: A conversation I had last week just before our service began seemed important. Afterward, I thought is would be good for all of us to revisit the topic of the Jews as God’s chosen people. Then today, the Lord reminded me what to write about as I was reading the story of Zacchaeus the tax collector. If you know the story, you know that although he was not a Jew (he was a Roman), Zacchaeus got saved. Jesus invites Himself to dinner at Zacchaeus’ house. During the dinner, Zacchaeus is overcome by the love of Jesus and God’s grace to him. He gives half of his wealth to the poor, and repents to those he has cheated in their taxes. To this, Jesus replies, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham” Luke 19:9.
We do not want to miss that Jesus called Zacchaeus, “A son of Abraham.” This is a reference to the promise God made to Abram in Genesis 15:5, “He took him outside and said, ‘Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them,’ Then He said, ‘So shall your offspring be.’” God’s promise to Abram is spiritual. God was proclaiming that all true believers would be born of faith in God’s Messiah—the One who was to come. The Bible records Abram’s response: “Abram believed the Lord, and his faith was credited as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6. Shortly thereafter, God changed his name to Abraham—a sign that he had been “born again.”
From God’s point of view, Abraham is the first man of faith. All believers who come after him are said to be of the same faith, and therefore Abraham is referred to as our father. It is a spiritual reference to God’s work to save souls and build His church over the centuries. The “stars” God pointed out to Abram are individual souls appointed to salvation since the beginning of time: too many to count.
The fact that Jesus said Zacchaeus was a “son of Abraham” should tell you that God’s promise to Abrahm was NEVER about the physical nation of Israel. Before the beginning of time, Zacchaeus’ soul was lost to Satan’s dominion through the lie of self, selfishness, and self-righteousness. God wanted his soul back. The day that Jesus invited Himself to dinner was the day Zacchaeus’ soul was retuned to God through faith.
Every promise God ever made to the nation of Israel was fulfilled in the Old Testament. For His own name’s sake, God kept His promises although the Jews were unfaithful. They never ceased to reject His sovereignty, or to resist His calls to repentance and rest. By the time Jesus comes on the scene in Matthew’s Gospel, God is completely done with Israel as a nation. He owes them nothing. Regarding them, Paul tells us that just because someone is a physical descendant of Abraham, God does not consider him a son of Abraham. He goes on to write, “In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.” Romans 9:8
Listen! A son of Abraham is someone who has been born again through faith in Jesus Christ. This has ALWAYS been God’s definition. He has never changed it. Likewise, He uses the word “Jew” as a spiritual term for a true believer. “Israel” is a word He uses to refer to His church, whenever He is speaking of spiritual matters and the saving of souls. But regarding the nation He said through Jeremaiah, “So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them…for I will not listen.” Jeremiah 7:16.
Certainly, there is much that I could write about why the nation of Israel is called, “God’s chosen people” in the Old Testament, but it is sufficient to say that they never accepted that title; they refused to believe. But God knew this beforehand. That is why I tell you His promise to Abraham was ALWAYS spiritual. I will continue with this topic next week. Praise God!
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