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We have a few brief hours to embrace an aspect of our mission that I think we’ve largely forgotten, namely, praying for the peace of Jerusalem. What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? Jerusalem will never have peace until they recognize the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Some we can reach now, in which case they become a member of the Church. Some will not believe until it’s the last hope in a very, very dark, and painful world after the rapture of the Church. Let’s make sure that we have uttered a prayer for that nation. They are surrounded by enemies. They are facing from a human point of view, certain annihilation. You know, Henry Kissinger said in ten years there will be no nation of Israel. That’s the best joke I’ve heard in a long, long time. They will never be driven out. So how can you know? I’m asked this question all the time. How can you know? How can you know that they won’t be driven out and scattered again and things that go on for a thousand years? Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is they’re there to stay. The bad news is you don’t have another thousand years. We’d like to think that we do. But we are are at the conclusion of our short paragraph in history.

Check out Isaiah 11:11. The prophet foresaw that there would be two dispersions and two returns, and “after the second time” God will re-gather them and then will return. And, folks, it has happened! And He’s coming. Israel is not going to be driven out, but it’s going to be painful in the extreme. A third of those who survive into that time are going to believe (Zechariah 13:8).

We have a mission mandate, and that mandate is to all the nations of the world. But I do believe that there is a specific focus of that mandate and that that aspect of the mandate is with special attention to the children of Israel. Israel is a burning passion in the heart of the impossible and should be to you and me. You remember that Paul in Colossians 1:24 that it was his pleasure “to suffer on their behalf because he was filling up that which was lacking in the sufferings of Christ.” Paul saw very clearly that it was his responsibility as a member of the Body of Christ to continue what His Lord had begun, what Christ came to do. That’s what Paul was here for, and what Christ died for. That was what Paul was willing to die for and therefore to carry on Christ’s ministry. And Paul, in Romans 10:1, we see how he makes this a little bit more specific. “ Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.”

You know, my friends, the Bible commands us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” comes from Psalm 122. What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? When you and I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, there will be no peace in Jerusalem until Jerusalem and Israel receives the prince of peace. And therefore, we pray for the opening of their eyes. Have you ever thought that a prayer that you utter today could impact the soul of someone who will live in the next dispensation? A thousand years before Christ, David prayed for us in the Psalm 102. This is similar to when Paul says, “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” Don’t you think, Paul, being doctrinally accurate and having the mystery of a new creation revealed to him would just say, “Who cares about them?” And “we’re done with them.” “We’ve moved on to new ground.” A thousand years before Christ came, there was someone praying for you.

David, by the way, often praise as an expression of the trials of Messiah when He would come. I like the way Dietrich Bonhoeffer puts it. He said, “When you read the prayers of David, you are reading the prayers of Messiah, because the prayers that David prayed, Messiah prayed when he was here.” Interesting thought, isn’t it? Psalm 102 is picturing the whole history of the nation of Israel, which is summarized in brief in Revelation Chapter 12, which tells us that “the woman will conceive and bear a child,” and because of that child that she brings, she “will be driven into the wilderness.” The hatred against the nation of Israel that existed in David’s day and the hatred that existed against Israel in the time of Nazi Germany, and that exists today comes from the same source. It’s satanic in origin because Satan still knows that God’s plan for those people is not done. And so Satan stalks to the woman who is in travail. Psalm 102 says in part, “But you all Lord shall endure forever, And the remembrance of your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion for the time to savor her. Yes, the time that was set has come.” What time is he talking about? Jesus Christ’s Second Advent, right? The Psalmist continues, “Your glory for the Lord shall build up Zion. He shall appear in His glory. He will regard the prayer of the afflicted. He will not despise their prayer.” Did you get the message that he just said this that is promised is going to happen? “He will not despise their prayer.”

Now, get this, because here is the kicker in Psalm 102:18, “This will be written for a generation to come. There are people yet to be created, may praise the Lord.” Do you see the church there? He’s not just talking about the next generation of Jews. He’s not just talking about another generation. He’s talking about a new people. Generation is often used for race that are race yet to come of people yet to be created. I believe that David here anticipated, and maybe because of something He saw in the writing of Moses, Moses knew there was more to be revealed, but he knew that it was not for the children of Israel, it was for someone else. David knew that the things he wrote would be an encouragement and a strength to a people who did not yet exist. He didn’t know who they were. He didn’t know what they would be called. The idea of church never entered his mind. The concept of being in Christ was beyond his ability to comprehend. Although I would say that of all the prophets of the Old Testament, no one came as close to church age truth as did David in the Psalms. The Psalms are timeless and express the prayers of Christ. I would even be willing to bet that the Lord Jesus Christ had the entire Psalms memorized and uttered each of them at their proper place throughout the time of his pilgrimage on this earth may be continues to pray them. Who knows? He intercedes in our behalf. If David had a concern for a people that would not yet be created, how much concern can you and I have for a people who preceded us?

If the last are going to be first, how great will they be? Paul asked the question in Romans 11 If their casting off is the salvation of the world, what will their reception be but a resurrection from the dead? It’s going to be something amazing. Pray for the opening of their eyes. Our nation is no longer a friend to Israel as we have been. But somewhere there has to be a people that will not only pray for that nation and speak out for that nation, but if necessary, shelter that nation. Those Christians who fought in the resistance for the sake of the Jewish people, they did what the church is supposed to do. And through their dedication and devotion, many, many people of the Jewish nation have come to Christ. Many people will yet come to Christ. How many will come to Christ because you played your part?

Let’s pray that you and I can play the part through our prayers. Stand up for them, be their advocate, be their defender, and above all, be their intercessor. It will make a difference. The priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. See the previous video “I will bless those who bless you – Mission Forgotten” for more detail.

Gene Cunningham - January 28, 2003

Hebrews 11

Hebrews 11

We can only become stronger the more we give away. The more we use our spiritual gift. It’s important that we seek to know what our spiritual gift is. He wants you to know it, because He wants us to love on another that way. Joh 7:17 Heb 2:8-9 We do not see, but we see Jesus. We see chaos and turmoil around us, and struggles within us. We don’t know how God’s will will be fulfilled. Jesus is the central figure of God’s plan and the ultimate focus of the human soul. We may not see His purpose working out, but we can see Jesus. 1pe 1:8 Under trials, we find Jesus is obscured from our sight. We need Him to save us every day. When He seems obscured from sight, we can keep our eyes on Christ by loving Him by turning to the Word and feeding on the riches of His grace. As we feed on the Bible, Jesus nourishes us. We see Jesus. Heb 2:9-18 Three OT quotes: pre-incarnation, incarnation, post-incarnation statements. All people without Christ live in slavery and bondage. One work of Jesus is the liberation of those in slavery. Theme of the book is to fix your eyes on Jesus. Get your eyes off of other things and yourself. In your sin you have an area of strength and weakness. If your area of weakness dominates you will fall and be discouraged. If your area of strength dominates you will be arrogant and fall. Don’t look at yourself or at others. Only Jesus. Never base your life off of someone else’s experience, base it off of Christ. You’ll be inflated or deflated. Comparing is never the issue in the Christian life. Don’t be distracted by circumstances. Those change all the time, Jesus never changes. Our experience has to be built on the security of Jesus Heb 2:9, Heb 3:1, Heb 8:1 Look to the High Priest. The only issue in our relationship with God is the work of our High Priest and our relationship to Him. Heb 11:27, Heb 12:2 Hebrews gives this challenge to fix our eyes on Jesus to these people in a terrible time in history. The important thing is we are living in a time where it is imperative that we lock on to Jesus Christ. Faith without an object has no power. We must direct our faith to Jesus alone. Their entire world as they knew it would cease to exist. The author wrote this to give them what they needed to go through that trial. Jesus is the only one who can sustain you. Look to Jesus. Practical illustration: Luk 21:1-38 focuses more on what was impending in 70AD Eight great benefits of keeping our eyes on Jesus during a time of historical crisis: 1. Luk 21:8 deliver us from deception. Satan will use everything to deceive people. 2. Luk 21:9 deliver from fear. Fear robs the soul of the ability to respond from a standpoint of faith. Faith in Jesus conquers fear. 3. Luk 21:13 everything works for witness. Whatever happens will turn out for an opportunity to tell the world about Jesus. How can we tell the world about Him if we’re not looking to Him? 4. Luk 21:21 flee to the mountains. The focal point of the conflict was Jerusalem. It’s important because it will deliver you from getting caught in religious ruts. It can be devastating. It happens when someone thinks God has to do certain things. Why should we think we are exempt from persecution. Don’t get caught up in a religious rut in their thinking. Spiritual flexibility is important. You need to know when you’re to stand and when you’re to flee. 5. Luk 21:28 The things that cause the world to despair should cause us anticipation of His return. Our redemption is drawing near, looking forward to the blessed hope. Tit 2:13 Keep looking toward His coming. Remember how it’s going to finish. To lift up our heads means an attitude of exultation. Keep your focus on the end of the story 6. Luk 21:34 warning 1th 5: we shouldn’t be surprised by His coming. The cares of this life will wear us down. The carousing is the good time to they can forget what’s going on. Or drinking or drugs to lead to insensibility. How can we keep from being overloaded with the anxieties of this life? Keeping our eyes on Him will deliver us from the deadening affects of anxiety. Mat 6:25-34. What is your anxiety today? Anxiety weighs the soul down, and loses its strength. 7. Luk 21:36 Keeping our eyes on Christ will give us a living prayer life. It will make us worthy. As we partake of Him through His Spirit working through the Word. We reflect who and what He is, a reflection of His character. 8. Luk 21:19 compilation of all these. Keeping our eyes on Jesus will give endurance and maintain control. Not to stay in control of anything but our own soul. It’s not a one shot thing. There will be many battles. Possessing our souls is a battle each day. You’re going to think He’s not coming through as He should. There will be many times like that, but we need to hold fast to our hero. Heb 2:9-18 Seven great undertakings of God in the flesh. Phi 2:5-11 Jesus had to live by faith. He was exercising perfect faith. 1. Heb 2:9Sacrificial death 2. Heb 2:10 His valiant leadership. Captain of our salvation. 3. Heb 2:11 His cleansing work 4. Heb 2:11-13 His love for His family. He is called the Father of Eternity Isa 9:6 5. Heb 2:14 victory over the devil 6. Heb 2:15 liberation of the captives 7. Heb 2:17-18 His merciful and faithful High Priestly role. Faithful to God in every area. Faithful to God, merciful to men. Sacrificial death: we can only see Jesus by the eye of faith. Jesus came into the world to do the will of the Father, which was to go to the cross. His life is the means to the end. Jesus was crowned by the world with thorns, but it anticipated His crown of glory. We need to suffer with Him if we’re to reign with Him. Persecution is the crown of thorns. He was willing to bear our curse, and He did it with dignity. Desire the crown, but the crown in eternity is preceded by the crown of cursing in this life. He tasted death for every man. He completely took death for every man. The Death Jesus took. Death comes in two types. Spiritual and physical. Gen 2:17 Gen 5:5 Spiritual death means separation of soul from God, physical death means separation of soul from the body. Sin and spiritual death are transferred to every person of the human race. Psa 51:5 Gen 5:3 Born a sinner Rom 5:12 Eph 2:1 rom 6:23 spiritual death. Christ on the cross followed the pattern in scripture. Spiritual death, then physical death. Spiritual separation from God Isa 53:10-12 His soul was in such anguish because He was separated psa 22:1 Rev 20:6 Rev 20:10-15 The most important thing we can be doing is to tell the people about Jesus Christ. If we fall in love with Him so much we will be willing to tell people about Him. It is an unreasonable fear to fear evangelism. Spiritual death and physical death results in eternal death. The torment is in the soul. Unbelievers who die physically are referred to as the dead. Saved people are judged by Christ’s work. If you reject you’re judged by your works. Isa 64:6 Chaplains on the Titanic preached the gospel to those stuck on the deck as they were sinking. Is your name in the book of life? People in the lake of fire are no closer to the end as when they began.

Scripture References: Isaiah 9:6, Luke 21:21, Psalms 51:5, Luke 21:19, Psalms 22:1, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 2:11-13, Luke 21:13, Genesis 5:5, Luke 21:36, Isaiah 53:10-12, Hebrews 3:1, Hebrews 2:11, Luke 21:9, Genesis 2:17, Matthew 6:25-34, Romans 6:23, Hebrews 2:9, Hebrews 2:10, Luke 21:8, Hebrews 2:17-18, Luke 21:34, Ephesians 2:1, Hebrews 2:9-18, Hebrews 2:9, Luke 21:1-38, Isaiah 64:6, Hebrews 2:15, Titus 2:13, Romans 5:12, Hebrews 2:8-9, Philippians 2:5-11, Hebrews 12:2, Revelation 20:10-15, Hebrews 2:14, Luke 21:28, Genesis 5:3, John 7:17, Hebrews 2:9-18, Hebrews 11:27, Revelation 20:6

From Series: Hebrews (1998) | More Messages from Gene Cunningham | Download Audio

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