Cautious Thoughts

The Lord's word to King David of Israel - “And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” 2nd Samuel 7:16 (NKJV)

There's a lot of conversation these days about Israel, anti-Semitism, and the possibility that the USA is over-investing in the protection of Israel. There are so many subjects relating to Israel that could be subject to the opinions of men and women in the world today. Now I'm not looking for an argument, though I'm sure there are thousands, or more, that would instantly rise up to correct me even over my own thoughts here. Anything I might say could be fodder for argument for those who have a tendency to like to argue. But for my own part, out of reverence and respect for God rather than men, I approach subjects with a certain amount of caution. I care very little for the politics and arguments of men - especially given the stain of corruption that mankind so often brings to them out of his own will and imperfection. I myself am not yet perfect, so it's not my position here to stand in judgment , only to provide thoughtful caution.

At the end of every argument every man will find himself, regardless of who he might be, standing before a far greater, ultimate authority and judge than himself - to whom he must give an account. I see so many people taking sides on this or that - even strongly and forcefully, .. and I find myself wondering ... did they check submissively to determine God's side? Because if they're not in reverent submission to God - in everything, they could be making mistakes that they'll wish they could hide from when the hourglass of time finally runs out.

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Numbers 23:19 (NKJV)

I do care very much about the government and economy of our God. This includes His thoughts and the plight of His chosen people- those that as the Apostle Paul pointed out in Romans chapter 11, are the very ones that we gentile followers of Christ ARE GRAFTED INTO. The Apostle Paul was speaking to the gentiles about God's chosen and the gentiles themselves - remembering that salvation was offered first to the Jews and then after they rejected Christ, then and only then, to the Gentiles (most of us).

"And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either."   Romans 11:17-20 (NKJV)

God made a covenant with Abraham and confirmed it with Isaac and Jacob (- whose name He changed to Israel). And if you've read the Old Testament and the history of Israel in order and in context, then on through the New Testament, you know that even when Israel broke that covenant, God never has. Even in His fiercest anger against them, He's always reserved a remnant because of the covenant that he made with them. If you haven't read the scripture and history of Israel in the way that I've suggested, I would further suggest that you should definitely be careful if you're making judgments, because you could be speaking without knowledge ... and one day find yourself regretting it. Who is God's Israel today? And where are they now? Are they the country that we know? Or someone else? If we're not absolutely sure, I advise sincere caution because wherever they are, we are grafted into - a divinely adopted part of, them. In essence, we're adopted as Israelites.

"But the LORD was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and regarded them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence."  2 Kings 13:23 (NKJV)

"Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah, for the sake of His servant David, as He promised him to give a lamp to him and his sons forever." 2 Kings 8:19 (NKJV)

 "Yet the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever." 2 Chronicles 21:7 (NKJV)

My curiosity is this; Where are they now? Though the nation of Israel may, or may not, be the Israel of old, there is somewhere a remnant of God's first chosen people. And out of the deepest respect for God and those that He chose first, I would urge any who would choose to label Israel as whole cloth in any regard, to consider first what God thinks and how He views them first. This especially since our own judgments and opinions have no value - none, if they disagree with God's. Putting aside political, personal and secular issues, what does God think? I'm confident that God has a view and I know without any doubt that our politics and issues in the world have no value if they stand against His view, other than to possibly pose a stench, an affront to Him for which we may later find ourselves ashamed, if we misjudged.

Remember if you've read it, how David when he had the life of King Saul in his hands and could have so easily killed him, he refused to strike Saul because Saul had been anointed by God. Saul had chased and terrorized David for many years, but David, fearing God, refused to enact his own judgement against Saul. Of those who might rail seemingly without care against Israel now, I feel compelled to ask, does anyone have any fear around the possibility of misjudging how God might feel about the situation? After all, God claims "Israel" as His own. 

 "Then the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’ ” And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. And he said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.” So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way."  2 Samuel 24:4-7 (NKJV)

So much of the human race seems to have lost their minds, and along with those, the reverent fear of God. I believe that we may sometimes give too much credence to what we as mere humans think, without first considering God's position on any and every subject, every time out. Some assume this or that on a regular basis without consulting the only true Judge and Sovereign Power first - to seek out His counsel, ordinances, laws and commandments. I'm struck by the audacity and insolence of our species, since so much of it rushes toward grave retribution, and that to be meted out by The Omnipotent And Just God of the universe- the One that they seem to find it convenient hold in disregard for now because He's so long in delaying final judgment. But that day is coming so shortly, for all of mankind.

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil."  James 4:13-16

Part of my point here is that I think it's possible that we're sometimes blind to our own arrogance. I think we may at times dare to form opinions, or make judgments, decisions and plans that could be contrary, or even flatly against, God's if we haven't truly - without any preconceived bias, put ourselves in complete submission to our Lord and reverently sought to determine what His position is. If we don't do that, we run the risk of finding ourselves standing against Him - and that, despite our own feelings, judgment, plan, or opinion ... is the losing side every time. Much of His thoughts we find in scripture that He's provided us and our need to study it is critical to our true knowledge and understanding of Him and our knowledge and understanding of which side in anything, is so importantly His.

I would say that "Israel", as God still refers to them - however and wherever He sees them, still has a future and a hope through the covenants that He chose to make with them - that same Israel that we're grafted into. So I for one will make caution a part of my thoughts about them, wherever they are. And before the Lord, I seek His wisdom concerning our elder brothers as He's chosen them first and then adopted us among them. My prayers are for our joint success with them, as brothers and sisters, in drawing nearer to Him because I believe that's His reigning desire.

"Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old."  Micah 7:18-20 (NKJV)

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8 (NKJ)

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it."  Deuteronomy 10:12-14 (NKJ)