2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Events affecting the "Holy Land,"

The land and covenants of promise, and all the interests involved in them, are the pivot of God's operations among men. Other nations are recognised only as they are related to this.

See the whole course of prophecy for evidence of this. The eleventh chapter of Daniel is a notable example, where only the doings of "the King of the North" and "the King of the South" are noticed, because these only bore on "the glorious land;" while other warriors in full operation at the same time, are ignored because their movements began and ended in their own insignificant concerns.

The doings of the unenlightened heathen, be they many or few, are of no account with God, when they affect nothing beyond themselves. Be they a ferocious tribe, whose calling is plunder, or a countless nation, quietly doing the work of iniquity with the ways of commerce and social life, they are equally (like the Amorites) natural brute-beasts, made to be taken and destroyed.

Where their perverse ways come into relation with God's workings, then like Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar, they appear on the scene, not by any means for their own sakes, but by reason of their relation to something vastly above them, like Judas with Jesus.

This is not so with China, and, therefore, China is left among the undistinguished horde of sinners that crowd the earth in the present time of darkness. In due time she, with every other country on earth, will come into direct relation with Mount Zion; for all peoples, nations, and languages will be commanded to bow the knee to the name of Yahweh enthroned in the City of David.

Then all will appear within the area of divine procedure, either as examples of retribution or illustrations of the blessedness of those who

"kiss the Son while his wrath is kindled but a little."

‭The Christadelphian, ‬ Sept 1871

3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

A man of the world and a man of God could not work in common, as regards principles of action and aims of life, without either the man of the world giving in to the man of God, which is improbable; or the man of God becoming corrupted by the man of the world, which is more likely.

The principle applies in all connections where the will of one man is put in the power of another. The friends of God are "not of the world", They are commanded to "come out from among them, and be separate".

There are matters in which all are tied together in a common interest, such as the passengers in the same ship or the residents in the same village or town. Saints must live with, and in many matters co-operate with sinners, so long as God tolerates the sinners; but as regards the main purposes and friendships of life, it is safe and indeed (in the case of true saints) an inevitable rule, to refuse putting the neck in the same yoke with those who are unbelieving or unloving or disobedient towards God.

Law of Moses Ch 32

6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and Yahweh hath not done it?

The introduction of sin into the world necessitated the constitution of things as they were laid in the beginning. If there had been no sin there would have been no "enmity" between

God and man; and consequently no antagonism by which to educe good out of evil. Sin and evil are as cause and effect. God is the author of evil, but not of sin; for the evil is the punishment of sin.

"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things" (Isaiah 45:7). " Shall there be evil in a city and the Lord hath not done it" (Amos 3:6)?

The evil then to which man is subjected is the Lord's doing. War, famine, pestilence, flood, earthquake, disease, and death, are the terrible evils which God inflicts upon mankind for their transgressions. Nations cannot go to war when they please, any more than they can shake the earth at their will and pleasure; neither can they preserve peace, when He proclaims war. Evil is the artillery with which He combats the enemies of His law, and of His saints; consequently, there will be neither peace nor blessedness for the nations, until sin is put down, His people avenged, and truth and righteousness be established in the earth.

This is the constituted order of things. It is the constitution of the world; and as the world is sin's dominion, or the kingdom of the adversary, it is the constitution of the kingdom of sin.

Elpis Israel 1.4.

7 Surely Adonai Yahweh will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

In ages past, God has had among the nations a people of his own. These are wise in the wisdom of God, and venerate His word above all things. Though not His counsellors, he has graciously condescended to inform them what He intends to do before it comes to pass.

This revelation is made that his people's faith may be confirmed and enlarged; and that in every generation they may know the times and seasons to which they stand related. Knowing the signs they are enabled to discern the times; and while consternation and dismay cause men's hearts to fail, they are courageous, and rejoice in perceiving the approach of the kingdom of God. This is the proper use of the prophetic word.

It was thus that the ancients used it, and were enabled to live in advance of their contemporaries. This appears from the exhortation of the apostle who says,

"We have a sure word of prophecy, whereunto you do well to take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: knowing this first that no prophecy of scripture originates of one's own prescience. For prophecy came not at any time by the will of man; but the holy men of God spake being moved by the holy spirit " (2 Pet. 1:19-21).

Some were not unmindful of this exhortation, which is as applicable to us as to them; for the day has not yet dawned, nor has the day-star arisen. Were it not for the prophetic word, the "heirs of the kingdom" would be in as outer darkness as gaol-chaplains, who burn the flesh to cure the soul; or administer the "sacrament" to gallows-thieves about to die!

The sure prophetic word is itself a shining light, but, having been "put under a bushel," mankind are left enshrouded in Egyptian night. "Be mindful," saith the scripture, "of the words spoken before by the Holy prophets;" and on the ground that this was the case, the apostle adds,

"Therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness" (2 Pet. 3:17).

The words of the prophets to which he referred, related to the destruction of the Hebrew commonwealth. His brethren were acquainted with these prophesies, and therefore knew what was about to happen, though not the day or the hour. Hence, this knowledge was to be their caution and security against being led away by the spiritualizers of the time, who wrested the scriptures to their own destruction (v. 16).

From these premises we may conclude, that as the Lord has also revealed what is to come to pass in these latter days, it is both our duty and privilege to make ourselves acquainted with it, that our faith may grow and be strengthened; our affections be detached from the fleeting present, and set more firmly on things to come; that our minds may be fortified against error; and that we may be prepared to meet the Lord as those who have kept their garments, and shall not be put to shame (Rev. 16:15).

Elpis Israel 3.1.

The world is a dark place, and its inhabitants blind as bats. But the light of prophecy shines in this dark place, and will shine until the day dawns and the glorious "Day Star" arises with healing in his beams.

The student of prophecy, unlike the floundering politicians and statesmen of the age, can penetrate futurity, and by the indications already abroad, can discern the coming storm. The warning voice has been lifted up, but men, intoxicated with antediluvian stupidity, give no heed to it. They dream of peace and prosperity, and of a long perpetuity to their institutions, when there is no peace, no prosperity, but sudden destruction at the door...

And yet such is the fatuity of men, they will not repent of their deeds, and give glory to God by submitting to the Son, whom he has appointed heir and governor of all things. They will not recognize his power, who is ruling the nations with a rod of iron, breaking up their establishments and subduing all things to himself. Alas! Woe to the world because of offences, for the day of vengeance is at hand!

The Apostolic Advocate, Dec 1834

14 That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

The horns of the altar shall be cut off

But how is this a threat? What damage was likely to ensue because the ornaments of the altar were removed?

To understand this, it is necessary to remember, that, according to the Mosaic law, in order to effect an anointment for individuals or for the nation, it was necessary the blood of the sacrifice should be put on the horns of the altar, as we find in Lev. 4:7,

"The priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of incense before Yahweh, which is the tabernacle of the congregation:"

and again, Exod. 30:10,

"Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year, with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement. Once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations."

This one threat presupposes that the people threatened were well acquainted with these ordinances and valued them so highly as to think deprivation a punishment.

The Christadelphian, Feb 1878