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Jerusalem The Holy City
[Brooklyn,
June 5, 1910]
"Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably
to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her appointed time is accomplished, that
her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for
all her sins."—Isa 40:1,2.
Christendom, with united voice,
admits that all of the Divine Revelation came to and through the Hebrew people.
Listen to the argument of the Apostle Paul, "What advantage then hath the
Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way; chiefly, because
that unto them were committed the Oracles of God"—the Divine Message
respecting the Divine purposes, present and to come. The Apostle again informs
us that the entire Gospel Message was briefly comprehended in the Creator’s
promise to Abraham, "In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed."—Ga 3:8.
"TO THE JEW FIRST"
It was the most natural thing imaginable for the Jewish Nation to suppose that
the giving to them of the Law at Mount Sinai, through the mediatorship of
Moses, was the fulfilment of the promise to Abraham. Nevertheless, they were
mistaken, as the pages of history show.
Israel’s mediator, the sacrificing priests, the sacrifices they offered, their
Tabernacle with its Holy and Most Holy, the Temple, and all the features of the
Law Covenant were type or foreshadows of the "better sacrifices,"
higher Priesthood, better Mediator, and glorious blessings of eternal
forgiveness and reconciliation yet to be accomplished. Nevertheless the period
of Israel’s types was not wasted. Not only were the types there given,
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but at the same time a special class of agents were selected: Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, and all the Prophets and worthy ones of that Age, holy, consecrated to
God, and accepted as agents qualified for the Kingdom conditions.
Of these the Scriptures declare, "They fell asleep." They are still
asleep in the dust of the earth, awaiting the glorious Resurrection Morning,
and a grand share with Messiah in the work then to be accomplished.
In their lifetime, they were styled "the fathers," because Messiah
was foretold to be of the posterity of Abraham, and also "David’s
Son."
"COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE"
But other Scriptures, without contradicting these statements, show us
distinctly that "David’s Son" and "Abraham’s Seed" is to be
Lord and Father of both David and Abraham. Thus we read, "Instead of Thy
fathers shall be Thy children, whom Thou mayest make princes in all the
earth." (Ps 45:16.) David’s son, Messiah, will be David’s Father, or
Life-giver, when He will raise David from the dead. Similarly He will be the
Father of all those Ancient Worthies; and as David’s Lord, and "Lord of
lords," it will be His pleasure to appoint to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, to
all of the Ancient Worthies and the Prophets, and other faithful ones a
glorious share with Himself in the great Messianic Kingdom, which He is about
to set up for the ruling and blessing of Israel and all the nations of the
earth. Will not this be a grand honor to Abraham and his Seed! Could we expect
that the Almighty would use in such a high position any except the faithful? Surely
not! When Messiah shall make these Ancient Worthies "Princes in all the
earth," as representatives of His invisible Kingdom, will not this mean
honor to the Jew first?
Our text is one of three declarations in the Old Testament, which assure us
that there is a "double" connected with Israel’s history. That is to
say, Jewish history naturally
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divides itself into two exactly equal parts. The first of these parts was a
time of favor, intermingled with disciplines, but favor, nevertheless. The
second of these parts has been one of disfavor and exclusion from Divine
fellowship. As foretold by the Prophet, Israel for many centuries has been
without prophet or priest, without ephod and without communion with God;
whereas, at one time they were God’s favored people. They now, according to
their own admission, are so thoroughly rejected that they have no communication
whatever, no light to shine upon their pathway. The Prophet’s words have been
fulfilled, "Let their table become a snare before them: and that which
should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be
darkened, that they see not." (Ps 69:22,23.) They have
stumbled; they are blinded; but thank God! their blindness is not to be
perpetual. The period of their blindness is the second part of the
"double." With the fulfilment of that "double" their
blindness will begin to vanish, and "all the blind eyes shall be opened."
Of that time the Lord declares that He who scattered Israel will gather
them.—De 30:3; Eze 37:20-28.
We are impressed, not by fancy, but by the Word of God, that Israel’s
"double" is now fulfilled, that Israel’s blessing has already begun,
that the opening of Israel’s eyes is now in progress. For this reason we have
chosen for our text, "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God.
Cry unto Jerusalem and say unto her that her appointed time is accomplished;
for she hath received at the Lord’s hand double [the two parts of her
chastisement] for all her sins." Because the "double" is
completed, we may speak the words of comfort.
Thirty-four years ago we called attention to these facts, but few had ears to
hear. When eighteen years ago we visited Jerusalem, having in mind chiefly the
fact that the time for the regathering of Israel was nigh at hand, and that the
set time to favor Zion had come, we
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found no hearing ears amongst the Jewish people; and Zionism had not then been
dreamed of. Our communications with the representatives of the Baron Hirsch
Immigration Fund, and also with the executors of the Sir Moses Montefiore
Jewish Relief Fund met with scant recognition. Nevertheless, we felt sure that Israel’s
"double" had been fulfilled, and that her morning of joy would soon
break.—Ps 30:5.
Meantime how much has happened during those eighteen years! Zionism has risen
and engendered the hope of the "chosen people" in every land, and
turned their eyes toward the Land of Promise—not that all are thinking of
returning thither, but that every Jew who retains faith in the God of his
fathers, and in the Abrahamic promise, is now looking and hoping for the time
of blessing, long foretold. They know not about their "double"; they
have not been studying the Holy Scriptures, but the teachings of their
ancients, as presented by the Talmud. They have been making a very similar
mistake to that of Christian people, who have been studying the creeds of the
Dark Ages instead of God’s Word.
THE THREE "DOUBLES"
Glance with me at three different statements by the Lord through the Prophets
of Israel respecting Israel’s "double" of experience: the first, an
experience of God’s favor; the second, an experience of equal length without
Divine favor. Notice first Jeremiah’s prophecy. (Jer 16:18.) After telling of Israel’s
disfavor, and then of their regathering, the Lord declares, "And first I
will recompense their iniquity and their sin double"—some of the
recompense with favor, and some without favor.
Jeremiah’s prophecy looks down to the "double" from his own day,
which was more than six hundred years before the second part of their
"double" began.
Turn now to Zechariah’s prophecy, and note that prophetically he takes his
standpoint at the very time
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when the second part of the "double" began. His words are, "Even
today do I declare that I will render double unto thee."—Zec 9:12.
Come next to our text, and note that the Prophet Isaiah stands with us, and
views the matter from the standpoint that the "double" of experience
has been fulfilled: "Speak comfortably unto Jerusalem, cry unto her that
her appointed time is accomplished, because she hath received at the Lord’s
hand double [two equal parts] for her sins." It is our understanding that
this "double" reached fulfilment in the year 1878 A.D.; and since
that date we have been declaring to the best of our ability, as the Lord granted
opportunity, these comforting words to Israel, assuring God’s people that their
period of disfavor has ended, and that they are gradually returning to
prosperity; that Divine favor began with them in 1878.
Yea, more than this, our sermons which to some extent reflect this feature of
the Divine Program relating to Israel’s restoration to Divine favor, are being
read to a considerable extent by Hebrews as well as by Christians.
Their eyes are gradually opening, as the Scriptures foretell they shall do.
But how may we know when the turning point of Israel’s "double" took
place? How may we know that the "double" was completed in 1878? We
reply that the answer to the question necessitates an acknowledgment of Jesus
as the Messiah. Israel’s rejection of Him as their King marks the turning point
of God’s favor, as the prophecy of Zechariah, just quoted, distinctly shows.
Neither Christians nor Jews have appreciated the full import of the incident
mentioned in the Gospel; that five days before His crucifixion, Jesus rode upon
an ass, after the manner of Jewish kings, into the city of Jerusalem, a
multitude surrounding Him, and going before Him, shouting, "Hosanna to the
Son of David! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of Jehovah!" The
Prophet Zechariah called attention to this incident centuries
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before it occurred, and then gives the Lord’s words, "Even today do I
declare I will render double unto thee."—Mt 21:1-5.
Israel’s history as a nation began with the death of Jacob, when he gave his
blessing to the twelve tribes.
The period from that time to the death of Jesus, according to the Scriptures,
was 1845 years; and a like period of disfavor, measuring from the day of Jesus’
rejection marks the year 1878, as the end of Israel’s disfavor—the time when
the message of comfort should go forth. However, Divine favor was only
gradually taken from Israel, and altogether a period of thirty-six years
intervene between the death of Jesus and the utter destruction of Jerusalem.
Similarly we should expect that the return of favor would be gradual, a like
period of 36 years; and this would bring us to the year 1914, as the time when
God’s favor for His people will be gradually manifested, during the closing
hours of Gentile supremacy in the close of the Gospel Age.—Lu 21:24.
"THE SEED OF ABRAHAM"
The question now arises, What has God accomplished during the latter half of Israel’s
"double"? Did He pass by His chosen people to bless the Gentiles
directly, or how shall we understand Divine providence with respect to this
matter?
We answer that Almighty God had one feature of His Plan which He did not make known
directly and explicitly to Abraham or any other Prophet. He kept that feature
of his purpose a secret. It is this: Messiah could not be a man and yet
accomplish the great things which Jehovah purposed, as stated in His Word. The
Law called for an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and a man’s life for a
man’s life. In this God set forth His principle governing His course of dealing
with men. As by man (Adam) came the death sentence, and through heredity upon
all of his offspring, even so the Divine Law purposed that there must be a
sacrifice of one human life to
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offset the one human life condemned to death. The one who would thus meet the
demands of Justice on behalf of the race would have the right to give eternal
life and human perfection to every member of Adam’s race willing to accept it
on the terms of the Divine Law. It was for this reason that Christ should die,
"the Just for the unjust."—1Pe 3:18.
As a reward for His obedience to the Father even unto death, Christ was raised
from the dead to the Divine nature. In this exalted condition He is capable of
being a Mediator and of doing a work for Israel and for the world much higher
and broader than Moses could effect.
Moses, the typical mediator, made atonement for a year with the blood of
beasts; but Messiah with His own blood makes perpetual atonement for the sins
of all the people.
This is the great Messiah (Jesus) who suffered the death of the cross—for the
Jews and for the Gentiles—"for all the people." This is the glorified
Messiah, who as the Spiritual Seed of Abraham is about to bless Israel’s
Ancient Worthies, and to "make them Princes in all the
earth"—ministers of His Kingdom for the ruling, blessing and uplifting of
whosoever will, out of the present sin and death conditions, to life eternal,
to full human perfection, with the earth as Paradise restored.
MEMBERS OF MESSIAH
But some one may say, Where do Christians come, in connection with this Divine
arrangement? And if God’s dealings with the world are to be through Israel, and
not through the Church, why has there been so long a delay? Why did not the
glorified Messiah at once set up His Kingdom, and bring forth the Ancient
Worthies from the tomb to be its earthly representatives? Oh, here is another
part of the Mystery of God! Isaac, Abraham’s son, was typical of Messiah, the
Spiritual Seed. But before Isaac began the work of dispensing the blessings to
his brethren and to his children, he first took a bride;
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and this act also was allegorical or typical. In the antitype, Messiah, the
glorified Jesus, partook of the Divine nature according to the Father’s
invitation, and He is to take a Bride who is to be His joint-heir on the spirit
plane—to share with Him the glory, honor and service of His Messianic Kingdom.
The period of Israel’s disfavor, as a nation, has been the time in which a
special class has been called of the Father and begotten of the Holy Spirit to
joint-heirship with Christ as His Bride.
But did God pass by the natural seed of Israel to give these spiritual
privileges to the Gentiles—to gather from the Gentiles a people, figuratively
to constitute the Bride of Messiah? Nay. The Scriptures assure us that this
spiritual privilege went first to the Jews. They show us that during the three
and a half years of Jesus’ ministry, and during the thirty-six years following
it, the Gospel Message was given almost exclusively to the Jews, and gathered
from that people as many as were found to be "Israelites indeed"
without guile, as many as were not only of the circumcision of the flesh, but
who were also of the circumcision of the heart. God did not continue to deal
with His chosen people; but after having gathered from them as many as were
worthy of the spiritual blessing and exaltation—only then did He send the
Message to the Gentiles, to gather from the Gentiles a number sufficient to
complete the foreordained and predestined number who will constitute the Bride.
So, then, my brethren, in proving
from the Scriptures that Israel’s "double" is about completed, that
Israel’s blindness is about to be taken away, and that Israel’s exaltation as
the earthly representatives of Messiah’s Kingdom is near at hand, we are
proving to ourselves another thing; namely, that the full number called from
amongst the Gentiles to participate with Christ on the spirit plane, as members
of His Bride class, will soon be completed and exalted to Kingdom glory.—Ro
11:25-32.
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