God’s End Time Plan for Israel

Session 2: Deliverance and Salvation

I.Intro:

God has a holy and mysterious plan for the end of the age; among other things it is to bring salvation to the Jewish race and to unite them permanently together with His Gentile Church. This will unfold in the midst of the greatest drama the world has ever known.

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery…Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved (Ro. 11:25-25).”

“according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known…that all nations might believe and obey him (Ro. 16:25-26).”

II.Those Who Understand the Plan:

  1. God has an Inalterable Plan:

The Lord has been strategizing from before time about how He will bring His purposes to a head. The plan is set and cannot be altered; while it is mysterious He has revealed many of the details in His Word about it.

  1. Satan Understands the Plan:

The Devil is purely evil but he is not dumb; in fact quite the opposite he is known for his cunning (Ge. 3:1; 2Co. 11:3). Satan has done his homework and knows quite well what God’s plans are. He has access to the Heavens and is very aware of what God plans to do in the Last Days.

  1. The Church isn’t Yet Clear about this Plan:

Unfortunately God’s End Time plan isn’t much on the radar of the Church yet, this is especially true of God’s elaborate plans for His people Israel

III.God’s Mysterious Plan for the Jews and the Gentiles:

  1. The Praying Church will Partner with the Plan:

Before the return of Christ the Church will understand this mysterious plan however and will stand with Israel in her hardest season. The Church will be found serving the Jews even to the point of death.

  1. End Time litmus test for the Church:

In an often misunderstood passage about the end of the age Jesus gives us a two chapter discourse on the End Times and then ends it with an exhortation about how the Church in the Last Days will be evaluated based off how they treated His brothers; meaning Jews in the context of the final years of their great persecution. As you read it keep in mind this in an End Times passage (Mt. chapter 24-25).

“When the Son of Man comes…All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separatethe people…the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you…For I was hungry…thirsty…a stranger …needed clothes…sick…in prison and you came to…me…the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry…(etc.)?’ “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire…For I was hungry(etc.) and you gave me nothing…“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry (etc.)…and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life (Mt. 25:31-46).”

  1. Church’s response to Jews:

Let us remember that Jesus is Jewish, He really cares about His people with a wholehearted passion. His Bride, the Church, will be the arm of the Lord for Israel in those hard times extending great acts of service and love even to the point of giving up their lives. We will operate in supernatural giving, supernatural power and supernatural love in order to see to it that the needs of Jesus’ brothers may be met under the most difficult times in history.

  1. For I was hungry and thirsty
  2. For I was a stranger
  3. For I needed clothes
  4. For I was sick
  5. For I was in prison
  1. Preparing for this future season:

It is foolish to assume that we will just one day wake up with understanding about Israel and God’s plan for her. We must spend effort in order to gain clarity about these purposes in order that we may be found committed to them as the day draws near.

  1. The Gentiles Provoke Israel to Jealousy:

This selflessness will be the primary provoking force in leading the (lost) Jews to salvation bringing many to faith in Yeshua their Messiah (Jesus Christ).

“because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious (Ro. 11:11).”

  1. Hardened For a Purpose:

We must understand that it has always been God’s plan that the Jews would be His own. But He also has desired that the nations of the Earth (Gentiles) be permitted to eat at His table. Therefore before He returns to end the age there has been partial hardening of Israel’s heart toward the gospel of truth. This hardening has created a divine season, a window of time where the Gentiles may come into the Kingdom – this window is closing as the full number of those who will come to God (2Pe. 3:9) will enter into salvation in this age.

“Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in (Ro. 11:25).”

  1. All Israel Will be Saved:

Let us not be conceited to think that God cares more about us than He does His own people. Paul warns the predominately Gentile Church of Rome that they should not think that Israel’s hardening of heart teamed with the Gentiles genuine reception of the Gospel was a statement of God favoring the Gentiles. He in fact warns them not to be so ignorant, not to be so conceited as to think that they were what redemption was all about (this error is a very common western Church mindset). He ends his warning with the promise that a day is coming when all of Israel will be saved; there is no such promise given for any other people group.

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited…all Israel will be saved, as it is written (Ro. 11:25-26).”

  1. Favoritism Questioned:

God does show favoritism but before we accuse it is important to see that the nation that has the greatest promises also has the greatest hardships of any group in human history. God’s plan for each of us is different, but He is wise in all His ways.

“But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use (Ro. 9:20-21)?”

IV.God’s Plan for the Jewish Remnant:

A.Remnant Taken into the Wilderness:

It is in God’s mysterious plan to take a remnant of Israel into the wilderness (or dessert) for 3 ½ years where He will protect them and draw them to Himself(Ps. 55:4-7; Is. 26:16-17, 43:19-21, 48:21; Je. 31:2; Ez. 20:35-38, 34:11-16; Ho. 2:14-23;Mi. 7:14-15; Zch. 13:8-9; Lk. 21:21; Re. 12:6, 14, 16).

“(Israel) fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days (Re. 12:6).”

“I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. I will bring you into the desert of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. As I judged your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord (Ez. 20:34-38).”

B.Jewish Captives Scattered Throughout the Earth:

Most of the Jewish population can already be found dispersed amongst the nations. When the great persecution hits this will only increase and these Jews will be harshly treated by the majority while kindly favored by the believing Gentiles (Ps. 44:11; Is. 11:11-16; 40:10-11, 42:22-24; Je. 31:10; Ho. 11:10-11; Am. 5:27, 6:7, 9:4; Zch. 2:6, 10:9; Lk. 21:24).

C.Israel Reversing Their Stance on Christ:

It is God’s plan that the Jewish leaders, who are mostly atheists, or at least anti-Christian, right now will undergo many trials and surprises and in the end they will change their position on Jesus (Is. 22:27, 28:14-18; Da. 9:27, 11:41, 45; Ez. 38:8-12, 14, 39:26; Je. 50:4-5; Zch. 9:8, 11:16, 12:10, 14:4-5; Mt. 23:39; Lk. 19:11-28; Jn. 5:43; 1Th. 5:3; Re. 1:7).

D.The Jews Inviting Jesus to be King:

The Jews will in fact call Jesus King and will forever praise him as their god and Messiah (1Ch. 16:31, 35-36; Ps. 47:5-7, 68:26, 34, 118:1-4, 25-26, 28, 149:1-4; Je. 33:10-16; Zch. 12:10; Mt. 11:3, 23:39; Mk. 11:9; Lk. 13:35; 19:38; Jn. 12:12-13).

V.Different Groups of Jews in Last 3 ½ Years:

For those of you who have a fair grid for the End Times this section is sort of a bonus for you. Below are many categories of Jewish people that the Bible identifies as having differing role in the final three and half years.

A.The 144,000:

There will be a set number of 144,000 Jews who will be identified and set apart at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. They will be prophetic singers releasing the power of the Lord (and likely His judgments); it seems clear that this group will all be martyred (Re. 7:4-8, 14:1-5).

B.Those Who Take the Mark:

While it is unthinkable, there will be a number of Jews that take the mark of the beast in the Last Days (Re. 13:8, 15-17) whether by fear, deception or force.

C.The Saved:

At the timing of the last trumpet (7th Trumpet) all of the saved Jews across the Earth will be raptured (1Th. 4:15-18).

D.The Two Thirds:

There is coming a tragic but unavoidable moment where 2/3rd of the Jewish nation will be killed (Zch. 13:8-9).

E.The Remaining One Third:

There will still remain 1/3 in the land of Israel (Zch. 13:8-9). This will include those who will be in Jerusalem at Christ’s dramatic Mt. of Olives entrance (Zch. 14:1-5).

F.Those Within the Boarders:

This 2/3rd and subsequent 1/3rd probably only refers to Jews that are actually in the physical national boarders of Israel. If it is extended globally then that makes the divisions of Israel in the last days more complicated but still definable.

G.Those in the Wilderness:

The protected remnant (the lost will be saved) in the wilderness for 1260 days which has been gathered from the nations. Here God will enter into judgment against them as He did in the generation that came up out of Egypt (Ez. 20:35-38).

H.Those Scattered Across the Nations:

All remaining lost Jews that are scattered across the nations will be gathered to Israel when Jesus is reigning in Jerusalem. These are those who will begin the Millennial Kingdom and rebuild the nation, and 100% of them will be saved.

VI.Satan’s End Time Plan for Israel

  1. Wanting to Thwart God’s Plan:

While Jesus was here at the first coming He revealed God’s plan to all who would listen. This included details about the conditions of His return where He declared that He would not return unless the Jewish leadership recognized Him as the Messiah and so invited Him to be their king. Satan watched the interaction and took note, forever fighting to see that this condition would never be met.

“Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (Lk. 13:35).”

  1. Desires to Annihilate the Jewish Race:

There has been a long standing assignment of death over the nation of Israel, who has perhaps undergone more attempted genocides than any other people group in history. As if the Holocaust wasn’t tragic enough there is promised yet another even more heinous effort to annihilate the Jewish race.

“Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon…They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle(Re. 16:13-14)”

  1. Does Not Want to Go to the Abyss:

Satan knows the scriptures probably better than we do and is very familiar with the passage about him being thrown into the Abyss for a thousand years, and he absolutely does not want that to happen.

“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended (Re. 20:1-3).”

  1. Plan to Prevent Prison:

It is high on the priority list of Satan to avoid prison. He has a very legal thought process where if he can keep Israel from inviting Jesus to be their Messiah then Jesus won’t return because He is unable to lie and He said they had to invite Him back. This is forefront on Satan’s agenda and a prime motive behind many of the things that we see both in scripture and in modern and historical Israel.

  1. Keeping Israel prideful and independent to keep them from salvation
  2. Creating such offense in their hearts to keep them from salvation
  3. Plan to annihilate the people so there is no one to invite Jesus to lead

VII.Israel’s Worst Days are Ahead:

If the Bible didn’t make it abundantly clear it would be criminal to talk about the very negative future Israel has in store. It is therefore not a popular message to lay out the details of the coming difficulties, but we are not to be more loyal to comfort than we are to truth.

  1. The Covenant with Sheol:

Israel is going to make a treaty with the Antichrist (Is. 28:14-18, 33:8; Ez. 38:14; Da. 9:27; Jo. 3:9-10; 1Th. 5:3). In that moment they will believe they have found their solution to all the mounting pressures’ how wrong they will be.

“You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death (Sheol), with the grave we have made an agreement…we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place…“Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the grave will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it (Is. 28:15-18).”

  1. Jerusalem will be Destroyed:

Jerusalem will be the site of many battles in the Last Days and her difficulties will be many. She will be invaded and destroyed – though not completely (Is. 5:3-9, 62:4; Ez. 9:8-9, 36:35-36; Je. 6:2, 8, 7:34, 10:22, 44:6; Da. 9:26, 11:16).

“The people of the ruler who will come(Antichrist) will destroy the city(Jerusalem) and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed (Da. 9:26).”

  1. Devastation of the Nation:

The nation will be destroyed as well (Is. 5:3-9, 24: .49:19, 62:4; Je. 10:22; Ez. 9:8-9, 36:35-36; Je. 6:2, 8, 7:34, 10:22, 44:6; Da. 9:26, 11:16).

“Listen! The report is coming— a great commotion from the land of the north! It will make the towns of Judah desolate, a haunt of jackals (Je. 10:22).”

  1. Concentration Camps:

Jewish prisoners will be taken off to death camps like in WWII. These camps will become common in the Last Days as part of the expression of the Antichrist’s hate policy (Ps. 44:9-26, 66:10-12, 68:5-6, 79:11, 102:20, 146:7-8; Is. 10:3-4, 14:3, 25:4, 8-9, 42:7, 22, 49:8-12, 24-25, 61:1-3; Je. 31:8; Ez. 36:1-38; Zch. 9:11; Mt. 25:31-46; Lk. 4:18, 21:24).

“Let this be written for a future generation…The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high…to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death (Ps. 102:18-20).”

“But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot (Is. 42:22)”

  1. Battle for Jerusalem:

We are told that Satan will operate in a powerful demonic anointing in order to gather the nations against Israel. Surprisingly however, the scripture say clearly that God Himself will also be drawing the nations to gather around Jerusalem (Ps. 2:5-9, 5:26, 9:5, 10:16, 79:6, 110:6, 149:7; Is. 5:15, 8:9, 29:6-8, 30:28, 34:2; Je. 30:11; Ez. 30:3, 32:9; Jo. 3:2; Mi. 4:11-13; Hb. 3:12; Zph. 3:8; Zch. 12:9, 14:2; Re. 16:14, 19:19). They have very different purposes in mind however.

“Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon…They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle (Re. 16:13-14)”

“I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city (Zch. 14:2).”

VIII.End Time Deliverance – The New Exodus:

  1. The New Celebration:

One of Israel’s great traditions is about to undergo a transfer from celebrating the previous Exodus as the primary expression of God’s deliverance to a new eclipsing celebration of His End Time deliverance. This new deliverance will have even great significance than the former while still encompassing all the same themes.

“However, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when men will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers (Je. 17:14-15).”