What About Israel in the End Times?

by John Brancato

hat about the role of natural Israel in the end times?

I have studied this topic for many years, only because the Lord has kept it before me and periodically has added to what He previously revealed from the Word. I have come to the conclusion that there is much error concerning the teaching that Israel is at the center of the end times. I do not speak from an attitude of superiority or exclusiveness but I believe there is a danger both to the Jews and to the church to miss the actual fulfillment of the appearing of Jesus. It is very easy to hold preconceived ideas about how prophecy shall be fulfilled.

In 2 Peter 1:16, Peter states that they, the apostles, did not follow "cunningly devised fables" - made up stories - as they made known the power and coming of our Lord, but they were eyewitnesses of His majesty. Peter goes on to state that we have a more sure word or confirmed prophetic word. This is because the Apostles, 3 of them, were witnesses to Christ's transfiguration on the mount and also saw Moses and Elijah. Thus, there was the witness of the law, as represented by Moses' appearance and the witness of the prophets, as represented by Elijah's presence. The Father Himself was on hand to form a three-fold witness, prophesying the Will and Purpose of God. In this context the word prophesy means to foretell, not in the predictive sense, but by inspiration to interpret the will and purposes of God.

He goes on to say that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. No prophecy, foretelling the will and purposes of God, is for one's own or separate interpretation. No one person or group of people has the right or responsibility to interpret scripture to their own liking. My premise in writing this is to show the possibility of groups of people, religious leaders and others, expecting the fulfillment of prophecy a certain way, only to miss or reject the divine fulfillment of that prophecy.

Let me cite some examples from the scriptures which I believe will help explain this principle.

"They were first called Christians at Antioch not Messianic Jews"

Elijah, a prophet of great revelation from the Lord, prayed that it might not rain for 3 and one half years and it did not rain. He again prayed for rain and the heavens gave rain and the earth produced fruit. I do not believe that he made a human or personal decision that it should not rain, but that he had a deep and clear revelation from God because of his relationship with Him. He then was able to foretell, speak the purpose and will of God, in an effort to bring erring Israel back to Him in repentance. The same thing could be said about Moses, Joseph and even Abraham. God takes a man and draws him into a deep intimate relationship with Him. Then, because of that relationship and out of that relationship, the man understands God's will and purpose and is able to prophesy those purposes to God's people. Abraham was called the friend of God and was made to know what God was about to do. (Gen.18:17)

We hear much today about the return of Jesus, especially to the Jews who are waiting for Him to come as their Messiah. Yet, the scripture plainly tells us that when He came the first time, He came for them as well as for the Gentile nations. I wonder what causes certain teachers of prophecy to conclude that the Jews will accept Him the second time when they rejected Him the first time? Was His first appearance not good enough? The Jews' refusal to see, believe and accept the prophetic word and the revelation of Jesus has had catastrophic effects for them.

When Jesus taught His disciples about Noah in Matthew 24: 37-38, He used the same example. He said they were living life as though everything was normal even though Noah was foretelling of an impending flood that was going to take place. When the flood came they were all lost because they did not believe the prophetic word. And so it is that many today are telling the Church that the Jews will again be visited by Christ to take away their sins when the Bible says He appeared once to take away the sins of the world. If Jesus came right now as they say He might, the Jews would be lost as well as millions of others because they do not have Christ.

In the biblical account, Noah foretold of the impending flood for 120 years and no one believed except his own family. The whole of that generation perished. Jesus said the same to His disciples and to "that generation" in Matthew 24 foretelling of the loss that will take place, including their temple and its buildings.

When the Jews came out of Egypt by God's strong hand as guided by Moses, they perished in the wilderness because they did not believe in the word spoken to them by Joshua and Caleb. The younger generation was raised up and through faith and obedience went in to inherit the promise land. They told their leaders they would do all that the Lord has said!

Another generation must come forth from the Jews, one that is saved by the blood of the Lamb like every other people.

We often hear that the Jews are God's chosen people, but the prophecy teachers ignore the scriptures that tell of the Church as "a chosen generation, a Royal Priesthood, a holy nation, God's own special people." (1Peter 2:9) By teaching this in the church, they are erecting again the middle wall of partition that the Apostle Paul indicated had been torn down to produce one new Body. Why is this being taught? I believe it is because they are interpreting scripture from an Old Testament paradigm instead of from the message of Jesus' sacrifice.

Also, another question: Why the popular labeling of Messianic Jews after they are saved? Jesus came to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Would some one call me a Messianic Italian or any other nationality Messianic? I doubt it. They were first called Christians at Antioch not Messianic Jews because they identified with Jesus not their national heritage. My concern is with the dual and literal interpretation of prophecy of scripture. I believe there is much confusion in interpretation between historical or futuristic and between literal or spiritual.

Many interpreters remove statements of scripture from the original texts thus changing the meaning of the text to fit their own doctrine. This is far from sound Biblical interpretation. The New Testament books were written as a treatise and meant to be seen as a whole and not in parts. Peter wrote that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation, thus private interpretation destroys the intrinsic value of the scriptures. May we allow the scriptures to interpret themselves and to say what God intended for them to say! May the Lord deliver us from individualistic or denominational interpretations!

"Religion had blinded the leaders from seeing Jesus for who He is."

Let's take a look at Luke 4:16-27. Jesus,sitting in the teacher's seat of the synagogue, takes the scroll from the attendant and reads from Isaiah 61:1&2, which refer to Him. It reads,"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." Then Jesus says "Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." So all bore witness to Him and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?" Then He said to them, "…assuredly, no prophet is accepted in His own country." What Jesus was actually saying to them is that the prophetic word, which He read concerning Himself, was complete and had its fulfillment in Himself.

Jesus knew in their hearts that they did not believe it. Was it because He grew up among them and they knew His family? Most likely it was, because the scriptures so indicate. He went on to teach them from the Old Testament that because they did not believe the prophetic word there would be grave consequences to them and their families. He showed them that in Elijah's time many died because of their unbelief. Also, in Elisha's time there were many lepers in Israel but none were healed except Naaman, a Syrian. Why was Naaman healed and no one in Israel? Because Naaman accepted the prophetic word and even though he was insulted by the word, he eventually obeyed and was healed.

We are all afflicted with preconceptions at times that can keep us from seeing things clearly. How many times have we walked away from an opportunity that could have blessed us immensely but we could not open our mind to see it. Naaman almost walked away a leper until a young servant convinced him to obey the prophetic word.

This was the greatest problem in the days Jesus walked the earth because religion had blinded the leaders from seeing Jesus for who He is. Matthew 26:57-68 tells the story of Jesus under arrest and being questioned by the High Priest before the Sanhedrin. The High Priest, putting Jesus under an oath, asks Him if He is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus, in submission to the spiritual authority, answers with a prophetic statement that only a Jew would know through the study of the scriptures. Jesus quotes from Daniel 7:13,14 and to the untrained mind it does not seem to have anything to do with the question at all. Jesus quotes that He is receiving the Power and authority of the Kingdom that His Father is giving to Him and the sign of it is His coming in the clouds. Only a Jew could understand what Jesus quoted in Daniel. Daniel saw the Son of Man coming on clouds and approaching the throne of the Ancient of Days and there He would receive a Kingdom and Power and dominion. At that statement, the High Priest tore his clothes and accused Jesus of committing blasphemy. Jesus answered his question the only way He could, by the foretelling of the prophetic word. If then this prophetic word pertains to Jesus only, why are the Jewish people awaiting another return of Christ? Why are the prophecy teachers teaching this to the church? It would be unsound interpretation to await another return of Christ to take away sins in the light of Hebrews 9:27,28 which says that "…Christ was offered ONCE to bear the sins of many and to those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time apart from sin (not to deal with sin) unto salvation." Jesus will not come again to take away sins or offer Himself as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. According to this scripture, Jesus will not come to visit the Jews and deal with their sin. Let both Jew and Gentile know that HE HAS ALREADY DONE THIS!!

Every soul from every nation on earth - not just the Jews --needs Christ to remove his sin by the blood He shed on the cross 2000 years ago. Without the acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, there is no hope of salvation for any one, including the Jewish nation. God has provided a way for all men to be reconciled to Him, and it is through the blood sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on that cruel Roman cross. There is no other way, no other name, no other time other than the time prior to His return. Today, in this time of grace, is the day of salvation!! At His return, He will come to judge the world. It will be too late for anyone to get saved!

In conclusion, let me refer again to the Holy Spirit's declaration (through Paul in Ephesians 2:14) that, "…He (Jesus) is our peace, who hath made both (Jew and Gentile) one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us…for to make in Himself of twain ONE NEW MAN…" And this "one new man" is the Church, Christ's many membered body, where there is neither Jew, Gentile or Greek!! Paul was ecstatic about this revelation in Ephesians 3 and yearned that all men could see this mystery!

Will God have His glorious masterpiece, the Church, on His potter's wheel for centuries -- making, molding, refining, glorifying, equipping - preparing Her as His glorious instrument for His end-time work and then suddenly cast her aside and turn to the Jews to do His work? The scriptures do not affirm this. Will the Church simply get raptured to heaven while the Jews remain on the earth to set up the literal Kingdom? No. The majority of Jesus' teaching referred to the truly saved and qualified as those who would participate in God's Kingdom enterprises while all others would be left out.

"I am afraid all the teaching of the church's rapture and the Jews fulfilling God's purposes in the earth is robbing both Jews and Christians of their God-given destiny to rule and reign with Christ"

I am afraid all the teaching of the church's rapture and the Jews fulfilling God's purposes in the earth is robbing both Jews and Christians of their God-given destiny to rule and reign with Christ by virtue of NOW ACCEPTING HIM AND BECOMING PREPARED!

No, beloved, it is not the natural Jews as a select, chosen few who have a glorious future, but rather it is THE CHURCH! And the only Jews who will be part of it are those who will come into Christ in this dispensation of grace.

Indeed, Church, glorious things of thee are spoken. Listen to just a few:

"…and gave Him to be the head over all things to the CHURCH, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all." (Eph.1:22,23)

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the CHURCH and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious CHURCH not having spot or wrinkle…" (Eph.5:25-27)

"To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the CHURCH the manifold wisdom of God." (Eph.3:10)

"Unto Him be glory in the CHURCH by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Eph.3:21)