God’s Gifts to Man Came Through the Jews
Beyond the gifts of salvation and God’s word, there are other gifts that God has given to man and these also came through the Jews. Paul, in another place, speaks of the “Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever” (Romans 9:4-5 [4] Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
[5] Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
See All...). To Israel was given the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law, the service of God, the promises and the fathers. Although these gifts were properly to Israel, all mankind has benefitted from them. Take, for instance, the giving of the law. The law was for Israel. Yet, today, all good government is in some way based on the ten commandments. God has given to man many gifts through the Jewish people.
The last gift mentioned is very special. It is the gift of my Savour Jesus Christ. I know that you may not believe in Jesus. However, I still thank you for the gift of my precious Savour! Paul, in reference to Jesus, said, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (II Cor 9:15
See All...). I must say the same. When Jesus came to this earth, “he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
See All...). He came to this earth as “the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
See All...).
I realize that the concept of one who is both completely God and completely man may seem strange to you, but the concept originally comes, not from the New Testament, but from the Jewish Tenach. Think about these words taken from the prophecy of Isaiah (9:6): “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” How could these divine titles be given to one who was no more than a man? Yet, I must go on.