Volume 1, Number 4
April 2003
It All Began with Abraham — Israel: The Super Sign of the End-Times, part 2 art of the reason for the return of Israel’s the people through whom the Messiah Messiah will be to enforce the everlasting decree came to redeem humanity from sin of God’s land grant to the Jewish people and to (Romans 3:2; 9:5). The Jews wrote the overthrow the nations of the world in league with the Bible and the Messiah Jesus is a Jew. anti-Christ who will violently attempt to take the land God subsequently reaffirmed this Todd Baker away from them (Zech. 12-14; Ezekiel 47:13-48:35). covenant with Abraham to his son, Isaac, and Isaac’s In fact, the boundaries God gave son, Jacob (Genesis 25:5-6; for the Promised Land stretch 35:9-15). From these three from the river of Egypt (Wadi elpatriarchs, God eternally Arish) to the Euphrates River promised the land of Israel to near the Syrian\Iraqi border (Gen. the Jewish people. From a divine 15:18-21) — an area yet to be and biblical perspective then, occupied by the Jewish nation the Land of Israel belongs to the that well includes the two Jewish people. And so God presently disputed areas of Gaza chose this Land and the Chosen and the West Bank (Judea and People to play a central role in Samaria). His plan of redemption for the The covenant God made with world and mankind that Abraham not only would naturally involves the past, produce the Jewish people from present, and the future. his (“seed”) posterity with a land The plan of redemption for to live in, but their presence in Israel and the world focuses the world also would greatly around two epochal events — Israel as promised to Abraham and his descendents benefit and bless Mankind. The the first and second comings of Lord said: “And in you all the families of the earth the Messiah Jesus Christ. In both advents, Christ has shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Indeed the Jews and will personally come again directly to Israel. The have brought the world immeasurable blessings. They covenant God made with Abraham plays a special wrote and preserved the Scriptures (the Bible), which significance and role in end-time Bible prophecy. The is the number one best-seller in the world and were fact God guaranteed the people of Israel a national existence and homeland forever that brought the material and spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ to the Gentile nations basically defines and It All Began with Abraham (Part 2) ........................... 1 determines the primary focus of the whole Encounters in Israel ................................................. 2 eschatological program of God. The covenant of Matthew 13 and the Prophetic Parables ................... 3 Abraham with the provisions of a land, nation, Romans 7: Pre-Christian, Post-Christian, or Both? ... 4 Messianic descendant, and blessing to the world is
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