Ancient Israelites refused to obey God’s Law, thereby spiritually blinding themselves to the full meaning of His covenant with them while cutting themselves off from the blessings He had promised for their obedience to His Ten Commandment Law. As a result of their lack of faith in Him, those over age 20 died during the following 40 years as they wandered throughout the Sinai Desert. For the sake of those under age 20, He (God/the Word Who became Jesus of Nazareth) provided for them throughout those years.

Later, after Joshua had led the tribes across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land, Israel repeatedly rejected the Lord Who had saved them from Egyptian slavery and had given them a homeland. Nevertheless, He continued to sustain them and protect them due to His promise to Abraham. Time after time the people would turn away from Him, causing Him to send superior armies against them who would defeat and capture them. Then they would repent, temporarily. Then the process would repeat itself. Finally, He sent Assyria and Babylon to enslave first, Israel (the northern tribes), then Judah (the “Jews” made up of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and some of Levi). Finally, His patience having come to an end, He scattered them throughout the earth where all but approximately 15 million Jews remain to this day. These today make up the Middle Eastern nation misnamed “Israel.” It is actually “Judah.”

Relative to the future, things look bad for Israel spiritually. However, the Apostle Paul declares that Israel will be given another opportunity to receive salvation, as will everyone who has ever been born. This includes the billions who, during their lifetimes, never heard of Jesus of Nazareth, the Bible or salvation. In Romans 11:26 and 31 Paul prophesies that Jesus, operating out of Zion (Jerusalem), will teach the descendants of Jacob (Israel) the ways of God. They will be given another opportunity to return to Him. Paul calls the work of the apostles (then and now) the “ministry of reconciliation” of Israel back to her Creator and the 12 tribes back together as one. Law-keeping Gentiles will be part of that group.

The Prophet Isaiah prophesied this Truth in 59:20 where he prophesied that the Redeemer would come out of Zion and teach His chosen people Israel who would turn away from sin and obey Him. Paul was not referring to Christ’s first advent during which He taught His Father’s ways to the Jews of the Middle East. “Jews” is the nickname Bible translators gave to the Judahites of Judea. The modern day Jews, along with the vast majority of the other tribes of Israel, are still in their sins–still in rebellion against God. These descendants of ancient Israel, numbering in the hundreds of millions, do not know they are Israelite descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (renamed “Israel”). They believe themselves to be “Gentiles” today. The so-called “Christian nations” of today are peopled primarily by Israelites. Read Who and Where is Israel Today? Key word–Who?

When Christ returns to earth He will teach both Israelites and Gentiles the way of salvation. He will have help. Recall that He wants everyone who has ever been born (“the world”) to be saved (Jn. 3:16,17). This includes those who have never heard His name–the ONLY name “by which we can be saved” (Acts 4:12). For this reason we can have hope for our loved ones and friends who, during their lifetimes, never heard God’s Truth. Their religious descendants in the Institutional Church are not hearing God’s Word today. Satan’s false prophets continue to lead the religious masses away from God and into “the church” where the hear what they want to hear, believe and obey what they hear and “take pleasure in those who follow them” (Rom. 1:32).

Upon His return to earth Jesus will teach His Father’s Truth to both Israelites and Gentiles. The vast majority of them will be hearing it for the first time., including all Catholics and Protestants. As previously stated, Christ will have help which will come from His saints, his firstfruits, His Very Elect, peculiar, holy nation of priests who believed His Word and obeyed it during their human lives. These will have been born again upon His arrival, will have risen to meet Him in the air, will have followed Him back to earth to the Mount of Olives and, with Him, will have gone into Jerusalem where He will have established the Kingdom of God on earth (Rev. 5:10). At that point His saints (church) will begin their teaching careers. They will have spent their converted lives preparing to fulfill this assignment.

In Micah 4:2 we are told about an activity in which every nation on earth will be involved. People from every nation under the sun will come to Kingdom Headquarters (Jerusalem), to be taught the ways of the Lord: “And many nations will come (to Jerusalem), saying, ‘Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob (Israel) so that He can teach us His ways, so that we can walk in His paths.’ For the Law will go forth out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” In this way the Word/Law of the Lord will cover the entire earth. The earth will become “full of the knowledge of the Lord.” What a joyous time that will be. And it will last forever. Praise God for His mercy and grace.

In Revelation 1:6; 5:10 and 20:6 we learn that, upon Christ’s return, His saints will be resurrected and made kings and priests unto the Father and the Son and will “rule the earth for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6). But that is just the beginning of their kingships and priesthoods. Their priesthood over God’s whole creation will begin following the Millennium (their 1000 year reign over the earth) during which they will teach those who will rise in the second resurrection. Read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe. Key word–Caretakers. As Paul said, eye has not seen nor ear heard the wonders God has in store for His obedient people.

The Lord tells us that after Christ returns to earth, His true saints, having been made kings and priests unto Him, will teach those who will have risen during the second resurrection. Read The Three Resurrections. Key word–Three. The saints will teach the ways of the Lord to everyone on earth during the millennium (Mal. 2:7/ Eze. 42:23). To summarize, those of the first resurrection (firstfruits) will teach those of the second resurrection (all of mankind that were not converted during this life). Salvation for all of mankind will be offered by Christ and His saints in the world to come.

Following repentance and accepting the sacrifice made by Jesus, those who would spend eternity with Him and His remnant will, under the professorship of His saints, grow in the knowledge of the Godhead and will take on their holiness, just as did their teachers during their earthly lives. They (the students), as did their teachers, (firstfruits) will, through the power of the Holy Spirit, receive the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5).

Members of God’s human family (church) must be totally and completely converted and equipped with the mind of Christ now. At the return of Christ they will be born again (changed from physical to spirit bodily composition) as did He. At this point their training days will be over. They will then be born into God’s spiritual family and, having been born again, will be like Jesus–spirit beings. Their teaching days will then begin. As a former college professor I can tell you that when you face your students you had better be well-versed in your subject. Those who will be teachers in the future are learning God’s Truth now. I loved teaching sociology in the past and love teaching the Word even more. I cannot wait for the millennium when I can teach God’s Word to my heart’s content. My dream is to be allowed to teach those who had been my earthly family and friends. What greater honor could there be? L.J.