Today most of the Christians are celebrating the ascension of Jesus. Just before Jesus was taken into heaven, he had a conversation with his followers, such that would have raised headlines in the 2020 media.
“So when they came together, they asked Him, 'Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight." (Acts 1:6-9 BSB)
Jesus spoke this message on the Mount of Olives, which is today considered part of East Jerusalem, and from there he was taken up to heaven.
Jesus said that his followers will be his witnesses in two regions. First of them is East Jerusalem (Jerusalem of Jesus's time), Judea and Samaria, which are today often referred as the “West Bank” or the “Palestinian Territories.”
So, here we have Jesus speaking to his Jewish followers about all Judea and Samaria in East Jerusalem. In May 2020, it would raise headlines especially since it is a part of the answer to the question concerning the timetable of the restoring of the kingdom to Israel.
Breaking News:
JESUS THE MESSIAH SENDS HIS FOLLOWERS TO ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA
Well, then, what about the ends of the earth, the second region Jesus spoke about before departing this earthly realm?
When the apostle Paul first began to speak to the gentiles about Jesus (Act. 13:47), he referred to scripture of Isaiah, where God speaks about the calling of the Messiah:
“It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Isa. 49:6 BSB)
Now we live the era when the witness about Jesus and his salvation has reached “the ends of the earth”, the other side of the world and most of the nations on this planet.
However, to those who have received the salvation in Jesus in “the ends of the earth”, it’s sometimes hard to catch up the first part of the calling of the Messiah: “to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel” and “to restore the kingdom to Israel.”
Even harder to many gentile believers of Messiah Jesus has been to understand how deeply the calling of the Messiah is connected with the land of Israel.
Jesus the Messiah will raise up the tribes of Jacob (all 12 of them), and restore the protected ones of Israel. When Jesus will come back, he will return to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and he will restore the kingdom to Israel.
But before that, something needs to happen on the “West Bank.” The prophesy of Jesus is not fulfilled yet: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria.”
This area of the “West Bank” is much more important in God's plan than most of the Christians have understood. It is no coincidence that as the return of Jesus approaches, the intensity of events around East Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria will increase.
Ascension Day 2020 is a great time for the followers of Jesus to rethink how they relate to the area Jesus spoke of, East Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria — the“ West Bank.”
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