Luke 21:8

Christian, Be Not Deceived!

CHAPTER XVII.

THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE IS BASED UPON THE PRINCIPLE THAT "DOUBLE" APPLICATIONS, WHEN APPLIED TO "ISRAEL," ARE SPIRITUAL AS WELL AS WORLD-WIDE.

The principle of "double" applications of prophecy is recognised by Bible students. Writing on matters of prophetic interpretation, Prof. George McCready Price states:

"Some scholars have spoken of an apotelesmatic accomplishment of the prophecy, by which is meant that a partial or preliminary fulfilment may take place in one age, then long afterward a much more complete fulfilment. For instance, Christ's prophecy in the 'little apocalypse’ of Matt. 24 seems to apply initially to the destruction of Jerusalem under Titus, while its full and final accomplishment will be seen in the destruction of the nations of the world at the second coming. In fact, many prophecies in the Old Testament seem to have been partly accomplished in events which took place near the times of the prophets, but will be completely fulfilled on a vaster scale and with more minute accuracy in the events associated with the end of the age.

"This is because the prophecies deal with the general principles of God's management of world events, so that whenever similar conditions prevail, we might speak of the prophecy as applying. Thus we might speak of a sort of double fulfilment according to the laws of analogy; for whenever a similar set of conditions occurs, the prophecy would seem to apply.. . .

"Thus, if we wish to speak of a double application of the prophecy, we must bear in mind that it is the final or the apotelesmatic meaning, which is the true meaning after all, when the prophecy is fulfilled on the largest scale and with the most complete and detailed accuracy." (Italics mine.) "The Ministry," September, 1939.

Dr. W. G. Wirth also refers to the "double" application, in which the local setting, or the first use of the prophecy, forms the basis for the "double," or larger fulfilment. He says:

"There is nothing strange in this apparently mixed time method of Christ's prophecy, in which in one place He deals with that which is immediate in time and close at hand, as was the destruction of Jerusalem; and then, abruptly and at once, projects Himself into the future, to His second advent; or merges these two events together in double application of principles and fulfilment. A study of the Old Testament reveals this to be the method of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and many other of the prophets, aided by the flexible time character of the Hebrew verb. From the consideration of the immediate time situation, suddenly, abruptly, they will project themselves into the future, suggested by the present background. Again, they will merge the present or immediate condition into that which will be in the future, in double application of principle and fulfilment. A careful study of the context and historical setting will make manifest which of the three methods the prophet is using in a particular case. It must be ever remembered that God does not look upon time in the limited sense that we do, in definite past, present, and future relations. He sees the whole time relation of world history and human events as one: and where facts and principles at one time meet their application in another time, He directs the inspired writer to treat of both in the same recording." (Italics mine.) American "Signs of the Times," December 8, 1931.

In his "Bible Handbook," pp. 285-292, Dr. Angus states:

"From the typical character of ancient dispensations arises another peculiarity of prophecy. It not only speaks their language, but it has often a double application. It applies to one object by anticipation and partially, and to another completely; the earlier object being the representative of the later. . . .

"As the history of the Jews foreshadows the history of the church, so does prophecy the experience of both. . . . Prophecies on the restoration from Babylon (Jer. 31; Isa. 52) on the setting up of the Tabernacle of David (Amos 9), and on His kingdom (2 Sam. 7), had all, to a certain extent, an immediate fulfilment, and are yet applied in the New Testament to the gospel dispensation. To that dispensation in itself, or in its results, this double application must be confined.

"It follows from this double sense that, as in the first fulfilment, there is a limit to the blessing foretold, so, in the second, there is a fulness of meaning which it seems impossible to exhaust."

In the prophecy of the downfall of Jerusalem, Christ also predicted the downfall of all the cities at the end of the world. The "double" application of this prophecy does not refer merely to the fall of Jerusalem. The "double" application is never another local fulfilment: the prophets always saw in local events the foreshadowing of world-wide events at the end of time.

The God-rejected Jewish nation typifies the God-rejected world. The servant of God writes:

"Christ saw in Jerusalem a symbol of the world hardened in unbelief and rebellion, and hastening on to meet the retributive judgments of God.. . Jesus, looking down to the last generation, saw the world involved in a deception similar to that which caused the destruction of Jerusalem." G.C. 22. "The prophecy which He uttered was twofold [having a "double" application] in its meaning: while foreshadowing the destruction of Jerusalem, it prefigured also the terrors of the last days." G.C. 26. "The Saviour's prophecy concerning the visitation of judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another [a "double"] fulfilment. of which that terrible desolation was a faint shadow. In the fate of the chosen city we may behold the doom of a world that has rejected God's mercy and trampled upon His law." G.C. 37. "Christ, upon the Mount of Olives. rehearsed the fearful judgments that were to precede His second coming.

While these prophecies received a partial fulfilment at the destruction of Jerusalem, they have a more direct application to the last days." 5T. 753. See also T.M., 232; Education, p. 129.

Thus the Lord has given abundant light concerning the principle of the "double" application of prophecy. Judgments prophesied to fall upon Jerusalem, Judah, Israel, etc., because of their disobedience and impenitance, foreshadow God's judgments to fall upon the impenitent world in the last days.

"His [Zephaniah's] prophecies of impending judgment upon Judah apply with equal force to the judgments that are to fall upon an impenitent worat the time of the second advent of Christ." P.K. 389.

If we are guided by the divinely-given principle that the second application of prophecies concerning local things always refers to things of a world-wide character we will not err by applying those prophecies again in a local setting.

Futurism, which has been so zealously fostered by the Papacy, teaches that the Jewish-Palestinian things in the prophecies are to be interpreted again to-day as they were when the Jews were God's chosen nation: that the "double" application refers again in the same limited, national, Palestinian sense as in the first fulfilment. As we have shown elsewhere, Futurism disregards the laws of God—the laws of interpretation, and the immutability of the moral law. Thus Satan opposes God's last-day message.

The Biblical principle, so clearly enunciated in the Spirit of Prophecy, is that the "double" fulfilment will be (to use the words of Prof. Price) "on a vaster scale ... in the events associated with the end of the age."

WHEN APPLIED IN CONNECTION WITH SPIRITUAL ISRAEL, "DOUBLE" APPLICATIONS ARE SPIRITUAL AS WELL AS WORLD-WIDE.

In Old Testament times the judgments of God fell upon various nations because of their sins. These same judgments, in the last days, will fall upon all the nations of the world because they are committing the same sins. The "double," or second application of the Old Testament narratives of judgments upon nations, without any specific "church" aspect, is world-wide and applies to literal judgments upon the wicked. An example of this principle is seen when comparing the seven last plagues with the plagues which fell upon Egypt. Elsewhere we have pointed out their similarities, stressing that those of the seven last plagues which are similar to the ones which fell upon ancient Egypt are described in literal language, whereas the 6th plague, referring us back to the judgments of God upon Babylon, is couched in symbolic language. In Rev. 11:8, when picturing France under its atheistic revolutionaries, the Revelator refers to "the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt." In his "Thoughts on the Revelation," p. 501, Uriah Smith says: "Mark! this beast, or kingdom . . . is an atheistical power, is 'spiritually Egypt.' (See Ex. 5:2: 'And Pharoah said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.') Here is atheism." Thus the Revelator based his description of the national spirit of France during the Revolution upon the Old Testament narrative of the words and attitude of Pharoah. The Revelator does not refer to Egypt from a "church" angle, but from a "non-church" angle. In striking contrast, the Revelator brings "Babylon" into his imagery as Satan's false system of worship—the counterfeit of the worship of the God of Israel. His imagery is based upon the Old Testament, where Babylon is constantly mentioned as the seat of Satan's kingdom, the rival to Jerusalem. the Lord's city. Hence we can see why the Revelator, in describing the judgments which will be similar to those which fell upon Egypt. employs literal language, while in describing the judgments of the 6th plague, he uses spiritual symbolism because the description is based upon the overthrow of ancient Babylon.

Old Testament narratives of judgments upon nations, merely as nations, have, in the last days, a "double" or world-wide application. But Old Testament narratives of nations attacking Israel are employed in the Revelation in connection with the church and her enemies: when applied in connection with the church the "double" application is spiritual in addition to being world-wide. The plagues similar to those which fell upon Egypt will fall upon the nations who (by enforcing Sunday laws), like Pharoah, will not recognise God's authority. The 6th plague is poured out upon those who seek to destroy God's people.

In 1 Cor. 15:46, the Apostle Paul enunciates the principle governing the right use of the literal and the spiritual: "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." That is, the first use is to be understood in its "natural" sense: "and afterward that which is spiritual.'" The "double" use, or second application, is the spiritual."

In Testimonies Vol. 5, pp. 451, 464, God's servant makes a "double," spiritual" application of the prophecy of the surrounding of Jerusalem by the Roman armies.

The Lord inspired His servant to demonstrate the principle of "double" applications: the "double" application is, firstly, worldwide, and secondly, where Jerusalem and Israel and her enemies are mentioned, is applied in a spiritual sense in connection with the great controversy between Christ and Satan. This principle is clearly taught in the book of Revelation. In Luke 21:24 we read the Master's prophecy: "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles." The Roman nation came, and Jerusalem was, and ever since, has been trodden down by "the Gentiles." That was the "first" fulfilment of the Lord's prophecy; the "double," "spiritual" application is presented by the Lord, in Rev. 11:2: "But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they [the Gentiles, as stated in Luke 21:24] tread under foot forty and two months."

The Papacy—the spiritual Romans—by persecuting "the church of Christ" trod underfoot the spiritual "holy city" as, similarly, the literal Romans brought destruction to literal Jerusalem in A.D. 70. This interpretation is given in G.C. 266: "Said the angel of the Lord: 'The holy city (the true church) shall they tread under foot forty and two months... .

"The periods mentioned—'forty and two months,' and 'a thousand two hundred and threescore days'— are the same, alike representing the time in which the church of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. . . .The persecution of the church."

Thus the Lord has clearly shown the principle underlying "double" applications: the first fulfilment is the "natural"; the "double" application is world-wide when applied to nations as nations, and spiritual and world-wide when referring to the church and her enemies. Prophecies of the perils of Jerusalem, Judah, Israel, etc., and of their deliverances when the people of God were penitent and obedient, have a "double" application in a spiritual sense in relation to the world-wide church in the last days.

The gathering of the nations to fight against Jerusalem, prophesied in Zech. 14:1-3, 12-14, had a local, partial fulfilment in A.D. 70 when the Roman armies (made up of many nationalities) were permitted to destroy the Jews' city because of the iniquities of the rejected nation. God promised Israel: "Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem." Verses 11, 12. The literal Roman armies were not plagued in "their tongue" (v. 12), but the Revelator, quoting from this passage when describing the people of spiritual Rome being smitten with the 5th plague, says: "and they gnawed their tongues for pain." Rev. 16:10. In G.C. 657; E.W. 289, God's servant quotes Zech. 14:12, 13 when describing the fate of "those who have professed to be spiritual guardians of the people" (G.C. 656), but have "fought against Jerusalem"—the true church. Thus the Spirit of Prophecy presents a "double," "spiritual" application of this prophecy in connection with the final conflict over the Sabbath. The futuristic conception of a literal gathering of nations against the literal Jews in Jerusalem is Satan's counterfeit. But to apply such prophecies to a gathering, or uniting of spiritual forces against God's spiritual Jerusalem, "the true church" (see Rev. 11:1, 2; G.C. 266), is in complete harmony with the Third Angel's Message. Thus we see that the great slaughter of Armageddon (likened to the treading of red wine from grapes in the winepress of God's wrath), which is said to take place "without the city" (Rev. 14:20), will occur without the spiritual Jerusalem, "the true church." The triple application of the prophecies concerning Jerusalem being surrounded and attacked by enemies will be dealt with in later chapters.

The necessity for believers in the Third Angel's Message to have a thorough grasp of the true principle of "double" applications becomes apparent when we consider the prophecy of the 2,300 days of Dan. 8:14. The importance of this prophecy is stated in an editorial on the sanctuary, which appeared in the "Review and Herald," January 6, 1944. We quote the first paragraph:

"No other prophecy in the Bible is so important to Seventh-day Adventists as the twenty-three hundred days of Dan. 8:14. Our very being as a separate people is dependent on the accuracy of its interpretation. Undermine our teaching on the cleansing of the sanctuary, and you undermine the cornerstone of our message. It is this that makes us distinctive." P. 4. (Emphasis is mine.)

The 2,300 days commenced (457 B.C.) with the decree for the return of the Jews from Babylon "to restore and to build Jerusalem" (see Dan. 9:25; Ezra 7, etc.)—to "repair" (see Neh. 3; Isa. 58:12, 13) the damage done by the Babylonians. By the principle of the "double," "spiritual" application of the experiences of ancient Israel (which forms the basis of the Third Angel's Message) we know that the ending of the 2,300 days (1844) brings us to the time spiritual Israel comes out (Rev. 18:4) of spiritual Babylon to "restore all things" (Matt. 17:11; Mal. 4:5)–the true temple service (Rev. 11:1, 2)–and to "repair" the breach. Isa. 58:12, 13. Thus Seventh-day Adventists, in a spiritual sense, are fulfilling the "double" application of the experiences of literal Israel coming out of Babylon, etc. Not knowing the principle of the "double," "'spiritual" application, and being blind to the spiritual fulfilment now taking place, many look to the future to see a "double," literal application in relation to the Jews in Palestine. The fulfilment of the 70th week, mentioned in the prophecy of Dan. 8 and 9, Futurists apply to the Jews in Palestine. See notes in Schofield's Bible, etc. Historicists, also, teach a "double," literal application of the return of the Jews from Babylon "to restore and to build Jerusalem." Dr. Gratton Guinness taught that the 2,300 days ended in 1844, and from that date would commence a "Restoration Era" in which the Jews would be restored to Palestine. He taught that, as the Jews were restored to Palestine at the commencement of the 2,300 years, there must be a "double," literal repetition of this after 1844, at the ending of the 2,300 years. He says:

"Where does this long period run out? and to what events does its termination lead? . . . The expression. 'unto 2,300 years then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,' seems to mean, then shall the cleansing process begin, not then shall it come to an end. Jewish restoration is going on gradually and by stages .. . as the former Persian restoration did 2,300 years ago. . . . That the sanctuary will be cleansed, or Syria freed from Moslem domination, at the close of this cycle of twenty-three centuries, there seems little room for doubt . the rapid restoration of a considerable number of the Jewish people to the land of their forefathers. . This cycle of the twenty-three centuries from the Persian restoration era leads no further than the deliverance of the Holy Land from Gentile rule!" "Light for the Last Days," pp. 224-234.

Though a stalwart Protestant and strongly opposed to Futurism, Dr. Guinness employed the false principle of the "double," literal application of the things of ancient Israel, which is the basis of Papal and Futuristic errors. Historicists, such as Dr. Guinness, valiantly contended that the prophecies concerning antichrist have met their fulfilment in connection with the persecution of the church by the Papacy in Europe. The Futurists, with equal vigour, have maintained that the same prophecies refer to a future antichrist whose deadly work would be done in Palestine against the Jews. It is remarkable that these two opposing systems of interpretations should agree regarding the future of Palestine and the Jews, and that such agreement should come through different interpretations of the prophecy of Dan. 8 and 9. The reason for this agreement lies in the use of the erroneous principle of the "double," literal, Palestinian application of the things of ancient Israel. But, according to the New Testament principle, this prophecy of Dan. 8 and 9 pertains to spiritual, world-wide Israel. God's people called out of spiritual Babylon to the spiritual land of Israel, and to the spiritual work of rebuilding and repairing the temple of God.

In contrast to Futurists teaching a future Palestinian antichrist, Historicists, by interpreting spiritually in connection with the church such prophecies as the "war with the saints" (Rev. 13:7; Dan. 7:25) and the "man of sin" sitting "in the temple of God" (2 Thess. 2:3, 4), have taught the truth regarding the Papacy being the antichrist. Were Historicists to continue to interpret spiritually in relation to the church the prophecies concerning Israel, they would see the truth of the Third Angel's Message. But, forsaking the principle of the "double," "spiritual" application of the things of literal Israel which has led them to correctly interpret the prophecies concerning the antichrist and his "war" with spiritual Israel, they change over from that principle and adopt the Futuristic principle of applying to the literal Jews and Palestine last-day prophecies concerning Israel.

The prophecies of Daniel, from chapter 7 to 12, are of great importance for the last days (see P.K. 547). From Dan. 2:4 to 7: 28, the book of Daniel is written in Aramaic, the ancient language of Syria, and substantially identical with Chaldaic, the language of ancient Babylonia. The language returns to Hebrew from chapter 8 to 12. Elsewhere, we have pointed out that because "Armageddon" is said to be "a place called in the Hebrew tongue," it is of vital interest to spiritual Israel as the symbolical place of the slaughter of her enemies. Similarly, the prophecies of Daniel, commencing with the prophecy of the 2,300 days (which commences with the return of the Jews from Babylon to the land of Israel), are written "in the Hebrew tongue" because of their special importance to spiritual Israel.

Without the light of the Third Angel's Message, Historicists agree with Futurists in believing that, in the prophecies of Daniel, the return to the Hebrew tongue, which commences with the prophecy of the 2,300 days, indicates the special importance of these prophecies to the literal Jews in Palestine. In his "Light for the Last Days," p. 214, Dr. G. Guinness says:

"It is a remarkable fact that the Book of Daniel is written in two different languages. It opens in Hebrew; but from chapter 2:4 to the end of chapter 7 is Aramaic in the original, the remainder of the book reverting to the Hebrew.

Thus the prophecies of the 'times of the Gentiles' are given in the Gentile Aramaic, and the employment of Hebrew in the remaining predictions seems to indicate that the events foretold in them are viewed from a more Jewish standpoint, and that the revelation has a more direct reference to the Jewish people and the Holy Land. On examination such is found to be the case. . . . They [the 'times of the Gentiles'] start with the literal, and end with the spiritual Babylon [if only he had also referred to spiritual Israel and spiritual Jerusalem, as given in the book of Revelation! How near the truth he was, and yet how far away!]. . . But with the three last prophecies of Daniel the case is somewhat different. The second–the celebrated prophecy of the seventy weeks in chapter 9–foretells the events of history from a decidedly Jewish point of view."

In this, Dr. Guinness, representing the Historicists, agrees with Dr. Schofield, representing the Futurists. See Dr. Schofield's notes on Dan. 2:4: "The language returns to Hebrew in the predictive portions which have to do with the future of Israel."

Satan endeavours to blind people to the light of God's last-day message by literalizing in relation to the Jews in Palestine the prophecies and things concerning Israel. The New Testament teaches that all things pertaining to Israel—including references to the Hebrew language—pertain to the church or her enemies. When referring to the symbolic place of the slaughter of the enemies of spiritual Israel, the Revelation terms it "a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." Rev. 16:16.

The Third Angel's Message is based upon the New Testament and Spirit of Prophecy principle of the "double," "spiritual," worldwide application of the things of Israel.