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Article:
Replacement Theology Refuted! by: David Ben-Ariel The Bible clearly teaches that the Hebrew God chose Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for a special purpose to ultimately affect all humanity. God first revealed Himself to 'the fathers' and promised to be their God and the God of their descendants. The rest of mankind was 'temporarily' left in the dark and to their own devices. God drafted the 12 Tribes of Israel to become His Servant Nation! Moses rejoiced in ISRAEL'S UNIQUE CREATION (Deut.4:32-34). The Great Creator God had never chosen any other people to represent Him! He had never inducted any other nation into His international service! He had never revealed Himself and entrusted His 'Instruction Manual for Mankind,' His holy Law and Word, His Divine Constitution, to any other nation or people in history! Of physical Israel, God declares: 'You only have I known of all the families of the earth' (Amos 3:2), and 'He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD' (Ps. 147:19-20). Yes, God ordained Israel to serve as His Custodian of Divine Revelation, specifically the Jews (Rom. 3:1-2). And please note that this was written AFTER the Church was founded and Jesus had given certain authority to his apostles! The lying proponents of 'replacement theology' deny that there's any advantage to being a Jew or an Israelite. The apostle Paul, under inspiration, strongly disagrees! He wisely continues Jesus' recognition of the Jew's God-given authority: 'The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do' (Matt. 23:2-3). And Moses prophesied that the Jews are to retain their God-given authority until Christ restores Israel as 'One Nation under God.' Moses didn't say that Gentiles or the Church had any right to covet or steal that responsibility from the Jews: 'The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, UNTIL Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be' (Gen. 49:10). Jesus didn't do that at His first coming, which is why His disciples asked Him after His resurrection and just before His ascension: 'Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?' (Acts 1:6). The King of the Jews will accomplish that divine mission when He returns! God formed Israel as His Holy Nation, instructed them as His Son, and inducted them into His Divine Service. They received a special calling to become a KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, a MODEL NATION, a LIGHT TO ALL NATIONS. God decreed Israel would be 'above [not equal to] all people, And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation' (Ex. 19:5-6). NO OTHER NATION CAN COMPARE TO GOD'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL AND HIS REVELATION TO THEM! (Deut. 4:5-8). Please understand that this utterly unique relationship and revelation is what made Israel great, it wasn't something inherent within them. It was a gift and a blessing they had received from God, despite themselves! It wasn't because they were any better than anybody else; it wasn't because of their race; it was because of GOD'S PURPOSE AND GRACE! (Deut. 7:7-8; 9:5; Matt. 3:9; Rom. 3:23; 9:10-18). The apostle Paul wrote to Church brethren, about their different gifts and calling (they weren't all equal): 'For who makes thee to differ from another? And what do you have that you didn't receive? Now if you received it, why do you glory, as if you hadn't received it?' (1 Cor. 4:7). It is by God's design that individuals and nations should have different and distinct gifts and callings. It is our Heavenly Father who directs and establishes us where we belong in His plan, whether it's in the Church or among the nations (Deut. 32:8). Who are we to question His wisdom or to quarrel about positions? (Isa. 45:9-10; Matt. 20:23; 1 Cor. 12:18). Jesus is the Firstborn of many brethren, the Church is the collective firstfruits of humanity, and ISRAEL IS THE FIRSTBORN OF MANY NATIONS! In fact, Isaiah 19:25 pronounces: 'Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.' God has dealt with those three nations more than any others on earth. That is His choice and prerogative. But for now, God has privately tutored Israel like He commands fathers to teach their sons (Deut. 6:7). God has never referred to any other nation as His Son! Only Israel has that honor: 'Thou art my Son' (Ps. 2:7), and 'When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt' (Hos. 11:1). We're the little boy that will show the way to the whole world, once God has subdued our sins, conquered our enemies and changed their bestial natures to befriend us (Micah 7:19-20; Isa. 11:6; Zech. 8:23). We need to grow up and we will. Israel has been given a head-start in spiritual education, a special advantage, compared to others. We're not yet mature as a grown man but at least we're a child while others are still acting like animals! (Lev. 26:22; Rev. 13:18). Nevertheless, 'I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles; I am the LORDand my glory will I not give to another' (Isa. 42:'6
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