The Doctrine of the Second Advent of Christ Was Known During the Period from Jacob to David.
By John Nevins Andrews
WE have shown that the doctrine of the second advent of Christ, of the Judgment of the great day, and of the resurrection of the dead, was known to the entire ten generations of men who lived before the flood. We have also shown that this doctrine was known to all the nine generations which intervened between Noah and Abraham, and that it was well known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now we are to trace the history of this doctrine from Jacob to David. Jacob went down to Egypt to die, not having received the fulfillment of the promise that he should inherit the land of Canaan. Gen. 28:13; 35:12; Josh. 24:4. But Jacob had learned the doctrine of the second advent of Christ and of the resurrection of the just from his grandfather Abraham, and from his father Isaac, and from the revelations which were given him direct from God, that he himself should have the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, though in this life he was to be only a stranger in it, and though he was to die in a foreign land. Jacob therefore carried this doctrine with him into Egypt, and when he fell asleep it was in the hope of a part in the resurrection of the just. Heb. 11:9, 10, 13.451Jacob lived seventeen years in Egypt. Compare Gen. 47:8, 9, 28. The stormy and troubled life, which he had hitherto led, was changed to one of tranquility and calm reflection. He had therefore the most ample opportunity in Egypt to instruct his children in the great truths which he had learned from Abraham, and which had come down from Enoch. The mother of Moses was the daughter of Levi, and the granddaughter of Jacob. Ex. 6:16-20. Levi lived 137 years, so that he must have spent more than half a century with Jacob his father, and another period of similar length with his daughter Jochebed, the mother of Moses. Jochebed had the privilege of instructing Moses in his early youth, and she did this so effectually that when Moses became 40 years of age, he left the court of Pharaoh to unite himself with the Hebrews in slavery. Ex. 2; Acts 7:20-23; Heb. 11:23-26. Moses had therefore all the treasures of divine truth which were in the possession of his ancestors, and besides this he had the highest measure of inspiration ever accorded to man. He was therefore well instructed concerning the events of the last day. Our Lord Jesus Christ made a remarkable declaration concerning Moses: "Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Luke 20:37. The words of Christ not only teach that the patriarchs who were dead were to live again, because that Moses has written that God still calls himself their God, but the words of the Saviour also imply that Moses himself understood this declaration to signify that God will raise his servants. The resurrection always implies the coming of Christ to execute the Judgment. The general opinion of the wisest scholars and critics is that the book of Job was written by Moses, from the facts which he learned during his forty years' sojourn in the land of Midian, which was near the land of Uz, the country of Job. It is certain that Job understood the doctrine of the future Judgment, at which the heavens and the earth shall pass away (2 Pet. 3:7, 10), and the doctrine of the second coming of Christ to raise the dead. If these great truths were understood by Job, they certainly were also understood by him who wrote the book of his life. Thus Job says: "So man lieth down and riseth not; till the heavens be no more they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep." Job 14:12. And again he says: "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God." Job 19:25, 26. Near the end of the forty years' sojourn in the wilderness, the children of Israel arrived at the borders of the land of Moab, and Balak, the king of Moab, sent for the prophet Balaam to come and curse the invaders. Num. 22:1-6. But God caused Balaam to bless Israel in the most wonderful manner. Near the close of his prophecy Balaam speaks of the second advent of Christ, for he connects with it his own resurrection, in saying that he should see him who was to come. Thus he said: "I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh; there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." Num. 24:17. Balaam certainly predicted the second advent of Christ, and the destruction of the enemies of Israel. Moses placed this wonderful prediction on record, and understood it as clearly as did Balaam. The children of Israel had the books of Moses to read, and could never forget that a Star was to arise out of Jacob (Rev. 22:16), and that Balaam was to witness his work of destroying the unjust. The prophecy of Balaam, recorded by Moses (Num. 24:17), and the prophecy of Job, recorded also, it is probable, by Moses (Job 14:12; 19:25-27), placed this doctrine of the second advent in a position in the word of God where it must always be noticed by the servants of God. That it was not forgotten during the period which intervened between Moses and David, we know from the words of Paul: "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets; who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection." Heb. 11:32-35. We know, therefore, that during this period the doctrine of the resurrection of the just was understood, and of necessity the doctrine of the coming of the Just One to raise his servants must have been also understood. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, thus describes the great day of Judgment: "The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of Heaven shall he thunder upon them; the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed." 1 Sam. 2:10. When we reach the time of David, the Bible begins to utter this doctrine in the most exultant manner. Thus Asaph, the friend of David (1 Chron. 15:16, 17), speaks in this triumphant manner: "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness; for God is judge himself. Selah." Ps. 50:3-6. And David says: "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." Ps. 17:15. We will finish the testimony of David and of the book of Psalms in our next number.