“The Remnant Of Israel”:
I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. (Romans 11:1-6)
Some insist that the church has become Israel. The truth is Israel and the church are two very distinct groups. It’s my personal belief this “movement” began in A.D. 70. During this time the Romans destroyed Jerusalem under the orders of Caesar Nero, and so the misguided interpretation is that this was God’s judgement on Israel and Jesus’ vindication for being rejected by His people. This is also the origin of another perversion of the truth which is called “Dominion Theology” of which frighteningly resembles “Replacement Theology” in many of its characteristics and beliefs. Both of these movements support their views with a complete incorrect interpretation of Matthew 24:34 which is about the tribulation period.
Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
The interpretation is this…because the above passage states “this generation” this would mean it was the generation they were living in. This somehow now explains how the events of the tribulation period all happened during the time of A.D. 70.
I cannot stress enough how much “Replacement” and “Dominion” theology are unbelievable movements of anti-semitism that the evil one has been sowing into mankind for thousands of years. He has been working hard to hinder God’s plans, and one major way is to put an end to the Lord’s chosen people. The Devil has attempted to annihilate Jews through heavy persecution and mass extinction, and so it seems, also by replacing Israel with the church. Satan shows some portions of the church how sinful and stubborn the Jews were and how unworthy they were to be God’s chosen people.
Look into the Christian Crusades or the Spanish Expulsion of 1492 and you’ll see that these were instances of the church heavily persecuting the Jews. Even the reformer Martin Luther himself spoke out against the Jewish people when his attempts to convert them failed. In 1543 he wrote On the Jews and Their Lies in which he called them “a base, whoring people that is, no people of God…”. In his book he went on and on raving against them and even called for them to be in forced labor, expelled and slain if they would not convert to Christianity. Martin Luther’s words did much damage sadly to the whole of Christianity, especially in Germany, as it planted anti-semitism in many hearts. Luther’s writings against the Jews were later used as Nazi propaganda and Hitler would describe Martin Luther as a “great warrior” and a “true statesman” in his book “Mein Kampt”.
Israel is not only distinguished because of their race – a people who descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – but because they, as a people, were chosen by God.
The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)
The Lord promised Israel “spiritual promises”. These promises are known as a “New Covenant”. They were originally given by God for the “house of Israel,” at which time all of Israel will be saved. This will come about at the end of the tribulation period when Christ returns and they see Him. The apostle Paul writes, “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26). Here is the “New Covenant” as recorded in Jeremiah…
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34)
As you can see, these promises are to Israel as a nation and will be given to them subsequent to their salvation. However, the promises are also very personal and are realized by all who believe – to Jews and Gentiles. Hence, these New Covenant promises are the undergirding of the church, of which without the church cannot exist. Paul explained to us in Romans…
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. (Romans 11:7-8)
When those of us who are not Jews believe, we are grafted into the “Jewish vine” and therefore become a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree. That is to say, all Gentiles (non Jews) who believe are now privileged to share in the spiritual blessings that were originally promised to the Jews through Abraham in the New Covenant. This wonderful fact, that Gentile believers are the recipients of the New Covenant, has established another important distinction for Israel – that they have been chosen to administer the blessings of the New Covenant to all who believe.
Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. (Romans 9:5)
Here I Am, Send Me 