His Plan is to Save Us All
ICS Daily Devotions
Matthew 15:22,24 (NKJV) And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”… But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Mark 7:27 (NKJV) But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
This passage is often misunderstood, for it seems as if Jesus was giving preferential treatment to the Jews. The Jews are God’s chosen people, and a covenant was established with Abraham. Circumcision was a mark of being in covenant with God and set aside for His purpose. Therefore, God always responded to their cries for deliverance when their enemies oppressed them. For example, God raised up Moses to deliver them from the tyranny of Egypt, and He helped Joshua and the new generation conquer the Promised Land because of their covenant relationship, which continued to Jesus’ days. This is why Jesus said to the Syro-Phoenician woman, “Let the children be filled first,”. It wasn’t an insult or racist comment, nor does it mean that God has no concern, love, or compassion for the rest of the world.
Galatians 3:13-14 (NKJV) Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
God has always had a plan for the Gentiles, but there was a timeline in God’s plan, and it took time for it to be rolled out. This plan was for all mankind to be redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. However, because mankind had chosen to rebel against God from the time of Adam, God needed an entry point to make mankind’s problem His problem. Therefore, God had to justly and righteously establish a covenant with Abraham, through which He could resolve our problem.
Genesis 12:3 (NKJV) I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
When God said, “And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed” in Genesis 12:3, it was His intent to redeem all races, nationalities, and colours. Jesus was made sin and had all the curses of the law fall on Him when He took upon our sins on the cross. He took our place and was judged for our sins. Therefore, as long as we call upon the name of Jesus, all of us can be saved. This was made possible when Jesus’ blood was shed to forgive our sins so the Holy Spirit could take residence in our hearts.
Sermon Series –We are entitled to Our Bread
