02.04.09

The Curse of Israel-Pt 2

Even tho God is a Loving God, He still has a measure of Respect that He demands of His people(Children). Lets read, Pro 1:23-31; “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity ( “destruction” the King James Version); the devastation of war (Jer.46:21 adversities of any kind (Pro.27:10).); I will mock when your fear cometh;

The significance of the covenant idea in the Old Testament can scarcely be overestimated.
The prophets constantly make reference to it by insisting that the fate of Israel will always be determined by the extent to which its people are faithful or unfaithful to the obligations placed upon them by the covenant. When israel entered into a covenant relationship with God, they agreed to all stipulations that were laid down by God. When Israel broke this covenant they became a “Disobedient, Back-sliding and Gain-saying” People.

Rom 10:20-21; But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. ( This was the Gentile race of people)
But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gain-saying people. (The word,”gain-saying” means; to contest, argue, dispute, and challenge.)

Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby back-sliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. ( The people of Israel, as in the Days of Moses, were getting tired of following after The covenant relationship that they agreed to. They started to follow after strange gods and doctrines.)

When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.= (
This last statement is Bible Prophecy that has come to pass, not only in the days of Roman occupation but also in recent history.)

Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer they shall seek: (Psa.78:34-36; Hos.5:15, Hos.6:1-4;) they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:(Gen.6:3; Job.27:9, Job.35:12; Psa.18:41; Isa.1:15; Jer.11:11, Jer.14:12; Eze.8:18; Mic.3:4; Zec.7:13; Mat.7:22, Mat.7:23, Mat.25:10-12; Luke 13:25-28; James 4:3) For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord (They hated knowledge – This argues the deepest degree of intellectual and moral depravity).

They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. ( Pro.1:30, Pro.5:12, Pro.12:1; Psa.81:11) Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. This statement is also prophecy. It not only represents the state of Israel but also includes the Gentile race. We are allowed by God to make our own decisions but we are held accountable for them.

This is also prophecy in Jer 18:17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity. I will provoke you – These words are taken from Deu.32:21. In that place the declaration refers to the idolatrous and wicked conduct of the Jews. God says that they had provoked him, or excited his indignation, by worshiping what was not God, that is, by idols; and he, in turn, would excite their envy and indignation by showing favors to those who were not regarded as a people; that is, to the Gentiles.

They had shown favor, or affection, for what was not God, and by so doing had provoked him to anger; and he also would show favor to those whom they regarded as no people, and would thus excite their anger. Thus, he would illustrate the great principle of his government in 2Sa.22:26-27, “With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with the pure, thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the fro-ward thou wilt show thyself unsavory,” that is, fro-ward.
Barnes states:

Psa.18:26. In this passage the great doctrine which Paul was defending is abundantly established – that the Gentiles were to be brought into the favor of God; and the cause also is suggested to be the obstinacy and rebellion of the Jews. It is not clear that Moses had particularly in view the times of the gospel; but he affirms a great principle which is applicable to those times – that if the Jews should be rebellious, and prove themselves unworthy of his favor, that favor would be withdrawn, and conferred on other nations. The effect of this would be, of course, to excite their indignation. Rom 10:19-21;

But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gain-saying people. The prophet Isaiah proceeds to specify in what this rebellion consisted, and to show that this was their character; Isa.65:2-7. The argument of the apostle is this; namely, the ancient character of the people was that of wickedness; God is represented as stretching out his hands in vain; they rejected him, and he was sought and found by others. It was implied, therefore, that the rebellious Jews would be rejected; and, of course, the apostle was advancing and defending no doctrine which was not found in the writings of the Jews themselves.

Earnestness, especially in beseeching, is denoted by the passages, (Job.11:13; Psa.68:31; Psa.88:9).
Jer 18:17
I will shew them the back – The hiding of God’s face is the sure sign of His displeasure Isa.1:15; Isa.59:2. “they gaze, they look” with joy “upon Me.” Psa.22:17. The rejoicing over them was doubtless, as among savages, accompanied with grimaces (as in Psa.35:19; Psa.38:16). Then follow words of insult. The enlarging of the mouth is uttering a tide of large words, here against the people of God; in Ezekiel, against Himself Eze.35:13 : “Thus with your mouth ye have enlarged against Me and have multiplied your words against Me.
I have heard.”

God states,”I have heard.” The dreadful words that God speakes against Israel. We are all bound by the words we speak. For the Bible states clearly that, “We shall give account for every idle word that proceeds out of our mouth. Israel spoke against Gods rule and God heard.

Bible prophecy; The name Jew – what ideas does it convey to all the nations of the earth? It is connected with reproach; a name regarded as belonging to a people accursed by God; a name more universally detested than any other known among people. And was it not because this name would be thus dishonored, reproached, and despised, that another was given to the true people of God – the name Christian – an honored name – denoting true attachment to the Messiah?

Isa 65:15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name.(Christian.) Eze 22:4 Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries.

Isa 43:28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches. Mal 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
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Mal 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Prophecy in Ezekiel chapter 5, shows the future of Israel. And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber’s razor,
The prophet’s head, which was to be shaved, signified Jerusalem, which by the judgments of God was now to be stripped of all its ornaments, to be emptied of all its inhabitants, and to be set naked and bare, to be shaved with a razor that is hired, Isa.7:20. The head of one that was a priest, a prophet, a holy person, was fittest to represent Jerusalem the holy city.
end pt.2.