Til I Come: July 2015
Table of Contents
Until I Come …
1. “Behold, I come quickly” (Rev. 3:11).
2. “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6).
3. “Till I come ... follow thou Me” (John 21:22).
4. “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13).
5. “Take, eat. ... This cup ... drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Cor. 11:24-26).
6. “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Rev. 3:11).
7. “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” (Matt. 25:6).
The Word to All Servants - “Occupy Till I Come”
Few portions of Scripture contain more complete instruction as to God’s present ways than the parable of the pounds in Luke 19. Its purpose is stated in the opening verse where we learn that Jesus spoke it “because He was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.” Just afterward, as He entered Jerusalem, His disciples hailed Him as King saying, “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord” (vs. 38). They expected, as the two disciples on the way to Emmaus declared, that He would at that time “have redeemed Israel” (Luke 24:21) and that the kingdom of God would thus be manifested. We see from Luke 17:20-21 that the kingdom had already come, but it was not yet with outward show or “observation.”
Before the Kingdom Appears
In this parable, therefore, the Lord details what is to happen before that kingdom would appear. He Himself, seen here under the figure of the nobleman, was to go into a far country — in fact, to leave the world for heaven — there to receive the kingdom and, having received it, to return. Meanwhile, those who denied His rights — the Jews especially, but also the world as a whole — not only rejected Him in person while here, but also “sent a message after Him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us” (vs. 14). Such a message was the stoning of Stephen, as well as the persistent refusal to hear the testimony of the apostles and of the Holy Spirit after Christ’s departure. This has been the attitude of the world as a whole, and of the Jews in particular, toward Jesus since He “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” and this will be their attitude as a nation till He comes again. He will then return, having had the nations given Him as His inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession, and those who will not that He should reign over them will be dealt with in judgment.
The Citizens and the Servants
But between His departure and His return there is, besides the citizens who rejected Him, another class of persons called His servants. These, though left among the citizens, are in the city to care for their Lord’s things entrusted to their charge. While the citizens reject Him as their King, these own His authority; while the citizens have no thought of His return, these occupy till He comes. These servants represent Christendom — those who, in name at least, acknowledge the authority of the rejected Lord. It is solemn to contrast this picture of the responsibility even of the Christian professor with the thought which even true believers commonly cherish as to their place in the world. The responsibility pointed out is the common responsibility of Christendom, and surely it is impossible to look at Christendom in the light of the responsibility here disclosed without a sad sense of its utter failure to execute the charge with which it has been entrusted. Nevertheless, the responsibility of the Christian profession is to occupy for Christ till He returns, and according to this responsibility it will be judged.
Nominal Christians
By the mass of nominal Christians the charge is simply disregarded. Hard thoughts of God are entertained, His gifts forgotten or despised, and His demands regarded as unreasonable. He is looked upon as “an austere man,” taking up what He had not laid down and reaping what He had not sown. And yet man, with his usual inconsistency, while judging God as exacting more than is due, has taken no pains to earn, as it were, anything for Him. He is therefore judged out of his own mouth and condemned as an unprofitable servant.
Leaving the sad case of mere professors, let us ask to what extent we answer to the believer’s responsibility. To how many true Christians is the thought present, “I am here for Christ, in His interest in this world where He has been rejected”? How does the world appear to one who has this view of the place he is called upon to occupy?
The cross, as the means by which sins were put away, is, of course, valued by all real believers. But Paul saw in the death of Christ not only deliverance from sins, but deliverance “from this present evil world.” To him that cross was not only the place where sin had been judged, but also the means by which “the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Gal. 6:14), but he saw in the death of Christ the death of all, “and that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:15). What complete separation from the world — what complete devotedness to Christ — do we see here!
Wholeheartedness
What the Lord desires in His people is wholeheartedness for Himself. This does not imply separation from the ordinary occupations of the world. But the question is whether these occupations entangle the heart and become our objects, or whether, while pursuing these occupations, the heart is still free for Christ. Is getting on in the world what fills our thoughts, or are we constrained by the love of Christ, seeking to live not unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us and rose again?
Some may be called upon to preach Christ, but all are called upon to live Christ. And to live Christ involves taking His place in relationship to the world. “They are not of the world,” He said, “even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). The heart that is in communion with Christ, though it may not know how to lay down principles, will distinguish readily enough what will suit Him and what would grieve His Spirit. Indeed it is only Christians who are anxious to mix with the world that have any difficulty in the matter. The world itself quickly enough discerns what is consistent and what is inconsistent in a Christian, and it estimates without difficulty the value of the testimony given by a worldly believer. If the heart is really true to Christ it will unconsciously bear witness to Him and separate from the world which knows Him not. The spirit and objects of the world cannot have a place in the soul that is filled with Christ. The pursuits and riches of the world will appear worthless to him whose affections are set on things above.
Losing Heart
There is another danger in these last days, namely, that of losing heart and failing to “occupy” until our Lord comes. In a coming day, we read that “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matt. 24:12), and this same attitude can take hold of believers today. We are called upon, not merely to “hold fast” until He comes, but also to “occupy.” The heart that is really warm towards Christ will be found doing both: holding fast what he has been given and using his time and energy to learn more of Christ and to seek His interests down here.
The character of the true servant will show itself in various ways. If to serve Christ is really the object, His own Word and directions will be the rule of service. The power is of God who does not need our wisdom as to the mode of carrying on His work, but who requires our obedience as servants. No truth is more needed at the present moment than that of the all-sufficiency of the Word of God. There may, of course, be earnestness and truth of heart, which the Lord does own even where much is added which He could not sanction, but in these cases His blessing is on what comes from Himself, not on what comes from the flesh and the world.
Waiting for His Coming
There is another thing which will mark the true servant. He will be waiting for the coming of his Lord. If the heart is really estranged from the world and set on heavenly things, what expectation will bring such blessedness as the thought of the Lord’s return? The idle servant, whose heart was full of hard thoughts about his Lord, could, of course, entertain no bright hopes in connection with His coming again. To him the thought must necessarily be unwelcome. But what joy would the prospect bring to the heart of the faithful servant who had been living and laboring for Him during His absence! Are our hearts thus waiting and longing? Are we occupying for Christ during His absence, seeking to act in obedience to His Word, waiting in joyful anticipation for His return?
T. B. Baines (adapted)
“Hold Fast Till I Come”
Revelation 2:25
There is a great difference between a ship steaming along on a peaceful sea, or even bearing up against an adverse wind, and a ship at anchor in a storm, where all depends upon good anchorage ground and strength of cable. In the one case, headway is being made, and a distant port is in view. In the other case, safety is in question, and all depends upon the “hold fast” until the storm is passed. In the former, all is energy to propel forward; intelligence and strength combine to make advances. In the latter, all is passive endurance and tenacity. The strain is entirely on the cable, on that which holds the ship in position in spite of rolling waves and raging winds.
The Later Days
To apply our simile, it is the difference between the earlier and later day of the church’s history. It is to the principle of passive endurance in the church that the Lord appeals, when, in the address to Thyatira, He says, “Hold fast till I come.” No doubt the command still holds, “Be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea ... and unto the uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8). However, “the church of the living God” has failed as “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). The candlestick has been removed, and the church’s history is closing in complete failure. Complete recovery is out of the question, for all is in unrecoverable ruin. Not merely had there been failure in first love, but spiritual adultery, and children born of it, now characterized that which had once been “espoused as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2).
In the midst of this widespread scene of failure, the Son of God appears to His sorely pressed remnant and says, “I will put upon you none other burden; but that which ye have already hold fast till I come” (Rev. 2:24-25). They had something to “hold fast” — something of His on earth to keep for Him until He came. As to their own interests, all was secure and steadfast through “an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Heb. 6:19), but the “hold fast” was down here, for His interests on the earth.
His Coming
As they bent all their energies to hold fast, His coming was to be the only outlook of their faith. The storm and the difficulties would only increase till He came, but the trial and the sorrow would all end then, and He Himself, as “the Morning Star,” should be their reward. Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea are not only successive phases of the church, but collateral ones, flowing out of Thyatira and running down with her to the end. From Thyatira on, the coming of the Lord, with this principle of “hold fast,” characterizes true Christian position.
In Sardis it is “strengthen the things that remain” and “hold fast,” with His coming brought in as a warning, rather than an encouragement. In Philadelphia, though words of approval take the place of warning and rebuke, the word still is, “Behold I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” His coming, so to speak, is brought nearer, as more encouragement is required. It is as if He would say to His people’s yearning hearts, “Hold fast just a little longer; I am coming soon.” In Laodicea there is nothing to “hold fast” — nothing of His to retain. There is no sense of need that He alone can meet. For this reason, His coming is not alluded to, except by implication, though in grace He does, for the moment, stand at the door and knock, to see if any will hear His voice and let Him in.
If, while waiting for God’s Son from heaven, we at all realize what it is to be in a world of which Satan is the god and prince; if we are awake to the apostasy that is setting in on every hand; if, by grace, we are in any little degree standing for Christ’s name, we shall surely feel the need of all the help and comfort that can be supplied by these blessed words, that come from Him who sits at the right hand of God: “Behold I come quickly” and “Hold fast till I come!”
C. W., Words of Faith
“Till He Come”
“As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Cor. 11:26).
How sweetly simple and yet how beautiful is the thing which the Lord Jesus desired of His people before He suffered, and how calculated it was to touch the hearts of all those who knew the value of His precious blood. It was at the supper of the Passover where He made the request, on the night in which He was betrayed.
He was eating with His disciples, when He took bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave it to them, saying, “Take, eat; this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.” “Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you” (1 Cor. 11:24; Luke 22:19-20).
The Lord’s Departure
They had been with Him for some time, but now He was about to leave them for a little while. He did not wish to be forgotten by them, but would have His dying love kept continually before their souls, because His death would be to them everlasting life, as well as the foundation of every joy and blessing they would have, either in this world or in that which is to come. He knew what poor things they were and how prone they would be to forget. Therefore His desire was that they should remember Him in this simple way while He was absent from them.
How tender and loving this was; it was just like Him, and it shows also how very much He valued their affections. Though He was going back to His Father to enjoy the glory which He had with Him before this world was, yet this great desire that they should not forget Him seemed nearer to His heart than all beside (Luke 22:15-20). And how sweet it is to know that He is still the same and that it gives Him joy today to be remembered in this way by His loved ones down here. He knew it would add to their joy too, by keeping their hearts fresh and true to Himself, separate from the world.
The Commission From Heaven
Therefore He gave the same words to the Apostle Paul out of the glory, where He is now, as He said, “I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Cor. 11:23-26).
Now we know that the only place where Paul saw the Lord Jesus was up there. He was a bitter persecutor of both Him and His people for some time after the Lord died and rose again. He even sought prison and death for all them that called upon His name.
But after his conversion he was taken up into heaven, whether in the body or out of the body he could not tell. And there it was he saw things which it was impossible to utter, and there, no doubt, it was that he received of the Lord that which he delivered unto us.
The Lord gave the same unchanging request from the glory which He made with His people when He was here upon earth. We see how gladly the early Christians acted upon it; they met together on the first day of the week for this one object (Acts 20:7).
To Remember Him
They gave praise, worship and thanksgiving to God at the same time, as well as words of exhortation and comfort to each other. But the great object of their coming together was to break bread, and thus fulfill the dying request of their Lord and Master, without whose death there never could have been one bright ray before their souls, either here or in the countless ages of eternity.
The broken bread showed forth His body given for them, and they all ate of it; the poured-out wine showed forth His precious blood, and they all drank of it, according to His Word. They loved Him, and their great delight was thus to remember Him in the way He desired they should.
They met too as one family — not one above another, but as brethren, as well as members of the one body. The little child of yesterday had the privilege of remembering the Lord at His table, the same as those that had known and loved Him from the beginning. But, of course, these had grown up into Him, and thereby they were in a position to exhort and help those who were newly brought into the family. Still, the weakest and feeblest believer had his happy place there, the same as those who had known the joy of it for years.
The Lord’s Table
But it is very important to remember that it is the Lord’s table, and therefore only one table, whether it is here or in different parts of the world. Yet it is only one, because the body is one and the loaf is one. The Lordship of Christ must be owned, and nothing allowed which is not consistent with His holiness and love (1 Cor. 10:21).
No unconverted person should be at that table, whatever his standing in the world might be; it was only for those who loved Him — those who knew that they were washed from their sins in His own blood and whose delight and joy it was to remember Him and what He had done for them. And however great their weakness, yet they were able to say with Peter, “Thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love Thee” (John 21:17).
None had a right to please themselves there or speak their own words or do their own will in anything. It is not only called the Lord’s table in Scripture, but it is also called the Lord’s supper and the Lord’s cup, which His people drink, the communion of the blood of Christ. It is the Lord’s death that they show forth, and it is the Lord’s day on which they do it. It is the Lord’s people alone who can do it, and it is His desire that they should do it till He come. It is altogether His, and His alone, and His holiness and glory must be maintained at all cost.
The Lord the Spirit
The Lord the Spirit also is there, not to intimidate, but to fill every heart with joy and gladness and to give foretastes of that coming day when they shall see Him who died for them and drink the new wine with Him in His Father’s kingdom (Matt. 26:29).
It is purely a family circle and a family feast; everyone belonging to that heavenly family should be there, and no other. For anyone to be at the Lord’s table who is living in sin is of all things the most sad, and the Lord will judge it sooner or later. In the church at Corinth many were weak and sickly, and many slept — taken away by death because of allowed evil (1 Cor. 11:29-33).
The Lord’s Coming
If God’s path for His people in Old Testament times was a path of separation, how much more it is so now, since the Lord Jesus has been rejected and crucified. He would therefore have His people very separate from evil at all times, with this blessed hope bright before their souls — the hope of His coming. Hence His desire is that they should thus show His death till He come. When they are remembering Him in death, He would have them at the same time be looking forward with joy to His coming again to receive them to Himself.
When God’s people come together to remember the Lord, they see the one loaf on the table and know that every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is represented by it, because they are one body. This is as true today as ever it was, though many of the members of that body are scattered hither and thither, connected with that with which God cannot be pleased. Still, it does not alter that which God has done according to the love of His own heart. It is He Himself who has given them that blessed position, and He will make it good in everlasting glory. That day will find them out, wherever they are; not one will be missing; the proceedings of the Father’s house would be stopped if one were absent, but this we know cannot be. Still, how sweet it is to enter into our blessed portion now and live in the enjoyment of it. By doing so, we also honor Him till He come.
H. Tuggy (adapted)
Spiritual Diligence
The Word of God puts a high premium on spiritual diligence, as well as on diligence in natural things. Solomon reminds us, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Eccl. 9:10). Since man disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden and acquired a sinful, fallen nature, his tendency has generally been towards laziness. When he fell, God gave him work to do, telling him that “in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” (Gen. 3:19). In many respects this was a great mercy to man, for in working hard he was kept from many harmful pursuits, into which he might easily have fallen in idleness. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah serve as a good example of this, for their pleasant climate, abundance of food, and relaxed lifestyle all contributed to their awful wickedness. We might also add that similar conditions exist in some countries today, particularly in the West, where prosperity and abundance have contributed to immoral living and other types of wickedness.
Appreciation
There is another reason why God gives man work to do, and that is that he appreciates more that which costs him something. Things easily obtained are often taken for granted, and this generates a sense of entitlement rather than a feeling of thankfulness. Even in the Garden of Eden, man was not to be continually idle, for God placed man in that garden “to dress it and to keep it” (Gen. 2:15). There was something to occupy his time, but there was no drudgery connected with it; it was not done “in the sweat of his face.” A sense of satisfaction always accompanied that which has cost us some effort.
It is the same in spiritual things. God has not placed everything so freely available to us that it can be obtained and enjoyed without effort. It is true that every believer is “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3), and work does not add to our blessings, but the enjoyment of those blessings depends on our walk and on our diligence in digging them out. God never intended believers to be lazy, either in natural or spiritual things!
Not Lazy
For this reason Paul exhorted those in Rome not to be “slothful in business” (Rom. 12:11), no doubt referring mainly to spiritual things. Later, in an individual way, Paul reminded Timothy, “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:13). There is an order in these things. First of all, it is important to read the Word of God, and to read it regularly. We cannot emphasize this too highly. In these days of pressure and hurry, it is harder and harder to find time to do this, but we must set aside time to read and meditate upon the Word of God. Indeed, Paul follows up his exhortation to read by saying in verse 15, “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them.” Nothing is more important.
But we must also remember that God has given other books for us to read, and even Paul in his day could ask Timothy to bring with him “the books” (2 Tim. 4:13) — books that evidently were not Scripture itself. So God has given us much good ministry and many good books that can be most helpful to us.
The Help of Others
Second, we are to remember exhortation. This brings in not only practical points from the Word of God, but also the helpful comments of others, who perhaps have more wisdom and experience than we. We are to be ready to listen to the suggestions of others who are able to help us in our Christian walk. The word here translated “exhortation” is a broad word in the original language, related to the word translated “comforter” in John’s Gospel and “advocate” in 1 John. It implies not only instruction, but also encouragement and comfort, all of which we need.
Good Doctrine
Finally, we are to pay attention to good doctrine, or teaching. Here the thought is mainly the taking in of good teaching, but in the next few verses in the same chapter, Paul tells Timothy to “neglect not the gift that is in thee,” and that in doing this, he will not only save himself, but also those that hear him. But we must first take in good teaching, and primarily for ourselves and our own personal blessing, before we can be used in blessing to others. To use our energy in reading and taking in good teaching for the purpose of giving it out to others is most dangerous for the believer. We can minister effectively only that which we have meditated upon and walked in.
Paul uses the expression, “Till I come,” no doubt intending at some point to see Timothy personally, but in the same epistle (1 Tim. 3:15), he says, “If I tarry long.” Paul leaves open the possibility that he might not come for some time. It is not reading too much into Scripture to transpose this into the Lord’s coming for us and to place the Lord into it instead of Paul. The Lord has left us here for a long time, as we count time, and yet we are to be faithful until He comes. It might seem long, but He will give the grace to continue to learn more of Himself, until He comes!
W. J. Prost
If I Will That He Tarry Till I Come
The above words were spoken to Peter by our blessed Lord, in a meeting with His disciples on the shore of the sea of Galilee, after His resurrection. The occasion is one of great interest to us, and there are many different lines of truth contained in the account. But one story stands out clearly — the public restoration of Peter. Peter had failed seriously in denying his Lord and Master before the cross, but grace had worked repentance in his soul, and evidently the Lord had already had a private meeting with him. It is not recorded in the Gospels, but it is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:5: “He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.” Now, in John 21, he was to be publicly restored.
It is not my intention to dwell on the ways and means the Lord uses to restore Peter publicly, except to remark that He tests Peter’s love by asking him the same question three times: “Lovest thou Me?” (John 21:15-17). But then He commits to Peter’s care that which was dearest to His heart — His lambs and sheep. We can only imagine how encouraging and uplifting this was to Peter, while at the same time humbling him, as he remembered how he had boasted of his love for his Lord in front of the other disciples.
Restoration
So it is today. God’s children may fail, and often do, but He loves to restore, and He works that same restoration in their hearts. The Lord Jesus could say to Peter, long before he had failed, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:32). His prayer was answered, for after Peter had failed and then “wept bitterly,” grace began the work of restoration in his heart. For each one of us, the Lord foresees failure long before it happens in our lives, and He begins to work toward our restoration.
“Follow Me”
The Lord also gives Peter some encouragement in another direction, by foretelling that he would, at some point when he was old, give his life for his Lord. None could follow the Lord Jesus into death when He went to the cross, but most of His disciples did in fact suffer martyrs’ deaths at some point. Peter’s will had been to give his life for his Lord, and later he was able to do this, but in the timing of God’s will, not Peter’s will. The Lord’s simple command after this was, “Follow Me.”
But then Peter, turning and seeing John, is moved to ask, “Lord, and what shall this man do?” (John 21:21). The question was doubtless an honest one, stemming from Peter’s close friendship with John and genuine interest in what John might be given to do. Our Lord’s answer was short and brings in His coming: “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou Me” (John 21:22). There are several lessons for us in this answer.
The Lord’s Will
First of all, it is important that we listen to the Lord’s will for ourselves, without being unduly occupied with what others are doing. Peter evidently had great affection for John, and their subsequent labors together demonstrate this clearly. But it is easy for us to compare ourselves with others and what the Lord has given them to do, and to have our eyes taken off the Lord. The Lord Jesus, no doubt, saw this tendency in Peter, and in a gentle way He told him that even if John were to remain until the Lord’s coming, that was no concern of Peter’s. Again the Lord’s command was, “Follow thou Me.”
This did not imply that Peter and John could not work together and be interested in what the other was doing. Rather, it was a warning to Peter not to allow his devotedness to the Lord to be sidetracked by an undue occupation with another’s work. Peter had already failed because he compared his faithfulness to that of others; now he must be ready to follow the Lord with a single eye, without any distraction.
The Lord’s Coming
Second, the Lord speaks of His coming and the possibility that John might remain alive on earth until He came back. The Lord had told His disciples of His return for them in John 14, but the full details of His coming before the tribulation were not given until Paul’s ministry. Immediately some seized on the Lord’s remark to broadcast the supposed fact that John would not die. But the Lord had not said this; He had only raised the possibility, to emphasize Peter’s responsibility to Him. Since Paul’s ministry, it has been the proper hope of the believer to expect the Lord to come at any moment. Although this hope was subsequently lost for many centuries, the Lord has graciously restored it to us, and many today enjoy that hope. But it must have seemed strange and new, yet wonderful, to the disciples in those early days to think that some might not die. But even if this were to be true of John, it was not Peter’s business, so to speak; his responsibility was to follow his Lord. The Lord might choose to reveal to Peter something of what lay in his future, but it was not for Peter to ask for such information about others.
Encouragement
Finally, it was a note of encouragement, not only to Peter, but also to all the disciples. Some might indeed die a martyr’s death, or even a natural death, but this was not necessarily to be their destiny. The Lord might well keep John alive, and perhaps others too, until He came. The Lord chose to reveal to Peter that he would eventually give up his life for his Lord, and later the same thing was revealed to Paul (2 Tim. 4:6). But these were exceptions, in that it was revealed to them that they would go through death. The proper hope of believers in this dispensation of God’s grace is to “wait for His Son from heaven” (1 Thess. 1:10). John did in fact die, although he outlived all of the other disciples. But he was used of the Lord to write the Book of Revelation, which gives us a panoramic history of the church in chapters 2-3, as well as details of God’s judgment on this world. In this way John did, in one sense, tarry until the Lord came.
In summary, then, we are encouraged by the hope of the Lord’s coming, and that some will be alive at that time, while at the same time we are warned that our primary duty is to follow the Lord and not to be concerned about the service of others.
“That I may undistracted be,
To follow, serve and wait for Thee.”
W. J. Prost
The Reelection of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
The reelection of Israeli prime minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu in March 2015 came as somewhat of a shock, not only to the world, but to Israel itself. The polls had consistently predicted that he would go down to defeat and that Labor party leader Isaac Herzog would become prime minister. But to everyone’s surprise, Netanyahu was reelected, and this has certain implications both for Israel and also for the rest of the world.
Israel’s Security
For the rest of the world, and particularly for the United States, it shows that Israel places a high premium on its security and that when its security is threatened, this consideration overrides all other issues. Before the election, many thought that social and economic concerns would dominate the campaign and that matters such as a housing shortage and the high cost of living would favor the Labor party. But obviously the threat from Iran and its potential to acquire nuclear weapons eventually carried the day.
More than this, Israel under Netanyahu has clearly signaled its intention to “go it alone,” if necessary, without U.S. assistance and to take on the matter of its security without foreign help. This viewpoint has some support in the U.S., for no less an authority than senator and former presidential candidate John McCain commented recently, “The Israelis will need to chart their own path of resistance. ... Israel survived its first 19 years without meaningful U.S. patronage.” Like Israel, the U.S. is deeply divided politically, and while some support the present administration’s policies, others, along with Israel, are very critical of what they perceive as a soft line toward Islamic extremists. The proposed deal with Iran over its nuclear program, largely brokered by U.S. president Obama, has widened this rift and elicited strong words on both sides.
The Nuclear Treaty
In his speech to the U.S. Congress before the election in Israel, Netanyahu strongly condemned the proposed deal with Iran, calling it a “bad deal” and arguing that it facilitated Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons, rather than preventing it. The fact that his invitation to address Congress was arranged independently of U.S. president Obama only emphasized the ideological polarization in the U.S. It also emphasized the strain that presently exists in U.S./Israel relations.
For Israel too, Netanyahu’s reelection focuses their attention on security and their determination not to allow themselves to be victimized again. It was significant that during Netanyahu’s speech to the U.S. Congress, his wife Sara sat in the gallery with Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, for memories of the Holocaust have greatly influenced Israel’s thinking and policy. The phrase “never again” became popular in the 1970s to represent the feelings of the Jewish people about the Holocaust and referred to their resolve never again to allow themselves to be slaughtered simply because they were Jews. Netanyahu gave vent to this feeling in his speech to the U.S. Congress: “We are no longer scattered among the nations, powerless to defend ourselves. We restored our sovereignty in our ancient home. And the soldiers who defend our home have boundless courage. For the first time in 100 generations, we, the Jewish people, can defend ourselves. This is why — this is why, as a prime minister of Israel, I can promise you one more thing: Even if Israel has to stand alone, Israel will stand.”
Live in Peace
But there is another deep-seated yearning in the souls of the Jews — the wish to be able to live in peace and rest. Yet the attainment of this longing continues to elude them. Thomas Friedman captures this feeling well in his book, From Beirut to Jerusalem: “The tragedy and the irony of the Zionist revolution is that although it created all these instruments and institutions from the ashes of the Holocaust, it failed to eradicate the collective self-image of the Jew as victim. Although they can now speak their own language and walk with their heads held high, many Israelis today still feel as though they are victims of circumstance and living on borrowed time as much as any Jewish ghetto dwellers in history.” He goes on to say that Jews in Israel are constantly reminded, “You are not rooted. You are here against everyone’s will. You can never really relax.” This was written more than twenty years ago, but it remains just as true today.
Religious Unbelief
What does all this mean from a scriptural point of view? The fact is that the Jews have gone back to their land in unbelief, and it is well-known that the vast majority there do not practice their religion. Even leaders like Netanyahu quote the Word of God when it suits their purpose, but they neglect that which would condemn them. Their history is referenced to define them and justify their settling in the land of Palestine, but the reasons why they were taken into captivity more than 2500 years ago are seldom mentioned. Likewise, their general feeling of being victims is part of prophecy, although this in no way justifies the actions of those who persecute them. Moses could warn them of the consequences of disobedience, telling them, “I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men,” while Hosea could prophesy, “They shall be wanderers among the nations” (Hos. 9:17). They have indeed been scattered “among the nations” (Deut. 4:27) and have become “a burdensome stone for all people” (Zech. 12:3).
More than this, the Lord Jesus Himself warned that “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). Israel as a nation may have military control of the city of Jerusalem, but they dare not pull down the Mosque of Omar (although Jewish extremists have more than once plotted to blow it up). They live in a state of uncertainty and fear, despite their military power. They will not have the land in peace and safety until the Lord gives it to them, and all this cannot come about until Ezekiel 36:26 is fulfilled: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” It is only when the Lord’s “judgments are in the earth” that “the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9).
The Future Covenant
As to defending themselves without foreign help, Scripture tells us that after the church is taken home to be with the Lord, Israel will eventually make a covenant, not with the U.S., but with “the beast” — the head of the revived Roman Empire. This “covenant with death” (Isa. 28:15) will be for seven years (Dan. 9:27), but after three and a half years the beast will break his covenant, leaving Israel on its own. As a result, the king of the north (called “the desolator” — Dan. 9:27 JND) will come down, who will ravage the land of Israel, cutting off two-thirds of the people (Zech. 13:8). All of their boasted military power will not save them, and the result will be that “she being desolate shall sit upon the ground” (Isa. 3:26). Only a remnant will escape, but then the Lord will appear on their behalf, deal with their enemies, and bring them into millennial blessing.
The Election of Grace
In view of all this, the believer today can view the world scene in intelligence, while realizing that today, God’s message for the Jew is what Paul stated in Romans 10:1: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” It is true that God is preserving “a remnant according to the election of grace” (Rom. 11:5) for earthly blessing, but today God is calling all nations, the Jews as well as the Gentiles, to hear and believe the gospel of the grace of God. While recognizing that the Jews are still God’s chosen people, we also realize that “blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:25). Likewise, while God may honor in an outward way those who are kind to His ancient people, yet they will still find that to involve themselves nationally with Israel is to experience a burdensome stone.
What peace it gives to see God’s purposes being worked out and to know that “in the dispensation of the fullness of times” He will “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth” (Eph. 1:10)! Man’s plans will fail, but God will never be frustrated in His purposes. Israel may reject the gospel today, but as a nation, they are “beloved for the fathers’ sakes” (Rom. 11:28). God has in His purposes the exaltation of His beloved Son, with the blessing of the church in heaven and the blessing of Israel on earth.
W. J. Prost
Yet “a Little While”
Only “a little while,”
A moment it may be,
Ere I shall see Him face to face,
Who died, who lives for me.
Only “a little while”
The wilderness to roam,
And then my Father’s house above,
My dwelling-place, my home.
Only “a little while”
To walk by faith alone,
And then without a veil to see
And know as I am known.
Only “a little while”
To tread the path He trod,
And then the home of rest and joy,
The dwelling-place of God.
Only “a little while,”
Then watching will be o’er,
And we shall see Him face to face,
And worship evermore.
Only “a little while,”
Oh, precious, cheering word!
It may be ere this day shall close
I shall behold my Lord.
Then not “a little while,”
But through eternal days,
To sing the never-ending song
Of tribute to His praise.
L. W.