The Final Phase of God’s Work (2)

The Lord’s prophecies concerning Israel have a direct relationship with the future of the Church.

Christian Chen

"Listen to me o islands, and pay attention you people from afar, the Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named me." (Isaiah 49:1).

In Isaiah 49, from here, we want to derive a very important principle. Now, "Listen to me," who is "me" here? We can only understand this through the context. Verse 3: "And he told me: You are my servant, o Israel, in whom I will show my glory." Now we understand who it refers to. God said to the prophet: "You are my servant, o Israel, in whom I will show my glory."

Now , we have two thoughts here: first, "my servant"; second, "Israel." Here we don't only see one Israel, but two Israel. How do we know that there are two Israel? Let us read verse 5: "And now, says the Lord, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him in order that Israel might be gathered to him." Who is "him?" Israel, the same who is mentioned in verse 3! "Him" is Israel in the verse 3. But when you come to verse 5, we read: "to bring Jacob back to him." That is to say, to bring Jacob back to Israel, in order that Israel might be gathered to him. So, that Israel might be gathered to Israel. So, how many Israel do you have here? Two! Israel in verse 3, and Israel in verse 5. In verse 5 it talks about Jacob and it talks about Israel. This is the people of Israel, the Israel that you all know about. This is the Israel of the verse 5. But what about the Israel of verse 3? If we read the whole chapter, we will discover that this Israel refers to the Messiah.

Usually, we only know one Israel, but according to verse 3: "You are my servant, o Israel, in whom I will show my glory." Now, if you read the whole chapter you will make no mistake; this Israel actually refers to the Messiah, to our Lord Jesus. This is very wonderful. It is something that we had not even dreamed of. We thought that there was only one Israel, but the Lord said: "No, there are two Israel."

Now, in the book of Isaiah, the Messiah is not only called "my servant", but rather the people of Israel are also called "my servant." So, in the book of Isaiah we have two servants of God, two Israel: the Messiah and the people of Israel.

But what is the difference between these two servants of God? I don't have time to go into the other parts of Isaiah, but this is very clear, according to the revelation of this book. One of the servants, Israel, according to what our Lord said, is blind; but the Other one, the Messiah, has full vision.

If one reads all the books of the Old Testament -there are at least 17 prophetic books in the Old Testament-you reach the following conclusion: When the bible speaks of Israel, on the one hand it is applied to the people of Israel and on the other hand, it is applied the Messiah.

Let me ask you a question: why are the people of Israel called the people of Israel? Because their father was called Jacob, and he went through a wonderful experience in Peniel. There God touched his thigh. From that time on, when Jacob began to move, he knew that every step that he took was by the grace of God. Before that, he thought that he was very strong, but from that time on, he became very weak, exactly like the apostle Paul said: "When I am weak, then I am strong", because the grace of God was always sufficient for him.

The reason Jacob went through Peniel is because God wanted him to experience more of his grace. But more than that, God promised Jacob that his name would no longer be Jacob, but Israel. All we know that the people of Israel is called Israel, because their father was no longer Jacob. Jacob was transformed. When we study the Bible, we see how God addressed Jacob: "You, worm Jacob." Jacob is nothing; he is only a worm. Yes, God had given him all earthly blessings, but that flat land, with two dimensions, is all the world to Jacob. But Jacob didn't know that there was another dimension called heaven. Through many years of training, that subtle Jacob was finally was transformed into Israel. He used to be a worm, but now he became a butterfly. Now he is able to fly in the three-dimensional heaven.

This is the story of Israel. That is the potential of the people of Israel. This is what God wants to do with the people of Israel. This is the story of the Old Testament. Then we are told that our Lord Jesus Christ is the true Israel. That's why God says: "My servant Israel."

One day, in 1948, according to the prophecy here, God must bring Jacob back to him, that Israel might be gathered to him. So our Lord Jesus is the center of gathering. Everyone knows that in 1948 the nation of Israel reborn. But they don't know this whole story. Actually, in 1948 Christ was the center of that gathering so that Israel be gathered Israel, so that the earthly Israel could be gathered to the heavenly Israel. So, brothers and sisters, do you see the story here? That's the interpretation of the Word of God of what happened in 1948.

A double application

When one studies the prophecies in the Old Testament, when the Bible refers to Israel, one discovers that there is a double application: One is the application of the earthly Israel, and the other one is the application of our Lord Jesus. And because he is the true Israel, those who are born again in Christ become the true Israelites. I think that this is very clear.

In Isaiah chapter 49, the Bible gives us a very good illustration. Let us read verse 6: "It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribe of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel." This is the story since 1948. We know how the Lord raised up the tribe of Jacob to restore the preserved ones of Israel. But the comment of God is very clear here: "It is too small a thing for me." What happened in 1948 -the rebirth of Israel- is something very big for us. The people could return to their own land. Jerusalem could return to the bosom of Israel. Likewise, one day there will be a rebuilding of the temple of God. And we say: "This is something very big."

Nevertheless, if we look carefully, we will see the comment of our God. "It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribe of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel." So, what is the greater thing?

We will continue reading: "I will also make you a light for the nations, so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth." We see that it is a small thing that happened in 1948, our Lord Jesus became the centre of gathering the people of Israel, because there is something much greater that that: "I will also make you a light for the nations, so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth." Which is the greatest work? The greatest work is salvation, the redemptive work that Jesus accomplished on the cross. Compared with these great things, the restoration of Israel is nothing but a small thing.

So, Christ has a dual mission: on the one hand, he is the center of the gathering at the end days; on the other, he is the Savior of mankind.

According to these two aspects of Christ's mission, we have the dual fulfillment of this prophecy. For example, when we come to verse 8: "Thus says the Lord: In acceptable time I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you; and I will keep you, and I will give you for the covenant of the people, to restore the land, to make them inherit a desolated heritage", we see very clearly that this is applied to the people of Israel. It is for that reason that it speaks of restoring the land, so that they can inherit the desolated heritage. This is being fulfilled today.

But we should not forget: in the eyes of God this is still a small thing. For this reason we have verse 10: "they will not hunger or thirst, neither will the scorching heat or sun strike them down; and he who has compassion on them will lead them, and will guide them to the springs of water." Now, according to this prophecy, Christ, our Savior, will guide them toward the springs of water. If we study the whole book of Isaiah, that refers to the springs of water of salvation. As the Savior of mankind, he will always guide us toward the springs of waters. We are like the Samaritan woman.

The Lord said that if we really receive those springs of waters, we will never be thirsty again. That is a wonderful salvation. So here we find that by reason of the dual mission of our Lord, there are two different aspects of his work, one is applied Israel and other is applied to the church. I believe that it is very clear here.

Christ, the center of the gathering of Israel

So, something has to happen before his return. Let us read verse 11: "And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways will be raised up. Behold, these shall come from afar and lo these shall come from the north and from the west and from the land of Sinim." This part is one of the most interesting prophecies. But one has to see all this here under the light of the dual mission. The prophecy says: "Behold, these shall come from afar and lo these shall come from the north and from the west." What does that mean? The Bible always uses Jerusalem as the center. When the Bible says north, it refers to Syria. When the Bible says south, it refers to Egypt. When it says east, it refers to Iraq and Iran. When the Bible says west, it refers to Eastern Europe. Let us not forget that the Bible mentions the north and the west here. But it doesn't refer to Syria nor to Eastern Europe. It is necessary to read the context here: "Behold, these shall come from afar." That is to say, very far from the north and very far from the west. That means beyond Eastern Europe and beyond Syria. This prophecy has been wonderfully completed.

Which is the further west? The United States, Mexico and Canada. Who does it refer to when it says far from the north? It refers to Russia.

Let us read chapter 43. We will find something even more interesting. Verse 5: "Do not fear for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west." There would be no problem for the people of Israel to go back to their homeland from the east or from the west. But there is a part of the world where they would have problems.

Verse 6: "I will say to the north: Give them up; and to the south: do not hold them back; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth." Again, we have to interpret what the north and what the south is here. It doesn't refer to Egypt or Syria, but far toward the north and far toward the south. Since 1948, the people of Israel have come back from more than 104 nations. According to these prophecies, they had no problem at all, but there are two areas that won't allow the people of Israel to return. For this reason God has to say to the north: "Give them up" and to the south: "Don't hold them back."

Which are those two areas? We have to judge according to the Word of God. It is not by guessing; that is not the way to interpret the Bible. We have to interpret the Word of God by means of the Word of God. Now, where is the south? The Bible doesn't just say the south, but the far south, the ends of the earth. We may think that Chile is the ends of the earth. But that is according to our thought. We must know how the Holy Spirit defines the ends of the earth. For that reason, we have to study the gospel according to Matthew.

We remember that our Lord said: "The queen of the south will come from the ends of the earth to listen to the Wisdom of Solomon, and there is one here who is greater than Solomon." We know that the queen of the south was the queen Sheba in the Old Testament. The Bible says that she came from "the ends of the earth."

We know that the queen Sheba came from Ethiopia. If we travel from Jerusalem toward the south, when you reach Ethiopia, according to the Bible, we already reached the ends of the earth. This is very clear. When the Bible speaks of the far south, it refers to Ethiopia.

I hope that when you go home after this encounter, look for a map, take a pencil and a ruler, and locate Jerusalem. Then trace a line directly with the ruler toward the south. You will find Ethiopia. If you measure the distance, you will see that Ethiopia is 1.400 miles south of Jerusalem (2.100 Km).

According to the prophecy here, that means that Ethiopia must allow the people of Israel to go. This is very true. If you look at history, you will find that the government of Ethiopia didn't allow them to leave. So that is one area.

The other area is the far north. The Bible is very symmetrical. The revelation of the Bible is very scientific. If you want to know where the far north is, then according to the principle of symmetry, it is very clear: look for Jerusalem on your map, but now go north. If before we traveled 1400 miles toward the south, now we will do the same thing toward the north. You will receive a surprise: if we do this experiment, we will in fact reach today's Moscow.

According to Isaiah 43, which was written 800 years before Christ, we know that since 1948 there were only two areas that wouldn't allow the people of Israel to return to their homeland. One is Ethiopia, and the other one is Russia. This happened in this way. They didn't allow them to leave.
So then, one day, God had to do something. And God said to Gorbachev: "Give them up." Now, something interesting; a journalist from the CBS of the United States, was in Moscow at that time, and literally he heard a conversation between Gorbachev and the Jews: "For many years, you've just wanted to go back to your land. And you repeat and repeat your request. I am tired of hearing it. So, if you want to go, just go." Now, why did Gorbachev say that? Because there is one who is greater than Gorbachev, who told him: "Give them up."

Then, in almost one night, the great Soviet empire collapsed. While this empire was in power, the people of Israel could never have returned to their land. There were about 3,5 million Jews in Russia, but Russia didn't want to give them up. Then, finally, thanks to God, around 1990, God said: "Give them up." Just like as Moses said to Pharaoh: "Let my people go", now Gorbachev had to obey. So, since 1990, almost a million Jews have returned from Russia. On average, in the airport of Tel-Aviv, almost every 20 minutes an airplane landed from Russia. Among those million Russian Jews, at least 3.000 were scientists, the best in Russia. If we gather all these scholars together, they made up the equivalent of five universities like the Weismann Institute , Many musicians came from Russia. They would be able to form the five greatest Symphonic Orchestras of the world.

What about Ethiopia? This is very interesting. By that time, something very interesting happened in the political sphere in Ethiopia. When they almost had another political coup, the government of Israel took action, operation "Solomon." I think that they spent almost a hundred million dollars to hire several 747airplanes, and sent them to Ethiopia. They brought more than 10.000 Jews back to Israel. Ethiopia tried to retain them, but thanks to God, this operation was unforgettable. For two thousand years, they had dreamt of one day returning to their homeland. The encounter in the airport was most touching. When the Jewish rabbis were welcoming their brothers and sisters, many cried. They said: "This means that the Messiah will appear very soon."

The Messiah, the savior of Mankind, has one mission. He is the center of the gathering. So this Israel will go to that Israel. Even if Russia or Ethiopia do not want to let them go, God works all things together. "Do you want to hold my people back?" In one night the whole empire collapsed! "Then my people will definitely go."

We will return to Isaiah chapter 49. Now it is much clearer. Verse 12: "Behold these shall come from afar; and lo these shall come from the north and from the west..." (as far north and far west). We know to what it refers with "west": United States, Mexico, Canada. This prophecy has been fulfilled around the year 1990. We are very blessed, because with our own eyes we will see many prophecies fulfilled. That is what the Lord is doing.

"... And these from the land of Sinim." We have the far north, the far west, now we have the far east. These come from the land of Sinim. Sinim is China. This means that when the people of Israel return to their homeland, some of them would even return from China. Can you believe that? The Chinese are Chinese and the Jews are Jews. You have seen many Jews and you have seen many Chinese. Are you able to imagine? Would these Jews really return of China? Did the Bible make some mistake? Brothers and sisters and friends, there is no mistake.

Around the year 1200 D.C. there were many Jews who migrated to China; they went to Cancun, the capital of China in that time, and they settled down there. Now, they had to be very careful. They didn't want to draw the attention of the people; they preferred to hide. But if they hid, then their children would forget that they were Jews. So they hid their names, adopting the last name of the emperor. In that time, the emperor's last name was Chao, so all the Jews took that last name. They dressed like the Chinese, they adopted all the Chinese customs, but they also had their synagogues and their Bible. Generation after generation they became part of the Chinese culture, but they never forgot that they were Jews. Usually, one knows them by their facial expression, the women are much taller, and their noses are very different to the noses of the Chinese.

Now, a very interesting thing: From 1949, many of these Chinese Jews returned to Israel. If you visit Tel-Aviv and go to any Chinese restaurant, it is not necessary to ask the owner's last name, because it will be Chao. Why? Because they came from the land of Sinim. They came from China.

Christ has a mission. Being the centre of gathering his people, our Lord completed the mission of gathering them, even from the land of Sinim. This is very interesting.

Christ is the center of the gathering of the Church

Part of the prophecy has been wonderfully completed, but it is only part of the story. Our Lord is not only the center of the gathering of Israel; he is also the Savior of the whole world, and he is the light to all nations, so that his salvation may reach the ends of the earth. He will guide them to the springs of the water of salvation. So this part also has to be fulfilled. This is something very interesting. If this is applied to the church, if this is applied to his work of salvation -according to verse 12-, they will come from afar. Not only from the far east, but also from the far north.

What does this mean? According to this prophecy, after the collapse of the Russian empire, the gospel would somehow have to penetrate there. Today we know how to explain that. Thousands of people are being saved in Russia. It is the fulfillment of that wonderful prophecy: "behold these will come from afar, from the north." But there is something even more surprising. China is a country that has adored its idols for more than 5.000 years. But according to the Word of God, salvation will also reach that dark land. And now this wonderful prophecy will also be fulfilled.

They used to adore those idols, but now they are being translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God's love. Now they are coming to the springs of water. This is happening after 30 stormy years.
We know that the China is a country of atheists. The government has declared that God doesn't exist. The youngest generation has been taught with this education. After 30 years with an iron hand, one could almost be sure that there would be no more gospel there, because their purpose was to eliminate all the religions, including the gospel. We should remember that this iron hand is much more severe that that of the Roman Empire. The Chinese people are the most populous in the whole earth.

One could think that after these 30 stormy years there would not be any believers there. But to our surprise, although there was no Billy Graham, nor a D.L. Moody, the Lord has done a wonderful work. One discovers that one by one they have been saved. Naturally, the government will never recognize this fact. According to their records, there are 46 million Chinese Christians. Of course, they don't want that number to become great; that is only according to what they know. But today there are many underground churches, and they are the Christians that they don't know about. So we can double that number.

Let us remember that our Lord said: "On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the Hades shall never prevail against it." That really happened in China. Many missionaries that visited China could not explain this phenomenon. Without evangelists, without great preachers; everything was underground. China is a non appropriate soil for the growth of life. One smells death everywhere. For them, there was no hope there. No missionary had authorization to preach the gospel there. But, to their surprise, what our Lord said has been fulfilled: "In whom I will show my glory."

Then, the Holy Spirit cannot help but burst into joyful shouting: "Sing for joy, o heavens, and rejoice o earth; burst into joyful shouting, o mountains; for the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted." (v.13)

So, we have discovered a law of very important prophetic interpretation. In chapter 49 of Isaiah we see a dual fulfillment. The word Israel is not only applied to the people of Israel, but rather it is also applied to the heavenly church. If we see this, when we study prophecy, we will not only see the future of Israel, but we will also see the future of the church.

Synthesis of a message shared in the “Ranchillo” Conference (Chile) in January 2003.

Copyright © AGUAS VIVAS | CHILE 2003