Greetings Stan,
The twelve tribes of Israel have found fulfillment in the twelve holy Apostles. As Joshua of old delivered the children of Israel into the promised land and then divided the inheritance, so in like manner Christ Jesus (Joshua) brings the children of Israel--children of Holy Church--into the promised land, and divides the inheritance among the twelve apostles.
Christ is the true Jacob and the perfect Israel, and all the promises of God find fulfillment in Him. Holy Church, the Bride of Christ, who is also called Israel, taking on the name of her husband the Bridegroom, shares in these blessings including the blessings delivered to Abraham and his seed, which is Christ.
Since Christ is the true seed of Abraham, who perfectly fulfilled the Law, the promised land along with all the other blessings have been delivered to Him.
Israel according to the flesh forfeited any right to possession of the land as a result of their disobedience.
When Israel according to the flesh forsook the Lord, the Lord forsook them.
All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. (Isaiah 40.17)
The modern nation-state falsely called "Israel" is counted to the Lord as less than nothing, and vanity.
Christians are the true Israel, the true chosen of God, the apple of His eye. They have been grafted onto the olive tree Israel, and are branches of the fruitful vine Christ, the true Israel.
Israel after the flesh became unfruitful and withered branches, and have been broken off because of their unbelief in the Messiah Jesus Christ of Nazareth. They no longer partake in the root and fatness of the olive tree, and therefore are like the heathen, cut-off from the holy commonwealth of Israel.
The Jews have broken the Law, therefore their circumcision has been made uncircumcision.
However, they can be grafted back onto the olive tree Israel by returning to the faith of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc. who rejoiced to see Christ's day.
There are no promises outside of Christ for "Jews" or "Israel" according to the flesh.
A remnant of the unbelieving Jews will turn to Christ at the end of the age and be saved when Elijah the Tishbite comes to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the children, in the time of the Antichrist.
So there will be a remnant of Israel that will be saved, but they will only be saved by surrendering their hearts to Jesus Christ.
They will not be saved in any sort of Jewish manner, by adhering to the Old Covenant. The remnant will only be saved by accepting the New Covenant that Christ delivered nearly 2,000 years ago.
The rest of the Jews will anoint the Antichrist king over them and will perish.
Cyprian |
