YESTERDAY , TODAY and TOMORROW GODS TIMETABLE Part 1 of 4 By ~. Jack Trumm ~ Its been said that you can buy a newspaper and find out what happened yesterday. You can turn on the radio, television, or computer and find out whats happening today, but thank God, you can open your Bible and find out whats going to happen tomorrow. Actually, the Bible can tell us about and explain all three (yesterday, today and tomorrow). GODS TIMETABLE First of all, to learn where we are on Gods timetable, remember this: the status of the nation Israel tells us where we are on Gods timetable. Like the hands on a clock, this points to where we are in Gods dealing with mankind. Lets take today for example. What is the status of the nation Israel today, as far as Gods word is concerned? 1. They have been set aside in unbelief. 2. Currently, they have no covenant relationship with God. (In fact no nation has.) 3. They are in partial (or temporary) blindness, and are being avoided (even considered enemies) by God as He blesses the Gentiles and focuses on them for the time being. Paul writes, as concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes. (Romans 11:28) We can see from a brief study of the Bible, from Genesis 12, all the way through the rest of the Old Testament, and continuing through the four gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and through the first seven chapters of the Book of Acts, Gods focus of attention is His nation, Israel. The Book of Acts records the failure of the nation Israel to believe the claims of Christ, and their failure to accept the offer of their King and Kingdom nationally for the time being. Then with Pauls conversion, calling and message, we learn of Israels temporary casting away or being set aside and avoided. We can look around us, study current events and see that Israel still remains in unbelief, and still wails at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, crying out for God to speak to her. She wishes God would focus on her as in the days of old, and speak to her as in days of old. She remains in unbelief and blinded to this very day. So then, from examining Israels current status and looking at the Bible, we can see where we are on Gods timetable. OUR YESTERDAY - The Bible explains our yesterday. It tells how God chose Israel to be his favored nation, and how He gave the Gentile nations over to their own lusts. Paul writes, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 1:21-25) From then on the Gentiles are avoided, and often times ordered to get out of the way as God placed Israel into the promised land. And so from Genesis 12 unto Pauls conversion in Acts 9, the Gentiles are avoided by God and ignored. Paul wrote,Wherefore remember, that ye being in times 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. (Ephesians 2:11-12) In our yesterday, Gods focus, His attention was on His favored nation, Israel. Even in our Lords earthly ministry He made it very clear saying, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel adding, It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and cast it to the dogs. (Matthew 15:24,26) He commanded His disciples, saying, Go NOT into the way of the Gentiles, and into ANY city of the Samaritans enter ye NOT: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matthew 10:5-6) And in further clarification, to the Samaritan woman our Lord Jesus said, Ye worship ye know not what, we (Jews) know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. (John 4:22)
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 09:09:21 +0000
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