- 10Now I Jacob speak to you again, my dear people, about the righteous branch I’ve mentioned. 2The promises we’ve obtained are promises to us here on earth. Therefore I’ve been shown that many of our descendants will be lost here on earth because of unbelief. Nevertheless, God will be merciful to them, and our descendants will be recovered, so they can have revealed to them the truth about their Redeemer. 3Therefore, as I told you, it must necessarily be that Christ — and last night the angel told me this was to be His name — should come among the Jews, among those who are the more wicked part of the world. And they will crucify Him — because it’s essential for God — and no other nation on earth would crucify their God. 4Because if the mighty miracles were performed among other nations, they would repent and know He was God. 5But because of priestcrafts and iniquities, those at Jerusalem will be stubborn and hardened against Him, resulting in His crucifixion. 6As a result, destruction, famine, disease, and slaughter will befall them because of their iniquities. And those who aren’t destroyed will be scattered among all nations.
- 7But this is what the Lord God said: When the day comes that they believe in Me, that I Am the Messiah — for I’ve covenanted with their fathers — then they will be restored here on earth to the lands of their inheritance. 8And they will be gathered in from their long scattered state from islands and from the four corners of the earth. God has said: The Gentile nations will be great in My eyes in returning them to the lands of their inheritance. 9Indeed, the Gentile kings will be like foster fathers to them, and their queens will be like nursing mothers. Therefore the Lord has made great promises to the Gentiles, because He has decreed it, and who can argue against it? 10But God has said: This land will be a land for your inheritance and the Gentiles will also be blessed upon the land. 11This land will be a land of liberty for the Gentiles, and there won’t be any kings on the land who will oppress the Gentiles. 12I’ll fortify this land against all other nations. 13God has said: Those who fight against Zion will be destroyed. 14Those who try to establish a king in place of Me will perish, because I the Lord, the King of Heaven, will be their king; and I’ll be a light to those who hear My words forever.
- 15Therefore I must destroy secret works of darkness, murder, and abominations so that the covenants I’ve made with mankind can be fulfilled, which I’ll do for them while they’re living on earth. 16So those who fight against Zion — Jews or Gentiles, enslaved or free, male or female — will be destroyed. God has said: They are the whore of all the earth — those who aren’t for Me are against Me. 17I’ll fulfill the promises I’ve made to mankind, which I’ll do for them while they’re here on earth.
- 18So, my dear people, this is what God has said: I’ll use the Gentiles to afflict your descendants. Nevertheless, I’ll soften the Gentiles’ hearts, so they’ll be like a father and a mother to them. As a result, the Gentiles will be blessed and included with the house of Israel. 19I’ll dedicate this land to your descendants forever — and to those who are included with them — as their inherited land; because it’s a choice land to Me, more than all other lands. Therefore I’ll require all who live there to worship Me.
- 20Now, my dear people, since our merciful God has given us such great information about these things, let us remember Him and abandon our sins and not hang our heads down, because we aren’t rejected. Although we’ve been removed from our inherited land, we’ve been led to a better land; the Lord has made the sea our path and we’re on an island of the sea. 21But the Lord’s great promises include those who live on the islands of the sea. Therefore since it says islands, there have to be more than this one, and our fellow Israelites also inhabit them. 22The Lord God has led some of the house of Israel away from time to time according to His plan and faithfulness. And the Lord remembers all those who have been broken off; consequently, He remembers us also. 23So be of good cheer and remember you’re free to act for yourselves, to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. 24So, my dear people reconcile yourselves to God’s will, not to the will of the accuser and the flesh. And remember that after you’re reconciled to God, it’s only in and through God’s grace that you’re saved. 25Therefore may God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and from everlasting death by the power of the atonement, so you can be received into God’s eternal kingdom, so you can thank Him for divine grace. Amen.
Chapter 7