THE NEW COVENANT (PART 2)

 

How sure is God’s promise to the Jewish people? The Lord directly challenges any who think that He might "cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done." First, He identifies Himself as the Creator and Controller

of all things - "Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day, and the statutes of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar."

Then He declares that His faithfulness to Israel is as sure as the "statutes" of Creation and the covenant that He made with Noah: "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." (Gen. 8:22) It is even surer than that. Those who want to see God "cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done" must measure the heavens and search out the foundations of the earth. Not an easy task, to be sure. God is declaring His eternal faithfulness to

Israel — "the offspring of Israel" will not "cease from being a nation before

Me forever."

The Lord follows this declaration with specific promises concerning physical Jerusalem. (Jer. 31:38-40) Through the fulfillment of the New Covenant, God will restore the Jewish people to the land of Israel and to Himself. The promise is as sure as God Himself.

Indeed, more than any other designation, the Lord refers to Himself as the God of Israel." He calls Himself that hundreds of times throughout the Bible. Nor should we forget the numerous times He calls Himself, "Shepherd of Israel," "Rock of Israel," "Father to Israel," "Stone of Israel," "King of Israel," "Mighty One of Israel," "Holy One of Israel," "God in Israel," "God over Israel," "God to Israel," "God for Israel," etc. He also tells the world that He is "God of Jacob," "Holy One of Jacob," "Mighty One of Jacob," "Portion of Jacob," etc.

This is the way that God wants to be known. That is why those who know Him can say, "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold." (Ps. 46:7, 11) That is why He Himself says to Zion, "For your husband is your Maker, whose name is the Lord of hosts; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, who is called the God of all the earth." (Is. 54:5)

God’s identity and integrity are bound up in His relationship with Israel. King David prayed, "And what one nation on the earth is like Thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for Thee and awesome things for Thy land, before Thy people whom Thou hast redeemed for Thyself from Egypt, from nations and their gods? For Thou hast established for Thyself Thy people Israel as Thine own people forever, and Thou, O Lord, hast become their God." (2 Sam. 7:23-24)

Next: Two Jews, Three Opinions

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