Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/230

 224 The Plan of the Ages.

one-half year* after the cross after which the gospel was preached to the Gentiles also, beginning with Cornelius. (Acls 10: 45.) This ended their age so far as God's favor toward and recognition of the Jewish church was con- cerned; their national existence terminated in the great time of trouble which followed.

In that period of the Jewish harvest the Gospel age had its beginning. The design of this age is the call, devel- opment and trial of "the Christ of God " Head and body. This is the Spirit dispensation; hence, it is proper to say that the Gospel age began with the anointing of Jesus " with the Holy Spirit and with power" (Acls 10 38; Luke 3:22; 4: i, 18) at the time of his baptism. In relation to the Church, his body, it commenced three and a half years later.

A "harvest" constitutes the closing period of the Gos- pel age also, during which there is again a lapping of two ages the Gospel age ending, and the Restitution or Mil- lennial age beginning. The Gospel age closes by stages, as did its pattern or "shadow," the Jewish age. As there the first seven years of the harvest were devoted in a special sense to a work in and for Israel after the flesh, and were years of favor, so here we find a similar seven years indicated as having the same bearing upon the Gospel Church, to be followed by a period of trouble ("fire") upon the world, as a punishment for wickedness, and as a preparation for the reign of righteousness of which more again.

THE PATH TO GLORY.

JT, Z, M, N, P,, each represents a different plane. N te the plane of perfect human nature. Adam was on this plane before he sinned; but from the moment of disobedi- ence he fell to the depraved or sinful plane,, on which ill his posterity are born. This corresponds to the "Broad Way " which leads to destruction. P represents the plane <rf typical justification, reckoned as effected by the sacri-

�� �