Heaven Bound

   Eliezer Urbach,

Many years ago, I was privileged to make the acquaintance of holocaust survivor and Messianic Jew Eliezer Urbach and his wife Sara. Eliezer and Sara were living in the Denver area where they were serving with Chosen People Ministries and were in fact, pioneers in the fledgling Messianic movement at that time. Over the years, we were privileged to facilitate a number of speaking engagements for Eliezer in the mountains of Colorado where we were living. It was Eliezer’s passion to share how he a Polish born Jew and holocaust survivor came to faith in Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah of Israel.

Eliezer was always straight forward with his message and had a knack for getting to the point. Of all the things I remember him saying, this one phrase stands out in particular. “ I was Jew enough for Hitler“.  His passionate response to those who would question his status as a Jew since coming to faith in Messiah. If you heard him say this once, you would know with all certainty, the matter was settled. End of discussion. And, he was right. With that one phrase there was nothing more to be said.

I bring this up for the simple reason that the number of holocaust deniers seems to be growing by the day. Couple that with those who would deny Jewish right to the land even going so far as to question “if Jews are even Jews” and you can see that the state of Israel and the Jewish people are being marginalized at an alarming rate …. even among evangelical Christians, who once provided their broadest base of support.

It seems that everybody today wants to be a Jew. Not that they would ever apply that label to themselves. No, what they covet is the promises given to the seed of Abraham but, not the responsibility. It’s not the Jews who are impostors (for those who would cite Revelation 3:9) but, rather those who claim that the promises and inheritance were never theirs to begin with. Oh, the sneaky subtlety of the serpent. This is not to say that everything Israel does is perfect, of course not, for the majority of the population remains in unbelief. But, that is changing exponentially in numbers not seen since the day of Pentecost and will change in whole, as it says in Zechariah 12;10  and 13:1

“And, I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. …. On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity”.

We have to remember this is an unfolding story ….. and, while it’s nearing its conclusion, it isn’t finished yet. But, it will be. God’s word assures us of that.

God’s promises are true and brick by brick, stone by stone the land of Israel and its people are being rebuilt in preparation for the grand finale, the return of Jesus to the land and its people. I spent 3 weeks in Judea and Samaria in October 2013 (the West Bank for those who don’t know any better) and, its amazing to see how this rocky and formidable land is blossoming as prophesied under the watchful eye of God. There is no doubt that the recent history of this little piece of real estate sitting in the middle-East is anything but a miraculous fulfillment of his word.

It may not be popular or even politically correct, but, I stand with my friend Eliezer (who has since passed on to be with the Lord) –  who made it very clear in his own distinctive way –

“I was Jew enough for Hitler“.

And, that to me, friends, says it all.  Nothing more to say. Case closed.

And, as always ….

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy