"Israel Mine Inheritance."

by J.MILLER | Category: General | Jul 1933

"The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel" (Exodus 1. 12). Such is the summing up of the divine historian of the virile character of God's ancient people; and history has repeated itself again and again. Even in our own time Gentile nations have been so grieved with the Jewish people as to engage in Jewish persecution, which no doubt is a modern fulfilment of the beautiful poetry of Moses

"As an eagle that stirreth up her nest,

That fluttereth over her young,

He spread abroad His wings,

He took them, He bear them on His pinions:"

(Deuteronomy 32. 11).

Many of Israel have become so comfortable in their wellfeathered nests among the Gentiles that the thought of any return for them to their own land is out of the question. But times are changing, and the period of peace and prosperity which they have enjoyed, especially in this country, may give place to times far otherwise, and they may long for the land which of old God spoke of as flowing with milk and honey. It is not as it was then, but changes are taking place in the land which has lain waste for centuries; changes which portend great events in the not distant future.

To some extent it may be with such as are now in Palestine as with their fathers ; though the land is theirs in promise and according to God's will, it is as though they dwelt in a land not their own.

Their forefathers went about from one kingdom to another nation; they lived among enemies; they met difficulties and overcame obstacles manifold, and amidst it all they had Divine protection and provision.

In the days of Joseph's power, they went down to be nourished by him in Egypt, in the time of famine; but though the sons of Jacob were sustained by the kindness of their brother, whose dreams they had despised and whom they sold as a slave, they did not lapse into a lazy, lethargetic state, leaving

the responsibility of their maintenance in his hands. Had they done so, instead of being a virile and lively race, they would have been as mere parasites.

Divine grace to those who serve ought never to produce a state of careless ease ; a state of indolence is greatly to be eschewed. What fine balance of thought is in the Apostle's statement: "I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me ! " Herein lies the secret of all Israel's victories. God strengthened them and they wrestled-as did their great progenitor.

Had they loved and served Jehovah, victory would have been theirs always. The blessings from Mount Gerizim would have resulted in Israel being "the head and not the tail," and, further, the Lord said, "Thou shalt be above only and thou shalt not be beneath" (Deuteronomy 28. 13). But alas the curses of Mount Ebal have overtaken them. "The stranger that is iii the midst of thee shall mount up above thee higher and higher; and thou shalt come down lower and lower ... he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail."

It has happened with them as with the mighty Samson; shorn of his locks, his head resting in the lap of the woman of his misplaced love and trust, he became weak as other men. The Lord departed from Him; his glorious strength was gone, for the secret of his Nazariteship he had wantonly cast away. So Israel, who had been separated to God for purposes of worldwide blessing, despised their exalted place and sought the love of strangers ; their hearts, like Solomon's, were turned from the law of God, and then disaster overtook them. The Assyrian and Babylonian captivities followed; from which they have never recovered nationally. God's princely and free people became the tail, and from that time till now they have been the tail and not the head. They squandered their fortune of divine blessing, among which is found the statement--" Thou shalt rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over thee."

The times of the Gentiles which began with the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, will end with the return of the Son of Man; during the times of the Gentiles, Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles. When the Jews restored to their land shall have experienced the severity of Gentile rule which will reach

high-water mark in persecution during the period of Revelation 13., then He shall come, who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah - the Root of David; to whom the kingdom shall be given.

The character of the kingdom of the Beast is both Gentilish and Satanic. He will be the last of the kings of the Gentiles to hold world dominion. It is said that "the dragon gave him his power. and his throne, and great authority" (Revelation 13. 2). His throne is Satanic, unlike the throne of the Messiah, whose throne is David's (Luke 1. 32), and David's throne is Jehovah's throne (1 Chronicles 29. 23), 50 Jehovah's throne in Israel returns to Jehovah (Jehovah the Son), for David's Son is David's Lord. How much, how very much, is restored through the incarnation and atonement of Christ! The One who was despised and rejected holds every right to kingship, both Divine and human, but alas blind Israel refused His claim, and despised their glory.

Whilst we think of Israel thus-nationally, it is well that we should think in terms of how Paul views the matter. "For" says he, " they are not all Israel, which arc of Israel ; neither, because they are Abraham's seed are they all children" (Romans 9. 6, 7). Whilst we view Israel after the flesh, there was ever in Israel "the holy seed," of which Isaiah wrote "The holy seed is the stock thereof." Those who were God's elect at any epoch of Israel's history He could never cast off. God's judgement in the time of Elijah and Elisha might fall and sweep away idolaters, yet He reserved at that time the 7,000 men who had not bowed the knee to Baal. The remnant of Israel like the stock of the felled tree was ever destined to sprout again and bear fruit. There has ever been preserved an elect remnant. So was it in the times of Joshua and Zerubbabel, and also in Paul's day, and so will it be at the coming of the Lord: " If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved

(Romans 9. 27, 28; Isaiah 10. 20-23).

How close may be the parallel between the remnant in this day and that of Israel before the Lord comes to the air and then to the earth! It is said of the remnant of Israel, who will be no more haughty in His holy mountain, "I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust

in the name of Jehovah" (Zephaniah 3. 12). To such a weak and sorrowing folk, more or less like all God's people in all time, the Lord will come, and He shall fulfil that word: "The LORD thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty One who will save: He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will rest

in His love, He will joy over thee with singing" (Zephaniah 3. 17).

There is some similarity between God's remnant now and in the future-" an afflicted and poor people" and we trust that that further word may also be true: "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies ; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth" (Zephaniah 3. 13).

J.MILLER | Jul 1933
General