God promised the salvation of the Gentiles through Abraham's seed (singular) which was Christ.
God sovereignly chose the line of Jacob for a temporal purpose. He gave them the Old Covenant and its Law. And He gave them the promise of a New Covenant. And He kept sending prophets to them.
Through the prophets He warned them of being led into captivity for 70 years - but He also promised to regather them to their land where the Temple and walls would be rebuilt and Mosaic worship would resume - even the nations would go up to the altar in Jerusalem to keep the feasts - the nations that had fought against Israel would meet their own demise.
And He promised them that into that context, the Messiah would come. The prophets said many things about the the circumstances of the Christ.
One of the prophets said 70 sevens would span the time between the decree to rebuild the Temple and Messiah. He also predicted the destruction of the Jews once again.
All of that came to pass in the time-frames predicted. Jews returned from captivity. The Temple was rebuilt. The walls were rebuilt. Mosaic worship resumed. Nations were coming up to the altar in Jerusalem to keep the feasts. The nations who had fought against Israel lost their kingdoms.
And the Christ came. All within the time-frame predicted.
And a short time after that, Jerusalem was again destroyed and its Temple, and the Jews deported all around the world, fulfilling Daniel's prophecy, and the Olivet discourse.
Now Jews and Gentiles are on an equal footing. Both needing salvation. And only one way: Jesus.
God began saving people on the basis He had always planned since before the Law was even given: through Jesus. Jews who believed were saved. Gentiles who believed were saved. Without distinction, for the purpose of Moses' Law, which had divided Gentile from Jew, had been fulfilled on the cross.
The good news of the grace of God is being preached among all nations.
What remains is the final resurrection of the dead at the second coming of Christ and His kingdom.
One of the prophets said 70 sevens would span the time between the decree to rebuild the Temple and Messiah. He also predicted the destruction of the Jews once again.
All of that came to pass in the time-frames predicted. Jews returned from captivity. The Temple was rebuilt. The walls were rebuilt. Mosaic worship resumed. Nations were coming up to the altar in Jerusalem to keep the feasts. The nations who had fought against Israel lost their kingdoms.
And the Christ came. All within the time-frame predicted.
And a short time after that, Jerusalem was again destroyed and its Temple, and the Jews deported all around the world, fulfilling Daniel's prophecy, and the Olivet discourse.
Now Jews and Gentiles are on an equal footing. Both needing salvation. And only one way: Jesus.
God began saving people on the basis He had always planned since before the Law was even given: through Jesus. Jews who believed were saved. Gentiles who believed were saved. Without distinction, for the purpose of Moses' Law, which had divided Gentile from Jew, had been fulfilled on the cross.
The good news of the grace of God is being preached among all nations.
What remains is the final resurrection of the dead at the second coming of Christ and His kingdom.
No comments:
Post a Comment