01/16/2024 – “Zionism – Why all the Controversy?” / 5 minute video attached
https://www.prageru.com/video/zionism-why-all-the-controversy
“I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the people on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:3
“So that you will not be conceited, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, a partial hardening has come to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
The Liberator will come from Zion; He will turn away godlessness from Jacob. And this will be My covenant with them., when I take away their sins.
Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage, but regarding election, they are loved because of their forefathers, since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable. As you once disobeyed God, but now have received mercy through their disobedience, so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you so that they also now may receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience, so that He may mercy on all.” Genesis 11: 25-32
The footnote to the first two verses above in my Bible reads: “Paul showed that hardening is not a permanent sentence against Israel, even though it resulted from their rejection of the message about Christ. First, be reaffirmed that only a part of Israel was hardened. That is, many Jews of Paul’s day did acknowledge Jesus as Lord and were saved. Nevertheless, at the end of the age, the Jews will turn en masse to Christ for some believe that Jews throughout the church age will respond to the gospel). When Paul stated that all Israel will be saved, he did not intent “all” without exception but “all” as in a very large number (see 1 Samuel 25:1; 1 Kings 12; 1:2; Chronicles 12:1; Isaiah 45:25; Deuteronomy 9:11; Mark 1:5; Luke 3:21; Acts 13:24). Paul used similar connotations for “all and “many” in Romans 5: 18 – 19 (cp. a similar usage of “all” in Romans 11:32).”
And here is a pretty deep and sublime metaphor, also within the same chapter, a very strong message to Gentile christians:
“For if you cut off from your native wild olive, and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these — the natural branches — be grafted into their own olive tree.”
* Yes , this ties directly to “Jesus Prays for All Believers” in John 17: “… I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one. I am in them and You are in Me. May they be made completely one, so the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me. …” *
- Amidst all the evil in this world, we have a horrific heresy “Supersessionism” or “Replacement Theory” that has been circulating within the christian churches in this country for quite a few years now. Check out the link below, but in summary: “Replacement theology teaches that the church is the replacement for Israel and that the many promises made to Israel in the Bible are fulfilled in the Christian church, not in Israel.” (Biblical illiteracy, spiritual blindness …)
https://www.gotquestions.org/replacement-theology.html
Ephesians 6:13 – “Stand Fast”, failure is not an option. We win in the end by His grace, for he cannot lose.. Soli Deo Gloria!