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CHILDREN OF THE PROMISES
Restitution of all things - children of the promises.
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Nearly all of the Old Testament prophets who foretold the demise of Jacob (Israel and Judah) also spoke of a time far into the future when God said He would restore the House of Jacob. In the ‘later days’ the people of Israel and Judah are to be reconciled with God under a new covenant. There is to be a time of great prosperity, peace and security. God says that He will give them His Holy Spirit and His law will be written in their hearts forever.
Amos said that Israel’s prosperity will be permanently restored, “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name," says the LORD who does this. "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them upon their land, and they shall never again be plucked up out of the land which I have given them.” says the LORD your God,” (Amos 9:11-15 RSV).
The prophet Hosea spoke of a time when the children of Israel would be reconciled to God, “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.” and “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.” (Hosea 1:10-11 and 3:5).
Even though the prophets expressed the restoration in physical terms the underlying message is one of spiritual reconciliation to God. They predicted a time when the children of Israel will finally be brought out of spiritual captivity and reconciled to God. For example, “……….it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.” (end of v.10, Hosea 1). “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.” (Hosea 3:5). “I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me.” (Jeremiah 33:8 RSV) and “he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” and “and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.” (Micah 4:2, 7).
Jeremiah spoke of prosperity, security and forgiveness, “For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah which were torn down to make a defense against the siege mounds and before the sword;” and “Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them; they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.” (Jeremiah 33:4, 6-9 RSV).
At the time of restoration they will come under a new and better covenant,“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Jesus Christ will be mediator of a new covenant, “But now hath he (Christ) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6). And “…………I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers………,” and “………I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:” (Hebrews 8:9, 10).
Zechariah said that Jerusalem in the future will be a safe place under Christ’s governance, “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses. And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.” (Zechariah 14:9-11).
Micah confirms that as a result of Christ’s rule there will be peace forever, “But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.” (Micah 4:1-7).
Paul said that all Israel shall be offered salvation, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Romans 11:25-27).
Through Isaiah, God said that the generations of Jacob would receive His Spirit, something they did not have previously, “And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.” (Isaiah 59:20-21).
A few individuals, like King David and the prophets, did have God’s Spirit in the past but it was not freely available. God’s Spirit was, however, promised to the Israelites at a future time, “And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:13-14).
After Christ died God’s Spirit was made available to those whom He called into His New Testament (covenant) church. For all of Jacob’s generations to receive God’s Spirit it is going to require a resurrection to physical life and that will occur after the Millennium, during what is known as the Great White Throne Judgment period.
Ezekiel described their physical resurrection (Ezekiel 37:1-14) and Hosea confirmed that it will occur during a time of judgment - “for great shall be that day of Jezreel.” (Hosea 1:11). Jezreel is symbolic of judgment and that day of judgment is the one described by the Apostle John in Revelation 20:11-12 as the Great White Throne Judgment day.
In the process of time all the generations of Israel will receive salvation. God said that Israel would not be His people until such a time when He is able to say to them, “You are the sons of the living God.” (Hosea 1:10). He will only be able to say that when they have accepted Christ as their Saviour, repented and received His Spirit and for most of them that will not occur until they are resurrected from the dead, “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (Ezekiel 36:24-28).
To the Jews who have rejected Christ for more than 2,000 years it may come as a shock to learn that they must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to receive God’s Spirit, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Spirit). For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:38-39).
Some have thought that Israel was restored during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah when many exiles returned to Judah to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the temple, but Judah was still under control of a Gentile power.
Even in Christ’s time many expected Christ to free Israel from Roman occupation and rule as their king. They asked “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” and no doubt they were disappointed when He said, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” (Acts 1:6-7).
Israel today is only a small nation surrounded by enemies and under constant threat of war. They have not experienced the things God said would occur in the restoration. Christ is not their king. They do not provide spiritual guidance to the rest of the world and there is no sign of the peace and prosperity that was described by the prophets. The restoration of Israel as promised by God has not yet taken place.
Although Christ did not rule over Israel when he was here in the flesh, assurance was given that all the prophesies would be fulfilled, “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” and “Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.” (Acts 3:20-21, 24).
In the last chapter we saw that the kingdom of Israel foreshadowed God’s spiritual Kingdom. Because of their idolatry they lost their kingdom, lands and freedom, but through the prophets God promised that they would be restored.
The resurrection described in Ezekiel 37 shows the generations of Israel (Jacob) being restored to physical life. Other prophets tell us that under the governance of Christ, who will mediate a new covenant, all the generations of Israel will be offered salvation. Through the process of conversion they will eventually become spirit beings. Although restored physically for a time their ultimate restoration will be to the spiritual Kingdom that was foreshadowed by ancient Israel - the Kingdom of God.
Past generations of Israel will be resurrected during the Great White Throne Judgment period. Any of their descendants who are alive at the time Christ returns and survive the end times, will have the opportunity of salvation during the Millennium. All the things God promise through his prophets will be fulfilled.
God promised Abraham both material and spiritual blessings. There is no doubt that the physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob were the heirs of the material blessings. We have already discussed in this paper how those promises were fulfilled in every detail.
What about the spiritual promise? God promised that in Abraham, all the families of the earth will be blessed, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis12:2-3). What is that blessing, who will receive it and when will it be received?
Paul makes it clear that the spiritual blessing comes through Christ who is a direct descendant of Abraham, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” (Galatians 3:16).
Paul indicated that the Holy Spirit is the promised blessing, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14). He called it the Holy Spirit of promise, “Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,” (Ephesians 1:13).
Peter said that the spiritual promise to Abraham will be fulfilled when Christ returns. He called it the times of the restitution of all things, “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” (Acts 3:20-26). This is a very informative passage and requires further analysis.
The word ‘restitution’ means restoring to a former state and Peter indicated that the former state is one without sin. He said that Christ through whom the blessing is to come will turn away everyone from sin, “Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” (verse 26). For mankind, that state of sinlessness is the one that existed prior to the first sin committed by Adam and Eve. The restitution of all things includes the restoration of mankind to a spiritual state that is acceptable to God. This can only be achieved through the process of conversion that requires God’s Holy Spirit that has been made available to mankind through Christ.
Basically our existence as physical human beings is preparation for eternal life as spirit beings in the Kingdom of God. God created mankind as temporary, physical beings to be tested, proven and perfected, before being transformed into permanent spirit beings as the very children of God in His Kingdom. When Adam and Eve sinned they severed their relationship with God thus condemning mankind to a sentence of death.
Despite the failure of our first parents, God’s purpose has not changed. He has provided a way for mankind to be redeemed from that penalty of death and for that relationship to be restored on an individual basis along with the opportunity of eternal life in His Kingdom as sons and daughters. Through his sacrifice Christ paid the penalty of sin on behalf of all mankind, restoring the opportunity for humanity to become part of that family in God’s Kingdom.
The ‘restitution of all things’ that Peter spoke about is the same event referred to by the prophets when they spoke about restoration, “Which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” and “Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.” (Acts 3:21, 24).
When the prophets pronounced God’s judgment on the House of Jacob (Israel and Judah) and their adversaries, they also announced the future restoration as a time when God’s Spirit will be made available, “And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.” (Isaiah 59:20-21). Also “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” (Ezekiel 11:19-20).
The promise of restoration was not for Jacob alone. Jeremiah said, “But I will restore the fortunes of Moab in the days to come – declares the LORD.” and “But afterward I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites – declare the LORD.” and “But in the days to come I will restore the fortunes of Elam – declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 48:47, 49:6, 39 Tanakh JPS Translation. See also NKJV, RSV and Young’s Literal Translation.)
Ezekiel tells us that the restoration of other nations will occur at the same time as that of Judah, "I will restore their fortunes - the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters - and your fortunes along with theirs.” (Ezekiel 16:53 Tanakh JPS Translation. See also NKJV, RSV and Young’s Literal Translation.)
Peter said that Christ is returning to bring salvation for all mankind, “A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:22-23). Those who listen to him and submit to the process of conversion will receive the Holy Spirit, which leads to eternal life. Those who reject the opportunity of salvation will die in the lake of fire.
Christ is coming to restore mankind to a right relationship with God the Father and to offer them salvation so they can enter God’s Kingdom.
This is the restoration spoken about by both the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament Apostles. The Old Testament prophets announced God’s plan of salvation to people who did not have God’s Spirit. They spoke of the restoration in physical terms because the people could not grasp the spiritual concept without God’s Spirit, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” (I Corinthians 2:9-12).
Many including his followers thought Christ had come to restore the Kingdom of Israel, “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). It wasn’t until later when they had the Holy Spirit that they understood what was to be restored.
Once they understood, Christ’s Apostles continued to announce God’s plan of salvation primarily to those who did have God’s Spirit - the church. The rest of the people, who did not have God’s Spirit, did not understand their message. They did not realise the prophesies concerning restoration did not refer to re-establishing the physical Kingdom of Israel but were referring to restoration of all things: that is, the restoration of mankind to God and His Kingdom. That is what God’s plan of salvation is all about!
God is not dealing with physical Israel or her descendants at this time. He is dealing with those who have his Spirit. Paul drew a distinction between the ‘children of the flesh’ and the ‘children of the promise’, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” (Romans 9:6-8).
The only ones at this stage who have received that promise are those who have the Holy Spirit. They are the children of the promise, whom God calls His people. According to the promise made to Abraham, God’s Spirit will eventually be made available to all mankind.
Ancient Israel rejected God and were no longer considered to be His people. Later, when Jesus Christ preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God among their remnant in Judea, they rejected him also. Their understanding was taken from them and their place given to those who believed Christ, “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.” (Romans 11:7-8).
This does not exclude the people of ancient Israel from receiving God’s Spirit when their turn comes. Eventually, like everyone else, they will have the opportunity to receive His Spirit and become His children, “and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.” (Hosea 1:10). When they rejected God and later rejected His son Jesus Christ they were relegated back into the world to await their turn, which will occur during the Great White Throne Judgment. There is an order in which things will occur, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order:” (I Corinthians 15:22-23).
Things may have been very different for them if they had only obeyed and worshipped God rather than chasing after false gods.
God promised Abraham that His Holy Spirit will be made available to all the families of the earth through Jesus Christ who is a direct descendant of Abraham.
God’s focus is now on the fulfillment of that promise which Christ will oversee when he returns.
The restoration spoken of by the Old Testament prophets is the same event as the ‘restitution of all things’ that was mentioned by the New Testament apostle Peter. It does not refer to restoration of the physical kingdom of Israel, but to the restoration of mankind to God and hence to His Kingdom.
Israel and her descendants will have the same opportunities as everyone else to become children of the promises. The children of the promise will receive God’s Holy Spirit, which will prepare them for a spiritual existence in God’s Kingdom as His sons and daughters.
The spiritual element of God’s promise to Abraham concerns the salvation of mankind.
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