Jesus Is Coming
“My kingdom is not of this world…My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36).
In response to Pilate’s question, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus responded, “It is as you say.” He went on to state that His kingdom “is not of this world/realm.”
Over the millennia, Christians have disagreed over what it means to be a devoted follower of Jesus. Some have taken Jesus’ reign as King of kings and Lord of lords to be purely spiritual, i.e., heavenly. Many believers have extrapolated from this that followers of Jesus should only be focused on the spiritual and eternal, and not get distracted by earthly concerns.
Reductionist thinking by opponents would summarize this as “pie in the sky in the sweet by and by.” And critics deride those “so heavenly minded they are of no earthly use.” Some move the needle far in the other direction, neglecting (or abandoning) the gospel to focus on material needs.
Attitudes toward military service differ among believers past and present. June 6, 2024, marked 80 years since the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War II. Some churches wholeheartedly encouraged their members to join the military to fight the Axis of evil. Other churches took an official pacifist stance; for some, members could participate in non-combat roles, serving as medics, for example. Rather than taking up arms, some individuals have chosen imprisonment when conscientious objector status was not granted.
Another area of disagreement has been that of political involvement. Some will remember the rise of the “Moral Majority” in the seventies here in the U.S., when leading religious figures like Jerry Falwell sought to raise the level of evangelicals in both voting and running for office.
In a similar vein, some Christians have elevated advocacy of social issues such as eliminating poverty and injustice, or seeking racial reconciliation, as a priority. The Great Commandment to “Love your neighbor as yourself” requires such action, they reason.
Opponents of political or social activism within the church have decried politics as dirty business to be eschewed. Spiritual transformation is seen as key to reforming society. Evangelism and discipleship should be the church’s sole priority, in keeping with Jesus’ Great Commission, they maintain.
The list of issues which divide us seems only to lengthen with time. We argue over Bible versions, baptism, and theology (e.g., “Lordship salvation vs. free grace” and eschatology), etc. Churches split over “worship wars” (most often music styles) and budget priorities. Responses to COVID-19 mandates (vax, mask, quarantine) brought deep schisms even in families. Residual wounds are in effect years later.
And now the Israel-Gaza war is added to the list. People who read the same Bible end up at opposite poles, quoting different Scripture passages to support their views. The continuing disruptive actions of the pro-Palestinian movement dominates the news. Lovers of Zion wonder what happened to the initial sympathy the slaughter of October 7 evoked. Why does the world not insist on the return of the hostages and the cessation of rocket launches against Israel’s civilian population? Where is the moral equivalence of deaths caused by wanton attacks on unarmed people asleep in their beds with casualties incurred in seeking to eradicate the threat of more such attacks?
The sufferings of Jewish people throughout the centuries is well documented. In the 1880s, William E. Blackstone (WEB) was moved by the plight of Jewish populations in eastern Europe. An avid student of Scripture, WEB understood God had a special covenant relationship with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Unlike many Christians over the centuries who believed God is through with Israel, Blackstone understood Paul’s arguments of Romans 9–11 should be taken literally: “God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew” because “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:2, 29).
William Blackstone also took literally the prophetic promises regarding the restoration of the Jewish people to the land God deeded to Abraham’s descendants.[1] The combination of compassion for “the apple of God’s eye” and commitment to God’s inerrant Word stirred WEB to action. A petition was drafted, calling on heads of state to consider the woeful situation of two million Jewish people suffering from pogroms in Russia. Here is an excerpt from the 1891 “Blackstone Memorial”:
Why not give Palestine[2] back to them again? According to God’s distribution of nations it is their home – an inalienable possession from which they were expelled by force. Under their cultivation it was a remarkably fruitful land, sustaining millions of Israelites who industriously tilled its hillsides and valleys. They were agriculturists and producers, as well as a nation of great commercial importance – the center of civilization and religion.
Why shall not the Powers which, under the treaty of Berlin, in 1878 gave Bulgaria to the Bulgarians and Servia to the Servians now give Palestine back to the Jews? These provinces, as well as Roumania, Montenegro and Greece, were wrested from the Turks and given to their natural owners. Does not Palestine as rightfully belong to the Jews?
Note clearly the argument that the land is the “inalienable possession” of the Jewish people “according to God’s distribution of nations.”[3] The petition was signed by 413 prominent individuals, including Supreme Court justices (Chief Justice Fuller and Louis Brandeis); titans of industry (John D. Rockefeller, Cyrus McCormick); congressmen (William McKinley); mayors of major cities; newspaper editors; and yes, clergy (D.L. Moody, WEB’s personal friend, among them). The Memorial was presented in person to President Benjamin Harrison. It was also sent to the rulers of European nations and the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, which had ruled Palestine since 1517.
If you were to visit Life in Messiah International’s office in Chicago’s south suburbs, you would find in our library copies of WEB’s Jesus is Coming.[4] First published in 1908, this book examines scriptural texts which speak of Messiah’s return to establish the long-awaited kingdom promised to Israel.
Also on our shelves are bound volumes of The Jewish Era. Beginning in January 1892 (five years after the founding of Chicago Hebrew Mission, which is today Life in Messiah), this quarterly publication documented the sufferings of Jewish people globally. The reader was motivated to pray, to care, to act.
Here in Chicago, efforts were made to help resettle Jewish immigrants fleeing the pogroms of the Russian Empire. Practical needs for clothing, job training, and English language acquisition were met. Bible classes were freely offered. The practical demonstrations of Messiah’s love helped the clear presentation of the gospel ring true.[5]
The stories of Christian organizations which over time morphed into social service institutions abound. And many seminaries, churches, and parachurch ministries – denominational and independent – have strayed far from their evangelical roots. It is heartening to know that the ministry founded by WEB in 1887[6] has maintained an avid commitment to sharing the gospel as well as actively demonstrating practical love for Jewish people, including standing against every form of antisemitism.
And we remain committed to the truth of God’s Word. When the disciples asked the risen Savior, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6), Jesus gave the oft-quoted response, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority” (1:7).
The postponed kingdom yet awaits; yet-unfulfilled promises will come to pass. WEB went to be with the Lord in 1935 at age 94. He did not live to see the restoration of Israel as a nation-state in 1948.
Blackstone’s gravestone in Glendale, CA,[7] reads, “Jesus is Coming.” We may be the generation that sees that promise fulfilled. But until the trumpet sounds, we have work to do! And with the Lord’s help, we seek the unity of Messiah’s body for which He prayed in John 17. Would you join us in sharing His heart for the Jewish people?
Written by Wes, Life in Messiah Global Ambassador
In your experience, what have been the issues that have caused division between followers of the Lord Jesus? Of these, which would matter for eternity?
The “Palestinian Question” seems intractable, with opinions hardened on both sides of the issue. For an interesting proposal by an Israeli Messianic Jew, see https://allisrael.com/blog/globally-supported-two-state-solution-is-rejected-only-by-israel-and-the-palestinians-but-a-biblical-from-the-river-to-the-sea-can-resolve-the-conflict.
Interested in learning more about the Blackstone Memorial? Click here for a PDF copy of the March 1891 coverage of this historic document by The Chicago Tribune, including many of the signers.
Learn more about William Blackstone and the founding of Life in Messiah by listening to this podcast: https://www.lifeinmessiah.org/thetovpodcast/forgotten-founder.
Endnotes:
[1] The borders of the land deeded by God to Abraham are delineated in Genesis 15; in context, God alone passes between the slaughtered animals, thus obligating Himself in what for Abraham was an unconditional blood covenant – the most solemn contract known in the Ancient Near East.
[2] At the time the Blackstone Memorial was written, the name Palestine was used to denote the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people.
[3] E.g., Deuteronomy 32:8 and Acts 17:26.
[4] As evidence of his humility, WEB only wanted his initials, not the Blackstone name, to appear as author. This was true for the volumes published in more than 40 languages.
[5] It’s much easier to believe “Jesus loves you” when that message is delivered by followers of Messiah who are displaying His love.
[6] The Chicago Hebrew Mission was renamed American Messianic Fellowship in 1953 and currently operates under our DBA, Life in Messiah International. Our mission statement, “Sharing God’s heart for the Jewish people,” reflects the biblical priorities established by WEB: teaching God’s Word, evangelizing, and demonstrating His love.
[7] Of personal interest, my grandfather Samuel H. Taber is buried in the same Forest Lawn cemetery as WEB.