This happens to be the title of an article that appeared in both the Israel National News in April and today on the American Thinker website that was written by Steve Feldman and Robert Sklaroff of the Philadelphia District of the Zionist Organization of America.
Unfortunately, this article contains the most glaring error that can ever be made with respect to Abraham and the Nation of Israel - namely the insistence that Father Abraham was a Jew. Clearly, from any honest recollection of the truths offered in the Bible or the Hebrew Torah we can, with the utmost assurance, insist that Abraham was not a "Jew." Now in general, while I agree with the overall summation made by the authors of the article - that the Nation of Israel is well over 60 years old, in fact thousands of years old, I disagree (obviously) with the assertion that this Nation only includes only the actual blood decedents of Father Abraham.
The modern State of Israel is a secular state based on the model of Roman Civil Law that has been in existence for thousands of years and adopted, in fact, by virtually every nation/state in the world. So to insist, as many do today, that God will save this secular nation, outside and apart from what has already occurred in history and what we are assured of will again happen in the future through what the Apostles wrote is just not sound Biblical teaching.
Another point in the article that is a completely misleading is the writers insistence that the first "Jew" to set foot in Israel was Abraham when he purchased the grave for Sarah. This is woefully inaccurate. Actually, Abraham set foot in Canaan (which was occupied by the Israelites after crossing the Jordan during Joshua's day) when he was instructed by God to leave the land he was in for Canaan. - Genesis 12:1-12. Later, after a famine in the land, Abraham left and went to Egypt. After being kicked out of Egypt for lying to Pharaoh about Sarah, Abraham went back to Canaan. In fact, the Bible tells us Abraham went back to the place where he had originally built an alter to the Lord when he first entered into Canaan. - See Genesis 12:8 and Genesis 13:3-4.
The Bible goes on to tell us in Genesis 13 that from where the altar was, in the plain of Moreh, Abraham moved to the plain of Mamre, which is near Hebron, where he built another altar. - Genesis 13:18. Hebron is smack-dab in the mist of Israel, both in Abraham's day and still to this day! This is where God made His famous promise to Abraham (Abram) that He would provide Abraham all the land that he saw.
"For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 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. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto The Lord." - Genesis 13:15-18 KJV
The fact as to why the authors of this piece didn't add this information into their article, or just didn't know these facts, is anyone's guess. But to me it is a bit distressing and I cannot honestly believe that no one in the modern, secular nation State of Israel didn't call them on it! These are Bible basics and I would imagine, for those that are claiming the promises God made to Abraham, they would know a little bit more about them.
Showing posts with label Abraham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Abraham. Show all posts
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Abraham the Gentile
How many times have you heard someone call Abraham a Jew? And yet, it almost goes without saying that one of the most fascinating, indeed awe inspiring, glimpses into Bible prophecy can be found in the story of Abraham - the gentile. The story of Abraham is a story for anyone and everyone that places their trust in Jesus. When you examine this story of Abraham it is, in all reality, the story of the gentiles and how the gentiles are saved.
First the basics. Abraham was a direct descendant of Noah's son Shem. We know that the whole world was populated from the offspring of Noah. Shem we are told in Genesis 10:21 was father of all the children of Eber, who was the father of Abraham. Eber then is really the father of Hebrew nation; this means that Abraham his son was a Hebrew and not a Jew. Jews didn't come along until Abraham's great-grandson Judah began to have children of his own.
According to the Strong's Concordance the word Hebrew means: "a region across" which fits perfectly when we are told that Abraham was from Ur of the Chaldees in Genesis 11:31. The area of the Chaldees was located between the Tigris and Euphrates in what is commonly known as Mesopotamia. I'm offering all this information to point out that Abraham was a gentile, no matter how we look at it, but that's not the fascinating part. This is. That very same promises that God gave to Abraham are available to us! In fact, those promises, which were accepted by Abraham by his faith in God are the same promises we receive from God and accept by faith.
In Romans 4 Paul asks us to consider father Abraham and that his justification, if it was through works, would have given him something to boast about - but not before God. Abraham was not saved by works. Paul tells us plainly that Abraham believed God and his belief was reckoned to him as righteousness. Paul goes on to explain to us that if we work then the wages we earn are not a gift but what is due to us (Romans 4:4) whereas if we trust the one who "justifies the ungodly" then our faith is reckoned for righteousness, just like Abraham (Romans 4:5). To confirm this point Paul quotes David in the Psalms (Psalms 32:1-2).
This is getting good!
Now, Paul asks rather pointedly, "How then was it (faith) reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised?" Another way we could look at this question is this, was Abraham reckoned unto God before he was "set aside" by God or after? And the answer Paul? "It was not after, but before he was circumcised." (Romans 4:10).
What a tremendous blessing this is giving us! That God accepts our faith, even before our hearts are fully circumcised (See Romans 2:28-29) just as He did for Abraham. What a wonderful way to see the picture of God building trust with us!
Paul tells us that Abraham "received circumcision" as a sign or seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them" (Romans 4:11). What Paul is illustrating for us is that "the promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith." (Romans 4:13). No covenant, or special dispensation, but by faith alone. And this is exactly how we receive the promises that God makes to us! Not through the law, but by the "righteousness of faith." No covenant, or special dispensation, but by faith alone! Paul goes on to tell us that if those that adhere to the law are heirs, then "faith is null and the promise of God is void."
Paul tells us plainly in verse 16, "That is why it (the promise) depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants--not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all..."
So the promises that God made to Abraham, that were counted to him as righteousness due to his faith, are ours to claim as well! Paul tells us that, "It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:24-25).
Wow!
The very same promises God made to Abraham belong to us as well. We will be reckoned by our faith in Him that raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead! What an awesome promise and an awesome glimpse as to how this prophetic vision, expressed first in the gentile Abraham, is now available to both Jew and gentile that accept the God that raised Jesus from the dead. As our faith is counted for righteousness in God so too is our faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26).
Something that illustrates this point for us and solidifies the truth of this promise made to the gentiles is the story of the tremendous faith displayed by the centurion that led to the healing of his servant in Matthew 8:5-13.
He didn't question, he just believed. He just had faith. As a result, Jesus makes an absolutely staggering comment regarding the faith of the gentiles, "I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." Matthew 8:11-12.
The promise here is obvious. The gentiles, those from the east and from the west, will sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of Heaven based on their faith and trust in Jesus Christ the Messiah while those that do not display faith in the Messiah by placing their trust in Him will be on the outside looking in.
There is much to learn from the faith of Abraham the gentile.
First the basics. Abraham was a direct descendant of Noah's son Shem. We know that the whole world was populated from the offspring of Noah. Shem we are told in Genesis 10:21 was father of all the children of Eber, who was the father of Abraham. Eber then is really the father of Hebrew nation; this means that Abraham his son was a Hebrew and not a Jew. Jews didn't come along until Abraham's great-grandson Judah began to have children of his own.
According to the Strong's Concordance the word Hebrew means: "a region across" which fits perfectly when we are told that Abraham was from Ur of the Chaldees in Genesis 11:31. The area of the Chaldees was located between the Tigris and Euphrates in what is commonly known as Mesopotamia. I'm offering all this information to point out that Abraham was a gentile, no matter how we look at it, but that's not the fascinating part. This is. That very same promises that God gave to Abraham are available to us! In fact, those promises, which were accepted by Abraham by his faith in God are the same promises we receive from God and accept by faith.
In Romans 4 Paul asks us to consider father Abraham and that his justification, if it was through works, would have given him something to boast about - but not before God. Abraham was not saved by works. Paul tells us plainly that Abraham believed God and his belief was reckoned to him as righteousness. Paul goes on to explain to us that if we work then the wages we earn are not a gift but what is due to us (Romans 4:4) whereas if we trust the one who "justifies the ungodly" then our faith is reckoned for righteousness, just like Abraham (Romans 4:5). To confirm this point Paul quotes David in the Psalms (Psalms 32:1-2).
This is getting good!
Now, Paul asks rather pointedly, "How then was it (faith) reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised?" Another way we could look at this question is this, was Abraham reckoned unto God before he was "set aside" by God or after? And the answer Paul? "It was not after, but before he was circumcised." (Romans 4:10).
What a tremendous blessing this is giving us! That God accepts our faith, even before our hearts are fully circumcised (See Romans 2:28-29) just as He did for Abraham. What a wonderful way to see the picture of God building trust with us!
Paul tells us that Abraham "received circumcision" as a sign or seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them" (Romans 4:11). What Paul is illustrating for us is that "the promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith." (Romans 4:13). No covenant, or special dispensation, but by faith alone. And this is exactly how we receive the promises that God makes to us! Not through the law, but by the "righteousness of faith." No covenant, or special dispensation, but by faith alone! Paul goes on to tell us that if those that adhere to the law are heirs, then "faith is null and the promise of God is void."
Paul tells us plainly in verse 16, "That is why it (the promise) depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants--not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all..."
So the promises that God made to Abraham, that were counted to him as righteousness due to his faith, are ours to claim as well! Paul tells us that, "It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:24-25).
Wow!
The very same promises God made to Abraham belong to us as well. We will be reckoned by our faith in Him that raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead! What an awesome promise and an awesome glimpse as to how this prophetic vision, expressed first in the gentile Abraham, is now available to both Jew and gentile that accept the God that raised Jesus from the dead. As our faith is counted for righteousness in God so too is our faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26).
Something that illustrates this point for us and solidifies the truth of this promise made to the gentiles is the story of the tremendous faith displayed by the centurion that led to the healing of his servant in Matthew 8:5-13.
He didn't question, he just believed. He just had faith. As a result, Jesus makes an absolutely staggering comment regarding the faith of the gentiles, "I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." Matthew 8:11-12.
The promise here is obvious. The gentiles, those from the east and from the west, will sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of Heaven based on their faith and trust in Jesus Christ the Messiah while those that do not display faith in the Messiah by placing their trust in Him will be on the outside looking in.
There is much to learn from the faith of Abraham the gentile.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Sorry, but that's just plain old wrong......
The following is found at Zionism on the Web:
Christian Zionism combats Christian antisemitism
There can be no more insidious or deadly train of thought as to say to someone "If you don't believe like I do then you must hate me" or "If you don't believe like I do then you must be a bigot." The above statement from Zionism on the Web bears this out. What's being said here in no uncertain terms is this: If you don't believe in Christian Zionism then you must be a racist, more specifically, antisemitic. You must be a bigot. The ignorance displayed by the above referenced statement bears this out. Yet a simple and cursory look at the Bible slices through this vitriol like a hot, two-edged sword slices through the core of men!
When Paul, a Pharisee and Benjamite states with clarity that, "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." (Galatians 3:28) then it must be concluded based on this declaration that Paul was antisemitic!
When Paul, a Pharisee and Benjamite states with clarity that, " Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they [are] not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 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." (Romans 9:6-8) then it must be concluded based on this declaration that Paul was antisemitic!
When Paul, a Pharisee and Benjamite states with clarity that, "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." and " But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." (Galatians 3:14, 22) then it must be concluded based on this declaration that Paul was antisemitic!
It must be pointed out that these promises do not come by blood but as Paul says these promises come by faith,
Romans 4: 13
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
[Cometh] this blessedness then upon the circumcision [only], or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Even more powerful is Paul's declaration that if we have faith in that which was promised to Abraham, that is Jesus Christ, then we are children of Abraham:
Galatians 3:7
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Of course, tying all of this together in a nice tight package for us is John the Baptist, who, when the religious leaders of his day insisted that the had the promise of Father Abraham by blood, were told in no uncertain terms that God the Father of all didn't need them and what's more, if He needed to, He could bring forth heirs to Abraham from stones.
Matthew 3:9
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to [our] father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
What's remarkable in all of this is that God has done just as he promised, and continues to do so to this very day! He has made a nation to rise in place of the stubborn and obstinate Children of Israel by and through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was a Jew. Jews descended from Judah, who was one of the sons of Jacob who had his name changed by God. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham. Abraham was a son Eber. Eber was one of the sons of Shem. Shem is where we derive the term "antisemite."
And I am very thankful and very blessed that this humble and gracious Jewish carpenter called me to come to Him, to abide with Him and to be a part of His Kingdom. If believing the promises of the Bible and the truths they reveal make me an antisemite, then I stand guilty as charged!
Am I shocked by any of this? No, not in the least. Fortunately, I was given a "heads-up" ahead of time before anyone ever thought of the term "Christian Zionism."
Matthew 10:22
And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Christian Zionism combats Christian antisemitism
"A significant amount of Christian antisemitism revolves around the theory of replacement theology. According to this theory Christians replaced the Jews as the chosen people, and Jews have no further role to play in gods designs. Replacement theology, described by Zionism Israel.com as "a bigoted doctrine of the medieval church" is connection with anti-Semitism and specifically the promotion of the charge of Deicide, that is the Jews are blamed for the crucifixion. This charge from the medieval church lead to numerous genocides against the Jewish people in various countries. The church has since appologied and rejected this theology. Christian Zionists are at the forefront of exposing places where this evil lingers."
Special Note: The above was taken verbatim from the above named website. All spelling/typographical errors are from the website.There can be no more insidious or deadly train of thought as to say to someone "If you don't believe like I do then you must hate me" or "If you don't believe like I do then you must be a bigot." The above statement from Zionism on the Web bears this out. What's being said here in no uncertain terms is this: If you don't believe in Christian Zionism then you must be a racist, more specifically, antisemitic. You must be a bigot. The ignorance displayed by the above referenced statement bears this out. Yet a simple and cursory look at the Bible slices through this vitriol like a hot, two-edged sword slices through the core of men!
When Paul, a Pharisee and Benjamite states with clarity that, "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." (Galatians 3:28) then it must be concluded based on this declaration that Paul was antisemitic!
When Paul, a Pharisee and Benjamite states with clarity that, " Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they [are] not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 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." (Romans 9:6-8) then it must be concluded based on this declaration that Paul was antisemitic!
When Paul, a Pharisee and Benjamite states with clarity that, "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." and " But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." (Galatians 3:14, 22) then it must be concluded based on this declaration that Paul was antisemitic!
It must be pointed out that these promises do not come by blood but as Paul says these promises come by faith,
Romans 4: 13
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
And Abraham's righteousness was counted as faith.....
[Cometh] this blessedness then upon the circumcision [only], or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Even more powerful is Paul's declaration that if we have faith in that which was promised to Abraham, that is Jesus Christ, then we are children of Abraham:
Galatians 3:7
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Of course, tying all of this together in a nice tight package for us is John the Baptist, who, when the religious leaders of his day insisted that the had the promise of Father Abraham by blood, were told in no uncertain terms that God the Father of all didn't need them and what's more, if He needed to, He could bring forth heirs to Abraham from stones.
Matthew 3:9
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to [our] father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
What's remarkable in all of this is that God has done just as he promised, and continues to do so to this very day! He has made a nation to rise in place of the stubborn and obstinate Children of Israel by and through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was a Jew. Jews descended from Judah, who was one of the sons of Jacob who had his name changed by God. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham. Abraham was a son Eber. Eber was one of the sons of Shem. Shem is where we derive the term "antisemite."
And I am very thankful and very blessed that this humble and gracious Jewish carpenter called me to come to Him, to abide with Him and to be a part of His Kingdom. If believing the promises of the Bible and the truths they reveal make me an antisemite, then I stand guilty as charged!
Am I shocked by any of this? No, not in the least. Fortunately, I was given a "heads-up" ahead of time before anyone ever thought of the term "Christian Zionism."
Matthew 10:22
And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
