THE JEWS THROUGH THE BIBLE
BY BISHOP R.W. JONES

INTRODUCTION

The contents of this book scripturally gives the history of the Jews from their beginning in the Garden of Eden, through their time of glory and of tribulation, to their last state of eternal rest and peace. At this time Jesus will sit upon the throne of his father, David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob, the twelve tribes of Israel, forever. (Luke 1:32-33)

Here also is the birth of Jesus, his baptism by John the Baptist, his teaching, the gospel he preached, and his founding of this New Testament church in this Grace Dispensation.

Bishop R.W. Jones

Copyright, March, 1988
Bishop R.W. Jones
2741 Napoleon Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46203

THE FIRST JEW

The word “Jews” first appears in the Bible in (II Kings 16:6), during the reign of Ahaz, King of Judah, 739 B.C. This does not tell us when and where the Jewish race started. If you say Abraham was the first Jew, you have no Bible to prove it.

Abram was the son of Terah (Genesis 11:27). Abram was born in the year 2211 B.C., in Ur of Chaldea. We can find the name of the first Jew by reading the genealogy of Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 3:23-38). Mary was the daughter of Heli; Heli was the brother of Jacob; Jacob was the father of Joseph; Joseph was the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called “Christ” (Matthew 1: 16). Joseph’s father, Jacob, was an uncle of Mary, and the brother to Heli, the father of Mary. Thus, Mary and Joseph were first cousins, and Joseph was the son-in-law of Heli.

We find this genealogy going back to David, born in the year 1085 B.C., the son of Jesse, the grandson of Abed,, and the great grandson of Ruth and Booz or Boaz. Then we continue on to Jacob, the son of Isaac, born in the year 2051 B.C. Isaac was born in the year 2111 B.C. and Abram was born in the year 2211 B.C. Then we go on to Sem, or Shem, who was born in the year 2661 B.C., the second son of Noah. Noah was born in the year 3163 B.C. We continue on to Enos, the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God (Luke 3:38). This is the righteous line from Adam through Seth.

We can readily see by the Bible, that Adam was the first Jew. And God took from Adam a rib and made a woman (Genesis 2: 21-22). “And Adam said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; and she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man’.” (Genesis 2:23) She was his flesh and blood, making her the first Jewish woman. Thus Adam and Eve were the first Jews.

FROM ADAM TO NOAH

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:26) At this point I wish to comment on a question that has been asked, “Who was God talking to when he said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’?”

It has been explained that he was talking to his Son, Jesus, the second person in the Trinity. I do not agree with this explanation. The word “Trinity” is not found in the Bible. When God said, “Let us make man. . . ” It was 3,996 years before Jesus, the Son of God, was born of the virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judaea in October 4 B.C. I believe God was talking to the angels he had made that numbered in the millions. I know Jesus said, “. . .Before Abrham was, I am.” (John 8:58) And that John the Baptist said, ” . . . He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.” (John 1:15) I also know the Bible tells us, “…God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit. . . ” (I Timothy 3:16). Jesus said, ” I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30) Jesus said, “. . the that bath seen me hath seen the Father. . . ” (John 14:9) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1: 1) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” (John 1:10) “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3)

Yes, Jesus is God; he was before Abraham, the world, and all things were made by him. It was Jesus that said, “Let us make man in our image. ” When the Lord said this, we must understand at this point it was in the stage of planning. In (Genesis 1:27-28) we read, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. . . ” By this scripture we can understand that it was in the plan of God in the very beginning before he made man, for Adam and Eve to have children and multiply. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” (Genesis 2:15) “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. ” (Genesis 2:18) In verses 2122, we find that God took a rib from Adam and made a woman, and brought her unto the man. In verse 24, we find that Adam, at this point, had the knowledge of children being born, for he said, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. ”

For one hundred years Adam and the woman lived in the garden of Eden with their children, their grandchildren, etc., having perfect relationship with God. After the woman and Adam had committed sin, while they were still in the Garden of Eden, we read, “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. ” (Genesis 3:20) Adam and Eve did have children, and multiplied while in the garden before they sinned and were driven from the garden. After Cain had slew his brother, Abel, he said unto the Lord, ” . . . I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. ” (Genesis 4: 14) Also, the Lord put a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him (Genesis 4: 15). The mark put upon Cain was not a visible mark, but one that would cause him not to be recognized. By the foregoing scripture we understand there were many people upon the earth from whom Cain could have chosen a wife, whom he knew in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden (Genesis 4:16-17). “And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 4:25-26) Adam was 130 years old when he begat Seth, and lived 800 years after he begat Seth, and he begat sons and daughters, and died in the year 3,070 B.C., at the age of 930 years. (Genesis 5:3-5)

NOAH

When Adam was 837 years old, in the year 3163 B.C., Noah, the son of Lamech, was born. Noah was the tenth generation from Adam. In the year 2683 B.C., when Noah was 480 years old, God told him to build the ark. (Genesis 6:13-14) Twenty years later, in 2663 B.C., Noah, at the age of 500 years, begat Japheth. In 2661 B.C. Shem was born; then two years later, in 2659 B.C., Ham was born. (Genesis 5:32, Genesis 10:21, Genesis 9:24) In the year 2563 B.C., Noah entered the ark at the age of 600 years (Genesis 7:6-7). In the year 2562 B.C., in the 601st year of Noah’s life, he and his wife, his three sons and their wives, came out of the ark (Genesis 8:13-16). “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” (Genesis 9:1) “And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.” (Genesis 9:18-19)

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FROM NOAH TO ABRAHAM

“Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.” (Genesis 10:1-5)

“And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.” (Genesis 10:6-20)

“Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber. The brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan. And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east. These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.” (Genesis 10:21-32)

The righteous line from Adam through his son Seth, to Noah, through his son Shem, on through Arphaxad, Salah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, and Terah, we find Terah begat Abram (Genesis 11:10-26). Later the Lord changed the name of Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:5).

FROM ABRAHAM TO ISAAC

Abram was born in Ur of the Chaldees in the year 2211 B.C., two years after the death of Noah.

From Adam to the birth of Abram we have covered a period of 1,789 years of the righteous line of Jewish history. In the year 2151 B.C., 412 years after the flood, God called Abram, a Shemite, being sixty years old, to be the father of a new nation. It was at the time Abram was living at Ur the Lord spoke unto him saying, “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

Abram was his father, Terah, and Lot his nephew, the son of his brother, Haran, and Sarai, his wife, left the city of Ur to go into the land of Canaan (Genesis 11:31). They traveled northwest along the Euphrates River to Haran in Mesopotamia, about 25 miles from the city of Edessa near Asia Minor. Abram’s father was 190 years old when they left Ur, and they dwelt at Haran for 15 years until he died in the year of 2136 B.C. at the age of 205 years. (Genesis 11:32)

After his father’s death we read, “So Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.” (Genesis 12:4-5) After they had entered Canaan they were called Hebrews. The word “Hebrew” means “to pass over,” so that a Hebrew would mean the “man from the region beyond,” and was supposed to have been applied to Abram as having crossed the Euphrates to the westward. It seems to imply that Abram was an immigrant into CanaanÄnot a native. Abram was called a Hebrew (Genesis 14: 13). Abram had left his home in Ur of the Chaldees, traveled to Haran, then leaving Haran, he crossed the Euphrates River and entered Canaan in the year 2136 B.C., at the age of 75 years. While Abram was living in Canaan the Lord renewed his promise unto him as we read, “And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now shine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadeth of it; for I will give it unto thee.” (Genesis 13:14-17)

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? ” And she said, “I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.” (Genesis 16:1-11) “And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.” (Genesis 16:15-16) Ishmael was born in the year 2125 B.C.

Thirteen years later, in the year 2112 B.C., “…the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and three, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant, therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.” (Genesis 17:1-11)

“And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.” (Genesis 17:24-26) The Lord had said to Abraham, “I will establish my covenant (or agreement) between me and three and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” (Genesis 17:7) Circumcision was a token or a sign of the covenant betwixt God and Abraham.

“And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.” (Genesis 17:15-19)

“And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hastened to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life, and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Genesis 18: 1-14)

The year is 2112 B.C. Abraham was ninety and nine years old; Sarah was ninety, and Ishmael was thirteen. When Abraham asked the Question, “Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old?”, he was referring to the age he would be at the time the child is born. In the year 2111 B.C. Isaac was born.

In (Genesis 21:1-5) we read, “And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.”

And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham; he said unto him to take his only son, Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah, and to offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains that he would tell him of. This was in the year 2087 B.C. Abraham was one hundred and twenty four years old, and Isaac was a young man of twenty four years. So Abraham rose up early in the morning, and crave the wood for the burnt offering, and took two young men, and his son, Isaac, and went unto the place of which God had told him. On the third day he lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham told the two young men to stay there with the ass, and, ” . . . I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and will come again to you.” Here Abraham tells the two young men that he and Isaac “will return.” God had promised Abraham the land, and to his seed after him forever, and his seed would be as the stars of heaven, and as the dust of the earth, without number. (Genesis 15:5-Genesis 13:15-16)

Abraham knew that all these descendants would come through his only son, Isaac; That if he was to die as a burnt offering that God would raise him up from the dead. So Abraham offered his son upon a large rock on Mt. Moriah. This is in the old city of Jerusalem, by the Kidron Valley. The rock is still there, and is in the building called The Dome of the Rock.

“And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not shine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, shine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.” (Genesis 22:10-13)

Again the Lord renews his promise to Abraham saying, “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.” (Genesis 22:17-19)

And it came to pass in the year 2074 B.C., thirteen years after Abraham had offered up Isaac, Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. She was one hundred and twenty-seven years old (Genesis 23:1-2). Isaac was thirty seven years old. Three years after the death of Sarah, Isaac took Rebekah to wife at the age of forty years, in 2071 B.C. (Genesis 25:20)

Abraham also at this time took a wife named Keturah. And she bare him six sons (Genesis 25:1-2). Also, Abraham had concubines that bare sons unto him (Genesis 24:6). Abraham died in the year 2036 B.C., at the age of one hundred seventy five years (Genesis 25:7-8).

FROM ISAAC TO JACOB

Rebekah was barren, “And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” (Genesis 25:21).

“And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.” (Genesis 25:24-26) This would be in the year 2051 B.C., that Rebekah gave birth to Esau and Jacob. The Lord told Rebekah saying, ” . . . Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23)

“And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom (Red). And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.” (Genesis 25: 27-34) We are told here that Jacob, the younger, now has possession, and is the owner of the birthright, bought from his elder brother, Esau. Among the Jews it was God’s will that the firstborn son receive the birthright. This entitled him to enjoy the right of consecration (Exodus 22:29), and the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power (Genesis 49:3), a double portion of the paternal estate (Deuteronomy 21: 17), right of royal succession (II Chronicles 21: 3). All this Esau sold, and most important of all, he sold his soul, and is lost forever.

The Apostle Paul speaks of him saying, “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” (Hebrews 12: 1617). The promises God made to Abraham were unconditionally confirmed to his son, Isaac (Genesis 26:1-4). And the Lord said unto Isaac to sojourn in this land, and Isaac sowed in the land, and received in the same year an hundredfold, and the Lord blessed him.

And he waxed great, and he grew until he became very great. He had possession of flocks, and herds, and a great store of servants: And Isaac pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. And Isaac digged again the wells of water, that had been digged by the servants of his father, Abraham. For the Philistines had stopped them and filled them with earth after
the death of Abraham. (Genesis 26:1-35)

“And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy quiver and
thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die. And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison and to bring it. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats: and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man” My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them. And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved. And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according to thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank. And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son. And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed: Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau. And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father, And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he bath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethern have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son” And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by the sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.” (Genesis 27:1-41)

After Rebekah had learned of Esau’s plan, she immediately sent for her younger son, Jacob, and said unto him that his brother, Esau, was purposing to kill him. She told him to flee to Laban her brother to Haran (Genesis 27:43).

And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. On the way he had a dream; at Bethel he dreamed of a ladder that was set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood above it, and said, “I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” (Genesis 28: 1015) Here the Lord unconditionally confirms the promises made to Abraham at Ur: the promises were the land, and his seed should become a great nation (Genesis 12:1-2).

Then at Sichem the promise of the ownership of the land to his descendants was given (Genesis 12:7); at Bethel was all the land thou seest, and his seed would be as the dust of the earth for number (Genesis 13: 15-17). At Mamre, that his seed should be as the stars of Heaven for number, and that the land should extend from the “River of Egypt” to the “River Euphrates” (Genesis 15:5, 18). And at Moriah the promise of his seed was repeated (Genesis 22:16, 17). These promises were also confirmed unto Isaac (Genesis 26:1-4).

Jacob, the twin brother of Esau, was seventy-one years old at the time he was traveling to Haran, and had this dream, the year was 1980 B.C. Isaac was 131 years old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see (Genesis 27:1).

And Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of the people of the east. And there he found Laban the Syrian, his mother’s brother, the son of Nahor. Laban had two daughters. The name of the one was Leah, and the other was Rachel. Jacob loved Rachel and agreed with Laban to serve seven years for her, but he was given her older sister. Then Jacob served seven more years for Rachel, the one he loved (Genesis 29:1-28).

In the time Jacob was with Laban, his wife, Leah, gave birth to six sons; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and a daughter named Dinah. Zilpah, Leah’s maid, also bare two sons; Gad, Asher. Jacob also took Bilhah, Rachel’s maid to wife and she bare two sons; Dan, and Naphtali. And the Lord remembered Rachel, and opened her womb and she conceived and bare a son and called his name Joseph. After the birth of Joseph, the Lord said unto Jacob, ” . . . Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.” (Genesis 31:3) And Jacob took his wives, and eleven sons, and one daughter, his cattle, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and women servants, and all he had, and started back to the land of Canaan. This was in the year 1960 B.C.

When Laban learned that Jacob and all he had were gone he pursued after him seven days, and overtook him in the mount Gilead. It was here that Jacob said unto Laban, “Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.” (Genesis 31:41)

After Jacob and Laban had made a covenant betwixt the two of them, and were at peace, Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread and tarried all night in the mount. “And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.” (Genesis 31:55) When Jacob left Haran in 1960 B.C., he was 91 years old, as he was born in 2051 B.C.

When Jacob was told that Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men, he was greatly afraid and distressed, and sent forth presents to Esau. ” . . . For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.” (Genesis 32:20) Jacob divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels into two bands. For he said, if Esau comes to one band and smites it, the other that is left will escape. Jacob rose up that night, and took his two wives, and the two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

Jacob took them and sent them over the brook, and all that he had.
“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou cost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Genesis 32: 24-30)

Here we read that the Lord God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, therefore all the descendants from the loins of Jacob through the twelve tribes, will be known, and called Israelites, the house of Israel. They shall become as the stars of heaven, and as the sand upon the seashore in number. These are God’s chosen Jews, their genealogy can be found in (Luke 3: 23-38).

Going back from Jacob, through Isaac, Abraham, on through Phalec, and Heber, and Sala, and Cainan the son of Arphaxad, the son of Sem, which was the second son of Noe (Noah), and from Noe back to Seth, the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

As I have previously stated, Adam and Eve were Jews. The Jews that are the descendants of Japheth, the elder son of Hoe, and the Jews, the descendants of Ham, the youngest son of Noe, are not included in with God’s chosen Jews. They are not in the righteous line coming from Adam, through Seth, and Noah, and his second son, Shem, and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I think it is generally accepted that all Jews are God’s chosen people. This is not true. When the Bible speaks of the Israelites or the whole house of Israel, it is speaking of the descendants of Jacob the twelve tribes (Exekiel 37:11 and Exodus 9:7). I will speak more about this later.

At the meeting of Esau and Jacob we read that Esau ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him: and they wept, and Esau returned on his way unto Seir. And Jacob journeyed on to Succoth, and built him a house and made booths for his cattle, and the name of the place is called Succoth. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram, and he pitched his tent there before the city. He bought a parcel of a field where he had spread his tent from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of money. He erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.” (Genesis 33:4, 16-20) “And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.” (Genesis 35:1)

So Jacob came to Luz, in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, both he and all the people that were with him. And Jacob built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because God appeared unto him there, when he fled from his brother, Esau. “And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel.” (Genesis 35: 11-15)

And Jacob journeyed on from Beth-el going to Ephrath, that is Bethlehem; there was but a little way to go when Rachel travailed, and had hard labor giving birth to Benjamin. And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Bethlehem. Joseph was born in the year 1960 B.C., and in the year 1943 B.C., at the age of seventeen years, Joseph was sold by his brethern to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph into Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard (Genesis 37: 18-36). His father, Jacob, was 108 years old at the time. Later, Joseph was falsely accused and put in prison, and was there for 13 years (Genesis 39:6-20). In the year 1931 B.C., while Joseph was in prison, his grandfather, Isaac, died at the age of 180 years (Genesis 35: 28-29) ten years before Jacob and all of his descendants came into the land of Egypt.

In the year 1930 B.C., Joseph was taken out of prison to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh. He was thirty years old at the time (Genesis 41: 25-32). After the seven years of plenty, and storing the grain into bins, it was in the second year of famine that Jacob and all his house came into the land of Egypt on the fifteenth day of April, 1921 B.C. (Genesis 45:6 – Genesis 46:1-7). Jacob was 130 years old (Genesis 47:8-9). And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, and died at the age of 147 years in 1904 B.C. Joseph was 56 years old when his father, Jacob, died; and he lived 54 years longer and died in the year of 1850 B.C., at the age of 110 years (Genesis 50:26).

“Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12: 40-41) The exodus from Egypt was on the 15th day of April, 1491 B.C. Therefore, the children of Israel, leaving Egypt on the date at the end of four hundred and thirty years to the selfsame day, we know that Jacob and his descendants entered the land of Egypt on the 15th day of April, 1921 B.C.

MOSES

“And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.” (Exodus 12:1-2) The month is Abib or “April” (Deuteronomy 16:1).

The Lord told Moses and Aaron to speak unto all the congregation of Israel, that on the tenth day of this month they should take a lamb from the sheep or from the goats, and they should keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and in the evening the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it. And they shall take of the blood and strike it on the two sideposts and also upon the upper door post of the houses, wherein they would eat it. They were to eat the flesh that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs. With their loins girded, their shoes on their feet, and their staff in their hand, they were to eat it in haste. It was the Lord’s Passover.

And the Lord said, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12-13)

The lamb was killed in the evening on the 14th day of April, this also is the day of preparation. After the lamb has been killed, and the blood applied to the two side posts and the upper door posts of the houses, and the flesh roast with fire, and the bitter herbs, etc. prepared, they entered the house not to come out again. After sundown, to the Jews it is the next day. The Lord passed through the land of Egypt at midnight; this would be on the 15th day of Abib (April). (Exodus 12:29) After the Lord had smitten all the firstborn in the land of Egypt both of man and beast, then Pharaoh rose up in the night and called for Moses and Aaron by night. And said unto them, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both you and the children of Israel; and go, and serve the Lord, as you have said. Also take your flocks and herds, and be gone and bless me also: and the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, besides the children. Also, a mixed multitude went up with them, they had their flocks, and herds, and much cattle (Exodus 12:29-38).

Also, the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai saying, Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at his appointed season, according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof. And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even, there in the wilderness of Sinai. The Lord told them to keep the passover on the 14th day of April (Deuteronomy 16:1, Numbers 28:16, 9:1-5) even though the Lord passed over in the land of Egypt at midnight on the 15th; and the Jews still keep the passover on the 14th day of April as the Lord commanded Moses.

For forty years they wandered in the wilderness; the Lord sent them fresh manna from heaven each day. The Lord gave them water from the rock, the cloths they wore, and the sandals on their feet never wore out. The blessings of God were upon them, the twelve tribes, the descendants of Jacob, the Israelites, the Jews, God’s chosen people.

In the year 1451 B.C., Aaron went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the Lord, and died there, in the fourtieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month Ab (August). Aaron was 123 years of age, as he was born in 1574 B.C. (Numbers 33:38-39).

In the same year, six months later, on the first day of the eleventh month Sebat (February) Moses spake unto Israel according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them (Deuteronomy 1:3). After Moses had finished speaking unto all Israel, he then went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all of the Promised Land. “And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with shine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.” (Deuteronomy 34:4-8) At the end of the thirty days would place us in the twelfth month Adar (March) of the Jewish sacred year, 1451 B.C.

JOSHUA TO DAVID

On the first day of Abid or Nisan (April) the first day of the new year 1450 B.C., Joshua sent forth from Shittim two men to spy out the land even Jericho. And they came to a harlot’s house named Rahab, and they lodged there. And it was told the king that some men from Israel had entered the city to search out the country. The king sent to Rahab telling her to bring forth the men that had come to her, and were in her house. But Rahab took the two men to the roof of her house and hid them in the stalks of flax. She told their pursuers that the men left about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark. She told them to pursue after them quickly that they would overtake them. After they had gone, Rahab said unto the two men, “I know that the the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt. . . ” (Joshua 2:9-11)

“Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. And the men answered her, Our life for your’s, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned; and afterward may ye go your way. And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this shine oath which thou hast made us swear. Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee. And it shall be, that whosever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless; and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. And if thou utter this our business then we will be quit of shine oath which thou hast made us to swear. And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned. . . ” (to Jericho) (Joshua 2:12-22) As I previously stated, the two men left Shittim and came into the Promised land on the first day of April, 1450 B.C. They spent the next three days, the second, third and fourth, in the mountain. On the fifth day of April they returned to Joshua and told him all things that befell them (Joshua 2:22-23).

And Joshua rose early in the morning, this would be on the 6th of April, and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan. And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host, this would be on the 9th day of April (Joshua 3: 1-2). And the Israelites were told by the of ficers, when you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God and the priests the Levites bearing it, then you will remove your place and go after it. There is to be a space between you and the ark of the Covenant of about two thousand cubits by measure, come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, “Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. ” Here Joshua speaks of tomorrow Äthat would be the 10th day of April. And Joshua told the priests to take up the ark of the covenant and pass over before the people (Joshua 3:3-6). And it came to pass as soon as the feet of the priests touched the brim of the water the Lord divided the waters of the Jordan, and all the people passed over right against Jericho (Joshua 3:14-17).

They crossed over Jordan into the Promised Land on the 10th day of April, 1450 B.C. (Joshua 4:19). And they kept the passover on the 14th day at even in the plains of Jericho. They ate the old corn of the land on the day after the passover this would be the 15th, and the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten of the old corn. Thus after feeding the manna to Israel for forty years, it came to an end on the 16th of April, 1450 B.C. (Joshua 5:10-12).

When the Lord delivered Jericho to the Israelites, and the walls fell flat upon the ground, Rahab, the harlot, was saved alive and all that was within her house. Also, we read that she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho (Joshua 6:25). Here is slated that Rahab, the harlot, was living in Israel even unto this day. This day spoken of here was in the year 1427 B.C., 23 years after the fall of Jericho.

DAVID TO NEBUCHADNEZZAR

Sometime after the fall of Jericho, Rahab (also spelled Rachab) married a man by the name of Salmon. From this union was born a son named Booz. Booz took to wife Ruth, the Moabitess, the daughter-inlaw of Naomi. Booz begat Obed of Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David the king (Matthew 1 :5-6). Thus making Rahab the mother-in-law of Ruth, and the great-great-grandmother of David. David was born in the year 1085 B.C. When David was 22 years old, 1063 B.C., he walked out into the valley of Elath and slew Goliath of Gath (I Samual 17:49-50).

In 1055 B.C., at the age of thirty years, he was anointed king over Judah in Hebron. He reigned in Hebron for seven years and six months, in 1048 B.C. he was anointed king over all Israel. David then moved to Jerusalem, making it his headquarters, and he reigned thirty and three years in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah. He reigned for forty years (II Samuel 5:3-5).

In the year 1035 B.C., David, being then fifty years old, met and had an affair with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, the daughter of Eliam, and the granddaughter of Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor (II Samuel 15:12, 23: 34, 39). She became with child by David, and David arranged for Uriah to be killed in battle. After his death David took Bathsheba to wife. The child was born and died in the year 1034 B.C. Again David went in unto Bathsheba and she conceived and bare a son and his name was called Solomon. Solomon was born 1033 B.C. In the year 1015 B.C. David had Solomon, his son that was at the time eighteen years old, anointed king over Israel and over Judah (I Kings 1 :28-35). After Solomon had become king, David died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour (I Chronicles 29:28). He was seventy years old.

“In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of shine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days” (I Kings 3: 5-14).

His fame spread throughout all the nations; they came from afar to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Solomon built the temple of the Lord, the foundation was laid in the second day of the second month of the fourth year of his reign (II Chronicles 3: 12). That would be in the month Zif (May) 1011 B.C. Also, it was in the four hundred and eithtieth year from the time that the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt on the 1 5th day of Nisan (April) 1491 B.C. (I Kings 6:1).

In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul (November) wich is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it, from May, 1011 BC. until November 1004 B.C. (I Kings 6: 37-38). But Solomon was thirteen years in building his own house, and he finished all his house (I Kings 7:1).

“For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father, For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.” (I Kings 11:4-6)

“And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded. Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen. (I Kings 11:9-13)

“And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they were alone in the field: And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee.” (I Kings 11:29-31)

And Solomon died in the year 975 B.C. at the age of 58 years. Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. After the death of Solomon his son Rehoboam reigned in his stead. (I Kings 11:43 ) After Rehoboam had become king, all the congregation of Israel came to him and said, “Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.” (I Kings 12:4) But his answer to them was, “My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.” (I Kings 12:10-11) After having been told this by Rehoboam the king, Israel departed to their tents. But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute, and all Israel stoned him that he died. Therefore, King Rehoboam made speed to get to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. And it came to pass, when Israel had heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent for him to come to the congregation, and they made him king over all Israel, there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. Jeroboam was king over the ten tribes and Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah over the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin. He was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord chose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess (I Kings 12:16-23 and I Kings 14:21). And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days (I Kings 14:30). Thus the kingdom was divided in the year 975 B.C.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR TO THE BIRTH OF JESUS

In the year 721 B.C., the ten tribes were carried away captive into Assyria. The two tribes Benjamin and Judah, remained at Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. One hundred and fifteen years later, in the year 606 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon in the first year of his reign, came up against Jehoiakim, King of Judah and Jerusalem, bound him in fetters to carry him captive to Babylon. The King spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the kings’ seed, and of the princes; children in whom was no blemish, but well-favoured, and skilled in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. Among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. These men were more commonly known as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego. Daniel was given the name of Belteshazzar (Daniel 1:1-7).

In the year 598 B.C., in the eighth year of the reign of Jehoiachin, the son of Jehoiakim, came Nebuchadnezzar and besieged Jerusalem the second time. The first time Nebuchadnezzar took part of the vessels of the house of God, plus the select few captive, but this time he carried off all the treasures of the temple and the palace. He cut in pieces all the vessels of gold that Solomon had made in the temple. In addition to this he carried away ten thousand captives and all the craftsmen and smiths. Only the poorest of the people remained (II Kings 24:10-16).

This was the large deportation from Jerusalem to Babylon, but the seventy years captivity began with the first deportation in 606 B.C. At this time Nebuchadnezzar removed Jehoiachin, and made Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem (II Chronicles 36:10-11).

In the ninth year of his reign, 589 B.C., in the tenth month (January) on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar came with his armies and made war against Jerusalem for the third time, building forts and besieging the city until the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, 587 B.C. On the ninth day of the fourth month (July) famine prevailed in the city. Since there was no bread to eat and the city was broken up, the men of war fled by night with the army of the Chaldees, pursuing them. Zedekiah was captured on the plains of Jericho, and his army was scattered. Zedekiah was taken to the king of Babylon for judgment. The Chaldees killed his sons before his eyes, then they put out his eyes, bound him with brass fetters, and took him to Babylon. Zedekiah was captured on the seventh day of the fifth month, Av (August) in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, burned the temple, all the houses in Jerusalem, and directed the army to break down the walls of Jerusalem. Nebuzar-adan also took away to Babylon the remnant of the multitude, leaving only the poor people to be vinedressers and husbandmen. After Nebuzar-adan had destroyed Jerusalem and had burned the temple to the ground, he returned to Babylon with many of the children of Judah, and the treasures, in 587 B.C. This was the third and final deportation of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon (II Kings 25: 1-17). According to the passage in (II Kings 25:8-9), this calamity occurred in the fifth month and on the seventh day of August. But (Jeremiah 52: 12-13) states that the destruction of the temple took place on the tenth day of the month. In The Encyclopedia Judaica (Vol. 15, p. 945) it is stated that “This discrepancy is reconciled by the statement that on the seventh day of Av (August) ‘ . . . the heathens entered the temple and ate therein and desecrated it throughout the seventh and eighth, and toward dusk of the ninth day set fire to it and it continued to burn the whole day.’ It is further related: “The day on which the first temple was destroyed was the eve of the ninth of Av, a Sunday, and in a year following the Sabbatical year. . . ”

One day as Nebuchadnezzar walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon, in the 37th year of his reign, 569 B.C., he looked upon its grandeur and beauty, and said, Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty? Nebuchadnezzar was an odol worshipper, he took upon himself all the glory, disregarding the One True God, Jehovah. And while the word was still in his mouth, there fell a voice from heaven telling him that his kingdom was departed from him, and that he would be driven from men and his dwelling would be with the beasts of the field. He would eat grass with the oxen until seven times would pass over him, or for a period of seven years. And his body was wet with the dew of heaven, his hair was grown like eagle’s feathers, and his nails like bird’s claws. In the year 562 B.C. at the end of the seven years, Nebuchadnezzar lifted up his eyes unto heaven, and his understanding returned unto him, and he blessed the most High, and gave praise and honor unto him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: His reasoning had returned unto him; and for the glory of his kingdom, his honor and brightness returned unto him; and his lords sought unto him; and he was established in his kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto him. And the king said, I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extoll and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways Judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase (Daniel 4:24-37).

Nebuchadnezzar was restored to his throne in 562 B.C., but his reign was short-lived as he fell victim to an illness that took his life in 561 B.C. Upon his death, his son, Evil-merodach became king (II Kings 25:27). He reigned from 561 B.C. to 559 B.C.

In 559 B.C., Belshazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, became king. He reigned from 559 B.C. to 538 B.C., and was the last king of Babylon. Cyrus, founder of the Persian empire, represented as the son of Mandane, who was daughter of Astyages, last king of Media, and married Cambyses, a Persian Cyrus with the help of Harpagus at Pasargadae near Persepolis in 559 B.C. defeated and dethroned Astyages, his grandfather, and made himself king of both Medes and Persians. In 538 B.C. he conquered Babylon, taking the kingdom from Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, and making Darius subordinate king under him and over the realm of the Chaldeans. Darius was about 62 years old at the time. (Daniel 5: 25-31 and 9:1)

Although Cyrus and Darius together took Babylon, it was Cyrus who was the supreme king and conqueror. Darius reigned as viceroy at Babylon two years from 538 B.C. to 536 B.C., then Cyrus himself assumed the throne.

In Ezra 1:2 we read, “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.” He also took all of the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had brought up out of Jerusalem and returned them. He also at this time set free all the Jews that were in captivity in Babylon, permitting them to return to Jerusalem and their cities. He commanded them to go to Jerusalem in Judah and build there the house for the Lord God of Israel (Ezra 1 :2-3). This brought to a close the seventy years of captivity spent in Babylon from 606 B.C. to 536 B.C. About this time the ten tribes that had been taken captive into Assyria in 721 B.C. were set free and permitted to return to their homeland, and their cities; once again all twelve tribes were living in the promised land.

After they returned to their cities and the seventh month Tisri (October) had come, the people gathered themselves as one man to Jerusalem, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon as it is written in the law of Moses, and they set the altar upon his bases (Ezra 3: 1-3). The altar was set on the exact bases of the first Temple’s altar. And from the first day of the seventh month they began offering burnt offerings unto the Lord. The year was 536 B.C. However, the foundation of the temple had not been laid (Ezra 3:6). For two years they worked and labored making all preparations to have all things in readiness for the building of the temple.

In the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem in the second month, Zif (May) they began the building of the house of the Lord (Ezra 3:8-10). The year was 534 B.C. Although the work was stopped for awhile, the temple was finished and dedicated in the year 515 B.C. This second temple was built on the exact site of the first temple that Solomon built on Mount Moriah in the threshing floor that David bought from Araunah, the Jebusite (II Chronicles 3: 1-2). Seventy years after the dedication of the temple, Nehemiah received permission to return and to restore and to build Jerusalem, 445 B.C.

In (Daniel 9:24-25) we read, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.”

These weeks are weeks of years, each day is one year, and each week is seven years. We find this in (Numbers 14:34), “After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”

By this we know by the Bible, the 69 weeks from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince, is four hundred and eighty-three years. The commandment went forth on the tenth day of Nisan (April) in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king (Nehemiah 2: 1). The 483 years, or 69 weeks, came to an end the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Saturday, the tenth day of Nisan (April), 30 A.D.

In (Matthew 21:5) we read, “Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon as ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. ” At this time he was proclaimed the Messiah. Thus fulfilling the prophecy of (Zechariah 9:9).

You may have noticed that from 445 B.C. to 30 A.D. is 475 years; not 483 years (a difference of eight years). There are years of different lengths. The solar year has 365 days; the calendar year has 360 days; the lunar year has 354 days; the Julian or astronomical year has 365 1/4 daysÄIt is necessary to add one day every four years to the calendar. Which one of these years are we to use in our calculation? We find the answer in the Word of God. Noah entered the ark in the six hundredth year of his life (2563 B.C.), in the second month Iyyar (May), the 17th day of the month (Genesis 7:11-13). And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days (Genesis 7:24). At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated, and the ark rested in the seventh month Tisri (October), on the 17th day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:3-4).

Here we learn for the five month period, from the 17th of May unto the 17th of October, is one hundred and fifty days, or thirty days to each month, or three hundred and sixty days to a year. Also, in (Revelations 13:5), it speaks of 42 months and in the 12th chapter, verse 14, it speaks of the woman that fled into the wilderness where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. Also, in the sixth verse it speaks of her, that they should feed her there 1,260 days. In the 11th chapter it speaks of the two witnesss that prophesy 1,260 days. The 42 months; time, times, and half a time; and 1,260 days are all the same length of timeÄ3 1/2 years. This corresponds to the five month period of the flood, of 150 days. By the foregoing scripture it is clear that we are to use in “Prophetical Chronology” a “calendar” year of 360 days. According to ordinary chronology, the 475 years from 445 B.C. to 30 A.D. are “Solar” years of 365 days each. By using the calendar year of 360 days we have accounted for the eight years. Thus, proving from the tenth day of Nisan (April) 445 B.C., unto the tenth day of April, 30 A.D., the day Jesus rode in triumph into the city of Jerusalem, and was proclaimed the King and Messiah, was sixty-nine weeks, or 483 years.

LIFE AND PREACHING OF JESUS

In the month Tammuz (July) 5 B.C., when Zacharias was executing the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. (Luke 1:11, 13) indicate, “And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”

Also the 16th verse reads, “And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.” When the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. His wife, Elisabeth, did conceive and hid herself five months. In (Luke 1 :26-36) we find that when Elisabeth was in her sixth month, that the angel Gabriel, that had previously appeared unto Zacharias, was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.”

The fact that the angel Gabriel, had appeared unto Zacharias in the month of Thammuz (July) and that Elisabeth was in her sixth month, would place the time that the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary in the month of Tebath (January) 5 B.C. Consequently John the Baptist was born some time in the first half of the month Nisan (April) in the year 4 B.C. According to (Exodus 12: 1-2), the first month of the sacred year is Abib or Nisan, that being April of the civil year. in 1981, when I was in Israel, we were taken to a well at Nazareth, and I was told a story about this well. They say it was here, at the time that Mary was living here, it was the only source of water for the city. One day Mary came here to draw water, and it was here at the well that the angel Gabriel appeared and talked to her. Some people call it Mary’s well, and others call it Gabriel’s well. Water can still be taken from it. One asked the group guide if one could drink the water. He moved his shoulders in a manner as if to say, it’s up to you, you may if you wish.

Six months after John was born, in the seventh month, Tisri (October), in the first half of the month, Jesus was born, 4 B.C. In the year 8 A.D. John being twelve years of age, went into the wilderness. It was here that he spent the next eighteen years of his life. His meat was locusts and wild honey, and his raiment was of camel’s hair with a leathern girdle about his loins (Matthew 3:4). When he had reached the age of thirty years, in the month of April, 26 A.D., he came out of the wilderness and made his public appearance, and began preaching in the wilderness of Judaea. Six months later in the month of Tisri (October), John the Baptist was preaching at the little village of Bethabara, on the east bank of the Jordan River, northeast of Jericho (John 1:28). At this time there stood a square tower on top of a cave, it marked the site of the village. The people claimed that the prophet Elijah, had dwelt in the cave; it was called the “Tower of Elijah.” Also, the prophet Isaiah concealed himself from his enemies in this cave. On the west side of the village is a small hill, or mount. It was said that it was from this hill that when the chariot and horses of fire appeared, that Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven (II Kings 2: 11). Elisha then took the mantle that had fallen from Elijah, and smote the waters of the River Jordan, here at Bethabara; and they were divided (II Kings 2: 12-14). This, however, occurred in the year 896 B.C., 922 years before the preaching of John the Baptist.

In the first half of the seventh month, Tisri (October), 26 A.D. as John was preaching to a vast multitude of not less than ten thousand, there came forth many people to him for baptism. In the book, The Prince of the House of David (a book of personal letters written by a woman named Adina, a witness to these events) it tells that as he was standing in the river, baptizing, he looked over to the little mount near Elijah’s Tower and saw two men standing on the top. The one was Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha. The other possessed an indescribable dignity and grace of aspect, combined with an air of benevolence and peace. He was wrapped in a vesture of dark blue cloth, that was folded about his form; his head was bare, and his dark hair flowed down about his shoulders. He gazed upon the multitude with a clam serenity. He was unlike all other men, in a certain majesty, united with sweetness, that marked his whole air. John, standing in the water with his eyes resting upon the one clothed in the vesture of blue cloth, a change came over his face as though he was looking at one that had descended from heaven. His eyes shone with a great brilliancy. He then stretched forth his right hand toward him and for a moment stood there like a statue. All eyes of the people followed his, and the direction of his stretched-out arm. Then suddenly, he exclaimed, “Behold,” and when he cried again the second time “Behold,” he stretched forth both arms toward him on whom all eyes were fastened. At this time he cried aloud saying, ” . . . Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.” (John 1:29-30)

There stands the Christ of God! Behold the only true Lamb, whose blood can wash away the iniquities of us all! When John finished speaking, the one standing on the mount in the vesture of dark blue cloth, the one John had just declared to be the Messiah, the Son of the Highest, the Lamb of God, started walking alone slowly at an even pace, with an air of humility, and with dignity with his dark hair flowing about his shoulders, toward John the Baptist, leaving Lazarus, the brother of Martha, behind. He had fallen prostrate on his face when he heard that the long-time friend of his family was the Messiah. His name is “Jesus Christ” of Nazareth.

In (Mark 1:9) we read, “And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.” Also, (John 1:26-30) reads, “John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.” (Matthew 3:13-15) states, “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. ” Here Jesus said unto John thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. John was baptizing his converts using no name, but the time had come for Jesus to establish the church in this Grace Dispensation, bringing salvation to the world. Thus Jesus told John to baptize him in the “Name of Jesus Christ.”

The letters of Adina say that Jesus was baptized in the sixth hour, or at noontime; the sun was overhead, and the sky was cloudless. “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. ” (Matthew 3:1617) Adina tells us that the multitude of people heard the voice of God speak from heaven; they saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Jesus. They saw a light shining from heaven upon Jesus that was brighter than the noonday sun. “And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. ” (Mark 1 :12) Adina continues on, saying that Jesus immediately withdrew himself and going south along the bank of the Jordan River passed under some projecting and overhanging trees that hid him at once from the view of the vast multitude. The sudden disappearance of Jesus led to a universal separation of the multitude that dispersed in all directions; some seeking Jesus, and others to spread the news of what they had seen and heard, and all of them forgetting John. But there were two men that had kept their eyes upon Jesus from the first; they were John and Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha. They saw Jesus pass down the river, going under the overhanging trees, and they followed him. Though often they lost sight of him yet they were able to follow him by the print of his sandals in the wet sand of the shore. Then they came in view of him, as he was leaving the river bank, and going towards the desert, between two hills which hid him from their eyes. Though they moved on rapidly, they next saw him in the far distance, crossing the arid plain that stretches south towards Jericho and the desert. They ran very fast and overtook Him, calling out to Him, “Master, good Master, stay for us, for we would follow and learn of thee!” Jesus stopped, and having turned, looked upon them with a look so pale and marred with sadness and anguish, that John and Lazarus stood still with amazement at such a change. The radiating glory of his beauty had passed away, the expression of unutterable sorrow that remained, pierced them to the heart. Lazarus wept aloud. Jesus said unto them, “Weep not, thou shalt see me another day, my friends.” “I go now to the wilderness in obedience to the Spirit which guideth me thither. Thou shalt, after a time, behold me again. It is expedient that I go whither I go.” “Nay,” said Lazarus earnestly, “but we will go with thee; if thou art to endure evil, we will be with thee.” But Jesus said unto them, “There must be none to help. There must be none to uphold.” This he said firmly but sadly. “I must tread the wine-press of temptation alone!” He then left them, waving his hand for them to go back which they did sorrowfully. “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.” (Luke 4:1-2)

“And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.” (Luke 4:13-25)

“When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou are the Chirst, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed are thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-17)

So it is today there are many people that do not know and understand who Jesus really is. The angel Gabriel said unto Zacharias that his son, John the Baptist, would turn many of the children of Israel unto the Lord their God (Luke 1:16).

Paul, having found certain disciples at Ephesus, said unto them, . . . “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” (Acts 19: 2-4) By the foregoing scriptures we understand that the angel Gabriel stated, John would turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And Paul explained to John’s disciples that John told the people to believe on him that was coming after him, and that one was Christ Jesus. By this we can see that Jesus is the Lord God of the children of Israel.

Paul was a very devout Christian. He said, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (I Corinthians 2:2) And again Paul said, “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets.” (Acts 24:14) Paul clearly states here that Jesus is the Messiah, the one and only “Jehovah God Almighty.”

Jesus Himself said He was the Messiah (John 4:25-26) Again Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30)

One day Philip saith Jesus, Jesus, “…Lord, us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:8-9)

Again, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58) John tells us that the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, the heavens, all things were made by Jesus, and without him was not anything made that was made (John 1:3). “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:. ..” (I John 3:16)

Jesus, there on Calvary hanging between heaven and earth, was God laying down his life for us. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (I Timothy 3:16)

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;” (Colossians 1:19) “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Collossians 2:9) Jesus came into the world and gave himself a sacrifice on Calvary, bringing salvation to the world. He preached one doctrine and established the church in this Grace Dispensation.

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. ” (Matthew 4:23-25)

The woman Adina tells us in her letters that a very dear friend and disciple of Jesus, named Lazarus (the brother of Mary and Martha) had tuberculosis. One evening he had a hemorrhage and bled to death. His blood, that life-giving substance, departed from his body. His body was wrapped in a cloth and placed in a cave. Jesus knew of this and came to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead. And Martha said unto Jesus, ” . . . by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.” When Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, “Lazarus, come forth” Lazarus came forth, bound hand and foot with gravecloths: and his face was bound about with a napkin (John 11:11-44). At the time Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he also replaced the blood that was needed, and also healed him of tuberculosis. Lazarus was thirty years old at the time, and he lived another thirty years.

One time Jesus entered into a ship, and his disciples followed him. And there arose a great tempest in the sea, in so much that the ship was covered with the waves: but Jesus was asleep. His disciples awoke him, and he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm (Matthew 8:23-27). Thus again, Jesus proves that he is God, that he has full control of the elements, that it was he that made the moon, sun, and stars, the earth, and the seas, that all things were made by him (John 1:1-3).

As I previously said, Jesus preached and taught one doctrine, or one faith. For we read there is, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” (Ephesians 4:5).

John the Baptist told the people to repent and be baptized, and be baptized them using no name. When Jesus came to John to be baptized of him, we read, “But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him” (Matthew 3:14-15) In fulfulling all righteousness, Jesus told John to baptize him in the “Name of Jesus Christ.” John the Baptist, then baptized Jesus in water by immersion in the “Name of Jesus Christ. ” And it was then, in water baptism, that Jesus received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:33). “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,” (Luke 4:1) When Jesus received the baptism of the Holy Ghost here in water baptism, he began speaking in tongues. On the day of Pentecost when the 120 in the upper room received the baptism of the Holy Ghost they “began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). While Peter was preaching to Cornelius and his household, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them which heard the word, and they spoke in tongues and magnified God.

And were all baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 10:44-48). When the apostle Paul had surrendered to the Lord Jesus, and became his disciple, Ananias put his hands on him and said, ” . . . Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. ” (Acts 9:17-18) The apostle Paul said, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:” (I Corinthians 14:18).

Paul, having found certain disciples said unto them, ” . . . Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” (Acts 19:2-6) Peter and Paul and all of the apostles preached the same message, that Jesus was God manifest in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16). And, for people to repent and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and be filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:38 — Acts 2:4). Remember the scripture verse, “One Lord, One faith, One Baptism”? (Ephesians 4:5) As I previously stated, Jesus was baptized of John in water by immersion in the “Name of Jesus Christ,” and he received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues (Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 41; Acts 2:33).

When Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead, “…he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, ‘Talithacumi’; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.” (Mark 5:41) Here Jesus spoke in the unknown tongue. She being in paradise, and Jesus also being in paradise, at the same time he was on the earth (John 3:13) spoke in the heavenly language, and she obeyed the Master’s voice and came forth.

Again, it was on Wednesday, April the 14th, 30 A.D., that Jesus was crucified. And while there on the cross we read, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lame sabachtani, that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) Again Jesus speaks in the unknown tongue to one in the Spirit world. Of all the different nationalities that were standing at the foot of the cross, not one understood the words he spoke. “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.” (I Corinthians 14:2) Jesus, the flesh, the Son of Mary, cried out to his Father, the Spirit, the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:31-35). Yes, Jesus spoke in tongues, and he baptized his converts in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (John 3: 22, 26). But they did not receive a remission of sins at this time, for we read, “. . .and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22)

Also, in (Matthew 26:27-28) we read, “And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” The blood of Jesus had not yet been shed, they were put in a state of holding, and when Jesus’ blood was shed on Calvary it was immediately applied to their souls and they received the remission of sins. Then on the day of Pentecost they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4).

For more proof that Jesus baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and that he had the baptism of the Holy Ghost, speaking in other tongues, I refer you to (Isaiah 54:5), “For thy Maker is shine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; . . . ” Also (II Timothy 2:6), “The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. ” Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;” (Hebrews 2:1-3) Jesus preached but one doctrine, one faith, and established the New Testament church in this Grace Dispensation. All of the apostles preached the same message and it is still being preached today, and will continue on until Jesus appears for the catching away of his bride. This is called the rapture, and the Grace Dispensation will end at this time.

The apostle Paul said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galations 1 :8-9) Read also (Acts 2:4, Acts 2:3739, Acts 10: 44-48 and Acts 19: 1-7).

THE PERSECUTIONS OF THE JEWS

As we search through the pages of history we find the Jews have suffered severe persecution and death. They suffered in the land of Egypt, the Lord heard their cry and sent Moses to bring them out. The exodus was on the 15th day of April, 1491 B.C. In 721 B.C., ten tribes were carried away captive into Assyria. Nebuchadnezzar besieged and conquered Jerusalem taking the two remaining tribes into the 70 years of captivity in Babylon; the year was 606 B.C. In the year 70 A.D., when the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, those that had been defending it and survived, fled to Masada. It was a fortress, built by King Herod, in the heart of the Judean Desert wildnerness, overlooking the Dead sea. The Romans desiring and determined to stamp out all Jewish independence, besieged it, but were unable to reach the top for an attack. Within the three years that followed, they built a huge earthen-work ramp to the west. Thus they were able to reach the top and bring their war machines close to the wall, and were in a position to invade the plateau. The commander of the Jews on Masada was Eleazar teen Yair, and he persuaded the men to commit suicide rather than to fall into the hands of the Romans, and be on exhibition in a victory parade in Rome.

It was in the spring of 73 A.D. that the Roman soldiers stampeded Masada, and having entered in, to their surprise they found the dead bodies of 960 men, women and children, that had consented to give their lives. In a water cistern were found two women and five children that survived to give an account of the tragic event. This was committed to writing by Flavins Josephus, a Jewish historian. There were 30,000 Jews killed in Jerusalem in a tumult with the Romans in 50 A.D. But more severe and worse sufferings, commenced in 66 A.D., under Gessius Florus, the Roman governor of Judea. His oppressions caused a widespread revolt. This caused Nero to send Vespasian, with his son, Titus, with an army of 60,000 men. Vespasian was met in upper Galilee by Josephus, a famous general of the Asmonean race, and a noted historian. Josephus entrenched himself at Jotapata, and after a siege of 47 days was overpowered with a loss of over 40,000 men. Then the subjugation of Galilee followed, with thousands having perished in the war. Upon the death of Nero, Vespasian was ordered to return to Rome. After he had been made king he sent his son, Titus, to finish the subjugation of the Holy Land and to capture Jerusalem.

The Roman army that numbered 100,000 men, began their march against Jerusalem in April 70 A.D. Jerusalem was surrounded by a triple wall; there were ninety towers to defend it. The city was not prepared for a siege of war. The Romans hurled huge stones against the walls. Inside the walls they suffered famine. They would snatch food from one another, and some mothers even killed, cooked, and ate their children. Many fled from the city and were captured, and Titus had them crucified as a warning. This siege lasted four months, and on August the 5th, 70 A.D., the tower of Antonia was taken; the Romans stampeded into the temple enclosure. Titus had commanded his soldiers to spare the beautiful temple building, as it was looked upon as one of the wonders of the world. But one of the soldiers threw a blazing torch through a doorway and the temple was destroyed, leaving nothing but the rock upon which it stood. Josephus tells us that over 1,000,000 perished in the siege, while 97,000 survived as captives.

Sixty-five years later, 135 A.D., the Jews had recovered from this crushing defeat at Jerusalem, and rose afresh in revolt against the Roman power. Hadrian then completed the dispersion; He destroyed 580,000 persons. He devastated Palestine, ran a ploughshare over Zion, in a war lasting three and a half years. And he forbade the Jews, on pain of death, even to approach Aelia Capitolina, the new Roman city which he erected on the site of Jerusalem.

In 1020 A.D., all Jews were driven from England by Canute. In 1068 A.D. in all England there was only one burial place allowed the Jews to bury their dead; that was Cripplegate, London.

In 1189 A.D., at the accession of Richard, riots were instigated against the Jews, and all Jewish homes suffered robbery and murder. In the year that followed was the “Tragedy of York Castle.” The chief Rabbi of York, with 500 followers were besieged in York Castle, and when they realized there was no escape for them they slew one another. The Rabbi was the last to die. He started a large, disastrous fire, then took his own life. When the besiegers broke in they found all the Jews dead and in a large pile.

In 1306 A.D., all the Jews of France, men, women and children (100,000 in number) were stripped of all their possessions for the benefit of the royal treasury, and were deported. In 1560 A.D., they were driven from Prague, and later in Constantinople, 3,000 houses in the Jews’ quarters were burned and property to the value of 50,000,000 crowns confiscated. Under the Hitler regime, the Jews suffered very severe anguish, torture, afflictions, hunger, and death. Over six million Jews were exterminated. From one millennia to another, the Jews have suffered persecution.

Let us now look into the future. The Bible makes it very clear, step by step, to the final destination of the Jews. I believe in the year 1993 A.D. Jesus will appear and catch away his Bride, thus fulfilling (I Thessalonians 4: 15-17); this is called the rapture. The Bride of Christ consists only of those that have repented and been baptized in water by immersion in the “Name of Jesus Christ” for the remission of sins, and filled with the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:38, 4). This is the only Biblical way to be born again. Immediately after the rapture will start the seven year tribulation period. This is known as Daniel’s “Seventieth Week.” The last half of the week is called “The Great Tribulation.” Also, the time of “Jacob’s Trouble.” (Jeremiah 30: 4-7) Immediately after the rapture the antichrist will make his appearance to the world. The world will be deceived and will follow him (Revelation 13:3-4). Daniel speaks of him saying, “And he shall confirm the convenant with many for one week; and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27) Here Daniel speaks of the antichrist making a covenant, or a “formal binding agreement” with the Jews for one week in the tribulation period. The Jews will rebuild “the third temple” on mount Moriah, within the walls of old Jerusalem, on the exact foundation of the former two temples (I Chronicles 21: 2427, II Chronicles 3:1-2, Ezra 3:8-10). They will return to their orthodox teaching of the Mosaic Law; the offering of blood sacrifices as did their forefathers in the Old Testament. And in the middle of the week, that would be in the middle of 1996 A.D., the antichrist will rebel against the Jews. He will cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. The Apostle Paul speaks of this saying, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, strewing himself that he is God.” (II Thessalonians 2:3-4)

We read of Jesus in his Olivet discourse, telling his disciples of the great tribulation saying, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matthew 24:15-22)

The abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet (Daniel 9:27) is when the antichrist in the midst of the week, will break his covenant with the Jews causing the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. And sitting in the temple of God, opposing and exalting himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, strewing himself that he is God (II Thessalonians 2:3-4). He will try to exterminate all Jews throughout the world. At this time, the woman clothed with the sun, will be “. . .given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” (Revelation 12:14) The woman will go, “. . .where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” (Revelation 12: 5-6) Using the calendar years of 30 days to each month, or 360 days to a year, this thousand and two hundred and threescore days is exactly three and one half years, or time, times, and half a time. This is the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week. The woman clothed with the sun is the whole house of Israel, the twelve tribes. These are God’s chosen Jews, the Israelites, It was this woman, being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

“And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” Read (Revelation 19: 15-16, Revelation 12:2, 5). It was this woman that gave birth to Jesus, and Jesus came from the loins of David (Psalms 132:11, Acts 2:30).

While the twelve tribes are in the wilderness, hidden from the world, the other Jews will be slain. Zechariah speaks of this saying, “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.” (Zechariah 13:8)

In the year 2562 B.C., on the 27th day of Zif (May), Noah and his wife, his three sons, and their wives, came out of the ark (Genesis 8: 14-16). And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” (Genesis 9:1) From these three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives, came three genealogies. Noah and his wife and his sons, and their wives, were Jews, descendants of Adam and Eve. By reading the genealogy of Mary the mother of Jesus, (Luke 3:23-38) we trace it back through David, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham; Sala, Arphaxad, and Sem the second son of Noe, and on to Seth the son of Adam, which was the son of God. Thus, Adam and Eve were the first Jews. These three genealogies will be in the tribulation period, and are the three parts spoken of in (Zechariah 13:8). The two parts that will be cut off and die are the descendants of Japheth and Ham. But the third are the whole house of Israel, the descendants of Jacob and Sem, also being the righteous line from Adam.

At the end of the seven year tribulation period, that also being the end of this century, will be the battle of Armageddon. We read, “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” (Revelation 17:12-14) The location of this battle will be the “Valley of Megiddo” a place called in the Hebrew tongue, “Armageddon” (Revelation 16:16). It is in the heart of Palestine, the battlefield of the great battles of the Old Testament.

Daniel speaks of this battle saying, “Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:34-35). Also (Daniel 2:44) states, “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” By the previous scripture we understand Daniel was speaking of Jesus (the Stone) and of his coming to destroy all the kingdoms of this earth, and the setting up of his kingdom that will stand forever.

John also speaks of this saying, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)

Also, we read in (Revelation 19: 11-16), “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he cloth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

At this time, when Jesus is returning to the earth with his bride riding upon white horses, the house of Israel that is in the wilderness will look up and see Jesus coming, and they will cry out and say unto him, “…What are these wounds in shine hands? And he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” (Zechariah 13:6) “. . .they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.” (Zechariah 13:9) Here the Jews receive, and proclaim that Jesus of Nazareth, the man of Galilee is the Lord their God, the Messiah, Jehovah God. These Jews are the valley of dry bones spoken of by Ezekiel.

And the Lord asked the prophet saying, ” . . . Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” “Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.” (Ezekiel 37:16, 11) These bones are not all the Jews, but only the descendants of Jacob. At this time the Lord will return to the earth, and in that day his feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, the Lord God will come and all the saints with him (Zechariah 14:4-5). At this time will be the…

BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON

“And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.” (Revelation 19:19)

“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” (Revelation 17: 14)

The Lord will send a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. “And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.” (Revelation 16: 18, 21) The Hebrew weight of a talent is 93 3/4 pounds of silver (Exodus 38:25).

The apostle John continues saying, “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. ” (Revelation 19: 17-18, 20-21)

So great will be the slaughter in the battle of Armageddon that human blood will flow unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs (Revelation 14:20). And the house of Israel will be seven months in burying the dead, that they may cleanse the land (Ezekiel 39: 12). Also, at this time John tells us, “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. ” (Revelation 20:1-3)

Jesus has now cast the beast and the false prophet alive into the lake of fire, and has put the devil into the bottomless pit, and has crushed all the kingdoms of this world. We read, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The Kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)

“And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.” (Zechariah 14:9) “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Luke 1:3233) Thus starts. . .

THE MILLENNIAL REIGN

We read in (Revelation 5:10), “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Also, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6)

There will be one religion, or one universal system of worship. The Lord will require of all people to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16) “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.” (Micah 4; 2-4) “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.” (Isaiah 11:6-8)

In this millennium there will be death, but longevity is restored. We read, “There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” (Isaiah 65:20) There will be a universal peace and safety for one thousand years, and then the apostle John tells us, “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:7-10) This is the last battle that will ever be, and at this time will be the Great White Throne Judgement. And John continues on, saying, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. ” (Revelation 20:11-15) After the judgement, people will still be alive, living on the earth in this body. Immediately after the judgement will be the. . .

RENOVATION OF THE EARTH

The word “renovate” means “to repair,” or “to make like new again. ” The Lord will make this earth as it was when Adam and Eve walked in the garden of Eden before they sinned. The curse the Lord put on the ground will be taken away; no more thorns, and thistles, no more disease. All things brought about by sin will be destroyed. The streams, the air, and the atmosphere, will be purified, and forever freed from evil spirits. Solomon tells us, “One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.” (Ecclesiastes 1:4)

In the beatitudes, Jesus tells us, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) Also the children of Israel shall inherit the land forever (Isaiah 60:21). Also we read in (Isaiah 66:22), “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.”

By the foregoing scripture we find that the whole house of Israel, the descendants of Jacob, the Israelites and their seed, and their name, will remain on the earth before the Lord forever. These, the twelve tribes, are God’s chosen Jews. The apostle Peter speaks of the renovation of the earth, of the new heavens, and the new earth saying, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (II Peter 3:10-13) The fire spoken of here is not the kind of fire, such as we would have in the stove for heat. It is a spiritual fire; it is the Lord God. The Lord appeared unto Moses in a flame of fire, in a bush, and the bush burned but was not consumed (Exodus 3:1-4). Also, we read in (Deuteronomy 4:24), “for the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”

The Lord met with Moses on the mount in a cloud and a fire. The Lord spoke to them face to face, out of the midst of the fire, and the mountain did burn with fire (Deuteronomy 5:4, 22-25). The apostle Paul tells us in (Hebrew 12:29), “For our God is a consuming fire.” Therefore, I believe the Lord God is the devouring fire. He will cause the heavens to be on fire that will be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up, or as the Weymouth translation puts it, will vanish (II Peter 3:10-12).

As the Lord met with Moses in the burning bush, and the bush burned but was not consumed, so it will be at the time of the renovation. The Lord will cleanse the earth of all filth. He will make this earth another garden of Eden, as it was before Eve and Adam sinned. Peter states, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (II Peter 3:13) Here Peter tells us the righteous people living in this earthly body inhabit the earth after the renovation by fire, proving this earth will never be burned up by an ordinary fire. Remember the saying of Solomon, “One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.” (Ecclesiates 1:4) Solomon tells us the earth will always be. Also we read in (Genesis 8:22), “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” By these scriptures we know that man will always be living upon the earth, tilling the ground, and gathering the harvest. If everything on the earth was destroyed by fire there would not be any seed to plant, or anyone to plant it. Immediately after the renovation of the earth will be.. .

THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH

As John tells us, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, write: for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21: 1, 35) As God’s plan was in the beginning, before Eve and Adam sinned, man was to live for ever. There was to be no death, neither sorrow, nor crying, or pain. This will be again upon the new earth, Jesus will be with the whole house of Israel, the descendants of Adam and Eve, through Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. And the Jews will multiply as the stars of heaven (Genesis 26:4), and as the sand of the sea which cannot be numbered for multitude (Genesis 32:12). And Jesus will sit upon the throne of his father, David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end (Luke 1:32-33).

THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY BISHOP R.W. JONES, MARCH 1988, PAGES 1-56. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.