QUESTION: Is God through dealing with Israel as a nation since they failed to keep the law?

ANSWER: No. God is not through with Israel. God has said regarding Israel in Jeremiah 31:37: "Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord." Let us consider the following proofs from the Bible.

Proof 1. God made an unconditional covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15:18-21) that his seed would be given all the land from the river of Egypt unto the great river Euphrates. This has never been completely fulfilled. This Abrahamic covenant was again repeated in Genesis 17:1-8.

Proof 2. Although it is true that there were promises of blessing made to Israel based upon their obedience to the first covenant, God is going to make a new covenant with Israel based upon His grace and mercy. Here is that new covenant: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord; But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more" (Jeremiah 31:31-34). I would emphasize that this covenant will be made with Israel and Judah—not with the church. It is repeated in Hebrews 8:8-13 showing the unchangeable purpose of God for His beloved people. This covenant will come into effect at the end of the tribulation period which is called "the time of Jacob's trouble" in Jeremiah 30:7. It is then that God "will pour upon the house of David the spirit of grace and supplication." They will look upon Him whom they have pierced and mourn for Him (Zechariah 12:9-14). After Israel repents God will bring in the blessings of the new covenant. It will be a glorious time for Israel (Isaiah 60, Zechariah 14:16-21).

Proof 3. God says he is going to "bring again the captivity of My people Israel and Judah" and cause them to return to their land. See Jeremiah 30:3; Isaiah 11:11,12; Joel 3:1,2. Notice the word "again." God brought Judah back from the Babylonian captivity the first time. In the future He will again bring back, not Judah only, but also Israel.

Proof 4. God says in Isaiah 2 (concerning, not the church, but Judah and Jerusalem) that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains and all nations shall flow unto it. Read verses 1-4 and it will be clear that this has yet to be fulfilled.

Proof 5. In Romans 11 the apostle Paul asks the question, "Hath God cast away His people? God forbid." He then gives some unanswerable proofs to show that God has not cast away His people. In fact, the Holy Spirit, through Paul, tells us that salvation has come to the Gentiles only to provoke Israel to jealousy (Romans 11:11). Then in verses 25-27 we read, "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins."

Proof 6. "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance" (Romans 11:29). Repentance means a change of mind. God will not change His mind regarding the gifts which He has promised to Israel.

Many other proofs could be given from the Scriptures but the above should be sufficient. Quite often we find the church being mixed up with Israel's blessings. It is important to see from the Scriptures that the church is a heavenly company and all of her blessings are heavenly (Ephesians 1:3). Israel's blessings are earthly. During the millennial reign of Christ the Church will be the heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-27; 22:1-5). For Israel there will also be an earthly Jerusalem and every nation will have to go up from year to year to worship the King (Zechariah 14:16).

—John D. McNeil