Are the Jews Wrong?
From: <The Editor - Local Host Glenn Williams> : : // Are the Jews Wrong?<
What an ironic state of affairs for the Jews back at the time of Christ. Why they just had it all mixed up and missed out on their chance at salvation and continue to reject Him even today. How could they have been so misled, so foolish and so short sighted when the scriptures clearly pointed toward Christ. Isn't that the way most people think today. That the Jews were all washed up in their thinking, that they didn't have anything right. Not anything? Perhaps we should examine that. Examine what it was that they expected and why they rejected Him.
"Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." That famous line comes from Mark 1:14-15. And for many it means the gospel of Jesus. The news of His arrival to save mankind. But that really was not the sense of His statement. And that is not to downplay the importance of Christ. But when He said "the kingdom of God is at hand", He was speaking of a much larger picture that has roots well before the new testament. In addition, you should know that the term 'gospel' literally means good news or glad tidings, it literally means 'I've got something good to tell you.'
The original Gospel (Good News) began at the Exodus.
Over 3400 years ago, God (Christ - A little known fact is that the God of the Old testament was Christ. - "...for they (the Israelites) drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." 1 Cor 10:4) brought the Israelites out from Egypt. He brought them across the Red sea when He parted the waters. (Not like in the movie, rather God used a wind to push the water to one side where it froze. "And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided." (Exodus 14:21) and "And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed (frozen) in the heart of the sea." (Exodus 15:8) Why use all this dramatic wind for a whole night if you were just going to raise the water straight up as in the movie?) So Christ brought them out of Egypt which represents sin, worldliness, yet they still lusted after Egypt (sin).
After bringing them across the Red Sea, and then on to Mount Sinai, the Lord established a covenant (an agreement) with them. The covenant embraced obedience to His laws, commandments, special Sabbath observances, oracles and other issues in exchange for protection and blessings. We can find the Israelite's portion of this contract in Exodus, between chapters 20 through 24. As you read these chapters it would be good to note that He was not so much in the mode of creating new laws as He was in organizing existing laws under this agreement. The Bible shows plenty of evidence of the existence of them before Sinai. For example, murder was wrong and the Sabbath was already in existence. But the Israelites didn't know the laws of God. They had been misoriented by hundreds of years of darkness among the Egyptians. In a religious sense, they only knew how to worship idols. There is a hidden teaching here. And that is of an existing veil of darkness on the world today. This world teaches against His laws, making many believe they are not in force. It is a darkness that God will one day lift to show that His laws are still in tact. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isa 8:20)
And so God (Christ) said to the Israelites: "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel." (Exodus 19:5-6)
And the people responded after hearing the requirements of the contract: "And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words." (Exodus 24:7-8) And so the first Kingdom was beginning its establishment. God was at the helm of this kingdom, that was good news (gospel)! Later, the Israelites began to expand the kingdom by driving out nations which worshipped false gods, that was good news! And all of this typifies a future Kingdom. How? One day Christ again will be at the helm and His government which will start to expand throughout the world. And do not be deceived, as the Israelites fought against resistant heathen nations, so the world will resist and fight against Christ at His return. And as the kingdom begins to expand a future group of Israelites will once again fight. The Prophets, both major and minor of the Bible attest to this. Most have a theme of Israel's punishment and restoration. A continuing theme of Israel once again fighting to expand a new kingdom is seen in Zechariah chapters 12 to 14. Look at a few of the scriptures from that section showing you what will soon come to be.
"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." "In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem." "In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem." "And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance."
What was this all about?
The original kingdom was to be an example of doing things the right way. It was an example of blessings received for those who obey God. It was also an example of an unseen heavenly realm being typified here on earth. Notice in the book of Hebrews - "...there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things..." (Heb 8:4) There was nothing wrong this first kingdom. The problem was with the people in the position of authority.
Did God Lose?
Just about anyone knows that as the years passed, the Israelites failed to keep their end of the agreement. They broke their end of the deal, so God broke His. In fact, they really didn't even leave Mt. Sinai before they began to break the rules. After many years of disobedience, God eventually sent them into captivity. So was this just a passing idea for God that didn't work out? Yes the Kingdom did become great under David and Solomon, but was that all there was to it? Was this all God wanted, that His plan should only last a short while, or does God still want it? If He still wants it does He have another means to accomplish this goal?
When Christ came on the scene about a thousand years later His Apostles asked Him a question about the Kingdom of old. A thousand years goes by and a question deep in the hearts of the Jews is still on their minds, even as it is today 2000 years later. They asked Him: : "...Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6) He did not answer them by saying "What kind of foolish question is that. Don't you know I gave up on that idea long ago?" Rather He said: "...It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." (Acts 1:7) Here is a hope that the Jews had carried for such a long time. If He did not plan to restore the Kingdom of David, why would He allow them to continue in their hope with such an answer as that?
What gave them this idea of a restored kingdom?
What was there that gave the Jews such hope that such a restoration
would ever occur anyway? Was it something they simply made up?
Did they somehow misinterpret the scriptures? Do we as Christians
look down on them and shake our heads and think how foolish of them?
Well to put you in their mindset, read the next two scriptures from the
old testament.
"In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is
fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins,
and I will build it as in the days of old:" (Amos 9:11)
and "But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their
king, whom I will raise up unto them." (Jer 30:9).
Now consider the fact that when these were written, David was already dead.
The current kingdom was either waning or already in total disarray.
So as a Jew of that time, wouldn't such writings make you believe of a
restored nation of Israel? That someday God would once again favor
them and put things back the way they were? But now, today, to us,
how should we interpret these prophecies? Are they just something
to sort of spiritualize away and say they are fulfilled in Christ?
Why is Christ called a King?
Instead of being vague and each one of us deciding what we think God intends to do, lets see what the scriptures have to say on this subject. Christ spoke often of His Kingdom, there are dozens of new testament scriptures on it. For example, in chapter four of the book of Matthew we read "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The Greek word for kingdom is basileia {bas-il-i'-ah}. Thayers lexicon says the following:
1) royal power, kingship, dominion, rule
1a) not to be confused with an actual kingdom
but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom
1b) of the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant
Messiah
1c) of the royal power and dignity conferred
on Christians in the Messiah's kingdom
2) a kingdom, the territory subject to the rule of a king
3) used in the N.T. to refer to the reign of the Messiah
If we think of a king in the traditional sense, we realize that a king is not a king unless he has territory, subjects, laws and ultimate power. There is nothing in the Bible to indicate that Christ is not about to become a King, albeit an ultimate King in that sense of tradition thinking. "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:32)
Christ will be in total command of this new kingdom. It is something that belongs to Him, something He is in charge of, something that He will administer as He wills. Under Him, Christ says He will have officers to teach and enforce the laws of this new Kingdom. Notice, "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father." (Rev 2:26) and notice where this reign will be. "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev 5:10)
Do the Israelites fit in?
In the Kingdom, these rulers, officers and kings will be resurrected spirit beings. They will live forever and be part of the God family. David will reign over the twelve tribes of a physical, fleshly Israel that will exist in those days. It also appears that each of the twelve Apostles will reign separately over one of the tribes of Israel. "That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Lu 22:30) The Israelites will finally have a restored kingdom with righteous leaders who will feed them. They will not abandon them or lead them astray. Israel will once again become an example to the world. Eventually the world will come to see that God really is with them. Notice - "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again." (Zech 2:10) and "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you." (Zech 8:20)
Hopefully by this point you can understand that the Jews were expecting conquering leader. Someone who would establish the Kingdom immediately. They didn't expect someone to die for their sins. It is always easy to see things from hindsight, but I wonder how many of us would have failed to understand. We should also understand that the center of God's goverment, the center of all power, heaven itself, is coming to this earth! We do not go to heaven to play harps and wear wings when we die. Instead we wait patiently for our returning King. Heaven is coming here. Thats really good news!
Warning
If you can come to understand from these scriptures that an earth shattering Kingdom is soon to appear, then you should also be aware of a counterfit. A false kingdom portrayed by none other than our enemy Satan. He works to deceive and he will try to deceive many about the return of God. Soon a third temple will be built in Jerusalem. Temple sacrifices will resume. But their time will be short and then a false religious leader will claim to be the returning Christ. This imposter will deceive millions as the Bible says so. This is a new topic, but consider the following - "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (the last days) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." (2Thes 2:3)
