NO. 533 IN MEMORIAM

by Epiphany Bible Students


“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” (John 12:26)

The‑anniversary of our dear Pastor’s passing beyond the veil, October 31, 1916, will always be a date of special sacredness to God’s people. It has been 85 years since his departure and so that his memory remains still fragrant and blessed to us, let us briefly review the activities, achievements and attainments of this eminent saint of God.

SCHOLAR: He was certainly a scholar in the true sense of that term. Those who require a university diploma as indispensable evidence of learning will deny him the merit of scholarship. However, there are not a few cases of scholars that were self‑made, gaining their knowledge apart from the schools of world repute. Among such our Pastor won a high place. Apart from English he was not a linguist, though he learned how to use well the gains of the best scholarship in Greek and Hebrew for his Biblical works. He was deeply versed in History, as his writings attest. So thoroughly did he understand business that able financiers eagerly sought and paid for his advice. His writings show that he was at home in the perplexing questions of industry, economics, sociology, capital and labor. However, his eminence in learning was in the domain of theology, in which he was without a peer since the days of the Apostles. His knowledge of the Bible was phenomenal; and when other theologians will have been discarded, he will be recognized as a standing authority in this, the greatest of all sciences.

AUTHOR: Naturally such a scholar would be a writer. Very few human beings have written more than he. His correspondence alone was sufficient for the life work of an industrious and talented man. When it is remembered that some years over 300,000 letters and post cards were written to him, and that he supervised the answers to this huge mail, and attended to no small share of it himself, we can realize something of the amount of his correspondence and the time and labor involved. As an author he produced six unrivaled books on the Bible whose combined circulation during his life aggregated 10,000,000 copies. He published a number of booklets of great value, one of which on Hell, has been circulated more widely than any other booklet ever written. He produced over 200 tracts, some of which attained a circulation of over 50,000,000 copies. His sermons, appearing regularly every week for thirteen years, were published part of that time simultaneously in over 2,000 newspapers, having a combined circulation of over 15,000,000 copies. This is only a small part of the vast literature he wrote during his lifetime.

LECTURER: Nor was his work as a lecturer on a small scale. Most well‑known lecturers have only a few lectures that they use year in and year out. Not so with him. He lectured on hundreds of subjects which were of compelling interest as well as of recognized difficulty. His lectures were direct, clear, simple, logical and convincing. His powers of exposition and proof were of the first order, and were so well in hand as to appeal to the learned and unlearned alike, an unequaled proof of genius. Wherever he was announced to speak the largest and best auditoriums were crowded, and frequently thousands and usually hundreds were turned away, unable to gain entrance. He did not depend on the tricks of oratory to win his hearers. He appealed to their heads and hearts in that simple and direct manner which wins the hearer without oratorical fireworks. He was the most cosmopolitan lecturer that ever lived, having addressed audiences in this capacity in almost every country on earth, traveling between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 miles to meet his appointments.

PREACHER: As a preacher he was even more widely known than as a lecturer. Wherever he worked as lecturer he addressed more private audiences as a preacher. This acquired for him the title, The Ubiquitous Preacher. It can be more correctly said of him than of any other preacher that the world was his parish. His spoken sermons were published in newspapers, reaching millions of readers weekly. These sermons appeared in many languages; and before he died his pen products had been published in some forty languages. As a preacher he appealed to the hearts of his hearers through their heads; and his ability to strike home to the hearts and heads of his hearers through suitable Bible verse or illustration the thoughts that he was seeking to impress was marvelous. His genuine and unaffected love for God and man gave a power to his utterances that drove them home, where mere eloquence and oratory would not have been effective. His sermons, therefore, always elevated head and heart.

PASTOR: He was the most notable of Pastors. His clearness of insight into the problems of his day, his knowledge of human nature, his intuition of the condition and needs of the individuals, his single‑hearted consecration to God and devotion to the interests of His people, his large sympathy, benevolence and hope as respects others, his grip on the purpose of his ministry, and his knowledge of the spiritual dangers of his times and of the safeguards needed by those in danger made him a real pastor, a genuine shepherd of God’s sheep. As many as 1,200 different churches at one time claimed him as their pastor. He had the “care of all the churches.” As a pastoral adviser he was expert; as a pastoral comforter he was inspiriting; as a pastoral corrector he was tactful and fruitful; and as a pastoral leader he was unobtrusive, yet all‑persuasive and effective. These qualities made him a part of the very life of those whose pastor he was, and bound him to them by ties that death itself has not severed. This is why the tens of thousands that chose him as their pastor have, up to the present, 85 years after his death, chosen no successor to him.

REFORMER: No review of him would be complete without treating of his activities as a reformer. He was every inch a reformer and stood in the front rank of the reformers of all Ages. Error never had an antagonist more to be dreaded than he, who with thoroughness of disproof of error’s claims combined tact, sympathy, gentleness and charity that left no personal sting after his onslaughts. If he hated error greatly, he loved the errorist more greatly, and always sought to help him, while overthrowing his wrong theories. The superstitions connected with the penalty of sin and the state of the dead were the especial objects of his attacks; and he never let an opportunity of attacking them pass by unused. The superstitious and the infidel alike felt the logic of his attacks; and the devout student of the Word found in him a champion who knew how to vindicate the truthfulness of the Bible and refute the errors of the superstitious and the unbelief of the infidel. His insistence on a faith harmonious with Scripture, Reason and Fact was an inspiration to Bible believer, and a terror to the creedist and infidel. His forty‑five years of continued attack on the strongholds of error and superstition largely undermined them for real students of the Word. But his work as a reformer was more than destructive of error and superstition. It did not leave his hearers victims of unbelief. On the contrary, he unfolded a harmonious, reasonable and Scriptural view of the Bible that evidences the inspiration of the Scriptures. Thus he gave others a sound and reasonable basis for their faith in “The impregnable Rock of the Holy Scripture,” while destroying caricatures of Scriptural teachings handed down by the superstition of the Dark Ages. Consequently, those who looked to him as their leader in reform were not left with stately ruins as the sum total of his and their labors. Rather, beside and instead of the ruins of the Temple of Error he erected the Sanctuary of Truth as a refuge against all the storms of doubt, superstition, and unbelief. And in this fact his real worth as a reformer is recognizable.

EXECUTIVE: He was great as an executive. A phrenologist once seeing his picture, but not knowing whose it was, remarked that he was either a merchant prince or the president of a Theological Seminary! Already in his teens his executive abilities made him the owner and director of a large business which was soon increased until it occupied four large stores in various cities. As a business man he acquired experience that fitted him for his future work. His executive abilities were such as enabled him to grasp the details as well as the generalities of his many enterprises. He was profitably interested in dozens of enterprises aside from his great religious work, to which he gladly devoted the profits of his secular business. Aside from his purely secular business interests, his religious activities required high and varied executive ability. He not only produced the vast literature of his movement, but he directed its publication and distribution. Hence he saw to the publication and circulation of his books, booklets, tracts, sermons, lectures, scenarios, Sunday School lessons, magazines, lecture records and magazine articles, assisted, of course, by an able staff of co‑laborers. He organized and directed seven branch offices in foreign countries. He supervised a Biblical correspondence school. At least two hours daily he gave to directing a Theological School in the Bethel home. For twenty‑two years he controlled a Lecture Bureau that for several years had a staff of over 300 lecturers. For thirty years he managed a propaganda work that at times had 1,000 colporteurs in its service. For twenty‑five years he directed a tractarian movement in which at times nearly 10,000 individuals took part. For three years he directed the preparation, and for two and a half years managed, the exhibition of the Photo‑Drama of Creation in hundreds of cities, and in many countries before more than 15,000,000 people. He was the guiding spirit in over 1,200 churches, and at the headquarters of his work daily presided as the head of the family over his laborers who, for many years averaging 175 members, lived together as a family. In this capacity he took cognizance of all sorts of details in storehouse, kitchen, laundry, dining and living rooms, hospital, library, study, drawing room and parlor. So versatile was this remarkable man.

Had he been eminent in any one of the seven capacities in which we have viewed him (and we could profitably view him from others, so many‑sided was this remarkable man), he would properly be considered a great man. But to have been eminent in all of them, and to have been in some of them without a peer, proves him to have been a genius of the first order. History will yet give him a place among the very greatest of men. In writing of him it is necessary to use superlatives in order to do him justice. If we were to reduce his qualities to two, we would use none more truly and fittingly to characterize him than those used of him by Him whose steward he was: “Faithful and Wise.” His life was a great success to him and a great blessing to others; his death was a great loss to others and a great gain to him; and his memory has been and is a benediction and an inspiration to us, and in due time will be to the world. “God bless his memory!” So let us pray.

ECCO HOMO

“Loved and hated! Revered and Reviled!

Spurned and courted! Flattered, defiled!

With never a falter and never a frown

He kept to his moorings, and laid his life down.

In the place where God put him, What more can be said

For soldier or hero? For living or dead?

He wept with the anguished; he smiled with the glad;

He lifted the fallen; he heartened the sad;

He pitied the sinner, inspired the saint;

He strengthened the feeble, recovered the faint,

God gave him a message – he gave it to men;

He patiently told it again and again.

 

“When man’s eyes were blinded and ears could not hear,

And men’s souls were stunted ‘by folly or fear,

When minds were beclouded by dullness or doubt

He maneuvered the Message and turned it about

Till ‘the wayfaring man, though a fool,’ could behold

And hear the Glad Gospel he patiently told.

And yet will like rabble as stood by the Cross,

Not knowing their folly, not sensing their loss,

Flouting and scouting and wagging their head,

Stand by in contempt while we weep o’er our dead,

Dishonoring the prophet of this, their own time,

And crowning him saint when the world sees their crime.

 

“Behold now the man? – Or wait world‑old way

To pay him the tribute we owe him today?

Stand reverently now, with uncovered head,

And look on ‘that servant’ and honor the dead!

A man has gone from us, leaving none in his place,

Yet his Message of Truth men can never efface,

He’d the mind of a master, the heart of a child,

The courage of Caesar, a soul undefiled,

He’d the love of a father, a shepherd’s kind care,

The faults of a human and sympathy rare.

He lifted a standard and held it up high.

He lived – ready to live and ready to die!”

While we consider the office and work of the Parousia Messenger were much more important than that done by the Epiphany Messenger, we would stress our warm approval and appreciation of his character and the work he did. He valiantly and tenaciously retained and defended the Parousia Truth as given through That Servant, and built his Epiphany structure upon that Truth. He emphasized that Advancing Truth is not intended to destroy fundamental Truth already established, but simply enlarges and strengthens the Truth we already have. So we say of him also, God bless his memory! We honor these faithful servants when we keep the faith. “once delivered unto the saints.” God honored them by making them His mouthpieces, and it is our pleasure and privilege to honor whom God honors.

THE GOSPEL AGE HARVEST

“The present is the time for the sealing of the servants of God in their foreheads, before the storm of trouble bursts (Rev. 7:2,3); and every wise virgin should appreciate this privilege of the present, both for his own intellectual sealing with the present truth, and also for engaging in the harvest work of sealing others of the wheat class and gathering them into the barn of security, before the night cometh and the door of opportunity to labor is shut.

“That the present, most favorable opportunity is a brief one, is manifest from the fact that only twenty‑four years of the harvest period remain [written 1890 + 24 = 1914], after which we will witness the end of the reign of evil and the ushering in of the glorious Millennial Day. After this period the dark night of the world’s great tribulation must find place. The great darkness, which must precede the glorious day, is drawing on: ‘the morning cometh, and also the night’ – a time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation. [See Matt. 24:21,22]

“Observe that, when this night cometh, when the reapers must cease their labors; it will prove that this final work of the Gospel Age is accomplished; that the elect number of the Bride of Christ have all been ‘sealed,’ and ‘gathered’ into a condition of separateness from the worldly – into the barn condition (Matt. 13:30); for God will not permit anything to put an end to His work until it is finished. Then, all the true and faithful servants of God will have been sealed in their foreheads; and, the work of the Gospel Age being finished, no more can enter into that work or reap its rich reward, foretold in the ‘exceeding great and precious promises’ as the reward of the faithful who enter while the ‘door’ is open (2 Peter 1:4).” (Volume 3, p. 211, par. 2‑212 top)

“When, therefore, the Lord’s servants hear His voice, through His Word, declaring that the time has come to stop sowing and begin reaping, to stop catching and go to sorting the fish, to stop calling and preach the harvest message now due to those already called, they will, if faithful, gladly and promptly obey. Such, therefore, instructed of the Master concerning His plan of the ages, and not in darkness on the times and seasons in which we are living, should no longer be going forth seeking to sow the good seed of the Kingdom in the field or world of mankind, but should be ‘giving meat in due season to the household of faith’ scattering among the Lord’s professed children the good tidings of the Kingdom at hand, and of the great joy and blessing it will soon bring to all people.” (Volume 3, p. 215, par. 2)

“Shortly the harvest will be ended, and then both he that sowed and he that reaped will rejoice together. Now, the reapers must hasten the work, and should feel so concerned about its completion as to pray the Lord of the harvest, the Chief Reaper, to send forth more laborers into His harvest. It will not be long before the plowman of the next dispensation (the great trouble foretold, which will prepare the world for the Millennial seed‑sowing) shall overtake the reaper of this dispensation (Amos 9:13).” (Volume 3, p. 216, par. 2)

“Since the Church of Christ, which has been developing during the Gospel Age, is to be associated with her Lord in the great restitution work of the Millennial Age, the first work of Christ at the Second Advent must be the gathering of His elect Church, to which reference is made by the Prophet (Psa. 50:5), saying, ‘Gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.’ This gathering or harvesting time is in the lapping period of the two ages. As will be shown, it is a period of forty years, which both ends the Gospel Age and introduces the Millennial Age.” (Volume 2, p. 104, par. 2)

“The next chapter will present Bible evidence that 1874 was the exact date of the beginning of the Times of Restitution, and hence of our Lord’s return. Since that date He has been verifying His promise to those in the proper attitude of watchfulness, ‘Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily, I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.’ (Luke 12:37) Even so, he has opened unto us the Scriptures, showing us truth, concerning His present glorious nature, the object, manner and time of His coming, and the character of His manifestations to the household of faith and to the world. He has drawn our attention to the prophecies which definitely locate us in the stream of time, and has shown us the order of His plan of operation in this harvest time. He has shown us, first of all that it is a harvest of saints, a time for their full ripening, and for their separation from the tares; and secondly, that it is a time for the world to reap its whirlwind harvest – for the reaping of the vine of the earth, and the treading of its fruitage in the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God. He has shown us that both of these ripenings (Rev. 14:1‑4,18‑20) will be completed in the year AD 1914.” (Volume 2, p. 170, par. 3 to p. 171, par. 1)

“The truth now due is the sickle in this harvest, as a like sickle was used in the Jewish Harvest. The reapers, the angels, or messengers, now, are the Lord’s followers, just as a like class was the reapers in the Jewish Harvest. Though others, throughout the age, were told not to attempt the separation of the wheat from the tares, yet those now ready, worthy and obedient will be shown the Lord’s plan and arrangement so clearly that they will recognize His voice in the time of the harvest, saying ‘Thrust in the sickle’ of present truth, and ‘gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.’ ‘They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.’ (Psa. 50:5; Mal. 3:17)” (Volume 3, p. 139, par. 1)

“ISRAEL’S SEVENTIETH WEEK A FIGURE OF THE CLOSE OF GOSPEL FAVOR”

“It will be remembered that Israel’s ‘seventieth week,’ the last seven years of their favor, was very exactly marked at its beginning, middle and close; and we believe for the purpose of giving us clearly defined dates in the close of the Gospel Age of favor to Spiritual Israel. We have seen that the beginning of that week was to Fleshly Israel the date of the beginning their harvest testing, in 29. It was marked by our Lord’s baptism and recognition as Messiah at Jordan, when the reaping work began, the parallel to which, here, is the recognition of the presence of the Lord, in 1874, at the beginning of this harvest.

“The middle of that covenant week, AD 33, was the date of the rejection of Israel as a system or church‑nation, and was marked by our Lord’s death on the cross, and by His words just before His death, ‘Your house is left unto you desolate.’ And the parallel to that, here, is the rejection from favor and fall of the sectarian systems, called Christendom or ‘Babylon,’ in 1878.

“The last half of Israel’s covenant week (3 and one‑half years, from 33 to 36) was not a period of national or sectarian favor, but of individual favor, granting the Israelites (not as formerly through the channels of the nominal Church, but individually, if they would receive it) all the favors and special privileges of the Abrahamic Covenant, down to the end of the seventy symbolic weeks, the limit of their favor, marked by sending favor to Cornelius and Gentiles in general. So in the parallel, here: 3 and one‑half years from April 1878, where so‑called Christendom, or ‘Babylon,’ was rejected from favor, to October, 1881, was the closing period of the favor of the high‑calling limited to individual believers in Babylon. Thus, the general ‘call’ ceased with October, 1881, just as the corresponding date, October 36, witnessed the end of Jewish favor.

“The Jewish favor consisted in the (exclusive) offer to Israel of the Kingdom – the call of the natural children of Abraham to avail themselves of the privileges and opportunities given them under their Law Covenant. This call, favor or privilege ceased totally and forever with the end of their covenant week. The Gospel favor consisted in the offer of the Kingdom, exclusively, to believers in Christ, the high‑calling of all reconciled to God under the Grace Covenant, who might avail themselves of the opportunities thus given, and become members of the Abrahamic ‘seed’ which is to bless the world by joining with Christ Jesus, their Redeemer, in His covenant of self‑sacrifice, the test that must demonstrate their worthiness to share in Christ’s coming work and glory. And it is this favor, the ‘call’ or invitation, which we have seen ceased, totally and forever, in October 1881, the parallel point of time to the end of the Jewish call or favor.” (Volume 3, p. 216, par. 3 through p. 217, par. 3)

“The remnant chosen from Fleshly Israel at its fall, and the faithful few of the Gospel Age, including the living remnant at its end, alone constitute the true Israel of God. These are the Elect, justified by faith in Christ’s redemptive work, called to joint‑sacrifice and joint‑heirship with Christ, chosen in the sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth, and faithful unto death. With the completion of the selection of this company, in the harvest of this age, quite a commotion may be expected among the wheat and tares; for many Divine favors, specially granted because of the faithful few, will be withdrawn from the nominal mass, when the Little Flock, for whose development they were granted, has been completed. [The record shows that there was a great commotion between the wheat and tares at that time.]

“We should expect the order here would be, as in the typical Jewish Harvest, a separating work, fulfilling the words of David, ‘Gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.’ (Psa. 50:5) As AD 33 marked the giving over of the nominal Jewish house, as a system, to disfavor, disruption and overthrow, so the corresponding date, 1878, marked the beginning of the disfavor, disruption and overthrow of nominal Spiritual Israel, of which we shall have more to say in succeeding chapters.” (Volume 2, p. 229, par. 1, middle, par. 2)

CHALLENGES TO CATHOLICS ON AGENDA FOR CARDINALS

“ROME – Pope John Paul II, turning to the future after a yearlong celebration of Christianity’s 2,000th birthday, has summoned the largest and most diverse group of cardinals ever to come to Rome, to advise him about the challenges facing the Roman Catholic Church.

“For the ‘Extraordinary Consistory,’ beginning Monday, the Vatican has offered seven questions for the cardinals to ponder: from how to combat New Age spirituality to how to ensure greater compliance with church teachings on sexual morality, all under the umbrella of how to spread Rome’s faith and values further through the world.

“Beyond the walls of Vatican City, where the princes of the church will meet behind closed doors, Catholics in pews and pulpits pose a different set of questions, from how to address a shortage of priests in the United States to how to improve the quality of Sunday homilies.

“These questions – those addressed in Rome and those talked about by the broader church – are spurred not just by the symbolism of a new beginning at the start of the third millennium, but also by the growing awareness, in the face of the pontiff’s frailty, that many of these challenges will be addressed not by John Paul, but by his successor.

“Friday was John Paul’s 81st birthday, but he allowed no public celebration. Instead, he talked about the need to move forward after the celebration of the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus, an occasion that was at once joyful, as millions of pilgrims streamed through Rome, and repentant, as the pontiff apologized for historic wrongs by the church in an effort to achieve what he calls a ‘purification of memory.’

“‘The Jubilee should not be merely an exceptional moment in the fife of the church, after which everything returns to normal, so to speak,’ the pontiff told a visiting group of Pakistani bishops. ‘It is now time to build on the gains of the Great Jubilee in order to plan for the future.’

“Still, expectations among Vatican‑watchers are low for this Extraordinary Consistory, the sixth since John Paul II began holding such gatherings in 1979. The meeting is more of a conversation than a congress, and some argue that the hierarchical nature of the church prevents honest debate even behind closed doors.

“‘The fundamental problem they face is that when they come to Rome they’re supposed to advise the pope, but they find it very difficult to tell the pope or the Vatican that something should change, because that implies that what they’re doing currently is wrong, and then they get portrayed as being against the pope,’ said the Rev. Thomas J. Reese, editor of America magazine, a Catholic weekly. ‘The pope calls these people in for advice, but then they end up quoting the pope back to himself.’

“But the Consistory, which John Paul II will kick off with remarks Monday and conclude by hosting a lunch for the cardinals on Thursday, gives the prelates a chance to contemplate challenges that Rome’s Catholicism faces in an increasingly global church.

“The 183‑member College of Cardinals is now the least Western it has ever been, in part because of dozens of appointments the pontiff made this year, and it faces a complicated array of issues.

“Some issues arise from the West, where the church’s position on topics such as abortion, gender, and sexuality are often at odds with majority values. Others come from the developing world, where poverty, health, and education are primary concerns, and where the church faces tough competition from other denominations.”

(By Michael Paulson, Boston Globe, May 20, 2001)

CAL THOMAS EXPOSES THE PLO

Author Cal Thomas, in his current LA Times syndicated column, sharply scores Yasir Arafat’s sinister blueprint for the “piecemeal destruction” of Israel.

His article is worth recording: “The latest of many upheavals in and bordering on Israel was planned by Yasir Arafat and his friends in the Arab world. That is what Palestinian political analyst Khalil Shikaki told the October 4 Jordan Times as he observed the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Fatah participation in the violence.

“How many more examples of intransigence are necessary before apologists in Israel and enablers in Washington understand that the enemies of Israel want nothing less than the destruction of the Jewish state?

“This has been a piecemeal process and not one that will lead to peace. Israel has given up land it seized for its own protection after wars started by its enemies. Still, Arabists in the State Department and leftists in Israel proceed with the fiction that peace can be achieved between peoples whose outlooks are irreconcilable.

“It was a mistake to give up land without reciprocity. It was a mistake to release terrorists from Israeli prisons so they could rejoin their armed comrades. It was a mistake to allow for the creation of a Palestinian ‘police force,’ which has been turned into an army.

“The vandalizing of Joseph’s Tomb on the eve of Yom Kippur, while the ‘police’ did nothing, is proof that the ‘police’ won’t control a mob determined to carry out Arafat’s orders. And the abandonment of that tomb can only encourage Israel’s enemies that the Jewish people’s strong resolve may be crumbling.

“Rioting for the benefit of world television cameras has long been an Arafat ploy. He has orchestrated terrorism and unrest to force concessions out of Israeli leaders that could not be won through war. The visit of Ariel Sharon to the Western Wall was merely a convenient excuse for the rioting to begin. It had been preceded with roadside bombs that killed an Israeli soldier guarding a civilian convoy. Later a Palestinian policeman (terrorist?) killed his Israeli partner in cold blood while they were on a point patrol. Arafat explained that the Palestinian was ‘unstable.’

“There’s more violence coming. Iraq has taken a ferocious stand against Israel, unmatched by any state in the region. Iraqi Foreign Minister Muhammad al‑Sahaf referred to Israel as a ‘midget entity, a usurper and a claw of colonialism... Iraq does not, and will not, recognize this usurper entity.’

“On October 3, Iraqi TV broadcast remarks by Saddam Hussein: ‘An end must be put to Zionism. If they cannot, then Iraq alone is able to do so. Let them give us a small adjacent piece of land and let them support us from afar only. They will see how we put an end to Zionism in a short time.’

“What piece of land might he have in mind? Some analysts say that Hussein has his eye on Jordan ‘since the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993.’ Congress has appropriated $900 million in foreign aid for the PLO. The speaker of the Palestine National Council says the United States has promised $30 billion to help resettle Palestinian ‘refugees,’ meaning that they’ll be settled in Israel from where, as we are seeing, they will be used by Arafat to undermine the Israeli government.

“There is no evidence that Israel’s enemies wish to live in peace. Anti‑Jewish incitement in PLO school textbooks continues. The PLO Teacher’s Guides read: ‘The student should learn (that) racist superiority is the heart of Zionism, Fascism and Nazism.’ Among the ‘important values’ that follow is: ‘Wrath unto the alien thief (Israel) who obliterated the Homeland and dispersed its people.’

“New leadership is needed in Israel, as is a new policy by both Israel and the United States. The current one is an obvious failure. If war comes, Israel had better win this one, too, grabbing as much land as it can and never again letting go of it. There will be no peace between Israel and her enemies. The best she can hope for is to maintain order.” (By David Horowitz, The Jewish Press, June 15, 2001)

“Arafat A War Criminal: In what some see as a reaction to charges against Prime Minister Sharon, an Israeli legislator said he plans to bring war crimes charges against Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat in Belgium. Likud Knesset member Avraham Herschson said he has evidence that Arafat was behind recent violence against Israel and could be tried for war crimes. Belgian law allows war crimes trials for attacks carried out on foreign soil.” (The Jewish Press, June 29, 2001)


NO. 532 TIMES AND SEASONS

by Epiphany Bible Students


“But concerning the times and the seasons, Brethren, you do not need to be written to; for you yourselves know accurately, That the Lord’s Day is coming like a Thief at Night. But you, Brethren, are not in darkness, that the DAY should come upon You like a Thief.” (1 Thes. 5:1, 2, 4, Dia.)

The Day of this text is the great seventh‑thousand year day, beginning with the time of the Lord’s Second presence in the Harvest and also the great Time of Trouble which we now see has come upon us. The Lord’s faithful people that are watching will have an accurate understanding of these “times and seasons.”

The word “times” is from the Greek chronos, and forms the root of our English word chronology, which word means the science of assigning to dates their proper events. The word “seasons” means a set or proper time. To gain a clear understanding of these expressions it is well to remember That Servant’s teaching that prophecy cannot be understood in detail until it has been fulfilled, or is in course of fulfillment. That being true, we come to the logical conclusion that God’s people can “know accurately” only the times and seasons that apply to their particular day. As instance, at the First Advent the Apostles and a very small select group recognized that Jesus was the Christ, although the majority did not. Therefore, Jesus said of that majority, “Thou didst not know the season [kairos] of thy visitation.” (Luke 19:44, Dia.) And while the Apostles and others did then know the “season of visitation,” they did not know clearly the times and seasons of the generations that followed them. Therefore, St. Paul said the Ransom for all would be “testified in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:6)

In Noah’s day the times and seasons of due Truth predicated the coming flood, but the great majority understood not. And of the destruction of this “present evil world” Jesus said there would be a similar condition, “They understood not till the deluge came, and swept them away.” (Matt. 24:39, Dia.) However, those in the Parousia Truth Movement understood very clearly, many years before 1914, what was coming. They knew the times and seasons pertinent to their own welfare. That Servant was acutely aware of this situation, as note his comments in Parousia Vol. 3, P. 124:

“While each of the time prophecies accomplishes a separate and distinct purpose, the central object of their united and harmonious testimony has been to mark, with definiteness and precision, by either direct or indirect evidence, or corroborative testimony, the date of our Lord’s Second Advent, and of the establishment of His Kingdom in the earth; also to mark the various stages [the times and seasons] and means of its establishment, during the harvest period.”

Brother Russell also realized a specific work would be due to be performed at each proper time and season: “The present is the time [written in 1890] for the sealing of the servants of God in their foreheads, before the storm of trouble bursts (Rev. 7:2,3)... before the night cometh and the door of opportunity to labor is shut.” (Vol. 3, p. 211)

But he also saw “through a glass darkly” a future “time and season.” “After this [reaping] period the dark night of the world’s great tribulation must find place... Observe that, when this night cometh, when the‑reapers must cease their labors; it will prove that this final work of the Gospel Age is accomplished.” (Par. 3, p. 211)

This period is broadly divided into two periods: “The day of His coming [presence]” and “when He appeareth [makes manifest].” The day of His presence was the forty‑year period from 1874 to 1914, during which time the world in general knew almost nothing at all of what was going on. At that time “the Messenger” did not “appear” to them.

But the situation changed acutely in 1914, when the great trouble started. The Messenger not only then proved His presence to the “Watchers,” but He began to be revealed to the world in general in the fires of that day. In July 1916 That Servant discussed this text, and we quote some of what he said:

“The Scriptures call this day ‘the day of the Lord,’ ‘the day of Jehovah,’ ‘the day of God,’ ‘the day of Christ,’ ‘that great and notable day,’ etc... The Apostle Paul in his writings lays special emphasis upon the fundamental importance of correct doctrinal teaching... This day means the shaking of society in a manner and to an extent never before known [as is now in process], and so thoroughly that another shaking will never be necessary... The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies [hail, hard cutting Truth]... and only God’s true consecrated church would be in the light [the Present Truth] and not be taken unawares.” (Reprint 5916)

From this it should be clear enough that the leaders among God’s people should “earnestly contend for the faith [the truth]” to the full extent of their ability and providential circumstances; and should be fully informed as to “the times and seasons” and to “know accurately” the times and seasons in which we are in now.

That That Servant could not foresee the length of this day is not to his disparagement. He clearly understood the times and seasons of his own lifetime, and spoke in generalities of what has followed since his death; but the details and the length of time he could not see. However, this does not mean that we who now are living cannot see them; in fact, it is our special privilege to see them very clearly. Yet here again we do well not to attempt to speak too emphatically about the years ahead – when the special times and seasons of future years will speak for themselves – just as clearly as we see present happenings.

It would seem that those who have been in the Truth for a number of years would be able to discern the Times and Seasons in which we are living. It is quite evident that we have been in the Time of Trouble since 1914, for there have been revolutions of one kind or another in many countries. Also, all governments – the good, the bad and the indifferent – are all reeling like a drunkard (Isa. 24:20). But in spite of all this there are still some who are insisting that the Saints have not all been gathered. There was strong conviction up to 1910 that the complete Body of Christ would be in the heavenly garner by the Fall of 1914. When that failed to materialize, it caused quite a few to “walk with him no more.” Let us think for a moment about that mistake that Brother Russell made when he thought that the Saints would all be glorified during the 40‑year Harvest period. If he had not firmly believed, and had Biblical support, that they would all be gathered at that time, he could not have entertained such a thought. He corrected this thought, but at no time did he make any correction of his teaching that the Harvest was a period of 40 years. He knew that they would all be gathered before his death, but didn’t know when that would be.

That Servant was made Steward of all the Lord’s goods for the whole of the reaping time following his appointment, and ruler over the whole household, according to Matt. 24:45‑47 and Luke 12:42‑44. Therefore he must have set forth on the table all the meat for the reaping time, and controlled the entire work for the whole household during the reaping time following his appointment. Consequently, before his death every one of the Elect was working in harmony with his teachings and under his direction of the work. Hence, before his death, October 31, 1916, all of the Elect had been reaped, sealed in the forehead, and were engaged in serving others under That Servant’s general direction. He gave The Plan Of The Ages as no man since the Apostles had done, and he did it with Bible support. All the truths of previous ages were revealed and clarified and the many errors were routed.

The Bible teaches that all of the saints, the entire 144,000, would be given the honor of executing (spiritual) vengeance upon the nations, and (spiritual) punishment upon the people, of binding the kings and princes, and executing upon them the judgment written (Psa. 149:5‑9). This was done from the Fall of 1914 to that of 1916.

But some are like the Jews during their Harvest; they do not know the “time of their visitation.” (Luke 19:44) They see the signs of the new dispensation without knowing how to read them or what they signify (Matt. 16:3).

If we knew of at least one person who is suffering with Christ at this time, we might be convinced that we are still in the Harvest, or gathering time. We sympathize with the brethren who are suffering because they live in countries where poverty and political oppression are routine. But they are not the only ones suffering in those countries. Jews and other peoples are suffering in those areas, also. So this is not the suffering with Christ. This is not the “filling up of that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.” (Col. 1:24) The suffering with Christ has to do with witnessing to, and defending the Truth at all costs.

The word rendered witnesses, in many instances in the Scriptures, is from the Greek word martyrs from which comes our English word martyr signifying those who witness at a cost of suffering or death.

Jesus said: “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” (John 18:37) Of course, the truth that he was bearing witness to was that He was King, for that was the Truth of His day. It was His witness to the truth that cost Him His life.. Similarly, it is such witness to the truth of God’s character and Plan that would cost all the Saints their lives. For this reason the Apostle Paul said: “I am set for the defense of the Gospel.” (Phil. 1:17) During the Harvest Brother Russell and his co‑workers were persecuted in the press, in the pulpits and by individuals. But we see none of that today. The idea now is “live and let live.” You believe your way and I will believe my way, but we won’t argue about it.

THE UNBEGOTTEN CLASS

Those who cannot discern the “times and seasons” in which we are now living deny that there is an unbegotten consecrated class who have been developed since the end of the Harvest and completion of the Church, even though That Servant wrote of them a number of times.

Probably all who have been in any Truth Movement for any length of time recognize the fact that the Body of Christ will contain only 144,000 – “the number of them which were sealed.” (Rev. 7:4) Once the “fullness of the Gentiles” had come in, there would no longer be opportunity for any one to join that select company. That Servant recognized this fact many years before 1914. Probably his first written comment on the subject is to be found in his Volume 1, page 204, line 2, top: “An earthly calling was made, though imperfectly understood, before the heavenly calling, and we are told that it will be continued after the Gospel Age  [emphasis ours].” A more positive statement is found in Volume 6, page 157, top: “And we may be sure that any consecrating and performing a full sacrifice of themselves in the interest of the Lord’s cause after the heavenly class is complete, will find that the Lord has plenty of blessings of some other kind still to give; and that all of His blessings are for such consecrators, self‑sacrificers. Possibly they may be counted in with the Ancient Worthies who had the sacrificing disposition that is pleasing to God, prior to the beginning of the ‘high calling.”

Other instances of his comments on this class are in the 1911 Watch Tower, Reprint 4835, col. 1, par. 4; 1915, Reprint 5716, col. l, par. 1; and in Question Book, 151,152. In these citations he stated that such consecrators between the Ages – after the close of the High Calling and before Restitution begins – would share in honor and service with the Ancient Worthies.

Another quotation from his writings is Reprint 3418, col. 2, the year 1904: “We would be sure that Divine love and care would be over them just as surely, and that failing a place in the elect church through no fault of theirs, these would be given some good portion which would much more than reward and satisfy them.”

Many of the Bible Students never refer to this unbegotten class. Do they think that Brother Russell was unwise when he wrote of this class, instead of being “wise and faithful”?

In Acts 20:27, the Apostle Paul says: “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” And in 2 Tim. 2:20 he says: “In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour and some to dishonour.” This passage shows the six saved classed from among mankind, four elect and two non‑elect. The gold and silver are the Little Flock and the Great Company; the wood and earth are the Ancient and Youthful Worthies with those of honour being the saved Jews and those of dishonour (less honor) the saved Gentiles.

That Servant followed the Apostle’s example and “did not shun to declare all the counsel of God.” He taught that the Youthful Worthies was an unbegotten class consecrating after the heavenly class was complete. He gives this in Reprint 5761, under the heading THOSE CONSECRATING BETWEEN THE AGES. (Other writings of his on the subject are given above.) He did not use the term Youthful Worthies, but he did speak of those who are meant by that term, who would be associated in honor and service with the Ancient Worthies and have a “better resurrection.”

Another text which depicts six saved classed from among mankind is Joel 2:28,29: “And it shall come to pass afterward [after the Gospel Age], that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons [converted Jews] and daughters [converted Gentiles] shall prophesy, your old men [Ancient Worthies] shall dream dreams, your young men [Youthful Worthies] shall see visions; and also upon the servants [the Little Flock] and upon the handmaids [Great Company] in those days [the Gospel Age] will I pour out my spirit.”

We call attention here to the Hebrew word zaqen from which “old men” is translated. This word is translated “ancients” thirteen times in the Old Testament, and once as “ancient men.” And “your young men” would be better translated “young, choice, unmarried men – youthfuls.” This Joel text is clear enough that there are two classes of men who would be especially inspired for the benefit of the remainder of restitutionists Ancients and Youthfuls, Ancient Worthies and Youthful Worthies.

In Reprint 4796, col. 1, par. 2: “That Kingdom will be closely identified with the Zionist movement and the Holy Land. The kingdom itself will be spiritual, invisible to men, but its earthly agents will be visible and they will be Jewish – ‘Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom,’ etc. (Matt. 8:11).”

Jesus said, “Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad.” So he was reckoned just because of his faith (Heb. 11:8). “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” (Gal. 3:6,7) According to That Servant the unbegotten class here in the end of the Age will be associated with those patriarchs and prophets, who will be the visible earthly Kingdom. They will be “princes in all the earth.” (Psa. 45:16)

THE JEWS

“Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hast received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isa. 40:2)

That Servant said: “AH! Were it not that the Lord has favored us with a share in the work of gathering out the bride and helping to make her ready for the marriage of the Lamb, we would be here in Jerusalem and, by the grace of God, would do a part in the great work now due of turning away blindness from Jacob (Rom. 11:25).”

This statement was made in April 1892 in a report of a trip to the Holy Land. It shows two things: (1) That he believed the “double” of the Jews disfavor to have come to an end; (2) That he believed that it was his mandate from the Lord to gather the Saints according to Psa. 50:5: “Gather my saints together unto me...” He proved the first with Bible Chronology, and the Seasons that we are now in show that a representative number of the Jews have been restored to their homeland. The second we believe we have already covered.

Of course, their blindness has not yet been turned away. That is one of the reasons for the trouble they are having now. If they would turn to their God for help, instead of depending on the crumbling governments of this world, their eyes would be opened. But they will not do this until their last trouble ‑Jacob’s last trouble. Zech. 14:1‑3: “Behold the day of the Lord cometh [we have been in the “evil day” – Eph. 6:13 – since 1914, with the “evil” steadily becoming worse and worse], and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go into captivity, and the residue of people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.” “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.” (Psa. 107:19) Note the Berean comments on the Zechariah text: “When he fought for Joshua against the six Amalakite kings at Gibeon; when he fought for David against the Philistines at Perazim; when he miraculously delivered Israel from the host of Midian by Gideon and his band.” The signs of the times seem to show that this cannot be too far in the future. So we “watch and pray” as we observe events unfold.

In the meantime it is our privilege and duty to “speak comfortably” to the Jews in their trouble. For now we think Jeremiah 30:11 applies: “For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will not leave thee altogether unpunished.” We can encourage them with our works, reminding them of the promise made to them, but we can also come to their aid in a material way. Some individual Brethren have done this at great inconvenience and expense to themselves.

“Thus, gradually, the geographical center of the earth, the Jerusalem vicinity, is resuming importance in the eyes of the world. Those who view the matter through the prophetic telescope foresee the time when ‘the Law shall go forth from Mt. Zion [spiritual Israel on the heavenly plane], and the Word from Jerusalem [the To‑Be Capital of the world under the Millennial Kingdom arrangements].’ Upon such as will conform to these arrangements the Divine blessing will rest, uplifting them gradually from sin, ignorance and superstition to mental, moral and physical perfection. Thus, according to the Scriptures the whole earth will gradually become the Garden of the Lord – Paradise. And those times or years of restitution will bring the willing and obedient of mankind back again to the full perfection of being, mental, moral and physical, which God intended arid exemplified in Father Adam. Thus eventually all the terrible results of Adam’s disobedience and fall will be blotted out through the long‑promised Kingdom of Israel, the Kingdom of God under Messiah the Mediator of Israel’s New Law Covenant, whose gracious provisions will be open to all the nations of the earth (Acts 3:19‑23; Jer. 31:31; Zech. 14:1‑6, 14‑20).” (Overland Monthly, page 69, col. 1)

“But do thou continue in the things which thou didst learn, and wast convinced of, knowing of whom thou hast been instructed.” (2 Tim. 3:14, Dia.)

WHAT KIND OF A MAN IS SADDAM HUSSEIN?

Our political and military leaders are asking this question, “What kind of a man are we fighting?” The answer to this question was written in the Bible about 4,000 years ago. Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac: Ishmael by Hagar, an Egyptian, when Abraham’s wife Sarah was unable to conceive. Some years later God performed a biological miracle and permitted Sarah to give Abraham a son Isaac, the “seed of promise.” These two sons of Abraham each had twelve sons which became two mighty nations which later became known as the nation of Israel and the Arab nation or Ishmaelites.

The Arabs or Ishmaelites are described in Genesis 16:12 (Rotherham): “But he will be a wild ass of a man, his hand against every one, and every one’s hand against him yet in presence of all his brethren shall he have his habitation.” In Genesis 16:10, it states that Ishmael’s seed, the Arabs, “shall not be numbered for multitude.”

The Ishmaelites and posterity have lived by prey and plundering, robbers by land and pirates by sea. Genesis 16:12 states that Ishmael would dwell in the presence of all his brethren – viz., Moabites, Edomites and Israelites. They have been continually at war with the rest of the world and yet never defeated. They did not acknowledge Alexander the Great as conqueror. Alexander objected to this insult and determined to punish the culprits but died before he could accomplish his mission.

When the Romans invaded the East and subdued adjoining countries, they were never able to reduce Arabia to a Roman province. Time after time enemies sought to invade but were always forced out.

About the 7th Century AD, Mohammed appeared on the scene and set the desert and the Mid East aflame. Ishmaelites under Mohammed strengthened and extended their power. Under his successors these Arabs, imbued with their new and false religion and their hereditary thirst for blood and pillage, developed into a ferocious horde and carried the Islam banner throughout Asia, Africa and even into Spain.

Since the fall of their Muslim empire, the Turks have made repeated attempts to subdue these Arabs, but instead of succeeding they have been obliged for several centuries to pay them yearly tribute, to permit the converted Turkish Moslems to have a safe passage to Mecca, the “Holy City” where Mohammed the Ishmaelite was born.

Others, Gallas, Trajan, Pompey and Augustus, have been unsuccessful in conquering the Arabs – the Ishmaelites. Emperor Severus, a Roman, laid siege and even made a breach in their defenses, but insurrection broke out in the ranks. As an unseen power protected these Ishmaelites, Emperor Trajan sought to conquer them in about AD 110. Whirlwinds, swarms of flies, lightning, thunder, hail, apparitions in the sky, heat and thirst all helped to repulse these Italians every time they attacked. And so down the stream of time God’s hand seems to have been on the Ishmaelites. In spite of commerce and intercourse with others, they remain the same fierce, savage, intractable people like their ancestors.

This people, with the Jews excepted, have for 4,000 years withstood the enmity as a distinct people from their beginning with Ishmael.

Compare Arabs and Jews:

A contrast: Israel scattered – Deut. 28:64; Ishmael stayed at home – Gen. 16:12.

The land promised to Abraham and his seed is given in Genesis 17:6‑8: “And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

Also in Genesis 22:16‑18: “And said By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore: and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” The stars of the heaven and sand which is upon the sea shore indicates a heavenly and earthly phase of Christ’s Kingdom. In Jeremiah 31:31 God promised to make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. When this covenant is established with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, He will bless them and through them “all the families of the earth.”

The Ishmaelites too will be blessed through the nation of Israel. “And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.” (Gen. 17:20)

In Isaiah 2:2, 3 we read: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk‑in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

The Jews are to be gathered from the four corners of the earth where they have been dispersed until God gathers them by the hunters and fishers (Jer. 16:16). “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” (Isa. 11:12)

The headquarters of the Kingdom will be Jerusalem and from there flow throughout the world.

God did not promise Ishmael and his seed the land of Canaan. Isaac and his seed were promised the land from “the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.” (Gen. 15:18‑21; Ex. 23:31; Deut. 1:7,8; 11:24; Ezek. 48:1‑29)

A similar picture is presented in the two sons of Isaac: Jacob and Esau. Saddam Hussein will be defeated eventually because God has promised Canaan to the Jews. “He is faithful that promised.” (Heb. 10:23)

(By Brother Roy Ekroth, Reprint SPECIAL No. 419‑A)

“MIDEAST SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS 3: Israeli officials said they think the bombing was meant to mar the opening of the Jewish Olympics in Jerusalem. JERUSALEM – A suicide bomber killed himself and two Israelis at a crowded bus stop north of Tel Aviv on Monday, bringing Israel and Palestinians closer to conflagration as a government spokesman vowed an immediate response. Israeli officials said they think the bombing was meant to mar the opening of the Maccabiah, the Jewish Olympics, in Jerusalem.

“In a jarring juxtaposition of images, Israel television cut from graphic eyewitness accounts of the bombing to the gala festivities under tight security at Teddy Stadium.

“The militant movement Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombing and said it has dozens of other bombers ready to strike inside Israel.

“Besides those who were killed, seven people were injured when the man strapped with explosives blew himself up across from the Binyamina train station.

“Israel’s main north‑south line runs through the small town, and two commuter trains had just let off their passengers.

“Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh said police thought the bomber might have intended to detonate his explosives on a train. Ever since a Palestinian blew up himself and 21 young people outside a Tel Aviv nightclub June 1, Israeli pundits have predicted that the next such bombing inside Israel would trigger a broad military campaign against the Palestinian Authority.

(Excerpts by Mary Curtius, Los Angeles Times, July 17, 2001)

“ISRAEL UPS WEST BANK FORCES: JERUSALEM‑ Israeli military officials said the army had begun to send infantry and armored reinforcements to the West Bank early this morning after an escalation of Israeli‑Palestinian violence. An aide to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said the deployment meant Israel wanted to attack the Palestinian Authority. The move came after a day of tit‑for‑tat violence in which Israeli helicopter gunships killed four activists of the militant Hamas group and Palestinians launched their first West Bank mortar‑bomb attacks since violence erupted in September.

(Orlando Sentinel, July 18, 2001)

___________________________________

LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST

 My Dear Sister Emily:

It was so good to hear from you in your letter of May 25. I was amused at your noticing that the letter was mailed a day after it was dated. Perhaps I should explain that I write all my correspondence at night and drop it into the outgoing mailbox at my home, where it is picked up the next day and postmarked. Unless I deviate from that pattern, which I rarely do, the postmark will always be the next day.

I was also amused that you might think I don’t read the newsletters. On the contrary, they are always of great interest. I don’t correspond about them much, but they are well read and some of the thoughts are shared with the local Bible Students.

Life has been very busy with my move. I’m almost done – I should be in my new apartment by July 1. All my books have been boxed up, including my complete set of the volumes from Laymans. Did I tell you I ordered the entire library some time ago? I haven’t had the time to read the books, but have gotten into several of the volumes. They are very complex and require a lot of study. What do you think of those volumes?

I’ve lost track of what I’ve written, but I think I told you I also lost my roommate of more than a decade, accounting for the need for me to move. He died after open heart surgery. It was very sudden, and things have been in a real tizzy around here.

Your insert on the Youthful Worthies and other classes of the Gospel Age was a bit confusing. I was puzzled in particular about the understanding of Joel 2:28, with the sons being interpreted as converted fleshly Israel, etc., and the daughter being the converted Gentiles of the Millennial Age. I’m not sure how those interpretations came about; I can’t find anything in Brother Russell’s writings describing this.

Are you familiar with Brother ...? He’s a frequent speaker at Bible Student conventions, and he’s a real enigma to me. I know that Bible Students have never been strong on sending their children through the higher educational system. Brother ... credentials include “Professor Emeritus from the Graduate School, University of Hartford; Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; Swiss Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzer­land; and the American MBA [I don’t know what this is, perhaps Master of. Business Adminis­tration] in Paris, France. He received his Ph. D. from the University of Connecticut receiving honors from Tau Beta Pi, Etta Kappa Nu and Phi Delta Kappa honorary societies in engineering, science and management.”

Quite a list, eh? And yet, when some of us hear him speak, he really doesn’t seem to know what he’s talking about! Can it be that Bible Students, of all people, could be so bewitched by multiple credentials, that they’re just accepting everything he says without doing some critical thinking? I’m afraid this is exactly what’s happening.

He’s on my mind because I just ordered his latest book, “Ten Bad Mistakes About God” which are listed as follows: God Is In Parts; God Became A Man; God Must Be Eaten; God Less Popular Than Jesus; God Burns and Tortures Souls Forever; God Has DNA; God Has a Mother; God Was Killed by the Jews; God is Perceived in Many Contradictory Ways; God is Being Replaced by Science.” I’ll read the book, but I’m a little uncomfortable with the author.

Well, time to go to sleep – I spent the better part of the day dusting and cleaning, getting ready to move. Blessings to you and all, and please be patient with me as I try desperately to keep up with my correspondence!

Blessings and love, .......


NO. 531 ISRAEL IN RETROSPECT

by Epiphany Bible Students


The scientific achievements of this nation continue to evoke our admiration. The Space Shuttles have again performed with great precision. The miles they travel in such short time we would have considered impossible as little as twenty-five years ago; and their entire performance is a great tribute to the scientific ability of the men who operate them.

Some months back a newspaper columnist headed his column article with these words: "Israel an exciting nation with its high technology and modern industry." And here is part of what he wrote: "I will never forget the emotion I felt the afternoon I crossed the Allenby Bridge from Jordan and first set foot in Israel. It was an almost mystical experience, and I'm neither Jewish nor particularly religious. But there is an excitement in the very air, and you can feel the vibrant life and energy all around you. The country literally hums and has an aura.

"Israel’s birthday always is a happy occasion. If you are ever in need of having your faith in miracles restored, hop on a plane and visit Israel where miracles still occur on a daily basis. This is the Israel where there are 50,000 engineers doing innovative research and scoring breakthroughs in everything from telephone systems to solar energy to cancer research to computerized irrigation systems.

It is indeed inspiring to note that Jewish scientific minds have transformed large parts of Palestine from a pile of sand to a flourishing Garden of Eden. For three thousand years the Arabs sat on that sand, and did nothing to improve it; but, now that the Jews have performed many wonders with it, they want it. Thus, the attacks on Israel continue to increase; but little do they realize with whom they are dealing. The Prophetic Page had recorded these events some thousands of years ago; and those statements were read by many devout Christian believers as interesting reading matter, and that was all. Now those writings have become living reality - humanly speaking, by the tremendous surge in scientific process.

IN RELIGION

In this faith controversy, as was true of so many of the reformers, they clearly saw the error in their opponents, but they were much off the truth on their own subject so that their opponents made them look equally ridiculous. St. Paul tells us in the text in Romans 10:17: "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." From this Scripture it should be clear enough that we should have a moving faith before we can offer any acceptable work to God; but without such a faith, it is dead; because the faith of such a person has not become vitalized sufficiently to motivate activity in acceptable works.

AGAIN, WE MENTION ISRAEL

In this connection we have a booklet written by a woman on MODERN ISRAEL - FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY; and we offer some material from that booklet because we feel it has a direct bearing on much that is going on there:

"Why is it, I used to ask myself, that when prophecy was being fulfilled, people never seemed to recognize it? Today in Israel, however, the evidence of prophetic fulfillment is overwhelming. Events are taking place which confirm the Bible 's prophecies of the return of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland, and of what would happen to the land and the people when they returned.

"In a seemingly spontaneous movement, they have come home to build a new nation on the foundations of the past. After 2,000 years, the Jews in Palestine all learn to speak their ancient Hebrew language for use in the modern world.

"'For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out from all countries, and bring you into your own land, and a new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and do them, and ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people and I will be your God.' (Ezek. 36:24,26,28).

"When a new independent state of Israel was created from a portion of Palestine, Leon Keyserling, economic advisor to President Truman, stated, 'Israel, relative to its size and resources, has rescued more victims of tyranny, sheltered and fed more people, provided more jobs, developed more medical facilities than any other nation in history ancient or modern.’

"Jesus Christ, the Savior of the Christian faith and the greatest teacher that the world has ever known, was a Jew. Asked how the thirteen American colonies were formed into a democratic republic such as had never been before, Thomas Jefferson replied that it was copied from the social organization laid down by Moses in the wilderness. Thus the ancient Jews provided the blueprint for the United States of America.

"Moses issued a decree that when a father died, daughters were to have equal rights of inheritance with sons. This established greater respect for women in Biblical times and through the ages.

"Development of serums to do away with the curse of polio and the blindness of trachoma, are among their recent contributions. Jews are among our greatest scientists, writers, scholars and physicians.

"The Balfour Declaration of 1917 was Britain's recognition of the Jews' right to their homeland in Palestine. In 1923 the League of Nations gave Great Britain the Mandate 'to facilitate in the establishment of a Jewish National Homeland. ' But Great Britain soon decided that she did not want this new progressive movement in Palestine to upset the status quo in which she ruled through the princes of India, the pashas of Egypt and the effendi of the Middle East as they exploited the masses. She partitioned off four­ fifths of the Jewish National Homeland and set up Jordan as an Arab kingdom under Sheikh Abdullah. In the 10,000 square miles west of the Jordan River left for the Jews, she exercised a divide-and-rule policy and continually obstructed Jewish development.

"The final tragedy was brought on by Britain 's 'White Paper,' which in 1939 forbad all further Jewish immigration into Palestine on the basis that there was 'no further economic absorptive capacity for the Jews. ' Thus the British shut and padlocked the doors of Palestine during the dark years of Hitler's extermination policy, cutting off the only place in the world where the Jews could go by right. Those who entered during the 1940s came illegally, spirited into the country by their brethren in the night, and absorbed into the homes of Jewish Palestinians.

"Great Britain decided, however, that her interests lay with the large Middle Eastern Arab countries and their vast oil fields. She repudiated her obligations to the Jews. The British Ambassador to Washington at the time stated, 'There are times when moral obligations must give way to political expediency. ' This 'political expediency' brought down on the British Empire the same curse that befell all other nations who had mistreated the Jews. Britain' s colonies broke away, and we have seen her stripped of her possessions, prestige and riches, and left a small, poor little island struggling with massive problems.

"Britain armed the Arabs and allowed armies of neighboring Arab nations to come in and occupy 70 military fortresses as she vacated them. Meanwhile she had thoroughly disarmed the Jews. They were to be 'driven into the sea' by combined Arab armies. The new nation was to be stillborn. Then the God of Israel took over and miraculously gave the lusty newborn nation stunning victories.

"The Arabs did not accept Israel's existence. In 1956 they again prepared for war, this time with air runways in Sinai which brought in Russian arms and volunteers to assure the total defeat of Israel. But again the God of Israel gave a stunning victory to His people, although President Eisenhower caused a cease-fire just before the Jews reached Suez, forcing them to withdraw. Along with them, however, the Jews brought back about a billion dollars' worth of Russian and Egyptian equipment, and the promised use of the Gulf of Agaba and the Suez Canal.

"Israel's enemies then sold their souls to Russia for equipment for another attempt to defeat Israel. They mortgaged the cotton crops of generations to come and allowed their ports to be taken over by the Russians in return for military supplies. Again the God of Israel tried to show the enemies of Israel that the return of the Jews to their promised homeland was a part of His plan to bring about a better way of life for the masses of exploited farmers of the Middle East through Israeli example and technical assistance. The 1967 six-day war proved to be the most stunning victory of all history, one that will be studied by military experts for years to come.

"The enemies of Israel still refuse to accept Israel's victories and are openly planning her destruction. In reality, they are creating situations which will only bring about more trouble for their own peoples, for they are fighting not only against Israel, but against the God of Israel. Perhaps the outcome of these conflicts was intended to show the enemies of Israel that God is still the Jehovah of Israel and that the return of the Jews to Palestine is part of His plan. If God is for a thing, who can stand against it? Had other nations recognized this fact, there would have been no battles, no Arab refugees, no humiliating defeats and bitter hatreds. Instead, Israel would have spent more energies on land reclamation, on a TVA for the Jordan River and on progress in all fields of endeavor that would have been an example and benefit for all the peoples of the Middle East.

"Israel is the success story of all the emerging nations. She did what no other nation in the history of the world has done - she doubled her population in four years and at the same time reclaimed worn-out lands to increase production, keeping pace with her increasing population. Israel now produces the bulk of her food needs, and she already exports enough agricultural products to pay for the food she imports, such as tea, coffee, hard wheat and some meats. The details of Israel's progress and industry are an inspiration and an example for the world.

"No nation in history has ever treated her defeated enemies as Israel has treated the Arabs. In none of her wars has Israel demonstrated any boasting, gloating, looting or raping after her stunning victories. Rather, the Israelis provided tens of thousands of loaves of bread and cartons of milk for the besieged Arabs in Jerusalem and certain other cities. They cared for Arabs wounded in Israeli hospitals, and immediately implemented vaccination programs for all Arab children against polio and trachoma.

"And what does the Bible say about the neglected and long-eroded mountains? 'But ye, 0 mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. For, behold, I am for you, and ye shall be tilled and sown: and I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes all be builded: and I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring forth fruit; and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better for you than in your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am, the Lord. Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess you, and thou shalt be their inheritance.’ (Ezek. 36:8-12)

"How could the mountains be better than in their beginning, before at least three feet of soil had eroded off all the mountains of Judea and Galilee?  The soil had been devastated for centuries.  Fortunately the hills are of limestone and are shot through with solution pockets which retain the ancient fertile terra rosa, the famed red soil of the Holy Land.  The roots of planted trees seek out these soil pockets and trees grow beautifully today. By 1975 the Jewish National Fund, Israel's official land reclamation agency, reported that the Jews of Israel have planted 140 million trees!  Many of the forests have already transformed the barren hills into green emeralds on the landscape.

"Water formerly sank completely underground in the limestone hills, flowed steeply downhill and emerged far out onto the floor of the Mediterranean Sea. Israeli geologists discovered that by sinking deep wells immediately at the foot of the mountains they could tap this Turonian water aquifer (the permeable material which carried underground water) and pump water to the surface in abundance, Thus the very mountains are productive, with vineyards and orchards on the reconstructed terraces, cities and towns rebuilt and waste lands too rocky for grazing or farming turned into green forests 'shooting forth their branches.' The United States and the Middle East should have an added Eleventh Commandment concerning man 's responsibility to the Holy Earth, something like this: 'Thou shalt inherit the Holy Earth as a faithful steward, conserving its productivity and resources from generation to generation. Thou shalt safeguard thy fields from soil erosion, thy living waters from drying up, thy forests from desolation, and protect the hills from over grazing by thy herds, that thy descendants may have abundance forever. If any shall fail in this good stewardship of the earth, thy fruitful fields shall become sterile, stony ground or wasting gullies, and thy descendants shall decrease and live in poverty, or perish from off the face of the earth.

"The people of Israel took this challenge from the very beginning. The visitor today finds an Israel well on the way to restoring the Holy Land to its ancient fertility. Her people combine this ambition with an ever-constant search for peace. While so doing, they work toward the fulfillment of this Bible prophecy: 'And I will make them a covenant of peace, and I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land and shall know that I am the Lord. '"

The above was written some years before 1982; consequently, no mention could be made of the smashing victory the Jews gained in Lebanon in the summer of 1982. However, that victory was incomplete because our President commanded the Jews to refrain from the clean­ up that should have been made at that time. Therefore, we now have the devastating uproar in that country. It is our opinion that our President did not wish to restrain the Jews because of any animosity toward them; it was probably an honest mistake - doubtless prompted by what then seemed to be political expediency. But we rest in the calm assurance that in spite of some colossal blunders, we have "the sure word of prophecy" that Israel shall eventually prevail.

With the outbreak of the Great War of 1914, the Gentile Halo began to fade, and is becoming increasingly obscured with each passing year until these Gentile nations will be completely obliterated, as was true of the Jewish nation in the year A.D. 70 when the Romans broke down the walls of Jerusalem, leveled the Temple to the ground, and dispersed the Jew to all corners of the civilized world. Now, just the reverse is occurring: The Jews are being regathered into the Land from every far-distant point to which they were scattered in the year A.D. 70. Thus, the prophecies herein cited are having a fulfillment, which is plainly visible to all who have an eye for the Truth on the subject. And much more is yet to come!  "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle." (Zech. 14:3)

Now we offer some Biblical prophecy clearly foretelling this performance: "The heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll" (Isa. 34:4) The heavens in this text refer to our present-day church systems - reconciling their differences for the sake of peace. This union would have been considered impossible a hundred years ago; but the disturbed condition of the world today is causing many to decide that union is the best price of safety. Of course, the clear Bible teaching is opposed to such a thought. Again from the Apostle Paul: "There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all." (Eph. 4:5,6)

Isaiah 34:4 tells us that "the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth from the vine." And Revelations 6:14 says, "The heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain [strong Gentile governments] and island [republican governments, such as the U.S. and Great Britain] were moved out of their places [be dissolved by the anarchistic masses as a millstone cast into the sea (the lawless elements of society)]."

"Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters [the Gentile nations] … and I will give them unto thee for daughters  [the Gentiles are to be instructed and blessed], but not by thy covenant [by the New Covenant - Jer. 31:31]. And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord." (Ezek. 16:61,62)

The Gentile nations will be blessed through the Jews, as the Kingdom will be Israelitish.  Now one nation out of every four is at war with someone else; but we have the strong assurance that all this will be completely reversed in the approaching Kingdom. "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isa. 2:4)

A pamphlet giving much detail about Jerusalem, ends by saying, "This is the Jerusalem of today - the capital of Israel. This will be the Jerusalem of tomorrow."

We add to the above, Jerusalem will be the capital of the world in the Kingdom, when the New Covenant is made with Israel.

(This was written by John J. Hoefle in 1984)

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THE HARVEST WORK

"Were it not that the Lord has favored us with a share in the work of gathering out the Bride and helping to make her ready for the marriage of the Lamb, we would be in Jerusalem and, by the grace of God, would do a part in the great work now due of turning away blindness from Jacob (Rom. 11:25)." (Reprint 1395, column 2, par. 3) See expanded comments on Isaiah 40:2 and Romans 11:25.

That Servant knew that Psalms 50:5 was given to him and he would not forsake that work as long as he lived: "Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." The Gospel-Age Harvest was the only time the saints were gathered together. All through the Gospel Age they were not together, especially so during the dark ages and on up to the beginning of the Gospel Age Harvest, but were scattered here and there. They were gathered mainly from Babylon, but some who were outside Babylon, were also gathered under That Servant into one unit.

He also gave three ways in which the closing of the door to the High Calling would be indicated in Volume 3, pages 207 and 208: "First, by a definite Bible statement of the exact date [That Servant didn’t know until Bible Chronology gave him the date that the Kingdom was set up September 21, 1914.]; second, by such a reversal of public sentiment with reference to the truth, that fidelity and zeal in its service would no longer meet with opposition, and when suffering with Christ for the truth's sake (Rom . 6:17) would no longer be possible; or third, by such a condition of affairs obtaining in the world that all opportunity for such service would be effectually obstructed, thus leaving no opportunities for candidates to enter into such a work and to develop and prove their love and faithfulness by their activity and endurance.”

The second and third conditions now occurring would surely indicate that the work of gathering the saints is over. And the first is proved by Bible Chronology, Reprint 5632. Of course some Bible students would say the Bible Chronology just gives 1914, and That Servant said in 1916 that the door was still open, which he did, but there was a gleaning that took place before That Servant died October 16, 1916. He was on a Pullman train in Texas, with one of his final statements being "I have done as thou hast commanded me."  (Ezek. 9:11)

Yes, 1914 is particularly marked in Bible Chronology as the end of the Gentile Times. When the stone had been cut out of the mountain September 21, 1914 all saints were sealed in the heart but not in the forehead. As each country became involved in World War One, the Saints of that country were sealed in the forehead - came to an intellectual understanding of the Truth - and all were sealed by 1916.  In reprint 5632, top of page That Servant also tells us that the Smiting was going on in 1915.

In Volume 3, top of page 48 Brother Russell said, "But 1799 was only the beginning of the period known as the Time of the End, within limits of which every vestige of that system [Papacy] shall pass away."

We are still in the Time of the End, and the Time of Trouble will witness the destruction of all systems of error. The Epiphaneia (Epiphany) is the last period of the Gospel Age. During that time "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. " (Isa. 24:20) But Israel shall arise and shine (Isa. 60:1,3).

The Time of the End, the Time of Trouble and the Epiphany all end at the same time. When one ends the other two will end.

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"U.S. PRESIDENTS SPEAK ON ISRAEL: John F. Kennedy, said that 'in the prophetic spirit of Zionism, all free men today look to a better world, and in the experience of Zionism, we know that it takes dedication and perseverance to achieve it.' Warren G. Harding (1921): 'It is impossible for one who has studied the services of the Hebrew people to avoid the faith that they will one day be restored to their historic national home.' Harry Truman: 'I had faith in Israel before it was established, I have faith in it now.  I believe it has a glorious future not just as another … future nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization.' Herbert Hoover said in  (1928): 'Palestine, desolate for centuries, is now renewing its youth and vitality through enthusiasm, hard work and the self-sacrifice of the Jewish pioneers who toil there in a spirit of peace and social justice.’  Dwight D. Eisenhower called Israel 'A democratic outpost in the Middle East.’ Source:  'You don't have to be Jewish to be a Zionist: a review of 400 years of Christian Zionism' "

(Christian Action for Israel, 1st Quarter Newsletter, March 2001)

"Did you know? The English city of Leicester formally renounces an 800-year-old ban on Jews put in place by Simon de Montfort, widely regarded as the father of the English parliament.  From Financial Mail, 26 January 2001."

"Quotes of Note: 'We have to destroy Israel because there is no alternative.’ From chapter heading in a Palestinian sixth grade textbook.

"U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell described U .S. relations with Israel as  'unbreakable,' and Washington 's commitment to Israeli security as 'rock solid. ' From Intercessors from America, 2001.

"'The world does not know what to do with Jerusalem because it does not know what to do with God. ' By speaker at the 4th Christian Congress on Biblical Zionism."

(Christian Action for Israel, 1st Quarter Newsletter, March 2001)

"PLAN MAPS PATH TO PEACE: Mitchell report calls for cease-fire in Mideast. WASHINGTON - The United States on Monday threw its weight behind a long-awaited report that offers Israel and the Palestinians a road map back to peace negotiations, and it urged both side to halt their escalating bloodshed.

"Minutes after a committee led by former Sen. George Mitchell released its recommendations, Secretary of State Colin Powell publicly endorsed them. The Mitchell plan called for an immediate, unconditional halt to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has claimed more than 500 lives since September, followed by confidence-building measures - such as a halt in Jewish settlements - that could restore trust and lead to renewed peace talks.

"Powell, edging closer to active mediation, announced that he was tapping a senior aide to talk with the governments of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat about implementing the Mitchell plan. 'The burden, I think, is now on the leaders of the region,' he said.

"But it remains far from clear whether Arafat and Sharon are either willing or able to compromise and end an eight-month spate of violence that escalated sharply last weekend.  The killings have destroyed the good will built up since the 1993 Oslo accords, which established general guidelines for establishing peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Violence continued Monday, although most of it took place before Mitchell released his report in New York and Powell spoke at a news conference in Washington.

"Israeli troops shot two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, located between Israel and Egypt, saying they were on their way to plant a bomb.  Three Palestinian children were hurt in clashes in the West Bank town of Hebron. Four hours of shooting from Beit Jala in the West Bank, located west of the Jordan River, to the Jerusalem suburb of Gilo, left one Israeli injured in the eye. Officials in Sharon’ s government were heartened by Powell's backing of the report's insistence that Palestinians end the violence without preconditions. Sharon has said repeatedly that he will not reward violence with steps sought by the Palestinians, such as a halt in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

"Powell said he had instructed William Burns, the U.S. ambassador to Jordan who has been nominated to be assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, to talk with both sides about a timeline for implementing the proposals. "

(From Knight Ridder Newspapers, The Orlando Sentinel, May 22, 2001)

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

"QUESTION - I read with great interest that the first human cloning experiment might take place in Israel. Is this procedure permissible according to the Torah?

"ANSWER - "'The nephilim (giants) were on the earth in those days… the sons of G-d consorted with the daughters of man.'…the angels fell from their level of holiness in heaven.  The result of this deviation, according to most popular views, was the 'giants.'

"These giants were unnatural in yet another way. The Torah teaches us: 'Honor your father and your mother.' Thus these nephilim had a mother, but since they were conceived of angels they really had no natural father and this was a deviation from Hashem's way.

"How much more so if we deviate with a totally artificial way of creation via cloning, when the result will be a being created not in conformance with the Heavenly will.  Indeed, in the pasuk that follows the description of the nephilim the Torah explicitly states, 'And G-d saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth …' The many destructive ways of the inhabitants of the earth contravened G-d's will and ultimately resulted in the Flood …

"The cloning procedure, which involves the insertion of the cell of a donor into the shell of a host egg, obviates the normal process of an egg being fertilized by a sperm. Cloning is thus totally different from fertility programs or in vitro fertilization procedures, many of which have halachic authorization. The result of cloning is the creation of a donor 'twin ' who is a duplicate of the donor in every manner except in reference to age, who has no biological father or mother. The procedure has given rise to discussions and questions of ethics even in the secular world…

"It is interesting to note that several Israeli scientists and officials have recently declared that there will be no such experiments in Israel since they are not permitted under Israeli law. They must have realized that such experiments are also against G-d's law."

(The Jerusalem Post, March 23, 2001)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Emily:

Many thanks for your letter of February 8, 2001! In his e-mail of 12 December, 2000 … writes among other things: "From time to time brethren rise up to question or challenge the clear and forthright presentation of the chronology as laid out in volume two of Studies in the Scriptures."

Morton Edgar as well as my father, Hugo Karlen, showed that Russell 's chronology was correct. There is no doubt that Charles T. Russell was That Servant. It is remarkable what he could find in the Scriptures. He was a genius. The Lord must have helped him.

In the beginning of 1942 my father wrote ten studies about the Chronology in the Bible. We have sent numbers 5,9 and 10 to … and numbers 5 and 9 to you. we are now translating numbers 1-4 into English. Birgit Stjernstedt, who learned English at the University in Stockholm, is helping with the translation. I will now send numbers 1,2 and 10 to you. we are still working on the others. You will find that all the studies and the solar eclipse in 763 B.C. prove that Russell was right.

In your letter you write that you will be happy to get … answer. Therefore I am sending a copy of his e-mail of 26 January, 2001.

All the best and many kind regards.                                                         Your friend, Anders Karlen (SWEDEN)

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Dear Emily and all there,

We send our loving greetings from the receding shores of the Sea of Galilee. Thank you for your interesting thoughts sent in February, and the Lev/Hava card in April. Your greetings were a blessing in all ways!

Please forgive that we have not written sooner, but the time seems to fly. Lev was down at the Dead Sea once again from March 22nd to April 20th for his skin treatments. It was very helpful for his head and arms. The areas on his lower legs are still not healed up. So we continue to work on them daily with creams from the Dead Sea minerals. It is so amazing that such healing properties can come from this dead body of water, and that people come from all over the world to be helped by its benefits. God's healing to the nations even begins at this lowest spot on the earth that would seem useless!

Well, while Lev was gone for a month our Bed/Breakfast rooms became busy, so I had a real four to five weeks of running in circles. The guests were mostly local people coming up from Jerusalem/Tel Aviv to get away from the tensions or old friends. This period is usually the busiest tourist time, but there are so few tourists that hotels remain closed, and no work for guides, drivers, etc. It is really a hard time here, and the time ahead does not look, brighter for any increase in tourism! So many of the governments of various nations warn against traveling to Israel including the U.S.A.

We had some good rains and the Spring was so beautiful with green hills. But it was all cut short by hot weeks in mid-March already. Soon the hills were turning brown and those lovely flowers were gone. So we are into Summer, and the dry season without the Sea of Galilee coming up to normal again. The water crisis looms ever nearer not only here, but all over the Middle East. Some say the next war will be over water!

On the other hand some feel we are into a war already, as things get hotter and hotter. Arafat has indeed lost his mask of "statesman/peacemaker" and is back to the true terrorist he has always been at heart. Sadly his desire to achieve all by violence has so much hurt his own people from children on up. We are just so amazed how God hardened Arafat' s heart so he would not accept the far-reaching give-aways that Barak was so willing to give. It shows he wants all or to gain it by violence which he thinks makes him more of a hero to his own people! Indeed God put Sharon in for this hour!

Thankfully we see God's mercy and watch-care over His people day by day even under the present problems! So many times the terrorists attacks could have been worse and it seems God's protection was there to prevent more deaths or injuries. Now Israel intercepted a boat smuggling arms into Gaza, and not little guns, but mortars, etc. This was not the first time they brought boat loads in and this is to a people "not at war with Israel," but making peace via the Oslo Peace Accords I Thankful this thirty tons of Katushas rockets, and other things will not be used against Israelis. There is no "peace process " left!  God' s plans will go forth in His way and His timing!

We do hope you have good health, and all there are doing well as you carry on with your work for the Lord!

Hope you can see Elva before long. She is closer, but I know she is concerned to make a long drive north in all the Florida traffic.

Thanks again for your prayers and letters.

                                                                                                             Love, Lev and Hava Bausch     (ISRAEL)


NO. 530 THE ANTICHRIST

by Epiphany Bible Students


When "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14) He provided the foundation for two religions -the Christian and the Antichristian. The first of these set forth the highest of ideals for His followers, to perfect them in every good word and work; the second did pretty much the exact opposite, often arousing the basest of human inclinations toward heinous crime. The ideal of the true Christian is to attain equality in character and vision with their Leader, an ambition which none of the human race has ever achieved. Had any of them ever been able to do this, the ideal would then be largely dissipated -no more hills to climb, no more conquests to accomplish. Thus, throughout the writings of the Apostles the ideal of "Christ and Him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2) is ever prominent, "Christ" being the ransom price for our justification, and "Him crucified" being the narrow way in which "He set us an example that we should follow in His steps." (1 Peter 2:21) All of this is summarized in perfect love for the Lord, the Truth and the brethren, which, when properly comprehended and practiced, delights in doing good unto all men as we have opportunity, but especially to them which are of the Household of Faith.

Thus, St. Paul counsels "Husbands, love your wives, even as the Anointed One loved the congregation, and delivered Himself up on her behalf." (Eph. 5:25, Dia.) And among the last of the Lord's thoughts on the night before His death was toward those who would cleave to Him in spirit and in truth -"That they all may be one…that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me." (John 17:21-23)

All who know anything at all about Christianity admit that its fundamental precepts are good; but, they say, no one lives up to it. And, while it is true that the vast majority of those calling themselves Christians deserve such criticism, yet it is equally true that there have been some outstanding "examples of the believers" throughout the Age. Aside from the twelve Apostles, mention may be made of John Wesley, founder of what is now the Methodist Church. The focal point of all his teaching was that disinterested good will toward all men is the ideal for Christians, and there is little doubt that he practiced what he preached. Much the same may be said for George Fox, founder of what is now the Quaker Church. Similar appraisal may be made of Balthasar Hubmaier, founder of the Baptist Church. And the preaching of these three men, along with others throughout the Age, was potent and magnetic enough to cause many of their adherents to exemplify true Christian principles in their daily lives.

But alongside the few throughout the Age there have been great multitudes who did otherwise, many of the latter with such wealth, education and mental brilliance that they have almost completely eclipsed those faithful few who held "the testimony of Jesus, and the spirit of His Prophecy." (Rev. 19:10, Dia.) This deplorable situation was already making its first glimmering appearance in the early Church, so that St. Paul was prompted to write: "The secret of lawlessness is already working … then will be revealed the lawless one… whose coming is according to the energy of the Adversary, with all power, and signs, and wonders of falsehood and with every deception of iniquity to those who are perishing, because they admitted not the love of the Truth [true Christianity] in order that they might be saved." (2 Thes. 2:7-10, Dia.)

Here is an excellent description of the Antichrist that would appear after the Apostles had left this earth; and, while we stated in the first sentence of this treatise that our Lord had laid the foundation for this monstrous apostasy, it should be kept in mind that such was not His design. It was merely that He provided the opportunity for "evil men and seducers" to join a good cause for their own selfish purposes -much the same as the Bible itself has also provided a very convenient conveyance for those to enhance and enthrone themselves who in fact were really motivated by most selfish and unholy ambitions. It is well for us to keep in mind here that Antichrist not only means opponent, but it also means in the place of Christ. St. Paul had warned in 2 Thes. 2:3-5 that Jesus would not come again until "there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exa1teth himself above all that is called God … so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." The attempts to interpret st. Paul's words here are legion; quite a few would-be interpreters are very emphatic that this refers to an individual. During the 1914-1918 war there was quite some agitation to the effect that St. Paul's words were just another description of the "Beast" of Rev. 13:2-5, Dia.: "The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet as a bear's, and his mouth as a lion's mouth… and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who is able to make war with him?' And there was given to him a mouth speaking great and blasphemous things [note the close similarity to St. Paul's words]; and authority was given him to act forty two months." The theory gained quite some followers back then that this was a prophecy of the German Kaiser, which meant that the war would end in forty-two months. But when the war went on for nine months more than the forty-two, and the Kaiser suffered complete defeat and was forced to abdicate and flee to Holland, that theory died as quickly as it had been born. Their mistake, of course, lay in their failure rightly to comprehend one of the basic rules for the understanding of The Revelation; namely, that the numerals in that book are literal, but almost all the common nouns are symbolic. Those months are 30-day months, making a total of 1260 days, as can be readily seen from Rev. 11:2,3: but, applying the principle of "a day for a year" (Num. 14:34; Ezek. 4:6), the period of time then involved would be 1260 literal years.

THE PAPACY

That the foregoing Scriptures could not possibly refer to an individual will we believe, be apparent from certain considerations, one of which is that no individual has ever survived for 1260 years. Also, the Antichrist, the Man of Sin, The Beast, all simply portray different characteristics of the same thing: Antichrist being in the place of Christ -Man of Sin (in the place of "Son of Man" -Mark 2: 10), the degrading disposition and influence -The Beast, the vicious destructive and inhuman qualities. The beast "was like unto a leopard." A leopard is black and white spotted, indicating that in some places the beast would be black as night, but in others appearing lily white in hypo­critical manner -professedly Christian!

This latter has been outstandingly true of the Papacy; e.g., Spain, Mexico, Italy, tolerance has been foreign to their teachings. Not long ago they tried to chase the YMCA out of Italy -revealing the black spots of the leopard. But in America, where they are much in the minority, they are very outspoken for tolerance -for them, that is ­manifesting the white spots of the leopard.

In 2 Thes. 2:1-5 St. Paul states that the Lord would not return to earth again "except there come a falling away first." Certainly, this would not mean just one individual; the very construction of Paul's expression shows he was meaning many individuals -a great apostasy -that would be influenced, deceived, and overawed by "the man of sin" -"the son of perdition [destruction]" -yet professedly Christian. The only entity in Gospel-Age history that properly fits this description is the Papacy; it meets all the requirements perfectly -its own record is enough -we need not go to its opponents or critics for argument to sustain this conclusion. But, in coming to this conclusion we do not wish to convey the impression that every Roman Catholic is included in this opinion -any more than every Protestant should be held accountable for the vagaries of the various protesting systems. There have been, and still are, many noble and magnanimous individuals within Protestant and Catholic churches, who for various reasons have failed to recognize the true situation; but this does not alter the fact that the Lord Himself referred to certain features of the Roman Church as "the abomination of desolation." (Matt. 24:15)

Giant oaks from little acorns grow. So also the Roman Church came to its present prominence from a very small beginning -at first meekly bowing to the powers that be, but gradually, very subtly, telling them what to do, until from 799 to 1799, the Papacy "as God sitteth in the temple of God ["Ve (the true Church) are the temple of God" -1 Cor. 3:16], showing himself that he is God." Pope Innocent III said: "The pope holds the place of the true God." Innocent and Jacobatius state "the pope can do nearly all that God can do -none dare say to him any more than to God, Lord, what doest thou?" We here present a mere fragment of what has been written about this subject -enough, we hope, to establish a firm base for our position.

MARTIN LUTHER

In our No. 7 tract we offered quite some detail about Luther's problems and wars with papal error and intrigue -a member of antitypica1 Elijah against antitypical Jezebel; and we now offer some of his statements about Antichrist as taken from the book of Roland H. Bainton, first published in 1955:

"The faith and the Church are at stake, I rejoice to suffer in so noble a cause. I am not worthy of so holy a trial. I feel much freer now that I am certain the pope is Antichrist." (p. 124) "If he is inviting me to my death, then I will come. I hope none but the papists will stain their hands in my blood. Antichrist reigns. The Lord's will be done." (p. 139) "I was wrong. I retract the statement that certain articles of John Huss are evangelical. I say now, 'Not some, but all the articles of John Huss were condemned by Antichrist and his apostles in the synagogue of Satan. I say freely that all the condemned articles of John Huss are evangelical and Christian, and yours are downright impious and diabolical ...' (p. 128) And on page 120 is a print showing "On the left Christ is washing the disciples' feet. On the right Antichrist, the pope, is having his toes kissed by monarchs."

In their efforts now to embrace Martin Luther, to praise his teachings and work, are the Roman Catholics also accepting what he taught about the pope being Antichrist, sitting in the synagogue of Satan? Let us not forget that the very book from which we quote foregoing was banned by Catholics shortly after it appeared just twelve years ago (in 2001 45 years ago), and many stores were intimidated from further sale of it. And those who continue to pay homage and worship at the feet of Antichrist are in truth also "sitting in the synagogue of Satan" so long as they assemble in the same company with Antichrist. No sane human being would logically do this, of course; but the eyes of many are being opened, and they forsake such company. And we have the "sure word of prophecy" that many others will shortly do likewise. Thus, this writing is no indictment of Roman Catholics as individuals; and we urge all our readers to follow St. Paul's counsel: "A servant of the Lord must not be contentious, but be gentle towards all, fit to teach, patient under evil; in meekness correcting the opposers; perhaps God may give them a change of mind in order to a knowledge of the Truth; and that they may be recovered from the snare of the enemy, who have been entrapped by him for his pleasure." (2 Tim. 2:24-26, Dia.)

PSALMS 75:6,7

Psalms 75 carries fitting application to our subject matter -to the true Christ and to Antichrist. Verses 6 and 7: "Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another." Here is· veiled reference to Baal, the sun God of the nations round about Israel.

Almost from the beginning of Israel's conquest of Palestine, after their deliverance from Egypt, there was constant conflict between the Lord God of Israel and the false Baal of the Heathen round about. In our paper on The Great Reformer we gave some detail of Elijah's engagement with the Prophets of Baal, who received equal recognition in Israel because of Queen Jezebe1, the wife of Ahab; and Elijah's complete victory over them forecast the complete victory during this Gospel Age of antitypica1 Elijah (the true Church attempting to reform this "present evil world"), over antitypical Jezebe1 (the Roman Church) before this Age comes to a close.

The Heathen Baal was typical of power-graspers in the Christian Church during this Age, and those who "bow the knee to Baal" refers to all who do obeisance to the Antichristian system. Thus, an identical conflict has transpired during this Age to the one that raged in Israel in the centuries preceding the Christian era. And those on the side of Baal have received no "promotion" -no lasting recognition -from the God of Heaven. In fact, in almost every instance when the Pope asks special blessing upon some event or locality or populace, the very reverse occurs: Great calamity is often the result. We instance just one example: We detailed in The Great Reformer (copy free upon request) how King Philip II of Spain is said to have laughed for the first time in his life over the horrible massacre in France on St. Bartholomew's Day. It was this same King Philip who a few years later prepared the Invincible Armada to annihilate Protestant England for rejecting the papal domination. And that Armada received the very special blessing of the Pope for its mission -a mission which culminated in complete failure and the destruction of a major part of the ships and men in that expedition.

Thus, the warning is given in Psa. 75:5: "Lift not up your horn on high; speak not with a stiff neck." The "horn" in the Bible is often used to symbolize power (see Psa. 18:2): "The Lord … the horn [power] of my salvation"; also Micah 4:13, "1 will make thine horn [power] iron." This exhortation is companion to St. Peter's words: "God resisteth the proud" (1 Peter 5:5); and then the Psalmist warns: "for promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west," nor from following the course of Baal and his devotees; but God will exalt whom He will exalt -those who resist the power-grasping system of Baal.

Inasmuch as the Psalmist is here contrasting "the horns [powers] of the wicked" and the "horns [powers] of the righteous" (v. 10), it is certainly no strain on the imagination to conclude the "promotions" of the righteous must come from the north, since they do not come from the east, west or south. This is quite clearly confirmed in Isa. 14:12-14, where the power-grasping course of Lucifer is described -identical twin to the course of the Papacy. Note the very similar language of v. 14: "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High," to that of 2 Thes. 2:4: "Who [the Papacy] exa1teth lJ.imse1f above all that is called God… he as God sitteth in the temple [congregation] of God ["ye are the temple of God" -1 Cor. 3: 16,17], showing himself that he is God." And Lucifer would make his attempts "upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north [his abode would rival that of the Most High]."

THE DARKNESS HATETH THE LIGHT

It needs little argument that throughout the Age true Christians have been much in the minority. The Lord had promised, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the Truth" (John 8: 31, 32); but this promise "to know the Truth" would not apply to the vast majority who did not "continue" to keep it. To such came the "strong delusions" -also promised to those who "received not the love of the Truth." (2 Thes. 2:10) But it is a sad commentary concerning the many that they were not content to lose the truth, they must also persecute those who did faithfully retain it. Thus developed the monstrous crimes, the heinous tortures by the Antichrist against those who "protested" against their errors. Some of this was given in our No. 7 tract, so we need not repeat it here. However, the Antichrist was not the only system that resorted to the persecution of those who retained Present Truth; and we now catalog some of these:

Michael Servetus was one of those true Christians who accepted and defended the truth that there is but one God. This aroused the ire of John Calvin (strong advocate of, and chief organizer of, the Presbyterian Church), so he tricked Servetus into Geneva and had him arrested for "heresy." The trial lasted about two and" one-half months, with Servetus thoroughly defeating Calvin on the Truth that there is but one God. On October 27, 1553, Servetus was taken from the city and made to sit on a block. Instead of using dry wood, green timber was used, placed some distance from him, which subjected him to a slow roasting of over a half hour duration. Also, in mockery -like the crown of thorns that was placed on the brow of Jesus at His crucifixion by the errorists of His day -a chaplet of straw and green twigs, besprinkled with brimstone, was made to encircle his head. This "crown" was ignited first, and produced such a cry of anguish that it struck terror into the hearts of the spectators. That was his only expression of pain.

Perhaps the saddest part of the above recital is that John Calvin himself had strongly denounced the persecuting spirit of Antichrist in France; had addressed a noble publication to the King of France in defense of religious tolerance -tolerance for him, that is. But he readily forgot all about tolerance when he could not meet the Truth that came from Servetus, and blackened his memory with one of the worst examples of cruel intolerance ever to be recorded. This is indeed a sad record against Calvin, who was considered one of the most brilliant religious minds of the entire Gospel Age, and a zealous champion of his idea of Christianity.

"Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Mark 13: 12, 13) And, "Who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Cor. 2: 16) "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." (Psa. 24:4)

Coming a little further along in history, there is the case of the pilgrim fathers who left England because of religious persecution; but, hardly had they landed in New England in 1620, than they began to heap much the same abuses upon those who disagreed with them. But let us keep in mind that, while Wesley and his adherents were sorely persecuted in England, he himself and those who fully embraced his teachings, never persecuted, or recommended persecution of those who disagreed with them. The same could be said of George Fox and the Quakers, the same for Balthasar Hubmaier and the Baptist. And this is definitely our own position now.

By the time the Parousia had arrived the physical manhandling of dissenters had pretty much become out of date, but those who embraced the Harvest Truth were subjected to considerable verbal abuse and vilification, with considerable vicious slander heaped upon That Servant. This increased in severity as the 1914 war began, during which time some of the Truth people did incur actual physical violence, with even a few of them dying from that abuse. During that time those in "present truth" were a unit in advocating religious tolerance; and it would seem the lessons of the past, plus their own untoward experiences, should have taught them thoroughly the quality of tolerance. But, sad to say, hardly had That Servant died than quite a few of them took up the very unchristian weapons against their former brethren that had been previously used against them. Were we not personally witness to this, it would be difficult to believe.

And from 1916 on, those brethren who were being defamed by the Society also were loud in their acclaim of tolerance, the Executive Trustee of the LHMM being one of the foremost in denouncing intolerance; and he did an excellent job of declaring the evils of intolerance. It was easy enough for him to do that, too, because he had the Truth as his "shield and buckler": and it was no problem to prove that it was once more error perse­cuting truth.

But scarcely had the Epiphany Messenger left us until the Executive Trustee began to cudgel his opponents with the same weapons that had formerly been used against him and others -with the situation now reversed: The former champion of the Truth on tolerance was now forced to intolerance by the Truth which appeared against his error -just as was true of those intolerant ones in the Society after 1917.. Here is a sad illustration indeed of human frailty -the accumulated experience of the Age, coupled with extreme brilliance of Harvest Truth, availed them little as those who still retained Parousia Truth began to expose their decline into error. The formerly excommunicated became the excommunicators in very pronounced fashion: "Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed." (Isa. 66:5)

In so many instances the founders of present-day religious organizations -John Wesley, Martin Luther, William Miller, Thomas Cranmer, Robert Brown, George Fox, Balthazar Hubmaier, Michael Servetus, Zwing1i, Charles T. Russell, et al -were mercilessly opposed because of the truth they presented; a number of them were actually burned at the stake. Yet, quite often those who were outraged witnesses to such abuses, adopted the tools of the persecutors when the situation became reversed. However, the underlying cause of such conduct was largely due to the fact that they themselves had departed -in whole or in part -from the teaChings of those they claimed to follow. All during the Age it seems it never took long until the examples of the respective reformers were forgotten, and much of the truth they presented was perverted or lost completely; and, as the truth was lost, so also was lost the spirit of true Christianity which had actuated their leaders. "Strong delusion" (2 Thes. 2: 11) regarding the truth usually inculcates "strong delusion" in conduct also, which in turn develops fanaticism in those who fall prey to it. It is certainly sound appraisal that religious fanaticism is the deepest, wickedest and most conscienceless of hatreds.

THE TOWER OF BABEL

Some years after the deluge, when the population had begun to increase, men said, "Let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven." (Gen. 11:4) They would have insurance against another flood in spite of the promise that another flood would never be (Gen. 9:15) and they would build Bab-el (Gateway to God). As retribution for this affront, the Lord confused their tongues; they could no longer understand each other. Thus, the effort became known as Babyl, meaning confusion, the same being typical of the Roman Church's effort also to build a "Gateway to God." That is, We are the one true church -no salvation outside of us -no other access to God -their popes are now the successors to St. Peter (despite the fact there is no evidence whatever that St. Peter ever once visited Rome). But their shibboleth over the centuries has been, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church." (Matt. 16:18)

In further explanation, we quote this text from the Emphatic Diaglott: "I also say to thee, Thou art a rock, and on this rock I will build my Church." Reference to Peter as "a rock" is from the Greek Petros; and "this rock" as the foundation for the Church is from the Greek Petra -the difference in meaning being Petros is a small stone, with Petra as a huge boulder. Once this is clearly understood, it is easily comprehended that Jesus was not referring at all to Peter as the rock upon which He would build His Church, but to the great indisputable Truth that Peter had just spoken: "Thou ljrt the Christ, the son of the living God." Indeed, in the words of the hymn, "My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness." He is truly the Christ; and "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 3:11) He is the Petra, the unmoveab1e rock, upon which the Church has been built. "There is none other name [neither Peter, nor any other] under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) But the Roman interpretation is TRULY ANTICHRIST -"in place of" Christ. And to them also God sent confusion of tongues -a "Baby1"; their teachings today are completely foreign to the truth given us by the Lord through St. Peter.

In identical manner, the Jehovah's Witnesses have made similar pattern; they claim also to be the "Channel for present truth" -no salvation apart from them -they, too, would build "Bab-EL." And to them also has come retribution: a confusion of teachings so far removed from that presented by Pastor Russell, who they claim as their founder, that there is almost no similarity now to their beliefs of fifty years ago. And they also -in true Roman spirit -would suppress the truth presented by us; they have actually seized our papers from the hands of their dedicated deluded devotees and trampled them in the street. Yet they still boast of Pastor Russell, just as the Catholics boast of St. Peter. Was such conduct ever in evidence by the Master, Apostles, or by those true reformers mentioned aforegoing? Indeed, "By their fruits ye shall know them." (Matt. 7:20) The spirit of Antichrist readily reveals itself to all unbiased observers. The following excerpt from Reprint 5172 (Feb. I, 1913) is most appropriate here:

"All down the Gospel Age, those who have been faithful to the truth of God have been put 'out of the synagogue.' The creeds of men have been barriers to keep out those who understood the word of God."

And there is sound logic in explanation: The Truth always brings out the best in the faithful, but it often brings out the worst in the unfaithful or measurably faithful. "We [the faithful] are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savour of death unto death [as they go deeper and deeper into error]; and to the other the savour of life unto life [as the Truth perfects them in every good word and work]." (2 Cor. 2: 15,16) "The light [Truth] shineth in darkness [amid error]; and the darkness [error] comprehended it not." (John 1:5) It is an evidence of human frailty that physical force is usually applied when the intellect is not sufficient. Thus, for a thousand years the Antichrist resorted to the rack, boiling oil, hot lead in the ears, etc., against the "heretics" whose truth they could not gainsay or resist. But there is no record of the fully faithful ever using such weapons against Antichrist. St. Paul also had counseled "Resist not evil with evil" (1 Thes. 5: 15) -"the weapons of our warfare are not carnal." (2 Cor. 10: 4) He also wrote in 2 Cor. 3: 17: "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [tolerance]." Conversely speaking, we may draw the ready conclusion that without liberty there is none of the Spirit of the Lord. And from such we are advised to turn awayl Woe unto those who fall prey to the spirit of Antichrist!

"For we are not like the many, trafficking the word of God; but really from sincerity, and as from God, in the presence of God, we speak concerning Christ." (2 Cor. 2: 17, Dia.)

(By John J. Hoefle)

ARIKI DON'T FAIL US NOW

Every day there are dozens of shootings, bombings and killings all over Israel -over 3300 since Arafat IItarted his War of Attrition-2000. Every road has become a potential death trap. This fulfills the basic meaning of terror: you are afraid to let your family ride to work, school, or to visit friends, because the terror has occurred everywhere. Slowly the Arabs are closing in and Israeli soldiers are firing rubber bullets. The Arabs have no fear on the roads because they know that the Israeli courts are still conducting the Leftist program of jailing Israeli civilians and soldiers for daring to fire on the attacking mobs.

Arik, you have hired the same pacifists who failed in ·their numerous attempts to appease the Arabs. While you are out to please world opinion, Jews are being massacred. The Arabs fire their AK 47 Kalashnikov rifles (given to them by Rabin, Peres and Beilin) from any position they wish, knowing there will be no effective pursuit.

We already know that the Closet Dove Ehud Barak is no good as a defender -he failed to take action even in his last days as caretaker Prime Minister.

We know that Shimon Peres, as Foreign Minister, will continue to peddle his Peace Now policies, regardless of any instructions you may give him. You can depend upon him only to subvert your policies.

We know that whichever Leftist you put in as Defense Minister will carry with him the virus of acute "pacifism" which will continue to be inj ected into Israel's milltary. We know that the radical Labor Left has always used the Israeli officers' corps as an incubator for Leftist-politicians-to-be.

We all thought (and hoped) that you were going to clean out all the "politically correct" officers and bring back the pride of the military.   

Arik, my dear friend, have you grown old and a little afraid of public opinion? Were you so beaten down with the false accusations of Sabra and Shatila that you fear attacking our dedicated enemies? You saved the nation by ignoring frightened generals when you dashed across the Suez Canal to trap Egypt's Third Army. I remember crossing the Canal where we met and then you took me to see the "killing field."

You always had the right instincts to defeat the enemy and fight back the generals and politicians too fearful to do what was necessary. Please don't lose your nerve now! The Big Battles are yet to be fought. (Excerpts By Emanuel Winston, The Jewish Press, March 23, 2001)

ISRAEL SHUDDERS IN A TIME OF SIEGE

One by one, people around me are beginning to vanish. So far, the random disappearances haven't claimed anyone in my intimate circle. But the background of my daily life is gradually being depleted. Casual acquaintances, who fill the empty spaces of the day with small pleasantries, now appear on the front pages of Israeli newspapers, smiling for the last time.

In recent weeks, the violence in the West Bank has penetrated my Jerusalem neighborhood of French Hill. A month ago, my neighbor's son was shot in a terrorist ambush on a West Bank road; a few days ago, the janitor of my son's school was killed in a similar attack while driving to work. Now, when my neighbors and I greet each other in the parking lot and ask what's new, what we really mean is, "Has anyone we know disappeared today?" But that increasing sense of Israeli despair seems to have gone largely unnoticed abroad. Our victims tend to disappear from press reports about the intifada's casualties -"most of them Palestinians," as the media formula goes. And when a murder is reported, the victim is often dismissed as a "settler," forfeiting his civilian status and his place in the ledger of mourning.

The implicit assumption in that contempt for Israeli deaths is that our casualties are somehow deserved because we are supposedly the Goliath of this conflict, the occupiers and the aggressors. That assumption ignores the fundamental shift that has occurred in the balance of moral power between Israel and the Palestinians. Beginning with the Oslo process in 1993 and culminating with former Prime Minister Ehud Barak's peace overtures, Israel did what the international community had been demanding of it for decades: empower the Palestine Liberation Organization and agree to redivide Jerusalem and withdraw almost fully to the 1967 lines, offering land within Israel proper for those settlements that would remain intact.

Palestinian rejectionism and Israeli vulnerability have returned the Middle East to 1947. Yasser Ararat's intransigence recalls the Arab world's rejection of the 1947 U.N. partition plan, when the Palestinians also insisted on all or nothing and ended up with nothing. And Israelis' growing fears recall that time just before Israeli statehood when roads became too dangerous to travel without armed escort and entire parts of the country became off-limits to Jews.

Today's state of siege imposed on Israelis extends from the territories to the entire country. A few days ago, mortar shells were fired at Kibbutz Nahal Oz, on the border of Gaza but within pre-1967 Israel. That incident was followed by the murder of a member of Kibbutz Manara, on the Lebanon border. The international media barely noted those stories, which are, after all, local news. But for Israelis, they are the details that define our new reality, reminding us that the conflict isn't about occupied territories after all, -that the Middle East has marked us, individually and collectively, for disappearance.

The other night I drove a friend back to his home in Neve Yaakov, a working-class neighborhood mere minutes from French Hill. Once I would have considered that a routine drive. But in recent weeks, sniper fire has targeted the road between our two neighborhoods, and now I drive there reluctantly, aware that I have become a target.

Having urged us to empower the PLO, some in the international community now seem to believe that we have no right to protect ourselves from the terrorist entity rising on our borders. If it is immoral to respond to the Palestinians' siege of terror against us with a counter-siege of Palestinian towns, how do we prevent those trying to kill us from entering our neighborhoods? Or is that right too now forbidden us? (Excerpts By Yossi Klein Halevi, March 22, 2001)


NO. 529 THE TABERNACLE

by Epiphany Bible Students


In Matthew 5:17, 18 we have these words of Jesus: “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled.” Complementing this statement is one by St. Paul in Hebrews 10:1: “The Law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices... make the comers thereunto perfect.” Here then are clear Scriptures that tell us in direct words that every feature of the Law was typical; and the Law in the broad sense is the Pentateuch – the first five books of the Bible (Luke 24:44), although the Law in the strict sense does not appear before Exodus. It is thus a sound conclusion that every person, principle and thing mentioned therein are typical, and must have an antitype to be fulfilled.

Of those things given to Moses in Sinai the Tabernacle is the central figure. It became the foundation premise for the entire Jewish religion, and it may be properly concluded that every important feature of the Plan of the Ages is somewhere revealed in the Tabernacle and the rituals pertinent thereto. Therefore, if any one has a good clear grasp of the Tabernacle, as it is presented in Tabernacle Shadows, and retains that truth structure, he is not likely ever to go out of the Truth; whereas, if we see any one losing the Tabernacle truths, we may conclude that something has gone badly wrong with that person, and we should be governed accordingly.

A close analysis of most religions will reveal that they began with a priesthood, then deteriorated to priestcraft, then degraded to priestgraft. This is strikingly true of the Jewish priesthood. When the Tabernacle had been set up, and Aaron was called of God (Heb. 5:4) to officiate, there was then given the Jews a religious system in its pristine purity; every detail was the embodiment of perfection – “The true tabernacle, which the Lord fixed, not man... divine service for a symbol and shadow [typical] of the heavenlies; even as Moses, when about to construct the tabernacle, was divinely admonished; for, See, says He, that thou make all things according to that pattern shown to thee on the Mount.” (Heb. 8:2‑5, Dia.) “And Moses, indeed, was faithful in his whole house, as a servant, for a testimony of the things to be spoken.” (Heb. 3:5, Dia.) And this same Scripture could be applied in like manner to Aaron as Priest. “Like the precious ointment [typical of the Holy Spirit] upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.” (Psa. 133:2) Tradition has it that Aaron’s beard reached almost to his knees; and his anointing with the holy oil is a fitting picture of the anointing of the true church during this Age with the Holy Spirit, which came first upon the Head Jesus, then continued down to the last members of His Body here in the end of the Age.

However, Aaron’s example soon became a lost art. In the strict sense the Jews had only one high priest ‑Aaron, “called of God” to the office. Others received that office through heredity, the oldest living son aspiring to the office – much the same as the kings in the nations today have come to the throne as successor to their fathers although the Sanhedrin (counsel of the 70) had altered this somewhat before Jesus’ First Advent. Thus, some of the high priests after Aaron made honest effort to continue his performance; some, such as Eli (1 Sam. 3), feebly attempted to give proper service, while some were very much renegades: When we reach the fall of Jerusalem prior to 607 BC, priestcraft was definitely in evidence. “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and My people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer. 5:31)

At the time Jesus arrived the priesthood had degenerated to priestgraft – they had reached the very bottom of the dirty barrel. “Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” (Matt. 21:12,13) A little from secular records will emphases this. It had been ordered in the Law that the sacrifices bought to the priest should be “without blemish.” Taking advantage of this, the priests in the temple gave minute scrutiny to any animals brought to them. It is said they had as many as seventy different points on which they would reject a lamb – such as a wart on its belly, and the like. Thus, when a penitent and humble Jew came in from the hills to make himself right with God, it was almost a certainty that the priest who examined his lamb would find something wrong with it, which made it unacceptable for sacrifice. So what was the poor man to do? Must he go all the way back to the hill country for another? Why, no, of course not! The priest had a lamb in the backyard that he could have – if he had the price – so much money, plus the lamb he had brought in. Then the priest took the rejected lamb, put it in the backyard and sold it to the next innocent victim. It is little wonder that Jesus was so outraged that He overturned their tables and uttered the condemnation against them that He did.

And much the same pattern was followed in the Christian Church as we trace it through the years. The Christian Church under the Apostles (also called the chosen of God) offered proper comparison to Aaron and his sons. But when Martin Luther appeared on the scene, the sale of indulgences was in full sway, with the repulsive Tetzel raking in the money – almost an exact duplicate of what Jesus saw in the temple. It is not surprising that Luther referred to the Roman Church at that time as “the synagogue of Satan.” We have the prophecy against the reprobate church today, “I will spue thee out of My mouth.” (Rev. 3:16)

CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE

“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Cor. 10:11) The Diaglott puts this much clearer: “These things occurred to them typically, and were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the Ages have come.” St. Paul thus clearly identifies “these things” as types, and they have to do with the wilderness journey of the Jews on their way to Canaan, during which time the Tabernacle was the focal point of all their religious activity.

It is not our purpose herein to discuss all the intricate details given to Moses in the Mount, but we believe a few of them will prove quite helpful. Exodus 26:15 says, “Thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood [acacia wood] standing up.” Clearly enough, the Jews were not to gather broken‑down logs for construction of the tabernacle, but trees “standing up” – alive and growing. And is this not exactly what the Apostle says in Romans 12:1: “Present your bodies a living sacrifice”? During the building of the Gospel‑Age Tabernacle the Lord did not want a dead sacrifice; He wanted a “living” one. This is confirmed by St. Peter, 1 Peter 2:5, Dia.: “Be you yourselves also built up, as living stones [in the temple, or Gospel‑Age Tabernacle], a spiritual house for a holy priesthood [fully faithful and competent, as was Aaron], to offer sacrifices, well‑pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.”

St. Paul counsels, “Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3), and this characteristic of the “living stones” is well typified in the shittem wood “standing up.” This timber was plentiful in the wilderness of Sinai, and used in the construction of the Tabernacle, the altars and their staves, the table, the boards, bars and pillars and for the woodwork in the Ark. It was used in Egypt in boat building, and Josephus speaks of its strength and durability. (Antiq. III 5,6) The wood is hard and close‑grained.

Some time back the Jehovah’s Witnesses were attempting to revive the study of the Tabernacle in their Watchtower periodical; but it is readily clear enough that, once having lost the Truth on this important edifice, they would have plenty of error in what they sent forth. As instance, they quote 1 Peter 2:5, and they use the King James version, which says we “offer spiritual sacrifices” during this Age. Just a little reflection should reveal the folly of this. In Rom. 12:1 St. Paul says, “present your bodies” as a sacrifice. We do not sacrifice our spiritual qualities; rather, we develop them in every good word and work, and we do this at the expense of our human bodies. Thus, we are told to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus,” even as St. Paul says of himself and his abused physique, “I die daily.” (1 Cor. 15:31) He was “putting on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge [not sacrificed, but built up, invigorated].” (Col. 3:9,10)

Also, in this same Watchtower, Dec. 1, 1972, p. 717, col. 1 bottom, there is this statement: “The temple ‘curtain’ illustrating the fleshly barrier, was now indeed passed for the resurrected Jesus Christ, and so on the fortieth day from his resurrection he could ascend to heaven itself and appear before the person of God with the precious value of his sin‑atoning blood, to present it at God’s propitiatory throne in behalf of all mankind. With that presentation the great antitypical Day of Atonement came to an end.”

The foregoing is a rank perversion of what That Servant wrote about the antitypical Day of Atonement. He taught that it continued throughout the entire Gospel and Millennial Ages, and just a little scrutiny should prove that he was right. The real work of the antitypical Day of Atonement has not yet even begun, which work is to accomplish the “restitution of all things.” (Acts 3:21) Jesus is simply the antitypical bullock of that day’s sacrifice – “first for His own sins [for His Body, the Church, as “He knew no sin.” (2 Cor. 5:21)], and then for the people’s.” (Heb. 7:27)

It was not until the bullock and the Lord’s goat had been placed upon the brazen altar in the Court, their blood sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat in the Most Holy, followed by Azazel’s Goat being delivered to the fit man and led off to the wilderness, that the High Priest (Aaron in the first instance) then appeared in robes of Glory and Beauty and blessed the people. This antitypical blessing – “the times of refreshing, restitution of all things” – has not yet even begun; therefore, it should be quite apparent the antitypical Day of Atonement is not nearly at an end. When we recall the treatment the Watchtower leaders dispensed to their faithful brethren after Brother Russell’s death, we are painfully forced to apply to the them the Scripture – “Because they poured out the blood of saints and of prophets, Thou gavest them also blood [error] to drink; they deserve it.” (Rev. 16:6, Dia.) They would be well advised to follow Tabernacle Shadows if they attempt further treatise of the subject – to prevent further erroneous teachings.

When work was to begin on building the Tabernacle, the people were asked to bring the material necessary for the job, “And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold.” (Ex. 35:22) “And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work... The stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.” (Ex. 36:5‑7) The antitype for these verses is to be found here in the end of the Age, when the general call closed in 1881. From that time on more people came into the Truth than there were crowns available – they were bringing “much more than enough” to complete the Gospel‑Age Tabernacle. Many still do not recognize this great truth, so they continue to bring more than enough, but this can but result in their eventual chagrin.

While some have been overly ambitious in this respect, others have adopted just the opposite course. When the sad and disturbing conflicts appeared shortly after Brother Russell’s death, many concluded they wanted none of that, so they simply withdrew and did nothing after that. Thus, they were no longer antitypical shittim wood “standing up” (“living sacrifices”); they became as it were ordinary spiritual flotsam floating about in time and space, with no definite purpose. They completely forgot that their covenant was with God and not with men. We still see that same attitude among quite a few.

THE TABERNACLE AND THE PEOPLE

Much detailed comment is given in Tabernacle Shadows regarding the general construction of the Tabernacle, and its typical significance, which we shall review very briefly. The Most Holy typified, or represented the Divine presence; the Holy represented those Gospel‑Age believers who were aspiring to the Divine presence (“exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature” – 2 Peter 1:4); the Court represented the tentatively justified of the Gospel Age – those believers who were progressing toward the Holy. The Court was enclosed by a linen curtain, which was held in place by sixty posts. Tabernacle Shadows very properly explains that those posts type justified believers displaying the righteousness of Christ. These would properly represent sixty sections of the Gospel‑Age Levites and their various activities, shown also by the sixty heads of Levite families.

Isaiah 52:11 counsels, “Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.” When that was written, the Jews recognized it as advice to the priests and Levites who had to do with the Temple, which had replaced the Tabernacle of the Wilderness. Apart from the censers, there were four sets of vessels belonging to the brazen altar in the Court (Num. 4:14; Ex. 38:3), four sets to the golden table in the Holy (Num. 4:7), four to the golden lampstand (Num. 4:9). This may also have been true of the golden altar in the Holy, this conclusion being drawn from the fact that the brazen altar in the Court had four sets of vessels. These four sets of vessels would properly represent the four groups of Bible teachings that are profitable “[1] for teaching [doctrine], [2] for conviction [refuting], [3] for correction, [4] for that discipline which is in righteousness; so that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly fitted for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16,17, Dia.) Self‑evidently, all of these “vessels” would be necessary in the life of those who were holding up the linen curtain of Christ’s righteousness; and especially would this be true of the leaders in the Gospel‑Age Church.

Aside from the brazen altar in the Court, there was also the laver, at which the priests washed, as well as the tentatively justified (the Household of Faith – only for those in the Court). This laver was said to be of copper polished so brightly that it served also as a mirror to those standing in front of it. It would properly represent the entire Bible, the base typing the Old Testament, the upper part containing the water typing the New Testament. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” (Eph. 5:26) – See Berean Comments) During the Gospel Age those progressing from the gate of the Court would pass the brazen altar, then approach and pass the laver on their way to the door of the Holy.

The Tabernacle was situated pretty much in the center of the Jewish Camp. Just outside and around the Court we find the Levites – Aaron and his sons, the priests, Amram’s descendants, to the east of the Tabernacle, the Kohathites to the south, the Gershonites to the west, and the Merarites to the North. All of this has a Millennium significance – Aaron and his sons (no longer Levites in any sense) typing the Gospel‑Age “royal priesthood,” the Kohathites the Ancient Worthies, the Gershonites the Youthful Worthies, and the Merarites the Great Company. These four groups type the four elect classes who will bless and uplift the non‑elect in the Kingdom.

It will be noted that Tabernacle Shadows states that the Gershonites typified the world of mankind: but this is not a logical deduction, since none of the Levites had any inheritance in the land. A question was put to Brother Russell – If the Gershonites type the saved world, wouldn’t that indicate that the entire saved world would become spiritual, and that this earth would not be man’s eternal home? After some discussion That Servant dropped the matter, but later taught that the Ancient Worthies would become spiritual during the Little Season. He also taught a class of consecrators “between the ages” who appeared on the scene too late to be of the royal priesthood, but who would rank in honor, reward and service, with the Ancient Worthies. The only difference between the two classes is that the Ancients lived too soon to be of the royal priesthood; whereas, the Youthful Worthies lived too late to be of that select group. Since 1916 many very pertinent Scriptures to substantiate that teaching have been presented, the Epiphany being the “due time” for them to be understood. That Servant confirms the above in the September 1, 1911, Reprint 5761, which we now quote:

“THOSE CONSECRATING BETWEEN THE AGES”

“It is our thought that with the closing of the ‘door’ of this Gospel Age there will be no more begetting of the Holy Spirit to the spirit nature. Any afterward coming to God through consecration, before the inauguration of the restitution work, will be accepted by Him, not to the spirit plane of being, but to the earthly plane. Such would come in under the same conditions as the Ancient Worthies who were accepted of God. The Ancient Worthies came in, no call being opened to them – the High Calling not being yet open, and the restitution opportunities not open. But they freely gave themselves up to God without knowing what blessings their consecration would bring, except that they had the intimation that they would, in the future life, have a ‘better resurrection’ than would the remainder of the world.

“Our thought is that whoever under such conditions as these will make a full consecration to the Lord, to leave all to follow in His ways, and will live up faithfully, loyally, to that consecration, may be privileged to be counted as a similar class to those who preceded this Gospel Age. We know of no reason why the Lord would refuse to receive those who make a consecration after the close of the Gospel Age High Calling and before the full opening of the Millennium.”

And continuing from the June 15, 1911, Reprint 4836: “Suppose that some should present themselves after the close of the acceptable time; what would be their status and God’s dealing with them... Quite likely there will be some in the end of this Age who, although faithful unto death, will not have been begotten of the Holy Spirit and not attain the spirit plane of being in the resurrection, but who will come forth members of the same class as the Ancient Worthies, who were developed before this Age began.”

The Jewish Camp encircled the Levites as the Levites encircled the Tabernacle, and the Camp fittingly typed the rebellious nominal people of God in this Gospel Age. Once this picture is fully visualized, much may be deduced from it. Those in the Jewish Camp were not allowed in the Court or the Tabernacle, although those immediately contiguous to the Levites would have a much better view of it than those farther away; and those at the extreme outskirts of the Camp might barely see it at all. Beyond the Camp was the heathen world having no knowledge or interest of any kind in the Tabernacle or its ceremonies.

All this would well represent the condition in Christendom during this Age. The “royal priesthood,” as parts of the antitypical Tabernacle, would have an intimate close-up view of the Gospel call, its privileges and obligations. Next comes those in the Court – the tentatively justified unconsecrated who had accepted Jesus as their Savior and practiced righteousness – who were on more or less friendly and intimate terms with the priesthood, and understanding some features of the priestly call. Beyond this class would come what might be termed noble worldlings – motivated by good principles, and with more or less knowledge of the priestly aims and ambitions. Beyond these would be the antitypical outskirts of the Camp, consisting of those who had little or no interest in Christian teachings; while the heathen world would be those people beyond the realm of Christendom.

VARIOUS PERVERSIONS

Much of what we have given on the Tabernacle, its appurtenances, its relation to the Camp and to the Jewish people has been gleaned more or less directly or indirectly from the writings of Brother Russell. He himself recognized some mistakes in the original Tabernacle Shadows book, most of which he corrected in later Watch Towers; but we are reliably informed that he often stressed the fact that the six volumes of Scripture Studies, which he wrote, were the direct outgrowth of that book, which was first published in 1881. In his Foreword that appeared in subsequent printings he said:

“It was specially intended for the royal priesthood. Many of this class have confessed that as the Lord’s finger it pointed out to them meanings in Old Testament types never before appreciated, leading them to see the true significance of the Scriptural declaration ‑ ‘Present your bodies living sacrifices,’ ‘Fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ,’ etc... The author rejoices that this is true... The understanding of the subjects herein set forth seems to have been heaven directed, ‘taught of God, ‘ at a time when the light was absolutely necessary to the full and clear presentation of the Plan of the Ages... The author has sought to prove every point and every application by the Word of the Lord, and has taught nothing of himself... The careful student will discern that, the applications of the types herein presented being correct, the entire Plan of the Ages is thereby corroborated – justification, sanctification and glorification first for the Church, and subsequently restitution for whoever will, of all the families of the earth.”

With such a forceful endorsement as the foregoing by Brother Russell himself, it would seem that any and all who still hold any respect for him would tread very softy before attempting to tamper with such an important book. However, it is a matter of record that all during this Age those stewardship truths that were emphasized by the Lord’s special mouthpieces were perverted, and often badly distorted. Therefore, we should “think it not strange” if the same class of people should follow in the footsteps of their kinsmen of the past, and pervert the writings of the Lord’s important mouthpiece here in the end of the Age.

And true enough, That Servant was hardly in the tomb before Tabernacle Shadows was attacked by those who succeeded him in administrative office – subtly at first, then openly and boldly – replacing the faithful teachings of this book with “new light” (?). It was just a matter of a few years before J. F. Rutherford declared the book was entirely worthless, and cast it into the ash can. However, their treatment of Tabernacle Shadows has gone unheeded by others.

From Tabernacle Shadows, p. 33: “Concerning the natural seed of Abraham.. ‘they are enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election they are [still] beloved for the father’s sakes...’ They are to be first [emphasis by Brother Russell] blessed by the spiritual or true Seed and may later become associate laborers (Rom. 11:26‑29).”

Christ’s merit, as an imputable thing, is not now available in the Camp, nor will it be available in the Camp in the Kingdom. Actual justification will prevail in the Camp under the benevolent Kingdom arrangements for the sheep, enabling them to walk up the Highway of Holiness. Christ’s merit continues to apply only to the Household of Faith, and will so long as there is any part of this Household with us. That Servant corroborates this Truth in the May 15, 1911, Reprint 4819, as follows:

“He has not applied the merit of that sacrifice as yet to Adam or his children, but merely to those who, in the type, were represented by the underpriests, and to the Levites, the brethren and servants of the priestly family.”

And from the types in Tabernacle Shadows, p. 55: “‘And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin‑offering which is for [represents] himself, and make an atonement for himself [the members of his body – the underpriests] and for his house [all believers, the entire ‘Household of Faith’ – the Levites].’ (Lev. 16:6)”

THE MILLENNIAL TABERNACLE

While the Millennial Tabernacle will differ sharply in some respects from the Gospel Age Tabernacle, the typical features established in the arrangement given to Moses at Sinai are clearly in evidence as we consider its structure. The Most Holy will contain the glorified Christ serving Godward for the people; the Holy will represent the condition of the Christ serving peopleward for God; the Court will contain the other three elect classes – the Ancient Worthies, typified by the Kohathite Levites, the Great Multitude by the Merarites, and the Youthful Worthies by the Gershonites. The Camp in that Tabernacle will contain the world undergoing restitution – actually accomplishing what the Jews in their Camp expected to do – to gain life by keeping the Law, but failed because of their inherited weakness. The Sheep in that Camp will eventually gain that perfection that was first in Eden, while those outside the Camp will be either those that have not yet made a start toward restitution, or “the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” (Isa. 65:20)

And, when that Tabernacle progresses to the end of that Age, another spiritual class will appear; namely, the Worthies who have been “princes in all the earth” during the Kingdom reign, but who will leave this earth when their work is done, and join those in the spirit realm.

DEATH AND HELL INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE

“Death and hell [Hades] were cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:14) For mankind in general this brief statement makes comprehensive summation of the typical Tabernacle and its services on the Day of Atonement as given in Leviticus 16. Since the Bible does not use words indiscriminately, we may conclude that “death” and “hell” do not mean the same thing. It is our understanding that hell (Hades) is the Adamic death state – the grave; whereas, death refers to all those things that send man to the grave. This is clearly taught in Tabernacle Shadows, p. 111, respecting the ashes of the Red Heifer:

“The cleansing of defilement through contact with the dead would seem to teach that this cleansing, effected by and through the experiences of the Ancient Worthies, will specially apply to the world of mankind during the Millennial Age, while they are seeking to get rid of all the defilements of Adamic death – seeking to attain human perfection. All the blemishes of the fallen condition are so much of contact with death; all constitutional weaknesses and blemishes through heredity are contacts with death; and from all of these the ashes of the Red Heifer are to be used for the cleansing of all who will become the people of God.”

This is emphasized in the Berean Comment on Rev. 20:14: “Death – including aches, pains, mental and moral imperfection of every sort.” In its totality this will not be accomplished until the end of the Little Season – when the antitypical Atonement Day will have come to its full end. Some have thought that the Epiphany Messenger had produced some new teaching with respect to the Millennial performance – also that we are doing the same by copying what he has said; but the only thing new about it is the name coined by the Epiphany Messenger, when he summed all this up as the Adamic death process. However, this expression simply says in one sweeping phrase what Brother Russell states in detail on page 111 of Tabernacle Shadows, and in the Berean Comment for Revelation 20:14. Our Lord has said of David – and antitypical David – “I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: with whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.” (Psa. 89:20,21) And of those who have disregarded his teachings: “Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.” (Psa. 89:39,40)

“0 how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.” (Psa. 119:97,102)

(John J. Hoefle, Reprint No. 409, April 1990)

“DEBATE ON CREATION: The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), which split from the larger, more liberal Presbyterian Church (USA) in the 1970s, will debate this summer whether pastors must believe the world was created in six, 24‑hour days. At last year’s meeting, delegates approved a statement affirming that a ‘diversity of views on creation days... is acceptable.’ The South Carolina group of churches said that statement goes against the church’s confession of faith.” (Orlando Sentinel, March 3, 2001)

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“YOUR OLD MEN” AND “YOUR YOUNG MEN”

Most Bible Students refer to the faithful ones described in Hebrews, chapter 11 as Ancient Worthies. But they never refer to Youthful Worthies because, as some say, the term Youthful Worthies does not occur in the Bible. But the term Ancient Worthies doesn’t appear in the Bible either. However, verse 2 says, “the elders obtained a good report.” The word “elders” means Ancient and in verse 38 of that chapter it is stated, “of whom the world was not worthy.” So That Servant called them Ancient Worthies, which he considered a better name than “Elder Worthies.”

In Reprint 5721, September 1, 1915, Brother Russell wrote of an unbegotten class to be won before the inauguration of restitution work. Many Bible Student groups never mention this unbegotten class, which was later called Youthful Worthies in contrast with the Ancient Worthies. However, in Joel 2:28 the Ancient Worthies are mentioned as “your old men” and the Youthful Worthies as “your young men.” Also, in 2 Tim. 2:20 the saints are mentioned as Gold; the Great Company as Silver; the Ancient Worthies as Wood and the Youthful Worthies as Earth. Psalms 72 describes the entire Millennial reign of Christ, both the Heavenly and earthly phases. Verse 3 says the “mountains,” which represents the primary ruling powers of the Kingdom, The Christ being the Heavenly and the Ancient Worthies being the Earthly. The “little hills” are the tributary ruling powers, the Great Company of the Heavenly and the Youthful Worthies of the Earthly. In Isaiah 60:13 the glory of Lebanon means white and its evergreen trees represent the righteous antitypical Levites who will be brought to Christ and the Church (Num. 3:6‑9) – the fir tree the Ancient Worthies and the Box the Youthful Worthies, together rendering a cooperative service to beautify the place of the Lord’s sanctuary.

That Servant did not bring out a fourth elect class before he taught the above on the unbegotten class. We believe that upon reading what the Apostle Paul said: “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), he realized that the Apostle knew more than was legal for him to tell, even to the other Apostles. So That Servant searched all the Scriptures that Paul had written and found 2 Tim. 2:20 and learned that the Apostle taught four elect classes. This may be speculation but it is only common sense, since he did bring out the four elect classes in Reprint 5721. Surely we can’t assume that his mind wasn’t alert after 1914 and during the printing of the later Watch Towers. Time had increased his knowledge. He corrected his mistake that all things would be completed by 1914, but he was correct about 1914 being the end of Gentile Times, after which all Gentile governments would be removed (Isa. 24:20). His mind was keener than ever, as time had given him more knowledge. He wanted to give the Lord’s people all the counsel of God, as did the Apostle Paul. He knew it was his duty. But we notice that most Bible Students do not quote anything from the Reprints that would not agree with their continuing efforts to “gather” the saints.

However, we believe that most Bible Students are honest in their beliefs, as That Servant did say later than 1914 that there was a gleaning of the Harvest, which was more than the 40 years taught in the six volumes. For this reason there was opportunity for more saints to come into the Truth as late as 1916. This opportunity was the gleaning and would still be a part of the Harvest work.

That Servant knew he was the one referred to in Psalms 50:5. Before the Gospel Age Harvest the saints could not be gathered into one unit. They were scattered here and there. Brother Russell together with his faithful followers, gathered all the saints from all denominations, or anywhere else they may have been.

Was Brother Russell incompetent when he taught four elect classes, including an unbegotten class? No, he was competent even on the train in Texas in his dying moments when he said, “I have done as thou has commanded me” (Ezek. 9:11), which is similar to one of the last statements of Jesus: “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4)