EMA 'AN ZION

   Gabriel A. Goldberg, one of three authors of the newsletter from the above named ministry in Israel  writes:  “If God’s covenant with Israel would end and the Jewish people would no longer be His Chosen People, human existence would end. The universe as we know it would end” ( "Hashivah" The Return Vol. XLVI, Number 4, 2023-5784, p. 4).  

       His assertion is not supported by Scripture. God promised Israel that she would remain a nation until the end of the age (Jer. 31: 36). He did not promise her that she would remain his chosen people until the end of the age. In fact, God promised Israel that he would make a new covenant with her. "The time is coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah" (Jer. 31: 31).

 THE NEW COVENANT

 The new covenant was put into effect through the precious blood of our Savior/ Messiah and LORD, Jesus Christ. Although God, through the prophet Jeremiah, announced the new covenant  to the people of Israel and the people of Judah (Jer. 31: 31), Scripture asserts that the new covenant is for the world.  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3: 16). Under the first covenant, the Israelites were God's chosen people (Exod. 19: 5-6; Psalm 33: 12), but under the new covenant, believers, both Jews and Gentiles are God's chosen people.

 The apostle Paul stated concerning believers under the new covenant.

 Through faith in Christ Jesus,  both Jews and Gentiles become children of God. They are one in Christ Jesus. Anyone who belongs to Christ becomes a seed of Abraham and an heir according to the promise (Gal. 3: 26-29). 

 WHEN JESUS DIED 

       When Jesus breathed his last, "the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom," exposing the Holy of Holies (Matt. 27: 51; Mark 15: 38), signifying the establishment of the new covenant and making the first covenant obsolete (Heb. 9: 13). When the first covenant became obsolete, all that pertained to it also became obsolete. Judaism had run its course. 

      A believer in Jesus could now communicate with God the Father through Jesus. Nobody can come to the Father except through me (John 14: 6).

       Under the new covenant, believers, both Jews and Gentiles are God's chosen people.

      The apostle Paul wrote: As believers in Christ,  there is no Gentile or Jew,  but Christ is all, and is in all. So as God’s chosen people who are truly loved show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Col. 3: 11 - 12).

 The apostle Peter penned the following to believers who were scattered over the Roman world, the majority of whom were Jews.

      You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. You belong to God. So praise him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light  ( 1 Pet. 2: 9).

WHAT ABOUT ISRAEL?

 The prophet Isaiah penned the following: “The Redeemer will come to Zion to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the LORD (Isa. 59: 20). 

 The prophet Zechariah paints a bleak  picture for the Israelites. The Lord declares: Two-thirds of Israel will be struck down and perish. The remaining third will pass through the fire and will call on  my name. … They will call on me and I will answer them. The Lord will say: “They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God”(Zech. 13: 9).

 THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

 On the day of judgment, our Lord Jesus Christ will gather all people before him, people from the creation of the world to the last person to be born before his coming. He will place the righteous on his right (those who have received him into their hearts) and the unrighteous on his left ( those who have rejected him) ( Matt 25: 33).

 He will say to those on his right: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matt. 25: 34).

 To those on his left, he will say: “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” ( Matt. 25: 41).

A PRAYER TO BE SAVED / BORN AGAIN

     Almighty God, I thank you that you sent your one and only Son, Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world. Lord Jesus, I thank you that you died on the cross for my sins. Almighty God, I believe that you raised him from the dead as the Bible declares. Jesus, I confess my sins to you. I am sorry for them and I turn away from them. Please forgive me I pray. Jesus, I now receive you into my heart as my Savior/Messiah and LORD. Please fulfill your plan for my life through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

NOTE: (italic - mine) scriptural quotation  scriptural paraphrase  Author’s assertion

"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright c 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."   

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