NO. 604 WE SEE JESUS

Once again we come to the time of year that we consider the birth of Jesus. However, at the outset we would say that nowhere in the Bible are we told to remember His birth, although He emphatically told us to remember His death - “This do in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19)

Most of our readers know that December 25 is not the correct date for Jesus’ birth. This date has been plucked out of thin air; the Atonement Day type and other Scriptures inform us that He was born on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month - Tishri - Tishri being approximately our October. But we would not haggle about the exact date. We are persuaded that the Christian world does receive some moral uplift and spiritual encouragement through the observance of His birth, and we readily join with others in the observance. Many in Christendom reveal a milder and more pleasant spirit at that time. Quite often we have noticed people on the street humming some sort of Christmas tune, and we are happy to make this observation.

Coming to the analytical phase of this subject, we make note that if we ask many believers, “Do you see Jesus?” - That is, “Do you understand Him?” from many we would receive a ready answer: “Of course, we do!” So we would now offer our own analysis of how we “see Jesus.” And we would present some comment by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 2:6-9: “One in a certain place testified [Psa. 8:3-9], saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownest him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

To present a proper foundation for our analysis we would first quote from the Gospel of John 1:1-5: “In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was a god. This was in a beginning with the God. Through it everything was done; and without it not even one thing was done, which has been done. In it was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shown in the darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not.” This is taken from the Emphatic Diaglott translation; and the following is a footnote from that same translation: “This term [the Logos] should be left untranslated for the very same reasons why the names Jesus and Christ are left untranslated. As every appellative of the Savior of the world was descriptive of some excellence in his person, nature, or work, so the epithet Logos, which signified a word spoken, speech, eloquence, doctrine, reason, or the faculty of reasoning, is very properly applied to him. See 1 John 1:1, for a clear and useful comment by the Apostle John on the proem to this gospel.”

And further from John 1:14, Dia.: “The Logos became flesh, and dwelt among us - and we beheld his glory, a glory as of an Only-begotten from a Father - full of favor and truth.” Also, from Phil. 2:6-8, Dia.: “Christ Jesus, though being in God’s form, yet did not meditate a usurpation to be like God, but divested [emptied] himself, taking a bondman’s form, having been made in the likeness of men; and being in condition as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Note now the exact language found in Psa. 8:3-9: “Made a little lower than the angels.” This description in both texts is identical, so we would apply the geometric theorem, “Things equal to the same things are equal to each other.” To make this very plain: two half dollars equal one dollar; four quarters also equal one dollar. Therefore, the four quarters are the exact equivalent of two half dollars - equal to each other. Here is clear Scriptural proof that Jesus was a man - “made flesh” - “a little lower than the angels.”

THE DUST OF THE GROUND

“The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen.2:7) Not the identical process, but a similar one, may be given for the Man Jesus. When He came to birth from the Virgin Mary, He began to partake of the foods common to man, and grew into a man of thirty years of age, the exact duplicate of Adam. He presented Himself to John in the River Jordan on the day He was thirty, the age at which the Jews reasoned, with Scriptural authority, that their males reached full manhood.

To analyze this a little further: Presently, the grass grows from the earth, the dust of the ground; the grass is consumed by the flesh-producing animals, which in turn are eaten by man. All of these things are the direct result of “the dust of the ground.” Thus, are we all formed from “the dust of the ground”; even as Jesus was; and the record is clear enough: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen. 3:19) Thus, at the age of thirty Jesus was in every detail an exact duplicate of Adam when “God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.”

By this statement we do not infer that God was thirty years in producing Adam. But the moment he was animated, Adam was the exact image of Jesus when He was thirty. “The son of man came to give himself a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28) The word ransom is from the Greek anti-lutron, which means an exact duplicate, a replica; therefore, Jesus had to be an exact duplicate of Adam - no more, no less - that He could provide the ransom for Adam, which none of the other human beings was able to do. “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” (Psa. 49:6,7)

“That disciple whom Jesus loved” reveals the intimate acquaintance and understanding that the Apostles had of Jesus: “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands felt, concerning the word of life [the Logos]; and the life was made manifest, and what we have seen we also testify, and declare to you the aionian life, which was with the Father, and was manifest to us.” (1 John 1:1,2 - Dia.) In “our hands felt,” the Apostle reveals the intimate relationship which he had had with our Lord when He was on earth, a comradeship of the closest nature.

JESUS

“We behold Jesus.”  It is in order to stress here that the Apostle does not say, “We behold Jesus Christ.” And there is good reason for this. When the angel was speaking to Joseph, the advice was given: “Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21)  Here is one scholar's comment on the name: “The name Jesus means the salvation of God. For Joshua among the Hebrews is salvation, and among them the son of Nun is called Joshua. The name Jesus is above every name.”

However, from birth to His baptism by John in Jordan, our Lord was known by the single appellation Jesus, and not Jesus Christ. Christ means anointed and He did not become the “anointed” Savior until He received the Holy Spirit without measure at His baptism in Jordan. Therefore, it was not Jesus Christ who was made “a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death”; because the Christ, the Anointed, was not sacrificed on the cross, but merely Jesus, the perfect man. Had Jesus the Christ been nailed to the cross, He would have offered much beyond what the man Adam had, because Adam was never anointed with the Holy Spirit; he was simply “a living soul” - a man from any viewpoint. Christ was not “lower than the angels”; and, when He said on the cross, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46), He was referring to the spiritual life that had begun in Him at Jordan, which was raised from the tomb three days later, when “God supremely exalted him, and freely granted to him that name which is above every name... that every knee should bend, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those beneath; and every tongue confess that, Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9-11, Dia.) He now “sits at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:2)

VARIOUS NAMES AND POSITIONS

 LOGOS - During His existence our Lord has held three positions in relationship to God, and these various positions are indicated by the various names He has had. Before His F1rst Advent to the earth He was known as the Logos, the Word. And as the Word of God He was the principal agent of God's creation; He was second to God, but above every other creature in Heaven or earth. As such, the Bible tells us, “without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:3) As such He was a spirit being, not capable of description with our limited knowledge. Before his deflection, Lucifer was described as “The son of the morning” (Isa. 14:12); but the Logos was superior to that, because Lucifer came into existence through the agency of the Word. 

CHRIST JESUS - When the Logos came to earth, and became Christ Jesus, the situation is vividly described by St. Paul: “Christ Jesus... made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men... because obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:5-8) The Diaglott translates this in much finer style: “Christ Jesus... divested himself [He laid aside His high position, much the same as a man might take off his coat], taking a bondman's form [a slave's position], having been made in the likeness of men... he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

"IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN" - He had the appearance of a man, although a most unusual likeness of men - so much so that Pilate exclaimed in admiration, “Ecce homo” - “Behold the man!” {John 19:5) And St. Paul writes of Him: “He was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15) Although Pilate saw the excellent features of a most unusual man, he could not see that Jesus was “without sin.” Yet Jesus' sinlessness had set Him apart from all men. All of us find description in the words of David: “Born in sin, shapen in iniquity.” (Psa. 51:5)

EXPRESS IMAGE OF GOD’S PERSON - Presently, and henceforth forever, Jesus occupies a third position, described by the Apostle in Heb. 1:3: “the express image of God's person... the right hand of the Majesty on high.” In Heb. 2:9 we have the subject of this treatise “We see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels”; but in Heb. 1:4 it is stated that He is now “so much better than the angels.”

Scores of names and titles are used in the Bible in discussing Jesus; but we shall offer just a few of them here: In Rev. 1:8 He is the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending... the Almighty”; In Rev. 22:16, “The bright and morning star”; in Isa. 51:9, “the arm of the Lord”; in the Song of Solomon 2:1, “Rose of Sharon and The Lily of the Valleys”; and 5:10, “the chiefest among ten thousand”; in John 8:12, “the light of the world... the light of life"; in Luke 1:78, “the dayspring from on high”; in 1 Tim. 6:15, “the blessed and only potentate... the King of kings, and Lord of lords”; and in Heb. 13:20, “that great shepherd of the sheep.”

FOUR GREAT OFFICES - The risen Lord is now the possessor of four great offices, in which He is to do a certain work for the human race. There are many subdivisions of these four, but we shall not go into that detail. These offices are presently operative only in a very limited way; but He will come into the full glory of them all when He establishes His reign on earth - “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth.” These offices are Biblically stated as follows: The world's Prophet - “A prophet shal1 the Lord your God raise up unto you... him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you” (Acts 3:22); and the world's High Priest - “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec” (Heb. 5:6); the world's King - “Thou Bethlehem... out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2); the world’s Judge - “The Lord cometh to judge the earth; he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” (Psa. 96:13) In treating of just these four, we do so because each of them is close companion to God's four great attributes - Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power; and we shall offer brief comment on each of these descriptive pairs:

WORLD’S PROPHET - The word prophet in Acts 3:22 is from the Greek “prophetes,” from which the English word prophet is derived; and it has the meaning of pubic expounder, or teacher. And to be a good teacher, one must be endowed with Wisdom. Thus, the Lord's office of Prophet is readily linked with the Divine attribute of Wisdom. In making this statement we should be alert not to confuse wisdom with knowledge, because wisdom is the proper application of knowledge. It is well stated, “Knowledge is power”; but this is true only if we know what to do with knowledge. Also, it is a sound observation that “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing." Knowledge in inexperienced hands often causes great disaster - in the laboratory, in construction, in the operation of intricate machinery, etc. But we have strong Bible assurance that our risen Lord will know perfectly what to do on every occasion, and how to do it. Thus, it is properly foretold of Him: “The government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor [ab1e to advise and counsel in every situation].” (Isa. 9:6)

WORLD’S HIGH PRIEST - The office of a Priest is to forgive and bless. Therefore, we are counseled in Heb. 4:16: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy [forgiveness of sins], and find grace [blessing] to help in time of need.” All of this is clearly an operation of LOVE: therefore, we team the High Priest with the Divine attribute of Love.

WORLD’S KING - “Of the increase of his government and peace [kingdom] there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom there shall be no end, to order it with judgment and justice from henceforth even forever.” (Isa. 9:7) In the operation of this kingdom the Divine attribute of Power is self-evidently coupled.

WORLD’S JUDGE - “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation... Judgment will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies.” (Isa. 28:16,17) It needs no elaboration to declare that the Divine attribute of Justice is the fitting counterpart of the World’s Judge.

ANALYSIS OF THE FOUR OFFICES - Now further comment on the foregoing: TEACHER-WISDOM - He who discerns clearly teaches clearly. Of the Teacher it is recorded:  “Jesus needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” (John 2:24,25) And His crushing answers to all the tricky questions of the Scribes and Pharisees offer ample proof that Jesus did know what was in man. Therefore, “He taught them as one having authority.” (Matt. 7: 29) Concerning the Jews St. Paul said: Israel hath a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge." (Rom. 10: 2) Quite a contrast to the knowledge that Jesus had! The Egyptian proverb goes well here:

He who knows, but knows not that he knows, is timid; encourage him.

He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is ignorant; teach him. 

He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool; shun him.

He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise; follow him.

The great World's Teacher knows, and knows that He knows. “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.” (Isa. 53:11) And the Apostles stressed this point concerning the true followers of Jesus: “By this we know that we have known him, if we keep his commandments.” (1 John 2:3, Dia.) “We know that we are of the truth.” (1 John 3:19) And the philosophers, the comics, the ignoramuses all have had their play on this subject - some of it good and sound. As one of them has put it: “It's not what we don’t know that hurts; it's what we know that ain't right that floors us.” This truth may be emphasized in politics, religion, finance, patriotism, etc. One of our present-day philosophers said of Jesus: “He is the greatest teacher of all times.” Also, one of the poets has contributed an excellent bit on this subject:

Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne

Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown,

 Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.

However, we know “When thy judgments are in the earth [when the Great Teacher supervises the teaching] the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” (Isa. 26:9)

PRIEST-LOVE - The great love-work that Jesus will accomplish is well expressed in Hosea 13:14: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction.” Of Jesus, our Priest, it is written: “Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb. 5:10)

Of Melchisedec it is recorded that he was a Priest upon his throne; that is, he was not subservient to any earthly power, which is an excellent description of our High Priest Jesus. One author gives us this description: “Melchisedec, King of Salem (probably Jerusalem before the Jews conquered that country after their Exodus from Egypt) and priest of the Most High God. Jerusalem means city or foundation of peace or safety, so that Salem is an appropriate abbreviation. In Salem also is God’s tabernacle (Psa. 76:2), God's dwelling place in Zion. Melchisedec as described in Heb. 7:3, was without father, without mother, without genealogy. This means that his pedigree is not recorded. He is further described as having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, of whom it is testified that he lives. It is not known whence he came or whither he went; he is a type of undying priesthood. When thus our Lord was made a high priest after the order of Melchisedec, he held a higher office than the Aaronic priesthood.”

It is a sad record that all movements, religious, governmental, or political, have been relatively pure at the outset. And almost all of them have followed a very fixed pattern as the years have come and gone. Regarding religious movements, they have gone through three stages: Priesthood, Priestcraft and Priestgraft. The pristine purity of the early Christian Church under the leadership of the Apostles is a thing of beauty, earnestly striving for the welfare of its adherents. But the Apostle Paul said that in his day “the mystery of iniquity doth already work... whose coming is after the working of Satan... with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth.” (2 Thes. 2:7-10) Much the same could be said for the Jewish Church. When it was organized under Moses at Sinai, Aaron was the ideal priest. “No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” (Heb. 5:4) But by the time Jesus had arrived the noble ideals of Aaron had disappeared; the priesthood had degraded to the bottom of the dirty barrel - priestgraft. “My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye [the Scribes and the Pharisees] have made it a den of thieves.” (Matt. 21:13)

JUDGE-JUSTICE - One of the classic Scriptures describing Jesus as Judge administering quick and perfect Justice is found in Isa. 11:1-5: “There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots: and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick under-standing in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the  earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.”

The most just and well-intentioned of our Courts today must judge according to the seeing of the eyes and the hearing of the ears. Thus, some guilty go free, and some innocent are convicted. That is the best we have today, but that will not be so when the Great Judge administers Justice. We have “the sure word of prophecy” to verify this conclusion: “God hath appointed a day [the thousand-year day - shall “reign with him a thousand years” - Rev. 20:6] in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31) Indeed, “man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7) Often do our judges favor the strong, and burden the weak. A man's face may be pushed out to far, or in too much; thus, our judgment is often based on the “outward appearance.” It is a recognized truth that the very rich, the very powerful, or the highly educated find it almost impossible for them to receive a fair appraisal of themselves from others, because their position strongly influences the judgment of their admirers, or their enemies. Let us consider the case of Pilate: He admired the fine physical features of Jesus; thus, he said to the Jews: “I find in him no fault at all.” (John 18:38 - repeated in John 19:4) But the “envy” of the Jews was so pronounced and clamorous that they prevailed. Thus the law is often decided through prejudice, trickery, oratory or brute force. And the doctrine “Might is right” often prevails. We close the Justice feature of “We see Jesus” with Isa. 28:17: “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.”

KING-POWER - As King over all the earth Jesus will exercise the Divine attribute of Power. Since the time that historical record's began to be kept men have striven to improve their living conditions; and, while some progress has been made in certain respects, yet the overall picture is well described by the Prophet Isaiah (1:6): “From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.”

It is a sage observation that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. And the Bible emphasizes this in classic and emphatic fashion. In Dan. 2: 26-44 there is portrayed the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar's metal man - head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, and legs of iron. Here is given us a picture of the four universal empires as viewed through the eyes of man. And Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar: “Thou, O king, art a king of kings... a kingdom, power, strength and glory... Thou art this head of gold.” (vs. 37,38)

But in the seventh chapter of the same book these same kingdoms are described by four beasts: a lion, a bear, a leopard, and “the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it.” (7:7) In both instances the four universal empires are described - Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. The last of these, Rome, is well portrayed by the iron legs, as history is replete with the records of “the iron rule of Rome.” But in Dan. 4:17 there is this terse summarization of all of them: “The Most High setteth up over it the basest of men.”

And as we consider Nero, Ivan the Terrible, the Pharaohs of Egypt, the emperors of Rome, etc., we recognize the truth of this statement. They were conquering heroes in their time; but they do not appear at all favorably when compared to The Prince of Peace! The shibboleth of the Roman rulers was: Without slaves there can be no leisure; without leisure there can be no thinking; without thinking there can be no progress. And history bears sad testimony to the rough time many of those Roman slaves had. And one of the heads of our own Government made the remark not so many years ago: “The average man is so dumb you can tell him anything.”

It is a proper analysis that the human race is divided into three groups - the magnetics, the repulsives, and the neutrals. The magnetics are a very small minority, but so are the repulsives. It is seldom we see a human face of such disagreeable appearance that we instinctively turn away from it. But some secular writers - not overly religious - have been caught up with the magnetism of Jesus; and one of them in his impelling way treats of the wife of one of the high rulers in Palestine at the time Jesus was being tried and led to the cross. She said to her husband; O, Lodbrog I have seen him; and I cannot forget his wonderful face. Save him, and I will go with you anywhere to the ends of the earth." But the husband answered, “I should save God!” Jesus was indeed magnetic, “The common people heard him gladly.” (Mark 12:37)

“We see Jesus” with the eyes of our understanding; and we can join with St. Paul in his superb exclamation, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (2 Cor. 9:15) With this come our warm wishes to a11 for a blessed Holiday observance.

(Brother John J. Hoefle, Reprint No. 417, December 1990)

____________________________________________________________________

LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brethren,

I read with interest all that is printed and mailed to me from the “Epiphany Bible Students Ass’n.”  I SO MUCH appreciated the May 1, 2007 article regarding leaky vessels. True, some of the articles are elementary truth and most of the readers are familiar with them. It has been said, repetition is the mother of retention. How about, some minds remain open long enough for the truth not only to enter but to  pass on through by way of a ready exit without pausing anywhere along the route. Elizabeth Kenny, Australian nurse (1886-1952).

From 1953 to 1976 I was a member of the Jehovah Witnesses. In the late time of 1975 I began to read and study C.T. Russell’s Studies in the Scriptures. I began to relate to other JW’s what I learned, such as the separating of people either sheep or goats today in the Gospel Age would be done during the Millennium Age. (Matt. 25:32)  I had to appear before a committee (Inquisition) and retract what I learned from C.T. Russell and stop telling others. I didn’t and was excommunicated early in the year 1977.

How I wish that I was more knowledgeable regarding God’s word the Bible during that Inquisition. I would have told them what Martin Luther said, facing crisis of conscience in the year A.D. 1521 before seventy men judging him. Martin Luther’s statement, I quote.

“Unless I am convinced by the testimonies of the Scriptures or by evident reason (for I believe neither pope nor councils alone, since it is manifest they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is held captive by the word of God; and as it is neither safe nor right to act against conscience, I cannot otherwise; God help me. Amen.”

It was once said, He that never changes his opinions, never corrects his mistakes, will never be wiser on the morrow than he is today.      

I always learn or understand something that I didn’t know before by reading Biblical literature. For instance, I always thought that what Jesus said in Matt. 8:22 “Let the dead bury the dead” was a spiritually dead person. How pleased to understand from the May 1, 2007 issue we are “Dead Men Walking.” We are not fallen asleep yet, but are on the way. James 4:14 says, “We are a mist appearing for a little while and then disappearing.” May I thank you in advance for reading my letter. In conclusion may I say, The universe is like a safe and the so-called mystery of life is in the safe and the combination to open the safe is the Bible.

We can either complain that rosebushes have thorns - or rejoice that thorn bushes have roses.

I remain your brother in Christ.                                    Respectfully,…       (LOUSIANNA)  

…………………………………

Dear Brethren in Christ,

Reading the scriptural information in the booklets you have sent me over the years has helped me so much in my walk in faith. Please continue to send them to my new address.

Enclosed is a check in appreciation of your publications.  Please send Nos. 1-10 papers also.

I came into the Truth in 1968 by reading a book I found in a second hand store titled, “Millennial Dawn” and in a time of moving from one location to another I lost it.  Over the years I have inquired about it at conventions and meetings. So far I haven’t been able to locate a copy. I am hoping you may be able to help me.                                  Sincerely,…       (TEXAS)

NO. 603 "THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND THE UNJUST"

Acts 24:15

The resurrection of the just could not mean a resurrection of those who had been perfect, for there are none perfect, none just, “no, not one.” “The resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14), then, must mean the resurrection of those who have been justified; and the justified are those referred to in the Scriptures of whom Abraham was an example.  Abraham believed God, and was justified by faith. It was the faith that justified, and the works corroborated the faith.

  So it was with the Church of this Age. The Apostle says, “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Rom. 5:1,2) We are not only justified out of sin, but are also brought by operation of our faith into the glorious standing of members of Christ; and we may hope to participate with Christ in the glories of His Kingdom in the future. It is one thing to be freed from guilt, and another thing to be raised to the position of sons of God, heirs of God and joint‑heirs with Christ, our Lord.

  The resurrection of the dead is similarly spoken of in John 5:28,29, where we read, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.” The Lord does not mean merely all the good, for He also includes in this all that are in their graves. We read in the context that they that have done good shall come forth “unto the resurrection of life”: those who have done evil shall come forth to “damnation [judgment ─ Dia.].” The word damnation, in the Greek, signifies a crisis, a turning‑point, a decision.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE CHURCH

  Those whose faith enables them to stand through evil report and through good report, and who thus fulfill the Divine requirement, are character‑likenesses of Jesus. These now pass from under the condemnation condition to the life condition. As the Apostle says, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." (I John 3:14) This passing from death unto life is not in the full sense in the present time. By faith we are reckoned dead with Christ, counted members of His body. That future life is reckoned to us. We are counted as having it; and this is our condition because we have the Divine approval.

  Since there is none good, the only sense in which one could “do good” would be by coming into accord with God by obedience, as under the covenant which prevailed with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or under the still higher covenant that prevails with the Church in this Gospel Age. We have this testimony, that we are pleasing to God, who indicates His pleasure by begetting us of the Holy Spirit. In contradistinction, the world are aliens, foreigners. (Eph. 2:19) By this Holy Spirit, this “unction from the Holy One” (1 John 2:20), therefore, we have the evidence of acceptance with the Father.

  The outcome will be, that those having this approval of God, having passed the trials and testings which they have received - for he receiveth no son whom He does not scourge (Heb. 12:6) - and having proved faithful to the end, will be raised by the Lord to the very highest place - glory, honor and immortality. This is the crown, or very highest pinnacle of life that could be imagined. So, then, those who will have part in this First Resurrection will reign with Christ a thousand years. This is the first class mentioned by the Apostle. They are approved; they shall come forth to “life resurrec­tion.”

  What is the significance of “life resurrection”? We answer that these shall come forth to perfect life instantly. As St.   Paul says, “It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spirit body.” (1 Cor. 15:43) Thus instantaneously these blessings come to them. They have their trial in the Gospel Age and, therefore, theirs will be the chief resurrection.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE WORLD

  But all will have a resurrection. How will the resurrection of the world differ from that apportioned to the Church? The world has not had the Divine approval; the heathen have not had the Divine approval. The Apostle says, “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” (Rom. 10:14) They are not fit for heaven. They are not fit to be with the angels or with the Saints, no matter how they came to be in this condition. They came into this condition because of heredity, as children of Adam. But they could not have the same kind of resurrection that those will receive who have God's approval now, at the time of their death: “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10)

  So is it with the majority of those in Christian lands. They could not be thought to be fit for heaven or to have God's approval in any sense of the word. And they know it. They confess it themselves. Nobody could deny that nine hundred and ninety‑nine out of every thousand are living “after the flesh.” They are not Saints, but have the Divine disapproval, some having heard more of the Word of God, and some having heard less.

THE GENERAL RESURRECTION TO BE GRADUAL

“Those who have done evil” (John 5:29) will come forth to the resurrection of “damnation” (Greek, krisis), resurrection of trial, resurrection of testing. What kind will it be? The Scriptures show us that it will be a gradual resurrection. During the thousand years of Christ's reign the people will be awakening from the sleep in the tomb. This awakening will be a preparatory work, not the full resurrection, which will require the entire thousand years.

But the Divine provision is that the account will have been settled for the whole world so that when they shall come forth from the tomb in the future they will be in the hands of the Redeemer, who’s Kingdom will be world‑wide. They will have the opportunity of being raised again to that which was lost. Human perfection was lost, which includes not only perfect physical health, but perfect mental power; for mental power depends upon the brain, is affected by the brain, as well as by the body, so that men are now in a dying condition, mentally, morally and physically.

None will be fully raised, from imperfection to perfection, until the end of the thousand years. All who will respond to the beneficent arrangements will secure that which Father Adam enjoyed at first - ­perfect manhood. Those who will not be obedient to the requirements of Christ's Kingdom will be cut off in the Second Death (Acts 3:23). They will be destroyed as brute beasts, having had the full measure of Divine favor (2 Peter 2:12).

When the sentence came upon Father Adam he was thrust out of Eden. All of his children have been born dying, and are still in a dying condition. Therefore, the raising of man out of sin and death will be the bringing of him to full perfection - perfect life. This will be a gradual process. They will be made more alive and more alive, and less dead and less dead, as the thousand years progress, and none will get the resurrection life until they are raised to the condition of perfection - perfect life in the image of God, which was lost by Adam.

BURNING OF THE WORLD SYMBOLICAL

The Scriptures declare that “the earth abideth forever” and that “God formed it not in vain; He made it to be inhabited.” (See Eccl. 1:4; Isa. 45:18) It has not yet reached the blessed condition when it will blossom as a rose, although it is in process of completion. At the end of the thousand years of Christ's reign, the whole earth shall have been brought to perfection. In the prophecies, mountains are symbolical of kingdoms. In 2 Peter 3:12 the Apostle's words signify that there will be a great conflagration and that the heavens also will be on fire, but that, nevertheless, there will be a new order of things, to take the place of the old order; and under this new order of things there shall come a blessing to all in the earth. The word “fire,” in this sense signifies destruction of the present order of things, of the kosmos - not the ge, the earth, but the social system, society as at present organized.

We not infrequently hear people say, “Well, matters are getting pretty hot!” Yes, the battle between capital and labor is getting hotter, as is evidenced lately in the labor troubles, particularly in Great Britain and the United States. But the time of conflagration will be such a “time of trouble,” that it will entirely consume the present order of things, a Time of Trouble, therefore, that will be epoch‑making, and the new epoch will be introduced immediately thereafter.

MOUNTAINS SYMBOLIZE KINGDOMS

We remember riding over the mountains once with an Adventist. The Adventist brother said, “Do you not think it will be a glorious time when these mountains will be brought down to a level?”  We said, “Dear brother, the mountains are very beautiful, very useful.”  He said, “You cannot raise corn on this mountain.” “Well,” said we, “go to the prairie if you want to raise corn.”  Then he said, “What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the mountains shall be brought low, and when they speak about the melting of the earth?” We said, “Dear brother, the ‘mountains’ there are kingdoms. We read that ‘the mountain of the Lord's house shall be exalted in the top of the mountains’; it will be the chief mountain or kingdom." (Isa. 2:2)

THE RESURRECTION WILL LEVEL ALL CLASSES

The Psalmist tells us that “the mountains shall be removed and carried into the midst of the sea” (Psa. 46:2), mountains being symbolical of the kingdoms, of the governments of the earth, and society in general, the elements which support the governments. (Psa. 46) St. Peter also speaks as though the whole world will be consumed by fire. These things are symbolical, implying that the people who are now in a low condition will be brought up, and that those who are high will be brought low. Thus there will be a leveling process.

We remember the statement of the Scripture in Zephaniah 3:8, “Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord.” Here Jehovah is speaking to the Church, telling us that we should not be dissatisfied, that we should not be anarchists and strife‑breeders: I shall attend to this matter myself. You can rest with the present order of things. “Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” That this fire is not literal is shown in the next sentence: “Then will I turn unto the people a pure message that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent.” (Zeph. 3:8,9)

WHEN “THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY, ‘COME'”

It will be the work of the thousand years of Messiah's reign to thus make known the pure message of God, the pure Word of God. We all see, as we look back, that a pure message of God has not been declared to mankind, but creed contradicting creed, making confusion worse confounded. The Lord, however, will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, and the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the great deep (Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14). As the Revelator puts it, “the river of the water of life” will flow freely (Rev. 21:6; 22:1,2).

We see that there is no throne yet established and that there is no Bride now. We are waiting for the time to come when the throne will be established and when “the water of life” will flow out. In the future it will be “a river of the water of life.” (Rev. 22:1) This cannot take place until the second coming of our Lord; conse­quently, it will be after that, in the glorious time of Messiah's Kingdom, when the Spirit and the Bride will say, “Come!”  The election of the Church of God will then have been completed; and every creature will come to a knowledge of the Truth and will have the opportunity of attaining to the full perfection made possible by the redemptive work of Christ.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE CHURCH TO EARTHLY SOCIETY

The spirit condition is spoken of as a heavenly condition in the sense that the words heaven and heavenly in the Scriptures are used to signify higher. So the heaven to which the Church will be taken is this higher condition. But the mission of the Church in the next Age is in connection with humanity. We are, then, to understand that the Lord and the Church will be present, operating through human, earthly agents; supervising, overruling.

We have an example of this invisible power in Satan, who has been ruling here for over six thousand years, through his agents. His work is a deceptive work. He has ruled mankind through ignorance, superstition, etc. But the rule of Christ will be the scattering of error, superstition. The world shall know the Truth that the Truth may make them free. Those who will receive the Truth will receive the freedom and will eventually attain the liberty which belongs to the Sons of God. Men will be quite visible to The Christ, but they will be invisible to men. It is in respect to these that the Lord said that the twelve Apostles shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel - that the Apostles shall be associates with Him in judging and ruling the world.

Then there is another class: “Ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:28); but our Lord does not say a word about their seeing Himself or His apostles. He and His apostles will be in the invisible phase of the Kingdom. So it is written, “Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.” (Psa. 45:16) The patriarchs will be considered the children. A father is a life‑giver. While in one sense of the word Abraham and Isaac, etc., might be considered fathers, yet by virtue of Christ's redemptive work He will give them life and they will be his children; for whoever gives life is the father and whoever receives life is the child. They will be princes in all the earth, not on the heavenly plane, but on the earthly plane, having obtained the “better resurrection” (Hebrews 11) because they were faithful. Each one of them will be a sample of perfect manhood; and each one of them will be a prince or ruler. Their wisdom will be a wisdom superintended by the Church in glory.

THE OBJECT OF THE INDIVIDUAL TRIAL OF MANKIND

Mankind will need to be put on trial to see whether or not they will accept God's plan with the knowledge they will have received. If they accept they will be adjudged worthy of everlasting life. If they fail to come into harmony, they will be adjudged worthy of everlasting death. But this judgment will be passed by Christ and His Bride.

So, then, we see that there is a great judgment or trial coming to the world to give them the opportunity of deciding whether or not they will come into harmony with the arrangements of Christ's Kingdom. In the work of judging, the Church will be associated with Christ. We read that God “hath ap­pointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained” (Acts 17:31) Christ, the Head, and the Church His Body. Again, “Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?” (I Cor. 6:2) Therefore our own judgment or trial takes place in advance, that we may be prepared to try or judge the world; and by the experiences through which we have passed we may be assistful to them, as they shall be on trial and under the control of our Lord and the Church.

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 4989, 4990, March 15, 1912)

___________________________________________________________________

DEGREES OF SIN AND THEIR PUNISHMENT

The question is often asked, “Is there any special punishment for thieves, murderers and other criminals, or will they, if repentant, be received into the Kingdom along with those who have tried to do right throughout their lives?”

This question can be viewed from two standpoints. God Himself is the great determiner of right and wrong. Everything that is right God approves; everything that is wrong God disapproves. The things that God approves are those things that are good, helpful and favorable for everybody. The things that God disapproves are the things that are wrong, unjust, injurious to every one. Therefore God has condemned certain things that are unjust or injurious to ourselves or to others. Whoever, therefore, commits sin, violates first of all, a Divine command, and to that extent has a certain penalty attached to him for that wrong doing.

We speak of certain persons as “sowing their wild oats.” What does this expression signify? It means that they are now contracting habits which are injurious not only to their own health and happiness, but probably to that of others. As a result of practicing sin they are sure to bring upon themselves a degradation of both mind and body. Thus sin brings its own reward in a natural way. Whoever sins will suffer, is the general law. But aside from that law, there is a God, who has given certain commands and certain penalties that go with those commands.

WHO ARE THIEVES AND MURDERERS?

God's standard of righteousness is much higher than is man's present standard. Our Lord gave very fine meanings to the words “thief,” “adulterer,” and “murderer.” He taught that anyone who is angry with his brother without a cause is in danger; that he who looks upon another's wife with impure desire has committed adultery. (Matt. 5:22,28) These are very fine distinctions. Moreover, we must all admit, as Shakespeare has said:

“Who steals my purse steals trash;

            . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 But he that filches from me my good name

 Robs me of that which not enriches him,

 And makes me poor indeed.”

Many people have been guilty of stealing the good name of others; many have been guilty of murder in the sense that they hate others. When it comes to the point of deciding who are the most guilty murderers and thieves, we are not competent to judge, for we are not able to know the qualities of mind and the weaknesses with which each person was born. God only could tell the degree of wrong in any of these cases. There are some people who are, we might say, naturally good; others seem to have been born with less patience. Some who, naturally, would not get angry with their brother, nor with any one, as soon as some one else would, may never be in danger of committing murder, either literally or figura-tively; for they are born with the quality of forbearance.

As these may not manifest any special patience more than that with which they were born, so others may manifest special qualities because of the condition in which they were born.

The world has learned the necessity of restraining those who are injurious to others. The judgment of the people of the state of New York is, according to the law, that no murderer shall be at large. He shall be confined; for a murderer is not a safe person to permit in society. Therefore, he is put into prison or is executed. This is the general judgment, outside of God's judgment. The best thing for him and the world in general is that he go down to hades, sheol - the great state of death, where he cannot murder anyone else. The Scriptures agree with the laws of the state of New York, that if a man commits heinous crimes he should be punished.

GOD IS TRAINING THE JUDGES NOW

But so far as taking the position of a judge is concerned, we are not capable of doing this. God alone, at the present time, knows how much more worthy of punishment some are who are in prison than some who are out of prison would be for something else. The offense of the prisoners might outwardly be the greater crime; that of those who are not confined might be just as great a crime from the Divine standpoint; for they might be sinning against greater light and ability. No one but God could tell. Therefore, “Judge nothing before the time.” (l Cor. 4:5)

When is “the time”?  People are always glad to get the chance to judge others. Someone may ask, “When may we have the chance to judge? We would like to have it now.”  We reply, “Yours is the wrong spirit. Get rid of it or you will never be a judge at all. God is selecting another class to be judges - a saintly class that will be fully satisfied to judge nothing before the time, but to leave everything to him. He says, “This is the kind I want. I will select them.”  The Apostle says, “Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?”  (l Cor. 6:2)

We shall judge the world, not now, under present conditions, but after we shall have been changed in the First Resurrection,

changed in a moment. The Apostle explains what that change will mean to us - “Sown in weakness, raised in power; sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown an animal body, raised a spirit body.” (1 Cor. 15:42‑44) When we reach that condition of bodily likeness, as well as character‑likeness to our Lord, we shall be His associates, His wife, the Royal Priesthood. Then there will be plenty of time for us to judge the world. All the lessons we get now will only develop us for that time. All the experiences we have with ourselves - you judging yourself and I myself - the better we shall be prepared for the opportunity which God will give us by and by.

A JUDGE MUST POSSESS PERFECT SELF‑CONTROL

Whoever has not learned to rule his own spirit is in no condition to rule others. Whoever has not learned to judge his own heart motives and has not put a restraint on them to the best of his ability is not prepared to sit in judgment upon another. Those who are now being selected of the Lord are not by nature free from imperfections, but have many of the same weaknesses that others have.

Nevertheless, they are seeking to judge themselves to be transformed by the renewing of their minds, to get self‑control, or as the Bible says, to “overcome.”  All those who will be with the Lord in Kingdom glory and power and the work of the Millennial Age will be “more than conquerors through him that loved us” and bought us with his own “precious blood.” (Rom. 8:37; 1 Peter 1:18,19)

Various qualities of murder, lust, covetousness, etc., are more or less seen in the unbalanced mental and moral conditions resulting from the fall. We see how this is operating in the whole world. Some are so mentally unbalanced they are put into asylums. Some are so morally unbalanced they are not permitted to be at large, but must of necessity be put into prison. Others are able to be about in the world and have their liberty, but they are not sound of mind. “There is none righteous; no, not one” (Rom. 3:10), is the Bible declaration.

Since we have learned to appreciate the Bible teaching, to see that a great fall came upon our race six thousand years ago, and that all are born in sin and “shapen in iniquity and in sin did our mothers conceive us” (Psa. 51:5), it gives us a great deal of sympathy for many poor people; and as we have more strength of character, mentally and morally, than some of them, we thank God and say, “Who hath made thee to differ?” (1 Cor. 4:7)

We were, perhaps, born differently from many; and what we did not get by heredity, we got through grace; so our strength of character is not of ourselves. It is all by God's grace that we are better than others; and it is not for us to glory, but to give thanks. So we have sympathy for murderers, thieves and vagabonds in general; and we believe the Lord has.

This does not mean that we have the kind of sympathy which would say, “Open wide the prison doors and let every one out!” No, no! Some who have received the Truth while in prison have asked us to intercede in their behalf, that they might be released; and we have answered that we were not sure but that they were better where they are; for in prison there is less temptation than in the world. Liberty is a good thing; but it brings a responsibility and additional trials as well.

SIN AND DEATH ARE HEREDITARY

As we consider the weakness and sinfulness of humanity, the question naturally arises, “Why is this so?”  The Scriptures, not the Evolution theory, give us a satisfactory answer to the question.

When God placed our first parents in the Garden of Eden, He made this proposition to them: “If you do right, as I command, you may continue to live; but if you do wrong, contrary to my command, you shall die.” Our first parents disregarded the Divine command and were disobedient. God immediately sentenced them to death. Death was the penalty of disobedience. In other words, God said, “If you are a sinner I will not permit you to live. Those to whom I wish to grant eternal life are those who will gladly obey my law.” For, as Jesus said, true worshippers will “worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” (John 4:23)

But in addition to having the death sentence passed upon him - whether that death come sooner or later - Father Adam received other punishment, aside from that penalty. Ejected from the Garden of Eden, he was brought into contact with thorns and thistles; he labored with sweat of face; he had the sorrows and troubles that come with the decaying body. All these things were the result of sin.

But so far as God was concerned, the penalty of sin was the death sentence merely. In effect God had said, “You are not fit to live; you are not fit for everlasting life; you shall not have everlasting life.”  But through the sacrifice of His human nature, Jesus, by the grace of God, has tasted death for the whole world of mankind - Adam and all his children, all of whom will ultimately be  redeemed from God's sentence. They will be redeemed from death in order that Jesus may, during His Messianic reign of one thousand years, lift them up out of sin and degradation.

THE TRANSGRESSOR MAKES HIS OWN WAY HARD

But do you ever think to what extent man degrades himself? To that extent he will be more degraded than is necessary; and when-ever the time comes for his uplifting, the lower he is, the more difficulty there will be in getting him up again. Since God's arrangement for lifting mankind out of the death condition is that he must help himself, each man must labor to rise from his degradation, and must be assisted in his labor. But by his own efforts he must get out of the difficulty. No man will get out by saying, “I would rather be out of this and have life.” The way back to perfection will be an uphill way. It will not be the narrow way of the present time - darkness on every hand, a strait gate, etc. - but a highway, an upward way, something favorable to the person going up. He cannot roll up. He will not be required to put forth so much effort in a month or in a year or in ten years, as we have to put forth, but he will have a good share of the thousand years of Christ's reign in which he can gradually rise up out of his imperfec­tion.

We, on the contrary, are required to turn from sin to righteousness and to make a full sacrifice of ourselves to the Lord. Then we must walk in the Narrow   Way to the best of our ability. In this we have the Master to help us; but ours is a short, sharp period of fiery trial; and if our trial is hard, we have the assur­ance that there is a great reward to those who come off victorious in this battle against self and sin.

In a word, then, when people die, that is the end of things, in one sense of the word, and not an end in another sense of the word. When a man is dead he has come under the full sentence of the law, for the law said, “Thou shalt die.”

THE WORLD'S HOPE IS THE RESURRECTION

A junk heap represents the condition of humanity, as well as it can be represented. Some people will go to a junk pile and find a great deal of value there; they can do something with this, that and the other thing. Our Lord is the greatest restorer ever known. When His Kingdom is set up, He will take over the world of mankind, approximately 96,000,000,000 of humanity - Adam and his children, all in their broken, fallen condition; and then the great work of refreshing and restoring will begin. The sawing, the hammering and the filing, if you please, will continue during the whole thousand years of the Millennial reign.

So, you see, the condition into which a man gets himself now has a great deal to do with his future. Many will be so degraded that when they come forth from the tomb they will have a very difficult time. Some of these are mentioned in the Scriptures. We are told that some of these will come forth to shame and lasting contempt. There are many people who will come forth to shame. After they had died, many have been found to have been defaulters; many people have been found to have indulged in very criminal acts; yet perhaps no one knew it while they lived. These things came out after their death, and some things may not have come out yet; but we may be very sure that when the Lord's time shall come for the general opening up, there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed. Therefore, keep your records as clear as possible. Whatever is there will surely be made manifest, is the Lord's declaration of the matter.

When the world's history shall all be known, some that we have thought to be very honest, just people, we may find to have been just the reverse; and others who may have been thought to be dishonest may be found to have been very honest. The judgment of the world is not always right. This is one reason why the Lord warns His people not to judge at the present time. We are not competent now. The Lord will judge in the future. When that time comes and the whole world of mankind are brought forth to have their trial before the “Great White Throne,” the books will be opened. Then some will have shame, and some will have great contempt, which will last just as long as they are contemptible. How long will they be contemptible? Just as long as they remain in the wrong state of mind. But if they will obey the terms and regulations of the Messianic Kingdom they will rise daily out of their degradation and meanness, coming back more and more to the perfect likeness of God in the flesh, as represented in Adam.

As mankind rise from their fallen condition, so this contempt will pass away. At that time people will perhaps say, “Well, you know he was a very wicked man in his time. He suffered contempt when it was first realized what a degraded character be was.”  Or, “She was a wicked woman, but now see what a change has come over her! See how well she has gotten along! See what effort she is putting forth! See what character she is developing!”  And all will rejoice to see the change.

By the end of the Millennial Age, one who was in shame and contempt at the beginning will, if he has taken the right course, have been lifted up above it. We see the principle illustrated in the Scrip­tures. Saul of Tarsus was in shame and contempt because he was a murderer and blasphemer. But we do not hold him in contempt. Neither do we hold St. Peter in contempt because he denied the Lord. At that time it will be said of the world just as we say of the Apostles when we see what wonderful characters they were afterwards. When the world shall have been brought to a knowledge of God and His righteousness under the favorable condition of the Kingdom, restitution will take out of them all imperfec­tions and give them all the good qualities that God originally gave to the perfect man, when God said that he was “very good.”

WHO MAY ENTER THE KINGDOM

But do not the Scriptures say that no murderer shall enter the Kingdom of God? Yes. The Scriptures state that murderers will not be in the kingdom, that they will be outside - have no part in it­ - “without are murderers,” etc. (Rev. 22:14,15) This statement does not signify that a man who has once been a murderer might not reform and become a Saint and an Heir of the Kingdom. We have already referred to one murderer mentioned in the Scriptures, guilty of the murder of St. Stephen, Saul of Tarsus, who afterwards became one of the most notable Apostles. He was a murderer, the responsibility of Stephen's death lay at his feet.

So when we read that no drunkard or murderer or robber shall enter the Kingdom, the New Jerusalem, how shall we understand it? In this way; that when during the Millennial Kingdom all mankind shall have the opportunity of coming into harmony with God, those who maintain a sympathy or love for unrighteousness of any kind will not have Divine approval. They will not be permitted to enter within the gate of the city, which symbolically represents the Kingdom and the Divine favor. Originally, Jerusalem represented the Church. “I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife”; and “the wall of the city had twelve foundations [foundation stones], and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.” (Rev. 21:9-14) But into that city there would be brought the good only.

So all the world of mankind who will come into harmony with God will come into that city, into the New Jerusalem and Kingdom of God, and outside of that city will be found all impure characters. We have them pictured in this statement that liars and murderers, etc., shall have their portion in the “lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.” This “lake of fire and brimstone” is as symbolical as is the city. As the city is not a literal city of gold, neither is the lake a literal lake of fire and brimstone. That city was pictured by Jerusalem, and the “fire” by Gehenna. As the offal of the literal city of Jerusalem was put into the Valley of Hinnom for destruction and for the purification of the city, so all the offal of the Millennial Kingdom will be destroyed and be kept outside of the Golden Jerusalem. That will be a glorious Kingdom, free from any­thing that would be a blight or blemish or sin; and all who love unrighteousness, in any sense of the word, will be destroyed in “the lake of fire,” which is, we are told by the Revelator, the Second Death. (Rev. 21:8)

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 4990-4992, March 15, 1912)

NO. 602 IN MEMORIAM

Once again the time of year comes that we are vividly reminded of the demise of the Parousia and Epiphany Messengers, and it is our fond hope that our readers will obtain some good information and uplift from what we now present.

Up to his death on October 31, 1916, almost everyone in “present truth” was fully persuaded that Brother Russell was “that servant” of Matthew 24:46; and quite a few still hold that opinion, among whom we include ourselves. During the Dark Ages the doctrine of “restitution” (Acts 3:19-21) had become completely lost, and this lapse injected utter confusion into the Christian fraternity. Without understanding restitution, it was impossible to produce any harmonious understanding of the general Bible structure; the “plan of the Ages” (Eph. 3:11, Dia.) was a meaningless expression. The woman having ten pieces of silver of Luke 15:8 corroborates the fact that the doctrine of restitution was lost. (See Berean Comments on Luke 15:8,9.)

This problem gave extreme difficulty to That Servant, so much so that he on a certain occasion betook himself to three days of intense prayer and study, at the end of which he was rewarded with a clear understanding of the Atonement Day sacrifices as they are outlined in the 16th Chapter of Leviticus. This enlightenment caused him to realize that God was during this Gospel Age merely laying the foundation for the full at-one-ment of the entire human race with Himself “in due time” ─ the delay being caused by God now taking from among the Gentiles “a people for His name” (Acts 15:14), the same to be associated with His Son Jesus as His Heavenly Bride to give the human family a rebirth under a “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Pet. 3:13), in direct contrast to the degradation now prevailing in “this present evil world.” (Gal. 1:4)

However, the radical revelation of this understanding actually frightened him; it was actually difficult for him to believe this Scripture which seemed so logical and with which he could find no fault. He needed to be doubly persuaded that it was actually the truth, so instead of broadcasting his findings immediately or telling the general Household of Faith about it, he summoned leading brethren to discuss this revelation, which he and they did during a period of eight days. When none of them could find any flaws in the picture, he eventually wrote a small book called Tabernacle Shadows, which some of his ardent admirers have characterized as the biggest “little book” that has ever been written. No one with a clear understanding of that book will ever be confused on the “plan of the ages.”

THE PAROUSIA ELEAZAR

Eleazar was Aaron's eldest son and in line to become High Priest in Israel at his father's death. But while serving as underpriest with his father, he was given very prominent service, as can be seen from Numbers 4:16: “And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.” From certain standpoints the Tabernacle typified the Gospel-Age Church. Therefore, those people who officiated in connection with it would also typify certain people in the Gospel Age. Considering the sweeping powers that Eleazar possessed, “the oversight of all the tabernacle,” it puts no strain upon the imagination to recognize that he typified the twelve Apostles at the First Advent. “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.” (Matt. 16:19)

Similar language is used concerning Brother Russell: “Shall make him ruler over all His goods.” (Matt. 24:47) And in Luke 12:42: “That faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over His household, to give them their portion of meat in due season.” From this we do not wish to convey the thought that Brother Russell was infallible, or spoke by inspiration, as did the Apostles; but it is a self-evident fact that his power over the Harvest work and the Harvest Church was well nigh absolute. In course of time he recognized this; he appointed and dismissed Pilgrims as his judgment dictated; he was final authority on all Bible House matters, and made all appointments of brethren to important executive positions. And being fully aware of this, he attempted to arrange things in such a manner that after his death would prevent any other individual from “stepping into his shoes,” as it were, by appointing an editorial committee of seven brethren to supervise the Watch Tower publication. Those familiar with the situation know that his wishes were speedily ignored; in little more than a year, J. F. Rutherford had already enthroned himself “in Moses' seat.”

However, it is not our wish to offer detail on the above statement; rather, we shall treat of the Gospel Harvest Eleazar from the standpoint of the type. In Numbers 4:16 six executive and teaching functions are set forth, of which the first “pertaineth to the oil for the light,” the lampstand. Among other things, oil represents the spirit of understanding (Matt. 25:3, “the spirit of the Truth,” Berean Comment). For Eleazar, therefore, to have charge of the oil for the lampstand would typify the privilege Brother Russell had of understanding the Truth as Pastor and Teacher, not only for himself, but also for the brethren as enlighteners of one another, as he conveyed his Biblical interpretations to them, giving them helps to learn and to teach the Truth. He did this orally and in writing. He gave clear and specific instructions for organizing classes, and for organizing distribution of the Truth literature to the general public.

Eleazar's second duty had to do with “the sweet incense.” The unburnt sweet incense represented the actually perfect choice human powers of Jesus and the reckonedly perfect choice human powers of the Church; “much incense with the prayers of all saints” (Rev. 8:3,4). Brother Russell offered deep and truthful detail on such activities of Jesus from Jordan to Calvary, and on the Church in general in their earthly pilgrimage all during the Gospel Age. As to the Church of his day, he acted directly both as the teacher and executive with respect to the sweet incense. He clearly explained Justification by faith through Jesus' merit, which justification once fully obtained enabled such brethren to make their own offering of “the sweet incense” according to the providential circumstances of each one. We have been told that on one occasion, when Brother Russell was visiting a city, that a brother asked him to give his talk that morning on justification, which he proceeded to do, giving lucid analysis of the subject for an entire hour.

Thirdly, Eleazar had charge of “the daily meat offering,” or, more properly, the meal offering. When the drink offering is not mentioned (and it is omitted in Num. 4:16) it is understood as being included in the meal offering. This offering represents that part of the sacrifice with which the offerer occupies himself, such as setting forth the Truth, lecturing and preaching on the Truth by Pilgrims, Auxiliary Pilgrims, elders, colporteurs and unofficial persons of lesser ability. It also included oral conversation in testimony of the Truth, serving in the Photo-drama work, serving as laborers of the Bible House and Bethel, doing office and home work in connection with spread of the Truth, and encouraging and supporting others in these various works orally, with the printed page, by lectures, sermons, question meetings, conversation and letter writing. As executive he discharged this phase of his office by arranging for the various forms of service mentioned herein for spreading the Truth, as well as appointing specific persons to their pertinent positions as pilgrims, colporteurs, department supervisors, etc., at Bethel and the Bible House. The fulfilled facts attest that he exercised his authority in all of these features.

Fourthly, Eleazar had the care of the anointing oil. This oil types the Holy Spirit from the standpoint of its qualifying the elect Church to serve each other. The ingredients of this oil are succinctly stated in Isaiah 11:2, the contents of which may be stated thusly: the qualities of wisdom, justice, love and power each developed individually, developed in balance with others, with all of them controlling all other qualities (2 Peter 1:5-8), thus qualifying the various members of the Church for the “work of the ministry” (Eph. 4:12), to the extent of their ability and providential circumstances.

As antitypical Eleazar of the Gospel Harvest. his charge as teacher was to instruct the Church as to the nature of the anointing, of the anointed class, of their duties, privileges in knowledge, service, development, endurance as "good soldiers," etc. This he did in great detail in the Volumes, the Towers, and by his oral ministry. Especially did he stress the development of the graces, the quickening, development, and balancing of the Holy Spirit. It logically followed that he would appoint qualified persons to the respective forms of service as pilgrims, colporteurs, photo-drama workers, Bible House and Bethel personnel, managers of the foreign branches and news-paper workers. Inasmuch as the great majority of classes had elected him as their pastor, he had supervisory capacity in their affairs. Sometimes he acted directly and sometimes indirectly in electing or unseating the officers of those classes, endorsing those qualified, and rejecting those he considered unqualified. All of this he did in efficient and impressive manner.

Fifthly, Eleazar had charge of the Tabernacle itself. The whole structure while it was standing was under his supervision. The Tabernacle proper in the Holy types the Church in its earthly ministry, and in the Most Holy in its heavenly inheritance. The humanity of such is typed in the Court, specifically with respect to the brazen altar. This typed the Harvest Eleazar's capacity as Pastor and Teacher, with executive supervision of the Church during the reaping and gleaning time up to the time of his death. He also had similar authority over the antitypical Court, which contained the tentatively justified. Thus, he was the eye, hand and mouth of Jesus during his entire office as That Servant. While it is true that he did not produce all the advancing Truth during his ministry, he did produce much more of it than any other person. And. in that which others saw, they were obligated to secure his approval of it before he presented it to the general Church through the Towers. His authority in this respect was also well nigh absolute.

Sixthly, he had full charge of the holy furniture of the Court, Holy and Most Holy ─ “the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is.” This would include the two altars, the laver, the lampstand, the table and the ark, all of which was in the charge of antitypical Eleazar. The antitypical brazen altar in the Court represented the Church's humanity in sacrifice; and Brother Russell gave great detail concerning this ─ the privileges of the brethren in using their human all whenever and wherever opportunity afforded. This he did orally and in writing, and by his “example of the believers.” (1 Tim. 4:12) Thus he encouraged and directed the general Church as a “good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2 Tim. 2:3)

His teaching charge to the Church concerning the golden altar in the Holy had to do with encouraging, comforting, strengthening, correcting, warning, and restraining the sacrificing and suffering Church, which he did by explaining, proving, and illustrating the privileges of the Church toward one another. His executive charge toward the Church was accomplished by his encouraging and directing the Church in such work.

As our readers know, the laver in the Court types the Bible ─ the base the Old Testament, and the upper part containing the water the New Testament, the upper part built upon and growing out of the lower part. The water in the upper part types the cleansing features of Bible truths. The Harvest Eleazar's executive charge of the antitypical laver means that the Bible was placed in his care ─ to preserve it, to commend it, and make it influential in its use for its Divinely intended purpose of furnishing the proper doctrinal, refutative, correctional and ethical teachings, and to direct the use of pertinent Scriptures to his purpose (2 Tim. 3:15-17). His teaching charge of the antitypical Laver implied that he was to declare the doctrine of the Scripture, as well as its teachings in doctrinal, refutational, correctional and ethical respects. Certainly those of us who are familiar with his work know that he harmonized the Bible in a manner equaled by none other since the days of the Apostles.

Here we may properly apply this statement to an error that has circulated among some of the Lord's people to the effect that there are other books such as  Pseudepigraphs, like the book of Enoch, the Old Testament Apocrypha, etc., that are inspired writings; thus, a part of the Bible. If they were, Brother Russell would have accepted them as a part of the Bible; and he would wisely and faithfully have shown his teaching and executive functions toward them. But he resolutely rejected them, and it is not difficult for any one who reads them carefully to note their inferiority when compared with the 66 genuine books of the Bible.

The lampstand represents the Church as enlighteners of each other; it teaches them the Truth. Brother Russell acted out his office as teacher with respect to the antitypical lamp-stand in that he explained the nature, the character, privileges, duties, etc., of the Church as enlighteners of each other, and how to go about this good work. He also encouraged them to enlighten each other by providing the means whereby they could do this, and the best method to use in doing it. The table of shewbread types the Church in its capacity of strengthening its members with the bread of life unto every good word and work; especially so, with respect to the Sarah features of the Abrahamic Covenant, this being the promises that mother the Church in its earthly pilgrimage toward the Heavenly Canaan, their entrance into the Most Holy when their work on earth is finished. Having charge of this table and bread means he taught the brethren the best means of strengthening each other to “fight the good fight,” and to gain eternal life. He also arranged for conventions and organized meetings in the various classes for this purpose.

Much more could be said about the foregoing, but we would not wish our readers to conclude that we be overmuch given to “angel worship.” However, we consider it pertinent to stress here that certain members of the Gospel-Age Church occupied positions which could apply to them alone. For instance, there were twelve Apostles, and only twelve; thus, they had no successors; as some of the sects contend; prominent among such is the Roman Catholic Church. And with Brother Russell it may be stated with equal emphasis that his office as That Servant and as the Steward was unique to him alone; and the words which Jesus spoke concerning Himself may well be repeated for him: “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.” (John 17:4) Therefore, he had no successor; he supervised with full authority and finished the reaping feature of the Gospel-Age Harvest, which provided everlasting tribute to him as antitypical Eleazar here in the end of the Age. We would qualify this, however, by noting that God did provide other faithful “stars” after the Apostles died; and continued to do this all during the Age, as He also did after the demise of antitypical Eleazar.

SOME SECULAR TESTIMONY

It has just recently come to our attention that one authority offers the following comment: “RUSSELL, CHARLES TAZE, popularly called Pastor Russell (born Feb. 16, 1852, Pittsburgh, Pa. ─ died Oct. 31, 1916, Pampa, Texas), founder of the International Bible Students Association, forerunner of Jehovah's Witnesses.  [The International Bible Students Association was taken over by the Jehovah’s Witnesses after Pastor Russell’s death.] Of Presbyterian and Congregational background, Russell renounced the creed of orthodox Christian denominations and in 1872 organized an independent Bible study class in Pittsburgh. From 1877 he preached that Christ's second advent would be invisible, and that the end of the Gentile times would come in 1914, followed by war between capitalism and communism or socialism, after which God's Kingdom by Christ would rule the whole earth. Russell (who was never ordained) dedicated his life and his considerable fortune to preaching Christ's Millennial reign. In 1879 he started a Bible journal later called the Watchtower, and in 1884 founded the Watch-tower Bible & Tract Society, which became a flourishing publishing business. His own books and booklets (notably six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures) reached a circula-tion of 16,000,000 copies in 35 languages, and 2,000 newspapers published his weekly sermons.”

By way of comparison and marked contrast, this same publication says this regarding JFR: “RUTHERFORD, JOSEPH FRANKLIN, nicknamed Judge (1869-1942), religious leader and author, president of Jehovah's Witnesses (also called the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society), 1916-42.”

The statement before the last paragraph concerning Brother Russell is so strikingly accurate that it sounds as though he himself had written it. From a purely secular stand-point, we would say it is an excellent testimonial; and, as more of his prophetic interpretations are fulfilled, we are fully persuaded that even better tributes will be forthcoming from similar writers. As Brother Johnson has so aptly written of him, Brother Russell will yet appear in the records of men as one of the greatest of reformers and Biblical logicians.

The same publication states further: “Joseph Franklin Rutherford that he was a lawyer who had been closely associated with Russell since about 1910. But he possessed little of the personal magic that Russell had wielded with such success, and, in addition, challenged some of Russell's views... A number of small schisms resulted, but Rutherford eventually was successful in organizing the work of the Society so that the transition to his successor in 1942 was made without difficulty. Almost nothing is known about the life of J.F. Rutherford. He shunned publicity and toward the end of his life met with members of the Society only at their annual conventions. Russell had written a good deal, and his seven-volume [?] Studies in the Scriptures was widely sold; but it was under Rutherford that the Society work took on its present character of a publishing house rather than a church. Rutherford claimed to have written 99 books and pamphlets, which appeared in more than 300,000,000 copies.”

When the above publication states that Rutherford “challenged some of Russell's views,” it is making a major understatement; and the same may be said about the “number of small schisms that resulted.” Those of us familiar with the truth on the subject know that Rutherford challenged the majority of important doctrines in the truth structure taught by Brother Russell, so that at this time there is little resemblance between the teachings of the two men.

The publication states further that Jehovah's Witnesses, along with Christian Science and Mormonism, constitute the three largest and most significant variants of the 19th-century American Protestantism. The Witnesses now have in excess of 16,000,000 in their world membership. However, when we consider that Rutherford is catalogued in the same group with Brigham Young and Mary Baker Eddy it presents some considerable light on why he “possessed little of the personal magic that Russell had wielded with such success.” We have been told that Rutherford on one occasion went to a woman photographer, one who had made photographs of Brother Russell, to have a photograph of himself. When he was shown the finished product he remarked that his picture was not as impressive as that of Brother Russell; the woman answered, “That's because the man isn't there.”

Just one more quotation from the article: “The Witnesses believe that the Kingdom of God began in 1914. Apparently they expected (as did the Millerite Adventists in 1844) some historical and worldly event to take place at that time, but have since taken the position that in 1914 Jehovah inaugurated the Kingdom in a manner apprehensible only to a believer.” It is true that only believers recognized the inauguration of the Kingdom in 1914. However, Pastor Russell based his belief upon the Gospel of Jesus, St. Paul and others. “God desires all men to be saved, and to come to an accurate knowledge of the truth... Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all.” (See 1 Tim. 2:4-6.) Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all ─ not just for those who become members of the Witnesses' sect.

In keeping with this, Brother Russell also stressed the words of Isaiah 35:5-10: “The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped [those that are now unable to “hear” and understand the Truth]... wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein... and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Instead of “sorrow and sighing” diminishing and disappearing, it has been pyramided out of all proportion to what was the case prior to 1914. And being in full accord with Brother Russell's clear and sober interpretation of this Scripture, we can enthusiastically exclaim, God bless his memory!

ANOTHER SECULAR EXPRESSION

Last Spring an item was brought to our attention that appeared in the Sunday feature section of a prominent Florida newspaper, written by a professor of one of the nation's outstanding universities. Some of his contentions were so distorted that we were moved to write him the following letter:

My dear Professor: Christian greetings!

The general content of your “Poster Evangelism” treatise in the March 10 paper is read with considerable appreciation ─ very well written, I would say.

However, some of your statements regarding Russellism are very much askew; and I am persuaded that a man of your erudition and candor would not intentionally put false statements into your writings. For instance, you say “Russellism employed the surefire device of prophesying the imminent arrival of Christ (MILLIONS NOW LIVING WILL NEVER DIE).” At no time did Pastor Russell ever preach “the imminent arrival of Christ,” or use words that would convey such an impression. He did, however, offer elaborate and consummate analysis of such texts as Matthew 24:3: “What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?” He contended that this was a very poor and misleading translation (the King James translation is replete with such mistakes). Present-day Greek scholars give it this way: “What shall be the sign of Thy presence, and of the consummation of the Age?” The word world in the text is from the Greek “aion,” and it means Age or Dispensation.

Furthermore, the “Millions Now Living” idea was never even mentioned during Pastor Russell's life. He died October 31, 1916; was succeeded in the Presidency of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society by J. F. Rutherford, who invented the “Millions” idea; and time has clearly proven that it was simply an odious vagary, hallucination with no foundation in fact or prophecy.

You also say Pastor Russell wrote seven volumes; whereas, he wrote only six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures. The seventh one, The Finished Mystery, is also a figment of Rutherford's mind. He audaciously declared that it was the “posthumous work” of Charles T. Russell, and the book does contain many quotations from his writings; but the errors injected into it by Judge Rutherford and his assistants offer insult to the clear and sober statements of Pastor Russell.

In Luke 21:24 Jesus said, “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Some thirty years before 1914 Pastor Russell did forecast that the times of the Gentiles would end in 1914, the evidence of which would be a great world war. Even as late as 1913 he was scornfully ridiculed by his critics; but time has clearly proven that he was right, and they were wrong; the war came as predicted, almost to the day.

As a general statement, the Russellites were “moderately educated,” so you say; but they also did have among them a few brilliant Greek and Hebrew scholars, enough to reveal the erroneous translations of the Bible; and this made the Movement generally basically sound in exegetical deductions. The most brilliant of these was Professor Paul S. L. Johnson, who was a master of Greek and Hebrew. He soon voiced emphatic protest against the perversions that the Judge and his companions in error were attempting to inject into the harmonious truth structure that Pastor Russell had left. It was my privilege to be a very close friend of Professor Johnson, and I gave him very substantial support after he left the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society in 1917,  which I continued to do until his death in 1950.

A pertinent analogy to the Russell Movement may be found among the Apostles, of whom it is written “they were unlearned and ignorant men.” (Acts 4:13) But they also had a man named Paul among them, who was brilliant and highly educated. As respects Professor Johnson, I might add that he graduated from Capital University of Columbus, Ohio, with the highest honors ever attained by any student up to his time.

It is my hope that you will find the copies of my papers, Nos. 194-223 and Special Edition No.7, interesting and informative; and I send with this letter my cordial good wishes for your health and prosperity. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.

Sincerely, John J. Hoefle

In due course we received a courteous reply to the above letter, thanking us for the information we gave him. He also said, “What I wrote was based on intimate contact with Russellism when I was in High School in the 20's... My uncle could talk of nothing else. He was a fervent follower, first of Russell, then of Judge Rutherford. Of course, my uncle never knew of Paul Johnson's protests, and I was too young to have been aware of the division of thought at the Brooklyn headquarters.”

From the foregoing we may readily discern how easy it has been to “make” history; and that much of what is in the books today may be far from the truth. But when the record is written in full truth, then we shall have full appreciation of Jesus’ words, “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matt. 13:43) And this will be especially true of those faithful Pastors and Teachers, such as That Servant, the Epiphany Messenger, and others of the Gospel Age, including all the fully faithful.

(Brother John J. Hoefle, Reprint No. 498, October  1997)

___________________________________________________________________

New Book Release:

PASTOR C. T. RUSSELL:  MESSENGER OF MILLENNIAL HOPE 

A book on the life and legacy of Pastor Charles Taze Russell has recently been published. More than ten years in the making, it is the first such full-length biography to appear in eighty years. Thoroughly researched and documented with more than 600 endnotes, it flows in an easy-to-read narrative style that will delight both the serious student and interested reader alike.

The book begins with the early days of the Bible Student movement and traces its rapid growth in late 19th and early 20th century America. It highlights the immense popularity its founder achieved as an independent preacher, Bible textbook author, and widespread syndicated newspaper columnist with weekly reviews of his Sunday sermons. A summary of the Pastor's beliefs in areas of basic doctrines and prophetic expectations is given. His concept of the Divine plan of the ages and conviction of the nearness of the Millennial Kingdom for the blessing of all mankind are fully explained.

Attention is then given to the opposition that arose from orthodox church circles and from efforts of the clergy to thwart the Truth message. Two chapters deal specifically with various slanderous charges that were raised against the Pastor, both in his day and at the present time. He was accused of everything from lacking proper preaching credentials to displaying questionable moral integrity, all in a despicable effort to destroy his reputation and influence among the people. In airing these attacks maligning the Pastor's character, the author encourages the reader to note the bias of his detractors, discern between honest and unfair criticism, and most important, not be dissuaded from considering his enlightened teachings.

The final hectic days of the Pastor's ministry, the disappointment of 1914, and his unexpected death shortly afterward are all reviewed. Then follows an inside look at the incredible conspiracy and apostasy that occurred almost immediately within the midst of the directorate of the Society ─ overturning the Pastor's best efforts to prevent individual headship from gaining control. As the new leadership emerged, it quickly became evident that vast changes in spirit, doctrine and policy lay in store.

In the latter part of the book, one entire chapter is devoted to examining possible portrayals in Scripture of the Pastor's unique role, including “that faithful and wise servant,” “the seventh messenger” and “the man with the writer's inkhorn.” The legacy of Pastor Russell is then taken up at length in the final chapters. This is seen in the regrouping of scattered Bible Students that followed the mass confusion at his death, and their enthusiasm and zeal in carrying on the work of Harvest. These groups and their activities are described in detail, including the outreach in radio and television, republishing efforts, audiovisual projects, and internet use, as well as conventions and specialty facilities.

There is also a useful appendix section with noteworthy quotations from the Pastor's writings. These include concise doctrinal statements, devotional guides, and inspirational pen pictures, all quoted directly from his works. It closes with an especially readable reproduction of the Chart of the Ages and a handy key that explains the chart symbols in brief form.

NO. 601 CALAMITIES - WHY PERMITTED

“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them. Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-5)

Noble and good in the sight of both God and man are the generous impulses of charity and sympathy awakened by calamities such as the Oklahoma City bombing, World Trade Center destruction, Katrina destruction of the city of New Orleans and the Gulf coast and the recent Virginia Tech massacre to mention just a few. Nothing more can be said in favor of calamities or their influence.

These charitable impulses are evidence that at least some of the original God-likeness of our race remains. It has not been wholly obliterated by the degradation of the fall, nor wholly poisoned by the bad theology of the dark ages. Though we live in the most selfish and money-loving period known to history, billions of dollars are generously poured forth to aid suffering humanity. Some, who in times of calamitous distress show that they have a tender spot in their hearts, do at other times lend effort and skill to design the most horrible killing weapons and implements. On occasions of war they relentlessly and pitilessly slaughter a thousand times as many as the accidents of nature and the terrorists of late. Yet, for all this showing of the two opposite characteristics in the same people, we rejoice that the God-like element of sympathy exists as a partial offset. The devilish qualities of selfishness and heartlessness, under the degrading influence of man’s fallen state, seem to have grown steadily stronger during the past half century.

Before looking carefully, reasonably and scripturally at the question of why God permits calamities, let us note the absurd views of some Christian people, who should know God’s Word and character much better than they indicate. Some whose hearts over-flow with sympathy and God-like love in the presence of great calamities (which proves their hearts better and more sound than their theology), declare that God is the director and cause of all disasters and troubles. Hence whatever men may do to alleviate such distresses would, according to this false view, be so much done in opposition to God; and whatever love and sympathy they feel, is so much sentiment opposed to God’s sentiments ─ which are thus made to appear malicious.

The hideousness of such a character ascribed to the God of love, is intensified when the same good, tenderhearted, but wrong-headed, deluded people tell us what their faith in God is and their view of his character. Their theology was formed in the “dark ages” when Bible doctrines concerning God’s character and plan had become over-grown with superstition and human traditions. This indicates He looks without pity or sympathy upon man’s present calamities and distresses, but foreordained them. He has furthermore foreordained and made fullest preparation for engulfing the majority of his creatures in a calamity. The comparison with which, all the horrors of all earth’s calamities united in one would be nothing. Under this view these calamities are mere preludes to that most awful, indes­cribable torment, which would be wholly unendurable. He will never relieve them. God with fiendish cruelty will perpetuate life forever and forever, in order to have them suffer.

It is surprising that any who possess the spirit of God, to any extent, can thus blaspheme His Holy Name. It is surprising that they do not know more of the character of the Creator than this, even without the Bible testimony to his love and justice. Bible testimony advises of His plan in Christ for blessing all the families of the earth. The declaring of this plan constitutes the “good tidings of great joy [not of eternal torment] which shall be unto all people.” (Luke 2:10) Indeed, God is more vilified by many of his children than by the infidel world. How strange, the very Bible that declares God’s true character of love and justice, is considered as the authority for these devilish doctrines and false interpretations. It is even stranger that those who during the “dark ages” used to burn and torment Bible believers originated these false doctrines and false interpretations.

GOD’S LOVE ─ HOW SHOWN

When we declare that whatever there is of love and sympathy in man, is only the remnant of the original Divine likeness, in which Adam was created, not wholly effaced by six thousand years of degradation in sin, it at once raises a question. In what way does God manifest his sympathy and love in such emergencies, when even the hearts of fallen human beings are touched, with sympathy and love, to acts of kindness and succor?

A correct answer is, that God is represented in every act of kindness done, whether by his children or by the world. Their actions under such circumstances are the results, in some measure, of His character and disposition. Yet this answer is not full enough to be satisfactory. Thank God, a fuller investigation, considering his Word, reveals a boundless sympathy on God’s part ─ providing also an abundant succor, which is shortly to be revealed.

However, why does not God immediately succor his creatures from calamities? To go still farther back, why does He who has all wisdom to know and all power to prevent, permit calamities ─ tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, destructive floods, pestilences, etc.? While we are about it, we may as well include all the evils which God could, if he would, prevent ─ all the forms of sickness and pain and death; every form of destruction ─ wars, murders, etc.; everything that causes pain or trouble to those willing to do and be in harmony with God? The answer to one of these questions will be the answer to every question on the subject; for all human evils are related and have a common source or cause.

To comprehend fully we must go back to the Garden of Eden, where neither famine, pestilence, tornadoes, earthquakes, nor death in any form were permitted, where man and his surroundings and conditions were pronounced “very good,” even by God himself. This was certainly greatly appreciated by man, who had to be driven out and prevented from returning by the fiery sword that kept the way of access to the life-sustaining fruits of the trees of the garden.

How came it that the Creator, who so graciously provided for the life and comfort of his creatures, and who communed with them and gave them his blessing and the promise of everlasting life upon the sole condition of continued obedience, should so change in his attitude toward his creatures, as to drive them from the enjoyments of those Eden comforts and blessings, out into the unprepared earth ─ to toil, weariness, insufficient sustenance, and thus to death?

We must remember that only the Garden of Eden was “prepared,” and fit for man’s comfortable enjoyment of the favor of life. The preparation of the whole earth for man, requiring in a natural way seven thousand years more to entirely fit it for the habitation of perfect, obedient, human children of God, the Creator specially or miraculously prepared the Garden of Eden in advance merely as a fit place for Adam’s trial. God foresaw the fall of his creature, and provided that the penalty for sin, “dying thou shalt die,” instead of being suddenly inflicted as by a lightning stroke, or other speedy method, should be served out gradually by conflict with the unfavorable conditions (of climate, sterility of soil, storms, miasmas, thorns, weeds, etc.) of the as yet unprepared earth.

Adam and Eve, therefore, went forth from Eden convicts, under sentence of death; self-convicted under the most just of all judges, their Creator and Friend. The convicts esteemed it a mercy to be let die gradually rather than suddenly; while to the Creator and Judge this was expedient because of a plan he had for the future, in which such experience with imperfect conditions would be of great value ─ a plan for the increase of the race, and for its discipline and final redemption and restoration.

The death penalty, inflicted in this manner, God foresaw would furnish man, through experience, such a lesson on exceeding sinfulness of sin and its baneful results as would never need to be repeated ─ a lesson, therefore, which will profit all who learn it to all eternity; especially when Christ’s Millennial reign of righteousness shall manifest in contrast the fruits of righteousness: God also designing that the exercise of man’s mental faculties in coping with the disturbances and imperfections of his surroundings and in inventing relief and the exercise of his moral faculties in combating his own weaknesses, and the calls upon his sympathy should prove beneficial.

Had the sentence of God in addition to a loss of Eden’s comforts and experience with sin and death, condemned his creatures to an eternity of torment and anguish, as so many believe and teach, who could defend such a sentence, or call the Judge just, or loving, or in any sense good? Surely no one of sound mind!

But when it is seen that the Scriptures teach that death (extinction), and not life in torment, was the penalty pronounced and inflicted, all is reasonable. God has a right to demand perfect obedience from his perfect creature when placed under perfect conditions, as in Adam’s case. And the decree that none shall live everlastingly except the perfect is both a wise and just provision for the everlasting welfare of all God’s creatures.

There is a depth of meaning in the Creator’s words, as he sent forth his fairly tried and justly condemned creatures, among the thorns and briars, to labor and pain, and sorrow, and disease, and to be subject to the casualties and calamities of nature’s unfinished work. He said: “Cursed is the ground FOR THY SAKE” (Gen. 3:17), i.e., the earth in general is in its present imperfect condition for your profit and experience; even though you may not esteem it so. Adam would have sought to retain continual access to the garden fruits, to avoid severe labor and to enable him to fully sustain his vital powers and live forever; but in loving consideration for man’s ultimate good, no less than in justice, and in respect of his own sentence of death, God prevented this and guarded the way back to the garden, in order that the death sentence should not fail of execution, in order that sinners should not live forever and thus perpetuate sin.

The children of the condemned pair inherited their fall, imperfections and weaknesses, and also the penalties of these for “who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?” The whole race, therefore, as convict laborers, have not only been learning what sin and evil are, and their undesirable results, but by their labor and skill they are serving to prepare the earth and bring it as a whole to the full perfection designed for it, and illustrated in the condition of Eden ─ ready for a further purpose of God of which none but his children (and not all of them) are made aware through the Scriptures.

We can see, then, that labor and toil were prescribed for man’s good. They have kept him so employed that he could not plan and consummate evil to the same extent that he otherwise would have done. Now, with modern conveniences and labor saving devices creating more leisure than the world has ever known, evil is proliferating in the minds of idle people. Knowledge (of evil) is increasing and people are running to and fro seeking sinful pleasures and devising plots and schemes to the detriment of their fellowmen. What a mercy in disguise present shortness of life is, under present circumstances.

God’s action, then, in exposing his creatures to death, pain and various calamities, it must first of all be seen, was one which related only to his present life on earth, and to no other; for of any continuance of life, in any locality, God did not give him the slightest intimation. On the contrary, the words of the penalty were, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return,” ─ “dying thou shalt die.”  (Gen. 3:19; 2:17)

True, God gave promise that, somehow and at some time, a son of the woman should accomplish deliverance. But it was vague and indefinite then, merely a glimmer of hope, to show them that though God dealt severely with them, and on lines of law and justice, he yet sympathized with them, and would, ultimately, without violating justice or ignoring his own righteous sentence of death, bring them succor.

Paul tells us that God adopted a method for the recovery of man, from that original sentence of death which came upon all as a result of Adam’s fall, which would show the justice of his sentence and the unchangeableness of his decrees, and yet permit such as are sick of sin to use their experience wisely, and to return to harmony and obedience to their Creator and his just and reasonable laws and regulations.

This Divine Plan, by which God could remain just and unchangeable in his attitude toward sin and sinners, and yet release the well-disposed from the penalty of sin (death and disfavor), is stated by the Apostle in Romans 3:24-26.  In brief, this plan provided that another man who, by obedience to the law of God, should prove His worthiness of eternal life, might, by the willing sacrifice of the life to which he was thus proved worthy, redeem the forfeited life of Adam and of his posterity who lost life through him; for it is written, “In Adam all die,” and “By the offense of one sentence of condemnation came on all men.”  (1 Cor. 15:22; Rom. 5:12, 18)

Since the condemnation to death was thus upon all men, and since another man newly created and inexperienced as Adam was, though just as favorably situated, would have been similarly liable to fall, God devised the marvelous plan of transferring his only begotten Son from the spiritual to the human nature, and thus provided a man fit for sacrifice ─ “the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all;” “who, though he was rich [though he was possessed of glory and honor and riches of wisdom and power above both angels and men], nevertheless for our sakes became poor [humbling himself to a lower nature, even as a man, becoming obedient even unto death] that we through his poverty might be made rich.”  (1 Tim. 2:5; 2 Cor. 8:9)

Thus the one first created, “the first born of all creation” (Col. 1:15), “the beginning of the creation of God” (Rev. 2:14), the one who had known God’s character longer, more fully and more intimately than any other being, the one in fact who had been Jehovah’s chief and honored, intelligent and active agent in the creation of angels as well as of men, the one by whom all things were made, and aside from whom not anything was made (John 1:3; Col. 1:16,17) this great being, Jehovah’s Prime Minister, and next to himself in dignity, the Almighty entrusted with the work of redeeming and restoring mankind.

To redeem them would cost the sacrifice of His very life as their ransom-price, with all that implied of suffering and self-denial. To restore them (such of them as shall prove worthy ─ whosoever wills) will require the exercise of Divine Power to open the prison-house of death, and to break the fetters of sin and prejudice and superstition, and give to all the redeemed the fullest opportunity to decide whether they love good or evil, righteousness or sin, truth or error, and to destroy all who love and work iniquity, and to develop and perfect again all who love and choose life upon its only condition ─ righteousness.

To know the Father’s plan and His privilege of cooperation in its execution was to appreciate it and joyfully engage therein. Willingly our Lord Jesus laid aside the glory of the higher nature, which he had had with the Father from before the creation of man (John 17:5; 2 Cor. 8:9). He was “made flesh” (John 1:14; Heb. 2:14), became a man at thirty years of age, and then began the great work of sacrifice, the sacrifice of himself, a perfect man, for the cancellation of the sin of the first man, to recover Adam and his race by dying on their behalf, as their Redeemer. By giving to Justice the price of their liberty from Divine condemnation, He secured the legal right to cancel the sentence of condemnation to death against them, and hence the right to resurrect or restore to life and to all the lost estate and blessings, “whomsoever he will.” (Rev. 22:17) And he wills to restore all who shall prove worthy. And to prove who are worthy will be the object of the Millennial reign (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9).

This fact that our Lord’s mission to earth at the First Advent was to undo for the race, legally, the results of Adam’s transgression, and to secure the right to resurrect them and restore them, is clearly stated by the Apostle. (See Rom. 5:5-12, 16-19, 21; 1 Cor. 15:21-24.)

Though tempted in all points like as we (his “brethren”) are, he ignored his own will (Luke 22:42; John 4:34; 5:30) and all suggestions from others contrary to God’s plan (Matt. 16:23; Luke 4:4, 8:12) and obeyed God implicitly. And therein lay the secret of His success. Temptations did not overcome Him, as they did even the perfect man Adam, because of the fullness of his consecration to the Divine will and plan; and this fullness of consecration and trust was the result of His intimate knowledge of the Father and his unbounded confidence in his wisdom, love and power. He had recollection of his previous existence as a spirit being with the Father. (John 17:5; 3:12, 13) Our Lord’s success, then, was the result of being rightly exercised by His knowledge of God; as is written: “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, while bearing their iniquities.” (Isa. 53:11)

The suggestive thoughts here are two: First, that even a perfect man failed in trial because of the lack of full appreciation of God’s greatness, goodness and resources. Secondly the knowledge (as in Satan’s case) would be valueless, if unaccompanied by sincere love and consecration to God’s will. A lesson further, to Christ’s “brethren,” is, that knowledge and consecration are both essential to following in the Master’s footsteps.

Among men He and His mission were not really known; even His most ardent followers and admirers at first supposed that His mission was merely to heal some of the sick Jews, and to advance their nation to the rulership of a dying world, and to be a teacher of morals; they saw not at first that His was to lay the foundation of a world-wide empire, which should not only include the living, but also the dead of Adam’s race, and which should insure peace and joy everlastingly to all the worthy, by eradicating, forever sin and all who love it after fully comprehending of its character in contrast with righteousness. Even His friends and disciples were slow to realize these grand dimensions of His work, though He continually repeated them, and bore witness, saying: “The Son of man came to give his life a ransom for many;” (Matt. 20:28) “Verily, verily, the hour is coming [1] when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear [obey] shall live.” (John 5:25) “The Lord hath sent me to preach deliverance to the captives [of death] and recovery of sight to the [mentally, morally and physically] blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised [injured by the Adamic fall].” (Luke 4:18)

The sacrifice of the Redeemer’s all, as man’s ransom price, was offered at the time he was thirty years old ─ at his baptism. And there God accepted the offering, as marked by His anointing with the spirit. Thenceforth, the three and a half years of his ministry He spent in using up the consecrated life already offered; and this He completed at Calvary. There the price of our liberty was paid in full. “It is finished!” It holds good; it is acceptable by the grace of God, as the offset and covering for every weakness and sin of the first man, and his posterity, resulting either directly, or indirectly, from the first disobedience and fall. All that is necessary since, for a full return to divine favor and communion, and to an inheritance in the Paradise of God, which the great Redeemer in due time was promised to establish in the entire earth, as at first in the Garden of Eden, is a recognition of sin, full repentance, and a turning from sin to righteousness. Christ will establish righteousness in the earth by the Kingdom of God, which he has promised shall be established, and for which he has bidden us wait and hope, and for which he taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth even as it is done in heaven.”

Under that blessed and wise rule of Christ as King of nations, [2] all the evil, depraved tendencies inherited from the fall and from the six thousand years of degradation, will be restrained, held in check, by super-human wisdom, love and power; and all being brought to a clear knowledge of the truth in its every phase, all will be fairly and fully tested. The lovers of righteousness will be perfected and given control of the perfected earth, while those loving unrighteousness under that clear light of knowledge and experience will, as followers of Satan’s example, be utterly destroyed in the Second Death. The First Death is the destruction to which all were subjected by Adam’s sin, but from which all were redeemed by the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice; and the Second Death is that destruction which will overtake those who, though redeemed by Christ from the First Death, shall by their own willful conduct, merit and receive death again. This Second Death means utter destruction, without hope of another redemption or resurrection; for Christ dieth no more. Nor could any good reason for their further trial be assigned; for the trial granted during the Millennial Age under Christ, as Judge will be a thorough and fair and individual and final trial.

“YE SHALL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH” UNLESS YE REPENT

Death, in whatever form it may come, is perishing, ceasing to exist. All mankind, through Adam’s transgression, came under condemnation to loss of life, to “perish” “to be as though they had not been.” And only one way of escape from that condemnation has been provided (Acts 4:12). Because of Christ’s redemptive work all may escape perishing by accepting the conditions of life. During Christ’s Millennial reign those whom Pilate slew, and those upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and all others of the race, sharers in the death penalty now upon us, will be released from the tomb, brought to a knowledge of Christ, his ransom work, and their privilege of repentance and full restitution to Divine favor, life, etc. Thus seen, the Adamic Death penalty was to perish; but it has been canceled by Christ’s Ransom, so far as it relates to those who, when brought to know the Redeemer, shall forsake sin. No longer should it be regarded as a perished condition, but as a “sleep” (John 11:11-14; Matt 9:24; 1 Thes. 4:14; 5:10) from which the Redeemer will awaken all to give each who did not have it before being overtaken by Adam’s death, a full, individual opportunity to escape perishing and live forever. Yet, finally, all who shall fail to repent and to lay hold upon the gracious Life-giver shall perish; they will fail to obtain the full restitution provided; they shall never see (perfect) life (full restitution) for the wrath or condemnation of God will abide on them, condemning them to death as unworthy of life. As this will be their second condemnation, and an individual one, so the penalty will be the Second Death, which will not be general to the race, but only upon such individuals as refuse God’s favor of recon-ciliation and life.

As our Lord Jesus used the calamities of his time, as illustrating the just penalty against all who do not flee sin and lay hold upon the Redeemer and Life-giver, so we see them. We declare that destruction, perishing, is the just penalty of sin taught in the Scriptures. We denounce the eternal torment theory, so generally believed by God’s children, as unscriptural; as one of Satan’s blasphemous slanders against God’s character. And we proclaim that only by faith in the Redeemer, repentance and reformation, can the gift of God, eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, be obtained. Whoever hears the offer of life is responsible to the extent that he understands it; and according to God’s promise and plan all mankind shall, at some time, either during the Gospel Age, or during the coming Millennial Age, be brought to a full, clear appreciation of these conditions and opportunities, with fullest opportunities for repentance and life.

Calamities, then, are to be regarded, generally, as accidents, attributable to human imperfection and lack of experience, or to disturbances incidental to the preparation of the earth for its more quiet and perfect condition during the Sabbath or Seventh Thousand years (the Millennium), and for its state of absolute perfection forever after the Millennium, which under Christ’s direction, shall give it its finishing touches and make it fully ready for the redeemed race, which His reign shall prepare also to rightly use and enjoy and rule the perfected earth. And man is exposed to these calamities and accidents, and not defended from them by his Almighty Creator, because, first, man is a sinner condemned to death anyway, and is not to be spared from it, but must be allowed to pass through it; and secondly, by the present experiences with trouble and sorrow and pain, all of which are but elements of death, mankind is learning a lesson and laying up in store an experience with sin and its awful concomitants, sorrow, pain and death, which will be valuable in that Millennial Age, when each shall be required to choose between good and evil. The evil they learn first, now; the good and its blessed results and rewards, but dimly seen now, will be fully displayed then ─ during the Millennium (Acts 17:31).

But some one inquires, If this be God’s plan, for redeeming the world by the death of his Son and justifying and restoring all who believe in and accept of him, and obey and love righteousness, why did not the Millennial reign of Christ with its favorable conditions and powerful restraints begin at once, as soon as Christ had given the ransom price at Calvary; instead of compelling those who would follow righteousness, to sail through bloody seas and suffer for righteousness’ sake? Or else, why not have postponed the giving of the ransom until the close of the six thousand years of evil and the inauguration of the Millennial reign? Or, at least, if the present order of events is best in the Divine Wisdom, why does not God specially protect from calamities, accidents, sorrow, pain, death, etc., those who have fully accepted of Christ and who have sacrificed and are using their all in the service of righteousness?

Ah yes! The subject would be incomplete were this point left untouched. The consecrated saints, the Church of the Gospel age, are a “peculiar people,” different from the rest of the redeemed race; and God’s dealings with them are peculiar and different also. Inasmuch as it was God’s purpose to highly honor and exalt our Lord Jesus far above all others, because of His faithful obedience even to self-sacrifice, so it was His purpose to select a “little flock” for His companionship in glory, who, after being justified by Christ’s sacrifice and reconciled to God by the death of His Son, should develop so much of a likeness to His Son, by intently following His words and example, that they, like Him (though far less fully than He because of weaknesses of the flesh), should likewise so love righteousness and truth, and so delight to do God’s will, that they would do it at any cost or sacrifice of earthly pleasures or comforts, or esteem among men ─ even unto death.

The space of time between the giving of the ransom for all, and the establishment of the Kingdom which is to bestow upon mankind the blessings purchased, is for the very purpose of selecting the “little flock” of under kings and priests. Christ’s companions in the honors and work of the Kingdom otherwise called, as a class, “The Bride, the Lamb’s wife.” The selection of this class must take place during a time when evil, trouble and sin, have sway in the world; for it is by the special opposition of evil and sin, to God’s plan to all in harmony with it, that these are to be specially tried and tested; that only “overcomers” shall be selected and given this very honorable and responsible position.

Not only is this class required to follow after righteousness and truth, and to support them and oppose sin, to their present discomfort and loss, but also they are required to do all this on the strength of faith, outward evidences being often contrary to faith. A part of their test is, that they must walk by faith and not by sight. They are to believe God’s promises though every outward circumstance seems to contradict it. This is part of their lesson as well as part of their trial.

They are to believe God’s testimony, that death and trouble entered the world as a result of Adam’s sin, and that a fall from perfection took place in Eden, no matter what speculations among scientists may suggest to the contrary ─ as that Adam was evolved from an ape, and that the Bible story of the fall, the condemnation and redemption are alike unscientific; that Christ, like Confucius, was a great teacher, but nothing more; that he accomplished no redemption and that none could have been needful or required. The saints are to shun all such babblings of science and philosophy, falsely so-called, and to walk by faith in God’s revelation.

Though they see errors flourish and Scriptural truths spurned and disregarded, they are to disregard numbers and human traditions and, by faith, hold to God’s Word. Though told by God that they are redeemed and no longer under his condemnation and disfavor with the rest of the world, they are to believe and walk by faith, nothing doubting, even though they are not the recipients of special earthly favors, and even though they, like others, have a share of sickness, pain and death.

Their advantages are often less than those of other men, and their course often much more up-hill and rough. They walk by faith and not by sight, however; they endure as seeing Him who is invisible, and the crown, which is invisible, and the Kingdom, which is invisible, and as though they already had everlasting life, though they die like other men. In all these things, yea, in everything, they are required to walk by faith and not by sight, if they would be crowned overcomers and made heirs in the coming Kingdom.

Their advantages are invisible to the world, and are seen only by the eye of faith. Their peace and joy are dependent upon their knowledge and trust of God and His Plan; and their knowledge and trust depend upon their faith in his Word of promise. By faith they “know [even when outward evidences seem contrary] that all things are working together” for their ultimate good, and that the glories and blessings of the future shall far overbalance all the trials and troubles and wounds of the present; and so believing from such a standpoint, it is well said that these have a joy and peace, even amid tribulation, and which the world can neither give nor take away.

What advantage, then, hath a true, consecrated Christian in the present time? Much every way; both in the life that now is, and also in that which is to come. All things are yours; for ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s and ye are accepted of God in and through the merit of Christ.

“Soul, then know thy full salvation,

    Rise o’er sin and fear and care;

 Joy to find in every station,

    Something still to do or bear.”

No matter how dark the clouds, no matter how unfavorable the circumstance on its surface, thou hast the heavenly assurance, that ─ “All must work for good to thee.”

Even those things which may seem to be, and to the world are, accidents, cannot be so regarded in connection with these so peculiarly precious in God’s sight. Nothing transpires without your Father’s knowledge ─ not even a sparrow falls, or a hair of your heads. And since infinite wisdom, infinite love, and infinite power are pledged to our aid, and guarantee us against all that would not be for our ultimate good, with how much confidence and trust all such may free themselves from harassing care and anxiety and with how much courage they may press on, committing their way unto the Lord, and engaging heart and hand and brain in his service; for we also “know that our labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Like their Master, such shall yet see results for all their travail of souls, which will fully recompense or satisfy them. Such may rejoice in tribulation, knowing the results. Even the families of the saints and all that concerns them, are precious to the Lord for their sakes.

Courage, then, dear family of God! Be strong! Quit you like men! Endure hardness as good soldiers; endure as seeing the Lord and the prize though they are invisible except to your eye of faith. Expect not to reign, nor to be exempted from trial and sufferings, until the battle is ended ─ until Evil (sin, as well as disaster, trouble and death, its accompaniments) shall be removed by our Redeemer, who soon is to take his great power and reign to deliver the groaning creation from all its present distresses.

“Behold, we bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people.” (Luke 2:10.) Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord; for though for a little moment He hid his face and permitted calamities to scourge and destroy his creatures because of their transgression, yet in great mercy He hath provided our ransom price; yea, He hath highly exalted Him to be both Priest and King to cleanse from sin, and to rule to perfect all who will then submit their hearts to Him and obey Him. From such He shall wipe away all tears; and sorrow and dying, and every evil, shall be no more. “Behold, I make all things new.” (Rev.21:5)

[1]Sinaitic MS omits the words and now is.

[1]Not visibly in flesh, however, for he is no longer flesh, having been highly exalted again, after he had finished the flesh-life by giving it as our ransom price. — See “The Time is at Hand,” Chap. V.

___________________________________________________________________

“IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW”

On the evening of April 3, 2007, Pastor Moses Emah lost his second son Michael Moses. He was buried April 6, 2007. He was a third year student of the University of Uyo. He is missed so much, but with the hope of a glorious resurrection in the Kingdom.

NO. 600 HOPE FOR THE SODOMITES

Genesis 19:12-17,23-29

“Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing.” (2 Cor. 6:17, R.V.)

When Abraham was ninety-nine years old ─ about the year 1900 B.C. ─ his encampment was at Hebron. There the Lord and two angels appeared to him as men. He knew them not, but entertained them, and they did eat and talk with Abraham. St. Paul, noting this, urges that the Lord's people should be hospitable to strangers, and reminds us of how Abraham entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:2).

The one in this case called the Lord was doubtless the Logos, chief Messenger of Jehovah, who subsequently was made flesh that he might be man's redeemer and restorer. The Lord on this occasion told Abraham that Ishmael would not be the heir of the promise, but that very shortly Sarah would have a son, notwithstanding her advanced age. Isaac was born the next year.

It was as Abraham walked with his angelic visitors a little distance that he learned who they really were, and that the destruction of Sodom was imminent. Nobly and generously the heir of the promises petitioned God's mercy on the Sodomites, to spare them from destruction if there were fifty, forty, twenty or even ten amongst them doing as well as they knew how. The Lord gave assurance that if there were ten in the city thus righteous it would be spared.

THE WICKEDNESS OF SODOM GREAT

God's policy has been to allow mankind during this reign of sin and death to try their hand at self-government, etc. He has interfered to cut off with destruction only those whose iniquity became very pronounced and whose fond enjoyment of life's privileges would be injurious to themselves and others. Thus of the Sodomites and the antediluvians God made illustrations of the great lesson, “All the wicked will He destroy.” (Psa. 145:20)

We are to remember, however, that these are not illustrations of eternal torment, but illustrations of destruction. We are to remember, also, that these merely passed into destruction a few years sooner than they would ordinarily have done. We are to remember, further, that the death sentence was upon all of Adam's race from the time when he was cast out of Eden.

We are to remember, further, that Christ Jesus, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man; and that in him all the families of the earth will be blessed. This means that all of Adam's children, under the reign of sin and death and the weaknesses of heredity, will eventually come forth from the tomb through the merit of Christ's sacrifice. And that sacrifice included the Sodomites as truly as it includes any of us, as this lesson will show.

“AND DELIVERED RIGHTEOUS LOT”

The Apostle Peter informs us that Lot was not in sympathy with the evils of Sodom, in the midst of which he lived. (2 Peter 2:7,8) His family apparently had been all girls. These, except two, had intermarried with the Sodomites. Quite possibly it was the thought of marrying the daughters to prosperous husbands that, under the guidance of the mother, induced the family to settle in Sodom. How many others like Lot and his wife have made the serious mistake of claiming more for the physical and temporal interests of their families than for their intellectual and moral welfare! The story of the flight of Lot, his wife and two unmarried daughters is simply told in our lesson.

Geologists declare that the region of the Dead Sea, the former site of Sodom and Gomorrah, was a gas and oil and asphalt deposit, with a deep crevice which led down to subterranean fires; and that the connection established between these by an earthquake or by a lightning bolt would have resulted in the manner described as the experiences of Sodom. The gas, throwing burning oil and asphalt into the air, would have produced a rain of fire and brimstone ─ a death-dealing terror. But had there been no such reservoir of inflammables, the Lord would have been quite able to accomplish the same results by other means, or in such a case perhaps accomplished the destruction in another way.

The intimation of the 29th verse is that God's mercy toward Lot was because of his relationship to Abraham. This view is consistent with all the Bible statements. Adam's entire race was condemned to death because of his disobedience. Hence Divine justice owed nothing to any of them. Divine mercy entered into a special covenant of favor with Abraham, after he had demonstrated his faith, loyalty and obedience; but the covenant did not extend to any others except to his seed. There was therefore no reason why Lot should be considered more than others except as stated ─ that God would show favor to him because of his relationship to Abraham.

“THERE'S A WIDENESS IN GOD'S MERCY”

This does not signify that God is merciless to our race, but merely that, having provided a way, or channel, through which he will exercise his mercy, he will but rarely exercise it outside of that foreordained channel.

The channel of all of God's mercy is Christ Jesus, who declared, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) Of Him also St. Peter said, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given amongst men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Since no one could be saved except through Jesus, it follows that no one was saved before Jesus came. To some this may at first seem astounding, until they perceive that it is the clear teaching of the Bible, and the key which unlocks the wonders of God's grace.

In proof of this, note St. Paul's words respecting the salvation which God has sent to mankind through Jesus. He says, “Which salvation began to be preached by our Lord and was confirmed unto us by those who heard him.” (Heb. 2:3) Again, we read that Jesus “brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:10)

Abraham and all the Hebrews had the intimation of coming blessing through the promises made to Abraham; but an intimation is one thing, and the blessing itself another. The promise said that the people's blessing would come through Abraham's seed (Gal. 3:16,29). Hence it could not come before. We should rid our minds of the thought that Abraham, Moses, David and others of the holy ones of the past went to heaven, and the remainder of mankind to eternal torture. The Bible most distinctly declares that the ancients, good and bad, were gathered to their fathers and slept with their fathers. They are sleeping still, waiting for the time when Abraham's seed will be complete, and will set up God's Kingdom in the earth, overthrow all the powers of sin and death, and deliver all the captives from the prison-house of the tomb.

THE FIRST, OR CHIEF RESURRECTION

The first resurrection began with our Lord Jesus and is not yet completed, because all of the faithful elect Bride Class are called to share in his sacrificial death, and to share also in his glorious resurrection to the Divine nature. All sharing in that first resurrection, the Bible declares, will reign with Christ a thousand years, and as the seed of Abraham, fully empowered, will bless all those redeemed by the precious blood of Calvary (Rev. 20:4).

 St.   Paul emphasizes this point in Hebrews 11:38-40, declaring that, while Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the holy ones of the past received indications of God's favor, nevertheless that favor can come only through Christ. Consequently they cannot reach perfection in the flesh and everlasting life until the Body of Christ, the spiritual seed of Abraham, shall be completed ─ “that they, without us, should not be made perfect.” Jesus also attested that the Ancient Worthies had not gone to heaven, saying, “No man hath ascended up to heaven.” (John 3:13) St. Peter specializes in the Prophet David's case, and declares, “David is not ascended into the heavens.” (Acts 2:34)

HOPE FOR THE SODOMlTES

The hope for the Sodomites is exactly the same as the hope for all the remainder of Adam's race, except a few who, during this Gospel Age, have come into relationship with Christ as members of the spiritual seed. The hope of all the world is the Messianic Kingdom, and the deliverance from the power of sin and death which it will effect. With the setting up of that Kingdom the work of salvation will begin, so far as the world is concerned, for the salvation of the Church to a heavenly condition is a separate salvation from that which God has provided for the world in general. The sacrifice at Calvary, however, is one sacrifice for all ─ the basis of all our hopes. We were all condemned to death through Adam; and justification to life can come to none except through the Redeemer.

Jesus tells us that it will be more tolerable for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment (the thousand years of His Messianic reign) than for the people of His day who heard His message and rejected it ─ the people of Capernaum, Bethsaida, Chorazin (Matthew 11:20-24). It will not be intolerable for the people who rejected Jesus; but it will be more tolerable, the Master said, for the Sodomites, because, He explains, “If the mighty works had been done in Sodom and Gomorrah, they would have repented,” and would not have been overwhelmed.

This shows us clearly that the eternal fate of the Sodomites is not sealed. When we turn to the Word of the Lord through Ezekiel the Prophet, 16:46-63, we have abundant testimony that the Sodomites will not only be awakened from the sleep of death, but when awakened will be brought to a knowledge of God and to an opportunity of obtaining everlasting life, through The Messiah, by willing obedience.

For the love of God is broader

Than the measure of man's mind;

And the heart of the Eternal

Is most wonderfully kind.

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 5178-5179, February 1, 1913)

___________________________________________________________________

THE WORLD CALLED TO REPENTANCE

“God now commandeth men everywhere to repent; because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.”

(Acts 17:30,31)

When God sentenced Father Adam to death He very properly said nothing about repentance, for He offered Adam no hope of a future life. If, then, no hope of a future life was known to Adam or revealed to him, why should God deal with him at all? Adam was sentenced to death, to destruction. There is no basis upon which to command a man to repent unless something is offered him as a reward for repentance.

God had put upon Adam the sentence of death, which could be removed only by the payment of a ransom price. God fully intended that some day all mankind should have an opportunity of coming into harmony with Him and of having another trial, or judgment, for life; but it was not His due time to explain His program. Therefore, Adam lived and died without any command whatever to repent. And so did his children.

The first intimation of what God might do was given by the Prophet Enoch. But the revelation made by Enoch was not a sufficient basis for offering hope to mankind nor for te11ing them to repent (Jude 14,15).

A SUGGESTION OF HOPE FOR THE WORLD

So years passed by until the time of Abraham. Then God told Abraham that He would reveal a secret to him, because Abraham was His friend. That secret was not a message to be preached, but to be believed by himself and by those who would be heirs of that promise, which was not yet applicable to any outside of Abraham's descendents. The secret was, “In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 28:14) I intend to bless the world, Abraham. If you are obedient to my instructions, your seed will get the blessing and transmit it to the world in general. It was only by implication, therefore, that Abraham had any suggestion that a life of repentance would be rewarded.

In due time God called the children of Israel and dealt with them through Moses. Practically he said, “Do you wish to be my people? If so, come now, enter into a covenant with me; I will be your God and you shall be my people.” (Lev. 26:12)

Israel was not commanded to repent, nor were any of the rest of the world. It was an invitation, not a command. God was ready to make a covenant with them. That covenant was that they were to obey the Law, and that by their obedience to the Ten Commandments and the spirit of their covenant they would become God's people. But when they tried to keep the Law they found that they could not do so, because of inherited weakness. Hence there was nothing more to be said to them along that line. They had had their opportunity and they had failed.

THE CALL TO REPENTANCE

When Jesus came he kept the Law, and inherited all the promises of the Law Covenant. Then He offered a share of the Kingdom which God had promised to set up (Dan. 2:44), and blessing, honor and glory to as many of the Jews as would come into harmony with Him, as many as would walk in His steps of self-sacrifice and thus have God's favor (John 1:12). In substance He said, “This is the way. Trust in Me and walk in My steps. Thus you shall be My disciples. You shall share in My sufferings now, and by and by in My glory and Kingdom.”

In due time, after a certain number had been gathered from the Jews, this message was extended to all the Gentiles who were in the right condition of heart. The Gentiles not having indicated their desire to come back into harmony with God as the Jewish nation had done, God then commanded them everywhere to repent. (Acts 17:30) This He did through those who were the representatives of His teaching, the Apostles and the Church. In proportion as they understood the plan of God and were in harmony with it, they cou1d tell their neighbors that a new condition had been established and that God would deal henceforth with the Gentiles.

THE RANSOM THE BASIS OF HOPE FOR THE WORLD

Why should God deal with the Gentiles now, when he had refused to deal with them before? The explanation of this new condition is that Christ had died, and God's great plan had now matured enough to be made applicable to all men everywhere. God had appointed a day in which to judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:30,3). That great day is the next age, the day of Christ, the day of Messiah's Kingdom. God has made this provision for the redemption of all through the death of Christ. Mankind were all under the death sentence, and God could not deal with them until that sentence was lifted, or until provision was made for lifting it. He has not annulled the death sentence, but has provided a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

Whoever knows of this plan of redemption knows that God intends to give every individual of Adam's race an individual trial for life. That trial will not be merely to determine whether mankind w1ll try to do right and battle against all the evil influences of the world, but God will subdue sin and uplift all of Adam's race who are desirous of being uplifted.

God has declared that no member of Adam's race need die. Everyone who will may return to God through the great Atonement to be effected by the Redeemer. He has not completed this work yet, but to those who have an ear to hear, the word has gone out that there is to be a future trial, and that the manner of one's life now will have a bearing upon that trial. It is proper to tell this now, because the provision has been made through Christ's death.

THE PRESENT MESSAGE TO THE WORLD

Prior to the Gospel Age it was of no use to tell the people to come into harmony with God. But now the whole world is to be brought into a trial to help them and not to condemn them ─ a trial to see whether they are worthy to have the everlasting life that God will provide for them and assist the willing to attain. Wherever people are willing to hear, the message is, Repent! repent! Cease from sin, and this reformation of character will have an influence upon your everlasting life.

If one is not of the Church class he is not on trial for life or death. But it will be to his advantage to live uprightly, for there is a time of reckoning coming. God has provided for this day of trial in the death of Christ. Beforehand, however, the Lord is selecting a Church class. The Lord is thus preparing a great class of missionaries who will do everything possible to assist men out of sin and degradation back to harmony with God.

In times past God acted as though He did not notice when sin was committed ─ unless it was a grievous sin. Then he merely took the lives of the sinner, under unpleasant conditions ─ they went to sleep. The Prophet Ezekiel says that God took all of the Sodomites away as he saw good (Ezek. 16:50). After the Church's trial, or judgment, shall have been finished and the overcomers shall have been found worthy, then, in that time of the world's judgment, the Sodomites will have an opportunity as had the Jews who heard Jesus at the First Advent. And it will be much more tolerable then for the people of Tyre and Sidon and Sodom and Gomorrah than it will be for the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, etc.; for the latter had had opportunities of knowledge, against which they sinned; they therefore had more wilfulness in the matter than did the Sodomites. (See Matt. 11:21-24.)

At that time God had sent no command to the Sodomites to repent. So God merely “winked at” (overlooked) the ignorance and sin of that time (Acts 17:30). He neither threatened nor did anything else in the matter. He merely blotted the Sodomites out of existence. Their fate served as a foreshadowing, as the Apostle says, that God will not forever permit mankind to remain in sin, but that he will destroy the sinner. None shall be destroyed, however, until first he shall have had the opportunity for everlasting life, secured for every member of Adam's race, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

JESUS' RESURRECTION THE ASSURANCE OF GOD'S FAVOR

The Apostle recognizes the fact that the judgment had not begun in his day. He points forward to the day of Christ and declares that God's assurance now set before the world of mankind is that there will be a future time of judgment. Through Christ's sacrificial death the opportunity for everlasting life will come to all. All mankind have already been condemned in Adam. They could not have another trial until the condemnation of the first trial was lifted. Therefore, not until God had provided a Redeemer would he command any to repent. The Apostle says that God's assurance to mankind in this matter is based upon the fact that He had raised Christ from the dead (Acts 17:31).

When God had raised Jesus from the dead it became a testimony that His was a sacrificial death, an acceptable offering. And Jesus' ascension was a still further demonstration that this One whom the Father had raised from the dead by His own power, was to be the great King to rule, the great Priest to succor, assist and instruct, and the great Judge to direct and order the affairs of the world and to give proper rewards in the great day of God.

Whoever therefore hears about Jesus' death and resurrection should understand that this was God's redemption arrangement. They should also be informed that mankind are all sinners and that death is the penalty of sin. If any should ask, How does Jesus' death affect humanity? we show that God has highly

exalted Him to be a Savior. In God's due time, as soon as the elect class shall have been completed and the reign of six thousand years of sin and evil shall have ended, then He will grant redemption from sin to all ─ to the Jews first and afterwards to the Gentiles.

As many as hear now should repent; but as many as do not hear in the present time are not commanded by God to repent. St. Paul's thought seems to be, Repent now and thus influence your future conditions, even if you do not wish to become a member of the Body of Christ. Thousands of millions of mankind have gone down into death. When they are awakened during the period of Messiah's reign, this will be the great message ─ “God has opened up a fountain for cleansing from sin and uncleanness. Whosoever will may partake of the blessing and reconciliation with God and thereby attain everlasting life.” (See Zech. 13:1; Rev. 22:17.)

At present the god of this world hath blinded the world's eyes of understanding (2 Cor. 4:4), but soon their eyes will be opened. The time is coming when all shall see and hear, and when none, from the least to the greatest, will need to say, Know ye the Lord, for all shall know him. Then when they know, each will be responsible. At the end of the Millennial Age when they shall have received their full blessing through the Mediator they will be required to do God's will on earth even as it is done in heaven (Jer. 31:33,34).

FUTURE LIFE INFLUENCED BY PRESENT CONDUCT

It is a very important feature of our work to let our light so shine that men may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven ─ not their Father, but our Father (1 Pet. 2:12). The present time is not the worlds, but the Church's visitation. God is seeking the people who are in a voluntary condition of righteousness. This is not the time for dealing with the world, but for God's people, as burning and shining lights, to reprove all sins. In proportion as the light shines out it will reprove darkness.

If we speak at all about a future age it is a special part of our duty to make clear to our hearers that the conduct of life at the present time will have a bearing on the future life. To say that there are two chances ─ a chance now and a chance by and by ─ is wholly wrong. We say to them that during this Gospel Age there is only one chance, and the only way to get that chance is to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

But for those who are by and by to be under the Mediatorial Kingdom it is proper to tell them that a life of obedience to God in harmony with the principles of righteousness will be a blessing to themselves in the present, and also in the future. There are a great many people who are living upright and honorable lives and who are doing a great deal of good in this present time. If they thought they were not doing good, they would be discouraged. An incentive to a high standard of life would be taken from them; for they believe that righteous living now has a bearing on the future. In this they are right. But their standard is not so high as that set forth in the Scriptures for the Church. That standard is necessarily high; for Saints, and Saints alone, are to be joint-heirs with Christ and members of the Bride class.

A great mistake was made in the past when Brother Calvin declared that the non-elect were to be roasted to all eternity. On the contrary, we find the teaching of God's Word to be that the non-elect are to be blessed by the elect with the opportunity for reconciliation to God ─ blessed with an opportunity for life on the earthly plane. God will use the elect class for the purpose of blessing the world of mankind. God has a loving, sympathetic plan for all of His creatures, which will be revealed to them in His own due time.

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 5083-5084, August 15, 1912)

___________________________________________________________________

THE FIRE OF THE DAY OF THE LORD

“The earth… and the works therein shall be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10)

If this text were the only one bearing upon the subject of the fire of this Day of the Lord we would conclude that it should be considered as literal; but it is not the only Scripture. Many other Scriptures which refer to this same fire show clearly that it is a symbolic fire of destruction that is coming. We can see that fire is very properly a symbol of destruction and is so used throughout the Scriptures ─ the lake of fire, for instance, “which is the second death.” (Rev. 20:14) We find that many Scriptures refer to the coming Time of Trouble. Some refer to it as a whirlwind of trouble; others as a tempest and flood ─ a flood shall sweep away the hiding places; mountains shall be removed and carried into the midst of the sea, etc. ─ as though there would be great earthquakes and sinking of the earth and flooding of the whole world. Yet other Scriptures speak of it as a burning fire. Manifestly it cannot be all three of these in a literal sense. Then there are other Scriptures which show that these expressions are used in a symbolic sense; for instance (Zeph. 3:8,9), “Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” This seems to be a literal pouring out of something and a consuming of the earth with literal fire. But that it is not literal fire is proven by the very next sentence, which declares, “Then will I turn unto the people a pure language [message} that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” Evidently the people would not remain if the earth is to be consumed with literal fire. But if, as the Scriptures show, the fire be symbolic, it is plain that people will still be here after the trouble. Then the Lord will, according to His promise, turn to them the pure message.

THE BABEL OF VOICES IN CHRISTENDOM

 At the present time the message that the people receive is represented in many creeds, probably hundreds in all; hence the message is a very indistinct one and the Scriptures represent it as “Babel,” or confusion. One tongue or voice cries that the message of the Lord is free grace; another tongue or voice says it is election; a third says that only a few will get salvation; while another declares salvation will be universal; a fifth informs us that election is with water and that without the water no one will be saved. So a variety of voices is heard, and the poor world is not able to determine which is the truth. As a matter of fact they all have so much error that they condemn themselves in the minds of all reasonable people who have not been born in prejudice and steeped in error. When the Lord will turn this pure message to the people, Babylon will no longer be. She will have come to her end. The voice of the Lord will be known through the glorified Church, “And the Spirit and the bride shall say, ‘Come’! And whosoever will may come and drink of the water of life freely!” (Rev. 22:17) The Bride class are now on probation that it may be determined which will eventually be of that class. When the marriage of the Lamb shall have taken place, it will be the work of the “Spirit and the Bride to say ‘Come’… and whosoever will may take of the water of life freely.” This wil1be after the “burning” time is over; hence it proves that the fire refers to a Time of Trouble ─ a time of destruction against iniquity. The Lord's anger will burn against all kinds of injustice and iniquity. Wrong doing, and wrong-doers will then be punished.

The Apostle's statement respecting the Church implies that this judgment, or testing or fiery trial will begin with the church and extend to the world. If it “begin first with us” what will the end be to those who make no pretense of following the Gospel message? The Apostle again states that the “fire of that day shall try every man's work of what sort it is.” (1 Cor. 3:13) This we understand to refer especially to the Church. Everyone in the church is to be tried; his work is to be tried. However, in great measure it will be a trying time for all the world as well; all iniquity and injustice will be exposed, reprobated and destroyed. We see increasing instances of this of late ─ in the number of fire insurance presidents, for instance, who have been ex- posed. Fiery trails come upon them as the result of exposures etc. Some of these men undoubtedly hastened to the tomb, “burned” to death, we might say, by fiery trials. And a great deal of burning, heart-burning, and headaches and prostration are caused today by various exposures of one kind or another as the time advances. No doubt that Day will bring forth further developments and trouble until the prophecies respecting it shall have been completely fulfilled ─ until the picture of utter destruction of everything evil, both root and branch, is carried out (Mal. 4:1).

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 4627-4628, June 1, 1910)