RAGS OR ROBES
9
place in the dispensation of the Mystery where `the middle wall of partition' has been broken down, and the `both'
reconciled in `one body'; where the `both' have `access by one spirit unto the Father', where they are `no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God', where:
`The Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel
(not now "the gospel of the kingdom") but the gospel: whereof I (Paul) was made a minister ... that I should
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the dispensation
(Revised Version) of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God' (Eph. 3:6-9).
Here are no `crumbs', and these riches were never found on Israel's table. No promise to Abraham goes higher
than `the city which hath foundations', the heavenly Jerusalem, but these blessings revealed through Paul as the
Prisoner of Jesus Christ for us Gentiles, are associated with Christ Who is seated `Far above all heavens' and this
church is called `The fulness of Him that filleth all in all' (Eph. 1:21-23).
Beloved reader, how can you rest content with crumbs that fall from Israel's table, be likened to little dogs, and
think of Israel as your `lord' when the high calling of God in Christ Jesus is open to you during this parenthesis in
the purpose of the ages, brought about by Israel's rejection at Acts 28? As soon as this Greek woman acknowledged
the superior place occupied by Israel, she received the answer to her prayer. In all true humility we too might say:
`I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast shewed unto Thy servant'
(Gen. 32:10);
but it is a false humility that turns its back on the unspeakable blessings that God holds out to the Gentile believer
today. We are no more worthy of the `least' than we are of the `most'.
Since Israel have passed into their present condition of blindness, foretold and foreshadowed under the name
lo-ammi `Not My people' (Hos. 1:9) a completely new order of things has been introduced by the revelation of `The
mystery', a secret section of the purpose of the ages, which had been `hid in God', and `hid away from the ages and
generations', but now revealed to and through Paul, the Prisoner of Jesus Christ for us Gentiles (Acts 28:28; Eph.
3:1-9; Col. 1:24-27). The crumbs that fell from Israel's table cannot be compared with:
`All spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ' (Eph. 1:3).
An election made `before' the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4).
The predestinated `adoption' or firstborn position (Eph. 1:5).
A glorious `acceptance in the Beloved, and an assured "access" by one Spirit unto the Father' (Eph. 1:6; 2:18).
The church which is `The Body' is actually given the title:
`The fulness of Him that filleth all in all' (Eph. 1:23).
The unity this formed is unique:
`The Gentiles ... joint-heirs, a joint-body, and joint-partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel whereof Paul
was made a minister' (Eph. 3:6,7 Author's translation).
The woman of Canaan took the place of the dogs, and would never dream of being `seated together' with the
`children' (Israel) at their table, whereas we, who were:
`Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise' (Eph. 2:12),
being much further off from grace than even this poor Syrophenician woman was, have been `made nigh by the
blood of Christ', and are potentially, even now, reckoned to be, `Seated together with Christ' (Eph. 2:6) where He
now sits at the right hand of God, `Far above all principality, and power' (Eph. 1:21). The reader will have noticed
that we have confined ourselves to quoting from one epistle to emphasize the riches of grace and glory that the
present interval of Israel's blindness makes possible.
This epistle alas, is almost unknown territory to many who really love the Lord. Where hundreds could quote
the Lord's Prayer of Matthew 6, very few could quote the prayer given for our guidance in Ephesians 1:15-23.
Where hundreds could quote the Sermon on the Mount in which `the meek' shall inherit `the EARTH', few could