A New Israel
Brother Sparks begins by emphasizing the deep desire for spiritual nourishment, likening Christ to the bread of life and praying for a true ministration of His Spirit. He then reflects on the opening words of Hebrews, highlighting the finality and fullness of God's revelation through His Son, which surpasses all previous divine communications. Sparks stresses the importance of approaching Scripture with fresh eyes, seeking the Spirit's illumination to see beyond the literal words into the spiritual truth they convey. He discusses the profound transition from the old covenant, represented by Israel at Sinai, to the new covenant, which is centered in Christ, the true fulfillment of all Old Testament hopes. The new Israel is not a natural or racial entity but a spiritual race born of God, emphasizing that salvation and divine life are not inherited naturally but are divine acts—resurrection and Pentecost—initiated solely by God. Sparks underscores the contrast between the "not" of the old Israel and the "but" of the new, highlighting the inclusive greatness of Christ as the Messiah and the superiority of His covenant over the old. He warns against religious exclusivism, urging believers to recognize the expansive dimensions of God's new spiritual order, which confounds temporal and earthly expectations. Ultimately, Sparks points to the fullness and supremacy of Christ, the Son, as the ultimate expression of God's revelation, calling believers to see and understand their true identity as God's final, spiritual Israel.
Outline of Main Points
- Desire for spiritual nourishment and prayer for the Spirit's illumination
- Hebrews 1: The finality and fullness of God's revelation through His Son
- The importance of approaching Scripture with fresh, Spirit-led eyes
- The transition from the old covenant (Israel at Sinai) to the new covenant (Christ)
- The new Israel is a spiritual, divine creation, not racial or natural
- Salvation is a divine act—resurrection and Pentecost—initiated by God alone
- The contrast between the "not" (old Israel, natural birth) and the "but" (new Israel, spiritual birth)
- The Messiah (Christ) fulfills and surpasses Old Testament expectations
- Warning against religious exclusivism and recognizing the vast dimensions of God's spiritual work
- The supremacy and fullness of Christ as the Son and ultimate revelation of God
- Call for believers to see and understand their true identity as God's final, spiritual Israel
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
