We know for certain that God has not forgotten His people, Israel. Though they, themselves, have forgotten their need for a Savior and Messiah, He still believes in them as a whole. Jesus has come to them but many have cast him away in disbelief. It even got to the point that in this day that the majority of Jewish people deny Jesus as their Messiah. In this, God has still not cast them away. As Paul said in Romans 11, it reads, 2“I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.” Even in the times of the Old Testament, let alone their denial of Jesus as Lord, many prophets were killed by their hands. This was because of the idol worship that crept into the Jewish community and caused them to fall. In this time frame it was a big problem, although there were some people that continued faithful to God. Speaking on this, Paul write, 2“I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” So then we have the majority of the Jewish people that are now very hard hearted, even to the point of not accepting Jesus as their Messiah. Paul says that they have become blinded and 2“God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.”
It is because the eyes of the Israelite people are darkened is 2“that they may not see”. In this, do they walk contrary to God and not even realize it. They have not stumbled in this way on their on purpose but because of the blindness in their eyes. Paul said, 2“have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.” And so it happened, that the gospel went out from among the Jewish people and into the all the world. This happened when Jesus gave the directive to his twelve apostles in Matthew 10 to 1“go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” So because of this outreach and the one happening in God’s harvest today, we have many more Gentile believers in God than in Israel. This has happened, in order to bring the gospel to all the world, in that many more souls would be saved. And as Paul said, this has caused the people of Israel to question God and to be jealous. People go this country every year, in order to witness to Jews, and only few of them are OK with it. This is because of their traditions that they follow to this day, instead of Jesus. Now, before time is up on them, Paul said that 2“all Israel shall be saved.” When Jesus returns, He will gather the gentiles with his people together. What an amazing event this will be.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, it is such a blessing to know You and to call You my God. As I am a Gentile, I know that You opened the doors to us, that we may be saved. It is because You paid the price for our sins that all the world can be saved. Thank You Jesus. Surely, my eyes have been opened to Your goodness and grace. Without measure have You sacrificed Yourself for mankind, not wanting anything in return, but only our hearts. An open heart to Your gospel message of the cross and resurrection is enough to change everything in our lives. What we once knew can never stack up to the mercy and forgiveness that You have unfolded upon us. Where I lived in so much guilt and shame, You have come and given me total relief. I am no longer burdened over the things I have done, but am ready to go onward in faith. Nothing is holding me back from coming unto You now. As sin was my stumbling block, You have given me an ability to resist temptation. You have become my shield and my strength and I can do all things with Your presence in my life. Nothing can take me down when You are holding me up. I love You Lord. Surely, Your love is for all mankind. For all Israel and for the Gentiles. What a great God You are. There is no one like You. My trust is in the Lord Jesus, who saves. In Your holy Name, Lord. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Matthew 10:1-7 (KJV)
1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
/bible/matthew/matthew-10/
2Romans 11 (KJV)
1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,
3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
