XV. CORROBORATIVE PASSAGES: “WHEAT AND TARES”

It is rarely found that the proofs of any leading truth of Scripture so depend one on another, that unless each proposition is demonstrated in its order, the whole fails: for habitually we find that the evidence of revealed verities is collateral; that is, there are many passages which prove a point if taken singly; and when looked at together they have a strong corroborative force.

In the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43) Christ gives us some very simple instruction. The result of the sowing of the seed is that there is much wheat in the field: an enemy sows tares amongst them; and from that day until the harvest there is no point of time in which the field does not contain some of each. “Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn” (Verse 30). “As, therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world [age]. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (40-43).

Thus the removal of the Church, as set forth in the secret rapture theory, is impossible: for, from the moment of the first preaching of the gospel, until the angels are sent forth to sever the wicked from among the just, both classes are found mingled in Christendom. Had the secret rapture been the teaching of Christ, He could not have spoken of wheat as well as tares growing together until the harvest. For if the Church had been previously taken away, there would have been in the field tares, and tares only.

This contradicts also the notion of a body of Jewish believers being formed after the rapture of the Church; for unless the field were left, for awhile at least, free from wheat, and unless a new sowing altogether took place, this could not be. There is no such break or interval allowed in Scripture up to the time of the harvest, when “the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father”. [4]

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[4] See Appendix D.

XIV. THE DOUBLE: “TWO JEWISH REMNANTS”

So evident is it that believers in Christ are contemplated as those who shall use the warnings connected with the manifest appearing of our Lord, that many who clung tenaciously to the opinion of a secret advent and a secret rapture, and who styled everything of an opposite teaching in Scripture “Jewish”, extended their theory by some remarkable additions. For a considerable time they were content to apply indefinitely to “the Jewish remnant” those parts of the New Testament which do not consist with the supposition that our Lord may come at any moment; but at length they saw that “the Jewish remnant” seemed to be, in some passages especially of the Old Testament, persons who do not own Jesus as the Christ until they see Him in glory; and that some other passages which they would not admit to be applicable to the Church, incontestably set forth persons who own the Lord Jesus before His coming in glory.

Hence arose a theory of two Jewish remnants: but neither of them part of “the Church”, at least not the Church of this dispensation. It was said that after the secret rapture of the Church, a certain testimony would go forth to Israel; that by this many would be converted; some said to full faith in Christ, and others said to partial; and that this remnant would go through the unequalled tribulation, and would use the Scriptures which bear on it. It was said by those who held that this remnant would be true believers, that at the manifestation of Christ they would be taken up to a place of heavenly blessedness, whilst those of them who had been cut off by persecution would be raised from the dead: that this raised and changed body of persons should share in the full glory of “the Church” was afterwards denied by those who divided the saved into classes, making the Church, as such, to extend only from Pentecost (or as some said from the martyrdom of Stephen) until the secret rapture.

Such was “the remnant” to whom these teachers applied (with various modifications) the Scriptures which speak of the glory of Christ being seen by some of His at His public coming.

“The unbelieving remnant” were those who in the purpose of God were to be preserved for earthly blessing, being converted by the manifest appearing of Jesus.

Now, it is quite true that the Scripture does speak of two remnants in Israel: First, “The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God” (Isaiah 10:21). This remnant that shall return is the spared of Israel who, after the judgments of the Lord, shall be the earthly people. Second, “At this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5). This remnant of Israel according to the election of grace, is that portion who, during this dispensation, believe in Christ; but in the Church they form no separate body; believing Jew and believing Gentile are one in Christ; and every Israelite led by the Holy Ghost to the blood of atonement now, is an integral part of the church of the first-born. Thus, believing Jews who pass through the tribulation, and wait for the Lord's appearing, are in no sense separated from those who have gone before them.

It has been asked, If the saints come with Christ, must they not have been taken away before? and may not the interval be a long one, perhaps a whole age?

The Scripture says that they are raised, and changed, and caught up to meet the Lord in the air, as He comes, and when He comes; and thus having met Him, they come with Him. If such a questioning as this were allowed to set aside plain testimonies, nothing in Scripture, however definite, would be certain.

It is in vain to imagine any “remnant according to the election of grace”, except as part of the present Church.