The theocracy of Israel

Part I Of ""The Inspired History of the Nations'* Author of "The Inspired History of the Nations"

Union Publishing Company Oklahoma City, O. T.

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Two Copies Receivec

Copyright Entry

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CLASS OL XXc.No COPY B.

Entered according to Act of Congress December, /p02, by

G. G. RUPERT

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.

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Number

Preface

TN offering this volume to the public, we do it with the assurance that the one who understands the formation and principles governing* the government of God in ancient Israel will be better prepared to comprehend the Bible as a whole; for these principles are the foundation of the truths as given by inspiration, and especially is this true when we consider that God has said He would set His hand the second time to recover the remnant of His people. When this work is done, the same principles will be again brought to view, and without an understanding of them we would not be prepared to understand the movement when it does take place. This makes this volume of special interest to us in this age of the world.

The principles of government in the theocracy of Israel are the best ever given to the children of men. These principles related both to the civil and religious rule, and, so far as the civil regulations were concerned, there are no better to-day. All true principles governing man's relation, one to another, are there laid down. That the reader may be benefited by the reading of this volume is the sincere desire of the author.

THE AUTHOR.

Contents

CHAPTER I.— Let There Be Light.— In the Beginning.— Preparation for Man's Home. — Six Periods of Creation.— The Sea. — The Earth. — The Heavens Garnished. — The Power Used in Creation. — Revolutions of the Earth. — The Firmament Made. — The Sun Created. — Beast Created. — Man Created. — The Garden. — The Home Completed. — God's Memorial.— Christ the Creator. — Man's Food. — Preexistence of Christ, 17-30.

CHAPTER II.— Temptation and Fall.— Second Trial for Life.— The Promised Seed. — The Curses Pronounced. — Adam and Eve Meet God.— The Excuses Made.— The Two Sons of Adam. — The Second Curse. — Sons of God. — Daughters of Men. — The Flood. — The Descendants of Noah. — Location of the Ancient Nations, 31-47.

CHAPTER III. — The Promise to Abraham.— Abraham Leaves His Home. — His Journey to Egypt. — Many Years of Trials of Faith.— The Promised Seed Finally Born. — Abraham's Old Age. — The Last Trial of Faith. — The Covenant Confirmed by the Oath of God. — The Melchisedec Priesthood. — Four Hundred Years Israel Sojourned in Egypt. — Israel Leaves Egypt. — The Sinaitic Covenant. — The Difference between the Two Covenants. — The Mosaic Covenant. — Its Object. — Confirmed by the Blood of Animals. — The . Covenant Broken. — The Covenant Renewed. — The Covenant Decayeth and Waxeth Old.— It Vanisheth Away.— Paul's Epistles to the Galatians, Romans, Corinthians, and Hebrews. — The Use of the Old Covenant in This Age, 48-99.

Chapter II. The Temptation And The Fall

The third chapter of Genesis tells the story of the temptation, fall, and loss of dominion that God had given to man. And in this chapter is the foundation laid of all truth pertaining to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and without a knowledge of the principle portrayed in this chapter, the plan of redemption must have been forever a mystery to the mind of the student, however anxious he might have been to know the truth.

"Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden ? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die ; for God cloth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Gen. 3:1-5.

This scripture introduces a conversation between Adam's companion and the serpent. The serpent was the most subtle (shrewd, intelligent, and cunning) of all the beasts of the field. Satan, who was at this time a fallen angel from the heavenly world, tried to thwart God's purpose in creating this new planet. He appears to the one whom he could use to the best advantage. As to the manner of the conversation between these two, and the power of communication, it is not stated whether the animal was endued with the power of speech in the beginning, or whether he was used by another power, which enabled him to speak as did Balaam's animal when he spoke to his rider. This we do not know. But we do know that the serpent uttered the first falsehood ever told to man. God had told Adam that they should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ; that the death penalty was attached to such a crime, and that they should surely die if they did. The death here spoken of is plainly stated. "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." The serpent said, "Ye shall not surely die." And upon this falsehood Satan has practised deception throughout the world's history, by telling the world that death is only the gateway to eternal bliss, and that there is no such thing as real death, or cessation of existence. To lead the woman's mind sway from the truth, Satan tells her that, instead of this taking place, "then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." In the last statement he did, however, tell the truth, and that was she should know good and evil. Prior to this man had never known evil, nor had he any evil tendencies.

"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden." Verses 6-8.

Innocency is a garment the definition of which is given in the Bible as "the righteousness of saints." This righteousness was complete in the experience of the first man and woman, and during that experience they were clothed with a halo of light, with the glory of God resting upon them ; but by their disobedience this was removed, and then they sought garments of their own making. Like all the disobedient, they were expecting condemnation, and were listening to hear when the Lord should approach.

"And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And He said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman. What is this that thou hast done ? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." Verses 8-13.

How this conversation between the Lord and the guilty pair reminds us of our personal experience ! Instead of being frank and honest, and confessing our guilt, how natural it is to try to excuse ourselves by allowing some one else to bear the responsibility ! Adam lays the blame on the Lord for giving him the woman, and when the question was put to the woman, "What is this that thou hast done?" she answered by saying, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." And, as a result of this transgression, the Lord pronounced the curse that should fall upon each. They were all guilty alike, each one responsible for his own actions, all endued with sufficient knowledge and wisdom to know their 3 duty to their Creator, and hence it was a voluntary act upon their part. God pronounced a curse affecting the whole work of creation, in the following language : —

"And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life; and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; and it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast harkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field ; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground ; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them." Verses 14-21.

This curse is manifested to-day upon every hand, and, as sin increases, in whatever age of the world, it matters not, these curses will rest heavier on all things created by the hand of the Maker. Here is a principle that will be ever manifested in the world's history.

The world no longer enjoys its Eden beauty. Thorns and thistles spring up from its soil. A spirit of alienation and rebellion enters the heart of man. A cruel nature enters all beasts ; man earns his bread by the sweat of his face ; the woman brings forth in sorrow ; the serpent crawls upon his belly; the enmity of all mankind is pronounced upon him; destroying insects are brought forth; poisonous vines and destructive weeds, which hinder man's progress and happiness, abound. All this is the result of disobedience. New provisions must now be made, and what plan must the Lord now devise?

"And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of Us, to know good and evil ; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever; therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So He drove out the man ; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Verses 22-24.

Man had forfeited his right to the tree of life, that which was intended to perpetuate life in the world. He was driven away from the tree of life, taken out of the garden, and put out into the world to till the ground from whence he was taken. Angels, resplendent with glory like flaming swords, were placed to keep every way to the tree of life, so that man might not longer eat of it, and live forever. Had Adam still enjoyed the privilege of access to the tree of life, he would not have died, and sin would have been perpetuated in the world. Then we could have talked of immortal men. But God only having immortality, the connecting-link between man and immortal life being broken, he could but return to the dust from which he was taken, and be as though he had not been. And, had there been no further provision for man, death would have been an eternal sleep. But the hopeful and interesting part of . the story of sinful man is still before us.

A SECOND TRIAL FOR LIFE.

Man is God's highest order of created beings. While he was created from the dust, and the Spirit of God was breathed into his nostrils, — the same Spirit that animated or made alive all other beings (Gen. 7:21, 22, and Job 27:3), — his intellectual power and knowledge were far superior to theirs, and hence he was more responsible for his actions. God did not make man an inanimate creature, but a free moral agent, endued with the power and privilege of choosing his own course, which privilege will never be taken from him. How thankful we ought to be that such is the case! And upon this principle God acted when He put man in the garden, on trial for life. God designed that man should appreciate this great privilege, and profit by it. Had he proved true to God, by obedience, he would still have retained his home and dominion over all the workmanship of God's hand, and so saved a world from ruin, and his own soul from death.

Now a provision must be made whereby man could have another trial for life. But this time it must be by another plan, as the first one was lost. So Ave read, "But [the gospel, or plan of salvation] is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.'' 2 Tim. 1 :io. Adam was given a second trial for life as truly as he was given the first trial, but this time it is through the gospel of Jesus Christ. "For God so loved the world, that he gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. This verse tells the whole truth as to the feelings of the Creator toward the creatures He had made. Rather than have the whole world go to ruin, and man be forever lost in eternal death, He gave His own Son to die and pay the penalty, pass through the grave, and bring life and immortality to light through the resurrection of the dead. And man was given hope, which hope is an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast. And every man and woman in the world to-day is as literally on trial

The Temptation and t/ie Fall. 37

for life as was Adam in the garden of Eden. They who have Christ have life; they who have not Christ shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon them. This promise of the Redeemer was made in the third chapter of Genesis, in the following language, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed ; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Verse 15. This enmity between the seed of the woman, which is Christ, and the serpent, here representing Satan, has existed from that time forward, and will continue to exist until the head of the serpent is finally bruised by his Conqueror, the Seed of the woman. Each one shall have his followers, until finally the great division will take place, when the controversy will be ended.

"Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief; when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied; by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many ; for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong ; because He hath poured out His soul unto death; and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Isa. 53:10-12.

Satan is a wily foe. We will learn more of his history later on. But it sufficeth us to say here that the world will never be converted to Christ, for the inspired historian has said, I will "divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong." There will be a vast multitude on both sides of this great question, but Christ will see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied. With these principles laid down, as introduced by the inspired penman, as related to the creation of the world, the fall of man, and the institution of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are now prepared to take up the history of man and the work of God as related thereto, as it is revealed in the Word of God, covering the history from generation to generation.

CAIN AND ABEL.

"And Adam knew Eve his wife ; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground." Gen. 4:1, 2.

The birth of these two boys is recorded, as it chronicles the coming into existence of the first descendants of Adam, and from these two begins the history of man as related to the gospel of Christ. One of them, as we learn from the Scriptures, had faith in the gospel, and made his offering of the firstling of the flock, showing his faith in the promised Redeemer. The other made his offering from the fruits of the ground, showing his lack of faith in the promises made. When Cain was born, Eve supposed that he was the promised Seed. How little she realized what the history of the race would be, and the experiences they would pass through during the six thousand years before them !

When the Lord refused to accept Cain's offering, the spirit that was in him was made manifest. "But unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." Verses 5-7. This stirred Cain to wreak vengeance upon his innocent brother; not that Abel had wronged him, but that Abel had chosen to follow Christ, while Cain had chosen to follow Satan. We see from the following quotation where the Saviour got His statement when He told the Pharisees during His ministry that Satan was "a murderer from the beginning" : —

"And Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And He said, What hast thou done ? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength ; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from Thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth ; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch ; and he build'ed a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch." Verses 8-17.

The division in the human family, which was to last throughout the world's history, began with these two boys. In the beginning of this history there are principles and statements made which are to govern these divisions throughout the world. God Himself designed that this separation should be very marked; and, while they were to live together in the world, they were to be separate and distinct from each other. As their leaders were separate and distinct, with different principles of government, so must this separation ever be kept up ; and in order to establish this division, God placed a mark upon Cain. As He gave Abraham, later on, the sign of circumcision, a circle cut in the flesh, to separate him from the world, so God here placed a mark upon Cain. Cain and his wife moved to the land of Nod, and there began the history of his descendants. Verses 17-24 give a history of Cain and his descendants, thus establishing this branch of Adam's house.

Then, referring to the closing verses of this chapter, the historian takes up the other line of the descendants of Adam, which represents those governed by a different principle, and who followed a different leader. "And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth ; for God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son ; and he called his name Enos ; then began men to call upon the name of the Lord."

Adam lived to the age of nine hundred and thirty years, and then died. Seth lived nine hundred and twelve years. Enos, the son of Seth, lived nine hundred and five years. Canaan lived nine hundred and ten years. Mahalaleel lived eight hundred and ninety-five years. Jared, his son, lived nine hundred and sixty-two years. Enoch, the son of Jared, lived three hundred and sixty-five years, and was translated without seeing death. Methuselah, his son, lived nine hundred and sixty-nine years. Lamech lived seven hundred and seventy and seven years. And Noah, his son, when he was five hundred years old, begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth. This man, with his wife, his three sons, and their wives, were preserved in the ark during the flood, and from them, through their posterity, the world again starts to make its history, as it did from the descendants of Adam. This covers the history of the world for nearly twenty- four hundred years.

THE FLOOD.

The Temptatio7i and the Fall. 43

There is one point just prior to the flood to which we now wish to call attention. The great difficulty has been to keep up the line of separation between those who would serve God and those who would not serve Him. We now read : "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair ; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh ; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. . . . And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Gen. 6:1-5.

It is the mingling of these classes that destroys spiritual life in the world, and as a result of this intermarriage relation between the sons of God and the daughters of men, the earth was filled with violence, and became so corrupt that God destroyed the world with a flood. "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt ; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me ; for the earth is filled with violence through them ; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." Verses n-13.

Men lived to a great age before the flood, and their stature far exceeded that of man in this age of the world. "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." Gen. 6 -.4.

The lives of Adam, Methuselah, and Shem fully spanned the world's history from Adam to Abraham. Shem, who was born before the flood, lived to see Abraham.

Two and two of all God's creation were carried by the ark to this side of the flood — by twos of all unclean beasts, and by sevens of the clean.

"And God blessed Xoah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea ; into your hand are they delivered." Gen. 9:1, 2.

The dominion that was given to Adam in the beginning was now given to Noah, and God also made a promise that He would destroy the world no more by water. This promise was to be a perpetual covenant, and, as a token of this covenant, the bow of promise was placed in the heavens. "And I will establish My covenant with you ; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood ; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations : I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud ; and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud ; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of My covenant, which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth." Verses 11-17.

The three sons of Noah who left the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. "And of them was the whole earth overspread." Gen. 9:19. This is a very important point in the inspired history of the world; for the locations chosen by these men, and the names given their colonies or places settled by them, are important points in the study of the future history of the world. This is especially true of the grandsons of Noah.

"Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth ; and unto them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth ; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations." Gen. 10:1-5.

The lands of the grandsons of Noah are mentioned throughout the world's history, and especially is this true of the lands of Magog, Meshech, and Tubal, as mentioned in the thirty-eighth chapter of Ezekiel. And in order to understand the inspired history or prophecy concerning the latter days, it is necessary to understand or know to what regions these grandsons of Noah emigrated.