But the prophecies concerning the Jews that the future-kingdom folks harp on so much have been fulfilled.
One fact is made to stand out clearly in the New Testament—namely, that the Law of Moses, with all its legal enactments, all its forms, ceremonies, and penalties, ended at the cross; and it is surprising that any one who professes to believe the New Testament should think otherwise. If interested, read Rom. 7:1-6; 2 Cor. 3:4-18; Gal. 3:11-22; 4:21-31; Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:14. A thoughtful reading of the letter to the Hebrews will convince any one that the old covenant passed away and that we now have a new and living way.
Christ loved the church, bought it with his own blood, and prayed for its oneness. So far as we can, we should love the church as he loved it.
GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ON OLD TESTAMENT KINGDOM
It is some times difficult to determine just what information is wanted. There are, however, some things about “the Old Testament kingdom” that should be carefully considered.
When God called Israel out of Egypt, he said to them: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.” (Ex. 19:5, 6.) For a long period of time after they settled in Canaan they had no king but Jehovah; they were, therefore, Jehovah’s kingdom. But there came a time when they wanted a change; they wanted a centralized government, with a man as their king. At that time they had an excuse for demanding a king. Read carefully the eighth chapter of First Samuel. Samuel was old, and his sons were corrupt. “Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah; and they said unto him, Behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But this thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah. And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.” Samuel was commanded to show them the nature of the government they were demanding. When Samuel had done so, the people said: “Nay; but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations.” Jehovah selected Saul as their first king. When the day of his anointing came, Samuel said to the people: “See ye him whom Jehovah hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?... Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Jehovah.” (1 Sam. 10:24, 25.) Thus Israel became a kingdom among kingdoms, and was then reckoned as such.