Nuggets from An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith by Dave Hunt – A Fool’s Peace
“I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” —Matthew:16:18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
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Christ was born “King of the Jews” (Matthew:2:2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
See All...), was called “King of Israel” and “King of the Jews” (Matthew:27:11And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
See All...; Mark:15:2And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it.
See All...), and acknowledged both titles (John:1:49-50 [49] Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
[50] Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
See All...; 12:12-15). He did not renounce His claim to David’s throne even though His own people (as the prophets had foretold) “despised, rejected” (Isaiah:53:3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
See All...), and crucified Him (Psalm:22:12-18 [12] Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
[13] They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
[14] I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
[15] My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
[16] For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
[17] I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
[18] They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
See All...; Isaiah:53:5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
See All..., 8-10; Zechariah:12:10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
See All...). All four Gospels declare that “King of the Jews” was the accusation placed on the cross (Matthew:27:37And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
See All...; Mark:15:26And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
See All...; Luke:23:38And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
See All...; John:19:19And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
See All...). Here is Mark’s account of Israel rejecting her King and demanding His crucifixion:
“But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?...But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate answered and said again unto them, ‘What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?’ And they cried out again, Crucify him.” (Mark:15:9-13 [9] But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
[10] For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
[11] But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.
[12] And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
[13] And they cried out again, Crucify him.
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The Hebrew prophets had foretold that Christ would rise from the dead and that He would come again to establish a kingdom that would never end (1 Kings:2:45And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.
See All...; Isaiah:9:7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
See All...; Daniel:7:14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
See All...). Christ has fulfilled only the first part, rising from the dead and ascending to the Father’s right hand. If the remainder of those prophecies is to be fulfilled (and they must be, or God has lied) there must be a future restoration of the kingdom to Israel as the disciples believed (Acts:1:6When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
See All...), as Peter affirmed (Acts:3:19-26 [19] Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
[20] And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
[21] Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
[22] For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
[23] And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
[24] Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
[25] Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
[26] Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
See All...), and as Christ acknowledged (Acts:1:6-7 [6] When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
[7] And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
See All...). Israel’s future repentance, redemption, and restoration are foretold often (Ezekiel 36-39; Zechariah 12-14; Acts:5:31Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
See All...). Paul prayed for Israel’s salvation (Romans:10:1Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
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If the Muslims and other nations in the world would understand these prophecies concerning Israel’s right to her land and honor them and the God who gave them, there would be peace in the Middle East and throughout the world. Instead, they will persist in their desire to destroy Israel, resulting in Christ’s intervention from heaven to rescue Israel at Armageddon and destroy Antichrist, his followers, and his kingdom. Most Israelis themselves do not believe that God gave them their land. They are trading God’s land (Leviticus:25:23The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
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