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October 14, 2017

VIDEO: Are the Jews God’s Chosen People?

Are the Jews God’s Chosen People? Is it true that Jewish people are favored in God’s eyes and if that’s true, why bother being a Christian at all?

 

2 replies
  1. Robert Argento
    Robert Argento says:

    That was a very good attempt at addressing the question of who are the people of God? You also address a related issue, namely, what is the future role of the land that we call Israel?

    I say “good attempt,” not because I think that I can necessarily do any better than you did, but only to emphasize that the biblical theology concerning Israel, “the chosen people,” and “the people of God” is quite difficult to unravel. You made some good critical points: One receives the inheritance not by virtue of genetic lineage by virtue of the faith of Abraham; faith in Jesus as Lord and Messiah is on the same order of Abraham’s faith in God, so great that he would sacrifice his child of promise to God – the child that was to inherit the promises to Abraham; there is some special future role for Israel.

    For me the question that I still have not resolved is just what is that “future role for Israel?” Who or what is “Israel?” Paul writes “and so all Israel will be saved.” But is he a saying that anybody who sets foot in geographical Israel will be saved? Anybody who is of the lineage of Jacob (Israel)? Everybody who will be saved whether Jew or Gentile on the basis required by God?

    A related question is what is the future role of Jerusalem? Scripture makes clear that Christians await the Jerusalem that is from above. John says “And I John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev. 21:2). This does not sound like geographical Israel, does it? John also sees “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” But what about “the millennium,” the thousand years of the reign of Christ? This is a crucial question. And I’m not sure what exactly the Holy Spirit means by that. Could it mean that Jesus will rule for a period of time from present day Jerusalem? Actually, Rev. 20 does not say that, does it? Many people assume “the thousand years” reign refers to present day Jerusalem. I do not.

    Reply
    • Christian Questions
      Christian Questions says:

      Thank you for your excellent questions. What may be causing confusion regarding the role Israel has in the plan of God is how some Christians assume that all the promises made to Israel have been assumed by Christianity. This is called “Replacement Theology.” What many fail to see is that God continues to honor His promises to the nation of Israel. An important item in this discussion is God’s promise made to Abraham, “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.” (Genesis 22:17)

      This promise is picked up by the Apostle Paul in Romans 11 where he uses an olive tree to symbolically describe how the natural branches (natural Israel) were broken off because of unbelief and the wild branches (Gentile Christians) were grafted in their place. He is saying that natural Israel, for the most part, lost out on the heavenly calling to be part of the bride of Christ.” This is why he could say in Galatians 3:29, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

      However, in the apostle’s discussion he asks, “Has God cast away His people (natural Israel)? God forbid… God has not cast away his people which He foreknew.” (Romans 11:1, 2) So, even though they were cut off from the spiritual aspect of God’s kingdom they were not cast off permanently from His favor as a nation. Paul goes on to describe the experiences of Elijah who thought he was the only one left in Israel who had faith in God. But Gods said, “I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.” (verse 4) He calls these 7,000 faithful souls as “a remnant.” Then later in the chapter (verse 24) reveals that those faithful Jews (the remnant) would be re-grafted into the olive tree. In other words, they would someday also have a part in the Abrahamic Promise. Verses 25-28 are very important. “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, ‘There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.’”
      The apostle is addressing believing Christians that they should not be conceited in having the favor of God. He makes the point that Israel has been blind to Christ, but this is only a temporary condition, as mentioned in verse 25. Once the Church is complete (i.e. the fulness of the Gentiles) Israel’s blindness will be removed. This correlates to the passage in Acts 15:14, 15. “… God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name (the Gentile Church). And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, ‘After these things I will return, And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen; And I will build again the ruins thereof, And I will set it up:’ That the residue of men may seek after the Lord…”
      The phrase “a people for His name” describes the church who will be part of the heavenly kingdom. But, once that work is complete, God will rebuild the tabernacle of David. The tabernacle was Israel’s meeting place with God. This is describing the rebuilding of Israel’s relationship with God. That will happen in due time, according to God’s plan.
      So, the promise to Abraham has two parts. One is to faithful Christians who become the spiritual seed and one is to the faithful remnant of Israel who are the earthly seed. That’s why God, when making the promise to Abraham described the seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which are upon the seashore. The work of blessing all the families of the earth would originate in heaven, but there will be earthly representatives, the faithful remnant of natural Israel. The Old Testament Promises to Israel then become clear when they refer to the blessing of the earth the the instrumentality of the faithful remnant of Israel. Here a few examples.
      Isaiah 2:2- 4 – “And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say, ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.’

      And he will judge between the nations and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

      Yes, there is a heavenly Jerusalem described by John in Revelation 21, but there is also the earthly Jerusalem through whom the work of the Kingdom will be administered. They will be the earthly representatives of the heavenly Jerusalem. This work will take place during the millennium as the two phases of God’s kingdom bring blessings to the world.
      ——————————————
      Micah 5:7, 8 – “And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples as dew from Jehovah, as showers upon the grass, that tarry not for man, nor wait for the sons of men. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples…”
      Here is the remnant of faithful Jews who will be instruments used to bless the nations of earth.
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      Zechariah 8:23 – “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”
      We cannot ignore these passages. They clearly indicate God’s intent to use Israel to bless the nations.
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      Jeremiah 31:31-34 – “Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith Jehovah. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.”
      The New Covenant is described as made with Israel, “after those days.” Those days are referring to the time when the Church is being called and developed. Paul called it “The fulness of the Gentiles.” We are nearing the end of the Christian Age and because of that we see God beginning to work on behalf of Israel, preparing them for the earthly role in the kingdom.
      ——————————————
      Certainly, more can be said. But space is limited. IT is imperative that scripture be used in trying to understand Israel’s role in God’s plan. When they are examined God’s purpose becomes evident. Also you might be interested in Episode #1023: https://christianquestions.com/current-events/1023-israel-thorn-world/ Feel free to respond with any questions or comments or write us for more discussion at inspiration@christianquestions.com – Christian Questions

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