Heirs of Promise: The Jew, The Gentile -Heirs of The Promise & Still Strangers In The World”
Abraham
Gen 14:13 Abram was called “Abraham the Hebrew” signaled a stranger in the land
Gen 15:6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Gen 17:10: This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
Ishmael (Arab descendants) The son of a bondwoman- The will of the flesh (John 1:13/Gen 4:23-31)
Isaac (Jew (flesh) & Gentile Spirit) descendants) but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called (Rom 9:7)
Often when Jews and Gentiles worship, they are as separate and distinct communities. Gentiles rarely include themselves as part of a Judeo-Christian lineage whose assured heritage is spoken of by God to Abraham in Gen 12. In Genesis 12, Abraham's divine call is seen in the scope of his blessing. He is the subject and medium of blessing to "all families of the earth" (Gen 12:2-3), one of the most significant marks in human history. [https://www.believersmagazine.com/bm.php?i=20140211]. All the covenants, new and old, are now complete. This covenant will now add to the covenants of breath (Adam, Gen 2:7) and regeneration (Noah, Gen 9:11) to fulfill man worshipping God in a new covenant through Christ in spirit and truth (John 4:24).
The Blessings Through Christ-The New Covenant
God foreshadows the blessing of the covenant that will overshadow all flesh, giving the spirit supremacy over the bondage of the flesh. The first Adam (man) will acquiesce to the second Adam (spirit) through Jesus Christ. "And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." (1 Corin. 15:45-26) This order is further determined by the symbolism of Ishmael and Isaac's birth, which is an order of divine plan. As Ishmael, the son of "the bondwoman" (Gen 4:23-31), although "blessed and fruitful...exceedingly" begetting "twelve 12 princes" and becoming himself a "great nation," will in no way exceed the fruits of Christ as "In Isaac [Abraham's seed would] be called." (Rom 9:7) Each equally fathering twelve priestly nations, one however of an eternal lineage, innumerable.
Who are the Hebrews & The Jews?
The name "Hebrew" was first mentioned in Genesis. The Hebrews are peoples descended from Abraham. The origin of the word Hebrew is thought to come from the proper name "Eber," listed in Genesis 10:24 as the great-grandson of Shem [one of Noah's sons] and an ancestor of Abraham. Another etymology traces the original root word back to the phrase "from the other side"—in that case, Hebrew would be a word designating an "immigrant," which Abraham certainly was (Genesis 12:1, 4–5). [https://www.gotquestions.org/Gods-chosen-people.html]
What about the word "Jew."?
Jew is a shortened version of the Hebrew word JUDAH jōō' də(יְהוּדָ֑ה), which became Judah and, ultimately, Jew in English. The fourth son of Jacob by Leah (Gen 29:35), who took a leading role among his brothers early in life (Gen 37:26, 27; 43:3-10; 44:16-34; 46:28). Judah was promised leadership and tribal stability, and ultimately kingship through David and the Messiah (Gen 49:8-12).[https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Judah]. Judah was the last remaining tribe of the twelve sons of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the remnant through which God delivered our second Adam, his son, "the word made flesh [which] dwelt among us." (John 1:14)
Heirs & Fellow Citizens in Christ.
Gen 12 begins the entry point for the Gentile Nation. It precedes Abraham's covenant of circumcision, a seal of the Jewish Nation in Gen 15:6. This reminds us that it is belief that makes Abraham our father and not works (of circumcision or otherwise). Old Testament passages afford us insight into God's love of his people to include all nations in this redemptive story, his plan of salvation. Although Israel was placed at the center of all nations, the Hebrew Nation was to stand as a light to the other nations, ushering in God's law of truth amongst them. Isaiah 42:6 repeats God's heart: "The Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles." God would make the Gentiles fellow citizens alongside Abraham's natural-born sons and daughters. [https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/gentiles-full-inclusion] As heirs, this becomes part of our heritage in Christ, to be cities on hill, light, and salt (Matt 5).
"The full inclusion of the Gentile nations as equal citizens in God's kingdom was not explicit in the old covenant revelation, and so in today's passage Paul speaks of Gentiles being "fellow heirs" with Jews of the divine promises as a mystery now made known clearly (Eph. 3:6).For the apostle, mystery typically refers not to something unintelligible but rather to a truth that was dimly revealed in the Old Testament such that it was not grasped until the coming of the spirit in the new covenant. While in retrospect, the Lord's purpose to redeem even the Gentiles is evident in the prophets (Isa. 19:16–25; Zech. 14:16), even the prophets did not fully understand the ramifications of the salvation of the nations — Gentile believers would be on equal footing with Jewish believers in the kingdom of God." [1]
The Stranger and Sojourner
Abraham's journey from Ur signaled a break from strange gods in the only land he knew, his homeland. The witness of serving many Gods, Polytheism became that of serving only one, the God of heaven and earth. He turned fully and became a child of God, journeying in a land where he was a "stranger." (Gen 28:4) Just as Abraham was, we too are considered "strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our father: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding." (1 Chron. 29:15). As the priestly nation of God (1 Peter 2:9), we are not void of a national heritage as we have one rich in Christ witnessed, contained, and explained throughout the scripture. They foreshadow and reveal Him fully. "Therefore, is any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all thing become new." (2 Corin. 5:17)
Citizenship
Often in this world, we mark ourselves by names, a community that defines us as part of a family, a culture, a nationality, a country, to identify as anything and forgo being left out. It is because identity signifies a home, a place that gives us purpose, reason, and heritage. Without thinking, we consider ourselves Americans, which we are as we live under civil law, and all that is due under that law, to pay taxes (Matt 20:25) and obey those that have rule over us (Heb 13:17), is our duty. Yet we are God's people first and foremost. And God's people were always intended to live in ways above man's laws, to look different, proclaim holy effects, and preach God's word without being conformed to this world but the renewing of our mind, living as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1-2).
Paul in writing to the Philippians makes a profound shift from his earthly accomplishments and religious credentials toward the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. Paul challenges us to leave behind worldly accolades and live as citizens of heaven, pressing on toward the ultimate prize of eternal life in Christ. As we navigate our faith journeys, we must know to find our true worth not in earthly credentials, or the worldly draws of consumerism, partiality, politics, and other means of living in a secular existence, essentially yokes when God's burden is light (Matt 11:29) Paul urges us to also remember as believers to follow his example and be wary of those whose minds and hearts are set on earthly things. Our citizenship is in heaven, as is our conversation, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our vile body like unto his glorious body (Phil 3)
Jesus spoke in John 17:16: "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." He asked to "sanctify them through truth: thy word is truth." (John 17:16-26)
Jesus is Community
Today, in a new covenant, we are told to "do this, communion, in remembrance of Me" (1 Corin. 11:24), adding Communion to the Lord's Day as a holy memorial and rests set aside. Yet there is more in remembering the God of Abraham and revisiting our heritage's foreshadowing in strengthening a community of believers, sojourning together in this strange land. The Lord knows we need community, and often, in lands, it is normal to take pride in the traditions of that land. However, God never wanted that for his people then or now. He wants us to have an identity in him. He knows what it is to feel community. Heb 4:15-16 reminds us, "For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." John M. Perkins, a man who spent over five decades developing communities for rebuilding, put it best when he said, "Jesus relocated... He did not commute." [Perkins, John M. 1995, Restoring at Risk Communities- Doing it Together and Doing it Right] Ultimately, our prayer is that we restore our own hope while here to return to a model of God's first community of believers: "continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart" (Acts 2:44-45).
Is this just about feasts?
The Jewish Nation worshiped God as outlined in Leviticus Chapter 23, where every feast to be observed is named, and God further gives explicit details of how his nation is to carry out worship and honoring him. Is this just about feasts? No. A renewed community in Christ signals restoring the blessings of the Lord. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, The Lord reminds us that nations around us and all we dwell in would be healed if we returned to holy, consecrated daily living. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." We already have God's blessing but are forgoing many of them as we blend and conform.
Our Bible study will significantly overlap Old and New, revisit the holidays of Biblical feasts that mark Christ and foreshadow his victory (Feast of Tabernacles), death (Passover), and return (Feast of Trumpets). This is to enlighten that which was contained symbolically in the Old Testament as now explained in the New. In a complete depiction of our Savior, we will remember our holy convocations as people of God. We seek to create holy communities amid a pagan world, relishing in our Savior to return as a light to the nations, including ourselves. Where class structure, color, and creed, essentially the treasures of this world paramount, fade away, making God's love and shared holiness the committed effort making us family. Let us therefore remember the words of Paul when revisiting our birthright and freedoms, having been redeemed only through and by the precious blood of the Lamb and, consequentially, the mirrors of our redemption, our communities, our families and our being a light to the Nations.
"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Rom 3:28-29)
Tarsha Sylvester