An inheritance with Israel -- Berkowitz

Michelangelo's Ezekiel

Lest there be any doubt about how the new relationship between Gentile believers and the covenanted children of Israel, let us turn to Ezekiel 47. Here the prophet looks far ahead of his own time, and even of our present age. He prophecies concerning the coming Messianic age, when Yeshua will be seated on the throne of David in Jerusalem. This will also be the time, according to Ezekiel, when the final land inheritance is divided among the people of Israel.

However, we see in Ezekiel 47:21-23 that there will be others desiring to live among the people of Israel. These are Gentile believers. The Lord at that time will instruct Israel with the following word regarding the distribution of the inheritance:

    "You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. You are to allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who have settled among you and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites; along with you are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. In whatever tribe the alien settles, there you are to give them his inheritance," declares the sovereign Lord.

Do you see what God is teaching here? He's instructing the Israelites regarding the relationship with those who have come to live among them. They are so grafted in that they are to be considered native-born Israelites, with full rights of inheritance. One thing this implies for our study is that if non-Jewish believers may be entitled to a parcel of land among the people of Israel and the Messianic Kingdom, surely they can be permitted to enjoy the blessings of the Torah among the people of Israel right now!

Source:  Berkowitz, A. and D. (2000). An inheritance with Israel. Torah Rediscovered. FFOZ, Inc.

Who are the Sons of Abraham?

There has been much debate over who are the People of God, the Israel of God, the Sons of Abraham, the Seed of Abraham.

In my view, after many centuries, the People of the World had largely lost their understanding of God and His ways. Israel came into being when a Gentile, Abraham, decided to follow God by faith and became the first member of God’s people.  They were to be called Abraham’s Seed or the Sons of Abraham. 

These people were to become a “blessing” to all the other people of the world. The nature of this blessing is described as being a light to draw all the people of the world back to God. God intended that this nation would eventually encompass all ethnicities as more people came back into covenant fellowship with God. As time passed, God’s people came to be known as Israel. 

Their numbers grew predominantly through natural breeding and as a small number of Gentiles joined their ranks. As further time passed, birth and the signs of the Covenant became “identity markers” that demonstrated membership in this People.   The idea that faith and obedience as the key factor for admission into the People of God, faded  in the People's memory.  

For many, outward tradition had often displaced internal faith and personal engagement with God. Thus the prophets began to speak about “circumcised hearts.” Over time, with Israel being overrun repeatedly by invaders, the fear of assimilation and loss of national identity made many take aggressive action to ward against these dangers. This included, focusing inwardly to preserve the Torah and their national customs; putting up social barriers to prevent social interaction with Gentiles; not developing a missionary theology; and in some quarters, even teaching that the Torah is not for Gentiles.
 
In the conventional Christian view of the Sons of Abraham, 

1. Only the Church are the legitimate Sons of Abraham because it alone is based on faith (Gal 3.7). 
2. Thus the promises to Israel are inherited by the Church (Rom 8.16). 
3. However the Abrahamic (Gen 12), Mosaic (Exo 20) and Davidic Covenants (2 Sa 16) have been replaced by the New Covenant (Jer 31.31).   
4. Under this new covenant, the written Torah has been replaced by a Torah of the Spirit, that is only written upon the heart. (eg. Rom 8.12ff)
5. Any observance of the Torah is obeying the letter of the law and is a reversion to legalism (2 Co 3.4); and undoes the work of Christ (Gal 2.21), who brings into an age of Spirit and Truth (Joh 4.24) versus the prior age of legalism and mindless tradition (Col 2.8).

Replacement Theology is based on these ideas.  It is the notion that Believers in Jesus Christ as the Messiah have replaced the People of Israel as the People of God. Adherents to Replacement Theology hold to the view that the unfulfilled biblical promises made to Israel are now inherited by the Church. The People of Israel and the idea of the State of Israel are no longer relevant in God’s future plans, claiming that all of the world is God’s. 

An alternative view may be fashioned from what I have gleaned from my First Century Hebraic studies:

1. Abraham is the first of many Gentiles who form the People of God by answering His call on their lives with faith and obedience. 
2. His Covenant is the first of several covenants between God and Abraham's Seed.
3. Each covenant has commandments, as well as consequential blessings and curses depending on obedience or disobedience. 
4. Each covenant is between God and Israel
5. Each covenant is enduring and eternal.
6. Each covenant was an expansion of the one preceding it. 
7. No covenant abrogated its predecessor. 
8. Each time Israel fell into disobedience, the covenant was renewed (eg Exo 20 cf Exo 34).
9. The text translated as “new covenant” in Jer 31 could also be translated as “renewed covenant.” 
10. Entry into the People of God has always been based on faith. The OT has always deplored outward obedience in the absence of an inward love of God (Deu 30.6). Such a perspective is not an NT innovation (Col 2.11).
11. The people of God were always to be a nation of kingly priests (Exo 19.6 and 1 Pe 2.9).
12. New entrants to the People of God were to be treated impartially and they were to observe the same Torah as they (Lev 19).  After several generations, these "Aliens" would be indistinguishable from the incumbent believers.
13. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit demonstrated that the traditions of the Jews were false and that God had returned to first principles (Gal 3.5).
14. Circumcision of the flesh was not the means by which Gentiles entered Israel but by faith just as Abraham, the Gentile, had done in the past (Rom 2.29-29; Gal 3.6ff). Thus Circumcision was not a sign of entry (but an act of obedience following entry.

Thus in this formulation, all the covenants that are applicable to the conventional People of Israel are applicable to the People of God as defined here. 

Conclusion

The People of God, are those who respond positively to God's call with faith and obedience. Taking Race into consideration is a red herring. The Seed of Abraham are those who God credits with Righteousness. The Seed of Abraham are the People of God or Israel. Membership of this Nation is based on faith and obedience not race or ethnicity. The culture of these people is shaped by the Bible which sets out God's ways for living. Obedience to the Bible and its commandments is not "legalism" but an act of faith.

Under this formulation, gone are the gymnastics required to figure out which covenants are applicable to "Gentile" believers.  The People of God were all at one time "Gentiles."  For a Gentile is by definition a non-believer.  The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has no grandchildren.

Objections to Torah Observance: "The Torah is for Israel" Part 2

Photo by Asafantman

The bible is clear that the Torah and its commandments are part of the Covenant between God and the people of Israel at Mt Sinai through Abraham, Mose and David.

Does that mean that the Torah is only for those who are ethnically Jews or who have become Jews by virtue of a circumcision or conversion to Judaism?

According to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, the admissability of non-Jews (or Gentiles) was discussed at length and the minimum observance necessary to ensure that they would not be rejected out of hand was determined. The Apostles reasoned that this would allow Gentiles to enter the Synagogue where "Moses" (or the Torah) would be taught to them. The Book of Acts goes on to tell the story of Paul as he established new churches with mixed Jewish and Gentile membership.

The Epistles address some of the theological controversies that arose as the new believers sought to reconcile traditional interpretations of the Torah in the new light of Christ. And what do these Epistles say regarding the status of Gentile believers?

Clearly they recognise that Gentile believers are:

1. Children of God through the Spirit of Adoption (Romans 8.15)


2. Counted as the "Seed of Abraham" (Galatians 3.29)


3. Joint Heirs of the Promises given to Moses, Abraham and David (Romans 8.17).


4. That the Gentiles and the (Torah Observant) Jews are to become One New Man under Christ (Ephesians 2.11-22).