The Hope of Israel, or, The Restoration of the Jews, Part of the Divine Scheme and an Element of the Gospel, continued

It would be difficult to give more emphatic expression to the idea of a special, deliberate, and unconditional selection by God of the Jews as a people to Himself. Who may cavil at it? " Hath not the potter power over the clay? " Hath not the Eternal Creator, in His infinite wisdom, the right to develop His own plans in His own way? The selection of the Jews is one feature of the plan which He has conceived in relation to this world. This is incontestably proved by the testimonies adduced. Nothing can undo that selection. " The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. " The Jews themselves cannot nullify the decree. They may bring upon themselves, as they have done, the divine displeasure and the divine affliction by their sins, but they cannot alter their position before God as His chosen nation. The very punishments which they have endured for many generations are proof of the divine speciality of their national character. " You only have I known of all the families of the earth; THEREFORE I will punish you for all your iniquities. " This is the language of Jehovah toward them in Amos 3v 2; the very calamities which have befallen them are proofs of divine supervision and dealing. At present, they are in dispersion, because of their iniquities, but not for ever cast off, as the common idea is. Paul says, in Rom. 11v 2, " God hath not cast away. His people which He foreknew. " The testimony of Jeremiah is still stronger. In chapter 30v 11, we read:--

" Though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee; but I will CORRECT thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. "

The national sufferings of Israel are but the measured correction to which God is subjecting them; they are not evidence that God has finally rejected them. The language of Jehovah, in Jeremiah 33v 24-26, would imply that some, in ancient times, took a contrary view, and contended, as many who call themselves Christians now do, that God had for ever disowned His people, and intended their destruction. The answer is sublimely emphatic:--

" Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the Lord hath chosen He hath even cast them off. Thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them. Thus saith the Lord, if my covenant be NOT with day and night, and if I have NOT appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, THEN will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David my servant. "

Again, in Micah 4v 11, 12, we read: --

" Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they His counsel; for He shall gather them (the nations) as the sheaves into the floor. Arise, and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass, and thou shalt beat in pieces many people. "

Again, in Jeremiah 51v 20:--

" Thou art my battle-axe and weapons of war; for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms. "

These are the very words of the Almighty. They show us that though the Jews are now in a very feeble and degraded condition, they are destined to be the breakers of all kingdoms under heaven. So that even Britain herself, with all her national sensitiveness and pride, will have to submit to them, or be shivered by the stone which shall then be made the head of the comer.

At present, the Jews are suffering as a punishment for their sins. This. was foreshewn by all the prophets. The predictions are too well known to require quoting. The evidence of their truthfulness is before our eyes. We see it in the wide-spread dispersion of the nation which. was once the sovereign people of the word; we behold it in the ignominy of their social position wherever they are to be found, and in the reproaches and insults which the mocking Gentiles heap upon them. Deep and heavy has been their draught of the cup of cursing and woe, at the hands of the Avenger. They cried, " His blood be on us and on our children, " and with blood and fire has their terrible invocation returned into their bosoms. But are there no brighter days for Israel? Are their calamities to have no end? Is Jehovah's anger to burn against them for ever? Let us hear the prophet:--

" Thus saith the Lord, like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people so will 1 bring upon them ALL THE GOOD THAT I HAVE PROMISED THEM " (Jer. 32v 42).

Here is a complete answer to the question. Its affirmation is that good will succeed the evil which is now upon them, which implies that the present time of national adversity will come to an end. Let it further be noted, that the good predicted is declared to have been " promised " : " All the good that 1 have promised them. " Now the question immediately suggested by the consideration of this statement is, " what good has been promised them? " In answer to this, we read in Jeremiah 33v 14, 16:--

" Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform THAT GOOD THING which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow up unto David: and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely. "

Here the " good thing promised " is briefly summarised. Its two main features are,--a king to execute judgment and righteousness in the land and the salvation of Judah and Jerusalem in his' day. This is neither more nor less than a promise of the Messiah to rescue them from their enemies, and to recover them from the oppressions to which they have been subject for ages, a promise which is repeated in the following words, in Ezekiel 37v 22:--

" I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations. "

It is important to note the second element in the good thing promised: " In these days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely. " It must be evident to the most obtuse intellect, that these days are yet to come; for, at present there is no Messiah executing judgment in the promised land, and no dwelling safely of Judah and Jerusalem, and never has there been such a state of things. Yet the promise is that this " good thing " shall " come to pass, " with all the certainty of the evil which has overtaken the nation; and this promise is not confined to this part of Scripture, nor restricted .to this language. We read in Jeremiah 31v 28:--

" It shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down,-and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict, so will I watch over them, to build and to plant, saith the Lord. "

This is to be in the days of the Righteous Branch, when " he shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth " for we find in Jeremiah 3v 17, 18, as follows:--

" At that time, they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it; to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem, neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. IN THOSE DAYS, the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel; and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. "