“As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes.” We see here that her behavior is never a reason God will forsake Israel. She is beloved by God for her father’s sake. But, enemies to those who serve Jesus because of her blindness created from her union with the law and the fathers.
We are told in 2Tim.2:13 that God is faithful even when we are not. This is a reference to God’s promise to Israel. As well as His promise to those who trust in Jesus. Both spiritual Israel, and those whose line and faith are joined to the promise through her fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Because even when Israel’s king and all the people were doing what was evil in God’s sight God did not forsake them. And why? Because of His promise to her fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
This is what Rom.11:28 is referring to. And is why those who claim God has forsaken Israel because of her blindness in unbelief, and have taken the promises God gave solely to her for themselves, are gone down a road that will lead to perdition.
I’m talking about the synagogue of Satan so many are saying is a reference to the Jews all or in part who are now in Israel. When reading Rev.3:9 where we find this prophecy it seems that skip the last part of the verse. I’m guessing it’s because it doesn’t quite fit with the idea that this synagogue can be the Jews in Israel today.
Or it may be that they have never actually read the verse. And instead just quote the part they have heard. Like when people quote Leviticus saying the life is in the blood. Leaving out the part that says that the life being spoken of here is the life of the flesh, and not the spirit.
Here’s what Rev.3:9 says. “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.” Did you catch that last part?
“To know that I have loved thee.” That’s what it says. Who is the “thee” here? The “thee” here is the Jews that so many today are saying God has forsaken and no longer loves.
So the main characteristics of this synagogue is their belief that God does not love the Jews in Israel, but instead He loves them who are being called by Jesus here the synagogue of Satan.
Why? Because whatever else this entity may be the synagogue of satan says God has forsaken His Old Testament people Israel because they rejected their messiah. And has replaced them with them.
One such entity that fits this description is the one in which people refer to themselves as “spiritual Israel”. A designation spoken of by Paul in Gal.3 that in Rom.11 he proclaims does not replace national Israel as these people believe.
Instead it is used by God to make her jealous. In the hope that when her partial blindness has been removed she will come to faith. An event that Paul says will happen “after the fulness of the gentiles has come in.”
So why do we have these people who teach that the church has replaced Israel? Because they do not know how to rightly divide the word of truth. They do not know when the scripture is speaking to Israel in contrast to the rest of the world. Or to those of us who have come to a saving faith in Jesus contrasted with Old Covenant Jewish believers.
And they especially don’t understand passages like Dan.9:24-27, Rom.9:10-16, and Rom.11. And no wonder, these have all been deceived by the Gnosticism of Augustine who taught the flesh is evil so Jesus could not have come in the same flesh all men have. An abomination John says is of the spirit of antichrist.
But, if we rightly divide the word of truth as Paul taught we must we will not be deceived to believe those who say that the Israel in the land today is any different from those who God gave that land to in the Old Covenant.
Think about it. Was the Old Testament Israel any less idolatrous than the Israel in the land today? Does the Israel in the land today participate in any worse idolatry than those Old Covenant people He called Israel after their father Jacob? Those of whom God said He would never forsake because of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
Then why would anyone believe those who are saying this is the reason God has forsaken them? And given His promises He made to her that He said was a covenant that could never be broken to others?
He would not and He did not. We know this from many Old Testament scriptures. And especially from the New Covenant teaching of Paul in Rom.11:25-32 where he said, “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.”
This is why we must be careful not to jump to the unBiblical conclusion of those whose foundation of faith is built upon the doctrine of original sin and sin nature. These are the ones saying this about Israel. Why? Because everything is about works to them.
So it follows for them that since the Israel in the land today are doing bad things they can not be the Israel God called in the Old Testament. As the Bible clearly shows its ridiculousness to think that because many in Israel practice abominable teachings they can not be the same Israel God called in the Old Testament.
But, God has made a covenant with Israel that has yet to be fulfilled. Saying in Dan.9 that “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”
Only preterism believes this prophecy has already been fulfilled. So that God is finished with national Israel. And only those who believe God has replaced Israel with the church believe the Israel in the land today is not the Israel God made covenant with. But, it hasn’t. Because only the 1st 1/2 of the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy has been fulfilled.
Gal.4:4 says Jesus came “in the fulness of time.” And Dan.9 tells us that He was cut off in the middle of the “week”. Causing the sacrifices and oblations to cease by virtue of the fact that He Himself became the final once for all sacrifice for sin. With the temple being destroyed on account of the overspreading of abominations in her continued animal sacrifices in rejection of Jesus.
And having a dispensation of grace interrupt the completion of this prophecy. As believers we see the blindness in part that has happened to Old Covenant Israel during this time. By this we can see that all of what Dan.9:24 says has not come to pass for her.
It is in God’s plan for the rest to be completed during the time of Jacob’s trouble spoken of by Jeremiah the prophet in ch.30. A time that will last for 3 1/2 years that will complete the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy over Israel.
A time Jesus referred to when He told Israel He came in His Father’s name and they would not receive Him(1st 3 1/2 years). But, if another comes in his own name him they will receive(last 3 1/2 years).
Here Jesus divided the 70th week into 2 parts by giving them the 1st and last 1/2 of the 70th week of Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy. A time when He came at the end of 69 weeks and after 3 1/2 years of ministering to Israel they said “give us Barabbas”. And He was crucified.
And with the 1st 1/2 fulfilled there is now and continues to be a time when the last 1/2 will yet be fulfilled. A time when just as Jesus came “in the fulness of time”, so too will antichrist come when the fulness of the times of the gentiles has come in. A time God established for this before He made the world.
So the answer to the question is the Israel in the land today the same Israel God made covenant with in the Old Testament is absolutely, positively, resoundingly yes. She is continuing to commit the same abominable acts of idolatry that many Israelites did in the Old Testament. And has many who against the odds and “out of season” as Paul said he was, trust in and worship their messiah Jesus.
And she will be dealt with soon during the great tribulation that is coming upon the whole world. But, the really important question is not is the Israel in the land today the same Israel God made the Old Covenant with. The really important question is have you received eternal life by trusting in Jesus? Are you ready to meet Him when He comes? And He is most certainly coming.
Because while it is the dispensation of the grace of God you have time to trust in Him before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes upon the world. To make yourself ready for whatever happens. And for His coming in the clouds to take those who have trusted in Him to be with Him in heaven forever.
The apostle Paul said that if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus. And believe in your heart that He has raised from the dead. You shall be saved. Jesus said when you believe in Him a spirit will be created in you that enables you to see and inherit the kingdom of God.
Using the term born again Jesus showed us that the reason we need Him is because being born of the flesh from our mother’s womb, the water birth, makes us only flesh. And Paul says plainly that flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God. And in Rom.10:9,10 that this is only possible by trusting in Jesus and His resurrection.
So confess the Lord Jesus today. And believe He has raised from the dead. Do this and you will be a child of God who will inherit His kingdom. Do this and eternal life can be yours right now. And immortality at the resurrection. Do this… and I will see you there or in the air!
