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New Nation of Israel and the Word of God New Nation of Israel and the Word of God

Louis T. Talbot Biola University

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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Talbot, Louis T., "New Nation of Israel and the Word of God" (1948). Biola Radio Publications. 172. https://digitalcommons.biola.edu/biola-radio-pubs/172

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The Nation of Israel and the word of God

BIOLA UNlvERSITY LIBRARY

13800 Biola Avenue La Mirada. CA 90639

BS 649 .I8 T34nn 1948 Talbot, Louis T. 1889-1976. The new nation of Israel and

the word of God

THE NEW NATION OF ISRAEL

AND

THE WORD OF GOD!

A discussion between Dr. Louis T. Talbot, and Dr. William W. Orr conducted over the

Bible Institute Radio Hour

THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES 558 S. HOPE ST., LOS ANGELES 13, CALIFORNIA

Wednesday Morning

TALBITT

And now, my friends, I want to make an important change in our schedule for the broadcast this morning. You will remember that for the past seven or eight months we have been conducting a verse-by-verse study of the Book of Hebrews. Many of you have written in to say that this study has been a great blessing to your hearts, and we are very happy about that.

Now, ordinarily I would not plan that anything should upset this study, but in the last few days there has arisen a series of events affecting world condit ions which I consider to be extremely important. In fact, they are so important that I am going to put aside the study of the Book of Hebrews for this morning and dis­cuss this matter with my good friend and yours, Dr. William W. Orr, who is the Vice President of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles.

I want you to listen very closely because the discussion which we will be having affects every last man, woman and child on this earth. Now, if you have not already guessed what we are going to speak about, let me tell you it is the significance and - I MEAN THE TREMEN­DOUS SIGNIFICANCE OF THE IMMERGENCE OF THE NATION ISRAEL AS A NATIONAL STATE!

Now we are glad to have Dr. Orr back with us at this Microphone. Many of you will remember the series of discussions that we carried on last year. Dr. Orr had been, during this year, taking some additional work at a local University, but he is soon to complete that work and we shall be taking up together, not only this sub-ject, but a number of very vital questions concerning the important and thrilling events of the present day and their relationship to the Word of God. I want, first of all, for Dr. Orr to, as it were, set the stage and tell us what has been transpiring this last week.

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ORR I would like to add to what Dr. Talbot has already said that the newspaper headlines of the last few days have both amazed and thrilled my heart. You know, of course, that the British control over the land of Palestine was given up just three or four days ago, which means that Great Britain no longer dictates or controls the policy of that land. British officials and their troops were removed as well, and Palestine is what you might call, 'on its own.'

Just as soon as this happened, that is, when the British control came to an end, a Provisional Palestinian Govern­ment sat in executive session, and its first act was to declare the land of Palestine a sovereign nation, inde­pendent of all the other countries. They proceeded to elect Provisional officials including Dr. Weitzmann, the head of the Zionist Movement for the last two score years. Following that they applied for admission as a nation into the United Nations organization. All this occurred almost as fast as we can tell it here. Then, if you please, hardly had the wires of the world carried news of this Declaration of Independence, before Presi­dent Truman issued a statement from the White House recognizing the Provisional Government of the Land of Israel as the right and proper governing body of that new nation. Nor is this all, for another one of the Big Five, that is, the Soviet Union, has also given its recognitjon to the new Palestinian Government which is officially called the Land of Israel or the Nation of Israel.

Just yesterday, I think it was, both the United States and Russia urged in the United Nations Assembly at Lake Success, New York, that the United Nations organization take steps to recognize this new government and to stop the warfare that is being carried on. Now that, Dr. Talbot, is about the order of events that have trans­pired during the last few days.

TALBOT I want to say, My friends, that I have been a student

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of prophecy and a teacher of prophetic truths for the last thirty years. Many and many a time I have spoken to audiences and Bible classes telling them that they should look for the re-establishment of the Nation of Israel, and now before our very eyes this thing which the Word of God foretells has taken place. Do you realize what this means? This could be the beginning of that train of events which will not end until the Lord Jesus Christ Himself returns and sets up the ever­lasting Kingdom which shall never be thrown down.

I want to tell you very plainly here that these things are all tremendously important. But let me preface my remarks here by saying that.

I do not want to dogmatically set forth that these things are the immediate fore-runners of the caning of the Lord. You know, of course, that the scriptures teach that no man knows the day or the hour of the Lord's return, and I believe it is wise to say as well, that when you hear any man standing up and setting dates re­garding the return of Christ that you can put it down safely, this man does not know his Bible. Let me add, however, that the Lord has not left us in ignorance. While we cannot tell the day nor the hour, we can know the approximate time because God has given us certain signs, and when we see these events taking place we know that the coming of the Lord is near. Now, I believe that all Bible students will agree that the greatest sign in the prophetic sky regarding the coming of the Lord is the sign of His Ancient people Israel.

ORR Didn't the Lord call attention to that, Dr. Talbot, when he was here?

TALBOT Yes, He did! Christ was speaking to the religious lead­ers of the nation one day and He said: (Matt. 16:1-3) You are able to tell from the sky what kind of weather we are going to have. You can look up and when you see a red sunset or a red sunrise you know that it is going to be either bright or clear the next day. Then He went

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on to tell them that they should be able to discern the signs of the times, and in that particular instance what He meant was that they should be able to recognize Him when He came.

Now in this very same connection the Lord used a parable when he said, (Matt. 24:32,33) when the fig tree begins to put forth buds and leaves you know that sumner is nigh. Now in scripture, the figures which the Lord used all have a typical significance and the fig tree is a symbol of the nation Israel. So the Lord said, when you see stirrings in the nation of Israel, when national Israel begins to take on shape again, you know that prophetic events are coming to pass.

Now just look carefully, dear friends, for a moment, at what has happened in the last week. First of all some of God's ancient people at least are back in their own land. That in itself is an event of supreme prophetic importance. Israel has not been in her own land for, let's see, how long is it?

ORR

From the destruction of Jerusalem by the Emperor Titus in 70 A.D.? That would make 1878 years, or nearly 19 centuries.

TALBOT Yes! For nearly 19 centuries, the Israelitish nation has been without a homeland. They've been driven from pillar to post! They've had no rest for the sole of their feet! They've been in every nation and yet not a part of any nation! They've literally been in captivity in all the nations of the world and their own homeland, the land of Israel, has been under the domination of the various Gentile Nations that have held sway over it.

Now I said before, that this is an event of supreme im­portance. Israel is back in her own land!! I should add at this point too, don't you think Dr. Orr, that God's blessing on Israel was always dependent upon their being in the land?

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ORR

Yes, and the negative is also true here. When Israel was out of the land it was a sign of God's disfavor. (Deut. 28:15, 63, 64) To be in the land was a sign of God's favor. When Israe l disobeyed God the mark of punishment was that they were to be taken off the land, and when they repented and turned again to God, the mark of his favor was that they were to be brought back to their land. (Deut. 30: 1, 2, 3.)

TALBOT

Please do not underestimate the importance of the nation Israel again on the very same spot of land that God gave to Abraham and which he later confirmed to Isaac, to Jacob, to David and to Solomon.

Now the second great prophetic lesson of the last few days is the naming of this nation. I know that you realize the stigma that has been attached to the usual names of God's ancient people. One might have thought that when it came to naming this new nation they would have chosen any other name than the one which they had chosen. They might have called it Palestinia or Jordania or some other name. But no, the new official name chosen by the Provisional Government of this new nation is the Land of Israel. If this isn't an event of great pro­phetic significance then, my dear friends, I do not read my Bible aright.

Where did that name come from? Well, most of you know Old Testament history well enough to know that the progenitor of the Hebrew people was the Patriarch Abra­ham, a great man of God and a great man of faith. God called Abraham and said, 'I will make of thee a great nation' (Gen. 12: 1, 2). Abraham had a son named Isaac, and God renewed his covenant to Isaac. Isaac had two sons, one named Esau and one named Jacob, and God renewed His covenant with Jacob. Now Jacob's name was changed by God to Israel, and the term 'Israel' means, 'A Prince with God.' (Gen. 32:28). Israel had twelve sons and these sons are the heads of the twelve tribes of the Hebrews.

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All through Old Testament times the nation was called the Land of Israel and now with the revival of this nation we find the name which God gave to it in the be­ginning is the name which the new government has chosen to call itself.

Please notice that in the term 'Israel' we have one of the names of God. Most of you perhaps are familiar with the fact for in the very opening sentence of the Bible we find it says, 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.' The term which is used for God is the term Elohim. In the term 'Israel' we have the phrase 'El' meaning God. You know it seems sort of strange to pick up the news­papers and to find happenings of the nation Israel plastered all over the pages, yet, that is just what is happening. I was reading an item in yesterday's paper given out by the Foreign Minister who said that the citizens of Israel will be known as 'Israelis'. Someone asked him if they are not to be called 'Israelites' but he said that was a term for ancient history.

ORR It seems strange too, Dr. Talbot, doesn't it, to read of the new nation of Israel having a Foreign Minister, President, Cabinent, Assembly and all that sort of thing.

TALBOT Yes, and there's another very significant thing, not only does this new nation have a land, and a name, it has a government as well . For the first time in many centuries the Jews are to be under their own flag!! Think of that!! My information states that they are al­ready doing business as a nation, collecting taxes, de­livering mail, issuing import licenses, and taking care of all the functions of government.

Of course, the capitol is not in Jerusalem as you well know. It is in the City of Telaviv which-means the Hill of Spring. Jerusalem is under the special mandate of the United Nations and does not belong wholly to either Arabs or Jews.

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I understand that the Constitution of the Nation of Is­rael is to be modeled after the United States and British Constitutions . They have already chosen their Presi­dent, who is the emminent Dr. Chaim Weitzmann. Dr. Weitzmann has been the leader of the Zionist Movement for the past forty years, I believe. He is a very brilliant man, you remember that he was the one respon­sible as one of Britain's most emminent chemists for finding the new formula which resulted in the manufac­ture of TNT and was a deciding factor in the Allies' victory over Germany in 1918. It was as a result of Dr. Weitzmann's services to the British Empire that the Bal­four Declaration was made. The Balfour Declaration was a statement by the British Government that they favored the establishment of a permanent national homeland for the Israelitish people in Palestine. Now, Dr. Orr, what does all this mean? That's the question. What is the Biblical significance of this amazing turn of events? What does it mean to us as Bible students and as chris­tian leaders?

ORR

Well, that's a pretty big order, Dr. Talbot. There isn't the slightest doubt but that the emergence of the Nation Israel among the family of nations is the greatest piece of prophetic news that we have had in the 20th century. Perhaps its most important significance lies in the fact that it is indisputable evidence of God's hand moving in the affairs of men.

TALBOT

That it is! Now there are many more things I want to say about this, but I want to give the application and the signifi.cance of this event from the standpoint of the Word of God. I shall not have time to do this to­day, but I want you all to be tuned in next broadcast which will be Friday morning over these same stations. More than that, dear friends, I want you to invite your neighbors to listen in with us. Now without a doubt sane of you will be writing in asking for this discussion to be put i n printed form, and I am going to ask Dr. Orr to see that this is done. If you will write in and ask

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for it, we will give you a printed form of the material we have used in the discussion this morning and which we shall be using in the discussion next Friday morning. Above all, keep your eyes and hearts open and be much in prayer for it may be, my dear friends, that the consum­mation of this present age is nearer than we think.

Let us bow our hearts now in a word of prayer.

Friday Morning Broadcast

TALBOT

Now, my friends, if you were tuned in to this broadcast last Wednesday you will already know that we have turned aside for a broadcast or two to discuss what I consider to be the most important piece of news, prophetically speaking, that has appeared in this entire century. I am speaking, of course, of the recent thrilling develop­ments in the ancient Holy Land. Within the last week a new nation has been formed which is to be known as the Nation of Israel. Now, with us again today to help us in this discussion is my good friend and Vice President of the Bible Institute, Dr. William Orr, and together we are going to deal somewhat at length with the signif­icance of this event .

ORR We have already had quite a number of inquiries asking us to go into this matter more deeply and suggesting a number of questions that should be answered. First of all, Dr. Talbot, I was talking to a man who wanted to know why t his matter of the new Hebrew nation is so im­portant. Is it any different than any other new nation, and why all the fuss about it.

TALOOT That's a good question, and to answer this properly I shall have to go back a long, long time. Let me say , before I do, that God has given me somewhat of an in-sight into His Word. Not nearly as much as I would like

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to have, but then you can't study and work with the Bible over a period of 40 years and not know something. Now believe me when I say that in regard to God's deal­ing with the nations of the world in the event that has happened this last week is of the greatest importance. It could mean a beginning of a series of events that might culminate in the greatest of all events this world has ever known, which is the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You see, this matter of Israelites and their new nation is very definitely linked up with God's dealings, not only with them but, with the entire world. But, let me get back to the question.

Why do I consider this so important? I am turning back now to the first book in the Bible, the Book of Genesis, Chapter 12. There we find somewhere around the year 2,000 that God called a certain man named Abraham and said to this man that he was going to make of his de­scendents a great nation. To Abraham and to his child­ren God made some tremendous promises and covenants. You will find in the 15th Chapter of Genesis and in the 17th Chapter, a reiteration of this Abrahamic covenant. Now what were the provisions of this covenant? Briefly, they were these, that God was choosing this man and his seed as a special nation on which to pour out His bless­ings. However, God demanded of the Israelites for that is what they were called, obedience. God gave to this people a land, the same land that we know today as the Land of Palestine or, as it is now called, the Land of Israel. But there were conditions also, namely: that if the people obeyed God and worshipped him, then they were to have peace, prosperity, and a place in the land. If they did not obey God they were to suffer punishment and in the case of long disobedience they were to be taken off the land and scattered to the ends of the earth.

I would like to suggest that after this broadcast is over, you read the 28th and 30th Chapters of the Book of Deuteronomy.

Now, dear Friends, you know that this is what happened -10-

to the Jews, they did disobey God and after the time of Christ they were scattered to the four corners of the earth and for 19 centuries they have been world wander­ers. Now you tell them, Dr. Orr, what's the next step in the story.

ORR The next step as I see it is this. That while God promised that the Israelites would be punished for dis­obedience, he also promised that if they would repent and turn to Him, He would restore to them their own own land, and this time they would not be any more taken up from that land, but it would be theirs forever.

TALBOT Almost the entire burden of the Old Testament prophecy concerns itself with this coming time of blessing for the nation Israel. From the 40th Chapter of Isaiah until the end of the book, the great theme is a millen­nium of blessing for the nation Israel and through them to the ends of the earth. So you see, my friends, the significance.

This is what God has promised to do and this may be His time to do it, and if this is God's time, then not only will the Jews be affected but all nations of the world and all governments of the world. Yes, and all people of the world are affected as well .

ORR Perhaps we should make special mention here as to what this may mean to the Israelitish nation.

TALBOT I am not sure if these Hebrews understand just what is going on. That is, I am not certain that they know that it is God that is doing this for them. They may think that they are responsible for this move themselves. And this again is in line with Bible prophecy for we have long said that the new Israelitish State was to be established in unbelief. However, it will bring great and far-reaching effects upon this new nation.

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After centuries and centuries of having no national entity, now they are to possess one, and after an al­most endless time of persecution, now they are to be somewhat relieved. If this is God's time, you will pardon me using this phrase so much, and I can say that it looks to me as if it were God's time, but if this is God's time, the nation will be fully established and will take its place among the family of nations. There will be prosperity and honor given to this new nation. More than likely a goodly percentage of the Hebrews throughout the world will turn their faces toward this ancient land and decide to return.

Cities will be rebuilt and desolate places will be re­claimed. Many miracles will take place in that ancient land. A great deal of long-forgotten wealth will come to light both from untapped oil resources and from the chemical riches of the Dead Sea. The ancient cities will be modernized and a good portion of the world's wealth will flow that way.

I could give you many scripture passages to look up here but let me call your attention to just a few. First of all, the Book of Daniel is a very important one and par­ticularly the 7th and 11th Chapters. The 23rd Chapter of Jeremiah and the 33rd through the 48th Chapters of the Book of Esekiel. You might also read, in this con­nection, the 9th, 10th and 11th Chapters of Romans and the 24th and 25th of Matthew. I want to tell you, my dear friends, that this recent event has tremendous sig-nificance to the Israelitish people. It is the beginning of the end of their world-wide captivity.

ORR

Perhaps you should go on from there, Dr. Talbot, to tell what this event will mean to the world.

TALBOT

Well, you know that the world is in a pretty sorry state. I do not have to tell you that. Look at the events of the last 35 years. Between 1914 and 1918 there was fought a titanic struggle with almost all the more im­portant nations of the world engaged. The great battle

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cry was, 'A war to end all wars' and if my memory serves me correctly there were 10 million men killed in the fields of battle and perhaps twice that many more killed by hunger, disease and sorrow of heart behind the lines. New weapons were used in that war capable of greater and faster destruction of life and property.

Well, that's bad enough we know, but a little more than a score of years following that war we found the world engaged in a still more titanic struggle and this time there were even more terrible weapons and greater de­struction of life. Then too, with the expenditure of almost unheard of sums of money a new weapon was formed that absolutely dwarfs into insignificance all the other weapons of history, and with this new weapon it would be within the realm of possibi l ity to absolutely wipe from the earth the entire population, almost in less time than it takes to tell it. We have emerged from that war with seeds of bitterness and hatred that will most sure­ly argue for the third struggle.

If I were to attempt to set before you the rivers of blood and the oceans of tears that have been shed, I am sure you would see the futility of life.

Now the question is, is this dreadful state of affairs to continue? Is life to be just one more war after another? Is there no relief in sight? Is civilization to annihilate itself? Is this present system of greed, hatred and bitterness to continue indefinitely? I am happy to say, my dear friends, that the answer is 'No' because God is going to step into this picture. Now don't misunderstand me, I am for every movement that has for its goal peace between men and nations and I would lend my support to these efforts to establish free re­lationship between the nations of the world, but on the other hand, my friends, I am sure as I am talking to you of the utter impossibility for mankind alone to be at peace with himself. It never has been, and it never will be until God does something.

Now let me get back to my subject again. Dr. Orr asked me what this will mean to the nations of the world and I

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would like to state definitely that what has happened during this past week, and I refer to the Declaration of Independence by this new State of Israel this is a movement of God's making. It is God that has brought this thing to pass and to my own heart it is an indica­tion that the present order of things, with all their sorrow, disappointment, discouragement and woe is not much longer to be cont inued. It is an indication to me that God is about to take a hand in the affairs of men. It is an indication t o me that the coming of Christ is not far away.

My dear Friends, I want you to see this, that when Christ comes, every last man, woman and child on this earth will be affected because the scriptures definitely states that all must stand before Christ for He is to be the judge over all the earth.

ORR I find, Dr. Talbot, that so many people do not seem to connect the h a ppenings to the Israelites with the history of the church or with the future of the people. They seem t o fee l that the Hebrew has had his day and now God is through with him. Perhaps you should say a word or two about what this means to the church .

TALBOT Many of us have spent a good deal of time in the scrip­tures studying the whole picture of prophecy and con­sequently it is very clear to us . However, I realize that there are many people that have not been so taught, and I do want to make these matters very clear. I truly believe, my dear friends, that God has not cast away his people, but He has a definite and wonderful future for them. However, since the time of the crucifixion of Christ until the present day, the Nation of Israel has come under the chastening rod of God. During this time God's plan and purpose has been the establishment and building up of the church and when I say Church, I mean that body of believers throughout the world who have put their complete faith and trust in a crucified and risen Saviour.

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Now the church itself is not to continue indefinitely. It had its beginning on the day of Pentecost and it will have an ending. You have heard me speak many times of the future coming of Christ. That is the event for which I am both looking and longing. I told you in the Broad­cast on Wednesday that no man knows the day nor the hour of the Lord's return, but don't forget that we do have signs of the coming of Christ and of the consummation of the church age is the sign of Israel. When we see this Nation stirring and beginning to take on nationality we know that the coming of Christ for his church is near.

We expect Christ to return first to catch up, that is, remove from the earth all true born again christians. This is a secret and miraculous coming. Then in a short time after that the Lord will return to the earth in a public manner when every eye shall see Him and He shall take the reins of government which, after all, are right­fully His and He will rule and rein from the river to the ends of the earth and the church will reign with Him. They will assist in the maintenance of God's government. so you see, dear friends, why the eyes of the church ought to be upon what is happening to the nation of Israel.

Since I last spoke to you, there are five more nations that have recognized the independence of this new state. I am not able to say whether this state will endure the fighting that is at present taking place. Perhaps there will be some set-backs and this would not be surprising, but it is certainly true that on the very land that God gave to Abraham some 4,000 years ago, his descendents have proclaimed a resurrection of the Israelitist nation and have chosen exactly the name which God gave to it centuries ago. That in itself is an event of great significance.

ORR There remains one more subject which you nrust touch upon before you leave us today and that is, what does the Declaration of Independence mean as far as Christ is con-cerned? And I mean by that, where does He figure in this train of events that may have begun at this particular time? -15-

TAI.BOT One of the greatest joys of my ministry has been that I could preach that Jesus Christ is coming back. I believe this with all my heart and I cannot for the life of me see how so many people fail to recognize this all import­ant fact. You see, Christ did come once and he over­whelmingly proved himself to be what He claimed to be, the very Son of God, and before He left He promised to return and, I for one, have taken Him at His word. The The last look that the world had of Jesus Christ was when they saw him hanging in shame and ignominy on a cross of wood. And He, the Son of God, was being put to death by the hatred of man. The next look that the world will have of Jesus Christ will be as a mighty conquering, victor­ious King coming out of parted heavens and conquering all in His path. Now don't forget, my dear friends, that Jesus Christ was a Jew. In fact, He is called the King of the Jews al­though He never reigned over them. Yet, some day He will reign and He shall be King in fact as well as in name and this will be the day of His glory and His corona­tion. This will be the day when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord of all. My dear friends, I long for that day to come. Now when will it come, that's the question. Well, let me say again that all these things are bound together and God's great prophetic picture can take shape very rapid­ly. Not only is Christ coming for the church, but He is coming to be King of Israel as He promised to be. So, you do see the significance, don't you, of the fact that Israel is now a nation? Oh, I know that He is not yet reigning over them, but such events can happen with tremendous rapidity. The significance of this Declara­tion of Independence includes the coming glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as the King over all the earth. Now, my dear friends, many of you have already asked for a copy of these last two messages, and we have put them in printed form. If you would like to have a copy for yourself and perhaps one or two for your neighbors, please write in and request them. Address your letters to me, Louis T. Talbot, or to the Bible Institute Hour, Box 151, Los Angeles, California. I would like every­one of my listeners to have a copy of these messages, and you might endeavor to place them in the hands of some who do not yet know Christ as their own personal Saviour. -16-

Gaylord PAMPHLET BINDER

Syracuse, N.Y. Stockton, Calif. EX LIBRIS

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