Our foundational scripture from the beginning of our ministry has been:
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Rom. 1:16
The next verse continues: "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."
The gospel is for the Jew first, and then the Gentile. The faith by which we live, and through which the gospel is revealed, is a Jewish faith.
Although we at Everlasting Covenant have taught the feasts of the LORD and the Old Testament as often as we have taught the New Testament, many in the Church have not. The corruption we have seen in Church teachings comes because of separation from those Jewish roots of faith and scripture. The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. Paul taught this foundational principle:
"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. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew..." Rom. 11:1-2
Regarding the point that the Jew fell because they were blinded concerning the gospel, Paul explained that this is in no way meant by the prophesied plan of God to remain a permanent condition, because of the very holiness of the root from which the Jews were called:
"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? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches." v. 15-16
The "lump" referred to above is like a lump of dough. The holy first fruit was mixed into the dough, as flour and water are mixed together, creating a new substance that has become holy. Paul continues to describe the holiness of Israel as original branches of a tree, and then believing Gentiles, the added branches of the tree which was made holy because of its holy root. Everything that grew out of that holy root was deemed holy. We don't support the root, but that root supports us, and makes us holy (v. 17-18). Like Israel, we are only holy as long as we are connected to that holy root. What was that holy first fruit that made the dough holy, and the holy root that made the tree holy? We are given this scripture:
"He (God) hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout (teruah- blowing of the trumpet, alarm, signal, shout, battle-cry, acclamation of joy) of a king is among them." Num. 23:21 (see also
1 Thess. 4:16)
"He (God) hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout (teruah- blowing of the trumpet, alarm, signal, shout, battle-cry, acclamation of joy) of a king is among them." Num. 23:21 (see also
1 Thess. 4:16)
The same reason that prevented Balaam from cursing Israel, the reason that Israel was seen as holy and without fault, is because the holy God, and the victorious King of Resurrection were mixed among them, and in them from their beginning.
Paul taught that the spiritual blindness came upon the Jew for our benefit. That blindness would be "until the fulnes of the Gentiles be come in." (v. 25). We are seeing that fullness come to pass as Israel takes control of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. According to Jesus, these current events in Jerusalem signal the time of the fullness of the Gentiles:
"...Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Lk. 21:24
Paul wrote that we were not to be haughty regarding our faith versus the Jew. God can remove old branches, graft in or remove new branches, or restore the previously removed old branches at will. We are not to be ignorant either, assuming that Israel will remain separated from its holy root, because God has promised: "All Israel shall be saved." (Rom. 11:26). In another place, God has promised Israel and us:
"For this is my covenant unto them (Jacob), when I shall take away their sins." (v. 27). Reminding us, "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." (v. 29).
In saying this, Paul was referring to the Old Testament scripture which said:
"God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Num. 23:19
Considering all of these things, including our dependence and reliance upon the holy root of the Jewish faith, Paul continues, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." (Rom. 12:1). We are not to be conformed to the world, but, in accordance with this holy root, and holy tree into which we have been grafted by the mercy of God, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
God told the Jewish prophets to write down the vision and the words He gave them, so these promises would be easily read by those who look. These written words, including the promises of God for salvation, preserved faithfully by the Jews, is how we were able to come to faith (Hab. 2:1-4).
Jesus told those who listened, religious experts who knew the scriptures, that the scriptures they searched testified of Him. Jesus told them that Moses wrote of Him. Moses wrote of the blood of the Passover Lamb that would deliver from death all who applied it. Jesus said that if we didn't believe Moses' words, we would not believe His words, either (Jn. 5:38-47). It is these words of the Old, faithfully written and kept, that were revealed fully in the New when John the Baptist declared of Jesus, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world." (Jn. 1:29).
The Old Testament was a pattern of salvation that bore fruit when Peter and John preached in the Book of Acts, and thousands of Jews were saved. They recognized the Jesus the disciples preached as fulfilling the pattern they knew so well. Jesus was revealed to them as the Mediator of a better covenant, with better promises (Heb. 8:5-6).
As with Abraham, who was deemed righteous because he believed God, our hearing of the word of God, must be mixed with faith, with belief, to bear fruit. With that same kind of holy faith, we enter into the rest of God, into the works that were finished from the foundation of the world (Heb. 4:1-3).
The very first words given to us by God, and recorded in Hebrew throughout the generations that followed, "In the beginning, God..." revealed the salvation promise of God: "Bereshiet (pictographically- the Son of God crushed, His hand on a cross) Elohim aleph tav..." (God, the Alpha and the Omega), has testified of the finished work of Christ from before the beginning. Our faith has not changed since the Jews first made record of the oracles of God. That Jewish faith into which we have been adopted, grows from a holy root.
*The above is based upon the 5/19/19 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson.
To Contact/Submit prayer requests/Support the ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH":
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
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Dr. Stevenson's newest book is now available:
God told the Jewish prophets to write down the vision and the words He gave them, so these promises would be easily read by those who look. These written words, including the promises of God for salvation, preserved faithfully by the Jews, is how we were able to come to faith (Hab. 2:1-4).
Jesus told those who listened, religious experts who knew the scriptures, that the scriptures they searched testified of Him. Jesus told them that Moses wrote of Him. Moses wrote of the blood of the Passover Lamb that would deliver from death all who applied it. Jesus said that if we didn't believe Moses' words, we would not believe His words, either (Jn. 5:38-47). It is these words of the Old, faithfully written and kept, that were revealed fully in the New when John the Baptist declared of Jesus, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world." (Jn. 1:29).
The Old Testament was a pattern of salvation that bore fruit when Peter and John preached in the Book of Acts, and thousands of Jews were saved. They recognized the Jesus the disciples preached as fulfilling the pattern they knew so well. Jesus was revealed to them as the Mediator of a better covenant, with better promises (Heb. 8:5-6).
As with Abraham, who was deemed righteous because he believed God, our hearing of the word of God, must be mixed with faith, with belief, to bear fruit. With that same kind of holy faith, we enter into the rest of God, into the works that were finished from the foundation of the world (Heb. 4:1-3).
The very first words given to us by God, and recorded in Hebrew throughout the generations that followed, "In the beginning, God..." revealed the salvation promise of God: "Bereshiet (pictographically- the Son of God crushed, His hand on a cross) Elohim aleph tav..." (God, the Alpha and the Omega), has testified of the finished work of Christ from before the beginning. Our faith has not changed since the Jews first made record of the oracles of God. That Jewish faith into which we have been adopted, grows from a holy root.
*The above is based upon the 5/19/19 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson.
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
http://endtimeschool.com/
To watch/hear Dr. Stevenson's complete message:
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.
To order "NAZAH": https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8 http://endtimeschool.com/
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