Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/117

 Our Lord*$ Return* m

turies before Jesus' day, when their restoration is spoken of, it implies their awakening, their coming from the tomb.

Let us now examine the prophecy of Ezekiel 16 : 48-63. Read it carefully. God here speaks of Israel, and compares her with her neighbor, Samaria, and also with the Sodom- ites, of whom he says, "I took them away as I saw good" Neither Jesus nor the Prophet offers any explanation of the seeming inequality of God's dealings in destroying Sodom and permitting others more guilty than Sodom to go un- punished. That will all be made clear when, in " due time, * ' his great designs are made manifest. The Prophet simply states that God "saw good" to do so, and Jesus adds that it will be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for others more guilty. But upon the supposition that death ends all probation, and that thereafter none may have opportunity to come to a knowledge of the truth and to obey it, we may well inquire, Why did God see good to take away these people without giving them a chance of salvation through the knowledge of the only name whereby they can be saved ? The answer is, because it was not yet their due time. In "due time" they will be awakened from death and brought to a knowledge of the truth, and thus blessed together with all the families of the earth, by the promised " Seed. ' ' They will then be on trial for everlasting life.

With this thought, and with no other, can we understand the dealings of the God of love with those Amalekites and other nations whom lie not only permitted but commanded Israel to destroy, saying, "Go, smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (t Sam. 15 : 3.) This apparerjtly reckless destruction of life seems irreconcilable with the chara&er of love attributed to God, and with the teaching of Jesus, " Love your enemies," etc., until we come to recognize the

�� �