Throughout the pages of the Bible, we witness a remarkable progression of God’s purpose and plan of salvation for humanity. One significant aspect of this progression is the distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles, first observed in Exodus 11:7. This separation continued until the revelations given to Paul regarding the mystery of the Gospel of Grace, some 2000 years later. Furthermore, in Romans 11, the apostle Paul writes ‘For God has committed them all (the nation of Israel) to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all (the Gentile world). Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! Romans 11:32-33.
What an amazing and completely overlooked passage Romans 11:32 is, as is the entire chapter 11 of the book of Romans. Where God reveals to Paul that it was predetermined that He would commit ‘all’ His chosen people to disobedience so that He could pour out His grace unto ALL MANKIND with the gospel of grace! AMAZING BIBLICAL TRUTH…that not only shows God sovereignly separated the Jews from the Gentile world for almost 2000 years but that He also predetermined to make salvation available to ALL MANKIND, by faith alone in the finished work of the cross alone apart from the Mosaic law and temple worship. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
Jew Only
In Acts 11:19, we see that the preaching of the word which was Old Testament, that Jesus was Israel’s promised Messiah (there was no New Testament or Paul’s epistles as yet), was to whom? Jew only! These were Jews that scattered after the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7, and who was one of the main characters leading this persecution of the Jews that recognized that Jesus was the Christ? Saul, who we now know as the apostle Paul.
‘Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. ‘
Acts 11:19
This division between Jews and Gentiles traces back to around 2000 BC, as depicted in Genesis 12. It is vital to understand the Bible to grasp that before the calling of Abraham and the establishment of this distinction, God directly interacted with all of mankind, who shared a common language. Yet due to humanity’s continual defiance of God’s commands, He chose one man—Abram, known as Abraham—to create a people for Himself, the Jewish people, and would reveal Himself only to the nation of Israel.
Through the nation of Israel, the Jewish people, God’s chosen ones, brought forth Scripture, the Ten Commandments, the gospel, and the teachings for righteous living. And it is through the nation of Israel that our Savior, who is Jewish, Jesus Christ, God the Son, will come on the scene in the flesh as the once for all sacrifice for the sin of the world.
One of the keys to truly understanding the Bible is understanding the difference between Israel and the body of Christ, which is His church. The theme of Scripture until we, the body of Christ, are even revealed is all Jewish, all to the nation of Israel, that one day a Messiah would come to the nation of Israel (not Gentiles) and be their King, crushing Israel’s enemies (who are Gentiles, read Luke 1:67-75), with the nation of Israel as the top nation above all nations with their King, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, ruling from David’s throne in Jerusalem.
Before we delve into the following five verses that delineate this separation of Jew and Gentile, let us first turn our attention to Exodus 33:12-17, where a profound declaration is made—Israel, the chosen people of God, is unmistakably revealed. Additionally, in Exodus 33:18-19, God openly proclaims to both the world and Moses the reasons behind His choosing of Israel as His own. His sovereign nature shines through as He bestows His grace and mercy upon those He chooses.
The following verses clearly and unmistakably declare that the Jewish people are God’s chosen people, not the Gentile world. I know most of Christianity does not accept this truth, but God Himself makes this graphically clear in these verses and in all of the Old and New Testaments. God does not change, nor can He lie (Psalm 89:33-37).
Exodus 33:12-17
‘Then Moses said to the Lord , “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.” So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”’
Then God gives the reason why He chose Abraham to create a people for Himself.
God proclaims to Moses and the world, “Why? “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
Exodus 33:18-19
‘And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”’
Here are five key passages that trace this theme of the separation of Jews from the Gentile world:
#1
Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3): God promises Abraham that he will become a great nation, blessed and separate from others. This is the foundational promise of Israel’s distinction from the Gentiles.
Genesis 12:1-3
Now the Lord had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”“`
#2
Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19:4-6): God separates the Israelites as His “treasured possession” among all nations, further establishing their uniqueness.
Exodus 19:4-5
‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’`
#3
Sabbatic Covenant (Exodus 31:12-18): This covenant sets the Israelites apart through the Sabbath, a sign between God and the Israelites throughout their generations.
#4
Land Covenant (Deuteronomy 9:1-29): God promises to give Israel a land where they will be established as a nation.
#5
Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:4-29): God promises David an eternal dynasty, further setting Israel apart.
Temporary Blinding of the Nation of Israel
In Acts 7, 36-37 AD, Stephen’s stoning marks Israel’s final rejection of Jesus as the Messiah (Israel’s promised King), which in turn allows (sovereignly and predetermined before time began) for the calling of Paul (approximately 37 AD). With the Apostle Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Romans 11:13; Ephesians 3:1-2) comes the revelation of the Gospel of Grace, extending salvation to both Jews and Gentiles, as depicted in Acts 20:24 and 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. This marks the temporary blinding of Israel (as the favored nation, temporarily), as mentioned in Romans 11, and the beginning of the Church Age, the age of grace, where there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile in Christ Jesus. The middle wall of partition has been broken down by the blood of Christ, and all mankind has access to Israel’s God apart from the law and temple worship (Ephesians 2:11-13; Romans 3:21).
Ephesians 2:11-12
‘Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— that at that time you 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.’
But now, after the cross, after the stoning of Stephen, after God calls Saul, whom we now know as the apostle Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, the next verse…
‘But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.’
Ephesians 2:13
100% Unashamed of the gospel of grace.
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