Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 August 1914 — BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE-STUDY-ON [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE-STUDY-ON

BARREN FIG TREE CjEFILED TEMPLE. Mark 11:12-25—Aug. 9. "By their fruits ye shali fcnotc —Matthew 1.-20. ESUS’ triumphal entry into JeruW salem was past. After spend- ■ ing a portion of the day in the Holy City. He returned to Bethany, Going to the city the next morning. He noted a fig tree by the wayside, bearing plenty of leaves. He approached it, but found no tigs. The good show of leaves was deceptive. Then He put a curse, a blight, upon the tree, declaring that it should not bear fruit forever, or to a completion. Bible students believe that they now see a deep signification in this incident. They believe that the fig tree was used as a type of the Jewish nation; and that the blight upon the tree because of unfruitfulness corresponded exactly to that pronounced the day before upon that nation because of its unfruitfulness. On the day previous. Jesus had said to the Jewish nation, "Ye shall see Me no more until that Day.” He declared that this tree would be blighted

to the end of the flton, or Age. Again, when speaking to His disciples respecting the end of tlds Age, Jesus declared, "When ye shall see the fig tree putting forth leaves, then know that summer is nigh” that the winter, the blight time, of Israel and

of the world. Is at an end. In other words, one of the signs of a New Dispensation will be the indications of life, hope, promise, amongst the Jews. Significance of Zionism. These same Bible students point to the revival of hope amongst the Jewish people, as especially manifested by Zionism, and declare that this return of hope and faith to the Jews respect-' Ing their land and the Divine promises is exactly in line with prophecy. They point to Isaiah 40 as In process of fulfilment: "Comfort ye My people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her appointed time Is accomplished, that her Iniquity Is pardoned; for she hath received of the Lord's band double for all her sins.” These Bible students bold that Ezekiel’s prophecy of the valley of dry bones does not refer to a literal resurrection, but to the revival of Israel’s hopes In the Divine promises. This Is in harmony with the Prophet’s declaration, “These bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say. Our bones are dried, our hope is lost; we are cut off from our parts.”—Ezekiel 37:1-14. These Bible students declare that St Paul teaches that the Jewish nation was typically represented by Ish mael, Hagar’s sou. (Galatians 4:22-31.) As Hagar and Ishmael were outcast for a time, so the Law Covenant and the Jews have been cut off from Divine favor only temporarily. Ishmael bad almost fainted for thirst in the wilderness. but was revived by the angel of the Ix>rd, who pointed out a spring of water. This also Is typical. Jewish hopes of God’s favor had almost died. Zionism is the wellspring which Is rescuing Israel from death as a people. Under Messiah’s Kingdom, soon to be established on the spirit plane, the Jews will receive a great blessing—on the earthly plane. Cleansing the Temple. Jesus and Ills disciples proceeded to Jerusalem and went directly to the Temple. There He assumed authority and began to cast out the traders wlth-

out ceremony. Another account of this incident tells us that in this cleansing of the Temple Jesus used a scourge of small cords. All this was of double significance: (1) Primarily, It had to do with that time; (2) Secondarily, It typified a cleans-

Ing of the anti typical Temple, due, we believe, in our day. According to modem legal usage, it would be quite improper for one to enter a church edifice in order to interfere with the rights of conscience or the procedure sanctioned by the congregation owning that edifice. If wrong were being done, and he wished to rectify it, be should either swear out a warrant or call a policeman to witness the infraction of the law and correct matters. But under the Jewish Law it was different Every Jew was privileged to enforce the Divine Law respecting blasphemy or sacrilege. Jesus therefore did only what any Jew’ had a right to do. It will be noticed that as much as the Scribes and Pharisees desired to find occasion against Jesus, they made no objections to the procedure here described. Jesus was within His rights. He was championing the cause of God and His Temple. Jesus intimated that responsibility for the prevailing condition rested upon those In authority—the Scribes and Pharisees. For graft and other considerations they had permitted God’s House to become a place of merchandise—had made religion a cloak. We fear that religion is still used to cover selfishness. The Master, who was especially indignant at such misuse of the House of God, holds the game sentiments today.

The Barren Fig Tree.

Cleaning the Temple.