Answers to Your Questions

Dr. Couch, you write about the "key" people in heaven (the church’s destiny) and the "key" people on earth during the kingdom, the Jews. It seems that the seven years that the church is in heaven is small compared to the thousand year kingdom period, in which the church will be serving with Christ on earth. How do you answer?

    You are focusing on the issue of destiny and the issue of "time." The seven years is shorter than the 1000 years. This is still not the point. God has a purpose, program, and function for the two groups, the church and Israel, which are different. Again I urge you to read carefully and slowly Jeremiah 30-33. Try to squeeze a purpose, program, even plan, and specific function for the church in these chapters. To help you out I will do some quoting:

• Specific days are coming (the regathering and restoration), 30:3.
• I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel AND Judah, v. 3.
• I will bring them back to the land I gave their forefathers, v. 3.
• They shall possess it, v. 3.
• The words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah, v. 4.
• The birth pangs, v. 6.
• They shall serve the Lord and David their king, p. 9.
• Fear not O Jacob, v. 10.
• I will save you from afar, v. 10.
• Jacob shall return, v. 10.
• He will be at ease, v. 10.
• I will restore you to health, v. 17.
• I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, v. 18.
• I will rebuild the cities and palaces, v. 18.
• I will honor them, v. 19.
• Their congregation will be established before Me, v. 20.
• I will be the God of the families of Israel, 31:1.
• I have [will] draw you with an everlasting love, v. 3.
• You shall plant on the hills of Samaria.
• "Let us go up to Zion," v. 6.
• Time of Jacob’s distress, v. 7.
• I will bring you from the North country, from the remote places of earth, v. 8.
• I am a Father to Israel, v. 9.
• He who scattered Israel will gather him, v. 10.
• Israel shall be radiant over the bounty of the Lord, v. 12.
• They shall return from the land of their enemy, v. 16.
• There is hope for Israel’s future, v. 17.

    I stopped here, but I could go on and on with hundreds if not thousands of verses to quote. Now what is the point I am making? These verses are all about Israel. Let’s focus on these great passages about Israel—this is what the prophets do! And I rejoice with these promises that, even though the church "will be there," they have to do first and foremost will Israel. Don’t be afraid to say the word: Israel, Israel, Israel! For some reason I suspect there is a slight anti-Semitism going on. Certain Christians are just plain tired of praying for Israel. They are "embarrassed" about Israel and all that is taking place now in the Holy Land! The way to crowd out Israel in our thinking is to bring the church forward in its importance in the kingdom. Israel will then be overshadowed! I have several sayings when I find people who "protesteth too much." They have an agenda, "what is their bottom line," etc.

    I hope this helps, and, thanks for asking.