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Here 2:00 and 6:00.
Two and verse 6.
Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture. Behold, I lay a design, the cheap cornerstone elect precious, and he that believe upon him shall not be confounded.
Unto you therefore, which believe He is precious.
What Uncle Sam would be disobedient? The stone which the builder disallowed, the same has made the head of the corner and a storm of stumbling and a lot of offense even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises of Him who have called you out of darkness into His marvelous life.
Which in time has were not a people, but are now the people of God.
Which has not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstained from fleshly lusts which are against the soul, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evildoer, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Submit yourself to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake.
Whether it be the kitchen, the king as his friend, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with all doing he may put the silence, the ignorance of ink, foolish men as free, and not using your liberty for a close of militia, but as the servants of God.
Are all men love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the King?
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and general, but also to the forward. For this is fact worthy of a man. For contradictory God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
For what glory is it if when you deposit it for your fault, you shall take it patiently?
But if when we do well and suffer for it, you take it, occasionally this is acceptable with God, or even here unto where you call, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us as an example that she should follow his step. Who did no sin. Neither was Nile found in his mouth. For when he was reviled, reviled not again.
When he suffered, he threatened laugh, but committed himself to him. That judges righteously.
To his own self there are sins in his own body on the tree. That we being death to sin, should live under righteousness. By whose strength you were healed, For ye were as she going astray.
00:05:07
What are now returned unto the shepherd and Bishop of your soul?
This verse is a quotation of Isaiah 28.
And 16.
Peter uses the sixth verse and it's rather interesting to notice the connection in Isaiah.
Because it's at the time of the judgment that will fall upon unrepentant Israel in the coming day.
On the professors, but who refused to own that true, that true rock or stone.
That we have mentioned here a chief cornerstone elect precious, but it's their last opportunity. It's the time of the judgment falling upon the people who made a covenant with death. That is, they have.
Made a covenant with the.
Western Empire for protection.
And have taken up with idolatry and now the presentation to that people.
Again before the judgment falls of this foundation.
Upon which they can rest, therefore thus saith the Lord God. Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He that believeth shall not make haste. And that's the basis upon which the godly Jew comes in and rests while the judgments fall around him.
He rests upon this scripture in that coming day.
This epistle is addressed to the scattered of that nation. And they were in the good of it before that time, weren't they? They had not only found this one upon whom they could rest, but they had been brought into a still more wonderful place, being as we have in the verse before, and holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices.
When that time of blessedness has come in, there will be a physical house that will be built, rebuilt in Jerusalem, where there will be sacrifices offered. But now it's a spiritual building. And that is every believer is a living stone, and more than this, every believer is also.
A priest In that time there will be the one tribe as it was read to us, the tribe of Levi. But now, isn't it lovely that every believer now is a priest, a holy priest? Every believer can OfferUp spiritual sacrifices. They OfferUp, as we find in Ezekiel, They will OfferUp sacrifices in a commemorative way when the Kingdom blessing is brought in.
But now we offer spiritual sacrifices. I believe it's very important that we should lay hold of the fact that every believer now, brothers as well as sisters, we are all holy priests, all to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices. And all the sisters do not take an audible part. They still as worshippers can OfferUp these spiritual sacrifices. More than this, a spiritual sacrifice shows.
That it's not how well we can sing. It's not even how well we can express ourselves.
But it's that which comes from the heart that is acceptable sacrifice to God in worship, because it presents Christ in all the loveliness of his person and work. And that is Christian worship today.
The little difference here between what you read in Isaiah where it says He that believeth shall not make haste. It will be very difficult for the godly ones in that time when they see the progress of evil, to wait upon the Lord. Those who are in a hurry to get protection will turn to the 10 kingdoms, those who realize that the Lord is the one and whom they can trust and for whom they can wait.
00:10:01
They will not make haste and when he comes, they'll say this is our God. We have waited for him. But it's, it's remarkable here that when the Spirit of God uses the verse in Peter, he doesn't speak in that way. He says he that believeth on him shall not be confounded because now we have this salvation. We have been brought into this place and we're not confounded. The law of the nation as a whole rejected him.
Those who believe now are not confounded. They have built upon a sure foundation.
There was BSD, the contrast.
Beloved in that day, for instance, in Isaiah 28.
There's the overflowing scourgement there in verse 15. Well, I presume that's the king of the north. Well, the Assyrian, he makes a covenant with hell there. But I was impressed.
In reading Isaiah 17 and verse 11, and Mr. Davi range it this way, in the day of taking possession thereof, the sorrow will be incurable. Well, we do know that a remnant will be spared.
In that day.
Brought through that tremendous time of suffering. And we are not to forget, beloved, that while the Jew is there in the land, he's not going to possess that until the Lord gives it to him. I've often thought of it in this respect, that.
While they feel that they've conquered much with their arms.
They're still there in unbelief.
Unbelievable in that coming day when they feel themselves secure behind on wall villagers, then it will be that the host from the mouth will sweep down with the Assyrian too upon them. I remember talking to a Russian concerning the meaning of Gog, and he sat at the same table as I did in one of those old hotels in South America.
And he looked like a Russian and I said, would you tell me if you are a Russian, are you a Russian? He said, yes, I am when you tell me the meaning of God. And he immediately said means that Russia, Vargas, Russia, this is a Russian, of course, Russians explanation of it. And then I said, what is the meaning of Maybach is that you don't pronounce that correctly? You should say Margot. Well, I said thanks very much. What's it mean?
The people of Russia and I asked him also the meaning of messing. He said Moscow and tubal to length where we licked the Germans. He said, well, he told me not to talk anymore about those prophecies of Ezekiel. So he said there's the destruction of my people all how real it must he must have been more than interested in those two prophecies of 38 and 39 of Ezekiel. Well, I just mentioned that by the way.
Because of that, the overflowing scourge, they sweep down upon that land, and unless the Lord Jesus.
Intervenes there they be consumed. Why I mentioned that, brethren?
The Zion is mentioned there and that is really the mountain of God's grace Zion and under the the failure of Saul's Kingdom.
Well, which was a man's choice is now turned over and the David God's choice. And that's why Zion comes in here. This is God's choice.
Because David rested from the Jebusites. And so this is a very important verse I lay in science.
A teeth cornerstone in talking to a Greek about that word stone.
I said to him, What is the difference between the living stones of Peter and the stone? Well, he said, explain what do you mean? I said, what is the word in Greek for?
A stone, a big stone voices us, Petra. And what is the meaning of a little stone? He says, Petros, this was an educated Greek, Petros. He said something like the children using their swings, the swing at the birds, little stone. But here we have the Lord yeast, the chief cornerstone, the great rock who are blessed. It is to dwell on that. Brethren, here's the rock and we read here, behold, I lay in Zion.
00:15:21
Why? This is the Davidic under David, the God's choice under David.
And that's why Zion is mentioned here. It was rested as we just mentioned from the Jeb sites.
Cornerstone Electric.
No one could take that Zion until David came, could they? No. That's why it appealed to me, brother, this you know, when we, when I think of Zion.
Saul's choice faith undersolved faith, but not under David, the true David.
And as the remnant of the 10 tribes are gathered outside.
Of the Lamb, and God will gather them out of the nations. Ezekiel 20.
You gather them to the land, then they'll get the message deliverances in Zion, and each one will have to go in alone by their own faith, just like Lot had to go into the city of refuge by his own faith. He was delivered out of the city, but he had to go into the city of refuge by faith.
Well, all that group go into the city by faith.
10% well and that's all but those in the land, I suppose.
1/3 that is the two tribes. I was just thinking, Brother Smith, as you were.
Calling attention to the 17th chapter of Isaiah, it seems that beside the ones that are hidden away.
The two tribes.
There in the land, there will be a few berries on the top of the tree. Is that right? And there's where we get the Scripture in the Gospels that says one will be taken in another left. Because during the judgments, during the the Assyrians sleeping in, there will be those no doubt that will turn to the Lord who are in the land, who hadn't fled away with the Mass, who who were hidden away. But they'll be in the land and.
The Spirit of God will cause them to believe the gospel at that time. Is that right? Yes, I believe so. It was Mr. Wilson, you know, who used to speak of two slaughters. I spent some time with dear, dear brother, and he used to speak up. Two terrible slaughter, Time of slaughter. Well, he knew far more than I understand about it. And I wondered about that. There would be a very small percentage left.
These thoughts come up, brethren, when we read about science and praise waiteth for the in Zion. Praise wait for that Blessed One in Zion.
Zion is a city with in Jerusalem, isn't it? It's like a little inner city that David dwelt in. Is that the thought of China? Yes.
Because he rested from the Jebusite to remember Brown.
Just call attention that. The new translation though makes the word cheap. It just it just is the cornerstone where there is no other. There's just one cornerstone. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Everything must be built upon Him or it won't abide.
Nice the way it states in the sixth verse, a cornerstone he lacked precious and then in the seventh verse unto you therefore, which believe he is precious or the preciousness. Well, this one is precious to God. Everything is in ruins in this earth apart from him. Judgment would have to take away everything if it wasn't for this blessed one.
And how precious he is to God is the one who has upheld his glory and open the way of blessing. Well through gracies become precious to us. And this is characteristic of every true believer. Unto you therefore, which believe he is precious, or the preciousness. And this is the way one can tell whether faith is real, though the devils believe and tremble, and people can believe in Christ in a historical way.
00:20:03
But if it's really in the heart, the heart goes out to the person. And so everyone in this room this afternoon who has really believed in his heart, his heart responds to the precious name of the Lord Jesus. If your heart does not respond to the precious name of the Lord Jesus, you might know about him, but I'm afraid you don't know him. But to those who believe in their hearts, those who have believed in the real sense of the word, He is the preciousness.
We have the Kingdom spoken of in Colossians in a very special sense.
It's called the Kingdom of the Son of his love or his dear Son.
Now perhaps that's a little different than what we speak of as the the Kingdom of David, because David's Kingdom will be on earth, will it not?
But still there's a sense in which we're in the Kingdom and I, I suppose especially in Colossians, there's a sense there of responsibility in the position we're in, that new position we're in. And so we're in the Kingdom of the son of his love.
But the Kingdom?
We have the expression here elect.
As to the person of the Lord Jesus.
Elect.
Precious.
He is the son of his love and we are identified with him in that position.
But Israel will be connected with him on the earth and the nations in a special sense.
I was thinking of the meaning of this word elect. It really means chosen. We have it in the second Psalm.
In the.
6th verse Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the degree the Lord has said unto me, Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a Potter's vessel.
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings, be instructed, ye judges of the earth, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him. Now for the for the earth there will have to be the recognition of this king in Zion.
But for the Church ye have ye hath he reconciled? We're already reconciled.
And that's what we can rejoice in today. We're looking back at the cross as accomplished things.
We are.
The chosen people for the heavenly calling.
And in the second Psalm it is for the earth. And in the 17th of John's Gospel in his prayer.
I pray for them. That's his heavenly people. I pray not for the world. In other words, the nations in due time, like it is in the second Psalm.
The seventh verse makes one think of the end of the 52nd of Isaiah on the first part of the 53rd. In the end of the 52nd of Isaiah, it speaks of that one whose visit was marred more than any man, and it says the king shall shut their mouths at him.
For that which had not been told them shall they see, and that which they had not heard shall they consider. Well, all are going to see the Lord Jesus given His rightful place. Yes, the kings of this earth will hear that cry that will go forth. The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.
But we delight to give him that place beforehand. We delight even now, so that the gun who is said it not by this world, we delight to acknowledge as being in the highest place. The little hymn puts it nicely. Christ of God, our souls confess the King and Sovereign even now. He we worship the obey on the Lord and Christ alway. And I believe this is the contrast that he is drawing here.
00:25:11
The attitude of this world, who are going to someday see him, made the head of the corner.
And our present attitude that we have found him to be precious, we delight to come into his presence as holy priests and OfferUp spiritual sacrifices. And it's our privilege in this time of his rejection to show to others that we have laid hold of this, that he has become precious to us, and that our lives speak the fact that we have honored him and seek to honor him.
It's nice to see how Peter brings the person of Christ in. In every few verses of his ministry, he goes back to the person again.
In some respect.
So that keeps the heart fresh and the enjoyment of the truth.
It isn't knowledge we want unless it's the knowledge of the person, is it?
Especially Solomon, as much as he was the one that denied him there in Pilot's Hall.
This is a solemn word here, isn't it? Which stumble at the word, being disobedient, For unto also they were appointed, that is, they stumble at the word. When the Lord Jesus was here, they the scribes and Pharisees said.
We know that God spake unto Moses, but As for this fellow, we know not when she is. They had the scriptures, they professed to recognize that they were the word of God, and yet they couldn't see the one in their midst who was fulfilling all those scriptures.
Well, that was the result of that. While rejecting him. There was nothing but judgment then.
They must come under the judgment of God, but it's a solemn thing to think that prison them professors to have the word of God. They'll say to us what we all have the same Bible, but you see different things in a well, I stumbled at the word. They had the word, but they didn't see Christ in it.
They didn't see that he was the one who came fulfilling all these things and saw the result was judgment. When it says we're under all, so they were appointed. It doesn't mean that God predestimates anybody to be lost.
If they reject Christ, and then they're appointed, as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this, the judgment rejecting Him, there's no other appointment for them but death and judgment receiving Him there's blessing.
I think it's helpful to notice, though, that there is no such thing taught in Scripture as any being predestinated to judgment only predestinated the glory. But rejecting Him, then there's no other end to the journey but the judgment of God.
'S.
It's a general principle.
Are you emphasizing it is a general principle that such will come under the judgment of God?
Everyone who rejects the Lord Jesus, that's the appointment. If they die in their sins, they they'll be lost. I just spoke of it in that way. Is that what you?
John 336 probably brings out that truth. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not or obey us not the Son.
Shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. That's a general truth.
In keeping with what you said, well that's why I quoted that verse and because it uses the same word appointment in Hebrews 9 and as it is appointed under man wants to die, but after this the judgment well it could stop there. That would be judgment for the whole human race. But now the next verse shows that God intervened in grace.
And it says, Wherefore Christ up? So also Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that looked for Him shall he appear the second time, without saying unto salvation. How did we escape that appointment? Well, we saw God's appointed One, the one who came, who bore our sins, who took the judgment for us. So when he comes again, it will not be for judgment, it will be for our final deliverance.
So how blessed the contrast. But the appointment, as you say is, is general. It's the whole moon race. If it were not for those whom God has saved in grace, those whose sins were laid on Christ.
00:30:11
Salvation has a threefold aspect, of course. The I'm sure we all understand. There may be some young person who doesn't understand that through faith in his precious blood, we are saved from the guilt of sin.
But the Lord Jesus hasn't remained in the grave. He's risen, and he saves us by his life. Where In glory there, beloved, He saves us from the presence of, from the very dominion of sin, I should say, from the slavery of it, the power of it. But when he comes back again, He'll save us from sin's prison, so that we're saved now who faces his blood from sin's guilt. We are saved every moment of the way.
By virtue of his himself in glory from sins, power sins dominion, the slave will. But when he comes back again, it could be the day we trust that all here are ready.
When He comes, then we shall be saved from the very presence.
Of sin. I remember when our ex governor was saved in Bolivia.
He was deeply concerned. He's been at the table several years.
And he was deeply concerned for his loved wife. And one day he invited me to dine with him in the palace. And he said to his wife over the table, we read, we read the portion of the word together. And he said Alzheimer. And she looked up. If the Lord should come at this moment, I'd never see you again.
Well, that was huge of the law to awaken the desire in his dear wife's heart.
And he's been wonderfully saved. And the eldest daughter, al Serra. If the Lord should come just now, I would never see you again. All that went home. And that is true.
The language used in the ninth verse is much like quoted from the Old Testament, is it not? In various places, and.
It's very understandable with the Jew. He's writing to those who are dispersed.
And they understand from the Old Testament that they were a chosen.
People. But here it's in a new sense, is it not?
A different, different people, in fact.
In the Old Testament, five times we get the expression a people for a possession. That is the way it's translated and the more literal translation commencing in Exodus 19, six, it runs right through to Malachi 317 where it speaks about.
A treasure. It's exactly the same expression. A people for a possession. But now, why am I trying to emphasize this? I'll tell you why.
There is a teaching that many have have accepted that I do not believe is the real truth. They make out that the treasure of the parable in the 13th of Matthew, where he sells all to obtain the treasure or to obtain the fields, and on the Treasure Island it is taught that the treasure there is Israel. I do not believe it at all.
In the 13th of Matthew.
The Lord is is opening up a new field of truth. At the end of chapter 12 He turns his back on his natural people, Israel, his mother, his sister is his brethren. He turns his back on them at the end of chapter 12 and he goes by the seaside and he opens up 7 new parables, six of which are similitude to the Kingdom of heaven.
Referring to the gospel activity in this present age has nothing to do with Israel in particular. So in the New Testament the same expression of people for a possession is found in Titus chapter.
Two and verse 14, I believe Titus, you might look at it and this verse here. So the Holy Spirit uses this expression for Christians who are of the heavenly company five times in the Old Testament, those of God's earthly people.
00:35:14
Look at Titus.
To maybe 14.
Yes.
Who gave himself for us?
That he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself. Here it is a peculiar people, a people for a possession, zealous and good works. And then our verse, verse 9. Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation. A people for a possession is the way it's translated.
Could we connect this with what we have in the end of the Galatians where it says?
Now the Israel of God, that is God, has singled out from that to nation a remnant according to the election of grace.
And so while the nation as such is set aside, God has in his goodness saved out of them a people for heavenly glory. And so that they are really the chosen generation, are the chosen race. It's true that God will yet bring the nation as such into blessing. But when God saved the Jew at this time, then he becomes part of what we have here, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation.
A peculiar people. Of course, it is true of all believers, whether Jew or Gentiles, that we are a royal priesthood and that we are a people for a possession. But could we say he applies it here to those of Israel? Because when they gave up their national hopes, so to speak?
And receive Christ. They didn't any longer look for the establishment of the Kingdom on earth, but they were begotten again unto a living hope. They were brought into a position more wonderful, like the Lord Jesus said when he was about to go to the cross.
He said that in my father's house there are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you and that is when he says, if it were not so, I would have told you. I believe it's this thought. Those disciples had followed the Lord Jesus expecting that he would establish the Kingdom and that they would have a place in association with Him in the Kingdom on earth.
Well, as it's as though he should say to them, well, I wouldn't have asked you to follow me in the path of rejection.
If I didn't have something better for you than what you anticipated, you were thinking of the house on earth, the.
Ezekiel's temple, and places of the bulbs near to he, to me in the earthly thing.
But he said, I have something more wonderful for you in my father's house. There are many above. And so he introduces them into this blessed thought. And so here these Jews cast out and despised by their nation because they had received Christ. Oh, he says, you're the remnant. You're the ones who are brought into the real blessing of Christianity. And so now instead of feeling well, our nation is all cast off. They could say, well, God hasn't forgotten. He has picked out some.
Who can enter into and enjoy this Christian blessing and no doubt along with Gentiles to but I believe it's brought in in this way to encourage as a believers among Israel of the being begotten again unto a living hope being brought into a new and more blessed position in Christianity than they ever occupied in Judaism. Now this is brought out in second Peter the first verse.
What you've been saying and it's connected with the promises.
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, of them that have obtained like precious faith with us.
Through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Now I believe the point here is that.
It isn't the righteousness that we receive from Christ who died on the cross for us. That's true. But I believe here it's a question of God in righteousness, fulfilling all the promises that He made, which included what we're Speaking of now. In Hebrews, which was written to the same people, we find that they're looked at as a people who have never been severed. They're not seen as those like in Ephesians, who were.
Debt and trespasses and sins, but he addresses them as those who understand the Old Testament.
00:40:06
Types. But now he's revealing them in a new light, revealing them in connection with heavenly things and their true meaning, because the things were written before time, were written for our learning, that is, for those upon whom the ends of the world have come. Beside that, in the book of Acts, the early assembly or church was formed of Jews.
Now it wasn't until later that the Gentiles were brought in. And so we have really in the early ministry, like Peter gives us here, that which affects the Jew particularly, but he's brought into that new order of things which has to do with heaven and the heavenly blessings instead of the earthly Zion and that which surrounds the Kingdom of David.
Is that the thought of your friend and then that the 10th verse applies to Israel as cast off and having lost its national identity?
It's really limited to the elect.
Of the household of faith. These two epistles are addressed to believing Jews.
My question was we're not a people, but what does that have reference to? You were not a people, not a but now are the people of God?
The Israelites, the Israelites, the Jew always were a people, weren't they? But what's the reference there? You do have in Hosea the character of being disowned. And now here we have some, at any rate of remnant of the Jews who are old when it comes to application to the Gentiles people He's found to them sought, not after him.
Who were not a people and now are people. That has to do with us Christians in contrast to a nation of Israel.
We do find beloved. We find the select nation mentioned in Genesis and our brother mentioned Joel. It might be nice just to look at that. We know that.
The message that Peter gives here is concerning those who have been delivered from the dispensational law.
They've been brought into the blessing of grace, but may we just look back for a moment or two to the to the promise and then we can apply the 19th of Exodus verse 5.
While we're on that, if you wouldn't mind, we just mentioning this now. Therefore, if He will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people. For all the earth is mine, and he shall be unto me of Kingdom, of priests and unholy nation. These are the words which thou should speak unto the children of Israel. However, in Hosea, her brother mentioned that casually. That's the second capture of Hosea.
We go back to verse 15, and I will give her her vineyards from thence in the valley of April for a door of hope, and she shall sing there as in the days of the youth, and as the day when she came up out of the land, the region, and shall be at that day. Save the Lord, that thou shalt call me easy.
Really means my husband and shall come in on the valley my master, For I will take away the names of bail him out of her mouth, and they shall be no more remembered by their name. And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground. And I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely, and I will be trust thee unto me forever.
Yeah, I will be trust thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will even betrothe unto me and faithfulness, and thou shall know the Lord, and shall come to pass in that day. I will hear, saith the Lord. I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth.
And the earth shall heal the corn and the wine and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel. And I will sow her, Anthony, in the earth, and I will have mercy upon her that have not obtained mercy. And I will say to them which were not my people, that are my people. And they should say that my God, well, he's a wonderful, this is a wonderful covenant, but it has to do with the earth. And what we're on, beloved, this afternoon has to do with heaven. Amen.
We are a heavenly people and hear these Jews scattered. They are in the good of that matchless base of God. And so we have the difference between a heavenly entity, beloved, and an earthly entity.
00:45:16
Now, in the reference that our brother mentioned in Galatians chapter six, I thought it might be well to call a little more attention to this.
Galatians 6 and verse 16.
As many as walk according to this rule that is of new creation. Notice the end of verse 15. As many as walk according to this rule, new creation. Peace be on them, and mercy and upon thee.
Israel of God.
Now, I'm sure our brother used this as referring to the godly remnant of Israel in this present age. You had that in mind.
Yes, of course, I there's probably a threat to it beyond that, but that's the thought mainly for sure. Now we're in the Romans 11 and verse 5.
Even so, then, at this present time, at this church age.
Also, there is a remnant that's a Jews.
According to the election of grace, amongst the many Christians being saved, there are some, relatively I suppose a few that are of Israel, and they are.
The elect according to this verse and they are the Israel God. That's what it refers to. They are the Israel of God and then in.
In first Peter chapter one, our epistle, verse 2.
Read verse one in connection. Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ. Now he was the apostle to the circumcision.
To the Jews, to the strangers, and scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Asia, and Bethania.
Elect now this is the Israel of God. This is the remnant according to the election of grace. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. Now it has to do with four known ones that God in eternity foreknew these ones.
It is not a question as God knew that you're going to accept Christ. That's a beggarly interpretation. But there are four known beings or persons amongst the Jews and that is.
I think the answer to that thought is to the Israel of God.
Connection with the passage that was read to us in the 19th chapter of of Exodus.
It says that they would be a nation of priests. Well, actually that was never fulfilled and it could not be fulfilled under the law because it was made conditional on their obedience and they never fulfilled that. But isn't it lovely to see here?
In this ninth verse of our chapter. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood. This is something that is peculiar to Christianity. Or even in the time when Israel are blessed nationally, they will not be blessed so wonderfully as God has blessed us in Christianity.
The veil will be up in the millennial temple, and there will not be the fullest access into the presence of God, nor will Israel be able to manifest that which we can manifest now as royal priests by the Spirit in this present time. And so I think it's a very beautiful application because in that 19th chapter of, of Exodus, it was proposed to the nation if they could fulfill God's law. Well, they never did.
But how blessed that here in this time that God has introduced believing Jews and us through grace into a place more wonderful and could have been theirs even if they had fulfilled as a law. Because here we are, a chosen generation of royal priesthood. And now the.
Vail brethren, we can go into the very presence of God because and we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.
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And who can truly show forth the praises of him who have called us out of darkness here? I believe it's the comparative darkness of Judaism that is in When Solomon spoke at the opening of the temple, he said that the Lord would dwell in the thick darkness.
God was not fully revealed in Judaism. Now will there be that same blessed even in the Millennium? The Lord will be more wonderful than it was in, say, Solomon's time. But we have been brought, those believing Israelites were brought beyond even that which was known in Judaism. The comparative darkness in which God dwelled. Now all the glory of God shines out in the face of Jesus Christ.
And we come into the very holiest every believer as a holy priest, whether to or Gentile, to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices. We are indwelled by the Spirit of God, a thing that is only true during the Church period. And so we can manifest in this world the very life of Christ before an ungodly world. And so he is encouraging these Jewish believers and us too, in a sense that we are brought into a more wonderful place than Israel ever did occupy or ever will occupy.
By being saved now.
And I think it's most precious enough to come home to our hearts with power, the privilege that we have in Christianity.
Interesting to notice how that in this particular age, when God did visit the Gentiles, I noticed the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name, that he includes a remnant of the Jews. Now the characteristic of his age is the gospel, the grace of God going out to the nations, not limited to that earthly people, Israel.
But within this great work of the gospel there is a remnant according to election of grace. Now I I said isn't interesting to also notice the reverse of this in the 66th of Isaiah. There we see the gospel of the Kingdom going out.
And.
Of the of the Gentiles, there will be those in faith that will bring in of the children of Israel, bring them back to the land for blessing. And those Gentiles are going to be priests in the Millennium and OfferUp this this, these people that they brought back.
As the children of Israel, you know the priests would offer a sacrifice. You got that in the 66th of Isaiah. I think you have to look at it in order to get my point.
I said.
66 and verse 18.
For I know their works and their thoughts.
It shall come that I will gather all nations.
And tongues and they Gentiles shall come and see my glory, and I will set a sign among them, see those he's Speaking of, and I will send those that escape of them. That's the Gentiles unto the nations to Tarshish bow, and Lud to draw the bow to Tubal, and Javon to the aisles are far off.
That I have not heard my fame.
Neither have seen my glory, and they now he's speaking the same people. They shall declare my glory among the nations.
And they shall bring all your brethren Jewish for an offering. See, as priests bring an offering, they'll bring an offering unto Jehovah out of all nations, upon horses and Chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts.
A variety of all kinds of vehicles to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord. Notice little word, as as these Gentiles of the nations shall offer, as the children of Israel bring an offering.
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In a clean vessel into the House of the Lord, and I will also take of them. That's the Gentiles, 4 priests and four Levites, saith the Lord. Now the nation itself was to be a Kingdom of priests, that is those that enter by faith. But here we also find the exception will be some of the nations too will be as priests.
This is connected with the thought on the 7th of Revelation where those who are connected with the temple.
Is that the entrance there?
Oh, I see your connection in the first half of that Chapter 7.
Of the Revelation we get the preachers, the 144,000.
Sealed out of the 12 tribes of Israel that will occur in the middle of the week, but they go out in that last half of the week and they herald the king and the and the Kingdom truth and the result of their work is seen in the last half of Revelation 7 where you see a great multitude.
Which you cannot number.
From the nation.
They are standing, as it were, in the Kingdom celebrating. And the question is asked, who are these? The answer is these are they that have come out of the great tribulation. So it's after the tribulation is over that these nations, you cannot number them, are the people. They will be there for blessing. Now our brother connects the two. At least some of them will be used as priests.
You wouldn't limit that verse in Isaiah 66 to merely the Gentiles, would you? Because in the previous.
And those right through it, which certainly refers to the ones that he's using from amongst the Gentiles to bring back his brethren, the brethren, the Jews, and offer them as a priest will offer them. Yes, that's clear. But in the 17 first.
They're mixed with the Jews, are they not?
The 17th verse They have sanctified themselves and purified themselves in the garden behind one tree in the midst eating swine's flesh in the abomination, and the mouth shall be consumed together, saith the Lord. In other words, I suppose there will be some Jews mixed with them. Well, the behind these.
Azari there.
Verse 17 they that sanctify themselves and purify themselves in the gardens. This is all an abomination to God behind.
One whatever that should read there behind one another, maybe in the midst.
Eating the swine's flesh. In other words, it's idolatry and abomination. And the mouse shall be consumed. Now that verse shows they'll be consumed of that sort. They are an abomination, an apostate group in verse 17. It really has nothing to do with the verses that follow. Judgment first judgment.
Oh no, those that escape.
So we're getting off our subject, but I just thought that when we come back that a holy nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Well, the the apostle Peter would teach these days that the death of Christ.
And ended the whole Jewish economy.
Ended them, and He would teach them also that they belong to heaven, just as we do through faith in the precious blood of Christ. If we keep that before us, it may be a little help for the younger Christians.
A holy nation of peculiar people, that you should throw forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous life. Well, isn't that a wonderful portion? And so these Jews that were scattered now through faith in the precious blood of Christ, were a heavenly people.
In contrast to an earth, I was thinking to Brother Smith that our little company here this afternoon.
All that our thoughts have directed us to remind us that all the fruition of God's councils.
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Hinges upon the cross of Calvary, and whether it be Jew or Gentile, there's that coming day when he who suffered so much will see of the travail of his soul and will be satisfied. His word will be complete and everything reconciled.
And we value these thoughts, but I find my own poor feeble comprehension ever returning to our own present day. And I think with.
My heart drawn, I'm sure, the heart of many here. Through the precious place that we have, we too can say we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood. We too have been brought from darkness into marvelous light. Now the falls of the Galatians was that they had been brought into the same light and out of the same darkness.
Judaism that you like, But they failed to remain there. They returned again to the darkness of the law and the ordinances. And so they lost really their place as priests. Their position was still secure, but they lost enjoyment of it. Well, if we want to go on and the enjoyment of our place as those who are of priesthood, that is to offer spiritual sacrifices, we need to just look to the person.
Who has made this possible? And His work on Calvary? And then we turn to that 13th verse of the 13th chapter in Hebrews so frequently. By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
Heather Hales.
Is this 11Th first thing is going to be applied at the present time?
Well, I believe it all applies, that he is just comforting these Jewish believers by explaining to them that all these promises that God had made to Israel were fulfilled in a fuller way in Christianity.
That is, he says in that first chapter, He has begotten us again unto a living hope. That is, they they were brought into the health of the possession of Canaan and all that God had for them. Well, we know they suffered that because they couldn't keep the law. Now he says, well.
Now you have received the Lord Jesus. Now you're under the shelter of his blood. There is something more wonderful open to you and all that that was type in a shadow has been fulfilled. And I agree with what our brother Gill is saying and I think it's important that while primarily he is addressing believing Jews.
Brought him to the place which we Gentiles occupy, and they enjoy it in common with us, and so it's safe for us too. But it's helpful for us to see that the Spirit of God entered into the circumstances in which they were found and comforts their hearts in this way.
And shows us that the Word of God is one complete and harmonious whole. That God hadn't forgotten those promises to Israel, not that He ever was now making them good in Christ spiritually. And we as Gentiles can enjoy these things because now the middle wall of partition is broken down.
So all this applies to us as well as to them, except certain, such as a holy nation. Well, that could only be referred to Israel, but that was a special comfort to a Jew. To see his nation completely set aside was very disheartening and must.
Paul loved his nation, said he could wish himself a curse from Christ for them. Well, isn't it, wasn't it a comfort to say, well, God has a remnant even from your nation, and they're a holy nation to Him, even though the nation as such has rejected their Messiah? So I feel it is important that we should apply these things to ourselves. And I was thinking, brethren of this expression should show forth the praises of him who had called us, called you out of darkness.
Into His marvelous light. How often were occupied with showing our own praises. We want people to think well of us, and we're very heard of people say unkind things about us all. Brethren, how different our lives would be if our great concern was, What do they think of my Savior? Do they see Christ in me? Let them say what they wish about me, providing they see Christ in me. The apostle Paul was spoken against by the Saints of Corinth, but what did he say?
Well, he said we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. And he says if the earth and vessel is broken down, it's that the life of Jesus might be manifested. And so whatever the circumstances of life may be, God has that purpose to draw forth praise to his beloved Son, and also that his praises should be manifested in our lives and so whatever our circumstances might be.
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To me, it's a great comfort. The Spirit of God fully entered into the circumstances and feelings through which these Jewish believers were passing. And brethren, he enters into ours. We're passing through certain circumstances too, perhaps a little bit different, but in many ways perhaps similar, while the Lord enters into these and shows us.
How he has brought us into such a wonderful place where we can enter into these privileges.
And manifest the life of Christ. The world gets depressed when their troubles come. Oh sweet. It is when the world sees that we have a portion that can't be taken from us and that only manifests itself in a fuller way when we're in trouble. I would like to ask you, brother, does not verse 9.
Refer to a limited people as a holy nation rather than to the nation of Israel.
Is this not spiritual truth for real believers? Here in verse nine, now over in chapter 4 verse 16.
I think our brother Wilson that asked a question, we'll see an expression in verse 16 of chapter 4.
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian.
Now that includes every real Christian on earth. I mean the expression does, for a Christian is an anointed one. Christ has gone on high, He, the anointed one has sent down the Holy Spirit and anointed us, and the Holy Spirit's anointing gives us to be Christian. Romans 8 Truth if any man have not the Spirit of Christ.
Is not of him. That's the guess what a Christian is a real Christian. So this term that Peter uses here is certainly not limited to the Jewish believers. What I had in mind was the exhortation here is to our wall.
I think that is one thing that is very needful today. That's the following verses. I think they do well to get into them.
In the eleven first, let's remind ourselves again before we have the exhortations of our position.
There's no use of talking about correcting our ways unless we are conscious of a certain position we're in.
We are dearly beloved.
That's the Saints of God. Now that's true whether one is walking well or whether one isn't walking well.
But if one isn't walking well, he is not enjoying the fact that he is dearly beloved. But it's true, is it not, that we are dearly beloved? And so the expectations are on that basis. And if we realize this, it, it touches and reaches our hearts rather than simply as something that like a legal line of things towards us. And so the first thing is, dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, that supposes that we're heavenly citizens.
It supposes we do not belong to this world. And so the stranger would would is the thought of away from home and the pilgrims is on his way. He's a stranger because he's not at home. He's in a strange land and the Pilgrim is on his way home. It's all in view of the rest. It's something like Hebrews. It's a rest that remains at the end of the road for us now on this basis.
We're not to take up with the things that belong to this world, and the things that belong to the flesh are the things that would draw our attention here, but those things that belong up there, where we're going.
Now is Mandy, we have a very fine picture of a pilgrim's path. May we read it? Numbers 20 and verse 17.
Numbers 2017.
Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country. We will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells. We will go by the King's Hwy. an official path laid out. We will not turn to the right hand, nor to the left until.
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We have passed thy borders. What a beautiful picture this is of a Pilgrim passing through the world without encroaching on its rights, having nothing to do with him. And we too should be characterized by this very principle here in this verse.
Whether or not there was that part when they entered in and possessed the lamb as their own. And there was the time when Abraham entered into it as a Pilgrim and as a stranger in a Pilgrim. And I believe that he goes back to that part where Abraham entered the land as a stranger and a Pilgrim. So all that Abraham had at that time was 10th and an altar, and he called upon the name of the Lord, and this part he was to.
Display the.
Character that he had been called to know the true God, but alas, we find that.
There was a stripe arose between his herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot and the Canaanites, and the Perazite was then in the land. And then too, when the famine came, he went down into Egypt, and he sought riches down there, and he had to be rebuked by Pharaoh.
He really lost his Pilgrim character. Well, as I say, there is the sense in which we possess all in the heavenlies, but also in Israel's history. There was that part which is pictured in Abraham's, and I believe that's what he's talking about here. And how many things there were that really warred against Abraham's soul. And when he failed to walk as a stranger in a Pilgrim by these things robbed him.
He lost the enjoyment of his blessed portion that God had given to him.
And we lose the enjoyment too of our portion. As our brother said, we're dearly beloved, but we may not be enjoying this. Abraham wasn't enjoying it when he went down to Egypt and became rich and silver and gold, but rendered a bad testimony before the king of Egypt.
What a comprehensive Denise Saints of God, Jewish believers as they were dispersed, passing through persecution, and as Peter writes them this letter and brings before them their new position, a heavenly position in Christ.
And so step by step is leading them on to that point. And now applying it to their walk into their ways, he reminds them in the 18th verse, the 19th verse of the first chapter, that they've been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. I can see these dear souls entering into the joy and comfort of this letter as they suffered much persecution and dispersed from nation to nation, truly.
Strangers and pilgrims, while in principle it surely applies to us, our position in Christ.
There is a progressive teaching in the apostles, this Epistle of Peter, and I'm sure you've noticed it. I'd like to just mention a few verses. First of all, the newborn babes. They desire the sincere milk of the word, the unadulterated.
Word of God. Now if we look over into that same chapter from verses 13 to 19, you get the Christians pathway marked out.
The Christians pathway so it's very practical. This is but when we come down to the to verse 10 of chapter 3.
We get something else for he that will love life and see good days or happy days, that he refrained his tongue from evil in his lips, that they speak no guile. Notice, beloved, the progressive teaching of this epistle. Let him avoid evil and do good. Let him seek peace and endure it. Now over in verse 14 of chapter four, we got something else. If he be reproached for the name of Christ, happier he for the spirit of glory and of God.
Resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your path is glorified. And then in verse 10 of chapter 5 you get the God of all grace with all the centuries eternal glory by Christ. These app that you've suffered a while make it perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. This is the progressive teaching of this epistle, and it's nice to notice that when I was in Bolivia.
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There were eleven of those dear Saints in prison.
11 of them for one solid week without food and without beds. It was fanaticism and that was followed, you remember, by the burning of the Saints home and I was there to see the remains. The child remains well one dear brother these these eleven were freed through a a mayor of the city of Tupisa whom I knew he was a military man and I said Colonel so and so these dear Saints.
You know they're in prison and they've done no harm. He says I'll get them out. He was a Roman Catholic. I'll get them out. And he kept his promise. And so they all came down after they were delivered. These poor dear souls, pretty thin looking and and weary. They came down. We had a reading on the on the 1St Epistle of Peter and we got over to verse 14 after five days just simply going through the leading themes other.
And I said to this old brother, he's now with the Lord. I didn't see him among the Saints this time. He was with the Lord. The sufferings were too great for him. But, and in those readings I said, Brother, how did it feel to be behind the bars? For I've been behind the bars too.
You know what he said? He read that verse 14.
The spirit of glory and of God rested upon me. Beloved brother, there was another victory. The Spirit of love and of God rested upon me. That's all he said.
Well, it was a concert. It was a confident dear Philimon Garnika. He was drawn. He was dragged through the streets.
Of that town that that have deserved of Christ. He was dragged through the street, and what a confident was to his own. The Spirit of God and of glory, brother rested upon. I thought you couldn't kill a man like that with an axe.
God sustained him and he was happy about it. He looked away to heavenly things. And that's the object of this peasant, isn't it, beloved, to get these Saints to look to the heavenly side of it, that blessed side, the heavenly side.
When we say that the subject of Peter is a pestle, is the grace of God and the government of God, particularly in the first epistle, connected with the House of God. And so we have the grace of God manifested, that we have been redeemed with a precious blood of Christ and brought into this wonderful place.
But now he brings in our conduct and also brings in the government of God.
When you read that passage about loving life and seeing good days, we may be saved and be rejoicing that we have a home in heaven, but if we don't conduct ourselves wisely in the world, we'll come under His government, even though we're sure of the glory. But then He brings in also an added feature, and that is that there may be suffering not particularly connected with His government, but connected with loyalty to Christ. This is what that brother experienced.
So there are two kinds of suffering that we endure here in this world.
We have to endure suffering as being part of God's governmental ways with this, with us here. But then there is also that which comes through loyalty to grace, and some have been in prison, some have lost their employment, some have had real hardships to endure because of confessing Christ. That is a feature that is introduced in the latter part of this epistle to encourage these Jewish believers and to encourage us too.
But even though we do seek to please the Lord, there will be suffering as belonging to Him.
And there the spirit of glory and of God rests upon us. But I'm afraid, brethren, that some of our suffering comes because of our miserable ways, because we don't bear the testimony that we should, because we don't act before the world as Christians. And so we suffered in another kind of a way. And there isn't the same joy in that kind of suffering, but there is a joy. If Paul had been in prison for stealing, he couldn't have sung like he did in the 16th of Acts.
But he was there bearing that suffering for Christ's sake, and so there was the Spirit of glory and of God resting upon him.
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The present malls run with their praises in that case.
And I feel that, brother, when the Colonel got me out of the dungeon, beloved, he, he said to me, Smith, what are you doing in here?
I said, Colonel, I'm a prisoner of my precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, he said, he said, you go home and I look after you. And he kept his word, took me off, took it, went over the head of the chief of police.
And said you go back home and I look after and he had a guard walking up and down the in front of that little bit of a room of mine for several days, oh, more than a week or more. And I he kept his word what he was surprised, I would say a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
12% would bring before us the fact that even though they may speak evil of the believer, if he carries on in uprightness there will be a testimony left behind.
And so that's the important thing, isn't it? A testimony?
Sing 46 in the back of the world.
Oh my God.
Play.
Right now.
I want to make.
The end of the day.