Today’s Bible Study, Authored by Arthur Cincotti. 01/19/2025
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Israel
“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you because you were more in number than any other people, for your were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers…” Deut. 7:6-8
We must aim to know and understand Israel, not in a divisive manner but in a unifying one. In select passages from Eph. 2:11-16 “remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh…aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 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 both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation…so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” It was always God’s intention to evangelize the world by demonstrating His love toward one nation, and furthermore to bring Messiah through that lineage.
“No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me…”
Jer. 31:34
On one small level the nation of Israel is proof of the existence of God.
There are many proofs. Ps.19, which we did a study on some weeks past, describes the general revelation of God: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” This verse reveals design and more than suggests that there is a Designer. The moral law is another proof. The timeless fact is that at the core of our human existence we somehow know that there is a framework of right and wrong. This moral framework doesn’t just appear or evolve, as some would suggest, but it is given by a transcendent moral law giver who is perfectly conformed to it and yet, at the same time, outside it. Aristotle’s “first mover” is another proof, which Thomas Aquinas picks up in the 13th cen. It says that everything in the universe is in motion, and everything that is in motion is so because it was acted upon by another object which eventually brings us back to the “First Mover” who Himself is immovable. Finally, there is the perfect response to every good atheist, which is, you can’t prove a negative. The atheist is obligated to prove there is no god. But to prove that you would have to have exhaustive and absolute knowledge, which would make you god.
Israel proves God by its existence now and in antiquity. It is unique among nations in that it can trace its lineage back to one man, Abraham. God makes a covenant with Abram in Gen. 17:2.
This is confirmed as more than fable because of its legacy and enduring quality. “And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” He did and He has.
In a similar fashion we see evidence of the particular and peculiar quality of Israel by the way in which they endure in spite of the fact that many nations, up to present day, have tried to wipe them out. How is this even possible. This exposes a spiritual warfare that continues to this day with all its supernatural dynamics. The Jews have a saying, “God, we know that we are a chosen people, but could you choose someone else for a while?
God revealed Himself to Jacob, second generation from Abraham and following an encounter changed his name to Israel. This is a pattern. Our encounter with Christ changes our identity in as much as we are adopted into the household of faith, the family of God. Subsequent encounters, as we have discussed frequently, transform us into the likeness of Christ (from glory to glory…II Cor.3:18). But what of the saga of Israel? Strong’s definition calls Israel, “the adopted name of Jacob.” It means, “he will rule as God.” It comes from a primitive root; “to prevail – have power (as a prince). Well, this was God’s intention for man from all the way back to Gen.1:28, “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over…every living thing.’” In Is.5:1-7, God describes the failure of Israel to keep their part of the covenant. He calls Israel, “His vineyard” and goes on to say how He provided everything that was good and necessary for His vineyard to produce good fruit. In verse 2 it says, “So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.“
What does this say of modern-day Israel? Has God rejected Israel? Paul says, “Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.” Rm.11:1-2 He begins this argument in chapter 9 of Romans by saying, “I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to who pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises, of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all the eternally blessed God. Amen.” Rm. 9:1-5
The plan of God is evident. IIPet.3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Paul also explains, “…have they (Israel) stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! 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! Rm.11:11-12
Israel is as much a title as a proper name and indeed, in ancient times, a name was equivalent to a title. The proper name for Jesus is “Yeshua” which we transliterate “Joshua” which means the Lord is Salvation. Also, Isaiah prophesies, “Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Is. 7:14; which means, “God with us.” Because of this we can confidently receive the title of Israel. Gal. 6:15-16 Paul says, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.” The New Covenant says of us what the old said of Israel, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have mercy.” I Pet.2:9-10
So why did Yeshua come; to restore national Israel? Well, yes, in a sense, no and also, not yet. He came to confront the sin problem. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. II Cor. 5:21. This still confused the disciples even after His resurrection. Acts 1:6-7, “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times and seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” Peter finally gets it when he writes in his epistle concerning the end, (quoting Ps.90:4)”beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” II Pet.3:8
There is so much more that can be said. We haven’t even touched upon the Ezekiel prophecies for the restoration of Israel. The character of God is not such that He changes His mind because things don’t work out according to His plan, but He executes His plan with perfection in all that He does with majesty and wonder, surprising everyone and bringing us to a place of reckless praise and worship. There is no such thing as replacement theology. The church has not replaced Israel as the apple of His eye. We have already discussed that. We should be excited and amazed at the restoration of national Israel, and with current events in these last days, yet not be overly distracted by them. Our mission remains the same: aim to walk in righteousness and humble repentance, preach the gospel in season and out, love one another, wait patiently for His return taking dominion where He has given us authority and rejoice always in Him!!!
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