The Holy Spirit teaches in the Old Testament, the relationship the Jews and God had and how God blessed, disciplined, punished and cursed them because of the covenant relationship they had.
God chose the Jews out of all the nations to be his chosen holy people and everyone else were called Gentiles and considered by God to be unclean.
Jesus said he was sent by his Father to minister to only the Jews and not the Gentiles which we read in this story in:
Matthew 15: 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." 24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 25 The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. 26 He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." 27 "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Jesus said he was sent to only the lost sheep of Israel, the children of Abraham. The Canaanite woman was a Gentile and was considered unclean like a dog. The woman understood and acknowledged this to Jesus as her Lord but her desperate love to save her daughter made her humble herself asking Jesus for just the crumbs of his blessings that fell to the ground that he gave to the Jews. Jesus seeing her faith he mercifully healed her daughter from the demon.
But God’s covenant still belonged only to the Jews because God’s covenant with Abraham, his son Isaac and his son Jacob and Jacob’s 12 sons which became the Jewish nation.
Some 2050 years after Abraham received God’s covenant God sent his Son to bring a new covenant with the Jews. But the Jews did not believe that Jesus was their promised Messiah and God’s prophet that they studied in OT would come.
Jesus proved he was their Messiah by fulfilling OT prophesies, by his authority when teaching God’s word, and by the power of his miracles that prove he was sent by God.
The Jews knowing Scripture where the ones ready to receive their Messiah and be harvested to receive God’s new covenant by having faith in his Son.
That is why Jesus sent his Apostles and disciples out to preach this good news to the Jews.
Luke 10: 1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
Jesus said the harvest of Jews where plentiful because they have been prepared by God by their studying of Scripture to receive their Messiah. Jesus also told his disciples the harvest of Jews were great so pray that those who received their message also go out and share the Good News to other Jews.
Today we do not have a nation like the Jews to harvest because God prepared them by their studying of Scripture to receive Jesus as their Savior. We have a world where the Holy Spirit has been sent to convict it of its guilt in regards to sin, righteousness and judgement which the world does not believe or know Scripture. So, we seek to harvest those who Jesus is calling to his Father, who wants to know God and be with him forever.
Luke 10: 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.'
Jesus warns his disciple that there will be strong opposition when sharing the Good News to others, so we must also be ready. We will also know when people welcome God’s peace through the gospel of Jesus and those who will reject the gospel of peace because they refuse to accept it.
Jesus said to just shake of the dust when people do not want his gospel, do not retaliate, or feel the need to defend its truth, just move on because they do not want peace with God. Just let the peace of God rest with those who welcomes Jesus’ Good News because they will receive the Holy Spirit who make it possible for them to understand the truth of God’s words and remain in it.
Luke 10: 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. 16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
Jesus did many miracles to show that he was sent by God to teach his true. He warned that there will be no excuse for those who reject his words after they witness God’s miracles because they were rejecting his Father.
We no longer need God’s words sealed as being true with his miracles. We have the living written word of God in the Bible which truth is sealed and empowered by the Holy Spirit by our faith in Jesus.
Luke 10: 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." 18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
The disciples found joy in the authority Jesus gave them over demonic spirit to obey them, but Jesus told them not to be joyful in your authority over demons but be joyful that your name is written in heaven.
Church leaders may find more joy in their authority over their church, because of its numbers, its wealth and influence. Even church members find it more joyful being in a large church, by its influential speakers, great ministries, and great amenities. There focus is not what Jesus wants his disciples to be joyful for and that is their name is written in the book of life. Finding everlasting joy that they will be with God forever.
Luke 10: 21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
Jesus said he finds joy through the Holy Spirit when his Father reveals the knowledge of his word to his humble children and hides them from those who say they are learned and wise like the Pharisees and Sadducees because they studied Scripture and taught how to be right with God. The Holy Spirit still finds joy to teach God’s children who humbly seek God with all their heart and still hides his truth from those who believe they are more knowledgeable and have authority of God’s word because of their credentials.
Luke 10: 22 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
Jesus said only he can reveal his Father to those he has chosen to reveal him to. When you believe that everything that Jesus did and said in the Bible is his Father then you have been chosen by Jesus to reveal his Father to you through the Holy Spirit.
Luke 10: 23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
We may not have been blessed like Jesus’ apostles and disciples to eyewitness and touch and embrace Jesus physically. Jesus also said that blessed are those who have not seen him but yet believe that someday we will see and be embraced by the love our Father and his Son when we go home to them in heaven.
Be safe in Jesus, Ps. Glenn.