Answer: The Jewish people were broken off from the favored relationship they enjoyed with God under the Law Covenant. Jesus mentioned this in Matt. 23:37-39 (NASB): “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. (38) “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! (39) “For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'”

The Law Covenant became obsolete as the apostle Paul writes in Heb. 8:13 (NASB): “When He said, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” God instituted a new basis, faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, for coming into a relationship with Him. “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, ‘THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.'” (Gal. 3:11 NASB) 

Israel was also punished severely including being scattered to the four corners of the earth. “Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. (18) Therefore I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols. (19) Also I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the lands. According to their ways and their deeds I judged them.” (Ezek. 36:17-19 NASB) In their punishment Israel becomes weak and powerless before her enemies. “I will also bring weakness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. And the sound of a driven leaf will chase them, and even when no one is pursuing they will flee as though from the sword, and they will fall. (37) They will therefore stumble over each other as if running from the sword, although no one is pursuing; and you will have no strength to stand up before your enemies. (38) But you will perish among the nations, and your enemies’ land will consume you.” (Lev. 26:36-38 NASB) 

In addition, as a nation, they lost the opportunity to be part of the spiritual seed of the Abrahamic promise. “What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened … But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.” (Rom. 11:7,11 NASB) They were broken off the olive tree picturing that Abrahamic promise and lost the chance to be the spiritual seed of that promise. Instead, the Gentiles were grafted into covenant because of their faith in Christ and they replace the Israelites who were broken off. (Rom. 11:16-24)

For additional information please see our related booklets and videos below.

Booklet Israel in History and Prophecy	Video The Law Covenant	Video God’s Miraculous Timepiece
Booklet Future of Israel and the World	Video The Miracle of the Fig Tree	Video This Land is Mine
Booklet A Royal Nation	Video God’s Tabernacle	Video My People, My Land With My Whole Heart and Soul

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