THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN THE CONTINUING REJECTION OF JESUS
The LORD foresaw that the Jewish nation would remain “few in number,” (Deut 28:62), because of their disobedience. Among the nations, Israel
“will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. The LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life.” (Deut 28:65-66).
The generations testify to the fulfillment of the LORD’s words. Every time in history when the nation came close to assimilating and melting into the culture of another country, persecution arose and the Jews were driven away. This was all part of God’s plan to keep the nation of Israel, the remnant (Rom 11:5), as a separate and distinct people. Although this was part of God’s plan, believers should acknowledge and reject the Church sponsored persecutions of the Jewish people in history by individuals who professed to be believers in Christ and thought they were offering service to God, (John 16:2).
When believers try to assimilate the Jewish people into the Gentile culture, they put up a roadblock to the individual Jew's acceptance of Jesus as Messiah. Even believers who did not support the persecution of the Jewish people have held to the conviction that a Jew accepting Jesus as the Messiah must leave behind his lifestyle and conform to the lifestyle of a Gentile. Every Jew who accepted Jesus is this manner ceased to be a Jew. From the Jewish perspective, the approach of the Gentile Church has been similar to the Greeks of Alexander the Great who were always attempting to assimilate the Jewish faithful into the Greek culture. Had this assimilation occurred with the Greeks, the plan of God to preserve the nation would have faltered. Just as it was necessary for the nation of Israel to survive until the first coming of Jesus (Gal 4:4), the nation must also survive as part of God's greater plan for the return of Jesus.
The LORD foresaw that the Jewish nation would remain “few in number,” (Deut 28:62), because of their disobedience. Among the nations, Israel
“will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. The LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life.” (Deut 28:65-66).
The generations testify to the fulfillment of the LORD’s words. Every time in history when the nation came close to assimilating and melting into the culture of another country, persecution arose and the Jews were driven away. This was all part of God’s plan to keep the nation of Israel, the remnant (Rom 11:5), as a separate and distinct people. Although this was part of God’s plan, believers should acknowledge and reject the Church sponsored persecutions of the Jewish people in history by individuals who professed to be believers in Christ and thought they were offering service to God, (John 16:2).
When believers try to assimilate the Jewish people into the Gentile culture, they put up a roadblock to the individual Jew's acceptance of Jesus as Messiah. Even believers who did not support the persecution of the Jewish people have held to the conviction that a Jew accepting Jesus as the Messiah must leave behind his lifestyle and conform to the lifestyle of a Gentile. Every Jew who accepted Jesus is this manner ceased to be a Jew. From the Jewish perspective, the approach of the Gentile Church has been similar to the Greeks of Alexander the Great who were always attempting to assimilate the Jewish faithful into the Greek culture. Had this assimilation occurred with the Greeks, the plan of God to preserve the nation would have faltered. Just as it was necessary for the nation of Israel to survive until the first coming of Jesus (Gal 4:4), the nation must also survive as part of God's greater plan for the return of Jesus.
For over 1800 years, believers thought it was necessary for every Jew to become a Gentile reasoning, “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile,” (Rom 10:12). Standing alone this statement lends support to the proposition that Gentiles and Jews in Christ should possess uniformity in beliefs and actions. However, this verse is preceded by one that qualifies how a Jewish believer and Gentile believer are equal, “through faith in Jesus Christ” (Rom 10:11).
Paul told the Galatians, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” (Gal 3:28). Does this statement of Paul mandate equality of belief and action among Jew and Gentile who believe in the same Messiah? Certainly, not! For the statement itself contains examples that are known in the physical world to not be equal. Slave is not the equal of free and man is not the same as woman. Equality does not mean uniformity. The Jew and Greek, slave and free, and man and woman are equal only in the aspects of “faith in Christ Jesus,” (Gal 3:26).
Therefore, a Jewish believer who acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah is not obligated to act as a Gentile believer. Only if a slave can act as one who is free and a man can become a woman (Gal 3:26) would a Jew be obligated to act as a Gentile. “Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him,” (1 Cor 7:20-24). And why remain as called, because “the body is not made up of one part, but of many…(whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free),” (1 Cor 12:13-14). God needs witnesses for Jesus everywhere in the world among all peoples, whether they are Jews/Greeks, slaves/free, or men/women. Even God, who is one, chooses to function in three forms, Father, Son, and Spirit, to accomplish His Will in the creation.
The Bible supports a continuing distinction between Jews and Gentiles who profess Jesus as the Messiah. We remember that Gentile believers became known as “Christians” at Antioch (Acts 11:26), but what escapes our notice, Hebrew believers were separately called “Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5), because they maintained the traditions of the patriarchs. Even Paul maintained his heritage as “a Hebrew of Hebrews,” (Phil 3:5). He prayed at the Temple (Acts 22:17), participated in Jewish ritual purification (Acts 21:24), and sought to celebrate the annual feasts when the opportunity permitted, (Acts 20:16). Upon his arrival in Rome before the Jewish leaders, Paul testified, “I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors,” (Acts 28:17). The word “customs” even goes so far as to imply that Paul followed aspects of the Oral Law, the traditions of the fathers, in addition to the written word.
The same freedom which allows the Gentile believer to participate or not, in the things which are considered “Jewish” cannot prohibit the Jewish believer from participating in that which uniquely identifies him with the covenant promises given by God to the Jewish people. How did Gentiles ever conceive that a Jew, who accepted Jesus as Messiah, was mandated to give up the unique nature in which God created and called him? Or as one member of my local church has said, “Spanish believers celebrate Cinco de Mayo and are never required to give up their cultural or their foods. Why are Jews held to a different standard, required to give up all of their festivals, kosher foods, wine, and the Sabbath to become ‘one of us’? My brothers, this should not be.”
THE PROMISED ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS AS MESSIAH
Despite the current rejection of Jesus as Messiah by the Jewish nation, scripture tells of a future time when the nation will turn to and acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. The most familiar passage used by believers comes from John, who twice quotes the prophet Zechariah,
"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son”. (Zech 12:10)(John 19:37)(Rev 1:7)
Zechariah goes on to tell us,
“On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives. 13:1 "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” (Zech 12:11-13:1)
Paul told the Galatians, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” (Gal 3:28). Does this statement of Paul mandate equality of belief and action among Jew and Gentile who believe in the same Messiah? Certainly, not! For the statement itself contains examples that are known in the physical world to not be equal. Slave is not the equal of free and man is not the same as woman. Equality does not mean uniformity. The Jew and Greek, slave and free, and man and woman are equal only in the aspects of “faith in Christ Jesus,” (Gal 3:26).
Therefore, a Jewish believer who acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah is not obligated to act as a Gentile believer. Only if a slave can act as one who is free and a man can become a woman (Gal 3:26) would a Jew be obligated to act as a Gentile. “Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him,” (1 Cor 7:20-24). And why remain as called, because “the body is not made up of one part, but of many…(whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free),” (1 Cor 12:13-14). God needs witnesses for Jesus everywhere in the world among all peoples, whether they are Jews/Greeks, slaves/free, or men/women. Even God, who is one, chooses to function in three forms, Father, Son, and Spirit, to accomplish His Will in the creation.
The Bible supports a continuing distinction between Jews and Gentiles who profess Jesus as the Messiah. We remember that Gentile believers became known as “Christians” at Antioch (Acts 11:26), but what escapes our notice, Hebrew believers were separately called “Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5), because they maintained the traditions of the patriarchs. Even Paul maintained his heritage as “a Hebrew of Hebrews,” (Phil 3:5). He prayed at the Temple (Acts 22:17), participated in Jewish ritual purification (Acts 21:24), and sought to celebrate the annual feasts when the opportunity permitted, (Acts 20:16). Upon his arrival in Rome before the Jewish leaders, Paul testified, “I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors,” (Acts 28:17). The word “customs” even goes so far as to imply that Paul followed aspects of the Oral Law, the traditions of the fathers, in addition to the written word.
The same freedom which allows the Gentile believer to participate or not, in the things which are considered “Jewish” cannot prohibit the Jewish believer from participating in that which uniquely identifies him with the covenant promises given by God to the Jewish people. How did Gentiles ever conceive that a Jew, who accepted Jesus as Messiah, was mandated to give up the unique nature in which God created and called him? Or as one member of my local church has said, “Spanish believers celebrate Cinco de Mayo and are never required to give up their cultural or their foods. Why are Jews held to a different standard, required to give up all of their festivals, kosher foods, wine, and the Sabbath to become ‘one of us’? My brothers, this should not be.”
THE PROMISED ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS AS MESSIAH
Despite the current rejection of Jesus as Messiah by the Jewish nation, scripture tells of a future time when the nation will turn to and acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. The most familiar passage used by believers comes from John, who twice quotes the prophet Zechariah,
"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son”. (Zech 12:10)(John 19:37)(Rev 1:7)
Zechariah goes on to tell us,
“On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives. 13:1 "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” (Zech 12:11-13:1)
Looking on Jesus and mourning all appear to be responses associated with the return of Jesus and the rapture of the Church. “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the son of man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory,” (Matt 24:30).
The events foretold by Zechariah, Matthew, and John appear to culminate in the eleventh chapter of Revelations at the resurrection of the two witnesses, an event witnessed by the people of the earth, (Rev 11:12). Many people were hardened by these events, but some “gave glory to the God of heaven,” (Rev 11:13). The twelfth chapter of Revelations continues with the story of a woman (Israel) who conceives and delivers a child (Jesus), “who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter,” (Rev 12:5). The child is then snatched up to God and to his throne for 1,260 days.
The present time is referred to in scripture as the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24), which will continue until the full number of Gentiles has come in, (Rom 11:25). The days leading up to the appearing of the Messiah are known in scripture as the “birth pains,” (Matt 24:8). “Therefore Israel will be abandoned until when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace,” (Mic 5:3-5).
“And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’” (Rom 11:26-27). The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob in a single day, (Zech 3:9). “Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem,” (Isa 4:3). On that day, even the bells on the horses in Jerusalem will be inscribed with the words, "HOLY TO THE LORD," (Zech 14:20). Thus, every person and everything in Jerusalem will be HOLY, even the horses.
In many ways, the biblical story of Joseph foreshadowed the story of Jesus and his future acceptance by the nation. Sent by the father to check on the welfare of his brothers (Gen 37:13), Joseph was unjustly persecuted and rejected by his brothers. Joseph was sent to a foreign land to prepare a place of salvation for the family of Jacob. When Joseph’s brothers again saw him they did not recognize him, as he was now ruler in Egypt second only to Pharaoh. Joseph maintained no animosity toward his brothers but tested them to see if their hearts were repentant. After his brothers demonstrated that their hearts were repentant, Joseph revealed himself. The suffering of Joseph is seen by many Jews to be a picture of the suffering servant of Isaiah chapter 53. For the believer, the story of Joseph foreshadows the coming days of the return of Jesus.
In the story of Joseph, the nation of Egypt can be seen as Gentiles already receiving blessings through their relationship with Joseph. When Pharaoh hears that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials rejoiced, just as there will be much rejoicing among the Gentiles when the Messiah is revealed and the nation of Israel accepts Him and enters into a relationship with Him. Joseph does not reveal himself to his brothers until he first cleared all the Egyptian attendants from his presence, (Gen 45:1), just as Gentile believers may be removed from the earth at the revealing of Jesus to the people of Israel.
When news reached the Patriarch that Joseph is alive, he is referred to as “Jacob”. Upon hearing the news, the spirit of Jacob is revived as disbelief is turned into faith. He is now called “Israel”, as it is written, “Israel said, ‘I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive” (Gen 45:28). In a similar manner, the nation will be revived at the appearing of Jesus. Paul prophesized of a future time of national revival when, “all Israel will be saved, as it is written ‘The deliver will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob,” (Rom 11:26).
After Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers feared that Joseph would retaliate against them for their sins against him. However, Joseph understood the greater plan of God that had delivered him as a slave into Egypt.
"Joseph said to them, 'Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.' And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them." (Gen 50:19-21)
In the same way, believers look toward the forgiveness of the Hebrew people. We pray that the nation will have the heart of Joseph and tell us, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
The present time is referred to in scripture as the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24), which will continue until the full number of Gentiles has come in, (Rom 11:25). The days leading up to the appearing of the Messiah are known in scripture as the “birth pains,” (Matt 24:8). “Therefore Israel will be abandoned until when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace,” (Mic 5:3-5).
“And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’” (Rom 11:26-27). The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob in a single day, (Zech 3:9). “Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem,” (Isa 4:3). On that day, even the bells on the horses in Jerusalem will be inscribed with the words, "HOLY TO THE LORD," (Zech 14:20). Thus, every person and everything in Jerusalem will be HOLY, even the horses.
In many ways, the biblical story of Joseph foreshadowed the story of Jesus and his future acceptance by the nation. Sent by the father to check on the welfare of his brothers (Gen 37:13), Joseph was unjustly persecuted and rejected by his brothers. Joseph was sent to a foreign land to prepare a place of salvation for the family of Jacob. When Joseph’s brothers again saw him they did not recognize him, as he was now ruler in Egypt second only to Pharaoh. Joseph maintained no animosity toward his brothers but tested them to see if their hearts were repentant. After his brothers demonstrated that their hearts were repentant, Joseph revealed himself. The suffering of Joseph is seen by many Jews to be a picture of the suffering servant of Isaiah chapter 53. For the believer, the story of Joseph foreshadows the coming days of the return of Jesus.
In the story of Joseph, the nation of Egypt can be seen as Gentiles already receiving blessings through their relationship with Joseph. When Pharaoh hears that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials rejoiced, just as there will be much rejoicing among the Gentiles when the Messiah is revealed and the nation of Israel accepts Him and enters into a relationship with Him. Joseph does not reveal himself to his brothers until he first cleared all the Egyptian attendants from his presence, (Gen 45:1), just as Gentile believers may be removed from the earth at the revealing of Jesus to the people of Israel.
When news reached the Patriarch that Joseph is alive, he is referred to as “Jacob”. Upon hearing the news, the spirit of Jacob is revived as disbelief is turned into faith. He is now called “Israel”, as it is written, “Israel said, ‘I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive” (Gen 45:28). In a similar manner, the nation will be revived at the appearing of Jesus. Paul prophesized of a future time of national revival when, “all Israel will be saved, as it is written ‘The deliver will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob,” (Rom 11:26).
After Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers feared that Joseph would retaliate against them for their sins against him. However, Joseph understood the greater plan of God that had delivered him as a slave into Egypt.
"Joseph said to them, 'Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.' And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them." (Gen 50:19-21)
In the same way, believers look toward the forgiveness of the Hebrew people. We pray that the nation will have the heart of Joseph and tell us, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Scott
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