Do Jewish people need Christ?

Do Jewish people need Christ, or are they already right with God? Or asked another way, how many ways are there to God?

One of my favorite hymnals is the Church of England’s Hymns Ancient and Modern - Standard Edition, first published in 1861. An appendix was added 1868. Then a second edition in 1875, with supplements added in 1889 and 1916. This 1916 “standard” version has gone through innumerable printings and is still in use.

Table of Contents

Protestant Missions to the Jews

If you are not in the habit of using hymns as part of your daily communion with God, this is a good time to start. The pocket Hymns A & M is excellent for keeping with you during the day. It’s legible and compact. If you’re not familiar with a particular hymn (which may happen a lot at first), it takes only a moment to jot down the hymn number and do some quick research on the internet.

Thou, the Christ, for ever one

Thou, the Christ, for ever one is hymn 591 in Hymns A & M. It’s in the section called Special occasions in a group called Missions to the Jews.

When was the last time your church sang about evangelism to the Jews? Would you be willing to encourage your church to sing this hymn Thou, the Christ, for ever one? Check and see if this or something similar is in your denomination’s hymnal. While you’re at it, ask your pastor what he thinks about the entire subject. I guarantee the conversation will be worthwhile.

Singing the hymn

The tune is St. George’s/ Windsor. (77 77 D.) Another gorgeous hymn you might know with this tune is Come ye thankful people come.

Lyrics

   1. Thou, the Christ forever one,
     Mary's Child and Israel's God,
     Daniel's Prince and David's Son,
     Jacob's Star and Jesse's Rod,
     Thou of Whom of the prophets spake,
     Thou in Whom their words came true,
     Hear the pleading prayer we make,
     Hear the Gentile for the Jew!
   
   2. Knowing what the Spirit saith,
     Sure of Thee, our Christ divine,
     Lo, we stand, by right of faith,
     Heirs of Abraham's chartered line;
     Can we then his sons forget,
     Branches severed from their tree,
     Exiles from their homes, and yet
     Kinsmen, Lord, in flesh to Thee?
   
   3. Though the Blood betrayed and spilt,
     On the race entailed a doom,
     Let its virtue cleanse the guilt,
     Melt the hardness, chase the gloom;
     Lift the veil from off their heart,
     Make them Israelites indeed,
     Meet once more for lot and part
     With Thy household's genuine seed.
   
   4. Thou that didst Thy dews outpour,
     Crowning alien grafts with fruit,
     Soon the native growths restore,
     Making glad the parent root:
     Ah! but let not pride ensnare
     Souls that need to mourn their sin;
     Still the boughs adopted spare,
     And the outcasts—graft them in!
   
   5. Speed the day of union sweet
     When with us in faith allied,
     Israel's heart shall turn to greet
     Thee, Whom Israel crucified;
     Thee, in all Thy truth and grace,
     Owned at last as Salem's King,
     While her children find their place,
     Gathered safe beneath Thy wing.

Prayer

Dear Lord, you tell us that the broken off branches may be grafted back in. Please keep grafting in broken Jewish branches into your one people of God. May our spreading of your Good News through your Word to those Jewish people we know be used by your Holy Spirit to give them faith unto believing. Through Jesus Christ, the Messiah, our King. Amen