Now I've made comments in my classes over the years, that probably 85-90% of Christendom (when I use the word Christendom, remember, I'm talking about any organization or denomination or whatever you want to call it, that ascribes a least a part of their belief to the Bible.) So, 90% of Christendom, and I am including all of Protestantism, the Catholic Church and any others that are in this ballpark of Christendom, are of the opinion that since Israel killed her Messiah, that God literally put Israel out of His mind and transferred all of the promises given to Israel to "the Church".


But, you see the Bible flies in the face of that thinking. So if you will, turn with me back to II Samuel chapter 7. The only reason I am taking time to jump ahead is because it is going to be a long time before we get this far in our study coming out of Genesis and since the Middle East is in such a turmoil, I thought it might be appropriate to at least spend a few moments. I am just taking a few of the clearest references to the fact that Israel is not there by accident. Israel is there under the directive of a Sovereign God. Never forget, as I have mentioned already several times since we have begun this study on television, that God is Sovereign.


He can do whatever He wants to do! And, it is not for the human mind to question. Because the Scripture tells us that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, His ways are higher than our ways. Consequently, we are in no position to question. Now II Samuel chapter 7, the Lord is talking to old King David, remember this is about 1000 BC. He's talking to King David through the prophet Nathan. Drop down to verse 14.


II Samuel 7:14

"I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, (The word He, the pronoun is directly associated with Solomon, but it also includes the whole nation of Israel. Iniquity, we know that Israel has been guilty of that) I will chasten him with the rod of men, (in other words, God will use other nations to punish the nation of Israel) and with the stripes of the children of men:"


Then verse 15. One of the important words in Scripture. That little three letter word "but"! B-u-t. Even though God will have to chasten the nation of Israel betimes, and even though Israel is going to be rebellious and anything but what God would like them to be. "But" God says:


II Samuel 7:15

"But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee."