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AS the Christian rightly looks onward to the coming of the Lord for His heavenly saints (1 Thess. 4:15-17,15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑17) and many other New Testament passages), so the Jew, when awakened by divine power after the Church of God has been completed and removed to scenes of heavenly glory, will long for the day of the Lord— “that day”, which is mentioned. seven times in this chapter.
“In that day” Jehovah will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem (verse 8). It is the time of the invasion of the land by the nations led by the king of the north (often in Isaiah referred to as the Assyrian), and, as it would appear also, a later one by Russia herself. See Isaiah 8:77Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: (Isaiah 8:7) to 12:6 and Psalm 83, Daniel 8:23-25,23And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:23‑25) Ezekiel 38 and 39, the fulfillment of all of which will shortly follow the judgment of western powers at the Lord’s return to the earth (Matthew 24:26-30,26Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:26‑30) Revelation 19:11-2111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His 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. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And 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. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And 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; 18That 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. 19And 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. 20And 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. 21And 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 19:11‑21)).
For an understanding of the order of prophetic unfoldings, it must be apprehended that the eastern and western powers will be dealt with separately by the Lord Jesus when He comes again. Except Daniel, the Old Testament prophets chiefly tell of the eastern oppressors of Israel, with little reference to the western power under which the Lord was crucified. Shortly before His coming, the eastern powers led by the Assyrian or king of the north (north in relation to the land of Israel) will have successfully invaded the country of the Jews, being used of God unconsciously to themselves (Isaiah 10:5-8, 12-14; 28:145O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. 8For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? (Isaiah 10:5‑8)
12Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. 13For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: 14And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. (Isaiah 10:12‑14)
14Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 28:14) to 29:8, etc. to punish the unrepentant who will comprise the majority of the earthly people of God.
After capturing Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:22For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2)) the associated eastern nations under the king of the north will continue southward into Africa (Daniel 11:41-15), and it is while there engaged in war (as many judge) that the Lord will suddenly appear at Jerusalem, will destroy the western powers and the false prophet, and will undertake the cleansing of the land of all the sinners who remain there. Shortly, alarmed by news which seems to call for an immediate movement northward, the king of the north returns, and Jerusalem will again be invested, but now the Lord is with His people, and the eastern armies will be completely defeated.
The appearing of the Lord for His earthly saints as expressed here, presents a marked contrast with Ills appearing for His heavenly saints, for the Jews must pass through an experience like that of Joseph’s brethren in Genesis 42, 44 and 45. Psalm 51 will be the language of every Jew as he reflects upon the rejection of Christ when He came to His own, 1900 years ago. The mourning of Hadadrimmon (verse 11) appears to be that which occurred upon the death of Josiah, the last godly king of Judah.
ML 10/17/1937