Part 7
Before we jump into our next article, let’s recall some of what we have established so far in the previous articles.
- The anointing of Jesus by the Holy Spirit was definitive proof to Israel that her Messianic restoration had begun. (Isaiah 42, Isaiah 61)
- The pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon the nation of Israel on the day of Pentecost was definitive proof to Israel that her Messianic restoration was continuing to be fulfilled after the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus by the Jews. (Isaiah 32, Isaiah 44, Joel 2)
- Israel’s Messianic restoration was not “postponed” by His rejection by the Jews, and was never intended to be fulfilled in an “earthly” manner. Israel’s eschatological restoration was always intended to be fulfilled “spiritually” in Jesus Christ through the New Covenant. (Acts 2)
So, if the above points are in fact the truth of God’s word, then we should expect to see the continuation of the restoration of Israel throughout the New Testament writings. In other words, we should expect the New Testament writers to tell us that what they were experiencing in the first century through the gospel, was the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the restoration of Israel.
It is my firm conviction that what we see being initiated on the day of Pentecost (Jews from every nation under heaven being “gathered together” in Jesus Christ to receive the promises made to their fathers), is the beginning of the story of the New Testament – the story of Israel’s last days restoration.
In the present article and in the those to follow, we will look at several texts which will prove to be powerful biblical evidence that the Messianic restoration of Israel was being fulfilled and received in the first century in the Body of Christ.
Let us begin with Paul’s epistle to the Romans.
Romans 15:8-9,12
For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, “Therefore, I will give praise to you among the Gentiles, and I will sing to your name…. Again Isaiah says, “There shall come the Root of Jesse, and he who arises to rule over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles hope”.
Apostle Paul reminds the saints in Rome that Jesus was a “servant to the circumcision” for the sake of the truth, to confirm the promises made to the fathers of Israel. Paul was not saying that Jesus came to Israel to simply confirm the words of previous prophets, they had their scriptures for that. Rather, Jesus came to Israel to confirm that all that the prophets had promised to their fathers was now (at that time) being fulfilled. And, because Israel’s promises were being received, the Gentiles had reason to “glorify God for His mercy” which had been extended to them also.
According to Paul (a Jew), salvation was to the Jew first, then to the Greek (Romans 1:16), meaning that the Gentiles could not receive Israel’s salvation unless salvation was being received by Israel. In other words, the Gentiles had nothing to glorify God for unless the Jews were in fact receiving their restoration-salvation promises. The fact that the Gentiles were glorifying God for his mercy is powerful evidence that the righteous of Israel were being restored in Jesus Christ.
As it is written….
“There shall come the Root of Jesse, and he who arises to rule over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles hope”. (Romans 15:12)
Now please don’t miss the force of what Paul is teaching. Paul’s point is that the Gentiles had been grafted into the faithful remnant of Israel (Romans 11), and were now (at that time) rejoicing in God’s mercy of bringing them into Israel’s promises. But according to Paul, the fact that the Gentiles were receiving Israel’s promises meant that the “Root of Jesse” had “stood up” to restore (recover) the remnant of Israel in fulfilment of Isaiah 11. Israel was being restored.
Isaiah 11:1-2,10-12
Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him…. Then in that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious. Then it will happen on that day that the Lord will again recover the second time with His hand the remnant of His people, who will remain, from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He will lift up a standard for the nations and assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Notice the parallel, Paul in Romans 15 is quoting directly from Isaiah 11.
“Then in that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples…” (Isaiah 11)
“…There shall come the Root of Jesse, and he who arises to rule over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles hope”. (Romans 15)
Let’s understand Paul’s application of Isaiah 11.
Isaiah prophesied of the day when the Spirit of the Lord would “rest upon” the Messiah, who would come as the Branch and the Root of Jesse. This was fulfilled when Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22, 4:18).
According to Isaiah, it would be “in that day” (when Messiah was anointed), that the Root of Jesse would stand as a signal (a banner) for the Gentiles.
According to Paul, the calling of the Gentiles into the promises of Israel meant that the Root of Jesse (Jesus) had been raised up as the banner for the Gentiles.
But according to Isaiah, it would be “in that day” (when Messiah was anointed and raised up as the banner for the Gentiles) that the Lord would “again recover the second time with His hand the remnant of His people, who will remain”. It would be “in that day” that the Lord would “assemble the banished ones of Israel and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth”.
In other words, the remnant of Israel would be gathered and restored, when Jesus was anointed by the Spirit, and raised up (resurrected) to be the banner (standard) to which all nations (the Gentiles) could gather. Look at it like this….
In the day that Jesus (the Root of Jesse) was anointed by the Spirit and raised up as the banner for the Gentiles, the remnant of Israel would be restored.
But, Jesus was anointed at his baptism and was raised up as the banner for the Gentiles through his resurrection and ascension in the first century.
Therefore, the remnant of Israel was gathered and restored in the first century as they were gathered together in Jesus Christ under the New Covenant. Paul’s interpretation of Isaiah 11 and its connection to the calling of the Gentiles into the promises of Israel, is definitive proof that Israel’s restoration was still taking place when Paul penned the book of Romans.
Now, before we conclude this article we need to make one further connection which strengthens and validates the above argument. Jesus quoted Isaiah 11 in his Olivet discourse, and likewise applied its fulfillment to the first century.
Mathew 24:30-31,34
And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
Notice the parallel, Jesus in Mathew 24 is quoting directly from Isaiah 11.
“And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other”. (Mathew 24)
“The Lord will again recover the second time with His hand the remnant of His people and assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth”. (Isaiah 11)
Also notice that Jesus promised that his prophecy would find fulfilment within the lifetime of his contemporary generation.
Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. (Mathew 24:34)
Now remember, Jesus came as a servant to the circumcision (the Jews) to confirm the promises made to their fathers. The gathering of Israel of Isaiah 11 was definitively a “promise made to the fathers”. So, consider the following:
Israel would be restored when the Lord would “recover the remnant” and “gather the dispersed” of Israel. (Isaiah 11)
The “elect” (the remnant) of Israel would be “gathered together” in the first century (this) generation. (Mathew 24)
Therefore, Israel was restored in the first century when the righteous remnant of Israel was gathered together along with the faithful Gentiles to constitute the Body of Christ, true Israel. In conclusion, I submit the following:
According to Paul, the inclusion of the Gentiles into Israel’s promises through Jesus the Root of Jesse meant that Israel was being “recovered a second time” (restored) in the first century in fulfilment of Isaiah 11.
According to Jesus, the gathering of the elect (the righteous remnant of Israel) would be accomplished within the lifetime of his contemporary generation in fulfilment of Isaiah 11.
Therefore, the restoration of Israel as prophesied in Isaiah 11 which was taking place when Paul wrote to the Romans, would be consummated within the lifetime of Jesus’ first century generation. We have once again given irrefutable proof that Israel was being restored in Jesus Christ and was therefore receiving her kingdom in the first century.
Continued in Part 8
Dan Dery
Titus 1:9