Jew and Gentile in the Bible

The Old Testament was (for the Jew) God’s prophetic message of redemption and
restoration to Israel as a Kingdom of priests. It was God’s plan for Israel to become a holy nation to then go and reconcile the rest of the world to God. But they, with exceptions, rebelled continually against God’s Sovereignty. They never had the faith in God that He would accomplish what He promised. Israel repeatedly rejected God’s rule over them in their sin of unbelief. The Old Testament record is of God dealing primarily with the Jews only. In the 2000 years from Abraham, Gen. 12, to Acts 7, few Gentiles were saved, Eph. 2:11-12.

The entire theme of the Old Testament from Genesis 12 through the early chapters in Acts is the promise God made to Israel, that a Messiah, a King would come, crush their enemies, and set up a glorious kingdom on earth. Israel would be the preeminent nation above all nations with Christ ruling from David’s throne in Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-5, 9:6-7, 11:1-16; Jeremiah 23:3-8, 30:8-24; Ezekiel 36:21-38, 37:1-28; Zechariah 14:8-11). Gentiles were always on God’s mind for salvation, but Gentile salvation was to come through Israel (Zechariah 8:20-23; Isaiah 60:1-3). THAT did not happen!

The Old Testament is (for the Christian today) proof of the fulfillment of prophecy (which was first promised to Adam and Eve who were NOT Jews) of the coming redemption which was accomplished by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus their Messiah as prophesied in Isaiah and the Psalms. It is also proof that God has put Israel aside, for a time, to call out a heavenly people of faith apart from Law and works (sacrifice). A new (spiritual) creation in Christ as also prophesied in Genesis, Joel, and Isaiah, etc., concerning Gentiles. But this “mystery” was veiled in the Old Testament.

Eph. 2:15-16 says, ...to create in Himself ONE new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in ONE BODY through the cross.

It was Paul that received the revelation of the mysteries concerning the Body of Christ. The distinctions are crucial and not obvious, requiring devoted study. And furthermore, Jesus specifically called Paul to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, even though Paul did in fact go to the Jews as well, he was not called to do so. In fact, in Acts 22:18 Jesus tells Paul, “Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.” Paul’s gospel calls for faith, not law, and faith alone in the transformative and redemptive work of Jesus as accomplished on the cross and proven acceptable and effectual, once for all, by the power of His resurrection.

There is no doctrinal “religion” for the Christian in the Old Testament... unless one wants to sacrifice a lamb. But then it would HAVE to be killed in the Temple... and there is NO temple. Or one would have to observe strict dietary rules (Leviticus) and eat only “kosher” foods; or live by the ten commandments (good luck). What God is now saying to born-again believers (Body of Christ) is found ONLY in the writings of Paul. One can try and “homogenize” the entire Bible into some kind of religion, but then that’s all one would have... religion, and religion saves no one.

“Religion” creates (a) god in its own image to serve its own purpose. “Religion” is an organization of world control over people’s minds, not their hearts. The political and economic ideology sometimes called communism is worldly control over people not unlike the democrat socialist party. It is lies! It is not going to get better, and it is not going away. Mercifully, you can know the truth, and the truth will set you free, John 8:32.

Pure and undefiled religion before God is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27.

This, of course, requires an in-depth study by the individual (YOU!). It will take a lifetime. Few are that ambitious. I only hope to whet your appetite.