IS
GOD’S ORDER TO THE JEW FIRST?
Pastor
J. C. O’Hair
In this lesson we are considering the
meaning of the statement in Romans 1:16, “TO THE JEW FIRST.” Is God’s order
today “TO THE JEW FIRST?”
“To the Jew first, and also to the
Greek.” (Romans 1:16). In Mark 7:24 to 30 we learn that the Jew was more than
first, and the poor Greek had a difficult time getting in at all. The twelve
apostles asked the Lord Jesus to send her away without a blessing (Matthew
15:23). Then Christ said, “I am not sent but unto Israel.” (Matthew 15:24).
Christ said to that Greek woman this significant thing, “let the children (the
Jews) FIRST BE FILLED.” “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast
it to dogs.” (Mark 7:27).
Let us keep in mind that Christ “came
unto His own.” (John 1:11). Christ was born to be Israel’s Saviour (Acts
13:23). Christ, (the Stone) had to be rejected by Israel, the Builders,
(Matthew 21:42), before the salvation of Romans 11:11 would be sent to Gentiles
to provoke Israel to jealousy. One of the most important keys to the truth
concerning Gentiles salvation by grace is the truth of Acts 5:29 to 32; that
Christ was raised up twice to be Israel’s Saviour, first in incarnation, and
second in resurrection. This same truth is stated in Acts 13:23 and Acts 13:30
to 36.
Christ said that His own, “the children
of the kingdom,” would be cast into outer darkness. (Matthew 8:12). After that
He wept as He pled with them. (Luke 13:34 and 35).
But as we turn from this sorrowful
message of Christ in Luke 13:34 and 35 to Matthew 23:30 to 39, we turn from
compassionate love and indignation to awful wrath and indignation; for, in
Matthew, the children of the kingdom who were to be filled FIRST, were called
serpents and a generation of vipers. (Matthew 23:33). This seems to be worse
than the Gentiles. The Gentiles were dogs. The Jews were “serpents” and
“vipers,” far worse than dogs. They were to have something worse than the
darkness of Matthew 8:12; even the damnation of hell. (Matthew 23:33).
But as we think of Mark 7:26 and 27 and
Matthew 23:33, the “serpents” and the “dogs,” let us also think of what Paul
said, years later, “to the Jews (the serpents) first and also to the Greeks
(the dogs).” (Romans 1:16). You ask with me, why should “serpents” come before “dogs”?
We must conclude that on the day of Pentecost the Jews were no longer
considered “serpents,” or they would not have been FIRST. The prayer of Christ
on the cross changed them back from “serpents” to “children” (Acts 3:25 and
26). Read what Peter said to Israel:
“Unto you FIRST God, having raised up His
Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his
iniquities.” (Acts 3:26). Remember “the children FIRST be filled.” (Mark 7:27).
“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and
said, It was necessary that the Word of God should FIRST have been spoken to
you (Jews): but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of
everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” (Acts 13:46).
In reading Acts 3:26 also read Acts 3:25
and note that the Jews had suddenly become “children” again. Compare the
denunciation, condemnation and wrath of Matthew 23:30 to 39, with the
tenderness and mercy of Acts 3:12 to 18. What changed the “serpents” back to
“children”? The prayer of Christ on the cross (Luke 23:34); and the truth of
Acts 3:17 and 18. Then Israel was again FIRST.
The Jews continued to be FIRST until
something happened to them. The wrath of God fell again and God blinded Israel;
after which Israel was to obtain mercy from God through the Gentiles. (Romans
11:31). The wrath of God came unto the uttermost. (I Thessalonians 2:14 to 161.
Then God’s order ceased to be “TO THE JEWS FIRST.” God expects His children to
be wise enough to know that His order would not be “TO THE JEWS FIRST” after
what God did to the Jews, according to Romans 11:7 to 11 and 11:25 - God’s
order was not to the Jews FIRST in Paul’s Prison Epistles.
Posted By- Cecil and Connie Spivey
Cspivey1953@gmail.com
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