FAITH STRENGTHENED.

171

spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking

in the land of Israel: so that the fishes of the sea and
the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and
all the creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all
the men that are on the face of the earth, shall shake at
my presence,” etc. The restoration of the latter temple
has, on that account, been brought into connection with
the battle of Gog and Magog (z, <?., the ultimate cessa
tion of all warfare). At that time the temple will be
erected in surpassing splendour, and testifying all is the
Lord’s according to the expression by Haggai, that “ the
gold and the silver belong unto Him.” At that time the
true glory of tht house of God will be made manifest,
and will excel that of the preceding temple. The Slie-
cliinah (the Divine presence) -will re-appear there, and
there everlasting peace will take up its abode. To this
alludes Haggai, by saying at the end of his book, chap. Ii.,
v. 21, 22, “ Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, say
ing, I will shake the heaven and the earth; and I will
overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the
strength of the kingdoms of the heathen, and I will
overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them: and
the horses and their riders shall come down, every one
by the sword of the brother.” A similar vision seen by
the prophet Zechariah, is also unconnected with the
second temple, but relates to events to come in the
latter days; for after fearful collisions of the last hostile
kingdoms, the Messiah, descendant of Zerubbabel, will
come, and He will be the perfection of all rulers. Hence
Haggai says, in the concluding words of his book,
chap. ii. 23, u And I will make thee—Zerubbabel—as a
signet, for I have chosen thee, says the Lord of Hosts.”
The fulfilment was not to take place in the immediate
times of Zerubbabel, for He remained during all His
life in the same position as Governor of Israel, without
172 FAITH STRENGTHENED.

being ever raised to that exalted rank of which Ilaggai

speaks.
But we find in Scripture similar promises, which were
to be accomplished among a later posterity. Thus,
for instance, the Almighty said to Abraham, when He
made a covenant with him to give him the Land of
Canaan as an inheritance (Genesis xv. 7), “ I am the
Lord who hath brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldeans
to give thee this land for an inheritance.”
This prediction undoubtedly related merely to the
posterity of Abraham, as is set forth in the very same
chapter (v. 18), “In that day the Lord made a cove
nant with Abraham, saying, Unto thy seed have I given
this land,” etc. We must, therefore, of necessity ex
plain the prophecy of Ilaggai as referring to the third
temple, of which Ezekiel, in chap. xl. and in subsequent
passages, et passim, has given such an elaborate and
distinct description. He has given us the express
announcement that the Divine presence would reveal
itself there in its fullest glory. See Ezekiel xliii. 4—7,
“ And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the
way of the gate which faces the east. So the spirit took
me up and brought me into the inner court, and behold
the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I heard one
who was speaking unto me, and a man stood by me. And
he said unto me, Son of Man, The place of my throne
and the place of the soles of my feet where 1 will dwell
in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, the house
of Israel shall no more defile iny Holy name,” etc.
This prevalence of universal peace will form the
superior glory of the latter temple. The inferiority of the
second temple may also be argued from the absence
of the Holy ark, of the mercy seat, of the Urim and
Thummim, etc.; but in the third temple, which is to be
raised at a future day, all the tokens of Divine
glory will be
 /

FAITH STRENGTHENED. 173

restored and serve as a pledge for the endurance of

perpetual peace. Hence the prophet Haggai says, “And
in this place will I grant peace, saith the Lord of Hosts.”
Utterly untenable is also the assertion of the Christians,
that the glory of the second temple consisted in the
event of the birth of Jesus. For, when he was born,
the temple was fast approaching its dissolution and
lacked that peace expressly promised. Besides this,
Jesus himself admitted, that his object was not to afford
peace; for he says in Matthew x. 34, “ Think not that
I am come to send peace on earth, I came not to send
peace, but a sword.” This forms a positive evidence
that the promise <5f universal peace remains still to be
accomplished.

CHAPTER XXXV.

Zecii. ix. 9, “ Rejoice very much, 0 daughter of Zion.

Shout, 0 daughter of Jerusalem. Behold thy king
cometh unto thee; He is just and has been saved; He
is poor and riding on an ass.” On the authority of
St. Matthew xxi. 5, the Christians maintain that the
prophet, on pronouncing this prediction, had in view the
entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem on the back of an ass.
Refutation.—The whole prophecy from which the
above portion is taken, bears internal evidence to the
fallacy of this interpretation; for the prophet speaks
solely of the ingathering of Israel and of the advent of
the Messiah in the latter days. To arrive at this truth,
the verse must be read in its relation with the antecedent
and subsequent verses. Refer to the commencement of
Zech. ix. 1, where we read, “The burden of the word
of the Lord upon the land of Iladrach and Damascus,
his resting place.” The letter 2 occurring in this verse
174 FAITH STRENGTHENED.

in the word means upon, concerning, or relating

to. It occurs in the same sense in Isaiah xxi. 13, “ The
burden upon Arabia,” and the same meaning has the 2 in
many other passages of Scripture.
The lands of Hadrach and Damascus shall, in the time
of the Messiah, be united with the land of Israel, and be
termed the resting-place of the Divine glory, just as the
ancient and more limited country of Israel was desig
nated the resting-place of the Divine Glory.
In this mode, the Psalmist says in Psalm xcv. 11,
“ Unto whom I sware in my wrath, they should not
enter into my rest;” or, as we find this expression more
largely expanded in Deuteronomy xi. 12, it is the land
“ which the Lord thy God inquireth after; the eyes of
the Lord thy God are continually upon it.” Now, in
the times of the Messiah, the eyes of the Lord will rest
favourably on the lands of Hadrach and Damascus,
because all worship displeasing to the Divine Being will
give way to the acknowledgement of pure truth. In the
same way, many will also, in the other countries adjacent
to our ancient fatherland, be incorporated in the pos
session of the House of Jacob, and according to the
expression of Zechariah ix. 1, “ The eye of man shall
be directed unto the Lord, as the eyes of all the tribes
of Israel shall be towards the Lord; for all nations will
say unto the men of Judea, “ We will go with you, for
we have heard that God is among you.” The words of
Jeremiah xxiii. 17 fully bear upon this subject, “Now
they say unto my scorners, the Lord hath said, Ye shall
have peace, ” etc.
Zech. ix. 2, “ Also Hamath borders thereon, and also
Tyre and Zidon, yet they were wise.” Those towns,
though considered as foreign countries (See Amos vi. 2),
will, in future, form only one empire with that of Israel.
As to the wisdom of Tyre and Zidon, it is often alluded
 FAITH 17

to by the prophets, as may be seen in Ezekiel xxviii.

Such wisdom, available in worldly matters, will not
prove of advantage against the supremacy of Israel.
For, although u Tyre did build herself a strong-hold and
heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire
of the streets, the Lord will cause her to grow poor?’
Zech. ix. 3. In rendering the words HSBHV, “ He will
cause her to grow poor,” we are guided by the terms
occurring in 1 Samuel ii. 7, “ The Lord maketh poor
and maketh rich.” Zechariah ix. 4, further says, “And
He will smite her power in the sea, and she shall be
devoured with fire.”* This shows that temporal means
will be utterly disregarded, and that confidence in
perishable substance will be lost with the disappearance
of the substance itself. Grand structures shall become
insignificant, the towers of refuge and the walls of
protection shall be demolished, and devouring fire shall
demonstrate that man can never raise a bulwark against
the will of the Lord, and that he can only fortify himself
with the firmness of faith.
Again, we read in Zechariah ix. 5, “ Ashkelon shall
see it and fear, and also Gaza be much afraid; and
Ekron too, for He hath put to shame her trust.” Terror
shall emanate from the consciousness of their former
unworthiness, and terror shall be followed by humilia
tion and desolation, as the natural consequences of
depraved conduct. Therefore Zechariah says in the
same chapter, ver. 6, “ The outcasts shall dwell in Ash
dod, and I will cut off the glory of the Philistines, and I
will take away the guilt of blood out of his mouth, and
his abominations from between his teeth.” All this
part, which is introductory to the verse at the heading
of this chapter, shows that a total conversion from un
godly feelings and practices will take place in the
countries adjacent to Palestine, and that they will be
 17 FAITH

spared only to become faithful followers of our God, and

like the Jebusite of former days, to be subjected to
Israel. The various nationalities will then be joined
into one faithful body; all will serve with equal ardour
the God of Israel, saying in the words of Zechariah
viii. 23, “ We will go with you, for we have heard that
God is with you.” The multitude of worshippers will
abundantly increase so that the land of Israel will not be
able to contain them, and therefore the boundary will,
according to Divine promise, be enlarged, and Palestine
extend in proportion as the faith of the followers of
Judaism shall spread; for to speak with Isaiah liv. 1,
“ The children of the desolate wife are greater than the
children of the married wife,” that is to say, the children
returning from captivity will far exceed those who once
left their native land. Hence Isaiah says, ibid. ver. 2,
“ Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch
forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen
thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt
spread to the right and the left,” etc. Jeremiah, too,
affords a picture of the future enlargement of Jerusalem.
See chap. xxxi. 38, “ Behold days shall come, saith the
Lord, and the city shall be built unto the Lord from
the tower of Hananeel to the gate of the corner,” etc.,
and he concludes this prediction with the assurance, “it
shall not be destroyed, nor shall it ever be broken down.”
As at that time the temple of the Lord will consequently
be larger than it had been in former days, as is testified
by Ezekiel xl. and in subsequent parts. The peace which
will at that time rule in Palestine will be fairly esta
blished, so that no man shall have to apprehend any
danger from abroad. Zechariah therefore predicts,
chap. ix. 8, “ 1 will set up an army for my house, of
those who proceed towards it, of those who return from
it; and no oppressor shall move against them any more,
 FAITH 17
for now I have seen it with mine eyes.” With this
prophecy we may compare Zechariah ii. 5, “ For I,
saith the Lord, will be unto her a protecting wall of fire
round about.” The expression, “ For now I have seen it
with mine eyes,” relates to the time of the* fulfilment,
when the Jews will find relief from all tribulation; and
then the Lord, who had turned his countenance from us,
will again look upon us in mercy. In the same sense,
we find in Exodus ii. 25, “ And God saw the children
of Israel,” by which is meant, “ He looked upon them
graciously.” This forms a suitable introduction to the
words, “ Rejoice vfjry much, O daughter of Zion; shout,
0 daughter of Jerusalem.” The occasion of such joy
is afforded by the occurrence of blissful events pro mised
to happen in the days of the Messiah. Zion or Jerusalem
is here addressed, individually, as the most important
part of the Holy Land. Then He says, “Behold, thy
King cometh unto thee; He is right eous, and is
saved”; for the King Messiah will be a righteous Man;
and, through his righteousness lie will be saved from
the destructive attacks of his assailants.
The Christians have perverted the sense of he
is saved, and have rendered it as if it were JPCHB a
Saviour. The authors of the English version have,
with consistent faithfulness, taken an opportunity for
perverting the sense by translating it ambiguously, and
with more ingenuity than honesty, “ and having salva
tion,” instead of “having been saved.” Such subter
fuges do not strengthen, however, the cause of religion.
We must notice, at the same time, that the word
would not aid their interpretation, for we find this word
also in the passive sense, for instance, D'JTJJhO l/pl
and “ The saved ones shall go up to judge the mount of
Esau.” The word occurring in the verse at the
beginning of this chapter, means meek and modest. A
N
 17 FAITH

similar description of the character of the Messiah is

given in Isaiah xlii. 2, “ He shall not cry aloud and not
raise himself up, and not make his voice to be heard
abroad; a feeble reed He shall not break,” etc. The ap
pearance of the Messiah on the back of an ass is to
indicate his disdain of all vain display, and also that, at
the time of his advent, the use of horses for battle will
no longer be required. This is amplified in the an
nouncement, “ And I will cut off the chariots from
Ephraim and the horses from Jerusalem, and the bow of
warfare shall be cut off.” Thus is also the message
given by Hosea ii. 18, “ And the bow and the sword 1
will break from the land; and 1 shall cause them to lie
down in security.”
Still more forcibly this is predicted in Isaiah ii. 4,
“ And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares
and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall no
more lift up the sword against nation, and they shall no
more learn the art of war.” For this reason, Zechariah
says, “ And He shall speak peace unto the nations.”
This shows again, that the Messiah will conciliate hostile
nations, according to Daniel vii. 27, “ All rulers serve
Him and obey Him.” Thus Zechariah ix. 10, says,
“And His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from
the rivers to the ends of the earth.” Then the Prophet
continues (chap. ix. 11), “Thou also who art in the
blood of thy covenant, I have sent thy prisoners from
the waterless pit.”
In these words he addresses Israel, who will be saved
through the blood of Abraham’s covenant, to which we
have adhered in spite of all temptation during the cap
tivity, which is denominated a pit without water. We
come now to verse 12, of the same chapter, “ Turn ye
to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope, even to-day do
I declare, that I will render double unto thee.” This
 FAITH 17

maybe interpreted in the following manner:—Israel,

ye prisoners, ever hopeful of your ultimate salvation, ye
shall return to God, who is the stronghold and the tower
of strength to those who trust in Him, for to-day I tell
you again, you shall receive a double portion of all joys
lost during the toils of your captivity; and thus 1 repeat
the promise conveyed to you .through the prophet Isaiah
(chap. lx. 17), u Instead of the silver I shall bring gold,”
etc.; and again (chap. lxi. 7), “For your shame, ye
shall have double, and in return for confusion, they shall
rejoice in their portion; therefore, in their land they
shall possess the double,” etc.
The object of the word, u double,” is merely to express
that God will abundantly bestow his gracious favours:
hence the word is not confined to the literal sense
of twice or twofold. Thus we have in Jeremiah xvii. 18,
“And I will destroy them with double destruction.”
Thus the word “ double” signifies merely a frequent
recurrence of the same thing. In chap. ix. 13, Zechariah
continues, “ For I have bent thy way, 0 Judah, towards
me. I have filled the bow, 0 Ephraim, and raised thy
sons, 0 Zion, against thy sons, 0 Javan (z.c. Greece),
and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.”
Here he alludes to the days of the Messiah when all
Judah and Ephraim, that is to say, all Israel, will return
to their land. For we have already shewn, in a former
part, that, at the return from Babylon, only a small
portion of the Jews again settled in their own country.
Now, in the time of the Messiah, all will take their
abode in the land of their inheritance, and they will be
no more divided into two kingdoms. This may be
fully seen on referring to Ezekiel xxxvii. The prophet
there tells us, that the children of Zion will prevail over
the children of Javan.
Sometimes we find in Scripture Gog and Magog as
N 2
18 FAITH

expressive of the opponents of the Jews, for both Javan

and Magog appear in the genealogical enumeration of
nations in Genesis x. 1, 2, as brethren and as sons of
Japheth.
Having now shown that this chapter affords no
foundation for the claims of Jesus to be the Messiah,
since in his days those significant predictions remained
altogether unfulfilled, we proceed to sum up the points
we have discussed.
1. In the days of the Messiah, will take place the
gathering of Judah and Ephraim, that is, of all Israel.
2. Many nations will join Israel as the people of the
Lord.
3. Gog and Magog, that is, the powers opposing
Israel, will be overthrown.
4. Undisturbed peace will then reign throughout the
world.
5. The King Messiah will have dominion over all the
world.
On the other hand, we have shewn that, in the days
of Jesus, not one of those favourable events occurred,
but, indeed, the reverse took place. The King Messiah
is to declare cessation of warfare and permanent peace,
while Jesus the Nazarene says, in Matthew x. 34,
“ Think not that 1 am come to send peace on earth; I
come not to send peace, but the sword.”
The true Messiah is to have his dominion from sea to
sea and from the river to the ends of the earth; but Jesus,
the Nazarene, had no worldly power over the smallest
territory; for lie says in Matthew xx. 28, u The Son of
Man (?.<?. Jesus) came not to be served, but to serve,”
etc. From all this it is obvious that Christians have
no foundation on which to establish their dogma of a
Messiah.
 FAITH 181

CHAPTER XXXVI.

ZeCHAriAH xii. 10, 44 And I will pour upon the house

of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the
spirit of grace and supplications, and they shall look up
to me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn
for him as in the mourning for an only sou, and be in
bitterness for him, as is the bitterness for the first
born.n
The Christians <:ite this verse as a testimony of the
regret which Israel will feel at a future time for having
pierced and slain Jesus, who combined human and
Divine nature; therefore the Israelites will mourn for
him, as one mourns for an only son.
Refutation.—On an unprejudiced perusal of the whole
prophecy; of which the above forms part, our Christian
brethren would have perceived, that the contents are
solely referable to the confusion of empires during the
latter days, or, as we are accustomed to call that era,
the appearance and fall of Gog and Magog. We will
elucidate this by taking an attentive view of the entire
chapter. It commences with the warning, 44 Behold, I
will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the
people round about/’ 44 The cup of trembling” means
the confusion and terror which will seize all nations at
that period, “and also Judah who shall be engaged in
the siege against Jerusalem.’’ For the foreign nations
invading the Holy Land, in order to conquer its capital,
will coerce and compel the children of Judah to assist
in the siege of Jerusalem. In that time, says Zechariah
xii. 3, 441 will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all
people; all that burthen themselves with it shall be cut
in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered
together against it.” The ill fate formerly attending
18 FAITH
the welfare of the Jews will now befall the Gentiles; for
the prophet continues, “ In that day, saith the Lord, I
will smite every horse with terror, and his rider with mad
ness, and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah,
and I will smite every horse of the nations with blind
ness. ” This supernatural intervention of the Almighty
will bring the Jewish leaders to reason, on seeing the
extraordinary power displayed in behalf of Jerusalem.
“And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The
inhabitants of Jerusalem are too strong for me, through
the Lord their God.” The leaders of Judah will then no
longer side with the devourers of their people, but will
pour out their wrath on the enemies of the Jews, for the
Almighty has declared, ver. 6, “In that day will I make
the governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among the
wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall
devour all the people round about, on the right hand
and on the left, and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again,
in her own place, even in Jerusalem.” For during the
troubles of our captivity, the ancient city of the Lord
has become like an exile from her own soil; in the
future, however, she will be restored to herself again, in
her pristine glory. The Lord will then show mercy even
to those, who, in their forgetfulness of duty and national
affection, have risen against the metropolis of that people
and their faith; and He will spare the Jews who first
assisted in the siege, as He will spare the inhabitants of
Jerusalem who suffered from the siege. The prophet
therefore says, “ The Lord also shall save the tents of
Judah first, that the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not
magnify themselves against Judah.” The success attend
ing the cause of the Jews will be granted in such a
manner as not to disturb the unanimity and brotherly
feeling so indispensably requisite for the restoration of
our people. The Jews will, at that time, be invested
 FAITH 183

with new vigour: “ And he that is feeble among them

at that day shall be as David;” that is to say, the
weakest among the Jews shall be distinguished as a
hero, and be equal in courage to David. “ And the
house of David shall be godly as a messenger of the
Lord before them.” The Messiah himself will act as a
messenger of the Lord, and in his own person will lead
his subjects to battle against the hostile nations. Now
the prophet proceeds < by saying, ibid, chapter xii. 9, 10,
<c And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to

destroy all nations that come against Jerusalem. And

I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the in
habitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of
supplications, and they shall look upon me whom they
have pierced,” etc.
The prophet having, in this manner, alluded to the
great superiority of the Jews in the latter days, says
now, that they will look to him in humility and contri
tion, on account of those who have been pierced and
killed in war. The Jews will be so assured of the
Divine assistance in their restoration, that they will
feel afflicted on account of those who shall become the
first victims of their warfare with the Gentiles. Thus
Joshua and the Israelites were afflicted when first
beaten by the inhabitants of Ai. That leader of the
Israelites then exclaimed, (Joshua vii. 7), “Wherefore
hast thou caused this people to pass over the Jordan,”
etc. And again (ver. 8), “ 0 Lord, what shall I say, after
Israel have turned their backs before their enemies ” ?
In the same manner, the people shall, in the days
of the Messiah, look up in contrition to God, and im
plore pardon on account of their having pierced (z. e.,
destroyed) the innocent. The term MN is equal to
the term 313^3 on account of, or because, and does not
mean “ whom,” as it lias been generally rendered. In
 1 FAITH

Ezekiel xxxvi. 27, we have FIX in the same sense,

u And I shall do it on account of your walking (or
because ye shall walk) in iny statutes.” The interest in
the life of a fellow-man will be deeply felt during
the latter thirty days that the Jews shall mourn for any
man slain in the battle, as one is who mourns for the
loss of an only son, and they shall be in bitter grief for
him, as if it were for a first-born child. The compari
son, with the loss of a first-born son, gives, in a few
words, a picture of the intensity of grief. The subse
quent comparison with the mourning of Hadadrimmon,
we cannot further explain, there being no mention on
record of the cause and circumstances of that mourning.
The prophet then shows how each family in Israel will
partake in the affliction caused by the report of the
fallen in war; and as it is a well-known fact, that the
mourning tidings vibrate more keenly in the hearts of
feeling women, than in the hearts of interested men, the
prophet draws a distinguishing line between the mourn
ing of the two sexes; and, speaking of the high families
of Israel, he says, “ And the land shall mourn, each
family separately, the family of the house of David sepa
rately, their wives separately,” etc. The description
given here of the belligerent parties, and of the result of
their actions near and at Jerusalem, evidently relates to
a time not yet recorded in the pages of history. The
Christians have therefore no basis, on which to rest their
religious theory of the death of Jesus. Were there only
a shadow of truth in their pretension,-that the grief
predicted by the prophet was to emanate from the mode
in which Jesus met with his end on the cross, the pro
phecy ought to be worded, “ And they will mourn for
and bo in bitterness for me.” The fallacy of the
assertions of the Christians, with regard to this prophecy,
is not only to be proved from this detached part, but is
 FAITH 18

also to be considered from what we demonstrated in the

preceding parts. See, for example, chap, x., where we
have treated on the inconsistency of considering Jesus
as the Messiah, and of the absolute impossibility of ac
knowledging him as the Godhead.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

ZeCHAriAH xiii. 7, “ Awake, 0 sword, against my shep

herd, and against the man who is my fellow, saith the
Lord of Hosts; smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall
be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little
ones.”
According to the opinion of the Christians, the pro
phet meant Jesus by the “ Man who is my fellow,” and
the disciples of Jesus by the expression, “ Smite the
shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered.” This asser
tion rests on what we read in St. Mark xiv. 27.
Refutation.—The explanation given by the Christians
to the above passage is devoid of truth. The context
to which the above verse belongs, relates exclusively to
the downfall of the kings of Palestine and to the dis
persion of Israel. Simultaneously with that event, the
destruction of idolators was to take place, and the
righteous alone were to be saved from utter annihilation.
The command given to the sword to “ smite the shep
herd who is my fellow,” merely signifies that those
kings shall be punished who oppress the Jews, and
who, in their delusion, believe they are doing a godly
work in persecuting a religious people, and, in their
inordinate conceit, imagine that they are the vicars and
associates of the Almighty, whereas in the minds of
those men the serpent of temptation whispers, as it did
to our first parents, “ And ye shall be like unto God,
knowing good and evil.”
 1 FAITH

This conceit we have met with among the rulers in

Asia and Africa, where enlightenment has made less
rapid strides than in Europe; and on that account
humiliation is most needful to the uninstructed in order
to teach them to know the littleness of pride and the
superiority of meekness. “ Smite the shepherd, and the
sheep shall be scattered.” This passage indicates that
the rulers of the Gentiles, who boast of their iniquitous
government, shall be overthrown; and, from their fall,
the deliverance of Israel will arise. There are many
shepherds that must be struck prior to Israel’s entire
deliverance; for, unlike the ancient captivity in Egypt,
the Jews are now scattered throughout numerous states
and kingdoms. The return of our people to the inheri
tance of their fathers will, therefore, not take place in
one collected body, but in numerous detached hosts.
The term of the above passage occurs also in the
form of a noun in Isaiah xi. 12, “And he shall gather
the dispersed of Judah.” “And I will turn my
hand against the little ones.” This passage likewise
alludes to the subdued and powerless princes who shall
be visited with humiliation according to their demerits.
The Almighty will lend His help to those who have
been the victims of malice. The inhabitants of the
earth shall be awfully roused from their delusion, obeying
the call of Isaiah, who says (chap, xxxiv. 1, 2), “ Come
near, ye nations, and listen, for the Lord will execute
judgment on the cruel persecutors of His people.”

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

MALACHi i. 11, “ For from the rising of the sun to the

going down of the same, my name is great among the
Gentiles; and in every place incense is offered up unto
 FAITH 18
my name, and a pure offering, saith the Lord of Hosts.”
The Christians maintain that this prophecy bears upon
their faith, which has been so extensively diffused in the
world.
Refutation.—We do not discover in these words of
Malachi any allusion to the faith of Christianity, which
had no existence at the era of the prophet. We know
well that Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, were con
temporaneous, and lived about three hundred years
anterior to Jesus. At the time of the last prophet, the
Gentiles were worshippers of the heavenly constellations,
and of idols representing those constellations. It was
not, however, the intention of Malachi to expatiate on
the abominations of Idolatry, but he merely delivered a
reproof to the sinners of Israel who offered up loathsome
sacrifices, and thereby profaned the name of the
Almighty. Hence he says (chap. i. 12), “ But ye are
profaning it by saying, The table of the Lord is polluted,
and the fruit thereof, even the meat, is contemptible.”
Subsequently, the prophet reproaches the people, and
says, u And ye bring an offering which has been stolen,
and the lame and the sick.” Whoever reads with
attention the lesson of the prophet, will find that he
rebukes the Israelites for their having acted worse in
their sacrifices to God, than the Gentiles towards their
idols.” In this reproof he accords with Ezekiel v. 7,
“ And ye have not dealt in the fashion of the Gentiles
that are around you.” While the Israelites neglected
to imitate what was laudable in the worship of the
Gentiles, they blindly followed their reprehensible prac
tices, and, therefore, Ezekiel blames his people by saying
(chap. xi. 12), “ In my statutes ye have not walked,
and after my judgments ye have not acted, but ye have
acted after the customs of the Gentiles that are around
you.” “ And in every place incense is offered up unto
 18 FAITH

my name.” Hereby a comparison is made between'

the sordidness in the sacrifices of the Israelites and the
greater liberality of the idolators in their offerings to
their false gods. For if the latter had been asked to
whom they paid these tokens of reverence, they would
have answered, to a Divine power that governs the des
tinies of mankind,and, therefore, they were filled with awe
and devotion, in spite of all their errors. But although
those Gentiles had not a pure and an elevated idea of the
Supreme Being, they were able to act agreeably to his
revealed will; and, therefore the prophet was justified
in declaring in the name of the Lord, “ For my name is
great among the Gentiles.” But since a worship cannot
be approved in which a creature is put on an equality
with the Creator, the Gentiles would only find favour
by acquiescing in the sublime belief of an omnipresent
and omnipotent Deity; for such a belief alone affords
real gratification to the reasoning mind and to the wish ful
heart. Hence Malachi (iii. 4) goes on to say, “And the
sacrifices of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant unto
the Lord as in days of old, and in former years.” The
means of finding favour in the eyes of the Almighty will
onlv then increase when religious obstacles shall be
removed. The favour of the Lord is therefore con
tingent on the purity of His worshipper, consequently
Malachi declares (chap. iii. 3), “And he shall sit as a
refiner and as a purifier of silver; and He shall purify
the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver,
that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in right
eousness.” It is natural, that the sons of Levi and the
priests should be prominently noticed in this prophecy,
for those spiritual guides of the people were the very
men who were designated “ as the despisers of my name.”
Those who lead the way to sin must also by their ex
ample naturally be the first to meet with punishment.
 FAITH 18

The verse which heads this chapter has a beautiful pa

rallel in Psalm cxiii. 3, u From the rising of the sun to
the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is
praised. The Lord is high above all nations.” It could
not be said, that David included all contemporaneous
Gentile nations in the adoration of the God of Israel;
and that he considered all the heathen to be believers in
the same Deity. For he condemns the practices in the
worship of the heathen in the very same book, saying
(Psalm cxv. 4 —9), “ Their idols are of gold and of
silver, the works of the hands of man; they have mouths
and speak not, they have eyes and see not, they have
ears and hear not, they have noses and smell not, they
have hands and feel not, feet and walk not, they speak
not with their throats. Like unto them are those that
make them, yea, all those that trust in them. Let Israel
trust in the Lord, He is their shield and their help.”
Nearly the same terms are used in Psalm cxxxv. 19. We
see, then, that the Gentiles, with all their errors, wished
to adore a First Cause of all existence; yet the Psalmist,
as well as the prophet spoken of above, deemed the faith
and the observances of Israel as those strongholds by
which the mind of man obtains true eminence and con
solation ; consequently there is not the slightest motive
to forsake the path which our religion points out to its
followers, and to adopt a faith so manifestly at variance
with our ancient law.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

MALACHi, at the end of the book, saith, “ Behold, I will

send you the prophet Elijah before the coming of the
great and awful dav.”
It has been asserted by Christian interpreters of this
19 FAITH

passage, that we Jews vainly expect the fulfilment of

this prediction, because it has already been realized in
the person of John the Baptist, who in spirit was equal
to Elijah; it being said in Matthew xi. 10, that Jesus
declared that John was the Elijah predicted by Malachi.
They particularly cite chap. xvii. of Matthew, where
Jesus is made to affirm (ver. 12 and 13) “But I say
unto you that Elijah is come already, and they knew
him not, but have done to him whatever they listed.”
Thus his disciples were led to believe that Elijah and
John were identical in the above prophecy.
Refutation.—How can they deny the personal identity
of the Prophet, mentioned in chap. iv. 5 ? Who would
venture to affirm that any other person is signified than
the real Prophet Elijah, a truth equally manifest in the
following passages: 1 Kings xviii. 21, “And Elijah
drew near.”—2 Chronicles xxi. 12, “And a writing of
Elijah the prophet reached him.” If the prophecy
under consideration had had reference to an indefinite
individual, it would have been communicated in such
terms as the following, “ Behold, I shall send a man
like the Prophet Elijah.” Besides, he might have said,
in terms which could not have failed to produce con
viction, “ Behold, I shall send you John.” What
necessity to have called him Elijah? Our argument
gains in strength by the very statements contained in
the Gospel of St. John i. 21, “And they asked him
[John], What then, art thou Elias [Elijah], and he
said, I am not.”—“Art thou that Prophet? and he
answered, No.” Comparing this passage with an asser
tion made in Matthew, we find a most glaring contra
diction in the two Gospels. See Matthew xvii. 10 to 13,
“ And his disciples asked Him [Jesus], saying, Why
then say the Scribes, that Elias [Elijah], must first
come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias
 FAITH 19

[Elijah] shall first come and restore all things. But

I say unto you that Elias [Elijah], is come already,
and they knew him not, but have done unto him what
soever they listed; likewise shall also the Son of Man
suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he
spake to them of John the Baptist.” It is utterly un
necessary to illustrate any further similar expressions
bearing so visibly the stamp of human invention; and
we are fully prepared to estimate the value of the
interpretation given to this discrepancy by the Christian
commentators, who maintain that John declined the
title of “Prophet Elijah” out of pure humility. Humi lity
will not allow us to utter an intentional untruth in
order to establish our superiority. Faithful prophets
have openly avowed their missions and the object of
their appearance before the world. We dismiss, there
fore, the claim of the Christian interpretation as totally
unsatisfactory and unfounded.

CHAPTER XL.

PsALm Cx. 1, “ The Eord said unto my lord, Sit thou at

my right side, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.’’
I heard once a Christian scholar plead that this pas sage
can only have reference to Jesus, who was the combination of
divinity and humanity; for of whom else could David have
spoken as “ my Lord” sitting at the right hand of the
Almighty ?
Refutation.—To this 1 made the following reply:—
We attribute to David the composition of the 137th
Psalm, commencing, “ On the rivers of Babylon we sat
and wept,” a Psalm obviously treating of the Babylonian
Captivity, which took place about four centuries after
the death of David. An allusion to so distant a
19 FAITH

period could only have been made by a holy and an

inspired writer.
There are also many passages in the book of Psalms
which relate to the poet himself, as for instance, Psalm
ii. 7, “ I will declare it as a law. The Lord spoke unto
me, Thou art my son, to-day I have begotten thee.” In
the same light must be considered manv other subse-
quent Psalms. There are Psalms of another character,
the object of which is to describe the period of the
Jewish exile; to this class belongs the above-mentioned
Psalm cxxxvii. Of the like prophetic character is
Psalm lxxix. 1, commencing, “0 God, the heathen have
come into thine inheritance, they have defiled thy holy
temple/’ In a similar sense we take Psalm Ixxiv. 10,
“ Wherefore, () God, hast thou for ever forsaken us ?”
All such Psalms were composed for the captives of
Israel through inspiration. We find other Psalms which
have a still more remote bearing, and take within their
range the gathering of the captives, and the days of the
Messiah. See, for instance, Psalm xcvi. 1, commencing,
u Sing unto the Lord a new song,” etc. This and other

Psalms were dictated by holy inspiration, and originated

most likely from some occurrence which urged the mind
of the poet to enlarge upon the future restoration of
Israel. Sometimes the cause of the production of such
Psalms is recorded and pointed out by expressions more
or less definite. See, for instance, Psalm xx. 1, “ The
Lord shall answer thee on the day of trouble,” in which
David spoke first of his own sorrow, and then passed
over to those awaiting the children of Israel while
engaged in hazardous warfare. In the same category
stands the Psalm, “ God said unto my Lord (master),
Sit thou at my right-hand until 1 make thine enemies
thy footstool.” Firstly, David speaks concerning himself,
perhaps taking occasion to treat on this subject when
 FAITH 19
his men had sworn “ that he should no longer go with
them to battle/’ on account of the danger to which he had
so repeatedly exposed his life in conflict with the Philis
tines. See 2 Samuel xxi. 17, “ Then the men of David
swore unto him, saying, Thou shalt no longer go out with
us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.”
The psalm in question seems to have emanated from the
impression made on the poet, while his men were anxious
to prevent him from exposing his life any more in battle,
and speaking, as it were, in their name, he makes them
utter an appeal to himself in the following words, “God
saith to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make
thine enemies thy footstool.” Now, whether David was
or was not the author of this appeal, we must allow that
in any case this emphatic exhortation was well calcu
lated to work a powerful effect on the mind of a man
so pious as King David. Being thus assured of the
protection of God, as confirmed by the words, “ The
Lord shall send the rod of thy strength from Zion,”
which is, that “ He will send thee help from his sanctuary,
He will support thee from Zion,” as that holy city
was the distinguished locality which “ the Lord chose
for his abode”; the words which follow, “ Thy people
shall be willing on the day of thy power,” mean, Thy
subjects, 0 king, will freely offer their lives to spare
thine, while thou keepest away from danger. The
passage, “ Thou art my priest for ever according to the
word concerning Melchizedck,” means, Thou
shalt, during all thy life, be unto me like
Melchizedck, king of Jerusalem, who was denominated
king and priest of the most high God. See Genesis
xiv. 18,“ And Melchizedek, king of Salem,
caused bread and wine to be brought out, and he was
a priest of the most high God.” That David’s sacred
compositions rendered him worthy to be adorned with
the title of priest appears o
19 FAITH
evident enough from Scripture, as is exemplified in the
Second Book of Samuel, where we read, that David
built an altar, offered up burnt-offerings and peace
offerings, which, accompanied by prayer and entreaty,
“ were accepted by the Lord, and the plague was
stayed in Israel.” The words ’’TTiZn Sp in the passage
in the psalm in question, mean “ according to.” We
find it in the same sense in Job x., “ according to thy
knowledge.” The letter * in ’TTD'"! is paragogic as the
* in (Lamentations i. 1). We must mention here,
by way of digression, a misinterpretation given to the
passage, “ And Melchizedek brought out wine and
bread.” The Christians believe, that the bread and
wine were offered as articles of sacrifice, but plain
sense compels us to believe that the presentation of these
things was merely for the entertainment of his guests.
The tenth part given by Abraham to Melchizedek,
qualified the latter to be denominated priest of the Most
High God. Hence we see that the Psalmist meant
none but himself, in the composition we have been
treating of, while, on the other hand, he alluded to the
future condition of the dispersed people, when in his
inspiration he proclaimed (Psalm xcvi. 6), “ Sing ye
unto the Lord a new song, let the whole earth sing unto
the, Lord.” Thus he says also in the subsequent psalm,
“ The Lord reigneth; let the earth he glad, many isles
shall rejoice.” Those psalms, as we said above, allude
to the still unfulfilled ingathering of Israel. It appears
to be a most unjustifiable assertion of the Christian
expounder of the psalms to maintain that the phrase,
“ To sit at the right hand of God,” applies to an actual
son of God, for the Bible contains numerous proofs that
the metaphor, “ the right hand of God,” solely signifies
“ Omnipotence of the Deity.” What other interpretation
could be assigned to the following sentences (Ps. cxviii.
 FAITH 19

verse 16), 44 The right hand of the Lord is exalted, the

right hand of the Lord worketh mighty things.”
Exodus xv. 16, 44 Thy right hand, 0 Lord, is glorified
in strength; thy right hand, 0 Lord, crusheth the
enemy.” Even when speaking of man, 44 the right
hand” implies strength and exertion. See for instance
Psalm cxliv. 7, 44 And their hand is the right hand of
falsehood.” To take the word in a narrow and literal
sense, must involve the expounder in the glaring fallacy
of applying corporeality to one whom he believes to be
the Son of God. To a Jew, it would almost appear
blasphemy literally to ascribe a right or a left hand
to the Deity, a spiritual being to whom no attribute
of corporeality can be absolutely ascribed. When the
believer is urged to place himself on the right hand of
the Lord, he can only understand that it is his duty to
seek the protection of the Omnipotent. The more we
read of Scripture, the more proofs we find that many
parts of the Bible have been misinterpreted in order to
favour a certain religious dogma. The psalm we are
treating of has the expression, 44 The Lord hath sworn,
he will not repent,” which phrase has been considered
as alluding to anew dispensation by which the sacrifices
of flesh and blood should cease, and be substituted by
oblations of bread and wine. But it has not been
borne in mind that the Deity never changes his views.
44 He is not a man that he should repent.” Ordinances

once given must be binding upon us, and upon all suc ceeding
generations. We have already disposed of this subject in
chapter xix., to which we refer the reader.

CHAPTER A LI.

DAnieL vii. 13, 44 I saw in the night visions, and, behold,

o2
19G FAITH STRENGTHENED.

one like the Son of Alan came with the clouds of

heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they
brought him near before him.” The Christian expo
sitors of Scripture ascribe the object of this prophecy
to the advent of their Messiah, whc, according to
their view of this prophecy, was to be a superhuman
being; otherwise, how could he come with the clouds of
heaven ?
Refutation.—The prophet speaks here of a dream, in
which things are meant to be represented in their literal
sense. If the dream exhibits preternatural visions, the
interpretation does not require a preternatural fulfil
ment. Daniel mentioned in the same chapter the
destruction of the four kingdoms, and predicted that an
enduring dominion will be granted to no other than the
people holy to the Most High God. See ibid., verse 18,
“ And the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the
dominion, and possess the kingdom for ever and ever,
even for ever and ever.” Again, verses 26, 27, “And the
judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his domi
nion to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And
the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the
kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the
people of tlie saints of the Most High, whose kingdom
is an everlasting kingdom, and all kingdoms shall serve
and obey him.”
The clouds of heaven mentioned in the quotation at the
head of this chapter, bring to mind the heavenly rule
which ordains changes on high, in the region which lies
beyond the reach and influence of man. lie that raises
clouds, and makes them descend again to fructify the soil,
must be acknowledged as the same supreme agent, and
disposer of the fate of man. The idea is familiar to other
prophets also. See, for example, Jeremiah xiv. 22, “Are
there among the vanities of the heathen any that send