There are few people in the world who know or care who Israel is.  It is a shame because the true identity of Israel is the key to unlocking so much of God’s word.  The nation of Israel and its Israelitish people are a remarkable mystery to almost everyone.  The Bible reveals that Israel is God’s chosen people.

“The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:  But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen.”  (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)

A great majority of people incorrectly think that all Israelites are Jews.  They then make the common mistake of thinking that all Biblical references to Israel apply to the Jews.  Please do not confuse the modern State of Israel in Palestine with the prophetic Israel of the Bible.

Down deep inside of them, everyone knows that God has some connection to Israel, but between anti-Semitism and secular God-less-ness they do not even want to stop and consider what or who Israel is.  It is especially confusing for so called ‘Christians’ because the Bible is centered on the people of Israel, and it is only concerned with other nations as they come into dealings with Israel.

The world is hopelessly confused about the history and prophecy of Israel.  It is a big mystery to them.  And that is unfortunate because without a right understanding with regard to Israel, it is not possible to know of God’s Plan for mankind nor of man’s incredible human potential.

What lies ahead for Israel – for the people of Israel?  The immediate outlook is bleak, indeed.  Israel, including the USA, England and the English speaking peoples around the world, are about to go into national captivity again for sin and non belief.  And, yet again Israel will be restored to glory.

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.”  (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

If we were to read on in Jeremiah we would see that it is an "Eternal Covenant” with Israel.  God has great long-range plans for Israel. 

When Jesus Christ, in His earthly ministry, began confirming this New Covenant, the Israelites in general did not want to have anything to do with Him.

“He came unto His own [the Israelites], and His own received Him not.”  (John 1:11)

However, Paul shows that God has not disowned Israel completely for their unbelief.  Israel was broken off the olive tree because of unbelief, and others were grafted in because of their true belief.

For the first time, when God’s Holy Spirit was poured out on the Church brethren at that first New Testament Pentecost, man was able to confront the problems and evils of the world with their newly acquired spiritual nature.  First, Jesus overcame the world, and then by sending His Spirit into His Church it became possible for man to also overcome the world for the first time.

God makes it clear that Israel is not lost forever.  They are not lost because of their sins that caused them to go into captivity; they are not lost because they would not recognize Jesus Christ in His day; and they are not lost because they are rejecting God in this end-time.  Paul explains it this way:

“I say then, Have they [the Israelites] stumbled that they should fall [forever]?  No way!  But rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.  Now if the fall of them [the Israelites] be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more [glorious] their fullness?”  (Romans 11:11-12)

What lies ahead for Israel – for the people of Israel?  The answer is that Israel will be restored to the fullness that God promised to Abraham.  God told Abraham:

“Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if thou be able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall thy children be.”  (Genesis 15:5)

“The Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land.”   (Isaiah 14:1)

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Sermon:

"Mystery of Israel"