The Messiah and the Covenants of Israel

The Church and the Abrahamic Covenant

A Comparison of Israel and the Church (Continued)

(ix)                   Under the dispensation of the Law, the Spirit of God came upon an individual Israelite on rare occasions. The bulk of the population knew nothing of the anointing of the Spirit. Those selected for special service received special equipping but all others were strangers to a personal anointing. Moreover, the Spirit would withdraw as soon as the service was completed. In contrast the Christian is not only begotten of the Spirit[1] but indwelt by the Spirit; in truth, it is the main evidence of his/her salvation.[2]

 (x)   For one and a half millennia the Law of Moses was Israel’s rule of daily life. It is written: “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them.” (Ps 103:17-18)

 Unlike this, the members of Christ’s Body, are “not under law but under grace”. (Rom.6.14) This does not mean there is nothing expected of the Christian – but it is phrased more like a request than a command. For example, Romans 12.1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service”.

 (xi) The weakness of the dispensation of Law was that it provided no assistance to the child of Abraham to fulfill its commands. Consequently, its failure was inevitable because of weakness of the flesh.[3] The children of God, in contrast, receive additional resources to meet every expectation placed on them. The indwelling Spirit of God has access to the riches of grace, and makes them available to the believer who wishes to draw on them.[4]

 (xii)                 After His final visit to the Temple, Jesus spoke of the future that Israel would suffer in light of His rejection. It would be one of exile and persecution, culminating in a period of tribulation which would only end when the nation’s leaders would recognize His Messianic claim and call for Him to rescue them.[5]

 On the other hand, in a totally different vein, the night before His execution, He spoke to the disciples of the future for his followers. In their life they might face difficulties, but they would have the aid of the ‘Comforter’ who would strengthen them, guide them, and teach them. Furthermore, for every one who died they would be received into the immediate presence of the Messiah. The future for them was the same whether they lived or died, they would know the immediate presence of God.

When these two discourses are put side by side they demonstrate the wide differences that exist between Israel and the Church.

(xiii)               As seen in His words specifically addressed to Israel, Christ returns to her as her King in power and great glory,[6] at which time she will be gathered from every part of the earth by angelic ministration and into her own land.[7]

Over against these great events promised to Israel is the return of Christ for His own Bride, when He takes her with Him into heaven’s glory ,[8] where the marriage will take place.[9]

(xiv)               Isaiah declared, “But thou, Israel, art my servant” (Isa. 41:8). Though individuals in Israel attained to great usefulness, as did the prophets, priests, and kings, yet they never reached a higher distinction than that they were the servants of Jehovah.

Contrariwise, the individuals who compose the Church, while they do serve, are not classed as servants, but are members of the family of God, are ‘in Christ’ and betrothed to Him.

(xv)                 When Jesus returns and sets up His throne in Jerusalem He will reign over Israel as absolute sovereign and the Jewish people will be His subjects. In this task he will be assisted (not that He needs assistance!) by David[10] and the apostles that accompanied Him at the time of His first coming.[11] Those of the elect nation are appointed to be subjects in His earthly kingdom.

The reign of the Messiah from His throne in Jerusalem will also extend to all nations and it will be the Church (the Bride of Christ) who will co-reign with Him over the Gentile nations.[12]

(xvi)               The arrangements in Israel included the separation of the descendents of Aaron to form the Aaronic priesthood. They were responsible for intercession for both the nation and individual Israelites. No-one else was allowed to usurp the sacerdotal duties that rightfully belonged to the priesthood.

The Church on the other hand is totally populated by those who are priests, that is, they do not need an intermediary but are able to enter the presence of God directly.[13]  

(xvii)             The Aaronic High Priest of Israel could only have access into the immediate presence of God once a year and that with limitations.[14] The Melchizedekian High Priest of the Church, Jesus, is in the presence of the Father continually as her advocate, intercessor and representative.

(xviii)           At no time could the High Priest invite another Israelite to enter the Holy of Holies in Temple or Tabernacle, but Jesus because His sacrifice was accepted ‘once and for all’, through the inspired writer, offers that invitation. “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession (and) let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  (Heb 4:14-16)

(xix)               As a nation, Israel is likened by Jehovah to His wife—a wife untrue and yet to be restored.[15] In marked distinction to this situation respecting Israel, is the revelation that the Church is to Christ as an espoused virgin to be married in heaven.[16]

From the foregoing, it is evident that there are significant differences between the natural ‘seed’ of Abraham, the ethnic group that is Israel; and the ‘seed’ of Abraham, the Church, constituted so by faith.

Next Time - Similarities

---

[1] John 3.1-8

[2] Rom. 8:9

[3] Rom.8.3

[4] Phil.4.19

[5] The Olivet discourse – Matt.23.37-25.46

[6] Matt.24.30; Mark 13.26; Luke 21.27

[7] Deut. 30:1–8; Jer. 23:7–8; Matt. 24:31

[8] 2 Cor.11.2; John 14.1-3

[9] Rev.19.6-8

[10] Ezek.37.21-28

[11] Matt.19.28

[12] Rev.20.4-6

[13] John 16.23

[14] See chapter 15 and 16 in ‘The Messiah and the Feasts of Israel’ by the same author.

[15] Jer. 3:1, 14, 20; 31.31-34; Ezek. 16:1–59; Hos. 2:1–23; Isa. 54:1–17; cf. Gal. 4:27

[16] 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7–9

The Messiah & the Covenants of Israel (Continued)

The Church and the Abrahamic Covenant

Let us compare and contrast Israel and the Church

This comparison is needed because Abraham is the father of the Hebrew race, and also considered to be Father of the faithful.[1] First the differences:

(i)                       Israel’s future blessings are situated on earth, whereas the Church’s future blessings are situated in heaven. In His wisdom God provides a place for Israel on earth. Designated under the Abrahamic Covenant, they will fully occupy the Promised Land during the millennial reign of the Messiah, and even when there is a new heaven and a new earth; Israel’s distant future will still be on earth, that is, the new earth that John saw.

In contrast, God provides a heavenly future for the Church. It is true that there will be duties on earth for the Church during the millennial reign of Christ but her citizenship is in heaven, and that will be her home when the heavens are recreated. The first difference then is this: Israel’s future is tied to earth, whereas the Church’s future is tied to heaven.

(ii)                     While Abraham is set forward in Scripture as Father to Israel and also Father of the faithful, it is significant that his seed is described under two figures.  The dust of the earth (Gen.13.16), and the stars of heaven (Gen.15.5) surely reflecting that every provision for the nation of Israel is terrestrial, even to the degree of inheriting a homeland on the renewed earth; whereas the provisions for the Church are mainly celestial.

The two posterities of the Abrahamic covenant are given by Paul, “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.” (Rom. 4:16)

(iii)          Israelites become what they are by physical birth. They are members of the Hebrew race if their parents were Hebrews, or at least one parent. It is automatic. Paul suggested he could have boasted of his lineage for he was a ‘Hebrew of Hebrews’, that is, both his mother and father were Hebrews. There is even a suggestion that all four grandparents were also Hebrews. The point is that it is natural generation; they are each one begotten of human parents.

Christians become what they are by spiritual birth. They are ‘born of God’ and are therefore His legitimate offspring. A Jew is a child of Abraham, but a Christian (whether Jew or Gentile) is a child of God.

(i)                      This means that Abraham is the head of the Jewish race. They are Abraham’s children whereas Christ is the head of the Church. They are God’s children.

(ii)                    God has made several covenants with the nation of Israel, and He will yet make another covenant, the New Covenant with them,[2] which will replace the Mosaic Covenant. However, the benefits of the New Covenant are currently enjoyed by the Church. The blessings of the New Covenant are future for Israel, but present for the Church.

(vii)         Israel is a nation, and fits in among the nations of the world. The Church is not a nation, indeed is made up of people from all nations,[3] including Israel, and has no citizenship here, “for our citizenship is in heaven”. (Phil. 3:20) The members of the Church are considered pilgrims and strangers on the earth.

(viii)        In the purposes of God, Israel was appointed to be a witness to the one and only true God. They were to demonstrate that “righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people”, (Prov. 14:34) and by it exercise an influence over the nations of the earth. They should have been a light to the Gentiles, long before the Messiah was born.

The Psalmist captured this aspect exactly. (Ps.67.1-7)“God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, And govern the nations on earth. Selah Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us, And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.” (Psalm 67:1-7)

This will be accomplished in a coming age; nevertheless historically there was very little missionary undertaking. The rules of separation were so enforced that generally Gentiles were disparaged as the ‘uncircumcised’. Mostly Israel faced inward toward the tabernacle or temple and nearly all her prayers were of the ‘bless me and mine’ category.

In contra-distinction to this, immediately upon her formation, the Church was constituted a foreign missionary society. It is true that it took some divine intervention to give it momentum; nevertheless, we are indebted to the early Church for the Biblical pattern of missionary evangelism, a pattern that has been taken up many times. The Church recognizes her obligation to evangelize the people of the earth in each generation.

(ix)                   To Israel God is known by His primary titles, but not as the Father of the individual Israelite. In distinction to this, the Christian is actually begotten of God and has every right to address Him as Father.

(x)                     To Israel, Christ is Messiah, Immanuel, and King with all that those titles imply. To the Church, Christ is Savior, Lord, Bridegroom, and Head. Jesus is King of Israel but Lord of the Church. He is not King of the Church.

More comparisons next time:

---

[1] These comparisons are based on those included in Lewis Sperry Chafer’s Systematic Theology  (1993). Originally published: Dallas, Tex. : Dallas Seminary Press, 1947-1948. (4:47). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.

[2] The timing of the Covenant is suggested by Rom.11.26,27

[3] Rev.5.9

The Messiah and the Covenants of Israel (Continued)

The Church and the Abrahamic Covenant

The Church and the ‘Seed’ Aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant

It is clear from Scripture that part of the covenant purpose for the ‘seed’ or posterity of Abraham was:

a.                         to produce a nation that could be segregated, educated and trained to worship and serve the one and only God. They were to be the trail-blazers of monotheism.

b.                        to understand the principles of righteousness.

c.                         to be a ‘sign’ nation for all other nations in respect of monotheism and righteousness.

d.                        to receive and protect the future Savior of the human race.

How successful were they? Answer: very successful:

(i)                      they embraced segregation wholeheartedly, and committed themselves to following the principles and precepts laid down for them by the God they worshiped and served.

(ii)                    their offerings and festivals demonstrated what was required to be accepted before a righteous God. Moreover, their writings gave such principles a voice, which could be heard by those who would take time to listen.

(iii)                  that they became a ‘sign’ nation has also been evident. They have survived against all odds, and those that have cursed them have themselves been cursed.

(iv)                  and whatever else you say about the generations that were contemporary with the Messiah, Israel did provide an environment where He, a sinless law abiding individual, could grow up and follow the code of righteousness without being the object of foolish curiosity and scrutiny. Apart from the opposition of Herod the Great at His birth, He spent the first thirty years in relative anonymity, just as was intended.

 

Furthermore, it was intended that after the nation had received their Messiah and the Messianic kingdom was a reality, they would continue with the essentials expressed above. The New Covenant would be in place, and they would be the evidence to the world that the Lord was a covenant keeping God, and that under His reign, government would be righteous and equitable; all people would be treated equally, and none would be disadvantaged. Unfortunately, for the people of Israel, the decision taken by their national leaders has delayed for them the implementation of the Messianic kingdom and the New Covenant. Nevertheless, God’s purposes continue to be fulfilled. The Abrahamic Covenant being an eternal covenant is still in place, which means that the nation of Israel still holds the privileged position of being the ‘seed’ to which the foundational covenant applies.

But since ‘seed’ singular is also taken by Paul to refer to the Messiah, and He has already come, then for the nation of Israel as well as the Church, the main element of the ‘seed’ aspect has been fulfilled. And even though the Church comes into blessing under the Abrahamic Covenant, at no time do its Gentile members become Jews and the ‘seed’ of Abraham in the natural sense.

More Next Time :