01 - God's Plan in the Bible, Parts 1-3
God’s Plan in the Bible
1. If we take up a book written by an author of reputation, we expect to find in it a well-developed plan or plot - some definite aim, object, or teaching, which runs through the whole book from beginning to end. We are not surprised to see that it is divided into chapters, and the chapters into sentences; neither do we wonder if the whole be arranged in two or more parts, each consisting of several chapters. We should, however, be startled were we to discover that the chapters, or even the divisions, had no connection with each other; and, in such a case, we could only suppose that the author had become mentally incompetent.
2. And, again, the higher our estimate of the knowledge skill and general qualifications of an author, the higher will be our anticipation of the excellency and perfection of his work.
3. When, therefore, we take up the Bible, the Book which was written by the very [Holy] Spirit of God, through various instruments, indeed - just as a man might write his manuscript with different pens - but essentially by the Spirit Alone; when we accept it as such, and as the only perfect Book, we should, although it is divided into many parts written at various times and under very different circumstances, with reason expect to find one definite plan or scheme running through the whole, from Genesis to Revelation.
4. And how gloriously this expectation is fulfilled! When we read the opening chapters of Genesis, the story of man’s creation by God, and his settlement upon the earth in happy circumstances; when we learn how he forfeited his joyous existence through sin, and lost Paradise and the Tree of Life; when we shudder at the curse pronounced upon the transgressors, and the tears, pain, sorrow, and death, that followed it, and still more at the awful fact, that the Tempter himself continued to retain man’s confidence, and at the terrible consequences of such a connection - when we have contemplated all these things, how ineffably beautiful it is, and what a testimony to the fathomless love of God, to find that the closing chapters of Revelation tell us of the removal of sin, of the recovery of Paradise and the Tree of Life, of the remission of the curse, of the wiping away of tears from all faces, of the ending of pain and sorrow and death, of the casting out of the Devil, and of the glorious words, "Behold, I make all things new!" How wondrous the story! How worthy of the God Who is love! And, if we study the revelations and details contained within so marvellous a beginning and ending, we shall find them all in fullest accord with what we have already read, all leading gradually, but directly, from the fall to the restoration, and all equally worthy of our earnest attention. Why, then, are we content with owing so little of this wonderful Book; why do we not strive for a complete knowledge of all the measures which the great God has taken to bring back life out of death, order out of chaos, tranquillity out of unrest, and perfect happiness out of misery?
5. It is with the desire of aiding those who wish to obtain a clearer view of the main teachings of the Bible, as a whole, that the following pages have been written. Everything is stated as simply as possible, with a view to help simple people.
6. May the dear Lord bless our labours for His Own sake, and to His Own glory; and may the effect of this little work be to impress deeply on the mind of every reader the wisdom, as well as the necessity, of being ready for the glorious events which may at any time take place. For, when they come suddenly upon us, it will be to the ineffable joy and blessing of those who are watching and waiting for the Lord, but to the terrible confusion of all who, while professing to be ready, are in reality the children of this world.
7. A further introductory word of warning may, perhaps, be added; since many people are apt to be impatient when they find difficulty in interpreting the teachings of God’s Book. For it is very important to remember that the Bible is not merely revelation: it is also a veil. To those who read in the Spirit, it is a revelation, and the same [Holy] Spirit of God Who wrote it will also interpret it to the humble and seeking heart; while its study will only add pride to the proud, stubbornness to the stubborn, and increase the darkness of those who love darkness rather than light. Its perusal will emphasize, and add fuel to the flames of whatever passion animates the heart, pride to pride, wisdom to wisdom, love to love, darkness to darkness, light to light, faith to faith, doubt to doubt, and so on. Let us, therefore, be very careful that the spirit in which we approach this great subject is in accordance with Psalms 25:5 and 1 John 2:27.
8. We will take it for granted, at the commencement of our study, that God had a definite plan and a definite object in giving the Bible, as His message to man, in the form in which we now have it. We may, too, surely, assume that it contains everything necessary for salvation; and, in the same way, may we not also thoroughly realize that no part of it is unimportant or to be neglected ?
9. But, before we endeavour to trace out God’s plan, let us fully recognize the fact, that His action has been continually thwarted and hindered by the Devil’s plan. Indeed, we shall find that the Scriptures give us much information and warning as to this counterplan of evil so that we may not be discouraged when we see it in the ascendant. For, in the end, God’s plan must and will triumph, and the reign of righteousness be ushered in.
10. Let us further bear in mind, that the three great doctrines of Christianity are - 1st, the fall of man; 2nd, the advent of Jesus Christ in humiliation, to die for the sins of the world, and to rise again; and, 3rd, the Second Advent of Jesus Christ to reign [both here, and afterwards in a ‘new heaven and new earth’] in glory.
11. To help our memory, we will take five coloured cords, as shown in Diagram A, to illustrate the main teachings of the Bible. On the one side there is a white cord, A, which illustrates God’s plan; the black cord, B, on the other side, represents the Devil’s opposing plan. Each of these cords is knotted in three places. These knots illustrate, in each case, three facts. Those on the white cord, A, remind us, that God has, 1st, His people, Israel ; 2nd, His capital, Jerusalem; and, 3rd, His King, Jesus Christ. Those on the black cord, B, remind us, that Satan has, also, 1st, his people, the Gentiles; 2nd, his capital, Babylon; and, 3rd, his king, the Antichrist.
12. But, besides these cords, there are three others, C, D, and E, red, yellow, and blue, respectively. These are plaited one with the other to illustrate the fact, that there are three main lines of prophecies running through the Bible, viz., those concerning Israel, those concerning the Gentiles, and those concerning the Church of God. But, just as the three cords are twisted one about the other, so the prophecies are intertwined in the various books of the Old, as well as of the New, Testament.
13. The three plaited cords are, moreover, tied into knots in two places, to show that the three lines of prophecy mainly converge around two great events. The first of these is the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in humiliation, to be rejected by His earthly people, the Jews, and to die for His heavenly people, the Church. The second, is the return of the same Lord, in glory, into the air, to call thither His heavenly people to Himself, and, subsequently, to descend to earth, accompanied by His glorified Church, and to save His people Israel.
14. We may summarize the teachings of these cords thus:- All through the Bible God’s plan may be traced, with His King, Jesus Christ, His people, Israel, and His capital, Jerusalem; and Satan’s opposing plan may also be detected, with his king, the Antichrist, his people, the Gentiles, and his capital, Babylon. And so, the three lines of prophecy, concerning the Church, Israel, and the Gentiles, are intertwined throughout the Bible, but principally converge round, point to, and teach of, the first and second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven to earth. By these facts we see, that the one glorious central Figure of time and of eternity, so far as this world is concerned, is the Lord Jesus Christ.
15. If we can thoroughly master these few points, we have, though very roughly, an outline which will materially help us to understand the fuller details that follow.
16. We will now take a somewhat more minute view of the main lines of teaching, by history and prophecy; and, for the purpose of making more clear what is said, a chart or diagram (B) is appended, which, on examination, will be found to illustrate twenty leading events of history and prophecy, as follows:- (A) God prepared the earth to be the dwelling place of man, as related in the first two chapters of the Bible.
(B) But man sinned, and lived on the earth for a considerable period, during which he did not seek God, or do His will, but stubbornly rebelled against Him. Thus God’s plan was marred by the counter plan of Satan; therefore,
(C) In His anger He brought a flood of waters upon the earth, and destroyed all mankind, except one family, that of Noah.
(D) By this family the earth was repopulated. But their descendants quickly forsook God’s laws, and again His plan was marred. Henceforth, therefore, He abandoned mankind in general to their own ways, and those out one special people for Himself, namely, the Children of Israel. These He placed in Palestine, with Jerusalem as their capital, and Himself as their God.
(E) After a while, dissensions arose, Satan’s plan again interfered with God’s plan, and the nation was divided, the Ten Tribes separating from Judah, with Samaria as their capital. These Ten Tribes so terribly rebelled against God that He forsook them, and they were
(F) carried away into captivity to the other side of the Euphrates, according to the prophecy of Ahijah (1 Kings 14:15).
(G) The Two Tribes, that is, the Jews, were left in Palestine, until they, too, so abominably offended against God that
(H) He suffered them to be carried into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, and that to Babylon, the very capital of Satan. Satan’s plan was now in the ascendant: Jerusalem was destroyed; and, although a few Jews remained in Palestine, yet, as a nation, they ceased for a time to exist. The sovereignty of the earth, which by right belonged to Israel as God’s people, passed into Gentile hands, where it still remains.
(I) But God had not abandoned either His people or His capital; so He stirred up Cyrus to command that the Temple at Jerusalem should be rebuilt, and to allow some of the Jews to return to their own Land, under Ezra, for that purpose.
(J) Later on, God influenced Artaxerxes to order the rebuilding of the walls and city of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:1-5); and, with that view, a second company of Jews were permitted to return to their own Land, under Nehemiah.
Now, God had previously foretold by the mouth of the prophet Daniel, that, since the Seventy Years of the Babylonian captivity would not suffice to bring the Jews to a genuine repentance; therefore, their suspension from the sovereignty of the world should be extended to seven times seventy, or 490, additional years. And these Seventy Sevens - wrongly called "weeks" - of Years were to commence from the going forth of Artaxerxes’ command for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its walls. But the prophecy divides this period into three parts, that is, into Seven Sevens, Sixty-two Sevens, and One Seven, which is the Seventieth and Last. On the chart, the first Seven Sevens are represented by J. (See also paragraphs 105 to 122.)
(K) The second period of Sixty-two Sevens terminates at the cutting-off, or death, of the Messiah, Who also appeared as a Prince (Matthew 21:5).
(L) Then commenced a great interval (see paragraph 110) between the end of the Sixty-ninth Seven and the commencement of the Seventieth, during which Jerusalem is trodden down of the Gentiles, and all Israel is Lo-ammi, or "Not-My people."
(M) And so, the Jews were wholly banished from their beloved land, and again, as a nation, ceased to exist.
(N) But, during this great interval, God would not leave Himself without witnesses upon earth, and, therefore, began to call out His Church, made up of individuals chosen from amongst all nations, who were to be His spiritual people, until the time when He would restore the Kingdom to Israel. Such is the age in which we live.
(0) On the chart, 0 represents another feature of these present days - the return of the Jews to Palestine; and already (1903) there are many more of them in the Holy Land than there were at the restoration under Nehemiah (J on chart). Hence we anticipate, that God will very shortly resume His dealings with His earthly people. And, in that case, He will have no further need of His spiritual people, the Church.
(N), to represent Him on earth. Probably, then, He will soon remove those of them who are ready, and re-establish His relations with the Children of Abraham.
(P) Then will commence the period predicted by Daniel as the Last, or Seventieth, Seven. It will be the season of temporal judgment, of the Great Tribulation described in the Apocalypse. It will be the time of Jacob’s trouble, the day of vengeance of our God, and it will culminate in the Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord. Then Christ, the Messiah, will return to the earth with His glorified Church, in order that He may save His then repentant earthly people, Israel, and in them re-establish His Kingdom upon earth, which will have been suspended ever since the Jews were carried away to Babylon (H on chart). This Last Seven of Years is, also, the time in which the Antichrist, our Lord’s great opponent, will appear, and will head the final rebellion against God. Mightily will he persecute both Jews and Christians; but he will be destroyed by Christ Himself when He descends to earth with His saints.
(Q) The day of vengeance being over, the Devil bound, and God’s plan once more in the ascendant, the whole of the Tribes will be gathered to Palestine, and, as a reunited nation, will serve God there throughout
(R) the Millennial period of a thousand years, during which Jesus Christ, the Great King, with David raised from the dead as His vicegerent, will reign over the whole earth.
(S) At the expiration of this period, the Devil will again be let loose, and sin will once more appear on earth in a virulent form: but for how long a time is not revealed.
(T) When, however, he is finally cast down, and the judgment of the Great White Throne is ended, then other and very different scenes will follow. Old things will pass away, and all things be made new; while, finally, Christ will give up all things into the Father’s hands. What then will happen we know not; for then the eternal period will commence: and, while much is foretold of the future in regard to the things of time, very little, indeed, is revealed as to the things belonging to Eternity.
17. In the above outline only a few Biblical references have been given; but, in the more complete plan which follows, everything will be substantiated on the authority of God’s Word. If only the events just mentioned be fully comprehended, the detailed narrative that follows will be much more readily understood and retained in the memory. And, when once a sketch, however slight, of the whole plan of Divine revelation is secured as a possession of our mind, we shall without hesitation confess how ineffably grander the Bible appears in its general scheme and entirety, as well as in its detail, than it could possibly seem to those who study its inspired pages in the partial and disconnected manner usual in our times.
18. In the days when our Lord was on earth, He found it very difficult to make His disciples grasp the spiritual teaching which He came to offer. They understood well enough the temporal teaching of the prophets, that their Master was David’s Heir, and the rightful King of Israel; but they expected Him to restore the temporal Kingdom to Israel at that time, and could not understand that He had a spiritual as well as a temporal dominion. It was, therefore, expedient for them that He should go away, and that the Holy Spirit should come down and show them these things. But, in our day, it seems just as difficult to make some enlightened Christians grasp the fact, that there are not only spiritual things in the New, as well as in the Old, Testament, but, also, very definite, and very terrific, and very glorious teachings of a wholly temporal and earthly character, which are, perhaps, as important for the right comprehension of God’s Will and design as the spiritual teachings are.
19. May the same Holy Spirit Who wrote the Word for our learning, and Who enlightened the early disciples on those matters which they could not fully comprehend, enlighten, also, every reader of these pages, and cause him to see that ALL Scripture is profitable. For, if a man is to be "thoroughly furnished," he must be acquainted with the details of prophecy before he can expect to understand the nature of that glorious hope on which he professes to rest. For, unless he be thus instructed, he is apt to keep his eyes fixed on the present age - marked as N on the chart - to concentrate all his ideas on that one portion of God’s plan, and, by so doing, virtually to ignore the other glorious truths, and so to over exalt his own times, forgetting that their main importance lies in the future, that is, in what they lead to. Let us, then, remember, that, however grand and fascinating one portion of God’s plan may be, yet, since a part must be less than the whole, it is ours to be content with nothing short of the fullest obtainable knowledge of all that has been revealed.
20. It is no light matter for reader or writer to approach the great subject discussed in these pages. Surely the most reverent attention is due when the matter under consideration is the thoughts and plans of the Almighty. Unnumbered millions of human beings have already played their part in His great scheme, and unnumbered millions more will do so before it is worked out. It is, indeed, an awe inspiring thought, that, not only has God a definite plan for the life of each one of His people, but also an equally definite plan for the world as a whole. All His plans are definite, all are fore-ordained, and all are intricately interwoven. And, notwithstanding the limitations and hindrances arising from the counter plans of Satan, yet, sooner or later, the mighty and glorious Will and plan of God must triumph. Hallelujah! May the Lord, indeed, hasten that glorious time, and in the meanwhile may we, who can truly pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done," avail ourselves of the inspiring revelations of the Living Word concerning this "blessed hope." For He has given them to us for our comfort, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
21. It will be our privilege, as we study these truths, to observe how we are told, that the evil which is in the world must and will be overcome. It will inevitably be cast out; for it cannot withstand the mighty purposes of God. We shall see, that, although it is foretold that wickedness will prosper and succeed for a time, yet, in the very height of its prosperity, when such power and dignity as evil can assume have come to the full, and are dazzling all men with their deceitful magnificence, even then the Arm of the Lord will be stretched forth in anger and might, and the whole system of rebellion will be crushed beneath It. But this is not all for we learn that, together with the evil system, the evil-doers themselves, also, will be destroyed. This study solemnly warns all who call themselves Christians to take heed that they are so, not merely in word, but in deed.
22. Just as, in the days of Noah, while he was actually building the ark in which he and his family were to be saved, the world saw no reason to fear a flood; so it is at this moment in which we live. Worldly people, and even many Biblical students, see no reason for imagining that judgment is near, or that any change in the order of things is likely to take place. But this, instead of making us confident in the stability of things existing, should rather influence us the other way, and make us mistrust what the world believes, and rely wholly on what the Word of God reveals; for it is at a time when we think not that the Son of Man cometh.
23. And there is another very important point which we must not omit to notice. Undoubtedly justification - that is, repentance and faith resulting in pardon - is the great essential for all unconverted men who would receive eternal life. But sanctification - that is, consecration of oneself to God and faith in His promises, resulting in purity of heart and holiness of life - is the great essential for those justified persons who long for the glories that shall be revealed. All men come short of the glory of God, because all have sinned; but there are many who, although they are pardoned, and delivered from spiritual death, will altogether fail to obtain the prize that is set before them.
24. For it is those only that suffer with Christ, after they have been cleansed by His Blood, who will reign with Him. If, then, the period of our probation should pass, and we be found to have refused the suffering ordained for us, and so to have missed the blessing of sanctification by faith, we should lose, also, the glory that would otherwise have been secured to us.
25. Many people look upon the possibilities of holiness of heart and righteousness of life as chimerical. But, though with man this is impossible, yet "with God all things are possible"; and He "is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think."
26. Evil is subject to His power even now, and He is able to subdue it in our hearts. Only let us study His Word, appropriate His promises, and seek to know Him definitely as our Saviour from the power, as well as from the guilt, of sin. Just in the same way, hopeless as the case may seem at present, it is God’s plan and purpose to destroy evil out of the world, and to bring in a reign of righteousness and peace and blessing.
27. God can and will purify the world: He can and will purify the human soul. But "without faith it is impossible to please God"; and "we are purified by faith," and not by sight.
28. We will again avail ourselves of the services of a chart (C), but will add a considerable number of items to the previous diagram, so that we may be able to go into greater detail. In the previous chart we had twenty leading events chronicled, in the present one we have fifty-six, an increase of thirty-six events. Briefly enumerated, these events are as follows:- (1) Represents the Creation. Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3; Isaiah 45:18.
(2) Represents the period of ruin to which the earth was reduced by a catastrophe of which we have no record; but which, perhaps, was connected with the fall of Satan and his angels, and the destruction of the world that then was.
(3) Represents the reforming, or restoration,* of the earth. Genesis 1:1-31. and Genesis 2:1-25.
[* NOTE. The initial creation was not “formless and empty” but “became” that way after Satan’s fall. Therefore, the age of our earth is not disclosed in the Scriptures; and the creatures that roamed upon it before its restoration and the creation of man are not mentioned or described in Scripture. Between verses two and three of Genesis chapter one, we have an undisclosed time gap before the account given us of earth’s restoration - (and the subsequent creation of man and woman) - from verse three onwards: not, as many mistakenly believe, its creation. The A.V. translation is misleading by its use of the word “was” instead of “became”. It was not without form and void at the very beginning – at the time of its initial creation: it became that after Satan’s fall.] (4) Represents Satan as the Prince of the Power of the air. Ephesians 2:2.
(5) Represents the fall of man. Genesis 3:1-24.
(6) Represents the human race between the expulsion from Eden and the Flood. Gen 4:-8.
(7) Represents the translation of Enoch. Genesis 5:18-24, and Hebrews 11:5.
(8) Represents the Flood. Gen 6:-8. Hebrews 11:7.
(9) Represents the city and tower of Babel. Genesis 11:1-9.
(I0) Represents the call of Abraham. Genesis 12:1-5; Acts 7:2-5; Isaiah 51:2.
(11) Represents the glory of God coming down upon the Ark. Exodus 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10-11; 2 Chronicles 5:11-14.
(12) Represents United Israel.
(13) Represents the severance of Israel from Judah, and the captivity and dispersion of Israel beyond the river, that is, beyond the Euphrates. 1 Kings 12:1-33., 1 Kings 14:15; 2 Kings 17:23.
(14) the line of sovereignty, right fully belonging to Israel, but now in the hands of the Gentiles. 1 Samuel 10:24; Daniel 2:1-49., Deuteronomy 7:1-26., Deuteronomy 8:1-20., &c.
(15) represents the translation of Elijah. 2 Kings 2:1-18.
(16) Represents the returning into heaven of the Glory of God from the Temple. Ezekiel 8:3-4, etc.
(17) Represents the carrying into captivity of the Jews to Babylon. 2 Kings 25:1-30.
(18) Represents the land keeping Sabbaths for seventy years. Leviticus 26:34-35; Jeremiah 25:12.
(19) Represents the Jews in captivity for seventy years in Babylon. 2 Chronicles 36:20-21.
(20) Represents the Golden Head of the Image in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision, that is, the Babylonian Empire. Daniel 2:1-49.
(21) Represents the Breast and Arms of Silver, that is, the Medo-Persian Empire. Daniel 2:1-49.
(22) Represents the Belly and Thigh - part of Brass, that is, the Grecian Empire.
(23) Represents the Legs of Iron terminating in the Feet of Iron and Clay (pottery), that is, the Roman Empire. Daniel 2:1-49. (See NO. 44 on chart).
(24) Represents the return of the Jews under Ezra to rebuild the Temple. Ezra 1:1-4 ; 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Isaiah 44:28.
(25) Represents the first period of "Seven Sevens," commencing at the return of the Jews, under Nehemiah, to rebuild the city and walls of Jerusalem. Daniel 9:25; Nehemiah 1:1-11. and Nehemiah 2:1-20.
(26) Represents the second period of "Three Score and Two Sevens," terminating at the cutting off of "An Anointed One, a Prince." Daniel 9:25-26.
(27) Represents the Word made flesh, or the birth of Christ. John 1:14.
(28) Represents the Christ proclaiming Him self to be the King of the Daughter of Zion. Daniel 9:25; Zechariah 9:1-17.; Matthew 21:5.
(29) Represents the Ascension of Christ. Acts 1:9; John 20:17; Luke 24:50-51.
(30) Represents the descent of the Holy Spirit to form the Church on earth. Acts 2:1-4; Ephesians 2:13-18.
(31) Represents the Church period. Matthew 16:13-18; Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 2:19-22, Ephesians 3:1-21; Ephesians 4:1-16, Ephesians 4:23-32.
(32) Represents the "Heavens opened." Acts 7:56.
(33) Represents the dispersion of the Jews under Titus and Vespasian.
(34) Represents the return of Jews to Palestine, now taking place.
(35) Represents the rapture of the Firstfruits. Revelation 14:1-5.
(36) Represents Satan cast out of heaven, that is, out of the First Heaven, or Kingdom of the air, and thrust down to the earth. Revelation 12:9.
(37) Represents the period of the Great Tribulation in the Last, or Seventieth, Seven. Matthew 24:21; Daniel 9:27; Daniel 12:1.
(38) Represents the rapture of the "Two Witnesses." Revelation 11:3-12.
(39) Represents the "Parousia" or "Presence," that is, the Lord’s descent into the air to meet His faithful people. ("In Thy presence is fulness of joy.") 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
(40) represents the completion of the Mystery of God, and of the First Resurrection. Revelation 10:7; 1 Corinthians 15:23, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.
(41) Represents the Bema, or the judgment seat of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:9-11.
(42) Represents the "Epiphaneia," the appearing or manifestation; that is, the descent of Christ with His saints to the earth. Zechariah 14:1-5; Revelation 19:11-21.
(43) Represents the destruction of the Beast and the False Prophet. Revelation 19:20.
(44) Represents the Stone, cut out without hands, destroying the Image which represents the World powers. Daniel 2:34-35 and Daniel 2:44-45.
(45) Represents the binding of Satan for a thousand years. Revelation 20:1-3.
(46) Represents the re-gathering of the Ten Tribes. Isaiah 11:10-12 ; Zechariah 10:7-12.
(47) Represents the Millennial reign of Christ. Revelation 20:4-6; Luke 1:32-33.
(48) Represents Satan loosed for a season. Revelation 20:7-10.
(49) Represents the destruction of Gog and Magog by fire from heaven. Revelation 20:9.
(50) Represents Satan cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone. Revelation 20:10.
(51) Represents the Great White Throne. Revelation 20:11-15.
(52) Represents the Great Resurrection of all the rest of the dead for life or for judgment. Revelation 20:11-15; John 5:28-29.
(53) Represents those whose names are not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and who are cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 20:15.
(54) Represents the Great Abdication, when Christ, having subdued all things, gives them up into the Father’s hands, that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.
(55) Represents the Heavenly Jerusalem sent down from God out of heaven. Revelation 21:1-27.
(56) Represents Eternity.
29. We will now more minutely describe the various events alluded to in the diagram (C). The first two verses of the first chapter of Genesis, in a very few words, describe two periods of time, each, probably, of vast duration. We are in no way able to judge when "the beginning" (No. 1) was. Many millions of centuries may have elapsed since the earth was created, and, no doubt, the first period, or periods, continued for countless ages. At last, however, a great catastrophe appears to have happened, and, instead of law and order reigning. as doubtless was originally the case, another period of indefinite duration ensued, which was one of ruin (No. 2). The account of the restoration of the earth from its ruins (NO. 3) is given in the first two chapters of Genesis.
30. No definite statement is found in the Bible to the effect that any race of beings inhabited the earth before Adam’s creation; but there are indications that such may have been the case. Whether, however, it was so or not, of one thing we are sure, and that is, that man is not the only race of intelligent beings connected with, if we may not say actually dwelling upon, the earth. Man inhabits the earth; but Satan, or the Devil, with innumerable hosts of invisible evil beings, inhabits the air. He is described as "The Prince of the Power of the Air" (NO. 4), and rules over the fallen angels and evil spirits, or demons, which congregate there, and, with united purpose, do, as they ever have done, their utmost to lead men into sin, and so to counteract and spoil the plan and purposes of God, and to carry out and establish their own counter plan of evil. How well the Tempter succeeded with Eve, thus introducing sin into the world (No. 5), we all know; how he has continued to be successful ever since, history teaches us; and how successful he is at this day, our own eyes witness, and our own experience proves.
31. Man, on account of his sin, was banished from Paradise; and, consequently, had to work with his hands for a living. Nevertheless, after a few generations, he had grown arrogant, and full of evil; he had contracted horrible alliances with the evil beings of the Devil’s aerial kingdom, not merely by giving way to their temptations, but, also, by using their powers through illicit connection with them, by magic and witchcraft, and even by worse methods. This lawlessness finally resulted in the birth of beings half men, half demons, known in profane history as demigods ; and then God was compelled to interfere. Accordingly, He determined to cut off the whole human race (Genesis 6:1-12) with a flood (No. 8), leaving only Noah - who was perfect in his generations - and his family to be saved in the Ark, that they might continue and perpetuate the race of man on the earth.
32. Previously to this appalling judgment by water, an event of great significance had taken place. Enoch had been caught up to Heaven without dying (No. 7). We will not now explain the matter; but later on we shall see what a peculiarly significant event this was. (See paragraphs 8o and 81).
33. After the judgment of the flood, Babel, or Babylon, was built (No. 9), of course at the instigation of Satan. But God smote the builders with diversity of tongues; so that they were forced to separate, and thus became the founders of the various nations of the earth. Yet these nations got deeper and deeper into sin; and, consequently, God it "gave them up," and chose Abraham (No. 10) to be the progenitor of a special people for His service.
34. But, Babylon’s influence upon the world calls for a special notice; since that city is the Devil’s metropolis of the earth. Hence, in both Old and New Testament, it figures largely in a double capacity. Sometimes it is the literal City of Babylon, and sometimes, "A Mystery, Babylon, the Mother of the Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth."
35. Briefly, then, let it be understood, that Babylon seems to have been founded in order to renew the antediluvian communication with evil spirits, which God had interrupted by the judgment of the Flood. For ungodly men desired to take advantage of such superhuman knowledge and power as they could obtain by this evil communication. According to an ancient legend, Shem, who was patriarch at the time, vigorously discountenanced this movement of rebellion; and so, to resist his power and influence, the new city was founded. As an additional precaution, secrecy was resorted to, and no one was allowed to become a member of the organization, unless he had been duly initiated. The initiation was preceded by a baptism and by oral confession, the latter being designed as a means of getting the candidate under the power of the officials of the organization. This secret society constituted the Mystery of Babylon. As time went on, the priests or officials of the Mystery obtained both wealth and power, as well as rank and great influence; and almost all the Pagan religions of the world, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and especially Catholicism, can be proved to have originated in the Mystery of Babylon.
36. Hence Babylon, being the mother or originator of these false religions, received the name of "the Mother of the Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth." For, since a woman is a common symbol of a church or system, a harlot naturally stands for an apostate or false church. There is, then, no difficulty in seeing how Babylon became the spiritual capital of Satan. How it also became his temporal capital, and must again before long be the place where his throne is, the following pages will show.
37. But our attention must now be turned to the history of the people especially chosen of God. How they gradually developed from Abraham, as an individual (No. 10), through Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph; how they went into and were brought out of Egypt; how they journeyed through the wilderness, and, finally, settled in Palestine as a united nation - with these portions of their history we are all well acquainted, and need not dwell upon facts so familiar. Moreover, we remember the establishment, under Moses, of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and how the Glory of God came visibly down from heaven (No. 11), and filled the tent, which, however, subsequently gave place to the Temple built by Solomon. We know, too, that the people were governed by judges for a time (No. 12), and that, at length, they cried out for a King, and God gave them Saul.
38. This originated what God intended to be the chief line of earthly sovereignty (No. 14); and it continued in Jewish hands, with Jerusalem as its capital, until the disobedience and apostasy of the people compelled Him to forsake them. Then Nebuchadnezzar was raised up to destroy Jerusalem, and to transfer the sovereignty of the world to Babylon, the Devil’s capital. And thus, earthly power was taken away from Israel for a season, as is shown in the chart, and was delivered to the Gentiles, with whom it still remains, and will remain, until "the Times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."
39. Again, we need only refer to the fact, that, shortly after the death of Solomon, the Ten Tribes revolted, and henceforth became an independent kingdom, separate from that of Judah. Finally, however, they were carried as captives into Assyria (No. 13).
40. Another event chronicled on the chart is, also, well known, but its significance, which will be explained in the following pages, is not, as a rule, appreciated. That event is the translation of Elijah (No. 15).
41. No. 16 marks the melancholy fact, that, about the same time that the sovereignty passed from Jewish hands, the Glory of God was taken up from the Temple, and was seen no more.
42. No. 17 indicates the carrying away of the Jews themselves in captivity to Babylon, to which place, also, the sovereignty was transferred. And so, Jerusalem, the spiritual and political capital of God, was humbled, owing to the sin of His people, and was superseded by Babylon, which thus became Satan’s capital, not merely in a spiritual sense as "Babylon a Mystery," but also politically as the chief city of the first of the Four Gentile Empires.
43. These Four Gentile Empires were revealed in Nebuchadnezzar’s Vision of the Great Image. (Nos. 20-23). Their dominion commenced when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, and is to last until it is broken by the Stone cut out without hands, which will descend on the brittle Feet and Toes of the Image, and wholly demolish it. This, however, is an event still in the future.
44. Profane history teaches us how the four great Empires, prophesied of by Daniel, have held the earthly sovereignty up to the present time. First, the Head of Gold, or the Babylonian Empire; secondly, the Breast and Arms of Silver, or the Medo-Persian Empire; then followed the Belly and Thigh-part of Brass, typifying the Grecian Empire; and last of all came the Legs of Iron, representing the Roman Empire, the decadence of which in its latter days is hinted by the mixture of Clay with the Iron of the Feet and Toes.
45. Returning to the main part of the diagram, we see the fact recorded, that, while, at No. 19, the Jews were undergoing a seventy years’ captivity in Babylon, so, at No. 18, the land was enjoying those Sabbaths of which her inhabitants had so long defrauded her.
46. No. 24 notes the fact, that such Jews as cared to do so were permitted to return, under Ezra, to assist in the re-building of the Temple. Many of them, however, were comfortably settled in Babylon, did not wish to sever themselves from their newly-formed connections and interests, and, therefore, would not avail themselves of the permission. Later on, another opportunity was given to Jews to return and rebuild the city and wall, under Nehemiah; but comparatively few were so moved by the desire of their ancient home as to be willing to face the trouble and inconvenience of a journey to Jerusalem.
47. Small Jewish contingents did, however, respond to the appeals of Ezra and Nehemiah, and were now back in the land; and, therefore, although they were not the sovereign race they might have been, yet God resumed His dealings with them. Daniel had prophesied (Daniel 9:25), that, between the going forth of the commandment to rebuild the city and wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:8) and the appearing of Messiah the Prince, Seven Sevens of Years and Sixty-two Sevens, making altogether Sixty-nine Sevens, should pass by. These Sixty-nine "Sevens," or Four Hundred and Eighty-three Years, are marked on the chart as commencing at NO. 25, which represents the first period of Seven Years.
48. We assume that these numbers represent years; for the prophet had previously been speaking of years (Daniel 9:2). He had been much troubled in his mind, because God had revealed to him, by the vision of the great Image, that the sovereignty would remain in Gentile hands until Four World powers should have arisen and been overthrown. For he remembered another prediction through Jeremiah, who announced, that the captives should be permitted to return from Babylon at the end of only seventy years; and, when he compared the two great prophecies, he could not see how to reconcile them. Consequently, Gabriel was sent to explain to him, that, because of the continued rebellion and indifference of the Jews, God had "determined," that, in addition to the Seventy Years, they should be subjected to a further discipline of Seven Times Seventy, or Four Hundred and Ninety, Years; and that this new period of humiliation should commence from the going forth of a command to restore Jerusalem, and should be divided into the above mentioned periods.
49. It is not very clear why the Seven Sevens were marked off; though it may be suggested as probable, that the rebuilding of the streets and walls of the city were to occupy the first period of Forty nine Years. But the second period of Sixty-two Sevens when added to the Seven Sevens amounts to Sixty-nine Sevens, and defines a most distinct period. For this was to be the whole time that should elapse between the going forth of the commandment and the appearing of "Messiah the Prince" or, if we translate literally, "an Anointed One a Prince." But who is Messiah the Prince?
50. Jesus Christ, when on earth in the flesh, did not come as a Prince to reign, but in humiliation to suffer; and, accordingly, we read, that, when the people, realizing that He was Heir to David’s crown and kingdom, would have taken Him by force and made Him King, He hid Himself - thus showing that He did not at that time desire, or intend, to be so recognized. Yet, at length, there came a day when He ceased to repel those who would hail Him as their Sovereign Lord. It was when He entered the city of Jerusalem four days before His death, riding on an ass’s colt, and the people spread their garments before Him, shouting:- "Hosanna to the Son of David!"
51. Then He no longer rebuked their acclamations; for He knew that they were fulfilling what had been foretold of Him (Zechariah 9:9), and were marking the close of the Sixty-ninth Seven. So, on that memorable day, "Messiah the Prince" appeared; and the event foretold to happen next was, that the same Messiah should be "cut off."
52. The sadly fickle multitude, which had caused the fulfilment of Zechariah’s words, were, also, the means of turning Daniel’s prophecy into history. For, within four days from the time that they had hailed the Lord Jesus as King, they suffered, and even encouraged, the malice and wickedness of the High Priest to cut Him off.
53. In our more detailed study of the Seventy Sevens, we shall be able to show, that the foretold period of the Sixty-nine Sevens, or Four Hundred and Eighty-three Years, was fulfilled precisely, even to the very day (see paragraphs 117-20).
54. The birth of Our Lord is indicated by No. 27 on the chart, and No. 28 marks His ministry on earth, which was followed by His death upon the cross for our sins. He was exit off, and there was nothing for Him; that is, He had at that time none of the glory and dominion which by right belonged to Him as the Messiah.
55. No. 29 reminds us of His ascension to glory at the right hand of the Father, waiting (No. 32) till His foes have been made His footstool.
56. No. 30 represents the glorious fact of the descent of the Holy Spirit and the establishment of [Gentiles incorporated into] "the Church" (No. 31). But, when we speak of the Church, we must not be understood to allude to any Establishment, Sect, or Denomination, whether Orthodox, Papal, or Protestant. What we mean is that true and spiritual company of believers which, at present, is invisible to men, but is known to God. For, after the death, resurrection, and ascension, of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit was sent down into the world to teach men how they might become acceptable to God, and worship Him, Who is Spirit, in the only way in which He will suffer Himself to be worshipped, in spirit and in truth. And all those who are willing to be so taught, and to be filled by the [Holy] Spirit, are baptized by Him into that one Body which is truly called the Church, and which is the Body of Christ. This mission of the Holy Spirit is, of course, the great feature of the present age in which we live.
57. So far, we have been considering events which have already happened; now we come to others which are still in the future, but which must take place, because they are foretold in the Word of God.
58. We have already seen (paragraph 51), that the coming of Christ to Jerusalem as the King of the Daughter of Zion, and riding on the ass’s colt, indicated the completion of the Sixty-nine Sevens foretold by Daniel; but there was another Seven, the Seventieth, of which we have, as yet, said little. Did that Last Seven of Years immediately follow the Sixty-ninth, or not? If not, why not?
59. There is abundant reason to say that it did not; but, on the contrary, that a great interval at once commenced, during which the Jews are in exile, and God’s dealings with them as a nation are suspended, and will not be resumed, either spiritually or temporally, until the appointed period of exile shall have gone by. For it was as a nation that the Jews rejected the Lord Jesus, when He offered Himself to them as their rightful King; and so, God rejected them as a nation, and soon after wards caused their city to be destroyed, and them selves to be banished from their land (No. 33). And they will continue to be thus rejected, or "given up," until (see paragraph 65) "she that travaileth," that is, the true "Church" (see Revelation 12:1-5), hath “brought forth" (Micah 5:1-3).
60. In the war with the Romans multitudes of the Jews were killed, while the rest of them were scattered over the face of the earth, to endure the terrible persecutions and sufferings which for centuries have been their lot. Hence one of the very significant signs of the present time is the fact, that the hand of persecution, which was in a great measure stayed, is now again raised to smite them, especially in Russia, the effect being their migration in large numbers to the Holy Land, which is no longer forbidden to them. It is also a well-known fact, that, whereas, a comparatively few years ago, the more important and honourable offices and positions in all nations were closed against Jews, yet now, in many countries, they hold more of these offices and positions, in proportion to their numbers, than any other section of the people. Further, there are at this time (1903) many more Jews residing in Palestine than there were in the days of Nehemiah.
61. These facts claim the most earnest attention from all Christians, since they enable us to realize, that the time when she that travaileth shall bring forth must be very near; for it is evident, that before long the Jews will be once more a nation dwelling in their own land, to which they are even now regathering (No. 34). And God will then resume His dealings with and His judgments upon them by bringing on the final period of the Seventieth Seven, which will include the Great Tribulation, the Day of Visitation and of Desolation. Then the inhabitants of the whole earth, both Jews and Gentiles, but especially the Jews and the unready Christians, will be subjected to the fearful temporal judgments foreshadowed so often in the writings of the prophets, and recorded in the Book of Revelation, many of which will be caused by the great Antichrist, the "Assyrian" of Isaiah 10:5.
62. But we may avoid these woes, if we will; for God has provided an open door of escape. Before the period of tribulation can commence, the saints, those who are found ready and watching for the mighty and glorious event, will be removed, "caught up (No. 35) unto God and to His Throne." For, through faith in the cleansing power of the Blood of Jesus Christ, and through sanctification of the Spirit, they will be accounted worthy to escape ALL those things which are coming upon the earth.
63. Now, according to the belief of almost all prophetic students, events are fast ripening for the commencement of the Seventieth Seven. The night is now, not merely far spent, but is actually passing away, and the first faint beams of dawn may be already detected by those who are earnestly watching. Are we among the watching ones? Have we cast off the works of Darkness, and put on the armour of Light? Have we obeyed our Lord’s command, and watched and prayed always, that we may be accounted worthy to escape the things that are coming upon the earth, and to be with Him while they are happening? Let us beware; for at an hour when we think not, and swift as a lightning-flash, the awful moment may have passed by, and the cry be heard from many a house throughout the broad earth, "One has been taken, and the other left!"
64. Alas! how many professing Christians will then be left, and so be disappointed of their hopes! They believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, they profess to be waiting and watching for Him; but, when He comes, they will not be ready; and so, instead of being caught up to God and to His Throne, and spared the terrors of the Last Days, they will find themselves left to go through the greater part of the persecutions and tribulations of the Seventieth Seven, initiated and carried out first by the "Great Whore," and afterwards by the Antichrist, or Beast. Such a danger ought to be the highest and most powerful stimulus to all [regenerate] believers, of whatever sex or age, warning them to prepare to meet their God.
65. The event referred to at No. 35 may, then, be very near at hand; and it will bring the great interval to a conclusion, and usher in the short period, during which the judgments of God will be in the earth (No. 37).
66. At that time, many of tile Jews will have returned to their own land, and the earth will have lost the best of her believing inhabitants; nevertheless, there will be a great revival of true faith among those that are left behind. For they will have been horrified at the discovery that their spiritual condition was found wanting; and that, though they may still be saved,* yet they can now be so only as through fire. For they must endure all the terrors of the Six Seals, as well as those of the Six Trumpets. Should they, however, be enabled to remain faithful, their troubles will be ended at the sound of the Last or Seventh Trumpet, which will be the signal for the resurrection and translation of the Church, and will usher in the Seven Vials of God’s wrath. This is the event represented by No. 40.
[* That is, ‘saved’ in the sense of being restored and given an opportunity to win the ‘Prize’ - to rule and reign with Christ during the millennium.]
67. At or about the commencement of this period of the Last Seven, vast political disturbances will take place - "nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom"; in fact, such wars will ensue as are now anxiously expected and dreaded by all the statesmen of Europe.
68. We may anticipate that these political convulsions will result in the setting up of Ten Kingdoms, corresponding to the Ten Toes of the Great Image (Daniel 2:41-43), and also corresponding to the Ten Horns of Daniel 7:7, Daniel 7:20, and of Revelation 17:12. Then, out of the confusions of wars and revolutions, a man will arise, probably in somewhat the same way as the first Napoleon, who will increase in power and might, until he becomes, as Napoleon nearly did, the one great Emperor of the civilized world; and this man will be the Antichrist. Precisely when he is to appear, we are not told; but, in all probability, his coming will not be very long delayed; for even now his spirit is spreading among us.
69. About this time, the great city of Babylon will have to be rebuilt. This is the city originally founded by Nimrod, who established it to be a safe place where he could practise his idolatrous "mystery." It was, also, the city to which the sovereignty of the earth was transferred by Nebuchadnezzar, when the Jews lost it (see paragraph 38). Thus it showed itself to be the capital of Satan on earth, and the rival of Jerusalem, which latter was, in the first place, the appointed centre of all true worship, and, in the second, the chosen political capital of God on earth.
70. It was one of the great Napoleon’s ambitions to rebuild Babylon, and to rule over Asia Europe, as well as over parts of Africa from thence. The opposition which be encountered was, however, too strong for him; but what he failed to accomplish, the Antichrist will carry out. For once more, in the Last Days, he will re-establish on a gigantic scale the ancient capital of Satan. And Babylon, thus rebuilt, is the great city whose destruction is foretold in Revelation 18:1-24.
71. The Ten Kingdoms, mentioned in paragraph 68, will flourish for a time, but not for long; for a Stone (No. 44 on chart) strikes the Image upon the Feet, and utterly demolishes it. Then the Stone gradually becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth.
Now a mountain is a Biblical symbol for a government or kingdom, the Stone represents the Lord Jesus, and its fall from above, His return to our earth. Hence it is here predicted, that the Ten Kingdoms will be destroyed by the Lord at His appearing; and that, subsequently, he will, also, absorb into Himself all other worldly governments, and so extend His dominion over the whole earth. Then, at last, the government will be upon His shoulder, according to the prediction of Isaiah (9:6).
72. But, after the present Dispensation has ended, and the watching Saints have been caught up to God and to His Throne, many events must happen both in the air and upon the earth. For instance, we know that Satan and his hosts have been "the Power of the Air" from the days of Adam to the present time. But, if the Lord Jesus and His saints are to come into the air, it does not seem consistent that the Devil and his hosts should remain there. Nor will they be allowed to do so.
Accordingly, in Revelation 12:7-9, we read of a war in heaven, just after the rapture of the Manchild, in which the Archangel Michael drives out Satan, together with all his angels, and casts them down to the earth.
Then a voice is heard, saying, "Rejoice ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them!" And well they may; for the Accuser and Destroyer is cast out, and the Saviour and His ransomed ones are about to take possession. But then the voice changes to a minor key, "Woe to the inhibiters of the earth!" For the Devil, driven down to earth, is now forced to remain there, and has great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time. We may, therefore, be sure that the Great Tribulation will speedily enter upon its most appalling phase.
73. No doubt, the true Christian and the Jew are those who will suffer the most acutely at this crisis. But the rebellious and the worldly, also, will be fearfully plagued by the judgments of the Seals and Trumpets; while upon them God will, subsequently, pour out the far more terrible Vials of His wrath. What the nature of these plagues will be may be seen by a reference to Revelation 6:1-17.,
74. Let it not, then, be forgotten, that all these are to be literal plagues, just as much as those of Egypt were. And yet, [regenerate] believers who have been found unready and all Jews, except the one hundred and forty-four thousand of Revelation 7:1-17., will not only have to endure them, but will, also, at the same time, have to face the terrific persecutions of the Antichrist and his officers. Revelation 13:1-18. - compare Revelation 12:17 - gives us some idea of the manner in which these persecutions will be carried on. No one will be permitted to buy or sell without exposing the sign of blasphemy, which will prove that he is loyal to the great reigning Emperor. Men will have to display this sign - which will probably be something like an Indian caste-mark - either on their foreheads or on the palms of their hands. No one, for instance, will be allowed to buy any refreshment, to rent a house, to purchase a railway ticket, or to pass money in any way, unless he can first show the mark of the Beast imprinted upon his flesh.
It will thus be evident, that those who refuse to do the bidding of the Government of that day will be deprived of all power to take part in the ordinary affairs of life, and will find even their supply of provisions cut off. In such circumstances, either concealment or escape will be all but impossible.
75. Every Christian believer will find himself in a fearful dilemma. For, if he looks to the earthly authorities, he must either enter into the service of the Antichrist and receive his mark, or he must prepare to die; for death will be the penalty of refusal. But, if he turns to the Heavenly Powers, he must either refuse to receive the mark of the Beast, or be doomed together with him to the Lake of Fire and Brimstone. There will be no half-hearted service in those days. A man will then know with certainty on whose side he is, and every one of his acquaintance, also, will know. Jesus Christ tells us, that "a man cannot serve God and Marnmon"; but, in these days, it is difficult to judge which of the two most men are serving; indeed, many a professing Christian would scarcely be able to decide the matter in his own heart.
76. But, as we have already remarked, in addition to terrible sufferings at the hand of man, believers will, also, be scared and tormented by those judgments upon the world which, at the same time, will be coming, in rapid succession, directly from the hand of God. There will be no escape from these woes, except through death; and in the description of one of them, we are told that many in those days will seek death, and will not be able to find it.
77. But, while these fearfully portentous events are taking place, while the people of God are being persecuted, and His Name blasphemed, by the Antichrist, there will be great searchings of heart among the Jews, and perhaps, also, among the Ten Tribes on the other side of the Euphrates. For two mighty witnesses for God, armed with supernatural powers, will then be bearing their testimony to Israel and the world, calling men to repentance, and uttering fearful prophecies of judgment. But their ministry will be altogether on Old Testament lines. There is no hint that they will preach the Gospel of the Grace of God; nor, indeed, would their action be in harmony with such preaching.
Who, then, are these "Two Witnesses" of Revelation 11:3-12? It is very evident that they are persons of great authority and sanctity. Their history is not narrated by John as having formed a part of his vision, but is dictated to him by an angel, and he simply writes it down.
79. The translation of living saints from earth to heaven was a thing not unknown before this time. But it would seem that these two very eminent saints are to be specially sent down from the presence of God, to be His witnesses at this awful juncture. They can hardly be other than human beings, because they have to die (Revelation 11:7). Moreover, we do not see how they can be persons who have already passed through the grave; for it is "appointed unto men once to die"; and, if these had already died, and were to be raised from the dead for the purpose of their testimony, they would, according to the prophecy, have to die twice.
80. The question, then, arises: Are there two eminent saints who have never died, and who would seem fit to assume this honourable but onerous position? Our thoughts immediately turn to Enoch and Elijah, who were translated to heaven without dying (see Chart C, 7 and 15), and that, probably, for the special purpose of being reserved for this very service. We have a further indication in Malachi’s prophecy, which declares that Elijah will be sent back to earth about this time; and, also, in Christ’s announcement, that, before the Great Day, Elias (or Elijah) must first come (Mark 9:12) to do the work at the end of the present age that John the Baptist might have done at its beginning. The following verse (v. 13) seems to convey the idea, that God, knowing the certainty of the rejection of Christ’s person and mission by the Jews, would not, at that time, send Elijah to attempt his predicted work, but substituted John the Baptist in the spirit and power of the ancient prophet. But Elijah himself was reserved until the time of the end, or, as Malachi has it, until just before "the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord." Then both he and his fellow-prophet will be sent to restore "the holy seed," and to make them remember the Law of Moses (Malachi 4:4). For Jews, as Jews, will never receive the Lord Jesus until He actually appears, and they look upon Him Whom they pierced.
81. When the marvellous mission death and subsequent resurrection of the Two Witnesses have been accomplished (No. 38), the full numbers of the Church will be gathered in to the Lord (No. 40), the dead being raised and the living changed and caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-7; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52). And when these are joined to the Firstfruits, which will have been taken up before them, the complete Body of Christ will have been translated from earth to heaven.
82. But, while God’s heavenly people will be thus persecuted and delivered, what will meanwhile be befalling His ancient people Israel? We have already seen (No. 34), that the Jews will have been beginning to return to their own land before the Church is translated. And we have also seen, that they will once more become a recognized nation, and that the event which will exalt them to a place among other peoples will, probably, be the signing of a covenant with them by the Antichrist - "the Prince that shall come" (Daniel 9:26) - for seven years, that is, for the long expected Last or Seventieth Seven.
83. How many Jews there will be in the Land when that event is consummated, we are not told; but we know that the majority of them will be living there in unbelief as regards Jehovah, and in disobedience to His law. As to their attitude towards Christ, they will never, as a nation, believe on Him, until, as we have just said, He actually appears, and they look with their own eyes upon Him Whom they pierced.
84. The "covenant," or treaty, thus made will be seen to operate well for a time. During the first half of the Seven Years the Antichrist will, probably, act as though he respected, or at least tolerated, religion. He will certainly pander to the Roman Catholic Church during the earlier days of his career, because we are told in Revelation 17:1-18., that the Harlot, that is, the false Church, will be carried, or borne, by the Beast which symbolizes the then Emperor of Christendom. Hence, at this early period, the Papacy will rather seem to be patronizing and directing the Antichrist than the Antichrist the Papacy.
85. The fact, that the Antichrist makes a treaty with the Jews for seven years, further indicates, that he will deem them sufficiently powerful to be worth conciliating; and, no doubt, in some way, perhaps financially, they will be in a position to render him important service.
86. But, though it seems evident that he will build up his power and influence with the help of both the Jews and the Papacy, yet it is equally evident, that, later on, he will consider himself sufficiently strong and popular to do away with all religion, the false as well as the true, and to set forth himself as the sole object of veneration and worship.
87. In proof of this we are told, that he will destroy the Papacy (see Revelation 17:15-18), break his treaty with the Jews (Daniel 9:27), and then cause the daily sacrifices, which will have been resumed, to cease, and the "abomination of desolation" to "stand in the Holy Place." We interpret this last clause to mean, that he will cause his own image, of which we read in Revelation 13:14-15, to be placed in the Holy of Holies at Jerusalem, and to be worshipped instead of Jehovah.
88. In all this awful blasphemy, he and his powerful assistant, "the False Prophet" (Revelation 13:11), will be merely fulfilling the predictions of God. (See Revelation 13:5-6.) They will actually cause mankind to worship Satan, or the Dragon, as well as the Antichrist, or Beast (Revelation 13:4). These three, the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet, are set before us as the Satanic Trinity, being the Devil’s mimicry of the Blessed and Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
89. This attempt to force the worst kind of idolatry upon the Jews will, doubtless, be mightily resisted by them, not, perhaps, so much as an insult to God as to themselves; and the consequences of this and other disagreements will be, that the Antichrist will hate the Jews, and turn all his power against them with a view of extirpating them from the face of the earth, just as he will have previously destroyed the Papacy. But, although he will wield gigantic power, it would seem that he will foresee difficulties. For he will gather together, from many nations, a vast and, apparently, irresistible force, to crush Jerusalem; and the very fact, that he will feel the need of so numerous a host to carry out his object, seems to indicate that he will by no means despise his foe. Yet how little will he suspect the might of the Holy One of Israel with Whom he will find himself to be suddenly confronted!
90. His armies will, probably, occupy a line of country between Bozrah and Megiddo, a distance of exactly 1,600 Roman stadia or furlongs (Revelation 14:20), and gigantic will be the host there concentrated. On the other side, the Jews, with their allies, will, doubtless, have their headquarters in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem for the defence of the capital; but they will be in sore straits. Most of the unbelievers among them will by this time have been destroyed, and many, perhaps all, of those who still survive will be sincerely trusting in Jehovah. But there will be nothing but darkness before their eyes, and no possible escape from death, save by the direct interposition of the Most High.
91. And so, they will continue urgent in prayer, lifting up supplications like those in Psalms 55:1-9, or Isaiah 64:1-12.; and, perhaps, strengthening their faith by remembering such words as may be found in Psalms 107:1-43:- "Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses." And this time He will fulfil the Psalm in a wondrous manner, by sending down the Lord Jesus, with all His saints, to tread the winepress of His wrath, and to deal with the wicked as they will be seeking to deal with the Jews. See Revelation 14:19-20, Revelation 19:11-21. This will be "the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord" (No. 42) as described in Joel 2:30-32, Joel 3:9-16; Zechariah 14:1-7; Matthew 24:30. It is the time when the dominion, or line of sovereignty (No. 14), will pass once more out of the hands of the Gentiles, and be restored to the people of God. It is the time when the Stone (No. 44) of Daniel 2:34-35, shall smite the Image which represents the Gentile Empire (Nos. 20, 21, 22, and 23), and grind it to powder at the battle of Armageddon; while the "Stone", Itself shall thenceforth increase, and continue to increase, until It fills the whole earth.
92. But the terrific destruction of the nations will not be the only great event of That Day. For the Beast and the False Prophet will be seized, and cast alive into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone (No. 43): and the Dragon, that is, Satan, will be bound, and shut up in the Abyss for a thousand years; so that his vicious supremacy will be suspended for a season (No. 45). And, lastly, at evening time of that Day, it will grow light, the fearful judgment clouds will be dispersed, and the Millennial joy will thrill the hearts of the Children of Abraham; for then will the Lord Jesus begin His glorious reign over the earth, with David, raised from the dead for that purpose, as His viceroy at Jerusalem.
93. Soon afterwards, the glory of Jehovah, which was removed from the Sanctuary in Ezekiel’s days (No. 16), will return to the Mountain of the Lord (see Ezekiel 43:4, and No. 42), and remain, once more permanently visible, over the restored Temple at Jerusalem (see Isaiah 4:5-6; Isaiah 40:5). These great events mark the close of the old Dispensation. The six working days of the earth’s existence - "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" - are over now, and the earth’s Seventh, or Sabbath, Day of one thousand years, is about to commence. The other Tribes of Israel are brought back into the Land (No. 46); and so, the whole people, who were divided in the days of Rehoboam, are now to be re-united, and dwell together once more in their own country. The several Tribes will not, however, return to the exact spots which they formerly held, but are to be settled in accordance with the redistribution of their Land as described by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 48:1-29), with the rebuilt earthly Jerusalem in the midst of them as their capital (Ezek. 47:30-35).
95. It may be well at this point to mention, that, according to the Bible, the reward in store for those saints of the Israelitish Dispensation who were not, through sin, cut off from their people, is altogether distinct and different from that which is prepared for the sanctified and faithful of the New Testament Dispensation. For the latter have a heavenly calling, and will dwell in the presence of their Lord; while the reward of the Old Testament saints will be to be brought out of their graves and replaced in their own Land.* See Ezekiel 37:12-14, which must be understood literally, since it is the interpretation of the figurative vision of the Dry Bones (see also paragraph 275).
[* There is no scriptural evidence to suggest that New Testament saints will have greater privileges than Old Testament saints.]
96. Christ’s spiritual people, then, will dwell with Him in the Heavenly Places having their dominion in the air, out of which Satan, together with all the fallen angels and demons, will have been driven. But His earthly people will abide in the Land which He had chosen for them, with Jerusalem as their capital, and David, raised from the dead, as their King and the viceroy of Christ upon earth.*
[* Those who are resurrected (from the dead) and changed (via rapture of the living)into an immortal state ‘like the angels’ (Luke 20:35), will be able to rule from the air as well as from the earth as David.]
97. It is highly probable that the inhabitants of the Heavenly Places will frequently visit the earth, just as heavenly beings did in Old Testament times; and, no doubt, the Great King of Kings Himself will personally appear at Jerusalem from time to time, although His actual abode will be in the Heavenly Places, where His people will be with Him.
98. It would not, indeed, be right to be too dogmatic in regard to the glorious things which we have tried to set before the reader. Nevertheless, what we have described seems to be the course of events indicated in Scripture. There is, however, a very solemn thought connected with this subject. Will all those who profess and call themselves Christians be amongst the inhabitants of the Heavenly Places? We are forced to reply, Certainly not; nay, we must even go further; for, probably, there are many who are, in a sense, real believers, and are, therefore, justified and saved from all danger of hell-fire, but will never be suffered to dwell in the Heavenlies during the Millennium, or period of rest and reward. These pardoned, but incomplete, Christians will not awake until the judgment of the Great White Throne. Then they will be raised from the dead; but, since their names will be found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, they will be saved from the [eternal] doom of the wicked; and will, at last, enter upon the fruition of eternal life. Unless, then, we are cleansed and purified [and our standard of righteousness measures] up to God’s standard here below, we shall have to endure the fate of the Foolish Virgins, and be excluded from the Body of Christ and His Millennial Kingdom [See Matthew 5:20]; but shall not lose everlasting life, which is the gift of God, and cannot be recalled (Romans 11:29). Only the fully sanctified and purified will enter the Millennial abode of Christ and His saints. For, just as the original Temple was built of stones fashioned and made ready in the quarry before they were brought to the sacred Building (see 1 Kings 6:7), so the Spiritual Temple is to be formed of "living stones," cleansed and sanctified [in Hades] before they are taken to the Building of which they are to form a part. See paragraph 234.
99. The magnificent period of the Millennium (No. 47), when all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through the Jews, will, however, soon pass by, and then the earth must again be tested by temptation; for many of her inhabitants will be yielding but a feigned obedience to the Lord. Therefore, the imprisoned Powers of Darkness must be let loose, in order that their influence may either rouse men to resist them and to cry to God for help, or may incite the wicked to avow their rebellious thoughts, and to rise in open revolt against their Rightful King (No. 48). The result will be a general insurrection headed by Gog and Magog (No. 49), the details of which are not revealed. After the lapse, of an uncertain period, this rebellion will be subdued, and then Satan will be finally "cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone" (No. 50), where the Beast and the False Prophet are so that he may trouble the world no more.
100. Then commences the scene of terror, when the unsanctified and unsaved dead will all be summoned to stand before the awful judgment-seat of the Great White Throne (No. 51). Myriads will be raised from their graves (No. 52) who have lived and died in carelessness, and, consequently, have no hope of pardon, but will be cast (No. 53) into the horrible Lake of Fire.
101. Others, however, will also he raised at the same time who will not share so appalling a fate. They will be those believers whose names were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, but who, during their sojourn upon earth, had failed to attain, through the power of the indwelling Spirit, to that holiness and purity of heart without which no man shall see the Lord. Consequently, they had not been thought worthy to have part in the First Resurrection, and had lost their reward. Nevertheess, since they did believe in the Lord, they must on the Last Day be raised to that fruition of eternal life which, had they been faithful, they might have enjoyed a thousand years earlier. See John 6:40.
102. The very awful events which we have described will be followed by a purification of the earth, and its, at least partial, reconstruction. The purification will be by fire, which will be such that the very elements will melt with fervent heat, and all dross will be burnt up. Then the Lord will make all things new, and in the New Heavens, and on the New Earth, there shall be nothing that can ever offend. The curse will be altogether removed, and there shall be no more sin, or sorrow, or sighing, or tears, or sickness, or death; for the old things will have passed away.
103. But a memorable event will mark the commencement of the final and everlasting state. For, after the judgment of the Great White Throne, and the casting of all the enemies of the Lord Jesus, including Satan and Death and Hades, into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, His work as a man will have been accomplished. The earth and its heaven will have been purged by Him from sin, and restored to obedience, order, peace, and blessedness. And so, He will deliver up to His Father the royal power and authority which he received as Glorified Man, and retire into the Godhead, which will, thenceforth and through the never-ceasing ages of Eternity, be all in all. See 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.
104. We have thus given a brief outline of the course of events as indicated in the Great Revealed Scheme of God. If these events can be thoroughly realized by the student, he will have a comprehensive idea of "God’s Plan in the Bible." There are, however, many points on which the teaching may reasonably be amplified, and we will now proceed to deal with a few of these points in greater detail.