{"id":874,"date":"2018-01-30T12:17:27","date_gmt":"2018-01-30T11:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/?p=874"},"modified":"2018-01-30T12:17:27","modified_gmt":"2018-01-30T11:17:27","slug":"jewish-evangelization-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/2018\/01\/30\/jewish-evangelization-series\/","title":{"rendered":"Jewish Evangelization Series"},"content":{"rendered":"

Selected portions from the Jewish Evangelism Series \u2014 January 1, 1936<\/em>
\nby Dr. David L. Cooper<\/p>\n

Why Evangelize Israel in This Generation? and How?<\/h2>\n

I. Why Evangelize Israel in This Generation?<\/h3>\n

In accordance with the plans of God announced to Abraham, all spiritual blessings enjoyed by the world have come through Abraham and his descendants. Into an everlasting covenant the Lord entered with him and his seed; from his posterity the inspired prophets, psalmists, and sages of Israel sprang; out of the bosom of the nation the Lord Jesus Christ came forth with the glad tidings of redemption; from the humbler classes of the Jewish people the Apostles, with the exception of Paul, stepped forth to become fishers of men; by the Hebrew race were given all the books of the Bible except those of the Gospel of Luke and The Acts of the Apostles written by Luke the beloved physician; and of their own flesh and blood were the first martyrs, who, refusing to obey the voice of man rather than that of God, walked forward by faith into the very jaws of death and demonstrated to us what true discipleship is. Prior to the days of printing the Jews have with infinite pains copied their Scriptures and preserved them to us in a state of accuracy which is almost incredible. According to reports whenever a mistake is made in the scroll by a scribe, it is rejected. Every word and letter is counted so that the record might be as perfect as human efforts can achieve. In this connection I wish to state a fact which is usually overlooked by Christian writers and on account of which we are greatly indebted to the Jews. Christianity, as we shall learn, was given in the first century to the world by the Hebrew Christian Church but in all regions where the Jewish influence through the intervening centuries has not been, or has been limited, the torch of Christian truth soon became extinct. Obviously, the monotheistic faith of Judaism created an environment conducive to the growth of Christianity.<\/p>\n

In view of the facts cited above, one is not surprised at the statements of the Holy Spirit relative to the debt which the Gentiles owe to the Jews. Paul declared that the Gentiles, having been grafted into the Jewish stock are partakers of the fatness of the natural olive tree (Romans 11:17). In discussing the matter of the Gentiles‘ contributing to the material needs of the poor Hebrew Christians, the same Apostle affirmed, \u201cFor if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to minister unto them in carnal things\u201d (Romans 15:27). The principle underlying this quotation is applicable to the matter of giving the Gospel to Israel at the present time. Their spiritual debtors we are. From this standpoint alone it becomes necessary that the entire church arise in a mighty effort to give the truth to Israel. To do so is in perfect alignment with the plan of God revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures.<\/p>\n

A. The Plan of God in the Old Testament<\/h2>\n

In Genesis 12:3 God stated to Abraham that He would bless all families in him:<\/p>\n

And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse:
\nand in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A special blessing is here held out to the one who will bless Abraham, and a curse is pronounced upon the one cursing him. This original promise in the light of the immediate context seems to have focused attention upon the patriarch in his relation to the world of his own day; yet there are intimations that it looks into the distant future. The land promise of verse 7, \u201cUnto thy seed will I give this land,\u201d confirms this inference. The germinal thought of the original passage is expanded into a definite promise which designates Abraham’s seed as the channel of world blessing. \u201cIn blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall posses the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed\u201d (Genesis 22:17,18). A careful study of verse 17 gives a clear intimation that the word seed is used in a double sense: first with reference to Abraham’s literal posterity; secondly with reference to One of His descendants who will be powerful enough to conquer all the enemies of Israel. In the light of the scriptures this position is seen to be the correct one. Hence this passage contains a promise that God will use both the Jewish nation and her Messiah as the channel for blessing the entire world.<\/p>\n

The interpretation given in the paragraph above is confirmed by the Spirit-inspired Psalmist who prayed: \u201cGod be merciful unto us, and bless us, And <\/em>cause his face to shine upon us; That thy way may be known upon earth, Thy salvation among all nations\u201d (Ps. 67:1-2). The book of Psalms is Israel’s infallible, inspired song book. It was composed for her comfort and ritualistic use. In the past the pious of the nation have uttered the truth of these verses as the deepest yearning of their souls. In the future especially, the godly remnant will express in these same words its heart cries during the time of the Great Tribulation.<\/p>\n

According to this passage the pious in Israel will pray for God’s mercy upon them and His deliverance from their enemies with one object only in view, namely, that the Lord’s way and salvation may be made known upon earth among all nations. When we realize that this hymn was composed by the inspired man of God in order that Israel might know for what to pray and how to pray, it becomes abundantly evident that this petition is also a prophecy of the way God will give His truth to the nations of the world. By these facts we are logically brought to the conclusion that the gospel will never be given to the world except through Israel, the divinely-chosen agent for heralding the truth to all nations.<\/p>\n

B. The Plan of God Revealed in the New Testament<\/h2>\n

1. The Gospel to All Nations<\/h4>\n

According to the predictions which we have just studied, we naturally expect the Jew to be set forth in the New Testament as the herald of salvation to all nations. Does it teach this doctrine? At one of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to His disciples, He gave the great commission in the following words: \u201cAll authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (literally, the consummation of the age).\u201d Our Lord tasted death for every one; hence after His resurrection He instructed His disciples to tell this fact to all nations and to baptize all those who accept Him. This work is to be carried on during His absence \u2014 even to the consummation of the age. The Jewish people being one of the nations, the gospel is to be given to them throughout the Christian dispensation in the same manner as to the Gentiles.<\/p>\n

In this connection we must note the fact that, though the ones to whom this great commission was given were the Jewish Apostles, we learn from other passages that the Gentiles are fellow heirs with Israel in the body of Christ and that they have the same responsibility of giving the truth out to the nations as the Hebrews.<\/p>\n

a. Evidence from Scripture<\/h5>\n

The Jewish disciples took the Lord seriously and went forth in the power of the Spirit of God, giving the gospel to the world in the first generation after the resurrection of their Lord. Proof is seen in a quotation from the tenth chapter of Romans. In order to appreciate the force of the Apostle’s statement, we must remember that this letter was written, according to conservative scholars, in the Spring of 58 A.D. According to Luke’s statement in Acts 1:8, the gospel was to be given in the following order: first, at Jerusalem; secondly, throughout all Judea; thirdly, in Samaria; and finally, to the ends of the world. The Acts of the Apostles shows that this divine program was carried out to the letter. Of course Luke, as is well known to all Bible students, drops the record of all the apostles except that of Paul after giving an account of the preaching of the gospel to the first Gentile converts.<\/p>\n

In Romans 10 he discusses the necessity of the messenger. People can not call upon the Lord in whom they do not believe; neither can they believe in Him of whom they have not heard; and they can not hear without a messenger. In verse 16 the apostle makes the categorical statement that \u201cthey did not all hearken to the glad tidings.\u201d But this fact was no surprise to him because the Lord had already foretold that the message would not be universally accepted: \u201cLord, who hath believed our report?\u201d Did the world have a chance to Hearken? Hear Paul in verse 18. \u201cDid they not hear? Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world.\u201d In answering his own question, Paul gave his reply in the language of Psalm 19:4. The connection of this verse in the original shows that David was talking about the evidence of God’s creative activity and spoke of it in terms of personality. Paul’s use of the Psalmist’s words shows that he adapts them to his theme of the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth. When this quotation is studied in the light of all the facts, one understands the passage as teaching that the infant church gave the gospel to the world by the year 58 A.D., that is, within 28 years of the death of our Lord the gospel had been preached to the world. Confirmation of this position is found in the Apostle’s statements in Colossians 1:6,23. The Colossian letter was written in 63 A.D. In verse 6 Paul in speaking of the gospel said that it was bearing fruit \u201cin all the world.\u201d The word here translated world is the same one appearing in John 3:16: \u201cfor God so loved the world.\u201d It is evident that the world which God loved included all peoples. Hence when Paul says that the gospel was bearing fruit in all the world, he meant by world what John designated by it in chapter 3:16. Further confirmation is found in his statement in Colossians 1:23 where he, in speaking again of the gospel, said that it had \u201cbeen preached in all creation under heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n

b. Evidence from Tradition<\/h5>\n

For the one who is willing to take the Scriptural statements at their face value the testimony given above is sufficient. But for those desiring more light on the subject I may call attention to the fact that the traditions coming to us from the early centuries affirm that the Apostles and ministers of the Word went into various parts of the world preaching the gospel. According to these traditions Christianity was taken to China, India the land of the Scythians, and Africa. Though I am not attaching my faith to the traditions of men, I do feel that, since they do not contradict the Scriptural testimony but rather confirm it, there is truth and historical fact lying behind them.<\/p>\n

c. Evidence from Archaeology<\/h5>\n

Additional evidence may also be found in the realm of archaeology, philology and the teachings, practices, and superstitions of various heathen nations. Some students of Philology affirm that they find word fossils embedded in the language of certain peoples which prove that the gospel was given to said nations at a very early date. Others find evidence in the form of beliefs, superstitions, and practices of the heathen world. The conclusion to which these facts lead them is that the gospel was given to the nations in an early age. Since the New Testament declared that it was given to the world in the first generation, it is only fair to conclude, that this extra-scriptural evidence is proof that corroborates the inspired record.<\/p>\n

2. Gospel not given to the World since 70 A.D.<\/h4>\n

Though the gospel was planted throughout the world during the first generation of the church’s existence, a great change occurred in the second generation. According to authentic history Jerusalem fell in 70 A.D. under the powerful blows of Rome and the nation was scattered to the four winds of the earth. The Jews misinterpreted this calamity, thinking that it was evidence of divine displeasure against the nation because she had not exterminated the sect of the Nazarenes, both root and branch. Misunderstanding that disaster, the Jews ceased in any appreciable numbers to accept the gospel. After 70 A.D. the church gradually changed its complexion. From that time to the present it has been largely a Gentile Church whereas prior to that date it had dominantly been a Jewish body.<\/p>\n

During this period the church has not one time given the gospel to the world. This fact is hard for us to comprehend, since our Lord specifically charged His disciples to give the gospel to every creature. According to the New Testament teaching there is but one duty which our Lord imposed upon His church, namely, to evangelize the world. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth. But for some reason the energy of the disciples was diverted into other channels and the church has spent her time and resources in what might be called the by-products of Christianity, \u2014 worthy as they are. But the one specific charge of evangelizing the world she has neglected. The history of Christianity is clear and positive on this point.<\/p>\n

In making this observation, I do not wish to belittle the splendid work which has been done by numerous individuals and organizations. Many and glorious have been the triumphs of the Cross as it has been held up by faithful, consecrated missionaries who have left all to make Christ known in the dark spots of earth. While we give honor to whom honor is due and praise to whom it is due, I can not close my eyes to the fact that the Gentile church at no time of its history has ever done that one and only task imposed upon her by her absent Lord.<\/p>\n

3. The Gospel will be given to the World in the End-Time<\/h4>\n

a. According to Matthew 10:23<\/h5>\n

Though the Gentile church has failed in carrying out the command of the lord to evangelize the world, the Scriptures plainly teach that in the closing days of this age, the gospel will be given in power to all peoples. A hint at this program is found in our Lord’s statement in Matthew 10:23: \u201cfor verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.\u201d A study of the context shows that Jesus made this prediction at the time He gave what is known as \u201cthe limited commission,\u201d that is, His sending the disciples to preach only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. From the gospel records it is evident that this work was never completed because of the hostility of the Jewish leaders toward Jesus. He, foreseeing this opposition and the cessation of their ministry and also knowing that the work of evangelizing Israel would be resumed in the end of the age, blended His instructions to the Apostles with His prediction of that which will be done immediately before His second coming. When Jesus sent the disciples out on this commission, the hostility had not taken on the proportions which it did later. Hence Jesus in His instructions to the disciples did not intimate that this situation would develop. And yet His language read in the light of later developments shows that He fully understood what was immediately in the future. These facts together with His connecting the incomplete evangelization of the cities of Israel with His second coming show that a campaign to evangelize the cities of Israel will be launched prior to His advent in glory. Since the Old Testament teaches that Israel is to be the channel of blessing to the world, it becomes manifest that this renewal of the limited commission is preparatory to a world-wide campaign of gospel preaching.<\/p>\n

b. According to Matthew 24:14<\/h5>\n

The conclusion reached in the last paragraph is stated clearly in Matthew 24:14. \u201cAnd this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all nations; and then shall the end come.\u201d Mark in giving the same prediction used the expression the gospel <\/em>where Matthew employed this gospel of the kingdom.<\/em> Though some students make a distinction between the gospel of the grace of God<\/em> and the gospel of the kingdom<\/em>, I have never seen sufficient justification for the distinction. From all the facts I conclude that the good news which will be preached at the end of this age (during the Great Tribulation) includes the proclamation of salvation through Christ’s blood and His appearance upon earth in glory to establish His world-wide kingdom.<\/p>\n

c. According to Revelation 7<\/h5>\n

A third passage bearing upon this phase of our study is Revelation 7. I believe that the church is represented as having been taken out of the world when we come to Revelation 4, 5, and that chapters 6 to 19 give a full account of the Tribulation period. In chapter 7 we have a glimpse into the spiritual activity which will be carried on during the Tribulation. In the first eight verses John describes a vision granted him. In it he saw a mighty army of 144,000 Jewish servants of God. 12,000 from of the twelve tribes of Israel. Since they are servants of the Lord, it is evident that they labor in His cause. They will be protected as they continue their work for God.<\/p>\n

Immediately after this revelation John saw another vision in which was presented a view of innumerable host of saved people \u201cout of every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues\u201d. These people are saved, for they have \u201cwashed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.\u201d John saw them standing before the throne of God, rejoicing, and giving thanks to God for their marvelous redemption. Though the church at that time will have been translated and will be in the presence of the Lord the Holy Spirit will still be in the world to \u201cconvict men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.\u201d During the time that the Son is absent from the earth, the Holy Spirit carries on His work to completion.<\/p>\n

Since the announced plan of God is to bless all nations through Abraham and his seed, since when his seed had the gospel in the first generation of this dispensation the truth sounded forth into all the world, since from 70 A.D. to the present the Gentile world has not even one time evangelized the world, and since the vision of the 144,000 Hebrew servants of God, is given immediately before that of the saved multitude from every nation under heaven, there is but one conclusion to which all the facts lead, namely, that God will yet in the future use a remnant of Israel in getting the gospel to all nations in the Tribulation period. Hence the great revival for which many earnest souls are longing and praying will come through the Jewish evangelists who will be called out by the sowing of the seed in their hearts now.<\/p>\n

4. God’s order throughout the Dispensation \u2014 to the Jew First<\/h4>\n

In Romans 1:16 Paul declared:<\/p>\n

For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
\nto the Jew first, and also to the Greek.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What is the significance of the phrase, \u201cto the Jew first\u201d? Two answers are given: first, that the gospel was to be given in the beginning of the Christian dispensation and after that task was accomplished the church had no further duty towards them; secondly, that in every place and in every generation it is to be given to the Jew first and then to the Gentile.<\/p>\n

Let us now examine the first interpretation. In reply to the position that the gospel was to be given to the Jewish nation only in the beginning of the dispensation, I wish to call attention again to the great commission. In that statement Jesus said that the gospel should be preached to all nations unto the end of the age (see Matthew 28:19,20). Since the Jewish people certainly constitute one of the nations our Lord’s command to give the gospel to all nations includes Israel.<\/p>\n

In Romans 11 Paul compared the Jewish nation to a tame olive tree and the Gentile nations to the wild olive. In verse 17 he showed that some of the natural branches were broken off and that wild olive branches have been grafted in among the remaining natural branches. From this illustration it is evident that God’s plan for this entire age contemplates the presence of both Jews and Gentiles in the body of Christ. Since men are brought to Christ through the preaching of the gospel, it must be given to both Jews and Gentiles to win them to Him. Therefore this passage assumes the preaching of the gospel to the Jews throughout the dispensation as well as to the Gentiles.<\/p>\n

A third passage with which the present theory clashes is Ephesians 2:14:<\/p>\n

For he is our peace, who made both (Jew and Gentile) one,
\nand brake down the middle wall of partition.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This is a general statement concerning the church during the present dispensation. It like wise assumes the preaching of the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles throughout the gospel age. In view of these three clear statements of Holy Writ, it is impossible for me to interpret the phrase, \u201cto the Jew first,\u201d dispensationally.<\/p>\n

We will now examine the second interpretation, namely, that the gospel is to be preached to the Jews as well as to the Gentiles throughout the entire dispensation, but that in every community where there are Jews it is to be given to them first. To understand Paul’s phrase in Romans 1:16, \u201cto the Jew first,\u201d we must understand the time and the existing conditions when he made the statement. As we have already seen, the Roman letter was written in the Spring of 58 A.D. At that time the gospel had been given to the Jewish nation. According to the instructions of the Lord it was given first in Jerusalem, then to Judea, next in Samaria, and finally it went forth to the ends of the earth. According to Paul’s statement in chapter 10, it had at that time sounded forth to the uttermost bounds of the earth. Although the gospel had first been given to Jewish nation and had gone to the ends of the world, Paul, after that great accomplishment still declared that the gospel was \u201cto the Jew first.\u201d In the light of this fact it is impossible to interpret the phrase dispensationally.<\/p>\n

A further fact must be noted. According to Romans 1:14,15 Paul declared:<\/p>\n

I am a debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
\nSo, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are in Rome.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In this passage he used the present tense which fact shows that he was not speaking of a past responsibility but a present obligation. The entire context (vs. 8-17) shows that he was looking toward the future and was planning a visit to Rome. In discussing his future he clearly stated that the obligation was then resting upon him to preach the gospel to all but in giving the details he affirmed that it is \u201cto the Jew first.\u201d Since this statement was made after the gospel had already been given to the Jewish nation, this expression can not be interpreted dispensationally but must be understood to mean that in every place and in every generation it must be given to the Jew first.<\/p>\n

Confirmation of this position is found in Paul’s practice. A study of his ministry in Acts 13-28 shows that invariably upon reaching a new locality he went to the Jews first, if there were any residing there, and gave them the gospel. This principle of action he declared in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia when the Jews rejected his message: \u201cAnd Paul said, It was necessary that the Word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo we turn to the Gentiles\u201d (Acts 13:46). Did he turn from Israel officially? No. When he reached Iconium, the next city visited he went \u201cinto the synagogue of the Jews and so spake that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed\u201d (Acts 14:1). A careful study of Acts will show that Paul adopted the principle of going to the Jews of every community first and, having given them an opportunity of hearing the truth, he then went to the Gentiles of the place.<\/p>\n

In three cities where Jewish opposition became pronounced, we are told that Paul turned from the Jews and went to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46; 18:6; 28:28). In the first two instances it is clear that he turned simply from the Jews of a community to the Gentiles of the same region, for upon arrival in the next center of Jewish population he immediately went to the Jews. Since Acts of the Apostles closes with Paul’s turning from the Jews at Rome, we must interpret this incident in the light of the other two. Therefore there is no justification for the inference that Paul’s turning from the Jews at Rome was an official and divine rejection of Israel during the present dispensation. To the contrary, it must be understood that when the Jews of Rome refused the truth, Paul, according to his custom, turned to the Gentiles in the imperial city.<\/p>\n

5. The Necessity of Sowing the Seed in all Jewry in this Generation<\/h4>\n

Wheat must be sown in order that the harvest may yield wheat. The principle that every thing produces its kind obtains throughout the vegetable and animal kingdoms. The same principle also obtains in the spiritual realm. The Word of God is the seed of the kingdom. Hence it must be sown if a spiritual crop is expected. Since it is the plan of God to bless all families of the earth through Israel, it becomes the duty of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to sow the seed in the field of Israel.<\/p>\n

The Jewish nation may be compared to a dry field with a moist spot here and there. The seed must be sown in this dry soil now so that when the rains come in the form of the judgments of the Great Tribulation, it may germinate and produce an army of Jewish evangelists who will give the truth to the entire world. This sowing should be done now before the night falls. When the church is gone, this seed will produce the desired harvest of Jewish evangelists who will in turn give the gospel to the entire world. God has promised that His Word shall not return to Him void, but that it shall accomplish that whereunto He has sent it.<\/p>\n

II. How Evangelize Israel In This Generation?<\/h3>\n

The evangelization of all Israel is a stupendous task not only because of the fact that there are approximately 17,000,000, Jewish people who are scattered among the nations but also because of the fact that they are a highly intellectual race and have systems of philosophy and theology that are admixtures of the revelation of God, the traditions of the fathers, and speculations of heathenism. These difficulties are heightened by the peculiar exclusiveness of the race and the feeling of its superiority. The task of giving them the gospel is rendered the more difficult because of the prejudice against the Christian religion which has been aggravated by the persecutions of the Jews during the last nineteen hundred years.<\/p>\n

The practical and wise physician learns the history of his patient, ascertains the present facts and symptoms, and from them draws his conclusions. After a thorough diagnosis, he prescribes his remedy. In order to present the truth to Israel we must learn something of her spiritual history, her present condition and her hopes. If this rule is not followed, one’s efforts, regardless of his sincerity and diligence to present the gospel to Israel will fail.<\/p>\n

Paul laid down the great and fundamental principle that should guide in our efforts to evangelize Israel. \u201cAnd to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews\u201d (I Corinthians 9:20). Jesus adopted this principle in dealing with the two disciples as He walked with them along the road:<\/p>\n

And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets,
\nhe interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.\u201d (Luke 24:27)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On the day of Pentecost Peter began by quoting from Joel, one of the oldest writing prophets, and expounded the Scriptures, proving that Jesus of Nazareth was both Lord and Messiah. Stephen before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:1-53), beginning with the call of Abraham, unfolded the Scriptures and showed that Jesus was the Messiah. Paul in Antioch of Pisidia began his message with the sojourn of Israel in Egypt and explained the Scriptures, leading his hearers to the truth concerning Jesus Christ. Today the messenger must pursue the same method, if he is to present the truth to Israel in the most efficient manner.<\/p>\n

A general diagnosis of Israel’s condition reveals the fact that she is in error on four fundamentals that hinder her receiving the gospel. These misconceptions must be cleared away before the truth can be given. The nation is divided into orthodox, conservative, and reformed groups. The orthodox Jew is in the majority. Hence in this connection I shall give particular attention to his case.<\/p>\n

A grave Jewish misunderstanding concerning the inspiration of the Scriptures must be borne in mind by the worker as he presents the truth to the Jew. The Hebrew Bible is divided into three principal division: the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (cf. Luke 24:44). According to the orthodox Jew the Torah (five books of Moses) is absolutely inspired of God; hence every word can be relied upon as the Word of God. The prophets, though written by the Spirit-guided servants of God, are not in the same class with the Torah. Hence they are inspired in a lesser, degree than the writings of Moses. The third division, which begins with Psalms and ends with Chronicles, is of less authority than even the Prophets, since it was penned by men who enjoyed less of the divine illumination than the prophets. Hence a doctrine that is found in the Torah has for him more weight than one found only in the second or the third sections of the Hebrew Bible.<\/p>\n

In view of this serious misconception concerning inspiration, the Christian worker must present the truth on all points first from the Law of Moses and then trace its development in the Prophets and finally in the Psalms. We have to take people as they are and not as they should be.<\/p>\n

The first and gravest error of Judaism is that which pertains to the Trinity. Misunderstanding his own Scriptures, the Jew affirms that God is one in the absolute sense of the term and at the same time declares that the New Testament and the Christian world teach that there are three Gods. It is evident that he misunderstands both the teaching of Moses and that of the New Testament. The facts in the case are that Israel’s great confession (Deuteronomy 6:4) teaches the triune nature of the God of Israel. Translated literally this passage declares \u201cHear O Israel: Jehovah our Gods is Jehovah a unity.\u201d This statement studied in the light of others shows that the Godhead consists of the Holy Trinity.<\/p>\n

The second serious mistake, which hinders the Jew from seeing the truth, is his misunderstanding the doctrine of Messiah’s nature and person. In the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, he reads the account of the lives of such men as Saul, David, and Solomon who are in turn called the Lord’s \u201canointed\u201d or \u201cmessiah.\u201d From the records he sees that these men were born by natural generation, that they were both political and religious leaders, that they served their generations, and that they slept with their fathers. Not understanding that the messages of the Prophets are of equal value with the books of Moses, the Jew passes by the predictions given in them concerning the true Messiah and formulates his idea of Him from the data concerning early kings of Israel. It is not surprising, therefore, to learn that pious orthodox parents, whenever a boy baby is born into the home, dedicate it to God and pray that their child might become the messiah to deliver the nation.<\/p>\n

When the Christian wishes to present the truth concerning the true Messiah, he must begin with the predictions found in the Torah concerning the Redeemer and trace the development of the doctrine through the Prophets. This subject can be presented most efficiently from the Hebrew text of the Scriptures.<\/p>\n

The third fundamental which the Jew misunderstands pertains to the outline of Messiah’s redemptive career as presented in the Old Testament. The Jew is looking for only one appearance of the Messiah. In fact, some are expecting two Messiahs \u2014 one to be killed in battle and the other to take his place, to lead the Jewish armies to victory, and to re-establish the Davidic dynasty in power. With such ideas in mind the Jew can not see the truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. It becomes necessary to take certain passages in the Old Testament that present the entire career of Messiah. Such sections of Scripture as Psalms 110; 118; Isaiah 52:13 \u2014 53:12 present the two comings of the one Messiah and the interval during which He is seated at the right hand of God. To the Jew it appears that the Christian is trying to make out a case for the Messiahship of Jesus when he simply takes a verse here and there from the Scriptures to show the two comings of the Messiah. Hence it is of the utmost importance to show the entire outline of Messiah’s redemptive career from single passages.<\/p>\n

The fourth error which hinders the Jew from seeing that Jesus is the Messiah of ancient prediction is his fixed idea that the Messiah is yet to come. An outstanding rabbi a few years ago stated the situation, as he saw it, and concluded that agreement between Jews and Christians could never be effected. In presenting his case he declared that there is a wide chasm between Judaism and Christianity which can never be bridged. The banks of this gulf consist of positions diametrically opposed: The Jew declares that the messianic predictions, whether they be understood personally or as referring to a golden age, yet await fulfillment; the Christian affirms that these prophecies have been fulfilled in the coming of Jesus of Nazareth. The rabbi concluded that two religions resting upon contradictory positions are irreconcilable. Hence it becomes necessary to show the Jew from his own Scriptures the time when the Messiah was scheduled to appear the first time.<\/p>\n

When one has presented from the Hebrew Scriptures the truth on the four fundamentals concerning which the Jew is in error, he is ready to give the evidence that Jesus of Nazareth was the fulfillment of the Messianic hope. In fact, when these four errors have been exposed and the truth given, the Jew can see clearly that Jesus was the true fulfillment of the prophetic forecast. Hence it is then easy to show him the truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and the necessity of accepting Him as Savior and Messiah.<\/p>\n

\n

The Literary Method of Giving the Gospel to World Jewry<\/h2>\n

I. The Plan of God<\/h3>\n

In the pamphlet, Why Evangelize Israel in This Generation? and How?<\/em>, the first of our Jewish Evangelization Series, I endeavor to lay before the reader the general plan of God to Bless the world through Abraham’s seed. When his seed had the gospel, it was given to all the world. After they turned from the truth, it ceased to flow out to all the nations. This fact is a sad comment upon the Christian church. The future, however, from the standpoint of world-evangelization holds something better in store for those who have never heard it. According to Revelation 7, the gospel will yet be preached by the 144,000 Israelites, \u201cservants of our God,\u201d during the Great Tribulation. The fruit of their labors will be the great ingathering of souls from \u201cevery nation and of all<\/em> tribes and peoples and tongues,\u201d who will accept the gospel when it will be preached by these Jewish evangelists. Yes, the revival is certain but it will NOT come until the church gives Israel the gospel which, through her, will immediately be given to the world. The nation of Israel is the God-appointed agency for the proclamation of the truth to the whole world.<\/p>\n

The purpose of preaching the gospel is twofold: first, to give the truth to those who have a yearning for God and salvation; secondly, to harden the hearts of all who have no desire for righteousness and who do not will<\/em> to do the will of God. In this connection let us not forget that it is the will of God that all should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved. But when men hate God and spurn His Word the Lord does not force their wills. He never does, He never will. When He gave Isaiah his commission to preach to the chosen people, He brought out this twofold truth relative to the results of the proclamation of His Word. Read the entire sixth chapter of Isaiah. In verse 9 the Lord instructed the prophet to:<\/p>\n

Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart.\u201d (Isaiah 6:9)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From this verse it is evident that the result of preaching the truth to certain individuals is that of hardening the heart, closing the eyes, and stopping the ears. Since the Lord will not force the human will, when men deliberately and persistently spurn His grace, He hardens their hearts in preparation for the righteous judgment which His justice demands. On the other hand we see that there is always a remnant, the holy seed (vs. 13). This minority who hears the Word consists of those who have a yearning for God and a desire to do His will.<\/p>\n

This same teaching is set forth in the New Testament. In II Corinthians 2:15,16 Paul declared, \u201cFor we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life.\u201d Paul and all ministers who preach the Gospel faithfully are a sweet savor unto God in relation both to the saved and to the lost. This statement though very peculiar, is a clear declaration that, when the Gospel is preached, God is pleased. To those who desire the truth of salvation, the ministers of the Word are a savor of life unto life, but to those who do not have a love for the truth and who refuse it, they become a savor of death unto death. Strange to us though it may be, those who preach the Gospel and by so doing harden the hearts of the impenitent are really a sweet savor unto God. The necessity of preaching the Gospel to all may be seen in a little reflection concerning the atonement and justification by faith. God desires to be just when He justifies those who believe in the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and at the same time He must be righteous in condemning those who will not receive Him. In both instances, therefore the Lord will be preeminently just; hence the righteousness of God and His justice demand that the Gospel be preached alike to those who desire it and those who do not.<\/p>\n

What about the heathen who have never had an opportunity of hearing the truth throughout the centuries? Jesus declared that all who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. The Lord sees to it that all who yearn for Him and His will shall have an opportunity of coming to Him. In discussing the case of the heathen (Romans 2:12-16) Paul showed that they are already under condemnation because they have not lived up to the light which they have. His statement deals with the case of the heathen generally. At the end of the age, however, when a new situation arises \u2014 the impending wrath of God \u2014 the conditions will be different. In view of the sweeping character of the judgments, the gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all nations for a testimony (Matthew 24:14).<\/p>\n

Paul touches upon the same point in II Thessalonians chapter 2. Concerning those who in the closing days of this dispensation do not receive a love of the truth, the apostle declares that God will send them strong delusions that they might believe a lie, and believing a lie, they might be condemned. That God may be just in bringing the judgments of the Great Tribulation upon the world, He will give to all men ample opportunity of accepting the truth. Noah evidently prepared the impenitent antediluvians for the flood judgment. Paul’s statement in this passage seems to imply the same principle.<\/p>\n

In order that God may be just in bringing the judgments of the Tribulation upon the Jewish people, the gospel must be given to them, affording those who desire the truth an opportunity of receiving it that they may be saved. It also must be preached to those who do not desire it in order to prepare them for the impending judgments. This time of great distress, as all Bible students know, is called \u201cthe time of Jacob’s trouble.\u201d This phrase indicates that this visitation of God’s wrath has special reference to the Jewish race. In pouring out His plagues upon the world, particularly upon Israel, God will be just and righteous. Our conception of righteousness, which is based upon the Scriptures, leads us to believe that Israel might have an opportunity of either accepting, or rejecting the truth before the Tribulation breaks upon her in all its fury. It is not for us to judge how thoroughly the nation must be evangelized before the judgments can fall, but, in my opinion, the justice of God demands that the nation as a whole have at least one adequate opportunity of either accepting or rejecting the glad tidings of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether that opportunity has been given to the nation sufficiently at the present time is not a matter for us to judge, but for the Lord alone.<\/p>\n

The Great Tribulation likewise will fall upon the entire world. In order for God to be just in pouring out His wrath, the Gentile world also must have an adequate opportunity of hearing the truth. That all may have such an opportunity, God will use the 144,000 Jews (evangelists) mentioned in Revelation 7 in preaching the gospel to all the world during the Tribulation period. As stated in the preceding paragraph, by the efforts of these Jewish evangelists an innumerable host of Gentiles will be brought into the kingdom of God under the most trying circumstances of the Great Tribulation. Their witness to the world, especially to those who reject the truth, will prepare the rest of the world for the judgments which will come upon it. As we learn from Isaiah 24:6 this testimony will be rejected by the masses who will, as a consequence of their obstinacy be swept into eternity without God and hope of salvation.<\/p>\n

In view of the signs of the times which indicate that the time for the Lord to return for His saints is rapidly approaching, it behooves those who know and who love the Lord Jesus Christ to put forth every effort to get this gospel through Israel, the appointed channel, to the whole world. The conviction is ever deepening upon the hearts of those who know the Lord that the time in which we are yet privileged to labor for Him is rapidly coming to a close. It is becoming more difficult as the days pass to get the truth to men. While we have, therefore, an opportunity of free speech, let us proclaim the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ with diligence and all haste.<\/p>\n

Now is the time to sow the seed, the Word of God, in the field of Israel. In this connection I wish to use a little illustration which is a perfect representation of the situation. The nation of Israel might be compared to a field that is powder-dry with a moist spot here and there. The seed sown in this dry soil lies dormant awaiting the enlivening showers. Only the seed falling in the damp places germinate immediately. The seed falling into the moist spot of an honest heart will immediately spring forth. Those thus accepting the Lord Jesus will be added to the body of Christ, but that seed which is sown in the dry ground of an impenitent heart will remain dormant until the time of the Great Tribulation when the rains in the form of the Tribulation judgments water it. At the beginning of this time of Jacob’s trouble, some of this seed will spring forth. Then will arise this mighty army of Jewish evangelists who will give the gospel to the world, preparing for salvation those who want the truth and also making it possible for God in righteousness to bring His judgments upon the impenitent and the ungodly.<\/p>\n

May the Lord stir the heart of every Christian to fall into line with His eternal plan is my sincere prayer.<\/p>\n

Why has the Lord seemingly delayed His Coming? Peter urged the brethren to consider that the LONG-SUFFERING of the Lord was salvation, i.e.,<\/em> His delay would give more people an opportunity of coming to a knowledge of the truth and of being saved (II Peter 3:15). In the same passage the apostle urged the brethren to look forward to and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God. The marginal reading in the Revised Version is hastening.<\/em> From this, one gathers that Christians can hasten the coming of that time, which is preceded by the Rapture.<\/p>\n

May it not be possible that the failure of the church to give the gospel to Israel has through the centuries held up the march of events in the development of God’s program of the ages and continues to do so? The Jewish evangelists who will preach the Gospel throughout the world in the Tribulation must be given the truth by the church prior to the Rapture. This Herculean task of evangelizing Israel confronts the church of Jesus Christ today. May every born-again person arise and in the strength of the Lord meet this challenge and by so doing no longer delay His return. This task can easily be accomplished if the body of Christ will awake and so its duty. As we shall see the gospel can easily and quickly be given to the entire nation this generation by the literary method.<\/p>\n

II. The Problem of Jewish Evangelization<\/h3>\n

A. The Statement of the Jewish Situation<\/h2>\n

In the former booklet, Why Evangelize Israel in This Generation? and How?<\/em> I state briefly the very difficult situation which confronts those who desire or who attempt to give the gospel to all Israel. It becomes necessary to enlarge upon this subject in order that the reader might the more thoroughly understand the problem that is confronting Jewish missionaries at the present time. There are approximately seventeen million Jews scattered throughout the world. Naturally, they are to a certain extent, affected by the environment in which they live. Notwithstanding the influence of the modern surroundings, the Jew holds tenaciously to his racial characteristics and ancient faith, i.e.,<\/em> to a distorted conception of it. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule but, comparatively speaking, they are few in number.<\/p>\n

The Jew speaks the language of the country in which he resides and adopts, to a limited extent, the ideals and the customs of his neighbors. A little study of his situation reveals the fact that he is standing foremost in the ranks of the intellectuals. University records of Jewish students throughout the world confirm this assertion. There is no race of people that equals the Hebrews in intellectuality, education, and culture. In making this statement I recognize the fact that many of them are uneducated, but I am speaking of the nation as a whole. The Jew, being acquainted with thorough and clear thinking on all subjects, cannot be satisfied with a short and superficial treatment of any theme, especially one that deals with religion. Therefore, for the great masses and the intellectual class of Hebrews it is necessary to prepare a literature that deals exhaustively and clearly with the subjects in hand. A short tract, therefore, that simply presents some phase of Biblical teaching may arrest the Jew’s attention, but it will never convince his mind. Such a pamphlet, however, may satisfy the uneducated person who is not accustomed to ferreting out problems to their logical conclusion but it will never meet the demands of the more intellectual and educated classes.<\/p>\n

God recognized the fact that Israel is an intellectual race. The religion revealed in the Bible is one that is in accord with logical thinking and sound reasoning. In this connection let it be understood that man by reason cannot fathom the great mysteries of life; neither can he by his logic find God. At the same time it must also be recognized that the Lord who made our minds also gave the Biblical revelation. A corollary growing out of these two facts is that there is no conflict between man’s reasoning processes and the divine revelation. The Lord through the prophet Isaiah challenged the people of his day to come and reason together with Him (Isaiah 1:18). This fact shows that the divine revelation appeals to sound thinking. God meets man where he is and adapts His revelation to the latter’s understanding. For instance, the Wise-men were stargazers, but without question they were honestly by the false system of astrology seeking the truth. In order to bring them to the feet of the newly born Messiah, the Lord caused the Bethlehem star to guide them to the place where the young Child lay. This historical incident is positive proof that God, in the case of honest truth seekers at least, adapts His revelation to man’s comprehension. Since Israel is so very highly intellectual, God desires us to present His truth in such a way to this great people, which He will yet use in the future, as to appeal to their heart as well as to their head giving the Gospel not only to the uneducated but also to the educated classes, leaders and rabbis.<\/p>\n

In our giving the gospel to Israel and attempting to put the message in the most winsome and appealing manner, let us never forget that we must not go beyond that which is written. The Bible is a table spread with most appetizing food, both spiritual and intellectual. Changing the figure, one may affirm that there are heights to which the human intellect has never ascended and depths to which man’s thought can never reach in the study of God’s word. A diversity of subjects is treated in the Scriptures. Evidently God gave this great variety in order to attract the attention of every class of individuals. It is therefore, proper and right that the minister of the gospel should use the various materials which God has placed in His Book in an attempt to arrest the attention and to enlist the interest of the many classes of men. A caution in this connection is necessary. Let us determine to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified the Messiah of Israel and the Saviour of the world. As all roads led to ancient Rome, so all of our preaching, regardless of the starting point, should lead to the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and redemption through His shed blood.<\/p>\n

B. The Analysis of the Difficulties<\/h2>\n

In the light of the facts presented, it becomes evident that the difficulties in bringing the gospel to a people of such high intellectuality and in so very many different environments constitute a problem of the first magnitude. Though, to the natural man, this task seems to be beyond human power, we can by God’s grace accomplish it \u2014 provided we are in touch with Him. The physician before treating a patient diagnoses his case. In the same manner, in order that we may approach Israel intelligently with the gospel, we must diagnose her case. With her history written in blood and with her great variety of problems appearing in the special tints of local coloring, Israel, it is reasonable to suppose, has acquired a large amount of tradition and error, the major part of which naturally is inconsequential in comparison with the lesser portion in its bearing upon the great fundamentals of the faith. These basic teachings are vital to a real spiritual understanding of the Word. Therefore it becomes necessary for us to analyze the errors to which she holds concerning these great fundamental doctrines.<\/p>\n

1. Israel’s Errors on the Four Fundamentals of the Truth<\/h4>\n

a. The Doctrine of the Trinity<\/h5>\n

The Jew, holding a different theory of inspiration, does not study his Scriptures so carefully as do the Christians. Since the days of Moses Maimonides who wrote the Thirteen Principles of Faith<\/em> for Israel, the whole nation has accepted a false doctrine concerning the unity of God. Prior to the days of this renowned Jewish scholar, the nation, according to John Wilkinson in Israel My Glory<\/em>, believed in the doctrine of the triune nature of God; since his time she has held to a perverted idea concerning the Trinity. The Hebrew reads his great confession in a Jewish translation of the Scriptures which declared that God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). Both Jewish and Gentile versions usually obscure the meaning of this verse. Translated literally and accurately, it reads as follows: \u201cHear O Israel: the LORD our Gods is the LORD a unity.\u201d The Jew now understands that the word ‚echad<\/em> means one<\/em> in the absolute sense, whereas in this passage it indicates a unity<\/em>. He also misunderstands the teaching of the New Testament. Concerning it he declares its teaching is that there are three Gods. On this point he is mistaken; the New Testament doctrine concerning the Trinity is not peculiar to itself but rather is borrowed from the Old.<\/p>\n

It is impossible for the intelligent Hebrew who has been miss-taught on this subject as it appears in the Old Testament to accept the New Testament doctrine concerning the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit until he has first been given the truth from the standpoint of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, which method of presentation shows that his own Scriptures teach the triune nature of the Divine Being. When this subject has thus been presented to him, as has been done in the first of my Messianic Series,<\/em> he is then ready to receive the New Testament doctrine on this most important point. When the Jew sees the Scriptural teaching of the Trinity one should next present to him the truth relative to the nature and person of King Messiah.<\/p>\n

b. The Nature and Person of King Messiah<\/h5>\n

The Jew formulates his idea concerning Messiah from the data found in the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles concerning the three kings of Israel \u2014 Saul, David, and Solomon. Each of these men is called the Lord’s messiah. In our translation, however, this word is rendered anointed.<\/em> He does not stop to investigate the prophetic teaching concerning this great future Ruler but jumps hastily at the conclusion that He is to be another David or Solomon. Reading in the sacred record that each of these men was born by natural generation, that each was a religious and political leader, and that each served his day and generation and passed from the stage of action, he concludes that Messiah will simply play a role similar to that of these ancient anointed ones or messiahs. That this statement of the case is correct may be clearly seen from the fact that when a little male infant is born into the home of pious, orthodox Jewish parents they have a special dedicatory service offering their new-born babe to God to be used as the future messiah.<\/p>\n

When, therefore, we approach the intelligent Jew who entertains these ideas and tell him that Jesus of Nazareth was his Messiah and offer as proof of that proposition the Scriptural fact that He was born of the Virgin Mary in fulfillment of the Old Testament prediction, the doctrine at once is such a strange one that it is impossible for him to accept it. When he reads Isaiah 7:14 and similar passages in translations made by Jewish scholars, he sees nothing concerning the virgin birth of King Messiah. To him the Messiah is simply a great general, begotten and born as all other men are, who will restore Israel to her former glory.<\/p>\n

In fact, according to orthodox Jewish theology, there are to be two \u2014 the messiah who regathers a remnant to the homeland and who leads the Jewish forces out against the Russian hordes when they invade Palestine (Ezekiel 38:1-39:16). This messiah will fall in battle. The nation, seeing the great calamity that has come upon it, will cry unto God in genuine repentance, who will answer providentially by bringing to their attention the great Messiah of whom the prophets constantly spoke \u2014 namely, a descendant of David who will be the greatest military strategist the world has ever seen. This one will take the place of the one slain in battle, will lead the forces of Israel on to victory, and will expel the invaders. Then he will mount the throne of David and establish the ancient monarchy on a greater scale than ever before. From theses false teachings and many other errors, we can see how necessary it is for us to present the truth from the original Hebrew text concerning the nature and the person of King Messiah, especially since the Jew as a rule will not accept Gentile translations. He conscientiously believes that Christian scholars have read into the messianic predictions their ideas concerning a superhuman Messiah and have rendered these passages accordingly. The reasons for thus translating these passages must be given in our presenting the doctrine concerning the divine-human nature of the Redeemer.<\/p>\n

c. The Redemptive Career of King Messiah<\/h5>\n

As suggested the orthodox Jew is looking for two messiahs. On this point he is greatly mistaken. In the Scriptures he sees Messiah suffering and also glorified. He does not understand that there is but one Messiah who passes through both experiences \u2014 first, that of suffering at His first coming; and secondly, that of glory at His return. Thinking that He is simply a man like David, the orthodox theologian is unable to harmonize these two seemingly divergent teachings; therefore he interprets the predictions of the two comings of the one Messiah as prophecies of two Messiahs \u2014 one of suffering; the other, of glory and power. In order to give the truth on this point it becomes necessary for one to present the entire redemptive career of Messiah as taught in certain passages of the Old Testament. My experience has taught me that it is best to select those passages in which appear both comings of the Messiah and the period intervening so that at one study the Jew may see the two comings of the one Messiah. There is a number of passages which supply all the facts; for instance Psalm 110. These should be carefully studied. It is possible, therefore, for us to take a single chapter of Scripture and present both comings and the intervening period. Unless the truth relative to the two comings is thus presented, it is impossible for the Jew intelligently to accept as his Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, who came over nineteen hundred years ago, suffered and died for mankind, and who will come again at the conclusion of this age to restore Israel to fellowship with God and to establish His kingdom of righteousness. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that we present the truth on these vital matters in an exhaustive manner to the Jew. Having given the redemptive career of Messiah, one is ready to present the next logical step in the unfolding of the truth, the time of Messiah’s first appearance. In the third volume of the Messianic Series, Messiah: His Redemptive Career,<\/em> I have expounded two classic passages on this point.<\/p>\n

d. The Time of Messiah’s First Appearance<\/h5>\n

From the close of the first century to the present many have arisen in Israel who have attempted to calculate the date when Messiah would make His appearance. A survey of Jewish messianic speculation is indeed very interesting and at the same time most pathetic. The nation as she has wandered from city to city and from country to country has been eagerly awaiting the appearance of King Messiah. Many of her theologians have set various dates for His appearance and often have led the people into grave error. On many occasions great numbers of the chosen people have suffered because of having misplaced their hope in false messiahs.<\/p>\n

An outstanding rabbi wrote an article in which he took the position that the Christians and the Jews could never agree. He affirmed that these two great religious faiths are resting upon foundations that are exactly opposite. He stated the situation, as he saw it, briefly in this manner. The Christians believe that the Messiah has already come; the Jew thinks that He is yet to appear. In explaining his belief he declared that it did not matter whether the Jew interpreted the messianic prophecies as personal or as predictions of a glorious era. All prophecies yet await fulfillment. This rabbi is a spokesman for a large section of American Jewry.<\/p>\n

It becomes necessary, therefore, for one, if he wishes to present the truth to Israel concerning the Messiah to give the Scriptural teaching from the standpoint of the Old Testament, showing just when the prophets said He would appear. There are several predictions found in different portions of the Old Testament which show us exactly the time Messiah would be cut off. Since He had to be born, reach His maturity, and accomplish His work before He could be cut off, His birth would necessarily precede by a number of years the date of His execution. It is of paramount importance, therefore, to present the Scriptural teaching concerning the period when the Messiah was scheduled to appear the first time.<\/p>\n

The truth concerning these four fundamentals of the faith must be given to the educated, thinking Jew from the standpoint of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament before he is in a position to comprehend and to accept the teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and His being the divine Son of God and at the same time the Redeemer of mankind.<\/p>\n

These great fundamental truths I am endeavoring to present to the Jewish people in my Messianic Series.<\/em> I devote a separate volume to the discussion of each of these points. In this series I analyze the Hebrew text and say nothing except that which Moses and the prophets declared would come to pass. The fifth volume of the Series I devote to the teaching of the New Testament concerning Jesus and contemporaneous history, proving that He was and is the promised Messiah.<\/p>\n

\n

Is The Jew Still First on God’s Prophetic Program?<\/h2>\n

I. Objections to Jewish Evangelization<\/h3>\n

Satan, knowing that his time is short and realizing also that Israel is the chosen vessel through whom God’s salvation is destined to flow out to the entire world, is endeavoring to do his utmost against giving the gospel to world-Jewry now<\/em>. In order to thwart the Jewish missionary enterprise he is foisting upon the minds and hearts of some of God’s people certain unscriptural and illogical objections. The principal ones I shall notice briefly.<\/p>\n

A. The Present Dispensation not the Time to Evangelize Jewry<\/h2>\n

One of the chief objections raised is that the present era is not the time to give the gospel to Israel. The reason usually assigned for this position is that the Jews have already had their chance. I freely admit that the Hebrews in the first century did have their opportunity; that fact, however, does not help the Jews of the present day. I ate my food yesterday but it does not suffice for today; neither will my eating satisfy the hunger of my children. All people are lost, apart from salvation through Christ; therefore every individual should have an opportunity of accepting the Lord.<\/p>\n

But, one continues, God has set Israel aside and is now taking out of the Gentiles a people for His name: \u201cSymeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name\u201d (Acts 15:14). Yes, God is now calling out from the Gentiles a people for his name. To get the force of this position we must examine all passages bearing upon the subject.<\/p>\n

In Romans 1-8 Paul discussed at length God’s redemptive scheme through the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1:1-3:20 he showed that the entire world is lying in sin; hence, it is in need of salvation. In the section, 3:21-5:11, he set forth graphically salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In 5:12-8:39 however, he presented the glorious doctrine of sanctification by the Spirit and the life in Christ.<\/p>\n

To the superficial thinker it might appear that the scheme of redemption thus outlined by Paul rendered null and void the covenant and promises made by the Lord to Israel; hence in Romans 9-11 the Apostle anticipated this objection by showing her status in the past, the present, and the future. In 9:1-29 he set forth graphically God’s electing grace in passing by the Gentile nations and in accepting Abraham and his descendants as a channel for world-blessing. In the case of Abraham’s immediate family, the Lord in His sovereignty passed by Ishmael and selected Isaac as the chosen seed. In the case of Essau and Jacob, divine sovereignty chose Jacob in the succession of the theocratic line. Thus God’s electing, sovereign grace passed by certain ones and chose others for the royal lineage. In other matters, even outside the realm of Israel, the Lord exercised His sovereignty by debasing certain nations and by raising others to positions of power and glory. With this program of electing grace during the centuries of the past, Israel was in perfect accord and found no objection \u2014 while the divine favor was resting upon her.<\/p>\n

In 9:30-10:21 the Apostle showed Israel’s present status. Notwithstanding her zeal and earnestness for the ordinances of God, she has utterly failed in fitting into His developing plan. Bound by ritualism, formalism, and tradition, she has been unable to keep step with the unfolding of God’s purpose of the age; hence she has rejected the only source of life \u2014 the Lord Jesus Christ who is the end of the Law. The failure is with Israel and not with God. The glad tidings of salvation have been preached to her but she has not heeded; hence she is temporarily set aside.<\/p>\n

In the eleventh chapter the Apostle discussed her future. To him who hastily concludes that God has arbitrarily and permanently cast Israel aside, Paul showed the inconsistency of this position. At the present time, even as in the days of Elijah, God has His seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed the knee to Baal; hence now there is a remnant according to the election of grace. This fact is a pledge and a guarantee that the promises of God, as outlined to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, have not been abrogated but are at the present time being held in abeyance awaiting the time when Israel shall turn from her traditionalism and unbelief unto the Lord of glory and receive life anew.<\/p>\n

The Lord takes a bad situation and brings good out of it. He is able to overrule Israel’s present unbelief and disobedience and to make them contribute to world-blessing. Since he can bring good out of evil, how much greater will be the blessing when she, the chosen vessel, comes back into line with the divine plan and accepts His will! The results to the world that will flow from her accepting her Messiah are graphically set forth by the Apostle in the following words:<\/p>\n

For if the casting away of them is<\/em> the reconciling of the world,
\nwhat shall<\/em> the receiving of them<\/em> be, but life from the dead?\u201d (Romans 11:14)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thus Israel in fellowship with God will yet be the channel of world-blessing.<\/p>\n

Though the Jews are for the time being disenfranchised nationally, no one thinks that through an unchangeable and irrevocable decree every Jew has been cast off by his God. On the contrary, in 11:16-24 Paul showed that only those who disbelieve are rejected:<\/p>\n

And if the first fruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree, 18 glory not over the branches; but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. 20 Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: 21 for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee. 22 Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward, them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God’s goodness, if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again, 24 For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree and was grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches,<\/em> be grafted into their own olive tree?\u201d (Romans 11:16-24)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In verse 16 Paul spoke of the present election according to grace in terms of the first fruit of the Jewish ritual and argued therefrom that, since this believing remnant is holy and acceptable to God, so the whole nation will be if she will only believe. This same truth is set forth by the figure of the tame olive tree. If the root is holy, so are the branches. The branches here, in the Apostle’s thinking, refer to the believing remnant at the present day. By these two illustrations, therefore, the Apostle showed that at the present time Israel is eligible for salvation. The sole condition of her election is \u201crepentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ\u201d (Acts 20:21).<\/p>\n

I wish the reader to note especially the Apostle’s statement in verse 17 and the first clause of verse 18: \u201cBut if some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among them, and didst become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree; glory not over the branches.\u201d According to these words, which view the situation from a little different angle, only some of the branches are broken off and others from a wild olive are grafted in among the tame ones. In this verse the Apostle introduced a figure from husbandry. The Hebrew patriarchs are the root and trunk of the tame olive, whereas the present-day Israelites constitute the branches. Only the unbelievers are broken off; but among the remaining branches those from the Gentiles, the wild olive who believe, are grafted into the tame tree by their faith. According to this figure, then the Lord expects both Jew and Gentile to be members of His body, the church. The branches, whether tame or wild, are grafted into the parent stock by faith. At the beginning of this dispensation all of the branches were broken off when God concluded every one under sin and required that all who would enjoy His blessings accept the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence, even the natural branches since that time have to be grafted into their own stock by faith. In the same manner the wild branches, Gentiles, are grafted in among the tame ones<\/em> by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

The point especially to be noted is this: the wild olive branches are grafted in among the tame ones. <\/em>How can these tame ones be grafted back into the stock from which they have been broken except by the preaching of the gospel? According to the New Testament<\/em>, there is no other way. In the light of these facts it becomes immediately apparent that Paul, speaking by inspiration, presupposed that the gospel would be given to the Jewish nation throughout the entire dispensation and that they (Jewish converts) would always stand alongside the Gentiles in the church. Since all of these statements are true to fact, the objection that the gospel is not to be given to Israel at the present time is seen to be fallacious.<\/p>\n

Let us view this question from a little different angle. Our Lord gave the Great Commission to His apostles in the following words:<\/p>\n

Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.\u201d (Matthew 28:19,20)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What does this passage teach? This commission includes all nations. The gospel is to be preached during the entire dispensation and those who accept the message are to be baptized and to be taught to observe all things that Jesus commanded the apostles. From these facts we conclude that the apostles and their successors \u2014 the believers in Christ \u2014 were to carry it to the uttermost parts of the earth. They were commanded to give it to all nations and to continue the same program throughout the age. Since the Jews are one of the nations, they are included in this Great Commission; therefore, for one to conclude that the Jew is not to receive the gospel now is to take an unscriptural position; hence the objection becomes invalid.<\/p>\n

B. Giving the Gospel to Israel is not Man’s Task but God’s Obligation<\/h2>\n

We are told that Israel is to be supernaturally converted by the miraculous appearance of the Lord when He comes at the end of the Tribulation; therefore the church now is not to concern herself with giving the gospel to Israel. That is God’s work; therefore those of us who are endeavoring to evangelize the Jews are attempting to perform a superhuman, divine task.<\/p>\n

In reply I wish to call attention to one of the fundamental principles of God’s dealings with men; throughout the Old Testament <\/em>He has always acted according to the law of parsimony and has under all conditions used men and means to accomplish His purposes. For instance, in punishing His chosen people, He always used either natural phenomena or the Gentile nations. (See Leviticus 26.) He is also at the present time using men and means to accomplish His spiritual ends. For instance, Paul in II Corinthians 5:18,19 declared that God has committed unto men the word 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;
\nto wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses,
\nand having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The matter of salvation is a divine task but God uses men and means to bring about this stupendous miracle. In Romans 10 Paul showed the necessity of the missionary. When the eunuch wanted the truth God sent Philip; likewise when Cornelius was praying for light, He sent Peter. The church is the pillar and the ground of the truth (I Timothy 2:14,15):<\/p>\n

These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly; but if I tarry long,
\nthat thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God,
\nwhich is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Therefore it is obligatory on the church to give the gospel to the entire world \u2014 Israel included. Paul declared that it is God’s good pleasure to save people through the foolishness of preaching (I Corinthians 1:21):<\/p>\n

For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God,
\nit was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

God has ordained no other way than that of preaching the gospel to save men. That both Jew and Gentile will be saved by the proclamation of the truth is clear from Acts 20:21. Paul declared that he was continually \u201ctestifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance towards God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d He sounded the same note in Acts 26:17-18, \u201cDelivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God …\u201d Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Men see their lost condition. They realize their need of salvation, repent toward God, and put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Such is God’s plan for both Jew and Gentile; therefore it becomes necessary for the gospel to be preached to the Jews in order that they might learn of the Saviour and come to him. Yet He uses men, the messengers of the Cross, to bring the knowledge of salvation to all, both Jew and Gentile. From this angle the objection loses its force.<\/p>\n

C. \u201cTo The Jew First\u201d to be Interpreted Dispensationally<\/h2>\n

Certain brethren, not seeing clearly that the plan of God at the present is to make of both Jew and Gentile the one body, the church, \u201cFor he is our peace, who make both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition\u201d (Ephesians 2:14), insist that the expression \u201cto the Jew first\u201d is to be interpreted as a partial view of Acts 1:8:<\/p>\n

But ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you;
\nand ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem,
\nand in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

To them this passage means that the Lord Jesus wanted the gospel to be preached to the Jews, first at Jerusalem, then in Judea, next in Samaria, and finally it was to be sent forth to all nations. This program, according to Acts, was carried out by the apostles; hence (thus these good brethren reason), the gospel was given \u201cto the Jew first\u201d in the beginning of the dispensation. Therefore, according to our Lord’s word, the disciples are not now to concern themselves about giving the gospel to Israel.<\/p>\n

This position is contrary to the Scriptural statements to which we have already given attention. Before, however, we can arrive at a permanent conclusion with reference to this expression it becomes necessary for us to investigate Romans 1:14-17 and its context:<\/p>\n

I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation; to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Paul, by inspiration, wrote Romans<\/em> in the spring of 58 A.D. At that time he had never been in the Imperial City but had a longing to go there. At the time of his writing, the church had already been established in that city. Who first preached the gospel there, no one knows. Paul was very eager to have fruit in the city of Rome as elsewhere; hence, according to Romans 1:13, he often purposed to visit Rome but was hindered by Satan. In explaining to the brethren his desires to come to them (vss. 14,15) he declared: \u201cI am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians both to the wise and to the foolish, so, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are in Rome.\u201d Note the fact that, in the year 58 A.D. after the gospel had already been preached to the entire world<\/em> according to the plan of Acts 1:8 (see Romans 10:16-18), Paul declared his indebtedness to both Greeks and to Barbarians; hence he showed his willingness to perform his duty by saying: \u201cI am ready to preach the gospel to you also.\u201d The expression, \u201cI am\u201d in this passage has a forward look for he was not talking about a past obligation but a present responsibility; therefore he was looking toward the future. In verse 16 he asserted his position relative to his not being ashamed of the gospel and introduced his statement by the conjunction for<\/em>. This fact shows why he was not ashamed to preach the gospel to them. Furthermore, the reason for his not being ashamed was the fact that it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth \u2014 to the Jew first. Since he was discussing the future after the gospel had been given to Israel nationally, <\/em>there is but one conclusion to which we can come \u2014 namely, that the phrase under consideration is an affirmation declaring that it is the will of God for the gospel to be given first to the Jews of every generation and of every community and then to be proclaimed to the Gentiles of the vicinity. The Jews have the priority because they are the chosen people through whom God expects to give His truth to the world.<\/p>\n

Our phrase, studied in the light of Paul’s action (Acts 13-28), confirms this position. In Acts 13 we have the record of his sermon delivered in the Jewish synagogue at Antioch, Pisidia. The first meeting was a glorious success. On the next Sabbath the whole city was gathered together to hear the Word of God. The leaders of the Jews became jealous and stirred up agitation against Paul. Seeing the situation, the Apostle declared: \u201cIt was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.\u201d Was this an official, representative turning from the Jew to the Gentile? This question can be answered by Paul’s subsequent action. When he left Antioch he and Barnabas went on the Roman road across Asia Minor. Upon arriving in that center \u201cthey entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake that a great multitude of both Jews and Greeks believed\u201d (Acts 14:1). In the light of his action we can see that Paul’s turning from the Jews at Antioch was not an official, representative rejection of the Jewish race but that he was simply carrying out the instructions of his Lord not to cast pearls before swine. When the Apostle saw that the Jews in Antioch did not want the truth, he turned to the Gentiles of that community; hence, upon his arrival in the next city, he went to his Jewish brethren as he had done on former occasions and gave them an opportunity to hear the truth. As we read Acts of the Apostles<\/em>, we see that he always acted upon this principle.<\/p>\n

On his second great missionary tour he finally reached Corinth in Greece. According to his custom, he proclaimed the truth to his brethren, \u201ctestifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. And when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook out his raiment and said unto them, Your blood be upon you own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles\u201d (Acts 18:5,6). On this occasion he proceeded as he had done at Antioch in Pisidia. Was this turning an official, representative act, signifying God’s rejection of Israel? His program subsequent to this incident will prove the best answer to the question. In Acts 19 we meet him at Ephesus while on his third missionary tour. According to verses 8-10:<\/p>\n

He entered into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading as to the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus, And this continued for the space of two years; so that all they that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here again we see the Apostle withdrawing from the Jews at Ephesus and entering a school of heathen philosophy, teaching both Jews and Gentiles. His going to the Jews of Ephesus at first shows that his turning from them at Corinth, as we have just noticed, was not an official rejection of the nation but simply a turning from those of that city who did not want the truth. His leaving the synagogue at Ephesus after the Jews spurned the truth and his going to a place where both, Jews and Gentiles could and did come show that it was his custom to spend his time with those only who desired the Word of God.<\/p>\n

In Acts 28 we find the record of his first visit to Rome. Upon reaching the city he called for the leaders of the Jews to whom he expounded the way of salvation by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 28:23-28):<\/p>\n

And when they had appointed him a day they came to him into his lodging in great number; to whom he expounded the matter,<\/em> testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning till evening.
\n24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
\n25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet unto your fathers,
\n26 saying, Go thou unto this people, and say, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive;
\n27 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.
\n28 Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles: they will also hear.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here again we see his turning from the Jews to the Gentiles. How are we to interpret his action? Unless there is positive evidence to the contrary his conduct on this occasion must be interpreted in the light of his custom under similar circumstances. We have already seen that when the Jews on three former occasions spurned the gospel, he turned from them to the Gentiles of these respective communities; therefore we are logically bound to conclude that such is the significance of his action on this occasion in Rome. To force any other interpretation on this passage is to do violence to the sacred Scriptures. But, one insists, this circumstance is entirely different from the three preceding ones just noticed. To support this theory attention is called to the quotation taken from Isaiah 6. Does his use of this passage mitigate the situation or introduce attenuating circumstances which differentiate this occasion from the three other instances? In order to answer this question more accurately, the reader must examine the passage in the original context of Isaiah 6. Turning to this Scripture we see that Isaiah was granted a vision of the Lord when He shall sit upon the throne of His glory in the millennial age. In the brightness of the immaculate purity of the King, Isaiah saw his uncleanness and unworthiness. Thus he made his confession and pled for cleansing. One of the seraphim immediately took a live coal from the altar and touched his lips. This action was symbolic of the prophet’s cleansing. Immediately the Lord called for volunteers; instantly the prophet offered his services. Then the Lord gave him his commission in the words quoted by the Apostle Paul to the Jews at Rome. At the same time He made known to the prophet the fact his ministry would not be successful from the standpoint of numbers; on the contrary, the Lord disclosed to him that it was his duty continually to proclaim the Word. The preaching of the truth always hardens the hearts of those who do not desire it. The Lord, knowing that the nation, as a rule in Isaiah’s day did not want the truth, made known to the prophet beforehand that his ministry would be practically fruitless so far as visible results were concerned. Nevertheless the messenger was to give forth the oracle continually.<\/p>\n

By Paul’s quoting these words from Isaiah 6 he was simply saying to the Jews at Rome that they were of like mind and heart as those to whom the great prophet Isaiah ministered. He did his duty by giving them the truth of the gospel which hardened their hearts for judgment. There is a twofold purpose in the preaching of the gospel (II Corinthians 2:15,16):<\/p>\n

For we (apostles) are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved,
\nand in them that perish: to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That his turning from the Jews in Rome was no different from his leaving his kinsmen according to the flesh at Ephesus is manifest from Acts 28:30,31:<\/p>\n

And he abode two whole years in his own hired dwelling, and received all that went in unto him,
\npreaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness,
\nnone forbidding him.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

After the Jews refused to accept his testimony which he delivered while he was in his own lodging, he hired a dwelling and for the space of two years received all who went in unto him. The case, as we have already seen, is parallel to that recorded in Acts 19:8-10. When he could no longer reach the Jews in the synagogue, he went over to the heathen school of philosophy and gave the truth to both Jews and Gentiles \u2014 those who came to him. Such is the exact case as set forth in Acts 28. Paul used his own hired dwelling as the place for meeting. There he \u201creceived all that went in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him.\u201d To assume that those who went in to him were Gentiles only and that not a single Jew was included in the number is to read into God’s Word something that is not there. As a matter of fact, there were Jews among those who went to him, for in verse 24 we are told that \u201csome believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.\u201d This statement is made with reference to the Jews. Some sided with Paul whereas others opposed. When this situation arose Paul declared that he would no longer continue his present program, for he saw that it was a fruitless task; hence he hired a place and those Jews who believed and who wanted the truth together with the Gentiles came to him and to them he expounded the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. In view of all the facts we are driven to the inescapable conclusion that Paul’s turning from the Jews at Rome was of the same character as his leaving them on former occasions. Thus his action in Rome was in perfect keeping with his habitual practice throughout his entire ministry. Therefore the expression, \u201cto the Jew first,\u201d simply means that the gospel is to be given to the Jew first of every community in every generation.<\/p>\n

We have already seen that the Great Commission, according to our Lord, lays upon the followers of Jesus the obligation of giving the gospel to all nations, including Jews, throughout the entire dispensation \u2014 to the consummation of the age. Any theory that contradicts the Great Commission is unscriptural. Therefore the church of Jesus Christ is under solemn obligation of proclaiming the gospel to the Jews at the present time.<\/p>\n

D. Israel is Now Blind and Cannot See<\/h2>\n

Sometimes we are told that the Lord has placed judicial blindness upon Israel because of her rejection of the Messiah. Therefore the people are blind and cannot possibly see the truth. The position is buttressed by an incorrect interpretation of Romans 11:25. Here Paul speaks of a partial blindness that has come upon Israel at the present time. Further confirmation of this position is sought in the Apostle’s statement in Corinthians 3:15,16: \u201cBut unto this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.\u201d In this passage he affirmed that a veil is resting over his brethren according to the flesh so long as they read Moses.<\/p>\n

Do these verses refer to an unconditional blindness upon the nation? If so, then we who are attempting to evangelize the Jews are acting contrary to the expressed will of God. Let us notice Romans 11:25: \u201cFor I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.\u201d In this passage Paul affirmed that, \u201ca hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.\u201d Does God arbitrarily harden the hearts of people? In the exodus record we see that Pharaoh hardened his heart. Thus because of his stubborn attitude toward God, the Lord hardened this proud monarch’s heart. Moses again, speaking of Pharaoh, said that his heart was hardened. Had Pharaoh been open to truth and had a spirit submissive to the will of God, the Lord would not have hardened his heart. Since God is no respector of persons, we may conclude that the same principle obtains in the case of Israel. Therefore we must be careful in affirming an unconditional and irrevocable hardening of the nation today. Let us bear in mind that this callousness is only partial. Since no man can tell what part of the nation is thus unimpressionable, it becomes necessary that we give the truth to all of them in order that those who are not confirmed in unbelief may have the same chance to see the light, which God has given to us.<\/p>\n

In regard to the veil now upon the face of Israel, I wish to call attention to the Lord’s statement that, so long as the nation reads Moses, the veil remains but whenever she turns to the Lord, the veil will be lifted. If Israel’s attention can be taken from reading Moses and the prophets exclusively and she can be led to read concerning the Lord, according to this promise, the veil will be taken away. In view of this principle, then, we can see how this blindness may be removed \u2014 namely, by our diverting her attention from Moses to Him of whom Moses spoke. Therefore this passage shows the necessity of our interpreting to Israel the message which the Lord gave through Moses and of showing her Him of whom Moses spake. Of course, God will use the missionaries to the Jews in lifting the veil from their blinded eyes. This position is in harmony with the Lord’s statement to the Apostle Paul concerning His appearing to him to make him a minister and a witness of the things wherein he had seen Him and of those things wherein He would still appear to him: \u201cdelivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, to open their eyes …“ Paul affirmed that the Lord had appointed him as a witness in order to open blind eyes. God is calling us who are working in the field of Israel to open her eyes by giving her the truth. \u201cThe entrance of thy word giveth light.\u201d Hence the objection falls.<\/p>\n

E. Israel to Be Converted as Saul Was<\/h2>\n

In I Timothy 1:15 Paul spoke of himself as being the chief of sinners. It would have been hypocritical for him to consider himself as the lowest sinner in the world, because what he did before his conversion was done with a clear conscience (Acts 23:1). Of his Christian life he could say, \u201cIt is no longer I that live but Christ liveth in me.\u201d Therefore in no sense could Paul say that he was the chief of sinners. A glance at the original Greek shows that the primary meaning of the word translated chief<\/em> is first<\/em>. The context of this verse indicates that he was thinking of his miraculous conversion and of the extraordinary manner in which Jesus appeared to him. Therefore the probability is that, in speaking of himself as the first of the sinners of Israel, he was thinking of the conversion of the nation in terms of his own. From this angle we can see that Paul’s accepting the Lord as Saviour and Messiah was typical of that of the Hebrew race when it turns to the Lord. In I Corinthians 15 the Apostle spoke of the various appearances of the Lord to His disciples after His resurrection. He concluded his enumeration of these theophanies by saying that \u201clast of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also.\u201d Thus in speaking of his conversion he compared it to the premature birth of a child. i.e., the Lord’s appearing in this manner to him at that time was a premature event. This fact lends color to the position that Paul’s miraculous conversion was typical of Israel’s accepting the Lord at the end of the age when her Redeemer appears from glory.<\/p>\n

Some brethren, seeing that Paul’s turning to the Lord typifies that of Israel, conclude that the nation will be converted by miraculous intervention alone at the second coming of Christ \u2014 apart from the preaching of the gospel. This deduction is rather hasty. What are the facts? We must remember that Paul was present at the execution of Stephen and was one of the leading spirits in the crime. There can be no doubt concerning his hearing Stephen’s indictment of the Jewish nation and of the clear presentation of the claims of Jesus by this first martyr. Furthermore, he went into the homes of the Hebrew Christians in Jerusalem and elsewhere and brought them before the civil authorities for punishment because of their being Christians. It is inconceivable to presume that those heroic spirits, who preferred persecution to denying their Lord, would keep their mouths closed and not give forth a clear ringing testimony to the Messiahship of Jesus and His saving power. In view of the facts embedded in the historical record, we are forced to the conclusion that Paul had all the essential facts concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and was intimately acquainted with His followers and their teachings. We are safe in concluding that at the stoning of Stephen, Saul was greatly impressed with the dying words of that hero martyr: \u201cLord Jesus, receive my spirit. \u2026 Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.\u201d There can be no doubt that Saul, as he journeyed on his way toward Damascus to bind those calling upon the name of the Lord, was greatly absorbed with the teachings and claims of Jesus. Psychologically, he was prepared to make the surrender when the Lord Jesus appeared to him at noon on that memorable day. Upon no other hypothesis can we account for his complete surrender and wholehearted acceptation of Jesus as Lord. The essential facts of the gospel and truth concerning the Lord had already been given to him; all that was lacking was the surrender of the will and the acceptance of Jesus as Lord. To tip the scales and to cause him to render the decision, the Lord appeared to him from Glory and spoke to him. Since the facts indicate that his conversion was typical of Israel’s accepting her Messiah at last, we may conclude that the essential facts of the gospel will be given to the nation prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus in glory. The remnant of the nation remaining unto that time will be prepared psychologically for that stupendous event. From these facts we conclude that Israel must be given the gospel prior to the coming of the Lord in order to prepare her for that wonderful change. Hence the force of the objection vanishes.<\/p>\n

F. Israel’s Looking Upon the Lord at His Second Coming is the Divine Method of the Conversion<\/h2>\n

A hasty glance at Zechariah 12:10 and its connection has led some students to conclude that our Lord’s glorious manifestation at the end of the Tribulation is the thing which will bring about Israel’s conversion.<\/p>\n

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication; and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Does the passage teach this position?<\/p>\n

Since Scripture does not contradict itself but harmonizes, it becomes necessary for us to examine other facts which have bearing upon this question. In Hosea 5:15 the Lord declared:<\/p>\n

I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense,
\nand seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A careful examination of this passage shows that the prophet was speaking of Israel’s confession at the close of the Great Tribulation. The Lord declares that He will not come, in fact not even leave heaven, until Israel acknowledges her offense against Him and seeks His face earnestly. The repudiation of the national sin is antecedent to Israel’s conversion and the Lord’s return to her. This confession presupposes on the part of Jewry, a knowledge of this national sin which is nothing other than her rejection of the Messiah. We who understand it must give her the facts.<\/p>\n

This position is confirmed by the language of our Lord in Matthew 23:39:<\/p>\n

For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth,
\ntill ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A study of Matthew, chapters 21 to 23 inclusive, shows that our Lord in chapter 23 was talking to those sitting on Moses‘ seat \u2014 the elders of Israel \u2014 namely, the Great Sanhedrin. He concluded His denunciation of their lives and conduct by stating that He often would have gathered Israel together as a hen does her chickens under her wings but they (the leaders) would not. Therefore declared He that their house (house of judgment) would be left unto them desolate and that they would see Him no more until they (the leaders) said just what the common people had proclaimed the day before \u2014 namely, \u201cBlessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.\u201d From this passage it is evident that the leaders of Israel must repudiate the national sin and apply to Jesus this quotation from the 118th Psalm, which is virtual acknowledgment of His divinity and Messiahship.<\/p>\n

Blessed be he that cometh in the name of Jehovah:
\nwe have blessed you out of the house of Jehovah.\u201d (vs. 26)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This confession, according to Jesus, is prerequisite to His coming again as her Messiah. In order that the people of Israel, especially her leaders, might repudiate this national sin and proclaim to the world that He is divine and Her Messiah, these truths must be given by the church to all Jewry. At the present time the Hebrew people have no conception concerning our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, nor of His mission in the world; therefore it is obligatory on us who have these truths to give them to Israel in order that she might act upon them.<\/p>\n

These six objections which have been briefly noted are not therefore, reasons for our withholding the gospel from Israel; on the contrary, they are strong arguments that we at the present time should give the message to these people who have never had an adequate chance of hearing the truth.<\/p>\n

II. Questions Concerning the Literary Method<\/h3>\n

Some good brethren who believe that Israel should be evangelized are not clear on the matter of the way by which this Herculean task can be accomplished in the shortest length of time, in the most efficient manner, and in the most economical way. The method which will meet all the demands of the statement just made is the literary one. Of course, this program alone cannot accomplish the desired results. In fact, no one way in any phase of God’s work is to be adopted to the exclusion of all others. There is a time and place for all legitimate means and methods. On account of the fact that the literary method has not been used very extensively in Jewish evangelization, some excellent brethren have not seen its merits; but are seeking for information concerning it. For this class of earnest brethren I wish to notice various aspects of this method. I will also anticipate some possible misapprehensions that might arise in the mind of the reader.<\/p>\n

A. Is \u201cHand-Picked Fruit the only Scriptural Method\u201d?<\/h2>\n

Many earnest people having been led to the Lord by the personal touch of godly Christian workers feel that the proper and Scriptural method of bringing men to Christ is the one by which they were won to the Lord. There is no question concerning the Scripturalness of this method. As a rule, the message, that is delivered by word of mouth and energized by a strong personality is very powerful. In many instances the truth must be interpreted to the sinner in the form of godly life; nevertheless, this method is not always possible and not always the best. Circumstances, we know, alter cases.<\/p>\n

I may freely admit the great advantage of the personal touch in the hand-picked fruit and at the same time adopt the literary method in an attempt to give the gospel to the greatest number in the shortest length of time. The phase of the subject which we are now considering is based upon an unwarranted assumption. Should the personal touch of the missionary be relied upon exclusively to reach Jewry, the great bulk of the nation would never have an opportunity of hearing the truth, for, comparatively speaking, there are very few Jewish missionaries. To reach the nation in the personal manner and in the short length of time which now remains would demand an enormous army of trained workers. Comparatively speaking, there are very few Jewish missionaries who are prepared in heart and head for the task; hence some other method must be adopted that will reach the nation and that will supplement the work that is carried on by the individual missionary.<\/p>\n

While I am discussing the matter of the personal touch and hand-picked fruit, may I speak out of experience and state that in my opinion very few people are qualified and trained to meet the Jew. The nation of Israel, as is well-known to all acquainted with the subject, is a very highly intellectual class of people. This fact demands a high standard of education and training on the part of the missionary to the Jews if he desires to reach all classes. He must be able to meet not only the man of the street but the Jewish merchant, doctor, lawyer, banker, and rabbi. Some very earnest brethren, in my judgment, frequently under rate the importance of sufficient training on the part of the missionary. (Let me say here that an education and training apart from the new birth and complete consecration to Christ instead of being a blessing are a curse.) A fine illustration of the work that can be done by an accomplished and trained missionary is that of the Apostle Paul. This intellectual giant towered head and shoulders above the rest of the apostles. He was a well-trained missionary and most highly educated and, of course, was versatile in all matters of interest and could approach men of every state and calling of life. From the New Testament it seems his labors accomplished more for the cause of Christ than the combined efforts of the other apostles. Since there is not and never will be a mighty, trained army of Pauls in the Jewish mission field \u2014 at least during the present dispensation \u2014 we shall have to be satisfied with what we have and do the best we can.<\/p>\n

While the New Testament recognizes the value of the personal touch, God in giving us His oracles depended upon the more remote medium of the written Word as we see in the sixty-six books of the Scriptures. Hence we have a precedent in the form of the Bible to justify the use of the literary method as a supplement to that of the individual, personal touch of the missionary.<\/p>\n

\n

Who Is Holding Up God’s Program? The Jew? Gentile? Church Of God?<\/h2>\n

The Seven Point Answer Section One: God’s Seven-Point Program<\/h3>\n

The present booklet is designed to carry home to the hearts of God’s people the thought that the divine program is being held up. In order to show this fact it is necessary to analyze the seven-point program as it is outlined in the Word of God. Of course, the idea of delaying the unfolding of God’s \u201cplan of the ages\u201d is a thought cast into a human mold. On the other hand, when this subject is reviewed from the divine standpoint, we know that the time is fixed and that the event under consideration will occur at the very time foreknown by the Almighty. Coming back to the human side of the question we with Peter may be certain that we can hasten \u201cthe coming of the day of God\u201d (II Peter 3:12). It is from this angle that we shall study this subject.<\/p>\n

By careful study of Peter’s message, recorded in Acts 3, we can see what this program is and what really is holding up the march of events. The occasion of this sermon was as follows: A cripple man, who lay at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, requested a small donation from Peter and John as they were entering the sacred enclosure. Peter confessed that he had no funds but offered him what he had \u2014 namely, healing in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. His joy knew no bounds; hence he was very demonstrative. This unusual conduct attracted a great crowd to Solomon’s porch to whom Peter delivered a message from God (Acts 3:13-18):<\/p>\n

The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Servant Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.
\n14 But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted unto you,
\n15 and killed the Prince of life; whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
\n16 And by faith in his name hath his name made this man strong, whom ye behold and know: yea, the faith which is through him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
\n17 And now, brethren, I know that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
\n18 But the things which God foreshadowed by the mouth of all the prophets that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Peter explained the miracle by calling attention to the fact that God had glorified his \u201cServant Jesus.\u201d The word in the original Greek rendered \u201cServant\u201d primarily means child, boy. <\/em> A secondary sense is that of servant.<\/em> This Greek word is used constantly in the translation of the Old Testament <\/em>to render the word that is translated servant<\/em> in the following great passages of Isaiah: 42:1f; 49:1f; 52:13f. Peter’s use of this term immediately identified Jesus as the Servant of Jehovah who is mentioned in these sublime prophecies of Isaiah. Since those great predictions were understood as referring to the Messiah, Peter’s declaration was equal to an affirmation that Jesus was the Hebrew Messiah.<\/p>\n

With boldness Peter affirmed that the leaders of the people had rejected the holy and the righteous One in their clamoring for the death of Jesus notwithstanding Pilate’s determined efforts to have Him released. Although they had been instrumental in bringing about His death, Peter affirmed, this act of extreme violence did not end His Messianic career, for he declared that God raised Him from the dead. That God had actually wrought this miracle, as foretold, was the fact to which both Peter and the rest of the apostles who saw Him after His resurrection would testify. In his sermon on the day of Pentecost the Apostle had proved beyond a doubt that, according to the prediction of Psalm 16, the Messiah was to be raised from the dead.<\/p>\n

According to verse 17 of Acts 3, the Apostle informed his audience that they in ignorance had executed Jesus as their rulers had done, but in committing this Satanic crime, they had simply been carrying out the divine plans concerning Messiah. Hence in verse 18 Peter, becoming more specific in his declaration, affirmed that those who executed Jesus simply carried out the preordained plan of God concerning Messiah’s suffering and death. In a most marvelous manner God overruled the actions of men and caused them to contribute to His plan of the ages. Thus they in their ignorance had cooperated with God in working out a portion of the redemptive career of His Messiah.<\/p>\n

Peter’s referring to the things that God had foreshadowed would come to pass concerning His Messiah shows that he had in mind the redemptive career as set forth in various Old Testament<\/em> predictions. In his statement the Apostle, however, simply called attention to the fact that they had carried out that portion of the program which pertained to the execution of King Messiah. From a reading of verses 19-21 it becomes increasingly evident that Peter had in mind the entire redemptive career of Messiah as it is outlined in the Old Testament; <\/em>therefore, in order to appreciate this sermon one must understand clearly what had been foretold by the prophets.<\/p>\n

One of the clearest passages in the Old Testament<\/em> which sets forth the program for Messiah’s earthly ministry is Psalm 110, one of the most important passages in all of the Book of God (vss. 1-3):<\/p>\n

Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand,
\nUntil I make thine enemies thy footstool.
\nJehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion:
\nRule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
\nthy people offer themselves willingly
\nIn the day of thy power, in holy array:
\nOut of the womb of the morning
\nThou hast the dew of thy youth.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Speaking dramatically, I would say that when the curtain rises in this psalm the first scene is laid in Jerusalem. In the very first act we see King Messiah in the Holy City, surrounded by its hostile inhabitants. This passage, however, does not give us the extent to which their enmity drives them. This formation must be gathered from other predictions which deal with this phase of Messiah’s experiences.<\/p>\n

If one wishes to acquire this information, he can gather it from such psalms as 22 and 69. These hymns show us that in their frenzy and hatred toward King Messiah the leaders of Israel are driven to the point of having Him executed by crucifixion. This same phase of the subject is also set forth in Isaiah 53:1-9, the future confession of the penitent remnant of the nation (see chapter XVIII<\/a> The Eternal God Revealing Himself to Suffering Israel and to Lost Humanity,<\/em> by David L. Cooper).<\/p>\n

Reverting to our psalm, we see that, when Messiah is thus rejected, God in heaven invites Him to leave Jerusalem, to ascend to His right hand, and there to remain in a position of honor and glory until He, the Almighty, puts the Jews under Messiah’s feet.<\/p>\n

When this great crisis comes in the life of Israel, the entire nation then living will plead for His return and will most enthusiastically receive Him. This fact is shown in verse 3 of this poem which declared, \u201cThey people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy power.\u201d When they are thus brought to this point and plead for His return to earth, He will do so and take up His reign in Jerusalem. Thus He will be honored in the very place where He was formerly rejected. Such is the delineation of Messiah’s redemptive career as set forth in Psalm 110. This outline, as stated above, is very clearly reflected in the statement of the Apostle Peter in this second recorded sermon.<\/p>\n

I. The Fulfilled Portion of the Divine Program Moves \u2014 One and Two<\/h3>\n

In verses 13-18 the Apostle showed that the first part of Messiah’s redemptive career had been literally carried out: God had sent His Messiah, His Servant Jesus, and Israel had rejected Him, putting Him to death. Since it had been foretold by the Psalmist David that Messiah would be raised from the dead, God also fulfilled that prediction and the apostles, His witnesses, had already testified to that fact. Thus this item foreshadowed in the Prophets had been fulfilled. After His resurrection, at the invitation of God, Messiah had left the earth, had ascended to Glory, and had taken His seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high. These events, according to the Old Testament forecast, were initial items in the redemptive career of King Messiah. Thus the first portion of His redemptive career, declared Peter, had been carried out to the very letter.<\/p>\n

In order to show the force of the Apostle’s logic, I wish to call attention to a simple little illustration. As a lad frequently on Saturdays in the winter I went to the neighborhood country store where the men of the community were accustomed to gather and to talk over things of local interest. As a rule, a checker game was in progress. Expert players frequently sat for a long time without making a move, studying the possibilities involved in every step of the game. Being but a mere child, I could not understand why they were very slow in playing. When one finally did make a move, the other waited in order to study the new situation. After some lapse of time the man who had made the move would say to his friend, \u201cIts your move.\u201d Of course, he did not act upon the suggestion unless he were ready to do so. On account of these long delays the game would be prolonged to unusual length. Each player confined himself to the rules of the game and made his move in his turn. Since each exercised his own freedom and choice, the games were frequently drawn out indefinitely. The same principle obtains in certain other games. With reverence, let me say that God has made the last move and that He, figuratively speaking, says to Israel, \u201cIts your move. I am waiting for you.\u201d Keeping in mind this simple illustration, I would say that God made the first move in that He sent the Messiah to Israel; then the nation made her move, taking a hostile attitude against Him, rejecting Him (the leaders being moved with jealousy) and bringing about His execution. The almighty raised Jesus from the dead and invited Him to sit at His right hand in the heavenly places \u201cuntil the times of the restoration of all things: of which God spoke through the Prophets.\u201d In view of these facts we conclude that the first move of the game was taken by the Lord in that He sent Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, to suffer vicariously for the race. Israel made the second move by rejecting Him and having Him executed. Hence the first two items in God’s seven-point program are now history. Verse nineteen of this chapter shows that the third item is Israel’s national repentance.<\/p>\n

II. The Unfulfilled Portion Of The Divine Program \u2014 Moves Three To Seven<\/h3>\n

A. The Third Move \u2014 Israel’s Repentance<\/h2>\n

God calls upon Israel to repent of the rejection and execution of King Messiah. The Apostle, by the Spirit, here used the strongest word in the Greek language to express the idea of repentance. In the original it is a composite word. The fundamental idea of the root word is to perceive with the mind, to understand.<\/em> The preposition prefixed to it strengthens the inherent meaning and directs it into a certain definite channel. Hence Thayer, after having showed that it is employed in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament,<\/em> to render the Hebrew word which means \u201cto change one’s mind, i.e. to repent\u201d says that it means \u201cto repent; to change ones mind for the better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins.\u201d From these definitions it is clear that Peter called upon the Jewish nation to repent of the crime for the execution of the Lord Jesus and to do that with the intention of amending her ways and attitude towards Him. From these considerations it is evident that repentance is an intelligent act which one takes with reference to his past conduct.<\/p>\n

B. The Fourth Move \u2014 Turning to Jesus<\/h2>\n

The next injunction laid upon the nation of Israel by the Apostle is that she must \u201cturn again.\u201d This translation of the original is not the very best, in view of the etymology of the same. A more literal rendering would be \u201cturn to.\u201d A fine example is found in Acts 26:20. Here the Apostle Paul said that he:<\/p>\n

declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea,
\nand also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The same word occurs in this sentence as was used by the Apostle Peter on the occasion of which we are now studying. It is a composite word. The meaning is \u201cto turn, to turn around.\u201d In the version of the Old Testament<\/em> it is employed to translate the Hebrew verb which means to turn around.<\/em> In Paul’s speech to King Agrippa he said that the burden of his message was to the effect that men should everywhere turn to God, i.e. that they should turn back to Him from whom they had previously turned away. The same word occurs in the language of the angel Gabriel to Zacharias concerning the son of whose birth he spoke. In Luke 1:16 he said of John the Baptist that he should turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God, and in the following verse he also declared that John would go before the face of the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. From these examples and others that might be given, it is quite evident that this verb indicates a turning to one from whom people have previously turned away. Hence the fourth move which Peter called upon the nation of Israel to make was to turn back to the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, from whom they had turned and for whose death they had been responsible.<\/p>\n

This same expression occurs in such passages as Acts 9:35; 11:21; 14:15; 15:19 to indicate people’s turning to Christ as their God and Saviour. An examination of the context of these verses shows that Luke was simply indicating the fact that these people of who he was writing simply turned to Christ for salvation and recognized Him as God. Such is the significance of the word in Peter’s mouth as he spoke to the people in this sermon which we are studying.<\/p>\n

It is an exhortation to the nation of Israel to make these two moves \u2014 namely, to repent and to turn to Jesus Christ from whom they had already turned. It holds out to Israel the hope of the blotting out of her sins when she makes these two moves. A literal translation of this exhortation may be expressed in the following words: \u201cRepent ye therefore and turn to (sc. Jesus of Nazareth from whom you have turned) to the blotting out of your sins.\u201d The text of the original which is translated \u201cthat your sins may be blotted out\u201d is a prepositional phrase and is literally and properly translated \u201cto the blotting out of your sins.\u201d The Apostle, therefore, urged the nation to repent and to turn to Jesus as their only Saviour and Messiah, which return will bring them to the blotting out of their sins \u2014 all of them. In commenting upon the phrase, \u201cto the blotting out of your sins,\u201d Meyer makes the following observation, stating that it \u201ccontains the aim, namely, the immediate aim: the final aim is contained in verse 20, which repentance and conversion ought to have. The idea of the forgiveness of sins is here represented under the figure of the erasing of a handwriting.\u201d From this comment we see that the blotting out of the sins was the immediate aim whereas that of the revival in Israel and the return of Messiah, according to verse 20, are the final objectives. The blotting out of the sins comes as a result of the repentance concerning the denial and execution of Jesus and the nation’s turning to Him as her Messiah.<\/p>\n

When Israel thus repents of that ancient martyrdom of her Messiah and when she turns to Him with all her heart, she will have made the two moves that God demands of her before He will act.<\/p>\n

C. The Fifth Move \u2014 The Seasons of Refreshing from the Presence of the Lord<\/h2>\n

The great incentives which Peter held before his auditors were that of the coming of the mighty revival in Israel and the return of the Messiah. Only when Israel has made her two moves, as indicated in the preceding section, will god make the next two, the first of which is the sending of \u201cthe seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

In this connection one may properly ask, \u201cWhat is designated by the expression ’seasons of refreshing‘?\u201d From the reading of this passage it is clear that Peter assumed, on the part of his audience, a knowledge of the significance of his language. What did they understand his statements to mean? They certainly did not think that he was speaking of the promise: \u201cthe shower to come down in its season; there shall be showers of blessing\u201d (Ezekiel 34:26). When we read the context of the Ezekiel passage, we see that he was talking about the literal rains that will be restored to the earth when Israel does come back into fellowship with God. These literal rains come simply from the clouds which are in the atmosphere just above the earth. Peter was very careful, however, in describing the showers to which he referred by saying \u201cseasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.\u201d The thing to which he was referring comes from the immediate presence of God in heaven. The word rendered \u201crefreshing\u201d is derived from the verb which means \u201cto cool again, to cool off, to recover from the effect of heat; to refresh.\u201d Thayer in commenting upon this word speaks of it as referring to \u201cone’s spirit, by fellowship, consolation, kindnesses\u201d (II Timothy 1:16). From this quotation it is clear that the refreshing pertains to the spiritual nature of man. This becomes more abundantly evident when we realize that that which produces the refreshing comes from the presence of the Lord.<\/p>\n

The Apostle spoke of \u201cthe seasons of refreshing.\u201d The word \u201cseasons\u201d evidently refers to a period of time when there shall come that from the presence of God which produced the refreshing of the soul. In other words this statement promises a mighty revival which originates in heaven and which affects the entire nation of Israel.<\/p>\n

Every born-again child of God knows that a revival is the result of the coming of the Holy Spirit into the heart and life of the believer in Christ. Joel the prophet spoke of this mighty revival and its coming in Israel before the great and terrible day of the Lord come (Joel 2:28-32). Again, we see the promise of this revival and its continuance into and through the millennial age (Isaiah 44:1-5). In view of these Old Testament<\/em> predictions of the coming of the Spirit of God, we may be morally certain that the Apostle Peter by his unique expression referred to the coming of the Holy Spirit to bring about this mighty revival after Israel has repented of her share in the execution of her Messiah and has turned to Him as her God, her Saviour, and her King. In this connection it may be well to reemphasize the thought that the revival comes to Israel only after Israel has repented of and repudiated the national sin of the execution of King Messiah and has turned to him as her Lord and King. In the language of the illustration used above, Israel must make her two moves first. Only after she has done that, will God make His next two moves, the first of which is the sending of the Holy Spirit to bring about this great revival, these \u201cseasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

D. The Sixth Move \u2014 The Return of King Messiah<\/h2>\n

The sixth move in God’s seven-point program, which is the second for the lord to perform at this stage of the moving drama, is that of sending Messiah back to Israel. From Acts 3:20 we see that the final objective in view is that Israel repent to the end that God \u201cmay send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even<\/em> Jesus.\u201d After this revival has swept the nation, God will make His next move in the seven-point program and will send Messiah again \u2014 this time to reign in glory and power. In our glance at Psalm 110 we saw that after Israel rejects her Messiah God invites Him to ascend to heaven and to sit down at His right hand until the Almighty puts the Jews under the Messiah’s feet. When Israel has thus been subjected, the Lord will send Messiah in answer to her plea that He return. Never will he come back until the faithful remnant has thus made moves three and four; but let it be remembered that the revival in Israel precedes the visible, personal coming of the Lord in fulfillment of this program as outlined by the Apostle Peter.<\/p>\n

The Apostle was very explicit in his affirmation concerning the Lord Jesus as the Hebrew Messiah. God sent Him into the world; Israel not recognizing Him rejected Him. Then at the invitation of God He returned to Glory. Israel need not expect any other Messiah than the One whom she spurned. During this period of His rejection the nation at various times has sought for a deliverer to lead them out of their difficulties; hence, according to Jewish history, false messiahs promising deliverance have appeared at time of crises. It is needless to say that they have all failed. Jesus of Nazareth was her true Messiah. God will not dishonor Him. Israel’s sufferings, which are punitive and corrective, will never abate so long as she rejects Him; on the contrary, according to the prophetic Word, they will increase the nearer she approaches the end of the dispensation.<\/p>\n

E. The Seventh Move \u2014 The Establishment of the Kingdom of God upon the Earth<\/h2>\n

The seventh move in this divine program is Messiah’s establishment of the kingdom of God upon the earth. In referring to their rejected Deliver the Apostle spoke of Him as the One \u201cwhom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old.\u201d When this entire sermon is studied in the light of Psalm 110, it is evident that Peter had that wonderful prediction in mind. Up to this point in the discussion he has shown that the Messiah has already come, that He has been rejected by the nation, that He has been invited to sit at the right hand of the throne of God, and that He is to be received or entertained in the Glory until the times of restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of His holy prophets.<\/p>\n

What is the significance of the expression, \u201cthe times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from old\u201d? We must study this phrase carefully. Peter did not declare that everything would be restored to fellowship with God. Unfortunately, some have overlooked the qualifying clause which limits the things to be restored to those mentioned by the Prophets. In order to see the force of this statement one must familiarize him self with predictions found in the Old Testament<\/em>. If the reader will study the messages of the Prophets, especially the Messianic prediction, he will see that, when Messiah comes in power and glory, He will lift the curse from the earth and restore Edenic conditions. The animal kingdom likewise will be delivered from \u201cthe bondage of corruption\u201d at that time. Then the earth will bring forth its increase. Wars cease. Every man shall dwell under his own vine and fig tree and the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. A careful perusal of such predictions as Isaiah 2:1-4; 4:2-6; 11; 12; 35; Psalms 2 and 72 will make this fact plain. Passages bearing on this point are too numerous to mention, but these suffice to show that God has promised to restore certain things to the condition in which they were prior to the fall of man.<\/p>\n

The Seven Point Answer Section Two:<\/h3>\n

The Problem of Jewish Evangelization and the Biblical Research Society’s Seven-Point Program<\/h4>\n

I. The Problem of Jewish Evangelization<\/h3>\n

As seen above, Israel is urged to repent of demanding the death of the Son of God, the Prince of life, and to turn to Him as her Messiah and Saviour. The commands to repent and to accept Jesus as Saviour and Messiah presuppose a knowledge of the facts concerning Jesus and His being Lord and Christ (Messiah). Therefore, Israel must be given the plain facts regarding Jesus and what He has done for the world. Furthermore, misconceptions must be removed by the truth. This subject naturally divides into two sub-topics.<\/p>\n

A. Knowledge Concerning the Execution of King Messiah<\/h2>\n

Should I unknowingly be guilty of committing some offense or crime, it would be impossible for me to be sorry for or to repent of such misconduct until I was appraised of my guilt. When Peter commanded the Jewish nation to repent, he presupposed on the part of his audience a knowledge of the facts relative to the execution of Jesus. According to Acts of the Apostles, <\/em>the early church did give the gospel to the entire nation of Israel in order that she might repent nationally and accept Jesus as the Saviour and Messiah. This task was accomplished by the year 58 A.D. \u2014 only twenty-eight years after the Crucifixion. But Israel persisted in unbelief. His call to national repentance with its promised millennial blessings has never been withdrawn. The present generation of the nation cannot repent of the crime of rejecting Jesus until the facts concerning this national sin are given to the people. Therefore Peter’s exhortation to his brethren to repent presupposed that the gospel would be given to the generation of Israel that actually does repent and accept Christ.<\/p>\n

B. Correction of the Erroneous Views Concerning Jesus of Nazareth<\/h2>\n

Though Israel should be given all of the facts concerning the martyrdom of Jesus and though she should repent of that sin, this national sorrow would not necessarily bring her to a saving knowledge of His grace. The French were sorry for the injustice done to Captain Dreyfus and upon further investigation of his case exonerated him. Other similar instances have occurred at different times. Israel must learn of the injustice done to Jesus of Nazareth, her Messiah, and repudiate this martyrdom. Study Leviticus 26:40-42 and the context. She cannot stop there but must see in Him her Saviour and Lord. Being thoroughly convinced that He is her only hope for deliverance from earthly evils and for eternal salvation she will have to accept Him as such. Like everyone else she must receive Him as Saviour and His atoning blood as the remedy for sin before He will come to save her and place her in her rightful place as head of the nations. How can she accept Him as her longed-for Messiah and Saviour so long as she holds certain erroneous views concerning Him and degrades Him to the place of sinful humanity? That the reader may understand the difficulties involved, I wish to call attention to the three principal Jewish interpretations concerning Jesus.<\/p>\n

1. The false theory of mythological origin<\/h4>\n

One of the oldest views concerning Jesus held by the Jews is that He was simply a mythical character \u2014 such a one as the reputed founders of the various nations. Everyone who is familiar with ancient history knows that the nations of antiquity looked back into the dim past and, if they did not have any authentic history concerning their beginnings, with their fertile imagination created illustrious progenitors, many of whom were semi-divine. Such characters were, of course, mythological. Many of the Jews, not having advantage of knowing the truth concerning Jesus of Nazareth, have hastily jumped at the conclusion that he is simply a myth and that there is no factual basis for belief in the historicity of Jesus.<\/p>\n

2. The false theory of illegitimate birth<\/h4>\n

One of the favorite theories concerning Jesus that has been current in orthodox Jewish circles throughout the centuries is that He was an illegitimate child, the offspring of a Jewish prostitute and a Roman soldier. According to this position He had very bad blood in Him. Jesus, as the legend runs, went down into Egypt to learn the art of black magic. Having acquired the information necessary for practicing it, He returned to the land of Israel and endeavored by sorcery and witchcraft to lead the nation astray from the worship of the true God.<\/p>\n

3. The false theory of His being a great teacher<\/h4>\n

A third hypothesis, which is of modern origin, is that Jesus was the greatest of all the Hebrew prophets and teachers. According to this theory He had a very low origin and birth. He is pictured as a poor Jewish peasant reared in the rustic town of Nazareth. His soul was stirred to action by the prevailing injustices and immoralities of His time. Being fired by a holy zeal for God and a passion for His countrymen He began His ministry, speaking, however, only those things found in Moses and the Prophets. This representation of Jesus presents Him as a man of noble character whose heart throbbed because of the miseries of His people. Thus in a self-sacrificial manner He began to preach His noble ideals and soon became with the masses the man of the hour. Finally His popularity waned under the blighting criticism of the leaders in Israel. Soon He became embroiled with the Romans in the meshes of their law. Ultimately, He was unfortunately executed as a malefactor.<\/p>\n

According to this position, Jesus made no claim to Deity, nor did He perform any of the great miracles which are attributed to Him by the evangelists. The miraculous elements of the gospel are but later accretions to the stories which arose after the death of Jesus. The truth about this noble young patriot, so runs the theory, must be extricated from the fictitious history and miraculous stories that gathered around His name and that eventually were incorporated in the gospel narratives. In other words, this position is that which is held by the liberals in the Christian ranks. It presents Him as a great and noble man who simply taught the very highest ethics and morals to His people. His untimely death by execution cut His great work short. Such is this third theory concerning the Lord Jesus Christ held by a limited group in Jewry \u2014 the liberal wing.<\/p>\n

The doctrine that Jesus of Nazareth was God in human form, having entered the world by virgin birth, according to the Old Testament<\/em> predictions, is a teaching foreign to Jewish thought. It is as far from their conception of religion as the poles are apart or the east is from the west. In view of these facts, it becomes absolutely imperative that facts \u2014 historical facts \u2014 concerning the ancient martyrdom of Jesus Christ and His saving grace be made know to the Jewish nation in order that she, feeling the guilt of that ancient martyrdom, might turn to Him for salvation. It becomes necessary that all the facts \u2014 the salient points \u2014 be given to the nation in order that she might turn to Him with all of her heart and accept the full and the free salvation which He has purchased for every creature.<\/p>\n

It has become abundantly evident to everyone, I feel sure, who has read this booklet thus far, that the matter of giving the gospel to world-Jewry is one of the most imperative challenges to the Church at the present time. God’s order of events is being held up by Israel’s failure to make her next moves \u2014 namely, to repent of the ancient martyrdom and to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ as her Lord, Saviour, and Messiah. Hence the answer to the question, \u201cWhat is holding up God’s procession?\u201d may be stated in the simple formula: By the people of God, the regenerated ones, who believe the Bible to be the Word of God, the truth of the gospel must be given to the nation of Israel, for until this task is accomplished God will never make the next moves of sending the revival and causing the Messiah to return.<\/p>\n

II. The Biblical Research Society’s Seven-Point Program<\/h3>\n

By the Scriptures we are thoroughly convinced that the gospel at the present time is to be given to the Jew first, that we are near the close of the age, and that there must come forth from Israel the evangelists who will preach Christ to the world during the Tribulation (Rev. 7). One may ask, \u201cHow can we in the most efficient, the most economical, and the swiftest manner give the gospel to the 17,000,000 (Ed. 1936) Jews scattered throughout the world?\u201d in order to call forth these flaming evangels of the Cross? The Biblical Research Society’s answer to this most important question is \u201cthe literary method.\u201d It neither discredits nor discounts, in the least, the personal touch. On account of the vastness of the task to be accomplished and the many complications arising out of a world-wide situation, the literary method promises the only hope of getting the gospel to the ENTIRE nation in the remaining short time.<\/p>\n

In this connection an important question arises in the mind of the thoughtful student: \u201cWhat are the difficulties that must be met in giving the gospel in a most efficient manner to these 17,000,000 Jews?\u201d When one takes into consideration the mental and theological background of Israel and her present attitude toward the Lord Jesus Christ, it becomes immediately evident that there must be a clear-cut, logical analysis of her misunderstandings concerning Him and of the Scriptural teaching relative to His redemptive plan for the world. A thorough study of the entire situation reveals the fact that there must be a seven-point program to meet the spiritual need of the Jew in presenting to him the truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

According to the Jewish orthodox conception of the inspiration of the Old Testament, <\/em>the Torah (the law of Moses) was infallibly inspired by the Spirit of God and has no mistakes. The second division of the Old Testament, <\/em> \u2014 namely, the Prophets, according to the theory, has mistakes in it, since the writers were not fully inspired as was Moses. With this thought dominating his thinking, the Jew naturally does not attach the same significance to statements by the Prophets that he does to those given by Moses. According to his conception the third division of the Hebrew Scriptures consisting of the books beginning with Psalms and ending with II Chronicles has even less authority than the Prophets.<\/p>\n

Since such is the view entertained by the orthodox Jew, every doctrine must first be presented as given by Moses and then enlarged upon from material drawn from the Prophets. Therefore one must find the germinal thought for every doctrine which he wishes to present to the Jews in the five books of Moses.<\/p>\n

A. The Trinity<\/h2>\n

Misunderstanding his Scriptures, the Jew affirms that Moses and the Prophets declared there is but one God. The fact is that when one understands Hebrew grammar and the signification of the words found in Israel’s Great Confession (Deuteronomy 6:4), he will see that the Hebrew Scriptures teach both the plurality and the unity of the one God \u2014 namely, the Trinity. The doctrine of the three Persons of the Godhead must be thoroughly set forth to the Jew from the standpoint of the Hebrew Scriptures. Since he rejects the teaching of the New Testament<\/em>, it is a mistake to attempt proving the Trinity from the New Testament<\/em> point-of view. One must confine his discussion to that of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. Since the doctrine of the Trinity is the fundamental dogma of the Bible, it becomes necessary to explain it to the Jew before attempting to teach him any of the other great truths of the Scriptures.<\/p>\n

B. The Nature and Person of Messiah<\/h2>\n

After the teaching concerning the Trinity has fully been set forth from the Hebrew text of the Old Testament<\/em>, the next step to follow in the logical unfolding of the truth to the Jewish mind is to show that, according to God’s eternal plan, one of these Divine Personalities was scheduled to come in human form in order to devise a way of redemption for the human family. The Jew believes in a Messiah, or a Messianic age. The orthodox group which constitutes the great majority of the nation, believes in a personal Messiah who will yet come for the redemption of Israel. They have no adequate conception of this coming Deliverer. They formulate their idea of Him from the data which is found in the books of Samuel, Kings,<\/em> and Chronicles<\/em> concerning such men as Saul, David, and Solomon, each of whom was called the Lord’s messiah, or anointed, as our English version renders the Hebrew. From this data the Jew concludes that the Hebrew Messiah is to be another person like Saul, David, or Solomon. Each of these men was born by natural generation, their fathers and mothers being individuals named in the sacred record. Since the Jew does not study the Word microscopically, as Christians do, he concludes that King Messiah is to be simply a man, another David.<\/p>\n

It becomes necessary, therefore, that the promise concerning the Messiah be traced very minutely from its inception in Genesis 3:15 throughout the Torah (the five books of Moses) and through the Prophets. In the Old Testament<\/em> it is found that King Messiah is God in human form who enters the world by virgin birth for the purpose of redeeming the human family.<\/p>\n

Inasmuch as the Jew accepts the Old Testament<\/em> but rejects the New<\/em> Testament, <\/em> one must give him the full teaching relative to King Messiah as presented in that portion of the Word. Therefore those passages which prove that King Messiah is God in human form who enters the world by virgin birth and which describe His twofold nature must be expounded in a clear and logical manner in terms that the average Jew can understand. The presentation of this teaching is the second step in unfolding to Israel the glories of King Messiah.<\/p>\n

C. The Redemptive Career of King Messiah<\/h2>\n

Inasmuch as the Jew is simply looking for a messiah who will be a military leader, another David, he is expecting one who leads his people back to Palestine, i.e., a portion of the nation and who marshals her forces against the invasion of Gog of the land of Magog (Russia), which event will occur in the latter days. This theory is enlarged upon by certain ones who hold that there are to be two messiahs: one, the messiah of suffering who leads the Jews back to Jerusalem, who marshals the national armies and who falls in battle: the other, the Messiah of Glory, the second David, who upon the death of the first Messiah is brought providentially to the attention of the Jewish nation. He will be a great military strategist and will be appointed to take the place of the fallen leader. In supreme command of the nation He, by His ingenuity and military genius, will expel the Russian forces and liberate the land of Palestine once more. Immediately upon the cessation of hostilities He will mount the throne of David and make Israel the head of the nations as foretold in Deuteronomy 28:13.<\/p>\n

Concerning a superhuman Messiah, the God-Man, the Jew has no conception. It becomes necessary, therefore to show the entire redemptive career of Messiah as set forth in the Old Testament<\/em> in order to present the truth relative to the Lord Jesus Christ to him. The classic passage showing this outline of Messiah’s life and activity is Psalm 110. Speaking dramatically, I would say that, when the curtain rises in this poem, we recognize the scene as one laid in Jerusalem. Messiah is there surrounded by the leaders of the nation who are hostile to Him. When they thus reject Him, God in heaven invites Him to leave Jerusalem, to ascend to His right hand, to sit there until He makes his enemies the footstool of His, Messiah’s, feet, and finally to return when Israel accepts Him enthusiastically, renouncing her national sin of having rejected Him. At that time He will return and establish the throne of David and restore Israel to her promised glory.<\/p>\n

This psalm together with several other passages in the Old Testament<\/em> presents the two comings of the one Messiah which are separated by the interval during which He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. The great objection which the Jews have waged against the Christian doctrine of the Messiahship of Jesus is that the Messiah, promised in the Old Testament<\/em>, comes and delivers the nation of Israel from her enemies, whereas Jesus never did anything of that nature. With such a theory in mind, it is impossible to show the Hebrews that Jesus was and is their true Messiah.<\/p>\n

One must select passages as Psalm 110, which give the two comings of the one Messiah and the interval separating those events during which He is seated at the right hand of God. When this redemptive scheme of King Messiah is not presented as a whole from one passage but is shown from quotations that deal separately with the two comings, the Jew declares that the Christians are garbling his Scriptures in order to bolster up a case for Jesus of Nazareth. Such is the line of argument followed by Rabbi Isaac of Trokin in his Chizzuk Emunah,<\/em> the strongest attack against Christianity from the Jewish ranks ever written. This book contains in the English translation 295 pages. We must not give anyone an occasion of accusing us of garbling the Scriptures to uphold the claims of Jesus. Hence the third logical step in unfolding the truth to Israel is to present the redemptive career of Messiah from the Old Testament<\/em> viewpoint.<\/p>\n

D. The Schedule of Messiah’s First Coming<\/h2>\n

The fourth logical step in giving the gospel to the Jew is to show him according to the Old Testament<\/em> Scriptures the very time when Messiah was scheduled first to appear in carrying out this great redemptive scheme. In order to do this thing those passages in the Old Testament<\/em> that point to the time and the conditions which exist at His first appearance must be expounded in the light of their contexts.<\/p>\n

It is evident from a casual reading of the first two chapters of Luke that, when Jesus was born, there was in certain circles at Jerusalem a general expectation of the year of Redemption and King Messiah’s appearance. The prophetess Anna and faithful Simeon were of this company. The announcement of John the Baptist that the time was fulfilled and that the kingdom of heaven was at hand needed no explanation \u2014 at least none was given so far as the New Testament<\/em> record is concerned. These facts show conclusively that the people were in expectation of Messiah’s first coming. Corroborative evidence of this position appears here and there throughout the gospel narratives. There is but one answer: the people were relying upon the definite chronological statements made in the Old Testament <\/em>concerning Messiah’s first appearance (Daniel 9).<\/p>\n

In the second quarter of the first century there was a general expectation of Messiah’s immediate appearance. This is seen in the Talmudical writings. Rabbi Abba Silver of Cleveland, Ohio, proves this point conclusively in his book, Messianic Speculations in Israel. <\/em> This confidence proves that the Jews had searched carefully the chronological predictions of the Old Testament<\/em>. According to Rabbi Silver, they have throughout the centuries since the coming of Christ endeavored to calculate the year of Redemption and the time for Messiah’s appearance. Therefore if one wishes to present to the the Jew in an intelligible manner, he must give the chronological data that is found in the Old Testament.<\/em> Hence in my fourth book, Messiah: His First Coming Scheduled,<\/em> I shall not only examine those predictions which tell of the time and the conditions which exist when Messiah makes His first appearance, but I am compelled to present the whole chronological scheme found in the Old Testament<\/em> from Adam to Christ and show conclusively the very year when Messiah was to be executed.<\/p>\n

This necessity becomes immediately apparent to one when he realizes the position which is taken by outstanding Jews. For instance, and outstanding Reformed Rabbi wrote an article that presented the question in this simple manner: Regardless of how we Jews interpret the Messianic predictions, whether personally or as referring to a Messianic era, we must recognize that the Jewish position is diametrically opposed to that taken by the Christians. The Jew affirms that the Messianic prediction awaits fulfillment; the Christian on the contrary, believes that they have been fulfilled in the coming of Jesus of Nazareth. Thus argues the Rabbi, Christians and Jews can never agree on the fundamental principle underlying their faiths.<\/p>\n

In view of this deadlock, it is absolutely imperative that in our effort to get together on this one fundamental of the two faiths there be a full, thorough, and scholarly presentation of the chronological question and the time when Messiah was scheduled to come first. Hence the fourth item in this seven point program is a chronological one.<\/p>\n

E. The Historical Appearance of Messiah<\/h2>\n

The fifth point in this program pertains to Messiah’s historical appearance. After having presented all the Biblical data and extra-canonical chronological material showing just when Messiah was scheduled to appear the first time, it becomes necessary to give the actual testimony proving conclusively that the Messiah did make His appearance at the proper time. There are three lines of evidence supporting this proposition: first, the Biblical, found in the New Testament<\/em>; secondly, the Jewish, found in rabbinical writings; thirdly, the secular, found in Greek and Roman authors.<\/p>\n

In order that all of this testimony might have its force with the intellectual class of Israel, it must be tested by the canons of historical criticism. When the genuiness and the authenticity of the New Testament<\/em> documents have been establish beyond all reasonable doubt, being presented in language intelligible to the Jew and from the Old Testament<\/em> angle, it becomes necessary to subject the New Testament<\/em> testimony to \u201cthe laws of evidence\u201d which are in vogue in the courts of the land at the present time. By proving the genuiness and the authenticity of the New Testament<\/em> records and the unimpeachable character of the testimony given therin, we thus prove unmistakably the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth. This thing, I hope to do in the fifth book of the Messianic Series to be entitled, Messiah: His Historical Appearance.<\/em><\/p>\n

The heart of this volume will be the four accounts of the gospel put in the form of a harmony. This manner of presentation yields itself readily to Jewish understanding. From Moses‘ time to the present the nation has been schooled in the idea that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. <\/em> Hence to present the full text of the four gospel records in parallel columns in the form of a harmony will instantly appeal to the intelligent of the Jew. This testimony will be strengthened by the evidence found in other portions of the New Testament.<\/em> God’s Word shall not return unto Him void, but shall accomplish that whereunto He has sent it.<\/p>\n

At the special request of some prominent, earnest, orthodox Jews several years ago I wrote a manuscript of about 350 pages on the evidence which proves the genuineness of the New Testament<\/em> records. Manifestly God providentially held up the publication of this volume. In order that I might perfect and complete this testimony I am compelled to do special research work in the British Museum, and the libraries of the University of Jerusalem, and other libraries in the Near East. Others who have the evangelization of Israel at heart share this conviction and are urging me to spend the winter of 1936-37 in the land of the Redeemer in the quest of this evidence (pray that the Lord’s will be done in this matter).<\/p>\n

Numbers of excellent books, written from the New Testament<\/em> point-of-view and expressed in Christian terminology, have appeared from time to time. So far as I know, the attempt has never been made to present, in a thorough and a scholarly manner and at the same time in language and thought-forms adapted to Jewish understanding, the testimony concerning Jesus. In preaching the gospel one must become \u201call things to all men\u201d that he by all means may save some (I Corinthians 9:22).<\/p>\n

In the volume, Messiah: His Historical Appearance,<\/em> I hope to present the proof concerning Jesus in such a way that every honest-hearted Jew may see the truth concerning Christ. This book will be the Biblical Research Society’s contribution to Jewish work in trying to fulfill the demands of the fifth item of this program.<\/p>\n

F. The Imminent Return of King Messiah<\/h2>\n

The sixth item in this seven-point program is the presentation of the evidence that the time is at hand for Messiah to make His second appearance upon the earth in order to take the world-situation in hand. In other words, the sixth point is to prove that we are at the end of the age and that the time is ripe for the second coming. This evangelistic and prophetic ministry to the Jewish nation is presupposed in many Old Testament<\/em> predictions. For instance, the presentation of the facts which prove that Messiah’s second coming is at hand is especially assumed in Psalm 75:<\/p>\n

We give thanks to thee, O God;
\nWe give thanks, for thy name is near;
\nMen tell of thy wondrous works.\u201d (vs. 1)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From this verse we see the entire nation focusing her attention upon God and praising Him because the season for Messiah to appear the second time is at hand. That the expression, \u201cWe give thanks, for they name is near,\u201d refers to the second coming of Christ is abundantly evident form Isaiah 30:27,28:<\/p>\n

Behold, the name of Jehovah cometh from far, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke; his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue is as a devouring fire: and his breath is as an overflowing stream, that reacheth even unto the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction and a bridle that causeth to err shall be in the jaws of the peoples.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This psalm presupposed, therefore, that the absolute proof concerning the closing of the age and Messiah’s second appearance will be given in such a conclusive manner that the entire nation will be convinced of the truthfulness of the message. According to this psalm, Israel fully persuaded of her need of salvation and of the imminency of the second coming is seen enthusiastically looking forward to this great event and praising God therefor.<\/p>\n

The last line of Psalm 75:1 shows that men are the ones who convince the Jews relative to the near coming of the Messiah: \u201cMen tell of thy wondrous works.\u201d This verse together with many others, therefore, presupposes that we who are giving the gospel to Israel convince her that the time is at hand for Messiah to return. The Biblical Research Society is endeavoring to perform its share of this great ministry by publishing the sixth volume of the Messianic Series, the title of which will probably be Messiah: His Second Coming at Hand<\/em>.<\/p>\n

G. Israel’s Repudiation of The National Sin<\/h2>\n

The seventh and last item of this seven-point program is the matter of showing Israel what she must do in view of this impending crisis in the history of the world. According to Old Testament<\/em> prediction the entire nation must repent of the sin of rejecting King Messiah and must repudiate it. As an example of a prediction to this effect, the reader is invited to examine Leviticus 26:39-41 in its context. The Revised Version rendering follows more accurately the original text than the Common Version. Thus the American Version \u2014 omits the conditional element that was placed in the King James translation. In the original text no condition is expressed. It simply makes the declaration that Israel shall confess the sin of which it is guilty, which was committed by the fathers while they were still in the land, and on account of which they were expelled form it. When the nation thus repudiates that ancient martyrdom, God will remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and will restore her to her own land. Again, this national repudiation of the age long offense is set forth in Hosea 5:15. Both Ephraim and Judah must confess their sin against God and seek Him earnestly. Hosea tells us that they will make this acknowledgment in earnestness. A full statement of this confession is found in the form of the prophecy contained in Isaiah 53:1-9. Thus the remnant living at that time and looking back over the weary wastes of these nineteen centuries will acknowledge this sin committed by the fathers and will accept Jesus of Nazareth \u2014 their long-rejected Messiah \u2014 as their Saviour, Redeemer, and God. When they have thus made this confession He will come, will redeem them, and will make Israel the head of the nations.<\/p>\n

CONCLUSION<\/h3>\n

As weapons of every type and size are used in a great battle, so in this conflict against Satan, who has held the nation of Israel in blindness throughout the Christian centuries, literature of every type must be used. Small tracts of various kinds, dealing with different subjects pertaining to the gospel, must be prepared and distributed throughout the great uneducated class of Israel. Booklets and small books which discuss subjects more fully than tracts can do must be distributed throughout the great middle class. Volumes, the result of thorough and painstaking scholarship, which deal exhaustively with the great fundamentals of the faith and which present the material in a way readily understandable to the Jewish mind must be published for the rabbis, and the leaders in Israel, since they demand full and accurate proofs before accepting any doctrine or tenet.<\/p>\n

The necessity for the publication of such thorough and voluminous books is readily understood when one realizes that some of the leaders of Israel are publishing for their people scholarly volumes that discuss Jesus and Christianity in a critical way. For instance, Dr. Joseph Klausner of the Hebrew University at Jerusalem several years ago published his Jesus of Nazareth<\/em> first in Hebrew. It was later translated into the English. It contains 438 large pages. In this volume Dr. Klausner affirmed the historicity of Jesus but stripped Him of all claims to being the Divine Son of God. This volume was especially written for Jews in order to mold the opinion of the rising generation concerning Jesus. The late Rabbi Enelow wrote a volume on A Jewish View of Jesus. <\/em> The author simply viewed Jesus as a great Teacher. Other leaders in Israel have written concerning Jesus for Jewish readers and have presented Him simply as a pious patriotic Galilean peasant who was an idealist but not the Jewish Messiah, the Son of God.<\/p>\n

The Jew worships at the shrine of scholarship. There is a constant flow of literature pouring forth from the presses throughout the civilized world which gives the modernistic interpretation of Jesus and the New Testament.<\/em> This class of writings simply represents Jesus as a man and robs Him of His Messiahship and of His unique relation to God the Father. As an example of this type of literature I may call attention to the volume entitled, Jesus<\/em> by Professor Ch. Guignebert who is the professor of Christianity in the Sorbonne. The portrait of Jesus which this learned professor paints is the same as by Dr. Klausner. Of course the details are different but each artist simply paints Jesus as a man and denies to Him all attributes of Deity.<\/p>\n

All of this false teaching must be combated by thorough and scholarly treatises which set forth in no uncertain sound the truth concerning Jesus our Lord.<\/p>\n

The ideal toward which this Society is ending its efforts is the production of these seven volumes, constituting the Messianic Series, in the principal languages spoken by the Jews for world-wide distribution.<\/p>\n

God’s Word shall not return unto Him void but it shall accomplish that whereunto He has sent it. This testimony, as has been stated in other books, must be given to Israel for a twofold purpose: first, to become a savor of life unto life to those who desire the truth; secondly, to become a savor of death unto death to those who will not receive a love of the truth (II Corinthians 2:14). According to our Lord’s parable, some of the seed falls on the wayside soil, some upon the rocky ground, and still other among the thorns, and finally some falls into the good ground. That which falls on the first three places is fruitless so far as eternal results are concerned. Our Lord commanded, nevertheless, that the seed be sown there. We must sow and look to God for results.<\/p>\n

The seven-point program of the Biblical Research Society is, as we believe, a God-given vision. This is a colossal task and cannot be accomplished except by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Spirit of God in answer to fervent, believing prayer on the part of the children of God throughout the world.<\/p>\n

The duty of evangelizing Israel now devolves upon the entire church of God. The Biblical Research Society is simply taking its place along with other faithful missionary organizations that are striving to give the gospel to Israel. Each agency is indispensable to the accomplishment of the great task of Jewish evangelization. Let every one \u2014 every \u201cborn again\u201d person \u2014 rally to the front ranks of this mighty movement to give the gospel to Israel in this generation and through her to the entire world.<\/p>\n

In view of all the facts which have been brought forth in this discussion, may I ask you, dear reader, \u201cWho, according to your opinion, is holding up God’s program? The Jew, the Gentile, or the church of God?\u201d We see that God made the first move by sending the Messiah to Israel; she made the second by rejecting Him. God now says that He will not make another move in the unfolding of His redemptive scheme until Israel makes the two moves of repenting of her rejection of King Messiah and of turning to Him,<\/em> accepting Him as her Saviour and Messiah. From this angle we see that Israel’s refusal to accept King Messiah is holding up God’s program.<\/p>\n

As seen in the paragraph above, Israel is holding up God’s program. Are the Gentiles contributing to this delay? Yes, they are doing so indirectly. By their failure to accept Christ and to throw their influence on the side of righteousness they may be said to be delaying the plans of God. On the other hand, they, by making a nose dive into the lowest strata of immoral and corrupt living, are hastening the time when God will be compelled to pour out His wrath upon the world and purge it of sin and wickedness.<\/p>\n

Why does not Israel repudiate the national sin and accept Jesus as her Messiah? The answer is simply this: her eyes are blinded concerning the facts relative to Jesus. She has distorted views concerning Him which make it psychologically impossible for her to accept Him. In order that she might repudiate her national sin and accept Him, the full and complete testimony concerning Jesus must be given by those who know and who love Him. In the final analysis, therefore, the answer to our question is that the church of God is the one who really is holding up God’s procession by failing to give the full and complete testimony to Israel.<\/p>\n

That the Lord’s richest blessings might rest upon each one is my prayer. Dear reader, may I suggest that you pray thus: \u201cO God, my heavenly Father, what share do you wish me to have in this divine program?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Return\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Selected portions from the Jewish Evangelism Series \u2014 January 1, 1936 by Dr. David L. Cooper Why Evangelize Israel in This Generation? and How? I. Why Evangelize Israel in This Generation? In accordance with the plans of God announced to Abraham, all spiritual blessings enjoyed by the world have come through Abraham and his descendants. … <\/p>\n

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