God's Plan for Israel-and the World - Part A

The blindness is on Israel personally. But God has preserved them God has brought them back from captivity for 70 years and babbling back to the land after a couple thousand years of dispersion back in the last 48 question is why. Why are they there why they keep coming back. Let me just say that if you study Jewish history and should study Jewish history and you still don't believe in miracles. You are not a realist is nothing short of miraculous. Israel sin of rejecting Jesus, God still has a special role for his chosen people today on connect with skiff-Skip talks about God's plan for his viewing some truths to about God's patience and love.

Stay tuned after the message and Skip and his wife Linda give you insight on how you can share your faith with this people group or special to the Lord. Watch certain words that you use with the Jewish people for words like Jesus Christ for Christian or convert or baptize Ozark sortable red flags to them. I would refer diseases Yeshua that's his Jewish name.

I wouldn't talk about conversion because they see that as such I know no and that's what you find believers in Israel, referring to themselves as believers to be sure to stay with us after today's message to the full discussion right now to tell you about a resource that will help you pray with more passion, purpose and expectation for God to move ready to radically upgrade your prayer life still stuck in blessing mode, you have come to the right place you are ready for dangerous prayers really start playing three new players and I will warn you. These are not easy. Prayers does not say prayers benign prayer, recalling the dangerous prayers with her dangerous in a good way and that is my opinion. Most people I know in this part of the world most people's prayers are way to say that Craig Rochelle from his book dangerous prayers. And this is our summer resorts offer you are ready to get out of your comfort zone was some prayers that are not safe to play noble into the when you pray this prayer to really ask God to do something that will often take you out of your comfort zone. Unlock your potential with Craig Rochelle's book dangerous prayers as our gift to you when you give $35 or more today to help keep this ministry on the air. Request your copy when you get online securely connect with skiff.com/offer or you can call 892 1888 another clip from Craig's book dangerous prayers. Talk about a very dangerous prayer to God. Prayer right but the last thing any of us what the other side of brokenness is a real intimacy with God and a dependence on him, but you cannot get any other way. Brokenness will have enough encouraging books yet one that will grab you by the throat and get her attention.

Replace send me another set of saying I'll do what I want to do this I got a blank contract basically whatever whenever and however available to whatever you want to do. My life is send connect with skiff.com/offer or you can call 800-922-1888 joints compacted for today's teacher.

Romans chapter 11. Some people know the Bible really well by a diet or a misquoted and sometimes it novel, and even funny when they do, for instance, there was a pastor who took on a pastor on opportunity in a little rural community of farming community church was quite small. He was new to the community. So he thought that he would visit everybody in the church pay a visit to them. Get to know them, they could get to know him human out one day and visited family that lived on a farm nearby nice home. The cars were in the driveway.

Obviously people were home on music was blaring through the house.

The door was opened the screen door was shot, so he knew somebody was there. He knocked on the door. There was no answer. He knocked again a dog came out like Tim.

Three new somebody's gotta be here knocked again no answer.

So the pastor took his business card out and left it on the doorknob it wrote underneath his name. He wrote Revelation 320, which is a text that says behold I stand at the door and knock. Clever left it there walked away Sunday morning. One of the deacons in his church came up with that carded up and left in the offering plate by that family and that I don't understand what this is about and there was his card where he had written. Revelation 320, and underneath was written in Genesis 310 Deacon said what's this about pastor looked at it and he smiled and he said well you note. Revelation 320s behold I stand at the door and knock. Genesis 310 is I heard your voice and I was afraid, for I was naked so I hid again. Very clever, but most of the time when a person mis-applies a text of Scripture or misquotes that it's not all that funny. Let me explain. In Rome when Paul wrote the book of Romans.

There was already a belief that was developing that God was done with the nation of Israel. He had finished working with them nationally. Simply put, since Israel rejected Christ God had now rejected them. That was a belief system that was developing for a very obvious reason. The church that began in Jerusalem all Jewish was now mostly Gentile in the rest of the world. Most of the congregations by that time smatter throughout the modern world. Rome Asia minor were all non-Jewish people so notice how he begins.

Romans 11 verse one I say then, has God cast away his people.

Certainly not for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin God is not cast away his people whom he foreknew all the way down out of verse 25 is a believable connect center our comments just because of we don't have the time to go through it. Beginning in verse 25. The next few verses are a summary of the whole chapter 4 I do not desire brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in 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 concerning the gospel their enemies for your sake. But concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers for the gifts and callings of God are your revocable has God cast away his people. That's how he opens the chapter as God disowned his people as God rejected his people, and how does Paul answer that no way José were certainly not, but some would say yes God has rejected Israel national. They call themselves millennialist. I don't want to wax theological on you today but I want you to understand the term.

You know, the millennium is a means of thousand years and millennialist to put a negative prefect simply means there is no millennium.

It is to deny the earthly thousand year kingdom.

It is to deny all the promises of God to Israel saying that all the promises that God made to the Jews in the Old Testament were forfeited by Israel because Israel rejected Jesus Christ the Messiah. Titus came and destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, so they say all those promises God made to the Jews will not be fulfilled in the Jews but are fulfilled in the church we they say we are the Israel of God, he will not revive Israel national.

They even say that the millennium is not really a millennium. It's not literal it's figurative. It's allegorical that the millennium takes place between the first coming in second coming of Christ. In other words, were in it right now I've got to say if were in the millennium right now after all that I've read about the kingdom age and Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah and Revelation, etc. I am very disappointed if this is it. And I wonder why God spent the whole book of Revelation to tell us what is actually not a nap all millennialism spiritualize this the text of Scripture. Not all of it, but the prophetic text of Scripture, prophecy last time events eschatology eschatology mean that the teaching of the doctrine of the end times, especially the second coming of Christ. The events that preceded and the events that come after that. I say spiritualize a text.

It is a method or process of interpretation that disregards the plane meaning of the text. I think you know that most of us here believe in a very plain interpretation of the biblical text, we take it literally. Our approach is what's called a grammatical historical interpretation that is weak, we read the text of the Scripture we take its plain meaning we take it in context, we regard the history in which it was written.

The background which was written the syntax in the grammar that is the grammatical historical interpretation of the Bible unless the text itself compels us to see it as figurative and the text will do that.

There is obvious figurative language unless the text does that a plane rendering of the tax the plain meaning of the text is how we approach where plain sense makes good sense to seek any other sense is nonsense.

I agree with Vance Hafner who wrote it's always easier to understand what the Bible says and to understand what somebody thinks it meant to say how many times you people say to you, I know the Bible says, that would mean that was a mean I'll tell you what it means now the question is, what it all the start. Well it started when Paul was writing this letter that was already this development.

Since there are so many non-Jewish people and you are cording to us Old Testament Scripture, the God made to the Jews.

It seems like God is rejected them in favor of us. We are now the new Israel but the ball really got started rolling in terms of a movement of all millennialism with a guy by the name of Augustine of Augustine, St. Augustine. He borrowed that idea from guys like Justin Martyr origin ORI GEN was one of the church fathers who first started Alec arising. The text of Scripture making and mean also to weird things, but Augustine really got the ball rolling, especially influencing at his time, the Roman Catholic Church, so today all millennialism is the view of the Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church. The Lutheran Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Anglican church. The Episcopalian church and the church of Christ. All of those congregations largely opt for the idea that all the promises God made to Israel are over with their fulfilled in the church. There is no literal thousand year reign of Christ from Israel in the future will Paul addresses that in three chapters of the book of Romans.

Specifically, in the 11th chapter.

He's very clearcut about that and I because it's a lengthy chapter.

The Logan a look at a few verses of the size what we just read you. I want to give you three summary statements, three summary statements about God's plan for Israel and the world. Blindness is on Israel. Presently that's number one. Benefits are given simultaneously. That's number two words yes that is true, but that is allowed God to bless another way, and finally number three. Blessings will happen ultimately let's begin with the first blindness is on Israel.

Presently, verse 25 I do not desire brother you should be ignorant of this mystery. Last, you should be wise in your own opinion that blindness in part has happened to Israel. Stop right there.

Reason in verse 25 when he says the word Israel was referring to Israel. Israel means Israel, literally Israel Israel in verse 25 is the same thing as in verse one, when he says has God cast away his people, his people are the Jewish people because he says certainly not. I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin Israel is his people.

It's also the same as what he wrote about in chapter 9 verse three remember what he said he does.

I have continual sorrow in my heart over my brother and my countrymen which are Israelites, according to the flesh so Israel are God's covenant people and Paul was one of them. I also am 16 but blindness has overtaken stupor has fallen upon them, especially in interpreting the Old Testament Scripture, especially those scriptures that refer to the coming Messiah.

In second Corinthians 2. Paul writes, but their minds were blinded same language there blinded for until this day the same veil remains unlisted in the reading of the Old Testament because the veil is taken away in Christ.

But even to this day, when Moses is read of veil wise on their heart I get this question all the time. If this is true then why don't more Jewish people believe it. Paul says I can answer that. I'm one of them is called blindness. There's a blindness over them. There is a national blindness, though there is a remnant there are some who believe Paul was one of them. The early church in Jerusalem were others is the blind today in Israel by the way, you know, there's a there's a real nation still in existence today called the nation of Israel happened since 1948 May 14 of 1948 the modern state of Israel was born.

When that happened just a few years ago seven years ago 1948, 71 years or just how many Jews in Israel believed in Jesus as the Messiah. 23 and the whole country only 23 Jews in Israel in 1948 believe Jesus was the Messiah today over 30,000 of them believe Jesus is the Messiah is quite a growth. However, the population of Israel today is 9 million people, 6.6 million of which are Jewish. So it's a fraction of a percent of those in Israel who believe in Jesus the rest do not. Why do they not blindness.

Blindness go back to verse seven what then Israel has not obtained what it seeks but the elective obtained it and the rest were blinded just as it is written, God's given them a spirit of stupor eyes that they should not see here is that they should not hear, to this very day.

And David says let their table become a snare and a trap stumbling block and a recompense to them less. There let their eyes be darkened so that they do not see, and bow down their back always.

There's a blindness it's true undeniable Jesus himself even spoke of this blindness when he came into the city of Jerusalem. Toward the end of his ministry to present himself to the Jewish nation. He said if only you had known, even you, especially in this your day.

The things that make for your peace. But now they are hidden from your eyes. That's blindness for the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you went on every side and level you and your children within you to the ground and they will not believe in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation. What is he doing is predicting the fall of Jerusalem under Titus in 70 A.D. when the Romans came and destroyed. That's it. Blindness has happened to them and because they rejected Jesus as their Messiah.

They lost everything they lost the temple. They lost their national identity for 2000 years. They lost their land and worst of all, they lost eternal life. Jesus said you are not willing to come to me that you might have life life was available. It could have happened for you.

Your Messiah has come to fulfillment is here but you would not come to me that you might have life, so blindness is on Israel. Presently. But God has preserved them. God has brought them back from captivity after 70 years, and babbling back to the land after a couple thousand years of dispersion they been back in the land since 1948 question is why. Why are they that why they keep coming back. Let me just say that if you study Jewish history and you should if you study Jewish history and you still don't believe in miracles. You are not a realist is nothing short of miraculous. What other nation has ever survived as a distinct race after 400 years of slavery after two total destructions. After multiple deportations after 2000 years of dispersion and the Holocaust.

Jerusalem is been fought over numerous times in its history is been destroyed twice exceeds 23 times attacked 52 times captured and recaptured 44 times is the miracle of Israel is 9 million people. If you go everybody is so here's what you notice feel safe and feels peaceful. It's the economy is thriving.

It's robust it's crowded more and more people are coming into her all the time. But what's odd about it is you 9 million people surrounded by 100 million enemies don't want Israel in their neighborhood, some of which wanted completely annihilated and bombs are going off at the border from some of these countries to destroy. So the question is, will Israel survive in the future and why has she survived in the past. If God is cast away his people quietly back in their own land. Could something be happening for the future with a special message from the series now you Skip is to give you insight on how you can share your faith with the particular people for very special to the Lord in today's message you talked a lot about that plan for Israel and the current blindness of the nation. Thing is, that can actually use asked to reach test right now to place them key points we can talk about if we have the opportunity to share with the not that this is a little dicey. I would say in only 10% of the Jewish community is Orthodox and so that means a very small percentage study their own Scripture know their own Scripture. Even though they're called the people of the book. Most don't read their own books that I don't really know what's in it. So if you can share the gospel with them. You want to make sure that you are first sharing the gospel out of the Old Testament you are using Old Testament references and stories. That's how the early church spirit that was there Scripture. So if you think of a Luke 24 Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded them all things concerning himself.

Paul did it when you talk about sin or heaven or grace.

He always had an Old Testament reference like like the book of Isaiah.

And speaking of the book of Isaiah. I would say when you witness to Jewish people learn clear messianic references.

Isaiah chapter 53 is a clear messianic reference our go to Isaiah 53 go to Jeremiah 31 which predicts that the new covenant in the Old Testament and then watch certain words that you use with the Jewish people or words like Jesus Christ or Christian or convert or baptize those rock sort of red flags to them.

I would refer to Jesus as Yeshua. That's his Jewish name. I wouldn't talk about conversion because they see that is such a no-no.

And that's where you find believers in Israel, referring to themselves as believers, we we are followers of Yeshua, but we are Jewish. At the same time and then listen, share your testimony. You have a story in your story is important in your story is.

After all, your story nobody can take it from you and and in your story, be a friend and then most important thing. Pray before you go in and talk. Ask God for wisdom and God bless your testimony.

Thanks. Given my telephone changes life see that change happen as well as in the lives of so many others around the world's radio ministry going strong and bring others closer to God, morality 800-9800 19 to the second Limp Bizkit.com/stony.com/thank you tuning tomorrow.

Skip like to talk more about the plan of God is carrying out for the nation of Israel needs for your future and so Skip presentation of connection communications to God's unchanging truth