III. The Israel of God Subject: Continuity of God s People Date: Theme: 15-Dec-13 The promises made to Old Testament Israel are for the Church today. Key Verses: 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:9-10). A. Review Last week, we look at the Fall of man and the consequences of sin entering into Creation. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil, they broke the Covenant of Works established by God. As a result, death entered the world in three stages. The first is immediate separation and alienation from God. This is spiritual death and results in meaninglessness in the present life. Man was cut off from the only One who can provide true meaning. Second is a gradual physical decay resulting ultimately in separation of body and spirit. This is physical death. Finally, there eternal death. This is eternal separation from the glory, grace, and love of God. Another way to consider the results of the Fall is to notice the separations that are caused by sin. First is the great separation, the separation between God and man. This is spiritual separation. The second great separation is separation of man from himself. This is psychological separation. The third of the great separations is man from man. This is the sociological separation. The fourth separation is a separation of man from nature and nature from nature. This is natural separation. All of these separations are direct consequences of the Fall and the entrance of sin into Creation. Because of the Fall, a curse is pronounced by God. The Serpent is cursed to crawl on its belly on the ground. The woman is cursed with pain in childbirth and striving in marriage relationships. And the man is cursed with toil in labor, resulting ultimately in death. However, along with the curse, God also pronounced a blessing in the coming of the Seed of Woman. Eventually, Jesus Christ, the promised Seed, came to crush the head of the Serpent and deliver His people from their sins. Genesis chapter 3 explains everything we see today in our beautiful but broken world. We have all inherited the Original Sin of our first parents, and that means that we are dead in our sins and trespasses. Although we are still created imago dei, the image of God in us is marred and distorted by sin. The troubles, the struggles, the difficulties of life all originate from the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. But the good news of the gospel is that if we are in Christ, then we are heirs to the promised Seed of blessing. B. Introduction As mentioned last week, the Fall of Man and the resultant promise of the Seed of Woman resulted in two lines of humanity the godly line and the ungodly line. The story of the Bible is Biblical Themes 2013.docx p. 26 of 135 DSB 16-Nov-13
the history of God saving a people for himself the godly line. He separates them out from the rest of humanity and redeems them from their sins. In the Old Testament, this covenant community is called Israel ; in the New Testament this people is called the Church. The theme of this week s lesson is the continuity of Israel and the Church. Now this may be obvious to you and you may be wondering, What s the big deal? Well, the big deal is that most of evangelical Christendom does not believe this. While the Reformed faith emphasizes the continuity of God s dealings with his covenant people in all generations, the teachings of dispensationalism emphasize the discontinuities between Old Testament Israel and the Church. For example, let me read you some quotes from Charles C. Ryrie s book Dispensationalism Today (pp. 132-155): All non-dispensationalists blur to some extent the distinction between Israel and the Church. Such blurring fails to recognize the contrast that is maintained in Scripture between Israel, Gentiles, and the Church.... Use of the words Israel and Church shows clearly that in the New Testament national Israel continues with her own promises and the Church is never equated with a so-called new Israel but is carefully and continually distinguished as a separate work of God in this age.... Israel is distinct from the godly line that preceded the calling out of Abraham and Israel s promises were different. The godly from both groups are redeemed, but they do not necessarily have the same promises or fulfill the same purposes. The same is true in comparing Israel and the Church. Their [Old Testament believers] eternal place in the heavenly Jerusalem is certain, and in that heavenly state they are distinguished from the Church! Nondispensationalists often argue that since the Church is the seed of Abraham and Israel is the seed of Abraham, the Church equals Israel. The answer is this: the Church is a seed of Abraham, but this does not mean that the Church is Israel. It is quite obvious that Christians are called the spiritual seed of Abraham, but the New Testament nowhere says that they are the heirs of the national promises made to the physical descendants. The Church [is] distinct from Israel and not a new spiritual Israel. [The dispensationalist] does not say there is no kingdom today, but insists that it is not the fulfillment of Old Testament kingdom promises. There is nothing wrong with God s having a purpose for Israel and a purpose for the Church and letting these two purposes stand together within His overall plan. Now, my point here today is not to speak out against our brothers in Christ who hold this view. Rather, it is to reaffirm our commitment and belief that God deals consistently with His people throughout all generations. Furthermore, in a study of Biblical themes spanning from Genesis to Revelation, it is important to understand that when God says something in the Old Testament, it has application to us today. In future lessons, we will return to this thought that the promises made to Old Testament Israel are for the Church today. To demonstrate this concept, I will use 1 Peter 2:4-10 as our primary Biblical text. In addition, I will support this passage with Old Testament quotations and the parallel passage in Romans chapter 9. O. Palmer Robertson has written an entire book on this subject called The Israel of God. Obviously, much more could be said and done on this theme, but I hope that you will get the gist of it from our study of 1 Peter chapter 2 this morning. As I read 1 Peter 2:4-10, listen to and look for the Old Testament references and allusions that Peter makes. Biblical Themes 2013.docx p. 27 of 135 DSB 16-Nov-13
4 As you come to him, the living Stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame {Is. 28:16}. 7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone {Ps. 118:22}, 8 and, A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall {Is. 8:14}. They stumble because they disobey the message which is also what they were destined for. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:4-10). C. Lesson This passage can be outlined in four parts. Verse 4 calls Christ the Living Stone, verse 5 talks about the people of God, verses 6-8 talk about Christ as our Rock, and then verses 9-10 speak again about the people of God. So we have an ABA B structure of this passage, where the main thoughts are repeated twice. So my approach this morning is to look first at the two Rock sections, followed by the two People sections. A. Christ the Stone (1 Pe. 2:4) B. People of God (1 Pe. 2:5) A. Christ the Stone (1 Pe. 2:6-8) B. People of God (1 Pe. 2:9-10) 1. The Rock of God If you study the symbolism of rocks, gold, and gems, we can discern five aspects about the image of God as our Rock (from James Jordan, Through New Eyes). They are: 1) strength; 2) fortress/refuge; 3) judgment/salvation; 4) foundation; and 5) shade. In 2:4, 6-8, Peter quotes three different verses in Psalms and Isaiah that portray Christ as a Rock with the aspects of judgment/salvation and foundation. So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed (Isaiah 28:16). 22 The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; 23 the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:22-24). 13 The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, 14 and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. 15 Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured (Isaiah 8:13-15). Biblical Themes 2013.docx p. 28 of 135 DSB 16-Nov-13
What are the aspects of Christ the Rock that are emphasized in these verses? Christ the Rock is a foundation, and Christ the Rock comes in either judgment or salvation. Christ the Rock is our Foundation. He is the chosen and precious cornerstone. He is the capstone. He is the living Stone. Notice how there are two, and only two reactions to Christ as our Foundation. The first reaction is that we can trust in Him. To you who believe, this stone is precious and the one who trusts will never be dismayed. The other reaction is to reject the Stone, as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured. You see, there is either judgment or salvation in our response to Christ the Foundation Rock. Christ Himself teaches on this subject. Notice how he quotes both Ps. 118:22 and Is. 8:14, after telling the parable of the wicked vinedressers: 17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, Then what is the meaning of that which is written: The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone? 18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed. 19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people (Luke 20:17-19). You see, everyone will have an encounter with Christ the Rock, Christ the cornerstone. You can either fall upon the Rock and be broken to pieces, or you can have the Rock fall on you and crush you. If you break upon the Rock, Christ will put you back together and build you up as a new creation in Him you will never be dismayed. If you reject Christ, He will crush you, just as He has crushed the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). Our English word scandal comes from the Greek scandalon, meaning stumbling block or offense. Michael Card has written a song about this that wonderfully captures the essence of what Peter writes and what Christ teaches. His song, appropriately enough, is entitled Scandalon. Scandalon (by Michael Card) The seers and the prophets had foretold it long ago, That the long awaited One would make men stumble; But they were looking for a king to conquer and to kill. Who d have ever thought He d be so meek and humble? CHORUS: He will be the truth that will offend them one and all; The Stone to make men stumble and a rock that makes them fall; Many will be broken so that He can make them whole, And many will be crushed and lose their own soul. Along the path of life there lies this stubborn scandalon, And all who come this way must be offended. To some He is a barrier, to others He s the way; For all should know the scandal of believing. CHORUS. Biblical Themes 2013.docx p. 29 of 135 DSB 16-Nov-13
It seems today the scandalon offends no one at all; The image we present could be stepped over. Could it be that we are like the others long ago? Will we ever learn that all who come must stumble? CHORUS. So, as we think about Christ the Rock as our Foundation, don t reject the chief cornerstone. If you do, whatever you are building will crumble and fall. Rather, treat that cornerstone as precious, as something to build upon that will last. Now, the question is, what is being built upon Christ the Foundation, upon Christ the cornerstone, upon Christ the Living Rock? 2. The People of God a. Isaiah 43:20-21 & Exodus 19:5-6 The answer is found for us in verse 5: you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Notice the references to a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, and spiritual sacrifices. These images put into our minds a Temple, or a place of worship. On Christ, the living Stone, rejected by men, but chosen and precious to God, is built the Church. And what are the building materials of this Church? Christians! We are living stones, just as Christ is the Living Stone. We are to be little living stones just like Him. We are to be a chip off the old Rock! Christ is building a house for Himself, a house composed of His people, a spiritual house of worship. That s what the church is. It s not a building, it s a people. It s God s people. And our Foundation is Christ. Christ is building up a Church of Christians, founded on Him, so He can dwell in the midst of His people, who are referred to as a holy priesthood. Notice how New Testament Christians are referred to in Old Testament Israel language holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices. And that brings us to verses 9-10. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:9-10). Peter piles up high the OT references/symbols here in vv. 9-10 as he tells us again about the living house that is built on Christ. There are four phrases used to describe the church in verse 9, and they all come from two OT passages talking about God s people, Israel. The two OT passages are Is. 43:20-22 and Ex. 19:5-6: 20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, 21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise. 22 Yet you have not called upon me, O Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, O Israel (Isaiah 43:20-22). 5 Now, if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites (Exodus 19:5-6). The order in which these terms are quoted fits the form of a chiasm: Biblical Themes 2013.docx p. 30 of 135 DSB 16-Nov-13
A. Chosen People or Chosen Generation (Is. 43:20 - my people, my chosen) B. Royal Priesthood (Ex. 19:6 - a kingdom of priests) B. Holy Nation (Ex. 19:6 a holy nation) A. A People Belonging to God or A Peculiar People (Is. 43:21 - the people I formed for myself, also compare the aspect of treasured possession in Ex. 19:5). Do you see how Peter ties the NT Church built on the foundation of Christ to OT Israel? He piles on terms referring to Israel and applies them to the Church. We are God s chosen people, we are a royal priesthood, we are a holy nation, we are God s treasured possession. What is the difference? There is none we are all God s people. b. Hosea 1 & 2 But wait, there s more! Verse 10 of 1 Peter 2 is rich in allusions to the book of Hosea. The prophet Hosea was commanded by God to marry a prostitute, as a living picture-symbol of the way faithless Israel had strayed from their true Husband, the Lord. So Hosea obeys and marries a prostitute named Gomer, and in the first chapter of the book of Hosea, she has three children. Now, the names of the children are significant, because they are to teach Israel about themselves and their relationship to God. 2 When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD. 3 So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 Then the LORD said to Hosea, Call him Jezreel [lit. God Sows or Plants ], because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. 5 In that day I will break Israel's bow in the Valley of Jezreel. 6 Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the LORD said to Hosea, Call her Lo-Ruhamah [lit. No Mercy ], for I will no longer show love to [have mercy on] the house of Israel, that I should at all forgive them. 7 Yet I will show love to the house of Judah; and I will save them not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but by the LORD their God. 8 After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, Gomer had another son. 9 Then the LORD said, Call him Lo-Ammi [lit. Not My People ], for you are not my people, and I am not your God. 10 Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, they will be called sons of the living God. 11 The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited, and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel (Hosea 1:2-11). So, there you have the three children of Hosea: God Plants, No Mercy, and Not My People. If you were a kid growing up, which name would you prefer? Even Jezreel is not that great, because of the association with the massacre of wicked Ahab s family at Jezreel by Jehu. Hosea s children were living billboards, advertisements, of God s impending judgment upon Israel. Although they were His chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a treasured possession, because of their sinfulness and infidelity, He was rejecting them. They would no longer receive His mercy; they would no longer be called His people. What a terrible prophecy that Hosea received and immortalized through the names of his children! Biblical Themes 2013.docx p. 31 of 135 DSB 16-Nov-13
In chapter 2 of Hosea, God describes Israel s unfaithfulness, and yet promises to show mercy on His people: 18 In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety. 19 I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. 20 I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD [reversing the curse of marital infidelity]. In that day I will respond, declares the LORD I will respond to the skies, and they will respond to the earth; 22 and the earth will respond to the grain, the new wine and oil, and they will respond to Jezreel. 23 I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called Not my loved one. I will say to those called Not my people, You are my people; and they will say, You are my God (Hosea 2:18-23). No Mercy and Not My People these are God s judgments on His people, OT Israel. But even though he rejects Israel for rejecting Him, He immediately says in context that He will again call His people to Himself. God always has a faithful remnant. To those whom he showed no mercy, he would again show mercy. To those who were not His people, they would again be His people. Now who does Peter say these promises belong to? To us, the church! Peter, writing to the church says, once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. He is taking the promise God made to OT Israel through Hosea and applying it to Gentiles. Formerly, we were under God s wrath and judgment, estranged from God. But now, God has shown us mercy, and God has made us his people. He is building us up, and we have inherited the promises of God made to OT Israel, because we are the continuation of His people, His true Remnant. c. Romans 9-11 Paul makes the same exact point as Peter in Romans chapter 9-11, where he is talking about the rejection of the Jews and the engrafting of Gentiles into God s people, the Church. I will just read a few selected verses to illustrate. Paul even quotes the same OT references to make his point! Paul quotes Hosea 1:10 & 2:23, and melds together Is. 28:16 and 8:14. 6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea: I will call them my people who are not my people; and I will call her my loved one who is not my loved one, 26 and, It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, You are not my people, they will be called sons of the living God. 30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame (Romans 9:6-8, 23-26, 30-33). Biblical Themes 2013.docx p. 32 of 135 DSB 16-Nov-13
Paul s first point is that the true children of Abraham, the true Israel, are not necessarily the physical descendants of Abraham, but his spiritual descendants. Thus, as Christians, we are true heirs of Abraham as the people of God. Then see how Paul quotes Hosea and then shows that while the Jews have lost favor with God, the promise of restored favor is for both Jews and Gentiles that is, the Church! Finally, Paul demonstrates that the stumbling stone who is Christ is the differentiator only those who trust in Him by faith will not be put to shame. Later, in chapter 11 of Romans, Paul uses the analogy of branches being engrafted into an olive tree, a symbol of OT Israel. Note that we as wild branches are engrafted into the tree; we aren t planted as a separate tree. There is only one tree, there is only one people of God. The roots are the same; it s just the branches that are different. God has one people, rooted in Christ, both in the OT and the NT. 17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in. 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either (Romans 11:17-21). While we are to recognize the continuity of OT Israel and the Church, there is no cause for boasting or pride in our position relative to God. Rather, we are to be humble and grateful that God has chosen us. D. Conclusion Well, what is the cash value of this study? Why is it important to realize the essential continuity between the OT and NT people of God? The answer is because the promises God makes to His people are the promises God makes to His people. Since there is only one people of God, the promises apply to us! We don t have to worry about which apply only to physical Israel and which apply to spiritual Israel. Unlike the dispensationalists, we don t have to dismiss the glorious promises of the Old Testament as not for us. Rather, we can read God s Word (all of it) and take comfort in the promises He makes, because He makes them to us. Let s just look at a couple of them, shall we? 14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). 2 This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it the LORD is his name: 3 Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know (Jeremiah 33:2-3). 41 May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise (Psalm 119:41). 33 This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the LORD. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, Know the LORD, because they will all know me, from the least of Biblical Themes 2013.docx p. 33 of 135 DSB 16-Nov-13
them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Jeremiah 31:33-34). 5 Now, if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites (Exodus 19:5-6). 16 So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed (Isaiah 28:16). 23 I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called Not my loved one. I will say to those called Not my people, You are my people; and they will say, You are my God (Hosea 2:23). As I close, remember the words of Paul: 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God (Galatians 6:15-16). We, the Church, are the Israel of God. Biblical Themes 2013.docx p. 34 of 135 DSB 16-Nov-13