What happened with gentiles before the cross?
[edit] ...and how was it that the Jews had hope? ....in other words, 'What advantage then hath the Jew?'.
Bro KYR,
I am so sorry for taking so long to answer this question. Thanks also for taking the time to participate in this thread, and that goes to all who have taken the time to do so. I do really appreciate it!:thumbs:
Jews nowadays do not have the "advantage" they had prior to Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. Prior to Jesus' coming, you were part of the Seed of Abraham just by being born naturally. However, this was not a guarantee that they would go to heaven. Many rebelled against God and were "smoted" by Him.
Leviticus 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon,
and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
2
And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
Joshua 7:16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
18 And he brought his household man by man;
and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
19And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20 AndAchan answered Joshua, and said,
Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
23And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.
24And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
25And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day.
And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
26And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.
So, Bro KYR, here are two passages that shows that just being born a Jew was not a guarantee of going to heaven.
After Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected and is now seated on the right hand of the Father in heaven, we are all(both Jew and Gentile) on the same playing field, so to speak. It is now "by grace through faith", and not by birth, as it was in the OT times. Look at where the word
through is in that very verse. It is
between "grace" and "faith". You can't get to "grace"
without "faith".
Now, getting to the gentiles before the cross. Anyone who dies without
believing, will punish in torment forever. As one who holds to
freewill that probably seems strange to the DoG'ers. However, there were those who were gentiles at that time who did believe, namely Rahab the harlot, and Ruth, who married Boaz, and is the G-G grandmother of David. So the gentiles were not left off, but by them not believing, they condemned themselves. This is still going on till this day.
Rom. 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21 But to Israel he saith,
All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
So here is a "classic example" of Jesus stretching forth His hands to a disobedient people. So He was willing to save them if His arms were stretched forth!! I hope this is an adequate answer. With love!!
i am I am's!!
Willis