Like Josephs' brothers, if we didn’t
know the whole story of God's plan to include the rest of us in His
family as well as the Children of Israel, we might be asking "what
about us?". Not knowing might tend to make us jealous of them.
And not understanding God's secret plan, as Paul referred to it,
might make us resentful or even angry toward the people that
crucified our Savior and King. But I thank God for the truth of His
Word and His grace. Not only for us, but for them also.
Christ's invitation, as Paul clearly
stated was "to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles."
There are many who believe that the Jews have lost favor with God.
But if any might doubt the continuing relevancy of Israel in the
history of the family of God, Romans 11 is a must-read for those who
truly want to understand Israel's importance to our Father and the
relationship that does exist between us. The truth
substantiated by God's word is that the true child of Israel who is
devoted to, and serving God ... is my brother. In fact, Israel is the
first born of my father and I, purely by grace ... am adopted
into the family of God. We who are not Jews are heir to a portion of
God's glory purely by an act of loving humility, unselfish sacrifice
and holy grace committed by God Himself on our behalf. For this
reason, we have no cause or right to boast of our standing before Him
to anyone. Israel on the other hand (I'm speaking of the true
children of Israel), was chosen first and continues to be important
to His heart.
*****Romans 11:24 (NLT) "For if
God was willing to take you who were, by nature, branches from a wild
olive tree and graft you into his own good tree -- a very unusual
thing to do -- he will be far more eager to graft the Jews back into
the tree where they belong." ****
If I am a true child of my Father and I
share His heart - if I am truly in love with Him, then my deep
unselfish adoration for Him leads me to desire deeply also that His
heart be satisfied in all things ... including the salvation - saving
the life of His first born son ... my brother Israel.
*****Romans 9:4 (NLT) "They
are the people of Israel, chosen to be God's special children. God
revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave his
law to them. They have the privilege of worshiping him and receiving
his wonderful promises." ****
What kind of child would I be to my
father to not share the deepest concerns of His great and glorious
heart. Our Fathers' undeserved generosity to us precludes any
jealousy or judgment of our brother. Israel was purposely blinded to
to Christs' identity by the Father in order that His plan would be
fulfilled. Paul repeatedly referred to it as "Gods' secret plan"
(Romans 16:25, Ephesians 1:9, Ephesians 3:6). Gods' secret plan not
only dealt with Israels' haughtiness and our need for redemption, but
at the same time delivered Satan’s' defeat right when he might have
thought he was winning. Our Fathers' plan was conceived before the
beginning of mans' time on the earth and covers everything from the
beginning to the end. He planned to save us all along and at the same
time humble a proud and wayward Israel.
*****1
Corinthians 2:7 "No, the wisdom we speak of is the secret wisdom
of God, which was hidden in former times, though he made it for our
benefit before the world began." ****
*****Romans 11 (NLT)
1 "I ask, then, has God rejected his people, the Jews? Of course
not! Remember that I myself am a Jew, a descendant of Abraham and a
member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 No, God has not rejected his own
people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you remember what
the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God
about the people of Israel and said, 3 "Lord, they have killed
your prophets and torn down your altars. I alone am left, and now
they are trying to kill me, too." 4 And do you remember God's
reply? He said, "You are not the only one left. I have seven
thousand others who have never bowed down to Baal!" 5 It is the
same today, for not all the Jews have turned away from God. A few are
being saved as a result of God's kindness in choosing them. 6 And if
they are saved by God's kindness, then it is not by their good works.
For in that case, God's wonderful kindness would not be what it
really is -- free and undeserved. 7 So this is the situation: Most of
the Jews have not found the favor of God they are looking for so
earnestly. A few have -- the ones God has chosen -- but the rest were
made unresponsive. 8 As the Scriptures say, "God has put them
into a deep sleep. To this very day he has shut their eyes so they do
not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear." 9 David
spoke of this same thing when he said, "Let their bountiful
table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let
their blessings cause them to stumble. 10 Let their eyes go blind so
they cannot see, and let their backs grow weaker and weaker." 11
Did God's people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! His
purpose was to make his salvation available to the Gentiles, and then
the Jews would be jealous and want it for themselves. 12 Now if the
Gentiles were enriched because the Jews turned down God's offer of
salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share
when the Jews finally accept it. 13 I am saying all of this
especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to
the Gentiles. I lay great stress on this, 14 for I want to find a way
to make the Jews want what you Gentiles have, and in that way I might
save some of them. 15 For since the Jews' rejection meant that God
offered salvation to the rest of the world, how much more wonderful
their acceptance will be. It will be life for those who were dead! 16
And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their children
will also be holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the
branches will be, too. 17 But some of these branches from Abraham's
tree, some of the Jews, have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who
were branches from a wild olive tree, were grafted in. So now you
also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children,
sharing in God's rich nourishment of his special olive tree. 18 But
you must be careful not to brag about being grafted in to replace the
branches that were broken off. Remember, you are just a branch, not
the root. 19 "Well," you may say, "those branches were
broken off to make room for me." 20 Yes, but remember -- those
branches, the Jews, were broken off because they didn't believe God,
and you are there because you do believe. Don't think highly of
yourself, but fear what could happen. 21 For if God did not spare the
branches he put there in the first place, he won't spare you either.
22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe to those who
disobeyed, but kind to you as you continue to trust in his kindness.
But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. 23 And if the
Jews turn from their unbelief, God will graft them back into the tree
again. He has the power to do it. 24 For if God was willing to take
you who were, by nature, branches from a wild olive tree and graft
you into his own good tree -- a very unusual thing to do -- he will
be far more eager to graft the Jews back into the tree where they
belong. 25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and
sisters, so that you will not feel proud and start bragging. Some of
the Jews have hard hearts, but this will last only until the complete
number of Gentiles comes to Christ. 26 And so all Israel will be
saved. Do you remember what the prophets said about this? "A
Deliverer will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel from all
ungodliness. 27 And then I will keep my covenant with them and take
away their sins." 28 Many of the Jews are now enemies of the
Good News. But this has been to your benefit, for God has given his
gifts to you Gentiles. Yet the Jews are still his chosen people
because of his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God's
gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. 30 Once, you Gentiles were
rebels against God, but when the Jews refused his mercy, God was
merciful to you instead. 31 And now, in the same way, the Jews are
the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you. But someday they, too,
will share in God's mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all people in
their own disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone. 33 Oh,
what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches and wisdom and
knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions
and his methods! 34 For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who
knows enough to be his counselor? 35 And who could ever give him so
much that he would have to pay it back? 36 For everything comes from
him; everything exists by his power and is intended for his glory. To
him be glory evermore. Amen." ****
So then, once again ... who are the
Jews?
*****Romans 9:4-9, 4 They are the people of Israel, chosen to be
God's special children. God revealed his glory to them. He made
covenants with them and gave his law to them. They have the privilege
of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises. 5 Their
ancestors were great people of God, and Christ himself was a Jew as
far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, who rules over
everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 6 Well then, has
God failed to fulfill his promise to the Jews? No, for not everyone
born into a Jewish family is truly a Jew! 7 Just the fact that they
are descendants of Abraham doesn't make them truly Abraham's
children. For the Scriptures say, "Isaac is the son through whom
your descendants will be counted," though Abraham had other
children, too. 8 This means that Abraham's physical descendants are
not necessarily children of God. It is the children of the promise
who are considered to be Abraham's children.****
The true children of Israel may be
scattered among the nations of the earth (Though I'm sure that many
still reside in the nation that bears their name). But wherever they
are, our Father knows them and they're special to His heart. So I
would tell you that if our hearts are true and faithful to our
Fathers' and we truly have the heart of Christ, that as we pray for
others to receive revelation that leads to salvation we not forget to
pray also for those first born also...
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