(Continued from chapter Three)

From a Christian Worker concerning some outstanding Jews:
I purchased the volumes entitled: The Eternal God Revealing Himself and also Messiah: His Redemptive Career.

At that time I was staying in the household of a very famous Jewish music teacher who had trained Mary Lewis, Al Jolsen, Gallicurchi, Madame Shumann-Heink, and many, many, other famous singers throughout the world.

I gave the books to him for a birthday present. He began to read them at once, reading day and night, until he had read them several times. His wife said that he kept them by his bedside to read upon awakening during the night. He purchased a Bible containing the New Testament and read it through many times, often taking his two little girls out on the lawn and reading to them the story of the Messiah.

Later this man said that he greatly feared that the Jewish people had turned down the Messiah. His wife told me later that the books converted him.

Other Jewish men with whom this musician associated began to spend their evenings with him to read and discuss the New Testament. Not one of these men was arrogant and satirical in attitude toward the New Testament. Their combined judgment was that the Jewish people had in all probability turned down the real Messiah, that the kingdom Christ had come to establish may have been spiritual instead of temporal as the Jews had anticipated. They were troubled about the idea of the Trinity but the books you wrote cleared the matter away and this group of men were converted to the belief that Jesus Christ is the promised Jewish Messiah. This musician's wife was a converted Jewess, but she said that she had never discussed religion with her husband--never at any time. She told me that your books had converted these men.

I was in the habit of taking my Bible and The Eternal God Revealing Himself to Westlake Park on Sundays to read between morning and evening services. I noted that anywhere one goes with a Bible he will be spotted by the Jews. Many of them would come and sit by me, and I had some of the most interesting conversations of my life with these Jews. Finally a little short man borrowed your book to read the next week, then another man and another. It seems that every Jew had heard of you. The book kept going all that summer and was still in circulation the next summer when I came back to Los Angeles. I requested that it be kept going, and the little man whom I had first met told me that he would keep it going. He said that the whole trouble with the Jewish people was that they had rejected the Messiah.

I have had some very interesting experiences with your books. A brilliant Jewish girl told me that the greatest desire of her heart was to have a true knowledge of God. She had her own ideas of what God should be. I told her to read the New Testament and she would get help. She would not do this at first but her spirit of investigation caused her to read not only the New Testament but your books as well. This girl, together with her father, mother, sisters, and brothers, was converted.

Joel speaks about the pouring out of the Spirit of God upon Israel "before the great and terrible day of Jehovah." If this expression refers to the Tribulation, as many prophetic students believe, there is to be a revival in Israel before the day of the Lord. Since there can be no revival apart from the preaching of the Word, we may be sure that this great ingathering of Jewish souls before the Tribulation will be the result of the preaching of the Word of God, which is now being done.

When the church is taken out of the world by the Rapture, the 144,000 Jewish servants of God (evangelists) of Revelation 7 must have the truth ready to hand so that they can grasp the message, go forth, and give it to the world in the short period of the first part of the Tribulation. These coming evangelists will have neither Bible schools nor institutes which they can attend and no one to whom to go for special training. How can they be prepared to go forth and give the message in the effective manner in which they minister the Word? Specially written books only can meet the need. Hence those who are assisting in sending forth this literature specially prepared for the Jew and adapted to his needs are in reality assisting in the training of these future evangelists. Many of God's faithful servants are now either assisting in training young men for the ministry or supporting institutions in which they may prepare themselves for full-time service. But what is the church doing in training these noble young Jewish servants who will conduct the world-wide, soul-saving campaign after the church is removed from the earth? This is a most important question which demands an answer from every true and wise servant of God. Think on these things.

During these days we hear much about a revival--whether or not there will be one. Light is thrown upon this question by Isaiah 26. The prophet informs us that, "in that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah." This song is recorded in chapter 26. The expression, "in that day," refers to the Tribulation period as is seen by the general use of this phrase and by this special context. A part of that song will consist of the following words:

"8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Jehovah, have we waited for thee; to thy name, even to thy memorial name, is the desire of our soul. 9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee earnestly; for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness."

Let us note the statement that "When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness." When the appeal of love fails to melt the heart very frequently the Judgments of God drive men to their knees as is here foretold. Human experience has taught this fact.

In this connection we might glance at Isaiah 24. Verses 1 to 20 describe the Great Tribulation. Verses 14-16a give a side-light on the spiritual activity of that time, which is that of a world-wide revival that begins in the west, sweeps to the east, and then spreads out to the utmost parts of the earth. It is to be noted that this revival is during the time of the Great Tribulation.

We see also the prediction of a-world-wide revival in Isaiah 42:10-13. In this passage the prophet foretells the revival in terms of a command to the inhabitants of the world to sing a new song. One can never sing a new song unless he has a new experience. This method of making a prediction was common with the prophets. That which gives point and power to the message producing this revival is the doctrine that Jehovah will arise and go forth as a mighty man of war. The revival according to this passage occurs before the Lord goes forth and fights against his enemies, which is at the time of His glorious appearing.

From the New Testament we learn that this age is to end in apostasy and that, when the Lord comes for His saints, there will be very little faith upon this earth. "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). There is no promise of any world-wide, sweeping revival prior to the rapture of the church. Since, according to Isaiah there is to be a world-wide revival before the Lord comes and fights against His enemies, we must conclude that this revival occurs between these two events--the rapture of the church and the revelation of the Lord at the end of the Tribulation. Therefore, we must conclude from these passages and others that might be studied that there is to be a world-wide revival in the time of the Great Tribulation.

The consensus of opinion of all conservative, evangelical, premillennial Christians is that we are nearing the close of the age and that the Lord may come for His church at any time. Furthermore, many of the prophetic students are convinced that after the church is raptured out of the world, the 144,000 Jewish servants of God of whom we read in the seventh chapter of Revelation will take up the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ which is laid down by the ascending church and will go forth into every nook and corner of the world and proclaim Christ. The major results of their evangelistic efforts are seen in the vision, also found in Revelation 7, which immediately follows that of the prediction concerning these Jewish servants. According to the Apostle John, at that time an innumerable host of people from every tribe, tongue, and language hear the message of Christ's redeeming love, accept Him, and wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. From this and many other passages we are assured that this revival of the future will eclipse in magnitude and splendor all other soul-saving campaigns of the centuries.

According to Matt. 24:9-14:
In speaking of the end of the age (Matt. 24:9-28) our Lord foretold the preaching of the gospel for a testimony unto all the nations. When this task is accomplished, the Tribulation will end. Since the church will be removed from the earth before it begins (I Thess. 4:13-5:7) and since the gospel will be preached for a testimony to all the nations at that time, the only conclusion to which one can come is that those who proclaim it are the Jewish evangelists of whom we read in Revelation 7. From this position there can be no logical escape.

According to II Thessalonians II:
The Apostle Paul in II Thessalonians 2 made certain declarations the implications of which are that the gospel is proclaimed to every creature during the first half of Daniel's seventieth week. Prophetic students recognize the fact that the Tribulation lasts for seven years. In verses 1 and 2 of this chapter Paul was speaking of the Rapture and was endeavoring to forestall any possibility of the Thessalonian Christians' being moved from their faith by false reports declaring that the day of the Lord had already come. Following this exhortation the Apostle rapidly took his readers to the middle of the Tribulation period by calling attention to the man of sin who exalts himself above all that is called God and who sits in the Jewish temple presenting himself as God. When this fourth verse is read in the light of Daniel 9:27 we see that Paul was speaking of the events of the middle of Daniel's seventieth week. At that time the Antichrist throws off his mask, lays aside his camouflage, and reveals his real self. Prior to this time, i.e., during the first half of the Tribulation, he has concealed his true nature by using suave speech and flattering words. At this time, however, laying aside all pretense and disguise, he shows his satanic character.

"5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way" (II Thess. 2:5,6,7). These verses are parenthetical in the passage. This position is shown by Paul's calling his reader's attention to the fact that he had explained these prophetic matters when he was with them. Verses 5 and 6 are obviously a retrospect and verse 7, which is linked to verse 6 by the conjunction "For" likewise is part of this bit of reminiscence. When this fact is seen it becomes evident that verse 8 picks up the thought where verse 4 drops it. Since the latter verse is talking about the events of the middle of Daniel's seventieth week and since verse 8 is joined with it by the adverb "then," we know that this verse is likewise speaking of the middle of Daniel's seventieth week. Hence Paul tells us that this man of sin reveals his true nature at that time and that he by the working of Satan comes forth with powers, signs, and lying wonders to support his false claims. All who have not received a love of the truth but who have had pleasure in unrighteousness will be deceived by the pretentious assertions of this world dictator. The necessary inference of this passage is that the truth of God will have at that time been proclaimed to the whole world and that a certain type of people those who do not have a love of the truth and who have pleasure in unrighteousness--are the ones who are deceived by the false claims of this impious ruler. Truth possesses a certain attractiveness and an appeal of love to the heart of the honest. On the other hand, the unrighteous spurn the advances which truth makes to them when it is preached by these 144,000 Hebrew evangelists. Whenever men choose their own way in preference to God's, He will send them a delusion or a working of error, in order that they might be confirmed in the lie which they choose, as is stated here by the Apostle Paul. Further confirmation of this principle is found in Isaiah 66:3,4.

Hence, without doubt, the second chapter of II Thessalonians presupposes the mighty, world-wide, sweeping revival of which we read in Revelation 7. After it has run for the first half of the Tribulation, the Antichrist steps forward, unmasks himself, lays aside his camouflage, asserts his dictatorial powers, suppresses the revival, and demands the worship of all nations. For his blasphemous and defiant attitude and action see Revelation 13.

During this mighty revival of the first half of the Tribulation an innumerable host of people will be saved--those who desire truth and who are hungering and thirsting after God. On the contrary, all of those who during the revival will not receive a love of the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness will fall a ready victim to the deception of the Antichrist.

There are, according to reports, approximately two billions of people on the earth. Should we consider all in the so-called Christian nations as genuine, born-again Christians, which assumption is contrary to fact, there would be without doubt one billion people who have not one time heard the saving message. Since they have not thus far had an opportunity to praise God and rejoice in His salvation, Israel will be brought to the point that she will realize her God-appointed, spiritual mission and will pray for His blessing in order that these multiplied millions may have a chance to rejoice in God and in His salvation.

Since the Holy Spirit would not inspire such a petition and such a vision of the future as that seen in Psalm 67 unless it is to be realized, we may be absolutely certain that the real spiritual, soul-saving campaign in which multiplied millions of people will be won to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ will be conducted by these future Jewish evangelists to whom the church must now give the gospel.

In bringing this section to a close I wish to quote what Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, according to reports reaching my ears, said relative to the failure of Christians to make Christ known to Jewry. "For eighteen hundred years, certainly most of that time, Jews have not been given an opportunity to know what Christianity is, least of all to understand who Jesus is and what the Christ means. The very ignorance of the Jew touching Jesus condemns not the Jew but Christendom." Dear brother, shall we at this critical period of the world's history continue in our lethargy and allow the Jew to remain without a definite knowledge of Christ? The rabbi's condemnation of our failure is just. By God's grace let us arise in His strength and give this glorious message concerning our Lord to His brethren according to the flesh.

When we remember that in the call of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3 and promises based thereon found in Genesis) the Lord declared His intention of blessing the world through him and his seed, we may be certain that He will not turn from this afore-announced purpose of using the Hebrew people in blessing the world.

By divine decree Israel was placed in the key position of the world. This fact is no surprise to one who realizes that God performed a biological miracle which made possible the birth of Isaac, the great progenitor of the Hebrew race. This He did, as we have seen, in order that He might be glorified in the world. In keeping with this plan He placed the nations in their respective territories when He alloted the earth to the peoples, but He did it with reference to the children of Israel, whom He placed in the key position of the world (Deut. 32:8; Ezek. 38:12).

While Israel was in fellowship with God, she was a channel of world-blessing, in that He gave His messages to the prophets and made the nation the repository of the divine oracles. Although she is out of fellowship with Him on account of her having rejected the Messiah, she is not cast aside. Yet in the future, she will turn to Him, that is, the remnant will, and become the channel of world-blessing. Her position in the world at that time will be analogous to that of the kingpin in the game of ninepins. The player, by hitting the kingpin knocks all of them at one stroke. If he hits any others he cannot make such a play. Israel is in the position of the kingpin. Hence, God's heart is yearning over this people in order to bring them back into fellowship with Himself that they may be the ones through whom He will bring His blessings to the world.

That God will yet use her in the future is evident from Psalm 67. Psalm 67:1-4 is both a prayer, which the nation of Israel will use in the great Tribulation, and a prophecy of the marvelous role which she will play in the future great world-revival. A study of this passage shows that its outlook is from the eve of the Millennial Age. The nation of Israel living at that time will realize for the first time its God-given spiritual ministry to the nations and will pray for Him to be merciful unto her "that thy (God's) way may be known upon the earth, thy salvation among all nations." From this verse we learn that in the time here foreseen, God's way and His salvation will not have been made known to the nations. Furthermore, this Scripture reveals the fact that Israel will plead for the Lord's blessing upon her in order that she may be used of Him to make His way and His salvation known among the nations. In this impassioned prayer (vss. 3 and 4) Israel at that time will continue her petition for mercy and His assistance, praising God and saying,

3 "Let the peoples praise thee, O God;
Let all the peoples praise thee.
4 Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy;
For thou wilt judge the peoples with equity,
And govern the nations upon earth" (Psa. 67:3,4).

(Continued on the next page)