Chapter 6

The Threefold Division of the Human Family

"And there shall be one fold..."

Paul divided the world of mankind into three distinct groups. In I Corinthians 10:32 he says, "Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God." The Gentiles furnish the great mass of mankind. They are, so to speak, the raw material from which the finished products come. To say it another way, the Jewish people are an elect nation, chosen from the Gentiles and set apart and trained for special service for them. The church of God is an elect body chosen from Jews and Gentiles, and set apart and trained for special service in their behalf. The United service of the Church as Christ's Bride, and of Israel as God's converted and restored nation, will take place in the coming age — the reign of Christ. There are two parables in John 10: 1-18 in which Christ shows these three groups as sheep-folds — the "one fold" being elected from the other two. The one fold is "the church of God."

"The Gentiles, upon whom my name is called..."

When one wishes to do a certain piece of work, he selects the kind of tools suitable for that work; if no such tools are in existence, they must be prepared. That is true with God in His work on behalf of the Gentiles. Suitable tools for the accomplishment of such work did not exist. God set about to prepare them. The first instrument in preparation is the elect nation of Israel. The other instrument is the Church of God. These are choice and costly pieces of work — the "TREASURE" is buried in the field while the "PEARL OF GREAT PRICE" is being formed around the wound in Christ's side. God is not now trying to convert the world to Christ.

These three groups appear in another connection and relationship in a very important passage of Scripture, Acts 15:13-18. This passage in one of many reasons for our saying what we have in the foregoing paragraph. The church was being formed of Jews and Gentiles, the converts from the Gentiles were being made a part of the body of Christ, the Church, without any recognition of Israel. It was a puzzle to the apostles. In a conference to consider that question James makes a speech which clears up the matter.

"That the residue of men may seek the Lord..."

In that speech James recognizes the forming of the church from among Jews and Gentiles, chiefly from the Gentiles. He says, "How fu-st God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name." This act is calling His name on the Gentiles and such called ones are a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. When this election from the Gentiles is finished Christ will return and take up Israel again. When the church is raptured to meet the Lord, Israel will have the blindness lifted and "so all Israel shall be saved" (Rom. 11:25-32). The purpose of this is expressed by James in this dispensational passage in Acts 15: ISIS. This whole work is done, "THAT the residue of men may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old." There is a great world-wide revival coming after the Lord comes. After the marriage of the Lamb, after the conversion and restoration of Israel — there will be a great revival and turning to the Lord among the Gentiles. In Isaiah 2:2-4 we have one picture of such time: "And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And he will judge between the nations, and decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

"For then shall be great tribulation..."

Prior to that glad day of a warless world, that day when the nations shall seek the Lord — there must come the world's greatest time of trouble. It is called for Israel "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:111). For the world, no time is like it as a time of trouble (Matt. 24: 21). It is called "the great tribulation" (Rev. 7:14 R. V.). This is pictured on the chart as "Transition Period." The rapture of the true church is promised to take place before that period begins (Luke 21: 34-36; I Thes. 4:13-18; Rev. 3:10). Israel will go into that time of trial and be purged of all unbelievers (Amos 9:7-15). "It is the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it" (Jer. 30:7). The Gentiles will loose their lease of power, during the great tribulation (Jer. 30; 7-11). Revelation, chapters 6 to 19 gives what might be called an inspired program of such time.,

This time of the world's greatest: trouble is "the consummation of the age." It will be preceded by "the falling away" out of which comes the man of sin, the son of perdition — who is "the beast" and "antichrist" (II Thes. 2 and Rev. 13), Without doubt we are in that period of apostasy now and Christ's coming for His saints must be near (Mark 13:37).