Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Of the seven particulars mentioned in this prophecy, we have seen that three were perfectly and literally appropriated to himself by Jesus of Nazareth; that three others were not appropriated at all; and that the seventh was appropriated, but in a partial manner. Now it is admitted by all who receive the Scriptures as the word of God, that Jesus Christ who was dead, and is alive again, will return to this earth. He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, "from thence he shall come."a “He shall come again with glory.' "At whose coming, all men shall rise again with their bodies." It is the creed of every Christian church, and of every Christian, that Jesus Christ will come again. It is the distinguishing hope of those who surround his table: they show forth his death till he come. Now this revealed truth, that he will come again, in connexion with the subject before us, excites a presumption at least, if not a positive expectation, that as some parts of this prophecy are applicable to him and to no other, the remaining parts will be applicable to him when he returns so that in what he did at his first advent to the earth, combined with what he will do at his second; the whole prophecy will find in him a complete fulfilment. HE HAS DONE WHAT IDENTIFIES

THE PERSON PREDICTED: HE WILL DO WHAT WILL ACCOMPLISH THE FULFILMENT OF THE HISTORY PREDICTED.

Supposing this expectation to be well grounded; "Apostle's Creed.

b Nicene Creed.

• Athanasian Creed.

when he returns he must throw off his disguise of a servant, and assert his royal authority; he must subdue his enemies and give peace, and plenty, and happiness to his friends and willing subjects; he must unsheathe the sword of justice in the earth, and so execute judgment, as to give occasion to say, "verily, there is a reward for the righteous; verily, there is a God that judgeth in the earth." In his days Judah must be saved, and Israel dwell safely: and he must be recognized and hailed by the Jewish nation as Jehovah their Righteousness. Now it is certainly remarkable, to say no more, that those things which, from this prophecy, we are naturally led to expect would come to pass, are precisely the things which, in other prophecies, we are told shall come to pass at the second Advent of the Lord.

Jesus Christ shall return, not in disguise as before, but with power and great glory. He shall be manifested as the King of kings, and Lord of lords, reigning and prospering; executing judgment and justice in the earth; subduing his enemies under him; and giving peace, and plenty, and happiness, to his friends.

These are all exceedingly important points; but I merely enumerate them here, because (though important,) they are, as I said, only collateral to our main subject which keeps the Jews in prominence. This is the next particular of the prophecy. Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely. And the fulfilment of it is largely and explicitly connected with the second coming of the Lord. "There

d

fore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land. of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up, and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land." And again, And again," Behold, I will bring it health and cure; and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them as at the first. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise, and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness, and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it." (See also Isaiah xiv. 1, 2; and xxvii. 12, 13; and li. 22, 23; and lx. passim; Ezekiel xxxiv. xxxvi. xxxvii.; Hosea iii. 4, 5; Micah iv. ; Zechariah viii. 22, 23; xii. 6—10; xiv. passim.)

a If Israel mean the ten tribes, as distinguished from the two, the prophecy is, as we allege, unfulfilled as yet :-if Israel mean Gentile converts, how were they builded at the first? See page 134.

[blocks in formation]

As the complete fulfilment of the seventh particular of the prophecy, we read, concerning the Lord the King, that in him shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith Jehovah.'

Where, now, is the harshness, where the enthusiasm, where the inconclusiveness of this line of argument? Where, also, I would ask, is there any other interpretation which deals so fairly with the language of the prophet, not evading or explaining away a single word, but taking all as it stands; hailing the application of as much of it to Jesus of Nazareth, as the New Testament history literally warrants, and expecting the similarly literal application of the remainder, and the manifested fulfilment of it all, just as the prophet has spoken.

The conclusion, then, which I draw from all this is, that Jesus Christ is the king spoken of in this place by Jeremiah: that at his first coming, he laid hold of a part of this prophecy; and that at his second coming, he will lay hold of the remaining parts of it; that is, he will reign prosperously on the earth, he will execute judgment and justice in the earth, he will restore Judah and Israel to peace and safety in their own land, and he will be acknowledged and proclaimed by them, with joy and gladness, Jehovah their Righteousness.

[blocks in formation]

Per

mit me here to suggest to any intelligent man, who hears me, and does not agree with me, that it will be more suited to the importance and difficulty of the subject, and more becoming his professed zeal for the truth, to construct a grave and deliberate answer to the reasons which I have advanced, than briefly, or dogmatically, to deny the conclusion which I have drawn.

Making this conclusion the basis of a fresh argument, I proceed to say, that as the Lord Jesus, at his second coming, will reign prosperously on the earth, and execute judgment and justice in the earth; it follows that the earth cannot be destroyed immediately on his second coming. Changed it may be, in whole or in part. This, together with the nature of the change, is another question; but finally destroyed it cannot be. And further, as the Lord Jesus, at his second coming, will restore the Jews to their own land; it follows, that whatever change may have taken place on the earth, the geographical distinctions of countries will remain discernible, so far, at least, as will be necessary to distinguish Palestine from all the other countries of the earth; and national distinctions will remain discernible, so far, at least, as will be necessary to distinguish the Jewish nation from all the other nations of the earth. Here, again, I suggest to the intelligent objector, the propriety of gravely refuting the premises, rather than rashly denying the conclusion.

« AnteriorContinuar »