The History of Israel, Its Spiritual Significance

David Baron's book, "The History of Israel, its Spiritual Significance", is divided into four parts, in which he expounds four passages of Scripture dealing with the history of Israel. Part I covers Deuteronomy 32 and is entitled by Baron, "The National Song of Israel: A Divine Forecast of the Whole History of the Jewish People". Part II covers Psalm 105 and is entitled, "Jehovah's Marvelous Works for His People". Part III covers Psalms 106 and is entitled "Israel's Great Sin and Jehovah's Superabundant Grace". Part IV covers Isaiah 51 and is entitled "'Look unto the Rock Whence Ye Were Hewn'; The Grace and Power of God as Manifested in the History of Israel".

While expounding on Israel's experience in Egypt, as mentioned in Psalm 105, Baron draws a parallel between Israel's past and present. He charts the growth of the Jewish nation since the middle of the nineteenth century and draws comparison with the increase of the Israelites in Egypt. Baron mentions God's 'turning their heart [i.e. of the Gentiles among whom the children of Israel were scattered] to hate His people' and states that this work of God has dual purpose: Firstly, it is designed to shake up His people from the lands of their exile, where they would otherwise gladly remain and assimilate, and to bring them back to the land of Israel. This return to the land is in preparation for Israel's spiritual repentance and return to God. The Jewish tendency is to 'forget his sin against his Father, and his home from which he has wandered.' His nest must therefore be continually stirred up, that he may be reminded that the lands of the Gentiles are not his permanent resting-place.' Baron mentions that the solution to the 'Jewish question' in Egypt was the Exodus; so now, the solution to the 'Jewish question' is the restoration of Israel to their own land, 'followed by their more glorious restoration to the favor of God, and their spiritual renewal in and through the grace of their Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ.' The second purpose of God's turning the hearts of the Gentile nations against Israel, is God's design for judgment on those same Gentile nations. Baron notes that God 'uses for the chastisement of His people, men or nations whom He designs to give up to destruction for their wickedness'.

While the concentration of the book is on the history of Israel, Baron pauses while expounding Psalm 105, which mentions the afflictions of Joseph, to draw out some moving parallels between the story of Joseph and circumstances surrounding the life of the Lord Jesus. He mentions seven parallels in particular: Firstly, as Joseph was specially beloved of his father, so the Lord Jesus is the Father's 'Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased'. Secondly, Baron notes that Joseph was hated by his brethren because of his father's love for him, and that his brothers were estranged from their father by their 'evil conduct'. So it was with the Lord Jesus that His relationship with His Father and His love for righteousness brought hatred from His brethren, the Jewish people, who had become estranged from God. Thirdly, it is written of Joseph that 'They hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words'; Baron notes that these dreams, however, were 'Prophetic revelations of his future exaltation, which, after his testing time was over, were abundantly fulfilled'. So also with the Lord Jesus: the Scribes and Pharisees hated Him because of 'His Divine claims as the Son of God, Whom all men should honor, as they honor the Father'. Fourthly, Joseph, like the Lord Jesus, was abused and afflicted by his brethren, sold into Gentile hands and treated with 'the greatest indignity as a vile criminal'. Fifthly, Joseph's brethren and family referred to him as one dead, as today the Lord Jesus' Jewish brethren think of our Lord being dead and buried. Sixthly, while Joseph's brethren viewed him as one dead, he was in fact 'not only alive but exalted among the Gentiles, as the 'Support of Life' or 'Deliverer of the World' before whom all had to bow the knee in humble allegiance'. So, today, the Lord Jesus is highly exalted among hundreds of millions of Gentiles who own Him the true 'Support of Life', the true bread that comes down from heaven. Finally, Baron notes the significance of the repentance of Joseph's brethren when they state, 'We are very guilty concerning our brother'. Indeed a day is coming, of which the prophets foretold, when God will 'pour on the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son'.

Baron also mentions a parallelism between Joseph's story and the path of every believer. Each of us, like Joseph, have Divine promise of the future of a glorious inheritance. But between the promise and its final realization there is often a long and dark valley of humiliation and suffering to pass, when we are tempted to forget our high calling and to doubt our ever attaining the glorious destiny pictured for us in the scripture of truth.' But Joseph's afflictions readied him and made him suitable for authority: 'He was not to be raised to honor without having, in a state of deep abasement, proved a faithfulness that wavered not, and a confidence that knew no despair.' 'With us, also, it is only with a view to purify and perfect, and make us meet for the position of authority and glory which He has purposed for us from eternity.'

As Baron unfolds these precious Scriptures regarding the history of Israel, every reader will surely see 'the guiding, controlling hand of God in the history of the peculiar people, which He has designed from the beginning to be a witness and object-lesson to all the nations'.

'The History of Israel, Its Spiritual Significance' by David Baron, is published by Keren Ahvah Meshihit, Jerusalem.