The restoration of the kingdom of Israel, under the Son of David, is the special fruit of the resurrection of Jesus; the ascension serves the uses of this present dispensation. (Eph. 4:8.) Accordingly Peter takes a distinction between these things, telling us that the resurrection was required because of the promise made to David’s throne; and that the ascension was required because of the promise of the Holy Ghost to the Church. (Acts 2) The Prophets, in accordance with this, commonly present the hopes and revival of Israel under the figure of resurrection; (Isa. 26; Ezek. 37, Hos. 6:2) and it appears that the Jews regarded the Messiah, the resurrection, and the kingdom, as one and the same thing. (See John 11:25-27, Luke 23:42.)
Resurrection, in these observations, I advisedly distinguish front ascension. In many senses I know they are treated in scripture as the same. But here, by resurrection, I mean our blessed Lord’s return from the grave to the earth; and, by ascension, His return from earth to heaven. It would have served the purposes of this dispensation had the Lord at once gone from the grave to heaven; for it is in Him, as in heaven, that the Church finds her direct and immediate interest. (Rom. 5:10, 2 Cor. 4:10, Eph. 4:8, Col. 3:1, Heb. 3:1, 4:14, 7:25, 10:12, 1 John 3:1.) She is maintained and is to come to her full stature by the virtues of the ascended Jesus; for as such, He is the Head of life, and dispenser of the Spirit to His members; but it is the kingdom of Israel which is to manifest the direct fruit of the resurrection, in• as much as it is to witness Christ on earth again, the head of the nations, the restorer of the earthly human system—Son of David.
Our Lord Jesus clearly recognized Himself as Son of David, for He answered every appeal made to Him in that character. But He was more than David’s Son, He was also David’s Lord. Into this condition, however, He did not formally enter as to dispensation, till He ascended and was glorified at the right hand of God. (Matt. 22) But then He did; and the saints having, association with Him, as thus ascended, sit with Him in His glory as David’s Lord; and will therefore judge the world, and the tribes of Israel.
There is such a proceeding of God as the profanation of His own ordinance. This is a judicial visitation upon His unfaithful stewards. Thus the throne of David, which was God’s ordinance of earthly government, was profaned. The Lord was wrath with His anointed—He made void the covenant of His servant—He profaned His crown by casting it to the ground. (Psa. 89:38, 39.) So admitting that an apostolically appointed body is the Lord’s ordinance for witnessing the truth and ministering the Spirit, yet it may in like manner be profaned, The way of doing this in the two cases must differ, because the purpose of the ordinances themselves differ. Thus God profaned the throne of David when He took earthly dominion from it, allowing it to pass over into Gentile hands for that throne was to be the holder of earthly dominion. But he profanes the apostolically appointed body (ordained, as we admit, for the ministry of the Spirit,) by withdrawing this grace from it, and allowing the fullness that is in the blessed glorified head, to pass through a new channel. Has He done so? or has He continued to dispense His truth and grace through the Romish and Established clergy of these lands, who are this apostolically appointed body, to the denial or rejection of every other agency? The truth and life of God are I have granted and do thankfully acknowledge in multitudes both of men and women in the Established Church; but this is a very different thing from that which I am considering. For I will repeat it, that where the rules of these apostolically appointed bodies are most rigidly enforced, there the energy of the Spirit is not found, as he that runs may read. And are we to be moved, though a voice break from a pile of ruins, dead, not living stones, crying “the temple of the Lord are these?”