dream that ere I completed the series, such momentous events would occur in the Holy Land as have taken place with in the last few weeks. On May H , the entire Christian world was startled at the proclamation by the Jews of their new independent state of Israel. To all serious students of prophecy this ap peared indeed to be “ the budding of the fig tree.” I consider it the greatest event, from a prophetic standpoint, that has taken place within the last one hundred years, perhaps even since 70 A.D., when Jerusalem was destroyed. There is no doubt in my mind but that I was led of God to call the attention of our readers and other Bible believers to these prophe cies at this time, and I hope, God willing, in the near future, to follow with mes sages, pointing out the prophetic sig nificance of the recent occurrences in Palestine. While we cannot at this time say that “ this is it,” we do believe that coming events are casting their shadows upon the world. We must await further developments, to match them with the prophecies. Meantime let all who “ love His appearing,” “ look up and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” — Louis T. Talbot.
The Meir Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv, now the provisional cap.- ital of the newly-proclaimed Jewish state, Israel. In 1908, Tel Aviv was just a lonely stretch of sand dunes,
and now it is a thriving city of over 160,000 population. The motto on the Tel Aviv coat-of-arms reads, “I shall build, and you will be built.”
d éd zeh ie f 3 9
jf^cileôtine, /vt uââia an
Tenth,,in a Series of Prophetic Messages
By Louis T. Talbot, D.D.
O UR article last month closed with the fearful picture of the destruc tion of the enemies of Christ in the last days. The vivid description of the “ sacrifice” of the literal bodies of those who will dare to defy the living God is one of the most awful portions of the entire Word of God. But now the scene changes, and the last message in this series presents a much happier prospect. Glory for God among the Nations At this point, the prophet turns from considering the sordid scene, and begins to speak of the effect this judgment will have upon the nation of Israel, as well as upon the other nations of the world. Let us read 39:21-24: And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captiv ity for their iniquity: because they tres passed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. According to their unclean ness and according to their transgres sions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. Page Four
As we study these verses, we believe that the Spirit of God, through the prophet, is going forward a bit in time and is envisioning the return of Christ to the earth. When will God set His glory among the nations? When will all nations fully realize the fact that there is a God in heaven who possesses the earth, and who directs the affairs therein? When shall the house of Israel fully know that Jehovah is her God? When shall the na tions understand that Israel was scat tered to the four corners of the world for her iniquity against her God? I be lieve that these things can come only at the time of the glorious return of God’s Son. That will be the time when all these things shall be fully accomplished, and not before then! The world will acknowl edge the righteousness of God in His dealings with Israel and with the nations only when His Son takes the reins of government. Israel will return to her own land in great numbers, but in unbelief. Christ will still, at that time, be Israel’s “ stumbling-block.” He who is loved by us will still be ignored by Israel. True, the temple worship will be set up, and the ancient sacrifices resumed. Lambs will continue to be offered as before, and the priests will function as in the days of old. All this will Israel do, not know ing that God’s I amb has come, and has been slain for the sins of Israel and of
the world. Of Christ’s present High Priestly ministry they will be ignorant. How inexpressibly sad is Israel’s blind ness! But Ezekiel, in this chapter, looks beyond this period of blindness, and sees the time when Israel will behold Him whom they have pierced, and will mourn for Him as one mourneth for an only son. Then she will receive Him as her long-awaited Messiah. At this time Christ shall come unto His own, and His own shall receive Him, praise God! The Restoration and Blessing of Israel Let us note the coming glory, as de scribed in the last five verses of chap ter 39: Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; After that they have borne their shame, and dll their tres passes whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God. which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
Made with FlippingBook HTML5