The Grand Plan

How much would you like to talk with God?

Estimated Reading Time: 17 minutes

The Grand Plan

For those of you who follow my posts and/or read my book, you may rightfully ask: “What more can be said on this subject?” To that question, I respond by saying that many of the Christians I talk to remain unconvinced that God will do anything for anyone (including a Jew) who rejects Jesus, period. So, this blog is focused on:

Pointing out why the Jews may be granted a slightly different way to heaven (but without violating anything Jesus said).

After all, didn’t the early Christian Jews question how a Gentile could be saved unless they followed Jewish Law (in essence, negating what Jesus did at the cross)? Remember what Peter said to his fellow Jews in Acts 15:10-11 (NIV): “¹⁰ Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? ¹¹ No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”  If the early church struggled with how a Gentile could be saved, then shouldn’t we (Gentiles) ask if a faithful Jew (who holds fast to the old ways yet rejects Jesus) might still be saved? Clearly, the path to salvation for a Jew must involve Jesus, but can the route to get there be different?

There’s a section in my book where I tried to show how God views the entire history of the human race. In it, I engage in a dialogue with God to explore His thoughts behind various actions throughout history. Many of you have said that you enjoyed that approach, and it helped you gain a better appreciation of how God views things. I want to do the same thing in this blog, but with a very specific focus on the Jews and their role in God’s plan. Once again, I do not intend to put words in God’s mouth (far be it from me), but I’d just like to suggest what God might say if we were so lucky as to have a one-on-one conversation with Him. One day, such conversations will be an everyday occurrence. I look forward to that day!

A Dialogue with God

Before we begin, allow me to say that some of you may object to God quoting the Bible in His answers. There is one very good reason why He would do just that: the Bible is called the “Word of God” for a reason — God inspired every word that appears in it!

What was your purpose in designating the Jews as “Your Chosen People?”

The world needed a “shining light on a hill,” a people that would be ambassadors representing the “one true God.” I knew that Satan would be actively doing everything in his power to lead the world away from Me, so I needed a people that would defend My honor, stand as an example of who I am, and show the world what I could (and would) help those who committed themselves to Me. I called them to this task, despite knowing it was too much for them. They became like the Prodigal Son on a perpetual “Groundhog Day” loop (They were always coming back to me to apologize for their sins). Yet, their calling was a holy calling coming directly from Me. In Jeremiah 31:9b (NCV), I declared that “I am Israel’s father, and Israel is my firstborn son.” Thus, My calling made them officially a part of My holy family with all the rights and privileges of a firstborn son. Do you understand what the rights of the firstborn are? They inherit a double portion of My Kingdom! They are called to be the head of My Earthly family! It was a designation that would gain increasing significance over time. I told Abraham that “all the people on earth will be blessed through you (Abraham).” (Genesis 12:3b NCV) In case you missed it, these are the identical terms I used in referring to My Son, Jesus. Jesus was the firstborn of the new creation, moving from flesh to spirit. And the term “Son of God” is sometimes translated as “God’s Chosen One.” Thus, the term “Chosen” is a very powerful word reserved only for members of My family. It expresses My desire to have a lasting relationship with someone I deem worthy.  In 2 Samuel 7:23-24 NCV, King David said this about My Chosen People (His family line):   ^{23 “}There is no nation like your people, Israel. They are the only people on earth that God chose to be his own. You made your name well-known. You did great and wonderful miracles for them. You went ahead of them and forced other nations and their gods out of the land. You freed your people from slavery in Egypt. ²⁴ You made the people of Israel your very own people forever, and, Lord, you are their God.” 

Why does it appear that the Jews failed you?

The weight of being asked to represent Me before the world was enormous. I am a God who likes to stretch people so they can see what they are capable of. Failing is just part of the process. You can’t achieve great things without great failures. A good parent knows that they have to give their children a chance to fail. When they do, you love them, encourage them, and (where necessary) forgive them. Yes, My people failed me many times. However, I was patient with them, forgave them, and continued working with them to help them learn and improve. But what the world sees as their greatest failure was actually planned by both My Son, Jesus, and Me long before there was a Jew. We knew My people would reject My Son just as they rejected Me!  It was part of our plan! Now, I ask you, if I repeatedly forgave My people for rejecting Me throughout the Old Testament, would you not think that My Son and I would forgive them for rejecting Jesus? Of course, We did!!! When Peter asked My Son, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” Jesus responded, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22 NKJV) That’s how grace works!! The Apostle Paul said it best when he wrote, “Through Adam’s sin, death and hell came to all men. But another Man, Christ, by His right act makes men free and gives them life.” (Romans 5:18 NLV) Everyone (not just the Jews) was redeemed at the cross. Pay careful attention here! Many have missed what actually happened at the cross:

• • Jesus reset the scoreboard by making a voluntary sacrifice to save humanity from sin — something they could not do themselves. He did this in two ways:
    • Jesus abolished the Law for the Jews: My Son’s blood freed My people (the Jews) from the Law (The #1 accuser of their sin). As a result of His sacrifice, My people were no longer bound to the Law, obligated by the Law, nor judged against the Law. They were washed clean and made innocent from sin once and for all. In one sacrifice, Jesus nullified the many sacrifices required by the Law and made them no longer necessary. However, getting them to see this was hindered by the years of tradition and history passed down to them by their ancestors (most notably, Moses).
    • Jesus nullified sin’s hold on humanity: My Son’s blood also washed away the curse of sin in the world. No longer was humanity condemned for the sin of Adam. The sacrifice of one erased the sin of another. But it didn’t end there. I did something special in response to what My Son did:
  • I (God) reset the status of Humanity: My Son’s sacrifice enabled Me to see My creation (once again) as an unblemished creation — just as it was in the Garden. Now, it was possible for Me to extend to them the gift of grace.  Adam and Eve began with grace and chose death. Humanity inherited death, and until Jesus, was ineligible for grace. After Jesus, they had the opportunity to choose life through the gift of grace. Just as in the Garden, there were two possible outcomes:
    • Accept it: Because grace is a gift, it requires an action: acceptance. As Paul said, “…you have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God.” (Ephesians 2:8 NCV) Grace is not earned; it is given. However, like any gift, it can be accepted with gratitude or rejected in ignorance. The Christian religion consists of those who believe in My Son and accept My gift.
    • Reject it: This option is open to anyone. But MY People, the Jews, are most often associated with accepting this option. Let me tell you, the one who chooses this option freely will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Yes, many Jews chose this option, but the key is – not all did it freely by their own will, because some were blinded from seeing all the facts.

The key to salvation and where you spend eternity depends on who you decide to believe in: My Son and I, or Satan. Now, let me tell you a mystery about death. Most people assume that we are judged at the time of our death according to what we have done. If that were so, then why “must all stand before Christ to be judged” long after we have died? (2 Corinthians 5:10 NCV)  Is there anything that could happen after death that could change the outcome we had earned at death? This is what I want you to think about. I love my Chosen People. I have never (completely) abandoned them nor forsaken them. Nor has My Son, Jesus — these are His People too! So, don’t assume that we don’t have a plan to save them, even if We have to do it after many of them have died!

Why was it necessary to make Your people blind to Jesus?

If you recall, back in Egypt, during the time of Moses, I made Pharaoh blind by hardening his heart and preventing him from seeing who the God of Israel really was. The result was the greatest release of My power since creation! At that time, the whole world either saw my power directly or heard about it. It gave My people great credibility and struck fear into all who dared oppose them. Pharaoh’s blindness made that possible! In a similar but more muted fashion, My blinding of the Jews helped release the power of the Holy Spirit, which made Christianity one of the great religions of the world. I needed to sacrifice My “firstborn son,” Israel, so the rest of the world could be offered salvation through My Son, Jesus.  Thus, I sacrificed two of my firstborns at the cross: Jesus and Israel: the Jews!

Paul and Barnabas explained this in Acts 13:46 (NIV), where they said, “We had to speak the word of God to you (the Jews) first. (But), Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.” Then, in Romans, Paul said, “¹¹ So I ask: When the Jews fell (rejected Jesus), did that fall destroy them? No! But their failure (rejection) brought salvation to those who are not Jews, in order to make the Jews jealous. ¹² The Jews’ failure brought rich blessings for the world, and the Jews’ loss brought rich blessings for the non-Jewish people (Gentiles).” (Romans 11:11-12 NCV) Since the Jews are My Chosen Ones, the firstborn of My Earthly Family, of course, I had to honor them by bringing the message of Jesus to them first. But I also had to sacrifice them (make them blind) so the rest of the world would not be deprived of My Son. Do not miss how Paul ended verse 12, “So surely the world will receive much richer blessings when enough Jews become the kind of people God wants.” Does this sound like I’m punishing them for rejecting My Son?

And, speaking of Egypt, do you remember when I came after Moses to kill him on his way to Pharaoh? I did so because he had “forgotten” to circumcise one of his sons. He knew better, but his knowledge was only in his mind; it was not in his heart. Moses knew the Law, but the Law only told him what to do. Moses needed to know why obedience to Me was necessary. It had to come from his heart. This was another reason why My People failed to recognize My Son, Jesus. In Romans 2, Paul called out the Jews on this very point. He said:

• • “You call yourself a Jew. You trust in the law of Moses and brag that you are close to God. ¹⁸ You know what he wants you to do (in your head) and what is important, because you have learned the law. ” (verses 17-18 NCV) In other words, My People only had head knowledge, not heart knowledge about my Law and why I gave it to them.
  • “You think you are a guide for the blind and a light for those who are in darkness.” And “You have the law; so you think you know everything and have all truth. ” (Verses 19-20 NCV) Their head knowledge had led to arrogance, causing them to think they could somehow teach something they themselves did not understand.
  • “You teach others, so why don’t you teach yourself?” (Verse 21 NCV) The lesson Paul was pointing to was that head knowledge alone almost always leads to hypocrisy.
  • “If you follow the law, your circumcision has meaning. But if you break the law, it is as if you were never circumcised.” (Verse 25 NCV) Circumcision is what I call the Jews’ “Second Blindness.” They tried to impose circumcision on the Gentiles as a requirement of being a follower of Christ. But because they themselves had not followed the Law (it was not in their heart), Paul rightfully said, “It is as if you were never circumcised!” If our actions are not driven by a love for Me (God), obeying the Law is meaningless.
  • “A person is not a true Jew if he is only a Jew in his physical body… A person is a Jew only if he is a Jew inside; true circumcision is done in the heart by the Spirit, not by the written law.” (Verses 28-29 NCV)  This was the lesson I had to teach Moses before he went before Pharaoh. And it is the lesson that My People failed to learn in the wilderness, nor carry with them into the Promised Land. It is why they rejected Me so many times, and it is why they rejected the Gentiles when they accepted Jesus. Ultimately, it is yet another reason why they rejected My Son. They chose the comfort of the Law over the love of Jesus!

Knowledge of the Law only tells you what to do.  When you love and worship Me (the God who gave the Law), you understand why you do it.

What clues have you left us that point to your plan?

Don’t miss the importance of the story I’m about to tell you. Everything I have put in My Holy Scripture has meaning, purpose, and intention. Nothing is there by chance, and most of what you read has multiple meanings! This story is one of them.

Joseph was one of the 12 sons of Jacob, the father of Israel. He was the favored son of his father, and that made his brothers jealous. They wanted to kill him, but instead sold him into slavery. Do you see the connection already? Joseph is often referred to as a type of “Jesus figure” because he was “the favored son” of his father. This made his family jealous of him, and they wanted to kill him. The same thing happened to my Son, Jesus. But there is more to be seen here.

Joseph’s family presumed that he was dead, yet he “rose” from that dead state to save his entire family. When his brothers came to Egypt to get food to save their family from starvation, Joseph instantly recognized them and forgave them for what they had done to him. While they were still blind as to who Joseph was (and before they could ask for forgiveness), he forgave them.

How much more will Jesus forgive His fellow Jews who crucified Him and then rejected His message, while they were blind? In Romans 11:8 NCV, it says, “He closed their eyes so they could not see and their ears so they could not hear.” The Jews are his family, and Jesus knew why they rejected Him. In Luke 23:34 NCV, Jesus said (while He was dying on the cross, “Father, forgive them (the Jews), because they don’t know what they are doing.” If they only knew who He was, they would repent. The story of Joseph is an allegory for Jesus forgiving His brothers (the Jews) for crucifying Him because they were blind to who He was and the role he would play. Jesus will (as Joseph did) forgive them while they are still in their blindness and before they can ask for His forgiveness. How this happens will be another miracle I perform.

What is the meaning of the term “remnant” of the Jews?

Historically, when Christianity veered away from being a religion for the Jews, many referred to any Jew who accepted Jesus as their Lord, Savior, and Messiah as being part of a “remnant” of My Chosen People.  The idea was that this remnant would be the only Jews that would be saved! Of course, this group would be saved because they believed and accepted Jesus! I call this group the Believing remnant. But there is another remnant that has largely been ignored by Christians. Originally, this remnant was defined as any faithful Jew who tried their best to follow the Law of Moses and worship and honor Me. If you will recall, there was a time in the Old Testament when Elijah was deeply depressed and wanted to die because he felt he was the only one left who honored Me. I rebuked him and said, “¹⁸ I have seven thousand people left in Israel (a remnant) who have never bowed down before Baal and whose mouths have never kissed his idol.” (1 Kings 19:18 NCV and also in Romans 11:2-4). This was the original remnant of Israel – those who remained faithful to Me, no matter what! (The Faithful Remnant). Elijah feared that he was the last one to follow Me faithfully. But he found out that there is always a remnant that will not give up on Me (nor I them!).  The Faithful Remnant will never be forgotten!

Consider this:

• • In the Old Testament. My People rejected Me over and over for false, impotent idols. And I forgave them over and over.
  • In the New Testament, some of My People rejected My Son (due to their blindness) in order to remain faithful to Me (the Faithful Remnant).

If I forgave the former, will I not also forgive the latter? I refer to this group as the Blind remnant because it consists of two principal characteristics:

• • They continue to follow Me, honor Me, and worship Me to the best of their ability according to what Moses taught them. (the Faithful Remnant)
  • They are blameless in their rejection because I have blinded them to seeing who My Son (Jesus) really is. (the Blind Remnant)

I’ve already explained why this blindness was necessary, but I need to elaborate on how this group will be dealt with.

This group is like a sheep that, when they hear their Shepherd’s voice, recognize it and do what He commands. This flock belongs to both My Son and Me. We have called them to not see nor understand the identity of My Son as their Messiah (yet!). Instead, they are faithfully waiting for Us to send them the promised Messiah. Shall I punish this remnant for listening to My voice? NO! My Son came to release them from the burden of the Law, but they do not know that they are no longer held to that standard. Yet, if they believe in Me, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, and they make a sincere effort to remain faithful to Me, obey Me, and honor Me (Faithful Remnant), shall I turn My back on them? May it never be! Even though they do not have the saving grace of Jesus (yet!), by committing themselves to Him, will I not extend grace to them? Yes, it is true that “no one comes to the Father, but by Me (Jesus),” but do you not think I have a plan to bring them to a full recognition and acceptance of My Son? And, I can/will do this even after they have died, waiting for a Messiah who has already come? Is that not possible for Me to do? Can you now see why I would not abandon this very important and precious remnant who unknowingly sacrificed their salvation so the rest of the world could be saved?

How will You save the Blind Remnant?

There are two problems Christians have when it comes to the Blind Remnant:

• • How can anyone be saved who has rejected My Son?
  • How can anyone be saved after they have died?

On the surface, these appear to be excellent and logical questions. But they ignore another classic question, “Is anything impossible for God?” If you have concluded that I will not abandon the Blind Remnant, the only question to ask is: “How will I save them?”

Conclusion

At this, lest I suggest that God would recommend my book, I can only conclude by saying that I believe that God has given me the answer to this question. If you’re curious, please read my book, “God (still) has BIG Plans for the Jews.”

Like what you read? Don’t miss the next edition! Subscribe to my posts.