19 February 2009
I just want to touch on a few theological issues here. Nothing too deep I don’t think. But just a couple of things to share that have been on my mind.
I have recently finished a 31 week study on Eschatology and while I knew most of what was being taught because this is a topic I have studied for years. There were a few very crucial things that I did learn.
Something that I think is key in understanding Scripture when you’re studying eschatology that I never knew was that the Bible speaks of three groups of people. I always read it as it only spoke to two separate groups of people, Jews and Gentiles. But I learned that there is a third group of people that the Bible refers to and that is the Church. This makes a world of difference when it comes to understanding key texts. It has really brought things into a much clearer light.
So, we have the Jews, the Church and the Gentiles. The Jews have been God’s chosen people right along. This was something that I have always believed. I know that God is a God of covenants and that He is the God of the Jews. The whole Old testament is written to the Jews. Jesus was a Jew. Almost all the books of the New Testament were written by Jews. The only book in question is possibly the Gospel of Luke, but even then, I guess there’s not much evidence to prove that he was not Jewish either.
God has made everlasting covenants with Israel and I firmly believe that He intends to keep those promises. But in the Old Testament He does refer to the Gentile nations. He does say that He is the God of all. And of course in the New Testament we have the Gospel of John which is specifically written to the Gentiles. And we have the Apostle Paul who mainly went to the Gentile nations to bring the Good News of the Gospel.
The Gospel which is to bring people into the Church is for all, the Jew and the Gentile. So the Church is made up of the two groups. But the Bible specifically speaks of the Gentiles being grafted into the Olive Tree. The Book of Revelation is written as God’s judgment on the Jews as well as on the Gentiles. But the Church will not be left in the picture. The Church will have been raptured out of the scene. Jesus has specifically saved the church for Himself to be His Bride. While the Jews are spoken of as being God’s wife in the Old Testament, the Church is Christ’s Bride in the New Testament.
The Bride will be removed from the earth before the Great Tribulation as discussed in 2 Thessalonians as well as in Corinthians when it says that we will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye. But those that are left behind, those that remain on the earth will be given the full wrath of God which Jesus has paid the price for His Bride, the Church.
The folks left behind for the Great Tribulation are going to be given the opportunity to come to Christ during each of the judgments. God gives them every last chance that He can. While He will be pouring out His judgment He will also be calling His own to Himself.
This is all very fascinating and as I said I just wanted to touch on the topic. To explain that there are three groups of people spoken of in the Bible. This makes reading it so much clearer. So many things make much more sense now. I can’t believe that I never saw that before. In my 28 years of studying the Bible I have never heard of such a thing and I never picked it up for myself.
This seems to explain why the book “The Words and Works of Jesus Christ” by J. Dwight Pentecost is my favorite book. It is a book that I think every new Christian should be required to read. Especially those of us that do not come from a Jewish background. This book explains everything that Jesus said and did for Jewish reasons. Mr. Pentecost explains the Jewish meanings behind everything that Christ did. The timing of the things He did, the meaning behind the things He said. This book has been my favorite book since I read it. And now that I am aware of the three groups of people. I want to read the book again because I know I will get that much more out of the book.
It truly is a great book and if you are interested at all in understanding the real and Jewish meanings behind the things Jesus did and said, this is a must read. It’s an old book and out of print. But it can be found through the used books at Amazon and I’m sure at other websites as well. As I said, I think it is a book that every new believer should be required to read and especially if he does not come from a Jewish background.
I really don’t know the whole point to this blog except that I just wanted to share some information that I’ve learned. And to lead you to a book to read if you really want to understand the New Testament even better. Read the Bible with the three groups of people in mind and you will see that Scripture makes much more sense. And if you can find the book by Mr. Pentecost, I suggest you read that as well as it will give you a Jewish perspective of Jesus works and words.
So for now…
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