Word to the Wise

Introduction: Let me finish my thoughts on Matthew 8-10. Jesus is moved for the people and to send disciples/others into the whitened harvest field.

Jesus does give additional instructions and awareness of lays before them.

1. Initial Boundaries/Limitations – 10:5
   
   

Question: Why did Jesus not send the disciples to Gentiles and Samaritans?

In Romans 1:16 Paul writes, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” The gospel is intended for all people. But, chronologically, the gospel message was first revealed to the Jewish people before it was revealed to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people).

The Jews are God’s chosen people (Deuteronomy 7:6–7).

Through the Jews, God demonstrated His love and holiness to the world:

• “Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.
  
  
• Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah” (Romans 9:4–5).
• It was through the seed of Abraham that “all peoples on earth will be blessed” (Acts 3:25; cf. Genesis 22:18; 26:4).
  
  
• That promised blessing came through Jesus Christ, as explained in Galatians 3:16.
  
  
• Jesus was born as a Jew under the Law, fulfilled the Jewish Law perfectly, and died as a once-for-all sacrifice on behalf of all who would put their faith in Him (Galatians 4:4–5; Hebrews 9:14–15, 23–28).

Jesus’ Public Ministry:

1. In His public ministry, Jesus spoke of being sent to the Jews, and He focused His efforts on them. He was the Jewish Messiah, and He had come, in part, to “strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph” (Zechariah 10:6).

• On one occasion, Jesus seemed to rebuff the pleas of a Gentile woman (though He later helped her) in Matthew 15:21–28 (also see Matthew 10:5).

• Jesus predicted that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in [Christ’s] name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47, emphasis added).

• The gospel of the kingdom was to be a blessing to the whole world, but it was natural that it be first proclaimed to Israel.

Application: Someone asked me last week after last week’s message why I hadn’t mentioned much (if anything) about the war Israel is in and why it is important.

Question: What should we understand about Israel and why Christians should be standing in unity with Israel?

Question: What Does It Mean to Stand with Israel?

We live in a sobering moment in history. It calls us, as believers in Jesus Christ, to take a stand with Israel.

The war in 2023, provoked by the deadly October 7 terror attack on Israel, continues to escalate to multi-fronts in Israel and throughout the region. While the global media assaults readers with reports of dangerous Jewish-Palestinian relations, antisemitism is on the rise globally. 

Application: This is not the first or the last time that Israel’s enemies will attempt to completely obliterate the Nation of Israel and not only the Jewish people but those described as ‘infidels.’

Question: Who are the infidels? In the Quran, infidels are those who do not agree with the statement, “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet”. This includes Jews and Christians, who are often referred to as the Nasara or Nazarenes in the Quran.

Question: What Does It Mean to Stand with Israel?

Be sure that it is not merely an ethnic matter. It is not and should not be or become a political matter!

It is a biblical matter!

1. It is with Israel that God made a covenant of and for salvation!

Genesis 12:1-3, ‘Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ (NKJ)

Israel was chosen by God for a purpose, to be a blessing to the nations (Genesis 12:3). This is an election, an honour, and a responsibility all in one.

We know and understand that Israel continually failed in keeping of their end of the covenant, yet God over and over again, allows for the opportunity for Israel to be saved.

‘In spite of the repeated failings of Israel, there remains a plan and purpose for this nation. Man’s faithlessness thankfully does not nullify the faithfulness of God.’). 

‘If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is’. (see 2 Timothy 2:13 (NLT)

• It is with Israel that God’s favor, blessing, and protection are promised and guaranteed.

Deuteronomy 33:29, ‘Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will tread on their heights’.

Isaiah 46:4b, ‘I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you’.

Psalm 121:4-5; 7, ‘Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life’.

Numbers 24:9 ‘Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to arouse her? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you. (Num 24:9 NLT)

Application: If this verse doesn’t motivate us to love and stand with Israel, I guess nothing will!

Application: That is why it is so important that as a nation we stand with and by Israel!

Application: They probably don’t need our help because God has their back but…we know and understand the blessings that come with it!

Final and Conclusive Victory:

If we had the time, we could go to Ezekiel and teach you about Gog and Magog.

Gog and Magog are names that appear in the Bible and the Qur’an, and are associated with a prophesied invasion of Israel:

In 1 Chronicles 5:4 (see Chronicles, books of the), Gog is identified as a descendant of the prophet Joel, and in Ezekiel 38–39, he is the chief prince of the tribes of Meshech and Tubal in the land of Magog, who is called upon by God to conquer the land of Israel. With a great coalition of forces from throughout the world, Gog and his entire army will invade Israel “like a cloud covering the earth” (38:16) and will plunder and loot the cities. God, however, will send terrible natural disasters that will destroy Gog and his forces. The defeat of Gog will demonstrate the greatness and holiness of God and restore good relations between God and his people.