For the benefit of those of you who cannot resist in your willful ignorance in labeling Russell's teaching with Rutherford's here is what Br Russell foretold.
"The Time of Jacob's Trouble" <PAGE 553> VOLUME4
"While the trouble and distress of this day of the Lord will be first and specially upon Christendom, and eventually upon all nations, the final blast, we are informed by the Prophet `Ezekiel (38:8-12)`, will be upon the people of Israel regathered in Palestine. The prophet seems to indicate a much larger gathering of Israel to Palestine within this harvest period than has yet taken place. He represents them as gathered there out of the nations in great numbers, and, with considerable wealth, inhabiting the formerly desolate places; and all of them dwelling safely at the time when the rest of the world is in its wildest commotion. `Ezek. 38:11,12`
All men are witnesses to the fact that such a gathering of Israel to Palestine is begun, but it is quite manifest that their exodus from other lands will have to receive some great and sudden impulse in order to accomplish this prophecy within the appointed time. Just what that impulse will be remains yet to be seen; but, that it will surely come is further indicated by the words of the Prophet `Jeremiah--16:14-17,21`.
"Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north [Russia?], and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold I will send for many fishers, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. For mine eyes are upon all their ways; they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes...I will cause them to know my hand and might; and they shall know that my name is Jehovah."
That the Lord is abundantly able to accomplish this we have no doubt. In every nation the question, "What shall be done with the Jew?" is a perplexing one, which, in some crisis of the near future brought about suddenly by the Lord's overruling providence, will doubtless lead, as indicated by the prophet, to some concerted action on the <PAGE 554> part of the nations for promptly conveying them to the land of promise. And, as they went out of Egypt in haste, with their cattle and goods, and aided by the Egyptians who said, "Rise up and get you forth from among my people,...also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone"; and as the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they gave them whatsoever they required, of silver and gold and raiment (`Exod. 12:31-36`), so in the next exodus, foretold by the prophets, they will not be sent away empty, but apparently some pressure will suddenly be brought to bear upon the nations which will result thus favorably to Israel, so fulfilling the above prophecy of Ezekiel. This enterprising race, once re-established in the land of promise, and thus separated, for a time at least, from the distress of nations so prevalent everywhere else, will quickly adapt itself to the new situation, and the hitherto desolate places will again be inhabited.
But yet one more wave of anguish must pass over that chastened people; for, according to the prophet, the final conflict of the battle of the great day will be in the land of Palestine. The comparative quiet and prosperity of regathered Israel near the end of this day of trouble, as well as their apparent defenseless condition, will by and by stimulate the jealousies of and invite their plunder by other peoples. And when law and order are swept away Israel will finally be besieged by hosts of merciless plunderers, designated by the prophet as the hosts of God and Magog (`Ezek. 38`), and great will be the distress of defenseless Israel. "Alas!" says the prophet Jeremiah, "for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it." `Jer. 30:7`
As one man the hosts of Gog and Magog are represented as saying, "I will go up to the land of unwalled villages, I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them <PAGE 555> dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates." "Thou wilt go," says the prophet, "to take a spoil and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods and that dwell in the midst of the land." (`Ezek. 38:11-13`) The prophet foretelling these events as though addressing these hosts, says, "Thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts [Europe and Asia are north of Palestine], thou and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days [apparently the closing scene of the day of trouble], and I will bring thee against my land, that the nations may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee [set apart, distinguished as thy conqueror], O Gog, before their eyes." `Ezek. 38:15,16`
