“And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.” (Jeremiah 15:21)
This is the prophet Jeremiah’s word to the people of Israel. It’s God’s promise. He alone is the One Who will deliver them and help them. They don’t need help from the natural, from the strong or the mighty. God says to them that He alone will be the One to deliver them and to redeem them.
At this moment when Israel is being attacked by her enemies, we have this promise for them. But does this have implications for us? We can look at this Scripture in the natural and in the spiritual, in the past, the present or the future. In the past, Israel was taken captive by the Babylonians. This promise was made by the Lord then. In the present, Israel is under attack after about fifty years, this time by Hamas and Hezbollah. God’s promise still holds true. God will not fail them when they trust in Him. Zechariah made this prophecy about Israel’s future: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” (Zechariah 12:9)
There is one thing we need to understand before we make implications for us. And that is that we are part of Israel. We do not replace Israel. God hasn’t forgotten His promise to the fathers of Israel. They are still the apple of His eye. Zechariah prophesied about God’s promises to Israel in the end time. “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath He sent Me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye.” (Zechariah 2:8)
But what about the believer in the God of the Jews? There is Bible support that we are grafted into Israel and become one with them, the people of God, through Jesus our Lord and Savior, the Messiah of the Jews. Paul declared, “I say then, Hath God cast away His people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” (Roman 11:1) The greatest missionary, preacher and teacher, who wrote most of the New Testament tells us that God has not abandoned Israel. Metaphorically making Israel a cultivated olive tree and the gentiles a wild olive tree, Paul writes, “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.” (Romans 11:17-19) What a love we should have for Israel. God has made us a part of them. He has gathered us as a hen gathers her chicks all under His wings.
Jesus lamented for Jerusalem, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37) There is a time coming. Both the Jews and believers look forward to it. To the Jews it’s the coming of their Messiah. David’s throne will be established eternally. The prophet Nathan brought God’s Word to David, “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” (2Samuel 7:16) Now David was a natural man. He will not rule, but His descendant will reign, Jesus, the Messiah, the eternal God. Nathan said His kingdom would be forever. Man’s kingdoms rise and fall. They are not eternal. Only God is eternal. The reign of Christ will be a time of peace. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7) God will restore Israel. Chapters 50-60 of Isaiah tell of this time. “Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.” (Isaiah 60:15-22)
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