Span-09 Apostolic & Prophetic Foundations 6 of 8 — Art Katz

Israel’s Blindness and the Fullness of the Gentiles

I want to take up another key portion of Romans 11.

I quoted many times verse 25, that we should not be ignorant of this mystery. And then Paul completes the verse, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

Well, what does that mean? It's a significant until.

It's a condition in the ministry.

Something has happened to Israel, a judgment of God, a national judgment.

For a long history of apostasy and sin.

And for the rejection of the prophets who were sent to it. Remember what we said about that? When a nation or a people will reject the prophets, that's the last thing before God's judgment. Jesus was himself a prophet, the ultimate prophet, and the rejection of him came the ultimate judgment.

Israel has been hardened, has been blinded as a nation, except for a small remnant that keep alive the hope of Israel.

And demonstrate the enduring faithfulness of God.

The ultimate judgment by saving a remnant, an elect remnant,.

In every generation, of which I am myself personally, an expression,.

Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Whenever that will be fulfilled, whatever that means,.

The blindness will be removed, the hardening will be gone, Israel will see and believe and be restored. Not by anything that it performs, but something that comes to it.

From outside itself when a condition has been fulfilled. When a certain condition has been fulfilled, that God in his wisdom has established, the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. What do you think that means?

Oh, I've got to come down from this platform. I've got to learn Spanish. You've got to learn English.

We need to talk to each other. What does this mean? Paul doesn't tell us. Something with the Gentiles. The fullness.

What does it suggest? That there might actually be a number of Gentiles from all nations for his name,.

Who must be saved in all the nations of the world. And when that number is completed, Israel will be released. Something has happened to it from outside of it. The fullness has been obtained by the Church, whose task it is to obtain a people for his name from among all nations.

If I'm correct in this, then again,.

Not only is the Church the key by bringing Israel to jealousy,.

But by bringing its deliverance, by bringing in the fullness of the Gentiles. The Church's world missions, the completion of its mission task, is the key to Israel's victory. Isn't that remarkable? It's a mystery.

Israel is acted upon when this particular condition is fulfilled through the Church. The issue of Israel is the issue of the Church. But a Church of what kind?

An ultimate kind among the nations and in the world.

Now it has a special motivation that in completing its task in the world, it fulfills its task to Israel.

Israel’s Centrality Among the Nations

It's a nation with an incentive. Once it grasps the mystery. The nations themselves are not the task of the Church. We're not called to save the nations. That's Israel's own task. When Israel is restored, it's restored to the nations.

It will be central to the nations.

Deuteronomy 32 .8 Study it.

I've never heard anybody comment on it. One verse. That God has established the number of the nations according to the number of the sons of Israel. Talk about mystery. That there was some kind of intrinsic connection between one particular nation,.

Israel, as central to all nations.

You didn't know that? You thought Israel was just another people? Another country? You didn't understand its centrality? Shame on you. Doesn't Psalm 2 tell you? That the king shall be established upon the holy hill of Zion?

Doesn't Isaiah 2 tell you? That the law shall go forth out of Zion? And the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem? To all nations? This is not poetry? This is political. Theocratic.

Governmental. But when it goes out from that center, which center God has appointed, to all nations, nations will study war no more? They'll turn their swords into pruning thorns. Israel is central to all nations.

The first of all nations to be saved will be key to all nations. You've got to understand this. That's why Israel will be so persecuted.

In your generation. Within the next five years. Sooner. Global hatred. Intense persecution.

Harassment unto death. Simply for being Jews. A demonic hatred. Of the kind that captivated the entire Nazi Germany. And established the process of annihilation. Will come again in your time. Worse. More extensively.

And in all nations.

They'll be in flight from death. Will you take them in? And identify yourself with them? And run the risk of the peril? And end up in their concentration camp? Better keep your nose clean. Let God save them.

Don't extend yourself.

To identify yourself with them. And take the risk of their penalty. Why should you? What did they ever do for you? As Gentiles. That you should extend your life for them. Sacrificially. As if to save them.

And to see them restored. Is the very purpose of your existence. And the fulfillment of your mandate. I'm getting a holy ghost chill. We're touching something holy. They're not going to be made jealous by our meetings.

They're going to be made jealous by your sacrifice. Coming to them at a time when they are hated worldwide. Why should you take them in? When you saw them naked, thirsty, hungry, and in prison. Because you recognized them as the brethren of the Lord.

Because you didn't love your life unto death. And counted as being dear unto yourself. You knew why they were hated. Because the powers of darkness. The gods of this world. The false rulers of every nation.

Do not want Israel restored. For when they are restored. Their king comes. And rules over them. And the one and only place where he must. From the throne of David. And the descendant of David. From the holy city of Zion.

And will restore Jerusalem.

And will restore Israel. When his kingdom come. If you don't understand Israel theocratically. You don't understand. Israel has a destiny. And the powers of darkness know it better than the church. The fullness of the Gentiles must come in.

Not the nations per se. That's restored Israel's test. A nation of priests. And a light unto the world. Your function. Your task. Your world missions task. A people for his name. From among all nations.

And when the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. In Colombia and in Ecuador.

Guatemala, Mexico. Then shall the deliverer come out of Zion.

And turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

For this is my covenant with them. When I take away their sins. All Israel will be saved.

As it is written. According to the covenant that I have made with them. God is at stake. Who makes covenant. In the things that are written. That must be fulfilled. For God is not God. Can you see why every power in hell?

Will seek to oppose this fulfillment? It is the issue of God. Not just over the nations. But in the cosmos. And the church is the key. What kind of a church? Certainly not the casual conglomerate of individualities.

Occupied with their personal ministry.

They might be recognized or famous. On one Sunday like another.

No way that that can qualify. Church of an ultimate kind. Utterly authentic. Apostolic attitude. And prophetic. A resurrection phenomenon. Not content merely to be satisfied with the truth of the doctrine.

But to live in its power. For only in its power. Can its mandate be accomplished. I'm glad I fell asleep on the little break we had. I thought I had plenty of time. All of a sudden I woke up. Three minutes to eleven.

Put a little water on my face. Got my shirt on. And ran in. And opened my mouth. It's like a resurrection from the dead.

I've seen it many times. I spoke at a big charismatic church in Tennessee. Never had me back.

I fell asleep in the pastor's office. They had to wake me up. The congregation is waiting. Time for you to speak. Okay, lead me to the pulpit.

Ezekiel’s Dry Bones and the Prophetic Word

And I opened my mouth. Ezekiel chapter 37. The valley of dry bones. That would have remained dry bones. Israel in its grave. Until a son of man.

A prophet. Commanded the bones to live. And I said, that prophet. That son of man. Is you. Israel will remain in its death. Until it hears the creative word. The prophetic word. From your mouth. That is more than an opinion.

More than a conviction. The very word of God. The creative word. The resurrection power. From the resurrection people. To raise the dead. Did they ever go down? I've seen people go down on their faces.

On the floor. These people went into the floor. They dug into the wood.

To find the place of death. That they might be raised unto resurrection. But only on that basis. Can they fulfill this call.

One man had to be lifted up off the floor. Put on the pew. He was gasping for air. He said, brother Art. You have called me to die. In the very place where the church has called me to succeed. They encouraged me to perform.

On the basis of my human accomplishment and ability. My PhD.

My expertise. My experience. My knowledge. In the very thing you have called me to bring to death.

You have controverted my entire Christian life. Radically. That's what the message of Israel does. To the church that hears it. And receives it. We're going to bring them out of their death. In the power of resurrection life.

Because our death has come before their death. Not the death of our defects. Our hang ups. Our vices. Our problems. Gladly would we commit that to death. Our virtue. Our ability. Our expertise. Our natural eloquence.

Our religious ability. Will never raise Israel. Only the life of God. Is those who are willing to bring to death those things. That keep us from the union with his life.

That when the prophet speaks. It's God speaking. The creative word. The life that triumphs over death. Are you in that dimension? I know you're not.

And you would never have been. Unless the mystery of Israel had come to you.

Because you may have succeeded in other things.

But you can never succeed in this. This is of him. That it might be through him. That it could be to him. As glory. Forever. Takes place in time. In the last days. In our lifetime. But what is affected.

The fullness of the Gentiles being come in.

The moving of Israel to jealousy. The extending of the mercy that they might receive.

The speaking of the word that raises them from their grave. Must be to him. To him. That it will be to him. It's a glory. That takes place in time. But it's glory forever. Because it's the end of history.

That's the end. The end of the purpose for the church. The Lord comes. His millennial glory in kingdom. The final act of history. But the glory that he obtains in it. Will resonate forever. How would you like to have part in that?

That what you do in time. What you do in history. Affects the glory of God. Forever. I can't even whistle for this. To be called to something. That is forever in it's consequence.

Is a sublime call. It's our call.

It distinguishes the church as the church. Privilege unspeakable. It will take eternities to appreciate it.

And we are the instrument. Chosen of God.

This is why salvation has come to us. To fulfill the mystery.

To bring the fullness of the Gentiles in. That the deliverer shall come out of Zion.

To turn away ungodliness from Jacob. According to his covenant with them.

All Israel will be saved. As it is written.

Psalm 102 and God’s Mercy Toward Zion

Let's take a quick look at Psalm 102. Where very likely Paul was himself inspired. He may actually have quoted this text. That we read in Romans. In verse 12 of 102. But you O Lord shall endure forever.

In remembrance of your name to all generations. You will arise. And have mercy on Zion. For the time to favor her. Yes the set time. Has come. For your servants take pleasure in her stones. And show favor to her dust.

How do you like that? Are you really a student? You would never have read the text that quickly. Word for word. Dwelling on what is being said here. Because the Psalms are poetry. Inspired poetry. And what is poetry?

It is the most intensively condensed statement.

Compacted and full. And contained in few words. Complete with awesome meaning. You can't read this.

You will arise. Is the very language of resurrection itself.

Our spirits should already be alerted. Because Lord have you been sleeping?

You have been quiet. Inactive. For 2000 years.

You have allowed Israel to languish.

And suffer among the nations. And experience the holocaust. And even now. Their future is bleak. If you don't intervene. It looks like they are on the way out. But you will arise. And have mercy. Mercy.

In Romans 11. Paul says. That by your mercy. They may obtain mercy. Mercy. On Israel. For when you have mercy. Your God being God. When Moses said. Show me thy glory. You hid him in a cleft of the rock.

And showed him your mercy. The Hebrew word is Hesed. Hesed. It's a unique quality of God. He asked for your glory.

You showed him your mercy. For your mercy is your glory. And you will arise and show mercy to Israel.

For nothing less than mercy will suffice. For they will be devastated. As is indicated by her stones and her dust. A statement of her devastation. Her destruction. Her principal cities. Haifa. Tel Aviv.

Tiberias. Jerusalem itself. Will be reduced. To nothing but stones, stubble and dust. I try to warn them.

That's where I met Marvin Barber. At our conference in Jerusalem. On the coming calamity of Israel. Brace yourself children.

Devastating judgment must come. Will come. In the land itself.

So what releases you? What releases the Lord to arise?

And to have mercy on Zion. The set time has come. How does the Lord know it? Because he observes. That his servants take pleasure in her stones. And show favor to her dust.

Who are his servants? Not Israel itself. They have been reduced to powder. Another entity. His servants. Whom the psalmist could not identify better. It's the church. Having pity on her stones.

Favor to her dust. What does that mean? That after Israel's judgment. We're going to come and walk around through the ruins. Is this a statement of our love of archeology? No you silly children. It's a statement of identification.

Ultimate identification.

With Israel in her shame. In her judgment. In her devastation. We are one with her. And bear her reproach. And identify with her in her shame.

As Elijah did with the dead widow's son. We prostrate ourselves over the nation. And we love her dust. And have pity on her stones.

As Gentiles. When the Lord sees that. He arises. And will have mercy on Zion.

And deliver them from their devastation. The set time has come. The fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Not only in their number.

But in their quality. And their character. As is revealed by their identification.

The people with whom they should have had nothing to do. For whom they should have no natural affinity.

But they have come of age. They have gone beyond being Gentiles. They have come to such a fullness in God. That they love what He loves. And hate what He hates.

And when the church comes to that fullness. And comes of age.

As is revealed in their attitude toward Israel. Not when Israel is at her best. But at her worst. In her dust and in her shame and judgment. When you identify with her then. The Lord will arise. And have mercy on Zion.

And deliver her. For the set time has come. Wherever we look. Wherever we turn. The church is the key. Not Israel herself. Devastated. Down and out. Incapable of obtaining her own redemption. God won't even allow the nation to repent.

Until she is restored again. Then she will recognize. Her sins. And the sins of her fathers. And will abhor herself. Will see herself as loathsome. And repent. After her return. Repentance is not the key to her restoration.

God will not even give Israel that much. She must be acted upon.

That she might know. That she might know. That the God who has spoken these things. Is the God who fulfills them. Is he going to go that far.

To demonstrate this truth.

Before the face of all nations. Through Israel.

And his severity and his kindness. Exactly. Israel is his witness nation. More in her failure. In her apostasy. In her judgment. Than ever in her faithfulness. Mercy will come to Zion. And all the world will observe it.

And know that the Lord. He is God.

His mercy is his glory. And his glory is his mercy. And he has demonstrated it before the face of all nations. Through one nation. Established for that witness. Even Israel.

Psalm 102 and the Nations’ Recognition of God

So it says in verse 15 of Psalm 102. So the nations shall fear the Lord. The name of the Lord. And all the kings of the earth. Your glory. For they will have observed. They could not help but observe.

For it took place in the nations themselves.

The judgment and the severity of God. And the mercy that follows.

The nations shall fear the name of the Lord.

This is for the nations. And all the kings of the earth. Your glory.

This is not something done in a corner. Go. Because the whole issue from the beginning. Has been the issue of the nations. And who in fact is God. Israel will make it quite clear. Who in fact God is. Both by the judgments which he visits upon them.

And the mercy that follows. All the nations will know. The kings of the nations. The mercy and the glory of God. For the Lord shall build up Zion. He shall appear in his glory. He shall regard the prayer of the destitute.

And not the fire of their prayer. And this will be written for the generations to come. The people yet to be created.

They praise the Lord. As he looked down from the height of his sanctuary.

While heaven the Lord viewed the earth. To hear the groaning of the prisoners. To release those appointed to death. To declare the name of the Lord in Zion.

And his praise in Jerusalem. Not for their Gucci leather handbags. For their merchandise.

For their high tech society. But for the glory of God. Revealed in his mercy.

When the people are gathered together. And the kingdoms. Who serve the Lord. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess. In Islamic nations.

Buddhist. Hindu. Atheistic. Every tongue confess. Every knee bow. Nations themselves. Who were called up to Jerusalem. For the feast of tabernacles. Lest they suffer a curse.

The Gentiles of ten nations. Will hang on to the skirt of one Jew. Take us to your God. Because you know him. Israel is in her place. She is the crown of God's glory. She has given her a new name.

She is a minister to the nations. And all nations will bow.

At Israel's feet. In the recognition of her restoration.

To whom mercy has come. After judgments.

And all the kingdoms. Will serve the Lord. What we're doing now is almost criminal. Slipping in this text. As if it were a side note. We should have a seminar on this one verse alone.

It's the conclusion of the age. The consummation of all things.

The theocratic rule of God.

Over the rebellious nations. And its self-serving kingdoms. Shall now forever serve the Lord. Because he has revealed himself. Unarguably. As the God of all. In the revelation of his glory. That has come to Zion.

Through mercy. When his servants. Have taken mercy upon her dying.

When the Lord sees that. That Gentiles. Who have no natural reason. To inconvenience themselves. To be sacrificial. To prostrate themselves. Over the devastated nation. Not out of religious obligation.

Out of love. They love their stones. They cherish them. To rise. Where their set time has come. To favor Zion. The church has come of age. The church is the key.

But what kind of a church? That is not limited by things that are natural. That can transcend Gentile prejudice. That can love Israel. Even Israel's dust. When all nations despise her.

And seek to come against her to destroy her.

The Church’s Cosmic Witness and Sacrificial Wisdom

It's the fulfillment of all mystery. For which reason God has created all things. In order that. Through the church. The manifest wisdom of God. Might be demonstrated. To the principalities and the powers of the air.

Whose wisdom is altogether contrary. It's the wisdom by which the world lives its life and dies. In hopelessness and futility and frustration.

Take care of number one. If you don't nobody else will.

Why extend yourself for another?

Sacrificially. At the risk of your own life. And do it joyously. For the Jew. That's another wisdom. It's the wisdom of God himself.

Demonstrated through the church. Gentile church. And the age has been completed. The internal purpose of God in Christ Jesus. By which he has created the world. Has been fulfilled. A cosmic demonstration has been made.

Unto the principalities and powers of the air. Who said it could not be done. We know men. Men are selfish.

Everybody takes care of themselves. It's not possible. That an entire church. Of a priestly kind. Would come into such union with Christ himself.

That they by the eternal spirit.

Can give themselves without spot to God.

For the salvation of Israel. When they see that.

The end of the age has come. And the glory of God has come. And the knowledge of God has come. That shall fill the earth.

As the waters cover the sea. Are you trembling? This is your mandate.

Katz, what are you doing here? With these Gentile kids? Latin America? You should be dealing with your own people. What time is short? You should be ministering to Jews. What are you doing in a Bible school?

With these Gentile kids.

Where the action is. The issue is not direct ministry to Jews.

Yes, I'll do that. And I have done it and will do it. But the real issue.

Is why God took Paul. The Hebrew of the Hebrews.

And his remarkable knowledge of Judaism.

He saw a student of the rabbi Gamaliel. And made him the apostle to the Gentiles.

Because he knew the mystery. That salvation has come to the Gentiles. So as to move them. To his people to jealousy. That by your mercy. They might obtain mercy. That the set time will come. For the deliverer to come out of Zion.

When the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. And his servants. His church. Shall have mercy for her stones. And compassion on her dust. He knew that he knew. The issue of Israel is the issue of the church.

And for that church he gives himself. And for that church I give myself. For Israel's sake. And the glory of God.

Do you understand? The issue is with you. My God do I have faith to believe it? These children. Represented of the church. Are the key. Do I have the faith to believe it? His word says so. And I believe it.

And if it happens. It will be because the word has come.

That you might have the faith to believe. On hearing the word. That was preached unto you. By one who is sent.

Prayer for Resurrection Life and Consecration

Let's pray. For the fulfillment of the mystery. Through the church.

Lord we're just shaking our heads. Lord we're gasping for air.

Lord we just came for a class. And you dropped the world on our heads.

The kingdoms that shall serve the Lord. Waits on us. We tremble. Who is sufficient for these things? But we thank you. That there's a resurrection. That you were raised from the dead. And ascended on high.

At the right hand of power. And all authority is due unto you heaven and earth. For if there were no resurrection. We of all people. Are most to be pitied.

So we're asking you. So let us merely to be satisfied. With approving the doctrine. Of resurrection. But we listen to this. To our death. Our moral death.

Of everything that's good. That stands in the way. Of perfect union with you. That you might be all in all. For the glory of God. Forever.

Hallelujah. There's a place of death available. That is not merely symbolic. It's actual. We used to sing it in the old days. I don't hear it anymore. It's not popular today. There's room at the cross for you.

Where thousands have come. There's still room for one. There's room at the cross for you. This is the issue. That will deliver Israel.

And it's with you. If I could do it for you, I would. You must come. Personally. And totally. To the cross. The place of death. Not just with your hang-ups and your defects. Who doesn't want to be rid of these?

But the best of what you are. For in us, in our natural man. There's no good thing at all. You must be the sons and daughters. Of the resurrection. Or we fail. Are you understanding me? Will you do it?

Have you the faith to believe for it? To desire it? At your age? You've hardly come to live yet. Don't you have a legitimate right? To enjoy your youth? Before you die? Why should this be required of you now?

Because the time is short. And because this is the way. If any man would come after him. Find that place.

Come to that consecration. Your life ends there. There's no resurrection. You remain there. No ministry, no activity, no future. But if there's a resurrection. And there is. You will rise. With him. To newness of life.

Your words will not be your own. Your prayers will not be your own.

Your activity will not be your own. You'll be instant in season and out. You can fall asleep between the sessions.

And come huffing to the pulpit. And open your mouth. And be instant. In season and out. By the indestructible life. Which is in Christ Jesus. For those who are dead. And hid with Christ in God.

Until their life is revealed. I love you as you are. You are precious and beautiful. But how much more.

Radiant and glorious. As the children of the resurrection.

Who have taken the mandate of God. Beyond any ability in themselves to fulfill. And have been driven by it. To the place of the cross.

And the reality of his life. All the depths of the riches. The wisdom and knowledge of God.

That it took Israel to bring us to the place. We would not otherwise have sought. Or desired.

We would have been content to speak about the cross. And resurrection.

As doctrine. And never expected as reality.

Israel. The crisis of Israel. Compels the church to become the church. In truth. All the depths of the riches. Of the wisdom and knowledge of God. A brother came to me at the break.

He said brother when you were speaking at the larger building. I missed it when you anointed people with oil. Do you think you'll do that again? I'd like to be anointed. I said I'll think about it. I don't want to make this a little cheapy practice.

But I want you to think about it. And maybe tomorrow. Our last time together. At the end. I'll invite you. As many as have transacted with God. Unto death. Whose life is no longer their own. I'll anoint you.

For burial. So Lord. I bless these children. Of whom the world is not worthy. Precious beyond all speaking. The best of their nations. Too precious to die. To give up their lives so early. But I ask you to speak to them.

And transact with them. In truth. For Israel's sake. For the sake of the nations. For the glory of God. That these days together. Were not just instruction. They were events. The word of God that was sent.

From the throne of heaven. For these very things. For the end of all things is at hand. Seal your word. Let it perform its work. Strive with us. Even through the night hours. We thank and give you praise.

That you have spoken to us.

As the sons and daughters of God. Amen.