The Covenant Of Grace And The People Of God

<p>This is a fine defence of the integrity of the pan-Biblical covenant and</p><p>the faithful and consistent testimony of God to His church and people</p><p>in every age. I particularly found Dr Ella’s thoughts concerning the</p><p>international nature of God’s covenant promises in the Old Testament</p><p>helpful and refreshing. I enjoyed too his thoughts on how a singular</p><p>view of Jewish covenant applicability is too narrow.</p><p>It has struck me for a long time how frequently the Lord was pleased</p><p>to send the gospel outside of Israel’s borders. Did not Joseph take the</p><p>gospel to Egypt? Naaman certainly carried the gospel back to Syria</p><p>where there was already at least one believer in Damascus a little</p><p>servant girl who evangelised her peers. Mordecai and Esther’s greatness</p><p>in the court of the Medes and Persians was immense and we are told</p><p>many believed because of them. Daniel’s influence was considerable in</p><p>Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar had wonderful revelations of God’s</p><p>glory. The history of Balaam and Balak betrays a keen awareness</p><p>amongst surrounding nations of God’s covenant dealings with His</p><p>people. These things were not hid. Jonah’s testimony in Nineveh was</p><p>powerful and if we may take the scripture testimony at face value and</p><p>we should many many believed God. This was a huge huge city of</p><p>antiquity and the vast majority must surely have been Gentiles.</p><p>Wise men came from the east seeking the King of the Jews. Even</p><p>the Lord’s dealings with the Syrophenician woman who by the</p><p>Saviour’s own testimony possessed great and genuine faith shows</p><p>covenant grace was never restricted to a single race. She was a</p><p>Canaanite by birth and abode but was truly one of the lost sheep of the</p><p>house of Israel whom the Lord had come to seek and to save. Gentiles</p><p>knew grace and were blessed in the Covenant of Peace long before the</p><p>gospel was sent more fully to the Gentiles in the great commission.</p><p>This volume goes forth with the prayer and sure confidence that the</p><p>same grace that always saved sinners by bringing them to a knowledge</p><p>of the truth will be instrumental in opening the eyes of God’s elect till</p><p>the last lost sheep is gathered and the fulness of the truth as it is in Jesus</p><p>is known the world over. Then the earth shall be full of the knowledge</p><p>of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.</p>