Jack Van Impe News letter July 23, 2012: Received July 29,
2012
Who are the “elect” of Matthew 24:22?
“Posttribulationists (those who believe the Church of Jesus
Christ will endure the terrible period of the Tribulation) like to use this
verse-“Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved:
but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:22)-saying
this passage proves the Church will remain on earth because we are the “elect.”
Nothing could be further from the truth. Many do not realize that God has two
elect groups on earth. There is the Church (see Ephesisans 1:4, 1 Peter 1:2),
but that is not the group referred to in Matthew 24:22. How do I know this?
Isaiah 42:1 speaks of the Jews as God’s elect. (Jack Van Impe).”
It floors me how someone can claim fifty years or more of
Bible study, memorize all the verses and yet don’t know their Bible. It’s
either that or a blatant attempt to deceive you. Unfortunately in our “Post
Modern” world this type of behavior is prevalent. In the paragraph above Mr.
Impe unequivocally states that Isaiah 42:1 speaks of the Jews as God’s elect. I
am sorry Jack that could not be any further from the truth. In the next paragraph
of his news letter Mr. Van Impe states: “It’s important at all times to keep
the biblical text in context.” I agree Mr. Impe and it would be nice if you would
follow your own advice. Isaiah 42:1 is not referring to the Jews as the elect
but of Jesus (as the elect) and the inclusion of the Gentiles under Him (the
new covenant). The verse says that God is delighted with his elect (Jesus) and
that He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Matthew 12:17-21 quotes
Isaiah almost word for word and there is no way that it can be mistaken or
taken out of context. It is certain from Matthew 12 that Jesus is the elect
spoken of not the Jews.
Isa 42:1-4—Behold my servant,
whom I uphold; mine elect, [in whom] my soul delights; I have put my spirit
upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor
lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruise reed shall he
not break and the smoking flax shall he not quench: He shall bring forth judgment
unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in
the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
Matthew 12:15-21—But when Jesus knew [it], He withdrew himself from thence: and great
multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; and charged them that they
should not make him known: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by
Esaias (Isaiah) the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my
beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and He
shall show judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, or cry; neither shall
any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall He not break, and
smoking flax shall he not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory. And
in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
I hope that you the reader can see that Mr. Van Impe was
wrong in this case. I had a friend say to me “well, maybe he made a mistake.” I
can’t agree that he did or even entertain the idea. When a writer creates a
written work that person reads and edits it before giving it to the world. If
Mr. Van Impe did make a mistake then why didn’t he catch it before sending it
out? No, there was no mistake made, the pretribulationist have to promote a
division of God’s elect (Jews and Christians) for their theory to hold up.
There is no division and God has not done away with his promise to the Jew’s He
just renewed the contract to include the Gentile nations which in turn makes
all believers Jew or Gentile part of the whole house of Israel i.e. the seed of
Abraham.
The reason I am pointing this out is because I want you to
see how easy it is for someone to slip in a verse or two and tell you it means
something totally different than it does. This is how we come to be deceived. As
a Christian it is our duty to study the word for ourselves. If I didn’t study
scripture I probably would have taken Mr. Impe at his word and I would have
been deceived into believing the word elect means the Jews in Isa 42:1 a verse
chosen by Mr. Impe to enforce the pretribulation rapture theory by dividing the
Jews from the Christians.
God does not have two elect groups on earth He has only one:
those who follow him. Christ came to this earth to be a sacrificial Lamb for
the whole world: Rom 2:10—But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that
worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:, there are no
divisions under the New Covenant (Jesus); “there is no
respect of persons with God (Rom 2:11).
Hebrews 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Hebrews 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
KJV
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