THE JEWISH AGE A TYPE OF THE GOSPEL AGE. REMARKABLE PARALLELISM OR CORRESPONDENCY BETWEEN THE TWO DISPENSATIONS. YET THEY ARE DISTINCT. SUPERIORITY OF THE CHRISTIAN EPOCH, THE ANTITYPE. FLESHLY AND SPIRITUAL ISRAEL CONTRASTED. PROMINENT PARALLELS EXAMINED. TIME PARALLELS SPECIALLY NOTICED. PERIOD OF FLESHLY ISRAEL'S FAVOR. TIME OF THEIR CUTTING OFF FROM FAVOR. THE PERIOD OF DISFAVOR SHOWN FROM PROPHECY TO BE EQUAL TO THE PERIOD OF FAVOR. APOSTOLIC TESTIMONY THAT THEIR PERIOD OF DISFAVOR IS THE PERIOD FOR THE HIGH CALLING OF SPIRITUAL ISRAEL. THE LENGTH OF THE GOSPEL AGE THUS SHOWN INDIRECTLY BUT CLEARLY. HARMONY OF THE BIBLE CHRONOLOGY, JUBILEE TESTIMONY, GENTILE TIMES AND OTHER PROPHECIES WITH THE LESSONS OF THESE PARALLELS UNANSWERABLE, CONCLUSIVE AND SATISFYING.
IN previous chapters the fact has been referred to, that God's dealings with the nation of Israel were of a typical character; yet few have any adequate conception of how fully this was the case. It has doubtless been observed by many that the apostles, particularly Paul, in instructing the Christian Church, frequently refer to some striking features of type and antitype in the Jewish and Christian dispensations. But a closer attention to the Apostle's teachings will show that he does not only make use of a few illustrations drawn from the Jewish economy, but that in his close reasonings he calls up the whole Jewish system as divinely instituted (ignoring entirely the "traditions of the elders," which were no part of that system), and shows that in all its features it was typical of the then dawning Christian dispensation, mapping out most clearly the course of the Christian Church in the Gospel age, as well as pointing out its glorious work in the Millennial age.
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Many presume that the Jewish and Christian ages are only one, and that God has been selecting the Christian Church from the beginning of human existence. This is a grave mistake, that beclouds and hinders the correct and clear apprehension of many truths. Jesus was the head and forerunner of the Christian Church, which is his body (Eph. 5:23; Col. 1:24); hence none preceded him as members of the Church. Had any preceded him, he could not properly be styled the forerunner. The high calling to become joint-sacrificers, and joint-heirs with him, was not made known in other ages (Eph. 3:2, 5, 6). Good men who lived and died prior to the laying down of our ransom by the precious blood knew nothing of this high calling. Since the gifts and callings of God are unmerited favors, no injustice is done to those of other ages, in not offering them the same favor. The call and favor to those of past ages, as they will be to those of the next age, were to earthly honors and glory, and everlasting life as earthly (human) beings; while those of the Gospel age are to heavenly honors and glory, to a change of nature from human to divine, and to power, honor and dominion in heaven and in earth, as joint-heirs and co-workers with Christ. And since the Church called out, separated from the world, and developed during this age, is in the age to come to be the agent of Jehovah in the full execution of his great plan of the ages, a plan which compasses the interests not only of humanity, but of all creatures in heaven and in earth, wonderful have been the preparations made in the ages past for their training and instruction. And no less wonderful has been the care with which these, called to be heirs of divine glory, have during this age been trained, disciplined, guided and protected through the long, difficult, narrow way, first opened up by their
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Lord and Forerunner, in whose footprints they are directed to tread, as he set the example—1 Pet. 2:21.
Jesus spent the three and a half years of his ministry gathering out from Israel, training and instructing, the few disciples who should form the nucleus of the Christian Church. When about to leave them alone in the world he gave them the promise of the holy Spirit, that, during the entire age, should guide the Church into all truth, show them things to come, and bring freshly to remembrance what he had taught, which promise began to be verified at Pentecost. It is also written that the angels are all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to these heirs of this great salvation (Heb. 1:14), and that our Lord's special care is over them, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20). All the writings of the apostles are addressed to the Church, and not to the world, as many seem to think; and they are full of special instructions, encouragements and exhortations, needful only to the saints who during this age are walking in the narrow way. And our Lord's revelation, which God gave him after he had passed into glory, he sent and signified [signified, told in signs, symbols, etc.] to his Church, through his servant John (Rev. 1:1). We are also told that the prophecies given aforetime by holy men of old were given, not for themselves, nor for others of their day and age, but exclusively for the instruction of the Christian Church—1 Pet. 1:12.
In this chapter we purpose to show that the whole Jewish nation during that age was unwittingly engaged, under God's direction, in furnishing for our instruction a typical view of the plan of salvation in all its workings, even as we have just seen its Jubilees pointing out the final consummation of the plan in the blessing of all the families of the earth. It is by drawing upon this storehouse of truth,
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so abundantly and specially provided for the Church, that the Spirit of God feeds us and leads us gradually into a more and more complete understanding of his plan, as rapidly as that knowledge becomes needful to us. And from this great storehouse God is now supplying much of the special light and food needful to us in this harvest time at the consummation of the age. Since such has been God's care and abundant provision for the Christian Church above all other people of past and future ages, how important in his estimation must that knowledge be to us, and how eagerly should we avail ourselves of it.
While we will not in this chapter or volume enter into a detailed examination of the typical features of God's dealings with Israel, as set forth in the Tabernacle and Temple, and ordinances and sacrifices, etc., we now invite close attention to some of the marked and prominent outlines of correspondency between the Jewish and Christian dispensations as type and antitype; for all that the Christian Church actually experiences and accomplishes, the Jewish Church prefigured. And many of these features of correspondency are parallel not only in character, but also in their relative time of occurrence. Even in their national history, and in the history of many particular individuals of that nation, we find correspondencies marked by the Scriptures. Some of these, Christian thinkers have long noticed, and others have been entirely overlooked. Here a beautiful and fruitful field of thought and study opens before us.
Paul designates the Jewish Church, Israel after the flesh, and the Christian Church, The Israel of God (1 Cor. 10:18; Gal. 6:16). Hence we may properly designate them Fleshly Israel and Spiritual Israel. The higher plane of the spiritual house is also pointed out by the Apostle when he describes Fleshly Israel as a house [family] of
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servants, and Spiritual Israel as a house of sons (Heb. 3:5, 6; Rom. 8:14). The fleshly house was the honored servants of the spiritual house in many ways, but chiefly in that they unconsciously, under God's ordering, furnished pantomime illustrations of spiritual things, which, if studied and heeded, bless and enlighten the house of sons.
In both cases there have been a Nominal and a Real Israel, in God's estimation, though to men they seemed as one; the nominal and the real not being clearly distinguishable until the end or harvest time of their respective ages, when the truth due and brought to light accomplishes the separation, and makes manifest which are of the real and which of the nominal Israel. Of the fleshly house Paul said, They are not all Israel which are [nominally] of Israel (Rom. 9:6); and our Lord recognized the same fact when of Nathaniel he said, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile, and also when in the time of harvest he separated the real from the nominal, calling the former valuable wheat, and the latter mere chaff, though comparatively the wheat was only a handful, and the chaff included nearly all of that nation. In a similar proportion, and under a similar figure, the nominal and the real members of Spiritual Israel of the Gospel age are pointed out; and their separation, too, is in the time of harvest—in the end of the Gospel age. Then only the wheat, a comparatively small number, a little flock, will be separated from the masses of nominal Spiritual Israel, while the great majority, being tares and not real wheat, will be rejected as unworthy of the chief favor to which they were called, and will not be counted among the Lord's jewels—Rom. 9:27; 11:5; Luke 12:32; Matt. 3:12; 13:24-40.
The head of the fleshly house was Jacob, surnamed Israel, prince of God. By his twelve sons he founded
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the house which bore his name, the House of Jacob, the House of Israel. So with the Spiritual House: its founder, Christ, established it by the twelve apostles; and this house also bears the name of its founder, The Church of Christ. In point of time, God called Fleshly Israel first; but in point of favor, and in time of realization, Spiritual Israel comes first. Thus the first becomes last, and the last first (Luke 13:30). The Scriptures clearly mark these two houses of Israel as being the fleshly seed of Abraham and the spiritual seed of Jehovah, the Heavenly Father, whom Abraham typified.
Some are blinded to weighty truths by the supposition that the expression, both the houses of Israel, refers to the two divisions of Fleshly Israel, after the split in the days of Solomon's son, Rehoboam. Such need only be reminded that after the captivity in Babylon, upon their restoration to Palestine, all Israelites of all the tribes then captives in the universal domain of Medo-Persia, including Assyria and Babylonia, were given liberty to return to their own land if they chose (Ezra 1:1-4). Many of the faithful Israelites of all the tribes, who had respect to God's promises associated with the holy land and the holy city, returned to the various cities of Palestine. The tribe of Judah, the principal tribe, in which was vested the kingly office, and in whose territory Jerusalem, the chief city, was located, naturally took a leading part in its rebuilding; but after that return from Babylon, Israel was no more a divided nation, but dwelt together as at first, as one people, and were known by the original name, Israel—Neh. 11:1, 20; Ezra 2:70.
This is emphasized in the New Testament. The Lord and the apostles speak of Fleshly Israel as one. Paul says that Israel sought, but that only a "remnant" was found worthy (Rom. 10:1-3; 9:27; 11:5-12, 20-25;
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Acts 26:7). Our Lord said that he was "sent to [all] the lost sheep of the [one] house of Israel"; yet when he would not permit his disciples to go outside of Palestine to seek them (Matt. 10:5, 6; 15:24), it is evident that those living in Palestine represented all Israel. Peter, too, speaks of fleshly Israel as one house; and addressing the people at Jerusalem he said, "Let all the house of Israel know," etc. (Acts 2:36). Many of all the tribes dwelt in Palestine, and many of all the tribes dwelt in surrounding nations. Thus Paul met and preached to Israelites in nearly every city which he visited in Asia Minor and Italy, but they were always recognized as one nation, spiritual Israel being the only other Israel.
God has made special covenants or promises to both these houses of Israel. The promises to the fleshly house were all earthly, while those to the spiritual house are all heavenly. Though the promises to the fleshly house were (and still are) grand and precious, the promises to the spiritual house are characterized as "better promises," and "exceeding great and precious promises" (Heb. 8:6; 2 Pet. 1:4). To the fleshly house it was said, "If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation." And though all Israel answered and said, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do" (Exod. 19:5-8), and then failed to keep their covenant, yet the faithful among them, who earnestly endeavored in their weakness to keep it, will in the Millennial age be "princes in all the earth," members of the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God—See Vol. I, chap. xiv.
But to the spiritual house it is said, "Ye are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up sacrifices
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acceptable* to God by Jesus Christ. … Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God"—1 Pet. 2:5, 9, 10.
Fleshly Israel had by God's appointment a Tabernacle made with hands, which was typical both in itself and in its services (Heb. 9:1, 2, 9, 10). But Spiritual Israel has "the true [antitypical] Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man" (Heb. 8:2). For the services of the typical Tabernacle a typical priesthood was ordained, of which Aaron was the head, which offered typical sacrifices for the sins of the typical people, and accomplished a typical cleansing or justification each year. The antitypical Tabernacle has a priesthood that offers up better sacrifices (Heb. 9:23), which actually and forever cancel the sins of the whole world. And of this priesthood our Lord Jesus is the head priest—the High Priest of our profession [order], the Church which is his body being the under-priests. The nominal church is not this priesthood, but the true Church, the faithful in Christ, who follow the footsteps of our great High Priest in sacrifice.
Another marked feature of this correspondency as type and antitype, noted in the Scriptures, is that both the houses of Israel (fleshly and spiritual) were carried away captives into Babylon. This will be more clearly seen when in a succeeding chapter we view Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots (Rev. 17:5, 6). We merely notice here the correspondence. Fleshly Israel was taken
* The word spiritual before sacrifices in this text (v. 5) is omitted in the oldest Greek MS., the Sinaitic. The correctness of this omission is evident when we reflect that not spiritual, but earthly or human privileges, rights, etc., are sacrificed.
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captive into literal Babylon, which was built upon the literal Euphrates, while in the Gospel age mystic Babylon, which carried away captive Spiritual Israel, is portrayed as sitting upon the mystic Euphrates. In the type, the golden vessels of the Temple were carried away and profaned by literal Babylon: in the antitype, the divine (golden) truths, pertaining to the service of the true Temple, the Church (1 Cor. 3:16, 17; Rev. 3:12), were far removed from their place, perverted and misapplied by mystic Babylon. Literal Babylon being built upon the river Euphrates, which materially contributed to its wealth and resources, its overthrow was accomplished by diverting those waters. So mystic Babylon sits upon, is supported by, many waters (peoples, nations), and its fall is predicted, through the turning aside of its supporters and sustainers, the people—Rev. 16:12.
TIME PARALLELS
MEASURING
SHADOW AND SUBSTANCE—TYPE AND ANTITYPE.
We now come to the consideration of that most wonderful feature of this typical correspondency, the time element, which in every instance sustains and corroborates the dates indicated by the Jubilees, the Chronology, and the foretold close of Gentile Times. And it is for this purpose particularly that this subject is here introduced—that the force of this wonderful parallelism may increase and confirm the faith of God's children in the time element of his plan, as it was evidently intended to do—Heb. 9:9, 23; 10:1.
Of the prophecies and time-proofs there is none more striking and convincing than this one. The lesson it teaches is startling because of its simplicity, and carries conviction to the hearts of the humble. Not only were Fleshly Israel and its ceremonies typical, but the Jewish
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age was typical of the Gospel age. They are of the same length, and correspond to each other; so that, seeing and appreciating the Jewish age, its length, and the peculiarities of its harvest, we may know the exact length of the Gospel age, its antitype, and may understand what to look for, and when, in the harvest of the Gospel age. But let us now proceed to show this; for though we might take it for granted on general principles, and say that as the various features of the Jewish system correspond to those of the Gospel age, so too the time should correspond, yet God has not left us thus to infer this, but has clearly though indirectly told us so.
Paul says that God has cast off the fleshly house from favor, during the time of the selection of the spiritual house; and that when the spiritual house has been selected, God's favor will return to the fleshly house. He says: "I would not, brethren [the Church, or spiritual Israel], that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel [fleshly] until the fullness of the Gentiles* be come in. As it is written: There shall come out of Zion the [promised] Deliverer [the Christ, our Lord, the head, and the remnants or faithful few, of both the nominal houses of Israel, which shall compose his body, the Church] and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
* None should confound this Fullness of [from out of] the Gentiles with the Times of the Gentiles, mentioned heretofore. The Times of the Gentiles, as shown, is the period of time during which God leased universal rule to Gentiles; while the Fullness of the Gentiles refers to the full number selected out from the Gentiles, to complete the Gospel Church, who, with the remnant selected from the Israelites (which would include the apostles), shall constitute the Church of Christ, the Holy Nation, the Royal Priesthood, the Kingdom of God, to whom the kingdom and dominion of earth shall be committed.
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And so all Israel shall be saved (for this is my covenant unto them) when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel [the high calling], they are enemies [cast off] for your sakes [that you may have the preference and inherit the choice, the spiritual parts of the promises]; but as touching the election [by which they were chosen to receive special earthly favors from God, promised to father Abraham and his natural seed], they are beloved for the fathers' sakes; for the gifts and calling of God are not things to be repented of." What God has promised is sure of fulfillment. Knowing the end from the beginning, Jehovah never made a covenant which he would need or wish to break.
In this prophecy Paul gives an intimation of the length of the Gospel age, by showing that it began with the casting off of fleshly Israel, and that it will end with their restoration to favor. Placing the words of Paul and Peter (Rom. 11:27 and Acts 3:19, 20) together, we learn the time for the return of favor to Israel will be in the beginning of the Times of Restitution, at the second advent of our Lord. Paul says the return of favor to that people will be when God shall take away their sins, which Peter says he will do in the times of refreshing or restitution which shall come when our Lord returns, when the heavens no longer retain him.
The date of our Lord's second advent, and the dawn of the Times of Restitution, we have already shown to be 1874. We should expect, therefore, to see some marks of God's returning favor to Fleshly Israel shortly after 1874, as one of the first features of restitution work. Surely enough, we do see favor beginning to return to them. Every fresh evidence of the removal of Israel's blindness, and of divine favor toward them, is, when measured by Paul's words, a fresh proof that the Gospel age is closing
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and that the little flock is about complete. But we have proof also that furnishes us with the exact date when favor should begin to return to Israel. Thus far we have merely seen that the measure of Fleshly Israel's cast off condition is the measure of the time of special favor to others, for the calling of other people, Gentiles, to be joint-heirs with Christ, which call ends in the beginning of the Times of Restitution; but not, other prophecies show, at the very beginning of it.
But pause a moment. Let there be no misunderstanding on this point: When the call to the high privilege of becoming members of the Church, the bride and joint-heir of Christ, ceases, it does not mean all of those already called are sure to be counted worthy, and therefore to be chosen; for many are called, but few are chosen, since only a few of the called ones comply with the conditions of the call. Nor does it imply that those not thereafter called to that high calling will be offered no other favors. The fact is, that when this high calling ceases, it is because the Designer of the plan of the ages has almost completed that part of his plan intended to be accomplished in the Gospel age: the selection of the Gospel Church, the bride of Christ. All men were not called to that high honor. We are specially informed that God's design was to select for this purpose only a limited number, a little flock, as compared with the mass of mankind. After enough have been called and the time for calling ends and it is no more proper to extend this call to others, it will still be possible for those already called, who have accepted the call, to make their calling and election sure, by faithfulness to their covenant of consecration to God unto death; and it will still be possible for these to fail of so doing. This call, which must end when enough have been invited from which to complete the favored Little Flock, the body of
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Christ, is far from being the limit of God's love and favor and calling. Its end will close the heavenly or high calling. For where this call ends, where this door of opportunity and favor closes, another door begins to swing open, the door of opportunity to enter the highway of holiness, and to go up thereon, not to the divine nature, to which the Gospel Church was called, but to everlasting life and perfection as human beings—Vol. I., chaps. x. and xi.
Now for the exact date of the return of favor to Israel, which marks the exact end of the heavenly call, from which date Israel will begin gradually to see, and to have increasing evidences of returning divine favor, and from which date also God's call to heavenly honors will cease, and only these already called will be privileged to win that prize by faithfulness to the close of life:
Fleshly Israel, like Spiritual Israel, was called of God to be his peculiar people, a peculiar treasure unto him above all other people (the one an earthly treasure, and a type of the other, which is a heavenly treasure). Separated from the world, they were the recipients of special favor from God for eighteen hundred and forty-five years. This period began with the beginning of their national life, at the death of Jacob, the last of the patriarchs, when they were first recognized as a nation, and called The Twelve Tribes of Israel, a national name. See Gen. 49:28; 46:3; Deut. 26:5. These eighteen hundred and forty-five years of national life and favor ended with their rejection of Messiah, A.D. 33, when, five days before his crucifixion, he offered himself to them as their king, and, not being received, declared, Your house is left unto you desolate (Matt. 23:38). This, the end of their favor, was the point of their fall, which continued for thirty-six and a half years until A.D. 69, when the destruction
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of their national polity, temple, etc., set in. It should be noted, however, that God continued his favor to individuals of that nation, after the nation, as a nation, had been cut off; for the gospel call was confined to individuals of that nation for three and a half years after Pentecost, after the death of Christ, not reaching Cornelius, the first Gentile so favored (Acts 10), until that time. This was the end of the seventy weeks of favor promised through Daniel, as it had been written, He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. That seventieth week of years began at our Lord's baptism; his cross, as predicted, marked its middle; and favor was confined to Fleshly Israel until its close.
During their long period (1845 years) of national favor, during which other nations were ignored, Israel had chastisements and blessings combined. But even their chastisements for sins were evidences and elements of God's favor and care over them. He sent trouble upon them, and frequently allowed them to be carried away into captivity, when they forgot and disobeyed him; yet when they repented and cried unto the Lord he always heard and delivered them. The history of that people, as recorded in Exodus, Joshua, Judges, Chronicles and Samuel, etc., attests the fact that God did not long hide his face from them, and that his ear was ever open unto their repentant cry, down to the day their house was left desolate. Even that day, God was forgiving them more than ever, and sent them the long-promised Messiah, the Deliverer, in the person of our Lord, his Son. The unfitness of that nation longer to be his special treasure, or in any measure to represent God's Kingdom on earth, was manifested in their rejection of the holy, harmless, undefiled one, and their desire of a murderer in his stead.
Thus, because of their unfitness, the day of their greatest
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favor became the day of their rejection from favor. And the great favor of becoming joint-inheritors with Messiah, which Israel except the faithful remnant (Isa. 1:9; 10:22, 23; Rom. 9:28, 29; 11:5) missed by their blindness and hardness of heart, was offered to believing Gentiles: not to Gentile nations, but to justified believers of every nation, though the favor was at first, for three and a half years, confined exclusively to believers of the nation of Israel. Blinded as a people by national prejudices, the great prize which they were offered first, but of which they were unworthy, goes to a holy nation, a peculiar people, composed of a worthy remnant of their nation, with others called out from Gentile nations, whom in their pride they once despised as dogs. And God's promised favor will not return to them as a people, to remove their blindness, and lead them as first-fruits of the nations into earthly blessings, until the full number of the peculiar people have been called from the Gentiles, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come into this higher favor.
Thus, as Paul declared (Rom. 11:7), Fleshly Israel did not obtain that for which they sought, the chief favor. Supposing the chief favor to be the earthly blessings, and in their pride of heart claiming that chief blessing as their natural birth-right, and as further merited by their works, they blindly stumbled over and rejected it as a favor through Christ. As David had foretold, their table, spread with the rich promises and blessings offered them through Christ, became a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompense unto them, because of their hardness of heart (Rom. 11:9, 10; Psa. 69:22-28). Christ, who came to redeem and who would have exalted them to a position of glory beyond their power to desire or imagine, was to their pride a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence—Rom. 9:32, 33; Isa. 8:14.
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Yet the blindness of Israel was only a blindness in part, and not a total loss of sight; for the testimony of the Law, the prophets and the apostles was open to all, whether Jew or Gentile; and during the Gospel age any Jew who would resolutely brush away the films of prejudice and pride, and humbly and thankfully accept the favor of God with his Gentile brother, might do so. Yet few have ever been able to do so; and no favor will be granted, and no special effort to convince them as a nation of the truth, or to overcome their prejudices, will be exerted, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; until Spiritual Israel is complete.
Since their rejection of Messiah, since their house was left desolate, Israel has had no marks of God's favor. Even Jews must admit that their tears and groans and prayers have gone unanswered; and, as foretold by their prophets, they have been a by-word and a hissing unto all nations. Though formerly God heard their prayers, and marked their tears, and returned them to their own land, and continually favored them, since then he heeds them not and shows them no favor. Since they said, His blood be upon us and upon our children, theirs has been one continuous chastisement: they have been scattered and persecuted among all nations, as foretold. These are the facts as all may read them on the pages of history. Now let us turn to the prophets and see how particularly these facts were foretold, and what the same prophets have to say concerning their future.
Through the prophet Jeremiah (chap. 16), after telling Israel how they had forsaken him, the Lord says: "Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other Gods [rulers] day and night, where I will not show you favor" (Vs. 9-13). These days came when
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they rejected Messiah. How literally this threat has been fulfilled all may judge, and they themselves must admit. This prophecy cannot refer to any of their previous captivities to other nations, Assyria, Babylon, etc. Such an inference is guarded against in the expression, "Into a land which ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers." Abraham came from Ur of the Chaldees—Babylonia—and Jacob from Syria (Deut. 26:5). Israel's dispersion among all nations since the close of their 1845 years of favor, and no other of their captivities, fits this pointed expression, a land which ye and your fathers have not known. So then this, together with the no favor, positively marks this prophecy as relating to Israel's present dispersion among all nations.
But though he cast them off from all favor for a while, God will not leave them cast off forever, but says (Jer. 16:13-15), "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north [Russia, where nearly one half of the Hebrew race resides], and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers."
We might multiply quotations from the prophets and apostles on the final return of God's favor to Jacob, or Israel after the flesh, after the selection of the full number for "the body of Christ" from the Gentiles, but the student can do so by the use of a Concordance or a Reference Bible. Among the very pointed references to this favor to be restored to Israel, in the New Testament, is that by James, Acts 15:14-16, and by Paul, Rom. 11:26. But first, they must drink the very last dregs of their chastisement; and thus it is expressed in this remarkable prophecy
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(v. 18); "And first [before the favor will come] I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double." The Hebrew word here rendered "double" is mishneh, and signifies a second portion, a repetition. Thus understood, the Prophet's declaration is, that from the time of their being cast off from all favor until the time of their return to favor would be a repetition, or duplication in time, of their previous history, during which time they had enjoyed divine favor.
As shown in the accompanying diagram, the period of their favor, from the commencement of their national existence at the death of Jacob, down to the end of that favor at the death of Christ, A.D. 33, was eighteen hundred and forty-five years; and there their double (mishneh), the repetition or duplication of the same length of time, eighteen hundred and forty-five years, without favor, began. Eighteen hundred and forty-five years since A.D. 33 shows 1878 to be the end of their period of disfavor. A.D. 33 plus 1845 = A.D. 1878.
All these prophetic points in the past are clearly marked, and we should expect some evidence of God's returning favor to Fleshly Israel, Jacob, in or about A.D. 1878. This we do find, in the fact that the Jew is now permitted privileges in Palestine denied for centuries past. And it was in that very year, 1878, when their double was full, and God's favor was due to return to that people—that the Berlin Congress of Nations was held, in which Lord Beaconsfield, a Jew, then Prime Minister of England, was the central figure and took the leading part. There England assumed a general protectorate over the Asiatic provinces of Turkey, among which is Palestine; and the Turkish government amended its laws relating to aliens, which ameliorated the condition of the Jews then residing in Palestine, as well as partially opened the door for others
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to locate there, with the privilege of holding real estate. Previously, the Jew was but a dog, to be cuffed, kicked and abused by his Mohammedan ruler, and was denied the most ordinary privileges of existence, in the land sacred to him with memories of the past, and with promises touching the future.
At the same time that the door to Palestine thus opened before them, a fierce persecution arose in Roumania and Galicia, and specially in Russia, where it still continues—increasingly. By one regulation after another they have been despoiled of rights and privileges by these governments, as well as mobbed by their neighbors, until they are being compelled to leave in large numbers. But this persecution is doubtless a favor also, as it will tend, and has already tended, to cause them to look toward Jerusalem and the covenants, and to remind them that they are heirs of certain rich earthly promises.
But we must remember that the year 1878 was but the turning point of returning favor to Fleshly Israel. We have already learned, from our study of The Times of the Gentiles, that Jerusalem and its people will continue to be trodden down, controlled and oppressed by the Gentiles, until the Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, and hence, though favor was due and began in 1878, the Jew will not be received back into full favor until after 1914. Their rise again to favor will be gradual, as was their fall from it. It is remarkable that these two periods of their falling and rising are of the same length, the falling was gradual, with increasing momentum, for thirty-six years and a half, from 33, when their national favor ceased, to 69, where their national existence began to end, the land to be desolated and Jerusalem destroyed. History thus marks the beginning and ending of their fall, while prophecy marks both ends of their rising, 1878 and 1914, showing a parallel
The Time is at Hand.
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of thirty-six years and a half. This is a further part of their mishneh, double, mentioned by the prophet.
Though the turning points of the Jewish and Gospel ages are thus clearly marked at 33 and 1878 respectively, by Israel's rejection and returning favor, yet the work of each of these ages laps upon the age succeeding it. Thus the turning point of the Jewish age being reached, their age thereafter was lapped upon by the opening Gospel age, just as their returning favor, which is one of the opening features of the Millennial age, laps over upon the close or harvest of the Gospel age. For thirty-six years and a half (from 33, the end of their national favor, to 69, their overthrow) Israel, except the faithful remnant, was falling, and the believing Gentiles were rising, the Jewish age was ending and the Gospel age was beginning; and for thirty-six years and a half (from 1878 to 1914) the Gospel age is ending, and woes are preparing and coming upon Christendom, except the faithful remnant, while the restitution work for Israel and all people is preparing, i.e., the dates 33 and 1878 mark when the work of the respective new ages began, though the work of harvesting the preceding age, and destroying the refuse, was allowed to go on thirty-six years and a half into the new, in each case. Thus the lap of the dispensations, and the end-marks of each, are clearly defined.
A double work belongs to each of these lapping periods: the pulling down of the old and the establishing of the new arrangement or dispensation. And as the Jewish age and people were but the types or shadows, we must expect the results here to be much more extensive than there; and so we shall find them. This twofold work is shown in the statement of the prophet Isaiah, "For (1) the day of vengeance is in my heart, and (2) the year of my redeemed is come"—Isa. 63:4.
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Nor is it a cunningly devised correspondency, arranged to suit the facts; for many of these parallels, and other truths, were seen from prophecy, and were preached as here presented, several years prior to 1878, that year being announced as the time of returning favor to Israel, before it came, and before any event marked it so. The author published these conclusions drawn from Scripture, in pamphlet form, in the spring of 1877.
The testimony could scarcely be stronger, and yet be kept secret until due time for knowledge to be increased, and for the wise [in heavenly teaching] to understand. The exact year of Israel's rejection, yes, even the day, we know; that they were to have a mishneh or double, the Prophet clearly declares; that this parallel period is eighteen hundred and forty-five years long, that it ended in 1878, we have shown, we think; and that it was marked by favor is an indisputable fact. Bear in mind, too, that it is since the end of their double that Prof. Delitzsch has published his Hebrew translation of the New Testament, which is already in the hands of thousands of Hebrews and awakening much interest. And further, remember that the greatest Christian movement among the Jews since the days of the apostles, headed by Rabinowitsch and others, is in progress in Russia. It had its start about as long a time after 1878, where Israel's double ended, as the time of the awakening among the Gentiles was after Israel's rejection in A.D. 33.
Now call to mind the Apostle's words which show clearly that they were cast off from divine favor, and from earthly covenants, still theirs, until the fullness or complete number from the Gentiles has come in, until the end of the Gospel call, and then you will see that 1878 is a marked date, of deep interest to Spiritual Israel, no less important than to Fleshly Israel.