As presented May 18, 1996.
Eph 2:8
It is with great fear and trembling I address the subject I have been requested to discuss. When I was first approached about the subject some time ago, and I felt competent at that time to address it. However, after the reality of the matter sunk in, I felt then and feel now very inadequate to address this topic.
I am a writer in the quiet of the mornings when I can sit and meditate on the Word of God. I have written some things along the line of who is Israel, including a lengthy piece in my book, "Identifying Identity."
I shall not do it justice today; however, I do hope and pray that I can say enough in an orderly fashion to motivate each of you to seek out God's Word on the matter.
Two points, 2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.:
FIRST, The Word of God is and must be our only source for faith and practice. "Secular" history has been and will continue to be reconstructed to suit the ones writing the history. It is not hard to find fallen men to rewrite history to support their view of the way they feel things ought to be, and in order to control the present.
[In my research, I found that J.N. Darby and his editor, William Kelly, changed the words of then existing songs, the writings of Reformers, the writings of early Church Fathers and Darby even issued new translations of Scripture to confirm his new prophetic speculations. MacPhearson, in The Rapture Plot, documents how that many highly regarded men, some still living, since the early 1800s have done the same thing. I document these in my book, The Death of Victory.]
SECOND, all the men speaking today have wonderful and charismatic personalities, and are good public speakers who are able to present their positions well. However, we are not here to discuss personalities; we are NOT here to see who has the best presentation; WE ARE HERE TO SEE WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS IN ITS CONTEXT.
THIRD, though it is possible, it is extremely difficult to accept truth over emotion! AND DON'T THINK SPEAKERS DO NOT KNOW THAT FACT. Speakers with great abilities to sway the opinions of listeners know the average listener cannot overcome his emotional involvement in a subject matter.
I have found that when the Word of God went against what I had been taught and I was confronted with a choice, I felt I was turning my back on good men whom I greatly respected if I gave up what they taught me contrary to God's Word.
Why do you think crooks, murderers and whoremongers can get into high, elected public office?
FOURTH, I challenge you: Look up the word ISRAEL in a KJV with no footnotes, and read its context throughout the Word of God without preconceived ideas, and let the Spirit settle the matter for your, for He will guide you into all truth.
See Personal Note at end.
What I am about to present was the historic Baptist position of men like A.H. Strong, R.L. Dabney, CHS and others. There probably is, but I know of no Baptist theologian before the middle 1800 who presented the modern dispensational view of Israel and the church, an Israel/church distinction.
In fact, the Baptist pastors and theologians I encountered before the late 1800 spoke out against what was being presented by NON-BAPTIST men such as: Watchman Nee, George Muller, Hudson Taylor, C.H. Mackintosh, V.B. Wigram, W.E. Vine, S.P. Tregells, J.G. M'Vicker, W.F. Grant, Andrew Jukes, Charles Stanly, R.C. Chapman, D.L. Moody, R.A. Torry, J.W. Chapman, Billy Sunday, E.M. Bounds, Andrew Murry, H.A. Ironside and C.I. Scofield, to name a few.
In fact, H.A. Ironside had very harsh words to say against the Baptist theologian, A.H. Strong, and Ironside used no Scripture to support his charges against Strong. He used other Plymouth Brethren writers to support his Plymouth Brethren doctrines.
What I am about to say is found in Chapters 7, 11, 12, 31 & 32 of The 1689 London Baptist Confession, of which I have copies for those who want them, $4.00 ea.
INTRODUCTION:
A new BIBLE STUDY method was developed starting around 1830, called BIBLE READING. This method was developed so the speaker could take a favorite topic, e.g., prophetic speculations, and trace it through the scripture with no regard to the context of the passages. The method caught on quickly, and spread like wild fire. Using his Northfield Bible Conferences, D.L. Moody "Americanized" the "Bible Reading" method of study; there he taught American preachers how to use it.
Along with that new BIBLE STUDY method was a new theory that Scripture does not necessarily have to be understood in light of history: in other words, an OT &/or NT prophetic passage could be read and subsequent history would not have any bearing on the meaning of the passage. Prophetic passages COULD, therefore, be understood from the time of the reading instead of from the time of the writing, at the SPEAKER'S CONVINCE, however it fit best together for him to present what he felt was right.
EXAMPLE: Mat 23, 24, could be used by the speaker as a prophetic passage while the speaker overlooked or ignored its primary fulfillment in history in the Jewish/Roman war.
Both of the above new developments allowed some things:
1) they allowed a church/Israel distinction to be developed in spite of what both OT and NT Scriptures said.
In fact, there are actually those who follow through with the church/Israel distinction, saying that there are really two plans of salvation, one for the Jews, Israel, and one for the non-Israelites. The Grace of God through faith in Christ is only for the non-Israelites, but God deals with the Israelites in a different manner, through the blood sacrifice on a literal altar. Thus they deny the work and words of Christ.
2) the new developments allowed the speaker to say that anyone who disagreed with him did not believe the Bible.
E.G., when a speaker WHO WAS USING THE BIBLE READING method of presenting his ideas and OVERLOOKING THE HISTORICAL FULFILLMENT OF THE PASSAGE HE WAS USING, was challenged for taking passages out of their historical and Biblical context to make them say something the Author did not intend, in spite of their historical fulfillment, the speaker could respond by saying, DON'T YOU BELIEVE THE BIBLE?
Then the charge against any challenge was backed up on the speaker's part by very charismatic personality and speaking ability, and his opposition was overwhelmed not by sound, contextual Bible exegeses, but by the powerful character and personality of the speaker.
All the above things, and a great many more, are very well developed and documented in my new book, THE DEATH OF VICTORY, which, after 8 years of intensive research, I am now submitting to a couple publishers who have expressed interest in it. I have laser copies available of the manuscript, and can take orders for additional laser copies, but this is not the final published form, for it still needs some major proofing.
NOW, you will have to listen closely.
I urge you to at least write down the passages, and look them up for yourself. I have all of this message, and much more, including the Geneva Notes, in bound laser copies a my table.
Eph 2:8:
Prophetic speculations have abounded over the years; they draw large crowds, sell many books and keep the speakers well financed.
However, the issue of God's Word is NOT over prophecy; the issue is not over physical or literal or spiritual Israel; the issue is not what race one belongs to, black, maroon, green, yellow or white.
We are not commanded in Scripture to go into all the world and preach prophecy &/or race, but we are commanded to preach the gospel of Christ.
Turning from their sins and trusting Christ, they are to be taught how to serve Him with joy and gladness here on this earth: whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
THE ISSUE IS THAT ALL MEN ARE SINNERS BEFORE GOD; THEY MUST TURN OR BURN; THEY MUST REPENT OF THEIR SINS AND BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, OR THEY WILL BURN IN HELL, FOREVER SEPARATED FROM THE HEAVENLY FATHER.
It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgement; he will be judged according to his relationship to God the Father and the Word of God through Jesus Christ the Lord. No one will miss nor be late for that appointment.
That is the concern of the Word of God, or Christ would not have had to come to redeem fallen man.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Paul could not be clearer: SALVATION IS THE WORK OF GOD APPLIED TO THE SINNER BY FAITH.
V. 8 Not of works, lest any man should boast. The context is equally clear that not only is Paul saying that God's salvation is NOT the result of works of the law on the sinner's part, but Paul is also saying that God's salvation has nothing to do with one's physical birth, his nationality.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
{Geneva, 1599 -- He speaks here of grace, and not of nature: therefore if the works are ever so good, see what they are, and know that they are that way because of grace }
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
{Applying the former doctrine to the Gentiles, he shows that they were not only as the Jews by nature, but also after a special manner, strangers and without God. Therefore they ought so much the more remember that same so great a benefit of God.}
In other words, salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ, vv. 8, 9, showed that all men are naturally separated from God: ALL MEN ARE BY NATURE LOST AND BOUND FOR ETERNAL SEPARATION FORM GOD, HELL.
Not only did the truth apply to those who considered themselves circumcised, Israel after the flesh, but the truth applied especially to those who were considered uncircumcised, non-Israel after the flesh.
The Gentiles were strangers from God on two counts: Non-Israelites and lost sinners. The Israelites were strangers from God on only one count: They were lost sinners. The Gentiles to whom Paul wrote were called to salvation in Christ by God's grace through faith, so all the world could witness the amazing grace of God. See the context of the chapter and book.
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
{He begins first with Christ, who was the end of all the promises. You had no right or title to the commonwealth of Israel.}
commonwealth ... The word means administration of civil affairs, citizenship, rights of a citizen. Clearly, the context requires the understanding that faith in Christ, the blood of Christ, not physical birth nor circumcision as an Israelite makes one a member of the Commonwealth of Israel, with the rights of God's children. Christ is Israel, and Christians are the new Israelites and the heirs of the promise made to Abraham.
Members of the old nation of Israel naturally had the rights of citizens of God's kingdom on earth, but even those "Israelites" had to have the substitutionary blood sacrifice to claim the heavenly benefits of God's people. They could only approach their King through the blood sacrifices.
Paul tells us that the Gentiles were brought into the same citizenship privileges as OT Israel had.
The Gentiles were brought into that relationship by faith in Christ, the blood of Christ. They were not brought into that relationship by physical birth nor circumcision, but by the NEW BIRTH, which also the natural born Israelites had to have, Jn 3. The Gentiles were made members of the commonwealth of Israel, they were made joint heirs with Christ to the promise given by God to Abraham. They were adopted as children, or sons of God [Jn 1:12], by grace through faith. And the natural born Israelite had to be adopted into the family of God. Did not our Lord call the unbelieving Jews children of the devil, Jn 8:44?
2 Co 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Gal 3:6-8 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Gal 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Having told the Gentiles that they had no right nor title to the commonwealth of Israel, the promises of God as given to Abraham, as did Israel of old, Paul tells them that God's grace applied by faith changed that sad fact of separation from God.
Even in the OT, the promises of God had to be claimed by faith, for unbelief kept the OT people of God out of the promised land of Palestine, He 3:19, 4:6.
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
{(Christ is) the only bond of the Jews and Gentiles, by whom they are reconciled to God.}
This verse places all men no matter whether they can prove their linage to Adam or not--Israelite or Non-Israelite--on the exact same footing before God.
The issue is not a person's race; the issue is clearly that all men are sinners, at war against the Heavenly Father from birth. The line of separation before God is, WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST AND HIS LAW-WORD. He clearly states that everyone, Jew or Greek, is born a sinner, separated from God the Father, and that only the grace of God applied by faith in Christ can solve that problem.
All people are born part of Adam's fallen race. Faith makes one a member of God's new human race, the Church, of which Christ is the head, 1 Cor 15:45, Eph 1:22.
Sometimes far off... The Gentiles were not only separated from God as sinners as were the Israelites, but they were also born outside of physical Israel. Christ alone bonds the Israelites and Gentiles together into one body, the body of Christ--reconciled to God.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
{As by the ceremonies and worship appointed by the Law, the Jews were divided from the Gentiles, so now Christ, having broken down the partition wall, joins them both together, both in himself, and between themselves, and to God. From which it follows, that whoever permanently establishes the ceremonies of the Law, makes the grace of Christ void and of no effect.}
Jews and Gentiles were separated from each other by the rites and rituals of the Old Testament tabernacle: Gentiles were not allowed inside the tabernacle to offer sacrifices to God unless they became Jews.
Moreover, neither Jew nor Gentile was able to approach God the Father without the sacrifice as prescribed in the law.
The thing that separated Jews and Gentiles, that is, the sacrificial laws to approach the Heavenly Father, and the thing that separated all men from God, that is, the sacrificial laws of approach to the Heavenly Father, were all done away with, broken down, by the work of Christ.
Christ alone brings peace in the war between man and God; Christ alone brings peace in the war between the races. Christ brought peace with God and with our fellow man by His work. And His peace is applied by grace through faith, vv 8, 9.
Also this verse tells us that any effort to reestablish the ceremonies of the Old Testament law that pointed to the work of Christ for the sinner MAKES THE GRACE OF GOD THROUGH CHRIST VOID AND OF NO EFFECT. We cannot say that Christ did not finish the work He was sent to do, and He was sent to pay the price for man's sin:
Ac 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Notice that the death of Christ was not an accident: It was planed by the Tri-Une God before the worlds were formed. Christ did not fail in His mission on earth: He fully succeeded, paid the price for sin, and now sits at the right hand of God the Father on His throne of David, ruling not only over God's people, the new Israel, as David ruled over God's people, but He rules over all things, Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. Though we do not yet see all things put under Him, does that mean they have not, Heb 2:8. We must not judge according to appearances, but according to the Word of God, Jn 7:24
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Col 2: 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
The laws contained in the OT ordinances as given to OT Israel simply represented the true and only sacrifice for sin, Christ Jesus. By His sacrificial work on the cross, He did away with those ordinances--the OT temple and its rituals--that separated man from God, and that were the distinction between Israel and the Gentiles.
Christ places all men, regardless of race or nationality, on equal ground: All men are fallen sinners separated from God; they are fallen men at war with one another and against God, and the only hope for man is God's grace applied to the individual through faith.
Christ, through His death, suffered God's wrath against rebellious man; by His death, He destroyed the power of death and the warfare of man against God.
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
{The preaching of the Gospel is an effectual instrument of this grace, common to the Jews as well as to the Gentiles}
In the OT, man's approach to God was primarily through the Israelite nation and its sacrifices that looked forward to the coming work of Christ: There were exceptions, e.g., Nineveh.
Since Christ, the grace of God, v. 8, is applied to the sinner who is at war against God by the preaching of the gospel of peace: The gospel is the same, whether to those who were afar off, i.e., the Gentiles, or to those who were nigh, i.e., the Israelites, the Jews. Faith comment by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, Rom 10:17.
Thus Paul presents a common ailment: all men, Israelite, or Non-Israelite, are sinners at war against God, and, therefore, separated from the commonwealth of Israel. God has provide only one means to have peace with Him, that is, faith in Christ, instrumented through the preaching of the same gospel of Christ to all men. I Cor Ch 1 & 2.
The first Church until well after AD 100 was made up almost exclusively of Jews, or Israelites. Thus the first gospel message as recorded in Acts and confirmed by Paul was the same whether to the Jews or Gentiles: The grace of God applied by faith in Christ through the preaching of the gospel.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Faith in Christ, not race nor nationality, as led by the Spirit of God, is the only way to the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
{The conclusion: the Gentiles are taken into the fellowship of salvation, and he describes the excellency of the Church, calling it the city and house of God.}
Notice here that the OT title for the people of God, Israel, the household of God, is applied to the Church. Though Paul is referring primarily to the Gentiles, he has clearly included all men, including the Israel of his day in v. 19. V. There are multitudes of such instances where the terms that applied to the OT people of God, the nation of Israel, are now applied to the NT people of God, the Church.
V. 17, both those were nigh, i.e., Israel of Paul's day, and those who were afar off, i.e., the non-Israelites of Paul's day, were strangers and foreigners to the God's grace and mercy if they had not experienced God's grace through faith in Christ, vv. 8, 9.
ISRAELITE AND NON-ISRAELITE MUST BE BORN AGAIN TO BE IN HOUSEHOLD OF GOD.
Obviously, Abraham has literal seed alive on earth today; however, it is impossible for them to document their linage, and if they are to be part of the New Race of God's people, they will have to come in through Christ, Rom 11.
We might mention at this point that the Israelites of Paul's day could trace their linage to Abraham, for the archives had not yet been burned by Rome; since AD 70, this is an impossible task. [I document in my book.] So Paul included the literal seed of Abraham in his messages.
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
{The Lord committed the doctrine of salvation, first to the prophets, and then to the apostles, the end of which, and matter as it were and substance, is Christ. Therefore that is indeed the true and universal Church which is built upon Christ by the prophets and apostles, as a spiritual temple consecrated to God. That is the corner stone of the building, for the foundations are as it were corner stone of the building.}
Again, though Paul is speaking primarily to the Gentiles, he clearly included the Israelites of his day. Again, notice the transference of the OT title of prophet to the Church: both 1 Cor and Romans cover this gift of the prophet. The gospel of Christ as first presented to OT Israel through Israel's prophets, Luke 24:25, 44, has been transferred to the Church in the command to go preach to all creatures the gospel of Christ.
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
{So that God is the workman not only of the foundation, but also of the whole building.}
Another OT national Israel title transferred to the church. The new building, the new holy temple of the Lord, is the Church, built upon the foundation stone, which is Christ our Lord.
The OT temple that was finally destroyed by Titus in the Jewish/Roman war, only spoke of the temple to come, both the temple of Christ and the temple of the Church, Mat 23. Remember the charge against Christ was that He promised a humanly impossible task: destroy the temple and He would rebuild it in three days: He spoke of his body, not a rebuild national Israelite temple as misunderstood by His hearers who were looking for the nation of Israel to be restored in its glory and power.
This passage in Eph makes it clear that God is no respecter
of persons. It just does not matter whether one is born a white
man, an Israelite, a Jew, a black man, or a green man, there is
only one way to the Father that provides man with peace with others
and with the Father: that one way is by God's grace applied by
faith in Christ.
Now, as I have time, I will quickly go over some other points:
Let me mention one Biblical Scholar on the matter. The question of who was the true seed of Israel and heir to the promises of God to Abraham was settled early in church history. I use him in my book.
Justin Martyr [AD 110-165] Before AD 160, Justin had a very lengthy argument against the same Jewish thought that Paul spoke so much against, that is, the Jewish idea was that a physical race was the heir to the promises given to Abraham.
Justin's argument clearly applies to any idea that a physical race of any kind is heir to the promises of God, whether that race is the white race, the black race, the green race or a yellow race that might actually be able to trace a linage back to Abraham.
Using an abundance of Scripture, Justin proved that the promises have always been, are and will continually be claimed by faith. He proved:
CHAP XXVI. NO SALVATION TO THE JEWS EXCEPT THROUGH CHRIST. CHAP. CXXII. RIDICULOUS INTERPRETATIONS OF THE JEWS. CHRISTIANS ARE THE TRUE ISRAEL.
Trypho the Jew, as did the Jews of Paul's day, claimed that the blessings of Abraham were after the fleshly seed, by race. Justin told Trypho that when he, Trypho, said that only the literal "Israelite race" (twelve tribes) was Israel, Trypho was self-deceived and teaching deception. Justin said that God brought all His people, by grace through faith in Christ, into the blessings which the Israelites were claiming as their's exclusively without faith.
CHAP. CXXV. HE EXPLAINS WHAT FORCE THE WORD ISRAEL HAS, AND HOW IT SUITS CHRIST.
He proved that Israel in the Old Testament is Christ; therefore, all who are in Christ by faith in His finished work are in Israel, viz., Israel is made up of all who have fled to Christ.
I deal with Isa 49:1-7, one of the most significant passages identifying the true Israel of God, and Hosea 11:1, in the book. These passages clearly say that ISRAEL IS CHRIST! CHRIST IS ISRAEL! And thus all who are in Christ by faith are part of the Israel of God.
Gal 6:15, 16 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
I also point out that the OT people of God who were scattered by sin will be regathered to the Ensign, and Christ is that Ensign in the NT, John 3:14, 12:32..
Let me conclude today with a fourth point made by Justin, which I did not use in the book.
CHAP. LXXXII.--THE PROPHETICAL GIFTS OF THE JEWS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE CHRISTIANS
Justin points out that the terms used in speaking to and about the Old Testament people of God are now transferred to the New Testament people of God.
There are hundreds of instances of the transference of the Word of God spoken to and through Old Testament Israel to the New Testament Church, but I will only give a very few. If you will look a little and meditate in the Word of God, you will find many more. Each instance is a 45 min message in itself.
1) Probably the strongest passage is the transference of the Covenant from the OT PEOPLE OF GOD to the NT PEOPLE OF GOD, THE CHURCH through the blood of Christ and the indwelling Spirit:
De 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. Jer 31:31-34 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: Eze 36:26, 27 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Ro 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 2 Co 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. [Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,]
1 Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 2 Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Heb 8:6-13 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 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 continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Heb 10:16, 17 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Heb 12:24 tells us OT Israel's covenant was transferred to the NT Church by the Mediator of the Covenant, Jesus Christ.
[By the way, Rom 11:26, and so all Israel shall be saved, must, therefore, refer to the new Israel, the elect in God through Christ Jesus our Lord. Not one of the elect will be lost: John 10:28-30 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.]
Christ is the Covenant of God, as pointed out in our book.
2) The promise of the LITERAL LAND OF CANAAN was fulfilled, and has been replaced by the PROMISED LAND OF REST, CHRIST. Neither the land of Canaan, nor any other physical land, including the US, was the promised land to the PEOPLE OF GOD. The promises of God are fulfilled in Christ.
All of literal land PROMISED TO GOD'S PEOPLE IN THE OT, Palestine, was possessed under Joshua: There was no physical promise of land left to be fulfilled:
Josh 11:23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war. Josh 21:43-45 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. 44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. Josh 23:14, 15 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. 15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. 1 Kings 8:54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
He 4:8-11 For if Jesus {Jesus: that is, Joshua} had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoke of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. {unbelief: or, disobedience}
3) The TERMS ELDER, TEACHER, PASTOR, FLOCK & SHEPHERD were transferred from the OT PEOPLE OF GOD to the NT PEOPLE OF GOD, THE CHURCH:
Jer 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart,
which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. Eph 4:11
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers;
Jehovah God, Jesus, is the Shepherd of GOD'S PEOPLE, the Nation
in the Old Testament, and of the Church in the New:
Eze 34:2, 3 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. Eze 34:23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 1 Pe 5:1-3 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
Of course, John 10, and also 1 Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
4) The title of HOLY NATION, PRIESTS AND KINGS of God is transferred from the OT PEOPLE OF GOD to the NT PEOPLE OF GOD, the CHURCH, as is the command to be holy because the Lord God is holy:
Exo 19:5, 6 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: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 1 Pe 1:15, 16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Pe 2:5, 9 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Re 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
5) God's WARFARE AGAINST EVIL and wickedness was transferred from THE OT PEOPLE OF GOD to the NT PEOPLE OF GOD, the Church:
Jos 10:25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. 1 Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
The mighty army of God that came out of the valley of dry bones spoken of in Ez 37, is the NT Church that was born out of the OT Israel that was nothing but dead men's bones, Mt 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. [The book of Acts records the rapid expansion of the Gospel of Christ in the old Israel, which was the foundation of the new race of God's people, the Church.]
The life to the dead bones was brought about by the preaching of the gospel of Christ, Ez 37:4. Just as God breathed life into Adam, so He breaths life into the Elect, the New Army of God, the Church. Who can bring himself to new life out of death in trespasses and sins?
Therefore, the war of Ez 38, 39, refers to the conflict between the forces of the spirit of the Anti-christ, which according to 1 John was already at work in the Apostolic church, and the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The great temple of Ezekiel's vision after the life into God's army must be the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we believe that Christ completed the atoning sacrifice for sin that satisfied the righteousness of God the Father, we cannot condone nor consider any kind of renewal of a literal blood sacrifice for sin. A thought of a renewed, literal blood sacrifice for sin militates against the blood of Christ. God has some unkind words to say about those who trod under foot the blood of Christ, Heb. 10:29 [I realize the context]?
Paul called OT Israelite saints the fathers of the Christians he wrote to at Corinth, 1 Cor 10:1.
6) The post of the watchman was transferred from OT Israel to the NT Church:
Ez 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. Ac 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 2 Ti 4:5 [Instructions to pastors] But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 1 Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. Heb 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
7) The title firstborn was transferred from THE OT PEOPLE OF GOD to the church,
Ex 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, Gal 4:5-7 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8) The OT title of HIS PEOPLE, CONGREGATION OF THE LORD, or THE CHURCH, was transferred from the OT PEOPLE OF GOD TO THE NT PEOPLE OF GOD:
Deut 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8 But because the LORD loved you, John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. Ac 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 1 Jo 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 1 Jo 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
9) The term for the location for the going forth of God's Law-Word is changed from old Israel's Mount Sinai to the New Testament Church. In fact, everything that happened to OT Israel at the first giving of the law is transferred to the NT Church, including the need for a mediator [OT Israel's Moses is replaced with the NT Israel's Christ as prophesied]:
De 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;]:
Heb 12:18-29 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
10) The circumcision of God was transferred from the OT PEOPLE OF GOD to the NT PEOPLE OF GOD, the Church:
Gen 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
See Gal 5:6; 6:15 and Col 2:11.
Notice that though OT Israel was circumcised, it was considered uncircumcised:
Jer 9:25, 26 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; 26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
Thus disobedience to the Word of God makes one a Non-Israelite.
We also noticed in Eph 2 that the term COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL, FELLOWCITIZENS WITH THE OT SAINTS OF GOD AND THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD is clearly applied to the NT Believers, the Church.
11) The laws given to OT Israel concerning the sacrifices and offerings were transferred to the Church:
Mr 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
12) God's curse against presumptuous sin is transferred from HIS OT PEOPLE TO HIS NT PEOPLE, the Church:
De 17:12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. Heb 10:26-29 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
13) God's strength and power is transferred from His OT people to the new people of God, the Church:
Ps 68:35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God. Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Included in the above is the application of the imprecatory prayers of Psalms transferred from the enemies of the OT nation of God to the NT nation of God, the Church. [Note again Ez 38, 39.]
14) The Temple of God is transferred from OT Israel to the Church:
Le 20:3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. [See also, Le 15:31 Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. Nu 19:20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.] 1 Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
15) The OT office of high priest is now given to the NT people of God, the church, He 10:21. The OT washings at the temple were replaced for God's people by the blood of Christ, Rev 1.5.
The book of Galatians alone:
1) The warning against false prophets and teachers and God's judgment against all such was transferred from the Old Testament people of God to the New, the Church:
Deut 13:1-3 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Gal 1:8, 9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
2 John 1:8-11 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Clearly, anyone who corrupts the gospel of Christ is not to even be allowed in our house, and must, therefore, be expelled from the Church. See also Gal 5:10; 2 Pet 2:14
2) Justification by grace through faith is transferred to the Church:
Gen 15:6 And he, Abraham, believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Gal 3:6, 7 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
3) The promise given to Abraham was specifically speaking of the church, not a literal nation:
Ge 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Ge 13:16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Ge 17:7, 8 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. Ga 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Ga 3:28 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.
4) The dwelling place for God's people was transferred from the old, literal city of Jerusalem to the new Jerusalem, which is the mother of all who are free in Christ:
Isa 51:17, 18 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. 18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up. Gal 4:25-27 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
4) The children of promise are not those born Israelites after the flesh, but are those born after the Spirit:
Gal 4:28, 29 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Paul clearly said that those outside of faith in Christ, though they might be born of the physical line of Abraham through Sarah, are actually the children of the bondwoman, Agar. THE FREEMEN are those who have been set free from the power of sin by Christ; they are not free because of any physical birth.
5) The requirement of the law as given to God's Old Testament people are given to His New Testament people, the church, e.g.,:
Lev 19:16-18, Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD. 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. Gal 5:13, 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
De 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. De 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
Mr 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: Mr 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Lu 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
The ability to love God is given by God:
De 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. [thy seed clearly spoke of the church, for Paul calls the redeemed at Corinth the seed of those who passed through the sea, 1 Cor 10:1. In fact, the Spirit, using Paul, transfers everything that happened to the "Red Sea" generation to the believers at Corinth, vv. 1-11, including the idol, the golden calf and the unbelief at the Red Sea, He 3:19, 4:6.]
The Spirit clearly states that the genuine love for God that results in obedience makes one a Jew:
Ro 2:28, 29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 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. 1 Jo 5:3, 4 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Christ, causing extreme hatred, continually confronted the Pharisees with the fact that He was the great I AM of the OT people of God Who, among many other things, met Moses at the bush, met the people at the Mount—giving them the Ten Commandments, and met them in the wilderness, e.g., Jn 6:41, 48, 51, all of ch 10, &c. Thus in passages such as 1 Jn 5:3, the great I AM transferase the Ten Commandments to the new people of God, the Church.
See also Rom 13:8-13, where Paul places the church in the place of OT Israel in regards to the Commandments.
6) The requirement for God's people to support the teachers of God's Word with the tithes and offerings they were commanded to give to God is transferred from the old nation of God to the new nation of God, the Church:
Num 18:11 And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it. 12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee. 13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it. Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
7) The promise of God's hand against the lawless is transferred from old Israel to the Church,
Hosea 8:6, 7 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. 7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. Hosea 10:12, 13 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. 13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. Gal 6:7, Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8) The title, ISRAEL, is transferred from old Israel to the Church:
Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Rom 9:6-8 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Christ is Israel, as we point out in our book.
Some additional points to consider:
The two resurrections.
Chapter 31 of the 1689 Confession speaks of ONLY ONE GENERAL RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, not two. So what is the first resurrection mentioned in Rev 20:5, 6? It probably speaks of the first resurrection from death, dead in trespasses and sins, Eph 2:1, &c.
As mentioned earlier, above are only a few of the multitudes of passages proving that the word of God addressed to His Old Testament people, national Israel, are now, since Christ, addressed to His New Testament people, those in Christ by faith.
Salvation is not by race but by the free grace of God. It always has been, e.g., Abraham, as it now is and as it will always be. There is not other gospel in the Word of God though fallen man is continually looking for something to keep him from having to admit he is a sinner and that salvation is by God's freely given grace through faith.
When the contexts of Scriptures are adhered to, there is no hint of the promises of God operating outside of Christ, for He alone is the Covenant and Promise of God: It is only in and through Christ that all the promises of God are yea and amen, 2 Cor 1:20, For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Luke 24:25, 44 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures...
Personal note:
Scripture must be studied with the attitude of, if in anything I am otherwise minded than what the Word of God says, God will reveal even this unto me [Php 3:15—used out of its context, but it applies]. Apart from a humble spirit and laying aside the vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, [1 Peter 1:18, 19] one will not see what the Spirit has to say. Not even the apostles could see past the Jewish traditions they were raised in, for they fully expected the Lord to set up a literal millennial kingdom, Acts 1:6. Though Jn 16:13 was specifically to the Apostles, it still applies to God's people in genera: If God's people are willing to lay aside what they have been taught and will allow the Spirit to reteach from His Word, He will guide them into all truth. The truth may be according to what they have been taught, or it may not, but when folks search Scripture to confirm what they already believe,they will find what they are looking for.
Compare Acts 1:6 with Ge 49:10 Isa 1:26 9:6,7 Jer 23:5,6 33:15-17,26 Eze 37:24-27 Da 7:27 Ho 3:4 Joe 3:16-21 Am 9:11 Ob 1:17-21 Mic 5:2 Zep 3:15-17 Zec 9:9 Mt 20:21 & Lu 22:29
Acts 1:6:
People's New Testament note:
Wilt thou at this time, etc.? They still held to their old ideas of a worldly restoration of the kingdom of Israel. Their only question was, "Wilt thou restore it 'now'"? After the Holy Spirit was given, this delusion was dismissed, and they understood that Christ's kingdom is not of this world.
John Gill's notes:
Ver. 6. When they therefore were come together, &c.]
That is, Christ, and his eleven apostles; for not the hundred
and twenty disciples hereafter mentioned, nor the five hundred
brethren Christ appeared to at once, are here intended, but the
apostles, as appears from #Ac 1:2-4
they asked of him, saying, wilt thou at this time restore again
the kingdom to Israel? The kingdom had been for some time taken
away from the Jews, Judea was reduced to a Roman province, and
was now actually under the power of a Roman governor. And the
nation in general was in great expectation, that upon the Messiah's
coming they should be delivered from the yoke of the Romans, and
that the son of David would be king over them. The disciples of
Christ had imbibed the same notions, and were in the same expectation
of a temporal kingdom to be set up by their master, as is evident
from #Mt 20:21 and though his sufferings and death had greatly
damped their spirits, and almost destroyed their hopes, see #Lu
24:21 yet his resurrection from the dead, and his discoursing
with them about the kingdom of God, and ordering them to wait
at Jerusalem, the metropolis of that nation, for some thing extraordinary,
revived their hopes, and emboldened them to put this question
to him: and this general expectation of the Jews is expressed
by them in the same language as here;
``the days of the Messiah will be the time when larvyl twklmh
bwvtv, "the kingdom shall return", or "be restored
to Israel"; and they shall return to the land of Israel,and
that king shall be exceeding great, and the house of his kingdom
shall be in Zion, and his name shall be magnified, and his fame
shall fill the Gentiles more than King Solomon; all nations shall
be at peace with him, and all lands shall serve him, because of
his great righteousness, and the wonderful things which shall
be done by him; and whoever rises up against him God will destroy,
and he shall deliver him into his hands; and all the passages
of Scripture testify of his and our prosperity with him; and there
shall be no difference in anything from what it is now, only "the
kingdom shall return to Israel" {i}.''
{i} Maimon. in Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 1.
Matthew Henry Concise Commentary:
#6-11 They were earnest in asking about that which their Master never had directed or encouraged them to seek. Our Lord knew that his ascension and the teaching of the Holy Spirit would soon end these expectations, and therefore only gave them a rebuke; but it is a caution to his church in all ages, to take heed of a desire of forbidden knowledge. He had given his disciples instructions for the discharge of their duty, both before his death and since his resurrection, and this knowledge is enough for a Christian. It is enough that He has engaged to give believers strength equal to their trials and services; that under the influence of the Holy Spirit they may, in one way or other, be witnesses for Christ on earth, while in heaven he manages their concerns with perfect wisdom, truth, and love. When we stand gazing and trifling, the thoughts of our Master's second coming should quicken and awaken us: when we stand gazing and trembling, they should comfort and encourage us. May our expectation of it be stedfast and joyful, giving diligence to be found of him blameless.
Observe:
Note the Lord's rebuke in response to their desire for the renewed Jewish kingdom. Rather than speculate about His return, they were to go preach the gospel—don't worry about the things that are not clearly revealed in God's Word. Christ rebuked the apostles' literal, political hope for a renewed nation of Israel that will hold the world under its control as it is ruled by the Messiah; that carnal, Jewish hope was/is replaced with a spiritual charge to go conquer the world for Christ by the preaching of the gospel, Mat 6:33, 28:19, 20. [See also CHS on Ps 86.]
The general Christian consensus till about 1840 was that the world should be, could be and would be won to Christ through gospel preaching. Things changed because a few men did not feel that was right. See THE DEATH OF VICTORY for abundant documentation.
It was God's plan from the beginning to transfer everything to Christ through His work on the cross.
The issue is not who is the literal seed of Abraham or are they still here. The issue is, WHO IS THE ISRAEL OF GOD? Paul is clear: It is the church.
THE CHURCH IS ISRAEL
The general Christian consensus till about 1840 was that the world should be, could be and would be won to Christ through gospel preaching. Things changed because a few men did not feel that was right. See THE DEATH OF VICTORY for abundant documentation.
The following is from THE CHURCH IS ISRAEL NOW
Charles D. Provan, Ross House Books, P.O. Box 67, Vallecito, Ca. 95252.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THIS LISTING CONTAINS THE BOLD-TYPED VERSES OF THE BOOK IN THE ORDER OF THEIR APPEARANCES.
SECTION 1
OLD TESTAMENT TITLES AND ATTRIBUTES OF ISRAEL WHICH ARE, IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, REFERRED TO THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
THE BELOVED OF GOD
A. Israel Is Beloved Of God
Exo. 15:13 / Deu. 33:3 / Ezr. 3:11
B. Disobedient Israel Is Not Beloved Of God
Lev. 26:28, 30 / Jer. 12:8 / Jer. 16:5 / Hos. 9:15 / Amo. 9:7 / Mat. 3:7 / Philip. 3:2 / I Th. 2:14-16 / Tit. 1:10
C. The Christians Are Beloved Of God
Rom. 9:25 / Eph. 5:1 / Col. 3:12 / 1 Jo. 3:1
THE CHILDREN OF GOD
A. Israelites Are The Children Of God
Exo. 4:22 / Deu. 14:1 / Isa. 1:2, 4 / Isa. 63:8 / jer. 31:9 / Hos. 11:1
B. Disobedient Israelites Are Not The Children Of God
Deu. 32:5 / John 8:39, 42, 44
C. The Christians Are The Children Of God
John 1:12 / John 11:52 / Rom. 8:14, 16 / 2 Cor. 6:18 / Gal. 3:26 / Gal. 4:5, 6, 7 / Philip. 2:15 / I Jo. 3:1
THE FIELD OF GOD
A. Israel Is The Field Of God
Jer. 12:10
B. The Christians Are The Field Of God
I Cor. 3:9
THE FLOCK OF GOD AND OF THE MESSIAH
A. Israel Is The Flock Of God And Of The Messiah
Psa. 78:52 / Psa. 80:1 / Isa. 40:11 / Jer. 23:1, 2, 3 / Jer. 31:10 / Eze. 34:12, 15, 16 / Mic. 5:4 / Zec. 10:3
B. The Christians Are The Flock Of God And Of The Messiah
John 10:14, 16 / Heb. 13:20 / I Pe. 2:25 / I Pe. 5:2, 3
THE HOUSE OF GOD
A. Israel Is The House Of God
Num. 12:7
B. The Christians Are The House of God
I Tim. 3:15 / Heb. 3:2, 5, 6 / Heb. 10:21 / I Pet. 4:17
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
A. Israel Is The Kingdom Of God
Exo. 19:6 / I Chr. 17:14 / I Chr. 28:5
B. Disobedient Israel Is Not The Kingdom Of God
Mat. 8:11, 12 / Mat. 21:43
C. The Christians Are The Kingdom Of God
Rom. 14:17 / I Cor. 4:20 / Col. 1:13 / Col. 4:11 / Rev. 1:6
THE PEOPLE OF GOD
A. The Israelites Are The People Of God
Exo. 6:7 / Deu. 27:9 / 2 Sam. 7:23 / Jer. 11:4
B. Disobedient Israelites Are Not The People Of God
Hos.l:9 / Jer. 6:10
C. The Christians Are The People Of God
Rom. 9:25 / 2 Cor. 6:16 / Eph. 4:12 / Eph. 5:3 / 2 Th. 1:10 / Tit. 2:14
THE PRIESTS OF GOD
A. The Israelites Are The Priests Of God
Exo. 19:6
B. Disobedient Israelites Are Not The Priests Of God
I Sam. 2:28, 30 / Lam. 4:13, 16 / Eze. 44:10, 13 / Hos. 4:6 / Mal. 2:2, 4, 8, 9
C. The Christians Are The Priests Of God
I Pe. 2:5, 9 / Rev. 1:6 / Rev. 5:10
THE VINEYARD OF GOD
A. Israel Is The Vineyard Of God
Isa. 5:3, 4, 5, 7 / Jer. 12:10
B. The Christians Are The Vineyard Of Lord
Luk. 20:16
THE WIFE (OR BRIDE) OF GOD
A. Israel Is The Wife (Or Bride) Of God
Isa. 64:5, 6 / Jer. 2:2 / Eze 16:32 / Hos. 1:2
B. Disobedient Israel Is Not The Wife (Or Bride) Of God
Jer. 3:8 / Hos. 2:2
C. The Christians Are The Wife (Or Bride} Of God
2 Cor. 11:2 / Eph. 5:31, 32
THE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM
A. The Israelites Are The Children Of Abraham
2 Chr. 20:7 / Psa. 105:6 / Isa. 41:8
B. Disobedient Israelites Are Not The Children Of Abraham
John 8:39 / Rom. 9:6, 7 / Gal. 4:25, 30
C. The Christians Are The Children Of Abraham
Rom. 4:11, 16 / Gal. 3:7, 29 / Gal. 4:23, 28, 31
THE CHOSEN PEOPLE
A. The Israelites Are The Chosen People
Deu. 7:7 / Deu. 10:15 / Deu. 14:2 / Isa. 43:20, 21
B. Disobedient Israelites Are Not The Chosen People
Deu. 31:17 / 2 Ki. 17:20 / 2 Chr. 25:7 / Psa. 78:59 / Jer. 6:30 / Jer. 7:29 / Jer. 14:10
C. The Christians Are The Chosen People
Col. 3:12 / 1 Pe. 2:9
THE CIRCUMCISED
A. The Israelites Are The Circumcised
Gen. 17:10, 13 / Jdg. 15:18
B. Disobedient Israelites Are Not The Circumcised
Jer. 9:25, 26 / Rom. 2:25, 28 / Philip. 3:2
C. The Christians Are The Circumcised
Rom. 2:29 / Philip. 3:3 / Col. 2:11
ISRAEL
A. Israel Is Israel
B. Disobedient Israelites Are Not Israelites
Num. 16:30, 31 / Deu. 18:19 / Acts 3:23 / Rom. 9:6
C. The Christians Are Israel
John 11:60, 51, 52 / 1 Cor. 10:1 / Gal. 6:15, 16 / Eph. 2:12, 19
JERUSALEM
A. Jerusalem Is The City And Mother Of Israel
Psa. 149:2 / Isa. 12:6 / Isa. 49:18, 20, 22 / Isa. 51:18 / Lam. 4:2
B. Jerusalem Is The City And Mother Of Christians
Gal. 4:26 / Heb. 12:22
THE JEWS
A. Israelites Are Jews
Ezr. 5:1 / Jer. 34:8, 9 / Zec. 8:22. 23
B. Disobedient Israelites Are Not Jews
Rom. 2:28 / Rev. 2:9 / 3:9
C. Christians Are Jews
Rom. 2:29
THE NEW COVENANT
A. The New Covenant Is With Israel
Jer. 31:31, 33
B. The New Covenant Is With The Christians
Luk. 22:20 / 1 Cor. 11:25 / 2 Cor. 3:6 / Heb. 8:6, 8, 10
AN OLIVE TREE
A. Israel Is An Olive Tree
Jer. 11:16 / Hos. 14:6
B. The Christians Are An Olive Tree
Rom. 11:24
SECTION 2
OLD TESTAMENT VERSES REFERRING TO ISRAEL WHICH ARE QUOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS REFERRING TO THE CHRISTIANS.
QUOTE # 1: Lev.26:11,12 / Eze.37:27 / 2 Cor.6:16
QUOTE #2: Deu.30:12-14 / Rom.10:6-8
QUOTE #3: Deu.31:6 / Heb.13:5
QUOTE #4: Deu.32:36 / Psa.135:14 / Heb.10:30
QUOTE #5: Psa.22:22 / Heb.2:12
QUOTE #6: Psa.44:22 / Rom.8:36
QUOTE #7: Psa.95:7-11 / Heb.3:7-11
QUOTE #8: Psa.130:8 / Tit.2:14 55
QUOTE #9: Isa.28:16 / Rom.10:11 / Eph.2:20 / 1 Pe.2:6
QUOTE #10: Isa.49:8 / 2 Cor.6:2
QUOTE #11: Isa.52:7 / Rom.10:15
QUOTE #12: Isa.54:1 / Gal.4:27
QUOTE #13: Jer.31:31-34 / Heb.8:8-12 60
QUOTE #14: Hos.1:10 & 2:23 / Rom.9:25-26 / 1 Pe.2:10
QUOTE #15: Hos.13:14 / 1 Cor.15:55
QUOTE # 16: Joel 2:32 / Rom.10:13
SECTION 3
OLD TESTAMENT ETHICAL COMMANDS TO ISRAEL WHICH ARE QUOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS APPLYING TO THE CHURCH.
QUOTE #1: Exo.16:18 / 2 Cor.8:15
QUOTE #2: Lev.11:45 & 19:2 / 1 Pe.1:16
QUOTE #3: Deu.5:16 / Eph.6:2-3
QUOTE #4: Deu.17:7,19:19,22:24 & 24:7 / 1 Cor.5:13
QUOTE #5: Deu.19:15 / 2 Cor.13:1 / 1 Tim.5:19
QUOTE #6: Isa.35:3 / Heb.12:12
QUOTE #7: Isa.48:20 & 52:11 / 2 Cor.6:17