But that at this very time Jerusalem is inhabited by those of the Jewish nation. "The siege of the people round about" (the Armageddon army) is to be "both against Judah and Jerusalem." But, it is the Lord himself who brings this very army against them. "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," &c. as in Zech. xii. 9, so in chap. xiv. 3, we read, "THEN shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle." Nor is this all. "HIS FEET SHALL STAND in that day (the day of the siege as above,) UPON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, WHICH IS BEFORE JERUSALEM, &c., when, "by the spirit of his mouth he shall consume, and by the brightness of his coming he shall destroy," the antichristian Desolator of the Jewish sanctuary. Then too, "in that day," i. e., the day of the destruction of these Infidel antichristian nations now encompassing Judah and Jerusalem: and with "their king before them, and the Lord at the head of them standing in a glorious majesty upon the Mount of Olives," shall be fulfilled the promise, "And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they, (the house of David, Judah) shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn," &c. Yes, it is of 1. Zech. xii., 2. 2. Zech. xiv., 1, 2. 4. 2 Thess. ii., 8. 5. Zech. xii. 10-14. "that day" the prophet speaks in the same xivth Chap. v. 5th, when he adds, " And the Lord thy God shall come, and all the Saints, (risen and glorified,) wITH thee." The foundation of the error, which severs the second advent from the preceding, and which places it beyond 1847, is predicated of the assumption that the whole Jewish nation is to be restored to their own land, prior thereto : and this, in order to avoid a truth most plainly taught in all the prophets, viz., the existence, during the period of millenial blessedness, of the saved nations in the flesh. In reference however, to the last of these two points, I would only ask your attention to the above xivth Chapter of Zechariah, from the 8th verse to the end; and of the first, the indulgence to remark, that, in the day of Judah's last calamity,' deliverance, and conversion, ISRAEL, or the ten tribes, are yet in captivity! Of the manner of their restoration, I would refer you to the lxvith Chapter of Isaiah, from 15th verse to the end, but particularly to the 19th and 21st verses inclusive. Finally, for a general description of "the peaceable kingdom of the Branch," consequent upon THE SECOND ADVENT, please consult Isaiah ii. 1 - 5; lxv. 11, to the end; and Micah, Chapter iv. 3 - In conclusion, what remains for us but to adopt the language of David," and say, "Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to FAVOR her, 1. Zech. xiv. 1, 2. 2. Zech. xii. 9, xiv. 3. 3. Zech. xii. 10. yea, the SET TIME, is come.” Yes, this is abundantly evident, both from the attention of the whole Christian world as now directed toward the Jews, and of their own general expectation of and prayer for, the manifestation of their Messiah.* * For the benefit of those who entertain doubts on this subject, I subjoin the following from "the Christian Intelligencer" of March 26th, 1842. THE JEWS. The Rev. T. S. Grimshawe, known to American Christians as the biographer of Leigh Richmond and Cowper, has lately returned from a visit to the East. At a meeting held at Shrewsbury, England, in behalf of the Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, he said he found in Greece, Turkey and Syria, an extraordinary spirit of inquiry among the Jews. There seemed to be a general impression that the period was at hand when the Jews, as a nation, would return to their own country; that the prophecies mentioned by Daniel and the other prophets were being fulfilled ; and that the finger of God was pointed toward Jerusalem, and bidding the Jews to march forward. There was an universality in it that seemed to be of God; he found it prevailing in those two cities, and throughout the whole of the Levant. It existed along the banks of the Danube, and he heard of it as generally diffused among the Jews of Poland. In Egypt also he found a similar impression, and he learned from travellers that it prevailed through Abyssinia; and he discovered that it was also prevalent in Palestine. He had no hesitation in stating that the restoration of the Jews is firmly and universally believed by the Jews themselves, more especially in the East, and presumed to be drawing nigh. A Jew, at Constantinople; told him that all they wanted was freedom of inquiry. 'Go, sir,' said he, weeping, and moistening his (Mr. Grimshaw's) hands with his tears, "to your own land, go to the land of civil and religious liberty, and intercede for the poor Jews, and obtain for them a participation in those privileges by which you yourselves are so greatly distinguished,'and know that there are hundreds of us already secretly convinced of the truth of Christianity, who are prepared openly to 14. One more "Sign." As we have made a considerable advance, (as shown in the first Lecture) into embrace it. "Did I say hundreds," he added, "I would rather say there are thousands, who are inwardly convinced that Jesus is the promised Messiah."- Zion's Herald. To the above I would add the following extract as illustrative of the same fact, from "the Episcopal Recorder" of March 12th, 1842. Not that I suppose Mehemet Ali will either impede or promote this work, except as the Lord will. Isa. xliv. 28; xlvi. 10. MEHEMED ALI. "The Rev. Mr. Grimshawe, (the same gentleman spoken of above) at a late meeting called to aid the "London Jews' Society," related the following circumstances in relation to his interview with Mehemed Ali, when he made a tour to the East a few years ago. He remarked that-"he went to Alexandria in a steamer, in which it was his privilege to meet with the Rev. Dr. Duff. He need not say who Dr. Duff was. He was one of the brightest ornaments of the Church of Scotland, distinguished as much for his piety, as for the extent and variety of his learning. With this excellent man he conferred on the desirableness of obtaining an interview with Mehemet Ali, the Viceroy of Egypt, who at that time ruled over both Syria and Palestine, and whose favorable sentiments and disposition he thought it important to ascertain, in reference to the restoration of the Jews. He here alluded particularly to the prophetic statements contained in the 11th chapter of Isaiah on this question, and to the miraculous smiting of the seven streams, that Israel might pass over dry-shod. They were accordingly presented, through the kindness of the Consul General, Col. Campbell, to that extraordinary man. After a few preliminary remarks from the Consul, I availed myself, said Mr. Grimshawe, of a momentary pause to observe that the importance of the subject, and the deep interest attached to it, must plead my apology for introducing it to the notice of his Highness. I then stated that there was a general impression amongst the Jews, throughout the Levant, as well as in other countries, that the time was at hand for their return to the the 1335 prophetic days of Daniel xii. 12, called emphatically "the last days;" and which, "for the land of their forefathers; that it was not for me to speculate before his Highness as to the ground of that expectation- I simply took it as a matter of fact; and begged to ask, whether, in the event of their return taking place, his Highness would feel it to be his duty to throw impediments in the way, or to offer such facilities as might be in his power. He examined me with that keenness and penetration for which he is so remarkable, and kept his eyes fixed upon my countenance, all the time I was speaking. After I had finished, he said there "There is a proposition made to me to this effectis an impression among the Jews, not confined to any particular part, that they shall return to the land of their forefathers, as this gentleman has stated. As a matter of fact I take it then, and my answer is this, that if the Jews are prepared and willing to return to the land of their forefathers, let them return-they are welcome to return; and so far from offering any obstacles, I will give them all the assistance in my power." I told him that I was much gratified by the kindness and condescension of his Highness, and that I was encouraged to submit a further proposition for his consideration— that the Jews were, for the most part, in a state of great destitution, and it would be desirable that they should have an allotment of land as a means of subsistence, and if by his bounty and kindness this privilege could be conceded to them, with an adequate rent by way of remuneration to himself, that this would be a most important accession. He said- "With respect to granting an allotment of land in Palestine, on the supposition that they should return in such numbers as to require it for their wants, my answer is, that I have no land to give them; for though I have a general right over all, I have an individual right to none. It belongs to those whose property it is; but if the Jews are willing to purchase the land of the owners of the soil, and the owners, on the other hand, are willing to dispose of it to them, I will grant to them a full and free possession of their property." I thought this reply a remarkable declaration, and deserving to be ranked among the extraordinary signs of the times." 1. 2 Tim. iii. 1; 2 Pet. iii. 3. |
