Lex, I think you have a valid point. God does not need the "Jews" to accomplish His plan. God's Plan to send Christ to redeem the world has been opposed by the Jews, as they oppose Christ. So God doesn't need the Jews at all now. That is a great point.Lex wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 6:04 amIn other words, you are saying that God couldn't have accomplished his plan without the Jews. In other words, you are saying that God is dependent on something. In other words, you are saying that God isn't almighty. This is blasphemy. God doesn't need anyone or anything to accomplish his plan. He would not have needed the Jews to bring the Messiah. If the Jews had not existed, God would've just used another people. God is not dependent on anything.
Even God wanted to annihilate the people of Israel twice, but twice he was prevented from doing so (Ex 32:9-10, Num 16:44-45). What do you say to this? And what do you say to the fact that God himself calls Israel the worst people in the world (Ezek 3:6-7, Ezek 5:6-7)?
So what are the "Jews", and why do they not convert to Christianity?
Here is what I have studied:
Around 100 BC, the Israelite leader John Hyrcanus, a descendant of Jacob, conquered the Idumeans, or Edomites, who are the children of Esau. Hyrcanus forcibly converted these Edomites to become Jews, and a large number of Jews in the 1st century are the children of Esau.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hyrcanus#Conquests
Herod the Great was born in Idumea, and his father was an Edomite. Herod was a descendant of Esau, not Jacob/Israel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_the_Great#Biography
When the family of Herod ruled Palestine, the children of Esau became the religious leaders over the children of Jacob/Israel.
The children of Esau have always been hostile to the children of Jacob, due to Jacob receiving the birthright (Gen 25:31) and the blessing (Gen 27). Esau has always wanted to kill Jacob for this reason. (Gen 27:41) The Edomites have always been enemies of the children of Jacob/Israel (Numbers 20:14-21), even before they were born. (Gen 25:22)
This hatred of the children of Jacob by the children of Esau explains why the Herodians were enemies of Christ (Mark 3:6, Mark 12:13, Matt 22:16), and why Herod had no problem killing John the Baptist (Matt 14:3-12).
It also explains why these Edomite religious leaders wanted to kill Peter for saying that they had killed Christ (Acts 5:28-33), and did kill Stephen for saying they had killed Christ (Acts 7:51-54), yet when the average child of Jacob/Israel heard that he was responsible for the death of Christ, he converted to Christianity and became the foundation of the Church. (Act 2:36-41) Two different reactions by two different peoples.
The promise of the New Covenant under Christ is that it was made with both the House of Israel (the 10 Northern Tribes), and the House of Judah (the 2 Southern Tribes).
All of the Twelve Tribes of Israel have converted to Christ and are now in the Church, scattered around the world:Hebrews 8:(8) For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
The Edomite Jews, or children of Esau, are still a part of the "Jews" of today, and this explains why they will not convert to Christianity. God loved Jacob, but hated Esau. (Malachi 1;2-3) These Edomite Jews are not of God, as Christ said. (John 8:42-47) That is why they will never follow Christ.James 1:(1) James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
The same dynamic is not quite as true today. The Judaism of today is a religion of converts. Marilyn Monroe and Sammy Davis Jr both converted to Judaism. King Bulan in 800 AD led his entire country of Khazaria to convert to Judaism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulan_(Khazar). There are Ethiopian Jews that are converts. The Sephardic Jews, or "Sepharvaim" were early converts to Judaism. (2 Kings 17:24) Judaism is made up of many different groups of people today, and none of them are Israel.
The idea to call this mixed followers of the religion of Judaism a "chosen race of Israel" started with Herzl and the rise of Zionism in 1890. To say that every Jew today is a child of Jacob/Israel has no historical basis and is incorrect. It is a new idea by Herzl, less than 150 years old.
It is also incorrect to blame every Jew for the crimes of Zionism and the "State of Israel". There are "Jews Against Zionism" and other groups that oppose Zionism.
But one thing is certain. No Jew can go to the Father without Christ. As Christ said:
No Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or atheist can come to the Father, but by Jesus Christ. So no Jew can claim to be "God's Chosen People" and hope to go to the Father, while rejecting the teachings of Jesus Christ. Most Christians have been brainwashed by John Hagee and other teachers to look to the Jews as the "founders" of Christianity. No, Christ founded Christianity, and all of "God's Chosen People", or "elect" are now Christians, not Jews.John 14:(6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Every Jew is lost without Christ. Salvation is only through Christ, and not some "race".
And "racism" is a term that is never used to describe Zionism, which apparently is based entirely on "race".
We should pray for the Jews, that "if possible", they might find Christ and follow John 14:6. And we should pray for the Christians that support the Jews, that they might do the same, and follow John 14:6.
Thanks,
John