大使命42

最重要的兩大徵兆

主和初代教會使徒提到關於末世的許多徵兆，不是已經發生，就是正要揭開。然而，最重要的兩大徵兆離完成還很遠：就是『本樹的枝子』猶太人被接回本樹上，以及教會成為沒有玷污或皺紋的新婦。

關於末世預言所發生的大部分事情，我們無法多做什麼。我們可以期待他們臨到，也可以為其預備，卻不能為這些事多做什麼。然而，我們可以做的是，讓猶太人豐滿起來，讓基督身體長大成熟。倘若我們要實現我們的目的，我們必須致力在這些事上。

關於以色列的重建，聖經告訴我們地上的列國會起來抵擋她，猶太人會從列國中回到他們的家鄉。關於教會，聖經告訴我們基督徒會在列國中被厭惡與逼迫。因此，『聖潔的國度』教會與以色列最後會在同艘『船』上。這正是團契（fellowship）這個字的來源：兩人在一艘船上，此意謂著若兩人在一艘船上，他們必須一起同工才能去到任何地方。這終將在以色列和教會發生，並且會協助帶出『一個新人』，在以弗所書裡預言了他們之間的合一。

正如我們先前曾提到，要瞭解這些時候，我們必須更多專注在主所做之事過於魔鬼所做之事。事實上，魔鬼所做的一切終將幫助主所做之事。主在做的兩件主要事情分別是：建造祂的教會在要來的世代與祂一起掌權，以及將以色列重建至她完全的目的。

在此閱讀中，我們才剛開始在建造基督身體方面立下根基，我們要談的還很多。我們也需要在神對以色列所做之事上立下根基，好讓我們可以在這方面也與祂一致。事實上，成為此目的之一份子，是協助教會長成至她所蒙召樣式的因素之一。

在神重要目的與真理中，每一方面都有其極端。我們將簡短提出一些以協助我們避免，但我們所提出來的多半是在末世對於教會和以色列的清楚聖經教導。這是神在救贖、和好與重建目的上的深度啟示，它們將實際地被呈現在世上。現在能看見將要揭開的事是何等令人振奮。

幾乎有一千年之久，猶太人一直受到地上最強大勢力要消滅他們的威脅中，他們在德國納粹下所發生的事是近代要被消滅的企圖。為何魔鬼如此想要毀滅他們？要回答此問題需要瞭解我們時候的一些終極議題。他們是怎麼存活過來的？瞭解此是我們要航向將要揭開之事所需要瞭解的最重要功課之一。

 (摘自喬納 word for the week, Week42, 2014)


The Two Most Important Signs - The Great Commission, Part 42
Week 42, 2014 
Rick Joyner 

Most of the signs that the Lord and the early church apostles said would mark the end of this age have either come to pass or are unfolding now. However, two of the most important signs appear to be very far from being accomplished: the grafting back in of the “natural branches,” the Jewish people, and the church coming into her fullness as a bride without spot or wrinkle.

Most of the things that are prophesied for the end of this age we do not have much to do with. We expect them and, as we can, prepare for them, but we cannot do much about them. However, as for the fullness of the Jewish people and the maturity of the body of Christ, we can do much. We must have a devotion to them if we are going to fulfill our purpose.

Concerning restored Israel, we are told that every nation on earth will turn against her and that the Jewish people will be driven back to their homeland from every nation on earth. About the church, we are told that Christians will be hated and persecuted in every nation. Therefore, the church, the “holy nation,” and Israel will be in the same “boat” at the end. This is actually where the word “fellowship” came from: two fellows in a ship. The implication is that if there are just two of them in the boat, then they will have to work together to get anywhere. This will ultimately happen with Israel and the church, and it will help bring about “the one new man,” the unity between them that is prophesied in Ephesians.

As we have covered, to understand these times we must devote much more attention to what the Lord is doing than to what the devil is doing. In fact, all that the devil does will ultimately help what the Lord is doing. The two main things that the Lord is doing are: building His church that is to rule with Him in the age to come and restoring Israel to her full purpose.

In this study, we have just begun to lay a foundation of what we will see unfolding for the building up of the body of Christ, and we have much more to cover. We also need to lay a foundational understanding of what God is doing with Israel, so we can be in harmony with Him in this as well. In fact, being a part of this purpose is one of the factors that will help mature the church into what she is called to be.

As with all of the important purposes of God and important truths, there are extremes in every possible direction around them. We will briefly address some of these to help us to avoid them, but we will mostly address the clear, biblical teachings on the church and Israel in the last days. This is a profound revelation of the whole purpose of God in redemption, reconciliation, and restoration that will be practically demonstrated to the world. It is very exciting to see this unfolding now.

For almost a thousand years, the Jewish people have been under constant threat of extermination by the most powerful forces on earth. What happened to them under Nazi Germany was the most recent attempt to destroy this remarkable people. Why is the devil so intent on their destruction? To answer this question is to understand some of the ultimate issues of our times. How have they survived? To understand that is one of the most important lessons we must understand to navigate through what is now unfolding.