THE HOPE OF ISRAEL - The Preterist Archive

The Hope of Israel: What Is It? 79
deranges the whole scheme of prophecy. For it necessitates
that time and place be made in the future for
another (an "earthly") kingdom and another people
of God (an "earthly" people.)
THE SURE MERCIES OP DAVID
In a preceding chapter (chap. V) it was pointed out
that Moses, the founder of the Jewish nation, clearly
foretold its apostasy and its complete extermination;
even describing the characteristics of the people
(the Romans) whom God would use as the instruments
of His vengeance.
The next prophet of note after Moses, who has written
concerning the kingdom of God, the hope of Israel,
is Israel's great King, David. His prophecies, however,
are so numerous that it would not be possible within
the limit of this volume to examine them. Moreover,
the greater part of them are couched in language so
poetical and figurative, so abounding in imagery which
is obscure to us, as to require much patient investigation
in order to establish the character of their fulfilment.
But it is only their general purport that we
need to ascertain at present; and happily that has
been given to us in a single, comprehensive utterance,
from the lips of the apostle Paul, spoken in a Jewish
synagogue :
"And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise
which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same
unto us their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again;
as it is also written in the second Psalm. . . . And as concerning
that He raised Him up from the dead. . . . He said on this wise,
I will give you the sure mercies of David" (Ac. 13:32-34).
These words plainly declare that the promise, which
God had made to the fathers of Israel, He had fulfilled