Covenants Part 9- The Jews and Christ

God's present attitude to the Jews 


The Jews are the descendants of the biblical Israelites, who are the children of Abraham through Isaac. Paul commonly refers to them as 'Israel'.


1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Romans 10:1-4 (KJV)  


I finished the last post by stating that God still desires Israel to be saved. He will still fulfill His promises to them. However He will do so through the Gospel and not through the Law of Moses. The sufficient sacrifice of Christ is the only finally effective one offered by God for all humanity.


As far as the gospel is concerned, (the Jews) are enemies on your (Gentile believers) account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.    (Rom 11:28-29 NIV) The Jews, now as then, are in a ‘holding pattern’. The Law is a holding pattern. A holding pattern is an aviation term. A plane is awaiting permission to land. It flies this pattern in the meantime. The plane is not at rest until it lands. The Jews are being held in a partial revelation of the nature of God.

The Law represents as much grace and intimacy as the Jews were willing to receive at that time. The Israelites where not willing at that time to loose their independent lives, let go of their own 'righteousness', and become one in spirit with God.

If the Jews ‘land’, it will be by coming to Christ. They will then enter into the rest God promised for them. They will rest from attempting and failing to establish their own righteousness. The Jews have the promises of God held out to them because they are physically descended from Abraham. However they are currently, temporarily, enemies of the Gospel. They have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

To submit to the righteousness of God, you must believe that God offers it to you, and, you must believe you need it. This requires a humble and contrite heart. Sacrifice and burnt offering are not required; they are brought by people who still imagine they have something they can do to appease 

God.

Now there are Jews, such as David, who got revelation about this, even though they were under the dispensation of the Law. For the people who, like David, saw beyond the veil of the Law, God allowed them to glimpse and enjoy some of the benefits of the New Covenant.

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 

Psalms 51:16-17 (of David, KJV)

On the whole the Jews still do not believe, and therefore they do not receive the full realization of what is theirs. However, as the age comes to an end, the Jews who are true will believe in and receive their Messiah Jesus Christ. 

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Romans 10:12-13 (KJV)

The Jews are in a holding pattern because the unconditional promises God made to Abraham still stand. He is faithful even when men are not. However they are still in it because so far they refuse to believe in the Gospel, just as they did in the days of Moses. God becomes angry with those who persist in self justification and resist the Gospel, even if they are natural sons of Abraham. He may withdraw His hand of protection and hands them over to those driven by Satan, as history confirms.

Refusing intimacy and mercy from God will put a person under the anger and wrath of God.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Psalms 2:12 (KJV)

God does not lose His temper with us as New Covenant believers in Jesus. We know we are not good enough, deep inside anyway. He will not reject us, or anyone who comes near to Him with his or her heart. There is, and always has been, grace for the humble and contrite heart. Remember why David was so beloved of the Lord? He had a humble and contrite heart (Psalm 51v17. See also Isaiah 66v2 which is not referring to David in particular). He was also a man after God’s heart (1 Samuel 13v14).  I think such a man is prepared in his heart attitude for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.