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Today’s Devotional – March 16th

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Paul the Ultimate Replacement Theologian! Part 3

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At the very end of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he finishes with the dramatic statement… “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Galatians 6:15-16.

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Now there exists some confusion as to just who Paul is referring to as, “the Israel of God”, in this closing salutation found in Galatians.

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Many, or perhaps even most will say this is speaking of literal Israel over there in Palestine.

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And yet, some say this has to be referring to God’s faithful Believers.

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Paul the Apostle-Artist-Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier- circa 1500s – Wikipedia – public domain

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WHAT DID HENRY SAY?

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Now, that most notable theologian, Matthew Henry, made the following comment as to just who Paul was referring to, when he spoke of “the Israel of God”, at the end of the Galatian Epistle.

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Listen to Henry… “The Jews and judaizing teachers were for confining these blessings (peace & mercy) to such as were circumcised and kept the law of Moses; but, on the contrary, the apostle declares that they belong to all who walk according to the rule of the gospel, or of the new creature, even to all the Israel of God, intimating that those only are the true Israel of God who walk according to this rule (the rule of becoming a new creation in Christ), and not that of circumcision, which they insisted so much upon, and therefore that this was the true way to obtain peace and mercy.”

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So Matthew Henry saw that Paul was referring to God’s faithful true worshippers, when he spoke of “the Israel of God”. In other words, Henry correctly saw that only those who walk according to true circumcision of the heart are the true Israel of God!

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And it could not possibly be speaking of literal Israel, since for the most part, they utterly failed to become a new creation! And neither do they, as a civil government, have “peace and mercy”, as God pronounces here in Galatians, through the hand of Paul. 

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Matthew Henry – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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THE GREAT MESSAGE OF GALATIANS

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And of course, that was the whole point of Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

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You see, these Gentile Believers in Galatia were being heavily compelled by a group of Jewish Christians to return to the ceremonies and rituals of the “Jewish religion” as Paul referred to it. And Paul was trying to show this Gentile church, that such ceremonies and rituals were totally meaningless, and would ultimately bring that Galatian church into apostasy.

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And in the midst of his letter, he made this statement… “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” Galatians 3:6, 7.

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Here Paul reveals just who are the true children of Abraham: those who live by faith, both Jew and Gentile alike!

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Schnorr von Carolsfeld – 1860 – Abram counts stars – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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“NEITHER GREEKS, JEWS, MALE OR FEMALE”

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Now Paul is revealing to Galatia, that being a Jew, means much more than simply being a Jew, “after the flesh” (see 1st Corinthians 10:18, for “after the flesh” reference).

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And Paul repeats this idea, in this next passage…

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Listen… “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:28, 29.

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Here Paul says that God no longer is a respecter of the Jews above the gentiles. We are all now on equal ground, in Christ.

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Paul the Apostle-Artist-Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier- circa 1500s – Wikipedia – public domain

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SARAH & HAGAR: THE TWO COVENANTS

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And if this weren’t enough, Paul makes this incredible revelation… “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all…Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise…So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.” Galatians 4:22-26, 28, 31.

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So again, Paul is showing here to the Galatians, that the true children of Abraham are those who have been born again into Christ.

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And the heavenly Jerusalem is the mother of the Church-Elect-faithful.

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And this is the true meaning of what it means to be a Jew.

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Sarah & Hagar – Foster Bible Pictures – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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WE ARE THE COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL

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So here is the true Israel of God. God’s Elect! Both Jew and Gentile make up this spiritual nation.

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Listen again to Paul’s testimony to the Ephesians, another church of the Gentiles… “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 are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;” Ephesians 2:12, 13, 19.

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So once again, Paul makes it plain, just what it truly means to be of Israel. Yes, it means much more than merely being of the literal blood-descent of Abraham.

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So, if we believe through God’s saving-faith, then are we Abraham’s children, and fellow citizens of the true “Israel of God”.

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Bible Study Group – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License

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“For I could wish that myself were accursed…for…my kinsmen” 

Romans 9, (The Apostle, Paul, speaking of “Israel, according to the flesh”)

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Now, should Christians have a yearning in their hearts for “Israel-after-the-flesh”? Of course they should! And even though we know that God will never re-institute His sacrificial system in the nation of Israel (they themselves might  presume to do so), nevertheless, our prayers and hope are for the Salvation of each and every Jew!

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And it is really disingenuous for the apostate church-world to hang upon our necks, their unbiblical and derogatory tag, “replacement theology”, and make the false claim that we hate the Jews or are anti-Zionists! Just because we understand that the Bible is a spiritual Book, filled with shadows, types, proverbs, and allegories. In other words, these apostate Bible teachers try to condemn anyone who believes that God raised up Old Testament Israel to be a spiritual type or shadow of all those in the Kingdom of God, both Jew and Gentile alike.

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Jewish Children with their Teacher in Samarkand – Wikipedia – Public Domain

Paul persecuted by Pharisees & Sadducees – www.thebiblerevival.com – US Public Domain

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NO MORE BRICK-N-MORTAR TEMPLE

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In conclusion, these three little articles on this subject of so-called Replacement Theology will probably never convince those who want to insist that God is going to once again begin working within national Israel, and once again return to the temple service.

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But there has been enough evidences presented here to cause those who desire to know the great spiritual nature of the Bible, to further search out and explore just what God was trying to tell us about Salvation, when He gave us these testimonies.

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Oh yes, to be sure, there was a literal nation of Israel in the Old Testament. And one great reason that God raised them up in the Old Testament, was to present us with a picture of His unfolding plan of Salvation.

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But they were a part of all the other many wonderful Bible stories, which presented the Gospel of Jesus Christ in pictures, in such a way, that reveals the great spiritual truths to us, “upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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FOR YE ARE THE TEMPLE

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And though God may save very many literal Jews in these last days, God will never again raise up the Old Testament sacrificial system.

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Jesus was the fulfillment of that Old Testament temple service, and He is the only true temple, and we are the living stones in that eternal temple.

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And though there may be some who would like to see some brick-n-mortar structure built once again, over there in Palestine. But that brick-n-mortar structure would be just that: a brick-n-mortar structure, and nothing more: certainly not the “temple of the Lord”!

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But we, the true worshippers of God, both Old and New Testament Believers alike, both Jew and Gentile, are the only true “Temple of God” in this world, and in the world to come!

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Listen… “and the street of the city (New Jerusalem) was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Revelation 21:21, 22

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And when He (Jesus) saw a fig tree in the Way,

He came to it, and found nothing thereon,

but leaves only, and said unto it,

‘Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever’.

And presently the fig tree withered away.”

Matthew 21:19  

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Withered Fig leaves – cropped image – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

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“Dear Lord, Help me to be a lover of truth. Give me the grace to not idolize my teachers, nor my favorite doctrines. But help me to love the Bible above all, and to merely seek the truth, regardless of the consequences…

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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ORION THE SOLDIER

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The pagan cultures saw this incredible constellation as a hunter, with a club. Well, they weren’t too far off. Actually, God created it to appear like a soldier. This is because all nature presents aspects of the Gospel. Listen… “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1. And so now we are amazed to discover that beyond the awesome grandeur of the starry night-heavens, God has actually written the Love of God in the heavenly scroll.

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Orionurania – Wikipedia – public domain

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7 MAJOR STARS OF ORION…

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Orion Constellation can best be seen all winter (but even in August in the pre-dawn hours of morning in eastern skies) traveling east to west through the night, in mid-sky.

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To find the seven major stars of Orion (one star on each shoulder and one star on each foot, plus the three stars which make his belt), you can locate on just about any clear night regardless of the blackness of the night.

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To find Orion’s other stars, you need more star-visibility…a darker, moonless night, and possibly away from city lights.

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Orion – Wikimedia – share-alike license

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READ MORE…

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To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Orion Phenomena” or you can also read… “Orion the Soldier (Armor of God)”

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TOMORROW: