THE HOPE OF ISRAEL - The Preterist Archive

The Hope of Israel: What Is It? 77
In all the above passages, and in all others, so far as
I can find, where the same subject is referred to, it is
always one hope (not two) ,
one kingdom, one gospel,
one salvation, that is spoken of. I deem it of much
importance to establish this; and therefore the main
object of the present inquiry is to ascertain whether
there be any ground in the 0. T. prophecies for the
idea that there is another "hope of Israel," another
kingdom of God (one of earthly character, as some
teach) which will be hereafter given to the Jewish
nation en masse, which has rejected the kingdom of
God, that was preached "to the Jew first."
It is true indeed that in the O. T. Scriptures the
kingdom was promised to Israel only, and the hope was
for Israel only. What God said again and again, in one
form of words and another, is just what He expressed
by the mouth of Isaiah, "I will place salvation in Zion
for Israel My glory" (Isa. 46:13) ;
and it is expressly
reaffirmed in the N. T. that to them (Israelites) pertain
the adoption, the glory, the covenants and the promises"
(Rom. 9:4, 5).
But while this is the truth concerning the promised
kingdom, it is not all the truth. For when Christ came,
the natural Israel parted in twain. It divided itself
into two parts, one of which (a small remnant) accepted
Christ, and the other rejected Him. The latter
part embraced the mass of the nation; whereas the
former was "a very small remnant" indeed, as it is
written, "He came unto His own, and His own received
Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave
He power to become the sons of God" (i. e., children
of God, and if children then heirs, John 1 :11, 12; Bom.
8:17).