Belonging goes beyond love. It’s a deep connection in a relationship that cannot change – it just is. There is no fear of abandonment, but rather a certain confidence that you are not only loved but accepted. It’s human nature to have a desire to belong, and God wants us to know that we belong to Him. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39, Complete Jewish Bible)
This is a wonderful reality for all those who truly love God; to know we belong to Him. This truth also applies to God’s chosen people – the Israelites, and throughout scripture God declared his relentless, undying love for his chosen people, making it clear he wants to be their Savior and Redeemer. Unfortunately, there is an unspoken concept of replacement which strongly suggests that Gentiles have replaced Jews as God’s chosen people. It might be helpful to read scripture without applying it to the modern-day church and recognize the intense love God has for the Jewish people, his Chosen Ones.
“But you, Isra’el, my servant; Ya’akov [Jacob], whom I have chosen, descendants of Avraham my friend, I have taken you from the ends of the earth, summoned you from its most distant parts and said to you, ‘You are my servant’ – I have chosen you, not rejected you.” (Isaiah 41:8-9, Complete Jewish Bible).
“Here, the days are coming,” says Adonai, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Isra’el and with the house of Y’hudah [Judah].” “For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Isra’el after those days,” says Adonai: “I will put my Torah within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:30, 32, Complete Jewish Bible; Jeremiah 31:31, 33, Old Testament numbering)
God wants all people to know they belong to Him. Paul bluntly describes the ‘grafting’ of Gentiles in Romans 11:
“Now if the hallah [special bread] offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole loaf. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you – a wild olive – were grafted in among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, then don’t boast as if you were better than the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root, the root is supporting you. So you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” True, but so what? They were broken off because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your place only because of your trust. So don’t be arrogant; on the contrary, be terrified! For if God did not spare the natural branches, he certainly won’t spare you! So take a good look at God’s kindness and his severity: on the one hand, severity toward those who fell of; but, on the other hand, God’s kindness toward you – provided you maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut off! Moreover, the others, if they do not persist in their lack of trust, will be grafted in; because God is able to graft them back in. For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree!” (Romans 11:16-24, Complete Jewish Bible)
God wants Jews and Gentiles alike to love and serve him with their whole heart, wants to be their God, and lead them with His love and kindness. When God again turns his focus to the Jewish people, it will be time for ‘re-grafting’ Israel into the olive tree.
“For the people of Isra’el are going to be in seclusion for a long time without a king, prince, sacrifice, standing-stone, ritual vest or household gods. Afterwards, the people of Isra’el will repent and seek Adonai their God and David their king; they will come trembling to Adonai and his goodness in the acharit-hayamim [the end of days or latter days].” (Hosea 3:4-5, Complete Jewish Bible)
As this is a prophesy for ‘the end of days’, reference to ‘David their king’ cannot refer to King David, but rather to his seed, Yeshua the Messiah. Yeshua, the Son of God, became the perfect sacrifice for sin, offering up his very life for the sins of all mankind – Jews and Gentiles alike. This New Covenant, made through the body and blood of Yeshua, is described during the Seder (ceremonial evening meal with which Passover begins) just prior His crucifixion:
“While they were eating, Yeshua took a piece of matzah [unleavened bread], made the b’rakhah [blessing], broke it, gave it to the talmidim [disciples] and said, “Take! Eat! This is my body!” Also He took a cup of wine, made the b’rakhah, and gave it to them, saying, “All of you, drink from it! For this is my blood, which ratifies the New Covenant, my blood shed on behalf of many, so that they may have their sins forgiven.”” (Matthew 26:26-28, Complete Jewish Bible)
The Jewish Passover has been a commemoration of the time when God brought death to the firstborn of all Egyptians, passing over the Israelites. Passover continues to be solemn holy days for Jews. Yeshua gave his life during Passover as the sacrificial lamb, to bear the righteous judgment of death for sin from a holy God; thus allowing for death to pass over mankind, and instead receive grace offered through Christ and His sacrifice. This now makes Passover so much more than a commemoration.
Yeshua offered himself as the perfect sacrificial Passover lamb, providing grace to all who receive his sacrifice with the purity of heart by which it was intended, to Jews and Gentiles alike.
Songs of Solomon describes God’s heart towards his Jewish people, as well as the love of God, through Christ, for Gentiles. “My beloved is mine and I am his.” “I am my beloved’s and his desire is for me.” “Let me be a seal upon your heart, like the seal upon your hand. For love is fierce as death, passion is mighty as Sheol; Its darts are darts of fire, a blazing flame.” (The Song of Songs 2:16, 7:11, 8:6, Tanakh)
Such intense love – and belonging!