“Prophets and Prophecy” From Bible Handbook:
The characteristic feature of the Old Testament is God acting in government, while the distinguishing one of the New Testament is God’s acting in grace. The platforms on which the dealings of God were displayed, the people and city which formed the center of these Divine dealings, were the nation of Israel and Jerusalem its metropolis. There Jehovah established His throne and set up His temple — the former from whence He governed the whole earth, and the latter designed as a center of blessing for Israel and the nations. But who are the people beloved of God, the object of His eternal choice and love, in whom are displayed so fully the exceeding riches of God’s grace? The church, in which is neither Jew nor Gentile, is the object on which God has been pleased to lavish His rich and sovereign mercy. Through it the manifold wisdom and ways of God will be eternally displayed (Eph. 3).
Prophecy and Revelation
To whom, then, does prophecy primarily refer — to Israel or the church? We believe the answer to this important question lies at the root of the various contradictory systems of prophecy, and gives definiteness and interest to the prophetic future, besides affording an easy solution of numerous passages which are usually twisted to suit the purpose of the commentator. Now, were the distinction between the terms prophecy and revelation and the persons to whom they apply understood, the student would have at his command the key to the understanding of a large portion of the Word of God. Prophecy has the Jews as a people, Israel as a country, and Jerusalem as a city in the fore-front. But the Jewish people being “set in the midst of the nations and countries” (Ezek. 5:5), the center of Jehovah’s government of the earth and the source of blessing to the world, necessarily embrace the earth and nations as part of the sphere where the dealings of God are displayed. Prophecy, then, regards the earth, the Jews as a people being prominent, and then subordinately the nations. Thus, then, we have the Jews first, then the Gentiles as the subjects of prophecy. But the church in which there is neither Jew nor Gentile (Gal. 3:28), but the fruit of the baptism of the Spirit — Jew and Gentile forming one body, a heavenly people united to the glorified Man in the heavens, and whose character, prospects, and hopes are heavenly — is outside the sphere to which prophecy strictly applies. Hence the church is not named in the Old Testament, nor is she the subject of prophecy at all. We have, of course, saved persons in the Old Testament Scriptures, but not one body, this latter needed the death of Jesus (John 11:52) and the work of the Spirit to accomplish (1 Cor. 12:12). The church as Christ’s body was a mystery till revealed by Paul (Eph. 3). Revelation as clearly connects itself with the church as prophecy does with the Jews. The Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:51), Translation (1 Thess. 4:15), Unity (Eph. 3:3), and the standing ordinance of the church — the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:23) — are all subjects of revelation, because they concern a heavenly people — heavenly as to title and character (1 Cor. 15:48-49). It may surprise the reader, but the remark will bear the most searching inquiry that no prophecy in the Old or New Testaments directly concerns the church.
The Function of the Prophet
A prophet is one who speaks in the name and by the authority of another; thus Aaron, the spokesman of Moses to Pharaoh, is termed a prophet (Ex. 7:1); so also is Abraham, as in measure possessing the mind of God (Gen. 20:7). Both the terms — prophet and prophecy — are used in the Scriptures with a breadth and largeness of thought just like God, while as unlike the contracted theology of man.
Thus the 288 sacred musicians of the temple (1 Chron. 25:1-7), and the heathen poet of Crete (Titus 1:12), as well as Miriam (Ex. 15:20-21), and the four daughters of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:9) — all prophesied. Prophecy in its large and extended meaning is the unfolding of God’s mind, and in this respect it differs from the teacher, that while teaching is the unfolding of the written word, prophesying is the means by which God speaks to the conscience of man (1 Cor. 14). The woman of Samaria termed Jesus a prophet, because He had unfolded her life’s history and dealt with her conscience (John 4:19). The High Priest stood as the head and representative of the nation before God, thus, Aaron in his robes of glory and beauty (Ex. 28), and Joshua clad in filthy garments (Zech. 3) respectively represented the people before Jehovah — the former as to the acceptance of the people, and the latter as to the guilt and consequent justification of the nation before God. The prophet on the other hand was the bearer of a Divine message — “God spake — by the prophets” (Heb. 1:1). As representing Jehovah, and speaking in the power and majesty of His name, they uttered their standing formula, “Thus saith the Lord,” at once the expression of their holy mission and secret of the power and veneration with which the men and their utterances were regarded in Israel.
The more ancient title of the prophet was that of “Seer,” for “he that is now called a Prophet was before time called a Seer” (1 Sam. 9:9). Possibly the latter differed from the former in this respect, that visions of God were opened to the gaze of the Seer, while the word of the Lord was as truly characteristic of the prophet (2 Chron. 9:29)
The Unwritten Period of Prophecy
Prophecy as an institution permanently established in Israel dates from the call of Samuel (Acts 3:24). From Israel’s settlement in Canaan under Joshua till the judgeship of Samuel — 450 years (Acts 13:20), we have only three direct notices of prophetic ministry (Judg. 6:8; 14:4; 1 Sam. 2:27); again, from Samuel, the first of the long line of prophets (which closed with John the Baptist), till the days of Uzziah, a period of about 300 years, we have no written prophecy. We would style that era the historical period, as the following abridged list from the books of Kings and Chronicles will show.
Historical Writings
1. “The book of the Acts of Solomon.”
2. “The book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.”
3. “The book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.”
4. “The book of Samuel the seer, the book of Nathan the prophet, and the book of Gad the seer.”
5. “The book of Shemaiah the prophet.”
6. “The story of the prophet Iddo.”
7. “The book of John, the son of Hanani.”
8. “The story of the book of the Kings,” etc.
From the period named therefore we have the spoken word of Jehovah, but in order that a permanent record of the Divine word and will be preserved, that word must be written.
The Written Period of Prophecy
Probably the whole of the 16 books — prophetic books — were written within a period of four centuries; again, from Malachi till John the Baptist, which ended the prophetic line, till resumed by the future ministry of Elijah (Mal. 4:5-6), we have an interregnum of about four centuries. When Isaiah began to prophesy, the kingdom of Israel was rapidly drawing to a close, and ere the prophet died (Jewish tradition reports that he was sawn asunder with a wooden saw, so as to protract his sufferings), Judah had been invaded by the allied kings of Israel and Syria; also by Sennacherib the mighty Assyrian, and threatened besides with captivity in Babylon. Israel, too, had her cities and towns all depopulated by the Assyrians. Thus the grave circumstances under which the prophetic word was uttered and then written, gave occasion for the display of the most marked interpositions, and furnished the historical basis on which God mirrored forth His purpose to deliver and bless His people in the last days. We have then, in those writings, both the moral and strictly prophetic elements abounding. The book of the prophet Jeremiah is an example of this double character of Divine teaching and instruction. The prophetic lamp burned with unusual brilliancy during this the darkest period of Israel’s history. The prophets, so to speak, turned their backs upon Israel’s past, and directed the gaze of the faithful to the glorious future. How fittingly, therefore, that these predictions of future blessedness should have been written! How solemnizing also, that here we have penned by the unerring Spirit of inspiration the judgments which will descend upon Israel and the nations, introductory to the era of blessing! The four centuries occupied in writing these 16 books, were at once the darkest on man’s side, while the brightest on God’s side.
Classification of Prophetic Books
These 16 books are divided in to four greater and 12 minor prophets. This arrangement is solely in view of the relative size of the books, and not at all a question of the moral value of one book more than another. The four greater prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Here we have what so many regard as a truth of almost vital importance, strict chronological sequence. We confess, however, that in the Bible, which has always a moral end in view, we fail to see why chronological order has such a place as it has in the systems of men. When God gives a date, He means us to learn from it, but when He withholds a date we ought equally to learn. The silence of Scripture is to be respected as well as its written utterances.
Isaiah properly heads the prophetic writings as being the most comprehensive of any of the books; it is the only one which describes the whole circle of the Divine thoughts and purposes respecting Israel. Then Jeremiah follows with the last pleadings of love over the guilty people before they are finally banished to Babylon, and with the remnant in the land spared by the conqueror. Next we have Ezekiel on the banks of the Chebar prophesying among the early captives deported to Chaldea. What striking and impressive symbols God used in instructing His prophets, and by which they in turn taught the people! Look at that basket of summer fruit (Amos 8:1-2) intimating that Israel’s summer was gone, and a winter of judgment was rapidly nearing. Again, see Ahijah, the Shilonite, rending his mantle into twelve pieces, and giving ten of these to Jeroboam. What more significant action of the rending of the united kingdom and the setting up of the kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam its first king? But Ezekiel, in energetic word and action, far outstrips any of his prophetic brethren. Are the miniature representation of the siege of Jerusalem (Ezek. 4), or the eating of the prophetic roll (Ezek. 3), mysterious symbols too dark to be understood? If we have Ezekiel amongst the mass of the people in the land of their captivity and exile, we have Daniel amongst the more select class — the court of the Gentiles. Daniel covers that long phase of Israel’s sorrowful history, termed “the times of the Gentiles.”
Coming now to the minor prophets, we will make the last successful invasion by Babylon and the capture of Jerusalem the break. In past Jewish history no more important historical event has happened than the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, and the captivity of the people. The government of the earth then passed from the Jew to the Gentile, and the throne was set up in Babylon instead of Jerusalem. It was, indeed, a step fraught with the gravest consequences to man — both Jew and Gentile. Before the ruin of Judah, we have Hosea, Joel, Amos, and Micah who was contemporary with Isaiah, Habakkuk, and lastly, Zephaniah, who prophesied on the very eve of the subversion of the kingdom of Judah — six prophets in all.
After the captivity, we have the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi — the ministry of the two former abounding in precious encouragement to the remnant people, while the latter depicts the moral corruption of all classes — priests and people.
There is yet a third and special class of prophets whose mission was to announce judgment upon the Gentile portion of the world; these are Jonah, Nahum, and Obadiah. Chronologically, Jonah precedes Nahum by nearly a century and a-half. Both these prophets announce the sure judgment of God upon the proud and haughty city of Nineveh — type of the world in its pride and haughty independence of God. Jonah, however, develops the public ways of God with nations — the threatened judgment was stayed on the repentance of the people. Obadiah reveals the overthrow and complete destruction of every hostile power opposed to Jehovah and His people. If Assyria represents the world in its pride, Edom represents it in its hatred to God and His people; and of this latter power Obadiah treats.
Sketch of the Prophetic Future
The following epitome of the intensely interesting future awaiting Israel and the world is an abstract from the author’s pamphlet entitled, The Eastern Question, and what the Bible says about Coming Events.
Let us now very briefly take a glance at the coming situation. The blessed Lord is calling His “friends” around Himself, making known to us “all things” that He has heard of His Father (John 15:5). First carefully note that at any moment of time, unrevealed in the Scriptures of truth, and quite independent of political changes in the east or elsewhere, the translation of the saints to meet the Lord in the “air” may take place. My reader, if you are a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ, the blessed One who suffered may come now, ere you finish the reading of this paper, and fetch you to Himself, would you be glad to see Him? Are your loins girded, your lamp trimmed, and your light burning? After the church’s removal to heaven, and after Canaan’s separation from Turkey, Israel will again come into prominence. The complete independence of Egypt will be secured, and a kingdom equally distinct established by Russian power and influence will occupy the territory north of Israel. The Roman empire will be revived in a ten-kingdom form (Dan. 7; Rev. 13-17). The prophetic references to Rome show the empire distributed into ten kingdoms, while her unity and integrity as a whole are secured by the “little horn” of Daniel 7. These phases of the empire are not yet matters of history, and they are indispensable requisites for the fulfilment of the prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse. When the empire was broken up, its unity was gone. Prophecy demands a strong, compact, and united empire; this Satan will effect as accomplishing the purposes of God: “The beast shall ascend out of the bottomless pit” (Rev. 17:8). The Antichrist or Man of Sin will be settled as a king in Jerusalem (Dan. 11:36), and will act in concert with the head of the fourth empire (Rev. 13:12-17). The Jews will have been restored to their land through the aid of a seafaring nation, and for political purposes (Isa. 18). When restored they will accept the false Messiah as their king, and, through their civil and religious leaders, make a seven years’ covenant — Daniel’s last or 70th week — with the Roman prince (Dan. l 9:27; Isa. 28:14-15). The unholy compact will not stand, for in spite of the help and protection afforded by the western powers, that is Europe under the headship of Rome, God will bring against His deeply guilty and apostate people the Assyrian or King of the North, who will be as a rod in Jehovah’s hand in the scourging of the guilty nation; at the close of the Lord’s indignation against Israel a remnant will have learned to “stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth” (Isa. 10:20). Further, the Roman Prince or little horn of Daniel 7 will break the agreement formed with the people, which guaranteed safety from their bitter enemy — the King of the North or Assyrian (Isa. 28:15) — and gave them a seven years’ freedom and quietness to worship and sacrifice to the God of their Fathers (Dan. 9:27). Antichrist, aided by his chief, the head of the revived empire, will force idolatry upon Christendom (Rev.13) and on the people of Judea (Dan. 11:36-39). The attempt to connect the temple with idol worship in the midst of Daniel’s future and unfulfilled week of seven years, and to suspend the daily and other sacrifices (Dan. 9:27) will be resisted by the God-fearing remnant of Judah, whose experiences, prayers, songs, confessions, and trials are detailed at length in the book of Psalms and in the Prophets. The refusal of this remnant to worship “the beast” (Rev. 13:15) lets loose the rage and malice of Antichrist against these holy sufferers. Idolatry or death is the awful alternative. Many, forewarned by the Saviour, will flee when they “shall see the abomination (idol) of desolation ... stand in the holy place.” When a certain idol (for such is the meaning of abomination as used in Scripture, 1 Kings 11:5-7) is set up in a prominent part of the temple, it is to be regarded as a signal for instant flight (Matt. 24:15-20, with Dan. 12:1).
Thus the Jews will be doubly oppressed in these days — first, by the Antichrist in the land, their great ecclesiastical oppressor; and secondly, by the Assyrian, their great political oppressor, who will come against them, enter their palaces, tread down the people as mire in the streets, capture Jerusalem, leading many into captivity, and committing the most frightful atrocities upon the inhabitants. This double oppression will continue three years and a-half, immediately after which the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven with all His heavenly saints, stand upon Mount Olivet — whose geographical position is so accurately described, that it cannot but be taken as a literal statement — and deliver His earthly people. Jerusalem will be besieged in the coming crisis more than once (Zech. 12, 14); the last assault upon the city will not be a successful one. The personal intervention of Christ on behalf of His people, at the critical moment, when they are about to fall a prey to their foes, is marked by signs of a striking and miraculous character. The Mount of Olives, when touched by the feet of the Son of God will cleave in two; thus a great gap or valley will be formed, into which the remnant at least will flee for safety. The Lord will Himself thus close the great Eastern — or Jewish — Question in a baptism of blood, Judah assisting in the work. Israel’s place on the earth can only be made good by grace reigning through righteous judgment, both upon themselves and also upon those who burden themselves with Jewish matters.
The nations of the west are not directly involved in this awful struggle at Jerusalem. The Emperor of the west, with his ten vassal kings, will be rather the friend and would-be protector of restored Judah, politically. The peoples composing the Roman earth, if not those of a wider area, will express their hatred to Christ Himself. A solemn future and a terrible end are set before these lands of Christendom (Rev. 17:14; 19:11-21). The Gentiles north and east of Israel are those outside the Roman Empire, and are the nations to be gathered against Jerusalem (Zech. 12-14). The doom of the nations is regulated according to their guilt; thus the northern and eastern peoples are destroyed in a special manner, Israel assisting in the work of judgment. Greece also will figure in the closing scenes, and take part in the coming struggle, but will be most thoroughly vanquished by the sons of Zion (Zech. 9:13). The apostate nations of the west will rise against the Lamb and His heavenly saints, and, accordingly, they have a terrible doom meted out to them (Rev. 19). The three chief agents of Satan’s power and wickedness in these awful times are cast into the lake of fire. (1.) The Beast, head of the apostate civil power, under whose representative Christ was crucified. (2.) “The false prophet,” — ”Antichrist,” — ”Man of Sin,” — the second beast of Revelation 13:11. These two, namely the Beast and False Prophet — the heads of the civil and ecclesiastical apostasies, and acting in concert — are united in the same doom; “these both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Rev. 19:20). (3.) The Assyrian, Israel’s determined foe in the coming days (Isa. 30:31-33).
The prophet of visions (Ezek. 38-39) tells us of Persia, Ethiopia, and many other nations, coming down under the leadership of Gog “like a cloud to cover the land.” The apparently defenceless state of Judea; its numerous and thriving villages, having neither walls, bars, nor gates, seem to offer an easy prey to the neighboring nations, while the world’s wealth, then centralised in Jerusalem, will awaken the cupidity of these powers (Ezek. 38:10-13). To plunder and destroy are the objects of this mighty confederation (see also Isa. 33, which also refers to Gog’s attack). Alas! little do they dream that Jehovah hath girded Zion with strength, and that the keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The Lord Jesus Christ is there — Israel’s glory and defence, and His and their enemies only reach the Judean mountains to find a grave, and their wealth to swell the treasures already gathered in Immanuel’s land (Ezek. 39). The chosen leader of this expedition against restored Israel is Gog. But who is Gog? The answer is at hand. The reference is to the vast and growing power of Russia — the outcome of the warlike Slavonic tribes of ancient origin, descended from Japheth, eldest son of Noah (Gen. 10:2). The capital cities of European and Asiatic Russia are named in the first verses of the two chapters. “Meshech” (Moscow), formerly the seat of government of European-Russia, and “Tubal” (Tobolsk), chief city of Siberia, are not only thus early designated, but Russia itself is distinctly named and that, too, centuries before she was known as such. The words in the beginning of our chapters “the chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal” — should read, “Prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.” Such is the reading in the Greek version of the Old Testament, so largely quoted from and referred to by our Lord and the New Testament writers. Thus Russia — and were it still doubted, the naming of her chief cities, will surely establish the fact — is clearly pointed out in the Scriptures of truth centuries before she, as such, was known; a certain proof of the futurity of this remarkable prophecy. Gog is a symbolic term for the head of all the Russias; Magog, also symbolic, is his land. Now let us read Ezekiel 38:17, “Thus saith the Lord God; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by My servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?” This being said of Gog, emperor of all the Russias, has led many to suppose that Gog and the Assyrian are one. We conceive, however, that Daniel 8:24 decides that point. The northern king, of fierce countenance, acts as the vicegerent of another and more powerful chief. The separate identity of Gog, and the Assyrian or King of the North, is clear: they are closely allied however. The relation of these powers to each other is similar to that which will exist between the “beasts” of Revelation 13, namely, the Roman power (verses 1-7), and Antichrist (verses 11-17). The King of the North, or Assyrian, is upheld by the power of Gog (Russia); while Antichrist in the land acts in the power of the Latin empire. What is said by the prophet of the captivity to Gog is attributed by the prophets of Israel to the Assyrian. This need present no difficulty because the latter acts in the power of the former. We will select one passage from the most comprehensive of the prophets (Isa. 10:5-34), as showing who God will bring against His guilty and apostate people, as a scourge in His hand: “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger ... I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of My wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil and to take the prey, and to tread them down like mire of the streets.” This treading down of the Jewish people we have attributed to “the little horn” of Daniel 8, the same personage as the Assyrian. There will be several invasions of Judea under the leadership of the Assyrian; but the last attack, conducted on a large scale, and by Gog in person, is the one referred to by Ezekiel, and which will take place when the Lord is actually reigning with His risen and glorified saints, not on, but over the earth. The utter defeat of this gigantic expedition against Judea, consisting of cavalry and troops of every description; the awful destruction of the “mighty army,” which for numbers are compared to a cloud covering the land, and of which but a sixth are spared; the burning of the weapons of war for seven years, so that the forests will be untouched, and Israel supplied with firewood by the vast quantity of warlike implements gathered as spoils from the vanquished foe; Jehovah’s hand in judgment reaching Magog (Russia), the center of this terrible outburst of hate against Israel, as well as the near and distant isles; the effect of these awful judgments and marked deliverance of Israel upon the heathen and upon Jehovah’s people are powerfully told us in these chapters.
Russia is destined to become master in Asia. Already her vast empire stretches over half of Europe, and nigh the whole of northern Asia. Her dominions compose about a seventh of the habitable earth. It is very well known that the Russian policy is one of steady aggression, not chiefly in Europe, but in Asia, and that she has long coveted sole mastery in the East. The very rich and fertile provinces desolated by centuries of Mohammedan oppression and misgovernment, have been long and eagerly coveted by the giant power of Russia. There is little doubt but that she will succeed in her designs — that most of the Turkish territory will go to swell her already vast and growing possessions. She will command the powers north of Israel (Lebanon mountains) and those east of the river Euphrates.
The enemies of Israel, spared from judgment, will be converted, and sent out as missionaries to the near and distant heathen — ”they shall declare My glory among the heathen” — and, instead of expressing hatred to the Israelite any more, theirs will be the willing service of love in gathering to Judea those of the people left in distant countries, who will be gathered one by one (Isa. 66:19-21). The long-standing and bitter enmity between Syria and Egypt will also be completely removed. There shall be a highway from Egypt, through Canaan to Assyria, trod in peace and quietness by the traveller. The Egyptians and Assyrians, who in the past most cordially detested each other, and anciently strove for the mastery of the world at the expense of the other’s ruin, will unite in happy service, and bury forever their mutual distrust and hatred. God will unite them in blessing with His earthly people, saying, “Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance” (Isa. 19:23-25). These will be the three leading powers in the millennial age, Israel being the chief, and Jerusalem the metropolitan city of the earth.
Egypt comes in for special notice, now “the basest of kingdoms,” and the once haughty power which so sorely oppressed Israel at the commencement of her history. That ancient kingdom is destined to play an important part in the future. She will be the theatre of very extensive war operations on the part of certain powers. Besides this, she will be torn by internal commotions, which will drain the country of its strength. God, too, will give the Egyptians a king in retributive justice for their cruel treatment of His people in ancient times; another Pharaoh will be raised up to rule the country and people with rigor and cruelty. Their favourite river (the Nile), the only means of vegetation to the kingdom, will be dried up, and general desolation ensue. The strength, wisdom, and policy of her counsellors and people will utterly fail. But God never forgets what is done to His beloved Son. Egypt opened her friendly shores and received the child Jesus when His own people sought His life (Matt. 2:13-15). Egypt knew not what she did, neither did Moses when he identified himself with the afflicted Hebrews; but which, centuries afterward, the Holy Spirit writes down as “the reproach of Christ” (Heb. 11:26). Egypt then will share very specially in the blessing of millennial days — on the ground of sovereign grace alone — the basis surely of all glory and blessing to man — but first she must learn the lesson that “with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” The oppressor is in turn oppressed. In their sorrow and affliction the Egyptians will “cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and He shall send them a Saviour, and a Great One, and He shall deliver them. And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord and perform it. And the Lord shall smite Egypt: He shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the Lord, and He shall be entreated even of them, and shall heal them” (Isa. 19). “My people” will be the blessed expression of favour into which the Egyptians will be called in the coming days of glory on earth. How marvellous are the ways of our God! “How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!”
Israel, too, will be considerably enlarged, according to the limits assigned to Abram (Gen. 15:18); stretching from the Nile on the west to the head of the Persian Gulf, where the Euphrates empties itself on the east; it will necessarily embrace those parts of Africa and Asia lying between those points. Other changes of a physical and geographical character will take place. The nations may squabble about their commercial interests in the Suez Canal, but God having decreed the utter destruction of the tongue of the Egyptian Sea (Isa. 11:15), formerly the scene of one of the most stupendous miracles recorded in Holy Scripture, it will necessarily involve in the same destruction the desert link connecting the Red Sea with the Mediterranean. The seven streams of the Nile will also be smitten by the hand of judgment (Isa. 11:15-16). How ever could Israel traverse her land — which will embrace these parts — ”in shoes” (see margin) save by the accomplishment of these miraculous events? The Euphrates, too, that river so famous in Scripture history, will be literally dried up. 1500 miles long, and in some parts many miles broad, it has ever formed a serious barrier to the mingling of the east and west, but the hindrance will be removed, for the great battle of Armageddon must be fought, hence the removal of the impediment to the gathering of the kings from the east and their armies; the drying up of the river will, of course, facilitate the march of troops into Canaan, “that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared” (Rev. 16:12). That justly celebrated river formed the eastern boundary of the Roman conquests, and is marked as the eastern limit of the Holy Land. The nations of the west will then meet in deadly strife with those of the east. Judea will become the great battlefield of the nations. This assemblage of opposed forces in the Holy Land is prefigured in that millennial chapter, Genesis 14. In and about Judea God will gather the nations and kingdoms, to pour upon them His indignation and fierce anger (Zeph. 3:8). The reference to Armageddon is, no doubt, symbolic, and refers to Judges 5:19.
We wait calmly upon God for the accomplishment of His blessed word. “Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.” May our hearts be kept quiet while we look for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ — our happy hope. The blessed reign of our Lord for one thousand years over the earth (Rev. 20:4-6) is near at hand. Those glorious times foretold by prophets, and sung and harped by bards, groaned for by creation, and yearned after by the church, are coming. They are nigh at hand. Our hope, however, is the coming Jesus Himself.
Blessed Lord! prepare Thy saints to meet Thee in the air.
“Coming Events as Revealed in Scripture” From Bible Handbook:
1. The coming of the Lord Jesus, at any moment, into the air. The resurrection of the sleeping saints, and the translation both of them and the saints who are “alive and remain,” to meet the Lord in the air (John 14:3; 1 Cor. 15:23,51-52; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; see also Matt. 25:1-13; John 11:25-26).
2. A portion of the Jews, having returned to Jerusalem in unbelief, will build their temple, re-establish their ordinances, and once more have a political existence. This may begin to take place before the church is taken from the earth to be in her own proper heavenly place. (Isa. 6:13; 17:10-11; 18:1-4; 66:1-3; Rev. 11:1-2).
3. The Roman Empire will be revived by a confederacy of ten Western Powers. It will exercise a protectorate over the Jewish nation (Dan. 2:40-43; 7:7-8; Rev. 13:1-4; 17:3,7-8,10-13; Isa. 28:14-18; “He [the Roman prince] shall confirm a covenant with the many for one week.” Dan. 9:27 JND).
4. The full development of the corruption of Christendom will take place (The Holy Spirit having left the earth with the saints at the rapture, 2 Thess. 2:6-7). (2 Tim. 3:1-9; 4:3-4; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Jude 3-4, 11).
The false church at first upheld by the Empire, will be afterward destroyed by it. This will clear the way for the great apostasy headed by the man of sin, the false prophet (Rev. 17:1-6,16; 2 Thess. 2:1-13).
5. About this time Satan will be cast out of the heavens, and his operations be henceforth limited to the earth (Rev. 12:7-12).
6. Satan will energize the beast (that is, the head of the Roman Empire), and lead him to open revolt against God. The saints, Jews and Gentiles, converted since the rapture of the church, will suffer great persecution. This state of things will be permitted to last 42 months (Dan. 7:19-25; Rev. 13:1-10).
7. The false prophet, who will have been received by the Jews as their Messiah, will be manifested as the man of sin, and will be the religious head of the Jewish and Gentile apostasy (Dan. 11:36-39; Zech. 11:15-17; John 5:43; 2 Thess. 2:3-4; 1 John 2:18,22; 4:2-3; Rev. 13:11-18).
8. The worship of Jehovah at Jerusalem will be abolished, and idolatry enforced everywhere. Satan, the head of the Roman Empire, and the Antichrist will receive divine honours (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15-24; 2 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 13:4,14-18).
9. During the time of the great tribulation a testimony will be maintained for God by the faithful, many of whom will be killed, and others preserved through it (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 11:3-8; 12:13-17; 7:1-4,9-10,13-14; 14:1-5; Matt. 24:9-14; Jer. 30:7).
10. The ‘king of the north,’ or ‘Assyrian,’ head of the eastern confederation, and helped by another power (perhaps Russia) will make war on Antichrist. The ‘Assyrian,’ as of old, will be God’s scourge for Israel’s idolatry (Isa. 10:5-6; 28:14-15,17-18; Dan. 11:40; 8:23-24; “And because of the protection of abominations [idols] there shall be a desolator.” 9:27 JND; Rev. 9:13-21; 16:12; Zech. 14:1-2; See also Joel 2:1-11).
11. In answer to the cry of the faithful remnant, the Lord Jesus will come to the earth, bringing His saints with Him (who were before caught up to meet Him in the air), and will execute judgment upon the Beast and the False Prophet, and all western powers (Isa. 11:1-4; 63:15; 64:1; Dan. 2:34-35,44-45; 7:9-11,26-27; Matt. 24:27,37-39; Luke 13:35; 2 Thess. 1:6-10; 2:8; Jude 14-15; Rev. 19:11-16,19-21).
12. The Assyrian will come up again to destroy Jerusalem, but will be judged by the Lord, who will now fight for His earthly people (Isa. 10:12-16,24,28-34; 14:25; 31:4-9; Dan. 8:25; 11:44-45; Mic. 5:1-9; Zech. 14:3-5).
13.Then Ammon, Moab, Edom, and all eastern nations, will be dealt with by the Lord, who will be now once more in connection with repentant and restored Judah (Isa. 11:14-15; 34; 53:4-6; Zech. 10; 12:6,9-10; 13:6; Matt. 25:32-46).
14.The ten tribes will be gathered in, and all Israel be united under the sceptre of David (Ezek. 37:1-24; Rom. 11:26-27; Dan. 12:2-3; Matt. 24:31; Isa. 11:11-13).
15. Gog (Russia) will invade Israel and be destroyed (Ezek. 38; 39).
16. The Davidic action of Christ being ended (Psa. 45:3-5), He will reign in peace as antitype of Solomon (Psa. 45:6-9).
17. Satan will be bound; creation be relieved from the curse; and Christ, in whom all things in heaven and in earth are headed up, will reign over the earth a thousand years; the church and all heavenly saints being associated with Him in His heavenly glory, and Israel and the nations being blessed under Him on the earth (Rom. 8:21-22; Isa. 2:4; 11:6-9; Hab. 2:14; Zech. 14:9; Rev. 20:1-6; Psa. 72:8,17; Isa. 25:6-8; Jer. 23:5-8; Eph. 1:10,20-22; Col. 1:20).
18. Satan will be loosed and deceive the nations, who attack the earthly saints and Jerusalem, but the rebellious are destroyed by fire, and Satan is cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:7-10).
19. The second resurrection, and the judgment of the wicked ensue (Rev. 20:11-15; John 5:22).
20. The Lord Jesus will give up the kingdom to His Father, and the new heavens and the new earth will be brought in, wherein God will be All In All (1 Cor. 15:24-28; 2 Peter 3:13; Rev. 21:1-5).
“Prophetic Notes” From Bible Handbook:
Prophecy necessitates the resuscitation of the fourth or Latin empire and its distribution into ten kingdoms, and possessing a strong and powerful chief at its head; this it will have in the “little horn” of Daniel 7. This fourth monarchy is the fourth of the metals in the great image of Daniel 2 and the fourth beast of chapter 7. There are also four distinct stages in its progress and history, as noted in Revelation 17:8: — ”The beast that thou sawest was,” i.e. its imperial form in John’s day; “and is not,” i.e. its present broken up state as having no political existence; “and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit,” i.e. will be revived by direct satanic origin; “and go into perdition,” i.e. its future awful doom.
The seventy weeks of Daniel (Dan. 9) are weeks of years, and, when multiplied by seven, give us a period of 490 years. After 483 of these years had run out, Messiah was cut off, and, in consequence, the seven years necessary to complete the whole prophetic period was postponed, and is still future. Between, therefore, the close of the 69th week and the opening of the 70th, the present interval of grace to the world, and Israel’s degradation come in. This latter is the subject of verse 26 of the prophecy which, when complete, the 70th week or seven years will have their fulfilment. The various dates in Revelation 12; 13; Matthew 24:15, and in Daniel, refer to the last part of this celebrated prophetic week. After the rapture of the church to heaven, the restoration of the Jews to Israel, the temple rebuilt, antichrist accepted, and the Roman power revived, the last seven years will commence.
The Great Image (Dan. 2) and Wild Beasts (Dan. 7) represent the governmental powers on earth, transferred from Judah at the epoch of the Babylonian captivity, to the Gentiles. In the four metals composing the image and four wild beasts we have the four successive empires represented. In the decreasing inferiority and value of the several metals we have pictured the gradual departure from the source of all power, and the inferior character of each of the empires, not only from the gold, but from each other; while in the wild beasts we have those same powers represented, but as acting without conscience or feeling towards God.
The complete overthrow of the mighty and extensive Persian Empire; its destruction by Alexander the Great, and rapid growth of the Grecian power: its break-up and subsequent four-fold division, are all described with wonderful circumstantiality of detail in the prophet Daniel, 7:6; 8:1-8.
The awful condition of the Jews during the great siege of Jerusalem in the year 70, and the character of the Roman power, are minutely described by Moses more than a 1000 years before (Deut. 28:44-67).
The “little horn” of Daniel 7, is a power arising in the west, and to be distinguished from the “little horn” of Dan. 8, which arises in the east.
The following are the various names and titles applied to the future Antichrist in the Scriptures —
1. The King (Dan. 11:36)
2. The Idol Shepherd (Zech. 11:17)
3. Bloody and Deceitful Man (Psa. 5:6)
4. Antichrist (1 John 2:22)
5. False Prophet (Rev. 19:20)
6. Another Beast (Rev. 13:11)
7. Man of Sin (2 Thess. 2:3)
8. Son of Perdition (2 Thess. 2:3)
9. Wicked One (2 Thess. 2:8)
10. Come in his own Name (John 5:43)
The seven heathen nations inhabiting the land of Canaan, and which God ordained to be exterminated root and branch, were:
1. the Canaanites,
2. the Perizzites
3. the Hivites
4. the Jebusites
5. the Hittites
6. the Gergashites
7. the Amorites. Israel failed in driving out these nations, hence their descendants will once again inhabit the land of Israel, but will be utterly destroyed by the Lord at His second coming; “And in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 14:21).
The last prophetic book in the Old Testament is Malachi.
Interesting details as to the closing days are given us in the book of Zechariah.
A comprehensive outline of the prophetic outline is found in the book of Isaiah.
The religious and civil state of Israel during the millennium is given in the prophecy of Ezekiel.
The rise, course, and doom of the Gentile powers of the west is unfolded in the prophecy of Daniel.
The feelings, exercises, and sorrows of the Israel God-fearing remnant in the future crisis of her history, are fully detailed in the book of Psalms.
The judgment and ruin of the Edomites was prophetically foretold by Obadiah.
The judgment and ruin of the Assyrians was prophetically foretold by Nahum.
The judgment and ruin of the Chaldean was prophetically foretold by Habakkuk.