Have you ever stood back and pondered Jewish history? Were in the world does this hatred come from.
Why do the nations seem to have such an antagonism toward this people?
I wonder how long before the issues of the nations, which are escalating, become the issue of the Jew.
It seems like they cannot hide from the spotlight of history, it follows them every were they end up.
How does one as a believer make sense of the Jew? What do they really represent to us as Christian believes?
Can we continue to ignore them?
Are they really that important to us?
Should we be concerned with them as a people?
Well as one that never really considered them up to about twenty years ago, to one that now, through a slow process is beginning to see that the centrality of Israel restoration in the last days is the issue of the coming of the kingdom.
I really feel I need to lay down the conclusions that I have come to regarding this people.
I feel the times are very urgent, we as the church need to come to terms with the Jew.
There has been for to long this strangeness with the church and the Jew, we truly do not understand them nor their destiny.
The issues that I feel that I need to deal with are not some quick conclusions. These things that I am addressing come from long exhausting searches of ancient and modern scholars, and theologians.
I will try to streamline things for the lack of over extending peoples interest.
The big question that seems to be at the forefront is has the church replaced Israel.
This question truly is such a source of so much confusion in Christianity today.
The quick answer is of course not, the Church has not replaced Israel, we the Church have been grafted into Israel.
This is very tricky, is Christ now the new Israel? I believe the answer is of course not.
This might offend some, but no Christ is not the new Israel, Christ is the true vine of Israel, Israel is a nation, Christ is the true vine of Israel, remember that Israel has been an reality long before Christ came.
So did the coming of Jesus do away with the nation of Israel?
No, Christ’s coming was the fulfillment of the promise to Israel, Christ fulfilled the promise given to Abraham.
So does this mean that we the church are now Israel, well yes and no, remember we were strangers and aliens, but now through Christ, we the gentiles have been brought into this existing, eternal nation which is Israel.
So yes we have now become a part of Israel, but only through our union with the vine of Israel, who is Christ our Lord.
This is where things get very tricky, why should we be concerned with the Jew?
Why should we worry about their restoration as the nation under Christ, does this affect us in any way?
Right now I would say absolutely yes!
This is the great issue of the coming of the messianic kingdom.
This is the event of the all the events of the last days, the OT prophetic scriptures are full of this time.
Israel is the issue of the end; they are absolutely central to the return of Christ.
The king is contained in the heavens until the what? The restoration of all things. The king has to have a nation to return back to. Christ will not return until Israel as an corporate nation call upon him whom they have pierced, this is the event of events, this is what the prophets spoke.
We cannot replace the destiny of this nation, it is impossible, we were adopted into this people through Christ, they are the natural branches.
Remember what Paul said, don’t be wise in your own estimation, this hardening that has come their way will not last for ever, it is only for a season.
How long is this season? Well until the fullness of the gentiles.
What does this mean?
There are two lines of interpretation which I like, one is a number of gentiles, the other is, there will be a day when the witness of the kingdom is finished toward the gentiles and then the Lord will return back to the house of Israel. It’s hard to say which Paul was referring to, but I kind of am leaning toward the second one, this one seems to make more sense to me.
Things get very tricky when we start to ask questions such as. Does the church and Israel have the same destiny?
Here again I would say yes and no, even though the church is a part of Israel, yet it is only because of Christ.
This is where I begin to really veer of into areas that many don’t like to discuss.
I see a heavenly body, which is the church, but I also see an earthly Israel, which is the restored nation.
So how can this make any sense?
Well the way I see it, there are two realms of rebellion in Gods good creation, one in the heavenly realms, and the other is in this earth.
The Church is destined to rule and rein with Christ over the fallen powers that presently are in a state of hostile rebellion. This is the destiny of the Church, to rule this universe through Christ.
But remember this world still carries on, the bible says for a thousand years after the return of Christ. Life and death still continue. Yes man will not learn war any longer, the wolf and the lamb will dwell together, but the cycle of life and death still continues.
Remember that the last enemy to be destroyed is death, this only happens after the thousand-year reign.
So I see Israel and the church like a man and woman, very different destinies but in union through Christ one.
Remember the holy city the New Jerusalem does not descend to earth until the thousand years, and then last enemy which is death, is finally and fully destroyed.
I believe the restoration of Israel under Messiah, and also the rapture of the church are one great event.
The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Christ.
At the same time the heavens are released from the fallen powers, who will be fully defeated, and the church sits and rules over the heavenly thrones of power, of which these powers who presently hold them are doing everything they are able to hold them.
Remember after the resurrection Paul says we will be like the angels, immortal glorified beings.
But the nations still will continue, Israel as an earthly nation still continues, but now under their Messiah living in their land in peace.
Mystery of the cross 
Hi Joe.
But what do you do with the truth that we in Scripture there is “no difference” anymore between Jew and Gentile as far as God’s purpose in Christ is concerned? And this:
“…for he is our peace, who did make both one, and the middle wall of the enclosure did break down,
the enmity in his flesh, the law of the commands in ordinances having done away, that the two he might create in himself into one new man, making peace…” (Eph 2:14,15 YLT).
The new creation man is neither Jew nor Gentile anymore. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, or uncircumcision, but a new creation” (Gal 6:15).
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I think you look at scripture on the basis of the return of the Lord, meaning the end of all things, a new heavens and an new earth, but when I read the prophets, I see that the coming of Christ, at the end of this age, opens another age called the 1000 years, which the book of revelation speaks about. The nations will continue to be a reality in the next coming age, which is soon approaching us. According to Isaiah and others, life and death continue to be apart of this world. If the nations still continue to be present in this world, then why would not Israel the nation not be apart of this next phase of salvation history. There is a coming rapture for the church, the bride of Christ. The bible says blessed and holy are those who partake of this event, for they will rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years, I get what you are saying about neither Jew nor Gentile, To me the best way to make sense of this, is that Jesus has a nation called Israel, but he also has a bride, which is made up of elect Jews and Gentiles. Our destiny as the bride is to rule and reign with Christ from the realm of the air, which I believe is the realm of power and dominion, which is over Gods creation. But at this point, it is in the power of the false rulers and authorities who presently rule the nations. I have many writings on this. This is the realm we are called to inhabit. That is why we will be glorified, changed into immortal beings. I think if one believes that the second coming of Christ is the end of history, then I see your point of view, but like Paul says, there are many ages before us, one age after another is yet to come. The next age, which is very near, there will be a change of universal government, the fallen rulers of this dark age, they will be cast out, and then replaced with the Church. I believe we will live in a different dimension. I believe the Lord has given me a bit of revelation on this other world. It is a world hidden to us, My post called the kingdom of the air speaks on this other dimensional reality. I have no desire to be apart of natural Israel, they are left in this world with the other nations. They will be the center of nations though. What I see is the glorified Church and Israel will in some strange way be united in the age to come, Something like Jacobs ladder?
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Joe, I’m not viewing Scripture on the basis of the return of the Lord. The truth concerning Israel and the church is something that came into being as soon as the New Covenant was inaugurated some two thousand years ago. God does not have one purpose for the church, and another for Israel. In the Cross, God did away with the middle wall of partition between the two. Paul makes this clear in Ephesians. There is one body (not two) one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling (not two hopes, one for the church and one for Israel)…
The church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all, is the new creation masterpiece of all the works of God. Outside her, there is no hope nor salvation for any man.
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“For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,
and her people to be a gladness.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem
and be glad in my people;
no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping
and the cry of distress.
20 No more shall there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not fill out his days,
for the young man shall die a hundred years old,
and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy[c] the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain
or bear children for calamity,[d]
for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord,
and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;
the lion shall eat straw like the ox,
and dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord. Isaiah 65
And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts? 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.’ 22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord. 23 Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” Zechariah 8
We need to spend more time in the OT
These are a few verses, there are many more.
People in Israel still live and die in the age to come? but if the church is glorified and immoral, then who are those people in these verses?
I totally see a natural nation of mortal people, the cycle of life and death continues in the coming age?
These verses are related to the Jews, when we try to spiritualize the OT, then we get into all kinds of trouble.
Allen, we really don’t know all the mysteries of God, 2/3 of the OT Prophetic scriptures are not yet fulfilled?
Paul calls Israel a mystery.
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Hi Joe, I understand your view on this, I just wanted to make sure you understand mine.
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