PARABLE, MIRACLE, AND SIGN
42
The words of the epistles of Peter and James, so full of admonition and comfort to those of the dispersion who
believed and who were passing through the `fiery trial', were addressed to this remnant.
When we read in the book of the Revelation of `The wife' and `The bride', we have the two companies again
who are in view in these parables as the Treasure and the Pearl. Israel's relationship to God is that of a wife
who, being unfaithful, has been put away, but the return of Israel is to be like the taking back of the penitent
wife, nay, so great is God's grace and love that He says it will be `as a young man marrieth a virgin', even
though in reality it will be the taking back again of an unfaithful wife (see Isa. 62:4,5 and Hos. 2:19,20 etc.).
This relationship, which includes `all Israel', is brought before us in Revelation 19 as the marriage of the Lamb,
whose `wife hath made herself ready'.
After the thousand years' reign, and in connection with the new heaven and the new earth, we read, `And I,
John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband' (Rev. 21:2). In verses 9 and 10 we have this fact repeated. The inhabitants of this city are the
partakers of the `heavenly calling', who, like Abraham, desired a better country, that is an heavenly, and for
them God hath prepared a city. It was this heavenly calling (which must be distinguished from the
super-celestial calling of the dispensation of the Mystery), so plainly understood and believed by Abraham, that
enabled him to be a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth, a sojourner in the land of promise as in a strange
country, content with tents and no settled habitation, because he looked for a city which hath the foundations,
whose builder and maker is God.
Such as are children of faithful Abraham, not only according to the flesh, but according to the spirit, such
constitute the bride and the pearl, an elect remnant out from an elect nation. Israel viewed as a whole is likened
to a treasure and a wife. The remnant (which will include faithful believing Gentiles during the `Acts' period)
are viewed as a precious pearl and a bride. We may set this out more clearly as follows:
THE ELECT NATION
THE ELECT REMNANT
as distinct from the Nation.
as distinct from the Nations.
---
---
A treasure.
A pearl.
A wife.
A bride.
Earthly calling, and city.
Heavenly calling, and city.
Seed like sand for multitude.
Seed like stars for multitude.
Once again we see how fully the Lord was meeting the disciples' need, by showing them the way in which
God's purpose concerning Israel was to run its course, and how the very trials and hindrances would be made to
contribute to the glorious end in view.
(7)
The Drag Net
Matthew 13:47-50
In the preceding parable we had the remnant of Israel likened to that which is the most valuable treasure of
the sea, the pearl. We are now to consider two kinds of fish which are gathered from the sea, and to note their
meaning. We have pointed out the fact that structurally and in subject the two parables of the Tares and the
Drag Net are very similar. The tares indicate the hypocrites, the counterfeit, that which was sown by the Devil
in imitation of the true wheat. We observed that this parable had a particular and primary application to Israel
and the state of the kingdom.
The net draws to shore fish both `good' and `bad'. So far we see the parallel; the wheat and the tares being
two kinds of grain, one good and one bad; the fish being of two kinds, the one good and the other bad. But here
comes a noteworthy difference, for whereas it is evident that the tares were intended to counterfeit the wheat,
there is not the slightest warrant for supposing that the `bad' fish counterfeited the `good'. Further, the wheat
and the tares deal with two kinds of seed, whereas the net `gathered of every kind'. Another point to be
remembered is the different order given with regard to the separation of the two kinds. Let us carefully consider