Happy Sukkot!
Israel's existence challenges
all of us on many different levels, whoever we are; religious or
non-religious, political left or political right, Jew or non-Jew. Is
there any segment of humanity where Israel does not raise some degree of
emotion? From
the time we started this work over 8 years ago until now, people ask
me, "How can you be sure what you're doing is part of prophecy?" To be
honest, it is a question that has been difficult for me to answer with
confidence. In some way, to admit some prophetic picture would seem
prideful. To think that mere mortals can aspire to such a lofty place -
at least in my mind - should be considered inconceivable.
It could be
that my religious upbringing made prophecy seem unreachable - out there somewhere, above the clouds. I imagined it to be something too holy, too sacred to say, "This is prophecy!"
The
common belief in replacement theology, even today, has not completely
discounted the words of the Old Testament prophets. Embracing the
declarations of future destruction and desolation allowed
an inroad to justifying Israel's replacement. Hardly anyone would argue
against the truth of Israel's 2000 year desolation as described
beginning in Joel, chapter 1 verses 6 thru 12, "For a nation has come up
against My land, strong, and without number; his teeth are the teeth of
a lion, and he has the fangs of a fierce lion. He has laid waste My vine, and ruined My fig tree; he has stripped it bare and thrown it away; ...The grain offering and the drink offering have been cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests mourn, who minister to the LORD. The field is wasted, the land mourns; for the grain is ruined, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails. Be ashamed, you farmers, wail, you vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field has perished. The vine has dried up, and the fig tree has withered; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree (dates) also, and the apple tree-- all the trees of the field are withered; surely joy has withered away from the sons of men." (NKJV, emphasis mine)
"A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds" - Mark Twain
Mark Twain describes Israel in 1867, in his book The Innocents Abroad
as, " . . . A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given
over wholly to weeds . . . a silent mournful expanse . . . a desolation .
. . we never saw a human being on the whole route . . . hardly a tree
or shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast
friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country." This
description certainly underscores the prophet Joel's prediction of
Israel's future. As easily as desolation and destruction can be embraced, it is strange to me how redemption and restoration
cannot be received so easily. Joel later says in chapter 2 verse 18,
"Then the Lord will be zealous for His land and pity His people." In
verse 22, " . . . the open pastures are springing up, and the tree bears
its fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their strength." Verse 25
goes on to say, "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming
locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the
chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you."
"When I eat and drink the fruit of the vines... my faith soars" - Tommy Waller
Today, when I see and touch - when I eat and drink the fruit of the vines, having
been
nonexistent for 2000 years on these mountains, my faith soars. As Peter
says in 2 Peter, chapter 1 verse 19, "And so we have the prophetic word
confirmed, which you do well to heed . . . " Since last year, over 450
people have come to the mountains and had "the prophetic word
confirmed." What message are they taking back to their communities? A
message of restoration and redemption - the
vineyards are back - the olive oil is back - the wheat is back - the
barley is back - the fig is back - the pomegranate is back - the dates
are back - the apples are back. On top of it all, the Jewish people have come from the four corners of the earth to build again on these mountains - all of this right before our very eyes.
Joy is surely returning!
This is not a confirmation of desolation, but restoration!
If
you have a group who would like to connect with the harvesters here in
Israel via Skype during the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles), which begins
this Sunday evening at sundown, please contact us right away at info@hayovel.com to set up a time.
Chag Sameach!
Tommy Waller
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