(Exodus 3:4) “…God called to him out of the bush…”
Regardless of race, colour or creed we all have our
quirks. Different traditions for different nationalities, the Greeks break
plates when celebrating; Italians could never live without olive oil, Cuba makes
arguably the best Cigars and the Turkish are known for Turkish delight. But the
Apostle Paul sums us up in two categories, Jews and Gentiles. Jews would fall
under the offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. While the Gentiles would be
the rest of us, in other words the Greeks would by implication also mean Gentiles
and these words where often interchanged when the Apostle would want to
highlight two different nationalities in view of God’s perspective. The Greeks/Gentiles
were never classed amongst God’s people as a nation. Nevertheless, provision
for the individual has always been available, even as far back as Abraham God
made provision for the Gentile to be counted amongst the number; “He who is
eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your
generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any
foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house
and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant
be in your flesh an everlasting covenant.
Traditionally
the Jews have always had the Torah (the five books of Moses- the first books in
the Old Testament). Historically God had a relationship with Adam and Eve, but
once sin became a way of life for them he withdrew His hand of fellowship. He separated
Himself from them as an intimate Fatherly figure as they were no longer friends
but enemies. Yes the power of sin is the catalyst which separates
us from God! Hence why the law was firstly introduced and then the reason for
Christ dying in our stead, to pay the ultimate once and for all time sacrifice as
He conquered sin.
However after
Adam as time progressed God connected with men on a deeper level once again; “Enoch walked with God…” (Genesis 5:22) – But it wasn’t until the covenant with Abraham,
where God introduce His plan to single out a nation whom He could call His own
and visa-versa, the Jewish Nation as God’s people at long last established; “No
longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I
have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly
fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And
I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you
throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and
to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after
you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting
possession, and I will be their God."” (Genesis 17:5-8)
The Jews have
always believed in the only true God but rejected God’s Son, their true Messiah.
If this had not happened we as the Gentile race would not of have had any chance
in finding salvation and escaping God’s Judgment for our sin. Some individuals
yes, but never as a nation; “That is true. They
were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So
do not become proud, but fear.”
(Romans
11:20) - We
see it today, some Jews are being saved but as a Nation they reject the Lord
Jesus as their Messiah. But the day is soon approaching when God’s mercy will once
again open the eyes of Israel and as a country they will look upon the One
their forefathers rejected and weep, and through it they will find Repentance.
When will these
events happen may be in the forefront of our minds? Here then is the answer; “And on that day
I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. "And I
will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit
of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they
have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and
weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” (Zechariah
12:9-10)
What is it that
the Gentiles/Greeks are in search of? Proof is needed to prove that God exist.
They seek wisdom, the Jews do not doubt His existence but they seek a sign.
Here is God’s answer
to this apparent dilemma; God has chosen the foolishness of preaching to
save those who have been called…
“For the word
of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are
being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the
wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where
is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?
Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of
God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the
folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs
and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to
Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1Corinthians 1:18-24)
Here is the
good news regardless of where you find yourself, you are either in the Jewish
or the Gentile camp; to those who have been called Jesus Christ the Lord is both
the power of God and the wisdom of God, ONLY BELIEVE!
Signing off
Tyrone
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