Mark Huey of Outreach Israel Ministries delivers the following message, “The Messianic Marathon: A History Lesson,” which focuses on the great significance that in spite of a great deal of discussion about the end-times and return of Yeshua, we still have to each wait on the Lord.
History and the study of humanity’s origin and progress through time are fascinating subjects that have stimulated my thoughts for most of my post-pubescent life. Curiosity about the past, why we are here, and where we all came from—was perhaps the primary motivation for my persistent questions to the unseen Creator about why I even existed. Thankfully, after crying out to Him for many years, He finally revealed Himself to me in the person of His Son Yeshua and His accomplished work at Golgotha (Calvary) some thirty years ago.
In fact, as the Lord would have it, the providential reading of an historical analysis of world history written by Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live?, was dramatically used by Him to open my eyes to the reality that the history of the world is essentially “His story.” Thankfully, while under the conviction of this reality, the next book I was handed to read was the Holy Bible, which convicted me of my sin and my need for a Savior. Since being born again, my life in a continued pursuit of God’s truths, has never been the same. A life of hopelessness was converted into a life with hope for a future in the presence of the God of Creation. The very Bible that I earnestly studied not only gave me understanding about the past, but also insights into the present and glimpses about the future of mankind.
Knowing about the future destiny of the world is something that has surely intrigued me, as I am sure it has intrigued you as well. I have, with great eagerness, examined many prophetic Scriptures and have come to varied conclusions here and there during my walk of faith. This was especially true when our family became Messianic in 1995! Since that time, there is one thing I have concluded after embracing a Messianic perspective of things: Waiting on the Lord and His timing for anticipated prophetic events is something that requires the patient approach of a marathoner (having personally run two marathons) rather than the relative impatience of a sprinter seeking quick results.
Even though the prophecies contained in the Word of God are for our future as a planet, they are not words that are absolutely and correctly understood in all of their details by us living today. While we surely need to be aware of them, rather than getting too excited about them or over-emphasizing them, it is much wiser and more prudent for you to pursue a walk of faith as a long suffering marathoner—as opposed to an impetuous sprinter. If you can learn to do this, you will have a better opportunity to endure and complete the race of righteous living as exemplified by the Messiah Yeshua. The author of Hebrews admonished his audience to run the great race of life with endurance:
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Yeshua, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin” (Hebrews 12:1-4, NASU).
After becoming a Believer in the Messiah of Israel, the study of the Bible as the world’s most authoritative history book became a passion of mine. It is amazing to consider the fact that a person can hold in their hands and consume with their eyes the words and thoughts of the Holy One, conveyed to us as human beings who are to be guided by its Divine instructions. Our great God, in His abundant mercy to His children, has uniquely seen that the Biblical manuscripts—both Hebrew and Greek—have been adequately preserved for us all the way into the Twenty-First Century. He has also seen to it that as a native speaker of English, I can access a variety of translations that might aid me as I seek to properly interpret the text.
Although the Bible is a wonderful gift that each of us can easily access, it is important to remember that down through the centuries, there has been a propensity for different individuals to come to conclusions about the Scriptures that can take people off on various tangents. These tangents take people away from the Bible’s critical messages of holiness, righteousness, and demonstrating God’s love—living a life pleasing to Him that can impact others. Frequently, these deviations from running the race with our eyes fixed upon Yeshua tend to result in a spiritual weariness, which can and does lead to losing a passion or heart for the work of the Kingdom.
One of the most repeated flaws typically deals with the return of the Messiah Yeshua to establish His Kingdom on Earth. While the Second Coming is certainly something to be expected by Believers, many theories have been concocted that have been tied to the number 666 and various world leaders, phenomena like “88 reasons why Jesus will return in 1988,” or a tightly-packaged 6,000 year scenario that relies heavily upon various chronological presuppositions that may not be accurate. How many of these, and related things, have actually been used to call people to repentance and greater holiness? How many of these things have motivated people to go out and spread the gospel to all who will hear? Or, how many of these things have been used to promote various teachers and line their pockets with some quick cash? Be careful, fellow saints, because the Adversary has been able to use various prognostications about the End of the Age to minimize or negate the mandate that God’s people have to both share the good news of Yeshua’s salvation and disciple others in the truths of Scripture.
Enduring students of Biblical, ecclesiastical, and secular world history are often able to see old patterns repeating themselves in today’s religious world. Much of the paranoia and hype and that we witness about the End of the Age were present in the year 1000, and not surprisingly, also the year 1666. The Radical Reformers thought they could march on the Vatican and depose the pope, then inaugurating their “Kingdom of God” on Earth. Today in 2008, we see some of the same old mistakes previously seen in human history repeating themselves. We have not taken seriously the word: Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. Knowing what has come before us is a prudent way for us to avoid some of the pitfalls, and perhaps potholes, which encumber the narrow path of righteousness God’s people are to pursue.
I remember a number of years ago, spending a Summer by examining two books that my daughter Maggie was required to read for her sophomore advanced placement history course. I read these two books so that I could discuss with her some of her thoughts. In order to give students in her class a balanced perspective on the historical significance surrounding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, I re-read the classic work The Jewish State by Theodor Herzl (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1988), the founder of the Zionist movement, and Mandate Days: British Lives in Palestine, 1918-1948 by A.J. Sherman (Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997). Additionally, I was prompted to read a recently published book by Sir Martin Gilbert, Churchill and the Jews: A Lifelong Friendship (New York: Henry Holt, 2007), which piqued our collective interest in the unique relationship of Britain in Jewish history.
What has been a tremendous blessing to me in reading these books and other related materials, is that I have been able to see some of the nuances of the history of Zionism and the migration of the Jewish people into (then-) Palestine. It is fascinating to note how events in the past few hundred years ultimately led to the formation of the State of Israel. How Great Britain, and in particular how Winston Churchill handled his responsibilities as prime minister and a significant benefactor of the Zionist cause, was quite enlightening. In reading about these realities in relatively recent times, I was much more sympathetic to how and even why the United States, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and other leaders, have handled the delicate Middle East situation during the past few decades of my specific interest.
When you compliment what these countries and leaders have been doing, in conjunction with what has been going on in the Land of Israel and around the globe, you can perceive that the hand of the Almighty is definitely behind the scenes orchestrating circumstances from His Throne—regarding the return of the Jewish people to the Promised Land and the timing of when certain prophecies will take place. Things have only taken place when the political and social situations have been ripe to allow them to take place. Yet to much of our analysis today, specifically the Messianic movement does not always look to the politics or social structures to consider what will happen next as God’s plan unfolds. Instead, we often believe that we can subject God to some kind of calendar or timetable of our own choosing, and as a clear result it is most probable that many get the sprinter mentality about the end-times—rather than the more prudent approach of waiting on the Lord for His timing regarding His return.
Let us never forget that Yeshua Himself gave His Disciples this stern warning—appealing to a marathoner’s approach—when they were questioning Him about the Messianic Age that they were anticipating:
“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’” (Mark 13:28-37, NASU).
Yeshua’s admonition is for His followers to simply “Be on the alert!” Regardless of when the End of the Age comes, we are to be faithful in the tasks that He has given us. We are to be diligent students not only of the Scriptures, but also of history, so we can properly anticipate the time of Yeshua’s return to rule and reign from Mount Zion. Many Scriptures come to my mind that point to the restoration process for all of Israel—many of which we have not studied or examined thoroughly enough. The one passage that in many respects summarizes some of what we may be currently witnessing, is seen near the end of Deuteronomy where Moses prophesies a future return of Israel to the Promised Land—one which concerns the future End of the Age:
“So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you, and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:1-6, NASU).
Moses describes a future time when the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy would be brought to mind by the people of Israel in all the nations where they had been banished because of their sin. This remembrance would result in a return to the Lord, resulting in obedience to Him by the heart and soul of His children. Eventually, this would trigger not only a restoration from captivity with compassion, but also a gathering back from ends of the Earth to the Promised Land. At that time, the Lord will bring His people back to possess such land, prosper on it, and multiply upon it. They will have circumcised hearts that will be sensitive to Him as their God. Deuteronomy 30:1-6 in many ways is the ultimate culmination of the “restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21) as foreseen by the Prophets. Yet it is clear that many things must take place in order for this ultimate culmination to be realized!
When you look at passages such as Deuteronomy 30:1-6, and take into account the actual history that has taken place with the Zionist movement of the past century—you should recognize that the principal proponents of Zionism were more interested in establishing a homeland for the Jewish people rather than in obeying the Lord with all their hearts and souls. Are those currently returning to Israel today a group that is returning because of their innate love of the Lord, and a desire to obey Him and His statutes? Or, is returning to Israel simply a way for one to find sanctuary from the evil intentions of those who would want to destroy, or at the very least harass, the Jewish people? Certainly our Heavenly Father can use the evil intentions of men to initiate the fulfillment of prophetic Scriptures. The Jewish return to the Promised Land is certainly a good thing! But for those of us who claim to be diligent followers of the Most High, we have a responsibility to pause for a moment—and consider the wider implications with many more prophecies than just Deuteronomy 30:1-6. And perhaps most importantly, we need to consider the maturity level of our own Messianic movement, which is surely to be used in the future to accomplish some great tasks for the Lord.
Many people, often not tempered by a marathoner approach to faith in God, draw hasty conclusions without a larger consideration of the facts. Because people studying Bible prophecy often subject the Almighty to a date calendar of their own choosing, they are able to generate support for their activities, which proponents just claim are simply Biblical prophecies becoming a modern-day reality. Little facts here and there from the past are conveniently left out of their discussions. For those who lack a degree of historical context, or those who do not study history be warned: You need to remember that being persuaded by those who speak with conviction, as if they have authority from on High, can happen without you noticing. Always keep in mind that it is difficult to discern whether Moses’ prophecies (among many in Scripture) will be accomplished prior to the return of Yeshua, during the season of His immediate return, or after His return when He rules and reigns from Jerusalem.
It is critical that we as God’s people spend time in the study of His Word, seeking enlightenment and knowledge about our relationship with Him, and desiring discernment so that we will have a fuller picture of what He is doing. We need to have a more comprehensive understanding about not only current events, but also historical precedents and how they are to be interpreted given the overall context of where we currently are as things move forward. Discerning, if those promoting various activities are encumbered by any prejudice or presuppositions that influence their conclusions, is crucial to avoid the mistake of supporting and unequally yoking yourself to something that is just another human enterprise of fleshly intentions. We need to be able to run the marathon race of life well, remembering to “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress” (Hebrews 12:1, NLT). Too many of us have “spiritual fat” (The Message) that keeps us from being the things He wants us to be!
As we run the marathon of faith, we also must be aware of a significant warning issued by the Apostle John, who understood that the spirit of antimessiah or antichrist was already at work in his era—especially if you are considering aligning yourself with those who do not place Yeshua at the center of their work. If people or organizations place their emphasis or focus on anything other than the gospel of salvation, or somehow forbid Believers to share the hope that is within them about His work atoning for our sin, then perhaps we should be very weary of them. As we are instructed,
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Yeshua the Messiah has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Yeshua is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:1-6, NASU).
Do not yoke yourself with those who cannot discern the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of error.
Our journey with the Messiah is a marathon, and it requires that each of us possess great endurance. Learn from history so that you do not have to repeat its negative patterns, or become a victim of those who twist history to serve their purposes. Be those who can heed its message, finishing the marathon of faith with great rewards at the end!
