Part 1 The Jewish Nation in End Time-Events
Advantages and Disadvantages Among Jews and Gentiles
Paul is quick to point out the advantage a Jew has over a non-Jew (Gentile)
What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles (Scripture) of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar…
Romans 3: 1-4
Not only did they have scripture…the writings of Moses, David, Solomon, Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah to name just a few, but they also had a school teacher in the sacrificial and ceremonial laws. These laws were designed by God Himself to teach them about the nature of sin and the atoning sacrifice of their Savior and Messiah.
Therefore the law was our tutor (schoolmaster) to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Galatians 3:24
The sacrificial and ceremonial systems were object lessons shadows pointing to Jesus and His ministry:
For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect
Hebrews 10:1
Note: The Greek word is paidagōgos, it means instructor. According to Dr. James Strong:
“Among the Greeks and the Romans, the name was applied to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. The boys were not allowed so much as to step out of the house without them before arriving at the age of manhood.”
Paul talked to the carnal Corinthian Christians being taught. The experience with Christ is one that is upward and not static:
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able
1 Corinthians 3:1
To the Hebrews, Paul mourned over the lack of progress the Christians were making.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the [a]oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
Hebrews 5:12
Paul encouraged that the Hebrews, and all followers of Christ, to continue their journey upward
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection
Hebrews 6:1
Both Jew and Gentile are on the same ground when it comes to understanding. Both would benefit from being taught and moving to stronger food.
The point is this, the Jewish leaders old failed to learn and to teach the lessons of the schoolmaster through its daily sacrifices, feast days and ceremonies. It became a mere round of tradition and nationalism. The ones who connected the dots became strong followers of Jesus, but even then they had a journey of growing in Christ.
The same could be said of the modern Christian today.
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A careful reading of Galatians 3 described above puts the context of the schoolmaster with the giving of the law “after sin” It is not referring to the giving of the ten commandments written by the “finger of God.” Sin, as a principal and enumerated in the ten commandments, appeared from the beginning in the garden, but the schoolmaster was given to the people of God much later to teach them about the plan of salvation and Jesus. Sin had brought with it a penalty of death. Its precepts are universal from the beginning and will always be the will of God even when the Lord returns, but to the sacrificial law and ceremonial laws ended when their purpose was realized in Christ.
They were a chosen people who had a great responsibility of proclaiming the true God to the world. It was through Abraham’s literal seed that the nations of the earth would be blessed. They were heirs of the promises given to Abraham. But, they failed to understand from the prophets that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. What effect did this have on the promises of God?
The prophets had a tough job of pointing out their shortcomings, sins, and then calling for repentance. The prophets described their Messiah in a way that was different than what they wanted. Many of the prophets were killed. Murder became the preferred method of dealing with those who cut across their beliefs and their national pride. Although the prophets were clear about Jesus, they decided to crucify Him because He did not fit into their desire of a Messiah who would free them from the Romans and all the other nations who opposed them. But, it was much deeper and included the work of Satan himself. Pride, tradition, selfishness, prejudice, and many other factors all brought the death of Jesus. However, we must remember that Jesus willingly laid down His life for us. He could have stopped it at any moment and left us to be trapped by the wages of sin.
In the comings studies, we will see that despite their advantage, they became foolish in their thinking”…”Having begun in the Spirit, they attempted to be perfect by the flesh.”
But, don’t let us think any higher of ourselves as non-Jews because Paul warned us a few verses after the one above:
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
Romans 3: 9-12
It might also be asked are they any better than us? No! Despite their advantage. All (Jew and Gentile) are under the death penalty of sin!
Ironically, as 21st century Christians, we have an advantage too!
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
Romans 15:4
While they had the “schoolmaster” of the sacrificial laws and the word of God (Scripture) was in their possession to guide them, we have another type of advantage.
We can study their history and learn from their mistakes and hopefully not make the same. We have the Tanakh (Old Testament Scripture), but we also have the writings of the apostles who very elegantly demonstrate that Jesus was all that He claimed to be and is the Messiah who promises to return as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Never in earth’s history has the word of God (Scripture) been so plentiful. The entire Bible, in many different translations and language, is here in my hand on my smartphone! I have Greek and Hebrew Lexicons at my fingertips: It is on computers CDs DVD’s, and even VHS! Books have been written about each book of the Bible.
Despite all this, the world (including church-going Christians) by and large remain ignorant of God and His word. Even fewer people use it as a guide or schoolmaster in their lives. So many skeptics who see life is meaningless and very short. The theme of the day is to “eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” Eccl. 8:15
In these last days before the return of Christ, many sincere believing Christians have become sign-watchers and rightly so. For Jesus said,
Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!
Matthew 24: 32-33
What are the things we are to be watching? Many sincere believing Christians believe we should be watching the nation of Israel. But, in the context of what Jesus spoke above, it is something altogether different and much wider in scope. Could it be that our eyes are looking in the wrong direction and we will be surprised as we would if we came home and noticed our house had been ransacked by a thief?
There is a popular movement brought on my books like the Late Great Planet Earth and subsequent writing and movies that have muddied the water. Below is an example of an article by Z3 News who advertise as “End time news before it happens.”
In the article entitled Recap of 10 Things that Come Before the Rapture, the second event on the list is “The third temple must be rebuilt and it uses 2 Thessalonians 2:4
who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
There has to be a significant amount of twisting of scripture and commentary to make this verse fit into the sign of “rebuilding of the temple.
But, it should not be so. Jesus and the prophets were meant to be read and understood by the common everyday person who don’t have a degree in theology and a magnificent voice and/or a gigantic church.
The popular teaching today revolves around the literal nation of Israel and the promises given to Abraham and his seed (Israel). Over the next several weeks, we will go back to the beginning of the promises and covenants, God gave to Abraham, and come forward to modern Israel to see if our eyes are looking at the right place for the signs.
The first words that came out of Jesus’ mouth about the signs of His coming were:
“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. Matthew 24: 4-5
It is clear that the first sign is confusion and deception about His coming! This we have today despite the advantage of so many Bibles and the history of God’s people. It is the responsibility of each person to know for themselves what God’s word says and not to rely on those handsome men and women in nice clothes and white teeth.
So what advantage does the Jew have? Everything spiritual, but truth can be missed if tradition and pride get in the way. That is exactly what happened to this nation and God turned to the Gentile. But, we should not be puffed up and think ourselves any better, lest we fall into the same trap of pride and tradition. In fact, if we belong to Christ, there is no difference between a gentile or a Jew.
Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you, all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
Galatians 3: 7-9
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:29
Indeed, the ground is level at the foot of the cross. There is no temptation that is not common to all men.
As we will see in the coming weeks, we play a dangerous game of watching for the return of Christ and making assumptions about watching literal Israel forgetting that the heirs of the promise are those who are in Christ. Being a literal Jew without Christ does not guarantee salvation from eternal death.
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.
1 Corinthians 7:19
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
Romans 2: 28-29