Introduction
Hello all. My name is Seth and this is your daily devotion. Throughout the Bible, and especially in the Old Testament, it is made quite clear that there was and is a specific group of people, set aside and and chosen by God. The lineage of this people is written out in full detail and it is a lineage that leads all the way to Jesus Christ Himself. Many of us recognize them to be the Jews, though there are other opinions.
We also recognize that upon the death and resurrection of Christ, all those who believe could become like the Jews and share in the Kingdom of God as joint heirs. What if, however, salvation and inheritance was never about a bloodline to begin with? What if faith alone has always been our connection to God?
Solitary Faith
Let’s go back to one of the oldest figures in the lineage, namely Noah. During his time, the world was filled with evil. All were raging and rebellious and God sought to destroy them all, except for this one man and his family. Why? We know he had a direct connection to Adam and to Adam’s son, Seth, who was the good seed. Perhaps that’s reason enough, but that’s not what the Word says in regards to Noah.
Genesis 6:9-10 “This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”
Keep in mind, all other people would be killed in a flood. Only Noah and his own were spared. Not even his siblings or other relatives were on that ark. God wasn’t looking at Noah’s pedigree. He was looking at his heart.
The Seed of Faith
Now, we’ll fast forward a bit to a man who is considered to be the patriarch of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It’s time to talk about Abraham. Here’s some important information you need to remember. Neither Abraham, nor his ancestors, were Hebrew and they especially weren’t Israelites or Jews. Remember that Judaism began with Jacob, Abraham’s grandson. God changed Jacob’s name to “Israel” and his twelve sons became the twelve tribes.
Abraham’s home was in Mesopotamia. He was no different from anyone else living there at that time. So, what set him apart?
James 2:23 “And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
God chose Abraham because He knew that Abraham would believe in Him. Abraham’s faith made him the father of the faith. Faith was the seed for an entire people, which is why it includes all people. Therefore, the very first Jew wasn’t a Jew at all.
Conclusion/Prayer
We could go further, but I believe the point has been made. My only regret is that I didn’t realize this sooner. I had once thought that Jesus had flipped the script when He came to Earth and died for my salvation. On the contrary, faith was always the standard. Faith was always the way. It didn’t happen one day. It always was as Jesus always was. Let’s pray on this.
Jesus, your eternal love and grace existed even from the foundation of all things. There is no entitlement or birthright. There is only You and Your promise to all who will receive you. I am not a stray adopted. I am a full blooded child of God and the blood that connects me is Yours, Jesus. Thank you for all that You are. Amen.
That’s all I’ve got for you. Go in peace.