Role of Jews Today

I am starting to see something that seems different than any viewpoint that I hear from any group about the status of the Jews. There are phrases here in Romans that are pointing me in the direction of something interesting that is not yet clear to me.

I cannot agree with the vast majority of Evangelicals that the Jewish nation as a political entity plays a significant role in end-time events. Besides seriously distorting many of the Old Testament prophecies for them to arrive at this conclusion, I also believe that the Bible is far more focused on symbols of spiritual realities than it is on political alignments that fascinate the imaginations of men. Yes it does use symbols to explain some of the major political powers through the ages, but mostly because those political empires also wielded massive spiritual influence and control over much of the world.

There is a great deal of confusion and disagreement over what end-time events will look like and who will be the prominent players. But most Christians seem more interested in external-oriented power focused on physical force and political struggles than on more hidden spiritual power alignments devoted to capturing and enslaving minds and souls internally by external force or intimidation. But this is the realm where God views things and where the bulk of prophecy is focused.

Of course this should be no surprise given the strong external orientation of religion itself today. If religious people are primarily concerned with appearances, outward performance and control and power over other people's lives, then they will also interpret prophecies to suit those desires. In this light, many Christians today believe that the political nation of Israel will somehow be restored to the physical land of Palestine and most of the end-time scenarios proposed today focus around physical battles for control of the earthly symbols of religion. This makes up the bulk of religious fervor over Israel today.

Because of this view, any references to the Jews in Paul's writings are assumed to support these scenarios and anything that contradicts that view is marginalized or rationalized away. But this is a dangerous precedent to follow. We must be very careful not to force the Word of God to fit our preconceived scenarios and cherished beliefs, unwilling to reexamine our assumptions in the light of important passages that disagree or spoil them.

Though I do not have this all clear in my mind yet, here are some of the texts that look to me like they have important things to say about this.

...Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen. But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: "THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED." That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. (Romans 9:4-8)

What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. (Romans 9:22-24)

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL BE LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEA, IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED; FOR THE LORD WILL EXECUTE HIS WORD ON THE EARTH, THOROUGHLY AND QUICKLY." And just as Isaiah foretold, "UNLESS THE LORD OF SABAOTH HAD LEFT TO US A POSTERITY, WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE RESEMBLED GOMORRAH." (Romans 9:27-29 NAS95)

For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." (Romans 10:11-13)

I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? (Romans 11:1-2)

In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened. (Romans 11:5-7)

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. (Romans 11:17-18)

And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! (Romans 11:23-33)

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (Romans 12:1-5)

Here is what I am beginning to see from the highlighted portions.

Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons

Israel as a people and nation was certainly God's chosen means to reveal Himself to the world and to invite everyone into a close relationship with Himself. But Israel basically ruined that plan so thoroughly that it became unusable and so God had an alternative that surprised everyone while not invalidating the promises made to Israel as a nation.

they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants

it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants

These are some of the most pivotal texts to keep in mind while working through all the other passages. God never abandoned Israel or His promises to Israel; it was Israel that abandoned God and killed His only begotten Son. But God had a surprise up His sleeve.

not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles

There is still an Israel, but it is not composed solely of biological Jews, it is made up of anyone who enters into a relationship of faith with God. Israel takes on an expanded and revised definition.

IT IS THE REMNANT THAT WILL BE SAVED

While it is true that Israel was not rejected by God completely, it is also true that not all biological Israelites will be saved or else God would not say that only a remnant would be saved.

there is no distinction between Jew and Greek

If salvation was all about being a Jew then this statement would be absurd. In God's revised arrangement of identifying what a real Israelite is there is now no distinction between Jew and Greek.

WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED

God has not rejected His people

a remnant according to God's gracious choice

those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened

All of these statements simply reinforce what has been laid out thus far. Whoever chooses to enter into a saving faith relationship with God through submission to the Lordship of Christ in their heart are grated into the trunk called Israel along with the remaining original branches of biological Jews who followed God's leading.

grafted in among them and became partaker with them

a cultivated olive tree

This is where I find something very interesting. Instead of Christianity replacing Judaism as is usually assumed, it looks to me like Paul is saying that Christians are merely being grafted into the existing tree that was already in place and never went anywhere.

all Israel will be saved

If this text is taken in full context with surrounding passages, then it is much easier to see, from God's point of view (which is really the only one that is important) that yes, all Israel will be saved. Since God views everyone collectively who accepts the truth about Him and allows it to grow faith in their heart toward Him and makes Him Lord of their life as those who constitute real Israelites, then it is simple to see how all Israel will be saved. But God is not going to force Jews to be saved simply because He has to vindicate His promise. God never violates anyone's will.

they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable

Since the expanded definition of Israel is based on the original Israel, not separated apart from it, then all of God's relationships with the early patriarchs and their descendants are continuous and extend to all who become real Israelites through the means of faith just like father Abraham.

God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all

we, who are many, are one body in Christ

This is the surprise that God revealed after the death and resurrection of Jesus securing our redemption for all mankind. By reclassifying everyone as disobedient sinners (in place of Jews or non-Jews) and revealing His grace and mercy to everyone instead of depending on wayward national Israel to accomplish this goal, He is able to re-form Israel into the very body that He originally intended Israel to be. The body of Christ based on the truthful elements and linked with the people of Judaism who follow God, is now viewed by God as the real Israel.

The root and the trunk of the Olive tree were never removed. It seems to me like the root is Christ and has been all along. The trunk is the body of people called God's chosen which, beforehand was the Jews until they rejected God's calling for them. But even though they permanently lost that role as a nation, they still remained the trunk to which all branches are attached or removed. At least that's what Paul seems to be saying in this passage.

Does that mean all the symbols and ceremonies and sacrificial system must still be observed? No. Paul makes very clear in his writings that all the ceremonies that pointed forward to Christ were fulfilled and no longer need to hold obligation for anyone. But I think Christians have been too quick to throw out the baby with the bath water and have cut themselves off from much truth in Judaism that God never intended for us to be separated from. I believe that the current renewed interest seen in the Messianic movements within Christianity today are born of a legitimate hunger for reconnecting with the trunk that we should have never left in the first place due to our centuries of anti-semitism.

I believe God is leading many true-hearted believers to have a fresh interest in returning to a closer connection with the “trunk” of the true Olive tree through which the living, nourishing juices of life flow up from the root of Jesus Christ. When we come to see the real truth about God's original plan for Judaism and the proper transition that should have been made on a national scale for the Jews after the death and resurrection of Christ, then we will begin to experience and enjoy enlightenment of both our minds and hearts as we enter into a much deeper level of spiritual capacity and joy.

And even more, as Christians begin to honestly embrace the truths that still reside in Judaism that they have scorned and spurned for so many centuries in their own prejudice or ignorance, they will find that the resistance and hardness typically seen in the minds of Jews today will begin to soften as they see the real truth about God in the lives of genuine Christians who are full of God's passion and also honor His laws that the Jews have known about for many centuries. As Christians bring their doctrines and lives into closer harmony with the eternal principles still embedded within true Judaism while keeping the advanced insights and relationship with God that the apostles taught, we will see amazing events take place that are not now even imaginable. For Jews, as Paul points out, fit even better when grafted into the tree that is called their own. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? (Romans 11:24)

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! (Romans 11:33)

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