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the apostles as members of the fellowship of believers, yet their sad history shows us that
Matt. 13: 22 and Heb. 6: are commentaries upon the causes of failure during the
Pentecostal dispensation. They brought no fruit to perfection. The command, "Cut it
down" long delayed at length was fulfilled; the olive tree of Abrahamic blessing and
Jewish privilege was cut down, to remain in that condition until the end of the age. Then,
after the fulness of the Gentiles be come in, "all Israel shall be saved," ungodliness shall
be turned away from Jacob by the Deliverer sent to them--the Lord Jesus Christ
(Rom. 11: 25, 26).
This is represented by the "good ground." "This gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in all the habitable world (oikoumene--a word relating to the kingdom)
(Heb. 2: 5), for a witness unto all the nations, and then shall the end come"
(Matt. 24: 14). This final witness leads on to the fulfilment of the commission of
Matt. 28: 19, 20:--
"Go ye therefore, and make all nations disciples, baptizing them into the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the
consummation of the age."
The final sowing will be fruitful. "Israel shall all be righteous" (Isa. 60: 21), "all Israel
shall be saved" (Rom. 9: 26), "they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine"
(Hosea 14: 7). After the tribulation of the last days, the Lord "will send those that
escape unto the nations. . . . and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles"
(Isa. 66: 19). This is the heart of the New Covenant.
From the days of old (Isa. 6: 10), during the earthly ministry of the Lord
(Matt. 13: 14), and throughout the Acts of the Apostles to its close (Acts 28: 27), the
heart of Israel had been hard, and had "waxed gross," the "lust of other things" had
choked the word; but when the time comes for the final sowing, the Lord will send Elijah,
who shall accomplish that which was foreshadowed by John the Baptist; he will make
ready a people for the Lord.
"The upright in heart" of the Psalms, and "the pure in heart" of the Sermon on the
Mount, are those indicated in the final sowing of the seed of the kingdom. The promise
to Israel is, "I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will
take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh"
(Ezek. 11: 19). This is the blessing of the New Covenant, sealed by the blood of Christ by
which alone the kingdom can be made secure (Jer. 31: 31-40). In II Cor. 3: 3-6 we
have the "heart of flesh" contrasted with the "heart of stone" in relation to the New
Covenant.
The days shall come when Israel, now cast off, shall bring forth a hundred-fold. An
handful of corn in the top of the mountains shall shake like Lebanon. It was towards this
glorious consummation that the Lord Jesus looked as He reviewed the "mysteries of the
kingdom of the heavens." He knew that His rejection would but subserve the mighty
purpose of God. In due time He came to die, and in due time He will come to reign.