I guess today there were comments by Rowena, Robert Anderson, JDS, and Edwina....and I may have missed others.  But, this is a rather puzzling situation.  Does it really matter who is a natural "Jew" and who is/was not?  After one becomes a believer, the question is moot.  Believers become "spiritual Jews" because they have a circumcision of the heart...Romans 2:29.  I'm not sure, but I think Bruce Warner convicted me of this one a few months back when I insisted I was "not a Jew" because he told us "we are all Jews".....and he is absolutely correct in that respect.  If you are IN Jesus Christ, you are a "Jew" and you are considered as "spiritual" Israel.....because you are of the Seed of Abraham, who is Jesus Christ.

I do not speak Hebrew, nor do I pretend to, so I prefer to call my Saviour by his name in English.  Whether that makes a difference or not, I don't know....but my bible says in Acts 4! :12...".....for there is none other name (Jesus Christ of Nazareth...vs.10) under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."  And Phiippians 2:10..."That at the name of JESUS every knee should bow...."and vs 11..."every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord....".  I do not speak Hebrew.  I don't read the bible in Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic.  And since I memorize the words I read, I always refer to my Lord and Saviour as "Jesus" because I absolutely love that name.

And as for the "chosen people".....yes, God chose the people of Israel through whom Jesus Christ came, and they were the "vehicle" through which our precious Bible came to the whole world.  But they lost most of God's promises because of disobedience and idolatry.  The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, ends with a "curse"...Malachi 4:6.  The New Testament is the New Covenant (last will and testament, if you will, that becomes valid at the death of t! he "Testator" (Jesus Chist, the Messiah).  The New Testament end with God's "grace" to everyone who believes...Rev.22:21.

Jesus Christ is the SEED of Abraham.  When God promised all His blessings to Abraham's "seed" He was referring to those multitudes who would be born as descendents of Abraham through Jesus Christ.  Those are the people he referred to as the blessed ones (not natural Jews)...see Galatians 3:16..."Now to Abraham and his SEED were the promises made.  He saith not, And to seeds, as of MANY; but as of one (Seed).  An to thy Seed (singular), which is Christ.  This is the "confirmed covenant" made by Jesus Christ (vs.17).  So, when God says He will "bless" and "curse" He was not speaking of Jews....He was speaking of those who will be "in Christ."  God will bless those who bless his "body of Christ" and curse those who curse them.  There are many who call themselves "Jews" today (by descent or religious conver! sion) who curse Christians.

All the Apostles were either Jews...! or not.  Does it matter?  ANYONE who becomes a believer is now a "spirital Jew" due to circumcision of the heart rather than of the flesh....Romans 2:29.  That's why the bible says in Romans 9:6..."...For they are not all Israel ("spiritual" Israel....believers) who are of Israel (natural Israel...Jews).  So, nationality or birthline has nothing to do with the blessings of God....faith in Jesus Christ does.  Jesus died to save EVERYONE from Adam on to the last one who will believe before God's wrath comes upon the rest.

As for the "chosen people" of God....I guess I reasoned it out from the bible as well (my English KJV) as such:

I John 2:22...."Who is a LIAR but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is ANTICHRIST that denieth the Father and the Son."
          2:23...."Whosoever DENIETH the Son (Jesus Christ), the same HATH NOT the Father (God, the Father):  he that acknowled! geth the Son hath the Father also."

The Jews of today DENY that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah (the Son of God), and, therefore they also DO NOT have God, the Father.

So, what you are all saying is that God's "chosen people" today are ANTICHRIST, and LIARS.......but they are still "God's chosen people".    (???)

Very interesting!!

As for God "turning back" to the Jews during the Tribulation, that countermands everthing said in I Corinthians 15 concerning the "natural" vs the "spiritual" as in the way God works.  The "natural" comes first, and the "spiritual" comes last.  One precedes the other.  The "first" man was "natural" and his name was Adam.  The "last" man was "Spiritual" and His name was Jesus Christ (still is)...see vs. vs.47.  In the OT, there was "natural Israel" and in the NT this changes to "spiritual Israel."

If this is the pattern of the bible, and it shows the way God works, the! n why would God go back to the "natural" Israel again when He has compl! eted His pattern with "spiritual" Israel.  That makes no sense

James 1:5...."If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

Arlene