EMBRACING GOD’S ZEAL AND ELECTION OF ISRAEL
I. UNDERSTANDING THE MYSTERY OF ISRAEL.
“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 …” Romans 11:25-26
A. Understanding the mystery of God concerning Israel vital for prophetic messengers to enter into and equip the Body
of Christ with it at the end of the age.
B. The mystery of Israel was one of the foundational realities that fueled the Apostle Paul’s Gentile mission. This vision
was rooted in Paul’s understanding of the heart of God and not in Paul’s sense of patriotism or an earthbound concern for
the state of Israel out of human zeal.
“For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel
I am bound with this chain.” Acts 28:20
C. Acts 28:20 gives insight into what was motivating Paul to magnify his apostolic ministry. Paul had energy and zeal
about walking in excellence and being an apostle amongst the Gentiles so that his impact among the Gentiles would
provoke ethnic Jews to jealousy and turn back to the Lord.
“For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any
means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. For if their being cast away
is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” Romans 11:13-15
D. Global missions outside the context of having a theology of Israel, at the end of the day will not make sense. The
mystery of Israel will fuel and energize world missions as Gentile believers get gripped with an apostolic burden and
revelation like the one Paul expresses in Romans 9-11.
E. For Paul the mystery of Israel is a key component for walking in apostolic power. It is a key component to walking
in the fullness of the anointing that Gentile believers a longing for. The Israel mandate is foundational to walking with
apostolic authority in missions that will provoke Israel to jealousy.
II. EMBRACING GOD’S SOVEREIGN LEADERSHIP – ROMANS 9.
A. Romans 9 in some ways can be a bit of a complicated passage to understand, what makes Romans 9 more
complicated for the Gentile believers is that we have not yet said yes in our heart, in full, and we’ve not fully embraced
God’s sovereign leadership when He elected Israel. We’ve not settled that issue in full in our hearts. Romans 9 is, bottom
line, God, in His sovereignty, because God is God, elected Israel, but the very election of Israel was the kindness of God to
the whole earth.
B. God’s zeal and calling on the nation of Israel – vs. 1-5
1. Israel was on the forefront of Paul’s mind as an apostle to the gentiles. This DNA is being sown into the gentile
believers. vs. 1-2
2. Paul’s apostolic burden for Israel. vs. 3
3. The eight-fold divine entrustment to Israel – vs. 4-5
a. Adoption (Exodus 4:22).
b. The glory (Exodus 19).
c. The covenants (Abrahamic, Davidic, Palestinian, New).
d. The giving of the law (Sinai, Moses).
e. The service of God (temple ministry and the priesthood).
f. The promises (Isaiah 60-66).
g. The fathers (the Old Testament).
h. Christ came from them.
C. God choose Israel vs. 6-13.
1. The word of God is true, not all Israel (natural) is Israel (Messianic, Millennial Israel) vs. 6
2. Israel’s presumption vs. 7-8.
3. God elected Israel vs. 9-13.
4. Election reveals the wisdom and the mercy of God. The purpose hinges on the leadership of God. God brings
it about and we are called to cooperate.
D. God is free to choose vs. 14-18.
1. The glory of God comes to whom He wills. It is His glory vs. 14-16
2. His election is His mercy. His mercy is revealed in Him choosing a people. The choosing of a people did not
mean their salvation. It meant that Israel offered a divine mandate of leadership that they would walk in if they said
yes. It was to Israel that the glory was reveal and to whom He entrusted the glory to in order that others could enter
into glory.
E. God’s mercy to Israel vs. 17-29.
1. The mystery of God’s election vs. 17-18.
2. Israel as a vessel of wrath vs. 19-22.
3. God’s primary election of the Jews vs. 23-29.
F. God’s mercy on the Gentiles vs. 30-33
G. The vessel of mercy is the One New Man of Ephesians 2-3 – Jew and Gentile
H. God will have a people for His Son.
III. FRIENDS OF THE BRIDEGROOM.
“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present
nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I tell the truth in Christ; I am not lying, my conscience also
bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish
that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh …”
Romans 8:38-9:3
A. The primary way to understand God’s heart concerning Israel is in the place of prayer. Romans 8:38-39 leads right
into Roman 9:1 in that the mystery of Israel is about the revelation of the tenacity of the love of God. This love of God is
strong and it’s secure, and none of God plans will be thwarted included has plans for Israel.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give
you a future and a hope.(eternal hope of glory)” Jeremiah 29:11
B. Paul declares the truth about his burden for Israel in Christ. Paul is speaking from a place of intimate union with
the Son of God in Whom is found the unrelenting passion of God (8:39)
C. Paul’s heart for Israel is not derived from some form of nationalistic zeal but rather it comes from his heart being
connected in communion with the Son of God.
D. It is important that our vision for Israel is derived from the word of God and from the place of encounter with Christ
Jesus. There are many traps that we can fall into concerning Israel if we don’t embrace this truth in the place of union with
Christ.
E. Not entering into this truth will cause to significantly compromise the apostolic message to the nation of Israel and
the nations of the earth. We will end up proclaiming a message that is fueled by human sentiment rather than a message
that is produced by being in Christ where the burning love and the zeal of God is encountered, and imparted into our hearts.
F. Our loyalty is first to the Son of God as friends of the Bridegroom, not primarily to Israel as a nation. The
commitment and the loyalty are first to Christ and Christ alone. Here Paul is calling us to be friends of the bridegroom,
to be a people to whom the bridegroom has entrusted His heart, and who are accurately representing and communicating
His heart to the nation of Israel without being moved by political or social or politically correct human sentiment.
“And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what
manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which
happened to me by the plotting of the Jews …” Acts 20:18-19
G. Romans 9:1-2 give us safeguards that will keep us safe and true in the midst of waves and tides and the politically
correct culture of tolerance that is growing stronger in the earth and the anti-Semitism that will hit historic heights under the
leadership of the Anti-Christ.
IV. THREE-FOLD BURDEN.
“I tell the truth in Christ; I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have
great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my
brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh …” Romans 9:1-3
A. Paul says is that his conscience is bearing witness with him in the Holy Spirit meaning that the Holy Spirit has
energized Paul’s mind by the Holy Spirit to keep Israel on the forefront of Paul’s mind. Paul is not moved by human
sentiment. Paul is also stating that the Holy Spirit is his witness in that he is not overstating his burden for his kinsman
according to the flesh. Paul, in Christ, in the place of union, has begun to tap into the mystery of Christ concerning Israel.
B. The second part of Paul’s burden is that he is filled with great sorrow. Paul’s sorrow is fueled by him having
experienced the burden of the Lord.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I
wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not
willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed
is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”
Matthew 23:37-39
“Again the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with
great zeal; With great fervor I am zealous for her.’ “Thus says the LORD: ‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the
midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the LORD of hosts, The Holy
Mountain.” Zechariah 8:1-3
C. The third part of Paul’s burden is that his grief is continual and in the deep recesses of Paul’s heart.
D. This apostolic burden is what fuels Paul into the intercession of Romans 10:1. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and
prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” There Paul has entered into a place of partnership and union with the
Son of God, where he’s in the place of perpetual intercession, and his intercession is unto the releasing of predominantly
Gentile messengers in Romans 10:12-17 who would go and proclaim the good news of the gospel the Israelites.
V. STANDING IN THE COUNCILS OF THE LORD – JEREMIAH 23:18-20.
“For who has stood in the counsel of the LORD, and has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His
word and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury—A violent whirlwind! It will fall
violently on the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has executed and
performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.” Jeremiah 23:18-20.
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices
greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.” John 3:29
A. When Paul says that he is telling the truth in Christ I believe it is the same reality as the counsel of the Lord. Paul
has stood in the place of encounter and heard the word of the Lord.
B. In Jeremiah 23 the Lord is speaking to these messengers who have not been careful with the heart of God, who have
not encountered the heart of God, and therefore they have begun to compromise their message to the people and have kept
the people in compromise.
C. The first thing about the counsel of the Lord is that it’s a place where we stand. The priest stood before God. The
counsel of the Lord is place of the priestly ministry of worship and intercession.
“At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand
before the LORD to minister to Him and to bless in His name, to this day.” Deuteronomy 10:8
“And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before
whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” 1 Kings 17:1-2
“Therefore thus says the LORD: “If you return, Then I will bring you back; You shall stand before Me; If you
take out the precious from the vile, You shall be as My mouth. Let them return to you, But you must not
return to them.” Jeremiah 15:19
“So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”
Zechariah 4:14
“And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to
speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.” Luke 1:19
“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days,
clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the
earth. Revelation 11:3-4
D. The counsel of the Lord is a place where we perceive the heart of God. Perception means to be become aware
through the senses.
“But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses
exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews 5:14
E. For the Apostle Paul “in Christ” It are where you and I are. We have been raised up altogether by the Father to be
seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This is an existing reality that we must actively engage in order that it would
become an dynamic and experiential reality in our lives.
F. The counsel of the Lord is a place of hearing. It is the context in which we receive revelation.
G. The counsel of the Lord is the context in which we called to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God. Jeremiah
asks, “Who has marked His word and heard it?”
“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is
required in stewards that one be found faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:1-2