The Ministry of Reconciliation by Richard Jarvis - HTML preview

 

Essay Thirteen

 

The Church in the Wilderness

 

       One of the greatest stumbling blocks to a faith building understanding of the scriptures is the teaching that God abandoned Israel as his “chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation, and peculiar people; who were to shew forth the praises of him who called them out of darkness into his marvelous light,” and in their place he built an organization called the church, whose membership is almost exclusively of non-Israel peoples.  Furthermore, we are taught that this revelation of a Gentile church was first revealed to the apostle Paul, and therefore we must take the promises made to the fathers with a grain of salt, as the prophets did not have light on the New Testament Church.

 

       If God abandoned Israel because of their sin and rebellion, what is to prevent him from doing the same thing with the church?  If this is God’s modus operandi, could he not cast away the church in the kingdom age and appoint a company of angels to take over the ministry of reconciliation?

 

For I am the Lord -  I Change Not

 

       What an indecisive, unpredictable God this unscriptural teaching portrays.  In Malachi 3:6 we read, “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.”  The apostle Paul asked, “Hath God cast away his people?  God forbid.  God Hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.”  (Romans 11:1-2)  “For whom he did foreknow, he did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.  What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?”  (Romans 8:29-31)

 

 

 

The Church  fulfills God’s New Covenant Promises to Israel

 

       God did not abandon Israel for the Church, but rather the new covenant church was God’s means of fulfilling his promises to Israel.  When Peter brought the inaugural address to the new covenant church in Acts 2:14-18, the very first thing he did was to identify the Christian Church as being the fulfillment of God’s promises to the Isaac Sons.  “But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy:” 

 

       Time and again in the old scriptures we read of God’s promise of the outpouring of his Spirit on Israel’s seed.  “Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou Jesurun, whom I have chosen.  For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:  And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.”  (Isaiah 44:1-4)  Similar promises are found in Isaiah 59:21 and Ezekiel 36:26-27.  Where then did we get the idea that God first revealed to Paul the mystery of the Church, which is generally portrayed as a Gentile Church?

 

The Mystery Hid in God from the Beginning of the World

 

       The mystery which Paul said in Ephesians 3:5, “which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men”, was not the establishment of a new organization called the Church, for in Ephesians 3:10 we read that this mystery was to be made known by the Church.  Nor was this mystery simply the revelation that strangers to the commonwealth of Israel could be “fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel.” (Ephesians 3:6)  For the old scriptures plainly teach that the stranger could enter into the congregation of Israel, and have fellowship with God.  In Isaiah 56:6-7 we read, “Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant: Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon my altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.”

 

That He Might Gather All Things in Christ

 

       What then is this mystery, “which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men,  .  .  . which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God?”  (Ephesians 3:5&9)  In Ephesians 3:3 Paul declares, “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ).”   Let’s look at Ephesians 1:9-10 for what Paul wrote afore in few words to the Ephesians.  “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:”   The mystery, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, was the reconciliation of all mankind in Christ. 

 

       The reconciliation of all men to Christ was the central theme of Paul’s preaching, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”  (I Corinthians 15:22).  And God’s Church, the Israel of God, were to be the ministers of this reconciliation message.  “But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God.”  (Isaiah 61:6)   

 

The Church or Ekklesia means ‘Called Out’

 

       The fact that in the Bible the word church (Greek word ekklesia) occurs only in the New Testament has led many to believe that the Church is an entirely new organization founded after Christ’s resurrection, of which nothing was known in Old Testament times.  The Greek word, ekklesia, which was translated in the King James Bible as church means called out.  In Isaiah 48:12 we read,“Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel my called.”

 

        The word, ekklesia, appears 115 times in the original Greek rendering of the New Testament.  It is translated as assembly three times and church 112 times.  It is only mentioned three times in the four gospels.  It is first mentioned in Matthews 16:16-18, “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, Son of the living God.  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in heaven.  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

 

Christ Refers to the Scribes and Pharisees as the Church

 

       In Matthew 18:15&17, Christ instructed his disciples on what to do, “If thy brother shall trespass against thee .  .  . And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”  In this instance, Christ makes it clear that the church was already in existence and was well known to his disciples.  He was not directing them to some non-existent assembly, but was in fact directing them to the rulers of the Jews, as he says in Matthew 23:2-3.  “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.”

 

       It is generally acknowledged that Christ spoke in Aramaic, the dialect of Hebrew spoken by the Jews in Palestine at that time.  As a consequence, Christ would not have used the Greek word, ekklesia, in reference to the church.  Since Aramaic embodied Biblical Hebrew terms for most religious ideas and usages, we must ask the question; What Hebrew word did Christ use, which Matthew translated in the Greek as ekklesia?

 

Hebrew Word Qahal = Greek Word Ekklesia = Church

 

       The Hebrew word, qahal, most closely approximates the Greek word, ekklesia.  As the Greek word, ekklesia, means called out, the Hebrew word, qahal, means called together.  Qahal appears 123 times in the Old Testament.  It is translated as assembly 17 times, company 17 times, congregation 86 times, and multitude 3 times.

 

Christ was in the Church in the Wilderness

 

       In Acts 7:38, we find the Israel congregation (Qahal) is referred to as the Church.  “This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.  This is he, that was in the Church in the Wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us.”  In this verse, Stephen unmistakably identifies Israel in the wilderness as the Church.  Furthermore, he makes it clear that Christ was with his Church in the wilderness just as he is with the New Testament Church, which Paul identifies in Galatians 6:16 as the Israel (or Church) of God.

 

       Stephen’s declaration, identifying the Israel Congregation as the Church, is by no means an isolated passage which we can attribute to an overzealous Israelite or an ambiguous translation.  The apostle Paul makes the same identification in Hebrews 2:12, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee.”  Paul is quoting Psalm 22:22 verbatim, only substituting church (ekklesia) for congregation (qahal).  Either these words are equivalent, or Paul is making a shambles of the scriptures.

 

Churches of the Saints = Congregation of the Saints

 

       In I Corinthians 14:33 Paul declares, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”  In Psalm 149:1 we read, “Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of the saints.  Let Israel rejoice in him that made him.”  Now if the churches of the saints, and the congregation of the saints, are two different organizations, then somebody is certainly trying to confuse us, and we are assured that God is not the author of such confusion.

House of God = Church of God

 

       In I Timothy 3:15, Paul identifies the house of God as the church of God; “that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the Living God.”  The Israel congregation (Qahal) is the only organization identified in scriptures as the house of God.  In Psalm 135:1-4 we read, “Praise ye the Lord.  Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.  Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.  Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.  For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.”

 

Flock of God = Church of God

 

       In Acts 20:28, Paul identifies the flock as the church of God.  “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”  In Ezekiel 34:14-15, God unfolds the beautiful relationship between Christ, the Good Shepherd, and Israel his flock.  “I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.  I will feed my flock (Church of God) and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.”

 

       If the apostle Paul is using terms in the old testament which are peculiar to Israel, such as; congregation of the saints, house of God, flock, and is applying them to a new organization called the Church, then the Bible is a book which can be interpreted anyway we would like.  If we cannot have confidence in the Biblical definition of terms, how could we ever hope to interpret the symbolism and prophesies of the book of Revelation?  Only the Bible can be used to interpret the Bible.  II Peter 1:20 admonishes us that, “no scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.”  It must be interpreted in context with all scripture as revealed by the spirit of God.

 

Christ Loved the Church and gave Himself  for it

 

       In the fifth chapter of Ephesians, Paul presents a simile which has led many Bible students to believe that the church, rather than Israel, is the wife of Christ.  In Ephesians 5:23-25 we read, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”

 

       What scriptural basis does Paul have for likening the church to the wife of Christ?  Anyone familiar with scripture knows that only Israel could be called the wife of Christ.  Isaiah 54:5 declares, “For thy Maker is thine husband; and the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel.”  In Jeremiah 3:14 we read, “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you.”

 

Was Christ unfaithful to His Wife Israel?

 

       Is it possible that Paul is unfamiliar with the relationship that God established with his people Israel?  Or, knowing this relationship, is it possible that Paul would portray Christ as an unfaithful husband? 

 

       In Ephesians 5:26-27 Paul continues, “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

  

       Paul uses the same language to describe the Church that John uses to describe Israel in Revelation 19:7-8, and 21:2.  “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints .  .  . And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

 

The Church and Israel Become One

 

       Who then is the wife of Christ, the Church, or Israel?  Paul answers this question in Ephesians 5:31.  “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.  This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”       

 

        In this simile Paul declares he is trying to reveal to us the great mystery of the unity of his body, the Church, and his wife, Israel.  When Israel has been cleansed through the provision of the new covenant, then she will be able to function as his perfected body, or his Ekklesia.

 

        If the children of Israel form the nucleus of God’s church, then why are they not all professing and practicing Christians?  It should be obvious that the members of God’s church are in varying stages of development.  The lessons which God teaches us in the flesh are as much a part of our training as was Israel’s trek in the wilderness; “that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.”  (Deuteronomy 8:3)

 

When it Pleased God to Reveal his Son to Paul

 

       Many Christians are going to have a difficult time accepting into fellowship those who have vigorously opposed God and his church while they walked after the flesh.  Nevertheless, when God gives them a new heart as he has surely promised, he is able to do great and mighty things with the basest of men.  Who would have expected Paul to be used of God in such an extraordinary way after persecuting the church so viciously?  Furthermore, the church was very apprehensive about taking Paul into their fellowship.  Nevertheless, the scriptures teach that Paul was a member of God’s Church (i.e. called out), even while in apparent opposition to that church.  In Galatians 1:15 we read, ”But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen.”    When it pleased God, he stopped Paul in his tracks, gave him a new heart, and caused him to walk in his ways.  I believe God works in this way so that he might destroy all confidence in our own merit, and cause us to rest solely in his grace.  “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  (Ephesians 2:8)

 

God’s Gifts and his Call are Irrevocable