God Loves Israel

God is just as much interested in Israel as He ever was.

Jesus Christ is just as much interested in Israel as He ever was.

Israelis are every bit as beloved for the fathers' sakes as ever they were. 

God is still interested in them individually. He's still interested in them ethnically. He's still interested in them nationally and politically. He's still interested in them having a homeland. He's still interested in their houses and in their economy. 

He's still interested in giving them the Kingdom of God.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ didn't diminish God's interest in Israel - it summarises God's interest in Israel.

The Gospel is the fulfilment of the promise to Abraham.

It's the fulfilment of the Law.

It's the fulfilment of the Prophets.

It's God's best program for Israelis. 

The Gospel is the best hope God has ever had for Israelis and it's the best hope He will ever offer them.

It can't get any better than this! The glorious Gospel.

The Gospel isn't Plan B.

There won't be a better plan to follow.

The Gospel is the prime. The zenith. The apex. 

It's the glory that excels.

Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Jesus is coming!

And God is no less interested in Gentiles than He is or ever was in Jews.

In Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile. 

He is just as much interested in one believer's welfare - in every sense, eternal and temporal - as He is interested in another's - without making a distinction. 

His plans don't and won't involve a return to shadows - a return to the Law - a return to ancient symbolic Jewish feasts.

God's promised plan was, and now is, and always shall be nothing other than Jesus Christ - for all.

Christ is all and in all. 

An Ordinance Forever Unto Israel?

"This shall be an ordinance forever unto Israel".

Have you heard people say that the above verse from the Law means Israel is still to keep certain feasts - such as the feast of Passover - literally forever - even in the New Covenant?

My thoughts:

For starters, it says, "...unto Israel" - not unto Gentile believers.

But more to the point: "an ordinance forever" didn't literally mean forever - it just meant, for as long as the [Old] Covenant was in place. The New Covenant made all things new.

Otherwise, if the term "an ordinance forever" to Israel literally mean forever, then all Jews today should still be required to keep not only the Passover, but also:

The feast of unleavened bread for seven days;

They should still offer sweet incense, the continual shewbread, and burnt offerings morning and evening;

They should still offer a blood-sacrifice on the Day of Atonement on the seventh month every year;

The Levitical priesthood with all its garments should still be in use;

The nation of Israel should still have a High Priest and priests;

They should still be complying with ceremonial washings in the tabernacle;

The priests should still blow trumpets every time Israel goes to war;

Jews should engage in special washing ceremonies and sacrifices after every visit to a grave; and

Candles should still be lighting-up the court on the other side of the curtain in the tabernacle, because ALL THOSE THINGS WERE INCLUDED AMONG THE THINGS WHICH THE LAW SAID WERE TO BE "AN ORDINANCE FOREVER UNTO ISRAEL".

So if one of those things was meant to be an ordinance unto Israel literally forever, then all of them should be!

But we know that's not the case - because the New Testament Epistles are quite clear that all those things were only shadows and that the observance of them passed away when the New Covenant in Jesus' blood began.

So if some of them are not meant to be an ordinance literally forever, then none of them are meant to be.

Christ fulfills all of them - and so do we, in Him - by grace through faith in Christ.

That's why, in the council at Jerusalem, the Apostles and elders - and the Holy Ghost - decided to put no such burden on the churches.

Therefore it was never God's intention that Jews continue to observe the Passover, and the other feasts, and the sabbaths even long after the New Covenant. They are free from that obligation.

This truth could set millions of Jews free, and could also set many mistaken believers free.

Nevertheless we who are strong in faith (strong in our confidence about the New Covenant's scope) and who therefore feel free from obligation to observe special feasts, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves (we ought to bear the infirmities of those whose conscience is weaker in their confidence in the New Covenant's scope) and who therefore feel obligated in their conscience to observe special days.

Christ Our Passover

Should Jews still keep the Passover? What is meant by "as an ordinance forever to Israel"? Does that mean certain things should continue to be observed by Israel even in the New Covenant? Should Gentile believers keep the Passover? Should believers celebrate Easter?

Someone wrote:

"I would rather do my celebrations God's way rather than the pagen worship of man according to man's ways. If you believe in God - than when you read His Word - you will follow HIs celebrations and not the traditions of man which are often pagan."

Okay - so what is God's way? Read the following discussion I had with a friend:

John Edwards
Christ is our Passover. And we keep the feast everyday. I regard all days to be equal, to the Lord. Therefore I don't feel any moral obligation to observe any day as special.

To regard all days as equal - thanks to Jesus - is my way of saying thanks to God and honoring Him.

But I also see that those who do honour a certain day above another, do so because of a desire to honor the Lord also.

So the correct attitude is, "Live, and let live". We don't need to feel obligated to regard a day as special - but neither should we pressure those who feel they should do so not to do so. Each of us should derive joy from following our own conscience and let other believers in Jesus do the same.

My conscience is free not to do so. But those of us who are free shouldn't be unneccessarily offensive towards the consciences and customs of others. By empathizing with where others are coming from, we can better win them.

I wish everyone a great experience and celebration of Christ as their Passover, at this time of year, and everyday of the year - in whatever way each person feels is appropriate for him.

And if anyone is celebrating the Passover who hasn't experienced Jesus as their Passover - He is the fulfillment of the symbolism of the Passover - I desire that you will today.

FRIEND:
But if you don't make your passover offering, you miss out on the Angel of the Lord bringing you His 7 blessings! Ex 23 vs 20 - 26. "And this day shall be a memorial. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations, as an ordinance forever." Ex 12 vs 14

John Edwards ‎
It's impossible to keep the Passover today, because Deuteronomy 16:6,7 forbade killing and eating the Passover anywhere other than in the Tabernacle or Temple, which don't exist anymore.

The Holy Ghost, and the Apostles and elders at Jerusalem, decided not to require the Gentiles to keep the Passover.

FRIEND
Deut 16 vs 6, 7 is telling us that God will make known to us where the offering is to go, so I don't see how that contradicts with what I was saying. As to your second statement, it must be referring to the words spoken to Peter by Paul, which were not about the Passover, but a correction to Peter for behaviour that was to please man and not God!

As u said it is up to the individual, but I want to recieve the 7 blessings, and when the Lord tells me in no uncertain terms to make a Passover offering this year, I will choose to do so!

John Edwards
‎Attempting to keep the feast of Passover presents a problem, because Paul stated that if anyone attempts to be justified through keeping the Law, he must keep the whole Law, not just part of the Law. Duet.16:6.7 stated that the Passover was to be killed only at the Tabernacle or Temple - which is a detail of the Law impossible to keep today, seeing the Temple no longer exists. Therefore attempting to keep the law of the Passover today is to attempt the impossible.

The second statement referred to the council at Jerusalem in Acts 15. The Apostles and elders met at Jerusalem to discuss whether or not the Gentile churches should be required to keep the Law. The decision was made that no such burden should be placed on the believers.

Jesus is your Passover, my friend. He fulfilled the meaning of the Passover, and so do you in Him. In Him you have all seven blessings, and more! By all means, give as the Holy Spirit leads, and - yes, by giving you shall receive!

FRIEND
So John, how do you explain Ex 12 vs 14? Yes, Jesus is our Passover and the Holy Spirit allows us to read the Old Testement with renewed eyes and in that, I must have a different understanding of Acts 15, as a Passover offering, I do not see as something that should be disturbing or annoying to a true lover of God, but maybe it is better that as usual we just allow the old school to beg to differ with the new school! Happy Passover!

John Edwards ‎
The term "an ordinance forever" to Israel didn't literally mean forever. It meant, for as long as the Old Covenant still stood. The New Covenant made all things new!

Otherwise, the Jews today should still be required to keep not only the Passover, but also the feast of unleavened bread for seven days; they should still offer sweet incense, the continual shewbread, and burnt offerings morning and evening; they should still offer a blood-sacrifice on the Day of Atonement on the seventh month every year; the Levitical priesthood with all its garments should still be in use; they should still be complying with ceremonial washings in the tabernacle; the priests should still blow trumpets every time Israel goes to war; they should have to wash in special ceremonies after every visit to a grave; and the candles should still be lighting-up the court on the other side of the curtain in the tabernacle - because all those things were included in the list of things which were to be an "ordinance forever to Israel".

The New Testament Epistles are quite clear that all those things were only shadows and that the observance of them passed away when the New Covenant in Jesus' blood began.

But of course, if the Holy Spirit is leading you to give some money away (this week, or at any time）, of course do so - and receive in return!

Yes, in matters of conscience, Paul taught something like "live and let live" (to use the words of John Wesley!) Those who were freer from observing special days, because of their stronger faith in the New Covenant's scope, were not to pressure those who because of their weaker confidence in the New Covenant's scope still felt obligated to observe special days. So, Happy Passover, to you too!

These truths could set millions of people free.

FRIEND
John, u need to look at the Hebrew translation of the word "forever" in Ex 12vs 14. It is vanishing point, time out of our mind frame, eternity. No, we are not meant to practise old laws that would be dificult or uncomfortable for us, but are we not to make the time special that commemerates Jesus death and rising. It a time to celebrate new life, just as the Passover was in days of old.

JOHN EDWARDS
Keeping the details of the Law isn't just difficult or uncomfortable for us - it's actually impossible, especially seeing the tabernacle or Temple don't exist anymore. As for commemorating the Lord's death and rising - Jesus said, "this do ye as oft as ye drink it". As often as ye drink it - not only once a year. Everyday is a Passover in our hearts. This faith honors the Lord. However, if a believer whose conscience is weaker feels he must observe a special day to commemorate the Lord's death and rising, then he also honors the Lord by doing so. Isn't that beautiful?