[sola gracia]

yet the Bible speaks of physical Israel being very much a focal point during the last days before Messiah returns to reign.

You keep saying that but would you please post some NT verses that support your theory.

[DittoJed2]

Why just the New Testament? Are you like Marcion and think the OT is to be tossed out? But to satisfy your question, lets try for example Romans 11. It is clear this is NOT speaking of just spiritual Israel, but God's chosen seed of Abraham of the tribes of Israel.

See Also Hebrews 8, also talking about the Israel of the Old Testament as it speaks of them being taking out of the land of Egypt. Both scriptures are below. Finally, check Revelation 7 which SPECIFICALLY speaks of individuals sealed by God out of the 12 tribes of Israel. God's plan has not changed. God's grace has not abated. God still has plans for Israel and we can either be there and be blessed or go against God and be cursed.

Romans 11

1

I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

2

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,

3

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

4

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

5

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

6

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

7

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

8

(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

9

And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

10

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

11

I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

12

Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

13

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

14

If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

15

For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

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 grafted 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 grafted 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 grafted 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 grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

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.

28

As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.

29

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

30

For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

31

Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

32

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

33

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

34

For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

35

Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

36

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Hebrews 8

1

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

2

A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

3

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

4

For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

5

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

6

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

7

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

8

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

9

Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11

And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Revelation 7

1

And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2

And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3

Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

4

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

5

Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

6

Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

7

Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

8

Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

9

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10

And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

11

And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

13

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

14

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15

Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

16

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

[LadyForLiberty]

Zechariah 14
1. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
2. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

Joel 3
1. For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2. I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Joel 3
6. The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.
7. Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:
8. And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the Lord hath spoken it.
9. Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
10. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
11. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord.
12. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
13. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
14. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.
15. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
16. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. 18. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the
mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
19. Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
20. But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the Lord dwelleth in Zion