Worthy Brief - 7/25/2024
Friend, the birthing … its connection to Messiah, Jerusalem, and you!
Isaiah 66:7-13 "Before she was in labor, she gave birth; Before her pain came, She delivered a male child. 8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children. 9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?" says the LORD. "Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?" says your God. 10 "Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; 11 That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her bosom, That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory." 12 For thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem."
The expectation of the coming Kingdom of God is intimately connected with the restoration of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. The preceding passage describes Zion in labor, as once again, we find the metaphor of birth used to convey this scriptural promise. It is a national gestation which will not be aborted, but will come to fruition. But first, before this labor begins...a "male child" is born... This can be none other than Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah, Israel's King, Himself, arriving beforehand, (on a donkey, at that), quite some time before the labor which gives birth to the nation; and causing the prophet to wonder if a nation can be born in a day.
So, the King comes to Jerusalem, humble and proclaiming the Kingdom, offering it to the people of Israel, if they will accept it, claiming that John the Baptist is the Elijah who came, and demonstrating His Messianic and kingly authority....but knowing in advance that they, especially the leaders, won't receive Him; [Isaiah 53], and the Kingdom will have to wait. Nevertheless, shall the delivery process stop? Should the womb suddenly be shut? No, it will continue, but after some time.
In the interim, the nations will receive the gift of salvation through Israel's Messiah, and the seed of the Kingdom will be planted in them. Then, after two days (two thousand years), [Hosea 6:1-3], the Kingdom promise will begin to be fulfilled in our day, in the rebirth of modern Israel as a nation, three years after the Holocaust...."Zion's labor," and so a nation IS born in a day, May 14th, 1948. But is this the Kingdom? No, not yet. It's still only a harbinger.
Such a series of "birthings" already, and still more to come? The modern state of Israel will once again go through the travail of birth. "Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?" Jacob's Trouble, yet another "birthing"....then, finally, all Israel will be saved! [Jeremiah 30:6-7 ; Romans 11:25-29]
Ask any mother about giving birth. Ask her especially about "transition," though you may never have heard the medical term for the final stage of labor. If she's a believer, she may tell you that she never prayed like that at any other time in her life, and if not, she may tell you that she prayed for the first time in her life during transition. The pain is excruciating. The Lord is longing for the birthing of His Kingdom, even as the labor pains increase, the nations align themselves against Jerusalem [Zechariah 14:2], and Zion's final travail seems on her doorstep. So He calls to the faithful of all nations to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, [Psalm 122:6], and to His watchmen, to give Him no rest [Isaiah 62:6-7] until Jerusalem is a praise in all the Earth, and to everyone, "Thy Kingdom come!"
Friend, but is it possible you also are experiencing some kind of "travail"? The Kingdom, in its seed form, in us also, is birthed through painful trials, and we should not be surprised about it; [1 Peter 4:12]. If the King, Himself was made perfect through suffering [Hebrews 2:10], we also, will enjoy the same privilege, with the same result. Endure in prayer through your trial, and let the Kingdom be birthed in you. He will comfort you, and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Missouri)
(North Carolina)
Editor's Note: During this war, we have been live blogging throughout the day -- sometimes minute by minute on our Telegram channel. Be sure to check it out!
Editor's Note: We are planning our summer Tour so if you would like us to minister at your congregation, home fellowship, or Israel focused event, be sure to let us know ASAP. You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information.
Nepal Plane Crash Kills 18; Pilot Injured
A plane crash in Nepal has killed 18 people on board while leaving the pilot injured, police said Wednesday.
Ukraine Tells Vatican War Should End Soon
Faced with mounting losses at the frontlines, Ukraine’s embattled president told the Vatican on Tuesday that he understands the need to end the war against Russia "as soon as possible."
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Delivers Powerful Speech Before Congress
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the US Congress in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, marking his first appearance since the severe Hamas attacks on southern Israel last year. He declared that Israel would continue fighting until a "total victory" over Hamas was secured. Netanyahu emphasized that the root of the conflict lies with Iran and its proxies, framing the global situation as a critical historical crossroads and a "struggle between those who glorify death and those who cherish life."
Archaeologists Uncover Moat Dating Back to Reign of Biblical King Josiah
Israeli archaeologists excavating in Jerusalem’s City of David announced Sunday that they have uncovered a 3,000-year-old moat that dates back to the time when Jerusalem was the capital of the Kingdom of Judah under King Josiah, The Media Line reports. The discovery was made by researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University.
Trump To Meet Israel’s Netanyahu Amid Controversy
With much of the Middle East in turmoil. U.S. presidential nominee Donald J. Trump confirmed he will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
Inside the United States
Biden: I Have ‘Passed the Torch’ to Harris, But Will Finish Term
President Joe Biden said in an address to the nation Wednesday night that he would finish his term in office but "pass the torch" to the next generation, namely Vice President Kamala Harris.
FBI Director Grilled Over Assassination Attempt Investigation
Members of Congress grilled FBI Director Christopher Wray Wednesday over details of the FBI’s investigation into the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
BLM Blasts Democrats For Being ‘Hypocrites’ By Appointing Kamala Without A ‘Public Voting Process’
The far-left activist group Black Lives Matter is criticizing Democrats for designating Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's likely presidential nominee without allowing voters to participate in the decision. They state that doing so "would make the modern Democratic Party a party of hypocrites." They are urging the Democratic National Convention "to create a process that allows for public participation in the nomination process, not just a nomination by party delegates."
Christian News
Christian Ministry Explores Use of AI to Bring the Gospel to Deaf People
With only 2% of the world’s 70 million Deaf people following Jesus, the US-based DOOR International ministry is looking to harness artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help share the Gospel with those who cannot hear it, Christian Daily International (CDI) reports.
Pakistan: Young Christian Man on Death Row Shows Remarkable Faith and Hope in Jesus
A young Christian man who is on death row in Punjab Province, Pakistan, for alleged blasphemy has drawn admiration from those around him for displaying such hope in Christ that he passed a high school examination with an eye to the future, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
Hindu Nationalists Attack Christians in Central India, “This Hostility is Often Driven by a Belief That Indians Ought to be Hindu”
Hindu nationalists violently attacked or threatened Christians on three occasions in the same area of central India within the last month, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
Worthy Insights
US House Speaker Mike Johnson Blasts Kamala Harris for Skipping Netanyahu Address
US House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Tuesday slammed Vice President Kamala Harris over her decision not to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming address to a joint session of the US Congress.
IOC hears Palestinian request to ban Israel from Olympics over war in Gaza
The International Olympic Committee was Tuesday weighing a Palestinian call for Israeli athletes to be barred from the Games over the war in Gaza, three days before the Opening Ceremony in Paris.
Elon Musk ‘Tricked’ into Putting Son on Puberty Blockers: Xavier Was ‘Killed by the Woke Mind Virus’
Billionaire businessman Elon Musk is revealing a very personal reason behind his decision to abandon the state of California as he goes to battle against woke ideology. He says he was deceived into allowing one of his children to be converted to transgender after being told his son would commit suicide if he didn't approve the procedures.
‘Christians of America Stand Solidly with Israel’: Netanyahu Meets with Evangelicals in DC
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with a group of evangelical Christian leaders in the nation's capital on Tuesday.