Forever Jew

"He is their Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

A WOMAN BORN in Brazil, to parents born in Brazil, may travel anywhere in the world, and when she dies, she will still be from Brazil. A man of African-American descent, raised in any nation, will, regardless of what he eats and what he studies, still, at the end of his life, look African-American. A child taught French, raised to speak French, who uses French his entire life, will speak French at his last breath. Yet somehow, Jesus of Nazareth, born to Joseph and Mary in a town called Bethlehem (because his dad had to go there to prove he was Jewish (Luke 2:4-5), dedicated to God in the temple on Day 8 (something the Jews are still doing with their children), and crucified for being a Jew, labeled “King of the Jews” on a sign hung over His head, somehow Jesus, after His death and Resurrection, stopped being Jewish. He’s English now. Or American. Or from Brazil.

Did you know that all … a-l-l, all … of the Jews in One For Israel’s testimony videos were surprised to learn Jesus was Jewish? Most thought He was Catholic, having been told that by their parents. (I highly recommend that organization btw.) Did you know that Catholicism and Protestantism were non-existent when Jesus lived? The Romans, in His day, worshiped a multitude of false Gods. And the word “Christian” was derogatory like “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, which was written as an insult. (But we, being Americans, thought it funny and adopted it.) The problem is, most people don’t know that, and many don’t think about Jesus’ ancestry past a serious misunderstanding of the apostle Paul’s words. Just today I read a commentary (I won’t say which one), which said God created the church to do away with Hebrew.

Wait. What??

Climb aboard this plane with me (virtual plane) and let’s fly to Israel and plunge our Gentile-self deep into the heart of Jesus’ ancestry. First, remembering Matthew 1 tells us He was descended from the Jews, giving them all by name, let’s see what language they are speaking. (Adjusts the mic.) (Ringing noise. Sorry, about that.) Ooooo, that sounds like Hebrew. And, oh look! A school for children who are learning to read and write Hebrew. Isn’t that fascinating?

There are synagogues everywhere over here. A beautiful thing.

Returning to reality, that being this thought, the commentary is not the only one to make this ignorant assumption. Jesus is Jew. He looks and talks and acts like His people, the Jews. He is forever Jewish and HASN’T REPLACED HIS PEOPLE WITH THE GENTILE CHURCH. That has been said, and it is hugely wrong. We, Gentiles, are blessed to be grafted in (Romans 11:24), and I personally, more and more, adore the Jews for being exactly how they are.

But this is bigger even than that. The Gospel is Jewish. The stories are all meant to be seen from their perspective, and they are not taught that way. Instead, we make them western theology, modern thought, and have removed the prophetic words and all references as being spoken to the Jews. Mark 11:24 is an example. It is talking about faith, but it’s main intent when spoken was the future of Israel. The mountain was the Mount of Olives they stood on, where Jerusalem remains, and what the Romans would do to destroy it. God promised restoration, and we see it today.

Another example is the woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9:20), reaching out for the hem of Jesus’ garment. This is such a Jewish behavior with their Rebbes, still today. From the throng, which still happens in the streets and synagogues, to the desire to touch Him, and the thing we miss – the desire is because of what they knew in the Torah about healing. Healing and miracles are all in the Jews’ covenant, and they believe it. They see it, and when testimony is given, they raise their voices in praise. Baruch Hashem.

Jesus is Jew. The God of Israel. The King of Israel. And a son of Israel. He wrote their Law. He wrote their covenant, and He fulfilled it. JESUS FULFILLED IT. Matthew 5:17. HE IS THEIR LAMB SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. John 1:29. Revelation 13:8. He is their “God of salvation”, a phrase said 119 times in their covenant. He is their “Redeemer”. This can be found 18 times and does not include all the other forms of the word. Jesus is also called “King”. God is KING. In Psalm 24, He is “King of Glory”. Jesus is “Prince of Peace” and “Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6). He is the Lord our Shepherd. King David, a Jew, spoke this psalm, and they know it is theirs.

We cannot remove the Gospel from the Jews’ covenant. We cannot remove covenant from them. Jesus said you cannot put new wine in old bottles, lest you break the bottles. In this, see His desire. For He said, “But they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved (Matthew 9:17).” Both the old bottles and the new wine. FOR THEY ARE ETERNAL.

And He will forever, for all eternity, be Jew.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com