WAS JESUS SENT ONLY TO ISRAEL? (MATTHEW 15:26)

Thursday, April 7, 2016 

Dear reader,

Muslims “preach” that Jesus did not come for the whole world but only for the Jews. They then claim that Muhammad is the true messenger because he came for the whole world. The verse they use to reject Jesus’ universal mission is the one He spoke when conversing with the Canaanite woman (i.e., a non-Jew), who was pleading with Jesus to heal her daughter.

It is written:
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:26).

God is a God of order and perfect timing. That is why He did not create everyone at once. He started with one man, and from that man, we all came. Likewise, He began by revealing Himself to only one nation on earth. From there, salvation would spread to all nations. It is an evident truth that, apart from Israel, all other societies in the world were originally idol worshippers (i.e., worshippers of demons). Only Israel began with the true God.

That is why the Lord Jesus, when speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well, told her:
“You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.” (John 4:22).

Salvation is from the Jews because no other nation on earth knew the true God—all had pagan religions—whether Europeans, Africans, Indians, Arabs, etc. That is the truth.

To say that Jesus did not come for all nations is no different than saying, “Since God only created Adam and Eve, He is not the God of my family because He did not create me the same way He created Adam.”

Jesus once spoke to His disciples and said:
“This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-47).

Do you see that the Gospel was to begin in Jerusalem? And do you also see that He says all nations will be preached to in His name? Are all nations limited to Israel only?

The Canaanite woman came at the wrong time. That was the time for preaching the Gospel to Israel first before it could go to the rest of the world.

Below is further evidence from the words of the Lord Jesus Himself confirming that He was sent to all nations of the world and that He is the Messiah of God—meaning, the one anointed with the Holy Spirit to redeem the whole world:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19).

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17).

“If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” (John 12:47).

“I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:15-16).

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14).

Let me conclude by revisiting some points I have mentioned. God has always had a pattern of beginning with one person.

He created one human being, and we all came from him.
He revealed Himself to one nation, and we all came to know Him through that.
He started with one Son (Jesus), and we are all born again through faith in Him.

In the same way, He brought salvation first to one nation—Israel—then it spread outward. That’s why He said to the Samaritan woman at the well: “Salvation is from the Jews.” (John 4:22).

This pattern of beginning with one person or place is evidence that those who comfort themselves by saying “all religions are just different paths that all lead to God” are deceiving themselves and wasting both their time and their eternal lives! “Salvation is from the Jews”—meaning FROM JESUS ALONE!

Now, because the time for the spread of that salvation had not yet come (since God operates according to seasons and appointed times), He told that Canaanite woman (a non-Jew) that He was sent only to Israel.

But when the fullness of time had come—after His death and resurrection—we see Him now sending His apostles to the entire world.

And the Bible clearly states:

“Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (which is done in the body by human hands)—remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,
and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” (Ephesians 2:11–16).

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God bless you greatly.
It is I,
Dr. Maxwell Shimba, servant of Jesus Christ,
For Max Shimba Ministries Org
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April 6, 2016