 | Reverend Terry G. Fox is Senior Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church. He is Chairman of the North American Mission Board, member of its Executive Committee and the FamilyNet Broadcast Communications Committee, as well as numerous other subcommittees. He's listed on the Who's Who Among Outstanding Corporate Executives. He is a sought after speaker and has traveled and ministered in many places in the United States, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Rev. Fox and his wife Barbara have three children. You may contact him at Immanuel Baptist Church, 1415 South Topeka, Wichita, Kansas, 67211; phone (316) 262-1452; or Fax (316) 262-4704. |
Religion
2005-06-01 09:50:00
How odd of God... to choose the Jews
: Who said that the Jews are God's chosen people? Does this mean God favors Jews over all other people?
ANSWER: The Old Testament clearly states that the Jews were God's special people. Why would He pick a single nation to treat in a special way? There are a number of hints in the O.T. that there was once a wider knowledge of the true God, but that it was dying out or becoming corrupt. A few examples of these non-Jews were:Melchizedek. Abram (later changed to "Abraham"), the first Hebrew (or "Jew"), met a man named Melchizedek (Gen.14:18-20) who was "a priest of God most high".He blessed Abram who gave him a tithe of his wealth. Later in his life, Abram dealt with a "pagan" king named Abimelech (Gen. 20:3-18) who was in touch with God. In his prayers, God directed him in his dealings with Abram. Reuel: The father-in-law of Moses, was "a priest of Midian" and a follower of the true God (Exod. 2:6). He gave Moses helpful counsel (Exod. 18:1-23). Balaam: A "prophet" and advisor to the king of Moab. The king instructed him to seek God's curse against the Israelites. Balaam consulted God, and told the king that God instructed him to give a blessing, not a curse. (Num.22-24). The king's offers of higher and higher rewards resulted in Balaam's repeated blessings of Israel. He was a "prophet for hire", but still was in touch with God. Finally, at Jesus birth (Matt. 2:1-12) there were the Magi who came from a country far to the East to pay homage to the new King of the Jews. They somehow knew the prophecies of the Messiah and the star as the sign of His birth. So they came many month's journey to give Him gifts. But these remnants of Godly knowledge were few. God therefore picked a nation to come from Abram's lineage to be a people whose dealings with God would be recorded, and through whom God would send the Savior for all mankind. They were told:"The Lord thy God has chosen you to be a special people...The Lord did not set His love on you because you were many in number, because you were few." (Deut.7:6-7) "Do not say, 'The Lord has brought me to take possession of this land because of my righteousness'. No, it is on account of the wickedness of the nations there." (Deut. 9:4) But Abram had the promise, "The Lord said, I will make you a great nation...and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Gen. 12;2-3). When the time was right, The Messiah came and offered Himself to the Jews. He was welcomed by the common people, but the religious and civil leaders feared Him as a threat to their position and power. Jesus prayed at the end of His ministry, "O Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets...I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate." (Matt. 23:37-38) Looking back at the Temple, He told His followers, "Truly, not one stone will be left on another; every one will be thrown down" (Mt. 24:2).One generation later, in 70 AD, the Roman General Titus besieged Jerusalem, killed over a half million, destroyed Jerusalem and drove the Jews from Palestine. They have spread over the world and most often found no welcome. Were God's chosen people a failure? They were often rebels against their God, but they preserved the knowledge of Him and His ways. And after Christ's resurrection, His followers -all Jews- spread the good news of Christ, the Savior of all people throughout the Roman empire and beyond. The first 40,000 Christians were all Jews. They produced the New Testament which tells that a new people of God, the Church, which opens "God's special people" status to Jews and Gentiles...to all nations. Christ was God-in-human-form, coming to rescue man and pay the penalty for sin to all who will entrust themselves to Him. This was the Jew's role in God's plan.Are the Jews no longer in God's plan? There are many prophecies for the Jews yet to be fulfilled. Their dispersion was predicted, but also their regathering from all over the earth to their former land when their nation was to be recreated "in one day"....but still not acknowledging their Messiah. God will yet make them a blessing to the world.
