By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #199 ~
Did you know that God’s future plans for Israel relate to His future plans for you and the church? Many Christians are unaware of the great blessings God has in store for the Jews, and what that means for the church. Today I want to talk about the future of Israel, and how this specifically relates to prophecy, to the church, and to God’s work in the world in these last years leading up to the coming of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior, and King.
1) In the Old Testament times God focused on Israel. But since Christ’s 1st coming, God has been focusing on the church, and now, 2000 years later, we are getting close to the end of this age and Christ’s 2nd coming and the rapture of the church. After the rapture, the day of the Lord, and the salvation of a remnant of Jews, the kingdom age will begin and God will greatly bless both Jews and glorified believers (OT saints and the church) with the result that they will be a beautiful witness to the world and a glory to Jesus Christ. Psalms 67, 96, 117
2) Israel is Israel. Israel is not the church, as some wrongly say, and there is nothing in God’s word that says the church has replaced Israel, that the church is now the sole recipient of some or all God’s promises to her. God has very specific and special plans for Israel with regards to her future, and all these plans will be carried out. “The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations… The counsel of the Lord stands forever… Blessed is the nation (Israel) whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:10-12, Isaiah 60-62
3) Three key promises were given by God to Israel: a) They will inherit a vast portion of land (Gen. 13:14-17, 15:18-21). b) A large remnant of Jews will be saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th week (Jer. 31:31-34). c) Jesus Christ will reign as Israel’s King during the millennial kingdom. (Ezek. 37:21-23, Zech. 14:9). Indeed, God remembers His promises to the Jewish people and will faithfully fulfill every one of them. “He has remembered His covenant forever.” Psalm 105:8-11
4) The phrase “end-time” comes from Dan. 12:9 – “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.” Dan. 7-12 contains a great deal of information about God’s plans for Israel in these last days leading up to Christ’s return to become King of the world. (Dan. 7:13-14). That the Jews have returned to their land is God’s signal to the church that we are in the end-times, that He is once again actively working with Israel, that the prophecies contained in Dan. 7-12 are about to be fulfilled, and that Christ will soon return to rapture the church and set up His kingdom on this earth.
5) Luke 21:20-24 must be understood if we are to know how God has been working with the Jews during the church age. We learn that they were punished and scattered all over the world, which began around 70 AD. And they “will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,” and then Christ will become King of this world. “When you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.” Luke 21:31
6) Romans 11 must also be understood if we are to know how God has been working with the Jews during this church age. “God gave them (Jews) a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day” (vs. 8), and “they (Jews) were broken off for their unbelief” (vs. 20). During this church age, God is not focused on saving Jews, but on saving Gentiles. “By their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles… and their failure is riches for the Gentiles” (vss. 11-12). But “God has not rejected the people whom He foreknew,” for we read that “a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved… when I take away their sins” (Vss. 25-27). God will save a large number of Jewish people at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Is. 45:17, Dan. 9:24
7) The Jewish people have been gathering back to their land, the #1 sign that we are in the end-times, and that the times of the Gentiles will soon come to an end. This miraculous return, beginning in the 1880’s, has resulted in close to 6.7 million Jews presently living in Israel (Hosea 3:4-5, Amos 9:14-15). The fulfillment of end-time prophecies and promises for both Jews and Christians is contingent on the Jews being back in their land. For the Antichrist to desolate the new Jewish temple requires that the Jews be back in their land (2 Thess. 2:1-4). For the church to be raptured necessitates that the Jews are living in Israel (Matt. 24:15-31). You cannot overstate this amazing miracle that millions of Jews have returned to Israel, and what it means for them, the church, and God’s eternal purposes.
8) That many New Testament prophecy passages for the Jewish people sit next to prophecy passages for the church means that God wants you to see that His end-times’ work with the Jews is in conjunction, is coinciding with His end-times’ work with the church. God’s present and future work with the Jews should be of utmost interest to all Christians. Knowing how God is working with the Jews helps you understand the timing of His dealings with the church in the years leading up the rapture, and should motivate you to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth…” (Matt. 6:10). I encourage you to read the following passages that describe God’s end-times’ work with both Jews and Christians. Matt. 24:4-31, Luke 21:7-31, Rom. 11, 2 Thess. 2:1-10, Rev. 7, Rev. 12:13-17
9) A listing of God-planned prophetic events taking place in the years ahead: a) Birth pains will be affecting people in various parts of the world. b) Both Jews and Christians will face increasing persecution. c) A peace treaty between Israel and the coming Antichrist will be signed at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week. d) At the midpoint of that 7-year week, the Antichrist will be revealed, and then be recognized by Christians and discerning Jews. e) The rapture of the church will happen sometime during the last half of that 70th week. f) The day of the Lord, the outpouring of God’s wrath upon the earth, will begin after the rapture, occurring during the last part of that 70th week. g) God will save a remnant of Jewish people at the very end of that week. h) Jesus Christ will then begin His 1000-year reign over the entire world.
10) During the millennial kingdom, both Jewish and Gentile believers will be worshiping the Lord (Rom. 15:9-15). Both will inherit the land (Ps. 37:11, Matt. 5:5). Both will be blessed by the Lord (Ps. 67:7, 1 Pet. 1:4). Both will reign with the Lord (Matt. 19:28, Rev. 5:10). Both will be serving the Lord (Ez. 40-48, Matt. 25:20-21). Both will be witnessing for the Lord (Ps. 96:2-3). How encouraging and exciting it will be to see God blessing both Jewish and Gentile believers – “All these (Jewish believers), having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us (the church), so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:39-40
At this time, with so many problems, difficulties, and conflicts, it may seem like the world is spinning out of control, as if God is ignorant of what is going on, as if God doesn’t care, or as if God is unable to do anything about it. On the contrary, our wise, loving, faithful, powerful, and purposeful God is constantly working, and sovereignly directing all things and all people towards that singular moment when He sends “Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time” (Acts 3:20, Eph. 1:9-11). It won’t be long before we “see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). Be encouraged for “your redemption is drawing near” and “the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 21:28, 31). Then we will “tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.” Psalm 96:3-4
P.S. The following will help you understand God’s working with Israel, something you need to know – “A Summary of the Prophetic Work of God, from the Time of Abraham to Christ’s Millennial Kingdom.” Here is a suggestion for an inexpensive but very valuable Christmas gift – I encourage you to download our articles, posts and/or charts to give to friends and loved ones! Downloads