The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-06
PEOPLES PULPIT.
PASTOR RUSSELL'S
DISCOURSE
ON
JERUSALEM


and note that prophetically ne takes his
standpoint at the very time when The
second part of the double" began. His
words are, Even today do ] declare that
1 will render double unto thee tZccba-
riah TX 12).
the prophet Isaiah stands with MS, and
views the matter from the standpoint
that the double" of experience has
been fulfilled; Speak comfortably unto
Jerusalem, cry unto her that her ap-
pointed time is accomplished, because she
hath received at the Lords hand double
(two equal parts) for her sins" 1t is
our understanding that this double"
reached fulhllment in the year 1878
a. D.. and since that date We have
been declaring 10 the best OF our ability,
comforting words TO Israel. assuring
Gods chosen people that their period Of
disfavor has ended. and that they are
gradually returning to prosperity; that
Yea, more than this, our sermons which
to some extent reflect this feature Of
the Divine programme relating to Is
rael's restoration TO Divine favor, are
Hebrews as well as by Christians; their
eyes are gradually opening. as the scrip
lures foretell they shall do,
But how may we know when the turn
Ing point of Israels double" took place?
How may we know that the double"
was completed In 1878? We reply that
the answer TO the question necessitates
an acknowledgement Of jesus as tho Mes
siah. Israers rejection of Him as their
king marks the turning point OF God S
favor, as the prophecy of Zechariah, just
quoted, distinctly shows. Neither Chris
tians nor Jews have appreciated the full
import of the incident mentioned In the
gospel that five days before His cruel
fiNion Jesus rode upon an ass, after the
manner of Jewish kings, into the city
OF Jerusalem, multitude surrounding
ING q
'Hosanna TO the Son OF David! Blessed
is He that cometh in the name or Jc-
hovahn' The prophet ZechaTiah called
attention TO this incident centuries be-
fore it occurred, and then gives the
Lords words, Gwen today do ] declare
l will render double unto thee."
lsraefs history as q nation began with
the death OF Jacob, when he gave his
blessing to the twelve tribes. The period
from that time to the death OF Jesus.
according to the scriptures, was lSiO
years; and a like period OF disfayor,
measuring from the day OF Jesus's rejec-
tton marks the year 1878 as the end OF
1sraels dsfavor-thc time when the
message of comfort should go forth.
However. Divine favor was only gradual
ly taken from Israel, and altogether
period OF thirty-slx years intervene be-
tween the death OF Jesus and the utter
destruction of Jerusalem. Similarly
we should expect that the return OF iavor
would be gradual a like period of thirty
six years; and this would bring us to the
year 1914 as the time when Gods favor
for His people Will be publicly and openly
manifested
''The Seed of Abraham"
The question now arises, What has
OF Israers "double?" Did He pass by
His chosen people to directly bless the
Gentiles. or how shall we understand
Divine Providence with respect TO this
matter?
We answer that Almighty God had ono
feature OF His plan which He did not
make known directly and explicitly TO
Abraham or any other prophet, lie kept
that feature of His purpose n secret.
1t is this: Messiah could not be a man
and yet accomplish the great things
which Jehovah intended, as stated in
His Word, The law called for an eye
for an eye. tooth for a tooth and a
mans life for mans life, In this God
set forth His principle governing His
course of dealing with men. AS by man
lAdam) came the sentence death, and
through horedity upon all Of his Of
spring, even the Divine law pur-
posed that there must be sacrifice OF
one human life to offset the one hu-
who would thus meet the demands OF
justice on behalf OF tho race would have
the right TO give eternal life and human
perfection 10 every member OF Adams
race willing to accept II on the terms
of the Divine law. 1t was for this rea-
son that Christ should die. "the just for
the unjust"
AS a reward for His obedience to the
raised from the dead 10 the Divine ma
ture In this exalted condition He is
capable of being mediator and of doing
a work for Israel and for the world much
feet. Moses. the typical mediator, made
atonement for n year with the blood
OF beasts: but Messiah with His own
blood makes perpetual atoncmcnt for the
.if1u Of .a1f IIfa nnrIN ,i,, I.,
Messiah tJcsus) who suffered tho death
of the cross-for the Jews and for the
Gentiles-"1or all the people" This Is
tho glorihcd Messiah, who as the Spiritual
1sraelS ancient WORTHLESS, and 10 ''make
them princes In all the EARTH" ministers
Of His kingdom for the ruling. blessing
and instruction of whOsoeyer will, out OF
the present sin and death conditions. to
life eternal to full human perfection, with
the earth as paradise restored.
Members of Messiah
But. some one may say. Where do
Christians come in connection with this
divine arrangement And &c Gods deal
ines with the world are to be through
Israel, and not through the church. why
did not the ,:lor'lied Messiah at once set
up His kingdom, and bring forth the
ancient WORTHLESS from the tomb 10 he It's
earthly representatives? oh, here IS an
hhrahams son. WAS typical of Messiah,
the spiritual seed. but before Isaac be-
gan the work OF dispensing the blessings
TO his brethren and to his children. he
first took a bride. and this act also was
allegorical or typical. In tho anti-type.
the glori1cd Jesus. partook OF
the divine nature according 10 che
Fathers invitation. and He Is 10 take
81 bride who is 10 be His joint heir on
the spirit plauc-to share with Him the
glory, honor and service of his Mcssianic
kingdom. The period OF Israel's dlsfaVor
as nation has been the time I'm which
a special class has been called of the
Father and Begottcn of the Holy Spiritl
to Joint hclrship with Christ as his bride.
But did God pass by the natural seed
of Israel to give those spiritual privI-
legcs 10 the Gcntilcs-to gather from tnc
Gcntilcs q people. flgurativcIy to consti-
tutc the bride OF Messiah? Nay The
scriptures assure us that this spiritual
privilege went first 10 the Jews: they
show us that during the three and a hair
years Of jesus ministry and during tho
years following H. the gospeI
message was given almost exclusively 10
the jews. and gathered from that people
as man as We're found To be "Isracliies
indeed without guile as many MS were
not only of the circumcision OF tho flesh
but also who were OF the circumcision
of the heart. God did not continue to
deal with his chosen people but after