The body of Christ

[Jope]

What was unrevealed in the past ages, was, that Christ would have a predominantly Gentile wife.

Eph. 3:6 ESV
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body [of Christ, cf. Eph. 5:30-32], and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.​

This wife is "one flesh" with Christ (Eph. 5:30-32), that's why it was unrevealed to the prophets of old. When they saw Christ, they saw us "in Christ" (Rom. 12:5; 16:7; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 1:20; 2:10, etc.).

This realization solves the problem of 2 Samuel 7:10-15, specifically verse 14:

2 Samuel 7:10-15 ESV, bold emphasis mine
10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.​

This passage is not referring to Solomon, because "the throne of his kingdom [was not established] forever" (v. 13).

This passage is obviously a reference to the Messiah, yet the problem arises, that this entity sinned. This sin is not speaking of Christ, but rather the sin of Christ's wife, the Church (2Cor. 5:20-21).

When the Church sins, she is punished (Gal. 5:10; 1Pet. 2:20; Rev. 2:20-23), just like it says in the same passage of Samuel above: "When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men".

 

[Jope]

The thought may be raised, then, that since God renders men their due reward, be it good or evil, that must mean that it is in the Christian's responsibility to render men their due reward, if it be an evil one.

But, as saith Lewis Chafer:

The Scriptures present many incidents which disclose the fact that the will of God is executed by men even when they have no conscious intention to do the will of God. Within their own sphere of recognition they act in perfect freedom.

Chafer, L. (1976). Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, with special permission of Dallas Theological Seminary. Christology, Chapter XIII, II, 5.​

Isaiah 10:5-7 being one such example:

ESV
5​​​​​​​​Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; ​​​​​​​the staff in their hands is my fury! ​​​ 6​​​​​​​​Against a godless nation I send him, ​​​​​​​and against the people of my wrath I command him, ​​​​​​​to take spoil and seize plunder, ​​​​​​​and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. ​​​ 7​​​​​​​​But he does not so intend, ​​​​​​​and his heart does not so think; ​​​​​​​but it is in his heart to destroy, ​​​​​​​and to cut off nations not a few; ​​​​

The Christian is instructed to not take vengence (which belongs to God), nor to render any man evil with evil.

Romans 12 ESV
18If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.​

This also means that it is not up to the Christian to rejoice when his enemy falls.

Proverbs 17:5b ESV
​​​​​​​he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

​Proverbs 24:17 ESV
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, ​​​​​​​and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, ​​

After the LORD used (Gentile, non-Jewish) Babylon to destroy Israel (Jer. 25:9; 51:20), the LORD brought him to destruction for doing it (Jer. 50:17-18).

The Christian can rest content then, knowing that God is just (Psalm 37). Meritocracy will take its toll if not in this life, then in the millennium.

 

[Jope]

It should be noted, that when the term, "destroy" is used, it can denote the actual death of persons, or it can mean "to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of <destroyed the files>; also : to ruin as if by tearing to shreds <their reputation was destroyed>" ("Destroy", n.d.).

Destroy. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved September 3, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destroy​

When we read of the destruction of Babylon and Jerusalem, actual deaths did happen, but we can still read these and learn lessons from them about reaping disaster that doesn't have to include death, for evil deeds.

(So don't claim that I'm wishing the death of people by writing this thread, and on that same point, don't claim that I'm wishing the destruction of persons by writing this thread either).

 

[Jope]

For one, in the old dispensation, death was required as an execution-duty for those under it, for certain transgressions. In the present dispensation of grace (Eph. 3:2), no such commandment can be found.

We are to learn from the OT scriptures though (Rom. 15:4, ESV): "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope".