Monday, March 9, 2009

Wilhelmus à Brakel on the Future of the Jews

Wilhelmus à Brakel, The Christian's Reasonable Service (1700), Vol. 4, pp. 510, 530-531:

Question: Will the Jewish nation always be a rejected nation, or will the entire nation yet come to repentence, believing and confessing that the Messiah is already come, and that Jesus is the Christ?
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After the destruction of Jerusalem, the entire Jewish nation was dispersed and no longer has a specific residence. We are speaking here of this nation without distinction, and we believe that it will acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ -- the Messiah who was promised in the Old Testament and anticipated by the father. This is the general sentiment of the theologians of all ages -- even Luther and papist theologians. There are, however, also those who doubt this, and some deny it.
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One more question remains to be answered: Will the Jewish nation be gathered together again from all the regions of the world and from all the nations of the earth among which they have been dispersed? Will they come to and dwell in Canaan and all the lands promised to Abraham, and will Jerusalem be rebuilt?

We believe that these events will transpire. We deny, however, that the temple will be rebuilt, and that therein the previous mode of worship will be observed, which prior to Christ's coming was of a typifying nature and would then be of a reflective nature. We also deny that Israel will then have dominion over the entire world -- and other such things which the Jews imagine and some Christians dream about.

3 comments:

  1. Dear VirginiaHuguenot,

    I wonder why Brakel disagrees the temple will be rebuilt?

    God be with you,
    Dan

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  2. I believe he would argue that the rebuilding of the temple would signify a return to the ceremonial worship that was fulfilled in Christ.

    Blessings,
    Andrew

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  3. Dear Andrew,

    Maybe, but I read his comment "and would then be of a reflective nature" as saying future temple worship would be in view of what Christ has done. I suppose it would be something like the Lord's Supper. I think that view would fit nicely with Paul's behavior in Acts 21:17-27.

    In any case, Brakel's view seems like an interesting mix by taking the restoration of Israel literally, but the rebuilding of the temple spiritually.

    BTW, your blog really has been a blessing.

    God be with you,
    Dan

    ReplyDelete