Replacement theology? What it just might be...

 For those who want to discuss replacement theology, this is a good way to introduce the issue. Or issues. 

I wrote on another's Facebook in answer to their question about this topic.

I think it's a misnomer. Most Christians believe in something like replacement. 

In Matthew 21:43 Yeshua says, “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it." Who were those people to whom it was given? Jews. From whom was it taken? Jews. God replaced some Jews with other Jews. Yeshua chose the 12 Jewish apostles to lead the new community of faith when he departed. Did replacement happen? If not, you who dismiss the term should actually follow the rabbis in 2023. But you don't. Why not? Because you believe in 'replacement.' Those who follow Yeshua (Jews first, then also Gentile believers) have replaced those Jews who didn't follow him. 

A great read on this by Ligonier: https://www.ligonier.org/.../the-church-and-israel-in-the... especially dealing with 'true' Israel vs 'national' Israel.

Lesson Eight: A new and better covenant (Hebrews 8)

 “Listen up: this is better” -- A study on the Bible book of Hebrews

A 13-week series given in 2020

By Bob Mendelsohn

Jews for Jesus, Sydney

Given 18 September 2020

bob@jewsforjesus.org.au

To watch this 'live',  click on this link: https://youtu.be/o4mrYajIu8U 

 

Lesson Eight: A new and better covenant

Shalom to each of you here on the Zoom call and those who will watch this class lecture on YouTube later. I hope you will feel welcome and when this section ends in about 20 minutes, that you will be a participant in the rest of the questions and discussion time. This letter to messianic Jews was written before the destruction of the Temple in AD 70.  Today we study chapter 8, and if you haven’t yet read it, please, those of you on YouTube, pause the playback, read the chapter, and then press play again to re-join us. Thanks.

Welcome back.

Today we will look at another controversial issue in the messianic world, especially today among many Jewish believers about the role of the Mosaic covenant. Surprisingly a large number of Gentile believers are keen to practice what they call “Judaism” or “Messianic Judaism” so we will discuss this both in the lecture part of the class today and certainly in the discussion section when this concludes. I’m also guessing that next week’s D-Groups will unpack this even moreso. If you aren’t already a member of one of our Discipleship Groups, you are seriously missing out, and I urge you to join one sooner rather than later.

Tonight begins Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the 7^th month of the Jewish and biblical calendar.  Most of you would know this day also as the Jewish New Year, and therefore you want to understand the differences. The Jewish Civil Year begins tonight, which is the anniversary of the Creation of the World 5,781 years ago. The religious year begins in March/ April with Nisan (Exodus 12.1-2).

Now that we have that calendar conundrum out of the way, let’s dig into this old vs new argument by the author in Hebrews 8. The author quotes two Older Testament citations to build the case that our Great High Priest, Yeshua, is the mediator of a better covenant. In fact the word ‘mediator’ is always associated with the new covenant (8:6; 9:15; 12:24; cf 7:22).   

Let’s unpack this chapter and see the argumentation to prove that the covenant we embrace is altogether better.

1.  The priest himself is better

The author continues to pound this message which has been unveiled since the mention of Aaron. Yeshua is from the order of Melchizedek, and he’s the Great High Priest. He sympathizes with us, he lives to intercede for us, and we can go to him for grace to help in time of need. Here, we read he has taken his seat (.1), is a minister in the Sanctuary (Temple) and in the tabernacle that is true (heaven).

Let’s take those one by one. 

a.   Taking his seat

Priests don’t sit in either the Temple or previously in the Tabernacle. Not until they were done, but they were never done since the system required them to come back to work the next day. When we read that Yeshua’s priesthood is perpetual, it’s about the result of his sacrifice, not the activity of ongoing sacrifice. We’ll see that point in the weeks to come more and more.

 

Taking his seat means his work is complete. When Yeshua said, “it is finished” from the cross, he’s saying the offering is satisfactory. As we enter tonight into the 10 holiest days in the calendar, and many Jewish people around the world will wonder if their prayers and offering will be acceptable, a heavenly ‘nod’ would be most welcome. By offering Yeshua a chair, the Father says ‘yes’ to him. 

 

2.  The place is better (.2-7)

a.   He is a minister in the Sanctuary 

This would have immediately made the reader to think of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and that our Great High Priest would be working there on his roster rotation with his own family designation. But that’s not what the author is intending. Link this Sanctuary (hagios) with the next phrase (The true Tabernacle) and you have it. The High Priest of our confession has ascended into the heavenlies and his priesthood has not only allowed him to be seated here (as if any of the priests did that) but to be enthroned in heaven. Remember the quote from Psalm 110, “Sit here at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” (110.1)

This also hearkens the reader to Daniel 7, the great vision of the prophet

“I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames… 

I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away: and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. (7.9, 13-14)

 

This prophecy of the Son of Man approaching the Father is wondrously fulfilled in Yeshua, the better priest in the better place.

The first quote we read today is from Exodus 25. There we see a hint of something other than the Tabernacle.

b.  The pattern was the Tabernacle (Ex. 25.40) It’s a copy of something in heaven (.2-5)

Moses was instructed on Sinai with detailed instructions for the tent and he hired Bezalel and Oholiab to complete the construction. They did just that. Perfectly. But the author here introduced a term which many in modern days love to use and it’s the term ‘type’ or ‘shadow.’ It’s similar to our word ‘metaphor’ or even better to say ‘stencil’ or ‘template.’ The word in verse 5 for ‘pattern’ is the Greek word ‘tupos’ which transliterates to ‘type.’ 

Not only was heaven better for the Great High priest, Yeshua, it’s our final destination and thus it’s better for us. 

3.  The covenant is better (.8-.13)

a.   Without fault!

                                                      i.     Based on God’s design

Back in Exodus God showed Moses directly what his plan and purpose was for the Tabernacle. We will look at it in more detail next week as chapter 9 and a bit of 10 requires its layout to be in our minds. Of note here is that God’s design is flawless, but the author clearly shows that there was a flaw, and it’s the Jewish people and our execution of his covenant.

                                                    ii.     Not based on human whim or failure (.7-8)

 

What makes the first covenant a failure was the people who signed up for the completion and satisfaction of the stipulations. We are sinful and fail again and again. No amount of self-will or self-assurance would get us and our covenant keeping across the line. 

Verse 9, we fail. We did not continue in it. 

 

b.  Promises

I don’t know about you, but my wife and I are watching the US election enterprises with great enthusiasm. In 46 days, votes will be fully cast and dozens of governor, senator and house races will be ending, finally, and the presidential election will conclude as well. Over these next seven weeks more promises will be made and commitments assured.  And those promises are as believable to be fulfilled as Jack and the Beanstalk, Lucy not pulling the football away from Charlie Brown, or a 15% gain in your superannuation next year. 

(for more on promises at all: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/contemporary-psychoanalysis-in-action/201406/why-we-cant-keep-our-promises )

But in our chapter here we read of better promises from heaven. They were made to Jeremiah the prophet. (Born 650 BCE) He recorded them in our 2^nd quote today, chapter 31, beginning in verse 31. 

1.  God’s performance, not ours: The agent of the promise (.7-9)

2.  The change will work: The scene of the promise (.10) [our heart]

3.  The forgiveness of our sins: Not a covering (.11-12) [Yom Kippur AND BEYOND!]

4.  The extent of God’s blessings: Jerusalem and beyond (.13)

 

 

Verse 13: “He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” What is this ‘whatever’ referencing? I believe it’s the Holy Temple. And as such, all the regulations and institutions of that come into view. But this is not related to all things Jewish. Not at all, let me explain. 

Obsolescence and growing old… those are not words you want to hear on Erev Rosh Hashanah. I ask you to buckle your seatbelt as I show you how this can be taken wrongly. Let me quote my friend Alex Jacob in his book “The Case for Enlargement Theology” (page 36) as he cites the horrible conclusions some in the historic church made by reading or shall we say mis-reading Hebrews 8.13. These are all rulings from the medieval period of church governments.

“Firstly, Christians may not enter a synagogue. Secondly, Christians may not eat Passover with Jews. Thirdly, Jews may not appear in public during the celebrations of Holy Week. Fourthly, no member of the clergy who is free to marry must ever marry a Jew. Fifthly, any Jew, prior to being baptized, must denounce the whole of his or her Jewish identity and heritage by making the following statement:

I renounce all customs, rites, legalisms, unleavened breads and sacrifices of lambs of the Hebrews, and all other feasts of the Hebrews, sacrifices, prayers, aspersions, purifications, sanctifications and fasts, and new moons, and Sabbaths, and superstitions and hymns and chants and observances and synagogues and the food and drink of the Hebrews. In one word, I renounce absolutely everything Jewish, every law, rite and custom, and above all, I renounce Antichrist, whom all the Jews await in the figure and form of Christ, and I join myself to the true Christ and God.”

How’d you like that? Taking a volatile anti-Jewish view about the Old Covenant is not even close to the author’s intent. The highlight of this portion of Bible is to glorify Yeshua, not to denigrate the words of the Lord to the Jewish people and any customs we hold. Sure, by comparison, the glory of Messiah is awesome and fulfilling, but there is no need to dismiss or deride the car that got us to the station.

Lane: “The argument that by designating the covenant “new” God declared the covenant concluded at Sinai to be unserviceable and outmoded (πεπαλαίωκεν, “obsolete, antiquated”) carries the corollary that God himself has cancelled its validity. He intends to make no further use of the old covenant and the forms through which it operated to achieve his redemptive purpose for his people (cf de Vuyst, “Oud en nieuw Verbond,” 254–55; Seesemann, TDNT 5:720). Consequently, the old arrangement is on the point of disappearing. The principle that a new act of God makes the old obsolete (cf 7:11–12) reflects an eschatological outlook that perceives the Mosaic and Levitical institutions as fulfilled and superseded by Christ.”

What Lane says is so important. It’s that the redemption is no longer available through the rites of the Temple. Full stop. There is no comment about reading Jewish literature, watching Seinfeld, hearing shofar sounds or about eating kosher foods. That’s not the point of the author. The misread, however, has caused great horror coming on my Jewish people. 

Dear friends, the point today is to help you see that our Great High Priest loves us and wants to bring us into relationship with the Almighty. He alone can do it; He alone HAS done it. He established a new covenant, not like the one with Moses at Sinai. This one is better, because it didn’t depend on us to fulfil it. He has done it for us. Our job is to receive his love and grace.

If you’ve never received Yeshua as your Lord and Saviour, I invite you to do so now. Right where you are. Receive him who gave his life for you. Say a prayer of thanks. Say a prayer like “I need you, Lord Yeshua” … he loves to give to you of his life. 

If you want to write me with a question, I’m happy to try to answer. Just write me at the address on the screen, it’s bob@jewsforjesus.org.auand I’ll give it a go.

Until next week, when we will meet again to share about chapter 9 and more about our better High Priest who dominates and allows us entry into the Better Tabernacle, that is, heaven itself. Until then, l’shana tovah um’tookah and

 Shabbat shalom.

 

 

Actual text:

Heb. 8:1   Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ² a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. ³ For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that thishigh priest also have something to offer. ⁴ Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; ⁵ who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “SEE,” He says, “THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN.” ⁶ But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. ⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 

⁸ For finding fault with them, He says, 

       “BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; ⁹ NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD. ¹⁰ “FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. ¹¹ “AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’ FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. ¹² FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.” 

¹³ When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

 

Bibliography

 

Jacob, Alex, The case for Enlargement Theology, Glory to Glory, Walden, UK, 2010.

Ladd, George E., A Theology of the New Testament, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1974. (Pages 571 – 587)

Lane, William L, Word Biblical Commentary Series, Hebrews.

Vine, W.E., An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words,Revell, Old Tappan, NJ, 1966.

Weirsbe, Warren. Be Confident. David C. Cook Publishing, Colorado Springs,1982.

-------------------

D-Groups for this week

1)           Tuesday 11 am Sydney time. Led by James Howse

2)           Monday 10 am Sydney time, led by Rebekah Bronn

3)           Thursday 7 pm, Sydney time, led by James White

(Contact our office for zoom details)

 

If you’d like to host a D-Group either online or in person, please contact bob@jewsforjesus.org.au for further details.

The worst kind of replacement

My friend Frank came into the shop today and we were talking. Talking about some believers here in Sydney who are missing the point of the Gospel and Torah. Seems we know some folks who are caught up in the Galatian heresy, which may be a new term to some of you. The letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Galatia (a region in Asia Minor in the First Century) contained these famous words,  "You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?  This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?  Did you suffer so many things in vain — if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?" (chapter 3, verses 1-5)

The rhetorical question of Paul to the Galatians begs the obvious answer, BY THE SPIRIT in FAITH!

So the contrast is clear, that people who came to faith in Yeshua did so by the Spirit of God. And they are going to be completed (sanctified, come to conclusion) in their journey by the same Spirit and NOT by the works of Torah.  Paul says that any other conclusion is folly, "foolishness."

Then in one moment we spoke about 'replacement theology.' And a thought splashed into my mind. The worst kind of replacement is the one where I replace God as the Saviour of my life. Most believers readily admit that without the blood of Jesus, without the grace of God, we would never be saved. We owe our salvation to the love of God demonstrated in the cross. Jesus died for our sins, we say. And if we trust Him, if we believe in Him, we will have eternal life. 

John the apostle said this, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (chapter 3, verse 16)

So believers all start at that place. God saved me. I owe Him everything. I'm grateful for eternity. I'm grateful for my salvation. Hallelujah!

But then a crazy and self-consuming idea creeps in. We think it's up to us to finish the work of God in our own lives. I'm reminded of the story of the car park at Christmas at Westfield (a major shopping centre network in Australia and now worldwide). The secularist is driving around and around in the car park, looking for a space, and not finding anything for 25 minutes. His frustration is mounting. He remembers his Christian friend has told him that he often 'prays for a parking space' and 'God provides for him.'  So the secularist thinks, "I'll give it a try." He isn't used to praying, but while driving around he shoots up this prayer, "Lord, my friend Larry says he prays for a space. So, I'll pray this, too, and if you give me a space, I'll donate my ... " (He sees an open space), "Never mind, I found one." 

The humour aside, the way of man is to depend on himself. Jeremiah the prophet said, "Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD." (chapter 9, verses 23-24)

The Galatian heresy is really replacement gone mad. It's where I replace God with me! The way of salvation starts with trusting Jesus, and the end of my life is successful if and ONLY IF Jesus is still bringing me to Himself. I'll finish well if I surrender well to the Almighty, and not take the responsibility to keep Torah and earn the rest of my salvation. 

The worst kind of replacement is substituting ME for YESHUA. 

There's only ONE Saviour. His name is not Bob. His name is Yeshua. I owe Him everything. 

St Paul and the Jews: A study on Romans 11

St Paul, a photo by bobmendo on Flickr.

This message given today at Rivers of Life church in Singapore. A study on Paul the apostle and his teaching about Jewish people, from Romans chapter 11.

"Shalom friends at Rivers of Life Church.

I’m privileged to speak with you again today and to be part of your family of faith. I was with you 18 months ago and you were generous to me and financially supportive of our work among the Jewish people. I don’t take that lightly and appreciate your belief in the Gospel of Jesus going to all people, including the ancient people of the Covenants. As I share with you this morning, about a very problematic biblical passage, and see what God has to say about Israel from Romans chapter 11, perhaps this will clarify some theological sticking points and may give you cause to rejoice, or so I hope, that God is ever looking after us, ever challenging us, ever calling us to Himself. I believe as a result of this sermon today that you will trust God all the more, and isn’t faith what it’s all about?
By the way, you have received a white card this morning from Jews for Jesus, and I hope that while I’m speaking you will fill that out and turn it in at the book table or in an offering to us, and we can continue to send you (or begin sending you) our newsletter which we prefer sending to you via email. Thanks.

Preamble: Romans 9-10
To put this in context, Paul the Apostle is teaching the Roman church in his letter to the Romans about God’s Sovereignty and about His choices, so that the believers can be comforted, when challenged by their own lack, their own insufficiency, their own sinfulness. In light of all that, and the assurance that Paul wants for the Roman believers, the Apostle then turns his attention on the obvious question, ‘What about the Jewish people?’ If God chooses the believers, and they have nothing to worry about, what about the Jewish people, who were also chosen by God. Are they still in God’s consideration? Does He notice them?
And what about Jews who don’t believe in anything at all? Are they still chosen? And what about an eternal plan for them and for Israel?

Paul deals with the problem of Israel from two standpoints. In chapter 9 he teaches the sovereignty of God; how God chose my people for himself back in Abraham’s day. In chapter 10 he deals with Israel’s failure to respond to God’s righteousness, ending with the announcement that they are “a disobedient and obstinate people” (10:21). Ouch.

If this were so, then how does Paul resolve the obvious tension? Will Israel’s disobedience win in the battle with God, or will God find a way to deal with the situation so as to safeguard his purpose? This is where chapter 11 comes in. Paul will answer this by looking into Israel’s past, present, and future, which actually brings us into today’s message and our world today in a clear and visible manner.


I. HAS GOD REJECTED HIS PEOPLE? (1-10)

a. Paul is the example today

Paul’s answer is no, and he uses his own life as evidence of this. God is not done with the Jewish people because God saved Paul. If God were done with Jews, then Paul, a Hebrew of the Hebrews would be dismissed and not saved either. So in answer to the question, did God reject all the Jewish people, the apostolic answer is NO!

b. Elijah is the example back in the day

Then Paul continues with the evidence from back when. Against the backdrop of serious whinging by the prophet Elijah, the Bible (1 Kings 19) says that there were 7,000 people who stayed faithful, at the time of Elijah the prophet. In the same way, God has preserved from within Israel, a remnant of people who love Jesus. Some get this mixed up, and think the term remnant applies to the Church, that is, that the Church of Jesus has replaced the Jewish people. But that’s exactly not what the apostle is saying. The evidence of God not rejecting the Jewish people is Jewish people in the Church. So the remnant is the believing Jews, or what we call Jews for Jesus. That the church believes, well and good, but that’s not a fulfillment of the promises of God to Abraham. See what I mean? (Online folks, Paul may have been thinking of
Psalm 94.14

c. There is a remnant (5-10)

Then Paul asks, since Jewish people are mostly rejecters of the Messiah Jesus, have they fallen too far? Did their rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus cause them to fall irreparably? Absolutely not, he shouts. He quotes from Isaiah 44 (They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend. Verse 18) and Psalm 69 (May their table before them become a snare; and when they are in peace, may it become a trap. May their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see, and make their loins shake continually. Verses 22-23) He says that the majority of Israel’s rejection of her messiah was predicted and it should not surprise us. God uses parables to prevent hearing and He uses the Truth of Scripture to hide truth from those who are hardened against it. So that most Jewish people then (and dare I say, today) continue in unbelief is actually a testimony of God to choose a remnant.

II. GENTILES GET IN ON IT (11-24)

Then in verse 11 and following Paul says that God’s purposes for you Gentiles were helped along by most of Israel saying ‘no’ to the Gospel message. Without Israel knocking back Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah, Gentiles would never have had a chance to hear and believe. You are welcome.

a. Chosen by grace

He has already made a case for the choice of the remnant being made on the basis of grace and not by works. And now he emphasizes that yet again. (5-6) And he makes sure that the Gentiles who are not the remnant, and yet brought near, understand that they are also ‘in by grace.’ He uses two images, one of the lump of dough and the other of wild olive branches.
Verse 21 makes his point so clear, “for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.”

“For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience.” (Verse 30)

b. Gentiles have a ministry to make Jews jealous

Paul says the Gentiles in the community of faith, nicknamed the Church, have a role to play and that’s to make Israel jealous. Listen, your new car won’t make a Jew jealous. He already has two in his garage. Your money and glamour are irrelevant to a person with more wealth. They know science. They lead the way in technology and movies. There is one thing the Gentile believer in Jesus has that would make the ordinary Jew jealous… your faith. You have a relationship with the Almighty. You know the Living God. (John 17.2) And that, and that alone is what I hope you share with Jewish mates and work colleagues. When you see them and they are in turmoil, offer to pray with or for them. Attend to their home when they have lost a loved one. Sit with them. Comfort them. Demonstrate the peace of God, which passes all understanding. When you can attend their son’s Bar Mitzvah or wedding, let them see your calm and your patience. Let them know you know the God of peace. That will help make them jealous!

c. Don’t be conceited but fear

In verse 18 we read that Gentiles should “not be arrogant toward the branches.” I guess that would be a natural thing to do. You might think, “aha, those Jews had their chance, and they knocked back the Messiah Jesus, so now it’s my turn.” In a way you are right, but the attitude of arrogance will come back to bite us if you are not careful.

One of my favorite and least favorite verses in the Bible is verse 22. “Behold therefore the Kindness and severity of God.” The two poles of His hands, or if you will, the two hands of God. The right hand is the hand of mercy; the left is the hand of judgment. He is not a one-handed deity. He offers mercy in His first coming; judgment in His 2nd coming. The warning: don’t be conceited but fear.

III. THEN IT’S THE JEWISH FULLNESS TIME AGAIN (25-32)

a. What time is it? Jews en masse coming to faith

The apostle says that this hardening condition on the Jewish people is temporary. That’s good news for the Jews. We read, “a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (.25) so there also seems to be a time frame which ends for Gentiles. Whatever fullness might mean, it’s clear that whatever that is, that this fullness will trigger the end of the time of the hardening. In other words, Jewish people will soften again to the Gospel of Grace and will receive Yeshua en masse.
But Paul has already indicated that in the key passage earlier in verse 15: “For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”

Let me see if I can unpack that one. Paul says that it was necessary for Jewish people to say ‘no’ to Yeshua so that Gentiles could have opportunity to experience eternal life. But then God will open our eyes, remove the stupor from our blindness, and cause us to see Him, whom we had pierced, and we will accept Him. That’s not only a theory; that’s a promise from heaven. And when that happens, Paul says, buckle your seatbelt, the end is nigh. The phrase, “resurrection from the dead” implies that very culmination of global history.

b. Redeemer comes to Zion: (Isa 59:20-21)
When Jewish people en masse receive Jesus as Saviour and Lord, when Jews for Jesus are abundant throughout the world in cities and countryside alike, when every tribe and kindred and family and tongue includes Jewish people who have become believers in and followers of Jesus, then buckle your seatbelt. The end is near. That’s when the Redeemer will come (in verse 26) In fact, people ask me all the time about signs of the times. About blue moons and about earthquakes and famines and about Israel becoming a nation again after 1900 years away. Look, there’s one sign that is clearer than any other sign in the Newer Testament. That sign is the sign of Jewish people saying ‘yes’ to Yeshua and that’s exactly what is happening across the world today. In the 19th century, over 200,000 Jews joined the church. Since 1967 another 200,000 have been grafted back into the olive branch. To be fair, there are 13 million Jews worldwide and 6 million of those in the Land of Israel, so there is much work to do, and we are doing that work, but a significant threshold of Jewish numbers has been reached. Is it enough? I’m not going to announce anything except that the sign is visible. Reach for your seat belt; the end is near.


c. Who is “All Israel?” (v. 26)
Verse 26 is a sticky one. Paul writes, “All Israel will be saved.” So who is “all Israel?” Some say this is the Church. Although I appreciate that the church is certainly saved and will be saved, the text in front of us doesn’t allow us to switch from Jews to something else without warrant. The apostle has been speaking for 3 chapters about Jewish people and to be consistent he must be continuing to do so. Thus, the Church is not in view.

Nor is this all Jewish people alive throughout history or even at the time of Messiah’s return. That would mitigate against evangelism and would take away free choice… both of which are inconsistent with biblical history. Being Jewish has never been enough to save us; it’s merely a calling and a dramatic one at that, but it was never salvific.

The key is again the use of the term ‘remnant.’ A remnant of carpet is part of the original that is still in place after the rest of the carpet has been dislodged and replaced. When I think of this imagery, there is only one meaning for the remnant and that’s Jewish believers in Jesus. In that way, with God being faithful to the remnant, He is faithful to the original covenant and faithful to His promises, all the while still consistent with His call to include others in the ‘new carpet.’

When you read about the remnant (Isa 28.5), think of Jewish believers in Jesus like me, like Jews for Jesus, like others in Israel or New York City. And know that God keeps His promises.

IV. FINAL DOXOLOGY
Verse 33: “the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” When you see God’s hand, can you do anything else? Praise and doxology, that’s what should come out of our being. He is the God of wonders and He has called and kept Israel, even in our times of disobedience. He will call us again, and maybe now is that time. And He has reserved 7,000 in the time of Elijah, and 100,000 in these days, and how many more are yet unknown to you and to me. He is the God who calls, keeps and saves to the uttermost. All we can do is praise Him. He is worthy of all praise, amen?

Final thoughts:
Let me end my talk this morning highlighting the work of Jews for Jesus in a couple places. I was in New York City a fortnight ago and our teams there handed out over a quarter million gospel tracts and over 100 unsaved Jewish people gave us contact information, wanting to hear more from us about Yeshua. That’s awesome.
We have teams in Berlin and Budapest just now preparing for something very similar and in Moscow in September to do the same. Also in Israel in the very dangerous south, our teams are preparing to minister on the streets and on buses and radio and anywhere we can during the month of October. I’m so proud of our volunteers and staff worldwide. I’m humbled to be part of our outreaches, even in Sydney where I’ve lived for 15 years. Your support keeps us out there. Your prayers strengthen us and don’t miss this; they open the hearts of Jewish people to hear us. Thanks for being part of our teams. Every Jew who hears us owes you great thanks as well. "