Order in Worship and Service--Part 8

Since God’s eternal purpose precedes everything He does, His choice of Israel must come first in working out his purpose (Deut. 7:6-8). The nation of Israel in its associated capacity embraces the natural descendants of Abraham (Rom. 9:4; 11:28). Christ’s kingdom was promised to this nation until the promise was enlarged to include Gentiles chosen to be adopted as the spiritual seed of Abraham. The Christians of this age, both Jews and Gentiles, are recipients of the blessings of the new covenant. The new covenant was made with the house of Israel (Heb. 8:8). Both old and new covenants were made with Israel (Heb. 7:22; 8:6). God chose Israel as the channel through whom He brought the Savior whose blessing reaches the elect from among the nations of the world.

The assembly of Christ cannot be separated from the covenant promises of the Old Testament. Although Paul had strong affection for the unbelieving Jews, he regarded the “Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16) with affection of a peculiar kind, because they included Jews and Gentiles. The promise of salvation is related to the Abrahamic covenant (Gal. 3:16). Galatians 4 reveals the relative position of Old Testament believers and New Testament Christians to the Abrahamic covenant. No person born of God by the Holy Spirit can refuse to believe in the promises of God’s covenant, which is sealed in Christ’s blood, established by His resurrection, and confirmed by His present exaltation.

Spiritual life does not exist in anyone born of the flesh. Therefore, a person cannot assist in giving himself spiritual life. Placing effects in the place of causes or causes in the place of effects is absurd. Grace must first enter the heart before it can be discovered in the life and conversation. The God of all grace must first draw the elect, or they will never move toward Him (John 6:44). Quickening grace opens the heart to Godly sorrow, and this always issues in genuine repentance, which is the gift of God (Acts 5:31; 11:18). The Old Testament language in the KJV is, “…turn thou me and I shall be turned,” and in the NASB, “Bring me back that I may be restored, For Thou art the LORD my God” (Jer. 31:18). Instruction and application follow the initial turning.

The sovereign God’s foreknowledge is not merely intellectual (Rom. 8:28-30). God’s knowledge is the reality of everything interwoven with the inner experience of eternality. With God, “to know” can stand the Biblical idiom of “to love” because the only thing that was foreseen as the cause of election was the completed work of His eternal Son, Jesus Christ. The following are things knowledge involves: (1) Jesus Christ is the Person in whom the elect are chosen (Eph. 1:4). This proves the necessity of the Trinity. (2) Jesus Christ was the Object of election (Is. 42:1; I Pet. 2:4). His election is not confined to the human nature. It includes His office of Savior. (3) Jesus Christ is the Surety (guarantee) of election (Heb. 7:25). The elect are brought to salvation by means of Christ’s redeeming work, and in Him they have the permanent guarantee of a better covenant. (4) The elect are brought to salvation in Christ at God’s appointed time (II Thess. 2:13). They are chosen “to” salvation. (5) Jesus Christ is the object of general and particular election (Eph. 1:4; I Pet. 1:1-5). The truth that God has chosen some proves all are not reprobated. However, the Christians’ union with Christ and conformity to Him prove they know they are elect. (6) The conclusion of election is conformity to Christ (Rom. 8:29). Justification is unto sanctification, and sanctification is unto glorification. (7) The chief end of election is that Christ should be glorified (Rom. 8:29; John 17).

God who chose Jerusalem from among depraved humanity gave her life and increased her number. Ezekiel referred to the patriarchal period when he wrote, “When I [the Lord] passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, Live! …I made you numerous like plants of the field…Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time of love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine, declares the LORD God” (Ezek. 16:6-8 NASB).

The prophet passed from the allegory to reality when he affirmed the growth of the nation: “Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Ramses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children. And a mixed multitude also went up with them, along with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock” (Ex. 12:37, 38 NASB). Everything in the Bible is a parable to the unregenerate, and everything in the Christian life is a miracle by the hand of the sovereign God. Murmuring and discontent are contagious, but not with Christians who are in good spiritual health because of study, growth, discipline, and obedience. Paul gave a warning: “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals” (I Cor. 15:33 NASB).

Much of Israel’s growth took place in the field (Egypt). Therefore, much of the increase came from the people of Egypt who became a hindrance to God’s people. Zechariah described such people: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, In those days ten men from all nations will grasp the garment of a Jew saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (Zech. 8:23 NASB).

The mixed multitude contributed to the Israelites’ discontent. This was the starting point of much evil in Israel, and it is also true in the assemblies of Christ. Satan’s object from the beginning has been to sow tares among the wheat (Matt. 13:25). Since the people of God have the flesh in them (Rom. 7:15-25), they can be acted on by influence, and sin is brought into activity. Many in the Corinthian assembly were weak, sickly, and some had fallen asleep (died). (Study I Cor. 1, 3, 5, 10, and 11.)

The word “numerous” means many or consisting of a great number. This is the age of big, bigger, and biggest syndrome. Is bigger better? There are many mega-churches of differing doctrinal views. Religionists are brainwashed to believe bigger is better. Mega-churches and mega-governments are having their day in these last days. Going from appearance to reality, there are only a few on the narrow way (Matt. 7:14). During Noah’s time only eight persons were brought safely through the water (I Pet. 3:20). This is not only historical, but also prophetical: “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it shall be also in the days of the Son of Man” (Luke 17:26 NASB).

Israel’s time of misery brought her to the time of love. This love surpasses knowledge (Eph. 3:18, 19). The term “Jerusalem” is representative of the whole nation of Israel. Such love for the nation goes beyond explanation by men. However, the fact that adds to one’s amazement of God’s love is that in His omniscience, God knew beforehand that the one He was making His own would forsake Him and ultimately betray Him by prostituting herself with many lovers.

The most heinous sin is when people with such high privileges as Israel prostitute their privileges for personal gain. What condemnation this is to professing Christendom! What can be worse than infidelity to love? The time of Hosea was a period of great material prosperity and spiritual decay. His work as prophet was exercised during Israel’s zero hour. The prophet’s message was principally to Israel, especially to the ten tribes. The aspect of Divine character on which the prophet dwelt was that of husband and wife. Israel is portrayed as Jehovah’s wife (Ezek. 16:32).

Hosea 1-3 should be studied with Ezekiel 16. The difference between Ezekiel and Hosea was that Hosea must experimentally learn in his marriage to Gomer what Jehovah experienced with Israel. Some think the story of Hosea and Gomer is only a parable, but there is no reason for not taking this as a historical fact. The marriage was to teach Israel and all the elect subsequent to Israel that they are not chosen and called by God because of any worthiness in them. All in themselves are as unworthy as Gomer. Compare this with Paul’s statement to the Corinthians (I Cor. 6:9-11).

The name “Gomer” signifies corruption. She was corrupt in her wicked life in the single state, but the Lord said to Hosea, “…Go take to yourself a wife of harlotry; and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD” (Hos. 1:2 NASB). No one can deny this was a strange command that God gave Hosea. Scripture relates this as being historically true. God does not dispense with His moral law in giving this command. He is His own law. God, who is the absolute Lord of all things, conducts the lives of His people according to His sovereign will. The sovereign Lord commanded Abraham to offer his son as a burnt sacrifice. As sovereign Judge, God commanded that the lives of the Canaanites be taken away by Israel. In ordinary providence, He ordained the magistrate not to bear the sword in vain. He who created marriage commanded Hosea to marry Gomer. Her unfaithfulness to Hosea is a picture of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God (Hos. 2:1-5).

There is a difference between God’s statements, “When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood” (Ezek. 16:6 NASB), and “Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love…” (Ezek. 16:8 NASB). The first refers to the position of the Jews in Egypt (world), and the second refers to life because of the blood of the Passover. The word “behold” (v. 8) comes from the Hebrew word hinnay, which means to point out an important fact. There can be no fact more important than God’s covenant of grace, which reveals “the time for love.” A feature associated with “the time for love” is Ezekiel 16:8—“…I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness….” Jehovah betrothed Jerusalem as Boaz betrothed Ruth. Boaz said to Ruth when she was lying at his feet, “Who are you? And she answered, I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative [kinsman redeemer]” (Ruth 3:9 NASB).

God’s swearing gives assurance of His love: “…I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine, declares the LORD GOD” (Ezek. 16:8 NASB). (See Heb. 6:16-20.) She who was God’s by His eternal choice (Deut. 7:6) was now His by regeneration (Ezek. 16:6) and sanctification (Ezek. 16:9).

God said, “…I bathed you with water…” (Ezek. 16:9 NASB). Regarding the Corinthian assembly, Paul said, “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin” (II Cor. 11:2 NASB). Her cleansing is described by Paul: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church [assembly] and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church [assembly] in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:25-27 NASB). A custom between espousal and marriage was that one was to educate and prepare the young woman for marriage. If through his negligence the young woman became corrupted, great blame would be his. This is where Paul stood in relation to the Corinthian saints, and it is the position of every God-appointed elder.

Paul was concerned about the interval between betrothal and marriage or conversion and glorification. The interval is a period marked by the world’s dishonor and rejection of Christ. Satan cannot touch the value of the cross; neither can he mar the perfection of eternal glory. The whole force of his effort is to hinder a Christian’s present growth in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah mentioned betrothals in his prophecy: “NOW the word of the LORD came to me saying, Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the LORD, I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, The love of your betrothals, Your following after Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown; Israel was holy to the LORD, the first of His harvest; All who ate of it became guilty; Evil came upon them, declares the LORD. Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel” (Jer. 2:1-4 NASB). God remembers the best things of His peoples’ early days. For example, those first times of repentance were so precious to God that He stored them in a bottle (Ps. 56:8). Reflecting on when God remembers the best things and not mentioning their sins is precious to the ones who are regenerated and converted. He forgets away their sins. God would have Christians to remember the best things of their early days for rebuke.

The Ephesian Christians were rebuked for leaving their “first love.” When one leaves his best love, idols begin to take up residence in his affections. Then the Christian begins to complain against the assembly, minister, and circumstances. The fact is that the change has been in the Christian himself. Declension is a sin against light and love. When one shuts the book of mercy, he opens the book of judgment (I Cor. 11:27-32). When the chief love is left, something such as pleasure, politics, or business comes into the affections to take its place. The Biblical admonition is to remember from where you have fallen (Rev. 2:5). A person cannot start to return from where he is. A Biblical example of the necessity of one returning to take up where he departed is the story of the axe head that fell in the water (II Kings 6:1-7). If an assembly does not return to her chief works, God will remove the candlestick. Israel is an example of what God can and does do.

God not only cleansed Jerusalem, but He also anointed, clothed, and adorned her. Her fame went forth among the nations because of God’s splendor that had been bestowed on her (Ezek. 16:9-14). The experience of Jerusalem at this point in her life was similar to that of the Thessalonian assembly (I Thess. 1:1-10). Unlike Jerusalem, Thessalonica became a lasting model. Since God will be glorified in the world, the institution He appointed will glorify Him. If that institution will accomplish the goals for which it was established, it must attend to the means God sets forth in His word.