by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 20, 2025 | Israel and Bible Prophecy |
📖 Passage Breakdown: Matthew 10:5–6
Verses:
“These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: ‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’”
✍️ Authorship & Audience
- Author: Matthew, one of the twelve apostles, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
- Audience: Jews, to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah, the King promised in the Old Testament.
- Context: Jesus is commissioning the twelve apostles to preach the gospel “good news” of the kingdom during His earthly ministry.
📜 Historical & Theological Context
- The gospel of the kingdom was the proclamation that Israel’s long-awaited Messiah had come, offering the promised earthly kingdom (cf. Matthew 4:17).
- This message was exclusive to Israel at this stage because prophecy had always promised that the kingdom would come through Israel first, and then to the nations (Isaiah 60:1–3; Zechariah 8:23).
- The Gentiles and Samaritans are intentionally excluded here—not because God doesn’t care about them, but because His plan was to reach them after Israel accepted the Messiah (see Acts 3:19–21; Romans 15:8–9).
🔑 Phrase-by-Phrase Breakdown
“These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them”
- Jesus personally commissions His twelve apostles with strict instructions, emphasizing the divine order of God’s plan.
“Do not go into the way of the Gentiles”
- The Gentiles (non-Jews) were not the focus of Christ’s earthly ministry. His mission was to fulfill the promises made to Israel first (Romans 15:8).
“And do not enter a city of the Samaritans”
- Samaritans were a mixed people (Jewish/Gentile) despised by the Jews (John 4:9). They are excluded here because Christ’s ministry was to pure Israelite covenant promises.
“But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”
- Jesus defines the scope of their mission: Israel, God’s covenant people who had strayed but were promised restoration (Jeremiah 50:6; Ezekiel 34:11–16).
- The phrase “lost sheep” recalls God’s tender care for Israel, despite their rebellion, and His faithfulness to restore them.
✨ Key Doctrinal Distinctions
- This is not Paul’s gospel of grace (1 Corinthians 15:1–4). The apostles here are proclaiming the kingdom gospel, rooted in prophecy and covenant promises to Israel.
- The Gentiles would later be reached through Paul’s distinct apostleship when Israel stumbled (Romans 11:11, 25).
- This distinction clarifies why Matthew 10 and Acts 2–3 do not match the content of Paul’s gospel.
💡 Application for Today
- This passage highlights the importance of rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
- What was true for Israel in Matthew 10 is not the same as the Church today. God’s promises to Israel remain, but today God is calling out a people for His name into one body, the body of Christ through the gospel of grace.
- God’s order is perfect. His plan for Israel and His plan for the Church, which is His body, the body of Christ are distinct, but both flow from His eternal purpose in Christ Ephesians 3:11.
by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 19, 2025 | Bible Doctrine |
✝️ Daily Encouragement from Galatians 2:21
Scripture
“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” — Galatians 2:21
Unthinkable Conclusion
Paul’s words strike like lightning across the pages of Scripture: if salvation could be earned, then the cross was unnecessary. Imagine that — the Son of God suffering, being mocked by the crowds, and dying for nothing! That is the unthinkable conclusion of any gospel that adds works, rituals, or religious performance to the finished work of Christ.
To “set aside the grace of God” is to treat His grace as insufficient — to say that what Jesus did is not enough, and that human effort must somehow complete it. But grace plus works is no longer grace (Romans 11:6). The very heart of the gospel is that Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection are sufficient to justify the sinner and secure eternal life.
This verse calls us to stand firm (Galatians 5:1): salvation is Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. Any attempt to add human effort dishonors the cross and empties it of its power.
Application
- Guard the Gospel: Do not allow tradition, rituals, or self-effort to creep into your understanding of salvation.
- Rest in Christ’s Work: Stop striving to earn what God has already given freely through Jesus.
- Live in Gratitude: Grace received produces grace lived — humility, love, and obedience flow from knowing Christ died for you.
Final Encouragement
The cross was not in vain. Christ’s death purchased your salvation completely. To add anything to His work is to say it wasn’t enough — but to trust Him fully is to honor the grace of God. Live today in the joy and freedom of His finished work.
by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 18, 2025 | Israel and Bible Prophecy |
📖 Isaiah 46 is breathtaking.
The Lord contrasts powerless idols with His unstoppable power, declaring:
- I have made
- I will bear
- I will carry
- I will deliver
Five times He says “I” to show His personal involvement with Israel’s preservation and future restoration.
“For Israel My glory” (Isa. 46:13) makes it crystal clear: God is not finished with His chosen people. His promises will stand.
Author & Audience
- Author: The prophet Isaiah, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
- Audience: Primarily the people of Judah, but prophetically all Israel, with an extended application to the nations who witness God’s dealings with His chosen people.
Date & Setting
- Date: Around 700–681 BC, during the reign of Hezekiah.
- Historical Context: Assyria was the immediate threat in Isaiah’s day, but this prophecy looks ahead over 100 years to Judah’s Babylonian captivity and beyond—to their ultimate deliverance and restoration.
- Prophetic Context: This chapter is part of the “Book of Comfort” (Isaiah 40–48), where God reassures Israel of His covenant faithfulness in contrast to the utter helplessness of idols.
Purpose of Isaiah 46
- To contrast the living God with lifeless idols—He carries His people, idols must be carried by people.
- To declare His personal involvement in Israel’s history, present, and future restoration (“I” appears five times).
- To remind Israel of His sovereignty—He declares the end from the beginning.
- To call stubborn hearts back to trust in His unfailing promises.
- To affirm Israel’s identity as God’s chosen people “for Israel My glory” (v.13).
Isaiah 46:1–13 Verse by Verse📖
Verses 1–2
“Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but have themselves gone into captivity.”
- Bel and Nebo were chief Babylonian gods. In prophetic irony, they “bow down” and “stoop” in defeat—helpless, carried away as plunder.
- Unlike the living God, these idols can’t carry their worshippers—they are a burden even to animals.
Verses 3–4
“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb: Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.”
- Tender covenant language—God has sustained Israel from birth to old age.
- This is the first use of “I” showing personal commitment: I am He… I have made… I will bear… I will carry… I will deliver.
Verses 5–7
“To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal and compare Me, that we should be alike? They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; they prostrate themselves, yes, they worship. They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it and set it in its place, and it stands; from its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer nor save him out of his trouble.”
- God challenges any comparison—idols are man-made, must be carried, and cannot respond or save.
- This rebukes Israel for adopting the empty worship of surrounding nations.
Verses 8–9
“Remember this, and show yourselves men; recall to mind, O you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.”
- A call to spiritual courage—remember history and God’s unique acts on Israel’s behalf.
- This is the second use of “I”—underscoring God’s exclusivity and supremacy.
Verses 10–11
“Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.”
- God’s sovereignty over time—He alone reveals and accomplishes His plan.
- The “bird of prey” is Cyrus of Persia, who would later free Israel from Babylon (Ezra 1:1–4).
- The third and fourth “I” statements: I have spoken… I will bring it to pass… I have purposed… I will do it.
Verses 12–13
“Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness: I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory.”
- God addresses Israel’s stubbornness but affirms His plan for their ultimate salvation.
- This is the fifth “I”—the climax: I bring… I will place.
- “For Israel My glory” ties this promise directly to the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants—this is not about the Church; it’s God’s specific covenant with Israel.
Key Themes
- God’s Sovereignty—He declares and accomplishes His will without fail.
- God’s Covenant Love—Even in Israel’s rebellion, His promises stand.
- Idol Futility vs. God’s Power—False gods burden; the true God carries.
- Prophetic Precision—Cyrus’ role predicted over a century before his birth.
- Future Restoration—God’s salvation will be in Zion for Israel’s glory.
Application for Believers Today
- Trust God’s Plan: He has written history’s end before the beginning.
- Reject Modern Idols: Anything we rely on more than God is a powerless substitute.
- Hope in God’s Faithfulness: If He is faithful to Israel despite centuries of stubbornness, He will surely keep His promises to you in Christ.
by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 18, 2025 | Bible Doctrine |
There is only one way into heaven — and it is not by works, religion, or human effort.
Paul writes:
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel… that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” — 1 Corinthians 15:1–4
That’s the gospel — the finished work of Jesus Christ: His death, burial, and resurrection on your behalf.
Salvation Is by Faith Alone
This gospel is received by faith alone.
- Not by works.
- Not by law.
- Not by rituals.
- Not by mixing grace with human effort.
“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.” — Romans 3:21
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” — Ephesians 2:8–9
👉 Religion says “do.”
👉 God says “done.”
Why Works Cannot Save
No one gets into heaven by works. No one earns merit with God by keeping the law. Why? Scripture is clear:
“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” — Galatians 2:21
If salvation could be earned, the cross was unnecessary. But Christ’s death was not in vain — it was the only way.
The Only Way of Salvation
There is no other way. Jesus paid it all.
“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” — Romans 10:9
And every person will one day give an account by this same gospel:
“…in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.” — Romans 2:16
✝️ The Unchanging Truth
Salvation is found in Christ alone —
by grace alone,
through faith alone,
in His finished work alone.
by Jamie Pantastico | Aug 12, 2025 | Israel and Bible Prophecy |
This post is part 8 of 8 in our “Covenant Thieves” series—exposing how replacement theology hijacks Scripture to claim God has cast away Israel. These verses have been twisted, spiritualized, and ripped from context to turn God into a covenant-breaker. But when read in context, and applying the full counsel of God, they say no such thing. We’re restoring the context and letting Scripture speak for itself—boldly and clearly.
“But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called.’ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.” —Romans 9:6–8
📖 Context and Setting
Romans 9–11 is Paul’s great defense of God’s faithfulness to Israel. The immediate question he answers in verse 6 is this: If Israel rejected their Messiah, has God’s Word failed? Paul’s answer is a resounding no.
These chapters were written to correct two potential errors:
- That Israel’s unbelief means God’s promises to them are void.
- That Gentile believers now replace Israel in those promises.
Paul addresses the issue by distinguishing between physical Israel (by birth) and true Israel (by faith) — without erasing or absorbing ethnic Israel into the Church.
🔍 Phrase-by-Phrase Breakdown
“But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect…”
Paul begins by defending God’s integrity. Israel’s widespread rejection of Christ did not nullify God’s covenant promises. The apparent “failure” is only temporary (Romans 11:25–29).
“For they are not all Israel who are of Israel…”
Here Paul makes an internal distinction, not a redefinition. There is national/ethnic Israel (descendants of Jacob), but within that nation, there is a believing remnant. He is not saying “Gentiles are now Israel” — he’s saying unbelieving Jews are not part of Israel’s believing remnant.
“Nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham…”
Being physically descended from Abraham does not automatically mean one inherits the spiritual blessings promised in the Abrahamic covenant. The same was true in the Old Testament — many Israelites had Abraham’s blood, but not his faith.
“But, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called.’”
Paul quotes Genesis 21:12 — a direct Old Testament promise. This destroys the replacement theology argument immediately because Paul is affirming a covenant God made specifically to Abraham’s physical line through Isaac — not transferring it to the Church.
“That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God…”
Ethnic descent alone is not the basis for salvation. God has always worked through faith, not just family lineage.
“…but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.”
The promise here is not the land, throne, or kingdom promises to Israel as a nation — those remain intact for national Israel. The “children of the promise” are those (Jew or Gentile) who, like Abraham, believe God.
🧱 Biblical Support and Cross-References
- Genesis 21:12 – “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” God chose Isaac, not Ishmael, to carry the covenant line — proving God’s promises are fulfilled according to His plan, not human presumption.
- Romans 11:1–2 – “Has God cast away His people? Certainly not!” Paul clearly rejects the idea that God is finished with Israel.
- Jeremiah 31:35–37 – As long as the sun, moon, and stars endure, Israel will remain a nation before God.
- Romans 4:16 – Abraham is the father of all who believe — but that does not cancel the national promises to his physical descendants.
🚫 Refuting the Replacement Lie
Replacement theologians hijack this passage to say, “See? Israel isn’t really Israel anymore — the Church is Israel now.”
That interpretation falls apart for three reasons:
- Paul is quoting an Old Testament covenant promise that has not yet been fulfilled — meaning God still intends to fulfill it exactly as spoken.
- The distinction is within Israel, not between Israel and the Church.
- The rest of Romans 9–11 explicitly says Israel’s calling is irrevocable (Romans 11:29) and that their national restoration will come.
This passage is not a transfer of promises — it’s a guarantee that God’s Word has not failed.
✅ In Summary
Romans 9:6–8 teaches that:
- God’s Word has not failed, and His promises to Israel stand.
- Not every ethnic Israelite is part of the believing remnant.
- Faith, not mere lineage, determines spiritual inheritance.
- National promises remain with Israel, and God will fulfill them.
⚠️ Final Word — Series Conclusion
Across this entire series, we’ve exposed how covenant thieves twist eight key passages to rob Israel of her God-given promises. Romans 9:6–8 is their final “proof text” — and it collapses under the weight of its own context.
God is not finished with Israel. He has not replaced them, forgotten them, or transferred their covenants to the Church. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is faithful — and when He speaks, He keeps His word to the letter.
“Let God be true but every man a liar.” —Romans 3:4