THE literal descendants of Jacob were once the chosen people of God. When they were groaning beneath the Egyptian yoke, God heard their cries and brought them out by a mighty and stretched out hand.
In the wilderness of Sinai amid the sublime and awful scenes of the mount, they received the written law—the ten commandments—upon stone.
Here God entered into covenant with them as his peculiar people: "If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, an holy nation. And all the people answered together and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." Ex. xix, 5.
We have been told by a teacher of the Age to Come, that God made two covenants with Abraham, one to Isaac, which is the same as the new covenant, and is to be made with the saints at the end of the 1000 years, the other to Ishmael, and the land is to be enjoyed by literal Israel during the one thousand years; also that the Sinaitic covenant is distinct from those made with Abraham.
It is evident, had there been two covenants made, prior to the one made at Sinai, that the Sinaitic covenant would be the third and the "new covenant,"—the fourth covenant. But Paul recognizes but two covenants with the new, that are based upon promises. And that made at Sinai he calls the "first covenant." "If it had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the second."
It was of necessity that the new covenant was confirmed with many for one week, as Daniel saw would be accomplished in the last week of the seventy. Gal. iv, 22, 31; Heb. viii, 7, 8; Dan. ix, 27. The "bond-woman" typified Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. Cast out ancient Jerusalem, her children, or the first covenant: it is not to remain with heavenly Jerusalem, her children, and the new covenant.
Paul, a converted Jew, says: "So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman," earthly Jerusalem, but of the "free-woman," or heavenly Jerusalem, "Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." Gal. iv, 31, 26. "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah, &c. For ye are not come unto the mount that burned with fire, nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest. But we are come unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Heb. xii, 18, 22; viii, 8.
God manifested himself to literal Israel in earthly Jerusalem. As they looked toward that holy city to worship, so we by faith look unto our heavenly Jerusalem, the antitype of the earthly. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Heb. xiii, 14.
We find the account of the covenant God made with Abraham in Gen. xii, and onward through the xxvith chapter. He was chosen of God because he was righteous, and to him were promised innumerable descendants, through which all nations shall be blessed, and inherit the land forever. Gen. xxii, 18; xiii, 15, 16.
These promises were renewed to Isaac and Jacob because of their obedience. Jacob prevailed with the angel of the Lord, for which he was named Israel. His descendants were called Israel from their father; and to them were these promises, if they followed in their father's steps.
God promised that Israel should be a great nation, the father of twelve princes. At the same time Abraham was commanded to cast out Agar, and her son, Ishmael; for he was not to be heir with Isaac. My covenant will I establish with Isaac, saith God. Gen. xvii, 20; xxi, 12, 13. The promise of Ishmael was solely for Abram's sake, and was fulfilled in Ishmael's being a great and wicked nation. Gen. xvi, 12; xxi, 21; xxiv, 24.
The case of Isaac was very different. The exceeding broad and comprehensive promises to Abraham, because of his righteousness, were confirmed to Isaac, because he was righteous, and point to the coming Messiah. They embrace all nations; therefore they will not be fully realized until the great multitude of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, shall inherit the city which Abraham looked for, in the new heaven and new earth, where there will be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, nor any more pain; for the former things will have passed away. Rev. vii, 9–17; xxii, 14; xxi, 23–27; Heb. xi, 10, 16, 40; 2 Pet. iii, 7–14; Matt. v, 6Rev. xxi, 1–10.
But God had respect unto literal Israel, and entered into covenant with them in preference to any other people, solely for their fathers' sakes. "Because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes and my laws." Gen. xxviii, 5. And if his descendants were obedient, they were ever to be God's favored people. But if they were disobedient they could not be his people, though they were the children of Abraham. Rom. ix, 6, 8; Matt. iii, 9. "If ye hearken to these judgments and keep and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy that he sware unto thy fathers." Deut. vii, 7–12. "And it shall come to pass if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth. And it shall come to pass if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day that all the curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee." Deut. xxviii, 1, 12, 17; chap. ii.
This teacher says, "The condition is not continued to literal Israel; therefore the promises are to be fulfilled to them unconditionally, in the 'Age to Come.'"
When, and upon what premises, does the condition cease? In tracing the history of this people, we find God's manner of dealing with them was ever to bless when obedient, and punish when disobedient. When they kept the commandments they were peculiarly favored of God; they were victorious over their enemies. But when they broke them, they were brought to confusion and their enemies triumphed over them. 1 Sam. iv, 22; 2 Chron. xv; xxiv, 24.
Israel were a stiff-necked and disobedient people. Immediately after God brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they had covenanted to do all that the Lord commanded, even before Moses came down from the mount with the tables of the covenant, they broke the first precept by worshiping the works of their own hands. At this time the Lord thought to disinherit them; but when Moses plead for them, "he repented of the evil he thought to do," for their fathers' sakes, and saved all that repented. Ex. xxxii; Jer. xviii, 7.
At the time they were carried into the Babylonish captivity, God says that "they mocked his messengers, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy, or healing." They must go into captivity to punish them for past iniquities, and give the land rest to enjoy its Sabbaths, of which they had robbed it in their disobedience.11
But God did not forget his oath unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He remembered his covenant people in their captivity, and promised to "be to them a little sanctuary" in the countries, where they should come. I will gather you out of the countries, says God, where ye have been scattered; and they shall come hither, that they may walk in my statutes and keep mine ordinances and do them, and they shall be my people and I will be their God. But those whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God. Eze. xi, 16–21.
Ezekiel, while in captivity, was shown great blessings for his people, which they could enjoy after the seventy years' captivity, if they were ashamed of their iniquities and put them away. Eze. xxxvii, 22–28; xl, 4; xlvii, 13, 14; xliii, 9–11; xxxvi, 37. "And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity. I will have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, after they have borne their shame. After I have brought them again out of their enemies' lands, then shall they know that I am the Lord their God. But I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them. Neither will I hide my face any more from them." Eze. xxxix, 23–29. "O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people Israel. I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel." Eze. xxxvi, 8. A new heart also will I give you, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them. Verse 26. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your ways. O house of Israel, in the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities, I will cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. Then the heathen shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate. I the Lord have spoken it, I will do it. Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." Eze. xxxvi, 28–37.
Evidently it was God's design to fulfill these, and other prophetic promises to literal Israel, in the first dispensation, had they complied with the condition; and he eventually would have brought them to possess the land of their fathers forever, the everlasting kingdom, to the immortal state, where David [Christ] will be king.
God's prophetic promises are not without condition; and some of these promises run parallel with the first dispensation, and cannot apply out of that dispensation. The idea that we are to return to such a state in the future is inconsistent with reason and revelation.
There are other prophecies that cannot apply in the first dispensation, but to a state more glorious than the present, where death and mortality cannot enter. Without regard to the difference of these two classes of prophecies, they are both applied to one state—the Age to Come. No wonder that wild confusion follows!
This offer to Israel, through Ezekiel, seems to have been the last to this nation for very soon after, Daniel, while in captivity, was shown through vision that seventy weeks, from a given point of time, would finish the time allotted this people and their iniquities, and that their city would be destroyed and never more be rebuilt, but lay desolate until the consummation; also that the walls and streets of Jerusalem, which then lay desolate, should be built in troublous times, which was fulfilled under Ezra and Nehemiah. Dan. ix, 24–26; Neh. iv.
The remnant that accepted their privilege and went to Jerusalem after the seventy years' captivity, received, because they inquired. "Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." Ezra vi, 16–22. But had the twelve tribes put away their iniquities, Israel would have enjoyed the fullness of the promise, for that dispensation. The land was to be divided to each of the twelve tribes. Eze. xlvii, 13, 14. Nehemiah gives an account of the condition of the remnant and the covenant they entered into, after the last going up to their city. Neh. ix, x, xi.
But they did not continue faithful; for when Christ came they were the first to reject, condemn and crucify their promised Messiah. At the cross the distinction between Jews and Gentiles ceased. The middle wall of partition was broken down. All nations were brought upon a level, and received equal privileges. "God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him." Eph. ii, 14; Acts x, 34; Col. iii, 11.
At the end of the seventy weeks, Daniel's prophecy was fulfilled. Israel, "the people of the Prince," [margin,] the Jews shall be no more his people; or, Messiah's future people. Dan. ix, 24, 27; Matt. xxi, 43; xxiii, 37; xxii, 7; Luke xix, 41–44. "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." Acts xiii, 46. "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." Matt. xxi, 43. To this nation, less Israel, gathered from all nations of the earth, will be fulfilled the prophetic promises which apply to a state more glorious than the present.
This teacher claims that "it would be inconsistent for God to make promises to a people and fulfill them to another;" that is, makes them to literal Israel and fulfill them to "spiritual Israel."
But is it inconsistent for God to disinherit, because of disobedience, the people once adopted, and favored with the promises, and then fulfill them to the people to whom they were made? Literal Israel received the benefit of the promises, only by virtue of the covenant made with their fathers; and they did not comply with the condition of the covenant made with them; therefore they had no right or claim to either covenant; consequently, none to the promises.
God bore long with them because of the love he had for their fathers, until Christ, to whom the promises were made, came; and when they are fulfilled to him and to his children, God's promise to Abraham and his seed will have been accomplished in the strictest sense. Gal. iii, 16, 29.
Literal Israel are now on a level with other nations, and can with them receive the promises under the "new covenant," and through Christ the Mediator of that covenant, who can redeem from past transgressions, and impart power to keep that law in future.
Strange indeed is the position to those who have a view of the plan of salvation, that promises once rejected are to be offered in an age to come, while so ample and complete provision is made for all nations in the present dispensation; and since ere this closes the mandate goes forth, "He that is holy let him be holy still, and he which is filthy let him be filthy still."
The natural descendants of Jacob stumbled at Christ, "the stumbling stone." A remnant only received him, the rest were blinded, or hardened. Rom. xi, 5, 7. Paul says, "Unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their hearts. They cannot look to the end of that which is abolished." 2 Cor. iii, 13, 14.
The Jews stumbled at Christ's first coming and the Gentiles have stumbled at his second coming. Christ is for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both houses of Israel. Isa. viii, 14. This prophecy applies when the law of God is being taught, as now, by the Third Angel, "and when they say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits," as they have been doing for some years past.
We are told that the blindness of literal Israel is to cease when the "fullness of the Gentiles be come in," therefore at the second coming of Christ, literal Israel are to have offers of salvation.
If the blindness of literal Israel is to cease when the "fullness of the Gentiles be come in," then all literal Israel at the second coming of Christ are to be true Israel. All will see that this view claims more than is desired by the Age-to-Come theory; for they believe "the rebels are to be purged out from the remnant after they are gathered to their land."
Evidently Paul is speaking of true Israel, gathered out of literal Israel, in verses 25 and 26. "And so all" true Israel "shall be saved" by the grafting process. "If they abide not still in unbelief, God is able to graft them in again." Verse 23. When the fullness of the Gentiles be come in, at Christ's second coming, all true Israel will be saved. "There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn ungodliness from Jacob." Verse 27. "They shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me from the least to the greatest." Heb. viii, 10.
All true Israel then are saved; the fullness of the Gentiles come in; the Deliverer come, and the rebuke of his people is taken away for ever. The new covenant is perfected; and the mystery of God, or salvation for man, is completed.
Notwithstanding the great and increasing light shining through the columns of the Review, on the Jew question, some still cling to expressions as referring to the final gathering of literal Israel and Judah in the Age to Come. Though their theory clashes with God's plan of saving man, they hold on to their view with as much tenacity as Sunday-keepers cling to the pope's Sabbath.
I hope the honest seekers for truth may not be left to trust to a false hope. F. M. B.
Lake Mills, Wis.