 Today a proposed new bill in Israel that would make it a criminal offense to persuade anyone to convert to another religion, including Christianity. The measure would apply to all religions, but it specifically singles out Christians. A law was introduced in Israel that would make it illegal or criminal for a person to preach about Jesus Christ. What does that mean and should we be worried? Recently two lawmakers in Israel proposed a bill that would make it criminal for a person or a Christian to prophetize a Jew to preach Christ to them. Is there any reason why we should be up in arms or alarmed about it? Well, the answer is no. This is to be expected. Obviously none of this is caught God off guard. As a matter of fact these are things that we're spoken of and so we should not be alarmed to see this. As a matter of fact, God has still not forgotten what he's going to do with Israel. To kind of keep this in perspective, let's recall what God has spoken of through his prophets throughout the Old Testament about what he's going to do with Israel. Remember, Israel was taken out of their land and scattered because of their disobedience. They were taken out primarily because of, among other things, idolatry and so forth, but also they violated the Sabbath 70 times. Every 70 years there was a 70 year Sabbath on the land that Israel violated 70 times. As a result of that, they were in exile for 70 years. At the end of the exile, we have Daniel praying as to whether or not making sure that they would be basically brought back into the land. Gabriel comes and gives him a decree. He says that 70 times 70 or 70 weeks, which is the word for sevens, 77s have been decreed for Israel. Now, without going into that particular prophecy, it's also covered in the new covenant prophecy in Jeremiah 31. That prophecy tells us, though, that Israel is going to be brought back into the land and they're going to receive a new heart and a portion of these 70s. After the 69th week, sometime afterwards, God is going to deal with the heart of Israel. This is also the basis of this new covenant that he makes with Israel in Jeremiah 31. Going in 31 31, let's go there and read what it says. He says, behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make it a covenant, a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, declares the Lord. We have to remember that the reason why God stayed faithful to Israel wasn't so much because of Israel, but because of the covenant that he made with Abraham. He constantly reminds them, not because of you, but because of the promise that I made with your father, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which is why he is faithful. We are not, whether we be Jew or Gentile. Continuing, he says, but this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, declares the Lord, I will put my law within them and on their heart, I will write it and I will be their God and they shall be my people. The way he says, they will not teach again each man, his neighbor and each man, his brother saying, know the Lord, for they will all know me from the lease of them to the greatest of them, declares the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity and their sin. I will remember no more. Now, he's speaking obviously towards the future. And so when he says this is going to happen, no matter what has happened, even though it hasn't become a law of land yet, it's just a bill being introduced in Israel. But even if it were, God is clear that these are the things that are going to happen. He is going to put his spirit in their heart and he's speaking specifically of Israel. We know it's not speaking of the church. There are those that believe that the church has replaced Israel. There is no passage that says that God, in fact, even more so states that Israel will never cease to be a nation from before him. In verse 35, he says, Thus is the Lord who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night who stirs up the seas so that that it's waves roar. The Lord of hosts is his name. If this fixed order departs, that is the seas, the waves and so forth, the sun and the stars, if this fixed order departs from before me declares the Lord, then the offspring of Israel will also cease from being a nation before me forever. So since they have not ceased and they will not cease, Israel will never cease to be a nation before the Lord forever. He still does have a plan for the nation of Israel. So what's the problem now? Why do we see Israel, the nation by and large and Jews as well for the most part? Why do we see them so hesitant? As a matter of fact, so forceful in their fighting against Jesus as their Messiah. He is Jewish after all. Why do they reject him? Well, this was the same concern that Paul raises also in Romans nine. Let's go there. He says, I am telling you the truth in Christ. I'm not lying. My conscience testifies with me and the Holy Spirit that I have a great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart for I could wish that I myself were cursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brother. And he's meaning his Jewish brother. We know so because he says, my kinsmen, according to the flesh, who are Israelites to whom belong the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the law and the temple service and the promise. Who are the fathers and from whom is the Christ? According to the flesh, who was overall God blessed forever. Amen. And so Paul has a urgent concern for Israel. Forest country and why? Because they have begun at this point in time to turn their back on their Messiah. Now, it's not all Jews. Obviously, because Paul makes a point that he himself is a Jew. And so it's not all Jews. As a matter of fact, the first people to receive the Holy Spirit, the first members of the church were Jews. But now it seems to be more Gentiles. Not even seems to be. It has been and even still to this day, it is. Why is that? Well, God has decided that he is going to make this wayward nation Israel jealous by cutting them off. Some of them temporarily, not the nation completely, but many Jews for the sake of bringing in Gentiles. Paul tells us in Galatians, we won't go there, but that's always been a plan that's always been part of this mystery that he has had this desire for them. We even see it alluded to in other passages in the Old Testament, such as in Hosea 223, where he says that I will make a people or choose the people who are not my people to become my people, which Paul also quotes in Romans. Now, Paul speaks about these Jews who have been cut off so that the Gentiles can be grafted in. And he says how great that was, how even great was. And he says that because of Israel's disobedience that it brought about acceptance or the entrance of Gentiles. How more so would it be great for the Jews to be obedient to accept Christ even more so or how great that would be as well. And he goes on in verse 25 or chapter 11 to let us know that all is not lost. And that's the point that I want to get to now in verse 25 or chapter 11. He says, I do not want you brethren to be uninformed of this mystery so that you will not be wise in your own estimation. Look, he says that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come. So what he's saying is to the Gentile brothers who are also hearing this, do not get beside yourself. I don't want you to be uninformed that the reason for all of this is that he is dealing with the Gentiles right now. He will deal with Israel as a nation later on. That will happen when the fullness of the Gentiles has come. In other words, when God has turned his attention away from focusing on Gentiles and then on to the nation of Israel. There still will be Gentiles who will get saved at that time though he's dealing with Israel. But his primary focus then will be Israel. But his primary focus right now has been to Gentiles continuing. He says, and so all Israel will be saved just as it is written. The deliver will come from Zion. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is my covenant with them when I take away their sins. So he's saying he is going to do so even no matter no matter how it looks right now, no matter what any law makers, what bills they may want to propose, he is going to do what he said he's going to do. So we should certainly understand that God is going to deal with Israel. He's going to finish up what he said he's going to do. He is going to bring about a change in the hearts of Israel as a nation. It's not as though God has brought them through all of these different things. They're hitched with him all for naught. Notice what Paul says in that same chapter 11 verse 70 says, what then what Israel is seeking it is not obtained, but those who were chosen, obtained it and the rest were hardened. Just as written, God gave them a spirit of stupor. He says, eyes to see, not an ears to hear, not down to this very day. And David said, let their table become a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a retribution to them. Let their eyes be darkened and see not and bend their backs forever. And then notice what he said, what Paul says. I say then they did not stumble. So as to fall, did they made never be, but by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make them jealous. So Israel will be made jealous and certainly the way they react when it comes to Christ being preached, especially when it's done. So by or at the hands of Gentiles, that is nerve wracking that is bothersome to them. But remember, he says that he is the one that has given them this spirit of stupor. He is the one that brings about why, because of what he's doing with Gentiles, which is another reason why you ought to be thankful and loving God, who would do that to them for the sake of you. But it's also to bring them back as well, because he says that we are making them jealous. As a matter of fact, we're told that we are also going to be called ministers of this new covenant, because we're going to be the ones that are going to be bringing the gospel to them, sharing with them and so forth. And we see that working. But by and large, it's not for the most part with the nation of Israel, but there's going to be a time when it will. So because you see what's happening politically, even because what you see what's happening socially and and emotionally with Jews and not just Israel, but all throughout the world by them rejecting their Messiah, do not think that because they act this way right now, that their rejection is complete. God has not forgotten about them. God has promised things for the nation of Israel. Those things will come true. Why? Because God is not a man who shall lie. The Bible says that he who began a good work in us, he will complete those things that also applies to what he's doing with Israel as well. He who began something in Israel, what he promised through Abraham is going to come about. And so even though we see these things happening in the newspaper in the meeting and so forth, take heart. God knows what he's doing. Amen.