NO OF PAGES: 204 SUB CAT I: Jewish - Christian Issues SUB CAT II: Jewish - Christian Relations SUB CAT III: DESCRIPTION: Too many gentile believers think of Christianity as a replacement for Judaism - and Israel as something apart from God's plan. Don Finto's "Your People Shall Be My People" reveals God's purposes for His covenant people in these times - and how this revelation is impacting the Church. Unlike Ruth in the Old Testament, many of us have turned our backs on the relatives of the Messiah, and we shared the collective guilt for centuries of their persecution. Finto reminds us that confessing these sins is only a beginning. More than ever, we must embrace and intercede for the chosen people of God, aligning our prayers with God's plan. With Israel and her people once again center stage at a crucial moment in world history, our prayers for them are vital. Will we make the same covenant pledge to Israel that Ruth made to Naomi? If so, Church will never be the same!NOTES: Purchased from CBD. SUBTITLE: How Israel, the Jews and the Christian Church will come together in the last days

Finto does a great job of pointing us to the regathering of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel as well as the upsurge of Jewish believers. I also appreciated the information on the Messianic Jewish movement. As might be expected, he takes a strong stand against Replacement Theology (see particularly footnote 12 on pps 95-96). His post trib position (p. 170-171) is not obtrusive nor is his bent towards the "greater riches" revival (p. 103). Neither should be an excuse for anyone to miss the sound material found in this book.

I do have one objection and that is his subtle but oft repeated thought of confessing the sins of prior generations. Today it seems like everyone thinks someone should be apologizing to them--southerners to African-Americans, American to Japanese-Americans and on the list goes. He cites first David's actions against the descendants of Saul on behalf of the Gibeonites. (2 Sam 21) And later he writes of Daniel's prayer in chapter 5. In both cases he seems to put more emphasis on the sins of past generations as the problem, not our sins. On page 164 he writes, "Our role, like Daniel's, is to give ourselves to intercession, confessing the sins of our fathers and rulers until we see the work completed." And on the next page we find, "I have seen the sins of my people" and "We wanted to confess the sins of our people..." Somehow I object to repeatedly asking for forgiveness for the sins of my fathers---ask once and put it under the blood. I noticed in chapter 9 Daniel used the pronouns "we" (11 times) along with "us" and "our" several times. For him it was not just their sin but our sin. What I do not see is Daniel repetitiously going over the same ground as if there can never be enough repenting. But this is minor stuff and I would not want to leave anyone thinking I did not truly appreciate his work. Good read.

This a basic, thought-provoking look at the role the Jewish nation plays in God's overall plan for the world. Finto challenges the reader from the beginning to read the book with a critical eye and look to the Bible to for proof, not his book. This is a wonderful book for anyone who is interested in Israel or wonders why the Church should take any interest in the affairs of that tiny country and its minority of people. ( )