brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people." (Acts, 3: 22, 23.) Thus Peter explains this passage from Moses as foretelling the same still future coming of Jesus Christ at "the restitution of all things," which he was himself preaching as a motive to repentance, which restitution surely will not be accomplished until the whole house or church of God shall be finally restored to all that perfection and glory of which all the saints have the sure promise, when, as Peter quotes and explains Moses, "all who will not hear that Prophet [Christ] shall be destroyed." "Yea, Peter then goes on with his discourse, and says, all the prophets, from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." (Acts, 3: 24.) Here, he affirms again, and more particularly, that Samuel, as a prophet, and all who wrote after him, foretold the same days" or "times of restitution of all things," which he was then holding up to view, with Christ's coming again from "the heavens." Let us, then, look for this prophecy, in, 2. THE PROPHET SAMUEL. 2 Sam. 7: 12, 13. "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed [Christ] after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever." Here, certainly, Samuel does foretel of a personage finally to be set up, who shall build the Lord's house, and PRIN. 17. True interpretations harmonizing with the spirit, letter, and great end of the Gospel, and of Christ's coming "into the world to save sinners." PROOF. Mat. 9: 13. 18:11. Luke 9:56. 19: 10. John 12: 47. 1 Tim. 1: 15. PRIN. 18. "No prophecy" (or instruction) "of the scripture, of any private interpretation," or of private concern, which is given rather generally. PROOF. 2 Pet. 1: 20. Acts 10: 34. Rom. 2: 11. 1 Cor. 10: 11. 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. 1 Pet. 1: 17. PRIN. 19. The words, "everlasting". "forever""forevermore," &c., representing endless duration only, especially when joined with rewards and punishments. PROOF AND EXAMPLES. Gen. 49:26. Ps. 3: 4. 15: 1. 43: 3. 68: 15, 16. 121: 1. 37:18, 29. Mat. 25: 41, 46. Rev. 14: 11, &c. PRIN. 20. True interpretations, harmonizing with the perceptions of men truly "reasonable." PROOF. Isa. 1: 18. Rom. 12: 1. Acts 17: 2. 18: 4, 19. 24: 25. PRIN. 21. Preconceived opinion, even if approved by the modern fathers, not a safe rule of interpretation. PROOF. Prov. 26: 12, 16. 1 Cor. 1:27-29. Jer. 175. Mat. 23: 9. Ex. 23: 2. 2 Tim. 4: 1-5. PRIN. 22. Profane history no rule of interpreting "the Spirit" and power of the holy word. PROOF: Mat. 15:3, 6, 9. Col. 28. 1 Tim. 1: 4. 4: 7. Tit. 1: 14. 2 Pet. 1: 16. PRIN. 23. Prophecies now specially fulfilling, to be understood and considered, in order best to understand. PROOF AND EXAMPLES. Mat. 24: 10, 12, 14, 33. 2 Thess. 2: 2-10. Isa. 29: 11-14. Rev. 14:6, 7. PRIN. 24. The Bible its own independent interpreter, uniformly. PROOF. Ps. 118: 6, 9. 146: 3, 5. Isa. 30: 1, 2. Jer. 17: 5. Showing an apparent mistake of about 39 years in the popular calcula tion. Whole sojourning till coming out of Egypt, 430 years, Ex. xii. 40; Gal. iii. 16, 17. From the coming out of Egypt to the beginning of the temple, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign, 480 years, 1 Kings vi. 1. Reign of Kings afterward. Solomon reigned still farther 36 years. 1 Kings xi. 42; 2 Chron. iii. 2 Rehoboam next reigned 17 Abijah or Abijam " Asa "xiv. 21; 3 "6 xv. 1, 2; xii. 13 xiii. 1, 2 25 " xxii. 41, 42; By comparing these passages, it will appear that Abram sojourned at 75 years of age, and at the death of his father Terah, who died at the age of 205, so that the 75 years of Abram's age subtracted from the 205 years, his father's age at the same time, leaves 130 as the age of Terah when his son Abram was born. Duration of the Babylonish captivity, as generally estimated, 70 years.t From the Babylonish captivity to Christ, as generally estimated, 483 years.t Duration of captivity, as estimated 70 From the captivity to Christ's advent, as generally estimated 483 Take present computation B. C. 3965 4004 Deficiency, 38 Note. The above chronological table is offered to the public, more with the desire of exciting inquiry and careful investigation on the subject, than to have it silently received as a true calculation. From considerable inquiry, it is believed, that during the last age of the Church, if no longer, the number has been but very few who have so far examined this question for themselves, as to become fully satisfied, from positive Scripture testimony, that the period, from the creation to Christ, was actually 4004 years, as represented by the chronological calculations placed on the pages of our Bibles; and generally considered unquestionable. It will be seen, that this calculation makes the period from the creation to Christ about 39 years less than the 4004, as heretofore received. * It will be seen that in a few instances like this, there may possibly be the variation of a year, or part of a year. t With regard to these two periods, as generally allowed, the writer hesitates to speak with confidence, not seeing them so clearly as the preceding with refer ences. If that calculation should be considered so many years too large, the error may have resulted from attempting to fix correct dates from the periods during which the several judges of Israel held their offices; inasmuch as some of these periods are left in comparative darkness, and for aught we can decide, some of those judges may have been cotemporary with each other, and the periods of their judging be recorded twice, in some instances, by adding them together. It is therefore suggested to all who prefer a positive "thus saith the the Lord," to "the traditions of the elders," that they inquire into this subject, and find out, if possible, what the truth is in relation to it; so that if this calculation be defective, its defects may be shown clearly from Bible Testimony, and that another table, with clear proof from inspiration, may be furnished us, showing, if possible, that the calculation of 4004 years B. C. is a true calculation; or else furnish some other, which shall be supported with better proof. |