Let me emphasize again that the reason why God has taken this
particular course of action, is because the majority of Jews
have stubbornly refused to acknowledge Jesus Christ as God's
chosen manner of Salvation, and their attitude hasn't changed
in the last two thousand years. Being a well-versed Pharisee,
taught by Gamaliel, Paul was obviously quite familiar with
all of Isaiah's prophecies regarding the coming Messiah, and
how the Gentiles would be won to the Kingdom of God. Thus, it
is no surprise that when Paul and Barnabas are again rejected
by the antichrist Jews in Antioch, Paul simply turns his back
on them, embraces the Gentiles, and again appears to make an
indirect reference to the prophecies of Isaiah, as we see in
these verses:

"And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city
together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the
multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against
those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and
blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It
was necessary that the word of God should first have been
spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the
Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have
set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest
be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the
Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word
of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life
believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout
all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and
honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised
persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out
of their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet
against them, and came unto Iconium."
Acts 13:44-51, KJV

As I explain in other articles, the above scene is typical
of the reaction that Paul and his companions received when
they tried to share the Christian Gospel with their fellow
Jews; and so again, precisely as Jesus prophesied, this is
why God chose to take the Kingdom from them, and give it to
another nation; a nation of Gentile believers founded upon
the Blood of Jesus Christ.

Earlier, we discussed how the Apostle Peter told the brethren
that in God's eyes, they were "an holy nation". Some people
may be tempted to erroneously argue that being as Peter was a
Jew himself, his words were addressed to his Jewish brethren,
and that this "holy nation" of which he spoke was the Jewish
nation. However, this is most definitely not the case. As we
saw with the previous sets of verses, the Greek word that is
used in Peter's Epistle is again "ethnos". Clearly then, this
"holy nation" is comprised of Gentile believers. Perhaps you
may recall how God very pointedly showed Peter that he must
extend the Gift of Salvation to the Gentile world. In the
Book of Acts, we find these particular incidents:

"On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh
unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about
the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have
eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And
saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him,
as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and
let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted
beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things,
and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise,
Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I
have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And
the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God
hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done
thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven."
Acts 10:9-16, KJV

"And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of
the circumcision contended with him, Saying, Thou wentest in
to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. But Peter
rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by
order unto them, saying, I was in the city of Joppa praying:
and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as
it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four
corners; and it came even to me: Upon the which when I had
fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts
of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and
fowls of the air. And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise,
Peter; slay and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing
common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.
But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath
cleansed, that call not thou common. And this was done three
times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. And, behold,
immediately there were three men already come unto the house
where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. And the Spirit bade
me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six
brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the manŐs
house: And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his
house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and
call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; Who shall tell thee
words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. And as
I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at
the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how
that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall
be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave
them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the
Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and
glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles
granted repentance unto life."
Acts 11:2-18, KJV

Let's return to my earlier comments regarding Peter's letter.
If it were true that these people to whom Peter was writing
were Jews, I don't think that it would make any sense that
in verse ten, he'd write to them, "Which in time past were
not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not
obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy"; because the
Jews have always considered themselves to be the people of
God, even to this very day. In fact, they've also craftily
convinced a large part of modern Christendom, that they are
still the Chosen People, in spite of the fact that most of
them have rejected Christ for the past two thousand years.
On the other hand, if Peter was in fact writing to Gentile
brethren, as I believe he was, it makes perfect sense that
he would write in this manner.

To further validate this point, consider that the Apostle
Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, made the exact same
point regarding how the Gentiles had become the people of
God through their faith in Jesus Christ. Please carefully
note how Paul too was addressing the Gentile Christians in
Ephesus, and not his own Jewish brethren:

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in
the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is
called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at
that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But
now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made
nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath
made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of
partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the
enmity, even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so
making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in
one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And
came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to
them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by
one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the
saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the
building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple
in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit. For this cause I Paul,
the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles . . ."
Ephesians 2:11-3:1, KJV

To add some clarity to the previous verses, when Paul writes
"the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands", he's referring
to the Jews who have been circumcised as a matter of obeying
the Mosaic Law. In fact, the Book of Acts informs us that at
first, some of the Jewish Christians also believed that the
Gentiles had to be circumcised in order to really be saved;
but Paul strongly resisted this requirement. That's why only
two verses earlier he wrote:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
man should boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9, KJV

As you may already know, it is those same two verses that got
Martin Luther in trouble with the Roman Catholic hierarchy of
his day. It seems clear that the "works" that Paul is talking
about, is the act of being circumcised. That explains why he
immediately begins discussing circumcision in the verses that
immediately follow those two. He wants to assure the Gentile
Christians that it isn't necessary to be circumcised in order
to be saved. All that matters is faith in the Sacrifice of
Jesus Christ. Works of the flesh, such as circumcision, do
not win us points with God, and we have no room to boast of
our own supposed righteousness. As Paul also later wrote:

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"
Titus 3:5, KJV

With that last point, we have now covered a lot of territory.
I have strived to present solid Scriptural evidence to prove
to you, that certain things you may have learned from some of
the popular pastors and preachers, or perhaps even from the
Jews themselves, are not necessarily true, and in fact, may
be a deliberate deception, in order to convince you that it
is your unfailing duty and responsibility as a Christian to
support the nation of Israel.


Jeff Snyder, SysOp - Armageddon BBS  Visit us at endtimeprophecy.org port 23
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