So, there was Avram, setting off on the greatest 'mystery tour' in history! He set off, not knowing his destination, but in obedience to the command of El Shaddai, and with His promise ringing in his ears: "... I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves." (Gen.12:2-3).
The promise was not only to Avram's descendants, but to all of mankind - "... all the families of the earth ..."! Almighty God, the Creator of all that exists, chose to reach out to the entire world, by choosing Israel to represent Him - and He started with Avram.
On Sunday, I was preaching on Paul's description of disciples of Jesus, as given in II Cor.5:20, where he writes: "So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us." One of the points that I made was that an earthly ambassador is important, not on his own merit, but because of the monarch, president, or emperor who has chosen the ambassador to represent him. With such "chosenness" comes the great responsibility of correctly expressing the ideas, and carrying out the plans, of the one represented. However, this is not done solely for the benefit of the ruler. The ruler and his many ambassasdors work together to serve all of the peopleof the country.
Likewise, El Shaddai choosing Israel was not God favouring one nation (as yet not even in existence!) oveer another. It was about the Creator manifesting His love to the entire world - and He chose Averam as His first ambassador to carry out His plan.
God longs to have a relationship with each and every person individually. That is why we were created. El Shaddai longs for each of us to have a personal knowledge of Him. His plan for communicating His identity to the world, and how to repair the relationship that was broken in the Garden of Eden, would be through the nation of Israel - the descendants of Avram, Yitzak, and Yacob. Within that larger scope, His plan has been working out through many people and events: Moses; the Torah; the prophets; and, in the fulness of time, through Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus the Messiah, or "Anointed One").
Israel became a conduit of God's blessing to the world, and the path for the world to reach Him. A Son of Israel, Yeshua, would manifest this blessing further as "... a light that will bring revelation to the Goyim (Gentiles) and glory to Your people Isra’el." (Luke 2:32; CJB). Israel reveals both the heart of God, and the ways and depth of His love. This unique relationship with Israel draws mankind to Him. "Adonai-Tzva’ot (the LORD of Hosts) says, ‘When that time comes, ten men will take hold — speaking all the languages of the nations — will grab hold of the cloak of a Jew and say, “We want to go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.”" (Zech.8:32; CJB). With His identity forever linked to Israel (the nation!), God's reputation is wrapped up in Israel's destiny!
Biblically-aligned believers, defined by their personal relationship with Yeshua, understand that "... salvation comes from the Jews."(John 4:22; CJB). That salvation would come through the One Who spoke those words - haMashiach, for Whom the Jewish people have been wating for millennia. Jewish people pray, on a daily basis, for the coming of Messiah as foretold in the Tanakh (the 'Old Testament'). Israel has already had the privilege of her Messiah's coming - to Bethlehem, as prophesied by Micah: "But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y’hudah, out of you will come forth to Me the future ruler of Isra’el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times." (5:1).
Yeshuah made apublic declaraion that He was the Anointed One when He read, in the synagogue in Nazareth, this prophecy from Isaiah; "The Spirit of Adonai Elohim is upon me, because Adonai has anointed me to announce good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim freedom to the captives, to let out into light those bound in the dark;" (Isaiah 61:1; CJB).
God's message of salvation and redemption, which Yeshua (Jesus) taught during His three years of public ministry, was directed specifically, to the Chosen People. He was fully conscious that He "... was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Isra’el." (Matt.15:24; CJB). Yet, He ministered to all who put their faith in Him, as Messiah, and instructed His Jewish followers to reach out to all mankind: " Then He said to them, “As you go throughout the world, proclaim the Good News to all creation. Whoever trusts and is immersed will be saved; whoever does not trust will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16; CJB).
God's plan of spiritual redemption through Yeshua HaMashiach, is available to all who repent and believe that Yeshua paid the penalty for our sin. He paid a debt He did not owe, because we owe a debt we cannot pay! His followers now await His second coming, when He comes to defend the Children of Israel, and reign from the Holy City - Jerusalem. Are you ready?!
God longs to have a relationship with each and every person individually. That is why we were created. El Shaddai longs for each of us to have a personal knowledge of Him. His plan for communicating His identity to the world, and how to repair the relationship that was broken in the Garden of Eden, would be through the nation of Israel - the descendants of Avram, Yitzak, and Yacob. Within that larger scope, His plan has been working out through many people and events: Moses; the Torah; the prophets; and, in the fulness of time, through Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus the Messiah, or "Anointed One").
Israel became a conduit of God's blessing to the world, and the path for the world to reach Him. A Son of Israel, Yeshua, would manifest this blessing further as "... a light that will bring revelation to the Goyim (Gentiles) and glory to Your people Isra’el." (Luke 2:32; CJB). Israel reveals both the heart of God, and the ways and depth of His love. This unique relationship with Israel draws mankind to Him. "Adonai-Tzva’ot (the LORD of Hosts) says, ‘When that time comes, ten men will take hold — speaking all the languages of the nations — will grab hold of the cloak of a Jew and say, “We want to go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.”" (Zech.8:32; CJB). With His identity forever linked to Israel (the nation!), God's reputation is wrapped up in Israel's destiny!
Biblically-aligned believers, defined by their personal relationship with Yeshua, understand that "... salvation comes from the Jews."(John 4:22; CJB). That salvation would come through the One Who spoke those words - haMashiach, for Whom the Jewish people have been wating for millennia. Jewish people pray, on a daily basis, for the coming of Messiah as foretold in the Tanakh (the 'Old Testament'). Israel has already had the privilege of her Messiah's coming - to Bethlehem, as prophesied by Micah: "But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y’hudah, out of you will come forth to Me the future ruler of Isra’el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times." (5:1).
Yeshuah made apublic declaraion that He was the Anointed One when He read, in the synagogue in Nazareth, this prophecy from Isaiah; "The Spirit of Adonai Elohim is upon me, because Adonai has anointed me to announce good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim freedom to the captives, to let out into light those bound in the dark;" (Isaiah 61:1; CJB).
God's message of salvation and redemption, which Yeshua (Jesus) taught during His three years of public ministry, was directed specifically, to the Chosen People. He was fully conscious that He "... was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Isra’el." (Matt.15:24; CJB). Yet, He ministered to all who put their faith in Him, as Messiah, and instructed His Jewish followers to reach out to all mankind: " Then He said to them, “As you go throughout the world, proclaim the Good News to all creation. Whoever trusts and is immersed will be saved; whoever does not trust will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16; CJB).
God's plan of spiritual redemption through Yeshua HaMashiach, is available to all who repent and believe that Yeshua paid the penalty for our sin. He paid a debt He did not owe, because we owe a debt we cannot pay! His followers now await His second coming, when He comes to defend the Children of Israel, and reign from the Holy City - Jerusalem. Are you ready?!
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