From Hebrews To All People Becoming Jews Part Four

When we were mere children; me as Joseph, my dear cousin Elizabeth as Mary.
How did a message from an oppressed and weak people influence the entire world?

Continued from Part Three... (Part One, Part Two)

Ancient Greek cultural, philosophical, and legal ideas have permeated the world, just as Persian influence in culture, philosophy and legal ideas have...as have Asian and other ideas.

The Greeks and Persians built their ideas upon the ideas of those who preceded them.

This is how the world has developed.

The 'west' and the 'east' is merely the development of two points of view looking at one thing; life.

And where 'north meets south' is the very crossroads that held a society that eventually came to rule over all points (north, south, east and west).

What was agreeable from all corners of the world has been included (and continues to be included) into the mass world consciousness.

The ideas that developed from a seemingly obscure people founded in the crossroads of the four corners of the ancient world are now found in people atop most finely tuned governments the world over.

The influence of nations united by business interests, cultural ideals, and a consideration for humanity as a whole, now desires to bring those still outside this sphere of influence into the fold of Today.

This desire is nothing new.

This effort was actually already accomplished in the spiritual realms, with the physical counterparts still in the stages of growing pains since then unto the present time.

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: 

   “The kingdom of the world has become 

      the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, 

    and He will reign for ever and ever.” 

- Revelation 11: 15

God desired to reveal Himself a little bit at a time when keeping a series of covenants.

Although the rest of the world, labeled pagan as a means to distinguish what has been directly inspired from Above from earthly inspired ideas confused, adjusted, muddied or wayward, all ways human have reflected the initial inspiration messaged through Adam and his progeny.

There were covenants God made with specific individuals, some covenants with a collective group.

Certain covenants lasted for a time while others were permanent / everlasting.

From the first command, first consequence and first reconciliation between God and man, we see a relationship with Adam and all of humanity after him...

...to the covenant with Noah and thus to the rest of humanity today on earth...

...to the covenant with Abraham and specifically to the immediate descendants of Abraham's son Isaac, and then by extension all those grafted into this family by faith...

...to the covenant with Moses and specifically the people of Israel that produced their laws and further covenants individually...

...unto Today; the covenant established through Yeshua Christ to firstly the Hebrew nation (the Jews) and then to the Gentiles, the near and distant children of Noah and his three sons; the fulfillment of several covenants (Noah, Abraham and Moses), God continues His personal relationships, promises and desires from His heart to the hearts of humanity:

A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God. 

- Romans 2: 28-29

I don't think the believer in Christ as the Lord your God should identify themselves 'not' part of Israel, or the legacy of Hebraic spirituality.

Yet I don't mean 'Israel' in the physical, political, nor external sense...but as the letter to the Romans explains.

Much how Yeshua was more Hebrew (reflecting Abraham's reverence, humility and faith) than those who held onto and claimed that identity.

Yeshua did not abandon the identity of being righteous in all ways, only the exterior symbolism that has nothing to do with the heart's condition...we see this in the accusations of Yeshua being a law breaker, yet God testifies Yeshua was Perfect and never transgressed the law!

The Romans letter describes a Jewishness available to mankind that has nothing to do with outer appearance or the keeping of Jewish rituals and rules.

It instead describes a righteousness that is seeded from faith in Christ as one's righteousness.

This righteousness is not borne from keeping rules and rituals, but in loving one's neighbor...and loving one's enemies, even unto death...just as Christ exemplified.

Love is the law, and the law's fulfillment is love.

This is what it means to be 'Jewish' and 'righteous' as Christ the Lord your God exemplified.

The human sees and expresses themselves externally much of the time.

We do, after all, live in a physical / material world.

However, the physical things have little to do with the spiritual realities behind them.

This is where the spirit of the law is expressed when contrasting the letter of the law.

This is where heavenly things are contrasted with earthly things.

When religious people demand a believer in God to 'worship' in a certain place, at a certain time, in a certain manner, and dress a certain way, and say certain things, these efforts reveal a shallow understanding (or none at all) of the things from God:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. 

- Romans 12: 1-2

The heavenly kingdom of God established upon the earth is not one that can be described in physical terms, yet carnal and religiously hostile minds attempt to do such all the time.

The manner Christ reigns from His heavenly throne through earthly kings and princes (whether they are recognized as Christians or not) is a mystery described in the Word of God. (consider how ancient Israel was in captivity yet God still reigned and was Sovereign over their enemies in foreign lands)

Usually mystery's understanding is not conceptualized by people who are to accustomed to viewing the world through physical ideas (politics, religion, outer appearance of others).

This walk is, after all, by faith.

Faith has less to do with sight and more to do with the Spirit allowing peace to dwell in the believer's heart.

Consider; if you believe in Yeshua as the Lord your God, you believe in the God of peace:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Yeshua. 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 

- Philippians 4: 4-9

So where religious ideas would convince some people to lie to - or kill - another human being as some sort of allowance or command of God...it is then realized that the God of peace has yet to manifest in those hearts.

Where some religious ideas proclaim 'peace' yet war has been their legacy, it is clear that peace is only on their lips but not in their hearts.

Where men still fight over land and worldly possessions, such hearts have yet to realize that true wealth is not found in the physical plane, but in the spiritual realms of God.

Such hearts that strive against other human beings have yet to taste holiness spoken from God's lips.

Such hearts are held in ancient patterns, the ways of a world long defeated where an eye is demanded for an eye.

Such demands were fulfilled in the Messiah revealed to those for whom faith was destined.

There is no pride in being a Jew in the physical sense, nor of any other legacy or tribe or blood line that does not love their neighbor nor love their enemy.

Those who submit to God as Christ exemplified submission to God are those called heavenward by the King and Lord and Judge of all...the Messiah Lord Yeshua your God.

The manner God has established His kingdom on earth is still hidden from the 'eyes' of many, although such an allusion is found in ancient biblical exilic narratives, the present realities are furthered in the fact that Yeshua is the Lord reigning from His heavenly throne.

Much how God brought ancient Israel into a land of suffering (for example, Egypt before Moses or Persia after Isaiah), God did so to bring forth something greater....to serve in perpetuity both subjector and subject.

How amazing that God allowed Israel at the time of Christ to become subject to that time's imperial power only to sprout the faith in Christ in overcoming that kingdom of men to establish His eternal kingdom!

This was accomplished not by fighting or deception on the part of the Christians, but by the Holy Hand of God living in the believers.

While embracing consecutive cultural differences, the unity of faith in Messiah revealed (the image of the invisible God) continued.

What is evident Today is reminiscent of the past internal identifiable unity of ancient Jews despite their conquerors and neighbors.

The outer appearance, language, and manners have reflected their cultural geography, while internally God is One and is worshipped not according to external ideas, but inward truth.

Today, God is One as revealed in the Lord your God, Yeshua the Messiah, and He is worshipped in a wide way internally while external variants have little to do with what lives inside the believer's heart and mind.