God’s chosen people are the Jewish people. All other
people are Gentiles. God adopted the Gentiles and gives them the same gift of
salvation that he gives to the Jewish people. Abraham, born a native of Chaldea
and in the ancient city of Ur, is the father of the Hebrew nation. Unlike the
Chaldeans, who were an idolatrous people, he seems always to have been a
worshiper of Jehovah who is God and our heavenly Father. [Genesis 17:1-11 1.
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and
said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect
(upright; sincere). 2. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and
will multiply thee exceedingly. 3. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked
with him, saying, 4. As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou
shalt be a father of many nations. 5. Neither shall thy name any more be called
Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made
thee. 6. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of
thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7. And I will establish my covenant
between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an
everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8. And
I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a
stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be
their God. 9. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore,
thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10. This is my covenant,
which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man
child among you shall be circumcised. 11. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of
your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
Jehovah, God, promised Abraham that he would make
him a father of many generations. In Genesis 13:14-16 God tells Abraham that he
will make his seed (descendants) as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can
number the dust of the earth, then shall his seed also be numbered. The
redemptive purpose for God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants was to
bring Abraham’s seed a nation through which He would someday bring salvation to
the entire world (Genesis 12:3; 22:18).
God made revelations to prophets (spokesmen to God’s
people) regarding His will for communication to mankind. There were many
prophets prior to the coming of Christ, the Messiah. The Old Testament of the
Holy Bible contains the writings of sixteen of the prophets. These sixteen
prophets are divided into two groups, four major and twelve minor. God revealed
to the prophet’s the coming of Christ the Mediator (I Timothy 2:5) of the new
covenant (Hebrews 12:24).
Through Christ God made an everlasting covenant
(promise) to man. God promised to confer salvation upon all who come to him
through Jesus Christ. By confessing with our mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and
believing in our heart that God hath raised him from the dead, we are saved.
For with our heart we believe unto righteousness; and with our mouth confession
is made to salvation (Romans 10:9, 10).
Whereas under the old covenant man was to live by
the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:6-22) given to Moses by God, and man made
sacrifices of animals to God for remission of their sins; Jesus Christ became
sin for us and died on the cross so that by faith in Christ we are forgiven of
our sins (Romans 10:11-13). Jesus Christ gave us two new commandments. We are
to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. And we are to love our
neighbor (brother/sister in Christ) the way we love ourselves (Luke 10:26-37).
As a reward for believing God and having faith in Christ we are rewarded with
eternal life in heaven. [John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they
shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.] Through
Jesus Christ our risen Lord and Savior we are forgiven of our sins and made
righteous to stand before God (Philippians 3:9). And we will have eternal life
with him in heaven (I John 2:25). John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but
have everlasting life.
The prophets of old foretold of the Messiah by
revelations of God and these revelations have come to pass. It was foretold
that the Messiah would be of Abraham’s seed (Genesis 17:7). In Matthew 1:1-17
we see that prophecy fulfilled. It was foretold that the Messiah would be of
the lineage of David (Isaiah 11:1, 2). We read about the prophecy fulfilled in
Matthew 1:1. It was foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah
5:2). We can read about that prophecy being fulfilled in Matthew 2:1. It was
foretold the time of the Messiah (Daniel 9:25). We can read about that prophecy
being fulfilled in Galations 4:4, 5. The mediatorial office of the Messiah was
foretold (Isaiah 11:2). We can read about the fulfillment of that prophecy
being fulfilled in Luke 9:20, 21. It was foretold that the Messiah would be a
prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15). We can read about the fulfillment of that prophecy
in Luke 24:19. It was foretold that the Messiah would be a king (Jeremiah
23:5). We can read about the fulfillment of that prophecy in Ephesians 1:20-23.
It was foretold that the Messiah would suffer unto death (Zechariah 13:7). You
can read about the fulfillment of that prophecy in John 19:1-37. The
resurrection of the Messiah is foretold (Psalm 16:10). We can read about the
fulfillment of that prophecy in Matthew 28:1-6. It was foretold of the Messiah’s
ascension (Psalms 68:18). We can read about the fulfillment of that prophecy in
Mark 16:19, 20; Acts 1:9-11; Ephesians 4:8-10; Luke 24:51; and Hebrews 1:3, 4.
It was foretold that the Messiah would make
intercession for man. [Zechariah 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the
Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne: and
the council of peace shall be between them both.] We read of that prophecy of
the Savior being fulfilled in Romans 8:34 [Romans 8:34 34. Who is he that condemneth?
It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the
right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.]
It was foretold that God would lay in Zion the
foundation of the church. [Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God,
Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious
corner stone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste (be
forced to flee).] The fulfillment of that prophecy can be read in I Peter
2:1-10. [I Peter 2:1-10 1. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile,
and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2. As newborn babes,
desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3. If so be ye
have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4. To whom coming, as unto a living
stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5. Ye also,
as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer
up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6. Wherefore also
it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief cornerstone,
elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7. Unto
you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient,
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the
corner, 8. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which
stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light: 10. Which in time past were not a people,
but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have
obtained mercy.
Jesus Christ is the Christ, Messiah, Anointed One,
Savior, King and Chosen One of God that the trusted prophets of the Old
Testament prophesied of. Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, was the Atonement for our
sins. Through Jesus Christ we are forgiven of our sins and filled with the Holy
Ghost. [Acts 5:30-32 30. The God of our father raised up Jesus, whom ye slew
and hanged on a tree. 31.Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a
Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of
sins. 32. And we are his witnesses of
these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that
obey him.]
If you are heavy laden with sin and want that God
given ability to stand righteous before God, you’ve only to believe that Jesus
Christ is your Lord and Savior. [Romans 10:9, 10 9. That if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
