2 Peter 2:4-10; Rom. 11:1-7,25-27, Living Stones (3)

We need to consider a couple of questions.  First, in our study yesterday, we noted how the Jewish believers Peter addressed in his first letter were fulfilling promises from God to restore Israel after He judged them.  This may sound like Peter is saying that the Church is the recipient of God’s promises to Israel.  But that is not the case.  Consider these thoughts …

·        God did make promises to restore Israel.  The Jewish believers in the Dispersion (1 Pet. 1:1) were experiencing this restoration because they had come under the New Covenant, the promise of the Holy Spirit (Ezek. 39:39; Jer. 31:31-34).

·        Jewish believers were, and are, part of the Church, the Body of Christ.  This is the powerful argument in several Epistles but especially in Ephesians.  There are Jewish believers as well as believers from the nations; but they are not two bodies; they are one in Christ!

·        Paul’s argument in Romans 11 must carry the day on this matter.  It is the place in the New Testament where we are given the clear understanding.  Jewish believers are Christians; at the same time they are Jewish by birth and are thus part of the remnant according to the election of grace (Rom. 11:5).

·        As for “National Israel” they are in a situation of blindness today (Rom. 11:7-10).  But it is temporary for the day will come when the entire nation, not just a remnant, will be a holy nation. 

We hope this is helpful in understanding this important question.  God’s faithful fulfillment of His covenant promises with Abraham will be, according to Isaiah 40-66 (and many other OT passages) the most powerful evidence of the Almighty God in the latter days.  God keeps His word.  Always!!

One other question arises in 1 Pt. 2:8: in what sense were the disobedient appointed to their disobedience?  What Peter is referring to is taught in the NT.  It relates to Israel’s blindness.  The Bible says God blinded the generation that rejected their Messiah and cried out “crucify Him” (Isa. 6:9f; Jn. 12:39-41).  Thus it was appointed. 

At the same time it is clearly evident that Israel’s blindness was the result of her repeated apostasy.  Lev. 27, Deut. 28 and the Song of Moses in Deut. 32 predicted this would happen.  It was God’s plan.  It was Israel’s disobedience.  God also promised a remnant’ He would never so desolate His people that there would be none who were true to Him.  The continuing fulfillment of that promise is found in this tremendous passage in 1 Peter.  Let us praise and worship the Sovereign and all-wise God.