The latest attack on Israel and the explosion of hatred by their nearest enemies, a terrorist Islamic group known as Hamas, suddenly and without warning attacked and slaughtered innocent children, women, and men of all ages, supposedly in the name of Allah. Many would agree their so-called god is a tyrant of the worst kind, likely used as an excuse by abject evil men to set a fire of hatred, murder, injury, rape, and mayhem on innocent Jewish people of all ages. Now, the fire of destruction is raining down on their heads while innocent Palestinian citizens are used as human shields and suffer because of the extreme Islamic terrorists’ evil agenda.
The nations of the earth hold their breath as Iran (suspected sponsor and overseer of the attack), other Muslim nations, China, and Russia look on with vested interest. United States naval ships are positioned to protect Israel and keep others out of the fight.
Confusing to many Americans (religious or not) is the Antisemitic protests endorsing the attack on Israel. They have received significant news coverage across America! They are extreme left factions who have wormed their way into high government positions and have refused to comment on the atrocities, thereby endorsing the attack. A few have endorsed the campaign of hatred. Hopefully, their political careers will be destroyed. How shameful to endorse such hatred and brutality in a country built on acceptance of all races and cultures.
The latest atrocities are so horrendous that it is hard to describe, but I must mention the heartless beheading of babies who will never experience a life of sounds, tastes, sights, or feelings of love and warmth on this Earth.
The surviving families’ lives were forever crippled on the morning of the Shabbat, October 7, 2023, while celebrating Shemini Atzeret, a time of re-reading the Torah and renewal of their relationship with God—a period of rededication disfigured by evil godless men.
It has led many to question why God allowed this, but it is nothing new for Israel; Eighty-two years ago, the Nazi regime, under the direction of a madman named Hitler, tried to extinguish the Jewish people and any nation that would get in his way. Millions were taken from their homes and left to die in Nazi camps or sent to the gas chambers.
Those who harbor such antisemitic feelings go back well before the holocaust of World War II.
The Meaning of Anti-Semitism
“The term anti-Semitism was coined in 1879 by the German agitator Wilhelm Marr to designate the anti-Jewish campaigns underway in central Europe at that time. Nazi anti-Semitism, which culminated in the Holocaust, had a racist dimension in that it targeted Jews because of their supposed biological characteristics—even those who had themselves converted to other religions or whose parents were converts.”-Brittanica Encyclopedia.
At the core of anti-Semitism is a hatred that predates Moses.
A Hated Ethnicity
No ethnicity and culture of human beings are hated more than the Jewish people. Their ancient lineage has felt little peace compared to the thousands of years of captivity and atrocious persecution. Why are they so hated? Their enemies could verbalize many reasons, but what are these excuses based on?
The purpose of this series is to look back at ancient records in scripture known today as the Tanak, also identified as the Old Testament by Christians, to figure out the “Why?” question and how it affects us today. These 40 writers recorded the history of their patriarch Abraham and the conflict between his original three sons (Ishmael, Isaac, and Esau).
But the seed for hatred began long before the promises of God to Abraham. Here, we will find hatred taking root and growing in the Middle East. Genesis to Malichi is primarily the story of Israel, but it affects us all, especially Christians.
The followers of Christ see themselves as an extension or grafted-in-vine, sharing the wisdom of God, His love, His mercy, and hopefully His guidance in maneuvering through a sin-filled planet.
Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1 Corinthians 10:11
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, Romans 11:17
A Tie Between Christianity and Israel
Jews and Christians worship the same God, Jehovah, and read from the Tanak (Old Testament). The split comes over Jesus’s Messiahship and divinity as a Godhead constituent.
There is a connection between Christianity and Israel theologically and in the sharing of massive persecutions from the past. The Christians’ persecution started in the 1st century and ran through the Dark Ages before becoming watered down, requiring a Reformation. But Israel has experienced persecution from the time of Abraham. The umbilical cord from ancient Israel leaves the born-again Christian with deep empathy for the Jewish people. These ties will be explored as we review the long history of the people of God.
It appears that the pinnacle of prophecy will come as a joining of literal Israel and Spiritual Israel to become victors over the greatest of all enemies, Satan himself…The father of death and lies.
Prophecies of Persecution
Prophecies of persecution and wars that are now history provide the platform for forecasts yet to be filled as written in the Torah and from Jesus Christ and His Apostles in the New Testament. Learning from the past gives us a better vision for the future.
The future for Israel is prophesied in the Tanak and the New Testament, but with varying interpretations. Nevertheless, the prophecies, both good and bad, came with conditions. This truth is the foundation for accurate interpretation and good exergies. An example of a condition is found in the book of 2 Chronicles. Both Jews and Christians acknowledge this promise.
“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
The passage begins with the word “if,” putting it in a conditional state. The “if” requires humbleness, prayer, searching, and turning away from wickedness to reap the promise. Will the promise be fulfilled if the conditions are not met? Of course not. However, as we will see, there are unconditional promises as well, e.g., the promise to never destroy the earth by flood again.
In the coming weeks, we will explore what God said about Jerusalem and the people of Israel. Questions raised by Paul about spiritual Israel and literal Israel will be reviewed.
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
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 of God (Scriptures). Romans 3: 1-2
I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Romans 11:1
If you want to get a jump on this series, request a free book called The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem. Leave a comment, and I will get in touch with you about how to get the book to you.
Last time, we reviewed from the Bible how the church today was given examples and warnings so that we don’t make the same mistakes. The entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 10 is dedicated to warnings to the early church and these certainly apply to us in modern times:
Now, these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
Nowall these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition (instruction or warning), upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1 Corinthians 10: 6-11
Paul also adds that the things written in the scriptures that gives us reasons to endure and be encouraged we can have hope. If we are not students of the Old Testament stories of Israel, we are missing the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and the things they did right.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans 15:4
Conclusion: The Old Testament experience of Israel and how God dealt with their weaknesses is highly relevant to those who take the name of Christ and are part of the body of Christ…His church.
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This time, we will explore a prophecy that gives Israel a period of time to repent and accept the Messiah. If not, their mission will end. We will also understand when and how it ended. Jesus confirms the end of their mission in several parables. We looked briefly at three last time. Of particular impact is the parable of the wicked Vinedresser in Matthew 21, Jesus ends the message with this prophecy:
“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” Matthew 21: 43-44
Embed in this statement is the desire of God and points out the failure of Israel….”bearing the fruits.” God desires the mission to produce results. If our church is not effective, then we are no better than the centuries God worked with Israel. We are repeating the same mistake. We have become religious….form without substance…a facade hidden behind grand buildings, suites, and shining white teeth. Programs that do not have Jesus in it anywhere.
In this study, we will look at an amazing prophecy found Daniel and the core message which is primarily a warning to Israel to prepare for the first coming of Jesus. This is a wonderful study that gives historically accurate times lines for the coming and mission of Jesus. But, most of all, it gives us a warning.
As we read the prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27 and compare it with actual history and Biblically documented historical dates. We will discover the power of this prophecy written almost 500 years before Jesus and we will understand more about Israel and even end-time events!
Please follow closely. When we are finished, I recommend you verify the dates at your local library or other resources. Beware of the confusion of the internet. Also, I have included a chart at the end in the “Appendix” to make these dates easier to see and follow. There are also other helpful references included.
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks (7), and threescore (60) and two weeks (2): the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
And after threescore (60) and two weeks (2) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (1): and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
Daniel 9: 24-27
If you count up the number in parenthesis, you will have the 70 years mentioned at the start. There is a reason why they are split up that way. I will not go into those historical reasons in this writing.
The setting for these verses is important in understanding the prophecy. Daniel and his people (The Jews) had been taken captive by Babylon and the city of Jerusalem was destroyed and lay desolate as prophesied by Jeremiah. It was predicted by Jeremiah that they would be in captivity for 70 years!
“In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.”
Daniel 9:2
As the 70 years drew near to the end, Daniel began to pray and confess his sins and the sins of the people (Verses 4-20). Then Gabriel (an angel) came and informed Daniel that he had come to
“give thee skill and understanding.”
Daniel 9:22
This statement by the angel refers back to the previous chapter’s vision of the Ram, Goat, and the 2,300 days of the sanctuary being cleansed. As stated by Daniel himself in the last verse of Chapter 8, the dream was not completely understood.
And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it. Daniel 8: 27
Then Gabriel gives the explanation of the time element not understood in the previous Chapter (as stated in Verses 24-27 above.) This is the skill and understanding Daniel needed other than simply knowing the Jews would soon be freed after 70 years of captivity.
70 weeks was given to Daniels people (Israelites) and the city of Jerusalem to:
Finish the transgression
Make an end of sins
Make reconciliation for iniquity
Bring in everlasting righteousness
Seal up the vision and prophecy
Anoint the most Holy
So God was giving the Jewish people 70 weeks or 490 days to do all those things; ending with anointing the most Holy. We shall see that the anointing of the most Holy is not in regards to the apartment in the sanctuary necessarily, but the Holy One of God-Jesus The 70 weeks given to the Jews are calculated in the verses in sections: threescore (60) and two weeks (2) 7 weeks (7) and 1 week (1) Quick addition shows this is 70 weeks or 490 days (7 X 70). But in Bible prophecy, the day = year principle should be used to unlock the timelines for history. The verses that support this principle can be found in the passages below:
“After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”Numbers 14:34 “And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”Ezekiel 4:6
God gave the Jewish people 490 years for their assignment. During this time, he sent prophets and others to inspire and help keep them close to him. But as one reads their story, it is quickly seen that they often went after other gods and forsook the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob…the one and only true Creator God!
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city…”Daniel 9: 24
If we can determine where the 490 years began (with certainty) we can understand the other parts of the prophecy. The timelines start here:
“….from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem”Daniel 9: 25
This chart should help in the understanding of the prophecy lines.
The glorious temple of Solomon had been leveled by the Babylonians when they conquered Israel. King Nebuchadnezzar’s army took captives to Babylon including young Daniel and his friends. But, at the end of the literal 70 years, a command would be given to restore and build Jerusalem. The actual command is found in Ezra Chapter 7 when Artaxerxes gave the commandment in 457 BC (See the **notes at the end). So, now that we have a starting date, let’s see where it takes us:
The first stop is the coming of the Messiah the Prince “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince…Daniel 9: 25
The Messiah the Prince can refer only to Jesus himself. He is both the Messiah and a Prince
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.John 1:41
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.John 1:45
“For unto us a child is born, unto us, a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”Isaiah 9:6
So we know that from the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Jesus would be a certain length of time. How long?
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks (7), and threescore (60) and two weeks (2): the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
From 457 to Jesus is 69 weeks or 483 days or 483 prophetical years. Let’s do some math: Starting at 457 BC and moving through history 483 years brings us to the fall of 27 AD This is the date Jesus was baptized by John (anointed) and he began his ministry as the prophecy predicted. Here is an important verse in connection with Jesus’ baptism:
“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:”Matthew 3:16
A dove represents anointing. Another interesting passage that makes sense in the light of Jesus beginning his ministry exactly on time according to Daniel’s prophecy some 500 years before Jesus is this one:
“But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son…”Galatians 4:4
The time was “full.” In other words, Jesus came to this earth and began his ministry right on time. It may be possible that this quote is in reference to this particular prophecy. Whatever the case, we know that God knows the future and will not do anything unless he reveals it by his prophets:
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”Amos 3:7
69 weeks or 483 years of the 70 weeks or 490 years has been explained. Isn’t it comforting to know that God, through the prophet Daniel let the world know when Jesus would come on the scene? Now let’s look at the last week or 7 years. This is where Hal Lindsey and his followers use the 7 years as a period of tribulation. They disconnect it from this timeline and attempt to run it down to the end of time after Jesus “raptures the church.” But we are going to let the verses speak for themselves. We will keep the last week on the timeline as intended. If we do, we learn the most interesting part of this prophecy.
Daniel tells us after Jesus began his ministry that Jesus would be cut off:
“Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:….”Daniel 9: 26
But before He is cut off he would do the following:
“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,Daniel 9:27”
Jesus was to “confirm the covenant with many for 1 week or 7 days which is 7 years in prophecy. But He is “cut off” in the middle of the week or 3 1/2 days or 3 1/2 years Jesus ministry was exactly that long (3 1/2 years) before He was “cut off” or crucified on a Roman cross in 31 AD. He ministered from 27 AD to 31 AD. As Daniel 9:27 stated, the sacrifices and oblations also ended at the time of Jesus’ death. The law of ceremonies had served their purpose of teaching the Jewish nation about the price of sin, the sacrifice for it, and the plan of salvation. Those ceremonial laws were the School Master to bring people to Jesus and help them understand the lesson of sin, forgiveness, and grace. The School Master died forever the day Jesus died on the cross as the true Lamb of God.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Galatians 3:24, 25
All the festivals, drink and meat offerings, and special Sabbath days (Not the weekly Sabbath) were shadows pointing to the body of Jesus. All those had served their purpose and were fulfilled in Christ:
“Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
Colossians 2:17
On the other side of the cross, the people looked forward in faith to Jesus (the Messiah) and what He would do for them. All of us on this side of the cross look back in faith at what Jesus has done for us. Something extraordinary occurred at the crucifixion of Christ to demonstrate the truthfulness of the two verses above:
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;Matthew 27: 50, 51
Thus ended the rounds of ceremonies and the laws put in place by Moses to teach about Jesus. Please note: These laws did not include the 10 commandments as some would assert. A study for another time. Jesus told His disciples this:
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”Matthew 15: 24
Jesus was “confirming the covenant” with the children of Israel during His ministry. With them, he spent most of His time. His plea of the coming Kingdom of God was a message primarily to the Jews. He also told His disciples to do the same:
“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 10: 5, 6
This the disciples did for 3 1/2 more years after Jesus was “cut off” or crucified in 31 AD.
This takes us 3 1/2 years forward to the end of the 70 weeks or 490 years.
In the year 34 AD some interesting things happen to mark the end of the 490 years “determined” or given unto the Jewish nation:
In this year Stephen was martyred and Paul was converted to be the teacher to the Gentiles
“I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”
2 Timothy 1:11
A very interesting passage of scripture also marks the end of 70 weeks given to the Jews to do all those things of the covenant listed in Daniel 9. It is a point where the burden of carrying the gospel to the entire world is taken off the shoulders of the Jews and given to the Gentiles. It is the point where God determines who is a real Jew or seed of Abraham.
Paul and Barnabas were preaching to a large group but were interrupted by the Jews because of the large following of the two disciples. Those religious leaders who were interrupting contradicted Paul and Barnabas and actually blasphemed God! But it is what Paul and Barnabas say that marks the transition from Jew to Gentile or Spiritual Jew:
“But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Acts 13: 45, 46
The appointed people of God had failed to keep the covenant (agreement) and God turned to the Gentiles and made them heir to the promises of God:
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Galatians 3:29
No longer was there a distinction between literal Jew and the God’s chosen people simply identified as belonging to Christ:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Romans 2:28, 29
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
Ephesians 2: 14-15
Thus the 70-week prophecy came to an end! There is no room or context in the prophecy for 7 years of tribulation or the Anti Christ. It is simply not there. To try to force it takes away from a beautiful and important part of the ministry of Christ.
While Hal Lindsey has everyone looking at Jerusalem for the rebuilding of the temple to mark the soon return of Jesus, the Anti Christ is at work elsewhere in the world. this we will see in future studies. This is so deceptive that almost the whole world is taken in. What a great diversion by the enemy of mankind!
In conclusion, the 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9 a prophecy to support Jesus as the Messiah, his crucifixion, the spread of the gospel, and God’s long-suffering with the lost sheep of the house of Israel!
God has a stopping point when we harden our hearts and refuse to believe His word and follow Him. When our only interest is in ourselves, our heritage, our traditions, and ceremonies instead of being the light on the hill, we become nothing more than a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
Will the church make the same mistake as Israel and assume God will ignore our continued failures to follow Him and His Word seriously. Will the uselessness of rounds of self-serving religions acts become our savior rather than the One who created us? Will the sinner die for eternity because we did not “Go …, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:” Matthew 28: 19-20
Below is information if you want more detail otherwise I hope this prophecy helped you see how God is in control.
*Notes about the dates described above:
Ezra has three decrees with different dates that could be used. Nehemiah has a date also. But the decision as to which one to use, you must keep in mind the key words of the prophecy: “the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.” The four decrees are : The decree of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4) The decree of Darius I (Ezra 6:1-12) The decree of Artaxerxes I (Longimanuus) (Ezra 7: 12-26) The decree of Artaxerxes (Nehemiah Chapters 1 and 2) Let’s eliminate some of the dates based on the guiding verse of Daniel 9:25 Ezra 1-gave instruction only for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Said nothing about the whole city. We can eliminate this date. Ezra 6-simply the endorsement by Darius of the decree of Cyrus. Only mentions the building of the “house of God.” We can eliminate this date. Ezra 7 makes provision for complete restoration of the Jewish state, including the right to appoint magistrates and judges, hold trials, and pass and execute sentence upon violators of the own national laws. This is the date that fits the idea of “restoring and rebuilding Jerusalem.” Nehemiah 2-Wording has not been preserved, but was simply a reinstatement of Artaxerxes original authorization to Ezra recorded in Ezra chapter 7. Determination of the date of the decree: It was in the seventh year of Artaxerxes’ reign (Ezra 7:7,8) Biblical evidence for the 457 BC start date: The dates for Artaxerxes reign are well documented in the ancient sources: Greek historians, Ptolemy’s Canon The Babylonian business tablets Elephantine papyri from Egypt From the above documents, we know that Xerxes was killed in late December of 465 B.C. and the reign of Artaxerxes began at the time.
Artaxerxes Reign
Fall to Fall
First year
464/463 B.C.
Second year
463/462 B.C.
Third year
462/461 B.C.
Fourth year
461/460 B.C.
Fifth year
460/459 B.C.
Sixth year
459/458 B.C.
Seventh year
458/457 B.C.
Therefore, the seventh year of Artaxerxes, according to Jewish reckoning, extended from the fall of 458 to the fall of 457 B. C.
Note: the references in this prophecy to the destruction of the city and temple and desolations:
“….the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined… for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate”
Daniel 9:27
This is not referenced to a small historical character called Antiochus or a future Anti-Christ, but to the total destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD as predicted by Jesus himself when he told the disciples. There has never been a temple since then and never will be!
“Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
Matthew 24:2
“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on the Sabbath. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”
Matthew 24: 15-22
The total destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman soldiers was horrible. Many who tried to escape were crucified outside the city. At one time, the number of crosses outside the city almost made it look like a forest of trees. Those who heeded the advice of Jesus escaped the city and remained alive.
“The person who fails to learn from history is destined to repeat it.”
This thought or phrase is thought to have originated from the writer-philosopher George Santayana. However, this is the exact warning given to the church by Paul regarding the failures and consequences of Israel’s story:
“Now, these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them…These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us…” 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11
Other writers have said similar things,
“We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.” EG White
“The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” – Winston Churchill
As I write these, there is rebellion in the land and the unlearned are destroying American history. History is a teacher. They are killing the teacher and attempting to purge the land of the mistakes this country has made. But, they don’t understand if the mind were to be wiped clean of all the bad history, we would be destined to repeat it.
The Bible student or local church who seeks God and His will must look at the story of Israel’s faults to become more Biblically grounded in Christ so that the same mistakes are not by Christ’s church.
Despite the mistakes and failures of Israel, God was long-suffering towards them. He desired them to listen and obey, but they chose to trust in their own heritage, traditions, and lusts. In our study next time, we will see that God gave them a period of time to repent, but they did not. For now, let’s look at a few warnings from the New Testament delivered by Jesus to religious leaders in a parable and then from a couple of short sermons by Peter and Paul.
Jesus’ Instructions to the Disciples
Jesus said something that is confusing until it is understood in the light of a prophecy in Daniel. We will study that next time. Jesus told his Apostles:
“These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.”But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel ” Matthew 10: 5, 6
Why would Jesus tell the Apostles to NOT go to the Gentiles? Here is another similar statement by Jesus as recorded later in Mathew:
But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15: 24
If you continue to read the story in Matthew 15, you see that a woman from Cannan (Gentile) who was pleading with Jesus to cast a demon that was in her daughter. Jesus said something to her that would be considered racist or at least disrespectful in today’s sensitive world:
“It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” V. 26
The woman was very cleaver in her answer:
“Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” V. 27
Jesus eventually complimented her on her faith and healed her daughter. Even though Jesus had a priority i.e. the lost sheep of the house of Israel, he did not neglect those in need regardless of their nationality, race, or otherwise. God is no respecter of persons as Peter stated after learning through a vision that God does not call the Gentile unclean those whom he has cleaned:
God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean…Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: Acts 10:28, 34
Jesus’ Teaching on Israel
To the Religious leaders, Jesus was much more firm. They had no cleaver answer nor did they understand the mission of Jesus. But he sent a strong message that the end for them was in sight and the mission of God would be turned over to the Gentiles. Let’s look at the proof of that from a parable Jesus delivered to them. It is found in Matthew 22: 1-14
You can read the entire parable, but here is a summary:
1.) The King (God the Father) arranges a marriage for His son (Jesus). Jesus is often referred to as the bridegroom and the church is His bride. (See Isaiah 61:10, Matthew 9:15, Matthew 25:1, Rev. 21:2
2.) Those who were supposed to be His friends and close to Him were invited by His servants (The prophets). They either ignored the invitation and went back to work (V. 4, 5) or they killed the servants (The prophets)
3.) The King was furious and sent His armies to burn and destroy the “murderers” and “burn up their city” (V. 7)
4.) God counted those who were invited as “not worthy” “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.” (V. 8)
5.) At this point, The King (God the Father) tells the servants (Prophets) to invite all those who were not invited, “both good and bad.” They gladly came and “filled the wedding hall.” (V. 10)
It is clear from this parable and the two preceding it in Chapter 21 (Parable of the Two Sons and the parable of the Wicked Vinedressers) that…
“the kingdom of God will be taken from you (Israel) and given to a nation (Gentiles) bearing the fruits of it.” Matthew 21: 43
Again, the King in the Parable of the Wedding Feast said,
“…those who were invited were not worthy.” Matt 22: 8,
This became to theme of Paul and Barnabas when Paul said the same message of unworthiness in Acts 13: 46:
“It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.“
What makes the difference between the people of promise (Israel) and the Gentiles? It is one thing alone. It is not different promises or covenants, it is Jesus:
And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:29
Did you catch that? If we belong to Christ and have a saving relationship with him through faith resulting in obedience, all the promises given to Abraham belong to you. That would mean the literal nation of Israel does not receive the promises since they rejected their Messiah as a nation. But as shown in the parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21). Repentance is necessary for an individual Jewish person just like it is for anyone else. The leaders, on the whole, didn’t like the story of a sacrificial Savior and rewrote the story according to how they wanted it to end.
Does the modern church do the same thing as Israel when they hold to traditions and how they would prefer the story to end?
Paul goes on to tell us this truth:
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
Does the Christian church signify they belong to Christ? What is that signification? Is it a lot of words, beautiful music, seminars, and endless rounds of ceremonies? How do we become lights to the world?
The Jews had turned to righteousness by works. They sought to make themselves acceptable to God by their works. This was never the desire of God. He desired works to come from righteousness by faith in Jesus and by a changed heart of trust rather than righteousness by their own efforts.
Paul and Peter’s Sermons
Both Peter and Paul began to understand that the gospel burden would go from a nation that rejected the Son of the King (Israel) and then go to a people appreciative of the history of Israel who understood that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
In a vision given to Peter, he exclaimed the meaning of the vision of the sheet of unclean animals in these words:
Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean Acts 10:28
Peter was breaking from tradition and accepting all who would come into the fold of God’s people..
The separation between Israel and “another nation” was meant originally to keep the relationship between Israel and God healthy, safe. and a light to the world (See Isaiah 61). They were to be the teachers and priests of God. God’s desire was to bring every nation to an understanding of the true God through Israel who was led by God Himself. The sanctuary and the sacrificial systems were their training ground for understanding sin and its forgiveness by the “lamb of God which takes away the sin of the word.” John 1:20. The sanctuary covered it all, including the ministry of Jesus in heaven for us now…even the day of judgment and the end of sin.
But one day, God would do something that should have provoked Israel to jealousy (Romans 10:19). Instead, it made them more stiff-necked.
Then I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’ Hosea 2:23
God’s people would be the people of other nations. Paul picked up on this when he quoted from Hosea:
As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.” Romans 9:25
This brings us to the sermon of Paul in Acts 13:. This will help us understand why Jesus told the Apostles to not go to other nations, but to “the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” Matt 10:6 and Matt 15:14:”
Paul’s Sermon-Israel’s Unworthiness
Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch in Pisidia. This was a gentile city and the home of a gentile Christian church, but there was also a Jewish Synagogue. Paul and Barnabas go in and sit down. But after the reading of the Prophets and the Law (a tradition of the Jews. V.27), they were invited to talk.
Paul directs his sermon to “Men of Israel, and you who fear God.” There were two groups there: Jews and Gentile believers. He then begins to review the history of God’s people Israel:
The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it. V. 17
Here he signifies that the nation of Israel was favored and their fathers were “chosen and exalted when God performed miracles to keep His promise to rescue them out of Egypt after 450 years of slavery. He talks about their 40 years in the wilderness and the destruction of seven nations in Cannan in order to give the land He had promised hundreds of years earlier.
Next he goes through some of the highlights of their history:
1.) The appointment of a King at their request through a reluctant Samuel
2.) From the seed of David, “according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus V. 23. Notice that the Savior was “for Israel.”
3.) Next Paul moves quickly to John the Baptist who preached “the baptism of repentance TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL
4.) Then Paul ties Jesus into the Prophets and the law and particularly things they thought referred to their highly honored King David. Example:
Therefore He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’ “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; V. 35, 36
Paul quotes this to show that Jesus was resurrected, David was not.
5.) Paul warns that what is written in the prophets may come upon them
Next the “Jews went out of the synagogue.” V. 42. Then “the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Also V. 42
An interesting point here. This was in the year 48 AD or about 18 years after the ascension of Jesus. If the disciples of Jesus were meeting on the first day of the week (aka Sunday), Paul had the perfect opportunity to to preach to the Gentiles the next day. But he didn’t. The reason? The day to remember in the 4th Commandment had not been forgotten or changed. It is not a Jewish commandment, but a commandment for everyone that has been changed by tradition and force alone. Sunday observance would not start until about 300 years later when there was a combining of pagan and Christian practices. Another topic for another time.
What happens next leads us into the topic next time. Here are the exact words:
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us:
‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” Acts 13: 44-47
Almost the exact wording of Jesus parable about the Wedding Feast. The nation of Israel on the whole “counted themselves unworthy… “since they rejected the word of God.” Consequently, the gospel burden and to be a light to the world passed to the Gentiles who became the heir of the promises to Israel.
Their opportunity to repent as a nation and to embrace the promised Messiah had come and ended. Did you know there is a time-line prophecy predicting these things including the coming of Jesus, his crucifixion, and His directions to “go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” which they did until Paul’s sermon above?
Is Christ’s bride making the same mistakes as Israel prompted by disobedience and writing a story of how they want it to be rather that how it will be. We will see next time. Blessings as you consider these things.
They rejected Jesus just as Daniel and the other prophets predicted. God used that very rejection for our salvation. Romans 11:11 says, “By their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles.”
But that did not negate God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and others. Those promises began to be fulfilled in the 19th century when Jews started returning to the land in large numbers. They were returning to the place deeded to them by God Himself — the Promised Land. That led to the rebirth of Israel as a nation in 1948. They would regain control of Jerusalem in 1967.-Hal Lindsey
This statement above is this true or not? How do we know? Were God’s promises conditional or non-conditional? Is the literal city of Jerusalem the promised land of God?
The Jewish Nation in End Time Events-The Element of Faith and Obedience
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Hebrews 11:13
In that great faith chapter of Hebrews 11, we learn very much about the true identity of the people of God. Connected to each name is the experience of faith.
The Faith Hall of Fame starts with Abraham the father of the literal nation of Israel and the Jews. This chapter goes on to mention Isaac, Jacob, Esau and other great men of faith. All desiring a “better country.” This better country is not on this earth but in heaven where God is not ashamed to be called their God.
But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:16
Here is the prize of all believing sojourners on earth; a heavenly city dwelling with the Creator of the universe! There is no city, building, or place on earth that is eternal. God has prepared a city for those who are not ashamed to call Him God! It is not limited to only literal Jews and a little strip of land in the Middle East.
The passage in Hebrews 11:6 sounds much like the promise of Jesus. It is the ultimate promise!
“Letnot your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.In My Father’s house are manymansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.I go to prepare a place for you.And if I go and prepare a place for you,I will come again and receive you to Myself; thatwhere I am, there you may be also.
John 14: 1-3
For the follower of Christ, including those who looked forward to the appearance of the Messiah, the ultimate promise is to live forever where Jesus has gone to prepare a land for them…the promised land. It is one that the patriarchs and disciples died not having received the promise.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Hebrews 11:13
Throughout the Old Testament is the story of God raising up a people based on a promise to Abraham. His offspring were to become His people with a specific purpose, but we see a pattern of failure, judgment, repentance, restoration and then it starts over failure, judgment, repentance, restoration.
The questions before us are this: Will God finally restore literal Israel? Will the temple be rebuilt in Jerusalem? During the 7 years of tribulation as taught by Lindsey and others be a period where all Jews accept Jesus and take the gospel to the world as indicated in many of the popular teachings?
It all comes down to how you answer these two questions: Are God’s promises conditional or unconditional? Were they meant only for the literal nation of Israel?
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The Importance of Faith
All followers of the true God live their life by faith. True faith is rare. Faith (aka trust) is sadly lacking when Jesus returns as described by His rhetorical question:
“…when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Luke 18:8
When faith is exercised, it pleases God. When faith is absent, it is impossible to please Him. Someone once said that God cannot be pleased by any actions on our part. This is false.
But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that Heis and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6
God makes a way (a condition) for faith to grow inside the heart of the weak follower. God’s word produces faith. Little time with God and His word produces little faith, but much time produces great faith.
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17
The ultimate promises are all future i.e., resurrection, eternal life with a healed body and mind, the new earth, eternity with Jesus. Of course, there are many promises that can be appreciated and realized now, but it too is by faith. For example, here are a couple of promises you can experience today, but please notice the condition:
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3
Think about it. God will keep you and me in perfect peace.! The condition is to manage our mind by faith so that is “stayed” on Him. It requires that the mind be constantly focused on God. However, many Christians fail at perfect peace because the world clamors for the mind and they give in. The voice of God cannot be heard for the loud shouting of the daily life.
A struggling follower of Christ often wonders why their trust in God is not stronger. They pine that they have no peace. The answer is by keeping the mind “stayed” (focused) on God. The way to keep it stayed on God is to fill it up with His voice…His words, His creation! When a person replaces doubt with the lofty thoughts of God, faith or trust in Him will grow.
faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
Romans 10:17 (NIV)
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As we will see in this study, God has two types of promises: conditional and unconditional. A good example of an unconditional promise is the sure word that God will never destroy the earth again with a flood. The rainbow signifies God’s unconditional promise.
When God made promises to the literal nation of Israel, they fall into one of these categories. They are easy to see in their context and the sentence itself.
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Two Types of Promises and Faith
The literal nation of Israel is a lesson on failure. They often failed to believe and to exercise faith.
For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
Hebrews 4:2
But the Gentiles that did not pursue it believed the message:
But Isaiah is very bold and says:
“I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”But to Israel he says:
“All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.”
Romans 10: 20-21
Often well-meaning teachers/preachers try to separate faith and obedience because of the fear of legalism. But obedience is not legalism IF the obedience comes from a heart changed by the love of Christ. Jesus proclaimed this when He said,
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
John 14:15
As we study the covenants of God, we will see that the failure of the old covenant relates to the heart and a failure to love God back! Real faith in God produces obedience to Him based on a heart of love.
For us to understand the promises of God and the failed faith of Israel, we must go back to the beginning and move forward. The promises of God were either conditional or non-conditional. In this study, we will look, briefly, at the major promises of God to the literal nation of Israel throughout the Old Testament.
Unconditional promise #1 The promise of victory over Satan through The Messiah.
The first promise (long before there was a Jew or a nation of Israel) comes right after creation when perfect Adam and Eve succumb to the temptations of Satan. They failed because they did not believe God when presented with contradictory words. God said to them, they would begin to die and lose their right to the tree of life if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil But, they listened to the enemy:
Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:4
God made a promise to give the fallen couple hope. It had no strings attached and it was for all of mankind, not just the literal nation of Israel:
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.’
Genesis 3:15
From that point forward there would be a conflict between the offspring of the woman (symbol of the church) and the offspring of those who would purse evil and set themselves up as the enemy to the woman (church). In the end, the serpent ( Satan) would receive a deadly wound by the crushing of his head by the woman. Notice that the gender designation changes in this promise. The woman is described as a “He”. “He: would receive a strike at “his heel” (only an attempt to kill). Here is the first promise of God dealing with the sin problem and ending the life of Satan in the future by the coming of the Savior.
But there is an unfavorable promise God gives to the human race. The earth is cursed and man must toil and fight elements to obtain his food, then he will return to the dust of the ground.
By the sweat of your brown you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.’
Genesis 3:19
Unconditional Promise #2-God Will Never Destroy the Earth By Flood Again
It did not take long for the “seed” of Satan to become exceedingly wicked.
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 6:5
The people of the earth had become so wicked that God seemed to have regrets for making man.
And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
Genesis 6:6
The only person that found favor and grace was Noah. He “walked”with God, which is an expression of obedience. Noah was commanded to build an ark to save himself and his family from the destruction soon to come upon the earth by flood.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord…Noah walked with God.
Genesis 6: 8-9
And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood;
Genesis 6:14
Covenants are similar to promises. They either have an unconditional promise from God or the human side of the agreement will fail to live up their end of the agreement. Often God gives a sign as His promise, but He never fails on His part of the agreement.
God made a covenant with Noah and all of creation as found in Genesis 8 and 9. A whole study could be made on this covenant, but it is important to notice that this covenant was unconditional. Man does not have to enter into an agreement to obtain the benefits of the pronouncement of God.
And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
Genesis 9: 12-13
When man enters into the covenant with God, their promises are faulty and often not kept.
But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
Hebrews 8:6
A non-contextual reading of this verse makes it sound like God had good promises at first, but things didn’t work out so He established better promises. But, let’s read on:
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says theLord, when 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 when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded (neglected-stopped caring-turned my back) them, says the Lord.
Hebrews 8: 7-9
The first covenant made with the house of Israel and Judah had a problem. What was it? “…they did not continue in My covenant…” Because of this, what did God do? “(He) disregarded them.”
It was God’s covenant that the people agreed they would obey:
Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
And ye shall be unto me a kingdom ofpriests and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Exodus 19:5, 6
Notice that God said, IF… Their charge was to obey…They agreed to obey, but as Hebrews and the rest of the Bible, they failed to obey.
And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.
And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.
Exodus 19: 7, 8
Right after this, the new covenant is explained:
But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Hebrews 8:10
In the new covenant, it is a relationship (which was missing in the old,) I will be their God and they will be my people. The law of God is in their minds and hearts. So the new covenant is much like the first except that God writes His laws on the heart and mind of those that are His people. It is a better promise.
If you have entered into the new covenant, you will hear the voice of God and obey. In fact, the last group of people on earth before Jesus comes has faith (trust in God) and they are obedient to the same words delivered to the children of Israel. But, it is love for God that stimulates obedience.
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
Deuteronomy 5:10
Jesus said the same words about the same law:
If ye love me, keep my commandments
John 14: 15
The last day people will have patience. They will obey the commandments of God. They will have faith like Jesus.
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Revelation 14: 12
Next time we will look at the conditional commandments of God and how his promises are fulfilled in a people that are not literal Israel but are Israel in the heart. Literal Israel failed in the covenant by disobeying. In the new covenant, the people of God are identified as those who are in Christ, not by birth.
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Romans 2: 28, 29
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:29
In summary, God has both conditional and unconditional promises. When we enter into a conditional promise or covenant, we must be careful to not become legalistic, but rather humble….knowing that we can do nothing, including obeying, without Jesus and the new heart he gives us. Literal Israel failed by entering a covenant with God and attempting to keep a promise through their own carnal strength.
The promises of God to Israel were conditional. They failed. Now God has raised up a people from the Gentiles and we are grafted in and benefit from the promises intended to Israel first and then to the Gentile.
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, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.
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! Chieflybecause 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.
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 learnthis 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, knowthatit 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 scriptureand 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.Formany 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.
