THE DESIRE OF APOSTLE PAUL'S HEART IS THAT THE JEWS BE CONVERTED:
How does the major author of the New Testament and the apostle to the gentiles see this issue? He has a strong emotional perspective that leaves for little doubt.
Romans 9:1-5, “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying…2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came…” (NKJV)
Paul is saying that with all his heart, he wishes that the leadership of the Jewish nation had accepted the Messiah's first coming. He loves the Jewish people as does Jesus. Further, he realizes that all the world needs to thank the Jewish people for preserving the Bible and the Jewish apostles that brought the truth to the world. They mostly martyred themselves bringing truth to the world and us. These Jews shared the oracles of God with the gentiles.
Romans 9:23-25, “…and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25 As He says also in Hosea: ‘I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.’”
Paul is also saying that God has called both Jews and gentiles to His glorious truth and we must be thankful. In the early years the church was majority Jewish and gradually shifted. Paul's heart’s desire was for more of his people to see the full truth.
Romans 10:1-3, “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.”
Even though the Jewish leadership had preserved the Biblical truth all those centuries, in spite of the pressures from Satan, they were misguided. Note Daniel 10 where Satan tried to block the words of God. Satan hates the Jewish people, and the words of God; therefore we must do the opposite and love both!
Romans 10:12-13, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For ‘whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’”
This statement seems so obvious to us today, but in Paul's day this was a powerful affirmation.
ARE THE JEWISH PEOPLE LOST AND CAST AWAY FROM GOD FOREVER?
Those who believe in “replacement theology” say all Israel is lost to God forever. Is this truly Biblical? The answer to this question is stated bluntly in the Bible:
Romans 11:1-2, “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew…”
Paul answers with a profound “Certainly not!” He further explains that a remnant of true believers is left among Israel no matter what the misguided leadership does.
Romans 11:3-5, “‘LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life’? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? ‘I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
Thousands of Messianic Jews exist in Israel today and are unpopular with both the Rabbis and the Christians that are in Israel –– interesting. These Jews also know that the New Testament was written by Jewish authors.
2 Corinthians 3:13-14, “…unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily...14 But their minds were blinded.For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”
The apostle opines that the religious leadership of the Jewish nation have been blinded like the rest of the world's theologians even though they have the oracles of God.
Romans 11:12-14, “Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! 13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.”
Paul warns us not to look down on those Jews not being called by God now who should know the truth based on the many OLD TESTAMENT prophecies regarding Christ.
Romans 11:17-18, “And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root,but the root supports you.”
What is meant by the “root” or foundations of Christianity? The root is the Old Testament! Note in books like Romans, Paul has over forty direct quotes from the roots –– the Old Testament. Clearly, Christianity grew out of Judaism and the core knowledge they preserved.
Romans 11:23-26, “And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in…24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;’”
God has allowed this to happen for His purposes but one day all Israel, including the Jews, will be saved. The deliverer will come out of Jerusalem, not a Protestant city like London .
Romans 11:28-32 “…but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers…32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.”
God has a plan. We just need to remember that Jews are beloved for the Patriarch’s sake and they are loved by God. They are the apple of His eye.
Zechariah 2:7-8, “Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. 8 For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.”
