Was God's choosing Israel an act of aparteid...

[Carl Emerson]

In this case it appears to be an issue among certain anti-Zionist Haredi Jews who have a history of being inflammatory, and who have been violent in the past. Without further context it is actually impossible to know the full story.

As such I may have allowed myself to be uncritical in posting the video. I remain discomforted by the idea of police violence; but without context it is impossible to know the full story of this video.

Neturei Karta - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Given the groups activities, I can't say I am less bothered by police violence; but I can recognize that without additional context it is impossible to know the full story that the video only provides a de-contextualized piece of.



God chose the Jewish people to be His Covenant people. But that has nothing to do with the modern state of Israel. So "chosenness" is irrelevant when talking about the modern secular entity known as Israel.

To bring the analogy back to Paul. St. Paul of Tarsus, whose birth name was Saul, was a man chosen by our Lord to be an apostle. That doesn't apply to just anyone who calls themselves "Paul". Paul McCartney, as an example, certainly isn't who Jesus chose to be apostle to the Gentiles.

Just because there is a modern state in the Levant called "Israel" doesn't make it the same thing as what existed after God delivered His people out of Egypt, made His Covenant with them at the base of the mountain in Sinai giving them the Torah and calling them to be His people in the land of Canaan which was promised to Abraham centuries earlier. That political entity ceased to exist a long time ago, and hasn't existed since. The modern state of Israel isn't the Covenant Nation anymore than Paul McCartney is the Apostle who wrote over half of the New Testament.

-CryptoLutheran

So you dont believe that the gathering of the Jews to again govern themselves after 1000's of years wandering the earth was prophesied?

 

[ViaCrucis]

So you dont believe that the gathering of the Jews to again govern themselves after 1000's of years wandering the earth was prophesied?

I don't believe the creation of the modern state of Israel has any religious significance of any kind.

The fulfillment of the prophecies concerning Jews and Gentiles coming to Zion together are fulfilled in Jesus Christ and His Holy Church.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Carl Emerson]

I don't believe the creation of the modern state of Israel has any religious significance of any kind.

The fulfillment of the prophecies concerning Jews and Gentiles coming to Zion together are fulfilled in Jesus Christ and His Holy Church.

-CryptoLutheran

Right, this is called 'replacement theology'

So the Nation created in a day is Whom ???

Isaiah 66:8
Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.

 

[Ephesians321]

Right, this is called 'replacement theology'

So the Nation created in a day is Whom ???

Isaiah 66:8
Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.

In Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-29, we find God’s conditions for Israel to dwell in the land, and the conditions for restoration to the land when/if they should be expelled. Simply stated, Yahweh said that if Israel obeyed the Mosaic Covenant faithfully, she could dwell in the land. However, “If you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments...I will do this to you: I will appoint terror over you... I will punish you seven times over...I will bring the land to desolation, and your enemies who dwell in it shall be astonished at it. I will scatter you among the nations and draw a sword after you...those who are left shall waste away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands” (Leviticus 26:14-34). The condition for restoration to the land is then given, “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also walked contrary to Me, then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Abraham will I remember, I will remember the land” (Leviticus 26:40f). In other words, if, and when, Israel repented, then and only then would Yahweh return them to the land. There is not a single word to hint that He would reward their unrighteousness by re-gathering them to the land in their disobedience. The same is true of Deuteronomy 28-30. Over and over the Lord of Hosts threatened them with captivity and scattering if they violated the Covenant (Deuteronomy 28:36-37; 45-49; 28:64). What is the only condition for restoration mentioned in the entirety of the text? It is given in chapter 30:1-10. Three times in the text, Yahweh said that when the plagues and dispersion for sin came upon them, and they would call to mind the Covenant “among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, and you return to the Lord your God and obey his voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children...that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity” (Deuteronomy 30:1-3). Repentance and obedience to the Mosaic Covenant were the conditions for return.

1.) Genesis 17:7 -14– Circumcision and the Identity of God’s People. When Yahweh called Abraham, He made the covenant of circumcision with him. The Lord told Abraham that if anyone born in his house or a slave purchased by any of descendants was not circumcised, “he shall be cut off from the people” (Genesis 17:14). This meant he was to die.

Simply stated, no circumcision meant you were not of the Abrahamic seed, and if you were not of the Abrahamic seed, you were “outside.” For Paul, prior to Christ, there were only two classifications of mankind, the circumcised and the uncircumcised, and the uncircumcised were, “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in this world.” (Ephesians 2:11f). To put it another way, no circumcision, no hope. Now, if you had been taught, as a people, for 1500+ years that circumcision was a sign of God’s covenant with you, to identify you as His, and all of a sudden someone started saying that circumcision now meant nothing, how would you react? If this act identified you as a child of God, blessed above all people and now you were told that it no longer had any special significance in God’s eyes, wouldn’t you consider that man a heretic, a rabble-rouser and a revolutionary?

2.) Joshua 5 – Circumcision and the Land. As Joshua led the children of Israel to the borders of the promised land, it was realized that the men had not been circumcised. The generation that had come out of Egypt had died out, and had failed to have their sons circumcised. As a result, Israel could not possess the land.. Joshua had all of the men circumcised and God said: “This day have I rolled the reproach of Egypt from you” (Joshua 5:9). Now if, even as a descendant of Abraham, you could not possess the land if you were not circumcised, how incredible was it for Paul to say, “Circumcision avails nothing.” Covenantally, no circumcision meant no land. And now, Paul said circumcision avails nothing. The umbilical cord between circumcision and the Land was being cut by the gospel of Messiah.

The Temple was the most sacred place in the world. It was the center of the world for the Jews. The privilege of worshiping there was one of the greatest blessings in the world. Circumcision provided passage into those hallowed courts. Without circumcision, no one could enter its holy gates. No circumcision, no Temple privileges. Thus, there were plaques placed all around the Temple complex, with inscriptions warning all Gentiles that to proceed past a certain point would result in their death. It should be noted that although the Romans had removed the authority of capital punishment from Israel prior to this occasion, they had actually made exceptions in cases involving violation of the Temple.

Thus, religiously, Israel is no longer Biblical Israel, because Yahweh removed the Old Covenant, along with circumcision, the sacrifices, the temple, the priesthood, in AD 70. And, ethnically, Israel is no longer Biblical Israel, because Yahweh destroyed the genealogical records in AD 70, and, the majority of those calling themselves Jews today, are atheists, or are of Gentile descent. To make 1948, or any other modern time, the restoration of national Israel to God’s favored position one must be willing to affirm the rejection and replacement of the blood bought gospel of Jesus Christ with the obsolete doctrine of circumcision. It is imperative that the modern evangelical world come to grips with these vital truths. The events of 1948 have nothing to do with Old Covenant Biblical Israel.

 

[Carl Emerson]

In Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-29, we find God’s conditions for Israel to dwell in the land, and the conditions for restoration to the land when/if they should be expelled. Simply stated, Yahweh said that if Israel obeyed the Mosaic Covenant faithfully, she could dwell in the land. However, “If you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments...I will do this to you: I will appoint terror over you... I will punish you seven times over...I will bring the land to desolation, and your enemies who dwell in it shall be astonished at it. I will scatter you among the nations and draw a sword after you...those who are left shall waste away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands” (Leviticus 26:14-34). The condition for restoration to the land is then given, “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also walked contrary to Me, then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Abraham will I remember, I will remember the land” (Leviticus 26:40f). In other words, if, and when, Israel repented, then and only then would Yahweh return them to the land. There is not a single word to hint that He would reward their unrighteousness by re-gathering them to the land in their disobedience. The same is true of Deuteronomy 28-30. Over and over the Lord of Hosts threatened them with captivity and scattering if they violated the Covenant (Deuteronomy 28:36-37; 45-49; 28:64). What is the only condition for restoration mentioned in the entirety of the text? It is given in chapter 30:1-10. Three times in the text, Yahweh said that when the plagues and dispersion for sin came upon them, and they would call to mind the Covenant “among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, and you return to the Lord your God and obey his voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children...that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity” (Deuteronomy 30:1-3). Repentance and obedience to the Mosaic Covenant were the conditions for return.

1.) Genesis 17:7 -14– Circumcision and the Identity of God’s People. When Yahweh called Abraham, He made the covenant of circumcision with him. The Lord told Abraham that if anyone born in his house or a slave purchased by any of descendants was not circumcised, “he shall be cut off from the people” (Genesis 17:14). This meant he was to die.

Simply stated, no circumcision meant you were not of the Abrahamic seed, and if you were not of the Abrahamic seed, you were “outside.” For Paul, prior to Christ, there were only two classifications of mankind, the circumcised and the uncircumcised, and the uncircumcised were, “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in this world.” (Ephesians 2:11f). To put it another way, no circumcision, no hope. Now, if you had been taught, as a people, for 1500+ years that circumcision was a sign of God’s covenant with you, to identify you as His, and all of a sudden someone started saying that circumcision now meant nothing, how would you react? If this act identified you as a child of God, blessed above all people and now you were told that it no longer had any special significance in God’s eyes, wouldn’t you consider that man a heretic, a rabble-rouser and a revolutionary?

2.) Joshua 5 – Circumcision and the Land. As Joshua led the children of Israel to the borders of the promised land, it was realized that the men had not been circumcised. The generation that had come out of Egypt had died out, and had failed to have their sons circumcised. As a result, Israel could not possess the land.. Joshua had all of the men circumcised and God said: “This day have I rolled the reproach of Egypt from you” (Joshua 5:9). Now if, even as a descendant of Abraham, you could not possess the land if you were not circumcised, how incredible was it for Paul to say, “Circumcision avails nothing.” Covenantally, no circumcision meant no land. And now, Paul said circumcision avails nothing. The umbilical cord between circumcision and the Land was being cut by the gospel of Messiah.

The Temple was the most sacred place in the world. It was the center of the world for the Jews. The privilege of worshiping there was one of the greatest blessings in the world. Circumcision provided passage into those hallowed courts. Without circumcision, no one could enter its holy gates. No circumcision, no Temple privileges. Thus, there were plaques placed all around the Temple complex, with inscriptions warning all Gentiles that to proceed past a certain point would result in their death. It should be noted that although the Romans had removed the authority of capital punishment from Israel prior to this occasion, they had actually made exceptions in cases involving violation of the Temple.

Thus, religiously, Israel is no longer Biblical Israel, because Yahweh removed the Old Covenant, along with circumcision, the sacrifices, the temple, the priesthood, in AD 70. And, ethnically, Israel is no longer Biblical Israel, because Yahweh destroyed the genealogical records in AD 70, and, the majority of those calling themselves Jews today, are atheists, or are of Gentile descent. To make 1948, or any other modern time, the restoration of national Israel to God’s favored position one must be willing to affirm the rejection and replacement of the blood bought gospel of Jesus Christ with the obsolete doctrine of circumcision. It is imperative that the modern evangelical world come to grips with these vital truths. The events of 1948 have nothing to do with Old Covenant Biblical Israel.

Romans 11:25

All Israel Will Be Saved​

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.

Tell me if you can...

When did this happen ???

Paul is not talking about the Church.

 

[Ephesians321]

Romans 11:25

All Israel Will Be Saved​

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.

Tell me if you can...

When did this happen ???

Paul is not talking about the Church.

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Romans 11:4-5,7, 26, 8:9,14, 2:28-29; Revelation 7:4-14, 14:1-4.

I am a Preterist btw.

That was already fulfilled, all of Israel was saved the Jewish Remnant or Jewish Elect were the persecuted 1st century Jewish converts to Christianity. They died martyrs (144,000 firstfruits of 30-40 year old church) or they survived snatched away by their church leaders or fled from Jerusalem due to signs they were warned to heed before the Romans surrounded Jerusalem and laid siege to it.

 

[Carl Emerson]

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Romans 11:4-5,7, 26, 8:9,14, 2:28-29; Revelation 7:4-14, 14:1-4.

I am a Preterist btw.

That was already fulfilled, all of Israel was saved the Jewish Remnant or Jewish Elect were the persecuted 1st century Jewish converts to Christianity. They died martyrs (144,000 firstfruits of 30-40 year old church) or they survived snatched away by their church leaders or fled from Jerusalem due to signs they were warned to heed before the Romans surrounded Jerusalem and laid siege to it.

How then do you explain the phenomena of Messianic Jews today if they were all saved back then ??

 

[Ephesians321]

How then do you explain the phenomena of Messianic Jews today if they were all saved back then ??

God never quite saving Jews but he is just never going to save them all universally. That is never going to happen. Romans 11:26 is not a universal promise. But in the first century he had a remnant of elect Jews that were all saved because they converted Christ. Actually, you could say God still has remnant of Jews today - Messianic Jews.

 

[Fantine]

Let's look instead at God's preferential option for the poor.
In Mary's words of praise: "He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away in empty."
Between Israel and Gaza, who are the hungry (as well as thirsty, cold, without power, homeless, wounded, grief-stricken, and powerless)?
Which nation is causing God to grieve?
The world is begging Israel to use means other than genocide to capture Hamas.
God never condones genocide.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Right, this is called 'replacement theology'

False. It's called the Gospel.

So the Nation created in a day is Whom ???

Isaiah 66:8
Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.

The Prophet probably speaks here of the speediness of restoration that occurred after the Babylonian Exile. With Cyrus' decree the Jews returned to the land, Jerusalem and its Temple rebuilt, the Law recovered and read amongst the people. God re-establishing HIs promises with them, though they were not an independent nation, they were nevertheless restored.

Biblical commentators also point to the speediness by which the Gospel came forth out of Zion, for we read in the Acts of the Apostles that when Pentecost began, only 120 were there gathered in the upper room when the Spirit came upon them. After the Apostle St. Peter preached, by the power of the Spirit, calling to hear the Gospel, believe, repent, and be baptized we read,

"So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls." - Acts 2:41

Before our Lord ascended, we read the disciples saying to Him, "Will you now restore the kingdom to Israel? and our Lord says, "It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father has established by His own authority" and continues "You will be My witnesses, beginning in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the remotest parts of the earth" (Acts 1:6-8)

And so here, on the commemoration of Shavu'ot, Pentecost, even as on this day God through Moses gave the Torah to Israel; here God pours out His Spirit, and the word beginning here in Zion, in Jerusalem, goes forth out to the nations.

"The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

It shall come to pass, in the latter days
that the mountain of the House of the LORD
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be lifted up aove the hills;
and all the nations flow to it,
and many peoples shall come, and say:
'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that He may teach us His ways
and that we may walk in His paths.'

For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem,
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.

O House of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the LORD."
- Isaiah 2:1-5

"In the last days the mountain of the House of the LORD will be established as the chief o the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it. And many nations will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.' For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." - Micah 4:1-2

O Christ-God of the nations, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, You came bearing our flesh and weakness, and bore suffering and shame, and the guilt of all our sins and trespasses in order that we might receive from You the gift of Eternal Life. And in You is the reconciliation of all peoples, and the peace of God Your Father. You have come, proclaiming the Jubilee of God, setting captives free, restoring sight to the blind, and preaching good news to the poor. And we, the enslaved, blind, and poor have been redeemed by the blood of Your cross. And by the glory of Your resurrection have put to death death itself, You have bound the strong man, rendered him powerless, and have ransacked hell and reduced it to ashes. You reign, O Christ Lord of All, for having risen You ascended, and having ascended You are seated at the right hand of Glory, having received Kingdom and Authority and Dominion forever. O Son of David and Root of Jesse, You are Messiah and King, Your rod is a rod of iron, and yet You are the Gentle Good Shepherd who with Your staff and crook protect Your sheep, recover Your lambs, and draw the lost of all nations to Yourself. You are Peace and Redemption and Holiness and Love. O Jesus Christ, comfort us with Your mercies. O Jesus Christ teach us Your ways, that we may delight in Your will. Grant us forgiveness of our sins, O Comforter Comfort us with Your Holy Spirit, keep us and hold us, that we may abide in You in all things. O Christ, Living Water and Bread of Life, grant us life. To the glory of Your Holy Name, as you Live and Reign with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit in Holy and Perfect Trinity, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Lukaris]

I believe there is still a specific purpose for Israel in prophecy. I believe Israel is no better or worse than any other nation. It seems all of the world gathers around when Israel fights for it’s survival making valid & invalid observations. It seems that other nations who claim to fight for their survival and do horrible things are far less noticed or scrutinized. There are also many peoples who have been far more collectively brutalized and far less noticed or given concern than the Palestinians. I am speaking in very broad terms here and not saying individuals in any group suffer more or less anywhere else.

The Lord Jesus Christ said to the Samaritan woman that salvation is of the Jews although worship of God must be in spirit and truth ( John 4:21-26). This is in accordance with the emerging new covenant prophecy of Jeremiah 31:31-34. I definitely do not understand all of this although I believe Romans 11:1-36 at least warns us to keep what the Lord told the Samaritan woman in mind.

It seems when after announcing the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34, God mentions “the seed of Israel shall also cease” (NKJV Jer 31:36) but that seems to coincide with total corruption of our relationship with creation itself ( see Jeremiah 31:35-37).

In Isaiah 55:8 we are warned that our ways are not the ways of God indeed reading all of Isaiah 55:1-13 is recommended here although the major point picks up in verse 3. Isaiah 56:1-2 seems to conclude what is begun in Isaiah 55:3.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Let's look instead at God's preferential option for the poor.
In Mary's words of praise: "He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away in empty."
Between Israel and Gaza, who are the hungry (as well as thirsty, cold, without power, homeless, wounded, grief-stricken, and powerless)?
Which nation is causing God to grieve?
The world is begging Israel to use means other than genocide to capture Hamas.
God never condones genocide.

Explaim how targeting a Terror Organisation is genocide please.

Did you feel the same way about Isis ?

 

[Carl Emerson]

False. It's called the Gospel.

What is false about the term "replacement theology"

Supersessionism, also called replacement theology or fulfillment theology, is a Christian theological doctrine which describes the theological conviction that the Christian Church has superseded the nation of Israel assuming their role as God's covenanted people, thus asserting that the New Covenant through Jesus Christ has superseded or replaced the Mosaic covenant exclusive to Jews. Supersessionist theology also holds that the universal Christian Church has replaced ancient Israel as God's true Israel and that Christians (including gentiles) have replaced the biological bloodline of ancient Israelites as the people of God.

 

[Fantine]

Explaim how targeting a Terror Organisation is genocide please.

Did you feel the same way about Isis ?

Let's look at our own history. We invaded Iraq to apprehend Osama Bin Laden to break up Isis. We tore up the country for five years, eventually apprehending and killing Bin Laden with just six Navy Seals, acting on intelligence, in a stealth operation.

Surely the country with the best intelligence system in the world has access to enough information that it doesn't have to level 40% of the buildings in a city of one billion, killing over 8,000 and wounding over 120,00, and in the latest horror report, bombing an ambulance they claimed was hiding Hamas (15 were killed and 60 wounded.)

They "claim" that they are trying to use a targeted approach (taking their time while 3.2 million refugees are without food, clean water, fuel, medicines and medical care, and housing) but if that's what they call "targeted" they are the most inept, incompetent Army I've ever seen....

I don't think they are inept or incompetent, just led by a callous (and indicted) prime minister bent on destruction.

 

[Carl Emerson]

This statement from the Hebrew Catholics here. What is Replacement Theology? is worthy of note...

"...replacement theology or supersessionism is a theological error that has no foundation in the New Testament or teachings of the Church. Even though this error became widespread and was taught by many influential Christians beginning with the Church Fathers, it was never an official doctrine of the Catholic Church.

On the other hand, the fact that God’s election of Israel remains valid does not mean that His covenant with them is “salvific,” or that they can be fully justified before God while they continue to reject the Gospel. "

 

[Carl Emerson]

Let's look at our own history. We invaded Iraq to apprehend Osama Bin Laden to break up Isis. We tore up the country for five years, eventually apprehending and killing Bin Laden with just six Navy Seals, acting on intelligence, in a stealth operation.

Surely the country with the best intelligence system in the world has access to enough information that it doesn't have to level 40% of the buildings in a city of one billion, killing over 8,000 and wounding over 120,00, and in the latest horror report, bombing an ambulance they claimed was hiding Hamas (15 were killed and 60 wounded.)

They "claim" that they are trying to use a targeted approach (taking their time while 3.2 million refugees are without food, clean water, fuel, medicines and medical care, and housing) but if that's what they call "targeted" they are the most inept, incompetent Army I've ever seen....

I don't think they are inept or incompetent, just led by a callous (and indicted) prime minister bent on destruction.

Emotions are running high and the substance of the "facts" is often wanting as was the case of the claim of Israel bombing the hospital...

Even the BBC had to retract - such is the nature of war - it is a war for minds.

 

[Carl Emerson]

This may be of interest...

 

[Lukaris]

It seems there is much that is hard to tell what is happening moment by moment.

A Thai child in a Halloween costume is being misrepresented to label Palestinians as 'crisis actors'

CLAIM: A collage of nine images features the same Palestinian “crisis actor” pretending to be a wounded patient, a dead body and others in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

apnews.com

 

[fhansen]

It seems that the thinking of the modern world, is that God favouring one nation over another is somehow immoral.

Under the divided attitudes among Christians runs the demand that all men are equal and all nations are equal before God.

This is not the revealed viewpoint we read in Scripture.

This seems to be a major driver of antisemitic sentiment.

Paul addressed this issue in Romans 9

And we read this in Genesis...

12 Now the Lord said to Abram,

“Go from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
2 And I will make you into a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing;
3 And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Was God sinning in choosing one nation over another ?

Since the Fall, all countries, nationalities, races are divided between each other, but even before that all individuals are divided between each other, and then, finally, before that the individual is divided within himself. So we're already apart.
"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?" James 4:1

And this is because we're first of all divided from God. So the "material" that God had to work with in any case was a very fallen, depraved world, and in choosing one group over another His plan was ultimately not to favor this one group exclusively so much as to use them to give birth, "in the fullness of time", to reconciliation between Himself and man, so that all men would finally be able to come out of exile, no longer existing in this unjust, disordered state of alienation from Him. This, as can be seen in Scripture, has been a long and patient process.

So being chosen was actually a dubious honor. God has a special place in His heart for the Jews, but remember that they never found the promised land, never found peace in their hearts or with each other, were never able to obey God's laws and become the people they were created to be- any more than the rest of us...until Christ. He is their purpose at the end of the day. He is our peace, our promised land. He is what sets us apart, for the right reason, in the right way, apart from evil in favor of good, apart from the world and united with Him. And yet this union does not cause a desire for permanent separation, but for the union of all, through love for all, beginning with God.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Since the Fall, all countries, nationalities, races are divided between each other, but even before that all individuals are divided between each other, and then, finally, the individual is divided within himself. So we were already apart.
"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?" James 4:1

And this is because we're first of all divided from God. So the "material" that God had to work with in any case was a very fallen, depraved world, and in choosing one group over another His plan was ultimately not to favor this one group exclusively so much as to use them to give birth, "in the fullness of time", to reconciliation between Himself and man, so that all men would finally be able to come out of exile, no longer existing in this unjust, disordered state of alienation from Him. This, as can be seen in Scripture, has been a long and patient process.

So being chosen was actually a dubious honor. God has a special place in His heart for the Jews, but remember that they never found the promised land, never found peace in their hearts or with each other, were never able to obey God's laws and become the people they were created to be- any more than the rest of us...until Christ. He is their purpose at the end of the day. He is our peace, our promised land.

Yes dubious honour, but an honour nevertheless.

And who knows - they may yet come to repentance and lead the world back to Messiah.