love Never Fails

A NationCalled by God

Britain’s Leading Role in the Restoration of Israel

A NationCalled by GodBritain’s Leading Role in the Restoration of Israel

INTRODUCTIONIt may surprise readers to know that the title of this booklet is prompted by a little-known, now-out-of-print book, published in 1956 – written by a non-Christian, Jewish author! The author’s name was Franz Kobler, and the book was entitled ‘The Vision was There’.

In an astonishing way, he tracks the history of Britain from before the reign of Queen Elizabeth I up to the 20th century, producing hundreds of names of Statesmen, Churchmen and spokesmen in Britain, each of whom had a vision for the Restoration of the Land and people of Israel. So inter-confirming are his factual quotations from over three centuries of British history, that it is hard to avoid concluding that, perhaps without Kobler actually realising it, his research and labours were blessed with God’s guidance and help.

The book highlights God’s choice of Britain as His servant nation – appointed to ‘shepherd’ Israel. This is a highly controversial statement to make, but:

1. Take special note of even the brief extracts which follow; 2. Remember God’s sovereignty in history: ‘The Most High rules over the realm

of mankind.’ (Daniel 4:17); and3. Discover how Britain’s own history corroborates Franz Kobler’s quotations,

observations and conclusions.

Extracts from ‘The Vision was There’:(Pages 7–9) In his introduction, Kobler states: ‘Nowhere more than in Britain has the idea of the Restoration of Israel been developed into a doctrine and become the object of a movement extending over more than three centuries.’

‘ONLY in Britain, the leading spokesmen of many generations have been inspired by the vision of a revived Israel. Only there, the creation of a Jewish National Home has been a serious and almost continuous political issue which was finally translated into reality’.

‘ONLY a comprehensive study tracing the movement from its origins, through all its historical stages and cultural ramifications, can reveal how deeply the idea

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of Israel’s Restoration is rooted in the fundamentals of the Commonwealth, how inseparable it is from the character and history of the British nation, in spite of a temporary abandonment.’

‘The British movement for the Restoration of Israel is in fact one of the rare instances of the continuous interest shown by one nation in the destiny of another people. Its specific historical significance lies in the recognition of Israel’s Restoration as an organic part of British political ideals.’

On page 51, Kobler quotes from a hymn by William Cowper (1731–1800):

Oh Israel! of all nations most undone, Thy diadem displaced, thy sceptre gone; Cry aloud, thou that sittest in the dust, Cry to the proud, the cruel, the unjust! Knock at the gates of the nations, rouse their fears, Say wrath is coming, and the storm appears, But raise the shrillest cry in British ears!

Further extracts:

(Page 47) ‘In 1797, Thomas Witherby, in commenting upon a book ‘The Restoration of the Jews - the Crisis of all Nations’, said that he felt confident that “England, under a new Cyrus, would be chosen to perform God’s purposes of mercy towards Israel.”’

(Pages 58-59) ‘In the 1830s, amongst those who favoured the Restoration of Israel, and who were active to that end, were: Lord Shaftesbury, Lord Palmerston and Edward Bickersteth. Shaftesbury wrote; “The ancient city of the people of God is about to resume a place among the nations, and England is the first of all the Gentile kingdoms that ceases to tread her down.”’

‘In 1840, The British Ambassador to Turkey strongly recommended the Turkish Government to use every encouragement to urge the Jews to return to Palestine. Shaftesbury drew up a kind of State letter urging Turkey to hand over Palestine to the Jews for “their indestructible Messianic hope”’.

(Pages 63-66) ‘In the 1840s, Charles Henry Churchill, ancestor of Sir Winston, spoke and wrote of a “pledge of England’s friendship” and bonding union with the Jewish nation. “May the Jewish nation regain its rank and position among the nations of the world...”. At an important public meeting he stated that “God has put into my heart the desire to serve His ancient people.” As others had done, he made a direct approach through Lord Shaftesbury to Western Jewry to co-operate with the British Government in planning for their return to Palestine.’

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As well as those mentioned in ‘The Vision was There’, we could mention many other leading churchmen of previous centuries who have also caught the vision of the Restoration of the Jewish people to their Land. Take for example:

JOHN OWENWhen preaching before the House of Commons in 1649, John Owen spoke of “the bringing home of His ancient people to be one fold with the fullness of the Gentiles...in answer to millions of prayers put up at the throne of grace for this very glory, in all generations.”

JOHN WESLEY In the same spirit, this English revival preacher and founder of the Methodist Church, in his notes on Romans, states: “So many prophecies refer to this grand event [of the restoration of Israel], that it is surprising any Christian can doubt of it. And these are greatly confirmed by the wonderful preservation of the Jews as a distinct people to this day. When it is accomplished, it will be so strong a demonstration, both of the Old and New Testament revelation, as will doubtless convince many thousand Deists, in countries nominally Christian.”

A Wesleyan hymn book of 1799 contains the verses:

O that the chosen band might now their brethren bring,And, gathered out of every land, present to Zion’s King!Of all the ancient race not one be left behind,But each, impelled by secret grace, his way to Canaan find.

We know it must be done, for God hath spoke the word;All Israel shall their Saviour own, to their first state restored;Rebuilt by His command, Jerusalem shall rise;Her temple on Moriah stand again, and touch the skies.

Send then Thy servants forth, to call the Hebrews home;From east and west and south and north, let all the wanderers come;Where’er in lands unknown the fugitives remain,Bid every creature help them on, Thy holy mount to gain.

During the first quarter of the 19th century, a broad interest in the restoration of Israel to their own land, and the consequent glory of Messiah’s reign spread across the evangelical church in Britain and elsewhere. Several books were published on this subject between the years 1812–1825. The one which created the greatest interest is entitled “The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty,” by a South American Roman Catholic priest, Emanuel Lacunza, who adopted the nom-de-plume of Ben-Ezra, a Messianic Jew. This work was originally written in Spanish, and first published in Spain in 1812.

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It was translated into English and published in London in 1827, with a long preliminary discourse by the Rev. Edward Irving. His powerful eloquence was now employed to arouse his congregation, his brethren in the ministry, and the whole professing church, to the study of this great and comparatively new subject.

ROBERT MURRAY McCHEYNEIn 1839 the Church of Scotland sent a delegation, including R.M. McCheyne, to the Holy Land on a Mission of Enquiry. Upon his return, he preached a sermon in Dundee on ‘Our Duty to Israel’ in which he said:

“The greatest glory and joy anyone can experience is to be like God, and to care first for the Jews is to be like God... The whole Bible shows that God has a special affection for Israel... There are some, of course, who will say that God has finished with Israel. But the whole Bible contradicts such an idea: ‘Did God reject His people? By no means! (Romans 11:1)... They will give life to the dead world: ‘The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like the dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger from mankind. (Micah 5:7)’”.

The Clapham SectThis group of evangelical Christians were so called because they centred in Clapham in SW London. William Wilberforce is probably their best known member, and they were responsible for many social reforms in the 19th century. As they were fighting for the abolition of slavery, for which they are famous, they were equally in prayer fighting for the restoration of the Land of Israel to the Jewish people.

CHARLES HADDON SPURGEONThis famous theologian and “Prince of Preachers” declared in 1855 during a message delivered in Southwark cathedral:

“We do not think enough of it [the restoration of the Jews]. But certainly, if there is anything promised in the Bible, it is this. I imagine that you cannot read the Bible without seeing clearly that there is to be an actual restoration of the children of Israel. “Thither they shall go up; they shall come with weeping unto Zion, and with supplications unto Jerusalem.” May that happy day soon come! For when the Jews are restored, then the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in; and as soon as they return, then Jesus will come upon Mount Zion to reign with his ancients gloriously.”

“The day shall yet come when the Jews, who were the first Apostles to the Gentiles, the first missionaries to us, who were far off, shall be gathered in again. Until that shall be, the fullness of the Churches’ glory can never come. Matchless benefits to the world are bound up with the restoration of Israel; their gathering in shall be

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as life from the dead.” (Vol. 17 pgs 703,704. “The Restoration and Conversion of the Jews”).

Perhaps the clearest and most significant statement by Spurgeon, as it relates to the restoration of the Jews to the Land, was made in an address delivered at the Metropolitan Tabernacle on June 16, 1864, when Spurgeon preached on “The Restoration and Conversion of the Jews”. He stated: “There will be a native government again; there will be the form of a body politic; a state shall be incorporated, and a king shall reign. Israel has now become alienated from her own land. Her sons, though they can never forget the sacred dust of Palestine, yet die at a hopeless distance from her consecrated shores. But it shall not be so for ever, for her sons shall again rejoice in her: her land shall be called Beulah, for as a young man marries a virgin so shall her sons marry her. ‘I will place you in your own land’, is God’s promise to them... They are to have a national prosperity which shall make them famous; nay, so glorious shall they be that Egypt, and Tyre, and Greece, and Rome, shall all forget their glory in the greater splendour of the throne of David... If there be anything clear and plain, the literal sense and meaning of this passage (Ezekiel 37:1-10)—a meaning not to be spirited or spiritualised away—must be evident that both the two and the ten tribes of Israel are to be restored to their own land, and that a king is to rule over them.”

BISHOP J C RYLEIn May 1868 Bishop J. C. Ryle of the Church of England, and one of the foremost Bible teachers of the last 200 years, preached a sermon at Rectory Church, Mary-le-Bone entitled ‘Scattered Israel to be regathered’ using Jeremiah 31:10 as his text. In it he said, “However great the difficulties surrounding many parts of unfulfilled prophecy, two points appear to my own mind to stand out as plainly as if written by a sunbeam. One of these points is the second personal advent of our Lord Jesus Christ before the Millennium. The other of these points is the future literal gathering of the Jewish nation, and their restoration to their own land.”

He goes on to say, “Out of the sixteen prophets of the Old Testament, there are at least ten in which the gathering and restoration of the Jews in the latter days are expressly mentioned.” He follows this with a quotation from each of those ten prophets, concluding, “I believe there is one common remark that applies to them all. They all point to a time which is yet future. They all predict the final gathering of the Jewish nation from the four quarters of the globe, and their restoration to their own land... I ask you, then, to settle it firmly in your mind, that when God says a thing shall be done, we ought to believe it.”

THE CHURCH’S MINISTRY AMONG JEWISH PEOPLEThe first practical expression of British evangelical interest in Israel’s restoration was the formation of The London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the

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Jews, or CMJ, as it is known today, in 1809. The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) actually stated in a booklet published in 1988 that Christian Zionism began with CMJ.

Although an independent society, during its almost 200 years of ministry it has operated mainly under the auspices of the Church of England. The restoration of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel and to the God of Israel through Messiah Jesus has always been at the centre of its ethos.

One of its founders was William Wilberforce, but CMJ’s most profound restorationist was Lewis Way. Way spoke on behalf of Israel’s restoration before the European heads of state at one of the peace conferences after the Napoleonic Wars, and even though denoted as a ‘conversionist’ actually received a positive article in the Encyclopaedia Judaica.

Way passed the baton of restorationism on to Lord Shaftesbury who joined CMJ’s ranks in 1835, and served it for over 50 years, most of those as its President. Shaftesbury is recognized as Britain’s foremost restorationist of the nineteenth century. He was instrumental in aiding CMJ’s final establishment in Jerusalem in the 1830s, and with the establishment of the pro-restorationist British Consulate (adjacent to CMJ’s Christ Church), the first diplomatic mission in Jerusalem.

In 1840 a War in the Levant saw numerous Britons calling for Israel’s restoration. This call was led by CMJ and Shaftesbury, and Lord Palmerston the Foreign Secretary actually made such a proposal to the Turkish Government – which promptly refused the request! However, the tangible outcome of this interest was the establishment of the Protestant Bishopric in 1841. The first Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, Michael Solomon Alexander – a Jewish believer in Jesus the Messiah and a former Rabbi – was appointed.

With the assistance of the British Government, CMJ established the first Protestant church in the Middle East – Christ Church in the ancient walled city of Jerusalem – which was officially known as the private chapel of the British Consul. Britain’s political and ecclesiastical interests in the Land of Israel were centred upon the area of Christ Church. Later the important PEF (Palestine Exploration Fund) also had its main office at Christ Church.

A central part of CMJ’s mission, under Bishop Alexander, was to establish an environment that was culturally suitable for reaching out and discipling Jewish people in the Christian faith.

CMJ pioneered the first social programmes for the population of Jerusalem, which included the establishment of a hospital and a school. However, because

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of a concern over their people being proselytised, Jerusalem’s Jewish community quickly established their own institutions.

In his book ‘For The Love of Zion’ (see back cover for details) author Kelvin Crombie, who founded the Heritage Centre at Christ Church, quotes CMJ’s response to the Balfour Declaration in November 1917, which was published in The Times together with the text of the Balfour Declaration itself, on Friday November 9, 1917:

With one step the Jewish cause has made a great bound forward. For centuries the Jew has been downtrodden, depressed, hated and unloved by all the nations. For 2,000 years now the Jew has suffered as no other nation on the earth’s surface in his relentless wanderings. Wherever he has gone he has been ill-treated, but now there is at least a prospect of his settling down once again in his own country, and becoming in the eyes of men a Nation amongst the nations, in place of being a wanderer in every clime. He is now to have a home for himself in his God-given land. The day of his exile has ended.

What does this all mean for us Christians? In the light of prophetic Scripture we recognise that such an action on the part of our Government and on the part of the Allied Powers, in being united in their resolve to reinstate the Jew in his own land is full of significance. Our Lord, when asked the question, ‘What shall be the signs of Thy coming and of the end of the age?’, gave one of the signs, in St. Luke 21:24, to be that ‘Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles (nations) until the times of the Gentiles (nations) be fulfilled’. Ever since AD70 Jerusalem and Palestine have been under Gentile domination, and now we seem to be on the very verge of a literal fulfilment of the last prediction, and it is a distinct warning to us that the Lord ‘is near, even at the very doors’. (Matthew 24:32)

Exactly one month after this article was published in The Times, the Allied Forces conquered Jerusalem and ousted the Turks. CMJ’s hospital (now the Anglican International School) on the Street of the Prophets became General Sir Edmund Allenby’s temporary headquarters. From there he rode down to Jaffa Gate, where he dismounted and walked into the Walled City. He addressed the crowds gathered outside the gates of Christ Church and proclaimed the beginning of British rule over the Holy Land, and he returned to the CMJ property on Prophets Street afterwards for lunch.

It was only fitting, therefore, that such an important event would occur on and adjacent to CMJ’s two strategic properties in Jerusalem, as these properties had been established by men of vision from Britain and the nations who were looking forward to that future prophetic restoration.

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With all that we have seen above and far, far more from the 16th century onwards, this movement for the restoration of Israel finally culminated in the Balfour Declaration. It is inescapable that when Palestine and Jerusalem eventually fell into British hands in 1917, this was nothing less than the hand of God. It was His divine will to grant us in Britain both the responsibility and the privilege of establishing a Homeland for the Jewish people.

In spite of Britain having since those days yielded continuously to intimidatory and relentless Islamic pressure, in spite of the bulk of the Church in Britain having almost totally departed from biblical prophetic truth, (often calling herself ‘The New Israel,’) – Israel still stands because of God’s protection. He also chose Britain to be His ‘Cyrus’ nation – His channel and Shepherd nation by which to see Israel rebuilt.

Now, because of our scarred history since 1917, when we have done far more to obstruct than to assist in Israel’s Restoration, the Lord is now very angry with Britain (Zechariah 1:15). ‘We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the Land... O Lord, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against You.’ (Daniel 9:6,8)

The root sin and cause of Britain’s ongoing spiritual decline is our failure to heed God and His Word. A major part of that is our failure to be the blessing to Israel that God had planned. There are too many examples to even begin quoting here. We need to realise that our worldwide Empire disappeared within a comparatively short period of time after our refusal to vote for Israel’s Restoration at the UN in November, 1947. This is one major indication of God’s displeasure with us. Moreover, our sustained moral and social decline are an indication that God has withdrawn His blessing from us as a nation.

As with Esau we cannot be blessed by God without repentance (Hebrews 12:16-17, Romans 8:26). This is what God is seeking from us. He requires a godly remnant in Britain, those who will ‘humble themselves, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways... that He may hear from heaven and heal our land.’ (2 Chronicles 7:14)

This is a huge truth for us in Britain to grasp, and our innate pride does not help.

But, the encouragement is that His mercy triumphs over judgement – that He longs to show us His mercy – even though there must be judgement ahead. He is looking for, and we need, God-given repentance. Although His judgements are near, He has not yet cast us aside. He waits to be gracious to us! What a merciful God we have!

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‘He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice. How blessed are all those who long for Him... He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you...’ (Isaiah 30:18-19)

ESTHER, THE CHURCH AND REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY 1

‘If you remain silent at this time...you and your father’s house will perish’.(Esther 4:14)

There is no beating about the bush in this declaration through the lips of godly Mordecai. Esther (who is representative of the Church) is being told that if she does not pray for the relief and deliverance of the Jews, the Lord will sovereignly undertake for them in some other way, but she and those she represents will incur God’s wrath and judgement. Judgement always begins at the House of God.

Bible teachers will (mostly) agree that: ‘All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction... that the man of God be complete, equipped for every good work’. BUT, where in Britain is this teaching and warning being given to profit the Church? Where is God’s judgement being preached at all today – especially regarding His great anger over the indifference, or often hostility towards Israel?

We British people will not relish being told that this warning has a specific application to us, because:

(a) Most of us believe and swallow the false teaching that prevails in the country: that ‘We (i.e. the Church) are the New Israel and God has finished with Israel as a nation.’

(b) Few of us understand that the responsibility to shepherd Israel in the Restoration to their Homeland during the 20th Century was specifically laid at OUR feet. It was a privilege to have been elected to nurture “God’s first-born son” (Exodus 4:22) in this way. And it should have been our joy to welcome back the returning Prodigal in this first stage of his restoration.

Within the church as a whole, the life-giving breath of prayer that we in Britain have been called to release over Israel has been stifled and silenced through the distorted teaching imposed upon God’s people. For this, (Replacement Theology),

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1. ‘Replacement Theology’ - sometimes known as ‘Supercessionism’ - centres around the belief that when the Jewish people rejected Jesus as the Messiah, God finished with Israel. It takes the view that ‘the Church is the New Israel’ and has replaced the ‘Old Israel’. The blessings that God promised to Israel now belong to the Church - however the curses still belong to Israel. Not only is this teaching unsound Biblical exegesis, but it is directly contrary to the teachings of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapters 2 and 3, as well as Romans chapters 9 to 11. Replacement Theology is the basis for much of the teaching of the Church in Britain today.

God will hold His shepherds responsible. It is not as though Scripture is ambivalent or unclear on the eternal place of Israel in God’s plans. So far from finishing with Israel, God has yet far, far more to do to in and through Israel in the way of world blessing and multiplied salvation across the globe. Plus the fact that, until Israel’s remnant is saved, Jesus cannot or will not return! (Matthew 23:39) God has tolerated this false teaching on Israel now for some 80-90 years. (The Evangelical Church had a vision for Israel right up to 1920 or so). He has overlooked the ignorance up till now, but today demands that ‘men everywhere should repent’. (Acts 17:30) WAKE UP!This is a Trumpet call to Britain! Wake up and listen! It is serious, because, as Derek Prince has well taught, ‘The nation which will not serve Israel (follow God’s divine order) shall utterly perish!’ (Isaiah 60:12). In direct connection with Israel, we (the Gentiles) are warned three times in Romans 11 about arrogance towards Israel. We are reminded that it is Israel’s roots that support us! It is not today’s Church that produced the Abrahamic faith. Roots can exist without branches, but branches will die without their root being fixed to the trunk. Only God’s forbearance has kept us thus far. (Romans 2:4)To those who do not believe that God would bring judgement on the Church over her hostility, her indifference, or even her ignorance over Israel, the Holy Spirit directs our deep and prayerful thought to: ‘Don’t be arrogant toward the branches [Israel]... it’s the root that supports you. If God didn’t spare the natural branches [Israel] neither will he spare you’ [Gentiles].‘Take note then of the kindness and severity of God. To those who fell, severity; but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off’. (Romans 11:18-22)This unheeded warning, rarely preached, is placed by the Holy Spirit in the very centre of the major Epistle on New Testament doctrine: Romans. Whether it be arrogance or ignorance that lays at the root, the effect is the same: the Church does not pray for Israel! And, in Romans 11 and Esther 4 the trumpet calls are more or less identical:‘At this time of great need, I have called you [My Church], to pray for My people Israel [whom I love], and if you do not do it, I will sovereignly save them in some other way – but that will be the end of My original plans for you.’ (Paraphrasing of Esther 4:14, and Romans 11:31)

It is nothing to do with whether Israel deserves it. Israel will be saved by grace, exactly as you and I were, not by works. The same chapter in Romans 11 teaches

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this. Please get on your knees and plead for the Lord to open the eyes and hearts of British leaders and teachers and to grant not merely revelation, but humility and true repentance for them (and for all of us) for the things that our Church and country have perpetrated in the past against Israel.

Time is short. Very, very short! ‘It is time to awaken from sleep...’ (Romans 13:11a). In her disobedience, Israel was sold into the hands of her enemies (Judges 2:14) and following the trend of events here in Britain, God is doing the same with us. May the ears and hearts of our Christian leaders be opened, and swiftly and fully responsive to what the Spirit is saying at this hour (Revelation 2:13-17). What has God got to do to open the hearts and ears of Christians to what the Spirit is saying? (Revelation 2:17)

British Obstructionism to a Restored IsraelWhile for centuries before the Balfour Declaration, the vision for a Restored Israel characterised British policy at home and abroad, immediately after the Declaration, the British Government embarked on an opposite policy:

1) Instead of installing a Civil Administration in Palestine, sympathetic to establishing a Homeland for the Jewish people, a Military Administration was sent from Cairo. Most, if not all, of the military administration who filled the various positions in Palestine were strongly against the return of the Jews. Amongst other things, with conspiratorial help from senior British Army officers, a local Islamic agitator (Haj Amin Al-Husseni) was eventually appointed Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. Horrific incidents followed which gave militant fundamentalist Islam a foothold in the Lord’s land, resulting in the anti-Jewish legacy that persists to this day.

2) Britain many times failed to administer justice when Jews were murdered by Arabs. For example, following a massacre of Jews at Hebron, Britain uprooted the entire Jewish population there – the oldest Jewish community in the world. This was unjust, inhumane and contrary to God’s will. (Joel 3:2)

3) In direct contravention of the legal and moral obligations of the Mandate granted to Britain to establish the Jewish Homeland, Britain restricted Jewish immigration while simultaneously failing to regulate Arab immigration.

This illegal and perverse policy resulted in the mass displacement of Arabs (at their own beck and call) in 1948, when five Arab nations attacked Israel the day after its official recognition by the UN. It was from this policy, therefore, that the long-standing, so-called “Palestinian Refugee” problem emerged.

4) In its White Paper of 1939, and in contravention of the Mandate, Britain stated her policy of fostering a population with a two-thirds Arab majority, and a one-

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third Jewish minority! This in itself would make impossible an eventual Jewish administration of their own Homeland.

5) Britain’s continued policy of appeasing the Arabs led to the death of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Jews who could have had an escape route from Hitler’s “Final Solution” through emigration to Palestine.

6) The White Paper of 1939 restricted Jewish immigration into Palestine to a total number of 75,000 over the following five years. The League of Nations Mandates Commission accused Britain of a flagrant breach of its Mandate. At a time when millions of immigration certificates were needed, Britain failed to honour even this commitment, refusing entry to many who were trying to flee Nazi occupied Europe and deporting them to places like Mauritius. At the end of the war 36,000 immigration certificates remained unused!

After World War II, hundreds of thousands of survivors of the Holocaust were denied their right to return to their own Land, at a time when they had nowhere else to go – thus contravening the purpose for which their Land had been established. Not only deaths, but broken lives resulted for many.

Confirmation of the above, and other shocking facts (corroborated by witnesses who are still alive), can be gained through the documentary DVD set ‘The Forsaken Promise’, available through CFI Communications (see back cover for details).

7) In the post-war years, the British Government, which was opposed to a Jewish State, acted to make sure that the State would not survive. While denying Jews the arms with which to defend themselves, they were simultaneously training and arming the Egyptian and Jordanian armies. The Jordanian Arab Legion was, in fact, under the direct command of British Lt. General Sir John Bagot Glubb.

8) Circumstantial evidence suggests that some senior British government officials were prepared to preside over another genocide of the Jewish people – this time in the Middle East – just three years after the end of the Nazi Holocaust.

9) Quotation from ‘Removing the Stones’:“It was the spring of 1948 – May 14 – a time Jerusalem will never forget. The newspapers, TV, and radio teams from five continents had virtually taken over the City. They had all booked rooms at hotels for two, perhaps three weeks. They were convinced this was time enough to accomplish their mission. What was their mission?”

“They wanted to report to their readers, viewers and listeners the birth and death of the State of Israel. All agreed that three weeks would be ample time to cover the event. The pessimistic ones said that Israel was a child to be stillborn on May 14th.

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The optimistic ones said that, with luck, Israel might last until the end of May. The wildest optimist among them said maybe even until June.”

“These people were not inexperienced journalists and reporters out on their first story; they believed they knew what they were saying. Even such a military expert as Field Marshal Montgomery made the remark at a press conference on that day: ‘The Jews are done for!’ No doubt any of his colleagues from the West, North, or South would have shared his opinion. In order to understand the reason for his pessimism, a mere glance at the map of the Near East will provide the answer.”

“At that time Israel occupied less than one per cent of the Near East. It was as if tiny Luxembourg were to be attacked by France, Germany and Belgium. This was Israel’s predicament in 1948, for on that day Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia attacked her. The ratio was 40-1: forty armed enemies against one Israeli, most of whom had been called from the fields, without armament matching that of their attackers.”

“Someone made the remark, ‘A general who goes into the fight with a ratio of 40-1 against is ripe for a psychiatrist, not for the battlefield!’ But Israel had no choice! They had nowhere to withdraw, no possibility of waiting for a more suitable opportunity. So it happened that Israel had to tackle ‘the impossible’, ‘the ridiculous,’ ‘the absurd.’ Everyone knows the outcome of that war. And in the years since that war Israel has been compelled to repeat the fight (many times)”.(“Removing The Stones” – Page 116 – Mary Hajos: CLC-USA, 1976 – currently Out of Print)

God’s Urgent Call To BritainThe following section is an adapted transcription from audio tape of a message given by the late Derek Prince in Jerusalem on 1st June 2003. Derek Prince was born in India of British parents. He was educated as a scholar of Greek and Latin at Eton College and Cambridge University, England, where he held a Fellowship in Ancient and Modern Philosophy at King’s College. He also studied Hebrew and Aramaic, both at Cambridge University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

He was the author of over 40 books, over 450 audio and 150 video teaching cassettes, many of which have been translated and published in more than 60 languages. Derek’s main gift was explaining the Bible and its teaching, in a clear and simple way. His non-denominational, non-sectarian approach has made his teaching equally relevant and helpful to people from all racial and religious backgrounds.

Through his booklet, ‘Our Debt to Israel’, and his spoken messages, Derek Prince has awakened Christians throughout the world to their responsibility to Israel and the Jewish people. His book, ‘The Last Word on the Middle East’, examines in

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detail prophecies currently being fulfilled and expounds God’s plan for the Middle East as the age draws to its close. On 24th September 2003 Derek died in his sleep at his home in Jerusalem.The message he gave just three months earlier, was to be his last one. He said: ‘God says in Ezekiel chapter 36, beginning at verse 24, to the people of Israel, to the Jewish people, “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.” One thing the Bible does not leave in doubt is to whom the land belongs. Other people don’t see it that way.

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of you, out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will know my decrees.” God has said, “You will change”. When I was confirmed by the Bishop of Oxford I still had the old heart. I was a confirmed sinner. I tried hard but it didn’t work. When God put a new spirit within me it was natural to walk in His ways, so that’s what has to happen to the Jewish people.

Now, I want to say one more thing. From Isaiah chapter 60, this again is addressed to the Jewish people, about Israel. “The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I struck you, but in My favour I have had mercy on you. Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession.” Now this is the verse I want to come to. “For the nation and kingdom which shall not serve you, shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined.” Who is ‘you’? Israel! This is not a little matter, the destiny of many nations including Britain depends on it, where we respond to what God is doing for Israel. God is changing the whole governmental order. He is raising up a new governmental system. He’s putting new people in place; and our destiny is going to depend on how we respond. I’ve been so grateful for that.

“A nation and a kingdom who will not serve you shall perish.” Who is ‘you’? Israel! That’s very hard for British people to digest. We’ve had an empire which has largely evaporated, and we are used to governing people. A nation like England who will not serve Israel, shall perish, and I think that time is very close. I’m deeply concerned about the way the Word of God is being handled in Britain.

What is called “Replacement Theology”, is directly contrary to what it says here, and unless Britain repents, it will perish. Very few people can take this seriously.

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The truth of the matter is, we determine our destiny on how we respond to what God is doing for Israel. “The nation and the kingdom that will not serve you, re-gathered Israel, will perish”. Those nations shall be utterly ruined!

I don’t live in Britain, (but) I don’t have the impression that many Christians are being raised to warn the British people about their attitude to Israel.

It’s very, very serious, and I’m asking you British, ‘What are you doing with your voices, are you speaking out, are you praying, or are you just watching things slide?’ (In God’s grace.) Just let me read that again. “For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish and those nations shall be utterly ruined”. Could that happen to Britain? It will, there’s a great deal of arrogance; we can’t believe that God really requires us to humble ourselves, submit ourselves to Him, to His requirements. That really is the message that is on my heart. “A nation and a kingdom which will not serve you shall perish.” (It’s) very, very clear. “You” is restored Israel, and God is going to set up a new order of government and nations will take their places. At the moment I see very little hope for Britain.

I know wonderful people, like some of you, who are really open. Are you really concerned about your nation? Amongst you, how much thought do you (give), how much prayer do you spend, praying for Britain?

How many times when you go to church do you hear a message on the judgement of God? So God has given up judging you? Or has the Church given up preaching it?

I didn’t plan to preach this message. I wonder whether it would be good to spend a little time repenting, on behalf of Britain. Few nations have been so favoured by God as the British, and in some ways we’ve responded, but right now we are on top of a slippery slope, which will lead us to disaster. I don’t live in Britain. I don’t know how many churches are warning the British people. If Replacement Theology does away with it [Israel], it would be very convenient if it were true, but it isn’t. It’s the most absurd concoction that you could ever think of. It’s not my business to deal with it, but it is your business.”Copies of Derek’s original recording can be purchased on audio cassette or CD from CFI Communications (see back cover for details).

It is the sincere hope and prayer of the Love Never Fails network of ministries that this booklet will lead you to consider the issue of God’s call to Britain, and the grievance He has with us concerning His people Israel.

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Love Never Fails is a network of over twenty Christian ministries in Britain. The coalition is based on their common involvement with and love for the Jewish people and the Land of Israel, according to God’s expressed heart in the Bible for His representative people, the Children of Israel.

We are grateful to Ken Burnett, who founded Prayer for Israel in 1969, and currently is an advisor to Shofar Foundation International, for the major contribution he has made to this publication.

Love Never Fails is a project of CFI Charitable TrustRegistered Charity No. 1101899

Co-supported by:

Bridges for PeaceChesed International MinistriesChristian Friends of Israel UKChristian Israel Public Action Campaign (UK)The Church’s Ministry Among Jewish PeopleDavid NoakesEbenezer Emergency Fund InternationalEvangelical Sisters of MaryFocus on IsraelGood News Travels – Exobus ProjectHatikvah Film TrustHephzibah FellowshipsInternational Christian Chamber of Commerce

International Christian Embassy JerusalemThe Joseph Storehouse TrustLydia Fellowship InternationalThe Messianic (Christian) Educational TrustNear East MinistriesPardes (Centre for Biblical and Hebraic Studies)Paul Heyman International MinistriesPrayer Warriors InternationalPresent Day PublishingRevelation TVShofar Foundation InternationalStreams in the DesertThird Name Link

Booklet Price: £1.00Published by

Love Never Fails

FURTHER RESOURCES

A THREE-HOUR DOCUMENTARY SERIES ABOUT THE BRITISH MANDATE PERIOD

BETWEEN 1918 AND 1948 IN THE TERRITORY THEN KNOWN AS PALESTINE

All of these items are available from:

CFI CommunicationsPO Box 2687 Eastbourne East Sussex BN22 7LZ

Tel: (01323) 410810 Fax: (01323) 410211Email: info@cfi.org.uk Website: www.cfi.org.uk

Price: £8.00 + P&P Price: £20.00 + P&P

“For The Love Of Zion”In a story which spans nearly two hundred years of turbulent history, Kelvin Crombie traces the unfolding of a simple, yet controversial vision: to see Jewish people find their Messiah within their own homeland.

“The Forsaken Promise”This 2-DVD disk set documents the failure of Britain, and its appointed institutions and officials, to fulfil her pledge under the Balfour Declaration and her legal obligations under League of Nations Mandate to establish a Jewish National Homeland in the territory then known as “Palestine”.

TWO Messages for the Price of ONE:Audio Cassette - £3.00 + P&P

Audio CD - £4.00 + P&P

“Call To Britain”A recording of the last message that the late Derek Prince preached, just three months before his ‘homecall’ in Septemer 2003. In this short, but vitally important talk, Derek

challenges the Church in the UK to repentance over its unbiblical attitude to the Jewish people, and to rediscover God’s purposes for the Land of Israel.

“Britain: A Nation Called By God”This booklet is an expanded form of a recorded message by Ken Burnett, founder of Prayer for Israel, and currently advisor to Shofar International.