chapter three

What Paul Said About Israel

About chapter three:
a. Paul's love for Israel
b. The blessing that God will bring to the Gentiles
c. The commandment for the Gentiles to save the Jews

While writing to the Romans, Paul said that it was the desire of his heart that Israel would be saved (Romans 10:1). He loved Israel so much, it was his family and he wanted to see them accept Jesus as their Saviour. Their continued rejection of the Gospel caused him much concern and grief, but Paul also knew that God would not always allow Israel to remain in blindness. Knowing this, and understanding God's plan for Israel gave him hope. He knew that God would someday save Israel, and he also knew that it was God's plan to use the Gentiles to bring Israel to the cross. This caused him grief on top of grief, because the Gentile Christians had no burden for the salvation of the Jews. In fact, they had a heart problem concerning Israel.

The Gentiles in Paul's day believed that God preferred themselves to the Jewish people. They believed this so much that they were boasting about it. It is sad to know that many Gentile Christians still believe this today. Paul was so provoked over this belief that he warned the Gentile Church. He warned them that God could cut them off, just as well as Israel, if they didn't stop this kind of thinking.

In Paul's letter to the Romans he made an appeal to the Church, to help him reach the Jew with the Gospel. He knew that it was God's plan for this to happen. In Romans 11:31, he said,

  • That through your mercy they may obtain mercy.

    • In Romans 11:5 Paul said,

  • Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

    • In Romans 11:7, Paul said:

  • The election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

    • Jesus said, concerning Israel, For many are called, but few are chosen. What was it that determined the elect? How did Jesus choose out of Israel? If all were called, then why were they not all chosen? He only came to those who were looking for redemption. If they were content to live the way they were, He left them in blindness. But, God loves Israel, and they are still in His plan of salvation. Even though there was a remnant saved at that time, God concluded all of Israel in unbelief that He might save the whole world.

    In Romans 11:11, Paul told us that God had saved the Gentiles in order that Israel might become jealous and receive Christ. It was God's hope, even then, to save as many of Israel as He could. The Gentile Christian, at that time, had power with God, through prayer, to reach great numbers of Jewish people, but they did not love the Jewish people enough. We, through prayer, have power with God in reaching souls.

    When Jesus settled the score on Calvary, it was His hope that, through the saving of the Gentiles, or the rest of the world, the Gentiles would appreciate what He had done so much that they would reach Israel. It is the same hope that He has in us today! We are in God's plan for Israel's redemption!

    Many of our teachers today try to teach that Israel will be saved through the Law and animal sacrifice. After having once experienced the blood of Jesus taking away our sins, how could we ever believe that the blood of goats or bulls could ever be enough to bring salvation to anyone, be it Jew or Gentile?

    In Romans 11:16-24, Paul began to show us a mystery that should open our eyes and hearts to the will of God. He told us the Jew was the natural branch that had been cut off, and that the Gentile was the wild olive branch, that had been grafted in. He warned the Gentiles that God could cut the Gentile off as well. Why was he warning the Gentile? Because of the Gentile's pride. It is only pride that says the Jew is not worthy of salvation. Any hatred for any man, let alone the natural olive branch, the Jew, could cost you your soul. Our effort to save the Jew should be with the utmost urgency. God is depending on us.

    In Romans 11:12, Paul said:

  • Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
    •

    Paul once again made this amazing statement in Romans 11:15:

  • For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
    •

    Paul was simply saying that if the casting away of the Jew caused salvation to come to the Gentiles, then at the time the Jew does come to God, the blessing of salvation will be so great, that it will bring world revival to the Gentiles!This means that God is going to save the Gentiles in a greater way than ever before. Millions will come to Christ at that time.

    In Romans 11:25-26, Paul said:

  • For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
    •

    Paul was not saying that after the Gentiles are saved that God would then turn to Israel. He was saying that the fullness of God would come to the Gentiles when Israel is no longer blind. Then both Jew and Gentile will share the burden of the Gospel. This will no longer be the Gentiles responsibility alone.

    Keep in mind what Paul had already said concerning Israel's fullness. He was saying that the Gentiles will be blessed even more when Israel is saved. He is speaking a mystery. There is no such thing as a Gentile dispensation and a Jewish dispensation. But, there is one dispensation of Grace.

    Ephesians 1:9-10:

  • Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
    •

    How do I know? Paul continued to reveal the mystery. In Romans 11:30:

  • For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
    •

    He was saying that the Gentiles had received salvation because the Jew refused to believe the Gospel.

    And, in Romans 11:31, he concluded this mystery:

  • Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

    • Paul has just revealed God's plan for Israel's salvation. What is it? It is that the Gentiles will, through the mercy of the Lord Jesus that He has placed in their hearts, take the Gospel to Israel. And, when they do, God will remove the blindness so Israel can be saved. It is our responsibility! If there were two separate dispensations, then the Gentiles would have to go back to unbelief in order for Israel to obtain mercy. But, he did not say that through your unbelief they would receive mercy. But, that through your mercy they may obtain mercy.

    In Isaiah 60:16, God shows the Gentiles taking the Gospel to Israel and them receiving it as new born babies in the laps of the Gentiles:

  • Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
    •

    Here, God shows Israel sucking milk. Paul called the pure Gospel the milk of the Word. This is the scripture he saw concerning the Gospel. He called it "milk." The Gospel in its purest form, without the poison of so called special revelation. The Gentiles, taking the Gospel to Israel. He called us priests and kings, taking Jesus to the Jew, the deliverer who would turn Jacob from ungodliness.

    Isaiah 61:6-7, concerning Israel:

  • But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. For your (Israel) shame, ye shall have double; and for their (Gentile) confusion, they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore, in their (Gentile) land, they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
    •

    Remember what Paul said in Romans 11:12:

  • Now if the fall of them be the riches of the Gentiles?
    •

    Paul obtained this revelation out of the book of Isaiah. The riches of the Gentiles is Jesus. In this scripture, we see Israel receiving Christ from the Gentiles, and God giving them a double portion, so they, themselves, can become ministers of the Gospel, also. And, because of the confusion that the Gentiles experience in trying to reach Israel in a last minute scramble, He gives them a double portion in their own lands. He saves their nations! He gives Israel a double portion because of the shame that she has carried down through the ages.

  • In Zechariah 9:12, He said this concerning Israel:

    Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee;

    •

    He said that men would call Israel the ministers of our God. Israel will reach the world with the Gospel in a way that we have never been able to. They will reach our children, our cities, our towns, and God's power will be with them to do the work. It will be a short work, but God uses them to bring in the fullness of the Gentiles. We will bring in the fullness of the Jews.

    Zechariah 8:23:

  • Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
    •

    Now, let us see a prophecy of this in Isaiah 66:10-13, concerning the Gentiles:

  • Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

    • The glory of the Gentiles is JESUS. We also see the Gentiles as little babies being carried on her hip, and sitting on her lap while sucking her breast. This is new born Gentiles as babes receiving the Gospel from Israel. Hallelujah! GOD SAVE ISRAEL!

    In the hour that all of this happens, the Church all over the world will have a great burden for souls. It shows the desire for this in Isaiah 4:1:

  • And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.
    •

    The greatest reproach a woman could have in Bible times was to be barren, or not to have children. Here, we see the desperation of the Church gathered around Jesus, saying, you do not have to do anything for us except let us bear your name, and give us children to God. Revival? NO DOUBT!

    Paul said that through YOUR MERCY, they also may obtain MERCY. Are YOU willing to help Israel?

    End Chapter three