There is a reference here to several prophecies, such as Ezek. 47: The last feast is

therefore parallel with Pentecost and an expansion of it. What Pentecost foreshadowed

was not the church of the mystery, but the ingathering of Israel and the pouring out upon

them of the Spirit as a life-giving stream. Here, therefore, given to the people of type and

shadow, was a sacred calendar, a period of seven months in which was foreshadowed, so

far as the earthly side was concerned, the unfolding purpose of the age.

The creation week, with its six days of work and one of rest, the fact that Heb. 4: 9

speaks of a rest or Sabbath keeping for the people of God, the fact that the sabbatic

principle underlies the whole scheme, lends colour to the Rabbinical view that the ages

will conform to the same principles. The Rabbis taught that the world was two thousand

years without the law, two thousand years under the law, and two thousand years under

the Messiah. The Revelation tells us of the thousand years of glory at the close. The

world draws near to the end of its sixth day.

It is folly to attempt the computation of the time of the end, for at least two reasons. It

transgresses the evident prohibition of Acts 1: 7 and Matt. 24: 36, 44; and it assumes

that chronology since Christ is trustworthy. At the best we can only say that this present

year of grace is approximately A.D.1932.  There is no proof--and we believe the

uncertainty to be of God.

The church of the mystery finds no exposition in Leviticus; its hope is entirely

separated from the hope of Israel. This does not, however, clash with the obvious

deduction, that if the hope of Israel draws near to its realization, how much nearer must

our hope be? Grace now; and glory soon. What manner of persons ought we to be?

The English title of this fourth book of Moses is taken from the one given it by the

70: Arithmoi, which has its origin in the fact that the opening chapter deals with the

numbering of the tribes of Israel. The title of the book in the Hebrew Bible, however, is

B'midbar, "In the wilderness", which indicates the true setting of its tragic story. Perhaps

the verse that best epitomizes the book is Numb 14: 34:--

"My breach of promise"! What an expression to come from the God of Abraham,

Isaac and Jacob! What a revelation of the complete apostacy of His people! It was for

the guidance and comfort of this people that Moses wrote Psa. 90: and also, as we