Re: A Secret Jesus Couldn’t Reveal. I sincerely apologize for being so dense, but I want to be clear on this. My husband is a born again Jew, but I’m wondering if God blinded the Jews, how did he squeak through? And then you wrote that God has different requirements for Israel than the Jews who become part of the Church. I thought Israel was the Jews and all the other tribes? What is the specific difference between Israel and the Jews?
First, what I said is that in the New Covenant God will have different requirements for Israel than He has for Jews who become part of the Church. That’s because the Church is a totally unique body of believers, blessed above all others, where God does not distinguish between Jews and Gentiles (Gal. 3:28).
Second, Israel’s relationship with God is a national one, and involves all the tribes. Individuals who are part of Israel, either because of their heritage or their religion, are typically called Jews, no matter what tribe they belong to or where they live. These individuals can have a personal relationship with Jesus, and enjoy all the benefits of being part of the Church, but Israel’s national destiny will not be fulfilled until Israel as a nation officially renews its covenant with God and receives the long awaited Kingdom. (Personally, I believe PM Netanyahu’s recent attempt to pass legislation officially designating Israel as a Jewish nation could be a step in that direction.)
Israel’s renewal will come in two phases. First, the nation will reinstate its covenant from the Old Testament. This will follow the Battle of Ezekiel 38 (Ezek. 39:22) and lead them into the last 7 years of Daniel’s 70 Weeks prophecy (Daniel 9:27). For this to happen the Church has to be gone (Romans 11:15, Acts 15:13-18).
Toward the end of the seven years God will pour out His Spirit of grace and supplication and they will finally understand that Jesus is their Messiah. This is described in Hosea 6:1-2 and Zechariah 12:10. Then Jesus will return at the 2nd Coming and their Kingdom age will begin.
Paul summarized all this nicely when he said, “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and then all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25-26).
Israel’s hardening “in part” explains how Jewish people like your husband can come to Jesus and be saved. When the full number of Gentiles has come in (to the Church) the rapture will take place, the blinders will come off Israel, and during the 70th Week representatives from all of the tribes will be saved in preparation for the Kingdom Age (Millennium).