Part 3

Wealth of the Dead Sea

“It is so enormous it almost unbelievable. All the manufactured goods, fruits and vegetables exported from Israel are nothing in comparison with the mineral wealth in the Dead Sea. The mineral wealth of the Dead Sea is estimated at 22 thousand million tons of magnesium chloride. 12 thousand million tons of common salt, 6 thousand million tons of calcium chloride, two thousand million tons of potassium chloride and one thousand million tons of magnesium bromide. The salable value of these chemicals would come to a staggering figure of $1,270,000,000,000.00 This amount would be equal to the combined wealth of the U.S. Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy.

The Dead Sea has enough potash to provide for the needs of the entire world for 2000 years. Potash is extremely valuable for fertilizer, food production and explosives. Israel today in just one short period of 50 years has gone from a desolate wasteland to become one of the most productive nations in the world. Israel ranks in the top three as a military power in the world. She has one of the most prosperous economies in the world.

She has grown in population from approximately half a million in 1948 to six million in 1998. 600% growth. Yet Israel is only the size of Vancouver Island.

You recall that one of the unique features of the fig tree is that the fruit is concealed (hidden) among the leaves until near the time of ripening. The fig tree is a beautiful picture of modern day Israel. The prophetic significance of Israel as a modern day nation is still concealed and hidden from among the nations. A people who have been scattered among the nations for two thousand years have returned to their ancient homeland. Even the restoration of Hebrew as a national language is a miracle. Hebrew was not a spoken language since the 6th. century. As thousands of Jews began to return to their ancient homeland they needed a common language that would unify them. Eliezer Ben Yehuda, known as the founder of modern day Hebrew took the language from the Bible and with only 7704 words built it up to a 100,000 word modern day language. Hebrew is now the official language of modern day Israel. This has never happened in all of history that a language that had lied dormant for 1500 years has now been restored.

The nation’s of the earth and for that matter the Church has failed to see the importance of Israel as a modern day nation and her presence in the land. The spiritual restoration of Israel as a modern day nation is a key to world redemption and coming revival.
Romans 11 puts forth a pattern for the last days. Not many believers in the Church would see that Romans 9-11 are very important chapters in understanding the last days. Read chapter 3 in the book. If we understand the scriptures from their Jewish context we will come to the conclusion that Yeshua's’ return is in some way connected to and dependant upon the people of God fulfilling their role. The body of believers both Jew and Gentile have a significant role in preparing the world for the coming of the Messiah. If we believe that we are the last generation that will witness the coming of the Messiah, then should not the Church have an important role in the destiny of the Jewish people and the nation of Israel?

In Romans 11:12 the apostle Paul said, “Now if their fall meant riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness.”

As we draw closer to Israel’s fullness, the time of their ripening, it will result in increased blessing to the Church, Israel and the world. But it will also produce an increase in the birth pangs of suffering. Both blessing and suffering will go hand in hand.

In terms of blessing, we have seen great evidence of God’s outpouring in this past century.

In this century alone we have witnessed several major outpourings of the Holy Spirit that have paralleled and coincided with Gods dealings with Israel in the natural. This has resulted in the restoration of many Biblical truths that have been hidden for centuries in particular, the prophetic truth regarding Israel and the Church in our generation.

1898-1901- As Theodore Hertzel was giving leadership in proclaiming the vision of a Jewish homeland , the Holy Spirit was being poured out during the Azuza street revival in 1901, known as the Pentecostal outpouring. God restored the truth of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to the Church.
In 1948 when Israel became a nation there was another move of the Holy Spirit, known as the Latter rain movement. (a restoration of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Praise and worship, laying on of hands, healing and deliverance).
1967- Israel reclaimed Jerusalem after 2000 years in June of 1967. This is recognized as the historical date of the Charismatic renewal, as the Holy Spirit and the exercise of Spiritual Gifts began to break through all denominational boundaries. The restoration of the five-fold ministry gifts to help equip the body for the work of ministry.
The birth of the Messianic Movement in the early seventies. God is using this movement to awaken the Church regarding the prophetic significance of Israel and to encourage the Church to become more proactive in praying for the spiritual restoration of the Jewish people. There are movements within the Church that is helping Jewish people return home. Isaiah 49:22-23/ Isaiah 60:8-11 (The former Soviet Union, Ukraine. Jeremiah 23:3,4.
There have been many prophetic events that have occurred in 1988 when Israel celebrated their 40th. year anniversary as a modern day nation. The world has witnessed the restructuring of Europe, the collapse of communism. The great exodus of Jews out of the former Soviet Union and other countries to Israel have been accompanied with revival with thousands of Jews and Gentiles coming to faith. There are presently one million Russian Jews now living in Israel. Jeremiah 23:7,8 The greatest exodus of the Jews in the last days was to begin from the land of the north.
1991 – The Persian Gulf war set the stage for the present Middle East peace process. Since 1991 the world has witnessed an increase in outpourings of the Holy Spirit as well as an incredible increase in the number of souls that have been saved.
1998- The year of Jubilee. Israel celebrated their 50th year anniversary as a modern day nation. We are also a Jubilee generation, fifty generations since the first century. Isaiah 61:1-5 is relevant to our generation. We will continue to see a greater measure of the anointing upon the body of believers as the birth pangs of Messiah intensifies and as we draw closer to Israel’s national day of salvation.

The great important truth that God wants to restore to the Church of today is to understand how important Israel is to God’s endtime purpose.

As Israel draws closer to their fullness as a nation, prophetic events will continue to intensify like the birth pangs of a woman. The purposes of God for Israel have been a mystery hidden which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now being revealed to us. Romans 11:25-27 this describes God’s future promise of Israel’s national day of salvation as a nation. Many believers today hold to an imminent view of the Second Coming, which means that there no conditions or prophetic events that must first happen before the rapture occurs. Yeshua could come at any time.

Continued in Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4

written and / or assembled by Cal Goldberg, Messianic Leader, Beth Shechinah