Salvation is Of the Jews: Part 1

Allen Webster

Topic(s): God's Will, Old Testament

“Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).

We shall ask and answer two questions: (1) In what way is “salvation of the Jews”? (2) In what way is salvation for all people?

How is “salvation of the Jews”?

God Chose the Jews as His People. From the promise to Abraham until Christ died on the cross, the Jews were a special people. Moses wrote, “For 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; cf. 10:15). Amos said, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth” (3:2).

The Jews were not chosen because they were attractive to God. They were not a mighty nation. Far from it. In fact, they were the smallest nation in the world when God picked them—only seventy people! “The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people . . . Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons . . .” (Deuteronomy 7:7; 10:22a). Moses expressed their meager beginnings memorably: “And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few . . .” (Deuteronomy 26:5). Jacob was called a Syrian because of his long residence in Padanaram (Genesis 24:4; 25:20; 28:5; 31:20, 24). They were “ready to perish” because a great seven year famine was in the land and they had not enough to eat (Genesis 43:1-2).

At the time, and for a long time after, Abraham did not even have any children at all! God kept making astounding promises to this childless man.

• He promised that he would have as many descendants as there is dust on the earth (Genesis 13:16), as there are stars in the sky (Genesis 15:15), and as there is sand upon the sea shore (Genesis 22:17; 26:4).

• These descendants would occupy much territory: “And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (28:14).

• They would become a “great and mighty nation” (Genesis 18:18). And not only one nation, but “many nations” (Genesis 17:5).

• This nation would be a ruling nation; among his descendants would be kings. God promised to make him “. . . exceeding fruitful” and to “make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee” (17:6). “Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee” (Genesis 27:29).

God kept all these promises. (1) “And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them” (Exodus 1:7). In Solomon’s time, David’s son testified, “And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude” (1 Kings 3:8). The soon-to-be-departed Moses continued to remind the Hebrews of their history: “. . . God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude” who “. . . became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous” (Deuteronomy 10:22b; 26:5). From so small a beginning, they multiplied to 603,550 men, not counting the Levities, women, or any under age twenty (Numbers 1:46)![1] They grew to this size twice[2]—the second time in the space of 40 years; for the 603,000 which came out of Egypt all died (except Moses, Joshua, and Caleb)[3] and were replaced (Numbers 26:51).

(2) Under Joshua, Israel conquered the land inhabited by six nations: the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites (Exodus 3:8). This territory went from the river of Egypt unto the Great Sea and northward and eastward beyond Jordan (Joshua 1:4; 9:1; 15:47; 23:4). “And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. . . . There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:43-45).

(3) In the days of Solomon, Israel had reached such prestige among the nations that the Queen of Sheba came from a great distance just to see the kingdom and hear Solomon’s wisdom (1 Kings 10:1-10). Her reaction? “There was no more spirit in her” (10:5). Her estimation? “It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard” (10:6-7). Of course, we must add to this the spiritual dimension of this promise. Christ and His kingdom came from Abraham’s descendants, and that kingdom has grown to “fill the earth” (Matthew 13:31-32; Colossians 1:23).

(4) The United Kingdom had three kings, including two of the greatest kings ever to reign: David and Solomon. After the kingdom divided under Rehoboam, the Northern Kingdom (Israel) had nineteen kings and the Southern Kingdom (Judah) had nineteen kings. King Jesus also came from the tribe of Judah. Thus at least 42 kings came from Abraham’s lineage, including the eternal King of the heaven, Jesus Christ.

Today, God has chosen spiritual Israel, which is the church, as His people (Romans 2:28-29; 9:6-8). Even in the Old Testament, God hinted that He was looking for spiritual descendants of Abraham, rather than merely physical ones (Exodus 19:5; Psalm 73:1). John the Baptizer further showed that God was dissatisfied with those who trusted in a physical relation to Abraham, rather than a spiritual relationship with Abraham’s God (Matthew 3:8).