„And my holy name will I make known in the midst of my people Israel; neither will I suffer my holy name to be profaned any more: and the nations shall know that I am Jehovah, the Holy One in Israel. 8 Behold it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the Lord Jehovah; this is the day whereof I have spoken“ (Ezek. 39:7, 8).<\/span><\/p>\nAccording to this prediction God makes His holy name known in the midst of His people Israel by this catastrophic judgment upon the various nations. Since this seems to be the object in view, it is quite likely that these strokes of wrath will fall upon those countries which are the centers of Jewish population. There are, at present, countries where Jews reside in large numbers. God thus intervenes in such a signal way that many of His Ancient People, regardless of where they are, recognize Him as Jehovah who revealed Himself to Israel at Sinai. He does this in order that they might again see the proof and evidence of His supreme power and Godhead.<\/p>\n
The latter clause of verse 7 declares „Neither will I suffer my holy name to be profaned anymore: and the nations shall know that I am Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel.“ In the first part of the verse the Lord declared that He will make Himself known to His people, but in the clause just quoted He asserts that He will see to it that His name is no longer profaned by them. To the casual reader it would appear as if the immediate result of this catastrophic judgment is the conversion of Israel, after which event God’s name will nevermore be profaned among them. We have already seen in a former chapter of this book that this pouring out of God’s wrath upon the forces of Gog occurs before the tribulation<\/i>–more than 7 years before Israel’s conversion, which takes place at the very end of the tribulation. Since the Word of God never contradicts itself, we must understand this passage in the light of the facts which we have already learned. After the destruction of the forces of Gog, the revival in Israel begins and finally culminates with the conversion of the nation seven or more years later.<\/p>\n
God declared to Abraham that in him and in his seed He would bless all nations. The Lord created the Hebrew people to be His special channel for bringing His blessing to the entire world. That He did create Israel for His glory may be seen in Isaiah 43:1-7. Since she has forsaken Him she can never function in this capacity until she is brought back into fellowship with Him. The Lord never abandons any of His fore-announced plans or purposes. It is clearly stated that it is His intention to bless all the world through saved Israel, which thing He will do.<\/p>\n
The conversion of the Chosen People is not a spectacular event caused suddenly by the revelation of the Lord Jesus at the conclusion of the tribulation. On the contrary, it is brought about by three, distinct steps or forward movements and it is primarily the result of the proclamation of the Gospel. It is the good pleasure of God to save those who believe by the preaching of the Word. „For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe“ (I Cor. 1:21). God has committed unto men the message of reconciliation.<\/p>\n
„But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation“ (II Cor. 5:18,19).<\/p>\n
The Scripture declares that, „Whosoever believeth on Him (Christ) shall not be put to shame.“ Faith cometh by hearing the message of the cross. God is using men, and not angels, to proclaim the Gospel. Hear what the Apostle Paul said on this point:<\/p>\n
„How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 and how shall they preach except they be sent? Even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!“ (Rom. 10:14,15).<\/p>\n
From these and many other passages we see that God saves men by the preaching of the Word. Israel is no exception to this general rule.<\/p>\n
The three stages of the revival in Israel and her ultimate conversion may be stated as follows: first, the revival which begins in connection with the overthrow of the forces of Gog in Palestine before the tribulation; second, the world-wide revival which will be conducted by the 144,000 Jewish evangelists in the first part of the great tribulation as is set forth in Revelation 7; and third, the conversion of Israel–the entire nation living at that time–at the end of the day of wrath.<\/p>\n
In the verses under consideration, Ezekiel 39:7,8, the prophet refers to the beginning of this revival in Israel which culminates in the conversion of the race. This first stage is doubtless that which was spoken of by Joel in 2:28-31. In order that this might be understood properly, one must note that in verses 21-27 there is a clear prediction of the conversion of Israel and the establishment of the Kingdom upon the earth when Jehovah in the person of Messiah will dwell in the midst of the Chosen People. In the first clause of verse 28 of this passage we have these words, „And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.“ From the preceding verses we see that the pouring out of the Spirit of God upon all flesh–all nations–is preceded by the conversion of Israel. After that is an accomplished fact, then comes the conversion of the world.<\/p>\n
Following this quotation we have these words, „And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions … the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh.“ The conjunction rendered „and“ at the beginning of this last quotation not only means „and,“ but also means „but.“ In hundreds of instances it is thus rendered because the facts of the context demand such a translation. Since the first clause of verse 28 is looking at the conversion of the world after Israel’s turning to God, and since the revival spoken of in the quotation introduced by the conjunction „and“ is linked with the mighty miracles in the heavens and upon the earth, which occur before the tribulation, we must understand that the revival likewise occurs at the same time–before the tribulation. In view of these facts a perfectly grammatical rendering of this Hebrew conjunction is „but.“ The verses should read as follows:<\/p>\n
„And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; but your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. 30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh“ (Joel 2:28-31).*<\/p>\n
In the first clause of this quotation we see a prediction of the conversion of the world after Israel’s turning to God. The second clause of verse 28, beginning with these words, „but your sons and your daughters,“ constitutes a contrast with the first statement. The revival in Israel which is here mentioned is inseparably connected with the miracles which occur before the great and terrible day of Jehovah. We are of the firm conviction that we may expect this turning to God on the part of many Hebrews before the beginning of the great tribulation.<\/p>\n
When Joel’s prophecy is laid beside that of Ezekiel’s especially the verses under consideration, and is read in the light of the context, it becomes highly probable that Joel is speaking of the same phenomena, not only in the physical realm, but also in the spiritual sphere as was foretold by Ezekiel.<\/p>\n
The second phase of this revival in Israel is beautifully set forth in Revelation 7. Some other matters, which constitute the background of this mighty spiritual awakening, must be studied first. According to the teaching of the New Testament, the church of the Lord Jesus–the aggregate of the born again ones–will be taken out of the world prior to the great tribulation. This occurs when Jesus descends from heaven to the air and raises the dead in Christ (I Thess. 4:13-18). All saints, regardless of circumstances, will be taken out of the world at that time. Paul set forth this truth in I Corinthians 15:51,52. When God begins to send His judgments upon the world, the inhabitants thereof learn righteousness. This fact is seen in Isaiah 26:8,9. At the beginning of the tribulation, there will arise a mighty army of 144,000 Jewish servants (evangelists) to whom we who see Israel’s place in the plan of God are now giving forth His Word before the rapture, but who, because of the present blindness (II Cor. 3:12-16), do not accept the Lord now. The message in the light of the falling judgments will enable them to see the truth and to accept Christ as their Saviour. They will most enthusiastically take up the banner of Prince Immanuel, which is dropped by the ascending Church, and will go forth into every nook and corner of the world proclaiming the glad tidings through Jesus Christ and His shed blood. The result of this mighty evangelistic campaign will be the conversion of multiplied hundreds of thousands of people from every nation, tribe, tongue, and language. That this is the world-wide revival to which reference is frequently made may be found in the writings of the different prophets. It will sweep the world; myriads will be brought to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. During this period of intensive proclamation of the Word every person throughout the world will have an opportunity of either accepting or rejecting the truth.<\/p>\n
In the middle of the tribulation the world dictator with all his forces will endeavor to stamp out Christianity. He will wage a terrific fight–a war of extermination–demanding that all worship him as the one and only god. Notwithstanding his might and power, this revival, like a smoldering fire, will continue through the latter half of the tribulation and will burst forth, figuratively speaking, into a mighty spiritual conflagration, which will bring about the conversion of all Israel at the end of the tribulation.<\/p>\n
The third and last stage of the revival in Israel is, as suggested, at the conclusion of the great tribulation. The nation of Israel at that time will have learned the facts with reference to the Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning death. Thereupon they will make the confession concerning the tragedy of Calvary as was foretold by Isaiah in chapter 53:1-9. One must recognize that these verses are the penitential oral confession which the nation of Israel in the year 1940 plus will make when she looks back toward Calvary, seeing for the first time the real significance of the crucifixion. At that time all Israel will repudiate the national sin and will accept the Lord Jesus Christ personally as Saviour. When „they acknowledge their offense,“ the Messiah will arise from His seat at the right hand of the majesty on High and will return, delivering the Chosen People from all their enemies.<\/p>\n
The last three days of the great tribulation will indeed be momentous for them as well as for the entire world. The first of these is the one on which the national sin is repudiated, and an official and public recognition of Jesus as the Hebrew Messiah and Saviour is made. During that day and the following one the Jewish people will lie prostrate before God in genuine repentance for the tragedy of Calvary 1900 years ago. At the end of that second day God will pour out upon them His Spirit who will revive them–the nation will then be born in a day. The next–the third day–Messiah will rend the heavens and return. For all these facts, see the following quotation from Hosea 5:14-6:3:<\/p>\n
„For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry off, and there shall be none to deliver. 15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly.<\/p>\n
6<\/b> Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: on the third day, he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. 3 And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.“<\/p>\n
Thus at the end of the tribulation the whole nation of Israel will be converted. When she thus comes to a knowledge of the truth and is converted, the Lord’s name will no longer be profaned among His Chosen People. Through saved Israel all nations will at that time learn that Jehovah is God and the Holy One of Israel. At that time all peoples will come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nIII. THE WEAPONS USED
\n<\/span><\/p>\n„And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall make fires of the weapons and burn them, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall make fires of them seven years; 10 so that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall make fires of the weapons; and they shall plunder those that plundered them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord Jehovah“ (Ezek. 39:9,10).<\/span><\/p>\nSome Bible students have, upon the authority of this passage, come to the conclusion that the arms which are now used in modern warfare will be abandoned in the future and that there will be a reversion to the use of primitive weapons. From this angle, therefore, these verses are interpreted as literally meaning the return to the old shield and buckler, bows and arrows, spears, etc. In support of this proposition our attention is called to the reported fact that certain rays have been discovered which will melt airplane engines or will cause them to cease functioning. For years wild rumors to the effect that such inventions are already a reality have been making the rounds. It is reported that certain of the European nations possess such instruments of death.<\/p>\n
It has been very difficult for me to accept these weird fantastic stories. My reasons for doubt on this point are based upon the fact that the nations which are supposed to have made these discoveries have with all speed been increasing their air fleets propelled by the regular motors. To me it was preposterous to think that they would continue to go to the enormous expense of building such aircraft if they had discovered rays which would render such weapons obsolete.<\/p>\n
It appears to me that if such instruments of death were in existence, they would be used at the present time in the European conflict. The history of war has shown that for every new invention of offensive warfare there has been created a defensive one to counteract it. At this present time there does not seem to be any likelihood of the discovery of new forces which will render all the modern equipment of war obsolete and cause the nations to return to primitive weapons.<\/p>\n
Those advocating the position under consideration insist that this passage must be taken at its face value, and that we must believe in the return to primitive methods of warfare. Let us examine this position more carefully.<\/p>\n
When one speaks to another, he must use terms with which the latter is familiar. In an effort to impart knowledge concerning something that is novel or strange, one must either use familiar terms which are known to both speaker and hearer, or he must by comparison express his ideas. Even then such analogies must be within the realm of the knowledge of the listener. In view of this principle it becomes very evident that Ezekiel had to speak of the future weapons of warfare in terms of those with which his auditors were familiar. Had he spoken of airplanes or machine guns, he would have had to speak of them in known terms, comparing them with familiar objects, or the Lord would have had to coin names for them, which still would have been unintelligible. This He did not choose to do.<\/p>\n
Possibly we may get some light on this subject by examining Isaiah 2:1-4.<\/p>\n
„The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. 4 And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.“<\/p>\n
The prophet looked forward to the time of the coming of the Lord when he will cause all wars to cease. There will, therefore, be no need for weapons of warfare. But there will be a great demand for implements of agriculture. Hence Isaiah said that men will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning-hooks. Are we to infer from his statement that the processes of manufacturing agricultural implements will be abandoned and that a primitive method of beating the metal into the shape desired will be adopted? Such a thought is preposterous. In the millennium, of which the passage speaks, there will be no occasion for a reversion to primitive methods of manufacturing objects.\u00c2\u00b9 To interpret this language literally and thus to infer that the methods of manufacturing implements of agriculture now employed will be laid aside and the primitive process of shaping by beating will be adopted is to reduce this sublime prophecy to an utter absurdity. The plain sense, therefore, of the wording of the passage makes nonsense. Hence we must accept that interpretation which will accord with all the facts known, not only of this context, but also of the general sweep of Scripture. Since one must use the language understood by those addressed, we must believe that Isaiah was speaking of the cessation of war and of converting the materials that had been employed in the manufacture of weapons into agricultural implements, putting his message into terms that his audience comprehended. In the same way we must understand Ezekiel to be employing his terms relating to weapons of warfare.<\/p>\n
This conclusion is likewise confirmed by a careful study of Joel 2:3-11. When this paragraph is studied carefully, it is absolutely certain that the prophet was speaking of a modern mechanized army, such as is used at the present time or may be developed by military science and engineers.<\/p>\n
At the time of the final restoration of Israel to the land of her fathers, dirigibles and aeroplanes will be in use, because Isaiah foretold this fact. „Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?“ (Isa. 60:8). The prophet saw the children of Israel flying as a cloud and as a dove. The flying is literal. For the reason stated above, and others that might be given, I am of the firm conviction that one must take the language of Ezekiel as referring to the weapons that will be used in the future but he expressed his thought in terms with which his audience was familiar. In my opinion there is, therefore, no reference to, nor authority for, one’s interpreting this passage as a prediction that there will be a return to the use of primitive weapons.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nIV. THE BURIAL OF THE SLAIN
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/center><\/p>\n„And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place for burial in Israel, the valley of them that pass through on the east of the sea; and it shall stop them that pass through: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude; and they shall call it The valley of Hamon-gog. 12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying them, that they may cleanse the land. 13 Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown in the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord Jehovah. 14 And they shall set apart men of continual employment, that shall pass through the land, and, with them that pass through, those that bury them that remain upon the face of the land, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search. 15 And they that pass through the land shall pass through; and when any seeth a man’s bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamon-gog. 16 And Hamonah shall be the name of a city. Thus shall they cleanse the land“ (Ezek. 39:11-16).<\/span><\/p>\nAccording to this paragraph certain men will be employed continually for seven months going throughout the length and breadth of the land in search of corpses or bones of the slain. Whenever one is found a stake is to be driven beside it, indicating the location of a skeleton. These will be buried in the place that will be called „Hamon-gog.“ This will be done in order to cleanse the land ceremonially from defilement of a dead body. The orthodox Jews who are strict on this point will see that this is done.<\/p>\n
In great contrast with this gathering up of the bodies and the bones of the fallen of Ezekiel’s prophecy is the prediction found in Jeremiah 25, which foretells the destruction of the kingdom of the world and the slaying of the wicked throughout the entire earth at the close of the day of Jehovah. Those who are slain will not be gathered for burial; on the contrary, they will lie upon the face of the earth and become fertilizer. On this point hear what the prophet says:<\/p>\n
„Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest shall be raised up from the uttermost parts of the earth. 33 And the slain of Jehovah shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the face of the ground“ (Jer. 25:32,33).<\/p>\n
The treatment of the slain in the two instances differentiates them most clearly. The passage in Jeremiah is unmistakably talking about the time when Jehovah shall come at the end of the tribulation. Ezekiel’s prophecy, therefore, could not possibly refer to the same thing as does Jeremiah’s prediction, for in the case of the former slain are denied internment whereas those of Ezekiel’s prophecy are hastily buried.<\/p>\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n
* On the day of Pentecost Peter quoted this passage and applied it to the coming of the Spirit upon the apostles on that occasion. This event was but a partial fulfillment of the prophecy. This position is evident from the fact none of the phenomena in the physical realm mentioned by Joel occurred that day. The prophet’s statement affirms that all of these things will come to pass „before the great and terrible day of Jehovah,“ which is the tribulation period. The events on Pentecost, therefore, were but a partial fulfillment of the prediction. We may expect it to materialize at the time foretold.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00b9 It is altogether possible that the primitive peoples who enter the kingdom will still use the methods of shaping utensils and implements with which they and their ancestors have been acquainted. Later they will accept the methods and processes which they learn under Christ’s benign reign. Since this prediction is speaking of all nations and since we know that those who do practically all the warring in the end of time use the latest methods of manufacturing goods, the argument above is absolutely true.<\/p>\n
\n(Continued from chapter IV)
\n<\/i>
\n<\/span><\/p>\nV. JEHOVAH’S GREAT SACRIFICE
\n<\/span><\/center><\/p>\n„And thou, son of man, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Speak unto the birds of every sort, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. 18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan. 19 And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. 20 And ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord Jehovah“ (Ezek. 39:17-20).<\/span><\/p>\nWhen God’s stroke of judgment annihilates the invading hosts of Gog in the land of Israel, He will invite the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the fields to come and literally to eat the flesh of the slain. This has been done in the past and will be repeated at the time of the great day of God, at the end of the tribulation. On this point read Revelation 19:17,18.<\/p>\n
„And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and<\/i> be gathered together unto the great supper of God; 18 that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men both free and bond, and small and great.“<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nVI. THE GLORY OF JEHOVAH AMONG THE NATIONS
\n<\/span><\/p>\n„And I will set my glory among the nations; and all the nations shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. 22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am Jehovah their God from that day and forward. 23 And the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they trespassed against me, and I hid my face from them: so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and they fell all of them by the sword. 24 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions did I unto them; and I hid my face from them“ (Ezek. 39:21-24).<\/span><\/p>\nThe Shekinah of Glory dwelt in the midst of Israel. The horizon of Ezekiel’s prophecy, in great contrast with former ideas, embraces the entire world. Thus it is said that God will set His glory among the nations. In the light of these facts it is evident that he was speaking of the time that the glory of God shall encircle the earth as the waters cover the sea, when Messiah shall reign in Jerusalem in glory and administer a righteous government. Zephaniah was given the privilege of seeing the same vision as foretold in the following passage:<\/p>\n
„Sing, O daughter of Zion; O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem 15 Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more. 16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not; O Zion, let not thy hands be slack. 17 Jehovah thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing“ (Zeph. 3:14-17).<\/p>\n
God will set His glory among the nations by sending Christ back to earth to reign over the world. Then not only Israel, but also all nations of the world will understand fully God’s past dealings with the Jews in His punishing them because of their sins and in His scattering them among the nations because of their having rejected Messiah. Furthermore, all will acknowledge that God was righteous and just in His dealing thus with His Chosen People.<\/p>\n
\nVII. THE MANNER OF CONVERSION OF ISRAEL
\n<\/span><\/p>\n„Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Now will I bring back the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for my holy name. 26 And they shall bear their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they shall dwell securely in their land, and none shall make them afraid; 27 when I have brought them back from the peoples, and gathered them out of their enemies lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations. 28 And they shall know that I am Jehovah their God, in that I caused them to go into captivity among the nations, and have gathered them unto their own land; and I will leave none of them any more there; 29 neither will I hide my face any more from them; for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah“ (Ezek. 39:25-29).<\/span><\/p>\nIn the preceding section we got a glimpse of the glorious Millennial Age which will be ushered in, as we have already seen, when Israel repudiates her national sin, accepts the Messiah as her Redeemer, and pleads for Him to return. After giving us the vision of this glorious era, the prophet, in the paragraph quoted at the beginning of this section, foretells that God will gather the whole house of Israel and resettle His people in the land of their fathers. This regathering, of course, is completed after God has purged out all the wicked, punishing them for their transgressions and for their sins.<\/p>\n
When Israel is thus converted and restored to her own land, then God will never again hide His face from His chosen beloved people.<\/p>\n
They will then become the channel of blessing to the world. Israel then will be a holy race, a royal priesthood. She will be recognized as the ministers of our God.<\/p>\n
„And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. 5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 6 But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God; ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. 7 Instead of your shame ye shall have<\/i> double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be unto them“ (Isa. 61:4-7).<\/p>\n
In view of the position to which God called Israel in His „purpose of the ages,“ it behooves the people of God today to do all they can in spreading the Gospel among these future ministers of our God. To this end, may the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all mercies, grant to each reader of this book, a clearer vision of the future, especially of Israel’s place in His plan.<\/p>\n
May He give each of us grace and strength to work for Him during the yet remaining short time. The Lord be with each one, and His richest blessings rest and abide with all.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/img729.gif\")
<\/p>\n
Eternity is divided into three sections: „In the beginning,“ „Time,“ and „the ages of the ages.“ Time, that part of eternity during which the material universe is in existence [for there was a portion of eternity which antedated the creation of the universe (Gen. 1:1) and the time will come when all things physical shall pass away (Matt. 24:35; Rev. 20:11)] is likewise subdivided into prehistoric and historic times. Historic times close with the completion of the millennial reign of Christ. The accompanying chart begins with the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, as can be seen by a glance at it, and covers the personal ministry of Jesus, the Christian Dispensation, the Tribulation, and Christ’s reign of a thousand years, which is followed by the ages of the ages of the future.<\/p>\n
CHAPTER V<\/p>\n
THE UNFOLDING OF THE AGES FROM THE BIRTH OF CHRIST TO ETERNITY<\/p>\n
Having in the preceding chapters determined, by the help of the Lord, the most probable time when the prediction of Ezekiel 38:1-39:16 will be fulfilled–before the Tribulation Period–we shall do well if we relate this momentous event in our thinking to other events of the end time. An accurate idea of the sequence of events of the last days of this age throws a most luminous light upon the times in which we are living.<\/p>\n
On opposite page the reader will find a chart entitled, „The unfolding of the Ages from the Birth of Christ to Eternity,“ which diagram will enable him to see the probable order of events of the end time. Of course, in this short discussion only a few points can be mentioned.<\/p>\n
The reader should notice that on the chart there are seven arrows which precede the beginning of the Tribulation Period. [Editor’s note: an additional arrow has been added indicating the transforming event of the establishment of the commonwealth of Israel.] Each of these is bent. Upon the horizontal portion of each is given the designation of the event indicated by the arrow. The reader should always bear in mind that I am not dogmatic in thus presenting this sequence of events-although I have arrived at this conclusion after years of hard study and research.<\/p>\n
Prior to the first World War, I realized that the event was coming because it was foretold in Matthew 24 and parallel passages. During that conflict I was confident that it would stop, and that it would be followed by a period of peace. Of course I did not know anything as to its length. Yet I knew that there would inevitably be another world war.<\/p>\n
If the reader will look at the horizontal portion of the third arrow, he will see these words, „possible period of peace.“ The sign to the left of this phrase indicates that this period of peace is tentatively located. Since it is bound up with the invasion of Palestine mentioned by Ezekiel in 38 and 39, I will for the moment pass over a discussion of this point to the next one. There we see the prediction of an invasion of Palestine by the forces of Gog and those allied with him. We have already learned in the preceding chapters that this aggressive action, taken by the Powers designated as the Great Northern Confederacy, is, from all the facts of the case, found to occur before the Tribulation. Since it is preceded by a period of peace as indicated in Ezekiel 38–Israel will be dwelling in her own land in unwalled cities and villages securely–it is most likely that at the conclusion of this war there will be a short period of peace. If Satan cannot stir up one nation to cause trouble, he will use another. He will bring forth his man and his associates at the proper time as set forth in the Scriptures. When Palestine is thus invaded and seized, the Lord will destroy all those forces and will at the same time rain down fire upon all them that dwell securely in the isles (nations of earth). With the annihilation of the forces of the Great Northeastern Confederacy and with the general judgments of God raining down upon earth on all of them that dwell securely in the isles of the seas, there can be but one result, universal chaos, not only in the material physical realm, but also in the political sphere. There will be a collapse, in all probability, of practically all civil power and authority at that time.<\/p>\n
Such universal wreckage and disorder will pave the way for Satan to bring forth his man and to establish a world kingdom upon the ruins of the former nations. This must be, because men of God have said that it would be. Thus the probability is that there will emerge out of the chaos of the world at this future time a world empire. It will appear very suddenly and will disappear about as quickly, collapsing and falling into ten separate divisions, over each of which there will arise a king who will seize authority and establish his government therein. The rise of this universal empire upon the ruins of the wrecked world is indicated by the fifth arrow of the series. Its collapse and division into ten kingdoms is likewise shown by the sixth arrow.<\/p>\n
According to the inspired Apostle Paul there will be a period of peace in which men will be lulled to sleep with a false security. This era of a fool’s paradise will doubtless be a result of the assurance which the man of sin, the Antichrist, will give to the world when he arises after the coming up of the ten kings. According to the Scriptures these kings will yield to him complete authority and power. The Antichrist will be of such a character that he will convince the world that he alone can establish a permanent peace and mete out justice to all. His words will appear so very plausible and appealing that his promises will not be questioned for one second. The world will therefore be talking about „peace and safety.“ At that time, according to I Thessalonians 5:1-11, the Tribulation, will burst forth upon an unsuspecting world. In this passage it is called the „day of the Lord“–an Old Testament name for it.<\/p>\n
When the Antichrist thus arises and makes his covenant with the apostate remnant of Israel in Palestine, according to Daniel 9:27, the Tribulation will begin and will continue for seven years. The Lord has seen fit to give us full details concerning it; although we Christians who are now living will not enter it, because the Lord has promised to save us out of it. God has not appointed us unto it, but promises that we shall be saved from it (I Thess. 5:9).<\/p>\n
Evidently the Lord wanted us to know about this period of judgment, for He has devoted Revelation 6-19 to a detailed description of it. It behooves the faithful Christian to study carefully and prayerfully the entire Book of Revelation. Time devoted to a perusal of this portion of the Word is by no means spent in vain.<\/p>\n
During the first half of the Tribulation, as we have already seen in the preceding chapter, the world’s greatest revival will take place. The evangelists will be the 144,000 men–Jews–to whom we are now giving the Gospel but who do not accept Christ upon receiving it. They will, however, embrace the truth and receive Christ after the church is removed from the world and the judgments of God begin to fall upon the earth. These witnesses who will have been given the truth by those now interested in the Jewish people will step forward and will proclaim the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ throughout the world. They will thus bring about the mightiest of all revivals (Rev. 7).<\/p>\n
At the end of the Tribulation the remnant surviving to that time will be evangelized and will accept Jesus as Lord and Messiah. When they do that and plead for His return, He will do so. When this occurs, He will introduce His reign of righteousness upon the earth.<\/p>\n
As indicated on the chart, when Jesus comes, there will be many mighty and far-reaching events taking place. These are listed on the arrow which points to the second coming of Christ. All of these events will be world transforming. Christ will, having mounted His throne in Jerusalem, reign upon the earth for a thousand years. This will be the reign of which the prophets and the psalmists sang constantly.<\/p>\n
At the end of the Millennial Age Satan will be unloosed from his imprisonment in the pit. At that time he will stir up people in the four corners of the earth who will go up against the Lord Jesus Christ in Jerusalem in an attempt to intimidate Him. When they do this, fire will come down out of heaven and consume them.<\/p>\n
Following this event will be the judgment of the great white throne before which all the lost appear–those who have never accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and been regenerated. They will be consigned to their place of everlasting punishment. (For a discussion of everlasting punishment, see the study, „Eternity or the Plan of the Ages,“ in The World’s Greatest Library Graphically Illustrated.)<\/p>\n
At the judgment of the great white throne the present material universe will pass out of existence in fulfillment of our Lord’s prediction found in Matthew 24:35 and John’s statement in Revelation 20:11.<\/p>\n
The Lord will then create the eternal heavens and the eternal earth which will be the fulfillment of the prediction found in Revelation 21 and 22.<\/p>\n
Thus with this little pictorial representation, we can see the place where the invasion of Palestine by the forces of Gog and his associates comes–before the Tribulation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CHAPTER IVA SECOND VIEW OF THE PICTURE In Ezekiel 38 the prophet depicted in a most vivid way, the invasion of Palestine by the forces of „The Northeastern Confederacy“ under the leadership of Gog, prince of Russia. He revealed the motive prompting this act of aggression and made known to us the reaction of the … <\/p>\n
\u201eWhen Gog’s Armies Meet\u201c <\/span>weiterlesen<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1235"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1241,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235\/revisions\/1241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}