Half of evangelicals support Israel because they believe it is important for fulfilling end-times prophecy

WP   May 14, 2018

Well before he was asked to offer a prayer at Monday’s ceremony marking the U.S. Embassy’s move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, earning the enmity of Mitt Romney, Pastor Robert Jeffress offered tangential insight into why he and many evangelicals think the move was so important.

“Jerusalem has been the object of the affection of both Jews and Christians down through history and the touchstone of prophecy,” Jeffress told CNN last year. “But, most importantly, God gave Jerusalem — and the rest of the Holy Land — to the Jewish people.”

The latter half of that quote hints at the deep religious meaning of the existence of Israel for Jeffress and other Christians. As University of North Texas professor Elizabeth Oldmixon told Vox last year, the issue of recognizing Jerusalem is inextricable from that belief.

“The tenet of Christian Zionism is that God’s promise of the Holy Land to the Jews is eternal. It’s not just something in antiquity,” Oldmixon said. “When we talk about the Holy Land, God’s promise of the Holy Land, we’re talking about real estate on both sides of the Jordan River. So the sense of a greater Israel and expansionism is really important to this community. Jerusalem is just central to that. It’s viewed as a historical and biblical capital.”

What is Eternal Life?

The track of truth lies close beside the track of error

The Lord will put new, vital force into His work as human agencies obey the command to go forth and proclaim the truth. He who declared that His truth would shine forever will proclaim this truth through faithful messengers, who will give the trumpet a certain sound. The truth will be criticized, scorned, and derided; but the closer it is examined and tested, the brighter it will shine.

As a people, we are to stand firm on the platform of eternal truth that has withstood test and trial. We are to hold to the sure pillars of our faith. The principles of truth that God has revealed to us are our only true foundation. They have made us what we are. The lapse of time has not lessened their value. It is the constant effort of the enemy to remove these truths from their setting, and to put in their place spurious theories. He will bring in everything that he possibly can to carry out his deceptive designs. But the Lord will raise up men of keen perception, who will give these truths their proper place in the plan of God.

I have been instructed by the heavenly messenger that some of the reasoning in the book Living Temple is unsound, and that this reasoning would lead astray the minds of those who are not thoroughly established on the foundation principles of present truth. It introduces that which is nought but speculation in regard to the personality of God and where His presence is. No one on this earth has a right to speculate on this question. The more fanciful theories are discussed, the less men will know of God and of the truth that sanctifies the soul. 

One and another come to me, asking me to explain the positions taken in Living Temple. I reply, “They are unexplainable.” The sentiments expressed do not give a true knowledge of God. All through the book are passages of Scripture. These scriptures are brought in in such a way that error is made to appear as truth. Erroneous theories are presented in so pleasing a way that unless care is taken, many will be misled. 

We need not the mysticism that is in this book. Those who entertain these sophistries will soon find themselves in a position where the enemy can talk with them, and lead them away from God. It is represented to me that the writer of this book is on a false track. He has lost sight of the distinguishing truths for this time. He knows not whither his steps are tending. The track of truth lies close beside the track of error, and both tracks may seem to be one to minds which are not worked by the Holy Spirit, and which, therefore, are not quick to discern the difference between truth and error.        1SM p. 202

Does this sound like a secret rapture?

13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words.     1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Who is Elohim?

Using the Bible as its own expositor, Jeremiah 10:10 tells us exactly how we should be applying the word “Elohim” when referring to God:

“But the LORD (Jehovah) is the true God, he is the living God…”

The word “God” is here, and throughout the Old Testament, translated from the Hebrew word “elohim.” So, Jeremiah 10:10 uses the Hebrew word Elohim to specify the true God, the living God. The name of the true God (Elohim), and the living God (Elohim) is Jehovah.

The New Testament expands our knowledge of this true and living God, known as Elohim in the Old Testament:

So who is the the true God, or the true Elohim?

 In John 17:3, Christ prays to His Father, and He names His Father the “only true God.” Praying to His Father, Jesus says,

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

According to Jesus, the Father is the only true God. There is “only” one true God, and it is the Father. And Christ is someone other than the only true God. In other words, Christ is not the only true God but the Son of the only true God. This is emphasized by the use of the word “and” – “the only true God and Jesus Christ…”

This is the same as saying “the Father and His Son.” The Father (the only true God) is not a plurality of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is One, not three.  In fact, the Father is the “only” true God, because it is the Father who is given the name of the only true God. The Father is “the true Elohim,” or “the true God” of Jeremiah 10:10. The true Elohim is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only true God (2Corinthians 11:31; Ephesians 1:3; 1Peter 1:3; John 17:3; Jeremiah 10:10).

But please don’t jump to conclusions. Because I said Jesus is not the true God does not mean that I’m saying that Christ is not divine. Christ is God’s divine Son. Christ is God’s only begotten Son. This is what makes Him divine.

“Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” John 5:18

Notice that God is one person, and Christ is another. Christ could not be equal with God if He were God. He could only be equal with God if He were someone other than God. Christ is equal with God. And what makes Him equal with God is the fact that He is God’s Son. God is the Father of Christ. Christ is the Son of God.

Elohim is the true God, the only true God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who is the living God?

In Matthew 16:16, Peter answers a question asked by Jesus Christ. His answer tells us who the living God is. Jesus asks His disciples,

“But whom say ye that I am?”
“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Again, we learn that Christ is not the living God, but the Son of the living God. If Christ is the Son of the living God, then the living God is the Father of Jesus Christ. The living God is not all three persons of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The living God is the Father, one person.  He is

“The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…” 2Corinthians 11:31
“… the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Ephesians 1:3
“… the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…” 1Peter 1:3
“One God and Father of all…” Ephesians 4:6

Going back to Jeremiah 10:10, we can read it this way:

“But Jehovah is the true Elohim (- the only true God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  John 17:3 -) he is the living Elohim (- the living God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew 16:16 -).

And here is some more confirmation. In 1Thessalonians 1:9, 10 the same distinction is made :

“For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

The Thessalonians turned from their idol worship to worship God, also named here “the living and true God.” And they were waiting for His Son. The living and true God has a Son. This means the living and true God is the Father of His Son. God is one person, not three. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Christ is not the true and living God but the Son of the true and living God. 

Reader, we don’t have to be scholars of Hebrew in order to know how to use the word Elohim. We don’t have to accept what scholars teach just because they apparently know more about Hebrew than we do, especially when what they teach goes against what the Bible reveals. We only have to search for the Bible’s counsel ourselves, and listen to what it says. The Bible is the very word of God speaking to us, and God tells us exactly who He is. Jehovah is not the Trinity. Jehovah is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only true God. He is the living God. This is Elohim.

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” 1Corinthians 8:6     JOL