the other hand, the unbelief of Israel would appear in that they would reject these three
things: the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of the House of David, and the building of
the Temple, according to the prediction in Hos. iii. 5.77 It follows that, after the period of
unbelief, the Messianic deliverances and blessings of the 'Athid Labho,' or future age,
were expected. But the final completion of all still remained for the 'Olam Habba,' or
world to come. And that there is a distinction between the time of the Messiah and this
'world to come' is frequently indicated in Rabbinic writings.78
65. So expressly in Mechilta, p. 75 a; Yalkut, vol. ii. p. 14 a, last line.
66. Ber. ii. 2.
67. The Shema , which was repeated twice every day, was regarded as distinctive of
Jewish profession (Ber. iii. 3).
68. For example, Ber. 13 b, 14 b; Ber. ii. 5; and the touching story of Rabbi Akiba thus
taking upon himself the yoke of the Law in the hour of his martyrdom, Ber. 61 b.
69. In Ber. 14 b, last line, and 15 a, first line, there is a shocking definition of what
constitutes the Kingdom of Heaven in its completeness. For the sake of those who would
derive Christianity from Rabbinism. I would have quoted it, but am restrained by its
profanity.
70. So often Comp. Siphré p. 142 b, 143 b.
71. Ber. R. 98.
72. Yalkut, vol. ii. p.
43 a.
73. Midr. on 1 Sam. viii 12; Midr. on Eccl. i. 18.
74. In Yalkut ii. p. 178 a.
75.
Zech. xiv. 9.
76. The same passage is similarly referred to in the Midr. on Song. ii. 12, where the
words 'the time of the singing has come,' are paraphrased; 'the time of the Kingdom of
Heaven that it shall be manifested, hath come' (in R. Martini Pugio Fidei, p. 782).
77. Midr. on 1 Sam. viii. 7. Comp. also generally Midr. on Ps. cxlvii. 1.
78. As in Shabb. 63 a, where at least three differences between them are mentioned. For,
while all prophecy pointed to the days of the Messiah, concerning the world to come we
are told (Is. lxiv. 4) that 'eye hath not seen, &c.'; in the days of the Messiah weapons
would be borne, but not in the world to come; and while Is. xxiv. 21 applied to the days
of the Messiah, the seemingly contradictory passage, Is. xxx. 26, referred to the world to
come. In Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Exod. xvii. 16, we read of three generations: that
of this world, that of the Messiah, and that of the world to come (Aram: Alma
deathey=olam habba ). Comp. Ar. 13 b, and Midr. on Ps. lxxxi. 2 (3 in A.V.), ed. Warsh.
p. 63 a, where the harp of the Sanctuary is described as of seven strings (according to Ps.
cxix. 164); in the days of the Messiah as of eight strings (according to the inscription of
Ps. xii.); and in the world to come (here Athid labho) as of ten strings (according to Ps.
xcii. 3). The references of Gfrörer (Jahrh. d. Heils, vol. ii. p. 213) contain, as not
unfrequently, mistakes. I may here say that Rhenferdius carries the argument about the
Olam habba, as distinguished from the days of the Messiah, beyond what I believe to be
established. See his Dissertation in Meuschen, Nov. Test. pp. 1116 &c.
As we pass from the Jewish ideas of the time to the teaching of the New Testament, we
feel that while there is complete change of spirit , the form in which the idea of the
Kingdom of Heaven is presented is substantially similar. Accordingly, we must dismiss