No. 334
My dear Brethren: Grace and peace through our beloved Master!
Not infrequently the question comes to us: Is there an Apokalypsis as a special period of time here in the end of the Age? Those of our readers who are informed in Epiphany Truth are fully convinced that the Bible does clearly define an Epiphaneia as a special period of time in the end of this Age, which we hope to clarify later in this paper. This Epiphaneia could also be designated the Apokalypsis, because both words as an act and as a period of time are synonymous; but the Scriptures that definitely reveal this period contain the word Epiphaneia in the original. Thus, we are more meticulously adhering to Bible designation when we use the word Epiphaneia, rather than Apokalypsis, when we discuss this period.
As an act, and as a period of time, Epiphaneia and Apokalypsis do have the same application – although they are not synonymous in the strict sense of the word. Many translators give Epiphaneia as ‘bright shining,’ ‘forthshining’ – ‘uncovering,’ etc.; whereas, they offer ‘revelation’ as the meaning of Apokalypsis. Viewed critically, it is impossible to have one without the other, which explains why they are synonymous as an act and as a period of time. Thus, it requires the bright shining to produce the revelation.
The Book of Revelation, for instance (the last book of the New Testament) has been with us since the Apostle John wrote it; but it cannot possibly be understood – revealed, uncovered – until the bright shining (Epiphaneia) makes it clear. While Martin Luther saw the explanation for some parts of Revelation, other parts of it he could not possibly understand because the ‘bright shining’ had not arrived to reveal it – in the “due time.” Just one instance: The 1260 days (1260 literal years) of the Beast (Rev. 13:5) could not possibly be clear to him because those years did not end until 1799 (and prophecy cannot be understood in detail until it has been fulfilled, or is in the process of fulfillment) – when the Pope’s power was broken by Napoleon – about 250 years after Luther’s death.
Thus, it will be seen that the ‘bright shining’ and the ‘revelation’ have continued in a limited measure throughout the Gospel Age; and there is also an Epiphaneia or Apokalypsis – designated as a special period of time here in the end of this Age; but it cannot truthfully be stated that there is a special Apokalypsis period apart from the Epiphaneia – or the Epiphany, as we call it. For instance, 2 Tim. 4:1 says, “The Lord Jesus shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing (Epiphaneia) and kingdom (Basileia).” There is no mention of His judging in the Apokalypsis, as a period apart from the Epiphaneia. And all Bible Students will surely admit that we are yet in the ‘judging’ period of the elect and of the world – the world in the sense of the “judgments of the nations” (not individuals).
Regardless of how little time that judging would consume, it must be evident that it is nevertheless a special period of time. And, again, “That wicked one whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness (Epiphaneia) of His coming (Parousia)” – 2 Thes. 2 8. Here is a statement concerning the time and method of Antichrist’s destruction – also clearly setting forth a period of time for the Epiphany here in the end of the Age – the time in which we are now living. There are no such Scriptures anywhere to designate an Apokalypsis apart from the Epiphaneia as a period of time; but, granted that there were, we must self‑evidently still be in the Epiphaneia because Antichrist is still with us. Thus, the Epiphaneia must continue until that destruction occurs; and, since it is one of the special features of the Time of Trouble, it should also be apparent that the Epiphaneia and the Time of Trouble are identical; the one cannot end until the other ends. But nowhere in the Bible are these things declared regarding an Apokalypsis apart from the Epiphaneia as a period of time.
In corroboration of the foregoing, we offer the following from E‑4:15 (bottom) and top of page 16: “The words epiphaneia and apokalypsis, in the sense of an action, and in the sense of a period, are synonymous.... There has been a gradual epiphanizing, revealing, ever since 1874 to the Church; but, so far as the world and the Great Company are concerned, this has gradually been going on since the tribulation began in 1914; and will increase and finally come to a climax at the end of the Epiphany – the end of the Time of Trouble. This is the reason why the Time of Trouble is EMPHATICALLY the Epiphany, the Apokalypsis, for it clearly, with more distinctness than the preceding period, manifests pertinent persons, principles and things.”
And this “manifesting” is certainly true of those “pertinent persons” who once accepted the above teaching, but have now departed from it – whether in whole or in part because that is the Truth today the same as it was the Truth when it was written almost fifty years ago. The Epiphany Messenger had sound foundation for his teaching of the Epiphany and the Time of Trouble as an identical period of time. It was given him and us by the Parousia Messenger – That Servant. But the would‑be teachers of today have no sound foundation for their “New Views” from either Messenger – no hint of another period from either messenger, and no hint of an ‘extended’ Basileia overlapping to include three major features of the Epiphany, or the Time of Trouble – the World War of 1914 was the first feature of this Time of Trouble, and the other major features, Armageddon, Anarchy and Jacob’s Trouble, haven’t fully matured; although the world is rapidly advancing toward the remaining three.
EPIPHANEIA‑APOKALYPSIS IDENTICAL
The word epiphaneia occurs six times in the New Testament – translated five times as appearing, and once as brightness, the latter occurring in 2 Thes. 2:8. The other five texts are 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 1:10; 4:1 and 4:8; Titus 1:13. Aside from 2 Tim. 1:10 (which refers to the First Advent), all other five occurrences refer to the Second Advent and the Time of Trouble. In the sense of the second period of our Lord’s Second Advent it is limited to the time between the Parousia and the Basileia. It is used to designate the period of the great tribulation, the Time of Trouble. Remembering that the epiphaneia and the apokalypsis are one and the same time and that this period is for the benefit of the world and the Great Company, we can readily see that the Scriptures teach that the Epiphany, as a period, is the Time of Trouble. (See E‑4, p, 21, par. 14)
Another Scripture relative to our subject is 2 Thes. 1:7, 8: “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed (apokalypsed, uncovered by the epiphaneia, bright shining) from Heaven with His mighty angels (the agents whereby He will wreck the present order – the main agent being the “sea,” the lawless elements of society) in flaming fire (fire in the Bible generally designates destructive forces – See Dan. 7:11), taking vengeance on them that know not God (the Second Deathers in the Nominal Church), and (on them) that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Second Deathers in the Truth Movements).” That this is still future, but a part of the Epiphaneia period, is further revealed by 2 Pet. 3:7, Dia.: “The present Heavens and the Earth (the present social order), by the same word, are treasured up, being kept for fire to a day of judgment and destruction of impious (second‑death) men.” All such are to be eliminated in the approaching, but still future, holocaust of destruction – the “flaming fire” of this Epiphania.
Further corroboration of the same is to be found in Zech. 12:9, 10, wherein is described the Lord’s epiphanizing of Himself to Israel: “It shall come to pass in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem (in the end of the second phase of Jacob’s Trouble – Zech. 12:1‑8; Ezek. 38 and 39) and I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication, and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced (Rev. 1:7); and they shall mourn for it” (for having pierced Him at Calvary?. All Truth people recognize at once that this passage refers to the end of Jacob’s trouble, and that it proves our Lord’s revelation of Himself to Israel as their long rejected Messiah. Hence these two verses prove that the Time of Trouble and the Epiphany are identical. By the above passages we have proved that the Epiphany began with the War in 1914, and will progress through Revolution, and will end with Anarchy and Jacob’s trouble. Quite a few brilliant men have remarked that the world has never been the same after the World War of 1914. Its beginning, progressing and ending with the Time of Trouble demonstrates its identity with the Time of Trouble.
We repeat it should be noted in the foregoing it is stated that Apokalypsis and Epiphaneia are synonymous “as an act and as a period of time”; and there is good reason for this limitation, because the two words are not synonymous in the strict and all‑inclusive sense of the term. Apokalypsis means uncovering or revelation; whereas, Epiphaneia means bright shining, or brilliant illumination. As an act this latter is clearly designated in Matt. 4:16, 17, Dia.: “People dwelling in darkness saw a great light (through the brilliant illumination that came from Jesus’ teachings)....the royal majesty of the Heavens has approached.” But the word apokalypsis is limited more to an uncovering, a revelation. The last book of the Bible is commonly called The Revelation; but the Diaglott translation simply heads it The Apokalypse. It was indeed a revelation at the time it was written by the Apostle John, but it could not be understood in any of its parts without the help of the Holy Spirit and time itself, Therefore, we state it is impossible to have a revelation without an epiphaneia Because it is the bright shining that accomplishes the uncovering.
To illustrate: A dollar bill may be lying on the floor of a dark room, with a person standing directly over it, but he cannot see it because of the darkness. But once the electric light is turned on, that bright shining reveals it. Even so, it would yet be revealed only to the one standing in that particular room, and awake. “Blessed are your eyes, for they see.” (Matt. 13;16) Since 1914 this bright shining has increased to such an extent that even some of those in the world not understanding the performance, yet can see some of its effects – hazy and blurred though their vision may be. One outstanding financial expert has stated it this way: We are now in the 69th year of monetary disorder (since 1914).
TIMELY QUOTATIONS FROM THAT SERVANT
Note now the following from Brother Russell on the Epiphaneia under the sub‑heading of Parousia First – Epiphaneia And Apopkalupsis Follow: “In its light we can now see that our Master will be present for a time, in the Harvest time of this Age – invisibly present doing a work in His Church, before any outward sign or revealing to the world takes place. His work in His Church will be the separating of the true from the merely nominal – the ‘wheat’ from the ‘tares” His revealing will be in the ‘flaming fire’ the great Time of Trouble with which this Age will close, and in which the ‘tares’ shall cease to be ‘tares’... Another parable also shows that before revealing Himself in any manner to the world, He calls first His own servants and reckons with them. (Luke 19:15, 27)... Nor can any but the few hear and appreciate the evidences, or understand the Master’s words that as the world knew not in the days of Noah, even thus shall it be in the presence of the Son of Man (Matt. 24:37) – they shall know not, and the ordinary avocations of daily life shall continue – until disturbed by the commotion and trouble of the EPIPHANEIA, the APOKALUPSIS of the King in the pouring out of the seven last plagues when the judgments of the Lord shall be abroad in the earth and the inhabitants of the world shall learn righteousness...” (Feb. 15, 1902, Reprints 2956‑2957)
Haven’t the “commotion of this Epiphany period disturbed the ordinary avocations of daily life’? Certainly it is self‑evident that the world since 1914 – the beginning of the Epiphaneia, the Time of Trouble – now is most cognizant of a great change. Often do we hear the remark that we are in a “Time of Trouble” since 1914, even by those who have no concrete knowledge of present truth. But those who have departed from the Truth on the Epiphaneia and the Apokalupsis, the Time of Trouble as given us by That Servant, manifest that they are no longer faithful to the Truth that once sanctified them. That Servant clearly and distinctly differentiates between the reaping feature (the Parousia) and the Time of Trouble (the Epiphania), Thus, in casting aside these Scriptural teachings, they teach error mixed with Truth.
And here is something else from That Servant’s pen: “The fact also that so many have been thus accepted since 1878 seems to imply that there has been a considerable vacancy in the list of the elect, and that it is gradually filling up. It is not for us to say how much of a vacancy remains, or just when it will be filled. We fully believe, however, that it will be filled before the close of the ‘Times of the Gentiles,’ which we think will end with October, 1914.”
WANDERING FROM THE TRUTH
In James 5:19, Dia., the Apostle speaks of some who “wander from the Truth”: and his language is probably motivated by the various wanderings from the Truth of fleshly Israel in their journey from Egypt to Canaan. The first wandering from the Truth – the one most dominant in determining their destiny – was the Truth brought by the two spies, Joshua and Caleb, when they returned from ‘spying out the land of Canaan’ (See Num. 13 and 14), Instead of accepting the Truth from these two, they chose rather to hearken to the false and discouraging report of the ten spies. And that rejection of the Truth resulted in their wandering in the wilderness for forty years – a year for each day of the spying activity. (Num. 13:25; 14:34) And let us keep in mind that during that forty years of wilderness wandering every male of twenty years old and upward (Num. 14:29; 1:45; 26:64), who had left Egypt, died – all except two – Joshua and Caleb. Only those two passed over Jordan into Canaan – a very ‘little flock’ indeed when compared with the ‘great company’ who died in the wilderness.
In addition to the rejection of that first and all‑important truth, the Jews made further secondary wanderings from the Truth, five of these being clearly defined by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 10:6‑10: And the Apostle states in verse 11, that those wanderings from the truth “happened unto them for ensamples” – “types,” see margin. With this direct statement before us that those things were “types,” it is only logical and proper that we should make search for their antitypes.
It would seem the first of these occurred in the Jewish Harvest – when the Lord, the Apostles, the Seventy and others made diligent and truthful search of the Gospel Age Canaan land, the same being a type of the sphere of the Truth and the spirit of the Truth. But there in that first antitype again it was only a very “little flock” who accepted the Truth. In doing “among them the works which no other man did” – miracles never before seen in Israel – our Lord had influenced only about 500 (1 Cor. 15:6) to full belief – a very “little flock” when compared to the thousands of unbelievers in Israel who rejected Him. There the ‘great company’ of Jews listened to the evil report of the Scribes and Pharisees – (just as it is today), with the resultant “wandering Jew” (almost the entire race) during the 1845‑year “double” of the Gospel Age, which ended in 1878.
Concurrently with the Jewish wandering, there was also a Christian wandering likewise prompted by “wandering from the Truth.” The Lord had told them He would come again to establish His Kingdom; His followers should await His return. Instead, they, too, became weary of waiting, believed the false report that they should establish the Kingdom now. The result was Great Babylon, the “great company” falling in the Gospel‑Age wilderness “wandering,” with only the faithful “little flock” entering goodly Canaan land (the Truth and the spirit of the Truth).
PRESENT‑DAY WANDERINGS
Came the Parousia in 1874, and with it a more intensive spying of the land (the sphere of the Truth and the spirit of the Truth) than probably ever before; at least more so than at any time since the Jewish Harvest. And by the end of those forty years we believe it requires little argument that once more it was the “little flock” that abode by the Truth, with the “great company” listening to false spying reports. When That Servant died, spiritual bedlam followed immediately; and, regardless of how we view any particular group, it should be apparent to all that much confusion prevails. And, self‑evidently, that confusion has brought with it intensified and multiplied sorrows. Compared in retrospect with the Parousia, the symbolic carcasses of the “great company” of Spiritual Israel are in evidence on all hands in this Epiphany “wandering.”
All with any knowledge of Parousia Truth will readily agree that the destruction of “the world that was” in the great flood was typical of the destruction of this “present evil world.” And we are told that the destructive force of rain continued for forty days and forty nights. (Gen. 7:12) The Bible seldom uses words simply for euphony or window dressing, as is true of mundane writers. And, since the Time of Trouble and the Epiphany are identical, we should expect the Epiphany to be still with us (as taught by both Messengers), because the Time of Trouble is also still with us. And we believe it is also evident to all that the 40‑year Epiphany day (1914‑1954) was not nearly so violent as is the present 40‑year Epiphany night – as described in our No. 108, The Third Watch).
In the past 29 years there is increased tumult in the home, in the community, and in the nation. The antitypical Assyrians (the violent radicals) have no restraints at all in their atrocities, as evidence the many riots in America, the horrible butcheries of helpless women, children and aged in Vietnam, and the impudent and unscrupulous attitude of the Cuban rulers – to say nothing of the stepped‑up decay in the world’s finances. Almost the whole civilized world is operating today on worthless paper; and each year finds this condition pyramided in indescribable bedlam. This is emphasized when we recall that the national debt of the United States was about one billion dollars in 1914 and then considered dangerously high. This present fiscal year will witness a deficit of about 200 billion dollars for this one year alone.
But, while it is proper that we note the decay in the world’s affairs, our main concern is with those who “wander from the Truth.” Clearly enough, this could refer only to those once “in the Truth,” the same being the various individuals among Truth groups who have fallen prey to false leadership, thus believing the report of the ten false spies.
CHARACTER BLEMISHES NOT SUFFICIENT FOR JUDGMENT
We are cautioned not to condemn our brethren for their conduct insofar as their human frailties are concerned (unless grossly and persistently immoral – having become completely demoralized) – since it is only God who can read the heart, and can make the proper allowance and judgment for that. But when any “wander from the Truth” that once sanctified them, we then know that the Lord knows there is something wrong with their hearts: their characters – otherwise He wouldn’t permit them to “wander” thusly. But with some of the Lord’s people they do just the reverse of this: If a brother or sister is courteous and refined, and lovable in their human natural characteristics, they are very generous toward them – even when they “wander from the Truth”; while at the same time having the proper love and regard they should for others who have not “wandered from the Truth” – who have crude manners and many human frailties that are trialsome to others (even though they seek to “continue in His Word” insofar as they are able). These things ought not to be! Certainly many of the misleaders (of the Truth and its Arrangements) have been men of fine deportment – and good secular education – otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to establish the errors they have, and lead others astray. But if we are to “abide in His Word,” we are to rate our brethren by their faithfulness, or unfaithfulness, according to the “faith once delivered unto the saints.” Quite a few brethren went along with JFR’s error, being unable to “discern between Truth and Error,” until he became offensive in his morals. Then, they, too, forsook him!
That Servant tells us in the Sept. 1, 1916 Watch Tower, Reprint 5249, top, Col. 1: “Let us remember, too, that God has promised to guide the minds of those whose hearts are loyal and true to Him. We should therefore conclude that if the Lord is thrusting any out of the light as unworthy of it, into the outer darkness of the world, if He is permitting unfaithful ones to be seduced by the great enemy... We are to remain with the Lord and those who are walking in the light... When the Lord has put any out of the light (Matt. 22:13), we cannot hope to bring them back.” And more from his pen: “However, none are ever permitted to be overcome who have not in some way been unfaithful to the Truth and hence unworthy of it. Upon all such God has said He would send the strong delusion, so that they shall believe a lie.” (2 Thes. 2:11)
Let us bear in mind, however, that there are many Youthful Worthies who have never received the Truth about their class – and it could not properly be said that they have “wandered from the truth” – the truth they never possessed. But those Youthful Worthies who have had the beneficent teachings and leadership of the Epiphany Messenger – who renounce and cast Epiphany truth aside – can truly be said to have “wandered from the Truth.” And the same can be said of the Great Company in Big Babylon: They never had Harvest Truth, although they are held accountable for not receiving it if they had the opportunity. But with those crown‑losers who did receive the Truth during the Harvest, they have certainly “wandered from the truth” when they deny that we are in the Epiphaneia – the Time of Trouble – a new dispensation since 1914, as described by That Servant. And those leaders who have thus “wandered from the Truth” have contaminated the Youthful Worthies under their leadership. These Youthful Worthies will have to cleanse themselves of this contamination and errors in their “due time” – but certainly they are less culpable than those Epiphany‑enlightened Youthful Worthies who have “wandered from the Truth” on such a class to be won “from 1881 until Restitution sets in” (See E‑4, pp. 337, 342) – and those Youthful Worthies who have cast aside completely the truth on Youthful Worthies.
For emphasis we reiterate the fact that all the males of twenty years and upward who had left Egypt died in the forty‑years’ wandering in the wilderness – all except two, Caleb and Joshua. Thus, only those two of all those adult male Israelites who left Egypt, were the only ones who actually inherited goodly Canaan land; and of the Israelites who eventually did come into that good station all – except two – were an entirely new generation. This then now forces us to the conclusion that the great majority of Youthfuls who are now in the “wandering” process will also die from their Class standing in the antitypical wilderness, making a vacancy for a new generation to attain that Class standing and replace those “wandering” Israelites. We further emphasize, however, that those Youthful Worthies who have not received the truth on their class standing cannot be referred to as “wandering” from that truth which they have not received. When the Epiphany Messenger states there would be Youthful Worthies won for the Truth “AFTER ARMAGEDDON” (See E‑10:672), he probably foresaw this condition. But even if he did not foresee the present condition, the Lord did!
Even without the type this should be readily apparent to the critical observer from the fact that so many of them now have so little of the Truth, and the spirit of the Truth, that once sanctified them – especially the Truth on Youthful Worthy opportunity. Many have forsaken the Truth that Youthful Worthies can be won “until Restitution sets in,” and are now substituting a “consecrated” (?) class in the Camp to supplant them, in this Epiphany period when the Highway of Holiness is not available – and a “way” (Christ’s merit applied for the world) to enter it.
That the Parousia messenger taught such a class, and that the Epiphany Messenger merely elaborated on that class, is indisputable and very clear to all who have received the Truth “in the love of the Truth.” However, we believe there are many Youthful Worthies in the various groups who haven’t been taught the Truth on their class standing. Some are being won now; and after Armageddon, when the “heavens” will be removed (the present religious ruling powers in both Big and Little Babylon), we believe many will gladly come to a “knowledge of the truth” and will be among those faithful consecrators who will be rewarded in honor and service with the Ancient Worthies,
While the Ancient Worthies are now unchangeably fixed as to class and numbers, we know of nothing in the Scriptures that declares their number fixed before the last one – John the Baptist – was established in their ranks. Eventually their numbers may be revealed. If so, the same would probably be true of the Youthful Worthies. These Worthies as a Class will fill their own particular niche in the Great Eternal Purpose. Although we have no Scriptural proof for it now, there is even the possibility that each Ancient Worthy may have a Youthful Worthy as a companion helper. If so, this would be in keeping with the Lord sending forth the Seventy by twos; as was with the Star Members during the Age, most of whom had a special helper in the work they did. If we have a large post‑Armageddon winning of Youthful Worthies – with some of them being won now – we may be sure that they will replace the unfaithful whose carcasses we see falling all around us in the antitypical wilderness, some so sectarian they are blinded to anything except what their leaders tell them to believe. As the Epiphany Messenger truly taught, faithful Youthful Worthies will overcome sectarianism and clericalism (See E‑5, pp. 224,229). And it is very likely that the majority of the newcomers will prove to be faithful, earnest and zealous in the post‑Armageddon work for the Lord, the Truth and the brethren. When the present religious ruling powers are removed in Armageddon, the honest‑hearted will gladly accept the Truth.
Furthermore, Brother Russell and Brother Johnson both were emphatic in their statements that the Epiphany period is the Time of Trouble (and surely there are very few who cannot see that we are in the “Time of Trouble”) and Brother Johnson stressed that its duration would be from 1914 to the end of Jacob’s Trouble – which is the period between the Parousia and the Basileia. If he was wrong on the duration of the Epiphany, or the Time of Trouble (the Epiphany period and the Time of Trouble being identical), and what it will accomplish, it would be foolish to style him the Epiphany Messenger: There would be little remaining logic to apply correctly such a terminology to him. And for those who now cast aside these two very essential points, we can conclude that they are indeed ‘“wandering” in the wilderness; and unless they recover, they will eventually become carcasses (dead insofar as their Class standing is concerned) before that wilderness “wandering” comes to an end.
“Now thanks be to that God, who always leads us forth to triumph with the Anointed One, and diffuses by us the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place. Because we are a sweet odor of Christ to God, among those who are being saved, and among those who are perishing (those who are “wandering” from the Truth).... And for those things who is qualified? For we are not like the many, trafficking the Word of God; but really from sincerity, and as from God, in the presence of god, we speak concerning Christ.” (2 Cor. 14‑17 Dia.)
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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST
QUESTION: – Why do our and the Jewish Calendars differ so widely in giving the years from Adam’s creation to the present?
ANSWER: – Our chronology follows (1) the full Biblical data on the subject up to the time that secular chronology becomes reliable, 536 years before Christ and then (2) takes the secular chronology as correct; while the Jewish chronology does not so do in either case. The both chronologies agree until nearly four centuries after the flood; but from Abraham’s birth on they diverge. The Bible chronology gives us 427 years from the flood to the entrance of Canaan while the Jewish chronology allows only 367 years for this period, a discrepancy of 60 years, due to the Jews thinking Abraham was born in the 70th not 130th year of Terah. Again the Bible chronology gives 430 years from Abraham’s entering Canaan to the Exodus, fixing it at the Passover of 1615 BC, while the Jewish Chronology gives the Exodus as at the Passover of 1492 BC – a difference of 123 years. The Bible Chronology gives as the time from the Exodus to David 40 (wilderness) + 6 (conquest of the Land) + 450 (Judges) + 40 (Saul) as 536; while the Jewish Chronology gives it as 445 years – a difference of 274 years between the two chronologies, the Jewish Calendar being at the beginning of David’s reign 274 years too short. According to the Bible chronology it was 473 years from the beginning of David’s reign to the end of Zedekiah’s reign, while the Jewish chronology allows but 460 years for this time – a difference of 13 years in this period, and of 287 years from the flood until the dethroning of Zedekiah.
The Bible Chronology gives 70 years from the desolation of the land and the Jewish Chronology gives 51 – a difference of 19 years (Josephus, however, makes the desolation 70 years long), making the total difference so far 306 years. For the period from 536 before Christ until Jerusalem’s destruction 70 A. D.; our Chronology gives 606 years, while the Jewish Chronology gives the period 490 years, claiming that this period is the 70 weeks of Daniel. Here is a difference of 116 years, making the total differences from the flood to 70 A. D. 422 years. According to the Jewish Calendar we are now (written in 1932) in the 5693rd year, while according to the Biblical Chronology we are in the 6061st year since the creation of Adam, a difference of 368 years, which means that since 70 A. D. they have added 54 years more to their chronology than the Gentile world has to theirs.
Even their own chronologers admit that their chronology since 70 AD is hopelessly confused. In the Divine providence this, their confusion, has been permitted for their blinding on the time of the Second Advent; for they, too, believe that Messiah’s reign is to come in the seventh one thousand years, the antitypical Sabbath.
For the above data on the Jewish chronology, please see the article on Chronology in the Jewish Encyclopedia – and see Vol. 2, chapter 2 for the facts on Biblical Chronology – also see our paper, No. 327, September 1982, on Bible Chronology.
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LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST
Dear Brother and Sister Hoefle: Grace and peace in His Name!
Our prayers are with all of you there, for your health and the Lord’s continued guidance. We have been blessed by your work in the Lord, and I have especially enjoyed the current articles on the Major Prophets.
My friend ------- tells me he does appreciate your articles and will be pleased to continue receiving them. Please read the enclosed clipping taken from our local newspaper. He and his wife are very active members in the subject church in this clipping. They had decided to leave the church if the vote to break with the parent body (The Disciples of Christ) was not passed by a large majority. On Sunday Oct. 9 the vote did carry by 3/4 of the majority to break with the parent body, and they... still attend this church. Many years ago I told him that in these end times the nominal church would become even more worldly, and that God’s people would be tested and separate themselves from that system. In God’s providence this has come to pass in some degree in the case of my friend.
My prayers continue for a Bible study class, and this would be possible to a limited degree with my friends. I thought the Rev. ------- took a brave stand with his decision to recommend the separation from the parent church body. I had an opportunity to talk with him briefly, and congratulated him on his stand to bear the cross. I pray for an opportunity to share other essential Scriptural Truths with him. Any suggestions in this regard, or any appropriate literature for him will be appreciated.
Thank you for the book with painted scenes from Israel. This is a very thoughtful gift and we enjoy the beautiful paintings of the Holy Land. We are enjoying the Dispatch from Jerusalem with its many articles giving the Scriptural proof of Israel’s right to their homeland. It is so refreshing to hear the Israeli’s side of the conflict in Lebanon when we get so many negative reports concerning Israel from the western news media. We continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
We are all well here and feel blessed to have all our family with us this Thanksgiving. We hope that this finds you and yours in good health. May the Lord bless and keep you through the Holiday Season and the coming New Year.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers toward us. Please be assured of our continued prayers for all of you. With warm Christian love, ------- (CALIFORNIA)