Not For Your Sake But For My Name's Sake!

Let me begin by stating this article is not intended, nor meant to be an exhaustive study on the doctrine of the return and restoration of Israel to its ancestral and covenanted land. This article is simply meant to be a short primer for those who have a desire to have a clear and basic scriptural understanding of what the Scriptures have to say regarding the process that leads up to that final restoration and fulfillment of God’s promises to a nation called Israel.

In light of recent events, the breakout of war, and the crisis that we are now currently seeing in the Middle East, there has arisen much confusion, division, and even contentions regarding the issue of the nation of Israel and what place it has in God’s purpose for the end of the age. To paraphrase what a friend of mine recently remarked to me, "isn't it ironic that Ezekiel's vision of a valley of dry bones has led to "a bone of contention" amongst some believers!". I would add that most of this contention and confusion stems from and is rooted in what is called “replacement theology” or “supersessionism” which is a doctrine and teaching that is an egregious error. Having said that, it is not the intention of this article to get into all the problems and errors that exist with that erroneous teaching but to simply examine some of what the scriptures do say in regard to God’s covenant promises which will clearly refute those errors when read and understood in their plain and proper contextual sense.

At the risk of making a blanket statement, it is my personal observation and experience that "replacement theology" is at the root of anti-Zionism when it comes to Christian's. Let me also state for the record that I’m not suggesting that every anti-Zionist is a defacto antisemite, but it is clear that all antisemites are anti-Zionist, and there is a clear connection between all of these positions. Anti-Zionism logically leads to antisemitism, and though some will deny that they are antisemitic, the lines between anti-Zionism and antisemitism become very blurry when one listens to their rhetoric! Israel is a Jewish state, and if you are against the Jewish state and believe that its existence is illegitimate or at best you see it as a "fake Jewish state" then you are rejecting their homeland, and if you’re attacking their state and rejecting their homeland, you are, in effect attacking the Jews. Ergo you are antisemitic whether you realize or admit it or not. It’s just that simple. God’s eternal promise to Abraham and to his descendants forever stands: “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you.”. Your “bone of contention” ultimately, is not with the Jews and Israel, it’s with God.

As it is written…

So then, what do the scriptures say regarding this issue? I want to equip you from the word of God on how to refute these errors when you’re confronted with them by those who would use deceptive, or mischaracterized and twisted interpretations of scripture. And certainly also, there are those who are honestly and sincerely asking these questions. Therefore, I want you to take note of and highlight these passages of Scripture as we go through some of them, so you are prepared to refute those who say that the nation of Israel isn’t of God because they are “still in rebellion”, or that “they’re fake Jews”, or whatever other nonsensical or straw man argument they invent.

One of the first things the anti-Zionist’s or replacement theology crowd will say is, “Israel was driven out of their land because of their rebellion and rejection of Jesus… (and that is true, but it’s not the end of the story) so they continue with, “…so why would God give them their land back if they still reject Jesus and are still in rebellion?” It’s a legitimate question on the surface, therefore it seems like a perfectly reasonable position to have. Except for one thing. What do the scriptures say?

The first important issue we need to deal with is how is it that God brought Israel back into the land? Why? Was it because they deserved it? Was it because they earned it? Was it because they’re so faithful to God and are walking in His ways today?  No! And no one has ever claimed that!

However, the scripture gives us a clear and definitive answer to that very question! What does God Himself declare in Ezekiel 36:22-24? "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.”

(Please note! I want to encourage you to read the entire chapters of Ezekiel 36 & 37 together in their context. Because it is important to understand that Ez.36 & 37 describe a process of restoration that will progress up and until a final reconciliation and restoration!) I want you to see and understand what the whole context and the continuity of the prophecy concerning the reconstituting and restoration of the nation of Israel shows us and that it is one of the most important things to understand which is that it IS A PROCESS! And that process began to one degree or another with the Balfour declaration in 1917.

The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during the  First World War  announcing its support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in  their ancient homeland.

Let me address something here that the anti-Zionist's use as a strawman argument. Their ridiculous and conspiratorial argument is that the modern day state of Israel is merely a man made state, created by Jewish supremacists and racist Zionist’s that want to control the world.  (No matter how many ways you try to tell these people and prove to them that writings like “The protocols of Zion” are fallacious and have been thoroughly debunked, yet, they still choose to believe nonsense like that.)  Regardless, scripturally speaking, though they may want to dismiss Israel as some kind of an accidental quirk of Geo-politics, or some kind of a nefarious creation of Jewish globalist’s, I want to tell you the fact irrefutably remains, that it is God who raises up one nation and puts down another according to his own will and purposes. God always has, and always will use the machinations of men and of nation's for the outworking of His plans and purposes! So whatever you may think about the reasons and means of the creation of the nation of Israel after 2,000 years is irrelevant! Here is the relevant fact: Israel exists! It is His Prophetic Word that will stand, and it is His word which is being accomplished in our world today! Period.

Son of Man can these bones live?

The process continued when in 1948 after 2,000 years Israel was back in their homeland, an ethnic people, having ceased to be a nation and scattered throughout the globe was regathered back to their homeland, and that has NEVER before happened in history.

So why did it? Again, for the sake of brevity let me just simply cut to the chase:

“Not for your sake do I do this,” says the Lord God, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!” (Ezekiel 36:32) . Let it forever be settled and understood that God bringing Israel back into their land had nothing to do with their goodness or their own righteousness! But it was, and is, the beginning of a process to BRING THEM BACK…NOT JUST TO THEIR LAND…BUT ULTIMATELY BACK INTO THEIR COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!

One of the first things that we need to remember and be reminded of, and I think a lot of these anti-Israel naysayers seem to forget, is that ALL of God’s dealings with Israel from the very beginning had nothing to do with them being a great and faithful people, nope, never once! In fact, the scripture says just the opposite! What did Moses tell them? “The Lord delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 10:15) BUT! “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples…” (Deuteronomy 7:7).

And then there is this! Ezekiel was directed to write to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for their conviction and humiliation; “Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: "Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.” (Ezekiel 16:1-3). Even though Abraham and Sarah were actually the parents of Israel, in effect The Lord was rebuking the inhabitants of Jerusalem by saying they took on the spirit of the former inhabitants of the land. Jerusalem had previously belonged to the Jebusites in ancient times till David conquered it. But the Lord is reproving Israel for acting not like their spiritual heritage in Abraham and Sarah but acting like the children of the Canaanites. As it could be said to this very day! The point in saying all of this is to show that it is God who is a covenant keeping, promise keeping God! As it is written: “… the calling and the gifts of God, are without repentance.” (Rom.11:29) and again, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)  

Another one of the main arguments that you hear from the anti-Zionists and the replacement theology crowd regarding modern Israel is their current state of unbelief. Yes, they are in fact in unbelief, unregenerate, and still in their rebellion. As though that’s the end of the argument? Once again, that argument displays a lack of knowledge and understanding of what the scripture actually says. Those of us who are supportive of Israel and the Jewish people understand and know perfectly well that they’re still in a state of unbelief! But we also recognize the full context of the entire preponderance of the scriptures; and notably EZ. 36 & EZ. 37.

It's all about the process!

Notice again back in 36:24-26 the gathering from the nations into their own land and THEN the conversion into the new heart and Spirit! “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.  Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.” It should be obvious from the text that for God to begin His eschatological purpose’s for Israel they needed to be back in their land!

So then, how are we to understand and deal with Israel’s current state? Where are they logically speaking in this process of restoration? Let’s look at Ezekiel 37, (again for the sake of brevity I’m not going to quote and dissect the entire chapter here). Most of you are probably familiar with Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of Dry bones but let me reiterate please read it in context with chap. 36, because it is the continuation of the theme of God’s restoration process of the nation of Israel, both as a nation to their literal physical ancient homeland, and finally and ultimately of their final and complete restoration and salvation. (sidenote! Israel’s current state is NOT the final fulfillment of these passages in Ezekiel, for there is coming another purging and temporary expulsion from the land (Zeck.13:8 & 14:2) during the Time of Jacob’s Trouble but that is not the purpose of this article here to discuss. This article is simply to show the legitimacy of the state of Israel as well as God’s process in His redemptive plan.)

“Again, He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord…So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.” (Ezekiel 37:4–8)

Ezekiel Chapter 37 shows us very clearly, the coming together of the dry bones, then the flesh, then the Spirit of life after the nation is brough back to their land, it began when they were scattered abroad, but the breath of life and a new heart will be given after the fact! I think it’s fair to say that right now since 1948 that the State of Israel is in the position of Ezekiel 37:7-8: “So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.”. However! The days of the Spiritual Regeneration are coming for Israel my friends!

“Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’” (Ez.37:11-14)

The main point is that the scriptures clearly teach that Israel would be restored back to their land BEFORE they would be restored back spiritually! The purpose of the coming Jacob’s Trouble will be to restore them spiritually, but for that to happen they NEED TO BE IN THEIR LAND.

Author Fred London in his book “Morning comes but also night” astutely, yet soberly reminds us that: “The “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” is for a final sifting, in order to produce what the previous Holocaust did not. The Holocaust of the 1940s produced a sorrow, but it was a “worldly sorrow” without repentance. What came out of the Holocaust was a self-sufficient people, a largely secular nation, having placed their trust in their own “arm of flesh” along with the attached slogan, “Never Again!” The next and final “Trouble” will produce the “godly sorrow” which God is after; a sorrow which leads to repentance and salvation. This will only come about when their power has been shattered, their self-confidence is gone, and they are without hope.”

God never elected or blessed Israel because they were the best and greatest! They were a stiff necked people right from the get-go! Their chosen people status has always been an election of grace! The election of their race was for the express purpose of showing the world how God can choose people according to his grace despite their failings! So yes, on the one hand theirs is an election of race, but it was still predicated on his Grace! And for those who say that God’s covenantal promises have been forfeited and removed or that his dealings with the Jews have been finished, you err not understanding the scriptures! The anti-Zionist and replacement theology argument is fundamentally a strawman argument for many reasons but not the least of which is that is how each and every one of us as Christians are dealt with by God!

(Romans 11:11 ff.)

“I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles….For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all…(therefore)… do not boast against the (natural) branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you…Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.”

Whose “beloved for the sake of the father’s’? The presently unsaved, and unbelieving, natural branches of a nation called by God – Israel!

Let’s just make it all perfectly clear that we’re not talking about anything that anyone’s ever earned, but that God is Himself a covenant keeping God! And that He Himself made a promise that He would restore Israel both nationally and spiritually not for their sake, but for his sake, his holy name sake, So let’s just get that straight! “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come for Zion’s sake, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob…” (Romans 11:25-26) To sum up and close out this article because I did intend for it to be brief even though this is a huge and important topic, therefore, I’ll leave it right here at the moment with this Word of the Lord according to Jeremiah:

“But do not fear, O My servant Jacob, And do not be dismayed, O Israel! For behold, I will save you from afar, And your offspring (who? your offspring!) from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be at ease; (one day)...No one shall make him afraid. Do not fear, O Jacob My servant,” says the Lord, “For I am with you; For I will make a complete end of all the nations To which I have driven you, But I will not make a complete end of you….” (Jeremiah 46:27–28) 

There is to be sure, much, very much more that could be said and studied out regarding this issue, but I hope this has served as at least a bit of a primer and starting point for the honest Berean.

Andy White

Open Up The Doors