24
concerning the hope of the Church. Speaking of the fact that in
all our versions the Epistles to the Thessalonians come last he
says:
`It must be evident to us all at the outset that, as long as Jehovah's promise
to "send Jesus Christ" was not withdrawn, while it was still open to Israel
to see the fulfilment of "all that the prophets have spoken" on the one
condition (of repentance) laid down, while the imminence of the Lord's
speedy coming was everywhere the testimony of "them that heard Him",
whether spoken or written, the waiting for God's Son from heaven, and
deliverance from the wrath to come would necessarily be the central point
of all testimony during the Dispensation of the Acts.
The Pauline Epistles cannot be exempt from this conclusion
(our italics). If any one is disposed to hold that the promise
made in Acts 3 was withdrawn at any time before Acts 28, it is
incumbent on them to point out where such an epoch-making
event is recorded. But this cannot be done. There is not a
tittle of evidence that can be produced. Indeed, the very first
epistle written by Paul (1 Thess. 1:10) emphasises this, and
the second letter cannot even be understood apart from it'.
These words of Dr. Bullinger's were published in 1911-13 in
`Things to Come', and in 1913 it will be remembered he fell
asleep. Readers who know only the Doctor's `Church Epistles'
should note carefully his own correction of his earlier views.
In the same series, after having quoted 1 Thessalonians 4:13-
18, Dr. Bullinger writes:
`Paul was here confirming what the Lord had said in Matthew 24. "This
great trumpet" is the "trump of God" in 1 Thessalonians 4, and the
gathering is the gathering of "them that are alive and remain". This is the
work assigned to the angels'.