God's plan for Israel

God’s Plan for Israel  God’s plans for the earth and humanity are in motion. His purposes are clear and never coincidental. But to understand God’s heart for mankind, we must acknowledge the unique role God gave to His people Israel.  Because His love knows no bounds and is never changing, the covenant-keeping God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob watches carefully over all the nations. A significant leg of His journey with mankind has been in the land of Israel. There, He walked with Abraham. He revealed His laws to Moses. And He sent His Son to this same geographical space in Jewish flesh. In the first verse of Isaiah 53 we see that Israel, for the most part, would reject the Messiah who came to die for her sins. Yet, a future salvation of Israel is promised by God. The day is coming when the eyes of the Jewish people will be opened to see in living color that Jesus of Nazareth is their only Messiah and Savior.

God’s Plan for His People

Most of the church today is ignorant of this awesome mystery. Even Paul needed to say to the Roman church in Romans 11:
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. And so, all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins… For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:25-29)
In these verses Paul uses several key words to prove that God plans to reveal Himself to Israel. Paul speaks of the people of Israel as the recipients of God’s election, gifts, and calling – which “are irrevocable.” And not one of those terms speaks of their future redemption as dependent on Israel’s worthiness or merit.

God is Sovereign in His Planning
You don’t elect yourself. And you don’t call yourself. That’s the prerogative and initiative of someone else. Israel didn’t go looking for God, but God went looking for Israel. Earlier in this same chapter, in verse 8, Paul quoted the Hebrew scriptures saying, “God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear.” (Rom. 11:8) Again, this is God’s sovereign doing. Thankfully, Paul tells us that this blindness is only in part and only temporary.
But besides the words elect, gifts, and calling, Paul also uses the most powerful word of all to describe God’s relationship to the Jewish people. Covenant. It may sound strange, but doesn’t the Bible portray Israel as the Lord’s bride? That means, the Lord himself is her husband. And as her husband, God is so committed to Israel, that even when Israel is unfaithful to her marital vows, He will fulfill His. And God is a persistent lover. He is a jealous husband who will not be satisfied until He has won back his bride.

Some may say, “Israel has broken her end of the bargain. Surely His covenant with Israel is now null and void.” It is important for us to remember that covenant is based not on man’s initiative or one’s merit, but on God’s initiative and God’s grace.
Scripture about God’s Plans for Israel and the World We see in Isaiah 54 that because of unbelief, as revealed in the previous chapter, Israel finds herself a “barren woman” because of her rejection of the Messiah. We read: Sing, O barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, youwho have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 54:1) Here it appears that Israel is being compared to Abraham’s wife Sarah, who was tragically childless most of her life. In the same verse we read about a second “desolate woman” who ironically bears more children than the woman with a husband. This seems to be a reference to Hagar, the Egyptian gentile maid, who bore a son to Abraham while Sarah was childless. Could this be a picture of Israel and the church over the past 2,000 years? Over these centuries the people of Israel have struggled to survive. And still today, the Jewish people make up 0.2% of the global population. Spiritually speaking, the Jewish people are still in a position of barrenness. They are the custodians of the Hebrew Scriptures and have brilliant biblical scholars. And yet there perhaps are more Jewish atheists and agnostics today than those who regularly attend synagogues.

Barrenness to Abundance for Israel On the other hand, the number of non-Jewish followers of the God of Israel is exponentially greater in size and still growing significantly. These are the words of the LORD: “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger, I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you…” (Isaiah 54:7-8) But Sarah’s (Israel’s) barrenness is not permanent. There is a miraculous turnabout in Israel’s fortunes. Romans 11:15 reveals that Israel’s “rejection” will become “acceptance.” And Isaiah 66 reveals that this will result in Israel’s womb bearing countless spiritual children. Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such a thing?… Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.  “Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the LORD… “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance. (Isaiah 66:7-11) God’s Plan for Jerusalem
The prophet said Jerusalem will have a central role to play in the end-time revival. Jerusalem will be the feeding ground for it (verse 11). She will sustain the spiritually hungry world with the Word of the Lord. Isaiah 2:1-3 says: This is what Isaiah saw, concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.  Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be once again the true spiritual capital of the world. How Soon is God’s Plan for Israel? There are a few hints concerning the timingof Israel’s coming acceptance and end time role in world redemption in this same passage. First, we can detect that the restoration of Israel will be something that happens suddenly and quickly (verse 7). Then, Israel’s salvation is somehow tied to Israel’s restoration as a nation – as Verses 8 and 9 make a connection between the birth of a country (in a geographical location known as “Zion”) and giving birth to children. Isaiah foretold that this coming outbreak of salvation will not be like anything past or present. God will not close up Israel’s womb. Spiritual birthing will be unstoppable. Israel will soon do what Israel was designed to do and does best. It will bring the nations to God and the place of blessing, as promised to Abraham (and later to Isaac and Jacob as well): I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Gen.12:2-3)

Life from the Dead for Israel There is a direct connection between Israel’s salvation and unprecedented world redemption. The salvation of Israel is not an end in itself – nor is it for Israel’s sake alone. The salvation of Israel is a key to world redemption. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Rom. 11:15) Respected Bible scholars like John Stott, Leon Morris, Everett Harrison and many others agree in their understanding. “Life from the dead” in this passage is most likely not a reference to a physical resurrection, but a world-wide spiritual awakening. Once Israel comes to faith in her true Messiah, this revival will shock many with its power and pervasiveness.   Under what circumstances will the harvest happen? The Salvation of Israel! Earlier in this same chapter Paul says, “Now if their [the Jewish people’s] fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!” Israel’s Fullness in God’s Plans Israel will come to fullness of revelation of Yeshua as their Messiah and will be fully re-grafted into their own olive tree (See 11:23). That, in turn, will be a spark to ignite a great awakening worldwide. Should this surprise us? Not really. Hundreds of millions of non-Jews that have were saved in the past were saved directly or indirectly because of Israel’s witness. Yeshua himself said, “Salvation is from the Jews.” (John 4:22) The greatest spiritual awakening in the history of the world began on the Day of Pentecost. And who were the first torch bearers of that revival fire? Jewish believers. So, it shouldn’t surprise us that when the next awakening happens Messianic Jews will play a significant role. The apostle Paul also said in his letter to the Romans: “because of their [Israel’s] transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles….” The salvation of Gentiles was dependent upon Israel. In that case, it came about through Israel’s fall and temporary ‘casting away.’ But soon, God will once again employ Israel in her strategic redemptive role –this time through a miraculous spiritual comeback. Our Part in God’s Plan God has commanded us to make disciples of all peoples. (Matthew 28:19) “All” means Jews and non-Jews alike. The Church’s part is to help the Jewish people get to know their own Messiah. Then, we will be aligning ourselves and partnering with God in His redemptive purposes not only for Israel but the whole planet. We should not be sitting on the edge of our seats watching God perform His final act alone on the world stage. Instead, we need to get out of our seats, join His cast, and play our part in God’s plan for Israel and the nations. 


To the Jew First – The Meaning of Romans 1:16

To the Entire World, but… To the Jew First The Apostle Paul tells us, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (emphasis added). This verse, Romans 1:16, reminds us that the Jewish people have a distinct calling and a purpose.

What Does ‘To the Jew First’ Mean? So, what is that calling and purpose? What does to the Jew first actually mean? Firstly, consider God’s eternal plans and purposes. Remember that God chose Israel to receive His law first and His Son came to the Jewish people first. The Creator planned for the Gospel to come out of Jerusalem. Isaiah 49:6 speaks of the Jewish people being made a light unto the nations, so that salvation reaches to the end of the earth. Then, Isaiah 56:7 describes a future Jerusalem that will be a house of prayer for all nations. What can we take away from that? We see that the plan of redemption is not limited to the Jewish people, or to Israel. Instead, it starts in Jerusalem and expands outwards—just as Jesus told the disciples before He ascended to heaven, as described in the book of Acts. The disciples were hungry to know whether Jesus returned to restore the Davidic Kingdom. To which He replied: “…It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1: 7-8) We see here again that the Great Commission begins in Judea and Samaria, and then extends to every nation. From Jerusalem to the Ends of the World God links the Jewish people with the Church in His Great Commission and to fulfill His Word. The Good News needs to reach both Israel and the nations. It will go “…to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.” By giving “to the Jew first”, we honor God’s design. We bless the people He chose, and we seek the fulfillment of His promises. Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church in Texas said: 1% To the Jew First “I really believe that one of the greatest blessings Gateway Church has ever experienced is because we take the gospel to the Jew first and we bless Israel, so wetook a tithe of the tithe… In other words, 1% of our budget [goes] to ministries reaching the Jews with the Gospel. We give that money to ministries who are blessing Israel.” Many people know Hudson Taylor for the profound and lasting impact he had on the spread of the gospel in China. But not many know that on January 1st of each year, Taylor wrote a check to a group dedicated to blessing the Jews of Europe. On that check he always wrote four simple words: “to the Jew first”. Hudson Taylor understood that there is spiritual power in prioritizing what God said to put first. He believed what the apostle Paul had grasped thousands of years before. That the Word of God links the awakening of the Jewish people to the success of spreading the Good News to the whole world. And this was the original calling of the Jewish people all along!

‘To the Jew first… and also to the Greek’ ‘And also’ is not an afterthought—think of it more like a “so that”: salvation is to the Jew first. So that the Jewish people can fulfill their original destiny of bringing the gospel of the Messiah to the nations. In Romans 11:11, Paul gives a beautiful summary of the gentile calling. It is to stoke up jealousy in the Jewish people through their faith in Jesus, the Messiah of Israel.  “So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.” Verse 12 continues with a glorious promise: “Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!” All of this is a cause for celebration and hope, as we can see that God’s redemptive plan included the nations all along! Even though the revelation was given to the Jewish people first, while the gentile nations were far away and removed from the Messiah. Israel had a means of accessing the Lord, whereasthe Gentiles were not even able to enter His presence. Salvation for Every Nation Greeks had neither the law, nor the covenants, nor the prophets to guide them. The nations were left to either “seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him” (Acts 17:27) as Rahab, Ruth, and Naaman did, or to choose to remain in their sin and idolatry. “But now in Messiah Yeshua you who once were far off (Gentiles) have been brought near by the blood of Messiah. 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…that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two.” (Ephesians 2:13-15) One day the Lord would make His house a place for all nations. This coming reality was prophesied in places like Isaiah 56 and Zechariah 8. In other words, the nations would be able to join themselves to Israel in varying ways in order to draw near to the Lord. Jesus flung open the doors to God’s presence!

Who Preached to the Gentiles? The Great Commission, alluded to in the Old Testament, was fully spelled out by Jesus. He defied all expectations by teaching and ministering to gentiles, notably the Roman Centurion in Matthew 8:5-13, the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28) and the Samaritan woman. (Samaritans were likened to gentiles because of their mixed race.) In Matthew 8:11, Jesus says, “I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” After His resurrection, Jesus gave the commission to the disciples to preach to the gentiles. At the same time, He commanded them to stay in Jerusalem until the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2, we read that the Holy Spirit was poured out on three thousand Jewish worshippers. Later, in Chapters 8 and 10, the gospel goes forth to the gentile. Philip the Apostle leads an Ethiopian Eunuch to faith, and Peter visits Cornelius. Through the Apostle Paul’s ministry, the gospel went out to through the Roman Empire, which included parts of Asia Minor. ‘To the Jew I Became a Jew’ The disciples taught us how to fulfill God’s calling while also keeping His priorities straight. Even in the apostle Paul’s ministry to the gentiles, he always preached to the Jew first. He preached in synagogues first, and, even if he was not well received, he refused to stop. Paul was expert cultural anthropologist, tailoring the delivery and method of the gospel to his audience. He posited his query as a philosopher go the Athenians. And to the Jewish people, he became a Jew, preaching and teaching in a way that would make sense. Paul said, “to those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.” “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:20-22) How to Apply Romans 1:16 in Our Lives To the Jew First: is there a way to make this applicable in our lives? We hope that the examples of Hudson Taylor and Robert Morris inspired you. If you tithe regularly, consider giving your first percent to Israel – so that all God’s people can know their Messiah and Savior. Because as the apostle Paul said, the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” What does “To the Jew first” mean for me? Does your life have a calling? Trying to think of an answer, you may want to take a moment and pause… We spend a lot of our time working, going to school, staying busy, taking care of our families. And we fill in the free moments with entertainment, hobbies or socializing.
​
In the midst of this, and with all the usual cares and concerns of life, it can be easy to forget that God has called us. He chose us by name. Not only do we have all our days at our disposal – to manage and to fill. But also, we have a destiny and a purpose!
The book of Ephesians tells us that as believers in Jesus, we were chosen before the foundation of the world. And in love, God predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ in and for Himself (Ephesians 1:4).

All this to say, both Jew and Gentile are chosen and called by God. But (and yes, there is a ‘but’) our callings look a little different. Just as both women and men are equally called and equipped by God, we still have different gifts. And we may serve the Lord in a different but equally important way. There is no one whom God has called whom God has not chosen. Transform Lives in Israel: First to the Jew, Then to the Gentile  Are you looking for a way to get started bringing the Good News to the Jew first? FIRM has a simple way to start putting kingdom investment into impacting lives in Israel that impact the Jewish community, but also Arabs and other people groups in the country. It’s a whole picture of the kingdom of God. The Tribe is a passionate and faithful group of monthly donors on a mission to transform lives in Israel through the love of Jesus. Join the Tribe today: firmisrael.org/thetribe