THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL

Now all will appeal to the scriptures, to back their point of view. What must not be left out of the debate are the methods of interpretation that we use to come to our conclusions. I have after much study on the subject of Israel's destiny, have some insights that are very much unknown to bring to the debate. These insights are growing and people are catching on to them, such as the recreation of all things, and Israel's restoration along with the restoration of the nations. We must never forget and leave out from the debate Israel's reasons for been expelled from the land.

Now many people have a very romantic view of Israel. Some go so far as to think that if one is born Jewish they will automatically be saved. This view is being resurrected in our time, and goes by the name of covenantal nomisms these view states that all Jews will be saved as long as they were more or less good people. However when we look at Israelis history from the bibles point of view, we find a different story. The story, the bible tells of Israel is that they were hard of heart concerning the things of God. The prophets are always calling her back to the true God. Many of Israelis years were spent in idol worship and following all kinds of strange gods. To be plain, Israel as a whole, was the same as the Pagan nations around her. Having said that there was always a remnant that remained faithful to Yahweh.

What I will put forward is that all there is to know concerning Israelis future is to be found in the Mosaic covenant, especially in the book of Deuteronomy. In Deuteronomy 30: 1-12 we find a summary of Israels future. All is there to see concerning her ruin and her restoration. Carrying on from there we always find the prophets giving the Israelites warnings of the woes that will come on her, due to her covenant unfaithfulness. However alongside the preaching of doom for unfaithfulness, we find promises of restoration when Israelis sins are forgiven.

So to understand her future ,we can't find verses and apply them apart from the covenant that God made with them. So then the context of Gods dealing with Israel is always in the framework of covenant. Her restoration and ruin included are caught up in covenant. The benefit of being in covenant with god is that one always knows where you stand with god. You can know what to expect and what not to expect in God's dealings with you. This covenant has everything to do with Israel's future restoration and ruin.

God's rejection of Israel.

Her rejection of Gods king, i.e. Jesus "the Messiah" is very much caught up with God's rejection and restoration of Israel. The gospels of Mathew, Luke, and John are all to clear about the destruction of the temple and the land in ad 70. Mark13 & Mathew 24 where Jesus referring to Daniel 9 speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. This is a key event regarding Israel's ruin & salvation. After all Israel was cast out of the land for 2000 years because of her rejection of the true king of Israel. They have now returned after the events of the holocaust in Europe during the 2nd world war. Contemporary Israel is unbelieving concerning God's Messiah. Contemporary Zionism is very much a secular movement. The land remains a desert, which is a far cry from the imagery of the land in its restored state, of flowing with milk and honey. Those who say this is the promises of restoration coming true only have to read the context of the promises of restoration in Jeremiah 30-32 &Ezekiel 36-37. A recreated people, whose hearts are circumcised and in whom God's Spirit dwells, are the people who inherit the land like the Garden of Eden.

The parable of the Vineyard

Israel in the Old Testament rightly understood themselves to be God's vineyard, according to Isaiah 5. So when Jesus comes and tells them the parable of the vineyard and interprets it as their rejection no wonder they sought to put him to death. The parable is found in Mathew 21:33-46. The context is of Jesus having been received by the crowds saying, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord & hosanna to the son of David. This was a sign that they recognized Jesus to be the Christ, but the Chief Priests received this with indignation, in Jerusalem. Soon after Jesus goes to cleanse the temple, the Chief Priests question him by what authority he does these things. He answers them with the parable of the vineyard.

Jesus tells them of the vineyard owner who sends his servants to go to the vineyard to receive his fruits.. But instead those who were over the vineyard beat them, stoned them and killed them. The owner sent after them more servants who received the same. He then sent his own son, but they did the same as to the servants and killed him. The question is then posed, what will the owner of the vineyard do to the tenants? The answer comes, that he will put them to death and give the vineyard to others who will who will give him the fruits in their season.

Jesus then applies the parable to himself and to the leaders. He tells them the stone the builders rejected has become the corner stone. He tells them in the same way in the parable the kingdom of god will be taken away from them and given to a nation that will bear fruit. The chief priests perceived he was talking about them, and tried to arrest him, but were afraid of the crowds who held him as a prophet.

The parable is crystal clear and self-interpretive.Israel saw and understood themselves based on Isaiah5 to be Gods vineyard. Israel who was Gods vineyard, killed and persecuted all of Yahwehs servants the prophets. When God sent his son they did the same to Him as they did to the prophets. God who is the vineyards owner would put Israel to death and give his vineyard to other nations that will bring him fruit. Israelis rejection of Yahwehs son is her final ruin. They stand or fall by their acceptance or rejection of Jesus Yahwehs Christ. The events of ad 70-sealed Israelis fate and so Jesus is vindicated as a true prophet. The advancing Roman armies were God's instruments in bringing his wrath on unbelieving Israel. Believing Israel escaped because they believed the words of Jesus and fled. The gospel went to the nations of God's soon to come Kingdom and the promise of eternal life to all who are joined to Jesus God's Christ. .This is not replacement theology as Paul tells us the gospel is still open to the Jews. It is not that they cannot be saved. But God has reconstituted a people of his own, who swear allegiance to Jesus the Christ. He is the true king of Israel and as such all who are joined to him in faith whether Jew or gentile are the Israel of God.

The parables that are told concerning her destruction came to pass, thus vindicating Jesus as a true prophet. The point was that Israel couldn't see what was happening in the ministry of Christ. They could not understand what god was doing in Christ. He had come to redeem them as fort old. God was visiting them in the person of Jesus Christ. The time of her restoration had come, but Israel could not understand apart from those who have ears to hear and eyes to see.