How to interpret the Old Testament/covenant?

[Marilyn C]

On ‎7‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 12:40 PM, Tyler S. said:

As the church of gentile Christians living in the ministry of Paul, how should we interpret and keep the Old Testament/covenant? I see many songs and preachers nowadays valiantly proclaiming such encouraging verses as, for example, Exodus 14:14 or Lamentations 3:21-24 to ease peoples mind and praise the lord. If the Old Testament/covenant was written to the Israelite Jews...then how can many of us today, as Christians of the church age, use these verses to worship and encourage and ease minds if these promises were never meant or written to US? Thanks for any advice or responses!

Hi Tyler,

Pleased to meet you and look into this interesting and very now topic.

What comes to mind is that God`s truths are eternal - eg. His mercy, His compassion, His faithfulness, etc (Lam. 3: 22 & 23). Thus said then we need to realise what purpose of God we are involved in, (Nations, Israel, or Body of Christ). God never changes, however the context of His plans is important.

The big error people have when reading Gods word is that it is all about us. No, it is all for us to read and learn from but it is NOT all ABOUT us. That is what is happening in most of men`s religious organisations - all about us, take your pick, but leave out the yukky bits, (which Jayne described very well).

God`s word actually is all about the Lord, foreshadow, foreseen, foreknown, foretold......and manifested on earth, and then through His Body and finally presented in all His glory in the heavenly realms.

regards, Marilyn. 

[JohnKing67]

Maybe the people using those verses think they have some "universal truth" to them that applies to God's people, of which we can all now be considered God's people when we are saved.

Edited August 10, 2018 by JohnKing67

[Blood Bought 1953]

On 7/22/2018 at 3:52 AM, Marilyn C said:

Hi Tyler,

Pleased to meet you and look into this interesting and very now topic.

What comes to mind is that God`s truths are eternal - eg. His mercy, His compassion, His faithfulness, etc (Lam. 3: 22 & 23). Thus said then we need to realise what purpose of God we are involved in, (Nations, Israel, or Body of Christ). God never changes, however the context of His plans is important.

The big error people have when reading Gods word is that it is all about us. No, it is all for us to read and learn from but it is NOT all ABOUT us. That is what is happening in most of men`s religious organisations - all about us, take your pick, but leave out the yukky bits, (which Jayne described very well).

God`s word actually is all about the Lord, foreshadow, foreseen, foreknown, foretold......and manifested on earth, and then through His Body and finally presented in all His glory in the heavenly realms.

regards, Marilyn. 

 Great, insightful post......I have heard it put this way which I think you will agree with...”The entire Bible was written FOR us, but the entire Bible was not written TO us”...........God bless

[Billiards Ball]

On 7/14/2018 at 12:40 AM, Tyler S. said:

As the church of gentile Christians living in the ministry of Paul, how should we interpret and keep the Old Testament/covenant? I see many songs and preachers nowadays valiantly proclaiming such encouraging verses as, for example, Exodus 14:14 or Lamentations 3:21-24 to ease peoples mind and praise the lord. If the Old Testament/covenant was written to the Israelite Jews...then how can many of us today, as Christians of the church age, use these verses to worship and encourage and ease minds if these promises were never meant or written to US? Thanks for any advice or responses!

The whole Bible contains goodies and truth for all Christians. However, there are Bible sections written to/toward:

*Unsaved Jewish people

*Unsaved Gentile people

*Saved Jews and Gentiles

We learn not to commit suicide when we read about the difficulties posed by the three persons who committed suicide in the OT, but we don't "learn how to obey to commit suicide." Think of the Bible, like other books, you learn from the good and bad, but don't imitate the bad.

[RevelationWriter]

On ‎7‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 12:59 AM, Neighbor said:

Hi,

Zola Levitt told the story  of a pastor about to introduce him to the congregation where Zola was invited to speak as a guest. The pastor about to speak to the congregation from the pulpit  his introduction of Zola, turned to Zola and as an aside asked; "Just what do they call your people?"  Zola  stated; "They used to call us Christians."

With that, may I suggest that whether one is Jew by birth or not a Christian is a Christian and not a gentile Christian nor a Jewish Christian.  "We" are one in Christ Jesus.

The Bible is not two separate books, but instead is one reveal of Jesus who is God, Lord, and savior by whom all that has been created has been made, and that nothing that has been created exists that has not been by Jesus. The Bible is inspired by God, written by perhaps 50 different human authors under the inspired guidance of God the Holy Spirit over a long time period of many hundreds and a few thousands of years, meshing in it's message perfectly under inspiration of God.

The New Testament flows out of the Old Testament it does not stand alone. Without the Old Testament the New has no foundation on which to stand. Our Lord  Jesus spoke only the Bible He read and He spoke to Jews who knew the Bible. All his talks and sermons quote the Old Testament which did not include any of the writings of Paul James Matthew Peter etc. It contained no accounting of Acts, no circular messages to the Churches, and no Book of Revelation. Without the old Testament the very record of sermons in the new testament recorded as being made by Jesus make  little sense, as He addressed- Jews. He came for  Jew first. Gentiles are grafted in, but are not a replacement for Israel nor for the Jew.   And neither is the New testament.

The greatest revival, the largest revival, is yet to come and it will have 144,000 of the finest Jewish salesmen ever known; all telling of the Lord Jesus and turning all of Israel to repentance and accepting knowledge of Jesus as Lord.

The Bible is not two books, it is one reveal (of Jesus). It is in it's entirety the word of God containing the full armor of Christianity for the soldier of Christ Jesus to learn, wear, and through which, to make application of that which God wills for His children to know to applying all that each Child of God does to God's praise and to His Glory alone.

Praise God for His mercy and grace by which any that are saved out from the curse of our sin nature due to the sin by Adam to be found acceptable, washed white as snow in the sight of God by the shed blood of Jesus and therefore fully perfected and acceptable  to be with God eternally.

All of the Bible is meant for "us".

 

- Zola also taught that only Israel would be 'The Lamb's Wife'.

- Matt.19:28 - Jesus also told His 12 Apostles that

in the Regeneration (1,000 yrs) they will sit on 12 Thrones Judging The 12 Tribes Of Israel (144,000).

And John saw Thrones and Judgment was Committed to them - Rev.20:4

- The only time Jesus and His Disciples spoke of Scripture is when they were referring to what The Prophets Of God said.

Edited August 15, 2018 by RevelationWriter

[RevelationWriter]

 I see many Pastors stand and profess things by The God Of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

When not one time did Jesus ever refer His Disciples to The God of someone else: as to The God Of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Instead, Jesus referred His Disciples His Father and to His God.

Edited August 15, 2018 by RevelationWriter

[Neighbor]

27 minutes ago, RevelationWriter said:

Zola also taught that only Israel would be 'The Lamb's Wife'.

 

No Zola did not teach that. 

This link  https://www.levitt.com/essays/endtimes_events includes this short excerpt of a fuller presentation; ..."

But now, the Church shall wear white! — “Fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” That we now appear in pure white testifies to our final perfection. Paul compared earthly marriage to Christ’s marrying the Church (Eph. 5:21–33). Ultimately, we will see the result of the apostles’ exhortation of the infant Church.

After we marry the Lord, we’ll reign with Him in His Kingdom on earth. This is exactly the way the bride returned with her groom after an Israeli marriage, to housing he had arranged for them — outside of his father’s house. (Some teach that the wedding will be on earth after we return, and others have it in Heaven with the marriage supper on earth (Rev. 19:7–8)."....

 

 and Further   https://www.levitt.com/essays/israel-church  tells what Zola did believe and teach, from which comes this very small excerpt; ...." It is when the Church recognizes Israel that the true distinctiveness and glory of the Body of Christ becomes evident. This called-out body, composed of believing Jews and Gentiles during the Church Age, is the highest entity the Lord has created, superior to the universe, all the Angels, the nations, and Israel. Our Head, our Husband, our Friend is the Son of God Himself. We shall reign with Him when He rules the earth, and our 12 Founding Apostles will rule over the 12 tribes of Israel. The Angels themselves will study us forever as the greatest exhibit of God’s grace, and we will actually judge the Angels. This is our destiny, and this writer, for one, would not trade his position in the Body of Christ with any creature in the universe! "...

Edited August 15, 2018 by Neighbor

[RevelationWriter]

- God's Covenant of Circumcision included gentiles too. 

- If Abraham was born Hebrew so was Ishmael. 

- In The Dead Sea Scrolls it calls Israel's Feasts their "Pilgrim Feasts". Of where God brought them from and to.

Just as no other Country celebrates America's thanksgiving pilgrim feast on Nov.25

why would anyone other than The Children Of Israel celebrate their pilgrim feasts either? 

[RevelationWriter]

8 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

No Zola did not teach that. See as one  example his writing at https://www.levitt.com/essays/endtimes_events

- I heard him say it.

[Neighbor]

15 minutes ago, RevelationWriter said:

- I heard him say it.

No you are mistaken in memory or simply in error as to what was said. Please read what he wrote! Read his book "Christian Love Story" described on Amazon  as "The beautiful story of the wedding customs of Israel in Messiah's time and how He fulfilled these traditions in calling out His Bride, the Church. A striking and inspiring example of Scriptural logic and elegance."  https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Love-Story-Zola-Levitt/dp/1930749260?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1930749260 

Or at https://store.levitt.com/study/CLS as printed or Ibook or Kindle