Robert;
What you said concerning Personal or individual election is correct. However God is also a God of Nations. Jesus is King of Kings. God also still has a purpose concerning nations and Israel. What you have stated does not include the end of the story.
Isaiah 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
10 ô And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
These prophesies are yet to be fulfilled:
Romans 11:25 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.
26 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:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Jesus is still going to make Israel into a Christian Nation and they will know that it is because of God's grace alone.
They will be saved by the foolishness of the Gospel even as we.
God has always known that men are men and they will not ever be worthy of His promises yet God makes them and swears by Himself for He cannot make covenant that depends on mere men who are but flesh and covenant breakers. Jesus and the Father made the covenant of Salvation before the world began because man was ordained to fall and could not keep any part of a Holy Covenant of works. The Father promised to Jesus the elect *if* He would die the death of the ungodly on behalf of the elect. Also Israel is promised no to the men who inhabit the land at any given time but for the sake fo those elect to whom God has made these promises. Why has Christ wept for Jerusalem if it is nothing to Him?
No ALL of Israel will be saved... Of individual election none shall be lost of Jew or Gentile... and Yet the ALL of Israel yet must also refer to Israel as a nation as well; God is God of not only Men and Families but also of Nations. Jesus is Kings over all nations and is seated at the right hand of the Father until ALL of HIs enemies except death be made His footstool.
AS it is written:
Romans 11:26 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:
Do not "Spiritualize that verse" Paul has already addressed the fact that God has Blinded Israel on Purpose that He may have mercy on Gentiles. God will not leave them in that state even as Paul has said ( and it is not possible for God to lie to the elect ) :
Romans 11:11 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.
12 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 fulness?
Israel is not fallen but stumbled to this day until the fullness of the Gentiles be brought back in.
These verses were understood this way for 100's of years but many theologians began to lose faith as they could see no way for Israel to be restored as a nation after so long a time. Yet God has promised it. I have read men who still concurred that God has promises left that must yet be fulfilled that make no sense when "spiritualized" as do many Amils. This is the final truth concerning the Nation Israel... That she was a chosen nation even as we individually are chosen people yet Christ will not just come from her but He indeed will be her King and Rule to her joy yet on earth. The Bride is all the chosen but His chosen Nation remains Israel.
Romans 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
As touching Election ( National ) do not boast against God's beloved because of the Fathers even Abraham that faithful servant who was careful to do all that God had commanded Him:
Genesis 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Abrahams Nation will be set above all nations again but this time in Christ and not in pride.
The Vision of Isaiah shall not fall to the ground unfulfilled:
1 ô The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 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.
3 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.
4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.
This earth shall see a peace in Christ Jesus when all of the Nations bow the knee to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and not by any tower of Babel. ( that last line is for you Mark ) |
