There will be many signs that we are in the very last days just before Yeshua returns, but the Lord also gave two primary conditions that must be met before He can return. One, a significant, believing remnant among the Jewish people in the city of Jerusalem must put their faith in Him and welcome Him to come and rule as their King (Matthew 23:37-39). Two, the good news of the kingdom needs to be preached to every people group on the planet. (Matthew 24:14).
The Messianic body in Israel has put more emphasis on the first of these. It is necessary that this condition is taught and understood not just in Israel but among all believers. Our greatest desire should be to see King Yeshua return to the earth, remove wickedness, set up His kingdom of righteousness and peace and rule forever. If Yeshua cannot return until His own Jewish family welcomes Him, then as believers we should do everything we can to help the Jewish people receive Him as Lord and welcome Him home–but this is only half of the story.
Turning the Corner
The second condition – the Great Commission – is no less important and I believe we in the body of Messiah here in Israel are beginning to turn a corner and see our calling to encourage and participate in it.
One might say, “Israel is an unreached nation, with way less than one percent of the population following Yeshua. Why focus on other people groups when our own people are still unreached?” This is a good argument, and many Jewish believers think this way. But I believe the Holy Spirit is inviting us to expand our hearts in love for not only the unreached Jews, Arabs, and Bedouins in Israel, but to also carry God’s heart for the other 6,000 plus unreached people groups who are still yet to hear the good news of the kingdom.
Romans 11:25-26 tells us that salvation and fullness among the gentiles is a condition for Israel’s salvation. If this is the case, fulfilling the Great Commission and taking the good news of the kingdom to the darkest and most unreached corners of the earth must become a greater priority for us here in Israel, as it is for many already in the nations, if we want to see all Israel saved and Yeshua return.
God designed it that these two conditions would be dependent upon one another. Our tendency is to see one of them more clearly. One is not more important than the other. Both are absolutely necessary, but require the full cooperation of the entire body – both Jew and Gentile. Yeshua will receive the just reward of His suffering – believers from every nation, tribe, people and language being clothed with the garments of salvation and worshipping before Him (Rev 7:9-10)!
Please pray with us for a new wave of laborers to be sent into the harvest both here in Israel and in all the earth.
