HOW
LONG WAS ISRAEL’S ALL DAY LONG?
Pastor
J. C. O’Hair
TRUTH WITHOUT COMPROMISE
Note Romans 10:21: “But to Israel He
saith. All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and
gainsaying people.”
Our question is a most important one for
every Christian who earnestly desires to be a faithful steward of the mysteries
of God, in obedience to I Corinthians 4:1 to 3, and a workman who is unashamed
because he “rightly divides the Word of God.”
“Israel” is truly one of the keys to the
Scriptures. Much of the Bible has to do with the rise and the fall of Israel,
that is, Israel the head, and Israel, the tail. (Deuteronomy 28:13 and 44).
In Deuteronomy 28 we read of Israel above
other nations and then, because of sin, beneath other nations. When Israel is
on top, spiritually, the gospel of the kingdom is preached and the Gentiles are
in subjection to Israel. When Israel is down, as God’s religious nation, the
gospel of the grace of God is preached and the Gentiles are not in subjection
to Israel, as is the case during this present age and economy of grace (Romans
11:11 and 13 - Romans 10:12 - Ephesians 2:13 to 19).
If Israel’s fall brought God’s reign of
grace to and for Gentiles, when did Israel fall? Certainly not when Peter, in
Acts 3:26, said “to you first, Israel,” and certainly not completely when Paul,
in Acts 13:40 and 41, said, “Israel, beware, lest something awful happens to
you,” and not before Acts 13:46, when Paul said, “unto you first, Israel.”
Israel was born in affliction in Egypt.
Israel was supernaturally preserved and delivered. So they are today. But in
spite of God’s wonderful favor and mighty power in Israel’s behalf, they began
to murmur, complain and rebel right after they were delivered from Egypt.
(Exodus 15:24 and 17:3).
Next they were worshipping a golden calf.
God spoke of smiting them as a disobedient, stiff-necked people. But remembered
His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God’s gifts and calling are without
repentance. (Exodus 32:1 to 10 - Romans 11:26 to 29).
For forty years and then for several
centuries God suffered their manners. (Acts 13:18). Then from King Jeroboam
over Israel until Manasseh over Judah, the sin of Israel is told in Jeremiah
17:1: “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a
diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your
altars.”
Then note II Kings 17:23 and II Kings
23:27: “The Lord removed Israel out of His sight.” “So was Israel carried away
out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.” “And the Lord said, I will
remove Judah also out of My sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off
this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name
shall be there.”
Christ told the story of God’s
stiff-necked, gainsaying, disobedient people in Luke 13:34: “O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto
thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth
gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not.”
Then followed the terrible denunciation
of Christ in Matthew 23:27 to 39 and Matthew 21:33 to 46. Christ called them
“serpents” and “vipers.”
Then they killed the Prince of Life.
(Acts 3:12 to 15 - Acts 7:51 to 56). Christ on the cross prayed for their
forgiveness. (Luke 23:34).
Then they were no longer “serpents” and
“vipers.” They were “children.” (Acts 3:25 and 26). Israel’s “all day long” had
not yet ended on the day of Pentecost. They were first. (Acts 3:26). Then
Israel resisted the Holy Spirit and committed the additional sin of I
Thessalonians 2:13 to 15. (Acts 7:51 to 56 - Acts 5:29 to 32 - Acts 13:40 and
41 - Acts 13:45 and 46).
After that something happened to Israel
that brought great blessing to Gentiles. (Romans 11:25). Israel’s “all day
long” did not end with Matthew 12:30 to 32 or Matthew 23:38 and 39 or John
12:37 to 41. For the end of their day read Acts 13:46 - Acts 18:6 - Acts 28:25
to 28 and Romans 11:5 to 15.
Posted By- Cecil and Connie Spivey
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