Fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant Promises: To Become Kings, Part 2
Notes on Pastor Lawrence's Bible Study Course
Fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant Promise:
TO BECOME KINGS, Part 2
Pastor Don Elmore's Review Notes
Last week we ended with a discussion about the quote that Peter made from the book of Amos.We continue with another discussion about another of Peter’s quotations from the prophet Amos.
PETER’S QUOTE: “That the residue of men might seek after the LORD, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the LORD, who doeth all these things.” Acts 15:7.
AMOS: “That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.” Amos 9:12.
The main difference between the two quotes is that Amos says that they may possess the remnant of Edom. Peter’s says that the residue of men might seek after the LORD; big difference! Peter does not mention the remnant of Edom. Edom are the descendants of Esau who was qualified for the birthright blessing but because he married into the seed of the Canaanites — forever lost this birthright to his younger brother — Jacob/Israel.
But one has to understand that the Apostles and Jesus Christ read and taught from the Greek Old Testament — the Septuagint, not the Hebrew Old Testament. When Alexander the Great conquered the known world they made the Greek language available to all — much like English is today. Our Old Testaments are translated from the Hebrew Old Testament that was not finalized until around 1000 A. D. — with many descendants of Esau (Jews) as scribes.
There are Septuagint Old Testaments that are available and can be bought without much difficulty. Alexander the Greek appointed 70 men to translate the Old Testament into Greek around 250 B. C. This was the Old Testament that was used in the early church.
SEPTUAGINT (Brenton translation): “That the remnant of men, and all the Gentiles [nations] upon whom MY Name is called, may earnestly seek Me, saith the Lord who does all these things.” Amos 9:12.
It should be obvious that Peter was quoting from the Septuagint and couldn’t quote from the Hebrew translation that we now have since it wasn’t finalized until about 1000 years ago. In other words, they couldn’t quote from something that wasn’t available to them!
Peter said nothing about Edom in the book of Acts — while he quoted from Amos. “Edom” should not be in the translation; it should have been the “residue of men.” The Edomite scribes have done this many times in the past and are still doing in order to make it more difficult for us to come to the truth.
But according to scripture, we will investigate who are the people called by God's name. In 2 Chronicles 7:8 it says: "Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and ALL ISRAEL WITH HIM, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt." In verse 14: "If my people, which are CALLED BY MY NAME, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." So the people which are called by His name are the people of Israel.
Isaiah 43:1 says: "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O JACOB, and he that formed thee, O ISRAEL, Fear not for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee BY THY NAME, thou art mine." In verse seven, it says: "Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him." The people that were created for God's glory was Israel.
These two scriptures show that the people that both Peter and Paul as well as Amos were writing about was Israel; for they were they only people who were called by His name.
And let’s look at what the Apostle Paul said in his defense to King Agrippa: “And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.” Doesn’t this refer to the promise made by God to Abraham, Isaac and later Jacob/Israel?
Paul started out with the charge he was accused of by the Jews (Edomites): the hope of the promise to Israel which was made by God. It was the hope of the promise made with the fathers of Israel — nobody else — Israel. Paul told Agrippa of his heavenly conversion; how he went from being the main accuser to a believer — and he said that “I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: but shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judae’a, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”
The great mystery of the Bible: the two kingdoms of Israel were divided into two parts. One was divorced from the covenant of marriage of our GOD for 700 years — and now was reunited back into the new covenant in the only way possible — the death and resurrection of our Redeemer.
