So what did happen to the promise to the Nation of Israel? - Joey JoJo
Hi ya Joey JoJo, much success on your conversations with your friend, and good question re Israel, and a fascinating one as well. Some points to consider...
Israel was God's chosen nation from which Messiah would come (Genesis 22:18 : Gen 12:3; 18:18; Acts 3:25; Gal 3:8, 16),
It was God's original plan for Israel to be a light unto the Gentiles ( Isaiah 49:6 : Is 42:6; 51:4; Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47; 26:23).
The Lord Jesus Christ himself said, Salvation originates with the Jews. - John 4:22.
Messiah did come to His own (Israel) - Matthew 10:6; 15:24.
As a nation as a whole, they chose to reject Him (the stoning of Stephen, Acts 7).
WT and other "Replacement Theology" denominations (see a year-2004 list here: http://www.watch.org/showart.php3?idx=64261&rtn=/index.html&showsubj=1&mcat=24 ) basically say it ends right there as far as Israel is concerned, and that because God allowed the Romans to destroy the Temple in 70AD, that was the final end of His relationship with the Nation. However, if you remember Christ's prophecy re that, He said, YOUR HOUSE (Temple) will be made desolate, not that God permanently would abandon the Nation forevermore. He merely scattered them among the Gentile nations for a certain length of time.
Replacement Theology also says the "church" replaced Israel (or in WT's case, the JW "earthly class" replaced Israel & that all "earthly kingdom promises" apply to the JWs).
Biblically speaking, however, since the Nation rejected their Messiah and the "OT prophetic offer" to evangelize the world about Him, God set Israel aside for the time being, and let them remain in their chosen "partial blindness" while taking His truth of salvation through Israel's Messiah to the Gentiles and letting the Gentiles evangelize the world instead, including any Jews that are willing to listen: To the Jew first, then to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)
God's purpose was not only to offer salvation to Gentiles but also to "provoke the Jews to jealousy" (Deut. 32:21; Acts 13:45-47; http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/dispen/jealous.htm ). As individuals, at any time, they could come to Messiah (they are only "blinded in part," not "totally blinded"), and many do come to faith in Christ (one detailed, heartrending testimony: Dr. Max L. Rossvally http://web.me.com/motionpoet/Rossvally/Free_Online_Devotional_Book.html ).
Jews get saved the same way as Gentiles, based on faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ/Messiah as payment for our/their sins. - 1 Cor. 15:1-4.
"Grace" is the message during this "age of the Gentiles" (as it is sometimes called) since the sin debt has already been paid IN FULL, and not by "Lawkeeping" (having to "earn your salvation" by doing this or that). Many believers still get Grace and Lawkeeping mixed up.
God has a timeframe for everything. God will remove Israel's "partial blindness" when the "fullness of the Gentiles has come in." (Romans 11).
We know we are nearing that time because:
1. Before the Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth to rule in His Kingdom from Israel, the "fake Messiah" ("The Stranger" John 5:43; "The Man of Sin/Son of Perdition" 2 Thessalonians 2:3; "The Wicked/Lawless One" 2 Thessalonians 2:8; "The Worthless Shepherd" Zechariah 11:16-17; "The Bloody and Deceitful Man" Psalms 5:6; the "profane wicked Prince of Israel" Ezekiel 21:25-27; etc.) has to come first.
2. And there cannot be that "fake Messiah" (the Luciferian Antichrist -1.John 2:22) until there is again a Nation of unbelieving, deceived Israel to welcome and accept him (John 5:43) because Daniel 9 says the Antichrist, the Prince that will come, will confirm the covenant with Israel for the "one week" (seven years, which matches the 3.5+3.5 years of Revelation).
3. So the State of Israel had to be, and now has been, set up first (1948) by unbelieving and secular Jews (with help from Rothschild money, btw, but that's a whole 'nother connection).
4. The "generation" that saw the establishment of this current Israel is the one that will not pass away until all these things occur. Matthew 24:32-34. (FYI: Some believe the "generation-counting" began when Israel recaptured Jerusalem in 1967 rather than the year 1948).
During the seven-year Tribulation, God promises to bring a 1/3 remnant of Jews "through the fire" which will have prepared their heart to finally receive their True Messiah. (Zechariah 13:8,9; Joel 2:32; Matthew 23:39; Romans 9:27; 11:26,27; Jeremiah 30:7)
When the Lord Jesus Christ returns at the end of those seven years of Tribulation (and casts the Fake christ & the False Prophet into the Lake of Fire, and chains Satan in the pit), that is when He/Christ will send forth his angels to gather the remaining remnant of Jews from the four corners of the earth and set up His Kingdom on the Throne of David in Israel (in the same location as the currently operating Israel, but it will be much larger, with the borders as promised to Abraham).
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FACT: NO JEW NOR GENTILE "MUST" GO THROUGH THE TRIBULATION. It's each person's choice.
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Some links for further reading, if interested:
WHEN WILL ISRAEL BE REGATHERED AND CONVERTED?
AT CHRIST'S COMING:
http://ourfinalauthority.com/index.php?topic=923.0
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The Tribulation Period: THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST & ISRAEL IS RESTORED: (scroll down for scriptures):
http://hunterscreekchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/The-Second-Coming-Of-Christ1.pdf
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JEWISH INFORMATION AND THE FUTUREOF ISRAEL:
http://www.amazingbible.org/Documents/Jews_Information_Desk/Jewish_information_and_future.htm#4-IMMEDIATELY%20AFTER%20THE%20RAPTURE:%20THE%20ANTICHRIST%20COMES%20FORTH,
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Bible Prophecy
Israel and Jerusalem:
http://www.alphanewsdaily.com/Warning%201%20Israel%20Jerusalem.html
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Israel in Prophecy (scroll down to reach this section):
http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/proph/prophecy.htmCan the Jews Be Destroyed?--A Message For All Who Believe Israel Has No FutureRomans Chapter 9--Israel's PastRomans Chapter 10--Israel's PresentRomans Chapter 11--Israel's Future
A Comparison and Contrast Between Israel and the Church
A Compilation of Bible Prophecies Demonstrating that Israel Has a Glorious Future in the Plan and Purpose of God-An Antidote for Preterism, Amillennialism, Replacement Theology and any other teaching which denies the literal fulfillment of hundreds of very specific prophecies.
The Coming Russian/Islamic Invasion of Israel (Ezekiel 38-39) - Sunday School Lesson
One of the Purposes of The Church: To Provoke Israel To Jealousy (Envy)
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NAMES AND TITLES OF THE ANTICHRIST:
http://www.biblebelievers.com/Pink/antichrist06.htm
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Got to get some Zzzz's. Hope this helps!
