December 1, 2008

NO. 616 BLESSED IS THE KING

“And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the Kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.” (Mark 11:9,10) The multitude hailed Him King, but a few days later they cried, Crucify Him! “And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto Him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify Him.” (Mark 15:12,13)

The message of John the Baptist was, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” This same message Jesus instructed His disciples to carry from village to village throughout Palestine. This same message was the burden of His preaching and the theme of His parables. Finally, at the close of His ministry, the Kingdom came to the Jewish nation in the sense that it was offered to them ─ it was theirs for the accepting. Thus “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” ─ except a few. His own nation rejected Him, and four days later crucified Him. A little later, at Pentecost, a few who received Him were begotten of the Holy Spirit and became the nucleus of Spiritual Israel, in preparation for the glorious Kingdom and the work which is to be accomplished at His Second Advent.

On the second evening preceding the story of this lesson, Jesus and His disciples were at Bethany, the guests of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, who had prepared a special feast for Jesus, whom they loved so dearly. This was the Lazarus whom He had awakened from the sleep of death but a short time before. The feast took place at the close of the Jewish Sabbath day. The next morning corresponded to our Sunday, the first day of the week, and on Monday Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

In preparation for presenting Himself as King, Jesus sent two of His disciples for an ass’s colt, telling them where they would find it, and instructing them to say that it would be returned after the Master had used it. By the time the colt arrived, a considerable multitude had gathered ─ people of the village of Bethany and others who had come out from Jerusalem, about two miles distant, to see Jesus and to see Lazarus, upon whom the notable miracle had been wrought. It had long been the custom of the kings of Israel to ride to their coronation upon an ass; and the multitude seemed to enter into the spirit of this occasion and to realize what it meant that Jesus was about to ride into Jerusalem on this colt. It signified that finally He was ready to assume the office of King.

For some time the disciples had recognized Him as the Messiah, the glories of whose Reign they were to share; and the multitude in general had learned so to regard Him, saying, “When Messiah cometh, will He do greater works than this man?” ─ could we expect anything more of Messiah than we see being accomplished by this man Jesus? But this was the first time Jesus had formally put Himself forward. On previous occasions, when they had sought to take Him by force to make Him a king, He had withdrawn Himself, realizing that the time was not yet come. Now, so far from withdrawing, He was taking the active part, sending for the colt, preparing for the triumphal ride to the capital of the nation as its King.

We may be sure that the hearts of the Apostles thrilled with excitement as they thought of the nearness of their Master’s glory and of their own share in it; for as yet they did not realize the full import of His words to the effect that He must be crucified and must depart to a “far country,” even Heaven itself, and be invested with authority, and later return to establish the Kingdom which would bless the world. Jesus, however, was fully aware that the presentation of Himself as King was a formal matter, fulfilling the prophecy and leaving the nation of Israel without excuse. If, when He entered the city, the people should rise en masse, acknowledge Him and acclaim Him, then indeed they would be in line with the Divine requirements which would bring them the greatest of all blessings. But Jesus knew that prophecy had already declared that He would be despised and rejected, and that His own people would hide their faces from Him in shame (Isa. 53:3). The journey and the preparation for it, therefore, meant something very different to Jesus from what it signified to the disciples and the multitudes.

ENTERING JERUSALEM

When the ass arrived, some of the people put their garments upon it in lieu of a saddle; Jesus mounted and the procession began. Some went before Him, and some followed after. The people were familiar with the prophecy relating to Messiah’s coming, which declared, “Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just and having sa1vation; Lowly, and riding upon an ass.” (Zech. 9:9) They were familiar also with the “shout” the prophets had foretold and the responses ─ one party crying, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is the King of Israel, that cometh in the name of the Lord!” Then the response, “Hosanna in the highest!” These different expressions are recorded by the different evangelists.

But not all were enthusiastic acclaimers of Jesus; a discordant note was heard. Some of those who had come from the city through curiosity criticized the shouting, and wondered why Jesus did not rebuke the people for ascribing so great honor to Him. They sent word to this effect to Jesus through His disciples. Jesus made answer that a great prophecy was being fulfilled. The Prophet Zechariah had by inspiration said, “Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!” and such a shout must be made. Jesus declared that if the multitudes had failed to shout, the prophecy would still have been, fulfilled ─ the very stones would have cried out. The record tells that on the journey many of the people strewed their garments in the way, as a mark of respect and honor, waiting until the little animal had passed over them, and then running on before and placing them again. Others brought ferns, flowers and grasses, and strewed them on the way. Still others, John’s Gospel tells us, brought palm tree branches.

It was a jubilant procession, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah. Yet to Jesus it had the sad feature, as indicated by the account. When they had reached the turn of the Mount of Olives, which brought Jerusalem into view, the Master halted the procession while He looked over the city and wept, saying “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your House is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall see me no more, until that Day [over nineteen centuries later] when ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of Jehovah!” (Luke 13:34,35) Jesus realized that day was a turning point with the Jewish nation ─ that their rejection of Him meant their rejection by the Heavenly Father for a long time. It meant that during those long centuries the highly favored people of Abraham’s natural seed would be in distress. It meant that the favor of God, which had been with them for centuries, would instead be extended to the Gentiles, to gather out of the Gentiles a company of faithful, saintly ones to be associates and joint-heirs with Jesus and the faithful ones of the Jews in the Heavenly Kingdom. It meant that not until this elect, Heavenly, spiritual Kingdom class should be received to glory would the Jewish people be again received into fellowship with God. St. Paul markedly calls our attention to this fact that the rejection of Israel is not permanent, but only for a time ─ only until the complete number of faithful Saints be gathered out from amongst the Gentiles. Then God’s favor will go to Israel, and all earth’s families (Rom. 11:25-32).

THE KINGS OF THIS WORLD

How different was this entry of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, from the triumphal marches of earthly conquerors and kings! In the excitement of human passion and the prejudice of human minds a special halo of glory has surrounded the world’s conquerors. Heroic deeds, valiant conquests, as pictured by historians have a charm. The rising generation reads with thrilling interest of the prowess of Alexander the Great, of the Spartans of Greece, of the Caesars of Rome, and in more modern times of Robert Bruce, of Napoleon and Wellington, of Generals Grant and Lee, Sherman and Johnson, Sheridan and Steward. The homecomings of all of these were triumphal marches, in many cases rendering honor to whom honor was due.

Nevertheless, in every instance the mind’s eye necessarily closes against scenes which led up to such triumphs. We try to forget the millions of slain and wounded, and other millions of mourning widows and orphans. We try to forget the smoking ruins of homes behind those victorious armies. However necessary war at times may seem to be for the maintenance of justice, nevertheless all must concede that the blessings purchased by the sword are procured at a terrible cost. From this viewpoint Jesus, the Prince of Peace, followed by an army of saints who are walking in His footsteps, presents a beautiful picture ─ even to the worldly. These victors ─ Leader and followers ─ conquer by dying. Thus Jesus said to His followers, “Whosoever will save his life shall 1ose it; and whosoever shall 1ose his life for My sake and the Gospel’s shall find it.” (Mark 8:35) Thus viewed, all the followers of the Lamb are self-sacrificers, as the Bible declares: “1 beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1) Such a victory ─ victory through death ─ is difficult for the majority of people to understand! What is the philosophy of it? Where is the victory?

VICTOR-KINGS THROUGH DY1NG

Well may it be asked, Wherein is the victory of Christ and His followers in laying down their lives for the brethren and in support of truth and righteousness? Only the Bible answers the question, and only those who exercise faith can understand the Bible answer. The Bible declares that the real victory of Christ and the Church is over self. Their crowning day is future ─ their triumph will be then. The triumphal entry of Jesus on the ass was only typical. The antitype will be glorious ─ beyond the veil. As Jesus after His resurrection was “received up into glory,” so also He has promised His Church that their resurrection shall change them from imperfect human beings to perfect spirit beings, joint-heirs with their Master, their Redeemer, in the glorious Millennial Kingdom which is to bless the world.

After Jesus had risen from the dead, He explained to His perplexed disciples what His death signified, saying, “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things [death], and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26) So St. Paul has declared in respect to all who will be Jesus’ associates in the Kingdom ─ they must suffer with Him if they would reign with Him; they must be dead with Him if they would live with Him (2 Tim. 2:12). Christ and His Church die to human hopes and interests, present and everlasting ─ laying down their lives, suffering for righteousness’ sake. Their reward is two-fold: (1) Their own personal exaltation to a Heavenly, spirit glory, like unto the angels, and yet more glorious ─ “far above angels, principalities and powers and every name that is named.” (2) The Kingdom glory ─ the joy of being the Divine agents for human restoration.

From this, the Bible viewpoint, the Christian warfare is different from every other warfare known to the world. It is a fight against sin, a fight against self-will, a full submission to the Divine will, a victory through death. “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10) “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His Throne.” (Rev. 3:21) No wonder that a proposition of this kind is but imperfectly understood by the world! “The world knoweth us not, even as it knew Him not.” (1 John 3:1) And this is one of the requirements of the Gospel, that Jesus and His followers shall submit themselves to be misunderstood by the world. We are counted fools for Christ's sake (1 Cor. 4:10).

It requires some stamina to be a loyal follower in the footsteps of Jesus, misunderstood as He was misunderstood by those of His day, reviled as He was reviled. “They shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.” (Matt. 5:11) It is only when we understand through God’s promises that in these trying experiences of Christ and His followers there is a glorious purpose, that we are able to endure them with any measure of rejoicing. Only these are granted glory, honor and immortality, and the Kingdom which the Lord has promised to His faithful followers. Since Jesus is the Prince of Peace, how shall we understand the various passages of Scripture which refer to Him as a mighty Conqueror in blood-stained garments, taking vengeance on His foes? But especially, how shall we understand the declaration that, at His coming in the clouds of heaven, all the tribes of the earth shall wail because of Him?

Of this Prince of Peace it may be said that He will wound to heal, that whatever disasters He may bring or permit to come upon the world will be so overruled as to make of them blessings in disguise. Undoubtedly much that is said respecting our Lord is highly symbolic. For instance, He is to smite the nations with the Sword that proceedeth out of His mouth ─ the Word, or Message, of Truth. Such a smiting is in full conformity with the declaration that when St. Peter preached the Gospel at Pentecost, some of his hearers were “cut to the heart” ─ not with St. Peter’s literal sword, but with “the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Eventually, that Sword will smite all opponents of righteousness for their good. Only the willfully wicked will eventually be destroyed in the Second Death. We are not to forget, however, that the inauguration of the Messianic Kingdom is to be in the midst of the Time of Trouble, and that Christ will have to do with the bringing, or at least the permitting, of that Trouble. Apparently mankind will be permitted to bring the great trouble at the end of this Age upon themselves. There are forces of evil, Satan and His angels, ready to do us harm and, through human forces, sin-forces entrenched in human nature, ready to do harm to the social fabric.

The New Covenant is the Scriptural name for the new arrangement between God and man which will be instituted at the beginning of the Age to follow this, and by which God purposes to receive the world of mankind again into favor with Himself. The covenant relationship which Adam originally enjoyed with his Maker, and its resultant harmony with Him, was contingent upon obedience to the expressed will of God, and was forfeited by disobedience. This covenant relationship with God was renewed typically at Mount Sinai, with Israel (Ex. 19:1-9; 24:3-8). Through Moses as mediator, God promised that if Israel would keep His Law they should have everlasting life. The inauguration of that Law Covenant was effected by their mediator, within six months after Israel left Egypt, through the sacrifices of bulls and of goats, the children of Israel solemnly agreeing to their part of the covenant. Later the Atonement Day sacrifices were repeated year by year continually; “for the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin.” (Heb. 10:1-9) Israel failed to gain the blessing promised in their Law Covenant. God foreknew that Israel would fail; but through their endeavors He was giving an object lesson which in the future would be a lasting blessing to Israel and to the whole world.

God will introduce this new Law Covenant through the Mediator of the New Covenant, Christ Jesus, in whom the entire arrangement centers, and through whom it will be carried out. He will be assisted in this work by the Church. This New Covenant will succeed, because of its better Mediator. And He will be not only Mediator, but Priest, Prophet, King and Judge. As Priest, He will uplift and bless humanity and receive their offerings. As King, He will rule mankind in righteousness; as Prophet He will teach them; as Judge, He will test them, decide and pass sentence, favorable or unfavorable. It will require the full thousand years to bring the people out of their condition of death and degradation, to restore whosoever will of all mankind to the image and likeness of God, lost by Adam in Eden.

The Scriptures tell us that “out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:3; Micah 4:2) So Jerusalem will then be the capital of the world, and the Ancient and Youthful Worthies will be made “princes in all the earth.” (Psa. 45:16) This arrangement will appeal first and primarily to the Jew, who would naturally be the first to come under the new regulations, because a nucleus of these Jews who were faithful to the Law Covenant, will be in Jerusalem when the Kingdom is inaugurated. The Scriptures tell us they will be humbled by the last phase of Jacob’s trouble in Jerusalem, and they will “cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” (Psa. 107:19,20) They will then recognize their Messiah, and will become the most active and zealous missionaries of the Kingdom. They will receive their instructions first-hand from the Worthies in Jerusalem, and will then appreciate the Lord’s promise to them: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake. I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts: and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jer. 31:31-34)

We may not say that all the Jews will do so, but that this will be true of at least a considerable number of them. Quite a few have become infidels ─ unbelievers of God’s promises: “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh.” (Rom. 2:28) There are many well-meaning people among the Gentiles who have not taken the vow of consecration to the Lord. They have accepted Jesus as their Savior, and have practiced righteousness to the best of their ability; but have not taken the second step of full consecration to the Lord, because the narrow way was too difficult for them: “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:14) during the reign and ascendancy of sin and evil. These Gentiles will be the first to join with the Jews and become Israelites ─ and like the Jews, they will become faithful and zealous missionaries of the Kingdom. We refer to these Gentiles as the quasi-elect, just as the Jews who were faithful to the Law Covenant are quasi-elect Jews.

In that day “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isa. 35:1,2,8) This Highway of Holiness will be an easy way for all who love righteousness, and we believe there will be many who find it ─ which is in contrast with a “narrow way” under the reign of sin and evil.

By the close of the Mediatorial Reign those who have responded and made earnest effort to advance will be brought to a condition of human perfection, as was Adam at the beginning. Then they must be subjected to the same loyalty as was Adam, with no Mediator between them and God’s justice. How many will maintain their loyalty under the test, and how many will lose out and suffer destruction, we cannot know because there will be some who have obeyed outwardly during the thousand years, but not inwardly ─ were not in heart-harmony with righteousness.

Covenant relationship with God means perfection, either reckoned or actual. During the thousand years of Messiah’s Kingdom, mankind will be approaching actual perfection. The New Covenant, with all that goes with it, is the blessing which The Christ gives to mankind. It is God’s Covenant, and He has arranged that it shall go to the world through the Christ class, Head and Body. These glorious things are clearly set forth in various types in the Old Testament, as well as plainly stated in the New Testament.

For instance, St. Paul explains that Isaac, the heir of Abraham, was a type of The Christ, Head and Body. Isaac did not receive his inheritance by a new covenant, but by the original Covenant with Abraham, as does the Church (Gal. 3:8,16,29; 4:22-31). In Micah 4:1-4, we read: “In the last days...that Mountain [Kingdom] of the House of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains [kingdoms of earth]... and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, and to the House of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” The succeeding verses of the chapter depict the influence that will be exerted. The blessings and prosperity will then be with those who will be in harmony with God. Now it is different, “All that wi1l 1ive godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Tim. 3:12) The world thinks that Christians, true followers of Jesus, are making their lives miserable. But the world is greatly mistaken on this matter. On the contrary, we are enjoying ourselves greatly, we are having a good time. We have much advantage every way, in spite of our afflictions; for we know that in a very little while our and afflictions will be over. We know that the glorious Kingdom of Messiah, in which, if faithful, we are to share, is about to be set up on the earth.

In the future Dispensation, God tells us, the tables will be turned. None of the wicked shall prosper. THEN whoever is unrighteous shall suffer, and whoever does righteously shall receive a blessing (Psa. 37:1,2,7-17,22). NOW the wicked very often prosper, and the poor and needy and the good of earth are oppressed. When the Times of Restitution come to the world, all will be changed. The result will be a clean universe in which everyone in heaven and on earth, and such as have been in the sea, the rebellious race, will glorify and praise the God of perfect wisdom, justice, love and power, and the Lamb that sitteth with Him on His throne forever and ever, saying, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” (Rev. 5: 13)

The basic concepts of the foregoing are from the “faith once delivered unto the saints” ─ and much of it is verbatim of their writings. As much of the beauty and harmony of the Truth has been distorted, set aside, and revolutionized against, since the demise of That Servant, it is our hope that what is presented herein will commend itself to all our readers and better enable them to appreciate the “Good Tidings of great joy, which sha1l be to all people.” (Luke 2: 10) “May that peace of God which surpasses all conception, guard your hearts and your minds by Christ Jesus.” (Phi1. 4:7, Dia.)

Our cordial good wishes to a1l for a Blessed Holiday Season ─ and “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.” (Prov. 10:22)

(Brother John J. Hoefle, Reprint 428, December I991)

WHAT OUR LORD FEARED AND FROM WHAT HE WAS SAVED

“Christ… was heard in that he feared.” (Hebrews 5:7)

We are glad that Jesus was not cold and stoical, but that he was full of warm, loving, tender feelings and sensibilities; and that we, consequently, can realize his ability to sympathize with the most tender, the most delicate, the most refined, the most sensitive, more than could any other human being. He must have felt keenly the conditions under which he had placed himself in laying down his life on our behalf; for the more perfect the organism, the more sensitive and high-strung are the feelings; the greater the capacity for joy, the greater the capacity for sorrow. Being absolutely perfect, our Lord must have been immeasurably more susceptible to the influence of pain than are others.

“OFFERED UP STRONG CRYINGS AND TEARS TO HIM WHO

WAS ABLE TO SAVE HIM”

Besides this, he knew that he had a perfect life, unforfeited, and realized that he was about to part with it. Others of the human family possess only a forfeited or condemned existence, and realize that they must part with this some time. It would, therefore, be a very different matter for our Lord to lay down his life from that of any of his followers laying down theirs. If we let one hundred percent represent perfect life, our Lord had the full one hundred percent to lay down, while we, being more than ninety-one one-hundredths dead through trespasses and sins and condemnation could, at most, have had but one hundredth part to lay down. A cold, stoical indifference to the loss of life, based upon knowledge that it could last but a short time longer at best, would, therefore, be a very different thing from the clear knowledge which our Lord had of the experience which he had with the Father “before the world was”; and the realization that the life he was about to lay down was not forfeited through sin, but was his own voluntary sacrifice.

There can be no doubt that this thought of the extinguishment of life was an important factor in our Lord’s sorrow. The Apostle clearly intimates it in the words (Heb. 5:7), “Who in the days of his flesh… offered up prayers and supplication, with strong cryings and tears, unto him who was able to save him from [out of] death, and was heard in [respect to] that he feared” ─ extinction. This thought brought with it another, viz., Had he done the Father’s will perfectly? Could he claim, and would he receive the reward promised him ─ a resurrection from the dead?

Had he failed in any particular to come to the exact standard of perfection his death would have meant extinction; and although all men fear extinction, none could know the full depth and force of its meaning as could he who not only had the perfection of life, but had recollection of his previous glory with his Father before the world was. For him the very thought of extinction would bring anguish, terror of soul. This thought seems not to have come to our Lord with the same force previously. It was this, therefore, that bore down upon him now so heavily as an exceeding sorrow unto death. He saw himself about to suffer according to the Law as an evil-doer, and the question naturally arose, was he entirely blameless, and would the Heavenly Judge thoroughly acquit him whom so many were disposed to condemn?

“COULD YE NOT WATCH WITH ME

ONE HOUR?”

After praying he went to his three disciples, but found them asleep. Gently he reproved them, asking, “Could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” Then our Lord went away and used the same words in prayer; and again, he prayed a third time, similarly. The matter was weighing upon his heart. Could he rely upon it now, that having sought to do the Father’s will, having finished his course, he had done it acceptably? Could he have full assurance of faith that God would save him out of death by a resurrection?

In answer to his petition a heavenly messenger was sent to comfort him, to reassure him, to strengthen him. We are not informed what message the angel brought, but we can see that it was a message of peace; that he brought assurance, not only that the Lord’s course had the Father’s approval, but that he would be brought again from the dead by a resurrection. These were quite sufficient to give our Lord all the strength and courage necessary for the ordeal before him; and from that moment onward we find him the coolest and calmest of the notable figures brought to our attention. When approached by Judas and his band, he was the most calm and self-possessed of all; when before the chief-priest, Caiaphas, he was the same; when before Pilate, the same, when crucified the same. He had found peace in the message that he was approved of the Father, and that all the gracious promises of glory, honor and immortality were his; and now he could pass through any ordeal, he could submit himself perfectly to his enemies.

(Pastor Russell, Reprint 4804, April 15, 1911)

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OUR BLESSED HOPE

When’er the storms come down on thee,

And days of peace all seem to flee,

This thought thy peace again shall bring,

Why should I fear? ─ the Lord is King.

E’en when the tempest rages high,

And the darkest clouds are drawing nigh,

With hands of faith of this, oh, cling,

Why should I fear? ─ the Lord is King.

Amid the stormy waves of life,

Above the tumult and the strife,

The chimes of hope still sweetly ring,

Be not afraid ─ the Lord is King.

Thy ship is toss’d by wind and wave,

But there is no one whose power can save,

Across the sea He hastes to bring,

Both rest and peace ─ the Lord is King.

Yes, Jesus walks upon the sea,

And in the storm He comes to thee;

Then trust Him, rejoice and sing;

He calms the waves ─ the Lord is King.

He stretches out His hand to thee,

And from thy fears He sets thee free;

Beneath the shadow of His wing

He keeps thee safe─ the Lord is King.

November 1, 2008

NO. 615 THE NEW COVENANT

by Epiphany Bible Students

The mediation of the old Law Covenant brought Israel into a typical covenant relation-ship to God. The mediation of the New Law Covenant will bring not only Israel, but all mankind, who will have come into line with the Kingdom arrangements, into actual covenant relationship with God. Then each individual will be finally tested by Jehovah, as Adam was in the beginning, to demonstrate whether he is worthy of everlasting life. None who fail to stand the test will be permitted to enter upon the eternal ages of blessing to follow. God will introduce this new Law Covenant through the Mediator of the New Covenant, Christ Jesus, in whom the entire arrangement centers, and through whom it will be carried out. He will be assisted in this work by the Church. For a period of a thousand years this Mediator will do a work of mediation for mankind. And He will be not only Mediator, but Priest, Prophet, King and Judge. As Priest, He will uplift and bless humanity and receive their offerings. (See Tabernacle Shadows; pp. 93-100.) As King, He will rule mankind in righteousness; as Prophet He will teach them; as Judge, He will test them, decide and pass sentence, favorable or unfavorable. It will require the full thousand years to bring the people out of their condition of death and degradation, to restore whosoever will of all mankind to the image and likeness of God, lost by Adam in Eden.

The basis of mediation on the part of the better Mediator will be the “better sacrifices” of this Gospel Age. Let us notice the Apostle’s declaration regarding this matter. In referring to the types, he says, “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these.” (Heb. 9:23) The words “heavens” and “heavenly things,” as used in this text, do not refer to spiritual things; for nothing spiritual is secured by these “better sacrifices.” Only human blessings, human rights, are thus secured. The word “heavens” means heaved up, or higher; and in order to understand its specific meaning in any text, the word must be defined in harmony with its context. St. Paul is here contrasting the types of the Jewish Age with the antitypes of the Gospel and Millennial Dispensations. In the antitypical arrangement the sacrifices will never be repeated. They are offered once for all. Through the “better sacrifices” the antitypical Mediator will have the power to start the world with a clean slate, as it were. Then the work of uplift, of restitution, will begin. As the Lord declares through the Prophet, “I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezek. 36:26; 11:19)

Thus Adam’s sin and condemnation, which came to mankind by heredity, will no more be remembered by anybody; that is to say, it will be no more a torturing remembrance. While the lessons learned by the world through their experiences with sin and death will never be forgotten, nor their benefits lost, nevertheless these experiences will cease to distress mankind. The joys which will then be theirs will swallow up the sorrows and tears of the past; and the minds of mankind will be filled with the wonderful truths and wonderful blessings, the glorious new projects and prospects continually opening before their widening vision. To all eternity the perfected earth will be filled with a race of happy, perfect beings in the human likeness of their Lord. The work of taking away the stony heart, and the giving of a heart of flesh will be gradual, however. Many will awake to shame, in proportion to their willfulness in sin in the past. But the disciplinary processes of the Kingdom will gradually relieve all who are amenable to influences of righteousness and to the work of reformation then instituted. By degrees their hard-heartedness will disappear, and they will become more and more tender-hearted and affectionate. No member of the human race will longer be held accountable for Adam’s sin. In Ezek. 18:2-4, we read of present conditions: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” But during the next Age the effects of the sour grapes of sin will be gradually eliminated. Under the New Order, whoever dies will die for his own sin, not for the sin of his fathers (Ezek. 18:5-24). Since all mankind are in a condition of imperfection, all will in that Day still be liable to commit sin. The only arrangement by which they can attain to everlasting life will be by their adoption into the family of the Mediator, The Christ, who will quicken their weak mortal bodies. Although no Divine condemnation will hold over against them for their past, yet only such as come into proper relationship with the Mediator will receive the Divine blessing. Under the New Covenant the special favors of the Lord will be only for the obedient. Whoever rejects the opportunities then offered will, at the close of the first hundred years, be destroyed from amongst the people (Is. 65:20, Leeser).

God cannot consistently enter into a covenant with people who are under His own sentence of death. Under the typical arrangement of the Law Covenant, the death of bulls and goats was acceptable sacrificially to God; and the people of Israel, thus typically cleansed, were enabled to enter into a typical relationship with Him. This did not mean that the blood of bulls and goats was sufficient to take away sin; but that it was a typical representation of the real sacrifices, under the Grace Covenant, the Covenant of Sacrifice (Heb. 9:1-23). If the New Covenant were now sealed, then all the blood of the Covenant must have been previously prepared, must have been already fully shed. If this were true, then we could have no chance of sharing in the death of Christ. It is evident, then, that the New Covenant is not yet sealed. The anti-typical Bullock has been slain, and His blood taken into the Most Holy. The antitypical Goat is in process of being slain. When its sacrifice shall have been fully completed, its blood will be sprinkled upon the Heavenly Mercy Seat by the great High Priest, as was the blood of the Bullock. In other words, the merit of Jesus, now in the hands of Justice, will then be free from embargoes, and will be applied by our High Priest as an offset to Adam’s sin. At the end of this Gospel Age, now about closed, all the sacrificing will be over, and the great Mediator will be ready to do the work assigned to Him for the world.

The first work of the New Dispensation will be the application of the blood upon the antitypical Mercy Seat, in Heaven, to make reconciliation for the sins of “all the people,” the entire race of Adam. Until that shall have been done, the New Covenant cannot be inaugurated. This second presentation of the blood of Jesus, of the merit of His sacrifice, will effect the sealing, or making valid, of the Covenant. For many centuries the New Covenant has been promised (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:6-13), but it has not yet gone into effect. As soon as the blood of the Atonement shall have been applied for the sins of all the people, the New Covenant will become operative. At the beginning of the New Dispensation the world will begin life anew, so to speak. The condemnation resting upon them for six thousand years will have been canceled. Satisfaction to Justice will have been made for Adam, and for his posterity, who fell in him. All the resultant blessings are to come through the Redeemer’s hands, as Mediator. Throughout the Millennium, all who ever will have life must obtain it through this great Life-giver (1 John 5:12). None can receive a share of the blessings provided save by the terms of the New Covenant and by endeavor to live up to them. All who do so will be helped and granted grace sufficient through the Mediator. The sprinkling of the blood upon the Heavenly Mercy Seat on behalf of all mankind will take place before Restitution begins, before the legal right to live can be given even to the Ancient and Youthful Worthies. Nevertheless, although past sins will be fully canceled, whoever would have God’s blessing, God’s approval, must become “an Israelite indeed,” must become a believer in God, by believing in the Mediator, who will be God’s Representative, and by placing himself in the hands of The Christ for training and uplifting. This Law of the New Covenant will be applicable to every son and daughter of Adam. Whoever of the world would attain life everlasting must accept Christ and join this earthly kingdom class. The plan of God manward will not be accomplished until all sin and all wilful sinners are destroyed.

The entire race of mankind will receive some benefit from the New Covenant, irrespective of their acceptance of Christ, in that they will be awakened from the tomb and brought to a knowledge of the Truth (1 Tim. 2:3-6). The Scriptures tell us that as by the offense of one man condemnation passed upon all, so by the obedience of one man the free gift comes to all, unto justification of life (Rom. 5:12,18). Because of the application of Christ’s sacrificial merit for all men, it will be just for God to awaken the world from death and give all an opportunity to attain justification to perfect life. This free gift of God through Christ does not guarantee eternal life to any except upon specific conditions. We would say, therefore, that the benefits of the New Covenant will be applicable to everybody in a limited sense. If God had foreseen that nobody would adopt this arrangement, that fact no doubt would have altered His Plan. At the introduction of the New Age, all the accounts against humanity will have been canceled by Divine Justice, and mankind will be turned over to the Mediator; for if they were kept under Divine Justice, they would immediately be condemned again, because of their inability to do perfectly. Therefore the Father will not take cognizance of sinners. For a thousand years they will be left under the merciful provisions of the New Covenant. Those who will obediently do their best will receive all the blessings of the Kingdom; and those who will not become obedient under those conditions will go into the Second Death at the age of 100, the accursed sinners of Is. 65:20. During the Gospel Dispensation, the only ones who can commit the sin unto death (1 John 5:16), blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31,32), are those who have been enlightened by this Holy Spirit. St. Paul says, “As touching those who were once enlightened, and tasted of the Heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the Age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them unto repentance.” (Hebrews 6:4-6, R.V.) Their sin would be willful: for it would be “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.”

Therefore only the Church are on trial now. We who have been begotten of the Holy Spirit are on trial for life or death eternal. Those who now die the Second Death have no opportunity for the future (Prov. 21:16). If those now begotten of the Holy Spirit are faithful, they will be granted to be members of the glorified Bride of Christ. Those of the Spirit-begotten who fail to attain a place in the Bride class will, if overcomers eventually, receive life on a lower plane. They will be of the Great Company, the virgins who serve the Bride (Ps. 45:14,15). But if they fail to attain either of these positions, the only thing remaining for them is the Second Death. As for the world, their Day of Judgment, as individuals, has not yet fully come. They are still in condemnation through Father Adam ─ not recognized as having rights at all. Some of the world are excellent people; but even these have neither part nor lot in the salvation of the present time. The blessed arrangement for them is in the Millennial Age, when, if they yield full obedience to Jehovah’s Anointed, their sins will be forgotten.

As the sins of the Church are now canceled, so likewise, will the whole world go absolutely free from the condemnation of Adamic sin as soon as the merit of Christ is applied for them. They then will have all the Kingdom opportunities and privileges, if they accept of Christ, the great Mediator of the Covenant. Nevertheless they will suffer stripes as a result of the deeds done in the present life ─ not as a punishment for their sins, which before that time will all have been remitted, but because of the habits previously formed, the character developed; for the weaknesses of the fallen nature will have left wounds, which will require more or less rigorous treatment in order to their healing. With the world it will then be true, as now with the Church, that if they shall sin against the Spirit of holiness, the Holy Spirit, knowingly and willfully, the penalty will be a second condemnation ─ to Second Death, destruction. While our Lord Jesus said that all manner of sin would be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, yet the Pharisees, to whom these words were addressed, could not fully commit this sin, because they had not the fullness of knowledge (Matt. 12:31,32; Acts 3:17). Yet they might so harden their hearts that even the favorable influences of the Kingdom will not reform them (Matt. 23: 33).

When God recognizes the satisfaction of Justice and cleans the slate for the sinner race, this does not mean that He has merely transferred the account to Jesus, who will hold it against them. Our Lord will not hold against mankind the things the Father has forgotten. On the contrary, as the Representative of the Father, the Lord Jesus will be glad to give to men the benefit of that forgiveness, merely holding them at a distance from the Father during the period of their imperfection, standing between as Mediator, to give whoso-ever will of mankind time for restoration, development of character, etc., and taking away the stoniness of their hearts and giving them hearts of flesh. The Lord through the Prophet says, “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” The Apostle Paul calls attention to this statement. He points out that under the Law Covenant this was not done, but that the sins remained; for although atonement was made afresh for Israel year by year, nevertheless the inferior sacrifices could not take away sin (Heb. 10:1-4; Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:25-29). When mankind becomes a part of Israel, the promises made to the Jews will apply also to the Gentiles.

The Scriptures tell us that “out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Is. 2:3; Mic. 4:2) When the Kingdom is set up the Ancient Worthies will be made “princes in all the earth.” (Ps. 45:16) They will have as their associates the Youthful Worthies. This arrangement will appeal first and primarily to the Jew, who would naturally be the first to come under the new regulations. We may not say that all the Jews will do so, but that will be true of at least a considerable number of them. In time others of the world will join. There are many well-meaning people who have not taken the vow of consecration to the Lord but who would like to help rather than to hinder others. Such will in due time attach themselves to the Kingdom, which will be “the desire of all nations.” (Haggai 2:7)

In the case of the Ancient and Youthful Worthies, the earthly “Princes,” their freedom from imperfection will make them conspicuous amongst mankind. As the world come to know about these, they will say, “Are not these God’s people?” Mankind will perceive that God has rewarded the Worthies by giving them an instantaneous resurrection to perfect life, and will learn that their “better resurrection” was given because of faithfulness in the past.

Our Lord Jesus, having laid down the Ransom-price for the sins of the whole world, has placed it in the hands of Justice as a deposit, to be held during this Gospel Age for the benefit of the Church class. At the end of this Age He will apply it to the cancellation of the claims of Justice against Adam, which will include all sins due to the fall. Jehovah God will accept the price and will remit the Adamic sins. There will be some sins, however, which will not be covered by this great Sin-offering. These are wilful sins committed by members of the race. As wilful sins are not covered by the Sin-offering, but only Adam’s sin and those sins resulting from Adamic weakness, God has mercifully arranged that the sufferings of the Great Company class, the “Azazel-goat” class, necessary to the destruction of their flesh, which they had covenanted to sacrifice, will be utilized as an expiation, not as a sin-offering, for these wilful sins of the world (Lev. 16:8,10,20-22). When the Great Company will have finished their course, the atonement for sin will have been fully accomplished, and the account against the world upon the books of Justice will have been fully squared. Divine condemnation will be entirely lifted from the race, the New Covenant of blessing will then be inaugurated. Then it will be the part of the people to come up to the requirement of the New Covenant by earnestly striving to do their best. If, however, because of imperfection, they unwittingly violate God's Law during the Mediatorial Reign, they will not be amenable to that Law; for the Mediator will stand between them and the Law.

The Mediator will not, as we have said, hold against any one the transgressions of this present life. But it will require long, patient effort to regain the perfection from which the first parents of the race fell. Some of mankind have fallen much farther down than others, because of having inherited greater depravity or because of more perverse dispositions, and of less effort to control their fallen nature. But under the gracious arrangements of the New Covenant, the great Mediator purposes to grant the necessary assistance by helping the people individually to understand the requirements of the new arrangement, by promptly punishing any attempt to do wrong, by rewarding every effort to do right, and by supplying strength, physical and mental, to meet the requirements of His righteous and benevolent rule.

By the close of the Mediatorial Reign those who have responded and made earnest effort to advance will be brought to a condition of human perfection and of covenant relationship with Jehovah, as was Adam at the beginning. Then they must be subjected to the same test of loyalty as was Adam, with no Mediator between them and God’s Justice. How many will maintain that relationship, and how many will lose it and suffer destruction, we cannot know. That some will prove unworthy of life and meet this extreme penalty of wilful sin, the Second Death, is clearly shown (Rev. 20:7-9; 22:14,15). These are also referred to in Is. 65:20 as the old men who will not fill their years with good, but will selfishly use the Millennial opportunities and pretend all the time to be obeying them. These will fall under Satan's temptation and be annihilated. The Ancient Worthies are to be at the head of the earthly phase of the Kingdom, with the Youthful Worthies as associates. They will form its nucleus, ruling under the glorified Church, which will be invisible. These Worthies cannot come forth from the tomb until Divine Justice has been satisfied for the world; for they also are members of the fallen race. After the Mediator has made this satisfaction, the Ancient Worthies will be the first to be blessed by the New Covenant, and will be raised from the dead perfect men, in the image of God, as Adam was originally created. In their resurrection they will receive complete restitution to human perfection; for during their previous lifetime they, like Enoch, “had this testimony, that they pleased God.” (Heb. 11:5). Soon after the awakening of their faithful prophets of old, and the faithful Youthful Worthies, the Jews then living, who still retain their faith in the New Covenant promises made to them (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8: 7-12), and who have waited for their Messiah, will begin to see clearly, and will join themselves to these Worthies. Then the world will gradually come to see, and will also come under the terms of Israel’s New Law Covenant by becoming a part of Israel, a part of Abraham’s earthly seed (Rom. 4:17,18; Is. 49:6-12).

Covenant relationship with God means perfection, either reckoned or actual. During the thousand years of Messiah’s Kingdom, mankind will be approaching actual perfection. But they will not enter into it as a race until the close of the thousand years. Then the Mediator will turn them over to God; and they will be privileged to enter into covenant relationship with Him, and must stand or fall individually. As we read, at that time Satan shall be “loosed for a little season”; and all who love unrighteousness in their hearts, whatever has been their outward course during their trial time, will be manifested. They will be deceived by the Adversary. “These shall go away into everlasting punishment [Greek, kolasis, cutting off, or cutting short], and the righteous into life eternal.” (Matt. 25:46)

The one class passes into life; while the other class is cut off, restrained, from life. The reward of the righteous will be everlasting life; the reward of the wicked, “the Devil and his angels,” his messengers and all who are of his spirit will be everlasting death, destruction. Those who are of the Millennial “sheep” class, who go to the King’s right hand of favor, will, after the final testing at the hands of God, enter upon the ages of glory beyond, the blessings of which are not revealed in the Divine Scriptures.

The Church of Christ is not under the New Covenant. Therefore it is not proper to speak of the Church as being blessed by this Covenant, although the Church receives a great blessing and privilege in respect to it. If there were to be no New Covenant, there would then be no need of a Mediator, and no need of the “better sacrifices” whereby it is to be instituted. St. Paul’s statement that God has made the Church “able ministers of the New Covenant” indicates that the Lord’s people have something to do with its preparation (2 Cor. 3:6). Unless there were the “better sacrifices,” there would be no basis for that New Covenant. The sufferings which the Church undergo at this present time are a blessed privilege to us; for we are ministers of that New Covenant in the sense that we are serving it by our sacrifices and training for future service in connection with it after it shall have been inaugurated. While a great building is in process of erection, the men working upon its construction might be said to be greatly benefited by that building. That would not mean that they would be benefited by the use of it in the future, but that they were being benefited during its construction. So now the Church receives certain rich blessings and privileges in connection with the New Covenant. Later the entire world will be blessed by it, but in a very different way. During this Gospel Age, God is dealing merely with the Church, not with the world. There is, however, some resemblance between the Divine blessings now coming upon the Church and, those coming upon the world by and by. Then the Lord will rewrite His Law in the hearts of mankind, as it was originally written in Adam’s heart; and men will have new hearts. At the end of a thousand years all mankind will be fleshly images of God, and ready for their final testing; for those who have refused to make progress to perfection during the Messianic Reign will have been destroyed. But the Church have new hearts now, right views of things, right sentiments. In the case of the Church, however, there is not a taking away of the stoniness of the human heart and making of it a heart of flesh; but there is an entirely new nature. This new nature, of course, has something to do with the flesh; for the flesh is now the servant of the New Creature. The Law of God is recognized in the flesh, under the compulsion of the New Creature.

The New Covenant, with all that goes with it, is the blessing which The Christ gives to mankind. It is God’s Covenant, and He has arranged that it shall go to the world through this Christ class, Head and Body. If, then, the Church are to give these blessings, they must first have had them. No man can give away what he does not first possess. This thought that the New Covenant is a testament, or gift, of Christ to the world is made very prominent in the Scriptures. It is a gift in which the Church shares; for every member has relinquished his restitution rights with Christ. “If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him; If we be dead with Him, we shall live with Him,” and all things are ours because we are His (2 Tim. 2:11,12). These glorious things are clearly set forth in various types in the Old Testament, as well as plainly stated in the New Testament. For instance, St. Paul explains that Isaac, the heir of Abraham, was a type of The Christ, Head and Body. Isaac did not receive his inheritance by a new covenant, but by the original Covenant with Abraham, as does the Church (Gal. 3:8,16,29; 4:22-31).

In Micah. 4:1-4, we read: “In the last days the Mountain [Kingdom] of the House of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains [kingdoms of earth]… and many people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come and say, Come ye, let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, and to the House of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” The succeeding verses of the chapter depict the influence that will be exerted. The blessings and prosperity will then be with those who will be in harmony with God. Now it is different. “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Tim. 3:12) They “shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.” (Matt. 5:11) These things indicate that all who are faithful to God during the present Age will have more hardship than do those who are unfaithful. Many of the worldly, even the wicked of the world, have great prosperity in the present time. The world thinks that Christians, true followers of Jesus, are making their lives miserable by the course which they pursue. But the world is greatly mistaken in this matter. On the contrary, we are enjoying ourselves greatly, we are having a good time. We have much advantage every way, in spite of our afflictions; for we know that in a very little while our trials and afflictions will all be over. We know that the glorious Kingdom of Messiah, in which, if faithful, we are to share, is about to be set up in the earth. In the future Dispensation, God tells us, the tables will be turned. None of the wicked shall prosper. THEN whoever is unrighteous shall suffer, and whoever does righteously shall receive a blessing (Ps. 37:1,2,7-17,22). NOW the wicked very often prosper, and the poor and needy and the good of earth are oppressed. When the Times of Restitution come to the world, all will be changed. The blessing will be of God; and the only way to gain that blessing will be by coming into harmony with the New Order of things in the Kingdom of Messiah. Glory be to God for this eventuality! for it will result in a clean universe in which everyone in heaven and on earth, and such as have been in the sea, the rebellious race, will glorify and praise the God of perfect wisdom, justice, love and power, and the Lamb that is seated with Him on His throne forever and ever, saying, “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” To which with joy we say, Amen and Amen!

(Brother Paul S. L. Johnson, Epiphany Volume 15, pages 723-736)

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QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: Would it not appear that the Jews only would be blessed by the New Covenant, since they were alone under the Law Covenant?

ANSWER: I answer: The Apostle says that it is “to the Jew first,” and also to the Greek. In other words, he gives us that as a picture that God’s blessings of every kind begin with the Jew. He gave the Jew the first opportunity under the Abrahamic Covenant, when Christ came to His own and His own received Him not. And when it comes to the blessings of the New Covenant, the opportunity will come to the Jew first, and he must take his stand, but ultimately to reach all the families of the earth. The Jews may come in and share with the Church, and with the Ancient Worthies in the matter of carrying this glorious message to the other nations, and peoples, and kindreds, and tongues, and to whatever extent they have the right attitude of heart, they will embrace that opportunity; it will be to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. And the Apostle says, you remember, “If the casting away of Israel meant the bringing in of a blessing, what will the gathering of Israel again mean but life from the dead?” ─ in general to the whole world of mankind. (Question Book, p. 165, 1908)

QUESTION: When the door was opened to the Gentiles there was no difference in the standing of the Gentiles and the Jews according to Romans 10:12 and Gal. 3:28. There is much said about “to the Jew first,” but wouldn’t the same condition apply to the Gentiles as with the Jews in the Kingdom ─ the “restitution of all things”?

ANSWER: The Gospel was first offered to the Jews when our Lord brought “life and immortality to light.” (2 Tim. 1:10) When the natural Jews accepted Christ as their Savior, and walked in the footsteps of Jesus, they became “Spiritual Israelites.” When the Gentiles, after the door was opened to them, accepted Christ as their Savior and walked in the footsteps of Jesus, they became “Spiritual Israelites.” They then had the same standing of the Jews. The same condition will apply to the Gentiles under the New Covenant, when they become Jews. As That Servant has so often stated, the New Covenant will be Israe1itish. However, the faithful “repentant and believing” Gentiles will quickly join the Jews in doing the great missionary work. None of this nullifies God’s promise to the natural Jew ─ “to the Jew first.”

When the Jews in Jerusalem are attacked by the marauders, the anarchists, in “Jacob’s 1ast troub1e.” they will “cry unto the Lord and He will hear their cry and deliver them.” (Psa. 107:19,20) It is elementary that the Jews in Jerusalem will be the first to receive the blessings of the New Covenant. “From Jacob… the natural seed of Abraham, first." (See Berean Comment on Rom. 11:26.)

Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, to the Jew first, and also of the Gentiles.” (Rom. 2:9 ─ See Berean Comments on Rom. 2:9,10.) The special ‘tribulation’ that came upon the Jews was when Titus demolished their Temple and they were driven out of Jerusalem. The “Time of Trouble” coming upon the whole world ─ especially the social order, the ecclesiastical and governmental systems, will not be more severe than what the Jews suffered at the time Titus seized Jerusalem, as well as what the Jews have suffered in Germany and in Russia in our day.

“This Mediator ─ the Head and Body ─ is such, as His death (the merit being that of Jesus alone) cancels the sins committed under the first Covenant, i.e., those of the Jews, that these Jews, having had the unchangeable call to the earthly favor (Rom. 11:29), might receive the promise given them ─ the land of Canaan as an eternal inheritance.

“The sprinkling of the people (v. 19) is a copy of the sealing, making, of the New Covenant manward in the earthly phase of the Kingdom of Heaven, and it will take 1,000 years to complete it, i.e., it will take the 1,000 years of the Millennium to give the people ─ Israel primarily and the Gentiles who join Israe1 under the New Covenant, a privilege that will then be open to all the non-elect, dead and living ─ the right to life and its 1ife-rights, Jesus and the Church’s legacy to Israel and the Gentiles under the New Covenant. Note, please, how the Apostle, after speaking of the cleansing of the copies, the types, i.e., the people, the tabernacle and vessels, tells that their antitypes, Mi11ennia1 Israel and the Gentiles joining themselves to Israe1, ─ the Ancient and Youthful Worthies and their teachings, will be c1eansed by the better sacrifices (plural) than bulls and goats. Jesus’ personal sacrifice was but one, and the Church’s sacrifice is but one; but together they are two, and their separate sacrifices are here (v.23) designated by the plural term, sacrifices.”

(E-6, p. 686, bottom, p. 687, middle, and top of p. 688)

The Apostle Paul, That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger all tell us that the blessings will be to the natural Jew first. The New Covenant will be inaugurated in Jerusalem, which will be the Capital of the New Covenant government.

The Jews were first in the “great salvation” (Heb. 2:3) and they will be first in the “common salvation” (Jude 3) in the Kingdom under the New Covenant. “He is faithful that promised.” (Heb. 10:23) (Written by Brother John J. Hoefle, December 14, 1977) ___________________________________________________________________

LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Sister Marjorie: Greetings in the Lord’s name.

I was saddened to hear of the death of Sister Hoefle. She will be missed. In 1968 Sister and Brother Hoefle came to Trinidad to the funeral of my father, George Martin. Brother Hoefle spoke at the funeral with calm and uplifting words; “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Christian Love, ___ (NEW YORK)

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IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING

If we could always feel each little thing

We do, each hour we spend

Within the presence of the King,

What dignity ‘twould lend!

If we could realize our every thought

Is known to Him, our King,

With how great carefulness would it be fraught, King,

And what a blessing bring!

If, when some sharp word leaves a cruel sting,

Our faith could know and feel

‘Twas heard within the presence of the King,

How soon the wound would heal!

Oh, when the song of life seems hard to sing,

And darker grows the way,

Draw nearer to the presence of the

And night shall turn to day!

October 1, 2008

NO. 614 HISTORY OF THAT SERVANT

by Epiphany Bible Students

We now present further history of That Servant’s struggle for the Truth about the time of our Lord’s return. We had described Mr. Barbour’s denial of the Ransom; and we now give more detail about that.

“I was astonished, believing Mr. Barbour had a clearer understanding of the work of Christ, as our sin offering, our willing Redeemer, who gladly cooperating in the Divine Plan, gave Himself as the RANSOM or corresponding price to meet the penalty of Adam, in order that Adam and all his posterity might in due time go free from sin and death. A totally different thing indeed was the willing, intelligent, loving offering of our Redeemer, according to the plan devised and revealed by the infinite wisdom, from the miserable caricature of it offered in the above illustration. I had either given Mr. Barbour credit for clearer views than he had ever had, or else he was deliberately taking off and casting away the ‘wedding garment’ of Christ’s righteousness; the latter was the only conclusion left, for he afterward stated that he had previously recognized the death of Christ as man’s ransom price.”

Here it may be well to elaborate that the Ransom controversy was the first evil error at the beginning of the Harvest; and it is now being repeated by the Jehovah’s Witnesses ─ a1though not in the same flagrant fashion as did Mr. Barbour. Their present denial is an indirect perversion of the Ransom doctrine. Christ is now not a “ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:6); He is now the destroyer of all who do not accept the errors of the Witnesses, no longer a Ransom for Adam, no longer a Ransom for those who crucified Him. In Luke 23:34 there are these words in the King James Version: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” This is a spurious passage, not found in any of the oldest manuscripts; but JFR gave this spurious text a real twist to “prove” his error: “Father forgive them not, for they know what they do.”

Continuing with Brother Russell’s analysis: “Immediately I wrote an article for the Herald in contradiction of the error, showing the necessity that one die for all ─ the just for the unjust; that Christ fulfilled all this as it has been written; and that consequently God could be just and forgive and release the sinner from the penalty He had justly imposed. I also wrote to Mr. Paton, calling attention to the fundamental character of the doctrine assailed, and pointing out how the time and circumstances all correspond with the parable of the one who took off the wedding garment when just about to partake of the wedding supper. He replied that he had not seen the ransom feature in so strong a light before; that Mr. Barbour had a strong, dogmatic way of putting things, which had for the time overbalanced him. I urged that, seeing now the importance of the doctrine of the Ransom he also write an article for the Herald, which, in no uncertain tone, would give also his witness for the precious blood of Christ. This he did. These articles appeared in the issues of the Herald for July to December, 1878.

“It now became clear to me that the Lord would no longer have me assist financially, or to be in any way identified with, anything which cast any influence in opposition to the fundamental principle of our holy Christian religion; and I, therefore, after a more careful though unavailing effort to reclaim the erring, withdrew entirely from the Herald of the Morning, and from further fellowship with Mr. Barbour. But a mere withdrawal I felt was not sufficient to show my continued loyalty to our Lord and Redeemer, whose cause had thus been violently assailed by one in a position to lead the sheep astray ─ and in that position, too, very largely by my individual assistance and encouragement when I believed him to be, in all sincerity, true to the Lord. I, therefore, understood it to be the Lord’s will that I should start another journal in which the standard of the cross should be lifted high, the doctrine of the Ransom defended, and the good tidings of great joy should be proclaimed as extensively as possible.

ZION’S WATCH TOWER, FIRST ISSUE JULY 1879

“Acting upon this leading of the Lord, I gave up traveling, and in July 1879 the first number of Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence made its appearance. From the first it has been a special advocate of the ‘Ransom for all’ and by the grace of God, we hope this will ever be so.

“For a time we had a most painful experience: The readers of the Tower and of the Herald were the same, and from the time the former started and the supply of funds from this quarter for the Herald ceased, Mr. Barbour not only withdrew from the bank the money deposited by me and treated all he had in his possession as his own, but poured upon the Editor of the Tower the vilest of personal abuse in order to prevent the Tower and the doctrine of the Ransom from having due influence upon its readers. This, of course, caused a division, as such things always do. The personal abuse being regarded by some as true, had its intended effect of biasing the judgments of many on the subject of the Ransom; and many turned from us.

“But the Lord continued His favor, which I esteem of more value than the favor of the whole world. It was at this time that Mr. Adams espoused the views of Mr. Barbour, and likewise forsook the doctrine of the Ransom. And true to our interpretation of the parable of the Wedding Garment, as given at the time, Mr. Barbour and Mr. Adams, having cast off the wedding garment of Christ’s righteousness, went out of the light into the outer darkness of the world on the subject once so clearly seen ─ namely, the time and manner of our Lord’s presence, and since then they have been expecting Christ in the flesh every Spring or Fall, and twisting the prophecies accordingly.

“During part of this ordeal, or we might truly call it, battle, we had the earnest cooperation of Mr. Paton, who, up to the Summer of 1881 was an appreciated co-laborer and defendant of the doctrine of coming blessings through Christ, based upon the ‘Ransom for all’ given at Calvary. The book, The Three Worlds, having been for sometime out of print, it seemed as if another edition of that, or else a new book covering the same features, should be gotten out. Mr. Paton agreed to get it ready for the press, and Mr. Jones offered to pay all the expenses incident to its printing and binding and to give Mr. Paton as many copies of the book as he could sell, as remuneration for his time spent in preparing the matter, provided I would agree to advertise it libera11y and gratuitously in The Tower ─ well knowing that there would be demand for it if I should recommend it, and that his outlay would be sure to return with a profit. I not only agreed to do this, but contributed to Mr. Paton’s personal expense in connection with the publishing, as well as paid part of the printer’s bill at his solicitation.

THE DAY DAWN

“In the end, I alone was at any financial loss in connection with the book called Day Dawn; the writer and publisher both being gainers financially, while I did all the introducing by repeated advertisements. We need to give these particulars because of certain one-sided and only partial statements of facts and misrepresentations, which have recently been published and circulated in tract form by Mr. Paton, who is also now an advocate of that ‘other gospel’ of which the cross of Christ is not the center, and which denies that He ‘bought us with His own precious blood.’ Mr. Paton has since published another book, which though called by the same name, as the one we introduced, being on another false foundation, I cannot recommend, but which I consider misleading sophistry, tending to undermine the whole structure of the Christian system, yet retaining a sufficiency of Truths which we once held in common to make it palatable and dangerous to all not rooted and grounded upon the Ransom rock.

“The false foundation which it presents is the old heathen doctrine of evolution revamped, which not only denies the fall of man, but as a consequence, all necessity for a redeemer. It claims, on the contrary, that not by redemption and restitution to a lost estate, but by progressive evolution or development man has risen and is still to rise from the lower condition in which he was created until, by his own good works, he ultimate1y reaches the Divine Nature. It claims that our Lord Himself was a degraded and imperfect man, whose work on earth was to crucify a carnal nature, which, it claims He possessed; and thus to show all men how to crucify their carnal or sinful propensities.

“And here, we remark, that the darkness and degradation which came upon the world in its fallen, cast-off condition, and which was only intensified by Papacy’s priest-craft during the Dark Ages, when contrasted with the light of intelligence, which God is now letting in on the world, have gradually led men to esteem present intelligence as merely a part of a process of evolution. This view, though quite incorrect, is, nevertheless, the occasion of the predicted great falling away from the faith of the Bib1e during the Harvest period. And few Christian people seem to be well enough grounded in the truth to be able to withstand this trial of the evil day, in which many will fall away, while only the few will stand. For this cause we use plainness of speech.

“The little history of the way in which Mr. Paton came to turn from us and from the Ransom, to oppose that which he once clearly saw and advocated, is important, as it became the occasion for another sifting or testing of the Watch Tower readers, by that time a greater number; because Mr. Paton had been a respected brother and coworker with us, and because as a traveling representative of the Watch Tower and its doctrines, his expenses being met in part by subscriptions and renewals, as well as by money from me, he was personally known to a larger number of the readers than was the Editor of the Tower.

“In the year 1881, Mr. Barbour still publishing the Herald and still endeavoring to overthrow the Doctrine of the Ransom, finding that on a preaching tour I had used the diagram of the Tabernacle to illustrate how Christ’s sacrifice was typified in the sacrifices of the typical Israels, wrote an article on the Atonement, in which he undertook to show that the sacrifices of the Day of Atonement typified almost anything else than what they do typify. I cou1d readi1y see through the fallacy of his presentations, which made of the bullock a type of one thing in one verse and of another thing in each verse in which it was mentioned; and so, too, with the goat. But I well knew that the people in general are not close reasoners and that, with the cares of life upon them, they are too apt to accept a seeming interpretation without a critical examination of the words of the Scripture and the context.

STRUGGLING FOR LIGHT ─ “I thought the matter over. I examined the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus, but while seeing the inconsistency and error of Mr. Barbour’s interpretation, I could only confess that I did not understand it and could not give a connected interpretation, which fit all the details so plainly stated, and all of which must have a particular meaning. What could I do? Those reading the Hera1d as well as the Tower would probably be misled, if not helped out of the difficulty; and to merely say that the Herald’s interpretation was inconsistent with itself and, therefore, a misinterpretation would be misunderstood. Many would suppose I opposed that view from a spirit of rivalry; for there are always people with whom everything resolves itself into personality, rivalry and party spirit; and such cannot understand others who take a higher and nobler view and who think always and only of the truth, regardless of persons.

“I went to the Lord with this, as with every trial, and told Him just how it seemed to me, how anxious I felt for His dear sheep, who, having their appetites sharpened by some truth, were by their very hunger exposed to Satan’s deceptions. I told Him I realized that He is the Shepherd, and not I, but that I knew also that He would be pleased at my interest in the sheep and my desire to be His mouthpiece to declare the truth, the way and the life to them; that I felt deeply impressed that if the time had come for the permission of false views to deceive the unworthy, it must also be His due time to have the truth on the subject made clear, that the worthy ones might be enabled to stand and not fall from the truth. Believing that the due time had come for the correct understanding of the Jewish sacrifices, which, in a general way all Christians concede were typical of ‘better sacrifices’; and that the Lord, therefore, would grant the insight as soon as I got into the attitude of heart and mind best suited to receive the light. I prayed with confidence that if His due time had come, and if He were willing to use me as His instrument to declare the message to His dear family, that I might be able to rid my heart and mind of any prejudice that might stand in the way and be led of His spirit into the proper understanding of the truth.

SHADOWS OF THE TABERNACLE REVEALED

“Believing that the Lord wou1d answer my prayer affirmatively, I went into my study the next morning prepared to study and to write. The forenoon I spent in scrutinizing the text and every other Scripture likely to shed light upon it, especially the Epistle to the Hebrews, and in looking to the Lord for wisdom and guidance; but no solution of the difficult passages. The afternoon and evening were similarly spent, and all the next day. Everything else was neglected, and I wondered why the Lord had kept me so long; but on the third day, near noon, the whole matter came to me as clear as the noonday sun, so clear and convincing and so harmonious with the whole tenor of the Scriptures that I could not question its correctness; and no one has ever yet been able to find a flaw in it. This has been published in several editions in booklet form under the title, Tabernacle Shadows of the Better Sacrifices. [Some able brethren have described this booklet as “the biggest 1ittle book they have ever seen.”]

“Then I knew why the Lord had led me so slowly and cautiously. I needed a specia1 preparation of heart for the full appreciation of all it contained; and I was all the more sure it was not of my own wisdom; for if of my own, why had it not come at once.

“I found that the understanding of that subject was bound to have a wide influence upon all our hopes and views of all truth, not that it overlooked old truths or contradicted them, but, on the contrary, set them all in order and harmony and straightened out little knots and twists. For instance, the doctrine of Justification by Faith had always been more or less confused in my mind, as it is in every mind, with the doctrine of Sanctification, which ca1ls for sacrifice and works. This was all made c1ear and plain at once; for the types showed that we all, as sinners, needed first of all, Christ’s ransom sacrifice, that we appropriate its merits (justification which God grants) to ourselves by faith, that thus we are justified ─ reckoned free from sin. The type showed, too, that it is only after being thus cleansed in God’s sight ─ by an acceptance of Christ’s finished work as our ransom-sacrifice ─ that God is willing to accept us as joint-sacrificers with Christ, so that if faithful unto death, we should be granted the favor of joint heirship with Him. [Here is given us a clear proof of “tentative justification.”]

“Here I first saw that the great privilege of becoming joint-heirs with Christ and partakers with Him of the Divine Nature was confined exclusively to those who would share with Him in self-sacrifice in the service of the Truth. And here, too, I saw for the first time that our Lord was the first of these sacrifices in the sin offering, consequently, that none of God's servants, the prophets, who 1ived and died before Christ, were priests after this order, nor sharers in sacrifice with Him, even though some of them were stoned, others sawn asunder, and others slain with the sword, for the cause of God; that though they wou1d receive a good and great reward, they would belong to a separate class and order from those called to sacrifice and joint-heirship with Christ on and since Pentecost.

“Here, too, I saw that the ‘acceptable day of the Lord’ signifies this Gospel Age ─ the time during which He will accept the sacrifice of any who come unto God through Christ, the Great Sin-Offering; that when this ‘acceptable day’ ends, the reward of joint-heir-ship with Christ and prospect of change to the Divine nature ends. And when this great day of sacrifice, the Gospel Age, the real Day of Atonement, has closed, when all the members of the Body of Christ have participated with Him in the sacrifice of their rights as justified men, and been glorified, then the blessings will begin to come to the world ─ the Millennial blessings purchased for men by their Redeemer, according to the grace of God.

DISTINCTIONS IN NATURE RECOGNIZED

“This first brought a clear recognition of the distinction in natures: of what constitutes human nature; what constitutes the Divine Nature. (See Volume l, Chapter 10) And whereas we formerly used the term Restitution in a general way to mean some sort of blessed change; but now, under the clearer light, we began to see that the great work of restitution could only mean what the word implies, a restoration of that which was lost, a restoration of the original condition from which man fell.

“Then I saw that God’s plan, when carried out, would NOT bring all His creatures to the one level of the Divine Nature, but that He purposed to have an order of creatures called angels, who, though perfect, would always be of a different order, or nature, from the Divine nature; and He likewise purposed to have a race of beings of the human nature of whom Adam was a sample or pattern, and whose future earthly home, Paradise, Eden, was a sample or pattern. I also saw that God purposed that Christ and His joint-sacrificers and joint-heirs are to be God’s instrument for blessing the fallen race and restoring them to the condition of perfection enjoyed by Adam, a condition which God said was ‘very good,’ and an image of Himself.

“And these joint-heirs with Christ, I saw were to be highly exalted to a nature higher than restored and perfected mankind, higher, too, than the angelic nature; even to be partakers of the Divine Nature. When all these things so unexpectedly shone out so brightly and clearly, I did not wonder that the Lord gave me several days of waiting and preparation for the blessing, and to Him I rendered praise and thanks. All my faintness of heart and fear of the bad effects of the wrong view fled before this evidence of the Lord’s leadings in the pathway that ‘shines more and more unto the perfect day.’ I saw at once that these new developments would probably prove a stumbling-block to some, as well as a great blessing to others who were ready for them. Instead, therefore, of publishing this in the next Tower, I determined to present the matter privately to the more prominent brethren, remembering Saint Paul’s course in a similar matter as recorded in Galatians 2:2.

“Accordingly, I sent invitations and the money necessary for traveling expenses to four of the more prominent brethren, requesting a conference. Mr. Paton, of Michigan, was one of the four, and the only one who rejected the first rays of light. Nor could he find any flaw with the exegesis, though urged, as all were, to state anything which might seem inconsistent, or quote any passages of Scripture thought to be in conflict. But there was none; and every question more fully demonstrated the strength of the position.

ADVANCING L1GHT REJECTED

“I, therefore, urged that that which was beyond the criticism of those most familiar with the Plan of God, must be the truth, and ought to be confessed and taught at any cost, and especially when it arranged and ordered all the other features of the truth so beautifully. I pointed out, too, how necessary it is to a logical holding of the Ransom, to see first what this showed; namely, the distinction of natures; that our Lord left a higher nature and took a lower nature, when He was made flesh, and that the object in that change of nature was, that He might, as a man, a perfect man give Himself as a Ransom for the first perfect man, Adam, and thus redeem Adam, and all lost in him.

“I also showed how, as a reward for this great work, He was given the Divine Nature in His resurrection, a nature that is still higher than the glorious one He had left, when He became a man. But either Mr. Paton’s mental vision or heart was weak, for he never took the step; and before long he, too, forsook the doctrine of the Ransom. Yet he still used the word Ransom, while denying the idea conveyed by the word; nor can he give the word any other definition, or otherwise dispute the correctness of the meaning which I attach to it, and which may be found in any English dictionary, and it is true to the significance of the Greek word which it translates, anti-lutron, a price to correspond.

“Notwithstanding our best endeavors to save him, he drifted further and further away, until I was obliged to refuse his articles for the Tower, for the same reason that obliged me to longer refuse to spend the Lord’s money entrusted to me to assist Mr. Barbour, to spread the same pernicious theory.

“It was about this time that Mr. Jones informed me that the copies of the book, Day Dawn, which I had purchased, were all that were left; and, announcing it so that no more orders might come in for it to the Tower office, I took occasion to promise Millennial Dawn, which should present the Plan of the Ages in the clearer, more orderly way made possible by the new light shed upon every feature of it by the lessons from the Tabernacle. About this time Mr. Paton decided to publish another book under the name Day-Dawn, revised to harmonize with his changed views, which ignored the Ransom, ignored Justification, and the need of either, and taught that all men will be everlastingly saved; not in any sense as a result of any sacrifice for their sins by Christ, but as the result of each one’s crucifying sin in himself ─ the law under which the Jews tried to commend themselves to God, but which justified none. Many and severe were the calumnies heaped upon me, because I exposed this change, told that the original book was out of print and the new book was on a different foundation from the book of the same name, which I had commended.

“During this time I was busied by an immense work known to many of you: the issue and circulation of over 1,400,000 copies of the two booklets, entitled Food For Thinking Christians and Tabernacle Teachings, whose united matter was about the same as that of Dawn, Volume 1. Besides this I was flooded with thousands of joyous and joy-giving letters, from those who had received and were reading the booklets thus distributed, and asking questions, and for more reading matter. To add to our throng, financial complications came; and thus for four years I was hindered from fulfilling my promise of Millennial Dawn.

SEVENTH VOLUME PROMISED

“Nor is our promise of the complete set yet fulfilled; for although six volumes are now (1910) issued, a Seventh on Revelation and Ezekiel is still future ─ delayed by the growth of the general work, doubtless in accord with the Lord’s ‘due time.’ But during those four years I struggled through an immense amount of labor and many drawbacks; but all cheerfully undergone for the sake of the Lord and His Saints, each year hoping to be able to gather the necessary hours to complete the first volume of Millennial Dawn.

“Some who may have the Three Worlds or the old edition of Day Dawn would perhaps like to know my present view of them, whether I still think them suitable books to loan to truth-seekers. To this I reply, Certainly not! Because of the very immature views of God’s truth therein presented fall far short of what we now see to be God’s wonderful plan. Things which are now as clear as noonday were then cloudy and mixed. The distinctions between the perfect human nature, to which the obedient of the world will be restored during the Mil1ennial Age, and the Divine Nature to which the Little Flock, the sacrificing elect of the Gospel Age, are soon to be exalted, were then unnoticed. All that is now so clear was then blurred, mixed and indistinct. Neither had we then seen the steps of planes now shown upon the Chart of the Ages, which have assisted so many to distinguish between Justification and Sanctification and to determine their present standing and relationship to God.

“Once I was much less careful about what I circulated or commended, but I am now learning every day to be more careful as to what sort of food I put before any of the Lord’s hungry sheep. The Lord has taught me that it is a responsible matter to be a teacher. Even Food For Thinking Christians, now also out of print, I no longer commend, because it is less systematic and therefore less clear than later publications.”

Much more could be added, but we believe it is sufficient for all who are “of the Truth” to realize Brother Russell was indeed That Wise and Faithful Servant of Matthew 24:45-47 whom the Lord gave the honor of presenting the Plan of the Ages in all its purity, as a Key to the correct understanding of the Bible. As we wrote the foregoing concerning That Servant we were vividly reminded of the account of St. Paul: “In perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness.” (2 Cor. 11:26,27) In the beginning of his ministry he was confronted with a mountain of the most pernicious error, which he successfully met through much exhaustion and prayer. It is probably impossible for us now to appreciate fully the great work that this man of God accomplished; and we say once more with enthusiasm: God bless his memory!

(Brother John J. Hoefle, Reprint 328, October 1982)

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ARMAGEDDON ─The Watchtower of April 1, 2008 has an article on this subject and as usual they are fantasizing. One paragraph says this:

“Historical Megiddo suggests a cornered condition, or situation, with no escape for the enemies of God. Thus, at Armageddon, God will make certain that all corruption and wickedness, no matter where it may be found on this globe, is crushed out of existence. ─ Revelation 21:8”

But it will be Anarchy, not Armageddon that will crush the world at the end of this Age. In fact there will probably be a lull of reasonable peace between Armageddon and Anarchy. However, the Scripture Revelation 21:8 does not even apply to this Age. It is a Millennial Kingdom picture, not of the Bride Class. Verse 7 says they will “inherit all things,” ─ the earthly Kingdom, just as the overcomers of the Gospel Age inherit spiritual things. Then verse 8 goes on to say that the fearful, unbelieving, murderers, sorcerers, etc. will have part in the lake of fire ─ Greek, Gehenna, symbol of utter destruction. Thus is shown that it is the time of judging individuals. So at the end of the Millennial Age is the time that “all wickedness will be crushed out of existence,” not in Armageddon at the end of this Age.

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION ─ What is implied by Simeon’s words, “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the gentiles [heathen] and the glory of thy people Israel?” (Luke 2:30-32)

ANSWER ─ Jesus is not only to be the glory of Israel, but the light of the world ─ eventually, he shall lighten every man that cometh into the world (John 1:9). As to Israel ─ What Israel is here meant? is probably your inquiry. We reply, (1) Christ is the glory of the Church, the true Israel of God (Rom. 11:7); and (2) he will be the glory of fleshly or natural Israel when their eyes are opened and they are received by him under the New Covenant. Earthly Israel (under Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets) shall then as the agents and representatives of the heavenly Zion become a blessing and a praise in the whole earth ─ as the earthly representatives of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ.

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 2125, 2126, April 1, 1897)

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O love, our refuge in earth’s wildest storm!

O service, life-breath of a heart that’s warm!

A dual-unity, of heaven born;

For love is service in its highest form.

Flame-tints that shimmer on the desert air!

Love-lights that make Life’s sands a garden fair,

Where joy and pain sing softly to the soul,

That God in man is Love in human care.

September 1, 2008

NO. 613 "WHY PERSECUTEST THOU ME?"

by Epiphany Bible Students

Acts 9:1-12, 17-20

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:15)

Saul’s transformation, from an enemy of Christ, and his Church to a friend and zealous servant, is generally termed his conversion. In our opinion, however, the term “conversion” would scarcely be appropriate in such a case. Saul of Tarsus was either a bad man or a hypocritical Pharisee, a money-lover and self-lover, as were many, or else he was an Israelite indeed, whose aim and object was the service of God, and whose persecution of the early Church was prompted by his fidelity to God. We believe that the latter description is the one which fitted his case; it is in harmony with his own testimony on the subject: “I verily thought that I did God service.” If then Saul was not only a member of the favored nation of Israel, but a true and loyal member of it, thoroughly consecrated to the Lord and serving him to the best of his knowledge and opportunity, but merely blinded for the time by prejudice and misconception, we can no more think of his case as a conversion that the cases of the other apostles. The Lord chose the original twelve because they were Israelites indeed; and he gave them the needed instruction for his service; and this he did also for Saul, though in a more striking manner. The word convert signifies to turn about in an opposite direction. But Saul was already going in the right direction; namely, in a whole hearted service of God, though his efforts were expended upon the wrong thing in the right direction. The Lord merely opened the eyes of his understanding and showed him the better how his efforts should be used. Saul needed no conversion and needed merely to be shown aright; and he proved this by as much fidelity and energy in the Lord's service afterward as he had ignorantly misused previously.

Saul was one of those Israelites who lived amongst the Gentiles, but who occasionally went up to Jerusalem to certain of the feasts. His home was in the city of Tarsus, one of the notable cities of that date ─ said to have been excelled in scholarship and fine arts by the cities of Alexandria and Athens only. He not only had the advantages of a home in such a city, but his family was one of the influential ones, as is implied in the fact that he was not only a citizen of Tarsus but also a citizen of Rome. In addition to the education of his home city he had received a special course in theology or Jewish Law at Jerusalem, under Gamaliel, one of the greatest teachers of that time. His early training, therefore, and all of its conditions were favorable to producing in him a breadth and refinement of thought equaled by few; and these conditions combined with his honesty of heart and his zeal for God, though not at first according to knowledge, fitted him to become just what the Lord subsequently made of him; namely, “A chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” (Acts 9:15)

(1) It would appear that the circumstances connected with the stoning of Stephen only incited Saul to the greater energy in stamping out what he believed to be a very injurious doctrine ─ a heresy. Our own experience confirms the thought that an earnest, conscientious opponent is more to be respected than a cold, indifferent professed friend, and we are reminded of the Lord’s words, “I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15,16) Let us have respect, therefore, for all who are warm-hearted and zealous; remembering that there is more hope of their being pleasing to God, and being accounted worthy to receive the truth, than for the lukewarm.”

(2) The Jewish priesthood was granted and exercised considerable power under the arrangements of the Roman government. It had come to exercise very much of the power subsequently used by the pope of Rome. They had power to authorize arrests and imprisonments for the infractions of their religious rules and regulations. Saul, exercising the same respect to law and authority that subsequently marked all of his dealings and teachings as a Christian, did not attempt to take matters into his own hands in the persecution of the Christians, but went about it in the manner recognized as legal ─ under the sanction and authority of the highest religious tribunal. Let us remember that nearly all persecutions have been sanctioned by some human law, and regulate ourselves under the Divine Code.

(3-9) The account here given of the opening of the eyes of Saul’s understanding is that of Luke, and was doubtless received directly from the Apostle Paul himself ─ with whom he traveled for a time. Two other accounts are given by the Apostle Paul himself. (See Acts 22:6-11; 26:12-20) The three accounts are in practical agreement, and show only such variations as might reasonably be expected, considering the fact that they were delivered under different conditions; as it was sought to emphasize or elaborate different points. Had the three accounts been exactly alike, word for word, there would have been just ground for supposing a special preparation of the text with this harmony in view. Even the seeming discrepancies of the account, when rightly seen, are additional evidences of the truthfulness of all. The account itself being simple, we need give attention only to those points which apparently conflict. All three accounts say that Saul himself heard the voice, saw the light and fell to the ground. One of the accounts adds that all with him fell to the earth as well. The account in our lesson tells that the men of his company “stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no man.” Another account says, “They beheld, indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.” These accounts can be harmonized in this way: Saul himself was evidently the center of manifestation ─ “a great light shone round me.” His companions doubtless saw something of this light in a general way, but they did not see the source of the light; they did not see the glorious body of our Lord Jesus ─ “seeing no man.” Saul, however, saw the glorious body of our Lord Jesus, as he himself subsequently testified, “last of all he [Jesus] was seen of me also.” Although none but Saul was smitten to the ground, the others who stood speechless and terror stricken no doubt soon kneeled reverently about their leader. Respecting the voice ─ Saul and all that were with him heard a sound, “the voice,” but only Saul could distinguish the words ─ which were meant for him alone. A similar case is recorded in John 12:28,29, where it is stated that our Lord Jesus heard a voice from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” But the people that stood by and heard the voice understood not the words, but said that “it thundered.” Saul and all of his company in one sense of the word heard the sound or voice, but in another sense of the word he alone heard the voice. We use this same form of expression in our daily conversation today. If some one speaks to us in a low or indistinct voice, we say that we did not hear ─ we mean that although we heard the voice we did not understand or comprehend it.

The feelings of Saul, as he heard from the Lord of glory a reproof of his misdirected zeal, can be better imagined than described. Nevertheless, we can but admire the promptness with which he at once laid down the arms of his opposition, and placed himself on the side of the one whose cause he had so recently persecuted. We can imagine him praying, “Lord teach me!” In my blindness and ignorance I have been fighting against thee, the Only Begotten of the Father, the Messiah; while “I verily thought I did God service.” Having made such a great mistake I am thoroughly humbled, I can no longer trust to my own wisdom nor to the wisdom of those in whom I have heretofore confided; the chief priests, the scribes and Pharisees. Now Lord, I come to thee. Show me how I can undo some of the great wrong I have done ignorantly. Show me, and I will be glad to promptly follow and obey.

How deep a hold the matter took upon the mind of Saul may be judged from the fact that he neither ate nor drank for three days. He could not think lightly of his own blinded course. Deep contrition is always a good evidence of genuine repentance of wrong. No doubt his thoughts were busy, and, well educated in the law and in the prophets, and familiar with what he had learned concerned the Nazarene and his teachings, we may reasonably suppose that those three days of blindness and fasting were days of prayer and reflection, in which he diligently compared the testimony of the law and the prophets with what he knew of the Nazarene and his teachings. His natural sight had been destroyed, but his mental vision had been opened, and he now saw matters in a new and wonderful light.

(10-17) The name Ananias in a previous lesson was associated with ungodliness and falsehood, but here we find another Ananias of totally a different character ─ a true servant of the Lord. His hesitation (vs. 13-16) does not seem to have been caused by opposition, nor faithlessness, but rather a reasonable caution. He had heard of Saul and possibly also knew Saul’s host to be an enemy of the cause of Christ, and therefore wanted to assure himself that he was not misunderstanding the Lord. The Lord very graciously made the matter clear to him, as he always does to his faithful ones, and Ananias promptly fulfilled his mission. Here again is an illustration of Divine methods: The Lord sent upon this important errand one who apparently was a very humble member of the Church. He did not send Peter and John and James the apostles from Jerusalem with great pomp and show to receive the penitent enemy of the cross and to make a public triumph, but used an instrument ready and willing that was nearby. This should be a lesson to us that the Lord is both able and willing to use in his service the humble ones who are ready and waiting ─

“Emptied, that he might fill them,

as forth to his service they go;

Emptied, that so unhindered his life

through them might flow.”

(18-20) The scales which fell from the eyes of Saul would seem to indicate that a certain portion of the eye had been thoroughly destroyed by the great light; and the healing may be said to have been in a natural way by the removal of the injured cornea. Although informed that he received his sight, we are not informed that his eyes were made whole. Indeed, it seems very evident, from subsequent statements, that to his dying day his eyes never recovered their soundness and his sight was never again normal. It has been surmised, and we think with good reason, that the continued weakness of his eyes constituted what he terms “a thorn in the flesh.” Although under the power of the Holy Spirit he was granted many gifts of the spirit, amongst others the gift of healing, and although he exercised this gift of healing upon many (see Acts 19:11;12), yet the Lord did not relieve him from his own weakness in this respect. This must have been all the greater trial; it would seem all the more strange that he who could heal others could not heal himself; that he who had Divine Power for the blessing of others in this way, should not have the Divine Power for his own blessing. Our Lord's answer to his petition was, “My grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness.” The noble Apostle exclaims, Therefore most gladly I will suffer, if thereby the grace of God toward me shall be the greater: and thereafter he never requested the removal of this “thorn.” Several incidents in his experience confirm this conclusion. (1) Although an educated man, he seldom wrote his own letters; and of the one letter which he did write, although one of the briefest, he remarks (Gal. 6-11), “Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with my own hand.” The Greek would even give the thought that these words apologize for the use of very large characters in the writing ─ such as a semi-blind person would use; (2) the Apostle comes down to us in history as “the bleared-eye Jew;” (3) when standing before the tribunal of the chief captain he declares that he did not know Ananias as the high priest; whereas, if his eyesight had been good, he could not have well helped knowing him, on account of his gorgeous apparel (Acts 23:5); (4) in writing to the Galatians he tells them (4:15) that, when he first met them, their love and sympathy for him were such that they would willingly have plucked out their own eyes for him ─ an expression which would be meaningless, unless his eyes were defective.

After a few days to gain strength from his fasting and the nervous excitement incidental to his experiences, days of communion with those whom he had come to persecute, and whom now in his renewed condition of mind he recognized and fellowshipped as dear brethren, he promptly began to preach Christ as the Son of God publicly using the opportunities afforded in the Jewish Synagogues.

Those who think of the Apostle Paul’s experiences as on a par with the conversion of sinners greatly err. Such conduct as is here related is not the conduct of sinners, enemies of God. The account of the Apostle’s enlightenment in the gospel is the account of a most noble character which commands the respect of every class in every time. And we are inclined to regard the Apostle Paul as in some sense of the word a figure, or likeness, or type of his race ─ Israel ─ and the opening of their eyes now shortly due to take place. Amongst the Jews are many who seem to be Israelites indeed, merely blinded, as the prophet and the apostle have described (Rom. 11:7-12). That nation whose blinding took place in the fifth (1,000 year) day, and which has been blinded throughout the sixth (l,000 year day), is to have its eyes opened on the third day, which will be the seventh (1,000 year) day ─ the Millennial Day. Israel also has been without food or drink of a spiritual kind during all this time. Israel also is to be a chosen vessel in the Lord’s hand as connected with the earthly agencies in bearing the message which shall bless the Gentiles and all the families of the earth. We are near to the time for the opening of Israel’s eyes. When the time shall have fully come, the Lord will send some Ananias whose touch and blessing under Divine favor shall bring sight. The name Ananias signifies, “Jah is gracious.”

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 2117, 2118, March 1, 1897)

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THE SONG OF THE VINEYARD

Isaiah 5:1-12

“Let me sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard.”

This is a Divinely-inspired key, for the words were quoted by the great teacher and applied by him to the Jewish nation, as indeed the Prophet himself explains. What the Prophet styles a song we might properly term a parable or story. God is represented as having planted the nation of Israel as his own vineyard. He gathered out the stones, or removed the difficulties, and planted in it the choicest vine, the richest promises ─ promises of the Messianic Kingdom and the blessing of Israel and all the families of the earth. He provided a watch tower for it in the Prophecies and a hedge about it in the law and the prophets and in all the arrangements made for that holy nation. It was proper that he shou1d look for choice fruitage from so favorably-situated a vineyard, but the results were unsatisfactory. The fruitage was not in harmony with the promises he had planted, but wild grapes, sour, small.

This condition prevailed until the time of Jesus. Although troubles upon the nation were from time to time permitted by the Lord, the breaches were always healed and the nation was preserved. Its walls of Divine protection and guidance were maintained and its watch tower. John the Baptist was the last of the Prophets. Since his day the Lord has fulfilled to natural Israel the things mentioned in this prophecy. The hedges have been broken down. It has been laid waste. No care has been taken of it. The beasts of the field, the Gentile nations, have ravaged this vineyard and, by Divine intention, no rain of Divine blessing, comfort, encouragement and fructification have come upon the Jewish people in all these more than eighteen centuries.

THE PROPER KIND OF FRUIT

What was the proper fruitage which the

Lord had a right to expect from this vineyard and why did he not find it? He tells us in this very prophecy: “For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: God looked for judgment, justice, but behold oppression! He looked for righteousness, but instead, heard the cry of the oppressed.” In other words, God’s Covenant with Israel was that they should have the blessed privilege of being his people, and the having of his Divine favor was dependent upon their faithful observance of the Divine Law. He knew that they would not be able to keep the law perfectly. He knew that he would not get perfect grapes, but he had a right to expect much better than he found ─ to expect heart endeavors, even if there were fleshly imperfections.

The demands of the law were supreme love for the Almighty, governing every thought and word and act, and a love for the neighbor as for oneself ─ an unselfish love. The observance of this law, in its spirit at least, to the extent of the ability of the flesh, was the requirement. Had there been such fruitage in Israel at the time that Jesus presented himself to them eighteen centuries ago, they would have been ready to constitute the spiritua1 Kingdom, which would then and there have been established, according to Divine promise. But their unreadiness led to the breaking down of their entire system. They did not have love enough toward God, nor love enough toward their fellows.

We are not to understand from this that Israel was more degenerate than the remainder of the world. The contrary of this, we believe, is true. But then the other nations had not been specially planted and specially hedged about and specially watered and specially guarded. Where more was given more was required. And when more was not found the faithful few were gathered out and the vineyard temporarily abandoned. We are glad, indeed, to note from the Scriptures that the time is coming when that same vineyard shall be restored under still more favorable conditions during the Messianic reign of glory and heavenly power. But it is still in disorder.

The succeeding verses complain of the disposition of the Israelites to take advantage of each other; and the result of this was great riches on the one hand and great poverty on the other. This Prophecy reminds us of the Great Teacher’s words when he said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, for ye devour widows’ houses” ─ you take possession of the property of the poor, perhaps, sometimes, in a technical, legal way. You are not filled with that love for your neighbor as yourself which would lead you to assist the poor, the widow and the fatherless and to be generous toward all. The sin of selfishness, avarice, indicates a lack of the Spirit of the Lord and good will toward all. The majority of the Jews of our Lord Jesus’ day were tinctured with such selfishness and hence were not in a condition of mind acceptable to the Lord for constituting the spiritual, the Bride Class ─ except the few, “the remnant,” mentioned by the Prophet.

The Lord indicated how he would punish the selfish. Ruin would come upon the great estates and the earth would not yield returns for the labor. Thus selfishness would have its reproof and penalty along temporal lines, as well as costing the loss of spiritual privileges.

APPLICATION TO SPIRITUAL ISRAEL

God’s dealings with fleshly Israel not only represent the principles of Divine government and requirements, but also the requirements of natural Israel’s service, as the Scriptures show, and they typify spiritual Israel. As natural Israel failed to be ready to accept Jesus at his First Advent ─ except “the remnant” ─ so spiritual Israel, called “Christendom,” will fail to be ready to receive him as the great Messiah at the establishment of His Kingdom. Note the care with which the Lord planted His Church, gathering out all the difficulties at the time of its establishment. Note the heavenly, spiritual promises, exceeding great, with which He surrounded the Church, as his vineyard. Note that it is of the Father’s right-hand planting. Note the watch tower of grace and truth established by the Apostles. Note the blessing of the Holy Spirit.

In the end of this Age comes a harvest time for spiritual Israel, as in the end of the Jewish Age there was a harvest time for natural Israel. Here, as there, only “a remnant” will be found worthy of the Kingdom ─ the great, nominal mass will be found unworthy. And why? Because the spirit of worldliness and selfishness is the prevalent one, instead of the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of meekness, gentleness, love. Only with the few is God first. Only with the few is there a spirit of full consecration to do the Divine will. Only with the few is there love of the brethren and a willingness to lay down life one for another (John 15:13). Only with the few is there even business honesty, justice. Today selfishness is heaping up treasure and the results, we may be sure, will be unsatisfactory ─ “a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.” (Dan. 12:1)

Moreover, as the Prophet proceeds to show, the accumulation of wealth has generally an injurious effect upon the rich ─ idleness, music and wine and disregard of things Divine. The “remnant” now will be a sufficient number to complete the “elect.” The Kingdom of glory will be established and all the families of the earth will, shortly after the Time of Trouble, begin to recognize the long-promised blessing. Indeed, the “time of trouble” will be used of the Lord to humble the world ─ to prepare mankind to receive properly the blessings of the Kingdom.

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 4794, 4795, April 1, 1911)

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BINDING THE STRONG MAN

“No man can comer into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods except he will first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house.” (Mark 3:27)

These words were spoken in answer to the charge of the Pharisees that Jesus was casting out devils by the power of Satan, the prince of demons. Our Lord first showed how unreasonable was the charge that Satan had taken to opposing himself. His argument is that if that be true it would imply that Satan’s power was tottering to a fall, if it was necessary for him to thus work against his own plans and arrangements, associates, etc. This does not imply that Satan will never be so cornered as to find it necessary to do good works in order to deceive if it were possible the very elect, but it does imply that when that time shall come, and the adversary shall favor good works, the healing of diseases, casting out of devils, etc., it will be a sure indication that his kingdom is tottering. We believe that this is the case to some extent at the present time ─ that Satan has much to do with various faith healings that are done by Christian Science, Spiritualism, Hypnotism, etc.

But our Lord’s argument was to the contrary of all this ─ that he was not casting out devils as the minion of Satan, but on the contrary that he was opposing Satan. Then he used the words of our text, which imply that he was already binding Satan, already spoiling his goods. Satan’s control of mankind was certainly interfered with when our Lord cast out the demons and gave power and authority to his disciples to do the same throughout Palestine. This our Lord declared was a sign that a stronger one than Satan was at work. Satan was indeed powerful and had taken possession of the world and was exercising a great influence therein, and the fact that now he was interfered with to any extent and demons were cast out proved that he had met one more powerful than himself, and that the time of the complete overthrow of his dominion would come.

This text then is analogous to and in harmony with another which declared, “Now is the prince of this wor1d cast out.” (John 12:31) Our Lord again declared; “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” (Luke 10:18) Our Lord had come into the wor1d for the very purpose of mastering Satan, and in order to vanquish him he had consecrated his life even unto death, that by means of death he might destroy death and him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. God had accepted the consecration, the sacrifice, and had granted our Lord the anointing of the Spirit at his baptism, and it was under the power and influence of this Spirit that he declared that as the Finger of God he cast out demons. However, the work of destroying Satan’s house was not intended to go on to a rapid completion, but rather that merely the power of the Anointed One should be demonstrated for our comfort and joy and faith, and that he should be permitted to control the world for a time further, until the full end of this Gospel Age, when his binding will be gradually accomplished and will be followed by the liberating of the whole world from his chains of error with which he has deceived all nations.

In Matthew 24:43 our Lord uses somewhat similar language, but applies it not to his own day but to the end of the Age. He speaks of his Second Advent as being unknown to the world and therefore to them as a thief in the night, unexpected. He intimates that such a secrecy respecting the time is essential; that if it were generally known to the world the Divine plan and arrangement in respect to the end of the Age would be foiled. To the Church it would be given to know the times and seasons, through the Holy Spirit enlightening their understanding respecting the Word of truth uttered through the apostles and prophets of old for our admonition. But none of the wicked would understand, only the wise, the truly wise with the wisdom that cometh from above, the consecrated. So far as the world would be concerned, its great ones, its master minds in church and in state, in business, in finances, would all be surprised in the end of this Age. The Master would be present as a thief in the night to take, first of all, his “jewels,” his Bride, his Saints, and then to utterly spoil, overthrow, the affairs of this present time, that on the ruins thereof he might speedily set up his everlasting Kingdom of righteousness.

“Ye brethren are not in darkness” ─ that day has not overtaken you as a thief, though it will thus overtake all the world (1 Thes. 5:3,4). The thief-like work of taking the Church is already in progress; by and by it will be all completed, and shortly thereafter ─1915 ─ the kingdoms of this world, with all of their associated institutions, will go down in a climax of trouble such as the world has never known because after gathering his Bride class the Lord will execute judgments upon Babylon. At that time Satan will be bound that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years are finished. (Rev. 20:3)

(Pastor Russell, Reprint 3784, June 1, 1906)

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THE KINGDOM OF PEACE

Micah 4:1-8

“Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Micah 4:3)

The whole world has for a long time been boasting that civilization and Christianity have won the day, that the world has become God’s Empire and that the blessings of the Millennium are ours to enjoy. Aid Conferences and Peace Councils and Peace Commissions have flared up for the moment, only to die down. The cry of “Peace, peace,” has brought no peace. We are beginning to see that we have been deceiving ourselves into thinking that the nations of the earth are kingdoms of God. We are beginning to see that the Bible styles them “kingdoms of this world,” kingdoms of the Gentiles, and that it tells us that “the Prince of this world, who now worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience,” is Satan, the usurper, “a liar from the beginning and abode not in the truth.”

We see it all. The Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of heaven, for which the Master taught us to pray, has not yet come. We are glad, however, that the Divine promise assures us that it will come and explains to us that the All-Wise Creator is now, first of all, preparing for His Kingdom by gathering from amongst mankind a worthy, saintly few, to be associates of their King and Redeemer in that Kingdom of glory, by which the world is to be blessed.

But all are not yet convinced of these Bible truths. Some point to the coins of the various kingdoms, which declare that “In God we trust,” and that the several emperors and kings of earth are reigning “by the grace of God” and claiming that they are of Divine appointment; while the Pope also makes the still greater claim that he is the personal representative of Messiah and His Kingdom and the only one authorized to reign over and to govern the kings of the earth.

To convince the more prejudiced nothing further should be necessary along these lines than to point out the difference between present conditions and those which the Scriptures declare will prevail when He who redeemed the world by the sacrifice of himself will take his great power and reign as Messiah, the King of glory, to put down sin in its every form and death in its every form and to release and uplift all the willing and obedient of the families of the earth ─ including those who have gone down into the great prison-house of death ─ the grave, sheoI, hades.

IN OUR FAVORED LAND

The United States of America does not lead the world in the size of its standing army and in great battleships. She has no need to do so, having no threatening Christian (?) nations to menace her. Yet even this nation, walled about by thousands of miles of ocean, is making enormous expenditures on account of war.

One of the most modern of the battleships of the United States Navy is named the North Dakota, after one of the States. She cost $10,000,000.

The Minneapolis Journal shows what the money expended for this battleship would have accomplished in the State for which she is named. It would have provided a $25,000 agricultural school and experimental farm in its every county, with an endowment fund of $175,000 for each school, the interest on which would have provided $10,500 annually for the maintenance of each school. Additionally, it would have left $1,000,000 of an endowment for the State Agricultural College.

The situation in Europe is still worse. Does not this preparation of the so-called Christian nations of the world to destroy one another prove to us that there is a mistake ─ that the term Christian has been misapplied to them? Nor can we say that there is no danger, for only fear could lead to such costly preparations for war.

PRAY FOR MESSIAH'S KINGDOM

The hope for humanity is the Messianic Kingdom described in this lesson. The “mountain of the Lord’s house” signifies the Kingdom of God’s house, His Church. It will be established in the top of, or above the kingdoms of the world. It will be exalted amongst the nations and all peoples will flow to it. There will be an attraction in it for all peoples. It will lead them to climb upward. The attraction which will thus draw mankind will be the blessings of health and restitution, which the Kingdom will be prepared to grant to all peoples as they shall come into harmony with its requirements (Acts 3:19-23).

That Kingdom will be closely identified with the Zionist movement and the Holy Land. The Kingdom itself will be spiritual, invisible to men, but its earthly agents will be visible and they will be Jewish ─ “Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom,” etc. (Matt. 8:11) The Jews, already impulsed toward the Land of Promise, will go thither in increasing numbers, and all of the faithful of them will go in sympathy and representatively, through financial assistance. The Israelitish hopes and promises will attract that number strongly first. And gradually all the nations, learning of the grace of God, and the blessings of restitution to be bestowed, will say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us [as well as the Jews] of his ways and we will walk in his paths, For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:3; Micah 4:2)

THE PEACE OF GOD ESTABLISHED

Verse 3 tells of how Messiah’s judgments will be manifested, favoring most the nations which are most righteous and rebuking all unrighteousness. The effect will be that wars will cease. The metal previously used in weapons of destruction will be used in plowshares and pruning hooks. The earth shall no longer be soaked with human blood, but be tilled for the blessing of the race, with none to molest nor make afraid. The Lord’s people, at the beginning of that time, are represented as saying, Let each follow his own conception of God, but Israel must follow Jehovah. And at that time he will assemble her and gather her back into her own land ─ “a remnant.” Then the Lord shall reign over them in Mt. Zion.

The original dominion was given to Adam, but lost through sin. Jesus, by his obedience even unto death, has become the strong Tower, the Fortress, the Protection, to all of God’s people. “To him will come the first dominion” and for a thousand years he shall reign for the blessing and uplifting of all the willing and obedient. (Pastor Russell, Reprints 4795, 4796, April 1, 1911)

August 1, 2008

NO. 612 THE FIFTH UNIVERSAL EMPIRE

by Epiphany Bible Students

There have been four universal Empires as explained by Daniel in his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan. 2:31-45). The first was Babylon, second was Medo-Persia, who conquered Babylon. Greece conquered Medo-Persia and became the third. The fourth was Rome, which held universal sway at the time of our Lord’s birth. “There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.” (Luke 2:1) Rome was by far the strongest and endured longer than its predecessors.

We only give this brief synopsis of the first four, because we are more concerned with the Fifth. However, Daniel’s interpretation of the dream continues “And in the days of these Kings [the so-called “Christian kingdoms” or “Christendom”] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms; and shall stand forever.” (Dan. 2:43,44)

The Holy Roman Empire, the Papal system has long claimed that it is the kingdom which the God of heaven here promised to set up, and that, in fulfillment of this prophecy, it did break in pieces and consume all other kingdoms. The truth, however, is that the nominal Church merely united with earthly empires, and that papacy was never the kingdom of God, but merely a counterfeit of it. One of the best evidences that papacy did not destroy and consume these earthly kingdoms is that they still exist. But now it has lost its power and shows signs of dissolution, and will quickly crumble when smitten by the “stone,” the true Kingdom.

The stone cut out of the mountain without hands, which smites and scatters the Gentile powers, represents the true Church, the Kingdom of God. During the Gospel Age this “stone” kingdom was being formed, “cut out,” carved and shaped for its future position and greatness - not by human hands, but by the power or spirit of the truth, the invisible power of Jehovah. It is entirely cut out now and is smiting and destroying the kingdoms of this world. Not the people, but the governments, are being destroyed. Our Lord Jesus came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them (John 3:17).

The stone, during its preparation, while being cut out, might be called an embryo mountain, in view of its future destiny; so, too, the Church could be, and sometimes is called the Kingdom of God. In fact, however, the stone does not become the mountain until it has smitten the image; and so the Church, in the full sense, will become the Kingdom to fill the whole earth when “the day of the Lord,” “the day of wrath upon the nations” or the “time of trouble,” will be over, and when it will be established and all other dominions have become subservient to it.

Call to mind now the promise made by our Lord to the overcomers of the Christian Church: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne”  “and he that ovecometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father.” (Rev. 3:21; 2:26,27; Psa. 2:8-12.) When the rod of iron has accomplished the work of destruction, then will the hand that smote be turned to heal, and the people will return to the Lord, and he shall heal them (Isa. 19:22; Jer. 3:22,23; Hosea 6:1; 13:4; Isa. 2:3), giving them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isa. 61:3; Luke 4:18).

The stone class, the true Church, during its selection or taking out of the mountain, has been esteemed by the world as of no value. It has been despised and rejected of men. They see no beauty in it that they should desire it. The world loves, admires, praises, and defends the rulers and governments, though it has been continually disappointed, deceived, wounded and oppressed by them. The proud are now called happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up in power (Mal. 3:15). Can we not see, then, that the destruction of these kingdoms by the smiting of the stone, and the establishment of God’s Kingdom, means the liberating of the oppressed and the blessing of all? Though for a time the change will cause disaster and trouble, it will finally yield the fruits of righteousness.

But now, calling to mind the difference of standpoint, let us look at the same four universal empires of earth from the standpoint of God and those in harmony with him, as portrayed in a vision to the beloved prophet Daniel. As to us these kingdoms appear inglorious and beastly, so to Him these four universal empires were shown as four great and ravenous wild beasts. And to this view the coming Kingdom of God (the stone) was proportionally grander than as seen by Nebuchadnezzar. To get Daniel’s description of these four beastly empires see Dan. 7:2-7.

Of the fourth beast, Rome, Daniel says: “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly… and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; and, behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man and a mouth speaking great things.” (Dan. 7:7,8)

Here the Roman Empire is shown; and the divisions of its power are shown in the ten horns, a horn being a symbol of power. The little horn which arose among these, and which appropriated the power of three of them to itself and ruled among the others, represents the small beginning and gradual rise to power of the Church of Rome, the Papal power or horn. As it rose in influence, three of the horns, or powers of the Roman Empire, were plucked out of the way to make room for its establishment as a civil power or horn. This last especially notable horn, Papacy, is remarkable for its eyes, representing intelligence, and for its mouth  its utterances, its claims, etc.

After giving some details regarding this last or Roman beast, and especially of its peculiar or Papal horn, the Prophet states that judgment against this horn would be rendered, and it would begin to lose its dominion, which would be consumed by gradual process until the beast should be destroyed (Rev. 17:11).

No matter what may be the means or instrumentality used, the cause of this fall will be the establishment of the Fifth Universal Power of earth, the Kingdom of God, under Christ, whose right it is to take the dominion. The transfer of the kingdom from the fourth beast, which for its appointed time was “ordained of God,” to the fifth kingdom under the Messiah, when its appointed season has come, is described by the Prophet in these words: “And behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given unto him [Christ  head and body complete] dominion, and glory and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Dan. 7:13,14) This the angel interpreted to mean that “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and all dominions shall serve and obey him (Dan. 7: 27).

“For ye see your calling, brethren that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise: and God hath chosen the weak things in the world to confound the things which are mighty.” (1 Cor. 1:26,27) As a rule it has been the poor, who have been called, but they must be rich in one respect; rich in faith, rich in the spirit of faith, rich in the exemplification of that faith, rich in ministering to that faith, rich in commending that faith to others and rich in helping others to come to that faith. God has promised the Kingdom to the faithful, who love Him supremely with all their heart, mind, soul and strength as the all-gracious Jehovah, the God of perfect wisdom, power, justice and love. These will be heirs of the Kingdom in due time because they have been proven faithful to God unto the end.

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.” (2 Tim. 4:1) The Apostle Paul is here writing to his beloved son, Timothy. He gives him a very solemn charge before God and the Lord Jesus, because it could be given before none greater. He says that the Lord Jesus and the Father “shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom.” By the quick, we understand those who are not under a death sentence, like new creatures, quickened by God’s Holy Spirit (Eph. 2: 21,15; Col. 2:13) and the fallen angels. By the dead, we understand the human family to be meant, as dead either in trespasses and sins, under the Adamic death sentence, or in the death state, in the graves. This tells us the time that the judgment would take place. It will be at the time of His revelation, His manifestation, the Epiphany, and at the time of His Kingdom. In getting their judgment at these particular times, they will first, be instructed; second tested according to the instruction given them; third, striped for reformation, if they fail to live up to the instruction they had; and finally, a sentence will be passed on them. This will be the fulfillment of this passage.

Continuing our discussion, we desire to take up another line of thought, the invisibility of this Coming Universal Empire. “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20,21) This passage requires some explanation and some correction in the translation. With their usual impudence in their treating our Lord, the Pharisees demanded, as though they had a right to command our Lord, when the kingdom would come. “He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation [with outward sight, visibly].” Neither will they be able to point to the kingdom class, saying, Look over there, you will see it! “for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Literally this should be translated: in your midst. The Kingdom class, who, glorified as spirit beings, of the Divine nature, are thoroughly invisible, just as the angels of God are invisible. We have an illustration in Satan’s kingdom. He by usurpation has gotten control of a kingdom among the children of men. He is thus controlling the matters of politics, trusts, corporations, mergers, etc. He rules over them as a tyrant and executioner. He uses this rulership invisibly. We can only see the effects of his reign. This invisibility is an illustration of the Kingdom of God when it rules over the earth. The Christ, Head and Body, will be present, but invisible in the Divine nature, having immortality and incorruptibility. They will not be seen by the world, either before the Millennium or during the Millennium, or forever afterwards, even as Jesus says of Himself, in John 14:19: “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more.”

Another line of thought in connection with the Coming Universal Empire is its phases. There are two phases of this invisible empire. This we get in a general way from Isa. 2:3: “And many people shall go and say [the many people of the nations of the earth, who in the Millennial Age, recognize that Christ and the Church are ruling over the earth, will make a general proclamation among one another, saying], Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain [Kingdom] of the Lord, to the house of Jacob [fleshly Israel]; and he will teach us of his ways [His doctrines, precepts, histories, prophesies, types and moral teachings; in other words, every teaching will be required at that time], and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion [Zion is The Church, Head and Body] shall go forth the law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem [this will be the visible phase of the Kingdom, the Ancient and Youthful Worthies].”

Isaiah 32:1 is another passage to the point: “Behold, a king shall reign in righteous-ness, and princes shall rule in judgment.” The King here is the Christ the Head and the Church His Body. These as the heavenly phase of the Kingdom, will reign in righteousness, with the wisdom, power, justice and love of God, which they will gloriously represent in all of their acts and all of their deeds. The princes that shall rule in judgment are the Ancient and Youthful Worthies, who by doctrinal teachings among mankind, will exercise rulership as the visible representatives of the invisible Christ and the Church, with their associates, the Great Company.

SUBJECTS OF THE EMPIRE

We will now show who the subjects of that Empire will be. First, we quote Psalms 22:27-29: “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the Kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations.” Both Jews and Gentiles, the whole human family, everyone, will remember the experiences they had with evil and the experiences they had with good. These will cause them to turn against evil and, at least for a while, cling to the good and turn to the Lord. Every nation on earth will come before the Lord and worship Him, for it is written, “All the nations thou hast made shall come before the Lord and worship Him.” (Rev. 13:8) Jehovah will be the One who will have established Christ and the Church as His Kingdom. Christ and the Church will be there in full power and authority as the representative of God. All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship (the fat are those that are full of love). They will appropriate to themselves the blessings of that glorious time and will on that account carry out their consecration to God and serve Him with willing hearts of delight in wisdom, justice, love, and power. All that go down into the dust (Eccl. 3:20) shall bow before Him (i.e., all the dead).

In Psalms 98:2,3, we read as follows: “The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness that he openly shewed in the sight of the nations [here translated heathen]. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” Here again the Heavenly Father shows Himself in wisdom, justice, love and power, to be the One that is working out salvation from the curse that came upon the race, by heredity through Adam, condemnation that came upon the Jews, even the best of them, because they could not keep the Mosaic Law, and by the curse that the Jews brought upon themselves when they said, “His blood be upon us and upon our children” (Matt. 27:25), when they rejected our Lord. All these will be given the opportunity of seeing the salvation that God will prepare before the eyes of all nations. “He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel” - both natural and spiritual Israel will be shown that mercy. Natural Israel condemned in heredity, condemned by the Mosaic Covenant, condemned also by the voice of the prophets, both the four major and the twelve minor prophets, as well as the prophets who wrote the books of Joshua, Ruth, the two books of Kings and Chronicles. All of these will have mercy shown unto them, yea, “all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” The whole earth, every-one on earth, will be enabled to see that glorious salvation as it will be worked out for the children of men. They will see it with the eyes of understanding first, and those who obey will see it as it is fulfilled in the New Covenant provisions, when they obey these and are faithful to their consecration vows in connection with that covenant. Those who prove faithful under the experience of righteousness in the Millennial Age and turn heartily to the Lord, will experience the salvation of the LORD, and those who hypocritically pretend to be loyal to God, will be destroyed  some at the age of one hundred, the accursed sinner, according to Isaiah 65:20, and some at the end of the thousand years, when Satan is loosed and brings upon them the destruction merited by their hypocrisy. All, however, will for a while see this salvation.

The results of the Coming Universal Empire are illustrated in 1 Cor. 15:20-26. We quote from the Improved Version: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become a first-fruit [Jesus] of them that slept. For since by man [Adam] came death, by [a] man also [Jesus] shall come the resurrection of the dead. For as all in Adam die [Jesus did not die in Adam, for He was not in Adam, and therefore our correction of the translation], even so all in Christ shall be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ a firstfruit [the Church is meant]; afterward they that are Christ’s at [during] His presence. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” God will be the final judge over the earth and will exercise His judgment through Christ and the Church, as His Vicegerent. Thus we see that not only persons are these enemies, but also things. Death is an enemy  it was an enemy to Jesus while He was in the flesh, it sought to destroy Him through the Jews, but He was faithful unto death; and by that faithfulness He was pronounced the One who could put to death the last enemy, even the dying process and the death-state.

But the reign will not be one of force only; side by side with the force will be the olive branch of mercy and peace for all the inhabitants of the world, who, when the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth, will learn righteousness (Isa. 26:9). The sin-blinded eyes shall be opened; and the world will see right and wrong, justice and injustice, in a light quite different from now - in “seven-fold” light. (Isa. 30:26; 29:18-20) The outward temptations of the present will largely be done away, evils will neither be licensed nor permitted: but a penalty sure and swift will fall upon transgressors, meted out with unerring justice by the glorified and competent judges of that time who will also have compassion upon the weak (1 Cor. 6:2; Psa. 96:13: Acts 17:31).

We see clearly that the number atoned for by our Lord’s sacrifice for sins  the general lifting of the “curse” legally - gives no criterion by which we may judge the number who will by obedience of faith get actually free from sin and its curse and return to at-one-ment with the Father, by availing themselves of the opportunities opened to all by our dear Redeemer. There is no proposition on God’s part, nor any reasonable ground for supposition on man’s part, that Divine favor and life everlasting through Christ will ever be attained by any except those who shall come into the fullest heart-harmony with God, and with all his laws of righteousness. We rejoice, however, that the knowledge of God’s grace and other opportunities far better than are now enjoyed by the world shall in God’s “due time” be extended to every creature. (1 Tim. 2:6) With the lesson learned from the Time of Trouble, especially from anarchy, all mankind will be ready for Messiah’s Kingdom, and The Fifth Universal Empire, will then be ushered in and be “the desire of all nations.” (Haggai 2:7)

Glory be to God forever and ever for this glorious hope that Jehovah, our heavenly Father, has given us; and let everyone say, Amen and Amen forever and forever, Amen.

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“SONGS OF THE NIGHT”

“The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” (Psa. 126:3)

We are still in the night of weeping. Sickness, sorrow, sighing and dying continue, and will continue until the glorious morning of Messiah’s Kingdom breaks. How glad we are to have learned that then the glorious change will come to earth. The Prophet David ex-presses this thought, saying: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psa. 30:5) St.Pau1 expressed the same sentiment when he declared, “The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, waiting for the manifestation of the Sons of God.” (Romans 8:22) The Sons of God in glory will, with their Lord, constitute Emmanuel’s Kingdom, and at present these Sons of God are comparatively little known or recognized amongst men; frequently they are considered “peculiar people,” because of their zeal for righteousness and truth, and for God. “Beloved now are we the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is,” and we shall share His glory, honor, and immortality and with Him scatter Divine blessings to all the families of the earth.

A SONG OF DELIVERANCE

Our lesson, the 85th Psalm, may properly have served several applications. The first of these would be to Israel's deliverance from the Babylonian captivity, when Cyrus gave permission that all who desired might return to Palestine. About fifty-three thousand - a small number - availed themselves of this privilege and of his assistance. The people rejoiced in this manifestation of the turning away of Divine disfavor, and the return to them of God’s favor and blessing. The pardon of their transgressions as a nation was here evidenced in this privilege of returning to God's favor.

A secondary application of the Song is just before us. Israel has been in a far greater captivity in Christendom during the past eighteen centuries. She has the promise, nevertheless, of a mighty deliverance. The Cyrus who granted them liberty to return from literal Babylon was a type of the great Messiah who is about to give full liberty for the return of God's ancient people to Divine favor to Palestine.

Israel's sins have not yet been taken away, even as the world's sins have not yet been taken away. The great Redeemer has, indeed, died for sin, and He is the sinner's friend, but as yet He has only appeared in the presence of God for us ─ the Church ─ not for the world. He is only the Church’s Advocate now. He advocates for none except those who come to God and give Him their hearts and lives; and these are the saintly only ─ such as love righteousness and hate iniquity.

The world is enslaved by Sin and Death, the twin monarchs who are now reigning and causing mankind to groan. We were born in this enslaved condition, as the Scriptures declare: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, in sin did my mother conceive me.” Our race, groaning under the weaknesses and imperfections we have thus inherited ─ mental, moral and physical, long for the promised deliverance from the bondage of sin and death. The majority of mankind undoubtedly feel the gall of their slavery, and will be glad to be free.

DELIVERANCE AT HAND

The great Deliverer is the antitypical Cyrus. Soon He will go forth to victory, and will establish His Kingdom under the whole heavens. Soon the Church class, the saints, “the elect,” will be glorified, and then the time will come for the blessing of the non-elect ─ for their restitution to human perfection and to a world-wide Paradise, which Messiah's power and Kingdom will introduce. “He must reign until He hath put all enemies under His feet; the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” Sheol, hades, the grave, will be no more; death will be destroyed by the resurrection of the dead there-from, “Every one in his own order.”

Many of the Lord's people who can see something of the blessings due at the Second Advent, and who appreciate in some measure the fact that the Lord comes again to bestow the great blessings secured by His death, fail to see this other proposition; viz., that those in their graves have as much interest in that glorious reign of Messiah as those who at that time will be less completely under the bondage of corruption ─ death. But as surely as Jesus died for all, they all must have the blessings and opportunities which he purchased with His own precious blood. Hence we should expect blessings in the Millennial Age upon all those in the grave as well as upon those not in it; and of this we will find abundant proof, as we look further into the Lord’s testimony on the subject. It is because of God’s plan for their release that those in the tomb are called “prisoners of hope.”

The prevailing opinion is that death ends all probation; but there is no Scripture which so teaches. God does not purpose to save men on account of ignorance, but “will have all men to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4) Since the masses of mankind have died in ignorance, and since “there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave” (Eccl. 9:10), therefore God has prepared for the awakening of the dead, in order to knowledge, faith and salvation. Hence His plan is, that “as all in Adam die, even so shall all in Christ be made alive.”

THE SECRET OF JOY

While the whole creation groans under its load of sin and sorrow, the saints may sing and rejoice, even in the midst of all the sorrows of life, even though they share the results of sin as fully or even more fully than do others. The secret of their joy is twofold: (1) They have experienced reconciliation to God; (2) They have submitted their wills to His will. They obtained this new relationship by the way of faith in the Redeemer ─ faith in His blood of Atonement. They entered by the “strait gate” and “narrow way” of consecration to God ─ surrendering their own wills and covenanting to do the Divine will to the best of their ability. This submission of the will to God and the realization that all their life’s affairs are in God’s keeping and under His supervision give rest to the heart. They have a rest and peace in this surrendered condition which they never knew when they sought to gratify self-will, and ignored the right of their Creator to the homage of their hearts and the obedience of their lives.

BELIEVERS VISUALIZE STORIES

TO COME

Similarly, these have joy and peace, and songs of thankfulness to God, because to them He grants a knowledge of His Divine purposes, and shows them “things to come.” These see beyond the trials and tribulations of the present time ─ they see the glories that will follow the present time of suffering. These see that the Church, the saintly ones of all denominations and of all nationalities, are prospective heirs of God ─ heirs of glory, honor and immortality; and associates with the Redeemer in His glorious Kingdom. This encourages and stimulates them. They also see the outlines of the Divine Program for the blessing of all the families of the earth. When they thus perceive that God is interested in their dear ones who are not saints, and interested in the whole human family, very few of whom are saints, it gives them cause for rejoicing. When they perceive that God has arranged that through Christ and the glorified Church all the families of the earth shall be blessed, it makes them “joyful in the house of their pilgrimage” ─ while waiting for their own change from human to Divine nature. Seeing the provision which God has made for the world of mankind, they are contented, and are glad to have God's will done in themselves and in all the earth.

(What Pastor Russell Wrote for the

Overland Monthly, pages 176-178, 1909)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Marjorie,

I am devastated over the news of dear Emily’s death. While I had been expecting such news for a while nevertheless it came as a shock. It came exactly 25 years to the day after the death of my dear Mother. Yes, now they are asleep in Jesus and we are comforted in knowing that they will have a “better resurrection.” They both will make wonderful teachers in the next age bringing the world up to perfection. I am still very saddened with your news as I looked to Emily as my spiritual guide and will miss her very much. Emily did such a wonderful job since Brother Hoefle’s death. Love, ___ (VIRGINIA)

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Dear Sister Marjorie and peace through our beloved Lord,

The information of Sister Hoefle’s demise was received with sadness. I quickly sent the information to our brethren all over to observe a memorial service in honor of her, those far distant brethren to observe in their distant districts. While the nearby ones to come to the National H/Qs on January 27.

January 27, 2008 by 10:00 a.m. the normal Service meeting started which I preached. Five classes joined with me to observe the memorial service. The memorial was blessed with many brethren in attendance. After the lecture all went outside the hall and marched in line around the big hall which is built in her memory with hymn No. 47. In the church again we sang hymn No. 250 for dismissal.

Information reached me from other classes celebrated by Brother J.E. Tom with good attendance, and Brother Titus E. Umoh in the area where he officiated the attendance was also good.

Dear sister sincere greetings to you, Brother Williams, and others supporting the work in which all the brethren’s condolence overflows together with Sister Emah and family.

Warm Christian love, Brother Emah (NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA)

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Dear Sister Williams,

One of the Brethren from Florida told me of Sister Hoefle falling asleep in death (John 11:11-14). You all have our deepest sympathy. She was a precious saint. I still have her letters she wrote over the years to me. Christian love, ___ (TEXAS)