Christian
Media
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THE GREAT EXCHANGE
Part XXV
Recent chapters of The Great Exchange have
elaborated on the Jewish prophetic expectations as the New Covenant approached.
When the prophetic panorama found in the book of Ezekiel
unfolded, the Jews were encouraged. The prophet not only told them they were
going to be released from the bondage of Babylon, they were to
enjoy the presence of the LORD’s blessings once again.
However, the freedom that Ezekiel and the
other prophets regaled was not the release from the Babylonians who had carried
them away under Nebuchadnezzar; it was a breaking of the Spiritual bands of
sin, which had held them for so long.
“And the earth shall yield her
increase…when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and
delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them” (Ezekiel
34:27).
God had always indicated that if Israel turned away from
Him, as His covenant people He loved them enough to punish them – and the
kingdom of Babylon was His instrument.
“For thus saith the Lord of hosts,
the God of Israel: I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all
these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon” (Jeremiah
28:14).
Many believers have heard the true fact that the Jews
rejected Jesus because they expected a conquering Messiah, who would violently
deliver them from their oppressors – in the present case, Babylon.
However, an epic reversal of sorts was in the making as the LORD was about to
provide the Remnant of Israel in Judaea with liberation in the Spiritual
arena.
The Jews of Judaea in Ezekiel’s day prophetically
looked for a political deliverer, because that is what they desired. The
prophets (all the way back to Moses), had told them they were to be vessels of
the LORD’s light, shining His righteousness to the Gentiles
– but that is not the role they desired.
“Woe unto him that striveth with
his Maker! Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? Or to
the woman, What hast thou brought forth?” (Isaiah 45:9, 10).
The Jews in Judaea enjoyed the role of being chosen to be a
“special people” (Deuteronomy 7:6) before God; but they
consistently held back from a committed devotion to the LORD. This was particularly
acute when they saw the Northern tribes of Israel decisively turn away from
their role as God’s light to the nations, and a self righteous arrogance
came upon them.
Another prophet of the exile in Babylon, Jeremiah,
specifically addressed these circumstances.
“And I saw, when for all the causes
whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her
a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, and went and
played the harlot also. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath
not turned unto me with her whole heart but feignedly, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah
3:8, 10)
Thus, at the time of Ezekiel’s vision of the
“dry bones” representing the desolation of “all Israel”
during the Babylonian captivity, the nation had finally come to the realization
that they were completely lost.
“Then he said unto me, Son of man,
these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones
are dried, and our hope is lost” (Ezekiel 37:11).
Jesus addressed this time in one of his marvelous parables.
Many know about the symbolism of the Fig Tree as a metaphor describing
Israel, but most are not cognizant of the fact there were two “Fig
Tree” parables.
The Rapture Cult twists one of the two tales
into yet another role reversal – again exchanging the prophetic
roles, by identifying the Fig Tree parable with the re-gathering of the
modern state known as Israel – thereby mis-identifying the Antichrist
nation as “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16).
“Now learn a parable of the fig
tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that
summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that
it is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:32, 33).
Since there are now two Israels – the
modern flesh and blood, Christ rejecting political state, and the Spiritual
body of redeemed people now known as Christians -- this parable points
us to the important truth that Israel was split into two, at the cross of JESUS CHRIST. Indeed,
the very fact the nation was split into the two houses of Israel known as Samaria
and Judaea under the Old Covenant, prophetically prefigures this
astonishing metamorphosis.
In the original example of the Fig Tree, Jesus
and His disciples had encountered a Fig Tree, and since He was hungry, the LORD
sought fruit on the tree. When he found no fruit at all, He cursed the tree.
“And Jesus answered and said unto
it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up
from the roots” (Mark 11:14).
The reader may remember the verse quoted in our last
installment of The Great Exchange, when we cited the wonderful
chapter of Isaiah 53, about the Saviour who was “despised and rejected of
men” when He “was wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah
53:3).
In that priceless passage, we also saw that He was
prophesied to grow up as “a tender plant, and as a root out of a
dry ground” (Isaiah 53:2).
The picture of Christ as a “tender” plant, that
is raised up out of “dry ground,” is mystically
manifested as JESUS grows up in the Israel that was “dried up from the
roots” (Mark 11:14).
In the other Fig Tree parable, we see the Father, the
owner of the tree, has wearied of waiting for the tree to bear fruit.
“He spake also this parable; A
certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought
fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard,
Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none:
cut it down” (Luke 13: 6, 7).
This end of His longsuffering is seen in the prophet Amos,
who states the final reckoning of Israel is near.
“And he said, Amos, what seest
thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, The
end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any
more” (Amos 8:2).
The “summer fruit” that Amos sees is indicative
of a harvest, and it certainly points to a shelf life for the fruit. In other
words, the final time of reckoning for the “Fig Tree” was at hand.
Furthermore, it resonates with Amos’ prophecy of “the end…of
Israel” (Amos 8:2), when Christ said you’ll know that
“summer is near” (Mark 13:28).
Back in the New Testament parable where the “certain
man” decrees the tree is to be cut down, there is even more information.
The “dresser” of the vineyard was obviously Christ, who is duty
bound to obey the directives of the Father -- the “certain man”
that owned the Fig Tree.
Here we see the intercessory characteristic of the Son, as
the Scripture tells us that Christ mediates with the Father, to placate His
wrath against unrepentant mankind.
“It is Christ that died, yea
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also maketh intercession for us” (Romans 8:34).
Thus, we see the LORD JESUS CHRIST in the parable,
mediating with the Father on behalf of Israel – the Fig Tree.
“And he answering said unto him,
Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And
if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it
down” (Luke 13:8, 9).
In that the Son’s statement may be paraphrased as If
it still doesn’t bear any fruit after I’ve worked with it, you can
still cut it down, we are provided even more context. In other words, the
parable also provides a “second witness” (Deuteronomy 17:6)
to the fact that the effort made to spare the Fig Tree is definitely
Israel’s last chance, just as Amos said.
The end is come upon my people of
Israel; I will not again pass by them any more” (Amos 8:2).
It is self evident that Christ intercedes for Israel
-- as opposed to an entirely separate body known as the “Church”
(which is supposedly distinct from Israel), so the parable is embedded with
doctrine as well as prophecy.
In fact, the parable of the Fig Tree –
which is clearly Israel – provides additional layers of prophetic
doctrine.
We just noted that when Christ (as the “dresser”
of the vineyard) says that if the tree does not bear fruit after His efforts to
redeem it, the Father can still cut it down, we might add that history
precisely records the final end of flesh and blood Israel. After Jerusalem
refused to honor Jesus Christ as their prophesied king, the insurrection of the
Jews shortly thereafter sealed their fate.
The records are extensive (and graphic), and they coherently
record the Roman siege which ultimately destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. In
short, the end of Israel came about as the Remnant of flesh and blood Israel
was completely destroyed in 70 AD.
When Christ cursed the tree because He was
“hungry” (indicating an expectation of the praise due the Father
for His centuries of dealing with His rebellious chosen people), and He finds
no “fruit” at all on the tree, He also precludes a further
contribution by the “tree.”
“Let no fruit grow on thee
henceforward for ever” (Matthew 21:19)
The desired “fruit” is clearly tied to the
efforts of the “dresser of the vineyard” (Luke 13:7), who
expends effort to make the tree productive. This fruit is directly related to
the New Testament definition of fruits in a Spiritual vein.
“Being filled with the fruits of
righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of
God” (Philippians 1:11)
Further, the physical flourishing of the modern state is
unrelated to the Scripturally defined Spiritual vitality -- which is a
necessary component of Israel’s original mission as a light to the
nations.
In this regard, we remember Israel’s original calling
was to be a vessel of honour, containing the righteousness of God, as a witness
to the nations. That light – shining to the Gentiles through Israel
– is indeed Jesus Christ.
“I the Lord have called thee in
righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for
a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles” (Isaiah
42:6).
Thus, two “Israels” intersected at the cross.
One was destined for destruction, as the dual factions of Death
and Hell were driving it, and the other was inhabited by the
Spiritual Life in Jesus Christ.
-- James
Lloyd
To Be Continued
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Christian Media has an eye-opening, on-demand video
elaborating on the crucial facts seen in the above article —
which also includes predictions concerning the enormous turn of events
associated with the present political tumult in America – especially with
reference to the American recognition of Jerusalem as the capital
of the political state known as Israel.
We also publish a weekly news synopsis summarizing what has
occurred each week (The ChristianMediaDaily News – The Week In Review).
In addition to this, we produce a regularly issued companion letter
commenting on the material seen in each chapter of THE
GREAT EXCHANGE. The latest edition of that letter (entitled the Christian
Median MINISTRY STATUS REPORT or MSR) has even more prophetic
projections concerning the amazing explosion of prophetic understanding which
has occurred at the Christian Media ministry.
Further, we have 24/7 Radio Streams, and also an additional
online video program dealing with Health and Survival, as well as
other regularly issued videos which elaborate on doctrine, and
identify specific False Prophets the believer should avoid.
However, the adversary has already sown tares in this
vineyard (II Thessalonians 2:7), and we choose not to provide the
website links with the video elaborating on the present prophecy
writing here, as those who think they’re doing God service are tirelessly
trying to excise the truth from the Internet (John 16:2).
Viewing of the online video on this subject is completely
free (as is the receipt of this weekly Communique), and we greatly
desire as many as possible will see it (a new video will replace it in another
week), but to examine this subject further, we ask for a green light from you
to send you the link. Because we refuse to “cast [our] pearls
before swine” (Matthew 7:6), our materials are only sent for a
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Further, because there are many vested interests which are
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Incredibly, we’ve already proven that
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send the links to our Internet materials via surface mail.
As we move through the Spiritual wilderness beyond the veil
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to seek the LORD while He may yet be found. As those who have inherited
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“[We] must work the works of him that sent [us],
while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4).
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