Blindness – In Part
It is an on-going puzzle, as to why some of us can embrace the knowledge that we – the Anglo/Saxon/Celtic peoples – are descended from the peoples of Biblical Israel, and others cannot. Indeed, it is difficult to understand why many other good Christian folk just won’t accept it, and this is mainly because, in their eyes, the people who call themselves Jews encompass the entire twelve tribes of the Israelite peoples.
The quote above comes from chapter 11 of Romans, wherein Paul, who tells us that he is a Benjamite, enlightens us further if we read the whole chapter.
He begins by stating clearly that ...“God has not cast away His people which He foreknew.” He refers to Elias (Elijah) who complained to the Lord that Israel had turned away from Him and His prophets, but the Lord God replied …”I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal”… Perhaps we should consider this term to mean that these seven thousand men were not deceived and refused to be subservient to a false god.
Paul also tells us that there was also a remnant in his time reserved likewise, through the election of grace, and these were not blinded with the spirit of slumber, as were the rest. And as then – so today!
Back in Isaiah’s time he was instructed by the Lord to prophesy to the people, yet they were to hear and not understand, to see but not perceive (see Isaiah 6); “Go and tell this people. Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.” (v 9).
Even our Lord Himself, when He walked the earth spoke in parables to the multitudes who came to hear him. In fact, His disciples asked Him; “Why speakest thou unto them in parables?”
Jesus answered and said; “Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”
“Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and not understand; and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive; For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
This is astounding – for it shows that it is by God’s Will. Just as the separation back in Old Testament times, of the House of Israel from the House of Judah was also His Will.
Dr. E.W. Bullinger in his book on ‘The Witness of the Stars’ speaks of two groups of God’s people. The Lesser Sheep Fold (the Little Flock) and the Larger Fold. It does not mean that the Lesser are necessarily any better than the larger – but that perhaps they are chosen by the Lord, for His own purpose, to know other things. He tells us – “But this is the Lesser Sheepfold. These are they who all through the ages have been ‘partakers of the heavenly calling’, who desired a better country, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God ‘hath prepared for them a city,’ the city for which Abraham himself ‘looked’. This was no earthly city, but a city ‘whose builder and maker is God’ (Hebrews 11:10-16). These have always been a smaller company, a ‘little flock,’ but the kingdom shall be theirs, even the kingdom of God, for which they now look and wait. They have not yet ‘received the promises; but, having seen them afar off’ by faith, they ‘were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
There are still many Christians in the world who go out into the streets and preach the salvation of Jesus Christ. And this is a perfectly good and important job to do. Indeed, to that extent the Word of God has gone out from the Israelite nations to other lands, and many folk of other races have embraced this message – and the effect of past missionaries has certainly exceeded all expectations, for in today’s world, we hear of Christians in Nigeria, China and North Korea for example, who are so faithful to the Lord that they have, and continue to give their lives rather than deny Him when pressed to do so by the unbelievers. In the light of today’s event and the state of our own peoples, these faithful converts are proving to be more righteous than God’s own peoples!
But for ourselves it seems that we have our own commission, as it were, to be witnesses to the Identity of God’s Israel people, and how ever many – or few – there may be of us in these latter days, we must still carry on as best we can.
Another interesting statement spoken by Our Lord, and which he repeats a second time is; “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
You will find both references in Matthew, Chapter 20:16&22 and Chapter 22:14. Both accompany Parables. The first concerns the labourers in the vineyard, hired for a penny a day. After the third, the sixth, and the ninth hour, more labourers were employed, and again in the 11th hour more still. At the end of the shift the lord of the vineyard tells his steward to pay the men, beginning with the last through to the first. All were paid the same sum – one penny. Those who had worked the longest thought they should receive more, but the lord of the vineyard tells them; “Take that thine is, and go thy way: I shall give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”
The 2nd parable concerns a wedding feast; The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go therefore into the highways, and as many as ye find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.”
If you remember one man was found not to be clothed in the wedding garments, and so was removed and cast into the outer darkness. Then we are told by our Lord; “So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called, but few chosen.” (v 16).
If you look up ‘called’ and ‘chosen’ in Strong’s Concordance you will see that ‘called’ is also ‘invited’, ‘appointed’ – and even a ‘saint’! Whereas ‘chosen’ is ‘favourite’, ‘select’ or ‘elect’. I would surmise that the called can be applied to anyone who comes to the know of the Lord, whereas the chosen are a reference to those who having heard Him carry out His word to the exclusion of all worldly attractions.
We may not know why our eyes have been opened to the Identity Message, and others not – but let us be grateful that we do know, and as we continue along our pathways, have faith that the Lord has everything in hand! “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32)
