Not sure why you believe this, its currently a secular state, and the two state solution being pushed internationally calls for a divided city of Jerusalem as a palestinian/arab/muslim capital.
Because of time restrictions I often don't quote sources or give numerous biblical references, but I will always do so if asked. In this instance it is my general understanding from reading in particular, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos and Zechariah, also Romans, Galatians and Hebrews..,everything points to there being a specific period of time during Israels hardening, where the Gentiles are gathered in...but as that time draws to a conclusion, then Israel will be re-ignited and re-awakened as G-d turns His focus to their re-grafting into their natural Olive tree.
I guess here is where we differ somewhat. Yes, he has chosen the jews to reveal his glory to the world. But since he has already done that in Christ, the nation has become obselete. Through them the messiah came, and they fullfilled their role to the world.
Can you honestly say in reading your Bible that this is the impression you get...that the Jewish nation has become obselete? Doesn't Paul specifically talk in Romans that G-d has not given up on them, and that because of the Fathers, and for His own sake, He will not forget them?
For us, he will return for Israel his Church. Though we do believe the antichrist willl decieve the jews presenting himself as their long awaited messiah and set up a palace on the temple mount.
Yes He will return for His Church made up of both Jew and Gentile...I believe the Israel of G-d is representative of those blood related to Abraham who are also of the faith of Abraham...I don't believe in spiritualising it as a pseudonym for the Church, and I don't believe the one biblical reference gives a clear enough reason to do this.
The jews have always believed in an earthly kingdom and have always rejected the Messiah of the NT. As Christ taught, 'My Kingdom is not of this world'. He withered the fig tree overnight, foreshadowng the decades long withering away of the hebrew nation which came to fruition with the destruction of the temple in 70 a.d. and finally the destruction of Jerusalem in the early 2nd century.
I believe the Jewish people have always believed in an earthly kingdom because in the past they saw glimpses of it operating faithfully under the reign of certain leaders and kings, and they saw G-d operating directly through the prophets, in the Temple and so on...but as years went by and their Scriptures expanded they also saw the promise of something more glorious and more sustainable, and also incorporating the Land and Jerusalem.
Ultimately we know there will be a Heavenly Jerusalem...but prior to that there are going to be some amazing changes to the land of Israel and to this earthly kingdom eventually ruled by Messiah, all the nations of the world are going to come annually. Israel is still the focus.
Yes, he longs for them to return but that wont happen until the false messiah is revealed. At the times of tribulation many jews (and muslims) willl finally accept Jesus the Christ, recognizing the deception and fraud of the lawless one.
Masses of Moslems are turning to the L-rd right now, and more Jews believe in Jesus as Messiah than at any time since those first few hundred years...but yes I believe there will come a time when the Jewish people will turn as a nation to their Messiah...and the terrible thing is that it will be the nations that have hated Israel and gathered against her that will cause this to happen as G-d Himself intervenes.
This is why I believe it is so important for Christians to get in line with what G-d is in the process of accomplishing, and not to turn against Israel, or disbelieve that G-d is for them despite some of the unbelief, and the errors they make as a nation...it doesn't mean blind allegiance, or papering over the cracks...it means that we learn to love the Jewish people as we understand the Fathers heart towards them...it is not based on politics, religion or demography, but a personal understanding of how G-d loves them that trancends every bias and theological aberration.
Those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last. The first people to hear the gospel will be the last to recieve it. This is what Orthodox eschatology believes and teaches. But Political Israel is just that, a temporary jewish homeland till there exiled again, as history has shown over and over.
I don't believe this is the case at all...it is not just political Israel...it incorporates the eccletic amalgam of the Jewish people across the spectrum of beliefs and ethnic origins, all congregating once again in the land of their forefathers and making that land flourish.
Sorry for the lack of reverence, but even the jews attempted to make the island of Cyprus their new homeland because it was so much better. Whether the Kitsos war or Theofore Herzl's original plan to occupy it. Palestine/ Israel whatever you want to call it, is not so much a promised Land but God's punching bag. You cant rewrite history, and history shows whoever lives there has a death wish, its masochism to believe it. Now if we were speaking for Hawaii or some other exotic locale you may have some credibility. But it just happens that the desert is at the crossroads, the center of the three continents and was ideal for the messiah to be born there and to start evangelizing the world from the center on out. When 'the fullness of time came' Jesus was born, which was the ideal time for the evangelization to begin. After that its significance came to an end.
What can I say? I believe you are mistaken, or have been wrongly taught on this issue...Israel is not finished in the plans of G-d, surely you can see the focus of world attention is upon it, and it will be the place where the final plans of G-d for all of us will be played out.
it could end the hemorrhage of my taxes to subsidizing Israel and their illegal occupation of Palestinian land.
