100 LT.-COL. MOLONY, O.B.E., LATE R.E., ON PREDICTIONS AND 



prophecy of the weeks in Dan. ix. We must, however, be on our 

 guard not to read into these predictions, those which concern the 

 coming of the King ruling all nations with a rod of iron, not of gold, 

 when, if the just have a good time, the unjust have a bad time. 



" As at that time Satan will be chained and in the abyss, and 

 God's Spirit will be poured out on all flesh, there will be no excuse 

 whatever for refusing the call to repentance, and the inclination and 

 power for righteousness. 



" As an illustration of the need for caution regatding the predic- 

 tions, I may mention that some ten years ago, I heard a Christian 

 preacher, in a Good Friday sermon, speak of our Lord's sufferings 

 as His treading the winepress alone — seelsa. Ixiii, 1-6. 



" I remember, some years ago, hearing the late Dr. Bullinger say 

 that whilst the glories of the King were sometimes mentioned, apart 

 from any mention of the sufferings, the sufferings were never men- 

 tioned apart from the glories ; and I have found no exception to 

 this. In Gen. iii, 15, ' IT shaU bruise thy head,' takes precedence of 

 ' Thou shalt bruise His heel.' The prophecies dwell much more on 

 the reigning King than on the suffering Saviour, who is pre-eminently 

 taught in the tabernacle and temple sacrifices. 



Whilst many of the Old Testament prophecies might leave us in 

 doubt as to their fulfilm* nt in one or in more persons, Ps. xxii leaves 

 us in little doubt, and Isa. liii in none whatever, that the Sufferer 

 and King were to be one person. That the Prophet was to be the 

 same person was less clear ; most of those who accepted our Lord 

 in that capacity, and also as King, were scandalized at the thought 

 of His being the Sufferer ; and when He died, they lost all hope of 

 His becoming King — all except the penitent malefactor on the cross. 



" I should rather be incined to say (see page 84, near foot) that our 

 Lord, as Prophet, was servant of God's Truth ; it is also true that 

 He is King of the hearts of God's faithful people ; but this, I submit, 

 is not the meaning of the Old Testament prophecies of the King, 

 who will not show kindness to the lion, which is cruelty to the lamb. 

 He will know how to show mercy, but not at the expense of justice. 



" There are prophecies in Deuteronomy and the Psalms, stating 

 that the obedience of many of the Gentile nations in the millennium 

 will be forced and feigned, not voluntary, and that a great revolt 

 will take place (see Rev. xx) as soon as Satan is unchained. 



