Is the nation of Israel still chosen by God?

Israel continues to be the focus of nightly news reports, and the target of hate and attacks by its surrounding neighbors in the middle east.  There is also a growing antisemitism among America's young adults.  Chants of "from the river to sea, Palestine will be free" fill the streets.  Support for Israel both here in America and world-wide seems to be declining daily.  Which brings up an important question: has God removed His support of Israel?  Will God at some point in the future turn His face away from Israel and no longer call them His chosen people?

“This is what the LORD says:  The one who gives the sun for light by day, the fixed order of moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea and makes its waves roar the LORD of Armies is his name: “If this fixed order departs from before me —this is the LORD’s declaration —only then will Israel’s descendants cease to be a nation before me forever. This is what the LORD says: Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below explored, will I reject all of Israel's descendants because of all they have done – this is the LORD's declaration.”  Jeremiah 31:35-37

Israel will remain a chosen people of God (“a nation before me forever”) until the fixed order of the sun, moon, stars, and seas cease.  Does the fixed order of creation, the ordained patterns of the sun, moon, and stars or the cycle of the oceans and the seas ever cease?  Yes, the Bible tells us these will all cease.  When does this occur?  Second Peter 3:10 says "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up".  

At the end of the one-thousand year millennial kingdom period, this present universe will “melt with fervent heat” and be "burned up" and remade into the New Heavens and New Earth.  God and His people will dwell together forever in the city of New Jerusalem.  The sun,  moon, stars, and seas will cease to exist.  Their fixed order in creation will cease to exist and be no more. Revelation  21:1-2 says “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.”  Revelation 21:23 tells us that  "The city (New Jerusalem) does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb." 

At this time, and only when the created order ends, will Israel "cease to be a nation before” God.  The inhabitants of the New Jerusalem will simply be all of God's people from all time, servants of the one true God forever.  They will no longer be divided by nationality or race.  But, until the fixed order of the existing universe  "departs from before the Lord" and ceases to function as God created, the promises God made to the Nation of Israel will stand, and they will continue to be His chosen people, called out for a specific purpose.

What about the second condition laid out by God in Jeremiah 31?  “Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below explored, will I reject all of Israel's descendants because of all they have done.”   Will the heavens above and the foundations of the earth below be able to be measured and explored after the millennial kingdom, when the New Heaven and New Earth are brought about?  No, they will not.  As we have established above, the existing heavens and earth will be destroyed and will no longer exist.  Therefore, they will not be able to be measured and explored.  Since they cannot be measured and explored, God will not reject all of Israel’s descendants because of what they have done.

Matthew 24:32-35 records Jesus’ declaration that the heavens and earth will pass away in the Day of the Lord.   "Learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.  In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize that he is near -- at the door.  Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

In Romans 9:27-28, Paul quotes Isaiah 10:22 and says this about a remnant of Israel being saved: “But Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, Though the number of Israelites is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved; since the Lord will execute his sentence completely and decisively on the earth.”  Later in Romans 11:5, Paul again says “In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.”

Israel as a nation is chosen by God for a specific purpose.  They will be a chosen nation until this present universe is destroyed through fire, and the New Heaven and New Earth come about.  Until then, they will remain a nation before Him forever.  The Bible makes it clear we are to bless Israel, and pray for its peace.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem…”  Psalm 122:6

“The LORD said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father's house to the land that I will show you.  I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  Genesis 12:1-3

Yeshua in the Feast of Tabernacles

Therefore, don't let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.  These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is Christ. Colossians 2:16-17

The Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) also known as Sukkot in Hebrew, is the Feast of the Lord that is a Fall Feast, and is similar to our Thanksgiving.  As Paul pointed out in his letter to the Church at Colossae, the Feasts of the Lord all are a shadow of what is to come, and all point to Yeshua (Jesus) Christ in their substance.  Additionally in other passages, Both John and Paul point out specifically how Christ fulfilled the Feast of Passover as our Passover Lamb (John 1:29 and 1 Corinthians 5:7).

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

The Apostle John in his gospel tells us that Jesus (the Word of God) became flesh and dwelt among us, referring to the incarnation of the Lord in human form.   This is God as Son, a part of the trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  John states that Jesus “dwelt among us”.  The word for dwelt is skay-no-oh and is the same word as “tabernacle”.  It is possible to determine the approximate time of Jesus’ birth (not Christmas time) by following clues in the Bible.  The time of His birth falls right in the time frame of the Feast of Tabernacles.  Many, including myself, feel that John was using a play on words here to point out that Jesus was born and came to dwell with mankind in human form during Feast of Tabernacles.

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"  John 7:37-38

On each day of the Feast of Tabernacles a burnt offering and a drink offering were offered up to the Lord by the Priest.  A priest went down to the Pool of Siloam and withdrew some water into a large gold pitcher. He then returned to the Temple, ascended to the altar, and poured the water on the altar.  It was on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, during this ceremonial gathering and offering of the drink offering from the Pool of Siloam, that Jesus cried out “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink!” 

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  John 8:12

During the Feast of Tabernacles there were four large lamps erected in the courtyard of the temple.  Each lamp was about seventy-five feet tall and had four bowls at the top.  The bowls were filled with olive oil, and the wicks for the huge lamps were made from the priests' old worn-out garments, collected throughout the year.  The light from the four lamps lit during the Feast of Tabernacles were said to illuminate all of Jerusalem at night.  The lamps were symbolic of the shekinah glory which led the Children of Israel at night during the forty-years of wandering in the wilderness.  It was during the Feast of Tabernacles, near the temple courtyard, when Jesus said “I am the light of the world…”.

During each of the days of the Feast of Tabernacles, a chapter from Psalms 113-118 is jointly read by everyone.  On the last day, Psalm 118 is read aloud.  Here is a portion of that reading:

The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!"  I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.  Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.  I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.  The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.  This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:14-24

So much of this Psalm points directly to the salvation of Israel by God, and specifically, to salvation coming through God’s Son Jesus Christ.  This is a perfect picture of exactly what will occur during the tribulation period, when the Nation of Israel calls on the Son that they rejected, and the remnant natural branch are grafted back into the olive tree root:

And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.  For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.  Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  Romans 11:23-25

What does the “right hand of God” refer to in Psalm 118?  The power and authority of God.  And, it could be said that it refers directly to Jesus Christ who sits at the right hand of God we are told in Peter’s first epistle: 

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, ... through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,  who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.  1 Peter 3:18-22

The reading from Psalm 118 refers to the Gate of the Lord which the righteous enter into.  Who or what is this Gate?  It is Jesus Christ, which He Himself attests to:

Jesus said again, "Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. "All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them. "I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.  "A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.  "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  John 10:7-11

Additionally, “the stone that the builders rejected” in Psalm 118 is a direct reference to Jesus Christ, as several verses in the New Testament attest to:

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?  Matthew 21:42

Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”  Mark 12:10-11

But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?  Luke 20:17

This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’  Acts 4:11

To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”  1 Peter 2:7

"And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles." Zechariah 14:16

Feast of Trumpets Rapture on September 23rd, 2025?

“Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.” 

I Cor. 15:51-52

Social media is overflowing at this moment with posts and videos from Christians who are convinced the rapture will occur on September 23rd of 2025, which is the second day of the Feast of Trumpets this year.  The new moon occurs on the night of September 22nd and the 23rd is the first observable waxing crescent of the moon afterwards.   Is this the actual day of Jesus’ return for us as so many have said?  Supporters claim to have had dreams or visions where Jesus revealed this date to them specifically.  They point to the rapture being tied to the blowing of a trumpet blast and that clearly relating to the Feast of Trumpets, one of the appointed Feasts of the Lord.

“...In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a day of complete rest, commemoration, and trumpet blasts ​— ​a sacred assembly.  You must not do any daily work, but you must present a fire offering to the LORD.”  Lev. 23:24-25

"You are to hold a sacred assembly in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, and you are not to do any daily work. This will be a day of trumpet blasts for you.  Offer a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old ​-- ​all unblemished ​-- ​  with their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, six quarts with the bull, four quarts with the ram, and two quarts with each of the seven male lambs.  Also offer one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for yourselves.  These are in addition to the monthly and regular burnt offerings with their prescribed grain offerings and drink offerings. They are a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the LORD.”  Numbers 29:1-6

In the month of Tishri, the 7th month of the Jewish calendar, the Fall Feasts are celebrated.  On the 1st day of the month is the Day of Trumpets.  This is also designated as the start of the Jewish New Year for their religious calendar and is known as Rosh Hashanah.  On this day begins the blowing of trumpets, or ram horns known as the shofar, announcing to all the coming Day of Atonement.  

The word for "Feast" in Hebrew is Mo'ed and means appointed time.  The word for "convocations" is Mik'raw and means an assembly, but also is used for a “rehearsal”.  The Feasts are a REHEARSAL for things to come!  The Passover Feast was a rehearsal for the coming Messiah.  The Passover Lamb is slain, the Unleavened Bread is eaten and all leaven removed from the house, and the harvest of First Fruits is celebrated.  Jesus was our Passover lamb (I Cor. 5:7), Jesus is the Bread of Life without any sin (leaven) who removed all the sin from our earthly house (John. 6:35), and Jesus is the First Fruits risen of all of us who will follow Him in resurrection (I Cor. 15:20).

"And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts."   Leviticus 23:1-2

The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost/Shavuot) was a rehearsal of what would be revealed to be the "Mystery" of the church age...Jews and Gentiles in the same Body of Christ.  The wave offering of the two loaves of bread symbolized a barley loaf for the Jews, and wheat loaf for the gentiles, together in one body.  The church age begins at Pentecost with the giving of the Holy Spirit, and will end at the rapture when the Church and the Holy Spirit are removed from this world. In my opinion, both of these events may actually occur on the Feast of Weeks.

Also important to note about the Feasts is that not only did the first two Feasts (Passover and Weeks) come about as prophesied, but they also occurred on the exact days and periods of the Feast days.  We can only surmise from this fact that the same will hold true for the last Feast (Booths) to come about as prophesied, on the exact days and time period of those Feast days.

In the same way, the Feast of Booths is a rehearsal for the Day of the Lord, the end times period which follows the rapture and includes the tribulation period of seven years and the millennial kingdom period of one thousand years.  The Day of Trumpets foretells an event which calls the Jews to assemble, most likely a battle.  The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) foretells a day when atonement begins for the Jewish people, and the Year of Jubilee begins which initiates the opening of the 7 sealed scroll by the Messiah and the start of the Tribulation period.  The Feast of Tabernacles foretells that 7 year tribulation period where God dwells with His people once again and teaches them to trust and follow Him.  The 8th Day Sabbath of Booths foretells the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom, a period of rest and restoration.

The Feast of Trumpets is peculiar in that there is no real background or purpose given to explain the feast day.  It is a day of commemoration and remembrance, but the Bible never makes it clear what is being remembered.  Much of what the Jews currently do during the holiday actually came about during the Babylonian captivity and were customs "borrowed" from the Babylonians.  The name of the month, "Tishrei" is even a Babylonian word meaning "beginning" referring to the start of the Jewish new year. The Jewish people are simply told to make it a Sabbath, have trumpet blasts during it, and offer up various burnt offerings to the Lord.  

The Day of Trumpets in my opinion applies directly to the Jews and not the Church.  As mentioned, I believe that Christians will be removed during the rapture, which may occur on the Feast of Weeks.  With the start of the Fall Feasts, and particularly the Day of Trumpets, the focus will then turn back to the Jews.  This feast day involves a call to battle, a cry to assemble, and a call to worship and present offerings to the Lord.  It symbolizes I believe an event that brings the Jewish Nation to a unified place where God can once again begin working with them.  

The Rapture of the Church (true followers of Christ) could occur at any time.  There is nothing required to occur first according to the Bible.  It is a sign-less event.  Christians have been told since our Lord’s ascension into heaven to be watching and ready for His return.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark.  They didn't know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be.”  Matthew 24:36-39

This verse is quoted often when there is discussion regarding when Jesus will return to rapture (from the Greek harpazo “to be caught up”) His Bride, the Church, to be where He is.  But, as previously discussed, the rapture is a sign-less event that could take place at any moment.  The above verse is not in reference to the day and hour of the  rapture, but instead is speaking of the Lord’s second coming at the end of the tribulation period at the end of the age.  

In Matthew 24 (and Mark 13 and Luke 21 as well), Jesus is speaking to His disciples alone.  He is addressing their question “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? ”  In answer to these two questions, Jesus first gives the signs people should be watching for to determine when His second coming is at the end of the tribulation period.  Next, He answers their initial question of “when?” by stating “only the Father knows.”

Jesus says that His second coming at the end of the tribulation period will be like the days of Noah.  The flood caught the people at the time of Noah off guard…they were unprepared.  But, the Bible also tells us that Noah preached to them about the coming destruction for 120 years prior to its start.  There was warning, they could have been prepared and ready had the only heeded Noah’s words of warning.  The generation of people during the tribulation period will not have ears to hear…they will ignore the warnings of the coming destruction. 

One of the signs Jesus gives His disciples for people to be watching for during the tribulation is the abomination of desolation.  This is also mentioned in the Book of Daniel, and both Daniel and the Book of Revelation provide a timeline of this event occurring at the midpoint of the tribulation period.  Anyone alive during the tribulation should be able to discern when they see the abomination of desolation occur that the end is 1260 days away, or three and a half years.

“I don't want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”  Romans 11:25

We as Christ Followers are told to watch for His coming back for us, at the time of the rapture, and to remain awake and ready, watching for the signs of His soon return.  But, only God knows when the rapture will occur.  It is tied to the "fullness of the Gentiles", that time when the last person whose name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life enters into the Kingdom of the Lord.  At that point, the fullness of the Gentiles will be completed and the Church age will end.  The rapture will occur and Christ the Lord will return to escort His Bride to His Father’s house.

"Don't let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.”  John 14:1-3

“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.”  I Thessalonians 4:15-18

Maranatha - even so, come quickly Lord!