Jesus is the True Israel
I did a bit of reflection this morning on several of the ways that Jesus Christ embodies the identity and mission of the Israel. One disclaimer: many of these points have their roots in Dr. Greg Beale’s teaching at Wheaton College, so I can’t claim full originality here.
1. FULFILLS COVENANT PROMISES TO ABRAHAM AND DAVID
a. Matt 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
b. Son of Abraham
i. Gen 22:18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
ii. Gal 3:16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
c. Son of David
i. 2 Sam 7:12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom…
ii. Rev 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” [cf. also Ps 132:11; Isa 11:1; Jer 23:5; Luke 1:32, 69; John 7:42; Acts 2:30; 13:23; Rom 1:3; 2 Tim 2:8.]
2. THE “SERVANT” OF ISAIAH 40-55
a. Isa 49:3-6 And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified…It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’
b. Isa 52:13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.
c. Luke 2:29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
3. SON OF MAN
a. Dan 7:13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
b. Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
4. SON OF GOD
a. Title for Israel (Exod 4:22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son,)
b. Title for King of Israel (Ps 2:7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.)
c. Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
d. Heb 1:5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?
5. BORN UNDER THE LAW
a. Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
6. FAITHFUL IN WILDERNESS TESTING
a. Matt 4:1-11 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” [Deut 6:13]
7. FULFILLS THE LAW
a. Matt 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
b. Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
8. LAST/SECOND ADAM
a. Luke 3:23-4:1 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph … 38 the son of Adam, the son of God. 4:1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness…
b. 1 Cor 15:45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
c. Rom 5:14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
9. CHOSE 12 DISCIPLES- RECONSTITUTED ISRAEL
a. Mark 3:14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach
b. Luke 22:29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
