- By Chuck Cohen

Part Three

Contents

The fruit of rejecting the validity of the Tanach as God's Word

Those in the Church who reject the recognition of, and respect that the New Testament gives the Tanach (the Old Testament), usually end up with unbiblical views on many doctrines which lead to an unbiblical understanding of important current events. Obviously, much of this is in relation to the Church's view of the place of Israel in God's current plans – and much of that comes from a misunderstanding of God's essential nature which, as this teaching has previously pointed out,1 has its foundational revelation in the Hebrew Scriptures.

1 - Do You Trust What the New Testament Says About the Old Testament - Part 1;
Do You Trust What the New Testament Says About the Old Testament - Part 2

The Church's relationship with Israel

I am always amazed when I run into believers – including Christian Zionists – who see the Church and Israel as two separate entities. They'll often say the Church is God's "spiritual" people and view Israel as God's "physical people," His chosen nation here on earth, thus making a distinct separation between these two. Yet the New Testament does not agree with this view, as it says that gentile believers are grafted into Israel's cultivated olive tree (Rom. 11:15-24) and that they are no longer strangers to the covenants and promises made to Israel's forefathers, but have now become "citizens" in the commonwealth of Israel in Messiah Yeshua (Eph. 2:11-22). So today's living Church is another major proof that God's covenant promises to Israel are still valid and in the process of being fulfilled.

The Church does not replace or fulfill any of these promises, but its existence affirms that these promises are in force today. Gentile believers from the nations are a fruit of God's initial promise to Abraham that in his Seed all the families of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3b; cp. Gal. 3:8). As that initial promise included a land and a nation, those aspects are being fulfilled as well – as is evident in today's Middle East.

Consider this somewhat radical but biblical point of view: The Church depends on Israel's continual existence, yet Israel does not depend on the Church's existence. God's promises to Israel validate that salvation comes to the gentiles through Israel's God. The roots of His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, support the Church, and not the other way around (Rom. 11:18). If the Jewish people no longer exist, if the Islamic and anti-Semitic spiritual principalities succeed in cutting God's people off from being a nation so that the name of Israel will not be remembered anymore (Psa. 83:4), then all of God's promises to the Church would be without any real substance. If He cannot, or will not, keep His many promises and oaths He swore to the Jewish people, then why would He do so to a Church that has had the fuller revelation of God, the abiding Holy Spirit, and still has sinned against Him – and His people the Jews – so grievously?

The devil knows this connection; it is the spiritual background undergirding the history of anti-Semitism throughout the ages. Satan even has Islam saying, "First the Saturday people and then the Sunday people." Yet in truth, if Islam were to succeed in annihilating the Saturday people – the Jews – thus proving that God's Word in the Tanach is both untrue and unreliable, then the Sunday people – the Church – would be destroyed as well.

This is one of the main reasons for this teaching. The Church needs to understand, especially in these days, that its destiny is tied in with the destiny of Israel and the Jewish people. After all, the One we in the Church worship was and is the King of the Jews (Matt. 2:2; Luke 23:38; Rev. 5:5).

Now you might say, "His promises to the Church are based on grace." Yet so are His promises to Israel, which is why they are known as "unconditional covenants."2 The only conditional covenant, the Mosaic, was given to Israel after they were "redeemed" by God from Egyptian slavery, and it is a wonderful picture of our salvation and how the Torah, God's teaching, which is now written on our hearts, fits in with our walk in Messiah Yeshua.

Note the grace process before the giving of the Law: the children of Israel were first covered by the blood of the Passover lamb (Ex. 12:21-23), protecting them not from Satan, but from God's righteous judgments (Ex. 12:12-13). Then they were expelled from Egypt (Ex. 12:33), God thus separating His newly redeemed-by-the-blood-of-the-lamb people, and sanctifying – separating – them from Egypt which represented the world-system at that time. Finally they went through the waters of the Red Sea, which Paul tells us represents baptism (1 Cor. 10:1-2).

Only then did they come to the Mount Sinai, and only then did God say to His blood-bought, sanctified, baptized people – and I am paraphrasing, "Now that You are My children, here are My teachings3 which I want you to keep so that you remain separated/sanctified from the wickedness and demonic influence of the world. Also the keeping of My Word will make you My light to the gentiles."4

God uses these same principles with those of us who are saved by grace through faith in Messiah Yeshua. We are set free from the slavery of sin in order to become slaves, bondservants, to God in Messiah Yeshua (Rom. 6:7-8, 18-22). We are not set free to do whatever we want – but now we can allow Him to accomplish His will in and through us (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 2:15-16). We are set free from our inherited sin-nature in order that we can, in spirit and in truth, fulfill in our lives the law of God, and in so doing, we bring Him glory (Matt. 5:16; Rom. 8:2-4; 1 Pet. 2:12).

2 Unconditional covenants, those in which God Himself declares He will do this or that without any conditions on Israel's part are the Abrahamic (Gen. 12:1-3), the Davidic (2 Sam. 7:4-17), and the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34). These unconditional covenants have other promises added to them in other places in the Tanach as well.

3 Torah, which is usually, translated "law", is better translated "teaching", or "instruction".

4 (Deut. 4:6-8); (2 Sam. 7:23); (Psa. 147:19-20); (Isa. 42:6; 60:3).

The Church's view of the Land of Israel (Matt. 2:19-21)

I have heard Christians who confidently state that "God is no longer interested in real estate!" Yet this is anti-biblical as we find an abundance of verses in the Tanach in which our God says that while the whole earth is His – and the land of Israel is His in a very unique way. Again, please remember that the Tanach was the only Scriptures Yeshua, the New Testament writers and the early body of believers read – and in which they explicitly trusted.

As so many in the Church do not share this trust they are in grave error leading to much grief and danger to the Church, as well as to Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. This serious theological error of denigrating the Tanach must be grappled with by the Church, which needs to change its mindset to line up with the Bible – especially at this time in history. Here are some of those verses mentioned above:

When giving instructions concerning the year of Jubilee, God says, The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine and you are strangers and sojourners with Me. (Lev. 25:23) Since any land that was once under Islam becomes wakf, that is it remains Allah's land forever, this verse is a clear warning against the creation of a Palestinian State in any part of God's land today.

Moses, in his final divinely inspired song wrote, Rejoice, O gentiles, with His people: for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance to His adversaries, and will be merciful unto His land, and to His people. (Deut. 32:43)

We read in King Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, Then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, and of Your people Israel, and teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon Your land, which You have given to Your people for an inheritance. (1 Kin. 8:36) Note that the land is God's which He then gives to His people.

King Jehoshaphat, pleading with God for help against enemies coming against Judah said, Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt…Behold how they reward us, by coming to cast us out of Your possession, which You have given us to inherit. (2 Chr. 20:11) Again, the land is God's possession which He gives to His people.

Directed by the Spirit, King David wrote, Yet have I set My king upon My holy hill of Zion. (Psa. 2:6; cp. 3:4)

There is coming a day when this verse will be fulfilled: YHWH is King forever and ever: the heathen [pagans, i.e., unbelieving gentiles] will perish out of His land. (Psa. 10:16)

God's commitment to Israel of the gift of His land is very clearly expressed in Psalm 105:5-11. I know of no other place in His Word where one of God's promises is described in five different ways: Remember His marvelous works that He has done; His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth; O seed of Abraham His servant, and you children of Jacob His chosen. He is YHWH our God: His judgments are in all the earth. He has remembered His covenant [1] forever, the word which He commanded [2] to a thousand generations, which [covenant5] He made with Abraham, and His oath [3] unto Isaac. He confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, [4] and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, [5] saying, 'Unto you will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:

Yet unfortunately even after reading what was written under the inspiration of God's Spirit in these Psalm 105 verses, there are still many in the true Church who do not accept that the promise of the land is still valid and who flippantly say, "Well, it was then, but after the Cross it no longer applies". Have they actually considered what God calls a "covenant forever" which lasts to "a thousand generations" (a Hebraism for having no end; that is "eternal"), "His oath" and His "everlasting covenant"? Then how can they trust that the New Covenant which Yeshua made with us, supposedly for all eternity, is also not just a poetic use of terms with no real foundation? After all, if God changed His promises with Israel then He can change His promises to the Church as well.

Here are some additional verses: When God set forth His reasons as to why He was judging His people by exiling them to Babylon, He said, And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered, you defiled My land, and made My heritage an abomination. (Jer. 2:7; cp. 16:18)

From Ezekiel 36, the chapter which has the best explanation of why God is restoring Israel before the eyes of the world today – it is for His holy name's sake (36:21-23) – God also says, Therefore thus says the Lord YHWH, Surely in the fire of My jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Idumea, which have appointed My land to be their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey. (Ezek. 36:5)

Later in Ezekiel 36, we read, When they [Israel] were driven out unto the gentiles…they [the gentiles] profaned My holy name, when they [the gentiles] said to them [the Jews], 'These are the people of YHWH, who are exiled from His land'. (Ezek. 36:20)

Ezekiel 38 is the first chapter on Gog and Magog. In it we read, You shall come up against My people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land. It shall be in the latter days, and I will bring you against My land, in order that the gentiles may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in you, O Gog, before their eyes. (Ezek. 38:16)

The Prophet Hosea states, They shall not dwell in YHWH's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. (Hos. 9:3)

These verses from Joel's prophecy show the link between intercession and His mercy: Let the priests, YHWH's ministers, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, 'Spare Your people, O YHWH; give not Your heritage to reproach, that the gentiles should rule over them. Why should they say among the nations, "Where is their God?"' Then YHWH will be jealous for His land, and pity His people. (Joel 2:17-18)

Later in Joel, we see the link between the dividing of His land and His judgment on the nations, as He states, For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem [this is happening today], I will also gather all nations, and I will bring them down into the valley of Yehoshaphat [YHWH has judged], and will plead with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and they have divided My land. (Joel 3:1-2)

5 This second "covenant" in most Bible versions is written in italics which means it was not in the original text but was added by the translators.

It is all for His glory

There are other times when the Tanach calls this territory "the Land of Israel" – the land which God gave to the children of Israel as their everlasting inheritance. Yet this does not mean He has given up ultimate ownership of it. The Jewish nation is His chosen steward of His land to take care of it and to enjoy it in such a way that God will be glorified.

Psalm 115:1-3 sums up the goal of Israel's calling, and I hope it sums up Your calling as part of the Body of Messiah as well: Not unto us, O YHWH, not unto us, but unto Your name give glory, for Your mercy, and for Your truth's sake. Why should the gentiles say, 'Now, where is their God?' But our God is in the heavens, and He has done whatever He has pleased.

Recall that in Ezekiel 36 we read that Israel's restoration from exile to the land (36:24) and then its salvation (36:25-27), is for God's holy name's sake (36:21-23). As we are seeing this come to pass today, how can someone believing in Messiah Yeshua and praying for God's name to be sanctified (Luke 11:2), still stand against the total restoration of His nation to His land and to Himself is unbelievable. It is obvious that these believers just do not believe that the Tanach is still God's Word

Malachi adds that he sees a day is coming when, your eyes shall see, and you shall say, 'YHWH will be magnified from [or 'on, or 'beyond'] the border of Israel. (Mal. 1:5)

The promise of the Land in the New Testament

If the Church seriously trusted in the Tanach as the Word of the God then a correct biblical theology of the land which God promised to His people hundreds of times would not even be up for discussion.6 Yet even with a diminished view of the Tanach in many born-again believers' minds, there is plenty of evidence in the New Testament that the land – and the city of Jerusalem – is absolutely vital in God's plans – and is still promised to the Jewish people.7

Recall that Yeshua said it was imperative for Him to go up to Jerusalem to die (Luke 13:33). And as He was about to ascend to His Father and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to pour out on His disciples so that He could make them one Body, He told them to remain in Jerusalem, the city of the Great King (Psa. 48:2, 8; Matt. 5:35) until the Holy Spirit baptized and empowered them (Acts 1:4-5). Then they were to proclaim the good news of Messiah's resurrection first in Jerusalem, and if He were politically correct according to today's anti-biblical rules, He would have said them, then through the "in the occupied territories". Yet since He was not being politically correct at any time in His life, but was always and only biblically correct, He told them they would go through Judea and Samaria, and only then to the ends of the earth, that is to the gentiles (Acts 1:8).

As He ascended and was taken up in cloud, what did the two – most likely angels – say to His disciples who were standing there still looking up? They declared that this same Yeshua would return exactly as He was taken up (Acts 1:10-11), which means that His ascent from Jerusalem would be paralleled with His descent to Jerusalem as per Zechariah 14:3-4a. And so from Jerusalem, we who are privileged to live here continue to cry out, "Baruch ha'ba b'shem Adonai – Blessed is He that comes in the name of YHWH." (Matt. 23:39; see Psa. 118:26a)

6 I have personally counted God as promising His land to Israel more than 220 times in the Tanach. According to Derek Prince, God swears to give Israel the land 47 times – including swearing by an oath three times! (The Destiny of Israel and the Church, Word Publishing, [UK] Ltd. 1992; Appendix II. This is the title of the paperback copy that I have which may have a different title in later editions.)

7 Grounded, a booklet I wrote with my wife Karen shows how the land of Israel is still promised to the Jewish people in the New Testament. Grounded: The Promised Land in the New Testament

Israel is still God's chosen nation (Rom. 9:9-5; 11:1-2)

Much of what has been said about the land also applies to God's people, whom God also calls His inheritance (Ex. 34:9; Isa. 19:25; 47:6). That God's covenant with Israel is still valid, even after the cross, is seen in Paul's defense of Israel's place in God's eternal plans in Romans 9-11. In these chapters, we also read of the connection which gentile believers now have with God's people Israel. As mentioned above, they are grafted into Israel's cultivated olive tree (Rom. 11:15-24), and, as Paul states in Ephesians 2:11-3:6, they are now also part of the commonwealth of the house of Israel. In fact, Paul describes "the mystery of Messiah" like this: that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs [with the Jews], and of the same body [as the Jewish nation], and partakers of His promise in Messiah by the good news: (Eph. 3:4, 6; cp. Col. 1:25-27). Note that the gentiles are now "fellow-heirs and of the same body" as the Jews in Israel's Anointed King, and not as many deceived believers and theologians say, replacing the Jews and taking their place.

Yet even if Paul's teachings were not in the New Testament, why would any born-again believer not trust in the Tanach, the Scriptures that the early church loved and read? And if they did, why would they need to even think twice about whether Israel is still God's chosen nation? How often does our God have to state something before "believers" believe it? The Tanach and the New Testament both state that truth must be established in the mouth of two or three witnesses;8 so even if God said only two or three times that Israel is His people – that should be enough. Yet He does this way more often, as the following examples testify.

In the story of the Exodus, God speaks through Moses to Pharaoh, saying, Thus says YHWH, 'Israel is My son, even My firstborn', and I say to you, 'Let My son go, so that he may serve [+worship] Me. Yet if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your son, even your firstborn'. (Ex. 4:22-23)

In Leviticus 11:45, God reminds Israel of who He is in relationship to them. This connection is His reason for why the children of Israel need to be separated from the world and sanctified unto Him. For I am YHWH that brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: you shall therefore be holy [pure; sanctified; separate], for I am holy.

Balaam, that prophet for profit, even against his selfish will, is forced to understand that Israel is God's special nation. In fact, this gentile prophet speaks some of the most incredible truths about Israel in all of the Word. One of my favorites is that which God put in Balaam's mouth in response to King Balak's demand that Balaam curse Israel: How shall I curse, whom God has not cursed? Or how shall I defy, whom YHWH has not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. Behold, the people [the nation of Israel] shall dwell alone, and shall not be counted among the nations. (Num. 23:8-9)9

Deuteronomy 6:4-5, declared by Yeshua as the greatest of the commandments (Mark 12:29-30), is shared with Israel by Moses. Hear, O Israel: YHWH our God, YHWH is one. And you shall love YHWH your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your strength. Note how clear Moses is that "YHWH" is Israel's God. Then in Deuteronomy 7, he explains why God chose Israel in the first place. For you are a holy [separated; sanctified] people unto YHWH your God. YHWH your God has chosen you to be His special treasured possession above all the people that are on the earth. YHWH did not set His love on you, or choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all people. But because YHWH loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers,10 YHWH has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deut. 7:6-8)

In Nathan's prophetic declaration of the Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7:10-11), God states twice that Israel is His people. Then He tells David what He is about to do with David's son Solomon, and as we look back, we see that this includes David's greater son who is Israel's King, Messiah Yeshua (Matt. 1:1; 2:2).

Nehemiah's answer to the inhabitants of the land who tried to stop him and the Jewish remnant who returned from the Babylonian captivity from rebuilding Jerusalem is a verse which is very appropriate today in the face of all the opposition from the world concerning Israel's right to Jerusalem. Then I answered, and said unto them, 'The God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build: but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. (Neh. 2:20) Note that even after the Babylonian exile, the Jews still referred to themselves as God's servants.

There are many places in the Psalms which declare that Israel is God's chosen nation. Here are two examples. A more complete list is found in the footnotes.11 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubims, shine forth. (80:1); He exalts the horn of His people… the children of Israel; a people near to Him. Hallelujah. (148:14)

God often calls Himself "YHWH, the God of Israel" or something similar throughout the Tanach. Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, YHWH, God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me [Moses] to you. This is My name for ever; this is My memorial unto all generations. (Ex. 3:15b); For I am YHWH your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior: (Isa. 43:3a); So the house of Israel shall know that I am YHWH their God from that day and forward. (Ezek. 39:22)12

Isaiah 34:1-2 warns of God's harsh judgment on the nations. Come near you nations to hear; and, pay attention all you people. Let the earth hear, and all the fullness of it; the world, and its entire offspring, for the fiery wrath of YHWH is on all the nations, and His indignation on all their armies. He has dedicated them to destruction, and has delivered them to be slaughtered. And when we read verse 8, we hear God explain why He has proclaimed His very devastating decree: For it is the day of YHWH's vengeance, and the year of retribution for the controversy [+strife, hostility] towards Zion. Any questions as to whether God still has a commitment to defend His land and His people should be put to rest by this very clear threat to the world concerning its treatment of Israel.

Isaiah 60:12 is another example of the biblical truth that God judges nations in accordance to how they touch His nation.13 This is a verse that is coming to pass today as the whole chapter takes the reader from the restoration of Israel in these days – as gross darkness covers the earth (60:1-2) – through to a new heaven and new earth climax (60:19-21). Right in the middle, relating to this day and hour, God warns, For the nation and kingdom that does not serve you [the nation of Israel as God is restoring it] shall perish. Yes, those nations will be utterly wasted. When we understand that Israel's restoration is all about God's glory,14 then we see why it makes Him furious that there are those in the nations, and especially in the church, who refuse to help, and even resist, Israel's restoration to its land and afterward to its Messiah and King, the Lord Yeshua.

Twice in Jeremiah (30:11; 46:28), God states that while He will judge nations, He deals with Israel differently – like a son whom He will discipline, harshly if need be, but whom He will never completely destroy. Of course, this is also how He deals with us who are also His children in Messiah Yeshua (Heb. 12:5-8).

Ezekiel 36 labels the land of Israel both God's land and Israel's land. Therefore thus says the Lord YHWH, surely in the fire of My jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Idumea, who have appointed My land unto their possession with the joy of their heart, and with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey. (36:5) But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to My people Israel; for they are about to return. (36:8) For I will take you [scattered Israel] from among the gentiles, and gather you out of all nations, and will bring you into your own land…And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you shall be My people, and I will be your God. (36:24, 28) This can be summed up by recognizing that the land is God's land which He has given to His people – for His glory (36:21-22, 32-36; cp. Lev. 25:23; Mal. 1:5).

Joel 3:1-2 is a prophetic warning which is determining the destiny of many nations now. These verses say the same thing that God has said about the Jewish people ever since He called Abram out of Ur and told him that He would protect him and his seed by blessing those who bless him and cursing those who denigrate and curse and reject him and his descendants that come through the line of Isaac and Jacob, which are the Jewish people today. For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem," (exactly what we are witnessing today), "I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat [YHWH has judged], and will plead with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and divided My land. God is very clear here that His people are His heritage and Israel's land is His land.

Amos 9:14-15 again affirms that God's people are Israel and that He will restore them to their land. I will bring again the captivity of My people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards, and drink its wine. They shall also make gardens, and eat its fruit, and I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be plucked out of their land which I have given them, says YHWH your God.

The prophecy of Zechariah is full of God's concern and care for His people and His city Jerusalem. Yet it is vital to recall that when we read in chapter 12:2-3 of most nations coming against His city and His land, God states that it is He – and not any political or spiritual force – which draws the nations into His trap. The end result will be the destruction of these nations and the salvation of all Israel: And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem, and I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look unto Me15 whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zech. 12:9-10)

Today, we see many nations that are set against Israel's control of Jerusalem, mainly politically, but also in other areas and ways. All this is the beginning of the fulfillment of the above prophecy. Yet there is another prophetic word in Zechariah that we who live in Jerusalem see literally every day: Thus says YHWH of hosts; There shall yet old men16 and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for old age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in them. Thus says YHWH of hosts, if it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in mine eyes? … Thus says YHWH of hosts; Behold, I will save My people from the east country, and from the west country. I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. (Zech. 8:4-8)

8 (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1)

9 See also (Numbers 23:19-24; 24:4-9, 16-19)

10 These two reasons for God choosing Israel are the very same two reasons for God saving gentiles. He saves both Jew and gentile because He loves us (John 3:16) and also because He would keep His oath to Israel's forefathers (Gal. 3:8; cp. Gen. 12:3 [to Abraham]; 18:18 [to Abraham]; 22:18 [to Isaac]; 26:4 [to Jacob]).

11 (Psalm 14:7; 41:13; 50:7; 53:6; 59:5; 68:8, 34-35; 69:6; 71:22; 72:18; 78:71; 81:8, 11-13; 89:18; 106:48; 121:4; 124:1; 135:4; 147:19-20; 149:2).

12 There are hundreds of other verses where God connects His personal name, YHWH [Yahweh] with Israel. Here are just a few more: (Deut. 33:29; Isa. 30:15; Jer. 32:15; Ezek. 20:41; 34:30; Hos. 14:1)

13 My wife and I have written a teaching on this theological truth called, "Why God Judges Nations."

14 Here are a few of the many verses which link Israel's end time regathering and restoration with our God's glory: (Deut. 33:26-29; Psa. 79:9; 83:16-18; 102:13-16; 115:1-3; Isa. 41:10-16; 43:5-7, 21 48:9-11; 52:5; Ezek. 36:21-23; 39:27-29; Joel 3:14-15; Mic. 4:11-13; Zeph. 3:14-20; Zech. 14:10; Mal. 1:5)

15 The Hebrew indicates that this will be looking with eyes of faith as God reveals His Son to His people, and not a looking upon Messiah with physical sight at His second coming. Now compare that with what Yeshua says in Matthew 24:30 – where Israel, described as all the tribes of the land in that verse, will see "the sign of the Son of Man" first before He physically sets His feet on the Mount of Olives. Note that after they "see" – have a revelation of – Him, then they will mourn, that is repent. Once again, we see that all Israel gets saved by grace and not by sight.

16 I see an old man every time I look in the mirror. Hmm, to think that I am a living fulfillment of this prophetic word!

God's nature as revealed in the Tanach is still the same today

It is a grief to hear some of the unbiblical statements from believers – especially mature ones – when they say things like, "God is no longer in the business of judging men and nations, but only of saving and blessing men and nations." Or, "God is no longer interested in real estate!" both of which are addressed above. And then there is this rhetorical "spiritual" question, thrown out as if the answer is so obvious that this will end all arguments. "Do you really think that the God of the New Testament would choose one nation above all others?" Well, actually I am not sure because I do not know what the "god" of only the New Testament would be like? My God is not that "god", but He is the God of the whole Bible, who does whatever He wants and who elected Abraham and the nation that would come from his descendants – the nation of Israel – so that the rest of the world would have a chance to know Him (Gen. 12:1-3).

The Tanach proclaims that our God does not change (Psa. 102:25-27; Mal. 3:6), and the New Testament agrees with this (Heb. 1:10-12; 13:8; Jam. 1:17). Because of this our God is still Yahweh, the God of Israel!

The Tanach says that He is the righteous Judge of all the earth (Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; Psa. 58:11; 94:2; 98:9; Zeph. 3:5), and the New Testament agrees (John 5:22-27; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 3:6, Rev. 2:23; 20:12; 22:12).

Both the Tanach and the NT say that God is a Man of war (Ex. 15:3; Psa. 24:8; Isa. 42:13; Rev. 19:11-21). In fact, at times, He even sanctifies a war, as He says in Joel 3:9: Proclaim this among the Gentiles; 'Prepare [lit; sanctify"] war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up': (see also Ezek. 38-39; Mic. 4:11-13).

The laws for humanity found in the Tanach are still valid – such as capital punishment for convicted murderers (Gen. 9:5-6) – and He gives men governments to apply His law (Rom. 13:1-4). Yet today, because we think we know better than Him, truth has fallen in the streets and evil has taken its place (Eccl. 8:11; Isa. 59:14-15).

God still demands a blood sacrifice for sins (Lev. 17:11; cp. 16:14-19), which is why Yeshua died through crucifixion (Matt. 26:28; Rom. 3:25; 5:9; Col. 1:14; Heb. 13:12; Rev. 1:5). Of course, since the foundational theology of the cross is found in the book of Leviticus, and many believers just cannot get past all that blood shed through animal sacrifices, they do not fully perceive why God the Son had to shed His blood for their atonement so that they could be saved.

And while I praise God that we are saved by grace and not by our theology, yet to be fruitful in God's Kingdom requires that we have a decent grasp of what the whole of Scriptures teach (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

The simple solution

Read and believe the Bible from the beginning – regardless of whether you understand it or not. Do not stop reading the New Testament, but stop interpreting the Tanach through the filter of the New. Instead, train yourself to do what Yeshua, and the New Testament apostles and authors did, which is to interpret the New Testament through the filter of what they knew as the Holy Scriptures – the Tanach.

Ask God to quicken that new heart and new spirit that He has placed in you (Ezek. 36:26), and to quicken His Spirit who is now inside you (Ezek. 36:27), to open your mind's eye to see the Tanach the way He, the Lord Yeshua, sees it.

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law [teaching/instruction].Psa. 119:18