Ukraine …. spiritual Israel
Ukraine appears to be taking a leading role in this world’s affairs. It has a strong Christian history. As such it comes under the banner of spiritual Israel. As opposed to literal Israel, a country in the Middle East.
https://youtu.be/EtdVmRaA2s8?feature=shared
Galatians 3:7,29 NKJV
Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. [29] And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
We need to be looking beyond traditional Israel. Jesus said to traditional Israel:
Matthew 23:37-39 KJV
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! [38] Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. [39] For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Malachi 1:5 NKJV
Your eyes shall see, And you shall say, ‘The LORD is magnified beyond the border of Israel.’
Ukraine has a strong Christian heritage. Read some of the comments in the following You Tube clip to see if this isn’t the case.
https://youtu.be/2qrryKC9vYY?si=lEsQ8MHd_cErEFhQ
There is no mention of different denominations or belief systems – just Christian people praying.
The country mentioned in Ezekiel 38 as “…….. a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates” Ezekiel 38:11 NKJV could well be describing Ukraine. This is a country that relinquished its nuclear weapons in 1994. Its invader is pictured as coming from the north. (vs.15) Russia is attacking Ukraine from the north.
Ezekiel 38:3-4,9-12,15-16 NKJV
and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. [4] I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. [9] You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.” [10] ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: [11] You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’- [12] to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. [15] Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. [16] You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.”
God’s people need to be praying for the fulfillment of this prophecy. We read of this principle in Daniel chapter 9:2,3 where Daniel set himself to pray for the fulfillment of a prophecy by the prophet Jeremiah. There is an important lesson here for us. Even though it was written as a prophetic word Daniel didn’t take it for granted. And so it should be with us today. When we see men and women dying unnecessarily on the battlefield we should be earnest in our prayers.
Ezekiel 38:4,21 NKJV
I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. [21] I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord GOD. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother.
Malachi 3:2,4,16-17 KJV
But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: [4] Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. [16] Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. [17] And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
This raises an interesting observation. Those protestant Christians who are looking for a resurgence in literal Israel are less likely to believe in the literal interpretation of the 4th commandment – the seventh day Sabbath.
But those protestant Christians who believe in keeping the literal seventh day Sabbath (Seventh-day Adventists) are less likely to believe in the resurgence of literal Israel.
Is there an inconsistency with both parties here?
A Seventh-day Adventist will say, we should keep Saturday as the true Sabbath. And be on the watch for Sunday laws. But all those Scripture passages that talk about the resurgence of literal Israel don’t really apply.
A ‘normal’ protestant Christian will say, we should be looking and praying for the resurgence of literal Israel, but we needn’t be worried about keeping the 4th commandment.
This website leans more towards the spiritual understanding of both the Sabbath and God’s people Israel. The words of Jesus to Nicodemus appear to endorse this spiritual understanding of The Way.
John 3:1-21 NKJV
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2] This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” [3] Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [4] Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” [5] Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ [8] The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” [9] Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” [10] Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? [11] Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. [12] If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? [13] No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. [14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. [16] For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. [17] For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. [18] “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [19] And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. [20] For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. [21] But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
As stated above we are always looking for some sign that what we believe is correct.
Jesus said, Matthew 12:39 KJV – An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
In looking for signs in anticipated world events we may be missing the greatest sign of all: that which is happening deep inside our hearts and minds.
Matthew 12:40 KJV
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
This absolutely terrifying experience of Jonah was going to be repeated in the experience of Jesus himself.
Jesus trod the winepress alone, even losing the sense of His Father’s presence at that time. (Matthew 26:38,39; 27:46)
Jonah suffered on behalf of the people in the boat (Jonah 1:15) and on behalf of the people of Nineveh. (Jonah 3:1-10; 4:1-4) Jesus suffered on behalf of the whole world. So, is the sign that Jesus is coming soon, not current historical events, but the growing willingness of God’s people to pray, intercede, suffer, on behalf of others. Is that what Jesus is telling us in this verse?
We are not to look without, believing we understand all prophecies, and are in control.
We are to look within, knowing God, and that He is in control.
There are thousands of Christians around the world learning to pray in the Spirit.
John 4:23 KJV
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Romans 8:26 AMP
In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:35-39 KJV
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In their growing, united prayer for Ukraine, God’s people around the world, are realising these wonderful truths? Praise God, Jesus is coming soon.
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