116. Chapter 6: The New Testament Church from the Birth of Jesus Christ to the Revelation of ...
------------ CHAPTER SIX ------------ The New Testament Church from the Birth of Jesus Christ to the Revelation of John The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ
Having considered the state of the church from Adam to Abraham, and from Abraham to Christ, which constitutes the Old Testament era and the administration of the covenant of grace during those periods, we shall now proceed to consider the New Testament church. We shall commence by considering the birth and death of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the focal point of all the prophecies. All the types pointed to Him. When the time arrived which God had decreed in His counsel, denominated by Paul as the fullness of time Galatians 4:4, God sent forth the angel Gabriel to Zacharias, a priest, and announced to him that his wife Elizabeth (even though they were both of great age) would bear a son whose name would be John, that is, delightful one. He would be the forerunner of the Lord Jesus, and according to prophecy would go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah. Approximately six months later the angel Gabriel was sent to Mary, a very godly virgin of the seed of David, and made known to her that by the creative operation of the Holy Spirit she would conceive and bear a Son. She was commanded to name Him Jesus, as He would be the Savior. At the conclusion of nine months, she bore her first born son, who had been promised for a period of approximately four thousand years, and whom believers had already anticipated with great yearning. Subsequent to this, heaven and earth came into motion. An angel announced the birth of the Savior to some shepherds, which was confirmed by a multitude of angels glorifying God with these words, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). Thereafter the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found the newborn Savior wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. They made this known everywhere. Subsequently, prominent wise men came from the east to Jerusalem, asking for the newborn King of the Jews. This caused great consternation in all of Jerusalem. Herod convened the great council of the chief priests and scribes in order to learn from them where the promised Messiah would be born. Thereupon he sent the wise men to Bethlehem. They found and glorified Him by way of an extraordinary star that went before them and remained standing above the place where Jesus was. The birth of the Lord Jesus received even more publicity through the murdering of the children of two years old and under -- a murder committed by Herod in Bethlehem and its surrounding region in order to kill the infant Messiah, whom he expected to be among those children. Joseph and the mother of Jesus, having been admonished by divine revelation, fled with Him to Egypt. Upon returning to the Jewish nation, they set up their residence in Nazareth in Galilee. Jesus at twelve years of age so manifested a glimpse of His divinity while in the presence of the doctors in the temple that they were astonished about His understanding.
After Jesus remained in hiding until His thirtieth year, John the Baptist began to preach, baptize, and prepare the way for the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus came to him and was baptized by him. John, knowing who Jesus was, made Him known to the people. Subsequently, the Lord Jesus appeared in public and preached in a most powerful and delightful manner. He showed Himself to be the Savior by performing innumerable miracles which resulted in the healing and deliverance of numerous wretched ones. Consequently the people clung to Him, and His reputation not only pervaded the Jewish nation, but also went forth into various regions and nations outside of Canaan. Since He neither came with external pomp nor made any move toward the establishment of an earthly kingdom and the deliverance of the Jewish people from the dominion of the emperor -- and being esteemed by the people above the Pharisees and scribes -- they were filled with envy and hatred toward Him, and therefore sought to kill Him. The Lord, upon having finished His course, gave Himself as a ransom for the elect by the accomplishment of His sacrifice. He permitted Himself to be taken captive and to be subjected to all that was prophesied concerning Him -- even to His being put to death on the cross. After the third day He arose again; He ascended into heaven after forty days. Ten days later, on the day of Pentecost, He poured out His Spirit upon the apostles. By the agency of their preaching in various languages, three thousand people were converted in one day, and as they continued to preach and perform miracles, a large multitude of many thousands of Jews believed in Christ. These blessings were not restricted to the Jews only, but the gospel was also proclaimed among the Gentiles who were very desirous to hear and receive it, and were thus converted.
Prior to this, the Lord, by means of many internal and external adversities, had dispersed a large portion of the Jewish nation among numerous nations under the sun. Of those dispersed Jews an innumerable multitude, in obedience to God’s command, came every year to Jerusalem to celebrate the three feasts. Since Easter and Pentecost follow shortly upon each other, most who came from a great distance stayed in Jerusalem in order to celebrate both feast days. The Lord ordered in His providence that Jesus was crucified on the Passover, arose after three days, and that the Holy Spirit was poured out in an extraordinary manner upon the day of Pentecost -- and thus a large multitude of Jews received Christ as the long-promised Messiah. This paved the way for the conversion of the Gentiles, for upon returning to their native country, these Jews would recount there all that had happened, namely, all that had transpired in Jerusalem as well as that Jesus had been acknowledged and received by many as the Messiah. The dispersed apostles -- and other believers upon arriving in their native land -- subsequently gained entrance among the Jews, and by reason of that opportunity, among the Gentiles. The Gospel Sent Forth to the Gentiles As the gospel increased among the Jews, the devil did not sit still. He stirred up his instruments against the Christian Jews. The deeply rooted hatred against Christ and against all who believed in Him and acknowledged Him to be the Messiah, stirred up the chief priests and scribes to persecute the congregations in Jerusalem and Judea to the utmost of their ability. To accomplish this, they stirred up the chief magistrates as much as possible to lend a hand at times in the work of persecution. The more the persecutions intensified, however, the more powerfully the gospel broke forth. At last there ceased to be conversions among the Jews; blindness came upon the entire nation, and the gospel was unanimously rejected. It was thus in this way that the gospel resided among the Gentiles. One must be amazed that the gospel spread so rapidly among the Gentiles, permeating within a short time Asia, Africa, and Europe. “... their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world” (Romans 10:18). The Lord was found of them that sought Him not, and was revealed to them that asked not for Him (Romans 10:20). Thus, all the prophecies concerning the calling of the Gentiles were fulfilled, and the Lord Jesus received His promised portion: “Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession” (Psalms 2:8); “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth” (Psalms 72:8). The gospel having been confirmed among the Gentiles and the Jewish nation having been blinded, the Lord poured out His wrath in an extraordinary manner upon that ungrateful, wicked, and God-forgetting people -- a people who had wished upon them and their children the blood of the Lord Jesus, whom they had rejected and whose death they had required. He gave Jerusalem into the hands of Titus Vespasianus, who burned and levelled Jerusalem to the ground in approximately AD 70 or AD 72. This occurred approximately forty years after the ascension of Christ. The Lord dispersed the Jewish nation among all the nations of the earth, and wheresoever they dwell it is in utter shame and contempt -- which remains upon them everywhere until this very day. Thus, the city which once was the jewel of all the earth, the perfection of beauty, and the gathering place of God’s people for His worship, was destroyed to such an extent that the place was no longer recognizable. The temple, wherein the ceremonial worship had been performed and where God dwelt between the cherubim, was removed along with all the ceremonial services which long since had ceased to have a purpose and had become unprofitable. The gospel, however, was dispersed among those Gentiles who worshiped God in spirit and in truth.
Differences Between the Old and New Testament Church as to the Manner of Worship
There is a great distinction between the church and her manner of worship in the Old Testament, and the church and her manner of worship in the New Testament. The latter greatly excels the former, doing so, among other things, in these four matters:
First, even though the same covenant, the same Mediator Jesus, and the same spiritual benefits were a reality in the Old Testament as much as they are today, the worship of God transpired by way of physical and visible matters which were shadows of the future Messiah and His works. It was indeed a most eminent blessing that the Messiah was daily depicted for them before their very eyes, and that by way of external washings they were led to the internal cleansing of the soul. However, as far as the body is concerned, it was a difficult and cumbersome service. It consisted of a multitude of duties to be performed: painful circumcision, a continual watching against touching or tasting something, and a multitude of washings and sacrifices for bodily defilements. In the New Testament, however, all these things have been eliminated, and instead of all physical performances, the Lord has instituted a more spiritual, exalted, visible, and thus a more immediate manner of worship. One now comes to the heart of the matter without shadows. “The true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). Now we may enter the sanctuary at once without shadows. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22). No one may presently judge us “in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17). “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).
Secondly, even though the church was comprised of various nationalities prior to the calling of Abraham, she nevertheless made little progress, and had little light and glory. After God made a covenant with Abraham, the Lord separated all other nations from him, permitting them to walk in their own ways; however, the church was comprehended among the descendants of Abraham through Isaac. “He showeth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for His judgments, they have not known them” (Psalms 147:19-20). Subsequent to the coming of the Lord Jesus, however, that distinction among the nations has been removed. Yes, the Lord Jesus has given His old people over to blindness and accepted the Gentiles to be His people. “In every nation He that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him” (Acts 10:35); “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in His flesh the enmity” (Ephesians 2:13-15). The Gentiles are now followers of Shiloh and are gathered unto Him, Genesis 49:10, and the root of Jesse has now become the banner of the nations (Isaiah 11:10). Now many nations go forth saying, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths” (Isaiah 2:3); “It was necessary,” says the apostle, “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. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad” (Acts 13:46-48). Abraham has thus become an heir of the world Romans 4:17 and a father of many nations Romans 4:17 -- this because 1) Abraham, being an idolater, was called immediately; 2) his seed was instructed by him; and 3) through his seed the gospel was proclaimed and transferred to the Gentiles, through which they have believed in Christ, the promised seed of Abraham. “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” (Romans 9:7-8).
Thirdly, in the Old Testament the entire mode of worship was much stricter and functioned in a more legalistic manner. In the New Testament, however, everything is more evangelical and delightful. Consider the comparison: “For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest. ... But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels” Hebrews 12:18
Fourthly, in the Old Testament everything was more scarce, fewer people truly believed, and those who were indeed believers possessed those spiritual benefits in a lesser degree and measure. However, in the New Testament there is an abundance of everything. From this issues forth:
(1) A greater measure of the Spirit. “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring: and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses” (Isaiah 44:3-4); “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28). The Lord Jesus having come, He now baptizes His children with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matthew 3:11, pouring it upon them in abundance (Titus 3:6).
(2) A greater measure of light. Thus it had been prophesied: “... the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). And thus it also transpired: “But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie” (1 John 2:27).
(3) A greater measure of holiness: “Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, 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” (Isaiah 60:21-22); “... he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David” (Zechariah 12:8); “... the Lord ... hath made them as His goodly horse in the battle. And they shall be as mighty men” (Zechariah 10:3
(4) More familiarity and freedom in one’s communion with God: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:14
(5) More comfort, peace, and joy. “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Isaiah 54:13); “In His days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth” (Psalms 72:7). In light of the above (and other considerations), make a frequent comparison between the state of the church of the New Testament with the Gentiles who are utterly estranged from the gospel, with those heretical assemblies which have the name of being Christian, and also with the state of the church in the Old Testament. Then consider how gloriously our dispensation excels theirs, and:
(1) Rejoice in this. Oh, how the Old Testament believers yearned for this time! They prayed for it, sang about it, and rejoiced in it. And now that we are in this dispensation, should our hearts not be enlarged and rejoice in having all those blessings which they anticipated?
(2) Thank and glorify God concerning this. If the church of the Old Testament was so grateful for the promises of the ministry of shadows, how joyfully our souls ought to praise the Lord! Our mouths should be filled with His praises, continually giving Him both glory and honor.
(3) Walk therefore in that light in the way of holiness. “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5); “Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1); “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ” (Php 1:27).
We have thus considered the rejection of the Jews and the receiving of the Gentiles to be the people of God. Here the following question needs to be answered:
Question: Will the Jewish nation always be a rejected nation, or will the entire nation yet come to repentance, believing and confessing that the Messiah has already come, and that Jesus is the Christ?
Answer: When speaking of the conversion of the Jews, we understand this to refer to the entire nation, and not only to Judah and Benjamin who had returned from Babylon and lived in Canaan until the destruction of Jerusalem. Rather, it also refers to the ten tribes. These tribes neither remained together nor are they hidden in an unknown corner of the world, as the Jews fabricate. Instead, they partially intermingled with the eastern nations, forsaking the Jewish religion. Another part, having dispersed themselves among the nations of the earth, continued to adhere to their religion; whereas a very large multitude also returned to Canaan and intermingled with the other Jews. Anna, the prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Aser, served God at Jerusalem in the temple (Luke 2:36). Furthermore, very many from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi did not return from Babylon. Among those who did return were also very many who again left their native land due to internal disturbances, and thus were dispersed throughout the entire world among various nations, still maintaining the Jewish religion. James wrote to the “twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (James 1:1). The dispersed Jews came from all manner of nations to Jerusalem on the feast days for the purpose of worship, as is to be observed in (Acts 2:5-11).
After the destruction of Jerusalem, the entire Jewish nation was dispersed and no longer has a specific residence. We are speaking here of this nation without distinction, and we believe that it will acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ -- the Messiah who was promised in the Old Testament and anticipated by the fathers. This is the general sentiment of the theologians of all ages -- even Lutheran and papist theologians. There are, however, also those who doubt this, and some deny it. In order to confirm this matter, we shall not now say all that can be said about it. Rather, we shall only take two proofs from the New Testament and give them a place of prominence, since they are not subject to any evasive arguments of substance. After having given a clear exegesis of them, the few proofs we shall present from the Old Testament will give us more clarity and steadfastness in this matter. The Future Conversion of the Jews Examined in Light ofRomans 11:1-36
Proof #1: This proof we derive from Romans 11:1-36. We shall give a brief exposition of the entire chapter, since the effectiveness of our proof is derived from the context. This chapter has three divisions: 1) a question which is presented by way of an objection (Romans 11:1-2), 2) the answer to that question (Romans 11:3-32), and 3) the conclusion (Romans 11:33-36).
First Division. The question is stated in Romans 11:1 : “I say then, hath God cast away His people?” By God’s people the apostle understands the Jewish nation, which he generally refers to as Israel -- also in this chapter. God had given Jacob the name of Israel after he had wrestled with the Lord, and his descendants were called by this name. In order to eliminate any secret doubts, one ought to know that throughout the entire New Testament the name Israel is never assigned to believers, that is, the church of the New Testament. Rather, it is always understood that this refers to the Jewish nation; that is, in distinction to and separation from all other nations. Only two texts need to be clarified.
Question: “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” (Romans 9:6-8). Is not the apostle here referring to the believers among the Gentiles as Israel?
Answer: Not at all; the apostle does not speak here at all of the Gentiles, but strictly of the Jews. His objective is to prove that God has not annulled His covenant with Abraham and his seed, even though the majority of them have rejected the Messiah, have not believed in Him, and have been disobedient to the gospel. “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect” (Romans 9:6). God has not annulled His promises and covenant, for not all who descended from Abraham were partakers of the covenant and the promises. Ishmael and the children of Keturah did not belong to the covenant, but only Isaac. Furthermore, all of Isaac’s children were not partakers of the covenant and the promises. Esau was cast out as an unholy one, but the covenant and the promises were Jacob’s. And so it goes on, for even though many of Jacob’s descendants were unbelievers in whom God had no pleasure, nevertheless God’s covenant remains steadfast with him and his seed in his believing descendants, who are accounted as that seed. And thus they are not all Israel which are of Israel, that is, of Jacob. Furthermore, the conversion of the Gentiles did not constitute the confirmation of the covenant of Abraham and his seed, for then the covenant with Abraham and his seed would have been confirmed even if none of his natural seed had been converted. This would be absurd. Paul is speaking of his kinship according to the flesh and God’s covenant with them, demonstrating that the covenant remains steadfast with them; that is, with the converted among them, even though many remained unbelievers. Thus, this text neither speaks of Gentiles at all, but only of Jews, nor does it call the New Testament church Israel.
Question #2: “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16). Are not all believers, Jews as well as Gentiles, here called Israel?
Answer: No; for the church at that time consisted of Jews, and the Gentiles, as wild branches, had been grafted into the olive tree. The believing Jews insisted that the Gentiles, who joined them and were united with them in the church, be circumcised. The apostle opposed this, declaring that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision was of any value or engendered any privilege when it comes to faith, but only a new creature (Galatians 6:15). While continuing to join circumcision and uncircumcision, he declared peace and mercy to be upon those who walk according to this rule; that is, upon the believers of the uncircumcision and of the circumcision. Them he calls the Israel of God, which is indicated by the word “and.” If he had not been speaking of both Jews and Gentiles, the word “and” would not fit here. Rather, the apostle is saying that peace and mercy were upon the believing Gentiles as well as upon the believing Jews, thereby exhorting them not to quarrel over circumcision and uncircumcision. “Israel” therefore refers to believing Jews and not to believing Gentiles. As everywhere “Israel” is understood to refer to the Jewish nation, this is likewise true in this chapter. This is evident from the entire argument of the apostle, the purpose of which is to confirm that God has not annulled His covenant with Abraham and his seed, even though many would remain unbelievers. This covenant would not be confirmed by the conversion of the Gentiles, but by the conversion of the Jews during Paul’s time and thereafter. God would indeed annul His covenant if the Jewish nation were cast away in its entirety -- and if this would continue to be so. Note the continual contrast between Israel and the Gentiles. Romans 10:20 : “I was found of them that sought me not”; these were the Gentiles. Romans 10:21 reads: “But to Israel He saith ...” This is likewise true in Romans 11:11 : “... through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles”; Romans 11:12 : “Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world ...”; Romans 11:13 : “For I speak to you Gentiles ...”; Romans 11:14 : “If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh ...”; Romans 11:15 “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world ...”; and in Romans 11:24 the Gentiles are as branches of a wild olive tree contrasted with the Jews as being natural branches. From all this it is evident that the apostle is here speaking of the Jewish nation, which he calls “Israel,” contrasting it with believing Gentiles. He calls the Jewish nation, which at that time (after the conversion of the Gentiles) had been hardened and cast away by God, the people of God. “Hath God cast away His people?” He does not call them the people of God due to their faith and conversion, for they were unbelieving and disobedient; but because of the covenant which God had established with Abraham and his seed (Genesis 17:7). Peter demonstrates this as well: “Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed” (Acts 3:25). We have dealt with this more extensively, so that in what follows there can be no resorting to the evasive argument that the apostle spoke of believing Gentiles, or also of believing Jews. The question is: “Hath God cast away His people?” This question has its origin in what has been stated in the previous chapter. The apostle, having confirmed that faith is by hearing, declares in Romans 10:18 that both Jews and Gentiles have heard the gospel, and that the Gentiles have received it (Romans 10:19-20), whereas the Jews rejected the Messiah, and thus had become a disobedient and gainsaying people. This the apostle confirms from the prophecies (cf. Daniel 12:11; Isaiah 65:2). Out of all this the following question arises: Since God had established an eternal covenant with Abraham and his seed that He would be their God and they would be His people, did not God indeed break His covenant with this nation and did He not ultimately reject it fully when the seed of Abraham had rejected the Messiah and God had withdrawn His Spirit and grace from them and forsaken them? That is the question -- the substance of the first portion of this chapter. The second part of the chapter is the response to this question -- which is twofold. The initial answer is brief, thereafter substantiated by various proofs. The short answer consists in a negation and in a confirmation of the opposite. The negation is not merely a factual statement, but it is stated with vehemence and indignation: “God forbid!” It is as much as to say, “It should not even enter one’s thoughts.” It is a sin to entertain doubts about this, for it is to doubt the faithfulness and veracity of God. Would God cast away His people? Would God break His eternal covenant established with Abraham and his seed? Would God be unfaithful? Would God not cause His Word to stand firm, and not fulfil His promises? That is impossible. The confirmation occurs by way of the vocabulary of the question, accompanied with an inner conviction: “God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew” (Romans 11:2). God will neither do it, nor intends to do it, nor is it possible that He would do it. He is the faithful God; they are His people, and they are His property from among all the generations of the earth. He has foreknown them. The foreknowledge of God whereby a given matter is predestined and predetermined makes this matter immovably sure. God has known and predestined Abraham’s seed, and taken them into an eternal covenant with Himself. It is thus impossible that God would reject His people. They are His people and they will remain His people. He has known them as such and He will know them as such. The apostle adds various proofs to this, the essence of which is that God has neither cast away His people entirely, nor will cast them away ultimately. The apostle proves by his own example that God has not cast away His people entirely. He reasons as follows: “I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. However, I have not been cast away. Instead, I have been received, do believe, and am an apostle. Therefore, all of Israel has not been cast away.
“Furthermore, not only am I a believer who has been saved, but there is also a large multitude of Israelites with me. It is presently just as it was in the days of Elijah, who was of the opinion that all of Israel had forsaken the Lord and that he alone was left. God answered him, however, that there were yet seven thousand left. Likewise there are yet many thousands of Israelites who are faithful to the covenant, who acknowledge the Lord Jesus as the promised Messiah, and who believe in Him. This is therefore a certain proof that God has not rejected His people, but that there is yet a remnant according to the election of grace.”
Then the apostle proceeds to render proof that God will not ultimately, eternally, and completely cast away His people. In Romans 11:7-10 the apostle makes a distinction between the believing remnant of the Jewish nation and the bulk of that nation who not only were unbelieving, but also had been blinded to the gospel. He shows the cause thereof and the prophecies of it found in Isaiah 29:10 and (Psalms 69:22). Thereafter, he leaves the believing remnant to be what it is and no longer speaks of it. Instead, in what follows he speaks of this blinded nation, as is evident in nearly every verse. He speaks in Romans 11:11 of those who stumbled, in Romans 11:12 of those who have fallen, in Romans 11:15 of those who are cast away, in Romans 11:17-18 of natural branches which are broken off through unbelief, in Romans 11:25 of the blinded portion of the nation, and in Romans 11:28 of those who have become enemies for the sake of the gospel. Concerning this blind nation he declares that it would not always remain an outcast, but that there would come a time when God would convert them and bring them to Himself. In their state of exile He still has His eye upon them, thereby maintaining the isolation of this nation. Hereby their conversion, and thus the immutability of God’s covenant with Abraham and his seed, would be all the more obvious.
Concerning this blinded Israel the apostle asks in Romans 11:11, “Have they stumbled that they should fall”; that is, in order that they would remain in their fallen state? His initial answer is brief, and thereafter he enlarges and proves his answer forcefully by way of four convincing arguments. He answers “God forbid” with the same earnestness, indignation, and abhorrence, saying how God would then break His covenant and not remain faithful to His promises. Man’s unfaithfulness would then nullify God’s faithfulness -- which is impossible. Therefore, he answers indignantly: God forbid; absolutely not; this cannot occur. They have not stumbled in order that they would fall and remain fallen. They will rise again and be converted, being aroused to jealousy (Romans 11:11). The entire fullness of the Jews will come in again (Romans 11:12). They will become delightful again (vs. 14> [Romans 11:14-23]). They will be grafted in again after they have been broken off (Romans 11:24). After their blindness and the coming in of the fullness of the Gentiles, “all Israel shall be saved” by the Deliverer which shall come out of Zion, “and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Romans 11:26). They will again obtain mercy (Romans 11:31-32).
Having determined that blinded Israel shall come to repentance, he enlarges upon this by speaking of its excellency and benefit (Romans 11:11-15). If their fall be the riches of the world, how much more will this be true for their fullness, for that will be a most excellent change!
(1) Their fall is the salvation, the riches of the Gentiles -- of the world. It is not the essential cause, but rather the occasion. “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 13:46).
(2) The steadfast faith and the holy life of the Gentiles will provoke blind Israel to jealousy, cause them to be zealous to acknowledge, believe in, and live out of the Messiah who had been promised to them and came forth from them. The apostle knew that it was not yet their time, and therefore he labored that he might save some of them. This obligation also devolves upon us, even though their general conversion will not occur as yet.
(3) The general conversion of Israel, who at present are blind, will bring about much more blessing, light, life, and zeal among the Gentiles than did their fall. “How much more their fullness” (Romans 11:12); “What shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead” (Romans 11:15). When God will fill this blind nation with His Spirit and grace, resulting in the acknowledging and receiving of the Messiah (David, their king), then a wondrous love, joy, and holiness in believing will manifest itself in them. It will be a more eminent time than the age of the apostles. The church of the Gentiles will be so quickened and revived by the conversion of Israel that her former state will appear to be such as the difference between a dead and a living person. The unconverted will be converted in great numbers, and the converted will become partakers of a wondrous increase in the measure of grace. Oh, what a glorious time this will be! Who will then be alive?
Hereupon the apostle demonstrates the absolute certainty of their conversion by comparing two matters. “For if the firstfruits be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches” (Romans 11:16). The first analogy is derived from their instituted form of worship, whereas the second is derived from a natural process known to all. Among the firstfruits, also the firstfruits of the dough had to be dedicated and sanctified to God (Numbers 15:20-21). Israel is called the firstfruits of God, for He claimed this nation for Himself from among the nations of the world (Jeremiah 2:3). This is also true for believers (James 1:18). By firstfruits the apostle does not understand so much the Jews who were converted at the beginning of the apostolic period, for he calls them a remnant (Romans 11:5). Such a conclusion would be very weak since many Jews were converted at the beginning, and then the entire nation ought to have been converted thereafter. Rather, by the firstfruits the apostle understands in particular Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to which could be added the Old Testament believers. By the root the apostle also understands Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, out of whom the entire nation sprang forth as branches. He states that if the one is holy, the other must be holy as well. The word “holy” here does not refer to internal holiness and virtue, but to 1) a being separated from others, as Israel was a separated people unto worship (Deuteronomy 7:6); and 2) a being devoted to God (Exodus 13:2). The latter occurs by entering into the covenant, be it in truth or in pretense (cf. Exodus 19:6; 2 Corinthians 7:14). Abraham is not to be noted here as the father of his natural descendants, such as Ishmael and the children of Keturah also were; rather, he is to be noted as the father of the covenant established with him and his seed in Isaac, and through Jacob. The dough is gathered together in a lump. From this lump, something is first taken and devoted to God, whereby the entire lump becomes holy and blessed to them. The root produces such branches as are of the same nature as the root. As the nature of the root is, so is the nature of the branches and the fruits. If, however -- thus speaks the apostle -- the firstfruits and the root are holy, that is, devoted and consecrated to God, then this is also true for the dough, and thus also the branches are holy. If Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are holy by virtue of the covenant, then also the entire nation is holy and consecrated to God. From this the apostle concludes that the nation neither will nor can be cast away forever, but will come to repentance and be received again by God. For if that were not to occur, and if they were to be cast away forever, then neither the dough would be sanctified by the firstfruits, nor would the branches be sanctified by the root. Since, however, they are sanctified thereby, the entire nation will also come to repentance. In Romans 11:17-24, the apostle applies this as a warning to the converted Gentiles. In this warning the apostle makes plain statements about the conversion of the Jews. He warns the Gentiles not to boast against the broken off branches, nor to be proud and conceited, despising blind Israel. For the Jews were the natural branches of the olive tree, whereas the Gentiles were grafted as wild olive branches into their stems -- into the covenant established with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They do not owe you any gratitude for having entered into covenant with God. Rather, they are the means that you have been brought into that same covenant established with them. You do not bear the root, but the root bears you. Furthermore, you are not to boast against them, thinking that God will cast them away forever. No, as natural branches they will again be grafted into their own olive tree. This is more compatible with nature, is easier to perform, and has better results than that you, being wild by nature, are grafted into their stem. The apostle proves this from the Old Testament Scriptures in Romans 11:25-27. He calls the conversion of blinded Israel a mystery. It was no mystery to anyone that during the times of the apostles a great multitude of the Jews believed in the Messiah. That was known to everyone. However, that this Israel, so hardened and hostile toward the gospel, would once embrace in faith, and with love and joy, the very gospel they now so hated, seemed entirely improbable -- and nevertheless, this would transpire. It would not be the conversion of only a few -- of a few individuals here and there -- but it would be a conversion of the entire nation. “And so all Israel shall be saved” -- that Israel, upon which hardening had been imposed, would once become so blessed that it would as yet turn to the Messiah. This does not mean that they will all be truly born again and become partakers of eternal salvation, but that they would all acknowledge and confess that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah, the Savior. And when would this be? “... that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25). This condition will last so long and no longer, until the harvest of the Gentiles, a multitude foreordained, would, prior to the conversion of the Jews, be brought to conversion. This does not mean that there would still be a large multitude left, but rather that when the gospel would have borne its fruit among the Gentiles, it would return to the blinded Jewish nation which would also believe -- a fact which would constitute a wondrous change and revival. The apostle calls this a mystery -- not because God did not reveal it to him until now, nor that it had not been foretold in the prophetical Scriptures, but because it was neither observed nor understood. He wanted people to know this, desiring that they would view and anticipate this as a matter which would certainly come about. He did not want them to become proud and conceited, and to despise the Jewish nation, but to have pity upon them and anticipate their conversion. This already had been prophesied before, and Paul mentions some declarations made by the prophets. “And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 59:20); “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days ... I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:33-34). Here we can neither argue nor quarrel about whether these texts are to be applied to a different time period, for to do so is to argue with Paul who spoke and wrote being immediately and infallibly inspired by the Holy Spirit. He states that this points to the time when the fullness of the Gentiles will have come in. He asserts that these texts indicate that blind Israel will as yet come to repentance -- and that is the end of all arguments. The apostle adds in the last place a proof derived from the immutability of the covenant made with Abraham and his seed (Romans 11:28-32). In verse 28, the partakers of this covenant are described in a twofold manner in regard to their state. They are described in relation to the gospel, of which they are enemies (and therefore of all the Gentiles who have received the gospel); however, they are the beloved, not relative to their present state and as far as they individually are concerned, but relative to 1) the covenant with their forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and 2) election -- not in respect to eternal election unto salvation, but to their election as partakers of the covenant. “The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself” (Deuteronomy 7:6); “For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto Himself, and Israel for His peculiar treasure” (Psalms 135:4). The apostle declares this covenant with them, even though they are presently enemies of the gospel, to be unbreakable and immutable. “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29). This is always, in all circumstances and for all persons, a matter of truth. Such is also the case with the calling of Abraham and with the covenant which God established out of free grace with him and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob. That covenant neither can nor will be changed, God being immutable. Israel, which is blind at present, will therefore not always continue to be cast away, but Israel will again obtain mercy (Romans 11:30-32). Just as you who are presently Gentiles have previously been disobedient to God and have received mercy by reason of Israel’s disobedience, rejection, and persecution of the gospel, Israel will likewise, though presently disobedient (as was true for you previously), obtain mercy by reason of the mercy which you have obtained from God. When the Gentiles will flow to the gospel in great numbers, and will be filled with a great measure of the Spirit, grace, and holiness, blind Israel, being the people of God by virtue of the covenant, will become jealous of the fact that the Gentiles serve God and are loved by Him. Being aroused to diligence by the mercy and grace of God toward the Gentiles, they will then turn to the Lord. And after God will have concluded the entire nation under disobedience for a long time by giving them over to themselves and leaving them in their blindness and wickedness, He will then be merciful to them all and receive them again in grace. The third section of the chapter is found in the concluding verses -- Romans 11:33-36. This is an acknowledgment of the unsearchable wisdom of God in all His dealings, particularly with respect to His people. This is true relative to judgments and blessings, as well as to all the ways by which God rules His church and leads the elect unto salvation. When considering all this together, the attentive and truth-loving heart will be convinced that the apostle first concludes that God has not fully cast away His people, the people of Israel, for he himself, along with so many thousands, had believed in Christ, the promised Messiah. Following this, he made a distinction between the converted and blind Jews of that time, declaring, verifying, and confirming that this blind Israel will again return, be received, be grafted in, and obtain mercy after having been in a state of blindness for a long period; that is, after the fullness of the Gentiles will have come in. The Future Conversion of the Jews Examined in Light of2 Corinthians 3:1-18
Proof #2: This proof of the anticipated conversion of the Jews we derive from 2 Corinthians 3:1-18. This conversion is emphatically affirmed in verse 16: “Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.” In order to understand the thrust of this verse, one needs to consider the context. The obscurity some consider to be in this text proceeds from a misunderstanding of the word “veil.” They understand this “veil” to refer to the ceremonial worship, and “the end of that which is abolished” (2 Corinthians 3:13) to Christ. The extent to which this misses the mark will become evident by examining the context. The apostle is generally engaged in showing that the justification of the poor sinner cannot be acquired by the law -- neither by the moral law nor the ceremonial law when considered in and of themselves without being united to the antitype Christ, who is the soul of the ceremonies. The Jews understood the ceremonial law as such, considering it to be of the same nature as the moral law and therefore sought their justification in its observance. This is also the apostle’s objective in this chapter, where he speaks of the ministry of death and condemnation, and of the ministry of righteousness. In this chapter, the Old Testament and its administration according to God’s institution is not contrasted with the New Testament and its administration. It will become evident that the entire contents of this chapter contradict this; and the matters which are contrasted contradict this as well. Who would dare to say that the Old Testament and the administration of the ceremonies, the ceremonial worship as instituted by God, were a ministry of death and condemnation? Could the holy and good God bind man to such a ministry? Far be this from the Almighty! When the ceremonial worship was performed according to God’s institution -- that is, by faith, leading the type to the antitype, and uniting the antitype, Christ, with the types -- believers served the Lord in a spiritual sense, and that ministry was unto life for them. On the contrary, to those in the New Testament who cling to external matters, not progressing to the exercise of a true faith in Christ, the ministry of the New Testament is a ministry of death and condemnation -- a savor of death unto death (2 Corinthians 2:16). The old administration could be performed in a spiritual manner, and the new administration can be performed in an external manner. Thus, the contrast here is not between the Old and New Testaments, but between the letter and the Spirit. The ministry of the Spirit is exalted above the ministry of the letter. The elevation of the ministry of the Spirit above the ministry of the letter occurs in three ways: 1) relative to what follows (2 Corinthians 3:6-7
First, that which emanates from the letter and the Spirit is the following: “The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (vs. 6). “The letter” is not to be understood to refer to the Old Testament and its administration (that the Old Testament is neither an external covenant, nor consists in the inheritance of Canaan, has been demonstrated at the appropriate place), for the Holy Spirit was also present in the Old Testament and that administration was also spiritual. Else no one in the Old Testament could have been saved nor would have been able to please the Lord -- not even Abel, whose sacrifices pleased the Lord (Hebrews 11:4). Thus, the Old Testament cannot be contrasted with the Spirit. Nowhere is this done, just as the Old Testament is never referred to as the letter.
“The letter” is also not to be understood as referring to the ceremonies, for in this chapter the apostle is specifically and literally focusing upon the moral law: “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones ...” (2 Corinthians 3:7). When the countenance of Moses shone as he descended the mountain, he held two tables of stone upon which the moral law had been recorded (Exodus 34:29-30). However, by “the letter” the apostle understands the moral law in 1) its demand, “do this,” 2) its promise, “the man that doeth these things shall live by them,” and 3) its threat, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” If man adheres to the external aspect of the law and if he seeks his righteousness and salvation in this law, he cannot be saved. The ministry is a ministry of death and condemnation for him. If we assume (even though it is not true) that the apostle understood “the letter” to refer to the ceremonial laws -- like the Jews considered them, namely, as being of one and the same nature as the moral law, divorced from the antitype, their observance consisting in external deeds -- then the ministry was indeed a ministry of death and condemnation whereby no salvation could be obtained.
Therefore, “the letter” is to be understood as referring to the moral law in its demands, promises, and threats -- as being a condition of the covenant of works. Add to this the observance of the ceremonial law in regard to the external deeds, divorced from the antitype. It is this letter the apostle refers to as “the ministry of death” (2 Corinthians 3:7), and “the ministry of condemnation” (2 Corinthians 3:9), because man is not able to keep it, but transgresses it and thereby brings the curse due upon transgressors upon himself.
Over against this, he posits that which emanates from the Spirit. By “the Spirit” he understands Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17). “The Lord is that Spirit.” As Surety, Christ has rendered payment for all guilt by His suffering and death, and has by His obedience merited perfect holiness for His own. The ministry of the Spirit is the gospel in which Christ is offered and men are allured to come to Christ to be justified by His merits. This ministry makes alive. Hereby man is regenerated, justified, sanctified, and led to eternal salvation. By the covenant of works, that is by the law, no flesh can be justified. This is an impossibility as far as the law is concerned, for the law has been rendered ineffectual by the flesh (Romans 8:3). However, through Christ the ministry of the gospel has been held forth unto justification and life -- in the Old Testament in its promise, and in the New Testament in its fulfillment. This is the first contrast, by which the ministry of the Spirit, that is, of Christ, is so eminently elevated above the covenant of works -- its condition being the law of the ten commandments, engraven with letters upon tables of stone, and considered in its internal demands. As such there is no comparison, for the one kills and the other makes alive. The second distinction between the letter and the Spirit by which it is evident that the ministry of the Spirit is more excellent than that of the letter is the glory which is manifested in its administration (2 Corinthians 3:7-10). The letter had glory relative to:
(1) the matter itself, its contents being love and pure holiness unto the glory of God;
(2) its being given upon Mt. Sinai, which in every respect was awe-inspiring: the voice, the fire, the annunciation, and the inscribing upon tables of stone; and
(3) its messenger, Moses, whose face shone to such an extent that when he came down the mountain with the tables of the law, one could not endure the shining of his countenance. The Spirit had glory relative to:
(1) The Person of Christ, the express image of His Father’s glory, of whom the Father declared with an audible voice from heaven, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” He revealed a glimpse of this glory upon the holy mountain.
(2) The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost upon the apostles, whereby they proclaimed the great deeds of the Lord in various languages, inspiring awe in all who heard them; as well as thereafter upon believers, whereby the assembly of believers inspired such fear that no one else dared to join with them.
(3) The matters related to His administration; that is, the justification of the sinner to the glory of the righteousness, wisdom, and free grace of God.
(4) The efficacy of His ministry in illuminating, converting, and rejoicing souls. Consider these two and compare them with each other. You will find that whatever is glorious has not even been glorified when considering how eminently the glory of the Spirit excels the glory of the letter. The glory of the letter, when compared with the glory of the Spirit, is extinguished, obscured, and becomes black, so to speak. The third aspect in which the Spirit is more excellent than the letter is the manner of administration. Moses’ administration of the letter was accompanied by a veil (vs. 13> [2 Corinthians 3:13-17]), whereas the ministry of the Spirit consists in an uncovered countenance, observing not the glory of Moses, but the glory of the Lord in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). The apostle dwells on this veil a bit longer in order to demonstrate the difference between the letter and the Spirit -- between the law and Christ. By the veil one is not to understand the ceremonies, for:
(1) the literal reference here is to the moral law inscribed with letters upon tables of stone (2 Corinthians 3:7);
(2) the ceremonies were not given to cover or conceal their antitype, Christ, but to reveal Him and by them to lead men to Christ;
(3) Old Testament believers were strongly encouraged to look to Christ -- yes, not to do so was sin. Evasive Argument: It was indeed not the objective of the ceremonies to conceal Christ, but the outcome was such due to the foolishness of men.
Answer (1) This is contrary to the text, which does not speak of an outcome due to chance, but of a deliberate purpose and objective, using the word “that.”
(2) Many looked unto Christ through the ceremonies, doing so with intensity, longing, and yearning. Thus, the ceremonies did not have this effect with all. The best among them were those who “could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.” Thus, one cannot understand the veil to refer to the ceremonies, and the most significant purpose of the ceremonies was therefore not the concealing of Christ. Instead, the veil upon Moses’ countenance was a depiction of the veiling of the glory of the moral law as to its demands, promises, and threats, lest one would cling to that and seek his justification and salvation thereby. This would be ruinous for them and therefore the covering of Moses’ countenance was a blessing; it kept them from a way which would not lead them to salvation. There was indeed glory in the law, but it could not justify man, as it had become ineffectual through the flesh. One may thus not cling to the law in that manner.
“The end of that which is abolished” does not refer to Christ, for:
(1) Christ is here contrasted with the letter, and thus He cannot be the end of the letter.
(2) They were indeed permitted to look intently upon Christ. They were obligated to do so, for to forbear doing so was sin. The purpose of this veil, however, was not to look steadfastly to the end, but to restrain anyone from doing so. Instead, “by the end of the letter” one is to understand the justification of man by the works of the law. To that end the law had been given to Adam, and in the keeping of the commandments is eternal life. The man who does these things shall live by them. That end neither can nor may be pursued in living according to this rule, for man cannot attain that end by the keeping of the law. If he were to cling to such keeping of the law, he would find himself deceived at last. That which is abolished is the letter, that is, the moral law -- not as far as its end is concerned whereto it had been given upon Sinai -- to be a rule of life for the partakers of the covenant, who do not seek their justification in the law, but rather in Christ. Instead, it is abolished by believers as far as:
(1) Being justified thereby, justification being impossible by way of the law due to sin. In this respect Christ takes the place of the law, relative to which the apostle says: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4).
(2) Its condemning power over all who transgress the law -- as believers have done and do daily. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). Moses’ veil was an indication that they had to look away from the law so as to be justified thereby. Instead, they had to be led by the law as a schoolmaster to Christ. The apostle applies this to the present state of the Jews in their blindness, doing so by transposing this to another matter (2 Corinthians 3:14-16). The apostle does not understand the veil to refer here to that which was upon Moses’ countenance, but by way of analogy he refers to something that lays upon them as a covering veil. This veil is not upon their countenance, but upon their heart, intellect, and will. He understands hereby the ignorance and blindness of the heart of which the prophet speaks: “Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed” (Isaiah 6:9-10). The apostle applies this to Israel and its blindness during his time (Acts 28:26). This darkness lies upon them as a veil in the reading of the Old Testament, wherein Christ is clearly portrayed. They do not see Him there, however, and this veil remains upon them until this present day, and will remain upon them until it is done away for them in Christ. And indeed, it will once be taken away. They will one day turn to the Lord, as the apostle states in plain language in 2 Corinthians 3:16 : “Nevertheless when it (the people of Israel, and not this or that person) shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.” They will then know Christ, receive Him, and believe in Him, and with us “beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord” will be “changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord,” Amen. The Future Conversion of the Jews Examined in Light ofMatthew 23:38-39
Proof #3: This proof is derived from Matthew 23:38-39 : “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.” Here we have a prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 23:38 ), followed by Christ being hidden from them. This is the blindness of Israel of which we have spoken in light of Romans 11:1-36. Here we have the designation of a time frame: “till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh.” There will come a day that they will say, “Blessed is He that cometh”; “There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Romans 11:26). Until then they will neither see, know, nor acknowledge Jesus -- however, no longer than that. Christ will then come again to His old people Israel and they will then be turned again.
“And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). The Lord Jesus prophesied of the eradication of the Jewish nation and of the subsequent dispersion of the Jews among all the nations, as well as the long duration of the desolation of Jerusalem, designating the time when this dispersion and desolation would end as being when the times of the Gentiles will be fulfilled. This is identical to what the apostle says: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery ... that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25). The word “until” does not imply “never,” but rather a certain moment; that is, after that time, when the fullness of the Gentiles shall have come in. Then will Israel no longer remain blind, and then Israel will repent, as is stated expressly in Romans 11:26 : “And so all Israel shall be saved.” The partial conversion during the time of the apostles is not the global conversion of Israel, but that of a small remnant. However, the blinded part of Israel would also be converted when the fullness of the Gentiles will have come in, and thus will all Israel be saved. If, therefore, their dispersion and the treading down of Jerusalem will last until the times of the Gentiles will have been fulfilled, there will most certainly be a restoration of the nation, not only in a spiritual sense, but also in a physical sense. This we shall now consider. The Future Conversion of the Jews Examined in Light ofIsaiah 61:1-4
Proof #4: We derive this proof from Isaiah 61:1-11. “The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings ... to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1); “To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Isaiah 61:2); “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes ... that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3); “And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations” (Isaiah 61:4); “But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves” (Isaiah 61:6); “For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them” (Isaiah 61:7). Here a most excellent restoration of Israel after her destruction is prophesied -- according to body and soul. Nothing can be construed against this, except if one were to maintain that the prophet is speaking of the deliverance from Babylon. Since it is a certainty, however, that after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 40 A.D., and the dispersion of the Jews by them, there will be a general restoration of the Jews -- as we have previously shown from the New Testament -- one would have to show from this text that the reference here is to the deliverance from Babylon rather than to their last conversion.
Objection: This is the point of contention, namely, whether such a conversion is to be anticipated.
Answer: If the matter itself has been confirmed from other texts, and one then arrives at this text, the point of contention is: Of which of the two deliverances does this text speak? If one claims that the reference is to the first, one will have to prove this to be so. However, let us consider the text by itself, and it will be proven that the reference here is not to the deliverance from Babylon, but to a deliverance of Israel which as yet has not transpired, but will occur.
(1) This deliverance after a lengthy desolation would occur after the coming of the Messiah. This is evident when we compare Isaiah 61:1-3 with Luke 4:14
(2) This conversion and restoration would take place after a desolation of Canaan, the duration of which would be from generation to generation. It cannot be said of the captivity in Babylon, which lasted but seventy years, that it lasted from generation to generation, for the same generation returned. There were those among them who still had a good memory of the glory of the first temple (Ezra 3:12).
(3) They did not receive double after their deliverance from Babylon -- also not spiritually. Generally speaking, they were buried under a deep layer of ignorance, superstition, and ungodliness. How wretched was their condition when Christ came! After this deliverance, however, Israel would be “trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.” This was also not true in physical terms, for during the entire period from the restoration from Babylon until the destruction of Jerusalem, which is a period of approximately five hundred years, they have experienced nothing but unrest, troubles, wars, and their land being occupied. They did not possess their land, but were cast out -- as is the case until this day.
(4) Israel would be adorned with an extraordinary luster and glory after this deliverance. They would be called priests of the Most High. In the Old Testament, the priestly office was limited to the tribe of Levi, to the house of Aaron, while other tribes were barred from this. However, here a time is prophesied of when the entire nation would thus be glorified, and all would approach unto God, as did the priests. After their deliverance from Babylon they have never been in such a state as is promised here. “And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed” (Isaiah 61:9). From all that has been said it is evident that this text does not speak of the deliverance from Babylon, but of a conversion and restoration which as yet is to be anticipated, and which is promised here in certain terms. The Future Conversion of the Jews Examined in Light ofJeremiah 31:31-40
Proof #5: This proof we derive from Jeremiah 31:1-40. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31); “I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33); “... they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34); “If those ordinances (that is, of day and night) depart from before Me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me for ever” (Jeremiah 31:36); “If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:37); “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:38); “And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron (these were unclean places) ... shall be holy unto the Lord; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever” (Jeremiah 31:40). That the spiritual benefits recounted in Jeremiah 31:33-34 are the benefits of the New Testament, and that the Gentiles have become partakers of them, is a certainty. However, the Gentiles would not be the sole partakers of these benefits; the text states that Israel and Judah will also partake of them. The names of Israel and Judah refer to the Jewish nation. They never refer to the church -- the believers among the Gentiles. These are never denominated by the names of Israel and Judah in the New Testament. Not only would a remnant become believing, but they would “all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them”; that is, the entire seed of Israel would not be cast away, but would be saved. This would occur after a great destruction and dispersion. Jerusalem would be rebuilt and be further expanded, and also the unclean places in Jerusalem would be removed. There is no room for an exception here, namely, that mention would be made here of the deliverance from Babylon, for:
(1) all that has been related would occur after the coming of the Messiah (Jeremiah 31:22), and after the infanticide at Bethlehem (Jeremiah 31:15);
(2) after the restoration from Babylon, Israel did not partake of these benefits in either a spiritual or physical sense -- a fact which is beyond dispute;
(3) they were removed and broken down after five hundred years. This restoration, however, would be of everlasting duration. It is thus evident from these texts that the Jewish nation will once most certainly be converted, and be re-established in her country. The Future Conversion of the Jews Examined in Light ofHosea 3:4-5
Proof #6: “For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days” (Hosea 3:4-5). This text speaks of the children of Israel, the Jewish nation. It is prophesied to them that they will experience a lengthy desertion during which they will be devoid of a leader, true religion, and idolatry. Hereupon it is prophesied that they will return in the latter days and will acknowledge and receive Christ as the Messiah. From this it can be clearly perceived that we are to anticipate a general conversion of the Jews who as yet are in this state as is described here. One could advance the evasive argument here that the reference is to the deliverance from Babylon, but the texts show the contrary to be true.
(1) While in Babylon, Israel had not been in the state which is described here. They still had princes and governors who ruled them with the permission of the kings of Babylon. They still had priests and prophets to teach them, and also their captivity did not last long.
(2) Neither during nor after their Babylonian captivity has Israel turned to the Lord in the manner described.
(3) Their restoration was to be after the coming of the Messiah. They would seek and turn to David their king -- the Messiah -- and would acknowledge Him to be the true, promised Messiah.
(4) This would transpire in the latter days, which is an expression generally understood to refer to the New Testament (cf. Isaiah 2:2; Joel 2:28 in conjunction with Acts 2:17; Micah 4:1; Jeremiah 23:20). Thus, this cannot be understood as referring to the restoration from Babylon. Rather, it proves that such a conversion is yet to be anticipated.
He who wishes to have at his disposal more texts wherein this conversion is prophesied ought to consider the following texts which we will make note of in order to prove that not only will the Jews turn to the Messiah, but also that they will again dwell in Canaan.
Proof #7: In addition to the above six Scripture passages pointing to the anticipated conversion of the Jews, consider the following:
(1) Throughout the world the Jewish nation remains isolated, even though the genealogies have been lost. The Jews do not intermingle with the nations among whom they live -- neither by marriage, nor by way of religion. They also stand out among all the nations, no matter in what land they reside.
(2) They still adhere to the externals of the Jewish church, such as circumcision, feast days, distinction among foods, and a careful avoidance of idolatry.
(3) They preserve the Holy Scriptures very carefully and acknowledge their divinity.
(4) They still expect the Messiah to come to deliver them. Even though these matters do not prove that their conversion will occur, nevertheless, when added to the quoted prophecies, the heart will be inclined all the more quickly and powerfully to believe these prophecies. God’s providential dealings with this nation are still very evident. He is preserving her until her conversion, in order that the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning her will be all the more obvious. The Return of the Jews to Canaan Proven from Various Old Testament Passages
One more question remains to be answered: Will the Jewish nation be gathered together again from all the regions of the world and from all the nations of the earth among which they have been dispersed? Will they come to and dwell in Canaan and all the lands promised to Abraham, and will Jerusalem be rebuilt?
We believe that these events will transpire. We deny, however, that the temple will be rebuilt, and that therein the previous mode of worship will be observed, which prior to Christ’s coming was of a typifying nature and would then be of a reflective nature. We also deny that Israel will then have dominion over the entire world -- and other such things which the Jews imagine and some Christians dream about. Rather, they will be an independent republic, governed by a very wise, good-natured, and superb government. Furthermore, Canaan will be extraordinarily fruitful, the inhabitants will be eminently godly, and they will constitute a segment of the glorious state of the church during the thousand years prophesied in Revelation 20:1-15. We shall not enlarge here by vindicating every text over against evasive arguments one could construe -- as if those texts referred to the deliverance from Babylon. They could easily be refuted from the answers already given to evasive arguments, and by the attentive examination of texts, comparing them with the actual state of Israel’s restoration from Babylon.
We prove this from the two passages we have dealt with: Isaiah 61:1-9 and (Jeremiah 31:31-40). We have refuted those evasive arguments against these texts, for they state expressly that the Jews will again return to their land, and that both their ruined places and Jerusalem will be rebuilt. Consider in addition to this the following texts.
Deuteronomy 30:1-6 : “... when all these things are come upon thee” -- namely, “that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom” (Deuteronomy 29:23). This did not occur during the Babylonian captivity, as the land remained fruitful and was cultivated. Canaan was in this condition after the destruction of Jerusalem (and it is nearly still the case) -- “thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto the Lord thy God ... with all thine heart, and with all thy soul (which occurred neither upon their return from Babylon nor thereafter); that then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will He fetch thee: and the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and He will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. (This did not occur at all after the Babylonian captivity, as those times bore no resemblance whatsoever to the times of David, Solomon, and other kings. There was continual warfare and external dominion, and there were continual troubles within.) And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.” Since these things will most certainly befall Israel, and since this has occurred neither in a spiritual nor in a physical sense after the Babylonian captivity, then such a spiritual conversion and a restoration to the land of Canaan is still to be anticipated.
Amos 9:14-15 : “And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.” However, after the Babylonian captivity they only possessed the land for five hundred years, having then been evicted from their land until this very day. Thus, this conversion is yet to be anticipated.
Ezekiel 37:21-25 : “I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land ... and one king shall be king to them all (they did not even have a king after Babylon). ... And David (Christ) My servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one Shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and My servant David shall be their prince for ever.” Israel did not experience this after the Babylonian captivity -- neither spiritually, nor physically. This would occur in the days of the Messiah, after His coming -- after which the Jews did not reside in the land of Canaan from generation to generation. Instead, the land has been destroyed and they have been dispersed. Thus, that time is yet to come.
Isaiah 62:1-4 : “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.” Israel is referred to as such in these days. She is the forsaken one and her land is desolate. Therefore, this cannot be said of them after the Babylonian captivity. During this period Israel was also not in the glorious state spoken of here. Thus, it is yet to come.
“... Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein” (Zechariah 2:4); “... and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem” (Zechariah 12:8); “In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David” (Zechariah 12:8); “... and it (Jerusalem) shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place” (Zechariah 14:11); “And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited” (Zechariah 14:11). Jerusalem has not been in such a state after the Babylonian captivity; she has been fully destroyed, and is now in a state of exile. It is therefore not applicable to the return from Babylon, but to a period of time yet to come. From all this it is clearly evident that the Jewish nation will yet be converted, come to her land Canaan, and reside there.
Evasive argument: All the texts quoted above speak of the glorious state of the church of the New Testament, and all these expressions are to be understood as referring to spiritual matters, rather than to the conversion of the Jews and their restoration to Canaan.
Answer: This is being asserted, but has not been proven. With every text we have shown emphatically that they speak of Israel and what would befall them according to soul and body.
Objection: “And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined ... and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:26-27). Here it is stated that it has been determined that there will be desolations until the end. Thus, the Jewish nation will neither be converted, nor return to Canaan to possess it.
Answer: The angel Gabriel not only made known to Daniel their deliverance from Babylon, but also the time when the Messiah would be born, suffer, and die in Canaan, as well as how the Jews would fare in Canaan. There would be continual warfare there until Jerusalem would be destroyed to the ground -- a destruction that was most surely decreed and would therefore certainly come to pass. No mention is made of what would befall the Jewish nation and Jerusalem after their destruction, but rather that which would precede their destruction and that which would befall them shortly before the death of Christ: warfare until the end. [Note: The equivalent phrase of the KJV “and the end thereof shall be with a flood,” reads as follows in the Statenbijbel: “en tot het einde toe zal er krijg zijn,” that is, “there shall be war until the end.”] This does not refer to the end of the world, but of Jerusalem. The warfare would not cease until Jerusalem would be destroyed in a dreadful manner by the Romans, the destruction of which would signal the end of the warfare. Thus, this text does not speak against the conversion of the Jews and their restoration to their land.
Various Reasons Given for Focusing upon the Conversion of the Jewish Nation
We have not considered the conversion of the Jewish nation and her restoration to Canaan merely for the purpose of ascertaining this to be so, and to end in this as a matter for contemplation. Rather, we have done so in order that we would be exercised to engage in the performance of various duties.
(1) Attentively observe the immutability of the covenant God made with Abraham and his seed. Consider that God, in spite of all their sins and stiffneckedness under it, does not break His promise nor will He permit any of the good words spoken to them to fall to the earth. Believers, glorify God concerning this and be strengthened thereby as to the immutability of the covenant of grace and its promises, which God will most certainly fulfill to you. Therefore, anticipate their fulfillment with faith and patience.
(2) Do not despise the Jewish nation. “Boast not against the branches” Romans 11:28, the natural branches of that olive tree into which you, as branches of a wild olive tree, have been grafted contrary to nature. “Be not highminded, but fear” (Romans 11:28). 1) They have received more than enough contempt from the unconverted. 2) They are in one and the same covenant with Abraham, their father. 3) “They are beloved for the fathers’ sakes” (Romans 11:28). Therefore, let there be the love of benevolence toward them. They are the children of the covenant (Acts 3:25). 4) They will once be converted and be a glorious and holy people above all the nations on the face of the earth. Therefore, esteem, honor, and love them.
(3) Have pity upon their state, which is so wretched according to the flesh, being despised and detested among the nations -- this is a righteous judgment of God upon them for their rejection of Christ. They are even more wretched spiritually. They hate the Lord Jesus, the true Messiah, with an evil hatred, and are living without the true religion -- yes, have a religion which does not even resemble a religion. Nevertheless, they find a wonderful delight in it; thus they live in a state in which they cannot be saved, but have nothing to look forward to but eternal damnation.
(4) Pray for their conversion. How they have prayed for the conversion of the Gentiles! How they rejoiced in the prophecies that one day the Gentiles would be converted! Therefore, you ought to do likewise for their conversion, for you can pray this in faith, since they will certainly be converted.
(5) By way of a holy life show that you are walking in the footsteps of their father Abraham. The life of many socalled Christians offends them and keeps them from exercising faith in Christ. They do not know, except it be to a very limited extent, that among Christians there are presently many who fear and love Jehovah, the God of Israel. Therefore, manifest the image of Christ by way of a holy walk, so that they may be convicted by it and yet be aroused to jealousy. Occasionally make use of opportunities to speak in a friendly manner with them, making your affection known to them, as well as your anticipation of their restoration in Canaan. Speak to them about the Lord Jesus by the name of Messiah. Speak of the dreadfulness of sin and of eternal damnation to follow upon sin, and show this from the Scriptures of the Old Testament if you are able to do so. Show them that man cannot be justified before God by works, and that all their deeds cannot justify them. Show them from the Old Testament that the Messiah would make satisfaction for sin by His death, reconcile God with man, and convert souls, proving this from Isaiah 53:1-12, and Daniel 9:1-27. Perhaps you would be instrumental in the salvation of one. The fact is that in doing so you have done your duty, and it will be a delight to your soul that you have done so. Be very careful not to quarrel, however, thereby giving them an opportunity to slander and grieve you by their diatribe. Their national conversion will not occur in our day, but it will indeed come to pass. At His time the Lord will cause it to come to pass suddenly. May the Lord be gracious to His people of old. Oh, that the Redeemer would come to Zion and turn away ungodliness from Jacob! Israel would then rejoice and the Gentiles would glory, and together they would render the Lord honor, glory, and thanksgiving. Hallelujah!
Thus far we have considered the state of the church and God’s dealings with her from Adam to Abraham, from Abraham to Sinai, from Sinai to Christ, and from Christ until the Revelation of John. It now remains for us to consider the state of the church, and God’s dealings with her, from the Revelation of John until the end of the world, as recorded for us in the Revelation of John. [Note: à Brakel’s exposition of the book of Revelation is not included in this four-volume set due to its controversial nature. However, out of respect for àBrakel and for the sake of historicity, it has been decided to publish this exposition as a separate volume at a future date.]