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Israel were the lost SHEEP, what had He, their shepherd, to do with DOGS? Israel were
the children of the house; surely it was not right to take the children's bread and cast it to
dogs? The faith of this woman enabled her to believe that what He spoke to her was
absolute truth, and she seized upon the word He had used for dogs. As the reader will
know, the dog is a term of reproach throughout the east, and is a symbol of all that is
depraved, forsaken and cast out, e.g., "without are dogs". The Lord in His reply said
"little dogs", or, as we say, puppies. The rule regarding the dog has an exception in the
case of the little puppy; children in the east, like children in the west, like to pet and
fondle the little puppies and for a short time they are allowed inside the house. "Truth,
Lord", replies the woman, "yet the puppies eat of the crumbs which fall from their
master's table". She knew that the exclusiveness of the Lord's ministry to Israel was not
for any mean or narrow reason, a saved Israel will be saved not for their own sake, but
that all families of the earth may be blessed in them.
The twofold aspect of this phase of God's dealings is emphasized in Rom. 15: 8, 9,
"Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to
confirm the promises made unto the fathers"--this is an exclusive ministry to Israel with
reference to promises made in the past--"and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His
mercy"--this follows as the designed sequence. So it was that the woman sought the
crumbs. She gave Israel their rightful place, they were the Masters (the very same word
twice rendered "Lord"). She was but a little dog, they sat at the table, she could only
expect the crumbs. As soon as this was recognized, blessing came. How vital to this
woman's case a correct appreciation of dispensational truth! How many to-day are
perplexed because the Lord answers not a word, simply because they are asking amiss!
The miracle clearly shows us what was the relationship between Israel and the nations at
the time of the Lord's earthly ministry. In Rom. 11: the figure changes to that of wild
olive branches grafted into the true olive. In Eph. 2: it further changes to the creation
of one new man. Which shall we believe, the Scriptures, or those who speak against
"dispensational" truth?
(2)
The Barren Fig Tree (Matt. 21: 19).
The second miracle has also a dispensational character. Here is a symbol of Israel as a
nation, the fig tree. The fig, the vine and the olive represent Israel in various capacities:--
"And when He saw one single fig tree by the way, He came to it, and found
nothing thereon, but LEAVES ONLY, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee
henceforth for ever, and immediately the fig tree was withered."
In the prophecy of Luke the Lord separates the fig tree from all others--"Behold the
fig tree, and all the trees," (Luke 21: 29-31). The sign of the Lord's return is found in
the budding of the nation and all the nations; a day is coming when "Israel shall blossom
and bud and fill the earth with fruit" (Isa. 27: 6). At the time, however, when the
miracle was performed, the Lord found "leaves only". The crowd had spread their
garments in the road, had cut down branches from the trees and scattered them on the
road, they had shouted saying, "Hosannah to the Son of David"; but it was "leaves only".