Thinking 'Christianly' About the News

"I hate the news."  That's what I thought recently. I have heard of sleepless nights to full on depression from Christians who drench themselves with news. They admittedly call themselves "news junkies". My contempt for the news is due to what I see it doing to news junkies. Christians can gather together in twos or larger groups and the news becomes the foremost topic of conversation. That can't be right. "I hate the news!" 

I am a product of my father who believed the adage that a Christian man should have a Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. That statement is attributed to the theologian Karl Barth. Unfortunately, like so many quotations, it is incomplete.  The actual quote reads: "Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.”  I also read recently the following excerpt from Begg and Ferguson from their book: Name Above All Names.

"There is, then, this great cosmic dimension to the kingship of Jesus. He is the source, the sustainer, and the goal of all created reality. “The universe was made by Him, is providentially sustained by Him and is utterly dependent on Him.” As Christians we must learn to think properly, biblically. Then we may watch CNN or BBC News, or read the New York Times, or make our way through the Wall Street Journal without joining the ranks of the gloomy or singing in the choir of the fearful. To be in Christ is mind stretching and life transforming. It is a mind-altering experience to bow before the authority of what is said concerning this cosmic Christ, who reigns over all. It changes our perspective on everything.

So we may learn to begin the day affirming that “Christ is King. Jesus is Lord!” It is important to develop the practice of affirming central gospel truths as we waken to the new day, saying to ourselves, “The Lord God omnipotent reigns. This is the twenty-fifth of January (or whatever); today the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Yes, I saw the New York Times before I went to sleep last night. I have it on my iTouch. I did look at the BBC report before I went to bed last night. I saw all about Gaza. I saw all about Zimbabwe. I saw so much to disturb and distress. But Christ reigns from the beginning of the day to its end—every single day of my life.”" [1]

Recently I thought of Susanna Wesley. On May 12, 2019, I brought my congregation a Mother's Day message on the life of Susanna Wesley. In it I said, "Early in her life, she vowed that she would never spend more time in leisure entertainment than she did in prayer and Bible study." Her discipline gave thought to the idea: I wonder if the Christian "news junkie" should give equal time to prayer and the study of God's Word in relation to time spent watching or reading news on all forms of media?   Perhaps the reader would take it as a challenge. 

Here's part of a prayer I read recently from the Valley of Vision:

Rectify [Put right, correct] all my principles 

by clear, consistent and influential views of Divine Truth. [2]

 

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1. Name above All Names Copyright © 2013 by Alistair Begg and Sinclair B. Ferguson Published by Crossway

2. The Valley of Vision, , The Banner of Truth Trust, p255.

 

IS TGC MAKING A SHIFT, LEFT?

Question? Are we seeing a shift in TGC toward egalitarianism from a complementary position? Or is it simply “a generous complementarity?”  

1.        Why we need women in Ministry. Dr. Michael Kruger https://youtu.be/iVnnHdoS3Nk?si=oT8FD9n3FQ4plfU-

 

2.        How men and women must labor together for the good of the Church. TGC Podcast with Collin Hansen, Jen Wilkin, Kori Porter and Michael Kruger. https://youtu.be/CJs2lJgAKyI?si=aKRd4ATjxS86TtT4

 

3.        Knowing Faith Podcast. The Evangelical Leadership Crisis. Jen Wilkin, JT English and Kyle Worley. https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/knowing-faith/id1274228164?i=1000671653743

 

Q1? Has the current complementary position been something less than generous?

Q2? Is there a Biblical category that defines an “office” for women?

Q3? What is meant by “visible female leadership”? What does that look like? Is there a Biblical warrant for such a position?

Q4? Does the family analogy of the Church require the imprint of mother/father roles?

 

Comments are appreciated.

 

 

 

Did You Contribute to the Sin of Dr. Steven Lawson?

The Church is grieving. Many, many of us who have been beneficiaries of Dr. Lawson’s preaching and teaching are still reeling from the latest news of his moral failure. Many, many have commented appropriately to this shockwave. Many, many have rightly reminded us to “take heed to self, lest we too fall.”   I said to a dear friend, we are all within a half an inch of such shipwreck.

A question that needs to be considered in this is: “Have I contributed to this sin?”  

Before I write the next several sentences many of you readers will already begin, “Ya but.”  I caution you not to do that. If you at once launch into your rebuttal, you will not take seriously this question. Wrestle with this personally, please. “Have you contributed to this sin?”  This is not to minimize or evade the responsibility that Dr. Lawson is and must be held to. My contention is that many of us must recognize our contribution to this sin of Lawson’s and others in a comparable way.

Dr. Lawson has been part of a cadre of Evangelical (often Reformed minded) men and women who spend a gargantuan amount of time and energy on the Conference tours. If not there, they are producing books and study material at a supernatural rate. The Christian books stores and media outlets are replete with video and digital bible studies and courses. The ground supporting my question is this: Local churches have often made the conference, teaching ministries of such men and women indispensable to their ministry.

To be honest, I have contributed to the sin of Dr. Lawson. As a retired pastor I look back on many, many solutions to the local church teaching ministry satisfied by “parachuting” a big-name speaker in, via video, to teach my Sunday School class, Bible Study, or other ministry need. In fact, I know local churches that have become total dependent on the ability to import video teaching from these celebrated teachers.

We have committed two evils. We have demoted the necessity of the local church to develop teachers and preachers from within (Thus devaluing the doctrine of ecclesiology); and we have exalted the celebrity speakers to an unattainable pedestal.

Why must the local church default to importing celebrity teachers to meet the needs of the Sunday School class, Bible study or such like? Why must the local church default to importing the books, these people write, to meet the need of the moment? Why are men and women not being trained to open God’s Word before other believers and teach them the Bible? Why are men and women that have served Christ for many years incapable of following a simple pattern of hermeneutics and prayerfully teach their peers? Why are men and women being conditioned to demote the faithful preaching of their pastor (and elders, presumably) and relish in the conference ministry, the radio, TV ministries, the books and video series of these illuminaries?

A short story. My father was a Sabbatarian. As a young man he helped a fledgling church near the city of Glasgow, Scotland. He had two routes to go to church. One was lengthy and he would ride his bicycle. One was short but needed a ferry ride. One Sunday morning while crossing the ferry he was constrained to witness to the driver. He chose to start the conversation with, “Do you go to church?”  The ferryman answered, “How can I with the likes of you who keep me on this ferry.”  Now remember: No ya buts. My father’s conscience was pricked, and he never took the ferry again on the Lord’s Day. My father, to his credit, was able to see how his choices had aggravated the ferry man’s situation. Can you?

Why are there hundreds of conferences, books, video lessons and the like? Answer: because you and I demand them. It is the law of supply and demand. We have created celebrity pastors and teachers. One astute commentator wrote, “Every pastor should be at home at night with his wife.”  (Remember. No ya but.)  I have lived through T4G attended by thousands, TGCW attended recently by 9,000 women, Shepherds conference, Desiring God, Ligonier etc. etc.  I have also lived through the moral shipwreck and indiscretion of several of the speakers at such events.

What if Churches just said, enough! No more conferences. No more video lessons. No more book studies. No more! As of today, the people of God will look to their own pastors and elders for biblical preaching. As for today the people of God will encourage one another through the carefully handled Word of God, cutting it straight. As of today Sunday School (adult in mind) will see groups of disciples gathered reverently around their Bibles with paper, pen, and hearts open to receive God’s Word.

I have contributed to the sin of Dr. Lawson. Have you?

The local Church needs to embrace a robust Doctrine of Ecclesiology that makes much of the grace found in the preaching/teaching ministries of His “local” people. We have forsaken the primary and Biblical call upon the local Church and become reliant on the celebrity speaker to feed our people. It is not a burden these men and women ought to bear. We need to stop demanding it of them.

If you have considered this carefully and personally, now give me your “ya buts.”

Romans 9 – 11 and the Nation State of Israel

 

Romans 9 – 11 and the Nation State of Israel[1]

Historical Background

Before I launch into this discussion it is critical to say a word about the historical context to the who Letter of Paul to the Romans.  You will see how important this is as I move through my argument. We know from Acts 18:1-2 that the church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of both Jewish and non-Jewish followers. The crisis for this church began when the Roman emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people from Rome. About five years later, all those Jews, including many who followed Jesus, were allowed to return. When they did, they found a church that had become non-Jewish in its customs and practice. This culture clash created lots of tension, and by Paul’s day, the Roman church was divided.[2]

The Church in Rome had a racial problem. Does God treat the Jew differently than the Greek? Those who have studied the previous chapters in Romans see that Paul systematically shows there is no difference between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians.  Both face the same plight, and both have the same Saviour. Behind Romans 9-11 exists an unspoken question, “Does God save Jews in the same way?”  Or stated more succinctly: “Don’t the Jews have national promises that Gentiles don’t have?”  “Is there a redemptive future for the nation state of Israel?”

The Purpose

This article is intended to show that Romans 9-11 does not support the popular notion that at the end of time, God will show His faithfulness to the nation state of Israel (Israel according to the flesh) and bring to pass a mass revival thus showing that “all Israel will be saved.”  In whatever way one may arrive at such a conclusion, I contend that it cannot be supported by Romans 9-11.  Here is an example of such an interpretation:

“He plans to remove the hardening of unbelief and renew His covenant with Israel. This will occur as many Jewish people come to faith in Christ at some future time. Israel remains deeply loved by God because of His irrevocable promises and calling for the patriarchs.”[3]

Supported mostly by a system of theology known as Dispensationalism, this interpretation is questionable. The statement is intended to summarize Paul’s words in Romans 11:26a (ESV): “And in this way all Israel will be saved.”  But you will note in your reading that most conservative scholars do not take that literally (A tenet of Dispensationalism!) but rather qualify it as “many Jewish people”.  It must also be admitted by those who embrace a future salvation of all Israel (and their various interpretations of such) that “all” does not mean to them as “all”.  In fact, by their own conclusions, they are speaking of a massive redemptive work of God upon the nation state of Israel that serves the salvic benefit of one generation of Jews.  However, that is not my main argument in this article.

My limited scope is to simply show that the internal evidence of Romans 9-11 does not support the notion of any end-time event analogous to a massive redemption of the nation state of Israel.  I wish to prove my thesis in 5 points.

#1. The foundation of Romans 9-11 does not support such a notion.

This foundation is the opening verses, Romans 9:6–11 (ESV):

“⁶ But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, ⁷ and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, . . . but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. . .. —in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls.”

The argument starts in Romans 8:39b, “nothing can separate us from the love of God.”  But what about Israel?  Has God’s word failed regarding Israel? No! The Israel that Paul weeps for and wishes to be accursed for is not the Israel of promise. “Not all Israel belong to Israel.”  The point that undergirds these important chapters is that God never intended to “save all Israel”.  The promise was always for a remnant chosen (elected) by grace. This principle must shape our thinking of Romans 11:26. Paul is clearly setting the parameters here.  If Romans 9:1-11 is affirming that God’s eternal plan was to save a chosen remnant from within the nation state of Israel, we must assume that to be true throughout the remaining two chapters.  God never foreknew, sovereignly elected all of the nation state of ethnic Israel.

#2. The proof of God’s faithfulness to His plan for Israel is not an end-time restoration.

Paul’s answer to the question in Romans 9:6, “Has the Word of God failed” regarding Israel is not, “No it is not failed, just wait until I tell you about the national restoration that will occur before the end of time.”  It is the saving of a remnant that responds to the question of God’s faithfulness.  And Paul will make himself as a prime example.  Note Romans 11:1–5 (ESV):

“¹¹ I ask, then, has God rejected his people?  By no means! For I myself am an Israelite . . . ⁵ So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.”

As Paul is writing this Letter, he not only proves God’s fidelity through the individual salvation of God’s elect Jews, but through that very means refutes the idea of a national ethnic restoration. The nation is in fact, not all going to be saved.  Thus, Paul writes in Romans 11:14 that it is his driving mission “in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.” (Emphasis mine).

#3. The internal evidence proves that “partial” means not “all”.

Proponents of this end-time revival of the Jewish nation take the word partial and apply it to time. Noting Romans 11:25 (ESV), we read:

“²⁵ Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”

The common Dispensationalism view assumes that God has placed a judicial hardening on the nation state of Israel and is lifted at some point in time.  For example: “The time is coming, after the right amount of the Gentiles have believed in Christ, when God will remove the hardening from the unbelieving Jews. They will turn to faith in Christ and, as a people, be grafted back onto God's symbolic olive tree.”

The problem with that is that God never uses the idea of a partial hardening of Israel in terms of time. The idea of hardening is juxtaposed with election.  In describing God’s purpose for Pharaoh, God inspires Paul to write: “So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.” (Romans 9:18).  The partial hardening again supports Paul’s instruction: Some of Israel has been hardened and some of Israel has been shown mercy (elected by grace); or stated otherwise, not all Israel is Israel.

The phrase “all Israel” is again compared with “the fullness of the Gentiles”.  Other than Universalists, no conservative, evangelical scholar would equate Gentile fullness to all of the Gentiles will be saved.  No, we would say that God has determined by electing grace to save a certain number of Gentiles. Likewise, the term “all Israel” corresponds by teaching us that God has determined to save a certain number of elect Jews.

#4. Paul does reveal a sequence of time that refutes an en-time Jewish revival.

Note Romans 11:11–15 (ESV):

“¹¹ So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. ¹² Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! ¹³ Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry ¹⁴ in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.  ¹⁵ For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead.”

Paul identifies a sequence. Jewish trespass leads to salvation to the Gentiles. Stated otherwise: Jewish trespass means riches for the Gentiles.  So, question: “How much more of a blessing will it be to the Gentiles when all of the elect Jews are saved.  Dispensationalists anticipate that when “all Israel is saved” the end shall come, and all the elect Gentiles are already saved. But the verse implies that when the “fullness of the Jews is complete, there is yet to be a blessing (“how much more will their full inclusion mean”).

Stated succinctly the text anticipates increasing blessing to the Gentiles by the salvation of Jews, but a Dispensational reading of this teaches that once the Jews are saved the end will come.

#5. Paul is describing a “way” not a “when”.

“And in this way all Israel will be saved.” (Romans 11:26).  As stated above, Paul is showing the faithfulness of God and His Word to Israel, not by promising an end-time revival before Christ’s return, but in fact showing that God is faithful to His Word in that not all Israel is chosen by grace through faith (Chapter 10) to be saved but that those Jews who are the elect according to grace are being saved through the Gospel — and that is HOW all Israel according to promise will be saved.

Summary

These chapters could be bookended this way:

Romans 9:6–11 (ESV): ⁶ But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel . . . —in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls . . ..”

Romans 11:26 (ESV): “²⁶And in this way all Israel will be saved . . ..”

All Israel, all Israel according to promise, will be saved by God’s sovereign electing grace through faith in Jesus Christ. That is the “way” all of Israel that God had fore known in eternity will be saved. And in keeping with the historical context of Romans, that is the exact same way the Gentiles will come into their fullness.

Conclusion.

I have given 5 integral arguments that exist within the text of Romans 9-11 that refute any notion that God has a plan to save the nation state of Israel in a future and final display of His redemptive plan.  If someone is to suggest the reality of such an event, they will find no support within the pages of Romans 9-11.   If they find it elsewhere, they would need to deal with an apparent contradiction in Scripture that is fatal if such existed. 

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[1] I owe a debt in this article by the good work of Dr. Sam Storms.

[2] The Bible Project

[3] https://www.bibleref.com/biblepassage/Printer?section=Romans_11:25&lang=en

Is God’s Presence in Hell?

 

Doctrine

The question of whether God is in hell must begin doctrine that God is everywhere.  He is omnipresent. The doctrine of God’s omnipresence states that God is everywhere, at once and absolutely.  There are no parts of Him in one place and part in another.  One must also hold to the doctrine of Divine Simplicity This is the idea that God does not exist in parts but is one unified entity.  

Revelation 14:10

Jesus taught that God’s ultimate punishment is banishment from the Lord's presence (see Matthew 7:23; 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; and Luke 13:27).  However, as we read Revelation 14:10 (ESV), speaking of those who worship the beast: “he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”  That passage tends to reveal that Christ and the angels are present in Hell with the damned.  Dr. Beale writes, “That the torment takes place not only ‘before the Lamb’ but also the before ‘holy angels’ suggests that the angels are not merely present when the judgment occurs but also take part in the execution of it, though their presence may only be intended to call attention to the Lamb.”^[1] The presence of Christ isn’t stated categorically that He is in Hell.  It may be saying that Christ and the angels are observing the very results of their judgment. “In Revelation 14:10, "presence" is a literal translation of the Greek ἐνώπιον, which means "in the presence of, before." This is a spatial word, suggesting proximity and literal, measurable distances.”[2]

2 Thessalonians 1:9

2 Thessalonians 1:9 gives us the clearest of answers.  “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,” (2 Thessalonians 1:9, ESV). Let me unpack this by identifying several important points.

Point 1.

The clause, “away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” leans back to Isaiah 2:10, 19, and 21, where the wicked are called to hide from the “presence of the fear of the Lord and from the glory of His might.^[3]  This should cause us to immediately think that the presence of God they are experiencing is His wrath and is manifested by His terror and majestic power.  The redeemed of the Lord do not experience this aspect of God’s presence. “. . . In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11b, ESV)

Point 2.

Another point to be made about this phrase, “away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” is that this is synonymous parallelism in Greek, meaning that the “presence of the Lord is stated otherwise and similar to, “the glory of His might.” “Since these two prepositional phrases are in synonymous parallelism with each other (see also vv8b and 10), it would be wrong to distinguish their meaning too sharply.”^[4]  All that is to say that the punishment meted out on the unrepentant is state away from the presence of God; or stated otherwise, away from the glory of His might. These phrases could be used interchangeably.  I’ll write more of that later.

Point 3.

The most compelling point for me is the word “presence”.  This word in the Greek text is “πρόσωπον prosōpon; from 4314 and ὤψ ōps (an eye, face); the face.”^[5] That Biblical notion of being before, or seeking God’s face is an important reality in the Scriptures. The greatest blessing is to have God’s face turned to you, not away from you. This leads me to conclude that God’s presence in Hell is His face is turned away.  He is present with an ever-turned face.  Many years ago, I head the late Dr. R.C. Sproul, Senior, speak on the topic of cursing and blessing[6].  He took his text from the Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24–26, ESV)

Dr. Sproul noted that cursing someone is the opposite of blessing.  For example, we could read the text as a curse in this way: “The LORD curse you and abandon you; the LORD turn His face and leave you in darkness removing all grace to you; the LORD remove His countenance[7] from you and give you calamity.” 

So, in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 we might see the Apostle saying that the reprobate experience the turned away face of God. That experience includes eternal darkness, devoid of all grace and peace, lacking all approval or acceptability from God.  “And God, who is present everywhere at all times, will be forever present in hell as the judge . . . Whatever the exact nature of this everlasting judgment, it is horrible ultimately for one reason only: God is present.” – Michael Horton[8]  For God to be present with His face turned away would be horror devoid description.  It is what Christ experienced on the Cross in a moment of time but infinite in measure when He cried, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”^[9]  The ever-present God was there with face turned away.  That is Hell.

As to the parallel phrase “the glory of His might”, how does it reflect a synonymous idea?   If we turn to Psalm 106:8 (ESV) we get a clue.  There we read, “Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power.” The salvation of God’s people is accomplished through His “mighty power”, His “glorious might”.  Just as God’s “turned-away-face” reflects His curse, so does His removal of His mighty power in salvation becomes His curse.   

Conclusion

One commentator puts it this way, “According to 2 Thessalonians 1:9, the punishment of unbelievers in hell will consist not only of suffering in the "fires," but also banishment from the presence of the Lord. The word translated "presence" is literally "face." Whereas believers will see the Lord face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12), unbelievers will be driven from the face of the Lord and will never know the joy of being in His presence and the delight of observing the splendor of His power.”[10]

Is God present in Hell?  Yes.  God is present with face turned away and the possibility of salvation removed – forever.  This is unimaginable horror.

 

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^[1] Beale, G. K. (1999). The book of Revelation: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 760). W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.

[2] https://www.gotquestions.org/God-in-hell.html

^[3] Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; p. 474). Baker Academic.

^[4] Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; p. 475). Baker Academic.

^[5] Thomas, R. L. (1998). In New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek dictionaries : updated edition. Foundation Publications, Inc.

[6] https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/cross-of-christ/blessing-or-curse

[7] Remove His acceptance of you.

[8] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/hell-not-separation-god/

^[9] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Mt 27:46). (2016). Crossway Bibles.

[10] https://www.bibleref.com/2-Thessalonians/1/2-Thessalonians-1-9.html

John Stott - The Place of Israel

 

The Place of Israel

by John Stott [1]

Rector Emeritus,  All Souls Church, London, England

Our topic has been announced as “The Place of Israel,” and the topic that has been set for us is an object lesson in biblical hermeneutics as it’s usually called in the principles of interpreting the Bible.  But I would like to remind you right at the beginning that there are at least four ways in which the word “Israel,” whose place we are to investigate, can be used.

One:     Israel was that devious scoundrel, the second son of Isaac, whose first name was Jacob – meaning “he who deceived or he who struggles,” who amply lived up to his name – but whom God renames “Israel,” because having struggled with men all his life, he at last came to struggle with God for the blessing he needed (a blessing to which he was not entitled).

Two:     Israel is the chosen people of the Old Testament days – the 12 tribes descended from the 12 sons of Jacob called the children of Israel, because Israel (or Jacob) was a common ancestor.

Three:   Israel is the messianic community – the people of Jesus – the true descendents of Abraham because they share Abraham’s faith.  This includes Gentiles like most of us if we believe in Jesus, but excludes Jews who don’t.  When Paul ended his letter to the Galatians, “Peace and mercy upon the Israel of God,” he was referring to believers in Jesus, whatever their ethnic origin.  So Israel is the messianic community.

Four:    Israel today, for many people if you read the newspapers, is the Israeli nation, promised a national home by the Balfour Declaration of 1917 and given it in 1948.

So Israel has four meaning.  It means Jacob.  It means Jews.  It means Christians.  And it means Israelis.  And that is just the problem when you are asked who you are talking about.

To read further click HERE.

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1. John Stott was ordained into the ministry of the Church of England in 1945. He served as the senior pastor (rector) of All Souls Church in London from 1950-1975. He became Rector Emeritus in 1975 and devoted his life to a ministry of teaching worldwide, and writing.  Stott has written over 40 books. His best known, “Basic Christianity”, has been translated into more than 50 languages. Other titles include “The Cross of Christ,” The Contemporary Christian,”  “ Evangelical Truth,” “New Issues Facing Christians Today,” and eight New Testament expositions.

BEHOLD THE DAYS ARE COMING

 

The prophecy of Jeremiah, written about 600 years B.C., is foretelling the eventual judgment of southern Israel, Judah.  The Northern tribes had already been sent into captivity.  Babylon's assault was pending.

Throughout the prophecy, Jeremiah includes phrases of hope -- hope of a restoration.  But none is as clear as is recorded in Jeremiah 23:5–6 (ESV)

⁵ “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶ In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

There are some expositors that choose to leave the time of the prophecy's fulfillment as open. "The expression days are coming is very general and has no particular time reference." [1] There are others who are adamant that this prophecy will be fulfilled in a physical, temporal Millennial reign. For example: This is referring to "Israel’s regathering and the righteous Branch will occur during the millennial reign following the Great Tribulation." [2]

I believe "the days" refer to the time between Christ's advent and His Second Coming. I also believe that the time stamp is clear.  I hold to that belief for 3 reasons:

#1. The formula "Behold the days".

In this chapter, Jeremiah uses that phrase twice (v5 and v7).  He will use it again in the well-known chapter on the New Covenant. ““Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 31:31–32, ESV)

The writer to the Hebrews in chapters 8:8bff and 10:15 clearly applies that formula to the Christian Church. In classic Biblical hermeneutics, we interpret the Old by the New.  The author to the book of Hebrews would view Jeremiah's prophecy as applying to the Church, the true offspring of Abraham, all those who have faith in Jesus Christ.  Just as the New Covenant was inaugurated by Jesus, so the Messianic reign was inaugurated at His advent.

#2. The Branch of David.

The second time stamp in this passage is the reference to the Branch of David.  Thompson comments: "The metaphor is of a shoot (ṣemaḥ) bursting forth from the Davidic tree (i.e., the dynasty), which, though cut off, is not dead. English versions have generally translated the word as Branch. In postexilic times the term became the classic technical one for the expected ideal king (Zech. 3:8; 6:12) [3].

No one disputes that the Branch, or better, the Shoot, is referring to Jesus Christ, the expected Messiah.  Jeremiah likely got that hint from Isaiah who prophesied 100 years before.  “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” (Isaiah 11:1–2, ESV).  Jesus Himself citing a parallel passage (“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;” (Isaiah 61:1, ESV) affirmed that this was about Him. (Luke 4:18-19).  Jesus believed that He was the One prophesied and He was currently engaged in the ministry foretold. 

#3. The Salvation of Israel.

In Romans 11:26 (ESV), Paul clearly tells us that he is thinking of the Old Testament restorative literature when he writes, "²⁶ And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”.  Certainly, when the audience read "in this way all Israel will be saved" they must have thought of: “In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23:6, ESV)

Paul was writing of contemporary things.  He describes how God has not rejected Israel, but in fact has a glorious plan of salvation based upon His electing mercies. "In this way all Israel" will be saved.  In other words, what is happening right now, as it happened to him, is how Israel will be saved.

Conclusion

Surely the authorial intent of the prophecy of Jeremiah 23:5-6, is to point us to the Coming of the Messiah at His birth and His ministry throughout the last days until His Second Return. “. . . Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” (1 Corinthians 15:23–25, ESV)

So, it was with great cause and abundant joy that the father of John the Baptist would exclaim:

". . .“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” (Luke 1:67–75, ESV)  

To God be the Glory.

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1. Thompson, J. A. (1980). The Book of Jeremiah (p. 489). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

2. Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M., eds. (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 1466). Thomas Nelson.

3. Thompson, J. A. (1980). The Book of Jeremiah (p. 489). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.