God promised Abraham that in his seed all nations of the earth would be blessed. Not seeds, plural - but seed, singular - which was Christ. In Christ all nations would be blessed - forgiven, saved. All nations. From the start it was God's intended purpose that the Promise would be for all nations. Without distinction.
God then chose the lineage of Jacob (Israel) to be the custodians of that Promise. He gave them a Law - a Covenant - until the time of the Promise should come. The Law pronounced promises for obedience and curses for disobedience. The Law was exclusively for the Jews and categorically excluded Gentiles.
The Law only proved to disqualify the Jews, as sinners - and also continued to place a barrier of exclusion against the Gentiles. Despite sending them prophets, purging them through captivity, and restoring them to their land, and to their Temple and their Law in fulfilment of prophecy, Israel returned again and again to folly. Through the Law, Jews and Gentiles alike were reduced to the same common denominator morally - both convicted sinners, in need of a Redeemer.
God however did not revoke Israel's privilege of being the custodians of the Promise. By His own sovereign prerogative, He preserved the nation alive for His own purpose.
In the fulness of time God sent forth His Son, sent to those who were under the Law, to redeem them from the curse of the Law. By His death and resurrection JESUS fulfilled the Law, then inaugurated a New Covenant in His blood, abolishing the Law, and took away the sin of the whole world, and brought in the gift of everlasting Righteousness, fulfilling prophecies and the Promise.
The spoken Promise - which was for all nations - presupposed the removal of the Law, because the Law became a barrier to the nations and also disqualified the Jews. It was necessary therefore that the Law, which was added later, be taken out of the way - so the Promise could be made sure to all. Abraham's Promise saw beyond the Law to a post-Law time. Wider than Israel to all nations.
Jesus said, "Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad" (John 8:56).
Through the sacrifice of His Son once-for-all, the Law (with its sabbaths, food laws, sacrifices, feast days, Levitical priesthood, its requirement to worship exclusively in Jerusalem, it's condemnation of the Jews, and its barrier against the Gentiles) were all completely and permanently moved out of the way, and Jesus Christ brought-in everlasting righteousness through His own blood, so that all nations - Jews and Gentiles alike - could receive the blessing.
We are now living in that post-Law time. The time of the Promise which Abraham saw. This is the time of blessing! Of salvation. The remnant of Jews obtained it. And the Gentiles are also embraced. Both without the works of the Law.
This is the good news which is for all people - the message of forgiveness of sins, through JESUS - without obligation to the works of the Law - and certainly without obligation to modern Judaism.
Only JESUS blesses and saves!
God then chose the lineage of Jacob (Israel) to be the custodians of that Promise. He gave them a Law - a Covenant - until the time of the Promise should come. The Law pronounced promises for obedience and curses for disobedience. The Law was exclusively for the Jews and categorically excluded Gentiles.
The Law only proved to disqualify the Jews, as sinners - and also continued to place a barrier of exclusion against the Gentiles. Despite sending them prophets, purging them through captivity, and restoring them to their land, and to their Temple and their Law in fulfilment of prophecy, Israel returned again and again to folly. Through the Law, Jews and Gentiles alike were reduced to the same common denominator morally - both convicted sinners, in need of a Redeemer.
God however did not revoke Israel's privilege of being the custodians of the Promise. By His own sovereign prerogative, He preserved the nation alive for His own purpose.
In the fulness of time God sent forth His Son, sent to those who were under the Law, to redeem them from the curse of the Law. By His death and resurrection JESUS fulfilled the Law, then inaugurated a New Covenant in His blood, abolishing the Law, and took away the sin of the whole world, and brought in the gift of everlasting Righteousness, fulfilling prophecies and the Promise.
The spoken Promise - which was for all nations - presupposed the removal of the Law, because the Law became a barrier to the nations and also disqualified the Jews. It was necessary therefore that the Law, which was added later, be taken out of the way - so the Promise could be made sure to all. Abraham's Promise saw beyond the Law to a post-Law time. Wider than Israel to all nations.
Jesus said, "Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad" (John 8:56).
Through the sacrifice of His Son once-for-all, the Law (with its sabbaths, food laws, sacrifices, feast days, Levitical priesthood, its requirement to worship exclusively in Jerusalem, it's condemnation of the Jews, and its barrier against the Gentiles) were all completely and permanently moved out of the way, and Jesus Christ brought-in everlasting righteousness through His own blood, so that all nations - Jews and Gentiles alike - could receive the blessing.
We are now living in that post-Law time. The time of the Promise which Abraham saw. This is the time of blessing! Of salvation. The remnant of Jews obtained it. And the Gentiles are also embraced. Both without the works of the Law.
This is the good news which is for all people - the message of forgiveness of sins, through JESUS - without obligation to the works of the Law - and certainly without obligation to modern Judaism.
Only JESUS blesses and saves!
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