Dr. Christie on the Return of the Jews to Palestine.
Dr. Christie has continued his illuminating articles in the British Weekly on the Jewish situation in Palestine. In a recent article he deals with the Restoration of Israel to Palestine and asserts that the Old Testament prophecies have been already fulfilled in the return of the Jews (1) under Zerubbabel; (2) under Ezra and Nehemiah). The New Testament, though it has great promises for the Jews (Roms. ix-xi), has not a single reference to a literal or material return. This view was maintained also by such eminent divines, among others, as Dr. A. A. Hodge (Outlines of Theology, new and revised edit. pp. 572, 573), Principal Fairbairn (Typology of Scripture, I, 495; Prophecy, p. 241). Pre-millennarians, without exception as far as we know, hold the doctrine of a literal Return. At the same time, this view is not confined to them for Dr. David Brown, one of Scotland’s most distinguished Post-Millennarian writers, held that the Scriptures taught a literal Return to Palestine. In reference to the recent influx of Jews into Palestine, Dr. Christie says: “But what of the present return? We have been in closest touch with it from the first. No one expected greater things, or a more glorious fulfilment, materially and spiritually, than we did, but we must confess to disappointment. We looked for righteousness and behold a cry. As the years have passed by we have seen that Political Zionism cares little for righteousness and seeks unceasingly only ‘material prosperity for the Jewish world.’ Whenever possible the claims and rights of others are ignored and must yield to ‘Jewish interests.’ If in any sense there is to be a return to Palestine, the fulfilment is not yet. But one thing it is. It is an attempt ‘to force God’s hand’ and also to force the hands of the British Government.”
The Pope and Fascism.
There can be no doubt, in the struggle going on in Europe between Communism and Fascism, that the Pope’s sympathies are with the Fascists. Communism of the thorough-going type is atheistic and antagonistic to all religion, whether it be true or false. Fascism pays a kind of lip service to religion but whether it is in sympathy with the religion of our Lord as set forth in the New Testament is another question. Soviet Russia with its thorough-going state atheism is decidedly showing its sympathy with the Spanish Government party and at the time of writing this note it is threatening to intervene in the bloody struggle going on in Spain by helping that party. The Pope’s sympathies on the other hand, are decidedly on the side of General Franco and the insurgents who are thorough-going Fascists. Though Fascism and Communism are political movements it must not be forgotten that both are antagonistic to the religion of the New Testament and in the mighty struggle foreshadowed by these movements we are faced with a world menace.
A New Form of Sabbath Desecration.
In the military display becoming so common in connection with what is termed “Armistice Sunday” Satan has astutely invented a new form of Sabbath desecration. Of course, he gives it a finer name than that. The military display—the skirling of pipes, the pomp and pageantry of war in peace-time—the gathering of the idle crowds, are all done in memory of the men who died. So gullible are men that they swallow this as if it were the truth and sad to say many of the professed ministers of the gospel join in the display. To raise a voice against such practices is regarded by multitudes as due to lack of patriotism and want of appreciation of the sacrifices made by the men who never returned. That, of course, is a lie of the devil. Not only is the peace of the Sabbath broken by these military displays but the sale of poppies, in some towns is carried on—all in the name of patriotism.