Until . . . . .

If I was given the opportunity to give a word on Israel I think that word would be "Until".

What the church lost in its understanding about God’s purposes is highlighted by the Bible teachings which use this word. God’s untils are very important.

"Until" refers to a certain situation which prevails now but will not continue to prevail beyond a certain time. When God’s word speaks of "until", He clearly plans to change the pattern of events which we see presently.

We see the tiny nation of Israel battered by enemies all around and deserted by friendly nations around the world. We see the Jews as people who once had the glory of God’s election but now lag behind while the Church has taken over God’s ministry to the world. But what we see is not what God sees. What we see now is not what will be.

In the wild olive chapter, Romans 11 and verse 25 it says, "It is that stoniness , to a degree, has come upon Israel, until the Gentile world enters it fullness; and that it is in this way that all Israel will be saved." The situation of Israel is only temporary, and is for our benefit. Not only that, but "if Israel’s being placed temporarily in a condition less favoured than the Gentiles is bringing riches to the latter – how much greater riches will Israel in its fullness bring them!" (Romans 11 v12) Don Finto (see Israel and the Nations) points out that the restoration of Israel to the Promised Land coincided with spiritual advances in the Gentile church. We are actually moving past the "Until".

Jesus also used "Until" when he was answering the disciples’ question about, "when will these events take place?" He said, "Some will fall by the edge of the sword, others will be carried into all the countries of the Goyim, and Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Goyim (Gentiles) until the age (times) of the Gentiles has run its course." (Luke 21 v24 CJB with added words in brackets)

Not many believed, a couple of hundred years ago, that Israel would return to her land. Yet the prophecies of return were fulfilled in 1948; although Jerusalem was still trampled by Gentiles. In 1967, Jerusalem was recaptured and the Temple Mount was briefly regained for the Jews. Did this indicate that the age of the Gentiles had ended? Does this age end so suddenly? Actually Israel handed the Temple Mount back to the Muslim authorities, so perhaps we are in a transitional phase; but for how long and what are we doing with the extra time?

Even further back, Isaiah was given two Untils. We often study Isaiah 6 from verse 1 to verse 8 ("here am I, send me") We do not give as much heed to subsequent verses where the message Isaiah was sent with is spelled out, causing the prophet to ask, "Adonai,how long?" The message was about the people’s hearts being hardened and the land being utterly wasted.

God said, "Until cities become uninhabited ruins, houses without human presence, the land utterly wasted; until Adonai drives the people far away, and the land is one vast desolation . . . . . But . . . . . " ( Isaiah 6 v11 to 13)

All these things happened, but we appear to have passed the "Until" condition and have seen many Jewish hearts becoming softened and the land (Eretz Israel) being rebuilt. We may not have noticed it happening, but the rise of belief in Yeshua the Messiah in Israel has been amazing, coincidental with the restoration of the land of Israel. It appears that God’s plans for blessing are all on a common timetable and that the restoration and revival of the Church is bound up with the restoration and revival of Israel. But the best is yet to come, according to Romans 11 v15, "For if their casting Yeshua aside means reconciliation for the world, what will their accepting him mean? It will be life from the dead!" And what is life from the dead but Revival.

Our final "Until" is another statement by Jesus, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (Matthew 23 v37-39 - quoting Psalm 118 v26)

Jesus/Yeshua does indeed come in the name of the LORD, since Yeshua means YHVH is salvation ( see Names))

So here we have another prophecy of desolation with an Until condition. And we know that many more Jewish people are saying, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" / "Baruch haba b’shem Adonai" – meaning Yeshua the Messiah.

You aint seen nothin’ yet.

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