Captivity out of the DUAL PLAN
THE
DUAL PLAN
OR
The Key to a Right Understanding
OF
The Prophetic Revelations
AND THE
Great Labor Movement
"Shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end."
C. and J. Lee
Revised Edition
VI. THE MESSIANIC DEVELOPMENT
Moses and Christ Compared
How will he establish his position or office as the Prince of Peace ? He will break the yoke of his (Jacob's) burden and the staff or rod of his oppressor as in the day of Median, when Gideon with only three hundred men conquered the Midianites and two other armies, who like a multitude of grasshoppers came to devour Israel. By his kingly power, every noisy implement of war and every garment rolled in blood shall be burnt with fuel of fire.
This was not done when Christ came the first time. The house of Jacob is yet in bondage, and the world is filled with implements of war. At his first advent, he, in the words of the patriarch, "stooped down, he couched as a lion." But at his second advent he will manifest his lion-nature and conquer his and his people's enemies. Like Moses, he will deliver his people from all oppression and raise them into national power, and by them he will destroy all weapons of war and establish peace on the earth.
In the 30th chap. of Jeremiah is a prophetic declaration concerning the Messianic movement that will finally restore the throne of David as the seat of the Messiah: "For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people" Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. And these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith the Lord: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him." (Jer. 30: 3-8.)
The days referred to by Peter and all the prophets, are pointed to here again as the time for the gathering of the house of Jacob. But that house in its scattered state is not one, but two houses: namely, the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Judah represents the two tribes which existed in Palestine at the time of Christ's first coming—Judah and Benjamin. The house of Israel represents the other ten tribes, which at that time were in captivity; from that captivity they have not been restored yet.
The Week of the New Covenant
The week of the covenant is the main point under consideration. The angel called Daniel's attention to the going forth of the commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem. That commandment concerned the Jews, who then were captives in Babylon. The commandment was issued by King Artaxerxes about 456-7 B. C. (See Ezra 7.) From that point of time to the time the Prince of the new covenant should appear on the scene, seven weeks would first elapse—7×7 or 49 years, during which time they would rebuild the city. Then in addition to that, sixty-two weeks (prophetic days mean years) would elapse again before the Prince of the covenant would stand up. Thus, 69 times 7, or 483 years would be the length of time between the command to return to Palestine from the Babylonian captivity and the appearance of the Prince of the new covenant. 457 subtracted from 483, leaves 26. If we then add the four or five years that the Gregorian count, "Anno Domini," has been misplaced concerning the true time of Christ's birth, we find him to be about 30 years old when he appeared on his mission and announced that "the time was fulfilled." (Compare Luke. 3: 23 with the date given at the top of the margin on the same page: namely, A. D. 26.)
At that time then, the seventieth week—the week of the new covenant began. Thus the seven-years time is set apart for the covenant to become established. But the angel adds, that "the Messiah shall be cut off" (from fulfilling his office) in the midst of that week and the Desolator shall spread his abomination over both the city and the sanctuary. The Romans did that. Their army killed the Prince of the covenant and destroyed Jerusalem, but that was only a small part of their anti-christian work, as we will show further on.
There remains three years and a half of the week of the covenant, set apart for the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the establishment of the covenant with the two houses—Judah and Israel. That time of the week of the covenant set apart for the consuming of the desolating power which killed the Prince, trampled down his army and east down the place of his sanctuary, still remains, and that means a restoration of both the Prince, the army and his sanctuary. The abomination spread out by the Desolator, will return over his own work, his armies and his sanctuary.
"The Day of the Lord."
All the prophets, the Lord himself and the apostles, speak of the great Day of the Lord and point out what wonderful things shall happen then. By comparing Joel 2: 28-32 with Acts 2: 16-21, it is seen that "the Day of the Lord" began at the first coming of Christ. And if we add to this his own testimony concerning what he expected would come upon the earth, we get a Scriptural understanding of what is meant by the Day of the Lord.
He says:
"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9: 4.)'
The great Day of the Lord began at the first advent of Christ, but like the natural day it introduced its evening first. That evening covered the entire time of Christ. As the Lamb of God he was slaughtered in the evening of that day, and then began the long, long night, called "the time of the Gentiles." The unfolding of the evening of the great Day corresponded with the acts in the camp of Israel in Egypt. There the evening-work ended with the blood-sign on the door posts; so even here at the cross, which arose as a blood-sign between two different kingdoms. The house of Jacob is still waiting for the command to go forth that finally will start the great train. The night is long and dreary, but the glorious morning, with its bugle-sounds of everlasting freedom, will inspire the struggling family with a new hope, before which all the nations will tremble like Egypt once did. Yea, it will go them worse than the first movement which Jacob caused the Egyptians to realize. The nations will be subdued, crushed and will rise no more.
In placing before Jacob his new King and the service of the God who created him, the Lord speaks encouragingly to him and says:
"But they shall serve the Lord, their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord: neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations wither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished." (Jer. 30:.9-11.)
As the great train moves out in the promises of God, the King of Jacob will be raised up; the Son of man will unite his kingly power with that train, and although Jacob will find the way very narrow and dangerous, he still will gain his object. But the nations which he has served, that oppose him, will be rooted out. "Though I make a full end of all the nations whither I have scattered thee, yet, will I not make a full end of thee."
XI. THE LOST TEN TRIBES
The descendants of Shem, better known as the seed of Abraham, were divided into twelve tribes. While they remained in Egypt they mixed themselves more with each other than after they had settled in the land of Palestine, because there each tribe was colonized by itself. During the reign of David they became firmly united as a nation, with Jerusalem as their common capital. But when Solomon died and his son, Rehoboam, was installed as king, the ten tribes revolted and separated themselves from the throne of David. They laid the following petition before the king:
"Thy father (Solomon) made our yoke grievous; now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee."
The king, having been counseled by young men among his associates, answered the petition in this way:
"My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add more to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions." (2 Chron. 10: 4, 11.)
Then the ten tribes chose Jeroboam to reign over them. When Rehoboam sent Hadoram, his tax-collector, to collect the tribute, they stoned him. Those tribes, to distinguish themselves from the other two tribes (Judah and Benjamin—that remained steadfast to the throne of David) called themselves the kingdom of Israel, and they built their capital on a mountain called Samaria and gave the city the same name. That city was the metropolis of the ten tribes from 975 B. C., when it was built by Omri, until 724 B. C., when the ten tribes were carried captives to Assyria—thus about 250 years. These ten tribes mingled themselves with the Assyrians so that their national identity became lost, hence they are generally called the "lost ton tribes." Still they must exist somewhere, though different blood or mixed blood may flow in their veins; but where? is now the question. We shall trace them by the prophecies, the only way to find them.
1. The dispersion, of the lost tribes. God spoke through Moses thus:
"And I will scatter you among the heathen, and I will draw out a sword after you." (Lev. 26: 33.) "And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you." (Deut. 4: 27.) "And shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth." "And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other . .
And among these nations shalt thou find no ease." (Deut. 28: 25, 64, 65.) "My God- will cast them away, because they did not harken unto him, and they shall be wanderers among the nations." (Hos. 9: 17.)
Plain statements as to the whereabouts of the lost tribes are found in these testimonies.
1. They are "scattered;" they are not together in one colony.
2. They are among the different nations.
3. They serve those nations where they constitute the principal working classes.
4. They are wanderers among the nations; some of them shift about from place to place.
The two tribes known as the Jews, have kept their national identity, and instead of serving the nations, they have generally lived on industry. They were restored again to their national independence shortly after the fall of the Babylonian Empire.
But the ten tribes became entirely lost. The following testimony distinguishes them from the house of Judah very plainly:
"For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve." (Amos 9: 9.)
In carefully looking over the teachings of the Lord concerning the sinful stubbornness of his people, we find that after certain tests had been set before them, if they did not turn from their evil ways, he would bring additional punishment over them.
He says:
"And if ye will not for all this harken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins." (Lev. 26: 18.)
These "seven times" according to the prophetic chronology, make 2,520 years. Each time represents a solar year of 360 days. One prophetic day represents a common year. (See Num. 14: 34, and Eze. 4: 5, 6.)
The power of Assyria was broken up by Babylon's conquering armies about 630 B. C. If they then, instead of conforming to the habits and customs of the heathens, had been found in true relation to their God and to each other, they might have been restored. Having been mixed up with the Assyrian people so that their identity almost was lost, they as captives were brought under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar with the Assyrians. Here then begins the additional 2,520 years of slavery. When the two tribes, the house of Judah, returned to Palestine after their seventy years of captivity in Babylon (which began 606 B. C.), the ten tribes still remained there and they still have to look for their restoration.
These seven times of extra punishment or the submission of the ten tribes to the service of the nations, were predicted or foreshadowed by an act on the part of their father Jacob, the patriarch. When he had escaped from the bondage of Laban, he met on the way to the land of his father, his great brother Esau, who was accompanied by an army of 400 men. In fear of that great hunter and brother-hater, Jacob humbly bowed himself seven times to the earth. (Gen. 33: 3.) As the Lord made use of the patriarchs to illustrate the future development of their descendants, this very circumstance, (Jacob's seven-fold submission to a man in whom individualism had developed itself so much that he was an overbearing, domineering, self-loving despot and a father of heathens) with respect to the descendants of Jacob, was very significant. As the father of the race bent his knees before that tyrant seven times, so must the ten tribes bend their backs, under the power of Nimrod's kingdom, seven times or 2,520 years (after serving the Assyrians about 100 years).
2. The restoration of the lost ten tribes.
We will now notice a few texts showing the situation of those tribes at the time of their restoration.
"When thou art in tribulation and all these things come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord, thy God .... he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee nor forget the covenant of thy fathers, which he sware unto them." (Deut. 4: 30, 31.) "That then the Lord, thy God, will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations. If any of thine be driven out unto the uttermost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord, thy God gather thee. (Chap. 30: 3, 4.) "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but the Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them." (Jer. 16: 14, 15.) "For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince.. . Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord, their God, and David, their king, and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days." (Hos. 3: 4, 5.)
These testimonies plainly show that the lost, tribes continue in their captive and scattered state among the different nations until the time called the "latter days," specified by Daniel as the "time of the end"—the time set apart for the winding up of the prophetic evolution's. Then they shall be "gathered" and shall return to their own king—David: i. e., the Son of David, or the Messiah.
Now then, in the light of prophecy, who are the lost tribes? Why! the working classes among the nations. They are serving the nations. Thee till the ground and work at the different trades. They first build cities, then, by the continuance of hard labor, sustain them by paying high rents and taxes. During the time of their captivity they have not hung together as a separate class, but as the word "scattered" expresses it, they have been a few here and a few there, mixed up with the heathens or the seed of Ham.
But in the time of their gathering, they will unite as a people living for one and the same cause and as having one and the same aspiration: i. e., to become free from the "yoke of bondage" which they now begin to understand is laid on them by the class they serve and have been serving for ages. They will finally throw off that yoke entirely, like their forefathers did in Egypt, which the quoted testimony plainly points to and declares: namely, that it shall this time be said, "The Lord liveth that brought the children of Israel out of the north country,' —Europe especially and wherever they are. It will thus be a similar movement t.o the one that developed in Egypt—at first agitations and at last, when they become fully united, a general strike as in Egypt; then circumstances will guide them as at that time.
Several historians have shown plainly that the ten tribes immigrated from Asia to Europe. Charles Rodosi, the editor of the `'English Vocabulary as Derived from the Hebrew Languages,'' asserts that these people crossed the Mediterranean Sea and settled all the different countries of Europe, even as far as Russia. Abbe La Touche, of France, who for sixty years taught the Semitic languages in the University of Paris, made the same statement, but the Roman hierarchy, who always have kept these people down, would not allow him to promulgate such a doctrine.
XII. THE KINGDOM OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR
Nimrod, who was also called "Nebo," in honor and commemoration of his greatness as the ruling king, had an image erected in Babylon by that name in order to keep his political greatness in the minds of the people. The prophet Isaiah refers to Nebo as one of Babylon's greatest gods. That god also had a surname: namely, Phul—Nebo-Phul. That suffix signifies "an excellent and highly-esteemed spirit." The whole name therefore represents the immortal and highly-esteemed god of the government. His name, Nebo, became so great and popular that mountains and cities were called by the same name. (The mountain upon which Moses died was Mount Nebo.) The Babylonian rulers, in respect and to the memory of Nebo; called themselves by his name. They connected with it the surname "uzar" or "azzar," as Nebonezzar, Nebopolazzar, Nebuchadnezzar, etc. The word "uzar" signifies "powerfully-protected." The names, Cosar, Kaiser, Czar or Shah, originate from "uzar" which means that the person bearing the name is powerfully protected by the god of the power that exists. The two names, Nebo-usar, signify Nebo's powerfully-protected, or the person that the god of the existing power mightily protects.
The first of these ' Nebo's mightily-protected, called himself Nebuchadnezzar. He began to reign in the kingdom of Babylon 746 B. C. and reigned fourteen years. He distinguished himself as a great astronomer. He divided day and night into twelve hours. By this act he rose high in the estimation of the people who believed him to be inspired by the "immortal" Nimrod, the son of Saturnus, the god of time. It established his worthiness to the high name Nebuchadnezzar and at the same time magnified the god of the existing power in the minds of the people; in other words, it established the human government as a heaven-born institution.
Between the wise Nebuchadnezzar and the historically famous king, Nebuchadnezzar, there existed in the kingdom of Babylon during a period of about 154 years, fourteen kings. That time is of less importance to the reader, so we shall pass by and instead call attention to the momentous period connected with Nebuchadnezzar's kingly reign. It is at this period principally, that the Scriptural prophecies connect with that mighty kingdom, and then like a great electric light, follow its development down to and beyond our own time, even to its final overthrow.
The book of Daniel contains a prophetic description of the kingdom of Nimrod from the time of Nebuchadnezzar down to the second advent of the Messiah and the setting up of his kingdom. It developed parallel with the special work of Elohim in carrying out his prophetic designs during the two dispensations—the old and new covenants.
In the year 606 B. C., Nebuchadnezzar was crowned monarch of the world. But there still remained one people that would not bend before the throne of Nimrod—the Jews in the land of Palestine. Ile ordered his armies to go and conquer that nation. Victoriously they brought them as captives to Babylon after they had robbed and destroyed Jerusalem; thus the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, which up to that time had conquered their enemies, were also brought into subjection under the government of Nimrod. Their brethren, the ten tribes, who revolted under Rehoboam, had mixed themselves in their captivity in Assyria with the Assyrian people, and when that kingdom became subject to the rule of Babylon, these ten tribes were also subjected to the same power. Thus all of the children of Jacob were now in captivity, and were ruled by the universal throne of the great Nimrod. By human works, one man could govern the whole human family--Nebuchadnezzar ruled over 127 provinces, consisting of many different tongues and habits. He regulated their worldly affairs, he guided them in their religious duties and worship and appointed the objects of their prayers. Yea, in all things his will-power controlled them both a t home and abroad.
XIV. THE OPENING OF THE SEALED BOOK
The eternal salvation comprises the restoration of the lost possession, the gathering of all the dispersed and the setting up of the kingdom of God. The scattered people must be gathered to the throne of God by a movement that introduces God and his Anointed to the people. Hence, the one sitting on the throne holds the sealed book, and during the progress of the breaking of the seals, the scattered tribes gradually gather around that throne.
The breaking of the seals reveals the judgment of God over the Babylonian nations.. The foreshadows in the past are seen in the judgment realized by the people that perished by the flood when Noah with his family sailed through the storm into a new world; it is seen in the judgment over Egypt when Moses and his people passed out safely; it is seen in the judgment over the Canaanites when Joshua conquered those nations; it is seen in the judgment carried out by the prophet Elijah over the prophets of Baal when he turned the hearts of the people back to Elohim; it is seen in the movement of Zerubbabel when his train moved from the captivity to the promised land; it is seen in the mission of John the Baptist when he introduced the Bridegroom to the people; and in the kingly movement of Christ himself on his way up to Jerusalem as he rode ahead of the great multitude of people who were singing to the honor of the new King.
XVII. THE MYSTICAL WORK OF DESOLATION
The mystical Babylon goes on with its desolating work in opposition to the kingdom of God until the time that is marked in the prophecy as "the time of the end," causes a change in its progress. Then it will meet with reverses that will finally bring it to ruin.
Daniel, to whom the angel revealed the Babylonian mysteries, asked one of them he saw in the vision, "How long- shall it be to the end of these wonders?" Then the angel tells him that the words of the vision should be closed up until the time of the end when they would be understood. If we refer to the eighth chap., which relates one of the visions the prophet had concerning the development of the kingdom of God at the morning of the day of the Lord, we will find he was told that the solution belonged to "the time of the end."
The prophet relates the circumstances thus:
"And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, 0 son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision." (Dan. 8: 16, 17.)
The reality of the vision develops at "the time of the end ;" what goes before it are only shadows.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel appeared to these men when they were separated from the Babylonians and sojourned in the promised land. He preserved their seed and they became a mighty nation; out of that nation developed the sanctuary of God and the host that belonged to it. That heavenly power conquered the nations that had taken the land as though it had been given to them by the Creator. Israel, to the contrary, had received the same land by special promises and had carried out their part of the contract by being strangers for the sake of those promises. They thereby respected God as the real owner of the land; therefore they had a right to possess it. But because they fell away from God, they were overcome again by the heathen nations. They had no leader who could lead them to victory; therefore both the sanctuary and the host were brought into captivity and the nation itself *as broken up. At the time the remainder of the people of God were brought into captivity, the little horn (Rome) was in power, and having adopted the Chaldean creation with the Chaldean triune god (Baal, Ashtaroth and Tammuz) , it exercised all the power manifested by that "divine" representation. They changed the names of the godhead so as to correspond with their pet names and ideas. That god-power has also developed a sanctuary and a host. The vision Daniel saw reveals the work of that sanctuary and its host during the time that is prophetically set apart for Babylonian progress. It continues until the end of the twenty-three hundred years. "Then," says the prophecy, "shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Then shall the sanctuary of the Messiah prevail over the sanctuary of the mystical Babylon; then the most holy apartment will be developed.
The Declaration of War
4. "And the dragon stood before the woman, which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born." Some draw the conclusion from the language of the fifth verse, that this child has reference to Christ, and therefore claim that the prophecy, as a whole, was fulfilled at the first advent of Christ. But, at that time the dragon had not developed the ten horns and had only four heads or governmental mountains. Those who make such claims do not see the second advent of the Messiah in the light of the Scriptures. Remember also that this prophecy did not exist until about sixty-five years after the death of Christ. The woman—the class that is separated to the side of righteousness in the coming commotion—when surrounded by foes on every side and entirely defenseless, becomes inspired by the promises concerning the second advent of Christ. Because of these promises, the power of faith will be revealed in and among them. In comparing a few other prophetic points, it will be seen that God will reveal a wonderful power on earth through his people at that time. He calls them the "Remnant" and "Zion."
"The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return; the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. For the Lord God of hosts (armies) shall make a consumption, even determined in the midst of all the land." (Is. 10: 21-23.) "And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people . like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up from Egypt." (11: 16.) "Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them my indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent… I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy; the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more… The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing… At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you; for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord." (Zeph. 3:8-20.)
XXIII. THE LIVING ZION
In the prophetic vision that Zechariah saw concerning Zion and Jerusalem, we find an explanation to Is. 11: 10, 11.
a."In that day there shall be a root of Jesse (the stump of David's kingdom shall sprout), which shall stand for an ensign of the people" (a powerful battery against the dragon-power of the nations).
b."And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people." That implies a movement similar to the general strike and march out of Egypt that the twelve tribes made under the guidance of Moses.
c."And shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth." That proves that the movement in question constitutes the gathering together of the two houses. "And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people . .
like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt." Verse 16 proves that the two houses of God on their way to Zion will, by a revolutionary movement similar to the one then brought about, press their way to the place and position assigned by Elohim.
The expressions, the "daughter of Zion," and the "daughter of Babylon," refer to the fact that both the mystical Babylon (from which the spiritual Zion is delivered) and the spiritual Zion originate from institutions that bear similar names: i. e., the mystical Babylon originates from Nimrod's capital city which was built around the tower of Babel, and the spiritual Zion originates from the kingdom of David.
Zion shall be "as towns without walls"—as towns on a newly settled prairie, where the people flock together in tents; or, like the armies of the nations in their camps on the battlefield. They have no walls of any kind to protect them; but the Lord says, "I will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her." When the children of Jacob left Egypt and pitched their tents in the desert, a pillar of fire and smoke surrounded them. That constituted their wall of defense when the armies of Egypt tried to overpower them.
In Is. 4: 5, 6, that same wall of defense is promised by the Lord.
"And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies (gathered troops), a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon (about) all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for the shadow in the day-time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain."
If the people should camp in the desert for a long time without any defense or cover from the God of heaven, they would soon be rooted out. In Jer. 30: 17, 18, the Lord refers to Zion as being despised and oppressed by the nations and connects therewith the promise that he will bring back the "captivity of Jacob's tents and have mercy on his dwelling-places." Those tent-dwellings of Jacob, like the tribes themselves, have been captured by the Babylonians. A poor worker is not allowed to put up a tent to dwell in, in the big cities. Why l Because he is destined to pay high rents in order to sustain the oppressors and the glory of Babylon. But when Elohim calls the tribes of Jacob out from Babylon, he will at the same time restore their tent-dwellings.
A few texts will show how the people will come out of Babylon and gather unto Zion. Notice the two distinct houses.
"In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north (Europe) to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers." "In those days and in that time, saith the Lord, the children of Israel, (the working class of the nations) shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go and seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces thither ward saying, Come and let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a perpetual covenant, that shall not be forgotten." (Jer. 3: 18; 50: 4, 5.)
The Lord's parable regarding the prodigal son—who, by a famine that pressed upon him when in a strange country, was awakened to his predicament with respect to his father and his own lost condition and who, as a consequence, moved homeward —will then be fulfilled. The drought of three years and a half will set the lost tribes in motion in every country, and with them the Jews. Then they will return to the God of their fathers.
The hardness of the hearts of the people who allow the poor masses to die of starvation without offering succor and the oppressive conditions in Babylon, caused by those who gather together by fraud the hard-earned means of the masses, convinces the common people that the God of heaven has withdrawn from Babylon; hence, they begin to inquire as to his whereabouts. At that time, the ambassadors of Zion will sound their voices and point out the way.
In Rom. 11: 25, 26, Paul points to the same time and says:
"For brethren, that you may not be conceited with yourselves, I wish you not to be ignorant of this secret, that hardness in some measure has happened to Israel, till the fullness of the Gentiles may come in. And then all Israel will he saved, as It has been written: The Deliverer shall come out of Zion, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob."
In the preceding part of this letter, Paul has plainly stated that the falling away of Israel from David's throne—first the ten tribes in 975 B. C., and then the two when the Messiah came the first time—was for the purpose of bringing salvation to the Gentiles, Ham's seed. He says:
"Did they stumble that they might fall? By no means; but by their fall the nations have salvation in order to excite them to emulation. But if their fall is the wealth of the world, and their failure the wealth of the Gentiles, how much more will their acceptance be?"
Then he shows that God has never entered into any covenant with the Gentiles or nations, but that he adopted and grafted them in the stem of David's kingdom in place of the twelve tribes, for a certain time. That certain time or period he calls the "fullness of the Gentiles" which is the prophetic measure set apart for the nations to enjoy the special blessings of heaven. When that time is up, they are subjected to a test in the same manner as the Jews at the first advent of Christ. But, in failing to comply with the requirements of God, they are entirely cut off from the stem of Jesse, and the natural branches are again grafted into that kingly tree which shall stand forever. Their prospects and glory under that blessed government can be faintly portrayed from the success and glory that the Babylonians have realized since the blessing of the kingdom of heaven fell to their lot. We often hear them remark, "Look at the wonderful riches, and the glorious kingdoms that have been built up by the power of civilization!" Baal must have the honor, not the God of heaven. But now, when the fullness of their time has come, the despised God will test them severely. They will meet him with the power of the red dragon—which will spell their own terrible defeat.
Paul says that the Deliverer will come out of Zion. How He will not eome out of Babylon, but outside of its limits. There, he will gradually grow up into kingly might, a defense for the children of Israel and Judah, who in their distress come weeping, having been made homeless, having been persecuted by the nations and having been torn up by the red dragon. But the Lord calls to them:
"Sing and rejoice, Oh daughter of Zion, for lo I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee!" (Zech. 2: 10.)
XXVI. THE TIME OF THE END
In the 12th chapter of Daniel, we find the prophetic chain, covering both the typical and spiritual dispensations, summarized into a compendium; it winds up into a synopsis, as it were, and sums up the revelations and their chronologies. It also maps the final result of the prophetic unfolding, and for that special development it sets apart a certain period of time which is called, "the time of the end."
Daniel, one of the captive Jews in Babylon, was anxiously looking for the time when a perfect restoration of the people of Jehovah, their sanctuary, their city and their kingly power would take place; hence, the Lord used him as an instrumentality through which the two dispensation preceding the establishment of the kingdom of God should be revealed. Therefore it was very difficult for Daniel to understand the revelations. He asked now and then: When shall this or that occur? After the revealing angel had led him onward, step by step, down the stream of time to the very closing up of the times of the Gentiles, he tells him of "the time of the end" and declares that at that time Michael, the great Prince, shall stand up in the time of trouble then prevailing on the earth, as a deliverer of Daniel's people. Then Daniel was told to shut up the words and to seal the book until the time of the end.
"The time of the end" is set apart as the time when the prophetic book is to be opened and understood. And why not before? Simply because the Babylonian power, which is revealed by the prophecy, should continue unlimited up to that period. The captivity includes the two houses, Israel and Judah. The Jews turned back to their land at the end of the seventy years, but the house of Israel did not. Finally the house of Judah was again scattered among the nations. They remain in such a condition until the closing up of the time of the end.
Thus, the certain prophetic period set apart for the winding up of the great work of God preparatory to the setting up of his kingdom is called "the time of the end." If we follow up the prophetic times set forth in connection with the prophetic movement, we shall be able to locate the beginning of that period. It hangs together with the movements carried out under the preceding covenant. There are two chronolgical chains to follow in order to find the time of the end. The first is the one of the 2,300 evenings and mornings in Dan. 8: 13, 14, 26. That period began at the time the kingly command went forth to the Jews, then captives in the kingdom of Babylon, to return and rebuild the city of Jerusalem. (456 B. C.) To that time, the angel added seventy years. (Chap. 9: 24, 25.) Thus, the whole length of that period is 2370 years. Beginning at 456 B. C., this period ended in 1914; because 456 subtracted from 2370 leaves 1914.
The other period, which began at the time King Nebuchadnezzar conquered the Jews: namely, in the year 606 B. C. and which consists of 2520 years called in Dan. 4: 16, 23, 32 "seven times," also ended in the year 1914; because 606 subtracted from 2520 leaves 1914. Thus, both of these long prophetic periods ended the same year that the World War broke out. From this time, we reckon "the time of the end."
That year, when the war-trumpet sounded twelve proclamations of war, marks the time for the fulfillment of the following prophecy:
"Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.
At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest." (Jer. 30: 23, 24; 31: 1, 2.)
The fulfillment of this prophecy is connected with the great day of Jacob, when he will be delivered from his long servitude among the nations. That long day is divided up into two parts, consisting of seven years each, which threw their shadows in Egypt at the time Joseph arose and served as governor over the bread-house there. (See Gen. 41: 17-30.)
The prophecy concerning the great war, called "the whirlwind of the Lord," shows that it will not stop until the children of Israel are brought into a state of wilderness: but then the great change will come. Babylon, with its great red dragon, will then perish, and the people of God will be established in an everlasting kingdom.
This long stretch of prophetic vision was very hard for Daniel to understand; hence, he asked about it again.
He says:
"And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, 0 my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end."
This plainly proves that the prophetic words should be closed up and sealed until the time of the end. No one can comprehend or unfold the prophetic light before that time. This accounts for the many failures in the past on the part of those who have attempted to dissolve the mysteries.
XXXI. THE NEW JERUSALEM
The city of the new Jerusalem is the final grand result oi the Spirit of prophecy. All the preceding developments merge into it. It will forever constitute the capital city of the new creation. Many curious ideas have been expressed as to what that city consists of. The Quaker believes that he carries it in his heart, and the S. D. Adventist believes that it is built of real gold and pearls, and is located beyond the starry sky.
John 14: 2 is the text that is generally used as the basis of the different theories. We will refer to it here. The Lord says:
"In my Father's house are many dwellings; but if not, I would have told you; because I am going to prepare a place for you."
By the statement, "I am going to prepare a place for you," it is generally taken for granted that the house of God means a mansion where God now dwells, and that Christ left his disciples in order to go there and fix up some apartments prior to their going there the same way: namely, by death or translation. That is how they would have us understand the Word of God; by interpretations—words of man—which have no spirit of prophecy in them. But the testimony of Christ, being the very Spirit of prophecy, contains something more than the words of mortal man. Christ's words are like the seed which is reaped in the fall of the year and sown again in the spring and which develops new life and sustains those who handle it.
Christ explains his words in the context. When the disciples answered that they did not know the way he went, or was to go, he said
"I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
As the center-power of the spiritual developments, Christ is—by the development of the sanctuary, Zion and Jerusalem—the "way" to the bosom of the great Father. The "truth" is unfolded by these developments, and the very "life" is manifested, seen, and realized, not only in the present age, but in the eternal age to come. When he has completed his wonderful unfolding of the spiritual power, he brings to the bosom of the Father a tabernacle, a living city for the Father to dwell in and glorify forever.
Jerusalem, as the shadow shows, evolves from Zion. Hence, in the prophecies, they are mingled together as if inseparable from each other. Jerusalem is spoken of as being at war with the nations the same as Zion.
We will quote a few texts:
"Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations as when he fought In the day of battle." (Zech. 14: 1-3.)
Where will this battle between Jerusalem and the nations be fought? The prophets say it will be fought in the valley of decision or in the valley of Jehoshaphat. This answer is very plain when correctly understood. We shall look ahead to the camp of the seed of Shem, where they are gathered in the desert in their tent dwellings. That camp is called Zion and Jerusalem in the prophecies.
The Lord says:
"Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles (nations) : Prepare war, wake up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Beat your plough-shares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears (the three and a half years of drought leave no use for plough-shares and pruning hooks) ; let the weak say, I am strong… Let the heathen be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about… Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision." (Joel 3: 9-14.)
The valley of Jeho-shaphat signifies the place of God's judgment. The valley of decision represents the condition in which the people—both those who are in the camp of Israel and the Babylonians—are placed. They must decide which God to choose—Elohim or Bel. The whole dragon-power of the nations is brought to bear on the camp of tents. Faith and patience must now conquer—it is the last deciding battle. Then, the cleansing-process of the sanctuary is about to be completed. Just at this point another peculiar prophetic declaration is developed.
"And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which Is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west," etc. (Zech. 14: 4.)