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IM7.]
variety. Even the most elaborate and the most nccessf'al de·
ICription of them, like a graphic account of Athens or of Mempbia,
could accomplish little more than lb incite a desire in the reader
to view them for bimself: And this, in the eaa~ of Homer at leut,wonld be precisely what we could wisb. It is a book which de1el'Ye8 to be read, and to be stndied, far beyond the attenti.
which it receives; and we are glad that the facilities fOr under·
Nading it are now so greatly multiplied.1

ARTICLE VI.
rBB SPlBIT 011' PROPHECY IN RELATION TO TID I'UTUBll
CONDITION OF THE JEWS.
B, .... Latl1er P. Dlaamlck, N.wbtarJllOrt. ]If. . .

TIm future coDdition of the Jews, is a subject which bu rea
ceived, from various SOllrceS, DO small attention. The su~eot.
worthy of attention. It is worthy of attention, for its own sate,
Eyery branch of truth, and every department of the divine operatioos, baa iD it somethiDg to repay iDvestigatioD. The connectioa
of tIlia Bl1bjeet with other themes, imparts to it a Btill higher iDa
tereat. The right Dndel'8tanding of it will lead to some view. or_Dtial importance, in regard to the general character of the reo
ligion of the Bible; besides which, some lessons of practical duo
ty will grow out of it The JewB have been a people greatly diatiapiabed.. Their origin was remarkable,-Abraham, tbe fa·-------- - - - - - - - -We .hould not omit to mE'DtioD, in thi. place, Mr. OweD'. ezcelleDt editiOD
ortbe Ody_y. With the Sattering notice. or it which hue already appeaml.
_ rally CODcar. The Nil.ur uDderatand. the waDta of the atudeDt, aDd po.
_much .kill in meeting tht'm. Hi. work deRrye. and will rt'ceiYe the
IbaDb of _DY who read the .tory of the mllcb'waaderin, OdY_1lIo• TM early dNipation of the people wa•• "luael." "children of l.nel."deriYed from Jacob their fath~r. who obtained the aurname of /rracl. at the Ieaarbble _De of Pt'nDt'I. wheD he obtained a aignal an.wer to pnyer. (GeD.
311: 2t-3O). Bllbaequent1Y.llller the diyiaion of the tribe8. the two branche. ofthe olion were Judah and "raE'l. Judah being tht' principal tribe of the di• •00 to which it belonged. At It'ngth. I.rael being remond. and Judah. or the
IInDcb pu8ing UDder that name. being tht' part that remaiDN. and with which
tile Cbrietian world hu had the moat connt'CtioD. Wf! 11M thi. lerm,J._.eomeIi-, thoap rather improperly... iDeludin, the whole people.
I

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[."ther of the iaiibfDI. and the frie. of God. I'or two t _ _ _,..... Ibey eonstitllted God's visible ohurcll, while all the oth._tioDs of the world were Jeft without tbe imprueive meroiCul
YiatatioDa with which they were filvored. Throllgh thia dark period, theJ wen the depositaries of the oacIes ad the onli .......
et the true reIiPMa. for the world', beaeAt in 8DbseqneDl titae.
ADd tInop them came. at leDgtli. tH wurid'a Deliverer. u theLight aod Lire of men." To tbeae tbiap the apoetle alludea:.. What advantage. then. hath the Jew! or what profit is there incircnmciaioD ? Mach every way; chidy becaaae that unto themwere committed the oracles of God." (Bam. 3: 1.2). .. To whompertaineth the adOptiOD. and the glory. and the coven1lllta. and thegiving of the law. and the service of" God. and the promi....
Whose are the fathers. aadorwhom aa concemiag the flesh Christ
eame. who is over all God bleaaed for ever. AmeD." (Rom. 9: 4;6).
'ltae ptUt. iD ~spect to them. is full of woodelL
The present state of the Jews. as every ODe DOws. is a stateof dispersion. Reckoned at about aiz millioD" they are scatteredthrough almoat every part of the civilized world.1
In felpeel to the fbtltre condition of the J .... two leadiog YieWII
me eatertaiDed. ODe is, that of their literal reatoratioa to Fa\eetiee. the Iud oftbeir fathers; the re8l!tabUahment olth_ aatioDai
JIOIilY and wonhip; their CODvereioD to Christ, aDd his Nipemonr them. marked with peculiar mauifestatiooa 01 the eli..,flavor, making them the head of all the Dations of the earth......
peculiar people in time to come. as they have beeD ill time pat.
80me "'Ppol8 Christ will deleend peraoaally. aod Nigo pe'-ally. in his bodily presence. at their head. ia PalestiDe, makiDg all
1l8lionl subject to them. and using them as his instrumenta, or-prime ministers. iD carryill~ forwent his purpoees in the other putsof the world. The other view entertained respecting them, is,that they wiU be converted to Christ, and, Ua common wit4 all. . . tICIIioM, putalEe in tbe bleuinp of his reign OD earth aud inheaven.I.Ying their olltwani ~arthly condition to be detenniaedby circnmstancel. and by general providencea, in the -me maDDer as that or all other nations is determined. In the investigation of this subject. it is not a mere superficial view of
I .. Of the t.wo and a half tribe. whicb removed east. of tbt!- t.raD ...JoManio
cit.ietl, Judah and Bt-njamin. and half Man_h,1 compote the nllm~r in t!'ftry
part of ilie world .1 eJ:cet!'dingliJ: millions. Oftbe mi.ing nine and a balf
tribes. parlofwhich are in Turkey. China, Hindo.taD, Penia, aad OD thi. COD~Dt, it ia im.,-ible to _flam their Dumerical force."-M . .II. Nod'. DY..,..., pp. 86, 37.

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Google-IM7.]it, with wbieh we IbaaIcl be aatilfied. It •• ..-.;.ct whicla ea... deeplJ into the ecoaomy 01 the . .pel. ael inYOlv.. pri_pili of the yery highest __eat iD the iDlerpretatiea of the Bible.
'1\e ppel itMIf, iD lOIIle importaat reapect.. borrowa ita ......
fer fium the ID8DDef in which this queation is Htdeci.
I would aot conoeal it DOW at tile bepnma,. that I have 1_
wddeDce in the liItJralin thie matter. thaD lOme olbers ha.... Botl
will DOt fonMall tile . . .
They shalilpeak for tbemael"et.
The a"lIlfIIIts ulpd in favor oftbeir liImIl .........tioa. aad tile.....WiahmeutoftheirpolitJ ucl wolllhip. with the pecIlliar .......
althe diviDe favor referrecl to, are several: L The OOV. . . .t, bywhich God CODveyed the laDcl of Pal. . . . to Abraham ucl ...
,...erity. it is aaid. is declared to be a ev.rluting COYeDUt.....
... Iud ia CODveyed u aD eVerlasting poueaeiou. Tbe lMdiDr........ are the followiDg: Geu. 17: 7.8; 26: 3; 48: 3,4; Pa. IDa:
8-11. which the reader m.y CODsolt iD their reapectift plaeeL
Now. it is said. lriace the coyeDaDt giving 10 1.....1the laDel of Ca·..... is IUl .. ev....tiDg ocw....t,.. aDd the laDd il liVeD to them
. . aD .. eyerluting "Ie.ioa." the people mlllt retuna aDd el. . .
tIIere; . . the plOllliae of God faila,-bia gruioul coveuDt is. . fulfilled.' I l It is said that the laad, deacribed iD vancJIIDID" to tlae patriarchs. has never Jet, the whole oC it. baeD,..ealed by their a.cead8 nta; and, u the promise euaDOt fail.
the people moat. on this acconnt aIeo, retum. that 1M __ ofwhat ia promiaecl them may he pnt in their poueuion. The b0rders of the laad are freqoently describecl in the Scriptllrea. .u,
to Abraham: II Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the rivel
fIi Egypt, unto the great river. the river Ellphrate.... (Gen. 14: 18-).
By Afoees ita borders are more particularly DOticed. The aubIIaDce of the ..atement ia, that the Iud was bounded on themath by the wilderness of Zin, along the coast of Edom, to theouter coast of the Sail Sea euuvard; and, westward, by a line
puling througb Kadeab·bamea to Asmon. and the river of EuPt.
BOiag oat at the _,-the great .ea, or Mediterranean. On t_west, "ye .haIl even have the great .ea for a border; this .hall
be your west border." On the north, .. from the great .ea, J8
shall point out for yon Mount Hor; and from Mount Hor, to theentrance of Hamath. and to Zedad. and Ziphron, and Hazar·eua." .ADd on the eut, .. the border shall descend, and .hall
leaCh nato the aide of the _ of Chinnereth, and go down to Jor·dan, aDd the goings ont of it shall be at the Salt Sea," (Num. 3t:

8M....

I ..

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3-12). Within these boundaries, it will be seeD. the eonntry
eut of the Jordan is Dot included. The two tribes aad a balt
bad all't'ady taken JlOSseuion of that couDtry; and it was notnecessary to speak of it, iD assigning the bouDdariel to the inheritance of the otber Dine tribes and a hal£ The country aut of
the Jordan is immediately afterwards mentioned, with the tribesthat had received it for their inheritance. as a separate item. (va.
16). The geDeral representation of the Scriptures ioelud_
apreuly thi. eastern country also. .. From the river of Egypt.
1lDto the great river, the river Euphratea." "From the wildernell, and Lebanon, from the river. the river Euphrates, evea
1lDto the uttennost sea, shall your coast be:' (DeIiL 11: :u). From
the wildemeu of Zin and Edom on tbe BOuth, to LebanOD andthe entraace of Bamath on the north. and from the Euphrates OIl
the east, to the MediterraneaD OD the wesLl Now it is insiatid.
that this land has never, tbe whole of it, been possessed by thedeacendants of Abraham; and that, therefore, they must return.
ud be reinslated there in their oatioDal capacity, in order thatthe promise may be fulfiUed to them. There is a uecessity for
their literal reatoratiou, and a reOrgauization of their polity. that
Me UJItok of the laud described, Dlay be subjected to them, aadeajoyed by them. Without such restoration, iD this respect alao
tbe covenant of God fails.- III It is argued, that there areI'.

. 1 Bee &leo Joabua 13: 5, and Judge. 3: 3, where menticm il made of the .. elltering into Hamath" .. the north border.
• It hal been contended bYII(lIne, that" the- river of Egypt," me-nlioned iD
the covenant witb Abraham, and in de8cribing the boundariel of the land, iD
NUlDben, i. the Nile; and that, therefore, a half of Egypt itaelf i. included intile promiRd land. Bee Keith·. Land of l.rael, p. 81. ete. Bat of thi. there
doeII not aeem to be lut6cienl proof. JOIhua lpe-aU of the riftr U Sihor, which
iI bPfore E,ypt," (13: 3); i. e. which ruDI, on the borden between Egypt alld
Pale-atine. JerPmiah lpe-u.a ofthi. river, and 8&yl: .. Whal hut thou to do ill
the way of Egypt, to drink the waLPr. of Sibor t' (Jer.2: 18). What moreaatanl, in the inhabitant. of Pall"lline-, than to call thi. the rive-r of Egypt, di.idinl, .. it doN, Egypt hm their own territory?
Moreover, where il the nidence that any of the patriarchl, or any ACredwriter, ever conlidered Egypt, or any part of it, .. belongin, to the promi_
land ? When Abraham Wl'nt down into Egypt to IOjourn there, becalllC .. there
wu a famine in the land," he doe. not appeoar to have done it .. one going toanothe-r part of hi. own prolDilPd inheritance-, but to the inheritance of anotherpeople; and whe-n the famine had labaided be retarned again to hi. former
place, (Gen. xii. xiii). When Jacob wa. about to die, he ...id to Joeeph : .. Bury
me not, 1 pray thl"e, in Egypt. But I will lie with my father., and thOIl .haIt
carry me out of EID'Pt, and bury me in their buryinl place," (G~n. 47: 29.
30). He considered Palettine u hi. home, and the p1aoe where he oacht toDigitized by

Google18&'1.)"'1. .y Gpreu decluatiolltl of Seriptare, giving espJicit aod 1m....-.ble U8IJJUlC8. that the ned of Abraham, onee pouee... of Paleatiae, ....n be restored, ...d po..... the Iud . . .
l1li enjoy there apin their former aatioDal. polity. This b~of abe .ubject isof mach importulee, and ahall receive d...
ItteIltiaa. IV. Tbenlue aeveral important circumstances 00...
aected with the·Jewish people, it is contended. which favor their
Iiteal aEllllotatioa....d their exalted ...d 10D« COIltinDed DlltioDal
PrJ ia their ueie.t land. It is OODK"lOU8, it is thought, wit~
the distinctions they bave already enjoyed, tbat tbey should be... grady distinguished in fotare. .. Their put exaltation. tbeirpreaea& clegradatioa. and their flltare glory." preaoming the flllore.... the put, u are events IInparalleled io the biatory of IlILtiona...
(Frey. Judah and larael, p. 249). II The wonderful pruerfttioa
orltbe Jew.) .. a di8tinct Dation. is ...other uplDent in favor
oflheir [literal] retam to their own land. No people bave 000·
lined uDmixed 80 long as they .ve clone." lb. pp. 291. 292.
• Aaother IUplDfJDt, is tbe general expectation of the people toftIIiIJa to tu laad of their fathers. This desire is iaterwov.,.. ill
111 their prayers from day to day, ...d more paniatluly 80 ia the
JllaJ818 lOr tbe feetivala. especially OD the feast of the puaoYer.
where it is _d IepeIltedly: • TIlia year we are beIe, at the ...,,., we sbaD be in the land of Iuael.'" lb. p. 293. Apin: ".A.... 1"eIIlUbble cm.-taDC8 aad strong arpuDent in &vor ofdae people's returniag agaia to the land or their fathera," ia, II that
1IIeJ .... 80 situated. that at the shortest notice they &Ie ready andable flO clepart as eui1y as when &her came oa.t of EgypL" "The,.... DO ....cIecl property. or civil or other CODneoUGu, to cletai.
..... Their poae88ions, consisting ia movables, may euily
be conveyed with. them." lb. 294. 296. Moreover. it is said. theJaad seems, in the providence of God, to be specially preserved... them, not beiag iDhabited, except very _parael,., by any o\Urpeople; ancl the way ........ even DOW. p...,.nng. by tl.e break·GIl.

AdM) J_ph whea he wu about to die," took aa oath orthe children
fII brae!. _yiag, God will aarely .iait you, aad ye ab.n carry ap my boaeII&am beaee," (lb. 50: 1/). Be, too, .It that, not Ecpt, bot Palediae. wu theappropriate 110.,., pJloe tor billL Alltl the _ _ be ezp. . .y _ipa ia &lie,..al." . . - : .. OM will .,.ly .ilii 1OU, ull ~riq 101& ollL of thia l_~. . . 1M Iuul wbicll he aware to Abraham. to 1 _ &Dd to J&COb," (y.24).
~pt, thea. wu aot the Iud which God aware to thell! patriarch.. PaielLine__ the laad i and EI1pt, Dot &Dy part of it, wa. incl.ded within its borden.
.. 'fte riftr of £mt,'. tlMmtlbre,
not the Bile, bllt tile rift'l ...... Itdmt
EuP'.-ia . . . .1' oI. .,.,"-Ibe rifWlbM jiftded .... t"o enalr_

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ing up of the Ottoman power, for their retuna. lb. pp. 296, 297.
With thelle things, additional to the others mentioned, in favorof
the doctrine of a literal relltoration, who can doubt, it ill demanded,that a literal restoration will take pltlce ? .. The denial of it may
welllleem to be an impeachment of the troth of God, in regard
to the very thing on which he hath Ita ked hi8 faithCulneIL"
Keith, p. 66.
Such is the substance of the argument, 110 far as we have seen
it stated, in filvor of the literal restoration, and the future earthly
glory, of the Jewish people.
We come now to the examination of the diJfereut branches ofthis argument. And here we do not hesitate to express our CODviction, at the outset, that they are not valid, for 80 much as tbeir
friends would make of them. We confess we ineline to the beJiet that prophecy assures Ull ooly of the conversion of the Jews
to Christ, in common with other nations, and of their participationin the blessings of his reign, on eart h and in heaven, leaving theiroutward earthly condition to be determined by circomstances, uad
by general providencell, in the same manner u that of all othernations is determined.
It is proper to be observed here, that those who take this latterview of the case, do not pretend to determine that the Jews win
not, in the progress of events, return, in lOme numbers, to Palestine. 'nley may do so i and possibly, tinder mistaken notio.,..
endeavor to reestablish their polity and worship. What they will
do, it may not be for us to say, any more tban it is, what uay
mher nation will do. The question is, Whether tbe ScriptllreB,
rightly interpreted, do in faet teach any lIuch thing u this literal
restoration and reelltablishment of their institutionll i whether this
doctrine of literaliam, as to them, is to be taken u a true aDd veritable part of Christianity, and Christianity is to be made re8poD.sible for the eanying out of tbe scheme it contemplates? Is this,in filet, the development into which Christianity is to unfold! Is
this the great form it is to assume? Or is the work: which Christianity is to perform in the earth, of a different character?
1 The argument supposed to be found in the covenant with
Abraham, called .. an everlasting covenant," and giving to him
and his posterity the land of Can,aan for an everlasting possealion," wbich covenant was renewed to Isaac and to Jacob, and isrecognized in lIubsequent Scriptures.
The argument here presented contains two points to be considered. Its validity tuma,follt, 00 the import of the word" ewrII

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1tIttIiIw," as ullflll in lbis COIlIlectioa; whether it meua, here, a full
aad abeolute etemity i or whether it is modified by the Abject 10
which it relates, aad is to be iaterpreted of a protracted yet leaer....tioo; and,~, OD the queatioD, whether, if there be in
the COYeD8at a deeper alemeDt, readering it strictly eternal, tha&elemeat has relereaoe to the literal Canaao, or to IIOmething of
which the literal Cuaan was a shadow and a figwe; whethew•... in the proan- or thiDp. the coveaantfnJJilled, it will DOt.-mally throw oil its earthly appeaciagea, and riae and ucloM aapiritual good. of which all fignrea &Dei shadows in thia world are
hat the faiDt iIlDBtratiOD.
The expreuio...... everlastiog covea&Dt," " everluting poeaea_," are. in themaelvea. capable of either of these two interpretations. They may mean a coyeDUlt, a poaeuioa. abaolutaiJ
without limits, atric&1y eterDal; or they may mean a covenant, aPOlleasiOD. of an endnriDg character. for a 1cmg, yet limited period, circumstaDces requiring lOch limitatioa.
or thi. latter DBe of the WOld " everlutiog." or ita equivaleDt.
ia the Scriptures, we have DDm8lOD8 inslancea.1 God say. of tbe
that it is a tolteo of .. the everluting coveDaDt betweeo
him and every living creatDre of an h h that is UPOD the earth ..
(Gea. 9: 16). a coy_ant of very loag-duration, the meaning is;tMugh. aeconIiDg to the common doctrine, the time will comewhen the uraogement will cease. as the world itself will be destroyed. though Dot by flood. Again, he said to A.braham reIpeCtiDg cilOlUIlCisioa: "ADd my covenant shall be in yoar d _b an everlaating coveaant," (Gen. 17: 13). Yet ciIOumciaioa isabolished, Do'oae, probably, supposes ever to be revived as an ordiaaoee in the church of God. or the paBIOver it was said: .. Ye.... keep it a feut by an ordiDaDC8 forever," ( h 12: 14). Yet
Ihe paaaover baa ceued. .. Christ ODr pullOver," the SUBSUXoa•.. beiDg aacri&ced for os .. (1 Cor. 4: 7). the Mt.ItJI1III baa ded away.
oe the aervant wbq wished to remaia with his muter. it is said :.. BiB muter ahall bore his ear throogh with au awl, aDd he shalllelYe him forever" (Ex. 21: 6.). perpetnally. that is. as loog as helives, though DOt literally without _d. The priesthood of AaroD... called "an everlaating priesthood" (Ex. 40: 16); yet lbe prieatlIoocI of AaroD .... ceuecl. Of the greatanaual atooement amoac
tbe JeWB, it was aid: " Tbis shall be &D everlaaling statute Wdo

u.

_bow.

1 The oriplal word IDOIt uaaIly employed i. ~\;" either alone, or ill- - of ifII . . . . . . . ; thoap CMMIIIII-.u, __ olhtr ....... ill DIed.

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JOII."(WV.J8:S&): yetthatanaU at................ The
lIouse.lOkl ia a walled ait,. DOt redeemed in a,.... it wuclecned.
• . .1 be eatabli8bed fOrever to him that boutrht it.. (Lev. 16: SO) i
aot for a literal etemit" but while the houae eDda... Of .......
bought of the heatheD. it·is IBid: ., Tbey shall be JOur bond·mea(Ib. ".46); Mall ootSO oat. tbat is, at tbe year ofju~
bat ..maio duriDg life. The bIowiag of wampew, it WIUI aid . .
1M J.ws, II .hall be eo JOu for an ordi_ Conwei' (Nom.l1: 8);
aot etemally, bllt wbile the J.wish eCOllOlD, .hoDld _ore. TM....p of atoa. at Jordaa, JOIhaa aid: ....hall be a memorial aulD\he children oC brael fore"er" (Josh. 4: 7): .. memorial oCloa« COIl_ . . . . oDwud tbrollgb the agea before them. .... the meaniDg.
It baa ceued. or 8aaaael. about to be leA at the tabenacle, iI:.... laid: II &bat he ...y appear before abe LonI. ud tbere abide..."... (1 Sara. 1: 22); DOl at.ohltel,. and iD tllelUsh-t ......
be"er. bllt perpetually. daliag ... aatoral lite. Achiah said toDavid: II I will mate thee keeper or mille bead . . eYer" (1 Bam.
28: 2) i DOt IUIJ
certaialy. t.... tbey IIotta 8hottld
Ab. . ..ad tGJoab: .. Sbal1 ta.-1WOId d.".. Core"..'!"' (2 Sam.2:.);u.n our . . . ad _r.. be pNtracted ... ? Solomon said of&he .....-: -I have boilt &bee .. hoG.. to dwell iD. a _lied plaoe. . abee to abicle iIa C...."..,· (I KiBp 8: 13); ... God aid ia . .
. , . , : II I bave hallowed this hoaIe, which thea IIut built. to , .
m, Dame there foreni' (lb. ~ 3) ; yet SotodlOll'. templelOlll . . . .
ceased. The eldent who oouaelJed .ltoboul toto tile. .aea.. of tbe people, added.: • \Ilea tbe, will be tAy IerftIdII...".". (1 KiDp 12: 7); DOt Icmger. oertaiDl" tbaD. elley allbe".,,'

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.-..waive.
ADd tbele are bat apeeimeu of a ... wbieb ill &eqaeat in " Billie. ·Ifit be iaquired, how we IIhaD ttetermine, ia cWIereot~
whether the _preslioa8, • 8ftllutiag." II t'oIeYer." ... etIMmt fIf
eqaiftleat ia.port, are 10 be .adenlOod oC a "." loDIf lime, or of"lutel, unlimited duratioD. ttle aDSwer is, tile 8Ubject matter ef. . diJoolll'Ie, and the COIIIlectlons 01 tbe pruII8g8, mut fIlrailh tile
IUle of jadpteaL Nor is tbia a far-fetched rule, to IIrY8 a p1II..... The whole geDias 01 laDguage: rata apoa this pftDaip&e.
Wont. baYe differeBt mean. ADd &be putioalar me8lliag, i ••. . . . eue, IDOIt be ......ined by tbe Abject.r alae disco.....
- ' by tIae CODIlectioDe in which the woJd....... 'l'Iae Mpreaiou, II eYerlaatiag," I. CoreYer," in the JlUI88- abo"e mentioaed, muat be tho limited by &heir CODDecIioDl, and the .ubjecIIJ~ the diaeoaJM ill wIIioh tbey are ued. AIl .....te uoueity• Digitized by

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aista for IlUch limilatioD.

They can mean only, dOriDS the pre-IeDt ecooomy of tbiDp, or while the world shall continue, _dlll'ias the Jewiah cliapensatioo, where the ritee I,.coliar totIIat. dispeaaation were lpoken of, or doring nataral life. whe..
IIICh was the aubject of dilCOol'II8. ADother fact may be IIddecl
1Iere; which, with a believer in the literal ..storation. will haY•..;pt. In lhe prophecy of Jeremiah, the people of Judea ...
spoken of .. haviQg alidden back with a II perpetual bacbliding"(8: 6) i which is about equivaleDt to the word e\"'erlaatiDg; yet ....
hIeblidiog is not sappoMd to be atrictly eteraL Apin, of tM
judgments to come upon them, it is aaid: .. to make their laDd
dtllOlale, .Dd a perpetual biasing," strictly. according to t.he aripul,". hiasiogforever," ~iJ, (18: 16). ADdapin, "tomate th_
ID 18loDishment, and a biuing, and perpetual deaolatiooa," _IilelaJly, IICCOIdios to the original, .. delOlatiou for ever,"~ 9). The delOlatioM, after all, mUlt be repaired- iD fact, were
18p8i1ed, after t.he leventy years. .ADd if the words in question
IIIIlIt he llDdentood in • modified I18DIe here, why Dot in theodaer caaee ! Now take the .. everlutins coyenant" with Abrabam, giviDg him ad hia poeterity the land of Canaaa, .. for _eYerIutiag poaaeuion." May it not. be, that this language is to .,.
1IIIdenatood, after all, in. limited aeDII8! Indeed, it mUlt meanIIOIJlethiog I... than aNolute etemal dllratiOD, if tbe world is e,,_10 ha"e ao ead. Canaan can be enjoyed. eMy while the 'WOIW
IhaIl endure. ADd, if the langoage mast be reetrieted, may it ut.
be· reatricted to the meaaure of the ueieDt eeooomy, mean. .
~ a perpetual rx-eaaioD and home, in distinction from thenodering life which the fatber of the faithful was tben liviDga po••e_too ud home to coDtinue through muy agel, eveD for........da of years, till the economy about to be there established_ld be Deeded no more in the world. Tbia is the kind of doraIioa which the word designate. in the other cues. Wby lOaf
it Dot deaignate the same here ?
Tbete is, indeed, a leDIe, and that a "ery important I8nl8, ill
wIIich the coveunt with Abraham was strictly an eternal cov..
IIIIt, aad the blelaiDg plOmiaed,-Dot the earthly Cuaan, batthat which t.he earthly Cuaan pre6gnred,~D etemal inherit.... Tbe blesaiq included, ud wu designed more and IDOftI
to ufold iDto,. Ipiritual good, that should continue, not 001,
tIuoop tbe duration of earth. bot through the duration of baav. .
iCaeU: It wu • bleeaiag in Christ, and including Christ ud lUI"w,

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pace. and the fhrita or hi. pee, while etaty IMll eDd...
80 the apo8tle interpret. it. II To Abraham and bi8 II88cl were
)IIOmi1re8 made. He 88ith DOt, And to eeede... or maDy; bet u. , OD~. ADd to thy aeed. which i. Ckriet," ( GaL 3: 16). Chriat. . . the leading blel8ing. even in the eoYeuDt witb Abrabam.Christ, Dd the etemal heaven which he bu prepared for bill,..pIe. H _ it. written: "If ye he Cbrier.. thea are ye Abfa.
....... teed. ad hein aaconliDg 10 the pIOIDiH" (GaL 3: D) i...... of heaftD aooording to that very promiH wbieh God made.. Abrabam. So Abraham himsellDndellltoOd it. Througb .....
.......ctioD.. aDd tbe ordinances of his time, he " . " Chriats . ,•..... was glad" (John 8: GI); ael not onl, Chn.·. day on earth,. . IOmething of the glory of Christ's heaYeD)y kiDsdom- .. He_keel for a city whicb batb foundations. ..... bailder ucl_Iter is God~' aad. witb hi. fel1ow-aojoarnera ia Canaa. tIuoop.
t.ith... deaired a betler COUDtry. that ia. an heavenly." (Reb. 11:
10. 16). Thi8 WIllI the vilioD that filled the believiag eye of thelather of tbe faitbful. aDd·the other patrialOh. who embnaoed the
The earthly CanaD,-a bJeains. Weed. in itseltwas ,et bnt aof ricber bIeasiop Me. . . . . . . it, dae-adona of Christ, and lbe 81., of heayeD.
Now to interpret the promise to Abraham. u a mere pIOIIIiIe., the earthty Oaaua to him ad his poarity. is, itto... to rob it of ita chief' puacieDr and glory. To...-t tbat tU...... must return to Palestine. ad he reirpDisecl into aD earthly
Iliqdom, at thiIIlate day of the world. ill older that God'.
. . to Abraham may be fDl6lled, is taking tbe matter,--we caIlJMt . .ist the eoDvictioD~.tber flOm the position in whicll
tile apostle hu plaoecl it. It is apJlUenlly piIIg . . . to tIUap
apIoded. It is comiDa down fJom beaYea to eaIdl. The ~. . may _ve bad an immediate _.renee to th. eartWy CaD..,tlte sbadow. whilesbllclow was needfut iD cerryiDg ibrwut
the great economy or grace. and may be . . - in a modi8ed
eyerluting." or perpetaal, ill COBlIllOD willa G&her tWaga.
wllieh WIn ordained to coatinae ....ile tbe dilpealMioa thea aiIting .bould ead.ore. But .beD the .0....... sbillea out. ud. . . more and more iDto vi.". with eaob re_yi. age, till....
.... the rreaeDt diape....tioIl. the shadow .... almoet elltinlty
m.k and Ioat it_lf in the superior glory; may Dol the" shadow
be lef\ iD ita obIourity. aad the substance, gIorioua beyoaci deleriptioo, take ita place! h ia acoonliDg to Ike . . . ., of graoe.

,...is... .h8do.

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IIIId it . . .w. 'TIle llIMow..... tJpe.
it ........ ill
JMU]IOII8. diaappearl. as tbe IDOI'IlUlg .tu ...... to be . . . . . .
die . . . . of 1M sJorioua fWl.erbed laD.
"l'betJom the COY. . . .t with AbIMeaa. ill . .
. . 01. JM Ca&ue UItblJ kiDIdom of tile Jews, of abe . . . .
. . ad apleador for wWeb .-me I n lookiDa. we ..aot _ _"gaLL_ " •.

.... to 01 oth_ _ IMD aoeedillp'.... .Adopted. _ It

. . beeB, by aceJleat aad 1..-...1 . . . we matltill lhiall it.
die ....t of miIItaIle ia ia&erpretiDa &beof _ill lbia . . poiat. to appNbeDcl
tIM . . . .r 01 . .

w.re.

MET i h'. dillpeaaa1io..

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ptomw..""

II. TIle UPlDeDt arieiDa hill the allepd &ct. that tU peepIe_ e Deverthe _ _ of tile Iud pmmiMd. nat
daiJM oar aOliae. If &he, bav, ...var ,et pG . . . .ecl ........ III
tile lIIad pRIIDiIed. the reuoaiDfJ is. theJ ....t
be 1i.....IJ ...
- - . ad ....... _-.Iv. oyer tb. w ..... oC it,'" enjeIr it
period of JGag claralioa; tor tile .,..... ....... '-...,..Ia...... •,.t

The laDd .--ieed, .. we have ...D. WIll tile tarRorJ ..
from the river of lI'cJpt. ute the pat liftr. the Mer
Eapluat-." ucl fiom -the wildemeea of ZiD. to .... eDtraDce fIl
u.-th.'· TbeIe weN it. borde...
Now. is it. fact. lllat this territory DeYer WIll whollJ poea.....
.., De ebiIdIu of IaNel ! This is • flaeatiOD of DO ..... iater__ Bt'eB, iDdeed, if the people aeYer did . - _ the
Iud PI'Ollliaed, God millat atill excuse himself. f.... tile _to tIIM
IIaey a.d blOkea the coveaarrt with bim. aDd this releMecl bia
110m bis obliptioa to the.. .Aa it was up"""" aid. at.a ....
lJ date. rnpectiDg .Yills out tbe corrupt lIatio... from bef....
the.. : II The upr of the LaId wu bot apiut Juael; aad lie..... Be.ase tbat this people haye tlaDlfJreued mJ COftIlU&
wllicb I COIJlIDMded tbeir fiathea. uc1 baYe DOt laearUaed Datoa,. voice; I al80 wiD DOt h....torth drive out. au, fro.. herON.... or tile DaboDa .lUcb JOIboa left whea b. died.-TbeNfON
tile Lord len .... ...tiona, without MYilll them oat hutilJ•......r Wv.-ed be them iato the haad of Josh..." (Judpa 2:
20-23). 8ach apt. baye been tbe proceeding of God wbollJ. . . iDallf. wi....... uy breacb of iDtepit,.r ft!llealy OIl ...
pert. The eeveaMt bIokeD by the people, he waa DOt heW.. ;. . . . . free. Bat DOt .. Jeat the matter OD tbis KlOIIad. as God
ill .....,. beuer to .. tMD GUW. d...rta, let De .... whether. ill. .- . IIw'"

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jUt, there was IlD)' nch failure, in the Bequel, to poesess '"erAole of the promised laud.
In the book of Joshua it ia _id, toward the close of the book,_d after the oonqoeBlI by Joshua had been Darrated: .. And the·Lord gave lmto Janel all the land wbich he ....re to give unto tbeir
fathers; and. they pos.essed it, aDd dwelt therein. .And the
Lord gave them NIt round about, acoonling to all that be aware
nnto their fathell; aDd there Blood not a man of all their enemiee before them; the Lord delivered all their enemiea into their·hand. There ....led not aught of any good. thing which the Lord
bad .poken unto the hoose of Israel," (21: 43-46). Now heft!
ia an auertion, that the people had been pot in poaaeaaion of" an
the land wbich God .ware to give unto their fathen. N It may be,.indeed, tbat this wu .poken only in a looser Ben.e, as denoting
lD8I'ely a 8enera) triamph of t.he arm. of &1881, Vlrioaa tribes reo
maining still within their borders not wholly .ubdued. The bootof Judpa ahows .uch to have beeD, in fact, the case. Bat thetriumph was .ignal, inBOmuch that the sacred writer declared that
God. had fulfilled hi. promise: "There failed aot aught of any.pod thing which be had .poken; all came to
Is DOt tbia
lather a atumbling-block to those who would lead Israel back to
Palestine, le.t t.he promise fail ? So again, JOIhua in bis fare·
weU addre.s said: "Ye know in all your hearts, and in all yourlOul., that. not one thing hatb tailed of all the good things which
the Lord your God .pake concerning you; all are come to pus
uto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof," (23: 14). This.would seem as thougb, in a general seD.e at least, the land God bad
spoken of to tbem, had become tbeir poeaesaion. We may admit,
as before, that the posaesaion was not entirely complete and un·
1D0lested. Ramnanll of the nation. wit bin their borders wereatillun.ubdued. But there was a general triumph, a genera) andprious fulfilment of the promise, or it could DOt have been .poken
of in terms like thoBe here employed.
At a later period it is laid of David, that be "smote Hadade·
118f, the BOD of Rebob, king of Zobab, as he went to recover hisborder at the river Euphrates," (2 Sam. 8: 3). Or, as expressed inanother place: "David .mote Hadadezer king of Zobah, OOto
Bamath, as be wenL to establish his dominion by the river
EUllhrates," (1 ehron. 18: 3). Theae passages sbow that tbe
dominion of David did extend to the Euphrates and to Hamatb.
Whatever dispute there may bave heen in those quarters, bepa....

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mucIaed Ida armies thither. ucI .. reccwerecl" to hi...... w1II&
beloaged to him. and "stablished his dominion" there. TIle
Euphrates, we have seen. was the eutem bonier of the promiaed
laod,-4Uld Bamath was tbe IlOI'lbem bonier of the promiaell
Iud i .the most distant borden in these directioDl ever mentioaeel. Tbe dominion of David. therefore. did exteDd over tbe.bole territory in these directions. as it is DOwn to haye _e ia

other&.

•In the time of SolomOD. the exteDt of Israel's domiDioD is ItiIl.. SoIomoD," we are told ... rei&MIl
over all lUogdoma, flOm the river." (Xuplualel, the meaoins"l"nnto the land of the Philistines. and unto the border of XUpt :they brought presents. and aerved Solomon all the days of hillif.,·(1 KiDp (: 21). See also 2 Cbroa. 9: 26. At the dedicatioaof the Temple. it is said: II Solomon held a feut, and alllarul
with him. a great congregation. flOm tbe enteriDg ill of Ha.....
aoto the river of Egypt. before the Lord God." (1 Kings 8: 66).
See also 2 Cluon. 7: 8. At • little later l)8riod, it is aid : .. 80&0IDOD weat to Hamath-Zobah. aDd prevailed against it ADd be
boiIt TadIDOl' in the wildem....-Palmyra. far eastward to""'"the Enpluatee,-" and all the .tore-cities. which he built ia
Bamath... (2 Chron. 8: 3, (). Signif)'iDg that. however oocuiODal
diauubances might occur. his dominion extended over th_
realm..
Of Jeroboam. the IOn of Jouh. more tban two Mnturi.. aft.
Solomon. it is said: he restored the coast oC Israel from theeateriDg of Bamath unto the sea of the plain," or Dead Sea, (2Kiap, J(: 26~ Invaders were expelled, or the remDllDts of forma'
tribes who bed occasioned booble. were overrowered. The
bonier ... maintained; and three hundred years af\erwanl•• wh_
the captivity came Dp from Babylon. under Nehemiah, they gave
thanks to God Cor his covenaDt with Abraham. granting him theland of Canaan. and add: .. And hut performed thy words; C.
thou art righteou.... (Neh. 9: 8). They considered the coveDlmt
II baviDg been CuUWed. God had given \hem what he promilecl
them.
Now. wbat is the amount of tbe argumeat Cor the literal reatoatioa of the Jews. that they most go bact in order to poll'" the__ land iDd.nded in the covenant with Abraham, and that lUIlea they do thus the covenant of God fails! Is it not a slender
IIpment. OIl which to hang 10 imponaat a conc1uIliOll! Ev.
alIowiog that, IOmetimes, larae1 did not enjoy, iD the land, &beVOL. IV. No. 14.
30
more puticoJarly mentioned.

II

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Google(Jiu..II . . . . . of peace aDd blusing. which the pIOIDiIe, .........
. . partioIIlu occaaioas. seemed to contempl.te, there was rea..
eDOIIIh for socb Jailure. in their Ilia The, brc*e their coYeDaDt
wida God, and tbat releued him. in 8IIch points .. be obaee. C...
. . obliptioo to them. ADd adillit that tbe people were curtaiW
ill the ,.,..... or their territory .till more in the latter pericMIa.c their biato.." tiU, at length, they were wholly deprived of it.
They b..t b..t the blesiiog, .nd it was continued to them ~tile duralioD or tile economJ Cor whicla it.... pven i aad they..... Mused it, ud the eoonomy ceuecl. and it was taken " ahem. All the CODIlectiona or lbe sobject sbow, that the pouea. . . of Israel, Cor periods of DO small duration, were .. esteaaive.. lbe grant in lbe covenant to Abraha. i aacl that the aqJllm_t,
Ib.t they moat be restored in order to _joy the w....e Iud, orabe covenant or God tailB, ie witbont aolid Conadatioo. Th8J
"ye enjoy. what God stipalatec:i. TIle, OODIidered t ......
..lves, while lbe . . were pusing," enjoyln' i&. It remaiDl. , them __, to enjoy the richer bleuing, oC which that earthly
CaDua was bat die shadow. In tiUa, we tub them DOL We
WJOIII them aot. We point them to • higber good j - 4 goocI
which is IUbatantial, and lilelally eternal i a latad, wboee ski.
ue bria.... thaD those that bang over PalesliBe i a land, wboae...... and streama are rieber and clearer than Paleatiae everknew i a land. over which no deaolating scourge shall ever sweep i.lan4, an abode. which God bas bleued wilb the bh•.",. oflire for evermore.
III But we are pomted to exp.... ~ of BcritJt-e.
__ which, it is aUcl, explicit and anqaeltionable ........ is.ven, of a literal restoration or the Jawa, ud a reiatablisluaellt
et tIleir polity in their _elent land.
To the8e puaages of Scriptare it beoom_ .. to give..nou ad careful atteDtion,-DOt r. lbe purpose of establiabiq• theory preeonoeind and adopted, but that we mey oadenauci. .t the import or the Bible on lbe subject Nally is. In tile........... of ..... . - - . . . two anon, we think, baYe beea
eommitted. ODe ie, tbat pauages relating to aj'orratJr reatolation
J ....-P'-. . which ..ceived t.Mir eooompIiabmeat in. . - . . ..,., put,-ere heJd to be ati11 iD. bee. aod ana Je&ied.poo .. pmoC of • DOW fat..........o. TIle otber enw ..
·tIIat GC pviag pu..... ill which dle blellliap of tile CIaris8an
are ,lOmiM ~er a ..JewiIh . . . . or iD. .Jewish
JIfpta acl ........ liteaal interPlltltiOII,AIber o.a.-piritual,

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arespoadiDa to the eIuuaoter of the dilpe_tiaa eo which they_te.

h.....

Capti9ity ucl ...toratioa.-beiq sina into theoreaemies .. a puoiahment for ain. and beiag delivered and ......
IIated in the enjo,lDeIlt of liberty . .in.-were thellles 'IfIIIJ
familiar to tbe aneieat mind. These were "fteJa ill wbial
jIdpleat8 aDd men:ie. ofteD flowed. The .tate oraocieIf
laYOred tbiap of this aort. III accordance witb this, Moses 1Iddnaed tINt children of Israel. at the ve.., COfIlmeMeIll8llt. of &laeir
Mtioaal exWellce. Bayiag anllOOnced a remarkable cataloglle
tf blessiap that .hould attend obedience, and of cunes that
Ibould follow disobedieoce. he added: .. ADd it _II come ..
..... whell all these things shall come nroo thee, the ble_. .
aad the cone which I haYe set before tbee. and thou ahalt eaUthem to mind among all the oalioDS whither the Lord t.hy God
llath driven thee; and shalt return anto the Lord thy God. aDd....t obey bis voioe. according to all that I commlUld tbee t_da" thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with alltil, 1001; that thea the Lord. t.hy God will tUrD thy capti'rity, and_ve compusioD npon thee, and will retUrD and ptbet theehill all the _tiou whither the Lord thy God hath scattered.
tIaee. !fanyof thine be driveo out uoto the utrDOllt parts of_ven, flOm t.hence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and (101ft
tIaeace will he fetch thee; and tbe Lord thy God will hring thee
into tbe land which thy fathers poueaaed. and thou .balt poueae
it; and he will do thee good, aod mnltiply thee above thy fa&he.....
(DeaL 30: 1-6).
Snob wu the tenor of God's arrangement with his ancientpeople. And, 00 a larger or .maller seale, it was carried into
elect. while the dispensation involved in their orpnisatioo ....
_tiDDed. Bee their early hi.tory, as giveo in the book of Judges.
When they were obedient. they prospered. When they were~ot, " the aoger of the Lord wu hot against Israel, aDd
Ile delivered them into the hands of .poilen that spoiled them,bd he aoId them into the handa of their enemies rouod ahou..."(Jaclpa 2: 14). He auld them into t.he band or Chnaban·rillbathaim eight years (3: 8); and into tbe hand of EgIoD, kiDg or
Moab, ei!hteen years (Yo 14); and afterward. ioto the hand of
Jabia, king of Canaan, who had 900 chariots of iron, aDd mightily
oppreaed tbe children of Israel (4: 1-3); and theo. after a respite,
iDtothe baud of Midian .even years (6: 1); thea into the banda of
the PIilliatiDell, aod the childrell of AmmOD, eighteen yeara (10:earl,Digitized by

Google-7. 8); thea. again, into the hands or the Philistines forty yeus.
(13: 1).
'nl118 laraellived, .midst altematioDl of captivityaad restoration, of oppressioDl and deliverances, for near tbree hundred
For one third part of the time and more, they were in tbe
hands or their enemies. They seem not to have been conveyed.
to a distance from tbeir land,.. ill subsequent instances. Still
they were sold" into tbe bands of their enemies round about."
In subsequent time. there were greater calamities of tbis de8Criptioo. About three bundred and eigbty years from the tillleof the Judges. or 761 B. C. while Pekah reigaed in Samaria, weare told: .. came Tiglath.pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon.
and Abel-beth-maachab, and Janoah, and Kadesh, and Hazor.
and Gilead. and Galilee, all tbe land of Naphtali, and earriedthem captive to .Auyria," (2 Kings J5: 29). Tbis deportation
seems to have included tbe two tribes anda half," the Beubenitea,
and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manaaseh," on tbe east of
the Jordan, (1 Cbron. 6: 26).
About tbirty-eight years after this, or B. C. 123, .. in the fourthyear of Hezekiah, and seventh of Boshea son of Elah king oflamel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria.
and beaieged it. And at the end of three years they took it.ADd the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria," (2Kings 18: 10, 11). These were the captivities of tbe Ten Tribe&,or ten and • half tribes, from which, especially from tbe last, they'
never extensively returned.
The captivities of Jndah were at a little Illterperiod. They were..vera! distinct visitations; but were so near together, that the,have generally been reckoned .. but parts of one grand catastlophe. About 600 B. C... in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, came Nebllchadnezzar kiag of Babylon unto
Jenlaalem, and bellieged it And the Lord gave Jeboiakim kiagof Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the boll.e ofGod; whicb he carried into the land of Shinar, to the bouse or
his god; and he brougbt the veS8els into tbe booae or bis god,"(Dan. 1: I, 2). Daniel and his companions were a part or thiscaptivity, with, dOllbtle88, many others oftbe nobles and chief menof the nation. Nebuchadnezzar" bound" Jehoiakim .. in fetters,
to carry him to Babylon" (2 Chron. 36: 6); but afterwards permitted him to remain .. his vassal. .. Jeboiakim became his servant
three years," (2 Kings 24: 1). At tbe end of three years, c, be
twDed and rebelled against" his master. ADd this brought on him,ears.

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Google1M'.]• eeeoDd villitatioD. .. The Lord aent against him bands of theCbaldeee, and bauds of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites,.... band. of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Juct.h to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which hespake by bis servants the prophets," (2 Kings 24: 1,2). These
BIdioas were subject to NebDchadnezzar, and moved at his bid·cling. Jehoiakim seems to have perished in this stroggle, with hischief 08icera or State; and, as the prophet Jeremiah informs os,
apwanIs of th!ee thousand more of the Jews were conveyed toBabylon, (Jer.62:28).1 Abont five years from the rebellion of JeIaoiakim, onder the reign of his SOD Jehoiachin, came Nebnchad·. . .r again, with his armies, and besieged Jemsalem, and took it;
aad earried thence to Babylon the king, and the royal ftlmily, all thetleuurea of the house of the Lord, and of the kings honse, all themighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all thecraftsmen and lIDiths; none remained save the poorest IOrt of thepeople of the laud," (2 King1'l 24: 10-16). 'nlis wu the thin!
ealamity, and greater than either of the former.
About eleven years after this, in consequence of the rebellion
or Zedekiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar had set np in Judea, the armies of Chaldea again laid waste Jemsalem and the surrounding
COIIDtry, committing great devastations, and carrying still more of
tile people into captivity, leaving only II of the poor of the land tobe Yine-dressers and busbandmen." "So," concludes the narrative,"ladah was carriedawayoDtoftheirland," (2 Kings 26: 1-21).
Here is the Babylonish captivity, which constitutes so great aD
era in Jewiah history. In the space of abont eighteen years,
the city of Jerw;a)em, and the land extensively, were made adeIolation. And it lasted SBVEl!fTY YBUS.
Now it is important to be obse"ed here, that it was in conneatiDa with this captivity, a little previous to it, or in the midst it,that the more distinguished of tbe Jewish prophets lived, tbose
M wbom are quoted chie8y the passages composing tbe maia
put of the argument for a yet literal restoration.

of

WId.

Isaiah is computed to have 60Drished about one bundred yeanprevious to this great judgmenL He predicted it, however, as
approacbiDg, in consequeDce of the abounding wickedness, into
which the DatioD. even in his time, had ftllien.
I&ITaIM ...... J.... UMI .............., ...

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The book of Isaiah has been considered as consisting of twoparts. The first includes chapters i-uxis. Thi, portion of thebook is made up extensively of reproofs of the nation for tbeir sinB;
threatenings of the calamities that, in conseqllence, were to comeapon them; similar reproofs and threateDings in regard to several
suflOunding bations; intersperaed with predictions oC the Metsiah
and his kingdom, with several other matters.
'nle reproofs are like the following: II Hear, 0 heavens, aDd
give ear, 0 earth; for the Lord hath spoken; I have nourisbed
and broughtl1p children, and they have rebelled against me."II Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil
4oera, children tbat are comlpters."-u How is the faithful city
become an barlot! It was fnll ofjudgment ; righteODsness lodged
in it; but now murderers," (1: 2,4,21). Such is tbe style in which
Isaiah addressetl the people in hia time.
Then as to the judgments impending. Sometimes he spoke ofthem as already present; sometimes as near at hand: II Yourcountry is desolate, your cities are bumed with fire; your land.
strangers devour it in your presence, and it is dOllOlate, as overthrown by strangers."-"Jenlsalem is mined. and Judah i, fallen."-" And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from fiar, and will
bias unto them from the end of the earth; and behold they shallcome with speed swif\)y; none shall be weary. nor stumble
among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neitber sball tbe girdle of tbeir loins be loosed, nor the latcbet of their ahoes be broltea.
Whose aflOwa are ,harp, and all their bows bent; their horses"
boofs shall be counted lik.e flint, and their wheels like a whirl wind;
their roaring shall be like a lioD, they shall roar like young lio... ;yea. they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry itaway safe, and none shall deliver it. And in that day tbey ,ballroar· .nst them, like the roaring of the sell; and if one look Wkto tbe land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is d'ar1uae8ain the heavens tbereoC."-u Until the cities be wasted witbout iDhabitant, and the housee witbout man, and the land be utterlycIeeolate; and the Lord have removed men far away, and there bea great foraaking in the midst of the land."-" The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled," (l: 7. 3: 8. 4: 26--30. 6: 11.12.
84: 3). Thus full was the prophet's mind of the desolating jlldgmentl that were to come upon his nation. and particularl, of thecaptivity that was but a little before them.
The remaining part of the book of Isaiah. chap. xl-lxvi, inolaRye. contains some mo.t BlowiDs ducriptiou of the deliveraaoe

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flfthe people fiom the ealamities they W8le to lu18r. ud particaluIy flOm the prodicted captivity; iD CODDection with which arefrequeDt DOtices. and eveD exteocled represeDtation.. of thepeater ad Ipiritual delivenmce. which Christ was. in due time.
to eJl"ect for tbe world; a delivenmce. of which aD fORDe&' delivIIIUICe8 'Were a shadow. The kingdom aDd glory of the Meuiala
caught the prophet's viaioa; and sublimer ItraiDa the world doeI
DOt coutaiD. than this prophetic aDClle&'&phic writer preseDtL
Survey. DOW. BOIDe of the pauagea from baiah, uaWLlly adduced in the argument before
and see 'what CODStruCtion it ismast reuoaable to put upon them. .. The Lord ':ill have melOJ
OIl Jacob. aDd will yet cboose larael, aDd set them iD their OWD
Iud... He adds. that .. strangers sball be joiued with them, awl
they shall cl_ve to the bouse of Jacob; aDd the people shaD ruleOYer their OpprellOra," (It: 1-3). Is it most natural to look., forthe fulfilmeDt of this plOmise, to lOme eveDt now, in these lalter
ag.. of the world? or to delivenmce from the captivity then aboat
to take place, of which the pmpbet 10 frequently spake, and or
which hil miDd was 10 full! The earlier event, uaqueationably.
is the ODe to be preferred, uoleu th8le be lOme special reaIODa
Cor 1UlderataDding it of the I8IIlOter. This is a gnmd lule in theiDterpretatioD of plOphecy: IM it ~ to tM
lie MTIier ~ CtIfIIli",,., CI pl'tlJW' fulJilmnl'. ADd subaequw
upreaioDa lbow that that earlier'eveDt waa, iDdeed, the ODe intuded.
It shall come to paaa. iD the day that the Lord sbaD
sive thee reat from thy IOIIOW. aDd from thy fear, and from thebud bondage whereiD thou wast made to serve, that thou shalt
lake up this plOverb agaiDst the king of Babylon. and say, Howbath the oppressor ceaaed! the soldeD city ceased! The Lord hathhIok.ea the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulera," (va.
~). A large part of the chapter is occupied with a triumphal
IODg over BtIbJImI',.follna
by whose faU the captive people
obtained deliveraace. ThiI, thea-deliveraDC8 from tbe BabyloDiab.
captivity. was wbat the propbet promised. If there was aDY further bleuiDg coDched iD his laDpage. i& was a spiritWLl bl.....
IeIatiDg to the Meeaiah's times; of which aU former delivea.aOel
may be CODBidered, iD a seDle, .. figures.
Aaotber pauage i. the following: .. It shall come to pall iathat day, that ye .baD be gathered ODe by ODe. 0 ye childreD 01.
JaraeL Aad it lhall come to pul iD that day, that a great trumpet ,ball be bioWD. and they &baD come, which were ready to per. . in \he Iaacl of .6.uJria, and &he ODtcasts in the laacl of Eo...

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Google-u d ehall worship tire Lord ill the holy IIlOIIIIt at J . . . .em... (ft:
12. 13). .. 11leee .erae.... says one... predict ta.. reetoratioa of the.Jewe aner the capmty; and under that Meat, their reCOYery

80m their present disperlioD." (Scott, in loo.). Bat why tbe I. .
ter? Why make tbe pauage refer thOl to two ..eata! The .....
. . restoration wu manife..., the thing ia the prophet's ..met.
And there is no ..ideace tbM be looked an, farther thaD that .,..
tical., event. If anyone pleuea to make that .....t illuau.tiveof a great principle. mnaing through all God'e d _ . with hie
people. Mat lte.tJJiIl deIifJer u.e..frtwta'- ~ .... ~ cr-,..,. - . and alao a shadow of the spiritoal deli••rancee that ....
Ie come in the Meaeiah'l!l time; there ie probabl, DO objectioD tolOeb a view of the caae. It is probably the trae .iew. Butehoold two literal relitoratiODs be attributed to the same promiae,
when the promise itself givea no notice of bat ODe? The general
Jaw ie, that, where one event i. a ahadow or dOther or type of ...
other, the latter is apirituat, owes its aoperiority to the former._
rlctmeu, its glory. to the spiritnality of ill character. . Bat let the....... in its literal import, etend to ita origi'" eftllteo in other places, glowiug deaeriptions of ttria e.eat are gina,llriagled sometimes with expl'88lionl that wiD bear a .futore application. and sometimes giving DO indication of looIUor bey0a4
the former e.ent. .. The wildemeea and the IOIitary place shallbe glad for them; and tbe desert lIban Jejoice and Woeeom as \lieftJIe. A high way abaD be there. and a ....,. and it shall be ealled.
'.Dae ....y of holines.. And the ransomed of the Lord ahall leta.....
and come to Zion with songs, and everlastilll joy upon their be. ;they Bball obtain joy and gl&clnell, and IOlI'OW and sighi.., sbUl
tee awa,." (36: 1. ~. 10). Beautifollangaage this, to be accoralBo_ted to any taming to the Lord, or deliverance which he may
e&et Cor his people! Yet, in its ori!ioal design. intended simply
to describe restoration from the Babyloni.h captivity. The whole
ehapter. of which tbis forma a put, is a IIlOIl vivid delCriptiollof that nstoratiOD.
The latter part of the book of Iaiah. particalady. abounds with......s or thia 1IOl'l: .. Comfort yet eomfort ye my people. _til),our God. Speak ye comfortably to Jeraalem, aocl cry unto . ,her warfare il accomplished, tbat her iniquity i. pardoMd;'" .he hath received or the Lord'a band double for all ber siDa,"(,,0: 1.2). Why look beyon. the restoration. which. when thelanguage was nttered. wu jOlt aboot to take place' True. theia fAP&ble.f beias aoeemmedaIe4Ite uy 11M, uad Ie all

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De

B_.,.i,..,InM ..., . . a, " iI,.•.,.... where calamitiea have beeD soffered, aad there is aboat 18
be a retOrD of tbe DiviDe faYOl'. ADel it COIIItaias a moat sweet
pmmise to all of this detlCription. The Jews of the preseDt time
may appropriate it, spiritually, wheD the yeil is lakea flOm tbeirlaeart& and they believe in Him, whom their fathe.. croeiftecL
They shall be comforted, and pardoned, and blesaed. But the
Ibict application of the pauag, is, to the restoration from BabyIDa, aDd nothing more, in its literal acceptation. In accordancewith which, it immediately follows: .. The voice of him that eriethin the wild8l'lle88, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straightin the desert a hirh.wsy for our (''lOCI. Every ,alley shall be ex..
Ilted, and every mountaiD ud hill shan be made low; ud theemoted shall be made .traight, aod tbe rough places plaiD; ad·
the glory of the Lord shall be feYealed, and all flesh shall see it
together; for the moutb of the Lord hath spoken it," <n.~).
The mandate i. given, to prepare the way for tbe retura of God'.
cItoeen to their own land. He bimaelf would appear, and Ie..ttlaem 00; ad the world should adore Ihe power ad grace that
ef'ected for them the lignal deliverance. This is the tbiDg wbiola&lled tbe propbet's Yision. Again: II SiDg, 0 ye heaveDs; for the
Lord bath done it; Ibout, ye lower parts of the earth; break
forth into singing, ye mounWDI, 0 foreat, and every tree therein;
lor the Lord bath redeemed Jacob, aad glorified bimself in Israel."_" That saitb to Jemsalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; andto the cities of Judah, ye shall be built, aDd I wiU raise op the
decayed places thereof; thal seith to tbe deep, Be dry, aDd I will
dry op thy rivera; that aaith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, aodshan perform all my pleasure; even l.yiDg to Jerusalem, Thoa
ahalt be built; aad to tbe temple, Thy foundation shaD be laid,"
Cf4: 23, 26-28). This is manifestly the restoration near theprophet's time, Cyrus, the chief instmment of that restoration,
being espreaal, DlUDed. That, then, i. the event to which theprophet'slanguage belongs. So again: II How beautiful upon the
moantaias are the feet of him tbat bringeth good tidings, thatpubli.heth peace; tbat bringeth good tidings of good, that publisb.
eth alvatioo; that .ilh unto Zion, Thy God rcigneth !-Brealt:
bth into joy, siag together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; forthe Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jeru..lem." (6~ 1, 9). The literal restoration from the Cbaldean captivity, is the thing inteDeled. To make it apply to a restorationof the Jeft now in our tilDe, or subsequeatly,-a literal restoratiaa to the JjteJal Jerosalem.-is altogether losing Bight of what

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I Iled the pmphets miad.-of aa evellt the j_ WON hi...~ it.. ~ bia _ _• of whicb tbe Darrative bell Jivw DO eft·....ce.
Il WeN DOt poaible in the space allotted -. to lICWaee all the. . . . . . (10m this ODe plOtthet Jaai.... ,.latiD&' to this sa~
Be gives ......ace to the peopte. that" a remlUUlt ,tall reta......
(10: 21); that" the Lord shall set his hand apin the aecoM.
. . . to remove the remaaat of hia people" (II: 11); refeniD. . .
the &rat time. or the deliveranGe flOm Egypt; _ it i. espre.ly
laid, .. lib u it was to Jerael in tbe day that he eame ap out oftile land of Egypt" (v. 18); that God has" cru.en them. and Dot
eat them away" (41: 9); that tbey altall • p forth fX Babylon•... flee ftom the ChaldeaDI. witb the voice of aiOBi•• -';BS.
The Lord hub redeemed his servant Jacob" (.8: 2G) i tbat tbey.....1 .. build the old waste place" and nIi8e np tbe tODodatioaa
er maDy Rfter&tions" (6S: 12); that .. they .hall baUd the old...... and raise up the former desolation.. anti repair the waste" " the desolatioDs of may gene..tion.... (81: ,,). Which ..
illDOCt natural to IUrpose.-tbat tbia relatee to tbereatoratioo jlld
_at to take place when the prophet wJOte,-that it was attered. , the encouragement of the people then. at hi. own time? orthat it wu spoken of some far Cuture restoration, under anotherecoaomy of thinp, overlooking what ~ thea imnlediately to~r' Cu it admit of reasonable doubt. that tbe prephet had
ill view the restoration from Babylon. ud the reellabli.hment of
the oatiOD lINn. in the promised Iud? ADd these are speci.... of pueagetI witb which the book of this prophet &boaads.
ad which are to be interpreted in the _me manner.
There are pa-a- in this prophet, of uother descriptioa.
which are to be aoticed in conaection with the 1Ub.fee' before us.
'!'be prophet, .. haa beea already aid. (reqneDtly loots forward
to the Meuiab's timet!. He aiDSS: II Unto .. a child is born.
wto DI a Boa is given; and the pvenment shall be upou hi.
Iboalder; aDd his Dame shan be ealled WORderfu). Counsellor.
'l'he miglaty God. The Evertasting Father. The Prince of Peace.
Of the iDcreue of his govemment and peace there _II be DO
end. Dpon the thlOne or David and upon bis kiagdom. to order it.
aDd to elllablish it with jl1dgment and with jnltice. from henea·
fGrtb even forever. The seal of the Lord or bosts will perform
tllia," (9: 6, 7). He sings: .. There shall come forth a Rod. out ~tile stem of Jeaae. and a Branch shall grow out of hia roots.Witla ri&hteoaaae. IIhall be jlMlp the poor. aa4 repnwe with

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Google-·1• .,.... ....... " . . . ; •-eqailJ'" tH __ ofdle eudl.-Then IItaU. .. a 1IOt.r ~,,1Iicb .hall ..... for an . . . . of lbe people; lo it.-u the 0.tiIeI seek. _d Iaia ,.t ahaIl be p.riou••" (11: 1. -t. 10). lIa. . . Ii.... "ah. woIf.ball dwaJl with the ...... lad tile I......
1IIaIl1ie de,.. with the 1riII.-They.alaall DOt blllt DOl d...." ia
hoIr _ .... (aitll God); II for the ..ala ebatl be ralof .... u..lecIp _ ta.. Lord... at. ....... conr the - , "&, 9). .Be . . . . : 40 BeWd. a ~. Iball .... ill ..........
MIl ,n.e. ...... iD jlldpnat," (32: 1).
B'Ji'. . . . . . . . at dais cbanaeta'. -tiD« ........ pa....
.., .. the,.,... fIIf tbe Jlelsiah. there are e&hea whieh d _ _IlOIe eepeeiallJ the glory or hia Nip; & . . . .t to which&boee DOW repeated .... ba_ rer.r-ce. TheM,...... •. . aatIIraI, lOIDetim.. borrow da.ir f _ of aprelliaa, &bllir itIl8Io their illMtn&ioD.. from the Jbrmer diapeD_tieD tbe'"
eDitiag wileD the, were uttered. This was altop&Mr
to be expected. The error eommiued iD relation 10 tIaeIa ....
IIp8 ill, tIaat ther __ beea illla'pNted .. preAidiq . . r .....
... IfF • . . . , ...., •. whereas theJ oaI, "edict, .. welnIIt it wiD be _ _ 10 appear..... -,..,.. 1»mI1IIfIIl,/t'olll,..
........ tile aivenalof alae trDell8ligioa. i_ the eartIa.
The IIrIIUIpIMDta of the aaaieat 8CODDIDJ.-lha ....vic. ....
JeDdeNd, were the dre.. ill whicla relilioD thea appeared.--tba
faaa ill whicla it pruutelll itaelf to the world. What more DUoual ..... that, ill de_lliag ita "tlare ....,. ttYa though eu...
a.l c....... weie tu lake pIaee.
the . . . . . aboDld . . .
bee. derived from the IICODOIDJ. with its ..rrioea, tIlen . .ting!
Sarver now a mDmnt lOme of the pMIIlg81 in qneation. " l&UaIl come to pall iD the lat day.... II,. tIU prophet, •• tbM th.
JBOUataia of the LrHd's houe .hall be eatebliahed. in tile top or
the JIlOUDtaiM, aDIl . . . be esalted aboYe the hiDs; and 1Msball . . uldo iL ADd many people sball go and ar. .
Cam. yet and let os. up to the house of the Gorl of J..... ;aad he will \each u. of hi. way.. ad we will walk ia his patlut ifor out of Zion shall go forth the law. and the word of the LaId
faom J .....lem. AD... he aball judge IUDOIIg the natio... andJebake many people; and they Ihall beat their .WOIds into
pao.p.sbarea, and their .,..,. iUo praaiDg-IKxtks; nat.ioD.haU.
... lia • .p sword . .iut nata. neither sball tMylearn ww .rmare. 0 boae of Jacob. _ . Je. ud Jet us walk in the 1iebt
eCAbe Loal," (2:~).
Wat __ thi• .meaa! that JllclWm. to .be .eatablialled I8t

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Jerualem, and that all ...tiona are to 80 up to Jentaalem tID
WOIIIbip, according to the IlIlcient law, H three timea a year"(Ex. 23: 17; and that Jem_em is to be tbe grand central point.
all luminous and glorious, the top of the nations, sending ont ita
litbt IUld infiueace to the rest of the world, tIuoagh all coming
time? Or, is it inteoded MIlder ~ drt.aM fttM Me theft . .
..... . . .-a-, to repreaeat the glory of the Meuiab's Nip!
Whatever distinction tbe literal Jerualem was to have, wben theprophet wlOte, baa she not already bad it, iu the rebalding of b...
temple, and the reestablisbmeat of her state after the Chaldeaa_ptivity, aDd in the appearance of the lIIeaiab among ber
obiIdren, IlIld the foundalion of tbe Cbristian church iD tbe midatof ber-an inatitution literaUy to bleaa all nations f la not thie
the thing wbieb the prophet designed to set before as, only employing Jewisb phrase, because Jewisb phrase was tbe garb ill
wllicb, then, the true religion appeared ia the earth! It is impouible for us to doubt, that it is tbe spiritoal reign of JelO8.
which is designed to be set fortb in tbe prophet'. language.
Apin the prophet says: .. In this mountain shall tbe Lord ofboets make uato all people a feut of fat things, a feut of wines
on the leea, of rat thinp fuU of marrow, of winea on the lees weU
re6aed. ADd be will dealroy in this mountain tbe face of thecovering cast over all people. aDd the veil tbat is spread over all_tionL He will swallow up death in victory; and tbe Load
God will wipe away tears from oil' all faces; and the rebake ofhis people shall be take away from oil' all the earth; for the Lordhath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is oar
God; we have wailed for him, and be win save DS; tbis is tbe
Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in
his salvation." (26: 6-9). Must Judaism be reestablished at Je
naalem, iD order to realize the great resl1lta here promised? Wby
is it Dot more rational to suppose, that Judaism accomplished ita
work, when it gave the Messiah to the world! And that DOW
tbe Mesaiab's 'PitiluaJ rag,. is to produce the bleased state ofthings here 6goratively described ?
And so of other paasageL II Behold, I will lift up mine haadto the Gentiles. and Bel up my Btandard to the people; aDd thershall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daugbtelB shall be
carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nuraiDgfilthelB, and their queens thy nuraing mothers; they shall bow
dowa to tbee with their face towards the earth, and lick up the dustof thy feet," (~9: 22, 23). Shall this be litelal! Is this tbe trueoDigitized by

Google••IM7.]appaiDted Jelation between Jews and GeDtiI_ in &he folD. . 01
the M. .iah'. reign? Or is this a filaralive aad impreeeive representation of the univ..... triumpb of the true religion. thereligion of Christ, with the reverence and homage which sbaD
eterywhere be reDelered to it, and the unhappiD_ of ita Njeolois! Does DOt the latter seem altopther the more rational interpretatioa !
Apia it was aiel to Zion: II Arise, shi_; tor thy IiPt iscome, aad the gJor)' of the Lord is risen upon thee-ADd theGeatilea.haIl come to thy light, aDd kiap to the brigb&ae811 of~ rilling_The abundance of the sea .ball be converted ufo
thee. the Coree. of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. The mule'tillde of CIUIlels shall cover thee. the dromedariea of Midian and
Iphah; all they from Sheba aball come; they ahall bring
IIUl iDee..... and they shall show forth· tbe praiaea of the Lord.
All the Socks of Kedar shall be pthered. together into thee, theIIDI8 of Nebaioth aball minister unto thee [for eacrificel i they
_II come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify
the bouse of my glory, (60: 1, 3, 6-7). Shall the Jewisb 1BCIi.
- . thea. be restored! Shall the blood of bulls and calves. andIIDI8 aod goats, apin flow in the worship of God! Sball theww.ld SO back apin to the ritea of that old dispeDSation. " a yoke,"the apostle. II which neither Ollr fathera IlOl' we were able tobear!" (.Acta 16: 10). To what purpose, tben. is Christianity!
Why did. the blood of Calvary flow! And why aU the declaraIioaa reapectiag this surpassing glory of the Messiab's reign!
Let the pueage be. theu, a figurative description of a spiritual
JeIigion, IlUcb as the Meuiah haa actaally introduced into theworld, and all is rigbt; it is inimitably beaatiful. and portraya abiasing in which the world shall rejoice tluough unDumberecl.... A..od ODe more puaage: "Behold, I ClUte Dew heaveDs
IIId a new earth; aDd tbe former shall Dot be remembered. norcome into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which
I create; for, behold, I creale Jerusalem a rejoicing. and herpeople a joy," (66: 17, 18). And "as the new heavens, and the
DeW earth. which I will mue. shall remain before me, saith lbe
Lord. 10 .hall your seed and your name remain. ADd it sball
C81De to ..... that fiom ODe Dew moon to another. and from ODe
Sabbath to another. shall all fleah come to worship before me,
saitb. the Lord," (66: 22, 23). This must be a figurative promiseof apiritDal pod. the bleuinp of the Messiab's reian. .All.... oa all aide8 of the world, caD.DOt IiImIIIy go to J8lUMlem
VOL. IV. No. 1'.
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~ DeW maoa, &lid every Sabbatta,1o woNbip. It is
illg deecriptioD of the filet, that all will be'true wonhippea The
Utcral .... be tbl'CJWD aide; the spiritaal fIIUIt be adopted.
Jeml!llllem, dropfIing her childish prmenta which abe baa 'oat·grown, riaea aDd anfolda into a apiritual being, of which heY ~existence W1l8 a shadow; aad, in the penoIl of the l'tfeeaiah-.ad
his diapeolatioa, which have apruDg from her, poors . . b i ' "Mel' aU the _rth.

, '8uehia.. specimen of the tfo.aclainga ~ Jaiah on thet IObjeat
before aIL ADd ia there a.ything here, 'Which TeCluires U8 1ID
lM!lHave in • literal restoration of the Jews, ym futo .., to Pal...
tine, nd the reeltabJilhment of their aDcieDt polity there ! Mat
BOt the pua&gea which rel:lte manifestly to tlae former .reaton,.
don, be oooaidered •• fulfilled by that restoratioD, and tbeir import, in the liuwwl acceptation, exhausted! And may DOt thepallsllgea which relate to the Me..iah', nrigo,-eud . . . \bet
DOt, for eon8iete1lCf'. .ke,-be interpreted .. igurative '18pN.
leD_tiona, highly 'beautiful and glowiIIs, of tbe ttiutDph of aapiritaaJ ftIIisioa ?
JBUXU.a.

Jeremiah fIol,riahed somewhat more than 100 yea.. after J....1l(B. C. 629--mHJ, according to the common reckoning), aod thelatter part of his coone, was at the very time wheD the Cflptivity
took rlace.
This prophet, in the elrly part of hi' ofBee, empleyed theatrongest terms' of reprehension towards tbe Jews, for their maai·
fold wiekednell8. The picttue drawn preaen.. a atate of thiop
truly appalling: .. I had planted thee a Doble vine, whoUy aright seed; how then art thotl hUlled inlo the depa8Jate plalltof a 'atrange vine onlo me? For though thon wash thee withnitre, Ind tate thee'mlloh soap, 'yet thine iniquity is'markecl
before me, saith the Lord God," (2: 21, 22). .. Behold, ,tbou but
spoken and done evil things as thou couJdeat," (3: 6). ADd th.
threatenings followed: II Out of the north an evil shall break forth
upon all the inhabitants of the Jand," (1: 14). II De8tructioo up.
on destnletioo is cried; for the whole land is spoiled," (4: 2Cl).
.. I wm mIke Jenlsalem heaps, and 11 cleo of,draaons; and I will
make the cities of Judah deROlllte, withollt aa inh.bitanl," (9: 11).
II I win give all Jl1dah into the haad of the king of Babylon, aael
he shall carry them eaptive into .Babylon, Bod _11 alay thera
with the ·ItWOrd," ('20: 4). .. Dis wbole IaDd Uall'be a_eaolatioD.

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qd aD utoDi.....t; aDCl then _t"l0...... with Judab)-..llI8ne tbe kine of Bab,_ Ie"Dty , ....." (2& U).
latter part of the &ok. of tm. pro,... relatea particWarl, toaecatioa of tbeae threateDings, the actual captivity ..... GO_ _-iDtempeaaed &eq.u~.tl" U the former parL is ",*ioo.-ll,.
with pIOIDiaea of reaaoratioa, aod alaaces at the cornioa .lor, of. . Me Iliab'l reip. towuds which tJae Jewiah aiDIl wu eYe.
....... TheBe. tbiap, with lOIBe deauDciali.... OD lbe I "........ Da~ employed the miad uul pea of Je_ _• duriDl. . active life of . . . . forty'.... ; a part of the tilDe dweUi118_
tile people iD t.M land (40: 6), aad a part of the time wi&Il• email oompH' who had removed to Eopt, caDJiDIJIIOI,het. with them, (xliii). Be died.leaviDc the people i a "&peraion aDIi boaclap.
See 1ItO_, particularly, wt.t thiB prophet . , . with aer.... to
JeIIonWoD, .nd ...bether it is to be uadenlc)od of 1M. . to talt. pIMe, eref .......lioD of the Jews iiom tbeil .......t....... :u I will lake yea, oae ot' a cit" and t~ o£ a t'amiJ,
IUd I will "riot you to Zioa," (3: 1.). Tbis is..- _uraUy__tDod, cutaiQl" of the teatoratioo then about to take plaoe.
Apin. it abortty followa: .. A.t that time the, Ihall..u Jem'..
ilia the thaooDe ef the Lord; and all the aationa aball be ptbere4
lIlao it, 10 the Dame of tbe LoId. to Jerusalem; aeitber aball tbey
walk aOJ more after Ihe ima,.natioD of tbeir evil Mar&. la thole" " ahe heue of Judah ehall walk. with the houle of luael, aDd
1M, shan corn,e tcJgftber OIlt of the laad of the DGrtIa. to the Iaed
\laat I ..veBiven for an inheritance unto ,our fatb8l8," (v.. 17,18).
~ i. tile import of this pwdictiOD? It foretold th.e I88toratiOolJ. . aboat to eooor... out of tbe laad of the DOna. It apoke ef
JttcIah aacllsllUl as "letumiag tosether;n whi", to lIOIOe eatenl,. . lIMn ......Iy tbe case. It apoke of Ihe palaeriDc of all ... . . to lbe aame of the Lord," wbiola ill rather, perlaapa, a .....Qf" the beUer time. of the Me.ish's reip. Their beiDa ptb"'Ita Jerusalem," is bllt lbe d,.. of alae truth, i .. aooommodatioa to. . ilaatitutio.a of woahip tllen ea..ting.
Bot "The hoose of Judah," it is said, ,ball walk. witlllobe_ _ of 1atae1, aDd th., ahall come toplher oa' of the . northto ,be land that I have BiveD for aa inheritance to Ilaeiratbera." .ud Isaiah had predicled the lame: .. Tbe Lord sban
~e the oo....ta of Israel, and gather together lile d.iapetMdof JudaIa from the feur ooraen of the earth. Tbe envy alIIO of
UM1 tile Il!idve....,~lIqf ,J.acblb aIuall M. Quai:

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Google[M.a.yEphraim shall Dot envy Judah, aDd Jndah shall DOt nx Ephraim,"(Ia. 11: 11-13. They shall be together, that is, as one nation;
as they were before the revolt of the Ten Tribel, aDd shall live
tcJgether in peace.
This, many are disposed to think, is yet to take place. And it
itt deemed a grand argllment in favor of a literal restoration. Bnt
what are the facts of the case? Did Dot lOme, fl"om the Ten Tribea,
as well as from the Two Tribes, actnally return to Palestine at
the eDd of the Babylonisb captivity? Israel had been in captivity
toward. a century and a half longer than Judah. Josephus saye,
iadeed, that .. the entire body of lbe I'eople of Israel remained ill
dlat conntry," (Antiq. 11.6). That is, there was, no public organiaed movement for their return, as with Judah. And a large partioll, of both branches of the nation, seem to have remained in the
COIIntries whither they bad been carried. They had acquired
JIIOperty, and made frieuds, and were happy io their new location,
aDd were unwilling to be at the trouble of a retnrn to their land.
As Josephus saya also of Jndah: It Yet did maoy of them atay at
Babylon, not willing to leave their posseuions," (Antiq.ll. 1).
Yet a part returned. And that part, there ia reuori to believe.
contained a portion of Israel, as well as of Jtldah. When Cyrua.
on obtaining the supremacy of the East, made his proclamation
tor the restoration of the captive people, the eonntry of Israel'.
captivity, .. well as that of Judah's, constitnted a part of his dominion. And the proclamation was made II throughout all hi.
kiagdom," (Ezra 1: 1). Who can dotlbt that Israel, to lOme extent at least, as individuals, availed themselves of the advantage
of it? Moreover, the proclamation speaks of II the Lord God ofheaYeo," whose house was to be built at Jetonlem, and of II ALL
BlS paoPLa," wbich can hardly be undentood of le88 than all who
bad any interest at Jenlsalem, Israel as well as Judah, who had.
all built the former temple, and claimed Jentsalem as their own ;and commaads respecting every .nch one: II Whosoever remaineth in any place where he IOjotlmeth, let the men of his place
help him," (lb. VB. 2-4). This covered the eojoumings of Israel
as well as of Jwlah.
.
In tbe decree of Artaxerxes in favor of Ezra, a few years later,
it is said: "I mate a decree, tbat all they of the people of Israel,aDd of hiB priests and Levites, JIll MY RBALM, which are minded of
their own free will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee," (Ezra 7:
13). Josephus say. that Ezra It reed the EpiBtle at Babylon, tothGee Jews that were there; bnt be kept the Epiatle itself, ud.

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'I'D'".... CIOPJ ef it tQ ' " ..... of WI 0WIl aaliM. that Wflte i. . .
-.:' (.laQq. U. 6). • . . . . . the place. of ail. 'l'ea
u.ee tIle .........k of BeIU'J ala ,hit subject: II BoIb AaaJria [wi.
Media) aod C....da"-tMl..doftbe captiyilJof ....a. .. \VeM
• that of ~'lell iato the bu4a of Cynll t .Ild hie ~IIIIdion ateDded to.u lbe J .... iR .u hia 4otaiaiopa. And tu...
- . we have reuoD ta tbiak, that IllUJ of , . " - flf JinwItute wiIb diose 01 JlIClab _ fl ......." (Bear,. "' tqo.).
..me. iDdeecl. under the buae, oft ......,. ill ..'I,~. . the d i . " of &be kia..... aDd the defeotioa el tH T-..
l'ribet.1lDder Jeroboam aDel other wi. . . m...., fonIook &lleir.~
IJibet. utd their OWll bIaaoh of abe _tWD. aad joiDecl \N1Ue1. .
10 Judah pel lJeIIjulia. for the .......IW.p 9f Gc.l wWeb ....
..uataiaell. there. (Vid. a Cbr. 11: 16; 16: 9 tal: 6).
Tbe retarDed captiv.. flOlD _elma, haft beeQ ......, . . . . .
.... (doubtl_ were much lewer,) ..... thole ftorn Judah, .,.
!lad Mea 10.., ill .ptivity. bed I. . Yirid a~ Qf.... Jud. Ad had foaad more to iDle. .t theIR iD \be 00. . . .
• ere the, dwelt. Yet &IIolllOre piqa aad cie\"Mt. of both btu. . .
of abe u • • i, ..... ~lGD8bllt to "lieve...... up to ..build
tile t.aple. aDd ..... the Jewish St.te.
la~ of Ear.. giviDg IIA acGOllll' Qf the . . . .tiOII. ".
llave the two phrues. JIIdP4 _...,.. . . and'" ~" If..
. .; tlae tint. deaipatiDI the Two Tribes Uld a Ualf. wldeh • .,.
die more proIIliMQ.t aoto.. in allla_ . . . . of Jewiall _.,; pel &be luI. aeemiag to ~.ve. wider refuence,lookiDg 1Il0..
bnnId. ".. . . . . . . . . oollectivelJ. 14 Th_ IBM pp," .. ~.
lit. GIl ..... p. . . . . . . of Cyru.. I' aile ohief of lb. rath... of Ju·
4Ih Ad BeojaJpiQ.," (1: 6). 4IMl. .n~....t the decliQauQQ of. . _pie. it ia .aid: .. Aad the ebildNil" larael. whieh W8ftt_8oat of captivity." [with otJaera IHPtioaed.) ,. clid eatU
(I; 81); aee...u. to _e a referoce to a CCNPPUY coll..tecl tiolA.... _tioa at !up. Jo.pllua, referriag eo the eAODQ. . . . .ep..
wIIich Cyrua pve the people to relDm. says : "WhIR CJrua bw1. . tbia 10 the larulitee. the rule.. of the two tribes of JIl4ab ....d. . .n.
the Levitea aDd pries&a. weDt in haste to Jer~
(4atiq. U: 1). Alul of the eo......, Fiag up 1&. . .,a;" . J chuBa tbemael... rule... who Ibollid 10 up to Jeruaelelllo
GIItof . . 1Ii_ of thaiI lorefathers (lb. U. 3); ... CIOa ....
. . of Ja4Ua .... BeajupiD ualDaivel,. but fllND ...... ,;... ~ 'Ail lOGU .. tUlIIh the whole 1WeI.t) kibei
ia tM
qf alae....... "1ltfa a.
1M .......
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Googlemaritan Chronicle asserts, that in the thirty-fifth year of the pontificate of Abdeills, three thousand Israelites, by permission ofking SanridiQs, 'returned from captivity, under the conduct of Adrea,
son of Simon," (Bel. En., Art. CAPTIVITY). And at the dedication of the temple, when it was completed, it is said, that, among
other sacrifices, they offered II for a sin -offering for all Israel,
tweh'e be·goats, according to the nomber of the tribes of Israel,II(Ezra 6: 17); and, on another occasion, .. twelve bnllocks for all
Israel and twelve he-goats, lor a sin-offering," (lb. 8: 36). It
leems most natural to conclude, that Israel and Judah were minBled together in these services, that all the tribes which had been
carried captive bad their representatives at this feast, 80 that it
was strictly a fI4tiontJl celebration. It may be true, therefore, as
expressed by anotber: II We see Palestine [from this time to theend of that dispensation] peopled by Israelites of all the tribes indifferently" (ReI. Encyclop. art. Capli vity of Israel), Judah andIsrael forgetting their former antipathies, according to the prediction of the prophets, and living together again as one nation, andin peace. And what has been said by another writer may not be
wbolly unworthy of regard: II All questions, therefore, and invea·
tigatioDs, for the purpose of ascertaining what has become of the
TBN TRIBES, and whether it is likely they will ever be discovered.
are superfluous and idle," (Jahn, Beb. Com. chap. 7, .6::1). The
idea is, that the tribes were extensi vely broken up and commingled
together in their dispersions, and such portions of them as retnrded
were commingled together in their restoration. And this may be
an indication, in the providence of God, that that economy has ac·complished its work in the world, and has permanently given place
to something that is better. It may be in keeping with Jndaism,
to believe that the Messiah, when he shall come, will disentangle
these intricacies, hunt up the lost tribes, show each its genealogy, and give them the earthly glory for which they are looking.
But does Christi1ll1ity, the question is, make itself responsible Cor
these results?
Let some other passages receive attention. In chap. xxiii.
of this prophet, Jeremiah, it is said: II I will gather the remnantof my ftock out of all countries, whither I have driven them, andwill bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fmitful,and increase.-Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will
nUse unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign andprosper, and ,hall execute judgment and jl1stice in the earth. In
Ilia days Judall shall be Baved, and larael'abalI dwell safely; aad

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dis is bis name, whereby he shall be called, The Lmd oar BightTherefore, behold the days come, aaitb the Lord,that they shall DO more "y, The Lord liveth, which brought up
the children of Iamel out of the laud oC Egypt; but the Lord liveth.
..bieh brought op, aud which led the seed oC the hou.. of Israel
oat of the BOrth COODtry, and from all coDntries whitber I bad
driveD them; md tbey ahall dwell· in tbeir own laud," (23: 3,
6-8). Bere, also, is a IOrt of generic visioD, haviDg reCereDce,
primarily, to the literal restoration, and glaDcing at the still greaterdeliverance oC the Messiah's dispeDsatiOD, oC which that was a'Bare, and which that ever suggested. Nothing is more naturalthaD this kind of proceeding. Nor is it any objection to this view,that the allusion to the Messiab's reign is thrown into the middleof the sentence, the beginning aDd the end relatiDg to the otber
IObjeet. Such soddeD transitions are a part of the mannefoC the
Jewisb prophets.
10 chap. xxix, it is said: .. For thus saith the Lord, That after
seventy years be accomplisbed at Babylon, I will visit yoo, uadperform my good word toward YOD, inC8llsiDg you toretWD to thisplaee.-I will tom away your captivity, and I will gatber yoo'flOlll
III the nations, and Crom all the placea whitber I bave driven yo...
aaith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place wben.
I caused you to be carried away captive," (va. 10, 14). This is,
DIIlDifestly, the literal restoration, and nothing more. The attempt
to make it mean more than this, is altogether uncalled for andpoitous.
In chap. xu, we have the two connected again : .. The dayscome, saith tbe Lord, that I will bring again the captivity oC mypeople Israel and Judah"-both branches oC the nation-IC saith
the Lord; and I will canse them to retum to the land that I gaveto their Cathers, and they sball posse. it. - Strangers shall DO
more serve themselves of him. But they shall serve the Lord theirGod, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore feu tboo not, 0 my servant Jacob i neither be dismayed, 0Israel (both brancbes oftbe nation) j for, lo! I will save tbee
&om afar, and thy seed from tbe land of captivity; aud Jacob sballmom, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and nune aball make him
afiaid," (VB. 3, 9,10). This is manifestly a prediction of the restoJalion tbeD about to take place, with • glance at the future blesaiDgs of tbe Mesaiah's reign i those blessings being promised iD
Jewish phrase, clothed in Jewisb dress, as it was most natwai
Ihould be the caae.

eousness.

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Google-[lidba -Ih aul, ale IIOmo ................ _ _ ea .. PI'Olrile• Jiteral . .toratioQ fe' to come: .. 1 ba•• IOM lbee "ith .......
Juti-C ieve. -1 will build tlMo, .,,41 thQQ ,halt _ baUt. - I will
bIiae them r... the BOrth QOllDtry, aDd ...... the.. from . .
oouta of the earth. -- He th., BcaUentd, !Mael wit p l _ biPI.
ud keep hiG. aa a ....pberd doth u
Tlw.J .baU co. .
ud aiDg in the heights of Zion," (VB. 3. 4. 6. It. 12). Bo' ~. - aU this be eaiQ ... refetOraC8 to tho l'fI8Wra. daen aboat ..
take pIaoe when the propbe, wrote? Wb.y '"""' we _k fQ~tPn ttu... for a fllUUmtQlt of the pre~ !
Ira tao laUer part of the ohaptM .. D~ae Qt .. MW' tl9v.....-.bieb God. wcnlld make with bia people; . . "ob .. GIle . . b~
ade wUb. t.l\em .IMra he klfIk lAt. . ftOfII icYpt i \lat. cove. .
.. a deopel &ad mIMe .cbuin. eIJ....,tef. II 1 will PIl' IIlJ law ~\lwir iAWMl partI. ancl WQte i' ia \beif ~; pd 1 will be theirGod, and theJ .hall be mJ people." ADd the ........ ill gav....
.....l tNt t)rcMucel of _v... \he 80lUMe of lb• ..-, and. \heIIMIOn. . .4 the ........ 1lfO OQ IPOJ8 eradl1lial. tau theeo ........
•••a. etC God. IQ ~ . . ., (ve.. al....0). But all thia. . .~aol QDd.mttaDd lQe apiri&Ml covemtat "hieQ Gtcllllllba wUb
1»1 poopltt. wbi.ch is -mctJJ etelaal t I1loQke like a IIpilitul tnuw~ ~ ,"Wua h" law ia their inward parte. and writial _\ irl
bft&rt&" If there be aD earUttt .ppli~ of it. toDneate4
with • literal retloratioA. \h. time iaw.ded ...aJ _ \hat when ~PftOple CItJIle ~ from :p,.bylOQ. tencler ape! lwokea·hearted.
pateful and devoted to the service of God. Bot wba&8w8f WU

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wantiDl tbere....pirito~ relicio.. like U. of _~, whaa.1y .aaw..oed, will entirely fuUil.
Other p~. in this PfOpaet .,. to be iaterp"tecl ia Uae . ._1 will satber them ou,of all COtl8~" 1Vbitber 1 tta~
UiVM them ~ JOiae anger, ad ~ lilY fury, and in peat wrath i-..4 I will brina them again ia~ this place. and I will ClJtlB8 tbee.\to dw.ll .rely i and they eIuUl be
people. .:t I will be th.eq
God i Nld I will give them one heart. IUld one way, that theJ • •£ew mo forey., for the pod of tbem, .ad of. their cbUd...n"em. ADd I will _ake an everlaatiDI coveaant wiUllb8Dl. ~1 willaot tum away from them," (32: 37-40). "l will oatlM lhaca(ltivitJ of Jildah and the eeptivitJ of Iarael to ret"rDt and will
baild. them .. at tbe firat." - It I will call" the Blucla of riahttQl1..... to PQW up uatG David i ud be ehaIl aecote jadgmeM
gil ricbteooaa.... in the Janel. - Ifye.n break Qly aoYe.....,q(
the day. and mJ coveDUlt or the night. and \hal . . . Jllal1kl ..,...,r. .

la,an.

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Google•18&7.]
be clay aod nisht in their seasoD; then may allO my covenant behnlbn with David my servant, that he should not bave a IOn to
Jeiga on bis throne; and with the Levites the priests, my minia_." (33: 7. HS, 20, 21). II Be not afraid oftbe king of Babylon,
of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith tbe Lord;
fiJr I am with yon to save you, and to deliver you from his band,"(,2: 11). U Fear not thon, 0 my servant Jacob, and be not dis_yed. 0 Israel; for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, anet
~ aeed flOm the land of tbeir captivity," (46: 27).
Such is a specimen of tbe predictions in Jerem'iah relating totile restoration of the Jews. And DOW taking into view tbe .ct,
that he lived in the time of the disl1ersion, aDd died leaving tbe
people in their captive state, of whicb is it most reasonahle to believe tbat be spoke, of the restoration tben about to take place,glaaciDg occaaionaUy. as the subject was suggested, to tbe more
important work the Messiah was to perform in the world? or 19
lOme literal restoration now at this filr distant period? Let the pr0phet speak of tbe subject in hand, and let bis glances at tbe fU
future be at tbe Messiah and his dispensation. tbat great idea
ever preaent to the Jewish mind; and all is natural and eaayjut as we shonld expect. But tbe attempt to make out a courseof prediction in refereDce to a literal restoration from present dispersions, overlooks the subject iD band, introduee8 a principle ofillterpretation that tends to secularize religioD; and, by depriving
lII1Uly passages of their spiritual import, robs them of tbeir chief
Jicluaess and glory.
[To .. ooaeI1lded.]

ARTICLE VII.
KEIBB'8 LEXICON OF HEBREW BOOTS.

BebniUr_ W~rbu~ neh&t dm .AMaNg~ iber dW lJil.
- 8 der Q_adriliten& Erkllirwtg d8r F.,.emdwiirter ina Bebrii.iac4ex, IUId tiber cItu Verluiltniu des .Egyptischen ~a~_ _ ~; 'IHm Dr. Ernst Meier, Privatdocelltm "" . .
U7&ifJeT&iliil.- ~ pp. 7ij3. MODbeim, 1846. , .... CIIuIM A. Bay, I'nIlHmr la Latlleran Tllool. Sem.. Getly.ba .... Pelinl)'lftnla.

TaB consangtlinity of the Semitic and Indo·Ellropean laDguaBut as to the degree ofsea is DOW generally acknowledged.

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