Genesis 17:3-9 tells many Europeans, Arabs, Indians, Pakistani, and Americans our genetic history: “When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him: ‘My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you;’. . . . . God also said to Abraham: ‘On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep My covenant throughout the ages.’”
Aside from Isaac, Jacob, Ishmael, and their combined twenty four sons, Abraham’s grandchildren of whom nations would also be made, include thirteen more: Zimram, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbk, Shuah, Sheba, Dedan, Ephah, Epher, Hanock, Abida, and Eldaah. 37 Nation Founders ended up ruling East to West between India (the ruling Hindu caste, “Brahman” gets its name from Abraham) and Ireland. They ruled lands from South to North from Sheba to Assyria, along with Letushim, and Keummin.
With a founder like Abraham, it’s no surprise that many Jews didn’t believe Jesus when He told them “whoever keeps My word will never see death”.
Try this: Read John 8:51-59 aloud, as two people, one saying Jesus’ words, another reading what the Jews said in reply. Reading it that way helps us see clearly how and why many Jews reacted with hostility when Jesus said to them:
Jesus: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.”
Jews: “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?”
Jesus: “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.”
Jews: “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.”
We understand why many Jews’ reacted as they did at Jesus claiming to be superior to their ancient hero: “So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.”
It helps us understand why some Protestants today are similarly hostile to The Catholic Church.
Many Protestants: “You cannot have the actual Body and Blood of Jesus at The Mass! Jesus may have turned bread and wine into His Body and Blood at The Last Supper, but it is ridiculous to think He had the power to found a Church and have priests who can actually turn bread and wine into His Body and Blood today! It is insane to think that Jesus could found a Church with the power to ordain priests with the power to forgive sins!”
What do Protestants of every age do after passing personal and popular Judgment when hearing about The Only Church Jesus Founded? “So they picked up stones to throw. . . . .”
