Jesus' Different Kind of Nation

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PacifistAg
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AG
Jesus' Different Kind of Nation
Quote:

God called Abraham to form a unique nation by which "all peoples of the earth will be blessed." The unique call of the descendants of Abraham was to become a nation of servant-priests whom God would use to reunite the nations of the world under his loving Lordship.

The vision of a reunited humanity is hammered home with increasing clarity and strength throughout the OT. Jeremiah looks forward to the time when "all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the Lord." Zechariah prophesies of a time when the Lord will "be king over the whole earth" so that he will be the only Lord confessed among the nations. And Joel prophesies of a time when God's Spirit would be poured out "on all people."

In Isaiah 55 the Lord announces that anyone from any nation who is thirsty or hungry can come and feast at his banquet table for free. He promises everyone who comes to his feast that he will bring them into the "everlasting covenant" that he "promised to David."

In that same chapter, the Lord makes his global goal clear when he states how his chosen people will "summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you" because the Lord has endowed you with splendor. God's goal was to bless Israel as a means of attracting all nations to himself.
This blessing through this different kind of nation comes as other nations are united under a divinely appointed king. In Psalm 72, we read how the author prayed for a day when "all kings" and "all nations" will bow down" to a king whom God will anoint. When this happens "all nations will be blessed through [God's anointed king]" and "the whole earth" will "be filled with his glory."


Quote:

Most of the Jews of Jesus' day were intensely nationalistic and were expecting a completely pro-Israel Messiah. They though the Messiah would lead Israel to victory over their Roman oppressors and would reestablish Israel as a sovereign nation under God. This is why people tried to force Jesus to act and speak to divisive political issues of the day. But he refused to weigh in on these debates.


Jesus would not let himself be co-opted by any nationalistic agendanot even on behalf of God's "chosen nation." For the kingdom that Jesus came to establish is about fulfilling God's dream of reuniting all the nations.

Jesus reveals that, where God reigns, national walls will be torn down and national distinctions rendered insignificant. "In Christ," Paul says, "there is neither Jew nor Gentile." In Christ "the dividing wall of hostility" has been abolished between groups of people and a "new humanity" has been created. A central aspect of this kingdom is manifesting the beauty of what it looks like for a people to be freed from defining one nation against other nations and to be reunited under the God who is Lord of all nations. Jesus is a different kind of king establishing a different kind of nation.
UTExan
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Good subject! I found this to be of relevance regarding the status of immigrants:

Quote:


The relevant Hebrew word is "ger," variously rendered in different English translations of the Bible as "stranger," "sojourner," "alien" and more recently as "foreigner." The latter is quite misleading because there are other Hebrew terms for foreigner for example, "nekhar," or one who is passing through another country and not seeking residence. "Zar" is another Hebrew term rendered "foreigner," but it has a more hostile nuance: a squatter or an enemy. The "ger" alone has obtained legal status to live in a different country and might be seen as a foreigner who has become a "protected citizen."



https://religionnews.com/2017/01/10/jeff-sessions-got-it-right-on-immigrants-and-the-bible/




Edit: And of course let us remember that the Temple area contained a separate court for the Gentiles.

The author goes on to point out that none of these benefits was available to the nekhar (the foreigner without legal status) in biblical law. Charging interest to fellow Israelites or ger was prohibited, but the foreigner (nekhar) was fair game (Deuteronomy 23:20). He also states that "these passages show that aliens or strangers received all the benefits and protections of a citizen, whereas the foreigner (nekhar) did not. The reason is that the ger had legal status; they were, so to speak, documented!"

And this as well:

Quote:

Numerous passages reiterate the command to show justice and mercy to the stranger (Leviticus 19:33-34, Exodus 23:9), and these are without exception directed toward the ger rather than the nokriy. On the other hand, any time the law restricts the rights of a foreigner, such as in Deuteronomy 14:21 and Deuteronomy 15:3, it is directed towards the nokriy, who did not have legal status in the land...

.Those willing to make the commitment to fully assimilate into Israel in this way were granted full citizenship and became "as a native of the land" (Exodus 12:48).

https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/immigration-what-does-the-bible-say

The full assimilation involved worshiping the God of Israel ,keeping the sabbath and feasts, etc.
Exodus 12:48
Quote:

And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
It is better to light a flamethrower than to curse the darkness- Sir Terence Pratchett
“ III stooges si viveret et nos omnes ad quos etiam probabile est mittent custard pies”
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