Chapter Two

 The Saved Abrahamic Seed Group:
The Nation Within The Nation With Gentiles Engrafted

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 In the Old Testament God made promises to Israel as a nation which were in reality promises made to individuals within the nation.  Concerning the promises as a nation, The Abrahamic Covenant promised land and blessing.  "Blessing" translates a Hebrew word which includes healing, prosperity, well-being for families in addition to salvation.  The Deuteronomic Covenant picks up the promise of land from the Abrahamic Covenant and explains it more fully.  The Davidic Covenant picks up the promise of seed from The Abrahamic Covenant and explains that aspect of it more fully along with the idea of "throne", "kingdom" and "house".  The New Covenant more fully describes all the above which originates from The Abrahamic Covenant.

 But, within the nation of Israel and within the national promises made to Israel as a nation, there were individuals which made up the nation.  As such, individuals were responsible for themselves within the broader framework of the nation and their national promises.  As such, individuals within the Nation of Israel could lose their Abrahamic blessings of healing, prosperity, well-being for their families in addition to their soul's salvation while the nation as a whole maintained their blessings.  Deuteronomy 29:18-21 teaches this to us.

 Deuteronomy 29:18-21

18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;

19 And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:

20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.

21 And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:

 Notice the words "man" and "woman" in verse 18.  These are individuals.  In verse 19 "he" is used twice.  This is an individual.  Look at the words "him", "his" and "man" in verse 20.  These are individuals.  See the word "him" in verse 21.  This is an individual. Notice also in verse 21 that the individual "him" is separated from the nation unto the evil contained in the "Curse of The Law".

 For the explanation of what this individual faces under the Curse of The Law, See Chapter One.

 The responsibility and the outcome of the individual's obedience to Moses' Law is also described in Leviticus 18:5.

 Leviticus 18:5

5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

 Notice very closely the words "man" and "he" in this verse.  These words represent individuals, Although the nation is spoken to here, the nation is composed of individuals who must be obedient as an individual.  In other words, "individuals" within the nation were blessed or cursed according to their keeping of Moses' Law.

 The Apostle Paul taught this very same thing. He quotes the preceding verse (Leviticus 18:5) in Romans 10:5.

 Romans 10:5

5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

 Paul also taught this same thing in Galatians 3:10-12.

 Galatians 3:10-12

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.

11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

 Look at the expression "as many as" in verse 10.  This speaks of individuals.  Now notice his use of the word "man" in verse 11 and again in verse 12.  In both verses, Paul is speaking of an individual.  Any way you slice it, individuals within the nation of Israel were responsible for themselves as individual Israelites.  As an individual, they could move out from under the Abrahamic Blessing umbrella into the Curse of the Law because of their disobedience and their failure to sacrifice properly while the nation as a whole enjoyed their Abrahamic blessings.

 This concept of individual responsibility brings us to "The Doctrine of The Remnant".  (See my books, What've They Done With Abraham's Blessings? and The Unbroken Force of Abraham’s Blessings)  As the centuries rolled by, those who kept Moses' Law by sacrificing properly became a small minority.  These were the saved of Abraham's seed.  Those who did not sacrifice properly when they sinned were as lost as any heathen Gentile that ever lived.  Those who sacrificed properly to maintain the blessings of Abraham were the "spiritual Israel" within the nation of Israel.  This "Remnant" of saved Members of the Abrahamic Seed Group grew smaller and smaller through the passing of time and had almost disappeared by the time Jesus began His ministry.

 During Elijah's ministry the Remnant seemed to number only 7000 people.  During Isaiah's ministry the remnant was "very small".  Later it became even smaller.  Esther, Mordecai, Ezekiel, Daniel, the three Hebrew children, Ezra, Nehemiah and their small group seems to have been it.  When Jesus began to preach, John the Baptist, Simeon, Anna, the Disciples and possibly a hand full of others were about all the saved Jews one could find.  All these sacrificed properly when they sinned and maintained the blessings of Abraham without interruption.  From the above discussion, we can readily see the Bible makes a division within the nation of Israel, distinguishing the saved Remnant from the unsaved nation of Israel.  In other words, just because one Jew sinned and did not sacrifice properly, the whole nation did not go to Hell as a result of it anymore than all of Christendom goes to Hell because one Christian sins.

 The Apostle Paul observes this distinction also.  In Romans 9:6-8, he points out that being a physical Jew does not make one a child of God.

 Romans 9:6-8

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.

 Then, in Romans 9:27-29 he quotes the Old Testament prophets concerning the Remnant being saved out of the children of Israel who were as numerous as the sand of the sea.

 Romans 9:27-29

27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

29 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.

 Next, in Romans 11:1-7, he declares that even as he was writing the book of Romans, "there is a remnant according to the election of grace."  (We call this remnant Christian Jews and say they are members of the Christian church.)  He said that Israel (the nation) had not obtained what they sought for, but the election (remnant) did.

 Romans 11:1-7

1 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.

6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

 The Remnant of Abraham's Seed in the passage above (Romans 11:1-7) are those Jews who recognized and received Jesus as the final sacrifice for sin under Moses' Law.  They accepted Him as their Messiah and their Savior.  We call them Christians.  They compose what we now call the church.  They are, however, still the saved of the Abrahamic Seed Group which has been in existence since way back in Old Testament history.

 The question now is what is the relationship of Gentile Christians to this group?  Previously we asserted that Gentile Christians are also members of the Abrahamic Seed Group. (See this author's book, What Are Abraham's Blessings Anyway?)  Paul recognizes this and declares that Gentile Christians are simply grafted into the Jewish Remnant because Jesus did the six previously mentioned things to the Law that enabled the Gentiles to come into the Abrahamic Blessing System.  He explains this fully in Romans 11:17-22.

 Romans 11:17-22

17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted 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.

19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

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.

 When we Gentile Christians are grafted into the Jewish Remnant, there is from that time forward no difference between us saved Gentiles and the saved Jewish remnant.  See the our book, The Unbroken Force of Abraham's Blessings).  Paul explains this carefully in Romans 10:12-13.

 Romans 10:12-13

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.

 But Paul doesn't stop here.  He goes on to explain that the day will come at the end of the Tribulation Period that all Israel (the nation) will be saved en masse in accordance with Zechariah's prophecy.  He shares this with us in Romans 11:26-29.

Romans 11:26-29

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.

 He bases his claim that all Israel (national) will be saved on Zechariah 12:10-13:1.  This passage exclaims that all national Israel will be saved en masse at the end of the Tribulation period.

 Zechariah 12:10-14

10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;

13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;

14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

 Zechariah 13:1-2

1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

 When this happens, Israel as a nation will be grafted back into their own olive tree which is The Abrahamic Covenant.  Paul declares this truth for us in Romans 11:23-24.

 Romans 11:23-24

23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

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