Friday, October 13th | Still God's Chosen

Hello, everyone. Today is Friday, October the 13th. I'm Ryan Hill.

I'm John Galantis. And you're listening to Clear View Today with Dr. Abbadon Shah, the daily show that engages mind and heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can visit us online at ClearViewTodayShow.com. Or if you have any questions for Dr. Shah or suggestions for new topics, send us a text 252-58-25028, or you can email us at contact at ClearViewTodayShow.com.

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We're going to leave some links in the description of this podcast so you can do just that. And the verse of the day is coming to us from Zechariah 2, verses 7 and 8. It says, O Zion, for thus says the Lord of hosts, He who touches you touches the apple of his eye.

The apple of his eye. I did not know that was a biblical phrase. Yeah.

No, I didn't know that. It's a biblical phrase that reminds us that Israel is God's chosen people. And you know, in light of everything going on, we want to continue our conversation. If you've been listening to the show, we've had this conversation over the past few days, but just so much to talk about, so much to unpack and understand how what is going on in Israel and what is happening to God's people affects us here all the way in America.

And Dr. Shah, I appreciate so much your candor. I appreciate your heart for the nation of Israel and just your transparency with what's happening. And I would say also your humility, because it, and I think we've said this on other episodes, but it takes a lot for someone to say, listen, those are God's chosen people. And even if it has nothing to do with me specifically, I support them and their story as God's working it out. And in our world today, that is not a very popular view. You would think with all that the Jewish people have gone through, you would think there would be a sense of understanding or compassion.

And yet sometimes it's not there. I'm not saying everybody's that way, but some people are just negative towards Jewish people being in their homeland. And so we have to stand back and look at the whole matter and understand the issues and the ramifications for the people who are there, whether it's Palestinians or Arabs, and say, what needs to happen here? How can we pray for the people of God?

How can we pray for peace in that part of the world? Nobody wants war. Nobody wants to just go out there and just destroy lives.

No. The bad people do. Of course the terrorists do. The evil people do, but the good people don't want war everywhere.

They want to live their lives and grow old and raise their families and children and give them a good home, good education, a good livelihood. That's what they want. But unfortunately, once again, evil has prevailed and it's obvious. Just watching the news for the past few days, I mean, they're still pulling out bodies in Israel. They're still pulling out and the numbers keep rising. I mean, we initially heard four, 500, and then it jumped up to 900, then jumped up to 1200. So my friend was right that it's worse than it has ever been. It's worse than anything that God's people or the Jewish people have suffered, maybe as far back as the Holocaust.

It's crazy. And we've been saying it, you know, these past few days, but just to keep saying it, just to keep it on the minds and hearts of the people of God, that this is a very real and significant thing that we're living through. And to support the people of Israel, to support God's people, this is what he's called us to do.

And so if he's given us, talking about the three of us, this platform, we want to make sure that everything that we do and everything that we say is in support of God's people, because God still has a plan for his people. And I think this is something that we've been talking about, like this idea that the Jewish people are going to face opposition in this world for being God's chosen people is nothing that's new. This isn't like a new thing that they have to get used to. It has been going on for a long time, even before the time of Christ. I mean, think back to Esther. The whole book of Esther is built around someone wanting to take out the Jewish people.

So we know it's an old problem. But again, the terrorist organization calling on a day of rage and things like that. So how can good people, especially believers, stand back and say, this is okay.

It's not okay. Something is just terribly wrong with what is happening in Israel, what's happening in our world. And if good people don't speak out and stand up and stand behind those who are being hurt, then something's wrong with us. So my prayers are for Israel. My prayers are for all people, whether people in Gaza as well, or West Bank, everywhere. My prayers are that hearts and minds would come to know God through all this. We believe that every person, whether it's Jewish people or Gentiles, they all have to come through Jesus Christ, through the Messiah. And so being a particular ethnic group doesn't automatically make you a child of God. So we do want to clarify that it's through Jesus Christ. Hence, we love all people, and we want them to come to know Christ.

That's the point of this show. We're engaging hearts and minds for the gospel of Christ. I feel like people, maybe as a defense mechanism, or I'm not quite sure why, but they sort of deaden themselves to something that's happening across the world. Like, I should care about this, but I'm having a hard time connecting with them.

I'm having a hard time resonating with it. Are there any practical things that people can do to sort of, like, stress the gravity of the situation to themselves? I would definitely say, don't get too wrapped up in the news, but don't stick your head in the sand and just pretend that's happening there. I'm at peace and it's all okay. It's not always going to be okay. If we don't stop that kind of a killing over there, then it's going to happen here. So we need to stand up and say, killing anywhere is wrong. Evil anywhere is wrong. Justice is needed everywhere.

Of course, mercy too. So I would say educate yourself on these issues. Know why these things happen. Know why there is the clash of civilization. I think it was Samuel Huntington who wrote that book, or Bernard Lewis.

I can't remember. Let's get those two confused. But he wrote a book on that, Clash of Civilizations, and other books like that, that help you understand the issues. It was Samuel Huntington.

Samuel Huntington. And then Bernard Lewis has also talked about what's going on in the Middle East and has been for hundreds, if not a couple thousand years, and what needs to happen for us. So educate yourself. Go to the Bible. The Bible has a lot to say.

In fact, Romans 11, if you want to turn there for a little bit, we can talk about that. Because very early on in the church's life, people were beginning to say, Israel is over. Jewish people are done. The Gentiles have now taken over. We talked about that last time. We called it replacement theology. The more technical term or theological term is supersessionism, means superseding. The Christians or Christianity has superseded Judaism, is what they say. I actually didn't know that it was as old of a problem as that. I didn't realize it was going on back in Paul's time as well. Oh yeah.

It was happening right there in the first decade, where people were saying, hey, you're done. Bye. See ya.

You had your chance and you blew it. Wow. And keep in mind, apostle Paul was actually on the side of the Gentiles, but he is writing to them. He's telling them in Rome, wait, wait, wait, time out. Yes, Jesus has come. Yes, there's a blinder or a veil that is before the eyes of my people, but don't for a minute think that it's over for them, that there is still a purpose for them.

So let's look at it. Romans chapter 11. And I talked about chapter 10 last time, but chapter 11, verse one, it says, I say then, has God cast away his people?

Certainly not. For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew.

Now, I don't know how much clearer you can get. I think that's the problem that people, I think it all goes back to what people care about is am I going to heaven or not? Because we're not saying that if a Jewish person doesn't accept Christ, that they're going to heaven, they're going to live with God regardless.

We're not saying that. We're just saying God has not thrown his people away. He still has a purpose for them.

He has a plan. He has promises, prophecies that were given in the Old Testament that still have to be fulfilled. And they were not canceled or abrogated because God's people refuse to receive the Messiah as a nation. Because individually many did. Nicodemus was in the Sanhedrin. Paul, of course, St. Adrian Gamaliel, who was one of the top theologians of the time, also a member of the Sanhedrin. Peter, James, John, Andrew, all these people are Jewish people. So the first converts were individual. We can even say as families, they were Jewish.

As a nation, they rejected the Messiah. That's a good point to talk about them as a nation. Because there's things that we would say about America today.

As a nation, America is doing this and this and this. But then there's tons of people that we can point to and say, well, not them, but we're talking over all. That's a good point. And you often hear the word remnant. I think there were many remnants there. Simeon and Anna were the first ones to come and sort of represent the old age.

I'm talking about not old as in their age, but old age as the age of the prophets and the coming of the new age, which is John the Baptist, Jesus Christ. So there was a shift that happened. And individually, they're accepted.

Collectively, they're rejected. And there are plenty of passages in the gospels that talks about that, how the high priest made statements as well. It's imperative that one person should die for the nation. He didn't realize he made a prophecy. What a fool.

He's like, oh, I just prophesied like Saul. Just like what it is, what it is. Okay.

Shoot. That's funny. But then it goes on and says in Romans 11, we're talking about the theology of Israel. Paul says, this is in the second half of verse two, or do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel saying, Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars and I alone am left and they seek my life. But what does the divine response say to him? I have reserved for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.

Yeah. You know, you're in a bad spot when one of your own prophets is like talking to God to be like, don't spare him, Lord. And what is God's response?

No, I have 7,000 still. Even so then at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace and it's no longer of works, keep in mind, this isn't about salvation. This is about election to be the carriers of the Messiah. Otherwise grace is no longer grace, but if it is of works, it is no longer grace.

Otherwise work is no longer work. What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have obtained it and the rest were blinded. Just as it is written, God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear to this very day.

So you'll often have people say, you know, under the heading of soteriology that this is where you find the doctrine of election. How can you deny that? Keep in mind, who is he talking about? He's talking about Israel. Israel about those who are accepting versus those who are rejecting.

The election is on. Why did God pick some to accept the Messiah and some not to? But people will copy paste that and put it for us as Christians too. As the norm of what happens at salvation. When Paul is talking about a very specific instance.

Yeah, which is in that 40 year period. Why did some people accept them? Jesus Christ of Nazareth as the Messiah who fulfilled all the prophecies and those who rejected him and called on pilot to crucify him. Why?

How could this happen? And pause responses. God chose them. God chose them to stand up while the nation categorically or collectively rejected their own King. I wonder how many people in hearing that just had their entire view upended.

Like, yeah, you're you were listening to that just now and you're like, wait a minute, that changes everything I've ever thought. Well, I wonder also how many are the opposite. It's like, no, if God chooses them, he'll choose he'll choose us.

You know what I mean? Why? Because why them and not us? I actually think people would double down on it. Yeah, they can. I think there's a they do that. But I think they do it.

And they do injustice to exegesis. Because to do that, you have to pretty much throw out Israel and make this us. Right. When the whole intent of the passage is what to do about Israel. It's like you can't it's like you can't apply that to yourself without superseding Israel. Yeah.

Yeah. And then verse nine, and David says, Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened so that they do not see and bow down their back always. I think people are going to have a big problem with with God making this happen. You know, like God hardening Pharaoh's heart sort of thing. Well, did Pharaoh really sin if God hardened his heart? I think people will will take that or take something like this to mean that. Well, so the Jews, the Jewish people didn't really reject.

God rejected himself on their behalf. You know what I mean? Yeah.

That's got to push them toward rejection. Right. Yeah.

And then it goes on to verse 11. I say, then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not. Right. But through their fall to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.

Wow. Which means instead of just working with a people that, so here's how it works. Initially it was come to the people and there they will tell you about the Messiah.

Now the people were also to go out. By the way, the Pharisees were very missionary minded. They were, they were missionary people because Jesus calls them out and says, you know, use travel land and sea to convert one person.

And once you converted them, you make him more child of hell than yourself. Yeah. Yeah, that's true. So yes, everything was in this, in the people. And as the people moved, those who were lost would see them and come to know them.

Right. And then the people were also to go and many times they were pushed out because of sin, but God turned that into a missions opportunity. So Daniel became a missionary to the Medo-Persian empire, Babylonian empire.

So did Esther, so did Nehemiah, so did all the other prophets of the exile. But now it's going to be anybody anywhere can come without having to go through the people without having to go through the law. They can come directly. No more circumcision. None of that. Yeah. Does that mean that the people who were living out that life and being the carriers up until, you know, 2000 years ago, are they done with? That's the essence of what we're talking about here. And the answer is no.

So it says here, God is allowing them to fall so that they will be jealous of this new chosen people, which is the Gentile world. Right. So then you're like, well, there you go. That's my point.

Well, listen to what it says. Verse 12. Who wants to read it? Now, if their fall is riches for the world and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness. So just when you say, Hey, so that's the point, right?

They've been replaced temporarily, right? But there will be a fullness coming. That's right. Just because God has allowed them to fall. That doesn't mean like you fall. Now you're disqualified from the race. You can still get back up and finish the race. Right. And there will be a getting back up coming. And that's in the end of time.

Yeah. But then in verse 13, it says, for I speak to you Gentiles and as much as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry. If by any means I may provoke to jealousy, those who are my flesh and save some of them, it's almost like saying, I'm coming to a family that has a son who is not living right. And the son has chosen to leave the house, leave the home, leave the family and set himself up a tent outside the gates. And he sits there.

So the family now has adopted a child from the streets who is now living where the son was living. And so he gets to live in his bedroom. He gets to enjoy his toys, his books, his cars, his whatever. He's got food. Now the child gets it. And the son is outside the gate, looking in and going, why? I should be the one there.

Why him and not me? Oh, wait, because I rejected because my forefathers rejected. We have generationally rejected the Messiah. So Paul is saying here, if they keep seeing us bringing in the Gentiles, maybe the Jewish people would become jealous and say, well, wait, no, no, no.

We should be in there. And that through that, they will get saved. Kind of like a reverse prodigal son almost where like you, instead of him going off and you just let him do his thing, you put, I see what you're saying. You kind of put these people here so that they'll say, okay, what's supposed to be mine.

I want to claim it. And God's like, yes, please. That's what I wanted this whole time. That's the whole point. For there being cast away is reconciling for the world. What will their acceptance be but life from the dead? For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off and you being a wild olive tree, all of us are wild olives trees on to the Gentiles here or wild olive trees were grafted in among them.

And with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree. Do not boast against the bread. That's the word of God. That's the word of God. You know, it's funny because people, we skip over verses like these. I didn't even know that was in there. It's because we don't know what to do with it.

I mean, if you will read that and they're like branches with the grafting and I don't, I don't know what that means. I just, I'm just going to assume that God's done with Israel. It's not even, it's also not even don't cast them away. It's like, don't even talk about, don't talk bad about them. And yet it goes on every day.

Oh yes. It's being done in, you know, on the Calvinist side. It also gets done on the Armenian side and those who are in the middle do it as well. And the ones of us who try to say, no, let's read Romans 11 and let's read it carefully. They say, oh, you're a dispensationalist. You believe in many different modes of salvation. I'm like, no, I'm not a dispensationalist. Just because I support a distinction between church and Israel does not make me a dispensationalist. See people just refuse to think and pull out these fine issues. They just say, oh no, you're that.

That's it. No, I'm not that. And I think people have a problem with it because they're so desperate to make this tidy and clean and make sense. And I'm not saying this in a, I mean, it is wrong, but not in a morally wrong way. Cause I'm that way where for things to make sense, it has to go in its category. And then when people don't fit in that category, we see them as inconsistent. So you're inconsistent in your theology, but I'm really not.

I'm everything I'm saying or you're saying really is what I'm saying is in this scripture. You're just not putting a nice clean label on it and putting it in that box. Because if you're in that box now I have to abide by all these other stuff. I don't agree with it.

What if the boxes are wrong? Yes. Right.

What categories are wrong to begin with? And I love that about you, Dr. Shaw, because a lot of times you arrive at conclusions like that, like based on your research, based on what you've seen and based on your study, neither one of these views really captures the essence of what we're dealing with. We needed to grab elements of both, elements where they're right, elements where this camp is right. And then let's make, let's make another way.

I feel like that's also a common thing just in life where people want to frame your options for you. Like here, here's the way it's going to be. You are this or you're this. It's like, well, what if I see good in both? It's like, no, no, no, we're not doing that.

You're, you're going to be one. Yeah. And I refuse to go there. I rather, I think systematic theology is very, very critical for Christians, for church people, for theologians, seminarians.

I think systematic theology is very important, but I hope that as we adhere to these doctrines, that we make sure that our exegesis is supporting the main doctrines. It's like this. Don't blow up the foundation of the house. Don't blow it up. Blowing it up is like blowing up systematic theology and saying, we're going to now build a new foundation. No, you still need a house until you can buttress the foundation and fix the cracks and put some mortar in there and dig deep in certain places. Don't blow up the foundation. Just keep working with it.

And in the process you will refine things and maybe the house will look a little bigger or smaller or straighter, thicker, like the walls will be thicker. So that's my approach. So I believe in systematic theology. I believe in biblical theology and I believe those two can work together. They don't have to destroy each other, but they can help and feed each other and almost like fine tune each other.

Fine tune each other. I'm not going to say, all right, guys, let's just put Trinity on hold for now and let's start with exegesis. I'm not ready to do that. I'm going to hold onto Trinity and then I'm going to keep looking for passages that genuinely talk about the plurality and the Godhead. So also here, if you have a couple more minutes, this is Romans 11, 19 for those who just joined us. You will say then, branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. Well said.

Because of unbelief, they were broken off and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear for if God did not spare the natural branches, he may not spare you either. Paul is going in.

Yeah. You, you, you talk an awful big for somebody who wasn't original to the tree. Paul was through. Therefore, consider the goodness and severity of God on those who fail severity, but towards you goodness, if you continue in his goodness, otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief will be grafted in.

I mean, what a beautiful logic, isn't it? No, I don't think so. I think they might be done. I just really think they might be done. It's really, it's really good to go over theology and stuff like this because when it comes to doctrine, I know I've been this way up until these past few months that we've really been hitting it hard. I just don't care about it. I just don't care to think if people on the internet or people at a pulpit tell me that Israel's done, I'm just going to believe it because they've done their research, but they haven't because it says right here, God is able to graft them back in.

And that's what this goes on. It says, otherwise you also will be cut off and they also, if they do not continue in unbelief will be grafted in for God is able to graft them in again. This is Romans 11, 24 for if you were cut out of the olive tree, which is wild by nature and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree. That's why I believe there's still purpose for Israel. Verse 25, for I do not desire brethren that you should be ignorant of this mystery.

It is a mystery lest you should be wise in your own opinion that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentile has come in. And so all Israel will be saved as it is written, the deliverer will come out of Zion and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. But this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins. Concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Now I can keep reading until the end of the passage, but I hope you get the point.

Yeah. It's important for us to remember that we are not the main character of the story. We're not the center of attention. We're not the center of the universe.

I need that. Well, that's, I mean, that's generational for us. I mean, millennials, we're brought up thinking that we're the main character, we're the center of the story, but God is the one who's writing the story. God is the one who's in charge and he still has a plan for Israel. Dr. Shaz, as we close, what are some things specifically that people can pray for for Israel? Well, definitely pray for peace in that part of the world. Pray for protection on Israel. Pray for the leaders, their armed forces. Pray for other nations that are joining in, in support of them.

Pray also for the people in Gaza. You know, we said it last time, we're not saying that God is pro-Israel and he's anti everybody else or anti Arab. No, God is pro people.

Let's just face that folks. God is pro people. Having said that, these are God's people. Romans 11 is very clear. There is going to be a comeback.

There is going to be a purpose for them. And so pray that God's will would be done and pray that people on both sides will come to know Jesus Christ as the only way, truth and life. That's my prayer. Amen. Amen. So important. It's been such a blessing to spend the past few episodes talking about the situation in Israel, talking about what's going on. We want you guys to stay informed. If you have questions about what's going on or how you can help or how you can pray, send us a text to 252-582-5028. You can visit us online at clearviewtodayshow.com and you can help us continue to get important information out there like this to partner with us financially on that same website.

Before we go, we should say a very happy birthday to you, Dr. Schott. How old? The big 5-0. Big 5-0. And y'all thought we weren't going to mention it on Clearview.

Yes. Shame on you. Happy birthday. Thank you. We'll be back to our regular format next week. We love you guys. We'll see you next time on Clearview Today.