53
February 1932
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
T he O rder of E vents , J ew and G entile Here, then, is the order: (1 ) Israel, blinded, rejects her divine Messiah and Redeemer, and the Gentiles receive Him. (2 ) Israel is cut off, and the Gentiles are grafted in. (3 ) The Gentiles, failing to stand in the faith, become blind, no longer believing in the virgin-born Saviour and Redeemer, while Israel recovers from her blindness and receives Him. (4 ) The Gentiles are cut off, and Israel is grafted in again. (5 ) The Messiah then returns and
THE CUTTING OFF AND THE GRAFTING IN
T he S ign of all S igns
I . f any one sign of the end of the age and our Lord’s return is clearer and more positive than another, that sign is the sudden and appalling apostasy that has overtaken the professed church, taken in
conjunction with the sudden and most encouraging change in the attitude of the Jews to ward the Messiah whom they once despised and rejected. Instead of agreeing, it ap pears that the Jew and the Gentile will simply trade at titudes with regard to the Messiah. And this exchange o f attitudes long ago was set forth as a sure indication of “ the fulness of the Gentiles” and the return of the Re deemer to Israel. “ I speak to you Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13), cries the great apostle—-to you Geii- tiles who b o a s t , “ T h e b r a n c h e s [Israel] were broken off, that I might be graffed in.” “W e l l h e con tinued, “ because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: . . . Behold therefore the goodness and severity of G od : on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be
all I s r a e l (nationally) is saved, saved to be a blessing to all the nations of the earth. T h e Scriptures every where confirm this order. In 2 Thessalonians 2, we have a clear, ringing statement that the great apostasy ( “ falling away” ) from the faith, on the part of the Gentiles, is to be quickly followed by the trans lation o f the church, the com ing of “ the man of sin,” and then “ the brightness of his [the Lord’s] coming.” Es pecially note the words: “ Now we beseech you, breth ren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him; . . . let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away [Greek, a p o s t a s i a ] come first” (2 Thess. 2:1, 3, R. V .)— first, a great Gentile apostasy, then, the coming of our Lord. But, when “ a full end of
The Face of the Sky I s r a e l , u n ch a n g e d , in u n b e lie f, Turns wistful toward “ The Pleasant Land.” The fig tree, putting forth its leaf, Shows that the summer is at hand. In this the eyes o f faith discern A sign that Christ will soon return. The world, perplexed and torn with strife, Its anxious rulers pale and dumb, Seeks in the pleasures of this life A vain escape from wrath to come. In this the eyes o f faith discern A sign that Christ will soon return. The churches, neither hot nor cold, Deny the faith that once they knew; Seducing spirits, growing bold,
Declare the Word of God untrue. In this the eyes o f faith discern A sign that Christ will soon return. But there are some of God’s elect, In spite of silence and delay, Who, like a longing bride, expect The coming Bridegroom any day: In this the eyes o f faith discern A sign that Christ will soon return.
all nations” is made, God has covenanted with Israel, “ Yet will I not make a full end of thee” ; but, “ lo, I will save thee from afar” ; and, “ they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.” (See Jer. 30:9-11.) And now, what about the hour? Can any one fail to see that an unprecedented apostasy has swept, as wildfire, through the church during the past few years? It is vital that we should understand the meaning of the word “ apos tasy.” Webster informs us that it is “ an abandonment of what one has voluntarily professed; a total desertion or departure from one’s faith, principles, or party; especially the renunciation o f a religious faith.” He then quotes Blackstone: “ The offense can only take place in such as have once professed the true relgion.” S—F. W . P itt .
graffed in : for God is able to graff them in again. . . . For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant o f this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own con ceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:17-25). Failing to stand in their faith will bring the Gentiles to their “ fulness,” when they shall be “ cut off,” and Israel shall be “ graffed in again,” coming to “ life from the dead” (Rom. 11:15). “ And so all Israel shall be saved” (Rom. 11:26). But, behold, at that time, “ There shall come out o f Sion the Deliverer” (Rom. 11:26)—that is, the “ Goel Redeemer.” “ This is my covenant unto them” (Rom. 11: 27 ). The God of Israel is a covenant-keeping God.
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