40: The Promises to Israel - Another Day (Part 1 of 2)

“For if Joshua had given them rest, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” Hebrews 4.8, 9

We have seen that although not one word of God’s promises to Israel failed, “the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it,” (Hebrews 4.2), and that a long time after the Lord had given them rest, He set before them, through Joshua, the conditions on which they might enjoy the inheritance.

The Kingdom the Lord’s

Passing over a period of more than four hundred years, during which time the history of the children of Israel is a record of apostasy and repentance and apostasy again, we come to the time of David, when the kingdom of Israel was at the height of its power. Although, in demanding a king, the children of Israel rejected God, He did not reject them. It was not God’s design that Israel should ever have any other king than Himself, but they were not content to walk by faith, having a King whom they could not see. Nevertheless the kingdom still remained the Lord’s, and therefore He exercised His right to appoint rulers.

Even so it is in all the world. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” “His kingdom ruleth over all.” The people of the world do not recognize Him as King, and boast in the pride of their own Governments; yet “the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.” “He removeth kings, and setteth up kings.” Daniel 4.32; 2.21. “There is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God.” Romans xiii. 1. This is why every soul ought to be subject unto “the higher powers,” and is an evidence that the Lord’s kingdom includes the whole earth, even though the rulers who for a season are allowed to imagine that they are holding the reins, set themselves up against Him.