Witnesses to Truth

by Edward Hoare

In proof of this let us refer to a few passages.

I spoke of the fact of their expatriation, or expulsion from their own land. Now what did Moses say of it fifteen hundred years before it happened? Only mark his words: “Ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.” (Deut. xxviii. 63.)

I spoke of their dispersion amongst the Gentiles. Now what did Moses say of it? “Thou shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.” (v. 25.) “And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.” (v. 64.)

I spoke of their distinctness. Now what did Balaam say of it? “The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned amongst the nations.” (Num. xxiii 9.) And though these words were spoken no less than three thousand three hundred years ago, do they not predict exactly that which you may see this very day in London, Liverpool and in every other great city of Europe?

I spoke of reproach and persecution. And returning to Deut. xxviii., what do we there find? In verse 33 you find the prediction of persecution and spoliation. “The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway.” And in verse 37 the reproach in foretold: “And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byeword, among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee.”

The last fact of which I spoke was the preservation, the long preservation, through those eighteen centuries of unequalled trial; and again we turn to Moses, and find him saying, “And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the Lord their God.” (Lev. xxvi. 44.)

Now all these passages are taken from the Pentateuch, the earliest book of the Scriptures; and I have referred especially to them because some people appear to speak with disrespect of the Pentateuch. But here we see the Pentateuch prophecies fulfilled in this nineteenth century in so remarkable a manner that no observant man can deny it.

But if people prefer prophecies of a later date they shall have them; for time makes no difference to truth, and the inspiration of the Scriptures extends through its whole length.

We find that they have been driven from their country, and can no longer inhabit the land which is their own. Now what did the prophet Isaiah say? “Then said I, Lord, how long? And He answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, and the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.” (Chap. vi. 11, 12.)

We found that they are scattered amongst all the nations of the world. Now what did God predict by the mouth of Ezekiel? “The whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.” (Chap. v. 10.)