The Earthly Seed of Blessing

“Now therefore if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” —Exodus 19:5,6

THE Bible was written especially for the guidance and encouragement of God’s spiritual Israel, that spiritual seed of Abraham made up of Christ and his church. (Gal. 3:8,16,27-29) Nevertheless, in his wonderful Word of truth God has not ignored his faithful people of the past; those who, from Abel to John the Baptist, lived and died in his service. These, as we shall see, will be the human representatives of the divine Christ during the period of the messianic kingdom, and therefore will be in the earthly ruling phase of that kingdom to dispense its promised blessings.

Concerning John the Baptist Jesus said that none greater had been born of women, but that the least in the kingdom of heaven would be greater than John. (John 11:11) Here the reference is to the spiritual ruling phase of the kingdom. John will be in the earthly ruling phase of that wonderful government; and there will be millions of Jews and Gentiles who will also be in the kingdom as subjects to receive the blessings which God promised would reach the people through the seed of Abraham.

The references in the Bible to the Ancient Worthies are sufficient to establish clearly the important position they will occupy in the earthly phase of the messianic kingdom. They were pleasing to God upon the basis of their faith and obedience. Paul wrote, “These all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” (Heb. 11:39,40) The “better thing” provided for the “us” class of the Gospel Age is joint-heirship with Jesus in the spiritual phase of the kingdom, while the Ancient Worthies will be the human representatives of that kingdom.

While God’s promise to bless all the families of the earth was unconditional, if Abraham was to be the one used so prominently in the carrying out of this promise it was essential that he obey the Lord. It was first necessary for him to leave his own country and his father’s house, and journey to Canaan. The final test of his obedience was his willingness to offer Isaac as a burnt offering, and he passed this test. And although God promised Abraham a “city”; that is, a share in the messianic government, even as all the other Ancient Worthies will receive, he died in faith without seeing this promise fulfilled.

Paul informs us how the promises of God affected Moses, giving him the desire and the courage to forsake Egypt and all that Pharaoh’s court could offer, and to cast his lot with the people of God. We quote: “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.”—Heb. 11:24-26

That Moses “had respect unto the recompense of the reward” is interesting and revealing. Not only was Moses inspired by the messianic promise made to father Abraham, but he knew that there was to be a special reward for those who were faithful to the conditions attached to that promise. One of the rewards of which all those ancient faithful servants of God endeavored to be worthy was “the better resurrection,” or as Paul also described it, “the resurrection of the just.”—Heb. 11:35; Acts 24:15

Because of his faithfulness Moses was greatly used by the Lord in delivering the Hebrew children from their bondage in Egypt, and in being the one through whom God gave them his Law. The Law offered life to any Israelite who could live up to its perfect requirements. None of them could do this, so none gained life under that arrangement, although doubtless many of them sincerely tried. God’s justice had condemned the race to death, and the Law demonstrated that only the ransom which God provided through Jesus could set aside that just penalty and give life to those who sought it upon the basis of faith and obedience.

The Law also promised material prosperity, the Lord covenanting to bless the nation of Israel in “basket” and in “store” if the people were faithful in their endeavors to keep the Law. This promise could be fulfilled in proportion to the people’s worthiness, even though they did not gain life by perfect obedience. In her periods of faithfulness Israel did prosper as a nation, and her enemies were either held at bay or defeated.

Then there was another promise attached to the Law which could be fulfilled upon the basis of faith and heart loyalty, for the justice of the original sentence of death was not involved. It is the promise recorded in our text, which we repeat: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which ye shall speak unto the children of Israel.”

God is faithful to his promises. If a single Israelite could have met the full requirements of the Law he would not have grown old and died. God looked upon the heart condition to determine worthiness to receive other blessings promised under the Law. Micah wrote, “What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” (ch. 6:8) Moses explained that the intent of the Law was that man should love the Lord his God with all his heart, and love his neighbor as himself. (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18) Jesus referred to these as the commandments of greatest importance.—Matt. 22:37-40

The Psalmist wrote, “Oh how I love thy Law! it is my meditation all the day. (Ps. 119:97) Again, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”—Ps. 19:14

Certainly the meditations of David’s heart were acceptable to God, for he was a man after God’s own heart. (Acts 13:22) This was also true of all the Ancient Worthies. By their faith, and in their hearts, they did obey God’s voice, and they did keep his covenant. This was true, apparently; of quite a number in each generation, although we only know about the prominent ones such as the patriarchs, the prophets, and a fever others. We are informed concerning Elijah’s day that there were then seven thousand in Israel whom the Lord counted for himself because they had not bowed the knee unto Baal.—I Kings 19:18

When God promised that those who obeyed his voice and kept his covenant would be unto him a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, he knew that at no time would the entire nation of Israel live up to these requirements. But he also knew that this promise would be an incentive to faithfulness on the part of some of the Israelites in each generation. And he knew that his almighty power could and would raise all these from the dead in “the better resurrection,” thus bringing them together to form the earthly kingdom of priests and the holy nation which he envisioned as the human representatives of the spiritual holy nation mentioned by the Apostle Peter.—I Pet. 2:5,9

The promise of Exodus 19:5,6 was made to fleshly Israel. It in no way implies a heavenly reward. Since God keeps his promises, we may be sure that every individual Israelite who met the conditions of this promise with his whole heart, and was faithful unto death, will reap the reward. To think otherwise we would have to conclude that God does not always mean what he says.

The Resurrection

No facet of the divine plan can be understood in all its clarity and beauty except as we view it in the light of the promised resurrection. How could we understand “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” if we did not know that those who are faithful unto death in running for the prize come forth in the “first resurrection” to live and reign with Christ? It will be then that all the faithful of the Gospel Age will be united in glory to constitute God’s spiritual royal priesthood and holy nation.

It will be the same with those who proved worthy of being the human representatives of The Christ in glory. These also will be raised from the dead, having been chosen upon the basis of their faithfulness from among the people of every generation from Abel to John the Baptist. All these proved worthy as individuals by their faithfulness to the will of God as it was revealed to them. And all of them had tests of obedience; such, for example, as those who came to Daniel and his three Hebrew friends during their captivity in Babylon.

How far short we would come of the real truth in trying to understand how all the families of the earth are to be blessed through the seed of Abraham if we did not take into consideration the general resurrection of the dead, described by Paul as the resurrection of the unjust! It is the resurrection feature of the divine plan, both of the just and the unjust, which keeps all the great truths of the Bible in proper perspective and clear focus.

Jesus’ Prophecy

In Matthew 8:11 and Luke 3:29 Jesus is reported as saying that in his kingdom the people would come from the east, the west, the north, and the south—in other words, from all over the world—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets. These are the chief ones among the tried and tested Ancient Worthy class, and this class will comprise Abraham’s earthly seed of blessing.

Jesus’ statement does not imply that the people of the whole world literally will travel to Jerusalem to seek guidance from these restored patriarchs. Rather, they will be the recognized human representatives of the new government which will have been set up “in the top of the mountains,” dominating all the affairs of men in that long-promised rulership of righteousness.—Isa. 2:2

These Ancient Worthies will be unlike the remainder of mankind. They proved their loyalty to the Lord before they died, whereas the judgment day of the Jewish people in general, and in fact of the whole world, will just be the beginning. They will be, from the time of their awakening from the sleep of death, perfect humans, having completely restored to them all that was lost in Adam of mental and moral likeness to God, and perfection of physical powers. Thus they will not only be the princes of earth, but individually they will exemplify what all the willingly obedient may then attain by faithfulness to the laws of that new kingdom.

The perfect minds of the Ancient Worthies will quickly grasp present-day knowledge and inventions. They will stand head and shoulders above mankind in all their abilities. As the perfect man Jesus taught the people positively, definitely, and clearly, and not doubtfully and in a confused way as did the scribes, so it will be with the perfected Ancient Worthies when they are raised from the dead and appear among men.

Besides, these “princes in all the earth,” as they are called in Psalm 45:16, will have direct communication with the spiritual phase of the kingdom, even as Adam enjoyed personal communion with God before he came under condemnation as a transgressor of divine law. Thus, in addition to their own perfection of mind and body, they will have perfect guidance from above, and have at their command all the needed invisible powers of the divine Christ.

Just as those who will constitute the spiritual ruling seed of Abraham were developed, and passed their final test by being faithful even unto death, so it is with the elect earthly seed who will be the human representatives of the spiritual, divine rulership among men. They will be amply ready for that ° exalted and vital service. Their master strokes “of wise policy, their moderation and dignified self-control, and their personal exemplification of every grace’ and virtue will attract men, and enlist their willing obedience and hearty co-operation.

The House of Servants

We read in: Hebrews 3:5 that “Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after.” This statement is in a context which speaks of Christ being Head over a house of sons. The word “house,” as thus used in the Scriptures, denotes a family of rulers. Jesus is Head over the divine family of kings; and, as Paul indicates. Moses is the head over God’s earthly “house.” Paul stresses that Moses was faithful “in all his house … for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after.” This implies that all the true members of this house of servants had to prove worthy of this high position, just as spiritual Israelites have to make their calling and election sure to maintain a position in the house of sons.

Judges

In a promise to Israel as a whole, the Lord said; “I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy ‘dross, and take away all thy tin: and I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The City of righteousness, the faithful city.” (Isa. 1:25,26) The “judges” and “counselors to be raised up in fulfillment of this promise are those who will compose the Lord’s house of servants, the Ancient Worthies.

The ancient judges of Israel ruled the nation during the period of the judges. During that period the people had no government, and no other lawgivers. Under the guidance of the judges, and by the blessing: of the Lord, the nation was many times delivered from the oppressive hands of their heathen neighbors. So in the antitype of this arrangement Israel and the whole world will be delivered from enemies—all enemies, even death.

The “counselors” mentioned in the prophecy are apparently those whom Moses appointed to assist him in managing the affairs of the nation during the forty years in the wilderness. Their services to the people would also illustrate certain functions of the Ancient Worthies during the messianic kingdom age.

The Lord said that when the “judges” are raised up “as at the first,” and under them the people purified, they would be called “the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” The Ancient Worthies themselves will be the nucleus of this “city of righteousness,” the symbolic earthly phase of the kingdom which will represent the new heavenly Jerusalem. In Micah 4:1-4 we are given a slight variation of this symbolism, in that the spiritual phase of Christ’s kingdom is spoken of as “Zion,” and the earthly phase as “Jerusalem.” This is a very meaningful combination of symbols, for actually Zion’s hill in ancient Jerusalem; the capital city of Israel, was the seat of government. It was in Mount Zion that David sat on the throne of the Lord.—I Chron. 29:23

In this prophecy the messianic kingdom is described as “the mountain of the house of the Lord,” or to paraphrase, the kingdom consisting of the ruling house of the Lord. This ruling house of the Lord is the antitypical house of David, and is quite aptly likened to the mountain of the Lord, for, as we have noted, David established his government in Mount Zion of Jerusalem. The Prophet Micah states that in this messianic kingdom arrangement “the Law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Zion is symbolic of the spiritual phase of the kingdom in which Jesus and his faithful followers will be the rulers, the executive branch of the kingdom, issuing the laws which are to govern the people. These laws, the Word of the Lord, will go forth with divine authority, and will be made known to the people and put into operation by the Ancient Worthies, symbolized in this prophecy by “Jerusalem.” How beautifully, therefore, this combination of symbols—Zion and Jerusalem—illustrates the close association of the spiritual and human aspects of the messianic kingdom.

This new governmental arrangement, the prophet tells us, will be established in “the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.” It will exercise its authoritative control over all the people of the earth. While it will not. be possible for any successfully to resist the authority and power of this government, its control will be so just and beneficent that the people “will flow unto it,” rendering willing and joyful obedience.

So far as humanity is concerned, their contact with this government, this holy city, will be through the Ancient Worthies, and to them these will be the government; although it will be recognized that the laws of the kingdom emanate from The Christ, The Messiah—Jesus and his church in heavenly glory. The larger portion of those who at first will identify themselves with this new government will be the restored of Israel in Palestine. These, and all others of mankind who “go up to the mountain of the Lord,” will learn of the Lord’s ways, and will walk in his paths.—Micah 4:2

When the people do this, they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks, and will learn war no more. Thus the army of Israel, as well as the armies of all other nations, will be disarmed and dissolved. Only upon this basis can peace be established throughout the earth. This is the Lord’s way, which is to be implemented by divine authority and power to guarantee its victorious functioning. This will be one of the ways in which the seed of Abraham will bless all the nations of the earth.

Isaiah, chapter 60, presents another interesting prophecy of Messiah’s kingdom. This prophecy seems to be a blending of promises relative both to the spiritual and the earthly ruling phases of that kingdom. It also presents assurances concerning the subjects of the kingdom, beginning with the natural descendants of Abraham and extending. to all mankind. The first verse: reads, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” This seems to refer particularly to the two ruling groups in the kingdom—the spiritual and the earthly. Other prophecies reveal that both of these will “shine” in the kingdom, and that the glory of the Lord will be manifested upon and through them.

The word “Arise” in the expression, “Arise, shine,” could refer to the resurrection of these two groups—the spiritual in the “first resurrection” and the earthly in the “better resurrection.” This same word “Arise,” both in the English and the Hebrew text, is used in Isaiah 26:19 and Psalm 88:10 to describe an arising from the dead. What a meaningful lesson is thus presented in connection with those proved worthy of being made “princes in all the earth,” as well as the “little flock” of the Gospel Age!

Let us reflect for a moment on the Ancient Worthies: like the true followers of Jesus during the Gospel Age, these were a despised people while they were laying down their lives to prove worthy of the “better resurrection.” Like Moses, this entire class suffered “the reproach of Christ,” or for Christ, although not in the sense of sharing in the “better sacrifices” of the Gospel Age. This being true it is expected that they will also share in the glory of the kingdom—not the glory of joint-heirship with Jesus in the spiritual phase of the kingdom, but the honor and glory of being the human representatives of its spiritual rulers.

In Daniel 12:2,3, those who are awakened from the sleep of death are divided into three classes, two of which “shine,” while the other is in contempt, this latter class being the nonelect who will come forth to judgment. The two classes which “shine” are the earthly and spiritual rulers in the kingdom. The Prophet Malachi (4:2) speaks of Christ as “the Sun of Righteousness,” and Jesus speaking of his true followers as the “children of the kingdom,” said that these will “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (Matt. 13:38,43) Daniel 12:3 states that those in the spiritual phase of the kingdom will shine as “the brightness of the firmament; and that the earthly rulers in the kingdom will “shine … as the stars.”

Isaiah 60:5 declares that the “abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee”; that is, to Christ, and to his joint-heirs in the spiritual ruling phase of the kingdom. The whole world of mankind, beginning with those of the natural descendants of Abraham who did not qualify to be “princes in all the earth,” are symbolized by the “sea.” While they will be converted to The Christ, it will be through the ministration of the “princes,” representing the invisible rulers in the kingdom.—Matt. 8:11; Luke 13:29

Reverting to verse 1, we note the expression, “Thy light is come.” Jesus is this “Light”—the true Light that eventually enlightens all mankind. To the Ancient Worthies he was their hoped-for Messiah. The faithful ones of past ages looked for the coming of this glorious Light. But he did not come in their day. They died in faith, not having received the fulfillment of the messianic promises made to them. How wonderful will be the proclamation to these, “Thy Light is come”! Then their faith will be rewarded. This will also be true of the spiritual rulers who suffered and died in the name of their Lord.

Prior to the resurrection of the Ancient Worthies, many of the natural descendants of Abraham will have been gathered back to Palestine. Since these are especially beloved for the fathers’ sake, they will be the first to be enlightened and blessed by the “Light” that will shine upon and through the Ancient Worthies.

Verse 2 reads, “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” This will be at the close of the great “time of trouble” with which the present evil world comes to an end. The darkness which has enshrouded the earth throughout the ages will be even more dense as the “distress of nations” increases, and fear will be filling the hearts of all mankind.

Then the Light will appear, the glory of the Lord being seen upon and through the perfect human representatives of the divine. Christ. Isaiah continues, “The Gentiles shall turn to thy Light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (vs. 3) This statement seems to be referred to in Revelation 21:24, where the heavenly Jerusalem is being discussed. As we have noted, the prophecy contained in this chapter is a blending of truths pertaining both to the natural and the spiritual phases of the kingdom, emphasizing the fact that the people of every race are to have the opportunity of access at all times to the glorious “city,” or kingdom, of Christ, the gates to it being ever open to them.

With this viewpoint in mind, verse 14 is also revealing. It reads: “The sons also of them that afflicted thee; … and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” This is the “city” for which Abraham looked, although he did not realize all that would be involved in the establishment of this glorious kingdom of the Messiah. All who will have an official share in this “city,” either in its spiritual or earthly phase, will have previously proved themselves worthy in the face of afflictions which were heaped upon them—faithful even unto death.

Thus when we read this prophecy of that kingdom which will be visibly manifested to the world through the Ancient Worthies, we are to realize that the blessings which it describes are those which were to reach the people through the “Seed” of Abraham. The statement in verse 12 that “the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish,” implies that all will have to acknowledge the supreme authority of Christ as it will be exercised through the agencies of his kingdom; that his kingdom will indeed be established in “the top of the mountains” as the dominating power and authority in all the earth.—Micah 4:1-4; Acts 3:23

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