NOTE: In the preceding lesson we have learned of the scattering and regathering of the Jews, and also that at the appearing of Christ, this people will say “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord,” There certainly are some reasons why this condition will exist at this time. One reason is, they are accepting Him as their Savior, and there is another reason which we will give in the study.
1. In what condition will the nations be at the second coming of Christ?
“And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth,” Revelation 11:18.
2. At this time when the nations are angry, what thought will they have?
“Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought,” Ezekiel 38:10.
3. With this evil thought in their minds, what will they purpose to do?
“And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,” verse 11.
4. For what purpose will they go up to the land of unwalled villages?
“To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land; And thou shalt come up against My people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against My land, that the heathen may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes,” verses 12, 16.
5. What will Jerusalem become to these nations?
“And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it,” Zechariah 12:3.
NOTE: By the above scriptures we are able to see why the Jewish people will say, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord,” This will be a great time of trouble. The nations will be gathered against the Jews and Jerusalem, for the purpose of taking them, and it will be then that the Jewish people which have accepted Christ will rejoice to see Him come. They will understand that His coming will be their only hope for safety, and the only chance for them to survive this, the greatest of all troubles.
6. How many nations will be included in this siege against Jerusalem?
“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city,” Zechariah 14:2.
7. How does Joel express the same thought?
“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land,” Joel 3:2.
8. At this time what will the Lord do?
“Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle,” Zechariah 14:3.
How prostrate lies before Thy radiant throne,
Thy bleeding Israel, Thy dearest child;
On whom Thy love and fairest fortune smile,
When on the sacred ark Thy glory shone!
Behold his anguish now within the zone
Of bloody strife where craven legions wild
In wanton spite the streets of Lemberg piled
With heaps of bleeding flesh and splintered bone!
Oh, raise him from the dust and lead him home!
His heart is pining on a foreign strand
With yearnings for his promised, holy land.
Restore Thy glory to the sacred clime,
And he’ll rebuild Thy house with golden dome,
And sing Thy praises to the end of time
_ From Maccabaean, Sept. 1919