The Called and The Chosen

[8thdaypriest]

Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen." (NRS)

I would like to consider the difference between the LORD's "calling" and His "choosing".  

Romans 11:29 "for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable" (NRS).

The LORD chose Saul to be king over Israel.   Saul refused to listen to the LORD.  Then He chose David (long before the House of Saul was finished). 

Jesus chose 12, but one of them was "a devil".   And Jesus said, "If anyone does NOT abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered". 

Satan was chosen to be a "covering cherub".  He was "cast out" from Heaven. 

It seems the LORD's "chosen" can refuse the calling, or mess up royally after they are chosen. 

I'm studying this topic because the descendants of Jacob, are called "chosen".  

Once the LORD chooses a person or a people,  THEN WHAT - especially if the "chosen" will not listen to Him, or do His bidding?  He brought all 12 tribes out of Egypt, but only 3 men crossed the Jordan into "the land".  He chose all of Jacob's descendants through his 12 sons.  But He finally "divorced" 10/12ths of them. 

Nehemiah 9:7 "You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham; (NRS)

Deuteronomy 4:37 "And because he loved your ancestors, he chose their descendants after them. He brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power," (NRS)

Deuteronomy 7:6 "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession." (NRS)

Deuteronomy 14:2 "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God; it is you the LORD has chosen out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession." (NRS)

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 "It was not because you were more numerous than any other people that the LORD set his heart on you and chose you -- for you were the fewest of all peoples. It was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath that he swore to your ancestors, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand" (NRS)

Deuteronomy 10:15 "yet the LORD set his heart in love on your ancestors alone and chose you, their descendants after them, out of all the peoples, as it is today." (NRS)

QUESTION:

Who is the LORD speaking about in Isaiah 65:2-7 & 11-12?  Is HE talking about the 10 Northern Tribes?  The prophet said Judah was WORSE than Israel (Eze 23:11).  Would not the same pronouncement apply?

Isaiah 65:2 I held out my hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; 3 a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on bricks; 4 who sit inside tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat swine's flesh, with broth of abominable things in their vessels; 5 who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you." These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long. 6 See, it is written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their laps 7 their iniquities and their ancestors' iniquities together, says the LORD; because they offered incense on the mountains and reviled me on the hills, I will measure into their laps full payment for their actions.

v.11-12  But you who forsake the LORD, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny; 12 I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter; because, when I called, you did not answer, when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my sight, and chose what I did not delight in."

NRS  Isaiah 66:4-5 “I also will choose to mock them, and bring upon them what they fear; because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my sight, and chose what did not please me.  Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word: Your own people [Judah?]  who hate you and reject you for my name's sake have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, so that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame.” (NRS)

I am asking whether the Hebrew descendants of Judah (Jews) are STILL TODAY - the "chosen people" of Yahweh. 

In the case of Saul, David refused to harm Saul (more than once) BECAUSE he was "the LORD's anointed".   This in spite of his understanding that he would himself be king one day.  I think it is a good lesson, concerning the Jewish people.  We should NOT seek to harm them, BECAUSE they are still the LORD's chosen people.  We should leave it to the LORD, to deal with HIS "chosen". 

That being said, we know that branches which do not "bear" fruits unto righteousness, will be "thrown away".

John 15:6 "Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned." (NRS)

[JoeMo]

3 hours ago, 8thdaypriest said:

I am asking whether the Hebrew descendants of Judah (Jews) are STILL TODAY - the "chosen people" of Yahweh

Yes, when they come to a saving relationship with the Messiah.  I believe the Spirit of the Lord will do an amazing work of conversion among the Jews before the end.

[8thdaypriest]

Saul was STILL the Lord's anointed King, as long as he lived - even though God had already anointed his successor. 

Just so - I believe that physical descendants of Jacob ARE STILL "the chosen people" - so long as they "live" - even though God has "anointed" (with His spirit) another "people" made up mostly of non-Hebrews.

The "vineyard" = Israel

Psalm 80:8-9  "You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations and planted it.  You prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land." 

v. 12  "Why have You broken down her hedges, and so that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit?  The boar out of the woods uproots it, and the wild beast of the field devours it. 

v. 16  "It is burned with fire, it is cut down.  They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance."

Jeremiah 6:9 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Glean thoroughly as a vine the remnant of Israel; like a grape-gatherer, pass your hand again over its branches." (NRS)

Jeremiah 7:15  "And I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all your brethren--the whole posterity of Ephraim."

Jeremiah 6:30  "People will call them rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them." 

 

Judgment on the leaders of Israel - the "husbandmen".

Matthew 21:40 & 43 [Christ speaking] "Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" . . . . "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom."

Isaiah 3:13-15  "The LORD stands up to plead, and stands to judge the people.  The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of His people, and His princes:  'For you have eaten up the vineyard;'"

 

JESUS is "the vine" - those who draw life from Him, are branches

John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser."

15:5  "I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit;"

15:6  "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned." 

 

[8thdaypriest]

18 hours ago, JoeMo said:

Yes, when they come to a saving relationship with the Messiah.  I believe the Spirit of the Lord will do an amazing work of conversion among the Jews before the end.

I certainly pray so.  And also among the other DNA descendants of Abraham.