Is the Church Israel?

Addressing Replacement Theology

Introduction to Hear Now!

Hear Now!  is a nonprofit (501(c)3) organization

The name is from Isaiah 44:1

"Yet hear {me} now, O Jacob My servant, And Israel whom I have chosen"

Hear Now!  Is dedicated to achieving the following goals:

To communicate Jesus, His Jewishness and His relevance to both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities.

To educate Christians regarding the Jewish roots of their faith.

To instruct Christians on how to intelligently articulate their faith in the Jewish Messiah to their Jewish and non-Jewish friends and associates.

To pray for the people and land of Israel.

Overview - The Concept of Replacement Theology

Definitions

What is "Replacement Theology"?

Who says the Church is Israel?

What are they saying?

How do they come to this conclusion?

Overview - The Consequences of Replacement Theology

What are the consequences of this theology?

Why Interpret the Scriptures literally?

Why isn't the Church Israel?

Why does Israel matter?

Closing

Question & Answer

Last Remarks

Definitions

Israel

The geographic land

The ethnic Jewish people

Jew/Jewish

Defined and described

Comes from the word Judah, one of Jacob's 12 sons

The name means praiser of God

After the first exile the word Jew is used in the Bible synonymously with Israel to refer to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Zionism

Defined

Zionism, the national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel.

Christian Zionism

Defined

Christians who support the idea of Jewish people having a homeland in Israel.

What is "Replacement Theology"?

http://www.bridgesforpeace.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1914

Who Says the Church is Israel?

Denominations


Keep in mind that these churches as a whole subscribe to the doctrine of replacement theology. Not every member subscribes to it

People:

D. James Kennedy

Hank Hannegraaff - "The Bible Answer Man"

Colin Chapman ("Who's Promised Land, the Continuing Crisis Over Israel and Palestine." )

http://www.watch.org/showart.php3?idx=63896&rtn=/index.html&showsubj=1&mcat=4

Chuck Colson - Prison Fellowship Ministry

Dr. John Piper - Senior Pastor, Bethlehem Baptist - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Dr. Joseph F. (Skip) Ryan - Senior Minister, Park Cities Presbyterian Church - Dallas, TX

http://www.watch.org/showart.php3?idx=63896&rtn=/index.html&showsubj=1&mcat=4

Exception

The National Leadership Conference for Israel

"The National Christian Leadership Conference for Israel (NCLCI) is a coalition of Protestants, Catholics and other Christians who are pastors, priests, professors, writers, broadcasters and community leaders. The coalition exists to encourage and develop understanding and support for the people, land and state of Israel in the North American Christian community."

Officers include: Lutheran (ELCA), United Methodist, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Evangelical Covenant, Episcopal and Assembly of God.

http://www.nclci.org/

Interesting comment by the pope

"That the Jews are connected with God in a special way and that God does not allow that bond to fail is entirely obvious. We wait for the instant in which Israel will say yes to Christ, but we know that it has a special mission in history now...which is significant for the world." - From Ratzinger's book, "God and the World," published October 2000, as reported by National Catholic Reporter

"Our Christian conviction is that Christ is also the messiah of Israel. Certainly it is in the hands of God how and when the unification of Jews and Christians into the people of God will take place"- From Ratzinger's book, "God and the World," published October 2000, as reported by National Catholic Reporter

What they are saying?

R.C. Sproul Jr

(from Table Talk magazine Spring 1999)

"We believe that the church is essentially Israel."

"We believe that the answer to 'What about the Jews?' is 'Here we are'"

http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/reformed/sprouljr.htm

WELS topical Q&A

www.wels.net

In answer to a question regarding Rom 11 (all Israel shall be saved) as making a distinction between the Church and Israel (thus how can the church be Israel?) the answer given is:

God doesn't have a chosen nation as such in the New Testament. So to say that God has a special plan for those who are Jews physically is not exactly what the New Testament means when it speaks of Israel being saved. For example, Galatians 6:16 says that the "Israel of God" are all the people who follow the "rule (standard)" stated in verse 15. Not all the people who follow that "rule" belong to the physical nation of Israel, many Gentiles do also, so the "Israel of God" in this verse cannot refer to just those who are Jews.

Short explanation: (1) Israel appears 73 times in the New Testament. It always refers to National Israel. (2) The Book of Galatians is concerned with Gentiles who were attempting to attain salvation through the law. The ones deceiving them were Judaizers, who were Jews demanding adherence to the Law of Moses. To them, a Gentile had to convert to Judaism before he qualified for salvation through Christ. In verse 15 Paul states that the important thing for salvation is faith, resulting in the new man. He then pronounces a blessing on two groups who would follow this rule of salvation through faith alone. The first group is the "them," the Gentile Christians to and of whom he had devoted most of the epistle. The second group is the "Israel of God." These are Jewish believers who, in contrast with the Judaizers, followed the rule of salvation by faith alone. (3) Davis Stern states that in this verse (Gal 6:16) Paul is using an allusion to a prayer used in the synagogue.

Q(2): Is WELS teaching Substitution Theory (with respect to Israel and the church)?

A(2): The church is not a substitute for Israel, the church is Israel.

http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuItem_itemID=1411&cuTopic_topicID=40

http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuItem_itemID=6649&cuTopic_topicID=47

What they are saying?

Chuck Colson - Prison Fellowship Ministry

Excerpt from Colson's Breakpoint Commentary (No. 030218 ):

"As a Christian and believer in the Abrahamic covenant, I'm a strong supporter of Israel and the Jewish people. I take Genesis 12:3 literally. I also believe that Jesus will return and rule the earth for one thousand years from Jerusalem -- a pre-millennial perspective on the second coming. I believe that God has a special plan for the Jewish people and the land of Israel. But I think it is problematic to relate prophecy to current events unfolding in the nation-state of Israel. There may be some relationship, of course. Only God knows. But the secular state of Israel created in 1948 is not, in my understanding, identical with the Jewish people as God's chosen and called-out covenant people.

God clearly has a distinct plan for the Jewish people that the secular state of Israel helps carry out. I don't rule that out, of course. And I strongly support Israel because it is a haven for persecuted Jews -- not because I think it fulfills biblical prophecy.

I also support a Palestinian state both from historical and prudential considerations. Given the state of affairs in the Middle East, a Palestinian state is the only practicable solution for peace.

Dr. John Piper - Senior Pastor, Bethlehem Baptist - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Excerpt from Piper's sermon - Israel, Palestine, and the Middle East - Romans 11:25-32 March 7, 2004:

So the promise to Abraham that his descendants will inherit the Land does not mean that all Jews inherit that promise. It will come finally to the true Israel, the Israel that keeps covenant and obeys her God.

By faith in Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, Gentiles become heirs of the promise of Abraham, including the promise of the Land.

Israel has broken covenant with her God and is living today in disobedience and unbelief in his Son and her Messiah. Therefore, the secular state of Israel today may not claim a present divine right to the Land, but they and we should seek a peaceful settlement not based on present divine rights, but on international principles of justice, mercy, and practical feasibility.

Dr. Joseph F. (Skip) Ryan - Senior Minister, Park Cities Presbyterian Church - Dallas, TX

Certain Promises in Uncertain Times - References: Joshua 21:43-45 - March 23, 2003:

And here I must say {something} that run{s} against the grain of what we have been taught. Geo-political Israel today is not to be understood as God's promise of Abraham and Joshua. IT IS NOT!

It is fair to say, the world owes them a homeland. But, and this is important, there is no biblical right that geopolitical Israel has today to that particular peace of geography in the Middle East.

But do they have a biblical right to that particular peace of geography? It is not in the Bible.

For Israel is not a nation state any more; Israel is the church. Israel is people of God, Jew and gentile from every nation and every tribe, and every tongue who confesses faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—the new people of God. Ancient Israel is a preview of what God intends for the new Israel.

http://www.watch.org/showart.php3?idx=62726&rtn=/index.html&showsubj=1&mcat=4

How do they come to this conclusion?

They interpret the Scriptures allegorically

What is the allegorical method and the problems with it?

Denies the plain sense and literal meaning of the text.

Assumes that God's words are symbolic; they are meant to have representative meanings, not literal meanings.

Because of this the Scriptures can be interpreted to mean almost anything.

Therefore, Israel and Jew no longer pertain to the literal descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead they symbolize the Gentile Church.

How did the allegorical method come about?

This will require some history

The early Church was mainly Jewish

The Apostle Paul was very successful in his evangelizing Gentiles

Initially there was controversy regarding these efforts. The burning question was "can Gentiles believe in the Jewish Messiah?"

Jerusalem was the spiritual center of the church until after 132 AD

After 2nd Jewish revolt in 132 AD many Jewish believers were killed

With this, the Church became increasingly Gentile

Thus the Jewish influence began to diminish

http://www.psalmsinger.org/study7.htm

Replacement Theology's roots - Alexandria Egypt

The first Christian seminary was influenced by the Greek culture in Alexandria and thus began to use the Greek allegorical method of interpreting the Old Covenant scriptures.

Clement

Blended Greek philosophy with Christian teaching. He looked more to Athens for his teachings rather than Jerusalem, the Mother city of Christianity.

Origen

Established a theological school and library at Caesarea

One of the greatest scholars of the day. His fame and influence was recognized throughout the Roman world.

He taught the allegorical method of interpreting the Old Covenant scriptures.

Pamphilus

Was a friend and student of Origen. Continued in teaching the allegorical method.

Passed this teaching on to Eusibius

Eusibius

Became the advisor to the Emperor Constantine who embraced Christianity in the 4th century.

Eusibius influenced Constantine with Origen's allegorical interpretations of the Scriptures and anti-Semitic teachings.

When did an alternative to Replacement Theology develop?

http://www.leaderu.com/common/british.html

RT was the standard teaching of the church for centuries until about the time of the 1600's when the Puritian's began to take a literal approach to the Scriptures

http://www.watch.org/showart.php3?idx=56892&rtn=/index.html&showsubj=1&mcat=4

Examples of Allegorical Teachings

Origen

On Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem:

The donkey is the old Covenant. The donkey's colt is the New Testament. The two apostles picture the moral and mystic senses of the Scripture.. According to Origen, a literal understanding of the donkey, its colt and the apostles is irrelevant. (totally ignoring the prophetic fulfillment references in Zechariah 9:9)

He taught that the guilt of Jesus' blood was on all the Jewish people at the time of His death and on all Jews everafter.

Eusibius

Christianity is older and more superior than Judaism

The "Hebrews" were the most ancient people in the world and their religion was based on Greek philosophy

The "Hebrews" were neither Jewish nor Gentile; they were Christians from the beginning

The "Hebrew" patriarchs Moses and Joshua were not Jewish, but Christian

Augustine

The four rivers flowing from the Garden of Eden were the four cardinal virtues

Adam and Eve's fig leaves represented hypocrisy

Noah's Drunken stupor depicted Christ's crucifixion

Ancient effects

Justin Martyr (c. AD 160) - [Speaking to a Jew] - "The Scriptures are not yours but ours."

Bishop of Lyon (c. AD 177) - Jews are disinherited from the grace of God.

Tertullian (AD 160 - 230) - [From his treatise "Against the Jews"] - God has rejected the Jews in favor of the Christians

John Chrysostom (golden throat) -

Emperor Constantine - declared that the land of Israel no longer belonged to the Jewish people but to the Christian church.

Modern Effects

Knox Theological Seminary

[D. James Kennedy (Coral Ridge Ministries) & R.C. Sproul (Ligonier Ministries)] statement regarding Christians who support Israel:

"At the heart of the political commitments in question are two fatally flawed propositions. First, some are teaching that God's alleged favor toward Israel today is based upon ethnic descent rather than upon the grace of Christ alone, as proclaimed in the Gospel."

"Second, others are teaching that the Bible's promises concerning the land are fulfilled in a special political region or "Holy Land," perpetually set apart by God for one ethnic group alone."

"Furthermore, a day should not be anticipated in which Christ's kingdom will manifest Jewish distinctives, whether by its location in "the land," by its constituency, or by its ceremonial institutions and practices. "

http://www.knoxseminary.org/Prospective/Faculty/WittenbergDoor/index.html

Sabeel

Sabeel (the way) is an ecumenical grassroots liberation movement among Palestinian Christians.

Quotes from presenters of their conference called "Challenging Christian Zionism) in Jerusalem (June 2004):

Dr. Raheb - Bethlehem Lutheran pastor - stated that the Apostles of the Lord "did not get it," when they asked the Lord in Acts 1:6 if He would "at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel." They were, according to Raheb, the forerunners of contemporary Christian Zionists. He described the Apostles as "nationalistic," "narrow-minded" and "blinded" to the future.

It should be noted, though, that Jesus did not rebuke His Disciples for asking about the restoration, but merely told them that the timing of the restoration could not be revealed to them. [These quotes come from an eyewitness on Zola Levitt's site"

Dr. Prior - St. Mary's (Roman Catholic) College Bible professor, had the audacity to lecture that "the Bible is a very dangerous book," and the God of the Books of Exodus and Joshua is an immoral God, who is guilty of ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Canaanite people in the land. These sentiments were met with the applause of the delegates to the conference.

http://www.shalom-shalom-jerusalem.org/conference.html

http://carol33145.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/sabeelconf.pdf

Presbyterian Church (USA)

Promotes divestment from companies that do business with Israel.

Additional supporters of divestment

World Council of Churches (WCC)

National Council of Churches (NCC)

Anglican Church

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

http://www.nationalreview.com/script/printpage.asp?ref=/comment/kontorovich200409220850.asp

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40687

Cults

Identity Movement

Armstrongism/British Israelism (formerly World Wide Church of God)

The "New" anti-semitism in the church is anti-Zionism

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=17308

Example: Presbyterian Elder Openly Praises Hezbolah

An elder in the Presbyterian Church, USA, said during a meeting with a leader of the terrorist group Hezbollah that Muslims are easier to deal with than Jews.

"As an elder of our church, I'd like to say that according to my recent experience, relations and conversations with Islamic leaders are a lot easier than dealings and dialogue with Jewish leaders," Elder Ronald Stone said during the meeting.

Stone of Pittsburgh, Pa., praised Hezbollah at the meeting, saying, "We treasure the precious words of Hezbollah and your expression of goodwill toward the American people."

http://www.therefinersfire.org/presbyterians_praise_muslims.htm

Why interpret the Scriptures literally* rather than allegorically?

It is what is done in the scriptures

Example 1 - Joshua's Prophecy

Joshua 6:26

[26] Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, "Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with {the loss of} his firstborn he shall lay its foundation, and with {the loss of} his youngest son he shall set up its gates." (Jos 6:26 NASB)

*Technically literal-grammatical-historical

*The Bible is interspersed with symbolism and allegory, but first and foremost it should be interpreted literally first.

Example 1 - Joshua's Prophecy fulfilled

1Kings 16:34

[34] In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho; he laid its foundations with the {loss of} Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the {loss of} his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun. (1Ki 16:34 NASB)

Example 2 - Daniel 9:2 - References Jeremiah's Prophecy

[2] in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was {revealed as} the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, {namely,} seventy years. (Dan 9:2 NASB)

2 Chronicles 36: 21 - Also references Jeremiah's Prophecy

[21] to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath until seventy years were complete. (2Ch 36:21 NASB)

Ezra 1:1 - Also references Jeremiah's Prophecy

[1] Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also {put it} in writing, saying: (Ezr 1:1 NASB)

Jeremiah's Prophecy:

[11] 'This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. [12] 'Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,' declares the LORD, 'for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation. (Jer 25:11-12 NASB)

[10] "For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. (Jer 29:10 NASB)

Other Examples

Prophesied - 1Kings 13:1-3,

Fulfilled - 2Kings 23:15

Prophesied - 1Kings 14:10,11,

Fulfilled - 1Kings 15:29

Messianic prophecy was fulfilled literally in Jesus

When Jesus used the Scriptures, He referred to them in a literal fashion, not allegorically.

The apostles used the Scriptures literally.

When the apostle Paul used allegory he stated as such:

Gal 4:24 This is allegorically speaking, for these {women} are two covenants: one {proceeding} from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. (NASB)

Why isn't the Church Israel?

Assumes God rejected His people

Romans 11:1

I ask then, Did God reject His people? By no means!

Romans 11:11

Again I ask, Did they stumble so as to fall from recovery? Not at all!

It's not what the scriptures teach

The actual relationship:

(Eph 2:11-13 NASB)

[11] Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," {which is} performed in the flesh by human hands-- [12] {remember} that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. [13] But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

It's not what the scriptures teach

The actual relationship:

Eph 2:19 (NASB)

[19] So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,

Eph 3:6 (NASB)

[6] {to be specific,} that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,

It doesn't make sense

"Israel" is used in the New Testament 73 (or 77 according to the translation). In each case it is referring to national Israel or the Jewish people as a whole. When surveying this verses it becomes quite clear that "Israel" does not refer to the church. To do so renders the verse meaningless.

http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/reformed/israelaf.htm

Examples:

(Rom 10:1 NKJV)

[1] Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for *Israel is that they may be saved.

Does this really make sense applied to the Church?

(Mat 2:6 NKJV)

[6] 'But you, Bethlehem, [in] the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "

Quotation of Micah 5:2 which prophesies that the Messiah "shall be shepherd of my people Israel."

Examples:

(Mat 2:20 NKJV)

[20] saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."

Geographical reference concerning the family's return to "the land of Israel."

Examples

(Act 1:6 NKJV)

[6] Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"

The disciples ask, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" Obviously, the disciples had ethnic Israel and not the Church in mind in this context.

(Act 3:12 NKJV)

[12] So when Peter saw [it], he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

Peter is again addressing an unbelieving Jewish audience with the words, "Ye men of Israel." As unbelievers, they could hardly be the Church.

The Olive Tree Principle - Rom 11:16 - 24

Romans 11:16 - 18

16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 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.

Romans 11:19 - 24

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. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Analysis

Here Paul is using a metaphor. Symbolically, the root has been understood to mean God, the Patriarchs, the faithful remnant of the Jewish nation. Whatever it is Jewish in nature. The natural branches by extension are Jewish. The wild branches are Gentile since this is who the verse is being directed to.

Why does Israel matter?

Promise to Abraham

Blessings and Curses Gen 12:2-3

2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you,And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."NKJV

God says He will curse those who curse Israel. The Hebrew word used for the first occurrence of curse is arar which means to bitterly curse. The Hebrew word used of the second occurrence is qalal which means to make light or small.

So if one makes light of, or makes small (as in ignores) Israel they will be cursed by God.

This is not a threat, but a warning.

The promise is unconditional Gen 15: 1-21

God uses the ritual of Abraham's day to establish a covenant between two parties.

Typically both partners walk through the slaughtered pieces

If only one partner in the covenant walks between the slaughtered pieces that means that only that partner was obligated to perform anything for the sake of the other.

Apple of His eye Zec 2:8

8 For thus says the LORD of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. NKJV

{Metaphor} The "apple of the eye" is the pupil, one of the more vulnerable parts of our anatomy. The word touch in the Hebrew means to strike or hit violently. SO if you strike Israel you are striking God in a most sensitive part.

How does God feel about Israel

Jeremiah 31:35, - 37

[35] Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name: [36] "If this fixed order departs From before Me," declares the LORD, "Then the offspring of Israel also will cease From being a nation before Me forever." [37] Thus says the LORD, "If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done," declares the LORD. (Jer 31:35-37 NASB)

How does Jesus feel about the Jewish people?

Jesus weeps over Jerusalem

Luke 19:41-44

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 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. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." NKJV

How does Jesus feel about the Jewish people?

Jesus laments over Jerusalem

Luke 13:34-35

"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 brood under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'" NKJV

This is a rebuke, yet it is couched with the tender metaphor about the hen gathering her chicks.

Also notice notion of national salvation conditioned upon acknowledging Jesus as Messiah. A motivation for declaring the Messiahship of Yeshua

Judgment of the nations

Matt 25:31 - 46

Matt 25:31-33

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.

NKJV

Notice Matt 25:40

40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' NKJV

"My brethren" - adelphos NT:80 adelphos (ad-el-fos'); from NT:1 (as a connective particle) and delphus (the womb); a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote [much like NT:1]:

How does the apostle Paul feel about the Jewish people?

Romans 9:1 - 5

Rom 9:1-5

I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren (NT 80), my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen. NKJV

Closing

The Roman centurion in Luke 7:1 - 10

Luke 7:1 - 5

Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3 So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, 5 "for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."

v5 - This is just about unprecedented that a Roman centurion, one of Israel's oppressors would (a) Love the nation (b) Build them a synagogue! He is a Roman Zionist!

Luke 7:6 - 8

6 Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

v6 - He confesses his unworthiness (might be familiar with the observant Jewish practice of not entering the home of Gentiles).

v8 - He recognizes Jesus authority and power.

Luke 7:9 - 10

9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!" 10 And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick. NKJV

v9a - Jesus marveled (Greek def: admired)!

Conclusion:

As gentile Christians let us express the same great faith as this Roman centurion did by:

Demonstrating love for the Jewish nation in practical ways as he did.

Showing humility regarding the Jewish people, remembering that we are grafted in.

Parting Words form Sandra Teplinksy:

Plenty of good reasons exist for serving Israel, like fulfilling prophecy, getting a blessing or seeing Jews saved. But good reasons can turn into ulterior motives and they will likely not survive in the crucible of complex global events in the years ahead. When the pressure is on, only those moved by love will endure. And so God is raising up believers who love and stand with Israel:

Not because Jesus will return there;

Not because her land is holy;

Not because a Temple is being rebuilt there;

Not (even) because most Jews need to get saved; and

Not (even) because the want to get blessed by blessing the Jewish people;

But because God loves Israel, unconditionally, uncompromisingly.

RECOMMENDED BOOKS:

(Note: These links will take you to Amzon.com. They are not intended as a recommendation to purchase from them.)

Why Care About Israel-- How the Jewish Nation Is the Key to Unleashing God's Blessings in the 21st Century

Our Hands Are Stained With Blood by Michael L. Brown (Paperback)

Messianic Jewish Manifesto by David H. Stern

Restoring the Jewishness of the Gospel: A Message for Christians by David H Stern

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