Thursday, November 6, 2014
Romans 11:26-27 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."
MILLENNIAL MYTH BUSTERS: MYTH 4: ISRAEL'S PROMINENCE
If you pay attention to conservative politicians, it won't be long before you hear proponents of this next Millennial myth: That the entire nation of Israel will be saved. It is the belief of this teaching that leads many politicians to strive for peace in Israel. Certainly, any Christian will desire peace, but the intentions behind that peace are not always accurate. Millennial belief intertwines the fate of the nation of Israel with that of God's Church. Because of this, many Millennialists teach that there will be a mass conversion of the Jewish race and the literal Thousand-Year kingdom will be established on the physical plot of land called Israel. Surely if such teachings are true, all Christians should strive vehemently to protect Israel from foreign and unbelieving occupants.
But once again, what God's Word tells us about Israel is much different. The Old Testament prophecies of Israel were not focused on a future millennial kingdom. At times, they did speak of certain physical kingdoms of the time period, but they always contained an underlying theme of the coming Messiah, a spiritual Leader. This is why Paul wrote in the verses above that the Old Testament covenant was about the forgiveness of sins, not the establishment of a physical kingdom. The Israelites were special in that they were the ones God chose to preserve the promise of the Messiah. Their uniqueness as a nation never implied they would all be saved. In Romans 9-11, Paul, a Jew, points out that despite all the advantages that the Israelites had, many lost all by rejecting Christ.
Paul also spoke of what it meant to be part of God's chosen people now that Christ had come: "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God" (Romans 2:28-29). This teaches us that there is a spiritual nation of Israel which is composed of all believers, regardless of physical descent. Given this understanding, when Paul writes that "all Israel will be saved" the context of Scripture reveals to us that Paul is looking at spiritual Israel -- God's Church. Give thanks to God if He has made you a member of this "holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).
