Christian Zionism 4/5 Christian Zionism and the Gospel

1.    Christian Zionism and the Gospel.

In light of all this, what is our role today, what would God have us do?? If Jesus told us not to worry about the restoration of Israel, that that is in his Fathers’ hands, and that our job is to preach the Gospel to everyone, then who cares about Israel?

Lets just preach the Gospel and that’s that? It turns out that, as we have seen, not only will the restoration of Israel be a blessing to the Gentiles, but that while it is not our responsibility (God will restore the kingdom to Israel), the restoration of Israel is part of our Gospel! That is why Peter includes the restoration of all things promised by the holy prophets in his evangelical presentation of the Gospel in Acts 3, why Paul tells his Gentile readers [“I am talking to you Gentiles.  (Romans 11:130] I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: (Romans 11:25) Paul wants his Gentile readers to be aware of the promises to Israel! The return of Jesus, the restoration of all things and the salvation of all Israel are all part of God’s gracious proclamation of good news to all people!! Jeremiah 31:10-12 "Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: 'He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.' ¹¹ For the LORD will ransom Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they.

Beyond even all that Paul declares that the Gentiles have a pivotal role in the restoration of Israel! In thankfulness, in generosity and in obedience to God we need to be aware of this! Romans 11:25-26 Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be saved  

The full number of the Gentiles will be needed and in some way instrumental “in this way” in saving all Israel! So, while the restoration of Israel is God’s responsibility, it may well be that he has a role of Gentile believers in this. In that sense, it may well be in part our responsibility, but that responsibility is discharged through preaching the Gospel!

Romans 11:31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you.

Acts 1:6-8 "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" ⁷ He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Our job is not to restore the kingdom to Israel, that is in God’s hands!! It is to preach the Gospel! Our job is not to send people to Israel, it is to lead them to Jesus! At present they remain where we were, enemies of the Gospel, facing the awful wrath of God! Moving to Israel has no effect upon that at all!

Acts 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' Acts 2:37-41 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" ³⁸ Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." ⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." ⁴¹ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

So, why bother about the restoration of Israel if our job is to preach the Gospel? Because, especially when it comes to Jewish people, but also to Gentiles, the restoration of Israel is an intrinsic part of that Gospel!! While it is God who is doing it, he has also chosen to reveal what he is doing to us through his prophets, and to confirm those promises by his apostles.  – he wants us to understand, to pray, to rejoice in his faithfulness, his endless love, his character. By the Gospel, God invites us to enter into a love relationship with Him, and for our own edification and blessing, he has chosen to reveal how he behaves in a love relationship through his dealings with Israel, from Abraham to the New Jerusalem.

Hebrews 6:17-18 [speaking of God’s promise to Abraham] Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

Look again at Acts 3:18-21 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. ¹⁹ Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus. ²¹ He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

This is not Peter trying to re-establish the kingdom, this is Peter preaching the Gospel to the men of Israel after the healing of the cripple at the gate called beautiful. And his message includes the return of Jesus and the restoration of everything promised in the prophets. The restoration of Israel is not simply something that is in God’s providence, and of no concern or interest to us! God did not place all those beautiful prophecies in his word just so we could ignore them. The return of Jesus, for that is what achieves it, and the restoration of Israel and the redemption of the whole earth are a central part of our gospel!

it is a good and indeed a God given think that Israelis care about more than just themselves, that they care deeply about their people. They need to know that God's promises to them are good! That he is faithful! This should be part of our Gospel proclamation to them, as Acts 3 and the following verses show. Equally, Gentiles need to know that God is faithful and can be trusted, and God's faithfulness to his promises to Israel are also given to the Gentiles to help them know and trust in God. 

Acts 28:20 It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain."

Luke 24:21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. 

Acts 26:6-7 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. ⁷ This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me.

Acts 26:22-23 I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen--

 ²³ that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."

The restoration of Israel is part of our Gospel proclamation to both Jews and Gentiles! The restoration of Israel is not just of interest to Jews!! Writing to Gentiles (vs 13) Paul tells them; I 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. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be saved, (Romans 11:25-26)

Jeremiah 31:10-12 "Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: 'He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.' ¹¹ For the LORD will ransom Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. ¹² They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD-- the grain, the new wine and the oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more.

Isaiah 43:1-5, 9-12 But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. ² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. ³ For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. ⁴ Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. ⁵ Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. …  ⁹ All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of them foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, "It is true." ¹⁰ "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. ¹¹ I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior. ¹² I have revealed and saved and proclaimed-- I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.

Israel’s history is part of God’s gracious testimony of his love for all the Earth. And it is the restoration of all things promised by the holy prophets. It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." They will proclaim my glory among the nations. the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.

This is good news for everyone!! It is why we read in Revelation;

Revelation 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

And finally, the present, partial restoration of Israel is a cause of great joy and hope!

Matthew 24:32-33 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ³³ Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.

We believe the return of Jesus is near. That is both an absolute joy, and a caution.

Jesus says; John 9:4 Night is coming, when no one can work.

Matthew 24:44-46 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. ⁴⁵ "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?

 ⁴⁶ It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

Pray that when Jesus returns, he will find us busy doing what he commanded, Acts 1:8 “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."