A Biblical Reality

Time to pull back the drapes and expose Oz for what it is (with Oz being the general Christian faith on earth today).

Looking back to the Tanakh, YAHAVAH has led the Nation of Israel out of bondage to Egypt and according to Exodus 19 we read the following which takes place at the base of Sinai

And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.  Exodus 19:3-6

By taking even a casual audit of the Old Testament a reader will quickly discover that the Nation never fully “obeyed His voice, nor kept His covenant, nor became a peculiar treasure unto Him above all people,” and in the end failed to be a “kingdom of priests or a holy Nation.”   Instead, that Nation repeatedly ran after other gods, committed idolatry and proved to be everything but holy.  By the time we get out to Jeremiah, YAHAVAH gives her a bill of divorce, promises to wipe her out in a future great and dreadful day, but also promises to fulfill His promises and actually gather a peculiar people unto Himself.  When does this gathering begin and end?  It literally began at the incarnation of the Word of God, who, taking on flesh, began to call His own (the lost sheep of the house of Israel) to repentance with His apostles calling then Gentiles to faith thereafter.

Interestingly, those being called to repentance and faith were to become the very people-group (peculiar and holy) that the Living God sought the Nation of Israel to be all the way back in Exodus.  We can see this in the descriptions the Apostles used to describe the church/Bride in that day, including,

1^st Thessalonians 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

2^nd Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

1^st Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

What many people fail to grasp reading passages like those above is the fact that the descriptions were of that Bride then – and not to a collection of believers in one unified body today.  Once Yeshua, His apostles and His Spirit called to them in that day, He returned as promised to take her up from before the promised great and dreadful day of destruction, and this event would launch the world into what can only be seen as God’s new economy, testament, covenant, when every individual has been reconciled to the Living God and is free to choose to pursue Him in faith and love . . . or not.  Consider Paul’s words in 2^nd Corinthians 5:19-20, which says

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

In this age of biblical fulfillment, we share this Great News with all people seeking Him in spirit and truth.  The urgency of God’s messages to the Nation of Israel and to the Bride have passed.  There is no more afterlife punishment awaiting only afterlife rewards bestowed on those who chose to walk by faith and to love and those who refuse.  The former will enter His kingdom as children of Kingdom, the Latter will enter a heavenly realm where the call to Him will continue into the eternities.  He does not force, He only loves.  All because of the finished work of His Son and the continued work of His Spirit.