Gentiles and Jews

Day 36:  Deuteronomy 16-20; Proverbs 17-21; Acts 13-15

It becomes clearer to me as I journey between Old and New Testaments that God's plan of redemption, His work among the Israelites to glorify His name and draw the nations to Himself in worship and righteousness, was a work that required a single-minded, take no prisoners, show no mercy, kind of campaign.

That is a really long sentence that needs revising! But it took a really long time for God to bring Israel to a place to produce the Son of Man, Jesus. "In the fullness of time," the Bible speaks of the appearance of Jesus (Gal. 4:4; Eph. 1:10). God sent His Son when the time was ripe.

A scholar and leader in Jewish Christian relations, David H. Stern, wrote "The central figure of the New Testament, Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) was a Jew...His twelve closest followers were Jews...The New Testament was written entirely by Jews and its message is directed to the Jew especially and equally to the Gentile (Rom. 1:16)...The main issue was not whether a Jew can believe in Yeshua (Jesus), but whether a Gentile could become a Christian without converting to Judaism.  Jesus said, "Salvation is from the Jews." (Jn 4:22)"

The early church struggles with its mission to "go and make disciples (Mat. 28:18)" and "be Jesus' witnesses...to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)."  They face fierce resistance from the Jewish leadership (Acts 13:26; 45; 14:2, 19) and there were sharp disagreements about how the Gentiles might be included in the church.  Some of believers of the Pharisee sect of Judaism believed the Gentiles must be circumcised (Acts 15:1,5). 

What is the reason for this disagreement?  This is where I really feel for the Jews and their zeal for their holiness traditions.  I empathize with them for consider the hard lessons endured by the people of Israel in order that they might learn obedience to keep the laws, commands and statues of the covenant. I have read story upon story of God's wrath taking the lives of tens of thousands of the Israelites in the wilderness in recompense for their disobedience.  There is no room for error and no compromise.  Israel will be holy as God is holy (Deut. 7:6).

Consider also that God commanded through Moses to kill all the inhabitants of the Promised Land and take no pity on them (Deut. 7:16; 20:18).  To let these Gentile nations live would be a snare to the people for they may be lead into idolatry and the detestable practices of these people. 

What is so detestable?  Leviticus 18 outlines many destestalbe practices, especially sexual immorality. Deuteronomy 18 also speaks against sorcery, divination, consulting spirits and the dead, fortune telling and witchcraft.  Apparently the gentiles of Canaan consulted such people who practice these things for guidance.  Instead God will provide prophets to guide His people.  They are to listen to them and discern that they are in fact speaking on God's behalf (Deut. 18:15,21-22).  And do not forget the forbidding of boiling a goat in its mother's milk (Ex. 23:19; Deut. 14:21). 

So gentile pagan practices are the sort of things the Jews grew to despise as God's separated people.  Now the trend is to bring holy Jew and filthy pig eating, incestuous, vile gentiles together in the same community of faith?  Do you see the wall of hostility between them (Eph 2:14)?

The wisdom of Israel says about the disobedient,

 Lashes and wounds purge away evil, and beatings cleanse the innermost parts. (Pr. 20:30)

So you can imagine how the committed and disciplined Jewish Christians feel about letting in the Gentiles without conforming to their holy practices.  They feel much like the older son in Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son.

 ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ (Luke 15:29-30)

But Peter names what the new covenant in the blood of the Son of God means. 

We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (Acts 15:11)

And so now through Christ God is building a new holy community, not based simply on keeping laws ans statutes, but keeping in love with God through the indwelling Holy Spirit who reminds us of all that Jesus has taught and done.  This abiding Spirit causes us to abide in Christ and as such our hearts are made new and willing to please Him.  We long to obey because of the love we feel and give through the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:8).

God, You know my heart. I thank You for Your mercy shown us in Jesus Christ.  Continue to make this Gentile holy as You are holy.  In Jesus' name, Amen.