“16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?” Romans 11:16-24
It cannot be possible to read the above Scriptures, and come away with the notion that God has cut off Israel forever. There is a specific warning to us, the Gentiles in these verses: “Be not highminded, but fear: 21 for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. God temporarily cut off His own chosen people, so then why would we, the Gentiles be safe from the same threat? Boast not against the “branches,” the Jewish people!
Here is another consideration – the Jewish people were cut out of their own olive tree, and we, the Gentiles were grafted into their olive tree. Meaning – if God then brought in His enemies to the “fold,” those being the Gentiles, then how much more so will He bring back into the fold His very own chosen people?
I do not here say that God will cut off those who besmirch His people, as in your salvation is at risk, that is between you and God, and not mine to judge. I will say however, for all those who believe in “replacement theology,” you will answer to God for this, and those who teach this nonsense will incur a stiffer penalty for doing so. You are teaching an unbiblical and dangerous doctrine, and one that makes out God’s chosen people to be evil and worthless, and that isn’t going to go over well with God.
Benson Commentary –
“And if the root of them, namely, Abraham, was holy and beloved of God, so are the branches still beloved for the father’s sake, and so will be once more, in his good time, admitted to his favour. There seems here to be an allusion to Jeremiah 2:16, where the Jewish nation, made the visible church of God by virtue of the covenant at Sinai, are represented under the figure of a green olive-tree, of which Abraham was the root, and his descendants by Isaac the branches. Hence the thrusting the Jews out of the covenant of God, is here represented by the breaking off of the branches; and the admission of the Gentiles into that covenant, so as to make them members of God’s church, is set forth under the idea of their being ingrafted into the stock of the green olive-tree; and the advantages which they enjoyed thereby, are expressed by their partaking of the root and fatness of the olive-tree. The expression, a wild olive-tree, means here, a branch of a wild olive-tree, for branches only are ingrafted. The Gentiles are called a wild olive, because God had not cultivated them as he did the Jews, who on that account were called, Romans 11:24, the good or garden olive.” (Source)
“25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary –
“Of all judgments, spiritual judgments are the sorest; of these the apostle is here speaking. The restoration of the Jews is, in the course of things, far less improbable than the call of the Gentiles to be the children of Abraham; and though others now possess these privileges, it will not hinder their being admitted again. By rejecting the gospel, and by their indignation at its being preached to the Gentiles, the Jews were become enemies to God; yet they are still to be favoured for the sake of their pious fathers. Though at present they are enemies to the gospel, for their hatred to the Gentiles; yet, when God’s time is come, that will no longer exist, and God’s love to their fathers will be remembered. True grace seeks not to confine God’s favour. Those who find mercy themselves, should endeavour that through their mercy others also may obtain mercy. Not that the Jews will be restored to have their priesthood, and temple, and ceremonies again; an end is put to all these; but they are to be brought to believe in Christ, the true become one sheep-fold with the Gentiles, under Christ the Great Shepherd. The captivities of Israel, their dispersion, and their being shut out from the church, are emblems of the believer’s corrections for doing wrong; and the continued care of the Lord towards that people, and the final mercy and blessed restoration intended for them, show the patience and love of God.” (Source)
“Our birthright” was also mentioned, that is not strictly speaking true, the promises, the covenants, the Law etc., all was given to the Jewish people, not to us the Gentiles. We were made a part of what belongs to the Jews, their (The Jewish people) “birthright” was never transferred to us, nowhere in the Bible is there found any support for this concept. The birthright belongs to the Jewish people, who have for a time been excluded, but they will be returned to the fold in time, the Bible makes this very clear (Romans 11:25-27).
It’s like this; God had a contract if you will, with the Jewish people. I God will do this, and you the Jewish people will do that. If you the Jewish people don’t do that, then will I God do this. God did not tear up the contract with His people, He simply made an amendment, and we were added to that contract with some few extra provisions where we specifically were/are concerned.
“28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Romans 2:28-29
Meaning, all regardless of birth, being Jewish, Greek, American, Polish etc., all who truly worship and follow Jesus are the true offspring of Abraham, and therefore entitled to the blessings of the covenant with God.
Here is something else to think about – Jesus during His Earthly ministry spent most of His time with the Jewish people. When Jesus sent the twelve out, He specifically barred them from going to the Gentiles.
“5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:5-6
It is said that God is no respecter of persons, yet the chosen people, i.e., the Jews, are always first.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Gentile).” ***Parenthetical mine***
“9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 for there is no respect of persons with God.” Romans 2:9-11
The Jewish people are first in line for the blessings, and they are also first in line for punishment, and quite probably are judged with a higher, or a harsher standard than the Gentiles are, the same as all who teach about Jesus will be judged more harshly than others will be who do not teach.
Finally, I present the last evidence of replacement theology being false, a complete and total made up doctrine, an evil from the very pit of Hell.
“35 Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name: 36 if those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. 37 Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 31:35-37
Please note carefully what is being said here; if the sun, the moon, and the stars cease to exist, then shall Israel not be a nation before God any longer. If mere men can measure the heavens and the foundation of the Earth, God will cast off the Israelites forever. Not happening.
This is reinforced again in Jeremiah 33:20-22 –
“20 Thus saith the Lord; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; 21 then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.”
The covenant with Israel is not and will not be broken, it is eternal, by God’s own words.
“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29
“In the immediate context of Romans 11:29, Paul is discussing the place of Israel in God’s plan. Romans 1—8 discusses the condemnation, justification, sanctification, and future glorification of all the world. He concludes chapter 8 with a wonderful statement of the surety of all these things, particularly the security of the believer in Christ regarding eternal life. The following questions then arise: “Didn’t God make promises to Israel? Are those promises going to be kept?” Paul answers in Romans 9—11.
“Prior to the statement, “The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable” in Romans 11:29, Paul says that “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). When all the Gentiles who will be saved receive salvation, Israel will return to God and be saved (verse 26). Paul then concludes that, from the viewpoint of the Gentile, the Israelites are enemies, but, from the viewpoint of God, they are His beloved (verse 28). God will not renege on His promises to Israel, because the gifts and callings of God are without repentance (verse 29).” (Source)
“We are called to disciple all nations,” you stated Mr. Torba, true – and that includes the Jewish people who have been “hardened” until the full measure of the Gentiles comes in. You had stated that people need to “dust off their Bibles,” well, with all due respect, I believe you need to do likewise, and pray that God would reveal to you the truth of this matter (Replacement theology). Why? Because my words do not matter, but God’s words do matter.
As far as Israel being this implied evil “ethnostate,” that is ridiculous, there are plenty of Arabs living in Israel after all – not in Gaza or the West Bank, but central Israel. The same could be said of the U.S., this country having being founded on Christ after all, despite this, we are a “melting pot” of many peoples, as well as many other “states” that were founded on their own specific criteria, big deal. That doesn’t make Israel evil by any means, nor does it any other state. This hatred, dismissal, and derision for Israel is uncalled for, and counter-productive to the message of the Gospel of Jesus.
“Oh, how the phrase “Israel is an ethno state” has become the mantra of those eager to cast Israel as something uniquely sinister.
“Yet somehow, only when Israel is discussed the term “ethno state” transforms from a factual descriptor into a loaded slur. When it’s Greece, Poland, or Japan, no one questions their legitimacy or demands that they erase their identity. But for Israel—uniquely Jewish, small, and surrounded by states with explicit Arab and Islamic character—the same logic doesn’t apply. Here, what’s normal elsewhere is weaponized as a moral scandal. The existence of a Jewish homeland is no different in principle from any other ethno state, though it continues to be treated as if it’s an outrage.” (Source)
The United States does defend Israel, so what, we always have, does it not cross your mind Mr. Torba (And others who swallow this poppycock) that our defense of Israel is part of the source of our blessings from God? As far as “spiritual and cultural borders” not being defended here in the USA, that has nothing to do with our support of Israel. Seriously???? Any malfeasance of any kind concerning the USA can be squarely parked on the doorstep of those responsible for governance of this country, as well as the people themselves for not doing what needs to be done. Israel has no blame in this, that is a cheap shot without merit.
I agree with the majority of your insights, Mr. Torba, but I have to admit, I am gravely disappointed in you for the content of this “newsletter.”
Greg Holt
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