The rejection of Christ by the nation of Israel made way for the development of the wonderful secret, the mystery hidden from ages and generations, even the mystery of the CHURCH, a thing, of which nothing is said in the promise to Abraham. The Apostle Paul being the one to whom it was fully made known, to him it was given, to declare it, after Israel had not only killed their Messiah, but in addition to this, had resisted the Holy Ghost, who, by the mouth of Stephen especially, bore witness to Christ in the heavens at the right hand of God. Both in Ephesians and Colossians this is fully revealed. There the Church is presented—an election, out of Israel, as well as out of the Gentiles, a people, whose hopes and whose portion are altogether peculiar; not blessing on earth, such as was proffered to Israel, but union with Christ, the tone seed, to whom the promise was made, and a place with Himself, on His throne in the heavens. In this way it is that we are introduced into blessing, seeing that it is not the Church, but Israel and the Gentiles, that are looked at in the promise to Abraham. At present the Church is on earth, but soon, how soon we know not, it will be completed and taken to heaven; after which the ancient people of God (beloved and remembered through ages of sin and rejection) will be dealt with again; the blood they have shed will blot out their sin, and Israel, at least a believing remnant among them, will, according to the promise, enjoy, not heavenly blessing, such as belongs, to the Church, but the land given to their father Abraham of old; and not only so, but the Gentiles will partake of their joy; the God of Israel being their God, and His temple the common center of worship, they, together with Israel, will walk in the light of the New Jerusalem, the city of God in the heavens.
With regard to God's people in past dispensations, such as we read of in Heb. 11, these, together with the Church, will be translated to heaven, and with her will partake of heavenly glory; but while it is so, their, portion when there, will be less glorious by far than that 'reserved for the Church. This may be gathered, not merely from certain passages of scripture, which might be brought forward, but more especially from considering the character of the dispensation committed to Paul, to whom the purpose of God touching the Church was made known. The Church, observe, was not only first formed here upon earth, when the Spirit descended at Pentecost, in order to give existence to what the apostle emphatically designates the "ONE NEW MAN" (Eph. 2:1515Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)); but more than this, it has an especial process to pass through, such as we read of in Eph. 5:25-2725Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25‑27), in order to fit her for her peculiar portion and position above. This we do not find with regard to believers of old, therefore how can they be viewed, even hereafter, though in heaven, as forming a part of the elect body, the Church?
And now, as to the distinction between the two epistles which chiefly refer to this subject; the apostle's object in one, namely, that sent to the Ephesians, was to speak of the Church and her heavenly portion, while, in addressing the Galatians, who were turning again to the beggarly elements of the law, his purpose was to tell them of grace, to show them the difference between the two covenants. Grace is his subject, and, as to this, be it, observed that had Israel, stained as they were with the blood of the Just One, repented, which by the mouth of Peter especially they were invited to do, and had "the times of refreshing" begun upon earth even then, and so had no room been left in the counsels of God for the Church, that is, had it never existed, still the great principle of grace, so far as relates to the forgiveness of sin, would surely have then been displayed in their case as it has been in ours, however inferior their glory to that now reserved for the Church.
Israel will hereafter repent. The veil will be taken away from their hearts; and then, (seeing that by that time they will have filled up the measure of their national sin) the grace of God, in forgiving that sin, will far more brightly shine forth than if they had not been unfaithful.