"VISTAS OF COMING GLORY"
BY Wallace Jackel.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.
*NOTE PAGES REFER TO ORIGINAL BOOK NOT TO ONLINE BOOK

Part One.
I Preliminary Remarks ... page 3.
A general outline of futurist teaching is as follows:
II The Basis of Millenial Beliefs ... page 6.
III The Church in God's Plan ... page 31.
IV The Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks ... page 39.

Part Two. - Questions and Answers.
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Part Three.
I The Nature of the Millenium ... page 125
II Beyond the Thousand Years ... page 131
III The New Heaven and the New Earth ... page 133.

FOREWORD.

In the production of this work, the author has made a valuable contribution towards the right understanding of prophetic and dispensational truth as found in both the Old and New Testaments. A careful study of the scriptures quoted, and the references to the writings of Bible students and teachers, will restore faith and confidence in the "Sure Word of God," and will be a great help to such as have been confused by the writings of some who have rejected the clear plain meaning of "The Scriptures of Truth," by setting forth "the vain reasonings of men". As Jeremiah writes (23, 28), "He that hath MY WORD, let him speak MY WORD faithfully, What is the chaff to the wheat? Saith the Lord". I have found no chaff in this book, but in every chapter "the incorruptible Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever."

Never in the history of mankind has the word of God been so widely distributed and read as in our day: The Lord Himself has said, "Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but MY WORDS shall not pass away, till all these things be fulfilled." Having noted the regenerating and sanctifying power of the WORD OF GOD in the lives of men and women for over sixty years, I most heartily commend this book, for it is the result of careful study and research. It is a book for the times in which we are living. A book that will repay prayerful study, a book that exalts our Saviour God, setting Him forth as Prophet, Priest and King, confirming our faith in the "Living WORD," the "Written WORD" - and in the "Blessed Hope."

Rev. Adam Clarke, Sandringham, Victoria.

APPRECIATION.

The author wishes to express his indebtedness to those who have assisted in typing the manuscript, and in particular to Mrs. H. McGregor of Skene Street,Newtown, Geelong, for her encouragement and practical assistance in the publishing of the book.

Wallace E. Jackel, (Deceased)

PART 1.

CHAPTER 1.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

Bible prophecy is a fascinating theme, yet strangely enough, one which has existed mainly in the backwaters of religious thought.

The reluctance of the Church generally to seriously consider the question of eschatology has left the field wide open for reckless speculators and weird theorists to exploit the public, with the result that the whole thing has become suspect in the popular mind.

However, the advance in science and technology has helped to change all this, and a spirit of genuine enquiry is abroad. The masses have been alert to discern that coupled with the onward rush of progress there exists an inner helplessness and impotence.

Disillusionment and fear are rampant as never before, and many are clutching at the faint hope that somehow civilization as we know it, may survive. This is true, particularly, of the philosophers and scientists of our day, many of whom have assumed the role of "prophets of doom" to this generation. Dr. Ullman recently warned "If we choose wrongly we may be the last generation of mankind." Another scientist recently said "Science, the greatest achievement of man, by its very success has brought the world to the edge of the precipice."

All this has tended to bring the study of prophecy to the very forefront, and the Church, which hitherto has only patronisingly admitted its claims, is now seriously challenged to examine afresh the meaning of the "Christian Hope."

Prophecy is no optional extra, nor is it merely an appendix to the main body of Christian theology, but is an integral part of the Christian system.

Some have been reluctant to study prophetic themes because of the spirit of controversy which so often surrounds them, but of what doctrine cannot this be affirmed. The atonement, the trinity, sanctification, predestination, eternal security have been, and still are, causes of lively discussion and dissent.

This book has been written from a deep sense of duty, for if there is a hope for mankind let us declare it to a generation uneasy with the premonition of doom. It is not always easy to write dispassionately on truths deeply held, but we have sought to combine candour with courtesy, and to discharge our responsibility with the utmost charity to all who adhere to contrary persuasions.

Many have bemoaned these divisions of thought and outlook, but it could scarcely be otherwise in the treatment of so vast a theme, and yet even this diversity is not without it virtues. Every viewpoint must be tested, every interpretation sifted, for heresies and false theories, when fully exposed, do us a service by showing that the truth does not lie in that direction.

PRE-MILLENIALISM.

This school of thought has always maintained that it represents the historic faith of the Church. The system is founded upon a literal interpretation of the Scriptures. The terms of the covenants made with Abraham and David, as well as the vast prophetic literature concerning the Jew and the land, await fulfilment. All pre-millenialists accept the Rapture of the Saints, the Tribulation, the glorious coming of Christ, and the establishment of the Millenial kingdom on earth.

THE A-MILLENIAL THEORY.

The letter "A" is negative and means not or no, and when placed before the word millenium signifies no millenium, or without a millenium. This school flatly rejects any thought of a Millenial kingdom, and is based upon a system of spiritualizing Scripture.

1. That the blessings promised to Israel are now finding their fulfilment in the church. 2. The Jewish nation has no national future in the land. 3. That Satan was bound at the first coming of Christ. 4. That the first resurrection mentioned in Revelation 20:4 the `New Birth' of believers. 5. That the thousand years is an inter-advent period, an idealistic state lying between the first and second advents. 6. That the only coming of Christ which the Church may expect will be for judgement, then follows the eternal state. 7. That the present conflict between good and evil will continue to the end of human history.

FUTURISM.

As this term is used throughout the book, it is necessary that the reader understand exactly what is implied by the expressions.

All Futurists are Pre-millenialists, but not all Pre-millenialists are Futurists.

Futurism is pre-millenialism carried to its logical conclusion. The name arose in connection with a particular interpretation of Revelation. Futurists are so called because they place the main body of Revelation Chapters 4-19 in the future.

A general outline of futurist teaching is as follows:

1. The events of Revelation Chapters 4 - 19 take place after the Church Age ends.
2. The Rapture precedes the Tribulation.
3. Anti-Christ and the False Prophet will exercise dominion for three and a half years.
4. That the two witnesses are actual persons, possibly Elijah and Moses.
5. That the Jewish nation will be revived and restored to Palestine as the head of the nations.
6. The seventieth week of Daniel's prophesy lies in the future and corresponds to the seven years designated "the Tribulation".
7. That Babylon, in its triplicate forms, political, religious, and commercial, will dominate the earth.
8. Jesus Christ will be King of the whole earth for one thousand years, during which Satan will be bound and put out of the way.
9. That the Millenial Temple will be erected in Palestine and a priesthood revived.

The purpose of this book is to examine afresh the basis of the Pre-millenial faith and to give consideration to various aspects of the Futurist interpretation. Throughout the course of the book, representative views of the various schools are quoted, but in particular two books come up frequently for critical survey. "Why I left the Futurist School," by T.H. Salmon, and a larger and more recent work, "A New Heaven and a New Earth" by Mr. A. Hughes. Both books have much in common, in that they both feature the A- millenial theory, and employ the spiritualizing system of interpretation. It is doubtless true of all schools of prophetic thought, that the position has been so closely scrutinized, and the ground so thoroughly covered by earlier writers, that little that is new or original can be offered. Both books then, it would appear, are a synthesis of earlier writings and doubtless offer some of the strongest arguments that can be mustered in the attack against the Pre-millenial faith, and the Futurist interpretation in particular. We recognize that within the Christian Church there is such a thing as a fellowship of controversy, with the free exchange of ideas and opinions and the sifting of doctrinal viewpoints. An enforced uniformity is a thing to be equally dreaded by all. Our attitude is somewhat like that of the interjector at a political meeting, "I don't believe what you say, but I would give my life for your right to say it."

While liberty has its dangers, we believe its advantages are greater than its risks, providing, as it does, the right of testing contrary opinions and beliefs.

We may not like being jolted out of our comfortable mental niches, but truth is no respecter of persons, much less of theories. Facts are cruel and merciless things, and care naught for human opinion and sentiment. "Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up." Pre-millenialists and Futurists welcome the fullest enquiry and the most thorough scrutiny, for the truth wherever it lies will be established the more thereby.

Dissenting thoughts and contrary interpretations, such as we are about to consider, have at least the merit of compelling opposing schools of thought to look at their foundations, lest faith becomes merely traditional and unreasoning.

It is too, a timely jolt to complacency, and to much of the parrotry and servile repetition which characterizes the rank and file, who are not prepared to study the Word, but receive their beliefs ready made.

We suffer no illusions as to the unity of Pre-millenialists and Futurists, in respect to their beliefs. That there are differences on minor points and subsidiary truths, is freely admitted, but these are not foundational, and in no wise invalidate the main thesis.

CHAPTER II.

THE BASIS OF MILLENIAL BELIEFS.

A-Millenialism flatly rejects any notion that a literal millenium is to be expected.

"The thousand years ... of the New Testament is the period from the cross to Christ's second appearing. (A. Hughes, Page 61, "A New Heaven and a New Earth"). "The second coming of Christ will mean the end of this world, and instead of a millenium, the Word of God tells us to look for the New Heaven and the New Earth." (Page 75, "Why I Left the Futurist School," T.H. Salmon.)

The case for the Millenium rests upon the sure foundation of a seven-fold testimony.

1. THE PRE-MILLENIAL FAITH IS FOUNDED UPON A
THOROUGHLY SOUND AND RELIABLE SYSTEM OF INTERPRETATION.

Bible study must be governed by some principles of interpretation if the truth of the Bible is to be arrived at. So vital is this question that no discussion of prophetic themes could be attempted without first stating the underlying principles that are formative of the various schools of thought. In this respect the system of interpretation adopted is decisive, once accepted the literal interpretation and pre-millenialism is inevitable, likewise admit the spiritualizing principle and A-millenialism is the outcome.

This then is the crux of the whole problem and the underlying cause of the vast controversial literature which has grown up around the two systems.

The Pre-millenial faith is founded upon the literal principle of interpretation, which simply means taking Scripture at its face value.

"If the plain sense makes common sense, seek no other sense unless the context plainly indicates that it is to be treated otherwise."

Dr. Bernard Ramm in his book "Protestant Biblical Interpretation" (Page 172), writes.

"Therefore, interpret prophecy literally, unless the evidence is such that a special interpretation is mandatory. The literalist is not one that denies that figurative language and symbols are used in prophecy; his position is that prophecies are to be normally interpreted."

A-Millenialism and kindred schools adopt the spiritualizing principle of interpretation in the field of prophecy. The words of Scripture are not taken at their face value, but are allegorized and compelled to yield an alien meaning.

Now the evident result of the principle of spiritualizing is just chaos and confusion; the words of Scripture are emptied of their primary meaning, and the Bible thereby robbed of its authority.

It is useless for A-millenialists to seek to offset these charges by the assertion that Scripture contains allegory and itself adopts in particular cases the principle of spiritualizing.

There is a vast difference between the inspired interpretation of Bible writers and the fantasies of human imitators.

Concerning the method of allegorizing, or spiritualizing Scripture, Dean Farrer says, "Allegory by no means sprang from spontaneous piety but was the child of rationalism which owed its birth to the heathen theories of Plato. It deserved its name, for it made Scripture say something else than it really meant.

Origen borrowed from the heathen Platonists and Jewish philosophers a method which connects the whole of Scripture into a series of clumsy and incredible enigmas. Allegory helped him (Origen), get rid of Chiliasm (belief in a one thousand years' reign) but it opened the door to deadlier evils. (History of Interpretation, Pages 183-196.)"

Incredible as it may seem, A-millenialists, generally interpret the Scriptures according to the literal principle, until it comes to prophecy, and for some unaccountable reason reverse the process, and yet all prophecy which is clearly known to have been fulfilled, has been literally fulfilled. This is surely a most weighty argument, almost decisive we should think, in the question of interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy. Hundreds of prophecies have been fulfilled, and in every case it was a literal, actual, matter-of-fact fulfilment.

Isaiah 7:14 The Virgin birth.
Micah 5:2 Bethlehem the place of His birth.
Hosea 11:1 The Son called out of Egypt.
Isaiah 11:2 Christ anointed with the Spirit.
Zechariah 9:9 The public entry into Jerusalem.
Psalm 41:9 Christ betrayed by a friend.
Zechariah 13:7 Forsaken by the disciples.
Zechariah 11:12 Christ sold for 30 pieces of silver.
Zechariah 11:13 The Potters field purchased.
Isaiah 50:6 Spat on and scourged.
Psalm 34:20 Not a bone of Christ broken.
Psalm 22:16 His hands and feet pierced.
Jeremiah 31:15 The slaughter of the babes at Bethlehem.
Daniel 9:26 The exact year of Christ's death foretold.

It is said that over one hundred distinct prophecies were fulfilled at our Lord's first advent. All theses predictions received a literal fulfilment and on this divine precedent we base our convictions that the vast prophetic literature relating to the second advent will be fulfilled with the same meticulous literalness. The allegorical principle has wrought havoc with the Scriptures throughout the history of the church and is nothing less an anarchy in the field of Biblical interpretation. It is, therefore, not something that can be taken up lightly, for it is bound up with other grave and vital matters. It touches the question of interpretation itself, and is in actual fact a tacit rejection of verbal inspiration, emptying as it does the words of Scripture of their plain literal sense and turning Scripture into a series of tantalising enigmas.

We do not wish to imply that all who adopt this principle necessarily reject the doctrine of verbal inspiration. On the contrary, many such are doughty contenders of verbal inspiration, but the principle basically is a contradiction of the doctrine of verbal inspiration.

The expression, "verbal inspiration," literally means word inspiration, and those who adopt this truth believe that in the final analysis the words of Scripture as originally given, were chosen by the Holy Spirit. Every word then has one basic and primary meaning, so that any alteration entirely frustrates the intention of the Spirit in selecting particular words to express vital distinctions. What shall we say then of a system that alters the sense of the words, so that every man may draw from a word a meaning to suit his whims and fancies. Writing concerning the prophecies relative to the Jews,
Dr. Sidlow Baxter says,
"To spiritualize their plain meaning seems to us a deep irreverence to the Holy Spirit." Dr. Seiss has this to say concerning spiritual- izing,
"It upturns all acknowledged principles of interpretation from their very foundations. It opens the door for the explaining away of every distinctive feature of the Christian faith. It turns all the great promises of God, and the hopes of the Church into mist, dimness and dreary nothing."

For this reason, the spiritualizing principle finds ready acceptance with modernism, which it undoubtedly tends to foster and promote. For the thing that most offends the liberal mind is the note of authority, the sense of absoluteness that pervades Holy Writ. Any system, therefore, that denies the literal truth of Scripture, that manipulates the meaning of words, and renders Scripture uncertain and ambiguous is well pleasing to the modernist mind.

It is just here that A-millenialism unwittingly plays into the hands of the enemy. Examples of this very thing are found throughout the book, "A New Heaven and New Earth." For example, on pages 155-156 numerous literal statements are called into question. Are we to understand that the psychology at the back of these mental questionings suggests God's inability to do the thing He declares, or is there inherent in A-millenialism a subtle species of unbelief? We suggest that such an attitude to the Scriptures is disastrous, particularly to young and immature minds, and comes disconcertingly near to the modernist approach. Pre-millenialism, on the other hand, is free from any trace of modernism. Nay, the literal principle, upon which it is founded, precludes any such possibility.

From all that has been said it will be quite clear that interpretation is all-important and wholly determinative of one's views of prophecy. We therefore suggest three guiding principles, which if faithfully followed, will unlock the secrets of the Bible and allow it to speak its message to the human heart.

1. Interpret each passage of Scripture according to the plain literal sense of the words employed, unless the peculiar wording suggests that it be understood otherwise.

2. Interpret each passage according to its immediate context giving due consideration to what immediately precedes the text and what follows. By following this practice the text will be illuminated by the context. There is a saying current among Bible teachers, "A text taken out of its context is a pretext," and this vicious practice of wrenching texts out of their context is a prolific cause of error, which has wrought havoc in the field of interpretation, and filled Christian circles with confusion. We indict A-millenialists in particular with this practice, for an unbiased consideration of the context would be disastrous to their scheme.

3. Interpret every passage according to the wider context of parallel and related passages found in other parts of the Bible. The criticism that the Bible is "like a wax nose" that can be turned any way is only true insofar as the Bible is misapplied by prejudice and fancy. By comparing Scripture with Scripture we allow the Bible to become its own interpreter and the full testimony of truth is thereby obtained.

II. THE PRE-MILLENIAL FAITH
IS FOUNDED UPON THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT.

But someone raises the query. What has a Covenant in Genesis 15 to do with a chapter in Revelation? Very much, in every way. The revival of Israel, its restoration to the land and its primacy among the nations is an integral part of the Kingdom programme. Pre-millenialism, in its widest connotation is a Bible truth, not merely a particular interpretation of one chapter in the Revelation. In Revelation 20 we have an Old Testament doctrine in a New Testament setting, for while the Old Testament is literally studded with predictions relative to the Kingdom, only in Revelation 20 are we told its exact duration. Revelation 20 is vitally related to the body of Old Testament prophecy, and has its roots deep down in the subsoil of Genesis 15.

The terms of this covenant are found in Genesis 15, for all that God has promised to Abraham He now confirms by a visible sign. Abraham is bidden to make the customary preparation, when two persons ratify a covenant. Certain animals and birds were slain, and the carcasses of the former divided and set in two rows. In the case of a human covenant, both parties would solemnly pass between the animal parts. It was the highest form of an oath, and signified if either party were false to the oath, he merited a fate similar to the slain animals. Among men it takes two to make a covenant, but not in this case for God was the sole actor, and Abraham a mere observer. The presence of God, symbolized by a light, passes between the divided emblems emphasizing the unconditional nature of the covenant which depended upon God's faithfulness alone.

The national aspect of the Abrahamic covenant has direct bearing on the Pre-millenial position at two points.

First, it promises to Israel a permanent existence as a nation, and unless it can be proven that the Church is now the inheritor of Israel's blessings and curses, then it logically follows that Israel has yet a national future in the land.

The second question that arises relates specifically to the land of Palestine. Do the terms of the Abrahamic covenant promise Israel permanent possession of the land? If it does, then Israel has yet to come into possession of the land, for Israel has never yet possessed the land according to the terms of this covenant.

THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT WAS UNCONDITIONAL AND OF GRACE.

For the sake of clarity, the expression "unconditional covenant" needs to be further amplified. The expression signifies that the covenant, on the human side, had no conditions attached thereto. There was one side to the agreement, and that was God's, and the final honouring of the covenant depended upon His faithfulness alone.

Later at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19) Jehovah made a covenant with Abraham's descendants, but with this vital difference; the covenant was binding on both parties. Exodus 19:8 records the acceptance by the nation of the responsibility under the contract of the law, "and all the people answered together and said, `All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.' And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord."

Israel never kept her part of the bargain, the contract so solemnly entered into was shamefully broken time and again. The whole thing was abortive and Israel failed to enjoy its benefits through her unfaithfulness. There is therefore, a fundamental difference between the two types of covenants, which is far- reaching in its effect. God made no demands upon Abraham, neither did Abraham enter into contract with Jehovah. The unconditional nature of the covenant cannot be stressed too greatly, for it is intensely vital to the Pre-millenial position.

The unconditional nature of the covenant is clearly shown by two factors.

1. The original terms of the covenant are stated without any conditions connected therewith.

2. The unique way in which the covenant was solemnized put the matter beyond all doubt. "And it came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates." (Genesis 15:17-18).

The smoking furnace and burning lamp, typifying Jehovah, alone passed between the slaughtered animals. The covenant then was absolutely unconditional. Though Abraham sinned after this contract, yet the covenant, still unconditional, was confirmed to Isaac. Though Isaac failed repeatedly, the covenant was confirmed to Jacob, still without condition.

If language means anything, then the covenant must certainly have a future fulfilment.

III. THE PRE-MILLENIAL FAITH IS FOUNDED UPON THE DAVIDIC COVENANT.

The Divine covenant confirmed to King David is recorded in 2 Samuel 7:12:16.

The time had come for Jehovah to openly declare the great purpose He decreed in His eternal councils for Israel's King. The immediate setting, out of which the declaration arose, was David's conversation with Nathan concerning the desire of his heart, to build the Lord a house. However laudable David's intention, it was refused, but in place of this unfulfilled desire Nathan revealed things infinitely more glorious for David's posterity and Kingdom. The covenant confirmed to David had three distinct provisions. The Divine Decree guaranteed:

1. A Davidic House forever.
That is, David would have a posterity, an ultimate seed which would abide forever.

2. A Davidic Throne forever.
A throne as literal as any earthly throne would be established forever.

3. A Davidic Kingdom forever.
A realm for the exercise of royal authority forever. In the process of revealing the terms of this covenant to David, a second person comes prominently into the picture, and to him likewise these promises are confirmed.

(a) To Solomon was granted the privilege denied to David, namely, the building of the Temple of the Lord.

(b) Jehovah reiterated the promise made to David, that the throne of Solomon would be established forever. While the perpetuity of the throne was guaranteed to Solomon no promise was made to him concerning the occupancy of the throne by his seed. David received the promise of an abiding seed, but not Solomon. This is a most significant fact, that must be recognized to avoid difficulty in reconciling the covenant with its ultimate fulfilment. It should be carefully noted that two lines issue from David, the royal line through Solomon, and the legal line through Nathan. The royal line through Solomon was cut off due to the wickedness of King Jechoniah (Coniah) Jeremiah (22-30, 36:30) so that no actual descendant of Solomon's line could occupy the throne forever. There was, on the other hand, the legal line through the eldest son Nathan. Mary was descended from David through the "legal line" while Joseph was descended from King David through the royal line, and thus David's greater son, who himself is the seed in view here, is a direct descendant of Israel's King and his title is unaffected by the curse of Jechoniah.

(c) God confirmed to Solomon the blessing of his abiding presence, but solemnly enjoined that disciplinary judgement would be visited upon him for disobedience. In other words, Solomon' moral aberrations did not annul the covenant blessings. A- millenialists teach that disobedience cancels the covenant. History, however, records that all that God declared came to pass. Solomon was judged for his apostasy, but the covenant stood unaffected by Solomon's failures.

THE FULFILMENT OF THE DAVIDIC COVENANT.

Since both David and Solomon, and their respective Kingdoms, came to an end, the promises can only refer to a future time when one unspecified in the covenant, would ascend the throne of David and exercise an everlasting dominion. But do I hear someone protest? "Why, the throne of David has crumbled to the dust and the throne has no occupant for night two thousand five hundred years." We grant that all that is true, but it is not necessary that the throne be continuously occupied, to ensure the validity of the covenant. What is essential to the future fulfilment of the covenant is that the royal line be not lost. The genealogies of Jesus Christ in Matthew and Luke being the only ones now extant. Thus the lineage has not been lost, though the continuity of rulership has ceased for two and a half milleniums. Jesus Christ then, is the only one who can establish his claim to the throne of David. The blessings of the Davidic covenant have been held in abeyance during the period of Israel's disfavour and rejection, but have in no wise been cancelled.

All are agreed that the ultimate fulfilment of the Davidic promises are to be realized in Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:31-33 attests to this fact.

"31. And, behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

32. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever: and of his Kingdom there shall be no end.

That the former part of the prophecy was literally fulfilled at the first advent guarantees that the unfulfilled portion will receive the same factual endorsement.

IV. THE PRE-MILLENIAL FAITH IS BASED ON THE NEW COVENANT.

The covenant Jehovah will conclude with Israel in the coming age. The great prophecy which contains the terms of this covenant is found in Jeremiah 31:31-40.

The passage of Scripture naturally divides itself into three parts:

1. The new covenant and its provisions. 2. God's immutable purpose guarantees its consummation and fulfilment. 3. Geographical changes which accompany the realization of the covenant.

1. THE NEW COVENANT AND ITS PROVISIONS.

A. This great prophecy has nothing whatever to do with the Gentiles or the Church in this age. God is careful to specify two groups of people for whom the covenant is intended, the "House of Israel" and the "House of Judah." (Jeremiah 31:31). The covenant is designated "new" in contradistinction to the old law-covenant given at Sinai (Exodus 19:32) Jeremiah 31:31.33 informs us of God's intention.

BEHOLD, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt: which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 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 inward parts, and write it in their hears: and will be their God and they shall be my people:

B. The Old Covenant at Sinai was conditional. God made demands on Israel which she failed to keep, but the new covenant in contradistinction to the old law-covenant is unconditional. God comes to man giving, not demanding. Five times there occurs the expression "I will" thus guaranteeing its performance and perpetuity.

C. God will put His law into their hearts, and they shall be a regenerated people, verse 33.

D. God will again own them as His people. The "Lo Ammi" sentence which has hung like an incubus over the apostate nation, will be lifted for ever (verse 33).

E. The sin of Israel will be remembered no more. The reference here is not to the sins in general, but to a specific sin: the national sin of rejection (verse 34.)

F. The entire nation of Israel will have the knowledge of God (verse 34.)

G. The Divine guarantee of national security (verse 40.)

2. GOD'S IMMUTABLE PURPOSE CONCERNING THE COVENANT

"Thus saith the Lord which giveth the sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night ...If these ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever."
Israel's everlasting perpetuity as a NATION is as immutable as the laws which God has imposed on the universe.

Mr. Salmon (page 57) makes the incredible statement "There is no Jewish nation" while Mr. Hughes denies that Scripture is a complete answer to the A-millenial invention, that natural Israel has passed off the stage, and its promised blessings have been transferred to what they chose to term "Spiritual Israel" or "New Israel," which in A-millenial thought corresponds to the Church. Furthermore, the Lord makes a condition: "If heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord."

When science has measured the universe, and searched out the depths, then God will cast off His people, but this will never be accomplished. It is to be noted that geographical changes accompany the fulfilment of the covenant. The concluding verses of chapter 31 belong to the context of this great prophecy. They are vital indeed, for they fix the time when the new covenant will be ratified. Seeing that none of these topographical changes have come to pass there is but one conclusion that can be arrived at, the prophecy remains still unfulfilled and the A-millenial teaching that this covenant is now being realized in the life of the Church and that Israel exists no longer as a nation, like Dagon of old, it falls from its respectable niche and lies broken before the Ark of God.

In verse 38-40 which conclude this chapter, the new city, the millenial Jerusalem is in view. The enlarged city will enclose new areas including some place hitherto considered unclean. The tower of Hananeel, the corner gate, the hill of Gareb (Leper's Hill), Goath, the valley of dead bodies, and of the ashes, the brook Kedron, the horse gate, were seven well-known land-marks in Jerusalem and its immediate environs, and will again be so in the day of restoration. Pre-millenialists look for a literal fulfilment of all these things. The only alternative is to spiritualize these geographical locations and find some spiritual quality in the church to which they correspond. Would our A- millenial friends tell us what all these names and places refer to after a spiritual fashion. What, for example, could the valley of dead bodies, or the ashes, the hill Gareb, signify either in the Church or the Eternal Order? Seeing that it is impossible to spiritualize such exact physical locations we are compelled to believe that all things written here will receive a factual endorsement in the day of Messiah's reign.

V. THE PRE-MILLENIAL FAITH IS FOUNDED
ON OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES.

The proper study of the subject of the millenium begins with the relevant Old Testament prophecies.

The Old Testament is the background of Christian eschatology. Thought forms, symbols, figures of speech, are almost wholly drawn from this source, and therefore, every prophecy must be interpreted in harmony with the entire body of predictive truth. The attempt to isolate Revelation 20 from the main body of prophecy does violence to the Scriptures, and renders a correct conclusion impossible.

There are three fundamental conceptions that underlie Old Testament eschatology, namely, the Day of Jehovah, the establishment of the Kingdom, and the advent of Messiah.

The earlier literary prophets, beginning with Amos, saw these events as the national hope of Israel, but with the later prophets, the hope of Israel becomes the hope of the world. These basic conceptions of Israel's hope are prominently features in Revelation 19 and 20. No one doubts that Revelation 19 depicts the coming of "the great and terrible Day of the Lord," then immediately following in chapter 20 there is recorded the binding of Satan, and the setting up of the millenial Kingdom, supplementing, as it does, Old Testament prophecy. It is our purpose in this chapter to give brief consideration to these relevant prophecies.

GOD'S OATH-BOUND COVENANT TO DAVID

Psalm 89 is based upon the Davidic covenant as recorded in 2 Samuel 7:8,17. All the promises made on that occasion are here re- affirmed with a pronounced definiteness that is truly amazing. The expression the "faithfulness of God" is used seven times, the divine guarantee is re-inforced by the expression twice used in verses 34 and 35. "I will not lie," while the expression "I have sworn" is used in verses 3, 35 and 49. We are not able to deal fully with this lengthy Psalm, but content ourselves with several outstanding verses:

"I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David, my servant." "Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations" (vv.2,3.) "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. "Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie to David. His seed shall endure forever and his throne as the sun before me." (vv.34- 36).

Despite the declaration of this Psalm, we are asked to believe that God has gone back on His Word, and denied the thing which has gone forth out of His mouth, to wit, that Israel will again be established as a nation and that the throne of David will be set up in the land of their fathers.

EGYPT, ISRAEL AND ASSYRIA IN THE MILLENIUM.

These three ancient nations were all brought to their knees by divine judgement, but in the purpose of God they are to be lifted up and enjoy a national future in millenial time. This is the theme of the latter portion of Isaiah 19. "In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan ... In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord ... And the Lord shall be known to Egypt and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation, yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord and perform it ... In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land ... Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel mine inheritance." (Isaiah 19:18-25).

The particulars of this prophecy which have never been fulfilled are:

1. Judah a terror to Egypt.
2. Five cities in Egypt speaking the language of Canaan, and invoking the name of Jehovah.
3. An altar for the worship of Jehovah in the midst of Egypt.
4. The Egyptians crying to Jehovah for deliverance, and worshipping Jehovah when He has saved them.
5. The Egyptians and Assyrian worshipping Jehovah together.
6. A highway opened to Assyria for peaceful pursuits. 7. Israel a third with Egypt and Assyria. a blessing in the midst of the earth.

"For Jehovah of Hosts has blessed them saying, `Blessed by Egypt my people, and Assyria, the work of my hands and Israel mine inheritance'."

What is to be done with this prophecy? Reject a literal interpretation and bundle these nations out of God's programme, denying them a national future.

Juggle with Scripture in the manner of the liberal theologians, until its truth has evaporated and its meaning perverted and debased, so that it means something altogether different?

THE GOLDEN AGE TO COME

Isaiah is one of the great prophetic visions of all times. In a chaotic and disintegrating world,
how refreshing to read this glorious chapter.

Not so much wishful thinking, or something unrealistic, but facts related to the contemporary situation around us. The sun is setting behind ominous storm clouds of our day, judgement is coming, tribulation is on its way, but beyond lies the promise of a better day. The King will return and the glory of His Kingdom shall fill the earth.

1. The King's lineage is declared. The coming one is of the lineage of King David. (Verse 1.)
2. The King's power is revealed. The sevenfold Spirit of wisdom and power rest upon Him, ensuring the triumph of the Kingdom. (vv.2,3.)
3. The character of His reign is declared (vv.4,5) A social order, where righteousness reign. Human government fails more through moral defects than administrative procedure, but here is a true, planned economy set up after the Divine order.
4. The effect of Messiah's reign - the curse of Eden is removed, ferocity disappears from the animals, and nature "red in tooth and claw," is emancipated.(vv.6,7,8.)
5. An age of righteousness. "The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord a the waters cover the sea." (v.9.).
6. The restoration of dispersed Israel declared. (vv.11,12.)
7. Tribal animosity will cease, and Israel will be victorious over her enemies. (vv.13,14.)

There is nothing in history that can parallel the transformation here depicted. We therefore conclude that there must be a coming age when all these things will find their fulfilment.

THE KING AND THE KINGDOM. (Isaiah 9:6,7).

The first part of this prophecy has literally been fulfilled. The child has been born into the world, the gift of the Son has been made. The glory of His person and the high office He fulfils are declared in five majestic titles. Thee are not empty titles but belong to His very nature and office.

The world did not recognize Him when He came. They cried out, "We have no king but Caesar"; "We will not have this man to rule over u." It was His right to sit on the throne of David but He was denied this right and eventually thrust out and crucified. Is the prophecy then to go unfulfilled? Is the behaviour of men to cancel the divine fiat? Certainly not!

This prophecy is accompanied by a Divine guarantee:
"The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this."

The importance of the genealogies of Matthew and Luke are seen at this point. Jesus Christ is the only one who can prove His claim to the Davidic throne, for all other records have long ago perished. Though the Jewish nation has been brutally disillusioned by a succession of false messiahs, yet the prophecy is certain, and its literal fulfilment sure.

A DEAD NATION COMES TO LIFE AGAIN

Chapter 37 of Ezekiel records the resurrection of the Jewish nation.
The dead nation is brought back to life to take its place again among the nations of the earth.

Ezekiel is transported into a valley full of dry bones and ass he surveys the ghastly scene, he is bidden to prophesy. Immediately the bones come together to form complete skeletons, which are then covered with sinews, flesh and skin. Finally the wind blows upon the inanimate bodies, and they rise up and live. The divine programme is so clearly stated that little comment is needed, and yet some have missed the point entirely, making it a vision of physical resurrection, or a type of spiritual regeneration.

The bones are declared to be "the whole house of Israel." (Ezekiel 37:11). What sort of exegesis is it then that takes this chapter and applies it to the Church. Can these bones live? (Ezekiel 37:3). How many Jewish patriots have contemplated this question! Can Israel be a nation again? Can the ancient people have a national future? For centuries historians and politicians have said "No". Arnold Toynbee, one of the leading historians of our day, refers to the Jews as a "fossil civilization without a future". Contrary to all these voices, the Word of God says Israel will live again.

"Then said he unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel ... Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel ... and I shall place you in your own land."

THE FIVE WORLD EMPIRES OF HISTORY

Daniel 2 is in some respects the most remarkable chapter in the Old Testament. Prophecy is only history in advance, and in this chapter Gentile world power is traced to its final end. The immediate circumstances which were the occasion of the vision, was a certain dream which left Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, in a state of fear and perplexity. The incubus weighed so heavily upon him that he called the wise men and required of them that they should not only recall the vision but interpret it as well. Doom loomed over their heads, until Daniel interposed, and in answer to the prayer of His servant, God vouchsafed the outline of the vision and its interpretation.

Secular history confirms how this prophecy up to verse 41 has come to pass. First the head of gold, the Babylonian Kingdom, reached the zenith of its power in the day of Nebuchadnezzar, 606 B.C., but later it collapsed before the onslaughts of the second world power, Medo-Persia, 538 B.C., (the shoulder of Silver). This Empire, in due course, was overthrown by Alexander the Great, 330 B.C., (thighs of Silver). The Grecian Empire swept all before it, but on the death of Alexander, there was a four-fold division of the Empire, which persisted until Rome (the legs of Iron), established herself as mistress of the world, 50 B.C. Finally, the unity of Rome was disrupted when the Eastern or Greek Empire separated from the Western or Latin Empire. The Western Empire fell before the successive waves of barbarian invasions in 476 A.D. while the Eastern Empire lingered on, in a weakened form, until 1476 A.D.

The last of the Emperors died defending Constantinople against Mohammed III. Thus the fourth Empire passed off the stage. and all the image has been fulfilled with the exception of the feet and the ten toes. The ten toes, corresponding to the horns of Daniel 7.20 symbolize ten Kings which are yet to arise in the geographical limits of the ancient Roman Empire. It is in the days of these ten Kings that the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed.

This is the fifth or final world Kingdom, answering to the Kingdom of Old Testament prophecy and the Millenium of the New Testament.

We particularly draw the attention of our readers to the significance of verses 34-35.

The "smiting stone" is Christ and the destruction of the image represents the total overthrow of all earthly government. Thus the Kingdom comes from without, with a display of power and glory, and civilization as we know it will end in shattering judgement.

Kings and dictators, have arisen from time to time, all bent on bringing the world under their sway, but they have all failed. The four world Kingdoms have run their predicted course and the world awaits the fifth Kingdom, and when it comes it will endure for a thousand years.

A-Millenialists interpret this vision to support the theory of the establishment of the Kingdom at Pentecost but the vision, if taken in its entirety, refutes the whole theory.

Did Jesus Christ smite the nations at His first coming? Were the nations reduced to nothingness at the first advent? On the contrary, the Roman Empire smote Him and nailed Him to a Cross. This one fact is sufficient to disprove all theories which reject the millenary doctrines. The mock trial, the crown of thorns, the reed-sceptre, the mangled form on the cross, the jeering crowds, the thrust of the Roman spear, are quite the opposite to all that is unfolded in Daniel 2, and in that case the Kingdom awaits a future time.

THE FIVE WORLD-EMPIRES ACCORDING TO DANIEL 7.

Some forty eight years after the vision of the image, God granted another vision, this time to Daniel. The symbolism differs, but the truth it enforces is the same. The prophet beheld a vision, a winged lion (Babylon), a bear (Medo-Persia), a leopard (Greece), and the terrible nondescript (Rome). The fourth beast aroused Daniel's curiosity, especially the ten horns, which the beast carried on its head, from which emerged an eleventh horn, which subdued three of the former horns.

The Scriptures leave us in no doubt that the ten horns are ten Kings, which appear right at the end of this age. The Roman Empire, which was at first one Empire, ceased to be an Empire in 476 A.D., but it will be revived in the form of a "Ten Kingdom Confederacy." The eleventh horn gains ascendancy over the ten- leagued Kingdom, and persecutes the saints. Comparing this phenomena with other related Scriptures, we know that the little horn is anti-Christ who rules for three and one-half years, and at the end of his terrible rule, judgement descends and the Kingdom is ushered in.

(Daniel 7:9-28)

Taken together the visions of Daniel 2 and 7 teach:

1. That the destruction of earthly kingdoms will be sudden. There will be no long drawn out process of disintegration, but sudden destruction will engulf the existing order; and man's boasted civilization will be no more.

2. That the Kingdom is set up by Divine power and not by human agencies. Any notion of "bringing in the Kingdom" by the gospel, education, or civilization is ruled out completely. The fetish of the modern pulpit, "Bringing in the Kingdom" in the light of these prophecies is but a mental mirage, a theological aberration.

3. That there will never be another world Empire ruled by man; the Bible says give world Kingdoms and no more. The Holy Roman Empire, the Russian Empire, the French Empire, the British Empire were great in their day, but they were not world Empires in that they existed contemporaneous with other Empires. Kings, dictators and emperors have arisen and flourished for a time but none have achieved world dominion.

4. That the Kingdom here envisaged cannot be established until certain developments have matured:

i. The appearance of ten Kings in the geographical territory of the pagan Roman Empire. ii. The appearance of the eleventh King. iii. The subjugation of three of the ten Kings and the dictatorship of the eleventh King. iv. The total destruction of all political institutions, and kingdoms pertaining to "man's day."

THE COMING OF THE LORD - NOT THE END OF HISTORY (Zechariah 14).

Deep indeed is the darkness with which this chapter opens, but glorious indeed is the radiance with which it closes. The events of this great chapter are arranged in chronological order, and sound the death-knell of all theories that deny the millenium. A- millenialists and others who declare that the coming of the Lord writes finish to human history are dumb before this great prophecy, for after the judgements of the Day of the Lord have run their course, man is still on the earth, the nations are still here, the land of Egypt is still in existence. Christ is reigning, and Jerusalem, rebuilt, is still there, with the tribes of the earth going up to worship. Obviously the coming of the Lord does not end human history, but brings this present age to its close and ushers in a better day.

The particulars of this chapter are so crucial that we propose giving them in detail.

V 1. The Day of the Lord.
V 2. The sacking of Jerusalem.
V 3. The Lord fights for Israel.
V 4. He comes to the Mount of Olives.
Vv.4-5 The great world earthquake.
V 5. The coming of the Lord with His saints.
Vv.6-7 The prolonged daylight - a unique day.
V 8. The water flowing from the sanctuary in Jerusalem linking the Mediterranean Sea
with the Dead Sea.
V 9. The Lord King over all the earth.
V10. Great Geographical changes in Palestine.
V11. Social Security.
Vv.12-16 The overthrow of the invading hordes by Divine judgement.
V16. The nation going up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord of Hosts.
Vv.17-19 Penalties for disobedient nations who refuse to worship at Jerusalem.
Vv.20-21 Jerusalem a Holy City.

There are some thirty distinct predictions in this chapter. They represent realities to be expected in the coming age. To regard this testimony otherwise is to mangle the Word of God and render what is clear and definite, chaotic and unintelligible.

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION OF ISRAEL IN THE MILLENIUM.

The concluding part of Ezekiel, chapters 40-48 gives a description of the restored temple along with the various religious arrangements and ordinances of Israel. This portion of Scripture is among the most neglected in the Word of God, but richly repays the student who is willing to carefully read through the mass of detail.

Exact measurements are given, locations are mentioned, territories specified;
all of which forbids any spiritualizing.

Ezekiel 37:26 says, "I will et my sanctuary in the midst of them." The grandeur and beauty of the temple and the city are described, and exact measurements given. The chambers, porches, gates, posts, windows, courts, singers, priests, pavements, regulations for sacrifice, ordinances for the minister of the sanctuary, are meticulously set forth. The place of the throne, the altar, the offerings, are all mentioned. The river which flows from the sanctuary is a reality, for at a defined location, fishermen are permitted to ply their craft.

The boundaries of the land are defined, and fourteen towns or districts are mentioned, also the names of the tribes and their respective allotments.

Bible students who find no difficulty in accepting other prophecies literally, cavil at these chapters. Some, in despair, declare that it is an ideal picture never intended to be realized, but the whole picture fits in exactly with what is revealed elsewhere in the Word of God.

VI. THE MILLENIUM IS BASED ON
THE PROPHETIC TEACHING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), informs us that Jesus Christ is to rule on the Throne of David in a future age. Luke 1:31-33 contains six facts - three relating to His first coming, and a like number to His second appearing. The prophecies concerning His first coming have literally been fulfilled, and this guarantees that the rest of the prophecy will be fulfilled with the same exactness.

i. Thou shalt . . . bring forth a Son.
ii. He shall be called JESUS.
iii. He shall be great.
iv. He shall be called the Son of the Highest.
v. The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David. vi. He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever.

How impossible to accept the former facts of the prophecy literally, and give a spiritual interpretation to the rest - making the reign of Christ over the house of Jacob Christ's spiritual rule over the church in this age.

2. The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-45). The glorious song of praise which flowed from the lips of Mary breathes the national hope of the nation. The Magnificat is divided into two parts - one, that which concerns Mary personally,; her joy, and the place of privilege accorded to her; the second part sets forth Israel' expectation according to the ancient covenants. God has helped Israel according, as He promised, to the Fathers of the race. The Abrahamic covenant is in view here. A-millenial teaching declares that the violation of the Sinaitic covenant cancelled the Abrahamic covenant, ignoring the conditional nature of the former and the unconditional terms of the latter. Mary, however, believed that the covenant with Abraham was still in force as did Zecharias.

3. The Benedictus (Luke 1:67-79). The prophecy of Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, is purely Jewish in tone, and breathes in every line the normal expectation of every Jewish patriot. The prophecy consists of two parts:

i. The establishment of the theocracy under Messiah.
ii. The nature of John' ministry a forerunner to Messiah.

Zacharias mentions the following facts in order:

Part One. THE NATION OF ISRAEL.

i. National redemption for Israel.
ii. Messiah raised up in David's House.
iii. Israel saved from its enemies as the prophets declared.
iv. Messiah is to fulfil the ancient covenants, particularly the oath God sware unto Abraham.
v. To establish peace and righteousness in Israel.

Part Two. THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

i. John the Baptist was the prophet of the Highest.
ii. He was the forerunner of Messiah.
iii. To give knowledge of salvation and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
iv. To give light to those who sit in darkness.

No reference is made anywhere to the Gentiles. The objection that the Jewish nation had a false expectation, and ought not to have been looking for the restoration of the Kingdom, but rather the death of Messiah and the spiritual Kingdom represented by the Church is contrary to every inspired prophecy.

The expectation of Zacharias represents the faith of the nation down to the days of Christ.

THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY

When Jesus presented Himself at Jerusalem, the crowds in their enthusiasm cried out,
"Blessed is He that cometh -- Blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David."
(Mark 11:9-10).

While the issue of Kingship was still in their minds, Jesus said to His enemies,
"Ye shall not see me henceforth until that day when ye shall say,
`Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord'."

There is another triumphant entry coming, when the King returns, and the whole nation will arise to acclaim Him.

THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS YET FUTURE.

"Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:20-22).

Christ has passed into the heavens, but not forever. The word "until" covers the Church age. When the Church age has run its course, then comes the day of restoration. The nature of this restoration is revealed in the writings of the prophets - restoration for Israel, and blessing for the entire earth.

THE DISCIPLES' QUESTION.

"Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel." (Acts 1:6). The disciples were asking a relevant, intelligent question. The crucifixion was past, the resurrection had taken place, and right on the eve of Pentecost the disciples still believed and anticipated that the Kingdom would be set up. The very fact that the Lord used the expression "Times and seasons" is clear evidence that, at the time appointed, the Kingdom would be established.

THE DIVINE TIME TABLE.

The divine programme, the schedule of coming events, is clearly set forth in Acts 15:14-17. Dispensationally it is one of the most important Scriptures in the realm of prophecy. Here, the Lord tells us what he proposes to do in relation to the Church, Israel and the world.

CREATION YET TO BE DELIVERED (Romans 8:18-25).

The present condition of nature is not what it was when it came from the hand of God. What we see around us is not the normal state, but rather an abnormal condition of things, due to divine judgement on sin; Creation now rests under the curse, for somehow, the sin of man brought chaos to the lower orders of creation. Future deliverance awaits creation, and then its pain and travail will be at an end. In verse 19 creation is pictured as with outstretched neck it awaits the blessed day of emancipation. The Prophets and the Psalms, in telling out the full story of the coming glory, never fail to speak of the blessings in store for creation. REVELATION 20.

This great chapter is usually approached with a partisan bias. The "best left alone" attitude has been adopted generally among Christians. Opponents of the Pre-millenial faith never weary of reminding us that Revelation 20 is the only place in the Bible where one thousand years is mentioned. But, we ask, wherein does this weaken the argument? In the Authorised Version, the word occurs six times in the one chapter. The validity of a doctrine does not depend on the number of times it is mentioned in the Scriptures. A doctrine once stated is as authoritatively established as if it were stated a hundred times. How often must God say a thing before it is true? Just once! But here in one chapter the Holy Spirit, as if anticipating modern unbelief, has reiterated it six times.

Again, it is declared that Chapter 20 is highly symbolic, and incapable of being literally fulfilled. On the contrary, we assert that the chapter contains substantial realities. The angel, the Devil, heaven, the battle, the Beast, False Prophet, the pit, the little season, the throne, the reign of Christ, the resurrections, are all real, and must be accepted literally.

Some who accept the chain as figurative pose the question: How can a spirit be fettered by an iron chain? But where, we ask, is a chain of iron mentioned? There are substances other than physical matter. All these things have counter-parts in the spiritual realm, and whatever the chain consists of it can bind angels and fetter spirits.

Jude 6 reminds us that certain rebel angels, at this very time, are reserved in everlasting chains, unto the judgement of the great day. What the chain is made of, how it can bind a spiritual nature is not for us to know, but they are not for this reason any less literal.

The weakness of the A-millenial position shows up when we come to verses 5-6.

"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

No amount of spiritualizing can save our friends from their perplexities, here. In desperation, some regard it as "a resurrection of principles." Others see in it the new birth of believers, while some apply it to the state of the Church on earth. All this unnatural forcing of language suggests utter bankruptcy -- "flying the flag of distress."

Deal Alford says, "I cannot consent to distort its words (v.v.5-6) from their plain sense and chronological place in the prophecy, on account of any considerations of difficulty, or any risk of abuses which the doctrine of the millenium may bring with it.

Those who lived next to the Apostles, and the whole Church for three hundred years, understood them in their plain literal sense. As regards the text itself, no legitimate treatment of it will extort what is known as the spiritual interpretation how in fashion. If the first resurrection may mean a spiritual rising with Christ, while the second means a literal rising from the grave, then there is an end of all significance in language, and Scripture is wiped out as a true testimony to anything. If the first resurrection is spiritual, then so is the second, which none will hardly maintain, but if the second is literal then so is the first."

Dr. Seiss says, "the word rendered `resurrection' is used more than forty times and always in the one sense of a rising again of the body after it had fallen under the power of death. The placing of it as the first in the category of two resurrections, the second of which is stated to be the literal rising again of such as were not raised in the first, fixes the same to be a literal resurrection." It does not mean that they lived spiritually for they did that before their death, otherwise they could not have been martyrs, nor can it be true of their souls, for the soul never dies. They lived again in the sense that their souls occupied their bodies again. The living of these souls, and the non-living again of the rest of the dead, proves that the resurrection is literal.

The casting of Satan into the pit does not rest solely on the twentieth chapter of Revelation. Many of these features were anticipated in Isaiah 24:17-23. The punishment meted out to the "host of the high ones that are on high" is the same as that mentioned in Revelation, but the prophecy of Isaiah goes further, and reveals the fact that the whole rebel host will share Satan's fate. They shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in a pit (dungeon), and shall be shut up in prison and after many days they shall be visited. The many days correspond to one thousand years.

The twentieth chapter of Revelation has been designated a battleground of theologians. To the literalist the chapter constitutes no problems at all. The difficulties have arisen largely because men have little or no knowledge of the divine plan of the ages. There is a fixed apocalyptic scheme running through the entire Scriptures, and at the very heart of this divine programme lies the concept of the Kingdom of God. It reappears in Revelation 20 only in a Christian context. See in the full context of prophetic revelation, the millenium is a fitting climax in which Messiah carries God's purposes to final triumph.

VII. PRE-MILLENIALISM -
THE HISTORIC FAITH OF THE CHURCH.

The testimony of history is of the utmost importance in any discussion relating to Pre-millenialism.

What the Christians of the first three centuries thought, and preached, has important bearings on the claim put forth by Pre- millenialists, that its teaching represents the historic faith of the church. All historians bear eloquent testimony to the place that eschatology occupied in the life of the early Christians. The Church as it emerged from the age of the Apostles, was ablaze with the hope of the Lord's return, and its zeal and moral intensity was largely due to the spirit of expectancy that animated it.

Though belief in the millenium is much older than the Christian Church, yet the early Christians very soon formulated a fixed doctrine about these things. Any appeal to the Patristic writings however, cannot settle doctrinal issues: that is, the sole prerogative of the Word of God.

Let us first of all hear the testimony of several modern authorities. Adolph Harnack could not in any sense be called a friend of Pre-millenialism, yet he writes "Faith in the nearness of Christ's second Advent and the establishment of His reign in glory on the earth was a strong point in the primitive Christian Church." (Ency. Brit. 15.495).

Bishop Russell asserts "Down to the beginning of the fourth century the belief was universal and undisputed." It is impossible to know the views of all the Church Fathers as many did not discuss the matter, but prior to Origen the views expressed were definitely Pre-millenial.

Papias (200 A.D.), a disciple of the Apostle John, received his doctrine first hand, and devoted himself to preserving accounts of Christ's teaching as they came to him from the aged Apostle. He was the author of the well-known passage on the fecundity of the vine in millenial days. He further affirmed his faith in the millenium following the resurrection when the reign of Christ will be set up on the earth."

Irenaeus (200 A.D.). This distinguished theologian did more to establish millenial teaching in the West than any one else. He wrote a massive treatise "Against Heresies." The concluding part of this work is filled with messianic and millenial references.

It was Irenaeus who declared that "belief that these things shall come to pass on the earth is an `indispensable part of orthodoxy.'

"But when this anti-Christ shall have devastated all things in this world he will reign for three years and six months and sit in the temple in Jerusalem; and then shall the Lord come from heaven ... in the glory of His Father."

According to Irenaeus, "creation is to be restored, all animals are to be in subjection to man, and revert to the food originally given by God."

Tertullian (150-225 A.D.). Book 3:25. Against Marcion. "But we do confess that a Kingdom is promised to us upon the earth....insomuch ass it will be after the resurrection for a thousand years in the divinely built city of Jerusalem."

Lactantius (240-330 A.D.), made reference to "that mad-man anti- Christ."

"That shall descend with great power" and all the multitude of the godless shall be annihilated.

"When peace has been brought about and every evil suppressed."

"And will raise the righteous dead to eternal life and will Himself reign with them on the earth."

"He will found the Holy City and this Kingdom shall last one thousand years."

Nepos (230-250 A.D.) Nepos, an Egyptian Bishop, had strong convictions about the earthly kingdom. Dionysius complains about his teaching. "But since they bring forward a certain work of Nepos on which they rely confidently as if it proved beyond dispute that there will be a reign of Christ upon the earth." Dionysius goes on to deny that John wrote the book of Revelation.

Eusebius says Nepos taught "that the promise to holy men in the Divine Scriptures should be understood in a more Jewish manner, and that there would be a certain millenium of bodily luxury upon the earth." Justin Martyr, born about 100 A.D. (Dialogue with Trypho.) "But I and whoever are on all points right-minded Christians, know that there will be the resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned and enlarged, and as the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare. And further, a certain man with us, named John, one of the Apostles of Christ, predicted by revelation that was made to him that those who believed in our Christ would spend one thousand years in Jerusalem."

Commodianus, Bishop of North Africa about 250 A.D. wrote, "They shall come also who overcame cruel martyrdom under anti-Christ, and they themselves live for the whole time. But from the thousand years God will destroy all those evils."

The extent of millenarian views in the first three centuries permits us to draw the conclusion that belief in the millenium formed a "fixed, though not unquestioned," part of Christian doctrine.

Fisher, the Church historian, sums up the position in a few brief words, "The belief in a millenial kingdom on earth, to follow the second advent of Christ, was widely diffused."

George E. Ladd in his book "Crucial Questions about the Kingdom" (page 159) says "We are led to conclude that while there is evidence that not all Christians were millenarians, yet the doctrine was very widespread."

The third century saw the first attempt to discredit chiliasm (belief in a thousand years' reign). Oriegn (185-253) a theologian of vast knowledge and great industry, reacted strongly against the literal interpretation, which had held the field since the days of the Apostles, and substituted for it an allegorical or spiritualizing system of interpreting the Scriptures.

"All Scripture," he declared, "had a threefold meaning, for as man consists of body, soul and spirit, so in the same way does Scripture." "This allegorical system," says Professor Walker, "enabled Origen to read practically what he wished into the Scriptures."

Origen began to present the Kingdom as an event which would take place not in space or time, but in the souls of believers. For a collective millenial eschatology Origen substituted an eschatology of the individual soul. Such a shift of interest was suited to what was now an organized Church enjoying an acknowledged position in the world. When in the fourth century Christianity attained a position of supremacy in the Mediterranean world and became the official religion of the Empire, ecclesiastical disapproval of Chiliasm became emphatic. The Catholic Church was now a powerful and prosperous institution and the men responsible for governing it had no wish to see Christians clinging to outdated dreams of a new earthly paradise.

Early in the fifth century, Augustine propounded the doctrine which the new conditions demanded. According to his book, the "City of God," the book of Revelation was to be understood as a spiritual allegory and as for the millenium, that was fully realized in the church. (N. Cohen - "The Pursuit of the Millenium").

"Now already the Kingdom in the form of the Church is a reality. Now already Christ and the saints rule, for the Kingdom is ruled by Christ through the heads of the hierarchial church. Resurrection is now taking place for new life is taking place through the Gospel, now Satan is bound."

Now all this was exactly what the apostate church wished to hear and Augustine's work, the "City of God" exerted tremendous influence on the growth of Papacy and helped form the ecclesiastical despotism of the Middle Ages.

Continuing, Cohen says, "This at once became orthodox doctrine and so definitely that, at the Council of Ephesus, 431 A.D., belief in the millenium was condemned as a superstitious abberation. A big change had taken place since the day when Irenaeus declared millenary doctrines to be an "indispensable part of Christian belief."

As Christendom continued to sink in ignorance and superstition preparatory to its plunge into the Dark Ages, evangelical doctrine went in eclipse. Gross darkness covered the earth and with the exception of small groups and individuals the dumb, driven masses knew little or nothing of these beliefs. However, between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries the prophetic tradition inherited from the Jews and the early Christians emerged throughout Europe in the form of social revolution. Sheer misery and poverty drove the masses to acts of desperation. Captured by millenial prophets these chiliastic commotions shook Europe for centuries.

With the coming of the Reformation, and the return to evangelical doctrine, we would naturally expect a return to the pre- millenialism of the early church but no, the reformers were not greatly concerned with matters of eschatology: Rome filled their horizons and while they separated from Rome on many issues "they occupied the same ground in this respect as the Roman Catholic Church had occupied since the time of Augustine. There were however, certain groups which were pre-millenial in outlook.

The Ana-Baptist movement, often called the "Common Man's Reformation" despite its political radicalism, nevertheless had sober elements within it which were definitely pre-millenial.

The "Fifth Monarchy Men," a movement that appeared in England in the seventeenth century, was Chiliastic in outlook. We do not excuse their excesses but their idealism was drawn from millenial beliefs. Ridley and Latimer in the sixteenth century were pronounced believers in the millenium. The former said "Peradventure it may come in my days, old as I am, or in my children's days. The saints shall be taken up to meet Christ in the air and so shall come down with Him."

The Huguenots of France were millenial in outlook and for this reason Roman emissaries singled them out for special treatment.

The Bohemian and Moravian Brethren, in some respects akin to the Ana-Baptists, held millenial views.

Joseph Meade (1586-1678), compelled by his study to adopt a literal interpretation of the Scriptures, said "Yet this much the text seems to imply, that the saints of the first resurrection should reign here on earth in the New Jerusalem in a state of glory." In the eighteenth century J.A. Bengel, a man of great scholarship, circulated a commentary which did much to spread the doctrine among the intellectuals.

In more recent times, some of the leading evangelists, scholars and Bible teachers were of this persuasion. The names of Tregelles, Scofield, Seiss, Alford, Gaebelein, Pierson, Muller, Darby, Torrey, Hudson Taylor, Lange, Moody, hold an honoured place as teachers of pre-millenial doctrines.

Then, too, the Brethren Movement and the Scofield Bible have given a great impetus to millenary doctrines. The most recent factor of all is the revival of the Jewish nation, and general world conditions, all of which are increasingly putting their seal on the general correctness of the Pre-millenial interpretation.

CHAPTER III.

THE CHURCH IN GOD'S PLAN.
The Church is a unique institution, a creation of the Holy Spirit whose outcalling takes place during Israel's suspension and disfavour. The words, "parenthesis" and "intercalation" have been used to designate this period of divine favour. The former term means to place beside other things, while the latter refers to a place in the midst of others. The one is connected with grammar, while the other relates to a space of time inserted in the calendar. Many Bible students are not exactly happy with either of these words, but use them in default of something better. Our opponents have hotly contested the use of these designations, suggesting that they imply something improvised, a fill-the-gap idea, with a consequent depreciation of the glories of grace and the work of Calvary. The truth, however, is in the Scriptures, even though our nomenclature may appear faulty and clumsy.

Dr. O.T. Allis, no friend of pre-millenialism, admits that the parenthesis view of the Church is the inevitable result of the belief that the Old Testament prophecies made to Israel must be interpreted literally.

The Church was not a sudden improvisation, a snap decision contingent on Israel's unfaithfulness, nor was it an unexpected necessity. Surprise has no part in the divine plan. Nothing is left to chance, for with God there is no afterthought, but only forethought. The plan of the ages was drawn up in the Counsels of Eternity, hence the propriety of Hebrews 1:2. "By whom he made the worlds" (ages). Others have suggested the expression means "By Him the ages were fitted together."

The Pulpit Commentary suggests that the primary reference is to "time: limited in periods:" Christ, then, not only created the world, but He is the Architect of the dispensations which are manifested in it. It is our purpose now to show that Bible writers under the constraint of the Holy Spirit left room for the Church- age. The Old Testament prophets had no knowledge whatsoever of the coming Church age, but the Holy Spirit caused them to write wiser than they knew, and make provision for the interposition of the church period.

THE TESTIMONY OF PSALM 10.

This psalm, a rare gem of prophecy, was a great favourite with the early Church. It opens with a conversation between the Father and the Son. Cast out to die a felon's death, God invites His Son to ascend on high and occupy a place at His own right hand. Thus God showed His contempt for human opinion, and reversed the verdict of evil men concerning His Son.

"Sit Thou at my right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." This is Christ's official position during this age. There He will remain until God's purpose in this age is completed, and the number of the elect accomplished.

The enemies of Christ are not to be made His footstool by a civilizing process, by culture, or by the ballot box, but by the shattering judgements of the Tribulation, and then comes the final triumph. The "until" of verse 1 makes provision for a time-period of unspecified duration wherein the elect company is being called out.

ISRAEL'S SACRED CALENDAR.

Leviticus 23 records the six feasts of Israel's religious year. Latent in these feasts is a fixed chronological scheme concerning Israel's history to the end.

Three feasts were observed in the spring of the year, Passover, First Fruits, and Pentecost. Then followed a period of four months, after which three further feasts were observed, namely Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles.

All these feasts typify great national events:

Passover The death of Christ First Fruits The resurrection of Christ Pentecost The formation of the Church Trumpets The regathering of Israel Atonement Israel's national repentance Tabernacles The joys of the millenial days.

The interval between Pentecost and Trumpets is taken by many to presage the Church age.

THE PARABLE OF THE TWO OLIVE TREES. (Romans 11:16-23)

This parable was given to illustrate God's dispensational dealings with Israel and the Church. The branches represent the place of privilege in God's purpose. There are four distinct operations observable in the parable.

1. The branches of the good olive tree, broken off through unbelief, symbolises Israel thrust out and temporarily excluded from the place of privilege.

2. The grafting in of the branches of a wild olive represents the place of privilege and blessing enjoyed by Gentiles in this age.

3. The rejection of the wild olive branches is hinted at "Take heed lest he spare not thee." Israel was cast aside through unbelief and Christendom likewise, with its superior blessings and privileges, will incur the same judgement. The apostasy and unbelief of Christendom is mounting ever higher and its final casting off is inevitable.

4. The grafting in again of the natural branches (v.24), foreshadows the restoration of Israel to the position of divine favour. It is during the time of detachment of the natural branches and their final grafting in that the economy of grace is manifested.

THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE FUTURE REVEALED.

"Simon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written.

"After this (after these things) I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down, and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

"That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things." (Acts 15:14-17).

This Scripture embodies one of the most important chronological revelations found in the New Testament. Here we have in chronological order the divine programme for the future. In outlining the divine purpose Simon indicated four successive stages.

1. The first event. God is "visiting the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name," This is the present stage which began with the preaching of the Apostles, and will continue until the Rapture.

2. The second event. "After this," that is, after the taking out of a people for His name," "I will return." Here is a direct prophecy that Christ will return when the Church is complete.

3. The third event is the rebuilding of the "House of David." The phrase, the "tabernacle of David" interpreted according to the context of Amos can mean only one thing, the restoration of the Davidic kingdom. It will be observed that the coming of the Lord takes place between the Church age and the Kingdom age, completing the one and commencing the other.

4. The fourth and final event. The world-wide worship of Jehovah. "That the residue of men may seek after the Lord." Not the eternal state, mark you, but the Kingdom on the earth.

We draw the attention of the reader to verse 16, "after this." After what? After the Church is completed, and a people gathered out for His name. Thus here we have a definite allowance made for the display of God's grace to the Gentiles.

UNTIL THE TIMES OF RESTORATION.

"And he shall send Jesus . . . Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:20-21.)

The word restitution occurs only twice in the New Testament(Acts 1:6), and in the passage under consideration. The world connotes a fulfilment, an establishing, a restoration. Peter informed his hearers that the heavens had only received Jesus Christ for an appointed season, until the theme of the prophets from the beginning was realised. What then was this theme? What was the burden of their oracles? Surely the fulfilment of the cherished hopes of Israel -- the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of the Davidic Kingdom. Until the blessed day of restoration dawns, the church age continues to run its appointed course.

THE MISSING WEEK OF DANIEL.

The prophecy of Daniel 9 pertains exclusively to the Jewish people and to no other. The Jews were in captivity in Babylon, and God revealed through an angel what He proposed to do in a given period of seventy years. The seventy years are seventy weeks of years (70 x 7) that is four hundred and ninety years.

This duration of time is broken up into three periods:

1. A period of seven weeks (7 x 7), forty-nine years, in which the Jews would return from captivity and rebuild their temple.

2. A period of sixty-two weeks (7 x 62) - four hundred and thirty-four years, at the end of which Messiah would be cut off. According to the calculation of Sir Robert Anderson, assisted by the Astronomer Royal, four hundred and thirty- four years elapsed between the rebuilding of the temple and the crucifixion of our Lord.

3. We have accounted for sixty-nine weeks of the seventy. There remains but one week to be fulfilled, and since the prophecy of the sixty-nine weeks was fulfilled literally, it follows that the seventieth week will be fulfilled with the same literality.

The seven-year period separates the Church age from the Kingdom age, and will comprise the days of tribulation and the rule of Anti-Christ. Clearly between the sixty-ninth week and the seventieth week, there is an undetermined period which has already attained a duration of over one thousand nine hundred years. This interval is the Church age.

WHY JESUS STOPPED AT THE COMMA

Isaiah 61:2-3 contains a great prophecy concerning the ministry of our Lord Jesus. When our Lord visited the synagogue (Luke 4:16- 19), He read from this passage in Isaiah, but significantly failed to finish the quotation. With pronounced deliberateness, He stopped at the comma, "the acceptable year of the Lord," even though the passage goes on to mention "the day of vengeance of our God."

Our Lord thus differentiated between two distinct events -- the first advent and the second advent. He came to fulfil everything up to the comma in verse 2, but the "day of vengeance" pertained to a future date at the end of this age. The two events were not continuous, but a long period separates them. Our Lord was cognisant of this, and by halting at the comma, he made allowance for the advent of Church, then comes judgement and the setting up of the Davidic kingdom.

JESUS IN HEAVEN WHILE THE JEWS ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR OFFENCE.

The last verse of Hosea 5 taken in conjunction with Hosea 6:1-3 form a striking prophecy.

"I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me early. Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight."

Our Lord is the spokesman here. Rejected and cast out, He returned to His place in the third heaven, but not forever, only for a specified time, an appointed season, until the Jews acknowledge their offence.

That this has not taken place is evidenced by the fact that Israel is still adamant and unrepentant. The interval of time, covered by the "till" of Hosea 5, verse 15, allow for the present age, though the prophets did not forsee it. Many students think that the two days mentioned in verse 2 are prophetic days, and represent two thousand years. For two days, the church has flourished, while Israel has remained dead and lifeless, but when the two days have run their course, blessing is in store for Israel, in the third millenial day.

THE CHURCH A MYSTERY

The advent of the church was a truth unknown to the Old Testament saints. Though the prophecies left room for the Church age, the prophets themselves were ignorant of the truth. Such is the miracle of inspiration.

In Ephesians (3:3-6), Paul refers to the mystery ... which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men; in Romans (16:25), the Church is declared to be a mystery which was kept secret since the world began; while in Colossians (1:26), the same apostle speaks of the mystery which hath been hid from the ages and generations, but is now made manifest to His saints.

What then is this mystery?

Not the conversion of the Gentiles, or the extension of mercy to those outside Israel. That had not been hidden from the Jews, for Messiah was declared to be a "Light to the Gentiles." A mystery in the New Testament sense was not a glorified puzzle or something mysterious in itself, but rather a hidden truth brought to light.

The word is used 27 times in the New Testament, and it is significant that the apostle Paul, the peculiar channel of revelation to the Church, used the word some twenty times.

There are four mystery elements which taken together give the mystery character to the Church.

1. The mystery of the body, Jew and Gentile, mutually antagonistic in former ages, but partakers of the Grace of God, are constituted a "new man." (Eph. 2:15)

2. The mystery of the indwelling Christ. Christ dwells in the believer by faith (Eph. 3:17).

3. The mystery of the bride. (Eph. 5:22-32).

4. The mystery of the rapture. (1 Cor. 15:51).

ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH SEPARATE ENTITIES.

Israel and the Church are not identical. Each is a separate entity with a distinct place in the purposes of God. To confuse these two bodies by substituting a "spiritual Israel" for a "literal Israel" or to make the Church merely an extension of Judaism is to confuse things that differ, and render a true and intelligent understanding of Scripture impossible.

Only let the Bible speak to us as any other book, and all this confusion will be at an end. As long as men persist in putting the Church in the place of Israel they will remain bewildered, without any consistent system of interpretation.

1. The Church was a mystery - a secret truth hidden in the counsels of God, and never revealed until New Testament times. Israel never was a mystery, but was the subject of clear revelation from the beginning.

2. It is often asserted that Israel was the Church of the Old Testament, and the Church is but a development of Israel. This is disproven by the emphatic declaration of Jesus Christ in Matthew 16:18. "I will build my Church." It is obvious that the Church was not yet founded when Jesus uttered these words. The Church is an institution peculiar to this age, and could not in the nature of the case exist prior to the crucifixion, a fact confirmed by the following considerations:

(a) The Church could not have existed before the death of Christ, for the church depends entirely on the "shed blood" for its salvation and cleansing.

(b) The Church could not exist until after the resurrection, for it partakes of the "resurrection life and power."

(c) There could be no Church until Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, for the Church on earth is the "body" and Christ in glory is the "head". To have a Church before Pentecost is to have a headless body.

(d) The testimony and development of the Church depends on the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and He could not descend to the earth until the crucified Christ was risen, ascended and glorified. To speak of the Church beginning in the days of Abraham, at Sinai, or in the days of John the Baptist, is obviously false and misleading.

(e) The Church is a unique creation of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit did not descend to take up permanent residency on the earth until Jesus Christ was ascended and glorified.

(f) Furthermore, the Church is burdened with the message of the Gospel. The death and resurrection could not be proclaimed until after they became accomplished facts. The Church without the Gospel is unthinkable, and yet that of necessity must be the position, if the Church began prior to Pentecost.

3. The use of the word "ekklesia" (ek = out of, kaleo = to call), strongly supports the contention that the Church is a distinct body in this age. The word means an assembly or congregation, or an appointed meeting. Israel was constituted a nation at Sinai, and was enjoined to keep separate from the nations. On the contrary, the Church is a people called out from among the nations and tribes of the earth, and is commissioned to preach the Gospel to every creature.

4. The "Jewish Nation" and the "Church" are kept separate in the Scriptures. They are opposites, and everywhere they stand in the sharpest antithesis, and after one thousand nine hundred years the distinction still persists. Romans 9-11 provides a most convincing argument at this point. After revealing the nature of the economy of grace, Paul deals with the position of Israel. He thinks it a matter sufficiently important to devote three chapters to Israel in this, the most important book in the New Testament. If Israel has passed off the stage forever, why these three chapters? why the explanation?

The question "Hath God cast away His people?" is answered with an emphatic denial. God hath not cast away his people whom He foreknew." All through these chapters, literal Israel is in view, and her position stands in contrast to the Church. These three chapters flatly contradict all the theories that deny Israel a national future. The testimony of Revelation is most convincing at this point. Revelation 7 records God's dealings with Israel at the end of this present age. That is, almost two thousand years after the supposed transfer of the privileges and blessings to the Church, John refers to "all the tribes of the children of Israel," and then mentions each tribe separately. When John mentions the tribe of Judah he means the literal tribe of Judah and no other. The twelve tribes stand in contrast to the company in verse 9, who are gathered out of every tribe, people and tongue.

The latter body is seen in glory, but the twelve tribes are seen still on the earth. However diverse interpretations may be, one thing is certain: all that is revealed here is future to John's day, and envisages Israel a nation with which God has dealings in the latter days. That Israel is now an autonomous nation and a member of the United Nations Organization gives added force to the contention.

5. Israelites are constituted such by physical birth. They are born into the nation by human generation. In contradistinction, Christians are what they are by the rebirth of the Spirit, and become children of God by faith in Jesus Christ.

6. The Church and Israel differ vastly as to the authority that governs their earthly life. Basically the rule of Israel's life has remained the same for three thousand five hundred years - the Law of Moses. The Church looks to the New Testament, particularly the Epistles, for the principles that govern its life and conduct under the economy of grace.

7. The relation of the Father and the Son to the Church and Israel differs greatly. Israel knew God by many names and titles, but not as the Father of individuals. The Fatherhood of God is peculiar to the Church. All believers who are born into the divine family have the privilege of addressing God as Father. Then Too, Jesus Christ sustains a different relation to both companies: Jesus Christ is Messiah and King to Israel, but to the Church He sustains a more intimate relationship as Saviour, Lord and Head.

8. The Holy Spirit in Old Testament times came intermittently to earth to inspire a movement, to raise up a leader, but the Christian is personally indwelt by the Spirit.

9. The Church in Scripture is designated a new man (Ephesians 2:15). It is not an extension of Judaism or the old nation in a new setting, but a new creation altogether. He hath made both (Jew and Gentile) one, having slain the enmity. (Eph. 2:16).

10. Those who make the Church the legitimate heir of Israel's blessings are strangely silent about the predicted curses. Chapter 28 of Deuteronomy sets forth both the blessing and the curse. Israel proved false to Jehovah and inherited the curses. Could our A-millenial brethren inform us as to the spiritual counterpart of these curses? Thousands of years ago the Spirit of God outlined the history of Israel in this age. What is the testimony of history at this point? What is the verdict of the past two thousand years? Israel has exactly fulfilled the role predicted of her. (1) Scattered among the nations. (2) Persecuted. (3) Judicially blinded. (4) Nationally preserved. (5) Subject to Gentile domination. The return of the Jew to Palestine, the rebuilding of the land, the membership of Israel in the United Nations, are mute reminders of coming events, and must prove a serious embarrassment to opponents of this truth. The destiny of the Church likewise is outlined in the New Testament, and she too will follow along the predicted course to the end.

Both companies have remained separate through the ages, and thus they will remain until the Lord come.

CHAPTER IV

THE PROPHECY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS.

The prophetic panorama of the seventy weeks has been designated "the backbone of prophecy." Here the whole prophetic programme of Israel's future is revealed. It is one of the strongholds of the futurist interpretation, and it is not surprising that our opponents have made it the special target of their attack.

Mr. Salmon, in his booklet "The Lord Cometh," has one chapter entitled "How Futurism Nullifies the Finished Work of the Cross." A refutation of this, and other equally erroneous interpretations, calls for somewhat detailed consideration of the contents of the prophecy itself.

The vision, concerning Israel's future, vouchsafed to Daniel in Chapter 8, had left the prophet in a state of agitation and perplexity; so much so that God bestowed on Daniel through Gabriel a special gift to understanding in these matters.

Daniel 9:24-27. "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

"Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and three score and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

"And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."

We must notice at the outset the particular force of the words, "thy people" and 'thy Holy City." It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of these words, for herein lies the key to the solution of the prophecy. "Thy people" are the Israelites, and "thy Holy City" is Jerusalem. Thus the prophecy of the 70 weeks concerns Israel exclusively. We must therefore repudiate all interpretations other than those that relate to the Jewish nation. "Thy people" and "thy city" are the criteria of interpretation and the premises of application. All subsequent reasoning rests on these introductory criteria. To recklessly disregard such divine sanctions, and then to proceed with an air of infallibility to anathematize the "futurists" for nullifying the work of the cross, seriously indicts the whole argument against the futurist interpretation.

The charge against futurists, made by Mr. Salmon, is needlessly provocative, and is a sweeping discourtesy and a libel on devout multitudes who hold to the futurist interpretation. The falsity of the charge however, will become apparent as the prophecy itself is examined.

The seventy weeks mentioned in verse 24 are weeks of years, that is each week represents seven years. While this may seem to us an abstruse method of measuring time, it was very intelligible to the Hebrews, who commonly employed the method. In Genesis 29:27-28, Laban said to Jacob of Rachel, "Fulfil her week," that is, fulfil her seven years. "And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week" (seven years) and was then entitled to marry Rachel. The seventy year prophecy is divided up into three distinct periods, to wit:

1 A period of seven weeks, or seven sevens of years, which would be forty-nine years. This period of time concerned the rebuilding of the temple after the captivity in Babylon.

2. A period of 62 weeks which is 434 years, which was the exact time that elapsed between the building of the temple and the cutting off of Messiah the Prince.

3. A period of one week, that is, seven years, yet future which comprises the days of tribulation and the reign of Anti-Christ.

Turning to the prophecy, we notice that six things are to be accomplished at the end of the seventy weeks. A-millenialists and others profess to find the fulfilment of these six blessings at the first advent of Christ, and apply them to sinners generally. But this ignores the interpretive safeguards, "thy people" and "thy holy city." Having erred at this point, all their conclusions are necessarily false.

1. To finish transgression (literally, THE transgression). The word rendered finish has as its primary meaning, to restrain, to close up, to hinder. These meanings are shades of the central idea of restraining or completely hindering. Leviticus 26:40 suggests that there is a particular sin, of which the Jewish nation will be held guilty. Hosea 5:15 also suggests the same thing, "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face." Gabriel referred to "the transgression," obviously then, it was a specific sin. This can be no other than the sin of rejecting and crucifying Jesus Christ. At the end of this age, Israel will repent and turn to Him, and the transgression will be removed.

2. To make an end of sins. Not sins in general, but Israel's sins. The meaning of the expression "to make an end of" is given as to "shut", "close," "seal," "hide." "The word," says Dr. Cooper, "was used of the closing of a letter - the primary idea being that of bringing to a conclusion." Such is the significance here! The sin of rejecting Christ has landed Israel into wholesale sin, thus blighting her national life, and making her a byword among the nations. The atonement truly was made at the cross, but Israel ass a nation, stubborn and rebellious, failed to appropriate the blessings. Only a remnant in New Testament days and onward availed themselves of it, but at the time of her "national conversion," the full blessings of Calvary will be experienced.

3. To make reconciliation for iniquity. The word "reconciliation" here means to expiate. Sin has caused a breach between Jehovah and Israel. Daniel's people are still "Lo-Ammi," - not my people; "Lo-ruhamah" not pitied; they are the "dry bones" of Ezekiel 37; the "broken-off branches" of Romans 11:17; but Israel will acknowledge her offence, and the way will be open for "national reconciliation." The virtues of Calvary which have been enjoyed through the age of grace by a believing remnant of Jews, will be enjoyed by all at the close of this age.

4. To bring in everlasting righteousness. At the end of the seventy year period, God will bring in the righteousness of the ages. This is not imputed righteousness, but a national, governmental, civic righteousness. This is nothing less than the world-wide kingdom of the Son of Man.

5. To seal up the vision and prophecy. The word "seal" means to conclude or finish - bringing matters to an end. It will complete all that the seers and prophets have foretold, and when the kingdom has come in reality, prophecy will be no longer required.

6. To anoint the "Most Holy." The expression "Most Holy" is used about forty times in the Scriptures and in the majority of cases it refers to the altar or sanctuary. Some render the passage "to anoint a Holy of Holies." The reference doubtless is to the glorious millenial temple yet to appear.

REASONS WHY THE SIX-FOLD BLESSINGS ARE STILL FUTURE.

After the crucifixion of Christ, official Judaism remained adamant and unrepentant in the face of the most powerful Spirit-guided witness ever seen among men. The book of Acts reveals three crisis-points that highlight the unbelief of Israel.

1. The martyrdom of Stephen was a desperate and decisive expression of official Jewish hatred against the Gospel. The long address of Stephen is the greatest indictment of Israel found in the new Testament.

2. The impassioned outbursts of hatred against the Apostle Paul among the dispersion bear added testimony to the frenzied apathy of Judaism against all things Christian, and reveal the Jews of the dispersion to be one with the Jews of the homeland in their rejection of the Gospel.

3. Acts 13:46 indicates that for official Judaism they day of opportunity was closing, and the blessing was being transferred elsewhere.

"Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

THE TESTIMONY OF ROMANS 9 - 11.

These three chapters have often been treated as a kind of an appendix to the argument in chapters 1-8, but this is quite incorrect. These chapters have a most intimate relation to all that precedes them. After dealing with God's righteousness and the sinner, Paul deals with God's righteousness in relation to Israel in the new economy of grace. We venture to suggest that these three chapters would never have been written had the six-fold blessing of Daniel 9:24 been received by Israel.

Both the language and the arguments of these chapters disprove the A-millenial theories in respect to Israel.

Romans 11:7.
"Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it."

Romans 11:8.
"God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see,
and ears that they should not hear.

Romans 11:25.
"Blindness in part, is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in."

These texts, representative of the language of these chapters, clearly reveal that Israel nationally had missed the way. Furthermore Israel has remained adamant and unbelieving through the ages even to this very day. So great was this bitterness against Jesus Christ that writers in the second and third centuries refused even to use the name of Jesus Christ, preferring to call Him "
That man," "The fool," "The One Hung," "The Son of a Stake."
How utterly impossible for people with such a refractory spirit to be the recipients of the blessings enumerated in this prophecy.

To reject the futurists' interpretation of the 70th week involves our opponents in further difficulties, for if the seventy weeks have run their course as A-millenialists allege, then Israel nationally has not received the predicted blessings, the prophecy is made void, God's Word impugned, and God's faithfulness impeached.

The Scriptures indicate with great clarity both the manner and time of Israel's national conversion.

"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, `There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob'."
Romans 11:25-26.

All Israel, here means all Israelites living in the day when the Lord appears in power and glory. A partial and temporary hardening of Israel has been permitted, but when God's purpose for the Church is completed, He turns in great mercy to Israel. Before this day dawns, God will have purged out the rebellious and unbelieving. "And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third part shall be left therein." (Zechariah 13:8-9).

The testimony of Ezekiel 20:38 is stronger still: "I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against Me ... and they shall not enter into the land of Israel." "All Israel" then, is the godly remnant that remains after the rest have been swept from the earth in judgement.

And now the manner of how they will be saved. "There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn ungodliness from Jacob." (Romans 11:26). The Lord returns to Zion for the salvation, deliverance and restoration of His people. The iniquity of the land is removed in one day. (Zechariah 3:9).

"Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day, or shall a nation be born at once?" (Isaiah 66:8).

"Oh that the Salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of His people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad." (Psalm 14:7).

In considering the manner of Israel's conversion, verse 27 is quite often overlooked. "For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sin." The words refer back to numerous Old Testament prophecies, particularly Jeremiah 31, where the terms of the new covenant are set forth. Thus the manner and time of Israel's conversion is set forth, and the immutable purpose of God declared in verse 29, "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."

We have seen that the six-fold blessing pertains exclusively to Israel, and further we have noted that at no time during the past 1900 years have they as a nation been the recipients of these blessings. What then, becomes of the charge that the Futurist interpretation nullifies the finished work of the cross? It fails hopelessly to account for the facts of Scripture and history, and is revealed to be nothing less than a mass of impossible error.

WHO IS MESSIAH THE PRINCE?

The actual time when this great prince was to appear in Israel is indicated. From the time of the issuing of the royal decree to rebuild Jerusalem to Messiah the Prince was to be 69 week-years, or 483 years; or seven times 69 prophetic years of 360 prophetic days. The expiration of this period was marked by two events of momentous significance; (1) the Triumphant Entry in Jerusalem, and (2) the public acknowledgement of our Lord's Messiahship. How striking and significant are the words of Luke 19:42, "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now are they hid from thine eyes."

It was in "this day" that His kingly claims were publicly acknowledged by the people at large, but flatly rejected by the ruling caste. In a matter of days, Messiah was hounded to Golgotha, and crucified. "And after 62 weeks shall Messiah be cut off and shall have nothing." The latter expression "shall have nothing" is taken by some to refer to the fact that He did not receive the Messianic Kingdom. What was rightly His did not come to Him.

THE JEWISH CLOCK STOPPED AT THE CROSS.

Israel's history a an elect nation was temporarily suspended at the crucifixion of Christ. The Jewish clock stopped at the termination of the 69 weeks, and will remain at a standstill during the calling-out of the Church. When the Church has been removed from the earthly scene, God takes up His dealings again with Israel.

That a gap exists between the 69th and 70th week has been hotly contested by our opponents. The fact that no gap occurs between the 7th and 62nd weeks cause some to conclude that it is impossible to have a gap between the 69th and 70th weeks.

The reason for this surely is obvious. There occurred at the end of the 69 week the greatest single event in human history, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Thus the relation between God and the Jewish nation was broken, and Israel has had no scripturally recognized history since.

WHO CONFIRMS THE COVENANT?

"And after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself (shall have nothing), and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary."

The reader will observe that there are two princes mentioned, "Messiah the prince," in verse 25, and the "prince that shall come" in verse 26. These two princes are not one and the same person. Messiah the Prince is the Messiah Jesus Christ, while the Prince that shall come is the final dictator, the Anti-Christ. The one is cut off while the other confirms an agreement with the Jews for 7 years. and after 3-1/2 years breaks the agreement, causing the sacrifice and oblation to cease.

According to certain writers, "Messiah the Prince" and "the Prince that shall come," are one and the same person, namely Jesus Christ. This conclusion however, lands it advocates into an impossible position, for in verse 26 we are informed that the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (the temple). If the "prince that shall come" is Jesus Christ, then it follows that His own people, the Jews destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. The notion of the Jew destroying their own city is too absurd for words, and is contradicted by history which records that the Romans destroyed the city and the sanctuary in A.D. 70.

In verse 27 we are informed that "he" (the coming prince), will confirm the covenant with many (for) one week, and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease.

This verse is vital indeed to the Futurist interpretation, and our opponents recognizing this, have concentrated their attacks at this point. What mental gymnastics, what contortions, what twistings to overthrow the futurist interpretation at this point, but all in vain.

Mr. Hughes asserts (page 169) that the covenant in Daniel 9:27 is the "New Covenant," and that Jesus Christ is the one who confirms it, and cites Matthew 26:28 "This is my blood of the New Covenant, shed for many for the remission of sins." If this be so, then our friends have placed themselves in a desperate situation indeed. That the covenant of Daniel 9:27 is the new covenant is a groundless supposition, quite easily demonstrated to be fals