As I reflect on 30 years of teaching dispensationalism and Zionism, I want you to consider that most dispensational Zionists will teach that Israel has never, I emphasize the word never, Israel has never had all the land promised to them by God. I believe this belief today is based on, in many cases, a comparison of maps. I encourage you to go online and do a comparison. Just simply type in these maps. In fact, even Jewish websites will have these. Compare David and Solomon's kingdoms and then pull up a map. Just type in greater Israel map. When you look at the greater Israel map, we see that there's far more land area that is covered in comparison with David and Solomon's kingdoms. And I wanna emphasize biblically and historically The height of Israel's kingdom was under David and then Solomon. Secondarily, I also want to emphasize is that a dispensational Zionist would teach that national Israel still has a right to the land today. That's what this debate is all about. That's what all this fighting is about in Palestine. I give you a reminder again, some things that I've been emphasizing over the last couple of years in particular, but the last several months, that there are two Israels, There's national Israel according to the flesh. That's the way the Bible describes national Israel. And there's also spiritual remnant Israel. If you study Romans 9-11 with those two Israels in mind, it'll help you to understand what Romans 9-11 is really saying about Israel today. Of course, the key passage that they will go to is Genesis 12, verses one through three, in relation to the land promises given to Israel. They were given to Abraham, and so they are still true today for national Israel. Genesis 12, verse one. Now, the Lord had said unto Abram. All right, so this was back in Ur of the Chaldees when God was beginning to work with Abram. Now, I remind you also, when you compare this passage, Genesis 12 with Genesis 15, Abram was not a saved man, as we would call it, until Genesis 15. So I want you to consider that God here, as Paul says in Galatians, God here was preaching the gospel unto Abram. The Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house unto a land that I will show thee. Now, again, I'm emphasizing, if somebody uses a modern Bible, you're not going to catch this. These and those are singular pronouns. This is a promise specifically given to Abram, not to Israel as a nation. This is not a plural pronoun here. Notice again, get the. Abram out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house unto a land that I will show thee." These are promises here in Genesis 12 given to Abram himself, not to the nation. I will make of thee a great nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great. Abraham's name is great. In fact, it's great in Christianity and Judaism and Islam. Abraham's name is one of the greatest names in all of history, and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee. Notice the singular pronoun. I will bless them that bless thee, Abraham. Abram, this was a promise given to Abram, not to the nation of Israel. And curse him that curseth thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Again, before we go away from this passage, I wanna emphasize, these are promises given to Abram, not to the nation of Israel. There is no nation of Israel here at this point. These are promises given to one individual man, Abram. And I also wanna emphasize the last statement in verse three, in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. This is not about just one nation, Israel, this is all about all nations, hearing the gospel, and having the opportunity to be saved. So what about all of the promises that were given to the patriarchs, Abraham, his son Isaac, and Jacob? What about all the promises to thy seed forever? This is an aspect I've never personally studied out until now. In one lesson, I've talked about these things in various situations. But in this context of Genesis 12, notice verse seven, And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sycam, unto the land of Mori. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And the Lord appeared unto Abram and said, unto thy seed, thy seed will I give this land. And there builded he an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him. Again, I want you to notice thy seed. That's gonna play a very important part in this study. Thy seed. Chapter 13, verses 14 through 17. The Lord said unto Abram, after that lot was separated from him, lift up now thine eyes and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land, notice that phrase, all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed, thy seed forever. unto thee and to Abram and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth." Obviously, these are all his descendants. So that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it, for I will give it unto thee. This is a promise given to Abram, Abraham, not to Israel at this point. Chapter 15, verse 7. Now, this is right after Abraham believes in the Lord, and it says he counted it to him for righteousness. In the understanding of Scripture, this is when he was saved. Romans 4 tells us this very clearly. I used to preach this, and I've heard many preachers do this, that they talk about Abraham being a believer in chapter 12, 13, and 14. He is not a believer. He is one who has heard the gospel. He's had the truth presented to him about a future seed, about the blessings and so on. But remember, he stops in Haran before he ends up in the promised land. It says here then in verse seven, and he said unto him, I am, so notice here, the Lord, this is the Lord's promise. I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees to give thee this land to inherit it. So then of course, Abraham wants to understand how this is true since he has no son yet. How is this promise true? Verse 18 then, in the same day, so this is after the Lord passes through the animal pieces to make a covenant, a confirmed covenant with Abraham. In the same day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying, unto thy seed have I given this land. Notice thy seed, pay attention to that statement. from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates, the Canaanites, the Canaanites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephraims, the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. I emphasize, most of these nations no longer are in existence. But nonetheless, notice, unto thy seed have I given this land, chapter 17. Verse one, and when Abram was 90 years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram and said unto him, I am the almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee and will multiply thee exceedingly. Notice again, the singular pronouns. These are promises given to Abraham. And Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, singular, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. I believe this is seen in full fulfillment in Revelation chapter seven, verse nine, nations from around the earth. Neither shall thy name be anymore called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham, for a father of many nations have I made thee. You think about the different possibilities here, Israel, the Arab nations, but spiritually, all nations, as we see in the New Testament, fulfillment of this. And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee, thy seed. And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God. Chapter 22. Mount Moriah, after Abraham shows his faithfulness and fear of the Lord, it says in verse 15 through 18, and the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time and said, by myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, just as God the Father did not withhold his son from us, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in thy seed, singular, shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice." Chapter 24 and verse 7. Again, I'm just emphasizing all the passages that are used to emphasize the promise of a land forever that was given to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. Genesis 24, verse 7, the Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, that swear unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land. He shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence." In the context of Abraham finding a bride for Isaac. Chapter 26, chapter 26, verse 2, And the Lord appeared unto him and said, Go not down into Egypt, this is Isaac, and dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of. sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and I will bless thee, for unto thee and unto thy seed I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I swear unto Abraham thy father, and I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and I will give unto thy seed all these countries, and unto thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Because that Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. Chapter 28. Again, I'm going through this on purpose because I'm emphasizing the promises that are used to justify what's going on in our world today. Verse three and four of chapter 28. God Almighty bless thee and make thee fruitful. This is Isaac's blessing of Jacob as he sends him to Laban. And multiply thee that thou mayest be a multitude of people and give thee the blessing of Abraham to thee and to thy seed with thee, that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. God gave the land unto Abraham, verse 10. And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran, and he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night, because the sun was set. And he took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached unto heaven, and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. It's very interesting. John 1 refers to this, verses 49 through 51. And behold, the Lord stood above it. Notice the Lord stood above this ladder to heaven and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham. thy father, and the God of Isaac, the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. To thy seed, and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with thee, and I will keep thee in all places where thou goest, and I will bring thee again into this land, for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." Fast forward then, we fast forward then to chapter 35. These are not all the references to this. I'm just highlighting the ones where it emphasizes the land. Chapter 35, verse nine, and God appeared unto Jacob again when he came out of Padanerim and blessed him. And God said unto him, thy name is Jacob. Thy name shall not be called anymore Jacob, but Israel. Israel is God the son's name. God the son in Genesis 32 gave his name to Jacob. I believe it's very important for you to catch that because in Hosea 11, verse one, it says, out of Egypt have I called my son. the firstborn son, Jacob was not a firstborn. So obviously the firstborn is dealing with someone else, and I believe that's the Lord Jesus, whose name is Israel, and he gives his name Israel to Jacob and the nation. But Israel shall be thy name, and he called his name Israel. Notice, and God said unto him, I am God Almighty, be fruitful and multiply, a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins, and the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. So again, this repeating of this promise. Finally, in chapter 48, verses three and four, Again, there's a lot of references, but I want for us to see the pattern here because we're gonna bring it into the New Testament. Genesis 48, verse three. And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me and said unto me, behold, I will make thee fruitful and multiply thee and I will make of thee a multitude of people and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession. What I think is very interesting, he makes that statement while he and his family, the nation of Israel, are in Egypt. Then we see in Deuteronomy chapter one, there's a re-emphasis of this as Israel's preparing to go into the promised land. Deuteronomy chapter one, verses six through eight, the Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb saying, you have dwelt long enough in this mount, turn you and take your journey and go to the mount of the Amorites and unto all the places nigh thereunto. in the plain, and in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the seaside, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. Behold, I have set the land before you. Go in and possess the land, which the Lord swear unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. Now, when we consider what Joshua says, I want you to consider whether or not God kept his promise to give all of the land to Israel, even in the time of the conquest of Canaan. Joshua 11, verse 15, has this statement. As the Lord commanded Moses, his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua. Listen to this statement, he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses. Nothing was left undone. Go in and possess the land was the command. Verse 23 of chapter 11 of Joshua. So Joshua took the whole land according to all that the Lord said unto Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war. So when dispensational Zionists say that Israel has never had all the land that has been promised to them by God, I have a question for us to consider. Who's lying then? Is it Joshua? Or is it God the Holy Spirit that gave Joshua these words to write? Also, I want you to consider chapter 21 of Joshua then, verses 43 through 45. And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land. How much clearer statement can we have? The Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he swore to give unto their fathers, and they possessed it and dwelt therein. And the Lord gave them rest round about according to all that he swore unto their fathers. And there stood not a man of all their enemies before them. The Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel, all came to pass. Again, I ask the question, who's lying to us? If Israel has never had all the land, who is lying to us? Here it says very clearly in verse 43, the Lord gave unto Israel all the land, but Israel has never had all the land, we are told. Chapter 23, verse 14. This is Joshua at the end of his life. He says, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you. All are come to pass unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof. But they've never had all the land. What I think is very interesting, I believe it was King David, it says that he recovered his border. He recovered his border. You see, Israel had all the land. Israel had all the land that God had promised to them. But I want you to consider there's a problem in relation to this now in the New Testament, the period of the new covenant. So how is this promise true then if God has already given them all the land and they do not have a right to it today? I want you to consider one of the names of Jesus Christ, one of the titles that Jesus Christ is given in Matthew 1.1 is this, the book of the generations of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Jesus Christ is called the son of Abraham. We saw in the Old Testament passages that Abraham would be the father of many nations. I want you to consider that Jesus Christ, the son of Abraham, is king of all nations. As we consider the phrase thy seed in the book of Genesis, I want you to notice what Paul emphasizes here in Galatians chapter three and verse 16. One of our problems with understanding what's going on in our world today in relation to Israel is that we are thinking old covenant, we are not thinking new covenant. Galatians three, verse 16, now to Abraham and his seed. Remember the statement that I was emphasizing, thy seed. Now, you remember in those passages, there's two emphases that we saw on the phrase thy seed. In some context, the context determined the meaning. In some context, we saw thy seed as the sand of the seashore and so on. Now, I wanna emphasize that I do not believe that's just Jews as they're known today. Abraham was never called a Jew. The term Jew is not mentioned even until 2 Kings. The term Jew speaks of people of Judah. So when we think of the term Jew, we've got to set aside those terms because I want you to understand that Jesus Christ is, as the son of Abraham, is the fulfillment of the singular thy seed. Because here's where Paul makes the application from the book of Genesis. Galatians 3.16, now to Abraham and to his seed were the promises made. He said not and to seeds as of many, not as far as the nation of Israel, but as of one and to thy seed, which is Christ. Christ is the fulfillment of all of these Old Testament promises. Galatians 3 verses 26 through 29. and ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek. We've got to set aside the Gentile versus Jew mindset. We're under the new covenant. I believe in error, going back to the Bride of Christ series that I presented, that I taught to our church family, I believe in error, we have made so much of a distinction between Israel and the church that we have missed the point of the new covenant. A question I asked at the beginning of that series on the Bride of Christ is if Israel and the church are totally distinct forever, how then do you explain that the apostles are going to both rule over the 12 tribes of Israel and they are the foundation of the church? I have yet to find a good answer for that question according to dispensational thinking. Again, we've got to go back to the two Israels. There's national Israel according to the flesh, there's also spiritual Israel according to the remnant of faith. Continuing in verse 28, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither bond nor free, there's neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if he be Christ, then are ye Abraham's seed. Here's the plurality. If ye be Christ, then are ye Abraham's seed. This was not just written to Jews. Back in chapter two, we see both Jews and Gentiles in the churches of Galatia, and heirs according to the promise. One of the mistakes I believe that dispensationalism makes is assuming that Christ's kingdom does not begin until the 1,000 millennial reign of Christ. I want you to notice here 1 Corinthians 15 in the resurrection chapter. There's a statement about Christ reigning that I want you to take notice of. I believe as far as the kingdom of Christ, the millennial kingdom is when the nations, the kingdoms of this world are fully delivered over to God the Father. Notice here it says as far as Christ reigning. I believe Christ reigns now. He's not going to start his reign at the thousand year reign at his second coming. Because you notice here it says in verse 23 and following, but every man in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ's at his coming, then come at the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father. when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. When he rules with a rotted iron, this is when Jesus Christ has delivered the kingdoms of this world up to his heavenly father. For he must reign till. Notice that statement, very clear statement. I'm just telling you what the Bible says. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. He is now reigning, he is now seated at the right hand of majesty on high. He's not standing in heaven like so many dispensationalists teach. He is seated at the right hand of majesty on high. 10, 12 different passages in the New Testament. tell us that Jesus Christ is already seated on the right hand of majesty, right now ruling and reigning as king. He's king of kings and Lord of lords right now, not just in the future. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death, for he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is accepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, God the Father, that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." It's very interesting. At the beginning of the book of Revelation, John emphasizes something about himself as far as the kingdom. Revelation 1.9, I, John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in, notice, I am in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the isle called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. John in the first century says, I am present tense in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ's kingdom began when he returned to heaven and was seated at the right hand of majesty on high. Revelation 11, 15, it's a very interesting statement as far as the sounding of the trumpets and the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. Not just 1,000 years, He's gonna rule and reign forever and ever out of New Jerusalem. So again, I wanna emphasize in relation to these things as far as the kingdom, Jesus Christ is called the son of Abraham. And as the son of Abraham, he is heir to all of the things that Abraham was promised. The promises given to Abraham were fulfilled in Abraham's son, Jesus Christ. I believe it's very, very important for us to consider that. Consider, dispensationalism never takes into consideration that Abraham's seed and a spiritual remnant Israel is how the Lord fulfills his promise to the patriarchs. Abraham's seed, again, Dispensationalism does not take into consideration these things. They only look at national Israel. They do not look at the original promises given to Abraham and the son of Abraham who fulfills all of those things. What was Abraham looking for as he had these promises? I want to show you, first of all, as far as the promises given by God in Hebrews 6 and verse 13. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, saying, surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise except for the land. That's not what the Bible says. After Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. What was the promise? The promise was the seed who became known as the son of Abraham, Jesus Christ. Chapter 11, so what was Abraham looking for? I believe we see the answer very clearly here in Hebrews chapter 11. First of all, verses eight through 10, by faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not knowing whether he went. By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and with Jacob. the heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." I wanna ask you a question, just think seriously about this. How much of the land did Abraham have when he died? The only land he owned and possessed was a burial place for Sarah. He was then buried next to Sarah. That was the only land. And yet the Bible very clearly says in the book of Hebrews that he obtained the promise. Obviously, it's not the land of Palestine that's referred to as far as those promises. Verse 13, these all died in faith, not having received the promises. Notice, not having received the promises. How many of the patriarchs had the land? None of them. The 12 patriarchs, the sons of Jacob, died in Egypt. They did not know and possess the land. All of the patriarchs did not possess the land. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country." There's the land. Look at what land they were seeking. They're seeking a country, and truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they seek a better country, that is, an heavenly country. Wherefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city. When you understand this, in Revelation 21, Abraham and the patriarchs were looking for the same city, the same place we are today as believers in Christ. They were looking for the same place. We totally miss that when we get caught up in this, all of the land given to Israel promise. Revelation 21 verses one and two, and I saw a heaven and a new earth, a new heaven and a new earth. for the first heaven, and the first earth were passed away. And there was no more sea, and I, John, saw the holy city." They were looking for a city in Hebrews 11. New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, verse nine. And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, come hither, and I will show thee the bride, the lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. And her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal, and had a wall great and high, and had 12 gates, and at the gates, 12 angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the 12 tribes of the children of Israel. The patriarchs were looking for a heavenly city just like we are. On the east three gates, the north three gates, the south three gates, and on the west three gates, opening up for the four corners of the earth to go into this city. Verse 14, and the wall of the city had 12 foundations and in them the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. They were looking for the same place. As far as the land promise, None of them received the promise from God, but the Bible very clearly tells us they were looking for a heavenly city. Now, as far as this father of many nations, it's very interesting. There's a statement made in Romans chapter four, I believe we totally look over when we emphasize the land in Palestine. I want you to remember that Abraham was told by God himself, I will make thee the father of many nations and in thee all nations of the earth shall be blessed. Romans 4.13, for the promise that he should be the heir of Palestine. That's not what the Bible says. That's what we think it says. Abraham was said to be the heir of the world. Notice the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith, Genesis 15.6. He's the father of many nations. Abraham is the heir of the world and not just land in Palestine. So what about 1948 national Israel? I want you to consider in the context of this, a discussion that was made between the apostles and Jesus Christ just before he ascended back to heaven. In Acts chapter one, verse six, when they therefore were come together, they asked of him saying, Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? Notice it's not just saying the kingdom of Israel, but the kingdom to Israel, because Rome controlled Israel. And he said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his own power. And I believe he emphasizes in verse eight, what we are supposed to be doing is to be witnessing. You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you. You shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth. That, I believe, is the fulfillment of the promise given to Abraham, again, the father of many nations. So what about national Israel? There's two statements, two verses in the book of Revelation, I believe, that are very applicable to this whole situation. Revelation 2 verse 9 says, I know thy works, tribulation and poverty. This is a message given to the church in Smyrna, a suffering church. But thou art rich, and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Chapter 3 and verse 9 has the same statement. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not, but do lie. They say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee." That's a promise given to a church, the church in Philadelphia. Now, what I think is very interesting is the two churches that had nothing negative about them, for the Lord Jesus to point out to these churches, they're the two churches that have this same statement made to them. I believe 1948 Israel, Ashkenazi Jews, have usurped God's promises, land promises. They do not want God's law. In fact, they have officially established the Babylonian Talmud as their law, not the Old Testament. They quote the Old Testament for their purposes to justify what they're doing in Israel, but they do not want to follow the Old Testament law. They have not recognized their Messiah. Nothing has changed as far as national Israel today. So when you think about history, Northern Kingdom of Israel, they were removed from the land by God. God used the Assyrians, according to 2 Kings 17, to remove Northern Israel from the land. Then you think about Southern Kingdom, the Kingdom of Judah. They went into captivity in Babylon, and their kingdom was and has been controlled by Rome. The Kingdom of Judah, after it was restored, was and has been controlled by Rome ever since the Roman Empire conquered Greece. It's very interesting, in John 11, verses 47 and 48, the high priest and the Pharisees had a council. It says, then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees of council and said, what do we for this man doeth many miracles? If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him. And the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. The Romans, shall come and take away both our place and nations. They were under the control of Rome. Related to this is chapter 19 then at the crucifixion, the trial and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. Verses 13 through 15 of John 19. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the preparation of the Passover and about the sixth hour and he saith unto the Jews, behold your king. Listen to the statement, the response of the Jews, verse 15. But they cried out, away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, we have no king but Caesar. To give you proof that Israel is still under the authority of Rome. Why does Bibi Netanyahu have meetings with popes? You see, the papacy, according to Revelation 17, 18, as I keep pointing out so many times, the papacy controls, has authority over all nations of the earth. When did Israel lose, when did Judah lose their kingdom? We see in Matthew 21 that God is the one who took the kingdom from Israel, from Judah in particular. Verse 33 and following, here another parable. There was a certain householder which planted a vineyard and hedged it round about and digged a wine press in it and built a tower and let it out to husbandmen and went into a far country. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants and beat one and killed another and stoned another. I believe this is reference to the killing of the prophets. the messengers that God sent to the nation of Israel. Again, he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did unto them likewise. But last of all, he sent unto them his son, saying, they will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir, come, let us kill him and let us seize upon his inheritance. Consider that's exactly what Ashkenazi Jews have done. I keep saying this over and over again, according to Genesis chapter 10, Ashkenazis are descendants of Japheth, not of Shem. Let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him and cast him out of the vineyard and slew him. When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, What will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, he will miserably destroy those wicked men and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render unto him the fruits in their seasons. What I think is very interesting, this was fulfilled in AD 70. It's very interesting in 1 Thessalonians 2, verses 14 through 16, relation to Israel, we see that they have wrath unto the uttermost. Verse 42, Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected? The same is become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore I say I unto you, this is unto Judah, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you. The kingdom had already been taken from northern kingdom of Israel. The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude because they took him for a prophet." So here's the question that I have as far as this kingdom being taken from Judah. If the kingdom was taken from Judah and given to another nation, is God just in taking it back from that other nation? What I think is very interesting is very similar wording here, verse 42, about the stone that builders rejected. Same statements are mentioned in 1 Peter 2, verse five and following. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore, also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief cornerstone, elect precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you, therefore, which believe, he is precious. But unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, a stone of stumbling and rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people." Very similar statements to Exodus 19 when the first covenant was given to Israel. That ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. And in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Again, I'm asking the question, is God just if he takes the kingdom back from the nation to which it was given? And I believe Matthew 19 verses 27 and 28 gives us the clue when this transition takes place. And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel, as I mentioned earlier in this study. When you look back into the Old Testament law, the law that was given to the nation of Israel, it's very interesting. In Leviticus 18, verse 24 and following, it tells us what would happen to Israel if they, went after the abominations of the lands around them. Verse 24, defiled not to yourselves in any of these things. The things that are mentioned here, child sacrifice. Abortion is form of child sacrifice. Sodomy, thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind, it is abomination. Bestiality in verse 23, neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith. All of these abominations are practiced, many of them are practiced in Israel today. Defile not yourselves in any of these things. For in all these, the nations are defiled, which I cast out before you. And the land is defiled, therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it. And the land itself vomited out her inhabitants." The same is true for America if we continue exalting these abominations in our land. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you. For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled, that the land spew not you out also. When you defile it as it spewed out the nations that were before you. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them, shall be cut off from among their people. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein. I am the Lord your God." How does Jesus Christ look at Jerusalem today? Revelation 11 and eight tells us very clearly that Jerusalem is spiritually as Sodom and Egypt. So let me ask you, what has changed? What changed in 1948? I believe we need to be looking elsewhere as far as the fulfillment of the Lord's promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I believe the answer is found in Jesus Christ, the son and seed of Abraham. Abraham was an heir to all nations, an heir to the world, Jesus Christ, The Lord of glory is the King of kings and Lord of lords of all nations. There is the fulfillment of the land promises given to Abraham.