When Jesus was risen from the dead, He showed Himself alive to His disciples, “being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” One question is recorded which they asked of Him, saying, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” The answer of the Lord has been greatly overlooked. “And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times, or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” (Acts 1:1-7.)
Jesus had also said, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” These words of our Lord, sufficiently expose the folly and rashness of all who attempt to fix the time and season when God will set up His kingdom on earth. Yet would it not be a great mistake to suppose, on this account, that it would be wrong to fully declare the fact of that coming kingdom? The apostle could say two things: “I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God;” “And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God shall see my face no more.” (Acts 20:24. 25)
But it may be asked, Are there not positive and definite prophetic dates in scripture? Are not the days of the great tribulation exactly numbered, starting from the very day that the abomination that maketh desolate is set up? (See Dan. 12:11.) And does not the Lord Jesus distinctly refer to this, and confirm it, declaring that those days shall be shortened? And does He not also declare that, immediately on the close of those days of the tribulation, He will come in the clouds of heaven? (Matt. 24:29.) Nothing can be clearer in the word of God. The very number of the days of tribulation are given, from the setting up the abomination of desolation to the coming of the Lord to set up the kingdom on earth.
Nay, we may go much further than this, and with equal certainty. We have an exact period of Israel’s history revealed to the prophet Daniel—a period of seventy weeks; and, in this case, what has been fulfilled proves these weeks to be weeks of years, or 490 years. This period starts with the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem; which took place in the 20th year of Artaxerxes, and extends unto the blessed period of anointing the Most Holy. A clear, definite period is measured unto the Messiah—seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks, that is, 483 years. This was actually fulfilled. The great reconciliation was made by His death, and everlasting righteousness brought in by His resurrection. But then, exactly as foretold, He, as Messiah, was cut off; utterly rejected by Israel; and for the present has nothing on earth. “ Whom the heaven must receive, until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” If we now read carefully Dan. 9:26, 27, we notice an unmeasured period. The people of the prince, &c. (that is just what took place), the Romans, came and destroyed the city and the sanctuary. The people were scattered among all nations (Luke 21); and desolations are determined on during this unknown period. Then, in verse 27, comes the last week, or seven years; in the midst of which very week, the abomination of desolation is set up. The half of this week, or seven years, is repeatedly referred to, as three years and a half, or forty-two months, or twelve hundred and sixty days. (Compare Rev. 11:3; 12:6, 14; 13:5.) These must be literal days, months, and years, as they are part of the last week of seven years, the last part of the 490 years, a day for a year. (Dan. 9:27.)
Let us now return a little. If all these dates are clear, and exactly what they are stated to be, how is it that it is not given to us to know the times and the seasons? or that we cannot possibly know the date, or time, when God will set up His kingdom on earth? This is a very important question, and can only be answered by a distinct knowledge of the once hidden purpose of God, to gather out the church—the body—to be the bride of Christ. And further, as the church of God is distinct from the kingdom of God, it is evident this distinction must be recognized, in order rightly to understand the scriptures of truth.
Now, whilst all dates have reference to the time of the kingdom, no dates give the least clue to the length of the time of the church of God on earth. The true attitude of the believer, all through this period, is to be waiting for the Lord from heaven. The first epistle written, or one of the first, proves this. (1 Thess. 1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:15-18; 5:23.) It is not given to us to know the date of this blessed event. The Father knows when the last soul shall be gathered out of the world to form the completed bride of Christ.
All this was kept hid, but now revealed. (See Eph. 3) Wondrous as this may be to some, the church has no place whatever in the Old Testament prophets. Their theme is the sufferings of Christ, and the kingdom to be set up on this earth in glory and power. It is evident, then, that this unmeasured period of grace must run its course, and the church of God taken up to be forever with the Lord, before the prophetic stream of times and seasons can again flow on. All this must be well considered, or we shall be sure to confound the earthly hopes and promises to Israel, with the heavenly hope and glory of the church.
There is, however, another point of great importance before we proceed to Israel’s future literal! glory. It is this: the difference between the covenant of works, and the promise of God; and the fact that the New Testament regards all that are of faith as the seed of Abraham. “If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” And in this sense scripture speaks of Abraham: “As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations.” (Rom. 3:13-17; Gal. 3) The great difference between these two principles is this: In the covenant made at Sinai, there were two parties engaged in that covenant, with Moses as a mediator. Man supposed himself capable of keeping the law, engaged in covenant to do so. Then, the blessing connected with such a covenant depended on the faithfulness of both parties. One party, Israel, after the fullest trial, utterly failed. Now, the principle of promise is in direct contrast with this; that is, whilst the covenant of the law depended on the faithfulness of two parties, the promise depended solely on the faithfulness of One, and that One, God. This is an all-important question: On which principle did God bless Abraham? On which principle does He now deal with every believer? on which principle will He deal with Israel in their future days of glory?
It is written, “The promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed.” (Rom. 4:11-17.) These two principles are seen in Galatians to be in direct contrast. The one was given, and confirmed to Abraham and his seed, which is Christ, four hundred and thirty years before the other. And it is plain that where all depended on the faithfulness of God, nothing could possibly disannul it, that it should make the promise of none effect. The law was added, until Christ, for transgressions, that so the infinite mercy of God might be shown to all concluded under sin.
The faith of Abraham laid hold of this great principle of promise; and it was reckoned to him for righteousness. This is purely of faith; that is, all depended on God, not on Abraham. On the other hand, 1500 years’ experience of man, under the covenant of works, has proved that no man can stand on the ground of his own faithfulness; for all have sinned. Therefore it is evident that “all that are of the works of the law are under the curse.”
The new covenant, then, is really the original promise to Abraham, confirmed in Christ: “So that they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” But does the reader apprehend what an immense principle this is? Read the absolute promise, wholly and unconditionally, of God (Gen. 12:1-3); then see how this was confirmed when Abraham had offered up his son, and received him, in figure, from the dead. (Chap, 22) Then God confirmed the promise with an oath. And all this applied to us who now believe. (See Heb. 6:13-20.) The difference, then, is this: On the principle of law, or the covenant of works, the blessing depends on the faithfulness of both parties, as when a master covenants with a servant. On the other, the principle of promise, God engages absolutely my everlasting salvation, and all depends on His faithfulness. It was actually “to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, that He confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation,” &c. Think of those two things: The promise of God; and the oath of God. Oh, reader, let this be settled in your soul before you go on to God’s faithfulness to Israel. Does your faith rest solely on the faithfulness of God? Does your eternal salvation depend absolutely on the promise and oath of God, in which it is impossible for Him to lie? Nay, more, has not God given His beloved Son to die for our offenses? Has He not raised Him from among the dead, for our justification? Is it not absolutely true that, believing God, we are justified by faith, and have peace with God? Do not be deceived, if your salvation depends on your own faithfulness, in the least degree, you have let slip the great principle of the promise of God. We might as well try to mingle light and darkness, as to mingle the principle of promise and law. The one was until the other, to Israel. But we are now children of God, heirs according to promise.
There is another point of equal importance, both to the Christian now, and to Israel in days to come. If the administration of the covenant of works be thus set aside, through the utter break-down of man; and if the inheritance—heavenly to us, earthly to Israel—is absolutely of promise, and depends on the immutability of God, what about practical righteousness, and a holy life? Here, again, we find the same distinct contrast. Under the covenant, man engaged to do what he had no power to perform. (Exod. 19:8; Rom. 7:18.) Under law, man says, “ We will do it.” On the principle of promise, God says, “I will.” “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.” (Heb. 10:16.) Two things are absolutely necessary before there can be a holy walk. Man must be born again wholly anew, and the Spirit of God must dwell in him. But both these things are of faith, of promise, of God. “Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” How simple, yet how blessed: God gives a nature that delights to do His will, and power—even the Holy Ghost dwelling in us—to do that which is holy, and therefore pleasing, in His sight. The indwelling of the Spirit will be shown by the fruit of the Spirit: “Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.” These preliminary thoughts will help us in considering the principles of the coming kingdom of God.
Whether, then, we look at the promise of God to Abraham, as to his spiritual seed, or as it regards his literal descendants, let us note well, that fulfillment depends entirely on the faithfulness of God. This will not, however, set aside His governmental dealings, either with the nation of Israel, or with the individual saint.
Is not this surpassing grace? that we Gentiles, who, as to nature, were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world, should now be brought nigh by the blood of Christ; yea, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Oh, the riches of His grace! to thus take us up, and make our eternal salvation to depend on His own faithfulness.
It costs us little to preach the doctrines of grace, but to walk as dead and risen with Christ is another thing.