“A bruised reed he will not break,
and smoking flax he will not quench,
till he sends forth justice to victory;
and in his name Gentiles will trust.”
Matthew 12:20-21

This is a prophecy about the Gentiles, but in several passages in the Scriptures it is written that Jesus came first for the Jews. Yet here it foretells that it will be the Gentiles who will trust in his Name. But first it was meant to go to Israel.

Jesus said:
“I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Matthew 15:24

He sent out his disciples to preach to the Jews:

“These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying:
‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles,
and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’”
Matthew 10:5-6

Jesus was born in Israel, lived his life in Israel, died in Israel, was raised from the dead in Israel, rose to heaven from Israel, and when he returns it will be to Israel.

Why to the house of Israel? Because Israel was God’s chosen people through whom he gave us the Word of God, and through whom the Lord meant to reveal to the world many things about himself. If they had accepted Jesus, the nation of Israel would have been restored and Christ would have ruled over the world from Jerusalem. His coming had to be for them first, they had first dibs on him and his Kingdom.

But they didn’t receive him, and the Lord mourned over their rejection:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets
and stones those who are sent to her!
How often I wanted to gather your children together,
as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,
but you were not willing!
See! your house is left to you desolate;”
Matthew 23:37-38

“Now as he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying,
‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day,
the things that make for your peace!
But now they are hidden from your eyes.’”
Luke 19:41-42

And so, Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews scattered for a predetermined period of time, and the Gospel was given to the Gentiles, thus beginning the dispensation of the Church age.

“…in his name Gentiles will trust.”
Matthew 12:20-21

The dispensation of the Church age was something that was kept hidden from the prophets, it was a “mystery” revealed only in the New Testament. It had a sudden beginning on the day of Pentecost and it will have a sudden ending on the day of the “harpazo,” also called “the Rapture.” Once the Church age has finished, the story goes back to the Jews.

We see already in our generation that the Lord has brought the Jews from the four corners of the earth back to their ancient homeland, and he has established Jerusalem; but they are still unbelieving concerning Yeshua, Jesus. When the Church age ends, the Lord will begin “the 70th week of Daniel,” a period of seven years during which they will be prepared to receive their long-awaited Messiah, and it will be a shock to them when they discover that Yeshua, Jesus of Nazareth, is the Messiah whom they rejected as a nation so long ago.

We are at that place in the story where this 7-year period looks about to begin. The wrath of God will be poured out on the Christ-rejecting world in such a terrible way – that it is aptly called “The Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21).

Israel will be greatly humbled during this time and they will flee to Petra where they will be protected as they wait for the coming of the Messiah. And then the story will be complete as finally, Yeshua, Jesus, will come to this earth, to Israel, and bring the great Tribulation to an end. He will reveal himself to the Jews who will be in shock when they realize who he is. He will show them his hands and his feet (Zechariah 13:6), and they will go into a period of terrible mourning for having rejected him (Zechariah 12:10).

Israel will be forgiven and Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus, will set up his Kingdom in Jerusalem, ruling and reigning “with a rod of iron” over the whole earth, and will finally usher in that wonderful age of peace on earth.

It could have happened 2,000 years ago had they not rejected him. But now, when he comes again, they will bow before him, and receive him and oh what a glorious day that will be!

“Amen! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
Revelation 22:20

More:

Israel’s Covenant