Evening

August 18

Romans 11:25-27 ²⁵I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. ²⁷And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."

Paul called himself the apostle to the Gentiles, yet he had a great burden for his own people Israel. He hoped the conversion of the Gentiles and their relationship with God would make the Jewish people jealous and desirous of knowing Jesus as Messiah.

Many Christians today believe the church has taken the place of Israel, yet many of the promises to Israel have not yet been fulfilled. We are living in the times of the Gentiles. Jesus referred to it in Luke 21:24. In the passage for this evening, Paul is instructing us that God has predetermined a number of Gentiles that will become His own. When that number is reached there will be a great conversion of the Jews. They will accept Jesus as Messiah. If that is the same time as Jacob's trouble, the same as described in Zechariah, there will be a great number of lives lost and the remnant will turn to Jesus.

Israel's various forms of godlessness and idolatry will end. They will be saved just as we have been, through faith in Jesus. But if the times of the Gentiles end, then the time of the restored kingdom of David will begin. The thousand-year reign of Christ on earth is one with Jewish traditions. The reality of all the types and shadows in the Old Covenant will be understood. The feasts will be observed with an understanding of what they truly represent.

Gentile reader consider: Are you making the Jews jealous with your daily walk with the Lord? Live in constant communion with Him so that others who observe your life might desire to have what you have found.