In October 2023 we’ve seen extraordinary events in Israel, Australia and the nations.
See: https://partnersinprayer.org.au/from-repentance-to-covenant-and/
It’s a crucial time to listen to your Father’s voice and say, pray and do only what your Father is saying.
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. and He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.” Daniel 2:20-22
Story 1. The Forbidden Tree: Our Father’s Covenant Promises to Save His Children from Evil
Once upon a time, at the beginning of recorded time, your family tree began in a garden. Our father is good, creative, loving and kind and he made a garden for his son and daughter, our common ancestors. He gave them free will and the authority to care for the earth and in the evenings, they walked with our father in the garden– showing him what they’d found and done. Genesis 2 If this happy time echoes as deep longing in your heart, it’s because you belong here and your father is calling you to return.
Our father asked his children not to eat from one tree in the garden, because he does not want us to know evil. But we distrusted and disobeyed our father and invited evil into our family story – costing us our innocence, identity and intimacy with our father in the garden and introducing hard work, pain, loss and death. Evil lies, accuses, steals, kills and destroys. The first son born outside the garden was enraged by violent evil and murdered his brother.
From the beginning our father promised he would save his family from evil through his son who would be born on earth. Genesis 3:15 God saves us when we let him – when we choose to trust and obey our father as our defender and provider. A covenant is a two way promise that is offered, received and fulfilled. Our story is a long story of our father’s protection and guidance to save our family again and again from bondage, brokenness and the battle of evil against good.
Our father rescued Noah and his family from a spiritual power of evil violence – which is ‘hamas’ in Hebrew.1 To save his people God has to destroy their enemies. “The earth was depraved and putrid in God’s sight, and the land was filled with ‘hamas’ violence – desecration, infringement, outrage, assault, and lust for power.” Genesis 6:11 AMP
Despite God’s covenant with Noah, Genesis 9:17 his descendants soon distrusted God and united to rebel against him at Babel. So our father dispersed the people across the earth according to “their clans, their nations, and their languages.” Genesis 11 These First Nations in the new regions continued to rebel – offering unholy covenants, idolatrous worship, sexual and blood sacrifice to false gods, fallen angels and spirit powers, empowering them to become the territorial principalities that still drain life from First Nation people today.2
About 4000 years ago our father found a faithful son and God covenanted to Abraham and His Seed, his descendants through Israel, the Promised Land of Canaan.3
“Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3
“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” Genesis 17:4-8
The spiritual power of evil violence ‘hamas’ struck Israel again through the Baal worshipping Shechemites, 1700-1200 BCE Judges 9:34,57 and through the Egyptians Joel 3:19 until Moses led Israel out of 400 years of slavery in Egypt and through the desert wars into the Promised Land in c1250 BCE. When the Israelites faced enslavement again, by Babylon Jeremiah 51:35 c587-538 BCE, God promised a new covenant.
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34
Then the Romans, Ottomans, Greeks, British sought to dominate, destroy and divide the land of Israel.4a Evil through the spirit power of ‘hamas’ violence still seeks to cut off the lineage and heritage of Israel our family, to deny the boundaries of the Promised Land and to destroy our father’s plans for his people.4b
In the midst of the present Israel war, God prepared a way for the nations of the earth to re-covenant themselves to him through their First Nations people.7 It is a critical time for each nation – each of us – to choose to be covenanted with God as his people!
Evil still lies, accuses, steals, kills and destroys. Evil still deceives people into idolatry, demonic covenants, sexual sin and the killing of innocent lives. Evil still tempts us all to hold offence – hatred, anger, bitterness, judgement and unforgiveness, but we can choose to be unoffendable.5
Would you rather know evil? Or would you rather know God as your father?
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Matthew 6:9-13
Story 2. The Olive Tree: The Son and His Invitation to Join His Covenant Family
Once upon a time, dear Jewish brothers and sisters, a Messiah was promised to your people. And around 2020 years ago, our father’s promised son was born into the tribe of Israel. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 Yeshua said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
A core group of followers acknowledged Yeshua as the Beloved Son of God, but the established priesthood in Israel demanded the death of their awaited Messiah. John 8:37 Remember evil through the spirit power of ‘hamas’ violence seeks to cut off the lineage and heritage of our family and to destroy our father’s plans for his people. The Lamb of God was crucified in Jerusalem at Passover. John 1:29, Mark 14:12, Revelation 5:5
Yeshua’s blood sealed a new covenant between our father and His people. ”After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.” Luke 22:20 “Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing.” Galatians 3:13, Isaiah 53 Yeshua died for our sins and offers us his resurrected life and adoption into his family as the children of his father. Romans 8:14-17, 10:9, John 8:35-36, Galatians 3:28-29
Yeshua’s Jewish disciples established the early Church in Israel and carried to Israel and to the Gentile tribes – the good news that evil has been overcome by God’s truth, gifts of grace and freedom, life and restoration! “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14
“God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning.” Romans 11:2
“Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not!” Romans 11:28-29
“Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” Romans 11:11
Through Yeshua the original Israelite branches that are broken off and the Gentile branches of the wild olive tree can all be grafted back into the holy roots of our father’s family tree. Romans 11:13-24
“And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root” Romans 11:17-17 “one new man… one body… members of God’s family.” Ephesians 2:11-22
It is time we listen and acknowledge the truth of the assaults, sacrifices and resilience of Israel. Again and again, the world has blamed the Jewish people unjustly and overlooked what has been stolen from you again and again. We acknowledge we have judged you for wanting to live in the land of your ancestors, Israel, your only home. We repent of our antisemitic offence against you. We repent from believing replacement theology and acting as if the Church replaced Israel. It’s like we’ve said, “We’re here now. Our New Testament culture is dominant and sufficient.” When we apply our father’s promises exclusively to ourselves as Jesus’ followers, we deny you’re God’s chosen people and Jesus’ family. We all miss our lineage and full identity in Christ and the rich heritage which is only found when all the branches are grafted into our one family tree. It is time we ask you to forgive us and gratefully honour you as our older brothers, cherishing your language and tribal boundaries, your God given destiny and the enduring gifts of your culture. It is time we open our hearts to walk as one.
On 11th October 2023, a remnant of the original Messianic believers in Israel repented of their sins at an international gathering in Jerusalem. They acknowledged Israel has presumed they could seize the covenant inheritance for themselves while rejecting and disinheriting the heir Yeshua their King. And they publicly renewed their covenant with God through the blood of Yeshua. Please read this extraordinary Messianic Covenant.6.
Yeshua has fulfilled the glorious wonder of the new covenant so we know God as our father. Matthew 11:27, 23:9, John 14 Yeshua, as the seed of Abraham, Luke 1:54-55, Galatians 3:16 is fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant promise concerning the land of Israel and Jerusalem and the new heavens and the new earth. Zechariah 14, 2 Peter 3:10-13, Revelation 21 We pray Israel will welcome their Messiah, our father’s promised son, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Matthew 23:39
Yeshua gives us the glory our father gave him, so we can be one, a family of many tribes, so the world will know God sent him and loves them.
“I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.” John 17:20-23
When we fill to overflow with our father’s forgiveness, love and life, the whole earth will know his glory too. “Indeed, the earth will be filled with knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as water fills the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14
Story 3. The Tree of Life: Aussie Life in our Father’s One New Covenant Family of many Nations
Once upon a time, precious Auntie, Uncle, Bro & Sis, our one family tree grew and spread across the earth – and we are still all multiplying and shifting. By the time the English explorers and settlers arrived on the continent we know as Australia, there were many hundreds of distinct tribal and language groups of your mob, the First Nation people, living across the entire land.
Some of us have been here for a long time and some have just arrived. Most of us who’ve been here a while don’t fully know our ethnic blend and none of us can undo who we are – nor would we want to. We are one – right down to our blood and history. Our national emblem, the kangaroo and the emu, reminds us we can only go forward. We can only go forward together. We can only go forward if we are address some overdue things, together.
It is time we, as immigrant Australians and their descendants, listen and honestly acknowledge the terrible losses of your people, the First Nations here. Again and again, we have overlooked what was stolen from you. We repent of our unjust racist offence and confess how sorry we are that we have lied, accused, stolen, killed and destroyed your people, land and culture. We have withheld respect, understanding and compassion.
We’ve held a replacement ideology, acting as if immigrants replaced the original tribes and nations. It’s like we’ve said, “We’re here now. Our new culture is dominant – and even sufficient.” Immigrants and their descendants identify with multiple ethnicities and lands. We have judged you for wanting to live on the land of your ancestors. We have not understood what it means for Indigenous communities to have a continuous bond with place, or how it feels if you do not feel you belong anywhere.
We gratefully honour you as our older brothers in the Land of Australia and respect your many diverse languages and tribal boundaries, your God given destiny and the enduring gifts of your culture.
We acknowledge that if we take over the leadership role our father has for you as First Australians, we will cut off the destiny, purpose and plan God has for this land and all Australians. Acts 17:24-27 If we do not make space for First Nations leaders to take their vital place, we’ll all miss our full identity and destroy the rich heritage which is only to be found when all the branches are securely grafted into our Australian family tree.
We humbly ask you, as First Nation Australians, to forgive us. We have not known how to successfully come along side to walk together as many tribes of one family so we can find our mutual way through to hope and abundant life for all. We pray Australians will commit the time to really listen to each other. We pray Australians will choose to know our father’s ways, rather than evil. If we listen and trust and obey our father’s tender voice speaking truth, he will show us the way to recognise and reject evil that lies, accuses, steals, kills and destroys and leads us into offence (anger, bitterness, judgement, pride and unforgiveness) against each other.5
In late September 2023 an ecclesia of Australian First Nation elders and leaders met in Uluru to repent of ancestral sin – which has empowered fallen angels to become demonic principalities who have in turn drained life from and disempowered the original people.7 You, as First Nation leaders rose in your authority in Jesus, repented to God and broke the hold of evil through idolatry, demonic covenants, sexual sin and the killing of innocent lives. You declared, “Freedom for All Australians!” We declare with you, “Australia has entered a Jubilee – a new day!”
We thank you and the Lord for breaking down the hold evil has had in us and in our land. Lord, cleanse us of our blindness and resistance so we can be renewed and reconciled to you as our father and to each other and so our life-giving choices are clearer and empowered!
“This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16
L-R: Glimpse of Anderson George, David & Debra Morris, Sandra Evans, Sharon Lowah, Richard Evans, Miranda & Darren Gore, Lloyd Hollingsworth, Robert Knight.
From the 11-13th October 2023 a formal contingent of 12 First Nation elders from Australia met in Jerusalem with representatives from other nations, while Israel was at war. Thirty nations formally signed covenants consecrating their nations to the God of Israel and welcoming the King of Glory to sovereignly reign in our nations. This has covenanted us as one family with one father.
Understand the significance of what Australia’s First Nation elders did.7 It is no small thing for them to overcome resistance and take their appointed place and give their land to God. It is an act of trust and obedience – an act of faith in God’s goodness. These First Nations elders represented our voice before God and the voice of God to Australia.
On the very next day, 14th October 2023, Australia voted “No” in a national referendum to a constitutional First Nations “Voice to Parliament.” Many of our First Nation leaders believed this Voice would not represent them and their values. But many of our brothers and sisters are hurting desperately – believing that other Australians have rejected them and cut off their way forward. Humble gracious healing space and loving communication is needed. Although constitutional change was rejected, we believe Australia is ready to honour the First Nation elders, leaders and people of Australia. We believe this is what our father asks of us.
It is time to honour the profound value the enduring gifts of your many diverse and ancient tribal cultures in this land and region. As we come together with mutual honour, offering our distinctive strengths and gifts, we will find new solutions and enjoy the fullness of becoming one people – one family enriched by each other.
It is time to unite in our commitment to move forward together – finding real solutions to abuse, poverty, unemployment and to closing the gap in the education, health, economic and life span of First Nation people. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12
We believe the recent repentance and covenanting by First Nation elders and leaders has shifted the spiritual, physical and cultural climate of Australia – and the other nations. We are in a Kingdom era that brings abundant and eternal life, righteousness, peace and joy to all who will enter the Way made through the Son, back to our place in our father’s one family. 1 Thessalonians 5:5-24
Come back to the garden and eat freely from his tree of life.
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. ‘To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.’” Revelation 2:7
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city [the holy city, New Jerusalem] and eat the fruit from the tree of life. The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” Revelation 22:13-14,17
“The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 21:24-27 NLT
Footnotes:
Story 1. The Forbidden Tree: Our Father’s Covenant Promise to Save His Children from Evil
Evil in an Apple: Photo by Maria Teneva on Unsplash
1. ‘Hamas‘ in Hebrew is evil violence. Strong’s word # 2555 Genesis 6:11, Joel 3:19, Obadiah 10, Psalms 58:2, Proverbs 3:31, Judges 9:24
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/oct/18/hamas-bible-and-terrorist-group-lives-name/
Let’s Talk about Hamas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JstDrKI7VZg&ab_channel=RealFaithbyMarkDriscoll
Hamas & the End Times https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yTDWFBeHb8&ab_channel=PastorMarkDriscoll
2. God Dispersed the Nations from Babel: Legislating in the Divine Council https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpf53p_AhPc&t=4s&ab_channel=DeanBriggs
The Gospel Message in Chinese Characters. The Garden Story (Genesis 1-8) was known and written in ancient Chinese Characters in the period (c3,000-2000 BCE) when the nations dispersed after Babel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y15tiLBUw-I&t=1s&ab_channel=RevivalProphecy
3. Promised Land Genesis 12:1-3,7 13:14-17, 17:1-8 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abraham
Seed of Abraham: Genesis 3:15, 12:7, 21:12-13, 1 Chronicles 16:13-19, Luke 1:54-55, Galatians 3:16
Old and New Covenant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosaic_covenant
Boundaries of the Promised Land Genesis 15:18-21, Exodus 23:31–33 Numbers 34 Ezekiel 47
Biblical Boundaries of the Promised Land https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Promised_Land
4a. God gave the Land of Israel to the Jewish People. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ueBqalXgJY&ab_channel=BerelSolomon
Jews in the Roman Empire (27 BCE – CE 476) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_the_Roman_Empire
Greeks in Israel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeks_in_Israel#History
Pre-State Ottoman Rule (1517-1917) https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/ottoman-rule-1517-1917
Pre-State Israel: The British Mandate (1922-1948) https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-british-palestine-mandate
4b. Antisemitism in Modern Times. The Harvest of the Dragon’s Seed. Avner Boskey October 31, 2023 https://davidstent.org/the-harvest-of-the-dragons-seed/
4c. The Root Of Antisemitism By Derek Prince https://www.derekprince.com/teaching/95-4
5. Living Unoffendable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTyUtirOHCw&ab_channel=LizWright
Story 2. The Olive Tree: The Son and His Invitation to Join His One Covenant Family
Olive Tree: Photo by Aron Marinelli on Unsplash
6. Please read this extraordinary Messianic Covenant.https://partnersinprayer.org.au/messianic-believers-re-covenant-at-the-gathering-of-the-nations-to-welcome-the-king-of-glory/
Story 3. The Tree of Life: Life in our Father’s One New Covenant Family of many Nations
Tree of Life: Morton Bay Fig from Australia Photo by Maria Teneva on Unsplash
7. Nations re-covenant with the god of Israel: Understand what Australia’s First Nation elders have done. From Uluru to Jerusalem.
