When the British army liberated Jerusalem from the Turks on December 11, 1917, many thought that the time had come for the Jews to have their own land again. Then when the League of Nations gave Great Britain the mandate to govern Palestine, the way seemed open for all Jews to return to their native land. Problems and difficulties beset the British at every turn, however, and their cost ran high, both in lives and money. Many Jews did return to Palestine in those years, but in no sense did it become their own land; and quota limitations have kept many thousands out.
This year, as May 15th arrived, the British surrendered their mandate, and withdrew from the troubled land without honor or praise for all their efforts and expense during 31 years. Thus another milestone in the history of that unhappy land had been marked; another Gentile lord had proved that Jerusalem is a "burdensome stone" (Zech. 12:3).
A few hours before the British mandate ended the Jews announced, at Tel Aviv, the establishment of "the Jewish State in Palestine, to be called Israel." But God's time to make "Jerusalem a rejoicing" has not yet come, and the newly proclaimed State of Israel began in war and turmoil. The Moslem peoples are bent on obstructing the new Jewish State and are ready to wage what they call a "holy war" to that end.
As this is written (on May 25th) reports coming out of Palestine are confused and even conflicting; and by the time this August issue reaches our readers many more changes may have taken place; nevertheless, we may well make some observations.
1. Surely one thing is evident- the "fig tree" is budding. Our Lord said in a word for the Jewish remnant: "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh." Matt. 24:32. The fig tree is used as a figure of the Jewish nation which for many centuries has been dormant, but now the sap is flowing and it is showing signs of life. This is a necessary forerunner of the great events that are to take place concerning that people and that land during the years of tribulation that will precede the coming of the Son of man in power and great glory. It is not necessary that this sign of Israel's awakening be seen before the Lord comes for us; but if signs of things to take place after we are gone from this world are now being seen, the coming of the Lord is very near.
2. We must not expect a triumphant nation of Israel now, for the "times of the Gentiles" have not yet run their allotted course. They began when God turned His earthly people over to Nebuchadnezzar in B.C. 606, and will end when Christ comes out of heaven as the "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords" (Rev. 19:11-21). The image described in Dan. 2 is a picture outline of the "times of the Gentiles." It began with the head of gold—Nebuchadnezzar—and will remain until the Stone cut out of the mountain without hands (Christ coming in power) strikes the image upon its feet and destroys it. The feet that will receive the stroke of judgment represent the last form of the Roman Empire in its future "ten-king" state—the ten toes. Then, and not until then, will Gentile domination and yoke be broken.
A limited measure of success may be achieved by this new Israel, for there must be some form of Jewish government in Palestine (after the Lord has called His Church home) to be ruled over by the apostate king, called the antichrist, or the false prophet. This "man of sin" will make a treaty with the apostate head of the revived Roman Empire for its support and protection for a period of seven years. This future wicked head of some form of Jewish state is called "the king" in Dan. 11:36, and some of his doings are described in verses 36 to 40. Thus again we see things taking shape for events to come after the rapture. There is to be a government of Israel then (opposed by Moslems but supported by the Roman Empire) for which current events are making way.
Dan. 11:1.35 deals with past events; verse 36 to the end of the chapter speaks of the future—the "time of the end." In the former, the history of kings, called "the king of the north" and "the king of the south," is given as it related to Palestine. "The king of the north" was an enemy just to the north of Palestine; "the king of the south" was Egypt, from its location south of Palestine. These two kings were enemies of the Jews and also had frequent quarrels and wars between themselves, with Palestine, lying between them, being used for the battle ground. (When Daniel wrote of these kings it was prophecy, for he lived before them; and so remarkable is the prophecy that infidels seek to prove that Daniel lived later and wrote history.)
In the latter part of the chapter, which takes us on to the future, we find these two kings again in their respective places north and south of Palestine, and 'again the enemies of Israel. Verse 40 says, "The king of the south shall push at him"- the false king of Israel—and "The king of the north shall come against him." Here we find another indication that we are approaching that "time of the end"; for today Egypt is a free nation, lying south of Israel, and opposing the Jews by armed force. The Arab world lying north of Palestine is again invading the land from the north. The Arab world is not yet united under one head, but the people are there north of Israel, and their hostility to the Jew is the same as of old.
In Luke 21:29 where the Lord gives the parable of the fig tree, He adds "and all the trees." Yes, not only is the budding "Israel" an indication of the "time of the end," but the other trees—the "king of the south," the "king of the north," the alliance of Western European nations—all tell the same story: "The coming of the Lord draweth nigh." All the actors in the last great attempt to frustrate the purposes of God and His King (Psalm 2) are beginning to be seen in their respective positions.
"O Lord Jesus, how long? how long
Ere we shout the glad song?
Christ returneth;
Hallelujah! hallelujah!
Amen, Hallelujah! Amen."