Invitation to Ahmadiyyat — Page 320
320 relates to the time in Jewish history subsequent to the first coming of the Messiah. Since we know that Jews were not gathered but were dispersed, therefore, in verse 17:105 the warning of the latter days relates to the period after the second coming of the Messiah. The words ‘shall bring you together’ refer to the present influx of Jews into Palestine. Jews from different countries are offered facilities to travel to Palestine and live there. The revelation of the Promised Messiah as ‘I will relieve the children of Israel’ indicated the end of the opposition of the world to an independent Jewish homeland. An important part of the prophecy was that the war would start within sixteen years, and it happened likewise. The revela - tions about the war were received in 1905 and the war started nine years later in 1914. Another sign of the war was that nations would keep their navies on standby. Accordingly, we find that both combatant and non-combatant nations had to keep their naval forces ready lest some other nation violated their waters and they were unnec - essarily drawn into the war. They also needed to protect their sovereignty. One important sign of the war was the movement of ships for sea warfare. The prophecy pointed not merely to preparations and readiness for naval combat but also to the movements of vessels. Hence, in this war, so many sea vessels were used that they have no parallel in history. Vessels of small size, destroyers, submarines, etc. , were used on a scale completely unknown before. The word ‘boats’ in the revelation shows that smaller vessels would be used much more than big ones. Another sign was that the war would start unexpectedly.