We are seeing the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy as the nations of the world are coming against the people of Israel. We may well be approaching the time that the Prophet Joel describes: "I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations" (Joel 3:2).

Like it or not, the vast majority of those who claim faith in the God of Israel (YHVH) are, for the moment, impotent observers of these world shaking events. However, each one of us has a part to play before we exit this world's stage. The key question is, how can we know the part YHVH has planned for us to play? (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

The first step in discovering an answer to our question is to understand that at this crucial time in history, we are either part of the world or part of the people of Israel. If we are by any definition, in any way, part of the people of Israel, then the world is also coming against us. The Saturday people, as Moslems often call the Jews, may seem to be the current target at this time, but make no mistake, Satan's henchman, radial Islam, is targeting the Sunday people as well. They are next on the list.

Victory is Ours

Fortunately, as Believers, we know from the Instruction Manual, the Bible, that ultimate victory is ours. But what, if anything is expected of us to bring about victory? Christianity has quite rightly focused on what Jesus (Yeshua) means to us, and on what He has done, and can do for us. However, every coin has two sides, and for mature Believers the other side of the coin may well be what can we do for our Savior? What can we do to fulfill the desire of our Father's heart, which is to dwell in the land He promised to Abraham with a people that He has prepared for His own possession.

Fulfillment of our Father's desires may eventually result in some 600,000,000 people, or lost sheep (a tithe of the of the present world population) being returned to the land. The problem in accomplishing this mammoth challenge, and overcoming the problems in the Middle East today, is one of numbers. Israel is outnumbered by its enemies. Two-hundred-forty million Moslems vs five million Israelites. In the natural, the solution to both problems would be bring more Israelites into the fray. To a large extent numbers also appear to be the the Biblical solution:

"It will happen on that day that the YHVH will again recover the second time with His hand The remnant of His people, who will remain, From Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He will lift up a standard for the nations and assemble the banished ones of Israel (Ephraim), and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth...They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines on the west; together they will plunder the sons of the east; they will possess Edom and Moab, and the sons of Ammon will be subject to them" (Isaiah 11:11-14).

The Prophets Hosea and Zechariah confirm Isaiah's words:

"This very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you (Israel). For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fill the bow with Ephraim...and I will make you like a warrior's sword. I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back...Ephraim will be like a mighty man...I will whistle for them (Ephraim) to gather them together, for I have redeemed them; and they will be as numerous as they were before...Ephraim will roar like a lion; and his sons will come trembling from the west" (Hosea 11:10; Zechariah 9:12-14; 10:6-8).

The plan for Israel's second ingathering seems to follow the plan for the first. Israel, seventy strong, went down to Egypt. Over the next 400 years their numbers were built up to some two-and-a-half-million. Obviously that was a number that YHVH deemed sufficient to return to the Promised Land. Unfortunately, they were once again forced to leave the land, and were scattered, this time among every nation, tribe, tongue and kindred (Hosea 8:8; Amos 9:9). Some 2700 years have passed, and perhaps we are at the time in history when YHVH deems that the number of exiles is sufficient to fulfil His plans for His final ingathering. However, the vast majority of the exiles well fit the definition of lost sheep, for they are truly lost to a full appreciation of their heritage and purpose.

The Signal for Ephraim's Return

Those who would answer the call when YHVH whistles for Ephraim to return, and join with his brother Judah in battle, would first and foremost have to understand that they are Ephraim, the other house of Israel.

We can all agree that if YHVH whistles for the mighty men of Ephraim today He would be woefully short of the numbers required to fulfill His prophecies. But still the situation is far better today than it was a few years ago. Today there are many Messianic Believers who see themselves as Ephraimites and as part of the people of Israel.

How is YHVH going to raise up the numbers He desires to accomplish His good purposes? Maybe His plan is to use the same methods He used to enlighten those Messianic Believers that have come to understand their true heritage and purpose in this generation. Over the past quarter century the standard witness of Messianic Believers seems to start with the sense that something was missing from their lives and they began to search for fulfillment. Then someone shared with them, through a combination of the written and spoken word, and gave them an understanding about Israel being comprised of two houses and YHVH's plan to reunite them.

We who have received this understanding have been blessed, because, like Yeshua's original band of disciples, it has been granted unto to us to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and we are told that we will be given more, and we will have an abundance (Matthew 13:11-12).

Part of that abundance may well be the opportunity to fulfill our destiny by passing on the blessing that we have received. Consider that perhaps the reason we have been blessed is so YHVH could use us to spread the understanding we have been given. If all those who understand their heritage and purpose would walk, talk and proclaim the good news of the Kingdom, we would surely make giant strides in the effort to reach the lost sheep on YHVH's schedule.

The Weapons of Our Warfare

Yeshua's original band of disciples used words, person to person contacts, hand written parchments, and the Roman Roads to reach the lost sheep in their day. Today, our weapons are still words, written and spoken, but we have a much more versatile and effective delivery system, in the printed word, CD's and DVD's, the many faceted media and the Internet.

Quite naturally the key is to get the true heritage story in the hands of the lost sheep. What better way to accomplish this than with the books YHVH is providing through Key of David Publishing. The primary book dealing with heritage is Israel Revealed - Reunited and Restored. by Batya Ruth Wootten. This book, and its predecessors, have a history of changing lives, by giving lost sheep a fresh understanding of their heritage.

Batya's newest book is being called "her best work yet." We hope you will put copies of this book to work in the Kingdom restoration effort. Help others, even as you were once helped. Help them so that they too will be ready to respond to that soon coming "whistle."