The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 330

by Christi1ms who owe so much to them ; but they are still the ohosen people of God, bringing blessings even in their fall to those that despise them. II. '!'HEIR F ~ PROSPECTS. 1. There i.s hope for Israel in the promises Qf God1, As =ly as_ Goo predict.ad the dispersion of the Jews, and that came to pass, so surely has he pred•<'ted a nist.oration of the Jews, and this also will come to pass. Many eminent Christians believe that there will be a literal restoration of the Jews to Pales- tinl'. It is rem1Lrkable that the ht~ Mr. Lawrence Oliphant, in his book • The Land of GilMd,' edvoc.at-es, not for Christiau re.ssons at all, but as a mercantile man, the oofonizstion of Palestine by Jews, on the ground that they ILr8 the natural cultivators of the land, and that the country has never prospered except under Jewish proprietor- sliip. But we are more specially concerned with the promises of their spiritual restora- tion. 'l'be Old Testament prophecies are full of these. "But Ziou sa.id, The Lord bath forsaken me, and my Lord bath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea., they may forget, yet Til.l I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me" (Isa. xlix. 14-16). Again, we are told that it is but for a moment that God's face is hidden from his people ; and that in Ilmle!.'s restoration "all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour aud thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob" (Isa.. xlix. 26). And here in the New Testa- ment, even after Israel's rejection of the Measiah, St. Paul emphatically reasserts the certainty of Israel's restoration. Though they, the natural branches, were broken off for a time, " God is able to graff them in again " (ver. 23). "Blindness in part is hap- pened t.o Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (ver. 25). But when that time comes "all Israel shall be saved"' (ver. 26). God will yet be as the dew unto Israel 2. In the present positi.on of the Jews there are =11 things that point to a bright future for God's ancient peop"le. Though scattered among the nations, they still preserve their identity and individuality. They have not been absorbed or assimilated by the larger and stronger races among whom they are placed. This in itself wonld seem to point to a great future in store for them. Not only so, but it points to a great blessing in store for the nations by means of them. " If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?" (ver. 15). When M'Cheyne returned from Palestine, he preached a sermon from the worda, "To the Jew first," acvocating Christian missions to the Jews on the ground .that jndgment will begin with the Jews, on the ground of God's special love for the Jews, on the ground of pecnliar access to the Jews, and on the ground that tf~ Jev,r,, if conTJerted, 'IDl,7,l give life to the wlwle world. This last is a point w-bich deserves more attention than it receives. From their peculiar position, s::attered throughout the nations, and being of an industrious and commercial die- JXISition. the Jews are specially fitted to do missionary work. Reach the Jews as a people, bring them under the influence of'.the gospel, and through them you reach the whole world. Many writer11 who have given careful attention to this subject are of opinion that the success of missions to the heathen will be comparatively email. until the Holy Spirit will enable the Jews to acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah, until he employs them as his instrument in the proclamation of the gospel among the nations. Tbt: Prophet Zechariah seems to favour that view when he eaye, "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: far we have heard that God is with you n (Zech. viii. 23). IIL PRAC'fiCAL LEBBOliS EllJPOBCED BY THIB BOJIJE<n'. 1. The necessity of personal faith. While we con.Bider God's dealiDgs with Israel for their unbelief and disobedience, let us consider our own relationship to God. "Be not highminded, but fear: for if God spa.red oot the natural branches, take heed leet he also spare not thee'' (vere. 20, 21). Christian profession and Christian privileges will not eave ue, unless we have a personal and living union with Jeeue Christ the Haviour. 2. The duty of sympathetic effurtB cm behalf of IBrael. "For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet ha.ve 1:1ow obtained mercy through their unbelief: even so have these also now not believed, that thr<rU1Jh yaur 'fftercy they also may obtain rnercy" (vere. 30, 31). God will fulfil hi.5 promille8 of the conversion of Israel just aH lie fulfils all hie promise-by the use of rru:a.ua; by the mis!lionary efforts of the ChriHtian Church.-0. H. L o a . XI, 1 - 8 6 . J T H E E P I S T L E OF PAUL TO T 1 m ROMANS. 329