Anthony Staus

ISRAEL

The Bible says that the nation of Israel is God’s personal nation. Israel will always be God’s people and nation (see Genesis 17:8). Israel will continue to exist, both spiritually and ethnically, in this current age as well as the age to come (see Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Ezekiel 47:13-23).

In the Bible, Israel is presented as an ark among the sea of fallen nations.

“But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.” (Deuteronomy 32:9, ESV)

“And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods?” (2 Samuel 7:23, ESV)

The angel who administrates over the nation of Israel is the archangel Michael (see Daniel 12:1). Michael is a holy angel loyal to God.

THE MESSIAH

Through Israel, the Messiah comes to redeem the world.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7, ESV)

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5-6, ESV)

“‘And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10, ESV)

NOTE: In Isaiah 9:6, the title “Everlasting Father” is figurative and does not have the same meaning as “God the Father.” Isaiah 22:21 uses “father” in a similar way to how “Father” is used in Isaiah 9:6. In Isaiah 9:6, the title “Mighty God” is literal—this exact same title refers to God in Isaiah 10:21, and can be compared with Deuteronomy 10:17, Nehemiah 9:32, and Jeremiah 32:18.

The Messiah described in Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 53:5-6, and Zechariah 12:10 is God, Mashiach of Israel. The Messiah is the second Person of the Trinity, who is referenced throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Genesis 19:24, Psalm 2:10-12, Psalm 45:6-7, Amos 4:11, etc.).

“Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” (Genesis 19:24, ESV)

NOTE: In Genesis 19:24, the Hebrew for “LORD” is YHWH in both instances—YHWH is the name of God. In this verse, there are two Persons and they are both God.

For more on the Trinity, see “Doctrine of the Trinity” located within the “(1.5) Christian Doctrine” section.

For more about the Messiah, I would recommend the following resource:

“The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy: Studies and Expositions of the Messiah in the Old Testament” by Michael Rydelnik (Editor), Edwin Blum (Editor).

People living in the ancient Near East believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. They believed that He fulfilled (messianic) prophecies that were written long before His arrival.

“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:10-12, ESV)

The oldest surviving manuscript of Isaiah is thought to originate between 356-100 BCE.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaiah_Scroll

Christians believe that the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31 was established through Jesus of Nazareth—the letter to the Hebrews talks about this in more detail (e.g., Hebrews 8).

“‘Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,” (Jeremiah 31:31, ESV)

To fulfill the Old Mosaic Covenant and establish the New Covenant, the Messiah would have to be a member of the Godhead/Trinity (e.g., Isaiah 9:6), a descendant of David (e.g., Isaiah 9:7), die for the sins of the people (e.g., Isaiah 53:6-9), and be resurrected (e.g., Isaiah 53:10-12). Christians believe that all these prophecies are fulfilled in/by Jesus of Nazareth.

CHRISTIAN ISRAEL

The Bible says that when gentiles become genuine Christians—genuine believers in the Jewish Messiah—they are spiritually grafted into Israel.

“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.” (Romans 11:17-18, ESV)

“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)

“Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.” (Revelation 12:17, ESV)

NOTE: In Revelation 12:17 the “woman” is Israel (Compare Revelation 12:1 to Genesis 37:9). Notice how Christians are referred to as her “offspring.”

According to ancient Christianity, Jesus will return at some point in the future (compare Daniel 7:13-14 to Matthew 24:30 and Matthew 26:63-65). Shortly after Jesus’ return, He will rule the entire planet from the nation of Israel (Christian interpretation of Isaiah 9:6-7, Daniel 7:13-14, and Daniel 7:27).

“‘I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14, ESV)

NEPHILIM GIANTS

To emphasize Israel’s destiny as a small nation that overcomes the fallen world, numerous analogies are provided throughout the Bible.

There are several battles between Israelites and Nephilim giants—God’s people verses the fallen angel’s people.

The editorial note in Numbers 13:33 tells us that the Anakim were Nephilim. In Joshua 11:21, the Anakim are defeated by the Israelites. In Joshua 11:22, it is said that some of the Anakim remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.

Most people are familiar with the story of “David and Goliath.” Goliath was from Gath which may suggest he was Nephilim. David, a small Israeli shepherd boy, defeats a fallen worldly giant—an analogy of Israel’s national destiny to overcome the fallen world.

NOTE: See 2 Samuel 21:15-22 for more battles with giants.

Prominent historians would mention giants in their writing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thucydides

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0003.tlg001.perseus-eng3:6.2.1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laestrygonians

In book 5, chapter 2, verse 3 of Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus describes giants as having a surprising countenance and a skeletal structure contrary to humans (I regard Josephus as a secular source ONLY. I would recommend that other people do the same).

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/ant-5.html

I disagree with Brien Foerster’s views on religion, science, etc... However, I think his inquiry into abnormal skulls is somewhat intriguing when contemplating the unusual nature of the past.

(note: I do not agree with the host's statements at the beginning of the video)

Some people believe that the Nephilim still walk among us today (an extremely diluted form of them)—I do not share this belief. One might argue that Daniel 2:43 suggests the possibility of their return. In the event of such an occurrence, Christians are called to spread the gospel. Christians are not called to physically engage/fight with Nephilim or any other people for that matter. Christians are called to live in peace as best they can.

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:17-18, ESV)