Another amazing phenomenon that confirms the divine inspiration of the Bible is the survival of the Jewish people through centuries of persecution. The Jews are God's chosen people and their survival as a distinct ethnic group that continues to hold to a form of biblical faith is nothing short of miraculous. One social scientist has said that the Jews have defied every rule of assimilation. If the Jews were just another ethnic/religious group they would have been assimilated centuries ago.
It is like God took a test tube and dipped it into the sea of humanity and collected a small group of people that would be His chosen people. God did experiments, so to speak, on this test tube full of chosen people. God developed a special love relationship with the Jews. It was through the Jewish people that the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, would come to redeem humanity.
God did not ignore the rest of humanity in the centuries before the coming of Jesus of Nazareth. It is true that the Jews were on center stage but God had provided a sacrificial system for the Gentiles under the covenant of Noah described in the ninth chapter of Genesis. The Jews had the covenants of Abraham and Moses. The Gentiles had the covenant of Noah. Both Jews and Gentiles had been given a sacrificial system that both atoned for sin and prefigured the atoning work of Messiah Jesus who would come centuries later.
In the New Testament in Romans 11:28-29 it is written that the Jews are "beloved for the father's sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." This means that the Jews are still a special people in God's sight. God did not and will not revoke the gifts and calling of the Jewish people.
There are no Philistines or Hittites or Edomites today. These were once great nations in Bible times but have been blended out of existence. God has preserved the Jews down through the centuries despite the terrible persecutions they suffered. In medieval times when the Bible was a banned book even Christians (Christian in name only!) persecuted the Jews. The persecutions of the Jews under Pagan Rome and Nazi (Pagan) Germany were far worse.
The rebirth of the state of Israel in the Middle East on her ancient homeland was both miraculous and clearly prophesied in the pages of the Bible. The Old Testament in Zechariah 12:10 and the New Testament in Revelation 1:7 prophesy that the nation of Israel will, in the end-times, recognize Jesus as her Messiah.
The Bible is scientifically accurate! Find the evidence at www.icr.org.
Steps to salvation:
Jesus said "Ye must be born again." (John 3:7)
- Believe that God created you and loves you and sent the Messiah (Messiah is Hebrew for Christ) to redeem you.
- Believe that Jesus the Messiah came in fulfillment of over 300 Bible prophecies to die for you to take upon Himself the penalty for your sins. (Isaiah 53:5-6, John 6:29, Romans 4:5, First Peter 3:18)
- Turn from sin and call on the name of Jesus to receive forgiveness. (Romans 10:13)
- Receive Jesus as Savior and experience the new birth. (John 1:12, Acts 2:38)
- Follow Him as Lord. (John 14:21)
"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13)
To receive the salvation that Jesus purchased for us at the terrible cost of His suffering and death on our behalf I invite you to pray this simple prayer:
"Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for sending Jesus, the promised Messiah, to die for my sins. I admit that I am a sinner and I ask for your forgiveness on the basis of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I ask you to fill me with your Holy Spirit to empower me to serve you under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, Amen."
If you prayed that prayer in the humble sincerity of your heart then you have received everlasting life, which includes power to live right in this life and entrance into heaven in the afterlife!
Bill Nugent, Overcomer Ministries of West Harrison, New York, USA
(C) 2010 William P. Nugent, permission granted to email or republish if credit given
Read Bill Nugent's award winning Christian book, Lawful or Legalistic: How New Testament Believers Must Understand Old Testament Laws. For more information and to order click here.
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DEFENDING THE FAITH
APOLOGETIC ARTICLES
Bill Nugent currently writes a series of articles called "Defending the Faith" which, as the title suggests, defend the Christian faith from the many attacks leveled against it in our postmodern world.
The articles deal with such topics as evolution, UFOs, cults, modern/postmodern philosophy, liberal theology and popular culture. At the end of each article is an invitation to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. These articles are sent out over the Internet to several opt-in email lists. People who receive these articles are encouraged to resend them to their own lists and in this way reach their own unsaved relatives and friends with the Gospel.
All Defending the Faith articles are © 2009 William P. Nugent, permission is granted to email or republish if credit given.
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