Among other things Peter in his preaching to some of the Israelites including Jews or people of Judah and Jerusalem mentioned that God (the Father) had raised up Jesus from the dead (at that time just shortly before he was speaking and in the same city.) Peter then mentioned the ascension and exaltation to God the Father's right hand. Jesus still is waiting to come from the right hand of God to the air to bring all His true Church to heaven and a little later to come from heaven to earth to set up God's kingdom on earth. Peter mentioned then that very soon after Jesus ascended to heaven and sat down at God's right hand He sent down the Holy Spirit. The people of Jerusalem had started to witness the Holy Spirit and His effects earlier in that same day of Pentecost including by more ready conviction of sin and understanding of God's word - the Holy Bible. People in Jerusalem had also just witnessed the work of the Holy Spirit as well as the phenomena of speaking in unknown tongues or languages such as from the 70 languages of Noah in Genesis 10. Peter then mentioned that David had not ascended into the heavens at God's right hand but that even David had written that the Messiah of Israel fulfilled in Jesus would ascend to heaven and sit at God's right hand. Peter quoted part of Psalm 110 (and from there right away send down His Holy Spirit to people on earth.) Peter then said that God (the Father) had made that same Jesus spoken of by King David in Psalm 110 as the one at God's right hand, after rising from the dead and who sent God's Holy Spirit down to earth from the right hand of God. Peter mentioned that after Jesus had come to sit at God's right hand and thus become Lord and Christ was the same one they had then recently crucified on the cross. The people in Jerusalem hearing Peter's preaching were then convicted by the Holy Spirit and asked Peter and the other apostles what they should do in response to this revelation about Jesus of Nazareth. Then Peter said repent or turn from self and sin to God through Jesus. Peter said that after they believe in Jesus they should be baptized as a public testimony that they had believed in Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour. Peter also said if they trusted in Jesus they could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Then Peter said the promise made available or fulfilled through Jesus, of God's forgiveness and new life through God's Holy Spirit was to them in Jerusalem, their children to those afar from Israel as many as the Lord would call to Himself and to receive His salvation in Jesus. Those afar or far off in Acts 2 in Greek is also the same as some of the following Septuagint Greek Old Testament scriptures that is the Greek word makran. Here in Acts 2 on Pentecost I am sure would be the same meaning for far off or afar off as in some Old Testament verses that also use the phrase afar off such as Deuteronomy 13:7 with Psalm 96 and Genesis 10 and 11 mentioned the gods of the people or nations afar off. These nations that were the 70 nations of Noah in Genesis 10 that comprise all the people of earth and the means of expressing the worldwide extent of God's salvation, forgiveness and new life in Jesus to the people of Israel and to the people of all nations near or far off. All people of Israel and of all the nations near to Israel up to far off on earth from Israel would be the same as people of all flesh in Joel 2. The scripture reference from Acts 2 that through the death on the cross, resurrection, ascension and exaltation of Jesus and His sending down the Holy Spirit to people on earth that people of Israel and all 70 Genesis 10 Noah nations including people of nations far off from Israel can have God's salvation, forgiveness and new life in the Holy Spirit through Jesus is as follows:
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens; but he said himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand. Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Spirit). For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many at the Lord our God shall call. Acts 2:32-39
In Deuteronomy 13:7 there is another scripture verse with the phrase far off of a people or nation or nations far from Israel. In this case it is in terms of the gods of these nations far off or round about or near Israel. These people and their gods are the people and their gods spread out over all the earth from God's original scattering the nations or the people of the earth. This was when God confused their languages at the time when the people of the earth in a united way tried to defy God and build the tower of Babel, as a tower that would reach to heaven. The Greek word for far off in Deuteronomy 13:7 in the Septuagint is makran. These people or nations afar off and their gods would be related to those nations or people that are afar off that Christians are called to reach. The Christian Great Commission is to reach the world including far off from Israel with the good news of salvation in Jesus as in Acts 2:28-29 starting at Pentecost. Part of that good news in Jesus is to call people near or far off from Israel to trust in the true God of the Bible including His Son Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection. This trust in Jesus is instead of trusting in ourselves or in false gods of the nations that can't save or give eternal life or a restored relationship with the true Creator and able to be Saviour God of the Bible. In this scripture in Deuteronomy 13:7 the gods are said to be the gods of the people round abour or near to Israel but I believe this people is equivalent to nations and their gods round about or far off from Israel. The scripture reference in Deuteronomy 13:7 of gods of people round about or near to Israel as most likely also the nations round about or near to or far off from Israel in other parts of the Old or New Testaments is as follows:
If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, which is as thine own soul, entice thee (you) secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy (Israel's) fathers; Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him Deuteronomy 13:6-8a
In Psalm 96 an emphasis is given to urge all people or members of all nations of the earth, that I believe are the 70 Noah nations or "goy" of Genesis 10. Also the word heathen in verse 3 of Psalm 96 is the Hebrew word "goy" and can just as well be translated nations. In this Psalm all people or members of all nations of earth are urged to praise God for his wonders or power and wisdom in creation. This worship of the true God is instead of worshipping the false gods and their idols of the people or nations that are only animated or given any power by fallen angels or demons behind them. These gods and the power behind them could, especially but not entirely, be the possible 70 demons or fallen angels, princes and principalities behind each of the 70 nations from Noah and Babel in Genesis 10 and 11. People of all nations, people or kindreds (families) of the earth are again urged to worship the true God (instead of the false gods of the nations or people of the earth). People are urged to worship the true God of the Bible for His glory or strength including in creation and eventually for His more fully revealed plan of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. In Bible days this included encouraging people of all nations to join with God's chosen earthly people Israel including the Jews to worship God in His earthly sanctuary. God's earthly sanctuary which was likely Solomon's Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem when this Psalm was written and later the second temple including Herod's Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Before the temples were built God's earthly sanctuary and worship of Him there was at the tabernacle in different locations in Israel or through the wilderness from Egypt to Israel or the land of Canaan. The scripture reference in Psalm 96 that equates the nations or heathen with the people (of the earth (both round about Israel and far off)) and their gods and for those people or members of those nations to worship the true God the God of Israel for His work in creation and possible personal salvation and eternal life is as follows:
O sing unto the LORD a new song; sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen (nations), his wonders among all people, For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods, For the gods of the nations are idols; but the LORD made the heavens. Honour and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Psalm 96:1-7
In Genesis 10 verses 8-10 we are introduced to Nimrod who was a leading, including likely charismatic, person in the time shortly after the worldwide flood in the days of Noah. Nimrod's Kingdom is said to include Babel in the land of Shinar, which is Hebrew for Sumer, in Genesis 10:10. In Genesis 11:1-2 the scripture says all the people of the earth had one speech or language and they came to rest and dwell in the land of Shinar (or Sumer). Then the people "got the bright idea" that they should build a tower that reaches to heaven. This idea was probably promoted by Nimrod who was the king there and defiant aganist God (in Genesis 10:9 he is called "a mighty hunter before the LORD. To be a mighty hunter before the LORD probably meant Nimrod sought to bring people away from the LORD or from the true God or God of the Bible. The people knew they should be spreading out over all the earth rather than staying in one place but they refused to spread out and dwell over all the earth as God commanded (as in Genesis 1:26-28 and again after the flood in Genesis 9:1-2, 7, 18-19). Most likely the real purpose of the building of the tower of Babel to reach to heaven wasn't that it would physically reach to heaven, although it was likely several stories perhaps about 10 stories and likely a ziggurat. The likely best reason why they built the tower of Babel was so that the top of this tower could be used to observe the physical stars, planets, the sun and moon and all the other physical host of heaven and the gods that later became some of the gods of the people or nations people made. Demons encouraged people to worship gods associated with the astronomical host of heaven as the spiritual host of heaven. Of course the true God didn't want His glory or worship from people shared with these false gods. This includes the true God didn't want His glory shared with gods associated with worship of the host of heaven or astral gods so God then created the different languages. God created all the different, initially 70, languages to slow down this worship by the people of the earth of these false gods associated with the fallen angel host of heaven. God created the 70 different languages also to accomplish His will for people to spread out over all the earth and in this way create all the 70 nations and beginning of all the languages as well as dividing some of the gods of the earth. The scripture passage in Genesis 10 and 11 of people under Nimrod building the tower of Babel and God confusing and creating the 70 different languages and nations of all the Earth or face of all the earth and dividing the false gods into those of the 70 nations near to Israel and far off from Israel is as follows:
And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar (Sumer). Genesis 10:8-10
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar (Sumer); and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they haave imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth; and they left off to build the city, Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth; and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. Genesis 11:1-9
These are the families of the sons of Noah (referring to the rest of Genesis 10), after their generations, in their nations; and by these were the nations divided on the earth after the flood. Genesis 10:32
In Joel 3:1 the expression those days and at that time identify the events in this passage with the last days of history before God through Messiah Jesus sets up His visible Kingdom over all the earth. This Messianic Kingdom will be based in Jerusalem and the restored remanant of Israel (with the saved of the nations and the true Church). God will at that time further complete His gathering the people of Judah and Jerusalem (and of the northern kingdom Israel in other scriptures) from all the nations to their promised land of Israel in the Middle East. This process has been underway for some time since the late 1800s, accelerated around 1948 with the modern rebirth of the nation of Israel. This last days prophecy and is now getting of the restoration of Israel including the Jews is now getting more intense as more Jews and children of Israel go back to live in Israel from western nations such as in Europe and the Americas due to increasing anti-semitism masked as pro-Palestinism by many people and institutions in the west. God says in HIs word in this context, just after the second coming to earth by Messiah Jesus and of the Shekinah glory of God the Father to judge the world and to set up God's visible kingdom over all the earth and to gather all nations to the valley of Jehoshaphat. This valley is the valley of Kidron River, especially in its part between the old city of Jerusalem including the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives or Mount Olivet. This Old City of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives and is part of what the world today calls East Jerusalem that they want to give to the so-called Palestinian Arabs in the Land of Israel for their capital city. I believe this gathering of all nations in Joel is 3 is at the same time and place and also for the same purpose. This purpose, as in Joel 3, is to judge the nations on how they have treated God's earthly people Israel including the Jews especially in the tribulation just before Jesus' Second Coming. The purpose in Joel 3 is the same as the judgment of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46. I believe that in the parallel passsage in Matthew 25 the Son of man is Jesus and that these nations will be gathered in the same Valley of Jehoshaphat in the Kidron River just below the Temple Mount where Jesus will sit on the Throne of His Glory. Jesus Will be sitting then on the Temple Mount that will be about to become the real Messianic or Millennial Kingdom Temple where Jesus will have his earthly throne of the holy of holies of as in Ezekiel 43-44, Zechariah 14, Isaiah 2 etc.
Part of the judgement of the nations then in both Matthew 25 and in Joel 3 at the beginning of the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom just after Jesus second coming with His true Church from heaven to earth at the end of the tribulation will be to judge the nations how they (mis)treated members of His chosen earthly people Israel including the Jews. Part of that judgment of the nations will be on their words and acts of anti-semitism will be on their earlier and perhaps again in the tribulation scattering the Jews in Israel to cause them to live among other nations. These nations will also be judged for what part they may have in parting the land of the Jews or children of Israel. This parting of the land of Israel or the Jews by the nations and their institutions is the efforts of the nations and their institutions like the United Nations etc. to divide up the land of Israel between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea between the Jews or Israelites on one hand and Arabs or other Gentiles on the other hand. This scripture passage also says part of the persecution or oppression of the Israelites including Jews by the nations in the tribulation and for which Jesus the Saviour of all nations of the world, and true Messiah of Israel will judge the nations of the world will be mistreatment of Israelite or Jewish children both boys and girls in the tribulation. God then through his prophet Joel singles out Tyre and Sidon which would roughly be todays Lebanon and the coasts of Palestine which is likely what is now called the Gaza Strip and some of the West Bank (or Judaea and Samaria) and East Jerusalem as operating against Jews and the children of Israel in the land of Israel. Probably Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the so-called Palestinian areas of Gaza and the West Bank will be leading this tribulation and current just before the tribulation persecution of Jews or children of Israel in the land of Israel. These neighbours of Israel and perhaps Islamic terrorist groups among them may have more chance to persecute the children of Israel including Jews in the tribulation just before Jesus' second coming to judge the world as here described in Joel 3. God says he, through God the Son or the Son of God Jesus or Y'Shua or Nazareth, will judge especially anti-semitic people of these lands surrounding Israel for taking the gold and silver which could be some of the finances of the Israelites and put these riches in their temples. These temples could be Muslim mosques in Lebanon and in the holy land. Of course these oppressors of the Israelites including the Jews of surrounding nations will likely in the tribulation as currently through Hamas and Hezbollah etc. be assisted by anti-semitic pro-Palestinian people of other nations such as in majority Muslim or western nations.
God also charges these oppressors of the children of Israel including of Jews that operate in the tribulation or in the 70th week of Daniel 9 of forcibly removing some of the Israelites including Jews to the nations far from their homes in the land of Israel. This removing of some of the Israelites will be with the help of Grecians with Grecians including Gentiles from the land of Greece in Europe but could include people of the European based Gentiles especially in Europe and the Americas in general. God says that when He through Messiah Jesus judges the nations on Earth he will judge some of the anti-semitic perhaps so-called pro-Palestinian people of Lebanon and the Holy Land likely led by Islamic terrorist group Hamas and Hezbollah members or associates. God will judge these persistent or unrepentent anti-semitic people by allowing the Israelites including Jews to sell the children of these oppressors of Israelites including Jews through the Grecians in the tribulation to a people far off from Israel to the Sabeans who are the residents of Sheba now in the land of Yemen.
The expression far off here in Joel 3 is also the Greek word makran in the Greek Septuagint Old Testament as in other scripture passages such as Deuteronomy 13, 2 Chronicles 6 and Jeremiah 31 and especially Acts 2 at Pentecost in this web page article. The people in the land of Sheba or Yemen where the Sabeans are would include the Genesis 10 Noah nations of Sheba of Ham through Cush, Sheba of Shem through Joktan and Obal and Uzal of Shem through Joktan. All these south Arabian people who live in the same area of Sheba including today are still the main indigenous people of western Yemen and are now in the land and a lot of the people we now call the Houthi people of Yemen. I believe this could mean these people of Yemen will be some of the last people, nations or languages and lands to be reached as part of the Great Commission through evangelical Christians in this current Church Age or Age of Grace. This Age of Grace or Church Age started with Pentecost and will continue to the very soon coming rapture of a complete Church to heaven with Jesus. The Church will then be a complete Church of beleivers from what I think will be the 70 Genesis 10 Noah nations and languages as in Revelation 5:8-13. This means also all true Christians will be in heaven in the Father's house John 14:1-3 and Revelation 5 before the tribulation starts in Revelation 6. The tribulation on earth continues to be the focus of Revelation from Revelation 6 through Revelation 18 before Jesus comes with all His true Church at the end of the tribulation in Revelation 19.
I believe the people of Yemen are the Sabeans or people of Sheba especially the Houthis that could be the last to have some of their nations and languages to be included in the true Church or Church age phase of the kingdom of God. The progress of Church growth starts in Acts 2. Then some of the children of Israel in Jerusalem who trusted in Jesus mark the next phase of progress of Church growth. Then, are for most of the last 2,000 years the Church has continued to grow with people of different nations trusting in Jesus to those far off from Israel , as the Sabeans or residents of current Yemen are called in Joel 3, with as many as the Lord shall call. In other words I think this passage in Joel 3 combined espcially with Acts 2 with the same term far off, or in the Greek "makran" means that God through His only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ is about to finish calling out His Church from among all I believe Genesis 10 Noah nations and languages. Also God through Jesus completes His Church from every nation He will then rapture or catch up to heaven all His true Church or all true Christians through faith in Jesus. After this rapture of the Church there will be the 7 year tribulation or 70th week of Daniel will happen as in Daniel 9:27, Matthew 25:15-31, Revelation 6-18 etc. where the nations will intensely persecute the people of Israel including what are called Jews including as described in Joel 3 (and Matthew 25). In the tribulation time new believers in Jesus from the nations will also be persecuted as in Revelation 7. At the end of the 7 year tribulation will be the second coming in glory of Jesus to judge the world and set up His visible kingdom over all the earth based in Jerusalem and restored Israel including restored to God through faith in Jesus as Messiah. Jesus will then allow the Jews or Israelites to carry out part of His judgment on people who didn't come to trust in Him including who didn't come to repent of anti-semitism words and acts to be sold as slaves into the hands of Sabaeans or residents of Sheba or Yemen that become believers in Jesus. Some of this judgment will be especially against persistent anti-semites from Lebanon and the holy land who will be brought far from their homeland in the Millennnial or Messianic Kingdom of Jesus.
The scripture reference from Joel 3 is particularly about God through Jesus setting up His visible Kingdom over all the earth centred in Jerusalem and restored Israel including the Jews. This part of Joel 3 is about God through His Messiah or Son Jesus judging the world including judging people who continued to be anti-semitic through the 7 year tribulation including expelling Jews or Israelites from the land of Israel. Also in Joel 3 God will be judging people for parting the land of Israel, especially people of Tyre and Sidon (Lebanon) and the coasts of Palestine (the Gaza Strip and perhaps the West Bank and East Jerusalem). This expelling of Jews from the land of Israel and parting the Jewish land of Israel in the tribulation will likely be led by Islamic terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. These anti-semitic including Islamic terrorists will be judged by God through Jesus after His Second Coming to Earth at the end of the tribulation giving permission to God's chosen earthly people of Judah and Jerusalem or including the Jews to sell the children of their tribulation persecutors to the Sabeans or people of Yemen far off from Israel. I believe this scripture calling the people of Sheba or the Sabeans or people of Yemen far off from Israel and Jerusalem actually combines with Acts 2 where people far off will be some of the last to respond to the Christian Great Commission to make a complete chosen spiritual or heavenly people the Church or Church Age phase of the Kingdom of God. This complete Church will be a people called out for Jesus of all 70 Genesis 10 Noah nations of all the earth and when the Church is complete from all nations including perhaps the final ones being from the Sabeans including Houthis in Yemen this will bring about the rapture or catching up to heaven of the then completed Church as in Revelation 5 and that this means the beginning of God's last days prophetic program is about to begin in earnest with the beginning of the tribulation as in Revelation 6 is as follows:
For behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will again also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink. Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompense? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head; Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things; The children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompense upon your own head; And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah , and they shall sell them to the Sabeans (people of Sheba or Yemen), to a people far off; for the LORD (especially God the Father but including God the Son Jesus or Y'Shua and the Holy Spirit) hath spoken it. Joel 3:1-8
In 2 Chronicles 6 King Solomon gives an extended prayer to God from the then newly built Temple of Solomon on what is now the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This prayer of King Solomon covered several different situations of mostly the Israelites including Jews and a couple situations of strangers of those of other nations or the Gentiles praying to God to that place of Solomon's Temple or now the Temple Mount. This prayer of King Solomon was on the location of part of the courts of the then newly completed Solomon's Temple that King Solomon had overseen the building of. His father King David of Israel had prepared the instructions and materials and builders for the temple. Starting at verse 36 King Solomon mentioned the case of some of the Israelites who eventually found themselves in foreign lands outside of Israel who were sorry for their sin or were repentant and prayed to the true God the God of Israel, the God of the Bible. In the New Testament the same true God is revealed more fully to be comprised of One God in Being but in Three Persons Father, Son (the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. The carrying away of or scattering of the Israelites, was either of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians or the southern kingdom of Judaea and Jerusalem by the Babylonians and later any of the Israelites in the Holy Land by the Romans. These acts by God to allow the Israelites to be scattered to nations far off was done to the Israelites, northern or southern Kingdom including the people called Jews today after God warned them and they didn't turn back to Him by the leadership and people of Israelites. To turn back to God meant that the people of Judah and Jerusalem needed to turn back to following God and His commandments from forgetting him, following other gods and indulging in practice in different sins such as also immorality, covetousness, breaking his Sabbath or violence. (There are still quite a few Israelites including Jews in other lands far off from Israel including western and other lands but many Jews have already gone back to Israel especially from some parts of Europe after the Nazi Holocaust in World War 2. Other Israelites including Jews have gone back to Israel from Middle East lands after there started to be more opposition to the Jews or Israelites there after the Israelites progressed more to re-establish their own nation of Israel in the land God gave them that was realized in 1948 or from the former Soviet Union or Soviet block after communism at least somewhat lost power in Russia and her eastern European allies from 1989 to 1991. Also some Jews or Israelites have been restored or returned to Israel from the west most recently and in an ongoing way as so-called pro-Palestinian or globalize the Jihad and anti-semitic protests mostly by fundamentalist Muslim, socialist westerners and other pro-Palestinian and anti-semitic allies makes it more uncomfortable or intolerbal for Jews or Isrealites to live openly or live in a normal way in western nations like in Europe, United States or Canada in North (or Latin) America, Australia etc.
Solomon at his prayer of dedication besought or urged God to hear the prayers of the Israelites from HIs dwelling place in the highest or third heaven as in 2 Chronicles 6:21 or from the holy of holies above the ark of the covenant and mercy seat in Solomon's Temple in 2 Chronicles 6:2, 5, 20, 41. God said to the Israelites (and to people of the nations (strangers) in lands far off from Israel but who joined themselves to Israel including the Jews and the God of Israel) that if they prayed to God to return to Him from their sins or asked Him for His provision that He would hear them. Other good provisions in other matters God would hear are for needs such as safety or health etc. from other lands and prayed from those lands far off to the land of Israel, the city of Jerusalem. Also God promised to especially hear prayers of the children of Israel and the nations to the place of His house in Jerusalem when it was standing to the house of God or Israelites or Jewish temple of Solomon or the second temple built by Zerubbabel and enhanced by King Herod that God. God said he would thus hear their prayers from the location of the Israelites or people of the nations supporting Israel in lands far off. However in this current Church Age or Age of grace God enables believers of HIs spiritual or heavenly people the Church through HIs Son Jesus Christ whether those believers are of Jewish or Gentile (other nation than Israel) background to pray from anywhere in the world, as for example Gospel of John 4:21-26. God can even or even hear the prayers of people beyond earth such as of astronauts in outer space to pray to God through Jesus that God would hear. However I believe there is still a sense and becoming more important as we presently get closer and closer to the end of the Church Age and get closer to the time of the restoration of Israel that there will again be some greater importance in God's sight of people praying toward the place of His name on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This will include reference to the Jews in time in the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel starting right after the rapture or catching up to heaven of all the true Church, and as we get closer to the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom of more fully restored Israel that will be focused in rebuilt Jersualem that prayers to the Temple or the Temple Mount in Jerusalem will be more important to God. I believe that the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom will feature a rebuilt Jewish or Israelite Temple where God bodily in Jesus and probably with the visible Shekinah glory of God the Father will be present in and above the holy of holies of that Temple as in Zechariah 6, 14, Ezekiel 44, 45, Isaiah 2, Amos 9, Acts 15, Matthew 23:37-39, Psalm 118 etc. where prayers of the Israelites including the Jews and people of the nations will especially be directed to by God. The scripture reference from 2 Chronicles 6 of God giving promise that He would especially hear the humble and remorseful or sorry for their sin prayers of Israelites including Jews (or of people of other nations who supported Israel and their God) that were made from nations afar off from Israel to the direction of God and His Temple on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem (in what the world today calls part of East Jerusalem) in the land of Israel (but what some in the world today calls a future Palestinian (Arab) state is as follows:
Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness, But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever. ... Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel; But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and chosen David to be over my people Israel. ... For Solomon had made a brasen (brass) scaffold, of five cubits (about 8 feet or 2 1/2 metres) long ... and had set in the midst of the court (of the temple) ... And (Solomon) said, ... Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant , and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee; That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou (you) hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place. ...
If they (especially the Israelites including the Jews) sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they (the enemies of Israel such as the Babylonians, Assyrians or Romans) carry them away captives unto a land far off or near (from or to Israel)l Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither (to where) they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly; If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land (Israel), which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city (Jerusalem) which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name (Solomon's and then the 2nd including Herod's Temple) on the current Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the location of the future Tribulation and then Messianic Age Temples); Then hear thou from the heavens, even from they dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee. Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength (the ark of the covenant): let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed (Solomon as anointed king of Israel); remember the mercies of David thy servant.
In Jeremiah 31 there is a very timely and relevant message for many people of different nations east and west today. This message i not least for pro-Palestinian and anti-semitic people as well as people of God's chosen earthly people the children of Israel including the Jewish people and/or people of the northern kingdom of Israel. This message is that as God before scattered the children of Israel to the nations far off for their sins, especially by the Babylonian, Assyrian and Roman invasions of Israel, God will just as certainly gather the children of Israel back to their own land of Israel in the Middle East in the last days. God will more fully restore more of the Israelites including the Jews to their land of Israel when they are persecuted and many of the children of Israel including the Jews cry out to God for deliverance and seek more safety in their own promised land of Israel. Of course it is a regular item in the news of pro-Palestinian and thinly masked anti-semitic protests or vandalism or even assaults at universities or public squares and increasingly in predominantly Jewish neighbourhoods, synagogues, schools, cemetaries or stores or people in schools or public places including in my home country of Canada. Although it may not be the intention of those people persecuting Jews in this way God is using this as an example of making the wrath of, in this case especially Gentile or people of the nations men, to praise him to be a means to unfortunately in this way get more Jewish or Israelite people constrained to leave their homes in the west or other nations far off from Israel to return to live in Israel. This persecution of the children of Israel including Jews is occuring often now even in the west by especially western socialist and Muslims more left wing alliance people but also by some and increasing real extreme right neo-Nazi and some other anti-semitic people and all of these mostly replacement theology people. Replacement theology teaches that Christians have permanently replaced Israel or the Jews as God's chosen people because Israel as a nation didn't receive Jesus as their Messiah when He was on earth 2,000 years ago but among other things replacement theology neglects God's covenant and promises to them of the Messianic and their part of His eternal Kingdom based on their part of the New Covenant or Testament, the Abrahamic Covenant or the Davidid Covenant and replacement theology or a form of it is often encouraged by liberal and some real extreme right media, politicians and academics. However the Jewish or Israelite people are defended and supported to live where they already are in the west or other places of the nations far off from Israel or in their land of Israel by especially evangelical Christians like myself who believe the Bible supports a last days restoration of Israel by God and His purposes for humanity. This regathering of Israel from lands far off from Israel has already mostly happened for Jews or Israelites that were in the Middle East in the 20th century and is ongoing from the former Soviet Block of Russia and her neighbours and is increasing in western nations far off from Israel such as in Europe, the Americas and Australia. The scripture verse in Jeremiah 31 of God giving a message to the nations or Gentiles that He would gather His chosen people Israel including the Jews from their lands far off from Israel back to the Israelites' including Jews' promised land of Israel. The land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea including what is called Israel today, all of Jerusalem and the West Bank or Judaea and Samaria. This scripture in Jeremiah 31 is also about the same true God Who scattered the Israelities including the Jews to the lands of the nations before but that God also expected the Israelites to have tolerance and provision for the strangers or people of other nations in their land who live in peace with them is as follows:
For there shall be a day (the last days starting in earnest in 1948 with the re-establishment of Israel), that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up (make aliyah) to Zion (Jerusalem) unto the LORD our God. For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations; publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them from the north country (Russia etc.), and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together; a great company shall return thither (to there). They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them; I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles (or coastlands) afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the LORD (God mostly God the Father but also God the Son - Jesus or Y'Shua and God the Holy Spirit - One God in Being) hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion (in Jerusalem including the Temple Mount or Mount Zion in Jerusalem), and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd; and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together; for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. And I will satiate the soul of the (Jewish or Israelite) priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD. Jeremiah 31:6-10-14