Page images
PDF
EPUB

B

Judah and Jerufalem, I will alfo gather all nations."

From these Prophecies it plainly appears, that these people," the preferved of the Lord," " are to be made yet farther inftrumental to the execution of the great defign of univerfal falvation b."

Whether

we fuppofe the reftoration of the Jews will be effected by evidently miraculous means (which is perhaps very highly probable), or whether God will incline their hearts to take advantage of an opportunity which the apparent chance of war will offer, the fulfilment of this remarkable Prophecy, to which the world in general has looked for fo many ages, must be a very powerful means of opening the eyes of many nations, and greatly increase the number of Chriftians. And the circumftances attending their restoration, even without the fuppofition of a miracle, muft certainly have a great effect upon the Chriftian nations of the world, and contribute greatly to their ftanding in this day of trial. "If the diminishing of them (the Jews) be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more

See vol. i. c. ii. p. 79.

their fulness?" It is natural however to suppose that the enemies of Religion would be exafperated to the highest pitch of frenzy, and that they would gather together all their forces against a people thus declared to be protected by God, whofe Existence they madly doubt, or whofe Providence they impiously deny. On this occafion, the righteous would be naturally feparated from the wicked, for they could not join in fuch a caufe. "Some doubting" would probably stand aloof to see the iffue of the contest. We may, however, presume that a numerous army of the "defperately wicked" would be collected against the holy land," to defy the armies of the living Affociate yourselves, O ye peoshall be broken in pieces; and ye of far countries; gird yourfelves, and ye fhall be broken in pieces. Take counfel together, and it fhall come to nought; fpeak the word, and it fhall not ftand, for God is with us."

God d. "

ple, and

[ocr errors]

ye

give ear all

[ocr errors]

But while the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing against the

• Rom. xi. 12.

e Ifai. viii. 9, 10.

I

d1 Sam. xvii. 26.

Lord,

Lord, and againft his anointed," the houfe of Ifrael fhall humble themfelves before God, fhall “repent and be converted," and the Meffiah, their deliverer, may appear. "And ye fhall know that I am the Lord, when I fhall bring you into the land of Ifracl, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers

and there fhall ye remember your ways, and your doings wherein ye have been defiled, and ye fhall loath yourselves in your own fight, for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye fhall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name's fake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Ifrael, faith the Lord ." "Gather the people, fanctify the congregation. Let the priests and the minifters of the Lord weep between the porch and the altar, and let them fay, Spare thy people, O Lord, and

f Whether their converfion will be previous to the appearance of the Meffiah (for which they will be prepared by a change of heart; "I will take away their ftony heart, and give them a heart of flefh") or whether the appearance of the Meffiah will produce their conyerfion, is not, I think, explicitly declared.

8 Ezekiel xx. 42-44.

1

give not thine heritage to reproach, that the Heathen fhould rule over them; wherefore fhould they fay among the people, where is their God? Then fhall the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people. Behold, I will fend you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye fhall be fatisfied therewith. And I will no more make you a reproach among the Heathen, but I will remove far off from you the northern army, and I will drive him into a land barren and defolate, with his face toward the eaft fea, and his hinder parts toward the utmost sea, and his ftink fhall come up, and his ill favour fhall come up, because he hath done great things. Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice; for the Lord will do great things. -And it fhall come to pafs afterwards, that I will pour my fpirit upon all flesh, and your fons and your daughters fhall prophefy, your old men fhall dream dreams, and your young men fhall fee vifions. And also upon the fervants and handmaidens, in thofe days, will I pour my Spirit. And I will fhow wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of fmoke. The fun fhall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come."

[ocr errors]

come h" "In that day will I make the governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a fheaf; and they fhall devour all the people round about, on the right hand, and on the left; and Jerufalem fhall be inhabited again, in her own place, even in Jerufalem. The Lord alfo fhall fave the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David, and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerufalem do not magnify themselves against Judah." In that day fhall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerufalem, and he that is feeble among them at that day fhall be as David. And the house of David fhall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. And it fhall come to pass in that day, that I will feek to deftroy all the nations that come against Ferufalem. And I will pour upon the houfe of David, and upon the inhabitants

ħ Joel ii. 16—21. 28–31.

i May not the glory of the house of David mean the Chriftian Church, which is properly the houfe of Christ, the defcendant of David? If fo, this paffage feems to indicate, that the Jews will be recalled, and experience fome fignal marks of Divine favour, before the Gentile Chriftian Church fhall be established in peace and happinefs.

of

« PreviousContinue »