An audio lesson.
The Jews as a nation have been continually unfaithful to the Lord their God. Even Moses spoke of these things, and said it would be worse in later times. Moses promised a special prophet that ALL had to obey. But when this prophet came, the Jews arranged His murder. However, God’s plans did not fail at the cross. They are merely still working.
Isaiah 11 speaks of the times of the Messiah in the early part of the chapter of the times of the Messiah, and indeed of future heavenly times.
“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.”
Isa 11:6
There is much more to study and to say here, but notice that Isaiah speaks of a SECOND return (say around the year 700 BC), before the first one started in 538 BC. The Jews are pictured as scattered all over the world, and Isaiah says,
“It shall happen in that day, that the Lord will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, who shall remain, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.”
Isa 11:11
Some have said, that this is referring the times of Zerubbabel and Ezra and Nehemiah; and the first return was when Israel had her Exodus out of Egypt. But NO! This second return in Isaiah 11 is also from Assyria and many other nations, including from “the islands of the sea.”
So Isaiah clearly forecasts a second return of the Jews to Palestine, from, evidently, the scattering among the nations after the scattering of the Jews by Assyria and Babylon in the 8th, 7th, and 6th centuries BC.
Written after the first return of the Jews to Palestine, and while the Jews are still working to establish themselves in Palestine, Zechariah says that once more God will once more scatter the Jews among the nations. The following quote from the WEB says God will “sow” the Jews among the nations, and THEN they will remember their God.
“I will sow them among the peoples;
And they will remember me in far countries;
And they will live with their children, and WILL return.”
Zech 10:9 (emphasis added)
A second scattering/sowing of Israel among the nations? It has to talking of the time of the revolts in 70 AD, and the Bar Kochba revolt of the early second century AD when the Jews ended up being forbidden to return to Jerusalem. Then Zechariah tells of a second return.
“I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt,
And gather them out of Assyria;
And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon;
And there won’t be room enough for them.”
Zech 10:10
Is this speaking the return that began in late 19 century AD and continuing even into our times. It certainly looks like it. The last half of that verse, that there will be so many of them that they will run out of room, clearly hasn’t happened YET!
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.
“When you are in distress, and all these things are come on you, in the latter days you shall return to Yahweh your God, and listen to his voice:”
Deut 4:30 nf
“For though your people, Israel, be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them shall return: a destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.”
Isa 10:22 WEB
Many destructions have pursued the Jews, but one that overflows with righteousness is yet to come.
Zechariah speaks about when sin will be purged from Israel. Zechariah says,
“It shall happen that in all the land,” says Yahweh,
Two parts in it will be cut off and die;
But the third will be left in it. ”
Zech 13:8 WEB
That hasn’t happened yet! This is evidently after the first regathering of Israel, in the time of Ezra when Zechariah was prophesying (around 520 BC). And it is after the second scattering of Israel in 70 AD, and the second regathering which is going on in our times, for Zechariah says.
“I will scatter them among the peoples;
And they will remember me in far countries;
And they will live with their children, and will return. ”
Zech 10:9 nf
But there is a difference when this destruction overflowing with righteousness happens, when evidently it is two-thirds of the Jews who die world-wide. Of the third that is left it says,
“I will bring the third part into the fire,
And will refine them as silver is refined,
And will test them like gold is tested.
They will call on my name, and I will hear them.
I will say, ‘It is my people;’
And they will say, ‘Yahweh is my God.’””
Zech 10:9 WEB
My big surprise in researching was to discover that this time stress on the Jews begins with a world-wide severe persecution of Christians, described in Zechariah 12. It will be the Jewish survivors of the time of great stress who will make the big difference world-wide!
They are called “all the families which remain,” in Zech 12:14. Jeremiah says it is the people who were “left.”
“Thus says Yahweh, The people who were left of the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest”
Jer 31:2
They are called those who escape in Isaiah 66.
“I will set a sign among them, and I will send such as escape of them to the nations, … who have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.”
Isa 66:19
The Jews will lead the completion of the Great Commission of preaching the gospel to the entire world.
“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
Mtt 24:14
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are the WEB World English Bible, a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
nf is my own translation based on the WEB.
The Old Testament says that if the Jews were faithful to God, and His Christ, they would be first among the nations.
“It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments which I command you this day, who Yahweh your God will set you on high above ALL the nations of the earth:”
Deut 28:1 WEB
Also it was clear that if Israel was not faithful to the Lord their God, that the Jews would be dominated by the gentiles, the nations of the world, Deut 28:15ff, 36-65, etc.
“They have dealt corruptly with him, they are not his children, it is their blemish;
They are a perverse and crooked generation.”
Deut 32:5 WEB
When Israel rejected their own Messiah, they were only doing what was anticipated by God and all their prophets. So Jesus said,
“ 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Hell?”
Mtt 23:32 nf
This is discussed in several gospel passages. Jesus says that when they see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, that they will know its desolation is near, Lk 21:20. The Christians did know that, and escaped the siege some forty years later. Then Jesus points to the horrors of those days and also a distant turnaround among the Jews.
“They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, UNTIL the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
Lk 21:24 WEB
So there WILL BE a time in the future when domination by the gentiles, that is to say the nations of the world, will end.
The answer is given in Romans chapters 9-11. However you can read tens of thousands of pages of commentary and never notice the clear answer and summary. Paul has talked in detail about the wickedness and unbelief of his fellow Jews. He cautions us gentiles, especially in Romans 11 to not be arrogant against the Jews. They are the natural olive tree into which we as gentiles (the nations) as wild olive branches have been grafted, Rom 11:17-22. Paul tells us of the Jews,
“They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ”
Rom 11:23 WEB
We should not be ignorant Paul says
“… that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and so all Israel will be saved. …”
Rom 11:25-26 WEB
He is contrasting physical Israel with the gentiles.
“Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?”
Rom 11:12
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are the WEB World English Bible, a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
nf is my own translation based on the WEB.
The grand point of the New Covenant is one mercy and grace to ALL. That is literally ALL, both Jews and gentiles, that is to say all of the nations of this world. Even so, it is a powerful sub point that the Jews should have priority, that
Jesus did not come to destroy Moses’ law., Mtt 5:17.
“For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.”
Mtt 5:18
So a special prophet was to come who come who is like, Moses, whom everyone has to listen to, Deut 18:15. And like Moses? One of the most prominent things is He would be one who speaks to God face to face (Ex 33:11, etc.) and who delivers God’s laws.
He told the Canaanite woman,
“I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Mtt 15:24
When Jesus named His twelve apostles in Matthew 10, and sent them out on the limited commission, the emphasis was to be in saving the Jews, and indeed, to not go to ANYONE else. He gave them authority over unclean spirits and every disease (and this group included Judas), and told them,
5 … “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans. 6 Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’”
Mtt 10:5-7
For sure that was so, unless you want to maintain that Jesus badly misunderstood the situation. He clearly knew early in His ministry to the Jews would reject Him (Jn 2:19-22). This was not a surprise. Even so God said,
“It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”
Deut 18:19
So Jesus told this apostles on this first mission of those who would reject the words He was sending,
“Most assuredly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.”
Mtt 10:15
Jesus spoke of what He will do during the Christian age in sending the messenger whom they would kill and crucify, Mtt 23:32-35. Jesus mourned their hardness of heart.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!”
Mtt 23:37
Still Jesus pointed to better days.
“For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Mtt 23:39
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.
The Jews as a nation have been very corrupt throughout history. Both many nations, and also the prophets of God have called the Jews a perverse people. Moses said,
“They have dealt corruptly with him, they are not his children, it is their blemish;
They are a perverse and crooked generation.”
Deut 32:5
This has been an ongoing situation, beginning in early Old Testament times and going on to this very day, as is documented in detail in my new book, Jewish Chronicles, which is scheduled for release in this year. But this situation, of Jewish rejection of God and often of ALL authority is going to change.
One of the key issues is circumcision, not of the flesh, but of the heart. Further one of the Jews key problems has been uncircumcision of the heart. Circumcision started with Abraham and his descendants, but Moses made it plain that circumcision was symbolic, and the key circumcision was of the heart. As Moses said it,
“Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.”
Deut 10:16
However, they did not change any time soon, so the prophet Jeremiah said,
“… for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart. ”
Jer 9:26
In Malachi’s days the Jews were still stubborn and unspiritual as a group, Mal 3:5-6. Then when Stephen preached the history of the Jews before the Sanhedrin in Acts 7, he summarized it this way.
“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.”
Acts 7:51
“Yahweh your God WILL circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live. ”
Deut 30:6 (emphasis added)
This is NOT man saying this. This is GOD saying this, and saying that HE is the one who will circumcise the hearts of the Jews, and their seed! That is to say He will circumcise the descendants of the Jews at that time! Also this is NOT a conditional promise, but a statement of what GOD will do!
This will be after the Jews humble their uncircumcised hearts, and accept the punishment for their sins, Lev 26:41, 43, etc.; and they will become the head of the nations, Deut 28:13.
Jesus puts it another way in what many call the Sermon on the Mount.
“For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.”
Mtt 5:18
There are many other proofs from the Old Testament, but this is a key one. This surely has not been accomplished YET! But it will! Or did you not really believe God?
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.
The Messiah of the Jews, Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth, also talks about God’s people as a vineyard. And yes! Jesus is frequently referred to as ““Rabbi” (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher),” Jn 1:38.
Then he went on a trip “into another country,” Mtt 21:33b The man of course is Jesus, and did He go to another country? Yes! He ascended into heaven in a cloud in Acts 1. Paul says,
“He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.”
Eph 4:10
How far? “Far above all the heavens.” But He is coming back the same way, Acts 1:11.
But the sharecroppers renters / the Jews, beat the servants and sent them away empty handed.
“The farmers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another.”
Mtt 21:35
Jesus in other passages comments on the Jews mistreatments of what God calls, “my servants the prophets,” 2Kgs 9:7, etc.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!”
Mtt 23:37
He sent other servants, with the same results. Finally the man said, I will send my son, surely they will respect him, Mtt 21:36.
“38 But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him, and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.”
Lk 20:14-15a
This last is of course Jesus forecast of how He would be thrown outside of Jerusalem and killed.
The Jews gave the answer.
“They told him, “He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will lease out the vineyard to other farmers, who will give him the fruit in its season.””
Mtt 21:41
Jesus says that their rejection of the Christ was foreknown from ancient times.
“Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
The same was made the head of the corner.
This was from the Lord.
It is marvelous in our eyes?’”
Mtt 21:42
Then He says the Kingdom of God will be taken away from the Jews.
“Therefore I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and will be given to a nation bringing forth its fruits.”
Mtt 21:43
And it has been. And those in Christ are translated “into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;” Col 1:13.
The true circumcision is of the heart, Rom 2:29, Deut 10:16, Jer 4:4.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.
A song about the Lord God and His vineyard, Isa 5:1.
“He dug it up,
Gathered out its stones,
Planted it with the choicest vine,
Built a tower in its midst,
And also cut out a winepress therein.
He looked for it to yield grapes,
But it yielded wild grapes.”
Isa 5:2
This is just the normal thing to do to get a very good vineyard in that country. Clear out all of the rocks, build a wall, get some of best vine stock. All to get raisins and grapes and wine to provide both nourishment, needed sugar in the diet, of course God’s gift of,
“Wine that makes glad the heart of man, …”
Psa 104:15a
This is in all a good analogy of the God’s people doing both right and prospering. A vineyard is a farm crop that requires both special preparation and care, and vigilant guarding to produce a good crop. Then it requires special processing to make the fruit endure long term.
Now the owner asks Judah and Jerusalem in Isa 5:4, what more could I have done? I did everything I could to make my vineyard fruitful, but all it produced was worthless grapes. The Hebrew word used is beushim, for something worthless, or that stinks.
The owner says He will tear down the walls that protect the property, and it will be laid waste, Isa 5:5-6. And what is this all about?
“And he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression;
For righteousness, but, behold, a cry of distress.”
Isa 5:7c-d
Then many woes are pronounced on the men of Judah and Jerusalem in Isaiah. Woe to those who tie up all the land, until there is no room, even as many of the rich and even the governments do all over the world. Mystery Babylon the Great wants populations concentrated for profits and control. God says He will make these lands both desolate and unproductive and they will go into captivity, Isa 5:8-10. All of which happened, but it failed to quench the worldly instincts of the Jews.
Only a remnant of the people were finally allowed to return to their land in the days of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah. Even then they were enslaving the poor of their own people (Neh 5:5), marrying outside the faith (Neh 13:25-27), and concentrating on themselves, instead of the Everlasting God who is the only source of permanent and eternal wealth and prosperity (Neh 13:11-12 etc., Hag 1:9).
Their concentration on money is legendary age long. Sorcery and the occult were still powerful influences among the Jews of the time of Malachi (Mal 3:5), and the New Testament of the Messiah (Acts 13:6, etc.), and through the Kabbalah it is so even to this day.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.
Some act as if this was a great mistake. That it messed up God’s plans. God’s Purpose was that His kingdom be established in the days of the Roman empire, as clearly prophesied in Daniel 2. However you can see that it was known that this would happen from the first, as you can see from the previous post.
Jesus could support an army out of nothing. In John 6 he fed 5,000 men, not counting women and children, with a mere five barley loaves and two fish, and at the end had over twelve baskets of broken pieces left over, Jn 6:9-13.
“14 When therefore the people saw the sign which Jesus did, they said, “This is truly the prophet who comes into the world.” 15 Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.”
Jn 6:14-15
He could have had a literal kingdom in the first century, and such a worldly kingdom would have been accepted, but He rejected such! When He was on trial, He plainly said,
“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here.”
Jn 18:36
If He was to be the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, that implies He would be slaughtered, Jn 1:29. He was asked for a sign for His authority for throwing the merchants out of the temple for the first time, early in His ministry.
“19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews therefore said, “Forty-six years was this temple in building, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he spoke of the temple of his body.”
Jn 2:19-20
The Jews said they had been building this temple of 46 years. Herod’s temple was begun in 20 BC, and was still not completed. So this means this incident happened in 26 AD, very early in His ministry! So no, the rejection of the Jews was not an unanticipated “accident.”
And Jesus repeatedly tried to prepare his disciples for His coming murder at the hands of the Jews and Gentiles, but knowing that He was indeed the Christ, they didn’t understand what He was saying.
“27 For truly, in this city against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever your hand and your council foreordained to happen.”
Acts 4:27-28
And we are translated / transferred into this kingdom, past tense, Col 1:13.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.
It was clear from the first that Moses law was temporary. It was only to last until the Great Prophet, the Messiah, the Christ, had come. The seed of the woman still had to come and crush the seed of the serpent, Gen 3:15. Further, it was known from Jacob’s time that the Messiah would be of the house of Judah.
“The scepter will not depart from Judah,
Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
Until he comes to whom it belongs.
To him will the obedience of the peoples be. ”
Gen 49:10
What “peoples”? Those of all the earth!
“Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from the midst of you, of your brothers, like me; to him you shall listen;”
Deut 18:15
If this prophet like Moses was to be of Judah, then He would most certainly be “from the midst of you, of your brothers.” If He is like Moses, would certainly also be a lawgiver, and one whom all would have to listen to.
“18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. 19 It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”
Deut 18:18-19
So God will require ALL to obey Him. There is more to tell, but this will do.
“22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
23 This is Yahweh’s doing.
It is marvelous in our eyes.”
Psa 118:22-23
It says plainly that this is God’s doing.
A judicial murder is outlined by the prophet Isaiah.
“7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he didn’t open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; …”
Isa 53:7-8a
For what purpose?
“he was cut off out of the land of the living for the disobedience of my people to whom the stroke was due?”
Isa 53:8c
He was to pierced, Isa 53:5. Psalm 22 tells us His hands and His feet would be pierced, Psa 22:16. Who is that murders Him? It is the “builders” of the Jews, Psa 118:22. It is lions, it is dogs, it is “bulls … of Bashan,” Psa 22:12. It is the Jews who murdered their own savior! Yet,
“He is the ruler over the nations.”
Psa 22:28b
“All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him,”
Psa 22:29b
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.