God's Chosen People

Israel’s Unbelief - What will happen?

Matthew 21:33-46

But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ 39 So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him. 40 “When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?” 41 The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.” 42 Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’ 43 I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. 44 Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.” 45 When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers.

Luke 14:15-24 - Parable of the Great Feast

For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet. - How do you decipher this?

John 8:31-47 - Jesus and Abraham

People claiming to be the descendants of Abraham, but Jesus says they are children of the devil because they do not believe in the truth of Christ being sent from God and being the Messiah.

47 Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” - How do you decipher this?

Romans 9:14-28

9:15 Paul quotes Exod 33:19. In Exodus, both Israel and Pharaoh rebelled against God; consequently, they were subject to God’s judgment - God has also said that he has hardened their hearts for both, but only after both of their rebellions

9:25–26 In these two verses, Paul cites Hos 2:23 to explain how God accepted the Gentiles as His people. Paul returns to the theme developed in Rom 9:6–13: Becoming part of God’s family is based on His calling and election, not on any ethnic relationship.

Romans 11:3-6

says a few people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace, and these people are considered faithful because of their belief in Christ

Romans 11:9-21

Jewish people did not stumble beyond recovery, they still have the opportunity to accept Christ

14 for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them. - jealous so that they would want to turn to Christ

17 But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.

Luke 13:34-35

Hebrews 3:7-19

Recalling Israel’s unfaithfulness in the wilderness, the author urges his audience to live faithfully, lest they fail to enter into God’s rest

Hebrews 4:1-13

6 So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God

in 4:8 - Suggests that the Israelites’ rest after settling in the promised land was not ultimate or final. The concept of rest is an analogy for future salvation

11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

in 4:11 - Refers to the behavior of the wilderness generation. If the present generation falls into similar patterns, they will turn away from the living God

Hebrews 12:16-29

16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears. - If you are without Christ you are without God

Jude 1:4-11 (false teachers)

4.. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

in 5 -7 talks about people from Israel being destroyed for their unbelief, fallen angels being chained up until judgment day, and the sinful towns of Sodom and Gomorrah being destroyed for their immorality.

Galatians 2:4-5 (false believers)

4 Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5 But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you. - Where in the Gospel does it say we need to support the country of Israel? Preachers saying that not supporting Israel could jeopardize your salvation, how could that be right?

Romans 16:17-20

17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. 18 Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words, they deceive innocent people. 19 But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. - They were being taught the teachings of Jesus Christ; nowhere in Christ’s teachings do I find support for the country of Israel. To “stay innocent of any wrong”... how could someone support the bombing of innocent children? Scripture says God will crush satan under our feet, not that our country’s military or tax dollars will go over and help fund a war between two countries.

True Jew or descendants of Abraham

Romans 2:26-29

27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it. - How to defend the killing of innocent children?

No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. - Doesn’t the Holy Spirit dwell only in those who believe in Christ?

Romans 4:3-5 + Romans 4:11-12 + Romans 4:16-18

3 - Abraham was counted as righteous because of his faith, not because of his good works

11 ... So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. 12 And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Romans 9:6-13

Not all born into the nation of Israel are truly God’s people, not all of Abraham’s physical descendants are children of Abraham - so who can know who CAN be counted as part of Israel?

9:6 Refers to the promises God made to the patriarchs and Israel (see Rom 4:13–21). Paul addresses the implication that God’s plan as revealed through Scripture had failed because ethnic Israel responded negatively to the fulfillment of His promises through Christ. Many Jews appealed to their descent from Abraham as a symbol of their ongoing special relationship with God (compare Matt 3:9; John 8:39). Paul asserts that true membership in God’s chosen people is based on faith, not physical ancestry. John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Ro 9:6. - How do you decipher this?

9:10–13 Here, Paul continues to oppose the implication from Rom 9:6 that God had failed in His promises to Israel. Paul’s primary defense comes from differentiating between an Israel based on ethnicity and an Israel based on God’s choice. Being a member of ethnic Israel does not qualify a person for the promised blessing or the inheritance associated with the promise. Paul draws on the events of Gen 25:21–26 as evidence that natural descent—even descent from Isaac, Abraham’s child of promise—does not guarantee God’s favor or choice. Both Jacob and Esau were natural descendants of Abraham through Isaac, but only Jacob was chosen by God to bear the promise of nationhood (see Gen 15:4–6). This event from Israel’s national history serves as an explanation for the present situation. (what is this implying? - How do you decipher this?

Galatians 3:6-10

in 3:7 - Refers to those who express faith like Abraham—not Abraham’s biological sons. Abraham represents the model of faith for all believers, both Jews and non-Jewish people

in 3:9 Paul emphasizes that faith, not ethnicity, is the determining factor—which means that Gentile believers like the Galatians can share in Abraham’s blessing

Galatians 3:26-29

28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile

29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham.

The promises and blessings to Abraham

Hebrews 11:10-16 + Hebrews 11:39-40

10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. - Wouldn’t this be the fulfillment of the promises to Abraham?

39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us. - How do you decipher this?

Galatians 4:21-31

in 24 to 25 - In Paul’s interpretation, the true sons of Abraham are the children of promise, not law. Paul links Hagar, a slave, with the idea of enslavement to the law. The reference to Jerusalem associates Hagar with the Jewish people—those who live under the law.

in 28 it goes on to say that believers in Christ are children of the promise just like Isaac.

29 But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit. - wouldn’t those who want to keep the law would be the Jewish people?

30 But what do the Scriptures say about that? “Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” 31 So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman. - how would you decipher this? If the son of Hagar are now seen as the Jewish people and it is now saying that the son of Hagar will not share in the inheritance of the free woman.. what else could this mean?

Hebrews 13:11-14

So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. 14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. - a PERMANENT home, a heavenly Jerusalem

Romans 4:13

God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based on a right relationship with God that comes by faith, not obedience to God’s law

Acts 3:25-26

the blessing was Christ who first came to Israel and then the gentiles

Galatians 3:16-17

The promise of blessing and the Spirit is given to Christ through Abraham. This narrow application of the promise then expands to all who believe, leading to one people of faith descended from Abraham (including Jews and Gentiles).

1 Peter 2:4-10

in 2:5 - Peter explains the transfer of priesthood language from Israel to the Church in a later verse (see v. 9

9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.

in 2:9 - Describes the people of God—those who place their trust in Christ—using language formerly used of Israel. In the ot, beginning with the exodus narrative, the people of Israel are often described as a nation chosen by God to serve as a priesthood (see Exod 19:5–6; Deut 4:20; 7:6; 14:2; Isa 43:20–21). This language is now applied to believers in Jesus since they are connected to the cornerstone, Christ, and belong to the chosen people of God. As a royal priesthood, all believers are set apart as ministers of the new covenant to the world. Thus, Peter reminds his audience that their time living in exile serves as an opportunity to mediate God’s blessing to the foreigners around them

A chosen race seems to refer to the corporate unity of believers. In Christ, believers of all races are unified. They are also a royal priesthood—a collective company of priests—who offer up spiritual sacrifices to God

10 “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people.

Isaiah 35:8-10 (sounds like a heavenly Jerusalem, not an earthly one)

8 And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there. 9 Lions will not lurk along its course, nor any other ferocious beasts. There will be no other dangers. Only the redeemed will walk on it. 10 Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.

Hebrews 12:18-29

22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem- why can’t heavenly Jerusalem be the ultimate promised land to Abraham?

24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people - wouldn’t this be referring to all people?

Salvation depends on belief in Christ only!

Matthew 23:37-39

“you will never see me again until you say, ‘blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord’”

Luke 11:52

“What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”

Luke 12:8-9

“I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. 9 But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels.

John 8:21-24

That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”

Romans 8:9

… And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all - How do you decipher this?

Romans 10:5-13

only by openly declaring your faith that Jesus Christ is Lord and that God raised him from the dead will you be saved, Jew and Gentile are saved in this respect.

End-time Prophecies of Israel

Revelation 3:7-12

9.. I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.

in 9 it is saying the church would be vindicated before nonbelieving Jews in the city (compare Isa 60:14). - how would you interpret this?

said the same thing to Israel in OT - Isaiah 60:14 The descendants of your tormentors will come and bow before you. Those who despised you will kiss your feet. They will call you the City of the Lord, and Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Revelation 21:1-2

2 … the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven - could this not be the promised land of Canaan?

Romans 2:9

They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan.

The phrase those who say they are Jews and are not does not deny the Jewish bloodlines of the persecutors. Rather, it mirrors Paul’s assertion that, ultimately, Jewishness is not just outward but inward, related to the “circumcision is of the heart” by faith

Revelation 3:9 **