I think some people are complacent about the urgency of preaching a pure Gospel in Israel, and to Jews, because their eschatology has lulled them into thinking that it’s okay – God is going to save all Israel anyway, by Himself.
One day, they think, God is going to suddenly become more determined to finally save the Jews. God has got some special method at His disposal – like a card which, when the time is right, they think He’s going to pull out and instantly win all Israel.
But God couldn’t become more interested in saving Jews at any time in the future, nor through any other means, than He already is through the Gospel.
The Prophet foresaw, Now is the day of salvation; now is the acceptable year of the Lord. Jesus quoted that, to Israel, then said, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears. God is already fully engaged in the business of saving Jews. He couldn’t become more engaged in it than He already is.
There isn’t any such concept in the Bible as a more acceptable time to save anyone than now, today. Why would God be less interested in saving Jews now? There is no benefit to the Gentiles in Israel not being saved yet, let alone no benefit to Jews.
Such eschatology has the effect of making many Christians lovers of modern Judaism to the extent that some have even entertained the wrong idea that there may be salvation for Jews in modern Judaism apart from Jesus Christ, or that there shall be salvation for Israel after the Jews have seen the visible return of the Lord in the clouds.
But if salvation will be possible for Jews after the visible coming of the Lord, then it means Israel has a means of salvation at its disposal other than through faith – because faith that is seen is no more faith. Yet the Bible says salvation is through faith alone.
It is causing an increasing number of Christians to feel obligated to observe modern Jewish religious ceremonies. The misapplication to the future of already-fulfilled Bible-prophecies also becomes a basis for the wrong belief that all nations shall be obligated to travel annually to Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Tabernacles during a future millennium – even to again offer animal sacrifices, as a memorial, they say – or else be cursed.
But the Apostles taught that the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus inaugurated a New Covenant which forever nullified the Old Covenant and its obligation of daily sacrifices. Why would God be interested in anyone anywhere ever reverting to the shadow now that the substance has already come!
And as for memorial sacrifices, what further need would we have of a memorial once the Lord has come and we are forever with Him? We shall see Him as He is! Now is the time when we can benefit from a memorial. And the memorial which our Lord ordained for this time is none other than the Lord’s Table. This do ye in remembrance of me – not annually on a set set date like the ancient Jewish Passover, but as oft as ye drink it, Jesus said.
This misconstrued eschatology has the subtle effect of making one feel that the Gospel might not be the final program that God has for Israel – just a temporary program, predominantly for Gentiles. But the Apostles showed the manner in which Old Testament Bible-prophecies had indeed been fulfilled on Israel’s behalf without failure nor postponement. The Gospel was said to be for the Jew first, and then for the Greek, and thereafter simultaneously for all, until Jesus comes – not for the Greek first, and then once again for the Jews only, after the Church has left, or after He has already come in the clouds.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest, the final and the only plan God has for salvation, for the Jews as well as for the Gentiles. It is the Gospel which is to be preached to every creature all the way up until the end comes. All who believe shall be saved – regardless of ethnicity, and without the works of the Law – while all who believe not, shall be damned. This is the exact and only scenario that was foreseen in the Law and the Prophets, and proclaimed by John the Baptist, and by the Lord and the Apostles.
So, in the words of John Wesley, we have nothing to do but to save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.
ACTS 4:12
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
JOHN 3:3
3 Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
MARK 1:14,15
15 …Jesus…preached…saying….repent ye, and believe the Gospel.