A WORD ON THE JEWISH PEOPLE

After the flood, there had to be rehabilitation.

There was needed new purpose, without ignoring old sin but with imagination,
realism and hope. Otherwise, the whole race could simply be COMPLETELY extinguished once and for all. God chose the former.

He called Abraham, founder in the will of God of the Jewish race, who were appointed as a mission to the whole earth (Isaiah 43:21), and gave two basic promises through Abraham, friend of God. One was a promised blessing to all the earth through a person who would be a descendent of his  (cf. Genesis 3:15). The other was a promised land to which He would lead them, this people, and which would be an endowment to them for all generations, except that they would be exiled if chronically forgetful of God, master and Maker (Genesis 12, 15, 17, 22; Leviticus 26).

Before that, they failed badly ethically, in honesty and even in straying to worship other gods who were no gods at all (Deuteronomy 32:15-22, Jeremiah 23). Accordingly, eventually God let Jerusalem no more have protection (II Kings 17, II Chronicles 36) and their temple was demolished by powerful imperial assault (Babylonian), and the Northern Sector, still called 'Israel' was depopulated and repopulated by imperial decree  with very different people, in a people transfer. That part came to be called Samaria.

After a predicted 70 year exile (Jeremiah 25), they returned with divine aid (Ezra and Nehemiah) and rebuilt the temple and were re-constituted, with Jerusalem the capital. This fact is attested in the famous Cyrus Cylinder in archeology. Cyrus, ruler in a new empire, Medes and Persians, held this tolerant persuasion about subject people in the case of Israel. Even treasured religious materials in gold were restored to them in Jerusalem.

Again, however, over time they went astray, and Daniel in exile this time in the new Babylonian occupying power, who had risen from being a young cadet in exile from Israel,  predicted the timing for God's own final solution (Daniel 9:24-27, Ezra 7), relating to the whole world. The crux of this was fulfilled in the area of the death date for the Messiah, Saviour to redeem many in Israel and when the time came, return in glory after self-sacrifice in their place, for as many as believed. This was overall to "seal up the prophecy" for it proceeded to the finish of all foretold, in the everlasting righteousness of pardon of God.

As Isaiah showed, this atonement was sufficient to cover all (as also in I John 2:2), but efficient to save those who received it (Isaiah 53:1ff.). It was for Jew and Gentile alike (Isaiah 11:10). That was part of the prophecy, till the consummation.

This murder of the Messiah duly took place (Zechariah 11, John 19-20, Acts 3-5, Matthew 27:25), at the foretold date (Daniel 9:24-27) with the foretold resurrection as in the prophets (Psalm 16, 22, Isaiah 26:19). Again, after this performance, their nation was dispersed and not returned, this time from a longer exile (Luke 21:24), this restoration including that of Jerusalem. In fact, the return was fulfilled and the nation re-created in 1948, after nearly 2000 years. On these features, we see Isaiah 7,9, 11, 22, 32, 40, 42, 49, 50, 52-55, 60-61 and so on.

These predicted what was to happen as Israel was bought back (justice met in substitutionary atonement on the Cross as foretold), justly allowing free pardon (Romans 5:1-9). Israel was pictured as a branch in an olive tree (Romans 11), in a beautiful emplacement, cut out because of sin, but to be regrafted because of divine compassion, faithfulness (to the promise to Abraham, Genesis 12,15, 22, Micah 7:20) and love (Hosea 13:14, 11:8) right back into that same olive tree of faith.

That love is filled with pity, grace and yearning (Hosea 11:3-11, Jeremiah 31:13-20,28, and in the Messianic Isaiah 49, verses 14-18; Colossians 1:19). Though its scope is now shown broader, it is similarly inexhaustible for those who are His own, Jew or Gentile ( Romans 8:31-37, Ephesians 1:11).

In particular, God makes Israel's continuance supernaturally bound for this earth, inexorable and inevitable (for example, in Jeremiah 31 and 33, in the final verses of each). Indeed to overturn His prophecy and prevent His intention concerning Israel, He declares, you would be needing such power as His own, in which He built both cosmos and universe.  If any should try to overturn His will for Israel's continuation as a people, with all the predictions to be fulfilled, their abysmal failure is certain.

Indeed Israel is already back in its land, with Jerusalem their capital; and their renewal as a nation in 1948 was both sudden and irrepressible (as predicted, Isaiah 66:7-10), starting with victory over a 7 nation invasion, soon after they were so much as constituted as a nation! Jesus Himself to minute detail confirmed all prophetic scriptures in the name of the Lord, and that to Israel has been continually drastically and dramatically confirmed (Matthew 5:17-20). It was also confirmed specifically re the restoration of Jerusalem, as predicted by Jesus Christ (Luke 21:24).

Indeed, any such failure for this specific nation is there spelt out as an utter impossibility; the promises to and hence through Israel can by no means  fail. On earth, this people may be (and were) disciplined; but not deleted. As to its continuance and divine support, God has set His name to it.

Further, after their return from the exile following the crucifixion of Christ (by their sin but according to the stated plan of God for atonement, John 3:16 cf. Micah 5:3), they were predicted to fight statistically staggering wars of triumph (Zechariah 12), with divine assistance. This has happened, especially in 1948, 1967, 1973, and it was predicted to lead on in due compassion to a vast national conversion in Israel, in repentance concerning Christ's former crucifixion by them as a NATION (Zechariah 12:10ff.).

This transformation in the heart of the nation, to come through the power of the Spirit of God,  was to and is to lead on to the return of Jesus Christ  (Luke 24:25-26), for all His own in a largely converted people, and indeed for converted Gentiles as well (Matthew 24, Isaiah 11,60-61, Jeremiah 33:1-18). The total assemblage are to meet in heaven, as the very bride of Christ (Revelation 19:6-9).

It is in this period that a huge return, from many nations, of Jewish people to Israel is to occur (Hosea 11:9-11, and Messianic Isaiah 49 vv. 1-4,19-22). This vast people movement of Jewish people back to their appointed land (Genesis 17:7-8, Genesis 21:12, Romans 9:7) continues. despite normal opposition from those who do not understand (Micah 4:11- 5:2, Jeremiah 33:24). It continues till the return of the Messiah in Person. Indeed, the people movement back to Israel was predicted to be so vast as to make the land seem too small for the increasing population it then had to carry.

This has now happened. In due course, a multi-national invasion of Israel is to come and is divinely shredded (Ezekiel 36-39) as divine wrath cuts the bombast of human lust. Not in vain is Jeremiah 33's warning. The word of God breaks rock (Jeremiah 23:29, 33:19-26), seizes the atmosphere at will, and abashes the mighty.

In terms of Romans 11 imagery, the cut off branch (of Israel) from the 'tree' of faith in the living God, will be RE-GRAFTED into it again, so that if their cutting off implied a direction of Gospel to the Gentiles, what says Paul will their return be but like life from the dead! As God has disciplined, so decisively, so in parallel He will rebuild, and multiply, having in now famous developments, already in many parts done so (Jeremiah 31:28, Isaiah 35).

There being ONE Saviour who through ONE sacrifice ONCE paid the price, sufficient for all (Hebrews 1, 7-10), effective for those receiving this redemption and salvation (Romans 8:32, Isaiah 53:1-6), THEIR salvation coincides with that for the Gentiles so that both become one in one faith in one God (Isaiah 66, Galatians 3:26-28), or as all in one 'tree' . You see something of this in Revelation 7, as in vivid imagery in Romans 11. Many Gentiles - and some Jews -  would come to Christ as Saviour before this, when Israel was in its last long exile; but with Israel's return, when they return also as a nation to the Lord, there is one body for Jew and Gentile, that of Christ! one ' bride', one ' bridegroom', one 'marriage' (Ephesians 2:11-22).

Christ, having removed ALL His appointed believing people (called "the rapture" cf. Matthew 25) for the celestial wedding (Revelation 19:8), following His many warnings on the coming predicted state of the earth (now before our eyes intensively being fulfilled, as we look for His coming - Luke 21, Matthew 24),  Himself returns. He comes in overwhelming triumph (Revelation 19) amidst those taken earlier from this earth - to rule on earth (Isaiah 11, 32, 42, Psalm 2, 110, Revelation 20:4), vindicated and victorious.

When that period of rule on earth is finished, it leads on to judgment, whether favourable or not. Salvation as in the book of life is seen for some, and condemnation as in the records of ruin for those rejecting salvation, also is given effect. Then, the former world finished, it is dismissed, and a new heaven and earth is the new haven and blessing eternally (II Peter 3, Revelation 20:11 - 21:5), where Christ is worshipped as the eternal Word of God, and Saviour (Revelation 5, Ephesians 1:21, Philippians 2:9) and the final work of divine remedy is manifest.