A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


August 17, 2014

Romans 11:25-27

Lest you be self-opinionated (wise in your own conceits), I do not want you to miss this hidden truth and mystery, brethren: a hardening (insensibility) has [temporarily] befallen a part of Israel [to last] until the full number of the ingathering of the Gentiles has come in ... The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob. And this will be My covenant (My agreement) with them when I shall take away their sins.


    I have noticed the presence of a decidedly negative response whenever I write a post about Israel.  I do not know if the readers are Christians or not, but I am convinced that they read what I write from a marked political perspective.  I assume that their animosity towards Israel stems from their view of the current Gaza war.  To fully understand my point of view, one must look at what I write through the lens of the Bible.
     When I speak of Israel's right to the Land, and their status as God's Chosen people, I do not claim that every decision made by the Israeli government is correct, or that every secular or orthodox Jew has it right.  I cling to the verses I have chosen today.
     Just prior to this passage, the Apostle Paul has been expressing his sorrow at Israel's rejection of their Messiah.  He has made it known that their "Jewishness" does not exempt them from God's discipline; only their acceptance and faith in Jesus Christ [as God's Son who was crucified, buried and rose in triumphant resurrection] can cleanse them of their sins and provide eternal life.
     Paul admits that a hardening and blindness has (temporarily) fallen upon the nation (resulting in their rejection of Jesus) so that we can receive the Gospel message and accept God's gift of salvation. That hardening is still evident today in the modern nation of Israel.  They are still outside the grace of God, but only until that very last Gentile accepts Christ as His Savior -- and God knows who that person is!  
     But those who would condemn Israel for their actions to defend themselves must look to the Bible to see what God has to say about that.  In Genesis 17, He promises the land to the descendants of Isaac (modern Jews/Hebrews), not the descendants of Ishmael (modern Arabs/Palestinians).  The Israelites have been a rebellious people throughout the centuries, and God has disciplined them through captivities and dispersed them throughout the earth.  But He never abandoned His covenant with them.  And Ezekiel 36-37 prophesies of the return of the Israelites and the restoration of the land.
     That is what we have seen, beginning in May, 1948.  And that event is a foretelling of what Paul is describing in these verses of Romans.  The Deliverer (the Messiah) will come from Zion (Israel).  The world is going to come against Israel, once she is returned to the land God gave her.  We are seeing that unfold now.  Israel is surrounded by enemies that want to see her destroyed.  But there will come a day, when a remnant in the nation of Israel will cry out, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" -- when they recognize Jesus as their Messiah -- and Christ will return to defend the apple of God's eye, and "banish all ungodliness from Jacob (who is Israel)".  The remnant in Israel who embraces the Messiah will receive eternal life, just as we Gentiles will.
     So, to understand my position on what is going on in modern-day Israel, one must understand that my Christian faith is the basis for my opinions.  As a believing Gentile, I owe a debt to the Jewish people.  Because of their blindness, I had the opportunity to receive the saving Gospel.  I must stand and support Israel's right to its land. It is a Divine right given to them by God.  If you do not believe the Bible, and only see the Gaza war in terms of a secular world vision, we will never agree on this issue.  I believe that Israel's appointed time to see her Messiah is close at hand.  Until then, I will "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem."
     

3 comments:

  1. I'm hoping you are wrong that your readers are against Israel. I believe we are the descendants of the lost ten tribes of Israel. Israel has a birthright promise to their land and Jerusalem predates any other religion of the world. Their nation was a promise made by God thousands of years ago. I don't understand how a true Christian can have any ill feelings against them. It is surprising that the French are the ones who are standing up for Israel the most. It is obvious our president is not. They are surrounded by enemies today. Any one who speaks against Israel must remember what God says, I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. We must also remember this is also a war on Christianity where Israel is called little Satan by the Muslims and The US is called the big Satan. It is Christianity that is under attack, our God, as well as his people. Israel is the final battleground, it appears to be frightening close, we Christians had better be prepared, stand firm in Gods truth and not mislead by political correctness or by popular traditions of men in the ways of the world. Time is short, Satan is very busy, we must not be deceived, keep our eyes and ears focused on God and Israel, that is the stage where the "final act" will be played out.

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    1. You are absolutely right, but the sad truth is that much of the Church today believes in Replacement Theology ... that we Christians have replaced Israel as God's Chosen People. They must not read their Bibles -- God never changes, and the covenant He made with them thousands of years ago is still His covenant with them. I am always saddened when I hear Christians say that Israel should cede their land in favor of a two-state solution to the Palestinian problem. Those of us who know God's plan need to pray that the Church awakens from their Laodicean deception.

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  2. Yes, the Old Testament is not a separate covenant. It is THE Covenant God made with His Chosen People, and by His grace, to us, who are grafted in and adopted. The New Testament is not new and separate ... it is a renewal of the original covenant. And Our Savior is seen throughout the Old Testament, making every word relevant to this Church Age. Unfortunately, so many Christians today are not aware of these truths and are not only being deceived, but are lacking in knowledge.

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