Introduction

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY YEARS BEFORE the actual events came to fruition in the Middle East, two dedicated Bible scholars predicted accurately several key years in the then approaching conflict for tenure of the holy Land and Jerusalem, involving a long prophesised regathering of the Jews to their Promised Land, after nearly 2000 years of Diaspora.

Doctors Clarke and Guinness pointed well in advance to the coming years 1902, 1917, 1947-8 and 1967 AD, having based their predictions on the 2,500 year old Biblical book of Daniel.

Not only did their advance forecasts prove accurate decades later, but those key 'Signpost Years’ continue to mark events and developments in the holy Land, ever since their occurrence in modern times, that now represent the specific themes of serious contention in the struggle for Peace in that region today.

These following NOTES explain the rational behind the Clarke-Guinness thinking in as fast and concise a form as possible, and elaborations will follow. A second critical aim here is not to prove 'The Signpost Years' correct, but rather to use the scientific approach of attempting their falsification first. You can help either way by passing on any objective comments to this site.

PART 1 Is an Introduction and looks at each of the Signpost Years as they were foretold in the writings of Guinness and Clarke. It looks at many of the side issues and has a number of detailed footnotes.

PART 2 Looks at the period 1901 – 1903, and the first of the Signpost Years predicted by Clarke in 1825. This part explains the huge significance of the period and sets the scene for a further link that comes in Part 4.

PART 3 Begins to address some of the typical questions that might arise in the mind of the reader regarding the Signpost Years. Items are added to this from time to time as new considerations are brought to light. Again, feel free to contribute any comments that will add to those pages.

PART 4 Looks at the Signpost Years in the light of the last 6 months of Christ’s Ministry, and especially the last week of messages He imparted to His followers for the future. It ties directly back into PART 2.


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Click on QUICK LINKS to Parts 1 to 4 of the Signpost Notes:
Part 1: Introduction, Timelines, Conclusion.
Part 2: The SignPost Year 1902 AD and Max Nordau
Part 3: Q & A on the Signpost Years
Part 4: Jesus and the Signpost Years



Wednesday 1 January 2014

THE 'SIGNS OF THE TIMES' IN GUINNESS, et al.


 

 
“JEWISH SIGNS:

‘Long ago, six hundred years before the Christian era, my nation lost its independence; it fell under Gentile rulers. But its fall was illuminated by hope, for our restoration had been predicted a thousand years previously by the same God who had also foretold our fall. Many particulars were associated with our fall in sacred prophecy, and they all came true.

Many more were associated with our restoration, and one by one they have been coming true for the last 150 years. Not a single jot or tittle has failed of the threats of judgement; all came on our people and lasted through ages. And now the promises are coming upon us; one by one they have been fulfilled, and there remain unfulfilled but one or two, and even of these we are already receiving the first instalments - the conversion of our people and their restoration to the land of promise. We cannot from our experience doubt that the day is near at hand when the throne of Judah will again be established on earth, and when Messiah, Son of David, will be King over the whole world.

You need not take my word for it; judge for yourself ! Compare the condition of the Jews in Europe and the wide world to-day, with what it was only two centuries ago! Then our portion was, and for ages had been, homeless exile, perpetually renewed banishment, cruel and constant massacre, ruthless spoliation, social contempt and degradation, destruction by torture and fire and sword; we were despised until we became despicable, oppressed until we became wicked, crushed down until we lost the power to rise, deprived of all chance of culture till we sank into almost brutal ignorance; we were enslaved and ill-treated till we hardly remembered we were men; and this for long, long centuries !

Now all is changed, and our portion in most lands is as good a one as that of the Gentiles themselves. In some countries we are still reminded of olden times occasionally, when our people by their financial dealings excite popular prejudice; but this is the exception, not the rule. Everywhere we are now being emancipated, possessed of civil, social, and religious liberty, and of citizenship in all lands; we take our places in every class, even among the legislators and judges of the Gentiles; we teach their youth, we conduct their Press; we enjoy honour and power, rank and wealth, and perfect equality with our Gentile neighbours.

Further, we have once more AN INTERNATIONAL BOND OF UNION, and one of the most rapidly rising, fast multiplying, vigorous, and advancing nations on earth. We can compete with the Gentiles in the mart, in the study, in the senate, wherever we get fair play; and we are getting that everywhere now.

Our restoration to our own land is but a question of time, and probably of a short time. If our revival, uplifting, and restoration mark the terminus of your Gentile age, then you may be very sure its years are few !’ ”

[Guinness comment continues]:

“So speaks the Jewish witness, and every fact he indicates is a sign of the times.

And there is further confirmation still in connection with the land of the Jews, as well with their people.

For eighteen centuries it has lain desolate and forsaken of its sons, occupied and oppressed by strangers, and its condition was indicated by our Lord Himself as especially a sign of the times. ‘And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.’

The condition of Palestine, be it observed, is a wholly independent question to that of the state of the Jews. Since the close of the Jewish war 1800 years ago, the Jews have had no more to do with it practically than the Chinese. It has passed under the power of one Gentile nation after another, and no improvement in the condition of the Jews has yet had any direct influence on the fate of Palestine.

For the last twelve centuries it has lain desolate under Mohammedan despotism, and for 400 years it has been wasted by Turkish tyranny. But the cruel grasp that has held it so long is fast relaxing; paralysis has smitten away its strength; the slightest effort would remove the weak and unwelcome constraint; yea, it would have failed long since had not outsiders upheld the arm and steadied the hand. It must evidently, as all admit, resign its hold ere long.

But perchance some other Gentile Power may succeed the Turk ? It dos not follow that Jerusalem must cease to be trodden down by Gentiles because it ceases to be trodden down by the Turk.

True; but this decay of Turkish power is represented elsewhere under the figure of the drying up of the Euphrates, and that figure points back to Cyrus’ capture of Babylon, when the river Euphrates was actually dried up, that Israel’s liberator might enter Babylon and set the captive people free. Of this Cyrus it was said, ‘He shall build My city; he shall let go My captives.’ He is a type of Christ, who is now by His providence drying up the anti-typical Euphrates, ie. The Turkish Power, that He may effect a greater deliverance.

Furthermore, facts indicate that it would be impossible permanently to replace the Turks in Jerusalem by any nation except a Jewish one. The Powers of Europe would not suffer any one of themselves to possess it; when the Eastern Question comes to its solution, the probability is that the best course, even from a merely political standpoint, will be seen to be a Jewish occupation, under European guarantee as in the case of Belgium.

In any case, the condition of Jerusalem, and of the Eastern Question generally, seems to agree with all the rest in indicating that we have nearly reached the close of the ‘times of the Gentiles.’ ”

[ Light For The Last Days, 1917 edition with EP Cachemaille, MA. editor.

Morgan and Scott LTD, London pubs. pp 274 - 277 ]

Signpost Comment:


This clip with the initial Jewish-perspective contribution indicate a time of writing in the early years of the established world Zionist movement, the author notes in his own capitalized text : “Further, we have once more AN INTERNATIONAL BOND OF UNION, and are one of the most rapidly rising, fast multiplying, vigorous, and advancing nations on earth….”

Biographer of Zionism Max Nordau and others note that in or by 1902 the organization had come to have an office in many cities of the world, uniting Jews globally for the first time in centuries, it’s own postage stamp and emblems, global and universal fundraising system, and so on. The Jewish author of the above clip, then, seems to be writing at about that year.

Further, there is no mention of the fall of the Turkish Ottoman Empire that was the final Gentile nation to hold sway over Jerusalem-Palestine (1917), or ‘trample it’ in Jesus’ and Daniel’s words, before a future Jewish re-gathering there.

So this interesting text predates the First World War incursion into the middle east and the taking of Jerusalem by General Allenby.