by Marcel Rebiai
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Jewish prophets, apostles and intellectuals have in one way or another influenced almost 50% of the Earth's current population with their thinking and their faith. Nevertheless, no other people makes the nations' blood boil as the Jewish people does: this race is either glorified or hated. Its behaviour is frequently considered proud, obstinate and inconsiderate – i.e. absolutely unsuitable for servants in God's kingdom, who are expected to be holy, just and true. This area of thought is currently a major challenge because Israel has become a centre of conflict. The world sees Israel as a violent occupier, an incorrigible racist and a stubborn discussion partner. This is how Israel is also generally presented in the media – no starting point, no sign, no condition on which to form a messianic kingdom! Many people are irritated by the fact that in spite of millennia crammed with waves of destruction and persecution, this people still exists. In relation to the calling of the Jewish people, one could say the same thing Isaiah said of the Messiah's incarnation, "Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1)
God's church among the nations also continues struggling to understand the Jewish people's significance and calling. They ask: "What is the Jewish people's present significance in salvation history, if any?" Many understand Romans 9:8 to mean that when Jesus came, God's promise to historical Israel was fulfilled, that a new spiritual Israel was born which took over the Jewish people's spiritual inheritance. What remains for Jews and Israel is simply to accept Jesus and take their place in the new congregation of Christ, like all other races and nations. God's word leaves no room for doubt concerning conversion to Jesus, the messiah and king of Israel. On the contrary, "The gospel...is first for the Jew", as Paul wrote in Romans 1:16. According to Simeon (Luke 2:32), Jesus is the glory of Israel, the Jewish people. Many people observe that not much is written in the New Testament about the Jewish people's significance in salvation history. That is true – but enough is written that whoever has ears can hear and whoever has eyes can see.
A kingdom of priests
From an overview of the prophets and Romans chapters 9-11, I want to emphasize one aspect which gives at least some idea of Israel's significance in salvation history. Ex. 19:6 clearly declares Israel's calling: "You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." A priest's responsibility is to intercede for the people before God in order to mediate forgiveness of sin; but he also stands for God before the people in order to testify to them of God's will, his character and his intentions. A priest is the point of convergence between God and man. In his office the priest unites God's revelation with man's repentance. The priest is a witness of both man's guilt and God's forgiveness. Therefore God says, "You are my witnesses" (Is. 43:10 and 44:8). But the priest has first to experience cleansing and forgiveness himself before he can intercede for others. Therefore all of Israel's prophets repeatedly point to the time in which Israel as a people fulfils the conditions for its office (Jer. 31:31-34, Ezek. 36:22- 27, Mal. 3:1-5). When God cleanses Israel from its guilt Israel will then be able to know him and testify to him in the world. "In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the edge of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you'" (Zech. 8:23). This priestly office is not for individuals, but for Israel as a nation, as a historical people who should become a kingdom of priests for God.
Supernatural power to witness
The sacrificial death of Jesus, the Lamb of God, for the sin of Israel and the sin of the world created the pre-conditions for Israel to enter this calling. The first-fruits of Israel (i.e. the Jews who believe in Jesus) have already entered this calling and triggered the harvest of first fruits among the nations. Where would Christ's church be today without the dedication of the Jewish apostles and missionaries? But God called Israel as a nation to witness to the nations and call them to repentance! This has not yet occurred, but God is going to keep his word. The day will come when Israel as a whole nation will experience forgiveness and cleansing through the one high priest Jesus (Is. 53, Ezek. 36, Jer. 31, Mal. 3); under the rule of this high priest/king Jesus, it will be a kingdom of priests and witnesses. When a whole nation is cleansed and made holy in God's will, with direct access to God's throne, such a supernatural power to witness will be unfolded that Paul could only describe it "resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 11:15). This will be an incredibly concentrated power to witness which will invade this world directly from God's presence; it will develop and surpass everything yet known in depth and power to witness. I think that the time for harvesting the first fruits (according to my understanding, the time when Jesus is wooing his bride) will quite soon come to a close. I believe that the time when God turns to the nations through Israel has already begun. Therefore Israel is being restored as a nation. Now this does not mean that every Jew – just because he is a physical Jew – will automatically be part of messianic Israel. In Romans 11:23 Paul says clearly that God will again graft in only those who do not persist in unbelief. The prophet Ezekiel says that God is going to separate out of his people all those who rebel against him, so that they do not go into the promised land, i.e. into the nation which will be a kingdom of priests (Ezek. 20:37-38). Jesus says, "He who hates me hates my Father as well" (John 15:23). In Zephaniah 3:11 we read that God will remove from his people all who are proud. If the people o Israel submit to the messiah and receive forgiveness and cleansing, they will become a nation which reflects the countenance of the messiah to the other nations. Israel as a humble people will receive blessing from its God, a blessing it will pass on to the other peoples.
Conclusions
What then is Israel's significance in salvation history? This role really surpasses our powers of imagination. God has incredibly great plans for Israel and he is going to carry them out. Should the church, the bride of Christ, the first fruit of Jesus' suffering and victory envy the calling of Israel, the Jewish people? That would be a strange thought. According to Paul, the opposite should be the case. Israel should emulate a church from which messiah visibly radiates; a quality Israel is still yearning for. The Jewish people and the world should envy Christ's bride! The bride of Christ – what a calling! Are we really aware of our calling? As his bride we have a very intimate place at the messiah's heart. What more do we want? Should not we as Christ's bride share his passion for the Jewish people and for Israel as a nation, which he has called to be his kingdom? Should not every atom of our being yearn for all of Israel to be restored, that the Jewish people may finally enter their calling, so that the resurrection power of which Paul speaks will be set free for the whole world? It seems to me that the controversial attitude of many Christians toward the people of Israel stems not only from their deficient understanding of God's salvation history, but also from the fact that they have not yet really grasped their own calling to be part of Jesus' bride. This is why we come across Christians who feel inferior to the Jewish people and even convert to Judaism – or, conversely, reject the Jews and deny them any significance in salvation history. Israel is called to be a place where God reveals himself, to be a light for the peoples. Jesus gave us, the church from the nations, a share in this calling in a very specific sense – to be first fruits so that we can harvest the first fruits from Israel and the nations. But the great harvest from among the nations, as I believe, will be harvested by messianic Israel. The great and overwhelming happening is yet to come: when Israel has returned home to its messiah, the king of the Jews, Jesus. Let us pray that this may happen soon. For the sake of God's longing and for the sake of the suffering world!
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