5. The Situation of the Jews during this Period.
As we have seen in earlier chapters, the
declarations of Holy Writ make it very clear that Israel will yet be restored
to God's favor and be rehabilitated in Palestine. But before that glad time
arrives, the Jews have to pass through a season of sore trouble and affliction,
during which God severely chastises them for their sins and punishes them for
the rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah. Fearful indeed have been the
past experiences of "the nation of the weary feet" but a darker path than ever
yet lies before them. Their cruel bondage in Egypt, their captivity in
Babylon, and their grievous handling by Titus, were but faint foreshadowings of
what they shall yet be called upon to undergo. In Jer. 30:4-7 we read - "And
these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
For thus saith the Lord; We have herd 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." This Time of Jacob's Troubles was described in part when, in
answer to His disciples' question concerning the end of the age, our Lord said,
"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye
shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake. And then shall many be
offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many
false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall
abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end
(of the Tribulation period which terminates the Age), the same shall be saved"
(Matt. 24:9-13).
It has also been pointed out that considerable
numbers of the Jews have recently turned their faces Zionward and returned to
the land of their fathers, but before the revelation and rise of the
Anti-christ to temporal power, many others will also have returned to
Palestine. This is clear from Dan. 9:27, where we learn that Anti-christ (the
"prince" or head of the restored Roman Empire) will ratify a treaty with Israel
for seven years, under which he guarantees them protection and allows them to
rebuild their Temple and restore its ancient ritual. It is to this Covenant
between Anti-christ and the Jews that Is. 28:18 refers, "And your covenant with
Death (a title of Anti-christ, in contradistinction to the true Christ who is
"the Life") shall be disannulled, and your agreement with Hell shall not stand;
when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shell be trodden down
by it (probably a reference to Zech. 14:1,2).** For the Lord shall rise up as
in mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do
His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act." It is
to be noted that this "Covenant" between Anti-christ and Israel is established
during the early part of his reign, or certainly, at the very commencement of
Daniel's seventieth week (see Dan. 9:24-27 - a most important passage), while
he is posing as the true Christ and before he throws off his mask and denies
both the Father and the Son. It is in the midst of this final seven years that
he openly defied heaven and earth, breaks his covenant with the Jews in
Palestine, causes their sacrifices to cease and in their place demands that
they shall set up an image to himself which, like Nebuchadnezzar and his image,
he will require to be worshipped by all under pain of death. It is to the
setting up of this "image" in the Temple that our Lord had reference when He
said, "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation (for the
meaning of "abomination" see 1 Kings 11:5-7 - it is an "image" to a false god),
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whose readeth, let
him understand). Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: Let
him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house:
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe
unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But
pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day:
For then shall be (the) great Tribulation such as was not from the beginning
of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days
should be shortened, there should no flesh he saved: but for the elect's sake
(i.e. for the sake of the godly Jewish remnant) those days shall be shortened."
The above Scripture is a warning from our Lord to the godly Jews who will be on
earth subsequent to the Rapture of the Church, and who are informed that when
they see Anti-christ's image set up in their re-built Temple then let them know
the time for the outpouring of God's wrath is at hand. The part of wisdom for
them in that day will be to flee from Jerusalem lest they share its judgment.
Be it noted it is those who read - i.e., the Holy Scriptures, and particularly
Daniel and the Revelation 0 who will "understand." Following this timely
warning- by which, doubtless, many godly Jews will profit in that day - our
Lord continues, "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ,
or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false christs and false
prophets (observe false "prophets" as well as false christs; and note the order
- false christs which is headed up in the Anti-christ the first "beast"
of Rev. 13, and "false prophets" which is headed up in the False Prophet the
second "beast" of Rev. 13!), and shall show great signs and wonders
(even make the "image" speak, see Rev. 13:15; insomuch that, if it were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect (but it will not be possible, for
the elect will "read" and "understand"). Behold, I have told you before" (vss.
23-25).
A small minority of the Jews (typified by the
three "Hebrew children" in the days of Nebuchadnezzar), a godly remnant, will
refuse to receive the Beast and worship his image and, in consequence, will be
subjected to fierce persecution. This pious "remnant" forms the subject of
numerous Old Testament prophecies. We single out but one - "In that day (the
Tribulation period) shalt thou not be ashamed for a all thy doings, wherein
thou hast transgressed against Me: for then I will take away out of the midst
of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty
because of My holy mountain. 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 (profess
allegiance to The Lie): for they shall fed and lie down, and none shall make
them afraid" (Zech. 3:11-13, and cf. Is. 10:20,21; Joel 2:32; 3:1,2 etc.).
Many of the Jews who comprise this remnant will be slain by the Anti-christ,
but at least 144,000 of them (see Rev. 7) will be miraculously preserved by
God. Jehovah will undertake for them as He did for the three "Hebrew children"
of old. Then it shall be seen that "He that dwelleth in the secret place
(compare Rev. 12:6!!) of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the
Almighty." Then will they find the Lord their "refuge" and "fortress." And
then will be fulfilled His promise - "Surely He shall deliver thee from the
Snare of the Fowler (the Anti-christ), and from the noisome pestilence. He
shall cover thee with His feathers and under His wings shalt thou trust." And
then will they behold with their eyes and "see the reward of the Wicked One"
(see the whole of Ps. 91). Many of the Psalms record the experiences and
prayers of the godly Jewish remnant during this period: see Psalms 10 (which
vividly pictures the Anti-christ), 37 (which contains words of admonition and
encouragement for them; see especially verse 10!) 43 (note verse 1!), 44 (which
reveals their hope in God, 55 (and note particularly verses 20,21!!), 74 (and
note verse 10!), 80 (their cry for deliverance, etc.) We may add that many of
the later Psalms view Israel in the Millennium.
It is during the Tribulation period that Elijah
the prophet returns to the earth and Mal. 4:5,6 is fulfilled - "Behold, I will
send you Elijah the prophet before the coming the the great and dreadful day of
the Lord (i.e. before the final three and a half years); and he shall turn the
heart of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their
fathers." Doubtless Elijah is one of the "two witnesses" of Rev. 11 who
testify for God twelve hundred and sixty days in Jerusalem; after which they
are slain, resurrected, and translated to heave. At the close of the
Tribulation period Anti-christ marshals his forces and goes up to besiege
Jerusalem, and this leads us to consider,