Posted on 11/25/2011 6:23:09 AM PST by Former Fetus
“I will betroth you to me forever;
I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
in love and compassion.
I will betroth you in faithfulness,
and you will acknowledge the LORD.” — Hosea 2:19-20
At times, it is difficult to read through portions of the Hebrew Bible (what Christians call the Old Testament) — in particular, the words of the prophets. Repeatedly, men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, and others conveyed messages of warning, judgment, and dire consequences if God’s people did not turn from their sinful ways and obey Him. At times, such messages of judgment can obscure the very reason God sent prophets to warn His people — because of His deep, abiding love for them.
You see, the relationship between God and Israel is really a reciprocal bond based on love. When we talk about the covenant that exists between God and His people, it really is much more than a formal binding agreement. It’s more than just an agreement between two parties. It is an agreement that is rooted in love and cannot be reduced to mere legality.
Jewish literature often portrays the covenant between God and Israel as a marriage — established through vows, and built upon a foundation of mutual love and commitment. As the prophet Hosea wrote, God addressed Israel as a husband would address his intended wife: “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness; and you will acknowledge the Lord.”
The term “betroth” — clearly one we associate with matrimony — implies an intimate promise to Israel to care for her. Jeremiah, too, affirmed this loving attachment when he recalled God’s past words to Israel in Chapter 31:3: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” Again, everlasting love is something we associate with a personal, intimate, lasting relationship such as marriage.
This covenantal relationship between God and Israel has guided the Jewish people through the centuries and is one of the most powerful forces in everyday Jewish life. Observant Jews renew their commitment to God and the covenant on a daily basis by observing God’s commandments and by linking themselves to the chain of Jewish life and tradition. They acknowledge their personal relationship with God and spend time nurturing it every day.
And while Jews and Christians sincerely differ on some very key points of theology, we do share this powerful bond — that we are called into an intimate, mutual, and loving relationship with the God of the universe that requires that we seek His face every day in prayer, that we listen to His voice through the study of His Word, and that we obey Him.
I’m asking this to gain knowledge, not to be a wise guy. How does God reconcile the fact that Jews deny that Christ was who he said he was? Thanks ahead of time for your answer.
This is amazing given that Christians ARE Israel.
That is an excellent question. The vast majority of Jews still deny that Jesus was the Messiah. (You can help change that by getting involved with Biblesforisrael.com). But basically that is the main point of the Tribulation period, to bring Israel to the point where they recognize that Jesus is their Messiah. That’s how God will reconcile that fact with His covenant. Isn’t He an awesome God?
Yes, he certainly is.
It's too early in the morning for replacement theology. Yes, we are Abraham's spiritual seed, but no, we are NOT Israel. And there are promises in the Bible that are "for Israel only", e.g. as a Christian I don't expect to ever own the land between the Euphrates and the Nile, but I sure expect Israel to own it one day. Israel and the Church have each their own special relationship with God, there is no need for one side to be jelous and covet what God has promised to the other!
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.vii.xxxvii.html
That’s Ireneaus on the subject. Book V:36:1 of his Against Heresies.
The Church has not replaced Israel, the Church is not Israel, and God is not finished with His chosen people and nation, through whom He brought the Messiah into the world and through whom He brought forth the Scriptures.
God will save His nation and His people, and they will hold exalted positions in His millennial kingdom.
If God tells us that He is not done with His people, even though a portion of them are currently living in disbelief and disobedience, who are you going to believe? God or antisemitic "pastors" and "churches"?
Great post, Former Fetus! Thank you!
He promised he would keep his covenant. In this passage from Ezekiel 16, He is talking to Israel, saying how she has prostituted herself out. The key word here is “Nevertheless”. Meaning...No matter what. He made a promise to keep His covenant “No matter what”.
” 60“Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61“Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both your older and your younger; and I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant. 62“Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, 63so that you may remember and be ashamed and never open your mouth anymore because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,” the Lord GOD declares.”
God ALWAYS keeps His Word. He will ALWAYS find a way. It’s only up to us to believe that and live up to it the best we can.
Guess I could have said more specifically, He was talking to Jerusalem but six of one, half dozen of the other.....
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