A New Testament published by the Danish Bible Society has removed the name Israel, except in one place. Called Bible 2020, it replaces Israel with “Jews,” “the land of the Jews,” or an alternative generic term. Reviewer Jan Frost says that “the publishers justified the change by claiming that the ‘Israel’ referred to in the Bible is not the same as Israel today.” “Elaine Duncan, Global Council Chairperson of the Bible Society, noted that the new edition has already been downloaded to more than 90 countries, which she considered to be a great success at moving towards what she described as a ‘global church’” (“Lutherans Publish New Version,” BreakingIsraelNews, Apr. 20, 2020). This reminds us that the United Bible Societies, of which the Danish Bible Society is a member, are radically ecumenical and are at the forefront of building the apostate one-world “church.” (For documentation see Unholy Hands on God’s Holy Book, available as a free eBook from www.wayoflife.org.) The name “Israel” is mentioned 70 times in the Greek New Testament, and Israel was already apostate then, which is why she called for the crucifixion of her own Messiah. At the dawn of Israel’s history as a nation, after she left Egypt but before she entered her own land, Moses prophesied that Israel would disobey God’s law, be evicted from her land, be scattered throughout the nations in a spiritually blind, difficult condition, and then return to the land. See Deuteronomy 28:15-67 and 30:1-9. This is exactly what has happened, proving that Bible prophecy is to be interpreted literally. So it is THE SAME ISRAEL that came out of Egypt and entered the Promised Land and that was evicted from the land by Rome in the second century AD and that has lived among the nations for 2,000 years, that has returned in modern times. Old Testament prophecy explains that Israel must return to the land in an apostate condition in order to set the stage for the Antichrist and the Third Temple (Daniel 9:27). The “Valley of Dry Bones” prophecy in Ezekiel 37 teaches that Israel will return in two stages, first spiritually dead, and then spiritually converted. Stage one is fulfilled; stage two waits in the wings. “And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army” (Eze. 37:8-10).
(Friday Church News Notes, April 24, 2020, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)