Topical Bible: Offerings: The Conversion of the Jews

◄ Offerings: The Conversion of the Jews ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of offerings in the context of the conversion of the Jews is deeply rooted in biblical prophecy and eschatology. Throughout the Scriptures, offerings are seen as acts of worship, devotion, and reconciliation with God. In the prophetic literature, the conversion of the Jews is often associated with a return to true worship and the acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.

Old Testament Foundations

In the Old Testament, offerings were central to the religious life of Israel. They were instituted by God as a means for the Israelites to express their devotion, seek atonement, and maintain a covenant relationship with Him. The various types of offerings, including burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings, are detailed in the books of Leviticus and Numbers.

The prophets, however, foresaw a time when the heart of the Jewish people would turn back to God in a profound way. Jeremiah 31:31-34 speaks of a new covenant with the house of Israel, where God's law would be written on their hearts. This transformation is seen as a precursor to the ultimate offering of faith and acceptance of the Messiah.

Messianic Prophecies and Fulfillment

The conversion of the Jews is intricately linked to messianic prophecies. Isaiah 53 presents the suffering servant, a figure understood by Christians to be Jesus Christ, who would bear the sins of many and make intercession for transgressors. This passage is seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate offering—Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul addresses the future conversion of the Jews in Romans 11. He speaks of a "partial hardening" that has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, and then "all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:25-26). This salvation is seen as a fulfillment of God's covenant promises and is anticipated to involve a widespread acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah.

The Role of Offerings in Eschatological Hope

The eschatological hope for the conversion of the Jews includes a return to genuine worship, where offerings are made not out of obligation but from a heart transformed by faith in Christ. Zechariah 12:10 prophesies a time when the inhabitants of Jerusalem will look upon the one they have pierced and mourn for Him, leading to a spirit of grace and supplication.

In the book of Revelation, the vision of the New Jerusalem includes the nations bringing their glory and honor into it (Revelation 21:24-26). This imagery suggests a future where offerings are made in the context of a restored relationship with God, encompassing both Jews and Gentiles united in worship.

Contemporary Implications

The conversion of the Jews remains a topic of theological significance and hope within Christian eschatology. It is viewed as a pivotal event in God's redemptive plan, where offerings of faith and worship will be made by a people who have come to recognize Jesus as their Messiah. This anticipated conversion is seen as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy and a testament to God's faithfulness to His covenant promises.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 66:20
And they shall bring all your brothers for an offering to the LORD out of all nations on horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and on swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, said the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Conversion of Cornelius.
... honour of his own institution for the conversion of sinners ... of persons; for although
he chose the Jews to be ... Most High did not reject his offerings, because he ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xiii the conversion of.htm

Jew and Gentile
... The Jews had always prided themselves upon their divinely ... discern that all the
sacrificial offerings had but ... Before his conversion Paul had regarded himself as ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 19 jew and gentile.htm

The Conversion of the Jailor of Philippi.
... THE CONVERSION OF THE JAILOR OF PHILIPPI ... leaders, who frequently appeared among the
Jews, and excited ... Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xviii the conversion of.htm

Corinth
... the antitype of all the sacrificial offerings, and that ... The hatred with which the
Jews had always regarded ... The conversion and baptism of Crispus had the effect ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 24 corinth.htm

Acts XXI
... and the judaizers agreed that the Jews might observe ... appoint a priesthood, and offer
sin-offerings, they could ... that they were before the conversion of Cornelius ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xxi.htm

Thessalonica
... offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to ... Paul told the Thessalonian
Jews of his former zeal ... Before his conversion he had been confident in a ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 22 thessalonica.htm

Sovereign Grace and Man's Responsibility
... of his grace to them: while the Jews who had ... and they will tell you that since their
conversion they have ... he has to sprinkle even his best offerings with the ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/sovereign grace and mans responsibility.htm

The Acts of the Apostles.
... Then after three years [counting from his conversion] I went ... Paul Becoming a Jew
to the Jews. ... was visited by devout pilgrims and adorned with votive offerings. ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 85 the acts of.htm

True Repentance
... The old Jews seem to have thought that the ... their sins no more than burnt-offerings
and sacrifices ... religion: and call that repentance, and conversion, and the ...
/.../kingsley/the good news of god/sermon xii true repentance.htm

Political and Religious Life of the Jewish Dispersion in the West ...
... recognition of the fact that, as Jews, they were ... 350] no doubt often accompanied
by rich votive offerings. ... wondrous event to their sudden conversion to virtue ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vi political and religious.htm