Essay Twelve
The Hope of Israel
As Paul stood before King Agrippa, accused of the Jews, he made a most startling statement. “And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” (Acts 26:6-8)
The Hope of Israel is the Resurrection
Imagine the apostle Paul, alleged to be the architect of church doctrine and a missionary to the Gentiles, declaring that the hope of Israel is the resurrection. Such a statement is as incredible to our church leaders today as it was in Paul’s day. Surely, we are told, no one has any hope of the resurrection outside of the church. Paul must have been speaking only of those Israelites who had accepted Christ as their Saviour.
Not so! Paul, making the same defense before Felix in Acts 24:14-15, makes it clear that the hope of the resurrection is for every Israelite. “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets: And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” Paul is simply confirming what Christ taught about the resurrection in John 5:28-29. “All that are in the graves shall hear his voice.”
Now we know the order of the resurrection for the just differs from that of the unjust, as explained in Revelation 20:4-6. Nevertheless, Paul declares that his hope, and the hope of Israel, rests as much on the resurrection of the unjust as on the just. Instead of giving hope, the church has turned the resurrection of the unjust into a thing of fear and despair. Let us search the scriptures to build our faith on the hope of Israel, that we might pass it on to our children as their rightful heritage.
Begotten into a Lively Hope
by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Peter, addressing the dispersed northern house of Israel, explains to them that their hope of the resurrection has been realized in Christ. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (I Peter 1:3) This lively hope which had sustained Israel through the ages had been lost during their captivity and dispersion among the Gentiles. Now, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, this hope was bringing new life to God’s people.
Hope of Eternal Life Promised Before the World Began
Paul declares in Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” Furthermore, “the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9) What a tragedy that the organized church has abandoned this great promise, and conceded the loss of all but a few of God’s sheep!
Let Israel Hope in the Lord
Where is Israel’s promise of the resurrection to be found in the scriptures? In Acts 13:32-34 we read, “And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.”
In II Samuel 7:15, God promised David that his mercy would not depart from him. Through the blood of the everlasting covenant, these sure mercies of David have been extended to all the children of Israel. “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” (Isaiah 55:3)
What a hopeless people we are without God’s sure mercies. Our lamentation is beautifully expressed in Psalm 89:46-49. “How long, Lord? Wilt thou hide thyself for ever? Shall thy wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah. Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?”
David saw the hopeless plight of Israel under the bondage of the old covenant, and in faith, looked forward to the mercies which would extend to God’s people under the new covenant. In Psalm 130:3-8 we read, “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that thou mayest be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning (the resurrection): I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” Paul saw the fulfillment of Israel’s hope, in Jesus Christ. “For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Israel). (Hebrews 10:14)
God is not a God of the Dead - But of the Living
When Christ was confronted with the unbelief of the Sadducees in the resurrection of the dead, he gave them one simple proof, which I think we fail to comprehend. In Matthew 22:31-32 Christ declared, “But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” The resurrection of these patriarchs is assured by the very relationship which God took upon himself to establish with them.
It should be obvious, that what is true for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is equally true for their children. God’s promise to Abraham was, “to be a God unto thee, and thy seed after thee.” (Genesis 17:7) The provision of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:33 was, “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.” Since God is not a God of the dead, he is bound by his word to bring resurrection life to all of the seed of Israel in their appointed time.
For the Joy that was Set before Him
Indeed, the hope of Israel was the joy that was set before our Saviour, causing him to endure the cross, and to despise its shame. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.” (Hebrews 12:2) Speaking of this joy, Isaiah declared: “And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it. Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
(Isaiah 65:19, 25:8, and 26:19)
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” (Psalm 133:1-3)