QT 12/16/2024 Rom 11:1-5, Being a witness for the tribulation

Romans 11:1–5 (ESV) —

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

 

NOTE: There are two aspects of Israel, that is Jews, understood here. We know from other passages that the church is made up of Jewish and Gentile believers where there is no distinction. But there still exists the nation Israel who rejected the Messiah and for whom a partial hardening (verse 25) exists (for the duration of the church age). When the church age ends with the snatching up of the church, there will be for a moment where there will be no believers on earth; but very quickly a remnant will arise out of Israel, 144 thousand Jewish believers, and God will finish his program for Israel -- the seventieth week of Daniel that has been put on hold for almost 2000 years now. Where will these 144K believers come from? I believe they are out there right now. They hear the truth but they don't believe the truth. Their hearts are hardened by unbelief. But with the rapture of the church, I think they will realize the truth and they will turn to the Messiah. And they will finish the work that God called them to over 4000 years ago, to take the gospel everywhere. They will be called Tribulation Saints because the church age will have ended. They are a special group that will suffer and die for the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.

 

PONDER:

1. What am I doing to reach out to my Jewish friends? Everything we do now, will be remembered when by them when the church is gone.
2. We need to change the attitude of Jews toward Jesus by a loving witness -- what am I doing with my witness?

 

PRAYER: Father, give me opportunities to love all people. Someday, my witness will be the only message they have of Jesus since all believers will have left this age.