September, 1934
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
307
False Christs and_Fa.beJPropheti ...... a Sign! ff/< 5 A>$ & F T H £ ~T >M £S B y LOUIS S. BAUMAN F- S C .d fA T O i O S Cd Long Beach, California P f i o p r i e c y Our Lord’s Great Olivet Prophecy In 1167 came the North African Jew, David Almi. He A s the Lord Jesus Christ “ sat upon the mount o f Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying,
went so far as to ask the Arabian king to cut off his head, and he would prove his Messiahship by coming to life again. His head is still o f f ! Among other “ Messiahs” arriving about this time in various parts o f the world, was a Jew, named David Almusser, appearing in Moravia. He claimed he could make himself invisible. They, killed him. He became and remained invisible! Then a learned magician, David-el-David, posed as the Christ. He also paid the price with his head. Many perished with him. Then Ismael Sophus, a Spanish Jew, raised an army, but betrayed his Hebrew Simple Simons by forming a Moslem sect. In 1502 came Rabbi Asher Lammlein, a German Jew from Austria, inscribing on his banners, “ The King of the Jews.” Enthusiastic multitudes o f Jews and Christians were converted. Suddenly, he went to visit Korah. He is still visiting. In 1534, David Reuben, a court favorite o f Charles V , attempted to grasp the scepter of Judah (cf. Gen. 49 :10 ). A Portuguese Jew, Rabbi Salomo Malcho, was his prophet. Even Pope Clement V III received him “ with distinction.” Attempting to convert the emperor, Reuben was imprisoned, and his prophet, Salomo, was burned at the stake. Apparently, the scepter o f Judah was not for Reuben! In 1666, the most successful o f all the false Messiahs appeared, a man named Shabbatai Zwie, claiming to be “ The King o f Kings.” His forerunner, Nathan, from Damascus addressed him: “ T o the King, our king, lord o f lords, who gathers the dispersed o f Israel, who redeems our captivity, the man elevated to the height o f all sub limity, the Messiah o f the God o f Jacob, the true Messiah, the celestial Lion, Shabbatai Zwie.” Millions believed. Jews everywhere were in great expectation. Business came to a standstill. The Turkish government took note. To save his head, Shabbatai Zwie turned Mohammedan. His hypocrisy did not work. Regarding him as a dangerous agitator, they took his head from him. It has never been returned. In 1682 came a German Jew, Rabbi Mordecai. He soon fled for his life— from Italy to Poland. Nothing more was heard o f him. “ Baron Frank” arose in the middle o f the eighteenth century, and reached for the scepter of Jacob. He soon went the way o f his predecessors. A few o f the faithful still await the return o f their “ baron” chief. In 1744, Moses Luzzato arrived, blaring himself forth as “ King o f Israel.” A faithful few still exist in Poland awaiting the return o f their “ King.” The last (up to date) “ King o f the Jews” sojourned in Germany in 1872. His name was Jakuthiel. He sent a note to the Pope, demand ing the peaceful session o f Palestine. He joined the com pany o f his predecessors before the Pope responded to his request. T he O livet P rophecy S till A waiting C omplete F ulfillment Thus, the prophecy o f our Lord has been in process o f fulfillment. Many have come in His name, saying, “ I am Christ,” and have deceived many. But the march o f “ false Christs and false prophets” through nineteen cen turies o f time could scarcely be a sign o f the near approach
. . . what shall be the sign o f thy coming, and o f the end o f the world?” (Matt. 2 4 :3 ). In reply, among other things, our Lord said: “ Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matt. 24:4, 5 ). “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many” (v. 11). “ Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before” (vs. 23-25). Observe that our Lord warned o f two grave dangers: First, “ false Christs” ; second, “ false prophets.” First, let us note what fulfillment Israel (and to Israel He was directly speaking) has seen as to “ false Christs.” . “ F alse C hrists ” in I srael Shortly after the utterance o f this prophecy, Josephus bore the following testimony: “ And how these impostors and deceivers persuaded the multitude to follow them into the wilderness, and pretended that they would exhibit manifest wonders and signs, that should be performed by the providence o f God.” /Whether these “ impostors and deceivers” posed as “ Messiahs” or as “ prophets,” Josephus does not say. But we do know that since that time, Israel has been plagued with a long line o f false Messiahs, accompanied by their chief collaborators— false prophets'?] H - 3 * //s) p, In the year o f our Lord 130, there came into Israel, Bar Cochva, his name meaning “ the son of a star.” Claim ing to be the star which Baalam prophesied would rise out o f Jacob, he chose a forerunner, obtained a large following, coined his own money, raised an army, and captured Jeru salem. Three years later, when he was slain, the Jews named him Bar Coziva, that is, “ the son o f a lie.” In the year 434, Moses Cretensis came, and promised to deliver the Jews from Crete by dividing the sea and providing passage through it. On the appointed day, the command o f the new Moses rang ou t: “ Go forward!” Hundreds o f men, women, and children were drowned, and their “ Messiah” conveniently disappeared! In 529, “ King Messiah” Julian arrived, deceived thousands o f Jews and Samaritans, and, under order o f the emperor Justinian, paid the price with his head. Then came the great Mo hammed in 620, pretending at first to be the Messiah of the Jews. Unto him the deluded sons o f Jacob flocked. One day they found him eating camel’s b lood ! That ended his reign ! In 727, Serinus drew great numbers after him, but soon came to naught. Three false Messiahs with im mense followings came: one in France in 1135; one in Persia in 1138; and one in Spain in 1157. The last caused almost all Jews in Spain to be destroyed. [This is the first o f a series o f three articles by the pastor of the First Brethren Church, Long Beach, Calif., dealing with the general subject of. false Christs and false prophets in the light of the prophetic Scriptures .—E ditor .]
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker