The people of the Book
Written by Aidan Thomas
Brethren Of Christ Articles - The Reliability of the Bible
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The people of the Book – their past and future considered
The Jewish people are sometimes called ‘The people of the Book’ ( i.e. the Bible) because it has so much to say concerning them and the land of Israel.
In fact other nations and people are only mentioned in the Bible in so far as they have relations with or dealings with the Jews and the land of Israel.
Who are the Jews ? We use the term for the descendants of Abraham, through the line of his son Isaac and his son Jacob, later changed to Israel.
They are a unique people of whom it is written “thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6.
And again they were unique in that no other people could say that their forefathers actually heard God speak to them; “hath there been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it ? Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?” Deut. 4:33
In recording the advantages and privileges of the Jewish race, it is written “unto them were committed the oracles of God.. and to whom was given the glory and the covenants and the giving of the law and the service of God and the promises..and from whom Christ came.” Romans 3:2 & 9:4,5.
And God has chosen them to witness to His own existence and purpose with the earth. "Ye are my witnesses..whom I have chosen..Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.” Isaiah 43:10,12
The miracle of their survival
There is no natural explanation for the existence of the Jewish people today. If anything, it is a phenomenon that contradicts all natural order.
Blaise Pascal, who was regarded as one of the most brilliant thinkers of the Age of Reason, when asked by Louis XIV for a proof of the supernatural, answered simply, "The Jews, my lord, the Jews.”
“The Egyptians, the Babylonians and the Persians rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greeks and Romans followed and made a vast noise, and they were gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, and have vanished. The Jew saw them all, survived them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities, of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert but aggressive mind.
All things are mortal but the Jews; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?” So wrote Mark Twain , September 1897, a month after the first Zionist Congress, from which sprang the impetus to resurrect the Jewish state.
Yet the “immortality of the Jewish race” is no secret. God had placed on record that “I am with you to save you and though I will make a full end of all nations among whom I have scattered you, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.” Jeremiah 30:11.
It was only about 70 years ago that Nazi Germany attempted the genocide of the Jewish people. But though around six million perished in the gas chambers and ovens of the concentration camps, yet a remnant that escaped from Europe survived. Against all odds these were successful in establishing a home for the Jewish refugees in the land of Israel.
And in 1948, contrary to the expectations of the military analysts, this fledging nation withstood the combined might of the armies of six Arab nations, to become “the nation of Israel.” Since that time it has managed to repel attempts by Egypt, Syria and Jordan to destroy it. It has been well said that these other nations can afford to lose a war and live to fight another day, but for Israel to lose a war would mean the end of the nation.
Israel still God’s people
But what is the future of the Jewish people and their nation? Has God finished with them ? Yes, according to many theologians.
There is a view held by many, who claim to be Christians, that the Christian church has replaced the people of Israel as the chosen people. This view goes under the name of “replacement theology” and claims that the church is the new or true Israel that has permanently replaced or superseded Israel as the people of God.
As one proponent of this view has written “We believe that the international Church has superseded for all times national Israel as the institution for the administration of divine blessing to the world.” It is claimed that “Replacement theology” has been, with few exceptions, “the consensus of the church from the middle of the second century A.D. to the present day.
Justin Martyr was the first to view “the Christian church as ‘the true spiritual Israel” around A.D. 160. His views laid the groundwork for the growing belief that the Church had superseded or replaced Israel. And this in turn led to the growth of anti-semitism, particularly in Europe, that was espoused by the Roman Catholic Church, with such damaging consequences for the Jewish people.
Yet the Bible is very clear on this subject. “Hath God cast away His people? Let it not be, said Paul, for I am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew." Romans 11:2. He knew beforehand that they were to be a rebellious and stiff-necked people, yet He also foreknew that His purpose with them would be fulfilled.
Their troubles are a testimony to their special status in God’s eyes, as the prophet Amos declares, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” Amos 3:2. And those punishments, which they suffered, had been foretold many years before they happened through the God inspired writings of the Old Testament prophets.