IN THE LAST TRUMP
Prophetic Fulfillment in Our Day
I am full aware that
there will be a great deal of criticism on the part of some because of this
presentation of the end-time. I am very thankful that almost all criticism received so
far has been very constructive, and was given in the Spirit of Christ. The fact that
almost all the brethren who have examined the matter thus far have accepted it
generally, is very encouraging to the author. I pray that as we continue the gracious
Master will give us wisdom and open minds for the examination of this last
chapter.
"NOW LEARN A PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE"
I would like to call
attention first to those passages which describe the triumphal entry of Christ into
Jerusalem (Matt. 21:12-22; and Mark 11:1-26). To turn and read these scriptures will
aid very greatly in understanding the comments to follow concerning them. As Jesus
entered the city he received great praise from the common people, especially the
children; but the religious leaders, who represented the people, were very jealous of
Jesus and sought to kill Him. This was not the first time they had sought to kill Him,
for they were always of this nature; however, they were never able to harm Him until
the appointed time. When the appointed time came, we can see how these religious
leaders represented the people by the way the people followed them in the crucifixion
of Christ. The actions of the Pharisees and sadducees represented the actions of the
people as a whole, and God knew that the people would ultimately follow their
self-righteous lords. Though many individuals followed Jesus, and at times it appeared
that "this generation" would follow Him, yet the nation in the end followed
the Pharisees and Sadducees. Therefore, each time we read of the Pharisees and
Sadducees rejected Christ, we can look upon it as a national rejection.
After Jesus had finished His business
in Jerusalem the first day, He retired to Bethany for the night. The next morning as He
was leading His disciples back into Jerusalem, He saw a fig tree filled with leaves.
Jesus approached the tree, but when He found no figs He placed a curse upon it. The
disciples observed all this, but were not particularly impressed at the time. The
following morning, after having reclined again outside the city, they passed by the
same tree, and when the disciples observed that the tree had already withered, they
inquired of Jesus concerning what it meant. The answer Jesus gave was a lesson on faith
that they might be fruit bearers. Now, what did all this signify to the disciples as
well as to us? I am in full agreement with many others who believe that this is not
only a lesson to the disciples and to us on having faith in God, but that it speaks of
the lack of faith on the part of Israel as a nation, which was personified in the
religious leaders. A very similar lesson is given in Luke 13:6-9.
There is sufficient evidence to show
that the fig tree represents Israel. When Christ came to the earth the first time,
Israel was like a fig tree with a great many leaves, but there was no fruit nationally.
The leaves represented their profession; they had a "zeal for
God" (Rom. 10:1-3), but there was no fruit because their zeal was not
according to knowledge. Their leaves were like the fig-leaf aprons of Adam and Eve,
which spoke of their self-righteousness. They went about to establish their own
righteousness and did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. Their great
many leaves, which spoke of their zeal for God, looked good to the distant observer,
but God, who knows the hearts of men, knew that the righteousness which is of faith was
not fruitful there. The curse Christ placed upon the fig tree represented His rejection
of Israel. The withering of the tree, in the final analysis, represented their being
dispersed into all nations.
But, of course, we know that Israel has
not been rejected eternally, for, God will, contrary to the natural thinking of men,
perform a miracle and bring Israel back into her own land; indeed, God has done this
very thing before our eyes. This brings us to the consideration of some other passages.
Turn to Matt. 24:32-33; Mark 13:28-29; and Luke 21:29-31. From the passage in Matthew
we read, "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and
putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see
all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This
generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."
What does Jesus mean by the tender
branches of the fig tree beginning to put forth leaves? It appears most reasonable to
say that such represents Israel's becoming once more what she was at the time Jesus
cursed the fig tree. It speaks of Israel being regathered into her own land and
beginning her self-righteous worship there. Still there is no fruit on the tree; only
the putting forth of leaves. It certainly appears that Israel is in the budding stage
at the present time, which means that the "putting forth of
leaves" is in the immediate future.
"THIS GENERATION"
Jesus follows the
reference to the fig tree putting forth leaves, in all three gospels, by saying,
"This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be
fulfilled." Jesus could not have been referring to the generation in which
He lived because it passed away long ago. It does not appear correct to say that the
nation of Israel was the generation to which Jesus had reference, because the statement
implies that the generation under consideration will pass away when the things relate
to the Lord's coming are fulfilled. It appears most sensible to say that the
generation Jesus had in mind was the one living at the time the fig tree began to put
forth leaves. If this latter case is true, and it forcefully appears to be, then our
generation must be the one of which Jesus spoke, for we have seen Israel return to her
own land, be recognized as a nation by the world, and begin worshipping God with that
zeal of God that is not according to knowledge. But there will be no fruit until Israel
see the Lord coming in glory (Joel 2:30-32; Matt. 23:39; Luke 13:35; Rom. 11:15; Rev.
1:7; Zech. 12:10; Acts 2:20-21.
In addition to the foregoing thoughts,
I will again call attention to the fact that we are living at the very end of the sixth
day (the sixth millennium), and the seventh day is the millennium of rest for the
people of God (Heb. 4). The day of the Lord is certainly nigh at hand. We cannot say
that there is exactly a certain number of years yet before the end of the sixth day.
Nevertheless, we can be sure that we are in the very end. I firmly believe the present
generation will experience all the things of which I have been speaking, and that
God's people of today who are not called out of this life by a common death very
soon, or, who are not privileged to die the martyr's death, will live to see
"that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).
It has often been said that there is
nothing else to be fulfilled before the Lord comes. Observe that such a statement
implies that there were many prophecies which were necessary to be fulfilled before the
Lord returned, but that they have now been fulfilled. This would mean that the earlier
New Testament saints could not think of the Lord's coming as being imminent, or
else it would play upon their ignorance of these certain prophecies which even they
recorded with understanding. Either way one is caught in his own trap, and should
confess that it is clear from Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; etc., that the Lord did not
intend for the disciples to understand His return as being imminent. Jesus told His
disciples of certain things that must come to pass, and then added the words,
"but the end is not yet." Then Jesus told them of
many other things that must come to pass, and then added further, "all these are the beginning of sorrows." Yes, there were many
things to be fulfilled, and there are yet many things to be fulfilled. The man who
believes that this fact gives him the opportunity to take a fill of the pleasures of
sin shall suffer the consequences.
WHY DID THEY DO IT?
What was it that
caused Enoch to walk with God? He prophesied that the Lord would come with ten
thousands of His saints (Jude 14-15), and evidently understood that such a coming was
far away. What could it have been that caused him to walk with God for three hundred
years? It was after Methuselah was born to Enoch that he walked with God for this long
period. The name Methuselah meant, "at his death the sending forth of waters"
(center reference). Why would Enoch give his son such a name as this? Evidently God
revealed to him that when his son died, He would destroy the earth by water. Thus,
Enoch was not looking for the Lord's Second Coming in his lifetime, yet he walked
faithfully with God for three hundred years.
Abraham knew he would die (Gen. 15:15),
yet he also walked with God so faithfully that he was called the friend of God. The
seed of Abraham saw the promises "afar off" (Heb. 11), yet joyfully stood the
trials of life. Moses "had it made" down in Egypt yet he chose to suffer with
God's people. What caused him to be so faithful? Daniel, one among the great, knew
that he would die (Dan. 12:12); yet, how blessed that man was! I can hardly read some
parts of his book without shedding tears because of God's great pleasure in him.
How foolish to imply that God's servants will become unfaithful if they think their
Master's return is a few days, weeks, or years away!
Why is it so important to watch for the
Lord? Because the deeds of each day are recorded, and the record will be played for All
to see and hear when the Lord returns. Only a day filled with prayer, confession of
sins, study of the Word, earnestly doing our part to carry the gospel to the nations,
etc., will fill-up the meaning of the word "watch" as Jesus used it. These
things alone will render us acceptable for the receiving of the promised inheritance
(Heb. 1:14). Of course, we must remember that eternal salvation from hell is NOT an
inheritance. Getting there "so as by fire" is not
included in the inheritance. Let us watch and pray that we may prevail today, tomorrow,
and when our blessed Master shines upon us in that most radiant glory of the
Father.
PROPHECIES YET TO BE FULFILLED
Getting back to the
theme of this chapter, I would like to give an enumeration of some of the events that
will take place before that day of blessedness for the saints (and judgment for all the
nations) comes. These are not all the developments that will come to pass, but they are
a few of the outstanding ones.
(1). The Roman empire
will be reestablished. Probably, it will not bear the same name, yet the nations
around the Mediterranean Sea and those of Europe will be united into one powerful
empire. It is also probable that this empire will not include all the nations of the
old Roman empire at the beginning, although it will, of course, eventually envelope the
entire earth. This empire is being formed at the very present time. One needs only to
keep his eyes upon the newspapers, and his ears open to the newscasts, in order to see,
or hear, one plea after another being made for a united Europe. The Pope of Rome is
very urgently pressing for this unity. Daniel chapters 2, 7, and 9 very clearly teach
that such will happen.
(2). Palestine will be
given back to the Jews. The Arabs possess half of Jerusalem at the present. We
do not, at the present, know how such things will come about, yet it appears quite
evident that the Jews will possess all of Palestine at the time that the covenant for
one week is made, which, if true, means that we will, in the near future, see the Arabs
put out of Palestine. This may be done before the Antichrist begins coming into power;
however, it may be that he will bring about the expulsion of the Arabs, thus greatly
winning the confidence of the Jews.
(3). The Jewish temple
will be rebuilt. This temple must be rebuilt before the Antichrist makes the
covenant with the Jews, for it is quite evident that as soon as the covenant is made,
the Jews will either begin, or will have already begun, their worship in the temple,
which the Antichrist will stop in the midst of the week (Matt. 24:15; II Thess. 2:4;
Rev. 11:1-3). As soon as the Jews are given full possession of their land they will
tear down the Arabian temple, which I understand is standing on the site where the
Jewish temple did, and will again, stand.
(4). Israel will begin
their temple worship. As I have just mentioned, the Antichrist will stop the
worship in the temple in the midst of the week, which demands that the Jews will be
worshipping according to the Old Testament order prior to the midst of the week. How
long the temple will have been rebuilt before the covenant is made, does not appear to
be clearly ascertainable, yet as soon as it is rebuilt the Jews will no doubt begin
their worship there.
(5). A covenant will
be made between the Jews and the Antichrist. What the content of this covenant
will be is not mentioned in the scriptures to my knowledge. Without a doubt it will be
to the advantage of the Jews, at least to the leading element with whom it is made, or
else they would not agree to it. If the covenant Antiochus Epiphanes made with certain
Jews may possibly typify the one the Antichrist will make with the Jews, then it will
be a covenant with unprincipled renegade Jews. At the time Antiochus took the throne
the true high priest was in Syria, and had been seeking aid from the brother of
Antiochus who held the throne just prior to this time. This true high priest, Onias
III, was seeking a solution for the confusion existing in Jerusalem. An evil-hearted
Jew by the name of Jason, the brother of Onias, found this a good occasion to get
himself appointed high priest, and to put Onias III out by going to Antiochus and
making certain slanderous and also flattering propositions with Antiochus (see former
chapter). The agreement was made and the good high priest put out. Though this was
certainly an ill-wrought matter, yet God did not count the sanctuary as being cast down
(Dan. 8) until the offerings of the temple were stopped later when Antiochus caused the
Abominable sow to be offered on the Jewish altar along with the other defilements. I am
not setting this up as a pattern, but mention it for the consideration of the
reader.
(6). There may possibly be a war
between a southern kingdom (Dan. 11:40) and the re-established
Roman empire before the middle of the week. I suggest this possibility on the
grounds that Antiochus was a type of the Antichrist, and that the language of Dan.
11:21-45, though speaking of Antiochus especially in the first verses, very definately
speaks of the Antichrist in some parts and probably speaks of him generally all the way
through. I readily acknowledge that though Antiochus was a type of the Antichrist, yet
it is not necessary for all the things that point to Antiochus in Daniel's
prophecies to speak of the Antichrist also. Therefore this serves merely as a
suggestion. This may appear to be a far-fetched possibility at the present, yet the
future many times opens up things which appeared to be quite unreasonable
beforehand.
(7). The covenant will
be broken. I say the covenant will be broken on the assumption that it will not
be made with renegade Jews. if the covenant should be made with such evil minded Jews
as I have just mentioned, then of course there would not be a breaking of the covenant,
even as there was not a breaking of the covenant when Antiochus cast down the
sanctuary. Yet, if the covenant is made with the proper persons then there will be the
breaking of the covenant at the time the Antichrist is released by the Holy Spirit in
the midst of the week.
(8). The Jewish
worship will be stopped. The Scriptures say that the Law (given through Moses)
acted as a school master to bring the Jews to Christ. The Antichrist hates anything
that points to Christ, therefore at the first good opportunity he shall seek to
completely abolish any ordinance of that nature. Dan. 7:25 says that he will seek to
change times and seasons, which probably means that he will even seek to change the
laws of nature which he also hates because they are ordinances of God. (See the
discussion on the trumpets).
(9). The abomination
of desolation will be placed in the Jewish temple. As soon as the Holy Spirit
removes His restraint upon the Antichrist, the Antichrist will endeavor to destroy
everything that renders or commands any obedience to Christ. He will begin by
commanding all worship to the true God to be stopped, and, as Antiochus, will show his
great hatred toward the ordinances of God by causing an abomination to stand in the
holy place of the Jewish temple, which renders the worship of the temple desolate. An
abomination is a thing that is hateful and shamefully vile. Desolate means empty, void,
laid waste, etc. The abomination of desolation caused by the Antichrist will be one of
two things, or maybe both. (1). It may be the image of the first Beast which the second
Beast will have made of him (Rev. 13) that he stands in the holy place. (2). It may be
the that the Antichrist himself will be a Gentile (this may be doubtful), which, if
true, means that when he stands in the temple of God (II Thess. 2:4) claiming that he
is God, it will certainly be an abomination that makes desolate, for no Gentiles
permitted to enter the innermost parts of the temple.
(10). The Jews will
flee into the mountains. Matt. 24:15-20 and Rev. 12:14-17 both speak of how
Israel shall flee into the wilderness from the presence of the Antichrist (and Satan)
at the time the Antichrist defiles the temple. The period of Israel's hiding in the
wilderness will be the exact duration of the reign of the Antichrist (Rev. 12:6, 14;
13:5; Dan. 7:25).
(11). The man of sin
will be revealed. This revelation is made when the Antichrist stands himself in
the temple of God claiming that he is God. This is, of course, the same time as just
mentioned above.
(12). The two
witnesses shall begin their testimony. The two witnesses will begin their
testimony at the same time that the Antichrist begins his forty-two month's reign.
You will observe that the two witnesses begin their testimony and witness for 1260 days
(3 1/2 years; 42 months; time, times and a dividing of time). This argues against the
two witnesses being the churches, Israel, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, etc., because
Israel shall be in the wilderness, and the others have been witnessing all down through
the ages. The two witnesses are no doubt men.
(13). Great miracles
shall be performed by the Antichrist. In chapter VIII of this work I have shown
that the Antichrist will be permitted to perform great miracles and exercise very great
powers (II Thess. 2:9-10; Rev. 13:1-18; etc).
(14). There will be a
very great slaughter of saints and Jews. When the Antichrist comes into power in
the midst of the week he will begin to kill every Jew and every saint he possibly can
(Dan. 7:22, 25; Rev. 6:9-11; 13:7; etc.).
(15). There will be a
great battle. This was covered in the discussion of the sixth trumpet and also
in the comments on Dan. 11:40. This war will take place a few months or a year before
the end of the reign of the Antichrist. The kingdom of the Antichrist will be centered
around Europe and will envelop only that general area until this great battle at which
time he brings the whole world under his dominion.
(16). The two
witnesses shall be killed, come alive after three and one half days, and ascend into
heaven. This shall come to pass very shortly before the end of the reign of the
Antichrist, at which time the Lord will come in glory. That day will not catch those
who are wise and who belong to the day as a thief (I Thess. 5), though they will not be
able to discern the exact day and hour.
Even as Paul said that day would not
overtake those who belong to the day as a thief, Jesus also said that some of the days
would be chopped off. After Jesus had mentioned a number of things that would happen
immediately before the resurrection and rapture, He said, "And
when these things begin to come to pass, the look up, and lift up your heads; for your
redemption draweth nigh" (Luke 21:25-28).
May the blessings of the Lord rest upon
all who desire to understand these things that must shortly come to pass. May each of
us diligently search the Word for truly it has not all been uncovered yet. There is
much to learn. The Holy Spirit is ready to illumine the mind of the earnest
searcher.
"These were more
noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures
daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them
BELIEVED..." (Acts 17:11-12).
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