By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #25 ~
Why? Why is this the 7th week in a row that I’m doing a blog post related to the Jews? Because all that you read in the Bible about the Jews is God’s Word and is true. Because the Bible talks about their past but it also talks about their future. Because hundreds of promises for the Jews are still unfulfilled – they haven’t been cancelled, only suspended. Because you can’t understand God’s future plans for the church if you can’t understand God’s future plans for the Jews. Because error is being taught about the Jews that needs to be corrected. Why? Because it relates to the purposes of God, the work of God, and the glory of God. The truth about the Jews is very important!!
Many Christians haven’t learned everything they need to know about the Jews, and are therefore confused, in error, or uncertain of God’s overall purposes for the world. Because they don’t understand God’s past, present and future working with the Jews, then their knowledge of His plans for the Jews and the church is incomplete and incorrect.
Since we live in the church age, it’s necessary that we focus on the church, but it’s also important, especially at this time in history, to back up and see the big picture. We need to go back to the past, and then come back to the future, so that we can see where we’ve come from, and where we’re going. A big picture Biblical perspective of God’s work with the Jews is essential for the spiritual growth and health of the church.
Let me share my experience. About five years ago I was teaching the book of Revelation at our Wednesday Bible study. We came to Revelation 20 which is about the kingdom age, but there weren’t many details given, and so I felt stuck. I couldn’t just zoom past 1000 years of our lives, a glorious time when we’ll be reigning with Christ on earth. I had to figure out what this millennial kingdom age was all about. Then I realized God didn’t say anything about it in Revelation 20 because all He needed to say had already been said in the Old Testament, and He expected me to read what He had already written. Why should He repeat Himself? I knew I needed to go back to the Old Testament and learn some things about the Jews that I should’ve learned a long time ago.
For the whole next year, our Bible study examined the Old Testament to see what it said about the Jews’ future (and the church’s future). I have to tell you, that was one of the most enlightening and encouraging studies I’ve ever done – WOW! It was revolutionary – it changed my view of my life, my view of the church, my view of prophecy, and my view of the future! I have to admit, the Bible made a lot more sense. Like never before God gave me a glimpse of the plans He had for the Jews and for the church. But more than that, my enlarged view of God and of Christ, of their purposes and character, and of their greatness and glory, transformed my heart like never before. I was really humbled.
My desire is to pass on to you what I’ve learned, to keep sharing with you what I know; but I want to encourage you to read the Old Testament yourself. By God’s grace, might you begin to more clearly see God’s promises and plans for the Jews, and how that fits in with your future, the future of the church, and the future of our world.
And since the Jews are back in their land, we know that God is moving full steam ahead in carrying out His prophetic plans. Now is the time to understand how His end time work with the Jews fits in with His end time work with the church. In this last part of this church age it’s all coming together for God’s elect, and you need to see this, and know that Christ is coming soon for the church, and for the Jews.
Well, I have 2-3 more blog posts about the Jews and then I’ll again be focusing on the end of this age. I have a lot more I want to tell you. We need to learn from Daniel, Luke 21,1-2 Thessalonians and Revelation. We need to learn about all the things the Bible says will be taking place before Christ’s coming. We need to learn about Israel, realigning nations, the United States’ decline, the Antichrist, great tribulation, the gospel, hope, suffering, perseverance, the rapture, the Day of the Lord, the salvation of the Jews, and the millennial kingdom. And we also need to learn how to live in these days leading up to Christ’s return. Most importantly we need to learn more about Jesus Christ.
P.S. I have just posted another important article which I believe will be very helpful to deepen your understanding of this subject: Replacement Theology: It’s Not True – Part 3.