The Host and the Sanctuary

LOGOS

The Host and the Sanctuary

The host is first visible. In the manner the house of Jacob marched through the Red Sea, so this harried and by all appearances defenseless mass will appear in places outside of the borders of Babylon on the day of slaughter. Their appearance is described in Jer. 31:7-9. "They shall come with weeping, and with supplications," just as when they were carried into captivity. Their movement begins in the North -- in the land of Ephraim and of Manasseh. Ephraim, or the Swede, is described as the leader in this popular march, the Lord therefore calls him His "firstborn son" -- a son who has a right to double the inheritance that the others have. In the number of the sealed (Rev. 7:4-8) he is also designated under the name Joseph -- the favorite in the family of Jacob.

Manasseh, or the corresponding part of the Norwegian people, is not lacking a wonderfully great distinction in the great battle on the day of the Lord. In the connection where God speaks through the prophet of ending "every battle of the warrior . . . . and garments rolled in blood," He says that He shall fight against the enemies of Israel as in the time of Midian, when through Gideon and under his leadership, God exterminated the Midianitic army with only three hundred men.

(See Is. 9: 4-7.) This hero was of the tribe of Manasseh -- a shadow thrown from "Harma-geddon."

Armageddon means the mountain of Gideon -- call it the Norwegian mountains. There a terrible encounter will take place at the time the human train is formed in the North for its onward journey. The Salvation Army, described in this context (see Rev. 16: 13-16) , having in advance gone out to the kings of the earth, will at this time be ripe for their real object, namely, like Jannes and Jambres in Egypt to appear with spiritual signs and wonders in order to strengthen the belief of the powers that the human train is a work of Satan and that the leading power thereof is the Antichrist of the Scriptures. The spiritual magic powers deceive the governments to march on to Armageddon with the object in view of exterminating this singular and feared new movement, and just then the sword of the Lord (through Ephraim) and that of Gideon (through Manasseh) will carry out the act foreshadowed in the camp of the Midianites below the Gideon-mountain.

Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

(See Judges, chapter 7.) - AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

In connecting the prophetic description quoted above with the 12th chapter of Daniel the matter becomes still plainer. The question in the 6th verse: "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" is answered in the last three verses.

Verse 11: "And from the time the permanent is taken away, and the devastating abomination is set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days" -- 1290 years.

The permanent, or the passover, was entirely taken away from God's people when the highest leader among them was crowned pope, or father, for by this they severed themselves from the fatherly might of God, and the position they had taken under the governmental protection of Rome occasioned that the Babylonian father-power covered them and pressed them under the statutes of Baal.

In the year 606 A. D. Bishop Boniface was, by permission of Emperor Focas, crowned pope. Therefore the 1290 years extend from this period of time. During this whole time the Babylonian father-power has had the upper hand to suppress all popular movements that appear to be similar to the Israelitic human train that went out of Egypt, and this it is that has barred the way for Israel's march out of Babylon.

When we add these 1290 years to 606, the whole sum equals 1896.

Verse 12: "Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days" -- 1335 years.

These 1335 years are, with respect to the suppressed condition under the Babylonian power of limitation, connected with the 1290 years of the preceding verse, and together they indicate the whole length of time for the captivity of the host and the sanctuary. 1290 and 1335 equal 2625. Hence 2625 years. When, then, did the host -- the ten tribes -- enter into the captivity? In the year 724 B. C. We therefore subtract 724 from 2625 and there remain 1901.

"Blessed is he that waiteth," etc. These words contain both consolation and warning.

Beginning with 1896, signs appear that indicate to the prophetic people that the time called "the time of the end" is then beginning, a period that is stormy and perilous, and with which the dispensation of the nations will be terminated. It is of this very period that Christ utters the following words:

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (Luke 21: 28.)

We have already shown the sanctuary mensuration of the 2300 years, this with the exception of the time signified by the term "falling away." From the birth of Christ, when the New Testament sanctuary work -- the Word made flesh -- took form, until the meeting in Nica=a in the year 325 A. D., when the apostasy, i. e., removal from its God-appointed place, was completed, there extend 325 years. Hence these 325 years, with respect to the mensuration of the suppressed condition of the sanctuary, are omitted. Therefore, when we measure off the length of time for the suppression of the host, these 325 years must be added to the 2300 years.

2300 and 325 equal 2625, or exactly the same as the 1290 and 1325 in Dan. 12: 11, 12. With this addition the 2300 years also terminate in 1901, or simultaneously with the sum total of the final termination of the 1290 and 1335 years.

We will return to the passover in order that we might better grasp its great significance. We are reminded of the fact that it was the passover, or the work of the avenging angel, that caused the redemption of the children of Israel from the Egyptian bondage. This is to be repeated. By adducing a few testimonies this will also be made clear.

The eye of the prophet is directed to the time when "the nations shall be driven asunder" and "the everlasting mountains (fortifications) be scattered" in order to prepare a way for the remnant of the children of Israel, and in astonishment over this he exclaims:

"0 LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: 0 LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran." (Hab. 3: 2, 3.)

Mount Paran is situated in Arabia, and in the wilderness below this mountain, Ishmael, the son of Hagar, was brought up, and from there the Arabian hordes streamed to Europe and finally to Constantinople. There this human river was dammed up in order to prevent its flowing over the whole land.

Now, when the captives of Babylon are to be released from their yoke, God will again, by means of this river, break down the Babylonian fortifications and cause the sea of confusion to appear on the earth, it is therefore the prophet is seeing God as coming from Paran, i. e., by means of the Arabian people.

The work is renewed in the midst of years -- the seven years set apart and marked out in prophecy for the establishment of the Covenant. Daniel tells us (Dan. 9: 27) that a seven-year week is set apart for the confirmation of the New Covenant, but that the Messiah belonging to this Covenant shall be slain in the midst of the covenantal week. Thus the latter half of this week will remain. When the time of the nations has filled its prophetic measure, then the remaining half of the week, or the three and one half years, for the continuation of the establishment of the Covenant, will be ushered in. Just then the river Euphrates will break loose and the war flame will be kindled in Europe.

Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The revelator's attention is attracted to the same event, and he describes it thus:

"And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." (Rev. 7: 2, 3.)

These four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, are the Mohammedan races, the remnant of Ishmael, Abraham's son with Hagar. They represent Turkey, Egypt, Sudan and Arabia, but are now bound under the great powers of Europe.

We will now glance over the field that is the object of the contending powers and with it compare the declaration of prophecy concerning the development of events.

It is Babylon, the kingdom originating from the manufacturing of brick in the valley of Shinar, which is now to lose its power over the enslaved tribes of Israel within its bosom. The road to this goal leads through the river Euphrates -- the Ishmaelitic human stream. What now is taking place or that which is coming is only a continuation of the work commenced by Mohammed. Prophecy describes the road as follows:

"And I saw, and I heard an Eagle (not angel) flying in Mid-heaven, saying with a loud Voice, Woe! Woe! Woe! to

THOSE WHO DWELL on the EARTH, from the REMAINING Blasts of the TRUMPET Of THOSE THREE Angels who are ABOUT to sound." (Rev. 8: 13, Emphatic Diaglott.)

The prophet had, when seeing this vision, seen four warring powers, signified by the voices of the trumpets and the angels, go to war against the fourth universal kingdom, which is now protected and enlarged under the eagle-flag. The eagle, which the prophet saw and heard, represents this flag or protective power. Three disastrous wars, paving the way for its fall and ultimate extermination, are still ahead of this kingdom.

All of the last three woe trumpets are connected with the "bottomless pit." This shows that the same race of people, although at different times, is carrying out the war movements, signified by the woe trumpets.

In the book, The Dual Plan, pp. 191-194, all the trumpets are described in their order; here we will only quote the appointed times.

It was the "prophet" Mohammed who called forth the Ishmaelites from the wilderness of Paran and conducted them on the war path, inspiring them with the hope that they eventually would conquer the world. Under this leadership they won unheard of victories, which established them both in Asia, Africa and Europe. In the 13th century, Osman took up the battle-glove Mohammed left behind, organizing the Arabians into a regulated kingdom and leading them on in a renewed war movement against the fortifications of Babylon. Through this was fulfilled the time marked out in prophecy for the progress of the fifth war trumpet.

This time is five months, which according to the prophetic signification constitute as many years as there are days in five months, namely, 150 years. These 150 years terminated in the year 1449 A. D.

The duration of the sixth war trumpet is measured off to be for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, which added together is 391 years. These, beginning at the termination of the 150 years, or in the year 1449, terminate in 1840. That very year the great powers threw themselves over the Turkish sultan in order to prevent the Arabians from any further attempts to conquer their opponents. They bound Turkey, Egypt, Sudan and Arabia.

Let us now read Rev. 9:15. The command is that they be loosed.

"And the four angels were loosed (those who had been bound by the representatives of the great powers) , which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men."

The wording, "which were prepared," shows that the time here measured off also measures off the time of this their depressed position. However, here the time is subject to an application deviating entirely from the usual mode of prophetic mensuration, but the wording not only permits it, it directly expresses that so it must be. In this application our usual mode of reckoning enters in, this when we permit the divided objects to indicate fixed measures of time. "The hour" represents one of these measures of time. But "the hour," as related to the day, is only a 24th of the day. "The day," therefore, represents twenty-four measures of time. The month is divided into days—hence thirty such, the day does not here represent any larger time-measure than the hour, it is only the number of days in the month as well as the hours in the day which in this mensuration of time is of consequence. "The year" does not only represent one of the measures of time, it also measures the greatness of them all, so that each measure of time represents one year. The hour and the day represent twenty-five years and the month thirty years, which together make fifty-five years. The year added to this makes it fifty-six years.

During fifty-six years the Ishmaelitic people in their four different parts of the earth have been prepared for their work, but have been bound and prevented from executing it. Add, then, fifty-six to 1840 and the whole terminates in 1896. Thus the time was up in 1896 for the bands to commence to be loosened, at least somewhere along the river Euphrates. The historical events of that year ought to settle whether any significant signs concerning this were in evidence. If, for instance, we turn to Armenia, what answer does her history give to the question: "Did you hear of anything which indicated that the Turkish human stream was let loose somewhere during 1896?"

Armenia answers with a crying voice and says: "The Turks! Yes, during the years 1895-6 they murdered nearly 100,000 Armenians, burnt 2500 cities and villages, destroyed 568 convents and churches and left 500,000 homeless and suffering."

Over these hordes, which are thirsting to avenge themselves of all the suffering the Christian nations have brought upon them, sits the avenging angel -- the sultan of Turkey. Gladstone calls him "the murderer in Constantinople," and the Scriptures call him in Hebrew "Abaddon," in Greek "Apollyon" and the king of the bottomless pit. (Rev. 9:11.)

Although the bottomless pit, which signifies war and general confusion, is opened by the Turkish power, yet this power, as such, has no more time of victory before it, but instead a general disintegration. But this condition acts upon the Arabic masses so as to impel them in the form of depredatory bands, lurchers and gangs of robbers to force their way in among the so-called Christian people and inflict on them unparalleled damage. If we keep in mind the work of the prefigurative avenging angel during the darkest hours of the night, when the Egyptians were least prepared to receive the visit, we can grasp the meaning of the out-flowing stream from the bottomless pit.

This bottomless, or war, flood kindles the wrath of the Christians, and the old Catholic beast will rise from this abyss with the object in view of making an end to everything it considers to antagonize church and state. Here a hint to this effect:

The metropolitan in Athens has sent the following telegram to the metropolitan in St. Petersburg:

"I implore wishes of victory of the Russian Church for our Cretan brethren, who fight for their faith and their existence."

Another telegram has been sent to the archbishop of Canterbury, in which it says:

"In the name of Jesus Christ, raise your voice on behalf of the welfare and liberty of your cruelly oppressed Christian brethren."

When the archbishops of the different church denominations extend the hand to one another in a common interest, then the time is soon at hand when the pope will take the central place among them. And on this follows the laws and acts of militarism. And the proclamation of General Weyler in Cuba might be quoted as an example of what is to come.

Weyler's proclamation is as follows:

1. "Within eight days all the inhabitants inside or outside the lines of fortification and state must gather under the protection of the troops. Those who, at the end of this period, are found outside the lines will be considered as revolutionists and will as such be accused."

2. "It is strictly prohibited to take provisions out of the cities, and nothing can be conveyed either over water or land without the permission of the military authorities. All who trespass this regulation will be accused and punished as abettors of the revolutionists."

The following clipping shows that the pope also is keeping steps with the time:

"The pope has received in Christmas audience officers who formerly belonged to the papal army and has then expressed himself concerning the political situation, seen from the point of view of the Vatican. He thanked the officers for their loyalty to want to faithfully defend the papal chair, and he considered their attendance no longer as formal demonstration. Even from Canada, Ireland, Belgium, France and other countries did he receive offers from warriors, who with life and blood were willing to seal their loyalty to the holy chair, and he hoped that the moment soon would arrive when again he would see his braves at their respective posts. Nothing would be more unreasonable than the assumption of the Quirinal that the pope should take it comfortably and forget. On the other hand, it is time now that the great battle should take place."

The aurora of the day of the Lord is spreading over hills and valleys. Just as this awful scene is progressing, the messenger from the rising of the sun appears, i. e., as a result of the dawn. He has the seal of God in his hand. This is explained in Ez. 9:2, to be "a writer's inkhorn." We understand that the sealing is carried out educationally, i. e., by means of the enlightenment of the Word of God both by means of preaching and reading. The Word of prophecy is impressed deeper and deeper in the intellect of those who are sealed, and at last, by having experienced and practiced what they have grasped with the intellect, they have received the fullness thereof.

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Eze 9:1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

Eze 9:2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.

Eze 9:3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;

Eze 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

Eze 9:5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

Eze 9:6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

Eze 9:7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

Eze 9:8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

Eze 9:9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

Eze 9:10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

Eze 9:11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.

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Hence the third watch consists of wars and revolutions, which like a forest fire begin at a certain point, then continue until the entire Christendom is enveloped in a war flame. Meanwhile Mount Zion is forming, and the sanctuary, or the tabernacle of David, in accordance with the Logos-development, is elevated above it in the manner members of parliament in a kingdom are elevated above the people.

Isaiah, chapter 13:3-13, gives us a short but clear description concerning the progress of this development. It reads:

"I have commanded my sanctified ones (the bride in the embryo)( To sanctify is literally “to set apart for special use or purpose,” figuratively “to make holy or sacred,” ) , I have also called my mighty ones (the valiant warriors) for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness .... The LORD of hosts mustereth (mobilizes) the host of the battle. They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty," etc.

In this movement of the people we notice two hosts, both belonging to the family of Jacob. The prefigure is seen in the return march of Jacob from Laban, with Rachel and Leah divided into separate groups. Rachel is representing the sanctuary, or the Bride in the act of her evolutionary process, and Leah the laboring host, escorting the Bride.

The Bride is the New Jerusalem. In the first place this Jerusalem consists of the temple, or the tabernacle of David, going out from the power of the nations. Under the guidance of the King it is first escorted to Mount Zion -- the consolidated position of the working masses outside the institutions of man. There this temple, by virtue of experience, is elevated upon this mountain as the throne of the great King.

JUDGES 7 Gideon

Jdg 7:1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

Jdg 7:2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

Jdg 7:3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

Jdg 7:4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

Jdg 7:5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

Jdg 7:6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

Jdg 7:7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

Jdg 7:8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

Jdg 7:9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

Jdg 7:10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

Jdg 7:11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

Jdg 7:12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

Jdg 7:13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

Jdg 7:14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

Jdg 7:15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshiped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

Jdg 7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

Jdg 7:17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

Jdg 7:18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

Jdg 7:19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.

Jdg 7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

Jdg 7:21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

Jdg 7:22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.

Jdg 7:23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.

Jdg 7:24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan.

Jdg 7:25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.