1943 Bible Studies - page 136

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BIBLE STUDIES.

David’s day passed, the sound of the trumpet and the din of battle had faded away, and in Solomon’s reign Judah and Israel from Dan to Beersheba dwelt securely, every man under his vine and fig tree.  Such was Solomon’s day and such will be Messiah’s -- what is said of the Millennium in Isaiah 44. 22, 34, is repeated by Micah (4. 2, 3), for the two prophets were contemporaneous. When God speaks the same words twice they are words of great importance.  After Micah wrote Isaiah’s words, closing with the words " Neither shall they learn war any more, "

he said, " But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree ; and none shall make them afraid : for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. "

Fear is gone because war is gone.  No fear of being attacked because there is no army to wage war.  " His " vine and fig tree will continue to remain his vine and fig tree.  A just Judge shall render wars unnecessary for the Lord shall " judge between many peoples, and shall reprove (decide concerning, R. V. marg. ) strong nations afar off. "

In the Millennium there shall be private property.  Men will have their own vine.  Even in heaven there will be private ownership, as the Lord shows in that word " Lay up for yourselves treasures in h e a v e n . . . for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. " Communism is but a passing phase, an unsubstantial dream of earth’s dark night ; it is but a negative ideal in an endeavour to eliminate the natural covetousness of the human heart.  A community of goods for a

community of people, even at a time when it is said that the disciples had all things common in Acts 2., never existed.  It was never contemplated or there would have been no need of making collections for the poor as in 1 Corinthians 16. and elsewhere in the Scriptures.

God gave to Israel His people allotted portions of the land of Canaan. These were entailed in the families of the original owners and errors were corrected by redemption, or in the year of Jubilee when lands which had been sold returned to the true owners.  God gave to His people that they according to His law and of their own free will might give to Him.  This divine arrangement will be continued in millennial days, for then the human heart will be given an outlet to shows its appreciation of the blessed King that will then reign in Jerusalem.  The small beginnings in Matthew 2. 1 when the wise men came from the east with their gold, frankincense, and myrrh to present to the young child, will then reach a

mighty flow.

" The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents :

The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him :

All nations shall serve Him. " (Psalm 72. 10, 11).

But not only will men bring gifts to the Lord in that coming day as never before, but " in that day, saith the LORD of Hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree " (Zechariah 3. 10).  Though men

shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, as Micah says, yet there will be no complacent selfishness, no polite conservation, which gives when it gives at all, like a bottle with a narrow heck which gives little with loud resounding " blobs. "

Men will then call every man his neighbour under the vine and fig tree.  Man will be as neighbourly to the poor as to the rich. There will be no Pharisaism saying " Who is my neighbour. " How sweet will be the life of men in those days ! A cold, hard world will under Messiah’s smile be made warm and affectionate.

" Love thy neighbour as thyself " will be the rule of life. Men will have neighbours everywhere.  The priest and Levite will not then pass by on the other side, but willing hearts will help the low and lift the fallen.

How different all this is from the mode of education in some lands to-day !

Destruction and misery are in their way and the way of peace they have not known.

But then all will be changed.  The teaching of Christ will then be law and men will be happy both to give and to get, to minister and to be ministered unto, though even then it will be more blessed to give than to receive.

J. M.

May be obtained from Mr. C. C. Beadsworth, " Elderhurst, " Broadway, Newcastle-on-Tyne, 3.

Registered for Canadian Magazine post. Printed in England by Jas. Harwood, Ltd., Derby.