Please turn with me in your Bibles to our text this Lord's Day. We find ourselves once again in the book of Zechariah with a slightly different emphasis than in the previous sermon from Zechariah 14, Zechariah chapter 2, verses 10 through 12. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion. For lo, I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts has sent me unto thee. and the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land and shall choose Jerusalem again. There's often confusion and even at times misrepresentation amongst Christians, alleging that the future conversion or restoration of Israel was first promoted by dispensationalist teachers in the early 1800s. To the contrary, the biblical hope of Israel's conversion and restoration and turning in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ was promoted throughout church history. Let me just very briefly summarize for you some of that history. so that we understand that what is being taught here from God's word is not something novel or new, or something that just began in the early 1800s to be promoted. Let's begin with Justin Martyr, who lived from about 100 to 165 AD. And he wrote that God will yet restore Israel and, quote, command the four winds to gather the scattered children of Israel. I will command the north wind to bring them, and the south wind that it keep not back. And then in Jerusalem there shall be great lamentation, not the lamentation of mouths or of lips, but the lamentation of the heart. And they shall rend not their garments, but their hearts. Tribe by tribe, that is tribe by tribe of Israel, they shall mourn. and then they shall look on him whom they have pierced. Then moving on to the church father, Tertullian, who lived from 155 to 220 AD. He looked forward with joy at Israel's restoration when he wrote, for it will be fitting for the Christian to rejoice and not to grieve at the restoration of Israel. Consider next the confident expectation of Augustine who lived from 354 to 430 AD. when he writes, the time will come, the end of the world will come, and all Israel shall believe. Not they who now are, but their children who shall then be. What about the hope that Jerome expressed? And his dates were 342 to 420. He says, When the Jews receive the faith at the end of the world, they will find themselves in dazzling light as if our Lord were returning to them from Egypt. Thomas Aquinas, 1224 to 1274, speaks of, quote, the future healing of the Jews. When the fullness of the Gentiles will be reached, all Israel will be saved. When we arrive then in the 16th and 17th centuries to the Protestant Reformation, In Europe, many declared the future conversion of Israel. In the notes of the Geneva Bible, printed in 1560, notes on Romans chapter 11, verse 26, it is written the following. He, that is Paul, showeth that the time shall come that the whole nation of the Jews, though not everyone particularly, shall be joined to the Church of Christ. George Gillespie, Scottish Commissioner to the Westminster Assembly, preached before the House of Commons in 1644 the following. But there is a third thing aimed at in this prophecy, and the prophecy he was preaching on was Ezekiel 43, 11, which is the repairing of the breaches and ruins of the Christian church and the building up of Zion and her glory about the time of the destruction of Antichrist and the conversion of the Jews. And this happiness hath the Lord reserved to the last times. Just a couple more. At great light of the Dutch Reformed Church, Wilhelmus Abrakel, who lived from 1635 to 1711, declared concerning the future conversion of Israel the following. It would not be the conversion of only a few, of a few individuals here and there, but it would be a conversion of the entire nation. and so all Israel shall be saved. And let's move across the ocean to North America where Jonathan Edwards who lived from 1703 to 1758 unequivocally stated the following, nothing is more certainly foretold than this national conversion of the Jews in Romans 11. So let us be clear then that historically, the future calling of the Jews to come to Christ was not invented by dispensationalists of the early 19th century, but has been the hope of the entire New Testament church from the earliest times in church history. Even in our own subordinate standards, As Reformed Presbyterians, we are reminded to believe and to pray for Israel's future conversion to Jesus Christ. In our Directory for the Public Worship of God approved by the Church of Scotland in 1645, it states that public prayers on the Lord's Day are to be made, quote, for the conversion of the Jews, end of quote. Likewise, in our larger catechism, approved by the Church of Scotland in 1648, it instructs us what we are to pray for in the second petition of the Lord's prayer, that is, thy kingdom come. In these words, and I quote, we pray that the kingdom of sin and Satan may be destroyed, the gospel propagated throughout the world, the Jews called, the fullness of the Gentiles brought in. In this series on Israel, we have considered Israel in the past, from the Old Testament to the New Testament and being given the promise of the coming Messiah to carry that promise throughout the ages until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Israel in the past. We've also considered Israel in the present, her rejection of the Messiah and then God's severe judgment that he has brought upon her as a result of her rejection. And now we look and begin to focus on Israel in the future and her blessed restoration to the Lord Jesus to become a Christian nation. Though we have in the first few minutes of the sermon seen historically that the future conversion of Israel is not a novel eschatological notion or position, we rest not upon history, but we rest rather upon scripture, to which now we turn our attention in our text from Zechariah chapter two verses 10 through 12, and our main points are these. First of all, a background to the text, and then secondly, certain questions to be answered from the text. So the background to this text, since we last Lord's Day, considered Zechariah chapter 14, I gave some background to the book of Zechariah. And so I won't elaborate too much on the background since we've already done so in just the previous sermon. But let me just remind you of some of the circumstances surrounding the book of Zechariah. Zechariah prophesies after the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity, that 70 years of Babylonian captivity when Cyrus set the people free to return back to their homeland in 538 to 537 BC. And they returned to the land of Israel in order to rebuild the temple and the city. But it was not an easy task because there were many obstacles that were placed before them. Again, obstacles that included Kings saying, stop what you're doing. Persian Kings saying, do not continue with the rebuilding of the temple. enemies surrounding them, the Samaritans, who sought not only as a distraction but sought to actually make war, conflict against them at that time, sought to even kill later on Nehemiah. And so there are various obstacles that were brought, but God blessed them in the rebuilding of the temple at that time. Because this is really a book of hope. Zechariah is really a book of hope. That hope is expressed in chapter four of this book. Because at this point in time, there's a lull. It'd been around 15 years or so since the foundation of the temple was laid, and due to all of these various events that I just mentioned, it had not been completed. But this is the word of the Lord, too. It's a rubble, the governor. the Jewish governor that returned from Babylon there to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. This is going to be built. This is going to be accomplished, not by way of your resources, or your power, your money, your military might, I'm going to accomplish this. Don't be discouraged. Don't give up. Continue to persevere. That's the message of hope. And then in that same chapter, in verse 10, the Lord reminds God's people through Zechariah, for who hath despised the day of small things? You know, these, again, are very important for us. It's not only important for Israel at that time to have hope. It's important for us to have hope. And hope is not simply wishful thinking. It's not simply having a positive outlook on the future. That's not what biblical hope is, at least. That may be what the world means by hope, but that's not biblical hope. Biblical hope is a confident, certain expectation that what God has promised, He will bring to pass. And that was the biblical hope that they had. God will rebuild his temple through us. He has promised to do so. No matter who the enemies are that surround us and seek to distract us and keep and prevent us from doing so, God will accomplish his purposes through us. We all need that hope, don't we? To not give up, to not surrender, to not allow the world, its distractions, the enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil to get us so down that we give up, that we can't press forward in faithfulness to the Lord. We need to trust his promises that he has made unto us, like the promise in Philippians 4.19, but my God shall supply all your need according to his richness and glory by Christ Jesus. He will provide all that you need. Doesn't promise that he's going to provide all the comforts of life, but he promises he will provide all that we need. you can rest your hope in that promise, come what may. Or the hope that's found in Isaiah 26, verses three through four. Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. Are you afraid? Are you worried? Do you not have peace? Do you feel confused? God promises he will keep your mind in perfect peace when your mind is stayed on him. We need hope. Every one of us needs hope. This is, again, A book about hope. Or, how about the promise in Acts 16, 31, given by the apostles to the Philippian jailer, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Not might be saved, but shall be saved. Are you without Christ today? Have you trusted in him? Are you leaning upon him or His strength and help, are you leaning upon Him for His forgiveness and for His righteousness? He promises that if you lean upon Him, if you trust in Him alone, you will be saved. As we look at verse 10, That hope is expressed in the first words, sing and rejoice. There's nothing to sing and rejoice about, dear ones, if there's no hope, right? But again, God is speaking hope to his people who are going through very difficult time. They've returned from captivity, but they are facing all manner of trials and enemies. And so here we see the background to this text that we are looking at today, which takes us again to the second main point, the bulk of the sermon, this Lord say certain questions to be answered from the text. Here's the first question. Who are the recipients of these promises that we find in these verses? Well, actually, there are two recipients. There is Israel as a nation, that is one of the recipients, and the second recipient are many Gentile nations, according to what we read here. Notice, first of all, Israel is the recipient. of these promises. Oh, daughter of Zion. Daughter of Zion, who does this refer to? And in verse 12, and the Lord shall inherit Judah, his portion, and shall choose Jerusalem again. Who did these various references speak of? Is the Lord speaking here of Israel as a nation to receive these blessings? Or is he speaking of the new Israel of God, that is, the new covenant church composed of both Jews and Gentiles, as is spoken of, I think, in Galatians 6.16? Well, I submit that the Lord has in view the Jewish nation of Israel. And again, we'll seek to understand why that is the case, but I believe that's who he's speaking to, the Jewish nation of Israel. For Israel is here distinguished from Gentile nations. It doesn't combine the Gentiles and Israel into one body, but it's spoken of distinctly, one from the other, Israel from the Gentile nations. So there's an intended contrast here between Israel and the nations in these verses. Note how Judah and Jerusalem are used for the country and for the city of the Jews back in chapter one, verse 12. Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem? Which Jerusalem? Well, the Jerusalem that's in Israel. And on the cities of Judah. Which Judah? The Judah which is within the promised land. Against which thou hast had indignation These three score in 10 years, these 70 years, that's the Judah, that's the Jerusalem that have been under God's judgment for the past 70 years that he's speaking of here. Likewise, in speaking of the daughter of Zion, is that used again in The book of Zechariah? Well, indeed it is. In Zechariah 9, 9, we read, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy king cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass. and upon a colt the full of an ass." This clearly is a prophecy of the Lord Jesus which is fulfilled in Jesus and it's even quoted in Matthew 21 verses 4 through 5 of Jesus coming into the city of Jerusalem riding upon a donkey, riding upon a donkey being proclaimed the king of the Jews. And so again, daughter of Zion is used within Zechariah. It refers to Israel. It refers to the people of Israel, the Jews. Submit to you that the world has not yet seen in the age of the new covenant of Jesus Christ many nations of the world covenant with Christ to be his people at the same time that Israel as a nation has covenanted, has renewed her covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ to be his people. We've not seen that period of time where many nations at the same time as Israel both covenanted to be God's people. Therefore, I submit to you that this is a prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled. It is yet in the future as it was future to Zechariah, as it was future to the Apostle Paul. who likewise speaks of this same period of time where the nations and Israel will covenant to be God's people. Romans chapter 11 speaks of the fullness of the Gentiles, the fullness of the nations coming in. And then it speaks in the immediately next verse, thus all Israel shall be saved. the Gentile nations and Israel at that future time coming unto the Lord Jesus. I've kind of preempted a little bit my next question, but we'll delve into it a little more specifically. And this second question is, when will this promise be fulfilled? The restoration of Israel promised here will be realized in the age of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, it's not realized in the Old Testament, but will be realized in the age of Christ after his first coming. And the reason that I say that is because we read in verse 10, Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. So it's the Lord, and the word Lord there is the Hebrew word for Lord, meaning being Jehovah or Yahweh. That's the word, Hebrew word that's used there that is only used of God, the one true living God. So it's God that says, lo, I come, I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord, that is Jehovah. And yet, when we come to verse 11, it's the Lord of hosts, Jehovah of hosts, that sends Jehovah to be in the midst of his people and in the midst of the nations at that time. Jehovah sends Jehovah. Notice what it says in verse 11, and many nations shall be joined to the Lord, that is Jehovah, in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in the midst of thee, this is Jehovah speaking, and thou shall know that the Lord of hosts, Jehovah of hosts, hath sent me unto thee. I submit to you that here Jehovah sends Jehovah's, the Father sends the Son. This is one of those places in the Old Testament where it only makes sense where we see again by way of inference the Trinity. the deity of Christ, the deity of the Father. The Father sends the Son. Jehovah sends Jehovah. But that ought not to seem strange to us because again, we know from the Old Testament that the Lord Jesus is the divine messenger of the covenant. He's the divine messenger of the covenant, as we see in Malachi 3.1. Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me. Now that messenger there is speaking of John the Baptist, but it continues, the prophecy continues in Malachi 3.1. And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in, behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. So Jehovah of hosts says that the Lord, in this case, it's Adonai. Adonai is, again, one of the terms, Hebrew words that is used for God in the Old Testament. And here we see that Jehovah of Hosts will send Adonai to his holy temple, and that, again, we see fulfilled in the New Testament. Jesus is also very famously called the Word, the Word, in John 1, 1, 2. And in verse 14, in the beginning was the word and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth. Thus, the time in which we anticipate the fulfillment of this prophecy is, as it says in verse 11, in that day. What day? In that day of the Lord Jesus, when he comes. After his incarnation, this will be realized and fulfilled. So Israel here, is projected forward to a future hopeful day in which Jesus the Messiah will bring the nations into covenant with him together with Israel, the nation of Israel. That's the time when this will be realized in the future after the coming of the Lord Jesus. The next question. to be answered, what are the promises made to many nations and made to Israel? Well, Jesus promises here that many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day and shall be my people. Zechariah 2.11, shall be my people. How is an entire nation joined to the Lord to become his people? I think we understand how an individual is joined to the Lord to become his people and we as individuals, but how is an entire nation, nations it says, many nations will be joined to the Lord to become his people. How does that happen? Well, let me submit to you, a Gentile nation is joined to the Lord in the same way that Israel of old was joined to the Lord, namely by way of a national covenant with the Lord. That a nation covenants to be God's people. The official representatives of that nation declare that nation to be a Christian nation. and establish a Christian constitution, proclaiming Jesus Christ to be the Savior and King of that nation. It doesn't mean that every single person within that nation is a believer, any more than in Israel of old. that was a covenanted nation to God meant that every single person within that nation was a genuine believer. But it is a covenanted nation by way of its official representatives, covenanting with God to be a Christian nation. In Jeremiah chapter 50, verse five, we read the following words. And this was prophesied before Israel returned from Babylonian captivity. And so it's speaking of their return from Babylonian captivity. And perhaps again, even beyond that time to when they shall return to the Lord in the future. But notice the way this is worded. they shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying, come and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. So to be joined to the Lord as it pertains to Israel, And as it pertained to those who would imitate Israel in establishing a nation in covenant with God, they are joined to the Lord by way of a covenant, a national covenant that is sworn on behalf of all the people, on behalf of that nation. And that's what we are to understand here of these Gentile nations in verse 11. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day and shall be my peoples. Whenever you find that little phrase, my people, understand by that a covenant relationship. My people means a covenant relationship. That's the essence of the covenant, in fact. From the time of Abraham, Moses, David, I will be your God, God says, and ye shall be my people. That's the essence of the new covenant as well in Christ's blood. I shall be your God and ye shall be my people. to be God's people. We belong to him. He belongs to us. We are united together, God and his people. We have communion with him through Jesus Christ. This is what this idea of a national covenant, this is what our blessed forefathers did. Our forefathers in England, Ireland, Scotland, this is what they did in swearing the solemn league and covenant, which was a national covenant, sworn by the representatives of those nations on behalf of themselves in that generation, and they include within the covenant their posterity, of which we are that posterity. Therefore, again, it is not only those in that generation that are bound. It's not only when one enters into a covenant with God that it's the immediate generation that swore the covenant. It's not just the generation at Mount Sinai that was bound by that national covenant with God. All succeeding generations of Jews are bound by that covenant that God made. When they broke covenant it wasn't that the covenant ended. God didn't end the covenant when they broke covenant. They became covenant breakers because the covenant still exists. The posterity continued to be bound and so likewise in national covenants among Gentile nations when there is a national covenant binding that people and Its posterity to God is not only that generation that are bound, but the posterity, the national posterity that continue, not only in England, Ireland, and Scotland, but those who carried that across the sea. We were in North America colonies of Great Britain. We are bound by that same covenant. a faithful covenant that was sworn. We need to understand more about that covenant if we are bound by it. Therefore, dear ones, I would submit to you, we are a covenant-breaking nation because we have not kept that covenant, that national covenant. And therefore, we are under God's judgment, just as Israel is under God's judgment because they have broken God's covenant. So we, Likewise, in the nations bound by the Solemn League and Covenant are covenant-breaking nations presently, not serving the Lord. And through such national covenants, the nations of this world in the future, by way of these national covenants, they will serve Jesus. Psalm 72, verse 11 says, yea, all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him. Psalm 86, verse 9, all nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy name. Revelation 11, 15, And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. So again, how does that come about, that all nations serve him, kings bow down before him? By way of national covenants. as we see in God's Word, and particularly here as it calls the nations, my people, and as it calls Israel as well, his people. Just for your reference, I won't look at this to address it in any detail, but in Isaiah chapter 19, verses 24 through 25, again, is a passage to look at the entire chapter, but those verses in particular that speak of Egypt, Assyria, and Israel. Covenanting together as God's people. National covenants to be God's people. It says, and I'll just read the verses, not spend much time, but just to read the verses. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the land. peace amongst those nations that have been hostile, warring against one another. There will be peace. Notice, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, these three nations. whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt, my people, they are in covenant with God as a nation, my people. And Assyria, the work of my hands, another reference, the work of my hands is also in Isaiah, another reference. place in Isaiah where Israel is said to be the work of my hands because they are in covenant with him and then Israel mine inheritance. Here by way of the promises God makes to Israel, in particular, as a nation, we see that God promises that He will come and dwell in her midst, in Zechariah 2.10, and that, secondly, He will inherit Judah in the Holy Land and will choose Jerusalem again, in Zechariah 2.12. How does Jesus, that's who Jehovah is here that is sent, how does Jesus come and dwell in the midst of Israel and in the midst of the nations? Well, he does so in the same way he did in the Old Testament, not bodily, not bodily, but spiritually. Leviticus 26, nine. And verse 12, the Lord says, for I will establish my covenant with you. Notice, this is in the Old Testament. And I will walk among you and will be your God and you shall be my people and covenant with me. God says, I will walk among you. Did God walk bodily among them? No, he walked spiritually. among them, he was present with them, with his people, even if he was not so bodily at that time. And Gentile nations will covenant with the Lord to be God's people in the future and God will walk among them. The Lord Jesus will walk among them, again, not bodily at that time and period in history, but spiritually among his people. And the reason that I make that distinction and make that point about Christ not walking bodily in the midst of Israel when Israel is restored as a nation and covenant with God is because I believe and I submit to you that It's only at the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ that he will return bodily to the earth. And I know that those who are identified as pre-millennialists would believe that Jesus comes before the millennium, that he bodily returns to this earth before the millennium. But let me just very, very briefly, this is not a sermon on pre-millennialism versus post-millennialism, but let me just quickly say to you, I believe that Jesus bodily returns after the millennium, not before, post-millennial coming of Christ, his bodily coming. And I believe that because Psalm 110.1 says that Jesus will sit at God's right hand until all God's enemies are vanquished and are destroyed. Now, if Christ comes before the millennium, we would expect then all Christ's enemies to be destroyed during the millennium. And yet, there is sin, certainly sin is an enemy of God, death, There is death in the millennium as well. In Isaiah 65 verse 20, both of those are spoken of. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days, for the child shall die an hundred years old. But the sinner, being an hundred years old, shall be accursed. So there'll be sinners, and there will be death. The wages of sin is death. If there's sin, there will be death. in the millennium. So if Jesus comes before the millennium, why aren't all his enemies vanquished and destroyed? Paul says the last enemy that will be destroyed in 1 Corinthians 15 is death. And yet death continues in the millennium. Furthermore, at the end of the millennium, Satan is released from the bottomless pit and goes forth and deceives the nations again, and many enemies, many enemies are aroused at that particular time. So all of God's enemies are not destroyed before the millennium, but they are destroyed after the millennium, which is when Jesus Christ returns bodily. And that's why I say that the coming spoken of here of the Lord dwelling in the midst of his people is a spiritual dwelling in their midst because it's during the millennial period and he has not yet come. He has not yet come bodily before the millennium. He comes after the millennium. You see, Lord Jesus, contrary to the view of dispensationalists, is now reigning as king. Jesus is king. He was enthroned. His coronation was at his ascension into heaven, where he was seated at the right hand of God. In fact, Peter says in Acts 2, Verses 34 through 36, for David is not ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself, the Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ, that is Messiah, made him Messiah, made him King. Likewise, Peter says in Acts 5, Peter and all the disciples say to the Sanhedrin in Acts 5 verses 30 through 31, They say, the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, notice, to be a prince. and a savior for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. God exalted him to be a prince, to be a king when he was seated at God's right hand. So he is presently, Jesus is presently. He's not going to become king at some pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus. He is now king, he's been enthroned. He is, according to Revelation 1.5, the prince of the kings of the earth now. According to 1 Timothy 6.15, he is king of kings and Lord of lords. And from his throne in heaven, Jesus spiritually, not bodily, Jesus spiritually comes with all his royal authority and power to bring blessing upon his people. Very familiar passage to us in Revelation 3.20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, this is Jesus speaking, and open the door, notice I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me. Is that bodily? Jesus says I'm gonna come bodily? No, he's going to come spiritually. And that's how he comes. throughout this period until after the millennium and at the second coming of Jesus Christ at that time. And as we look at Zechariah 2.12, the Lord Jesus promises that in that messianic day when many nations shall be joined to the Lord, that the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the Holy Land and shall choose Jerusalem again. that Israel has been, the branches have been broken off out of that tree which represents, that olive tree which represents God's covenant with his people. They've been broken off of that. And here he says, I will choose them again. I will draw them again. I will inherit them again to be my people, to serve me. and to be restored unto me. I won't comment at this point about the fact that, other than just to note it, about this happening, this restoration in the Holy Land, Zechariah 2.12 says, in the Holy Land. I will remind you that part of the promise made to Abraham and his seed was that the land would be for an everlasting possession, But we'll talk more about that in a future sermon, whether that restoration to the land is as well a part of God's covenant with his people Israel to restore the land as well as to bring them to salvation. Well, that's all that I'm going to address within our text, but let me leave you with an application this Lord's Day. We're familiar with the parable of the prodigal son. And we remember that the prodigal son, when squandered all of his inheritance, he was the younger son of two sons. The younger son returned afterwards after having wasted his inheritance in sincere brokenness, repentance, seeking the forgiveness of his father. And you remember when he came back, the older brother wasn't very happy about the fact that the father is throwing basically a celebration for the return of his younger son. The older brother, rather than rejoicing, he's sulking. He's indulging himself in self-righteousness and even charging his father with not being fair and giving him, the older son, a feast of his own. Well, at that particular time, and even into this present age, I would submit to you, this illustrates to all who have ears to hear, that the Jews at that time, and even presently, likewise sulked, and are sulking, and indulge in self-righteousness. and have charged the Lord with unfair treatment by freely welcoming sinners, publicans, harlots, Gentiles into his household. This is not a part of the parable that I'm about to relate now, but I'm continuing with that same theme as I give to you something more to think about in relationship to that parable. I would like to continue that by saying the older brother, the Jews, the unbelieving Jews in other words, that older brother was filled with such self-righteousness, indignation over the grace that had been extended to the younger brother, sinners, harlots, Gentiles, and was filled, the older brother was filled with even hatred for Jesus. But the older brother crucified the Lord Jesus and persecuted the younger brother as we see during the New Testament period. For their unbelief, hatred and crucifixion of Christ That older brother, unbelieving Israel, was cast out of the household of the Lord to wander in unbelief from one nation to another nation for 2,000 years. They are still, again, in unbelief. and have come into this land called Israel in unbelief, as we noted last Lord's Day, that's not the promise coming into the land that the Lord speaks of in the Old Testament Scriptures. God promises a return and a restoration when they turn to Jesus Christ. But yet in the future, continuing on with this parable, yet in the future, the older brother, unbelieving Israel, shall be restored to the household of faith by God's amazing grace. The older brother shall turn in faith to Jesus, shall embrace Jesus, shall weep upon the neck of the Lord Jesus and shall declare himself unworthy of the least blessing from the Lord Jesus Christ, as did the younger brother when he returned to the household and the family. Our merciful Savior, Jesus Christ, When the older brother returns, our gracious Savior, Jesus Christ, will call for the fatted calf, the royal robe, the sandals, and the ring. And he will bring the older brother, unbelieving Israel, back into his church, into his family, to be reunited with the younger brother. And at the same time, the younger brother is not going to respond to the older brother coming back into the family as did the older brother to the younger brother when the younger brother came back into the family. The younger brother, the church composed mostly of Gentiles, will not sulk in self-righteousness. foolishly charged Jesus Christ with unfairness and unfair treatment but will stand beside the Lord Jesus and will welcome the older brother Israel back into the family. And so, dear ones, so shall the Lord's house be made complete throughout the millennial kingdom. All nations, including Israel, will serve the Lord Jesus together, covenanted as God's people together. How appropriate, dear ones, how appropriate, therefore, are the words of Samuel Rutherford, in light of what I've just said, and I've mentioned this before, but I want to, in light of what I've just said, read to you what Rutherford states in his letters. Quote, oh, to see the sight next to Christ coming in the clouds, the most joyful. Our elder brother, the Jews, and Christ fall upon one another's necks and kiss each other. They have been long asunder. They will be kind to one another when they meet. O day, O long for and lovely day dawn! O sweet Jesus, let me see that sight which will be as life from the dead, thee and thy ancient people in mutual embraces. You see, dear ones, the story here really is not about Israel. Sadly, in many churches, that's what the story is about. It's about Israel. The story's not about Israel. The story's about Jesus. The story is about his grace, his mercy. Even with a covenant breaking people that he will restore them unto himself, he will yet draw them and the bonds of love back to be his bride, together with only one bride, the Church of Jesus Christ. He will draw them. He will bring them back. And so, dear ones, what we're talking about in the restoration of Israel is really not about Israel. Remember, it's all about Jesus. It's all about his faithfulness, not our faithfulness. It's about his love, not about our love. It's about his kindness, not our kindness. It's about him being able to draw back even those who have rebelled against him and turn their backs upon him. Even our covenant children who have gone their own way and walked in rebellion against the Lord, he is able to restore and bring unto himself as he did Israel of old and shall do in the future with Israel of old. God be praised. Jesus Christ be exalted. Amen. Please stand with me in prayer. Our glorious Savior, how we praise Thee and thank Thee for Thy faithfulness, Thy love. How we thank Thee, Lord God, that though we aren't faithful to keep perfectly the covenant that Thou has made with us, we with Thee, nevertheless, Lord, Thou art a faithful covenant-keeping God. Thank Thee, our Lord, for giving to us this glorious story of redemption. concerning Jesus Christ and what is true, Lord, of Israel is no less true of us as Gentile nations and Gentile believers. We need as much grace and love as Israel needs. We need thee, our Lord, and pray, our God, We would not be those who, in self-righteousness, look down at those who are unbelievers. Those, Lord, who have been temporarily cast aside due to their unbelief, but that, Father, we would, as we were taught in thy word and by our church fathers and even within our subordinate standards, to pray for the conversion of the Jews. And we pray, our God, restore them unto thee. Bring them to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, Messiah as King. We plead with thee, our Lord, that they would look in faith upon thee whom they have pierced and will be brought to lamentation and repentance. Our God, usher in this day and the glory of that along with the fullness of the Gentile nations coming unto Jesus Christ. Thank you for this hopeful message that bears us up in the midst of very dark days presently. In Jesus' name, amen.