Israel, the Sand of the Seashore
(Romans 9-11)
Many Christians miss the point respecting “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth.” We know that when the kingdom comes, Israel is to be a blesser to the nations, not only one of the nations being blessed.
We might ask the question, “Who first preached the Gospel of the kingdom?” It was neither Jesus, nor was it the apostles. It was preached by God, “God, foreseeing that he would justify the heathen through faith, preached the Gospel unto Abraham saying, “In thy seed shall all nations be blessed” (Genesis 22:17-18, Galatians 3:8).
Paul in Romans begins with a focus on the spiritual seed in this promise, leaving open the question, Where is the place for Abraham in this promise? Part of the promise was to inherit the land, yet according to Steven, Acts 7:5 (NAS) “And he gave him [Abraham] no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground.” The promise to Abraham was repeated several times, but what does it mean that Abraham’s seed would be multiplied as the stars of heaven and the sand of the seashore? Is this promise talking only about the great number of the promised seed, or is it saying that part of the seed would be in heaven and part on earth? Or is it both?
Stars of Heaven and Sand of the Seashore, Heavenly and Earthly
The promise will include both, not only the multiplying number, but also the two portions to the heavenly and earthly seed. When God repeated this promise to Jacob, in Genesis 28:14, He said, “In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”
Through the angel, God renamed Jacob “Israel,” and the promise of this blessing was also to his posterity. If we incorrectly assume that this promise to Jacob is only a “bridge,” with the intention of bringing in the spiritual seed, where does Jacob fit in? He was also to be a blesser.
When God was speaking to Moses about entering Canaan, He said, “you are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude” Deuteronomy 1:10. In this case “stars of heaven” describes the multitude of the children of Israel as they were ready to enter the Promised Land. But this description may also refer to spiritual Israel about to enter into a spiritual rest, the spiritual Canaan.
Jesus was pictured by Moses in the “baptism” through the Red Sea (R5963). Israel in a sense had a veiled suggestion respecting the first call to be a spiritual seed when they were mentioned as “a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:5-6).
The Apostle Paul specifically referred to the resurrection of the church members as “one star differing from another in glory.” But we might ask, “Is a star considered a great multitude, especially if the church is a specified number of 144,000 — a smaller number?”
Brother Russell (R2067) addresses this question setting out that the great multitude, the Great Company (Revelation 7:9), are part of the “stars of heaven” in the Abrahamic promise, comprising this multitude. This Great Company is not a restitution earthly class, but a spiritual class. So the promise to Abraham was that his seed, his posterity, would be not only like the stars of heaven, spiritual, but also like the sand of the seashore, earthly.
ISRAEL “CAST OFF”
In the New Testament, natural Israel is “cast off.” The Apostle Paul argues effectively in Galatians 4:10, “You observe days and months, seasons and years, and then you go down and you want to be under the law. Do you not listen to the law?”
He uses Hagar, the bondwoman, the mother of Ishmael, who was cast out by Sarah, who was cast off by Abraham, as an illustration to describe how Israel was cast off.
Paul’s point was that the Jewish Christians could not come to Christ or gain salvation by trying to keep the law covenant, and neither could Gentiles benefit by coming into Christ if they tried to keep or observe the law. This is the whole point of Galatians.
Paul was not negating the promises to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob. Rather, he was showing that the law once profited Israel in bringing them to Messiah, but it could no longer profit. Once Jews are in Christ, they could not benefit from keeping the details of the law to improve their relationship with God. This is not to suggest that keeping the Ten Commandments is no longer required. Rather the Apostle Paul is referring to the details of observing the Sabbaths, holy days, months, seasons, and years.
YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE
What did Jesus mean when he said, “Behold, your house has been left unto you desolate?” (Matthew 23:38). The fulfillment is evident, but that is not the end of the story. Jesus then said, “For I say unto you, you shall not see me henceforth until you say, ‘Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.’ ”
Clearly, there is an implication in this that Israel is going to have an opportunity to respond positively, to be blessed. Not only that they are going to again be a people of God, but their words, “Blessed is he” implies that they are also going to be a blesser. Israel will be received again, and brought back into favor under a New Covenant and a better mediator.
Paul expands on this in Romans 11. He opens by saying that God has not totally cast off his people. He says, “I am also in Israel, and of the seed of Abraham.” Later he uses the analogy of the root of the Abrahamic promise with its branches. Israel did not obtain the spiritual opportunity as a nation (Romans 11:7). Only the “election” has received it. The rest were “blinded” or “hardened.”
Today, Israel is broken off from the root of the Abrahamic promise (Romans 11:17). Today, Gentiles are being grafted into this relationship. Verse 18 shows that you and I, who are Gentiles, should not boast against the branches, for God is able to re-graft natural Israel (Romans 11:22, 23). The Jewish people had advantages, and while Gentiles are now coming in, the Gentiles have to be careful that they do not think of themselves too highly above the Jewish people because the Jewish people could easily be re-grafted in. Paul concludes by writing about a “fullness of the Gentiles,” (Romans 11:25) marking a time limit to Israel’s blindness.
A DELIVERER OUT OF ZION
“There will come a deliverer out of Zion who shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” Romans 11:25 tells us that partial blindness, or hardness, has happened to Israel until “the fullness of the Gentiles” be come in. Then Romans 11:26 promises that all Israel shall be saved. This suggests that the church, part of the deliver, has a unique relationship with the nation of Israel, as well as the Ancient Worthies.
What is our relationship? The word we could choose for this is co-laborers. We will see both the nation of Israel, and the Ancient Worthies, as co-laborers on behalf of God’s work through Christ for the world (Romans 11:20, 29). Israel is beloved for their father’s sake, for the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable.
The prophet Isaiah said, “and it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain (kingdom) of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow unto it for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:2-4). The capital of the earthly phase of God’s kingdom is identified as Jerusalem, and the nations will learn about the God of Jacob. By teaching the nations about their God, Israel will be blessing them. That will be their privilege.
“THEY ARE NOT ALL ISRAEL”
Paul’s purpose in writing Romans 9 and 10 was to explain that a portion, though not all, of fleshly Israel now were dissociated from the promises, “for they are not all Israel which are of Israel” (Romans 9:6, 7). Israel as a nation stumbled and only a remnant would be saved (Romans 9:27).
“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved … for they being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God … [for] Christ is an end of the law” (Romans 10:1-4). Furthermore, quoting Deuteronomy 32, God will make Israel jealous by that which is not a nation, i.e. by the Gentiles (Romans 10:19).
But notice how Paul concludes Romans 10, and then opens Romans 11, “I say then God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew … Israel is beloved for the sake of their fathers, for the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable” (See also R4624).
In Galatians, Paul focuses on Sarah (with the seed of promise) and Hagar. Sarah is the main source of blessing. One cannot come into Christ as a result of the old Law Covenant, pictured by Hagar. “To Abraham and his seed were the promises made, He saith not into seeds of many, but as of one, to thy seed which is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). The seed of Abraham has two channels, the heavenly stars and the earthly sands.
Sarah, the Spiritual part of the covenant
Sarah is the main feature of the promise through which the stars are developed. The Abrahamic covenant will bless the world through the New Covenant. Natural Israel will also be developed under the New Covenant and help the rest of the world. “Hagar” was added to lead Israel to the Messiah, to Christ. This was a temporary arrangement that was not going to carry Israel into the kingdom.
The law was added 430 years after the promise to Abraham, but it does not annul the promise made to Abraham (Galatians 3:17). The law brought only a remnant to Christ. The New Covenant will replace the Law Covenant with better sacrifices, and a better mediator. It will accomplish what the law failed to do. (See Overland Monthly, page 89, where Brother Russell has a series of 12 articles dealing with the nation of Israel.)
EASIER FOR TYRE, SIDON, AND SODOM
Jesus said, “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida!” (Matthew 11:20-24). He added that it would be easier for Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom than these cities of Galilee where Jesus had performed miracles, and yet the people rejected him. He said, “You know, if this was done in Sodom, they would be here to this day, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes if they saw what you saw. It will be more tolerable for them in the Day of Judgment.”
Does this mean that these degraded Gentiles will be above Israel in the kingdom? Will they be blessed first, perhaps even blessers in some way? The answer is, “No.”
Jesus was speaking about specific individuals in those cities of Galilee where he personally preached and performed miracles. He was not speaking about the entire nation. Some of these ones who personally heard Jesus hardened their hearts. They will be correspondingly at a disadvantage in the kingdom.
In Ezekiel 16 Jerusalem is compared with Sodom and Samaria. Ezekiel 16:49 refers to the iniquity of thy “sister” Sodom. They were sisters in crime. But this is not the end. Ezekiel 16:60-63 says, “Nevertheless, I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you for then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters and I will give them to you as daughters but not because of your covenant, [your Old Law Covenant]. And thus I will establish my covenant [the New Covenant] with you and you shall know that I am the Lord” (NAS.)
This describes the relationship of Jerusalem to a destroyed city. It calls them “sisters.” God says he is going to give that sister, or those sisters, to Jerusalem, to the people of Judah. In other words, Sodom will be like a daughter to Jerusalem when under the New Covenant. Jerusalem will do what mothers do for their daughters, bless and help them.
YE SHALL BE COMFORTED IN JERUSALEM
As a mother blesses, Israel will benefit and bless the world in a wider sense, nurturing, teaching, and feeding. In Isaiah 66 the prophecies about Jerusalem focus on how she will nurse the Gentiles and therefore bless them (see R5574).
Zechariah 8:13 says, “It shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.” Israel has been scattered among the nations of Christendom, but in the kingdom, as the sand of the seashore, Israel will be able to bless those nations.
God has scattered Israel, and when the world comes back in the kingdom, many Israelites will be sympathetic to the lands where they lived. They will know how to work with those people.
“At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart” (Jeremiah 3:17). This applies to the Gentiles, as the world’s capital, Jerusalem, will be the official center for the blessing of the world.
“The Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the brightness of thy rising” (Isaiah 60:3). Bringing the light of truth to the world will truly be a blessing. The Gentiles who desire to have a blessing will have to come to Israel. “Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you’ ” (Zechariah 8:22, 23).
They will come to Israel and ask, “Why are they so successful?” The answer will be that the Ancient Worthies will guide them. The Ancient Worthies will help to guide the entire world.
OUR PRESENT RESPONSIBILITY
When will Israel be ready to bless the world? What is our relationship? We aspire to be a part of the stars of heaven and we will be working with Israel, the sand of the seashore. Paul says, “through your mercy they also may obtain mercy” (Romans 11:31).
What is our present responsibility to the natural seed of Abraham? Isaiah 40:1, 2 is helpful. It applies to the church in offering comfort to Israel after their double of disfavor ended in 1878, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.” We can now speak encouragingly to Israel, “Believe your prophets, follow the call back to the land.”
Abraham, a man of faith
We are not only to preach the Gospel of Christ, the Harvest Message, and plant seeds for the kingdom. We are also to guide Israel in giving them the scriptural teachings of their prophets that they do not know. Secular Zionists built the land, but today there are also Biblical Zionists who offer opportunities for witnessing.
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing” (Isaiah 52:7-8).
We do not pray for the artificial peace of the Oslo and other accords. Someday we may need to stand up on behalf of the Jewish people against renewed anti-Semitism. As watchmen we must be committed to comforting the Lord’s people.
CONCLUSION
The Abrahamic covenant produces a blessing in two parts, the heavenly and earthly, the stars of heaven, and the sands of the seashore. As faithful watchman, we are to pray and speak tenderly to Israel. We are to encourage the Jewish people to have faith in their irrevocable promise from the Almighty.
The Old Law Covenant was added to the Abrahamic promise, but failed to prepare Israel to bless the world as the New Law Covenant will. It will be the means for Israel’s blessing of the world as the sand of the seashore.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let him that heareth say, ‘Come.’ And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). As these receive the water of life themselves, they will say to others, “Come! Drink also of the water of life.” Such an attitude will enhance the growth of this sands group.
Someday soon they will be a light to the Gentiles and the whole world will become part of the sand of the seashore. Let us hope and pray that we will be shining above the sands as the stars of heaven!
— Adapted from a 2006 discourse by Br. Robert Gray