When a winged creature betrays you

It’s best to prepare for rebuke

Saint.

The sun is shining…

Finally May is birthing the beauty we’ve longed for all winter.

And in the happy home, blissful calm nourishes us.

Yet…

May springs surprises on us too.

And reminds me to keep this burning thought close…

“Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak.”

James 1:19 KJV

Because if not, birds begin to fly. Here, there and… everywhere.

Especially when speaking behind someone’s back.

Specifically when the someone…

Is a Jew.

(My… how our sunny outlook darkens eh?).

So yes.

One day I stood full of conviction and instructed a brand new Christian to avoid a certain man* at our Church.

A Jew.

This despite him being well respected in the congregation.

Nevertheless.

I insistent as anything,

Warned this eager to learn newborn saint…

“Yeh, keep away from him, and all that Jewish stuff.

Okay he’s a Christian but er…

He’s, er… just… dodgy.”

Oh dear Alston…

Your rebuke shall be swift.

For it has been authorised from heaven where the Great One, who sees all and defends His servants with clean hands and pure heart…

Will answer you Himself.

Oh dear.

“Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.”

Isaiah 65:24 ESV

(NOTE: Sometimes GOD hears things from us He should not. Things which upset Him overcomer).

As such I shortly got both barrels.

Because.

One week later I was working in a certain town.

After calling on customers, we lingered in the warm May evening chatting pleasantly.

However, an old lady stood waiting to talk with me.

When she did she asked…

“Are you Dave Alston?”

I answered yes.

So she began…

“Why did you tell a man my son is ‘dodgy’ because he is Jewish?”

Thus as my judgement fell an icy dread swept over me.

Oh dear…

You’re busted Alston—Lock. Stock. Barrel.

Praise GOD for mothers!

Jewish mothers too ;)

And as she took me to task before all,

This scripture leapt to mind…

“Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.”

Ecclesiastes 10:20 ESV.

The bird (or other ‘winged creature’… hmmm… interesting that in Hebrew eh?) took my wicked words straight up to the throne of the King of Kings, LORD of Lords.

Yes to GOD incarnate.

He who is none other than the LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH.

The One seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High. (Hebrews 1:3).

And as we’ve just seen,

He answered me.

Ouch.

Not nice.

Yet 100% necessary to straighten out my antisemitism.

Therefore…

From then on my re-education by the Holy Spirit concerning who GOD really is began.

And just as importantly GOD showed me who HIS FAMILY IS.

The GOD who has named Himself by one surname in particular.

He attaches Himself to one family on earth…

Forever

His Name. His surname too is this…

The God of Abraham. The God of Isaac. The God of Jacob.

Or if you prefer it in snappier format…

The God of Israel.

Hence,

I love GOD for who He says He is…

• Not what I want to make Him into.

• Nor what my theology wants to frame Him as.

• Nor what my Church denomination claims Him as.

I love Him for what His Word says He is.

So as I read it, I agree with it.

And therefore I must agree with what the Apostle Paul says…

“I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.”

Romans 11:1-2

“Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

And in this way all Israel will be saved,

As it is written

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
    he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”

“And this will be my covenant with them
    when I take away their sins.”

Romans 11: 25-27 ESV

The LORD delivered me from antisemitism in the first year of my salvation. He led me to see the (inexplicable) hatred that I’d held deep in my heart toward the Jews.

Praise GOD though he set me free.

Just in time to meet and marry a Jewess who loves Jesus three years later :)

How great is the mystery of GOD.

When the Jews went through the gates into Auschwitz a sign above their heads read…

‘Work Makes You Free’

And when we glorious overcomer,

Enter the gates of the New Jerusalem what will we read?

The great mystery the Apostle warned us not to ignore…

That each gate we walk through is named by each one of the twelve tribes of ISRAEL.

For we gentiles through the Church are ADDED to His family which is Israel.

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands,

Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Ephesians 2:11-13 ESV

Lastly saint,

If the LORD GOD Almighty ever abandons Israel, or breaks His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob then know this…

He can just as easily abandon and break His promises to you.

If so why should we believe a word He says?

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.”

Revelation 21:10-13 ESV

Replacement Theology is a toxic poison. And a poisonous treachery against Jesus (Who is the living Word), straight from the pit of hell.

Don’t drink it.

For…

Winged creatures stand by, watching for every word, action or misstep they can take to the Law Courts of Heaven against well meaning, yet deceived Christians.

May you ever escape their traps.

Of which Replacement Theology is one of their most subtle.

Stay blessed saint. May the Spirit of Truth guide you into all truth.

The LORD is with you.

Dave.

PS *Pompous ass Alston. You were a Christian less than a year.

No wonder it’s taken the LORD 40 years to sort you out.