We got into the issue of why Israel stumbled and fell from the position of being the nation of priests through which the Gentiles would come to salvation and fellowship with God. This is critical to understanding that in this Dispensation of the Grace of God, we interact directly with our savior, receiving salvation through believing on the Lord Jesus Christ! Acts 16:30-31
John the Baptist was the messenger of God, sent from God, the last Old Testament prophet, preaching the gospel of the messianic kingdom, the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom was “at hand” or available if Israel would receive the message. Repentance and baptism were the two elements required to receive salvation and entrance to the kingdom.
Matthew 3:1-3,10: In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:
Matthew 11:12-13: And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
The kingdom of heaven is the literal, physical messianic kingdom promised and prophesied. John, the messenger, the prophet was rejected and killed. That was “strike one” against the nation.
“Strike Two” against the nation was the rejection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus preached the kingdom gospel, in his earthly ministry, seeking the repentance of the nation, and their acceptance of himself as their Messiah. He sent out the 12 apostles to preach the kingdom gospel, to the Jews only. The offer of the kingdom was valid, if they would receive it. They did not accept the offer, and they killed the Son of God.
Matthew 4:17,23: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Matthew 10:5-7: Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 15:22-28 is clear that Jesus had one goal in his ministry – to reach the lost sheep of the house of Israel! Paul confirms this truth in Romans 15:8: Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
The Abrahamic covenant was confirmed with the physical act of circumcision. The fathers mentioned by Paul were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Christ’s focus of ministry was to the circumcision, or Israel. Even years after the resurrection of our Lord, the original apostles focused their ministry on Israel, and the gospel of the kingdom. It was Paul who was called out and sent to take the gospel given to him, by revelation from the Lord himself. This is the gospel by which all men must be saved in this MYSTERY period, known as the Dispensation of Grace.
Galatians 2:7-9: But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
This coming Sunday we will look at “Strike Three” against Israel, causing her fall, removing her from the world stage. We will also look at the purpose of the four gospels revealing the fourfold nature of Jesus Christ, as King, Servant, the Perfect Man, and God in the flesh. You do not want to miss this coming week’s Bible study!