 |  |
then, whatever we find in Romans is conclusive evidence as to the whole period.
Turning therefore to Rom. 15: 12 and 13 we read:--
"And again Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and He that shall rise to reign
over the Gentiles; in Him shall the Gentiles trust. Now the God of hope fill you with all
joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy
Ghost."
There are a number of things that we must note in examining the testimony of this
passage.
First, the word "trust", being the Greek verb elpizo should be translated "hope" so that
the connection with the word "hope" (elpis) in the next verse shall be made clear. This
correction has been made in the R.V., yet some so-called literal Versions still veil the
truth by variant renderings. The article is used with the word, and a due recognition of
the usage of the article here justifies the translation of the Emphatic Diaglott Version,
which reads: "And may the God of that hope", specifically referring back to the hope
already mentioned in verse 12. This hope was something very personal to the saints
addressed, for they were to be "filled with all joy and peace in believing", and were to
"abound" in this hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. No words are more explicit
in any epistle. Now what was this hope entertained by the church of the Acts? (1) It
had to do with a prophecy of Isaiah; (2) It is associated with Christ as a root of Jesse;
(3) It is related to His reign over the Gentiles. Any of these three characteristics is
enough to indicate that this hope could not be connected with the "one hope" of
Eph. 1: 18, but all three together make it impossible of application except to a company
intimately connected with the hope of Israel.
We "open the book" at the passage quoted in Rom. 15:, and there we find ourselves
in millennial surroundings:--
"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grow out
of his roots . . . . . the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb . . . . . and a little child shall
lead them . . . . . they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth
shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. In that day there
shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the
Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day that
the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people"
(Isa. 11: 1, 2, 9-11).
Words cannot make more plain the fact that this hope of Rom. 15: is intimately
associated with the restoration and the hope of Israel. Nor can words more plainly
forbid any attempt to make the hope of this church the same as the hope of the church
of the mystery. To do so is misleading. To the same effect is the association in
Rom. 8: 19-25 of the hope of the church there addressed, with the day when creation's
groan shall cease. To the same effect also are the words of Rom. 16: 20: "And the God
of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."