Holl-08 De Dood en Opstanding Van Israël (The Death and Resurrection of Israel) — Art Katz

So Lord, delight your own soul, and those that are around the throne of heaven, that there might be a rejoicing there for the heavenly reality to which the church itself is called, as a prophetic entity in the world whose life is not its own, whose words are not their own, whose mood is not their own, the expression of yourself, the testimony of Jesus, the spirit of prophecy.

The Church as a Prophetic Entity

So I invite you not only to proclaim and set it forth, but to demonstrate it. For the prophet is the thing in himself. And Israel's life will one day depend on it. In the mystery of God. Bring the church to this reality.

And dispel our own fanciful expectations. Sober us. In reality. For the world is dying for the want of it. And we thank you and give you the praise. In Yeshua's name. So I have not had a good night's sleep since I have arrived in Holland.

I don't know how to explain it. I'm just up after three hours after I put my head on the pillow. So I'm continually tired. And weak. And in a strange mood because of that. And you would say, well, that's just circumstantial.

But I would say it's the sovereignty of God. Who does not think it too extravagant to disturb a prophet's sleep. In order to affect his condition. So that he is almost beside himself. He is too tired to be in control.

And simply has to trust. Whatever will be expressed. Through that fatigue. In keeping with the mind of the Lord. For this once and for all occasion. That shall not be given again. Now if we just examine that statement.

For three sessions. We would have a full opportunity to examine the prophetic reality. God uses the daily circumstance of the prophetic man. The grit of his experience. Which seems accidental. But is divinely calculated.

To express something in particular. Given of God. For a moment. That will not be given again. What kind of mentality is that? Can we have this occasion again next year? Never. This is a once and for all.

And more than that. Eternity is hanging in the balance. Brother. You are a supreme egoist. You think that this occasion is that important? Yes. Every occasion is that important. Eternity is always at stake.

Eternity is always at stake. And that is as true for us as it is for you? To the degree that you are prophetic. Well if that is so brother. Who is sufficient for these things? Oh I am glad you ask that.

Because you have not yet ever asked that before. Up till now. You have been only too sufficient. You have already demonstrated and exhibited that tonight. You know how to do it. How to conduct worship.

Arrange services. Set up a seminar. Give introductions. Play admirably. Well that is all very nice. Humanly speaking. But it does not affect eternity. The issue of eternity is the glory of God. The issue of eternity is the glory of God.

Not satisfying meetings. And who is sufficient for that? The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. And it demands His life. His inimitable character. Even when He is not the subject. He is still being demonstrated.

And it is strange. Strange for the speaker. Because he does not know what his next word is. I have to smile to myself. They have it all nicely laid out. Topic by topic. Of what the prophetic thing is.

And I probably could perform it. But we will have missed it. Because it is unpredictable. It has nothing to do with our control. It is not an instruction. It is an event. See one day. You are going to be required to raise Israel from the dead.

Or you did not know that. If you knew it. The whole character and substance of what you are about. Every week would be radically altered. But you have not considered your own prophetic destiny. And if you had.

Everything would have been calculated to obtain it. You would have been careful to avoid anything that you could perform. You would have been conscious of your inadequacy. Because the day is coming. When Israel is going to be stone cold dead.

Yes the present nation. With all of its present vitality. And impressiveness. High tech civilization. Impressive Israeli defense forces. Will be as dry bones. And they themselves will say. We are cut off.

We are without hope. We are as dry bones. Have you ever heard a Jew admit that? Can you picture Israel admitting that? I want to prophetically predict. With a complete confidence. That that will come to pass.

Israel's Death and National Resurrection

And the factors that will bring Israel to that death. Are presently now being worked. The state of Israel is on its way to death. And it must die. For how shall there be a resurrection unless there is first a death?

For how shall there be a resurrection unless there is first a death? Or did you not think that a resurrection would be necessary? Or were you under the impression of the present state? Do you think that it will only get better?

And will become even more impressive? Shame on you. For such a shallow understanding. If you only want Israel to succeed. Do you think that they deserve to succeed? That they have learned enough? That they will have their own state?

Their own security? That is a very beautiful human thought. But there is only one thing wrong with it. It falls short of the glory of God. You are in error. Because you know not the scriptures. Nor the power of God.

Israel's destiny is not to succeed. It is to glorify God. And to bless all the families of the earth. And as you ought to know. That cannot be performed humanly. That cannot be performed religiously. Or culturally.

Even by Jews. It can only be performed. By the life of God himself. When his life has become the life of the nation. Upon his resurrection from the dead. You don't have much prophetic comprehension. Of the great mystery of the age.

Toward which we are moving. The great conclusion of the age. The consummation of the age. And if we were to be painfully truthful. And if we are not painfully truthful. How are we the church? But if we are truthful.

We would have to say, brother. I don't even think in those terms. I don't think in such grandiose terms. The conclusion of the ages. The great mystery of God. The consummation of all things. Why don't you?

That's prophetic thinking. That's prophetic anticipation. That's prophetic perspective. And if you lack that. How are you the church? You see why I have to be tired? Because when I'm tired. I'm careless.

I'm too tired to be correct. It doesn't matter if I offend. Because a man who does not offend is not prophetic. Not that we want to be offensive. But it's inherent in the call. So what do we read in Ezekiel 37?

The great prophetic book. Which we have not really studied. We'll run to Toronto. And we'll run to hear some current day prophet. Especially as a person of faith. But especially when there is a personal prophecy for us.

We are so fascinated. We do these prophetic things. Because we run to these people. What have you done with the prophetic texts? I'm suspicious of your motives. It smacks of spiritual self-interest. Looking for a titillating experience.

And neglecting the great prophetic texts. That indicates that Israel must die. So how does God fulfill then Israel's destiny? Has he not said that you'll be a nation of priests and light unto the world?

Has not Paul said that the gift and callings of God are irrevocable? Has God not spoken and made promises and covenant? And he's going to allow that nation to die? Yes. In order that those very words might be fulfilled.

Not on the basis of what men in themselves can perform. But what the power of his own life will bring forth. When the nation itself is brought to a newness of life. And given a new name. And called the ministers of God.

And will say with one voice. The Lord our righteousness. Oh that will bless all the families of the earth. In the day of that resurrection. The first national resurrection. An entire nation. Who are these slain?

These are the whole house of Israel. And they themselves acknowledge. We're without hope. We're cut off. We are as dry bones. All that we had hoped for. In the establishment of our own state. Has come to nothing.

The most painful disappointment. In what we had hoped to illustrate to the world. Is the most painful failure. And we had to see that and know that. Because such an endeavor can not succeed. Without God.

So how is God going to do this? How is God going to raise that nation from the dead? Because this nation will have the obligation. To make him known to all peoples. How shall we say that we know God? If we don't know him as the God who raises the dead.

And we ourselves don't know God. And we don't know him as we should. Yes, we know the doctrine of resurrection. But until we ourselves are raised from death. How shall we testify of him? In that authentic and penetrating witness.

That is available only to those who have passed from death to life. By his power. So you know what the first task of the prophet is? To kill. To bring death. His word slays. Pluck up, uproot, destroy.

And then build and plant. The first function of the prophetic proclamation. Is the word that brings death. And will you bring it? Will you be obedient and faithful? Remember the call of Isaiah? Who saw the Lord high and lifted up.

The Prophetic Word of Judgment

A man of unclean lips. God touched his mouth with a coal from the altar. And he heard the Lord say, who shall go for us? Send me. Okay. Say this. In hearing you shall not hear. Your heart shall be hardened, you shall not understand.

Lest you be saved. The word that you're going to speak when I send you. Is a word of judgment. And because you speak it. Israel will be made deaf. His heart will be made hot. That it cannot understand.

That it cannot be saved. You still want to be a prophet? How long Lord? Until. The cities be without inhabitants. And the whole land be destroyed. And all its inhabitants be cast out. That's how long your judgment will remain with that nation.

Because you speak it. It becomes an event for Israel. Of a judgment. That will remain. Until a final devastation. And then there will be a return. How about Israel's first prophet Samuel? A boy. And the Lord called him.

And he thought it was the old man calling him. And he ran back again to the old man. To the priest who was on his way out. And the priest knew that this was the Lord calling. If you hear your name called again.

Here's what you ought to say. Speak Lord. Your servant is hearing. And the boy became a man. When the Lord spoke. And said tell this old priest. That a judgment is coming. And he will be brought down.

And his priesthood ended. And generations will suffer because of his sin. Because he was unable to control his son. So in the morning. The old priest said to Samuel. What did the Lord say? And Samuel did not withhold.

And a single word. That God spoke in judgment. And in that day. A prophet came to Israel. And the Lord said. This is more than an accident. This is a pattern. It's a paradigm. That the true prophetic calling.

Begins in our having to speak. What we would least desire to speak. Say that again. Begins with our having to speak. What we least desire to speak. The word that will offend men. The word that will disappoint men.

The judgments of God. The word of death. And we are to speak the words of life. That will raise Israel from the dead. We have first to be obedient. To speak to things that are painful. So the day comes.

When Israel is dry bones. It's on its way now. This crisis of violence in Israel. Is the beginning. It will not get better. Maybe for a moment. Historically. But in the end. The Palestinian and Islamic hatred.

Will have its satisfaction. And Israel will be ground to powder. And defeated and humiliated. And brought to a death. And then God will turn to a son of man. To prophesy to these bones. That they might live.

He'll not speak it himself. No. He has got to employ a son of man. A trembling prophetic human being. Who has not even the faith to believe. That those bones could live. Son of man, could these bones live?

Lord, you know. You know. Some prophet that is. What kind of faith is that? It's a faith that has its limitation. But needs to break into a deeper dimension. The faith of the son of God. That alone believes that those bones can live.

For the prophet will be brought to that place. Where you can't tell where the prophet ends and where God begins. For the Lord's word is his word. And the Lord's faith is his faith. And it's a faith that even works by love.

Not sentiment. The love of God. For the prophet is in union with God. For the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. And when that prophet speaks. Those bones will be joined bone to bone. Flesh will be added.

The ruach will be given. And Israel will become an exegesis of God. And Israel will become an exegesis of God. I describe your future. And my own faith is failing. Can I believe that for you? That you can speak with one voice.

The word of the Lord. When he shall command it. With prophetic authority. Sufficient to raise the dead. A resurrection word itself. As a church that is the church of the resurrection. That has passed through its own deaths.

That has experienced the power of God's life. And moves and lives and has its being in him. That's the consummation of the age. A restored nation raised from the dead. Through a church that has come to an ultimate place in God.

A prophetic place. Where you cannot say where the church ends and where God begins. It's more than charismatic. It's more than Pentecostal. It's more than full gospel. And such a prophetic church is not made in a day.

Psalm 82 and Psalm 83 as a Prophetic Framework

Well, I hadn't planned to say any of these things. I told the brother I was going to speak from Psalm 82 and 83. And I don't know if we should even begin this now. But will you do your homework? Will you read these two Psalms?

Which were my Psalms for today. What do you mean by that? I'll read your Psalms. Because I read the Psalms every day. It's my devotional reading. It's my devotional reading. And what is today's date? This is the 12th day.

And so Psalm 82 came up for me. And then my eye fell on Psalm 83. This is typically prophetic. That God will use the raw material. Of the life of the prophetic man. His experience, the things that come before him.

Arriving in Amsterdam and his luggage doesn't arrive. And so he's got to spend time filling out a report for his lost luggage. The first time. In all the trips to Amsterdam. The first time, no luggage.

And there's a train to catch. In order to get out to Northern Holland. Where a brother is waiting for me. So I hadn't missed that train. And take the next an hour later. And that train never got to its destination.

We stopped. And we're waiting. Is this typical? Finally, the men, the conductors came through the train. Take your luggage. Everyone off the train. There's a gas leak. And so I had to take everything.

The books and my roll-on. And with a bad cold. Without having slept through the night. And carry that all through the length of the train. Out to the platform. Waiting for a bus. You know what a prophet knows?

Nothing is an accident. He has a complete confidence. In the total sovereignty of God. And if the train has been interrupted. Which I should not even have taken. If my luggage had come in. Then this is the day of the Lord.

Something is being divinely ordered. For which we need patiently to wait. And not to be exasperated. But wait for the unfolding of the Lord. Because you believe all this is for you. And is not circumstance.

So I'm waiting on the platform. For the bus to come. I don't understand a word of Dutch. I hardly know what they are explaining. But my eye catches a man with a cell phone. And he's talking on a cell phone.

To someone to explain why he's being delayed. And my spirit leaps. When I see him my spirit leaps. And I go over to him. And I say. I need an act of mercy. Would you be so kind. As to call this number on your cell phone.

And explain in Dutch why it is I'm being delayed. Or be happy to pay you the expense. Oh no he said. And so he did it. And of course you get into conversation. He's a retired doctor. On their way back from California.

Where they have visited their son. And they want to know who I am. And where am I going. And why am I here. And I said you know. I'm carrying a box of books. It's my new book in Dutch. I would love to give you a copy.

And I did. And then they said. Now follow us on the bus. We have to get to Zwolle. And then another train. All the way to Beilen. And we were together the whole train. And so I'm not sitting opposite.

But alongside him. And there's a woman. Looking at me. I said would you like my book also. Well yes. What do you want for it. My gift. She's a psychologist. From the Dutch Orthodox Church. The Reformed Church.

And one word leads to another. And she's interested in the Holocaust. I said oh I have a book on that subject also. But only in English. But your English is good enough. If you come to tomorrow night's meeting.

I'll give you a copy. More took place on that train. Than I could tell you. And I said to this doctor. I looked him right in the eye. I said to this doctor. Looking him right in the eye. This breakdown of the train.

Was for your sake. I don't have any accidents in my life. And it is not too extravagant from God. To stop an entire train. And inconvenience all those people. And this servant also. In order to bring before you something.

From which you will not be able to turn. I said you dear man. 36 years ago. I was a Jewish Atheist and a Marxist. And I was apprehended by God. In exactly this way. Off the side of the road. Picked up by strangers.

For the so great eternal salvation. Pray for this doctor. And his dear wife. And this lady psychologist. And the young man who is the bicycle maker sitting near her. And on the bus to the next train in Zwolle.

Two seats away from me. An intelligent looking man. A professional looking man. I spoke right to him directly. I said so much for modern civilization. How often do you have these breakdowns? He said more frequently than I care to say.

I said the whole world is coming to breakdown. Can I give you a gift? Here is my book. The issue of eternity is so great. It is not extravagant of God. To stop a train. So read Psalm 82 and 83. Tomorrow morning Lord willing I'll speak from it.

Read it as you have never read the scriptures. Because I know that you don't read as you ought. Ponder and reflect upon what is being said. Because Psalm 82. Gives a perception from the heavenly side.

Of the issue of God's government. The counsel of those that are called the sons of God in heaven. In Psalm 83. Is the outworking on the earth. Between these two Psalms. You can have the whole overview.

The Cosmic View of God's Government

The dimensions, the boundary. Of a cosmic view of the faith. Which unless you have this. And live out of such a perspective. How shall you be prophetic? You need to understand the heavenlies. And the earth.

And the majesty of God in both places. The cosmic view. Of ultimate reality. Of the things that are not seen. That affect every issue in the earth. Needs to come into your consciousness. As the dimensions of your faith.

In which your life is being acted out. In that context. As the church. That is more than a succession of services. Read these texts. And tomorrow we'll pray. God will open them. And enter you into such a dimension of understanding.

That will ruin everything. Affect everything. And the church needs so to be affected. For it has a destiny. That pertains to God's glory. And we are at that threshold. So I want to pray. For the church.

And the expression that you are. In this locality. In this great Holland. That has always been a savior to oppressed peoples. Has taken in Jews in their flights from persecution. Has sought to save a remnant of them even from the Nazi time.

Will again be given opportunity. To show it's particular character. In mercy to Jews. Not out of sentimental obligation. But out of prophetic maturity. To not only aid Jews but explain to Jews. The prophetic meaning of their present last day suffering.

Prayer for Holland, the Church, and Israel

So Lord I pray blessing on these children. What a beginning you've given us. Who could have ordered it. How disappointing. And yet. And yet. There's a certain excitement in our spirit. This is going to be a different time.

This is going to be something unpredictable. With a beginning like this. Where will this end? Where will we be taken? What understanding will we be given? That requires the re-examination of everything that we thought to believe.

But we're willing. So we thank you Lord. You are the Alpha and the Omega of our faith. You've given us this strange beginning tonight. Because you know the end from the beginning. And we trust you for that.

For we have not come to be entertained. Or even to be instructed. We have come to be transformed. And be brought into a prophetic dimension. That will enable our destiny to be fulfilled. Bless us through the night hours.

Grant us the spirit of prayer and supplication. To intercede for this weak and tired vessel that you've brought. That you'll bring forth through him. Those explicit things intended for this time. For there'll not be another time like it.

It's a once and for all. Eternity is at stake. Delight your own soul. And give us an event in God. That is holy. And appointed in time. For the church of this nation. Thank you for the privilege. And the responsibility.

That follows. Seal tonight. Set in motion what you will. A new kind of tension. A strange kind of anticipation. Not so comfortable. And yet. Beyond words. Beyond our ability to define. Disappoint us if you will.

But open a new dimension. For which we'll be eternally grateful. And we thank and give you the praise. That we are so appointed. Because of your love. In Jesus name. Amen.