Nuggets from “Judgment Day: Islam, Israel, and the Nations,” by Dave Hunt
Generation after generation, as they continued to rebel against Him, God sent His prophets to plead with His chosen people: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow….If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the [promised] land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it” (Isaiah:1:18-20 [18] Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
[19] If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
[20] But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
See All...). God did not want to punish His people (nor does He want to pour out His wrath upon this world), but He cannot condone evil. His pleadings with Israel came to an end at last – as they will with all mankind shortly. His holiness and righteousness required Him finally to punish Israel: “I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness….Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth” (Jeremiah:44:4-6 [4] Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.
[5] But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.
[6] Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.
See All...).
Sadly, in spite of God’s pleadings for His people to return to Him with their whole heart, Israel has persisted to this day in unbelief and rebellion against Him and thus has missed the full blessing God graciously had promised to their forefathers. From the days of Moses to the present time, rebellious Israel has been under God’s judgment. Nevertheless, Israel’s full and final restoration (already in process) is assured, never to be under His judgment again – but only by God’s grace, not by her merits (Deuteronomy:7:6-8 [6] For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
[7] The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
[8] But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
See All...; Ezekiel:36:22Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
See All..., 32, etc.).