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Topic: final generation
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Carol Swenson
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A simple blood test would tell if someone had Semitic ancestry or not.
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Caretaker
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Amen Carol!!!!
Eph. 2:
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
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A Servant of Christ,
Drew
1 Tim. 3:
16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..
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Carol Swenson
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quote:
It would not be much of a mystery if the gentiles in the Bible were simply non-Israelites to whom Yeshua (Jesus’ given Hebrew name) granted salvation through His propitiating sacrifice. But it would be intriguing if some of these gentiles fulfilled Bible prophecies that were intended for Israelites. What if these gentiles were somehow racially related to the Israelites of biblical antiquity, and the redemption and remarriage that Yahweh promised to the divorced and dispersed Israelites actually applied to certain gentiles in the New Testament? Could some of the gentiles actually be other than whom they are commonly considered to be? These possibilities present a much more perplexing puzzle than simply that salvation was granted to non-Israelites.
Garbage.
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)
Paul explains the "dispensation of Grace" that was revealed to the Gentiles by his preaching and epistles. (Eph. 3:1-2) He says by revelation, God made clear to him the "mystery" of the relationship of the Jew and Gentile in the church. He explains in verse 5, that in the Old Testament this truth of the coming of the institution of the local church was not revealed, but is now revealed by the apostles, and prophets (preachers) by the Holy Spirit. (V5)
What was the mystery that was now revealed? "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel." (Eph. 3:6) Paul tells them, that to him was given the task by God, "that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." (V8) In verse 9-10, he proclaims that this truth now should be known to everyone.
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becauseHElives
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Understanding that goy and ethnos refer to both non-Israelite and Israelite nations will place you well on your way toward solving the mystery of the gentiles.
Chapter 5
The Cast of Characters: Biblical Gentiles
It would not be much of a mystery if the gentiles in the Bible were simply non-Israelites to whom Yeshua (Jesus’ given Hebrew name) granted salvation through His propitiating sacrifice. But it would be intriguing if some of these gentiles fulfilled Bible prophecies that were intended for Israelites. What if these gentiles were somehow racially related to the Israelites of biblical antiquity, and the redemption and remarriage that Yahweh promised to the divorced and dispersed Israelites actually applied to certain gentiles in the New Testament? Could some of the gentiles actually be other than whom they are commonly considered to be? These possibilities present a much more perplexing puzzle than simply that salvation was granted to non-Israelites.
To correctly answer the foregoing questions, a person must become familiar with two words, one Hebrew and one Greek. In the Old Testament, the English word “gentiles” is translated from the Hebrew words goy (singular) and goyim (plural). Their New Testament Greek counterparts are ethnos (singular) and ethne (plural). Many Christians erroneously believe that gentiles, goyim, and ethne refer exclusively to non-Jews or non-Israelites.
In the King James Old Testament, the Hebrew words “goy” and “goyim” are translated nation(s) 373 times, heathen(s) 142 times, gentiles 30 times, people(s) 11 times, and another 1 time. Not once is goy or goyim translated non-Jew or non-Israelite.
In the King James New Testament, the Greek words “ethnos” and “ethne” are translated gentiles 93 times, nation(s) 64 times, heathen(s) 5 times, people(s) 2 times and Greek 1 time. Not once is ethnos or ethne translated non-Jew or non-Israelite.
Because most people think that the Jews in the Bible represent all twelve tribes of Israel, they inevitably jump to the unwarranted conclusion that the term “gentiles,” especially when used in contrast with the term “Jews,” refers exclusively to non-Israelites. The following quotations represent this thinking:
Gentiles … All nations of the world other than the Jews….55
The Heb. goyim signified the nations, the surrounding nations, foreigners as opposed to Israel.56
Heb. Goi, “the nations” (or “heathen,” derived from the Gr. ethne), as opposed to Israel (Neh. v. 8).57
Gentiles: all the peoples of the world who are non-Jews. In the New Testament, a Gentile designates any lost member of the human race who is not a Jew.58
The word translated as “GENTILES” is often translated as “NATIONS.” It is the word “ETHNOS” from which we derive “ETHNIC.” All people who are not JEWS are GENTILES regardless of their ethnic origin.59
In the New Testament, the word for “Gentiles” (Greek ethnos) is also translated “nations” and “heathen.” The corresponding Hebrew word in the Old Testament is goi. That is, all nations outside God’s covenant people of Israel, were called “Gentiles,” or “heathen,” or simply the “nations.”60
The term “Gentiles” in the New Testament always refers to people and nations outside of and apart from all the twelve tribes of Israel…. It can be said positively that IN NO CASE IN THE BIBLE, either in the Old Testament or in the New, DOES THE WORD “GENTILE” REFER OR APPLY TO ANY PART OF ISRAEL.61
The words “gentiles,” “goy” and “ethnos” are not the exclusionary terms that these authors have attempted to make them. For example, try replacing the word “nations” translated from goyim, with the word “non-Israelites” in Genesis 25:23 where Rebekah was informed about her twin boys, Jacob and Esau:
And Yahweh said unto her, Two non-Israelites are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Try the same in Genesis 48:19 where Jacob blesses Joseph’s second son Ephraim:
…he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of non-Israelites.
Try replacing the word “nation” with “non-Israelite” in Jeremiah 31:35-36 where Yahweh promised both houses of Israel that He would never forsake them as long as the sun rules by day and the moon by night:
Thus saith Yahweh, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; Yahweh of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith Yahweh, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a non-Israelite before me for ever.
The three preceding examples demonstrate that the definition and application of the Hebrew word “goyim” is not as narrow as some people would make it.
The same is true for its Greek counterpart “ethne.” If modern Christianity’s definition for ethnos is correct, John 18:35 would have to be translated as follows:
Pilate answered, Am I a Judahite? Thine own non-Israelites and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Ethnos and ethne have a much broader use in the New Testament than is commonly understood. Consider the following four examples.
The first employs the word “gentiles” (ethne) in reference to non-Israelites, specifically Canaanites:
Our [Israelite] fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus [the Old Testament Joshua] into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers…. - Acts 7:44-45
The second example uses the word “nations” (ethne) in reference to a multi-ethnic multitude of people, non-Israelite and Israelite alike:
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. - Acts 17:26
The third example employs the word “nation” (ethnos) in reference to Judahites, descendants of the house of Judah, the two southern tribes of Israel:
And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Judahites…. - Acts 10:22
The fourth examples the word “gentiles” (ethne) in reference to Israelites, the descendants of the house of Israel, the ten northern tribes of Israel:
And that he [Yahweh] might make known the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Judahites only, but also of the Gentiles? - Romans 9:23-24
We will return to this last passage in Chapter 6 because some people may question this interpretation and also because it provides important clues for solving the mystery.
Even without accepting the application for ethne in Romans 9:23-24, it should be apparent from the other three passages, as well as many others, that there is a much broader use of the Greek words “ethnos” and “ethne” than what is usually taught. Lexicographers also provide the broader application. Consider the following definitions for the Greek word “ethnos”:
…1. multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together; ,b>a company, troop, swarm…. 2. a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus … Acts 17:26…. 3. Race, nation: Mt 21:43; Acts 10:35, etc. … of the Jewish people, Lk 22:25; used (in the sing.) of the Jewish people, Lk. 7:5; 23:2…. 4. … in the O.T., foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles … Mt. 4:15 … and very often; in plain contradistinction to the Jews: Ro 3:29…. 5. Paul uses … ta\ >e&qnh even of Gentile Christians: Ro. 11:13; 15:27….62
There are 64 passages in the NT where we have e&qno$ or e&qnh without any special sense or characteristics…. About 60 refer to a people or peoples in the general sense, and of these the following have in view the Jewish people: Lk. 7:5; 23:2; Jn. 11:48, 50, 51, 52; 18:35; Ac. 10:22; 24:2, 10, 17; 26:4; 28:19; 1 Pt. 2:9. That the Jewish people is meant in the same sense as others, with no particular distinction, may be seen from the various contexts…. That the expression e&qnh refers to all nations may be seen from the addition of pa/nta [all] in Mt. 24:9, 14; 25:32; 28:19; Mk. 11:17; 13:10; Lk. 21:24; 24:47; R. 15:11; Gl. 3:8.63
In the foregoing quotation from the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, some of the passages that are applied to “the Jewish people” are inclusive of all twelve tribes, indicating that the word “ethnos” sometimes describes both Judahites and Israelites.
It is no different in the Old Testament. “Goy,” the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek word “ethnos,” is used in identical fashion. Consider the following definition for goy from The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon:
…1. Nation, people … a. specif. of descendants of Abraham … Gn 12:2 … 17:6 … definitely of Israel Ex 19:6 … 33:13 … Dt 4:6 … of Israel and Judah as two nations Ez 35:10…. c. usually of non-Heb. peoples Ex 9:24, 34:10 … esp. of these peoples as heathen: idolatrous Lv 18:24, 28….64
The Old Testament does not use goy exclusively for non-Hebrew peoples. In fact, this lexicon begins by correctly defining the word generically as any nation or people. It then includes three definitions that many Christians completely ignore: goy can refer “specif. of descendants of Abraham,” “definitely of Israel” and “of Israel and Judah as two nations.”
Precisely opposite of popular teaching, the Bible provides examples of non-Israelite nations identifying Israelites as goy and goyim:
Behold I have taught you [the nation of Israel] statutes and judgments…. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the [non-Israelite] nations [goyim], which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great [Israelite] nation [goy] is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as Yahweh our God is in all things that we call upon him for. - Deuteronomy 4:5-7
…thou [Mount Seir representing the Edomites] hast said, These two nations [two goyim, the houses of Israel and Judah] … shall be mine, and we will possess it…. Ezekiel 35:10
The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia and The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary correctly define goy:
…Goy (or Goi) is rendered “Gentiles” in the AV [Authorized Version] in some 30 passages, but much more frequently “heathen,” and oftener still, “nation,” … it, is commonly used for a non-Israelitish people, and thus corresponds to the meaning of “Gentiles.” It occurs, however, in passages referring to the Israelites, as in Gen 12 2; Deut 32 28; Josh 3 17; 4 1; 10 13; 2 S 7 23; Isa 1 4; Zeph 2 9….65
…Sometimes goy refers to Israel (Gen. 12:2; Deut. 32:28; Josh. 3:17; 4:1; 10:13; II Sam. 7:23; Isa. 1:4; Zeph. 2:9…)….66
Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary points out that the word “gentiles” is “a term used by [contemporary] Jewish people to refer to foreigners or any other people who were not a part of the Jewish race.”67 In other words, the idea that the term “gentiles” exclusively represents non-Jews is simply a Jewish tradition adopted by modern Christianity. While this is true for many of today’s Jews and Christians, The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia and The Jewish Encyclopedia admit that in the Bible goy simply meant nation(s), and that it was used for both non-Israelites and Israelites alike:
The Hebrew word goy (plural goyim) means “nation.” In Biblical usage it is applied also to Israel: “Ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (goy kadosh; Ex. 19:6).68
In the Hebrew of the Bible “goi” and its plural “goyyim” originally meant “nation,” and were applied both to Israelites and to non-Israelites (Gen. xii. 2, xvii. 20; Ex. xiii. 3, xxxii. 10; Deut. iv. 7; viii. 9, 14; Num. xiv. 12; Isa. i. 4, ix. 22; Jer. vii. 28).69
The Jewish Encyclopedia admits that the Hebrew word “goyim,” and its English equivalent “gentiles,” changed over time and took on “the sense of ‘non-Jew.’”70 Nevertheless, in the Bible, goy means any nation, be it non-Israelite, Israelite or Judahite.
The Hebrew word “goy,” like the Greek word “ethnos,” is simply a generic word meaning nation(s) or people(s). The most cogent definition for both words is “a multitude of individuals from the same nature or genus.”71 Nations is the best translation of “goy” and “ethnos.” Both words should have been translated in this manner throughout the Old and New Testaments, permitting the context of each passage to determine which nation(s) were being referred to. Had they been consistently translated nation(s), much of today’s confusion concerning the gentiles would have never occurred. The translators’ inconsistency in their renditions of “goy” and “ethnos” has contributed to flawed theology concerning these words and their biblical, eschatological and contemporary applications.
People are often heard speaking of an individual as being a gentile. This is another improper use of the term. Because both “goy” and “ethnos” are collective nouns, neither word can be used to identify an individual. The Bible always uses these terms to identify numerous nations or a nation composed of many individuals.
With this information so readily available from both the Bible and the lexicons, why is it that many preachers and theologians continue to teach otherwise? At best, they have not taken the initiative to investigate this subject. At worst, they are similar to the leaders described in Ezekiel 22:25: “There is a conspiracy of her [the land’s] prophets … they have taken the treasure and the precious things,” giving them away to people to whom they do not belong.
Understanding that goy and ethnos refer to both non-Israelite and Israelite nations will place you well on your way toward solving the mystery of the gentiles.
http://www.missiontoisrael.org/mystery-of-gentiles/chapter5.php
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
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WildB
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The Twelve Apostles and Us -
By Cornelius R. Stam
UNQUALIFIED OBEDIENCE TO THE "GREAT COMMISSION"
We have seen that Paul would not have qualified as Judas' successor, for the Lord had said to His apostles:
"Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt. 19:28).
Thus it was that Peter, before Pentecost and the offer of the kingdom, declared that according to Scripture another would have to be chosen to fill Judas' place—and that this person would have to be one who had "companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John [the first day of Christ's earthly ministry], unto that same day that He was taken up from us [the last day of His earthly ministry]" (Acts 1:15-22).
The choice of Matthias to succeed Judas was made after much earnest prayer (Acts 1:14), in obedience to the Scriptures (Ver. 20), and evidently under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, for we read that "the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles....And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost" (1:26; 2:4).
This infilling with the Holy Spirit empowered the Pentecostal believers not only to speak with tongues and work miraculous signs, but also to live lives that were entirely under the Spirit's control, so that we find no trace of error or sin in those early chapters of Acts. Indeed, we read in Acts 4:32,33, when their number had grown to more than five thousand men alone, that
"...the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common.
"And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all."
This way of life was nothing less than a fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:27:
"And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them."
This also confirmed Peter's declaration that the last days had begun.
Thus divinely chosen, equipped and empowered, the twelve apostles immediately began carrying out their commission—all of it.
How futile, then, has been the choosing of commissions by God's people today! How wrong to select certain passages from our Lord's parting instructions to bind upon the Church of this dispensation! How wrong to arbitrarily disregard the other passages! Yet this is what is being done by those who believe that both the commission to the eleven and the epistles of Paul belong to God's program for our day.
The twelve apostles had no such problem. These instructions had been given to them. It was their "great commission" and they considered it all binding, thus they began immediately to obey all of it in detail. Let us now examine all the records of this commission again and see how amply this is confirmed. That their work was interrupted by Israel's rejection of Christ and the revelation of the mystery, does not affect the fact that they were faithful to their commission in its entirety.
Here it will be necessary only to deal with such details of the commission as have been, or might be, brought into debate. With the rest there is no problem.
MATTHEW 28:18-20
Teach, Baptizing
"...teach all nations, baptizing them...."
We have seen that the King James translators rendered the Greek ethne by the word Gentiles when used in contradistinction to Jews, or Israelites. Here, however, all nations, including Israel, are in view as noted above, hence the translators correctly rendered the Greek word by our English word nations.
The twelve did immediately begin to obey this part of the commission for, as we know from Luke and the Acts, the apostles made their first appeal to Israel, the first nation to be brought under Messiah's sway, and those who truly repented and believed were baptized.
A Baptismal Formula?
"...baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
As we have seen, some object that Matthew's record of the commission could not have been intended for the apostles because they did not use the "formula" here given, but rather baptized "in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 2:38; 8:16). To this we offer a twofold reply:
1. There is no indication that the phrase "in the name of," etc., was meant by our Lord to be a formula. They were not instructed to repeat these words, but simply to baptize in the name of, or by the authority of, the triune God, just as a British officer might apprehend a criminal in the name of the queen, or an American officer might shout: "Stop, in the name of the law!" or our ambassador to France might speak or act in the name of the government of the United States. The repetition of words here is not in question, but rather the authority of the representative. Furthermore, when we read that people were baptized "in the name of the Lord Jesus," we must not forget that "in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9).
2. Matthew's record clearly states that this commission was for their obedience. "Go ye," is the Lord's simple command, and it is a perversion of Scripture to conclude that He must have meant this order to be carried out by others who will live at a future time.
Obedience to Moses' Law and All the Lord's Commands
"Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you."
We have seen from Galatians 4:4, Matthew 23:1-3 and 28:20 that our Lord Himself was under the law of Moses and taught His disciples complete subjection to the law. Thus, in obedience to His instructions in Matthew 28:20 the twelve taught their hearers subjection to Moses' law and set the example themselves.
1. In those early chapters they practically lived in the temple. In Acts 2:46 we find them "continuing daily with one accord in the temple." See also Acts 3:1,3,8,11; 5:20,21,25,42. In the last of these verses we read that "daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."
2. We are informed in Acts 22:12 that Ananias, the person who baptized Paul, was "a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there" (Acts 22:12).
3. At the great council at Jerusalem it was agreed only that the Gentile believers were not to be subjected to the law of Moses. The status of the Jews was not even discussed. It is evident that they had, until that very time, remained under the law, and they evidently assumed that they were so to continue. God had not yet given the twelve any revelation delivering believing Jews from the law (See Acts 15:1,19,21; Gal. 2:3,7,9).
4. In the latter part of Acts (21:20-25), we are specifically informed that whereas it had been "written and concluded" that the Gentiles should not be subjected to the law of Moses, the Jews which believed remained "zealous of the law."
5. Not until the raising up of the Apostle Paul do we hear any such declaration as: "But NOW the righteousness of God without the law is manifested" (Rom. 3:21), or "through this man [Christ] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38,39).
As to the Sermon on the Mount and the other commands referred to in Chapter 3, they obeyed these too. They did liquidate their assets and turn the proceeds over for the common good.
Acts 2:44,45: "And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
"And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need."
Acts 4:32,34,35: "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."
"Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
"And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."
Even the apostles went forth in obedience to Matthew 10:9,10, carrying "neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in their purses," so that Peter could say to the lame man at the temple gate: "Silver and gold have I NONE" (Acts 3:6).
This was indeed a foretaste of the wonderful kingdom of Christ, the "times of refreshing" referred to in Acts 3:19. What blessed fellowship, with everyone spontaneously living for others rather than for self!
So the apostles immediately began to carry out all the details of that segment of their commission recorded in Matthew 28:18-20. They did not, like some today, presume to choose what they should obey and ignore the rest.
It is true that they did not get to all nations with this wonderful program, but this was not due to any failure on their part. As we have seen, it was because Israel, the first nation, stubbornly rejected Messiah, so that God finally set her aside (temporarily) as a nation and, in matchless mercy and love, interrupted the prophetic program, ushering in the present parenthetical dispensation of grace through Paul, who had been our Lord's bitterest enemy on earth but was now the appointed herald of His infinite grace.
MARK 16:15-18
Which Gospel?
"Preach the gospel."
Many have supposed that this command of our Lord conclusively proves that the commission to the eleven is for our obedience, but this is not so. We have demonstrated by the clearest Scripture that the eleven at that time knew nothing of the gospel of the grace of God. They knew only "the gospel of the kingdom." True, the King had now been crucified and raised from the dead, but this did not change the basic content of their message. Only now, rather than proclaiming the kingdom "at hand," they could actually offer the return of Christ to sit on David's throne, along with "the times of refreshing," which every true Israelite longed for (Acts 2:29-31; 3:19-21).
Baptism and the Remission of Sins
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
The apostles preached and practiced exactly this. When some of Peter's hearers were convicted of their sins and asked: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter did not tell them that Christ had died for their sins and that they could receive salvation as the gift of God's grace, apart from religion or works. Rather he said:
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
Years ago, in a series of debates on dispensationalism, the author asked his opponent: "Suppose, after a Sunday evening service, some of your hearers were convicted of their sins and asked you and your co-workers: `Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Would you tell them what Peter told these convicted sinners at Pentecost?" "Why, of course!" he exclaimed. "In those words?" I persisted. He thought for a moment and then replied: "Well, I guess not exactly in those words." The fact is that this pastor would not at all have said to his hearers what Peter said to his. Even though a Baptist, he would not have said: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins," for he believed that subjection to water baptism should be left to each believer's conscience, and he did not believe that it had anything to do with salvation. He would rather have said what Paul said when the convicted Gentile jailor asked: "What must I do to be saved?" Like Paul, he would have said: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved..." (Acts 16:31). But Peter, at Pentecost, preached what he was commanded to preach under his commission: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
The Sign Gifts
"And these signs shall follow them that believe...."
Filled with the Holy Spirit, the apostles and disciples also began carrying out this part of their great commission:
Acts 2:4: "And they...began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Acts 2:43: "And...many wonders and signs were done by the apostles."
This, of course, did not please the Jewish leaders, but they could not gainsay the facts. We find the members of the Sanhedrin discussing the situation in Acts Chapter 4.
Acts 4:16: "What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it."
And the evidence mounted even higher after that.
Acts 5:16: "There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one."
Acts 6:8: "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people."
Acts 8:6: "And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did."
It is not germane at this point to discuss the reasons why Paul also wrought miracles, except to explain (1) that God gave him "the signs of an apostle," chiefly as a confirmation to the twelve and the Jewish believers that his ministry was indeed of God, and (2) that these "signs" were wrought during his early ministry, until Israel was officially set aside in Acts 28:28.
LUKE 24:45-48; ACTS 1:8
Beginning at Jerusalem
Luke 24:47: "...beginning at Jerusalem." Acts 1:8: "...and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
This they also did. Indeed, so scrupulous were the twelve in their obedience to these instructions that Jerusalem remained their headquarters even when the disciples were "scattered abroad" by the great persecution that arose when Stephen was stoned to death.
The twelve, Matthias replacing Judas, had begun to carry out their world-wide mission, but had not gotten beyond their own nation. We should always associate Acts 1:8 with Acts 8:1 in our study of the Acts, for Jerusalem, rather than turning to Messiah so that the apostles could go on with their "great commission," had started a "great persecution" against the Church there, with the result that "they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles" (Acts 8:1).
The twelve have often been charged with bigotry and unfaithfulness for remaining in Jerusalem at this time. In fact, however, it was rare courage and fidelity to their commission that kept them there while persecution raged and their very lives were in danger. They remained at Jerusalem for the same reason that the rest fled: because Jerusalem was not turning to Christ. The first part of their commission had not yet been completed, therefore they were duty-bound to remain there.
Certainly the twelve did not remain at Jerusalem because they were prejudiced against the salvation of the Gentiles. There is too much Scriptural evidence against this. Rather, they remained there because they had a clear understanding of the prophetic program and of their Lord's commission. They knew that according to covenant and prophecy the Gentiles were to be saved and blessed through redeemed Israel (Gen. 22:17,18; Isa. 60:1-3; Zech. 8:13). Our Lord had indicated no change in this program, and He Himself had worked in perfect harmony with it. Before His death He had insisted that Israel was first in God's revealed program, commanding His disciples not to go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but to "go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 10:6), and saying to a Gentile woman who came for help: "Let the children first be filled" (Mark 7:27). And now, in His "great commission" to the eleven, He specifically stated that they should begin at Jerusalem, as we have seen above.
It is amazing that some should charge the twelve apostles and the Jewish believers with prejudice against the Gentiles because they did not immediately go "to the uttermost part of the earth," when they were explicitly told by the Lord to make disciples of all nations beginning at Jerusalem and when there is so much evidence that they longed for the salvation of the Gentiles and rejoiced when Gentiles turned to Christ (See Acts 3:25; 10:9,15; 11:18,23,24; 15:3; 21:19,20).
Which took the greater courage, to flee from Jerusalem now or to remain there in the raging persecution, in daily peril of death? Wouldn't unfaithful men have fled at such a time? We are not blaming the multitude of the disciples for fleeing for their lives, but are rather giving the twelve due credit for faithfully carrying out the orders specifically given them.
JOHN 20:21-23
Remitting Sins
"Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them."
The apostles were surely laboring under this part of their commission when they baptized their convicted hearers "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38,41).
At the series of debates on dispensationalism referred to earlier, our opponent asked: "Do you mean to tell us that Peter, at Pentecost, did not proclaim the gospel of the grace of God?" I responded that this was exactly what I believed. This amazed him, so I asked him to define the gospel of the grace of God. To this he replied correctly: "We'd have no disagreement on that. I believe that the gospel of the grace of God is that we are sinners, condemned to judgment, but that because Christ died for our sins we may be saved by grace through faith in Him, plus nothing." I then asked him whether he could find this in Peter's Pentecostal address. "Yes," he said. However, we had agreed that in this debate questions would be answered by the Word of God alone, so he stood looking at Acts 2 for some time, until finally he continued: "Well, it does say here in Verse 21 that `Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,' but I know what you'll say about that." "What will I say?" I asked. To this he replied: "Well, I guess you'll say that when they did call Peter said, `Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.'" "Yes," I replied, "that is exactly what the record says."
Those who, like this pastor, have supposed that Peter at Pentecost proclaimed "the gospel of the grace of God," should ask themselves why he did not tell them that Christ had died for their sins, so that they might be saved by grace, through faith alone; why, instead, he demanded repentance and baptism for the remission of sins.
Doubtless this is what is back of Paul's statement in I Corinthians 1:17: "For CHRIST SENT ME NOT TO BAPTIZE, but to preach the gospel:1 not with wisdom of words LEST THE CROSS OF CHRIST SHOULD BE MADE OF NONE EFFECT." This, the cross, was the heart of Paul's God-given message. This is what he preached "for the remission of sins," and this is why his gospel is also called, "the preaching of the cross" (I Cor. 1:18).
Mark 1:4 states plainly that John the Baptist preached "THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS." This part of God's program was not changed by the commission to the eleven. The great change came later, with the raising up of Paul, the chief of sinners saved by grace. He declared that Christ had not sent him to baptize (as John and the eleven had been sent) but to preach the gospel—"the gospel of the grace of God."
Endnote
1. The gospel committed to him, of course (Acts 20:24).
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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becauseHElives
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posted
I do not play any kind of ball games.
this is Bible Study!
Understanding that goy and ethnos refer to both non-Israelite and Israelite nations will place you well on your way toward solving the mystery of the gentiles.
Chapter 5
The Cast of Characters: Biblical Gentiles
It would not be much of a mystery if the gentiles in the Bible were simply non-Israelites to whom Yeshua (Jesus’ given Hebrew name) granted salvation through His propitiating sacrifice. But it would be intriguing if some of these gentiles fulfilled Bible prophecies that were intended for Israelites. What if these gentiles were somehow racially related to the Israelites of biblical antiquity, and the redemption and remarriage that Yahweh promised to the divorced and dispersed Israelites actually applied to certain gentiles in the New Testament? Could some of the gentiles actually be other than whom they are commonly considered to be? These possibilities present a much more perplexing puzzle than simply that salvation was granted to non-Israelites.
To correctly answer the foregoing questions, a person must become familiar with two words, one Hebrew and one Greek. In the Old Testament, the English word “gentiles” is translated from the Hebrew words goy (singular) and goyim (plural). Their New Testament Greek counterparts are ethnos (singular) and ethne (plural). Many Christians erroneously believe that gentiles, goyim, and ethne refer exclusively to non-Jews or non-Israelites.
In the King James Old Testament, the Hebrew words “goy” and “goyim” are translated nation(s) 373 times, heathen(s) 142 times, gentiles 30 times, people(s) 11 times, and another 1 time. Not once is goy or goyim translated non-Jew or non-Israelite.
In the King James New Testament, the Greek words “ethnos” and “ethne” are translated gentiles 93 times, nation(s) 64 times, heathen(s) 5 times, people(s) 2 times and Greek 1 time. Not once is ethnos or ethne translated non-Jew or non-Israelite.
Because most people think that the Jews in the Bible represent all twelve tribes of Israel, they inevitably jump to the unwarranted conclusion that the term “gentiles,” especially when used in contrast with the term “Jews,” refers exclusively to non-Israelites. The following quotations represent this thinking:
Gentiles … All nations of the world other than the Jews….55
The Heb. goyim signified the nations, the surrounding nations, foreigners as opposed to Israel.56
Heb. Goi, “the nations” (or “heathen,” derived from the Gr. ethne), as opposed to Israel (Neh. v. 8).57
Gentiles: all the peoples of the world who are non-Jews. In the New Testament, a Gentile designates any lost member of the human race who is not a Jew.58
The word translated as “GENTILES” is often translated as “NATIONS.” It is the word “ETHNOS” from which we derive “ETHNIC.” All people who are not JEWS are GENTILES regardless of their ethnic origin.59
In the New Testament, the word for “Gentiles” (Greek ethnos) is also translated “nations” and “heathen.” The corresponding Hebrew word in the Old Testament is goi. That is, all nations outside God’s covenant people of Israel, were called “Gentiles,” or “heathen,” or simply the “nations.”60
The term “Gentiles” in the New Testament always refers to people and nations outside of and apart from all the twelve tribes of Israel…. It can be said positively that IN NO CASE IN THE BIBLE, either in the Old Testament or in the New, DOES THE WORD “GENTILE” REFER OR APPLY TO ANY PART OF ISRAEL.61
The words “gentiles,” “goy” and “ethnos” are not the exclusionary terms that these authors have attempted to make them. For example, try replacing the word “nations” translated from goyim, with the word “non-Israelites” in Genesis 25:23 where Rebekah was informed about her twin boys, Jacob and Esau:
And Yahweh said unto her, Two non-Israelites are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Try the same in Genesis 48:19 where Jacob blesses Joseph’s second son Ephraim:
…he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of non-Israelites.
Try replacing the word “nation” with “non-Israelite” in Jeremiah 31:35-36 where Yahweh promised both houses of Israel that He would never forsake them as long as the sun rules by day and the moon by night:
Thus saith Yahweh, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; Yahweh of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith Yahweh, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a non-Israelite before me for ever.
The three preceding examples demonstrate that the definition and application of the Hebrew word “goyim” is not as narrow as some people would make it.
The same is true for its Greek counterpart “ethne.” If modern Christianity’s definition for ethnos is correct, John 18:35 would have to be translated as follows:
Pilate answered, Am I a Judahite? Thine own non-Israelites and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Ethnos and ethne have a much broader use in the New Testament than is commonly understood. Consider the following four examples.
The first employs the word “gentiles” (ethne) in reference to non-Israelites, specifically Canaanites:
Our [Israelite] fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus [the Old Testament Joshua] into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers…. - Acts 7:44-45
The second example uses the word “nations” (ethne) in reference to a multi-ethnic multitude of people, non-Israelite and Israelite alike:
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. - Acts 17:26
The third example employs the word “nation” (ethnos) in reference to Judahites, descendants of the house of Judah, the two southern tribes of Israel:
And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Judahites…. - Acts 10:22
The fourth examples the word “gentiles” (ethne) in reference to Israelites, the descendants of the house of Israel, the ten northern tribes of Israel:
And that he [Yahweh] might make known the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Judahites only, but also of the Gentiles? - Romans 9:23-24
We will return to this last passage in Chapter 6 because some people may question this interpretation and also because it provides important clues for solving the mystery.
Even without accepting the application for ethne in Romans 9:23-24, it should be apparent from the other three passages, as well as many others, that there is a much broader use of the Greek words “ethnos” and “ethne” than what is usually taught. Lexicographers also provide the broader application. Consider the following definitions for the Greek word “ethnos”:
…1. multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together; ,b>a company, troop, swarm…. 2. a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus … Acts 17:26…. 3. Race, nation: Mt 21:43; Acts 10:35, etc. … of the Jewish people, Lk 22:25; used (in the sing.) of the Jewish people, Lk. 7:5; 23:2…. 4. … in the O.T., foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles … Mt. 4:15 … and very often; in plain contradistinction to the Jews: Ro 3:29…. 5. Paul uses … ta\ >e&qnh even of Gentile Christians: Ro. 11:13; 15:27….62
There are 64 passages in the NT where we have e&qno$ or e&qnh without any special sense or characteristics…. About 60 refer to a people or peoples in the general sense, and of these the following have in view the Jewish people: Lk. 7:5; 23:2; Jn. 11:48, 50, 51, 52; 18:35; Ac. 10:22; 24:2, 10, 17; 26:4; 28:19; 1 Pt. 2:9. That the Jewish people is meant in the same sense as others, with no particular distinction, may be seen from the various contexts…. That the expression e&qnh refers to all nations may be seen from the addition of pa/nta [all] in Mt. 24:9, 14; 25:32; 28:19; Mk. 11:17; 13:10; Lk. 21:24; 24:47; R. 15:11; Gl. 3:8.63
In the foregoing quotation from the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, some of the passages that are applied to “the Jewish people” are inclusive of all twelve tribes, indicating that the word “ethnos” sometimes describes both Judahites and Israelites.
It is no different in the Old Testament. “Goy,” the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek word “ethnos,” is used in identical fashion. Consider the following definition for goy from The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon:
…1. Nation, people … a. specif. of descendants of Abraham … Gn 12:2 … 17:6 … definitely of Israel Ex 19:6 … 33:13 … Dt 4:6 … of Israel and Judah as two nations Ez 35:10…. c. usually of non-Heb. peoples Ex 9:24, 34:10 … esp. of these peoples as heathen: idolatrous Lv 18:24, 28….64
The Old Testament does not use goy exclusively for non-Hebrew peoples. In fact, this lexicon begins by correctly defining the word generically as any nation or people. It then includes three definitions that many Christians completely ignore: goy can refer “specif. of descendants of Abraham,” “definitely of Israel” and “of Israel and Judah as two nations.”
Precisely opposite of popular teaching, the Bible provides examples of non-Israelite nations identifying Israelites as goy and goyim:
Behold I have taught you [the nation of Israel] statutes and judgments…. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the [non-Israelite] nations [goyim], which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great [Israelite] nation [goy] is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as Yahweh our God is in all things that we call upon him for. - Deuteronomy 4:5-7
…thou [Mount Seir representing the Edomites] hast said, These two nations [two goyim, the houses of Israel and Judah] … shall be mine, and we will possess it…. Ezekiel 35:10
The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia and The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary correctly define goy:
…Goy (or Goi) is rendered “Gentiles” in the AV [Authorized Version] in some 30 passages, but much more frequently “heathen,” and oftener still, “nation,” … it, is commonly used for a non-Israelitish people, and thus corresponds to the meaning of “Gentiles.” It occurs, however, in passages referring to the Israelites, as in Gen 12 2; Deut 32 28; Josh 3 17; 4 1; 10 13; 2 S 7 23; Isa 1 4; Zeph 2 9….65
…Sometimes goy refers to Israel (Gen. 12:2; Deut. 32:28; Josh. 3:17; 4:1; 10:13; II Sam. 7:23; Isa. 1:4; Zeph. 2:9…)….66
Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary points out that the word “gentiles” is “a term used by [contemporary] Jewish people to refer to foreigners or any other people who were not a part of the Jewish race.”67 In other words, the idea that the term “gentiles” exclusively represents non-Jews is simply a Jewish tradition adopted by modern Christianity. While this is true for many of today’s Jews and Christians, The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia and The Jewish Encyclopedia admit that in the Bible goy simply meant nation(s), and that it was used for both non-Israelites and Israelites alike:
The Hebrew word goy (plural goyim) means “nation.” In Biblical usage it is applied also to Israel: “Ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (goy kadosh; Ex. 19:6).68
In the Hebrew of the Bible “goi” and its plural “goyyim” originally meant “nation,” and were applied both to Israelites and to non-Israelites (Gen. xii. 2, xvii. 20; Ex. xiii. 3, xxxii. 10; Deut. iv. 7; viii. 9, 14; Num. xiv. 12; Isa. i. 4, ix. 22; Jer. vii. 28).69
The Jewish Encyclopedia admits that the Hebrew word “goyim,” and its English equivalent “gentiles,” changed over time and took on “the sense of ‘non-Jew.’”70 Nevertheless, in the Bible, goy means any nation, be it non-Israelite, Israelite or Judahite.
The Hebrew word “goy,” like the Greek word “ethnos,” is simply a generic word meaning nation(s) or people(s). The most cogent definition for both words is “a multitude of individuals from the same nature or genus.”71 Nations is the best translation of “goy” and “ethnos.” Both words should have been translated in this manner throughout the Old and New Testaments, permitting the context of each passage to determine which nation(s) were being referred to. Had they been consistently translated nation(s), much of today’s confusion concerning the gentiles would have never occurred. The translators’ inconsistency in their renditions of “goy” and “ethnos” has contributed to flawed theology concerning these words and their biblical, eschatological and contemporary applications.
People are often heard speaking of an individual as being a gentile. This is another improper use of the term. Because both “goy” and “ethnos” are collective nouns, neither word can be used to identify an individual. The Bible always uses these terms to identify numerous nations or a nation composed of many individuals.
With this information so readily available from both the Bible and the lexicons, why is it that many preachers and theologians continue to teach otherwise? At best, they have not taken the initiative to investigate this subject. At worst, they are similar to the leaders described in Ezekiel 22:25: “There is a conspiracy of her [the land’s] prophets … they have taken the treasure and the precious things,” giving them away to people to whom they do not belong.
Understanding that goy and ethnos refer to both non-Israelite and Israelite nations will place you well on your way toward solving the mystery of the gentiles.
http://www.missiontoisrael.org/mystery-of-gentiles/chapter5.php
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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WildB
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Member # 2917
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"WildB,you would do well to stop reading those people at The Bearen Bible Society cult, they are total confused."
Your the only one that is confused. If being a Berean as it matters 2 Bible study, 2 you is a cult. Then perhaps you should seriously reconsider your own sillyness and stop passing out snakes and poison 2 the baseball fans.
Your playing soft ball in the wrong stadium again friend.
Seven Basic Bible Facts
Every Christian Should Know and Believe
By Robert C. Brock
Editor of the Journal of Pauline Dispensationalism
FACT NO. 1—That the Bible MUST be rightly divided in order for it to make sense. Notice what it says: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the Word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15). This is one of the cardinal rules for interpreting the whole Bible. Neglect of this rule or a faulty use of it will lead to only one result, CONFUSION, since our God is not the author of confusion.
The reason for a right division of the Bible is because of God's two distinct purposes: (1) His purpose concerning Israel and the world according to PROPHECY, and (2) His purpose concerning the Gentiles in this present age according to the MYSTERY revealed to Paul. God doesn't want us to confuse the teaching of these two purposes. He has very graciously given us the key for a proper understanding of this.
FACT NO. 2—That the DISTINCTIVENESS of Pauline truth is a most important doctrine of the Bible. The risen Lord Jesus Christ revealed His heart and His mind to the Apostle Paul: "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but by THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST" (Gal. 1:11,12). "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward; how that BY REVELATION He made known unto me the MYSTERY..." (Eph. 3:2,3).
This proves conclusively that Paul did not preach what the 12 Apostles preached. Rather he went up to Jerusalem to TELL THEM of the special gospel of grace that Christ gave to him (Gal. 2:2). He preached Jesus Christ according to the REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY which was kept secret, hid in God (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:9). He was the Apostle to the Gentiles and magnified his office (Rom. 11:13).
FACT NO. 3—That the gospel we are to preach is called the Gospel of the grace of God. "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD" (Acts 20:24). This is God's only message for the lost in this present age. We are to follow Paul as he followed Christ (I Cor. 11:1). In his writings ALONE do we find the doctrine, position, walk, and destiny of the Christian.
Some other important aspects of grace are:
1. We are saved by GRACE—Eph. 2:8,9.
2. We are justified freely by His GRACE—Rom. 3:24; Titus 3:7.
3. His GRACE is sufficient for us—II Cor. 12:9.
4. We are not under Law but under GRACE—Rom. 6:14,15.
5. This age is the age of GRACE —Eph. 3:2.
6. We are to approach the throne of GRACE in prayer—Heb. 4:16.
FACT NO. 4—That the Bible definitely teaches that water baptism was and is a part of Israel's religion (Heb. 6:1,2; 9:10). It was for the remission of sins and was by sprinkling (Mark 1:4; Acts 2:38; Ezek. 36:25).
In this age there is only ONE baptism, not two: "One Lord, one faith, ONE BAPTISM" (Eph. 4:5). This baptism is the placing of the Christian into the Church, the Body of Christ, by the Holy Spirit: "For by one SPIRIT are we all BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (I Cor. 12:13). This baptism takes place once for all at the time of salvation.
The Apostle Paul was not sent to baptize with water: "For Christ sent me NOT TO BAPTIZE but to preach the gospel..." (I Cor. 1:17). Only a change in God's purpose would necessitate a statement like this. There is no importance attached to water baptism, today. It is not a part of Christianity and only causes confusion.
FACT NO. 5—That we must understand the two-fold ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. During His earthly ministry He ministered exclusively to Israel: "But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL" (Matt. 15:24). His whole ministry to the Nation was under the Law of Moses (Matt. 5:17; Gal. 4:4,5). Christians are not under the Law so we are not to live according to Israel's teachings.
During His present ministry in Heaven, He is ministering according to what He revealed to the Apostle Paul. He is saving men according to His gospel of Grace. He is at the throne of grace making intercession for us (Rom. 8:34). We are to live in Paul's epistles where pure Christianity is found. This is not to say we should neglect the rest of the Bible. It is ALL for us but not all TO us (I Cor. 10:6,11).
FACT NO. 6—That SIGNS belong to the Nation of Israel and its religion: "For the JEWS REQUIRE A SIGN, and the Gentiles seek after wisdom" (I Cor. 1:22). Speaking in tongues is a SIGN: "Wherefore TONGUES are for a SIGN, not to them that believe but to them that believe not..." (I Cor. 14:22).
In Jesus' day, those who sought after signs were called an evil and adulterous generation (Matt. 12:39). The eight miracles of the Gospel of John are properly called SIGNS, which included the rising of Lazarus from the dead; and in the commission of Mark 16:15-18, water baptism is associated with SIGNS. This is proved in the book of Acts because everywhere water baptism is mentioned a SIGN is mentioned in the immediate context.
This present age is a signless age. We have been blessed with all SPIRITUAL blessings in the heavenlies in Christ (Eph. 1:3). This is where the emphasis lies for the Christian.
FACT NO. 7—That the COMMISSION the Church, the Body of Christ, is to work under, is found in II Corinthians 5:14-21 and Ephesians 3:9. The Kingdom commission of Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-18 does not belong to God's present grace purpose. The message of reconciliation has been committed to US, the Body of Christ.
RESULTS:
1. The Christian would begin to perceive and grasp the deep things of God (I Cor. 2:10-12).
2. There would be a wonderful growth into spiritual maturity and adulthood (Eph. 4:12-15).
3. He would become a faithful steward of the mysteries of God (I Cor. 2:7; 4:1,2).
4. He would possess the Biblical answer to Satan's false cults like Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Scientists, Unitarians, Modernists, etc. They all borrow some aspects of Israel's religion.
5. A mighty revival would take place if Christians would get back to Pauline truth.
My friend, if you are not saved, the grace of God invites you to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. You are a sinner and need to be saved (Rom. 3:23). "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved..." (Acts 16:31). "...now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (II Cor. 6:2). It is infinitely better to receive Him and spend eternity in Heaven than to reject Him and spend eternity in the Lake of Fire!
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That is all.....
Posts: 8775 | From: USA, MICHIGAN | Registered: Mar 2004
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becauseHElives
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quote:
The mystery among the Gentiles, the untraceable riches of Christ among the Gentiles, is not ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES (from Genesis to Malachi).
WildB,you would do well to stop reading those people at The Bearen Bible Society cult, they are total confused...
Understanding that goy and ethnos refer to both non-Israelite and Israelite nations will place you well on your way toward solving the mystery of the gentiles.
Chapter 5
The Cast of Characters: Biblical Gentiles
It would not be much of a mystery if the gentiles in the Bible were simply non-Israelites to whom Yeshua (Jesus’ given Hebrew name) granted salvation through His propitiating sacrifice. But it would be intriguing if some of these gentiles fulfilled Bible prophecies that were intended for Israelites. What if these gentiles were somehow racially related to the Israelites of biblical antiquity, and the redemption and remarriage that Yahweh promised to the divorced and dispersed Israelites actually applied to certain gentiles in the New Testament? Could some of the gentiles actually be other than whom they are commonly considered to be? These possibilities present a much more perplexing puzzle than simply that salvation was granted to non-Israelites.
To correctly answer the foregoing questions, a person must become familiar with two words, one Hebrew and one Greek. In the Old Testament, the English word “gentiles” is translated from the Hebrew words goy (singular) and goyim (plural). Their New Testament Greek counterparts are ethnos (singular) and ethne (plural). Many Christians erroneously believe that gentiles, goyim, and ethne refer exclusively to non-Jews or non-Israelites.
In the King James Old Testament, the Hebrew words “goy” and “goyim” are translated nation(s) 373 times, heathen(s) 142 times, gentiles 30 times, people(s) 11 times, and another 1 time. Not once is goy or goyim translated non-Jew or non-Israelite.
In the King James New Testament, the Greek words “ethnos” and “ethne” are translated gentiles 93 times, nation(s) 64 times, heathen(s) 5 times, people(s) 2 times and Greek 1 time. Not once is ethnos or ethne translated non-Jew or non-Israelite.
Because most people think that the Jews in the Bible represent all twelve tribes of Israel, they inevitably jump to the unwarranted conclusion that the term “gentiles,” especially when used in contrast with the term “Jews,” refers exclusively to non-Israelites. The following quotations represent this thinking:
Gentiles … All nations of the world other than the Jews….55
The Heb. goyim signified the nations, the surrounding nations, foreigners as opposed to Israel.56
Heb. Goi, “the nations” (or “heathen,” derived from the Gr. ethne), as opposed to Israel (Neh. v. 8).57
Gentiles: all the peoples of the world who are non-Jews. In the New Testament, a Gentile designates any lost member of the human race who is not a Jew.58
The word translated as “GENTILES” is often translated as “NATIONS.” It is the word “ETHNOS” from which we derive “ETHNIC.” All people who are not JEWS are GENTILES regardless of their ethnic origin.59
In the New Testament, the word for “Gentiles” (Greek ethnos) is also translated “nations” and “heathen.” The corresponding Hebrew word in the Old Testament is goi. That is, all nations outside God’s covenant people of Israel, were called “Gentiles,” or “heathen,” or simply the “nations.”60
The term “Gentiles” in the New Testament always refers to people and nations outside of and apart from all the twelve tribes of Israel…. It can be said positively that IN NO CASE IN THE BIBLE, either in the Old Testament or in the New, DOES THE WORD “GENTILE” REFER OR APPLY TO ANY PART OF ISRAEL.61
The words “gentiles,” “goy” and “ethnos” are not the exclusionary terms that these authors have attempted to make them. For example, try replacing the word “nations” translated from goyim, with the word “non-Israelites” in Genesis 25:23 where Rebekah was informed about her twin boys, Jacob and Esau:
And Yahweh said unto her, Two non-Israelites are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Try the same in Genesis 48:19 where Jacob blesses Joseph’s second son Ephraim:
…he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of non-Israelites.
Try replacing the word “nation” with “non-Israelite” in Jeremiah 31:35-36 where Yahweh promised both houses of Israel that He would never forsake them as long as the sun rules by day and the moon by night:
Thus saith Yahweh, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; Yahweh of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith Yahweh, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a non-Israelite before me for ever.
The three preceding examples demonstrate that the definition and application of the Hebrew word “goyim” is not as narrow as some people would make it.
The same is true for its Greek counterpart “ethne.” If modern Christianity’s definition for ethnos is correct, John 18:35 would have to be translated as follows:
Pilate answered, Am I a Judahite? Thine own non-Israelites and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Ethnos and ethne have a much broader use in the New Testament than is commonly understood. Consider the following four examples.
The first employs the word “gentiles” (ethne) in reference to non-Israelites, specifically Canaanites:
Our [Israelite] fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus [the Old Testament Joshua] into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers…. - Acts 7:44-45
The second example uses the word “nations” (ethne) in reference to a multi-ethnic multitude of people, non-Israelite and Israelite alike:
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. - Acts 17:26
The third example employs the word “nation” (ethnos) in reference to Judahites, descendants of the house of Judah, the two southern tribes of Israel:
And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Judahites…. - Acts 10:22
The fourth examples the word “gentiles” (ethne) in reference to Israelites, the descendants of the house of Israel, the ten northern tribes of Israel:
And that he [Yahweh] might make known the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Judahites only, but also of the Gentiles? - Romans 9:23-24
We will return to this last passage in Chapter 6 because some people may question this interpretation and also because it provides important clues for solving the mystery.
Even without accepting the application for ethne in Romans 9:23-24, it should be apparent from the other three passages, as well as many others, that there is a much broader use of the Greek words “ethnos” and “ethne” than what is usually taught. Lexicographers also provide the broader application. Consider the following definitions for the Greek word “ethnos”:
…1. multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together; ,b>a company, troop, swarm…. 2. a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus … Acts 17:26…. 3. Race, nation: Mt 21:43; Acts 10:35, etc. … of the Jewish people, Lk 22:25; used (in the sing.) of the Jewish people, Lk. 7:5; 23:2…. 4. … in the O.T., foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles … Mt. 4:15 … and very often; in plain contradistinction to the Jews: Ro 3:29…. 5. Paul uses … ta\ >e&qnh even of Gentile Christians: Ro. 11:13; 15:27….62
There are 64 passages in the NT where we have e&qno$ or e&qnh without any special sense or characteristics…. About 60 refer to a people or peoples in the general sense, and of these the following have in view the Jewish people: Lk. 7:5; 23:2; Jn. 11:48, 50, 51, 52; 18:35; Ac. 10:22; 24:2, 10, 17; 26:4; 28:19; 1 Pt. 2:9. That the Jewish people is meant in the same sense as others, with no particular distinction, may be seen from the various contexts…. That the expression e&qnh refers to all nations may be seen from the addition of pa/nta [all] in Mt. 24:9, 14; 25:32; 28:19; Mk. 11:17; 13:10; Lk. 21:24; 24:47; R. 15:11; Gl. 3:8.63
In the foregoing quotation from the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, some of the passages that are applied to “the Jewish people” are inclusive of all twelve tribes, indicating that the word “ethnos” sometimes describes both Judahites and Israelites.
It is no different in the Old Testament. “Goy,” the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek word “ethnos,” is used in identical fashion. Consider the following definition for goy from The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon:
…1. Nation, people … a. specif. of descendants of Abraham … Gn 12:2 … 17:6 … definitely of Israel Ex 19:6 … 33:13 … Dt 4:6 … of Israel and Judah as two nations Ez 35:10…. c. usually of non-Heb. peoples Ex 9:24, 34:10 … esp. of these peoples as heathen: idolatrous Lv 18:24, 28….64
The Old Testament does not use goy exclusively for non-Hebrew peoples. In fact, this lexicon begins by correctly defining the word generically as any nation or people. It then includes three definitions that many Christians completely ignore: goy can refer “specif. of descendants of Abraham,” “definitely of Israel” and “of Israel and Judah as two nations.”
Precisely opposite of popular teaching, the Bible provides examples of non-Israelite nations identifying Israelites as goy and goyim:
Behold I have taught you [the nation of Israel] statutes and judgments…. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the [non-Israelite] nations [goyim], which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great [Israelite] nation [goy] is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as Yahweh our God is in all things that we call upon him for. - Deuteronomy 4:5-7
…thou [Mount Seir representing the Edomites] hast said, These two nations [two goyim, the houses of Israel and Judah] … shall be mine, and we will possess it…. Ezekiel 35:10
The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia and The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary correctly define goy:
…Goy (or Goi) is rendered “Gentiles” in the AV [Authorized Version] in some 30 passages, but much more frequently “heathen,” and oftener still, “nation,” … it, is commonly used for a non-Israelitish people, and thus corresponds to the meaning of “Gentiles.” It occurs, however, in passages referring to the Israelites, as in Gen 12 2; Deut 32 28; Josh 3 17; 4 1; 10 13; 2 S 7 23; Isa 1 4; Zeph 2 9….65
…Sometimes goy refers to Israel (Gen. 12:2; Deut. 32:28; Josh. 3:17; 4:1; 10:13; II Sam. 7:23; Isa. 1:4; Zeph. 2:9…)….66
Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary points out that the word “gentiles” is “a term used by [contemporary] Jewish people to refer to foreigners or any other people who were not a part of the Jewish race.”67 In other words, the idea that the term “gentiles” exclusively represents non-Jews is simply a Jewish tradition adopted by modern Christianity. While this is true for many of today’s Jews and Christians, The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia and The Jewish Encyclopedia admit that in the Bible goy simply meant nation(s), and that it was used for both non-Israelites and Israelites alike:
The Hebrew word goy (plural goyim) means “nation.” In Biblical usage it is applied also to Israel: “Ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (goy kadosh; Ex. 19:6).68
In the Hebrew of the Bible “goi” and its plural “goyyim” originally meant “nation,” and were applied both to Israelites and to non-Israelites (Gen. xii. 2, xvii. 20; Ex. xiii. 3, xxxii. 10; Deut. iv. 7; viii. 9, 14; Num. xiv. 12; Isa. i. 4, ix. 22; Jer. vii. 28).69
The Jewish Encyclopedia admits that the Hebrew word “goyim,” and its English equivalent “gentiles,” changed over time and took on “the sense of ‘non-Jew.’”70 Nevertheless, in the Bible, goy means any nation, be it non-Israelite, Israelite or Judahite.
The Hebrew word “goy,” like the Greek word “ethnos,” is simply a generic word meaning nation(s) or people(s). The most cogent definition for both words is “a multitude of individuals from the same nature or genus.”71 Nations is the best translation of “goy” and “ethnos.” Both words should have been translated in this manner throughout the Old and New Testaments, permitting the context of each passage to determine which nation(s) were being referred to. Had they been consistently translated nation(s), much of today’s confusion concerning the gentiles would have never occurred. The translators’ inconsistency in their renditions of “goy” and “ethnos” has contributed to flawed theology concerning these words and their biblical, eschatological and contemporary applications.
People are often heard speaking of an individual as being a gentile. This is another improper use of the term. Because both “goy” and “ethnos” are collective nouns, neither word can be used to identify an individual. The Bible always uses these terms to identify numerous nations or a nation composed of many individuals.
With this information so readily available from both the Bible and the lexicons, why is it that many preachers and theologians continue to teach otherwise? At best, they have not taken the initiative to investigate this subject. At worst, they are similar to the leaders described in Ezekiel 22:25: “There is a conspiracy of her [the land’s] prophets … they have taken the treasure and the precious things,” giving them away to people to whom they do not belong.
Understanding that goy and ethnos refer to both non-Israelite and Israelite nations will place you well on your way toward solving the mystery of the gentiles.
http://www.missiontoisrael.org/mystery-of-gentiles/chapter5.php
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
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WildB
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The Unsearchable Riches of Christ
by Pastor J. C. O'Hair
A Partaker of the Afflictions of the Gospel | Table of Contents | Chapter 61: The Scriptural Answer to Acts 28
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST—THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES
What about the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? This question should be considered with the signs of the times ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES and ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE of GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. In the New Testament Scriptures, especially in the Epistles of Paul, we find much in God’s spiritual program that was not prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures.
First, we quote from Matthew 24:3 the words of the apostles spoken to the Lord Jesus:
“AND AS HE SAT UPON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, THE DISCIPLES CAME UNTO HIM PRIVATELY, SAYING, TELL US, WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE AND WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THY COMING, AND OF THE END OF THE WORLD?” (AGE)?
Then in the verses that follow the Lord Jesus told His disciples of the signs that would indicate that His coming and Israel’s kingdom were at hand.
By carefully studying the entire twenty-fourth and the twenty-fifth chapters of Matthew, the student will learn that Israel, in the midst of the signs mentioned, is in the midst of a great tribulation, and it is at that time of trouble that the Son of man will come and then sit on the throne of His glory as the King. The twelve apostles will sit on the twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 25:31 and 32. Matthew 19:28.
In Jeremiah 30:4 to 11, and in other Scriptures, the great tribulation is foretold. It is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but Jacob shall be saved out of it. Note the prophetic message of Isaiah 11:11 and Ezekiel 37:24 to 28.
Daniel also was Jehovah’s prophet to tell about Israel and Israel’s land in the end time. He foretold many things concerning the doings of God’s one nation and the other nations in the end time.
But we emphasize the fact that neither Isaiah nor Ezekiel nor Daniel nor any other man, woman or child said one word or knew one thing concerning God’s spiritual program, which in Ephesians and Colossians is called “the mystery,” “the mystery of God’s will,” “the mystery of Christ,” “the mystery of the gospel,” “the dispensation of the mystery,” “the mystery among the Gentiles.” Ephesians 3:3, Ephesians 1:9, Ephesians 3:4, Ephesians 6:19, Colossians 1:25 to 27.
Now note these Scriptures as to the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ to take the members of His Body to glory.
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” I Corinthians 15:51 and 52.
“For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.” Philippians 3:20 and 21.
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” Titus 2:13.
“When Christ Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:4.
This translation, transformation and glorification of the members of the Body of Christ was a mystery during the years when Israel’s prophets were foretelling the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to die as the Lamb on the cross and to reign as the King on David’s throne. Search diligently the Epistles from which we have quoted and you will notice that there is no mention of one of the signs of Matthew 24 and Luke 21, to warn the redeemed of the Lord that the day of redemption is at hand.
Some preachers confuse members of the Body of Christ by giving to these members the warning of Luke 21:25 to 31: “look up “—“lift up your heads”—“for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28.
When those Israelites “look up,” where will they be and what will they see? They will be right in the midst of Jacob’s trouble and they will see awful signs in the heavens and they will see on earth the work of the four horsemen of The Revelation and some great earthquakes and other terrible scenes.
“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:27.
“. . . NEVERTHELESS WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMETH, SHALL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH?” Luke 18:8.
When the Son of man thus comes He will neither find faith on the earth, nor one single member of the Body of Ephesians 1:19 to 23 and Ephesians 4:4.
Christ is never mentioned as “the Son of man” in His ministry to, and His union with, the members of the Body of Christ.
The Joint-Body of Ephesians 3:6, according to Ephesians 3:5, was not made known to the sons of men in other ages. Neither was the heavenly position and possessions, hope and calling of this Body made known to Israel’s prophets. Therefore, they never prophesied one single word about the blessed hope and coming of the Lord for His Body, as revealed in Titus 2:13, Philippians 3:20 and 21 and Colossians 3:4.
From this we should learn that the events in connection with the end time of Israel and the other nations are not to take place during this present reign of grace, when God wants all men to know the difference between His earthly kingdom program and His eternal purpose in Christ Jesus, and to see the dispensation of the mystery which was hid in God until revealed by Christ to and through Paul. Ephesians 3:9.
It is difficult to understand why this revealed mystery has remained a mystery for about 1875 years, so far as most members of Christ’s Body are concerned.
The spiritual, intelligent, careful student of the Scriptures will learn that what all the kings of Europe, Asia, and Africa have been doing in this present dispensation has not been in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and have not been Scriptural signs from God to convince members of the Body of Christ that the blessed hope of Titus 2:13 was at hand.
God’s spiritual program today recorded in Paul’s last Epistles is not in fulfillment of prophecies of the sons of men of other ages. Read carefully Colossians 1:24 to 27 and Ephesians 3:1 to 11.
The mystery among the Gentiles, the untraceable riches of Christ among the Gentiles, is not ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES (from Genesis to Malachi).
POLITICAL SIGNS
The preacher who teaches that the movements of Russia, Italy, Germany and Japan prove that we are in Israel’s prophesied end time and are signs for the members of the Body of Christ, that the blessed hope is at hand, are most inconsistent, for they generally also teach with this blunder, that Paul and all premillennial Christians from Paul’s day, have consistently held for the imminent coming of the Lord, the postponement of the kingdom, and that the Church age is a parenthetical period. Such teaching discredits and repudiates the claims of Paul that he received a special Divine deposit from the risen Christ which was unprophesied.
The preacher who preaches “signs” which are in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, as proof that the Lord’s coming for His saints is at hand, if consistent, must teach that the living members of the Body of Christ will be in the great tribulation when they experience the glorious appearing of the Lord, mentioned in Titus 2:13. For the coming of the Son of man, prophesied by Israel’s prophets, confirmed by Christ on earth, and Peter in Acts 3, is His coming as Israel’s Deliverer, when they are in the midst of Jacob’s trouble.
In the light of “Christ-Pauline” Truth no messenger of the Lord has Scriptural authority to teach “signs” (in fulfillment of Old Testament Scriptures) and “the imminent coming of the Lord.” The two are irreconcilable. This inconsistent teaching is because the preachers are ignorant and disobedient concerning Ephesians 3:9, and because they do not know the difference between “the signs of the times” and “the times of the signs.”
Regardless of all the doings of all the wicked rulers, from Nero to Bonaparte and Kaiser Wilhelm, every true, spiritual, intelligent member of the Body of Christ has had scriptural right to believe that the realization of the blessed hope was not only a possibility but a probability.
Every member of the Body of Christ living today should be looking for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the Saviour, whether Hitler lives or dies; whether Hitler, Mussolini, or Stalin conquers or is defeated.
What folly to seek to prove that because these men are fulfilling the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 and Daniel 2 and 11, the blessed hope is at hand, when the blessed hope has nothing to do with ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, but is a part of the dispensation of the mystery, ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS, concerning the members of the Joint-Body of Ephesians 3:6, “which was not made known to the sons of men in other ages.” Ephesians 3:5.
“According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will.” Ephesians 1:4 and 5.
“In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.” Ephesians 1:11. Let us learn from these Scriptures and others that “predestination” is always mentioned in connection with God’s eternal purpose in Christ Jesus.
If the Roman Empire is restored, when the king of the North does his terrible work against Israel, when the battle of Armageddon takes place, when the religious antichrist does his damnable and blasphemous work, when Israel in their own land and in other lands in unbelief is suffering in the great tribulation under the reign of the beast and the antichrist, when their Messiah comes as their Deliverer and fights for them, when all Israel is saved under the guarantee of the New Covenant, when Israel shall be again planted in their own land, never to be uprooted, when King David is on the throne, when the nations learn war no more, when the knowledge of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the sea, when all the wild animals are domesticated, when the wilderness shall blossom like a rose, when the millennium of peace is a reality, when there shall be a new heaven and a new earth—all will be in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. This will be the “restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. “Acts 3:21. The King shall say “unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matthew 25. 34.
We see that all this is “FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD.”
But none of all this fulfillment of prophecy has anything to do with God’s unprophesied program. Note the contrast in the eternity of grace in II Timothy 1:9 and Ephesians 2:7.
“Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” II Timothy 1:9.
“That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:7.
Remember, whenever this ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD is mentioned, it is always mentioned in connection with “predestination” and not as something prophesied since the world began.
Let us obey God and test things that differ: “So that ye may test the things that differ; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.” Philippians 1:10.
Some of the messages which Paul proclaimed were in fulfillment of the prophecies of Israel’s Old Testament prophets. Concerning other messages proclaimed by Paul, every Old Testament prophet was not only silent, but ignorant. Therefore the words of Paul: “the mystery which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men.” Ephesians 3:5.
Thus we see, in “rightly dividing the Word of Truth,” or “testing things that differ,” we must distinguish between the ministry and messages of Peter and the Eleven, in the first chapters of Acts, and the “revelation” ministry which Christ committed to Paul, the “UNSEARCHABLE” riches of Christ among the Gentiles.
Also we must distinguish between the “confirmation” ministry and the “revelation” ministry, which Christ committed to Paul. In other words, for the intelligent study, interpretation, appropriation and application of the Scriptures, it is imperative that the student know the difference between Divine Truth in the Book of Acts and in the Epistles of the apostles that was “ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES,” and the Truth that was “ACCORDING TO GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE IN CHRIST JESUS.”
Other phrases are used in the Bible to express the same meaning as, “ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES.” Some of those other phrases are, “that the Scriptures might be fulfilled”; “to this agree the words of the prophets”; or “none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come.”
“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” Note how this is stated in Acts 13:29 and 30: “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree. And laid Him in a sepulchre, But God raised Him from the dead.”
“When was the Lord Jesus Christ taken down from the tree and buried? When they had fulfilled (finished) all that was written of Him.
The Lord Jesus said, “think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:18.
Compare and contrast these statements with Colossians 1:25 and 26. “Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, TO FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD. Even the mystery which hath been hid from, ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints.”
There is a great difference between fulfilling that which Moses, the law-giver, and all of God’s prophets, before the birth of Christ, foretold, and that which Christ from heaven, in resurrection, gave to Paul to complete.
The mystery, which Paul received from Christ, was to complete the Word of God with Divine Truth which was not made known to Moses and Israel’s prophets. Compare and contrast the meaning of, “ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES” (I Corinthians 15:3), with the expression in Ephesians 3:11, “ACCORDING TO GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE IN CHRIST JESUS.”
But now concerning the statement, “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him (Christ) they took Him down from the tree and put Him in a sepulchre, but God raised Him from the dead.” All that is written concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, as Israel’s King and Messiah, reigning on David’s throne, in His earthly kingdom glory, has not been fulfilled. The Son of God is to have a wonderful ministry on this earth, as “Wonderful,” and “Prince of Peace,” (Isaiah 9:6 and 7) and that will be ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES (from Genesis to Malachi).
However the present ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is in the heavenlies, far above all earthly places, as Head of a company of saints, who are seated with Him and blessed with Him in the heavenlies, is not ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES (from Genesis to Malachi) Ephesians 1:19 to 22. But this is ACCORDING TO GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE IN CHRIST JESUS. Ephesians 3:11.
The once-for-all sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, unlike many other events was both ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES and ACCORDING TO GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE, for we read, in I Peter 1:19 to 21, of Christ, as “a Lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world.”
Let us now note the words of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth recorded in Luke 24:25 to 27: “Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
Christ declared that Moses and all of Israel’s prophets wrote of Him. He declared that any one who does not believe all that these holy men of old wrote about His sufferings and glory (I Peter 1:11), is a fool. Are you a fool? It not, then you surely believe that Jesus Christ will return to earth and fulfill Isaiah 9:6 and 7 and Matthew 25:31 to 41. Note Matthew 25:31: “When the Son of man shall come in His glory and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory.”
When Jesus Christ was on earth, in the land of the Jews, His circumcision ministry was a ministry of confirmation. He was confirming to Israel promises which God made to Israel by Israel’s prophets. Romans 15:8.
Peter and the Eleven also carried on a ministry of confirmation, not only before the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, but beginning with the day of Pentecost and for some years thereafter. Hebrews 2:3 and 4.
After we have summed up all that the prophets, from Moses to Malachi, foretold, concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and Gentile salvation (aside from the foreordained death of Christ) we will not find one hint or suggestion of the Divine Truth defined the “unsearchable riches of Christ among the Gentiles.”
Surely we see the difference between “ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES” and “ACCORDING TO GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE IN CHRIST.”
Moreover, there is a difference between the gospel, the death and resurrection of Christ, ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, and the MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL, which was ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD, for which Paul was an ambassador in bonds. Ephesians 6:20.
Note again Paul’s statement in Colossians 1:25 and 26: “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God; Even the mystery, which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints.”
Certainly Peter and the Eleven had a dispensation committed to them, and they were presenting the Lord’s Divine program in Acts 1 to 11. That dispensation was not “the dispensation of the mystery” of Ephesians 3:9, nor “the dispensation of the grace of God” of Ephesians 3:2, nor “the mystery concerning the Joint-Body” of Ephesians 3:5 and 6, nor “the unsearchable riches of Christ among the Gentiles” of Ephesians 3:8, nor “God’s purpose and grace given us in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world,” mentioned in II Timothy 1:9.
Note what the Lord is yet to do for Israel under the guarantee of the Old Covenant: “And they shall not teach every man His neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 8:11 and 12.
This covenant blessing for Israel is prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31 to 37.
But in all the Scriptures, from Genesis to Malachi, there is not a hint concerning the heavenly position and blessings of the saved Gentiles under the dispensation of the grace of God mentioned in the Epistle to the Ephesians.
And let us keep in mind that the spiritual program for God’s people during this present age is not a program of religion; is not a program that Israel’s prophets foretold.
What believers have today is a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and not the Christian religion, or any other religion. We have eternal life and Christ is our life. In the matter of the return of the Lord for the members of His Body these members are not to look for “signs” but for the Son.
We are waiting for a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, OUR LIFE. Then shall we also appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:3: and 4.
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That is all.....
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becauseHElives
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1948 Israel became a recognized Nation after 1900 some year of being none existent, but that was the fig tree putting forth its branches, the sign of the final generation before Yahshua would return.
Isa 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? [or] shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
As for the Church, (The Israel of Yahweh) The Church message started out to the Jew first
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [branches], be grafted into their own olive tree?
Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Jer 30:7 Alas! For that day [is] great, so that none [is] like it: it [is] even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, time of Jacob’s trouble begins)
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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