The Rapture — Goodness and Severity – Basic Training Bible Ministries

Most people would never look at Romans Chapter 11 to find the rapture of the church, but it’s there and we learn a great deal by considering it within the context of the passage. We find out that our blessed hope – our soon departure — is both “goodness and severity” from God.

in Romans 11:11 Paul asks the question, “I say, then, have they stumbled that they should fall?” Who’s the “they?” Paul is talking about Israel and answers “Certainly not!” How is it that we have this growing trend among members of the church to say that God is done with Israel? It’s ludicrous, even blasphemous, because it declares that God doesn’t keep His promises. If God got fed up with the Jews and decided to stop working with them, what guarantee do you have that He’s not going to get fed up with the church and stop working with us? God is a faithful God, and He always fulfills His promises.

Paul continues in verse 11, “But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.” You remember Deuteronomy 32:21, when Moses was talking to the children of Israel, and he told them that they were going to go after other gods. Because of their idolatry, Moses reported that God would be filled with wrath, and He would deal with them in judgment, drive them out of their land and scatter them among other nations. And then God said in that passage, “I will provoke you by a people who are not a nation.” How can you have a people who are “not a nation?” Very simple. You just get people from every nation, every nation, every tribe, every tongue, every kindred from all over the world. You gather an entirely new people and entirely new creation. And you call it “the church.”

Romans 11:12 says, “If their fall is riches for the world and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more of their fullness! For I speak to you, Gentiles in as much as I am an Apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some.” Paul understood the role that God had for the church in relationship to Israel, and he understood, as the Apostle to the Gentiles — the example that we were to follow — he had a responsibility to “provoke.” The idea here is to provoke them by giving them a demonstration of what they could have been, of what they could have had, of what they could have received, but they rejected and therefore will take what they rejected and will use it and magnify Jesus Christ. When God calls this people back onto the scene in the tribulation period, this is what will motivate them to go out with a zeal that will evangelize the entire world!

Think of it. The church has been working on reaching the world for 2000 years and we’re not done. There are cultures all over this world that don’t have the Bible in their own language. There are many, many unreached people. What we have not accomplished in 2000 years, the children of Israel, beginning with 144,000 Jewish evangelists, are going to do it in seven years. It’s going to be like unleashing 144,000 Apostle Paul’s on the world. I believe they’re going to be restored to supernatural gifts with supernatural powers. There’s probably going to be things going on during the tribulation, like Philip evangelizing a guy down in Giza, and then suddenly, he’s in the next town and he’s evangelizing people there. God is going to be working in just astounding ways.

But we have our part to play for those people. What we do is going to make a difference for them. And this provocation is not a provocation of an arrogant or an insult attitude toward them or looking down on them or a diminishing of their value. It’s a recognition that everything that has happened leading up to the time of the church, we are indebted to them. As Paul says in Romans 1:14-16, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel. I am a debtor.” You and I are a debtor. And we’re a debtor, not only to those that we should go to in our great commission, but we are a debtor to the nation of Israel. We would not have the Bible without them.

This idea of provoking is on Paul’s mind, because in Romans 10:19, Paul says, “But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says, I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation. I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” So, there’s a repetition here, running through Romans Chapters nine, ten and eleven. These chapters tell us what part we play in God’s plan for Israel, and in a sense, contain our marching orders. Romans 10:14 says, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?” Who’s the “they?” The same “they,” the same people. He’s talking about the children of Israel. “How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they’re sent?” We quote this all the time as a part of our missionary endeavor. “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things.” But what is the context? The context is the role of the church and ultimately bringing the children of Israel back to God.

And so, we come up to Romans Chapter 11, Paul, in effect assumes two prophetic perspectives, two covenants, two people, two messages, and now we see two trees. In Romans 11:15, he says, “For if their being cast away, is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy.” In other words, the gathering in of the first fruits, was the first fruits of the harvest offered to God. The grain from the field was ground into a lump of dough. “If the first fruit is holy, the lump of dough that comes from it is holy” He goes on to say in Romans 11:16, “If the root is holy, so are the branches.” We have a tree. The tree comes from the root. Romans 11:17 says, “And if some of the branches were broken off.” Notice that “they” in verse 11 shifts to “you” in verse 13, and Paul tells us the “you” is “you Gentiles” (which form the church for the most part.) “If some of the branches,” meaning them, “…were broken off and you, being a wild olive tree were grafted in among them, and with them you became a partake of the root and the fatness of the olive tree.”

Romans 11:18 continues, “Do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.” Here’s the first command. “Do not boast.” Let me ask you a question. Is it not boasting when we disregard the debt that we have to everyone who came before? Is it not boasting when we conclude that God’s done with Israel? Is it not a boast when we say that we’ve taken their place, that all the Old Testament promises were spiritual in nature, and we’ve become “spiritual Israel” and therefore God is done with them? I’ve even heard Christians say today, if the nation of Israel is wiped off the map, doesn’t make any difference at all. It’s blasphemous. I hear pastors say, this doesn’t matter if Iran wipes Israel out. It doesn’t have anything to do with us at all. Really? Are we not boasting against the route on which we’re built? I think we are. Romans 11:19 anticipates the reader’s questions. “You will say to me then. Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” in other words, “God got rid of them so that He could pull me in.” And that obviously makes me superior and inconsequential. Romans 11:20, continues, “Well said. Because of unbelief, they were broken off. And you stand by faith.” Do not be haughty, but fear.” I wonder how much real fear there is in any of us of failing to play the part that God intends us to play in this most crucial time of church history. Romans 11:21, says “If God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.” Is Paul anticipating something here? Romans 11:22, “Therefore consider the goodness and the severity of God.” If you have never been through a time of real scourging, if you’ve never been in a time when God has chastened you severely, this is what Paul is talking about. He’s saying that “the blessed hope” has severity mixed in with mercy.

What follows the Rapture? We call it the Bema Seat of Christ– a place of reward and loss. So, “Consider the goodness and the severity of God: on those who fell, severity.” How severe has God been to the people He chose? 2000 years of wandering, hatred, maligning, and persecution. Yet, the worst is yet to come. Romans 11:22 says of God’s goodness and severity “on those who fell, severely; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in this goodness.” Is the church continuing in that goodness? Do we recognize that mercy came to us through Jesus Christ, the Jew? Have we somehow lifted Christ up out of His genealogical roots and forgotten what Paul told us at the beginning of the book of Romans, that Christ was made of “the seed of David according to the flesh.” And we should never forget that all down through the ages, men and women shed their blood, sacrifice their lives, poured out their tears in order that God might bring through that people the Savior of the world.

Paul finishes the thought “…if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” This is a prophecy of the rapture of the church. Paul is anticipating is that the church, in the end will fail for the most part. We see it all around us. We do not pray for the nation of Israel. We do not stand up for the nation of Israel. We do not fulfill our role as a believer priest. Oh, we’re thankful that we’re believer priests. That means I can walk into the throne room of God at any time. I can come boldly to the throne of grace. I can stand with a fallen, open face before the Lord Jesus Christ. I can know that my sins are forgiven. I can know that He’s there any time I need him. This is so self-focused. You have a role to play, and your priesthood has a focus because it is a priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. And that should mean something.

Gene Cunningham - November 23, 2022

"Pray for The Peace of Jerusalem" -- Mission Forgotten

We have a few brief hours to embrace an aspect of our mission that I think we've largely forgotten, namely, praying for the peace of Jerusalem. What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? Jerusalem will never have peace until they recognize the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Some we can reach now, in which case they become a member of the Church. Some will not believe until it's the last hope in a very, very dark, and painful world after the rapture of the Church. Let's make sure that we have uttered a prayer for that nation. They are surrounded by enemies. They are facing from a human point of view, certain annihilation. You know, Henry Kissinger said in ten years there will be no nation of Israel. That's the best joke I've heard in a long, long time. They will never be driven out. So how can you know? I'm asked this question all the time. How can you know? How can you know that they won't be driven out and scattered again and things that go on for a thousand years? Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is they're there to stay. The bad news is you don't have another thousand years. We'd like to think that we do. But we are are at the conclusion of our short paragraph in history. Check out Isaiah 11:11. The prophet foresaw that there would be two dispersions and two returns, and “after the second time” God will re-gather them and then will return. And, folks, it has happened! And He's coming. Israel is not going to be driven out, but it's going to be painful in the extreme. A third of those who survive into that time are going to believe (Zechariah 13:8). We have a mission mandate, and that mandate is to all the nations of the world. But I do believe that there is a specific focus of that mandate and that that aspect of the mandate is with special attention to the children of Israel. Israel is a burning passion in the heart of the impossible and should be to you and me. You remember that Paul in Colossians 1:24 that it was his pleasure “to suffer on their behalf because he was filling up that which was lacking in the sufferings of Christ.” Paul saw very clearly that it was his responsibility as a member of the Body of Christ to continue what His Lord had begun, what Christ came to do. That's what Paul was here for, and what Christ died for. That was what Paul was willing to die for and therefore to carry on Christ’s ministry. And Paul, in Romans 10:1, we see how he makes this a little bit more specific. “ Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” You know, my friends, the Bible commands us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” comes from Psalm 122. What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? When you and I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, there will be no peace in Jerusalem until Jerusalem and Israel receives the prince of peace. And therefore, we pray for the opening of their eyes. Have you ever thought that a prayer that you utter today could impact the soul of someone who will live in the next dispensation? A thousand years before Christ, David prayed for us in the Psalm 102. This is similar to when Paul says, “My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” Don't you think, Paul, being doctrinally accurate and having the mystery of a new creation revealed to him would just say, “Who cares about them?” And “we're done with them.” “We've moved on to new ground.” A thousand years before Christ came, there was someone praying for you. David, by the way, often praise as an expression of the trials of Messiah when He would come. I like the way Dietrich Bonhoeffer puts it. He said, “When you read the prayers of David, you are reading the prayers of Messiah, because the prayers that David prayed, Messiah prayed when he was here.” Interesting thought, isn't it? Psalm 102 is picturing the whole history of the nation of Israel, which is summarized in brief in Revelation Chapter 12, which tells us that “the woman will conceive and bear a child,” and because of that child that she brings, she “will be driven into the wilderness.” The hatred against the nation of Israel that existed in David's day and the hatred that existed against Israel in the time of Nazi Germany, and that exists today comes from the same source. It's satanic in origin because Satan still knows that God's plan for those people is not done. And so Satan stalks to the woman who is in travail. Psalm 102 says in part, “But you all Lord shall endure forever, And the remembrance of your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion for the time to savor her. Yes, the time that was set has come.” What time is he talking about? Jesus Christ’s Second Advent, right? The Psalmist continues, “Your glory for the Lord shall build up Zion. He shall appear in His glory. He will regard the prayer of the afflicted. He will not despise their prayer.” Did you get the message that he just said this that is promised is going to happen? “He will not despise their prayer.” Now, get this, because here is the kicker in Psalm 102:18, “This will be written for a generation to come. There are people yet to be created, may praise the Lord.” Do you see the church there? He's not just talking about the next generation of Jews. He's not just talking about another generation. He's talking about a new people. Generation is often used for race that are race yet to come of people yet to be created. I believe that David here anticipated, and maybe because of something He saw in the writing of Moses, Moses knew there was more to be revealed, but he knew that it was not for the children of Israel, it was for someone else. David knew that the things he wrote would be an encouragement and a strength to a people who did not yet exist. He didn't know who they were. He didn't know what they would be called. The idea of church never entered his mind. The concept of being in Christ was beyond his ability to comprehend. Although I would say that of all the prophets of the Old Testament, no one came as close to church age truth as did David in the Psalms. The Psalms are timeless and express the prayers of Christ. I would even be willing to bet that the Lord Jesus Christ had the entire Psalms memorized and uttered each of them at their proper place throughout the time of his pilgrimage on this earth may be continues to pray them. Who knows? He intercedes in our behalf. If David had a concern for a people that would not yet be created, how much concern can you and I have for a people who preceded us? If the last are going to be first, how great will they be? Paul asked the question in Romans 11 If their casting off is the salvation of the world, what will their reception be but a resurrection from the dead? It's going to be something amazing. Pray for the opening of their eyes. Our nation is no longer a friend to Israel as we have been. But somewhere there has to be a people that will not only pray for that nation and speak out for that nation, but if necessary, shelter that nation. Those Christians who fought in the resistance for the sake of the Jewish people, they did what the church is supposed to do. And through their dedication and devotion, many, many people of the Jewish nation have come to Christ. Many people will yet come to Christ. How many will come to Christ because you played your part? Let's pray that you and I can play the part through our prayers. Stand up for them, be their advocate, be their defender, and above all, be their intercessor. It will make a difference. The priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. See the previous video “I will bless those who bless you – Mission Forgotten” for more detail.