The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

CHAPTER FIVE: Foundation Laid in the Old Testament

I. The Long-Range View of Bible Prophecy

The central theme of the Bible, from Genesis on through to Revelation, is the redemption of man. The lofty purpose of all Sacred Scripture, from the first whisper of hope in Eden to the last triumphant note of the Apocalypse-“They shall see His face, and His name shall be in their foreheads”-is the restoration of the image of God in the soul. This is its dominant note and undeviating provision, about which its many prophecies cluster. And all this is wondrously wrought out through Christ, the center and circumference of man’s hope, the source of all grace, the desire of all ages, and the hope of the world. PFF1 110.1

The story of Christ’s mysterious incarnation at the first advent, His sinless life on earth, followed by His atoning, substitutionary death on Calvary, as “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” then His triumphant resurrection and ascension, His priestly mediation in the courts above, and finally at its fateful close His second glorious advent to redeem His saints and destroy sin, runs like a golden thread throughout all Scripture, and gives us the full sweep of the glorious plan of salvation. PFF1 110.2

1. CLIMAX OF THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION

The foretelling of it all, and its glorious climax, and often the unfolding sequence and relationship of part to part, is the burden of the prophets; and the eschatological prophecies that we are about to trace, embodying the doctrine of the last things, are simply concerned with the last phases of the redemptive plan of the ages. Prophecy discloses God’s creative and redemptive energy in action, for the restoration of man and the “restitution of all things.” (Acts 3:21.) The first and second advents of Christ are the two grand foci around which this entire redemptive plan of God revolves. All history moves toward these two transcendent events. And the events of the latter days, that cluster about Christ’s second coming, have long been looked to by the expositors of prophecy through the centuries as the climactic features of all prophecy and promise. PFF1 110.3

2. THE TWIN CENTERS OF PROPHECY

For ages astronomers studied the star-spangled heavens to find the secret of the movements of the spheres. They pondered the millions of suns sweeping through boundless space, and the planets wandering among them without confusion or conflict, swinging on with intricate precision in their ceaseless cycles. Even after men discovered that the earth and the planets moved in orbits about our sun, they tried in vain to calculate the path of their orbits on the basis of circles through the heavens. Their thought was fixed on a single center for each orbit. But such calculations would not work out. They led only to confusion, conflict, and chaos. Finally Kepler found that these celestial orbits are ellipses, therefore having two centers, as it were, or foci. Then astronomical calculations of the courses of the planets became harmonious and exact. This basic law of the solar system had been found. PFF1 111.1

There is a striking parallel in contemplating the plan, of orbit, 6f salvation. Multitudes have sought to fathom the provisions of God’s great redemptive movements, but have thrown the orbit around a single center-the first coming of Christ nineteen centuries ago. Redemption, however, has two foci. It circles around the second coming of Christ as well as around the first. These twin points-the tragedy of the cross and the triumphant return of Christ-are inseparable. Only thus does the plan of salvation become complete and harmonious. Only in the light of this sublime truth can we understand otherwise confusing and seemingly contradictory lines of prediction in the Old Testament concerning the coming Messiah-some telling of His coming in weakness and humiliation, in sorrow and grief, with visage marred and hands pierced; others pro claiming a glorious and resistless sovereign, purging the earth of sin and sinners, delivering His people and inaugurating everlasting peace. PFF1 111.2

But once grasp this mighty truth of the two comings, and one possesses the key to the divine movements of the ages- past, present, and future; the solution of a thousand confusing problems, and the rational basis of the only true philosophy of history. Around these two events revolve the issues of time and eternity. PFF1 112.1

3. ABRAHAM AND THE “LONG-RANGE VISION.”

The Hebrew prophets of old, God’s special messengers of the time, not only called for a return to God in their own day, but also spoke concerning the final restoration to come. Often their earlier’ prophecies were but fragmentary-flash pictures, as it were, of vital events along the way. The sequences were not always clearly given, and the relation of part to part not always expressly revealed. But they set forth one aspect or another of this fundamental purpose of God for the restoration of man. However, Daniel and, later, John give us full outlines in chronological sequence which furnish the setting and locate in time some of these earlier fleeting glimpses Prophecy is therefore a means to a glorious end-the disclosure of the plan of God in operation, that men might recognize its unfolding fulfillment, that they might believe and accept the Christ of the gospel. (John 14:29; Acts 10:43.) PFF1 112.2

Abraham was an early prophet, though not understanding the full significance of his own message. (Genesis 20:7.) Partial and restricted views have been frequent along the way. It has been here a little glimpse of the plan of God, and there a little further unfolding of His redemptive purpose. Abraham thought of Isaac as the divinely promised “seed,” and looked at first for an immediate, literal, fleshly fulfillment, though later he did look for, and rejoice in, Christ’s day. (Genesis 12:1-4; 15:13; 21:12; John 8:56) But the apostle Paul was shown by inspiration that when speaking to Abraham, God’s promise was not to the literal seed but to the spiritual seed” to come, even Christ.’ (Galatians 3:16, 29.) So Abraham is plainly the father of spiritual Israel-those who individually choose to be governed by God. This was the larger, “long-range vision,” as it has aptly been called, that clarifies many an otherwise baffling prediction concerning Israel and its restoration. PFF1 112.3

Because Abraham obeyed Him, God made an oath that He would bless all nations through him, and that Abraham would lead the royal line to come from every kindred. But because the descendants of Abraham lost-sight of this spiritual-nation concept, Moses sought to correct their self-complacency and perverseness. (Deuteronomy 7:7-9; 4:32-40; 8:3.) However, this attempt was also largely in vain. So Moses was a prophet-spokesman, who because of his voluntary, self-sacrificing love for Israel, thus became a type of Christ, and was the leader of spiritual Israel. (Exodus 32:30-32.) Arid to him it was granted to appear with Christ on the mount of transfiguration. (Luke 9:28-36.) PFF1 113.1

4. CRISIS IN DAYS OF AHAB

The tendency to localize and materialize the great prophetic promises of God was the bane, of Israel all through the years, and ultimately proved her undoing. But prophetic guidance in material things, during the early days of Israel’s occupancy of Palestine, was given with the primary thought of illustrating and assuring God’s guidance in spiritual things. (Hosea 12:13; Judges 10:l0-l4.) Note three crises in the years of the divided kingdoms that illustrate this principle. And mark the large group of the prophets raised up to meet each issue. This indicates God’s concern for His ancient people. PFF1 113.2

First, the issue which culminated, in the days of Ahab, was; Who is God—Jehovah or Baal? Many prophets—Ahijah (1 Kings 11:29), Shemaiah (1 Kings 12:22-24), Hanani (2 Chronicles 16:7), Jehu, son of Hanani (1 Kings 16:1-7; 2 Chronicles 19:2), and Micaiah (2 Chronicles 18:7-16)—had borne messages from God which, if heeded, would have helped to give the answer. But Elijah was the pre-eminent spokesman who, by his teaching and his living, did most to bring a revival of true worship, and to give the people the true concept of the restoration of the image of God in man’s heart. (1 Kings 17 ff.) His part was so marked and so vital that he, like Moses, was recognized and honored by association with Christ on the mount of transfiguration, (Luke 9:28-36.) From this period, however, we have no prophetic writings. PFF1 114.1

5. SECOND CRISIS AT DESTRUCTION OF SAMARIA

The second crisis was in the closing period of the northern kingdom of Israel, preceding the destruction of Samaria. The issue was their independence of God. During the reigns, of Amaziah Jeroboam 2, and Uzziah, Israel and Judah had extended their borders up through Syria to the Euphrates country, and had become very wealthy. In their self-sufficiency they laughed at Hezekiah’s entreaties to return to the Lord. (2 Chronicles 30:5-10.) Selfish materialism characterized the day. And the second group of prophets that appear about this time—Jonah, probably Joel, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah—likewise seek to correct this gross materialism. Arid each has likewise the long-range vision, which was constantly emphasized. ¹ PFF1 114.2

6. THIRD CRISIS IN DAYS OF JERUSALEM’S DESTRUCTION

And finally, in the days of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian Exile, rebellion against God was the grave issue. Evidently because the prophecies of Isaiah were not immediately and literally fulfilled in their day, Judah rebelled against God’s leadership, rejected His spokesmen, and refused allegiance to the Creator. Jeremiah complained of their obstinacy. (Jeremiah 25:1-30.) PFF1 114.3

The prophets of this time—Nahum, Obadiah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel—similarly sought to get their fellow Jews to accept the long-range plan of God for them, ² and the coming day of God. But again this endeavor was largely in vain. PFF1 115.1