17.3.2.1. Sun, Moon, and Messiah

God has promised that so long as the sun and moon continue, so too will the seed of Israel as a nation. This does not speak of the spiritual offspring of Abraham (by faith), but of the physical nation (Rom. Rom. 11:25).¹

Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name): “ If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the LORD, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.” (Jer. Jer. 31:35-36) [emphasis added]

Elsewhere, God promised to restore the “preserved ones” by means of the Messiah, Jesus Christ:

And now the LORD says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be My strength), indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ (Isa. Isa. 49:5-6) [emphasis added]

Pay special attention to what has just been said lest we fall into the confusion of Replacement Theology: He promised to “raise up the tribes of Jacob” and “restore the preserved ones of Israel” which are a separate group from the Gentiles to whom the Messiah will also be given. This speaks of national Israel, not the spiritual seed of Abraham which includes Gentiles who also come to faith.

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Notes

¹ The ordinances of the sun and moon insure the continued existence of Israel, as seen in their mention in association with the woman of Revelation Rev. 12:1+.