It has been mentioned in our study on Chapter 14 (Revelation) that the three angels (messages) of this chapter pointed to the date A.D. 1878, and that it represents not only the time in which the nominally professing church (Great Babylon) was cast off, but that several other key events took place at this time.

1) It likewise marks the beginning of the Laodicean stage of the church, the seventh and last stage, and

2) Most importantly of all it marks the time of the First Resurrection, beginning first with the resurrection of the sleeping saints in 1878 followed thereafter (that is from 1878 onward) by the resurrection/translation (rapture) of the living saints. This translation takes place as each one faithfully completes their covenant having been proven faithful until death. All such, henceforth need not sleep in the state of death when they die, but will at the very moment of their deaths, in the twinkling of an eye be instantaneously raised as spirit beings and joined together with the Lord and the rest of the saints in the air (the earth’s atmosphere). There they will remain until all the rest of their brethren this side of the veil have finish their course and joined them.

However, the question is asked,

How specifically did we arrive at this date A.D. 1878?

Inference alone viz., that the three angels pointed to this date, is not sufficient proof of itself to support this conclusion, we need something a bit more, something more concrete.

Thankfully the Lord graciously provides, for we are not left here to our own imaginings with assumption or mere speculation, but rather we have the word of the Lord on the matter, “we have the more sure word of prophecy, which you would do well to heed as a light (of truth) that shines in a dark place (this present evil world) …” 2 Pet 1:19

 The Jewish “Double” The Resurrection of the “Body” of Christ

“According to Jeremiah 16:18, Zechariah 9:9,12, and Isaiah 40:2 (margin), the Gospel Age is the “DOUBLE” of the Jewish Age, that is to say, the period during which the nation of Israel was cast off as a people from God’s favor, exactly equaled in length the period when they enjoyed His favor.

Each of these Ages began on the death of its founder. On the death of Jacob (Israel) the founder of the Fleshly house of Israel, the Patriarchal Age ended and the Age of Israel began (Gen. 49:2, 28, 29); and on the death of Christ the founder of the Spiritual house of Israel, God’s favor was withdrawn from the Fleshly house and given to the Spiritual house, which is composed of those Jews and Gentiles who trusted not in their own righteousness but had faith toward God, and showed their faith by denying themselves, taking up their cross daily and following in the footsteps of Jesus (See Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. II, page 246).

The Scriptural proof that the “double” of disfavor to the Fleshly house of Israel began at the death of Christ is clear. It was five days before his crucifixion that Jesus, weeping over Jerusalem, pronounced the sentence: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (Matt. 23:38). There is additionally the testimony of Zech 9:12 “Even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee.” The context of this prophecy shows that the “day” referred to, when the “double” was due to begin, was that on which our Lord rode into Jerusalem seated on an ass; —compare Zech. 9:9 with Luke 19:28-44, and note the prophecy of the “shout,” and our Lord’s reference to it in the 40th verse in Luke’s gospel—thus particularly must prophecy be fulfilled.

As Jacob’s death occurred in Spring 1813 B.C. and Christ’s death in Spring 33 A.D., the total duration of the Jewish Age, the period of God’s favor to the Fleshly house of Israel, was exactly 1845 years.

Accordingly, the “double” of disfavor, beginning in Spring of 33 A.D., must have ended in 1878 A.D., 1845 years later. It was in that year, at the famous Berlin Congress of nations, in which a Jew, Lord Beaconsfield, took the leading part, that the condition of the Hebrews then residing in Palestine was greatly ameliorated, and the door was opened for others to locate there and hold real estate. As evidence of the rapidly returning favor to the Jews in Palestine, most of the houses in Jerusalem are inhabited and also owned by Jews.

But each of these dates, 33 A.D. and 1878 A.D., was signalized by an event of even greater importance than the loss and return of favor to Fleshly Israel. The first witnessed the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the Head of the Christ, and the other the resurrection of the sleeping saints, the Body of Christ. The last members of the Church who are alive and remain on the earth during the short period since 1878, carry out their vow of consecration unto death; but, unlike those who died in the Lord prior to 1878, they will not have any interval of unconsciousness or sleep; the moment of their death will be the moment of their resurrection change.

This is the class referred to by Paul when he declared: “Behold, I show you a mystery [secret]; we shall not all sleep [lie unconscious in death], but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump” (1 Cor. 15:51, 52). The last or seventh trump is the proclamation of the tidings of the Lord’s return. John the Revelator also wrote of this class and called them blessed. Describing the time when the Gospel harvest would begin, he stated: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them” (Rev. 14:13).

When the sleeping saints were awakened from their death-condition in Spring of 1878 A.D., they found the Lord Jesus present; for just as the first Advent of Jesus *Christ was 3½ years prior to his death and resurrection, namely, in Autumn 29 A.D., so the second Advent occurred 3½ years prior to the resurrection of the Church or “Body” of Christ, namely, in the Autumn of 1874 A.D., at the beginning of the “times of restitution of all things” (Acts 3:19-21).

The date 1874 A.D. is confirmed by the Jubilee Prophecy, which please see here.

This “parallel” method of reckoning is merely corroborative of many time-prophecies which point both directly and indirectly first to 1874 A.D., Christ’s Second Advent when he comes as “Chief Reaper” (the Lord of the Harvest); and 1914 A.D., when the destruction of this Present Evil World was due to begin, viz. with the pouring out of the first plague, WWI.”

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*Jesus was not the Messiah, the Anointed, the Christ, until after his baptism, at thirty years of age. B66; A224