p. 566 | THE RETURN OF THE JEWS by M. C. W.

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 16, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 36.

THE RETURN OF THE JEWS.

By M. C. W.

LAST week we gave some reasons why we could not believe that God had yet a special work to do among the Jews, and that the promises made to that people could not be rightly understood as unconditionally and absolutely applying to the fleshly seed of Jacob. We stated, and proved the proposition, that the promises to Israel were conditional; or were fulfilled in the restoration of Jerusalem and the return from the Babylonian captivity. That these promises were subject to the conditions of the covenant under which they were fulfilled; that the literal signification of the name "Israel" denotes primarily not fleshly Israel, but spiritual Israel; that the promises to the fathers and the predictions concerning the twelve patriarchs extended beyond the old covenant to the new, were also shown.

The predictions of the return from the Babylonian captivity and the rebuilding of Jerusalem at that time, are often connected with predictions of the future gathering of the true Israel so closely that the subjects seem to blend. The former is the type of the latter. Just this way the first and second advent of our Lord is connected in the Messianic prophecies. The Jews confounded them, applied the glory of the second advent to the first, and then rejected Christ because he did not meet their misinterpretations of Scripture. So with many now as regards the predictions concerning Israel. They confound the predictions concerning the typical seed—fleshly Israel—with the predictions concerning the true Israel, and thus will be led to reject Christ in his last message, through their misinterpretations.

Again: It is absolutely impossible to understand the Old Testament predictions concerning Israel without the aid of the New Testament. The New Testament is the complement of the Old. What was type and figure in the Old Testament is antitype and reality in the New. The one was shadow, the other substance. The shadow is never the perfect image (it shows only the profile at best) of the substance whose shadow it is. Type cannot be perfect antitype, else the antitype were not needed. But both type and shadow indicate many things which cannot be perfectly understood till the substance is before us. And this is true concerning the promises to Israel and the predictions concerning that people. Therefore we must go to the later and clearer revelations for the greater light. In harmony with this take the following inspired

and positive statement of the apostle Paul on the plan of God:—

“How that by revelation he [God] made known unto me the mystery; . . . which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the SAME BODY, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:” Eph. 3:3-6.

The promise here referred to is the promise to Abraham, an essential part of which was the land, or dominion. Of this promise with the literal seed of Israel, the Gentiles are fellow heirs, equal heirs, companion heirs, of the promised inheritance through Christ.

This Paul argues in Galatians 3. “Know ye therefore [says the apostle] that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” Verse 7. Of course if they are children, they are therefore heirs of the world. Rom. 8:17, and 4:13. And this by faith in order that, “the blessing of Abraham [Gen. 22:17, 18] might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.” Gal. 3:14. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed and HEIRS according to the promise.” Verses 28, 29. We do not know what could be clearer than this. Even Moses, or Elijah, or Daniel, could claim no more than the promise given to Abraham. All was embraced in the Abrahamic covenant. But Inspiration declares that those of faith, whatever their birth, were heirs of that promise, because they were the seed of Abraham. The case could be rested here, but there is more evidence which we wish to present.

Those Gentiles who accept of Christ by faith are no longer Gentiles. As stated in the scripture last considered, they are the seed of Abraham, as stated in other scriptures, they are Israelites:—

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world; but now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.” Eph. 2:11-13, 19-22.

This is equally positive with the testimony from Galatians. When unregenerate they were strangers, foreigners, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. In accepting Christ, they become fellow citizens of all the holy people prior to that, and are builded together with the believing literal seed in the one spiritual temple.

As to how the Gentiles are made Israel, we are told in Romans 11, which we will here briefly consider. In the beginning of the chapter, the question is asked, “Hath God cast away his people?” This Paul denies, he presents as proof of that, his own acceptance. Paul was a Hebrew, and if he could accept of Christ, every other soul in Judea could accept of him. He then proceeds to show from God’s dealings with Israel in the time of Elijah that it is the faithful remnant that constitute the true Israel. The seven thousand which had not bowed the knee to Baal were those reserved unto the Lord as his own. Even so then [says the apostle] at this present time also [in his day] there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” Verse 5.

He proceeds to show that this election is not of works but of grace. “Israel [that is the fleshly seed] hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election [those chosen because they believed] hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded [that is, the nation at large was blinded]. Verse 7. He then quotes from the prophets the predictions of this blindness, and continues:—

“I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid; but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them [the Israelites] to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?” Verses 11, 12.

The first covenant was made with Israel as a nation. They forfeited its conditions and were broken off. See Jer. 11:1-8, 16. The latter verse reads: “The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.” These branches were broken off because of unbelief. Rom. 11:17, 19. They were broken off in their national capacity; for they had forfeited the conditions by which they thus existed.

But they were not broken off in order that they should be lost. Under the old covenant there was no hope for the Gentiles. If they came into these promises it must be as individuals through the generous provisions of the new or Abrahamic covenant. And these promises did not shut out the Jews. They could not come in as a nation, but as individuals, the only way in which they could be saved eternally. They were blinded, they rejected Christ, they were cast off forever as a nation. But not that they might fall, but that provision might be made for all in the Abrahamic covenant now ratified and proclaimed to all the world, “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Rom. 1:16. They could every one accept of Christ, and thus be partakers of the blessings, but they could not shut out the Gentiles. Their fall as a nation and diminution as a people were a blessing to the Gentiles; how much more would their fullness be!

Verse 14 shows the apostle’s object in this argument: “If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.” All might be saved, and Paul would do by the Spirit of God all that it was possible to do, in order to save them. And yet he knew many would reject the gospel message. Those who were saved, who came into the new-covenant blessings, must do so as individuals, by faith, even as the Gentiles were received. Verses 23, 24.

But when the Gentile by faith accepted of the Abrahamic blessings through Christ, he was no longer a Gentile, but a branch of Israel, bearing not the fruit of the tree from which he was cut, but grafted “contrary to nature,” bearing the fruit of the tree into the stock of which he was grafted. This is just the truth taught in the passages before quoted from Ephesians 2. The sinner unregenerate is a Gentile, a stranger to Israel; regenerated, or grafted in, he is an Israelite, a fellow citizen with the saints. The plan of salvation, embodied in the Abrahamic covenant and blessings is worthy of our God.

This subject we will consider further in an article on “The Fullness of Jew and Gentile.”