myBlessedHope

…but put aside for a taking of the Gentiles.

The Lord this morning placed on my heart the following topic.  Romans 11 was front and center.

One of the great deceptions out there these days is that God’s promises to Israel have been transferred to the Church and in essence the Church has replaced Israel.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

It is important that this not be the case for if God’s everlasting covenant with Israel is, well, not everlasting.  Then what does that say about his everlasting promises to the Church?  Will the Holy Spirit be sealed in us now and forever more?

Israel and the Church both have covenants with God; both are unique but with a shared history and root system.  This is understandable since God is the same: past, present, and future.  Israel’s covenant is through “the law and the prophets”, Old Testament.  The Church’s covenant is through belief and faith in Christ, God’s Grace, and the Holy Spirit.

Israel’s 70 weeks were interrupted one week short of fulfillment, this is outlined in Daniel 9.  Paul lays out the reason for this in Romans 11.

Israel’s Rejection Not Total

11 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, ³ “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”?^{[a] 4} But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”^{[b] 5} Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. ⁶ And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.^[c] But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

⁷ What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. ⁸ Just as it is written:

⁹ And David says:

Israel’s Rejection Not Final

¹¹ I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. ¹² Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

¹³ For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

¹⁶ For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷ And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. ²² Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness,^[f] if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. ²³ And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

²⁵ For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be saved,^[g] as it is written:

²⁸ Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, ³¹ even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. ³² For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

³⁶ For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

This world has only one covenant going at a time so for God to keep His word (which He always does) but still save the Gentiles (since He wishes that none shall parish), the Jewish covenant was put on hold with their rejection of His Son.  Once the Jewish people rejected Christ and He died on the cross for our sins, the old covenant was put on hold and the new covenant began.  The temple curtain was torn signifying we all now had access to God directly through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, Jew and Gentile.

The temple shortly after was destroyed and the Jewish nation was dispersed for a time until in 1948 when they were gathered as a nation (Ezekiel 37).  This has never happened before that a nation of people were completely dispersed and later reformed, language and all, but with God all things are possible.  God keeps His word, and His covenants; everlasting covenants.

So we saw the super sign in 1948.  Prophetically, Israel was gathered and shall be a nation ever more, never to be divided again with Jerusalem as their undivided capital.  Though this world will try, Jerusalem will be like a burdensome stone to all who try to divide her or stand against Israel (Zechariah 12:3).

See Israel is preparing herself to complete the last remaining week of God’s everlasting covenant, Daniel’s 70th week.  To do this they must complete the gathering together, rebuild their temple, and turn back to God by humbling themselves and depending on God for protection and direction.  These events will happen you have God’s word on it.  Psalm’s 83 and Ezekiel 38-39 will probably play a role as well as Zechariah 12:3.

All nations will stand against her for if you are not for her you are against her.  Yes, even the US will stand against her by not being with her.  Something you are seeing play out right now.

But remember what I mentioned about the covenants on this earth, only one can be a place at once so there is another big sign coming that will need to occur before God’s everlasting covenant with Israel can begin.  The churches covenant must be completed.  We will be taken up to be with the Lord always, our wedding banquet, and marriage to Christ.

Once the church is removed, the Holy Spirit (the Restrainer) is removed and the 70th week is free to begin.  How fast things will move at that point.  The only ones left will not stand for Israel or God.  You saw the vote at the DNC; if not scroll down and find my post on it.

They denied God and Israel (Jerusalem) three times, that is important, it foreshadows what is to come.  Three is important.  Peter denied Christ three times and Christ asked Peter three times if he believed in Him.  It is a sign folks.

Christ will come soon for His church at an hour no one knows.  But we do know the season and we are in it.  And Israel is reforming, rising to start back up their covenant with God.  The entire world is focused on one little nation, just as God said they would.  All eyes are on Jerusalem and Israel.

They are important.

Why?

Because God promised they would be and He always keeps His promises – everlasting covenants.

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If you’re not certain you’re saved, here is what you should do, right now:

1. Acknowledge that you have sinned against a holy God and ask for forgiveness (even if you don’t feel you deserve it) (Rom. 3:23).  Genuinely feel the pain of your sin and be willing to turn from it (repent) (Acts 3:19).

2. Believe in your heart and mind that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died on the cross for you (John 3:1-18) in your place, and was raised back to life.  There is no one else you can turn to (John 14:6): “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

3. Confess that you are trusting Jesus as your personal Savior.  Since Jesus is alive, you can talk to him.  This is called prayer.  So talk to him right now, in your own words, accept his invitation to know him.

It’s simple faith through grace, the kind of faith a little child would have.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9)

Welcome brother or sister in Christ!  This is just the start of the journey, we are called to live in this world but not be of this world.  Begin studying God’s word (the Bible) daily to give you the strength and wisdom to live this calling out.  There are many sites like this that can help you as well.

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