THE HOPE OF ISRAEL - The Preterist Archive
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THE HOPE OF ISRAEL - The Preterist Archive

THE HOPE OF ISRAEL - The Preterist Archive THE HOPE OF ISRAEL - The Preterist Archive

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70 The Hope of Israel: What Is It? people, unto the land that I do give them, even to the children of Israel" (Josh. 1 :2) . And what was the extent of the territory which God gave to the children of Israel at that time? The next verses answer the question "Every place that the sole of your foot shall : tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast" (vv. 3-4) . Here therefore, we have a record of the fulfilment of the promise, considered as a promise of an earthly possession to an earthly people, in its widest extent. But there are later records which make it yet more certain that nothing remains, of the promise we are considering, for fulfilment to a re-constituted Jewish nation. Thus we read (2 Sam. 8:3) that "David smote also Hadadeger, the son of Rehob, King of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates." This record makes evident that the eastern boundary of the territory of the nation of Israel was the river Euphrates. It shows, moreover, that part of that territory has been wrested from them, and was occupied by the King of Zobah, and that when David defeated the latter he did not conquer alien territory, but merely recovered his own proper "border at the river Euphrates." (See also 1 Chron. 13:3). A little further on we read : "And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms, from the river [i.e., the Euphrates] unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt. . . For he had dominion over all the region on this side of the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side of the river" (1 Ki. 4 :21, 24. See also 2 Chron. 9:26).

The Hope of Israel: What Is It? 71 So much for the "literal" fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham and his "seed." 2. But we learn from the New Testament that God's promise to Abraham, recorded in Genesis 15:18, was much larger than appears from the words in which it was spoken ; and we learn also that, while it had Abraham's natural "seed" immediately in view, its fulness was intended for his spiritual seed. For in Romans 4:9-25 Paul unfolds the great truth that Abraham was, in God's sight and according to His eternal purpose, the father, not only of a natural line of posterity, but also "the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised." And in that connection he refers to the promise we are considering, and says : "For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith" (v. 13). Here we get a view of the vast extent and the true character of this promise; and we see also that the heirs of the promise are, not Abraham's natural descendants, but his spiritual children. And this is confirmed by what is written in Galatians 3 :7. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham"; and in Galatians 3 :29, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." "The promise" referred to in this chapter of Galatians is the promise of Genesis 13:15 and 15:18; and verse 16 contains a very illuminating explanation thereof : "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."

<strong>The</strong> Hope of Israel: What Is It? 71<br />

So much for the "literal" fulfilment of God's promise<br />

to Abraham and his "seed."<br />

2. But we learn from the New Testament that God's<br />

promise to Abraham, recorded in Genesis 15:18, was<br />

much larger than appears from the words in which it<br />

was spoken ; and we learn also that, while it had Abraham's<br />

natural "seed" immediately in view, its fulness<br />

was intended for his spiritual seed.<br />

For in Romans 4:9-25 Paul unfolds the great truth<br />

that Abraham was, in God's sight and according to His<br />

eternal purpose, the father, not only of a natural line<br />

of posterity, but also "the father of all them that believe,<br />

though they be not circumcised." And in that<br />

connection he refers to the promise we are considering,<br />

and says<br />

: "For the promise that he should be the heir<br />

of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed,<br />

through the law, but through the righteousness of<br />

faith" (v. 13).<br />

Here we get a view of the vast extent and the true<br />

character of this promise; and we see also that the<br />

heirs of the promise are,<br />

not Abraham's natural descendants,<br />

but his spiritual children. And this is confirmed<br />

by what is written in Galatians 3 :7. "Know ye<br />

therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the<br />

children of Abraham"; and in Galatians 3 :29, "And if<br />

ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs<br />

according to the promise."<br />

"<strong>The</strong> promise" referred to in this chapter of Galatians<br />

is the promise of Genesis 13:15 and 15:18; and<br />

verse 16 contains a very illuminating explanation<br />

thereof : "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises<br />

made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but<br />

as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."

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