Series: Renew 2021
Thesis: We need to be renewed by connecting or re-connecting with the Lord this year in 2021. To do this requires a renewed mind, a renewed soul and a renewed passion for Jesus.
Key theme Scriptures Verse for the year:
“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” - Isaiah 40:30-31
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” - Romans 12:2
“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” - 2 Corinthians 4:16
2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
1 Corinthians 3:16, 17: 16Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”
Our theme for 2021 is Re-new.
Sermon 3: Renew 2021
Thesis: The Body of Christ in America needs to be renewed in 2021. They need to follow the example of Ezra and Nehemiah who returned to Jerusalem by the direction of the Lord to rebuild, restore, rejuvenate the Temple, Worship to God and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Scripture Text: Ezra
Ezra 1: 1-5
1In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:
2“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.
3Anyone of his people among you—may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.
4And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”
5Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
Introduction:
History of the 2 Jewish Temples:
One researcher notes: “According to Jewish traditions, both temples were destroyed on the 9th of Av on the Jewish calendar. Every year, those destructions are marked by the day of mourning called Tisha B’av. There are several other tragic dates in Jewish history associated with Tisha B’av. But, because of its relation to the destruction of the temples, the plaza of the Western Wall is filled with throngs of Jewish mourners every Tisha B’av (in August). During the First Temple period (1200-586 BC), the First Temple was built in 1000 BC by King Solomon after King David conquered Jerusalem and made it his capital. The Temple was destroyed in 586 BC by Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, when he conquered Jerusalem. There are scant remains of the temple on the south hill of the City of David. Evidence of the conquering and destruction of the city can be found in the Burnt House and the House of the Bullae. From the First Temple period, in 701 BC, there are significant remains of preparations made by King Hezekiah when a siege on the city by Sennacherib King of Assyria was imminent. Those remains include Hezekiah’s Tunnel and the Broad Wall in the Jewish Quarter. The beginning of the Second Temple period (586 BC-AD 70) is marked by the return of Jews to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon in 538 BC. They were allowed to return under an edict issued by Cyrus King of Persia. By 515 BC the reinstated Jewish residents had completed building the Second Temple.” From https://www.moon.com/travel/arts-culture/jerusalem-history-first-second-temples/
I. The mission to rebuild – renew the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1-2:70).
a. The official edict to go renew – restore – rebuild the temple:
i. See Ezra 1:1-5
1. Notice his phrase: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.”
a. Do you understand how this is really amazing that a non-jewish world leader of the Persian empire would say this?
i. This would be like a famous non-jewish leader of today saying go rebuild the Temple of God because God directed me to charge you to do this!
b. Talk about the Lord changing hearts and minds and bring renewal to their spirit, soul and bodies! The Jews were set free to go home and restart -renew the worship of God in Jerusalem!
2. The vision came from God and was placed on King Cyrus heart to see that it was done and this did fulfill Biblical prophecy of the Jews being allowed to return at about the 70 year mark of their enslavement: See Jeremiah!
a. God then raised up His team to go back and rebuild – he called certain people to do this please see Ezra 1:5 – Yes God calls people to do renewal and restoration projects for Him, for this specific crew it was to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
i. See the list of names – the people of God on a renewal mission!
1. Tradesman
2. Priests
3. Leaders
4. Teachers
5. Musicians
6. Servants of the Temple called Levites
ii. Key leaders: Zerubbabel a political leader and Jeshua, a priest.
1. All these people had to choose to leave the comfort of Babylon and return to a burned out torn down city and Temple.
2. But they choose faith over fear – they choose to listen to God and go make the sacrifice to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
3. They took a risk – they left the comfortable and choose to reestablish the worship of God in Jerusalem!
b. The expedition set off with over 42,000 people headed to fulfill the God given mission of restoration and re-building of the Temple – and eventually the city!
i. They were given the stolen inventory from the destruction of the Temple from Nebs reign to bring back with them.
1. There were 5400 articles of gold and silver!
2. Worth a large sum of money!
ii. They were given financial resources to do the building from those Jews who stayed behind.
iii. They had the backing of the leader of the Persian empire and his resources to get the job done.
iv. Most importantly they had God’s backing and support to get the mission rebuilding project done.
1. This was a mission from God!
ii. Ezra 2:68-3:6:
1. When they arrived at Jerusalem many donated to the re-building fund seeing the possibility of a rebuilt temple and a place to worship God again.
a. The funds were collected and the construction began as all the people settled in around the temple rebuilding project.
b. 1,100 pounds of gold was collected which in today’s market would be worth 3 million dollars- wow that is just the gold!
c. They had 3 tons of silver which is worth around 19 million today!
2. They finished the Altar first and restarted the sacrificial worship to God.
a. Key phrase Ezra 3:3 “Despite their fear of the people’s around them, they built the altar.”
i. Fear did not stop them because their faith won out over fear!
1. They complete phase on of the building project the altar was rebuilt and rededicated to the worship of God.
ii. They were determined to fulfill the mission from God and reestablish the proper worship of God as prescribed in the Law of Moses.
iii. How would you have done under this pressure and threat as you worked to do God’s will and rebuild the temple?
1. Quit!
2. Said this is too hard!
3. Maybe never decide to even try to rebuild it – just decide to stay in your comfort zone and house in Babylon and not chose to move back to a desolated place for God?
iii. Opposition to the building of Temple increases according to Ezra 4 and 5.
1. Some tried to infiltrate their ranks to twart the building of the Temple but Israel leadership said no way! We see through your deceptive ways and plans.
a. Opposition was there – insurgents tried to intermix with them to undermine the building project but the leaders saw their deception and said “Get out we alone will rebuild.”
2. Political pressure mounted then Xerxes the new leader of the empire stopped the building project and Artaxerxes followed suit.
a. Political shutdown – politics was being used to stop the work of God in the Temple!
i. Local governing authorities were using their political muscle to stop the worship of God – to make sure the chosen people of God did not grow stronger!
ii. They did not want God’s chosen people influencing the area ever again.
3. But then Darius took over the empire and the building was allowed to restart by his edict. But the workers did not go back to work! So God sent prophets to the people to get them back to work and wake them up to the urgency of the mission.
a. It took 23 years to re-build the temple.
b. Why 23 years to rebuild? Let’s recap why?
i. It was hindered by opposition to the temple and its rebuilding by the enemies of Israel and surrounding political leaders and anti-Jewish groups.
1. They dealt with threats – death threats – insurrection claims by surrounding political leaders. Saboteurs tried to invade their ranks to undermine the building project.
a. Lies were spread about them to the people and the political leaders.
ii. Then it was politically stopped by a change of leadership from Cyrus to Xerxes and Artaxerxes but it was restarted under Dairus and then was eventually completed.
iii. The people building it stopped focusing on the temple and went to building their own homes instead, focused on their lives and their careers and neglected the God given Temple rebuilding project. So, called sent prophets to his workers:
1. Haggai 1 - A Call to Build the House of the Lord:
a. 1In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2This is what the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come for the LORD’s house to be built.’” 3Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 4“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” 5Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” 7This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 8Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD. 9“You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands.” 12Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.”
i. God will send His prophets to wake people up when they do not complete the building projects as He had directed!
ii. The people needed a wake up call and a holy reverent fear of the Lord again!
1. So God used famine to get their attention!
iii. Apathy stopped the work of the Lord on the Temple – they were being distracted with their own lives and wants, building their own homes, pursuing their own careers, this all superseded the finishing of the re-building of the temple were God’s presence would dwell – and they had become okay with it – even telling the prophets “It’s not time to rebuild right now – this is not a good time – we are just too busy doing other things.”
iv. The people needed a wake up call from The Lord to re-start and finish the mission God gave them!
v. He pointed out how they would not prosper by ignoring His Temple and the worship of Him!
1. Sound familiar? People still use the same excuses!
a. Too busy to focus on God!
b. My family is more important than the worship of God.
c. My job is too demanding so I cannot do what God wants me to do!
d. My career needs to be focused on more than the worship of God right now.
i. The Lord reminds them when you do this it will cost you in ways you don’t even expect – because the blessing of God are removed from your life – Ignoring God is not a good idea for a Christian!
e. James 4:17:
i. New International Version
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them.
ii. New Living Translation
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
iii. English Standard Version
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
iv. Berean Study Bible
Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.
v. Berean Literal Bible
Therefore to the one knowing to do good, and not doing, it is sin.
c. The history of the 2nd Temple covers three time periods:
i. The Persian era (586-332 BC)
ii. The Hellenistic era (332-63 BC)
iii. The Roman era (63 BC-AD 324).
1. In 37 BC, King Herod enlarged the Temple Mount and rebuilt the temple with the consent of the public.
2. During the Roman period, in AD 70, the Second Temple was destroyed, along with Jerusalem, by Titus’ army. It was also during this period that Jesus was in Jerusalem. He was crucified about 40 years before the destruction of the city.”
a. Which he prophesied would happen.
iv. Note this message is a rebuilding of the 2nd Temple - the first temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar many years earlier around 70 years earlier which also fulfilled biblical prophecy.
1. God allowed the temple to be destroyed because they abandoned the worship of God in the temple for manmade idols!
2. He had departed the Temple because of all the sin of the nation of Israel!
3. God is consistent in Scripture:
a. If you ignore Him
b. If you do not honor Him
c. If you do not follow Biblical values
i. Then He pulls His blessings and presence and you will suffer the consequences. Both individually, family wise and nationally.
II. Today I want to tell you why you should be renewed in 2021 – Here is the main reason I believe the Lord is calling for a spiritual renewal movement in 2021.
a. So here is the Why? Because we are in the end times – no, really many believe we are in the end of times as we know it! With that reality we need to be ready to meet Jesus at any point – the Rapture could happen at anytime in my view – or more likely you could die in a accident tomorrow or some other illness take your life.
i. The question is: “Are you ready to meet Jesus face to face?” today?
ii. Is your temple renewed – restored and ready to meet Jesus face to face?
1. Have you restored your inner temple and the altar of the Lord?
2. Have you remodeled it for God’s presence – cleaned it out so it is holy?
3. Have you recommitted to Jesus with a Covenant contract?
a. Reference the video!
b. There is more to the story of the Jewish Temple which is always central theme in Jewish history and end time prophecy:
i. The 3rd temple prophesied in the Bible will be rebuilt right before the end times and the Great Tribulation period. Jesus will return a second time to the earth after it is completed and the antichrist will set himself up in the temple as God. He will be demanded to be worshipped as God.
1. See Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation.
ii. The most frequent question I have been asked lately is, “Are we in the end times?”
1. This is a good question considering the condition of the world today.
a. One author replied this way to this question, “The term Last Days actually has a dual application, referring first to the time period following the death and resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus), and second to the days immediately preceding His return.” From https://www.jewishvoice.org/read/article/signs-times
b. So, do you want my answer? In a moment 😊
2. Recent Poll I read said: 90% of spirit filled pastors said they think we are in the end times – they site how there are many fulfilled prophecies to date and the climate is right in light of the Bible – more than ever before in church history and biblical history we see how the end times is upon us:
a. I agree – but we do not know for sure the day or hour because only God the Father knows: But there is an active Temple Movement in Israel preparing for the rebuilding of the 3rd Temple in Jerusalem:
i. Yes, they have assembled the material to re-build the temple and have created the necessary equipment (dishes, utensils, furniture, décor, musical instruments) to place and be used in the temple for the practice of offering up sacrifices again to God. They have been training people to be priests in the temple, teaching them how to do the OT services and training Levites on how to take care of the temple.
1. Something is about to happen in my view and from my research.
2. Are they building it soon? Not sure conflicting reports say they are, but according to Jewish tradition a Mosque is in the way – so we will have to see!
3. Some say the Mosque is not in the way and there is another site which marks the spot of the other temples. But this has not be confirmed in my research – the believed site is where the Mosque sits today.
c. But one of the clearest signs pointing to the end times in my view is the formation of the nation of Israel itself in 1948:
i. The following is directly quoted from https://www.jewishvoice.org/read/article/signs-times
1. When we are looking at the words of Jesus they note: “Looking at Luke 21, one can clearly see this principle: “And while some were talking about the Temple, how it was decorated with beautiful stones and offerings, Yeshua said, ‘As for these things you are looking at, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another. Every one will be torn down!’” (Luke 21:5-6).
a. History report: The truth is Herod’s 2nd Temple was destroyed and Jerusalem sacked in 70 A.D., fulfilling Jesus words. As you read the history of Israel and Rome and Jesus terrible warnings of what is to come, much is applicable to the horrific Roman devastation that occurred at that time in 70 Ad.
i. However, verse 24b, “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,”
1. This was not fulfilled until 1967 with the reunification of Jerusalem after the Six-Day War.
b. And Jesus highlighted more signs of the end times in verses 25-28:
i. “There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars. And upon the earth nations will be confused by the roaring of the sea and its waves. People will lose heart from fear and anticipation of what is overtaking the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, stand straight and lift up your heads, because your salvation is near!”
ii. Other signs from Jesus teachings in the Gospels and from Revelation:
1. Natural disasters such as fire, drought, famine, storms
a. The climate change issues happening to the earth fall in this category by the way.
2. Wars and rumors of war
3. Political chaos
4. Mass deception
5. Sexual Immorality unleashed in many perverted ways
6. Sin called good and good called evil
7. Attacks on Christian’s standing for truth (Those who stand on Biblical principles will be attacked and even killed)
2. A Question you may be thinking: “So what are some signs we are really in the end times as Jesus speaks about here in Luke and other parts of His Gospel teaching - other than the above ones? Well Scripture highlights these signs as well:
a. SIGN 1: A RESTORED ISRAEL AND JEWISH JERUSALEM: “A predominant prophetic sign that we are in the “Time of the End” is the re-establishment of Israel, and Jerusalem returning to Jewish sovereignty. These major, and seemingly implausible, events for nearly 2,000 years have to occur before Yeshua’s return. According to the Bible, Yeshua is returning to Israel, and specifically to Jerusalem.”
i. History lesson: Israel was rebirthed. . . in a Day – it was a total miracle:
1. Jewish voice notes, “After nearly two millennia and a succession of foreign rulers, on May 14, 1948, David Ben Gurion declared the restoration of the Jewish State, Israel, saying, “In order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.” Isaiah seemed just as incredulous, challenging: “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children” (Isaiah 66:8).
a. I have read and heard about this event it was called supernatural!
b. Have you forgotten about that historic day?
c. It does address a sign of the end times!
i. It’s a big sign!
ii. Jerusalem was restored into Jewish Hands: Yeshua himself declared that “Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).
1. “In June, 1967 Israel won a miraculous victory by defeating vastly superior Arab armies surrounding her in what came to be known as the Six-Day War. The Jewish people took back the city of Jerusalem after almost 2,000 years, fulfilling this important prophecy.”
iii. Scripture says that the Desert will bloom and blossom again: The prophet Isaiah saw a time when “The wilderness and dry land will be glad. The desert will rejoice and blossom like a lily” (Isaiah 35:1).
1. Have you seen the miracle of Jewish agriculture?
2. “It’s almost impossible to believe, but the fledgling State of Israel has developed such revolutionary agricultural methods, that even the sand produces lush crops! In her short time of existence as a modern State, Israel became one of the largest exporters of roses to Europe.”
a. Sound supernatural?
iv. The Hebrew Language was revived: According to the prophet Zephaniah, God would “restore to the people pure speech, so that all of them may call upon the Name of ADONAI and serve Him shoulder to shoulder” (Zephaniah 3:9).
1. “In the late 1800s, Russian immigrant to Israel, Eliezer Ben-Yehudah, revived the ancient Hebrew language, giving the returning exiles of Israel a common language.”
2. The reality is Israel and Jerusalem are back in Jewish hands. The people of Israel scattered throughout the world are returning to their biblical Land and to their God and to their language “Hebrew”.
a. This all points that the time of His return is near - close!
b. SIGN 2: ISRAEL SURROUNDED BY CONFLICT AND THE RISE OF GLOBAL ANTI-SEMITISM
i. Jewish voice notes, “Anti-Semitism has existed since the time that Abraham was set apart by God’s call to be a blessing to the families of the earth. There has never been a time when the Jewish people have not been victimized by Satan’s savage attacks against them. Even today in America, the Anti-Defamation League reports the highest level of anti-Semitism since World War II ADL Global 100- Index of anti-Semitism http://www.adl.org).”
1. Why does the secular world hate Israel?
a. Have you ever thought about that?
b. Jewish voice tells us why, “At its core is Satan fomenting hatred among men against the Children of the God of Israel, generation after generation. He cleverly disguises each campaign with a compelling lie wrapped in a plan designed to rid the world of a perceived ill blamed on the Jews…Yet, the campaign of hatred marches on because the great redemption story is not over. Because the Jewish people and Israel play a major role in Last Days prophecy, Satan is still hard at work opposing God’s plan. The impetus he is using to rally hatred against the Jewish people today is a powerful anti-Israel (and pro-Palestinian) deception, wrapped in false humanitarian claims and causes.”
2. Satan is at work – whether you believe me or not!
ii. Key end times lesson we need to understand!
1. Deception is a hallmark of the Last Days according to the people – even some of the elect will be deceived (Matthew 24:11).
2. Jewish voice notes: “For the minuscule size of the country, the lack of natural resources, or strategic seaport, one has to question why Israel is always at the center of world controversy—her existence continually hanging in the balance. We see Israel at the epicenter of a boiling cauldron of increasingly violent factions rising up within the vast Arab lands surrounding her. The world has been told, and has almost mindlessly accepted, claims that all unrest in the Middle East is Israel’s fault—that if the Jews would give the Land “back to the Palestinians,” there would be peace in the world, and terrorism would end. Nothing could be further from the truth. The stage is set to draw all nations into a final cataclysmic showdown in the Middle East; the nations may think it is against Israel, but they will find out it is against her God!”
3. “Moreover, in that day I will make Jerusalem a massive stone for all the people. All who try to lift it will be cut to pieces. Nevertheless, all the nations of the earth will be gathered together against her” (Zechariah 12:3).
c. SIGN 3: THE REGATHERING OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE PHYSICALLY BACK TO THE LAND OF ISRAEL FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH
i. Jewish voices notes: “Israel should not exist. She should have disappeared hundreds, or even thousands, of years ago with the rest of the “ites” of the Bible: the Amalekites, the Hittites, the Canaanites, etc. These and all the other great nations mentioned in Scripture, including the mighty Philistines, have vanished, yet Israel remains—against all odds. For two millennia the Land has been overrun by foreign aggressors, and her people scattered to the far reaches of the earth, and threatened with expulsions, persecution, and annihilation.”
1. Yes they still remain!
ii. “Without a homeland until 1948, Israel should have assimilated and ceased to be a recognizable people group. That they did not disappear completely into the cultures in which they settled throughout the world stands as evidence for God’s existence and faithfulness.”
iii. “’Therefore, the days are quickly coming,’ declares ADONAI, ‘when it will no longer be said. “As ADONAI lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.” Rather, “As ADONAI lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had banished them.” So I will bring them back into their land that I gave to their fathers’” (Jeremiah 16:14-15).
iv. It will also come about in that day that my Lord will again redeem— a second time with His hand— the remnant of His people who remain from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. He will lift up a banner for the nations, and assemble the dispersed of Israel, and gather the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth (Isaiah 11:11-12).
1. Jewish voice notes, “These are the Children of Abraham scattered to Africa, Asia, India, Europe . . . the remote corners of the earth. God is gathering them today, back to Israel—miraculously restored to receive her returning Children: Ethiopian, Chinese, Sephardim, Asian, Russian, and on and on! ...This aliyah, or return of the Jews to their biblical homeland, is yet another important sign that the Messiah’s return is approaching.”
d. SIGN 4: THE GOSPEL IS PROCLAIMED TO THE NATIONS
i. “This Good News of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
ii. Modern technology today has made it possible for the Gospel to be preached to every ethnos—yes, people in the most remote areas of the planet can hear the Gospel today on cell phones, computers, TV. This is yet another important sign that the Last Days are upon us.
1. I have read articles saying the Gospel could reach the whole world between 2025-2029?
iii. Jewish voice says, “Today the Gospel is being preached to ethnos throughout the world…The Gospel is to be preached to the Jew first, and then to the Gentiles. That’s what Paul did, and that’s what we do at Jewish Voice. I believe that every time a Jewish person turns to faith in Yeshua, we move that much closer to Messiah’s return. In fact, Scripture seems to indicate that Jewish people embracing Jesus as Messiah is actually key to His return!”
1. “For I tell you, you will not see me again until you [the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem] say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’” (Matthew 23:39 NIV).
e. SIGN 5: THE BLINDNESS COMING OFF THE EYES OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE
i. “For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant of this mystery—lest you be wise in your own eyes—that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25).
1. Jewish voice notes, “Another astonishing indicator is the phenomena of Jewish people coming to faith in Yeshua all over the world—in numbers not seen since the book of Acts. Through the ministry of Jewish Voice alone, we have seen some 55,000 Jewish people respond to the Gospel since 1999! For more than nineteen centuries, the number of Jews openly professing faith in Yeshua was extremely small, and most were assimilated into the Church. All that changed after 1967. The miraculous return of Jerusalem to the Jewish people sparked a great revival. Often called “The Jesus Movement,” this revival was unique from all previous revivals, as Jews started coming to faith—in significant numbers. The Jesus Movement gave birth to the modern Messianic Movement. Before 1967 there was not a single Messianic Jewish congregation in the world. Today more than 350 Messianic Jewish congregations—nearly 100 in Israel alone—proclaim Messiah with a visibly Jewish witness. And from a trickle over the past 2,000 years, today there are tens of thousands of Jews in the United States who express some level of faith in Yeshua!”
2. Case in point Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s message and gathering at The Return in 2020 in Washington DC.
a. This massive event was lead by a Jewish Messianic Rabbi!
ii. Jewish voice declares, “God is opening long-blinded eyes and softening thousands of Jewish hearts just as the Scriptures promised. This is an obvious fulfillment of biblical prophecy—and a clear indication that the Last Days are upon us.”
iii. Through Jeremiah, God promised Israel a new covenant: “’No longer will each teach his neighbor or each his brother, saying: “Know ADONAI,” for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest.’ It is a declaration of ADONAI. ‘For I will forgive their iniquity, their sin I will remember no more’” (Jeremiah 31:33).
1. Reality check by Jewish voice, “At the Last Supper, a Jewish Passover Seder, Yeshua lifted the cup of Redemption and, sharing it, announced it was the cup of the New Covenant in His blood. There is a misconception that all the Jews rejected Jesus. In reality, the entire initial community of faith was Jewish. The Jews took the Gospel to the Gentiles, and eventually the Church became almost entirely Gentile and unrecognizable to the Jewish people. However, we are living in a time of Jewish revival!”
f. IN CONCLUSION by Jewish voice in looking at the signs of the End Times:
i. “All around us, there are signs that the world is being made ready for Messiah’s return. The most important of these, as we have seen, is the restoration of the people of Israel to a right relationship with God. Do you want to know what’s next? God has promised a glorious salvation for the remnant of Israel!”
ii. “Then I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, when they will look toward Me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son and grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for a firstborn- Zechariah 12:10:
iii. “In that day a spring will be opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity” (Zechariah 13:1).
ii. My answer to the question of the end times, “I’m personally convinced that we are not very far away if not entering into the fulfillment of the end times.
1. So my question to you is “Are you ready?”
Conclusion:
What do we need to know from this message?
Answer: We need to know now is the time for spiritual renewal and rebuilding of our temples to Jesus – the time is short and we need to be ready! We must seek to renew our personal temples for the Lord immediately!
Why do we need to know this message?
Answer: Don’t be deceived Jesus is coming back – the Rapture will happen and we need to have our temples renewed, restored! No delay – no apathy the time is now! Don’t let life stop you from renewing your personal temple for the Holy Spirit – don’t let building your own careers -lives and or homes supersede the mission to renewal and to finishing the rebuilding of the temple of the Lord in your life.
What do they need to do from this message?
Answer: Finish the mission from the Lord – rebuild – restore – renew your relationship with Him - Jesus. Get the work done so others can come and worship too! Make the connection today not tomorrow – do the work today not tomorrow!
Why do this?
Answer: Because it will bring revival – restoration to us our families and our nation. Another key reason is renewal and repentance causes you to meet with Jesus and be connected to His Holy Spirit.
