God's Israel

Introduction: Rom. 11:25-27 (Some use this passage to suggest that at the end of time during a thousand year reign of Christ many Jews will become Christians. Others add that all Israelites will be resurrected and given a "second chance" to be saved. These ideas are wrong and very dangerous. In this lesson we will study God s Israel in order to understand the true meaning of this context.)

A. God s Israel In The Past:

    1. The Promise: Gen. 12:1-3 (God promised Abraham that his descendants would comprise a great nation, a special people to God.)

    2. Israel: Exo. 19:5-6, Deut. 7:6-9 (God told Israel they were his special people. If they would keep the law, he would maintain them as his chosen people above all nations.)

B. God s Israel Rejected Him:

    1. Failed To Keep The Law: Acts 15:10, Gal. 6:13 (Israel failed to remain faithful to their covenant with God.)

    2. Same Attitude Caused Rejection Of Christ: Acts 7:51-53 (Stephen spoke of their failure to keep the law and connected that with their rejection of Christ. The same attitude caused both problems.)

C. What Happened To Those Who Rejected Him:

    1. Kicked Out Of God s Kingdom: Mt. 21:43 (Jesus clearly tells unbelieving Israelites God s kingdom would be taken from them.)

    2. Failed To Enter New Kingdom: Mt. 23:13 (Jesus spoke of those who did not believe as refusing to enter God s kingdom.)

    3. Cut Off Because Of Unbelief: Rom. 11:19-20 (Israel was cut off because of their unbelief. Their rejection of Christ excluded them from this new kingdom.)

D. What Happened To Believing Israelites:

    1. Had To Repent And Believe: Mk. 1:14-15 (In order to have part in the new kingdom, Israel had to change their way of thinking regarding the Messiah. This would pave the way for their acceptance of Christ.)

    2. Baptized With John s Baptism: Lk. 3:3, Acts 19:4 (John s was a baptism of repentance, insisting the Jews change their thinking and accept the Messiah was soon coming. Those who did this had their sins forgiven.)

    3. Part Of The New Kingdom: Rom. 11:1-5, 17 (The Jews who believed were of the "remnant" who would be saved. God said "some", not all of Israel was cut off. Those who believed in Christ were not cut off.)

E. Unbelieving Israelites Can Be Grafted Back In:

    1. Must Change Attitude: Rom. 11:23-24 (If they would give up their unbelieving attitudes they can be grafted back into God s kingdom.)

    2. Case In Point: Acts 2:36-38 (Peter s admonition on Pentecost serves as a good example of what Israelites must do. They must repent, change their attitude about Christ, and be baptized.)

F. Gentiles Can Come In Too:

    1. God s Plan All Along: Gen. 22:18 (It was God s plan from the outset that Abraham s seed, Christ, would bless all nations with salvation.) Jn. 10:16, Jn. 11:50-52 (Jesus taught this when he spoke of other sheep not of Israel. The high priest prophesied Christ would die for more than just Israel.)

    2. Kingdom Given To Us: Mt. 21:43 (When the kingdom was taken from unbelieving Jews it was given to believing Gentiles.)

    3. Case In Point: Acts 10:34-35, 47-48 (Peter taught these Gentiles the same plan he taught to Jews who murdered Christ.)

    4. Same Status As Believing Israel: Acts 15:7-9 (Unlike under Moses law, today there is no difference between Jew and Gentile. We are all part of God s people.)

G. God s Israel Today: Rom. 9:6, Gal. 6:16 (Today those who are God s children, members of the kingdom, constitute God s Israel.)

H. The Same Plan For All: Gal. 3:26-29, Rom. 11:25-27 (We all become God s children by the same process. That is the meaning of our text. "So" is an adverb of manner. It s not telling us how many Israelites will be saved, but the manner by which they will be saved. Note that no body literally believes every last Israelite will be saved. The passage teaches all Israel is saved by the same plan by which Gentiles come into the kingdom.)

Conclusion: Heb. 9:27 (First, this shows us the premillennial slant and the second chance doctrine is wrong. We die once and after that there is the judgment.) Rom. 11:21-22, Heb. 3:12-13 (Second, what happened to unbelieving Israel should be a sober warning to us that we should be careful not to fall.)