The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Convergence, #3

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." (Exodus 19:5,6—NIV)

The reason the Jews have suffered throughout history is that they have neglected to serve God in prayer and holiness. The Jews who insist on living in abundance in this world, who neglect the call of the Spirit to return to Israel, will be driven back to Israel by tribulation.

Many of the Jews in Israel do not believe in God and are not seeking to serve God with all their heart. God will take care of their faithlessness in His time and in His way. It is imperative, we believe, that the Jews return to the land of Israel in the present hour.

It is time for the spiritual fulfillment of the Old Testament observance of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Yom Kippur is the most solemn of the Hebrew convocations. It calls for the deepest searching of the heart, for godly sorrow for our sins, for repentance, for a return to righteous behavior.

It is time for the Jews of the world to repent of their sins and to serve the Lord God of their fathers. It is time for the Christians of the world to repent of their sins and to walk according to the words of Christ and of His Apostles.

Whoever does not repent and begin to walk in righteousness and holiness in the present hour will come under the judgment of God. In fact, even those who are seeking the Lord with all their heart will come under judgment and will experience much trouble and suffering. This is because the Lord is making us worthy of the Kingdom soon to come to the earth (II Thessalonians 1:5).

There were three times when all the Hebrew males were to present themselves before the Lord: in the feast of Unleavened Bread, in the feast of Weeks, and in the feast of Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:16).

The feast of Unleavened Bread typifies the salvation experience.

The feast of Weeks speaks of the baptism of the believer with the Holy Spirit.

The feast of Tabernacles portrays the entrance of the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit into the faithful saint to make Their eternal abode with him (John 14:23).

The plan of God from the beginning has been to create a holy dwelling place for Himself. The elect of God, the saints, are called out from the world in order to be living stones in the eternal Temple of God.

It is God's will to reveal Himself to the nations of the earth, to live among the various peoples whom He has created. God intends to reveal Himself through the individuals He has chosen.

It is God's will that every person be saved, and God has made provision for the salvation of each individual. Unfortunately some will not accept the gift of God through Christ.

In addition to the nations of the saved there is the Church, the Wife of the Lamb, the Body of Christ, the royal priesthood. The members of the royal priesthood are the dwelling place of God, the new Jerusalem.

God saves His elect, and then fills them with His Holy Spirit. After that, God uses many devices in order to build each individual into a dwelling place for Himself.

To be continued.