The Promises to Father Abraham: The Promises to Me!

(c) 2008  Ariel Ehrmantrout ,All Rights Reserved

When we are born again--it is said that there is an exchange of natures--a new one for an old one--a living one for a dead one.  For many years I was the Senior Pastor of a Church, where I often asked people if they accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and their personal Lord and Savior.  In reality, the Scripture says that it is not we who choose God--but that it is He--the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: the Lord Jesus Christ, who chooses us.  John 15:16 states "16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."  You see the choosing is His and the calling is His.  You were called to bear "fruit that would last" and the interesting thing about fruit is that it is always a direct reflection of the Seed from which it came.

Most people today in the Church know that Jesus was a Jew, but few know more about his Judaism beyond that fact.  Few Scholars in the Church today can even tell you what an Ultra-Orthodox first Century Plebian Class Pharisee is--let alone what they believed.  But to truly understand the Lord Jesus-the One called Christ, it is critical for you to understand that Jesus was--is now and remains a Jewish Scholar and a Rabbi.  When we say "Rabbi" amidst the Church today--it is met with odd stairs and curious reactions amidst people who have been taught that God rejected the Jews because of their unbelief--A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL--to confuse the contemporary Christian and keep them from finding the promises that were given to then through the tremendously gracious act of Jesus Christ the Prophet which was spoken of by Moses--who would come--and like Moses--would set the people of God who were in bondage free from the tyranny of the oppressing "Pharaoh."

You see this odd reaction by some Christians to things "Jewish" is a reflection of an odd spiritual replacement that has happened once before and that the Apostle Paul understood all to well and taught us against falling for in the letter to the Romans.  In his instructions to the Roman believers, Paul instructs them in no uncertain terms to "not become conceited" because if God did not spare the natural branches but grafted them out so that you can be grafted in--then you too could be grafted out because of unbelief.  Look at Paul's words in Romans 11, "25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:    "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.  27And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." 28As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. 32For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all."   

Now that you have seen this Scripture--let me show it to you with the Hebrew definitions thrown in along side of it:

          "25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery,[of the reunification of the House of Israel--which we call Christianity today-- and the House of Judah--Our Jewish Brothers and Sisters today]  brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel [The United Commonwealth of Israel's 12 tribes] has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.[Come in to Israel] 26And so all Israel will be saved,[meaning the whole House of Israel scattered among the nations and the House of Judah scattered among the nations of the world]  as it is written:" The deliverer will come from Zion;  he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.[When you see the name "Jacob--it is biblical code for all 12 tribes united!]  27And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."[This is a direct reference to the Jeremiah 31:31-33 and Hebrews 8:8-10 mention of the renewed covenant]  28As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.[God does not change His mind--nor can He lie--what He said--He will do]  30Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God [Not keeping His Word] have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, [In other words--if the Jewish Leaders of Yeshua's day had received Him as Messiah--then there would be no hope for you and I of salvation form the Nations] 31so they too have now become disobedient  [meaning have not recognized that Yeshua is YHWH in the flesh] in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you.[Grace by which we are all saved] 32For God has bound all men over to disobedience[meaning there is none without sin--no not one] so that he may have mercy on them all."[So that all of us may be recipients of Gods Grace to us all.]   

When you are born again--your nature that was Gentile--which by the way means "confused pagan unbeliever" to the Jewish people--has now been crucified with Christ--your old nature no longer has dominance--this life you now live in the flesh you live like Abraham did--by faith--in the son of God--God who came in flesh and blood like man--who loved you and gave Himself as a ransom for you.  Then you are buried with the Messiah through the waters of "T'Villah"--called Baptism today.  The Gentile nature is the unclean nature and whoever you were before is not left behind.  Sha'ul became Paul--Shimon became Kepha--Timothy became Ariel; and whoever you were was exchanged for who you have now become--the Seed of Abraham.

Look at what Paul wrote to the Galatians in Galatians 3 "29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise!"  Heirs……heirs of what?  Salvation? No--look at the verse again--if it were salvation then it would not say "if you BELONG to Christ" meaning that the transaction has already take place.  So heirs of what??  Heirs to the promises that God gave to Abraham for his descendants.  Abraham, Isaac and Jacob--did not see the promises that God had made to Abraham be fulfilled in their earthly lifetime.  However, since God is NOT the God of the dead but the living--Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are alive today to see you and me come into the revelation that through the sacrificial death of the One true God and His resurrection from the dead--and our acceptance of being chosen--to be a united commonwealth called "Israel" then Abraham, Isaac and Jacob become our Fathers--just like Joseph's sons born while in Egypt were grafted into the natural line of Israel.

Christians are being robbed blind each and every day of their lives, because they have not been taught what their rights are and ownership is as a member of the Israelite people scattered throughout the earth.  Let's take a minute and look at what has been promised to Abraham--and through our covenant with Yeshua the Messiah--and granted as inheritance to each and every follower of the Lord:

1.  You Will Inherit the Land of Israel

This is your covenantal right and privilege, thus we are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the Peace of Israel; and defend to the death--the Jewish people! The Land of Israel is ours too.  Genesis 12:7

2.  God Has Made You Into A Great Nation

Jews and Christians share the same Heavenly Father, thus we are the same family--a commonwealth united called "Israel." Genesis 12:2

3.  You Will Be Blessed

Psalm 1:1-3 defines "Blessed" for us; meaning our sins will not be counted against us--though they are white like snow.  Genesis 12:2

4.  You Will Be Given A Great Name

The Great Name we have been given is "Israel: Co-Ruler with God" and our "Fathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."  Through Messiah, this is now our lineage.  Genesis 12:2

5.  You Will Be A Blessing To Others

There are only two choices as laid out in Deuteronomy 28:1-15 which are the blessings that will come upon you and accompany you--or Deuteronomy 28:15-68--the curses will be active in your life.  There is one easy way to know which you are walking in--are you representative of DT 28:1-14 in the lives of others--OR--are you DT 28:15-68 in the lives of others; there is no middle ground.  Genesis 12:2

6.  YHWH--God Will Bless Those Who Bless You

You are the Sons and Daughters of the one true and living God--who Jews call Yahweh, and Christians call "Jesus Christ;" and according to Deuteronomy 6:4 they are the One and the same being.  As the child of God--then you are the apple in His eyes and those who bless with you --He will surely bless.  This same promise belongs to our Jewish Brothers and Sisters--so ALWAYS strive to be a blessing to the Jews!  Genesis 12:3

7.  YHWH--God Will Curse Those Who Curse You

Again please remember--as with Abraham of forefather--as a Child of the One true God--then you are the apple in His eyes and those who curse you --He will surely curse; thus you need not fight your own battles.  And again, this same promise belongs to our Jewish Brothers and Sisters--so ALWAYS strive not to be a curse to the Jewish people!  Genesis 12:3

8.  You Will Be Grafted Into Israel 

Ezekiel 37:15-28 states that in the last days God will again unite the Jewish people called there "The House of Judah" and the Christian people which are called there "The House of Israel."  The entire book of Ephesians is the Apostle Paul's teaching on how you were once "not a people"--we were Gentiles [which means 'confused pagan unbelievers'] and also referred to as "the nations."  God so loved the World--that He can in the flesh, in the likeness of a man--a "Son of Promise" not born in the natural way--and just like Isaac came from a womb in Sarah which had become a tomb--Yeshua too rose from a womb of the earth, which was a tomb that could not hold Him!  You may self-identify as a "Christian" but remember--the early Church was called "Judeo-Christianity" for a reason….and our unity is the focus of Yeshua's prayer in John 17! Genesis 17:16

& Genesis 18:18,

9.  You Will Receive Ephraim's Double Portion Blessing 

Joseph is a type and shadow of Yeshua; and while Joseph--the favored son of Israel was in slavery--among the nations and was reunified with his brothers the Jewish people--so too will the Christian Church be reunited with the Jewish people when "Joseph" is revealed.  I am Joseph--and you are Joseph is you serve Yeshua the Messiah and keep the Torah: God's Teaching and Instructions for a successful life in the Kingdom of God. When our Forefather Jacob--renamed "Israel" was blessing the "Double Portion" of the firstborn onto Josephs sons "Manasseh and Ephraim" He was instructed by the Holy Spirit to cross his hands--and bless the Younger Brother "Ephraim" with that double portion blessing.  Upon the reunification of Israel's Commonwealth by King David, the most populated area in the North of Israel was commonly referred to as "Ephraim;" in the same way as a American, I am a "Californian."  After King Solomon's reign, the 10 and 1/2 tribes of the "Ephraim" were scattered into every nation, language and tongue under heaven, and their ancestors--through covenantal promises made to "Ephraim" which was the blessing of the "Firstborn Priesthood" --believers in the Lord Yeshua Messiah--are called the "Firstborn From The Dead" through our affiliation with Yeshua.  "Ephraim" is sometimes mistakenly referred to as "The Lost 10 Tribes" but they are not lost--their remnant is in every Protestant Church you have ever encountered--just awaiting the day of the prophesied "Great Awakening" which will be called "The Second" or "Greater Exodus." Genesis 48:19

10.  You Will Be Exceedingly Fruitful

This is why Yeshua said "You shall know them by their fruits."  The interesting thing about fruit is that the fruit is a reflection of the seed which had fallen into the ground, died and put forth life giving fruit.  Fruit--is NOT--the bad behavior that many people practice, it is the reflected glory of the Lord Yeshua Messiah--Jesus Christ.  If you are not living by Faith--and obeying the commandments of God; or if you hate Jews or Israel--then you are not going to be saved.  If you can hate your Jewish Brothers and Sisters who you can see--how can you think for a second that you could love God whom you have not seen?  Yeshua was teaching the Disciples and said "Behold, the fields are ripe unto harvest--but the laborers are few."  He said this when the Samaritans were streaming out to meet Him. The Christian Church today--in every way is reminiscent of the Samaritan descendants of the Israelites.  They were a mixed breed with a Jewish ancestry--which they did not like--and a Gentile ancestry which led them to live a life completely opposite of the Jewish people.  They did not fellowship with the Jewish people --even as the Church for the most part has little to nothing to do with the Jewish people today [a fact that we hope to see dramatically changed!]

Being Fruitful means that you live your life just like Yeshua did; you keep the Sabbath from Friday night Sundown to Saturday night sundown--unless you think that we do not need to keep the 4th Commandment!  You need to keep the Feast and Festival Days of the Israelite people--with whom we have been grafted in.  You need to study and adhere to the Torah of Moses-which is not the same thing as the "Law" Paul referred to in His letters; and as a proof text the Apostle states "that keeping the commandments is what counts" in 1 Corinthians 7:19.  The "law" Paul referred to was the "Levitical Law of Sacrifice, Offering and Ritual Purity."  Being fruitful means that your love of the commandments makes you sacrificially lay down your own rights and love in you will grow stronger for the Jewish people and the Nation of Israel; all of this was guaranteed to Abraham.  Genesis 13:15-16

So the conclusion of the matter is this--that as Christians, we have been grafted into the "Natural Olive Tree" called "The Commonwealth of Israel."  Admittance to this Commonwealth has been secured for us through the shed blood of Yeshua Messiah.  We are ONE NATION and ONE PEOPLE together with the JEWS; thus we are obligated to love, honor and cherish the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

The covenantal inheritance that was promised to our Forefather Abraham was passed on through the blood line of the Kings of Israel and down the line to King Yeshua.  By His blood, He purchased our slavery documents--the record of sin and shame which once weighed so heavily upon us, and now He has given us these "good and precious promises" that we are entitled to expect and can petition in prayer throughout the watches of the day--praying at 9am-12pm-and 3pm and every three hours beyond that--in agreement with the Jewish people who are faithful worldwide.  "Where two or more agree in touching any one thing and it shall be done unto them" is not just any two Christians--though it can mean that too--but it means where any two members of the Commonwealth of Israel gather in prayer--whatever they ask will be done for them by the Father."  Jews and Christians, Christians and Jews, we are the Commonwealth of a reuniting Israel.

The holy promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob--they have lived to see fulfilled in us.  These belong to you--just like they did to Isaac and Jacob when they were passed down to them from our Father Abraham.  Yeshua said "If Abraham were your Father--then you would love me--for He long to see my day and now has seen it!"  The Jewish people are CERTAINLY God's CHOSEN PEOPLE; but we CHRISTIANS TOO ARE ALSO GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE--grafted IN TO the NATURAL OLIVE TREE THAT IS CALLED ISRAEL.  Once you realize that they House of Judah and the House of Israel [Christianity today] are the central story and our returning to "the Father" after "coming to our senses" is the underlying story of the "Parable of the Prodigal Son" then you can know that Abrahams promises will result in you receiving the BEST ROBE and SHOES FOR YOUR FEET and THE BEST RING FOR YOUR FINGER!  If you will only come back to the faith of the first century--and take a hard grasp of who you REALLY ARE--a United Commonwealth-and what happens to the State of Israel is what will be happening to YOU…..then it is easy to not only understand that Bible in a new and exciting way--but give you confidence when you pray to "BELIEVE THAT YOU RECEIVE" even as God has blessed the Jewish people--so too--will He and He is obligated to bless you in the same way; God is NO respecter of persons--what He continues to do for the Jewish people--He has been--is now, and always will be willing to do for you.  Abraham was saved by His faith alone--but Genesis 26:5 says he kept ALL of God's commands, degree's laws and instructions; if you are saved by grace through faith--then repentance and obedience to the Torah will bless you beyond what you can ever hope for or imagine in Christ Jesus!

One final thought--as a proof text to PROVE that Yeshua see YOU--a Born Again Christian--AS a member of the House of Israel--just ask yourself what Yeshua meant when He said "I have only come FOR THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL." Matthew 15:24 

Now re-read Jeremiah 31:31-33 and Hebrews 8:8-10 and you will see the truth--and the truth will set you free.

Shalom and Grace be unto you in our Lord Yeshua Messiah!!