Some people claim that God is still watching out for Israel, especially in light of its latest regathering to the land. They claim this is the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
Which Bible prophecy.
What regathering to the land. Explain.
The land is being polluted and defiled daily.
Murder and crime and idolatry. Thats what got the Israelites expelled. Why would they be gathered and not expelled.
Explain why Jews would be there in unbelief (rejection of Christ); rebellion; murder; crime.
Polluting the land with blood.
People like to say God never changes.
Did He change his mind about this:
Numbers 35
"'Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.
Did Jesus change His mind about living by the sword and dying by it.
Jesus isnt putting the finishing touched on Tel Aviv. or Jerusalem.
He is doing something better:
Ephesians 1:20-22
which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
Doesn't Matthew 21:45 state that the chief priests and pharisees knew that Jesus was talking about "them?" It doesn't say, "they knew he was talking about all Israel."
Why try to downplay the nearly complete apostasy and failure of virtually the entire nation of Israel (the
reason Christ stood in their stead, The True Israel - they failed, He didnt).
The Gospels present quite a different picture than you present.
Almost to a man, Jesus was abandoned.
His disciples deserted Him.
John 16
"A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
Even those who hailed Him as King at the Triumphal Entry were shortly after calling for His death.
John 19:14-15
Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!" So they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."
The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."
But there was a huge crowd...of
regular Jews, stirred up by the leaders: they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!"
How many of the 5000 were saved.
John 6:26
Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
The Bible repeatedly says Israel was
divided over Christ. Thats not just the Pharisees.
By the time of the Apostles, they were being persecuted as much as they were received.
The Disciples and Apostles of our New Covenant Book describe and represent the few, many, elect (etc) - the faithful.
Division is what He said He was bringing.
Luke 12
“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
John 7:43-44
"Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him.Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
John 12:42
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;
John 4:48
"Unless you people see signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."
Matthew 8:10
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.
And why did over a million suffer and die in Jerusalem in 70AD - to Gods wrath - if only the Pharisees (and a couple others) were against Him.
Biblical revisionism -
to make Israel stand apart in some future, geographical globally positive role as a nation once again...under Christ from Jerusalem. But they are never said to be again be a particular nation again, either within Judea (under Rome) or anywhere else. Reason: The Promise to Abraham - the Gentiles would be fellow-heirs.
So how can you have one people of God under one King, and
one faith - in that King and Messiah
- that is distinctly jewish when the plan was always :
Ephesians 2:13-16
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
But this is
intolerable for some....that God would mix jews and gentiles. Or more specifically, not keep them separate, even in His church:
(Israel stands apart), Christians have God now reverting to a restricted sectarianism. favoring jews.
The only problem is, the Bible says
nothing like that.
Romans 9:22-26
What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed he says in Hosea,
“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
“And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”
Acts 15
"And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
Galatians 2:11-12
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.…
Also, wouldn't the best bet be that the physical kingdom had already been taken away from Israel during the reign of the Greek King Herod right at Jesus' arrival on this Earth as prophesied by Genesis 49:10? I mean, if one were to say the physical kingdom had been taken from them. And if the physical kingdom had been taken from them does that mean they have ceased to be God's chosen physical people?.
The kingdom was taken from them
by God. Not every individual cut-off. Some branches were.
Herod was a Jew.
There was no physical majestic Kingdom after David and Solomon - they were in in captivity - for polluting the land.
They returned to Judea for a relatively short but crucially important time to receive their Promise - a Crucified Savior, Jesus the promised Messiah, and the Holy Spirit.
Forgiveness of sins, salvation and a kingdom. With a Benevolent King.
Peace with God.
But, they did not understand, or want that kind of king (they were in the middle of wars and rebellions with each other, and the Romans):
Luke 19:43
"If you had known in this day, even you,
the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes."For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side,…
The temporal kingdom bwas taken from the apostates and given to others (jew & gentile believers).
But the eternal kingdom is open for all who humble themselves and repent.
The kingdom and city the (faithful) Jews looked for,is not on earth (not on this cursed earth).
Hebrews 11:15-16
And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
Unbelieving Jews still look for a physical kingdom (just like the worlds kingdoms)
Oddly so do
many Christians.
They just arent sure of their standing (as gentiles) in the kingdom.
Doesn't Matthew 21:45 state that the chief priests and pharisees knew that Jesus was talking about "them?" It doesn't say, "they knew he was talking about all Israel."
Why the insistence that
All Israel was godly; saintly and saved...or will be. No one is righteous, not even one.
A very odd fixation on the word All. And an apparent misunderstanding of who is Israel.
If that were true (that All Israel was godly; saintly and saved...or will be...even due to election or any other cause, the KEY word being ALL),
why did God decree and carry out the total destruction of the unfaithful, rebels, corrupt leadership, the temple and every single sign that there even was an Old Covenant, or, said another way - Why did God have Titus level Israel and her earthly kingdom. Why did He warn about through half the bible.
And if the physical kingdom had been taken from them does that mean they have ceased to be God's chosen physical people?
Chosen physical people?
Gentiles are said to be chosen physical people also.
What do you mean physical. You must be born again.
But those chosen people
must have faith in Jesus Christ.
The chosen people Israel (elect; obedient; shown mercy; called;...however you want to label it) grew into a large church comprised of....JEWS AND GENTILES. They are known as Christians.
if its tempting to deny this basic Christian tenet, somethings wrong.
Some people claim that God is still watching out for Israel, especially in light of its latest regathering to the land.
You mean Jesus is responsible for all that murder and war? Or at least cheering for Israel?
I don't believe that.
There is no more re-gathering to "The Land".
the land issue is resolved.
They claim this is the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
That's pretty vague, and easy. and popular.
Why doesn't anyone attempt to prove it.
