‘The Hope of Israel’

And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. - Acts 28:17-20

    Three days after he was delivered to Rome asa prisoner, Paul called the Jews of Rome together. Though despised and abused by his countrymen, he never failed to demonstrate genuine compassion for them. It was ever his prayer and heart's desire for Israel that they might be saved (Rom. 10:1). Such compassion for those nearest us is exemplary. It is not selfishness, but the most reasonable expression of love to seek salvation and eternal life in Christ for those God has placed in the nearest relationship to us. If a man does not use his influence to reach those who are most under his influence, he is not likely to earnestly seek the salvation of others. If God does not save those whom we naturally love, we must not murmur and complain. He is sovereign. It is his right to do what he will and to give salvation to whom he will. However, knowing full well that none deserve God's mercy, it would be barbaric for us to let any perish without seeking the salvation of their souls.

    Once he had called these Jews together, Paul told them exactly why he had been brought to Rome as a prisoner. He had broken no law, cast no reproach upon the Jewish nation and done nothing in violation of the Holy Scriptures. Paul assured the Jews of his innocence, hoping that they might more readily receive his message. He wanted to remove from their minds anything that might keep them from hearing the gospel he preached.

    Then, in verse 20, he told them why he had been arrested and brought to Rome and why he had called them together to speak to them. Paul had been arrested and was now a prisoner in Rome for only one reason—preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He had proclaimed to men 'the hope of Israel'. He had frankly declared to men that the one of whom all the prophets spoke, in whom all the promises of God must be fulfilled, in whom Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the saints of the Old Testament hoped, and for whom they waited, the Messiah, the King, the Son of David, the seed of Abraham, the true Prophet, the true Priest, the true sacrifice, the true Redeemer of Israel, has come-and he is Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. For preaching this Christ, Paul stood before these men a prisoner in chains. He had called these Jews together so that he could preach Christ to them. In this passage, Paul identifies the Lord Jesus Christ as 'the hope of Israel'. That is a subject that needs to be understood.

    1. Who is Israel?

    Though Paul was addressing men who were by physical birth the descendants of Abraham, they were not part of that Israel of whom Paul spoke. They had no faith in Christ. They were Jews outwardly, but not inwardly. They were a part of the physical nation of Israel, but they were not part of that 'holy nation' called 'the Israel of God'. The promises of God' s covenant and the blessings of his grace were never intended for Abraham's natural seed. Grace does not come by natural descent. Mercy does not run in families, neither to Jews nor to Gentiles (John 1:11-13; Rom. 9:16).

    Many imagine that the Jews as a nation and race have a special claim upon God’s promises and that God deals with them in a special way. That is a myth. It is entirely contrary to the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ. It is plainly written in Holy Scripture that there are no promises to natural Israel that God has not fulfilled. He fulfilled them all a long, long time ago (see Josh. 21:44-45). God gave Israel alone the gospel in the Old Testament, under the types and shadows of the law. Then God sent his Son to preach to them. Even after they crucified the Lord of glory, our Saviour sent his apostles to the Jews first. But after that nation despised Christ and his gospel, in righteous judgement God destroyed them (Matt. 22: 1-7). In great mercy, he sent his gospel to the Gentiles that he might gather his elect (his Israel) from the four corners of the earth. This has always been his purpose (28:26-28; Rom. 11:25-26). The physical seed of Abraham are not the special, chosen people of God. The Scriptures are crystal clear in this regard (Rom. 2:28; 9:6-8; Gal. 4:22-28).

    All who believe the gospel of Christ, Jews and Gentiles of every age, are 'the Israel of God' (Gal. 6:16). Every true believer is a child of Abraham, an Israelite indeed (Rom. 2:29; Gal. 3:6-7; Phil. 3:3). The blessing of Abraham comes to men by the redeeming blood of Christ and the saving power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:13-14). The characteristics of God's Israel are not physical, but spiritual. Being circumcised in their hearts, they worship God in the Spirit, trust Christ alone as their Saviour and have no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3; Col. 2: 11). Like Abraham, they believe God (John 8:39). All the promises and blessings of God's covenant and grace belong to all the Israel of God, all who trust the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1:20; Gal. 3:13-18, 26-29; Eph. 1:3-6; 2:11-14; 2 Tim. 1:9).

    2. Why is the Lord Jesus Christ called 'the hope of Israel'?

    Paul called him by this title because the prophets referred to the Messiah by this title (Jer. 14:8; 17:13; Joel 3: 16). And he is called by this title because all the Israel of God recognize that Christ alone is our hope of everlasting salvation (1 Tim. 1:1; Col. 1:27). Every believer looks to Christ in faith, hoping for (expecting) grace, salvation and eternal glory in him (Rom. 8:24-25). We understand, and rejoice in, the fact that he is our salvation (Luke 2:30; Rom. 8:33-39). The whole work of salvation was finished for us by Christ's obedience to God in life and in death (John 17:4; 19:28-30). It is complete and perfect in him (Col. 2: 10). And this salvation that is in Christ alone is the free gift of God's grace bestowed upon every sinner who, like Abraham, believes God (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9).

    Every true Israelite, every true believer, lives by faith in Christ in the hope and expectation of eternal life. We have it now, but we do not yet enjoy the full perfection of it. We are not yet in heaven; we have not yet been glorified; but, believing Christ, we have confidence that we shall be (Titus 2:11-13; 1Thess.4:13-18; 1John 3:1-3). When the Lord Jesus Christ comes again, the whole Israel of God will be raised in his likeness!

    3. What does Israel hope to obtain from Christ?

    Believing him, we hope to obtain everything that Christ, our God man mediator, is and everything he has obtained from God as the reward of his obedience. I fully believe that there is nothing that Christ is, in his mediatorial capacity, and nothing that he has obtained, that we shall not be and have. We shall never share his divinity. We shall not become God! But all that his glorious humanity is and has, we shall be and have by virtue of our union with him (John 17:5,22). It is not yet seen, but this is what we hope for (Rom. 8:17-18,24-25). He is freed from all sin, perfectly righteous and holy, perfectly satisfied, completely at rest, in perfect harmony with the triune God, possessing all things! We shall be all of that when he makes all things new!

    4. What is the basis of Israel's hope?

    In Lamentations 3:21-26 the old prophet cries, 'This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.' Then he tells us what his hope is: 'It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.'

    Here are two things we who have hope in God's mercies, compassions, faithfulness and goodness must do. We must live a while longer in hope. Hope can see heaven through the thickest clouds. Hope is the mother of patience. If we live in hope, expecting God to do what he has promised he will do, we shall 'quietly [patiently] wait for the salvation of the Lord' . Nothing can greatly disturb the peace of one who lives in hope. He is waiting for the salvation of the Lord!