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OR,

A Series of Popular Lectures

ON THE

PROPHECIES

RELATIVE TO THE JEWISH NATION.

BY THE

REV. HUGH M NEILE, M. A.

Minister of St. Jude's Church, Liverpool.

"Ye are my witnesses."-Isaiah xliii. 10.

"To expound these predictions of the ancient prophets, of any thing but the restora. tion of the natural Israel, is to introduce ambiguity and equivocation into the plainest oracles of God."--Bishop Horsley.

FROM THE SECOND LONDON EDITION.

WITH A PREFACE AND NOTES NOT IN THE FORMER EDITION.

PHILADELPHIA:

ORRIN ROGERS, 67 SOUTH SECOND STREET.

E. G. Dorsey, Printer.

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NUMB. Xxiii. 9. Lo! the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

The object of these Lectures to examine the prophecies concerning the Jewish nation-History the best interpreter of prophecy-Mr. Davison quoted -The first revealed characteristic of the Jewish people, is their separation from the surrounding nations of the earth-Constituted a distinct nation by the word of God to Abraham-His manner of interpreting that word-His descendants continue separate during the Egyptian bondage-In the wilderness-In the occupation of Canaan-Predictions by Moses-Establishment of the royal government-The nation carried captive to Babylon, and there kept separate Their return to their own land—Light thrown upon the interpretation of prophecy by so much of the history, 29

LECTURE II.

THE JEWS CONTINUE A SEPARATE PEOPLE TILL THE END OF THE TIMES OF THE

GENTILES.

NUMB. Xxiii. 9. Lo! the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

The separate state of the Jews proved from facts, and universally admitted up to the time of the birth of Christ. From that period of their history, a difference of opinion exists in the Christian church-That difference statedThe opinion that their separation will continue till the end of the world, maintained-Distinction between Israel and Judah-As a plain matter of history -As fully recognised by the Prophets-Distinction between Judah national and the Christian remnant out of it in each age-Clearly stated by St. PaulContinued separation of the Jews not to be accounted for by second causes-Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Gibbon quoted-Proofs that the separation must continue-1st. From the predictions that the Jews shall be a taunt, reproach, proverb, and by-word-2nd. From the prediction of the transfer of the cup of the Lord's anger from them to those who have afflicted them-3d. From the argument of St. Paul, that the receiving of the Jews again to God's favour, will be as life from the dead to the Gentile world,

LECTURE III.

THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES.

44

ST. LUKE XXI. 24. Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the

times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

The Jewish nation to continue separate till the end of the times of the Gentiles, or present dispensation-What is meant by the present dispensationThe plan of Jehovah respecting this world gradually developed or dispensed -The end of it promised from the beginning-All former dispensations have fallen short of that end-The present dispensation examined into-The history of the progress of Christianity gives no reason to suppose the present to be a final dispensation-The design of the present dispensation-1st. To take and save a people out of the Gentiles, Acts xv. 14.-Proofs from the experience, the number, and the character of the real disciples of Jesus Christ2ndly. To provoke the Jews to jealousy-the termination of the present dispensation-The nature of it will be a separation-Proofs from the ancient prophecies, the parables of our Lord, and the apostolical Epistles-The date will synchronise with the restoration of the Jews, and precede the introduction of millennial blessedness, - - 57

LECTURE IV.

THE JEWS SHALL BE BROUGHT TO A PENITENT STATE OF MIND, PREPARATORY TO

THEIR RESTORATION.

LEV. XXVI. 40-42. If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass that they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; and that I also have walked

contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity; then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.

Recapitulation of the former part of the subject-Entrance upon that part of it which is future-What God has revealed concerning his purposes towards the Jews, at and subsequent to the termination of the times of the GentilesTheir penitence, previous to their restoration, argued from, 1st, the language of the predictions, in its natural and obvious meaning; 2ndly, the prayer of Solomon; 3dly, the past deliverances of the Jews; 4thly, the analogy of sound doctrine-Apparently opposing passages of Scripture considered-Their conversion subsequent to their restoration-Bishop Lowth quoted,

LECTURE V.

THE JEWS SHALL BE RESTORED TO THEIR OWN LAND.

74

EZEK. Xxxvii. 21, 22. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the Heathen, whither they be gone; and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: and I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Various interpretations which have been given of the text considered; 1st, the return of the Jews from Babylon; 2ndly, the conversion and sanctification of the Christian church; 3dly, the mixture of the two; 4thly, the literal reoccupation of Palestine by the twelve tribes-The last proved to be the correct one, by its being the only one which is consistent throughout,

LECTURE VI.

THE KING OF THE JEWS.

87

JER. Xxiii. 5, 6. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch: and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days, Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The revelation which it has pleased God to give us, concerning the king of the Jews at, and subsequent to, the restoration of that people to their own land -Text consists of seven distinct particulars-All these must be fulfilled in one person-No such person has ever yet appeared in the world—The only person possessing any claim to it, is Jesus of Nazareth-His claims examined -Three of the seven particulars proved to be applicable to Him, at his first coming-The remaining four proved not to be applicable-A second coming of Jesus Christ, the universal expectation of Christians-If the prophecy be of Him, the four particulars, not yet applicable to Him, must then applyProofs from Scripture, that they will apply; so that in Him, considered at both comings, the whole prophecy will find adequate fulfilment-The King's person in that day considered-Its reality-Identity-Appearance, 98

LECTURE VII.

THE JEWS SHALL HAVE NATIONAL PRE-EMINENCE IN THE EARTH, AND SHALL PROVE A BLESSING TO ALL NATIONS.

ISA. lii. 9, 10. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places, for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm, in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

The nature of the national pre-eminence of the restored Jews, in the millennium-Consisting in righteousness, peace, and pure worship-The restored Jewish nation shall be a blessing to all the nations of the earth-Proofs from Scripture-Mr. Faber quoted-The nature of the blessing bestowed upon the nations, by means of the restored Jews-A converted, or Christian state, not an Adamic state-Proofs from Scripture-Objections answered-The duration of the blessing communicated to the nations-Considered to be for a limited period, from Rev. xx. 4-7-Universalism, shewn to be unscriptural -Conclusion of the whole subject-Practical application, addressed to Christians-And to Jews,

APPENDIX,

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127

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