God deals with Israel on two levels — nationally as a covenant nation and individually, where every Jew can still be saved today.
On the national level, God has set Israel apart, made covenants with the whole nation, and has now blinded the nation as a result of her rejection of the Messiah. That national blindness does not exclude individual Jews; in this age of grace, a Jew can come to salvation exactly like a Gentile. The nation remains set aside for a future restoration when the remnant will be saved.
Exodus 19:5-6 — Shows God making Israel a national covenant people above all other nations.
Romans 11:25 — States plainly that blindness in part has happened to Israel, defining the national condition.
Isaiah 66:8 — Looks forward to the future national birth of Israel, the restoration Les describes.
Scripture shows that God relates to Israel as a covenant nation. In Exodus 19:5-6, He tells the children of Israel, "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation." This is a national relationship and a national covenant. Later, in Romans 11, Paul applies the language of blinding to the nation: "Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway" (Romans 11:10). He also calls it a partial blindness that will last "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Romans 11:25). Yet he insists Israel has not fallen beyond recovery: "Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid" (Romans 11:11). Isaiah 66:8 promises a future national birth: "Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once?"
Les Feldick points out that we must always ask whether Scripture is dealing with Israel on a national level or with an individual Israelite. On the national level, God has made covenants with the people of Israel as a whole, sovereignly choosing them above other nations and preparing them to be a kingdom of priests (Clips 1, 4). Because of their rejection of the Messiah, the nation is presently under a spiritual blindness and has been set aside, but God is not through with them (Clips 2, 3, 5). One day, at the end of the tribulation, the remnant of the nation will be saved, even as Isaiah said a nation will be born in a day (Clips 2, 6). On the individual level, a Jew today can come to salvation exactly like a Gentile by believing the Gospel of grace; national blindness does not rob any individual Jew of that opportunity (Clips 1, 5, 6).
God deals with national Israel as a covenant people. In Exodus 19, God set Israel above all nations, making them His peculiar treasure (Exodus 19:5). Les describes this as God sovereignly designating "this little nation for a unique role in His overall program for the whole human race" (Clip4). That role was to prepare Israel to bring the Gentile nations to a knowledge of Israel's God (Clip4). The national covenants, even when Israel broke them, will never be forgotten; God's promises to the nation will come to fruition (Clip7). At the same time, the nation has been blinded because of their rejection of the Messiah and is waiting for the return of their Messiah at the end of the tribulation (Clips 2, 6). The same sovereign God who parted the Red Sea will protect the escaping remnant in the end times (Clip0).
Yes. Les is emphatic: "an individual of Israel can still even today be saved" (Clip1). National blindness does not mean an individual Jew is excluded. While the nation as a whole is blinded in this age of grace, "an individual Jew has every opportunity to believe the Gospel" (Clip2). A Jew today has just as much chance to believe the Gospel of God's grace as a Gentile (Clip5). The blindness is corporate, not personal.
No. Les says the Jews "haven't fallen out of God's program; God has simply set them aside for a period of time" (Clip5). They remain, in Jeremiah's words, God's covenant people (Clip3). The nation is currently under a national blindness "waiting for the return of their Messiah at the end of the tribulation" when "the remnant will be saved" (Clip2). That coming national salvation is the event Isaiah pictures as a nation being born in a day (Clip6). God's mercy toward His covenant people will not depart (Clip3).
God's Providential Deliverance of the End-Time Remnant
Les teaches that the same sovereign God who parted the Red Sea will once again protect the remnant of Israel when they flee in the end times, showing that God's national dealings with Israel are not finished.
Two Levels of Dealing: National and Personal
Les makes the foundational point that God deals with Israel on national and personal levels; the nation is blind, but individual Jews can still be saved today.
National Blindness and Individual Opportunity
Les explains that God put a spiritual blindness upon the nation as a whole, but in the age of grace an individual Jew has every opportunity to believe the Gospel; the remnant will be saved at the end of the tribulation.
Israel Set Aside but Still God's Covenant People
Les teaches that Israel is still God's covenant people even though they are set aside and spiritually blinded; God is not through with them and will pick up where He left off.
Sovereign Choice of a Covenant Nation
Les describes God's sovereign act of setting Israel above the nations as a favored nation for a unique purpose — to bring all nations to a knowledge of Israel's God.
National Program Ended for a Time, Individual Access Still Open
Les emphasizes that Israel's national program ended for a time under God's blinding, but individual Jews can still come in by faith, and they have not completely fallen from God's program.
A Jew Can Be Saved Today; the Nation Will One Day See
Les teaches that a Jew can be saved today just like any Gentile, although the nation has been blinded for rejecting Messiah; one day the nation will see the truth and be born in a day.
Covenants Will Come to Fruition
Les teaches that even seemingly broken covenants with Israel will never be forgotten; because they came from God, they will come to fruition in His timing.
Exodus 19:5-6: Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
This is the foundational national covenant text that makes Israel God's special covenant people.
Romans 11:10: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.
Paul applies this to Israel's national blindness.
Romans 11:11: 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.
Shows that Israel has not fallen out of God's program permanently.
Romans 11:25: 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.
Directly states the corporate, partial blindness of Israel.
Isaiah 66:8: Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
The prophetic picture Les cites for Israel's future national salvation.
Yes. Les Feldick plainly says an individual Jew can still be saved today, and a Jew has just as much opportunity to believe the Gospel of grace as a Gentile (Clips 1, 2, 5). The blindness applies to the nation as a whole, not to every individual.
No. Israel has not fallen out of God's program. God has simply set the nation aside for a period of time; the covenants will still come to fruition, and the remnant will be saved at the end of the tribulation (Clips 3, 5, 7).
Les uses Isaiah's phrase to describe Israel's future national salvation. At the end of the tribulation, when the Messiah returns, the nation's remnant will suddenly be saved — a national birth that happens 'in a day' (Clips 2, 6).
Les teaches that God sovereignly designated Israel as a covenant nation for a unique role — to be a favored nation that would bring all the other nations to a knowledge of Israel's God (Clip4). This was part of God's overall program for the human race, not a blanking out of the Gentiles.
Watch the Teaching: The Abomination of Desolation: Why Israel Must Flee (Matthew 24)