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God's Love for the Jews
Mar 16, 04:23 PM
“Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved.” Romans 11:25
Although the Kingdom of God is populated by people of every nation, tribe, and language on earth, God has in accordance with His own will and purpose chosen one people to be the conduit through which the redemption of humanity would come. The vehicle through which God has chosen to work in the world is Israel. The saga begins when God chooses one man, Abraham, to be the embodiment of the promise which would eventually extend to all people. He said to Abraham, “All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3) Though every race and culture would be blessed, God chose to work that miracle through one race and culture: Abraham and his offspring. Even though Abraham had two sons, God chose one son, the son of the promise, the gift of God, to be the one through whom His covenant would be established. “It is through Isaac that your offspring shall be reckoned.” (Genesis 21:12)
Although the grace of God is available to all people, it has nonetheless come into the world through one people, the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He made of them a great nation and set His love toward them. He said to the Jews, “The Lord did not set His affection on you and chose you because you were more numerous than all the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all people. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery.” (Deuteronomy 7:7-8)
Although redemption and freedom have come into the world for all people, it was first incarnated into one people: the Jews. “Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs is the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ.” (Romans 9:4-5) The salvation offered to all cultures was born through one culture. Jesus Christ was born King of the Jews. (Matthew 2:2) Jesus was not Asian, African, or North American. He was Jewish – of the line and lineage of David. This was not mere happenstance but the intentional design of God. Jesus’ parents were devout in following the laws and customs of Moses. He was circumcised on the eighth day, presented to the Lord as the first-born, consecrated and redeemed by the Levitical offering. (Luke 2:24) Every year at the time of the Feast of Passover, His parents faithfully made the journey to Jerusalem. On one particular Passover, He was found in the temple, “sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” (Luke 2:46) He was immersed in the laws and customs of Judaism and learned all things through passionate attention to the Scriptures. His thinking was formed through the sacred writings. He often said, “It is written.”
It is through Christ that we come into the flow of this divine purpose, and become part of the people of God. We are in-grafted into the nation which flows from the loins of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. “If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29) We participate in the divine promise that through us shall all of the people of the earth be blessed. This does not make us better than anyone. In fact, it ought to affect a profound humility in us and a passionate desire to fulfill the purpose for which we have been granted such a vital place in the purposes of God. We are the vehicle through which God reaches out to bless the nations. Even so, God’s first love are the Jews and the dispensation of His grace toward them shall not fail.