Continued from previous post.

The Jubilee Prophecy is the only direct chronological proof of our Lord’s return, thus it is imperative that we fully comprehend it.

The method by which the Israelite’s were instructed to calculate the precise year when they were to sound the trumpet of jubilee, namely, the cycle of 7 times 7 years, is also an important part of the type, and should have its corresponding antitype. This is evidently the Lord’s arrangement, that just as in the type the beginning of the jubilee year was fixed by squaring the small cycles of Sabbath years (7 x 7), so in the antitype the commencement of the grand Jubilee is to be fixed by squaring the larger cycles of jubilee years (50 x 50).

Lev. 25:9 shows that the year of jubilee began in the seventh month, which, according to the Bible reckoning, fell in Autumn (Sec. V). It follows from this that the last typical jubilee ended in Autumn of 626 B.C. There the fulfilment of the type immediately began with the grand antitypical cycle of 50 x 50, or 2500 years, which leads up to the grand antitypical Jubilee of a thousand years—the Millennium. In this wonderful way our heavenly Father pointed forward to the glorious jubilee-work of Restitution which will be under the control of his dear Son Jesus Christ; for 2500 years from 625¼ B.C. (Autumn of 626 B.C.) ends in Autumn 1875 A.D., i.e., the first year of the seventh 1000-year period since the fall of Adam. (See number (1) at bottom of page). The other time prophecies show that the precise time of our Lord’s return was Autumn 1874. The anti-typical cycle therefore overlaps the last Adam’s “Day” by one year; but as we shall see, the harmony of the diagram (number 8) proves that even this feature was divinely arranged.

As in the type it would require the whole jubilee year to restore to the people their land and other possessions, so in the antitypical times of restitution the whole thousand years will be required to restore to man all that was lost by father Adam. The first fortnight in the type corresponds proportionately to the first forty years in the antitype. We could not expect much work of restoration to be done in that short time; it would be a time rather of demanding rights and investigating claims. Because of innate selfishness angry disputing’s would be sure to follow the proclamation of the jubilee, and many claims would require to be settled at the gate. Thus the typical year of liberty would be inaugurated in much trouble; but eventually both rich and poor, who were pure in heart, would agree that the Lord’s arrangement was best, and would gladly acquiesce to the new conditions.

The declaration of the Scriptures is that the Millennial reign of Christ would be inaugurated by a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation (Dan. 12:1, 4; Matt. 24:21). The people have heard the “trumpet” of liberty and are learning to appreciate their freedom; they are demanding their rights to the land and other earthly possessions. The rich are clinging to their vested interests and are not likely to relinquish their hold. With human nature ‘as it is, force must be applied; the people, having begun to taste the sweets of liberty, and finding their aspirations and desires for freedom and happiness frustrated, will break away from all restraints, and anarchy must follow.

Thus violently is the old evil order to be brought to an end. But when the Lord, the Prince of Peace, stills the tempest and begins to bestow restitution blessings upon the poor fallen race; when the resurrection proceeds and severed families are reunited; when good deeds are quickly rewarded and evil deeds receive a certain and just punishment, then all men will recognize that they have now a loving and righteous Judge, and eventually every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10, 11).

While the jubilee year with its preceding cycle typifies the great antitypical Jubilee of 1000 years with its preceding cycle of 2500 years, there is a still greater fulfillment. The period of seven thousand years may, as we have already indicated, be taken as representing a “week of years,” each “year” of which equals a thousand years. The Millennial Day of the Lord is, therefore, also the seventh or Sabbath “year.”

In the same way the six “days” of creation preceding God’s rest will each represent a week of similar “years.” The seven “weeks of years” will amount to 49 of these 1000-year periods. Accordingly, the next 1000- year period is the 50th of the whole series, and we have thus an enormous cycle of 49 “years,” each of which is one thousand years long, followed by a Jubilee which will be without end, a Grand Jubilee of Jubilees. From this standpoint the Millennium is the Sabbath year of the Lord, and following it is the Grand Jubilee two great antitypical Rest-Years.

In the first chapter of Genesis each of the six “days” of creation is divided into an “evening” and a “morning.” The great seventh “day” of Jehovah may also be equally divided into an “evening” and a “morning.” The central point of this great 7000-year day is the date Autumn 627 B.C., i.e., the end of the 49th year of the last typical cycle, and the beginning of the last typical jubilee year. This means that there were two rest-years, a Sabbath year and the last typical jubilee year, exactly in the center of the seven-thousand-year day of God’s Rest. In all the “evening” period of 3500 years there was not a single antitype, only types and shadows. The “morning” period, on the other hand, is the era of antitypes. In the beginning of it there were still types, but the first antitype, namely, the great antitypical cycle of 50 x 50 years, began at the very commencement of this “morning” period.

The fact that the last pair of typical rest-years occur in the exact center of the whole 7000-year period, other symmetric chronological parallels are rendered possible. The two years of rest in the Garden of Eden are followed by the First Adam’s 1000-year day, the day of condemnation for the world, the day of the loss of all things. Then, overlapping one year within the First Adam’s day comes a large cycle of 2500 years. In the center there are two typical rest-years marked off. These are followed by a second large cycle of 2500 years which overlaps one year within the Last Adam’s 1000-year “Day,” the Day of Salvation for the world, when all that was lost in the First Adam’s day of condemnation will be restored to mankind by the Second Adam.

We are reminded here of the words spoken by the prophet Habakkuk: “O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy” (Hab. 3:2). God’s wrath or curse passed upon Adam and his descendants will not be removed until by the end of the seven thousand years the last enemy, the Adamic death, will be completely destroyed (1 Cor. 15:25, 26). At that time the restitution of man to perfection and to communion with God will be complete. In the exact center of this wrath period of 7000 years, God revived his work by instituting the “Morning” of anti-types, and so in wrath remembered mercy. In the midst of the wrath period, also, he caused his people Israel to observe the last pair of typical rest-years, and so made known to us his wondrous plan of providing two great antitypical rest-years at the end.

Not only, however, was the wonderful and merciful work of the two great antitypical rest-years at the end foreshadowed by the two typical rest-years in the center of the wrath period, but it was also typified by the two rest-years in the Garden of Eden. In the first of these years Adam was created perfect in mind and body. He had perfect faculties; but he would require learning how to use them properly. He would also require learning his environment, and thus gradually take possession of the dominion which God had given him (Gen. 1:26). Very soon, however, he began to feel a want; although the animals were obedient to Adam and useful in many ways, yet none of them was a companion meet for him (Gen. 2:20). God knew that this would be so, but he judged it best that Adam should learn his need by experience. Adam was sent into a deep sleep, and after a short season of trouble, God presented Eve to him. Though we can but faintly realize the mutual love of the perfect man and woman, still we can understand that while the first year was a time of peace and enjoyment to Adam, the second year must have been a time of much greater happiness. These two years typify certain aspects of the great rest-years at the end.

Let us now consider the two rest-years in the center of the 7000-year period. The first of these was a Sabbath year, being the 49th of the last typical cycle. During that year the Israelite’s did no work on the land, and it was therefore a time of rest for the land and of rest and refreshment for the children of Abraham, the children of God (This took place every seventh year, here however they had reached the end of the 49th of these 7 year cycles, viz. 7 x 7 or 49 years). The following year, the 50th, was a jubilee, the time of the restitution of all things, and a time of great rejoicing, especially for the poor and oppressed, and latterly for all who were pure in heart. But at the beginning of that year there must have been a season of trouble. These two years foreshadow additional aspects of the great antitypical rest-years.

We have already seen that the 1000-year period which began in Autumn 1874 A.D. is the 49th (1000 year day) from the beginning of the “days” of creation, and the 7th from the fall of Adam (4126 B.C.), and that, therefore, it may be regarded as a great “Sabbath year.” In that “year,” called the Millennial Age, men will gradually acquire perfect faculties, and through the exercise of these perfect faculties they will learn their environment, and thus will gradually take possession of the earthly kingdom which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world (Matt. 25:34). This will be a time of rest for the children or seed of Abraham, who will nevertheless be working in raising fallen men from the pit of death. The work of these children of Abraham, spiritual and natural, will be dictated by love. By the end of the thousand years they will have restored all men to perfection.

Then will begin the 50th 1000-year period, the Grand Jubilee of Jubilees. This Jubilee of Jubilees, however, will not really be a thousand years long, but will last to all eternity! At its commencement, just as at the beginning of Adam’s second year, and at the beginning of the typical jubilee, there will be a short season of trouble. The trouble may last, possibly, for 40 Years and will be owing to the loosing of Satan who had been bound during the preceding thousand years (Rev.20:1-3).

But when this final test of men’s obedience to their Creator is past, and the disobedient are destroyed with Satan in the second death, all the loyal will be called the children of God and will live on into the Ages of glory to follow. The most important feature of their rejoicing will be the restoration of perfect communion with God and with one another. God will have such confidence in men that he will grant them eternal life with complete dominion over the earth. “There will be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, nor will there be any more pain, for the former things will have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). The Apostle Peter informs us in his first epistle (3:20, 21) that the flood, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, stand to each other in the relation of type and antitype: “When the patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were carried safely through the water. And immersion [baptism], an antitype of this, now saves us.” (See number (2) at the bottom of the page).

It is evident that the Apostle is referring to the real immersion, of which the immersion into water is only a symbol—it is the real and not the symbolic immersion that saves us. The water of baptism symbolizes the death-state. Accordingly, the destruction of the first “World of the ungodly” in water, typified the death-state into which this “Present Evil World” is passing. The ark represents the Divine plan of salvation, and Christ as the embodiment of that plan. Just as God was patient and long-suffering with the iniquity of men and angels while the ark of Noah was being prepared, so he was patient and long-suffering with the iniquity of men and angels while his glorious plan of salvation was being prepared through the Law and the Prophets (Luke 24:44).

Again, just as the ark of Noah and the few who were in it were in the water, but were carried safely through it, so Christ and the few who were in him have been in the death-state, but are carried safely through it; for we who are saved by baptism will share in the glorious resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3-5).

We now find that, not only was the flood typical of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but their commencements are chronologically parallel. The flood or typical baptism began 654 years after the beginning of the first cycle of 2500 years. The antitypical baptism of the Holy Spirit began with the baptism of Jesus in Autumn 29 A.D. (Sec. X); and there he became the Christ or the Anointed One, the Ark of God. This was 654 years after the beginning of the second cycle of 2500 years (625¼ B.C. plus 28¾ A.D. equal 654 years).

The period of 1846 years from the beginning of the typical immersion was followed by two typical rest-years; so a corresponding period of 1846 years from the beginning of the antitypical baptism is followed by the two great antitypical Rest-Years. Thus it is clear that God marked off the immersion of Noah’s ark in the waters of the flood chronologically as the type of the immersion of Christ, who is the antitypical ark, into death; for Christ’s death began at, and was symbolized, by his water immersion at Jordan.

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(1) See the full explanation of the Jubilee in type and antitype given by C. T. Russell in his 2nd volume of Studies in the Scriptures, Chapter 6. Had the nation of Israel continued to observe every Sabbath and jubilee year without a break, their 70th jubilee would have coincided with the year 1925 A.D. beginning in Autumn of 1924. As the land of Israel did “enjoy her Sabbaths” when it lay desolate for the period of 70 years, and as the number 70 is a highly representative number Scripturally considered, many students of the Word look (ed) forward expectantly to the year 1925 and onward, as probably holding much in store for the nation of Israel, which already has begun to experience a return to the favor of the Lord, especially since 1918.

The significance of 1925 of course was merely an assumption on the part of the brethren; however events following shortly thereafter are noteworthy. In July of 1937 the British Royal Commission recommended the partition of Palestine. In May of 1939 the British white paper declared the establishment of a Jewish state, and then most importantly the independent State of Israel was proclaimed May 14th 1948.

(2) See Diaglott. The Greek word translated “representation” in the Diaglott is antitupos, and should have been rendered “antitype.”

Great Pyramid Passages Page 117-126, par. 280-309