Gen 12:3b; Gal 3:8,9
Commentary on Deut 11:26 – 16:17; Is 54:11- 55:5
Topic: “…the Gospel preached beforehand to ABRAHAM…”
Gen 12:3b; Gal 3:8,9
“Verily, verily (truly, truly) your father Abraham (who was also a prophet) rejoiced to SEE My DAY (as would the prophet, king David, later – Ps 110:1,4; Is 55:1-3; Acts 13:34) : and he SAW it and was glad…before Abraham existed, I Am”
Jn 8:56,58
Amazing how 2024 and the calculation of every foregoing year since that “Day” (Atonement and Resurrection) which Abraham saw, is due to the Sacrifice of the “Seed” for Whom the Land, covenanted to Abraham, was made an inheritance forever (Gen 13:15; 17:8; Matt 11:27; Gal 3:16).
So there’s more common cause, more explanatory bond between the Gospel and the Hebrew Scriptures, than is ever advertised by most pulpits, to their detriment and shame, and to the detriment of their followers (1 Tim 4:16; 2 Peter 3:16-18).
For anyone to imagine that the Torah (rock [fem.] of wisdom) does NOT have the pre-eminence (as the foundation of Yeshua’s teachings – Matt 7:24,28,29; Acts 24:14), authority, range, capacity and the power to reprove, correct doctrine, eliminate error, increase knowledge of God and His everlasting covenant, and thereby refine understanding of the Gospel and New Covenant which is often SUPERFICIAL and thereby misleading when taught ONLY from the New Testament, makes a fundamental error of judgment (Rom 3:20b; 15:4; 1 Cor 10; 2 Tim 3:14-17).
For example, Rom 10:9-13 is an abridgement of Deut 11:26-32 AND not just 30:14-20, but ALL of Deut 30, which like 2 Jn vs 5&6 (which is taken from Deut 30:10,11), require that we always consult the ROOT CONTEXTS to discern what the Spirit is intending to communicate IN FULL, about behaviour which, for us to be “wholly sanctified” (1 Thess 5:23), needs to be in keeping with our confession of faith in the Messiah (Acts 26:18,20), as LORD (Master), not just as Saviour (Jn 5:24; 8:51; Rom 10:9)
Using that as a point of entry into this week’s Portion, which we can be certain will show us things the church hasn’t taken as seriously as it should, such as meticulous management of holy time and resources (Deut 14:22-29; 15); the purging of all trace of idolatry and harlotry as in Deut 12:2,3,8,30b-32; 13:16-18; and/or has long since rejected (such as the prudent dietary definitions of edible food, to keep us healthy, as in Deut 14; and the Appointments of perpetual holy traditions in Deut 16), let’s further consider the above allegation that the New Testament Books are insufficient (not in their length and content, but for breadth of understanding) to fully illuminate the Mind of Christ and will of God to us, and therefore, without proper attention to the 75% of the Bible from which the Gospel was originally proclaimed and taught, but which most Christians generally de-emphasize, FALL SHORT, without detailed cross-referencing of the Torah and the Prophets, OF THE INSTRUCTION we need in order to know what WHOLEHEARTED CONSECRATION entails (Deut 6:4,5; 12:28; 13:4; Mk 12:28-32).
So let’s look at another case, by considering the far-reaching impact of comprehensive understanding of the mystery of GALATIANS 3:8,9, which can only be gleaned from seamless study of the full counsel of God’s Word.
As you read this, keep in mind that it was the same Paul who wrote Rom 2:13-27 (Paul boasting in instinctive Gentile observance of God’s laws, versus Jewish hypocrisy) AND Rom 11:11b (reminding us of our call to “provoke the Jew to envy”) so as not to “boast against the natural branches” (Rom 11:18), through willing obedience to the righteousness of the law being fulfilled in us by the Spirit, to prove that being saved by grace through the Blood of the “Messiah our (and their) Passover” has made overcoming sin (which is transgression of the law – 1 Jn 3:3,4) a delightful holy vocation because in Christ, the yoke of heaven’s commandments has been made easy, because of the enabling power of His indwelling Spirit acting on souls now inclined to want to walk in the light, to be AS HE IS (Matt 11:29,30; Lk 6:40; Rom 2:13-16; 6:12-22; 7:22,25; 8:4-14; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 4:17; 5:3).
The Gospel pre-announced to Abram BEFORE he became Abraham, affirming that salvation in Abraham’s Seed, the Messiah, is by adoption in the household of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Gen 12:3; 28:14; Lk 1:33; Eph 2:11,12), is the MEANS for fulfilment and consummation of the LORD’s overarching vision of Zion.
Zion is the vision of Jerusalem perfected in Christ and Israel as a nation thereby raised to its ideal, impeccable, more glorious “latter House” state, as “heirs of the world” in Christ, destined to again be noble “Yesurun” (‘Jacob,’ excelling in mercy and truth) upon restoration of the throne of the kingdom of David and Solomon to Jerusalem – Deut 32:10-18; 33:26-29; Is 9:6,7; 44:1-3; Jer 33:14-26; Micah 4:8; Mk 11:10; Acts 1:6,7, by the perfection of the beauty of holiness in a chaste virgin remnant, through the Gospel (Ps 50:2,5,23; Jer 31:4,31-36; Haggai 2:7-9; Lk 1:33; 2 Cor 7:1; 11:2; Heb 12:14,28; 1 Peter 1:13-17)
In Gal 3:8,9, Paul is not only defining the IDENTITY of the church as the forever Hebrew ‘kahal/ekklesia'(“general assembly and church,” originating as the household of “Abram the Hebrew”) of the House of Jacob the firstborn (Gen 14:13; Ex 4:22,23; Lk 1:33; Eph 2:11,12; Heb 12:23; Rev 21:12), but is describing the mutual and reciprocal KINGDOM OBLIGATIONS of Jews and Gentiles once justified by faith for adoption as the believing remnant of the Israel of God, as regenerated seed of Abraham (Rom 3:31; 11:17-29; Gal 3:29; 6:16)
Peter, who along with his joint-leaders of the Jerusalem mother- church, James and John, who all together were first to receive Paul, to hear, PEER-REVIEW and confirm Paul’s Gospel (Gal 1:11,12; 2:1-9), sternly warns us to be vigilant, to take a decisive stand against those who “twist” (“wrest; torture”) Paul’s words, to describe, publish and proclaim a different gospel, especially by distortion of PROFOUND passages like Gal 3:8,9 that require deep understanding by careful application of the Berean test, for Scripture to explain itself (Acts 17:11; 2 Peter 3:16-18).
Profound, because in effect, as we’ll see, Gal 3:8,9 is describing the Gospel as the ‘bridge’ between the constitution at Sinai, of Israel as YHWH’s elect holy nation and church Ex 19:5-8; 24:7,8; Acts 7:38, and the assimilation of a “mixed multitude” (now including us) as an elect remnant from the nations, to THEIR (the House of Jacob’s) mission and calling as YHWH’s witnesses (Is 43:1-11; 44:1-8), and therefore to THEIR nation and its commonwealth (Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:6), through THEIR church, as described in 1 Peter 2:1,9,10, which fully explains Rom 11 and Eph 2:11-19; 3:1-10.
Peter confirms that the purpose of the church in being YHWH’s witnesses to save a remnant of humanity, is actually to help ‘rebuild fallen virgin Israel’ in Christ (Jer 31:4 through Rom 11:11,31), to prepare a virgin bride consisting of both Jews and Gentiles, to make the “great (and mighty) nation” promised to Abram in Gen 12:2,3 and 18:18,19 (in which all the nations will be blessed in him and his Seed) the HOLY nation of prophecy (Ex 19:5-8; 1 Peter 2:9,10; Rev 5:9,10), for Israel to fulfil its destiny as “the holy people” (Is 62:11,12) as witnesses forever to the One God’s Majesty, and to the incomparable wisdom of His laws, as the full and final assurance of hope for enduring personal and national well-being, as a faithful remnant of mankind’s ULTIMATE REALITY (Deut 4:5-8; Is 2:2-4; 60-62).
What is so powerful about Gal 3:8,9 is its highlighting of the fact that there is no redemption to be found OUTSIDE the ‘ark’ of the church of the dynastic household of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, strategically named the House of Jacob (the name Jacob RETAINED over Israel – Is 66:22, to represent our ongoing wrestling for perfection through the process of sanctification, as overcomers) with which the Kingdom of heaven is becoming synonomous, as the household of YHWH, as our sanctification more and more closely resembles Yeshua’s sanctification by the Truth (Haggai 2:7-9; Matt 8:11,12; 24:34-37; Jn 17:17,19; Lk 1:33; Rom 15:16-18; 2 Cor 3:18; Eph 2:19).
Isaiah 51:1-11, a snapshot of the call of Abraham and of his purpose as progenitor of the people of Zion, teaches us that acceptance of “everlasting salvation” with Israel (Is 45:17-25), is acceptance of heaven’s mandate to learn, know and “follow after righteousness” by learning Instruction (Torah) to skilfully apply the laws of God as righteous Abraham did to lay hold on eternal life (Gen 26:5; 1 Tim 6:11-14; 2 Tim 2:5,15), to be proficient in the Way of YHWH (verses 1,4,6,7,11), OR WE ARE NOT OF THE SAME VOCATION (to “go and sin no more” – Jn 8:11,12) AND FAITH AS FAITHFUL ABRAHAM (Eph 4:5).
Deeply implicit in Gal 3:8,9’s offer of life to Gentiles through justification by faith, is the blessing in Gen 12:3; 22:18 and 27:29 promised to the nations for attending to the two-fold Gentile debt of comfort and mercy to the Jew, which is to
1) reciprocate for SPIRITUAL blessings received, by both praying for them and helping meet their MATERIAL needs (Ps 122:6-9; Rom 11:31; 15:27; 1 Cor 16:1-4; 2 Cor 8&9 see Amplified Bible);
AND
2) to “provoke them to envy” of our relationship with their God (which they know ultimately rests on our faithfulness to cleave to Him by keeping covenant) through OUR zeal to master the “right ways” “(ma’agalei tzedek” : paths of righteousness) of Torah, by the Spirit (Matt 5:17-19; 6:9,10; Rom 3:31; 8:4-14; 2 Tim 2:5,11) as proof that Jesus is the Messiah, because Jewry know that their Messiah couldn’t possibly be anyone other than the champion of the Torah and the Prophets, because they are the plumbline of all truth (Ps 23:3; Matt 5:19; Acts 24:14; Rom 2:6-26; 3:31; 11:11).
Included in the second part of our obligations (above) to Israel as our adopting nation, is acknowledgment and advocacy of their Scriptural Land boundaries (e.g. Gen 17:8; Nu 23:9; Deut 1-3; Ezek 47:13-23), because the holy border of Israel is both an inalienable covenant of PROMISE to the holy-nation-designate (Ex 19:5-8; Ps 105:6-11; Eph 2:12; 1 Peter 2:9,10) AND law for the church, because YHWH’s everlasting land covenant with Abraham, confirmed through Moses and Jesus (Gen 12:1-7; 13:15; 15:4-21; 17:8; Ex 6:2-9; Rom 15:8) is “a law to Jacob (and to his seed forever),” which includes us by adoption (Gen 28:13,14; Ps 105:10; Lk 1:33).
Jacob who, having seen the Angel of YHWH face to face, became the prince before YHWH (Gen 32:24,28,30), is amongst the great cloud of witnesses, no doubt monitoring our allegiance to his House, which as Abraham’s household, is the “household of God,” “the same body” into which we’ve been taken to be “one fold,” as members of the everlasting covenant as seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Is 29:22-24; Matt 8:11,12; Lk 1:33; Jn 10:16; Eph 2:11,12,15,19; 3:6; Heb 13:20,21).
Furthermore, our being willing to lay down OUR lives for the reputation of this one-and-only Messiah and God His Father; and for the saving grace of this, ISRAEL’s Gospel (Besorah Tovah) of sanctification under grace, in order not to offend and profane the Name and holiness of the God Who was and is Jacob’s Helper (Ps 146:5; Jn 4:22; Rom 9:4,5; Heb 10:10,12-14; 12:14,28), will doubtless help accelerate Jewish salvation by destroying the enmity and resistance which the ill-reputation of a different gospel and its different Jesus (caused by OUR enmity towards God by resisting Torah study – Rom 8:6,7; 2 Tim 3:14-17) has built up over generations, hindering them from running into Yeshua’s Arms of love to experience the fullness of Deity (Eph 3:16-21).
The prejudiced, partial, modified, inaccurate, incomplete, uncircumspect gospel that more often than not monopolizes the pulpit, is creating a ‘perfect storm,’ for exclusion from the spotless and holy bride, of those who do not “know righteousness” because their hearts are NOT “in His law” because they act as if it were “abolished” by contradicting Yeshua (Is 51:6b,7; Matt 5:17-19), and crippled by false doctrine, subvert their souls by excusing themselves from the sanctifying work of the Spirit by not searching out and braving the narrow path by which to attain the crown of righteousness, to enter life (Matt 7:13-27; 2 Tim 4:3-8).
We are to study Torah to “fully know doctrine,” to be holy, to be “made wise for consummation of salvation” (2 Tim 3:10,4-17; Heb 12:14), because Torah (in conjunction with the Prophets) constantly reiterates the fact that the blessing and the curse are a reality, necessitating relationship with the Father by “cleaving” to Him in obedience (Deut 13:4) to produce fruit of obedience to all His will, as proof of repentance (Acts 26:18,20), to keep the curse at bay.
We deceive ourselves if we think that Friendship with God is conferred on those who cheapen the cost of salvation by misrepresenting the SCOPE of grace in its complete relation to faith AND law, necessary to conform us to the image of the LORD to be recignized by Him (Jn 15:3-15; Rom 2:13; 3:20; 8:4,29; 1 Tim 1:8-11; Heb 12:14,15,28; James 2:21-26)
As it is written:
“Wherefore we, receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, LET US HAVE GRACE whereby we may serve God ACCEPTABLY, with REVERENCE and GODLY FEAR” (Is 8:13,14,16,20; Mal 1:6; Heb 12:28, compare Acts 10:35; Rom 12:1,2; 15:16-18; 2 Cor 5:9-11; Phil 2:12-15; 1 Peter 1:13-17; Rev 14:6,12)
We dare not “fail” THAT provision of mercy and grace to eventually physically SEE the LORD (Heb 12:14,15; 1 Peter 1:13-17; 1 Jn 2:28,29; 4:17; Jude vs 21).
Why?
Because we’re learning that the “HEAVENLY VISION (received by Paul directly from Yeshua, and which underlies Gal 3:8,9 and) to which Paul was NOT DISOBEDIENT” (Acts 26:15-19), was Paul’s teaching of the “fellowship of the MYSTERY of the Messiah” in Eph 3 and Col 1, that the PREMISS (presupposition) of the “one new man” (Eph 2:15; 3:6) which is the MEANS by which the great Kingdom vision of Zion (Jerusalem/Israel) as the perfection of beauty will be accomplished (Ps 50:2), is that both Jew and Gentile (justified by faith) in the “one (Hebrew) fold” (Is 49:5-8; 55:5; 56:1-8; Eph 2:15; 3:6), “set apart for inheritance amongst them that are SANCTIFIED BY FAITH…”, are to UNIFY and maintain the UNITY of the House of Jacob, and thereby the FULLNESS OF THE BLESSING of the Gospel upon the House of Jacob, as its heirs (Ps 133:1), by keeping “THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT” by keeping “the unity of the (one) faith” (1 Cor 1:10; Eph 4:3,5,13-15) by magnifying sound doctrine by magnifying Torah to make it honoured by obedience to the faith, for “Christ in us the hope of glory” to be fulfilled as “Israel My glory,” as Israel’s co-heirs (Haggai 2:7-9; Is 42:21; 46:13; Lk 2:32; Rom 1:5; 3:31; Eph 4:5,11-14,23,24; Col 1:27).
True Christianity is on an entirely different level, intellectually, because only the Mind of Christ could have conceived such a Plan (Is 64:4; 1 Cor 2:7-16).
Thank You Father, in Yeshua’s Name, for the revolution in revelation You always stand ready to share with those who labour in Torah to learn to appreciate the nuances of Your thinking, committed to “making Your Name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Thy Presence,” by serving the need for final reformation (Is 64:1-5; Jer 16:19; 2 Thess 2:3; 2 Tim 4:3).
