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.

Write to us at: epiphanybiblestudents@gmail.com

NO. 825: THE MAIN OBJECTS OF OUR LORD’S RETURN

No. 825

“And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive [retain] until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:20-21)

Any treatise on the subject of the Millennium would be incomplete without a consideration of our Lord’s Second Advent. All Christians will agree that the Bible teaches Messiah’s Second Advent. Although by no means complete, a list of choice Scriptural references to our Lord’s second stay on earth is presented at the end of this paper. Bro. Dwight L. Moody once said that one verse out of every seven in the New Testament refers to our Lord’s second stay on earth. Even a larger proportion of such passages is found in the Old Testament. And it is because there is so large a proportion of such verses in that section of the Scriptures that the Jews at His first Coming, overlooking the relatively small proportion of prophecies respecting His First Advent, expected Him to come but once, and that to reign. Thus, unprepared to accept the meek and lowly Jesus as fulfilling the promise of the conquering and reigning Messiah of their expectations, they rejected Him; and thus, their “table” (the prophetic Scriptures) became a snare to them as foretold. (Psa. 69:22-23; Rom. 11:9-10)

As shown from Acts 3:19-21 and other Scriptures, our Lord returns at the beginning of the Millennium, at which time He winds up Gospel-Age affairs and inaugurates the work of the Millennium. The time of His second stay on earth will be seen to coincide with the Millennium, during which, among other things, He accomplishes “the restitution of all things,” the main object of His Return (see Studies in the Scriptures, Volume I, Chapter VI). But other objects of His return are important also in relation to the Millennium. According to the Scriptures, we find that our Lord returns for many purposes, of which we will discuss mainly the following seven:

(1) He gathers and delivers the Little Flock: He comes to gather by the Word of Truth and to deliver by His power His prospective Bride, the Little Flock. The Church has been espoused to Him and in holy chastity she has kept herself pure from all worldly affiliations and alliances, witnessing to and longing for His Kingdom, when she is to be married to Him. Her loyalty to Him has cost her much, yea, everything of this world. This loyalty pleases her Lord; and upon returning, He first of all gathers her together through and to the Truth, the “meat in due season.” This feast of Truth is her farewell banquet before her marriage, and greatly has she enjoyed the feast that He Himself provides for her. (2 Cor. 11:2; Matt. 24:28, 31, 45; Luke 12:36-37, 42)

Then, as a part of His Second Advent work, comes her deliverance in the First Resurrection, through which He changes her from humanity to divinity, from weakness to power, from dishonor to glory, from corruption to incorruption, from mortality to immortality. The sleeping part of the Church precedes in the resurrection that part which is living. Afterwards, as one after another of the living saints finishes their course, at the moment of death through sharing in the First Resurrection they join the Lord in the air, and thus will ever be with Him. Arrayed as His glorified Bride and as the City of God (religious government of God), the Church will shine resplendent and all-glorious. (2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:42-54; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; Rev. 21:9; Rev. 22:5; Psa. 45:13)

(2) He cleanses and delivers the Great Company: Through measurable selfishness, worldliness, sin, and error this class has failed to qualify for Bride-ship with Christ. The spots that have accumulated on their garments must be cleansed. Therefore, during the Epiphany period of His Second Advent, He puts them through some very severe experiences in “the Great Tribulation,” through which they learn to recognize the folly of their past course and to cleanse themselves, however with the loss of all the idols of self, the world, sin, and error to which they bowed down. After their cleansing will come their deliverance, amid which they will greatly rejoice in the Lord’s salvation, as they are ushered into the King’s Palace to be bridesmaids of the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife. (Psa. 107:10-16; Jude 23; Mal. 3:2-3; Matt. 25:10- 12; 1 Cor. 3:13-15; Matt. 7:26-27; Cant. 5:6-7; Rev. 7:13-14; Psa. 45:14- 15; Rev. 19:7-9)

(3) He develops the Youthful Worthies: They are thus designated because, as the Ancient Worthies came into activity on the stage of God’s Plan before the opportunity was opened for anyone to enter the High Calling to the Divine nature and joint-heirship with Christ, so the Youthful Worthies come into activity on the stage of God’s plan after that opportunity is closed. According to the Bible, the opportunity of entering the High Calling was to be closed after “the fulness of the Gentiles” (the full number of the Elect from among the Gentiles) should come in. (Rom. 11:25) This synchronizes with the end of the reaping of the present Harvest. But as before the opportunity to enter the High Calling was opened, many desired to and did serve God faithfully, 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, and that under largely similar conditions, God purposes to associate them with the Ancient Worthies in Millennial and Post-Millennial rewards and service.

We understand that, as in 2 Tim. 2:20 the vessels of gold and silver refer respectively to the Little Flock and the Great Company, so the vessels of wood and of earth refer respectively to the Ancient and the Youthful Worthies. As in Psa. 72:3 Jesus with His Church and the Ancient Worthies, as the two chief ruling powers in God’s Kingdom, are symbolized by the two mountains of Jerusalem, so the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies, as the two subordinate ruling powers of God’s Kingdom, are symbolized by the two little hills of Jerusalem. Moreover, the Lord in the Tabernacle picture has shadowed forth these four classes: the priests to the east of the Tabernacle typing Jesus and the Church; the Kohathite Levites to the south of the Tabernacle typing the Ancient Worthies; the Merarite Levites to the north of the Tabernacle typing the Great Company; and the Gershonite Levites to the west of the Tabernacle typing the Youthful Worthies. (Num. 3:6-8; Num. 1:49-54; Num. 3:23, 29, 35, 40-51; Heb. 12:23) Israel, whose camp surrounded the Tabernacle at a distance, represents the world of mankind, the restitution class.

The Scriptures tell us less of the Youthful Worthies than they do of the other three ruling Kingdom classes, but it is because they have the faith of Abraham that they will be blessed with him with the privilege of blessing all nations. (Gal. 3:6-9) They have the faith quality: they accept the message that preaches repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. Therefore, they are justified by faith. Heeding the Lord’s invitation to consecrate, they give Him their hearts. (Prov. 23:26). With the Ancient Worthies they will then share in a “better resurrection” than that of the world. (Heb. 11: 35) They will be raised perfect human beings, and with the Ancient Worthies will be made princes throughout the earth.

(4) He overthrows Satan’s empire: Satan has an empire over the human family as the prince and god of this world, the prince of the power of the air, and the ruler of its kingdoms. (John 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; Luke 4:6-7) His kingdom has three departments through which he, though invisible, has held the race in subjection: (1) false religions, (2) oppressive governments, and (3) predatory aristocracies. Evil indeed has been his reign, as all history attests. Surely the Scriptures rightly call him, as Pharaoh’s antitype, “the oppressor.” (Psa. 72:4; Isa. 9:4; Heb. 2:14) But the days of his empire are numbered. The Bible assures us that it will be overthrown through the great Time of Trouble (which began with the two phases of the World War and will progress with possibly a third phase, followed by world revolution and then will culminate in world anarchy), and that it will be accomplished by the Lord in His Second Advent. (Isa. 35:3-4; Rev. 11:15, 18; Rev. 14:4-20; Rev. 19:11-21 ;Rev. 16:18-19; Rev. 18:8-10, 18-21; Rev. 17:4-5, 16, 18; 2 Thess. 2:8-9; Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45; Dan. 7:9-14, 17, 26; Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 3:8-9; Joel 2:1-11; Joel 3:9-14) As a result, instead of oppressing the race any more, Satan will be bound for the thousand years of Christ’s Reign, and be unable then to deceive the nations. (Rev. 20:1-3)

(5) He establishes God’s Kingdom in the Earth: God has in innumerable Scriptures promised to establish His Kingdom of righteousness and peace on the ruins of Satan’s empire, which is to be swept away to make room for Christ’s Kingdom. During the time before the Gospel Age, Jehovah prepared the Ancient Worthy class, the Kingdom’s chief princes, as earthly representatives of our Lord Jesus and His Church. (Psa. 45:16; Isa. 1:26; Isa. 32:1; Matt. 11:11; Heb. 11:39-40) During the Gospel Age, He has been preparing the Kings of His Kingdom in Jesus and His Church. (Heb. 1:3, 8-9; Heb. 12:2; Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 1:6; Rev. 5:10; Rev. 11:15; Rev. 19:16; Rev. 20:4-6) The coming of this Kingdom has been the hope and prayer of the faithful ever since it was promised. (Gen. 12:3; Gen. 22:16-18; Heb. 11:13-16; Matt. 6:10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Tit. 2:13; Rev. 22:20)

This Kingdom will be an absolute monarchy; hence its government will not be of the people nor by the people, but will most emphatically be for the people. Its rulers being perfect in wisdom, power, justice and love sufficiently guarantees both their worthiness to hold office and their efficiency to rule. The arrangement that they will establish for mankind will be conducive to truth and righteousness and inconducive to error and sin. This will reverse entirely the conditions prevailing in Satan’s Empire.

(6) He ministers restitution opportunities: Restitution means a return to an original estate. The original estate of the human family was the image and likeness of God, as these were exemplified in Father Adam and Mother Eve. The image of God implies perfection in the physical, mental, moral and religious faculties. Adam and Eve, before the fall, and Jesus, when on earth, were examples of this perfection. (Heb. 2:6-9) The likeness of God implies a perfect earth with perfect rulers in charge. But as St. Paul implies, the image and likeness of God (the original perfection of being and rulership) have been lost. (Heb. 2:8)In the place of the image of God has come physical, mental, moral and religious degradation. In the place of the likeness of God has come the tyranny of the cursed earth over man, greatly oppressing him, until it extinguishes his life. (Gen. 3:17-19) The Scriptures assure us that all this came upon man because of the sin of Adam, man’s example in the original trial. (Gen. 3:1-24; Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:21-22) Now the human family is but a wreck of what it was in Adam and Eve.

This sad, undone condition of our race has deeply appealed to the compassion of our Creator, who amid the sentence of His displeasure (death, not eternal life in torment) has remembered His mercy toward fallen and condemned man in sending His beloved Son into the world as man’s Ransom-price from death. (Matt. 20:28; 1 Tim. 2:4-6; John 3:17; Rom. 5:7-8, 16-19) As Christ’s First Advent was to lay down the Ransom-price, so His Second Advent is to make the Ransom-price available for the recovery of the non-elect, in a restitution, a return to the original estate, from the ruins of the lost image and likeness of God brought upon all by heredity through Adam’s sin. The Gospel Age, forming a parenthesis for the selection of His Bride between His two Advents, has been to make its blessings available only for the Elect, His Church.

All who will obey the reasonable require­ments of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom will obtain all these blessings. In order to obtain their share in them, all of the dead who were excluded from the opportunities of becoming members of the Elect (to which only the faith class have been invited) will be awakened and brought back to this earth. Should that part of the unbelieving class which happens to live at the time of Christ’s return be favored with opportunities of Restitution, while that part which happened to die before that time be excluded from those blessings? No, because God’s ways are equal and impartial (Ezek. 18:29-32), and death does not of itself fix character.

(7) He tests and rewards all restitutionists: We are not to think that all who will be given the opportunity will attain Restitution (a return to the original estate of the human family in the image and likeness of God) and be rewarded with everlasting life. Only those who faithfully use this opportunity will be given the perfected earth (restored Eden – Isa. 35:1-10; Isa. 51:3; Ezek. 36:35) as their eternal abode and kingdom. This is shown, e.g., in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. (Matt. 25:31-46) That the righteous restitutionists will be given eternal life is shown in verse 46; and that their inheritance will be, not in heaven, but on earth, is shown in verse 34: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” These “sheep” are the “other sheep” referred to by our Lord in John 10:16, and are not to be confused with the Gospel-Age sheep, the Gospel Church. These Restitution sheep, those who by the end of the Millennium will have the Golden Rule of love inscribed in their hearts (Matt. 25:35-40), will inherit the kingdom and honor prepared for mankind “from the foundation of the world”: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:28; Psa. 8:5-8)

This earthly dominion or kingdom, which the Lord will in the end of the Millennium give to His Restitution sheep, is for the tested and approved world of mankind, not for His Church, which were chosen “out of the world.” (John 15:19; John 17:16) This kingdom and honor prepared for man is quite different from the Kingdom of Heaven: “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, [the Church].” (1 Pet. 1:4) The Church, tested and found faithful during the Gospel Age (Rev. 17:14; 1 Pet. 4:17), inherits and shares this Kingdom with her Lord. (John 14:2-3; Rom. 8:17; 2 Cor. 5:1-2; 1 Thess. 4:17) The Church’s Kingdom and honor were ordained before the world unto her glory. (1 Cor. 2:7) She was chosen or designed in Christ “before the foundation of the world.” (Eph. 1:4)

Throughout the Gospel Age, the Church has been fully instructed, thoroughly tested, lovingly chastised and justly sentenced: “Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye [the Church] may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.” (2 Thess. 1:5) Likewise, He has a set time for judging the world: “Because he hath appointed a day [the Millennial Day], in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31)

During the thousand-year Judgment Day, Satan will be bound so that he can deceive the nations no more until their final testing time during the Little Season at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:3), when they will judged by the Christ, Head and Body.(l Cor. 6:2; Matt. 19:28) No one, whether of the Church or of the world, will be given eternal life, either as a part of the new heavens or the new earth, until they have been instructed in the way in which they should go, thoroughly tested, and properly disciplined or chastised for their correction and development into characters fitted for eternal life, some receiving many “stripes” and some few. (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1; Psa. 32:8; Psa. 25:8-9; 1 Tim. 2:3-6; Psa. 139:23-24; Jer. 11:20; 2 Thess. 1:4-5; Jas. 1:12; Heb. 12:8, 11; 1 Cor. 11:31-32; Isa. 26:9; Luke 12:47-48)

In the Millennial Judgment Day, those restitutionists who under the light of the Truth are rightly exercised and faithfully stand under the testing, thus proving themselves fully loyal to the principles of truth and righteousness, will be given the earth as their eternal inheritance, and they shall dwell therein forever. (Deut. 13:3; Psa. 37:9, 11, 29, 34) All who refuse to reform under the favorable conditions of the Millennial Judgment Day will be destroyed from among the people in the Second Death. They will die again, and thus be blotted out of existence forever. (Acts 3:22-23; Psa. 37:9-10, 20, 28, 34-36; Rev. 20:14-15; Rev. 21:8)

The “goats” of the parable are those who externally reform during the Millennium, but who do not have the love of God written in their hearts nor exercise it toward their fellow men. To them the Lord says: “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire [everlasting destruction], prepared for the devil and his angels . . . And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Matt. 25:41, 46) The Greek word kolasin translated “punishment” here denotes a “cutting off” or everlasting destruction. (2 Thess. 1:9; Psa. 145:20; Obad. 16; Heb. 2:14; Rev. 20:9) “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23) Thus Jesus will test each individual of the restitution class as to his fitness or unfitness for eternal life, and render the final decision in each case – everlasting life on earth for the righteous and everlasting destruction for the wicked.

SCRIPTURES SUPPORTING RESTITUTION

Following are some Scriptures which teach “the Restitution of all things:”

Acts 3:19-21: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive [retain] until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” “Times of refreshing” suggests the re-enkindling of life and the promotion of growth effected by rain, comparing the fallen human family to mown and burnt grass. (Isa. 40:5-8) The Greek word translated “presence” means “face,” i.e. favor (see Num. 6:24-26). During the reign of sin God’s back, not His face, is represented as turned toward man. (Jer. 18:17) During the Millennium, however, He will turn His face toward man, beaming with grace, mercy, and truth for man’s restoration. This passage expressly teaches us that Christ does not return until the Times of Restitution, the Times of Refreshing; therefore, He returns to refresh and restore the race to its original condition. Every feature of the image and likeness of God is to be restored to the willing and obedient in the Millennium. St. Peter assures us that this is the testimony of all the holy Prophets.

Acts 15:14-17: “Simeon [Peter] hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.” The Jews, expecting but one Advent of the Messiah, had difficulty in reconciling their hopes of His glorious Reign with sending the Gospel to Gentiles.

St. James here harmonizes the seeming contra­diction by pointing out that there are two Advents and that the time parenthesis between them is filled in by the selection of the Bride of Christ from among Jews and Gentiles. He states that “after this” Messiah’s glorious Reign will come, and that this view harmonizes the facts with the Scriptures. There is no contradiction between the teaching of the selection of Christ’s Bride and His blessing the world of mankind. All that is needed is that they be kept separate and distinct as to the time of their operation.

With and since the fall of David’s royal house, Israel as a kingdom has been in ruins, but this kingdom is to be restored at the Lord’s return, after the testimony has been given in all the world for the selection of the Bride of Christ. (Acts 1:6-8) “Residue” means that which is left after a part is taken out of it; the residue of men, therefore, means all not taken out as prospective parts of the Bride, i.e., the whole non-elect world, living and dead. There is a difference between “the people for his name” and all the nations “upon whom my name is called.” This passage clearly shows that our Lord, with the completion of the Bride’s selection, returns to establish God’s Kingdom, and to bless all those who were passed by and left un-helped while her selection was being made. Hence it implies blessings for both the living and the dead.

Psa. 22:27-29: “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.” This shows that there will be a general indoctrination and conversion of the human family combined with universal worship of God. These blessings will be due to the kingdoms of this world becoming the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ, and to His acting as Governor over the nations. (Rev. 11:15) The good (“the fat”) will appropriate to themselves the Kingdom’s blessings, and render God service in return. Those from whom the Lord did not remove the Adamic sentence in this life (“they that go down to the dust”), and who therefore could not prevent their own death, will in the Kingdom serve the Lord as a result of the Kingdom’s blessings.

Psa. 86:9: “All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.” (See also Rev. 15:4) He made all nations, yet the majority of their members have passed away in death without worshiping Him. This passage implies that they must return from the dead to get this blessing of serving and honoring God, a thing that the vast majority of them did not do in this life. Dan. 7:13- 14 and Isa. 35:4-10 show the same glorious blessing resulting from Christ’s Second Advent. The blessings that the returned Lord will give the race in its living and dead members are most eloquently, beautifully and comfortingly set forth in Psa. 72:1-19.

Isa. 25:6-9: “And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things . . . And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces . . . And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” This passage is another beautiful summary of the Kingdom work following our Lord’s Return. It describes the glorious feasts of uncontaminated and nutritious Truth and the destruction of sin and error. It shows that both the dying process and the death state will be utterly blotted out of existence, along with all tears and the persecution of the righteous, through the glorious Kingdom of God which Christ returns to establish. See also 1 Cor. 15:21-26, 55-56 and Rom. 8:19, 21.

Rom 14:9: “For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.” This text expressly tells us that Christ gave Himself as our Ransom that He might become the Lord, Ruler, both of the living and the dead. Hence His death will yet, in His Kingdom, bless all of Adam’s dead race. See also Phil. 2:6-8, 9-11, which shows His sacrificial death and His consequent exaltation to be the Ruler over (1) all in heaven, which occurred at His ascension; (2) all on earth, which has not yet occurred, but which will occur after His return in the Kingdom; and (3) all under the earth (the dead) which also has not yet occurred, but which awaits His Second Advent and Kingdom, when, as already done in heaven, every tongue on earth and under the earth will acknowledge Him as Lord, thereby glorifying God.

God has given us His oath on this very point: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.” (Isa. 45:22-23) His oath here is based upon, and is explanatory of, the Oath-bound Covenant, by which God bound Himself to Christ and the Church, the Seed, to use them to bless all the families, nations and kindreds of the earth, resulting in the whole earth becoming full of His Glory. (Gen. 22:16, 18; Gal. 3:8, 16, 28-29; Num. 14:21; Psa. 72:19; Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14; Matt. 6:10) Since the vast majority have died unblessed, this passage implies their awakening for this blessing.

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The above is taken from Chapter I of Epiphany Volume 17, The Millennium, written by Brother Paul S.L. Johnson. It has been edited to adapt it to the paper format.

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Here are some of the Scriptural references to our Lord’s second stay on earth (many others could have been added). We suggest that these references be looked up and studied carefully.

Gen. 3:15; Gen. 22:18; Gen. 49:10; Num. 24:17-19; Deut.18:15, 18-19; 1 Sam. 2:10; Job 19:25; Psa. 22:27-29; Psa. 72; Psa. 98; Psa. 110; Isa. 2:1-4; Isa. 11:1-11; Isa. 25:6-9; Isa. 35; Isa. 42:1-4; Isa. 49:1-12; Isa. 52; Isa. 59:16-20; Isa. 60; Isa. 61:4-11; Isa. 62; Isa. 63; Isa. 65; Isa. 66; Jer. 23:5-6; Jer. 33:15-18; Ezek. 36; Ezek. 37; Ezek. 38; Ezek. 39; Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45; Dan. 7:13-14, 18, 22, 26-27; Dan. 12:1-3; Hos. 2:14-23; Hos.14; Joel 2:21-28; Joel 3:9-21; Amos 9:11-15; Obad. 17-21; Micah 4; Nah. 1:15; Hab. 3; Zeph. 3:8-20; Hag. 2:6-9; Zech. 9:10; Zech. 8:20-23; Zech. 13; Zech. 14; Mal. 3:1-5; Mal. 4; Matt. 16:27; Matt. 23:39; Matt. 24; Matt. 25; Matt. 26:64; Mark 13:27, 32, 35-36; Luke 9:26; Luke 12:37-46; Luke 17:20-37; Luke 18:8; Luke 19:12-27; Luke 21:25-36; John 14:3; John 16:16-22; Acts 1:6-7, 11; Acts 3:19-21; Acts 15:14-18; Rom. 8:17-23; 1 Cor. 1:7-8; 1 Cor. 4:5; 1 Cor. 11:26; 1 Cor. 15:21-28; Phil. 3:20-21; Col. 3:4; 1 Thess. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:19; 1 Thess. 3:13; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; 1 Thess. 5:1-5, 23; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2 Thess. 2:1-12; 1 Tim. 6:14-15; 2 Tim. 4:1, 8; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 9:28; Jas. 5:1-9; 1 Pet. 1:4-9, 13; 1 Pet. 4:13; 1 Pet. 5:4; 2 Pet. 1:16-19; 2 Pet. 3:3-14; 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:2-3; Jude 14-15, 24; Rev. 1:7; Rev. 3:11; Rev. 5:9-10; Rev. 16:15; Rev. 19:11-21; Rev. 20; Rev. 21; Rev. 22:1-7, 17, 20.

Write to us at: epiphanybiblestudents@gmail.com

NO. 824: “HE THAT LIVETH, AND WAS DEAD”

No. 824

“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.” (Rev. 1:18)

We must not allow Easter Sunday to pass without noting its unique lesson – the resurrection of the Savior from the dead. The above text comes to us as fresh as though delivered yesterday from the lips of the risen Redeemer. It is His special message to His people. How much is conveyed in these few words! They affirm positively that Jesus really died, “the just for the unjust,” that He might bring mankind back from sin and condemnation to harmony with God. (1 Pet. 3:18) With equal force, they tell us that He is dead no longer. Although unseen by our natural eyes, we may recognize by faith that He arose from the dead and ascended up on high. (Heb. 9:24)

What was accomplished by His death and what is the value of His life to mankind?

His death was necessary because death was the sentence against Adam and all his race because of original sin – disobedience. St. Paul says, “Where­fore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom. 5:12) It was not an angel that had sinned and hence an angel could not be the Redeemer. The divine law was an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; hence nothing but the sacrificial death of a perfect man could redeem the race from the death sentence. Any perfect man could have been substituted, but none existed in the whole world. Thus, it was necessary that our Lord be “made flesh” so that He might redeem us. (John 1:14) As the Scriptures explain, “Though he was rich, for your sakes he became poor.” (2 Cor. 8:9) He left the perfection of the heavenly nature and came down to perfect human nature, “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.” (Heb. 7:26)

The death of Jesus did not redeem the world, but it constituted a ransom price for the world yet to be applied. Our Savior laid down His life, surrendering it to the Father, in obedience to the divine will. As a reward, He was highly exalted and given a name above every name on the spirit plane. (Phil. 2:9) He did not forfeit His human rights by sin; He laid them down in obedience to the Father’s wish, to be disposed of as a bequest to humanity.

Thus, we see clearly the inestimable value of our Redeemer’s sacrifice of Himself. A further glance will show His resurrection to be of equal importance. Had the Father not raised Him from the dead, it would have implied some unfaith­fulness, some failure on our Lord’s part. And if He had not arisen, how could He have made application of His human rights on our behalf? No wonder St. Paul forcefully declares: “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain . . . ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished . . . But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” (1 Cor. 15:14-20)

The resurrection hopes of both the Church and of the world hang upon the death of Jesus and His resurrection, but the Scriptures differentiate these hopes. The Church is to share in the “first resurrection” (the chief resurrection), also called “his resurrection.” (Rev. 20:6; Phil. 3:10) It is a resurrection to the spirit nature of glory and perfection. On that glorious plane the Heavenly Bridegroom will soon claim His espoused Church as His Bride and joint-heir in His Kingdom.

Afterward the world’s resurrection will be due to begin. It will not be a resurrection change to spirit nature, nor will it be an instantaneous work. Theirs will be a gradual resurrection to perfect human nature. First, they will be awakened, “every man in his own order.” (1 Cor. 15:23) Subse­quently they will be gradually raised up out of sin and death conditions to perfection of life, if they are willing to obey the great King of the Millennial Kingdom. Those refusing to obey will be destroyed in the Second Death. (Acts 3:23)

Regrettably, many Christians, including many of the clergy, fail to discern the great importance of the resurrection as taught in God’s Word. This serious omission has created confusion, leading many to reject the Word of God. Let us heed the testimony of the Bible on the importance of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. In doing so we will surely be following the example of the Great Teacher and the Apostles. Are we wiser than they that we should leave their teachings or neglect them? Certainly not! “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” (Heb. 2:1)

DOES OUR LORD NOW OWN THE HUMAN RACE?

If someone has signed a contract to purchase a building and has secured financing for the purchase, it would be appropriate to consider that person the owner of the building. Strictly speaking, however, he is not the owner until he pays the price, the documents are properly executed, and he has the deed instead of the contract. A contract is an agreement to enter into a transaction; the deed is proof that the transaction has been completed.

Our Lord Jesus entered into a contract with the Father, giving to the Father the ransom price: “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28) As a consequence, He already has a claim to being Lord of all in a prospective sense, although not in the actual sense. He is not Lord of millions of people on earth today. Their knees have not bowed and their tongues have not confessed. (Rom. 14:11; Isa. 45:23) So He is not their Lord in the absolute sense, but His work is progressing, and in view of the authority which will yet be exercised by Him and of the work which He will yet do, the Father speaks of Him prophetically as “Lord of all.” (Acts 10:36)

Let us consider certain Scriptures bearing on this subject. We cite first the passage which refers to the dead, both good and bad, as “them which are asleep” and those who “sleep in Jesus.” (1 Thess. 4:13-14) How are they asleep in Jesus? They sleep in Jesus in exactly the same way that Abraham and all the Old Testament kings and Prophets are said to be asleep. At the time of their death Jesus had not yet paid a ransom price for mankind, nor had He yet come into the world to do so. However, in the divine plan God had arranged for and guaranteed that a Redeemer would be found, that a ransom price would be given, and that all mankind would be recovered from the tomb. Further, God Himself spoke from that standpoint when referring to Himself as “The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” speaking as though they were really not dead at all, but merely asleep, waiting for Him. (Exod. 3:15)

All who believed God then could speak of and think of the dead as merely asleep and awaiting the resurrection, even though Jesus had not yet come. The same is true since Jesus came and died. It is still more reasonable and proper for us now to say that all “sleep in Jesus,” because now He is identified as the one who has given Himself a ransom price for all. The price has not yet been applied for all, but He has placed in the Father’s hands His sacrificed life, which is His to appropriate and which is sufficient for the sins of the whole world. It has not as yet been appropriated for the world, but merely for the Church, for the price is first a satisfaction for the Church’s sins and afterwards for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2; John 3:16)

THE CHURCH ALONE REDEEMED THUS FAR

Next consider this text: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Pet. 1:18-19) The “ye” referred to here is the Church; the reference does not extend beyond the Church to the world. It does not imply that the world is redeemed as yet. Jesus’ merit, of course, is all-sufficient for the whole world, but He has not yet appropriated it for all men.

Consider another text: “For ye are bought with a price.” (1 Cor. 6:20) Similarly this text speaks not of the world, but of the Church. It is the “ye” class that were bought, but even they were not yet bought when Jesus died at Calvary. There He indeed committed to the Father’s hands a price sufficient for all (Luke 23:46); but it was not then appropriated for anyone until His resurrection and ascension, when He appeared “in the presence of God for us.” (Heb. 9:24) The “us” class, the Church, were then bought with the precious blood of Christ.

Consider another text: “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) In one sense He was a propitiation, or satisfaction, for the sins of the Church when He died, but the satisfaction had not then been applied for the sins of the Church. When He ascended up on high, He appeared for the Church (the “us” class), and made satisfaction for its sins. Therefore, as they believed and made conse­cration, their sins were remitted.

When He died, the merit of His death was also a satisfaction price for the sins of the whole world, but He has not yet applied it for the world. Hence the world is not free from the penalty of sin; it is still under condemnation. Concerning the Church, however, the Apostle says they have “escaped the corruption that is in the world.” (2 Pet. 1:4) And again he says they in the past were “by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Eph. 2:3) The others, we see, are still children of wrath. The reason? It is because the satisfaction for their sins has not yet been applied. The great Redeemer has the satisfaction price; it merely awaits the due time for its application.

Notice another passage: “For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.” (Rom. 14:9) This text succinctly states what our Lord accomplished. His death, His raising and His revival were all necessary features of the redemptive work. Further, He could not yet be Lord in any other way than by the Father’s proclaiming Him such, as when He declared Him Lord of all and when He said, “And let all the angels of God worship him.” (Heb. 1:6)

Although Christ is proclaimed to be Lord of all, it will take time for that to be recognized. In harmony with this the Apostle says, “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” (Eph. 1:10) It will take the fullness of the Millennial Age to accomplish this gathering together under Him, making Him in fact Lord of all. We thus see that prophetically and by divine appointment He already has that office, but now He is waiting until His enemies are brought under Him and all things are subjected to Him. (1 Cor. 15:25-27; Heb. 2:8)

A RANSOM FOR ALL

Next consider this text: “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:6) As the man Christ Jesus, He gave Himself at Jordan, surrendering His all to the Father’s will. His work of surrendering His earthly life and all His earthly rights was completed at Calvary when He cried, “It is finished.” He had finished the work the Father had given Him to do. He gave Himself a ransom for all, and the merit of His death will be sufficient to constitute a ransom for all as soon as it is applied. Thus far it has been applied only for believers. The time for its application for the remainder of the world will be the Millennial Age.

While our Lord’s merit is fully appropriated during the Gospel Age for all who come unto Him, it will be fully set free when the last of the consecrated ones have passed beyond the vail. His merit has been imputed to them for the very purpose of enabling them to sacrifice, following in Christ’s footsteps. When His merit has been released by the death of the last of the consecrated, it will be again at His disposal for appropriation to the world.

Then the great High Priest will make the second sprinkling of the blood – not on behalf of the Church, because they will have no further need of it. The second sprinkling will be on behalf of “all the people” – all who will come under the New Covenant arrangement. (Lev. 16:33) Once all come to sufficient knowledge under that New Covenant, those who desire to come under the merit of our Lord’s ransom price will receive the Restitution blessings. Those who will reject the ransom price will fail to come under the merit, thus rejecting the blessings of Restitution.

Restitution blessings will come gradually throughout the Millennial Age, not instan­taneously at the beginning. The blessings will not come merely in a reckoned sense by faith; they will be actual. Throughout the Millennial Age, Christ will give mankind the benefit of our Lord’s ransom price. The full benefit of this price will not be given until the work of the Millennial Age is finished and all desiring to be God’s people, upon God’s terms, have been brought to perfection. God never intended His blessings to go to any but those who desire to be in harmony with Him on His terms. God never intended to do anything for those who are willingly and intentionally out of harmony with Him, such as Satan.

Note the agreement of this text: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” (Heb. 2:9) This is God’s great work which He purposed in Himself before the foundation of the world – that the ransoming of Adam and all his race should be accomplished through the death of Christ. (Eph. 1:9-10) Thus Jesus tasted death for every man, whether the benefit of it was received on the Day of Pentecost or later during the Gospel Age, or whether they will get it in the Millennial Age. It is for every man that He tasted death, so that He might give them the blessings that will come to the world of mankind during the Millennial Age, blessings that will be theirs to all eternity if they are obedient.

“When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” (Eph. 4:8) We think another translation states it more clearly: “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (Eph. 4:8, RSV) This passage (a quotation of Psa. 68:18) shows He is the leader of the entire captive race. They will all be led forth, all delivered from the power of sin and death.

THE APPLICATION OF THE PRICE

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Rom. 5:6) This passage does not say that Christ made an application of His merit for the ungodly; it merely states that God arranged His plan so that it was necessary for Christ to die for the ungodly. He arranged it on behalf of all the ungodly, not merely the Jews and those who may desire to be in harmony with God. The merit of His death was intended by the Father to apply to every member of the human race, the ungodly race of Adam, all of them sinners and more or less depraved and degraded and out of harmony with God.

The object for which the price was given is one thing and the application of it is another. The purpose of Christ’s death was to redeem the world, to be the world’s ransom price, that He might be the restorer of all. But time and order are crucial to this plan; the work progresses step by step. The first step was for Christ Himself to secure eternal glory by being obedient unto death, thus securing an asset that He could then give away – His earthly life, which He had not forfeited.

The next step was for Him to ascend up on high and apply this price. He appeared as advocate for a special class, those from among men who desired to come into harmony with God, who desired to accept God’s favor and to become members of the Body of Christ under a special plan that God had arranged. When He appeared for these, He imputed the merit of His sacrifice on their behalf, and thus all this merit was absorbed in this one work of justifying and assisting this special class. He did not do this by first giving them earthly restitution, but by simply imputing His merit to them.

This imputation of His merit has covered the Adamic sin of those who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, turning from sin and consecrating themselves to God. It has made up for all deficiencies of their flesh, allowing them to present themselves “a living sacrifice, holy, accept­able unto God.” (Rom. 12:1) In other words, He became their guarantor. Not being sufficient of themselves, He has guaranteed for them that if they faithfully performed this laying down of their lives, His merit would continue to be applied for all their imperfections. These are the Royal Priests, represented in one picture as His Bride and in another as members of His Body. These are “more than conquerors.” (Rom. 8:37)

Then comes the secondary class, not up to this standard – a class that does not voluntarily, heartily and cheerfully lay down their lives in the desire to please the Father and do His will. These, nevertheless, are loyal at heart and are restrained from full sacrifice only through “fear of death,” through fear of what it will cost them. They will be tested to the point that they will be obliged ultimately to lay down their lives, and to do so with a willing mind. They fail of coming off more than conquerors because of permitting experiences designed to test them to retard their progress in the matter of gaining the high position offered them, thus they become the Second Company. There is also a third class, those who die the “Second Death,” who “draw back unto perdition.”

These three classes having finished their course, all the merit that Christ imputed will again be available and will be applied in the sealing of the New Covenant. The New Covenant will be made with Israel, but it will be broad enough to include all those of every nation of the earth who are willing to come under its terms. Through faith and obedience, they will become the children of Abraham.

THE PURCHASED POSSESSION REDEEMED

Now consider this text: “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:13-14)

The Holy Spirit granted to the Church is the earnest or foretaste of their inheritance. They are to “inherit all things.” (Rev. 21:7) First of all they inherit the divine nature, and secondly they inherit the great Abrahamic promise that through them, in union with our Lord Jesus as members of His Body, all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Gen. 22:18; Gen. 28:14; Gal. 3:29) They are spoken of as the Lord’s purchased possession and this part of His possession will be complete when they are changed to receive His glory. They will then be perfect and under His direct control.

After this, another part of this same promise (another feature of the same possession) will become operative. The precious blood will then be applied to seal the New Covenant on behalf of the sins of all the people. The work of recovering the still larger possession will progress until the close of the Millennial Age, when the entire possession will be redeemed. Christ will have put down all enemies and accomplished His mission of restoring mankind to perfection. He will then deliver up His completed work to the Father. (1 Cor. 15:24)

Also consider this passage: “For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Rom. 5:15) Here the Apostle evidently does not mean that the full abundance of grace had at that time reached the many, because that would be untrue. It is now nearly 2,000 years since the Apostle’s day, and the abundance of grace has not yet reached the majority of mankind. So we must understand him to mean that the abundance of grace in Christ according to the Father’s plan and purpose is yet to reach the many. The world is yet in its sins; Israel is yet in its sins and will not be recovered until after the glorification of the Church, as the Apostle points out: “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Rom. 11:26-27)

Since this grace has not yet gone to the Jews nor to the Gentiles in general, the only way in which it has abounded is through the promise of God that the death of Christ will yet be made efficacious for all. Therefore, speaking from this prophetic standpoint, it is plain to be seen how Jesus is the Savior of the world, although the work of saving the Church will not be complete until the end of the Gospel Age. Similarly, He will not be the Savior of the world in the full sense until the end of the Millennial Age. Some will never be fully saved because they will refuse the grace of God; and yet He is, according to the Scriptures, the Savior of all men – the Savior of the world.

The Scriptures declare that He was the Savior of the world when He was born. The message of the angels was, “For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) He was then a Savior in the prospective sense – not because of what He was then, as a babe, and not merely because of what He has since accomplished through His sacrifice, but because of all that He will accomplish according to God’s promise by the time He delivers up the Kingdom to the Father. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Heb. 7:25)

He now saves in a partial sense, by hope, those who come unto the Father through Him. The saving of the world will begin when He awakens them from death; but they will not be fully saved, will not attain full Restitution nor gain eternal life, except as they exercise faith and obedience. He opens the door; He makes the way; He provides all the arrangements by which they may know and obey.

The whole earth is a part of the purchased possession and shall be filled with the glory of God. And if any knee will then refuse to bow and any tongue refuse to confess and any fail to accept of the favor of God, there will be nothing further for that person; he will die the Second Death. “And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23)

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This paper is based on writings of Pastor Russell, primarily Reprints 4587 and 4632.

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THY BLOOD WAS SHED ON CALVARY

Forgive me Lord, to Thee I pray,

Forgive the sins I did today,

And help me know Thy truth and might,

And serve Thee always, day and night.

If there is good that I could do,

Some soul, Lord, I can bring to you,

Then let me be not satisfied,

Until that soul in Thee abides.

I know I’m weak and filled with sin,

But Thou canst make me pure within,

Place in my heart thy love divine,

And let me know I’m wholly Thine.

There is no friend like Thee, I know,

In all life’s sorrows I can go,

For Thou has promised and I know,

That Thou canst make me white as snow.

Then lead me Lord, lest I should stray

From Thine own perfect righteous way,

And ever, Jesus, let me see

Thy blood was shed on Calvary,

For me was shed, dear Lord, for me.

By Virginia Snow Dunnagan

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