|
|
America and
Israel in Bible Prophecy |
|
|
|
|
Go to Homepage
Our Spiritual Walk: Are you Born Again? The kingdom of God? Age of accountability? Apostasy Alert! Snake handlers,Poison,Healers Does God Always Heal? Is What You Say What You Get? Did Jesus have to go to Hell?
Religion in America Freedom of Religion God and Government? A Bit of American History Roy Moore About the Author Brother Tommie My Visions and Experiences And He Opened My Understanding Contact information:
|
Your
Mercy 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
Savior. 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. Paul had
many things to say about this in Romans the 11the Chapter. 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,
whether it is 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. There are only two ways we can look at these scriptures. One would be
that at the time Israel comes to their fullness by being saved that the
resurrection and the Rapture will take place. This would seem to be a
reasonable assumption, except, we know that the Jews in Israel will not
accept Jesus until sometime during the last 3&1/2 years of the
tribulation. If it means that, then the Rapture cannot occur before the
tribulation begins. What could it mean? The other possibility would be that since God turned to the Gentiles
because of Israel's unbelief, that at the time the Jews do come to Christ,
God would bless the Gentiles in a greater way than ever before. And, this
is exactly what He is saying. Well, either way you go; this puts the
rapture after these things occur; God will not leave Israel out of the
Rapture. 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! In Romans 11:25-26, Paul said: 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. Bear in mind what Paul had already said concerning Israel's fullness. He was saying that the Gentiles would 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 and it is called "the dispensation of the fullness of times". It is in this dispensation, the time that we are now living, that the fullness of times will come to an end. A time that God will bring us to that says that time shall be no more. From the cross to his return from heaven. In the following verse in Ephesians there are two things to notice. One is the dispensation of the fullness of times, the other is that he might gather together all things that are in him. This means that during this time he will gather all men, both Jew and Gentile, in heaven or in earth together. Remember, one dispensation, not two. Paul continued to reveal the mystery. He was saying that the Gentiles had received salvation because the Jew refused to believe the Gospel. After Paul explains how we were grafted in he goes on to reveal God's plan for Israel's salvation. What is it? It is that the Gentiles, through the mercy of the Lord Jesus that He has placed in their hearts, will 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 God shows the Gentiles taking the Gospel to Israel and them receiving it as newborn babies in the laps of the Gentiles: 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. In Isaiah he also told us a prophecy of Israel when they are born-again and have accepted Jesus as their savior. Remember what Paul said in Romans 11:12: Paul obtained this revelation out of the book of Isaiah. The riches of the Gentiles are the wealth of salvation that we have in 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 we see this promise concerning Israel 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. Now, let us see a prophecy of this in Isaiah 66:10-13, concerning the Gentiles: 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 newborn 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. 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. Could it be the last great revival that this earth will ever see? Paul said that through YOUR MERCY, they also might obtain MERCY. Are YOU willing to help Israel?
Yours in Christ, |
