Question: Why were the Israelites afraid?
They have suffered at the hands of aberrant Gentiles on many occasions.
The reasons are clearly shown in Malachi.
It is not sufficiently known that God loves His ancient people, and will save them ultimately!
Extract from Rev. 2:4
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou didst leave thy first (a)love.
(a)Agape: Love of Christ - Messiah. Also, a reminder of Israel's failure to honour their vows of espousal to Jehovah, Jer. 2:2, Ezk. 16:18, Deut. 28 and Ex. 19:5.
Extracts from: CHAPTER 21
Note 2018:
This Chapter and also 22, leave a great deal to speculation and imagination. Many commentators have tried to give firm opinions on the various aspects and statements; but in all honesty, much that follows will not be understood (in the writers opinion), until the actual events.
One can say with confidence that a whole new order of things is taking place; which with Satan destroyed and also “death and the grave” eliminated; the curses of Eden, the original rebellion of Lucifer dealt with; Almighty God and His Anointed Christ Jesus are then in total righteousness preparing a perfection of great joy for the people of God, in all their classifications.
CHAPTER 21
V.1 (a)And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth: for the former Heaven and former Earth were passed away; and there was (b)no more sea.
(a) See: Chp. 20:11.
The Almighty’s Face is there shown, and Earth and Heaven that is, cannot stand before His Face! It is a fact of the Scripture record that nobody at any time “has seen the face of God”. There are a number of examples given in the O.T., one notable is when Moses is shielded by God’s hand, so that he was not struck down by the sight of God’s face, (Ex. 33:20 & 33:23). Clearly in 20:11, the purpose at the end of Millennial is to remove and renew, and God’s face revealed is that beginning. In Chp. 22:4, "His servants", "see His face" but not until after the curse imposed at Eden is removed, (22:3).
(b) "No more sea"; this statement argues strongly for the "New Heaven and New Earth", of (a) above being spiritual, real, but not in the sense we at present understand.
The present seaways of the world covering approx. two thirds of the Earth’s surface, sustains all life, as we humans understand it. The fact that at the end of Millennial, in the "New Creation", no sea exists, tends to support this idea.
However, all sea at present (the world’s oceans), are a mass of minerals and elements and many so called impurities; which kill men/animals if drunk; but from which all drinking water is obtained by the process of the "Carbon Cycle". As all life on Earth is a combination of various elements (either mass or atomic); which are renewed and reused from the world’s oceans, it follows that when the oceans are not present, life given by the Almighty is in a different form.
Clues on this were given after Christ’s resurrection, and Paul describes in 1Cor. 15:20-58 & Phil. 3:10-21, which refer to the "Glorified body" of the resurrected in Jesus Christ. Regarding those people that have an existence on the “New Earth”; see notes at the bottom of V.1(b).
In Chapter 22:1 is shown a "river of water of life, clear as crystal out of the throne of God". This water is given “freely to the thirsty" (V.6). This water is clearly as pure as is possible, and in Ezk. 47:8, the eastern flow “purifies” the Dead Sea! (See: Zech. 14:8, i.e. two flows).
It is clear that Earth dwellers at that time need that water for life!
V.14 (a)And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
(a) In the O.T. God attempted to obtain in His Chosen People Israel, faithfulness, fidelity and love and service.
Faithfulness to Him Jehovah, as their "One True God".
Fidelity in their dealings and actions with each other, and with Him.
Love from them to Him for His care and protection of them, and service in witness!
It failed. Israel was unfaithful with the gods of the local neighbours, they did not honour Jehovah’s Name among themselves or the Nations around them. For their sin, after they warred and split when Solomon died, the presence (Glory) of Jehovah departed from them, and they were exiled to Babylon, and Syria. Even at this low ebb, God promised not to abandon them, so as to keep His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that they would never cease to be a people on Earth. He promised they would be revived, and eventually they as “the unfaithful wife”, (see Joel and elsewhere), would become "the Bride", (Isa. 49:18, 61:10, 62:5 & John 3:29). This promise entailed the fulfilling of the prophecy in Jer. 31:34, and which CHRIST as JESUS achieved at His death on the cross outside the walls of Jerusalem. He witnessed to that fact at His last meal with the apostles, who are mentioned in V.14 above, (see Matt. 26:28, Mark 14:24 & Luke 22:20). They were sent to Israel only, to witness that fact.
Of those who are the Overcomers of earlier Chapters and descriptions, some are part of the "remnant", saved by Christ, whilst still in their flesh, so as to fulfil God’s early promises, regarding the survival of Israel, and so that Satan could not obtain victory on Earth by defeating a promise of God. The twelve apostles are therefore the above mentioned foundations, underpinning the Twelve Tribes (gates), of whom are made up of all the people of Israel and proselytes that form the Bride, after the resurrection of O.T. Israel, as mentioned in Ezekiel 37 and Daniel 12:2.
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