Israel Shall be Saved

But Israel shall be saved by the LORD
With an everlasting salvation;
You shall not be ashamed or disgraced
Forever and ever.
For thus says the LORD,
"... I did not say to the seed of Jacob,
'Seek Me in vain' ...
Assemble yourselves and come;
Draw near together,
You who have escaped from the nations...
In the LORD all the descendants of Israel
Shall be justified, and shall glory."
Isaiah 45:17-20,25 (NKJV)

For I do not desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, lest you 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 shall be saved, as it is written ... They are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Romans 11:25-26,28-29 (EMTV)

"I am the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his very life for the sheep... I have also other sheep--which do not belong to this fold. Those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under one Shepherd." ~ John 10:11,16 (WNT)

How has tiny Israel survived the centuries? How impossible is it for Jews to return home as a nation after nearly two millennia of exile among many nations? How did they survive every attempt to annihilate them?

God promised them everlasting salvation.

Foremost among their persecutors have been both false and misled Christians. We have condemned them as Christ-killers, when our own sins pierced Jesus. They now see our evangelists as covert assassins, attempting to destroy Judaism by conversion. And some Christians refuse to acknowledge Jews of faith, denying all faith apart from Christ.

Indeed, no one comes to the Father except through His Son Jesus. But Paul also assures that Jews of Abraham's faith are true Israel, and that all Israel shall be saved. They and we shall be one flock, with one Shepherd.

Paul calls Israel beloved, as indeed she is.

God of Abraham, thank You for making Abraham father of many nations. Thank You for giving to us, who are strangers, a share in his inheritance. Please remind Israel to love the stranger as Moses commanded. Please teach us how to love Israel, pray for her, bless her, and become one flock with her.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy