“13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”
— Isaiah 28:13-16 KJV
The events of the last week in the land called Israel have certainly led to a myriad of reactions within American society, and the Church as a whole. I have purposely remained silent on this publication as the fog of war has already made many a prognosticator look like a fool with the benefit of hindsight. Perhaps my fellow countryman have forgotten about the lies surrounding the USS Maine, Pearl Harbor, the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Nayirah al-Sabah, mythical WMD’s in Iraq, or the Ghost of Kiev; I, on the other hand, have not. Already, there are many Israeli propaganda narratives that have utterly fallen apart, such as the alleged mass beheading of infants by Hamas.
(Courtesy of Et’s Cinema PsychoMasonica)
To me, what is significantly more important than being first is being correct, and even more so, truthful. I have seen far too many men of God — many of whom I once respected — call for the violent destruction of the pagan nation of Palestine; that an Old Testament-style judgement should be carried out by the physical nation of Israel; a people whom they claim are of God. Cries to “Pray for Israel” have turned into “Kill Them All!” in a matter of days. This is not just a perverse twisting of scripture to justify a modern day genocide, but it flies in the face of the clear teachings of Christ and by extension, His Apostles.
Many promises and covenants were made with the seed of Abraham, a set aside people who themselves descended from the gentile Abram. Before Abram ever made a covenant with God, he was set aside through his faith, and not the works of the flesh; a presaging of the covenant that Christ would establish through His sacrifice (Luke 22:20). This was the fulfillment of the covenant which all of the prophets foretold (Hebrews 8), such as Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:33-34), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 11:19-20), and Isaiah (Isaiah 59:21).
These promises, most pertinently seen in Genesis 12 and Genesis 17, are just as important today as they were those thousands of years ago. To whom do these promises apply, and what does that mean for those of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ? Is Israel solely a people and a physical nation, or is it a faith? I will be adding as little commentary as I possibly can, for the Word of God more than speaks for itself in this regard. This essay will be my longest one yet, as it is vitally important to present Holy Scripture in its full and proper context.
Firstly, it is crucial to establish that all of the prophets of old — inspired men of God whom the Holy Spirit spake through — foretold that the gentile nations would be blessed and reconciled to God through His son, Jesus Christ (all emphasis below is mine):
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
— 1st Epistle of Peter 1:10-11 KJV
That grace of course is the redemptive gospel of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us. This is a point Paul emphasizes as well in his letter to the Church at Rome:
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
— Epistle to the Romans 1:1-2 KJV
Indeed, Christ explicitly states this reality Himself:
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.
— Gospel of John 5:46 KJV
Despite learning at the foot of our Savior, even the Apostles did not fully understand this truth until Christ Himself opened their understanding after His resurrection:
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
— Gospel of Luke 24:44-47
Peter, filled with The Holy Ghost, once again makes this abundantly clear:
17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
— Acts of the Apostles 3:17-26
The plan for the salvation of the physical Israel, spoken of through the prophets of old, is no different than that of His Church: we all must repent, believe on Him, and call Him Lord. Paul makes this same point in his letter to the Church at Ephesus:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
— Epistle to the Ephesians 3:3-6 KJV
It is only through The Holy Spirit that this mystery of Christ was revealed unto His Apostles. There aren’t different salvation paths for different peoples: all must call Christ their King. These promises were never meant for one ethnic group alone, even under that First Covenant, which the Book of Jonah (Jonah 1:2) and the Book of Esther (Esther 8:17) make clear.
The eventual fate of the earthly kingdom of Israel was foretold by John the Baptist:
7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin 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.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
— Gospel of Luke 3:7-9 KJV
Christ too likens the eventual fate of the physical Israel to the tree that refuses to bear good fruit:
6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
— Gospel of Luke 13:6-9 KJV
This concept is further expounded upon by Christ when he speaks to the Pharisees:
33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
— Gospel of Matthew 21:33-45 KJV
The Pharisees understood quite clearly what Christ meant, and it truly speaks to the decrepit state of the Church that most of us now do not. Paul too likens the believer to the husbandry, or the fruits, of God:
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
— 1st Epistle to the Corinthians 3:6-9 KJV
Now the following verse is often brought forth as proof by Dispensationalists that these distinctions have not been done away with within the Kingdom of God:
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
— 1st Epistle to the Corinthians 10:32 KJV
Now if their interpretation of the above verse is the correct one, why would Paul distinctly point out the “Israel after the flesh” earlier in that same chapter?
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
— 1st Epistle to the Corinthians 10:15-18
Now in the physical realm there are certainly still the plain distinctions between those who call themselves Jews, the unbelievers (Gentiles), and those who profess Christ as savior (the Church of God). However, those distinctions are of an earthly sort; they are clearly not applied to the spiritual Body of Christ, which every believer is a part of. Paul makes this abundantly clear just two chapters later in this same letter:
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
— 1st Epistle to the Corinthians 12:12-14
Within the full context of both the chapter and the epistle as whole, it is clear that this is a fleshly distinction maintained by those outside of the Church, as we are all of one body in Christ Jesus. Paul’s teaching is not some new doctrine of his own making, it is merely a clarification and expounding upon of what Christ had already taught:
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
— Gospel of Matthew 12:46-50 KJV
Quite simply put, it is those who do the will of the Father that are of the family of Christ.
Now if the Dispensationalists are correct in their interpretation of I Corinthians 10:32, how does that square with the clear reading of the following verses?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
— Epistle to the Romans 2:28-29 KJV
Throughout the letter to the Church at Rome, this point is made again and again:
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
— Epistle to the Romans 4:11-12 KJV
It is through that same faith, which Abraham demonstrated while yet uncircumcised, that we are made the sons of God:
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
— Epistle to the Romans 8:6-16 KJV
This is made even more clear by Paul in the following chapter:
6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 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.
— Epistle to the Romans 9:6-8 KJV
Not all of those who claim to be of the carnal Israel are of the Israel of God, for the LORD has cut those natural branches off:
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes.
— Epistle to the Romans 11:15-28 KJV
This evocative analogy hearkens to Christ’s own parables on this same subject. That said, a vital distinction and point is made by Paul here. The Jews, or the Israel of the Flesh, are not forever cut off. They can be grafted into the Kingdom once again, but as Christ also states, they must first recognize him as their Lord:
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
— Gospel of Matthew 23:37-39 KJV
In addition to the letter to the Church at Rome, Paul’s letter to the Church at Ephesus further clarifies this very clear doctrine spoken of by the prophets of old:
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
— Epistle to the Ephesians 2:8-22 KJV
Peter too makes this same point: that we who are in Christ are His holy nation, living stones in the spiritual house of God, sanctified by the shedding of Christ’s blood on the Cross:
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
— 1st Epistle of Peter 2:4-10 KJV
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul once more makes this point more than clear for us:
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
— Epistle to the Galatians 3:5-9 KJV
Again, it is made manifestly clear by Paul that the scriptures and the prophets foretold of that coming day when the gentiles of the flesh would be made the children of God. We who are of the faith are blessed with Abraham, a point made even more explicit at the end of this same chapter:
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 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.
29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
— Epistle to the Galatians 3:24-29 KJV
Not only are we blessed like faithful Abraham, but we are of his seed, and heirs according to those same promises:
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
— Epistle to the Galatians 4:6-7 KJV
As Paul expounds upon this in later chapters, it is those who walk in that same faith, the one true faith, that are the Israel of God:
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
— Epistle to the Galatians 6:15-16 KJV
The Israel of God are those who call him Lord and walk in faith, thereby being made heirs to the promise. It is simply not germane to build doctrines that hinge upon a myopic reading of a solitary verse, all whilst ignoring the parts of the very chapter and epistle that refute that same notion. It should be manifestly clear by this point that using I Corinthians 10:32 to justify this ongoing distinction between the Church of God and the Israel of God is not only fallacious, but it forces one to ignore vast swathes of very clear scripture; from the words of Paul, to Peter, to John, and most importantly, Jesus Christ.
The promises of Genesis 12 & 17 to Abraham are not only partially fulfilled through Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16), but they are also given to us as seeds and heirs of that same promise (Galatians 3:29). ALL of the prophets — from the beginning of the world — prophesied of this glorious reality where all the nations of Earth would worship the risen Messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The same mistake being made today was the mistake being made by the Pharisees, Judeans, and even for a time the Apostles: the promises and prophesies of the coming Kingdom were interpreted through a carnal lens. Without The Holy Spirit, it was impossible for the fleshly Israel to understand that these prophesies were of a spiritual nature.
The Church of God is not the replacement of Israel:
It is the FULFILLMENT.
“8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
— Epistle to the Galatians 1:8-9 KJV
This idea that Christ’s Church and the Israel of God are somehow separate entities is a rather old line of thinking made new again. This fallacious belief was one of the most pernicious problems that plagued the early Church, which is why so many epistles and Apostles touch on the subject. This misguided and false doctrine was introduced into the modern Church by Nelson Darby, as well as Cyrus I. Scofield: the progenitors of Dispensationalism. A proper analysis and refutation of these men’s seriously misguided, if not outright heretical, doctrine is outside of the scope of this article. It is one I will be addressing at length at a later date, for this poisonous Zionist fruit lies at the heart of so many problems that now plague Christ’s Bride.
What is to be said then of modern day Israel, both of the flesh and the nation? The same that is to be said of any peoples or person who denies Christ:
22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
— 1st Epistle of John 2:22 KJV
How much worse then are those who not only deny Him, but preach utterly vile things about our Lord such as this:
Onkelos then went and raised Jesus the Nazarene from the grave through necromancy. Onkelos said to him: Who is most important in that world where you are now? Jesus said to him: The Jewish people. Onkelos asked him: Should I then attach myself to them in this world? Jesus said to him: Their welfare you shall seek, their misfortune you shall not seek, for anyone who touches them is regarded as if he were touching the apple of his eye.
Onkelos said to him: What is the punishment of that man, a euphemism for Jesus himself, in the next world? Jesus said to him: He is punished with boiling excrement. As the Master said: Anyone who mocks the words of the Sages will be sentenced to boiling excrement. And this was his sin, as he mocked the words of the Sages. The Gemara comments: Come and see the difference between the sinners of Israel and the prophets of the nations of the world. As Balaam, who was a prophet, wished Israel harm, whereas Jesus the Nazarene, who was a Jewish sinner, sought their well-being.
That is but a small sample of the truly damnable blasphemies hurled at our Savior by the carnal Israel in their Talmud, which almost every sect of Judaism holds in higher regard than the Torah.
I ask my brothers and sisters in Christ who yet cling to Scofield’s doctrine: do you truly think God will bless a people who preach the most abominable heresies imaginable about His Son? That He would bless a people such as this?
- Homosexuality Is Part of Jewish Tradition
- Welcome to Tel Aviv, the gayest city on earth
- Is Tel Aviv the gay capital of the world?
- Tel Aviv, ‘Gay Capital Of The Middle East,’ Welcomes Return Of Pride Celebration June 8th-12th
- ‘Abortion access is a Jewish value’: Reaction to Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade
- Abortion is a Jewish value and should be safeguarded – National Council of Jewish Women
- The 8 Genders of the Talmud
- What the Torah Teaches Us About Gender Fluidity and Transgender Justice
- More Than Just Male and Female: The Six Genders in Ancient Jewish Thought
If those who bless “Israel” will be blessed, and if those who curse them will be cursed, answer me this: is America better off after pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into this foreign land? Is our country currently harvesting fruits of blessing, or are these fruits cursed? By any objective standard, America has not been blessed by their alliance with the pagan nation of Israel. This alone refutes the insipid notion that a nation or people must be lauded no matter their sins or their blasphemies.
I ask my brothers and sisters in Christ, who is the Synagogue of Satan spoken of by our Lord if not this carnal and pagan Israel?
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
— Revelations 2:9 KJV
9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
— Revelations 3:9 KJV
It truly beggars belief to suggest that this country is somehow imbued by God with a divine mandate to wipe away the Gazans from their shores. The physical Kingdom of Israel was destroyed for far less severe blasphemies than the ones we see on display within its synagogues and streets on a weekly basis.
So should we as the Church pray for the pagan nation of Israel?
Yes, of course.
But that prayer is no different than the prayers that should be prayed for any pagan land that refuses to acknowledge Christ as the Risen King: that they would repent, humble themselves before their Messiah, and believe on Him for everlasting life.
“If you call a synagogue a brothel, a den of vice, the Devil’s refuge, Satan’s fortress, a place to deprave the soul, an abyss of every conceivable disaster or whatever you will, you are still saying LESS than it deserves.”
— Saint Jerome of Stridon
Further Research
The gospel of dispensationalism by Max Wang
The Power of Symbols by Scipio Eruditus
Yes, but it could be just more fearporn. Do nuclear weapons really exist, or could the reason their threat is mentioned so often be only to instill fear on the population? The way Hiroshima and Nagasaki have bounced back, creates doubts as to nuclear bombs having been dropped there. More than likely they were firebombed.
You are correct Anon, nukes are a fantastical hoax on par with the Apollo missions. If these evil bastards had neutron and hydrogen bombs, they would have used them on us already.
https://dfreality.substack.com/p/the-coincidence-zone-atomic-edition
https://dfreality.substack.com/p/the-coincidence-zone-atomic-edition-931
https://dfreality.substack.com/p/the-coincidence-zone-atomic-edition-1ec
Scipio,
Sincere question:
Can you explain Rev7. Who are these 12 tribes to be sealed first before the great tribulation and harm can be brought upon this earth in judgement, why need they be sealed?
The 12 tribes are the “firstfruits” also spoken of in Ch14 of Rev. These are actual Hebrew people, each one with a genealogy tied to the corresponding tribe of their fulfillment*. God is fulfilling His Word with these 144,000 (a rather small remnant if you ask me – but rarity does impart value). This Nation was the people of His choosing and have borne the oracles and the traditions and He has preserved a remnant in them even if they have denied their Messiah and defiled their inheritance. I believe that these 144,000 are actually in the Land of Israel. God fulfills His commitment to both the Land and the Nation this way. They are sealed against the destruction/desolation which is about to take place in that Land. That prophecy can be further studied by way of Ezekiel 9 and 10. Its hard for me to type all this because I have buckets of information and the answer would be to long to read in a thread. For brevity I tried to give the most essential facts.
* I personally believe that many if not all of these don’t even know they have the inheritance of firstfruits. But that fact is irrelevant. People get crazy with ego and entitlement……any of this if actually “pure and following the Lamb wherever He goes” will not be elitist braggarts. We are servants not better or worse than the one we serve or whomever serves us. There are 2 stations and 2 alone: God and the everything He created!
Thanks, Does God keep all of His commitments or just some of them depending on behavior? Being Gods chosen people sounds more like a curse than a blessing. I mean, given free will and all.
I’m just thinking what a bummer it would be if you thought you were one of those 144,ooo and you didn’t get your card pulled. Be pretty damn upsetting.
Although I understand you are being sarcastic in asking this I respond by saying God keeps ALL of His commitments but He commits also to mercy and grace wherein He honors Himself: His very name. NO created being can begin to conceive the mind of GOD. He cannot be tricked or stopped or told what to do. The highest order of angels in heaven are having constant revelation of the depths of HIS holiness as they cry out over and again “Holy, Holy, Holy”.
.
Did you really sit down with “god” and he explained all that to you? Or could it be your interpretation of some scriptures than in reality you don’t understand?
It’s all bullshit.
Honestly, I’m still working through my own proper study of Revelations, unclouded by some of these aberrant ideas that have crept up during the last century. So I don’t have a firm answer for you, more my general thoughts on the matter.
If this is describing a future event, I think interpreting this imagery in a literal manner is not necessarily the correct one, although I don’t discount that Chapter 7 could be describing a physical happening. There is clearly prophetic imagery, symbolism and spiritual imagery used throughout the book – the seven stars being angels for instance (Rev. 1:20). If these were all literal, physical happenings, John wouldn’t have to ask what these visions meant; he would have just understood them.
Not that the events won’t literally happen – it’s not all an allegory – but there is a great deal of symbolism within the book and it’s difficult to truly discern what is a physical happening and what is a spiritual happening. For instance, I haven’t found a pastor yet who interprets the beasts from Revelation 9:7-11 in a literal manner. These beasts are clearly spiritual entities given their general descriptions, and that Apollyon, or Satan, rules over them.
Many of the OT prophecies about the Kingdom of God were interpreted through that physical lens. That is why the Jewish people did not recognize their Messiah when he came since they thought He would be instituting a physical kingdom. This is contrary to Christ’s own words on the subject: “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” (John 18:36)
There also isn’t a literal flow of events within the book, which makes any timeline of these happenings even harder to discern. The angel bearing God’s seal orders the angels holding back the winds in chapter 7 to “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” But the earth and the sea are clearly damaged in Revelations 6:14 “And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”, as well as Revelations 16:20 “Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.”
The major issue I see with a futurist interpretation of the sealing of the 144,000 male, Jewish virgins in a physical sense is this: who is even of these tribes in the modern age? With the diaspora and bloodlines being so convoluted, how would one even know they were a member of that tribe now? Indeed, this question of who are the members of these tribes becomes even harder to discern when you factor in the huge amount of crypto-Jews throughout history:
Hope that helps.
Excellent. There are many ways to exegete the same conclusions, because, as the the author mentions, they are broad themes throughout the Bible. I enjoy reading different ways to use scripture to make the same conclusions that are really clear if you bother to do a little work.
Obviously this is an article most Christians in the USA need to read, but they won’t because they enjoy being locked behind the gates to truth.
I concur k31… a most excellent dissertation indeed…
Unfortunately, many in Christendom today still hold fast to the belief that the nation of Israel is still somehow favored by Yahweh, despite still denying Yeshua to this day…
Old Man Abraham would be GREATLY disappointed at his offspring, whom prefer to nestle at the very bosom of Babylon the Great herself (USA)…
I don’t know about that, what passes for Christian in these days makes Khazars look like saints. Religious folks are all the same, completely full of shit
😃 💯 👍
Thanks k31. It is truly shocking to me how the crystal clear words of our Savior can be so misconstrued, particularly within the fundamentalist denominations. What is so hard to understand about this?:
“Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” (Matthew 21:43)
It would be much better for you if you applied your critical thinking skills to the religious arena as well. Religion/spirituality is an intrinsical part of the matrix of control that enslaves the human race. Christianity is no exception.
Why don’t you listen to your own savior’s words in the gospels when he told his apostles that the kingdom was coming back then 2,000 years ago? That’s the only reason he sent them to announce its pending arrival. You’re not being honest with yourself by cherry picking some scriptures and ignoring the ones that don’t fit your theology. You are fooling yourself! Does that make any sense?
At the end of that class Demian said to me thoughtfully: “There’s something I don’t like about this story, Sinclair. Why don’t you read it once more and give it the acid test? There’s something about it that doesn’t taste right. I mean the business with the two thieves. The three crosses standing next to each other on the hill are almost impressive, to be sure. But now comes this sentimental little treatise about the good thief. At first he was a thorough scoundrel, had committed all those awful things and God knows what else, and now he dissolves in tears and celebrates such a tearful feast of self-improvement and remorse! What’s the sense of repenting if you’re two steps from the grave? I ask you. Once again, it’s nothing but a priest’s fairy tale, saccharine and dishonest, touched up with sentimentality and given a high edifying background. If you had to pick a friend from between the two thieves or decide which one you’d rather trust, you most certainly wouldn’t choose the sniveling convert. No, the other fellow, he’s a man of character. He doesn’t give a hoot for ‘conversion’, which to a man in his position can’t be anything but a pretty speech. He follows his destiny to its appointed end and does not turn coward and forswear the devil, who has aided and abetted him until then. He has character, and people with character tend to receive the short end of the stick in biblical stories. Perhaps he’s even a descendant of Cain. Don’t you agree?”
I was dismayed. Until now I had felt completely at home in the story of the Crucifixion. Now I saw for the first time with how little individuality, with how little power of imagination I had listened to it and read it. Still, Demian’s new concept seemed vaguely sinister and threatened to topple beliefs on whose continued existence I felt I simply had to insist. No, one could not make light of everything, especially not of the most Sacred matters.
As usual he noticed my resistance even before I had said anything.
“I know,” he said in a resigned tone of voice, “it’s the same old story: don’t take these stories seriously! But I have to tell you something: this is one of the very places that reveals the poverty of this religion most distinctly. The point is that this God of both Old and New Testaments is certainly an extraordinary figure but not what he purports to represent. He is all that is good, noble, fatherly, beautiful, elevated, sentimental—true! But the world consists of something else besides. And what is left over is ascribed to the devil, this entire slice of world, this entire half is hushed up. In exactly the same way they praise God as the father of all life but simply refuse to say a word about our sexual life on which it’s all based, describing it whenever possible as sinful, the work of the devil. I have no objection to worshiping this God Jehovah, far from it. But I mean we ought to consider everything sacred, the entire world, not merely this artificially separated half! Thus alongside the divine service we should also have a service for the devil. I feel that would be right. Otherwise you must create for yourself a God that contains the devil too and in front of which you needn’t close your eyes when the most natural things in the world take place.” ― Hermann Hesse, Demian
Upvotes destined for Hell; DVs to Heaven. Heh.
“Jehovah represents all that is good, noble, fatherly, beautiful, elevated, sentimental”
Really, in which bible is that?
In the one I’ve read, being one of the many elohim, Jehovah/Yahweh is a violent psycho who indiscriminately murders people in droves. Commiting genocide against entire nations made up of supposedly his own children. Men, women, babies and animals alike. Truly a wonderful, just, and loving god!
Your on the right track. Jehovah is not the creator God most people think he is. He is only one of the negative Gods of the lower worlds. He is not the God that created Soul and the true God worlds. This is documented in the Shariyat -Ki-Sugmad. Never the less, he is all powerful on earth and the administer of Karma.
You are sure. An elohim to be more exact.
“Soul? Documented ? All religion and spirituality are nothing but bullshit designed to deceive, distract, and divide the gullible masses. You are completely lost in your mental masturbation. Time to wake up!
Why does Paul say not to be ashamed of the Gospel? Because to common sensibilities it is scandalous! It is scandalous that through faith alone all sins can be forgiven a thief on a cross just before he dies, but this is the grace and mercy of God.
All the answers to your questions and criticisms are addressed in the scriptures. For example there is nothing sinful in the marital bed of a husband and wife according to the scripture, so that criticism is not even valid unless you want to defend adultery.
It’s scandalous because saul encouraged foolishness as wisdom
WOW! very clearly articulated and absolutely inspired! I didn’t realize that there were any people left out there that understood sound doctrine and interpretation of the Word of GOD. ( I don’t mean that in a condescending way but in a heartbroken and longing way) Thank you for writing this and what a joy to see so much scripture in an article! The statement that this Church of GOD (the remnant-as I like to call us) is the fulfillment of Israel had my heart singing a hosanna💚💚💚💚
I’m so thankful for this discourse at this time!
GLORY TO GOD THE MOST HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GLORY TO THE BRAINWASHED AND INDOCTRINATED MORONS BELIEVING IN ALL THAT HOGWASH! REEEEEEE
The Church is Israel, those people over in the ME are the Christ haters of old, all of them.
Good Luck
Thank you! I can’t take credit, it’s the LORD who has opened my eyes to His Truth. I grew up in a household and in churches where this was not what I was taught, and I simply could not square this doctrine with the clear words of Christ and His Apostles. It has taken me much study, with the Bible alone, to unlearn these false ideas.
Only now do I realize from whence the poisonous fruit of Dispensationalism was birthed, and why it has been so damaging to the Body of Christ.
It’s so funny how you all allow yourselves to be divided with religious bullshit by TPTB. 😆
It’s your own mind that is deluding you with your wishful thinking. 😆
The Hebrews knew nothing about spirituality or life after death. Neither did their descendants, the ancient Israelites. It was a foreign concept to them.
The Old Testament has absolutely nothing to do with “God”. It is a mistranslation from the plural word Elohim. Each nation had their own elohim to follow.
The Old Testament was mistranslated by the church fathers and theologians in order to give it a spiritual meaning where none existed.
TPTB have been deceiving humanity with religion throughout history. It has been a very important part of their matrix of control.
For a literal translation of the Old Testament, check out Mauro Biglino’s Gods of the Bible.
The Old Testament is about Jesus.
Hahahahahah 😄😆😅🤣😂
i,ve read gods of the bible, it is good but his naked bible i believe is better, the god botherers
won,t read any of it, interferes with their indoctrination, same with the rig vedas the oldest
written word, which was written down from oral tradition 7,000 years ago this oral history
dates back possibly 100,000 years no one knows, but it is uncanny how much of it can be
found in the bible, the gods fought a war and lost, satan aka yahweh won and has control
of the physical/material realm the gnostics call him the ‘demiurge’, anyone who has read the
translated Sumerian tablets know him as enlil
👍 The first one I read is titled The Bible is not a sacred book. Pure gold!
“The Old Testament was mistranslated”
Isn’t that a hate crime in Canada?
Jews are the most evil people on earth, and Israel needs to be destroyed.
Their elite for sure. But they’re not the only ones. They have conterparts all over the world.
I used to work with a guy who was both a Jew and a Free Mason. He used to laugh about how much contempt the Jews had for the Christians. He said that the Jews wrote the New Testament as a tool to control the goy. They wanted to control them, and created Christianity to do it. He said we have been pulling your strings for thousands of years…. I think he was probably telling the truth…
You mean “Those who say they are Jews and are not Jews but are the synagogue of Satan” (shaitan/ego), Zionists/Babylonian Talmudists/sons of perdition.
Satanists are self-centered. Every Satanist works for himself (Me to Self/MtS), while the children of the Most High work for others/the community “From Me to Others” (Me to Others/MtO).
When I talk about community I mean the communion of the children of the Most High and not this sour cake called communism.
Satan is an invention of the church fathers to instill fear in the gullible. Therefore there’s no satanism. You quote from the bible, which is a collection of scriptures put together by evil men desiring to enslave and exploit the ignorant masses.
satanism is occasionally real, it’s just another abrahamic religion.
I don’t doubt it one bit. The proof is in the pudding. But the rabitt hole goes deeper. They serve another class at the cuspid of the pyramid of power.
The sign of the abomination is the very star contained in the flag of Israel, which is said to be David’s and is not David’s own, but rather the greatest symbol of David’s own enemies.
Interesting comment.
Star of David
Meaning
There are several interpretations of the meaning of the Star of David.
History
While the exact origins of the symbol’s relation to Jewish identity are unknown, a popular folk story tells that the Star of David is literally modeled after the shield of the young Israelite warrior David (later to be King David).
Is the star mentioned in the Bible? No.
Modern Usage
The Magen David Adom emblem
The Star of David continues to be a heroic symbol for many modern Jews, and it has been adopted on the flag of Israel with the creation of the modern State of Israel in 1948.
I appreciate a man who appreciates scripture. The entire point of the piece written seems to be to cast a shadow on dispensational Bible study in relation to “dispensationalists” in support of the state of Israel. You’ve run into a problem by lumping all dispensationalists into one “pro-Israel” group however. As a mid-Acts dispensationalist, I understand that the current nation of Israel is the worlds anti-christ nation, (I do not support them) so your understanding of dispensationalism need some fine tuning given that…
1 Cor 9:17… “For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.”
…a dispensation of the gospel did God give to the Apostle Paul and as believers we should be aware of it.
Scripture must be examined in context, always.
“Again it shall greatly help thee to understand scripture, if thou mark, not only what is spoken or written, but of whom, and unto whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goeth before and what followeth after.” Miles Coverdale, in 1535… (that’s a long time ago, well before Darby and Scofield).
Most people, author included, divide scripture between old and new testament sections of the Bible. This is problematic, as scripture must be divided three ways… 1) time past, 2) but now, and 3) ages to come. Knowing where we are on the time-line of scripture, from the books of Genesis to Revelation, allows us far greater insight then whether or not we are reading from the old or new testaments as decided by publishers. Failure here leads to confusion and it’s confusion the saved are called to clear up.
Philipians 1:27… “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”
First, let’s look at where the new testament might actually begin. Can it begin in Matthew 1 with the birth of Jesus, where the Bible publishers would place it? Scripture testifies otherwise.
Hebrews 9:15-17… “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.”
The new testament can only begin at Christ’s death on the cross. Seeing as this is a scripturally accurate starting point, can it be possible that Jesus was teaching new testament doctrine during His earthly ministry? No, He taught the old testament law. He taught it as it was meant to be applied in fact, with mercy. For example: the woman taken in adultery.
John 8:5-7… “Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
Notice, Jesus did not say, “do not stone her” as that is what the law required. His far greater answer, knowing what the whole of the law teaches, love and mercy, catches the Pharisees in their own trap and they hate Him all the more.
My point, Jesus teachings follow perfectly the old testament law and when one quotes them as instructions for believers today, they are being quoted out of context. We are certainly not old testament believers! Today (BUT NOW) we are not under the law, we are under grace.
Rom 6:14-15… ” For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are NOT UNDER THE LAW, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are NOT UNDER THE LAW, but under grace? God forbid.”
Which almost brings us to the “but now” time period we are currently living in. But first, how did we get there? What changed? The words “but now” indicate a change of some sort. Back when the OT was in effect the law was in effect. During Christs earthly ministry in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the law was in effect. As God changes the ways He deals with mankind over time, things started to change in early Acts; the new testament began but had a short life! The people in the early Acts period were Jews, believing Jews.
The first thing the Jewish 11 did was replace Jewish Judas with Jewish Mathias restoring the number of Jewish disciples to 12 to fit the 12 tribes of Israel, one for each.
Acts 1:26… “And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”
The Acts 2 scene is set with Jews from every nation come to celebrate Pentecost, dwelling in Jerusalem.
Acts 2:5… “And there were dwelling at Jerusalem JEWS, devout men, OUT OF EVERY NATION under heaven.”
The 12 began to speak in languages other than their own native tongues; or, at least those gathered together heard their own individual languages being spoken. They become confused and Peter addresses them all.
Acts 2:14-16… “But Peter, standing up with the eleven (that would make 12, Paul is not one of the 12), lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of JUDEA, and all ye that dwell at JERUSALEM, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;”
The Jewish prophet Joel writes of the last days; the days just prior to Gods wrath being poured out on an unbelieving nation and greater world. Really bad things are soon to happen (but didn’t). Peter preaches a murder indictment to these gathered Jews.
Acts 2:22-23… “Ye men of ISRAEL, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:”
The Jews were pricked in their hearts and their reply is, “what shall we do?” Peter answers…
Acts 2:38-40… “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the REMISSION of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.”
That would be an untoward generation of Jews. Peter is clearly addressing Jews here. The “all that are afar off” are those to whom the promises were made, Jews who for whatever reason couldn’t make the trip to Jerusalem for pentecost. Fast forward to Acts 3 where Peter and John go into the TEMPLE. The temple is a Jewish place. These are believing JEWS. More prophesy is fulfilled, the lame man leaps as in Isaiah 36 and the people (Jews) gather round in amazement. Peter preaches murder indictment number two…
Acts 3:13-15… ” The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.”
And again offers the remedy…
Acts 3:19-21… “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”
When will their sins be blotted out? When the times of refreshing shall come from the PRESENCE of the Lord. Christ is currently up in Heaven with the Father, He’s not here. Their sins will be “blotted out” at Christs second coming, the restitution of all things (the end of Revelation, the coming Kingdom); at this time their sins are only “remitted”, like cancer goes into “remission”. I’m just reading and believing the words of scripture.
Critical verse here: Peter is sharing something SPOKEN since the world began. Prophesy has been spoken since Genesis chapter three. There is something God kept hidden since BEFORE the world began that we as Bible students MUST account for and nearly nobody does; and here we find our “but now”…
Rom 16:25-27… “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to MY GOSPEL, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the MYSTERY, which was KEPT SECRET since the world began, BUT NOW is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets (Paul is a prophet writing scripture), according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to ALL NATIONS (not just Israel) for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.”
A thing that was spoken is different than a thing that was hidden. My four year old granddaughter understands this. Adults refuse to, they love their religion. Things that are different however, cannot be the same. If Peter is referencing something spoken and Paul is referencing something hidden, they simply cannot be referencing the same things.
Looking back again to Acts chapter 7, Stephen preaches ultimate condemnation to the Jewish national leaders while his countenance was lit up with Holy Ghost power. Jesus warned them that blasphemy against the Father and the Son would be tolerated, but blasphemy against the Holy Ghost would not. Before Stephen is murdered and thus the Holy Ghost blasphemed, he sees Jesus STANDING on Gods right hand, ready to return in wrath, thus fulfilling exactly what the prophet Joel reported.
Except, He didn’t return in that way. Rather, He appeared to the Apostle Paul and gave a new set of instructions, a new dispensation, a new gospel. The gospel of the circumcision (Peters gospel) come to an end; the gospel of the uncircumcision (Pauls gospel) begun.
Gal 2:7-9… “But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.”
This is why Paul warns of men and angels preaching another gospel which is not another as both revolve around Christ. Those that troubles the Galatian believers are meddling Jews who would put them back under the law. Peter, James and John right here agree with Paul that they should stay with the Jews (circumcision) and that he and Barnabas should go to the heathen, us.
Gal 1:6-9… “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
Instead of needing to go through the nation Israel to get a blessing from God as in Genesis 12:1-3, (the gospel of Abraham, Gal 3:8) as that’s where blessings came from, both Jew and Gentile can now go to God directly via faith in Christs shed blood. God turned the worst crime in human history on its head and made it the greatest thing that ever happened to humanity! While Peter rightly preaches murder indictments, Paul glories in the cross!
Gal 6:14-15… “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”
Notice; circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing any longer. Circumcision, in time past, used to mean a great deal. Those who place their faith in Jesus Christ in this dispensation are an entirely new creature!
Our current time period “BUT NOW” happened because prophesy was delayed, put on hold, in order that God might show His amazing and very long suffering grace to this fallen world rather than destroy it outright when He had every right to. He also defeated satan utterly in so doing. satan knew he was going to lose the earth but he thought his future was secure in heaven. Not so. Paul writes…
1 Cor 2:7-8… “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
The above verse also defines the mystery as hidden wisdom. It was hidden so as to destroy satan from both heaven and earth; as well as to save us unworthy bastards. Had satan known it, the Lord would not have been crucified. BUT NOW is a time period of NEITHER Jew NOR Gentile.
Gal 3:28… “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.”
It is a time of NO COVENANTS between man and God. It is a time of FREELY offered (non-covenantal) grace.
Rom 5:15-19… “But not as the offense, so also is the FREE GIFT. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the GIFT BY GRACE, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the GIFT: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the FREE GIFT is of many offenses unto justification. For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the FREE GIFT came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
Covenants are if/then situations. IF (Jews) follow the law, THEN will God bless. A freely offered gift is the opposite of that. A gift is simply a gift. The gospel that saves today is not “repent and be baptized for the remission of sin”… I don’t want my sin remitted, I want it forgiven! The gospel today is…
1 Cor 15:1-4… “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”
Col 2:6-15… “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, HAVING FORGIVEN YOU ALL TRESPASSES; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
Religion is the philosophy of men. Be careful not to confuse todays good news with good news for others. There is a day coming…
Rom 2:16… “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to MY GOSPEL.”
Gods next judgement is held in regard to His freely offered grace, accepted, or not.
In the AGES TO COME we see God once again dealing with the world in terms of Jew and Gentile. All throughout the HEBREW epistles we see Jew and Gentile mentioned. For that reason alone we must realize they are vastly different from Pauls letters with the exception of a few chapters he directed at Jews. While both center around the cross, the promises are different. The Hebrew believers are promised a new covenant; heaven come to earth in the form of a new city, the new JERUSALEM, the BRIDE of Christ (Rev 21). The new covenant/testament is not given to believers today; if we believe the Bible it is given to Hebrews in the book of Hebrews and beyond.
Heb 8:6-12… “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the HOUSE OF ISRAEL and with the HOUSE OF JUDAH: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the HOUSE OF ISRAEL after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
Future new testament/covenant believers will be empowered to follow the law. That is Gods grace shown towards them. Note carefully, He does not do it for their sakes, but for His names sake!
Ezekiel 36:21-28… “But I had pity for mine holy name, which the HOUSE OF ISRAEL had profaned AMONG THE HEATHEN, whither they went. Therefore say unto the HOUSE OF ISRAEL, thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and THE HEATHEN SHALL KNOW that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
Clearly, they are not walking in His statutes and keeping His judgements today. That generation which shall not pass will be resurrected and they will receive that which was promised to them as it was promised to them.
1 John 3:9… “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
Can you lay claim to such promises? Believers today are not these people. None of this is happening. Sin abounds the world over! God made no covenants with Gentile nations and Gentiles have not magically become Jews. God has no covenant with America. He has given us no land. He did give land to believing Israel however, and one day they will get it. Not today, as this current Israel is the synagogue of satan, counterfeit Israel following the counterfeit god, stirring up a world of trouble.
Compare…
1 John 3:7… “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.”
with…
Rom 3:10… “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”
These verses say the opposite thing. In the first we have righteous people, in the second, we have none. Both verses are true, just not at the same time. In this dispensation God has concluded ALL as unrighteous that He might have mercy upon all equally.
Rom 11:32… “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.”
So be careful, if you want to be correct and truthful. Some dispensationalists may very well have fallen for zionist lies. All of us have not. Your covenant theology is badly flawed by taking scripture way out of context, not realizing who is addressing whom, how, when, in what ways, etc., as Miles Coverdale asserted long before Darby and Scofield confused you. To offer point by point criticism is not in the scope of this four hour report on basic right division, basic mid-Acts dispensationalism. God Himself sets the rules, not us. Our job is to study the scriptures to see what He would have us understand in our own time, in our own place.
Time past. Genesis – Acts. What God DID with Israel. Jew – Gentile.
But now. Romans – Philemon. What God is DOING with the body of Christ. Neither Jew nor Gentile.
Ages to come. Hebrews – Revelation. What God WILL DO with Israel. Jew – Gentile.
We must know where we are to understand scripture fully. Check it and see.
So the words of Christ, the pre-Acts books, don’t apply to the Church?
That is vile heresy of the highest order.
“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”
1 Timothy 6:3-5 KJV
The question to ask is which church do you mean? If you’re talking about the Jerusalem church, yes, Christs words are instructions directly to them. If you’re talking about the church the body of Christ, no, the “red letters” are not body instructions. Jesus sent Paul to instruct the body.
Yes, ALL scripture is profitable but not all scripture is for us to follow.
You should be careful what you call “vile heresy”. It happens to be the truth. You just don’t know it yet.
“Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent The-oph´ilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.”
Luke 1:1-4 KJV
Is Theophilus a Jewish name now? 😂
(I know you’ll evade this question too, but hint: It’s not)
Literally nothing you have said is true. No, what you are peddling is not truth: it is revolting heresy; it utter is chaos; it is pure confusion; and it is disorder of the highest intellectual magnitude.
Truly, I pity you and despite your denigration of Christ’s words, I will pray for you.
It never ceases to amaze me just how nasty some folks can get when their beliefs are challenged. Literally, everything I’ve said is true. The words on the pages do not lie, I’m just showing them in an unfamiliar light.
Is Theophilus a Jewish name? I don’t know.
Perhaps it’s not Bible instruction you need, rather English lessons.
Writes our apostle Paul…
Romans 15:8 KJB… “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:”
(FYI… Circumcision = Jew)
Romans 15:16 KJB… “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.”
One day you’re gonna give new meaning to the saying “truth hurts”.
Hey, I have an idea. Let’s do a little test to see if I’m right. Read this here verse…
Matthew 15:24 KJB… “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Question: to whom was Jesus sent?
If your answer is anything other then “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” you need English lessons.
Andddd you evaded the question, just like I knew you would.
It’s Greek by the way. You know like, a gentile.
All you have is single verses taken wildly out of context. You have barely quoted more than two verses in succession. Any false teacher can string verses together to make the Bible say whatever they want, which is clearly the case here. The letters and epistles in their full context utterly refute you.
I’m not buying the spiritual poison you’re selling, and I’m done arguing with heretics. You’ve already wasted enough of my brain cells.
I answered your silly question with the words “I don’t know”. You yourself then evaded mine. I kept it real simple too, just one verse, and all I asked you to do was read it. I intentionally left context and nuance out so as not to confuse you further. Are you a wacky leftie loon, as all you can seem to do is accuse me of exactly what it is you are doing?
You missed that big post I wrote? No, you just didn’t read it. You should.
Wait, now I’m confused. Am I just quoting single verses out of context or am I stringing multiple verses together?
Talk about wasted brain cells.
Anyway, I’ll pray for you too and hope you know at least this much…
Romans 5:8 KJB… “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
1 Cor 15:1-4… “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, IF ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
Colossians 1:21-23….
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23 IF ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
These ‘if’s imply a contract/covenant do they not?
The first if references whether or not a person is believing the correct information for salvation in this dispensation. If you are believing (keeping in memory) that Christ died for your sins according to the scriptures, was buried and was raised again according to the scriptures, you are saved. I don’t see a covenant agreement there, I see recognition of a fact. Or not…
The second if references ones walk in Christ; being presented holy, unblamable, unreproovable in the Fathers sight if we continue in the faith Paul was shown, grounded and settled in the knowledge thereof. The verse preceding tells us we are now reconciled with the Father! I don’t see that as a condition for salvation either. If we waver in our faith might there be blame, might we become somewhat reproovable; that’s a topic could be opened up for discussion. Paul does indeed strive for mastery as should we.
Good comment Wayne.
Thank you for those clarifications. When it comes to the doctrine of eternal security, I also have some confusion about Hebrews 10:26-30. It was written to Hebrew Christians but the NT also says neither greek or jew in Christ, all are one. Verse 29 is very harsh and seems to imply correct behavior or else. Could the ‘else’ be loss of salvation the way verse 26 seems to say? I am not trying to trick you. Just trying to discern the correct doctrine.
Paul: “If any man teachers other than my word”
Paul=Jesus
Wall of text cope
It’s jews all the way down
I’m not knocking the article because it uses KJV. I’ve only thought the meme “interesting”.
https://img.ifunny.co/images/c0b316ba45d3304a753d7778f9b7355a473f9cd3ffd25189133d98d43d9a8173_1.webp