Has God Rejected Israel and His People?

We must be nearing the end times because the amount of false teachings and deceptions has never been so prevalent as it has been in recent years. We know scripture warns us that one of the signs that we are approaching the end times will be this influx of falsehood, which will lead many into spiritual error and into apostasy. It’s interesting how God will allow current circumstances taking place in the world to expose those who are not walking by the Spirit of God but are being led by their flesh and their own opinions. This is why we are exhorted to Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.⁷ Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Proverbs 3:5-7.

The discussion of what is going on in Israel has put the topic of God and the Jewish people at the forefront of many conversations. One topic that has been gaining a lot of traction in the Christian community, is this heretical idea that God is done with Israel and His people, He has rejected them once and for all, and that the Church has replaced them. This false teaching is usually labeled as Replacement Theology, and it is not in line with the scripture at all. The Bible is constantly pointing to God’s covenant with Israel and His people, remember God is not a man that He should lie, He isn’t fickle, He is unchanging and faithful. Today we are going to see just how faithful our God is as we focus on Romans 11 which clearly covers this exact topic.

 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 1 Timothy4:1

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 2 Thessalonians 2:3

Has God Rejected Israel? Certainly NOT!

I say then, has God rejected and disowned His people? Certainly not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not rejected His [chosen] people whom He foreknew.

The term “foreknew” suggests a divine, predetermined relationship that extends beyond any momentary circumstances.

The chapter goes on to explain that Israel’s stumbling has brought salvation to the Gentiles, yet it emphasizes that God’s purpose is not to reject His people permanently. Romans 11:11 states, “I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.”

Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? ³ “Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left [of the prophets], and they are seeking my life.” ⁴ But what is God’s response to him? “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ⁵ So too then, at the present time there has come to be a remnant [a small believing minority] according to God’s gracious choice. ⁶ But if it is by grace [God’s unmerited favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace [it would not be a gift but a reward for works].

⁷ What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking [that is, God’s favor by obedience to the Law], but the elect [those chosen few] obtained it, while the rest of them became hardened and callously indifferent; ⁸ just as it is written [in Scripture],

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear,
[a spiritual apathy that has continued] to this very day.”

⁹ And David says,

“Let their table (abundance) become a snare and a trap,
A stumbling block and a retribution to them.
¹⁰ 
“Let their eyes be darkened so that they do not see,
And make their backs bend [under their burden] forever.”

¹¹ So I say, have they stumbled so as to fall [to spiritual ruin]? Certainly not! But by their transgression [their rejection of the Messiah] salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous [when they realize what they have forfeited]. ¹² Now if Israel’s transgression means riches for the world [at large] and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment and reinstatement be! ¹³ But now I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ in the hope of somehow making my fellow countrymen jealous [by stirring them up so that they will seek the truth] and perhaps save some of them. 

¹⁵ For if their [present] rejection [of salvation] is for the reconciliation of the world [to God], what will their acceptance [of salvation] be but [nothing less than] life from the dead? ¹⁶ If the first portion [of dough offered as the first fruits] is holy, so is the whole batch; and if the root (Abraham, the patriarchs) is holy, so are the branches (the Israelites).

¹⁷ But if some of the branches were broken off, and you [Gentiles], being like a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them to share with them the rich root of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not boast over the [broken] branches and exalt yourself at their expense. If you do boast and feel superior, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you. ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by your faith [as believers understanding the truth of Christ’s deity]. Do not be conceited, but [rather stand in great awe of God and] fear [Him]; ²¹ for if God did not spare the natural branches [because of unbelief], He will not spare you either. ²² Then appreciate the gracious kindness and the severity of God: to those who fell [into spiritual ruin], severity, but to you, God’s gracious kindness—if you continue in His kindness [by faith and obedience to Him]; otherwise you too will be cut off. 

²³ And even they [the unbelieving Jews], if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God has the power to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much easier will it be to graft these who are the natural branches back into [the original parent stock of] their own olive tree?

Romans 11:25-26 provides a glimpse into the future restoration of Israel: “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. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written.”

This passage indicates that Israel’s temporary “blindness” will last until a specific point, after which there will be a comprehensive salvation for Israel.

²⁵ I do not want you, believers, to be unaware of this mystery [God’s previously hidden plan]—so that you will not be wise in your own opinion—that a partial hardening has [temporarily] happened to Israel [to last] until the full number of the Gentiles has come in; ²⁶ and so [at that time] all Israel [that is, all Jews who have a personal faith in Jesus as Messiah] will be saved; just as it is written [in Scripture],

“The Deliverer (Messiah) will come from Zion,
He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”
²⁷ “This is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”

What About Jews Spitting On Christians Sharing The Gospel?

²⁸ From the standpoint of the gospel, the Jews [at present] are enemies [of God] for your sake [which is for your benefit], but from the standpoint of God’s choice [of the Jews as His people], they are still loved by Him for the sake of the fathers. 

If you haven’t already heard, there are reports about Jews spitting on Christians who are sharing the gospel and street preaching in Jerusalem. Many Christians are using that as a valid reason for hatred towards Jewish people or to justify that they are rejected by God therefore we should reject them too. The verse you just read in Romans 11:28 already addressed this, and nowhere does it state that because they are enemies at this present time, God is done with them. This verse clearly states that there are Jews, who at this present time are enemies of God, if you are of God, speaking by His Holy Spirit would they not also treat you as an enemy? But this verse does not say God has rejected them in their temporary blindness, it actually says the opposite, they are current enemies of God for our sake “Christians” so at this time we may be grafted in. But from God’s stance, they are still loved by Him. The King James Translation which I prefer especially for this verse reads as this,  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes.

Brothers and Sisters, I say this truth in love, many of you need to check your heart posture because somewhere along the line you have forgotten the teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ which tell us, that even if someone is our enemy or if they persecute us we are to walk in the Spirit of love, praying for our enemies and forgiving them. We are not called to seek vengeance for it is the Lord’s, and we are not called to hate and revile anyone, for that is a work of Satan.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. ⁴⁴ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ⁴⁵ That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:43-45

²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call]. 

Verse 30 in Romans 11, goes on to remind the reader that they too were once enemies of God but now have obtained that same mercy that God extends or will extend to His People. It is truly baffling how Satan has blinded the eyes of professing Christians with a Spirit of pride and hatred, and we know the bible tells us in 1 John, If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 1 John 2:9

³⁰ Just as you once were disobedient and failed to listen to God, but have now obtained mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now become disobedient so that they too may one day receive mercy because of the mercy shown to you.³² For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all [Jew and Gentile alike]

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and decisions and how unfathomable and untraceable are His ways! ³⁴ For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? ³⁵ Or who has first given to Him that it would be paid back to him? ³⁶ For from Him [all things originate] and through Him [all things live and exist] and to Him are all things [directed]. To Him be glory and honor forever! Amen.

According to Romans 11, God has not rejected Israel, and there is a future plan for their salvation and restoration. Will every last Jewish person be saved and accept Christ, no, nor will every Gentile. But right now God has allowed many Jewish people to be in Spiritual Blindness until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. Many Jewish people will come to Christ through the fire of Jacob’s Trouble, just as many of us came to Christ through our own fiery trial.

The Synagogue of Satan

There is one more point I would like to touch upon and that is the The Synogauge of Satan. Many people are running with a total misinterpetation of this verse and its obvious by the hate that comes from the people who are reading this verse they are not reading it by the Holy Spirit of God but by their own flesh. The verses I am referring to can be found in Revelation,

I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Revelation 2:9

Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Revelation 3:9

In Revelation 2:9 this is written unto the Church of Symrna, which at that time the church of Symrna was being persectued by unbelieving Jews, hence the synogogue of Satan. We know that if you are not a child of God you are by default a child of the devil spiritually if you have not come into the Spirit of Adoption into the family of Christ were we cry out Abba Father.

Again in Revelation 3:9 we are seeing that verse being written for the Church of Philadelphia and Jesus is telling the Church of Philadelphia that I see the persecution you are enduring from those who are unbelieving Jews and I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Jesus is encouraging the believers to remain strong and steadfast that they will be vindicated.

Now that we have learned of the context of those scriptures we can see that Jesus is referring to those who are unbelieving Jews who are persecuting the followers of Christ and much like we are seeing today with Jewish people who are spitting on Christians who are sharing the gospel in the city of Jersualem, those Christians too will be vindicated by God and those Jewish people who remain in unbelif will infact know that Jesus has loved those followers of His whom they persectued.

But….

You cannot take these verses found in Revelation 2 and 3 and ascribe them to every Jewish person in the land of Israel and use it as an excuse to operate in a spirit of hatred. Currently in Jersualem we have Christain brothers and sisters and there is also Messianic Jews there who do accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, so to paint with a broad brush that every Jewish person living in Israel is of the Synogauge of Satan is just foolishness.

συναγωγή- The KJV translates Strong’s G4864 in the following manner: synagogue (55x), congregation (1x), assembly (1x).

STRONGS G4864: Synogague συναγωγή, συναγωγῆς, ἡ (συνάγω), the Sept. for קָהָל and very often for עֵדָה. In Greek writings a bringing together, gathering (as of fruits), a contracting; an assembling together of men. In the N. T.

1. an assembly of men: τοῦ Σατανᾶ, whom Satan governs, Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9.