Why Israel? - Part 1

Blessings to Israel presents Discerning the Times, a program committed to encouraging you to view current events through the lens of the Bible.

Now, in honor of the one and only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, please join us for today's program. Our biblical prophecy revolves around Israel, and Israel revolves around Jerusalem. And there is no shortage of debate in theological circles, the media, social media, and many more about the subject of Israel as it pertains to or in our current events. One of many deceptive and false views that has hit social media or the media, it is that Israel is a people, not a place, or Palestine should be free, and the list goes on. And this comes from something that I will deal with later.

It's called replacement theology, and also to the black Hebrews as well. One man said this about the Israel and Hamas conflict. He said, if Hamas stopped fighting, there would be peace. If Israel stopped fighting, it would cease to exist. Welcome to Discerning the Times.

My name is Brian Thomas. Such a blessing to be with you once again. And this week, we're going to talk on the subject that is near and dear to my heart, and that is the nation of Israel. As we look back at October 7th, the attack from Hamas against the land of Israel, many churches unfortunately have not been speaking up for Israel. But I heard a sermon a few months ago from the voice in that opening clip, who's a part of a church congregation that is speaking up for the nation of Israel. And when I heard that sermon, I put it at the top of my to-do list to ask him to come on to speak on this topic.

So we will bring Elder Sherrod McCoy in shortly. But before I do, I want to remind you that your eternal state is far more important than your current state. If you have never received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I encourage you to do so today. Otherwise, if you leave this world, having not received him as Lord and Savior, you are going to spend eternity in the lake of fire separated from God. So if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, if you've received him, maybe life has not played out the way you had hoped for, or the way you had dreamed of. But I want to encourage you that the best is yet to come because you will spend eternity in the presence of our almighty Lord.

But for those of you who do not receive him, the worst is yet to come because again, you will spend eternity in the lake of fire separated from God. So will you please give your heart to Jesus Christ on today? So once again, we are very delighted and honored to have Elder Sherrod McCoy joining us today. So Elder McCoy, I want to thank you for coming on to speak with us on this topic of Israel. Oh man, I appreciate you man. I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this issue. Thank you.

I really, really truly thank you. So again, it is an honor to have you and you gave a sermon titled, Why Israel? And that really resonated with our ministry, which is blessings to Israel. And it's based on Genesis 12 three in which God told Abram, I will bless those that bless you.

And I will curse those that curse you. And that applied not only to Abraham, but it extended to his descendants, which is the nation of Israel. And as we look at our nation, the United States of America, one of the primary political parties, the democratic party, their platform says to divide the land that God promised to Israel. And we know that God said in Joel three, two, that he would judge all the nations on account of my people, my heritage, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations.

They have also divided up my land. And so folks, God is already judging our nation. As we look around, you can tell that God is judging our nation and he will continue to do so if we do not repent, because it's one thing for Joe blow on the street to advocate sin. But when we legislate sexual immorality, when we legislate the taken, the lives of the unborn, when we legislate dividing Israel into law from the highest office, we're asking for God's judgment.

And so we need to repent and turn back to our Lord. So we will talk about that and more with our guests over the next couple of weeks before our listening audience, a little bit about Sherrod McCoy. He is a native of Fuquay, Verina, North Carolina. He is the fifth of 10 children born to Patricia and Maynard McCoy. The other McCoy was reared in the church of God for all people where his grandmother, Edith Pearson was the pastor in 1989, his family joined the upper room church of God in Christ on July 28th, 2006. Elder Sherrod McCoy accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior. Elder McCoy was ordained in August of 2017 under the leadership of Bishop Patrick Elwood and senior, the pastor of the upper room church of God in Christ.

He holds a certificate of completion in hermeneutics and Amaletics. And Sherrod McCoy is married to Johanna McCoy and has one son, two daughters and three grandchildren. So again, it is really a blessing to have Elder McCoy with us today. So Elder McCoy, you stated in your sermon that all biblical prophecy revolves around Israel and Israel revolves around Jerusalem. So how are we to view current events in light of that statement? But before you answer, I want to play another clip as a reminder to us of what we saw take place in October of 2023. Begin tonight with the Middle East in flames.

Israel has formally declared war after that unprecedented multi-pronged terror attack from Hamas, shocking the nation, catching its intelligence service by surprise. The death toll is mounting and at least a hundred taken hostage. Several Americans are now confirmed to be among the dead and a warning. The details and images are disturbing. Starting at dawn yesterday, Hamas lobbed thousands of rockets from Gaza toward Israel, armed militants, breaching border crossings, gunning down soldiers and civilians, neighborhoods in flames, homes and cars destroyed, more than 700 killed in Israel, more than 260, mostly young people killed at a music festival.

A couple at that festival among the hostages, the woman taken away on a motorcycle, her boyfriend marched away by two men. Israel retaliating with airstrikes on Gaza, more than 400 dead in the territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns there is a long and difficult war ahead.

The Pentagon now sending an aircraft carrier strike group to the region, part of President Biden's promise of rock solid and unwavering support. So again, elder McCoy, how are we to view that event along with current events in light of your statement, all biblical prophecy revolves around Israel and Israel revolves around Jerusalem? Well, the first thing that I thought of making that statement when the Lord gave it to me was Psalm 122. The Bible says, pray for the peace of Jerusalem. They shall prosper that lovely 122 in verse six. And also dealing with the prophetic side of it. There are quite a few scriptures, Matthew 24 and nine, and the Bible says, then shall they deliver you up to the afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And also verse 15, prophetic, now I'm dealing with the prophecy, right?

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, whoso readeth, let him understand. So, and what I meant by that was the biblical prophecy. We know that all end time prophecy is going to happen in Jerusalem. Well, Israel and Jerusalem is in Israel. So with what we, what we just witnessed in October, I think it's somewhat, I don't want to call it a precursor, but we need to keep our eyes on Jerusalem. And we also need to pray for Jerusalem as well. Amen. And to people like me and you, the Bible is crystal clear on this, but I've talked to professing Christians and even pastors who say that Jesus could return anywhere.

He could return in Washington, DC or London or Tokyo. And, and I say to myself, well, they must be reading a different Bible from the one that I'm reading. Yeah. Well, one of the, one of the, another scripture, and I'm going to get to it right now in Zachariah, the old Testament scripture and Zachariah chapter 14, verse four, the Bible says, and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem. On the east and the Mount of Olives shall cleave into the mist, in the mist thereof toward the east and toward the west.

And there shall be a great valley, very great valley and half of the mountain shall be moved toward the north and half of it toward the south. In other words, when Jesus comes back, he's coming to Jerusalem. And there's another scripture that I want to kind of focus on, uh, when we dealing with prophecy.

Luke 21 and verse 20, it's a few scriptures in there, but verse 20 is really the key verse to focus on when we talking about prophecy. And when ye shall see Jerusalem and pass with army, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh or near. So we know that when Jesus comes back, he's coming back to Jerusalem, but the focal point is Israel. So that's what I meant by that comment, that statement that I made about that, that all biblical prophecy revolves around Jerusalem and Israel revolves around Jerusalem. And I agree with you wholeheartedly.

And that is why it's so important for people to understand the history in order to understand what is happening in the world today. And you did such a great job in that sermon of why Israel of doing just that. So now, if you will, I want you to speak to Genesis chapter 17, verse eight, which reads also, I give to you and your descendants after you, the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession.

And I will be their God. Well, if you want to really get the context of that verse, we really got to go back to verse chapter 12, but we won't go, the time will get away from it. That is the opening point or the beginning of when God spoke to Abram at that time. And in verse chapter 15, he reestablishes his covenant with him in chapter 15, verses one through six. And in verse six says, and he believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Now we get to chapter 17 in that very first verse in chapter 17. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared unto Abram and said unto him, I am the almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect. The verse is following. He changes his name in verse five. He said, neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be called Abraham for a father of many nations, have I made thee that covenant. And we can see here, that's the title, the attainment, all the land of Canaan in verse eight. That's God. I mean, he's the creator of heaven and earth.

So he has the wherewithal to assign anything that he wants. So, but my point is that that verse is not only just speak, it's speaking to Abraham, but also to his seed and also to the land, the people, the place and the promise is right here in verse eight. Well, the entire chapter actually. And when we look at that area today, that region, people are arguing over the land. There is a lot of tension in that area. When we look at the primary religions of Islam, Judaism, Christianity, they all are claiming that land as their own.

And again, that is why we need to understand the importance of the history and what is taking place and use again. So we'll outline that in, in that sermon, white Israel. So that leads to the question, which son of Abraham did the covenant promise actually go through? It's in the same chapter, chapter 17, verses 16 through 21.

And I would love to read it. And the Bible says that I will bless her and give thee a son. He started my several also of her.

Yay. I will bless her. And she shall be a mother of nations.

Kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart, shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old and Sarah and show Sarah that is 90 years old. Now verse 21, I hate to skip that, but for sake of time, well, we can go to verse 19 and God said, Sarah, thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed. And thou shall call his name Isaac. Isaac wasn't even born yet.

He wasn't even born. And I will establish my covenant with him, not Ishmael, not the sons of Quiturah, no one else, not his servants, anybody else. But he said, I'm going to establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant. And with his seed after him. Verse 21, but my covenant will I establish with Isaac.

He generates it again, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this time in the next year. So the covenant and the land goes through Isaac, who was the promised son. It's not Ishmael. It's not, like I said, not, it is not the sons or the children that he had with Quiturah later on, but it is through Isaac.

And that is so important to understand that because the fighting that we see today with Islam claiming it as their land, they are saying the promise win is through Ishmael. And we know what Satan does. He's the great deceiver. He takes the truth and he twisted in order to deceive people. And that is why we need to know biblical history.

We need to know the Bible and we need to know the historical accounts of what has taken place to get an understanding of what is happening today. And I'm so glad that you emphasize everlasting because God does not break promises. And when we see people today that hold to things like replacement theology, and we'll talk about that a little later, that would mean that God broke his promise to the nation of Israel. But God is not like human beings. He doesn't break his promises. He made an everlasting covenant, but it seems that there are some that have a really hard time understanding or accepting that.

Yeah, they do. But the Bible also says in Hebrews, I think it is the sixth chapter and he's got speak to this of himself and he's talking about Abraham in the sixth chapter, Hebrews chapter six, verse 13. For when God made a promise to Abraham because he could swear by no greater, he swerved by himself.

God made himself the co-signer. He honors his word above his name and he gave himself, and here it is again, he's re-inherited saying, surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had endured, had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Verse 17, well verse 17 and 18, where is God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who has fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us. So in other words, when you were just saying about the promises and God's promises can't be revoked, that's the New Testament now.

So that refutes your flat Hebrews and I know we're getting into a little later, that will refute their argument with the replacement theology and the breaking of the covenant. God's covenant, it doesn't change by two immutable things. And again, the two immutable things was his promise and his character.

That's the two immutable things. So let's now talk about Joseph. You mentioned Joseph in your sermon and my family, we are currently going through the account of Joseph in our morning devotions. And I just love going through the account of Joseph and what he experienced in the book of Genesis. But if you will talk about the significance of Joseph and when we look at his suffering and glory. Well, one of the first things that jumps out to me with Joseph is how much Genesis was stressed, how much Moses wrote about it from the chapter 37 to chapter 50.

We don't get that much in creation. So all of those chapters dealing with Joseph. And then the other thing that stuck out to me is the Christ-like comparison with Joseph. And sold for a poor price of a slave, taken to Egypt, bound and chained. He saved the nation and exalted after his suffering.

Just five of many things that talks about his suffering, his glory. And again, like I said, the comparison, the Christ-like comparisons with Joseph. Joseph saved his family.

When the family came, they didn't know who he was. You're in the story, so you're studying it right now. And actually, the bishop wouldn't just preach about Joseph not too long ago. But one of the main thrusts for me in that particular story, it sets up the narrative for Egypt, while they were in Egypt, to become a nation. When they came down from Egypt, there was only 75 souls.

When they left out of there, it was a couple of million. I don't want to get too far ahead. And one of the main scriptures, we all know it, the Bible says, but as for you, you thought it evil against me, but God meant it unto good to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. John MacArthur said that Joseph's wise theological answer has gone down in history as the classic statement of God's sovereignty with the affairs of man.

And I agree with him wholeheartedly. And I love the fact that you stressed the suffering of Joseph, because you don't hear a lot of that in preaching today. People don't want to hear that. The joy boy message, man. The joy boy message. Yeah, God's going to bring you out tomorrow.

You don't have to go through anything. But the Bible says no chastening is joyous, but afterwards it yields us a peaceable fruit of righteousness. And we see that in Joseph. I mean, man, I mean, he is one to be modeled behind when you're going through and when you're being really falsely accused. I mean, he was falsely accused by Barnacles' wife and his brothers. You know, they hated on him so much.

They envied him so much that they wanted to kill him. But we know that Judah, you know, they stood up for him. But I hope that answers your question to that particular.

I hope I answered your question to that particular. Absolutely. And one of the things whenever we're going through the account of Joseph with my children, I stress to them, I highlight the fact that Joseph suffered for more than 20 years. And we have to be long suffering because in doing so, we take on the character of Jesus Christ. Now, do we enjoy the suffering?

No, of course not. But God will use our suffering for his glory if we do not give up, if we do not quit, if we do not throw in the towel and give up on God. But when we look at the scripture, the Bible calls us to do what it says to deny ourselves, take up the cross. And when you take up the cross, when you deny yourself, that entails suffering. But unfortunately, again, that is not taught much today in pulpits. We don't. And it's because of wrong theology.

I think it is the black liberation theology that and also that charismatic theology and just just wrong interpretation of the scriptures, wrong interpretation, wrong, how hermeneutics, you know, ecstasy in the scriptures. And like I said, everybody's a joy boy. Everybody tomorrow you coming out tomorrow this morning. But you have to preach standards. You've got you've got to cry loud and fair.

You have to because it's amazing that we talked about this just earlier today. I was talking to a preacher about, you know, there's a difference in committing a sin and continuing in sin. Right. Too many of our believers are continuing in sin and they don't see anything wrong with it. They don't see nothing wrong with drinking, nothing wrong with the sororities and the fraternities, nothing wrong with the Masons, nothing wrong with the Eastern Stars.

They don't see anything wrong with that. Yeah. Yeah. And we just rolled out a series on fraternities and sororities and we are about to roll out a series on Freemasons. So as you say, we have to come out of that darkness that the Bible instructs us to do so. And as believers in Christ, we have to be accepting of that.

So I'm glad you pointed those things out. Now, the next question I have, we could spend hours on it and we probably won't get through it before the end of the program. But if you will speak to how the nation of Israel transpired from Abraham to bondage in Egypt, to the promised land, to the dispersion and then back to the land in 1948.

We got a lot. Well, we just discussed Abraham, Isaac. We didn't really say a whole lot about Jacob, but Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. And we know that Joseph, of course, he set them up in Egypt.

They're in Egypt for 430 years. Now we have Moses who's born. Moses, I think his name means one who is drawn out. Moses preaches, hey, let my people go. That period, that 40 years in the wilderness, after that 40 years, now we got Joshua. Joshua leading the people into now the promised land.

Now Israel is becoming a real country. All the 12 tribes, they're gathering their land. And then after we have a period of the judges and after the judges from Deborah to Samson to Gideon to Barak to Jephthah and the rest, now we have Samuel. It is said that Samuel is the first prophet and last judge. And from Samuel, we go from a theocracy, from the time of Moses, from the time of Joshua, the time of the judges, they are a theocracy. And then in Samuel's day, I think around chapter seven or chapter eight of 1 Samuel, that is when the children of Israel, they wanted a king. And from then we get Saul, we get David, we get Solomon's Rehoboam and Jeroboam, the divided kingdom. And when it's the divided kingdom, we know that Israel went back and forth, Israel and Judah went back and forth, sin, crept in and God had to punish them. And with that punishing, you know, and with them being carried away, they went through a lot of different hands. You know, they went through a lot of different hands from the Assyrian king and second Kings chapter 17. It speaks to something that's going on today. It speaks to something that's going on today. The king of Assyria, the Bible says in second Kings chapter 17 verse 24, and the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cutha and from Ava and from Hamas and from Sarachan and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel.

And they possessed Samaria and dwelled in the city thereof. Now, now what I, the reason why I'm saying it looks like today is because what's going on in that southern border. We don't know who's coming in and our southern border. We don't know.

We don't know any, we don't know what's going on. Well, I hate to cut you off because you were on a roll, but we're going to pause right there because we're out of time for this week, but we'll pick back up next week with having you walk us through this timeline. And I'm, I'm glad you are explaining this because again, in order to have the correct biblical worldview for what is happening in our world today, we need to understand the history and that is so vital for us. So important for us.

So we're going to, again, pick back up next week with that point. But before we close, can you share with our listening audience how they can reach out to you if they want to hear more about Israel, get in contact with you, have you speak for them. Of course you can reach me on Facebook. My name is Sherrod McCoy.

Uh, you can email me Sherrod McCoy at Yahoo S H E R R A R D M C K O Y at Yahoo call 919-702-0299. I am a member of the illustrious open room church of God in Christ. I'm an elder there and you can find me there every Sunday. All right.

All right. We're looking forward to having you back next week to continue this discussion on why Israel and I encourage the listening audience. If you are looking for a church that is going to stand on the truth, not hold back on what God's word says and is going to support the nation of Israel.

Then you need to go to the upper room church of God in Christ under the leadership of the phenomenal pastor Bishop Patrick wooden senior. So again, we thank you elder McCoy for joining us to our listening audience. Please come back and join us next week as we continue to discern the times by view and life through the lens of the Bible. Until then, remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Bless God's great nation of Israel until the only wise God be glory through Jesus Christ forever.

Amen. Thank you for tuning into discerning the times. Please come back and join us next week as we continue to encourage you to view current events through the lens of the Bible. Until next time, remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Bless God's great nation of Israel and seek first the kingdom of God discerning the times is presented by blessings to Israel.