Continued: chapter III-THE SCEPTRE OF JUDAH

Governmental functions shall not pass from the tribe of Judah until this great Conqueror comes.  We have already seen that the idiom translated until, instead of implying that the conditions mentioned continue up to a given time or place and cease when the time designated arrives or the place suggested is reached, rather indicates that the existing situation continues as before but with some possible modification. But since we know that the supremacy and preeminence here promised to the tribe of Judah actually did pass away when the national life was blotted out by the fall of Jerusalem in 70 C.E., the Messiah, according to the oracle, must have made His appearance before that event.  Since the Word of God is infallible, from this conclusion there can be no escape. Therefore we may proclaim with all confidence that the Messiah of Israel did appear prior to that calamity. Whether or not the world and Israel recognized Him is a matter beside the issue. Jacob promised that Judah would be in possession of the controlling power and authority when Messiah would come. She completely lost her autonomy, home-land, and national life in 70 C.E.  Therefore we know absolutely that the Messiah came before that event. Since Israel did not recognize Him and accept Him, but rather rejected Him, and since the Scripture cannot be broken, evidently He accepted the invitation of the Lord to return and to sit at His right hand, as set forth in Psalm 110:1-3, until the nation will welcome Him and enthusiastically accept Him.

1 Jehovah saith unto my Lord,
Sit thou at my right hand,
Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2 Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion:
Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
3 Thy people offer themselves willingly
In the day of thy power, in holy array:
Out of the womb of the morning
Thou hast the dew of thy youth (Ps. 110:1-3).

In the preceding section we saw that the Messiah was to appear the first time while the governmental functions remained in Judah. We learn from history that Judah lost her autonomy and national life in 70 C.E. Therefore we concluded that Messiah came prior to that great catastrophe. This promise includes world-dominion and absolute obedience to Messiah on the part of all nations. Since He did not fulfil all of these promises when He came, we may be sure that He will return and fulfil all that the Lord has promised. Of this fact we may be confident since God watches over His Word to perform it.

11 Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree. 12 Then said Jehovah unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I watch over my word to perform it (Jer.1:11-12).

What Messiah is to do for Israel may be summarized under three headings.

According to Jacob's prediction all nations will render pious, loving obedience to King Messiah. When such conditions as these obtain, there will never be any more wars. At the present time some of the leading statesmen of the world are endeavoring to plan and devise ways and means whereby wars may be outlawed. These efforts are laudable. These men devoting their lives and energies to such high ideals are to be commended. Therefore I would not say anything derogatory of them or their efforts. I wish to say, however, in this connection that, according to the sure word of prophecy, no man nor group of men will be able to stop wars. King Messiah alone is the one who can accomplish this herculean task. According to the primitive promise He is the one conquering him who is the source of all wars and evils, the devil. In the final conflict of the ages there will be a real combat between "the seed of the woman," King Messiah, and "the seed of the serpent," Satan. In this great combat the injury which Satan inflicts upon the Messiah is compared to a slight wound on the heel, whereas the victory which King Messiah gains over him is represented as a crushing blow upon the head. In this ancient promise the idea of Messiah's causing wars to cease is found.

The prophets and the psalmists took this germinal thought and developed it as they sang of the glorious victories of the Redeemer of man. For instance, in Psalm 46 the inspired writer sees the wreckage that shall be brought upon the world by the desolating judgments of the Great Tribulation. After the din of battle has ceased, the Psalmist, in his vision, summons those who survive this major catastrophe of the ages to come and see the great desolations which the Lord has wrought in the earth, for it is He who "maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariots in the fire" (Ps. 46:9).

Isaiah likewise saw the time when wars shall be no more. In his vision of the great kingdom age (2:1-4) he informs us that all nations will make pilgrimages to Jerusalem from year to year for the purpose of worshiping the Lord of Hosts, who will be enthroned in power, and who will teach these pilgrims. At that time He will be the judge between the nations and render decisions among the peoples of the earth. Nevermore will they learn war; but rather they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. From these and many other predictions we see that Messiah is the one who will stop all wars.

In the outline of Israel's history, which was pre-written by Moses (Lev. 26; Deut. 28-30), we read that, should Israel be disobedient, God would scatter her among the nations, that her land would lie desolate, that she would be a hiss and a by-word in the lands of her enemies, and that, when she confesses her iniquity and that of her fathers, God will remember the land and His covenant which He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (See Lev. 26: 39f). In this forecast we see that the Lord promised to regather Israel. He did not say by whom He would accomplish this feat. There is, however, a suggestion in the Torah which throws light upon this point. Moses, in compliance with a request of his brethren, veiled his face so that they could not see the glory of his countenance. In the eighteenth chapter of Deuteronomy, verses 15-19, he informed Israel that she did well in requesting the Lord not to speak to her again as He had done at Sinai. In connection with this statement is God's promise that He would raise up a prophet like unto Moses from among the Hebrews, that He would put His words into this prophet's mouth, that this one would speak faithfully His message, and that He would require perfect obedience to Him. When we study the general characteristics of the life of Moses and his official positions of deliverer and lawgiver, we are led to the conclusion that this prophet can be none other than the Hebrew Messiah. Some have taken exception to this position on the ground that the Messiah is in no other passage called a prophet. This objection is not valid. The choice of His name was determined by the attendant circumstances. A psychological principle which guides us today in the selection of mental images and figures of speech leads us to choose those words and expressions that are suggested by the circumstances. Since Israel trembled at the voice of God when He spoke in thundering tones from Sinai, they requested that He speak indirectly to them through Moses. This petition was equivalent to a request for God to raise up prophets who always would deliver the divine Oracles to them. In compliance with their wishes, the Lord therefore, speaking in their own terms, promised them a prophet who would be a greater Deliverer and Lawgiver than their own beloved Moses.

The great statesman-prophet Isaiah, in the oracle in which he impersonated the Messiah, declared that the Lord would send this Servant specifically "to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel." "And now saith Jehovah that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered unto him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Jehovah, and my God is become my strength); yea, he saith, It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth" (Isa. 49:5,6).

From these verses it is evident that the object of Messiah's mission in coming into the world is twofold: first, to restore the tribes of Israel to their homeland and to fellowship with God; secondly, to become His salvation unto the ends of the earth. Other prophets spoke of the same things, but these citations are sufficient to confirm this position.

Our prediction says that "unto him (i.e., Messiah) shall be the obedience of the peoples." The word translated obedience literally carries the idea of pious or loving submission to His behests. From this passage it is clear that the nations of the world will render this obedience. Some have erroneously thought that the word  עַמִּים refers to the tribes of Israel. This position is incorrect, for this word is used throughout the Tenach to refer to the nations. Since there is nothing in the context to indicate a deviation from its usual significance, it is a mistake to force upon it a secondary, or strained meaning. Therefore we must believe that this oracle is a prediction that Messiah will eventually receive the obedience of all nations.

This same forecast appears in Psalm 2:7-9:
7 I will tell of the decree:
Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my son;
This day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance,
And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron;
Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

In the psalmist's impersonation of Messiah he quotes the language of the Father to the Son in which He promised Him the obedience of the nations. This same note is sounded by Solomon, the author of Psalm 72, in the following verses. A "casual glance at this passage reveals the fact that it presents the glorious reign of King Messiah concerning whom it is said that the kings of the earth shall fall down before Him, and that all nations shall serve Him.

8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
And from the River unto the ends of the earth.
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him;
And his enemies shall lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall render tribute:
The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him;
All nations shall serve him (Ps. 72: 8-11),

Under section III we learned that Messiah was scheduled to make His appearance while the dominion and preeminence were lodged in the tribe of Judah. Furthermore we saw that supremacy passed away from that tribe, in fact from the entire nation, in the year 70 C.E. Therefore we rightfully concluded that Messiah came prior to that date. Under section IV we also saw that Messiah in coming to earth has a threefold objective: first, to stop wars and all  evils;  secondly, to bring Israel back into fellowship with her God and to rehabilitate her in the land of her fathers; and thirdly, to reign over the nations of the earth in righteousness. Since He did not accomplish any of these ends when He was here the first time, and since the Word of God will be fulfilled literally, we may rightly conclude that He will come again and achieve these most desirable and beneficent objectives, the germinal promise of which we found in this primitive oracle. These facts and observations lead us to the inevitable conclusion that the two comings of the one Messiah are blended in Jacob's prediction. Therefore we shall study in this section the fading of the pictures of Messiah's two comings into one, the interval separating them, and the significance of the prophecy in general.

The analysis of this oracle has led to the irresistible conclusion that there are two comings of the one Messiah foretold in this primeval oracle. Since we are living on this side of the catastrophe of 70 C.E., when the national life of Israel became extinct, and since Messiah has not restored Israel, has not caused wars to cease, and has not begun His reign of righteousness over the nations, the fulfilment of which promises God will accomplish, we can be certain that the period between 70 C.E. and the time of Messiah's return is passed over in silence in this prediction. The prophets of Israel looking into the future and foretelling events were, as a rule, at a disadvantage, since from their point of view,  figuratively speaking, they did not have the proper perspective.

In the discussion of the conjunction  עַד כִּי we learned that the implication of this connective is that the condition existing up to a given time will continue thereafter indefinitely, unless there is something in the context to limit its meaning. Doubtless this idiom was chosen, in this particular instance, in order to cause the two comings to blend imperceptibly into one picture. There is a sound psychological principle involved in the withholding of some of the facts connected with this prediction. In those primitive times the revelation had not been made sufficiently to justify the Lord's entering into a detailed explanation of the future. This information was reserved for later generations that would be educated up to the point of appreciating this fuller revelation.

That interval of time, frequently passed over in the Scriptures without any mention of the fact, may be seen by a study of the period between the Exodus and the building of Solomon's temple. When one accepts, without any reservations, all the chronological data concerning this period, and when he has made the correct mathematical calculations based thereupon, as we shall see, he will find that these two events were separated by 594 years. In I Kings 6:1, however, we are told by the inspired writer that this period consisted of 480 years. There is a seeming discrepancy between the statement of this particular verse and the Biblical data found in other passages relative to this time. By simple subtraction we find that there is an excess of 114 years, above the statement in I Kings, set forth in the various passages relating the history of this epoch. By adding the number of years during which Israel was in subjection to foreign powers together with the three years of usurpation by Abimelech, we find that there were exactly 114 years. Without doubt during this time Israel was out of fellowship with her God. Since these years of disfavor and rejection are exactly the same as the excess years passed over by the sacred historian in his blanket statement concerning this same era, we conclude that the 480 years are theocratic; that is, a cycle of time during which Israel in fellowship with her God permits Him to rule. Some one has aptly said that God's clock stops when the Chosen People are out of fellowship with Him. Accepting this statement as true one would conclude that the nation is out of fellowship with her Maker during the period between Messiah's two comings. This observation probably explains why the prophets constantly, with a few exceptions, blended the descriptions of the two comings of the one Messiah and passed over in silence the intervening years.

The explanation made in the last section leads to a brief discussion of what is known among Biblical students as the law of the double or manifold fulfilment of prophecy. This principle obtains throughout the prophetic word. Unless the student recognizes the existence of this most important law and is governed thereby, he will become greatly confused in his study of the Word of God. The reader will permit my using an illustration which I frequently employ in setting forth this principle. With a stereopticon a picture is sometimes thrown upon the screen. Presently it begins to fade and at the same time the dim outlines of another appear. As the former fades, the latter becomes clearer and more distinct. By the time the first one has vanished from the screen, the second is in full view. Thus it is with the prophetic word. Speaking in terms of this illustration I may say that the two first lines of Jacob's prediction present Messiah's first coming before the preeminent authority passed from the tribe of Judah. Presently this picture begins to fade and the dim outline of Messiah's second advent appears and blends imperceptibly with the picture of His first coming. Suddenly the representation of His former appearance vanishes from the screen and the forecast of His second coming in glory and power is before our startled gaze.

Whenever we come across a prediction relative to the coming of Messiah, we should study it carefully and compare it with the life of the Hebrew Messiah, who evidently came prior to 70 C.E., and when we come to the conclusion that all the events of this particular prediction were not fulfilled by Him at that time, we rightly conclude that the details connected with His second coming are delicately blended with the forecast concerning His first appearance.

A recognition, of this most important principle, which obtains in the prophetic word, will solve many of the difficulties, which we otherwise would encounter, and will make the prophecies intelligible and profitable to us.

In this investigation we have learned a number of most important truths, but there are a few which I wish may stand out in bold relief before our minds. One is that the Torah foretells the coming of the Messiah prior to the fall of the Jewish nation, which catastrophe occurred 70 C.E. From this Scripture, however, we cannot tell the exact year when He was scheduled to come, or what He was to accomplish at that time. Some of this information is given in later predictions. A second thought in connection with this prophecy to be emphasized is that the Torah outlines, in embryonic form, Messiah's redemptive career. Our analysis of this prediction has yielded the following facts: first, He is to appear prior to 70 C.E. Though no information is here given as to His activities, these details are left for later prophets to reveal. In a general way, the Jews who lived prior to the first century of this era could conclude from a study of this oracle that Judah would still be enjoying the preeminence among the tribes of Israel at the time of His coming. They also would naturally infer from it, interpreted alone and prior to the giving of any further details by later prophets, that Messiah upon His appearance would receive the obedience of all nations. This much is clear and indisputable. As time passed and new situations arose which demanded light that could come only from revelations concerning the future, the Lord graciously met the need. Hence we find in the writings of the prophets passages which, figuratively speaking, analyze this first forecast and throw a flood of light upon it. Speaking in terms of the portrait painter, I would say that Jacob simply blocked out the picture of Messiah and His work, but left this rough sketch to be finished later by the prophets.

That the analysis presented above is correct may be seen by a glance at Psalm 110:1,2:

1 Jehovah saith unto my Lord,
Sit thou at my right hand,
Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2 Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion:
Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

The ancient synagogue correctly interpreted this passage messianically. In these verses King Messiah is seen in Zion, the  population of which is hostile to Him. Then the Lord from heaven urges Him to leave the city, to ascend to His right hand, and to remain there until He puts these enemies under Messiah's feet. At that time Israel will be brought to the point that she will gladly accept Him and welcome His return. Then He will come back to Zion and be enthroned as her King.

From this hasty glance at this marvelous, comprehensive oracle, we see clearly the two comings of Messiah and the period intervening during which He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven. Since all truth harmonizes, we can be certain that this passage is in perfect accord with the prediction of Jacob. Speaking in a figure, I would compare Genesis 49:10 to a ray of sunlight that has simply gone through a plain glass and Psalm 110:1,2 to the same ray after it has passed through a prism, which dissects it into the spectrum of the rainbow. The prism through which this early ray of Messianic glory passed was the inspired mind and heart of King David, who, in this and other matchless passages, painted this spectrum of Israel's glorious hope in the iridescent hues of its constituent, original, elemental shades.

The conclusion of the whole matter is that Messiah made His first appearance while the ruling power and influence among the tribes of Israel were still enjoyed by the tribe of Judah. Since she lost her national life in 70 of the common era, we know with absolute certainty that He has already come the first time. From other predictions we shall endeavor to learn, if possible, the exact date.

End Of Chapter III.