When we endeavour to compute the time of the end, without of course

attempting 'the day and the hour' which is forbidden, there are certain

features which are key events which, if seen in their right relationship with

other prophetic features, will lead us to an approximation of the character

of the time of the end, even though many details can only be understood in

the light of their fulfilment.  Prominent among such subjects, is the future

gathering of Israel by the Lord to the land of promise.  It will be observed

that we have said 'the future gathering' and 'by the Lord', the present

occupation of the land by Israel being rather in line with Abraham's mistake

which led to the birth of Ishmael.  A future 'gathering' of Israel

presupposes a past 'scattering', and we believe an examination of the

Scripture closely dealing with these related events will be profitable in

more ways than one.

In the New Testament, the Greek word diaspora 'the scattered' has

become, practically, a title of Israel.  Diaspora occurs three times:

'Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will He go, that we shall

not find Him?  Will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles

(Greeks), and teach the Gentiles (Greeks)?' (John 7:35).

'James (literally Jacob), a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus

Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting'

(Jas. 1:1).

'Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered

throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia' (1 Pet.

There are at least seven references to the diaspora in the LXX, namely, in

Deuteronomy 28:25; 30:4; Nehemiah 1:9; Psalm 146:2 (147:2 A.V.); Isaiah 49:6;

Jeremiah 15:7; 41:17.  The first reference is a consequence of the curse

pronounced from Mount Ebal upon disobedience to the commandments of the Lord:

'The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou

shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and

shalt be removed (thou shalt be a dispersion, LXX) into all the

kingdoms of the earth' (Deut. 28:25).

Here, in this first occurrence, we have the root cause of all the

dispersions of Israel that follow, and in the next reference we find the germ

of all the promises of their final restoration; we quote direct from the LXX

of Deuteronomy 30:4:

'If thy dispersion (diaspora) be from one end of heaven to the other,

thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and thence will the Lord thy

God take thee'.

This passage from Deuteronomy 30:4 is remembered by Nehemiah in his

prayer, as recorded in Nehemiah 1:9:

'But if ye turn unto Me, and keep My commandments, and do them; though

there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet

will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that

I have chosen to set My name there' (Neh. 1:9).

Here the words 'cast out' are diaspora in the LXX.

Psalm 146:2 (LXX)

147:2 (A.V.) reads: