Sunshine!!  It was foggy and cloudy and rainy earlier today, but that beautiful yellow light that the sun emits in the fall is now basking the hillside with its warming touch.  Blue skies are growing as the clouds go away. 

Which means the forecast for colder nights are going to be true!  Still, I love the seasons, it invigorates and gives a renewed enjoyment of life in the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous!   

Psalm 136:1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Indeed the verse fills this chapter, it is repeated over and over.  How glorious God was in the days of old. 

He showed great mercy to the Israelites, He led them out of bondage, He provided food for them and their clothing never wore out for 40 years.

He provided many miracles through the years to prove His great love and mercy.  His appointed leaders and prophets to speak of Him, teach of Him, proclaiming His Word as he led them.  2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

God has always been available to His people.  Sometimes we forget or we minimize the love He had/has for the Jews.  Because we have Christ as our personal Savior, because He took to the cross all of our sins, we forget that many of the Jewish people loved God and served Him to the best of their abilities.  And He provided for them.

Christ came to the Jews first because He loved them; because they were HIS chosen people and He wanted to give them every opportunity to accept the Messiah, His Son, Jesus, as the sacrifice for their sins and the fulfillment of the promises He had been giving them for thousands of years.

While the procedure to serve God, the process of attaining eternal life with Him was always the same, Love and obedience to Him – we have immediate access to Him through Christ.  We have a promise of eternal life with Him NOW; we do not have to wait in Abraham’s Bosom as so many thousands of Jews had to wait until God sent His Son to save all mankind.   Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:

Jesus taught in the tabernacles and many Jews accepted Him as the Messiah; the Apostles and many of the early Christians, being Jews, taught in the tabernacles and shared their faith in Christ through their Jews teachings to others and many more came to Christ.

They were there; many saw first-hand the Christ walking among them.  They were witnesses to His sermons, miracles, death and resurrection.  They were friends and family members of those that had also seen Jesus, and believed.  They spoke as the chosen people – to the chosen people - that had been taught the scriptures from their earliest childhood and as eye witnesses as to the Glory of Christ.

Those that condemn the Jews, as a people, do so at their own risk.  They are still the chosen people.  Those that have accepted Christ as Savior – as we gentiles have accepted Christ as Savior – are part of the Church, the Bride of Christ.  They serve God through His risen Savior, as we do.

The Jews have turned their backs on God through the millenniums many times.  He chastised them, He punished them, He allowed them to be driven from their homes and scattered across the earth – but in all of it, His message was the same, these are HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE.  He is still dealing with them, as a people. 

He expects them to honor His Son and many do, of the others I have no doubt He loves them, but they are not being obedient to Him and they will suffer accordingly.

Will the punishment be the same as those gentiles that reject Him?  Probably, since once the gentiles were included in the Grace of God all Scriptures and teaching dealt with the believer and did not differentiate whether Jew or Gentile and all were expected to obey under the new covenant through Christ.  Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

The same call to praise God in the Old Testament, is also prevalent in the New:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice evermore.

¹⁷ Pray without ceasing.

¹⁸ In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

While we might puff ourselves up with pride that we have Jesus Christ as our Savior, we must never forget that God loves all of man.  That He provided a means of salvation for the Israelites in the Old Testament.  While their lives were more difficult under the law, many served God with a great love and obedience.

1 Chronicles 16:22-24 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

²³ Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.

²⁴ Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.

The Old Testament ways are gone, Christ fulfilled the Law and now the only means to enter into a relationship with God is through Him.  But the Old Testament teaches us of God and His love; we learn of His protection to His people and His desire for all to come to Him.

Studying the Old Testament reaffirms the power and glory of God and shows us His Will for all man.  It teaches us that God is willing to do mighty things, using those servants that give their heart to Him. 

It confirms that He has always been there for man; He has always wanted man to be perfect so that man can be with Him.  His love and mercy is far beyond anything we can possibly imagine and He deserves our absolute devotion and commitment to Him.

God is God; He does not change.  His Love and Mercy indeed shall be forever!

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again