June 22

“Whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ” (Romans 9:5).

This is the climax of the great privileges and gifts which belong to Israel.

As to the fathers, think of Abraham, who was described as the “friend of God” (James 2:23), who is the father of faith, exemplified in his yielding to the demands of God that he offer his son Isaac, thus becoming the example of faith given throughout the New Testament.

Consider Isaac who, although a grown man, did not resist his father placing him on the altar of sacrifice and thus, became a prophetic type and forerunner of Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God.

Consider Jacob, who struggled through the long dark night with a Man, and who would not let go until he had received a blessing and who became “Israel”, having strength with God and power with men.

Consider Joseph, the suffering servant type of the Messiah, who was sold by his brethren to the gentiles and whose faithfulness saved his people.

Consider Moses, the one chose by God to be the lawgiver to His people and of whom the apostle wrote; “Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant” (Hebrews 3:5).

Think of David, who had a heart after God and became a prophetic type and forerunner of Christ the King.

Think of all the prophets and psalmists who faithfully recorded all that God had showed them in words of the deepest penitence, faith, devotion and praise, and all the elders of Israel who, “through faith obtained a good report” (Hebrews 11:2).

No wonder apostate Israel is still loved by God for their father’s sakes (Romans 11:28). Sadly, Christianity has forgotten the organic connection and relationship between the Jews of Judaism today and their noble fathers, who established the foundations of our faith.

All of these privileges and distinctions of Israel are links with Israel to humanity but finally, we come to that which links Israel to heaven; “”..of whom is Christ”. Thus, we consider Jesus, who, in as much as His humanity is concerned, is forever linked with the Hebrew race and the nation of Israel; for when the Word was made flesh, “He did not take upon Himself the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16), and was born of a humble Jewish virgin named Mary, who was of the family of David and the tribe of Judah.

It is little wonder that Paul grieves for his kinsmen according to the flesh. For this Jesus is more than just a babe born in Bethlehem, but a king, “the Son of David and the Son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1), who was willing to sacrifice Himself for the nation and whose “goings forth are from old, even from the days of eternity” (Micah 5:2).