CHAPTER VII.

PROPHETIC DATES AND TIMES.

The most difficult passages for solution in the whole Bible are those in which certain periods are referred to in respect to unfulfilled prophecies. This arises from two reasons; firstly, because the times mentioned have rarely a literal meaning, but days are given for years, weeks for weeks of years, or even days for thousands of years, and it therefore becomes necessary to determine the relation of prophetic to actual dates before attempting to interpret the prophecy; and, secondly, because the date from which prophetic periods reckon is either omitted altogether, or referred to only in a somewhat obscure manner. It is, doubtless, easy enough to compute the period of any prophecy after its complete fulfilment, and in all cases where prophecy has been fulfilled the precision of prophetic figures is found to be very exact. In some instances a prophecy has been fulfilled more than once, the period of the commencement of its computation varying in each case. This is due to recurrence of events, which, as a principle, has such an important place in the economy of the world.

For some good reason, no doubt, it has evidently been decreed that, in the majority of cases, the date of the fulfilment of prophecies should not be known beforehand. This rule is, however, not without its exception, and although it has been distinctly declared that the time of the final judgment is hidden from human knowledge, it, nevertheless, behoves all men to read and study the Scriptures, and to endeavour to glean such light from them regarding the purposes of God towards mankind as may be within the scope of

revelation, or the capacity of the human mind to comprehend.

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One of the most clearly defined dates given in prophecy is that contained in the book of Daniel, regarding the time of the Messiah's advent. This prophecy is contained in the following words: "Seventy Dan. ix, 24"weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, "and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most "Holy.

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"Know, therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to "build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and three score and two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in "troublous times. And after three score and two "weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself, " and the people of the Prince that shall come shall "destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end "thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the 66 war desolations are determined.”

It was this prophecy which led the Jews to expect the advent of the promised Messiah at the time when Christ was born into the world, for, by reckoning one day for a year, the seventy weeks referred to would represent 490 years. The commandment to rebuild Jerusalem, from which the computation of the prophetic period dates, is supposed to be that given by Artaxerxes to Ezra, the scribe, in the seventh year of his reign, Ezra vii. 12— 457 years before Christ. Our Saviour was crucified 26. in the 33rd year of his age, and 33 added to 457 exactly makes up the 490 years, which form an equivalent to the seventy weeks of prophecy. The seven weeks and the three score and two weeks, also referred to in the prophecy, are but sub-divisions of the seventy weeks, and are contained within that period, but to what particular events they have reference it is not necessary now to inquire.

Isaiah xxiv. 23.

This period of seventy weeks appears also to bear some similarity to the jubilee year of the Mosaic dispensation, multiplied by ten; that is to say, the time determined on "to finish transgression and to make an "end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity," was ten times forty-nine prophetic years, after which -in the fifth century, or decade of jubilee-the consequences of those events would naturally result in the freedom from sin of those to whom the prophecy had especial reference.

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Reading further we find the prophecy declaring also that the same seventy weeks were determined upon the Jews and upon their holy city "to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." These latter words appear to have reference to some still more remote event than the coming of the Messiah, and thus the prophecy assumes a double meaning.

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The end of all prophecy will have been fulfilled when Israel and Judah shall have returned to their own land and "the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients glori"ously." Then also will the Most High be anointed King over His people, and the mysteries of God shall all be revealed. When that time shall come we know not, and it would be little short of presumption to attempt to fix a date for the accomplishment of those things; but it would appear from the prophetic period fixed for that purpose, that the anciently ordained jubilee year may be held to have been a type of this, as well as of other periods decreed concerning events in the history of God's elect people.

That the Messiah was expected at the time of Christ's advent appears clear from the remark made by Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, who said to his brother Simon, "We have found the Messias." And, again, the woman of Samaria, whom our Saviour met at Jacob's well, obJohn iv. 25. served, "I know that Messias cometh, which is called "Christ." It is, therefore, evident that the Messiah

John i. 41.

was expected, and as that name occurs only once in the Old Testament writings, the expectation of his coming must have been due to Daniel's prophecy above quoted. It is not difficult to understand how the Jews in our Saviour's time, being in expectation of a great king to rule over them, should have rejected Christ, who came to them in so different a form to what they anticipated; but it seems almost incomprehensible how they still should remain bigoted and unbelieving, now that they can examine the Scriptures quietly and deliberately, and weigh the evidences of His identity with the Messiah, unbiassed by the heat of party strife or religious intolerance. In God's good time, however, the blindness shall be removed from their eyes, and they shall worship the Redeemer of Israel and the Saviour of the world.

Our Saviour's death and burial was essentially a type of the state of Israel, and its predestined career. Christ being crucified was buried, and so represented the helpless and desolate state of Israel in His days. After the second day from His death Christ rose from the dead, and in the third day He resumed His ministration and appeared again alive before the world. Thus also was it prophesied concerning Israel, "After Hos. vi. 2. two days will He revive us; in the third day He "will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.'

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Before attempting a fuller interpretation of this prophecy, it is necessary carefully to consider the prophetic periods referred to, with a view to discover the actual times intended to be conveyed by it. Now, it is clear that in the foregoing passage literal days are not intended to be understood, neither can any satisfactory interpretation be arrived at by reading years for days.

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In the second epistle general of St. Peter, we find it stated that "one day is with the Lord as a thousand 2 St. Pet. iii. years, and a thousand years as one day." Applying 8. the key thus given, the prophecy of Hosea not only seems capable of reasonable interpretation, but its fulfilment will be found to have been already in part

accomplished. The date from which the prophetic days are to be reckoned is left entirely to the imagination, and the specific periods are so extensive that a very wide range of time is embraced within which the events referred to are to be accomplished. This is, however, no reason why the prophecy should be more difficult of interpretation than others apparently given in more minute detail.

This prophecy would apparently be wholly incomprehensible were it not already accomplished in part; but whilst it is possible to recognise what has been fulfilled, and to show the dates during which the partial fulfilment has occurred, it is wholly impossible to state to what time its final fulfilment extends, excepting that the whole prophecy is confined-according to the following interpretation-to 3,000 years. But not only is the period uncertain, but the event foretold is of such a nature that it would probably be impossible to fix any exact date for its accomplishment, even after it must have come to pass.

The words in the prophecy are supposed to be spoken by Ephraim, and from the context they appear to be addressed by Ephraim to Judah. As has been shown in a preceding chapter, according to the words of prophecy, Judah is, in the latter day, to be converted by Israel, or Ephraim; therefore, in the prophecy now under consideration, we find the latter addressing Judah, and saying, "Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He "hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us; in the third day He will "raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.'

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The first question for consideration in examining this prophecy is the date from which it is to be reckoned. Now, if we are right in assuming that the words are spoken by Ephraim, it is probable that the three days of the prophecy should be calculated from the final dispersion of the kingdom of Israel, which occurred 721 years before Christ. Taking then that