God Has Not Cast Away Israel

By Garrick Augustus

February 6, 2005

Within the Christian church in general, and the Seventh-day Adventist church in particular, lays the notion that  “God is finished with the Jews and the land of Palestine,” since they have rejected Jesus Christ, His son, and crucified him in a most ignominious way. The real truth however, is that God is not “finished” with Israel yet, He has not abandoned the covenants sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He is definitely committed to fulfilling His word through the “remnant” of Israel in these last days. The purpose of this study is to ascertain from God’s Word—the Bible, what is His ultimate desire for Israel, as a people, for Palestine as a place, and for Gentiles to be “grafted in” to the family tree of Abraham’s genealogy.

I would encourage my readers to consider the following inspired council, as we embark upon the study of a topic which might militate against previously held views on the subject at hand: “There is no excuse for anyone in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation.” Councils to Writers and Editors, p. 35.2.

In harmony with the divine injunction above, we now delve into a verse-by-verse study of Romans chapter eleven. The bible says: “I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot {know} ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” Rom 11:1-5.

The antecedent “his people,” in verse one, has direct reference to the previous verse, pointing us to Romans 10:21, where we read: “But to Israel {is People}he saith, all day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” Clearly then, the term “his people,” speaks with specificity to Israel—the people of Israel, not the present nation of Israel in Palestine! In sum total then, Paul is informing us that the people whom God foreknew through covenant relationship, are still important in His eyes today, he is longing to save them, and even Paul is a testament of this salvation found in Jesus Christ alone, because as an Israelite, he is now declared “the apostle of the Gentiles” by virtue of his being born again. Rom. 11: 13.

When Elijah complained to God that he was the only true worshipper remaining in Israel, the Lord encouraged him with the assurance that “I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Similarly, even in this benighted age of ours, while many “Israelites”—Jews are declared atheists, God informs us that there is still a “remnant” who are standing in the beacon of light. When the outlook seems so bleak and dismal, and hope is gone, God assures us that there is still hope. When Israel’s salvation seems so hopeless, and it appears that God has forgotten and rejected them for the rejection of His dear Son, there is still hope that God’s covenant will be kept alive, because a remnant saw and declared that Jesus Christ is Lord!  During the first 3½ years of the Christian Church, while the Apostles labored in Jerusalem and its surroundings, millions of Jews accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour, and have since retold the story of His Love to multiplied millions more! While as a nation, God has rejected the Jews, yet as a people they have a role to play in God’s end-time salvation plan, theirs will be to share in the work given to the Gentiles in ushering in the grand and glorious “presentation” of all saints to the Lord Yahshua at the glorious presentation of the Church of the First Born, when He shall again come in power and great glory. As a people we need to learn the lesson from Elijah, Seventh-day Adventists are not the only Christians in the world who observe the ten commandments, Yahweh has reserved to himself “other sheep” not of this fold, who have “not bowed the knee” to Baal, so to speak.

God has ever had a remnant whose primary purpose is to make disciples of men and women, thus the work of the “remnant” of Israel, is for the express purpose of their being evangelists, taking the message of a crucified and risen Saviour to the ends of the earth. As salvation is an act of God’s amazing grace, the “remnant”—the election of grace—were thus elected because of God’s transforming grace, because “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Rom. 5: 20. Again the Apostle declares: “And if {salvation is} by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Rom 11:6 {Added}.

“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election {the remnant, see verse 5}— hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompence unto them: Rom 11:7-9 The one thing which Israel sought as a nation and “obtained it not,” which thing was obtained by the “election”—the remnant of that day—is the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ—Messiah. Paul and all the early disciples were among the “remnant” by grace who received God’s free Salvation offered through the merits of the bloodstained hands of Yahshua on Calvary’s cross. The Bible tells us that “the rest were blinded” to the gospel of Messiah, because to them it was sheer foolishness! Thus, “the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1Co 1:18. And again Paul proclaimed, “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.” 1Co 1:23. Spiritual pride and spiritual blindness are amongst the worst illnesses a Christian can contract, for together, they embolden the possessors with a false sense of security, thinking they are standing on solid ground, when in truth, they are falling in the thick mud of spiritual darkness and confusion!

Let this be a teachable moment to us all, that age will never turn a cherished error into truth, no matter how long the error has been held or believed. To take a position on the Scriptures simply on the strength of the pastor’s opinion is not good enough to meet the divine test. All notions accepted as truth must be screened under the microscope of God’s holy Word, in an attitude of sincerity and humbleness of spirit, and God will reward the earnest searcher for truth. The servant of the Lord in our times warned: “It was the unwillingness of the Jews to give up their long-established traditions that proved their ruin. They were determined not to see any flaw in their own opinions or in their expositions of the Scriptures; but however long men may have entertained certain views, if they are not clearly sustained by the written word, they should be discarded. Those who sincerely desire truth will not be reluctant to lay open their positions for investigation and criticism, and will not be annoyed if their opinions and ideas are crossed.” Councils to Writers and Editors, p. 36.4.

The real truth here is that because of a Laodicean attitude (being rich and increased with goods) on the part of the Jews in Christ’s day, a whole Nation, save for the “election by grace,” rejected the Messiah, His message and messengers. If a similar course is followed by purported “present truth” Christians in our day—modern Israel— we shall equally shut ourselves out from the very message the Lord might send to His Church today. Thus the Bible warns, “Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.” Rom 11:10.  Have you read the history of the message of Righteousness By Faith in 1888? The Spirit of Prophecy says our leaders rejected that “most precious message,” which was “the third angel’s message in verity”!

“I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?” Rom 11:11-12. In these verses we see two contrasting words, “fall” and “fullness;” the “fall” of Israel is contrasted with their “fullness” in Jesus Christ. Thus their “fall” can only mean their departure from Christ, and their “fullness,” in this connection, can only be their complete restoration to true son-ship and daughter-ship through Christ in God. The “stumble” of Israel, was in their rejection of Christ as the long expected Messiah. And this they could not see because of an erroneous prophetic interpretation of the manner and mission of Messiah, by their rabbinical overlords. To a great degree, a similar mindset is cherished by Seventh-day Adventists, who regard Ellen G. White as the final arbiter of prophetic truth, even when she is silent on the subject! For example, because Ellen G. White was not the one commissioned with the message of Righteousness By Faith in 1888, the great majority of church leaders rejected the message of Jones and Waggoner, and even when Mrs. White pleaded with them to accept this “most precious message” (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 92), they were bound about with their own narrow views of what constitutes “present truth” for this time.

Because the Jews (Israelites) were not willing to share their spiritual legacy with the Gentiles, God who is abundant in grace and plenteous in mercy, allowed them to “stumble” so that he can save them, and simultaneously include the Gentiles into His salvation program, which was always his plan. Left alone to the Israelites, this would not have been possible, because they hoarded all the blessing of Yahweh to themselves, not willing even for the “crumbs” to fall to the Gentiles. “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh {the Jews}, and might save some of them.” Rom 11:13, 14. Having seen the light of Messiah, and as one plucked from the mire of disbelief in Yahshua (Jesus Christ) to being an ardent proclaimer of His Messiahship, and as one rescued from a career of persecutor against the Christians to being the persecuted amongst the Christians, Paul was commissioned by God as “the apostle of the Gentiles.” He saw the real spiritual benefit of sharing his faith in Christ, first to the Jew, and then to the Gentiles. But this act of God in anointing Paul, a Pharisee amongst the Pharisees, as an apostle to the Gentiles was designed to “provoke to emulation” the Jews, so that they would come and taste of Messiah’s deliverance from the bondage of sin, into the liberty of His amazing righteousness, to the saving of “some.” Thus both Jews and Gentiles would benefit from the sacrifice of God’s dear Son, and thus the entire world, Jew and Gentile, would be saved. How unselfish is God’s Love!

“For if the casting away of them {Israel after the flesh} be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.” Rom 11:15, 16. Again we see the contrasting words; we have the “casting away” of Israel compared with “the receiving” of them. Hence, Israel’s “casting away” is synonymous with their “fall,” and “the receiving of them” to their “fullness”—their complete spiritual restoration. The “firstfruit” here mentioned is not the 144,000 in Revelation 14:4, rather it has reference to the Patriarchs and Prophets of Israel, thus the “first fruit” is compared with “the root,” while “the lump” is compared with “the branches.” The clear truth here is this: if the fathers were holy, so will their descendants, and if the father’s by faith in the Messiah to come, have obtained mercy, so will their descendants, who through faith in the Messiah who has come, obtain like mercy and be saved, eternally saved! This is the righteousness which the patriarch Abraham obtained, even the righteousness which comes by Faith, and this is the righteousness we must all (Jew and Gentile) attain, to be saved. And so, both Jew and Gentile—“the lump”—will be made holy through “the washing of water by the Word.” Eph 5: 26.

“And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.” Rom 11:17-20. The “branches” here mentioned are the descendants of Abraham—the Israelites, while the “wild olive tree” represents the Gentiles. “For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah…The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. Jer. 11:13-16.

The “olive tree” has clear biblical reference to Judah—the Jews, Abraham’s descendants, thus the “good olive tree” refers to Israel after the flesh—the Jews, while the “wild olive tree” refers to the Gentiles. In plain language then, the “branches” which were “broken off” are the descendants of Abraham, the unbelieving Jews, and the wild olive tree, and “grafting” process illustrates God’s grace, which has now included both Jew and Gentile into “the root and fatness” of the blessings of Abraham. Thus Paul again admonished: “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Gal. 3:29. Note that God has not abandoned his “promise”—His covenant to the Fathers, but has broadened it to include anyone and everyone as a “seed of Abraham,” which was His purpose from the very beginning, because in Abraham “all the world” was to be blessed. The covenant is still secure, but the covenant people did not esteem their part of the contract, and they were temporarily set aside, that the original purpose of the covenant, to include all peoples, might be fulfilled in Christ.

God’s grace is truly amazing, His truth ineffable, and his love eternal, for though not His perfect will, yet he permitted “unbelief” or spiritual “blindness” to befall the Jews (the elect of that day), so as to “graft in” the Gentiles who would otherwise not be evangelized by the Jews, then to use the now converted Gentiles to witness to the “branches” the unbelieving Jews, so that they once again may be grafted into their own olive tree from whence they came! We are urged by Scripture not to look down on the Jews for their unbelief, but “fear,” because no one has a monopoly on God’s grace—Jew or Gentile, free or bond—we are all sinners in need of a Savior— “Yahshua HaMashiach”— in English it means Jesus the Messiah.

“For if God spared not the natural branches {the Jews}, take heed lest he also spare not thee {the Gentiles}. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they {the branches—Jews} also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?” Rom 11:21-24, {Supplied}.

I love the word “able,” yes friends, “God is a-b-l-e” to save the people who were first called to the gospel field. Now in clarity we see that “the first shall be last, and the last first,” for the Jews were first called to the service of Christ, but stubborn unbelief on their part has caused them to be “cut off” and the Gentiles “grafted in,” thereby temporarily replacing them. Finally, in the latter days, the Jewish people will be “grafted in” and become a part of the holy “lump”—the Church of the firstborn, comprising of both Jews and Gentiles. What a glorious day that will be! In Jude we are told, “now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless”(verse24). Because Christ is “able” to present us faultless to the Father, even the branches which have been severed because of unbelief, will be so completely attached—grafted in, they will be as though they had never been “cast off,” never lost in unbelief, never severed! Even the wild olive branches, after experiencing divine grafting, sho no sign of incompatibility with the true olive tree, because in Messiah, we become one, drinking from the sap and the marrow of His amazing and abounding grace, because He becomes to us “the Vine,” and we (Jews and Gentiles) the branches.

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” John 15: 5-8.

“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 fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”Rom 11:25-27.

These verses re-emphasize what we have already discovered, however there is an important point to note here, the word “until.” This word means there is a terminus in sight, it is a conditional word, which means there is a limit to what is going on, and the standard process will continue to be realized “until” the condition for terminating is reached! An example is in order at this point: Your computer is programmed to know that there is not an inexhaustible supply of paper in your printer’s paper-tray, so when a print command is executed, the printer prints with this terminus in view, thus it prints “until” the condition of no more paper in paper-tray is realized. At this point, an error message is broadcasted on your computer’s screen to the effect “printer is out of paper, please refill or terminate print request.”

In a similar manner, Israel’s blindness will not continue through to the close of probation, but “until” the abundance of the Gentiles have been grafted in. At this time a great and global spiritual Awakening will take place amongst the peoples of Israel (Israel and Judah), their spiritual night of darkness will have given way to the dawn of YHWH’S eternal day—when the “Son of Righteousness {shall} arise with healing in His wings” (Mal. 4:2), and illuminate minds which once were too beclouded to understand, ears to heavy to hear the truth of Messiah’s love, and eyes too blind to see that the agonies of the cross had to have preceded the glories of Messiah’s crown! The message of Revelation 18 1-4, the Loud Cry of the Third Angel will have commenced, and a great harvest will be reaped, after which probation for the world will close, and Christ will come to take his children home. The following verses will then meet their consummate fulfillment: “I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.” Isa. 43: 6-8.

The “fullness of the Gentiles” mentioned above is not to be lightly passed over, for even Yahshua in his closing sermons of Jerusalem lamented: “But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Luke 21:23, 24. We now see that there is a period of probationary time known as “the times of the Gentiles,” i.e., the allotted time during which, as stated by Paul, “the fullness of the Gentiles” will come in, after which will follow, what we may call “the times of the Jews (Hebrews),” so to speak. It is during this time (in the closing hours of probation), that the 144,000 Israelites (Rev. 7:4) will swell the everlasting gospel’s clarion call of Messiah’s love (Rev. 14:6-12), and whomsoever shall call upon the Name of the YHWH shall be saved. In the language of Joel, the Bible says: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of YHWH shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as YHWH hath said, and in the remnant [144,000] whom YHWH shall call.” Joel 2: 32.

So far we have seen that “the times of the gentiles” commenced with the Israel’s rejection of Messiah, thus “Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you [the Jews]: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life [by rejecting Messiah], lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath Yahweh commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of Yahweh: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of Yahweh was published throughout all the region.” Acts. 13: 46-49. The period when “the times of the gentiles” meet their terminus is tied in with the prophecy of Revelation chapter 11. (Please request my article, The Last 42 Months of Revelation 11, for an in-depth study of that chapter.)

“But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they [Gentiles] tread under foot forty and two months.” Rev. 11:2. The “holy city” here which will be trodden down of gentile forces has a dual application, and in a special sense, has reference to Jerusalem on earth. Hence the Gentiles will bear rule over Jerusalem for 42 months. This time period has a double application and overlaps with the 42 months of the little horn with the big mouth in Dan. 7:25—the church and state confederacy of the Dark Ages, as well as with the last 42 months of the Assyrian Confederacy—tyrannical reign of the Sunday Law (church and state confederacy in our day) discussed in Revelation 13. (Request my study on The Mark of the Beast, for a detailed understanding of Revelation 13; you may also read my article, The GreatAssyrian Confederacy of Prophecy.)

“As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ [Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob] sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance [without revocation]. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” Rom 11:28-36.

Although to Christians in general, and Seventh-day Adventists in particular, God has abandoned the Jews, yet we have seen that his promises are sure and without revocation, even when (as in the case of Israel) the covenantees have broken their tenants of the contract, God is able to raise up obedient seeds unto Abraham, through whom all the covenant promises will be fulfilled. And so let God be true and all others be liars, because He is the God who cannot lie, and His words cannot come back to him void, but accomplish the things whereunto they were purposed.

“Of special value to God’s church on earth today–the keepers of His vineyard–are the messages of counsel and admonition given through the prophets who have made plain His eternal purpose in behalf of mankind. In the teachings of the prophets, His love for the lost race and His plan for their salvation are clearly revealed. The story of Israel’s call, of their successes and failures, of their restoration to divine favor, of their rejection of the Master of the vineyard, and of the carrying out of the plan of the ages by a goodly remnant to whom are to be fulfilled all the covenant promises–this has been the theme of God’s messengers to His church throughout the centuries that have passed. And today God’s message to His church–to those who are occupying His vineyard as faithful husbandmen–is none other than that spoken through the prophet of old: “Sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.’ Isaiah 27: 2,3.

“Let Israel hope in God. The Master of the vineyard is even now gathering from among men of all nations and peoples the precious fruits for which He has long been waiting. Soon He will come unto His own; and in that glad day His eternal purpose for the house of Israel will finally be fulfilled. “He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.” Verse 6. {PK 22.2} Below, I shall present gems from the writings of Ellen G. White, which confirm Heaven’s commitment to seeing the seed of Abraham—the Jews, fully grafted in and completing the purpose for which they were called.

Through the Eyes of A Prophet–Work for the Jews

“Notwithstanding the awful doom pronounced upon the Jews as a nation at the time of their rejection of Jesus of Nazareth, there have lived from age to age many noble, God-fearing Jewish men and women who have suffered in silence. God has comforted their hearts in affliction, and has beheld with pity their terrible situation. He has heard the agonizing prayers of those who have sought Him with all the heart for a right understanding of His word. Some have learned to see in the lowly Nazarene whom their forefathers rejected and crucified, the true Messiah of Israel. As their minds have grasped the significance of the familiar prophecies so long obscured by tradition and misinterpretation, their hearts have been filled with gratitude to God for the unspeakable gift He bestows upon every human being who chooses to accept Christ as a personal Saviour.” Gospel Workers, p. 397.2.

“When this gospel shall be presented in its fulness to the Jews, many will accept Christ as the Messiah. Among Christian ministers there are only a few who feel called upon to labor for the Jewish people; but to those who have been often passed by, as well as to all others, the message of mercy and hope in Christ is to come. Gospel Workers, p. 398.1.

“In the closing proclamation of the gospel, when special work is to be done for classes of people hitherto neglected, God expects His messengers to take particular interest in the Jewish people whom they find in all parts of the earth. As the Old Testament Scriptures are blended with the New in an explanation of Jehovah’s eternal purpose, this will be to many of the Jews as the dawn of a new creation, the resurrection of the soul. As they see the Christ of the gospel dispensation portrayed in the pages of the Old Testament Scriptures, and perceive how clearly the New Testament explains the Old, their slumbering faculties will be aroused, and they will recognize Christ as the Saviour of the world. Many will by faith receive Him as their Redeemer. To them will be fulfilled the words, ‘As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.’” [JOHN 1:12.] {GW 398.2}

“Among the Jews are some who, like Saul of Tarsus, are mighty in the Scriptures, and these will proclaim with wonderful power the immutability of the law of God. The God of Israel will bring this to pass in our day. His ar is not shortened that it cannot save. As His servants labor in faith for those who have long been neglected and despised, His salvation will be revealed.” {GW 399.1} “Thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. But when he seeth his children, the work of Mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify My name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.” [ISA. 29:22-24.]– “TheActs of the Apostles,” pages 379-382; Gospel Workers, p. 399.

“A great work is to be done for the Jewish nation, and there will be men whom God has appointed who will give the message God has for them to bear, and Gentiles will be converted, for the Lord Christ is the power that is going before His people. . .” Manuscript Releases, Volume 11 p. 105.1 “In this our day, we see the Gentiles beginning to rejoice with the Jews. There are converted Jews who are now laboring in —– and in various other cities, in behalf of their own people. The Jews are coming into the ranks of God’s chosen followers, and are being numbered with the Israel of God in these closing days. Thus some of the Jews will once more be reinstated with the people of God, and the blessing of the Lord will rest upon them richly, if they will come into the position of rejoicing that is represented in the Scripture, ‘And again He saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people.’”–Manuscript 95, 1906. Evangelism, p. 577

“There is a mighty work to be done in our world. The Lord has declared that the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and not the Gentiles only, but the Jews. There are among the Jews many who will be converted, and through whom we shall see the salvation of God go forth as a lamp that burneth. There are Jews everywhere, and to them the light of present truth is to be brought. There are among them many who will come to the light, and who will proclaim the immutability of the law of God with wonderful power. The Lord God will work. He will do wonderful things in righteousness.”–Manuscript 87, 1907. Evangelism, p. 578.1 “There will be many converted from among the Jews, and these converts will aid in preparing the way of the Lord, and making straight in the desert a highway for our God. Converted Jews are to have an important part to act in the great preparations to be made in the future to receive Christ, our Prince. A nation shall be born in a day. How? By men whom God has appointed being converted to the truth. There will be seen ‘first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.’ The predictions of prophecy will be fulfilled.”–Manuscript 75, 1905. Evangelism, p. 579.1

“The time is coming when there will be as many converted in a day as there were on the day of Pentecost, after the disciples had received the Holy Spirit.”–Review and Herald, June 29, 1905. { Evangelism, p. 692.2}. Please compare that the quotation below, is the text from which this paragraph was taken, yet for whatever their reasoning, the editors to her writings gave the slant that this conversion experience was to any and every believer,however Ellen White was here speaking with singleness of focus to “the Jews.”

“The time has come when the Jews are to be given light. The Lord wants us to encourage and sustain men who shall labor in right lines for this people; for there are to be a multitude convinced of the truth, who will take their position for God. The time is coming when there will be as many converted in a day as there were on the day of Pentecost, after the disciples had received the Holy Spirit.” Review and Herald, June 29, 1905 par. 24

“The Jews are to be a power to labor for; and we are to see the salvation of God. We are altogether too narrow. We need to be broader-minded. God wants us to carry out the principles of truth and righteousness. His work is to go forward in cities and towns and villages.” Review and Herald, June 29, 1905 par. 25 “Concerning the popular system of interpreting, or misinterpreting, the Scriptures, Wolff wrote: ‘The greater part of the Christian church have swerved from the plain sense of Scripture, and have turned to the phantomizing system of the Buddhists; they believe that the future happiness of mankind will consist in moving about in the air, and suppose that when they are reading Jews, they must understand Gentiles; and when they read Jerusalem, they must understand the church; and if it said earth, it means sky; and for the coming of the Lord they must understand the progress of the missionary societies; and going up to the mountain of the Lord’s house, signifies a grand class-meeting of Methodists.’” The Great Controversy, p. 1888 ed., p. 360.1

The reader will do well to ponder the above statement from The Great Controversy, and re-read all the prophecies of Isaiah thru Malachi from a distinctively Jewish perspective, and see what gems are there hidden. Do not “suppose that when [you] are reading Jews, [you] must understand Gentiles; and when [you] read Jerusalem, [you] must understand the church; and if it said earth, it means sky; and for the coming of the Lord [you] must understand the progress of the missionary societies; and going up to the mountain of the Lord’s house, signifies a grand class-meeting.” No, never! When God says earth, He means earth, when He says Jerusalem, he can be speaking either of the New Jerusalem or the one here on earth, and the context will determine which is being addressed. When the bible says Jews, or the seed of Abraham, or Israel and Judah, God is not here speaking of the Gentiles, he has a keen sense of the difference between the one and the other. Do not let spiritual myopia rob you of seeing the precious gems which are scattered in the treasure-house of the Bible, and are yet to be gathered to become the property of the remnant people of God. Let not denominationalism and theological “traditions” rob you of gathering these gems in the catalogue of last day events which are to precede Christ’s second advent. When we’ve taken off the spectacles of some of our theological ancestors and read the bible through the eyes of the prophets, the bible for us will become a new book, and teem forth with rich revelations of truth. I’ve had to do this very thing in order to appreciate the “plain teachings” of the Word. Try it.

“The work for the Jews, as outlined in the eleventh chapter of Romans, is a work that is to be treated with special wisdom. It is a work that must not be ignored. The wisdom of God must come to our people. In all wisdom and righteousness we must clear the King’s highway. The Jews are to be given every opportunity of coming to the light” (Letter 96, 1910). Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commentary, Volume 6, p. 1079.3

How can modern Christianity effectively work for the Jews when, as a people, we’ve rejected the Torah and all the principles of Hebrew worship? If we are not “grafted” into the old olive tree, how can we re attach the “branches” which have been broken off? It is indeed sad to see many Jews today populating the Sunday churches, by having to give up the Sabbath and accept pagan Christmas, Easter, Valentines, etc, in exchange for “holy times” as pointed out in Lev. 23. Friends, if we would fulfill the great commission to this class of people, we must be “grafted in.”

The Gathering of Israel—Through The Testimony of The Bible Prophets

Well friends, we have come to the end of a wonderful chapter in holy writ, and I challenge you to grapple with the thought that “God has not cast away Israel,” and will gather them together again, not as unbelieving atheists, but as believing children of the King, and plant them in their father’s land, right there in Palestine, from whence the everlasting gospel will be proclaimed during the Mark of the Beast’s global decree against the commandments of God and true worship. At such time, Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of YHWH of hosts the holy mountain.” Zech. 8:3.

“At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.  In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.” Jer. 3: 17-18.

Since their Assyrian captivity, the 10-tribes, the House of Israel, have been scattered, lost their racial identity, and have never returned to the promised land, yet the divine assurance is that in the last days of this earth’s history “the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land” of their captivity, and return to the land given to their fathers, even the land of promise—Canaan.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” Isa. 2: 2, 3.

“The regathering of Israel from all the lands of earth, their re-establishment in this ancient land [Palestine], provides not only evidence that compels deeper study for a clearer understanding of divine prophecies, but also provides an unparalleled opportunity for emphasizing in a new way the mighty truths of God’s Word to the people whose prophets wrote the great messages of God for their day and ours.” (All Eyes On Israel, 1975, By Roy Allan Anderson and Jay MiltonHoffman, p. 112.)

Who was Roy Anderson? “Dr. Roy Allan Anderson [deceased] was a distinguished Seventh-day Adventist Theologian, whose scholarship helped in the formation of the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentaries.” Note: “The names of these special readers of the first six volumes have been published. The group of ten readers of this last volume are: R.A. Anderson...We thank them for their careful reading and their helpful suggestions and criticism”. (Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p. 10). Dr. H.M.S. Richards, a veteran SDA evangelist and VOP Radio preacher, wrote the Forward to All Eyes On Israel counsels that:

“This book is filled with material of great spiritual and historic wealth and will lead to a deeper study of God’s Word, whether one accepts all the views of the authors or not. In their prophetic interpretation, they have attempted to follow a very conservative rule, “all Scripture language is to be taken literally, unless there exists some good reason for supposing it be figurative, and all that is figurative is to be interpreted by that which is literal .””…The authors of this volume feel that when this rule is ignored it leads to unfortunate and limited views…. “In reading this book some will naturally ask, “What of the future?” Does natural Israel actually have a place in the divine program? One thing is certain, Israel is here. While some theologians might wish the nation were not here or that it would go away for the sake of their views, yet Israel will not go away unless taken away by force. We cannot know every detail the future has in store for us. It is not our business to know except as God has spoken, and in these chapters the Lord’s Word is clearly set forth….The mighty day of God’s power is just before us when the Spirit of God is to be poured out upon all flesh and that will stir the world, including Israel.…The handling of this delicate subject is the best I have ever seen. It is sound, wonderful truth.…”If you should find some things in these various chapters which you have never thought of before, do not reject them because they are new . Or should you find some things directly opposite to your own views, do not refuse to read them. Rather study them, and especially pray about them…. “I have greatly enjoyed going over this manuscript. It has brought great blessing to me and has given me the urge to dig more deeply into this whole Question. It has been a joy to have had a part in it.” (Dr. H.M.S. Richards in the Forward to All Eyes on Israel, pp. vi-vii.)

To many Christians it is heresy to even suggest that the great work of the gospel will not close without Jerusalem’s becoming the headquarters of the final clarion call of sinners to a loving Saviour! This view was held by the authors of All Eyes on Israel, until they were arrested with the plain teachings of the Scriptures. It is for this reason why the news wires are cluttered with the Jerusalem question today. Indeed, I would venture to say, had there not been an Israel there never would have been a “war on terror” as we know it today. The real stumbling stone for many nations of the world today, is not Al-Qaeda, but Israel. And while the prophecies declare that this unbelieving State of Israel will be defeated in an upcoming conflict, yet to be fought in Jerusalem (Read Zech. 12–14), they also show that Jerusalem will become “the throne of YHWH” (Jer. 3:17).

His promises to Abraham included much more than that narrow strip of land on the east of the Mediterranean Sea for in Romans 4:13, we read that Abraham would be “heir of the world.” That promise was fantastic, too big for him, or even for us, to fully comprehend. But we can at least try  to grasp it. Some readers may have to lay aside a few preconceived ideas as the authors of All Eyes On Israel had to do many years ago. But the larger concept of God’s purpose for His ancient people adds much to our understanding of God’s revelation and in no way does it undermine the beauty of truth; it enhances it. To change one’s prophetic viewpoint is not easy, but to know God’s plan for the present and the future is worth everything. (All Eyes On Israel,1975, By Roy Allan Anderson and Jay Milton Hoffman, p. 110. ( Italics and emphasis added)

“Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.” Hosea 3:5 “These words: ‘Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God’ (verse 5), have special meaning. Nothing could be more emphatic nor easier to understand. Furthermore, this writer says it will happen “in the latter days.” It would be difficult for “the children of Israel” to return without a homeland to return to.” (All Eyes on Israel, p. 102. All emphasis and italics mine.). The “latte days” in this context means the last days, the time of the end of the world. Eternity will have no end, and so cannot have “latter days.” If these prophecies will be fulfilled, and they must, they can only be fulfilled while this present earth lasts.

In order to calibrate our thoughts with the prophet’s, it is necessary to take the bible in its simplest language, and not fall in the trap of some theologians who declare that “these passages will never be fulfilled, because Israel has rejected Christ, God has abrogated his promises to make them a righteous nation, and so the prophecies to them will never be fulfilled, except spiritually through the church….” This view is not consistent with the teachings of Romans eleven, which shows that ungodliness will be turned away from Jacob, and all Israel shall be saved. In those days these verses shall be fulfilled: “For, lo, the days come, saith YHWH, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith YHWH: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it… Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it…The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.” Jer. 30: 4-7, 24. Jacob’s Time of Trouble is timed for the “latter days,” they days when Yahweh declares that we will “consider” the validity of His Words to Jacob. Note that the word consider here, means to understand. So, while “knowledge shall increase” (Dan. 12:4) in science and technology, there is to be a flood of light (knowledge) shed on the prophecies pertaining to Israel.

“Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.” Jer. 31: 10-11.

Paul summarized the truth that waywardness on the part of ancient Israel will not cause the God who cannot lie, to retract his promises, when he declared, “ For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance [without revocation].” Rom. 11:29. While to most of modern Christianity, including the broader SDA theology, these prophecies will go unfulfilled, yet we are humbled when we come to passages such as Romans, eleven and realize that YHWH has not cast away Israel, and they still have a great work to be done in the closing work of His salvation plan. We are seeing that He who scattered, because of unbelief in His Son, will gather, because of acceptance of His Son! He scattered to allow the gospel to reach those who would otherwise not have been reached, because the Jews hoarded the gospel to themselves, and after his work has been completed for the “gentiles” he again attaches to the Olive Tree, the branches which have previously been broken off, because of unbelief. That He will “make Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isa. 62:7), is a teaching which is embraced by all the bible prophets..

1. For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. (see Rev. 18: 1-4)

2. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.

3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.

6 ¶ I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that  make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,

7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. [Isa. 62:1-7]

“Grafted In”

“And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted  in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.” Rom 11:17-20.

We cannot be “grafted in among” Israel and still show disregard for Hebrew worship! How difficult is it to convince a Hebrew of the Sabbath? How difficult is it to teach a Hebrew about the Sanctuary? How difficult is it to teach a Gentile about the sanctity of the Sabbath, and the truth of the Sanctuary? Then can you see why it is so very difficult to teach Gentile-minded Christians that the Torah was not “nailed to the cross,” and that the festivals of our Heavenly father have not been abrogated at Calvary? The so called “unbelieving Jews” have no problem with conformance with the Sabbath, Sanctuary, or State of the dead, they need only have their eyes focused on the Lamb of Calvary. To be grafted in, means that there is no difference even in worship between the wild branches and the true! Today that is not the case, we, as Christians, in general, look with disdain on those who seek to be “grafted” into our Hebrew Roots, not realizing that this is a part of the prophecy. Friends, you and I must be grafted into true Torah worship (this is that focus of the Third Angel), because the first-fruit is holy, and as a part of the lump, you and I must be no less holy! Being “grafted” into our Hebrew roots, is to realize that the Passover, for example, is still applicable to Christians today, and that the Gentile teachings of Christmas and Easter, etc, are not a part of the embodiment of Truth given to Israel, or to the Church. Being “grafted in,” means that we not only observe the seventh-day Sabbath, but every divine appointment called out in Lev. 23, save for the sacrifices which have met their fulfillment in the Lamb slain for the sins of the world. (To learn more about the festivals, please request my article: Who Were the Waldenses; or Rediscovering Passover In The Christian Church—A General Conference Report ).

“There are glorious truths to come before the people of God. Privileges and duties which they do not even suspect to be in the Bible will be laid open before the followers of Christ. As they follow on in the path of humble obedience, doing God’s will, they will know more and more of the oracles of God, and be established in right doctrines.” That I May Know Him, p. 114. □