What Was The Purpose Of Israel As A Nation?

One of the main reasons was to bring Christ, the Redeemer into the world. Salvation is from the "JEWS." The Messiah would be a "JEW." From the beginning God designed man to Live Forever, the one condition being "Obedience" to God.  Adam and Eve failed.  Then began a long, slow process of "Redemption," by a Savior, through whom Adam, Eve and their descendants may regain their lost estate.

After the fall of Adam and Eve, God/Elohim (Father/Christ/Holy Spirit) revealed their plans of a Redeemer and Savior in (Genesis 3:15) for humanity, through the "Seed of the woman."  This is God's hint of a coming "Redeemer" for the atonement of sins for all humanity.  Here, right at the start of the Bible story, is this foregleam of "CHRIST."  The use of  "He" (15)  shows that "ONE" Person is meant. There has been only ONE descendant of Eve who was born of woman without begotten of man.  (Isa. 7:14) The Lord said to the prophet Isaiah, "Behold a virgin shall be with Child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call his name "Emmanuel" which being interpreted is, "GOD is with us"  (Matthew 1:18-21).

The angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, saying "Joseph, thou son of King David, fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Ghost." And, she shall bear a Son, and thou shall call his name "JESUS" for he shall "SAVE" his people from their "SINS." (I Peter 1:19,20)  The precious blood of Christ, as a Lamb without blemish and without defect.  Christ, verily was foreordained, before the creation of the world..."

2,000 years ago, when John the Baptist saw Jesus coming to him to be baptized he said,  "Behold! the Lamb of God, who takes away the SINS of the World." (John 1:29)  John the Baptist was saying that Jesus would be the "Sacrifice" that would atone for the SINS of the World.  In founding the Hebrew Nation, God's Ultimate object was to bring "Christ" into the world:  That in His Seed ALL nations should be blessed.  God founded the Hebrew nation for the specific purpose of making it a "Messianic" Nation to the world, that is, a nation through which Great blessings would come to ALL nations.

Abraham Believed In Yahweh God

The nation of Israel is unique in the role God chose for it.  In the creation there was Adam, and then there was Noah who survived the Flood.  From Noah's child Shem, came a family out of which was born a man named Abram (Abraham).   About 4,000 years ago, God called Abram out of the country where he was living in Ur, which was once a seaport, on the Persian Gulf, at the mouth of the Euphrates River.  The Lord said to Abram, "...Now lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are northward, southward, eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants "Forever" (Gen.13;14,15) In other words, God promised to Abram 1) a Great Nation; 2) a Great name; 3) being a blessing to ALL nations; and 4) a Land which shall "Forever" belong to his descendants.

Several hundred years after God made these promises to Abram, the great nation had indeed appeared, numbering in the millions. They were about to enter the land of promise when God, through their leader Moses, gave them some warnings as recorded in (Deuteronomy 28-33).   God warned them against "Disobedience" and promised that He would use other nations to be "Removed" and "Scattered" them from the land if they were "Unfaithful" to Him.  He predicted that they would eventually be scattered across the whole earth, as strangers, in unfamiliar lands, and that they would find no rest from their wanderings.  However, God in His faithfulness, did promise to bring some of them back into their land.

Division Of The Two Kingdoms Judah And Israel:

From Abraham came Isaac and then Jacob, later called "Israel."   From Jacob came the 12 sons -- Rueben, Simeon, Levi, "Judah," Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Dan, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin.  The 12 sons whose families became the 12 tribes compromising the nation of Israel.   The descendants of Jacob (whose name was changed to Israel) are known as Israelites.  When Canaan was settled by the Israelites, the land was divided among the 12 tribes. "Judah," one of the Largest of the twelve tribes of Israel, was the tribe that the great King David and Jesus Christ came from. Israel's capital Jerusalem, was in the territory of Judah.

God's Promises To King David And His Descendants

When Israel became a GREAT nation, God chose "ONE" family in the nation, the family of "David" and began to build around that Family.  God's promises, that out  of THAT family  would come "ONE" Great King of kings, who would, Himself, personally live Forever, and establish a Universal Kingdom of Endless Duration.  The way the Hebrew Nation would be blessed the World would be through the family of David. The Messianic Family.   The way the family would bless the world would be through One great KING to be born through the descendants of David. The Messiah! The Christ.

King Solomon (David's Son)

King Solomon was born of Bathsheba, to whom King David had no right, and though NOT in line for the succession, yet he was chosen by David, and approved of God, to be David's successor (I Chron. 22:9,10). This era of King David and King Solomon was the Golden Age of Hebrew history.  David was a Warrior, Solomon was a builder.   Israel was the most powerful kingdom in the world. Jerusalem was the most magnificent city, and the Temple was the most splendid building, on earth.

Solomon's glorious reign was clouded by a grand mistake: his marriage to Idolatrous women.   He had 700 wives and 300 concubines (I Kings 11:3). Many of these women were Idolaters, daughters of heathen princes, wedded for the sake of political alliance.   For them, he who had built God's Temple, built alongside of it, Heathen's altars.  Thus Idolatry, which David had been so zealous to suppress, was Re-establish in the palace.  This brought a close to the glorious era ushered in by David, and started the nation on its road to ruins: the sunset of Israel's golden age.  Perhaps the account of it was intended of God, to be an example of what luxury and ceaseless rounds of pleasure will do to even the best of men.

After the death of King Solomon (1017-978 B.C.), the 10 Northern tribes split off, calling themselves Israel.  Judah, along with the smaller tribe of Benjamin, became the kingdom of Judah.  The 12 tribes of Israel divided into "Two Nations."   The 10 tribes forming the Northern Kingdom, called "Israel" (House of Israel). "Judah and Benjamin" formed the Southern Kingdom, called "Judah" (Jews).  The northern kingdom and southern kingdom were often at war with one another.

Division Of The "TWO kingdoms"

King Jeroboam, founder of the ten (10) tribes from  the northern kingdom (House of Israel), adopted Calf Worship, the religion of Egypt, as state religion of his newly formed kingdom. God Worship had become identified with "Judah", the family of King David and Benjamin tribe. Jeroboam, rooted in Calf Worship, and Baal worship in the Northern Kingdom, was so deeply that it was not swept away until the fall of the kingdom.

Baal worship:   Priestesses were temple prostitutes, Sodomites, were male temple prostitutes.  The worship of Baal consisted in the most extravagant orgies; their temples were center of vice.  Infants had been sacrificed in the temples.  Baal worship, introduced by Jezebel, prevailed about 30 years, and was exterminated by Elijah, Elisha, and Jehu the prophets.  Every one of the 19 kings of the Northern kingdom (House of Israel) followed the worship of golden calves.   Some of them also served Baal.  But, NOT one ever attempted to bring the people back to God.

After three (3) successive invasions by the Assyrians, the King of Israel was vanquished, and the people from the (10 tribes) was deported from their land. The fall of the northern kingdom (House of Israel) took place around (721-718 B.C.).   When Israel was conquered by the brutal Assyrians, the ten (10) northern tribes ceased to exist (In literature sometimes you'll see reference to the "lost tribes" of Israel. This refers to the "ten tribes" conquered by the Assyrians).   At the same time, a large number of the Jews were deported and scattered to different nations.  Most of these people never returned to Judea, Palestine.  Later, the Kingdom of Judah was exiled to Babylon, but a number of Jews (from the tribe of Judah) returned under Ezra and Nehemiah the prophets and formed their own nation once again.

People living in the territory of  "Judah" came to be called JEWS. Jesus was descended from the tribe of Judah (Hebrews 7:14). These are the people to whom Jesus PREACHED.  Paul, the apostle the great missionary in the New Testament, was from the tribe of Benjamin, which was also part of the Kingdom of Judah.

The Hebrews

The word "Hebrews" refer to:   1) The language of the people of Israel. Most of the Old Testament was written in this language. A form of it is the national language of Israel today, and it is studied by Jews and Christians who wants to read the Old Testament in the original.   2)  An Israelite.  The first person called "Hebrew" is the patriarch Abraham.  Hebrew means essentially the same as Israelite, although Israelite is much more commonly used in the Old Testament.   3)  The group of Christians who received the letter to the Hebrews, found in the New Testament.  The author of this letter probably meant the word in figurative sense that is, in the Old Testament the Hebrews were "God's chosen people," so the Christians, now God's people, are the "New Hebrews."

Judah/Jews

In the earliest parts of the Old Testament, the "chosen people" are called Israelites or Hebrews.  Only in the later books--Jeremiah, Ezra, Esther, and others does the word "JEWS" come into use.  The word comes from the tribe of  "Judah", which occupied the largest region of Israel, the region that included Jerusalem, the capital.  When the northern tribes were conquered and scattered by the Assyrians Empire, "Judah" stood out as the most important tribe. "JEWS" in the original sense meant, "One from Judah."  In the New Testament, the terms "Israelites" and "Hebrew" are hardly ever used.  Israel, as a political state, did NOT exist, and the name the ruling Romans gave to the area, was "Judea."   These are the people to whom Jesus "Preached" mostly during his 31/2 years ministry.

Jesus' Ministry in Judea and Galilee

Jesus' 3 1/2 yr ministry was spent mostly preaching to the Jews and Lost sheep, the House of Israel in Judea, Galilee and the Samaria area.  During Jesus' ministry, Jesus made some striking statements.  On one occasion, He told his disciples "... I am NOT sent but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel" (Matthew 15:24).  Certainly Jesus knew the difference between "Jews and Israelites."  He instructed His 12 apostles, " Go rather to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel" (Matt. 10:6).  The 70 apostles' mission to every city and place in Judea whither Jesus himself would come" (Luke 10:1-17).   His personal ministry was taken up mostly with the Jews in the land of Judah, Galilee, and Samaria.

Jesus' Mission In Samaria

Jesus preached the good news of "Salvation" to the Samaritans (half-Jews/Gentiles).

Samaritans: The warlike Assyrians captured the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C., deported its inhabitants, and settled the area with "foreigners."   Some Israelites remained there and "Intermarried" with the "Foreigners" creating a MIXED stocked.  According to (II Kings 17:33) this resulted in a mixed religion---serving God, but also serving false gods.  The people were Known as "Samaritans" wanted a part in restoring Jerusalem's temple.

When the Jews of the southern kingdom returned from their exiled in Babylon, they locked horns with the Samaritans. The Jews saw them as the keepers of the true faith, but the Samaritans wanted a part in restoring Jerusalem's temple.  The Jews refused, not wanting the help of a "Mixed-Race" (and Mixed-religion) people.  The Samaritans built their own temple on Mount Gerizim.  The Samaritans and Jews were now two separate people, with similar but different--religious practices.

The New Testament depicts the hostility between Jews and Samaritans. The Romans had created a province of Samaria between  Galilee (Northern part) and Judea (Southern part) and the Jewish inhabitants of those two regions disliked traveling through Samaria, bypassing it when they could. The Samaritan was a slur word on Jewish lips, and Jesus' enemies accused Him of being one (John 8:48). The Gospel of John, Chapter 4, records a remarkable dialogue between Jesus and a woman in Samaria, a Dialogue that makes it "CLEAR" that Jesus Christ had compassion for Samaritans.

In (John 4:1-42), Jesus left Judea, and went back into Galilee. Now He had to go through Samaria.  It was about 12:00 noon when a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" You are a "Jew" and I am a Samaritan woman.  How can you ask me for a drink?  " ~~ a Jew would become ceremonially unclean if he used a drinking vessel handled by a Samaritan, since the Jews held that all Samaritans were "Unclean."

Jesus answered her, "If you KNEW the gift of God and WHO it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."...   The woman said, "I know that Messiah called Christ is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I WHO speak to you AM he."... Just then his disciples returned buying food from town and were surprised to find Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman. Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the people in her town, "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did.   Could this be the "Christ"? They came out of the town and many of the Samaritans "Believed." They said now we have heard for ourselves and we "KNOW" that this man really is the Savior of the world.

Two years later,  In (Acts 8:1-25) we read of Philip, a disciple of Jesus, went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them.   When they "believed" Philip's preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Christianity was preached and accepted in Samaria, so the NEW faith broke down the wall between Samaritans and Jews!

The First Commission Of The 12/70 Apostles Gospel Mission

The "First" Gospel commission Jesus gave to the 12 apostles in (Matthew 10) was to the Lost Sheep House of Israel.  And the "Second" commission of the 70 apostles to Every City and place included the Jews in Palestine, but could NOT have "Excluded millions" of both "Jews and Israelites" scattered aboard.  Perhaps the Jewish historian, Josephesus, gives us a clue. Josepheus said in his day there were only "TWO tribes" in subjection to the Romans, and that the 10 tribes!   Were located beyond the River Euphrates and could NOT estimated as they were such an immense multitude.

Clearly, at Christ's "First" instruction to his 12/70 apostles were to preach mostly to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and Jews was much Broader in scope than the area of Palestine.  Jesus was fulfilling the scriptures by given the Jews and the House of Israel the "FIRST" opportunity to hear the Gospel of Salvation through believing in Him as the Messiah (Acts 3:22-26).

After Jesus' resurrection (Matt. 28:16-20) He said, "All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.  "Go ye therefore, and teach ALL nations (Jews/Israelites/Gentiles) baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world.   Amen."

Peter/James/John's preaching to the Jews and the House of Israel:

(Galatians 2:7-9)   When they saw that the gospel of the Uncircumcision (Gentiles) was committed unto me (Paul), as the gospel of the Circumcision (Jews/Israelites) was unto Peter, when James, Peter and John who seemed to be pillars, agreed the grace that was given unto me (Paul) and Barnabas the right hand of the fellowship; that we (Paul/Barnabas) should preach to the Gentiles, and they (Peter, James, John) unto the Circumcision (Jews and House of Israel). (Romans 1:13) I am (Paul) the apostle of the Gentiles.

To the Hebrews "NATION" was given the revelation of God, His laws, and His history.  Israel was entrusted with the Word of God, and because of these people all the nations of the earth have been "Blessed." But, the greatest blessing by far that entrusted to Israel, was the bringing forth the Messiah, who would die for the sin of mankind, to restore man to the relationship to the fellowship with God that Eve and Adam lost in the Garden of Eden.

For 2,000 years the children of Abraham were sheltered, set apart from the nations, and instructed in the ways of God. (Gal. 4:4,5)  But, when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son made of a woman, born under the law, to redeem them that were under the (Old Testament) law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  God sent to the Jewish Jesus of Nazareth, who was the Messiah, or "Anointed One" the Christ. The message of His coming, His death, and His resurrection has been the true means whereby all the nations of the world have been blessed.

The Gospel of Salvation has extended to the Gentiles in (Acts 10-11).

The nation of Israel as a whole did NOT accept Jesus when He was on the earth. (John 1:10,11)  He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not.  He came unto His own people, and his own receive Him not.  The apostle said that even their "Unbelief" as a whole nation a blessing to the rest of the world, because they were temporarily cut of from God's salvation and the "Gentiles" take their place. (Romans 11:1-26) Through their (Jews) transgressions is Salvation has come to the Gentiles, for to provoke them to Jealousy.

(Acts 3: 25,26) Peter said to the Jews and Israelites,  "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, and in thy seed shall all the people of the earth be blessed. Unto to you (Jews and House of Israel) FIRST God, raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you.  (Acts 13:46-52)  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, "It was Necessary that the word of God should FIRST Have been spoken to you (Jews and House of Israel) but seeing ye "Reject" it from you, and judge yourselves Unworthy of everlasting life, lo we TURN to the Gentiles.

(Acts 10-11) The First Gentile receiving Christ as His Savior. Cornelius, an Italian centurion commanded a military unit that normally numbered at least 100 men.   In spite of all his good deeds, Cornelius "needed" to hear the "WAY" of Salvation from a "Human" messenger".  The role of the angel (V.3) was to bring Cornelius and Peter together (cf. 8:26; 9:10). God had revealed to Peter in a vision that the barrier between Jews and Gentiles had been removed.  God does not favor an individual because of his station in life, his nationality, or his material possession.  He does, however, respect his character and judge his work.  This is evident because God "Accept men from every nation who fear him and do what is right".

The Gentiles had received the same gift of the Holy Spirit (Verse 11:17) as the Jewish believers; they spoke in tongues, as did the Jewish Christians on the day of Pentecost.  This was unavoidable evidence that the "Invitation" to the kingdom was "OPEN" to the Gentiles, as well as the Jews and to the House of Israel.  For so has the Lord commanded us (Apostles) saying, "I have made thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for "Salvation" unto the ends of the earth."   And, when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believe and the word of the Lord was published throughout the region.

God promised to Abram, the great nation had indeed appeared, numbering in millions.  God warned them against "Disobedience" in (Deut. 28-33) and promised that He would use other nations to "Remove" them from that land if they were "Unfaithful" to him.  He predicted that they would eventually be scattered across the whole earth as strangers in unfamiliar lands and that they would find no rest from their wanderings.  However, God in His faithfulness, did promise to bring them back into their land.

The children of Israel, even though they were warned, fell into idolatry and were "Removed" from their homeland.  In 606 B.C. King Nebuchanezzar took the people captive to Babylon and returned in 588-586 B.C., and after a long siege burned the city and the temple.  However, as God promised, He allowed those who desired to return to the land in 537-536 B.C. or after 70 years (Ezra chapter 1).

The removal from their homeland occurred a "Second" time in A.D. 70 when Titus the Roman destroyed the city of Jerusalem and "Scattered" the people to many nations. For almost 1,900 years, the Jews wandered about the earth as strangers who were persecuted from every side.  This culminated in the holocaust of World War II, when 6 millions Jews were put to death in concentration camps in Germany 1941-1945.

Yet, against ALL odds, the state of Israel was "Reborn" on May 14, 1948, and the Jews began to return to their homeland from many nations around the world. This was the second time in their history since becoming a nation that they have survived some terrible conflicts, including the 1967 Six-day War, the 1973 Holy Day War and the Desert Storms War in 1990, and hundreds' suicides attacks in 2000s.

The Bible says that the time will come when God will create a New heaven and a New earth, where there will be no sins, no sorrow, no crime, no tears, no disease, no tragedy--none of the evils we know now.  Before the new age dawns, people from "Many" nations must have had a chance to hear the Gospel of "Salvation" offered in Jesus Christ's name through His servants and disciples. He said, "This Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in ALL the world as a Witness to ALL nations, and then shall the END will come." (Matthew 24:14.)  In A.D. 90 John the Apostle had a revelation from God and I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having an "Everlasting Gospel" to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to Every Nation, kindred, tongue, and people. (Revelation 14:6.)

As the end of the "Gentiles Age" nears, there will be an acceleration of evangelism. We will see the church grow enormously. (Revelation 14:5-18) For the hour of His judgment has come...To Him that sat on the cloud, "Trust in thy Sickle, and Reap, for the TIME has come for thee to Reap; for the Harvest of the earth is RIPE. And He that sat on the cloud swing in his sickle over the earth; and the earth was "Harvested."

The 1000 Reigh With Christ

And then, Jesus Christ will come back with his saints and establish His 1000 year reign of righteousness.  (Jude 14) Enoch also, the 7th from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his saints. (Revelation 1:7) Behold, he is coming with clouds and Every Eye shall see him, even they who pierced him. And ALL kindred's of the earth shall "Mourn" because of him.

(I Cor. 6:2) Paul wrote: Do you NOT know that the saints will JUDGE the world? And if you are to Judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial case? Do you NOT know that we will JUDGE (fallen) angels?...

(Matthew 19:27-30) Peter said unto Jesus, "Behold, we have forsaken ALL, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?" and Jesus said unto Peter, "Verily, Verily I say unto you, that ye (the 12 apostles) who have "followed" me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel."

The regathering of the people of Israel into a "Nation" is probably the greatest prophetic sign.  That has been accomplished since 1948.  In AD 33 Jesus said, " They (Jews) shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be LED Away as prisoners into ALL nation, Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles (non-Jews) until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." (Luke 21:24) This happened in 1967 when Israel obtained control over all of Jerusalem.   With the fulfillment of that prophecy, it would seem that the end of this age is very close. The so-called "Gentile Age" is coming to its conclusion.

Israel's Future Salvation

(Romans 11:25) For I (Paul) would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits, that Israel has experienced a hardening in part, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

Israel's rejection of Jesus as the Messiah is temporary. The days will come when all Israel shall be SAVED (26).  When or how that will be is not here stated.  One of the darkest spots in human history is the age-long suffering of this sorrowful, Disobedience people.  But, one day it will end.  Israel shall turn in penitence to the Lord.  And, ALL creation shall give thanks to God for the unreachable wisdom of His providence.

In Founding the Hebrew nation God's Ultimate object was to Bring Christ into the world: God immediate object was to establish, in a world of idolatry, as a background to the Coming! of Christ, the idea that there is true Living God (Elohim) The Father, Christ and Holy Spirit.