Blessed to Bless

It’s amazing that Israel, a country one-half the size of San Bernardino County in California, is still in existence after all these years. But God promised Abraham He would bless him and make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17-18).

God was not simply “playing favorites.” He intended that through Abraham’s offspring all nations on earth would be blessed. Indeed, they have. Besides bringing us the Messiah, Abraham’s descendents (the Jews), have made numerous contributions to society in the arts and sciences, entertainment, and education.

No longer confined to the Middle East, Jews have settled throughout the entire world. During the Greco-Roman period, they settled throughout Asia Minor and southern Europe. Following the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, many Jewish prisoners of war were brought to Rome. From Italy, they migrated to France and Germany, and from there to England, Scandinavia, and eastern Europe. In the fifteenth century many settled in the Netherlands, the Balkans, Turkey, Palestine, and the Americas. Do you know where your ancestors are from? You may be more “Jewish” than you realize! Nonetheless, when thinking about the multitude of Abraham’s descendents, we are reminded that God does not break His promises.

We, too, are children of Abraham by faith, the “wild olive branch” grafted in to the root of God’s covenant (Romans 11:17). We also have a biblical mandate according to Psalm 122 to seek the good and prosperity of Jerusalem. Do you pray for Jerusalem and its inhabitants? Have you done anything to break down barriers between Christians and Jews?

Several in Open Bible are doing just that. Ivan Rogers, chaplain at Valley View Village, a retirement home in Des Moines, Iowa, has worked developing Jewish-Christian relationships for years. Avonna Terpening, a credentialed minister who attends Open Bible Fellowship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, works for Bridges for Peace, a Jerusalem-based, Christian organization building relationships between Christians and Jews worldwide through education and practical deeds. Avonna assists exiled Jews preparing to immigrate to Jerusalem. Evangelist Ken Gaub has led over 100 trips to Jerusalem and built relationships with many of its top leaders.

Ken’s article, “Israel: A Blessing to the Nations,” reveals some challenges Israel currently faces (page 6), not the least of which is terrorism by militant Muslims. Although most Muslims are peaceful, the actions of the militants concern us all, not just those in Israel.

In fact, on the final evening of National Convention (page 4), Ted Haggard made the statement, “If Islam continues to advance, one day our grandchildren will wake up in the shadow of a minaret, hearing the call to prayer” – to Allah. They will wonder what our generation did with the many opportunities we had to proclaim the gospel. These opportunities, including greater freedom and more efficient transportation and communication capabilities than ever before, came through the sacrifices of generations before us. Let us use
them well.

Andrea Johnson,
Managing Editor
Message of the Open Bible
Message@openbible.org