Some believe that all Jews will be saved, based upon Romans 11:26, "And so, all Israel shall be saved." They have the idea that, at some future time, God is going to save all Jews. But notice, it doesn't say all the Jews will be saved, it says all Israel. Paul writing to the Romans, quoted Isaiah: "Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sands of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved, for the Lord will execute His word upon the earth, thoroughly and quickly." Romans 9:27-28, NASB.

This was, again, a prophecy of the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem, perhaps, updated by Paul. Are these two Scriptures contradictory? No! Realize that the epistle to the church at Rome was written before the A.D. 70 desolation of Jerusalem, in which 1,100,000 Jews were killed. They died without Christ.

Those Jews had said to Pilate, concerning the crucifixion of Jesus, "His blood be upon us, and upon our children." Matthew 27:25, NENT.

Even though Jesus prayed on the cross, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do," it is obvious that those Jews were not saved and will not be, unless they repented and accepted Jesus as their Christ. Jesus said, "No man cometh to the Father but by Me." John 14:6. It would be pure folly to believe that He would give eternal salvation to those whom He destroyed in His wrath.

So the Scripture in Romans 9:27-28 is referring to the A.D. 70 desolation, while the one in Romans 11:26 is addressing the salvation of all the Israel of God, Christians [Abraham's seed and heirs according to promise].

There will be no blanket salvation for all Jews no more that there is blanket salvation for all mankind.

"And he saith to me, Seal not the words of the prophecy of this booklet; for the season is nigh. Who is unrighteous, let him be unrighteous still: and who is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and who is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and who is holy, let him be made holy still." Revelation 22:10-11, NENT.

It is quite clear, that all Jews will not be saved, neither will all natural Israel, nor all the gentiles, but only those who accept Jesus the Christ. The Israel of God is not the natural nation called Israel, but the Israel which is circumcised of the heart and not the flesh. It is made up of members of all peoples who have, through Christ, entered into a personal relationship with Almighty God, walking in obedience to His will. "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to promise." Galatians 3:29, NIV.

Now the promise was given to Abraham, but it was of faith, not a natural promise. Those after the flesh, which are described (in Galatians 4:21-28) as the Jerusalem of that day, were not of promise, and were cut-off and destroyed. But the Jerusalem above (Hebrews 12:22) is our mother, and that's the only way anyone can obtain the promises given to Abraham, administered through his seed, Jesus, in the fullness of time, the revealing of the "mystery" of God.

"For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." Galatians 6:15, NENT.

When we read the old testament accounts of God's dealings with Israel, and the Jews specifically, it becomes abundantly clear that, though given centuries of time, the natural nation Israel could never achieve salvation.

They were almost continually wicked, doing abominations in the sight of God. One generation would seek God, and the next would go back into worship of pagan gods.

Yet, through His prophets, God foretold that He would someday save Israel. This would not be their doing, but would be fully accomplished by God at His appointed time, and in His way.

Since it proved impossible for Israel (except for a small remnant) to walk with God, even after He sent His own son Jesus to die for our sins, it would seem that those old testament prophecies could never be fulfilled. In the natural, that would be a true assumption, but with God, we see the supernatural at work, and all things are possible.

God required holiness, and man could not produce it. It would take a perfect people who had walked upright with God all their days to fulfill the righteousness required for salvation. No such people ever existed. Only one perfect man ever lived on the earth, Jesus, the Christ, the only begotten son of God. Only He could lay claim to the promises of God for the nation Israel. In Him, God would fulfill His old testament prophecies of Israel. Not in a natural nation, but in one man would come a holy nation, the Israel of God. Not by natural procreation, but a new creation. That one man, who only did what the Father showed Him, fulfilled all Scripture, all types given by the law and the prophets, taking upon Himself the iniquity of us all, and nailing sin and death to a cross, He arose victorious over it. He bought salvation for all who would accept Him. In Him would the gentiles hope.

He was the focal point of Israel, and in Him exists the Israel of God, Abraham's seed and heirs according to promise (Galatians 3:29). 'But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; neither are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: "through Isaac your descendants will be named." That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.'

All past history focused upon the Christ, and all future claims to eternal life spring forth from and through Him. He was the manifestation of God in the flesh; the first born of many brethren.

The old Israel was a natural nation, a chosen race. The new Israel is a Spiritual nation, the body of Christ, "the church." And if we belong to Christ, and His righteousness is manifested in our lives, the free gift of God's salvation, eternal, victorious life with Jesus is ours.

There are various opinions of the meaning of this Scripture. Some Bible commentators see this as a coming of Christ "in the clouds" above Jerusalem at the time of the destruction, to actually direct the desolation of the city, or a manifestation of His power is so doing. This is because Luke 21:32 says: "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled." Of this, Bible commentator Matthew Henry wrote: "The destruction of Jerusalem was in a particular manner an act of Christ's judgment, so that it might justly be looked upon as a coming of the Son of man, in power and great glory, but in the clouds."1

In Clarke's Commentary, Vol. V., p. 232, Adam Clarke states (regarding Matthew 24:30, "Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man...") 'The plain meaning of this is, that the destruction of Jerusalem will be a remarkable instance of Divine vengeance, such a signal manifestation of Christ's power and glory, that all the Jewish tribes shall mourn, and many will, in consequence of this manifestation of God, be led to acknowledge Christ and his religion." At first reading, it sounds as though he is placing this as a future event, but read further and it becomes obvious that he was referring to A.D. 70. The Scripture on which he was commenting had put it in a future setting, because it had been written before the fact, and he handled it in that same way.

'By "of the land" in the text, is evidently meant here, as in several other places, the land of Judea and its tribes...' He identified the angel sent out in verse 31 as "his messengers, the apostles, and their successors in the Christian ministry." (Which followed the sign of the son of man) The trumpet, he identified, as "the earnest affectionate call of the Gospel of peace, life and salvation." (Which occurs during the "times of the gentiles.") The elect which were to be gathered together, he said, were "The Gentiles, who were now chosen or elected, in place of the rebellious, obstinate Jews, according to our Lord's prediction, Matthew 8:11-12 and Luke 13:28-29." He further said: "It is worth serious observation, that the Christian religion spread and prevailed mightily after this period: and nothing contributed more to the success of the Gospel than the destruction of Jerusalem happening in the very time and manner, and with the very circumstances, so particularly foretold by our Lord. It was after this period that the kingdom of Christ began, and his reign was established in almost every part of the world."

I have often wondered if the gathering of the elect would be accomplished through the preaching of the gospel. That is literally what is happening. We are being gathered unto Him through acceptance of Christ into our lives. The Greek word translated "angels" does mean literally "messengers," and they are sent out by Jesus to carry the message of the good news of the gospel of Christ. As sinners are converted, they come into the fellowship of Christ and become "one" with Him.

This joining with Christ is a "union" or "betrothal" of the believer to Jesus, as a part of His bride, the church.

Some Bible scholars see this coming in Matthew 24:30 as His second coming at the end of this age. This is the traditional view and perhaps the most popular one, but not what the Bible teaches.

Jesus told His followers: "But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28. This He told them not us.

The greatest persecution of Christians, prior to A.D. 64, was from the Jews. But when the Jews began to fight among themselves, and later, against the Romans, they were too busy to persecute Christians. So in the desolation (and the troublous times before and after) there was a kind of redemption for the Christians. Of course, the later persecutions came from the Roman Emperors, but there were also several periods, between persecutions, in which the gospel was freely preached to all nations.

The remainder of Matthew 24, beginning with verse 32, is made up of parables, which show clearly that there would be signs when this "great tribulation" was to begin (as in the parable of the fig tree putting forth leaves) and that it would catch the unprepared by surprise [as in the days of Noah, when the wicked knew not until the flood came and took them (the wicked) all away].

The Greek text says: presence of the Son of man." Matthew 24:37-29, NENT.

The word used here, which in many translations is rendered "coming," is the Greek word "parousia" which means "presence." It is showing how the desolation of Jerusalem would come upon the Jews to destroy them in the same way that the flood destroyed the wicked in the time of Noah. Notice that, in Matthew 13, in the parable of the tares and wheat, and the parable of the fish in the sea, the wicked are taken from among the just. Just as in the days of Noah.

"Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left, two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Matthew 24:40-42.

Each of these is a warning to stay on the alert for the signs which would alert them that it was time to flee Jerusalem. In the parable of the good man of the house, and the faithful and wise servant, and again the parable of the ten virgins, in Matthew Chapter 25, they were admonished to be prepared at all times for the coming of the fulfillment of His prophecies. "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour." Matthew 25:13.

When the time was fulfilled, and Jerusalem was finally threatened, first by rumors of (talk about) wars, with Galigula wanting to place a statue of himself in the Sanctuary of the Temple (A.D. 38), to the attack upon Jerusalem by Cestius Gallus (A.D. 66), when the Jewish Christians fled Jerusalem traveling about a hundred miles over the mountains of Judea and Moab, to Pella, the warning signs all came, and all the prophetic words of Jesus were fulfilled.

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