Is some of the Old Testament for Israel only?

[Blik]

Many posters believe that often the Lord speaks to Israel only. I hope they will post verses that show what they base that belief on.

I believe God is speaking to gentiles as well as Jews in all the old testament, and these verses are some of the many verses I base that belief on.

Exodus 12:49 The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Leviticus 24:22 There shall be one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the Lord your God.’”

Numbers 9:14 If an alien sojourns among you and observes the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so he shall do; you shall have one statute, both for the alien and for the native of the land.’”

 

[Corban]

Many posters believe that often the Lord speaks to Israel only. I hope they will post verses that show what they base that belief on.

I believe God is speaking to gentiles as well as Jews in all the old testament, and these verses are some of the many verses I base that belief on.

Exodus 12:49 The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Leviticus 24:22 There shall be one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the Lord your God.’”

Numbers 9:14 If an alien sojourns among you and observes the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so he shall do; you shall have one statute, both for the alien and for the native of the land.’”

I understand that the verses you give address Israel. They, possessors of the Land and rulers, were to enforce the Law on sojourners. But you are otherwise correct. God addressed Gentiles a number of times. Balaam was one. Chapters 2 till 7 in Daniel address Gentile kings and are written in Aramaic. And one verse in Jeremiah is also addressed to a Gentile and written in the language of the Gentiles (Jer.10:11). When Cyrus conquered Babylon he was so impressed to learn of a captive people in Babylon who had a book predicting his victory a hundred years before it happened, and predicting him by name, that he ordered Judah free to return to their Land (Isa.44:28, 45:1). That ... is loud speaking! Imagine if Israel had been that impressed with God's Word and with God's prophecies?

 

[JaumeJ]

It is very sad how people mix up Judaism with the true definition of what a Jew is.

All who praise Yah are Jews. Knowing this think on the warning in Revelation. Beware of those who say they are Jews but are not.
This is a warning to beware of those who say they praise God but do not for they are false believers.

Revelation goes on to say those claiming to be praisers of God are actualy a synagogue of Saten.

Most believe synagogue is from the Hebrew but it is from the Greek. It may also be translated as assembly of or church of.

It would make no sense to be worried dabout all the sects of Judaism in regard to this warning for it is a warning to those who believe to beware of false believers.

 

[Moses_Young]

Many posters believe that often the Lord speaks to Israel only. I hope they will post verses that show what they base that belief on.

I believe God is speaking to gentiles as well as Jews in all the old testament, and these verses are some of the many verses I base that belief on.

Exodus 12:49 The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Leviticus 24:22 There shall be one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the Lord your God.’”

Numbers 9:14 If an alien sojourns among you and observes the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so he shall do; you shall have one statute, both for the alien and for the native of the land.’”

You missed out Exodus 12:48
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

The stranger was permitted to keep Passover when he or she became an Israelite. Until this time, the stranger was not permitted.

 

[Dino246]

Many posters believe that often the Lord speaks to Israel only. I hope they will post verses that show what they base that belief on.

I believe God is speaking to gentiles as well as Jews in all the old testament, and these verses are some of the many verses I base that belief on.

Exodus 12:49 The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Leviticus 24:22 There shall be one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the Lord your God.’”

Numbers 9:14 If an alien sojourns among you and observes the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so he shall do; you shall have one statute, both for the alien and for the native of the land.’”

The answer is in the verses you quoted. I've put it in bold italics for your reference.

God's Law was for Israel and for any gentiles who wished to join with Israel. It was not for the gentiles en masse. While this is not stated directly, it is clear from the fact that the Law was given to Moses and he was instructed to teach it to Israel.

The Law was not proclaimed to the Edomites, the Egyptians, the Hittites, nor to any of the other non-Israelite tribes in or near ancient Canaan. God did not punish the nations for failing to abide by the Mosaic Law, nor did He make promises to bless them if they did abide by His laws. Parts of the prophetic books were written "to" and "about" other nations, but the Law was not.

 

[eternally-gratefull]

God made a promise to abraham, confirmed it to Isaac, and reconfirmed it with jacob/Israel amd always mentioned that promise to the children,

this promise is to them, and Them only

we then have aspects of leviticus law that has to do with Israel and Israel as a nation only

if you can read the ot and think everything is for the church, well we are seriously in sin because there is so much we are not doing, let alone, we should be living in the promised land,

 

[ForestGreenCook]

Many posters believe that often the Lord speaks to Israel only. I hope they will post verses that show what they base that belief on.

I believe God is speaking to gentiles as well as Jews in all the old testament, and these verses are some of the many verses I base that belief on.

Exodus 12:49 The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Leviticus 24:22 There shall be one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the Lord your God.’”

Numbers 9:14 If an alien sojourns among you and observes the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so he shall do; you shall have one statute, both for the alien and for the native of the land.’”

Gen 32:28, God changed Jacob's name to be no more called Jacob, but to be called Israel. Jacob, as Israel, is not the nation of Israel, but is representative of all of God's elect, which includes people from every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, Rev5:9.

Most of the time, from that time forward, when the scriptures speak of Israel. it is referring to Jacob, as Israel.

 

[JaumeJ]

You missed out Exodus 12:48
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

The stranger was permitted to keep Passover when he or she became an Israelite. Until this time, the stranger was not permitted.

Something of value to consider. If our hearts are circumcised by our Fadther, and our Father is our Husband and King, are we not Israel. Israel may be translated as to rule with El. El is Elohanue, Our Mighty One.

Just in case due to my reference, I believe the Word, thus when I call our King and our Savior our Father it is in faith in the Word, in particular when we are taught one of the names of the Babe born to the Virgin is Everlasting Father.

No, I far from understand how this is, but by faith I believe it.

 

[throughfaith]

All of the bible is for us , but not all the bible is to us .

 

[Blik]

The answer is in the verses you quoted. I've put it in bold italics for your reference.

God's Law was for Israel and for any gentiles who wished to join with Israel. It was not for the gentiles en masse. While this is not stated directly, it is clear from the fact that the Law was given to Moses and he was instructed to teach it to Israel.

The Law was not proclaimed to the Edomites, the Egyptians, the Hittites, nor to any of the other non-Israelite tribes in or near ancient Canaan. God did not punish the nations for failing to abide by the Mosaic Law, nor did He make promises to bless them if they did abide by His laws. Parts of the prophetic books were written "to" and "about" other nations, but the Law was not.

Thanks for explaining so well.

Although the law was given to the Israelites, I understood that God wanted all His creation to hear the law. God welcomed the strangers and sojourners.

God gave the law as a blessing in Psalms, God surely would not bless Jews only.
Psalm 19:7-9
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

 

[Corban]

Thanks for explaining so well.

Although the law was given to the Israelites, I understood that God wanted all His creation to hear the law. God welcomed the strangers and sojourners.

God gave the law as a blessing in Psalms, God surely would not bless Jews only.
Psalm 19:7-9
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

I don't think so. If you read Deuteronomy Chapter 7 in its entirety you can see the mind of God concerning nations other than Israel. Here are some extracts:

1 "When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, ...
2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
....
11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
....
16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: ...
....
20 Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.
....
23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.
24 And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.
...."

The Law of integration was for the traveller from afar. If he came into Israeli territory he was subject to the Law. But it is clear that God wanted Israel to have nothing to do with the surrounding nations except to wipe them out.

 

[Blain]

Even if some of the bible was to only address the Jews wisdom from God is something all need, granted there is a certain style in the Jewish writing that can only really be understood fully if you study their customs and traditions
Although there are some things that we have take with discernment such as the sabbath which I am assuming is what you are getting at and while I love most of what you post I do have to disagree with you on that and yes I do have scripture for my position
He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry — how he entered the house of God, and they ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests? Or haven’t you read in the Law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent? But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here! If you had known what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:3-8)

 

[bojack]

A physical circumcision and the law ?

 

[Dino246]

Thanks for explaining so well.

Although the law was given to the Israelites, I understood that God wanted all His creation to hear the law. God welcomed the strangers and sojourners.

God gave the law as a blessing in Psalms, God surely would not bless Jews only.
Psalm 19:7-9
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

I believe that God intended Israel to have two specific functions: to be a testimony to the other nations regarding God, and to be the means by which He brought forth His Messiah. I don't believe that He ever intended the Mosaic Law to be binding upon all nations.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Many posters believe that often the Lord speaks to Israel only.

In the Old Testament, God speaks EXCLUSIVELY to Israel. Any references to non-Israelites are incidental.

Indeed the history of the Hebrews and of the nation of Israel (which was then split into two kingdoms because of sin) is what is recorded in the OT (Genesis to Malachi). All the prophets were addressing Israel, and for their trouble they were persecuted and killed. The Assyrian and Babylonian captivities were caused by sin and idolatry in Israel.

At the same time ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for (1) doctrine, (2) reproof, (3) correction, and (4) instruction in righteous ( 2 Tim 3:16), and "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope". (Rom 15:4).

In view of this Christians dare not neglect the OT. By the same token, they dare not revert to Moses. See the epistle to the Hebrews.

 

[gb9]

for those of you who do not normally interact with the o.p., she thinks that those of us who go to church and/or worship on sun, are actually worshiping the sun god, and real true Christians keep the Sabbath, and that the romans invented sun. worship.

please do not take my word for this, just look back through her posts, it is all in there.

 

[Guojing]

Many posters believe that often the Lord speaks to Israel only. I hope they will post verses that show what they base that belief on.

I believe God is speaking to gentiles as well as Jews in all the old testament, and these verses are some of the many verses I base that belief on.

Exodus 12:49 The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Leviticus 24:22 There shall be one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the Lord your God.’”

Numbers 9:14 If an alien sojourns among you and observes the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its ordinance, so he shall do; you shall have one statute, both for the alien and for the native of the land.’”

Christians here appear to have no problem believing that the OT was mainly directed to the Jews.

But the moment they turn that blank page in their bible and the word NT appears, they resist it greatly when people tell them Matthew to John is also part of the Old Testament promise to Israel (Romans 15:8, Matthew 15:24)

 

[Blik]

I don't think so. If you read Deuteronomy Chapter 7 in its entirety you can see the mind of God concerning nations other than Israel. Here are some extracts:

1 "When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, ...
2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
....
11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
....
16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: ...
....
20 Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.
....
23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.
24 And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.
...."

The Law of integration was for the traveller from afar. If he came into Israeli territory he was subject to the Law. But it is clear that God wanted Israel to have nothing to do with the surrounding nations except to wipe them out.

I see your point. The Lord even demanded the destruction of peoples who God knew were only evil. God does not want evil around us, but for us to live in peace. The Lord knew these people would reject His word.

But what this post is trying to establish is whether we are classed as one of those people who the OT law was not for because they would reject it, or if it is for us who accept the one true God. In romans 2:28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. We are gentiles who have been drafted in, so surely that means we can be included when the Lord spoke to the Israelites.

 

[GraceAndTruth]

Prophecy in the old testament was to the Jews. IE: Babylon captivity
The prophecy of Cyrus was given 200 years before Cyrus was born and freed God's people from Babylon....just one more of those faith
Law was for the Jews ( a prophecy fulfilled is a faith builder)
There is the history of God's interactions with the Jews as a nation and the history of some Jews who were chosen to execute God's will
Not many Gentiles were counted as notable in the old testament, one exception was Rahab

Christians are blessed to have these great stories available for us to understand God's character toward His creation.

 

[Blik]

for those of you who do not normally interact with the o.p., she thinks that those of us who go to church and/or worship on sun, are actually worshiping the sun god, and real true Christians keep the Sabbath, and that the romans invented sun. worship.

please do not take my word for this, just look back through her posts, it is all in there.

May I correct these misrepresentation of "what I think". I think the Lord gave us a Sabbath at creation. I think I am not a judge of any people, I may not judge anyone on the basis of when they go to church. My belief in the Sabbath does not mean that I will not go to my church on Sunday, that is the day they hold church, so it would be judging myself.

I also think that denying that God established Sabbath at creation is denying scripture. That is not a judgment of any people, they are free to live their life with the Lord as they choose, and I am sure the Lord does not accept or reject anyone because of His Sabbath. That is done through faith in the Lord.

Besides, my belief in these Genesis verses has nothing to do with this post.