Chapter 1

The Old Testament Church

Originally Intended Purpose For Israel

In God’s choice of the nation of Israel as His special people there was a greater purpose than simply selecting favourites - God is not partial. It was not God’s intention that the blood descendants of Abraham should be the only set of people on the face of the earth with whom He would have a meaningful relationship. It was intended that Israel should be a nucleus through whom God would work to bring all humanity back into harmony with Him.

The record tells us that in the beginning man was a perfect creation but as a result of sin, that communion - that open communion and meaningful relationship that man had with God was broken; as it is put in Isa. 59:2:

“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.”

As a result of sin man became subject to the influence of the Devil. Adam rebelled against God and brought the entire world which was under his dominion subject to Satan (Heb. 2:6-8; 2 Pet. 2:19). Over time, the character of the Devil became so indelibly stamped upon the thoughts and actions of the majority of human beings that, by the time of Noah, God had no option but to stem the tide of wickedness by destroying the earth with a flood (Gen. 6:5-7). And even after a new beginning with the eight (8) persons who were saved, evil reared its ugly head once again and so corrupted the human family that God had to choose a special people through whom He would try to retain some loyalty in a revolted world.

Amidst the din and miasma of prevailing evil God saw that Abram loved righteousness. As a result, God called him to separate from his father’s house and go into a land that God would show him, so that he and his descendants (Israel) could enter into a solemn covenant with God - a covenant that would result in all the families of earth being blessed (Gen.12: l-3). God wanted to use Israel - this special people - as a nucleus through whom He would work to restore harmony between Himself and the human race. Indication of this is given in Isa. 56:3-7. It says:

“Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from His people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.”

Notice the words used: “every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting, it and taketh hold of my covenant.” An incentive was given to the strangers and the eunuchs to keep God’s Sabbath and to take  hold of His covenant. He declared that a name better than that of sons and daughters would be given to  them - an everlasting name, and their name would not be cut off. The promise is that they would be made  joyful in God’s house of prayer as God said: “mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.”  This shows that it was God’s intention that the strangers and the eunuchs also, and not only the blood  descendants of Abraham should lay hold on His covenant. After all, it was by means of the covenant that  God’s plan was revealed to man as to how he would reconcile erring man back to Himself.

The Method

The means by which mankind would be brought back into harmony with God was firstly, by His forgiving  them of all sins which they had committed and then by granting them the gift of His Holy Spirit to dwell in  their hearts. This would enable them to live holy lives, not continuing in sin, since it was sin that originally  created their separation from Him, as we have read in Isa. 59:2. Hence His promise that is given in  Eze. 36:25 He says:

“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.”

Notice what is mentioned here: cleansing from filthiness; cleansing from that which has made one filthy - filthiness that one already has. In real terms, sins that one has already committed. Then, notice that  not only does He do that, but further in verses 26, 27 He says:

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh. And T will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them.”

So, God does not only want to forgive us of our sins so that we can continue sinning and coming back to Him for forgiveness over and over again. He wants to forgive us of our sins and go a step further, to put His Holy Spirit in us and by virtue of His Holy Spirit dwelling in us we will be made to walk in His  statutes and keep His judgements and do them. In other words, we would walk His way and not sin.

One Gospel

Even though individuals in every era of Israel’s history grasped this truth, this greater and ultimate purpose was largely missed by Israel as a collective body. As the Apostle Paul mentions in Heb. 4:2:

 “For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”

These words were written to people who were living in New Testament times. Paul was saying that the Gospel - the same gospel that was being preached in New Testament times was preached to them (Ancient Israel), but it did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. In essence, Israel failed to fulfil the purpose that God intended to be fulfilled in them and through them.

Israel Rejected

This failure culminated in their rejection and crucifixion of Christ, their only hope of reconciliation to God. In light of their failure Christ told them a parable that is recorded in Matt. 21:33-40. He says:

“Their was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?”

“When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?” That was the question that Jesus asked after relating this parable; to which the Jews - those that were present there, answered:

“He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.” Verse 41.

To this, Jesus concluded:

“Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall he taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” Verses 42, 43.

So, in conclusion Jesus is saying: this is exactly what you have done, and as a result of that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Worship In Spirit And Truth

This same truth of Israel’s fate and the transcendent importance of a heart relationship with God was told by Christ to the woman of Samaria whom he met by Jacob’s well.

You see, the Samaritans were the offsprings from mixed marriages between the Jews and the heathen nations that occupied Samaria after the ten tribes were taken away as captives and scattered among the nations by the Assyrians. The apostate Jews and their offspring had proceeded to build in Samaria a rival temple to the one that God had established in Jerusalem.

Now, here was this woman of Samaria asking Christ where it is that God’s people should worship Him, whether in Samaria or in Jerusalem. The ignorance of both Jews and Samaritans of God’s greater purpose led them to practice a religion that was centered in the temple and not in God, who wanted to dwell within them as individuals, by His Holy Spirit, through the services that He had commanded them to perform continually at the temple in Jerusalem. The story is given in John chapter 4.

Jesus answered the woman:

“Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.” John 4:21,22.

The fact is, the temple that was in Samaria was a counterfeit. From the very outset it was an effort by men to do their own thing, contrary to what God had outlined to them. Hence, Jesus’ statement ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship.” Because, after all, it was to the Jews that the outline was given as to what was required. It was through the Jews that this temple, as God intended it, was built at Jerusalem. This temple at Samaria was totally contrary to God’s revealed purpose. God did not build it. He did not ask or authorize them to build it.

With the temple at Jerusalem, God gave specific instructions as to how it should be built, by whom, and what particular services were to be carried out there; and all of this, towards that greater purpose of forgiving men of their sins and dwelling in each heart by His Holy Spirit.

He continues:

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.” Verse 23.

Christ outlined the fact that the true worship as God intended it was given to the Jews, and hence, that which the Samaritans took upon themselves to do did not satisfy God’s Word - it was not in accordance with what God had asked. However, He pointed out at the same time that the time was then coming when “the true worshippers” - suggesting that neither the Samaritans nor the Jews were these true worshippers - would “worship the Father in spirit and in truth” for these are the ones that the Father seeks to worship him.