Ever since the days of our Lord Jesus, God has been dealing with three distinct and separate groups, not including the world of fallen angels. For these, there is no repentance; no salvation; no work or sacrifice that can bring them back to the throne of God. Their final destination has been determined, that being the lake of fire.
The first group is the church; the body of Christ consisting of those who are Jews by blood, and those who are called Gentiles, they becoming one in the Lord Jesus. These have repented of their sins, been baptized in the Holy Spirit and believe by faith in the finished work of the cross, all serving the Lord, living a Christian life, and spreading His gospel throughout the world.
A little background on the early church! At first, the apostles were told NOT to go to the Gentiles, but to preach the good news to the Jews only. Some seven years after the Lords resurrection, Paul was commissioned to go to the Gentiles and to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ; this uniting both Jew and Gentile into one body. The whole is called the church, the body of Christ, the Bride, the children of God, etc.
But before the tribulation begins, the church will be taken up (raptured) by Jesus Christ to meet Him in the air. There will be left behind a remnant, the 144,000 Jews’ (by blood) representing the 12 tribes of Israel, God’s two witnesses and unbelieving Jews and Gentiles. The 144,000 and the two witnesses will have been set aside to confirm for the next 3 1/2 years the covenant Jesus made with the Jews, and that, He is their Messiah, baptized by the Holy Ghost.
Concerning the 144,000: Revelation 14:1, they will be of Christ, redeemed from among men, the first-fruits unto God and the Lamb, No deceit, or guile will be found in them. These will remain on the earth until their work is finished, than be gathered together to be with the Lord on Mt. Sion. These are Jews undefiled by women, redeemed from among men, “the first-fruits unto the Father, and to the Lamb.”
The second group:
The second group are unbelieving Jews, people who are Jews by blood; the descendants of Abraham. Concerning the two Southern tribes, the Benjamite’s joined themselves to the tribe of Judah, on the revolt of the other ten tribes from the house of David. After their release from captivity many from the ten tribes went back to Israel with the two tribes when released by Cyrus.
The promise of God made to their fathers beginning with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, his 12 sons to Moses and David have not been fulfilled as of yet, but God’s covenant with them is unconditional. Some teach the ten tribes have been lost, lost to men, yes! Lost to God, No! He knows every hair on their head, and is in stage one, that being to return them to the land of Israel first.
When looking for unfinished prophecy, one only needs to watch the daily news and the alignment of the enemies of Israel. Throughout the world, the Jews are a minority of one. The world has turned against them, except for the Christian community. Even our own nation, once Christian is beginning to feel the pressure of the Arabs because of oil, and their continued violence growing more horrendous each passing day. The body of Christ is the only moral and spiritual support left for the Jew, and the signs of the time are clear.
The Jews today are being drawn by God from every corner of the world. When God is finished with this drawing back to the land, the next phase of His plans will be implemented. But in the end, the enemies of God, the Church and the Jews will be defeated.
But first a great tribulation will come upon the earth, to the Jews and to their land. After tribulation, the Messiah will put an end to this matter, bringing the world, both Jew and Gentiles to the knowledge of the one true God. Unbelieving Jews will remain under law bringing Gentiles to the Lord.
The majority of Jews have rejected Jesus Christ, and because of this rejection, and for the crimes committed against their Messiah, the people have cursed themselves.
Matthew 27:25-26, Pilate said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.” the people answered, “His = (Jesus) blood be on us, and on our children.” Compare with,
Genesis 20:5, “I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them THAT HATE ME.”
Acts 18:6, Paul said to the Jewish people, “Your blood be upon your own heads.” Jesus their King was outwardly rejected and killed by those He came to save.
Joshua 2:19, “And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.”
2 Samuel 1:16, “And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head: for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’S anointed.”
Ezekiel 3:17-18, “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”
The third group;
The last of the three groups are the Gentiles, they include all people from every nation, excluding the Jews and the Christian community, many of these have little to no knowledge of Christ or His gospel. Scripture teach that both Jewish and Gentile Christians, be they dead or alive, male and female, at the time of Christ’s return will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, 1 Thessalonians 4:17. The other two groups, unsaved Jews and Gentiles will remain. The Jews having been gathered together by God, back to their land, yet their hearts are far from Him.
During the seven years of tribulation, the Jew haters, violent men, whose hands are filled with blood, will come from every nation, speaking every language whose single goal is to exterminate every Jew from the face of the earth; this is Satan’s ultimate goal. It appears today, that the Arab nations will spearhead this coming tragedy, man’s final solution to the Jewish problem. These are the committed enemies of God, and to all of mankind.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com