Saturday, April 13, 2019

The Jewish Nation's "Original Sin" Was Its Division

"You will then say to them: Thus says YAHWEH:  I AM about to withdraw the Israelites from where they were among the nations.  I shall gather them from all around and bring them back to their land.  I shall make them into one people on the mountains of Israel;  and one king is to be king of them all.  They will no longer form two nations or be two separate kingdoms, not will they defile themselves again with their idols, their detestable practices and their sins.  I shall free them from the guilt of their treachery; I shall cleanse them; and they will be for ME a people, and I shall be GOD for them.  MY servant David will reign over them, one shepherd for all.  They will live according to MY laws and follow and practice MY decrees.  They will settle in the land I gave to MY servant Jacob where their ancestors lived.  There, they will live forever, their children and their children's children.  David, MY servant, will be their prince forever.
I shall establish a Covenant of peace with them, an everlasting Covenant.  I shall settle them; and they will increase; and I shall put MY Sanctuary in their midst forever.  I shall make MY home at their side; I shall be their GOD and they will be MY people.  Then the nations will know that I AM YAHWEH who makes Israel holy, having MY Sanctuary among them forever.'" - Ezekiel 37:21-28 
(The Jewish nation's "original sin" was its division since Solomon's death.

In the restored Israel the division would be removed and healed; there would be one people and one shepherd [see John 10:16].

Even after the exiles came back from Babylon, Israel understood that she had to gather her children who had emigrated all over the world.  JESUS, likewise, intended to gather all the scattered children of GOD [John 11:52], since HE did not come for the Jews alone, but for all those who do not belong to the flock also [John 10].

If  we reflect on this extensive mission of JESUS' disciples, it becomes evident that the word "assemble" does not mean to gather together all the nations into one, or impose on them the same institutions.  For them it is a matter of forming one living body where all that is human and the uniqueness of each one may flourish.  Such a unity is a gift of GOD: to have reached it would mean that we have arrived at the end of history.

Meanwhile, to truly become the New People of GOD, the Church must be one even in its visible structure.  To become divided is to revert to the sin of Jeroboam.)

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