16. When the Jews rejected Paul"s preaching of the gospel, what did he and Barnabas say?
"Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of G.o.d should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, _lo, we turn to the Gentiles_." Acts 13:46.
NOTE.-From all this it is plain that had not the Jews as a nation rejected Christ, they would still have maintained the preeminence as the children of G.o.d, and as G.o.d"s light-bearers to the world.
But on account of this rejection, they were rejected as G.o.d"s peculiar people, and others took their place, and now bear the name of _Israel_ in common with those who were first called by that name.
17. Under what figure are the Gentile believers represented who have become a part of the true Israel of G.o.d?
"And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being _a wild olive-tree_, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree; boast not against the branches." Rom.
11:17, 18.
18. Lest the Gentile grafts should boast, saying that the Jews were broken off to let them come in, what warning is given them?
"Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. _Be not high-minded, but fear_: for if G.o.d spared not the natural branches, _take heed lest He also spare not thee_." Verses 20, 21.
19. What encouragement is held out concerning the branches which have been broken off?
"And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, _shall be grafted in_: for G.o.d is able to graft them in again." Verse 23.
20. What will be the final result of the gospel?
"And so _all Israel shall be saved_." Verse 26.
21. Before Gentiles become Israelites, in what condition are they?
"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles, ... at that time ye were _without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without G.o.d in the world_." Eph. 2:11, 12.
NOTE.-If, in order to be saved, Gentiles must become Israelites as is everywhere a.s.serted, then when converted from their Gentile ways to the ways of Israel, they certainly must have faith in Christ, and their lives must conform to the moral law which G.o.d gave to Israel, otherwise it would not be the commonwealth of Israel, but of the Gentiles. The writing of the law in the heart is one of the provisions of the new covenant with true Israel. See Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-12.
22. How are G.o.d"s remnant people described?
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that _keep the commandments of G.o.d, and the faith of Jesus_." Rev. 14:12.
23. Whose names are in the foundations of the holy city?
"And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them _the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb_." Rev. 21:14.
24. Whose names are on the twelve gates of the city?
"And [the wall] had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are _the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel_." Verse 12.
25. Who will walk in the light of the city?
"And _the nations of them which are saved_ shall walk in the light of it: and _the kings of the earth_ do bring their glory and honor into it."
Verse 24.
NOTE.-This city, the New Jerusalem, will be for all the nations of the saved; and yet all who enter therein will enter through gates on which are written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, from which it is evident that all who are saved will belong to Israel. The name Israel will be perpetuated in the new earth state, and very appropriately so, because of its meaning. All who share in that future home of the saved will be overcomers-princes and prevailers with G.o.d. See Rev. 3:12; 21:7. Christ recognized this division of the saved into twelve nations, in selecting His apostles. He chose twelve. He recognized it again when to the twelve He said: "Ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon _twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel_." Matt. 19:28. And the apostles, after Christ"s resurrection and ascension, themselves recognized it, when, to fill the place of Judas, who fell, they appointed another, in order to preserve the proper number, twelve.
Eternal Life
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
The Morning Of Christ"s Resurrection. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." John 3:36.
1. What precious promise has G.o.d made to His children?
"And this is the promise that He hath promised us, even _eternal life_." 1 John 2:25.
2. How may we obtain eternal life?
"For G.o.d so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, _that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life_."
John 3:16.
3. Who has everlasting life?
"_He that believeth on the Son_ hath everlasting life." Verse 36.
4. Where is this everlasting or eternal life?
"And this is the record, that G.o.d hath given to us eternal life, and _this life is in His Son_." 1 John 5:11.
5. What therefore follows?
"_He that hath the Son hath life_; and he that hath not the Son of G.o.d hath not life." Verse 12.
6. What does Christ give His followers?
"I give unto them _eternal life_; and they shall never perish." John 10:28.
7. Why, after the fall, was man shut away from the tree of life?
"Lest he put forth his hand, and _take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever_." Gen. 3:22.
8. What has Christ promised the overcomer?
"To him that overcometh will I give _to eat of the tree of life_, which is in the midst of the paradise of G.o.d." Rev. 2:7.
9. To what is the life of the redeemed compared?