SEVEN DIVINE STATEMENTS

SEVEN DIRECT UTTERANCES OF GOD CONCERNING ISRAEL,

EACH CONFIRMED BY AN ASSURANCE FROM THE FACTS

OF HISTORY OR THE FORCES OF NATURE.

By

SAMUEL H. WILKINSON

First Statement: God’s attitude towards Israel is one of changeless benevolence.

Assurance: The immobility of the mountains.

"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy upon thee." Isaiah 54: 10.

Second Statement: God’s chastisement of Israel, though prolonged and severe, is but temporary.

Assurance: The guaranteed immunity from a second flood.

"For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee." Isaiah 54: 9.

NOTE.- That this statement does not mean that God is never wroth with Israel, but that His wrath is of a temporary character is proved by the context: "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer."

Third Statement: God will never cast off the people Israel.

Assurance: The immeasurability of the heavens above and the impenetrability of the earth beneath.

"Thus saith Jehovah: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith The Lord." Jeremiah 31: 37.

Fourth Statement: God preserves the national existence of the people of Israel.

Assurance: The regularity of planetary motion and the stilling of the sea.

"Thus saith Jehovah, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon, and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; the Lord of hosts is His Name; if those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever." Jeremiah 31: 35, 36.

Fifth Statement: The promises of the future restoration and salvation of Israel will be literally fulfilled.

Assurance: The historical literality of their age-long suffering.

"And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict, so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord." - Jeremiah 31: 28.

"For thus saith the Lord, Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them." - Jeremiah 32: 42.

Sixth Statement: The covenant by which God has guaranteed the perpetual rule of David’s seed on David’s literal throne is irrefragable.

Assurance: The fixity of the earth's diurnal motion.

"Thus saith the Lord: if ye can break My covenant of the day and My covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; then may also My covenant be broken with David My servant that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne ... thus saith the Lord, if My covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; then will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return and will have mercy upon them." Jeremiah 33: 20, 21, 25, 26.

Seventh Statement: God will increase and dignify the descendants of David and the tribe of Levi.

Assurance: The innumerability of the stars and sand.

NOTE. - The innumerability of the stars and sand in reference to the increase of David’s house is not, I think, so much an illustration of degree as an assurance of certainty.

"As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David My servant and the Levites that minister unto Me." - Jeremiah 33: 22.

In these seven great Divine utterances it will be noticed that God speaks in each case in the first person singular, and in direct terms, without any symbolism or obscurity; and it is passing strange that in the presence of such statements, many of God’s children still spiritualize the promises to Israel and apply them to the Christian Church; confuse the Christian Church and the coming Kingdom; and treat the whole Jewish question as if it were a fad instead of a truth of fundamental importance.

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