Introduction: O.T. Non-Israelite Biography

1. Introduction: O.T. Non-Israelite Biography

2. “Not My People” Romans 9:20-26

3. Non-Israelite Old Testament Biography • Usually have focused on God’s people in God’s plan. • This study is Biographical… focused on those not in the theme line of the O.T. • How does each of these persons affect the larger story. • How did God use them for His purposes.

4. Put yourself in position of a character… We will be looking at characters who lived at / or after the time of Abraham – that is, at people outside the Israelite covenant. We are interested in meeting Biblical Gentiles who had relationships with Jews.

5. Non-Israelites: “Gentiles” “Gentile” – ethnos (a nation or multitude; people of the same nature or genus; to Israelites, “heathen”) In the Hebrew Bible, the word is goiim (nations)

6. Ephesians 2:11-12 “Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh – who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands – “That at that time you were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world.”

7. Before the gospel, Jews were not to mingle with Gentiles. • Psalm 106:35-47 “They did not destroy the peoples, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works. • Jeremiah 10:2 “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles.” • Ezekiel 23:30 “I will do these things to you because you have gone as a harlot after the Gentiles, because you have become defiled by their idols” (see 20:32)

8. The fear was that they would learn the ungodly ways of the nations. • Their idolatry • Their immorality • Their injustice against fellow human beings • Their indifference to God & things spiritual

9. God’s Trilogy of Concern: • The stranger • Often impoverished laborer or artisan • Their own humiliation in Egypt the reason • The Levite • Those doing God’s work but not given territory • The widow • No one to take care of her and her small fatherless children

10. Job 29:12-17 12 Because I delivered the poor who cried out,
The fatherless and the one who had no helper. 13 The blessing of a perishing man came upon me,
And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban. 15 I was eyes to the blind,
And I was feet to the lame. 16 I was a father to the poor,
And I searched out the case that I did not know. 17 I broke the fangs of the wicked,
And plucked the victim from his teeth.

11. The ger toshav (resident alien) • The ger toshav was called “the stranger within our gates.” • These often lived among the Israelites. • Rather than treat the stranger with fear, scorn, and hatred, Jews saw the treatment of the stranger as being an essential part of the Israelites obeying God.

12. Lev. 19:33-34; Ex. 22:21 • 33 ‘And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. 34 The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.’ • (parts of this quoted 36 times in O.T.) • Abraham was also a “stranger” at one time (Gen. 36:7; Exod. 6:4)

13. “Strangers” • God had expectations of Gentiles • Three kinds of requirements God had of Gentiles: THEOLOGICAL, DEVOTIONAL, AND MORAL • To believe in God (Rahab, Ruth, Nineveh, etc.) • Gentiles told to praise God (Psalm 117:1; Malachi 1:11); and • To live moral lives (Romans 1:18-32).

14. Evil Strangers Ungodly examples of inhumane behavior; injustice (Pharoah, etc.) Ungodly examples of indecent behavior: immorality (Shechem, etc.) Ungodly examples of polytheistic behavior: idolatry (Jezebel, etc.)

15. For these and other reasons, God forbade Israel entering any treaty with foreigners. • “Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst” (Exodus 34:12-16) • Specifically concerned about foreign gods (vs. 15). • And children marrying unbelievers and following after their gods (vs. 16).

16. Good Strangers • Some strangers were examples of Righteous Behavior: Moral Role-Models • Some Gentiles accepted the wisdom and teachings of God’s word • Some Gentiles believed in the Messianic hope and proselyted. • Some Gentiles sacrificed to save pieces of Judaism (history, relics, etc.) • Cyrus returned Israelites and paid for 2nd temple. • Modern example: Librarian in Sarajevo who saved Haggadah (text of Passover Seder) from the Nazis

17. Post-Biblical times: • Large synagogues in the Diaspora (Jewish communities outside Palestine) filled with “yirei Elohim”(God-fearers). • Not officially Jews (or even proselytes) • Flocked to learn the Torah • Observed many Jewish customs

18. Gentiles Invited into Christ Isaiah 11:10 – “In that day there shall be a Root of Jesse who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him and His resting place shall be glorious.” Isaiah 42:6 – “I, the Lord, have called You (the Messiah) in righteousness...as a Light to the Gentiles.” Isaiah 49:6 – “I will give You as a Light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of earth.” Isaiah 62:2 – “The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will name.”

19. Gentiles Invited into Christ • Luke 2:31-32 (Simeon) – • ”For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

20. Gentiles Invited into Christ • Romans 9:23-24 • “That He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared before hand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.” • SEE ALSO CORNELIUS (ACTS 10-11)

21. Gentiles Invited into Christ • Gal. 3:8 • “The Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the nations (Gentiles) by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham before saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed. So then, those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”

22. Gentiles Invited into Christ • Gal. 26-29 • “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptizedinto Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

23. The End