The Deliverer comes to Zion
“All Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” Romans 11:26. The concept of a “Deliverer” comes from the Book of Judges, where men like Gideon were called Deliverers. Zion is the royal centre of Jerusalem.
In many places in the O.T. a time is prophesied when the destiny of God’s ancient people Israel is finally settled, a time in which there is a wholesale return to their land, a time when their sins are washed away, and they meet their true Messiah. It will not be an easy transition for them, as Zechariah foretells, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (12:10)
Paul tells us “If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” Rom.11:15. The Gentiles have been the subject of God’s grace for 2,000 years, just as Israel was granted 2,000 years from Abraham to Christ. It is now time for the Gentile Church to intercede for Israel, that they will recognise their Saviour and Messiah. When this comes about we are told that it will be as “life from the dead”, in other words the beginning of the days of resurrection of the saints of God. This will be part of the Great Revival of these end days.
But just as the words “Jews, Israel, Zion, and Jerusalem” have a literal and visible meaning, so also there is an invisible and spiritual meaning, which Paul made clear in his letters when he spoke, for example, about Gentile believers being true “sons of Abraham by faith”, and “spiritual Israel”, of “the Jerusalem above”. Therefore when thinking over the meaning of the verses quoted above one must recognise a TWO-TIER operation at work.
Those who abhor what has become known as “Replacement Theology” may themselves fall foul of recognising this two-tier operation of God. Today is the day of universal evangelism, with no national or religious divisions, and those who maintain that God is going to return to the Jews and make them His ONLY Millennial agents will be failing to see that God never “goes back” but always opens His doors wider and wider to mankind. Israel will definitely become a major evangelistic nation, but so also will many other nations as the waters of cleansing flood the world. But the “invisible Israel” consisting of the saints from Abel to the present day will be a special company as God’s heavenly Ambassadors, the Upper Tier of His working.
It often takes time to assimilate the concept of two tiers, and these brief notes may not be sufficient for some to take it all in, but it is good to seek wisdom from above, as James said, in order to allow the Spirit to enlighten the mind. Above all, become intercessors for the Jewish nation in Israel, that they may see their Messiah and rejoice in Him after going through their final Yom Kippur, (Day of Atonement).
Yes, Jesus will return to Jerusalem, there to be enthroned and glorified. But this will not be in geographical Israel, but in the “Jerusalem which is above”. He will not come to be visible to the nations of the world, but will be glorified in His saints. His heavenly ambassadors will be visible to mankind as required on their missions.
