THE apostle Paul long ago raised the question, “Hath God cast away his people?” and replied by the Spirit, “God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew” (Rom. 11), Whatever some Gentile professors may think, our God still has purposes of grace concerning the seed of Abraham His friend. Those who have doubts will do well to ponder Jeremiah 31:37,37Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:37) “Thus saith Jehovah: If heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith Jehovah.”
It is true that Israel has sinned grievously against Him. She has been an unfaithful wife, a deceitful bow. His law has been broken by them, His prophets slain, His Son disowned and crucified and His Spirit’s testimony despised. But He has not changed towards His people, and will bless them yet, for His gifts and calling are without repentance.
There are three reasons why God will restore them; His Word, His Name, and the death of Christ. (1). His Word. He promised Abraham to give to him and to his seed, “all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession” (Gen. 17:88And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. (Genesis 17:8)). This promise, entirely unconditional, has never been fulfilled. In the past they only inherited a part of the good land, and that but for a season. “Ah! but they sinned,” some may say. True; but God’s word remains. They placed themselves under law and broke it, but this has nothing to do with the promise of God. Examine the argument of the apostle in Galatians 3 The law which came in 430 years after the promise cannot disannul it. “For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” God’s word therefore stands blessedly sure, and will be fulfilled in its day. (2). His Name. When He delivered them from Egypt He made Himself known to them as Jehovah (Ex. 6). In this name their blessing is bound up, for it expresses the unchangeableness of God. They have changed sadly, as He laments in Jeremiah 2, but He abides immutably the same, as Malachi 3:66For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6) shows. (3). The death of Christ. He died for that nation (John 11:5050Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. (John 11:50)). The cross will yet be the efficacious cause of restoring grace to the tribes of Israel, and with one accord they will take up the language of Isa. 53 (which is primarily theirs), “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities.”
Now turn to Ezek. 37 where their restoration is set forth in a very striking manner. The prophet was shown a valley full of dry bones, and was told that they represented the whole house of Israel. As a nation, they are dead and dry. The prophet was bidden to prophesy to them, and the bones came together, and they stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army. How this reminds of Paul’s words in Rom. 11:15,15For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15) “What shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? “It is not a question of the resurrection of dead bodies, nor a spiritual passing from death unto life, but resurrection nationally, to stand once more as a people before God.
All attempts to restore them before God’s time must prove futile. Isa. 18. speaks of such efforts. The issue will be that the fowls shall summer upon them, and the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. This will be the unhappy experience of the two tribes, who will reach their land apart from divine intervention, and will only fall a prey to the powers of evil in the last days. When God restores, all the twelve tribes will be remembered; and a present shall be brought to Him of a people once scattered and peeled. Where the ten tribes are at the present time, no one really knows but God, though speculations as to their whereabouts have been many.
They will be gathered when Christ appears in glory. The great trumpet shall be blown, and the elect of God shall be gathered together from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matt. 24, Isa. 11). Their unification was shown to Ezekiel under the figure of two sticks made one in his hand. On the one he was to write “for Judah” &c.; on the other, for Joseph” &c.; and was to join them together. The nation has been divided ever since the days of Rehoboam, as a result of the grievous sins of Solomon, but shall be united in the coming day under the true David, our Lord Jesus. Numerous will be their blessings in that day. Our chapter specifies many of them, and others may be found elsewhere. God will place them in their own land (vs. 14), will cleanse them (ver. 23), and put His spirit in them (vs. 14). They shall no more defile themselves with idols, nor other detestable things (vs. 23), but will walk in His judgments (vs. 24). They shall have one shepherd — Christ (vs. 24), and the sanctuary of God once more in their midst (vs. 26).
Thus will end Israel’s long dark night of sorrow. They will be grafted again into their own olive tree, after having been cut off for centuries because of unbelief (Rom. 11). They will take their place once more at the head of the nations, and by their means blessing will flow all around. Not till then will all the world be brought to the feet, of the Lord Jesus; but when He is established as King over His willing people in Zion, all the nations of the earth will go up to His footstool, and the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.
W.W.F.