THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ISRAEL
In Rev 1:7, we see a declaration and a depiction of the Second coming. In the declaration, there is a statement which says "even those who pierce him". Who are these people mentioned? This statement refers to the Jews. We refer to Zech 12:10-13:1 for a fuller understanding
of this. In those verses, the phrase "on that day" is
mentioned. What is this day? It is the Day of the Lord, which
is the day God pours his wrath on the unrepentant world (Amos
5:18), which is also the day of the Second Coming. On that day,
God will lift the veil from the eyes of the Jews (Rom 11:815;
25-29), and pour out a spirit of grace and supplication on them.
The Jews will look upon Jesus, whom they pierced, and mourn for
him (see the connection with Rev 1:7?). The Jews will mourn in
repentance and finally accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
Then their sins will be cleansed (Zech 13:1), and the Church of
God will be completed.
There are those that say that the Jews
must be "converted" before the Second Coming, otherwise
they will not be saved. It is true that the only way to God is
through Jesus Christ, and I an not disputing that fact. However,
as mentioned earlier, the Jews will come to the knowledge of salvation
in Jesus Christ through the events of Zech 12:10-13:1. Even in
this case, it is not a matter of receiving salvation because they
are Jews, as some think, but that of repentance at the spiritual
and physical revelation of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Scripture
is not violated, because the Jews will come into salvation through
Jesus Christ and not some other way. Paul devotes three chapters
in Romans to explain this fact and in Rom 11:25, he tells us (the
Gentiles) not to be ignorant of it. God has sovereignty hardened
Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. This
means that only after the last of the Gentiles whom God had elected
has received salvation will Israel be saved. When will the last
of the Gentiles come in? I believe it will be just before the
Second Coming because the Church will be evangelizing all the
way until Christ returns (more about this later). Now, why is
Israel so favoured? Because it is God's sovereign choice, and
this should be sufficient reason for us. Paul reinforces it in
Rom 11:28-29, saying that God's gifts and call are irrevocable.
We must note at this juncture the nature of covenants and appropriation
of promises. God always keeps his promises and thus, because He
has called Israel, He will fulfil it.
Now there is some issue here in that some say national Israel is no longer in God's plan, and that the Church is now the Israel of God (the so-called "Replacement Theology") . This view shows a lack of understanding covenants and promises (Read "The Covenants" by Kevin Conner for a fuller discussion). Certain promises are made to national Israel, and the Church has no right to appropriate it. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the Old Testament with regard to Israel were literal, therefore we should expect that the prophecies yet to be fulfilled which have bearing on Israel to be literal. To say that they are now not to be interpreted literally with regard to Israel but symbolically with regard to the Christian church is to do violence to the clear statements in the Word of God. Indeed, if we can do this to promises made to national Israel, then the apparent promises made to the Church in the New Testament would likewise be capable of reinterpretation, and of re-application to some new people (For example, the Muslims, who claim to have replaced the Church). The Israel of God consists of two parts, the physical Israel (the Jews who will be saved as in Zech 12:10-13:1), and the spiritual Israel (the Church)(Israel is sometimes called "the church in the wilderness"). The two parts are required for God's end-time plans. That is why Satan tried to eliminate the Jews in World War Two, because without the Jews, one half of the whole would be missing. But thank God for his grace and mercy that not only was enough Jews spared, the nation of Israel was also born (Isa 49:8-12, 22-23; 11:12-13). God is in control of end-time events, and though the nations conspire and the people plot in vain (Psa 2), God will ensure that His will is done. I am not saying that the entire present nation of Israel will be saved, but only those who truly long for God, who are faithful to Him. It is obvious that in any society there will be some who are unrepentant, even if Christ were to stand in front of them, such being their rebellion against God. As it is, the present state of Israel has its fair share of secular Jews. Only the Jews who repent when Christ is revealed will be saved. God has the last word on this matter. In Rom 11:27, Paul writes: "And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sin". It is God's covenant with the Jews. Paul certainly is not talking about the Gentile Church in Rom chs.9-11. Let us not be "ignorant of this mystery" which has caused so much dissension and issues (Rom 11:25)(For a fuller treatment, read "The Significance of Israel" by Lance Lambert and "The Last Word on the Middle East" by Derek Prince, as I do not have the time or space to deal with all the issues. Besides, it would be a duplication of effort).
At this point, it is worthwhile to consider what we mean by God's end-time purposes. What is God's overall purpose for mankind? Is it purposed only in Israel, and the Gentiles are brought in as a "by-the-way" event, or is it first in Israel, then replaced by the Church today, or is the Church going to be incorporated into the Jews, or into Israel? or is Israel going to be incorporated into the Church? Is it going to be a Jewish Millennium, or a Christian Millennium? We must know that the Church was in the eternal purpose of God in Christ before Israel ever existed as a chosen nation under the Old Testament. It was not a parenthetical invention (1 Pet 1:20; Eph 1:4). By the term "Church" 1 do not mean the physical Church which we see today, but the Church of God, also referred to as the Israel of God. Israel in the desert was a type of the Church which was to come, and has sometimes been referred to as "the Church in the wilderness". Central to God's purposes is the work of Christ. Everything in the Old Testament looks forward to that, and everything in the New Testament looks back to that. Thus, putting Christ as the pivotal point around which everything revolves, we see that there is no such thing as "replacement" or "superseding" or whatever. The Church of God has been there since Genesis, and will continue to be there in Revelation. The mistake most people make is that they separate Israel from the Church. They say, Old Testament - Israel; New Testament Church; implying that the Church is some incidental creation, some kind of parenthesis, created for the express purpose of the New Testament. It is akin to saying that God had "traded-in" his old worn-out car for a new model, with the old going to the junkyard. The fact is, God has been using the same car since day one, and will continue to use it until the end of the age. That car is the Church/Israel of God in Christ, purposed before the beginning of the world. And, this car comprises both the national and spiritual Israel. Drawing an analogy from Rom 11:17-24, national Israel is the chassis, spiritual Israel (the present day Church) is the body of the car, and Christ is the motor. Just as the chassis is useless without the body, so is the body useless without the chassis, and both are useless without the motor. So, the Church, in God's purposes, comprises both the national and spiritual Israel, i.e.
But some may say, national Israel today is so secular, how can they be in God's Church? They don't believe in Christ,' do they? Yes, while it is true that not every Israelite has been, is, or will be saved. the same can be said of the Church, which has its fair share of apostates even to this day, and this is going to increase in the last days (1 Tim 1:3-7; 1 Jn 2:18-19). How many of the "professing" Christians these days actually have a salvation experience of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ? Matt 7:21-23 describes this situation vividly. So, in the Millennium (more about this later), it will not be a "Jewish" Millennium, but will be a true Christian Millennium in which the completed Church/Israel of God. comprising both the redeemed Jews and the Gentile believers of Jesus Christ. will reign with Him. Therefore. brethren, know that God still has His purposes in national Israel today, even as He is working out His end-time purposes. The land of Israel (Canaan) is still God's own land. It is interesting to note that though the whole earth is His, Canaan (or Eretz Israel) is the only land which God cares for and claims for His own (Lev 25:23; Deut 11:12; Isa 14:2). It is also the scene of the First Coming and will be the scene of the Second Coming (Zech 14:4). The Jews, too, have been irrevocably called (Rom ch. 9-11). So, if you want to know what is happening or going to happen in the end-times, watch Israel.
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© Nicholas Tay 1996