Israel: Present and Future

God's Word is completely accurate and extremely precise on every subject.

Here is an example from Hosea 3:4,5 dealing with Israel's present condition and her glorious future:

4 For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or household gods.

5 Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days.

THE PRESENT BAD NEWS ABOUT ISRAEL
(For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince)

COMMENT: This part is fulfilled. The present Israel acknowledges no king, earthly or Heavenly. She rejected her true King and crucified Him. She has no king.

(without sacrifice or sacred stones)

COMMENT: The temple was destroyed in 70 AD, just as Jesus foretold. So there is, and can be, no blood sacrifice as the Temple was the site for such offerings. Therefore, the Mosaic system of Law and sacrifices is no longer operative.

(without ephod or household gods)

COMMENT: Present Israel depends solely on her own wisdom, rejecting all types of spiritual guidance, real or false.

THE FUTURE GOOD NEWS FOR ISRAEL
5 Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days.

COMMENT: This part of the passage is future, looking to the end of the Tribulation, when Israel will repent and allow God to write His Law on their hearts. Thus the New Covenant will be fully enacted in Israel for the first time. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

The new Israel will enter the millennial reign of Christ with Him as their King, ruling from Jerusalem, seated on the throne of David. This latter truth fulfills the Davidic covenant. The Abrahamic covenant will also be fulfilled and Israel will possess all of the Promised Land for the first time, just as God promised.

SUMMATION: God keeps His Word. Just as Israel's sin blocked God's good will for them and robbed them of His blessings many times, so it is with Christians. Yet God is faithful and will keep His promise of salvation in Christ to even the weakest, out-of-the-way believer.

Israel's experience teaches us that God never fails those who have trusted Him. He will correct and guide, He will chastise us for our sins, yet He will never abandon us. Let us resolve to hear His voice more clearly and give Him the glory due His Name.

Christ died to take away our sin in every way.

PAST: the penalty of sin, paid (death)

PRESENT: the power of sin defeated (Christ lives in us)

FUTURE: the presence of sin, departed (when we see Him, we shall be like Him).

 

We who believe Christ are called to be faithful because He is faithful. We find the God of truth revealed in the Bible. Let us pursue Him there above all other voices to the contrary.