NO. 830: THE PAROUSIA MESSENGER

No. 830

In Memoriam

“For them that honour me I will honour.” (1 Sam. 2:30)

October 31 will mark 110 years since our beloved Brother Russell left us. “The Parousia Messenger” is the title we offer for Brother Russell because he officiated during the small Parousia from 1874 to 1914, and because he made crystal clear the meaning of the Greek word parousia – as presence, and not coming, as it is generally given in the King James translation. Once that became clear to him, it began to sweep away many of the accumulated errors of the past, leading directly to his understanding of the 16th Chapter of Leviticus, the same being a concise picture of the entire Atonement, which culminates in the “restitution of all things.” (Acts 3:19-21)

His enemies often disparaged him as being unlearned, as they did with Jesus Himself: “And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?” (Matt. 13:54) Jesus taught them so much that they were astonished: “And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (John 7:15) Brother Russell’s memory deserves to be kept fragrant among us; and we honor his memory more by abiding in the beautiful system of truth that he left us, and by not accepting the many errors of our day – errors that set aside the fundamental truth that he brought to light.

When the Parousia Messenger began his ministry, the erroneous doctrine of eternal torment as the wages of sin was so deeply entrenched that it was generally considered sacrilege to contradict it. Many were the prominent and forceful orators who appeared as evangelists in their crusades to save the poor sinner from such an awful fate, so that Brother Russell was faced with what seemed an im­possible assignment. This is graphically illustrated by the porten­tous force against which Gideon was arrayed with his band of 300 – likely out­numbered by more than a thousand to one: “And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.” (Judg. 7:12; Judg. 6:5)

This was precisely the situation when Brother Russell began his attacks on human immortality, the consciousness of the dead, and eternal torment as the wages of sin. His most popular public discourse was, Where Are the Dead, which always included a good exposition on Restitution. When he sent out brethren from Bethel (the Bible House in Pennsylvania) for Sunday discourses he always urged them to include a good portion of their public discourse on Restitution; and he himself occasionally remarked to Breth­ren, “That’s the subject!” when he was to speak on Where Are the Dead. He kept steadfastly at the subject and its pertinent errors, so that he was able to see certain victory ahead by the time he had finished his ministry. By 1916, it was con­sidered by many intellectuals as a distinct mark of ignorance on the part of those who still regarded eternal torment as the wages of sin.

Certainly, Brother Russell was the “principal man” of God’s Household in his day. He was the “angel” (messenger) to the Church in Laodicea; he had a message to deliver and he delivered it with telling force – until the very day his Great Captain finally said to him: It is enough! But his ministry brought upon him the most vicious attacks from the “bright lights” of Satan, and they were legion. (2 Cor. 11:14-15) When they could not “gainsay nor resist” the Truth he preached, they devised the most vicious sort of slander against him – alleging he was grossly immoral, a thing he could deny, but he could not disprove. The human mind being as it is today, the advantage was with the slanderers. Many were ready enough to believe the evil side of things. Others referred to him as “That braying Balaam’s Ass!”

Here was indeed the antitype of Jeremiah being cast into the dungeon: “And in the dungeon there was no water [truth], but mire [filthy words]: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.” (Jer. 38:6) All this he took in stride, being mindful of Jesus’ words: “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” (Matt. 10:25) The Lord Himself had called him “blessed” (Matt. 24:46) and this more than compensated for the slanders hurled at him by “the workers of iniquity.” (Psa. 37:1)

REJECTING COMBINATIONISM

He was adamant against Combinationism, which had become prominent at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. Combina­tionism takes the position that it does not matter what one believes so long as he is sin­cere in his belief. In that convention in Chicago such an attitude tended to place all the assembled heathen dignitaries on equal footing with Christian ideals. And it might be observed that the quality of Christianity that was displayed at that convention by some in attendance tended to confirm such a conclusion. In fact, some of the heathen were heard to remark that they thought they should be coming to America to convert us to their ways and beliefs, instead of us sending missionaries to them to change their ideals.

Combinationism is Scriptural fornication – a combining of forbidden things. It finds its type in the account of some of the Jews engaging in illicit union with the surrounding heathen in direct violation of the sixth Commandment against committing adultery. (Num. 25:1-18) St. Paul pinpoints this situation: “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.” (1 Cor. 10:8) He added, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [as types]: and they are written for our [special] admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [ages] are come.” (1 Cor. 10:11) The “ends” are the closing of the Gospel Age and the opening of the Millennial Age (the closing of the Jewish Age and the beginning of the Gospel Age, when Paul wrote about it). Brother Russell was rigidly opposed to Combinationism, and he made his stand known in no uncertain terms.

While his great ability was essential to his ministry, another item contributed much to his success. When he appeared upon the scene there were many in the various systems who were longing for reform – men in “the midst of the city . . . that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done.” (Ezek. 9:4) Thus, there were some who were not only ready to hear him, but they also joined enthusiastically with him in the work. It is essential to the success of any enterprise that its organizer surround himself with capable assistants, and over a period of time he attracted quite a number of the best minds in Christendom.

Following St. Paul’s counsel to honor one another (Rom. 12:10), he freely delegated authority to any who showed the capac­ity to act accordingly. In this also he was a noble “example of the believers.” (1 Tim. 4:12) He continued to promote them only so long as they also were uncompromising to principle and fundamental doctrines of the Bible. All during his ministry his maxim was, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:4) He remained a determined and unyielding foe to Combinationism to the end of his ministry.

POLISHING THE TRUTH

When That Servant began his work, all of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible – except Restitution – were being taught in some section of Christendom; but all of them were either directly encumbered with some error, or were not clearly understood by those attempting to teach them. Before he had finished, every one of those doctrines, including Restitution, had been relieved of all rubbish, and had been made crystal clear. This was foretold by the prophecy of Malachi: “And he [the messenger of the covenant] shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. (Mal. 3:1-3)

The word “purifier” in this text would be better ren­dered “polisher”; and who of us will not admit that Brother Russell did “polish” the Truth (silver) in admirable brilliance! And in doing this he never resorted to the tricks of oratory. There were better orators than he, but certainly no better preacher. And in him was a living proof of our Lord’s sure words, “For I will give you a mouth [eloquence] and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay [contradict] nor resist.” (Luke 21:15) Every one that was “of the Truth” heard his voice gladly.

He was engaged in “the good fight” until the very day he died; and it could be said of him as one historian wrote about Martin Luther: He fell peacefully asleep in Jesus. “Them that honour me I will honour” (1 Sam. 2:30), and the Lord did honor him greatly. And if we wish to honor him, we can do so in no better way than to adhere to and uphold that Truth that was so dear to him. As Jesus said: “He that hath my commandments [the Truth], and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” (John 14:21)

(By John J. Hoefle. Excerpts from No. 280, October 1, 1978.)

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GOD’S INFINITE WISDOM AND LOVE

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” (Isa. 12:2-3)

Pastor Russell directly addressed the erroneous doctrine of eternal torment in a sermon given in Shanghai, China on January 7, 1912. This sermon is printed below without alteration.

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China’s hundreds of millions of patient, incessant workers have had my sympathy from childhood. The philosophies of childhood are often as correct as those of mature years – sometimes more so. Well I remember as a child inquiring what would be the fate of the heathen, and the answer that I received – that only through faith in Jesus, the Redeemer, is there any salvation. Then I queried, What is the penalty of their ignorance of the Only Name given under Heaven or amongst men whereby we must be saved? The answer was the usual one of all of our “Orthodox creeds”: that they would spend eternity in a hell of unutterable anguish. How my heart went out sympathetically toward every missionary movement on behalf of the heathen!

Then came mature thinking and I said, Like others I am imperfect in every way; my sympathy and love, therefore, cannot be as great as that of our Creator. How is it possible that God, with all the force of the Universe at His command, could look calmly on and see the operation of His own laws carrying thousands of millions to eternal misery and yet refrain from giving those creatures the necessary information? There is something wrong with the Bible and with our creeds which we have built upon it.

I threw all away and began to reason – but, thank God! not along irreverent lines. I reasoned that He who made the Universe also made man; that whatever noble qualities I could find in humanity were the work of the Creator. I said, Man’s noblest qualities are justice and love, and hence the Creator must possess these unlimitedly. I bowed in worship before God, infinite in Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power. (Psa. 33:4-8)

HE THAT SEEKETH FINDETH

I said, O great Almighty God, although unknown to me, I worship Thee! I adore Thee! My whole being cries out for the pleasure of more intimate acquaintance with Thee, that I might know Thy will regarding me and Thy purposes respecting humanity. I said, Assuredly, as God is all-wise, He must have an all-wise purpose, of which I need not be ashamed! So surely as He is just and loving, all of His plans and purposes must accord with His attributes; and having made man capable of appreciating these qualities, He will surely be willing to bestow the information which I desire – information as to how I can best please and serve Him and as to what His purposes are respecting mankind.

My prayers convinced me the more that there must be a Divine Revelation somewhere in the world. I thought that I had searched the Bible faithfully and proved it unreasonable and contrary to every conception I could have of a Divine Creator and His purposes; hence my eyes turned toward this Eastern land and your sacred books. I studied them for a time, only to find them far less satisfactory to my intellect than the Bible I had already cast aside.

I returned to the Bible. I asked myself, Might you not have been prejudiced when you examined it before? Although I thought not, I made a fresh investigation, because I felt there must be a Revelation from the true God somewhere, and because the Bible thus far gave the best testimony. It, indeed, told of a God of Love, as no other religious books do; yet its teachings respecting the future of the non-elect staggered me, for I was sure that they were not Godlike, but the reverse.

Disregarding the Old Testament Scriptures entirely, I began with the New. I said, Was not Jesus a most wonderful character? Is it not true that “never man spake like this Man”? Both heart and head answered, Yes! His teachings are the noblest found on earth! His example fully comports with His teachings! I asked, Can I rely upon the evidence? My mind replied, Yes. If just such men today told you their observations you would believe them implicitly. These men confessed that they were ignorant and unlearned men, telling of their own weaknesses in a way that impostors would not do. Their Message abounds in “good tidings of great joy for all people,” and not merely for their own nationality. My heart began to take courage. I began to feel that I had found a footing for my faith and that the Bible indeed differed considerably from the various and conflicting creeds which claimed it as their support and authority.

However, I suddenly remembered that much of the New Testament is composed of passages from the Old Testament and comments thereon. Alas! I said, for I cannot accept the Old Testament Scriptures. But the more I studied the matter the more convinced I was that if Jesus and the Apostles were at all what they claimed to be, the Old Testament must be as true as the New – as St. Peter declared, “Holy men of old spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet. 1:21)

THE BIBLE HELL IS THE KEY

Then I began a more critical study of the Old Testament; and to my joy, as I sought, I found; as I knocked the door of Truth opened for me. I found the Bible teaching very different from what I had supposed it to be, very contrary to that of all the creeds. The latter, indeed, each and all, contain truths taken from the Bible, but truths encrusted with various human credulities and misconceptions – the Bible message as a whole divided amongst many creeds and made to contradict itself.

To my surprise I found the presentations of the Bible not only more logical than anything else in the world, but absolutely the only logical presentation on earth. As interpreted by itself, and not by the creeds and theories of the Dark Ages, the Bible tells one beautiful, reasonable, harmonious story, from Genesis to Revelation. It tells nothing of a fiery hell manned by fire-proof demons, and supplied with fuel for all eternity, to which Adam and his race were sentenced on account of sin. On the contrary, it teaches that “the wages of sin is death.”

It tells that “the soul that sinneth, it shall die”; and tells that Adam sinned and came under this death penalty and that all of his race by the laws of heredity are subject to frailty, weakness, mental, moral and physical – and that these have triumphed in a reign of Sin and Death for now six thousand years. It tells that this death is the death into which Adam and all of his race go – sheol, the hell of the Bible, for all mankind, good and bad. It tells that there is no pain or suffering there, no knowledge, no work of any kind. (Ezek. 18:4, 20; Rom. 6:23)

It tells that all, both good and bad, sleep, awaiting the resurrection of the dead. It tells that man’s death would have been an extinction as complete as that of the brute beast had God in His Wisdom and Love not arranged for human redemption and a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. It tells that the Divine arrangement whereby God could be just and not repudiate the rulership of His own Court and yet recover man from the death sentence, was arranged for. The arrangement was that Jesus, “by the grace of God, should taste death for every man”; that “as by a man came death, by a Man also should come the resurrection of the dead; for as all in Adam die even so all in Christ shall be made alive, every man in his own order.” (Heb. 2:9; 1 Cor. 15:21-22)

With God “a thousand years are as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8) He has therefore arranged that six of these great Days shall constitute man’s period of battling with sin and death and that the seventh of these great Days shall be the Day of Messiah, the Sabbath or Rest Day to the world, in which Messiah, as the Divine Representative, shall lift up all the willing and obedient, opening their blind eyes, unstopping their deaf ears and causing all to know the Lord, from the least to the greatest.

“ALL SHALL KNOW THE LORD”

As a result, some will refuse and die the “Second Death” – utter destruction. No more than a century of trial is to be granted; for we read, “The sinner a hundred years old shall be cut off” – a child a century old in sin shall be accursed – to the Second Death. (Isa. 65:20) But all who will accept Divine favor may then be brought to full, human perfection, similar to that which Adam enjoyed at the beginning, plus the knowledge of good and evil, which he lacked.

Of these willing and obedient ones it is written, “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, to the glory of God.” Many of the Chinese, doubtless, will then be bowing before the great King of kings and Lord of lords, whom then they will know completely; for “the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth as the waters cover the great deep.” And their forefathers, whom they reverence, will be there, too; their eyes shall be opened and their ears unstopped, as it is written, “All the blind eyes shall all be opened and all the deaf ears shall be unstopped.” What a great reunion time that will be for the Chinese hundreds of millions! Yes, and still more! As the Scriptures declare, all the families of the earth shall be blessed similarly with a knowledge of God and with a full opportunity for restitution to all that was lost in Adam – to all that was redeemed at Calvary.

Do the Chinese say to me, This news is too good to be true? Do they say, No missionary ever told us of such a gracious God and such a mighty Savior! Had we heard such a gracious Message it would have attracted our hearts long ago, for our gods are non-sympathetic – they are great, powerful and vicious! But we thought as we heard the missionaries’ message that the Christian God must be even more ferocious than ours, for the awful, burning hell of which we have heard through Christians is terrible beyond anything we heathens had ever heard of before or conjectured for ourselves!

SATAN THE GOD OF THIS WORLD

Alas! my dear friends, I know this very well and the Bible explains the whole matter. It tells us that we have been believing “doctrines of demons.” (1 Tim 4:1) These vicious doctrines in the past, when more literally believed than today, led some noble Christian people into most atrocious conduct.

We are all awaking from this sad condition, thank God! We are emerging slowly from the darkness of the past. We are in the very dawning of the morning of Messiah’s Kingdom; which is to bless the world. The rising of the Sun of Righteousness is to bring the New Day of emancipation from ignorance, superstition and death. The more awake we become the more clearly do we see the beauty of God’s Word and the ridiculous inconsistency of things we once believed.

St. Paul explains to us why Satan strives to put darkness for light and light for darkness. He explains why Satan represents himself as an angel of light and endeavors to besmirch the Divine character and to make God the very personification of wickedness and injustice! It is a part of his general endeavor to thwart the Divine Plan, to mislead those who are seeking to know God. Hearken to the Apostle’s words: “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the glorious light of God’s goodness, as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord, should shine into their hearts.” (2 Cor. 4:4)

In proportion as humanity misconceives God’s character and His Word, in that same proportion they will shun the Bible and its God, and thus get away from the faith and hope revealed in the Bible. As I have told you, I had my own bitter experiences along this line. How I thank God for the “eye-salve” and for the glorious vision of the Divine character and Plan which now stands out so distinctly before the eyes of my understanding!

GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY

The Gospel of the Bible, the Message of the great God, Infinite in Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power, is a Message of grace, of mercy, as has emanated from no other quarter – such as no other religious book in the world presents. And what else should we expect than that the great Supreme Being would be a Fountain of grace, of blessing to His dependent creatures. It should not surprise us, then, to find the Bible clearly teaching that the God of all Grace has in store for humanity great blessings – “Times of Restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:19-21)

Another Message should not surprise us; it is the message that was sung by the angels on the night of Jesus’ birth, “Behold, we bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people” – the thousands of millions of the Chinese included! It is a joy to me to be permitted to tell this glorious Message to such as have the ear to hear it. It is a further joy to me that in the Divine arrangement the time is coming when “all the deaf ears shall be unstopped” and when the clear knowledge of God’s goodness shall fill the earth as the waters cover the great deep. (Luke 2:10; Isa. 35:5; Hab. 2:14)

God first told this Message of His benevolent designs toward humanity about thirty-six hundred years ago, when He declared to His friend Abraham, I intend to bless all the families of the earth, and this shall be done through your posterity – “In thee and in thy Seed shall the families of the earth be blessed.” The natural seed of Abraham was first developed and instructed, and consequently uplifted, under a Law Covenant. This arrangement prepared the natural seed of Abraham more than others of the world’s peoples to receive Jesus; hence, when He presented Himself, and when afterward His Message was proclaimed by His twelve Apostles, approximately sixteen thousand Jews became His footstep followers, were begotten of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and after, and thus became members of the promised Seed.

THE NUMBER IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION

But this number was short of the Divine purpose – “a hundred and forty-four thousand.” (Rev. 14:1) Hence, in due time, the Message of grace and the privilege of becoming members of the Spiritual Seed of Abraham was extended to one nation after another – to the Jew first, but also to as many as the Lord our God has called, of every nation, people, kindred and tongue. This “elect” number of spirit-begotten followers of Jesus will very soon be completely changed by the glorious First Resurrection, when this mortal and corruptible shall put on immortality. All those found faithful will be made partakers of the Divine nature, far above angels, principalities and powers – associates with the Redeemer. (Eph. 1:21) Then the Seed of Abraham will be completed and qualified for its great work of blessing the race.

St. Paul declares, “Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?” (1 Cor. 6:2) The judging will be in the nature of a trial or testing, to determine how many of humanity can be helped up to human perfection and harmony with God and everlasting life, and how many unworthy will be destroyed in the Second Death. God, who has elected these kings, priests and judges, has appointed a Day in which they shall rule, bless, instruct, judge mankind in general. It will be the thousand years of Messiah’s Kingdom, for “a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.” (2 Peter 3:7-8)

(From Pastor Russell’s Sermons, pages 168-175.)

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NO. 829: SATAN – HIS NATURE AND EMPIRE

No. 829

“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.   . . . thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee . . .” (Ezek. 28:15-16)

There are some who deny altogether that such a being as Satan exists. They have been repulsed by nonsensical accepted teachings about Satan and have concluded not only to reject what the creeds teach about him, but have rejected the Bible teachings about him as well, considering them to be identical. This flies in the face of reason, experience, and Scripture. Reason suggests, as the Bible teaches, that sinful acts, like righteous acts and the universe itself, must have been originated by some first cause. Furthermore, the first cause of sinful acts must have itself been sinful; and since sinful acts imply purpose as well as cause, their originator must have been a being endowed with a mind and a will, hence a person.

Reason thus tells us that the first cause or source of sin must exist and is a being, and the Bible assures us that this being is Satan. Experience likewise suggests to us that there are also at least a number of other invisible evil beings – evil spirits. On no other grounds can we explain the frequent, sudden injection of irrelevant, unfamiliar, foreign and repulsive evil thoughts into the minds of human beings – thoughts not suggested by the principles, activities, circum­stances and experiences of those into whose minds they are injected.

SATAN A PERSONAL BEING

Many Bible passages and incidents show the personhood of Satan. It is certainly implied in his acts toward Job and the connected dealings between God and Satan. (Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-7) It is also consistent with the thought of Satan’s personhood when he resisted the high priest Joshua and God rebuked him. (Zech. 3:1-2) Jesus strongly implied Satan’s personhood by stating that Satan may adopt policies foreign to his usual course to bolster his diminishing cause. (Matt. 12:24-26) This was also clearly taught when Jesus stated that Satan was once in the Truth but “abode not in the truth,” later originating falsehoods and murdering the human family by introducing sin into the world. (John 8:44; Gen. 3:1-7)

If Satan is merely the principle of evil as some claim, how could he ever have been in the Truth? If Satan were the principle of evil and not an evil person who works through evil principles, it would have been completely contrary to St. Paul’s stated purpose to deliver the erring Corinthian brother to Satan for corrective stripes. (1 Cor. 5:5) Paul showed that he was a firm believer in a personal devil when he cautioned the Corinthians, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Cor. 2:11) How could Satan have “devices” unless he could think and plan? Making devices implies thought and purpose and thus personhood. Certainly, when he transforms himself into an angel of light from an angel of darkness, he must think and reason, which of course implies personhood. (2 Cor. 11:14)

The fact that fallen angels “believe and tremble” – and therefore think and feel – proves that Satan, their leader, thinks and feels and thus is a personal being. (Jas. 2:19) Satan’s walking about as a “roaring lion,” seeking especially Christians as his prey, proves his personhood. (1 Pet. 5:8-9) When Michael contended with him over the body of Moses, which Satan seemed to want for use as an object of worship in Israel, it was consistent with him being a real, personal being, and not the abstract principle of evil. (Jude 9) Accordingly, reason, facts and Scripture prove that Satan is a personal being.

LUCIFER CREATED PERFECT

The being we call Satan was originally good. The Hebrew word satan means “adversary” or “opponent,” but that was not his original name. Until he sinned and led the human race into sin, his name was Lucifer, meaning “light-bearer.” (Isa. 14:12) In nature and rank he was a cherub, one of the highest of all angels. (Ezek. 28:14, 16)

The Prophet Ezekiel gives a comprehensive description of this cherub’s history, both before and after he sinned, and also describes his final end – annihilation. (Ezek. 28:12-19) He is addressed as the “king of Tyrus” – Tyre symbolizing the present evil world, whose ruler is Satan. His original physical, mental, moral and religious perfection is described in both literal and figurative language. He is described as being “full of wisdom” and “perfect in beauty.” He is pictured as covered with various precious stones, illustrating his moral and religious qualities prior to his fall. (Ezek. 28:12-13) Precious stones are elsewhere used to symbolize the moral and religious perfections of the New Jerusalem – the glorified Church, the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife. (Rev. 21:11-21) Such stones were also set in the high priest’s breastplate. (Exod. 39:10-13)

Lucifer remained perfect even for a while after he was made guardian angel to Adam and Eve in Eden. (Ezek. 28:15) The Prophet describes his work in Eden and then describes his position and work among the heavenly hosts. He was perfectly righteous and good from the time of his creation and for probably millions of years after until he fell into sin in Eden. His subsequent fall into corruption is graphically described, followed by his final exposure and annihilation in the Little Season following the Millennium. (Ezek. 28:16-19)

OTHER DESCRIPTIVE NAMES

Other names and expressions applied to Satan in the Bible illustrate his qualities and activities subsequent to his fall. Thus, he is called:

Beelzebub or Baalzebub – meaning “lord of the fly.” Baalzebub was the Philistine god of Ekron (which means “uprooting” or “destruction”). (2 Kings 1:2-6, 16) This name is symbolic of Satan’s plague of errors (flies) leading to war and destruction. (Matt. 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15)

Belial – meaning “wicked” or “worthless.” This is another name descriptive of his character. (2 Cor. 6:15)

Devil – from the Greek word diabolos, meaning a false accuser, a slanderer. This is descriptive of his opposition to God, the Truth, righteousness, mankind in general and the good in particular. (Matt. 4:1; Luke 4:2, 6; Rev. 20:2)

Enemy – descriptive of his malicious actions and hate-filled attitude. (Matt. 13:39)

God of this world – descriptive of him as the ruler of the present evil order of affairs. (2 Cor. 4:4)

Liar and father of lies – descriptive of his deceitfulness and his role as the originator of error. (John 8:44)

Murderer – by introducing sin he murdered the whole human family. (John 8:44; Rom. 5:12)

Serpent and old serpent – describes his poisonous and cunning nature. (Gen. 3:4, 14; Rev. 20:2; 2 Cor. 11:3)

Prince of this world – because he is by usurpation the ruler of the present evil order of affairs among mankind. (John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11)

Prince of devils – because he is the ruler over the fallen angels. (Matt. 12:24)

Prince of the power of the air – descriptive of the invisible nature of his rule over humanity through the fallen angels. (Eph. 2:2)

Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience – because he uses the wicked and disobedient as his servants and tools. (Eph. 2:2)

Tempter – he entices to sin, error, selfishness and worldliness. (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5)

Wicked one – the absence of goodness in his character is rightly described by the words the poet Milton puts into his mouth: “Farewell remorse: all good to me is lost; Evil, be thou my good.” (Matt. 13:19, 38)

Thus, we see that his Biblically-given names accurately describe his character, works and office. A being correctly characterized by such names must surely be the supreme of all sinners and evil-doers.

LUCIFER’S FALL FROM PERFECTION

Lucifer was good when he came from the creative hand of God – God did not make him so that he had to sin. On the contrary, God gave him a disposition favorable to righteousness and averse to sin. This naturally raises the question of how he could have sinned if there was no sin in the world and no sinful propensities in his original make-up.

The possibility that he would sin lay in the fact that he was endowed with liberty of choice. As one of the highest of the angels (Isa. 14:12), some of the other angels were his subordinates and by divine arrangement gave him the honor and obedience due to his rank above them. It was in harmony with God’s order for him to both desire and receive such honor and obedience, but it seems that Lucifer permitted his mind to dwell excessively on receiving such recognition. Thus, he failed to keep such desires in proper subjection to the higher desire to please God above all things and to receive honor and obedience only in accordance with God’s arrange­ments. The more he harbored in his heart the desire to receive deference from others, the stronger this desire became. He began to desire honor and obedience from those who were not put under his charge by God.

A craving gradually grew in him for more honor and power than God had arranged for him. As he contemplated the race of mankind and its possibilities, his growing ambition made him begin to see in the human family a possible dominion from which he could gain further honor and obedience than God offered him. His ambition was then the controlling quality of his heart. The limits of this guardianship over the human family in Eden were too confined to satisfy his growing desire for honor and obedience, prompting him to lead unfallen mankind into sin as the only way by which his ambition could be gratified.

We may reasonably assume that at the outset Lucifer did not intend to go as far as he has gone. His course gradually turned him from Lucifer, the “light-bearer,” into Satan, the “adversary” – a relentless opponent of God and man. There is a saying, “He who says A must say B too.” In other words, whoever gives in to wrong for his own advantage will have to go ever further in wrong to secure his ends. Satan has gone further than B – we might say he has now gone as far as Y, and by the end of the Millennium he will go to Z, the full limit of evil, whereupon his destruction will ensue. (Heb. 2:14)

The course he has taken has wrought fearful havoc with his own once holy character; it has destroyed his fellowship with God and all those in harmony with God; it has drawn many angels into sin and its evil results and has brought sin and ruin upon the human family.

As a result of his course, Satan became cunning instead of wise, most unjust instead of just, most selfish instead of loving, and most obstinate in evil instead of powerful in good. As a result, he is the most conspicuous example of depraved character in the universe – almost the synonym of sin itself. He has attained all of his ambitions: He has become “the prince of this world.” (John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11) He has blinded the minds of the human family under “this present evil world.” (2 Cor. 4:4; Gal. 1:4) He has achieved prince-ship over the fallen angels. (Matt. 12:24; Eph. 2:2; Eph. 6:11-12) Yet his example of “vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself” has come at a terrible cost to himself and to all his underlings! Let us avoid imitating him.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” (Isa. 14:12) Because of the course he has taken, the once glorious angelic being has been cut off from association with holy things and sentenced to final destruction.

THE FOUNDATION OF SATAN’S EMPIRE

The Prophet Isaiah describes how Satan’s unholy ambition brought about his fall into sin and the establishment of his empire:

“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.” (Isa. 14:13) Satan vowed to make himself an exalted ruler, the king over the angels (“stars” – Job 38:7), the ruler over the kingdom (“mount” – Dan. 2:35, 44-45; Isa. 25:6) of the human family (“congregation”), an invisible spiritual ruler. The “sides of the north” refers to the Pleiades in the north, long considered the center of the universe, representing God’s throne which Satan sought to usurp.

“I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” (Isa. 14:14) Satan vowed to put himself out of reach of all trouble, founding an independent empire in which he would be God’s equal.

Thus we see that he has founded an empire having two phases. The first is an invisible phase consisting of the fallen angels under his leadership. This is the higher and controlling phase of his empire. The second phase is a visible and subordinate phase, consisting of human agents as the visible repre­sentatives among men of the invisible and ruling fallen angels.

The earthly phase of Satan’s empire is composed of three divisions: oppressive govern­ments, predatory aristocracies, and false religions. Three classes of officials represent the three divisions: rulers, aristocrats, and clergy.

Satan established the principle of “divine right” as the foundation principle supporting his empire. This principle has three forms corresponding to the three divisions of his empire: the divine right of kings (rulers), the divine right of aristocracy (the elite class), and the divine right of clergy. This doctrine in its three forms was calculated to make the masses submit blindly to the leadings of the three classes of officials as a matter of divine sanction and obligation. This principle of divine right was calculated to indoctrinate the masses and keep them in subjection to Satan’s representatives, and thus to him. This becomes manifest when we consider what the three forms of this principle mean:

Divine right of kings: Through his mouthpieces, especially the clergy, Satan taught the following: (1) Kings (rulers) are God’s direct appointees, vice­gerents and representatives. (2) Rulers do exactly what God wants them to do. (3) Therefore, God sanctions all the acts of rulers (which means, e.g., God sanctioned all the acts of the Czar, the Kaiser, etc.). (4) Therefore, people are duty bound to obey without question everything their rulers require. The principle of the divine right of rulers was calculated to keep the people subject to those rulers whose selfishness Satan could depend upon to advance those governmental policies he wished advanced. Thus he could control the people governmentally by the divine right doctrine.

Divine right of the aristocracy: He caused the following things to be taught, especially through the clergy: (1) It is the divine will and pleasure that practically the whole earth and its riches be owned and administered by the aristocracy (now usually called “capital” – the privileged upper class). (2) The aristocracy act as stewards and almoners of the Almighty, dispensing on their own terms (through wages, charitable works, etc.) the surplus of earth’s bounties to the remainder of mankind who are their slaves, serfs or employees. (3) God sanctions the administration of affairs by the upper class. (4) Therefore, the masses should be content with their lot and with what is dispensed to them by the upper class. The principle of the divine right of the aristocracy was calculated to keep the people subject as employees, servants or slaves to the aristocratic upper class. Satan could depend on the selfishness of the upper class to advance those aristocratic policies that he wanted advanced. Thus he could control the people economically and socially by the divine right doctrine.

Divine right of the clergy: Satan caused the following thoughts to be taught, especially by the clergy: (1) God speaks to the people through the clergy. (2) Therefore, the clergy are His mouthpieces dispensing the truth. (3) He sanctions the teachings of the clergy. (4) Therefore, the people should with unquestioning minds blindly believe and practice the clergy’s teachings. The principle of the divine right of the clergy was calculated to make the people subject to the clergy, on whose selfishness Satan could depend to advance those religious teachings and practices that he wanted advanced. Thus he could control the people religiously by the divine right doctrine.

The doctrine of divine right is of course false as a whole and in its three forms. It was calculated to keep the human race subject to Satan and since the flood it has succeeded until recent times, when wars and social debates have somewhat set it aside throughout Christendom.

For the good of his empire Satan has always seen to it that some “law and order” has existed; it was required for the successful operation of his empire’s three earthly departments. He was too shrewd to allow anarchy to reign in his kingdom, knowing well that it would result in the wreck and ruin of his cause. Hence, from the outset there has been civil law in his empire, guarding especially the rights of the leaders in state, religion and capital. He has only tolerated the setting aside of civil law when it interfered with the overturning of those governments, religions and aristocracies that he decided should be overturned for the good of his empire.

He has also introduced some laws purportedly for the benefit of the “common people,” but these laws have always been designed to first serve the interests of the statesmen, clergy and aristocrats, and therefore the interests of Satan. These laws were calculated to keep the people subject to his own interests; only secondarily did they serve the interests of the common people. His governments, religions and aristocracies have always been oppressive and exploitative of the common people, allowing crimes and other invasions of their rights.

In individual cases Satan has encouraged such crimes and exploitations, partly because it was in his interests to corrupt the race and partly to arrange for the execution of punishments that would strike fear into the hearts of the people and engender respect for his laws. Thus he has been both an angel of light and an angel of darkness as it best served his ends, and the same may be said of his representatives. “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Cor. 11:14-15)

SATAN’S SUPPORTING DOCTRINES

The three doctrines of divine right are the foundational doctrines of Satan’s empire. An empire based on such principles and using such means for its perpetuation must naturally be a very evil one. St. Paul refers to Satan’s empire as “the power of darkness” – the power of sin and error. (Col. 1:13) While Satan greatly deceived the people by these doctrines of the divine right of rulers, clergy, and aristocrats, he knew these doctrines by themselves were not sufficient to ensure his rule over the human race. He found it necessary to advance three other supporting doctrines to hold up the superstructure he was building upon the foundation of the divine right doctrines.

Early in the history of the human race, in Eden itself, Satan set forth three falsehoods. For these lies Jesus called him a liar and the father of lies. Jesus also called him a murderer because Eve was deceived by these lies, causing sin and death to come upon the race. (John 8:44) Following are the three supporting doctrines of Satan’s empire based on these lies:

(1) The immortality of the soul: Satan said, “Ye shall not surely die.” (Gen. 3:4) That is, you will only seem to die; actually, you will live right on, even though you are seemingly dead. In other words, the dead are alive. This is a direct contradiction of God’s statement, “Thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17)

(2) The consciousness of the dead: Satan said, “Ye shall be as gods.” (Gen. 3:5) That is, the dead become spirit beings, angels, and therefore they are conscious. Angels are many times referred to as “gods” in the Old Testament. For example, “Worship him, all ye gods.” (Psa. 97:7) Compare this with St. Paul’s inspired comment: “And let all the angels of God worship him.” (Heb. 1:6)

(3) The torment or bliss of the dead: Satan said the dead will be in a state of “knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:5) That is, they will experience either bliss (good) or torment (evil).

Satan’s design is very apparent. He knew that if he could deceive the race on these three subjects, he could deceive them into believing that certain other errors were true, certain truths were false, certain wrongs were right, and certain rights were wrong. Having done this, he promised rewards for the next life to those who accepted his errors and practiced his wrongs, and threatened with eternal torment those who refused to do so. He also threatened torments in the next life to those who accepted God’s truths (which he misrepresented as being error) and practiced certain of His commands (misrepresented as wrong by Satan), while promising eternal bliss to those who would not do these things.

Thus he deceived the people into believing and practicing his errors through fear of torment and hope of reward in the hereafter. He also deterred the people from believing and practicing God’s truths by misrepresentation of the source and character of God’s teachings and by fear of torment and hope of reward in the hereafter. He enslaved the human race to his will and prevented them from doing God’s will! This dark plot succeeded with the majority of the human family. (2 Cor. 4:4; 2 Cor. 11:3, 14-15; 2 Thess. 2:9; 2 Tim. 2:26) Thus with three lies he mightily supported his empire and its foundation errors of divine right.

THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS

We have shown that Satan’s empire is founded on and supported by errors. By these errors he has constantly exerted an evil influence in the world, operating against truth, righteousness and purity – “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” (Eph. 2:2). An empire so founded and so supported must be an evil one, as all history attests. The course of Satan’s empire is marked by every evil word and work. The majority of the rulers, aristocrats and clergy of his empire have been corrupt indeed. The history of “this present evil world” (Gal. 1:4) is a succession of war, revolution, pillage, murder, destruction, lust, cruelty, conquest, oppression, degradation, unhappiness, misfortune, death, and persecution. How little space in history is occupied by good, noble and philanthropic endeavors and how much of its space is given to the opposite!

Satan’s empire has also been one in which are found the greatest inconsistencies. Its various religions, philosophies, civilizations, governments, social arrangements, laws and workings have all largely contradicted each other. From this we infer that Satan adapts to the extent necessary the form of government, religion, society, etc., to the varying ideals of different peoples. If he could, he would keep all people in the densest ignorance, deepest oppression, darkest superstition and basest character and environment; but when any people will no longer stand for this, he makes such concessions as he must, while still retaining control. This accounts for the many coups, revolutions and reorganizations that have occurred in the governmental, aristocratic and religious divisions of his empire.

Whenever governments, aristocracies and religions cease to serve his purpose of controlling the people he wrecks those governments, aristocracies or religions, often with extreme ruthlessness, and replaces them by others more in harmony with his aims and the concessions he must make to his subjects. He certainly makes it uncomfortable for those rulers or religious leaders who oppose the principles and purposes of his empire. This is manifest in the opposition and persecution that he has unleashed against every Christian leader and movement that has attacked his errors and preached God’s Truth – he has made them his special targets.

When we look upon the physical, mental, moral, and religious perfection in which God created the human family in Eden, and then by contrast consider the physical, mental, moral, and religious wrecks that Satan has made of so many of our race, we have one of the most striking pieces of evidence of his wicked character as a person and as a ruler. We see the conspicuous failure of his empire as a means of blessing its subjects and the need for it to be replaced by the Kingdom of God. We see the crying need for Satan to be replaced by The Christ as the Ruler of the world in order to rescue the human race from utter ruin and destruction, and to return it to the original perfection and bliss of God’s image and likeness.

Shortly after the fall of mankind into sin, God intimated such an ultimate recovery of mankind from the power of Satan. (Gen. 3:15) He renewed and amplified this thought by His promise to Abraham. (Gen. 28:14) He repeatedly illustrated and emphasized it by the types of the Law. (Heb. 9:23) The sublime poetry of the Prophets and Psalmists reiterated it. He clearly expounded it through Jesus and His Apostles. He encourages His faithful people to offer this prayer for it: “Thy Kingdom come,” and by the signs of the times He indicates that His Kingdom is as at hand. It is the “desire of all nations” and it will prove to be the cure for all their ills. (Hag. 2:7) God speed the day of the overthrow of Satan’s empire and of the establishment of His Kingdom under the whole heaven!

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The above is a reprint of No. 757, September, 2020 and is derived from Chapter III of Epiphany Volume 17, The Millennium, written by Brother Paul S.L. Johnson. It has been edited to adapt it to the paper format.

Write to us at: epiphanybiblestudents@gmail.com

NO. 828: THE THREE GREAT COVENANTS

No. 828

“For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.” (Heb. 6:13-14)

Christendom in general recognizes only two Covenants, the Old or Law Covenant, with Moses as its mediator, and the New Covenant, with Christ as its Mediator. When rarely they recognize the Abrahamic Covenant at all, they identify it with the New Covenant. Gradually, we have come to see that the Abrahamic Covenant, the original one, is the grandest and best of the three, and that from it the other two proceeded.

St. Paul pointed out to us most distinctly that the original Covenant made with an oath to Abraham was in every way the superior one and that it, being a one-sided Covenant, an unconditional promise, has no mediator. St. Paul tells us that the Law Covenant was “added” to the Abrahamic Covenant in God’s dealing with the nation of Israel. It is called a Law Covenant because the benefits of that Covenant were offered only to those who would keep the Law in all its requirements. He called it the Hagar Covenant, because it was a bondage. Neither faith nor grace affected their Covenant, which was hard and fast and demanded obedience to the works of the Law – “That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.” (Rom. 10:5) Since none could do perfectly, that Covenant of works brought only condemnation. It had a mediator, Moses, but he was unable to accomplish anything for the people, because of their imperfection through heredity.

Hagar’s child, Ishmael, typed natural Israel and was born before Sarah’s child, Isaac, who typed The Christ, Head and Body. In like manner, the nation of Israel, Moses and all the people baptized into him in the sea and in the cloud, the “house of servants,” were developed before Spiritual Israel – Christ and the members of the house of sons.

As the Sarah Covenant (also called the Covenant of Grace) existed before the Law Covenant was added to it, so it continued to exist after the Law Covenant was set aside as a covenant, its prize of life eternal having been won when Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all. The Covenant of Grace (Sarah), which preceded the Law Covenant (Hagar) four hundred and thirty years, continued alive during the whole period of the Law Covenant, but without children, and then brought forth the Head of the Seed, Jesus. The Law Covenant was then cast aside.

From the Scriptural standpoint the resurrection is the birth. For instance, our Lord is the “first-born from the dead” and the “first-born among many brethren.” Those referred to as His “brethren, His “members,” and His “Bride” (three different names for the “elect” Church), must all be brought forth from the dead, all be “changed” to spirit condition before the Seed of Abraham will be complete. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29) This is the Mystery – the selection of the Church as the Bride of Christ during the Gospel Age, to be sharers with their Redeemer in the sufferings of that time, and also in the glory to follow. (Col. 1:27; Eph. 5:32)

Not until that “First Resurrection” is finished will the Seed of the Sarah Covenant be fully born. This is quite in accordance with the prophetic statement, “Shall I bring to the birth [deliver the Head], and not cause to come forth [the Body].” (Isa. 66:9) The intimation is that so surely as Jesus, the Head of the Body, was brought forth in the Resurrection, born from the dead, so surely will all the members of His Body share with Him His glorious “change” from mortality to immortality, from earthly to heavenly nature.

The Apostle showed that the children of the bond-woman could not be heirs with the children of the free-woman: “Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” (Gal. 4:30; Gen. 21:10) How, then, did the Apostles and others who were Jews (Israel according to the flesh) come into relationship with Christ and the Sarah Covenant (of grace)? The Apostle explained that as a human marriage is dissolved by the death of one of the parties, so those of the Jews who could recognize by faith that Christ’s death had fulfilled the terms of the Law Covenant could realize that Covenant was dead, and hence, that they were freed from it and could become married to another – united to Christ. On the contrary, any Jew who does not recognize that Christ, by His death, has made an end of the Law, “nailing it to His cross” (Col. 2:14), and who still continues to believe in that Covenant, is as firmly bound thereby as though the Covenant were still alive, just as a woman whose husband is really dead, but she believes him to be alive, cannot in good conscience marry another.

TWO SEEDS OF ABRAHAM

The Apostle explained that all of that nation who lacked proper faith in Christ were cast off, they were “blinded,” not forever, but until the comple­tion of spiritual Israel – The Christ. (Rom. 11:7, 25) But, if they were “blinded” did God not deceive the nation of Israel when He entered into the Law Covenant with them at Sinai? He knew that they could not keep it, and could not get life under it, and yet permitted them to put themselves under that bondage. Are not the Lord’s ways just and equal?

Yes! When understood, the full scope of the divine purpose is glorious in its harmony. Now we perceive that God intends to recognize two seeds of Abraham, the one heavenly, like unto the stars of heaven; the other earthly, like unto the sands of the seashore. The attempt of the Law Covenant to bring forth the natural seed first was a failure. The spiritual – Christ Head and Body, partaker of the divine nature, heir of all things – must come first, and then God’s favor will return to natural Israel.

The Law Covenant completed its purpose and was demonstrated to be unattainable because of the weaknesses of the flesh, and so God purposes to make with that nation, and with that nation alone, a New Covenant. Not a single statement of Scripture identifies the New Covenant with the Gentiles. It is Israel’s New Covenant given to displace the Old or Law Covenant. The great mass of the early Church were Hebrews and the Apostle’s references to the New Covenant are almost exclusively in his epistle to the Hebrews. One exception is in Rom. 11:27-29, where the Apostle, although addressing Christians of Gentile birth, told them that natural Israel was cast off for their sakes, but is still beloved for the fathers’ sake, and is again to have divine favor, under a special Covenant. The other (2 Cor. 3:6) refers to the royal priesthood as able (qualified) servants of the New Covenant – dying with Christ for its sealing. (Mal. 3:1)

The more closely we investigate the New Covenant, the more we must be convinced that it belongs to Israel alone, including the two nations into which they divided at the death of Solomon – Israel and Judah. Note the statement of the Prophet: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant [the Law Covenant] that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.” (Jer. 31:31-32) As the Apostle pointed out, God speaking of this as a New Covenant implies that a preceding Covenant (the Law Covenant) had become old, valueless, and was preparing to pass away: “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” (Heb. 8:13)

THE OATH-BOUND COVENANT SURE

There were two old covenants – ­the Grace or Sarah Covenant, and the Law Covenant. Which did the Apostle mean has be­come old, valueless, and would pass away and give place to the New Covenant? Surely there can be no doubt on this point – he meant the Law Covenant, for he said so. (Heb. 9) He did not mean the Grace or Sarah Covenant, for he pointed out that our claim to relationship with God is under that original Covenant. (Gal. 3:29) Our Lord Jesus became heir of all by His obedience: heir of the original Covenant and heir also of the Law Covenant.

None of the people were with Him, neither Jews nor Gentiles, but by the grace of God provision was made that any Jew recognizing that the Law Cov­enant was dead – “nailed to the cross” – might become betrothed to Christ. They did not need to wait for the New Covenant, the provisions of which apply only to those on the earthly plane. Instead, by a faith justification and a consecration unto death, they were counted worthy of begetting to the new nature. Similarly, Gentiles favored of God by the hearing ear and seeing eye of faith, were subsequently privileged to go through the same process, except that they did not need to reckon themselves dead to the Law Covenant, because they never were under it. Otherwise, recognizing Christ’s death as the blood of the original Covenant, typified by Abraham’s offering up his son, they also were reckoned justified. Presenting their justified bodies to the Lord as sacrifices, they were begotten of the same Holy Spirit as the Jews, to be fellow-members of the same Body – the Body of Christ.

But what provision has God made for those Jews who bound themselves under the Law Covenant, from Moses’ day down to the First Advent? And what provision has He made for those who since then have not discerned the death of the Law Cov­enant, and who will not be made aware of it until after the spiritual seed is completed and glorified? The answer is that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others before the Law Covenant were not bound by it, yet they were not in the fullest sense justified to life until the Abrahamic Covenant had been established at Calvary. Their faith, then, entitled them to a share in the merits of that sacrifice.

Likewise, throughout the period of the Law Covenant, before it was annulled at the cross, there were Ancient Worthies who lived by faith. (Heb. Chap. 11) Although bound by the Law, they had above it a living faith in the original Oath-Bound Grace Covenant. Although they lived while the Law Covenant was alive, they foresaw its death and trusted instead in the superior Covenant of Grace. They realized that no matter how much they tried, they could not keep the Law Covenant because of inherited human frailty. Consequently, they will in due time come forth to a life resurrection – not be­cause of their relationship to the New Covenant, of which they knew nothing, but because of their relationship to and faith in the original (Sarah) Covenant of Grace. Thus, the Scriptures account for the faithful ones of the past under the Covenant of Grace.

What about those earthly Israelites who did not live on that higher plane of faith? Were they all deceived? Will they get those special blessings? No, we answer, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance . . . For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.” (Rom. 11:29, 32) He knew the end from the beginning – knew exactly what Israel would be and do, and was not disappointed. All the plans for and promises to that nation were made from the standpoint of this knowledge. Although our Lord Jesus laid down His human nature completely to secure the chief feature of the Sarah Covenant, nevertheless, it was the divine arrangement that the blood of Christ, the merit of His sacrifice of all earthly things, must accrue to the benefit of the natural seed of Abraham, because it all goes to seal the New Covenant, which belongs exclusively to fleshly Israel.

Although natural Israel had been counted as enemies for the sake of the High Calling, the only opportunity for gaining that great prize was in connection with the sealing of a New Covenant between God and Israel. (Jer. 31:31-33) How beautifully the features of the divine program balance! Natural Israel’s loss was Spiritual Israel’s gain, and that gain, attained through sacrifice, will be­come Natural Israel’s gain. Altogether, the Lord will be glorified! The New Covenant will not be sealed until the sacrifice of The Christ is finished, closing the work of this great Day of Sacrifice and Atonement. With the second presentation of the blood of Atonement in the Most Holy at the end of this age, the New Covenant with Israel will be sealed and the Lord will begin to bless Israel. “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Rom. 11:27)

ABRAHAM THE FATHER OF MANY NATIONS

The original promise indicated two seeds of Abraham – one as the stars of heaven, and the other as the sands of the sea. (Gen. 22:17) St. Paul elaborated this thought when he said of the promise, “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations).” (Rom. 4:16-17) The blessing of mankind was to come through the promised seed of Abraham: “For salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22) We see that Abraham, as a type of God, is the father of the spiritual seed. We see that the Jewish nation, dead under the Law Covenant, is to be regenerated by The Christ, the Mediator of the New Covenant; and that this regeneration will commence at the close of this Gospel Age and the opening of the Millennial Age.

But since the Church, “the holy nation,” and the Jewish nation, the “chosen people,” are only two nations, how are all nations to be blessed? (Gen. 22:18) We cannot say that the Body of Christ, the bride class, fulfills this prophecy, because, although they were taken out of the nations, they are not all nations, and do not represent all nations. They each first died to their earthly estate and nationality before being begotten of the Holy Spirit to become a member of the Holy Nation – spiritual Israel. The Scriptures dis­tinctly show that Christ and His Church, spirit beings, must constitute the Kingdom class, but they also show that the Ancient Worthies, and through them the nation of Israel under the New Covenant, will become the representatives of the Heavenly Kingdom among men.

Since God’s favors are thus marked out for the Heavenly and Earthly seeds of Abra­ham – the earthly favors coming through the heavenly – it follows that the blessing of the other nations will come about through their affiliation with them. In other words, the divine government established in Israel in the hands of the Worthies will be the center of divine favor, and the people of other nationalities must come to this center for their supplies of truth and grace. As the Prophet stated: “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain [kingdom] of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion [the spiritual kingdom], and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem [the center of the earthly kingdom].” (Micah 4:2)

All nations, peoples, kindreds and tongues will thus be brought gradually to an appreciation of the divine plan. They will all be blessed with restitution privileges and opportunities and with enlightenment from the rays of the Sun of Righteousness which will be flood­ing all the earth through the appointed channels (the Worthies and natural Israel). The original Covenant will thus be fulfilled, first in spiritual Israel (Christ, Head and body), then secondly with fleshly Israel under the New Covenant. Through these all the families of the earth will be blessed, so that all the will­ing and obedient may gradually attain to the standards of the children of God, pos­sessing the “liberties of the sons of God” – freedom from sin, sorrow, pain and death. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:4) As the Old Law Covenant was with Israel only, so the New (Law) Covenant will be with Israel only. Other nations will share it by becoming Israelites, not under the Old Law Covenant, but under the New Covenant. (Ezek. 16:60-61)

THE EVERLASTING COVENANT

Both the Abrahamic Covenant and the New Covenant are Scripturally styled “The Everlasting Covenant,” in contrast with the Law Covenant, which passed away, a failure because of its “unprofitableness.” (Heb. 7:18) The one is perpetu­ated in the other, even as the spiritual Seed (spiritual Israel) will rule and bless through the earthly Seed (fleshly Israel). Note the Scripture testimony that the original Grace (or Sarah) Covenant is everlasting. (Gen. 17:7,13,19; 2 Sam. 23:5; Psa. 105:8-10) Note other Scriptures which apply the same term prophetically to the New Covenant. (Jer. 32:40; Jer. 31:31-33; Ezek. 16:60) Note carefully the context in each instance, that the reference is to the Millennium.

The blood of the Everlasting Covenant is the “blood of Jesus,” His sacrifice, through the merit of which believers are now “justified by faith” under the Grace or Sarah Covenant (not by the New Covenant which does not yet exist and which is to be made only with Israel). The blood or sacrifice of Jesus is the “blood of the New Covenant,” yet to be established with Fleshly Israel, just the same, only that by the Father’s good pleasure Jesus has now accepted the “little flock” as His members and counted their sacrifice or blood as a part of His own.

Let us now briefly refer to Scriptures which mention the New Covenant, that we may note their full harmony with the foregoing:

“But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant [not better than the Grace or Sarah Covenant, but better than the Law Covenant], which was established upon better promises.” (Heb. 8:6) Moses could offer only imperfect sacrifices, but Christ, by antitypical sacrifices of the bullock and goat (Himself and His Body), makes satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, and prepares to mediate the New Covenant, which God has promised will be His channel for blessing Israel and the world.

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. (Heb. 8:8) In support of his argument that there is a better covenant, the Apostle here quoted the Old Testament promise to Israel of a New Covenant. (Jer. 31:31) Clearly this does not refer to Spiritual Israel (or to any others of the Gospel Age).

“Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers . . . For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.” (Heb. 8:9-10) This is part of the same Old Testament quotation and also clearly does not refer to Spiritual Israel. (Jer. 31:32-33)

The days referred to in the above text are “after” the days of this Gospel Age. The Apostle went on to say, “And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb. 8:11-12; Jer. 31:34) This is a description of what will take place during the Millennium, and not a description of what we see about us today. God has not yet put His laws into the hearts of the house of Israel, and they are not His people, as they will be when the New Covenant becomes operative. (Compare Acts 15:15-16)

“In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” (Heb. 8:13) Notice that the Apostle did not say one word about the New Covenant being for the Church of Christ. His readers understood very well that they came in under the Sarah Covenant. Certain Judaizing teachers insisted that they must be under the Hagar Covenant, as well as under the Sarah Covenant, and this is what the Apostle disputed. He made clear that the (Hagar) Law Covenant would not continue, but perish, and that, in God’s due time, He would provide a New Covenant to take its place with Israel.

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” It was necessary that Jews be redeemed from the “dead works” of the old Law Covenant and that a new one be made for them by Christ – Head and body. The old Law Covenant was sealed by the blood of bulls and goats, but the New Covenant by “better sacrifices.” (Heb. 9:14-23)

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” (Heb. 10:16-18) The Apostle was arguing along general lines. He would have his hearers understand that when an acceptable sacrifice has been offered to God for sins, the transaction is a closed one, and the sacrifice needs no repetition. He showed that this will be so in the future for the world. When the “better sacrifices” sealing the New Covenant have been offered to God by our Redeemer, and accepted by Him, it will mean the cancellation of all condemnation.

“For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.” (Rom. 11:27-28) There is no room to doubt that the Apostle here referred to Israel’s Covenant, the New Covenant, which God will make with them after this Gospel Day. The Apostle said the Covenant will be made at the time that the Lord will “take away their sins.” That time has not yet come. Israel is still under divine condemnation, though we are now privileged to speak comfortably unto them and to assure them that the time for their deliverance is near. Then He will become, as intended and declared, the great Mediator of the New Covenant between God and mankind in general – the Church being the exception, under the Covenant of Grace. Then He will begin His Millennial Kingdom: “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Cor. 15:25-26)

“But ye are come unto mount Sion . . . the heavenly Jerusalem . . . To the general assembly and church of the firstborn . . . And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling.” (Heb. 12:22-24) Jesus is the Mediator, but He has accepted the Church as His Bride, His Body, and waits for her arrival. The picture shows that the New Law Covenant will be established as the old Law Covenant was, only on a higher plane and through a greater Mediator and by better sacrifices. (Heb. 9:23)

Not one of these references to the New Covenant makes the slightest suggestion that it is applicable to the Church. A reference to the prophecy of Ezekial shows that it could not apply to the Church, for there the Lord says, “I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh.” (Ezek. 11:19) This is exactly the restitution work which will begin with Israel and extend to all the families of the earth, but it is not at all the work of the Gospel Age, which is far higher. The Lord has not given the “little flock” hearts of flesh, but, justified by faith, has allowed them to sacrifice the flesh, and begetting them to a new nature, the glorious Seed of Abraham, through which all the families of the earth shall be blessed, by the inauguration of the New Covenant, sealed, made operative by the merit of the blood of Christ.

(Based on Reprint 4318.)

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PERVERSIONS – PAST AND PRESENT

We have often directed attention to the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement regarding their attempt to displace the Jews as the chief earthly restitution class under the New Covenant and the Worthies. The Roman Church pursued much the same policy during the Dark Ages - except with much more force and abuse. They often concentrated persecution against the Jews - much the same as they did against the Gentile Christian protesters. But in recent years, recognizing that their dominion is tottering, they are beginning to read the unmistakable “handwriting on the wall,” and their attitude toward the Jews has softened considerably.

However, there are other “Christian” organi­zations now making themselves heard by their antagonism toward the Jews. A member of one such sect once returned our paper on the Jewish situation, with which they enclosed one of their booklets. They took caustic exception to our Scriptural interpre­tation concerning the present and future status of the Jews. Here is a little of what their booklet contained:

“The evidence proving the present-day ‘Jews’ are NOT ‘The house of Israel’ is endless. History gives abundant proof that the White, Caucasian Race sprang from dispersed Israel. WE ARE ISRAEL.”

In substance, the Witnesses teach the same thing: They are God’s Israel; they are the “chosen people.” They are ready to proclaim Brother Russell as the founder of their movement, and boast about him even as they grossly and persistently revolutionize against his clear and persuasive interpretation of those prophecies that emphatically designate “to the Jew first.” Likewise, although in lesser degree, the LHMM teaches the same, with the exception that they apply these Jewish promises to their new converts since 1954. They teach that their present-day converts will be “first and chief” next to the Worthies, instead of the Jews - thus taking away from the Jews their God-given promises, as they usurp those promises.

Perhaps it is well to recall here the usurpers all during this age have prevailed in numbers, power and prominence. As our Lord said, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:22) This will all be changed under the coming Kingdom reign. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!”

(By John J. Hoefle, excerpt from No. 219, September, 1973, with minor editing.)

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NO. 827: GOD’S ABIDING PRESENCE WITH HIS PEOPLE

No. 827

“My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” (Exod. 33:14)

The children of Israel had come out of Egypt, had crossed the Red Sea, and had come to Mount Sinai. Moses had gone up into the Mount, had received the tables of the Law, and had come down and found the nation in idolatry, worshipping the golden calf they had made. While Moses was still in the Mount, the Lord had told him that Israel had already turned aside from the true God to idols, and was offering sacrifice to a molten calf as the god who had brought them forth out of Egypt. He instructed Moses to go down to the people. The wrath of God was hot against them, and He proposed to consume them and make a great nation of Moses instead. But Moses appealed to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord spared the nation from annihilation, and promised Moses that he would still be their leader.

When Moses went down from the Mount, he realized that Israel had grievously sinned, and his anger was kindled against them. When he saw and heard the dancing and feasting and shouting around the idol, he cast down the tables of the Law in his hands, and broke them. Here was a nation delivered by God from Egyptian bondage. The Red Sea had opened for them to pass over, by the power of Jehovah. They had also received various blessings along their way, notable proofs of divine guidance. Yet in spite of all this, here was rebellion and idolatry! What could he expect of a people who had so little appreciation of God, that they were quickly turned aside? Even Moses’ own brother, Aaron, led astray by the insistence of the people, felt it necessary to cooperate in the making of the golden calf.

Then Moses took the calf and burned it in fire, ground it to powder, scattered it upon the water and compelled the children of Israel to drink of it. He reproved Aaron, and then stood in the gate of the camp and said to all the people, “Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.” (Exod. 32:26-28)

MOSES’ CRY AND ITS ANSWER

The following day, Moses explained to the people how great was the sin of which they had been guilty and told them that he would go to the Lord in prayer, if perchance he might make atonement for their sin. Then he went to the Lord in earnest supplication, pleading that if God would not forgive His people, He would also blot out his name from His book. But God answered, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” (Exod. 32:33) He promised to send His angel before Moses to lead the people to the land of promise, but He assured Moses that He was not through dealing with Israel for their iniquity. He instructed Moses to tell them of their stiff­neckedness and to command them in His name to put off their ornaments, that He might know what course He would pursue with them.

The people obeyed God. They laid aside their ornaments, humbled themselves, and worshipped the Lord. Moses, heavy of heart, felt he would be utterly insufficient for the undertaking of leading so perverse a people into the promised inheritance unless God in some special way gave him the necessary wisdom and grace for the great task. He appealed again to God in earnest prayer, telling Him of his fear and his earnest desire for His sustaining help and presence. Then the Lord assured Moses that He would go with him, that he would have His presence throughout the entire journey to the Promised Land, for he had found grace in His sight. He said, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Moses then besought the Lord, “I beseech thee, show me thy glory.” It was here that God put Moses into the cleft of a rock and covered him with His hand while He passed by and let Moses see His glory from behind, saying, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” (Exod. 33)

When God speaks of His presence with His servants, we are not to think of Him as being with them in His bodily presence, but by His Spirit and through His angelic messengers, sustaining, blessing and guiding them. He protects them from whatever will harm them. He watches over their every interest and tenderly cares for them.

GOD IS NOT OMNIPRESENT

It is a common but erroneous thought that God is actually present in person everywhere. This generally prevailing error that God is everywhere in person, and at the same time, has led many to think of Him as being not a person at all, but merely an influence. We understand the Bible to show that God has a personal, bodily presence, aside from the power and influence He exerts, and that He has a central seat of government, where He resides.

“Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” (Isa. 66:1) He who has His seat in Heaven and whose footstool is the earth is a great God! This is, of course, a forceful figure of speech, showing His all-embracing power and control. God does not actually sit in a certain part of His Universe and have His literal feet in another part. The language of Scripture accommodates itself to the mind of man, speaking of God as if He possesses the same bodily members as human beings, but we actually do not know what a spirit body is like. As the Apostle wrote to the saints of the Lord while still in the flesh, “Beloved . . . it doth not yet appear what we shall be.” (1 John 3:2)

We understand from the Bible that the bodily presence of Jehovah is in Heaven, and that He is very great – infinite in power. We read: “The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.” (Psa. 33:13-14) He has beheld men in their distress, and has provided for their deliverance “in due time,” but we should clearly distinguish between this thought of God looking down from Heaven and the thought that He is personally present on earth.

Through the power of modern technology, we can be “present” on the other side of the world and beyond. In that sense of the word, the Lord is present everywhere throughout His mighty universe, and His power can be exerted everywhere. He has the means to know of all earthly affairs and all matters pertaining to His great domain. We have these powers only to a very limited extent. Electronic communications, the telescope, etc., are all means by which our presence, power and influence are extended to a certain degree; but our powers are mostly limited to this small planet, except as we further extend them by means of prayer, but this privilege is only for a few at present. Not many have access to the Power which controls the Universe, and those having the privilege of coming to the mighty King of Heaven may come only in His appointed way, subject to the conditions He has made.

We can place no limitations upon the power of Jehovah. The inventions of this Time of the End, which have increased our powers of communica­tion, and so have united all parts of the globe, give us but a very faint conception of the infinite powers of the Almighty God. These inventions, we believe, will continue to increase and multiply through the incoming age, thus adding more and more to the powers and blessings of mankind. These will give mankind a greater and greater appreciation of the majesty, glory and might of their Creator as they come to know Him as He is and to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Yet no human mind, even in perfection, will be able to comprehend the Mighty Maker of the Universe.

GOD’S GUIDANCE THROUGH THE WILDERNESS

God promised Moses that His presence – His power and sustaining grace – would go with him all the way. He wanted Moses to understand that he could not perform this great work alone, without God’s all-sufficient support. He promised that His presence would be with him, and the Lord’s presence was indeed with the children of Israel in a very marked manner. It was continually with them from the time they crossed the Red Sea; it guided them by either blessings or by chastisements, as needed. He was with them in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, and by His presence in the Shekinah glory which covered the Mercy-seat in the Most Holy of the Tabernacle. After the Tabernacle was set up by God’s instruction, these manifestations of His presence, His power and His watchful care never failed. The pillar of cloud and of fire guided their journey. When they stopped, it was an indication from God that they were to stay where they were until the pillar of cloud or fire again moved from its place.

Moses had said to the Lord, “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” (Exod. 33:15) He told the Lord that the task was too great for any man to accomplish alone, but if His presence would continue with him, direct him, and show him God’s will, then he would be able to lead this people through the wilderness journey to the land of Canaan. The Lord frequently spoke to Moses through the Tabernacle, so we see that the promise of His presence was fulfilled.

The Lord gave him rest. He lived to be one hundred and twenty years old, yet his strength was not impaired nor his eye dim. We remember that there was a time when Moses realized that the work of judging the people was too great for him. He took the matter to the Lord, and seventy judges were then chosen to share his burden. The matters that were too difficult for them they brought to Moses. He went to God with all his difficulties and burdens and he had continual blessing.

THE LESSON FOR SPIRITUAL ISRAEL

The experiences of Natural Israel have very important lessons for Spiritual Israel. Originally a part of the world, they have been invited to come out from the world and to journey to a new country, to come into a heavenly inheritance. They have been marching toward the glorious Kingdom promised if they are faithful. There have been trials and hardships along the way, but God has promised the faithful, as He promised Moses His servant, that His presence would go with them. Sometimes He seems to withdraw and to leave us to ourselves; but He does not really do so. He tests our loyalty and our faith in Him by withholding the sense of His presence at times.

Shall we, then, like Israel of old, conclude that God is no more with us, and turn again to the gods we formerly worshiped – gods of wealth or of pleasure, gods worshiped by the nations around us? Shall we give ourselves up to revelry, worldly merry-making and sin? Shall we forget all the way by which our God has led us, all the great deliverances which the past of our lives have recorded? “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or perse­cution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:35-39)

The closer we live to the Lord and the greater our faith, the more we realize the divine direction, and the more we can make use of the means He has provided for our strengthening and upholding. We may call upon Him in time of trouble; we may go to Him in prayer. He never fails those who put their trust in Him and earnestly seek to walk in His appointed way. This being true, we may go forth upon our journey in perfect trust and confidence. Having consecrated our all to the Lord, we are to seek for His guidance, for His presence is with us, in all the affairs of our life.

Few have such mighty burdens to carry as Moses had. But all of God’s children have burdens to bear, and important responsibilities are resting upon each of us who have taken upon us the vows of our God. Each member of the Body of Christ, the true Israel of God, has been privileged to have the continual guidance of the Lord in every experience of their wilderness journey. Heavenly Manna is furnished for the daily sustenance of the Household of Faith. The Water of Life flows out to us for our daily refreshing, from the smitten Rock of Ages. Our Father’s chastening rod restrains us when we are in danger, or when we wander into any forbidden path. How lovingly He brings us back into the right way, and heals our wounds, and graciously forgives our stumblings and weak­nesses! We may surely have implicit confi­dence in our Heavenly Guide. Thus, we may rest in Him and be kept in perfect peace. He who so faithfully cared for Israel after the flesh, who were a perverse and fickle people, will surely care more abundantly for His true, Spiritual Israel, who love Him supremely and are daily seeking more fully to know His will that they may do it.

The Apostle Paul, in warning Spiritual Israel not to fall after the same example of unbelief of Natural Israel, and thus lose their hold on the Lord, said, “For we which have believed do enter into rest.” (Heb. 4:3) It was unbelief that led to the disobedience and perversity of Israel after the flesh, and that led to their final rejection by the Lord as His favored people, to whom should apply the most precious promises. They have lost forever as a nation the special place of favor which was theirs by inheritance. What a lesson this should be to Spiritual Israel! And yet we see that today the great mass of Spiritual Israel are falling “after the same example of unbelief.” (Heb. 4:11) And they, too, will lose the chief place of favor, which was offered them when it was taken from unbelieving Natural Israel. Only a faithful “remnant” of both Natural and Spiritual Israel will gain the great inheritance held out to them by the Lord.

THE GLORIOUS INHERITANCE OF SPIRITUAL ISRAEL

Those who have proven faithful during the present dispensation are to inherit the most precious things God has to offer, the secret things which were kept hidden for ages, but now have been revealed to the true saints of God. The faithful of past ages will also have a rich inheritance. They will inherit the earth as rulers and princes over mankind, during the glorious Reign of Messiah, and those of Natural Israel then living will be gathered to them.[1] We cannot know with certainty what remains for them in the ages of glory to follow, but we may be sure it will be a blessed portion.

Of the faithful spirit begotten of the Gospel Age, the Apostle wrote, “And [God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:6) These faithful ones are the twelve tribes of Israel who are to reign with the “Lion of the tribe of Judah.” These – only a Little Flock, in all 144,000 – are of the faithful remnant of Natural Israel, who were gathered at the beginning of this Gospel Age, and the faithful remnant from the Gentile Church of this age. (Rev. 7:4-8; Rev. 14:1-5) These have “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Phil. 4:7), and which none others can know. The Master whispers to them, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” (John 14:27) Those who have a rest of faith in this age are assured that, if they do not faint, they will enter into complete rest. (Heb. 4:9)

The God of Israel is indeed ever present with His true people. He never forgets us, but is constantly looking out for our interests, guarding us in every time of danger, providing for our every need, both temporal and spiritual, whatever is best for the interest of our spiritual development. He reads every thought of our hearts; He marks every impulse of devotion and love to Him; He shapes all the influences surrounding our lives for our disciplining and refining, and hearkens to our every cry for aid and comfort and sympathy and fellowship with Him. He is never for a moment forgetful or off guard. “Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper.” (Psa. 121) If we call Him in the busy hours of the day or the silent watches of the night, He is near to uphold, sustain, and protect, whether we can realize His presence at all times or not.

How blessed the assurance of His abiding care and faithfulness! No real child of God lacks these evidences of his precious relationship to the Father – the God of Israel. The saints who have been called with the Heavenly Calling, and have faithfully responded, are His true Israel in the highest sense, heirs of all His choicest promises.

(Adapted from Reprint 5547.)

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THE VISION OF DRY BONES

“I will put my spirit within you.” (Ezek. 36:27)

The lesson of this vision (Ezek. 37:1-14) is frequently confusing to the Lord’s people, even after they have learned what the Apostle Paul so positively declared – that the body sown in corruption, planted in death, is not the body which shall be in the resurrection. The Apostle’s statement is not only backed by his inspiration, but also is reasonable and logical. One atom of matter is no more valuable or necessary than another in the great work of restitution to be accomplished in the world’s resurrection. The decomposing human body becomes food for plant life, which in turn becomes food for man and the lower animals, so that the atoms of matter composing a human body are continually changing, and in centuries would pass through many changes.

We have also seen that this process of change progresses while we are still alive, resulting in a complete change in the human organism every seven years. The atoms of matter composing the human body at the moment of death are no more precious, valuable or necessary to the future body than were the atoms sloughed off through the natural channels during previous years. What God has promised is that the being, the soul will have a resurrection, and that in the resurrection God will give it a body as pleases Him: to the natural man a natural, human body, through restitution, and to the new creature in Christ a new spiritual body, according to divine promise.

The Lord, through the Prophet, was addressing fleshly Israel, who were then in captivity in Babylon. The dry bones represented the Israelites themselves. As a people they had lost heart, lost hope, and said, “Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.” (Ezek. 37:11) They were cut off from all tribal and national union. Looking at the present, they were strangers in a strange land. Looking backward, their deliverance from Egypt, their favor as a nation under David and Solomon, etc., were lost blessings. Looking forward, they could see no hope of ever again becoming a nation. All the great expectations for their nation as God’s favored people and the heir of the promises made to Abraham were dead. The condition of Israel, scattered throughout Babylonia, was indeed well illustrated by the dry bones of the vision.

The power of the Lord caused Ezekiel to see this vision – he was not literally transported to any literal valley of dry bones. In the vision, he passed among the dry bones that he might get a full view of the situation, as they lay strewn all over the valley. The Lord then explained that these dry bones represent the whole house of Israel. They did not represent merely the two tribes which went last into captivity, nor merely the ten tribes which went earlier, but the whole house of Israel, the twelve tribes. They were no longer to be considered as two distinct nations, as they had considered themselves for the preceding four hundred years. They were to understand that in divine providence they were henceforth a reunited nation, and the reunion is pictured in this same chapter by the miraculous uniting of two sticks into one in the hand of the Prophet. (Ezek. 37:15-22)

From the time Cyrus gave his decree that all the children of Israel could go free and return to their own land if they chose, the division into two nations was no longer recognized. The people that returned, although chiefly of the tribe of Judah, represented all of the various tribes who had faith in the Lord’s promises, and desired to return to Palestine. The returned and restored people were recognized by the name Israel for the more than five centuries preceding our Lord’s first advent, and were also so recognized by our Lord in all of His ministry, and by the Apostles in all of their writings, which constitute the New Testament. There are no “ten lost tribes” as some well-meaning but deluded people seem to rest their hopes in, instead of the hope set before us in the Gospel.

The Lord asked the question, “Can these bones live?” Is there hope for the scattered people of Israel to become a restored nation of Israel? The Prophet, referred the question back to God: “O Lord God, thou knowest.” Any hope of a reorganization of Israel must come from God.

The divine message foretold things to come under divine providence: God would exercise His power to gradually revive those who were dead and dried up with respect to their national hopes, and cause them to become one people, a nation in their own land. The dried and hopeless would first come together, and gradually assume a national existence. Finally, they would be infused with the spirit of the Lord, begotten of faith in the promises, and would stand again as a nation.

The people’s dead hopes were represented as buried in the various provinces of Babylonia, “among the heathen.” Combining this figure with the figure of the dry bones, the Lord sent the message, “Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord.” (Ezek. 37:12-13) In the vision, the Prophet was shown the process by which the dry bones would be gathered and revived: “So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.” (Ezek. 37:7)

The mightiness of the empire that had taken them captive undoubtedly contributed to Israel’s despair. Babylonia at that time was the most gigantic empire ever known. Her overthrow seemed impossible, and escape from her power unthinkable. The noise (thunder) and shaking (earthquake) no doubt represented the fall of Babylon and the transfer of the empire to the Medes and Persians. As a result, the hopes of Israel in the divine promises began to revive, and shortly they were delivered.

The withered hopes of Israel, scattered throughout the provinces of Babylonia, cut off from one another, and from national cohesion, was only a foreshadow of the more general scattering of that nation among all the nations of the civilized world (mystic Babylon) during the Gospel Age. Now, in the end of this Gospel Age, the due time has come for these dry bones, scattered all over mystic Babylon, to be gathered and revived with hope in the promises made to the fathers. The great noise is the “seventh trumpet,” which has begun to sound; the shaking is the coming great revolution in which mystic Babylon will fall before the great Prince prefigured by Cyrus.

As we look at the dry bones of Israel, we see that they are already moving, already drawing near one to another, and organizing as “Zionists.” The hopes of the Israelites probably began to revive as soon as they learned that the army of Cyrus had begun the conquest of Babylon, and so now the hopes of Israel are reviving as they witness the march of events, and realize that a great day of trouble is coming upon the nations of Christendom.

Spiritual Israel was also permitted to go down into Babylon – to be swallowed up by worldliness, as represented in our Lord’s parable of the wheat-field, choked by the “tares.” For centuries the “Gospel of the Kingdom,” the good seed which our Lord sowed (Matt. 13:37-42), has been lost sight of, and Kingdom hopes have lost their vitality, and the many promises of the Kingdom of God, joint-heirship with Christ and a future blessing of the world, have become dead hopes. Spiritual Israel has been cut off from its parts and mixed with the Babylonians, and has become interested in the hopes of Babylon rather than in the Kingdom of God.

But in the end of this age, the time came for God to call His people out of Babylon, and the voice of a greater than Cyrus is heard by those who have ears to hear, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen . . .Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:2-4) There is a commotion among the dry bones, among those who are Israelites indeed. Their hopes in the Kingdom had perished, but the Kingdom hopes are revived and the promises of God are becoming more distinct.

(Adapted from Reprint 2505.)

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[1] Brother Russell, commenting on the status of those who present themselves in consecration after the close of the High Calling, noted that since God is unchangeable, He is always pleased for any to devote their lives to doing His will. (See Reprint 4836) It is because these “Youthful Worthies” have the faith of Abraham that they will be blessed with him and have the privilege of participating with the Ancient Worthies in the blessing of all nations.

NO. 826: SIX SAVED CLASSES

No. 826

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29)

Through the Prophet Joel, the Lord draws attention to the fact that the Holy Spirit will be just as important during the Millennial Age as it has been during the Gospel Age. The above passage is addressed to Zion (Joel 2:23), which represents the Kingdom (Isa. 60:14; Rev. 14:1), and stands for the Lord Jesus and His faithful followers. It is in “those days” – the Gospel Age – that the Spirit is poured out for these. During the Millennial Age, “afterward,” His Spirit will be poured out generally for the world of mankind, “all flesh.” It will then bring the world of mankind back into harmony with God under the terms of the New Covenant, through the merits of the dear Redeemer’s sacrifice.

The order of this blessing is reversed in the prophetic statement, quite probably to obscure the matter until the proper time, and thus to hide some of the length and breadth and height and depth of God’s Plan, until the “due time” for it to be known and appreciated. Consequently, Joel 2:29 refers to the Gospel Age and Joel 2:28 refers to the Millennial Age.

Examining these verses, we find that they identify six saved classes from the human family: (1) “your sons,” (2) “your daughters,” (3) “your old men,” (4) “your young men,” (5) “the servants,” and (6) “the handmaids.”

SERVANTS AND HANDMAIDS

We will first consider the two classes developed during the Gospel Age. The class referred to as “the servants” is the Little Flock. We notice that the time of their development is limited to the Gospel Age: “Upon the servants . . . in those days will I pour out my spirit.” Like the rest of mankind they were born under the curse (Rom. 5:12-19; 1 Cor. 15:21-22; Eph. 2:3), but unlike the rest of mankind their hearts have trusted the Lord even when they could not trace Him. (2 Cor. 5:7) They have accepted Jesus as their Savior, thereby attaining to justification through faith (Rom. 3:21-26; Rom. 4:1-12), and have then sought to grow in Truth and Righteousness.

They have responded to His drawings until ready to take a second step – consecration – answering God’s invitation to yield themselves to Him as living sacri­fices. (Rom. 12:1) He has given them His Holy Spirit; they are “begotten” of His Spirit. (John 3:3; Jas. 1:18; Acts 5:32) He has helped them to overcome self, sin, error, and the world (Rev. 3:21), and to work out their own salvation by self-denial and world-denial, by watchfulness and prayer, by the study, practice and spread of His Word, and by suffering for loyalty to His Word. (Phil 2:12-13; 1 Pet. 5:10; 2 Pet. 1:5-11) They have been His witnesses in the world for Truth and Righteousness. (Acts 1:8)

The hope He has given them is the attainment of the Divine nature and joint-heirship with Christ. (2 Pet. 1:4; Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:11-12) They will attain these blessings in the First Resurrection, if they have been faithful until death. (Rev. 2:10; Rev. 20:4-6)

Closely related to the Little Flock is another class called “the handmaids” and elsewhere called “a great multitude.” (Rev. 7:9; Rev. 19:6) This class we call the Great Company; the individuals of this class were originally invited through the High Calling (Phil. 3:14) to the Divine nature and joint-heirship with Christ. (Eph. 4:4) They have failed to keep faithfully their consecration vows, and therefore, have had to be remanded to a secondary class. They were not called to this position. The Lord provided a secondary place for them, even though they were only measurably faithful, because they still loved the Lord, and had not become unfaithful enough to be utterly cast off into Second Death. They are the only one of the elect classes to be remanded, but they will finally escape with their lives, after losing the prize of the High Calling. (1 Cor. 3:15; Heb. 2:15; Jude 22-23) However, they will still be included in the “church of the firstborn” of this Gospel Age. (Heb. 12:23)

The Little Flock and the Great Company, it will be noticed, have been developed during the Gospel Age – the age in which Jesus and the Apostles labored, the age in which the great Apostasy developed. At the end of the Gospel Age, the Lord has restored the primitive teachings and practices of Christianity under the supervision and leadership of That Servant.

We now turn to the consideration of the four classes of whom Joel 2:28 treats. While this verse describes the blessings and works of these four classes during the Millennium, two of these classes will have been devel­oped before the Millennium and the other two will be developed during the Millennium.

OLD MEN AND YOUNG MEN

We understand the phrase “your old men” to mean those we refer to as Ancient Worthies, the faithful of the Old Testament. This class is called “ancients” in Isa. 24:23, this being from the same Hebrew word that is translated “old men” in Joel 2:28. We choose to call them Ancient Worthies because they are spoken of as those “Of whom the world was not worthy.” (Heb. 11:38) Other scriptures refer to this class as “the elders.” (Psa. 107:32; Heb. 11:2)

In Hebrews, we are given a long list of Ancient Worthies who were prominent for their characters and their works. (Heb. 11:4-32) Many others are later referred to who are not identified by name. (Heb. 11:33-40) The Ancient Worthies were the heroes of faith before Christ came in His First Advent. God used them as His representatives, servants and witnesses in their times, and through some of them He gave us the Old Testament Scriptures. Although they were unaware of it, He also used them and events of their lives to type certain future persons, classes and events in His plan. Because they lived before Christ’s death, they could not receive the actual cancellation of the death sentence inherited by the entire human race from Adam, and they could not become sons of God and joint-heirs with Christ. (John 1:12-13; Rom. 8:17; Gal. 4:3-5)

Yet God did give them a tentative justification through their faith in His Promises. (Rom. 4:3-9, 17-23; Heb. 11:7) Through their faith-justification they were privileged to be servants and friends of God. (Heb. 3:5; Jas. 2:23) God did not offer them the privilege of becoming Kings with Jesus and partakers with Him of the Divine nature; for such promises were not given until the beginning of the Gospel Age. (1 Pet. 1:10-12; Heb. 2:3-4; Heb. 11:38-39; 2 Tim. 1:10; Luke 16:16) The Ancient Worthies who preceded Jesus, the forerunner of these Kings (Heb. 6:20; Heb. 12:1-2), could not share in this heavenly calling. John the Baptizer, who died before Jesus’ death, was the last of the Ancient Worthy class, and Jesus assures us John will not be of the heavenly class when He says, “He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matt. 11:11)

Although these faithful Ancient Worthies will not attain the First Resurrection as the Little Flock do, they will be privileged to share in a “better resurrection” than that of the world. (Heb. 11:35) They will attain perfection immediately upon awakening from the grave (“just men made perfect” – Heb. 12:22-23), whereas the world will be raised in the same condition as when they went into the grave. It will require the entire thousand years to bring the world back to perfection. These Ancient Worthies will attain the honor of being “princes in all the earth” during the Millennium, and their work will be to rule as judges and teachers. (Psa. 45:16; Isa. 1:26)

Moving on to the class referred to as “your young men,” we notice that they are linked in standing and in work with the “old men.” Since we call the latter the Ancient Worthies, we call the “young men” the Youthful Worthies. These contrasting names are appropriate for another reason. As the Ancient Worthies appeared in God’s Plan before the door was opened to the High Calling, the Youthful Worthies appear in God’s Plan after the door to the High Calling is closed.

According to the Bible, the opportunity of entering the High Calling was to close after the full number of the Elect had been chosen. (Rom. 11:25) This synchronizes with the end of the reaping of the Harvest from 1874 to 1914. But as many desired to and did serve God faithfully before the opportunity to enter the High Calling was opened, so since the opportunity to enter the High Calling has closed many desire to and do serve God faithfully. Since they show the same spirit of devotion to God as the Ancient Worthies, God purposes to associate them with the Ancient Worthies in Millennial and Post-Millennial rewards and service. An entrance to this class will be available in the end of this age for all who come to the Lord in full consecration, and will continue until this age ends – or until Restitution sets in and a way is opened for the world of mankind.

Commenting on the status of those who present themselves in consecration after the close of the High Calling, That Servant noted that since God is unchangeable, He is always pleased for any to devote their lives wholly and unreservedly to doing His will. (See Reprint 4836) His advice then to all who love the Lord and who desire to be in complete fellowship with Him was the same message that has gone forth throughout this age: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice.” (Rom. 12:1)

It is because the Youthful Worthies have the faith of Abraham that they will be blessed with him and have the privilege of participating in the blessing of all nations. (Gal. 3:6-9) Having this faith quality, they heed the Lord’s invitation to consecrate; they give Him their hearts. (Prov. 23:26) There being no opportunity for them to win a crown with Christ, He does not beget them of His Spirit, but gives them a new human heart to love Truth and Righteousness and to serve Him. They too, like the Little Flock, become dead to self and the world and alive to God, practicing watchfulness and prayer, studying and spreading the Word. Thus, the Youthful Worthies also must be faithful to the Lord – even unto death, if He deems it necessary.

We read, “Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country.” (Lev. 24:22) The “stranger” here types those consecrating between the ages. They are “strangers” because they are strangers to the Little Flock, having consecrated themselves too late to be of that select company. Just as there was “one manner of law” for the Jews and for the foreigners visiting in their land, Youthful Worthies are under the same law as the Saints, meaning they make the same manner of consecration – a complete desire to do God’s will and they have been similarly blessed with a clear understanding of Present Truth.

These four elect classes, the Little Flock, Great Company, Ancient Worthies and Youthful Worthies, are the only consecrated classes of the Jewish and Gospel Ages. They are the only saved classes for elect purposes. God has not been dealing with the world of mankind during these ages, including the last special period of this Gospel Age, the Epiphany. God’s “due time” for dealing with the non-elect, the restitutionists, is when the Highway of Holiness is opened up for them. (Isa. 35:8)

SONS AND DAUGHTERS

We understand the term “your sons” of our text to represent Fleshly Israel, a class presented in the Scriptures as separate and distinct from other classes. (Isa. 60:4, 9) They are the seed of Jacob, and as such have a special promise and call from the Lord. They are promised that they will forever inherit Canaan; their call is that in them (as a secondary earthly seed, under the Ancient Worthies and Youthful Worthies as the primary earthly seed) all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Gen. 28:13-14; Rom. 11:28-29) For this purpose God chose them in preference to all other nations to be His people. (Amos 3:2) He favored them with special revelations, providences, and His Law Covenant to give them the opportunity as a nation to become “a kingdom of priests.” (Exod. 19:5-6) He used them to furnish a practical demonstration that none of Adam’s race can fulfill God’s Law and gain life by obedience to the Law, which is the full measure of a perfect man’s ability. (Rom. 3:9, 19-20; Gal. 3:10-12) Many tried hard but failed to keep the Law perfectly. This awakened in them the realization of the need and the desire for a Savior. (Gal. 3:21-24, 13) God also used the actions and institutions of Fleshly Israel as types illustrating future features of His Plan (Heb. 9:9-10; Heb. 10:1; Col. 2:16-17); and He used them to preserve His oracles, which He deposited in their care. (Rom. 3:1-2)

Though they were not perfect, some among them proved faithful, and thus became of the Ancient Worthies. When Christ came in His First Advent, there were some individuals among them who proved to be “Israelites indeed.” However, the bulk of them rejected Him. (John 1:11-13, 47; Rom. 2:28-29) Consequently they were rejected from God’s favor as a class until the end of the Gospel Age. (Matt. 23:34-39; Rom. 11:7-11, 25) Through­out this age God has permitted them to suffer miseries as perhaps no other single nation has suffered. (Jer. 16:13, 17-18)

True to prophecy, they have been blinded to the High Calling of the Gospel Age (with individual exceptions). However, the Bible prophesies their return to God’s favor and to their land at the end of this age. (Jer. 16:14-16; Ezek. 36:24, 28-30; Amos 9:14-15; Rom. 11:25-32) The Apostle Paul says, “Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles [full number of the Bride of Christ] be come in.” With the selection of that class complete, these prophecies are fulfilling before our very eyes. Since the year 1878, ever increasing numbers of Jews have returned to their land and Israel’s blindness and prejudice toward Christ are lifting. These events are precursors of the Millennium. (Ezek. 37:21-25)

Because they are “beloved for the fathers’ sakes” (Rom. 11:28), they who have been so greatly despised during the Gospel Age will become greatly favored during the Millennium as the chief nation of earth. Their past experiences in the Jewish Age and the Gospel Age, combined with their efforts to fulfill the Law, will serve to adapt them to the Kingdom arrangements. As they continue to be obedient to these arrangements, they will be lifted up to the perfection of human nature as Father Adam enjoyed it in the beginning. Those who prove true to the Lord during the trial of the “little season” at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:3, 7-9) will inherit the land that God promised Abraham and his seed after him (Gen. 13:14-17; Acts 7:5); but during the Millennium this land will belong to the Ancient Worthies.

However, those Israelites who either during the Jewish Age or the Gospel Age apostatized, by giving up faith in the Abrahamic promises and the Law Covenant, will not receive the special Millennial favor just described. They will be treated as Gentiles during the Millennium, for their apostasy made them practically, if not fleshly, Gentiles. Likewise, we believe that persevering but unconsecrated Gentile believers of the Gospel Age will be included among “your sons.” These are those who were faithful in tentative justification but not faithful enough to make and carry out consecration vows while the ascendency of sin is still in the world.

The sixth and last of the saved classes mentioned in Joel 2:28-29 are those referred to as “your daughters.” (Isa. 60:4; Ezek. 16:61) Israel’s superiority to the Gentiles during the Millennium is from the standpoint of the superiority of sons to daughters in middle-eastern culture. This harmo­nizes with the thought that the daughters represent the Gentiles, meaning nations that are not in covenant relation with God. Hence all who are not of Natural or Spiritual Israel (“both houses” – Isa. 8:14) are from the Divine standpoint Gentiles. Accordingly, the human race from the Fall until the Covenant was made with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3) was entirely Gentile. Because they did not desire to glorify God, He gave them over to their own ways, which as both the Bible and history attest, have been largely evil. (Rom. 1:21-32)

In permitting the Gentiles to take their own course in experiencing evil, God designed that the Gentile world, who refused to retain Him in their knowledge, might learn the lesson that they would not learn by precept – that sin is bad – bad in its nature and bad in its effects. That they might better learn this lesson, He simply let them follow their own selfish hearts and permitted Satan and his fallen angels to secure dominion over them, knowing that these would give them such experiences as would make all the more impressive the detestableness of sin and the desirability of avoiding and of being free from it. (Eph. 2:2; Eph. 6:12; 2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 2:14)

This lesson has not yet been taken to heart by the Gentiles. During the Millennium the opposite experience with righteousness will come to mankind through the blessings of the Reign of Christ. Then the misery suffered under the experience with evil contrasted with the blessings enjoyed under the experience with good will effectually teach them to hate and avoid sin, and to love and practice righteousness.

SIX CLASSES TYPED BY NOAH’S ARK

We find the six saved classes typed in Noah’s Ark. Saint Peter describes the Ark salvation this way: “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.” (1 Pet. 3:20-21) The Ark typified Christ and His power to replenish and reorganize society. (See Studies in the Scriptures, Volume I, page 318) In other words, the Ark portrays the embodiment of God’s Plan.

There were four human pairs who went into the Ark, as well as one pair of every clean and unclean kind of animal, representing all saved classes of mankind. The four elect classes are represented in Noah and his three sons and their wives – the Christ Company, the Ancient Worthies, the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies. Noah undoubtedly types our Lord, the “heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Heb. 11:7), and Noah’s wife types the Little Flock, His Bride. Noah’s sons represent the leaders of their respective classes, and their wives the others of these classes. The animals in the Ark fittingly represent the non-elect who will ultimately be saved. The clean animals represent the Jews (who were typically clean) as well as the tentatively justified. The unclean animals represent the Gentiles, those of the present unclean world. Those who perished in the flood represent the Second Death class, as well as the systems of Satan’s empire.

The fact that only six saved classes are identified in the Scriptures may strike some as being incomplete, since many things in the Divine arrangement come in sevens, and six is the number of evil or imperfection. But as we consider the matter further, we realize that while there are only six saved classes from the human family, there is another, a seventh saved class mentioned in the Scriptures, viz., the repentant fallen angels. God will also offer the opportunity of life eternal to them. At Christ’s appearing, i.e. His Epiphany, the unrepentant angels will be imprisoned with Satan until the end of the “little season” when they, along with Satan, will be executed. (2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 20:3, 9) The repentant Angels will be placed under Christ and the Church for their Millennial opportunities of overcoming everything sinful in them and of developing perfect love, fitting them for the heavenly society and fellowship with God.

THE GRAND OUTCOME

According to the Scriptures the climax of evil is reached in the Time of Trouble, consisting of world-wide wars, revolution and anarchy. (1 Kings 19:11-12) It is quite evident that we have entered this Great Tribulation. It will entirely sweep away Satan’s Empire and pave the way for the establishment of God’s Kingdom. This will first be set into operation by The Christ working through the Ancient Worthies in Israel, where it will speedily and greatly benefit the Israelites. Then the news of its establishment will spread among the Gentiles, who at that time will be utterly exhausted, broken and humbled by the horrors of the Time of Trouble. It will be to them like a rope thrown to a drowning man – the Gentile world will grasp for it as their only hope of deliverance from their unspeakable miseries. (Hag. 2:6-7; Rom. 8:19-22; Isa. 2:2-4) Thanks be to God, it will be the effectual cure of the curse, and will teach the world righteousness! (Rev. 22:3; Isa. 26:9) They will indeed exalt God in the “congregation of the people” (the Little Flock) and praise Him in the “assembly of the elders” (the Ancient Worthies). (Psa. 107:32) The glorious work of that Kingdom in destroying every element of the curse and introducing Restitution to human perfection will more than satisfy their hearts. (Rev. 21:3-5; Rev. 22:1-3; Acts 3:19-24)

Thus, both Jew and Gentile will be brought together under the one God of Israel by the one Mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ. (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29; 1 Tim. 2:5) The six saved classes cover all the human classes saved through the Ransom. There is no hint of a seventh human class in the Bible. The entire non-elect portion of the human family, whether living or dead at the time of the establishment of the Kingdom, will become the subjects of the Kingdom. The result of the Kingdom reign will be the utter eradication of all the effects of the curse. (Psa. 98:1-4; Psa. 22:27-29; Isa. 25:6-8) “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Cor. 15:25-26)

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 QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Question: The LHMM teach that Nethinim is the type of the Consecrated Epiphany Campers. Does this type teach that the Consecrated Epiphany Campers supplant the Jews in the Kingdom?

Answer: All types given by the LHMM are for the purpose of replacing the Jews in the Kingdom. They do not teach “to the Jew first,” as do the Apostle Paul and the two Messengers. Furthermore, as Brother Russell taught, all types must be supported in plain terms in the Scriptures: “A type must not be used to teach a doctrine, but merely to illustrate one that is already taught in plain terms.” (See R1386)

The Scriptures teach that in Jacob’s last trouble the Jews as a nation will accept Jesus as their Messiah. (Zech. 12:10) During that time, the Lord will fight for them as “in the day of battle” (Zech. 14:1-3) and afterward the Kingdom will be inaugurated. Then the Lord’s message to the Jews will be: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isa. 60:1-3)

According to the teaching of the LHMM, the Consecrated Epiphany Campers would be the first to shine. However, we have no Scripture in plain terms that teach this non-existent class will supplant the Jews. The LHMM is “contending for the teaching of a Great Company,” and not for the Truth that was once given unto the saints. We have no Scripture that exhorts us to “contend” for the teaching of a crown-loser, especially if the crown-loser teaches anything that conflicts with the teaching of the saints. “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3) We are on safe ground when we contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints.

We can rely on types only as corroboration of what is taught in “plain terms” in the Scriptures. When Brother Russell understood the Tabernacle types and antitypes, he was enabled to write the six volumes of the Studies in the Scriptures. So types are valuable when used in harmony with God’s Word. We well realize that “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” (Prov. 4:18) But any so-called “new light” that sets aside what we have learned and been assured of is really “new error.” We do not want to be “Ever learning, and never able come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim. 3:7, 14) The exhortation is: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)

The LHMM teach that the Epiphany ended in 1954 and is now overlapping into the Basiliea. Their “overlapping,” is now longer than their Epiphany proper. We are clearly taught that the Epiphany and the Time of Trouble are the same length – when one ends so will the other. Did the Time of Trouble end in 1954? It seems they should now call their non-existent class “Consecrated Basiliea Campers” at this time.

We continue to teach that the opportunity for Youthful Worthies will be until Restitution sets in as was taught by both Messengers. In Tabernacle types, a place represents a condition in antitype. Anyone consecrating now may be in the condition of the court – that is, if their consecration is acceptable to the Lord. Restitutionists will consecrate to The Christ in the Basiliea camp. Jesus is not accepting consecration of the restitutionists in the Epiphany Camp.

Question: Are Consecrated Epiphany Campers represented in any way in Noah’s Ark?

Answer: No! And it would be essential for them to be shown in the Ark in some clear manner if they are a genuine class, because the Ark typifies God’s complete Plan of Salvation and the power of Christ to replenish and reorganize society. Noah’s Ark also does not portray the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Jonadabs, or any of the earthly “Organization” they claim will survive Armageddon.

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This paper is a reprint of No. 742, June 2019, and is drawn from various writings of Brothers Johnson and Hoefle.

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