NO. 636 "THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING"

“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain [kingdom.]”  (Isaiah 11:9)

Accustomed as all mankind has been to misrule and misgovern, it was necessary that assurance should be given to Israel that the Kingdom of Messiah which God would one day set up in the earth would not only have good motives and intentions, but would also possess superior power of knowledge and judgment. And this is what the Prophet Isaiah pointed out. The new King will not need to rely upon the common channels of information in the giving of His blessings and in the adminis­tering of His reproofs and chastisements, but will have a superhuman endowment of power by which He will know the very thought and intents of the heart. He will not need to judge after the hearing of the ear or by the sight of the eye, as must all earthly rulers, however well intentioned (Isaiah 11:3,4).

It was proper also that Israel and all others should know that the Kingdom of God to be established would be absolutely just and impartial; for their experiences have demon­strated that even the wisest and best of their rulers, lawmakers, judges, etc., have been largely governed by selfishness.

The world’s great ones have amassed wealth at the expense of their subjects, and have made their special friends wealthy and have granted them special privileges, often­times at the expense of the poor, the helpless, the despised. Hence the Lord through the Prophet assures us that the earth’s new King will administer equity toward all; that the meek, the backward, the modest and unas­suming, those who are indis­posed to press their claims and to assert their rights, will have His particular assistance; and that the poor, who have few to sympathize with them or to encourage or help them, will find in the new King a Friend.

MILLENNIUM NOT THROUGH EVOLUTION

Those who expect the Millennial King­dom to come as a result of present efforts, under the order of society now prevailing, and who believe that the world is gradually approaching the Millennium by an evolution­ary process, should carefully consider this Word of the Lord through the Prophet, as shown in our text and context. The Prophet declared that when Messiah shall take the reins of government, His first step would be to judge the poor, and reprove the rich in equity, in the interests of the meek of the earth. How could this be possible, if equity had already prevailed by a gradual process, so that there were no poor and no rich, and so that all had become meek?

Other Scriptures in harmony with this testimony of the Prophet Isaiah show that the very work, which our Lord is to do at the beginning of His reign, will be to correct the wrongs then prevailing. Our Lord Himself implies that the earth will be far from being in a blessed condition at His Second Advent, when He asks the question, “When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find the faith [Truth] on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) The Revelator also gives no uncertain testimony on this subject. He says: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever... And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear [reverence] thy name, small and great, and shouldest destroy them that corrupt the earth.” (Rev. 11:15-18)

BIBLE HARMONIOUS AND CONSISTENT

Many Scriptures are of like import. The position of the Bible is throughout harmonious and consistent. It describes the present time, while sin is prevailing, as “the present evil world” (Gal. 1:4), in which “the prince of this world” (John 14:30) rules, and in which the Lord’s true people, the Body of Christ, the Heirs of the Kingdom, “suffer violence,” and declares that this violence is working out for those who are rightly exercised by it a character which will be approved by the Lord.

 The Scriptures point out that to God’s faithful saints who suffer now will be granted this glorious new Kingdom in joint-heirship with Messiah. They shall be given the dominion “under the whole heavens,” as declared by the angel to Daniel the Prophet. (Daniel 7:27) This dominion Jehovah will wrest by force from the “prince of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4), Satan, and will give it to His Son, whose bride will share her Bridegroom’s Kingdom. This transfer will be accomplished in a great time of trouble, which is to end this present world, the present social order.

In our context the Prophet goes on to say, “He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked.” (Isa. 11:4) It is very evident, then, which at the time of the establishment of the Kingdom, there will be not only poor needing assistance and succor, but there will be the wicked also. The rod of Messiah’s mouth signifies the judgments that He has already expressed, and which have very largely gone unheeded by Christendom.

We remember His declaration: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day [the day of judgment now present since 1874].” (John 12:48) Christendom in general has admitted the righteousness of the Lord’s Word, but those who attempt to live in har­mony with that Word are remarkably few. Consequently, when the time shall come that “judgment shall be laid to the line and righteousness to the plummet” (Isa. 8:17), and when this judgment shall begin at the nominal house of God, the nominal systems will fall ─ condemned by that Word.

Only the faithful few, the Lord’s Jewels, shall “be accounted worthy to escape those things coming upon the world” (Luke 21:36), when, as elsewhere described, “He [the Lord] shall speak to them [the world] in His wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” when He shall render vengeance to His enemies, and recompense to those who have known the Master’s will, yet have done it not. “Ven­geance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Rom. 12:19) “Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language [message] that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent." (Zephaniah 3:8,9) “Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.” (Isaiah 11:5) The girdle repre­sents diligence, service, and the proclamation here is that Messiah will be a faithful, diligent Servant of God, accomplishing all the work entrusted to His care.

GREAT CHANGES IN ANIMAL CREATION

The reference in this 11th chapter of Isaiah to the change of disposition in the animal kingdom, so that the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and the kid, the calf and the lion, will dwell in harmony, is in full accord with the general Scriptural outlines of “the times of restitution of all things.” Not only is mankind to be restored, brought back to his primeval condition of human perfection and harmony with his Maker, but the lower animals will also share in the blessing and the restoration of order to be accomplished by the Reign of Christ, now, we believe, very near at hand.

In the Genesis account there is no intimation that the animals over which Adam had control were wild, vicious, at enmity with man. On the contrary, the implication is that they were in complete subjection to their perfect master. We may reasonably suppose that while the race, under the disintegrating influence of man’s death sentence, gradually lost more and more of the likeness of their Maker in which the first man was created, they at the same time lost the power of control over the lower animals.

The nature of the power possessed by the perfect Adam may still be imperfectly traced in the superior ability of certain of the fallen race to control the brute creation. Thus we see that some men can exercise mental force and control, not only over wild horses, but also over the ferocious beasts of the jungle. Adam was declared by the Lord to be the king of earth, and as such he was recognized by the lower orders of creation. After mankind had lost his original mental power to control the lower animals, warfare sprang up between them, in which man has been compelled to pit force against force, as he has lost his hold upon the animal creation.

The restoration of mankind to the exalted position that was lost by sin implies naturally, therefore, a restoration of the brute creation to primeval conditions, such as is suggested in the prophecy that we are considering. The same thought is conveyed in the statement that “a little child shall lead” (Isa. 11:6), or control, the wild beasts, when these are brought into their proper relationship with mankind. In Chapter 65:25 of Isaiah’s prophecy, it is stated of the Millennial conditions “the wolf and the lamb shall feed together.” The reference may be to men who were formerly of wolf like and of lamblike dispositions, or character; or it may refer to animals, or both. The expression in either case signifies a blessed reign of peace. The Prophet continues, “And the lion shall eat straw like the bullock, and the dust shall be the serpent’s meat.” If this refers to literal lions, it would imply that they will lose their carnivorous dispositions, and that they will undergo some change that will make them herbivorous, as animals were originally created (Genesis 1:30). It would seem to imply that animals would not prey upon one another.

DAWN OF HOPE FOR THE WORLD

The expression “Dust shall be the serpent’s meat” (Gen. 2:7), is similar to the statement in Psalm 72:9, regarding Messiah’s coming dominion: “His enemies shall lick the dust,” signifying the destruction of the serpent, or rather of the great adversary, Satan, whom the serpent symbolizes. “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain [kingdom], saith the Lord.” (Isa. 11:9)

The birth of the true Zion, the Church of Christ, will be the cause of rejoicing among all who truly love righteousness; for, though it will at first dash in pieces all their long-cherished hopes, it will be the dawn of a real hope for all the world. It will humble their pride and despoil them of all their cherished possessions and of what they have come to consider their rights. It will break down their boasted institutions, civil, social and religious, and completely wreck the present social order. Yet it will be the necessary prelude to the establishment of the grand New Order, which will come to be “the desire of all nations” (Hag. 2:6,7), as soon as they shall see its vast superiority to the old order.

TWO CLASSES BORN OUT OF ZION

In describing the birth of the “Man-child, The Christ, whose head was born more than eighteen hundred years ago, and the Body of whom is now soon to be born, the Prophet Isaiah exclaims (chapter 66:7,8), “Before she travailed she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child! Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her children.” The especially marvelous thing that the Prophet here records is that a “man-child” is to be born out of Zion before Zion travails. This is a striking reference to the fact, elsewhere clearly taught, that the ripe “wheat” of the Gospel Church are to be separated from the unripe wheat and the “tares” at the end of this Age that they are to be exalted and glorified before the burning, the consuming trouble shall come.

This “man-child”, then, is the Little Flock, the Body of Christ, the true Zion. Out of nominal Zion will come this first-fruits class, before the nominal system will be overthrown; for she will die in her travail pains, and in dying, will bring forth her later children the Great Company. In this great day of the Lord, nominal Zion will bring forth the man-child and these later children.

“Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord. Shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb? saith thy God.” (Isa. 66:9) Ah, no! As surely as the Head was brought forth, so surely shall the Body also be born. The birth shall certainly be completed. The great composite Christ shall come forth entire, not one member lacking ─ and before Zion’s travail has begun. But “who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such a thing?” And so, after the man-child is delivered, the mother system will give birth, when travail pains come on, to a great company of children! This great company is described in the Apocalypse as coming up out of “great tribulation,” and washing their robes, spotted and soiled, and making them white, “in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:14)

Following the birth of these two classes of the Lord’s people, will come the birth of the Jewish nation. They shall be awakened from the sleep of hades, in which as a nation they have been for over eighteen centuries. All this will take place in the early dawn of the day of Christ. O what rejoicing there will be! Fleshly Zion and spiritual Zion will rejoice together! Then soon the poor, chastened world will begin to join in the songs of praise to the God of all grace. What wonderful times are just before us! Though clouds and darkness for a brief time obscure the bright beams of the blessed Millennial dawning, soon the glorious “Sun of righteousness” shall rise in splendor, and its beams will rapidly spread over all the earth, scattering the darkness of sin, dispelling the fogs of error and superstition, and bringing the world into the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.

RESTITUTION NOT CHANGE OF NATURE

The entire testimony of Scripture in regard to the blessings to come to the world in the new Age shows that they are all to be earthly. The declaration that even the brute creation shall be changed in nature is a promise that in that blessed day there will no more be a condition of antagonism and enmity between mankind and the lower orders of God’s creatures, but all shall be peace and harmony. It would be wholly unnecessary to change the disposition of the animals, to bring them into subjection to man, if the entire race were to be changed into spirit beings, and become like the angels. Many prophecies speak of mankind in the times of restitution as human beings, adapted to the earth and enjoying the blessings of the earth. They are to “sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid.” (Micah 4:4) “They shall build houses and inhabit them... They shall not build and another inhabit... they shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” (Isa. 65:21-25)

These promises for the world in general have no reference to the class being chosen out of the world during this Gospel Age. The promises to these are all spiritual. They are to be made like Christ, and “see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) They are called to the obtaining of His glory. As they “have borne the image of the earthly,” so shall they “also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1 Cor. 15:49) They are promised a share in Christ’s resurrection ─ the First Resurrection. They are to reign as kings and priests in a kingdom which earthly beings cannot inherit. “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” (1 Cor. 15:50) They have been called with a heavenly calling. They are not of the world, even as their Lord and Head is not of the world (John 17:16).

WHY MANY FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THE WORD OF GOD

With many the difficulty in understanding these distinctions is a failure to rightly divide the Scriptures, as St. Paul counseled Timothy, saying, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) This process would enable them to discern that the Kingdom of God per se consists only of our Lord Jesus and His “little flock” of overcomers, to whom He says, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) These are to constitute the reigning class, as many Scrip­tures point out. At first the world of mankind will be subjects of this spiritual kingdom, and afterward become citizens, or members, if they come into harmony with its laws and regu­lations and into a condition of reconciliation with God, becoming the children of Christ, who will be the age-lasting Father of the world during the Mediatorial Age. He will be the One who shall bring the entire race of Adam ─ both those who have a measure of life and those who have gone down into the tomb ─ back from the condition of death into full perfection of life, if they then prove willing and obedient. Otherwise they shall be cut off in the Second Death ─ everlasting destruction.

The Prophet Daniel, in explaining Nebuchadnezzar’s dream regarding the Great Image, shows that the Kingdom of God when first set up at the introduction of the Mi11ennia1 Age will be but a small stone, which has been “cut out without hands,” but which will become a “great mountain and fill the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:31-45) The Lord quarries this stone kingdom out of the “earth”. It is at first insignificant in size, and it seems to the world as powerless. But as soon as set up in power, this kingdom will smite the “great image” of earthly ru1ership, and shall grind it to powder (in the coming trouble), and the wind shall carry it away. This stone kingdom is the holy mountain referred to in Isaiah 11:9. A mountain is the Scriptural symbol of a kingdom. Hills seem to be symbolic of the smaller governments of earth. (See Isaiah 2:2; 40:4; 51:5; 59:18; Psalms 46:2,3; 97:5)

Nothing shall be permitted to do violence or to work injury throughout all God’s Holy Kingdom, after it shall have been established. Love will be the law, and Divine Power will be the means, which will enforce that law. All who do not conform to it will be “cut off from among the people,” as the Lord declared through the Apostle Peter (Acts 3:23). How evident it is that this Kingdom has not yet come, when we see that amongst mankind selfishness is the rule, individually and nationally, and that there are many influences of evil that hurt and destroy throughout the world today. So we continue to pray: “Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in Heaven.” And we believe that this petition so long offered by the Lord’s Saints is very soon to be answered.

After Messiah has crushed the power of evil, after He has overthrown all the great systems of error and vice, and has set the people free He will accomplish the blessing of humanity by the spread of the knowledge of Jehovah’s character. The Apostle Paul also assures us that it is the will of God that all men shall come to knowledge of the Truth in order to be saved. He assures us that there can be no salvation without knowledge. None will ever be saved by ignorance. As yet only a comparatively few of earth’s millions have come to such a knowledge of God as to be able to exercise faith in Him and in the great sacrifice which He has provided for the whole world.

COMPREHENSIVENESS OF PLAN OF SALVATION

But the fact that but few in the present life come to this saving knowledge shall in no wise thwart the great Divine Plan, nor make the death of Christ on behalf of the entire race of Adam of no avail. The Lord assures us in His Word that, in due time, the true light shall lighten “every man that cometh into the world.” (John 1:9) This includes all the heathen and all those of imbecile mind, who could not in this life grasp the Truth, as well as all infants who have died before reaching the age where they could know of God and His Truth in Christ. It includes the dead, as well as the living. For “there is none other name given under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved” (Acts 4:12), but by the name of Jesus. God has thus made ample provision for all.

Nor are we to suppose that the knowledge which is to become worldwide during Messiah’s reign is merely a little sprinkling of know­ledge, such as has come to a very limited portion of the world here and there in spots, up to the present time. The Lord’s people have received the droppings of grace and truth, but the provision for the next Age will be abundant and universal. The knowledge of the Lord shall be ocean deep ─ like the fu1ness of the sea. Showers of blessings shall come down upon the world in copious measure. The effect will be “like rain upon the mown grass.” (Psalm 72:6) When the grass has been freshly cut and its roots are thus the more accessible, how quickly it responds to the refreshing showers! And how rapidly does it spring up in renewed vigor! So it will be with mankind, after they have been shorn of all that has encumbered them and prevented the showers of grace from reaching their hearts. How quickly they will respond to the refreshing rains and showers of blessing so copiously bestowed upon them, and will spring up into life and beauty as they drink in the rich supplies of grace!

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 5573-75, November 15, 1914)

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION ─ Does That Servant teach that the Epiphany and the “Time of Trouble” are one and the same, as does the Epiphany Messenger?

ANSWER     ─ Yes, That Servant teaches the same as the Epiphany Messenger on the “Time of Trouble.” Both teach that the “Time of Trouble” began in its wide sense in 1874, but in its narrow sense the Time of Trouble began in 1914 when the World War started. In its “narrow sense” ─ beginning the destruction of Christendom and the Nominal Church ─ the Epiphany and the “Great Tribulation” are one and the same. As most Truth people know, Sodom types Christendom and the Nominal Church, and Egypt types the world of mankind ─ this “present evil world.” (Gal. 1:4 ─ See Rev. 11:8 and Berean Comments)

In “The Battle of Armageddon,” Parousia Volume 4, is this: “Her destruction will have a beginning by the end of the appointed ‘Time of the Gentiles’ ─ 1914.” And p. 158 of this book:

“These [the Little Flock] have no share in the judgment of great Babylon, but are previously enlightened and called out of her (Rev. 18:4).” And from the Reprints we quote the following:

“To the very best of our ability we have endeavored to make clear that the parousia of our Lord is wholly different from His epiphaneia. Both of these Greek words are translated ‘coming’ in our common Bible, but in the Greek they have very different significations. The word parousia signifies presence, but does not signify any outward manifestation of that presence. It is used in respect to the first stage of the second advent, in which our Lord is said to come ‘as a thief in the night’ to reckon with His own servants and to take the faithful of them with Him to the heavenly mansion or condition prepared for them.

“Our Lord’s parousia and the gathering of the elect, we understand, has been in progress since October, 1874. It will continue until all of the ‘elect’ shall have been gathered and glorified. In one sense our Lord will continue to be present as the world’s King to the conclusion of the Millennial Age; but His parousia, in the sense of secrecy of presence, will terminate when, as the Scriptures declare, ‘He shall be revealed in flaming fire [judgments], taking vengeance on all who will not obey the truth,’ but enlightening and revivifying all who will hear and, to the extent of their opportunity, obey His message. The parousia is to the church and for the church only. The epiphaneia or apokalupsis of the Lord in power and great glory is not to the church, nor for the church, but to the world and for the world.” (Reprint 4543, bottom)

“Emphasizing the suddenness with which the calamity will overtake the world, Jesus said that on the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained down fire and brimstone from heaven; and He declared that thus it will be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. The Greek text shows a difference between the parousia, or presence, of Christ before the time of trouble, and the later epiphaneia, or revealing." (Reprint 5456, top, col. 1, par. 2, May 1, 1914)

“The Scriptures indicate that the Gentile governments will receive from their own peoples their first notice that their lease of power has expired. The people will take note of the sign of the Son of Man in the heavens. The judgments of the Lord will begin to be manifest in the world, and will run counter to many of their interests. This manifestation of His presence is Scripturally called the epiphaneia, the shining forth, the revealment, of the King of Glory. ‘He shall be revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thes. 1:7-10) As a result, the nations of earth will be broken to pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psa. 2:8,9)” (Reprint 5527, col. 1, top, September 1, 1914)

There is more from That Servant that will prove that the Epiphany Messenger simply elaborated on his teachings regarding the Time of Trouble, or the Great Tribulation, as the Epiphany period, but what we have given will suffice for now. Quite a few of the brethren have lost sight of this Truth ─ even the LHMM, founded by the Epiphany Messenger, now teaches that we are in the beginning Basileia since 1954 ─ the overlapping of the Epiphany ─ when three major stages of the Great Tribulation are yet future. One section of the Epiphany brethren teaches that there are four periods ─ the Parousia, Epiphany, Apokalypse (separate periods) and the Basileia ─ something never taught by Brothers Russell and Johnson; nor do the Scriptures support this claim. “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing [the Epiphany] and his kingdom [the Basileia].” The way the Apokalypsis brethren teach, this text should read: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing [the Epiphany] and at his revealing, or Apokalypsis [a separate period from his “appearing”] and his kingdom [Basileia].”

To some extent the LHMM teaches four periods of the Lord’s Second Advent ─ the Parousia, the Epiphany, the “Overlapping,” which will witness three more severe stages of the Great Tribulation, as well as the annihilation of the Man of Sin (2 Thes. 2:8), and the Basileia. Their “overlapping” has no similarity to the overlapping of the Parousia of 26 months (1914 to Nov. 1916). As it is now more than 56 years overlapping, and we are not yet in Armageddon, the second stage of the Great Tribulation, with Anarchy and Jacob’s trouble still future after that.

We are living in the day when “they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Tim.4:3,4) Some of the Lord’s people who have received present truth are now setting much of it aside for opinions of their own. Some now say the end of the “Times of the Gentiles” is still future, and we are not in the “Time of Trouble” since 1914 ─ although some of the thinking worldlings realize the world is in a “Time of Trouble” such as has never been before. Some deny our Lord’s presence; the Jehovah’s Witnesses are teaching that Armageddon will destroy not only this present system of things, but also annihilate all who do not join with them before Armageddon. This is “bad news” to those whose eyes are blinded (?) and do not accept their teachings. They teach that the world is not so blinded today, as not to be able to recognize their truth (?), which they are now teaching ─ that when they have had a chance to “learn of them,” and don’t accept them, it will be their last chance. This is much the same as the Papacy has taught: You must accept us, or receive eternal torment! (Brother John J. Hoefle, Reprint 494, April 1998)

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The world would be a desolate place

But for one here and there,

Whose heart with self hath not been filled,

Whose love for God hath not been killed,

Whose thankful praise hath not been stilled─

There’s one such here and there.

But oh! The grandeur of the work,

For this one here and there,

To join in lifting up our race,

To wipe away of sin each trace,

To make of earth a perfect place,

Put glory everywhere!

NO. 635 PAUL - APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES

With his remarkable talent, learning, spirit of the Lord, of a sound mind and of divine revelation, Paul secured a hearing before the Athenian Council of the Areopagus. Where the supreme court of Athens convened; where Demosthenes and other eloquent orators had spoken.

Using the address usual with all Greek orators, He stood in the midst of Mars Hill and spoke:

“Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things; ye are too superstitious.” ―Acts 17:22.

The Diaglott renders this text, “I perceive that in all things you are extremely devoted to the worship of Demons.” Meaning unwise and over-religious and over rever­ential to an extreme, but respectful for whatever is divine. At the time, Greece was noted as a center of learning, piety and wisdom. In Athens there were over 3,000 public statues to the gods.

“For as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar to The Unknown God whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you.” ―Acts 17:23.

By their own confession, they worship without knowledge of his name or character. Even today the majority of religious people worship without this knowledge. The Greek word Theos – a mighty one – does not invariably refer to the Creator, unknown to Athenians as the author and sustainer of all life. The mind that roams about and grasps innumerable gods is truly over-religious and less than wise.

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;” ―Acts 17:24.

The true God is neither stone, nor wood, nor was there any such representation of Him. The truly consecrated Saints were the living stones of God’s great temple, and each a miniature temple.

Nominal Christian people erroneously think of the ornate temples of wood and brick and stone in which they pray as the houses of God.

Whenever someone erects a house of prayer

The Devil always builds a chapel there

And twill be found, upon examination

The latter has the largest congregation.

(Daniel Defoe)

 “Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, [Human power] as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;” —Acts 17:25.

The spark of life begins with the creature at conception. Once started breathing supports the spark.

“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;” ―Acts 17:26.

Here Paul declares the solidarity of the human family. None can afford to be selfishly independent of another. Man is of one family; each is a human brother or sister to every other human being. All are children of one father, Adam, a Son of God.

The entire human race is of one flesh and blood, one common brotherhood, including all races. Divine love was not confined to one nation or people. There was no man prior to Adam; we descended from him no matter how different in color, stature, intelligence, etc. we now are. The variety among the human races is due to climate, customs, food and the mother’s sur­roundings during gestation, according to their place of residence. God merely confounded the language to scatter people and force them to separate and band together in groups who could understand each other.

The human race has long had prejudices one for another: language, skin color, education, degree of wealth, and etc. The divine right of kings fostered by the papal system aided the prejudice. Rulers who couldn’t help thinking of themselves as better than those they ruled, became sub­jected to the Pope, hierarchal tiers grew and the Roman Empire was for a time unseated by the Holy Roman Empire and briefly became ruler of the so-called civilized world. France under Napoleon unseated the Pope and became the most powerful in the world Then the British Empire, where the sun never set, defeated the French and became the worlds most powerful. The Americans Revolution won against the British and in a short period of time the American President became the most powerful man in the world.

But God made the world and everything in it, within his basic character traits – Power, Wisdom, Justice and Love. He is not merely the God of one nation, but a very different God from anything that has ever been suggested to the minds of human philo­sophers. God permitted or ordered the succession of human empires, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, Roman, French, British and American “…until the Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled,” (Luke 21:24), the appointed season in which they should come to a full knowledge of Him. It is a premeditated plan of God in the best interests of His creation and the most favorable for the outworking of the divine purposes. “As all in Adam die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1Cor 15:22) We have opportunities every day with all mankind, to seek to do them good.

“That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:” ―Acts 17:27.

At this time not very many were in condition of heart to seek him. He guides, draws, and influences those who are. Israel was in darkness, though many of them were feeling after God, desiring righteousness, truth, and goodness, justice and to learn about his plan for mankind. God draws only such as are in the right attitude of heart. This desire of the heart must come first. Only such will be ready for the Kingdom; going in the right direction, having a measure of peace, joy and blessing.

All mankind are so constructed that the highest and noblest parts of our brain call to reverence for the Almighty God. In some more and in some less this desire for God still remains. The Apostle Paul would assist his hearers in finding this true God, whom they desired to know when they erected the altar. Rejoicing to see the evidence of repentance and reformation and desiring to assist into harmony with God, must be the attitude of all. God wills that all men shall be saved. He leads them to the Lord Jesus Christ, the necessary way. The second Adam, pure and obedient, died blamelessly for Adam and those who descended from Adam, inheriting his death sentence, gives us the chance to gain back everlasting life.

Satan’s work has been the blinding and deceiving of men. Before he is bound at the beginning of Christ’s rule, his struggles to retain control of mankind are especially desperate. Those who will seek or feel after The Heavenly Father, he will manifest himself.

“For in him we, live and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring.” ―Acts 17:28.

The privilege of living within his providence is dependent upon God, and only by his gift or favor can any hope to live forever. All life emanates from him alone. The god in whose hand thy breath is (Dan. 5:23). In that sense of the word the entire human family are brethren, and all are God’s children or offspring. This should not lead us to make or worship images of any kind, all of which are professedly man’s device. Paul wanted to address the Athenians along the line of their superstition. He would encourage them to know God who made them.

“Forasmuch then as we are offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone graven by art and man’s device.” ―Acts 17:29.

He is the Father, or Life-giver of all created in his likeness; but recognizes as sons only those who are in harmony with him, reconciled through the precious blood of Jesus. [“Godhead.” rendered in this verse is a meaningless word, and merely a bad translation from the Greek ho Theos – the deity, usually translated “Divinity”. Godhead is like the word “trinity”, carrying with it the idea of a society, which is not the meaning of the original.]

Humanity should in some degree re­sem­­ble its creator, Gold and silver and stone images are very poor representations of the true God.

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” ―Acts 17:30.

From Adam to the death of our Redeemer, God left men in ignorance. They were not responsible until our Redeemer’s death. Their imperfection and flagrant wrongdoing, “God winked at.” Taking notice of the wrongdoing, he did not interfere, did not chide, but proceeded with His own work of preparation for better things. He overlooked and paid no particular attention to their conduct except when it went to an extreme. A definite statement, from an inspired source, is that the millions who lived and died in heathen darkness prior to the coming of Christ are not held responsible and will not be punished for their ignorance. This implied God did not command men previously to repent.

As soon as Jesus had died, God offered for­giveness and reconciliation to those who would believe in Jesus, having appointed through Christ a day of trial for all. Until that day was appointed nobody was commanded to repent. That day was made sure when our Lord died. But could not reasonably command any to repent and return until the ransom was paid at Calvary. God was sending his message to them, through those who were the representatives of his teaching, the apostles and the Church and to all who had ears to hear. Whoever hears and heeds this command is being prepared for his life or death trial in the Kingdom.

Adam lived and died without any command whatever to repent and so did his children. Paul does not say that God commanded the Church to sacrifice; if so it would cease to be a sacrifice. But only those who hear the command have a responsibility respecting it, if they have an ear to hear. A new condition had been established and God would deal henceforth with the Gentiles, but not until He had provided a Redeemer, and so influence our future conditions: “In that day there shall be a fountain opened, for sin and for uncleanness.” (Zech. 13:1) The prerequisites on man’s part to salvation: cleanse themselves; change the heart from sin to righteousness. To those who are willing to hear, there is a reward for repentance. Those who do not hear in the present time are not commanded by God to repent.

“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” ― Acts 17:31.

Before beginning creation, our Heavenly Father arranged it all. Christ redeemed Adam and his race from the death sentence passed upon mankind because of father Adam’s disobedience. Remember, at this time no children had been born of our original parents. Ask any animal breeder or horticulturist and they will tell you it takes planning and effort to improve the stock.  This opened the way for the appointment of another day (period, epoch, age) of judgment. “One day is with the Lord as thousand years.” (2 Pet. 3:8) It will be a thousand-year day beyond this Gospel Age.

The entire Millennial Age is to be a thousand-year Judgment day, in which the whole world is to be brought to a knowledge of the truth. This will be a day of judgment for the whole world, aside from the Church, which has her judgment during this Gospel Age. That day was future in the Apostles time, and is still future, though now that day is about to dawn. God’s time for dealing with the world is in the future under the terms of the New Covenant, at the hands of a much greater mediator than Moses.

His appointed day has not yet arrived. It is the Day of Christ, the Millennial day, 1,000 years long, in which the world will have its trial, its test – Christ and his Bride – the Church are the judges. The Day of Christ: Messiah’s Kingdom, which he sets up in his second presence. The Mediatorial Reign – a day of trial and judgment, of individual testing and a time of restitution of those things Adam lost by his sin – a set time in which he purposes to give to all men. Just the kind of evidence their doubting and unbelieving con­dition of mind requires.

“My Word [Logos = Christ] shall judge you in the last day.” (John 12:48) The word ‘judge” has a double meaning from the Greek Krino meaning “trial” and krisis meaning “decision.” Also see comments on “Of restitution” in Acts 3:21; and comments on “Thy kingdom come” in Luke 11:2.  The thought is that of trial rather than verdict of trial and testing not condem­nation, the world is condemned already. The process of a trial includes also the decision or the result of a trial.

He will righteously grant the world a new individual trial for eternal life, having cancelled the sentence of the first trial by the propitiatory sacrifice of His son. When God provided Adam the Garden of Paradise (Eden), he was put on trial for eternal life. God provided for all Adam’s needs including Eve a helpmate. He was given one test (law) the fruit of the tree of the “knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2:9) “the day ye eat thereof ye shall surely die.” (Gen 2:17)

Adam knew everything he needed to know to obey that simple law. Satan deceived Eve by con­vincing her that she would not die but become “more alive than ever.” When Eve believed him she rushed to Adam to tell him the good news. Adam was not deceived, he knew the woman he loved would die and he couldn’t live without her. He deliberately disobeyed God – he sinned and lost his life. Thou shalt surely die.

Satan’s lie has continued to deceive even today when we consider ourselves so much smarter than in the days of Adam, the vast majority of mankind still believes that infamous lie – “nobody dies, we’re more alive than ever.” How many times have you heard a man who purports to be a minister of God say, “The dear departed is more alive than ever and looking down on us even today.” How ludicrous! “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” (Eccl 9:10) Or, perhaps this scripture: “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” (John 3:13) Notice this verse: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 6:23)

“So when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of the matter.” ―Acts 17:32.

The Athenians had listened to Paul as a great teacher until he touched on the resurrection of the dead, and this was in complete disagreement with their theory that the dead are “more alive than ever,” Satan’s great lie.

 “Howbeit certain men clave unto him, [Stuck to him] and believed: among the which was Dionysus the Areopagite, [One of the professors at the University of Athens] and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” ―Acts 17:34.

Faith in a resurrection is an integral and essential part of Scriptural doctrine, the only hope, the blessed hope, and the consistent hope. Whoever would believe the resurrection, must also believe that death is the ces­sation of life.

Only as we have confidence in God’s Word could we exercise a faith in such a stupendous miracle. None but an infinite being could reproduce the very thoughts of the billions of mankind who have died.

Jesus’ death was the purchase price for the world, which in due time will result in an awakening of the dead. His resurrection became the assurance of the justi­fication of all who accept and obey him.

“To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison.” (Isa 61:1) “To bring out the prisoners from the prison.” (Isa 42:7) This is the coming forth to a judgment resurrection, a perfecting obtainable only through judgment, discipline, etc.

Many people, to whom death is a delusion and not a reality, have little or no faith in a resurrection of the dead. How could they when they don’t believe we die the Adamic death. Jesus Christ was a perfect man as was Adam when he disobeyed God’s law. Christ obeyed perfectly the Jewish Law given through Moses at Mt. Sinai – the law that had the power to give life eternal to God’s chosen people and earned the right to bring all condemned mankind back from the dead.

“So Paul departed from among them.” ―Acts 17:35, down the steps from atop Mars Hill.

The apostle Paul

The Athens experience occurred as a part of Paul’s second missionary Journey, which began in late  A.D. 49. He and Silas embarked from Tarsus and traveled to Derbe and Lystra where he met Timothy who would become his frequent traveling companion, closest friend and fellow laborer in spreading the Gospel (Acts 16:1; 1Tim 1:2; 4:14). Paul, Silas and Timothy’s travels after blessings and severe trib­ulations takes them to Athens where this encounter at Mars Hill took place.

Saul was born within a few years of Jesus’ birth and named after Israel’s first king. He was a native of Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia, a Roman province in southeast Asia Minor (now Southeastern Turkey). The city stood on the banks of the navigable river Cydnus and had a protected harbor. This made it a center of extensive commercial shipping from throughout the Mediterranean. 

Tarsus had an excellent reputation for its academia, more so than that of Athens and Alexan­dria. Here Saul was born, and here he spent his youth, doubtless enjoying the best education his native city had to offer.

His father was a Pharisee, from the tribe of Benjamin, and of pure un­mixed Jewish blood (Acts 23:6; Phil. 3:5). We learn nothing of his mother; but there is reason to conclude that she was a good Jewish woman, like-minded with her husband and exercised all a mother’s influence in molding the character of her son. So afterwards he spoke of himself as being, from his youth up, “touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” (Phil. 3:6)

We read of his sister and her son, and of other relatives (Acts 23:16; Rom. 16:7, 11,12). There is no indication that Paul was ever married.

Though Jews, his family was Roman citizens. How this privilege came about is not known. It might be bought, or won by distinguished service to the empire, or acquired in several other ways; at all events, his son was a freeborn Roman Citizen. It was a great privilege, and one that was to prove valuable to Paul during his ministry.

According to Jewish tradition, Rabbis learned trades before entering Rabbinical School so the people did not feel their religious leaders were imposing upon them. If Christian ministers of today did this there would be far fewer of them. Saul acquired the skill and art of weaving tent cloth from goats’ hair. This was enabled no doubt by the fact that his father owned a highly regarded tent making enterprise. Its clientele included Southeast Asia and the entire Mediterranean coast. The Roman Empire’s armies were large customers and probably this was the answer to how a family of Jews became Roman Citizens.

When Saul, also known as Paul, (Acts 13:9) was about thirteen years of age, and his extensive prelim­inary education completed, he attended Gamaliel’s premier Jewish rabbinical school at Jerusa­lem. Gamaliel was the foremost authority on the Torah [law], he was a Pharisee and a ranking member of the Sanhedrin. By today’s standards Paul’s level of schooling would have earned him doctorates in, at least, Law and Philosophy. After his student-life, he left Jerusalem for Tarsus, where he may have been engaged in connection with a synagogue for a few years. But we find him back again at Jerusalem not long after the death of our Lord. Here he now learned the particulars regarding the crucifixion, Jesus’ resur­rection and the rise of the new sect of “Nazarenes.”

For some two years after Pentecost, Christianity was slowly growing and quietly spreading its influ­ence. Stephen, a leading Christian, was becoming more public with aggressive testimony that Jesus was the Messiah. This led to more incitement of the Jews and much disputation in the synagogues. Persecu­tion arose against Stephen and the followers of Christ generally; Saul of Tarsus took a prominent part. He was be­coming an active leader of the furious per­secution, by which the Jews sought to exterminate Christianity. But the object of this persecution was failing.

“The Christians were scattering abroad going everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4) and the anger of the persecutors was kindled into a fierce flame. Hearing that fugitives had taken refuge in Da­mascus, Saul obtained letters from the chief priest authorizing him to proceed. This was a long foot journey of about 130 miles, which would occupy perhaps six days, during which, with his few atten­dants, he steadily went onward, “breathing out threatening and slaughter.” (Acts 9:1) But the crisis of his life was at hand. He and his band had reached the last stage of the journey, and were within sight of Damascus.  Suddenly, at mid-day a brilliant light shone round them, and Saul was laid prostrate in terror on the ground. A voice sounded in his ears, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” “Who art thou, Lord?”

The voice answered. “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” (Acts 9:5; 22:8; 26:15) “But arise and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou have seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.” (Acts 26:16)

This was the beginning of his conversion, the most solemn in all his life. Blinded by the dazzling light (Acts 9:8), his companions led him into the city, where he was absorbed in deep thought for three days and neither ate nor drank (Acts 9:9). Ananias, a disciple living in Damascus, was informed in a vision of the change that had happened to Saul, and was sent to him to open his eyes and admit him by baptism into the Christian faith (9:11-16). The whole purpose of his life was now permanently changed.

Immediately after his conversion he retired to the solitude of Arabia (Gal. 1:17), for the purpose, of study and meditation on the marvelous revelation that had been made to him. A veil of darkness covers this sojourn, his movements, thoughts and occupations. Of all the circumstances of a crisis, which must have shaped the whole tenor of his life, absolutely nothing is known. “Immediately,” says St. Paul, “I went away into Arabia.” The historian passes over the incident (compare Acts 9:23 and 1 Kings 11:38,39). It is a mysterious pause, a moment of suspense, in the apostle's history, a breathless calm, which ushers in the tumultuous storm of his active missionary life.

After three years, he returned to Damascus and began to preach the gospel “boldly in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27), but was soon obliged to flee the Jews there and go to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:25; 2 Cor. 11:33) Here he tarried for three weeks, but was again forced to flee from persecution. (Acts 9:28-29) He returned to his native Tarsus (Gal. 1:21), where, for about three years, we lose sight of him. The time had not yet come for his entering on his great life work of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.

At length the city of Antioch, the capital of Syria, became the scene of great Christian activity. There the gospel gained a firm footing, and the cause of Christ prospered. Barnabas, who had been sent from Jerusalem to supervise the work at Antioch, found it to be too much, and remembering Saul, set out to Tarsus to seek him. Paul readily responded to the call and went with him to Antioch, where for “a whole year” this became the scene of his labors, which were crowned with great success. The disciples for the first time were called “Christians” (Acts 11:26).

The church at Antioch now proposed to send out missionaries to the Gentiles, and Saul and Barnabas, with John Mark as their attendant, were chosen for this work. This was a great epoch in the history of Christianity. Now the disciples began to give effect to the Master's command: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

The three missionaries went forth on this first missionary tour (A.D. 44-46). They sailed from Seleucia, the seaport of Antioch, across to Cyprus, some 80 miles to the southwest. Here at Paphos, Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul, was converted, and now Saul took the lead, and was ever afterwards called Paul. The missionaries then crossed to the mainland, and preceded 6 or 7 miles up the river Cestrus to Perga (Acts 13:13), from which Mark returned to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas then proceeded about 100 miles inland, through Pamphylia, Pisidia, and Lycao­nia. The first town mentioned in this tour is Pisidia Antioch, where Paul delivered his first address of which there is any record (Acts 13:13-51). The other towns were Ico­nium, Lystra, and Derbe. They returned by the same route to see and encourage the converts they had made, and ordain elders to watch over the churches that had been gathered. From Perga they sailed direct to Antioch where they began the tour.

After remaining in Antioch for about three years (A.D. 46-49), a great controversy broke out in the church regarding the relationship of the Gen­tile Christians to Mosaic Law, spe­cifically regarding cir­cumcision. Paul and Barnabas were sent as deputies to consult with the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem. The ruling was made after Peter’s eloquent speech against requiring Gentile Christians to obey Jewish Law (See Acts 15), and the deputies from Antioch, accompanied by Judas and Silas, returned to Antioch, bringing with them the decree issued.

After a short rest, Paul said to Barnabas: “Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.” (Acts 15:36) Mark wished to accompany them but Paul refused him. Barnabas was resolved to take Mark, and he and Paul had a sharp contention. Mark was the son of one of Barnabas’ sisters (Col 4:10). They separated as a result and never again met. Although Paul afterwards spoke of Barnabas with honor, he sent for Mark (Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11).

Paul took with him Silas, instead of Barnabas, and began his second missionary journey about A.D. 51. This time he went by land, revisiting the churches he had already founded in Asia. But he longed to enter into “regions beyond,” and still went forward through Phrygia and Galatia (Acts 16:6). Contrary to his intention, he had to linger in Galatia because of some bodily affliction (Gal. 4:13, 14). Bithynia, a populous province on the shore of the Black Sea, lay now before him, and he wished to enter it; but the way was shut. The Spirit in some manner guided him in another direction, and he arrived at Troas on the shores of the Aegean and the northwestern coast of Asia Minor (Acts 16:8). Of this long journey from Antioch to Troas we have no account except some references to it in his Epistle to the Galatians (4:13).

As he waited at Troas for indications of the will of God as to his future movements, he saw, in the vision of the night, a man from the opposite shores of Macedonia standing before him, and heard him cry, “Come over, and help us.” (Acts 16:9) Paul recognized in this vision a message from the Lord, and the very next day set sail across the Hellespont, which separated him from Europe, and he carried the gospels into the Western world. In Macedonia, churches were planted in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. After leaving this province, Paul passed into Achaia, “the paradise of genius and renown.” He reached Athens for a very brief visit. (See beginning of this paper.) He never visited that city again and passed over to Corinth, the seat of the Roman government of Achaia. He remained there a year and a half, laboring with much success. While at Corinth, he wrote his two epistles to the church of Thessalonica, his earliest apostolic letters, and then sailed for Syria, that he might be in time to keep the feast of Pentecost at Jerusalem. Aquila and Priscilla accompanied him and they landed at Caesarea, and went up to Jerusalem and “saluted the church” there, and kept the feast. Afterward, Paul left for Antioch, where he abode for “some time” (Acts 18:20-23).

He then began his third missionary tour. He journeyed by land in the “upper coasts” (the more eastern parts) of Asia Minor, and at length made his way to Ephesus, where he tarried for no less than three years, engaged in ceaseless Christian labor. This city was at the time the Liverpool of the Mediterranean. It possessed a splendid harbor, and concen­trated sea traffic. It was then the highway of the nations; and as Liverpool has behind her the great towns of Lan­cashire, so had Ephesus behind and around her such cities as those mentioned along with her in the epistles to the churches in the book of Revelation, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Phila­delphia, and Laodicea. It was a city of vast wealth, and was given over to every kind of pleasure. The fame of its theatres and racecourses were worldwide. Here a “great door and effectual” was opened to the apostle. His fellow-laborers aided him in his work, carrying the gospel to Colossae and Laodicea and other places that they could reach.

Very shortly before his departure from Ephesus, the apostle wrote his First Epistle to the Corinthians. The silversmiths, whose traffic in the little images that they made were in danger and they organized a riot against Paul. So he left the city, and proceeded to Troas (2 Cor. 2:12), whence after some time he went to meet Titus in Macedonia. Here, in consequence of the report Titus brought from Corinth, he wrote his second epistle to that church. Having spent probably most of the summer and autumn in Macedonia, visiting the churches there, specially the churches of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, probably penetrating into the interior, to the shores of the Adriatic (Rom. 15:19), he then came into Greece, where he abode three month, spending probably the greater part of this time in Corinth (Acts 20:2). During his stay in this city he wrote his Epistle to the Galatians, and also the great Epistle to the Romans. At the end of the three months he left Achaia for Macedonia, thence crossed into Asia Minor, and touching at Miletus, there addressed the Ephesian presbyters, whom he had sent for them to meet him (Acts 20:17), and then sailed for Tyre, finally reaching Jerusalem, probably in the spring of A.D. 58.

While at Jerusalem, at the feast of Pentecost, he was almost murdered by a Jewish mob in the temple. Rescued from their violence by the Roman com­mandant, he was conveyed as a prisoner to Caesarea, where, from various causes, he was, detained a prisoner for two years in Herod's Praetorian (Acts 23:35). Paul was not kept in close confinement; he had at least the range of the barracks in which he was detained.

We can imagine him pacing the ramparts on the edge of the Mediterranean, and gazing wistfully across the blue waters in the direction of Macedonia, Achaia, and Ephesus, where his spiri­tual children were pining for him, or perhaps encoun­tering dangers in which they sorely needed his presence. It was a mysterious providence, which thus arrested his energies and condemned the ardent worker to inactivity; yet we can now see the reason for it. Paul needed rest. After twenty years of incessant evangel­ization, he required leisure to garner the harvest of experience. During these two years he wrote nothing.

At the end of these two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix in the governorship of Palestine, before whom the Apostle was again heard. But judging it right at this crisis to claim the privilege as a Roman citizen, he appealed to the emperor (Acts 25:11). Such an appeal could not be disregarded, and Paul was at once sent on to Rome under the charge of one Julius, a centurion of the “Augustan cohort.” After a long and perilous voyage, he at length reached the imperial city in the early spring, probably, of A.D. 61. Here he was permitted to occupy his own hired house, under constant military custody. This privilege was accorded to him, no doubt, because he was a Roman citizen, and as such could not be put into prison without a trial. The soldiers who kept guard over Paul were of course changed at frequent intervals, and thus he had the opportunity of preaching the gospel to many of them during these “two whole years,” and with the blessed result of spreading among the imperial guards, and even in Caesar's household, an interest in the truth (Phil. 1:13). His rooms were resorted to by many anxious inquirers, both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 28:23,30,31), and thus his imprisonment “turned rather to the furtherance of the truth.” His “hired house” became the center of influence, which spread over the whole city. According to a Jewish tradition, it was situated on the borders of the modern Ghetto, which had been the Jewish quarters in Rome from the time of Pompey to this present day. During this period the apostle wrote his epistles to the Colos­sians, Ephesians, Philippians, Philemon, and probably also to the Hebrews.

This first imprisonment came at length to a close, Paul having been acquitted, probably because no witnesses appeared against him. Once more he set out on his missionary labors, no doubt, visiting Western and Eastern Europe and Asia Minor. During this imprisonment he probably wrote the Second Epistle to Timothy, the last he ever wrote. There can be little doubt that he appeared again at Nero's bar, and this time the charge did not break down. In all history there is not a more startling illustration of the irony of human life than this scene of Paul at the bar of Nero. On the judgment-seat, clad in the imperial purple, sat a man who, in a bad world, had attained the eminence of being the very worst and meanest being in it, a man stained with every crime, and a man whose whole being was so steeped in every nameable and unnamable vice, that was, as some one said at the time, nothing but a compound of mud and blood; and in the prisoner's dock stood the best man the world then possessed, his hair whitened with labors for the good of men and the glory of God. The trial ended: Paul was condemned, and delivered over to the executioner. He was led out of the city, with a crowd of the lowest rabble at his heels. The fatal spot was reached; he knelt at the block; the headsman’s axe gleamed in the sun and fell; and the head of the apostle to the Gentiles rolled down in the dust (probably A.D. 66), four years before the fall of Jerusalem.

There is much controversy and debate among scholars about not only how many Epistles Paul wrote, but also practically everything else concerning him. Included was his history, faithfulness, perceived argumen­tativeness and his attitude toward the other Apostles.

Paul said (1Cor 15:9-10) “For I am the least of the Apostles, who am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

When he thought the truth was with the Pharisees he defended and fought for it and wrongfully per­secuted the believers in Christ. After he learned the truth, he was its greatest defender and did more to establish the true Church of Christ than any other single person. Paul was the most prolific of all the New Testament writers, with as many as 14 attributed to him of the 27 little books of the New Testament. The single most, but not the only contested book, is Hebrews. Some say it is not written in Paul’s style. Of course he was faithful to what he knew. However, it shows a degree of education and profundity that fits only Paul.

Not many people have the courage to publicly voice a truth contrary to popular belief and in this world in which Satan as prince of the power of the air, (Eph 2:2) it is almost impossible. When Paul learned the truth, he was its most faithful preacher and defender and is certainly one of the most quoted by those in the truth.

The APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES is perhaps the most quoted of all the writers of the “Little Books” that make up the Bible, and rightfully so since he defined and organized the true Christian Church more than any other individual. Considerable con­troversy surrounded him throughout his mission and as a matter of fact persists to this day.

Here are a few quotes from St. Paul selected at random:

“Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.”  ―2 Cor 11:25-33.

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ―1 Cor 15:9.

“All Scripture, divinely inspired, is indeed profitable for Teaching, for Conviction, for Correction, for That Discipline which is in Righteousness.”  ―2 Tim 3:16 see Diaglott.

“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience” ―Eph 2:2.

 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  ―Rom 6:23.

 “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”  ―1 Cor 15:22.

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.”  ―2 Thes 2:7.

 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mine.” –2 Tim 1:7.

NO. 634 "GIVE ME TO DRINK" - JOHN 4:19-29

“If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink.” (John 7:37)

John the Baptist had testified of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) It is in harmony with this that we read that Jesus (at the hands of His disciples) baptized more than did John and his co-laborers. (John 4:1) The growing popularity of Jesus aroused to bitter opposition with the Scribes and Pharisees, and they sought to kill Him. Hence, we read, “He would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.” (John 7:1) They had greater animosity toward Jesus than toward John, for in Him they recognized superiority over themselves, and because the ignorant, common people heard Him gladly and said, “Never man spake like this man.” Thereafter we hear little of Jesus being in Jerusalem except on festival occa­sions, when great multitudes gathered in accordance with the requirements of the Law.

En route to Galilee, the home country of the majority of His apostles, the journey took them through the country of the Samaritans, concerning whom we remember that our Lord charged the disciples, saying, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 10:5,6) The Samaritans are thus classed with Gentiles ─ aliens, strangers, and foreigners from the commonwealth of Israel. We recall their history ─ that at the time when the king of Babylon took the Israelites captive into Babylonia, he planted some Gentiles in the land of Israel ─ immigrants. Cut off from their former idolatries, these people became interested in their new home country, its theology, traditions, religious sentiments, etc. Furthermore, some of the careless, ignorant and vicious amongst the Jews, disregarding their Divine law on the subject, intermarried with the Samaritans. Thus an element of Jewish blood was intermingled amongst them. They called themselves the children of Jacob, and trusted that this meant some special blessing for them.

A sharp religious controversy was thus established between them and Jacob’s natural progeny, the Jews. They followed the Law given by Moses, and recognized Jerusalem and the Temple as the center of all acceptable worship of God. The Samaritans, being thus excluded, claimed that they had something better ─ that right in their own country they had the very mountain in which Jacob wor­shiped God, and towards this mountain they went or looked in their worship of God, esteeming it as a great natural temple and superior to anything else on earth. These facts account to us for some of the Lord’s expressions connected with this lesson, and show us why His message excluded the Samaritans, as well as all Gentiles, from the call which He was giving, the Kingdom invitation, which was exclusively for the Jews. It was not until the Jews had as a people neglected their opportunity that the special privileges of the Kingdom were taken from them and subsequently tendered to such as would have an ear to hear in every nation, people, kindred and tongue of the earth ─ including the Samaritans.

"GIVE ME TO DRINK"

The road leading to Galilee branched off at Jacob’s well, and the disciples went to the nearby Samaritan village, Sychar, to purchase food, while Jesus rested at the well, which was 75 feet deep and whose mouth was so walled up as to form a circular seat at its top. A Samaritan woman, laboring in the fields nearby, came to draw water, and was intensely surprised when Jesus asked her the favor of a drink. So tightly were the lines of social etiquette drawn that under ordinary circum-stances no self-respecting Jew would ask a Samaritan for any favor, and especially for a drink of water. A gift of water or of food extended or received at that time, signified fellowship, a covenant of good will. The woman asked an explanation of the Lord’s peculiar conduct, but He gave none. We perceive in the entire Gospel narrative of the humility of our Lord, that he was quite ready and willing to mingle with any class, that He shunned no opportunity for doing good to any class, publicans or sinners ─ and that He reproved and rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees for their aloofness. One of His parables was especially directed towards the self-righteous sentiment, which feared even to touch garments with the outwardly more degraded. Our Lord, without approving of the outward degradation, showed that God looketh upon the heart, and that some of those highly approved amongst men were more abominable in His sight than some despised of men.

TACTFULNESS EXEMPLIFIED

Our Lord displayed great tactfulness. Instead of replying to the woman’s query, He attracted her attention to a deeper truth. This lesson of tactfulness many of the Lord’s people need to learn. We know some who mistakenly believe that they must use no tact,  to do so would be dishonest. Hence, they are frequently blunt to the extent of injuring the feelings of others, and hindering their own usefulness. Such should note in this lesson, and in many others, our Lord’s tactfulness. He did not feel that it was necessary for Him to answer the woman’s question. On the contrary, He said, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” (John 4:10) Similarly, let us in all the affairs of life try to turn the attention of those with whom we have contact towards the heavenly, the spiritual things ─ not that we should obtrude religious matters on every occasion, nor that we suppose our Lord would have done so. Quite probably He saw something in the way of honesty of character in the woman He addressed, else he would not have conversed with her. So we should be on the lookout for every opportunity to speak a word in season, to be helpful to others, to honor the Lord.

The woman understood the expression “living water” to mean fresh water, as distinguished from stagnant water. The woman perceived that our Lord was not provided with the necessary lowering bucket and camel’s hair cord, and said, If you had ever so much desire to give me to drink, it would be useless for me to ask you, since you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep, and there is nowhere else that you can hope to procure better than this. Where would you get it? “Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children and his cattle?” (John 4:12) Again our Lord tactfully ignored the question in the woman’s interest ─ not to deceive her or take advantage of her, but for her benefit. He was instructing her, and leading her mind up from the natural water to the spiritual and from the natural foundation to the spiritual. He said, “Whomsoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst,” for that water “shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.” (v. 14)

That our Lord talked to no ordinary woman is evidenced by the quickness with which she grasped His presentation, and her earnestness to get the living water He had described. She said, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.” (v. 15) Again we note our Lord’s tactfulness. He turned the subject. It was necessary that the woman should appreciate the fact that she was a sinner and under the death sentence and needed water of eternal life, which God alone could give, and which He has provided only in Jesus, the Fountain. Our Lord turned her thought inward very quickly by saying, “Go, call thy husband.” (v. 16) The answer was, “I have no husband” (v. 17), and with that reply came a flood of thought, which our Lord riveted upon her by declaring, You have said well that you have no husband, for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband. The woman was now thoroughly aroused. She perceived that she was in the presence of one who knew her very deepest heart secrets. Yet she feared Him not. She fled not from Him. His kindness, His gentleness, His willingness to talk to a Samaritan woman, indicated that she had “found a friend, oh, such a friend.” Her answer was, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.”

Shrewdly then the woman led the conversation away from matters too personal to herself, and too solemn and too tender for discussion, and our Lord did not follow up the subject, but left it. Many of His followers need to learn this lesson of first awakening in the hearts of their hearers a consciousness of sin, and then leaving it to work for them, at greater leisure, sorrow and repentance and reformation. It is not for us to break the hearts of those around us, but to find those who are broken-hearted. The command is, “Bind up the broken-hearted.” (Isa. 61:1) In many instances, as in this one, the broken heart needs to be touched in connection with the binding-up process, in the application of the healing balm of grace and truth, but the touches should be gentle. If more breaking of the heart is necessary, it is not for us to do.

SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS

Not only would the woman escape a discussion of her personal character and affairs, but she would embrace this opportunity of settling in her own mind, with the aid of this one whom she had proven to be a great prophet, a question which had long troubled her ─ were the Jews or were the Samaritans right as respected religion and worship? Before her was a proven prophet, and one in whose words she could have great confidence; hence her inquiry, Who are right ─ our fathers, who claim that this mountain is the place of worship or you Jews, who say that Jerusalem is the only place? Our Lord was not bent upon making of her a Jewish proselyte: the time for that was past; the harvest time had come. He would tell her something that would be to her advantage, and through her to the advantage of others in the near future, when the middle wall of partition would be broken down which still separated the Jews, in God’s favor, from all others. His answer, therefore, applied to the Gospel dispensation in general, and this was already beginning so far as some of the Jews were concerned, and would later reach the Samaritans and all Gentiles. He said, “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father.” (v. 21)

That hour began after the Jewish house had been left desolate, after the new dispensation had been inaugurated, and it still continues. Believers do not have to go to a certain place, a certain mountain, a certain city, a certain house, but may approach the living God, through the great Redeemer, at any place and find Him. That coming hour had already begun, since our Lord himself was the first of the Spirit-begotten ones; and His disciples, accepted of the Father through Him, were taught to pray, to seek, to knock, to find. Those who worship under this Spirit dispensation will not be accepted along the lines of former worship and places ─ not in families, or nationally. Their acceptance will be as individuals, and because they come unto the Father through His appointed way, the Redeemer, and come “in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” (v. 23) During past times he did indeed prescribe forms of worship and times and places, but now all that come unto the father “in spirit and in truth” through Christ are accepted.

While it is most absolutely true that forms and ceremonies are not commanded, but the true worship of the heart, nevertheless we feel that some still maintain too much of a relationship to forms and ceremonies, and thus lose much of the spiritual blessing of prayer and communion. But, on the other hand, we seem to see a danger into which some of the Lord’s dear people fall, through ignoring all regularity in prayer, and sometimes through too little formality in approaching the throne of heavenly grace, without a sufficiency of humility and reverence for Him who has granted us so great a favor as to receive us into His presence and to hearken to our petitions. While thankful that we can call upon the Lord in every place and at any time, let us approach His courts with reverence, with an awe of heart befitting to us in our humble, lowly condition, and to Him in His great exaltation. Thus we enter into the real spirit of prayer, which should recognize our complete dependence and the greatness of the Almighty.

"WE KNOW WHAT WE WORSHIP"

Very pointedly, though we are sure in no rude manner, our Lord declared the truth to the woman when He said, “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews.” (v. 22) The Samaritans, not being of the stock of Israel, were in no sense of the word heirs of the Abrahamic Covenant. Not discerning this cardinal truth in its true light, they were confused as to every feature of the Divine Plan. The Jews, on the contrary, understood that they were the natural seed of Abraham, and that from them must come the great Messiah, and that eventually, through Him and some of their nation associated with Him; all the families of the earth should receive a blessing. Our Lord said, “Salvation is of the Jews.” He did not say, For the Jews, nor, To the Jews, exclusively. It was of them in the sense that the Master was of that nation according to the flesh. It was of them in the sense that the promises were exclusively to that nation, so that Messiah could not have been born of any other nation and yet inherit those promises. It was of that nation also, in that from them our Lord selected the earliest members of His Church, His Body, through whom the invitation to membership in the Body has during this age been extended to every nation, people, kindred and tongue.

WHEN MESSIAH COMETH

The mind of the Samaritan woman swept forward in thought. She recalled the expectation of her own people and of the Jews that God would provide a great Messiah, an Anointed One, who would be all-wise and all-powerful to the relief of all perplexity and to lift out of all difficulty. She wondered whether the Messiah could be more wonderfully wise than the prophet, the teacher, to whom she talked. She did not like to ask the question direct, but suggested it sidewise, saying, “I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.” (v. 25) Seeing her readiness of mind, our Lord expressed to her ─ more plainly, perhaps than to any other person during His ministry ─ the great fact that He was the Messiah: “I that speak unto thee am he.” (v, 26)

The disciples, returning at this time, marveled that He talked with the woman, but had too great respect for Him to question Him; and many since, all through the Gospel Age, reading the account, have marveled at the Master’s humility thus displayed. It has brought a good lesson to many of the Lord’s followers ─ that they are not to despise opportunities for service, for preaching of the truth, even though they have an audience of but one. And indeed the opportunity of speaking to one earnest listener should be esteemed far greater than that of addressing a thousand inattentive ones. Doubtless our Lord saw in this woman something that indicated her worthiness of the time and energy thus bestowed upon her.

But from another standpoint, what worthiness could she have? What worthiness do any of us possess by nature? Fallen and im­perfect, the only thing remaining that could in any way be pleasing to the Lord would seem to be our honesty of heart. Honesty this woman evidently had, and hence we believe she was favored, and many of the Lord’s dear people have received this message since. Here, too, we have another illustration of the importance of using every opportunity that may come to us.

Time and energy spent in the assistance of some worthy one may, as in this case, flow out in widening influence to many. Eternity alone will show the value of some of the little things, the feeble efforts put forth in the name of the Lord; and this reminds us that our Lord is judging us by our faithfulness in little things and small opportunities rather than by our great achievements. His own words are, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” (Luke 16:10) Remembering this, let us be careful in the little things, little opportunities, the hours and the moments, that we may show ourselves zealous for the Lord and His cause, and have His eventual approval, as well as His present blessing.

THE MISSIONARY SPIRIT

The character of this woman is further displayed in the fact that, leaving her water-bucket, she hastened to the city to tell her friends and neighbors that she had found a great teacher, possibly the Messiah, and to ask them to come and share the privilege of hearing Him. The selfish spirit, which would have bidden her to keep the information to herself, or the slothful, careless spirit, which would have led her to say, I would be pleased if my friends might know, but will not bestir myself to inform them ─ either of these would have marked the woman as unworthy of the Lord’s favor; and had such been her occasions we doubt if the Lord would have entered into conversation with her. And so it is with those who have been reached with present truth; they are, as a rule, not only the honest and sincere, but the generous, who love to give the good things to their neighbors, and who, having heard now of the second presence of the Son of man, and the Kingdom about to be established, and having come to a clearer knowledge than ever before of the truth of the Divine Plan ─ these rejoice to lay down their lives in its service ─ the promulgating of “good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people.” (Luke 2:10) This is the true missionary spirit, and home missions come first.

“COME UNTO ME AND DRINK”

Our Golden Text is quite in line with the lesson-intimated ─ that before anyone can come to the Lord he must thirst, he must have an appreciation of that which the Lord has to give ─ the water, the refreshment, of eternal life. This means that he must learn that he is a sinner, and under sentence of death, and there is no hope for a future life except through Christ. The coming to the Lord is the approach of faith. Our thirst is our desire. We drink, or appropriate to ourselves the Divine message. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth” (John 17:17) ─ and water is the symbol of truth. This is in full accordance with the promise of a blessing to those who “hunger and thirst after righteousness.” And the promise is, “They shall be filled.” This, too, is in harmony with our Lord’s statement in our lesson, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” (v. 14)

In the present time our thirst is in one sense of the word insatiable ─ we are never satisfied ─ in the sense that the Lord’s blessings are so great and so good that we can never in the present day and the present conditions have enough of them. We shall be satisfied thoroughly when we awake in the Kingdom. Nevertheless, there is a measure of satisfaction to our drinking, even in the present time ─ just as with a thirsty one at a fountain, he drinks with relish, with appreciation, with satisfaction, only to take more and more. So with those who are the Lord’s. He pours into their cup blessings rich and satisfying, and fills the cup repeatedly. Let us appreciate more and more the truth, the water of life, and let us see to it that we get it pure from the fountain, and that we recognize no other fountain than the Lord Jesus, however much we may appreciate the channels through which the supply may have come to us.

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 4130-4132, February 1, 1908)

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GOD’S LOVE FOR ISRAEL

“I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love.” (Hosea 11:4)

Hosea prophesied in Israel ─ the ten-tribe kingdom ─ prior to the Babylonian Captivity, dying about the time that Samaria capitulated. The name Hosea signifies salvation and corresponds well with the prophecy. The Lord through Hosea made plain to Israel that their national destruction and captivity was at hand; that it was a punishment for sin; but that it also told the people of God’s sympathy for them, of His many loving forbearances, etc., and assured them that He would continue to love them to the end, and eventually bless them and recover them from the land of the enemy.

Hosea’s own experiences in life in some degree pictured the Lord’s experiences with Israel. Hosea’s wife was unfaithful to him, as Israel had been unfaithful to the Lord. Following the Lord’s direction, Hosea took back his wife, reclaiming her; and his message to Israel was of God’s continued love for that people ─ that although they had been unfaithful to the Lord, He would nevertheless loyally receive them again when they should have learned their lesson and be glad to come back as a bird from Egypt and a trembling dove from Babylonia.

“THE LORD LOVED THEE”

Love is the keynote of the Bible, notwithstanding the fact that it contains threatenings as well as promises, and declarations and manifestations of Justice as well as of mercy. If God’s character were devoid of Justice ─ if His love should override His Justice ─ it would be a terrible calamity for all those dependent upon Him. It would testify weakness of character instead of strength. It is the fact that God’s wisdom, justice, love and power operate in full harmony ─ in coordination ─ that gives us admiration for Him, confidence in Him, love for Him; and all these appreciations are intensified as we realize His unchangeableness.

From the beginning God foreknew His plan as we see it gradually ripening. He foreknew that man, allowed to take his course, would fall deeply into sin and be overwhelmed in its penalty, death. He foreknew His own purpose to provide in due time the Lamb of God as a ransom-sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He foreknew the ultimate blessing of all the families of the earth, purposing that the glorified Redeemer should be the deliverer of mankind. He foreknew and arranged a thousand years of restitution work, when under Messiah’s glorious Kingdom all mankind should be brought to a full knowledge of God and a full opportunity for returning to all that was lost in Eden, all that was redeemed at Calvary; and when the ultimately rebellious should be destroyed. He foresaw from the beginning the glorious result when every knee would be bowing and every tongue confessing the glorious work of Messiah’s Kingdom. This entire program was to be of the Father and through the Son (1 Cor. 8:6).

It was incidental to this great plan that God foresaw the wisdom of having a saintly company associated with Jesus in the great work of His Millennial Kingdom, which is to govern and bless thousands of millions. God determined to have two saintly companies. One class was to be of the earth, earthy, samples of what mankind might all eventually attain to through the assistance of the Kingdom. The other class of saints, still more highly exalted, was to be the Bride of Messiah and His Joint-heir in the Kingdom on the spirit plane. God could have filled these honorable positions with angels, who would have been glad of the opportunity of thus serving. However, instead, He chose to gather these companies from amongst men ─ from amongst the sinners themselves.

CALLING ABRAHAM’S POSTERITY

Many ways were open before the Lord for the gathering of the elect for the future service. The one, which He chose and has been carrying out, was undoubtedly the wisest, the best. First of all, God called Abraham ─ a sinner like others, but one whose heart was full of trust in God and who delighted in the right ways of the Lord to the extent of his ability. God’s promise to Abraham was that his seed should constitute the elect, and that through that seed all nations would receive a Divine blessing.

The period of nearly four thousand years since God’s covenant with Abraham has been devoted to the development of Abraham’s seed ─ a natural seed and a spiritual seed. The two were mentioned to Abraham indirectly when the Lord said, “Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven and as the sand of the seashore.” (Genesis 22:17) The stars of heaven thus are used to represent the spiritual seed of Abraham; the sand of the seashore, the natural seed. For more than eighteen centuries God dealt with the natural seed of Abraham. His promises to them and the Law Covenant made with them were great blessings, inspirations, assistances. For although the Israelites, like others, were unable to keep the Law Covenant, being imperfect, sinners, nevertheless the endeavor to obey was helpful. The various chastisements of Israel, including their Babylonian captivity, were lessons intended for their good, and eventually made that nation, at the time when Jesus came to be the Redeemer, the most holy people in all the world ─ the only people recognized of God.

“HE CAME UNTO HIS OWN”

Nevertheless, much of the holiness of Israel in Jesus’ day was merely a form of godliness, which did not stand the test. Only Israelites indeed ─ pure in heart, in motive ─ were enabled to appreciate the Gift of God and to become Jesus’ disciples ─ probably 25,000 in all. Then the door of opportunity to become fellow-heirs with the Jewish saints was thrown open to the Gentiles; and God’s Message was given them, inviting them also to Joint-heirship with Christ. The gathering of this class has proceeded for eighteen centuries, while the nation of Israel has been rejected from God’s favor. Now we are entering the great Time of Trouble, which is to inaugurate Messiah’s Kingdom. During this trouble the Church is to be glorified in the First Resurrection. Then the thousand years of Messiah’s reign with the elect, spiritual bride, drawn from both Jews and Gentiles, will begin.

Still God’s favor will pursue the natural seed of Abraham. Their lessons and chas­tisements will fit and prepare them more quickly than others of the world to receive the Messianic blessing. The earthly phase of Messiah’s Kingdom will be Israelitish, in that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets and saintly ones down to John the Baptist are to be made “princes in all the earth” (Psa. 45:16) ─ the earthly representatives in human perfection of the spiritual Kingdom of Messiah.

Naturally enough, Israel will then in a natural way come first into harmony with the Divine arrangement and be the first to get the blessing. However, during the thousand years of the Kingdom, as the Scriptures declare, all nations shall bless themselves in becoming Abraham’s seed ─ in coming into relationship with the Kingdom, which will have an Israelitish basis (Jer. 4:2; Isa. 65:16; Gen. 12:3). Eventually, all will be destroyed who do not thus become true Israelites. Thus Abraham’s seed will eventually include all the families of the earth ─ all for whom God has provided life eternal. As for Gentiles ─ strangers from God ─ none will remain. (Pastor Russell Reprints 5809, 5810, December 1, 1915)

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LHMM ─ The Bible Standard of January-February 2010 has an article, Messiah ─ God’s Servant in which they continue to teach their non-existent class Consecrated Epiphany Campers. On page 11 they say: “Finally, God’s Servant will divide the spoil with the symbolic ‘sons’ and ‘daughters’ in the soon-coming times of restitution in the Messianic age (Joel 2:28; Isa. 60:4), namely, the quasi-elect (consisting in general of consecrated and unconsecrated believing Jews and Gentiles) and the non-elect (the non-believers, the bulk of mankind).”

Brother Johnson in E-4-319 says: “‘Your [The Christ’s] sons [converted fleshly Israel and the persevering, but unconsecrated believers of the Gospel Age] and your daughters [converted Gentiles of the Millennial Age, Is. 60:4]. (Joel 2:28)’”

Question: – Did either of the last two Principal Men, Pastor Russell or Brother Johnson ever teach such a class in the end of this Age?

Answer:   – No, neither of them even hinted that we should look for such persons in the Household of Faith, although Brother Johnson clearly taught that the Epiphany Camp in the finished picture would contain the "formerly faith­justified ones who hold to the Ransom and practice righteousness, and Converted Israel." However, of these he clearly states in E:10‑209 that they would be the "not" consecrated Jews and Gentiles.

Question: – Is such a class designated in any direct Scripture, or indicated in any type or prophecy?

Answer:  – No, there is nothing anywhere in the Bible that even hints at such a class. And be it remembered that a type that might seem to allow such interpretation would in itself be insufficient, because it is clearly stated on p. 25 of the Berean Topical Index under Types and Figures that "A type must not be used to teach a doctrine, but merely to illustrate one that is already taught in plain terms."

Question: – If there is no direct Scripture, type or prophecy to prove Campers Consecrated, how did the idea originate?

Answer:   – It is a pure invention of R. G. Jolly and J. W. Krewson.

(The above Questions and Answers were written by Brother John J. Hoefle, Reprint 81, April 1962)

NO. 633 LIVING WATERS

“Whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)

Ezekiel 47:1-12 ─ “Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house: and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

“Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

“And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.

“Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.

“Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.

“And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.

“Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

“Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea; which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.

“And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.

“And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-egla-im; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

“But the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.

“And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.”

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Ezekiel’s prophecy is full of symbolism, and has appropriately been termed the apocalypse of the Old Testament. It was written in Babylonia in the Chaldaic language.

Many of the particulars connected with this vision described by Ezekiel are so circumstantial to the land of Israel as to give considerable ground for belief that it will have a literal fulfillment in the future; and in connection with the vision is shown a new division of the land of Canaan amongst the twelve tribes. But whatever literal fulfillment the vision may have, we may be positive that it is to have a grand fulfillment as a symbol, for the life-giving river here brought to our attention is undoubtedly the same one described six hundred years later, by John the Revelator, and referred to in our text.

Ezekiel was one of the captives of Judah taken to Babylonia by King Nebuchadnezzar on the occasion of his first invasion, when he placed Zedekiah on the throne, eleven years before his later invasion when the city was destroyed. The captives taken at that time included many of the chief men of the Jewish nation, princes and nobles, the brightest and the best. His object in taking these seems to have been to strengthen his own empire, for the captives were not treated as slaves, but were granted great liberty, some of them, as in the case of Daniel, rising to positions of very high honor in the kingdom. Ezekiel had great liberty, and his prophesying was done for the Jews of the Babylonian captivity ─ exiles. The Lord’s testimony through this prophet was undoubtedly intended to cheer and comfort those of his people who were Israelites indeed, and to fan the spark of faith which still remained in their hearts ─ to lead them, as in the case of Daniel, to hope for the return of God’s favor and the end of their captivity with the end of the appointed seventy years’ desolation of the land.

The matter as heard by the Jews in exile undoubtedly was pictured as referring to earthly Jerusalem, and the blessings as appertaining to the Jews as a nation. The restoration of Jerusalem and the Temple are clearly and explicitly foretold, and no doubt the hearts of the captives leaped with joy as they thought of the future blessings, and no doubt, also their faith and hope were encouraged. But so surely as Ezekiel’s prophecy was the Word of the Lord, so surely the prophecy did not relate to blessings to be conferred upon that people at the time of their restoration from the land of Babylon, for the predictions of Ezekiel’s prophecy were never fulfilled. Just so surely they belong to the future. Spiritual Israelites may realize that the prophecy not only related to natural Israel but also to spiritual Israel, not only to a deliverance from literal Babylon but also a deliverance from mystic Babylon, “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots” (Rev. 17:5), whose power is soon to be completely overthrown as precedent to a full deliverance of all who are Israelites indeed and the establishment of the Kingdom (Rev. 18).

River of Life: Our lesson deals with one of Ezekiel’s visions, which predicted the springing into existence of a wonderful river whose waters would bring to the land of Israel and to the Dead Sea verdure and life instead of drought, desolation and death. The ordinary interpretation of this lesson is that the Gospel is represented in this river, which now for a considerable time has been flowing onward and bringing life. We cannot accept this interpretation, for several reasons: First, the description is in such close agreement with the Millennial Age blessing of Revelation 21 and 22 as to leave no doubt that the same thing is referred to. In Revelation we see that the Church is the Bride, and the Church glorified is symbolized by the heavenly Jerusalem and the river of the water of life, and whose leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations and whose fruit is for their sustenance and whose water is the water of life, living water. There can be no doubt that the two rivers are identical.

A Refreshing Picture: Thus seen God has rich blessings in store for mankind in general in the day when His Kingdom shall be established amongst men, in Immanuel’s day. The restitution of that time is pictured in the leaves of the trees; the abundance of instruction and nourishment, mental, moral and physical, is represented in the fruit of the trees. More than this, wherever the water of this river went life resulted, until finally it emptied itself into the Dead Sea with the effect that the waters of the latter were healed. Fishes thrive well in sea water, but the water of the Dead Sea is about nine times as strongly pregnated with salts, and as a consequence fish taken from the Mediterranean and put into the Dead Sea die in a few minutes ─ hence the name, Dead Sea.

There is no outlet to the Dead Sea, and its low level and warm climate have tended to make this sea the saltiest water on earth. Its main supply of water comes from the Jordan River, which empties into it an average of 6,000,000 gallons of water every 24 hours. The sea is about 47 miles long. It reaches about 1,300 feet depth, so that its own surface

level is almost exactly half way between its bottom and the level of the ocean. Like the Jordan River, this sea is also one of the most remarkable bodies of water on earth. No other is known to occupy so deep a hollow on the surface of the globe.

It would not at all surprise us if in the beginning of the Millennial Age, not only the nation of Israel would receive the blessing of the Lord lost at the beginning of this Gospel Age and become His representative people in the world ─ the Church having been taken from the world, glorified spirit-beings ─ but neither would it surprise us if, in the Lord’s providence, some miracle were wrought by which the Dead Sea would become connected with the Mediterranean, possibly refreshed also by some such river as is here described by Ezekiel, a picture of the symbolical river of life flowing from the New Jerusalem. But however interested we might be in the thought of such a literal fulfilment of this prophecy, our interest is still greater in the fulfilment of it as a symbol in accord with the river of Revelation. From this symbolical standpoint the Dead Sea represents the dead world, and the coming of life-giving waters would represent the resurrection power of the Lord and the Church exercised amongst men during the Millennial Age. As the apostle expressed it, it would mean, for the Gentiles, life from the dead.

Returning to the Prophet’s vision, we note that the waters flowed out from the House of the Lord, from the Temple, and that wherever they went they brought vitality and refreshment, healing, restitution, life ─ even to the Dead Sea. This to our understanding is a picture of the grace of God during the Millennial Age, when from the Church, the House of God, the Temple, “the habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22), the stream of the water of life, healing, restoring, rejuvenating, shall flow to all the families of the earth, whose condition is represented by the wilderness eastward of Jerusalem. The result will be the blessing and restitution of all the living families of the earth willing to receive the blessing. And it means more: for the Dead Sea fitly represents the vast multitude of mankind which has gone into the tomb, and the water of life shall reach even these, and bring to them also awakening from death, opportunities of restitution.

Jerusalem being twice sea-level height above the Dead Sea’s surface represents that Jesus and the Church as God’s Kingdom are not simply one nature, i.e., spiritual or angelic nature, higher than human nature, but are two natures higher than it, i.e., are of the Divine nature. It will be recalled (Rev. 22:1-3) that out of God’s and Christ’s Throne and out of Christ and the Church as God’s Temple and Altar the stream of Millennial Truth will come and will flow into the symbolic Dead Sea, the Adamic death state, bringing forth from the grave all the Adamically dead, and restoring to human perfection all of them, except those who will not reform (Isa. 65:20; Ezek. 47:11), who are represented by the Dead Sea’s miry and marshy places, and who will die again, the Second Death.

Turning to the description of the same symbolic river furnished us in the Book of Revelation (chapter 22), we find abundant evidence that it does not refer to the present time, but to the Millennial Age. For instance, it is symbolically pictured as having trees of life on either side, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations ─ not for the healing of the Church, which at this time is the glorified temple from which this river proceeds ─ and the healing of the nations signifies, as plainly as a symbolic picture could indicate it, restitution, the healing of the woes of the groaning creation, its sin and sickness and imperfection.

We notice also that the proclamation which will then be made will not be restricted, as at the present time, to “even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:39) It will not be to an “elect” class; it will no longer be said, “No man can come unto me, except the Father draw him.” The call at that time will be general ─ to every creature ─ “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” We notice further that that broad invitation is extended by God through the Holy Spirit and the glorified Church, as it is written, “The spirit and the bride say, Come!” We notice further that this expression, “the bride,” unquestionably places the call in the future, because, although the elect Church of the Gospel Age is called out from the world to become the Bride of Christ, she does not become such, does not enter that exalted station, until in the end of the Age she is perfected in glory and in the likeness of her Lord. Then will come “the marriage of the Lamb”; and not until after the marriage will there be a Bride; and not until after the Bride has thus been accepted as such can “the spirit and the bride say, Come!” to the nations.

In other words, there is a measure of selection or election as respects the class invited to constitute “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” “No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called.”

But with the end of the Age will come the end of the elective process; then the Divine message will be free grace, an offering and opportunity to every creature of Adam’s race. All blind eyes will be opened that all may see; all deaf ears will be unstopped that all may hear; and the knowledge of the glory of God shall fill the whole earth; none will need to say to his neighbor, “Know the Lord, for all shall know him from the least unto the greatest of them." (Jer. 31:34)

Here is that glorious city (government), prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev. 21:2), and early in the dawn of the Millennium the nations will begin to walk in the light of it (v. 24). These may bring their glory and honor into it, but “there shall in no wise enter into it [or become a part of it] anything that defileth,” etc (v. 27). Here, from the midst of the throne proceeds a pure river of water of life (truth unmixed with error), and the Spirit and Bride say, Come and take it freely (Rev. 22:17). Here begins the worlds probation, the world’s great judgment day ─ a thousand years.

This same glorious city (kingdom), the glorified New Jerusalem, the Church and the river of the water of life gushing forth there from, are brought to our attention in Psalms 46: “There is a river, the rivulets of which shall spring from the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved. God shall help her early in the morning.” The connections here also show that these rivulets are not to be expected to flow out as a river until the Millennial morning, and the context refers particularly to the Time of Trouble with which the present age shall end and the Millennial morning shall be introduced.

The Outflowing Stream: “Out of the body shall flow a stream of living waters.” (John 7:38) This verse was not fulfilled at Pentecost, where the Lord’s followers merely began to drink of the spiritual truths, and by them to be united into one body of many members, of which Jesus is the head. It is from this one body that ultimately the stream of the water of life shall flow during the Millennial Age for the blessing of the whole world. Our Lord referred to this saying “My word shall judge you in the last day” (John 12:48) ─ in the great day, the Millennial Day; the world shall be judged by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The water of life represents the truth, and the amount of the water of life or truth that shall proceed from the mouth of the Lord, from the mouth of the glorified Church, shall be such a stream, such a flow, as will reach to every part of the earth. “The knowledge of the glory of God shall fill the whole earth.” (Hab. 2:14)

A river of water of life is seen and trees of life whose fruit sustains life, and whose foliage heals the people. How this calls our minds back to the paradise from whence Adam was driven on account of sin, and to the tree of life in the midst of Eden, from which he was debarred, and from the lack of whose fruit Adam and his race died.

Oh, what a picture of the “restitution of all things which God hath spoken” ─ the healing of all the curse, the blotting out of sin, and with it misery, pain, and death, because a ransom has been paid and He who ransomed is the one who gloriously restores.

The water of life which will there flow from the throne is a picture of the future; for not yet has the throne been established on the earth. We still pray “Thy kingdom come,” and not until that prayer is answered, can that river of water of life flow. The water of life is knowledge ─ truth ─ for which mankind famishes now. It will flow out bountifully when the tabernacle of God is with men (Rev. 21:3). Then thirsty humanity, groaning in painful bondage to sin and death, will be refreshed and restored.

This river of the water of life represents the blessed influence that will proceed to humanity from the glorified Christ, Head and Body ─ from the Kingdom of God’s dear Son. When the blessed opportunities of that time are thoroughly open to the world, when the Sun of righteousness shall have scattered all the darkness of ignorance and sin, when Satan shall have been bound (Rev. 20:2), when the river of the water of life shall flow freely, then the invitation that will go forth will no longer be a call of the elect, but an invitation to every creature, every member of the human race, to partake of the blessings and privileges which God has provided in Christ, that they may have the everlasting life and everlasting joy which is to be the portion of those who love righteousness and hate iniquity, and who avail themselves of the gracious provisions in Christ.

It should not be overlooked that the healing and refreshment mentioned in this symbolization does not pertain to the “little flock,” the Church, but to the world, the nations. The Little Flock will have been glorified, perfected in the First Resurrection, before this offer of healing and restitution of the world is made. Israel will be the first to be blessed, but subsequently all the families of the earth, as God’s Oath-bound Covenant has promised.

“And there shall be no more curse” (Rev. 22:3) ─ the curse will be gradually removed and man gradually released under the blessing of that glorious Age.

ANOTHER PICTURE

Realizing their deliverance from bondage, and the Divine Power exercised in their behalf in the overthrow of the Egyptian army, the Israelites were joyful. The journey toward the land of promise began. At length, fatigued and thirsty, they came to a fertile spot, where there was an abundance of water, but alas, it was bitter, or brackish! The disappointment was great. The song of reverence was forgotten; the mighty Power of Jehovah in bringing them through the Red Sea was forgotten; even the taskmasters of Egypt were forgotten. The people murmured against Moses for bringing them away from the fertile fields of Egypt and its abundance of good water. They declared that it would have been better if they had remained in Egypt or even if they had died there. They declared that Moses and Aaron had misled them into leaving the land of plenty, and had brought them into the wilderness, to die there of hunger and thirst (Ex. 16:2,3).

As we consider God’s dealings with Israel, and the instructions given them in the wilderness, we see that these were evidently intended to prepare a nation for self-government ─ a nation which for nearly two hundred years had been in bondage, almost slavery. The first of this series of wilderness lessons may be designated a lesson of trust; and as we note Israel’s experiences and the Lord's guidance of their affairs, doubtless we will all find lessons that will be helpful to us.

Three routes led from Egypt toward Canaan, and the Lord chose for His people the most roundabout way of the three. He had in view from the first their need of training. Their long bondage had made them servile and weak, lacking in self-reliance in the new way and fearful that their leader, in whom they trusted remarkably, might yet prove incompetent for their deliverance. What a resemblance to all this we find in ourselves when first leaving the world and its rudiments ─ although trusting in Christ, our fully accepted Leader, how apt we are to feel fearful of our ability, even under His guidance, to gain the promised glorious deliverance from sin and its slavery!

The first disappointment in the journey was when the supply of water which they were carrying became exhausted and they had reached the waters of Marah (bitter) and found them brackish and unfit to drink; their disappointment was intense and they murmured against Moses. He in turn cried unto the Lord for help, and in response was shown a tree which being cast into the waters purified them. This was the first lesson of trust, and the Lord impressed it upon them as such (Ex. 15:25,26).

HEALING THE BRACKISH WATERS

Moses, the mediator of the Law Covenant,

typified the Christ (Head and Body), the Mediator of the New Covenant, and the tree that Moses cast into the waters for their sweetening represented another tree ─ the one referred to in the statement, “Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.” (Gal. 3:13) The tree represented the cross of Christ, the agency through which the water of truth and Divine Law become waters of grace and blessing for the world of mankind in general when, in the Mi11ennia1 Age, they shall be delivered from the bondage of Satan and sin, represented by the slavery of Egypt. As the Apostle points out, it will not be possible for God to make a new law under which to bless mankind for the Law given to Israel was good, was perfect, as the Law of God must always be. The Divine promises represented by the water were poisoned by sin ─ by Adam’s disobedience ─ and hence were unsuitable and could not give the desired blessing. The cross of Christ, by canceling Adamic sin, canceled also the condemnation of the Divine Law against mankind, and eventually will permit the great antitypica1 Mediator to make the gracious promises of God good, refreshing, applicable to all who seek to walk in the ways of the Lord. The New Covenant between God and Israel, in which all the families of the earth are to share the benefit, will shortly be sealed with the precious blood ─ be confirmed, made operative.

But the Lord’s wisdom guided Moses to a certain kind of tree, which, put into the water, made it sweet and palatable. Moses explained to the people that in murmuring against him they were really murmuring against God, for he was merely God’s agent in the matter. A further journey for a season, and they were far from the bitter waters ─ at Elim, a delightful spot, where they rested and were refreshed.

STILL ANOTHER PICTURE

A certain stream carried brackish water through an otherwise favored district. Elisha took a handful of salt, went to the head of the brook and poured it there, commanding in the name of the Lord that it should henceforth be pure water. Looking for a typical significance of this in the Millennium, we remember that a stream of water represents a stream of truth, and that brackish water would represent impure doctrines. A purification of the stream at its foundation would well represent what the Lord has promised through the Prophet respecting Messiah’s day. “Then will I turn unto the people a pure message that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” (Zeph. 3:9)

The salt cast into the spring reminds us of the Master’s words respecting His true followers, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” (Matt. 5:13) It will be in and through the glorified salt of the earth that the blessing will come, the streams of truth for human refreshment for a thousand years. The light of the knowledge of the glory of God will be made to fill the whole earth, as the waters cover the great deep (Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14).  (Reprint 484, May 1997)

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THE TEL AVIV CLUSTER

Jews are a famously accomplished group. They make up 0.2 percent of the world population, but 54 percent of the world chess champions, 27 percent of the Nobel physics laureates and 31 percent of the medicine laureates.

Jews make up 2 percent of the U.S. population, but 21 percent of the Ivy League student bodies, 26 percent of the Kennedy Center honorees, 37 percent of the Academy Award-winning directors, 38 percent of those on a recent Business Week list of leading philanthropists, 51 percent of the Pulitzer Prize winners for nonfiction.

In his book, “The Golden Age of Jewish Achievement,” Steven L. Pease lists some of the explanations people have given for this record of achievement. The Jewish faith encourages a belief in progress and personal accountability. It is learning-based, not rite-based.

Most Jews gave up or were forced to give up farming in the Middle Ages; their descendants have been living off of their wits ever since. They have often migrated, with a migrant’s ambition and drive. They have congregated around global crossroads and have benefited from the creative tension endemic in such places.

No single explanation can account for the record of Jewish achievement. The odd thing is that Israel has not traditionally been strongest where the Jews in the Diaspora were strongest. Instead of research and commerce, Israelis were forced to devote their energies to fighting and politics.

Milton Friedman used to joke that Israel disproved every Jewish stereotype. People used to think Jews were good cooks, good economic managers and bad soldiers; Israel proved them wrong.

But that has changed. Benjamin Netanyahu’s economic reforms, the arrival of a million Russian immigrants and the stagnation of the peace process have produced a historic shift. The most resourceful Israelis are going into technology and commerce, not politics. This has had a desultory effect on the nation’s public life, but an invigorating one on its economy.

Tel Aviv has become one of the world’s foremost entrepreneurial hot spots. Israel has more high-tech start-ups per capita than any other nation on earth, by far. It leads the world in civilian research-and-development spending per capita. It ranks second behind the U.S. in the number of companies listed on the Nasdaq. Israel, with seven million people, attracts as much venture capital as France and Germany combined.

As Dan Senor and Saul Singer write in “Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle,” Israel now has a classic innovation cluster, a place where tech obsessives work in close proximity and feed off each other’s ideas.

Because of the strength of the economy, Israel has weathered the global recession reasonably well. The government did not have to bail out its banks or set off an explosion in short-term spending. Instead, it used the crisis to solidify the economy’s long-term future by investing in research and development and infrastructure, raising some consumption taxes, promising to cut other taxes in the medium to long term. Analysts at Barclays write that Israel is “the strongest recovery story” in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Israel’s technological success is the fruition of the Zionist dream. The country was not founded so stray settlers could sit among thousands of angry Palestinians in Hebron. It was founded so Jews would have a safe place to come together and create things for the world.

This shift in the Israeli identity has long-term implications. Netanyahu preaches the optimistic view: that Israel will become the Hong Kong of the Middle East, with economic benefits spilling over into the Arab world. And, in fact, there are strands of evidence to support that view in places like the West Bank and Jordan.

But it’s more likely that Israel’s economic leap forward will widen the gap between it and its neighbors. All the countries in the region talk about encouraging innovation. Some oil-rich states spend billions trying to build science centers. But places like Silicon Valley and Tel Aviv are created by a confluence of cultural forces, not money. The surrounding nations do not have the tradition of free intellectual exchange and technical creativity.

For example, between 1980 and 2000, Egyptians registered 77 patents in the U.S. Saudis registered 171. Israelis registered 7,652.

The tech boom also creates a new vulnerability. As Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic has argued, these innovators are the most mobile people on earth. To destroy Israel’s economy, Iran doesn’t actually have to lob a nuclear weapon into the country. It just has to foment enough instability so the entrepreneurs decide they had better move to Palo Alto, where many of them already have contacts and homes. American Jews used to keep a foothold in Israel in case things got bad here. Now Israelis keep a foothold in the U.S.

During a decade of grim foreboding, Israel has become an astonishing success story, but also a highly mobile one. (By David Brooks, Published: January 11, 2010)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Sister Marjorie and all the class at Epiphany Bible Students:                                                         

       Once more we find ourselves preserved alive (Psa. 80:18,19), “Keep us in life, and we will give praise to your name,” in what has become more and more a world of dense darkness and mostly full of sorrows and all manner of problems and ill’s. How clearly we see that the human race is in that condition foretold (2 Tim. 3:1-4). It was well attested to in the latest newsletters Nos.629/630, gratefully received. It caused me to consider as to whether because of the now common place reporting in all the various mediums, TV-papers-radio-magazines ect. Am I? becoming deadened to the impact! through the constant viewing of these matters! forgetting somewhat that these sorrows are befalling the “Heavenly Fathers” children en mass through out the earth.

Hopefully we can all give some reflection in our deliberations and petitions when before “Him” assuring that we are not untouched, unmoved by all the sufferings of our fellow brothers earth wide. Just as we know for a certainty “He” cares beyond measure, and if we seek “His” image in all things, our spirit of thought and action will be in like measure, for the “Heavenly” gave “His only begotten” to ultimately put asunder these terrible afflictions pervading the race of men. Clearly we see the only true refuge is “THE KINGDOM.”

The “little green” letters you so timely send out are most lovingly received with all heartfelt gratitude, and never fail to spark a response in some manner, they are “Manna” in due season. Thank you all so much for the written blessing on page 8 of No. 629.

 Christian love and fond wishes to you all. In “His service, Brother Rick                 (LONDON)

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Dear Marjorie,

Thank you for your letter of August. Sorry to be slow to answer, but the Fall was an extremely busy one with guests coming for my Bed and Breakfast rooms. It was good to see more tourists in Israel as Spring had been slower I think mostly due to the economic situation. I had some guests over the holidays, but January and February are usually slower months.

The 15th of November I went to the States for the first time without Lev – a new step for me! The main reason for my trip was to see my only sister in Colorado. She is 86 years old now and in a nursing home.

I flew straight to California, a long 15 hour flight, and spent some days with dear Elva Lanowick. She is doing well on her own and we had a wonderful time of sharing and fellowship. Then also saw other family and friends in California, Oregon, Washington and Vancouver, Canada in the month there. It was a blessed trip with good health, good weather, good travels and many good visits. However I did come back with a super case of jet lag. It always seems worse coming this way!

Thankfully I came back to a rainy Israel! We have had wonderful “early rains” this year, which we so much need to refill the Sea of Galilee! So we pray for a rainy Winter here!

I am glad that the things I wrote a year ago about the war in Gaza blessed some there. It seemed so out of date, but then the whole Goldstone Report made it again a current issue against Israel! So it never seems to be over for Israel to get the negative hits.

Thank you for your end of the year points on the world and Israel which I just received, and look forward to reading.

What can I say about Israel for the year ahead? God has all in His hands as we see Iran going forward with their agenda. How long can Israel wait for a solution?

Then the pressures on Netanyahu are tremendous, and I think even more behind the scenes. He is trying to stand, but it does not look too hopeful these days. We just pray that he will not be willing to give more away of the Land! Also that the Arabs will not accept any offer Israel makes.

The bright spot here is the economy of Israel, which is doing well. That does not mean there are no problems, BUT if we can keep the rest of the west from putting sanctions on Israel it will be OK. God knows the timing of all things.

Hope you and all there are well. Please give my greetings from Israel.

                                                                                     Shalom and love, Hava Bausch       (ISRAEL)

NO. 632 THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

“I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings,” says Hosea 6:6. This subject of knowledge, especially so with the “knowledge of God,” has been bandied about by all classes from the least unto the greatest; and a little reflection readily makes evident that it must be embellished with copious qualifications if it is to be retained in proper balance. Almost every virtue becomes a vice when overdone; therefore, almost every virtue requires a companion virtue if it is to be maintained in good perspective. This is certainly true of knowledge, because St. Paul says, “knowledge puffeth up, but love buildeth up.” The great Apostle is not here putting a slur on knowledge, because no one can have too much knowledge if that knowledge is given proper balance by the grace of love.

“The spirit of a sound mind” implies that such a person has all four of the Divine attributes in reasonable proportion ─ each companion to the other three prorated to its correct position. Knowledge is acquaintance with fact, clear perception of truth: and wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. Thus, a man who is gifted chiefly with knowledge may be said to be an intellectual man; one with knowledge and power, an austere man; one with knowledge, power and justice, a righteous man; and one with knowledge (wisdom), power, justice and love is a “good man.” And to one possessing these four the promise is sure and certain that his “steps are ordered of the Lord.”

We often hear the remark that “knowledge is not the essential thing”; but this statement is only a half truth, and ─ “Half truths are more misleading than whole errors.” St.   Paul does indeed say that love is the principal thing ─ that “love is the bond of perfectness.” (Col. 3:14) And none with that “bond of perfectness” will ever be rejected by the Lord; will never fall from the Class in which he finds himself. No Saint ever lost his crown so long as he retained that “bond” and no Youthful Worthy will ever fall from his Class if he has and retains that bond. As Brother Johnson has so well stated, it is not required of Youthfuls that they develop Agape love; but they should certainly do so if they have the capacity. Some may not be able to do this; but it should be readily evident that if they can and do acquire it, then they have also the “bond of perfectness,” which none can give nor take away ─ the possessor of that “bond” can never encounter shipwreck in his walk by faith.

Above we quoted St. Paul’s statement that love is the principal thing, but here also qualification is necessary, because no one ever developed Agape love without patience, and none can retain it without that adorning grace. It is of such importance that St. Paul mentions it last in Titus 2:2 in his admonition to be “sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.” Jesus had perfect love, but this He retained only through His perfection in patience ─ “He steadfastly [in full patience] set His face to go to Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51) But we must go beyond patience in our qualification of Agape love. Before patience must come faith; and before faith must come knowledge ─ “the knowledge of God.” This is emphasized in Romans 10:14-17: “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard [received sufficient knowledge to enable them to believe]? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent... So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Clearly, then, in the primary sense the “knowledge of God” is the principal thing; without that knowledge there could be no faith; without faith “it is impossible to please God,” and without faith none could possibly gain that principal thing ─ Agape love. It has been our observation that those who would discount the virtue of knowledge ─ “not the essential thing” ─ are those who possess very little of it; and their contention is simply a lame alibi for their glaring incapacity ─ “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) We are instructed to “study to show thyself approved unto God”; and we are to account those elders “worthy of double honor... who labor in word and doctrine [the knowledge of God].” (1 Tim. 5:17)

And with such servants abides the assurance of faith, they know that they know, nor need such assurance “puff up” if that knowledge is moderated by Agapè love. If such knowledge is not moderated by Agapè love, such people will lose it as prophesied in 2 Thes. 2:10,11― and God will send them “strong delusion that they should believe a lie [errors and false doctrine].” A proverb of Omar Khayyam was: “He who knows, but knows not that he knows, is timid, encourage him. He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is ignorant, teach him. He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool, shun him. But he who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise, follow him.” Surely, the last two Principal Men knew, and knew that they knew. The Scriptures speci­fically state of one of them that he was “wise”; and our trust was well placed as we followed them. Also, it was prophetically writ­ten of the Epiphany Solomon (1 Kings 3:12): “I have given thee a wise and an under­standing heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.” Therefore, those who recognize Brother Johnson as the good Epiphany Solomon will proceed most cau­tiously before attempting to dispute any of his faithful Scriptural teach­ings. Neither of the Laodicean “stars” deemed it essential to be “as the actors,” to use the tricks of oratory, or the flummery of the stage, much of which is simply humbug. A pleasant anecdote is related of Charles Darwin, the famous naturalist: Some neighborhood boys attempted a prank upon him by catching a grasshopper, tearing off its wings and long hind legs, then substi­tuting the wings of a wasp and parts of several other bugs. They then showed him their artifice, asking him if he could tell them what kind of a bug it was. “Did it make a humming noise when you first caught it out in the field?” he asked. “Oh, yes; it made a very loud humming noise when we first grabbed it.” “Then,” replied Mr. Darwin, “it’s a 'hum'-bug.”

Such is much the case with a large part of our present-day estimation of the “knowledge of God.” A very prominent Evangelist recently said to his audience, “Coming to Christ is not dependent on understanding. I don't under­stand the digestive system, but I eat.” The superficiality of this statement is readily apparent. The Evangelist himself may not understand his digestive system; but other human beings do understand it, and this enables him to go on living. Had the human race not learned early in history that some of our vegetation is deadly poison that would destroy the digestive system, none would have survived unto this day. The Evangelist’s physician understands the digestive system, and he hires that physician to keep his digestive system in proper condition. And by the same rule of measure the preacher should understand what he is feeding the flock, and should feed them the true “knowledge of God,” if he would save them from spiritual indigestion. Presumably, they are paying him to do just that, just as the Evangelist pays his doctor to keep him physically well.

In our courts of law it is a fundamental rule of interpretation that “Ignorance of the law excuses no one”; and it requires no great insight to realize that if this were not true bedlam would prevail in all quarters. However, the rigidity of human law is not always operative in God’s law under present undone conditions. We are specifically told in Acts 17:30 that “this ignorance God winked at”; that is, He made due allowance for the inherited and acquired frailties of the human race, who through ignorance knew not God. But this should not be seized upon as an overall excuse for violation of the Divine order of affairs. Brother Russell has stressed that we are held accountable for what we have opportunity to know; howbeit, of him that hath little shall little be required.

In Parousia Volume Six there are two chapters devoted to Order and Discipline in the New Creation and The Law of the New Creation, which are there for a purpose. They are pungent with the “knowledge of God,” provided by God during this Harvest time for the guidance of His people and binding upon all of us who claim to be in “Present Truth” ─ regardless of the laxities practiced by those about us. Of the Jews it was written (Zech. 7:12): “They made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law... therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts,” the same being a shadow before of the conduct of spiritual Israel during this Gospel Age, and especially so in the end of the Age. “He that hath an ear to hear – let him hear.”

Of course, the tendency of the times is to discount the “knowledge of God” ─ it doesn’t matter what you believe, so long as you are headed in the right direction. Therefore, take no exceptions to your neighbor’s beliefs; they are just as good as yours. We know this to be a direct contradiction to St. Paul’s teaching that there is but “one faith.” In E-9-512 (bottom) there is this: “The Lord does not despise knowledge and talent, as some mistakenly think, but, if sanctified, uses them advan­tage­ously for His cause, yet He certainly does not put the main emphasis on them, which main emphasis He lays upon characteristics of the heart.” Yet St. Paul so often remarks, “I would not have you ignorant, brethren.” (1 Cor. 12:1) Also, “By His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.” (Isa. 53:11) It was by His knowledge that He explained the types and shadows of the Old Testament and “brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.” (2 Tim. 1:10) And at the very time He was doing this the critical statement was given to the Jews, “Israel hath a zeal, but not according to knowledge.” (Rom. 10:2)

Knowledge of things past often helps us accurately to diagnose present events, and to arrive at proper interpretations of difficult Scriptures. Many have been the attempts of critics to condemn the Bible because of its statement, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated [loved less]” (Rom. 9:13); but, knowledge of the custom then prevailing that the elder son must fast while the younger feasted upon the birthday of a prominent ancestor offers a clear and reasonable explanation of the matter. “The law of the Lord is perfect... making wise the simple.” (Ps. 19:7)

In Detroit at present there is a reciprocal understanding among many of the ministers of the different sects regarding “mixed” marriages to this effect: If, say, a Lutheran comes to his minister to be married to a Methodist, the Lutheran minister performs the service; then advises them to determine both to attend the same church. If the bride doesn't like the minister who has just joined her in wedlock, or if she cannot accept the Lutheran faith, then the minister advises his own member to follow his bride to the Methodist Church, or vice versa. Thus, in the overall figures, all is balanced up and everyone is happy. This means there is no longer con­troversy over what is the “knowledge of God.” If there be any conflict, it is now chiefly over personalities ─ “there is no live coal to warm them,” no living doctrinal Truth in its purity to stir their icy spiritual blood (Isa. 47:14). “They are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, everyone for his gain, from his quarter.” (Isa. 56:11) Don't expose my ignorance, and I won't expose yours, they say; and each of us will prosper in our own bailiwick. (See Berean Comments on Isa. 56:11)

But, if we would be better used of the Lord, it is essential that we have a certain amount of knowledge, although some with limited knowledge and inherent wisdom (the proper application of knowledge) often accomplish more than others with great knowledge but endowed with less wisdom. Therefore, Solomon says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” (Prov. 4:7) Companion thoughts are excellently expressed by both Star Members in the May 14 Manna Comments:

“What is it to grow in grace? It is to grow in favor with the Lord through an intimate personal acquaintance and fellowship of spirit with Him... To grow thus in grace and not grow in knowledge is impossible... If, therefore, we love and obey the Lord and desire to grow in His favor, His written Word is our daily meditation and study; and thus we grow in knowledge.”

Errorists and superficial teachers offer just the reverse of the foregoing to their devotees. When the Church of Rome was in its heyday it is well stated that its motto was: Reading is doubt; doubt is heresy; and heresy is Hell. That is, any who endeavored to inform themselves doubted the infallibility of their leaders; and such must certainly be only the course of the heretic. This was indeed the “doctrine of Balaam... the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.” (Rev. 2:6,14-15) Such are the antitypical Baal worshipers, who endeavor by sleight-of-hand and great oratorical shouting to overawe the “unstable and the unlearned.” It should be noted that Baal was the Sun God ─ Lord of the Day ─ a fitting type of power-graspers and clericalists. At night the Heavens are filled with millions of stars, many of them much larger than our sun; yet they are all completely obscured during the daytime. They are still in their respective places, of course, but they are not visible to the human eye because of the daytime splendor of the sun. And such is much the condition of Gospel Age power-graspers. They have outshone the true Star Members, have “cast their brethren out” and built up Great and Little Babylon. Yet the promise is sure to all the fully faithful ─ “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their father.” (Matt. 13:43) And this exaltation will be one without end!

In this connection, be it noted that the orbit of the sun is from the East to the South to the West. But those who follow Baal cannot ever receive any exaltation from the true God. Therefore, it is written, “Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south” (Psa. 75:6) ─ that is, no promotion from God to those who follow the course of Baal. In 1 Kings 18 is recorded the experience of Elijah with Jezebel’s prophets of Baal ─ one against 450. There had been a long drought in the land; the country was blistering under the unrelenting rays of the burning sun. Therefore, Elijah gave those prophets of Baal every possible advantage when he told them to try their hand first ─ to kill their bullock, put it on the altar, and call upon Baal, their Sun God, at high noon to ignite the wood under their sacrifice. Well did they realize the mockery that would come upon them if they failed under such advantageous circumstances, which prompted them to callout, “O Baal, hear us... And it came to pass at noon that Elijah mocked them... And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their manner with knives.” (vs. 27, 28) Then, when they were forced to admit failure, about three o'clock in the afternoon (v, 29), “the evening sacrifice,” Elijah then instructed that twelve barrels of water be poured upon his offering, after which fire came from Heaven and consumed his sacrifice. “Elijah took twelve stones, accord­ing to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob... and built an altar in the name of the Lord,” (v. 31) which altar was typical of the Fully Faithful of the Gospel Age spiritual Elijah, twelve being a Little Flock number ─ just as was true of the altar constructed by Joshua (Josh. 4:5,9).

While the Gospel Age Elijah has always had the assurance that “Thou hearest me always” (John 11:42), fortified as they have been by the knowledge of God, which gave them a “mouth and wisdom which none of their adversaries were able to gainsay nor resist” (Luke 21:15), they seldom were given the spectacular outward approval which came to the Prophet Elijah in his encounter with the Prophets of Baal that fateful day. In fact, in many instances during this Gospel Age the Baal worshipers (power-graspers) have gained the ascendancy as instance, the victory of Calvin over Michael Servetus, etc.; yet the fully faithful have striven with the strength of Samson and the skill of the warrior David in their use of the knowledge of God. It should not be expected, of course, that all would demonstrate the ability of the Star Members in the use of this knowledge ─ although many have assumed they could do so. We recall the occasion when a gainsayer gave us the argument that Christ died and rose again “according to the Scriptures” ─ that this proved it was not actually true, but was only “according to the Scriptures,” which were unreliable in their records.

It has been contended by some in our midst that the Truth has always come first, then followed by error. This is only a half-truth, and half-truths are more misleading than whole errors. In the broad sense, the Bible, which is the Truth, has been first, of course; but Micah 5:5 clearly states that “when the Assyrian (the errorists) shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise up against him seven shepherds and eight principal men.” This is in keeping with Prov. 24:16 ─ “A Just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.” The “just man” of this Gospel Age has been the fully faithful justified Christ Company, which fell into obscurity as much error sprang up about them after the death of each Star Member. We need only look at the Lutheran Church, the Methodist Church, the Adventists and others to note the force of this contention. If Martin Luther, Miller, et aI, came back they would be unable to find their teachings in those organizations that now claim to be their followers. In our time we have the instance of Brother Russell, and with what speed the falling occurred after he died. Jehovah’s Witnesses bear no more resemblance to the truths he espoused and the organization he set up than does a vulture to a swan. The measurably faithful made quick havoc of his good work ─ just as uncleansed Levites are doing all about us ─ some more, some less. And, as we observe this state of affairs, it behooves us all the more to equip ourselves with “the knowledge of God” to the extent of our natural and acquired providential circumstances. The world in general, of course, “knows not God”; and the great mass of Christian believers quite evidently have very little of the “knowledge of God.” There is the constant and irrepressible conflict, the battle of darkness against light, and the darkness hateth the light because it is reproved by it (John 3:20).

But the “knowledge of God” is for “the children of light,” who zealously try to pass it on to others, although with very limited success against the opposition of the “god of this world.” Therefore, it confers its greatest blessing upon its possessor; hence, the words of Solomon, “Buy the Truth [the knowledge of God], and sell it not.” (Prov. 23:23) To such, and to such alone, applies the promise of Psa. 91:10 ─ "Neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” Such are the members of that “one Church, which in its entirety is the steward and administrator of the Truth [the knowledge of God], to preserve and defend it from error and to administer it for the benefit of the responsive.” (E-8-253) And such will be in full agreement with the slogan on Brother Johnson’s letterhead as respects the Knowledge of God ─ “The noblest science; the best instruction.” To which we would add, “that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3), and “He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.” (Isa. 57:2)

(Brother John J. Hoefle, Reprint No. 506, June 1999)

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KNOW OF THE DOCTRINE

“If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17)

We are living in a day when the very word doctrine seems to be offensive to the majority of Christian people. Each denom­ination realizes that its own system of doctrines is imperfect, un­satisfactory, and indefensible. And the same is believed in respect to all other doctrines. Hence by mutual consent Christian people seem disposed to henceforth and forever ignore doctrines; for they believe that, if after nineteen centuries they are thus confused the matter never was clear and never will be clear to anybody

All this is a great mistake; the doctrine of Christ, as presented by the Great Teacher and his apostles, was a great message, of which none of them were ashamed. The difficulty with the Lord’s people today is that we gradually fell away from those doctrines, we little by little put darkness for light and light for darkness, and thus step-by-step got into the spirit of Babylon, and into the spirit of bondage to human traditions and creeds. Instead of shunning doctrines, we should realize that they are the very things needed to cause the scattering of our darkness and superstitions, and to draw all of God’s people nearer together.

The doctrines of Christ and the apostles is what we need to inspire us to break down all our creed fences, which so long have separated us as God’s people, the one from the other, in various denominational folds, all of which are contrary to the Divine arrangement; for God has but the one fold for all his “sheep” of this age, as he will have another fold for the restitution “sheep” of the next age – the Messianic Kingdom Age.

“ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM”

Can we doubt that if as God’s people we put away sectarianism and the creed spectacles of our forefathers, and if we go with pure, sincere hearts to the Lord and his Word, we will there find again the “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father over all, and one Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” and “one church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven”? (Eph. 4:5,6; Heb. 12:23) Let us hearken to the words: “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward,” “But remember the former days, in which ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly whilst ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and by afflictions; and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.” “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” (Heb. 10:35,32,33,36)

The time seems long to all of us, even though we remember that “a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.” When we think of the fact that it is thirty-nine hundred years since God’s promise to Abraham, that his seed should bless all the families of the earth, when we think of the fact that Israel did not receive that great privilege of being the spiritual seed from which primarily that blessing should go forth, and that the “elect” are receiving it; when we think of the fact that God has been nearly nineteen centuries in selecting the “elect” from Israel and from all nations, it is enough to stagger our faith unless we hold firmly to the Divine promise and remember that God confirmed it with an Oath. By these two immutable, unchangeable things, the Divine Word and the Divine Oath, we know that the seed of Abraham is to be developed, and that eventually it is to bless all the families of the earth. It is the Divine will that we allow our faith in this great promise of God to be “an anchor to our souls, sure and steadfast, entering into that within the veil.” (Heb. 6:19)

THE DOCTRINES OF CHRIST

What we all need as God’s people is to put away human theories and other gospels and take hold afresh on the Gospel of Christ. These other gospels are other messages of hope, aside from the one, which the Bible presents. For instance, Theosophy is one of these; Evolution is another; New Theology is another. These all hold out a different gospel from that which Jesus and the Apostles presented; the one that was given to use for our sanctification, and through the holding fast of which, and the obedience to The Faith, we are to be saved and given a share with Messiah in his glorious empire of the world.

The doctrines of Christ mean those doctrines presented in the Bible by Jesus and His mouthpieces, the Apostles. These doctrines relate to the Church and to the world, and God’s blessing for each; these doctrines relate to sin and its forgiveness; the terms of that forgiveness, the basis of that forgiveness ─ the death of Jesus ─ and the hope of that for­giveness, release from Divine condemnation, fellowship with God, and everlasting life obtained through resurrection of the dead. See Hebrews 6:1-3.

A PREREQUISITE TO KNOWLEDGE

But some one will inquire. Why is it so difficult to understand the doctrines of Christ? Why are there six hundred different denomi­nations of Christians? Why do they all so misunderstand the matter ─ that these different denominations have resulted from the differences of theory respecting the teachings of the Bible? The simple explanation is that, shortly after the death of the Apostles when the Church began to be in a measure of prosperity, the adversary came in and sowed the seeds of false doctrines, using human lips and human pens in his service, through pride and ambition. The darkness became so great that, looking back today; we speak of the period as the “dark ages.”

The various denominations of Christendom are evidences of honesty, perseverance and love of the Truth, because our forefathers, who made these creeds, were each trying to get more and more out of the dark and back to the “True Light.” They all made the mistake, however, of holding too much to the creeds and theories of the past. Let us not make the same mistake; let us cut loose entirely from every authority outside the Word of God. Whoever can help us understand God’s Word, we should be glad to have his assistance; but we cannot acknowledge as inspired or authoritative the teachings of the “Fathers” of the early times, however conscien­tious they may have been, because we cannot recognize that there were any such authorized successors to the apostles.

God, who foretold through the prophets this long period of darkness, and who has blessed and guided his saintly children through­out it, without removing all of their blindness, has promised that with the end of this age will come a great blessing and enlightenment upon his people, when the “wise virgins” will find their lamps burning brightly, and be able to understand and appreciate the deep things of God: “The wise shall understand, but none of the wicked shall understand.” In the end of this age the curtain was to be drawn, and the “true light” was to shine forth, scattering all the darkness. We are in the dawning of this new age today, and therefore may see much more clearly than did our forefathers, the Divine character and plan for human salvation.

WILLETH TO DO HIS WILL

This is a message from the Master’s own lips. He gives his plan and us the key to a clear knowledge of his doctrines, namely, that the student must be fully consecrated to God and fully desirous of knowing his will. In order to see light in God’s light ─ to see the truth, from the Divine standpoint of the Divine revelation, we must draw near to God in the spirit of our minds, consecrated in our heart. We must will to do his will.

But what does this mean? What is it to will to do his will? God’s will represents actual perfection of thought and word and deed, toward God, toward our fellows in the body of Christ, and toward all mankind. This is the Divine standard set up, but we are no more able to fulfill its demands than were the Jews. As St. Paul declares, “We cannot do the things that we would.” Weakness of the flesh, frailty and im­perfection, we all have with the world; the best that we can do is to will to do right, and to the best of our ability carry out that covenant with the Lord to do his will. At the very best all will come short of perfection.

But for those who have come into harmony with God, through Christ ─ for those who have made a covenant with him by sacrifice ─ for those who have Jesus for their Advocate, a provision has been made, whereby the willing, all desiring to do the Divine will, and manifesting endeavors so to do, are counted as righteous ─ as though they did the Divine will perfectly. This class, in the Scriptures, is known as the “saints”; they are the prospective members of the body of Christ. It is to these that the promises of our text apply, that they shall know to do the Divine will, shall know whether Jesus merely made up these teachings of himself, or whether he was the active agent of Jehovah in what he did and in what he taught.

At the close of the year, and on the threshold of another, shall we not determine to give our hearts, our wills, fully to the Lord ─ determine in our wills to do God’s will? If so, following the instructions of the Word of God during the coming year, we shall doubtless be blessed and enabled fully to know, to appreciate, to understand, the doctrines of Christ ─ the deep things of God, which are revealed to this class by the Spirit of God. Blessed are all who put their trust in him!

(Pastor Russell Reprints 5136-5137, November 15, 1912)