Only If

This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord Almighty is his name: “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the Lord, “will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me.” This is what the Lord says: “Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:35–37, NIV 1984).

My Musings – Those who would call for the total destruction of Israel would do well to consider who it is that they are really going up against. “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.'” (Genesis 12:1, 2–3, NIV 1984).

God Himself dishes out discipline upon Israel when it is necessary. But He will never “reject all the descendants of Israel.” He may use other kingdoms to dispense His judgment, like Babylon and Rome, but not beyond the limits He sets. During these times, the kingdom may have ceased for a time, but the children of promise never has.

My Advice – “It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.” (Romans 9:6–8, NIV 1984).

The “descendants of Israel” that He has not rejected, are the “children of the promise.” The descendants that are not “Abraham’s children” are the ones that rejected the promise. Jesus. Reading between the lines, which Paul makes clear elsewhere, gentiles who are not “descended from Israel,” who are not “natural children” can become “children of the promise.” How can this be? Just like Abraham, believing is credited to them as righteousness.

We must believe in the promise. Jesus. And once we believe, “only if” these impossible things occur, will He “reject” those who believe.