Israel Today

I can’t stop thinking about the extraordinary response to Queen Elizabeth II’s death last month, and the amazing gospel legacy she left.

Most of us here in the UK knew that her Christian faith was hugely important to her, but who could have predicted that her funeral services would be so clearly focused (at her direction, it turns out) on the unique truth about Jesus as the only way to God? And that it would be beamed to 4.1 billion people – 53% of the world’s population – more viewers, in fact, than any other event in world history?

It was indeed a clear portent of the imminent return of our Lord who, when asked about the signs that would indicate the end of the age, spoke of war, violence, deceit and immorality, adding:

“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:12-14)

And now we have witnessed a global audience hearing the glorious gospel of how Jesus died so that we might live, and then rose from the dead to prove his deific credentials.

I do believe God is trying to get the world’s attention as never before, and used the Queen, his faithful follower, to offer men and women another chance (perhaps a last chance) to hear his call to follow Jesus.

All over the world, other disciples are continuing to share this message, surely the answer to our mounting problems, especially concerning the breakdown of relationships, whether among families, nations or ethnic groups at loggerheads with one another.

Some friends of mine have just returned from an evangelistic outreach on the streets of Warsaw in Poland entitled ‘Life from the Dead.’ This was a city and country where Jewish people were murdered in their millions during the Nazi era. But Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus wanted to restore hope to a people devastated by memories of this terrible genocide.

Though clearly challenging, it was also a special joy and privilege for Jewish believers in Jesus to return to the city where so many of their people had perished. But they were fulfilling a prophecy made by the Apostle Paul almost two millennia earlier when, in his letter to the Roman Christians, he explained that the national rejection of Jesus by his own people was only for a time.

It had enabled the Gentiles to benefit from the necessary sacrifice of Christ as the ‘Passover Lamb’ dying for the sins of the world. The Jewish people had indeed colluded with the Roman executioners in having Jesus sentenced to death. It couldn’t have happened without them. If it had been up to Pilate, the Roman governor, he would have been spared because he hadn’t (in Roman eyes) committed a crime worthy of death. But the Jews reckoned that he had – because he had blasphemed in claiming to be God.

But of course, as Isaiah prophesied, Jesus had to die. (Isaiah 53:10) It was God’s will. We could never have found forgiveness without his sacrifice.

So, in God’s eternal plan, the ‘unjust’ crucifixion of Christ brought reconciliation to the world through the gospel. And in making his case that God is not finished with the Jews, Paul then argued that “if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Romans 11:15) And he went on to say that there will come a day when “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26).

A Jewish man taking part in the Warsaw outreach said he had asked Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus) to forgive his sins, adding:

“He filled my life with real meaning. Now on the streets of Warsaw I am sharing this good news. I’m so grateful to God for changing my life, and Yeshua is my personal Saviour and Lord.”

Meanwhile, the gospel is healing divisions in Israel itself where a man from a Muslim background is spreading the love and truth of Jesus. I’m not at liberty to go into detail, but he became a believer after Jesus appeared to him in a dream and now works with Jewish and Gentile believers to feed and clothe the poor of Gaza while also offering top Israeli hospital treatment for very sick children from the enclave.

In fact, Jews and Arabs worship Jesus together in Messianic Jewish congregations all over Israel, fulfilling another of Paul’s prophecies, this time about the breaking down of barriers between Jew and Gentile creating ‘one new man’ in Christ (Ephesians 2:14-16).

Apparently, the viewing record broken by the Queen’s funeral was previously held by the opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. And that was without my help! I was trying to catch up on my sleep during a family reunion at the British Open golf championships on the Lancashire coast. I shared a room with my older brother who, due to the time difference, sat up all night watching the athletics! But I can only cope with one sport at a time.

However, I was able to witness gospel (as well as golf) success as the winner that year, American Tom Lehman, boldly testified to his faith in Jesus being central to his life.

Fast-forward to the present, and we are witnessing an explosion of gospel proclamation in the midst of a world in crisis. With the return of Jesus likely so near, it is most appropriate that we are about to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, widely considered to be fulfilled by Christ’s Second Coming with its focus on God’s presence and provision.

Jesus came to dwell (or tabernacle) with his ancient people, and will do so again when they welcome him back with the words:

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Matthew 23:39)

Charles Gardner is author of Israel the Chosen, available from Amazon; Peace in Jerusalem, available from olivepresspublisher.com; To the Jew First, A Nation Reborn, and King of the Jews, all available from Christian Publications International.