When rejected in Israel Elijah went to Sidon to be sustained by a Gentile widow and her son. Elijah pictures the remnant when cast out of Jerusalem preserved for about three years and a half among the Gentiles. It was in Sidon where the widow of Sarepta learned that Elijah was a man of God and that the word spoken by him was truth.
When rejected by Israel, the Lord Jesus went out to the Gentiles.
Matt. 12:14-2114Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. 15But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16And charged them that they should not make him known: 17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 18Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles. 19He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 21And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. (Matthew 12:14‑21)
"And He said Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow" (Luke 4:24-2624And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 25But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 26But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. (Luke 4:24‑26)).
The second book of the Psalms shows the remnant of faith cast out of Jerusalem, hidden away among the Gentiles in the wilderness. They pant for their God, "When shall I come and appear before God?"
In this book "God" is the Object of prayer more than "Jehovah." "Mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?"
Israel's history has been one of confidence in man, not trusting in God. This must be corrected. It is in the wilderness, alone with God, that they will learn this needful lesson, to trust in Him alone. Here, as David in the sheepcotes, Israel will find their resource in Him. Faith learns to rest upon His faithfulness.
"Loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night His song."
They pray for light to bring them back to God, their exceeding joy.
The message of the kingdom will be extended to the heathen.
Confession of bloodguiltiness by the remnant is the second confession of sin; the first was in Psa. 25.
"Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy book?"
The wanderings and the tears of the remnant are all recorded in God's book of life. Clay bottle is a figure of a lasting container, in contrast to a skin which lasts for a season. Bottles were filled with tears of mourners and buried with the dead.
"From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
Their wanderings took them to the ends of the earth.
"My soul followeth hard after Thee: Thy right hand upholdeth me."
"I will praise Thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto Thee among the nations."
"Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God. Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah."
These are converts, having heard the gospel of the kingdom from the scattered remnant.
The widow of Sarepta, a Gentile, asked Elijah, "Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance?" This suggests that in the exile of the remnant the gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all nations (of the prophetic earth) by the remnant, much as in the book of the Acts, when under persecution, the disciples (Jews)went everywhere, preaching the Word. The Gentiles must likewise repent in order to be delivered. When returning to their homelands they will hear this gospel, if not previously.
The second book closes with the lovely introduction of the King's Son (Jesus). This looks on to the Solomon character of the reign of Christ, after all of the enemies have been subdued or destroyed under the reign of which David's is a type. "He shall come down like... showers" for Israel.
"There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth."
This group of Psalms, which sees the remnant hidden away, exiled among the Gentiles during their refining, not only will be used to preach the gospel of the kingdom to the Gentiles but anticipates the King reigning over Jew and Gentile alike, yea, "And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen."
How fitting a close to the second book is this verse.