Page:Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah (Baron, David).djvu/94



During the present Dispensation, through Israel's tempor ary " fall," salvation has come to the Gentiles, and the " dimin ishing of them" has been overruled of God to " the riches of the Gentiles." But this " salvation " and " riches " extend only to individuals. God hath visited the " Gentiles " to " take out of them a people for His Name." It is only ignorance of God's plan, and self-delusion, which can boast of the gradual conversion of the world and of " Christian nations " in this present age. And even the partial blessing now experienced by the Gentiles has been brought to them, not only indirectly and passively (through Israel's unbelief), but directly and actively through those " who were, of faith " in the chosen nation.

Through individual Jews whose hearts were set on fire with love and devotion to Jesus of Nazareth whom their nation despised and rejected, who went forth into the world, taking their lives in their hands, to preach Him among the Gentiles; and through the inspired writings of Jewish apostles and evangelists individuals from all nations a multitude which no man can number have been, and are being, brought into the knowledge and fellowship of their Messiah. What migJit Jiave been if the nation, as a nation, instead of rejecting, had accepted Christ, we can only guess and speculate about.

"Judging from the work accomplished by one Jew, Paul," says a Hebrew Christian brother in a recent ablywritten work, " we can imagine what might have been achieved if the intellectual acumen and great learning of the scribes and Pharisees, together with the enthusiasm of the young patriotic zealots, had been enlisted in the cause of spreading Messiah's Kingdom in the world. If, instead of one Paul, there were thousands of Pauls. If the great learning, industry, and spiritual zeal which for centuries has been employed in rearing that great monu ment of wasted human industry, the immense literature of the Talmud, were used rather in the living work of propagating the gospel of Christ! If Jerusalem, instead of Rome, had remained the capital of Christendom, and