If you make a deal with someone based upon conditions that are to be met, and those conditions aren't met is the deal forfeit? Yes. All the time we have contracts and deals and such that have conditions applied to them based upon those conditions being met. We have courts filled with people suing other people because they've not met conditions set forth in their contracts. A lot of times the people who failed to meet the conditions will have many reasons why and a judge has to determine if those reasons for their failure to uphold their end of the contract are valid and warrant their breaking the contract.
God had a deal with those He chose to be His people. God wanted the people He chose- to agree to this deal. He wanted them to sign the contract willingly, they were not forced to sign. The offer was made, they had a chance to refuse. Did they refuse? We know they did not. They accepted the contract with all its conditions, every single one. When accepting the contract with God they accepted a contract made by the Judge Himself, they would have no one to turn to plead their case should they break the contract and they knew this before they agreed.
Once God's people broke the contract they could not expect God to continue on as if they hadn't. A promise broken results in no longer having the benefit of the promise. Yet, God's chosen continued on as if they were still the chosen and beyond ever losing that favor. Time and again they were told, they were warned, they were given chances to redeem themselves, and yet time and again they could only keep their end of the promise for so long before they inevitably broke it once again.
Yet, still today, right now, the Jewish people believe without a doubt they are God's chosen. They've refused to believe that Jesus was God's only begotten Son, sent to redeem God's people with the new covenant of His blood, His sacrifice.
A covenant made, a covenant broken… over and over.. A new covenant made…. And by the Jewish people not accepted. By not accepting the new covenant with Jesus, they have none of the promises of that covenant. These are truths, God's truths.
May God open the hearts and lives, the understanding of all who long for Him. All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever! Amen!!!!!!!
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The Faith of Abraham Pt. 9
CHAPTER VI. AN IMPORTANT QUESTION SETTLED
Continued…
4. The whole nation of Israel broke the covenant made with them at Horeb, by which means they forfeited all blessings promised to them under it. And for this reason that covenant was entirely done away. Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8: 6-12.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Heb 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:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
It is a manifest absurdity to say that they have any claim to promises under a covenant that was abolished because they had forfeited all rights under it.
5. It must be admitted that if the Israelites have any claim to the fulfillment of special promises, or if special blessings remain to be conferred upon them, by virtue of the covenant made at Horeb, then the abolition of that covenant was derogatory to their rights and privileges. If there are unfulfilled promises and national rights still existing under that covenant, then it should not have been abolished until these were honored. That is to say, that they who teach that the Jews have national rights and special privileges by virtue of that covenant, virtually charge God with the injustice of abolishing an instrument in which their rights were vested. But if there was no injustice done to them in abolishing that covenant--if they had no claim under it when it was abolished; if they had forfeited all the promises in that covenant by disobedience,--from what source have they derived the rights and privileges which are now claimed for them? We confidently affirm that the whole Judaizing system is as contrary to the principles of justice as it is to the facts of the Bible; it is as unreasonable as it is unscriptural.
6. This conclusion may not be evaded by saying that the promises to be fulfilled to them as a nation, are not matters of rights that they can claim, but of gracious promises which the Lord made to them. But the covenant at Horeb was based solely on obedience, as has been shown; and when they disobeyed, the promises were a nullity, for the covenant itself was made void. See Heb. 8:8, 9:--
"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: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord."
God had said that they would be a peculiar treasure above all people and a holy nation, if they would obey. But they did not obey, and he regarded them not. There is no work of grace for any people except in the gospel, and the gospel is not national. But two covenants were made with Judah and Israel--the covenant at Horeb, and the new covenant. But the first is done away, and in the second there is no national work of grace known; and it is by faith alone that the promises of the new covenant may be inherited.
7. Nor can it be said that the promises will be fulfilled to the Jews as a nation, by their turning to Christ, and accepting him as the Messiah and their Saviour; for in Christ all are on an equality. When the apostle Paul said: "And if ye are Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise," he also said: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. . . . There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Gal. 3:26-29. It is in respect to this very point of being Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise, that all national distinctions and privileges are obliterated. For he says in another place: "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel." Eph. 3:6.
See also Eph. 2:11-19; Matt. 3:9; John 8:38-44.
Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Mat 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
To be continued…
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