THE TRANSFER OF WEALTH AND THE CHURCH STANDING WITH ISRAEL

© Morris Ruddick

Anti-Semitism around the globe has been increasing at an alarming rate.

In much the same way that Queen Esther of old - who was placed strategically in an unusual position of influence, and was faced with taking a stand for the Jewish people - so the Church is being called for such a time as this.

The tempo of the persecution against the Jewish people and Israel can be expected to continue rising. There is a spiritual polarization underway between those who are controlled by the prince of this world and those who are God's chosen. We have entered a time of great lawlessness. As discontinuities, disillusionment, social unrest, and ethnic strife increase, misguided leaders and spokespersons across the globe will be increasingly pointing to scapegoats, as a means to mask their inabilities and inadequacies to provide solutions.

The change underway in the assumptions driving nations, economies and global relationships will bring both disruption and opportunity. New paradigms for both the world's systems and God's purposes for these times are already emerging.

This is going to be a time of unusual opportunity for those called to be a part of the Lord's agendas for this era. It will be a time in which the wealth of the wicked is transferred into the hands of the righteous. We are entering the era that will realize the greatest harvest of souls in history. We are also approaching the time in which all Israel will be saved.

The transfer of the world's wealth is designed to fund the Lord's agendas for this era. And one of the very strategic Throne-Room initiatives is going to be: a manifestation of the principles in Romans 11 and Romans 15, of the Church standing along side of Israel, as Israel comes into the salvation spoken of in Isaiah 45 and Jeremiah 23.

Romans 11 outlines: "For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? ... So do not boast against the branches [that were broken off - Israel]. ... They also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ... For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. ... For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you, they also may obtain mercy." Then Romans 15:27 admonishes: "For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their [the Jews] spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in material things."

Scripture tells us that one day all nations will come against Israel (Zechariah 12:13). Indeed, recent votes and proclamations from the General Assembly of the United Nations have treated Israel as nothing more than an illegitimate nation. Ezekiel 38 and 39 describe a great war that will be coming against Israel. That war is imminent. Yet we also know from Genesis 12:3 that the Lord is going to bless those that bless Israel and curse those that curse Israel. Jeremiah 16 speaks of a time in which the Lord will draw the Jewish people back to the land of Israel, the land of their heritage and inheritance. The anti-Semitism underway has already precipitated the exodus of Jews from many nations around the world.

The apostle Paul speaks of provoking the Jews to jealousy. Yet he also warns that the Church not get too high handed in this effort - since it is only by grace that the Church has been engrafted into the Lord. The Church and Israel indeed share a common heritage and a common destiny. Provoking Jews to jealousy will never take place by getting in their face with a Gentile worldview of scripture. Provoking Jews to jealously begins by the Church genuinely understanding its Jewish roots and then operating through an example of genuine love to Israel and the Jewish people. An Isaiah 58 expression of love. Indeed, in Matthew 25 (vs. 35, 36, 40), the Lord warned us with these Words:

"I was hungry and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you visited me. ... Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to me."

The context of this scripture is the time in which the Lord Jesus will come in His glory and sit on His throne and judge the nations. The reference to "one of the least of these My brethren" is a very clear reference to Israel; to the Jewish people.

The book of Ruth presents an allegory of the Church and Israel. Like Ruth, who stood faithfully and unwaveringly with her mother-in-law Naomi, the Church has arrived at a time in which she is called to stand along side of Israel. Indeed there will be key segments of the Body who recognize their responsibility and call to stand along side of Israel - with all the risks associated with the stand taken by Queen Esther many years ago.

In the midst of this time of anti-Semitism and pressures against Israel, will emerge a select group of today's Josephs and Daniels, anointed men and women of God, who will serve in pivotal roles in standing along side of Israel. These Josephs and Daniels - strategically-called business and governmental leaders - will be pacesetters and an advance guard to other segments of the Body in their support of Israel and Jewish people.

The Josephs and Daniels will become facilitators in developing unusual alliances to counter the amassing of forces coming together against Israel. The alliance of Joseph and Pharaoh of old has an apt parallel to alliances today's Josephs will have with high level gatekeepers of our era. These alliances will open doors to unique opportunities associated with God's Throne-Room initiatives for this day. The fact is that the unorthodox Joseph-Pharaoh model was indeed an unusual, unconventional alliance for its time. And the alliances the Lord will be initiating to support Israel and the Jewish people, will likewise be unusual from a natural or even traditional religious viewpoint.

There will be alliances designed to support the return of the Jews to Israel. Other alliances will be created to assist in the efforts to assimilate the new immigrants, many of whom will arrive in Israel with only the bags they can carry; as they adjust and find a new life in their Jewish homeland. Other alliances will be designed to assist Israeli businesses - on many levels - from new business startups to providing networks and distribution systems into protected opportunities - opportunities of refuge - in the global market arena during a time of economic aberrations. The Josephs and Daniels will serve in mapping out strategies to tap into the wealth of nations to bring resources and capital into Israel. Investment funds that target market opportunity in Israel and Israeli businesses will multiply and prosper. Pivotal technologies - that will significantly impact world markets - will both come out of Israel and be brought into Israel.

Indeed, it will be a time in which the wealth transfer serves to undergird God's initiatives involving the Church's stand with Israel, as the Lord brings both spiritual and material restoration to Israel. Funds and resources from the nations will begin flowing into Israel. Yet simultaneously, it will be a time of great upheaval and pressure for Israel. Nations will align themselves against Israel. There will be wars and rumors of wars against Israel. But during this time, select elements of the Church will be making courageous Esther stands on behalf of God's chosen, Israel.

The Josephs and Daniels and Josephinas and Danielles of today will serve in opening doors not normally accessible within the world's system. As the persecution and pressures against Israel increases, so will the alliances between believers called as Josephs and Daniels and the opportunities and alliances they will have with Israeli business and governmental leaders.

The Lord will be sending Joseph and Daniel-called men and women of God from both the Gentile and Jewish Believing communities to be used strategically on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people. These Josephs and Daniels and other select, uniquely called members of the Body will operate in a genuine love for the Jewish people. It will be a love imparted by the Father. It will be a love that is trusted, recognized and accepted by the Jewish people. It will be a love that eventually will serve to remove the veil. The veil that masks the revelation of Messiah from the Jewish people; the veil caused by the oppression and persecution promulgated by so-called Christians over the centuries; the veil caused by elements of the Church who have failed to recognize their Jewish roots and the Jewishness of Messiah Jesus. It will be a love that engenders a genuine trust that will become the catalyst for Jewish revival.

Isaiah 45 speaks of the double gates. The application of the double gates during the era of upheaval we are entering relates to alternate systems - systems with access available to only those anointed who have been specifically prepared and called to operate within their portals. Those chosen Josephs and Daniels will have the means to flow in and out of the systems of the world - into alternate systems; systems of refuge. They will operate with safety and with a similar means to plunder - that the children of Israel saw operating during the original exodus. Systems of refuge, as well as opportunities of refuge will emerge that are divinely designed to support the coming harvest and Jewish revival.

But a key factor in this equation will be the segments of the Body, who recognize the call to stand along side of Israel. There will be those who actually relocate to Israel. There will be those who will be part of compartmentalized global networks - serving a variety of functions - networks of believers with a priority mission of supporting Israel.

With that bit of background, let's pray.

Father, we come into your presence by thanking You for allowing us to be as the sons of Issachar - that we might understand the times and know what to do. Lord God, give us seeing eyes and hearing ears. Lord, may we have the grace to see and to operate within the context of Your agendas and initiatives for our day.

Lord, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We pray for peace within her walls and prosperity within her palaces. Lord, we ask that you hold back the hand of the enemy in creating the flash-point of war in Israel - Lord there is much to be done in preparing for the times of turbulence spoken of in Your Word. May people, and alliances and resources be lined up and in order - on behalf of Israel and those standing along side of Israel as we approach these times in which the nations come against Israel. Lord, help us to be focused. Help us to redeem the time. Help us Lord, to be in oneness with You - with a unique understanding of Your Throne-Room initiatives and our particular roles in those initiatives.

Father we pray for the Church to be awakened to the role of standing along side of Israel. Lord, I also come before You, on behalf of my Gentile brethren in the Lord, with my heart humbled and repentant, asking You to forgive us Lord. Forgive us for failing to recognize the Jewishness of Messiah Jesus; forgive us for not realizing our Jewish roots; and for attempting to put Jewish believers into our Gentile mold. God, we repent for those who have embraced these so-called replacement theologies. Lord God, and for those who, in Your Name, have persecuted Your people over the centuries. Lord, Your Word says that You have made the two to become one, and have removed the dividing wall of hostility. Lord, let it be so. Father, let Jewish revival come forth. Let the veil be removed.

May the Church respond to Your Chosen people, to the Jewish people, with the love and urgency associated with the times we have before us. Lord, there is no question about it; we are entering some perilous times - but the fact is that You are with us. And Lord, You are more than enough - more than enough to meet our every need. More than enough to equip us with every good thing to do Your will; working in us that which is pleasing in Your sight. Lord, we do not ask that You take us out of the world, but that You keep us from the evil one.

Father, Israel is referred to in scripture as YOUR land. The Jewish people are YOUR chosen people. Lord, may we, the Church, have the grace to see Your heart on this matter and then to embrace it appropriately. Lord, impart the depth of Your love for Israel to Your Body.

Lord God, we pray for the Josephs and Daniels, these mighty men and women of God You have prepared for the tasks of standing with Israel. Lord, grant them the gift of faith to be the pacesetters and pioneers You have called them to be. Give them favor, wisdom and great prophetic insight for the alliances they will be entering into and establishing. Alliances that will open doors for Israel. Alliances that will keep things flowing for Israel - making a way where in the natural, there really is no way. Father, we are entering some very unusual times. Lord we thank You for the transfer of the world's wealth - for the restoration of all that has been stolen from Your people - flowing into Israel in this day. Lord, give the Josephs and Daniels the strategies to open the gateways - to operate within both the world's systems and the systems of refuge You will be establishing.

And Lord, raise up an army of intercessors to pray for Israel and for Jewish revival. An army of intercessors to pray the Josephs and Daniels and the Josephinas and Danielles called to stand with Israel. An army of intercessors who will pray for the Church to be awakened and activated in its role to stand along side of Israel - to be pacesetters in operating in the Romans 15 admonition of ministering unto them in love and material things. May this army of intercessors, operate with an anointing and an authority commensurate with the importance of the initiatives You have for the Joseph - Daniel pacesetters and those called in the wealth transfer business that will bless and sustain Israel and Your chosen people.

Father, despite the peril and turbulence, these are times of great opportunity Lord. Lord, may it be said of the Josephs and Daniels of this day, that they know their God, and are strong and do exploits. May they be bold as lions. Position Your angels to protect them Lord as they walk amidst perils. May these Josephs and Daniels be out there seizing the opportunities for facilitating the wealth transfer and pioneering the initiatives You have for restoring Israel and for the Body standing along side of Israel.

Lord, may it be a time as prophesied in Your Word, that we will see and be radiant, our hearts shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to us and wealth of the nations shall come through us. O God, let it be that he that touches Israel or those standing on behalf of Israel will be touching the apple of Your eye. Dear Lord, with You we will do valiantly, for it is You Who treads down our foes. No doubt about it Lord, the opportunities are going to exceed the perils to be faced. Keep the Josephs and Daniels ahead of the power curve, Lord. Help these men and women of God to consistently flow in oneness with Your Spirit. Give them the perspectives and mind-sets they need to be mighty instruments of Your purpose during these pivotal days. Lord, we thank You for what You are doing and will be doing in these matters in the days ahead. In Jesus Name.