What if you were a Jew?
Imagine if you grew up observing all the festivals, sabbaths, and dietary laws of Judaism. You were taught the Tora, and studied many rabbinical teachings. Everything you learned had purpose and meaning which related to your relationship with YHWH. You understood the importance of confessing your sin to God, and desired to be able to once again travel to Israel when sacrifices could once again be offered on behalf of the people. Everything the Levitical priests did in the temple had meaning, and needed to be completed with precision because YHWH is holy and obedience was required unto to the degree of sacrificial lambs blood being spilled and presented before Him in hope of acceptance and forgiveness of sin. You believed with all your heart one day the Messiah of the scriptures would come and restore everything to it's rightful place. There has been many people throughout who claimed to be the Messiah, but they all you have been taught and believe were false prophets. If any of them were the Messiah you know with everything in you that Israel would be ruling and everything in this world would have been made right as he would have built his kingdom. Your Father spoke to you in great length about one of these false prophets in particular. His name was Jesus and He was from Nazareth. Many people were followed Him while he was alive. Even many Jews thought He could have been the Messiah, but He spoke in ways that offended the rabbis and came against the Jewish traditions, even those that were specifically mandated preventing disobedience to the law which was established to ensure a close relationship with YHWH.
(Speaking as some Jews may speak today)
It is interesting to me that the non-Jews (Gentiles) and even some Jews today believe this false messiah has resurrected from the dead. They believe their is another way to YAWH. They even called themselves, "The Way". My own people are so foolish to think the Messiah would come and replace the law, and then allow Gentiles to become Jews. Who do these people think they are? God chose the Jewish nation. We were given the promises of God, the Patriarchs, the Prophests, and the law.
Despite what it may appear, God has not rejected His people though they have stumbled over the cross and rejected Him. Israel has a role in Gods plan of salvation and He will keep His promises to Israel.
In Acts Stephen preached his heart out to his people about the Messiah.
Acts 2:23-24 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
God does not foreknow and then not take it into account. Gods sovergny, His actions, His counsel are all in association with His foreknowlege.
Peter uses this word in his epistle saying,
1 Peter 1:17-21 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
In Gods foreknowlege Jesus Christ was foreordained the lamb without blemish and without spot that the world would find hope in God by grace through faith. When I say the world I include the Jew. The Bible say's there is always a remnant of the Jews that are true Israel. Elijah at one point was thinking God gave up on the Jews as he believed there were none left that followed God. God explained to Elijah that there were 7,000 Jews he did not know of that were a remnant. God had kept them by the election of grace according to Romans 11:5. Does this mean the Jews we were imagining above is either predestined to hell or heaven? The Bible say's the Jew was blinded in order for the Gentile to be grafted into the branch. The Gentile would be saved because God blinded the eyes of the Jews to the point that they fulfilled the redemptive plan of the Father by sacrificing His son on a tree. Yes this is all true, and it is true with God having foreknowlege of it all before any of it took place. This is how God extends grace to the Jew and the Gentile and they are considered chosen or elect.
Romans 11:17-23 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Can God not make up His mind on who is chosen or elect? We have a responsibility to stand by faith and if we do we will be saved, and the Jew if he chooses to believe will be saved as well. What each chooses is already known by God, and if you are born again you are secure in Christ, but only you and God truly know what you have chosen to do with the Messiah who became the sacrificial lamb that not just the Jew, but the whole world might be saved. God will fulfill His will as He always has and the choices you make, the life you live will be used by Him to accomplish that will. Some will be a vessel of honor and some will be a vessel of dishonor, both will bring God glory. Both may be used to accomplish Gods purposes because He is the potter and we are the clay. Will you be Judas or Peter? Will you be Jacob or Esau? Will you be Cain or Able? Will you be Isaac or Ishmael? Yes God already knows and He still chose to die for you that if you would believe and trust Him even if you are a Jew you can be grafted back in.
Pastor Kolby Kreidel
(Speaking as some Jews may speak today)
It is interesting to me that the non-Jews (Gentiles) and even some Jews today believe this false messiah has resurrected from the dead. They believe their is another way to YAWH. They even called themselves, "The Way". My own people are so foolish to think the Messiah would come and replace the law, and then allow Gentiles to become Jews. Who do these people think they are? God chose the Jewish nation. We were given the promises of God, the Patriarchs, the Prophests, and the law.
Despite what it may appear, God has not rejected His people though they have stumbled over the cross and rejected Him. Israel has a role in Gods plan of salvation and He will keep His promises to Israel.
In Acts Stephen preached his heart out to his people about the Messiah.
Acts 2:23-24 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
God does not foreknow and then not take it into account. Gods sovergny, His actions, His counsel are all in association with His foreknowlege.
Peter uses this word in his epistle saying,
1 Peter 1:17-21 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
In Gods foreknowlege Jesus Christ was foreordained the lamb without blemish and without spot that the world would find hope in God by grace through faith. When I say the world I include the Jew. The Bible say's there is always a remnant of the Jews that are true Israel. Elijah at one point was thinking God gave up on the Jews as he believed there were none left that followed God. God explained to Elijah that there were 7,000 Jews he did not know of that were a remnant. God had kept them by the election of grace according to Romans 11:5. Does this mean the Jews we were imagining above is either predestined to hell or heaven? The Bible say's the Jew was blinded in order for the Gentile to be grafted into the branch. The Gentile would be saved because God blinded the eyes of the Jews to the point that they fulfilled the redemptive plan of the Father by sacrificing His son on a tree. Yes this is all true, and it is true with God having foreknowlege of it all before any of it took place. This is how God extends grace to the Jew and the Gentile and they are considered chosen or elect.
Romans 11:17-23 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Can God not make up His mind on who is chosen or elect? We have a responsibility to stand by faith and if we do we will be saved, and the Jew if he chooses to believe will be saved as well. What each chooses is already known by God, and if you are born again you are secure in Christ, but only you and God truly know what you have chosen to do with the Messiah who became the sacrificial lamb that not just the Jew, but the whole world might be saved. God will fulfill His will as He always has and the choices you make, the life you live will be used by Him to accomplish that will. Some will be a vessel of honor and some will be a vessel of dishonor, both will bring God glory. Both may be used to accomplish Gods purposes because He is the potter and we are the clay. Will you be Judas or Peter? Will you be Jacob or Esau? Will you be Cain or Able? Will you be Isaac or Ishmael? Yes God already knows and He still chose to die for you that if you would believe and trust Him even if you are a Jew you can be grafted back in.
Pastor Kolby Kreidel
Recent
Archive
2024
2023
1 Comment
That was timely and very informative. Thank you it is reminding me to be humble at all times and to always remember why we follow Christ, to be able to give a reason for the hope we have in our Lord Jesus! To share the Gospel...