Grace Collateral Damages Intersect

 How do these words intersect to give us a clear message from Heaven? 

Palestine Historical Context

Listen to Siri audio version here

FYI, here is my summary of the complex, contextual history of Palestine, as related to Israel. Fasten your seat belts, and hold on, as I begin with a startling bottom line -- the root reason for the current war in Gaza, and all previous wars and conflicts across Palestine since the establishment of Israel in May 1948:

Hebrew ex-slaves from Egypt, and their Jewish descendants for many, many generations, failed to obey Jesus, The Lord God, Who, through Moses and Joshua, commanded them and their successive generations:

 (a), to capture the entirety of the promise land, a large stretch of land, the borders of which are between the Nile River in Egypt, and the Euphrates River that traverses much of western Asia

(Genesis 15:18), ¹ and

 (b), to obey His righteous lifestyle commands, thus ensuring He would protect and keep them in the land.

Let’s dig in…

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Sometime after introducing Abram, whose name was changed to Abraham, to the promise land, The Lord, in a vision, informed him that (some of) His descendants would be away from that land for 400 years, and would return in their 4th generation. While most people may know that point, most may not know the reason The Lord gave…in the same sentence:

…because the iniquity (sinfulness, wickedness)

of the Amorites is not yet full.

(Genesis 15:13-to-16)

 

My interpretation: ‘I am not yet ready to judge their sinfulness, but will extend to them 400 more years of My Grace.’

The first of the above-noted commands, was to be The Lord’s significantly delayed, harsh judgment on all the tribes occupying the land of Canaan, not just on the Amorites. ² Therefore, all the other 9 tribes in Canaan, apparently benefited from The Lord’s Grace extended to just one tribe – the Amorites! To you, is that somewhat curious??

That is similar to what The Lord agreed to, during Abraham’s bargaining against the Lord’s planned destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham succeeded in getting The Lord to agree to not destroy those twin, sinful cities, if only 10 righteous people could be found therein. We all know …the rest of the story. ³

Historically, the above-noted, 400+ years of Abraham’s descendants’ absence from the promise land, only applied to the lineage of one of Abraham’s grandsons, namely Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. During a harsh famine in Canaan, he and his family migrated to Egypt. Over the centuries, Egypt enslaved the rapidly growing Hebrew population, out of fear they would out-number the Egyptians, and rebel. After 430 years, The Lord dispatched Moses to Egypt to trigger the exodus. One clear purpose was for the former Hebrew slaves, descendants of Israel, to form a nation and a massive army, to slaughter all the tribes occupying the land of Canaan, and to begin the protracted process of capturing ALL the promise land.

The Lord effectively called for a massive, multi-tribe genocide, and a massive land transfer! Those were to be His severe, due, and just judgments on those grossly wicked peoples spread across that humungous area! He warned all of Israel not, NOT to mingle or take on the practices of those tribes, but to be separate (i.e., holy, set aside) from them as Israel, over successive generations, would capture more of the promise land. He also repeatedly advised and warned them to remain faithful to His righteous lifestyle commands.

Initially, Israel began to have many successes on both of The Lord’s commands. But over the centuries, many Jews began to mix with those tribes, and true to form, they became just like them. That started a centuries-long process of The Lord’s passionate warnings that, unless they repented and lived more righteously, they would suffer the same judgment He had pronounced on the Canaanites. Over the ensuing centuries, Israel significantly yo-yo’ed in its obedience, and even slaughtered many prophets The Lord had dispatched with His warnings. Later, Israel split into 2 nations: 10 northern tribes, Israel, and 2 southern tribes, Judah.

In response to Israel’s increasing sinfulness, as The Lord had long predicted, He eventually dispatched the Assyrian army to wipe out the 10 tribes, and to take a remnant to Assyria as slaves. Over time, descendants of this remnant group became known as the 10 lost tribes of Israel. Their descendants became a mixed people, spread across the world. About a century after the Assyrian invasion, The Lord, in response to Judah’s overwhelming sinfulness (then worse than Israel’s sinfulness), dispatched the Babylonian army to invade Judah, destroy Jerusalem and the temple, and capture a remnant to be slaves in Babylon. But, through the prophet, Jeremiah, He predicted, after 70 years, a remnant group would return from Persia to Judea. Much earlier, through the prophet, Isaiah, The Lord had predicted Persia would invade Babylon, and a future king named Cyrus, would allow this remnant to return to Judea, to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, and to repopulate Judah, and rekindle Jewish cultural, political and religious traditions in Palestine. NB: The Lord’s ability to predict the future, affirms both His Deity and His immortality. ⁴

History confirms that’s exactly what happened. A remnant from Judah returned to Palestine about 500 BC; rebuilt the temple and Jerusalem, with the aid of King Cyrus; repopulated Judah; and rekindled Jewish cultural, political and religious traditions in Palestine. Unknowingly, a key reason for their return, was to prepare the people, nation, and land, for the pending birth of Jesus, The Lord God, as a man, and their Messiah. (Talk about perfect strategic planning!) The 4 centuries before His birth, are called the, Intertestamental period of silence, between the Old and New Testaments of The Bible, during which prophecies from The Lord ceased. 

Much later, before Jesus was crucified, He predicted Jerusalem and the rebuilt temple, would be destroyed. That happened in AD 70 when Roman soldiers attacked Jewish rebels in the province of Judea, tore down the Jewish temple, and killed many people. Since Jerusalem, the temple, and religious/political traditions, were the center of Jewish lifestyle, once they were destroyed, Judeans scattered across the world. They became a mixed people, just as the descendants of the 10 northern tribes had done much earlier. That happened EXACTLY as The Lord, for several millennia, had warned their ancestors, first through Moses, and subsequently through an exceptionally long line of other prophets, many of whom were slaughtered. Talk about killing the messengers!!

Over the centuries after the exodus from Egypt, Israel had only sustainably captured a small part of Palestine, which is a very small part of the much bigger promise land. When the 10 northern tribes were wiped out, and a small remnant became slaves across Assyria, the king of Assyria sent Assyrians to reside in the land he had conquered. Click here to see the unusual scenario of how that happened.

When Judeans left Palestine in/after AD 70, other mixed peoples settled in Judea, and across Palestine. Their descendants may or may not be some of the peoples who were displaced in 1948, when The Lord initiated His long-standing promise to, one day, regather ALL Jews from across the world, to a GREATLY EXPANDED Israel, presumably from the Nile-to the-Euphrates rivers. He started that protracted regathering process in May 1948, and it continues today. Many Jews today are exhibiting the same or similar sinful traits that resulted in their ancestors being ‘vomited out of the land’, just as Moses had predicted in Deuteronomy 32! They proudly and forcefully claim the land is theirs, even as they flaunt The Lord’s preconditions for remaining in the land. In Zephaniah 3, The Lord promises to deal with this evil. 

Most Jews, and the world generally, might not know His re-gathering process, is predicted to reach two, pending crescendos:

1. A hasty flight of large numbers of Jews to Israel from across the world, sometime before the 5^th age of our history, The Millennial Reign age. Get this: They are predicted to spill over into Lebanon and Gilead, in northern Jordan. See: Zechariah 10:6-to-12. See also: The Coming Lame Blame (Poem), Human History Ages (Series), and Israel (Series).

2. A globally-enabled gathering of every remaining Jew to a greatly expanded Israel, in which Jerusalem will be raised very high – likely a result of several, GREAT (i.e., global) earthquakes during the pending, 42-month apocalypse in the last half of the 4^th age of our history – the tribulation age. According to Zephaniah 3:8-to-13, especially verse 11, that will not be a beneficial event for some Jews. ⁵

Conclusion

Over the millennia, Palestine has been settled and resettled by an untold number of people groups, including Jews. But because of the narrow apertures through which we perceive history, we don’t think of Jews …as ‘Palestinians’. This is similar to our errant use of the term, anti-Semitic, to apply, only to Jews. ⁶ 

So very unfortunately, our narrow apertures, also prevent us from perceiving The Lord’s Hand operating, and His Will unfolding in the affairs of man. Through David and Haggai, He has said: The Earth and world are Mine, and all their fullness …the land, souls, silver, gold, beasts, etc. (See: Psalm 24:1, and Haggai 2:8.) Through Daniel, He revealed, ‘The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, gives them to whomever He wills or pleases, and sets over them, the lowest of men.’ (See: Daniel 4:17, 25 & 32.) See also: The Seat of Wickedness (Part 4). Moreover, He iteratively used armies of sinfully wicked peoples to achieve His designated judgments, and ‘land re-assignments’. Of course, that doesn’t mean every land-grab in history is of Him. Apart from what He has promised in His Word, The Bible, we simply cannot tell. That’s one reason He inspired, preserved, and catalyzed His Word to be widely published, so we could intuit, and then ‘connect His strategic dots’. 

Endnote:

Friends, hundreds of other predictions across The Bible, have become historical facts, many in our lifetime. That’s why I am convinced, in many respects,

Biblical prophecies

‘seed’ human history!’

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¹ The Bible includes two, distinct geographic definitions of the promise land, the largest of which is from the Nile-to the-Euphrates rivers. See: Biblical Boundaries of the Land of Israel. Either way you cut it, the promise land is so much BIGGER than Palestine, especially the sliver of Palestine ancient Jews unsustainably captured from its various, previous occupants.

² The Amorites were one of 10 tribes occupying the land of Canaan. There’s no telling how long The Lord’s Grace to these tribes had lasted altogether. They reportedly were grossly sinful, even sacrificing their children in fires to demons and such. Here’s the obvious question: Why did The Lord only flag the Amorites? Might their sinfulness possibly have been the worse of the lot?

See: What’s Really Going On (…Inside), and Jeremiah 9:23-to-24 to understand The Lord’s 3-point strategic pattern in dealing with humans.

³ See: Genesis 18.

In Ezekiel 14:12-to-23, The Lord reveals His 4 judgment instruments against persistent human sinfulness. Caveat -- Famine is first on His ‘judgments ramping-up’ list. See: Four Judgment Henchmen Explained.

⁴ See: Did Isaiah’s prophecy occur before Cyrus defeated Babylon?

⁵ See: Isaiah 60, a prophecy, not to Jews, as many may think, but to Mount Zion and the expanded Jerusalem in the Millennial Reign age. Note the reference to flying like a cloud and doves, mentioned in verse 8. Might that have been a prophecy and prediction about …future air travel?? 

⁶ In a quality dictionary, look up the real meaning of ‘Semitic’.

Palestinian Immigration (Part 2)

See the Palestine Immigration series here

See the Israel series here 

In 1947, the UN passed Resolution 181 on partitioning Palestine, to create separate Arab and Jewish states. ^* The proposed creation of an Arab state was never realized. Now, 77 years later, Israel is proposing to relocate Palestinians to other countries. Since population relocation has l-o-n-g been a tool world leaders and policy-makers have used to address a myriad of deeply-entrenched problems, I ask, ‘why shouldn’t it be applied …today?’

Do you know why the ancestors of Jews today, were violently dispossessed of their lands in the first place, and who policy-makers at the time sent to replace them, so the land would not be vacant for a prolonged period of time?? Check this out.

I was led to write a proposal, Palestinian Immigration – A Proposed Concept, and subsequently to share it with President Biden et al. His administration advocates for a 2-state solution to the Palestinian issue, as was proposed in UN Resolution 181 in 1947. That has not come to fruition, and I believe it may never materialize. Thus, regarding this matter, I wonder whether the U.S. and the whole world may be …’kicking against the pricks’? (Look it up…)

 

Passions have long been hot, high and heavy on these issues. I believe they are unlikely to change until Christ’s long-predicted Millennial Reign, the 5^th of His planned 6 historical ages for humanity on this current version of Earth. My belief is not at all based on passions. Rather, it is the result of obeying what The Lord so very clearly and iteratively impressed me to do in my retirement years: 

 

1. To apply my professional skills as an international economic development strategic planner, to re-reading/studying The Bible. In doing so, I quickly came to understand it is The Lord’s multi-millennial strategic plan for humanity. It’s clearly not just a religious book, as many people think it is.

 

2. To share insights I was ‘seeing/perceiving as I obeyed. Since I started sharing, both in my music (2009) and in this blog (2011), The Lord continues to broadened and deepened my understanding of His strategy, thus fulfilling His predictions, iterated 5 times in The Gospels.

 

Based on my strategic understanding of:

 

(a) Biblical prophecies, which have an exceptionally HIGH success rate of becoming historical FACTS, because they seed human history, and

 

(b) where we are now in navigating The Lord’s planned, 6 ages of human history on this current version of Earth, 

I cannot imagine any likelihood of realizing a 2-state solution in Palestine. And that’s not because I am anti-Palestinian or pro-Israel. Rather, it is based on a clear(er) perception of His counter-plan for a significantly  e-x-p-a-n-d-e-d  Israel, extending from the Nile-to the-Euphrates rivers. This is the land The Lord promised to Abraham and his descendants through Jacob, who was renamed Israel. This is the so-called promised land.

Moreover, Jerusalem will be raised up very high (see. verse 10), possibly one result of 5 predicted earthquakes during the pending apocalypse. Three of these will be ‘great earthquakes’, and one will be ‘a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since humans were on the Earth.’

The Lord’s plans for Israel and Jerusalem do not indicate His approval of the untoward actions of some Jews in Israel today! For example, see what He promises about such. (see especially verse 11). That won’t be a pretty sight!

Friends, there clearly are MUCH BROADER, spiritually strategic and tactical moves happening that we cannot clearly perceive. Let’s continue to track what is gradually being manifested.

Thanks very much for reading this post.

Stay tuned for a post on Missed ‘Biblical Proportions’.

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^* See: Creation of Israel, 1948, a perspective from the U.S. Office of the Historian.

Missed Insights About the Ascensions (Poem, Part 2)

See the Missed Insights About the Ascensions series here

See the Missed Insights series here

Many people think Jesus only came to Earth once,

As a babe, then a condemned man Whom Jews and Rome trounced!

That’s merely the lie devils love to spew,

And it’ the FARTHEST THING from what is true!

You see, devils ‘score points’ when people deny His deity,

So more of us will join them in their fiery eternity. ¹

Let’s explore some facts about The Lord’s ascensions, 

So to His Truth, we will be w-i-d-e-l-y awakened.

The Bible clearly mentions two ascensions.

Yet we’ve grasped the ‘one ascension assumption’.

And that’s exactly what we will believe,

When ‘between the lines’, we fail to perceive.

To you who think, ‘There’s only been ONE!’,

Brace yourself, and prepare to be stunned! 

With my strategic mind perceptively opened, 

I ‘see’ The Lord’s planned six ascensions to Heaven!

Five are completed, historically, 

And one is pending, prophetically.

Before ascending, He left hard evidence,

To verify His real, physical presence. ²

It testified of The Lord’s imminence,

And of the Earth’s strategic importance.

My summary of His six ascensions,

Is keyed to His strategic descensions. ;o)

1. After (re)creation, He did not stay here long. ³

    Evidence: Earth renewed, Eden closed, mankind strong.

2. For 40 long days, Mount Sinai was hallowed.

    Evidence: Tablets in hand, Moses’ face GLOWED. ⁴

3. By Abraham’s bargaining, The Lord wasn’t at all annoyed. 

    Evidence: A meal served, Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed. ⁵

4. Fresh from His tomb, He told Mary, ‘I’m ascending to our God.’

    Evidence: By His empty tomb, all His disciples were awed. ⁶

5. After 40 days, explaining Kingdom delights, 

    Evidence: ‘A cloud received Him, out of their sight.’ ⁷

To perform on Earth some select, strategic functions,

These are The Lord’s five, confirmed, physical ascensions,

Following His five, confirmed physical descensions.

Anyone who regularly drinks from Wisdom’s fountain,

Know there’s one more, after His Millennial mission.

That may shock folks who believe errant Bible jargon. ⁸

The Lord’s Millennial Reign will have a clear end date.

Click here to see how I perceive it could terminate.

Based on human nature and history,

We tend to rebel against monarchies!!!

Irrespective of how it will end, END it WILL,

And when it does, I suspect folks then. …might be THRILLED!!!

Six descensions, then ascensions, in three-of-six ages.

That’s what I ‘see between the lines’ of The Bible’s pages,

When my perception aperture is o-p-e-n-e-d  w-i-d-e.

From this review, I hope you can see, devils lied.

Every FACT about Jesus, from us, they try to hide,

Including the clear reason, for us, as Christ He died. ⁹

Why don’t we include descensions in our ascensions search? 

Why do we think ascensions are to Heaven, not from Earth??

Why do we think only saints go to Heaven?!

Have we not read The Book of Revelation?!?!

Everyone conceived WILL ASCEND to where Jesus is,

In His several firsts, and last resurrections biz. ¹⁰

Moreover, death and hell might also ascend,

Before, into the lake of fire, they descend.

If by that, or any part of this rhyme, you’re amazed,

Just know The Bible signals …more than words on a page.

How do you contextually read Revelation 20,

About the end of age 6, and the start of eternity??

No one knows how often The Lord visited our dimension.

But each time must have involved His descension and ascension.

If this point folks could envision and understand,

Maybe they would know He’s …much more than a mere man,

Who existed L-O-N-G before time began.

What can you do to HELP them understand??

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¹ See: The Lake of Fire: A Preview (Series).

² Across The Bible, there are numerous accounts of visionary encounters with The Lord. To distinguish these from His physical encounters, like a detective, I isolated the encounters that left an evidentiary trail. Interesting?

³ See: The Gap Theory, in What If? (Subsequent Creations), and also #6 in Anti-Christ: Summary Review (Part 5). The Bible does not include any reference to The Lord’s ascension (return) to Heaven after the creation of Adam and Eve. But return, He obviously did. Folks who only read words inked on its pages, may likely miss this contextual point.

⁴ See: Exodus 34:29-35.

⁵ See: Genesis 18.

⁶ See Part 1.

⁷ See: Acts 1.

⁸ See: Millennial Reign (Series), and also Valleys Between the Peaks (Poem).

⁹ See: Your Salvation Status (Q&A). NB: The Lord's ascensions were in the 1st and 2nd ages of history, if you agree the 3rd age began with Pentecost. His next descension will be at the end of the 4th age; and His final ascension will be at the end of the 5th age.

¹⁰ See: Ponder This... (First Resurrection, Second Death, Hell), and For You, Which Resurrection? (Poem).