Useful Bible Studies > Romans Commentary > chapter 11
The Bible has very many passages about God’s future plans for Israel, or the Jewish people. Those passages deal with Israel’s return to its land, its return to God, and Christ’s return to rule Israel and the world. There is a close link between these events, so the Bible often deals with them together.
For example, Deuteronomy 30:1-10 describes a situation after Israel’s people have completely ruined their relationship with God (Deuteronomy 29:25-28). Then they return to God, and they decide to obey him completely. God permits them to return to their land. Their evil deeds have made their land into a desert; but now their crops grow again and they are successful.
The prophets (the Bible’s holy men who received messages from God) often wrote about these things. Paul refers to Isaiah 59:20. He seems to emphasise that verse in order to explain it. Christ is coming again to Zion (Jerusalem) (see Malachi 3:1 and Zechariah 14:4); by means of Christ, God will forgive Israel’s people (Hosea 1:10-11). That will happen when they, together, turn away from their evil deeds (Zechariah 12:10 to 13:1).
The New Testament (the books that the first Christians wrote) also refers to those events. At the end of Matthew 23:37-39, Christ spoke about the future time when Jerusalem’s people will truly welcome him. In Acts 1:6, the disciples (Christ’s special students) asked when these events will happen. Christ replied that God the Father has decided these things. He gave the same explanation about the time of his own return in Mark 13:32. Revelation 7:4-8 speaks about a group of 144000 people who represent (appear on behalf of) the different tribes (family groups) of Israel. In Revelation 14:1-5, Christ stands with these people on Zion (Jerusalem), and these people belong completely to him. They are a nation that is completely loyal to God.
Next part: The Messiah's new covenant with Israel (Romans 11:27)
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