Isn’t It Time for Israel to See?

One of the Lord’s songs concerning Jerusalem, Psalm 137:5-6, declares, “If I forget you O Jerusalem let my right hand forget it’s skill (i.e., its ability to play); if I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth.” Scripture also says, “We are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6

Not all Christians adhere to that call, as many Christian leaders today advance the concept that Israel lost its place in the purposes of God when it rejected the Messiah 2000 years ago and that the church has taken its place. This concept is known as replacement theology. They make no place for Israel, seeming to ignore Paul’s teaching on Israel being restored in Romans chapters 9-11. Israel, however, is the timepiece of God’s end-time plans, which includes the restoration of the Jews to the Promised Land and the establishment of Jerusalem as it’s capital city. This again is the fulfillment of Jesus’ is prophetic word in Luke 21:24, “Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles (and this happened with the Roman conquest in AD 70) until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled (and this occurred with the return to the land in 1948 and to the city to restore Jerusalem as its capital city in 1967).

JOHN HALVORSEN

I have a longtime friend and colleague John Halvorsen who is also on the Board of Kairos Ministries Inc. He is a radical disciple of Christ, who has followed the call of the Lord to literally go to the ends of the earth, including both the North Pole and the South Pole. He has prayer walked America twice and has also prayer walked from Portugal to the border of China (He was not permitted to walk across China. Rather, he traveled across China by train) and then recently has been to Israel to pray. I have heard him speak about what the Lord was saying through all these experiences, and I asked him to write it up for inclusion in this Langstaff letter. Here it is:

In December 2017, before embarking on my trip to the South Pole, I had what I call an “Ah-Ha” moment. It came while I was watching a “First Fruits” video from the Glory of Zion in Corinth, Texas, and a clip of Roma Gypsies dancing to Israeli cadence flashed on the screen. Suddenly, without rhyme or reason, I blurted aloud to myself, “Isn’t it time for Israel to see?” At the time, it seemed like an odd thing to say. Then the Lord asked me a question, “Don’t you understand what I have been doing with you over the last number of years?” This puzzled me. True, my life has been comprised of numerous acts of obedience that have often led to faith and adventure, but I had no idea that there had been a divine theme in it all.

Then I had a moment of revelation.

It was if the Lord open my eyes. For the first time, I could see that over the course of my ministry, I had been led innumerable times to “end of the earth” places. For instance, during recent trips, I literally stood at the southern tip of North America, the southern tip of South America, the Westernmost point of Europe, the Northernmost islands of Europe and Asia, and both the North and South Pole.

Why am I telling you this? It is because in every “end of the earth” place my foot has trodden, I witnessed evidence of Christianity. From a tiny island off the coast of Papua New Guinea to the Straits of Magellan, I have observed first-hand indicators that Christians have already been there. From the North pole to the South Pole, I have seen proof of Christian missionary activity. From Dublin to Shanghai, I have beheld signs of the Gospel’s presence.

This is what I hear the Lord saying to his church:

“I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the furthest corners of the earth.” (Acts 13:47 NLT).

“The Good News of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world so that all the nations will hear it, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14 NLT)

“Understand this mystery”. . . . “Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles come to Christ and so all Israel will be saved.” (Romans 11:20 NLT)

It occurs to me that the Lord is saying that the expansion of Christianity to the ends of the earth is a telltale sign that the dawn of a new age is at hand. This new season is a time when the heart and mind of Israel will soften so she can recognize Jesus as her Messiah.

Just the other day, the relevance of a word from Isaiah 46:13 flashed before me, “I am ready to set things right, not in the distant future but right now, I am ready to save Jerusalem and show my glory to Israel. (NLT)”

What I blurted out while watching that “First Fruits” video is so true.

It is time! It is time for Israel to meet her Messiah!

However, for Israel to experience salvation, a massive prayer effort is necessary. Remember how Elijah prayed. It had not rained in 3 1/2 years, and he took the position of a Hebrew woman giving birth. Imagine what the demonic resistance is like after 2000 years of drought. Intense prayer is required, and it is intense prayer that will make a difference. Please pray with me that every Jewish person on this earth will have an encounter with the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray that it happens now, in our generation. Amen

THE CALL TO PRAYER?

We are called to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. To pray for God’s purposes for that nation to be fulfilled in this present time. God has not forsaken Israel, and neither should we. Let us do just that! Let us pray for Jerusalem, Israel, and the Jewish people to meet their Messiah!