Seven Mysterious Letters

**ARTICLES AND COMMENTARY**

THE BETRAYAL OF THE CHOSEN -

Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
- Psalm 121:4

On May 14, 1948, Israel declared its independence. Upon declaring its independence it was immediately at war with its Arab neighbors. Today Israel's enemies are once again preparing for war. Once again, the goal is Israel's complete annihilation. In the 60 years that have passed since the creation of the modern state of Israel, this tiny nation has fought for its survival against all odds. It has survived several major wars and decades of violence. However it is important to remember that the Jew's history in the Promised Land actually dates back more than 3,000 years. It is not only important, it is imperative, because in Israel the past, present, and future are inextricably linked. It could be argued that in no other place on the planet does history play a more central role than in this war-torn region.

In the world media, the propaganda war rages equally fiercely, paralleling the conflict it describes. Talk show hosts parade an army of so-called experts in front of the cameras who spew a bewildering array of claims, counter claims, propaganda, and information; leaving the uninformed Westerner with the impression that this is a bad family feud that any wise person should remain far from. It is virtually impossible to sort out the arguments presented by either side without a lot of effort, but one thing is painfully obvious: both sides can't even agree on the historical facts that spawned today's conflict.

How Did We Get Here?

Anti-Semitism has become a serious problem throughout the world. Some may blame the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Arab media, or Islamic leadership for fostering anti-Semitism. Others may believe that such racially motivated hatred is limited to neo-Nazi groups and radical Islamic sects. Yet hatred of the Jews goes back long before even the existence of the Islamic faith, before the Nazi party took power in Germany, and before the advent of television and modern media. The real root of anti-Semitism is Satan's desire to thwart God's plan for the redemption of mankind. Anti-Semitism exists in many places and many forms. It may be displayed in blatant aggression or in more subtle and subversive ways, but all are aimed at the destruction of God's chosen people.

Many people today do not take the Word of God seriously. Some ignore it, many disbelieve or deny it, and others dilute its meaning with conjectures, allegories, and redefinitions. But God says what He means, and means what He says. God delights in making and keeping His promises.

A disturbing aspect of many modern churches is their failure to appreciate the seriousness of God's covenant with Israel. Some believe that Israel "forfeited her promises" by rejecting her Messiah, and that these promises now devolve somehow symbolically, or allegorically, upon the Church. This false doctrine has been taught for centuries and unfortunately such "replacement theology" still continues to pervade the doctrines of many Protestant denominations today.

Most diligent Bible students understand Israel's history up to the Crucifixion, but few really understand how Israel's present predicament came about. These vital chapters in Israel's history should not be overlooked. For more information on the Nation of Israel from the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD to the present check out our briefing called The Betrayal of the Chosen.

Related Links:

 • Betrayal of the Chosen - Audio CD -
 • Behind the Middle East Crisis - K-House Africa Articles

THE MOST NEGLECTED BOOK -

It may come as a surprise to discover that there are a number of Biblical experts who regard the Book of Leviticus as the most important book of the Bible (Dr. Samuel H. Kellogg, Dr. Albert C. Dudley, J. Vernon McGee, and others). The book of Leviticus focuses on the subject of holiness. Charles Spurgeon once said, "If I had my choice of all the blessings I can conceive of I would choose perfect conformity to the Lord Jesus, or, in one word, holiness." True happiness begins with holiness (Hebrews 12:14; Matthew 5:6).

Holiness isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. Nor is it limited to "the Jews in ancient Israel." Leviticus instructs New Testament Christians how to appreciate holiness and appropriate it into their everyday lives. We seem to want Jesus to solve our problems and carry our burdens, but we don't want to allow Him to work in our lives and transform our character.

“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:15, 16

What is holiness? It is the primary emphasis in the Bible. This word occurs 87 times in Leviticus alone. The Hebrew word for "holy" used in Leviticus, qodesh, means "that which is set apart and marked off; that which is different; separateness; apartness; sacredness." The English word "holy" comes from the Old English word halig, which means "to be whole, to be healthy." The related word "sanctify" comes from the Latin sanctis, which means "consecrated, sacred, blameless."

Anything that God said was holy had to be treated differently from the common things of life. The Sabbath was holy because God set it apart for His people. The priests were holy because they were set apart to minister to the Lord. Their garments were holy and could not be duplicated for common use. The tithe is holy.

Holiness Revealed

How did a Holy God reveal Himself and His holiness? The pagan religions were notoriously immoral and involved occultic idols, temple prostitution, and the like. God commanded His people to stay away from their altars and shrines and to refuse to learn their ways. You never call any of the heathen deities "holy." But the "Holy One of Israel" is one of the most oft-repeated names of YHWH in Scripture (30 times in Isaiah alone). In both declaration and demonstration, YHWH made it clear to the people of Israel that He is a holy God, righteous in all His works and just in all His judgments. He also gave them a Holy Law that contained both promises and penalties, of which the Ten Commandments are the essence. It taught them right from wrong, defined things both clean and unclean, and declared the penalties of disobedience. There was no "value relativism" here! The requirements of holiness are uncompromising. Near misses don't count. "The wages of sin is death," and "the soul that sinneth, it shall die."

God's Predicament

God hates sin, but He loves sinners. And because He loves sinners and wants to forgive them, He provided a substitute to die in the sinner's place. The whole sacrificial system declared to Israel that a substitutionary death would be required to die in the sinner's place. All this was a prefiguring of a promised Savior who would lay down His life for the sins of the world. What is the "Gospel"? It is God's proclamation of a plan of mercy to sinners. The very definition of the "Gospel" is built on these very specifications:

"That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" - 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4

The death of Jesus Christ was not a tragedy; it was an achievement.

Relevance of This Book to Us Today

Leviticus is the definitive revelation of the character of God. And God has not changed. It is the revelation of the fundamental conditions of true religion. These spiritual truths still abide: there is for sinful man no citizenship in the kingdom of God apart from a High Priest and Mediator with a propitiatory sacrifice for sin. Beyond the self-offering of the worshiper of God stands the constant testimony that it is only through the shedding of blood - not his own - that man can have remission of sin. We can't appreciate Christ as the solution until we understand the requirements which had to be met.

The Epistle to the Hebrews lays down the principles upon which we are to interpret Leviticus. The typical character of the ordinances is affirmed that the Tabernacle was an "example and shadow of the heavenly things"; the sacrifices prefigured "better sacrifices than these," even the one offering of Him who "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself"; and, that the holy times and sabbatic seasons of the law were "a shadow of things to come."

The Book of Leviticus cannot be "read"; it has to be studied. To learn more about this amazing book click on the link below.

Related Links:

 • Leviticus – CD RomMP3  K- House Africa

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