Zechariah 12:10, "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they have pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn."
God Will Reclaim His People
These last 5 days we've looked at Israel. How many in the church reject Israel and their still being part of God's plan. And how the bible clearly teaches that their are many prophesies involving Israel that have yet to be fulfilled. If their is still unfulfilled prophecy regarding Israel, then God cannot yet be through with them.
In Romans chapter 11, Paul gives the definitive teaching on Israel's restoration to a right relationship with God. Romans 11:11-12 says, "I say then, have they(Israel) stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not!(KJV-God forbid!) But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!" Paul states clearly God's plan here. The Jews rejected Christ nearly 2000 years ago and salvation came to the Gentiles. If the Jews had accepted Messiah then, the kingdom of God would have come, and the Gentiles left out. When Paul speaks of their fullness being riches, he is speaking of the future restoration of Israel.
In Romans 11:16-24, Paul further expounds on this. Paul compares Israel to an "olive tree," a common symbol for Israel in scripture. He says that we, a wild "olive branch," were grafted into the promises of Israel of eternal life with God, the natural "olive tree." By this Paul is speaking of Gentiles being included as part of the mission of Jesus Christ. Paul also writes that if we, a "wild olive branch," can be grafted into the natural "olive tree," then "how much more will these(Israel), who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree."
Paul through the Holy Spirit in Romans, as does the balance of scripture, teaches a future restoration of Israel. Is God working through the church instead of Israel in this current dispensation of His kingdom plan? Absolutely. But as we saw earlier in this series, in Romans 11:28, though Israel at this time may be our "enemy for the sake of the gospel." They are indeed are "beloved for the sake of the fathers" concerning election.
Israels Future
We can see clearly the plan of God for Israel in Revelation chapters 6-18, and it is not pretty. Because of their rejection of Jesus they will suffer through the the 7 year Tribulation Period, the most horrific time in the history of planet earth. But God will move miraculously among the Jews during this time. He will raise up 144,000 witnesses for Jesus from the 12 tribes of Israel(Revelation 7) to proclaim the gospel to the world. He will raise up 2 powerful witnesses in Jerusalem(Revelation 11) who for 3 1/2 years will defy Antichrist and proclaim the truth. A "multitude that cannot be numbered(Revelation 7)," both Jew and Gentile will be saved in this hour of greatest trial.
God tells us in His word, He "will never leave us or forsake us." Friends, this promise applies to you and I, the church, as well as Israel. God has never left Israel. His presence has, but not His love and His word given to the fathers, the patriarchs; Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Israel left God. But God will bring them back. All who are willing to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, as Messiah. Many Jews have already taken this step, we call them Messianic Jews. But far more reject Jesus now and as a result will endure the "time of testing" that will come upon "the whole world(Revelation 3:10)."
We've discussed this these last 5 days to point us too Jesus. None of these things were possible until Israel returned to the land. That happened in 1948. Israel had to control Jerusalem. That happened in 1967. Jesus told us that the generation who saw this happen "would not pass" before He returned. So, how much longer will we wait? We do not know. But His coming, first in the rapture for His own, and then after the tribulation to establish His millennial kingdom, could come at any time. Are we living like Jesus could return this very day?
If you want to understand end-times prophecy, you must understand God's plan for Israel. Israel is the key. In the future we will be monitoring the situation in the middle east, as God's clock is ticking. And the situations that are occurring right now seem to indicate God is ready to bring His plan to fruition. Let us be looking for Jesus, and heed the words of the apostle John in 1 John 2:28. Here through the Spirit John says, "And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming."
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