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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Purpose of Non-Jewish Olive Branches




I'll tell you--I'm loving McKee's latest book (Are Non-Jewish Believers Really a Part of Israel?).  This may be the first book to make me cry.  I was just thinking about this one passage:

"Consider Paul's word in Romans 11:30-31:
'For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.'
     One of the statements, which should immediately jump out at us from the text, is not just how Believers from the nations have been shown mercy--widely because of a Jewish rejection of the Messiah--but how 'through your mercy they also may obtain mercy' (KJV)."

And then McKee asks a great question:

"What if the 'fullness of the nations' arriving on the scene of history does not involve some kind of predestined number of non-Jewish Believers coming to salvation....but instead a spiritually mature group of Believers from the nations who are grand vessels of mercy to the Jewish people?"

How fitting is it that Yeshua would use non-Jewish "olive oil" to pour out as a blessing and mercy on the Jewish People?  Our purpose is always relational and always about love.  If G-d draws you from the nations, know that He does it so that you may be a blessing to the Jewish People.  It will indeed be pleasant when brothers (Jews and non-Jews) can dwell together in unity and peace.


1 comment:

  1. that's really good i like it... but then again i have a soft spot for any teaching which calls non-Jewish believers to a higher level of devotion and spiritual maturity.

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