Turmoil in Israel Part 2 — Promise and Trial

We saw in the last post that man’s fallen nature propels him on a course against the will of God. Whether he realizes it or not he will follow the deception of Satan either to make gods for himself or to assume his own will, making himself his own god. This necessarily pits him against all that is good and right. His delusion is just the opposite. It is remarkable how a great pretense of goodness so often contains a vicious and violent element. Ultimately, thoughts and actions oppose what is really good and right. Man makes for himself a “good” which is really just a satisfaction of his own passions. Thus, he makes himself a slave of sin regardless of pretense.

But, God is not to be overcome. He has a program that unfolds as the “redemptive history” of mankind. During this, He works toward a complete salvation for man through administrative periods we often call “dispensations.” The first of these redemptive periods begins with the revelation of the Victor/Savior in Genesis 3:14–15 and ends when God saw that the earth was “filled with violence” (Gen. 6:13) and destroyed it with the deluge. This constituted the test of mankind with the light of Conscience, Creation, and Revelation. The next dispensation tests mankind under human government (Gen. 9:5) and ends in the idolatry of Babel (Gen. 11:6-8).

The third dispensation tests, not mankind, but a chosen people under God’s special care. This is the period we are reviewing here.¹ 

God calls one individual out of this idolatry (Josh. 24:2-3) to bless him and make a nation of him that would be His witness to the idolatrous world. Not only this, but from this nation He would bring revelation and redemption to the world, as described by the apostle Paul.

They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen

Romans 9:5–6.

.So, God chose Abraham and called him out from the idolatrous Ur of the Chaldees and led him to the land of Canaan. God told Abraham “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” (Gen. 12:1–2) Furthermore, God said to him, “I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.” (Gen. 17:8) It must be noted that this is the land of Canaan and his offspring is Isaac who bore Jacob (also called “Israel”).

The subsequent history of the growth of the nation while in slavery in Egypt, their deliverance under Moses, their entrance and occupation of Canaan, their national development under the Judges and Kings, and finally their failure, dispersion, and partial restoration is given in detail in the Old Testament. Also, the prophets of the Old Testament tell of the eventual restoration to their land and the blessing under the rule of the Christ (“Messiah”) which will bring blessing to the whole world (Gen. 22:18, Isa. 2:2–4, 61:1, 11). This latter blessing is yet future. It is instructive to trace this history but here we must focus on just that aspect that leads to our current turmoil.

We have emphasized that it is man’s independence of God (“You shall be as God”, Gen. 3:5) that led to the downfall in Eden. This same independent spirit led the nation of Israel to eventual ruin and captivity. It is important to emphasize that the Old Testament really chronicles the failure of man, as man, (i.e., the first man–Adam) to serve God faithfully even when specially hedged about with all the “helps” that God could provide. God raised up deliverers. Kings and Priests were given by God. There was the Law for guidance. There was an elaborate ceremonial religious system. There were prophets to warn. Every possible help was given. Yet, even David—a man after God’s heart—stooped to adultery and murder. As far as man is concerned, the lesson of the Old Testament is clearly given in summary by the Psalmist and quoted by the apostle Paul,

None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.

All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Romans 3:10–17.

Clearly, salvation for the nation as well as for any individual—Jew or Gentile—must come from Another (i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ). We shall consider the outcome of the advent of the promised Savior (Messiah) in the next post.

Endnotes

1.  The partitioning here for the redemptive history gains support from the fact that it follows the pattern given in Genesis 1. See the chart “Eternity to Eternity” by A. E. Booth. See also the pamphlet “Key to Booths Chart”. In particular, a dispensation of “innocence” and of “law” do not constitute periods of redemptive history. Worse is the idea that the Millenium somehow constitutes the final dispensation. God’s purpose from the beginning was a complete salvation where righteousness dwells as pictured by the seventh day of Genesis 2. (Acts 2:23; 1 Cor. 15:46; etc.) I cannot spend time in this blog to provide further proof that this is the best way of thinking of the dispensational structure of redemptive history.