ln this, the first of two articles, we re-print an interview with Lance Lambert from 1988, in which he gives a Messianic perspective on the fortieth anniversary of the State of Israel. Interviewed by Gary Clayton, Lance responds to the question: what does the future hold for the Jews, God's chosen people?

I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons, theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the laws, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all (Rom 9:3-5).

In Paul's letter to the Romans, the apostle refers to the Jews as being the natural branches of the olive tree that is Christ. At present some of these branches have been broken off so that, like wild olive shoots, the Gentiles can be grafted in, but when the full number of the Gentiles comes in, we will see many of the natural branches restored.

I do not think it will necessarily happen this year, the fortieth anniversary of the State of Israel, that the natural branches will be restored to the olive tree, but l do feel that we have nevertheless passed irreversibly into the last phase of world history. We know this from Luke 21:24, where Jesus prophesies that the Jewish people will fall by the sword, be taken as captives into all the nations, and Jerusalem trampled on by foreigners "until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled".

When the full number of Gentiles has come in, in the last phase of world history, we will see many of the natural branches of Christ's olive tree (i.e. Jews) restored.

The change takes place

The phrase "times of the Gentiles" signifies every time in history in which the Jews are subjugated by Gentile or non-Jewish ideologies, nations or forces. What Jesus was saying, therefore, is that these times would last until a change took place in the status of Jerusalem. Such a change did take place on the 6th and 7th of June, 1967.

In the last nineteen hundred years, ever since Jerusalem came under non-Jewish domination (barring 135/136 AD in the time of Hadrian, when Bar Kochba led a rebellion against the Romans and for a time liberated Jerusalem) it has never been under Jewish sovereignty or government. However, in 1967 the status of Jerusalem changed when it was placed under Jewish sovereignty and government, becoming the capital of the independent Jewish state.

Along with the appearance of this sign we also note the presence of wars, rumours of wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilences and persecution, all of which are a prelude to the Second Coming of Christ. lt would therefore seem that something is going to happen to the Jewish people, and perhaps the 1988 anniversary holds real significance as a result.

The mystery concerning Israel

In Romans 12:25-26 Paul says to Christians of Gentile extraction, "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited. Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved." Unfortunately however, there does exist a conceit in the Christian world, especially in the West. At its worst this conceit has resulted in an anti-Jewish attitude, or at least a feeling that the Church can have nothing to do with the Jews.

There is a lack of recognition of the fact that the root of the olive tree is Jewish, as is the tree itself, and in the end will regain its natural branches. I do not believe that every Jew will automatically be saved simply because he is a Jew, any more than every Gentile could be automatically saved. It is only God's elect people who will receive salvation.

Salvation is from the Jews

The conceit is not malicious, however, but comes from the fact that the Christian church is largely Hellenised in culture, having adopted an almost totally Gentile outlook despite its Jewish roots and background. Such an attitude is understandable since the vast majority of Christians over the centuries have been Gentile. However, this does not in any way detract from the fact, stated by Jesus himself (in John 4:22), that salvation is from the Jews.

There is a lack of recognition in the Christian world, especially in the West, that the olive tree of Christ is Jewish, and in the end will regain its natural branches.

When Paul uses the term 'mystery' to describe what will happen to Israel he does not refer to something so academically complex as to be incomprehensible, but instead uses the term to denote a secret revealed to the initiated - to those born of God. Unfortunately most Christians are ignorant of this mystery. After all, the gospel can be preached until the speaker is blue in the face but unless the Spirit of God opens the eyes of the listeners they cannot be saved. It is precisely the same with Israel, for the Spirit of God has to touch the Christian heart before it can understand God's purposes regarding the Jewish people.

The eternal covenant

I believe that there are only two peoples in the world with whom God has made an everlasting covenant- the Jews through Abraham (Gen 17:7), and the true Church of God with whom he made a new and eternal covenant.

These are the only two peoples throughout history to have suffered horrifically and continuously. They have been hounded from pillar to post, persecuted, denigrated, devalued, drowned, burnt, buried alive and beheaded. I cannot understand it when people try to explain that the true church has suffered because it is the apple of God's eye and that the Jewish people suffer because they have been rejected by God. This simply does not make sense. Instead, I believe that the reason for this suffering has to do with both peoples being bound up with a divine destiny.

Throughout history, the Jews and the Christians have both suffered horrifically and continuously. I believe that the reason for this suffering has to do with both being bound up with a divine destiny.

The coming Messiah

Both peoples share the same origin, the same revelation of God, the same prophets, the same scriptures, the same Messiah. Indeed, both believe in the future coming of the Messiah: the Christian that he will return, the Jew that he will come for the first time. They both believe that the Messiah will bring in the kingdom of God and establish it on earth, resulting in the knowledge of the glory of God covering the earth as the waters cover the sea.

Sadly, over the centuries Jews and Gentiles have tended to part company over the character of the Lord Jesus. Walls of suspicion and distrust have grown up to the extent that they would appear to be almost entirely alienated from one another. Somehow these two peoples will come together and be forged into one in the person, and through the work, of Jesus Christ the Messiah.

Fulfilment

As we enter into this new period in the history of the State of Israel we must be nearer than ever to this great event, the fulfilment of PauI's inspired statements concerning the grafting in of the natural branches. When this occurs it will result in resurrection life and power for the whole redeemed community.

First published in Prophecy Today, March 1988.