Thematic Bible: National character of
Thematic Bible
Jews, the » National character of » Unfaithful to covenant engagements
For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, who hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, saith the LORD:
The LORD said also to me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she hath gone up upon every high mountain, and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou to me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw, when for all the causes by which backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
Jews, the » National character of » Fondness for traditionary customs
Wherefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye lewd deeds after their abominations?
But I said to their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:
But we will certainly do whatever thing proceedeth from our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings to her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then we had plenty of provisions, and were well, and saw no evil.
Jews, the » National character of » Prone to formality in religion
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men:
And they come to thee as the people come, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draw nigh to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Jews, the » National character of » Cowardly
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass;
And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were greatly afraid; and the children of Israel cried to the LORD.
And why hath the LORD brought us to this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
Jews, the » National character of » Covetous
And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
And they come to thee as the people come, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
For from the least of them even to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest every one dealeth falsely.
Jews, the » National character of » Pride of descent, &c
Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We are not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
They answered him, We are Abraham's offspring, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
Jews, the » National character of » Ignorant of the true sense of scripture
And not as Moses, who put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day the same vail remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the words of the prophets which are read every sabbath, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
Jews, the » National character of » Prone to rebellion
Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart from the land of Egypt, until ye came to this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.
Jews, the » National character of » Attachment to customs of the law
I am verily a man who am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, being zealous towards God, as ye all are this day.
And they are informed concerning thee, that thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying, That they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.
Jews, the » National character of » Prone to backsliding
Why then hath this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Jews, the » National character of » Ungrateful to God
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou hast waxed fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God who made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
Jews, the » National character of » Distrustful of God
And the LORD said to Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shown among them?
Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
Jews, the » National character of » Self-righteous
Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.
Jews, the » National character of » Prone to idolatry
Inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the cliffs of the rocks?
Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:
Jews, the » National character of » Stubborn and stiffnecked
Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye.
And the LORD said to Moses, I have seen this people, and behold it is a stiff-necked people:
Jews, the » National character of » Fondness for their brethren
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
Jews, the » National character of » Attachment to moses
Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are the disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses: as for this man, we know not whence he is.
Jews, the » National character of » Love of country
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.