A Sanctuary for the Remnant (Advent 27, 2022)

A remnant, by definition, is a small amount out of what was many.  In the Bible, it often refers to what is left over after destruction. The remnant of the Bible is a people of faith, purified faith, having been tested and tried, and proven faithful in adversity.

When God allowed adversity upon the remnant, it was enough to make a prophet cry out in confusion.  Such was the case for Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 11:13 Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, “Alas, Sovereign LORD! Will you completely destroy the remnant of Israel?“

 14 The word of the LORD came to me:  15 “Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have said of your fellow exiles and all the other Israelites, ‘They are far away from the LORD; this land was given to us as our possession.’

16 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’   17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’ 18 “They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. (Ezekiel 11:13-20)

Questions for further thought:

How does this apply to modern Jews and the nation-state of Israel?  Leaders, in their arrogance and unbelief have long existed. It’s not a new phenomenon, and just because the wicked share a locale with the faithful doesn’t escape God’s notice. See Ezekiel 11:1 “There at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. 2 The LORD said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who are plotting evil and giving wicked advice in this city.”

God said He’d put an end to that.  “I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel. And you will know that I am the LORD, for you have not followed my decrees or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you.” Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. (Ezekiel 11:11-13)

It can happen rather quickly.

Now, entering into the controversy at the time of this writing, is it antisemitism to notice the leaders in our world of Hollywood, journalism, banking, politics, and healthcare making bad decisions, maybe for personal advancement at the cost of a culture or its morals?  Think of recent movies and what they glorify and how often they ridicule Christianity.  Think of newspaper articles.  Think of predatory lending, crypto-scandals, power-hungry, lying or cheating politicians, and global governmental or pharmaceutical executives exerting their will on (and against) the people worldwide for their own profit?

Is it antisemitism to observe (as a percentage among that leadership number) how many are of Jewish ancestry?  That’s what leads some in our culture to call those leading the way with evil and wicked advice “fake Jews” versus those who are still looking for the Messiah as “real Jews.”

Even with that explanation, I can’t go there. Personally, I prefer to note their actions rather than their ancestry.  To me, an evil person is an evil person irrespective of his background. 

But I will tell you that God may be particularly angry at any Jewish people who are among the wicked leadership because they had every privilege listed in Romans 9:4-5.  They had every privilege of lineage but have fallen from a greater height and turned their backs in a more significant and offensive way than those who fall into sin without the words of life to guide them.  God will take care of that evil in His timing. All evildoers will be held to account in the end irrespective of ancestry, and God’s actions are always just.

Are the diaspora (scattered Jews) being gathered back in the nation-state of Israel?  Have they been “sheltered” in God’s sanctuary care even while dwelling in other nations?  Does God fulfill Scripture and set the stage in advance of His actions on behalf of the remnant?

Prayer:

Father God thank You for giving us spiritual eyes to see what is going on in our culture. Help us to remain faithful to You and be a light to those who do not know You, no matter where the nations they have been sheltered.  For Your glory we pray.  Amen.