Friday, September 22, 2017

Salvation Is Of Judah

"You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." - John 4:22-24 ESV

A great passage with rich meaning but today I'm focusing in on the 'Jewishness' of salvation. The word translated 'Jews' (Ioudaios - Strong's G2453) is an adjective, not a noun or a proper name. Some would even translate it 'Judahness' making a distinction between the northern and southern Hebrew kingdoms. Historically there was a split between 'Israel' and 'Judah'. Israel is known for making bad decisions because of bad leadership. Judah struggled and teeter-tottered back and forth. Salvation is 'of Judah' because Jesus is descended from Judah.

"And one of the elders said to me, 'Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.' " - Revelation 5:5 ESV

Jesus was and Is the best thing that was ever produced out of that land. He Is the Lion of that tribe. The Royal One.

Is salvation 'Jew-ish' or is it 'Judah-ish'. Is our spirituality? I would have to say based on the passage in John chapter 4 that it is both but it is also neither one.

In verse 9 we see that Jesus is speaking to a Samaritan woman who had her own somewhat warped ideas about spirituality and He was initiating life to her and saying that God is looking for present-day worshippers who have the right basis of understanding but are in their own category. They are 'graced out' ones who recieve and live in the grace of God. The Messiah was from Judah but what He brought was from Heaven and not steeped in an Earthern culture.

"So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year, they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians." - Acts 11:25-26 ESV

Salvation is Jewish but spirituality is Christ-like because Christ-likeness is from Heaven. This isn't left wing versus right wing or based in morality. It isn't Baptist, Lutheran or Presbyterian. It is Jesus being manifested in the world. It is a man walking far out of His way to talk to an ostracized woman at a well and let her know that even though her concepts were wrong and she was known and cared for by just a few people on Earth... God cared for her and wanted to include her in His 'spirit and truth' fellowship.

Jesus provides hope for every person from every culture and economic background. He didn't come to make the world Jewish. He came so that the individual could be Christ-like. He came to save you and i out of all our wrong ideas and give us a new life with a new heritage.

Antisemitism has always been bubbling under the surface in culture after culture. It is no surprise. It isn't just a reaction to a people group that teeter-totters. It is a reaction to the Jewishness of salvation. It is a reaction to one carpenter's Son. Let's love that Son of man and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. That place needs our prayer.

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