Rest and Restitution
Although God entered into his rest after he passed the sentence of death upon Adam, Jesus intimated that his Father had nevertheless been working—"My Father works hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). This does not seem in agreement with the statement that God was resting; but when we recall the occasion on which Jesus uttered these words the explanation is clear. Jesus had just cured a man who had been paralyzed from his birth, and the Jews had rebuked him for working on the Sabbath day. Jesus' answer shows that his cavilers had not rightly interpreted the Law, for works of mercy on the Sabbath day do not violate God's Law of Love. Quite to the contrary, love dictates these works.
Hitherto the Father had been working during His rest day, in so restraining the wrath of man, and overruling the affairs of earth, that eventually the poor world's salvation from the miry clay of sin and from the dreadful Pit of death might be accomplished! Which of the Jews having an ox or ass fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, would not immediately draw it out? How much more, then, would the love of God dictate the rescue of his beloved Son from the grave on his great Sabbath day. The raising of our Lord from the dead was the beginning of the “New Creation," and was the supreme evidence of God's mighty power (Eph. 1:18-23).
The Apostle in 2 Pet. 3:8 says: "Be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." From this standpoint we may regard the period of seven thousand years from the fall of Adam to the end of the Millennium as a "week," each "day" of which is a thousand years long. The first period of one thousand years forms the First Adam's "day," referred to by God when he said to Adam: “in the day thou eats thereof dying thou shalt die." Adam died within his 1000-year day (Gen. 2:17; 5:5).
The seventh period of one thousand years is the "day" appointed by God during which the "Last Adam" shall judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31; 1 Cor. 15:45, 47). Jesus said: “The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day" (Matt. 12:8). This is one of the proofs that Christ's Second Advent was due to begin in 1874 A.D., for as he is "Lord of the Sabbath” we would expect him to be present immediately as HIS seventh 1000-year “day" began.
The Israelite's were commanded by God to let the land rest every seventh year, counting from the time they entered Canaan, i.e., from the year 1575 B.C.. After seven of these cycles of seven years, or 49 in all, the next year, the 50th, was to be a special Sabbath or rest year, called the jubilee. Thus the 49th and 50th years were both Sabbaths. In the former the land was to have its rest, and in the latter not only was the land to rest, but there was to be a RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS (Lev. 25:8-10). God foretold through Moses, however, that the nation would never properly observe these Sabbath years (Lev. 26:34, 35); they were principally intended to serve as types of a greater Sabbath or jubilee year.
In spite of their continued iniquity God was long-suffering with the Israelite's. Many times it seemed as if he would cause their overthrown, but it was not till 606 B.C. that he permitted the Gentiles to remove their crown, and carry them into captivity. The land then lay desolate for seventy years to fulfill its Sabbaths (2 Chron. 36:11-21). The Lord thus indicated that 70 jubilee years in all should have been observed. For the long period of 969 years during which the people of Israel were in possession of their land, they were permitted by God to observe, if they would, their jubilee years; but when he overthrew their kingdom by Nebuchadnezzar this privilege was taken out of their hands. Never thereafter could the jubilee be kept by them, for the "times of the Gentiles" had now begun, and they were merely servants in the land after the end of the 70 years desolation (Neh. 9:36, 37). Thus the typical jubilee years ceased in 626 B.C., that is, 950 years after the nation entered Canaan under Joshua.
Jesus said: "Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matt. 5:18). The jubilee years typified the great "Times of Restitution of all things," at the beginning of which, the Apostle Peter intimated, Jesus Christ was to be sent from heaven (Acts 3:19-21).
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive (welcome) UNTIL the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” NKJV
“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. For he must remain in heaven UNTIL the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.” New Living Translation
As the date of the Second Advent of Christ is 1874 A.D., there is apparently in this feature of the law a long interval between type and antitype. But according to the declaration of Jesus just quoted, it is not possible for any part of the law to cease until it is fulfilled in its antitype. It is clear, therefore, that the period of the "Times of Restitution" does not completely fulfill the jubilee type. Something further requires fulfillment.
Due to the length of this particular segment (as well as its great importance in confirming the Second Advent of our Lord) we will break here and continue with our next post.
Although God entered into his rest after he passed the sentence of death upon Adam, Jesus intimated that his Father had nevertheless been working—"My Father works hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). This does not seem in agreement with the statement that God was resting; but when we recall the occasion on which Jesus uttered these words the explanation is clear. Jesus had just cured a man who had been paralyzed from his birth, and the Jews had rebuked him for working on the Sabbath day. Jesus' answer shows that his cavilers had not rightly interpreted the Law, for works of mercy on the Sabbath day do not violate God's Law of Love. Quite to the contrary, love dictates these works.
Hitherto the Father had been working during His rest day, in so restraining the wrath of man, and overruling the affairs of earth, that eventually the poor world's salvation from the miry clay of sin and from the dreadful Pit of death might be accomplished! Which of the Jews having an ox or ass fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, would not immediately draw it out? How much more, then, would the love of God dictate the rescue of his beloved Son from the grave on his great Sabbath day. The raising of our Lord from the dead was the beginning of the “New Creation," and was the supreme evidence of God's mighty power (Eph. 1:18-23).
The Apostle in 2 Pet. 3:8 says: "Be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." From this standpoint we may regard the period of seven thousand years from the fall of Adam to the end of the Millennium as a "week," each "day" of which is a thousand years long. The first period of one thousand years forms the First Adam's "day," referred to by God when he said to Adam: “in the day thou eats thereof dying thou shalt die." Adam died within his 1000-year day (Gen. 2:17; 5:5).
The seventh period of one thousand years is the "day" appointed by God during which the "Last Adam" shall judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31; 1 Cor. 15:45, 47). Jesus said: “The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day" (Matt. 12:8). This is one of the proofs that Christ's Second Advent was due to begin in 1874 A.D., for as he is "Lord of the Sabbath” we would expect him to be present immediately as HIS seventh 1000-year “day" began.
The Israelite's were commanded by God to let the land rest every seventh year, counting from the time they entered Canaan, i.e., from the year 1575 B.C.. After seven of these cycles of seven years, or 49 in all, the next year, the 50th, was to be a special Sabbath or rest year, called the jubilee. Thus the 49th and 50th years were both Sabbaths. In the former the land was to have its rest, and in the latter not only was the land to rest, but there was to be a RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS (Lev. 25:8-10). God foretold through Moses, however, that the nation would never properly observe these Sabbath years (Lev. 26:34, 35); they were principally intended to serve as types of a greater Sabbath or jubilee year.
In spite of their continued iniquity God was long-suffering with the Israelite's. Many times it seemed as if he would cause their overthrown, but it was not till 606 B.C. that he permitted the Gentiles to remove their crown, and carry them into captivity. The land then lay desolate for seventy years to fulfill its Sabbaths (2 Chron. 36:11-21). The Lord thus indicated that 70 jubilee years in all should have been observed. For the long period of 969 years during which the people of Israel were in possession of their land, they were permitted by God to observe, if they would, their jubilee years; but when he overthrew their kingdom by Nebuchadnezzar this privilege was taken out of their hands. Never thereafter could the jubilee be kept by them, for the "times of the Gentiles" had now begun, and they were merely servants in the land after the end of the 70 years desolation (Neh. 9:36, 37). Thus the typical jubilee years ceased in 626 B.C., that is, 950 years after the nation entered Canaan under Joshua.
Jesus said: "Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matt. 5:18). The jubilee years typified the great "Times of Restitution of all things," at the beginning of which, the Apostle Peter intimated, Jesus Christ was to be sent from heaven (Acts 3:19-21).
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive (welcome) UNTIL the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” NKJV
“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. For he must remain in heaven UNTIL the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.” New Living Translation
As the date of the Second Advent of Christ is 1874 A.D., there is apparently in this feature of the law a long interval between type and antitype. But according to the declaration of Jesus just quoted, it is not possible for any part of the law to cease until it is fulfilled in its antitype. It is clear, therefore, that the period of the "Times of Restitution" does not completely fulfill the jubilee type. Something further requires fulfillment.
Due to the length of this particular segment (as well as its great importance in confirming the Second Advent of our Lord) we will break here and continue with our next post.
