Wednesday 13 July 2016

The Nature and Timing of Israel's Promised Messianic-Kingdom.

From a distance, a mountain looked like a single mountain - or at least it looked like its peaks were very close together.

But when I got in the car and drove to the location, I began to see that the mountain-system indeed had more than one peak, and its peaks were actually separated by quite a bit of distance!

So now when I look at the mountain from a distance again, I can understand what I'm looking at properly.

It is the perspective I had on location, which better explained the view I had from a distance - not visa versa.

Similarly, it is the New Testament which thoroughly defines the nature and timing of Israel's salvation/kingdom, as prophesied in the Old Testament.

Especially the Book of Acts; the Epistles and the Gospel of John. Here we find:
  • Israel's history of restoration from captivity referenced
  • Israel's salvation defined
  • We find the the Kingdom of God explained
  • We see Old Testament Bible-Prophecy fulfilled and expounded with Messianic and Apostolic authority
  • We hear of salvation without the works of the Law
  • The inclusion of the Gentiles is authorised
  • The Kingdom of God was taught as still-coming, and yet already present in the Person of Messiah
  • Here we find the eternal Sonship and Lordship of Jesus proven.

According to the New Testament, Israel's salvation has not failed, nor has it been delayed until the future. The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is God's Kingdom-salvation plan for Israel, then Gentiles were grafted in to the same plan. They are not two distinct plans. At two distinct times. For two distinct peoples. Abraham's Promise was that all nations (irrespective of ethnicity) would be blessed (justified) in his seed (not seeds plural, but seed singular - which was Christ). This good news was preached to Jews first, and also to Gentiles. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men [Jesus Christ of Nazareth], whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (Romans 3:28).

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