O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM...

By

Mary J. Craig

February, 1999

Dear Friend of Mary Craig Ministries,

March 9 my husband Jim, Susan Smith, Donna Lambertus, and I travel to Jerusalem, the city the psalmist called “the joy of the whole earth.” (Psalm 48:2) Like other MCM missions, this one is being organized by the Holy Spirit. It has come about because of a time in prayer January 6th. During that time, I received a clear call to “go to Israel” to the east gate, the gate that is now locked, and to open the gate [spiritually]. I understood this to mean that as I prayed for this gate to open, God would do His part as He pleased concerning this gate. I was then instructed to ask God to break the blood curses; that He would now lift the self-imposed curses and those He has imposed concerning the Jewish peoples so that they might come to Him at this time. I then had a vision of people streaming through this east gate, in twos, and threes, and fours, from everywhere. When I asked what was on the other side of this gate, the glory of God enveloped me…and then I understood.

Now, I myself have not devoted a lot of time to the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the end times. I figured that no one really seemed to get it exactly right the first time around and so, we are all probably off track about the second time around. My husband and I have set ourselves to the tasks we know: to watch and pray, to be ready, to take this gospel to every creature, etc. So, I don’t really have an eschatology with charts and diagrams and certainties and all that. When I had this mandate given, I didn’t have any pre-conceived ideas. It just wasn’t my theology, or my focus, but like you, I seek the truth.

As we travel to Israel, we go because I was told to “go.” It’s not a travel trip, the “Israel Tour,” the usual. It is specific. It is what the Holy Spirit wants done. The nation will be “called in.” The directives will be followed, God willing. I will focus on my specific obedience and leave the results to God as God gives grace.

In his book, Jerusalem in Prophecy, Dr. Randall Price states: “Jerusalem has been the stage for 36 wars and has endured over 20 sieges and blockades. Its hills have been leveled, its valleys filled, its buildings and Temple burned, its priests and people slain in the streets, sold into slavery, and exiled. The entire city has been reduced to rubble 17 times, rebuilt 18 times, and has suffered through two periods of desolation and Diaspora.” (page 160) No wonder the psalmist David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit left to us this legacy:

Our MCM team will enter Israel through the Ben-Gurion Airport. I understand that after passing through passport control, you are greeted by a huge and colorful tapestry that depicts masses of peoples streaming into the gates of the City of Jerusalem. On this tapestry, in Hebrew, is a prophetic text from Jeremiah, “’There is hope in your future,’ says the Lord, ‘that your children shall come back to their own border.’” (Jeremiah 31.17) In this chapter, Jeremiah describes those who “shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the Lord.” (v. 12)

Paul goes on in Romans 9-11 how Israel rejected Christ, of his great sorrow and continual grief over his brethren according to the flesh, from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came. Israel stumbled at that stumbling stone, not perceiving the righteousness of faith but rejecting the gospel.

But God has not cast away His people, because Paul himself is an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Indeed, there is a remnant according to the election of grace (Romans 11:5). Paul says that salvation has come to the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy. (Romans 11:11) He compares the Gentiles to a wild olive tree grafted in, not supporting the root, but being supported by the root (Romans 11:17, 18). Don’t be haughty, you Gentiles, but fear. Blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Then what?

God has planned the future. Ancient stones cry out Jerusalem’s past and modern construction shows us that God has today and tomorrow under His control. Yes, prophecy answers questions about where things are headed and what’s going to happen, and where we are on the road map. Prophecy is the means God has given to authenticate His truth. (Isaiah 41:21, 23; 44:7, 8) The test of a god, or the god’s spokesperson, was whether or not the words came to pass (Deuteronomy 18:22). This was difficult, because sometimes the words didn’t come to pass for a hundred or more years! So, you could also question whose god they spoke for (Deut. 13:1-5, 18:20) and whether they spoke in conformity with previous revelations (Deut. 13:5; Isaiah 8:20), not their own, but in accord with all God had given previously (called the analogy of faith test).

There’s a lot of people going around right now focusing on end times prophecy. I certainly don’t have the answers, but I have made up a list of questions to help you discern true and false spokespersons, “prophets.” Before being quick to judge, remember to just fail the “true prophet” test. The majority have a mixture, what I call “pepper in the salt shaker.” As we subject ourselves to the correction of the Holy Spirit in an attitude of humility, and continue to be lovers of the truth in these last days, we will be less likely to be led astray or to lead astray. Continue to be a seeker of truth, of understanding, like Daniel, like Paul. Remember, false “prophets” --

1. Call themselves a prophet/ess. (Jeremiah 23:21; Deut. 13:1-4; Rev. 2:20), leading people astray into the worship of and obedience to another god, to dishonor the true God, His nature and purposes. (John 8; Galatians 1:6-9)

2. Claim their visions and words have their source in God, when in fact, they do not. (Jeremiah 23:25, 26; 27:9; 1 John 4:1-6)

3. Counsel rebellion, encourage immorality. (Jeremiah 23:22, 27:9; Rev. 2:20)

4. Carry selfish ambition, bitterness, envy in their hearts because they operate on the basis of false wisdom. (James 3; Acts 8:14-25)

5. Cater to the whims of their audience, speaking lies with shows of power, lying signs which lead astray through deception so people do not repent and return to God. (Jeremiah 5:31; 23; Luke 6:26; Mt. 24:24, e.g.)

6. Capitalize on the ministry, hawking the Holy Spirit and pressing the covenant for personal gain, seeking to profit rather than that the people of God would profit. (Jer. 23:32; Acts 8:14-25; Jude 11)

7. Can be cursed by God for giving evil advice. (Jeremiah 23:30-32; 29:21-23; Acts 13:6, 11)

8. Confront true prophets with false accusations, calling evil good and good evil. (John 8, 10, e.g.)

9. Cause people to go into error and trust in lies. (Jeremiah 23:13; Jeremiah 28:15)

10. Commit adultery and walk in lies so people do not turn back from wickedness. (Jeremiah 23:14)

11. Conspire against the LORD and against His anointed. (Psalm 2; John 10, 11:53; 1 John 4:1-6)

Jesus warned of those who appeared beautiful outwardly but inside were full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness, who outwardly appeared righteous to men but were inwardly full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. He said they witness against themselves, that on them comes all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah. Jesus lamented over Jerusalem:

See also Luke 11; 1 John 3:12-15; Jude 11.

The praise and glory go to God as I thank you for your response last month. It was truly a remarkable outpouring of love and prayers and offerings. I pray for those giving that you will indeed consider yourselves part of these missions and the ministry call of MCM to bring healing and restoration to the Body of Christ, to prepare the Bride for Jesus’ return, and to call the nations to repentance where the Holy Spirit sends us. Our expenses are great...for us…even though no one draws a salary and we have no overhead but printing and postage and radio production costs. There’s more we would like to do, but the Holy Spirit will lead you as to what your part is to be. I am confident that He is faithful, and He also will do it. His heart will guide your heart and hand to fulfill His desires and your destiny in Christ.

I love to read your letters…yes, MCM is small enough to be personal as well as large enough to be strategic. We are growing, but I pray we will not become “monstrous.” I enjoy praying for you and hearing from many of you. May God richly bless you as you join me in seeking His heart for Jerusalem.
Shalom!

Mary Craig

P. S. God graciously grants repentance that we might recover ourselves from every snare of Satan. Ask yourself, “What can Satan NOT do?” Write me, and join our little “survey says.”