After Israel was declared a State in 1948, and the Jewish people were beginning to be established in the Promised Land again after nearly 1900 years, Christianity was faced with the challenge of redefining its position. Were the promises in the Word of God really meant for Israel or the Church? Was it true that the scriptures referring to Israel applied to them alone? Were the only passages specifically meant for the Church, the ones where it stated 'Called out ones.' and Ecclessia.?
The world witnessed the fulfillment of the prophesy in Isaiah 66:8 "Who has heard such a thing?. Who has seen such things?. Shall a land be born in one day?. Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?." Since the Jewish nation was completely banished from the Holy Land by the Romans after the last Jewish revolt around 134C.E. they have prayed every year at the end of the Passover service,"Next year in Jerusalem." L'shanah Haba-ah Bi-yerushala-yim.
The Almighty does hear the prayers of His people and He does answer
in His own time.In 2 Peter 3:8 it says,
" But do not ignore this one fact beloved, that with the Lord one
day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is
not slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward
you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
Something of critical importance happened in the heavenlies and in the Spiritual realm following the establishment of Israel in 1948.From then on the eyes of the world have been focussed on this tiny little land,and frequently, sad to say, were all too ready to condemn her and blame her for any disturbances that occurred in that area.
Immediately that the United Nations declared Israel a State, all of her neigbors and their Allies attacked her.However, even though she was greatly outnumbered she survived with the help of God. There have been many miracles documented during that time and it was quite evident Who was supporting them! It was not until the war of 1967 that Jerusalem was once again in Israeli hands and this marks the time when many significant events began to take place. (Listen to RealAudio link on Roots Index page)
Most scholars now agree that this marked the end of the' Time of the Gentiles.'Luke 21:24 ",they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trodden down by Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." Also in Romans 11:25 " Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brethren; a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, "
Following this time more Jewish people have accepted Yeshua, or Jesus, as their own Messiah, than in all the previous nineteen hundred years. Messianic Jewish Congregations were birthed and have grown from being a gathering of a few Jewish Believers, to a sizable minority group within Christendom.
At the begining of the sixties the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the church resembling something like what the prophet Joel predicted. " And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and you young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;" As we know, in the book of Acts this is how the Church was birthed. Now this is happening at the begining of the Last Days.
A Roman Catholic Bishop in England has written a book about this event, and states that it was instrumental in developing Messianic Judaism.With all of the Manifestations of the Holy Spirit, perhaps one of the most valuable is that of being able to Discern the truth of the Scriptures and receive Revelation on what was formerly considered a 'Mystery'.The veil was being lifted from not only the Jewish people, but the Gentiles too.
The 'Charasmatic Movement' as it became known as, was able to bridge the gap between Roman Catholics and Protestants of all denominations.All who allowed themselves to be open to it saw the scriptures in a New Light. At all times there are those who are resistant to change, but now after all this time it has become almost 'Main Stream.' Almost!
At the same time our adversay the devil was busy with a counter attack!
A revolution took place in our society where the morals and values of the
'Older Generation' were being seriously tested and examined. This caused
a gigantic division called 'The Generation Gap' and the enemy was able
to get in and use people, Christians included, to make a serious
split. Young people who called themselves 'Hippies' rebelled against what
they considered hypocracy and the so called 'Respectablity' and value
system, of Middle Class America.
There was much turmoil, strife and anger including organized protests
against the war in Vietnam. Unfortunately, by trying to establish the new,almost
all of the old was discarded. These people became the parents of what we
now know as 'GenerationX.'
However, as the scripture says in Romans 8:28 " We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." Some of those radicals who were opposed to the 'Establishment' became 'Born Again' and there was a great "Jesus Movement. " Some of our outstanding Christian Leaders today, were a part of that movement and are now radical Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have already discussed the restoration of the Jewish Roots taking
place in the Church today in a previous chapter. Next we will endeavor
to discover what we should be doing about all of this as followers of Jesus.
