If you believe the bitter, but not the sweet….
After leading the children of Israel out of the smoking furnace of Egypt, Moses was about to die. In His sovereignty, God did not allow Moses to enter the Promised Land. But before Moses died, the Spirit of God spoke through him about both the difficult future that Israel would face and the blessings that would come.
To believe that God’s discipline happened to the children of Israel for their waywardness is the right belief. It happened, just as God predicted.
But if the discipline of God happened, just as the Spirit of God foretold through Moses, the blessings of God, mentioned in the very same passage, will also happen. If the curses are believed by the reader but the blessings are disbelieved - the question must be asked - Why do you, dear reader, believe that God carried out His discipline just as He promised - but you do not believe that He will carry out His blessings, just as He promised?
To believe one and deny the other is to error, at the least - and a sign of ignorance and arrogance at the worst (Rom.11:25).
The Land Covenant: Deut. 29:1 - 30:20
This was a separate, unique covenant. It was different from the covenant God made with Israel at the beginning of their journey out of Egypt. Unlike the covenant at Sinai (AKA Law of Moses), this covenant was unconditional:
“These are the words of the covenant the Lord commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant He had made with them at Horeb.” (29:1)
Wait a second. Throughout Deut. 29-30, God tells the Israelites that if they turn from Him, He would banish them from the Land and bring all kinds of hardships on them. So, how can you say it's "unconditional"?
Great question. We must be sensitive to what is written and what is not written. Yes, there are conditions for Israel's enjoyment of the land, namely obedience. But what this passage reaffirms is Israel’s title deed (possession) to the land, regardless of belief or behavior.
Oh, so it’s like my house: I own the title deed regardless of whether I am living there?
That’s right! God may exile the Israelites as He chooses. And He may bring them back as He chooses. Regardless, the Land of Israel is one of God’s many “gracious gifts” to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. Gracious gifts that are “irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29)
OK, well according to Galatians 3:29 I am a child of Abraham by faith, so don’t all believers now own the Land?
Well, notice that believers are children of Abraham. Spiritual seed, if you will, by faith. But that does not make someone Jewish. God was very clear that Jewish lineage was by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Just being a descendant from Abraham does not make someone Jewish. Otherwise, God would not have made such a big deal about choosing one son (Isaac & Jacob) over the other (Ishmael & Esau.) Just being a descendant from Abraham and Isaac does not mean someone is Jewish. It’s being a physical descendant of Abraham, Isaac AND Jacob that makes someone Jewish. Over and over again, the Bible defines Jewish people by physical lineage: Birth, not Belief. This is why the New Testament has extensive genealogies about the Messiah. These genealogies testify that Jesus is of the line of David, Jewish by birth. This importance never changes throughout the NT writings. See also 2 Timothy 2:8.
What about Romans 9:6? That passage tells me that true Israelites are people of faith, not just physical descent.
No, that is not what that passage is teaching. In context, Paul is narrowing the definition of a “true Israelite”, not widening the definition of a Jew to someone include Gentiles and make a mess of the rest of his writings. A “true Israelite” is one who believes that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. Just as the “Israel of God” is referring to the same group of people: Jewish believers in Jesus (Gal. 6:16.) Another name for this special group is called “the remnant”, as recorded in Romans 11:5.
Can we get back to the land covenant now?
In Deuteronomy 30, God tells Moses that the Israelites would abandon His ways and be exiled. God knows the end from the beginning and He did not hide this sad news from Moses.
“The Lord said to Moses, “You are about to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon commit adultery with the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will abandon Me and break the covenant I have made with them. My anger will burn against them on that day; I will abandon them and hide My face from them so that they will become easy prey. Many troubles and afflictions will come to them.” (30:16-17a)
Yeah, I know Israel’s history. They were exiled and experienced God’s discipline at the hands of other nations like the Assyrians (722 BC) and the Babylonians (605 BC & 586 BC). This Word is true. God always tells the truth in His Word. I believe it. It happened.
Yeah, that’s good you believe it. But do you know that Israel’s physical restoration and spiritual regeneration is predicted in that same passage? Do you believe that as well?
Uh, my church teaches that God’s unique plan for the Jewish people is done with. It concluded at the cross. Everything is now fulfilled “in Christ”. All promises are spiritual in nature.
Well, that seems a little disingenuous, don't you think? I mean, why are you choosing to believe that God’s discipline against Jewish people actually occurred in the manner foretold, but His blessings will not happen in the same manner?
Ok, well, let me read what those predictions are. Maybe they are about the church?
“then He will restore your fortunes, have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. Even if your exiles are at the ends of the earth, He will gather you and bring you back from there. The Lord your God will bring you into the land your fathers possessed, and you will take possession of it. He will cause you to prosper and multiply you more than He did your fathers. The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live. The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. Then you will again obey Him and follow all His commands I am giving you today. The Lord your God will make you prosper abundantly in all the work of your hands with children, the offspring of your livestock, and your land’s produce. Indeed, the Lord will again delight in your prosperity, as He delighted in that of your fathers, when you obey the Lord your God by keeping His commands and statutes that are written in this book of the law and return to Him with all your heart and all your soul. (Deut. 30:3-10)
Yeah, I see that Israel must return to God for all of these things to take place. But, Israel has not returned to God.
But they will return to God. And when they do, God will bring about all of these blessings. Would you accept that blessings will be poured out on the Jewish people, including them being regathered to their land IF they return to God?
Yes. That much is clear.
Great. You are going to love what the rest of the Hebrew prophets and the Apostle Paul writes about Israel’s future:
So that you will not be conceited, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery: A partial hardening has come to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The Liberator will come from Zion; He will turn away godlessness from Jacob. And this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins.
Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage, but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs, since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable.”
(Rom. 11:25-29)
I guess I better believe the bitter and the sweet.