and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them."1 2 In the history of Israel we have an illustration of all the great doctrines of the Gospel, with one exception. In the call of Abraham, while serving other gods, and his justification, we have the fundamental doctrine of election and justification by faith. In the deliverance of Israel, their being brought into covenant with God, their journey in the wilderness, their food, their water, and their rest, we have an exhibition of the life of a Christian, with the end of his faith. In the Spirit remaining among the Israelites, we have an emblem of the true Israel being the temple of the living God." In short, every doctrine of the Gospel, with the exception of that of the perseverance of the saints, is illustrated by the history of Israel. When we lift up our eyes to Israel's perpetual desolations, and observe that they have been so many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, we might suppose that God had for ever cast them off, and that he will be favourable to them no more. But it is not so. They have not stumbled that they should fall. True, the vail which Moses put over his face, remains upon their heart in the reading of the Old Testament; but the vail shall yet be taken away, and in the unvailed face of Jesus, they shall behold the glory of the Lord, and be changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. "The Lord will not forsake his people, for His great name's sake; because it hath pleased Him to make them his people."4 "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance." 11 5 The words of Jesus, when he wept over the city, clearly intimate its restoration, and that it is not for ever forsaken. Once more, it is written," the Lord shall 6 1 Jer. xxxiii. 24-26. 2 Hag. ii. 5. 3 2 Cor. vi. 16. 4 1 Sam. xii. 22. 5 Rom. xi. 29. inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again." "1 And to prove that such was the case, was one end of the commandment to begin at Jerusalem. 7th, Another reason intimately connected with the former, was the fulfilment of what is written in the law of Moses. The whole harvest was the Lord's; but the children of Israel were not commanded to present the whole. They were to bring a sheaf of the first fruits to be waved before the Lord. The Apostle refers to the offering of the first fruits which sanctified the whole harvest; and in exact correspondence with this, the Lord commanded the Gospel to be first preached at Jerusalem, for the purpose of gathering in a kind of first fruits of the nation, in token of the mercy in reserve for them, when the Deliverer shall come out of Zion, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob when "the natural branches shall be graffed into their own olive tree," and faithful Abraham shall once more acknowledge them as his children. Notwithstanding their many provocations, the Lord reserved for himself a remnant in every age, proving that they were not utterly rejected, and finally commanded the Apostles to begin to preach the Gospel at Jerusalem, to intimate his purpose of mercy towards them, notwithstanding all their wickedness. In accordance with this, the Apostle alleges his own case, as a proof that God had not cast away his people; and if an individual was a proof of this, much more the many ten thousands who believed through the preaching of the Apostles at Jerusalem. 8th, Another reason for beginning at Jerusalem is, that although in the kingdom of God no man is known after the 1 Zech. ii. 12. 2 Exod. xxiii. 19. 3 Lev. xxiii. 10, 11. 5 James i. 18)) 6 Rom. xi 1. flesh; though there is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free; in consequence of God's regard for Israel, it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to them, Acts xiii. 46. Hence we read, that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, "to the Jew first ;" and therefore the commandment was issued that the Apostles should begin at Jerusalem. Thus we see, that the commandment given to begin at Jerusalem answered various important ends. It afforded a demonstration of the truth of the Gospel; it showed God's patience and long-suffering towards his ancient people, and was a pledge of their restoration. It exhibited the infinite perfection of the sacrifice offered upon Calvary, which removes sin of the deepest dye; it was also a fulfilment of prophecy, and of the types and figures which went before. But, in connexion with this, let us not overlook the se verity of God. For eighteen hundred years, the nation of Israel has been subjected to the most awful judgments. Their wickedness in crucifying Jesus was very great; but still, peace and pardon were proclaimed to them through His blood. Instead, however, of the goodness of God leading them to repentance, they set themselves by every means in their power to prevent the progress of the Gospel. They persecuted the Apostles,—forbidding them to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, and thus filled up the measure of their iniquities; so that wrath came upon them to the uttermost. To this hour, they are fugitives and wanderers upon the face of the earth, and so shall they continue till they shall say, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord,"—thus acknowledging that the Stone which the builders set at nought, is indeed the Head of the corner. END. |