Participants:
Series Code: TPP
Program Code: TPP000011A
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00:10 Aloha.
00:11 Aloha. 00:13 Good to see all of you here today 00:16 to continue our series, 00:18 the Prophetic Panorama. 00:21 This is session number 11 in the series 00:24 that we've been preparing here for Hawaii. 00:28 And we will do number 11, 12 and 13, 00:32 Lord willing this afternoon. 00:34 Before we begin this session, 00:37 we want to have a word of prayer. 00:39 The title is Israel and the Church. 00:42 So let's just bow our heads reverently 00:44 for a word of prayer. 00:45 Father in heaven, we rejoice 00:48 that we have the opportunity to come into Your presence, 00:52 to open Your Holy Word. 00:54 We ask that that return, 00:56 that word will not return unto You void, 00:58 but then it will accomplish that 01:00 for which You sent it. 01:02 And we thank You for hearing our prayer 01:03 for we ask it in Jesus name, amen. 01:08 After the day of Pentecost, 01:10 when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the church, 01:14 thousands upon thousands 01:17 left the Jewish nations' 01:22 grasp and stronghold 01:24 and joined as members of the Christian church. 01:29 In Acts 6:7, 01:32 we find the reaction not only of the laity, 01:35 but also of many of the priests in Israel. 01:40 It says there in Acts 6:7, 01:42 "Then the word of God spread, 01:45 and the number of the disciples 01:47 multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, 01:51 and a great many of the priests 01:53 were obedient to the faith." 01:56 So you notice the number of disciples multiplied greatly 01:59 and many of the priests 02:01 even were obedient to the faith. 02:04 Now one of those individuals that God used 02:08 to cause this phenomenal growth, 02:11 right after the day of Pentecost was Stephen. 02:15 We're told in Acts 6:8, 02:18 "And Stephen, full of faith and power, 02:21 did great wonders and signs among the people." 02:25 He was one of the seven deacons 02:28 that through whom God caused a phenomenal growth 02:32 among those who joined the church. 02:36 Now, on the other hand, 02:38 there was a certain individual 02:39 who was alarmed when he saw 02:42 the phenomenal growth of the Christian church. 02:46 His name was Saul of Tarsus. 02:48 Saul of Tarsus was not a featherweight. 02:51 He was actually an intellectual giant, 02:55 and a promising prospect 02:58 who in Judaism had a brilliant future. 03:01 He was young, energetic, relentless. 03:06 He had tunnel vision. 03:08 You see Saul believe that God had chosen 03:12 the Jewish nation 03:13 irrevocably and unconditionally, 03:17 and woe to those who thought otherwise. 03:20 For Saul, the preservation of the Jewish religion 03:24 was his top priority. 03:27 His entire religion was Jewish centered. 03:32 In Acts 22:3, 03:35 we find a description that Saul gives 03:38 of what he was like 03:39 before his conversion. 03:42 It says there, 03:43 Paul is here speaking about his experience. 03:46 "I am indeed a Jew, 03:49 born in Tarsus of Cilicia, 03:54 but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, 03:58 taught according to the strictness 04:00 of our fathers' law, 04:02 and was zealous toward God 04:04 as you all are today." 04:08 So he's, you know, somewhat bragging about 04:10 what he was before his conversion. 04:12 He says, I sat at the feet of Gamaliel, I was a Jew. 04:16 And according to the strictness of our fathers' law, 04:19 I lived and I was zealous towards God. 04:23 Now, the reason why Saul persecuted 04:25 the Christian church is because he saw it 04:28 as a threat to the Jewish religion, 04:31 to Judaism. 04:32 In fact, his attitude was the same attitude 04:35 that had been manifested by Caiaphas 04:39 towards the end of the ministry of Jesus. 04:42 In John 11:47-50, 04:46 is a description of a meeting of the Sanhedrin. 04:49 The Sanhedrin had to decide what they were going to do 04:53 with the growing menace of Jesus 04:56 and His popularity among the people. 04:58 And so in this meeting Caiaphas, 05:01 the high priest stood up and made a suggestion. 05:05 It's found in John 11:47-50. 05:09 "Then the chief priests 05:11 and the Pharisees gathered a council..." 05:13 the word council is the word Sanhedrin, 05:16 "and said, what shall we do? 05:19 For this Man," that is Jesus, "works many signs. 05:22 If we let Him alone like this, 05:25 everyone will believe in Him, 05:27 and the Romans will come and take away 05:30 both our place and nation. 05:33 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, 05:36 said to them, 'You know nothing at all, 05:39 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us 05:43 that one man should die for the people, 05:45 and not that the whole nation should perish." 05:49 There we see 05:51 the danger that Saul of Tarsus perceived, 05:54 he perceived that 05:56 so many people were joining the Jew... 05:58 the Christian religion 05:59 that Judaism would be irrelevant, 06:01 and the Romans would come 06:03 and they would take away the nation and their religion. 06:07 Now Saul of Tarsus, like his tutors, 06:11 became a persecutor of the church. 06:14 In fact, in Acts 26:9-11, 06:18 we find here, the Saul of Tarsus, 06:22 who now is Paul, by the way, 06:23 describing what he did with Christians. 06:27 Once again Acts 26:9-11. 06:31 He stated, "Indeed, I myself thought 06:34 I must do many things contrary 06:37 to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 06:39 This I also did in Jerusalem, 06:42 and many of the saints I shut up in prison, 06:45 having received authority from the chief priests, 06:48 and when they were put to death, 06:51 I cast my vote against them. 06:54 And I punished them often in every synagogue 06:57 and compelled them to blaspheme, 06:59 and being exceedingly enraged against them, 07:03 I persecuted them even to foreign cities." 07:07 So this was a relentless man. 07:10 He hated Christianity with a passion. 07:12 With all his zeal, 07:14 he launched a persecution against them, 07:17 throwing them into prison 07:18 and killing as many as he could. 07:21 In fact, Saul of Tarsus was present at Stephen's death. 07:26 He was one of the ringleaders, in fact, at Stephen's death. 07:30 In Acts 7:57-58, 07:35 we find a description of the rage 07:38 of those who stoned Stephen. 07:40 It says there, 07:42 "Then they cried out with a loud voice, 07:44 stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord, 07:49 and they cast him out of the city 07:51 and stoned him. 07:53 And the witnesses laid down their clothes," 07:56 and now mark this, 07:57 "at the feet of a young man named Saul." 08:03 So Saul was present there. 08:05 He was encouraging the populace to stone Stephen. 08:11 In fact, in Acts 22:20, 08:14 where we find this same story that is told, 08:18 it says there, 08:20 " And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen," 08:21 Saul is speaking, 08:23 "and when the blood 08:24 of Your martyr Stephen was shed, 08:25 I also was standing by consenting to his death, 08:30 and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him." 08:35 So this was a man that hated Christianity 08:38 because he felt that Christianity was going to make 08:41 the Jewish religion irrelevant 08:43 and make the Jewish nation disappear. 08:48 So Saul, after the stoning of Stephen, 08:51 went on a crusade to Damascus 08:55 because he had heard that 08:56 there were many Christians in Damascus. 08:58 In Acts 9:1-2, 09:01 we find a description 09:03 of his journey to Damascus and the attitude that he had. 09:07 You see, the Spirit of Prophecy tells us 09:10 that Saul of Tarsus knew that Stephen was right 09:13 and he was wrong. 09:15 But he began an expedition to Damascus immediately 09:18 because he wanted to quiet his conscience. 09:20 He wanted to be active 09:22 so he wouldn't have to think about Stephen. 09:25 And so we find in Acts 9:1-2, 09:29 "Then Saul, still breathing threats 09:32 and murder 09:33 against the disciples of the Lord, 09:36 went to the high priest and asked letters from him 09:39 to the synagogues of Damascus, 09:41 so that if he found 09:43 any who were of the Way," 09:45 which Christianity was called by that name back then, 09:48 "whether men or women, 09:50 he might bring them bound to Jerusalem." 09:54 So Saul of Tarsus approaches Damascus 09:57 from the southwest. 09:59 And as he's nearing the city of Damascus, 10:02 he has an encounter 10:04 that is going to change his life 10:07 and his entire theological outlook. 10:11 He had a personal encounter with Jesus. 10:15 Saul discovered that by 10:16 persecuting the body of Christ, 10:19 he was actually persecuting the head, 10:22 Jesus Christ. 10:24 In fact, the voice told him, 10:25 "Why are you kicking against the pricks?" 10:27 In other words, why are you kicking against 10:29 what your conscience is telling you? 10:32 Because Saul knew that Stephen was right. 10:35 In Acts 9:3-6, 10:38 we find the description 10:40 of what happens to Saul on the road to Damascus. 10:44 "As he journeyed he came near Damascus, 10:47 and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 10:50 Then he fell to the ground, 10:52 and heard a voice saying to him, 10:54 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' 10:59 And he said, 'Who are You, Lord?' 11:01 Then the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, 11:04 whom you are persecuting. 11:07 It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' 11:10 So he, trembling and astonished, said, 11:13 'Lord, what do You want me to do?' 11:17 " And so, 11:19 we find in Acts 22:16-18, 11:23 that God instructed Saul to go 11:27 to the house of Judas, 11:30 and Ananias was going to be there 11:33 to baptize him. 11:34 Let's read those verses, Acts 22:16-18. 11:40 "But the Lord said to him," this is to Ananias, "Go," 11:45 and I would add to the house of Judas, 11:48 "for he is a chosen vessel of Mine 11:51 to bear My name 11:52 before the Gentiles," the Apostle Paul, 11:55 "before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 11:58 For I will show him how many things 12:01 he must suffer for My name's sake. 12:03 And Ananias went on his way and entered the house, 12:06 and laying his hands on him he said, 12:09 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, 12:11 who appeared to you on the road as you came, 12:14 has sent me that you may receive your sight 12:17 and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' 12:21 Immediately there fell from his eyes 12:23 something like scales, 12:25 and he received his sight at once, 12:28 and he arose and was baptized.' 12:33 " Now the baptism of Saul of Tarsus 12:36 was a critically important event in his life. 12:40 What happened when Saul was baptized? 12:45 Galatians 3:26, tells us 12:49 what happens when a person is baptized. 12:52 They are incorporated into Christ. 12:54 That's the moment that you become 12:56 a member of Christ's body. 12:59 Now notice what it says in Galatians 3:26. 13:04 "All those who have been baptized 13:07 into Christ, 13:08 have put on Christ." 13:13 So Saul when he was baptized, he put on Christ, 13:17 he became a Christian. 13:19 He was incorporated into the Christian church. 13:22 And then he became a true Jew 13:25 and a true son of Abraham. 13:28 Notice verses 28, 13:30 actually verse 29, 28-29 13:34 of Galatians Chapter 3, 13:36 immediately after Saul is baptized, 13:40 he's incorporated into Christ 13:42 according to Galatians 3:26, 13:44 we are told, "If you are Christ's, 13:48 then you are Abraham's seed, 13:50 and heirs according to the promise." 13:53 So when did Saul of Tarsus become a true son of Abraham, 13:58 a true seed of Abraham? 14:01 It is when he was baptized. 14:03 Because he was baptized and then he says, 14:08 if you are Christ's through baptism, 14:11 then you are Abraham's seed 14:13 and heirs according to the promise. 14:18 So now everything for Saul of Tarsus 14:21 changed focus. 14:24 In Acts 9:22, we are told, 14:28 "But Saul increased all the more in strength, 14:32 and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, 14:36 proving that this Jesus is the Christ." 14:41 The word Christ means Messiah. 14:43 In other words, Saul of Tarsus 14:45 now did his best to teach everyone 14:48 that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. 14:52 Now the question is, how did Saul look upon 14:56 all he had been 14:58 when he was merely a Jew without Jesus? 15:02 He described his experience before his conversion, 15:06 and what it meant to him after his conversion. 15:09 In Philippians 3:3-11, 15:13 we find the change in focus in the religion 15:16 and theology of the Apostle Paul, 15:20 who was before Saul. 15:22 Philippians 3:3, states, 15:26 "For we are the circumcision, 15:28 who worships God in the Spirit, 15:31 rejoice in Christ Jesus, 15:34 and have no confidence in the flesh, 15:37 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. 15:40 If anyone else thinks 15:42 he may have confidence in the flesh, 15:44 I more so, circumcised the eighth day, 15:48 of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, 15:52 a Hebrew of the Hebrews, 15:55 concerning the law, a Pharisee, 15:57 concerning zeal, persecuting the church, 16:00 concerning the righteousness 16:02 which is in the law, blameless." 16:06 He's describing his previous experience, 16:08 all of that meant much to him. 16:11 That was central, Judaism was central to him 16:14 before his conversion. 16:15 But what about after his conversion, 16:17 when now he becomes a Christian? 16:19 He's baptized into Christ, 16:21 and he truly becomes Abraham's seed. 16:24 Notice what they continue saying here 16:26 in verse 8, 16:29 verse 7, however, "what things were gain to me, 16:34 these I have counted loss for Christ. 16:39 Yet indeed I also count all things loss 16:42 for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ 16:45 Jesus my Lord, 16:47 for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, 16:50 and count them as rubbish, 16:52 that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, 16:55 not having my own righteousness, 16:57 which is from the law, 16:58 but that which is through faith in Christ, 17:01 the righteousness which is from God by faith, 17:04 that I may know Him 17:05 and the power of His resurrection, 17:07 and the fellowship of His sufferings, 17:09 being conformed to His death, 17:11 if, by any means, 17:13 I may attain to the resurrection 17:15 from the dead." 17:17 Saul of Tarsus focus shifted 17:21 from Judaism to Christ. 17:24 He says everything I had 17:26 when I was just a literal Jew 17:28 means nothing because now I have gained Christ. 17:33 Basically, we're gonna find that he's saying, 17:35 before this, 17:36 I was not a Jew at all, 17:38 I was not Abraham's seed at all. 17:40 But when I joined Christ, I became Abraham's seed 17:44 in a spiritual sense, 17:45 and an heir according to the promise. 17:48 And now Saul 17:50 who became Paul in Acts 13, 17:54 is willing to suffer and lose all things for Christ. 17:59 In 1 Corinthians 11:22-28. 18:03 We find Paul describing everything he went through, 18:07 because now he loved Christ, and he wanted to spread 18:10 the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 18:12 I want to read 1 Corinthians 11:22-28. 18:17 The Apostle Paul asks, "Are they Hebrews? 18:21 So am I. 18:23 Are they Israelites? 18:25 So am I. 18:27 Are they the seed of Abraham? 18:30 So am I. 18:32 Are they ministers of Christ? 18:34 I speak as a fool, I am more, in labors more abundant, 18:39 in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, 18:43 in deaths often. 18:45 From the Jews five times 18:46 I received forty stripes minus one. 18:49 Three times I was beaten with rods, 18:52 once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, 18:56 a night and a day I have been in the deep, 18:58 in journeys often, in perils of waters, 19:01 in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, 19:03 in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, 19:06 in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, 19:09 in perils among false brethren, in weariness and toil, 19:12 in sleeplessness often, 19:14 in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, 19:17 in cold and nakedness, besides the other things, 19:20 what comes upon me daily, 19:21 my deep concern for all the churches. 19:24 Has anybody here ever been through that experience? 19:28 It would be difficult to believe that 19:30 you've gone through all those trials. 19:32 And yet Saul who became Paul 19:35 was willing to give up 19:36 all of his Jewish centered religion 19:39 to win Jesus Christ, 19:41 and he was willing not only to lose all things, 19:44 he was willing to suffer all things 19:46 to proclaim Christ. 19:49 Saul discovered a revolutionary truth, 19:52 and that is that God has only one true people. 19:56 Those who have accepted Jesus Christ 19:59 as Savior and Lord. 20:01 God does not have to mutually separable peoples, 20:06 the literal Jews on one hand 20:08 and the Christian church on the other. 20:11 God has only one true people 20:14 that is defined not by ethnicity, 20:16 not by nationality, not by social status, 20:21 not by gender. 20:23 Those who have a relationship to Jesus Christ 20:26 are Abraham's seed. 20:28 They are God's people. 20:32 Now for the next few minutes, I want you to notice, 20:34 biblically, that those who are in Christ, 20:39 those Jews, literal Jews who accept Christ 20:42 and are in Christ, and the Gentiles 20:45 are both members of the same body. 20:48 They are one. 20:50 You see, futurists 20:51 or dispensationalists teach 20:53 that God has two mutually exclusive peoples. 20:57 He has one plan for the literal Jewish nation 20:59 and He has another plan for the Christian church. 21:02 That's why they believe that the plan for the Jews 21:05 and that when the 70 weeks, 21:08 the week number 69 came to an end, 21:10 because the Jews rejected Christ. 21:12 So God says, I'm gonna suspend my plan 21:14 for the literal Jews. 21:16 And now He turns to the church, 21:18 and it's the church age for the last 2000 years. 21:20 And then the church is gonna be rapture to heaven, 21:24 according to them seven years 21:25 before the glorious coming of Jesus, 21:27 and then God will kick start his plan 21:29 for the Jews once again. 21:30 And so he has a plan for the Jews 21:32 for the literal Jews and he has a plan 21:34 for the Christian church. 21:35 The Bible does not teach that, 21:36 the Bible teaches that God has one, faithful people, 21:39 those who have received Jesus Christ, 21:41 and they are Israel. 21:44 Now, in the Bible, 21:47 God has only one woman. 21:49 God has only one bride, if you please, 21:54 because if God had more than one bride, 21:56 He would be a bigamist, spiritually speaking. 22:00 In Revelation Chapter 12, 22:02 we find something very interesting. 22:03 God has only one woman, which is the true church, 22:06 composed of saints from the Old Testament 22:09 and from the New Testament, literal Jews and Gentiles. 22:12 Revelation 12:1-2, 22:14 and then we'll read verses 5 and 6, 22:17 says the following. 22:18 "Now a great sign appeared in heaven, 22:21 a woman clothed with the sun, 22:24 with the moon under her feet, 22:26 and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 22:29 Then being with child, 22:31 she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth." 22:35 Verse 5, "She bore a male Child 22:38 who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. 22:41 And her Child was caught up to God 22:44 and to His throne." 22:46 Now, let's stop there for a moment. 22:48 Who exists first, the woman or the child? 22:51 That's a dumb question, by the way, 22:53 but I'm trying to make a point. 22:54 Who exists first, the woman or the child? 22:57 The woman. The woman. 22:58 What does the woman represent? 23:00 What does a woman represent symbolically? 23:02 The church. The church. 23:03 So did the church exist before Jesus was born? 23:06 Yes, it can be the Christian church, 23:08 because you can have a Christian church 23:10 before Jesus is born. 23:12 Are you following me? 23:14 So the church existed before Jesus is born. 23:17 But let me ask you, is the same woman 23:21 after the child is born 23:22 and is caught up to God's throne? 23:24 Is that woman then fleeing to the wilderness 23:27 for 1260 years, 23:28 the same woman? 23:30 Absolutely. 23:31 Notice Revelation 12:6. 23:34 "Then the woman fled into the wilderness, 23:37 where she has a place prepared by God 23:39 that they should feed her there 23:41 one thousand two hundred and sixty days." 23:46 So there's one woman representing both 23:49 the Old Testament Church and the New Testament Church. 23:52 God does not have two women, the one in the Old Testament 23:55 and the one in the New Testament. 23:57 There's one woman, 23:58 the one who brings the child into the world, 24:00 that's the Jewish nation, the Jewish church. 24:03 And then the same woman is persecuted for 1260 years. 24:07 It's not a different woman. 24:09 By the way, the number 12, it's not a coincidence 24:13 that there were 12 tribes in the Old Testament 24:15 that formed Israel and 12 apostles 24:17 that began the Christian Church. 24:20 The number 12 links the Old Testament church 24:23 with the New Testament church. 24:25 In the Book Acts of the Apostles, page 19. 24:28 Ellen White remarks, "As in the Old Testament 24:31 the twelve patriarchs 24:33 stood as representatives of Israel, 24:36 so the twelve apostles 24:38 stand as representatives of the Gospel Church." 24:42 So God has only one woman, 24:46 one true church, throughout history, 24:50 before Jesus comes to this earth, 24:52 and after Jesus comes to this earth. 24:55 But the Bible teaches it... 24:57 teaches us also that God has only one fold 25:01 with one Shepherd, composed of Jews and Gentiles. 25:06 Notice John 10:16. 25:09 John Chapter 10. God doesn't have two folds. 25:11 He doesn't have say, "Okay, I have a fold, 25:13 which is the literal Jews and I have another fold, 25:15 which is the Christian church." 25:16 No. 25:18 He says both are members of the same body. 25:20 John 10:16, Jesus stated, 25:24 "And other sheep 25:26 I have which are not of this fold," 25:29 who are those other sheep that weren't of the fold 25:31 that Jesus was dealing with at that moment? 25:34 The Gentiles. 25:35 "And other sheep 25:36 I have which are not of this fold, 25:39 them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice, 25:44 and there will be two flocks and one shepherd." 25:48 Is that what it says 25:50 there will be two flocks and one shepherd? 25:52 No, it says when I bring those which are the Gentiles, 25:56 there will be one flock and one shepherd, 26:00 not two flocks. 26:01 In John 11:51-52, 26:05 we find clearly that God has one people, 26:08 one fold of sheep, 26:10 spiritually speaking, it says there. 26:13 Now this is speaking about the words 26:15 that Caiaphas spoke that we read before. 26:17 "Now this he did 26:19 not to say on his own authority, 26:22 but being high priest that year 26:24 he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation," 26:27 and now notice this, 26:29 "and not for that nation only," 26:32 that is not only for the Jewish nation, 26:35 "but also that He would gather together in," to what? 26:40 "Into one the children of God 26:43 who were scattered abroad." 26:46 So it clearly says that was gonna be one fold 26:50 with one shepherd composed of Jews, 26:52 literal Jews and Gentiles. 26:56 We also find that God has only one Israel. 27:00 God doesn't have two Israels, 27:02 a literal Israel and a spiritual Israel. 27:04 No, spiritual Israel is the continuation of God's 27:08 true Old Testament Israel. 27:11 Notice Romans 2:28-29, 27:14 Romans 2:28-29. 27:17 Here the Apostle Paul 27:18 now understands what a true Jew is. 27:22 It's not somebody who has 27:24 the blood of Abraham flowing through his veins. 27:27 It says there, "For he is not a Jew 27:30 who is one outwardly, 27:32 nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh, 27:37 but he is a Jew who is one," what? 27:40 "Inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, 27:46 in the Spirit, not in the letter, 27:48 whose praise is not from men but from God." 27:53 So who is a Jew? 27:55 An individual who is a Jew outwardly? 27:57 So Paul says, no, no. 28:00 It is one who has what? 28:03 Who has been circumcised in his heart 28:05 been converted in the spirit 28:08 and receive Jesus Christ as Savior? 28:11 Notice Romans 9:6-8. 28:14 We're looking at now 28:16 what the Apostle Paul considers important 28:18 since this conversion experience. 28:20 Romans 9:6-8. 28:23 We're going to see here that there are two Israels, 28:25 there is literally Israel that has rejected the Messiah, 28:29 they are not true Israel. 28:30 And you have the true Israel 28:32 which has received Jesus as the Messiah. 28:35 Notice Romans 9:6, the Apostle Paul says, 28:39 "But it is not that the word of God 28:41 has taken no effect. 28:43 For they are not all Israel 28:46 who are of Israel." 28:49 Are you understanding what he is saying? 28:51 Not all Israelites are Israelites. 28:55 Now what does he mean? 28:57 Let's continue. 28:58 "Nor are they all children 29:01 because they are the seed of Abraham," 29:03 in other words, you're another child of God 29:04 because you've seen the seed of Abraham. 29:06 "But, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." 29:09 Because from Isaac the promise, see, 29:11 Jesus Christ would come. 29:13 "That is," listen carefully now, 29:15 "those who are the children of the flesh, 29:18 that is literal Jews, 29:19 these are not the children of God, 29:22 but the children of the promise," 29:23 that is those who accept 29:25 the promise of the coming Messiah, 29:26 "are counted as the" what? 29:29 "Are counted as the seed." 29:31 So a Jew is not defined by geography, 29:34 ethnicity and nationality. 29:36 A true Jew is defined 29:38 by his or her relationship to Jesus Christ. 29:43 Notice Galatians 3:16, and verses 26-29, 29:49 Galatians 3:16, 29:51 and then verses 26-29. 29:54 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made, 29:57 he does not say and to seeds as of many 30:00 but as of one, and to your seed, 30:03 who is Christ. 30:04 You are all sons of God. 30:07 How do we... how are we sons of God? 30:08 We are all sons of God through what? 30:11 Through faith in Christ Jesus, 30:13 for as many of us as that were baptized 30:16 into Christ have put on Christ, 30:19 and what happens when we put on Christ? 30:22 Does our ethnicity make any difference? 30:25 Does our race make any difference? 30:27 Does our gender make any difference? 30:29 No, Paul, continue saying, 30:30 after were baptized into Christ and we have put on Christ, 30:33 he says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, 30:35 there is neither slave nor free, 30:37 there is neither male nor female, 30:39 for you are all one in Christ Jesus." 30:43 How many Israel's does God have? 30:45 One. 30:46 And then he says, "If you are Christ's, 30:49 then you are Abraham's seed, 30:51 and heirs according to the promise." 30:53 So what if you are not Christ's? 30:55 You are not Abraham's seed, 30:57 even though you might be a literal Jew. 30:59 Are you understanding this? 31:01 Now, Jesus not only has one Israel, 31:03 He also has one body, 31:06 because if Jesus had two bodies, 31:07 he would be a monster. 31:10 Literally speaking, 31:11 he has one body composed of Jews and Gentiles, 31:14 not two bodies, 31:16 not a special plan for the Jews, 31:17 another special plan for the church. 31:19 No, one plan for his true Israel. 31:22 Notice Ephesians 2:13-18, 31:26 Ephesians 2:13-18. 31:28 One body, it says there, "But now in Christ Jesus," 31:32 he's speaking to the Gentiles, 31:33 "you who once were far off have been," what? 31:38 "Brought near by the blood of Christ. 31:41 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one," 31:45 that is Jew and Gentile, He has made them both one, 31:49 "and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 31:52 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, 31:54 that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, 31:57 so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, 32:02 thus making peace, 32:03 and that He might reconcile them 32:05 both to God in one body through the cross, 32:08 thereby putting death to death the enmity. 32:11 And He came and preached peace to you 32:13 who were afar off and to those who were near. 32:16 For through Him we both," that is Jew in Gentile, 32:20 "have access by one Spirit to the Father." 32:25 How many bodies does Jesus have? 32:27 One. Composed of what? 32:29 Jews, literal Jews and Gentiles. 32:32 Notice 1 Corinthians 12:13, 32:35 1 Corinthians 12:13. 32:38 Here the Apostle Paul states, 32:40 "For by one Spirit 32:42 we were all baptized into one body, 32:45 whether Jews or Greeks, 32:47 whether slaves or free, 32:49 and all have been made to drink into one Spirit." 32:52 Jews and Gentiles are one body according to this. 32:56 Notice Ephesians 3:6. 32:58 This theme comes through the Apostle Paul, 33:00 time and again, 33:01 and in the rest of Scripture as well. 33:03 Ephesians 3:6 says, 33:06 "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, 33:10 of the same body, 33:13 and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel." 33:18 So once again, how many bodies? 33:20 One body. 33:21 Let's read one more text. 33:23 Colossians 1, we read verse 18 33:26 and then we will read verse 24. 33:28 Speaking about Jesus, it says, 33:30 "And He is the head of the body, the church, 33:34 who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, 33:37 that in all things He may have the preeminence." 33:40 Verse 24, 33:41 "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, 33:44 and fill up in my flesh 33:47 what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, 33:50 for the sake of His body, which is the church." 33:55 Clearly Jesus Christ has only one body, 33:59 one fold, one woman. 34:04 And by the way, 34:05 the redeemed will all be in one city. 34:09 Because many dispensationalist teach that, 34:11 that the church is gonna live in earthly Jerusalem, 34:14 and the other group is gonna live 34:17 in the heavenly Jerusalem. 34:18 The Bible doesn't teach that. 34:21 Everyone is gonna live in one city, you say, 34:23 where does the Bible say that? 34:24 Go with me to Revelation 21:2, 34:27 Revelation 21:2. 34:30 "Then I, John, saw the holy city, 34:33 New Jerusalem, 34:34 coming down out of heaven from God, 34:36 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." 34:40 Notice Revelation 21:12, 34:42 it speaks about the gates of the city. 34:45 It says, "And she had a great 34:46 and high wall with twelve gates, 34:49 and twelve angels at the gates, 34:51 and names written on them, 34:53 which are the names of the twelve tribes 34:55 of the children of Israel." 34:58 So the gates have the names of what? 35:01 Of the 12 tribes, 35:02 would that be the Old Testament? 35:04 Would that represent the Old Testament church? 35:06 Absolutely. 35:07 Now what about the foundations of the wall, of the city? 35:11 Revelation 21:14, 35:13 "Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, 35:15 and on them were the names 35:17 of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." 35:20 So the city has the names of the 12 apostles, 35:23 and it also has the names of the 12 tribes. 35:25 It is one city 35:26 with all of God's people within it, 35:28 those who receive Jesus. 35:30 And by the way, if you don't, 35:31 if you don't really know for sure 35:34 whether the Old Testament saints 35:35 look for the same city that the redeem saints 35:37 in the New Testament are looking for, 35:39 let's go to Hebrews 11, we'll read verses 9 and 10, 35:43 and then we'll read verses 13-16, 35:46 Hebrews 11:9-10, and then 13-16. 35:50 It says there in verse 9, speaking about Abraham, 35:53 "By faith he dwelt in the land of promise 35:57 as in a foreign country, 35:59 dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, 36:02 the heirs with him of the same promise, 36:05 for he waited..." 36:06 What city did Abraham look forward to? 36:08 He was a literal Jew, 36:09 did he look forward to an earthly Jerusalem? 36:12 No, no, it says, "For he waited for the city 36:16 which has foundations, 36:18 whose builder and maker is God." 36:22 Is that the heavenly Jerusalem? 36:24 Yes, it is. Now let's go to verse 13. 36:27 Speaking about all the heroes of the Old Testament, 36:30 " These all died in faith, 36:32 not having received the promises, 36:34 but having seen them afar off were assured of them, 36:37 embraced them and confessed that 36:39 they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 36:43 For those who say such things declare plainly 36:46 that they seek a homeland." 36:48 In other words, the Old Testament saints 36:49 were looking for homeland. 36:51 What is that homeland? 36:52 The literal Jerusalem on earth, the old Jerusalem. 36:57 No. 36:58 Let's continue reading, verse 15, 37:01 "And truly if they had called to mind that country 37:04 from which they had come out, 37:05 they would have had opportunity to return. 37:09 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. 37:14 Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, 37:17 for He has prepared for them a city." 37:22 Let me ask you, the Old Testament saints 37:24 and the New Testament saints, 37:25 did they look forward to the same city? 37:28 Absolutely. 37:29 God has one people, 37:31 the gates have the names of the tribes, 37:33 and the foundations of wall 37:35 have the names of the 12 apostles, 37:37 one city with also received Jesus Christ 37:40 both by the promise in the Old Testament, 37:42 in reality in the New Testament. 37:45 Now, the Bible also teaches that God has only one tree. 37:50 Now I'm not gonna read the entire passage. 37:53 In Romans 11, I'm just gonna explain to you. 37:56 In Romans Chapter 11, 37:58 we find a parable that is use of the tree, 38:02 and the tree of course represents Jesus Christ. 38:06 It represents true Israel that joins Jesus Christ. 38:10 Now, this tree is very interesting 38:12 because it has different kinds of branches. 38:14 And you can read the entire Chapter 11 38:17 of the Book of Romans. 38:19 Right now we don't have time to read the entire chapter. 38:21 So I'm just gonna synthesize. 38:23 The tree has natural branches, 38:27 the natural branches represent 38:29 the literal Jews that receive Christ, 38:32 the natural branches that grow from the tree, 38:35 but the tree also has natural branches 38:37 that are cut off, 38:40 the natural branches that are cut off 38:42 are the literal Jews that rejected Jesus. 38:46 Some of the natural branches are grafted back into the tree 38:50 after they were cut off. 38:52 Those are those who rejected Christ 38:55 and then received Him again, 38:57 they're grafted into this tree once more. 39:00 Then there are wild olive branches, 39:04 and these are grafted into the tree. 39:06 These are the Gentiles who are united with Christ, 39:09 they became part of the same tree. 39:13 And then there's the potential possibility 39:16 that some of these wild branches 39:18 that were grafted into the tree might apostatized 39:22 and they will be cut off, those would be Gentiles 39:25 who would lose their faith, 39:26 after having received Jesus Christ. 39:29 Are you catching the picture? 39:30 What is the key? 39:32 You are only a branch 39:34 if you're united to Jesus Christ. 39:36 Now let's read a few verses 39:38 that we'll find here in Romans 11. 39:41 Let's begin with verse 22-23. And what see... 39:43 what the key is for belonging to the tree. 39:46 It's not that you're a literal Jew, 39:48 having the blood of Abraham 39:50 running through your veins or where you live. 39:53 It's who your Lord is. 39:56 Romans 11:20 says, "Well said. 39:59 Because of unbelief they were broken off, 40:04 and you stand by faith." 40:05 He's saying to the Gentiles, 40:07 the literal Jews were broken off 40:08 because they had unbelief. 40:10 They didn't have faith. 40:11 And you he says to the Gentiles stand by faith, 40:15 "Do not be haughty, but fear. 40:17 For if God did not spare the natural branches, 40:20 He may not spare you either. 40:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God, 40:25 on those who fell, severity, but toward you," 40:28 that is toward the Gentiles, "goodness, 40:30 if you continue in His goodness. 40:33 Otherwise you also will be cut off. 40:36 And they also," 40:38 speaking about the literal Jews, 40:39 "if they do not continue in unbelief, 40:41 will be grafted in, 40:43 for God is able to graft them in again. 40:46 For I do not desire, brethren, 40:47 that you should be ignorant of this mystery," 40:49 this is verse 25, "of this mystery, 40:51 lest you should be wise in your own opinion, 40:54 that blindness in part has happened to Israel 40:58 until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." 41:00 So there's two groups, there's a literal Jews, 41:03 and there's the Gentiles, 41:05 and they all have to be grafted into the same tree. 41:08 And then comes the verse that says, 41:10 "And so all Israel will be saved." 41:16 Who is all Israel according to the context? 41:18 Is it only the literal Jews? 41:21 No. 41:22 It's everyone who is united to the tree, 41:24 with their natural branches or wild branches, 41:27 all Israel will be saved. 41:30 God has one tree. 41:33 God also will have only one banquet table 41:36 when we get there. 41:38 Notice Matthew 8:11-12, 41:42 Matthew 8:11-12. 41:43 There's not gonna be one banquet table 41:45 for the literal Jews, 41:47 and another banquet table 41:48 for the church or for the Gentiles. 41:50 There's one banquet table, everybody will sit there. 41:53 It says in Matthew 8:11-12. 41:56 " And I say to you 41:58 that many will come from east and west," 42:00 these are the Gentiles, "and sit down," 42:05 incidentally, the parallel passage, 42:07 because our Luke has this same, same story, 42:12 Jesus says, and sit down at my table, okay? 42:17 Sit down at my table. 42:19 "Many will come from the east and west, 42:21 and sit down at my table 42:24 with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." 42:28 So the Gentiles are going to come, 42:29 and they're going to sit with Abraham, 42:31 Isaac and Jacob at Christ table 42:33 in the kingdom of heaven. 42:35 And then Jesus says, 42:36 "But the sons of the kingdom..." 42:38 Those are the literal Jews that reject Jesus, 42:41 "But the sons of the kingdom will be 42:43 cast out into outer darkness. 42:45 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 42:49 Are you catching this picture or not? 42:51 Is it becoming clear? 42:53 Did you see the change 42:54 and focus in the theology of the Apostle Paul? 42:58 From being Jewish centered to being Christ centered. 43:01 In Christ, there is no nationality, 43:04 there is one Israel, faithful Israel, 43:07 those who have received Jesus Christ 43:09 as Savior and Lord. 43:11 God also only has one spiritual temple 43:15 composed of Jews and Gentiles. 43:17 Notice Ephesians 2:19-22, 43:21 Ephesians 2:19-22. 43:25 Here the Apostle Paul, 43:27 once again writing to the Gentiles, 43:29 he says, "Now, therefore, 43:30 you are no longer strangers and foreigners, 43:33 but fellow citizens with the saints 43:36 and members of the household of God." 43:40 Are you catching the picture? 43:42 And now the Apostle Paul is going to compare the Jews 43:47 and the Gentiles who are fellow citizens 43:49 with the Jews of the household of God. 43:51 Now he's going to compare them to a temple in verse 20. 43:55 It says, "Having been built 43:57 on the foundation of the apostles and prophets," 44:00 Once again there you have the apostles 44:01 will be the New Testament, 44:03 the prophets would be the Old Testament, 44:04 "founded upon the apostles and the prophets, 44:07 Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 44:10 in whom the whole building, being joined together, 44:14 grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 44:17 in whom you also are being built together 44:21 for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." 44:25 So notice that the Apostle Paul is saying here, 44:28 that the Gentiles now are fellow citizens, 44:31 and members of the household of God, 44:33 and they are built into that spiritual temple 44:35 along with the literal Jews. 44:38 God has only one temple. 44:40 Incidentally, if the temple represents the church, 44:44 if the temple is not a literal temple of, 44:47 you know, Jesus Christ is not a real stone 44:49 and the apostles and prophets are not real foundation stones. 44:52 The stones represent people. 44:55 In the Shekinah in the Old Testament, 44:58 in the New Testament is the Holy Spirit. 45:01 So if the temple is a spiritual temple, 45:04 according to what we've noticed, 45:06 built with Jews and Gentiles, 45:09 and the Antichrist sits in the temple, 45:12 where are we to expect the Antichrist in a rebuilt 45:16 literal Jerusalem temple, 45:18 or within the Christian church? 45:21 Within the Christian church. 45:23 That's why Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2, 45:26 he says, that the Antichrist will sit in the temple of God, 45:30 showing himself to be God and representing God. 45:34 Because he realized that 45:36 the Antichrist was not gonna be some nasty individual 45:39 that would sit in the rebuild Jerusalem temple 45:41 in the Middle East, 45:43 and what persecute the literal Jews. 45:45 The Apostle Paul understood that 45:46 the Antichrist was gonna sit 45:47 in the spiritual temple, the church, 45:49 usurping the position of Jesus Christ, 45:52 and that it was gonna happen 45:53 long before the Second Coming of Jesus. 45:56 By the way, the redeemed will also sing 45:59 only one song. 46:00 Abraham. 46:02 Notice Revelation 15:3-4, 46:06 Revelation 15:3-4. 46:08 Speaking about the redeemed, 46:10 it says, "They sing the song of Moses, 46:13 the servant of God, 46:14 and the song of the Lamb, saying." 46:18 Are all the redeemed gonna sing the same song? 46:22 The Song of Moses is an Old Testament event. 46:24 The Song of the lamb is a New Testament event. 46:27 Everyone's gonna sing the same song. 46:30 And so what are they going to sing? 46:31 "Great and marvelous are Your works, 46:33 Lord God Almighty! 46:35 Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! 46:38 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? 46:42 For You alone are holy. 46:43 For all nations shall come and worship before You, 46:46 for Your judgments have been manifested." 46:50 And so God will have His people sing only one song. 46:53 Do you see that there's oneness to the people of God? 46:56 They're no two... 46:57 They're not two peoples. 46:59 There is one people of God. 47:02 By the way, both Jews and Gentiles 47:05 all have one father, the same father. 47:10 Notice Galatians 3:26, 47:14 Galatians 3:26. 47:18 "For you are all sons of God 47:23 through faith in Christ Jesus." 47:27 How do we become sons of God? 47:30 Is everybody on earth a son of God? 47:34 No. 47:36 Everyone on earth is a son or daughter of God by creation, 47:39 but not by redemption. 47:41 The Apostle Paul here speaking about redemption, 47:44 for you are all the sons of God 47:46 through faith in Christ Jesus. 47:48 In other words, 47:49 If you wanna be a son or daughter of God, 47:50 you must have faith in Christ Jesus. 47:53 Notice John 1:12-13, 47:56 who are the true children of God? 48:00 " But as many as received Him," that is Jesus. 48:05 "To them He gave the right to become," what? 48:08 "Children of God, 48:10 to those who believe in His name, 48:12 who were born, not of blood, 48:14 nor of the will of the flesh, 48:15 nor of the will of man, but of God." 48:17 In other words, 48:18 your physical birth means nothing. 48:20 It is your spiritual birth, 48:22 the fact that you've received Jesus Christ 48:24 and you have believed in His name, 48:26 then you are a member of the family of God 48:31 and God is your father by redemption. 48:34 Incidentally, this is the way that it works, 48:37 interesting way that it works. 48:40 Only when we become brothers and sisters of Jesus, 48:45 do we become sons and daughters of God? 48:48 And you say, how does that work? 48:50 Well, let me explain. 48:52 Who is the only true Son of God 48:56 and faithful Son of God? 48:58 Jesus Christ. 49:00 But when I joined Jesus Christ, 49:02 when I accept Jesus Christ, I become his brother. 49:06 And if it's a woman, the woman becomes his sister, 49:10 and because Jesus has believers 49:15 as brothers and sisters, 49:17 then they are also children of God. 49:22 Are you understanding me? 49:23 In other words, 49:25 when you become a brother or sister of Jesus, 49:27 you're also a son or daughter of God, 49:29 because Jesus is the Son of God. 49:31 And if you are Brother, you are her brother... 49:33 His brother and sister, 49:35 then you also are children of God. 49:39 That's why Jesus said in John 14:6, 49:43 "Jesus said to Him, 49:44 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. 49:47 No one comes to the Father except through Me.' 49:51 " We are only children of God in the spiritual sense, 49:55 in the redemptive sense, 49:56 when we receive Jesus Christ 49:59 as Savior of Lord... 50:00 Savior and Lord. 50:02 Now let me just read a long passage from John 8, 50:06 so that you see what it means to be 50:10 a son or a daughter of God. 50:12 Here Jesus is having a conversation 50:15 with the Jews of his day. 50:17 And I'm beginning... 50:18 I'll begin reading at Verse 32. 50:21 Jesus says to them, "And you shall know the truth, 50:23 and the truth shall make you free. 50:26 They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's seed, 50:31 and have never been in bondage to anyone. 50:33 How can You say, 'You will be made free?' 50:37 Jesus answered them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, 50:40 whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.' 50:43 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, 50:46 but a son abides forever. 50:49 Therefore if the Son makes you free, 50:51 you shall be free indeed." 50:54 And then Jesus says, listen carefully now, 50:56 there are two Israels, 50:57 true Israel and counterfeit Israel. 51:00 "I know that you are Abraham's seed," 51:03 literally speaking Jesus is saying, 51:05 "I know that you are Abraham's seed, 51:08 but you seek to kill Me, 51:10 because My word has no place in you. 51:12 I speak what I have seen with My Father, 51:15 and you do what you have seen with your father." 51:20 Now let's continue, it gets even thicker. 51:24 Notice verse 39. 51:27 "They answered and said to Him, 'Abraham is our father.' 51:30 Jesus said to them, 51:32 'If you were Abraham's children,'" 51:35 the word if indicates that they're not right, 51:38 "If you were Abraham's children, 51:40 you would do the works of Abraham. 51:43 But now you seek to kill Me, 51:45 a Man who has told you the truth 51:47 which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this." 51:49 In other words, 51:50 you claim to be children of Abraham, 51:51 Abraham loved Me and you hate Me. 51:53 So how can you say that your children of Abraham? 51:56 The argument continues in verse 41, 51:59 "You do the deeds of your father," Jesus says. 52:02 "Then they said to Him, 52:03 'We were not born of fornication, 52:05 we have one Father, God.' 52:08 Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father," 52:11 see once again He's saying that God isn't their Father. 52:13 Abraham is not their father, who is their father, then? 52:17 Oh, Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, 52:20 you would love Me, 52:22 for I proceeded forth and came from God, 52:25 nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 52:28 Why do you not understand My speech? 52:30 Because you are not able to listen to My word." 52:32 And then Jesus 52:33 with total political incorrectness, says, 52:36 "You are of your father the devil," 52:40 Were they children of Abraham? 52:43 Literally, yes. 52:44 But spiritually, they were what? 52:47 Children of the devil. Why? 52:48 Because Abraham loved Jesus and they hated Jesus. 52:52 So they were not in the Father love Jesus. 52:55 And so God the Father and Abraham love Jesus, 52:57 but they hated Jesus. 52:58 How could they say that they're children of God 53:01 and they're children of Abraham? 53:03 Are you with me? 53:05 Then the story continues. 53:06 He says, "You are of your father the devil, 53:08 and the desires of your father you want to do. 53:11 He was a murderer from the beginning, 53:13 and does not stand in the truth, 53:14 because there is no truth in him. 53:16 When he speaks a lie, 53:17 he speaks from his own resources, 53:19 for he is a liar and the father of it." 53:23 You know what the sad thing is? 53:25 The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 53:27 3:13-16. 53:32 He says that there is a veil over the heart of the Jews. 53:37 Their heart is hardened, 53:39 and they cannot find Christ in the Old Testament. 53:42 But the Apostle Paul says, 53:44 when they're converted to Jesus, 53:46 the veil will be removed, 53:49 the hardness of their heart will be removed, 53:51 and then they will become true Israel, 53:53 they will become the true children of God. 53:58 Finally, there will only be one priest, 54:00 one high priest with one blessed breastplate. 54:03 The breastplate had 12 stones. 54:05 Aaron had the breastplate, he had the 12 stones 54:08 which are the 12 tribes of Israel. 54:10 Jesus is now the high priest in heaven, 54:12 and He has a breastplate that has 12 stones, 54:16 which represents the 12 apostles. 54:19 In other words, all of Israel 54:21 is represented in the 12 stones. 54:24 Now, why is what we are studying important? 54:28 Preachers today, evangelical preachers 54:31 believe just as Saul of Tarsus did before his conversion. 54:37 They jump from the Old Testament 54:39 to the End Times and totally bypass Jesus. 54:43 They say that God chose literally Israel, 54:46 unconditionally and irrevocably. 54:49 And they're all the promises 54:51 that God must literally fulfilled 54:53 with the Jews he will fulfill with literal Israel. 54:57 They believe in a prophetic scenario 54:59 that will involve literal Israel, 55:00 in literal Jerusalem, 55:02 a literal temple will be rebuilt, 55:04 literal sacrifices will be reestablished, 55:06 a literal Antichrist will sit in the temple. 55:09 He will rule for three and a half literal years, 55:11 literal enemies will come 55:13 from the north and from the east 55:14 with literal weapons to wage a literal war 55:17 against literal Jerusalem 55:19 and all this outside of Christ. 55:23 It is a totally counterfeit prophetic scenario. 55:28 God chose Israel based on 55:32 whether they would respond to him. 55:34 You remember we read in our last study, 55:38 where God says, 55:40 "If you hear My voice 55:44 and obey My covenant, 55:46 remnant you will be My special people. 55:49 So the promise was conditional. 55:51 By the way, 55:52 God will fulfill all the promises 55:53 He made the Israel, He will fulfill, 55:55 He will fulfill it with spiritual Israel. 55:58 They will not be wasted. 56:01 Let me ask you, 56:02 will God's people inherit what belong... 56:04 what God promised Israel? 56:06 Yeah, not only that, but the whole world. 56:11 Let me ask you this, if you tell your child, 56:16 if you behave, 56:18 I'll give you some of these cookies, 56:22 vegan cookies, of course. 56:25 If you behave, I'll give you these cookies. 56:28 And the child misbehaves. 56:30 And the parents 56:31 still give the child the cookies? 56:33 No. 56:35 The promise is based on a condition. 56:39 And the condition for Israel to be Israel 56:42 is to receive Jesus Christ. 56:44 There is no fulfillment of prophecy 56:47 for literal Israel outside of Jesus Christ. 56:51 And I believe, and Ellen White confirms this, 56:53 that at the end of time, 56:55 thousands and thousands 56:56 of Jews will come out of Judaism 56:59 and join God's remnant church. 57:01 God loves the individual Jews, 57:04 but He has no plan for the nation. 57:06 He has no plan for the theocracy. 57:07 Now it's the Gentiles who are taking the message 57:10 to the world. 57:12 Because the Jews as a nation fail, 57:15 but God loves individual Jews, He wants to see them saved, 57:18 He wants us to reach them. 57:21 Because if their natural branches, 57:23 wow, they are the inside track. 57:27 We are only wild on those branches. 57:30 But all of us are united to the same tree. 57:35 Are you understanding the importance of knowing 57:39 what Israel means 57:41 when it's spoken of in Bible prophecy? 57:43 It's vitally important, folks, 57:45 that we understand that Israel is the church 57:48 and all prophecy will be fulfilled, 57:50 not with literal Israel, but with spiritual Israel. 57:54 I trust that this study has been beneficial. 57:57 In our next study, we will study about 57:59 the fig tree also relating to Israel. |
Revised 2019-10-21