THE RETURN OF THE JEWS by George Storrs

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Mar 3, 1853

THE RETURN OF THE JEWS.

By George Storrs

BY GEORGE STORRS.

It is said, "The world cannot come to an end yet, for the Jews are to be brought in first:" it is added, "God must have some great design in having kept the Jews a distinct people for the last 1800 years;" and, it is asked, "What can that design be but their conversion to Christianity?"

In reply, I remark, God has not kept the Jews a distinct people. Here is the root of the error of our opponents, in regard to the Jews. I will not deny but that they are a distinct people; but, the question is, who has kept them so? Our opponents say God has; but I deny it. God has no more kept the Jews a distinct people than he has kept drunkards a distinct people; or than he has kept Mormons, or Mohammedans, or Papists, or liars, or any other class of wicked or deluded men, a distinct people. The fact is, God broke down the partition wall between Jews and Gentiles by the death of his Son; and never intended that any distinction should exist after "the seed should come to whom the promise was made." That seed is Christ. See Gal. Chap. iii. Christ, says Paul to the Ephesians [ii, 14,] "is our peace, who hath made both one, [Jews and Gentiles] and hath broken down the middle wall of partition."

To talk about God's keeping the Jews a distinct people in the face of such positive declarations of the Bible to the contrary, it seems to me, shows a strong disposition to maintain a theory at all hazards. The truth is, God has abolished all distinction, under the gospel dispensation, between Jews, as the natural descendants of Abraham, and Gentiles. That very circumstance was what enraged the proud Jews, and they united in rebellion against God's purpose, and blasphemously said they would not be put on a level with the Gentiles; and they have labored for 1800 years to keep up a wall of distinction, which, in the purpose of God, was to exist no more after his Son broke it down by his death upon the cross.

The Jews, then, have kept themselves a distinct people, and have done it in opposition to the will of God unto this day, as really and as criminally as drunkards have kept themselves a distinct people; and it may just as well be claimed that God has kept the drunkards a distinct people, with the design to convert them, as to set up such a claim for the Jews. I repeat it, the Jews are a distinct people by their own fault, and as criminally as drunkards, or any other class of sinners.

I shall now call attention to a few texts of Scripture which show that the natural descendants of Abraham, under the gospel, have no peculiar privileges or promises. See Matt. iii, 9: "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." Thus John the Baptist lays the axe unto the root of the trees of Jewish prejudice and pride, and gives them to understand that a dispensation is now opening, in which the being a literal descendant of Abraham would avail nothing.—This was a dreadful blow to Judaism, and it made the "dry tree" shake to its very roots. Now let us see if our Saviour did not cut it entirely down. See John viii, 39: "They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, if ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham." Here is a plain, positive denial that the Jews, as such, were the children of Abraham; and a clear statement of what constitutes a real child of Abraham, viz., doing the works of Abraham. Our Lord tells the Jews, in verse 44, "Ye are of your father the devil." This gives us a clue to the inquiry, who has kept them a distinct people? It is their father, the devil. Let none attribute such a devilish work to God any more. They are a distinct people because they choose to obey the devil rather than God; and to suppose that their conversion is to be the result of their serving devils, is to suppose that God gives to men a reward for rebellion. Besides, whenever a Jew is converted, his distinctive character as a Jew ceases at once. This shows that their being a distinct people, is a work of the devil and not of God, as God abolishes that distinction when they obey him. Now let us look at Rev. ii, 9: "I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan." Again, Chap. iii, 9: "Them of the synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie."—Can any doubt who are meant by real Jews in these verses? Are they not real Christians? While the natural descendants of Abraham, as such, or Christians, who are so only in pretence, are of the synagogue of Satan. In connection with these texts, see Rom. ii, 28, 29: "For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

Here inspiration settles the question, that those whom we call Jews are not Jews; and God no more regards them as Jews, than he regards drunkards as sober men; or, than he regards wicked apostates as real Christians. We are here also given to understand distinctly, who are Jews under the gospel dispensation—they are real Christians.

That the literal descendants of Abraham, as such, are utterly rejected, except on the same conditions of other sinners, see Isa. lxv, 11-15: "But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink-offering unto that number. Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter; because when I called ye did not answer: when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen, for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name."

What language could more forcibly express an utter rejection from the very name of being God's people than that here employed? Read over these verses again, and see how carefully and clearly God distinguishes between the Jews, as such, and his people.—That this rejection of them from being his people was to last till the end of this world, see the following verses, where we are carried down to the new heavens and the new earth; and then God tells his people, whom he shall call "by another name," "Be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy." What Jerusalem? See Rev. xxi, 1, 2: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

Here is a perfect parallel, and when compared together, gives us a clear idea of the language of God by Isaiah, in the verses under consideration. The Lord adds, in verse 19, "And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying."—This exactly corresponds with Rev. xxi, 4: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Now see Rom. ix, 6-8: "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel; neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children; but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." Compare this with Gal. iv, 28: "Now we, brethren, [We. Who? Believers—whether from among the Jews or Gentiles] as Isaac was, are the children of promise."

Here the Apostle settles the question who are children of promise; and settles it to be those who have faith in Christ, without regard to their previous nationality. These are the persons to whom the promises are made, and not the natural descendants of Abraham.

What has become of old Jerusalem and her children? The Apostle tells you in the 25th verse of this chapter—“For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.” Is this old bond-woman and her children to inherit the promises of God with real Christians? See verses 30 and 31, of this chapter—“Nevertheless, what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free.”

But where is the Jerusalem to which the promises are made? See verse 25: “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.”

Thus we learn, that old Jerusalem, or the Jews, as such, are rejected from the promises of God; and that all the promises pass over to the servants of God, who are called by “another name,” viz., to true Christians, who are the only true Jews and children of Jerusalem; so that there are no promises of restoration, or conversion, to the literal descendants of Abraham, more than to any other class of sinners.

“But,” says the objector, “the Jews must be brought in with the fullness of the Gentiles;” and he adds—“that’s Bible language.” Thus spake a Doctor of Divinity of this city. Well, Doctor, where in the Bible do you find such language? Please tell us. Ans. Nowhere! It’s not there! It’s only in the Doctor’s Creed! That’s all! But is there nothing that sounds like it in the Bible? Perhaps there is; but when D. D.’s tell us that such words are Bible language, they should be careful that they quote correctly. The portion of Scripture, doubtless, referred to, is Rom. xi, 25: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, (lest ye should be wise in your own conceits,) that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.”

Now if this verse proves the return or conversion of the Jews, it proves also that it will not take place “until the fullness of the Gentiles come in.” Of course, there is to be no more of the Gentiles converted after the bringing in of the Jews commences; and as I understand the aforesaid Doctor thinks the return of the Jews is to commence this year, his doctrine is as fatal to the Gentiles as ours. Let all then who are not Jews, be aroused to seek salvation immediately. This year, remember, “our enemies themselves being judges,” probation is to cease to the Gentiles.

As the strength of the whole argument, so far as the New Testament is concerned, lies in the eleventh chapter of Romans, I will give that chapter a full examination.

First. Who was the Apostle addressing in that chapter? The 13th verse will tell you: “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.” What was his controversy with the Gentile converts? It is evidently about the nature of that rejection, of which the Jews were the subjects. It seems, the Gentiles had imbibed the notion that God had utterly rejected the Jews, so that they were placed beyond the reach of salvation. Paul undertakes to refute that idea. How does he do it? Let us begin the chapter. “I say then, hath God cast away his people? [That is—has he so rejected them that there is no salvation for them?]—God forbid.” But how do you prove that, Paul? I will tell you, says the Apostle. First.—“For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin,” and I have obtained salvation. This is my first proof that God has not cast away the Jews so but that they may have salvation. But, Paul, you are a favored character—have you any other proof that God has not put the Jews beyond the reach of his mercy?

Yes, says the Apostle, “God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the Scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.” The Apostle adds—“Even so then, at this present time, also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace;” this is my second argument that salvation to the Jews is possible, wicked as they are; I am saved, and a remnant besides are saved. Paul then proceeds to say—“And if by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace; otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded, (according as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.”

Who were the election? Ans. Paul, and that part of the Jews who embraced the gospel; because they “were obedient to the faith,” [see Acts vi, 7,] the Lord elected, or chose them to the enjoyment of his favor, as his spiritual Israel. Those who did not obey [Chap. x, 16, 21,] “were blinded.” The Apostle then goes on to say, [verses 9, 10,] that David prophesied of this thing: “And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them; let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow their back always.”

Why were their eyes darkened? Because they rejected the true light, the Lord Jesus Christ. But the Apostle adds, [verse 11,] “I say, then, Have they stumbled that they should fall,” beyond the possibility of salvation? “God forbid;” or by no means, as the phrase signifies; “but through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy” that is, the Jews were provoked to jealousy by the salvation of the gospel being preached to the Gentiles. See Acts xiii, 45, 46: “But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”

The middle wall was now broken down—the Jews fell from the peculiarity they had enjoyed, and through, or by the means of that fall, salvation came to the Gentiles on the same terms that it flowed to a Jew; viz., by faith in Jesus Christ. “Now,” says the Apostle, [verse 12,] “if the fall of them be the riches of the world, [or be the means of enriching the world, by salvation flowing to all men with equal freedom,] and the diminishing of them [or, as the margin reads, loss of them, or their loss,] the riches of the Gentiles, [or, has been the means of riches to the Gentiles,] how much more their fullness?” As though the Apostle had said, “Salvation has richly flowed to you Gentiles through the loss to the Jews of their peculiarity, but if they could be induced, generally, to embrace the gospel, there would be a still greater blessing flow to the world.” And surely the unbelief of the Jews has prevented thousands and millions, probably, from embracing Christianity; and what a work of enriching the world they might have accomplished had they espoused the cause of Christ, instead of employing all their influence against it!

The Apostle now proceeds to say, [verses 13 and 14,] “I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office; if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.”

Surely this language does not look much as if the Apostle thought that the Jews were all to be converted.

He even expresses a doubt as to the salvation of any of them; but says, he labors, if by any means he might save some of them. He must have been peculiarly unfortunate in his expressions, if he intended to teach that the Jews were certainly to be converted. But, says the Apostle, [verse 15,] “If the casting away of them [viz., the unbelieving Jews] be the reconciling of the world, [i. e., the cause of the gospel of reconciliation being preached to the world; or, perhaps, more strictly, the means of destroying the cause of enmity between Jews and Gentiles, bringing all on to the same ground in relation to God and one another, thus destroying the enmity which had existed, by his cross, see Eph. ii, 15–18,—if this casting away of them resulted so gloriously for the world,] what shall the receiving of them be [if by any means I might save some of them] but life from the dead?” That is, if the Jews could by any means be brought to give up their unbelief, and embrace Christianity, it would give new life and power to the gospel itself. But Paul is very far from teaching that they should actually do so. All the Apostle’s language shows a doubt about the Jews, many of them, ever embracing the religion of Jesus. But he says, [verse 16,] “If the first fruit be holy, the lump also” [may be holy.] Is not that the sense? The verb is, is not in the original. What is the Apostle’s argument? Is it not this? Though I have my doubts whether many of the Jews will be saved, yet their salvation is possible; for if the first fruit [viz., the Apostle himself, and the remnant of whom he had spoken in verse 5,] be holy, [or have been made holy] the lump [or body of the Jews may be made holy] also; and if the root [Christ, see Isa. xi, 10,] be holy, so are the branches.” That is—if those who are now unbelieving, would believe on Christ, the root, they would become holy, as well as we who are the first fruits, and so they might be saved. The whole argument goes to prove the possibility of the salvation of the Jews; but, at the same time, shows that the Apostle had doubts whether many of them would be saved, though he hoped to save some of them.

He now proceeds to caution the Gentile converts against being puffed up because they had been brought into exalted privileges; and he does this with tremendous effect, in verses 17–22. He says, “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say, then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God; on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.”

The Apostle then goes on to say, [verse 23,] “They also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in; for God is able to graff them in again.” If they abide not still in unbelief. Here the Apostle carefully sets his sentinel. It is a small word, it is true, but it is of tremendous import, showing that the Apostle never designed to be understood as teaching the certainty of the Jews’ conversion; if he had intended to teach it, he would not have set the unbending word if to stand sentinel to keep all carnal Jews and Gentiles out of the church of God.

The Apostle now proceeds to argue this case still further, and says, [verse 24,] “For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?”—if they abide not still in unbelief. He then goes on to say, [verse 25,] “For I would not have you to be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, [or to a part of Israel, viz., those who believed not, and this blindness will continue] until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in;” that is till the end of the world; for, till then, we have no reason to suppose the fullness

of the Gentiles will be come in. The Apostle saw that a part of the Jews would continue to reject Christ till the end of the world; but that was no evidence of the impossibility of their salvation, if they would give up their unbelief. Paul then adds, [verse 26,] “And so all Israel shall be saved, [if they abide not still in unbelief, for, the Apostle speaks constantly in reference to the trusty sentinel he has set to guard against intruders,] as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

Where is this written? See Isa. lix, 20, 21: “And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.—As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; my spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.”

Here the Prophet helps us to understand the Apostle; and he teaches us that the promise is that the Redeemer shall come unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob; and that the covenant relates to an eternal inheritance, and not to a mere conversion of any class of wicked men.

The Apostle next proceeds to say, verse 28, that, “As concerning the gospel, they [the unbelieving Jews] are enemies for your sakes, [or on your account, i. e., they were enemies because the partition wall was broken down, and the Gentiles were admitted to the same favor of God as themselves, and on the same terms—see Acts xiii, 42-46,] but, as touching the election, [that is, the believing Jews—see verse 7,] they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.”—God has a special love to a believing Jew for the fathers' sake on the principle that he “keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him, to a thousand generations.” See Deut. vii, 9. Thus, the Gentile converts were made to understand, that though God had rejected the unbelieving Jews from his favor, yet, when they believed, as they all might if they would, they were regarded with special favor for the fathers' sake; for, God had not forgotten the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and his “gifts and calling” to the fathers, he had never repented of, or changed his purpose of making them the chosen vessels through whom he would bless the world.

Now let us examine the original promises made to the fathers. See Gen. xiii, 14, 15. “And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever.”

Now see 17th chapter, 7th and 8th verses. “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

Now compare these promises with Acts vii, 4, 5.—“Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran; and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed them into this land, wherein ye now dwell. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.”

Now, if the promise to Abraham related to literal Canaan, then the promise of God utterly failed.—But it did not relate to that; and Abraham never so understood it. In proof of this, see Heb. xi, 8-10.—“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

The Apostle goes on to say, verses 13 to 16.—“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned: but now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.”

The Apostle continues to discourse, and enumerates David, Samuel and all the prophets, who dwelt in the literal Canaan, and yet he tells us, verses 39, 40: “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”

If the promise related to the possession of literal Canaan, they did receive it; but Paul declares they did not receive the promise; which shows that the promise related to a different inheritance; even an heavenly, or the New Earth; for the meek shall inherit the earth.

Let us now examine the original promises as made to Isaac and Jacob. See Gen. xxvi, 3, 4. “Sojourn in this land; and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries: and I will perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham thy father: and I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries: and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”—See, also, Gen. xxviii, 13, 14. “And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.—And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth; and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

Now let us inquire, who “thy seed” is, to whom these promises are made. See Gal. iii, 16: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”

“Thy seed,” then, “is Christ.” Did Christ ever possess a foot of old Canaan? No. He had “not where to lay his head;” so he testifies himself. The promise, then, was not fulfilled to Abraham, Isaac, nor our blessed Lord; and hence remains to be fulfilled.

Let us now see if we can determine to what the promise related, and who are the heirs of it. See Rom. iv, 13-16. “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect. Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed: not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.”

Now we have found what the inheritance is—who the heirs are—and who the children are to whom the promises are made, not the literal descendants of Abraham, but all who are of faith. The world belongs to Christ and his people: they have been persecuted and destroyed out of the earth; but our Lord is coming to glorify his saints, and to destroy his and their enemies, and take possession of the inheritance, after purifying it by fire, and renewing it in glory.

But let us examine the subject still further as to who are the heirs, and to whom the promises belong. See Gal. iii, 6-9. “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness; know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”

Now see the 15th to 19th verse, same chapter. “Brethren, I Speak after the manner of men; though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.”

See also 20th to 29th verse, same chapter. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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.”

If this does not settle the question, as to whom the promises belong, it seems to me impossible to settle any question.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, neither received nor looked for a temporal inheritance. They understood the promises in a higher sense. They will be brought in, and all the true seed with them; but, it is into an eternal inheritance, in the new heavens and new earth.

When God brought Israel into literal Canaan, he directed all the wicked inhabitants to be destroyed out of it; so when he is about to bring his true Israel into the promised inheritance, and give them the world for their everlasting possession, he will destroy all the wicked out of the earth. See Prov. ii, 22.—“But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.”

See, also, Malachi iv, 1-3. “For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven: and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings: and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Look at Rev. xi, 15-18. “And the seventh angel sounded: and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hath reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”

In view of the fact that the heirs of the promises are Abraham's children by faith, and not by natural descent, read the following Scriptures. Isa. xxxiii, 15-17, 20-22. “He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; he shall dwell on high; his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down: not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams: wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; he will save us.” Isa. xxxv, 3-6, 9, 10: “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon: it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there; and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isa. lv, 12, 13: “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isa. lx, 18-22: “Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation; I the Lord will hasten it in his time.”

See also Eze. xxxiv, 23-28: “And I will set up one Shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them: I the Lord have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land—and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill, a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his seasons—there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the hands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. And they shall no more be a prey to the land, then, neither shall the beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.”

Thus we have “given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.” But take those promises and give them to carnal Jews, and you “take the children's bread and cast it unto dogs.” Such is the work, I think, those are doing who apply such promises to any but Abraham's children by faith: to them “the promises are made,” and to them alone.

The true Israel shall all be gathered when Christ appears in the clouds of heaven—then “he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet; and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to the other.” Wherever they have been scattered, they shall now all be gathered: yea, into “their own land,” and shall be “heirs of the world;” then will the saints have taken the kingdom, and they shall “possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”

That glorious day is now “nigh, even at the doors.” Let the children of God lift up their heads, for their redemption is at hand; now ready to be revealed.—Let us wait, watch, and keep ready for that day.

In conclusion, I wish my readers to look at the following texts: 2 Cor. i, 19, 20: “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me, and Sylvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” Compare this with 1 John v, 12. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.”

Can it be plainer, that all the promises of God are in Christ? and therefore they are not to any soul out of him; whether carnal Jews or any other class of wicked men. May the Lord give us understanding in all things, and guide us unto his eternal kingdom.