So, I am in a Facebook group that focuses on theological debates, and one of the topics of discussion today is was my motivation for this blog post. Initially, the question was concerning child baptism, and if it were scriptural. After watching a few comments concerning it, I decided to chime in. At some point, it had become a debate between one of the members and myself. Without going into lengthy details concerning our conversation, I will instead discuss my observations from it.
Speaking from the viewpoint of one who was a part of the Christian denomination for over 2 decades, the common belief of many is that at some point, the church became the primary focus of YHVH, as they had began to replace the Jews entirely. This theology is commonly known as “replacement theology” which, as the name implies, has the belief that God has done away with the Jews. Of course there are countless texts citied that allegedly back this up, however, the problem is that, these texts stem from misunderstood text within the NT. I have noticed that in various conversations with believers, that a common thread is that they all seem to be very versed in the NT texts while at the same time oblivious to the OT text. What I intend to do is this, since the majority of you readers are obviously aware of the NT text, is to bring out the OT text to see if they agree.
According to Torah, the evidence of 2 or 3 witnesses are needed to confirm a matter (Deuteronomy 19:15). The Apostle Paul also sites from this same text in 2 Corinthians 13:1. This does not only apply as related to a case in court, but in anything. With this in mind, what we are going to do is allow the same concept to apply to the text utilizing both Old and New Testament texts. Let us journey back to the beginning, at the creation of Adam. We all know the story of how Eve was tricked into eating the forbidden fruit, and then brought it to her husband, for him to partake as well. From this incident, sin was birthed into the world, and things began to go downhill for God’s creation. Within 8 generations, mankind was utterly corrupted. Noah was the only one within his generation worthy to save. God redeemed Noah and his family, and through Him, everything was restarted. Not many generations from there, Nimrod comes along and rallies mankind to build a tower to heaven, which sparked the confusion of the languages. Again, all seemed hopeless, but as always, God found a man named Abram, and this is where the journey begins.
Abram would be the man that God would decide to strike a covenant with, and it was this plan that opened the door for for mankind once again. All of man was corrupted, and none feared God. All sought after pagan deities, having no regard for the true Creator. Because of this, none was fit for God to use until Abram. After sending Abram away from his family, God made a covenant with him, to make him a father of many nations. The plan, although hidden from Abram was to establish a new nation, one that was uncorrupted like the other nations. Within just over 400 years, it was done. From Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, 12 sons were born, and from these 12 sons, also known as tribes, well over a million souls were birthed. It was now time for the next phase, commonly known as “the exodus”. This million plus strong nation, led by Moses, was taken to Mt Sinai, where God would now, after a wide array of miracles, would introduce Himself to them. Up to this point, they really didn’t know much about God other than what was passed down from generation to generation as far back as the patriarchs. Being heavily influenced by pagan Egypt, God needed to give them a standard on how to act. This standard is where the Hebrew word Torah comes from. Commonly translated as Law, it literally means “teaching” or “instruction”. With this in mind, since the nation of Israel did not know how to act, God basically gave them a set of instructions, or better yet “taught” them how to act.
Calling these teachings a “Law” gives it such a negative connotation, but when you look at it in it’s rightful meaning, while understanding the necessity to be taught seeing that prior to this point, they neither knew how to act, or what God expected from them, it gives a whole new revelation of Torah. Exodus 19 gets into how God spoke to Moses and instructed him to introduce Israel to Him. He states in 19:5-6 that if they would heed His voice and keep His Torah, they would belong to Him apart from the nations, and would become a nation set apart from the rest of the nations for Him alone. I know that sounds different from what the text says, but the word translated as holy is the Hebrew word Kodesh, which literally means set apart, kind of like how mom’s holiday dishes are set apart strictly for the holidays and not just any day. Make sense?
Ultimately, from this it can be gleaned that the thing that sets God’s new nation apart from everyone else is the keeping of His teachings and walking in them. After presenting this to Israel, they immediately agreed to His terms thus solidifying them as His own personal nation. What follows, is the teachings and requirements needed for Israel to be all that God had desired. Despite the fact that Israel failed to keep their part of the agreement on many levels, causing God to repeatedly punish them, He has never forsaken them, nor replaced them as many theologians and pastors teach today. Many, as I stated in the beginning, site NT scriptures trying to prove that the church has replaced Israel, but nothing can be further from the truth. Lets see what God has to say about this. Psalms 105:8, Isaiah 44:21, Isaiah 49:16-26, Jeremiah 31:35-37. Within these few verses, it is apparent that God has not, nor will not forget His covenant with Israel. In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul, the one that many believers seem to claim is the champion of this erroneous theology that the church has replaced Israel, paints a totally different picture. Paul addresses how we, the gentiles were granted the honor of being brought into the commonwealth of Israel, seeing as they had rejected the gospel. If you recall, Paul was the one who had taken it to the gentiles, thus becoming the apostle of the gentiles. Although a tremendous blessing to us, this was done to the intent that the Jews would be provoked to jealousy, that they had once rejected this gospel and in turn realize that they did indeed want it as well, hence completing YHVH’s plan for salvation for all mankind. Is making sense now?
Salvation for mankind had always been the plan of YHVH, as clearly seen in both the Old and New Testaments. As far back as the dividing of languages during the time of Nimrod, 70 nations were established. Seventy is a number seen several times throughout the Bible. It is understood in Jewish culture that the number 70 represents the nations. The next time we see this number is when Jacob, after learning that Joseph is alive, moves his entire family to Egypt, to be reunited with him. Genesis 46:1-27 goes into the names of those moving with Jacob and conclude with Joseph and his two sons who were already in Egypt, hence 70 souls in all. Again, this number represented the nations. We also see the number 70 in Numbers 11:16-25, where God instructs a weary Moses to bring Him 70 elders, that He may take some of the spirit on Moses and impart to them also. Again, the picture is God pouring His spirit upon all flesh, (the seventy), as spoken of in the book of Joel. We again see the 70 found in the closing ceremony of the last of the 7 Feast Days of YHVH, spoken of in Leviticus 23. During Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles as it is also known, there are several sacrifices being done. The text goes into the number of animals to be sacrificed each day, which just so happens to equal 70 as well, thereby signifying the nations once again. If that isn’t enough, what about the New Testament? In Luke 10, Yeshua sends out 70 to go out and do ministry. Interestingly enough the problem with this text is that Luke addresses them as the 72. Many scholars differ in opinions on this text citing a probable error on the part of the scribe. Considering how Scripture seems to mirror on the theme of certain numbers throughout the Bible, such as the number 40, and how it is seen in the flood of Noah, the age of Moses in all three critical stages of his life, the number of years Israel wandered in the wilderness, and concluding with the number of days Yeshua also fasted in the wilderness. With this in mind, it is highly likely that it just may be a scribal error in numbers, meaning that the 72 actually was 70, again, representing the nations being anointed and sent out by Messiah. Are you seeing a pattern between God’s salvation plan for Israel and the nations?
So where else can this be found? Well, lets look at a few Gentiles that were part of Israel. During the Exodus, we read that Israel left Egypt as a mixed multitude, meaning that there were a few non Israelites with them when they left. Clearly in this we can see that if one will accept the terms of God, that He will gladly accept them into His fold. Next there is Rachab, the harlot in Jericho that hid the spies. Because of her deeds, her entire house was saved and were allowed to be a part of Israel. What about Joshua and Caleb? They were the only two of their generation allowed to enter the promised land. Most people do not realize that Caleb was NOT a Hebrew. In this we see the representation of a Hebrew and non Hebrew entering into the rest of YHVH. Backtracking, we cannot leave out when Jacob blessed his sons before dying. Jacob removed two sons due to there displeasing ways, and then replaced them with Josephs 2 sons, Ephraim and Menasheh. Both being half Egyptian and half Hebrew, they were grafted in by Jacob, thereby implying how we as non Jews can become part of the common wealth of Israel. We then have Ruth, the Moabite woman. She too, was not a Hebrew, in fact she was from Moab, a people that God initially forbade Israel to have any dealings with. However, Ruth, after being told by Naomi that she can go back to her people, refused to leave. Even after Naomi firmly insisted, Ruth made it clear she would not go, and that Naomi’s people would be her people, and her God would also be her God. Having a right heart, God accepted her, even though she was a part of a people that He initially wanted Israel to have nothing to do with. Her attitude made it possible for her as a gentile to become a part of Israel but not only that but to also be the grandmother of King David. These are just a handful of non Jews throughout the ages that were allowed to become a part of Israel repeatedly signifying that God had always planned to save humanity.
In John 10:16, Yeshua begins to address the sheep that are not of “this” fold. This is a reference not only to the 10 tribes of Israel, but also to gentiles as well. All in all, the point I am making is that God has always had a plan for non Jews, BUT, the thing we have to realize again tis that, as Paul stated in Romans 1:17, the gospel is to the Jew first, and then to the gentile. Does that mean that the Jew is any better than us, or that they are superior to us? On the contrary, it just means that since the original covenant was to them first, they have first dibs, and then us. In this, YHVH is keeping His covenant with the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Paul also argues in Romans 11 that we should not for one moment think that we are superior to the Jews, or that God has forgotten them or even boast that we now have the gospel and they don’t. For if indeed YHVH did forget the covenant He made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob, and cast them aside, we gentiles should fear because the same thing could happen to us, however, if He did indeed keep His covenant with them, despite their constant failures, then we too have a hope as well. Finally, Paul admonishes us to not thing that we support Israel, but rather that they are the root that supports us. So what are to gather from all of this? Since we were grafted in to the commonwealth of Israel, honestly I believe that we are obligated to them, to bring them the gospel, pray from them and strive to build relationships with them. Why, you ask? Think of all the original apostles, and how many of them, to include Paul were martyred bringing us non Jews the gospel. Think of those after them that died, continuing the legacy of the apostles in bringing us the gospel to us. It is understood that we are now in the age of the gentiles, and as we draw near to our time to get right, we should in turn be more than will to give it all up to take the gospel back to the Jews.
As we have seen, the Jews are still remembered, and are also considered His firstborn, but we gentiles are a part of the adoption. I know many of you like the idea of being “number one”, but I think back on what I heard my Aunt once say. While preaching, she began to address the adoption issue, saying that when a child is born, a parent has no say in what the child looks like, the sex, physical attributes, or anything, but an adopted child is hand picked. The parents look over all the kids, and while having an idea of what they want, when they spot him, with a smile they point and say, I want him. We of the adoption were handpicked by the Father to be a part of His family, and with this in mind, we should rejoice. The gospel indeed is for us all, but because the original covenant was to the Hebrew, the gospel is to the Jew first, and then everyone else. Shalom!
