will give to you, and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed may also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in its length and in its breadth; for I will give it to you." (Genesis 13:14-17) The border of this Promised land is "from the Red Sea even to the sea of the Philistines [the Mediterranean Sea], and from the wilderness [desert of Arabia] to the [Euphrates] River." (Exodus 23:31)
My friends, this Promised Land is allotted to the nation of Israel (though the modern-day Israel is occupying only a portion of the Promised Land). It is from this land, and by means of the promises God made to Abraham, that the world has been blessed with the Gospel.
How? Let us look more closely at the unconditional promises Yahweh made to Abraham in the everlasting Abrahamic covenant and their fulfillment to understand how we have been immeasurably blessed through Israel:
God's promises of blessings are given on three levels: personal, national, and international:
a) Personal: God would bless Abraham and make Abraham's name (reputation) great. Today, about half of the world's population highly respects Abraham, the father of faith.
b) National: God would make Abraham into a great nation, and would give him and his seed the land of promise. While Abraham was the forefather of several nations, that great nation and the seed of Abraham points to the nation of Israel, to whom is given the Promised Land forever. In the future Millennium during Jesus' reign over humanity, Israel will possess every inch of the Promised Land, and be transformed into the most glorious nation on Earth, and Jerusalem will be the center of worship.
c) International: Abraham would be a blessing. God would bless those who blessed Abraham, and God would curse those who cursed Abraham. All of the families of the earth would be blessed in Abraham. This promise was passed down to the nation of Israel. Hence, this means that God will bless those who bless Israel, and will curse those who curse Israel. All nations will be blessed through Israel.
It is this international aspect of the Abrahamic covenant that affects every person today. First, let's examine the promise about all nations being blessed through Israel. How have all of the families (nations) of the world been blessed through Israel, ultimately through Abraham? The answer is: because of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is a descendant of Abraham, from the nation of Israel! Thus, anyone who trusts in Jesus for their salvation will be blessed beyond measure through Abraham, for Jesus came through his line. This is how Abraham continues to be a blessing to the entire world even though he has been dead for 4,000 years!
Next, let's look at this promise: "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you." It's exclusively to the nation of Israel that this promise of blessing was passed down from Abraham, as God's Word says, "Everyone who blesses you [Israel] is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed." (Numbers 24:9) This means that if anyone blesses Israel (respects and looks upon them with favor), God will bless that person. But if anyone curses Israel (treats them with contempt or looks upon them with disdain), God will curse (judge or condemn) that person.
Indeed, part of your relationship with God depends on your relationship with Israel. Since Israel is the chosen agent of God, those who fight them are actually fighting God, as the Bible says, "For he who touches you [Israel] touches the apple of his [God's] eye." (Zechariah 2:8)
While it's improper and wrong to disdain any person or nation, it's especially sinful to curse a nation which God has blessed, and which God calls the apple of His eye. Now, when we are to bless Israel, it does not mean that we have to worship them, or treat them as if they're the most superior nation, or approve of whatever they do. What it does mean is that we should treat them with respect and kindness, that we should not take away what has been promised to them by God, and that we should appreciate that the Jesus Christ we trust is the Jewish Messiah who was begotten in their own land.
The nation of Israel is a nation that Yahweh personally formed, working out every detail in its formation, even in the choosing of the name of the progenitor that would become the name of the nation: Israel, who was Abraham's grandson, formerly named Jacob. So in every way, Israel is a very special nation, the only nation that has God's unique and exclusive blessings upon it through the Abrahamic covenant. It is through Israel that the Messiah and Savior of the world was born: Jesus Christ. It's in Israel where Christianity originated and spread. Nearly the entire Bible was written by Israelites. And every Israelite is the spiritual brother or sister of every Christian, as all Christians have been grafted into Israel, thus becoming "spiritual Israelites" (Romans 11:17-24).
Because all Christians trust in the Jewish Messiah for salvation, they are all the spiritual children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7-9, 29). Thus, all Christians are a part of Abraham's nation, spiritually. This is how Abraham's nation can be so "great" as God promised.
Indeed, Christians have been greatly blessed through the covenant Yahweh made with Abraham and his seed. Friend, if you have heard the Gospel and have been blessed by it, then both you and I owe a big thanks to Israel, from which the Gospel came to our own homes. In light of this, how should we respond to Israel? Should we bless them as friends or curse them as enemies? Let's choose the former!
"May Yahweh bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Peace be upon Israel." (Psalm 128:5, 6)
Shalom!
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: Do the West Bank and the Gaza strip belong to Israel?
Answer: Yes, they most certainly do. The West Bank and the Gaza strip are within the Promised Land, which belongs to Israel, forever. The West Bank contains regions where Jesus Christ ministered. Jesus was even born in the West Bank, in the town of Bethlehem.
Israel is technically the tenant of the Promised Land that includes the West Bank and the Gaza strip, leasing it from Yahweh, who is the land's actual Owner. For this reason, Israel is not even allowed to sell their land perpetually because they cannot sell something that does not truly belong to them (Leviticus 25:23). This also means that Israel cannot give away their land even if they wanted to, because it's not theirs to give away. Thus, it is against God's law and will to take any portion of the Promised Land from Israel, because that would amount to taking a portion away from God Himself! Yes, this is a very serious matter. Those who have taken away the Gaza Strip and West Bank of the Promised Land, and those countries that have supported them, have committed a grave sin against God. Let's pray that our leaders will correct their sin and have the West Bank and the Gaza Strip peacefully returned to its rightful tenant, Israel, in their entirety.
~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~
"If you can dream it, You Can Do It." -Walt Disney
A quote my friend Shane strongly believes in and found on the back of his new book, "Inspirational Quotes: Social Media Findings to Inspire and Motivate," which is available now on Amazon with great free bonus items for buying the book during the launch. Grab a copy at:
http://InspirationalQuoteBook.com/launch
***
Support the apple of God's eye by helping Israel build bomb shelters! This is a message a friend sent me in March:
A Message from United with Israel (PO Box 151, Lawrence, NY 11559):
Over 250 Rockets of Terror fired from Gaza have exploded in southern Israel in the last few days. Israeli citizens are living in horrible fear of attack...
Imagine hearing a frightening siren blaring "Code Red, Code Red" and having just 15 seconds to run for cover. Imagine never being able to walk beyond a short distance of the nearest shelter.
Can you imagine the fear and terror of a rocket whistling down, not knowing whether it will land a mile away or directly on your head? Or the sudden shock when you feel the impact and the sense the relief that you're still alive but the fear that your friends and family may not be so lucky. Imagine if you were a little child and had to live with this EVERY DAY...
Help build bomb shelters in Israel today! Learn more about United with Israel and this project:
http://unitedwithisrael.org
Nearly one million Israeli residents are within striking range of Gaza. There is an immediate and dire need to protect Israeli citizens from missile attacks. Above-ground portable shelters need to be deployed in vulnerable Israeli communities. These shelters can be moved to where they are needed most. They will provide safety for Israeli citizens as they go about their daily lives. They are built to prevent the penetration of bullets, shrapnel and missile fragments and can withstand direct hits. While building underground shelters can take months, these pre-form units take only a few weeks to build and can be delivered and deployed immediately. Although these shelters cannot provide Israeli communities with peace, they provide both safety and peace of mind.
Happy Pecach to all of our Jewish friends! Glory be to our God for delivering His people out of the house of bondage to a new life on Abib 15!
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
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Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
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