Topical Bible: The Jews: None Hated or Oppressed, With Impunity

◄ The Jews: None Hated or Oppressed, With Impunity ►

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The history of the Jewish people, as chronicled in the Bible, is marked by a unique relationship with God, characterized by covenant, promise, and divine protection. Throughout the Scriptures, the Jews are depicted as God's chosen people, set apart for His purposes and under His special care. This divine favor is evident in the way God responds to those who seek to harm or oppress them.

Divine Protection and Promise

From the inception of the Jewish nation, God made it clear that He would bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them. This promise is first articulated in God's covenant with Abraham: "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12:3). This foundational promise underscores the protective hand of God over the Jewish people.

Historical Instances of Divine Intervention

Throughout biblical history, there are numerous instances where attempts to oppress or annihilate the Jews were met with divine intervention. In the book of Exodus, Pharaoh's oppression of the Israelites led to a series of plagues that culminated in the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery (Exodus 7-12). The narrative demonstrates that no earthly power could thwart God's plan for His people.

Similarly, in the book of Esther, Haman's plot to destroy the Jews in Persia was thwarted by God's providence, working through Esther and Mordecai. Esther 9:1 states, "On the very day when the enemies of the Jews had hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them." This reversal highlights the futility of opposing God's chosen people.

Prophetic Assurance

The prophets also spoke of God's unwavering commitment to protect Israel. In Isaiah 54:17 , the Lord declares, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me, declares the LORD." This assurance of divine protection is a recurring theme in the prophetic literature.

New Testament Affirmation

The New Testament continues to affirm the special status of the Jewish people. In Romans 11:1-2 , the Apostle Paul writes, "I ask then, has God rejected His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew." Paul emphasizes that God's covenant with Israel remains intact and that His promises are irrevocable.

Consequences of Oppression

The biblical narrative consistently illustrates that those who attempt to oppress or harm the Jews do so at their own peril. Whether it be Pharaoh, Haman, or any other adversary, the outcome is invariably the same: divine retribution and the preservation of the Jewish people. This principle serves as a testament to God's faithfulness and the enduring nature of His covenant with Israel.

In summary, the biblical record is clear that the Jews, as God's chosen people, are under His divine protection. Attempts to hate or oppress them are met with divine justice, affirming the truth that none can do so with impunity.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 137:8,9
O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewards you as you have served us.
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Ezekiel 25:15,16
Thus said the Lord GOD; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred;
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Ezekiel 35:6
Therefore, as I live, said the Lord GOD, I will prepare you to blood, and blood shall pursue you: since you have not hated blood, even blood shall pursue you.
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Obadiah 1:10-16
For your violence against your brother Jacob shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off for ever.
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Library

Acts x. 23, 24
... Let none say that God is the cause of our evil doings ... fire, you yourselves confess
to be things to be shunned and hated. ... [3.] He is sent from God to the Jews. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxiii acts x 23.htm

The Persecutions of the Church.
... When they were harassed by the unbelieving Jews, the civil ... loud cries, the extirpation
of the hated sectaries ... The city gates were guarded that none might escape ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter ii the persecutions of.htm

Of Passages from the Holy Scriptures, and from the Apocrypha ...
... may, in order to render it either hated or suspected ... Christ was seditious, according
to the Jews; and the ... pretext of the gospel, excite tumults (none such have ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/of passages from the holy.htm

Regeneration by Faith. Of Repentance.
... grievous disasters were impending over the Jews, he exhorts ... of Christ, who manifests
himself to none but miserable ... otherwise: for no man ever hated sin without ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 3 regeneration by faith.htm

How Christ Performed the Office of Redeemer in Procuring Our ...
... For he hated us when we were such as he had ... sentiment of all believers, since there
is none of the ... in regard to his being apprehended by the Jews, nailed to ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 16 how christ performed.htm