Titus came and destroyed the city in 70 A.D. At the time Christ came, the nation was so far away from God that the people did not know their own Scriptures, but had substituted for them the miserable traditions of men. They did not recognize the Messiah when He came although He fulfilled every prediction of “the law and the prophets” in His incarnation. A few believing ones like godly old Simeon and devout, ancient Anna knew at once who He was when as a Babe He was brought to the temple. Simeon praised God, and said, as He took the infant Lord Jesus in his arms: “. . . Mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation, Which Thou has prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” And Anna likewise recognized Him at once for “She gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (2:38). But these were but individuals; the nation itself was apostate. The vine represents the spiritual Israel and the ministry that Israel will have to the nations, during the Millennium when they will come up to Jerusalem to worship. Israel shall be at last a fruitful vine. In Isaiah 6 we read the heartbreaking account of the failure of the vineyard to pro duce after all the care that had been bestowed upon it. The Lord mounts over the condition of the vineyard, and the reason is given in 6:7: “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant . . .” but, thank God, the day will come when the olive tree, which is evergreen, will be, beautiful and flourishing; the fig tree will bear its figs in season; and the vine will bend down with the luscious grapes. Before that day comes, Israel will experience the time of Jacob’s trouble, the terrible tribu lation, but a remnant will be saved and God’s promises will be fulfilled to the letter. Not one word He has ever spoken has failed or ever will fail.
as to hear people — and especially young people — curse. What Scrip ture can I give them in addition to the third commandment: “ Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold Him guiltless that taketh His name in vain” ? A. Matthew 5:33-37; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 3:17. God bless you! SYMBOLS FOR ISRAEL Q. What is the significance of the figures of the olive tree, the fig tree, and the vine, as used in the Bible to describe the nation of Israel? A . For an answer in regard to the olive tree, you should read the 11th chapter of Romans where the Apostle Paul uses this tree as an illustration of his nation, and God’s dealing with her. You will note that this is a cove nant relation, based upon the sure promises of -God to Abraham. Paul’s argument begins with the question, “I say then, Hath God cast away His people?” And he answers, it. “God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away His people which He foreknew” (Rom. 11:1-2). God broke off the branches because of Israel’s unbelief (v. 20) in order that the Gentiles might be grafted in (v. 17) and the Gentiles are spoken of as a “wild olive tree.” But because of God’s cove nant with the natural olive tree (Is rael), the nation will be saved even tually and Christ as the Deliverer shall “turn ungodliness from Jacob” (v. 26). Paul explains, “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” (v. 27). This will be fulfilled in the Millennial reign of Christ upon the earth. Now the story of the fig tree which Christ cursed because it should have been bearing figs but only bore leaves, is an illustration of the way in which the political and national life of Is rael was found to be displeasing to God and why the Lord ended it when
M A N Y WIVES Q. Please give me some Scriptures that forbid polygamy. 1 have a friend whose church actually teaches poly gamy. A . Deut. 17:17 was a definite com mand to the king of Israel, after the Israelites should possess the land of Palestine. “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.” Solomon broke both of these com mandments and brought great trouble upon the nation. In the New Testament we read in First Timothy 3:2-12 and Titus 1:6 that those who served in official ca pacity in the church were to be hus bands of “one wife” and this also applies to all believers alike: “Let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband” (I Cor. 7:2). TH E OR IENT IN PROPHECY Q. Who are “ the kings of the east” mentioned in Revelation 16:12? A. The kings of Japan, China, Mon golia, India and related areas. The eastern question has never been solved and never will be solved by man. In the day predicted here the barriers will be removed and the hordes led by the kings of the east will pour into the Holy Land to prepare for the Battle of Armageddon, where on the plains of Megiddo the “sun rising kingdom” and the other eastern na tions will meet “the king of the north” (Russia). When we study his tory, and the headlines of our news papers, we can see how all of this vast jig saw puzzle of the nations will one day fall into place as God has predicted in His Word. It may be soon!
SWEARING Q. What does God’s Word say about swearing? Nothing shocks me so much
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