Israel Is to Be Restored
But, perhaps, you say: “I don’t believe the Israelites are to be restored to Canaan, and Jerusalem rebuilt.”
Dear reader! have you read the declarations of God’s word about it? Surely nothing is more plainly stated in the Scriptures. We would that we had space to quote the passages, but we can only give you a portion of the references. We beg of you to read them thoughtfully. Divest yourself of prejudice and preconceived notions, and let the Holy Spirit show you, from His word, the glorious future of God’s chosen people, “who are beloved” (Rom. 11:28), and dear unto Him as “the apple of His eye.” Zeeh. 2 :8.
1st. God calls Abraham. Gen. 12:l.i
2nd. God’s promise to Abraham. Gen, 12:2-7.
Gen. 13:14-17.2
Gen. 15:18.
Gen. 17:8.
Isaac. Gen. 26:1-5.
(1) Gen. 12:1. Now the
Lord had said unto Abram, Get
thee out of thy country, and from
thy kindred, and from thy
father’s house, unto a land that
I will show thee:
2. And I will make of thee a
great nation, and I will bless
thee, and make thy name great;
and thou shalt be a blessing:
3. And I will bless them that
bless thee, and curse him that
curseth thee: and in thee shall
all families’ of the earth be
blessed.
6. And Abram passed through
the land unto the place of
SIchem, unto the plain of Moreh.
And the Canaanite was then in
the land.
7. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and
(162)
there builded he an altar unto
the Lord, who appeared unto
him.
(2) Gen. 13:14. And the
Lord said unto Abram, after that
Lot was separated from him. Lift
up now thine eyes, and look
from the place where thou art
northward, and southward, and
eastward, and westward;
15. For all the land which
thou seest, to thee will I give it.
and to thy seed for ever.
16. And I will make thy seed
as the dust of the earth: so that
if a man can number the du-t
of the earth, then shall thy seed
also be numbered.
17. Arise, walk through the
land, in the length of it, and in
the breadth of it; for I will give
it unto thee.
God’s promise to Jacob. Gen. 28:1-15.
Gen. 35:10-12. 3rd. The land described. Ex. 23:31; Nu. 34; Deut. 11:24; Deut. 34:1-4; Josh. 1:2-6. 4th. The land partially possessed. 1 Kings 4:21. 5th. Punishment prophesied for disobedience. Lev. 26:14- 39; Deut. 4:22; 28:15; 31:16.
6th. Israel’s sins. Judges 2:11-19; 1 Sam. 8:6; 2 Kings 21: 11; 2 Kings 24:3; Jer. 15:4; and many others, especially Mat. 27:25.
7th. The promises to be remembered and restoration assured:
Lev. 26:40-45, especially verses 42. 44, 45.3
Deut. 4:30-31.4
30:1-10, especially verses 4, 5, 6.5
2 Sam. 7:10-11.6
Joel 2:18-32.
” 3:1-2L
(3) Lev. 26:44. And yet for
all that, when they be in the
land of their enemies, I will not
cast them away, neither will I
abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant
with them: for I am the Lord
their God.
45. But I will for their sakes
remember the covenant of their
ancestors, whom I brought forth
out of the land of Egypt in the
sight of the heathen, that I
might be their God: I am the
Lord.
(4) Deut. 4:30. When thou
art in tribulation, and all these
things are come upon thee, even
in the latter days, if thou turn
to the Lord thy God, and shalt
be obedient unto his voice;
31. (For the Lord thy God is
a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee,
nor forget the covenant of thy
fathers’ which he sware unto
them.
(5) Deut. 30:1. And it shall
come to pass, when all these
things are come upon thee, theble.<:sing and the curse, which I
have set before thee, and thou
Shalt call them to mind amon
all the nations whither the Lord
thy God hath driven thee,
2. And Shalt return unto the
Lord thy God, and shalt obey his
voice, according to all that I
command thee this day, thou
and thy children, with all thine
heart, and with all thy soul;
3. That then the Lord thy God
will turn thy captivity, and have
compassion upon thee, and will
return and gather thee from all
the nations, whither the Lord
thy God hath scattered thee.
4. If any of thine be driven
out unto the outmost parts of
heaven, from thence will the
Lord thy God gather thee, and
from thence will he fetch thee:
5. And the Lord thy God will
bring thee into the land which
thy fathers possessed, and thou
shalt possess it; and he will do
thee good, and multiply thee
above thy fathers.
6. And the Lord thy God will
circumcise thine heart, and the
heart of thy seed, to love the
Lord thy God with all thine
heart, and with all thy soul, that
thou mayest live.
(6) 2 Sam. 7:10. Moreover
I will appoint a place for my
people Lsrael, and will plant
them, that they may dwell in a
place of their own, and move no
more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them
amy more, as beforetimie.
Amos 9:11-15, especially verse 15.”
Hosea 1:10-11.
2:14-23.
3:4-5.
Isa. 2:2-5.
“9:6-7.
10:20-23, especially verses 21, 22.
“11:10-16, especially verse 11, second time.
19:23-25.
“27:12-13.8
“33:20-24.
“43:1-7, especially verses 5, 6,
“49:13-26, especially verses 22,
“60:1-22, especially verses 8, 9,
“61:1-11.
“62:1-12.
“65:8-10.
65:17-25.
“66:19-24.
Jer. 3:12-19, especially verses 17,
“11:4-5.
“16:14-16.9
15, 16, 18, 2L.
(7) Amos 9:11. In that day
will I raise up the tabernacle of
David that is fallen, and close
up the breaches thereof; and I
will raise up his ruins, and I
will build it as in the days of
old:
12. That they may possess the
remnant of Edom, and of all the
heathen, which are called by my
name, saith the Lord that doeth
this.
13. Behold, the days come,
saith the Liord, that the plowman
shall overtake the reaper, and
the treader of grapes him that
soweth seed; and the mountains
shall drop sweet wine, and all
the hills shall melt.
14. And I will bring again the
captivity of my people of Israel,
and they shall build the waste
cities, and inhabit them; and
they shall plant vineyards, and
drink the wine thereof; they
shall also make gardens, and
eat the fruit of them.
15. And I will plant them
upon their land, and they shall
no more be pulled up out of
their land which I have given
them, saith the Liord thy Grod.
(8) Isa. 27:12. And it shall
come to pass in that day, that
the Lord shall beat off from the
channel of the river unto the
stream of Egypt, and ye shall
be gathered one by one, O ye
children of Israel.
13. And it shall come to pass
in that day, that the great
trumpet shall be blown, and
they shall come which were
ready to perish in the land of
Assyria, and the outcasts in the
land of Egypt, and shall worship
the Lord in the holy mount at
Jerusalem.
(9) Jer. 16:14. Therefore,
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;
15. But, the Lord liveth that
brought up the children of Israel
from the land of the north, 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.
Jer. 23:3-8, especially verses 3, 4, 6.
” 29:10-14.
30:1-24, especially verses 8
31:1-40, especially verses 8,
” 32:36-44, especially verses 37,
34:7-17, especially verses 7, 8,
“44:28.
” 46:27-28.
“50:4-8.
” 50:17-20.
Ezek. 6:8-10, especially verse 9.
20:36-44, especially verses 40,
“23:24-26, especially verses 25
” 34:11-31, especially verses 11
9, 10, 11, 20.
9, 10, 12, 28, 33,
39, 40, 41, 42.
, 14, 15, 16.
42, 43, 44.10
13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 28.
36:1-38, especially verses 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, 21, 28, 31, 35, 37, 38. •’ 37:1-28, especially verses 11, 12, 14, 16 to 28. 39:23-29, especially verses 25, 26, 27, 29. Chapters 40 to 48 the New Temple.
See the order in which the tribes shall be settled, Ch. 48. Micah 4:1-7.
7:8-20, especially verses 12, 19, 20.ii
16. Behold, I will send for
many fishers, saith the Lord, and
they shall fish them; and after
will I send for many hunters,
and they shall hunt them from
every mountain, and from every
hill, and out of the holes of the
rocks.
(10) Ezek. 20:40. For in
mine holy mountain, in the
mountain of the height of Israel,
saith the Lord God, there shall
all the house of Israel, all of
them in the land, serve me:
there will I accept them, and
there will I require your offerings, and the first-fruits of your
oblations, with all your holy
things.
41. I will accept you with
your sweet savour, when I bring
you out from the people, and
gather you out of the countries
wherein ye have been scattered;
and I will be sanctified in you
before the heathen.
42. And ye shall know that I
am the Lord, when I shall bring
you into the land of Israel, into
the country for the which I lifted
up mine band to give it to your
fathers.
43. And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.
44. And ye shall know that I
am the Lord, when I have
wrought with you for my name’s
sake, not according to your
wicked ways, nor according to
your corrupt doings, O ye house
of Israel, saith the Lord God.
(11) Mich. 7:18. Who is a
God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by
the transgression of the remnant
of his heritage? he retaineth not
his anger for ever, because he
delighteth in mercy.
19. He will turn again, he will
have compassion upon us; he
will subdue our iniquities; and
thou wilt cast all their sins into
the depths of the sea.
20. Thou wilt perform the
truth to Jacob, and the mercy to
Abraham, which thou hast sworn
unto our fathers from the days
of old.
Zeph. 3:8-20, especially verses 11, 13, 19, 20. 12 Zech. 2:4-13.” 3:1-10, especially verse 9.
8:1-23, especially verses 4, 5, 8, 12, 16, 17, 20 to 23.
10:5-12, all of them.ia
12:1-14, especially verses 10, 11.
13:1-9, especially verses 6, 8, 9.
14:1-21, especially verses 11, 16, 20, 21.
Mai. 3:10-12.14
Mat. 23:37-39, especially in verse 39, TILL.
Luke 13:34-35, especially in verse 35, UNTIL.
21:24, especially until. “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles UNTIL the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Rom. 11:17-28, especially verses 17, 20, 23 to 28. is
(12) Zeph. 3:19. Behold, at
that time I will undo all that
afflict thee; and I will save her
that halteth, and gather her that
was driven out; and I will get
them praise and fame in every
land where they have been put to
shame,
20. At that time will I bring
you again, even in the time that
I gather you: for I will make
you a name and a praise among
all people of the earth, when I
turn back your captivity before
your eyes, saith the Lord.
(13) Zech. 10:6. And I will
strengthen the house of Judah,
and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them
again to place them: for I have
mercy upon them: and they shall
be as though I had not cast
them off: for I am the Lord
their God, and will hear them.
7. And they of Ephraim shall
be like a mighty man, and their
heart shall rejoice as through
wine: yea, their children shall
see it, and be glad; their heart
shall rejoice in the Lord.
8. I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.
9. And I will sow them among
the people: and they shall remember me in far countries;
and they shall live with their
children, and turn again.
10. I will bring them again
also out of the land of Egypt,
and gather them out of Assyria;
and I will bring them into the
land of Gilead and Lebanon; and
place shall not be found for
them.
(14) Mai. 3:11, And I will
rebuke the devourer for your
sakes, and he shall not destroy
the fruits of your ground;
neither shall your vine cast her
fruit before the time in the field,
saith the Lord of hosts.
12. And all nations shall call
you blessed: for ye shall be a
delightsome land, saith the Lord
of hosts.
(15) Rom. 11:11, I say then.
Have they stumbled that they
should fall? God forbid: but
rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles,
for to provoke them to jealousy.
12. Now if the fall of them 6e
the riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them the riches of
the Gentiles; how much more
their fulness?
13. For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
19. Thou wilt say then, The
branches were broken off, that
I might be grafted in,
20. Well; because of unbelief
they were broken off, and thou
Acts 15:13-16, — very important, as it is the apostle’s summary of the prophets.16 Psa. 51:18; 102:16.
And now, reader, if you have faithfully studied these passages, or if you have even read them, do you wonder that the great mass of Jews, at the present time, have an abiding faith that they are to be returned to Canaan?
All the orthodox Jews tenaciously cling to this hope; and shall we, who have accepted so much greater light, refuse this overwhelming testimony of the Word? God forbid.
It may be that you say, “These prophesies were fulfilled in the return from Babylon.”
Not so, that was the first time. But there is to be
A Second Restoration.
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.” Isa. 11:11.
In the first restoration only those who were minded came back from Babylon (Ezra 7:13), while many remained both
standest by faith. Be not high- they had held their peace, James
minded, but fear: answered, saying, Men and
21. For if God spared not the brethren, hearken unto me:
natural branches, take heed lest 14. Simeon hath declared how
he also spare not thee. God at the first did visit the Gen-
25. For I would not, brethren. ti, to take out of them a peothat ye should be ignorant of Pe for his name.
this mystery, lest ye should be 15. And to this agree the
wise in your own conceits, that words of the prophets; as It is
blindness in part is happened written,
to Israel, until the fulness of the 16. After this I will return,
Gentiles be come In. and will build again the taber-
26. And so all Israel shall be nacle of David, which Is fallen saved: as it iy written, There down; and I will build again the shall come out of Sion the De- ruins thereof, and I will set it liverer, and shall turn away un- up;
godliness from Jacob: 17 rpy residue of men
27. For this is my covenant might seek after the Lord, and unto them, when I shall take all the Gentiles, upon whom my away their sins. name is called, saith the Lord.
(16) Acts 15:13. And after who doeth all tboe© thing?.
there, and in Egypt and elsewhere. But in the future, or second restoration, not one will be left.
“If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will He fetch thee.” Deut. 30:4.
“Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, give up; and to the south, keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” Isa. 43:5-7.
“For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day; and I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel.” Ezek. 34:11-13.
“Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity, among the heathen; but I have gathered them unto their own land, and HAVE LEFT none of them any more there.” Ezek. 39:28-29.
In the first restoration it was only Jews who returned. In the second, or future restoration, it will be both Judah (the two tribes) and Israel (the ten tribes).*
“In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.” Jer. 3:18.
“And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, EVEN ALL OF IT, and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded.” Ezek. 36:10.
Ezekiel was directed to take two sticks, representing Judah and Joseph, which should be joined and become one stick in his hand, and when the people enquired what it meant, he was directed to say unto them:
“Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: and I will make them one nation in
*Except in this place, we use the word Israel in its broader sense, meaning the whole twelve tribes.
the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king- shall be king to them all; and they shall be NO more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.” Ezek. 37:15-22.
At the first restoration they returned to be overthrown and driven out again. But in the second, they shall return to remain, no more to go out. They shall be exalted and dwell safely, and the Gentile nations shall flow unto them.
Permanent Restoration.
“I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no MORE BE PULLED UP out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord their God.” Amos 9:15.
“And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beasts of the land devour them: but they shall DWELL SAFELY, and none shall make them afraid.” Ezek. 34:28.
“And I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: — yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; — and thou
Shalt NO MORE HENCEFORTH BEREAVE THEM OF MEN.” Ezek. 36:11-12.
“Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shall suck the breast of kings; and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” Isa. 60:15-16.
All Nations Shall Flow Unto Israel.
“As I LIVE, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth..,. I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders, and kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet.” Isa. 49:18, 22, 23.
“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow into it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Mic. 4:1-2.
“Thus saith the Lord of hosts; it shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the Inhabitants of manycities. And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying-, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will also go. Yea, maxy people and STROXQ nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying. We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.” Zech. 8:20-23.
“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left OF ALL the nations which came against Jerusalem, shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Zech, 14:16.
In the first Restoration, because of their blindness, and hard, stony hearts, they rejected and killed Jesus. But in the future Restoration they shall repext of all this, and have CLEAN hearts and accept of christ who will be their King.
Look Upon Me.
“And I will pour upon the house of Davd, 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 MOURN-ETH for his only SON, ANT) SHALL BE IN BITTERNESS FOR HIM, AS ONE THAT IS IN BITTERNESS FOR HIS FIRST-BORN.
In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; all the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.” Zech. 12:10-14.
“They shall come with weeping and with supplications will I lead them; I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born. Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say. He that scattereth Israel will gather him. and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those- days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inwarT) parts, and write it in their HEARTS; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Jer. 31:9, 10, 33.
The Cleansing of Israel.
“For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you. and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleanness: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.” Ezek. 36:24-28.
“Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them; so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd:... and they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they and their children and their children’s children, forever: and my servant David shall be their prince, forever,... my tabernacle shall also be with them: yea, I will be their God and they shall be my people.” Ezek. 37:23- 27.
“And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, ‘THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’” [Jehovah, Tsidkenu,] Jer. 23:3-6.
“And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David: he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.” Ezek. 34:23-24.
Nothing has ever yet been built like the temple which Ezekiel describes in chapters 40 to 48, and this includes a definite description of the location of each tribe, as they shall be settled in this great future restoration. See Ch. 48.
Confusing Israel with the Church.
It would seem that such overwhelming testimony would convince every fair-minded reader, that there is a glorious future restoration in store for Israel. And yet, many say, that we must interpret all this Scripture “spiritually,” and they fritter away the point and the force of such explicit declarations, in attempting to apply them to the persecuted Church.
This is a very great error, and we believe it has arisen, principally, from a misunderstanding of Paul’s arguments in his epistles. He does not confound Israel with the Church when he says, “They are not all Israel which are of Israel.” Nor does he confound the Church with Israel when he makes us children of Abraham by faith; but he demonstrates that we all stand by faith alone. In 1 Cor. 10 :32,^’^ he makes a clear distinction between the Jews, the Gentiles, and the Church of God.* There are special blessings for the Church, and special blessings for Israel. He plainly shows that not all the natural seed are true Israelites. He only is a Jew who has circumcision of heart in the spirit.i And though multitudes of Israel have passed away in unbelief, still Paul distinctly declares that there is a remnant which shall be saved. He so loved them that he could sacrifice himself, and even be separated from Christ for their sakes.^’^ He saw their future glory, as the
*The Jews who accept Christ in this dispensation become part of the Church. See page 88.
(17) 1 Cor. 10 :32. Give none the number of the children of offence, neither to the Jews, nor Israel be as the sand of the sea, to the Gentiles, nor to the church a remnant shall be saved.
tndTi’rcmcTsion TtnTotZe ir’TJ’oT’’’ ‘° ‘“’ “‘“”’
heart, in the spirit, and not in °^ ^’^’’^■ the letter; whose praise is not (20) Rom. 9 :3. For I could
of men. but of God. wish that myself were accursed
(19) Rom. 9:27. Esaias also from Christ for my brethren, my
crieth concerning Israel, Though kinsmen according to the flesh.
natural branches yet to be Rafted into their own olive tree, which should be nothing less than life from the dead. 2’- Jesus said, in Luke 21:24, “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” And Paul understood this mystery, that when “the fullness of the Gentiles be come in,” “there should come out of Zion the Deliverer, who should turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” Rom. 11 :25-26.
And this is fully confirmed by the following: In Amos 8 and 9, we read of the awful calamities which should come upon Israel. And not until they had been sifted among ALL NATIONS would the Lord gather and plant them, and raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen. When the apostles and elders were gathered in the first council at Jerusalem, considering this same question about Israelites and the Church, the Holy Spirit directed the mind of James to this very prophecy in Amos, to show that during this sifting of Israel, God was to take out of the Gentiles a people to His name, and after this to build again the tabernacle of David. Acts 15 :13-17. So we see that these restoration prophecies can not be applied to the Church, which is first to be taken out before Israel and Jerusalem are to be restored.
Again, one of the most specific prophecies of their restoration is addressed, not to the people, but to the mountains OF ISRAEL which leaves no possible doubt as to the literal MEANING intended.
(21) Rom. 11:15. For if the my people of Israel; for they are casting away of them be the at hand to come.
reconciling of the world, what 9. For, behold, I am for you,
shall the receiving of them be, and I will turn unto you, and ye
but life from the dead? shall be tilled and sown:
(22) Ezek. 36 :1. Also, thou 10. And I will multiply men son of man, prophesy unto the upon you, all the house of Israe’.. mountains of Israel, and say. Ye cvoi all of it: and the cities mountains of Israel, hear the shall be inhabited, and tho word of the Lord: wastes shall be builded:
8. But ye, O mountains of Is- 11. And I will multiply upon
rael, ye shall shoot forth your you man and beast; and they branches, and yield your fruit to shall increase and bring fruit:
The Day of Jacob’s Trouble.
Surely Israel shall be restored; but there is an awful TIME OF TROUBLE awaiting her. Their sins are mountain high. Upon them is the guilt of innocent blood, even the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Mat. 27:25.
The faithful prophet saw it when he wrote:
“And these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
“For thus saith the Lord: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
“Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness.
“Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jer. 30:4-7.
“Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.” Ezek. 36:31.
Yes, they shall repent and loathe themselves.
They “shall pass through the sea with afflietion.”^^
Many shall die, but the third part shall be saved.
and I will settle you after your come upon the four corners of
old estates, and will do better the land.
unto you than at your begin- 3. Now is the end come upon
nings; and ye shall know that I thee, and I will send mine anger
am the Lord. upon thee, and will judge thee
(23) Zech. 10:11. And he according to thy ways, arid w Hi
shall pass through the sea with recompense upon thee all thine
affliction, and shall smite the abominations.
waves in the sea, and all the 4. And mine eye shall not
deeps of the river shall dry up; spare thee, neither will I have
and the pride of Assyria shall be P^ty: but I will recompense thy
brought down, and the sceptre ways upon thee, and thme abomof Egypt shall depart away. inations shall be m the midst of
thee; and ye shall know that I
Ezek. 7:1. Moreover the ^-^^ Lord,
word of the Lord came unto me, g yn j shortly pour out
saying, jny fury upon thee, and accom-
2. Also, thou son of man, thus plish mine anger upon thee; and
saith the Lord God unto the land I will judge thee according to
of Israel; An end, the end is thy ways, and will recompen<5e “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried; they shall call on my name and I will hear them; I will say, it is my people; and they shall say, the Lord is my God.” Zech. 13:9.
All this is intimately connected with the coming of Christ, not at the Rapture, but at the Revelation. (See diagram page 72.)
For we read, “When the Lord shall build up Zion, He
SHALL APPEAR IX HiS GLORY.” Psa. 102:16.
It is when He appears with His saints (the Church) in flaming fire to execute judgment (2 Thes. 1:7-10; Jude 14) upon the nations and upon Israel, who are the third party in Mat. 25 :36, ete.,^* and who are not to be reckoned among the nations. Nu. 23 :9. It is when He sits as a refiner and purifier.
“Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold. He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
“But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap.
“And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
“Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
“And I will come near you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.” Mai. 3:1-5.
“He shall indeed refine Israel in the furnace of afthee for all thine abominations. (24) Mat. 25 :40. And the
9. And mine eye shall not King shall answer and say unto
spare, neither will I have pity: them, Verily I say unto you,
I will recompense thee accord- Inasmuch as ye have done it uning to thy ways and thine abom- to one of the least of these my
inations that are in the midst of brethren, ye have done it unto
thee; and ye shall know that I me.
am the Lord that smiteth.
fliction.”25 And they shall arise and shine, for their
LIGHT SHALL COME.^^
Arise and shine in youth immortal,
Thy light is come, thy King appears!
Beyond the centuries’ swinging portal,
Breaks a new dawn — the thousand years!
We might fill a book with comments upon how Israel shall be restored, but all we have desired to do was to show that it is an incontrovertible fact of prophecy, and that it is intimately connected with our Lord’s appearing, and this we trust we have satisfactorily accomplished.
The detail of the manner of their restoration, and of their repentance and acceptance of Christ, is not so important to us. For those who are of the Church are to be taken away first, in the Rapture, and escape all these things through which Israel must pass.-^
True, many have found the study of this detail a rich blessing, and we give the result which one has reached on pages 187 to 195, and yet we believe that we cannot now discern the order of these things so clearly as Israel will in the great rush of events, after the Church is taken away, and when the Book is more completely unsealed and opened. Dan. 12:4.
It is enough for us to know that it will be in the Latter Days (Isa. 2:2) that Antichrist is to be revealed and destroyed by Jesus the King of the Jews, who is coming (2 Thes. 2:8), and that Israel, His people, “are at hand to come.” Ezk. 36 :8.
(25) Isa. 48 :10. Behold, I 3. And the Gentiles shall come have refined thee, but not with to thy light, and kings to the silver; I have chosen thee in brightness of thy rising.
the furnace of affliction. 4 ^jft p thine eyes roun-’i
Psa. 66 :10. For thou, O God bout. and see: all they gather
hast proved us: thou hast tried themselves together, they come
us, as silver is tried. q thee: thy sons shall como
(26) Isa. 60:1. Arise, shine; yqj fr and thy daughters shall for thy light is come, and the nursed at thy side.
glory of the Lord is risen upon ,„„,,, „. „« .rrr x ,.
tjjge (27) Luke 21:36. Watch ye
2. For, behold, the darkness therefore, and pray always, that
shall cover the earth, and gross ye may be accounted worthy to
darkness the people: but the escape all these things that shall
Lord shall arise upon thee, and come to pass, and to and before
his glory shall be seen upon thee. the Son of man.