In the book of Genesis you will see that it wasn't enough for the God of the universe to simply
say what
the future would bring concerning his plan of redemption for the world
through the sacrifice of his son, he in his awesome abilities told it
thousands years before it happened symbolically through the lives of
individuals and nations. This article will go into the symbolisms
that deal with the subject of the Old and New Covenants as
revealed in Genesis and their prophetic significance. Obviously this
is not all the symbolism found in Genesis but it seems to be the main
thrust.
Since this
article delves heavily into the subject of Israel which appears to be such a controversial subject in this era, it seems good to cover
up front what is plainly declared in the New Testament by Jesus and
his Apostle's teachings instead of teaching what may be a new or
controversial subject to many via biblical symbolisms. What one will
find if they properly understand the Bible is that the Apostles of the
New Testament are teaching exactly what the Prophets of the Old
testament were teaching in the sense of doctrine and prophecy. That is
the main thrust of this article, to prove that what is taught about
Israel and the Old and New Covenants in the New Testament is also what
is taught in Genesis.
In Galatians 3:
The Apostle plainly teaches: Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7. Understand therefore that they which are of faith, they are the children of Abraham.
8. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the
gentiles through faith, beforehand preached the gospel to Abraham, saying,
"in you shall all nations be blessed."
As
it relates to the article, the point that is being made, is that this
verse says whoever (Jew or gentile) is of the faith of /in Jesus
Christ they are the children of Abraham. Not
"symbolically" the children of Abraham or "figuratively"
or even "spiritually" but they are literally. Many
will say at this point that the word literal to describe gentiles as
Abrahams children is absurd. To which I would agree heartily if God
did not literally have in mind beforehand all nationalities when he
used the term "children of Abraham" preaching
the gospel to Abraham thousands of years in advance. This is the very
aim of this article, to prove that the book of Genesis teaches this
over and over. Lets observe how Jesus sees it in John 8:
37. I know that ye are Abraham's descendants; but you seek to kill me, because my word
has no place in you. 38. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which ye have seen with your father.
39. They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them,
If
you were Abraham's children, you would do the things Abraham did. 40. But now you seek to kill me, a man that has told you the truth, which I have heard of God:
Abraham did not do that. 41. You do what your father does. Then said they to him, We were not born
out of wedlock; we have one Father, even God. 42. Jesus said to 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.
43. Why don't you understand my speech? it's because ye cannot hear my word.
44. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father
you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and lived not
according to the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he
speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45. This is why when I tell you the truth, you do not believe me.
Jesus
himself says exactly the same thing his apostle does in Galatians,
that God does not consider wicked men even if they are physical descendants
of Abraham children of Abraham. A closer look at an oft misunderstood
scripture might further enlighten the reader to this in Romans chap. 11
the reference being the physical descendants of Abraham.
17. And if some of the branches be broken
off (Israelites), and you (Gentiles), being a wild olive tree,
were grafted in among them, and with them partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
18. Boast not against the branches. But if you boast, you bear not the root, but the root
you. 19. You might say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be
grafted in. 20. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and
you stand by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: 21. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also
does not spare you. 22. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward
you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness: otherwise you also
shall be cut off. 23. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be
grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24. For if you
were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted
contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be
grafted into their own olive tree?
The
root of the olive tree is not Abraham physically and the tree the
physical linage, but rather, the root is the faith of Abraham based on
the promise of God. This is confirmed by the references to faith as
the condition of being a branch of the tree. In other words it is what
is voluntary in us rather than our physical descent that Jew or
gentile may be called "children" of Abraham.
Based
on the premise above in Galatians 3: 7-8, that the promise/promises to
Abraham were for all nations through Jesus Christ rather than Abrahams
physical descendants it is then explained in Galatians 3: 16
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He says not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to
your seed, which is Christ. Or as the simple English version says: God made promises to Abraham and his descendant. God did not say ``and to your descendants.'' That would mean many people. But God said, ``and to your descendant.'' This means only one person--Christ.
It can be clearly ascertained then that the Apostle is teaching
that the promises made to Abraham were not about or to his physical descendants
(which are the many descendants referred
to,) but to Jesus Christ Gods one
and only begotten Son. Then in verses 26 -29: he shows how God
"foresaw" that the nations would be Abrahams children: 26.
For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for
all are one in Christ Jesus.29. And if you are Christ's, then you
are Abraham's children, and heirs according to the promise.
There
is a confusion on this issue that has arisen in the last
century as if the promises made to Abraham were to his (many) physical
descendants
rather than to Jesus Christ alone and through Christ all nations.
Hopefully, the symbolic teachings in the book of Genesis later in this
article will clear this up completely, but the Apostle Paul had
something more to say on this subject concerning the Abrahams physical
descendants the nation of Israel, and the thing that distinguishes them from other nations, i.e. the law
of Moses. In Galatians 3: 17 it states this:
17. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
Or as the New International Version puts it: What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.
The
Apostle is teaching that God gave these promises to Abrahams one
descendant Jesus, and his plan all along was for all nations through
this one descendant. God didn't add to, or make a new plan
or a new set of promises to Abrahams physical descendants with the
giving of the law or the Old Covenant but the plan/promises/ inheritance/prophecy
remained the same and they all pointed to that one descendant and the
New Covenant. Further more, as the real issue will unfold in the
symbolisms in Genesis, it will be easily seen that the "all
nations would be blessed promise" and all the other promises
spoken of also includes the physical descendents of Abraham. In other
words the nation of Israel is not separate from but is one of those
"all nations" (verse 28 there is neither Jew nor Greek,) and
this is what God had in mind from the start. So then the question
arises "why did God call them out of Egypt and separate
them from the whole world by giving them the law?" Here are some
versus to answer this:
Romans 3:1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?
2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
The main reason stated here is to bring the Word of God into the
earth. Then the beginning of the next verse states: 3 What if some did not have faith?.....Herein
lies the reason for the law, some, actually the majority, were disobedient
to the calling of God on their nation. The verses below spelling out
Gods plan to use them anyway.
Galatians
3:19. What was the purpose the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the
descendent should come to whom the promise was made....
Hebrews 9: 10. Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Hebrews 10:1. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the
things.....
Or as the New International Version says: The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves.....
The key
words in these verses are: It was added, it was imposed upon, and it
was a shadow (or symbolic.) Then these key words: Until the descendant
comes, until the time of reformation, and reality rather than symbolic
rituals. Or as Jesus put it in John 4:
19. The woman
sad to him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; but you say, that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21. Jesus answered her, Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.....
23. But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father
seeks such to worship him.
The simple
concept of what is being stated here is this: There was a time factor
in Gods plan for the world that he promised to Abraham through his descendant. God's intention was to use Abrahams physical descendants
to herald the good news in advance. The majority of Abrahams physical descendants
were not willing to trust and therefore serve God in this matter just
as God knew they would not. Therefore not willing to be
thwarted God imposed upon the unfaithful among them symbolic
rituals and rites that proclaimed the good news of the redeemer
and redemption of mankind in hundreds of different figurative ways. More will be said on this particular subject in a future Bible basics
article "Why the Law," but here are a few more versus.
Having laid somewhat of a foundation of Basic New Testament teaching
on what God from the very beginning had in mind when he made promises
to Abraham, Genesis can now be looked at to see if it teaches the same
thing the New Testament does in a symbolic fashion starting with the
New Testament account Genesis.
Galatians 4:21
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?
22. For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a
slave woman, the other by a free woman. 23. The son of the slave woman was born by normal physical means; but the
son of the free woman as a result of Gods promise. 24. These two woman are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which
produces bondage, This is Hagar. 25. For this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to (symbolizes)
Jerusalem which now is, and is a slave with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written: "Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband."
28. Now we, brothers, according to Isaac, are the children of promise.
29. But as then he that was born after the normal physical means persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30. Nevertheless what does the scripture say? Cast out the slave woman and her son: for the son of the
slave woman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Notice
carefully the Apostles words, "these are the two
covenants." Hagar he says, is Mount Sinai (the first covenant,)
and it symbolizes (prophetically) the literal city of Jerusalem, and
Ishmael the child of the slave woman symbolizes the children of the literal
city of Jerusalem. He is clearly stating that Ishmael the first born
prophetically represents the first covenant and that Isaac represents
the second covenant. Ishmael born first through normal physical means
and secondly Isaac who was born not by physical means nor the will of man but of God. It
is also clear by the Apostles doctrine that Abrahams wife Sara
represents the heavenly Jerusalem. Then quoting Isaiah 54 he declares
this prophetic chapter to speak directly about the New Jerusalem and
the second covenant as opposed to the literal Jerusalem and the first
covenant.
In light of current circumstances in the world it would be wise to
talk of some of the other aspects of these verses, specifically the physical
descendants of Isaac and Ishmael. The spiritually uninformed
have a natural tendency to look at scripture (as is their disposition,)
in ways that leave whole races of people condemned or blessed
according to physical decent. Students of the Word of God can be
assured that God is not so inequitable as to do this. There are
untold millions of Christians who believe the physical descendents of
Ishmael are in the disfavor of God based on the story below starting
in Genesis 15 and many other Old Testament scriptures. They look at
the Middle East today in that same light, with great certainty
sighting current events there as being a prophetic fulfillment of
Genesis and many other OT scriptures all based on the physical descent
of Jews and Arabs. The question must be asked though, how could
this assessment be correct if Ishmael represents First Covenant
that rather than the Arab peoples that may be descendant physically
from him? The answer to this is the first sentence in Galatians 4:21
above which calls the account below in Genesis, "the law."
God inspired Paul to call the account of Ishmael and Isaac in Genesis
the Law (besides the fact that it is the law, or "Torah"
written by Moses,) because it is so clear a New Testament
doctrine, that the Law of Moses has been done away. This is especially
true in the case of these two peoples as Ephesians 2:14-16 declares unequivocally:
14 For Christ is our peace, who has made both ( Jew
and Gentile) one, and has broken down the dividing wall of
hostility (the law of Moses,) 15 by abolishing in his flesh
the law (of Moses) with it's commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so
ending the hostility between them. 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.
Then in Galatians 3:28 it says: There is neither Jew nor Greek
(or: Jew nor Arab, descendant of Isaac or Ishmael,) there is neither
slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.29. And if
you are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's descendants, and inheritors of
all the promises made to him.
In reading this one must understand that this was the mystery
that has been hidden from generations for ages and was revealed to the
Apostles as in Ephesians 3:3. How that by revelation he made known
to me the mystery; (as I wrote before in few words,4. So that, when
you read it, you might understand my knowledge in the mystery of
Christ 5. Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;6. That the Gentiles
( which includes the descendants of Ishmael and Esau) should be
fellow heirs (with the Jews), and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the
gospel.
Genesis 15
1. After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am
your shield, and your exceeding great reward. 2. And Abram said, Lord God, what
will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3. And Abram said, Behold, to me you hast given no descendent: and, lo, one born in my house is
my heir.
4. And, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, This shall not be
your heir; but he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be
your heir. 5. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if
you are able to number them: and he said to him, So shall your
descendent be....18. In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying,
to your descendent have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:.
Genesis 16
1. Now Sarai Abram's wife bore him no children: and she had an slave woman, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2. And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing:
so I ask of you, go in to my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram
listened to the voice of Sarai. 3. And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her
slave the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
4. And he went into Hagar, and she conceived:....15. And Hagar bore Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar
bore, Ishmael.16. And Abram was eighty-six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Genesis 17
1. And when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said
to him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be perfect. 2. And I will make my covenant between
you and I, and will multiply you exceedingly. 3. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4. As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you will be a father of many nations.
5. Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name
will be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you. 6. And I will make
you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of
you. 7. And I will establish my covenant between you and I and your descendent after
you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to
you, and to your descendent after you. 8. And I will give to you, and to
your descendent after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.....15. And God said
to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you will not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
16. And I will bless her, and give you a son also of her: yes, I will bless her, and she
will be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
18. And Abraham said to God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19. And God said, Sarah
your wife shall bear you a son indeed; and you will call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his
descendent after him.
20. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
21. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear
to you at this set time in the next year.
Genesis 21:
1. And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had spoken.
2. For Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born to him, whom Sarah
bore to him, Isaac.
4. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born
to him. 6. And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
7. And she said, Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah should have
nursed children? for I have born him a son in his old age. 8. And the
child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same
day that Isaac was weaned. 9. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the
Egyptian, which she had born to Abraham, mocking. 10. Therefore she
said to Abraham, Cast out this slave woman and her son: for the son of
this slave woman will not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. 11.
And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
12. And God said to Abraham, Let it not be grievous in your sight
because of the lad, and because of your slave woman; in all that Sarah
has said to you, hearken to her voice; for in Isaac shall your
descendent be called. 13. And also of the son of the slave woman will
I make a nation, because he is your descendent. 14. And Abraham rose
up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and
gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent
her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of
Beersheba. 15. And the water was used up in the bottle, and she cast
the child under one of the shrubs. 16. And she went, and sat her down
over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said,
Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him,
and lift up her voice, and wept. 17. And God heard the voice of the
lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to
her, What ails you, Hagar? fear not; for God has heard the voice of
the lad where he is. 18. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in your
hand; for I will make him a great nation.
Genesis 25:
16. These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.
Ishmael having twelve sons "princes" just like Israel formally
named Jacob shouldn't be looked upon as a mere coincidence. It would
seem that God is just furthering the symbolism that Ishmael represents
the first covenant by symbolically prophesying the twelve tribes of
Israel.
Next
is the New Testament teaching regarding the Genesis account of
Jacob now named Israel, and his twin brother Esau . Reading through
Romans chapter nine below how many thousands of individual Jews
were followers of Christ yet the nation of Israel (politically) was
rejecting him. The Apostle explains this tragedy in verse 6 by saying
that not all who are physical descendants of Israel (Jacob) are
in fact the Israel of promise. Then this same Apostle who wrote in
Galatians 4:21-30 explaining that Ishmael represents the first
covenant and Isaac the second; quotes that same scenario in
Genesis (verse 7-9) to validate the statement that: "not all who
are descended from Israel are in fact Israel." Today unfortunately
many large television and radio ministries ignore verse 6, and quote
verse 7-9 to somehow twist this into meaning that the physical descendants
referred to as not being Israel are Ishmael and Esau. This is
impossible though because of verse 6, all of Israel's (Jacob's)
children were Israelites by birth, Ishmael was Israel's uncle and
Esau was his twin brother. The statement concerns Israel's descendants,
that not all of them are in fact descendants, at least in the way that
God had in mind when he orchestrated these great events, and used them
to prophecy about the future messiah and his covenant with all
peoples.
Romans 9:1. I say the truth in Christ, I'm
not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Ghost, 2. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and separated Christ for my brothers, my
own flesh: 4. Who are Israelites; theirs is the adoption, the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5. They are descendant from the fathers, through who's ancestry Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
6. Not as though Gods word has failed. For not all who are descended
from Israel are Israel.: 7. Nor are they Abrahams children just
because they are his physical descendants; but, "through Isaac a descendant
will be called out to you" 8. That is, they which are the children
by physical descent, these are not the children of God: but the descendents
who came through the promise are considered children. 9. For this
was the word of promise (from God), "At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son."
Then,
continuing to Romans 9:10-13, the exact same symbolic scenario with
the first born verses the second born occurs with Esau and Jacob. Esau
the first borne clearly represents the first covenant and is hated by
God, while the second born Jacob, representing the second covenant
is loved. Further stating that this divine
election of the second over the first was that God's eternal purpose
through Jesus Christ and the second covenant might stand. In verses
14-23 it continues that revelation by pointing out the history of Israel (politically,)
which was used as an instrument to demonstrate Gods anger, destruction
being a fitting end. That God could reveal his glory and show mercy to the
whole world. This mystery hidden in the symbolic words of Genesis, but
revealed now in the New Testament. Has the power to create a whole new
paradigm or worldview that should revolutionize Christian vision and
labor in the centuries to come.
Romans
9:10. And not only this; but when Rebecca and Isaac had twins; 11. (and
the children were not yet born, and not yet done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that
calls;) 12. It was said to her, "The elder shall serve the younger."13. As it is written,
"Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."14. What shall we say then? Is there unfairness with God? God forbid.
15. For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16. So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that
shows mercy. 17. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised
you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18. Therefore he has mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he
hardens. 19. You will say then to me, Why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?
20. No, O man, who are you that replies against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why
have you made me thus? 21. Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel
for honor, and another to dishonor? 22. What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to
destruction 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had
before prepared for glory, 24. Even us, whom he has called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Nations.
The story
of Esau and Jacob Israel) in Genesis.
Genesis 25
19. And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac:
20. And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
21. And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was
entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord.
23. And the Lord said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from
your bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
24. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.
26. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was
sixty years old when she gave birth to them. 27. And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
28. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29. And Jacob was cooking soup: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:
30. And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me with some of that red soup
please; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31. And Jacob said, Sell me this day
your birthright. 32. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point of
dying: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33. And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he
swore to him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and
soup made of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
Genesis 27
1. And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said
to him, My son: and he said answered, Behold, here am I. 2. And Isaac
said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: 3. Now therefore
please take, your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
4. And make me savory meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless
you before I die. 5. And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
6. And Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard your father speak unto Esau
your brother, saying, 7. Bring me venison, and make me savory meat, that I may eat, and bless
you before the Lord before my death. 8. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command
you. 9. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from there two good kids of the goats; and I will make them
savory meat for your father, such as he loves: 10. And you will bring it to
your father, that he may eat, and that he may bless you before his death.
11. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
12. My father might feel me, and I will seem to him as a deceiver; and I
will bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. 13. And his mother said
to him, Upon me be your curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch
them for me. 14. And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made
savory meat, such as his father loved. 15. And Rebekah took good
clothing of her eldest son Esau, which was with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:
16. And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:
17. And she gave the savory meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
18. And he came to his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who
are you, my son? 19. And Jacob said to his father, I am Esau your firstborn; I have done
as you asked of me: arise, please, sit and eat of my venison, that
your soul may bless me. 20. And Isaac said to his son, How is it that
you hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord
your God brought it to me. 21. And Isaac said to Jacob, Come near,
please, that I may feel you, my son, whether you be my very son Esau or not.
22. And Jacob went near to Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.
23. And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.
24. And he said, Are you my very son Esau? And he said, I am. 25. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless
you. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank.
26. And his father Isaac said to him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
27. And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord
has blessed: 28. Therefore God give you of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
29. Let people serve you, and nations bow down to you: be lord over
your brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to you: cursed be every one that
curses you, and blessed be he that blesses you. 30. And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
31. And he also had made savory meat, and brought it to his father, and said
to his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that
your soul may bless me. 32. And Isaac his father said to him, Who are
you? And he said, I am your son, your firstborn Esau. 33. And Isaac trembled very
hard, and said, Who? where is he that has taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before
you came, and have blessed him? yes, and he shall be blessed. 34. And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said
to his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. 35. And he said,
Your brother came with subtlety, and has taken away your blessing. 36. And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he
has supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he
has taken away my blessing. And he said, Have you not reserved a blessing for me?
37. And Isaac answered and said to Esau, Behold, I have made him your
lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now
to you, my son? 38. And Esau said to his father, Have you but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
39. And Isaac his father answered and said to him, Behold, your dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;
40. And by your sword shall you live, and shall serve your brother; and it shall come to pass when
you shall have the dominion, that you shall break his yoke from off
your neck.
Now
the New testament does not specifically sight the rest of these stories
in Genesis about the first born or that which is first as prophetic
symbolisms of the first covenant. Likewise it does not declare the
second born in the rest of the historical accounts as symbolic of
the grace to come to all mankind through the second
covenant. This should not be a hindrance to the readers
acceptance though that they are in fact symbolic of these things since
they go through the exact same scenario of the rejection of the first
and the embracing of the second. Look
at the account of Adam in 1 Corinthians 15:45. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam
(Jesus) was made a
life giving spirit. 46. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Then Romans 5:14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
Adam
just as the physical descendents of Israel and the Law were
heralds of the spiritual realties that were to come into the whole
earth, they're lives and the things they did being prophecies of what
was to come. God by his
rejection of the first man for his sin, showed beforehand his
rejection of the first covenant, which is then repeated through his
first born Cain being condemned and rejected by God and Abel his
second born being accepted by God just like Ishmael and Isaac
then Esau and Jacob. This is their story below.
Genesis 1:26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that
creeps upon the earth. 27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that
moves upon the earth.
Genesis 2:16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden
you may freely eat: 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.
Genesis 3:1. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said
to the woman, Has God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2. And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest
you die. 4. And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die:
5. For God knows that in the day you eat from it, your eyes shall be opened, and
you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit, and
ate, and gave also to her husband with her; and he ate. 7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
9. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said to him, Where are you?
10. And he said, I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11. And he said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree,
that I commanded that you should not eat? 12. And the man said, The woman whom
you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13. And the Lord God said
to the woman, What is this that you have done? And the woman said, The serpent
deceived me, and I did eat. 14. And the Lord God said to the serpent, Because
you have done this, you art cursed above all animals, and above every beast of the field; upon
your belly shall you crawl, and dust shall you eat all the days of
your life: 15. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between
your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.
16. Then to the woman he said, I will greatly multiply your sorrow in
your conception; in sorrow you shall bring forth children; and your desire shall be to
your husband, and he shall rule over you. 17. And to Adam he said, Because
you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded
you, saying, You shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow
shall thou eat of it all the days of your life; 18. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to
you; and you shall eat the herb of the field; 19. In the sweat of
your face shall you eat bread, till you return to the ground; for out of it
were you taken: for you are dust, and to dust shall you return. 20. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21. Then for Adam also and his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
22. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23. Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to
plow the ground from from which was taken. 24. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden
Cherubim's, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Genesis 4:1. And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.
2. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect
to Abel and to his offering: 5. But to Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very
angry, and his countenance fell. 6. And the Lord said to Cain, Why
are you angry? and why has your countenance fallen? 7. If you do well,
shall you not be accepted? and if you do not well, sin lies at the door. And
to you shall be his desire, and you need to rule over him. 8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and
murdered him. 9. And the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? And he said, I
don't know: am I my brother's keeper? 10. And he said, What is this
you have done? the voice of your brother's blood cries to me from the ground.
11. And now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive
your brother's blood from your hand; 12. When you plow the ground, it shall not
yield to you her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shall you be in the earth.
13. And Cain said to the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14. Behold, you hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from
your face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that
finds me shall slay me. 15. And the Lord said to him, Therefore whosoever
slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven times. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
According
to Hebrews and 1st John the difference between Cain and Abel was
that Abel's works were wrought through faith while Cain's works were
not. The murder of his brother Abel demonstrated this. Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered
to God a greater sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet
speaks.1 John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
The foreknowledge of God in these prophetic parallels is stunning.
The very beginning of the world prophesying the first and second
covenants and the salvation of mankind through the lives of the main characters
in book of Genesis exactly the same way one after another. It staggers
the imagination that Moses could write this historical account 1400
years before the coming of Christ during his time of laying out the
first covenant to the people of Israel, and yet so plainly prophecy
through the book of Genesis and the rest of the 5 books of the Law
that it was all symbolic of the messiah and the age of the second
covenant. This wasn't something he was doing without any
knowledge of the future either for it says of him in Exodus
34:28. And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
29. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses
did not know that the skin of his face glowed while he talked with him.
30. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face
glowed; and they were afraid to come nigh him..... 33. And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a
veil on his face. Then in 2 Corinthians 3 it states the
reason Moses hid his face with a veil is so they would not perceive
the revelation of the end when the first covenant would be abolished. 2
Corinthians 3:13. And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not
steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: This was so
clear to Moses that he spoke of that Messiah when he said in Deuteronomy
18:15. The Lord thy God will raise up to you a Prophet from the midst of
you, of your brethren, like me; to him you shall hearken;16. According to all that
you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.17. And the Lord said
to me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like
you, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.
19. And it shall come to pass, that who ever will not hearken to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
It is astonishing that Moses new the basic theme that this article
is trying to communicate thousands of years before it came to pass,
but then, who was one of the men standing with Jesus on the mount
of transfiguration but Moses, and what were they doing? Discussing
the death of Jesus. Then of course there was Moses' own
life that illustrated the exact same thing that the lives of those he wrote
about illustrated. In Deuteronomy
34 he was not allowed to bring the children of Israel into the
promised land. While the word says it was because he did not have
faith and had to strike the rock twice to bring water out instead of
once. One can hardly imagine that this was his greatest display of a
lack of faith. God used this opportunity to once more prophecy his
rejection of the first covenant in favor of the predestined second
covenant. This was done in the most amazing way. Joshua the man with
the very same name as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ led the people into
the promised land. The name Jesus in Hebrew is Joshua, every one in
the New Testament called Jesus Yashua or Joshua (in English) and it is
Jesus who is given or gives the world the promises of God as it says
in 1 Peter and many other verses of
the New and Old Testaments. So we have Moses who represents the First
Covenant being rejected as far as who will lead the people into the promised inheritance
and Joshua representing the Second Covenant who does lead the people into
the
promised inheritance. Does this not prophesy exactly the
reality that came to the earth? The First Covenant did not lead the
people into the promised inheritance but the Second Covenant did and
is doing exactly that, as it is written in the letter to the
Hebrews.
While this
article does not cover all the symbolism in Genesis concerning the
Fist and Second Covenants nor the symbolism about other subjects most
notably Christ. Hopefully it covers enough that the mind of the reader
will be persuaded as to the validity of the subject as written.
However it would not be complete without looking into the things the
Apostle Paul suffered for preaching these things in his day. Paul's
conversion was accompanied by this word from the Holy Spirit. Acts
9:16. For I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
(Perhaps not the word that most would want to hear when they came to
Christ.) As it turned out most of the things he suffered were at the
hands of or because of his own countrymen who were Israelites. Paul
was targeted for murder as a young convert, there were riots, stonings,
murder, persecutors that followed him from city to city, jealousy and hatred;
follow this hyperlink to see
some of these accounts. One of the things that makes the persecution
of Paul stand out in comparison with others is that when he went to Jerusalem
40 men took an oath in the presence of the Jewish leaders to not eat
or drink until they murdered Paul. Acts 23:11. And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as
you hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also at Rome.
12. And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. 14. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
15. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we,
when he comes near, are ready to kill him. 16. And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
It would almost seem that not even Jesus had this type of rage
directed at him, certainly not the other Apostles. What could he
have possibly done that seemed to single him out for such special
treatment? One need to look no further than the public outcry that got
him put in the prison in this episode. Mark his accusers words carefully:
Acts 21: 27. And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
28. Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that
teaches all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.29. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
30. And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and
then the doors were shut. 31. And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the
band (Romans), that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32. Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down
to them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.
33. Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
34. And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle.
35. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was carried
by the soldiers for the violence of the people. 36. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.
It can be easily ascertained through their accusations that what
really was getting Paul into a bit more trouble than the other Apostles
and believing Jews who where in Jerusalem at that time was Paul's
teaching about the First Covenant. One must remember that
Paul undoubtedly was preaching and teaching almost every day for many
years. The things he wrote that are noted in this article, imagine how
deeply he went into teaching them at times to the churches they
started. One can easily imagine how it might get some Jewish people
up in arms, saying that Ishmael and Esau in reality represent the
Israelites who refuse to put their faith in God and through his grace
find true repentance, yet zealously believe that by keeping
certain rituals and rites they are justified in the eye's of God. More
so, imagine how Paul taught that all the good promises and prophecies
regarding Jerusalem were in fact speaking of the heavenly Jerusalem,
and the earthly one is regarded as merely symbolic of the heavenly and
is destined for destruction. Indeed would not the response be
from an ungrateful and faithless people that Paul was preaching against
this place and against the temple?
So lets
look at a few of these scriptures other than what is listed already in
the article that Paul says he got through revelation by following this
hyperlink Not forgetting that the Apostle Peter called
Paul's letters (which contained his revelation) scripture. 2nd
Peter 3:15. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given
to him hath written unto you; 16. As also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable
wrestle with, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
The last
section of this article will deal with the practical application of
these symbolisms since author of this article is not a theologian but
a preacher. One who seeks to change the world rather making arguments
that prove ones point to other believers.. Christians for the
most part do not know their responsibilities or the power that has
been given to them in this life. Here are two scriptures that are an
example.
John 20:21. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be to you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, Receive
the Holy Ghost: 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
(NIV)
Matthew 16:19. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven:
and
what ever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
The simple meaning of these two verses is that Gods power to change
things is in the hands of his people rather than in his own hands,
this is not abstractly either. God intended this from the beginning.
God did not stop Satan from hanging around his creation, but it was
Adam and Eve who were given the power and authority to keep Satan out
of their world. They through a lack of faith in Gods word, and an
embracing of Satan's word allowed the devil to bring sin and death
into the earth. Christ came to destroy the work of Satan in the earth,
and he has chosen to do this exactly the way he started at first, by
giving his people the power to rid the earth of Satan's influence. There
are many other versus on this subject but as far as these two are
concerned, they go way deeper than the standard Pentecostal " I
bind you devil" type thing. These verses go to the very heart and
soul of what an individual is or is not Christ, and what they are
allowing to happen to others who may not even know Christ. In other
words as far as the subject of this article goes Christians whether
they realize it or not are giving Satan a place in the world to deal
out death and destruction because they are ignorant of Gods word and have accepted Satan's word. "Blessed are the
peacemakers" Jesus says, "they shall be called the children
of God" Yet through the belief of lies concerning the
physical descendents of Israel and the physical descendants of Ishmael
and Esau Christians are part of the problem and are directly
allowing Satan access to whole nations of people to kill, steal and
destroy. This is not some kind of advocacy to bring these peoples to
the table to talk peace, that is ridiculous. There are demonic fallen
angles in almost total control of hearts and minds, there will never
be peace, that is, as long as Christians allow these beings to control
this part of the world. No! God is not allowing this, his people are,
they are the ones, they carry the responsibility and the power
according to their faith, and if their faith is in the words of Satan
then they are giving him power to control an area of the world.
It is understandable that many will reject words such as these because
they do not have any spiritual experience in these matters, at least
that they perceive. It is advisable to not throw caution and the fear
of God to the wind as to the validity of these claims, it is the
scripture that is quoted "Whatever you loose in the earth
is loosed or to put it in wording that is simpler,
"whatever you allow on earth is allowed and whatever you do not
allow will not be allowed." Hundreds of millions of Christians
and the vast majority; yes even the greatest preachers and
teachers of the day are proclaiming, believing and praying according
to a lie spawned in their hearts no doubt by Satan himself that says:
The natural born descendents of Isaac are Gods chosen people and the
Arabs and (Muslims in general) are cursed by God according to their descent
and this is why they are at war with Israel. They might even
quote a scripture like this: Malachi 1: 4..... and they shall call them,
(the descendents of Esau) the border of wickedness, and, the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.
How can this be though? How can the scripture plainly teach through
prophecy, symbolism and apostolic New Testament doctrines that
Esau and Ishmael and even Cain were merely prophetic symbols of the
first covenant that God had predestined to have an end. How could the
bulk of modern day Christians and almost all of their teachers make
the exact mistake the Jews of the first century made doctrinally? How
can a whole generation of modern day Christians believe the very
things that the Jewish Nation of the first Century believed
politically, and were rebuked for it by Christ and his disciples, (not
to mention Moses and the prophets.) How can they throw this hostile
teaching in the face of a billion Muslims that God wants to save.
Think about this in a practical sense, (not that Mohammed thought
this.) Mohammed reads the Old Testament and especially notices
that he and his people for really no reason that he can see are hated
and cursed by God and the Jews are accepted and given promises of
absolute dominion over the Arabs. Furthermore who knows if the
Christians of the day were not preaching this very thing just as they
do today. Mohammed (and all men for that matter) knew that God could
not be so unjust. How easy was it for Satan to send him a message that
Abraham actually tried to sacrifice Ishmael rather than Isaac, and
that the descendents of Ishmael have the blessing and the Jews are the
cursed ones? Amazing that neither Jew nor Muslim (nor modern day
Christian for that matter) have it right. That story did not mean what
any of these groups (carnally) thought; Ishmael and Esau were rejected
specifically to show that the way of reconciliation and salvation in
the earth was not through the rites and rituals of the First Covenant
but through the faith in and of the Messiah that was to come. How tragic
that the people that are supposed to be the light of the world are
preaching the Law that built a wall of hostility between Jew and Arab
in the first place (Ephesians 2:14-16.) How utterly amazing in a
horrible way that the whole New Testament spends chapter after chapter
condemning this type of spiritually ignorant interpretations of
scripture. Jesus himself going to great lengths to show the lack of
understanding of all things scriptural to the people of his day and
yet today this same darkness that eventually caused the destruction of
the Jewish nation in 70 A.D. is the message one can hear from pulpits
all over the world.
In case you have not heard, Jesus himself has taken up personally evangelizing
the Muslim world. He is appearing to hundreds of Muslims every year,
bringing them to his saving grace and making them mighty soul winners amongst
their own people. The story of the Apostle Paul coming to Christ is
being repeated all over the world to the glory of God and his great
mercy. It is time to get in on what God is doing brothers and
sisters, and it has to start by tearing down (once more) this wall
that brings hostility between Jew and Muslim, between Christian and
Muslim, and it has to start in the heart of the believer in repentance
for being a contributor to Satan's kingdom, and not heeding the scripture
that is meant to correct and bring life to a dying sinful world. The
call here is not to pick a political side, at the moment the
(political) nation of Israel is more righteous than their neighbors
and should be politically supported for that reason. The call is to
bring down this demonically inspired notion that the Muslim nations
will not\cannot come to Christ when in fact they are as destined as
any other people to do just that. The invitation from the Father in
heaven to his people is to contribute to his government by thoroughly
and heartily embracing the idea that God looks at Muslim and Jew through
the exact same eyes, to him they are no different and his desire, his
will is to save. God is adamant, he will have a people that will
change the Middle East through his Word, through faith in his Word and
through the preaching of the Gospel. He invites you even now to
participate in this great endeavor through your faith and a change of
heart. Or, you can wander in the wilderness until he finds a
generation that has a heart to follow him. There will be peace in the
Middle East when the Gospel runs it's full course there, just as there
is peace amongst other nations where the Gospel has a strong
influence. May it be said of you at the end of your days
"Blessed are you, a peace maker, truly a child of God."
Isaiah
19:21. And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it.
22. And the Lord shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be
entreated of them, and shall heal them. 23. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.
24. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:
25. Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
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