King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Sunday, December 10, 2023
Chapters: ROMANS 9-11
Message: Grafted Into God’s Family
Hello My Friend,
Every nation has their own man made god, from Egypt worshiping everything from the Nile River to frogs, and including insects, to back in the day when the Philistine’s worshiped what is described as a mermaid. Even here today in America, people not only worship themselves, but make up God in their own image making Him into their own man made version. This does not mean that they never knew God existed, but as far as they were concerned God was the God of Israel. All throughout the Old Testament you hear about Israel being God’s chosen people, but no where in it were they called the children of God except for one verse.
[Deuteronomy 14:1-2 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. 2 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.]. Even at this point God was not addressing Israel as His children as a whole, this was the Law of Moses that was given in regards to their going into the promised land, [Deuteronomy 31:11-12 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:]
Before Christ came into the world in the flesh the Law was actually given to not for just Israel to follow God, but all believers who wanted to follow Him. Abraham, was the door that would lead the rest of the world to the one and only Almighty God, actually it was one child, Isaac. And he would become the promise son who of the covenant that God had made with him in regards to being the father of multitudes, [Genesis 22:17-18 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.]
So, how did God bless Abraham with so many children that it would be like counting every grain of sand? Well, first, He began with Israel, who is also Jacob, of whom, twelve sons would be born to make up the twelve tribes of Israel. Not all of the tribes stayed true to God, in fact, only Judah remained faithful to God, and one other tribe that kind of stays out of the limelight and that is Benjamin. Since they actually lived in part of land that was inherited to Judah they probably chose to stay with them when the nation was divided by God Himself, [1 Kings 11:34-35 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.].
You see, many make the assumption that every person born is a child of God, but that is not corrected. While we are all a creation of God not everyone is a child of God. Why? Paul explains this. I mentioned Benjamin because Paul was actually a Benjamite. As we continue in the reading of Romans, Paul, explains how it is that the children of Israel started the covenant that would give Abraham so many children as the sand and stars.
[Romans 9:1-8 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. 6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.]
[For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:] There are three sects of Israel, the children of Israel themselves, the nation of of Israel and the country of Israel. Those whom have received Christ as their Saviour, whether Jew (Israelite) or Gentile (Stranger) are the nation of Israel. Jesus, said this, [John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.]
[Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham,] Remember Ishmael? God, said that he was not the son that He had promised him and actually had Abraham separate Isaac from Ishmael, [Genesis 21:12-13 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.].
God, knew what would come of Ismael, first of all being raised by Hagar, who was an Egyptian, and then in how he would perceive God. God, did as He promised to Abraham concerning Ishmael as well, and made a nation from him, but the Muslim religion we know today is what came from Ishmael’s descendants. In fact, the Muslims actually turn this story around to say that God established His covenant promise with them and not Isaac. Nevertheless, we know the truth and the same was true with Isaac’s children, he and his wife Rebekah had twins, it was Jacob who God would use to fulfill the promise that He made with Abraham.
[Romans 9:13-17 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.]
[and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.] We do not need the Bible to know that God exists, in fact, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had no Scriptures whatsoever. We do not even need the Bible to know who His children are, naturally, if we believe in God, then we are going to seek Him and while we may not understand everything about Him, we do understand that we want His blessings. God, used Israel to declare who He is, [Luke 19:9-10 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.]
[Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up,] Through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God proved both, that there are blessings that come from those chosen by God as well as curses, but the only ones who are led to become the children of God are His believers. God, not only used His own people to prove this, He used the heathens as well, including Egypt. We may not all be God’s people, but that does not mean that He does not use all people for His purpose. Think about it, Satan, has no desire to save himself by admitting that he is a sinner and needs Jesus, and yet he is still under the subjection of Jesus, [James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.]
Speaking of Satan, if God has to use Satan to bring lost souls or even saved souls back to Him through tragic events, then that is what He will do. We can wonder why God allows the devil to afflict us and why all this evil befalls us when He has all the means to stop it instantly. The truth is, without the evil we will never see Jesus.
[Romans 9:22-26 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.]
[endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:] We must understand that when God created man He intended for all mankind to be His children, but sin changed all that. No one forces our hand, not God nor Satan, we all have our own freewill to choose what to believe, but that does not mean that we are exempt from any judgment should we choose not to believe. Does God know who are going to reject Him? Of course He does, but that never stops Him from giving all the opportunity to get saved.
[there shall they be called the children of the living God.] There are some Jews who do believe, and to be honest if it were not for them, we would not know who Jesus is. It was through the faith of a small remnant of saved Jews that we were introduced to Christ and believed.
[Romans 9:29-33 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. 30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.]
[Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed,] Sobaoth, means host, Isaiah, was referring to the Lord of Host here when he said, [Isaiah 1:9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.]
Before God sent fire down on Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed it for all its evil He waited until every believer had removed themselves from it. God, will not destroy His children, but He will destroy every evil nation that does not have His children on it. Regardless of what era we are born into, or what family, salvation has never been about following all the six hundred and thirteen commandments, and always about their faith in God. You know, it really was not the fact that Adam and Eve sinned that brought us the curse of death upon our soul, it was the fact that they lied about it, and then blamed someone else for it when He confronted them about it. Until we take responsibility for our actions and confess that we are sinners, Jesus, will not save us.
[Romans 10:1-6 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)]
[For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness] While Christ is the end of the Law for ones salvation, those who love and fear God want to live by faith, and that includes following His commands. This does not mean that we are not going to struggle with sin, or that temptation will never come, it does mean that when we do sin we are not bound to the Law or punished if we break one command. And His commands are not grievous when we love Him, [1 John 5:3-4 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.]
Still today, the majority of Jews despise Jesus and yet still follow the works of the Law, even though they do not offer up the sacrifices. Let me tell you, trillions upon trillions of people since creation believe in God, but they believe that their own works of righteousness is what saves them. We cannot become one of His children, nor be saved by our own righteousness. By the Jews rejecting Christ, salvation by grace was passed on to the Gentiles (Greeks).
[Romans 10:8-13 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.]
[For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:] Ones faith in God alone is what not only introducing them to Jesus, but also His Word. Those who are receptive to His Word will listen to it and follow it, and this was exactly what Israel’s problem was. They held to the books of the Law, but as for everything else written in His Word, they ignored it for two reasons. One; they could not understand it and two; they were blind to it, just like Jesus said, [Luke 8:10,15 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.]
This by no means means that no Jews can get saved or that Gentiles did not have the opportunity to get saved before Christ came in the flesh. This means that salvation by grace was now open for all who had some faith in God and was willing to hear what He had to say through His Word.
[Romans 10:17-21 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 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. 20 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. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.]
[First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy] This is what God said through Moses, [Deuteronomy 32:20-21 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. 21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.]
[Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them] This is what God said through Isaiah, [Isaiah 65:1-2 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. 2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;]
Do you see how we are all under the same rule, whether we are of the children of Israel or some stranger? It is time that we show them all Jesus, and not this watered down garbage that the world is showing them. Lying to the people and condoning every sin written in the Word of God is not the way to get people to come to Christ, they must know the truth. While God did choose Israel to be His people that does not mean that they are automatically saved from hell or are His. It does mean that He has cast them all off.
[Romans 11:1-5 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.]
[there is a remnant according to the election of grace.] God, is in no way going to cast away the very people that He started His covenant with. And they obviously ignore the fact that God would put His focus off them and turn to the Gentile believers who are grafted into the family of Israel.
[Romans 11:7-8,11-12 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?]
[God hath given them the spirit of slumber] Right now, most of the Jews do not understand that there is plenty of Scripture written in the books of the Law that point to Jesus. There will come a day when the Jews will recognize Jesus as the Messiah and receive Him as well, and that is when all of Israel will be saved, meaning all believers, both Jew and Gentile.
[Romans 11:15-18,21-23 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? 16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.]
[thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.] The Jews received no advantages from the Gentiles, but on the Gentiles did from the Jews, to whom were committed the oracles of God. The Gospel itself came out first from among the Jews, in fact, the first preachers of it were the Jews, who carried it into the Gentile world. Since the Gospel was introduced to the Jews it greatly succeeded to the conversion of many, who were brought into a Gospel church state, hence grafted in to the tree with the Jews.
[Romans 11:25-32 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.]
[until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.] Once Jesus returns, the Jews will recognize Jesus as the Messiah, and they too will be grafted back in. All of the branches will unite and become one tree. Just think about that, Jesus, said that He is the Vine, the second we receive Him as our Saviour we become a branch, grafted onto the Vine, becoming one with Him, [John 15:5-7 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for giving me life, and the life You have given me. It has not always been an easy life, but it is one that led me to Your Son. Thank You for giving me eternal life solely upon my faith in Your Son, I know there is nothing I could ever do on my own to receive the most important gift I will ever receive. There is something else You do that I find amazing when we call on Your Son as our Saviour, You recognize us as being Your sons and daughters. Amen! Lord, Being a part of Your family is so amazing, let me live the rest of my life here proclaiming Your Son, and showing the world that no matter what earthly family we come from, we who receive Your Son as our Saviour are one of Yours. I pray this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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