The Songs Of Ascent – Part 12 – Psalm 129 – Israel Is The Most Persecuted Nation In History Yet The Lord Is Righteous – Part Two Of Three Series

THE SONGS OF ASCENT – PART 12 – PSALM 129 – ISRAEL IS THE MOST PERSECUTED NATION IN HISTORY YET THE LORD IS RIGHTEOUS – PART TWO OF THREE

The Psalms or Songs of Ascent were sung by the pilgrims going yearly to Jerusalem for three designated feasts, and as they made their way up the incline to Jerusalem, they sang as they climbed. In the previous study we looked at some of the persecution that has come Israel’s way because Satan hates Israel and always has many helpers to carry out his persecution. Last time we closed with the start of Psalm 129 verse 2 and today we will develop that more. {{Psalm 129:2 “MANY TIMES they have persecuted me from my youth up yet THEY HAVE NOT PREVAILED against me.”}}

[F]. SOME OF THE WORST PERSECUTION OF ISRAEL IS STILL FUTURE

I appeal to everyone not to write off the future scriptures concerning Israel as Luther did. One can NOT take liberties with the scriptures as Covenant Theology does, and without any justification, take scriptures/Old Testament prophecies that clearly relate to Israel and distort them to make them be fulfilled in the Church. It is a disgraceful thing to do. Some people don’t like the term “Replacement Theology” that takes prophetic scriptures for Israel and places them over to the church. It is dishonouring.

For a little while we will look at a few future happenings that will impact Israel. In fact some of this is in the embryonic stage now. A few years back only 7 nations stood with Israel in a United Nations motion that condemned Israel. The USA was one in the Trump years. It would be the opposite today with the Biden administration.

[G]. THE SEVENTY WEEKS IN DANIEL

The prophecy in Daniel of the 70 weeks is a remarkable prophecy where he spells out just 490 years of history for the Jews. That is when they are under God’s direction because for nearly most of the last 2500 years they were/are not. Currently Israel is its own State but not under God’s control in the Exodus sense. 69 weeks (7 then 62) brings the time to the time of Calvary – {{Daniel 9:26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come, will destroy the city and the sanctuary, and its end will come with a flood - even to the end there will be war. Desolations are determined.”}} Messiah is cut off through crucifixion but 7 years remain (one week of sevens – 7 years)

It is a biblical certainty that after the Rapture, the 7 year Tribulation happens. I have written and spoken on this and you will find some material on SermonCentral in a series of my messages that is under “Eschatology” in the series. In the Tribulation the first 3.5 years are fairly mild for the Jews because of an agreement Antichrist will make with the nation for 7 years but he breaks that agreement exactly half way through (1260 days). Daniel continues in his prophecy of the 70 weeks, speaking of the Antichrist - {{Daniel 9:27 “and he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering, and ON THE WING OF ABOMINATIONS WILL COME ONE WHO MAKES DESOLATE, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”}}

The Jewish believers in the Tribulation will have a terrible time because the Antichrist turns on them. Israel suffers persecution of a severe nature. This is exactly what the Lord also spoke about, and His prophetic words are for the Jewish saints in the Tribulation, an urgency to flee for their lives and God will miraculously protect them (Revelation 12). Here is how the Lord put it – {{Matthew 24:15-22 “Therefore when you see THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his house, and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak, but woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath FOR THEN THERE WILL BE A GREAT TRIBULATION SUCH AS HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD UNTIL NOW, NOR EVER SHALL, and unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.”}}