Book 25

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 1 * PART 2 * BOOK 25

HATH GOD CAST AWAY HIS PEOPLE? – PART 2

In our last lesson we talked about how God has not cast aside his people Israel. They are still in God’s program. They have been set aside for the past 1900 + years, and in the meantime God has turned to the Gentiles. A few Jews can be saved, and they are being saved, but as we’ll see in the coming verses it’s just a remnant, and God has always kept His remnant. But the day is coming, as we’ll see when we get to the end of the Chapter 11, that God is yet going to come back and finish His dealings with the Nation of Israel. They are still going to enjoy all those Covenant promises. They’re still going to enjoy a glorious earthly kingdom. And all the earthly promises that God has given the nation are yet going to come to fruition. So don’t subscribe to the idea that God is through with the Jew. They are out there in unbelief, and as I have told my classes here in Oklahoma for years and years, don’t expect that Israeli government in Jerusalem to be any more spiritual than our government in Washington or the government anywhere else. They are all secular, they are all under the god of this world, Satan, and Israel is no different, but God still has His eye on them as His Covenant people.

Now then in Chapter 11 we just about finished verse 2 in the last lesson, and the last part of that verse says:

Romans 11:2b,3

“…Wot (know) ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, `Lord they have killed thy prophets, and digged down (or destroyed)thine altars: and I am left alone, and they seek my life.'”

You remember old Elijah’s setting don’t you? That was during the reign of King Ahab, and his wife Jezebel. She was probably the worst of the worst. In fact I always ask people, “Have you ever seen anyone name their little girl Jezebel?” I don’t know of one, and I don’t think any mother in her right mind would. But old Ahab and Jezebel had been ruling up there in the northern kingdom. They were an ungodly, wicked king and queen. And they had been promoting the worship of Baal, and idol worship, and the Israelites had been falling for it. Elijah had even gone so far as to cause it not to rain for three years, and still Ahab and Jezebel would not change their ways. It finally got to the place by the end of that three years of draught that northern Israel was burned up for lack of water, and Elijah got all the Israelites and the prophets of Baal together up there on Mount Carmel.

Mount Carmel juts in from the Mediterranean Sea, and just south of the present day city of Haifa. When you come off Mount Carmel you go down to the valley of Jezreel (or the valley of Armageddon) where the final great battle will be fought some day. And then it’s just a flat plain almost to the sea of Galilee. Well here they are gathered on Mount Carmel, and Elijah is getting ready to test these gods of Baal.

I Kings 18:26-29

“And they (the Baal prophets) took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, `O Baal, hear us,’ But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. (After this Elijah began to taunt the prophets of Baal) And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, `Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.’ (So Elijah torments them even more.) And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded..”

So the prophets of Baal got no answer from their god and now it was Elijah’s turn and you know the story of how alters were built with a ditch dug around them, and filled with water. And how the sacrifices were soaked with water probably from the Mediterranean Sea. So Elijah approaches God:

I Kings 18:36b-39

“LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, `The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.'”

So Elijah proved to Israel that Jehovah was still the God of Israel. Well you know what happened then. Elijah demanded that they kill the 450 prophets of Baal, and they did.

I Kings 19:1,2

“And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, `So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.'”

Now this is what’s so hard to understand in all of Israel’s history. In spite of all the manifestations of the power of their Jehovah God, yet at the drop of a hat they could sink into unbelief. Even this great man Elijah did. Here he had just performed this tremendous miracle, calling down the power of God, had the prophets of Baal put to death, and with one threat from one little woman over there at Jezreel, he runs scared. Now the old boy must have been in awfully good physical shape, because you know how far Elijah ran? All the way down to Mount Sinai, and in my reckoning that’s something like 150 miles. Now he probably didn’t do it in an hour or two, but nevertheless he ran until he finally sit down under a juniper tree, and we know from the rest of the account that it was down at Mount Sinai.

I Kings 19:4a

“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die;…” Elijah tells God that he’s the only one left.

I Kings 19:14b

“… and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

That’s the way lots of Christians are today We think sometimes that we’re the only one left. No we’re not. Everywhere you go you can find believers. Oh, they’re getting fewer and fewer, but nevertheless they’re there. Why? Because God has always kept His remnant. Paul rehearses what took place back there in I Kings, Chapter 19, and he says in verse 4 of Romans 11.

Romans 11:4

“But what saith the answer of God unto him? (Elijah) I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.”

Now we like to think that those seven thousand men had believing wives, and children so maybe there was fourteen to twenty thousand Jews that were still believers in Jehovah. I’ve always taught my classes over the years that beginning in Genesis to the end of Revelation you have a doctrine of the remnant. You can always pick them out because God has always kept a remnant. Now when you get into Christ’s earthly ministry He promotes that so beautifully with the analogy, “Of the wide way, and the narrow way.” The mass of humanity go down the wide or broad way, but the remnant takes the narrow way, and we find that all the way through Scripture. Now Paul goes on to say with regard to the Jew in this Age of Grace which is predominately Gentile.

Romans 11:5

“Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant (a small percentage of Jews that had become believers) according to the election of grace.”

I just finished reading a book this past week about the testimonies of Jews who have become believers of this Grace Gospel. They were from all different kinds of backgrounds, and it was just amazing how God manipulated the lives of these Jewish people until they came to the place that suddenly they could believe Jesus of Nazareth was indeed The Messiah Who had died for their sins, and it was thrilling reading. But they are remnants, very, very few can believe it, but they’re there, and their testimonies of this very thing that Paul is saying here in verses 4 and 5. That even as Elijah was shown that there were seven thousand that hadn’t fallen to idolatry, so today there is that remnant of Jews who also can recognize the very Gospel of Grace and the election of grace. Now verse 6, and for these Jews it is no different than for us Gentiles, and you remember I emphasized that especially back in Romans Chapter 3, and Chapter 6 where Paul tells us there is no difference.

Romans 3:9,10

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

A Jew doesn’t come in on a different level from a Gentile, he doesn’t come in on a lower level, but Paul tells us they are all unworthy and without hope: Jew and Gentile. So a Jew has to be saved the same way we are today, and Paul explains that.

Romans 11:6a

“And if by grace, (that Gospel by which we are saved according to I Corinthians 15:1-4) then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.”

And even our Jewish people have to understand that. If they’re going to be saved by this Gospel of Grace they have to drop all their works religion of Judaism. As beautifully as their ceremonies may be, and I will be the first to admit that, for example, their Passover service is a beautiful picture of the whole program of Grace. So many of their feast days are beautiful pictures of our doctrine of Grace, but they won’t be saved by keeping those Jewish feast celebrations. They have to come away from that and suddenly realize that it’s not by works, not by keeping feast days, but it’s all of Grace. There can be no works for a Jew anymore than there is for a Gentile. He says in verse 6:

Romans 11:6b

“…But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

Does it sound like double talk? Well it isn’t. Again Paul is emphasizing what he has been almost screaming since we started Romans. “Our Salvation Is Faith + Nothing!” Or it’s no Salvation at all. Just as soon as we attach something to The Gospel of Grace, be it ever so small, then it becomes a works religion. Christianity today is just inundated with works religion, and it can come in various forms, it’s so subtle. I was talking to a lady in one of my classes the other night who, when she was living out in California and her husband was serving in Vietnam, was under a lot of stress raising her kids. And the New Age people took her under their wings, and so subtly just drew her into all this New Age phenomena, but fortunately The Lord opened her eyes, and she was able to turn around and come out of it. But you see all of this “stuff” and that’s what I call it, is based on works, and when it’s works it cannot be Grace. And so whether it’s Jew or Gentile, if is works, it’s not Grace, and so we have to come God’s way, and that is by faith, and faith alone.

Romans 11:7

“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded.”

Now how can God do this? Because He’s Sovereign, and can do anything that He wants to do. Let’s go back to Romans Chapter 1, and let’s review for a moment beginning with verse 23. This takes us all the way back to the Tower of Babel when all of this “junk” really began. All of the roots of the oriental religions, and idolatry, and paganism all started back there at the Tower of Babel, and what happened?

Romans 1:23

“And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”

In other words, they dreamed up every kind of a god you could think of. And isn’t that exactly what Egypt was doing when Israel came out of bondage under Moses? Every one of the plagues was directed at one of the gods of Egypt. Now since mankind had become so saturated with the the worship of these man-made idols look what happens in verse 24.

Romans 1:24

“Wherefore (because they fell into idolatry) God also gave them up to uncleanness…”

What’s God doing to them? God is judiciously causing mankind to even go deeper into his sins. Now we can’t comprehend that, but that’s what the Scriptures teaches, and when they went into a lower level of sin, you find in verse 26 God put them even lower. Why? Because their unbelief, their rebellion, their behavior)…through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:”

Romans 1:26

“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:”

Now that’s not loose language. That says that a Sovereign God judiciously said, “All right, if you want to live at that level, then go down one level lower.” Now coming back to Romans 11 we have the same dealing with the Nation of Israel. Oh, they had every opportunity to know the will of God. They had everything going for them. In fact, for a moment let’s look at Romans Chapter 3, and this says it better than I ever could.

Romans 3:1,2

“What advantage then hath the Jew? (remember by the time Paul is writing this Israel has already been blinded) or what profit is there of circumcision? (or being a practicing Jew? And here’s the answer in the next verse) Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles (or The Word) of God.”

In other words, why did God come down so hard on the Nation of Israel in their unbelief? Because they had The Word of God. They had had it for centuries, and what did they do with it? They ignored it, they refused to believe it. I’ve said it over and over in the years that I’ve been teaching that when Jesus came on the scene and presented Himself as the King of Israel, Israel should have known, because it was in the Old Testament plain as day. But Israel didn’t know. Why? Because of their unbelief, they refused to search the Scriptures. We have the same thing here in Romans Chapter 11. Israel wanted all those things promised from the Old Testament. They didn’t want the suffering Saviour that was foretold in the Old Testament Who would suffer and die for the sins of Israel. But they were looking for that King and Kingdom. A glorious earthly Kingdom over which the Son of God Himself would rule and reign, and Israel would be the top dog of all nations. They didn’t want anything to do with a suffering Saviour. Why? Because they would have to deal with their sins.

And it’s the same way today. You offer America a utopian kingdom with a benevolent dictator or king, would they buy it? Oh, you bet they would. There’s nothing that the world wants more than peace and prosperity, and everything going hunky-dory, but you tell America to deal with their sin problem, what are they going to do? They don’t want any part of having to deal with that. People need to realize that sin is sin and you can’t gloss it over, but that’s the world we’re living in, and the Jews of Christ’s day were the same way, they did not want to deal with their sins, but they wanted those Romans out of Jerusalem, they wanted the peace and prosperity that a Messiah would bring.

Back to verse 7; we see that Israel wanted all that, but they didn’t get what they were seeking. Oh, they wanted the King and the Kingdom, but they didn’t get it, because in unbelief they wouldn’t reckon the fact that they had to deal first with the sin problem; they had to have a Redeeming Saviour, not just a ruling King. How many times have I given the illustration that back in the ancient days, the perfect illustration of a conquering hero was to come riding in on a big white steed, prancing like a show horse. That was what Israel was looking for, but instead of riding in on a beautiful Arabian steed, He came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, and not even a grown one at that. And that just blew their minds. No king comes in on a donkey, He should be coming in on a great white stallion, and so they rejected Him; they crucified Him; but not all. Verse 7 again.

Romans 11:7

“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.”

Now remember that all through Scripture, from Adam all the way to the end of the human experience, who are the Elect? The believer. And so some of these Jews have been elected, yes, they have come to the place of Salvation, they’re the chosen, they’re in the Body of Christ with the rest of us. But the rest of them have been blinded, and so tonight the Nation of Israel is out there, some of them practicing their religion, some orthodox, some secular, but for the most part they are spiritually blind. Now verse 8.

Romans 11:8

“(According as it is written, (Old Testament. Probably going back to the Book of Isaiah) God hath given them the spirit of slumber, (sleeping spiritually) eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day,”

And you know Paul could write this today, because it hasn’t changed a bit. It’s just as applicable today as it was when he wrote the Book of Romans. Now verse 9, and again he’s going back to the Psalms and quoting King David.

Romans 11:9

“And David saith, `Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them.'”

What table do you think that the Psalmist was referring to when he said, “Let their table be made a snare?” The 23d Psalm.

Psalms 23:5

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

What table was he referring to? God’s table. Israel was literally feasting at God’s table, and they were getting all the blessings and ramifications of it, but that exalted position of literally sitting at God’s table became a snare and a recompense, and it caused them to fall. Horror of horrors, but you know what? He’s going to warn us Gentiles that much the same thing can happen to us. That we had better not take all these blessing and this Grace for granted.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 1 * PART 1 * BOOK 25

HATH GOD CAST AWAY HIS PEOPLE?

We hope you will get your Bible and follow along with us, and not depend so much on what you’ve heard or thought, but rather search the Scriptures with us and see what they really say and don’t say. I don’t mind you disagreeing with me as long as it’s based on Scripture – but if you’re going to disagree just because your denomination doesn’t agree, then I think you’re on pretty thin ice. I feel that we’re staying as true to The Word as is humanly possible, and depending totally on the leading of the Holy Spirit as we teach. Paul tells us that these things are spiritually discerned in I Corinthians.

I Corinthians 2:14

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

We can’t comprehend these things from the natural man, we must have first and foremost a Salvation experience ourself, and then of course the Holy Spirit enlightens us, and the Scriptures then begin to open up. Now here in Romans Chapter 11 we’re dealing with future Israel, and as we study this Chapter you will see that this Chapter flies in the face of what I guess 90% of Christendom stands on. And that premise is that God is all through with the Jew – that when Israel supposedly cried for the crucifixion of Christ that God just turned them out, turned His back on them, and is through with the Jew. So consequently all the Old Testament prophecies and promises fell through the cracks because God is no longer dealing with them. Well if Christendom is going to take that approach then they have to take at least Romans Chapter 11, besides lots of other verses, and tear them out of their Bibles, and throw them away. Because here in this Chapter God just trumpets, and blasts out that God is not through with His Covenant people Israel.

Granted, they’re out there for these past 1900 + years in Spiritual blindness, and the nation as such is blinded. But as I pointed out in our last lesson, all the way from Genesis Chapter 12, “The call of Abram” to well into the Book of Acts it is predominantly Jew only, with exceptions. And we always like to mention the exceptions. There was Jonah who went to the city of Nineveh, Naaman the Syrian General, Rahab the harlot, Ruth the Moabitess, those were Gentile exceptions, but for the most part God was dealing with Jew only. Now when we get way into the Book of Acts we find the Apostle Paul called aside, and God tells Him, “I’m going to send you far hence to the Gentiles” Let’s look at Acts Chapter 28 for example, plus there are a lot of other verses that apply here.

Now of course by the end of Acts Paul is in prison in Rome, he’s not too far from his martyrdom, and he’s still going to be writing his prison epistles, but nevertheless Paul has already been out there among the Gentiles for many, many years, and at the same time he goes first to the Jew, to the synagogue, and when they reject his message, he goes to the Gentiles. By the time we get to the end of Acts, and Paul has finished his missionary journeys, and he’s in prison in Rome, he calls for the Jewish leaders in Rome to meet with him, and he goes over all these things again. How that all the Old Testament Covenant promises had been presented to Israel, but they rejected them when they crucified their Messiah. Now look at Acts Chapter 28, and verse 28.

Acts 28:28

“Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”

Now it says they will hear it, but it doesn’t say that they’re all going to be saved. No way, but they will hear it, and we know from Scripture that they have. That’s why all the world stands guilty, and that’s why Romans 1 says they are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

So now with the advent of the Apostle Paul going out, it is predominantly now Gentiles only, with again, exceptions. But now who are the exceptions? Jews. You see Jews can become believers of this Gospel (Ref. I Corinthians 15:1-4) but they’re few and far between. By far and most of the calling out the Body of Christ is predominately Gentiles, so you see it’s become a complete flip flop. Now back to Romans Chapter 11.

Romans 11:1a

“I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid.”

And remember most of Christendom is taught that He has. Most of Christendom has been taught that the Jews were the Christ killers. They were persecuted unmercifully in the name of religion, and as a result most of Christendom is taught that God’s all through with them. But oh, listen, God’s not through with the Jew. He’s set them aside, and blinded them, but now this Chapter 11 is going to tell us that God is still going to come back, and finish His dealing with His Covenant people, which of course all the Old Testament taught. Ezekiel 37, Deuteronomy 29, Zechariah tells of the day when He will fulfill these promises to His chosen people. But tonight they’re out there in blindness, and unbelief, but God has not cast away His people, and I can’t emphasize that enough. Now continuing on with verse 1.

Romans 11:1b

“…For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” Now I’ve wondered more than once why Paul tells of that. In the Book of Philippians we also read:

Philippians 3:5

“Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews;…”

Why did the Holy Spirit inspire the Apostle Paul to emphasize the tribe that he came from. Now we know that Christ came from the tribe of Judah, but other than that there’s not much emphasis on their tribal background, but Paul is inspired to emphasize it. I’d like go back to the Book of Genesis, Chapter 35 and just give you food for thought if nothing else. Now here we have the account of Rachel dying in childbirth for the little baby Benjamin. But as she’s dying there in verse 17 we see:

Genesis 35:17,18

“And it came to pass, when she (Rachel) was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, `Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.’ And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.”

Now why the two names? Well you see Benoni in the Hebrew meant, “The son of my suffering, or sorrow, my heart break.” Because she was dying, she had hard labour, but Jacob turns around and names him Benjamin which meant in the Hebrew, “The son of my right hand, or the son of strength, the son of power.” Now you see the ancient rabbis took this and studied it, they mulled over it for centuries, and some of them came forth with an idea that this must be a picture of two Messiahs. And so a lot of them taught that there would be a suffering Messiah, the Benoni, but also there would be a ruling Messiah, the Benjamin. They couldn’t picture at all that both of these would be embodied in the One and only Messiah. When He came the first time He was the Benoni, He was the suffering Messiah. But when He comes the second time He’s going to be the ruling Messiah, the Son of Power, and Strength.

That’s the main lesson that I know the Scriptures are teaching here, but I have to keep mulling over in my mind why does the Holy Spirit make Paul emphasize that he too was from the tribe of Benjamin. Now let’s on over to Genesis Chapter 49, and not lose sight of the two aspects of the baby Benjamin, the son of sorrow, and also the son of strength. Now here we find old Jacob on his death bed is making some prophetic utterances concerning all the twelve sons, and we won’t look at all of them, but rather just the one that deals with Benjamin and that would be in verse 27, and here Jacob is speaking.

Genesis 49:27

“Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf; in the morning he shall devour the prey, (Now that’s a picture of viciousness) and at night he shall divide the spoil.”

Here’s where I like to bring Saul of Tarsus, and Paul into the picture, and maybe you had never thought of it before. I think that this is why Paul is making reference to the fact that he’s from the tribe of Benjamin. What was Saul of Tarsus in his early life? I’ve referred to him as a raging bull, a religious zealot, hating anything concerning Jesus of Nazareth. I think that in the same light with the two names of Benjamin, in God’s eyes Saul was a heartache, how he hated Jesus of Nazareth. But Saul had another side to him just like the name of Benjamin had, and now what does Saul of Tarsus become? Paul the great apostle, the one I’m sure just thrills the heart of God, as he suffered, and suffered, and suffered for the sake of The Gospel. Because of that one little Jew, Christianity swept across the Roman empire, and I think this is a tremendous lesson for us. That way back here in Genesis God already had the Apostle Paul on His mind, as well as the prophecies concerning the Messiah, and we’re not taking anything away from Christ in all of this, but in a lesser role, in a smaller scale the Apostle Paul fits so beautifully as well.

Now if you will come back to Romans Chapter 11 we find that God is not through with His Covenant people, and even this great apostle himself is a Jew, a son of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. I guess I need to take you to another verse in I Corinthians, Chapter 15. And here again Paul makes a tremendous statement that most people miss entirely, and yet it’s such a fantastic truth when you see it as I think the Scripture intended you to see it. Here Paul’s talking about the resurrection of Christ of course, and let’s start at verse 6.

I Corinthians 15:5-8

“And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. (died) After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.”

Remember Paul didn’t see Jesus as He walked on the earth after His Resurrection, Paul didn’t see Him until after his conversion experience on the road to Damascus, which of course, was about 8 years after Pentecost. So what he’s claiming is he saw the crucified, resurrected, ascended Lord face to face, and I know that he did. We won’t take the time to take you back to the Book of II Corinthians, Chapter 12 where he was caught up into the third heaven. But rather let’s look at the last part of verse 8 that we just read. What is Paul referring to when he said that he was born out of due time? Well he’s making reference about a physical birth and a physical mother. If a mother gives birth to her baby before the due time, what do we call it in our present day language? A “Premie.” It came prematurely, and that’s exactly what Paul is likening himself to in regards to the whole Nation of Israel. He was born as a“Premie” which means at some future date, and remember that a thousand years with God is just a day, but at some future date the whole Nation of Israel is going to experience the same kind of Salvation that Paul did on the road to Damascus. And we know that they are, we know that the Book of Zechariah tells us that they will look on Him as the One they pierced.

Zechariah 12:10

“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son,…” Why?

Because just like Paul did on the road to Damascus, the Nation of Israel will suddenly understand Who Jesus really is. And then Isaiah, Chapter 66 tells us that the nation will be born in a day, and so this is all the things that Paul is talking about in this chapter. At the present time the Nation of Israel is set aside, and God is dealing primarily with the Gentiles, and we’ll be dealing with that a little deeper a little further into the chapter. But always remember that Israel is still in God’s program, Israel is still going to experience her greatest glory. We’ve been teaching the Book of Acts in one of our other classes, and back there in Chapter 1, remember the disciples ask Jesus a question.

Acts 1:6

“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?”

And I always ask, why did they use the word again in that verse? Well they were thinking of all the glory of Solomon’s Kingdom. That was Israel’s high point so they wanted to know if they were going to experience something like that again. Now Jesus didn’t ridicule them and say, “Get that out of your head because we’re talking about spiritual things.” No He didn’t tell them that, because its not a mater of if, but rather when that Kingdom is going to be established, and that’s what He told them.

Acts 1:7

“And he said unto them, `It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,…'”

It’s not a matter if the kingdom is coming. You bet it is! Israel is going to have the glory, and then some, far more than she did under David and Solomon when they finally have their King, “The King of Kings.” And I tell you it’s getting closer, and closer every day. The more you read about the exploding technology, and the more you read about electronics and communications, the more it should just scream at us because it just brings us that much closer to the end of this Age of Grace, when Christ is going to return. And we know that He is coming, and if the world scoffs at us that’s beside the point. In fact, some one told me the other night, “Les, they’ve been talking about The Lord coming back for years and years now, and nothing’s ever happened.” I grinned at him and said, “My, I’m glad you said that, you’re fulfilling exactly what the Scriptures say.” And then I took him back to the Book of II Peter.

II Peter 3:4

“And saying, `Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.'”

People have been talking about these things for a long time, but not on a scale like it is today. The world is just screaming at us with all the things that are taking place – that The Lord is coming, and He’s coming soon, and we’d better be looking up, and we had better be ready. Now back to Romans Chapter 11, and so here in Paul we have this great man of God. You know I’ve said more than once that other than Christ Himself, I think the Apostle Paul is the greatest human being that ever lived. I think that he even overshadows Moses, and I also think that when the Bride of Christ is introduced to Christ in glory, I think that the Apostle Paul will be the one that will do the introducing. He has been such a fantastic instrument that God has used to bring this glorious Gospel, and the joy and power of it. So now verse 2.

Romans 11:2

“God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew….”

You know I’ve taught it for years, when the religious leaders of Israel and Rome consorted together (see that’s why they can’t call Israel the Christ killers), Israel didn’t do it alone. Oh they asked for it, they demanded it, but who carried it out? Rome did, and that’s exactly what Psalms 2 tells us.

Psalms 2:2

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers (of Israel) take counsel together, against the LORD,….”

And so I don’t know where people get it that Israel alone is guilty of killing the Christ. Jew and Gentile together crucified the Christ. But was God caught by surprise? No! It was all in God’s foreknowledge, He knew exactly what was going to happen. Jesus Himself told the Twelve just before He went up to Jerusalem to be crucified. And Jesus told them detail by detail of what was going to happen to Him.

Luke 18:32-33

“For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.”

So Christ told them these things, He knew, and He didn’t just know it from His earthly ministry, He knew it from eternity past.

Romans 11:2a

“God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew….”

Nothing Israel did caught God by surprise. They were operating under a free will as a nation of people. Anymore, I don’t even try to understand how God could set this whole system of humanity in motion, back there in Genesis. He gave men and nations their free will, and yet everything they do is according to His plans. Everything they do is bringing everything to the end that He has planned, and it’s all according to His foreknowledge. Now that’s hard to comprehend, but God is able, He’s Sovereign. He’s Omniscient, and is absolutely in control of everything. God has not and will not cast away His people. Let’s go to II Samuel, Chapter 7; we always use this passage when we teach the Abrahamic Covenant. After God gave Abraham that Covenant promising a nation of people dwelling in the land, and that some day there would come a government. That Covenant concerning the government did not really come into play until God gives it to King David. Here we have it in this chapter where David is promised that coming from his loins would be a royal family of kings who would rule and reign over the little Nation of Israel. But through that line of kings would some day come the King of Kings, and that of course was Christ born of Mary with Joseph his legal father, and both Mary and Joseph come down those royal family blood lines of David, and Solomon. Here is the promise beginning with verse 14.

II Samuel 7-14-16

“I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, (And we know Israel has) I will chasten him with the rod of men, (And we know God has.) and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. (And here in verse 16 we find God’s promise to the Nation of Israel)And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”

God doesn’t lie, God can’t lie. God told David that this royal family would go down through history, and beyond history right on into eternity, and out of this royal family of David would come the King of Kings The Lord of Lords, and He is going to come as He did the first time to the Nation of Israel. That’s why they have to be in the Middle East at the time of His coming. He’s going to come back to the Mount of Olives as He left in Acts Chapter 1. So regardless what may take place in Israel tonight, rest assured one way or another the Jews are still going to be there when Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation, because He has promised it, and God just cannot lie.