I. The Promises of Glory

From Genesis to Malachi God has made many promises concerning Israel's glory. Promises are also made in the New Testament. These promises can be divided into three parts:

A. Promises Concerning the King
B. Promises Concerning the People
C. Promises Concerning the Land

A. Promises Concerning the King

God promised through Nathan the prophet an everlasting kingdom to David. David's kingdom would be given to Solomon, and he would build the temple, and God would give him a kingdom which would last forever. Christ came through Solomon, and He will reign forever. Solomon will be chastened if he does wrong, but his kingdom will still last forever in spite of any unfaithfulness on his part. II Samuel 7:13-16 promises this.

He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

Isaiah 9:6-7 also teaches that a descendant of David will rule forever. He will be a perfect king.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be called wonderful counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Luke 1:30-33 promises the same perfect King will reign on the throne of David over Israel forever.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Israel has had many kings, but they were all sinners and failed to be the kings they ought to be. The Old Testament gives their records and shows the need of the perfect king to reign forever. Part of Israel's glory will be to have a perfect king who will reign over Israel forever. God has promised that Israel shall have such a king who is Jesus Christ our Savior and God in the flesh. Many Scriptures promise this.

B. Promises Concerning the People

The people of Israel have never been perfect. The Bible points out their many imperfections and sins. Their hearts have been rebellious toward God's laws. Every generation of Israel reveals this sad fact. But God has promised to make Israel a nation of perfect people without any sin and a people which obeys God's law out of love for Him from their hearts. This is revealed in Jeremiah 31:31-34.

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying , Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

Ezekiel 36:22-29a promises the same perfect Israel in the future.

Therefore say unto the house of Israel. Thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went, And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses.

A part of Israel's glory will be the perfection of all her people when Christ comes again. Israel has never been a nation of perfect people, but it will be some day in the future; and Israel will continue forever as such. A number of Scriptures promise this.

C. Promises Concerning the Land.

The Lord promised the land forever to Israel in many places in the Bible. Genesis 13:14-15 is an example of one of these places.

And the Lord said unto Abram after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

Genesis 17:8 promises the land forever also.

And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Amos 9:14-15 promises the same thing.

And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.

Isaiah 65:17-18 refers to this same promise of the land.

For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

The Lord promised Israel the land. Some think this is Palestine only, but the Lord never says it is limited to Palestine only. The whole earth is the land promised, but Palestine will be the headquarters. Even though the earth has been promised by God with Palestine as its headquarters, Israel does not have a right to go in and possess it any time they want. They cannot rightfully rule the world until God gives it, and they cannot rightfully occupy the headquarters until God gives it. God has made it clear that the earth and the headquarters will be given when Jesus comes again. Adam and Eve were to have dominion over all the earth, but their headquarters or place of dwelling was the Garden of Eden. Israel will have dominion over all the earth after Jesus comes again, but Palestine will be their Garden of Eden or headquarters.

Because of Israel's sin, God has smitten her land at times and removed her from it at other times. A part of Israel's glory will be to have a perfect land forever some day. Israel's glory in summary is to have a perfect King to rule them forever in righteousness and peace. Israel at that time will be a perfect people who love the Lord and obey Him from their hearts. Israel will dwell in a perfect land of Israel forever.