Pastor’s Thoughts – 06/07/2026

The Christian who has their Bible in hand and studies the Word has insight into the times and circumstances of events unfolding in the world that other people do not have. This is a particular blessing to those who know God and trust His Word. Isaiah, the prophet, says, “Now it will come about that In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; so that He may teach us about His ways, and that we may walk in His paths .’For the law will go out from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He, Christ, will judge between the nations, and will mediate for many peoples; and they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up a sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.” (Isaiah 2:2-5). This is a great insight into the future by the clear promise that Israel will serve as the headquarters for the future literal kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Yet, when Israel was destroyed in 70 A D, many theologians looked for a different means to interpret this passage and many other passages promising this same future for Israel. They did this even though God also said, “Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; the Lord of hosts is His name: ‘if this fixed order departs from before Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever’” (Jer. 31:35-36). This powerful promise is repeated by other prophets as well. But because Israel had ceased to exist, what has now come to be known as replacement theology was born. Since Israel did not exist, it appeared to many that the church had replaced Israel permanently. Therefore, passages declaring promises to Israel became transferred to the church, and instead of taking God’s promises literally, these were spiritualized to accommodate this new interpretation. Many otherwise good men of God, and good theologians adopted this interpretation, and many continue doing so even today.

Israel formally and legally came back into their land in 1948. This historic reality is a miracle, and their continuance against overwhelming opposition is a story of miraculous history unfolding before us. That Israel is not only back in their land but is the center of world tension is a reality. Today, Israel, although it is smaller than the state of New Jersey, is continually in the news and at the center of conflicts because of Iran warring against them. This is affecting the world’s oil prices and stirring political debate. Opposition to Israel is real and growing. Iran, by their devotion to Islam, have sacrificed their wealth and well-being in an incessant desire to rid the world of Israel and Jews. It is no accident that Israel is hated by so many for humanly unexplainable reasons. This was true during the time of Esther, who became queen in Persia 2500 years ago, which is now modern Iran. Esther was used by God to stop the king’s edict to kill all Jews. Christians who know their Bible, know that the reason for this hate is spiritual as revealed in the future activity of Satan in Revelation 12:13-17. Satan is the dragon, and the woman is Israel. Why is this hatred spiritual? Satan knows the Bible and he knows God’s plan. For this reason, he has been seeking Israel’s demise. He knows that God through Moses declared Israel’s unique role as the covenant people of God and that He would use Israel to give us a Savior to end sin, and bring God’s promised kingdom to restore all that was lost by the fall (Gen. 3:15; Deut. 7:6-7).

Christians have God’s Word as a map to guide our thinking in all matters of living. We also know the future and have great hope, not in what is occurring by the sinful actions of men, or the ingenuity of men, but by the promises of God. In Scripture we are told that we are, “Sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do but let us be alert and sober” (1 Thess. 5:5-6). The context of this admonition is a reference to the last days, the very days of which we live. The reference to light is a reference to know God’s truth so that we are not caught in the darkness of confusion and wrong thinking that exists in our world. The idea of not being asleep is to be aware. Because of the Bible we can know what and why things are happening. We, of all people are an oasis of truth and light. We know that God is working all the pieces that appear so difficult and beyond repair, and yet, He will have the last say. Christ is the need in the present, and He is the future. Jesus Christ is coming again, and He will rule and reign among and with those who have embraced Him by faith. We are so blessed to have God’s Word, and the glorious, promised, future that is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Maranatha – come Lord Jesus!