John Tweedie - Destruction and Dispersion

December 23, 2025 | 28:41

Dr. John Tweedie hosts a biblically prophetic exploration of Israel, past, present and future.

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Israel: The Prophetic Connection | John Tweedie - Destruction and Dispersion | December 23, 2025

Can any nation on earth
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Make the claim that it was conquered
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And exiled out of its ethnic homeland not once,
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But twice, the second time for nearly 2000 years,
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And yet found its way home again after that long exile.
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Only one nation on the earth can make the claim.
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I'll explain in this episode
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Of the prophetic connection.
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Soft music
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We know from recorded history
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And in fact from biblical history,
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That the nation of israel suffered two major dispersions.
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The first occurred under the babylonians, in fact,
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Under king nebuchadnezzar of babylon in 586 b.c.
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This was the third phase of the conquering of israel
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By babylon, but it led to the expulsion
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Of the jews out of the land, and then to babylon.
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The second dispersion
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Occurred in 1870 under the roman empire,
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And that second dispersion would last for nearly 2000 years.
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In fact, jesus as much as prophesied
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That this would happen in matthew 24.
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He was in jerusalem with his disciples
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And they drew his attention to the magnificent temple,
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The second temple refurbished by king herod.
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But he and his response didn't seem to be that impressed.
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In fact, he said to them, as recorded in matthew 24,
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In verse two and jesus said to them to the disciples,
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Do you not see all these things?
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Assuredly, i say to you, not one stone shall be left here
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Upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
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We know that in 1870 that prophecy was fulfilled
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Because the romans not only conquered jerusalem
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And the holy land, they destroyed that temple.
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They pulled the stones down one by one.
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And i filmed in front of the stones,
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That are by the western wall of the ancient city.
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And those stones had been above
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Either part of the temple of the temple colonnades.
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And the romans, in fact, did cast them down.
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Then they pulled plows over that many acre site,
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And then put salt on top of that so that
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Nothing would grow there.
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They were trying to wipe out jewish history,
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On the temple mount in jerusalem and in the holy land.
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But god had made promises to israel.
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He made them after the first dispersion,
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When the prophets said they would return, jeremiah said
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They would return after seven years of exile.
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But god made more promises after the second exile
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Under the romans
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That the jews would return to their ancient homeland.
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Now, nearly 2000 years passed before it occurred.
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But how did this fulfillment of prophecy occur
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After the second world war and the systematic
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Killing of some 6 million jewish people
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In what was supposed to be christian europe
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Can only be
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Explained by the miracles of god
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And god keeping his promises through the hebrew prophets
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By the end of the first century of the christian era.
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These promises must have had a hollow ring to them.
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Jerusalem lay in ruins.
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The jews had been forced into exile,
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While the jews had suffered long under roman oppression.
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The end of the kingdom occurred in stages.
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By 36 a.d., caligula had claimed
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The imperial throne and declared himself to be god.
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This meant that all subjects of rome's imperial empire
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Had to bow down and worship caligula,
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Whether pagans, jews, or christians.
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This set the stage for the violent confrontations
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Which followed, since jews
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And christians recognized only one god, abraham's god.
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They were soon viewed as rebels and enemies of the empire.
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Matters quickly deteriorated when, in 64 a.d.,
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The roman procurator florez seized the gold from the temple
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Treasury in jerusalem.
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His actions provoked riots in the streets of the holy city,
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And became a trigger event
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For even more uprisings throughout the country.
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But this insurrection could not tolerate for long.
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It was a direct challenge to roman rule
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And prompted a determined and violent roman response.
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Titus,
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With 12 legions under his command, half the empire's
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Military strength, was sent to crush the rebellion.
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Mass slaughter of jerusalem's citizenry quickly follows.
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Men, women and children alike were put to the sword.
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In the end, the city itself was destroyed,
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As was the sacred temple.
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What had been for more than 1000 years, the focal
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Point of jewish worship and the cherished heart of the nation.
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Not one stone of the temple was left
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Standing upon another.
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As i mentioned earlier,
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The second jew exact style that occurred in 1870
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Lasted 1878 years,
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From 1870 until 1948,
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With the rebirth of israel in the modern era.
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But how on earth did the jewish people survive
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As a jewish nation?
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How did they retain their jewish identity?
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Down through nearly 2000 years
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Of scattering and persecution among the nations?
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Well, some have suggested that this holy book
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Kept them up even as they kept the holy book.
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The first five books of the bible,
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Are known as the law of moses.
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The torah, so to speak,
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And the laws of moses 613 and all,
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Include many things diets, a manner of living,
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Dress codes, moral, ethical codes,
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And also the jewish feast that god gave israel
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The rhythm of the jewish year,
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The spring feasts, and the fall feasts.
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Now, jewish
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Children had to learn early to read and write early in life.
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If they were to understand torah, the law of moses,
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Then they had to be able to read,
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And to receive instruction about the law of moses.
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So there are those who say that in keeping the book
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The law of moses, the book in turn kept them
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And then helped them to retain their jewish identity
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Wherever they went.
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But it was at the same time, a mark on them,
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Because they stood apart from the rest of society,
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Wherever they were among the nations,
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In keeping the law of moses in maintaining their
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Jewish traditions.
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They were, resisting being assimilated
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Into the nations, but it also kept them apart.
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And almost everywhere they went.
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It led to the persecution.
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And because they never quite fit in, and the nations
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In which they, found themselves never saw them as quite
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Fitting in trying to merge with the existing culture.
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So they were then isolated and persecuted.
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And of course, in europe during the second world war,
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That led to the ghetto system and led to disease and death
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And mass killing of the jewish people.
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But god had made promises to israel
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That they would one day return to the holy land.
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And they must have seemed
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Like empty promises, especially during the european holocaust,
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When they were being killed all the day long.
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Day after day
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After day, in gas chambers and extermination ditches.
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But still god had promises to keep
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Concerning
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Israel the jewish inhabitants of the holy land,
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Along with their early jewish christians among them,
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Were uprooted from their sacred city
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And from the promised land
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Being scattered throughout the known world.
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However, not all would go quietly.
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Nearly 1000 jews held on in one last stand
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Against the romans in a fortress near
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The dead sea.
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It can perhaps be
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Said that the jewish nation collectively
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Has suffered more than any other nation on earth.
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We can examine the history of the centuries,
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The scattering, the two major dispersions.
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And being driven out of country
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After country, because of their jewishness.
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And then all of this culminating in the second world war,
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When in europe,
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What was supposed to be christian europe,
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They were placed in concentration camps.
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They were constant traded with the nazis, could control them,
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And then they were exterminated, in those camps
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At the same time, if disease didn't kill them,
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Then it would be the machine gun or the gas chamber.
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And yet,
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Down nearly 2000 years since 1870,
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And the second major dispersion of israel out of the land.
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Surely god's unseen hand was with them.
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He didn't protect them from all suffering,
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But he sustained them through the water, through the fire.
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And we would have to say that because we can look now
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From the perspective of history
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And see that israel is a nation again, inter-ethnic homeland
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After a dispersion exile
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That lasted 1878 years.
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But the journey is far from over,
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And the persecution has not ended either.
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We saw this in october 7th, 2023.
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We saw the slaughter that occurred in the israeli
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Communities that border the gaza strip.
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And we would have thought that
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What happened during the second world war
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Should have been an end to jewish suffering.
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But sadly, in the 21st century, it continues as before.
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But if there is a silver lining in all of this,
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It is the promises of god to israel.
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I'm thinking of what jeremiah said in chapter 31
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That as long as the sun shines by day, the moon and the stars
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By night,
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Israel shall remain.
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And we could say that there are battles ahead.
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There is suffering ahead, but there is at the same time
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The sovereign will of an almighty god who calls himself
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The god of israel, and who has promised
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To be with israel,
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For perpetual generations,
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And to allow them
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To live in the homeland
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He promised them in the first place, through abraham,
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The man he called to begin this very special nation.
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That would be a blessing to all nations.
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The jews had become a people without a homeland, while
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The land they had called home was virtually without people.
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How then could god's promises to abraham and his descendants
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Be fulfilled?
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The only possibility was that the jews in their exile
00:12:39.293 --> 00:12:43.630
Would somehow cling to their ethnic and biblical roots,
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Even as they patiently waited for that day
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When a sovereign god would summon them home
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And out of their exile among the nations.
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While roman military might had robbed the jews of virtually
00:12:56.543 --> 00:12:59.813
Everything, they valued their freedom, their land,
00:12:59.813 --> 00:13:03.684
Their sacred temple.
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Rome failed to erase the jewish identity.
00:13:05.652 --> 00:13:08.722
Jews remained jews wherever they were, even in exile.
00:13:08.722 --> 00:13:13.293
And wherever they went, they carried with them
00:13:13.293 --> 00:13:16.563
And cherished the sacred texts that reminded them who
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And whose they were.
00:13:20.467 --> 00:13:22.769
Jewish scribes had carefully recorded
00:13:22.769 --> 00:13:24.805
The history of israel's relationship with god.
00:13:24.805 --> 00:13:27.441
They had preserved the laws god had revealed to moses
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And the secrets given to their prophets.
00:13:30.477 --> 00:13:33.413
These would remind them of their past
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And point to their future.
00:13:35.282 --> 00:13:37.084
The jews kept the bible and the bible into and kept
00:13:37.084 --> 00:13:40.621
The jews.
00:13:40.621 --> 00:13:41.655
Its sacred texts, which included a rhythmic gear
00:13:41.655 --> 00:13:44.358
Marked by a series of books god had given moses.
00:13:44.358 --> 00:13:47.127
Set the jews apart from the other nations,
00:13:47.127 --> 00:13:50.130
Specifically speaking.
00:13:50.130 --> 00:13:51.865
The people of israel were to keep appointed
00:13:51.865 --> 00:13:54.134
Peace of the lord.
00:13:54.134 --> 00:13:55.869
One of these, called the sabbath,
00:13:55.869 --> 00:13:58.372
Was also listed among the ten commandments.
00:13:58.372 --> 00:14:01.275
The sabbath was to begin at sundown on friday evening
00:14:01.275 --> 00:14:04.645
And end at sundown on saturday.
00:14:04.645 --> 00:14:06.947
It was to be a day of rest, refl
00:14:06.947 --> 00:14:11.184
During this time, the jewish people could sing,
00:14:12.185 --> 00:14:14.821
Study scripture, or pray, but not work.
00:14:14.821 --> 00:14:18.926
They were commanded to rest one day out of seven.
00:14:18.926 --> 00:14:22.262
Ironically, if not providentially,
00:14:22.262 --> 00:14:25.332
Jews in the diaspora, the dispersion
00:14:25.332 --> 00:14:28.502
Did their best to faithfully observe the peace of the lord
00:14:28.502 --> 00:14:31.438
As instructed by moses.
00:14:31.438 --> 00:14:36.410
Our media today is filled with
00:14:37.010 --> 00:14:38.745
Traveling reports and disturbing news everywhere you look.
00:14:38.745 --> 00:14:41.915
It seems that the world is falling apart.
00:14:41.915 --> 00:14:43.784
This could not be more true for the people of israel,
00:14:43.784 --> 00:14:46.086
Facing threats of destruction from the neighboring countries,
00:14:46.086 --> 00:14:48.956
And calls for sanctions against or around the world.
00:14:48.956 --> 00:14:51.558
Israel must deal with the challenges
00:14:51.558 --> 00:14:53.360
Few other countries will ever face,
00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:55.195
Making it even more difficult to provide for her
00:14:55.195 --> 00:14:57.431
Most vulnerable citizens. yet
00:14:57.431 --> 00:14:59.399
See, for i and their partners are making a difference.
00:14:59.399 --> 00:15:02.002
When you give to see farai,
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You are donating to charities within israel that provide food,
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Clothing and so much more for those in need in the holy land.
00:15:06.473 --> 00:15:09.776
When you become a partner for the first time
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With a monthly donation of $25 or more, and as a thank you,
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You will receive
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And you will also receive
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1-888-206-1986 or visit
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00:15:29.229 --> 00:15:37.771
You know, i've been going to
00:15:38.372 --> 00:15:39.439
Israel for more than 40 years.
00:15:39.439 --> 00:15:42.442
My wife and i, with another couple,
00:15:42.442 --> 00:15:44.011
Made our first visit to israel in 1980.
00:15:44.011 --> 00:15:47.881
So we saw it way back then, and we've watched
00:15:47.881 --> 00:15:51.451
Israel's progress all over these more than 40 years.
00:15:51.451 --> 00:15:56.189
I mean, the first time we went to jerusalem,
00:15:56.189 --> 00:15:57.991
There were donkeys and camels in the street.
00:15:57.991 --> 00:16:01.962
Not many, but some go today and you will not
00:16:01.962 --> 00:16:06.033
See donkeys or camels in the streets of jerusalem.
00:16:06.033 --> 00:16:09.136
You'll find them, perhaps on the mount of olives,
00:16:09.136 --> 00:16:11.738
Overlooking the holy city.
00:16:11.738 --> 00:16:13.306
But they're there for the benefit of the tourists,
00:16:13.306 --> 00:16:15.575
And of course, the
00:16:15.575 --> 00:16:17.310
The camel drivers, or the man with the donkey,
00:16:17.310 --> 00:16:20.480
And will allow you to take a photograph with his animal.
00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:23.150
And of course, he'll expect something in return.
00:16:23.150 --> 00:16:27.054
Now, if you go to the desert places down by jericho,
00:16:27.054 --> 00:16:29.523
For example,
00:16:29.523 --> 00:16:30.590
You will see
00:16:30.590 --> 00:16:31.825
Lots of camels and donkeys, and in fact you'll see shepherds
00:16:31.825 --> 00:16:35.896
Just as they were in biblical times.
00:16:35.896 --> 00:16:39.566
But israel is a transformed nation.
00:16:39.566 --> 00:16:42.235
It is amazing to think, in fact, to see what has happened
00:16:42.235 --> 00:16:46.139
To this tiny nation since 1948,
00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:49.309
With its rebirth in the modern era
00:16:49.309 --> 00:16:52.379
And even its return to the homeland.
00:16:53.180 --> 00:16:56.116
The holy land is a miracle in itself.
00:16:56.116 --> 00:16:59.386
It cannot be explained any other way
00:16:59.386 --> 00:17:02.389
Than the hand of god moving
00:17:02.389 --> 00:17:04.925
According to his timetable and bringing his people home.
00:17:04.925 --> 00:17:08.562
Now, this this rebirth of israel in 1948
00:17:08.562 --> 00:17:12.065
Occurred after 1878 years
00:17:12.632 --> 00:17:16.970
Of exile among the nations, and that was triggered
00:17:16.970 --> 00:17:20.373
By the dispersion of the latin diaspora.
00:17:20.373 --> 00:17:24.444
When the romans destroyed jerusalem in 1870,
00:17:24.444 --> 00:17:27.247
And with it the great temple,
00:17:27.247 --> 00:17:28.982
And then basically forced the jews out of the country.
00:17:28.982 --> 00:17:32.319
Another dispersion occurred in 135 a.d.
00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:35.755
Under the roman emperor hadrian.
00:17:35.755 --> 00:17:38.225
So for all the centuries, the jews were scattered
00:17:38.225 --> 00:17:41.628
Among the nations,
00:17:41.628 --> 00:17:42.729
And yet most of them retained their jewish identity.
00:17:42.729 --> 00:17:47.767
Some were assimilated, but the majority not.
00:17:47.767 --> 00:17:50.971
And they
00:17:51.238 --> 00:17:52.439
Passed down their jewishness from generation to generation.
00:17:52.439 --> 00:17:55.609
And how did they manage to remain jewish?
00:17:55.609 --> 00:17:58.512
The chosen nation that could then go back to the holy land
00:17:58.512 --> 00:18:02.682
When the time was right under a sovereign, almighty god?
00:18:02.682 --> 00:18:07.254
I think the answer is in the fact that they kept
00:18:07.254 --> 00:18:10.190
The book, as it is called, the law of moses.
00:18:10.190 --> 00:18:14.060
The 613 laws that moses received from the lord.
00:18:14.060 --> 00:18:20.066
That was to be israel's identity, the way she should
00:18:20.066 --> 00:18:23.103
Live.
00:18:23.103 --> 00:18:23.937
God's ethical and moral standards.
00:18:23.937 --> 00:18:27.007
The rhythm of feasts
00:18:27.007 --> 00:18:28.875
That god gave them that was their calendar year
00:18:28.875 --> 00:18:31.778
According to the jewish calendar.
00:18:31.778 --> 00:18:34.581
And all down through the centuries,
00:18:34.581 --> 00:18:37.083
The jewish people, wherever they were,
00:18:37.083 --> 00:18:39.486
Did it.
00:18:39.719 --> 00:18:40.320
They did what they could
00:18:40.320 --> 00:18:41.021
To keep
00:18:41.021 --> 00:18:41.955
The law of moses, and they certainly kept
00:18:41.955 --> 00:18:43.123
The rhythm of the feasts in the year.
00:18:43.123 --> 00:18:45.892
Now, when we read
00:18:45.892 --> 00:18:48.361
Leviticus 23, and here we see the wisdom of god
00:18:48.361 --> 00:18:51.231
In giving the jewish people the feasts in the first place.
00:18:51.231 --> 00:18:55.235
But here is what god said to moses.
00:18:55.235 --> 00:18:57.337
Leviticus 23 verse one.
00:18:57.337 --> 00:19:00.207
And the lord spoke to moses, saying,
00:19:00.207 --> 00:19:01.775
Speak to the children of israel, and say to them,
00:19:01.775 --> 00:19:05.078
The feast of the lord, which you shall proclaim
00:19:05.078 --> 00:19:08.248
To be holy convocations.
00:19:08.248 --> 00:19:10.116
These are my feast.
00:19:10.116 --> 00:19:11.952
So let me emphasize that god is saying, they're not your feast.
00:19:11.952 --> 00:19:15.222
Even though i'm asking you to keep them.
00:19:15.222 --> 00:19:17.023
They are, first of all.
00:19:17.023 --> 00:19:18.191
And finally, my face that you're going to keep.
00:19:18.191 --> 00:19:22.262
And then the weekly sabbath, six days shall work be done.
00:19:22.262 --> 00:19:26.499
But the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest,
00:19:26.499 --> 00:19:29.536
A holy convocation, and you shall do no work on it.
00:19:29.536 --> 00:19:32.839
It is the sabbath of the lord in all your dwellings.
00:19:32.839 --> 00:19:35.709
And i've said in other seasons, in other episodes, it's
00:19:35.709 --> 00:19:38.278
The amazing thing to be in israel
00:19:38.278 --> 00:19:40.447
On friday afternoon, because a holy hush,
00:19:40.447 --> 00:19:43.917
Especially jerusalem, a holy hush comes over the city.
00:19:43.917 --> 00:19:47.087
And i've been there filming on fridays
00:19:47.087 --> 00:19:49.689
And suddenly jewish busses stopped running.
00:19:49.689 --> 00:19:53.026
Most jewish people parked their vehicles.
00:19:53.026 --> 00:19:55.795
The airline of israel starts flying on the sun.
00:19:55.795 --> 00:19:58.932
So here we are in the 21st century, and a nation
00:19:58.932 --> 00:20:03.436
Is keeping this commandment that god gave them.
00:20:03.436 --> 00:20:07.507
Verse four of leviticus 23.
00:20:08.108 --> 00:20:10.443
These are the feast of the lord, holy convocations,
00:20:10.443 --> 00:20:13.546
Which you shall proclaim at their appointed times,
00:20:13.546 --> 00:20:16.983
On the 14th day of the first month at twilight.
00:20:16.983 --> 00:20:20.086
It is the lord's passover.
00:20:20.086 --> 00:20:21.888
So passover begins what are called the spring feasts.
00:20:21.888 --> 00:20:25.225
And then later we will come to the fall feasts.
00:20:25.225 --> 00:20:28.028
And right after that.
00:20:28.028 --> 00:20:29.562
And the very next day, verse six.
00:20:29.562 --> 00:20:31.564
And on the 15th day of the same month
00:20:31.564 --> 00:20:33.933
Is the feast of unleavened bread to the lord.
00:20:33.933 --> 00:20:36.503
Seven days.
00:20:36.503 --> 00:20:37.570
You must eat unleavened bread, bread without ease.
00:20:37.570 --> 00:20:41.708
So the commandments are very specific, and we continue.
00:20:41.708 --> 00:20:45.412
We've seen two of the feast passover and unleavened bread.
00:20:45.412 --> 00:20:49.149
But then we come to the feast of firstfruits.
00:20:49.149 --> 00:20:51.184
And verse nine.
00:20:51.184 --> 00:20:52.352
And the lord spoke to moses, saying,
00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:55.088
Speak to the children of israel, and say to them,
00:20:55.088 --> 00:20:58.291
When you come into the land which i give to you,
00:20:58.291 --> 00:21:01.461
And reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf
00:21:01.461 --> 00:21:04.331
Of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest.
00:21:04.331 --> 00:21:08.435
He shall wave the sheep before the lord to be accepted
00:21:08.435 --> 00:21:11.838
On your behalf.
00:21:11.838 --> 00:21:13.173
On the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
00:21:13.173 --> 00:21:16.576
So notice how these feasts
00:21:16.576 --> 00:21:19.446
And these commandments, instructions
00:21:19.446 --> 00:21:21.581
Being given to the people of israel.
00:21:21.581 --> 00:21:23.750
Connect them to the lord.
00:21:23.750 --> 00:21:25.919
The recognizing god when they do these things
00:21:25.919 --> 00:21:29.556
Exactly as he intended.
00:21:29.556 --> 00:21:31.691
Verse 15 is, we come to the feast of weeks,
00:21:31.691 --> 00:21:35.528
And you shall come for yourselves
00:21:35.528 --> 00:21:37.063
From the day after the sabbath,
00:21:37.063 --> 00:21:38.765
From the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering,
00:21:38.765 --> 00:21:41.501
Seven sabbaths shall be completed.
00:21:41.501 --> 00:21:44.471
Count 50 days to the day after the seventh sabbath.
00:21:44.471 --> 00:21:48.241
You shall offer a new grain offering to the lord.
00:21:48.241 --> 00:21:51.511
Now the end of this feast, of weeks, as is called,
00:21:51.511 --> 00:21:56.416
Is synonymous with our pentecost in our christian tradition.
00:21:56.416 --> 00:22:02.322
And then we come to the feast of trumpets in verse 1323,
00:22:02.322 --> 00:22:07.060
Which is the beginning of the jewish new year.
00:22:07.060 --> 00:22:10.430
And then following that, we have the day of atonement,
00:22:10.430 --> 00:22:13.433
And we read in verse 26, and the lord spoke to moses,
00:22:13.433 --> 00:22:16.503
Saying, also, the 10th day of this seventh month
00:22:16.503 --> 00:22:20.340
Shall be the day of atonement.
00:22:20.340 --> 00:22:22.342
It shall be a holy convocation for you.
00:22:22.342 --> 00:22:25.078
You shall afflict your souls and offer an offering
00:22:25.078 --> 00:22:28.448
Made by fire to the lord,
00:22:28.448 --> 00:22:31.217
And you shall do no work on that same day,
00:22:31.217 --> 00:22:33.720
For it is the day of atonement to make atonement
00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:36.523
For you before the lord your god.
00:22:36.523 --> 00:22:39.692
Now this day of atonement is also known as yom kapoor.
00:22:39.692 --> 00:22:44.464
It's a day of reflection for israel.
00:22:44.464 --> 00:22:47.867
Now, in biblical times, when the temple stood in jerusalem,
00:22:47.867 --> 00:22:52.172
The high priest of israel would put on his sacred garments.
00:22:52.172 --> 00:22:56.643
He would wear like a bishop's hod, like a miter.
00:22:56.643 --> 00:23:00.013
And it was engraved on front and it said, holiness to the lord.
00:23:00.013 --> 00:23:04.083
And having done adequate preparation,
00:23:04.083 --> 00:23:06.820
He would enter through the front door of the temple.
00:23:06.820 --> 00:23:10.190
He would be in the holy place, as it is called.
00:23:10.190 --> 00:23:13.860
In front of him would have been a veil separating
00:23:13.860 --> 00:23:16.696
From the holy place, from the most holy place.
00:23:16.696 --> 00:23:20.200
And beyond that, there in that sacred room, the holy of holies
00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:25.538
Stood the ark of the covenant, and above it the mercy seat.
00:23:25.538 --> 00:23:29.342
And on the day of atonement, yom kippur, the high priest,
00:23:29.342 --> 00:23:32.912
Having sacrificed animals, would sprinkle blood
00:23:32.912 --> 00:23:36.049
On the mercy seat.
00:23:36.049 --> 00:23:37.484
He was making atonement for the sins of israel
00:23:37.484 --> 00:23:41.588
And representing them before the presence of almighty god.
00:23:41.588 --> 00:23:45.391
And when he would leave that temple, then the people
00:23:45.391 --> 00:23:48.661
Would realize that he is god's representative to them.
00:23:48.661 --> 00:23:52.866
Now they could do that while the temple stood in jerusalem.
00:23:52.866 --> 00:23:56.135
Today they cannot, but they still observe
00:23:56.135 --> 00:23:59.072
This special day, the day of atonement, yom kippur.
00:23:59.072 --> 00:24:04.043
Then we come to the last feast in the rhythm of the year.
00:24:04.043 --> 00:24:07.280
Known as the feast of tabernacles.
00:24:07.280 --> 00:24:09.549
Verse 33 of the 23
00:24:09.549 --> 00:24:12.285
Then the lord spoke to moses, saying,
00:24:12.285 --> 00:24:14.020
Speak to the children of israel, saying,
00:24:14.020 --> 00:24:16.389
The 15th
00:24:16.389 --> 00:24:17.590
Day of the seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles
00:24:17.590 --> 00:24:20.960
For seven days to the lord.
00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:23.229
So this ends the rhythm of the jewish
00:24:23.229 --> 00:24:26.132
Feast in any given year.
00:24:26.132 --> 00:24:29.402
It's interesting that the prophet
00:24:29.402 --> 00:24:30.803
Zechariah in chapter 14 speaks
00:24:30.803 --> 00:24:33.139
About the feast of tabernacles as a far future event.
00:24:33.139 --> 00:24:37.010
In fact, after the messiah comes,
00:24:37.010 --> 00:24:39.479
The nations will be required to come to jerusalem
00:24:39.479 --> 00:24:42.448
To worship the king, the messiah.
00:24:42.448 --> 00:24:45.218
They'll have free will in this.
00:24:45.218 --> 00:24:47.186
If they come, they'll be blessed.
00:24:47.186 --> 00:24:48.855
If they don't.
00:24:48.855 --> 00:24:49.856
There will be curses over their nations
00:24:49.856 --> 00:24:51.858
Because they haven't come to worship the lord.
00:24:51.858 --> 00:24:55.028
I won't take time to read that or explain more than that,
00:24:55.028 --> 00:24:58.665
But simply to say
00:24:58.665 --> 00:24:59.999
It's the one feast that carries off on into the future.
00:24:59.999 --> 00:25:04.304
That one day all nations will worship the messiah, the king
00:25:04.304 --> 00:25:08.608
In the holy city of jerusalem.
00:25:08.608 --> 00:25:11.110
This is god's plan.
00:25:11.110 --> 00:25:12.712
This is god's purpose.
00:25:12.712 --> 00:25:13.980
Now, i share this about the feast to explain this.
00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:17.951
When we speak about the destruction
00:25:17.951 --> 00:25:20.053
And dispersion of israel, and we ask the question,
00:25:20.053 --> 00:25:23.156
How on earth did the jewish people find their way home?
00:25:23.156 --> 00:25:26.893
After 1878 years of exile among the nations?
00:25:26.893 --> 00:25:31.197
How did they retain their identity
00:25:31.931 --> 00:25:33.633
And not be fully assimilated into the other nations?
00:25:33.633 --> 00:25:36.736
The key is in the commandments that god gave,
00:25:36.736 --> 00:25:39.906
And certainly in the feasts that god gave israel.
00:25:39.906 --> 00:25:43.209
Because every generation of jews down through the centuries
00:25:43.209 --> 00:25:47.146
Has observed the feast to the extent they were able.
00:25:47.146 --> 00:25:50.683
Not having a temple
00:25:50.683 --> 00:25:52.185
In jerusalem, in fact, not even being in the holy land.
00:25:52.185 --> 00:25:56.356
So in a sense, by keeping the face, the feast kept them.
00:25:56.356 --> 00:26:00.226
We've said the same about the torah, the law of moses.
00:26:00.226 --> 00:26:03.896
They kept the law of moses and the law of moses
00:26:03.896 --> 00:26:07.300
Kept them because they retained their jewish identity.
00:26:07.300 --> 00:26:10.770
Now that also
00:26:10.770 --> 00:26:12.071
Was the means of persecution through the centuries.
00:26:12.071 --> 00:26:15.241
But nevertheless,
00:26:15.241 --> 00:26:16.409
When the rebirth of israel occurred in 1948,
00:26:16.409 --> 00:26:19.712
God began to summon his people home.
00:26:19.712 --> 00:26:21.581
But he'd been calling them home earlier than that.
00:26:21.581 --> 00:26:24.617
But they came in ever larger numbers after 1948, and modern
00:26:24.617 --> 00:26:29.789
Israel can only be explained as the intervention of god.
00:26:29.789 --> 00:26:34.227
The miracle of god, the sovereign god
00:26:34.227 --> 00:26:37.263
Keeping his promises to israel.
00:26:37.263 --> 00:26:40.433
Now, today, in the 21st century,
00:26:40.433 --> 00:26:43.102
They're being persecuted again, and we see that over and over.
00:26:43.102 --> 00:26:47.540
And antisemitism has risen, remarkably,
00:26:47.540 --> 00:26:52.011
In places that surprise all of us.
00:26:52.011 --> 00:26:55.615
Even the level of universities and,
00:26:55.615 --> 00:26:58.384
University campuses and our protests against israel.
00:26:58.384 --> 00:27:01.921
But i would say this what god has done in the past
00:27:01.921 --> 00:27:05.258
For israel, he will do in the future.
00:27:05.258 --> 00:27:08.461
He is a covenant keeping promise, keeping god.
00:27:08.461 --> 00:27:11.964
He can do no other
00:27:11.964 --> 00:27:13.366
Than to keep his promises to his chosen nation.
00:27:13.366 --> 00:27:16.836
And they will be there to welcome their messiah
00:27:16.836 --> 00:27:20.673
When he comes back to israel, to jerusalem.
00:27:20.673 --> 00:27:24.277
One of these days.
00:27:24.711 --> 00:27:24.711

John Tweedie - Destruction and Dispersion

December 23, 2025 | 28:41

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