Now
since the poor lady’s distraction was the term children of Israel let us focus
on the children of Israel and see exactly who the children of Israel are and to
whom these perpetual instructions apply.
The
children of Israel are those to whom the Lord taught His statutes and judgments
and according to Moses, they were supposed to teach them to other nations, for
thus he wrote; “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the
LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land
which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your
wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all
these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding
people.'
"For
what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is
to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there
that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I
set before you this day? Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep
yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart
from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and
your grandchildren, especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD
your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to Me, and I
will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they
live on the earth, and that they may teach their children” (Deuteronomy 4:
5-10).
In
the event that one wants to exclude him/herself from the statutes and judgment
that God gave to the children of Israel this is what the Lord says; “One law
shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you." “One
law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you." “You shall have one law for him who sins
unintentionally, for him who is native-born among the children of Israel and
for the stranger who dwells among them” (Exodus 12:49; Numbers 15:16; 29).
And
this is what the Lord says with regards to salvation for the Gentiles; “Thus
says the LORD: "Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is
about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does
this, and the son of man who lays hold on it; who keeps from defiling the
Sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."
“Do
not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD Speak,
saying, "The LORD has utterly separated me from His people"; nor let
the eunuch say, "Here I am, a dry tree." For thus says the LORD: "To the eunuchs
who keep My Sabbaths (plural), and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My
covenant, even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and
a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting
name that shall not be cut off.”
" Also the sons of the foreigner who join
themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be
His servants --- Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast
My covenant ---Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful
in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be
accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all
nations" (Isaiah 56:1-7).
Now
another very important question to be asked is who truly are the children of
Israel to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of
the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from
whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally
blessed God?
Well,
the crux of the matter according to the scriptures is, “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).
Another
important point to note is that, Gentiles are to glorify God together with His
people and not in isolation for we have been duly admonished saying; “Therefore
receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now
I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth
of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles
might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: "For this reason I will
confess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name." And again he
says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!" And again: "Praise
the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!" And again, Isaiah
says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over
the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope" (Romans 15:7-12).
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To be continued
Lucius Joseph
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