Will the Gentiles Also Look Beyond the Mark?

  Looking Beyond the Mark

Isaiah ends this chapter of scathing rebuke with a parable in which he explains that a plowman does not harvest one type of grain using the technique by which he should harvest another type. Fitches are not threshed, a cart wheel is not turned upon the cummin; "but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. Bread corn is bruised," etc.⁽⁶⁷⁾ So also, can we say that the Jews should not have focused on the temporal aspects of the kingdom to the exclusion of the religious, when the religious salvation was what they were to receive; and the Gentiles likewise should not focus on religious salvation to the exclusion of the political, when the political is what they are going to receive? This possibility is strengthened by the fact that Isaiah then follows up this parable with a statement which very closely resembles Jesus' reference in Matthew twenty one: "This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working."⁽⁶⁸⁾

The Jews, preoccupied with God's political salvation, having focused on the prophecies of such to come, wanted nothing to do with the promised Messiah when He came among them, offering salvation on an individual level. Lamenting this, the Lord proclaimed, "In that day when I came unto mine own, no man among you received me, and you were driven out."⁽⁶⁹⁾ The Law of Moses, which in every iota pointed to that great and final sacrifice, was fulfilled when those who professed to honor that law, crucified the final Pascal Lamb.

In our day, the Gentiles have focused on the gospel as preached by Jesus Christ during his ministry in the meridian of times, but have given comparatively little thought to the governmental realm. In the latter days, the Abrahamic covenant will be fulfilled, which covenant features the temporal salvation of the Lord's people. The cry of the Lord concerning the tragedy to come in our day is essentially the same as it was for the Jews. Continuing his lamentation, he states, "When I called again there was none of you to answer...."⁽⁷⁰⁾

God, whose patient, yet just arm was so signally extended to wayward Israel, likewise extends his arm to degenerate Gentiles.

"Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts."⁽⁷¹⁾

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  Lamps Trimmed and Burning

The key for not being deceived in this time of irony that matches the irony of the time of Christ's first coming, is to take the Holy Spirit to be one's guide and receive the truth.⁽⁷²⁾ So doing, the oil in our lamps will be sufficient in preparation for the wedding feast soon to come. "Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear," is what Jesus said to his disciples anciently.⁽⁷³⁾ In this light, John the revelator's statement, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," can be seen as more than just a plea; it is a promise--repeated seven times in the book of Revelation.⁽⁷⁴⁾ Just as there was a subset of Jews at the time of Christ who recognized the true Messiah at his first coming, so there will be a subset of Christians who overcome in the latter days.⁽⁷⁵⁾

"And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation. For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them ,and he will be their king and their lawgiver."⁽⁷⁶⁾

-end-

by Sterling D. Allan; Provo, Utah; February 28, 1992

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See also:

Endnotes:

67. Isa. 28:24-29.

68. Isa. 28:29; Matt. 21:42.

69. Doctrine and Covenants 133:66; Isa. 50:2; 2 Nephi 7:2; Isa. 59:16.

70. Doctrine and Covenants 133:67; Isa. 50:2,3; 59:16; 2 Nephi 6:2,3.

71. 2 Nephi 28:32; Isa. 55:1,2.

72. Doctrine and Covenants 45:57.

73. Matt. 13:16.

74. Rev. 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22.

75. Rev. 21:7.

76. Doctrine and Covenants 45:58,59; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:2,3,23,24.

"Would God that ALL the Lord's People Were PROPHETS"

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