In Romans chapters 9 through 11 Paul makes it abundantly clear that eternal life will not be offered to the Jews until AFTER Christ returns to this earth and sets up His kingdom. After their rejection of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago only a comparatively small number, a “remnant” had the offer of salvation extended to them. One can live a long life and never once encounter a converted Jew. I am 82 years old and I have never met a converted Jew. That is how rare they are.
But through the prophesies of Zechariah and the apostle Paul’s letter to the Roman believers, God assures us that when Jesus Christ returns “there shall be a fountain (of Christ’s shed blood) opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” (See Zechariah 13:1). “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 is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10). “And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people (then truly converted, truly saved), and I will dwell in the midst of thee…” (See Zechariah 3:11).
In a sense this truly is a “second chance doctrine,” for the blinded and confused nations of the world are not having their first offer to join the company of the redeemed en masse, but only a relative few in nations such as China, North Korea, etc. have any true knowledge of Jesus Christ and His earthly mission. The Jews, once cut off due to their rejection of their Messiah, will yet once again have the offer of salvation and eternal life offered to them! “And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again THE SECOND TIME to recover the remnant of his people” (See Isaiah 11:11).
Many fail to see these great truths in the scriptures because they have been duped into believing salvation is offered to no one else after Jesus Christ returns when, in fact, that is when salvation will be offered to the most of humanity. At the present time God is dealing primarily only with His elect sons and daughters. God help us to understand!
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley