KINGDOM - OLOGY 29

The Triumph Through Contingency in Relation to the Mediatorial Kingdom  

         In the beginning God created man in His own image and likeness and placed him in a paradise where He could reveal to Him His glory and enjoy the blessed privilege of personal communion and free response to the revelation of His will (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:8-17; 3:8). In order to give complete expression to the exercise of freedom in response to His will, He placed one restriction upon mankind (Gen. 2:16-17). Satanic influence impelled the man to exercise his will in the wrong way, and in doing so he plunged the whole human race into sin. But this was already anticipated in the plans of God for mankind. He was determined to establish a kingdom in the earth in which He could display the full range of His glory in the person of His Son in the midst of a society made over the pattern of His Son that could apprehend, appreciate and applaud that glory.

            God placed such high value on His image in man that He not only permitted mankind to continue the exercise of free will, but He also initiated a program of redemption that would win the exercise of free will toward Himself. His grace would rescue them from divine wrath and at last work in them all the good pleasure of His will (Gen. 3:15, 21; Eph. 2:8-10). His image marred by sin would be restored in men and raised to even a higher level like to that of His dear Son (Rom. 8:29). Though there was apparent temporary failure in the divine program among the Gentile nations, God made provisional arrangement to carry out His purpose by electing one nation through which He could work. To Abraham He made promise and sealed it with an oath, a promise and an oath which not only extended to the people, but also to the place where they were to dwell (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:1-18; 17:1-8; Heb. 6:16-18). And He confirmed this covenant to Isaac (Gen. 26:3), and to Jacob (Gen. 50:24).

            With God there is no turning back from this promise and oath (Num. 23:19). The Lord hath sworn and will not repent (Ps. 110:4). The Psalmist breaks forth in song: “I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generation . . . My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven” (Ps. 89:3-4, 34-37). Over and over and over again

in the Old Testament Scriptures reference is made to this promise and oath as it involves the people and the land where they are to dwell. The New Testament, as well, makes reference to this everlasting covenant (Luke 1:731; Acts 2:29-32; 7:17; Heb. 6:16-18; 7:21). Three of those references indicate that the covenant is in force even after the beginning of the Church.

            Thus, it becomes clear that even the human factor which developed in Israel does not invalidate the promise and oath (Gal. 3:16-17). The promise was unconditional and therefore will yet be fulfilled. Israel sinned and it was therefore necessary to postpone the fulfillment of the promise. But its fulfillment is certain and will yet be carried to fruition through the medium of redemption in which God will turn away ungodliness from Jacob and all Israel shall be saved (Rom. 11:25-27). That explains why James was able to settle the first controversy in the Church by reference to the prophetic program for Israel: “Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up” (Acts 15:14-16). God is not through with Israel, and the method of reaching the Gentiles with the Gospel of grace apart from the law is in order.

            “Blindness in part has happened to Israel until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Rom. 11:25). Then Christ will come. In a mighty demonstration of power He will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Zech. 12:8; 14:2-3), and “they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one moumeth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that hour God will pour out upon them the spirit of grace and supplication” (Zech. 12:18), and there shall break from their lips that confession written into the prophecy of Isaiah long ago: “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:2-6). In that hour a nation will be born at once (Isa. 66:8). In that hour the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and the members of the house of Israel will go forth and grow up as calves of the stall, and they shall tread down the wicked (Mal. 4:2-3). The hearts of the fathers shall be turned to the children, and the hearts of the children shall be turned to the fathers (Mal. 4:6). "And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one" (Zech. 14:9).

            There will then be the fulfillment of eternal purpose in the earth. The long awaited King will have returned to sit upon the throne of His glory (Matt. 25:31). And the whole earth will shine with His glory (Ezek. 43:2).

            In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, “Holiness Unto The Lord; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take them, and see the therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts" (Zech. 14:20-21). He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with, fruit (Isa. 27:6).

            The people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth (Ps. 110:3).

            Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying We will go with thee; for we have heard that God is with you (Zech. 8:23).

            The very thought of this amazing accomplishment, as the apostle Paul views the converging of all these lines of development at the end of the age, prostrates him before the Lord in worship: “And so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory forever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:26-36).