LETTERS TO BRO. SPERRY by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 18, 1856

LETTERS TO BRO. SPERRY

By James White

THE KINGDOM OF GOD.—No. 4.

LETTERS TO BRO. SPERRY.

DEAR BRO. SPERRY:—In his article on the kingdom, D. P. Hall quotes largely from the prophecies to show that there are great blessings yet to be bestowed on the literal descendants of Jacob. On Eze. xxxvi, he remarks:

"There are but three positions which can be taken in regard to this promise, and many others of like import; viz., They have been fulfilled in the past history of this nation; or they will be fulfilled to those who are Israelites in the highest sense, i. e., after the law of faith; or they remain to be fulfilled to the natural descendants. The last named position is the only one admissible in the scripture now under investigation."

In quoting from the next chapter he throws in a parenthesis as follows:

"So shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David, (David 2d, Christ,) my servant shall be a king over them, and they shall have one shepherd." &c.

After quoting verses 16-24, he says:

"Is this in the past? or does it relate to the spiritual seed or Christians from among all kindreds, tongues and peoples? If such plain promises as these can be wrung and twisted to suit such notions, adieu to all instructions from the sacred oracles."

We notice here that he has admitted that there are two senses to the term Israel, but decides that it is inadmissible to consider that it refers to Israel in the highest sense, or the Israel of faith. But if it be presumption to consider these promises as referring to the Israel of faith, what shall be thought of his parenthetical comment on verse 24 as quoted? Who authorized him to put "David 2d, Christ" there, while he arbitrarily denies us the privilege of placing Israel 2d in the same connection? And where can he have obtained his special privilege of scripture interpretation? I am not going to deny the correctness of his comment, but I think when he has studied the "sacred oracles" more thoroughly on this subject than he appears to have done yet, he will find that no other kind of wringing and twisting than that he practiced to get "David 2d, Christ," in that passage, will be required to find Israel second, or in "the highest sense," in the same scripture.

There are, by his own showing, two Israels, and two Davids; and David 1st has reigned over the first Israel, and now he contends that David 2d will also reign over the first Israel. But the first Israel and the reign of the first David belonged entirely to the old covenant, while the second Israel, and David 2d, are under the new. It is as absurd and impossible to connect the reign of David 2d, with the first Israel, as it would be to connect the reign of David 1st, with the second Israel. Neither can he done unless the scriptures "be wrung and twisted to suit" the notions and theories of men.

But he may claim a necessity in the scriptures for referring this promise to Christ, though David's name is used. This I will admit, but I claim that the same necessity exists for referring these promises to the Israel of faith. This necessity may be seen from various and weighty considerations.

The gathering of Israel is described in the first part of the same chapter, in the explanation of the vision of the dry bones. The Lord said: "Son of man, these bones are THE WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost; we are cut off from our parts. Therefore, prophecy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord

God; Behold, O my people, I WILL OPEN YOUR GRAVES, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel." Verses 11, 12. This is the Lord's own interpretation of the vision, and teaches that Israel will be brought up out of their graves, from all countries whither they are gone [verse 21.] and brought into their own land, that is the land promised to Abraham, and to be inherited by the faithful in Christ.

Israel after the flesh, or the natural descendants, never had any land that they could call their own; for they did not fulfill the condition of the covenant under which they lived, and of course gained no title under it. But that covenant waxed old, and is vanished away, and now the promises of God can only be inherited under conditions given in the new covenant. And their possession of Canaan was not the fulfillment of the promise, so Paul shows in his letter to the Hebrews. Again, all Israel, all of Abraham's children, whether originally Jew or Greek, circumcision or uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, are now fulfilling that scripture which predicted that Abraham's seed were to be strangers in the land of their enemies. This earth, all of it, was given to Adam; but he sinned—became the servant of Satan, and transferred the dominion, now under the curse, to his new master. The Devil offered it to the legitimate heir, on terms with which he would not comply; [Luke iv, 5-7.] had he accepted it from Satan it would never have been redeemed. Jesus himself acknowledged the truth of Satan's claim, saying, "the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me." John xiv, 30. In his prayer for his disciples he said: "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." Chap. xvii, 16. Abraham and the faithful of that age confessed that they were "strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Heb. xi, 13. Said the Apostle, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." 1 Pet. ii, 11. This shows clearly that all the scattered saints, Abraham's true children by faith in Christ, are in the enemy's land; but they are soon to be gathered according to the scriptures.

Isaiah describes the manner of the gathering of Israel. Chap. xxvii, 12, 13. "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered, one by one, O ye children of Israel. And it shall come to pass in that day that the great trumpet shall be blown," &c. The words of the Saviour agree with Ezekiel and Isaiah both as to the time and manner of the gathering of Israel. "And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And 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 heaven to the other." Matt. xxiv, 30, 31.

Another scripture showing the gathering from the enemy's land is found in Jer. xxxi, 15, 16. "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children, refused to be comforted for her children, because they are not. Thus saith the Lord, Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy." Compare Matt. ii, 17, 18.

As the natural descendants of Jacob had no land, no title being conferred under that covenant, the question arises, Have they any land under the new covenant? I answer, No; for they have no special privileges under the new covenant, as can be (and has been) abundantly shown. An Israelite by birth must pass through the same change to become a child of Abraham, and an heir of the promise, that a Gentile must; and without faith in Christ he has no more claim to the favor of God than a Hindoo, or a Hotentot. And when his faith embraces Christ he has no privilege before the believing Gentile. This all must know who have studied the New Testament on this subject.

But D. P. Hall says, "It is very unfair, and ungenerous indeed, to give them all the curses, and then take from them all the blessings." That they once enjoyed special privileges all admit; and as they have been disowned and scattered, he seems to think it is their due in fairness and generosity that they be again restored to those privileges. But must the privileges they once enjoyed over other nations pass for nothing? And "is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance," or did they merit these afflictions by abusing these privileges? Most assuredly they did. The truth is, their special privileges belonged to that age; and there is no view that gives them "all the curses" of which I am aware; for in this age they have the same privileges that are enjoyed by people of other nations. They can have the blessings of God if they will accept them on the conditions laid down for all without respect of persons. As a privileged people, when they rejected the instructions and warnings from God given by the prophets, and finally by his own Son, God rejected them according to his sure word; for in the covenant which he made with that people he promised that they should be a peculiar treasure above all people, if they would obey his voice. But they did not obey, as Mr. Hall admits, for he says in another place, "The whole history of this kingdom on the part of its kings, priests and people, tells a dark story of disobedience, until God would bear with them no longer." What he would claim for such a people, to be fair and generous, beyond the privileges they enjoyed, would be an abuse of justice as great as was their abuse of mercy. Now God promised that they should be a peculiar treasure only on condition that they obeyed him; but they did not obey; and now Mr. Hall will have it that they were to be a peculiar treasure above all people whether they obeyed or not. But God's word does not so teach.

When the new covenant was confirmed, the promises of the old were withdrawn, for they had forfeited them, and the covenant was annulled; and now there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles in the purposes and promises of God. His "peculiar people" are not rebellious and stiff-necked, but are those "of all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues," who depart from iniquity and are "zealous of good works." Titus ii, 14.

J. H. W.

(To be Continued.)