Gentiles who believe in Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah of Israel are grafted into the commonwealth of Israel, as explained by Paul in Romans 11. They are part of Israel’s posterity, the believing remnant of the nation. Yeshua, Jesus, described his atoning sacrifice for all nations in John 3:16.
John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
The believing remnant of Israel is precious in God’s sight. In Deuteronomy 32, Moses describes the children of Israel, beginning with Jacob himself, as “the apple of His eye”.
Deuteronomy 32 (NKJV) 8 When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, When He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. 9 For the LORD’s portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. 10 “He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.
The heart of the believing remnant of Israel is expressed in David’s prayer in Psalm 17, “Keep me as the apple of Your eye”.
Psalm 17 (NIV) 6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. 7 Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings 9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.
Zechariah 2:8 also refers to the believing remnant of Israel as “the apple of his eye”, and verse 11 declares, “Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people.”
Zechariah 2 (NIV) 7 Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!” 8 For this is what the LORD Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye— 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.” 10 “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the LORD. 11 “Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. 12 The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”
In Proverbs 7, Solomon exhorts those who believe in the God of Israel to guard his teachings “as the apple of your eye”:
Proverbs 7 (NIV) 1 My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Isaiah 10 describes how the LORD [Yehovah’] has determined that Israel will have a faithful posterity, a believing remnant, who “depend on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth”, and who follow him in righteousness. We are today seeing the believing remnant of Israel beginning to be gathered from the nations of the world where they have been scattered.
Isaiah 10 (NKJV) 20 And it shall come to pass in that day
That the remnant of Israel,
And such as have escaped of the house of Jacob,
Will never again depend on him who defeated them,
But will depend on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21 The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God.
22 For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea,
A remnant of them will return;
The destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
23 For the Lord GOD of hosts will make a determined end
In the midst of all the land.
Isaiah 11 continues this prophecy, describing how the Messiah, “a Rod from the stem of Jesse” will “recover the remnant of His people who are left” and “set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”
Isaiah 11 (NKJV) 1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.10 “ And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a banner to the people;
For the Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be glorious.”
11 It shall come to pass in that day
That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time
To recover the remnant of His people who are left,
from Assyria and Egypt, from Pathros and Cush,
from Elam and Shinar, from Hamath and the islands of the sea.
12 He will set up a banner for the nations,
And will assemble the outcasts of Israel,
And gather together the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.
Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is our banner and shield in this tumultuous world, as he declares in John 16:33.
John 16:33 (NKJV) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, 7/11/2011
Compelling Love 
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